The Touchstone of Sincerity, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Containing divers helps for the clearing of Sinc…rity and discovery of Hypocrisie.
SECT. I.
YOu see of what importance the dut… of self-examination is, how many thing put a necessity and a solemnity upon tha… work. Now in the close of all, I would o…fer you some helps for the due managemen… thereof, that is as far as I can carry it, th… Lord perswade your hearts to the diligen… and faithful application and use of the… The general rules to clear sincerity … these that follow.
Rule 1.
We may not presently conclude we are in … state of Hypocrisie, because we find some working of it, and tendencies to it in our spirits: the be… gold hath some dross and alloy in it. Hyp…crisie is a weed naturally springing in … ground, the best heart is not perfectly cle… free of it: it may be we are stumbled whe… we feel some workings or grudgings of th… disease in our selves, and looking into su… Scriptures as these, Joh. 1. 47. Behold an … raelite indeed, in whom there is no guile: and Psal. 32. 1. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
This I say may stumble some upright soul, not understanding in what an allayed and qualified sense those Scriptures are to be understood: for by a Spirit without guile, is …ot understood a person absolutely free from all deceitfulness, and falseness of heart; this was the sole prerogative of the Lord Iesus, who was separated from sinners, in whose mouth was no guile found: in whom the Prince of this world in all his tryals and at…empts upon him found nothing: but we …ust understand it of reigning and allowed Hypocrisie: there is no such guile in any …f the Saints: distinguish the presence from …he predominance of hypocrisie, and the …oubt is resolved.
Rule 2.
Every true ground of humiliation for sin, is …ot a sufficient ground for doubting and questio…ing our estate and condition.
There be many more things to humble us …pon the account of our infirmity, than there … to stumble us upon the account of our …tegrity: i… is the sin and affliction of some …ood souls to call their condition in question, …pon every slip and failing in the course of their obedience. This is the way to debar our selves from all the peace and comfort of the Christian life: we find that Ioseph was once minded to put away Mary his Espoused Wife, not knowing that the holy thing which was conceived in her was by the Holy Ghost. It is the sin of Hypocrites to take brass for gold, and the folly of Saints to call their gold, brass: be as severe to your selves as you will, alwayes provided you be just: there is that maketh himself rich, and yet hath nothing; and there is that maketh himself poor, and yet hath great riches, Prov. 13. 7. Hiram called the Cities Solomon gave him Cabul dirty, for they pleased him not, 1 Kings 9. 13. 'tis but an ill requital, an ungrateful return to God, for the best of mercies, to undervalue them in our hearts, and be ready upon all occasions to put them away as worth nothing.
Rule 3.
A stronger propension in our Nature, and more frequent incidence in our practice to one sin than another; doth not presently infer our hypocrisie, and the unsoundness of our hearts in Religion. 'Tis true, every Hypocrite hath some way of wickedness: Some peccatum in deliciis, iniquity that he delights in, and rolls as a sweet morsel under his tongue; some lust that he is not willing to part with, nor can endure that the knife of mortification should touch it, and this undoubtedly argues the insincerity and rottenness of his heart: and it is true also, that the nature and constitution of the most sanctified man inclines him rather to one sin than to another, though he allow himself in none; yea, though he set himself more watchfully against that sin than another, yet he may still have more trouble and vexation, more temptation and defilement from it than any other.
As every man hath his proper gift one after this manner and another after that, as the Apostle speaks, 1 Cor. 7. 7. so every man hath his proper sin also, one after this manner, and another after that: for it is with original sin, as it is with the juice or sap of the earth, which though it be the common matter of all kinds of fruits, yet it is specificated according to the different sorts of plants and seeds it nourishes: in one it becomes an apple, in another a Cherry, &c. Just so it is in Original Corruption, which is turned into this or that temptation and sin, according to this or that constitution or employment it finds us in: one it's Passion, in another Lust, in a third Covetousness, in a fourth Levity, and so on. Now I say the frequent assaults of this sin, provided we indulge it not, but by setting double guards labour to keep our selves from our own iniquity, as David did, Psal. 18. 23. will not infer the hypocrisie of our hearts.
Rule 4.
A greater backwardness and indisposedness to one duty rather than another, doth not conclude the heart to be unsound and false with God, provided we do not inwardly dislike and disapprove any duty of Religion, or except against it in our agreement with Christ, but that it riseth meerly from the present weakness and distemper we labour under.
