Divine Characters in Two Parts, Part 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. The Heretical Hypocrite Is he that profeſſing himſelfe a Teacher of Truth,Defin. obtrudeth his own lyes as the Truths of God, and perſiſteth therein.
IN his profeſſion he is a great pretender to truth, to the truths of God, and to piety; transforming himſelf into an Apoſtle. a2 Cor. 11.13.(that is, a meſſenger, or Miniſter) of Christ: but, in truth and indeed, is a falſe Apoſtle, a deceitful worker. He is Satans Miniſter, transformed (in outward ſhew) into a Miniſter of righteouſneſs. bverſe 15.a wolf, in ſheeps clothing: a fox, *Ezek. 13.4.in a lambs skin. He muſt hold out a Colour of truth and piety, that by theſe he may deceive by untruths with more ſubtilty, and efficacy. Every ſinner is deceived by Satan; but this man, willingly, that he may deceive others more cunningly. He is content to be deceived; he would be deceived to chooſe, that he might be artifex mentiendi, his crafts-maſter in lying, under a Colour and ſhew of truth, whereby he lies in wait to deceive. cEph. 4.14.He ſpeaketh lies in hypocriſie. d1 Tim. 4.1.not venting them as lies, but as truths; ſome truths he muſt hold, or all would abhorre him; but, among thoſe truths he foiſteth and thruſteth in ſome counterfeit coyne, as currant money, braſſe, gilded over with ſome ſilver, to give it tincture and eſteem; but, with a purpoſe to couſen thoſe on whom he obtrudes it; He pretends to be a zealous diſciple of Chriſt, but is in truth the Scholar of the Serpent; learning all his arts and methods. Other hypocrites are the Devils children; but this hypocrite, his firſt borne; If not in time, yet in wiles, as Polycarp ſaid of Marcion: eNovi te primogenitum eſſe Satanae. Euſeb. lib. 4. cap 14.toto caelo, toto genere hypocrita; An hypocrite all over, An hypocrite in grain.
To expreſſe this deceitfulneſs more fully, the ApoſtlefEpheſ. 4.14. uſeth an heap of words which may ſeem tautologies; but do indeed intimate that he wanted words to decipher this wretch to the full. The doctrines he teacheth, they are but winds of doctrines; a ſhew, without ſubſtance; but, in ſubſtance what are they? the ſleights of men, and cunning craftineſs whereby they lie in wait to deceive. They are cheating gameſters, that ſlurre a dy, or play with falſe dice; And they do it ſo cunningly, that it cannot be diſcerned untill it be felt: (in vain is the ſnare laid in the ſight of any bird) nor is this done by accident, but out of ſet-purpoſe and deſigne; not openly profeſſed, but by ſecret lying in wait; not to do good to the ſoules of men, but meerely to deceive; And, if the heretick, can make a Proſelite, and draw away diſciples after him, (although he make them twofold more the children of hell then they were before;) he hath an anſwer ready for ſuch as complain of the cheate; what is that to us; look ye to that, when his own turne is ſerved.
But as in the caſe of common lying, not every one that uttereth a falſhood is a lyar, ſo here; not every one that uttereth a lie for truth, is an heretical hypocrite: but he that ſpeaketh lies in hypocriſie, in the great truths of God, and wilfully perſiſteth therein, after admonition, and cleare confutation.gTit. 3.10. It is not errour ſimply, but obſtinacy in it that denominates an heretick. It is one thing to erre, another to be guilty of hereſie; The very forme of hereſie lies in two things; Firſt, in a willing, witting, inventing, chooſing, or eſpouſing of ſome falſe opinion and doctrine, and holding it forth to others as the truth of God, and taking pleaſure ſo to do.*Danaeus Iſa. par. 4. c. 38. Secondly, in maintaining and perſiſting therein againſt cleare evidences of truth.
There are heretici, and haereticati, as the old Chancellour of Paris *John Gerſon.was wont to phraſe it; Hereticks that bring in, and others that are hereticated with damnable doctrines; h2 Peter 2.1.that is gangrend, or poyſoned with heretical opinions; they willingly and wilfully accept and imbrace what others have obtruded upon them, or their anceſtors,*2 Tim. 2.17. and will not depart from them. They will be of their fathers Religion be it what it will:*Acts 5.34. they will rather erre with Gamaliel, then imbrace truth with Paul, if branded with the Stigma of hereſie.iActs 24 14.
Now, an Heretick is then an heretical hypocrite, when he doth not ſo much openly profeſſe hereſie, as by ſecret and cunning ſleights winds in his lies, quaſi aliud agens, as intending nothing leſſe; like the ſerpent that winds in his head ere he be diſcerned, and then drawes in his whole body after, ere he can be withſtood and avoyded. This falſe-teacher privily brings in damnable hereſies, and with fained (pargetted playſtered) words *foreign.maketh merchandiſe of weak Chriſtians,k2 Pet. 2, 3. v. 14 beguiling unſtable ſoules. lRom. 16.18.He hath a method and Art by himſelf, whereby he, under a ſhew of the ſimplicity of the Goſpel, with good words and fair ſpeeches, deceiveth the hearts of the ſimple. Sometimes he prevails further, by ſignes and lying wonders m2 Theſ. 2.9.alſo, but alwayes, with all deceivableneſs of unrighteouſneſſe. nver. 10.He pretendeth great ſhew of righteouſneſs, that he may deceive more ſlily with unrighteouſneſſe in a diſguiſe, as delighting, *Cameron Myroth Evang.thus to ſport himſelf with his own deceivings. o2 Pet. 2.13.He is the ſnare of a fowler in all his wayes, and hatred in the houſe of his God.*Hoſ. 9.8.Differ.
On the Contrary, the ingenuous diſciple of Chriſt embraceth the truth in her native purity, and ſimplicity, for the truths ſake.
As a new born babe he receiveth the ſincere (or uncorrupted) milk of the Word. p1 Pet. 2.2.He abhorres all diſguiſes, and adulteratings. Heq2 Cor. 4.2. renounceth the hidden workes of diſhoneſty, not walking in craftineſs 'nor handling the Word of God deceitfully. He doth notr2 Cor. 2.17. Cauponari, *foreign, ā corrumpendo vino, atque infuſcando, ut Caupones ſolent. Jun.play the huckſter, mingling bad wares with good; or, the Vintner, putting water or other baſe liquor into wine; corrupt the Word of God, but as of ſincerity, but as of God, in the ſight of God, ſpeaketh he in Chriſt. He receiveth the truth in the love of it, that he may be ſaved. s2 Theſ. 2.10.and is better pleaſed that ſhe appeare in her naked Simplicity, then in the diſguiſe of an harlot, the inticing words of mans wiſdom. He is not for alchymy, but for ſilver; not for artifices, but for downright truth, in demonſtration of the Spirit, and of power. t1 Cor. 2.4. Errare poſſum haereticus eſſe nolo. Hieron.His deſire and prayer is, to be led into all truth If through ignorance, or inadvertency he happen to erre, he will not perſiſt in errour. * If the greatneſſe of any mans name ſway with him, or carry him, as it did Barnabas uGal. 2.13.into any diſſimulation, he will readily diſclaime it ſo ſoon as any Paul ſhall diſcover it to him. If he be as mighty in the Scriptures as Apollos, wAct. 18.34.yet if in any thing he be ignorant, he will be content to learne the way of God more perfectly, not only from Aquila, but even from Priſcilla xver. 26.too. He lookes upon errour as a deformed monſter, how curiouſly ſoever dreſſed; and upon truth, as the choyſeſt beauty, how homely ſoever apparelled. Virgin-truth in rags is more welcome to him, then the ſtrumpet of errour in her richeſt attire. He hates the leaven of the Phariſees, yMat. 16.6,how toothſome ſoever the bread made of it may ſeem to be, and delights in the unleveaned bread of ſincerity and truth, how unſavory ſoever it be to a corrupt palate. He abhorreth to deceive in any thing, but moſt of all in the things of God. His teaching of others is not of deceit, or of uncleaneſſe, or of guile. z1 Theſ. 2.3.neither uſeth he at any time flattering words, nor a cloake of covetouſneſs, *ver. 5.nor of men ſeekes he glory. He is well content that God alone ſhould ſpeak with abſolute authority, and mans wiſdom be ſilent in conſcience of humane infirmity; If the truth he maintaineth be pronounced a lie, he is well content to beare it, if the truth of God may thereby abound to his glory.*Rom. 3.7.
Thus the heretical hypocrite is an Impoſtor even in his greateſt appearings for truth, the true Chriſtian is ſincere at heart in his greateſt aberrations from truth; The one abuſeth the truth, the other adornes it. The one ſels it, the other buyes it; The one makes uſe of it to deceive, the other againſt deceit; The one, to deſtroy others whom he pretends to ſave, the other, to ſave both himſelf and others that otherwiſe would be deſtroyed.
Character 1 This hypocrite, that he may ſet Gods ſtamp of truth upon his own lie, ſets the brand of a lie upon the truth of God.
