Sacred Therapy, Book 2 · Chapter 14
CHAP. XIV.
Wherein is solved the doubt of the true convert, whether he be in the state of grace, because some godly persons look upon him as an hypocrit.
SOme true converts, do suspect themselves not to be true converts, because some of the godly of their acquaintance (whose judgment otherwayes is not to be lightly rejected) not only do suspect them to be hypocrits, but by words spoken of them and behaviour toward them, declare their judgment of them.
2. This tentation doth not a little afflict the weak in faith, who of themselves are ready to call in question their own conversion, and when they perceive their own suspicion of themselves to be as it were confirmed by the suspicion and testimony of some Saints (howsoever rashly judging other mens hearts) no wonder the tentation of Sathan, questioning whether they be the children of God, grow strong against them.
By this stratageme Sathan useth to assault the strongest in faith, and to vex them at least, as we may see in the exercise of Iob, whose faith was mightily assaulted when his godly friends mistook his affliction, and condemned him as a wicked hypocrit. The like we see in the exercise of the Prophet, Ps. 38. 11. when his friends stood aloof from his plague.
3. For strengthening the afflicted under this tentation; first, let him examine himself so much the more acuratly, because of the suspicion that the godly have of him: after which examination, if he find any measure of sorrow for sin in himself, and of faith flying to Christ for relief, and of endeavour to live holily, righteously and soberly, albeit joyned with much infirmity and manifold imperfections, let him not cast away his confidence, but rather strengthen what he findeth of the Lords gracious work in him, although it seem to him ready to dye.
Secondly, let him consider whether this exercise and affliction be a correction from God, chastising him for his rash judgment of others, whom possibly he hath wounded with such rash suspicions of them; but whether he find this or not, let him not despise this exercise, but be humbled before God in the acknowledgment of the reliques of hypocrisie in our corrupt nature, and flye unto Christ (in whose mouth there was no guile) that he may be cloathed with his righteousnesse head and feet; and let him study unto more and more sincerity, that he may approve himself to God, and to discreet Judges of his conversation, and let him not alienat himself altogether so far as in him lyeth from them, by whose suspicions his faith and good name hath been wounded, but in humility and charity toward them, in the constant following of piety toward God and righteousnesse toward men, labour to commend himself to all mens consciences.
And in so doing he needeth not stand for the rash judgment of any man: for by so doing Iob was victorious over this tentation in his conflict with his friends: and it is sure, that men may be deceived in their judgement of other mens estate; for, first, the ignorance of another mans heart, maketh the Judge to judge what he knoweth not. It is true, God hath granted unto his children liberty according to his Word to judge of the actions of other men, and from their actions to judge of their condition and temper in relation to those actions; but to judge of their state who outwardly do what is right, doth not belong to men, but to God who hath reserved to himself the searching of every mans heart, and only knoweth who is the upright and who is the hypocrit, who is the wise and who is the foolish virgin, the outward conversation of both being like one to another. Again, to know another mans manners, ingine, inclination and way of his life, doth require long conversing with him, comparison of his actions one with another, and a prudent conjunction of all signes of his inward disposition, before a discreet charitable judgment can be had of him. And whosoever do judge rashly of other mens hearts, do not well know their own heart, or of what spirit they are in judging: for many presume too much to justifie their own condition and state, and make themselves to be as rules and paterns unto others, and so become too too rigid censurers and severe judges of other mens conditions and state, except they find it like to their own. And if there be any dissimilitude of manners or discrepance of judgment, or contention about any mater, then partiality hindereth a right judgment one of another, and affection marreth reason many times that it cannot discern what is right.
Therefore let the person afflicted with this tentation, turn himself to God who searcheth the reines, and let him humble himself in his sight, renewing the exercise of repentance and faith in Christ, and let him apply to himself what the Scripture doth pronounce of these who in the sense of their sin do flye to Christ Jesus, that in him they may have remission of sin and amendment of their life: for so did the Prophet in the whole Psal. 17. when he had to do with his uncharitable friends and kinsfolk, and so let the afflicted do.