There be some duties in Religion, as sufferings for Christ, bearing sharp reproofs for sin, &c. that even an upright heart, under a present distemper may find a great deal of backwardness and lothness to; yet still he consents to the Law that it is good, is troubled that he cannot comply more cheerfully with his duty: and desires to stand compleat in all the will of God: perfection is his aim, and imperfections are his sorrows.
Some Christians have much ado to bring their hearts to fixed solemn meditation, their hearts fly off from it, but this is their burden that it should be so with them. Truth is, it is a very dangerous sign of Hypocrisie when a mans zeal runs out in one chanel of o…bedience only, and he hath not a respect to all Gods Commandments, as Physicians observe, the sweating of one part of the body when all the rest are cold is symptomatical, and argues an ill habit: but whilest the soul heartily approves all the will of God, and sincerely desires to come up to it, & mourns for its backwardness and deadness to this or …hat duty, and this is not fixed, but occasional under some present indisposition out of which the soul riseth by the same degrees, as sanctification riseth in him, and the Lord comes in with renewed strength upon him; this I say may consist and is very ordinarily found to be the case of up…ight-hear…ed ones.
Rule 5.
The glances of the eye at self-ends in duties, whilest self is not the weight that moves the wheels, the principal end and design we drive at, and whilest those glances are corrected and mourned for; do not conclude the heart to be unsound and Hypocritical in Religion: for even among the most deeply sanctified, few can keep their eye so steady and fixed with pure and unmixed respects to the glory of God, but that there will be (alas too frequently some by…ends insinuating and creeping into the heart.
These like the fowls seize upon the sacrifice, let the soul take what pains it can to …ray them away. It's well that our High-Priest bears the iniquities of our holy things for us: Peter had too much regard to the pleasing of men, and did not walk with that upright foot towards the Gentile Christians and the believing Jews in the matter of liberty as became him, Gal. 2. 13, 14 for which, as Paul saith, he ought to be blamed▪ and did blame him; but yet such a failing as that in the end of his duty did not condemn him. In publick performances there may be too …uch vanity, in works of charity too much ostentation, these are all workings of Hypocrisie in us, and matters of humiliation to us, but whilest they are disallowed corrected and mourned over, are consistent with integrity.
Rule 6.
The doubts and fears that hang upon and perplex our spirits about the hypocrisie of our hearts, do not conclude that therefore we are what we fear our selves to be. God will not condemn every one for an hypocrite that suspects, yea, or charges himself with Hypocrisie Holy David thought his heart was not right with God, after that great slip of his in the matter of Uriah, and therefore begs of God to renew a right spirit in him, Psal. 51. 10, 11, 12. his integrity was indeed wounded and he thought destroyed by that fall.
Holy Master Bradford so vehemently doubted the sincerity of his heart, that he subscribed some of his Letters (as Master Fox tells us) Iohn Bradford the Hypocrite, a very painted Sepulchre: and yet in so saying he utterly misjudged the state and temper of his own soul.
SECT. II.
WEll then, let not the upright be unjust to themselves in censuring their own hearts: they are bad enough, but let us not make them worse than they are, but thankfully own and acknowledge the least degrees of grace and integrity in them: and possibly our uprightness might be sooner discove…ed to us, if in a due composure of spirit, we would sit down and attend the true answers of our own hearts to such questio…s as these are.
Question 1.
Do I make the approbation of God or the applause of men the very end and main design of my Religious performances; according to 1 Thes. 2. 4 Col. 3. 23. Will the acceptation of my duties with men satisfie me, whether God accept my duties and person or not?
Quest. 2.
Is it the reproach and shame that attends sin at present, and the danger and misery that will follow it hereafter, that restrains me from the Commission of it? or is it the fear of God in my soul, and the hatred I bear to sin as it is sin? according to Psal. 19, 12. and Psal. 119. 113.
Quest. 3.
Can I truly and heartily rejoyce to see Gods work carried on in the world, and his glory promoted by other hands, though I have no share in the credit and honour of it, as Paul did? Philip. 1. 18.
Quest. 4.
Is there no duty in Religion so full of difficulty and self…denyal, but I desire to comply with it: and is all the holy and good will of God acceptable to my soul, though I cannot rise up with like readiness to the performance of all duties? according to that pattern, Psal. 119. 6.
Quest. 5.
