The True Christians T est, Part 1 · Meditation 92
MEDITAT. XCII. Of Scripture Hypocriſy, and Hypocritical Wiſdom.
THe Hypocriſie which the Scripture ſo often condemns, and ſo vehemently inveighs againſt, is in ſhort a pretending to that Religion, which indeed a man has not. And this is done two ways, by the Amolition of Vice, and by the Oſtentation of Vertue.
In general, all Chriſtians (taken in oppoſition to Heathens) that are not renewed in the Spirit of their minds, nor conformed to the Image of Chriſt, are Hypocrites.
All Profeſſors of Religion, that profeſs the true God, are entred into a Covenant Relation, are Baptized into the Name of Chriſt, have taken upon them to ſight for him againſt the World, the Fleſh, and the Devil, and yet are ſtrangers to true Regeneration, are of a worldly Spirit, and a fleſhly mind, are Hypocrites.
We uſe indeed to diſtinguiſh between the Prophane and the Hypocrites; and the Prophane bleſs themſelves that they are not Hypocrites, they think they do not act deceitfully in their Profeſſion, becauſe they make no Profeſſion at all. This were a miſerable excuſe, if it were true, but it is falſe: For they do profeſs Chriſtianity, and by being concern'd in the Sacraments of the Goſpel, do undertake the Duties of the Goſpel, and lay claim to the bleſſings of it. Nay, they themſelves will tell you, That they hope to be ſaved, as well as the greateſt Profeſſors of them all. And ſure they cannot think to be ſaved by a Goſpel, which they do not own.
It ſeems as if Hell were inhabited with theſe two ſorts of People only, Hypocrites Unbelievers; as if the Text ſhould ſay, Unbelievers, and Falſe Believers; Heathens, and Chriſtians: For there muſt be a kind of Believing to make up an Hypocrite. So then, Prophaneneſs does not hinder men from being Hypocrites; it only makes them the more groſs and impudent Diſſemblers, the more notorious Mockers of God.
To profeſs Religion and Vertue, is not of it ſelf Hypocriſie, but indeed the neceſſary Duty of all men; eſpecially of thoſe to whom the Goſpel is come: But becauſe the Profeſſion of Religion has been ſo abuſed, therefore ſome think it is beſt to make none at all: Or rather, indeed, it is an argument of the great hatred that wicked men bear to Religion, that they hate the very name and ſhew of it, as they ſay the Panther does the very image of a man.
To deſire to appear Vertuous, is not ſimply Hypocriſie: A man may both love Religion, and love the beautiful character of Religious too. To be Vertuous, is for our own good; to appear ſuch, is for the good of others, and for the glory of God, Mat. 5. 16.
To be zealous for Religion, and the promoting of it, is not Hypocriſie; however it is traduced by ſome, and ſuſpected by more. True indeed, all is not zeal, pure zeal for Religion, that ſeems ſo: But yet there is a zeal for Religion, and wherever it is in Truth, it is highly commendable. Alas! what a careleſs and graceleſs Age are we fallen into, wherein mens hearts are ſo coldly diſpoſed towards Religion, that it ſhould be accounted Extaſie or Hypocriſie to be zealous for the Intereſt of Religion, which yet all profeſs, and many profeſs to be their greateſt glory.
It is not ſimply Hypocriſie for a man to conceal his Faults. That which was Sodom's ſhame, cannot be our Duty ſure, to proclaim our ſin. The next to being innocent, is to be aſham'd of our Faults: And who will oftentate a thing that he is aſham'd of?
But to pretend to Religion which we have not, nor care not to have; to profeſs it, or any part of it, for worldly Ends, and ſo to make it ſubſervient to carnal Selfiſhneſs: To deſire to be approved of men for any Grace or Vertue, and in the mean time not to approve our ſelves to God in the exerciſe thereof, is the more ſpecial, ſinful Hypocriſie.
And this Hypocriſie is very witty: Many Wiles men uſe to ſerve Hypocriſie, and to ſeem what they are not.
