Counsel to the Rich, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. To the Formal and Hypocritical.
THE higheſt Elements are the pureſt; the topmoſt Boughs of Trees, bear the ſoundeſt Fruit; and the Hill-Countries have much the cleaneſt ways. But, Men of higheſt Degrees, be not ſo much of cleaneſt Morals. Great is their Britain, or painted Nation. He is, generally, but a Pict among them, who is not a very Saxon; not more than a Pretender to Religion, if any leſs than an open Enemy to it. To every ſuch Pretender God Almighty ſpeed this Chapter!
Gentlemen,
It is not Apoſtolical to bite poor Mens Sores, and lick yours. Nor is it poſſible in your Caſe, to decline Lance and Cauſtick. What muſt profit you, is the Plainneſs which you name Rudeneſs; the Liberty, which you deem to be Cruelty; the very Method, wherein the Holy Prophets and Apoſtles hewed their Hypocrites. Not, ala-mode Talk; which as Pills lapped up in Pap and Sugar, have no bitter Reliſh, nor any ſweet Effect.
You have therefore what follows. And, with the ſelf-ſame Accent, to your Worſhips of every Opinion, and Sentiment, Epiſc. Presb. Independ. &c. It being no extraordinary Matter, with whom you run; whoſe Cry you follow; and whoſe Shibboleth you have taken to pronounce. For, without the true Scope and Subſtance of Religion, all external Formalities are equal Fooleries. And, their moſt punctual Obſervance is no wiſer than Domitian's buſineſs, in catching of Flies. Like the antient Phariſees, you may gliſter with your Phylacteries and Tephilims. And reverence your ſelves, as highly as any Spaniſh Alumbrados or domeſtick Dreamers; but, Serpents be Serpents, thô their Skins be ever ſo richly painted. And, could Men perſwade themſelves that they were really Gods, their Conceit would make them but ſo much the worſe Men. Wherefore, know ye, Sirs, that,
You have two Claſſes; one, of groſs, and another of cloſe Hypocrites. The Groſs, who are leſs blind, but more mad. Who do uſe Art and Fiction, to make their Mock Religion. Knowing, how far they are from the Holy State, and the Walk, which they counterfeit. As he, who upon the Stage acts the Part of a King, knows himſelf to be none. The cloſe Hypocrites, are you ſick of the Jaundies; to whom all things do ſeem golden, and rich. And, who do therefore think, as you ſpeak, when you call your ſelves Chriſtians; thô you neglect and hate God's Chriſt. Neglect his Grace, and hate his Government; and are no more his pardoned Favourites, or conſenting Subjects, than Turks and Tartars. But, are much blacker Sinners than either; becauſe, you have Means; and you, if you would, might know both your Saviour and your ſelves.
The things, which both of you pretend, is to be Children of God, and Heirs of Heaven. For, the leaſt of true Chriſtians are no leſs. The Cloaks you do put on, are more and leſs fine. It contents not ſome Papiſts, to be common ones; but they muſt enter ſome particular Order. And, it will not ſerve all of you, to be common Proteſtants; ſome of you muſt be of this or that Sect. And Opinion, Party, and way of Worſhip, are your moſt cheap, but leaſt ſerviceable, Cloak. Wherefore, ſome of you do go to the coſt of a demure Countenance, and a reformed Life, and very many Works of Piety, Juſtice, and Charity!
Abundance of Snow is laid on, to make your Dunghils look like Gardens. Very many white Feathers are uſed to hide your black Skins. More than a few Flowers are procured to ſtrew your Corps. And to what end is this? To be Ceſar's Friends, when Ceſar is God's Friend. But, moſtly, for fear of a Power ſuperior to any Ceſar. To eſcape the flaming Sword of Conſcience; that is not to be averted without ſome Image of Holineſs. And ſometimes, to gratify the Concupiſcence of Vogue and Praiſe. Carnal ends, of your falſe Dealings, all of them. And, ſuch as are demonſtrative of a Mind, to perſiſt in a carnal ſinful State! For, it's ſure, he loves a Dunghil, that adorns it; a Blackamore, that puts him in a fine Dreſs; and a Corps, that ſtrews Flowers on it. It is moſt certain, when you go to charge in whitewaſhing and painting an old rotten Houſe, you do not mean to pull it down. While you keep a ſtir to make you ſeem what you are not, you have no intention to make your ſelves what you ought to be! And, what you muſt become, or it had been better you had never been born. For the Name of Religion which you get without any Merit, you hold without any Profit.