In oppoſing the truths of God, he gives God the lie *Rom. 3.7.in obtruding his own fancies, he tels a lie for God, making the lie of man to be the truth of God; He is like the fooliſh Prophets that firſt ſee vanity and lies, and then father all upon God, ſaying, the Lord ſaith it, albeit he hath not ſpoken. aEz k 13.8.and that it may appeare that this Prophet is a foole, and this ſpiritual man mad, bHoſ. 9 7.he ſticks not to make God a lyar, by giving the lie to the truths of God that contradict his own lies. If Gods truth and his fancies cannot ſtand together; the truth is the lyar, not he. Either the Word is not the rule or, not, unleſſe interpreted by the Church, ſaith the Romaniſt: or by the ſpirit, that is his own ſpirit, ſaith the Euthuſiaſt. If a Perfectiſt be told he is a ſinner, he ſaith, and ſtands ſtoutly to it, that he hath not ſinned, and ſo makes God a c1 John 1.10.lyar; Thus the new, as well as the old Arrian, rather then acknowledge the divinity of Chriſt, will not believe in him as the true God and eternal life. d1 John 5.20.and ſo he makes God a lyar, becauſe he believeth not the record that God gave of his ſonne.ever. 10.
And indeed it cannot be otherwiſe. For, what communion hath light with darkneſs? what agrement can there be between errour and truth? Will not errours endeavour as Pharaohs lean kine to devoure the fat? Not that errour ſhall alwayes prevaile againſt truth: for however errour, like Dagon, be by Philiſtines, ſet up by the Ark, yet this Dagon ſhall fall before the Ark; f1 Sam. 5.4.his head and hands, his ſubtilty and his power, ſhall both faile him, albeit ſome ſtump of him remaine, for the tryal and ruine of others, in after ages, for their unſoundneſſe and hypocriſie. But, until God appeare in the defence and reſcue of his truth, as Abraham, in the reſcuing of his Nephew Lot, Errour that hath the impudence, as well as the enticing qualities of an harlot, will outface, not only truth, but even the God of truth; and in this reſpect, will ſet his mouth againſt heaven, and his tongue ſhall walke through the earth. gPſal. 73.9.Thus, the Phariſees, that could not ſtand before the truths preached by Chriſt, nor with-hold the people from hearing of him, could not hold from blaſpheming; He hath a Devil and is mad; why heare ye him? hJoh. 10.20No man can hold up the credit of his own errours, but he will diſparage Gods truth that condemnes them. He that loves darkneſs, muſt needes hate the light.
Contrarily, the true Chriſtians motto is, Let God be true, and every man a liar.iRom. 3.4.
He will never reply againſt God, nor decry that for an errour,kRom. 9.20 which God ſpeakes in his Word, how croſſe and contrary ſo ever to reaſon, and the doctrines of men. The clay will never riſe up againſt the Potter, nor the thing formed againſt him that formed it. When he cannot underſtand, or fathom it, he will with Mary, lLuk. 1… …8.believe it, and ſubmit unto it. On the other ſide, he will never receive that for a truth, which the Word of God condemns for an errour, or will not warrant to be a truth. He remembreth that charg,m1 Joh. 44. believe not every ſpirit, and therefore will try, not only the spirits, but all things, and hold faſt that which is good, n1 Theſ. 5.21Nay, he cares not how low himſelf be laid ſo God may be exalted. He will never account it a ſhame, but eſteem it his honour, to recant and renounce any errour that he hath never ſo confidently maintained, that the truth of God may be advanced, and more abound to his glory. Whatſoever Paul once thought;oAct. 26.9. that he ought to do many things againſt the Name of Jeſus Chriſt; yet, ſo ſoon as it pleaſed God to call him by his grace, and to reveale his ſonne to him, immediately he conferred not with fleſh and blood, pGal. 1.15.16.that would account it a diſgrace now to renounce what he had before ſo furiouſly and publickly propugned, namely the doctrine of the Phariſees, and traditions of his Fathers: but he falls to the work of Chriſt, and (whether the Diſciples would own him or not) ſtraight way preached Chriſt in the Synagogues, qAct 9.120.and that faith which he once destroyed. rGal. 1.23.As hereſie makes men proud,s1 Tim. 6.3.4. and clamarous; ſo true converſion makes humble,t1 Cor. 1….9. and ſelf-denying, ſtudious of truth,u2 Tim. 2.15. and meek in instructing thoſe that oppoſe it.wv 24 25. er.
Thus, this hypocrite is like Anti-chriſtx2 Theſ. 2.4. for ambition, oppoſing and exalting himſelf, and his fancies above God and all the truths of God; the true Chriſtian, like Paul, will part not onelyonly with his errours and honour, but with his life alſo, ſo Chriſt and his truth may be ſet upon the throne, and vaine man abaſed.yRom. 3.4. The one like Simon Magus, zAct. 8.9.being drunken with the pride of his own wit and opinions; giveth out that he is ſome great one: The other abaſeth himſelf as Peter, aLuk. 5.8.O Lord, depart from me, for I am a ſinful man: not as not needing him; but, as worthy of him.
This Hypocrite diſguiſeth and deformeth truth, that he may with leſſe envy diſgrace Character 2 it.
No reaſonable man can endure that truth ſhould be oppoſed under her own name, ſhe muſt therefore be miſcalled firſt, that ſhe may after be miſuſed. The Phariſees (and Jewes, ſeduced by them) called the faith of Chriſt, by the odious name of hereſie, bAct, 24.14▪that they might with more ſecurity and credit, perſecute it and all that profeſſe it. As the Popes dealt by tithes, firſt profaneing, and then impropriating them; and, by our godly Miniſters firſt degrading them as hereticks, and then burning them; and, by Princes themſelves, firſt excommunicating, and then depoſing them, and expoſing them to the knife or ſword; ſo do theſe hypocrites deal with truth that they have a mind to be rid of: Firſt, they put her into the habit and guiſe of hereſie, and then make it a matter of conſcience to riſe up againſt her. As Grandees, conſpiring againſt a good man that ſtands in their way; firſt they blaſt, and then break him; ſo theſe hypocrites, not liking the ſound Doctrine of Gods abſolute Decree, firſt accuſe it of making God the Authour of ſinne, and then explode it as a ſinful and blaſphemous opinion. And ſo, as Jehoſhaphat c1 King. 22.23.was once in danger (unawares to the Aramites) to be ſlain inſtead of the King of Iſrael, ſo truth is often expoſed to great hazards, even from ſuch as owe her no ill-will, meerly upon miſtakes ariſing from this device of Impoſtors. Thus, as in former ages, the Emperours were perſecuted by Popes upon the quarrel of Inveſtitures; but, under the names of Symony; ſo in later times, the ſame perſecutors have perſued Proteſtants with fire and fagot; but, under the brand of Lollards, Lutherans, Hugenots and the like: And Biſhops have perſecuted godly men; but, under the names of Puritans, and Schimaticks. So Papiſts have blaſted the Evangelical doctrines of perſeverance, and aſſurance, under the titles of Preſumption, faithleſſe, perſwaſion, the faith of Devils, and not of Apoſtles. *Rhem in 1 Cor. 9.Thus, Arminians (the true ſpawn of Pelagius) have branded the Doctrines of abſolute Decrees, under the odious name of ſtoical fatality, &c.
Differ.On the contrary, the Diſciple of truth uſeth his eyes before his tongue, and preſents truth as lovely as he can, that it may be embraced.
He makes uſe of his wiſdome, firſt to diſcerne of things that differ dPhil. 1.10.: and then, of weapons of warre, e2 Cor. 10.4.5.as the cauſe requireth. As he receives no truths upon truſt, ſo he refuſeth not any, till he hath firſt laid them to the rule, and put them to the touch. He feareth not to own truth, although infamouſly branded with the name of hereſie, but even in that very fAct. 24.14.way will he worſhip the God of his Fathers, believing all things that are written in the Holy Scriptures. And when he ſeeth truths oppoſed by evil men under the name of errours, he will be rather apt to judge more favourably of them, than thereupon to oppoſe them; and, to conclude as he that obſerving the Chriſtian Religion to be ſo furiouſly perſecuted by bloody Nero, that muſt needs be good which Nero perſecuteth: So that muſt needs be true which profane Atheiſticall men under the name of Sect, Hereſie, or Schiſme ſo much impugne and oppoſe.
Thus the Hypocrite is as the falſe-hearted ſpies gNum. 13.27.28.that brought an evil report upon Canaan, to diſhearten the people from looking any further after it: The Diſciple of truth is ashver. 30. Caleb, ſtilling the people, and encouraging them to go up at once and poſſeſſe it. The one is as Ziba i2 Sam. 16.3.ſlandering Mephiboſheth to the King, kCap. 19.27.the other is as Jonathan, l1 Sam. 20.32.taking off the unjuſt aſperſions caſt upon David and maintaining his innocency to his greateſt enemy.
This Hypocrite affronts not truth directly, but ſets up ſome companion with her, that may at length juſtle her out of her place, and bring in another Goſpell.