One Inſtance of this worldly hypocritical wiſdom is, when men either deny or mince their ſins, that they may appear righteous before men, when in the mean time they love them, and live in them. Nay, rather than not cover their ſins, they will make a Cloak of the Vail of the Sanctuary. Thus the diſſembling Phariſees in our Saviour's days made long Prayers to hide their Covetouſneſs, and cover'd their Uncharitableneſs and Undutifulneſs with the pretence of Corban. The ſame worldly wiſdom inſtructss the hypocrite to bann and ſwagger againſt ſin in general, and the ſins of other men; in the mean time hugging his own. For would not any one think that he that Preaches frequently and ſeverely againſt Covetouſneſs, were ſome Charitable or Heavenly Soul? If a man had ſeen Jehu raging and hectoring againſt Baal, would he not have thought that had perfectly abhorr'd idolatry? But follow him to Dan or Bethel, and you would be of another mind. A great artifice whereby men make their own ſins ſeem little or none at all, is to repreſent other mens as big as may be. Thus I have heard ſome men excuſe their own ſwearing by aggravating other mens lying and deceitfulneſs; their own formality and careleſneſs in religion, by railing againſt the hypocriſy and heady zeal of another ſort of men. And indeed nothing is more uſual, than to endeavour to drown the cry of the ſins of the preſent times, by talking loudly of the crying ſins of the former. Oh, cry'd the Jews, Our fathers, what wicked men were they to kill the Prophets; when themſelves perſecuted and hated the great Prophet of the Church. An other great inſtance of hypocriſy is, when men aſſume to themſelves an oſtentate Religion, and do not heartily embrace nor love it. The Worldly Wiſdom has invented a great many artifices in this matter. Sometimes the Hipocritical, Wiſdom will inſtruct men to commend Vertue and Vertuous perſons, to ſeem vertuous. Yea it will Preach up many good works, and preſs them moſt confidently (I had almoſt ſaid impudently) with many arguments and motives, that they will not meddle with the practice of; bind ſevere duties upon their hearers, which themſelves will not touch with one of their fingers. Who has not with aſtoniſhment and loathing heard the looſe and careleſs exhort to Devotion, and dilligent Godlineſs; the Covetous to Liberality; them require others to pray continually; and the prophane to charge the reſt that they ſwear not at all.
This wiſdom will inſtruct men to pray (eſpecially if it be in a publick place, where they may do it, clare & ut audiat hoſpes) for many good gifts and graces, which they have no mind to receive; to be enabled to do many good things, which yet they never ſo much as once go about, and to be adorn'd with that holineſs, which they deride and hate, in them that are adorned with it.
Sometimes the hypocritical wiſdom inſtructs men to take a good and conſtant care of their outward behavior and converſation, that it be d…mure, and ſober, and honeſt, and as to any ſcandalous thing unexceptionable. All this is good, and yet is nothing but an artifice of the hypocritical wiſdom, if the heart in the mean time be full of Pride and Covetouſneſs, Malice and Revengefulneſs, Impurity and Impatience; if the will be ſelfiſh, and reluctant againſt the Will of God. This was the deviliſh wiſdom of the Hypocrites of old, whom the wiſdom of Heaven detected, and told them, That notwithſtanding their Sheeps cloathing, they were imvardly ravening Wolves; notwithſtanding their outward cleanlineſs, and many waſhings, they were inwardly full of Exceſs and Repine; notwithſtanding their external whitings and garniſhings, they were inwardly corrupt and rotten.
Another Artifice to ſeem Religious, is to be ſcrupulous of little Faults, and zealous for lighter Duties; not but that tenderneſs of Conſcience, and zeal for all the Commands of God, are excellent Accompliſhments: But they are nothing but an Artifice of the hypocritical wiſdom, when at the ſame time great and Camellike ſins are ſwallow'd down, and the weighty matters of the Law are neglected.
Oh take heed of coming into the Judgment Hall for fear of being defiled; but venture to condemn and hang the innocent, if you envy him.
Be as punctual as may be in paying the Tythes to the Levite, ſo exact as to be a Cutter of Cummin, but it is no great matter for Faith and the Love of God. All the Art is here, to find out what is really little or light; for according to mens prejudices, a little variation in a matter of Ceremony or Order, muſt needs be interpreted a Sin as mortal as Blaſphemy; and on the other hand, a ſeemly, handſome, ceremonious obſervation, have great weight laid upon it, as the Love of God and our Neighbor.
Oh that God would give us to ſee the neceſſities of our own Souls, the nature of true ſubſtantial Holineſs, that transf…rms us into the Image of God; to eye the example of Christ, who was not wont to lay ſtreſs upon little things! And oh Lord, that we may all ſee how odious Hypocriſie is to Truth; and that if the ſhew of Holineſs be deſirable, it ſelf must needs be much more beautiful!