But, by what Witchcraft are you held from all manner of Thought? Or, notwithſtanding this, do you ſometimes think hereof? Sc. How you ſhould take it, if your Servants did ſet upon your Tables no more than the Hair of your Oxen; the Feathers of your Fowls; the Shells of your Fiſh? Giving the beſt of all three, to your ſworn Enemies. No better do you ſerve, and no leſs do you mock your great Maſter! Putting him off with no more than falſe ſhews of Honour, Love, and Worſhip. Beſtowing the Eſtimation of your Minds, the Affection of your Hearts, and the Obedience of your Lives, upon your Idols! This is your dealing with I AM THAT I AM.
The Heathen World was not ſo blind, but it ſaw this; God being a Spirit, is to be worſhip'd in Spirit. The Ceremonious Jewiſh one was taught, that the true Circumciſion was that of the Heart. And, ſhall any of the Chriſtian World doubt it? Thus ſpeaks the Goſpel Covenant; I will write my Law in their Heart.
Deceive not your ſelves with Conceits, that all is well, and you have the inward parts, as well as the outward ones of Chriſtianity. You know, that a dead Man hath inward Parts. But, what then? He hath them dead; and ſo, hath no inward Man. You have likewiſe many rare Parts in you; but the Miſery is, they are dead. In ſhort, it is a dead Body wherein the Soul lives not. And a dead Soul it is, wherein the Holy Ghoſt lives not. That Holy worker of Grace, with all the Graces which are his Holy Works. Dead you are if you dwell not in God, and God in you!
Until you love God, and nothing elſe, but for God's ſake; it is but in degree, that you differ from the worſt of Men. So as Toads do differ from Aſps. But, it is in Nature and Kind that Men truly Good do excel you. So as Wheat excels Chaff, and Children excel Dogs. And plainly it muſt be ſaid. The Lord hath not yet given you an Heart to perceive, and Eyes to ſee, and Ears to hear! To hear his Word and do it. The Son of Perdition, was firſt a cloſe Diſſembler, and afterwards a bold Traitor. Not afraid to go ſtraitway from the Holy Sacrament to the Execution of the moſt accurſed Project. There is a juſt Fear of many of your ſelves. Will it pleaſe you therefore to obſerve particularly?
There is a ſpecious Repentance, in which you may periſh. Judas, periſhed in his. He had a deadly Sorrow for Sin, but no godly one. And ſo may you. You do grieve for your Sin! And ſo does every Felon, when he comes to Tyburn. You do turn, and caſt away your Tranſgreſſions! And, ſo do Seamen caſt their beloved Goods to the Sea's bottom, in a Storm. Yet they venture their Lives, to get them up again, in a Calm. Know it, Sirs; as there is a trembling of Heart which is a true ſaving Grace; there is alſo, a trembling of Heart, which Divines, as well as Phyſicians, do call a dangerous Diſeaſe. Pejus poenituit quam peccavit …das, ſaith St. Auſtin. You repent not unto Life, if you count not, that, to diſhonour God is worſe than Death. And, if you break not off your Sins, as a Priſoner doth his Irons; with a deſire they may never come on any more.
There is a Senſe, in which you may believe and be damned. Devils do believe and tremble. And what are your Thoughts of Simon Magus? You may believe the Goſpel as a Hiſtory; ſo you do the Gazette. And who queſtions, but the Hiſtory of it is believed alſo by Beelzebub? Your Faith is vain, and you are dead in your Sin, if you do not rely on it, as it is a Promiſe of Grace; and do not conform to it, as it is a Rule of Life! The Faith is damning, which, like Rachel, thô it be beautiful, is barren!
There is a Worſhip, of which you may give God much, and not honour him at all. Ephraim and Judah, gave him that, which he named Lies and Deceit. You do verbally confeſs Sins! But, is it not without lamenting them? You ask for Grace! But, it is poſſible you may not be in much Pain till you have it. You ſpeak God's Praiſe! But ſo you may do, and give him none; for, what the Heart does not, it is all undone. Hecatombs without Hearts, are the Sacrifice of Fools.
