A Gospel Glass, Treatise · Chapter 18
CHAP. XVIII. Their Hypocriſie.
11ly. Profeſsors HypocriſyHYpocriſie is another piece of Ungodlineſs, which like leaven, hath diffuſed it ſelf through the whole body of Profeſſors. It is the greateſt ungodlineſs, that can be, to rob the Lord of his dominion over the Conſcience, and therefore Hypocriſie is called Blaſphemy. Rev. 2.9.I know the blaſphemy of them that ſay they are Jews, and are not. God is not honoured unleſs he be acknowledged as the ſupream Authority, not only over the life, but the heart; and therefore his Authority is never more undetermined than by a meer form of godlineſs. 2 Tim. 3.5.Hypocrites are clouds without rain, wells without water, trees without fruit, though not without leaves: Yea (to uſe Chriſts ſimilitude) they are garnished tombs: they appear to be one thing, Abſcondit quod eſt, quod non eſt mentitur. Bern.but are another thing: they appear to be the greateſt Worſhippers of God; but are the greateſt diſhonourers of God: They profeſs that they know (worſhip) God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and diſ-obedient, and to every good work reprobate. Tit. 1.16The Hypocrites piety is not piety, his religion is not religion; but doubled and trebled iniquity. Quis non itaſcatur videns homines, ore Deum confitentes: negantes moribus? Seculum verbis, et non factis renunciantes? Aug. Evidenced, in their Profeſsing.Should not this make us to tremble at the greatneſs of the hypocriſie of this age? O! How many Apothecaries-boxes are there, that have golden titles and nothing in them? How many curious pictures drawn to life; but look behind them, and there is nothing but duſt and cobweb? How many have glorious ſigns, but within ill cuſtoms: an Angel for a ſign, a Lamb for a ſign, but within are Devils and Cheats?
How many have taken up Religion under pretence of its being an help to Heaven, when they have made it a means to get earth, to get cuſtom, credit, &c. Hence when they cannot compaſs, but rather obſtruct their worldly deſigns, Farewell to Religion: if it contribute not to their private ends, they give it up again. O! How few have embraced Chriſt and Truth, for Chriſt's ſake, for Truth's ſake? Have not moſt embraced Chriſt and his Goſpel, as they have Servants, for what they can do for them? and adhered to Profeſſion as the Ivy to the Tree, not becauſe it loves it, but ſucks from it, and is ſuccoured by it? Have they not alwayes worſhipped the riſing, and not the declining Sun? How few own the declining ſinking cauſe of Chriſt? How hard is it to perſwade men to ſtand for truths, that ſtand not with their advancements and accommodations? Hence many now ſtand idle, as the people in the Market place, who would not go into the Vi…y…d … they were hired. How few will own any way … be Chriſts, till they ſee how it ſtands with their ſecular advantages? How many Newters now, who once were forward Profeſſours? If we entertain him (ſaith they) the Romans will come, and take away our place and Nation. We find the truth of a learned mans Aſſertion: He that will ſerve God for the world, will ſerve the Devil for the world: He that ſerves God for a little, will ſerve the Devil for more: where he can mend his wages, he will give his ſervice. How many Profeſſours have with Abſolon gone to Hebron to worſhip, but all the while have promoted their own ambitious deſigns, raiſing even ſedition in order to their earthly advantages?
In how many hath the tongue prayed, Speaking to God.when not the heart? Theſe have been much in faſting and prayer, and have thought themſelves much wronged that they were not heard: Iſa. 58.4.but God gives them a reaſon: Ye ſhall not faſt as ye do to make your voice to be heard on high. The Hypocrite may lift up his voice ſtrongly, and yet never be heard: his voice for want of the heart therein may never come up to Gods dwelling place: his Prayers many times fall back upon his own face, like ſpittle againſt the wind. How many have uſed Prayer as an hook to draw in outwards from God and Man; but not as a ſword to deſtroy their luſts? How many have cryed vehemently unto God for aſſiſtances in their duties, chiefly, if not ſolely, to get themſelves a Name in the Earth? How many tell God with a brazen face that they love him, yea that they love him with all their hearts, whereas they love not God, but God's, ſomewhat of God: they flatter God with their lips: they delight not in his preſence: yea all the while they are ſerving their turn on God? Fain they would partake of Gods bounty, of Gods protection, and Gods pardons, but they love neither God nor his Image: when God puts them to expreſs their love by ſelf-denyal, then you ſhall ſee the graves to be full of rottenneſs: they hate to ſpend and to be ſpent for God. How many tell God that they are troubled for offending him, when they are only troubled that he is diſpleaſing them, and about to correct them for their abuſes of him? They will cry out in Prayer, O my careleſſeneſs! &c. But alas! It is not Sin, but the Judgements of God, and the conſequents of Sin that diſturb them. How many will tell God twenty times over they are aſhamed of their Sins, and within one hour after they are not aſhamed to commit them again, no more aſhamed are they, than the Sow is to lye tumbling in the Mire? How will many tell God they fear him, and his Judgements, when indeed and intruth they fear neither, witneſs their frothy looſe ſpirits and converſations? How will they tell God that all the world is but as a drop of a bucket in compariſon of his Majeſty, and that all fleſh is contemptible, when weighed with him, and yet they fear the wrath of Man more than the wrath of the Almighty God? How many will tell God that they are contented with all his will, and yet their hearts are full of inward riſings againſt the Providence of God? How many tell God they believe in him, truſt to his Mercy, depend on Chriſt, and O! forſooth all their cares are caſt on Chriſt, when God knows, their care and work, like Bees, is to get honey to their hives? They mind earthly things, and are ſcraping the duſt of the Valleys to themſelves, as if they thought it their wiſdome rather to lean to their own providing, than to be beholding to the Lord and dye beggars? How earneſt are ſome in their cries to God for victory over Sin; but ſecretly hate it not? And doth it not appear in this, for that having directed their Prayers to the Lord, they do not look up, to ſee whether the corruption be more mortified, and their love to it abated yea or no?