He pretends friendſhip to truth, by providing her an humble companion; but his meaning is to make that humble friend a proud competitor, to procure the ruin of truth by deſigne, which he cannot effect by force. He hath a good minde to follow Ahitophels counſel,m2 Sam. 17.1.2. by perſuing and deſtroying David at once; but knowing the ſtrength of truth that it is as David n2 Sam. 17 10who was a mighty man, and that they which be with it are valiant, and himſelf a coward, he reſolves rather to uſe this Stratagem. For well he apprehendeth, that if once an inferiour may be Cheek-mate with his ſuperiour, he will ſoon give, or cry Cheque-mate: If that proud Cardinal once be ſuffered to write My King and I, it will not be long ere he tranſpoſe it into I and my King. If any attendant upon truth once come to ſit down with her upon the ſame Couch, although at ſome diſtance, it will quickly become her equall, yea perk above her. This policy the Ministers of Satan uſed in the firſt plantation of the Goſpel If men that were Jewes would needs embrace Chriſt in ſtead of Moſes, they perſwaded them yet to retaine circumciſion and other ceremonies of the Law.oAct. 15.1. If the Gentiles were brought into the Chriſtian Church, there wanted not ſome, who would needs introduce Heathen Philoſophy. pCol. 2.8.And finally (when time gave colour to preſcribe) Eccleſiaſticall cuſtomes and traditions. Thus, he endeavours to bring in another, or another manner of Chriſt, another Mediatour, another Faith, another Salvation. For well he knoweth, that if once circumciſion be ſuffered to keep company with the Goſpel, Chriſt ſhall profit us nothing. qGal. 5.2.Let but works and grace be joyned together in mans election, and grace will be no more grace? rRom. 11.6.Give way to mans own righteouſneſſe to ſtand in the ſame roome with faith, and it will not be long ere it get into the place of faith; yea, of the object of faith, Chriſt himſelf, and cut off our part in the righteouſneſſe of God. sRom. 10.3.Let tradition come in to the aid of Scripture, either to tell us which is Scripture, or what it meaneth, it will ſoon get ſoveraignty over Scripture in regard of authority, and make the Commandments of God of none effect, tMat. 15.6.in point of interpretation. Let Saints give (I ſay not merit, but even) names and diſtinctions to Chriſtians, this will make Chriſt to be divided, and Paul crucified, u1 Cor. 12.13.in the opinions of men.
Mans corruption makes him (even at the loweſt) hardly endure a ſuperiour, but if once tickled with the entrance upon, or hope of ſovereignty, he brookes no equal. There is much ado to keep great ſpirits in the place of ſubjects: but let them be once admitted to ſhare in royalty with their Maſters, they are reſtleſſe till they engroſſe it, and make ſervants or nothing of their Maſters. If Charles Martel and Pipin his ſon, be admitted to ſteere with the Kings of France, they want but the Popes title or a new coyn'd diſtinction to get the poſſeſſion of ſole ſovereignty. So our hypocrite well knowes if he can but bring in a companion that will prove a rival, that in the end will thruſt truth beſides the Throne. Therefore if he have a minde to undermine any truth, let him ſet up any competitor, and his work is more then half done. He need but ſit ſtill and look on, he is ſure of the iſſue? Let but man or any thing wherein man hath to do, be once allowed to ſhare with Chriſt in the matter of merit, interceſſion, authority, juriſdiction; this will ſoon ſet Anti-chriſt above all that is called God, or worſhipped. w2 Theſ. 2.4.Thus traditions once magnified above proportion, began to accuſe Scripture as inſufficient, obſcure, a dead letter, a leaden rule, a noſe of wax; and in time, a very Childrick not fit to reigne. Let thoſe that troubled the Galatians, ſet up works to ſhare with Chriſt in the matter of juſtification; circumciſion to be joyned with Baptiſme; ſome legal ceremonies to go cheek by joule with Chriſtian Liberty, and this will ſoon remove them to another Goſpel.*Gal. 1.6
Contrarily,Differ. the Diſciple of truth will neither preach nor receive any other Goſpel then what he hath received in the written word.
He knows but one Lord, one Lord, one faith, one Goſpel in truth and indeed. If any other be obtruded he rejects it as ſpurious, becauſe no change, no additament in matters of faith is henceforth to be expected or admitted, the ſame Doctrine, the ſame Sacraments are to continue to the end of the world. Jeſus Chriſt is the ſame yeſterday, and to day, and for ever.*Heb. 13.8.
If any hand-maid will know her diſtance, ſhe is wellcome ſo long as ſhe keeeps her due limits, if Hagar once perk up, and grow malipert, out of doores ſhe ſhall, how grievous ſoever it be unto him in other reſpects. For well he knows the aſpiring nature of in-mates, and that God, abhorring the adultery of Alchimy-doctrine, hath made his Truths like gold and ſilver. Gold cannot endure the leaſt quantity of Latine to be mixed with it; nor ſilver of tinne: no more will truth brook the leaſt mixture with any adulterous wares, or ſociety with any competitor, nor will the judicious Chriſtian take Alchimy for current coyne, although it bear the ſtamp of the Kings image and ſuperſcription.
If the true Chriſtian once diſcovereth this plot of Satan, or of any his Miniſters, he reſolves not to give place by ſubjection (or admixtion) no not for an houre, that the truth of the Goſpel might continue xGal. 2.5.with him. In this caſe it was that Paul withſtood, not only thoſe of the circumciſion. yTit. 1.10.but even the bleſſed Apoſtle Peter, and that to his face; who, though free from erring in doctrine, gave offence by his practiſe in favour of the Jewiſh Ceremonies, and went not with a right foot according to the truth of the Goſpel, but admitted thoſe obſolete rites to come to neare it. We have a cloud of ſuch witneſſes oppoſing the uſurpations of Anti-Chriſt in every progreſs of the Mystery of iniquity. The Scriptures alone are abundantly able to make the ſimpleſt Chriſtian wiſe enough unto ſalvation, and throughly to furniſh him to every good work, z2 Tim. 3.16, 17.as a rule ſufficient for all the Iſrael of God; Therefore he gives heed to this as the ſureſt way-mark, the moſt infallible guide, without minding what others ſay that pretend to ſhew us a ſhorter cut or a ſurer way.
Thus this hypocrite under pretence of not ſuffering truth to go naked, puts her into linſey-woolſey, garments, thereby to pervert the Goſpel of Chriſt; * the diſciple of truth remembring him that forbad ſuch clothing, abhorres ſuch minglings, and the truth of the Scriptures alone is with him, all in all. The one ſets up ſomewhat elſe with truth, to pull it down; the other admits only of truth, that he may the better uphold and maintaine it.
This hypocrite, in all his erratick opinions, ever advanceth man, with derogation from Character 4 God —.
It is not enough that he ſet up errours in the room of truth, unleſſe his errours ſet up man in the roome of God. If he admit of ſuch a thing as predeſtination, it is only ſuch as paſſeth upon fore-ſight of works, or faith, or free uſe of our own will; taking the freedome of Election from God, and giving the glory of his grace, to the free will of man. If he allow of juſtification by God, he gives it either to mans act of faith, or to the merit of his works; if not in whole, yet in part man muſt have his ſhare, and it muſt be beleeved for a truth, that the moſt honourable way for Chriſt to ſave ſinners, is not (as God would have itaHoſ. 1.7.) to ſave them by himſelf; but by making man able to merit his own ſalvation. Thus as the Jews,bRom. 10.3 being ignorant of the righteouſneſſe of God, and going about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſſe, ſubmitted not themſelves to the righteouſneſſe God; ſo theſe will put in for a part at leaſt in the honour of ſaving, or they will not be ſaved. And what Lactantius *Lib. 1. ca. 11obſerved of the Heatheniſh idolaters, is true of this hypocrite; He ſeems zealous for God, but yet in truth he owns him no otherwiſe than as a Jupiter, an helping father, inſtead of an abſolute Saviour, beſide whom there is no other to ſave. For he that takes in man to help ſave himſelf, cannot own God as doing all.
If God tell us that we are kept by the power of God through faith unto ſalvation c1 Pet. 4.5.; this hypocrite makes it a great point of Chriſtian modeſty to be ſtill doubting of our ſalvation further then we earn it at fingers ends; not truſting ſo much to the power of God, as to our own will for perſeverance in grace. If he receive Gods Word for divine truth, it is for mans ſake, the teſtimony of the Church, and in mans ſenſe too, as the Church interprets it; mans traditions muſt be of equal authority with the written Word, and God muſt not be beleeved, unleſſe man ſaith he ſpeaks true. Thus the Romaniſt, who yet enjoyns blind obedience to be given to man, and to take all upon truſt from the ſea of Rome, or from their more immediate ſuperiors, although far inferiour to their Roman God; but let God ſpeak never ſo plainly, none muſt beleeve him further than thoſe Rulers or Phariſees have beleeved on him dJohn 7.48; there they can be bold to enquire, diſpute, diſpence, contradict and blaſpheme; for, if Paul ſay, it is better to marry then to burn e1 Cor. 7.9., not ſo, ſaith Bellarmine, in the caſe of Prieſts; here, melius eſt urere quam nubere, it is better to burn than to marry, whatever the Adverſaries bawle to the contrary. If Paul withſtood Peter to the face, becauſe he was to be blamed fGal. 2.11.; I deny that, ſaith Baronius, who will maintain that Peter was not to blame. Dare theſe Cardinals uſe their Pope ſo? Thus theſe hypocrites who beleeve not God without a ſurety; but man upon his own authority, are by falſe ſureties brought to beleeve the devil inſtead of God? and to ſet up doctrines of devils ſpeaking lies in hypocriſie, that derogate from the truth and honour of Godg1 Tim. 4.1, 2..
Nor is this kinde of hypocrite to be found only in the adulterous bed of the man of ſin beyond the Alpes, but even neerer home. Are there not found elſewhere men ariſing, and ſpeaking many of the ſame perverſe things, to draw away diſciples after them hActs 20.30.? They pretend to more ſtrict examinations of the common Tenets, and to be more dilligent inquirers after truth. But mark their poſitions they broach, and we ſhall ever diſcover this ſnake in their boſomes, and this deſigne to lie at the bottom of them all. What elſe doth the doctrine of Election upon foreſight of faith ſet up, but man to be the cauſe of paſſing that decree? what means that of univerſal redemption, univerſal grace, and many more, but to make the whole work of mans ſalvation to depend upon the will of man in accepting if he pleaſe, or rejecting as he liſt what is offered by God?