There are rare Gifts, which you' may have; and uſe to the Profit of others; and yet periſh your ſelves. The Son of Perdition, had others Gifts beſide the Bag. And, for Idleneſs he was never taxed, that we read. Spiders, the Naturaliſts ſay, have eight Eyes. Have you Eyes that are clear? So hath many a venomous Creature. Do you excite others to do good? So do Drums and Trumpets, which abide ſenſeleſs themſelves. Swenkfield, had no ſmall gift of Prayer; and was a great Alms-giver; yet he was a Monſter.
There are very religious Affections, which you may have, and yet be dead in Sins. John Baptiſt's Diſciples for a Seaſon rejoiced in his Light. Do your Lamps burn? So did the fooliſh Virgins for a time. Do you ſometimes ſhed Tears at a Sermon? So have ſome that lived the while in Fornication. It is no new thing, for Mens Hearts to thaw in the Sun, and freeze in the Shade. One day to ſigh and groan in the Congregation, and the next to rant and roar in the Tavern!
There is a Love of the Saints, which you may have and be none your ſelves. The Heathens, which ſhewed St. Paul no ſmall kindneſs, were not Saints. You love them becauſe they love you! But do not even the Publicans ſo? You love them for ſome or other Gift of theirs, which charmeth you. But, do not you ſo love your Hounds and Hawks? You are of the World which hates the Saints, if you love them not, becauſe they love God and are beloved of God. And, if you command not your ſelves, even then to love them, when you contradict your doubtful Opinions, and tell you of your unqueſtionable Sins. There be Legions of ſtrange Spirits, that love not the King, and yet laviſh away Money on his Servants. That ſay of God's Service what a wearineſs is it. Yet will ſay to a Servant of his, as Herod to the Damſel, Whatſoever thou ſhalt ask I will give thee.
There is a lovely Sincerity, which you may have, and yet be damned for Hypocriſy. Saul, had a natural and laudable one, before his Converſion; and while the Wrath of God abode upon him. You have true and honeſt Hearts, as to many moral Acts! And had not Abimelech as honeſt an one as you? Julian the Apoſtate was of a Converſation very ſtrict; and it appears not but, that, of a long time, be thought as bad as he ſpake! All Sincerity is not godly. There is a wild Olive of it, as well as a true.
There is an unbroken Quietneſs, which you may have, without any true Peace. Dives, had juſt ſuch; his Prologue ſpeaks Quietneſs; Soul take thine Eaſe! But, God's Epilogue ſpeaks a diſtance from Peace; Thou Fool this Night thy Soul ſhall be taken againſt thy Will (foreign, eſt poſcere à Notente. Caſaub.) You have no Sin, that troubles you! It may be ſo. You name your Sleep in Sin a ſweet Reſt! No doubt but it ſeems ſo. And, you do think it a good Bleſſing of God's ſending! Moſt Dreamers do dream ſo. But verily, Sirs, if God ſends ſuch a Reſt and Quietneſs, he ſends it as he ſends Sword and Peſtilence! He ſends it in Wrath, and for Vengeance. For never is he ſo angry with a Man, as when he ſaith, Let him alone! And when he asks, Wherefore ſhould he be ſtricken any more? Wherefore,
Is there not a Cauſe, think ye, for this Advice? That either you turn Chriſtians, or throw away your Chriſtian Names! Naomi, being ſunk into a Condition that was contrary, threw off hers; Call me no more Naomi, but Marah. Why ſhould Goats be called Sheep, thô found in their Skins? Skins which very Wolves may put on, and often do ſo, for a Seaſon. Do not wilfully continue dead, if you obſtinately deſire a Name to live. Come then quite out of Egypt, if you muſt needs think your ſelves in Canaan. The Devil ſpeaks as kindly as Pharaoh, I will let you go, only you ſhall not go far, Exod. 8.28. Fleſh, World, and Devil, do brook all but thorow Religion. Go therefore, go.
Pray that you may receive your Sight! You know nothing yet, but the Words and the Geſtures of Religion; the Nature, the Truth, and the Goodneſs of it, your Eyes behold not. Nicodemus knows nothing of Regeneration.
