SUPERFICIAL RECONCILIATIONS, AND SELF-DECEIT IN FORGIVING.

When, after variances, men are brought to an agreement, they are much subject to this, rather to cover their 68 remaining malices with superficial verbal forgiveness, than to dislodge them and free the heart of them. This is a poor self-deceit. As the philosopher said to him, who being ashamed that he was espied by him in a tavern in the outer room, withdrew himself to the inner, he called after him, "That is not the way out; the more you go that way, you will be the further in!" So when hatreds are upon admonition not thrown out, but retire inward to hide themselves, they grow deeper and stronger than before; and those constrained semblances of reconcilement are but a false healing, do but skin the wound over and therefore it usually breaks forth worse again.