Differ.Contrarily, the ſincere diſciple of Chriſt altogether advanceth God, how much ſoever man be abaſed.
He will not endure that any fleſh ſhould glory in Gods preſence i1 Cor. 1.29.. He can and doth make uſe of men as helpers of his faith k2 Cor. 1.24.; but not as having dominion over it, or as authours of it; which he freely acknowledgeth to be not of himſelf, but the ſole gift of God lEph. 2.8., as well as ſalvation it ſelfe. As he deſires to hear none but thoſe that receive only from the Lord what they deliver unto him; ſo he receives nothing from them, but what they have received of the Lord. He can eſteem them very highly for their works ſake m1 Theſ. 5.13.; but he looks upon them as no more but Miniſters by whom he hath beleeved, even as the Lord gives to every man n1 Cor. 3.5.. He can wait upon Pauls planting, and Apollos watering, but he looks only at God for the increaſe oVer. 6.. And when he findes the increaſe, he acknowledgeth the demonſtration of the Spirit and of power, and will not endure that his faith ſhould ſtand in the wiſdom of men, but in the power of God p1 Cor. 2.4.5. If his Miniſter wax proud, and exalt himſelf above that which is meet, and arrogate what is due to God, as Herod; he will not cry out, the voice of a God qAct. 12.22, 23, but leaves him as one that is falling into the condemnation of the devil; as well knowing that only he that only ſeeketh his glory that ſent him, is true, and deſerves to be heard and honoured. He will make mans will and reaſon yeild and ſtoop, that the truth of God may alone be advanced. He detracts not from the juſt power and authority of man, as the Anabaptiſt, Familiſt, and other Separatiſts; but if man will reach any doctrine by which man comes in competition with God, under a fair pretence of making God amends ſome other way, he abhors it as a doctrine of devils. He tries not the word by the Revelations of man, but revelations by the Word of God. He diſclaimes that holineſſe of man which might move God to Elect him, and renounceth thoſe works and faith it ſelf, as a work that pretends to juſtifie him; that free grace might be magnified and man abaſed, and not rejoyce in himſelf. He will never joyn in that worſhip, in which God muſt be beholding to man to invent and preſcribe it. He will never be of that Religion which ſets up man above all that is called God, or that is worſhipped. He reverenceth and makes honourable account of thoſe Chriſtian Worthies, the ancient Fathers of purer times, as holy and learned men; yet men, and not God; holy, but not without blemiſh; learned, but not infallible, not without their errours. Yea, he receiveth not the Prophets and Apoſtles themſelves without exception, becauſe holy or learned above others, but becauſe they were infallibly inſpired r2 Tim. 3.16., and ſpake (and wrote) as they were moved by the holy Ghoſt s2 Pet. 1 21..
Thus this Hypocrite is as the Serpent in the fable, whoſe taile would needs take upon it to lead the way; the true Chriſtian will not ſet a ſtep in any way, but where Chriſt his head hath led the way, and left us an example that we ſhould follow his ſteps t1 Pet. 2.21.. The one cares not how low he ſets God, ſo he may exalt man; the other never troubles himſelf to lay man low, ſo he may exalt God.
This hypocrite makes the Scripture but a letter of credence, and his own fancies the Character 5 inſtructions by which he acteth.
He will ſay as you do, that the Scripture is the Rule; ſo you will beleeve as he bids you, that his fancies are the meaning of that Rule. He will accept of any text, ſo you except not againſt his gloſſe. If you will believe as the Church beleeves, he cares not what you believe. Let but the horſe feed where he ties him, and he will be ſure to tie him where he ſhall have nothing to feed on, but what he gives him. If the letter of the word ſerve not his turne, you muſt take his interpretation contrary to the letter, to be the meaning of the letter. Hoc eſt corpus meum, this is my body, muſt be underſtood of inanimate bread, ſpeaking of a proper body, not of a living Chriſt, ſpeaking of inanimate bread, ſignifying his living body.
If you come to plead your evidence in his Court, he will take away your evidence, and tell you, you muſt truſt the Court, the Advocate; yea, the adverſaries themſelves. He will aſſure you he hath excellent wares; but he makes his ſhop as dark as he can; if he have any light, it is a back light, and that is ſure to be a falſe one. In d…ctrines, he carries not his cuſtomers to the lightſome part of the Scriptures, but to the darkeſt end of his ſhop, or the ware-houſes under ground, ſuch as are humane traditions, authorities or inventions of men, that ſo he may ſell off his falſe wares inſtead of ſtaple commodities; alchimy inſtead of ſilver; yea, he can make a Cellar of a Shop, darkening the Scriptures with Allegories, &c. that his colluſion may not appear; juſt as Papiſts darken their Churches with pictures of the Fathers, that they may make children of their proſelytes; and then multiply their Tapers to give a greater luſtre to their images and ornaments. He locks up the Scriptures and the key too from the people, when he ſeems moſt ready to open and divulge them; as Plato, his Phyloſophy, under Allegories, or as Ariſtotle, under exotick terms of Art.
Differ.Contrarily, the Diſciple of Chriſt deſires to be credited in nothing, but what he makes out of the Scriptures alone.
If the Scriptures be under lock, he makes a key out of the lock it ſelf, and pretends to nothing but what is written. If he try the ſpirits, it is by the Word, and believes not that ſpirit to which the Word bears not witneſſeuEſay 8.20.; nor will himſelf be tried by ought elſe. He never takes that for truth that ſeeks corners, nor that for evidence that loves concealments. He is not as the Egyptian that affects Hierogliphicks; but as the old Roman that wrote all his Laws in open Tables. He is not for dark lanthornes, or for putting a candle under a buſhel, but upon a candleſtick. Alchimy ſhews beſt in the dark, but he will not take that for ſilver that cannot endure tryal by the open day. If the Scriptures give not teſtimony to ChriſtwJoh. 5.39, he pronounceth him a falſe chriſt xMark 13.22., cryed up by falſe prophets that are gone out into the world y1 John 4.1.. He will do nothing in the dark; but cometh to the light of ScripturezJohn 3.21., that his deeds may be made manifeſt that they are wrought in God; and manifeſted ſo, that they may be made manifeſt not only to God, who ſearcheth the heart, but to the conſciences of men*2 Cor 5.11., who muſt judge by the works.
Thus the hypocrite pretends a commiſſion, that he may deceive; the other in all things produceth his commiſſion, that he may prove himſelf to be no deceiver. The one abuſeth an authority which he cares not for, but only to ſerve himſelf of it; the other keeps cloſe to his rule, that he may ſhew how much he makes conſcience not to wreſt or abuſe it; the one alledgeth the words of Scripture without the ſenſe; the other takes that for the word, which is the true meaning of God. The one falls down to an idol in the Sacrament of the Supper, and feeds upon a ſhadow in a dream, by wreſting of the words; the other lifts up his heart to God and feeds upon Chriſt indeed by following the ſenſe. The one knows no eating of Chriſt, but in the Capernaitical ſenſeaJohn 5.52.; the other feeds on him by faith, which findes his fleſh to be meat indeed bVerſe 55.; not for the belly, but for the ſoul, and ſo he lives by himcVerſe 57.
Character 6 This Hypocrite firſt hangs out an opinion of his own, then forceth the Scripture to countenance and own it.
Firſt, he ſeeth vanity and lying divination, and then ſaith, the Lord ſaith it dEzek. 13.6, when all is but a vain viſion eVerſe. 7.. Thus the devil perſwaded Chriſt to tempt God, and then urgeth Scripture, (He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, &c. fMat. 4.6.) to warrant the temptation. Thus the Pope uſurps the place of an head and foundation of the Church, and then flies to thoſe wreſted words of Chriſt to Peter gMat. 16.18., Thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my Church. He firſt begets a baſtard, then fathers it upon Scripture, and layes it at Gods doore to be nurſed and kept at his charge.
Thus moſt of the Popiſh opinions are more ancient then their proofs, and moſt of their proofs are more mans than Gods, yet father'd upon God to feather their own neſts the better. No Heretick enters the liſts with an Orthodox Chriſtian, but he is ready with Rabſhekeh h2 King. 18.25, to ſay, Am I come up without the Lord? He well knoweth that albeit the ſenſe of the Word deſtroy his fancies, yet the Name of the Word gives credit to his fables.
Differ.On the contrary, the diſciple of Chriſt, firſt hearkeneth what God the Lord ſpeaks in the Scripture, then speaks the ſame thing which the Scripture doth.
He comes not to a Scripture to corrupt the Word of God i2 Cor. 2.17., nor to make Merchandiſe of it; but to learn from it, and to teach as he hath learned, in all ſincerity, as of God, in the ſight of God, ſpeaking of Chriſt, as in Chriſt. He admits of no coyne, although bearing the image and ſuperſcription of God, but what is coyned in his own mint. He admits of no doctrine, brings forth none, but what was conceived in the womb of the Words: Let Papiſts call the Scripture the Exchange for Hereticks, becauſe ſometimes by them abuſed; and the Devils Voucher, becauſe by him alledged to tempt Chriſt himſelf unto ſinnekMat. 4.; yet, as our Saviour refuſed not to be tried thereby, but oppoſed the ſame book in the genuine ſenſe againſt the Devils abuſe of the letter of it; ſo a Chriſtian that hath received the love of the truth, will not be aſhamed to own whatever Scripture (under the greateſt diſgrace) avoucheth, nor be to ſeek of weapons taken out of that armory to diſcover and repel all the fallacies of the Devils Sophiſters, let them be as cunning as he can make them to wreſt the Scripture to their own deſtruction l2 Pet. 3.16.
