For he flattereth himself in his own eyes, until his iniquity be found to be hateful.
Ver. 2. For he flattereth himself in his own eyes] This is the first proof of the foregoing charge and the fountain of all the foregoing exorbitances. See the like 2 Timothy 3:2; there self-love brings all out of order, here self-flattery. Sibi palpum obtrudit, he stroketh himself on the head, and saith, I shall have peace, though I walk in the stubbornness of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst, and rebellion to sin, Deuteronomy 29:19. Thus he sootheth and smootheth up himself, neither shall any one persuade him but that his penny is as good silver as the best of them all. Thus he calleth evil good and good evil; and, proudly bolstering himself in his sinful practices, he maketh a bridge of his own shadow, and so falleth into the ditch of destruction.
Until his iniquity be found to be hateful] Till God by his judgments uncase him, and men, out of utter hatred of his execrable practices, tell him his own to his teeth. Thus Stephen Gardiner, being charged of cruelty by Mr Bradford, answered in open court, I, for my part, have been challenged for being too gentle oftentimes; which thing Bonnet confirmed, and so did almost all the audience, that he had ever been too mild and moderate. But Doctor Taylor told him another tale, when he said to him, How dare you for shame look me or any Christian man in the face, seeing you have forsaken the truth, denied our Saviour Christ, done contrary to your oath? &c. So Bonner, They report me, said he to the lord mayor, to seek blood, and call me Bloody Bonner; whereas God knows I never sought any man's blood in all my life. To whom Mr Smith, the martyr, answered, Why, my lord, do you put on this fair vizor before my lord mayor, to make him believe that you seek not my blood, to cloak your murders through my stoutness, as you call it? Have you not had my brother Tomkins before you, whose hand when you had burnt most cruelly, you burnt his whole body; and not only of him, but of a great many of Christ's members? &c. So, upon the martyrdom of Master Philpot, a certain unknown good woman in a letter to Bonner wrote thus: Indeed, you are called the common cutthroat and general slaughter slave to all the bishops of England; and therefore it is wisdom for me and all other simple sheep of the Lord to keep us out of your butchery stall as long as we can, especially since you have such store already that you are not able to drink all their blood, lest you should break your belly; and therefore you let them lie still, and die for hunger, &c. And soon after, you have broken a pot indeed (Mr Philpot), but the precious word contained therein is so notably therewithal shed abroad, that the sweet savour thereof hath wonderfully well refreshed all the true household, or congregation of Christ, that they cannot abide any more the stinking savour of your filthy ware, that came from the dunghill of Rome, though your lordship's Judases set them to sale everywhere to fill up your bags, &c. Thus these blood suckers stunk above ground, and it is probable that the saints shall look upon such in the next world, throughout all eternity, with execrable and everlasting detestation.