through time and practice, that they are neer upon as wise, as that old serpent the Devill. Indeed he hath one trick beyond all theirs; for like a cunning fencer, he that taught them all their tricks, kept this one to himselfe, namely, how to cheate them of their soules. But take a short Character of them.
They are such cunning dissemblers, that like Pope Alexander the sixth, what they thinke, they never speak. Why is this cast away, saith Iudas? Crafty cub, he would have had it himself. They are like a fellow that rides to the pillory, they goe not the way they look. They will cut a mans throat under colour of courtesie, as Ulysses by gold, and forged letters, was the meanes of stoning Palamides, even while he made shew of defending him. And then to wipe off all suspition from themselves, their gesture and conntenance shall be like Julius Caesar's; who seeing Pompey's head fell a weeping, as if he had been sorry for it, when by his onely meanes it was cut off. So like Rowers in a boat, whilest in their pretence they look one way, in their intent they goe the quire contrary: As our Saviour found it to fare with the Pharisees, and Sadducees, Matth. 16. 1, 3. which made him to conclude, with, O hypocrites! Nor shall any man be able to deter∣mine, either by their gesture, words, or actions, what they resolve, though like Hebrew letters, you spell them backward. Onely this you may be sure of, that they do not intend, what they pretend; Like as in jugling feats, though we know not how they are done, yet we know well, that they are not done as they seem to be.
Now if they can any way advantage themselves by anothers ruine, and do it cunningly; as Iezabel did, when she killed Naboth, by subor∣ning false witnesse against him, and proclaimed a Fast before the murther: Though all such policy be but misery, and all such knowledge, ignorance, Yet, ô how wise they think themselves! but they are grosly mistaken: for wherein does this their great wisdom consist? but first; in being wise to de∣ceive others: as the Old serpent did our first Parents; or secondly in the end to deceive themselves, as the same serpent did, which brought a curse upon himselfe for so doing, Gen. 3. The crafty Fox hugg'd himselfe to think how he had cozened the Crow of her break-fast: but when he had eaten it, and found himself poysoned with it, he wisht the Crow her own a∣gain. Wealth got by deceit, is like a piece of butterd spunge, an Italian trick, it goes down glib; but in the stomack swells, and will never be got out again. The gains a man gets by deceiving, at last he may put in his eye, and yet see himselfe miserable. Sin is the greatest cheater in the world, for it deceives the deceiver.