Thus, this Hypocrite hath recourſe to the Word for cloaths to apparel his baſtard; the true Chriſtian goes to the ſame word for milk to nouriſh the childe that was begotten of it; the one makes uſe of the word to name the childe of his own brain; the other writes the name of truth upon the childe of the Word.
This Hypocrite under colour of purging of errours crept into the Text, Character 7 cuts off what makes not for his turne, and mangles the reſt to fit it for his uſe.
He is a great pretender to preſerve or reſtore the purity of Scripture, which he gives out to be corrupted; not that he careth for the Scripture more than Judas for the poore; but, that under colour of purging out this corruption, he may cut off what he liſt that makes againſt him. He can not only wreſt Scripture, but wring off the neck of it, if it ſtand in his way. He can mangle it by concealing a part, as Satan in alledging that of the Pſalmiſt, He ſhall give his Angels charge over thee, leaving out thoſe words (which indeed make the former capable of fulfilling) to keep thee in all thy wayes: that, ſhews where the protection and guard of Angels may be exſpected, not when we go without God, much leſſe when againſt him. Thus, the Papiſts, in their common Catechiſmes prepared for the vulgar, blot out the ſecond Commandment that might make their vaſſals to boggle at images, as if that were foiſted in by ſome Lutherans or Calviniſts, as the Northern borderers were wont to ſay of the eighth Commandment, when preſſed with it to ſuppreſſe their daily theeveries, that that Commandment was none of Gods making, but thruſt into the Decalogue by King Henry the eighth. And, as ſome Arrians not able to ſtand before the ſtrength of that text,m1 John 5.7 There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Ghoſt, and theſe three are one, reject the whole as ſpurious, leſt their Dagon ſhould fall before it; ſo there are ſtill not wanting ſome who will make bold with Scripture to allow what makes for them, and to proſcribe what ever is againſt them; not upon that skore, but under colour of a ſpurious additament to the genuine Text.
Thus, they pretend the original of the Old Teſtament is corrupted by the Jews; and the original of the New by Hereticks, that thereby they may ſet up their corrupt vulgar Latine *Iſidor ClariusTranſlation (in whom one of their own hath noted above nine hundred errours) in the room of the Originals, preferring it before them for purity and authority.
On the contrary,Differ. the true diſciple of Chriſt eſteemeth every Word of God concerning all things to be right; nor daring to curtail, or alter it, or to adde unto it.
He doth not pick and chooſe, but he takes, and eats all the Book of God. He hath no deſign to croſſe the Word, therefore he hath no deſigne upon the Word to pervert or curtail it. He needs not to pervert, or decurt that holy and ſtreight Rule, or any Authour agreeing therewith, to maintain any private opinions. His Religion is cut out by the meaſure of the Word. And if in any thing his opinions deviate from it, he will bring his opinions to the Word, or caſt them away. He knows that all truth is uniforme, no one part thwarteth another; and that, he takes for his cloathing; neither uſing the ſheers nor the needle; for he neither cuts off any part of the word as too much for his purpoſe, nor ſowes on any ſhreds to patch up his Religion. He can ſpare nothing which the Word affords, nor admit of any thing, although coming from an Angel from heaven, which may adde to the Goſpel of Chriſt.
Thus the hypocrite is like the falſe mother that is earneſt to have the child divided; the diſciple of truth, as the true mother, abhors that diviſion. The one cares not for Scripture, unleſſe he may order it as he pleaſeth; the other reverenceth it ſo much that he will not endure to ſee it mangled, but gives himſelfe up to be abſolutely ordered by it.
Character 8 This Hypocrite delights moſt in finding out new interpretations, and ſtrange ſenſes of Scripture, quarrelling the plaine and moſt generally received Expoſitions thereof.
Underſtand this chiefly in points wherein he differs from the Orthodox Tenets, and harmony of truth. And here, ſometimes he makes advantage of various and doubtful readings. Thus ſome Romaniſts to deprave the firſt Goſpel that ever was publiſhed to the worldnGen. 3.15. reading haec for hic, and, inſtead of He (that is, Chriſt) ſhall break thine head, they read, ſhe ſhall break it, and ſo transfer to the Virgin Mary the work of our Redemption performed by Chriſt. So, to prove their Church to be the only and perpetually viſible Church inſtead of the true reading,oPſal. 19.4. In them he hath ſet a Tabernacle for the Sunne, they embrace the corrupt rendring of the vulgar Latine, poſuit in ſole Tabernaculum ſuum; he hath ſet his Tabernacle in the Sunne. And to make out their uncomfortable and heterodox poſition of uncertainty of ſalvation, they take hold of that of the Preacher miſtranſlating, No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them pEccleſ. 9.1, which Hierome; through miſtake renders thus (if that tranſlation be his) neſcit homo utrum amore vel odio dignus ſit, ſed omnia in futurum ſervantur incerta. Man knows not whether he be worthy either of love or hatred, but all things are kept doubtful untill hereafter; and hence they will needs conclude, that a Chriſtian in this life cannot be aſſured of his ſalvation.
And, how many of that faction, and other diſciples of Pelagius have toiled and ſweated to put new interpretations upon the ſeventh and ninth chapters of the Epiſtle to the Romans, as they alſo wreſt ſundry other Scriptures to maintain the Pelagian Tenets touching the decrees of God, and divers other points depending thereupon, which are in difference between them and the Orthodox, who knoweth not?
Again, this hypocrite ſometimes, deſpairing of making out his fancies by plaine Texts, he flies to allegories, to prove the Popes tranſcendency above the Emperour, he quotes that place,qGen. 1.16. God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day; to prove the Popes double power, he alledgeth Ecce duo gladii rLuke 22.38. Behold here are two ſwords. To eſtabliſh the Popes coactive uſurpation, he produceth that,sActs 10.13 ariſe Peter, kill and eat. To prove the faith of Laicks to depend wholly on their Clergy, he quoteth that place,tJob 1.14. The Oxen were plowing, and the Aſſes were feeding beſide them. To confirm further the viſibility of their Church, he alledgethuMat. 5.14. the City on a Hill which cannot be hid; whereas we may rather conclude their Church to be Babylon, becauſe it retaineth the place that City of that is built upon ſeven hills. He would ſhew us the City, and have us imagine the Hill. I meane ſuch an Hill as Chriſt pronounced his Apoſtles to be. On the contrary, the Separatiſt, though he ſee the Hill and Rock of truth plaine enough in the Word and Sacraments preſerved among us, yet he will not beleeve there is a City, that is, a true Church, there. Sometimes this hypocrite, hath a doctrine, a revelation, an interpretation differing from all that ever went before him, and that he fathers upon a light within him, which yet he is not able ſo to make out that others may ſee as well as he. Whereas this light is an ignis fatuus, a light that befools him, and makes him ſtrive to make fooles of others. If it were a true light, it would illighten others. Whatſoever makes manifeſt is light (w), if then it cannot make manifeſt, it is manifeſt that it is no light, but a Jack with the lanthorn, or rather indeed palpable darkneſs * inſtead of light.
Thus this hypocrite perverteth the Scripture by corrupting the letter, or turneth off our eyes from the ſenſe, by drawing them after pretended Allegories. Plaine interpretations are not for his turne, and therefore let there be never ſo great a conſent of the beſt and ſoundeſt Expoſitors therein, he looks down upon them all with ſcorne and contempt, as being all wide, or ſhort of the truth, and is ready to ſay to them thwarting his forced gloſſes,x1 King. 22.24 which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to ſpeak unto you.
Contrarily, The true diſciple of truth, delights moſt in the plaineſt ſenſe, Differ.whereto the conſent of Scripture and Analogy of faith do most clearly lead him.
He knows that as the Word of God is plaine to him that with an honeſt heart, deſires to underſtand and obey it*John 7.17.: ſo there are plain Texts enow, to prove every thing neceſſary to ſalvation, without help of allegories, which when made uſe of by the Spirit of God in Scripture (not invented by man to help midwife a baſtard into the Church) they were never eſteemed Argumentative, beyond their proper and literal ſcope and meaning. And ſo far is he from diſliking that ſenſe or Expoſition that is moſt common, that he loves it the better, becauſe ſo many of the judiciouſly learned concur in it; and is ſo much abhorrent from new coyned gloſſes, that he therefore ſuſpects them till he hath ſifted them to the bran, which if he want ability to do, he will ſuſpend his entertaining of them, until by the help of ſome more able diſcerner of things that differ, he hath tryed this Spirit whether it be of God or not y1 John 4.1., and ſearched the Scriptures to ſee whether theſe things be ſo zActs 17.11; eſpecially in thoſe times wherein he that is blinde may every where diſcover many falſe prophets gone out into the world. He is a childe of light a1 Theſ. 5.5; loves the light, and cometh to it, becauſe he doth truth bJohn 3.21.. But he abhors falſe lights, that tend to deceive and cozen with a falſe gloſſe; not to manifeſt the true worth and goodneſſe of what is ſhewed to him by it. Let others pretend what they will of a light within them, if they cannot make it out by the light without them,cEſay 8.20. the Law and the Teſtimony of Gods written Word, he ſoon determines with God himſelf (the name of whoſe light they abuſe) that there is no light in them.