Am I sincerely resolved to Follow Christ and holiness at all seasons, however the aspects of the times may be upon Religion? or do I bear my self so warily, and covertly as to shun all hazards for Religion: having a secret reserve in my heart, to launch out no farther than I may return with safety; contrary to the practice and re…olution of upright souls? Psal. 116▪ 3. Psal. 44. 18, 19. Rev. 22. 11.
Quest. 6.
Do I make no Conscience of committing secret sins, or neglecting secret duties? or am I conscientious both in the one and other according to the rules and patterns of integrity? Matth. 6. 5, 6. Psal. 19. 12.
A few such Questions solemnly propounded to our own hearts, in a calm and serious hour, would sound them and discover much of their sincerity towards the Lord.
SECT. III.
ANd as upright hearts are too apt to apply to themselves the threats and miseries of Hypocrites, so Hypocrites on the contrary, are as apt to catch hold of the promises and priviledges pertaining to believers.
To detect therefore the soul damning mistakes of such deceived souls, O that these following Rules might be studied & faithfully applyed to their conviction, and recovery!
Rule 1.
It is not enough to clear a man from Hypocrisie, that he knows not himself to be an Hypocrite. All Hypocrites are not designing hypocrites; they deceive themselves, as well as others: many will say to me in that day, Lord, have we not Prophesied in thy name? &c. Matth. 7. 22. Hell will be a meer surprisal to multitudes of Professours: a man may live & dye in a blind ungrounded confidence of his safe condition, and not fear his ruine, till he begin to feel it.
Rule 2.
Zeal and forwardness in the cause of God, and for the reformation of his worship, will not clear a man from the danger of Hypocrisie. Iehu was a zealous reformer, and yet but a painted Sepulchre. In the year 1549. Reformation grew so much in reputation even among the Nobles and Gentry of Germany, that many of them caused these five letters V. D. M. I. AE. being the initial letters of these words, v…rbum domini manet in aeternum, (i. e.) the word of the Lord abideth for ever; to be wrought or embroidered, or set in plates, some upon their Cloaks, and others upon the sleeves of their Garments; to shew to all the world, (…aith my Author) that forsaking all Popish Traditions they would now cleaveIohn Wolfe, lect. memor. To. 2. ad An. 1 549. to the pure doctrine and discipline of the eternal word.
And no doubt they would have been as good as their word, if what was embroidered on their cloaks, had been engraven on their hearts; but come see my zeal, marrs all.
Rule 3.
It is no sufficient evidence of a mans own integrity, that he hates hypocrisie in another: for as one proud man may hate another, and he that's Covetous himself, will be apt to censure another for being so; (Lusts may be contrary to one another, as well as all of them contrary to grace) so may an hypocrite loath that in another, which yet he alloweth in himself: nay 'tis the policy of some to declaim against the Hypocrisie of others, thereby to hide their own. Hypocrites are none of the most modest censurers of others, Psal. 35. 16. A salt j…st seasoned their meat.
Rule 4.
The meer performance of private duties, will not clear a man from Hypocrisie; the influence of education, or support of reputation, or the impulse of a convinced Conscience may induce a man to it; and yet all this while his heart may not be carried thither with hungry and thirsty desires after God: it is not the matter of any duty that distinguishes the sound, and unsound professour; but the motives, designs, and ends of the soul in them.
Rule 5.
The vogue and opinion you have got among Christians, of your sincerity, will not be sufficient to clear you from the danger of Hypocrisie. Christ tells the Angel of Sardis, Rev. 3. 1. Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. The fall of Hymeneus and Philetus, could never have shaken the faith of the Saints as it did, had they not had great credit in the Church, & been men of renown for piety among them.
Rule 6.
Your respects and love to them that are the sincere and upright servants of God, will not clear you from the danger of being Hypocrites your selves: for the bare loving of a Christian is not Characteristical and evidential of a mans own Christianity, except he love him, qua talis, as he is a Christian, or as he belongs to Christ: & so his sincerity becomes the attractive of thy affection. There be a thousand by considerations & respects that may kindle a mans love to the Saints, besides their integrity.
SECT. IV.
WEll then, if thou wouldst indeed see the unsoundness of thy own heart, propound such heart sounding Questions as these to thy self.
Quest. 1.
Do I engage my heart to approach unto God in the course of my duties? or do I go in the round of duties, taking no heed to my heart in them? if so, compare this symptome of thy Hypocrisie with that in 2 King. 10. 3. and that Ezek. 33. 31, 32.
Quest. 2.
