Observations Divine and Moral, Chapter 51
CAP. LI. Of Hypocrisie.
HYpocrites have their names from stage-players, Chrisost.as rayther playing then working that which is good and vertuous; and the same onelyonly upon the stage, and to please lookers on. And as amongst stage-players the same persons act divers parts, at divers times, and those very different one from another; so is it with the actions of hypocrites: They hold no correspondencie one with another; but some of them cover, and others discover their masters shame; as Noahs sons did their fathers. And as such persons are never constant; for none can long play Seneca.the counterfeyt untyred: so neyther are they free in any one kinde of good; but have a goodnes rayther like the water in a dead pit, forced out at tymes, with buckets; then of a living spring, which sends out its streams freely, and constantly. Yea further, as Iacob (though for his fathers blessing he covered his hands, and neck very cunningly) was bewrayed by his tongue and voyce: so, hardly can a counterfeyt carry his matters so close, but that oft times, even in one and the same work, there will be found a jarr of the parts one with another; so as eyther the tongue will check the hands, or the hands the tongue, or both mutually; to the shewing, and shaming of all.
When great hypocrites, and deep dissemblers are left of God to fall into any grosse, or scandalous evill, they seldom, or never recover their former shew of religion: neyther (as one sayth) will the lambs skin, which the wolf wears, being once shorn, ever grow agayn: but God in judgment leaving them in some speciall temptation to grosse wickednes, in which they loose their credit in the world, which alone they sought, and so break the hedg which formerly restreyned them, doth punish their former close dissimulation with after open profanenes. Young hypocrites commonly prove old Atheists.
It may well be sayd, as it is in the Proverb, that, Hypocrisie is spun with a fine thread: considering how hypocrites deceav, and over-reach others; and oft times, weaker persons those that are wiser then they; how much more, considering, how thereby they deceav themselvs. In which latter there is a transgression and evill both in deceaving, and being deceaved. For albeit a man may often without sin be deceaved by another; yet never so by himself: seeing the spirit of a man may (if it do not) alwayes know the 1 Cor. 2.things of a man. This self deceavablenes ariseth in men eyther from presumption, when they think they need not; or from slouth, that they will not take the payns; or from an evill conscience, that they dare not trye, and examine themselvs, and their works, and estates with God, as they ought. Besides hypocrites by false appearances getting credit with others, come to esteem themselvs better then they Gregory.are, because others esteem them so.
This hypocrisie is indeed not onelyonly a base, but a foolish evill. Base in dissembling the evill, which it hath, and is ashamed of: and in counterfeyting the good, which it hath not, and is ashamed to seem to want: And therefore notably proud people (scorning, as they use to boast, to dissemble) seldom come under this coat; but do usually appear to men, as voyd of grace and goodnes, as they are before God. Foolish it is, if in nothing els, yet in covering from men that evill, which God seeth, and hateth, and will punish with infinitely greater both losse, and shame, and torment, then any, or all men will, or can: and not onelyonly the evill dissembled, but therewith the dissimulation also: which men legally do not. Great must the hypocrites portion be in Gods plagues; with whom as the principall, the apparantly evill, as but an accessorie, hath his portion Math. 24.appointed.
It is one thing to doe a work in hypocrisie, which onelyonly hypocrites doe; and an other thing to do it with hypocrisie; which is still ready, alasse, to mingle it self with the work of Gods grace in all our best actions; as Tobyah, and the rest of the heathen would have mingled themselvs with the Lords people in the building of his temple. The same may be sayd of unbelief, indevotion, & the like corruptions.
It is no marvayl, that Atheist, and Epicures judg all that make shew of pietie and godlynes (specially above the size, & custome of the times) conceipted, fantasticall, and very hypocrites; seeing they measure others by themselvs: And knowing, that if they should make the semblance of godlines, which the others do, it should be no better in them, then hypocrisy, and fancie; they conclude the same roundly upon others, from their own premises. And of this they are also desirous to perswade both themselvs, and others: Themselvs, for a kinde of envious comfort in evill, that others are as ill as they; and for their own hardning out of that imagination: Others, for their miserable credit, when they are not thought leaud alone. They being themselvs Sad…cees, would fayn think others, & have them thought Pharisees by others. A tang of this also is to be found even in them, who are not voyd of all goodnes, towards such, as a litle overstep them in the wayes of godlynes.
Though hypocrisie be in it self a verie odious thing, and so evill as it corrupts all good in him, in whom it reigns; making both his works of devotion, and of mercy abhominable to the Lord: yet considering how litle true good is in the world; it were well (for others, at least) that there were more hypocrisie in many, then there is. Which would help both to represse in them many grosse enormities, for shame, and to keep credit with men; which now shamelesly they practise: and also provoke them to many outward good works (for the good of others at the least) which now they wholy, and boldly neglect in professed godlesnes, and dishonesty.
Besides, hypocrisie yeilds, though it intend it not, a full and loud testimonie to true vertue and godlines: seeing no man ordinarily desires to seem but good. Now if it be a thing so desireable, even by their testimonie, who want goodnes, to appear good; how much more to be so in deed: what is the emptie shadow to the solid body? To shut up this Head: As the shadow follows the body, so doth the name, and fame of good; true goodnes, with equally-mynded men. And in stead of a thousand compasses of devise which men fetch about to obteyn the name of good, and vertuous, this one short, and right-on way of being good indeed would serv the turn for the procureing it from all indifferent, and wise judges. The most compendious way to this honour is, that in truth a man be, as Cicero.he would be accounted, sayth the Heathen: how much more ought Christians, who are perswaded of Gods providence in ordering this, and all his other blessings upon themselvs, and others, thus both to say, and think, and proceed accordingly? And look what recompence of honour, or other reward, this playn, and homely uprightnes (which of all other vertues Laudatur, & alget) is denyed from men; God who seeth, and loveth it, will plenteously supply. Blessed are the perfit in way: who walk in the Psal. 119.Law of Iehovah. To chuse the right way of Gods law first, and then to walk uprightly in it, is to be guided by Gods own spirit to heaven.