Thus this hypocrite uſeth the Scripture as Balaam his Aſſe, if ſhe will carry him on in his way, he rides her; if ſhe refuſe to go further, he will beat and abuſe her, being ſorry that he hath not a ſword to kill her; the true Chriſtian makes uſe of it, as of a Moſes rod which he preſerves entire without bending it one way or other, that it may better enable him to produce by it what ever is commanded of God.
This hypocrite is a great admirer of himſelf, and a deſpiſer of others. Character 9
He that dares be ſo bold with God himſelf, as to ſet up man above him, will not forget the lifting up of himſelf with trampling upon others. An Heretick, what ſhew ſoever he make of humility through hypocriſie, is ever a proud man d1 Tim. 6.4.. To ſpeak great ſwelling words of vanity e2 Pet. 2.18., is ſo natural to him, that it is a chief part of his art whereby he doth allure, and draw away diſciples after him, even thoſe that were clean eſcaped from them who live in errour. Simon Magus bewitched the people more by his giving out that himſelf was ſome great one fActs 8.9., than by his ſorcery. For to him (hereupon) they had regard, from the leaſt to the greateſt, ſaying, this man is the great power of God gVer. 10.. You ſhall ſee this ſpirit in every Heretick mentioned in Scripture. Zedekiah the falſe prophet, how doth he ſcorn and vilifie Micaiah, when he will not ſpeak as they did to the Kingh1 King. 22.24? How ſcornfully do the Phariſees take up the Officers that commended the preaching of Chriſt? and, how contemptibly of him? Have any of the Rulers, or of the Phariſees beleeved on him? But this people that know not the Law are curſed! How diſdainfully do they anſwer that poor man who being cured of his natural blindneſſe, asked them if they would he Chriſts Diſciples iJoh. 7 48.49! They reviled him, kJob. 9.27, 28, 29ſaying thou art his Diſciple, we are Moſes Diſciples; we know that God ſpake unto Moſes, but as for this fellow we know not whence he is!
Thus thoſe ſeducers in Corinth, how did they lift up the creſt above Paul, commending themſelves l2 Cor. 10.…; and diſparaging him for a man of neither grace in his preſence nor weight in his ſpeechmVer. 10., his bodily preſence is weak, and his ſpeech contemptible, or nothing worth. How did thoſe falſe Apoſtles, deceitful workers transforming themſelves into the Apoſtles of Chriſt, boaſt and glory in themſelves, and vilifie Paul n2 Cor. 11.? and this is the common badge of all ſuch imps of Satan, under the guiſe of a voluntary humility, to be vainly puft up by their fleſhly mind oCol. 2.18.; Nor is this any wonder; for, if even he that proclaims himſelf a ſervant of ſervants, exalteth himſelf ſo high, that God himſelf muſt be content with the lower handp2 Theſ. 2.4.;qMat▪ …0.25 will not they who call the Maſter of the houſe Beelzebub, much more call them of his houſhold, until they periſh in the gain-ſaying of Core *Jude 11.?
Differ.Contrarily, the true diſciple of truth doth nothing in ſtrife or vain-glory; but in lowlineſſe of mind, he eſteemeth others better then himſelf rPhil. 2.3..
Thus Paul while a Phariſee and a falſe teacher, tells us what high thoughts he had of himſelfsActs 26.5 Gal. 1.13, 14. Phil. 3.4, 5, 6. a man of the higheſt form, and the higheſt in his form. But when it pleaſed God, who called him by his grace, to reveal his ſon to him, and to make him a Paul, a teacher of truth, how doth he fal in his own eyes, and ſet others above him? I am the leaſt of the Apoſtles, not meet to be called an Apoſtle t1 Cor. 15.9.There is no true Teacher, but he is truly humble, and dares not make himſelf of the number, or compare himſelf with thoſe who commend themſelves u2 Cor. 10.12.. If he be put to it by falſe Apoſtles that thereby ſeek not only to derogate from his Miniſtry, but to ſhake the faith of thoſe who depend upon it; He will tell you when he boaſteth, and why; as being compelled to it by others, not affecting it himſelf; and even then corrects himſelf too, I am become a foole in glorying w2 Cor. 12.11. In ſuch caſes it is no more unſeemly to appeal to men that know his abilities, then to appeal to God from men when his innocency is unjuſtly traduced. He can be exalted where God may be honoured, but he will never exalt himſelfe againſt or above the meaneſt ſervants of Jeſus Chriſt, nor tread upon them to make himſelfe higher; and it is a trouble to him to glory, even when it is needful to hold up the reputation of his Miniſtry without cauſe calumniated.
Thus the Hypocrite is a Diotrephes, that loveth to have the preheminence xJohn 3.9.; the true Chriſtian is as Paul, that though he be free from all men, yet makes himſelf (not in hypocriſie, but in reality) a ſervant to all, that he might gain the more y1 Cor. 9.19unto Chriſt. The one ſtud es his own reputation more then the winning of ſouls; the other cares not how low he be in reputationz1 Cor. 4.3. 2 Cor. 13.7., and how high others, ſo it may tend to the encreaſe of the body of Chriſt, to the edifying of it in love.
Character 10 This Hypocrite, what ever ſhew of zeal for the truth he holds forth in his eccentrick opinions, hath chiefly ſelf-intereſt in his eye.
This is the firſt wheele, yea, the Phuſee, the inward ſpring that moves his watch ſo ſwiftly, and the haven he contends unto, although he ſeem never ſo earneſt to make another Port. He ſeems as zealous for the truth, as ever Jehu was againſt the houſe of Ahab; yea, ſo zealous, that he will not ſtick to perſecute the Church of God for thoſe truths which he calls hereſie; but all is to ſwim through the blood of the truth to his own gaine or greatneſſe. He is (as Canaan) a Merchant, but the ballances of deceit are in his hand aHoſ. 12.7. He is not for buying the truth, but ſells the ſouls of men bRev. 18.13. He pretends to be a great admirer of truth, and to have the perſons of ſome who hold it forth, in admiration for advantage ſake cJude 16.. But the naked truth is, if you uncaſe him, he runnes greedily after the errour of Balaam for reward dVer. 11.. He will forſake the right way, and go aſtray any whether, even following Balaame2 Pet. 2.15 the ſonne of Bozor, who loved the wages of unrighteouſneſs; for under pretence of teaching the way of God more purely, he privily brings in damnable hereſies; and, through covetouſneſs will he with fained words make merchandiſe of you fVer. 1, 3.; and under colour of buying the truth, he ſells it and the ſoules of men too, for the wages of iniquity.
What makes the man of ſinne ſo zealous for his doctrines of the Saints merits, works of Superirrogation, Indulgences, Purgatory, and many more, but that he may have the ſelling of all? Purgatory keeps his Kitchin warm, Indulgences be the commodities he ſells to deliver ſouls out of Purgatory, works of Superirrogation of the Saints (which he, as the common treaſury of the Church, hath in keeping) muſt be held out; or in vain to think of making a market of his indulgences, for they will never go off, without thoſe works as that which gives worth and value to them. Therefore he purſues with fire and fagot all that oppoſe them. All Germany muſt be in an uproar, the Emperour muſt fight, and all muſt aſſiſt, if Luther, but a poor Monk, ſhall oppoſe theſe great truths of Antichriſt. Our Henry the eighth ſhall be ſtiled Defender of the Faith, for writing in their defence. But when his emiſſaries ſent out to publiſh his indulgences, return with an huge maſſe of treaſure made of them, Pope Leo the tenth, then bleſſeth himſelf, and unmasketh to his Cardinals with this exclamation; What a world of wealth have we gotten by that fable of Chriſt! ſporting themſelves with their own deceivings *2 Pet. 2.13..
Indeed all are not led with that low bait of baſe gaine, ſome with Corah and his company are taken with ambition to make themſelves higher, by making Moſes and Aaron lower. The quarrel was,gNumb. 16.3 that Moſes and Aaron took too much upon them, and lifted themſelves up above the Congregation of the Lord; their pretence was plauſible, all the Lords Congregation are holy every one of them, and the Lord is among them; but that which made them ſo zealous, was not indeed the ſuperiority of ſome above the reſt, but that themſelves were not thoſe ſuperiors. Therefore Moſes tells them back in the ſame words, that which lay deepeſt in their hearts, namely their ambition; Ye take too much upon you ye ſons of Levi hVer. 8.. It was not enough for them to be brought ſo neer unto God, unleſſe they might have the Prieſt-hood alſo iVer. 10.. Their word is parity, a levelling; but their aime was Domination. Balaam aimed at both, elſe he would never have been ſo mad and ſottiſh to go on, after ſo many extraordinary warnings to return. He could be well content to curſe Iſrael upon a civil account as enemies to Balack; but it was in hope of a bleſſing from Balack according to that engagement made by his AmbaſſadorskNumb. 22.17 I will promote thee to very great honour, and I will do whatſoever thou ſayeſt unto me. What makes the Pope ſo zealous to maintain the ſupremacy of Peter, but that he may under that title, the better require Kings and Emperours to hold his ſtirrup, and to kiſs his foot; that he may have not only dominion over their faith, but domination over them and all their Dominions.
And thus, as it was with the old Phariſees, They loved the praiſe of men more then the praiſe of God; ſo is it with all Hereticks, they have an eye at themſelves to their own gaine, wealth, applauſe, preferment, in all the ſtrugglings of their ſeeming zeale for their private opinions under the name and ſtile of the truths of God.
Contrarily, the true diſciple of Chriſt cares not what he loſeth, what he ſuffereth, Differ.ſo truth may prevail and triumph, and that the Word of the Lord may have a free courſe, and be glorified.
