466 r The great lmpojlor. uncivil: I she wifely infinuative? heisalhtterer: In Own, fuch is the wicked craft of A the hearr, that itwould let us fee nothing in it own forme; but faine would fbew us evillfaire that we might be inamored ol ic,and vertueugly,that wemight abhorreit· and., it doth for the way,fo doth it for the ~nd; bid in~ from usthegloryof heaven~ that is laid up for ovcrcommers, and fbew,ng us nothmgbut tbepleafant clofure of w(ckedneffe; makingusbelievethat hell is ap~lace, a~d he•ven adungeon, thatfo we might be in love wnhdeath; and thu• bothmcunmngconveyance,•nd falfefemblanct The heart ofman k dtceilfHII ahiJ'Ve all thing1. . ye have le en the falbion ofthis deceit ; cafi nowyour eyes upon thefubjell:; And whomdoth it chen deceive? le dorh.dec~ve others, it can deceive it felfe, it would deceive Satan,yeaGod himfelf. Others,firfi~How many doe we take for honefi and found Chrifiians, whoyet are but erranthypocrites? Thefe Apes ofSatan have learned 10 transforme themfelvesinto Angels of light ; The heart bids the eyes look up- B . ward to heaven, when they are full ofAdul<ery; It bids the h•ndsro r•ife upthemfelves cowards theirM•ker,wben they are full ofblood; It bids the tongue wag holily,when there is nothing in thebofome bot Atheous prophaneneffe; It bids the knee to bow like aCamell,when the hearcisfiiffeasanEiephant; yea ifneed beitcan hid a teare fall from the eye, or analmes or jufi aaion fall from the hand, and all to gull the worldwith agood opinion; In all which, falfechaprnen andhorfe-coutfersdoe notmore ordinarilydeceive theirbuyers in fbops and faires,than we doe one another inour converfacion: Yea, focrafty is the heart, that it can deceive it felfe ;By overweeninghis own powers,as the proudman; by under-valuing his graces, as themodefi; by miflaking his efrate,., the ignorant; Howmany hearts doe thus groffely beguile themfelves? Tbe firfr thinks he is rich, and fine, when he is beggedyand naked; fo did the Angell ofLaodicea: The fec011d is poorein hisown fpirir,when he c isrich ofGods fpirit: The third thinks that be is agreat favourite ofheaven,whenbe is ratherbranded for an our-cafr; that be is trnly noble, when be is allave to that, which isbafer than the worfr of Gods creatures, finne : Let the proud and ignorant worldling therefore knew, that though others may mocke him with applaufes, yet that all the world cannotmake him fo much a foole as hisown heart. Yea,fo cunningis the heart,that it thinks to goebeyond the devi!l bimfelfe: I can (thinksit)fwallow his bait, and yet avoid his hooke; I canlinne,and live; I can repent offinning, anddefeat my punifbmenr by repenting; I can run upon the fcore, and take up the fweet and rich commodities of linfull pleafure; and when I have done, I can put my felfe nnder the proteliion ofaSaviour, and efcape the arrefr; Oh rheworld offoules that perifbby thisfraud,fundly beguirmg themfelves,whiles they would beguile theTempter. D Yet higher: Laflly,asSatanwent about todeceive the Son ofGod; fo this foolilb confortand clienrofhisgoesabour todeceiveGod himfelf: The firfr paire ofhearts that ever was , were thus credulous, to think they fbould now meet with a meanes ofknowledge and Deifying, whichGod either knew not of, or grudged them, and therefore they would be frealing it our of the fideofthe apple, without God, yea againfi him: Tufh, none eye fball fee us; 11 there kno.,ledge in the mcjlh;gh, faith the fotti!b Athein?Lordhave not,., heardtheepreach in oHr.flreellihave not l>'e cojl o•l DtfJiltinthy?J4me? fayesrhe fmoothinghypocrite! asifhe couldfetchGodoverfor an adrniffion into heaven.'thou haft not liedto m•n,hullo God,faitl1 S. Peter to A nasi~<. A od pettifb Jonat,afrer he had bee ne cooled in the belly ofthe Whale , and the Sea, yet will be bearingGod downin an argument to the ju!tifying ofhis idle choler, I dcel>'ell to he asgrJto the death. But as the grearefr Polititians are oft over·takenwith E rhegroffefi follies(God owesproud wits a fbame) the heart ofman could not pcllibly devife how fomuch to befuoleit felfe, as by thiswicked prefumption : ohyeefoolu, "('"·••·••·"· ,.,hen ~Pill JeHnderpand? He th•t formed the 'I'• .fo•O he nDt fie? He thattelchethman k._noiPiedge,fh•O oot hewnderjlasdl Tht l.ord f>.!Joweth tht tho•gh11 ofm•n, that theJare fJa11it1· A rodfo• the back..•ffook•,yea a rodofiron forfuch pretDmpruous fooles,to cr-fh them inpeecu lil<! • Pottmvelfill. Ye havefeen the fafbion and the fubjttlofthis deceit:the fequell,or d fclt follows; every
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