Learn what is the Sinful, and what is the Holy State; There is no third; every Man is in one of the two. Every Man is a Saint, and hath the Holy Spirit; or he is a Samaritan, and hath a Devil. The Sinful State is that, wherein a Man hates, and is hated of God. The Holy State is that, wherein God and Man are reconciled. A Man loves God, and is loved of him. In the firſt, God and Man are oppoſed as Fire and Water; In the ſecond, God and Man are endeared as Father and Son! Make your Judgment then, and your Choice! In order whereto,
Believe the Fountain of Truth, againſt the Father of Lies. Conclude, the Scriptures to be true, every word. And be aſſured of all they ſay, as of the things which you ſee with your Eyes. Value them, read, follow, and prefer them, above the Light of the Sun!
Act the parts of Men, in your endeavours to be Saints. Uſe your Reaſon, in your purſuits of Religion. God, enlivens Men by awakening their Reaſon. Satan, murders them by holding it in Sleep. What is your Sin, indeed, but Ʋnreaſonableneſs? Want of Conſideration, is moſt, or all Mens Damnation. It can never be well with you, till Reaſon corrects the errors of Senſe; and Faith corrects the errors of Reaſon. For Reaſon is but a Rule, by the Word and Spirit ruled. Yet as ſoon will God give you to ſee with your Eyes ſhut, as to judg with your Reaſon unexerciſed. Indeed, crack'd Heads be Sockets for new Lights; but it's becauſe all ſuch be falſe ones.
Reſolve that the Concerns of Eternity, ſhall have the beſt of your Time. That no Mills of ſecular Buſineſs, or Circles of ſenſual Pleaſure, ſhall have your beſt Hours; or your deepeſt Thoughts. No, but, the Morning, (that is the Graces Friend as well as the Muſes) ſhall always be taken up in Sacred Buſineſs. And, of other Seaſons, All the Fat ſhall be the Lord's; He hath but one Day in ſeven; let him not have leſs than one Hour in ſeven, every Day.
Take faſt hold of faithful Reprovers. Are there none near you? Send for them, as Cornelius for Peter. And, when you have them, let them not go! Keep them, as more needful to your Souls, than Butlers and Cooks for your Bodies. Turn them not away for crying Fire, Fire, when you and yours are nigh unto burning.
Beware of the Phrenzy of the Athenian Beggar. Who could not be perſwaded, but all the Ships in the Harbour were his. Tormenting Fears do not half the hurt of preſumptuous Hopes. Who will have his Arm taken from his Shoulderblade, unleſs he believe it to be gangreen'd? Or, who of you will run that he may obtain, if he preſumes himſelf to have ran and obtained already? Deceitful Hopes avert from all endeavours, and the very deſires that be requiſite to Salvation.
Often compare the Gain of Godlineſs, and the Profit of Sin. The Natures, the Ʋſes, the Durations, of the one and the other. Draw up a Catalogue, or Inventory of them; Or read them often in Authors, that have drawn them up to your Hand. And, then,
Night and Day conſider the Danger of Delays. Tell your ſelves, that, a future Repentance, is not a Preparation for the Judgment to come. And, that, it is no Repentance at all, which is not entire without Reſerve, and preſent without Delay. God's voice, to every Man of you, is this; Ariſe, leſt thou be conſumed. Eſcape for thy Life; look not behind thee! Haſte therefore, and,
Do the Act which is the moſt momentous one of your Life! The act, before which, the Wrath of God abideth on you! And, after which, there is no Condemnation to you! With Judgment, Sincerity, and Gratitude, give your ſelves to God in Chriſt! Join your ſelves in Covenant unto the Father, Son, and Spirit! For, there is no other God in Heaven, but the Triune! And, the Socinian is but a more ſubtle ſort of Mahometan. Learned Dr. Pocock obſerved, that our Saviour was more honoured in Turky than in Cracovia! In ſhort; Mr. Howe's Decimo of Self-Reſignation, is a Diamond. And, ſo is Bleſſed Allein's Manual of Converſion?