He loves the truth for the truths ſake, and abhors juggling in a thing ſo ſacred, and the proſtituting of divine verity to the baſe luſts of man.l2 Cor. 13.8. He can do nothing againſt the truth (whatever he might gain by it,) but for the truth, (whatever he part with for it.) He will buy the truth at any rate, but not ſell it mProv. 23.23upon any terms, What Balaam ſaid in hypocriſie, becauſe the Lord reſtrained him from doing what he would, that the diſciple of truth ſpeaks from the heart ſhould, God leave him to do what he liſt,nNumb. 22.8. If Balack ſhould give me his houſe full of ſilver and gold, I cannot go beyond the Word of the Lord my God, to do leſſe or more. Every graine of truth is precious to a ſincere heart; it is like his faith o1 Pet. 1.7., much more pretious then the gold that periſheth, though tryed with fire, the Law of Gods mouth is better unto him then thouſands of gold and ſilver pPſ. 119.72.. Therefore he cannot be ſo weak and fooliſh as to put gold or honour in the ſcale with truth; or, ſo far forget himſelf to let go ſuch a price put into his hand to get wiſdom, for that which is ſo far below it; or to part with that which cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious Onix, or the Saphire; And which the gold and the Chryſtal cannot equal, therefore with him, the exchange of it ſhall not be for Jewels of fine gold qJob 28.16, 17.
Thus this Hypocrite, as the Waterman, rows one way, and looks another; the true Chriſtian as thoſe Converts, that ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherwards rJer. 50.5., the one under colour of giving witneſſe to the truth maintains a profitable errour, the other abhors even to maintain truth it ſelf upon the account of worldly profit; the one ſuppoſeth gain to be godlineſſe, the other from ſuch turnes away *1 Tim. 6.5.
Character 11 This Hypocrite in his moſt glorious ſhews of holineſſe, is a Patrone and Teacher of ſin.
He is a great profeſſor of an holy and auſtere life, not out of love to holineſſe, but to gain the more credit to his errours, and to make the more proſelytes. But all his righteouſneſſe is Phariſaical, and a cloak for his inward covetouſneſſe s2 Pet. 2.14.and guile. Trace his footſteps to his den, and you ſhall finde this Fox at his prey, and theſe Wolves, ravening in their holes, notwithſtanding their ſheeps cloathing. The Phariſees pretended much piety in mantaining their bills of divorce tMat. 5.31, 32., although no fornication were committed; but in the judgement of Truth it ſelf, this was to teach him that, for any other cauſe put away his wife, to commit adultery, and to be guilty of what ſhe committed after ſuch an unlawful deſertion. Thus what Moſes permitted for the hardneſſe of their hearts, they maintained and allowed for good and warrantable, and ſo were both Teachers and Patrons of ſinne, how glorious ſoever their outſides were. Nor were they any better in teaching children, required of their parents to ſupply their wants, to ſay, it is Corban uMat. 15.5. Mar. 7.11; that is, a gift devoted and conſecrated to Corban, the publick cheſt, of which the Phariſees had the the keeping, (& the emptying of it too;) and then they ſhould be free from relieving their aged and needy parents. This was to make void the fifth Commandment by their traditions, and to teach ſin, to oppoſe duty in honouring their father and their mother. To ſay nothing of the doctrine of Balaam, uRev. 2.14who taught Balack to lay a ſtumbling block before the children of Iſrael, to ſend out their faireſt Virgins and women under pretence to victual their camp, or out of curioſity to take a view of thoſe ſtangers, thereby to inflame the Iſraelites luſt, and to commit fornication; whereby he did them more miſchief then all his curſing could have procured. Nor will I make mention of the Nicolaitan Tenets,wRev. 2.15 to juſtifie obſcene practiſes. The Apoſtle Peter deciphers out thoſe hereticks which privily brought in damnable hereſies, not only by their more cloſe and ſecret practiſes*Numb. 25, having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot ceaſe from ſinne x2 Pet. 2.14, how much ſoever they diſſemble it to beguile unſtable ſouls; but, by their tenets and aſſertions, wherein they teach to deſpiſe Government, by ſpeaking evil of Dignities yVer. 10..
Thus, as the Antichriſt (who as for other reaſons, ſo more eſpecially for teaching of ſin,) deſerves this brand from the holy Ghoſt to be called that man of ſin z2 Theſ. 2.3.; Becauſe he not only breaketh the Commandments of God, but teached men ſo, more then ever the old Phariſees did, who never received Chriſt, nor made profeſſion of him.) He openeth a School of vice, giving diſpenſations for inceſtuous marriages, from ſworne allegiance, from ſafe conducts of Princes, confederations of States (O! Regulus, how true a Roman wert thou, in compariſon of theſe, not Romans, but Carthaginians rather!) that eſtabliſheth wickedneſſe by a Law, allowing publick brothel-houſes, taking mony for whores (albeit no hire of an whore ſhould come into the Tabernacle of God,) teaching that fornication is but a venial ſinne; and in their Prieſts, not ſo bad as marriage, with many more, that I bluſh to name; ſo is this, more or leſſe the character of every Heretical hypocrite that teacheth and maintaineth lies in ſtead of truths of God, which layes men under greateſt contempt with God; for,aEſay 9.15 the prophet which teacheth lies, he is the taile, that is, the baſeſt, the very skum of all.
Differ.Contrarily, the Teacher of truth is truly a Miniſter of righteouſneſſe.
He intendeth the advancement of Gods glory, as well by the purity of his doctrine, as by the integrity of his life. In his doctrine he is a Teacher of righteouſneſſe bJohn 13.17; in his life a doer of the will of God cJohn 7.17.. In all things ſhewing himſelf a pattern of good works, in doctrine ſhewing uncorruptneſſe, gravity, ſincerity dTit 2.7, 8., ſound ſpeech that cannot be condemned, that he that is of the contrary part may be aſhamed, having no evil thing to ſay of him.
I do not ſay he is without his faults, his errors, in many thing we offend all eJames 3.2.. But his faults do not flow from his doctrine, but are forbidden by it: his errours nor are his continued, after better information. He may erre, but will be no Heretick. If he were Apollos himſelf, he will not think much to be more perfectly inſtructed fAct. 18.26, and then he is ſure, that if in any point he be otherwiſe minded, God will reveale even this unto him gPhil. 3.13. He knows that returning into the right path is no diſgrace to him that hath deviated. Pride will not do it, but humility will ſoon find the ſweet of it. Saint Auguſtine got more honour by his Retractations, then by any other work; and he that can take ſhame to give God glory, will be ſure to find the ſhame taken off, and immortal honour ſet in the room.
Thus, this hypocrite is as Ahabs Prophets that to prophecie good to the King, taught him to ſinne againſt God and his own life; the true Chriſtian is as Micaiah, who will rather endure a priſon, and eat the bread of affliction, then with falſe prophets to engage Ahab to his own deſtruction; the one is as that woman Jezabel teaching and ſeducing the ſervants of Chriſt to commit fornication hRev. 2.20, the other as the Angel, and the reſt of Thyatira, which have not this doctrine iVerſe 24., nor any like it.
The more care and pains is taken with this Hypocrite to reduce him, the more obſtinately Character 12 he retaineth his errours.
Obſtinacy in errour is the formalis ratio, the eſſential form, and ſpecifical difference of hereſie, by which it is diſtinguiſhed from ſimple errour; therefore it muſt needs be one of the cleareſt and moſt diſtinguiſhing characters of an heretical hypocrite, the more he is confuted and admoniſhed, the more violently and tenaciouſly to bend his tongue like a bow for lies, to hold faſt his deceit, and to refuſe to return kJer. 8.5.. He doth inſanire cum ratione, run mad with reaſon, that is, with that which he calls reaſon, and brings either reaſon againſt Scripture, or Scripture againſt reaſon; his own irrational Arguments againſt expreſſe and cleare evidence of Scripture, or Scripture wreſted againſt all Analogy of faith made out by ſound reaſon, and will give a reaſon (as he calls it) for things moſt apparently contrary to Scripture; and thus as the Sun-beams confounded by contraction, into a glaſſe do burne; ſo this Heretick makes the Scripture contorted, to ſet fire on the truth, and to become a ground for his errour.
At his firſt entry upon an errour, he is more modeſt; little more then a Sceptick, and perhaps vents it only by way of Quaere or Queſtion, to ſee how it will take; as the devil in his firſt onſet upon Eve lGen. 3 1.; yea, hath God ſaid, ye ſhall not eat of every tree of the Garden? as well knowing, that truth once queſtioned is half loſt, eſpecially where men or Satan being parties, make themſelves witneſſe and judge. He will firſt ſhake a truth, by drawing out from ſome other weak or unſtable ſouls that know not the depths of Satan, as they ſpeak, a reaſon of the truth they maintain, or of the errour they oppoſe; then, ſhewing to them the weakneſs of their reaſon (which cannot be ſtrong, themſelves being ſo weak;) he comes on with his own opinion and reaſon to back it, as the Serpent afterwards did to Eve mVer. 4, 5.. Ye ſhall not ſurely die, for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, your eyes ſhall be opened, and ye ſhall be as Gods, &c. and we all know and feel the iſſue, This he doth at firſt privily, in the garden, to the weaker veſſel, more ductile and eaſie to be deceived; and he takes his time, when the man, more able to diſcover and oppoſe his devices, is away. Of this ſort are they which creep into houſes, and lead captive ſilly women laden with ſinnes, led away with divers luſts; ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth n2 Tim. 3.6, 7.; while men, that ſhould look better to him, ſleep, he ſows his tares oMat. 13.25.
