Joy in Tribulation, Chapter 31
CHAP. XXXI. Applying these things for removing tentations rising from conceit of hypocrisie.
NOw then, seeing we know how farre an hypocrite may seeme to goe in the good way, let us proceed to remove that wavering which beares downe many a weake Christian in a very painfull & discomfortable estate. I find two especiall temptations, applied by Satan, to shake the faith of a weake soule, and to hold it in suspence, that it cannot rise up to any strong consolation in the sense and feeling of Gods grace & favor. The first and chiefe is, that whatsoever …hey do, is done in hypocrisie. True it is, they can heare the Word, they can frequent the assemblies, reverence the sincere Teachers of it, invite others to the fellowship of the same grace, rejoyce in the Word, but all this (saith the Tempter, and truly) may bee in an hypocrite, and in themselves they thinke it is all no better than dissembling. They have some zeale (they confesse) to the truth, but an hypocriticall zeale; some desire and longing after Christ, but hypocriticall; all is meere hypocrisie. Thus they say, thus they thinke.
Now let such a Christian, 1. seriously consider, that the subtle Serpent doth not onelyonly tempt men to presumption, but also to distrust; as is apparent in those assaults, by which he set upon our blessed Saviour: As hee allures him to a presumptuous casting himselfe downe from the pinacle of the Temple, because the Angels waited on him to lift, and beare him up; so also he laboureth to draw him to a distrust of Gods providence, and therefore (as the sonne of God) to command the stones to be made bread: See Matth. 4. 3. 6. And as the ignorant and carelesse worldling is the most ordinary object upon whom hee workes grosse, presumptuous dreams of salvation; (those hee perswades, God is mercifull, Christ came to save all men, and therefore when he heares the word of the curse, he causeth him, from these grounds, to blesse himselfe in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walke after the stubbornnesse of mine owne heart, adding drunkennesse to thirst; thus he rocks him in a dead sleep of sinne.) As thus he workes grosse presumptions upon the carelesse and blinde professour, so hee never pursues any with those weapons of distrustfull, and unbeleeving feares, but those who are either quite gone, or now going, or at least setting their faces to goe out of his AEgypt, in travell toward the heavenly Canaan.
So then when hee assaults thee with this weapon, know assuredly that Satan plainely discerns that God hath wakened, and raised thy soule from that drowsie cradle of sinne, in which hee so long had lulled thee in deep security. Againe, remember thy corrupt heart is very deceitfull, not onelyonly to hide up sinne in it, and to flatter thee with faire, but false hopes, and so to breede pride, and presumption; but as cunning also to conceale any grace which is in it, and so to affright thee with likely, but false feares: It will bee then a necessary point of wisedome not to give full, and rash credite to either hope, or feare, but diligently to weigh thy estate in that ballance of the Word, which is the truth, and cannot deceive thee: First then (humbling thy soule by prayer… and intreating the assistance of that holy Spirit,1 Cor. 2.12 who is purposely sent that thou maist know these things which are given thee of God,) take a perfect examin…tion, and triall of thy estate: Thou hearest, and frequentest the Word, so doe dissemblers: But doth an hypocrite, or can he follow it with an heart hungring after perfect obedience? Doth he desire to finde every thought subdued to the yoake of Christ? Nay; even then in his hearing, his hart (not steals away, but) with good leave, and full permission) goes after his covetousnesse, Exek. 33. 31,32.or some other corrupt lust, and resolves to keepe himselfe reserved in some things; making, and setting up in his heart a law against the law of God; namely, that he will not so be tyed to it, but that in some things he will use his owne liberty.
Againe, both a sound, and rotten heart rejoyce in the Word: But thou findest love to the word, not in thy mouth as the dissembler, Ezek. 33. 31. when indeede his soule hates it, (at least some part of it) but in thy heart. He receives not the love of the truth, 2 Thes. 2. 10. and therefore rejoyces not in the truth of God, but in the lyes of Satan, promising life without reformation: but thou out of love to the Word, even because it is a purifying word, rejoycest in it, especially that power of it, whereby thy soule is washed, and clensed from thine owne wickednesse.
The upright and dissembler both burne in zeale; but thou findest thy heart angry, and grieved, not with some, but al sins, not with others only, but most with thine owne, whereby God is dishonored.
Lastly, the hypocrite can thirst for Christ at sometimes, when he is in the furnace, as iron, his heart for the present is softned, but as soone as it is out of the fiery triall, returnes to his hardnesse, and indeed was onelyonly troubled, never changed. But thou findest a deepe, and unquenched thirst of Christ and his righteousnesse, ever burning in thy soule; so that even in the dayes of peace thy heart is ever sighing after him, and esteemest him as the onelyonly medicine for thy sicke spirit, so the onelyonly food when thon art healthy and strong. In all of these may the faithfull soule easily perceive that hee hath outstript the hypocrite, and left him farre behinde, and is certainely entred into the true way of grace to glory.