Being made God's Temples, keep Porters at your Doors. You do no ſooner join unto the Lord in the Goſpel-Covenant, but you become Sacred Temples, of the Holy Ghoſt. And, becoming ſuch, it concerns you to ſet a ſtrict Watch. That no unclean thing enter you. That, Things and Perſons, and whatever is Ʋnholy, be put out of your Society! For, If any defile the Temple of God, him will God deſtroy. But,
Think it not enough to abſtain from Sin. You do not think it enough for your Servants, to forbear ſmiting you, without ſerving you. And, what, if, from this Hour, you never ſinned any more? Stocks, and Stones, do not commit any Sins. So very poor a Praiſe it is to die unto Sin, if you live not unto God! Would you appear the Children of God? You muſt abound in the Work of the Lord. And, be holy, as well as harmleſs.
Look not for the Aids which God hath promiſed, without the uſe of all Means which he hath required. He hath ſaid, he will give Wiſdom, and Will, and Power, to do good. But, not, unleſs you ask. He hath not ſaid, you ſhall find unleſs you ſeek. Yea, ſeek with the whole Heart. And, Watch daily at Wiſdom's Gates, and wait at the Poſts of its Doors! God had given his Apoſtle all that ſailed with him; Yet, without ſcruple, he pronounced, that, Except they abode in the Ship, they could not be ſaved! Acts 27.
Aim as high as Perfection. No ſenſual Man, covets leſs than perfect Health, and Strength, and Beauty. Nor does any ſpiritual one, crave leſs than perfect Knowledg, Love, and Obedience. He is not Holy enough to be admitted into Heaven, who deſires no more than needs for his Admiſſion. Solomon calls it deſpiſing of a Man's Soul, to be content with low Attainments for it. And, to be ſtingy, and pinching, and ſparing of Pains to accompliſh it. Sincere Love of God aſpires to fulfilling of the Law of God! It's the Bond of Perfectneſs; and that which holds all our Faculties, and Powers in the purſuit of it. In Religion, he that deſigns but a Mediocrity, is under the reigning power of Hypocriſy. A true Chriſtian thinks not himſelf a ſufficiently good Man, till he is as holy as the beſt Angel.
Whatever you are doing, remember you are dying. Lamps are waſting as ſoon as they burn; and we are dying, as ſoon as we live. How often, in the Womb, is Life ſpent before Breath is drawn? It's ſure, we are on our way toward another World, before we are born into this, and as long as we breath in it. It is dying that we live. And, there's no Dweller on the Earth, but what is a Paſſenger. As in a Ship under Sail, whatever Men are doing, they are certainly and ſwiftly paſſing. It is Dying, that you eat, drink, and ſleep; Dying that you buy, ſell, or game; Dying, that you read, hear, or pray. And it is a great need that you have of Death in your Thoughts, to quicken you to care of your Ways. Dr. Bates his Treatiſe of the four laſt Things, was ate, and drank by the beſt of Queens. Happy England, when our Nobility, and Gentry entertain themſelves as wiſely!
But alas! Titius is in danger of the Sea breaking in upon all that he hath. With much coſt he builds a Wall to keep it out. Only, he leaves a huge Gap in his Wall. Yet, many ſee the Wall, who ſee not the Gap; and therefore do admire the Work, and praiſe the Man. But Sempronius, a leſs negligent, and more skilful Obſerver, ſpies the Gap. And, is ſick to ſee the abſurdity of the Wall, and the Folly of Titius. Predicting his Ruin, unleſs the Gap be ſtopp'd with Expedition!
Lords and Gentlemen, the Caſe is your own! There be vaſt Gaps in the Walls of your moſt operous and ſumptuous Religion. And, theſe you are called to have effectually ſtopp'd! Ask not, any of you, (for you are already told) What is your Treſpaſs, and what is your Sin, that you are ſo hotly purſued? Elijahs muſt tell Ahabs, that they and their Fathers Houſes have troubled Iſrael; in that they have forſaken the Commandments of the Lord, and have followed Baalam. And, if a very David ſhall cloak his Sin, Nathan muſt ſay plainly, Thou art the Man. Wherefore, be it your care, that, you be not driven one Day to ſay; We are very guilty concerning our plain Monitor; in that we ſaw the anguiſh of his Soul, when he beſought us to ſtop our Gaps, and we would not hear him. Therefore is diſtreſs come upon us! In hope of preventing it, I have followed Jacob's Counſel to his Sons, Gen. 43. I have taken of the Fruit of Canaan, and brought you this Preſent; A little Balm, a little Honey, Spices, and Myrrh, Nuts and Almonds.