Am I not swai'd and moved by self-interest and carnal respects in the wayes of Religion, the accommodation of some worldly interest, or getting a name and reputation of Godliness? if so, how apparently do the same symptomes of Hypocrisie appear upon my soul, which did upon Iudas, Io…. 12. 6. and Iohn, 2 Kings 9, 13, 14.
Quest. 3.
Have I not some secret reserves in my heart, notwithstanding that face and appearance of zeal which I put on? certainly if there be any sin that I cannot part with, any suffering for Christ which I resolve against in my heart: I am none of his disciple, my heart is not right with God, the searcher of hearts himself being Judge, Luke 14. 26, 27.
Quest. 4.
What Conscience do I make of secret sins? do I mourn for a vain heart, wandering thoughts, spiritual deadness? and do I conscientiously abstain from the practice of secret sins, when there is no danger of discovery, no fear of forfeiting my reputation by it? is it Gods eye, or mans that awes me from commission of sin? certainly, if I allow my self in secret sins; I am not of the number of Gods upright people; whose spirits are of a contrary temper to mine, Psal. 119. 113▪ and Psal. 19. 12.
SECT. V.
I Will shut up all with five or six concluding Counsels, (which the Lord-impress upon the heart of him that writes, and those that shall read them) to preserve and antidote the soul against the dangerous insinuation and Leven of Hypocrisie.
Counsel 1▪
Intreat the Lord night and day for a renewed and right Spirit: all the helps and directions in the world will not antidote and preserve you from Hypocrisie, nothing will be found able to keep you right, till sanctification have first set you right, Ezek. 36. 27. I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes.
A Bowle may keep by a strait line, so long as the impres…ed force of the hand that delivered it remains strong upon it; but as that wears off, so its motion fails; and its own Bias swayes and turns it: a fright of conscience, a pang of warm affection, or the influence of some great example, or a good education may influence an unrenewed soul; and push it on in the way of Religion for a season; but the heart so influenced must and will return to its own natural course again. And I think there wants nothing but time, or a suitable temptation to discover the true temper of many a professours spirit; pray therefore as that holy man did, Psal. 119. 80. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes that I be not ashamed.
Counsel 2.
Alwayes suspect and examine your ends in what you do: Sincerity and hypocrisie lye much …n your ends and designs: as they are, so are you. The intentions of the heart lye deep. A man may do the same action to an holy end, and his person and service be accepted with God; which another doing for a corrupt end, it may be reckoned his sin; and …oth his person and service be abhorred by …he Lord: we find two men riding in one Chariot, and both of them concerned in the same expedition; Iehu the son of Nimshi and Ionadab the son of Rechab, 2 Kings 10. 15, 23. but though the work they engaged in was one and the same, yet the different ends they aimed at, made the same action an excellent duty in Ionadab, and an act of vile Hypocrisie in Iehu: idem quod duo faciunt, non est idem: it was the saying of a good soul, commended for a good action; the work indeed is good, but I fear the ends of it. Self-ends are creeping and insinuating things into the best actions.
Counsel 3.
Scare your selves with the daily fears of the sin, that is in, and the misery that will follow hypocrisie: look upon it as the most odious sin in the eyes of God, and men: to want holiness is bad enough, but to simulate and pretend it when we have it not, is double impiety: to make Religion the most glorious …hing in the world, a meer stirrup to preserment, and a covert to wickedness; Oh how vile a thing is it! God made Christ a Sacrifice for sin, and the Hypocrite will make him a Cloak for sin.
And as to the punishments that follow it, they are suitable to the nature of the sin … for as hypocrisie is out of measure sinful … so the reward and punishment of it, will be out of measure dreadful. Mat. 24. 51. He shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with hypocrites, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Counsel 4.
Be daily at work in the mortification of those Lusts that breed hypocrisie. It's plain without much sifting, that pride, vain glory, self-love▪ and a worldly heart are the seeds out of which this cursed plant springs up in the souls of men. Dig but to the root, and you shall certainly find these things there; and …ill the Lord help you to kill and mortifie these, hypocrisie will spring up in all your duties to God, & in all your converses with men.
Counsel 5.
Attend the native voice of your own consciences in the day of sickness, fear or trouble, and take special notice of its checks, or upbraidings; which like a stitch in your side will gird you at such times; Commonly in that lyes your greatest danger: beware of that evil which Conscience brands and marks at such times, whether it be your living in the practice of …ome secret sin, or in the neglect of some known duty: these frights of Conscience mark out the corruption wherein your danger mostly lyes.