Thus he begins, perhaps with one ſingle opinion, which by degrees he adventures to bring into the light, as cats do their kittins before they can well ſee, thinking that now others will be as much in love with his brat as he is himſelf; and being as much taken with his opinion, as Phidias the Painter with the firſt picture of his own drawing, who, where-ever he went, ſtrongly conceited that he ſaw his picture go before him; this idolizer of the childe of his own braine, begins to be confident, that where-ever he walks in the field of the Scripture, he findes his own idol as ſurely ſet up, as Nebuchadnezzars image in the plain of DurapDan. 3.1.. And now, as the fiſhes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the ſnare qEccl. 9.12.; ſo is this poor ſelf-conceited ſonne of man in an evil time; the ſnare of the devil ſuddenly falls upon him, and he is taken captive by him at his will r2 Tim. 2.26. He himſelf, that before ſought to ſubvert others, is now perverted in himſelf; he not only deceiveth, but is himſelf deceived s2 Tim. 3.13.; the devil ſoon ſears his conſcience with an hot iron t1 Tim. 4.2., and makes him reprobate concerning the faith u2 Tim. 3.8..
Let now any ſound and godly Miniſter of Chriſt take him to do, and endeavour to ſhew him his errours, to confute them by plaine and pregnant Scripture, and to ſhew him the abſurdities that follow his fanatick opinion, he ſlights all arguments, ſcornes and derides all oppoſers, as ſo many ſilly boyes, not worthy to contend with this great Goliah; and as Jannes and Jambres withſtood even Moſes himſelf, ſo doth this man reſiſt the truth wIbid.. He is engaged, and he will go through with it; and as for thoſe which others call abſurdities, if he cannot evade them, but ſees they are neceſſary conſequents of his grand errour, he owns them all for truths; for he muſt take in them, or throw the head of Sheba x2 Sam. 20.21, 22.over the walls to Joab the purſuer, and ſo part with his darling, as Phaltiel with his whore y2 Sam. 3.15, which he is reſolved to keep, and rather then part with it, give his body to be burned z1 Cor. 13 3.), ſo true is that of the ſpirit of truth,a2 Tim. 3.13. evil men and ſeducers wax worſe and worſe, deceiving and being deceived; worſe and worſe in being deceived, as well as in deceiving; yea, they deceive their own ſelves.
He is not only perverted; but paſt all help of admonition, although convinced in his own conſcience, becauſe he is ſubverted and ſinneth againſt the clear light, and will juſtifie his errours againſt all evidence of truth, being condemned of himſelf bTit. 3.11.. He knows himſelf to be in an errour, and his own judgement tells him ſo, and his conſcience calls upon him to renounce it upon paine of hell fire, yet he goes on in his ſinne. What he hath a will to hang out for a truth, he will never acknowledge to be diſproved and confuted; nay, he will preſume and conclude it proved by the fulleſt diſproof thereof.
Thus the Phariſees having once engaged themſelves in proclaiming Chriſt to be a Samaritan, and to hauehave a devil cJohn. 8.…8., after our Saviour had proved to them that he had not a devil, both becauſe he ſought Gods glory and not his own, and propounded ſalvation and immortality to ſuch as receive the doctrine of the Goſpel, the Jewes hereupon concluded more confidently, Now we know that thou haſt a devil dVer. 52.. What he is reſolved not to believe, he will never confeſs to be proved, how ſtrongly ſoever confirmed; and what he reſolves to believe he will perſiſt in it, as not confuted, how clearly ſoever by Scripture it ſelf condemned. Nor is it any marvel to ſee ſuch men ſuffer death for their opinions, their diſeaſe being that of the Gangrene *2 Tim. 2.17, which not only ſpreadeth, but where cure is refuſed or neglected, certainly deſtroyeth; yea, though you bray this fool in a morter, yet will not this folly depart from him *Prov. 27.22. Nor is the reaſon hereof leſſe evident then the thing it ſelf, that men may be ſatisfied with the truth hereof, and not be beguiled with the ſleights of this hypocrite, nd cunning craftineſſe whereby he lies in wait to deceive. He is,
Firſt, a proud man knowing nothing e1 Tim. 6.4., that is, as he ought to know f1 Cor. 8.2, becauſe what knowledge he hath, puffeth him up gVer. 1.. It cauſeth ſuch a ſwelling in his minde and heart that he cannot ſee his way, as ſwelling of the face that ſwells over the very eye-lids and ſhuts up the eye.
Next, he hath a ſeduced heart which leads him aſide hEſay 44.20., ſo that when (as people overcome of the green-ſickneſſe) he feedeth upon aſhes, meere deluſions, he cannot deliver his ſoul, nor ſay, is there not a lie in my right hand? An heart he hath exerciſed with covetous practiſes i2 Pet. 2 14, no marvel then if he commit idolatry with his own idol, covetouſneſſe being ſo inſeparable from idolatrykCol. 3.5.. Adde hereunto, the witchery that is in hereſie, not only to intice, but to befoole and beſot men, as it did the Gallatians. It is not without truth, that the devil uſeth inchantments and witchcraft to draw people after the fondeſt and ſottiſheſt errours that ever he broached by the weakeſt and ſimpleſt of his ſeducing ſpirits. For the Apoſtle in expreſſe termes, imputes the falling off of the Gallatians from the truth to ſeducers, to plain witchcraft practiſed upon themlGal. 3.1.; and the deluſions of Satan drawing men to believe a lie, are called ſtrong deluſions, or the energym2 Theſ. 2 11. foreign. or efficacy of deceit, the very ſtrength of Satan, whoſe vaſſals they are, for being lifted up with pride, they fall into the condemnation of the devil n1 Tim. 3.6, not only to be condemned as he is, but condemned to him, to be under his tyranny here, and torments in hell. Therefore, what ever they pretend, they are the Apoſtles of Satan o2 Cor. 11.15., his works they dopJohn 8.4…., and their reward ſhall be according to their worksq2 Cor. 11.15, to which erratick ſtars is reſerved the blackneſſe of darkneſſe for ever rJude 13..
Contrarily, the true diſciple of truth in his greateſt ſeeking of truth with his whole heart, is ever jealous of himſelf, and quits any errour ſo ſoon as diſcovered.Differ.
While he is in a condition to know but in part (f), s1 Cor. 13.12.he knows himſelf ſubject to errour as well as others; and therefore in the firſt place, he ſeeks the teaching of God tPſ. 119.26.33 &cby the teachings of men; and prays, O let me not wander from thy Commandments uVer. 10. But if he do wander, in an errour he may be, becauſe this is humane; but an Heretick he will not be, becauſe this is Satanical. If in ſome points he be otherwiſe minded, than he ought, this often happens through infirmity, or want of information; but his ingenuity is ſuch, that when ever he hath information of it, he quickly and willingly parts with it, as true penitents from their idols, ſaying, get thee hence wEſay 30.22. He may through ignorance be as confident as Peter that Chriſt did too much, in waſhing his feet; but no ſooner doth Chriſt diſcover his errour, and tell him, If I waſh thee not, thou haſt no part with me xJohn 13.8.; He ſoon changeth his mind and his language too; Lord, not my feet only, but alſo my hands and my head yVer. 9.. He may be ſubject through weakneſſe and errour, to diſſimulation; Peter, and Barnabas (an honeſt plain-hearted ſoul) were ſick of this diſeaſezGal. 2.12, 13.; but when a Paul comes that tells them plainly of their errour, they ſoon reform and diſcard their errour. The whole body of the Apoſtles together were in a great errour touching the reſtoring of the temporal and Civil power and Kingdom to the Nation of the Jewes, ſuppoſing Chriſt to have intended that by his reſurrection from the deadaActs 1.6.. But ſo ſoon as he diſcovered their errour to them, they enquire no further after that matter, but according to his command, they after his aſcenſion, returned from Mount Olivet to Hieruſalem bVer. 12., and there waited for the holy Ghoſt, according to his promiſe, whereby they might be better enabled to promote his Kingdom which is not of this world. It is his grief, if he be in any thing otherwiſe minded then Chriſt and his Apoſtles; but it is his comfort, that God ſhall reveal this unto him cPhil. 3.15., and his good ſpirit ſhall lead him into all truth dJohn 16.13.; although not to know all that Jeſus did and ſpakeeJohn. 21.25., yet to be ign…ant of nothing neceſſary to be known,fJohn 2….31 for the ſecret of the Lord is with them that fear him, and he will ſhew them his Covenant gPſal. 25.14., to make them know it *See the marginal reading of that verſe..
Thus this Hypocrite incorporateth his errour, as the ſtomack the nouriſhment of meat, the true Chriſtian vomits it up as poyſon, that he may not be deſtroyed by it; the one marries it, the other ſues out a bill of divorce againſt it; the one ſets ſo light by all confutations of his errour, as Job by the book that any Adverſary could write againſt him hJob 31.35, 36.taking it upon his ſhoulder, and binding it as a Crown unto him; the other ſhakes it off as Paul the Viper, ſo ſoon as he feels it to take hold of his hand iAct. 28.3, 5.. The one as Herod will keep his Herodias, let John Baptiſt ſay what he will againſt it, the other as Abimelech puts Sarah (how fair ſoever) away in haſt, ſo ſoon as it is diſcovered to him to be unlawful to keep her.