Samuels Encounter with Saul, Doctrine 12
page missing ted ſpeaches and multitude of words, make it appeare (if it be not well looked into) to be voyde of blame, yea, commendable. They will not (indeede) affirme that they maintaine ſinne, and that they will do a thing though it be euill, (that were too groſſe, and in ſo doing they muſt ſhew themſelues odious to all (which were no hypocriſie,) and ſo the impudencie of ſuch, ſeeing it cannot be hidden, a man would thinke that ſuch ſins were like to be the ſooner repented of, or elſe they muſt needes liue in contempt in the world.Math. 21. As wee reade in the goſpell, of him which being bidden by his father to goe worke in his vineyarde, anſwered, hee would duplicate page duplicate page duplicate page not: but as hee departed, conſidering the groſſenes of his diſobedience, he repented and went. But theſe of whome I heare ſpeake, call that good which is euill, that ſo they may be wel thought of among men, though they deſerue the contrary, and deceiue their owne hearts with a vaine hope. For they ſet themſelues to hide their finne, which is a ſufficient proofe that they cannot proſper:Iob. 31. and whatſoeuer may come againſt them, they wittingly refuſe to ſee it, leaſt their conſciences ſhould pricke and accuſe them of it: and ſo hardening their hearts, are farre from relenting, and to that end they put away the remembrance of the euill day farre from them.
This appeareth in that Phariſie, who being beewrayed by our Sauiour to be no ſuch as he vainegloriouſly boaſted himſelfe to be, did yet iuſtifie himſelfe and ſay, Lord I thanke thee that I am not as others.Luk. 18. whereas the righteous man is his owne firſt accuſer, yea, laboureth to ſee his ſecret ſins, & dares not hide,Prou. 28. 14 them and ceaſeth not till he renounce and confeſſe the ſame that he may finde merciemercy: ſo farre is he of from playing the part of the hypocrites in ſetting the beſt ſide outward, and ſeeking to ſhift, excuſe and defend that which is euill. And yet I ſay not that he is vtterly voyde of hypocriſie, which aſſaulteth the beſt, but yet he ſeeth it with deadly diſlike how it encombereth him, and (will he nill hee) it doggeth him, but he makes no prouiſion to fulfill the deſires of it, as the other doth, but groaneth vnderunder the burthen of it and of the like ſinnes, till he teſtifie plainely that he doth not harbour them, as may plainely bee ſeene in the poore Publican. And who doth not ſee that he is not the man which is odious for his ſinne to the godly that know him, as the other are approued of them: whereas they in whom there is no ſoundnes nor conſcience, but they are ſlie and ſlipperie, do diſcredit themſelues, and are neither in fauour with God nor men; but like Gehezai, whoſe great ſinne although it was found out of his maſter the Prophet,2. King. 6. yet when he would trie what grace there was in him to confeſſe it, though he had wickedly committed it, he boldly and ſhameleſſely did hide it: and where hee asked him where hee had beene, after hee returned from his horrible facts he had beene about, he anſwered, thy ſeruant hath beene no where, (hee meant but where he ſhould and might be, that was about his maſters buſines,) ſo farre …he was of from grace though a Prophets ſeruant. Vſe. Therefore let eueryevery one that calls on the name of the Lord leſus be farre from bold maintaining of the leaſt ſinne, and from clearing himſelf when he is manifeſtly conuicted in his owne conſcience: for among all offenders, as ſuch an one as hideth his finne ſhall not proſper, ſo he may be ſure to be excluded from Gods kingdome, if he abide in his ſinne. And this is one of the true markes of an hypocrite, illuſtrated by the true contrary properties of a ſyncere chriſtian, which two ſhall be alwayes able to iuſtifie or condemne him, who will lay his life in the ballances, and be content to trie himſelfe as all hauehave good cauſe to doe.