Counsel 6. Let us all that profess Religion be uniform and steady in the profession and practice of it, without politick reserves, and by…ends.
O take heed of this Laodicean neutrality & …ndifferency which Christ hates: be …ure your ground be good, and then be sure you stand your ground. The Religion of …ime-servers is but Hypocrisie: they have …luices in their Consciences which they can open or shut as occasion requires: every Fox will have at least two holes to his Den, …hat if one be stopt, he may escape at the o…her. The hypocrite poyseth himself so evenly …n a mediocrity, that as it was said of Baldwin, Let Anthony win, let Augustus win, all is one: So let Christ win, or let Antichrist win, …e hopes to make every wind that can blow, …erviceable to wast him to the port of his own interest.
The Hypocrite hath alwayes more of the Moon, than of the Sun; little light, many spots & frequent changes: tit's easier to him to bow …o the cross, than to bear the Cross; to sin …han to suffer.
Our own story tells us of a poor simple woman tha… lived both in the reigns of Q. Mary, and Q. Elizabeth; and would constantly say her prayers both in Latine and English that she might be sure to please one side or other; and let God, said she, take which likes him best: what is noted as an act of ridiculous simplicity in her, the time serving hypocrite accounts a point of deep policy in himself.
The times under Dioclesian were Pagan, under Constantine, Christian; under Constantius, Arian; under Iulian, Apostate; and under Iovian, Christian again: and all this within the space of seventy years, the age of one man. O what shifting, and shuffling was there among the men of that generation▪ the changes of weather shew the unsoundnes… of mens bodies, and the changes of times, the unsoundness of their souls.
Christian, if ever thou wilt manifest and maintain thine integrity, be a man but of one design, & be sure that be an honest and good design, to secure heaven whatever becomes of earth: to hold fast integrity, whatever thou art forced to let go for its sake.
Take heed of pious frauds: certainly it was the Devil that first married those two words together, for they never did nor can agree betwixt themselves, nor was ever such a marriage made in heaven.
Never study to model Religion and the exercises thereof in a consistency with, o… subserviency to your fleshly interests: if your Religion be but a mock Religion, your reward shall be but a mock heaven, that is, a real hell.
O the vanity and inutility of these projects and designs! men strive to cast themselves into such modes, and stint themselves to such measures of Religion, as they think will best promote, or secure their earthly interests: but it often falls out contrary to their expectation, their deep pollicies are ridiculous follies, they become the grief and shame of their friends, and the scorn and song of their enemies. And often it fares with them, as with him that placed himself in the middle of the Table, where he could neither reach the dish above him, nor that below him, Esuriunt medii, &c. and (which is the very best of it) if earthly interests be accommodated by sinful neutrality, and a Laodicean indifferency in Religion, yet no good man should once feel a temptation to embrace it, except he think what is wanting in the sweetness of his sleep, may be fully recompenced to him by the stateliness of his bed, and richer furniture of his Chamber; I mean that a fuller and higher condition in the world, can make him amends for the loss of his inward peace, and the quiet repose of a good conscience: these by-ends and self-interests are the little passages through which hypocrisie creeps in upon the Professours of Religion.
O let this be your rejoycing which was Pauls, the Testimony of your Conscience, that in all sincerity and godly simplicity, not in fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, you have had your Conversations in this world, 2 Cor. 1. 12.
Let that be your daily prayer & cry to heaven, which was David's, Psal. 25. 21. Let integrity & uprightness preserve me, for I wait on thee.
Counsel 7. Keep your hearts day & night under the awe of Gods a…l-seeing eye: remember he beholds all your wayes, and ponders all your thoughts; how covertly soever hypocrisie may be carryed for a time, all must & will out at last, Luke 12. 3. secresie is the main inducement to hypocrisie, but it will fall out with the hypocrite, as it did with Ottocar the King of Bohemia, who refused to do homage to Rodulphus the Emperour, till at last chastised with war, he was content to do him homage privately in a Tent: but the Tent was so contrived by the Emperours servants, that by drawing one Cord it was taken all away; & so Ottocar presented on his knees doing homage in the view of three Armies.
Reader, awe thy heart with Gods eye, know that he will bring every secret thing into Judgment. Thus did Iob, & it preserved him, Iob. 31. 1, 4. Thus did David, & it preserved him, Psal. 18, 21, 22, 23. Thus do thou also, and it will preserve thee blameless and without guile to the day of Christ▪
FINIS.