Chapter 11

Of the deceit of the heart in giving directions for our actions.

Having thus spoken of the first part of the deceitfulness of man's heart in judging, namely in judging of persons, now we come to the second in judging of actions. And this is two-fold, in pre-judging, in after-judging. The judgment of advice, and direction for the doing: and the judgment of censure, and sometimes correction after the doing of the actions.

The deceits of the former kind are almost infinite. The book would swell too much, and I should but weary myself and the reader, largely to prosecute them all. Only I will point at some of the chief heads: these deceits therefore for direction are either in regard of the rules for the government of our actions, or of the actions themselves.

For the rules, our deceitful hearts prescribe specially three deceitful rules, to square our actions by. First, the light of natural wisdom; which being so much degenerated from that at the first creation, and of a clear shining lamp, become a stinking snuff, who sees not that this light is plain darkness itself. The wisdom of the flesh is enmity to God. Secondly, the custom of the times and examples of the multitude. As though the way of manners were like the way to great market-towns, to be known by the multitude of footsteps trampling and beating upon it? Or as though men should be so silly as sheep, to follow wherever their companions lead them? For surely how many things are there done which would argue the doers, either sheepishly simple, or ragingly furious, if they did them alone, or with few companions; whereas now the multitude of their companions in madness, the only proof they have to prove themselves in their right minds. Thirdly, our own intention and meaning — that if it be good, then so is the action also, which the Scripture refutes by the example of Uzzah. These are crooked rules and blind guides, which blinded and deceived hearts choose to themselves. But here that of Solomon is true: there is a way that seems good in a man's own eyes, but the issues thereof are the ways of death.

The deceit of the heart in judging of the actions themselves is either against the whole law, in general, or in special, against either table. All which to name were endless. We will only cull out some of the principal.

First, against the whole law I observe three more special deceits.

1. That thoughts are free, that we shall not be accountable to God for them. Paul himself, though a learned Pharisee, yet was thus deceived in judging of thoughts, not consented to, which are forbidden in the tenth commandment. I had not known (says he of himself in his Pharisaism) that lust had been sin, unless the law had said, You shall not lust. But the grossness of this deceit may easily appear: for what reason is there, that the actor of treason should be punished, and the first plotter and contriver should escape? Now the first beginning and hatching of any sin is first in the thoughts of the heart. And if kings will have their servants in their accounts answer even for pence, why may not God call us to a reckoning even for our smallest debts? And if men punish words and deeds, because they see and know them, why then should not God punish our thoughts which he knows far better than any man can do our outward actions? We must therefore make conscience of the idle rovings of our brains, our very thoughts and imaginations must stoop, and do homage to God, who has required of us to be loved with all our thoughts, and bids us tremble even at the very first rising of evil thoughts and motions in our hearts and sin not. But alas many do invert the sentence and in this kind very boldly sin, and tremble not.

2. That words are but wind: yes but they are such a wind as shall blow you violently into hell, and shall be the bellows to kindle, yes the fuel to feed the flames of that unquenchable fire. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned, and for every idle word must you give account to God at the last day, unless Christ has given account for it before. What a dotage is this to think, that our tongue, our glory, may be made our shame, our greatest ornament, our foulest deformity, our best, and yet withal one of our least members, a world of wickedness.

3. That the outward works of the law are sufficient. That in the first table, it is enough to come to church, and to mumble over a few prayers in one's bed, and so on: in the second enough to live quietly and pay every man his own, and not to break out into scandals. This deceit possessed the Pharisees, who in their interpretation of the law, restrained the prohibitions of murder and adultery to outward gross murder and adultery. So their phylacteries were not so broad, but their expositions of the law were as narrow. In the same error was he, that hearing the commandments of the second table rehearsed to him by our Savior, answered, all these have I kept from my youth: but we must know that the law in every commandment is spiritual, and binds the heart as well as the hand.

Against the first table these deceits.

1. That the works of the first table are inferior to the second: hence is that opinion, that it is easier to love God than our neighbor. Hence also it is, that there is often severer discipline against drunkenness, theft, blaspheming of great men, than against profanation of the Sabbaths, blasphemous oaths, and other such like as great breaches of the first table, as the named sins are of the second. Whereas yet the first and great commandment is, You shall love the Lord your God. 2. That God may be worshipped according to our own device, without the warrant of his own word: hence that atheistical omni-religion, and that opinion that all religions do well, a man may be saved in any: hence those swarms of will-works, and worships, which naturally we prefer before those commanded by God. But shall the king set down himself the rule of his own honor to be performed by his subjects, and not leave it free to every country clown, to do as they please: and shall we, far more unable to set down any fashions for God's religion, than the rudest rustic is for a king's civil worship, shall we, I say, take upon us to determine anything of ourselves, in God's worship? Men have thought it a disparagement to them, when their servants being commanded to do something, have done otherwise; not yet in contempt, but because they did see that other way, which they took, to be better for their master's purpose than that which was commanded them. Crassus caused his mason to be whipped, for that being commanded to send him the greater mast he sent him the less, only because he knew it to be fitter for the turn to which he would use it. Do men thus stand upon it? Foolish men, will they have their own ways followed, without giving place to the better courses of their inferiors; and can God, whose foolishness is wiser than our best wisdom, can he take it well, that our folly should thus take head to itself, presuming to check, and correct his wisdom?

Against the second table there are also many deceits; as, that every man may be for himself, and make the most of his own, and do with his own as he pleases; that the officious and sporting lie is nothing, whereas (Galatians 1:10) we must not speak truth to please men, much less then lie: that it is the sign of a base mind, to put up an injury, which yet the Scripture terms our glory, and a hundred such like. But it seems to me unsavory raking in this dunghill, let us therefore leave this point, and come to the heart's judgment of actions after they are done, and see how that also is deceitful.