How have the ſpeeches of many in their converſe one with another bewrayed their hypocriſie? To men, concerning things.How do many covet mightily to inſiſt on the refinements of hypocrites, and thereby they eſcape (as they hope at leaſt) from being judged ſuch themſelves? How have ſome ſtudied to diſgrace Sin to the utmoſt, and yet ſecretly cheriſhed that, which they laboured to make odious to others? In company they cry down ſelf-love, hypocriſie, formality, earthlyneſs, and pride, but privately they keep up theſe, and make them their companions. How Zealous have ſome been in diſcourſe for the Proteſtant Faith? How have they cryed out againſt errours, and for a reformation; but can tell no more of a work of God upon the heart than an Heathen? How have ſome contended for opinions, and have put a jus divinum upon ſuch and ſuch a way, and counted others as little better than Pagans, that would not ſubmit to their way, and yet by fear and flattery have ſoon faced about.
How will ſome cry up ſuch and ſuch for moſt eminent in grace? Perſons, Others.and O how doe they love them! when all the while ſelf-love acts them, and if they gain not by them, they will ſurely have an howbeit to blot them? They are as the foreman to praiſe the rich, from whom they hope to ſqueeze ſome of their gold; but bring up the rear, are the laſt to commend them, from whom they expect nothing of advantage by their glavering tongue. How much Hypocriſie hath appeared in our declaimings againſt others ſins? O! we muſt not ſuffer this: the Houſe of God muſt be kept clean: it muſt not be made a Den of Thieves, an Hog-ſty, and cage of uncleanneſs: and all this while their zeal is nothing but revenge; a ſecret grudge there is againſt the Delinquent, and now that an advantage offereth, they will have their pennyworth out of him.
How many are alwayes finding faults, Themſelves.blaming Magiſtrates, Miniſters, all but themſelves? This man wants courage, and another wants another grace, whilſt they themſelves want all grace, as being meer pieces of pageantry. How many whining Hypocrites have we, that will in all companies, eſpecially where Miniſters are, be crying out againſt the baſeneſs and treachery of their own hearts, and the wickedneſs of their own lives, and reſt in their lazy complaints, but reform not?
How ſevere are ſome in their cenſures of ſin in others, Cenſuring.as Judah againſt Thamar, ſhe muſt be burnt? who will now ſuſpect Judah to be unclean? Mat. 7.3.How ready have we been to judge and cenſure others, rather than our ſelves? To behold a mote in others, but not the beam in our ſelves? How many cenſure Miniſters for too ſeldome preaching in private, and yet are themſelves Sermon-glutted, as yet they have not got a ſtomach, ſo great was their ſurfeit with the former plenty; yea, when they have Sermons, neglect them; or if they attend with their Bodies on them, yet have no fellowſhip with Chriſt in them? We are juſt like Conſumption people, apt to be angry, and fret, if we have not our wonted meals, and the Cooks are blamed for negligence; and when the meat is brought before us, we are even weary of the ſmell of it. How many cenſure others for being to talk ative, Acting, better abroad than at home, in publick than in ſeeret ditties.and therefore would impoſe ſilence upon others, becauſe they have neither heart nor tongue, to vindicate God, and to promote Religion?
How many are full of perſwaſions of the love of God, and of the grace of God, and yet ignorant of the firſt Principles of Chriſtianity; neglecters of Family-Prayer, or Cloſet-Duties? They think well of themſelves, becauſe in their Duties before men they are devout and zealous, and carried forth to the waſting of much time; but in their Cloſets they are ſtraightned, and put the Lord off with a ſhort Collect. How many, like your City Maids, goe in their beſt, are neat, cleanly, and in gorgeous apparel, when walking in the views of others; but if you follow them home to their houſes and chambers, how naſty, how foul are they! How many are there whoſe Religion lies in their face, habit, geſture: ſeem demure, humble; walk with their eyes looking downwards, bow with Abſolon to the people, and yet their hearts full of pride and loftineſs? How oft even on Faſt-dayes have you had ſour faces, and inwardly light, frothy, and unſerious hearts? As an evidence obſerve when the day ends, the Dog returns to his vomit, the heart becomes vain, or rather, the vanity that was ſmothered and pent up in the day breaks out as ſoon as the duties are over: We can hang down our heads like a bull-ruſh, we can rough caſt our faces, but it is hardly for a day.
How hath Hypocriſie followed thee from the corners of the ſtreets to the very cloſet? Seeming to be more in ſecret duties than they are.Thou haſt ſhut thy door, as if thou wouldſt ſhut out World and Devils, and there haſt fall'n aſleep, or (which is as bad) haſt parlied with the Devil, and pampered thy luſts: Hypocriſie, like the Frogs of Egypt, hath crept into thy moſt ſecret retirements.
How few can pretend to Uniformity in their obedience? Being not univerſally obedient. Pſal. 119.6.How many will be ashamed, becauſe they reſpect not all Gods Commandements? ſtill they clip the Law: ſtill ſome reſerves: they will let go profaneneſs, ſo they may but reſerve covetouſneſs: they will pray, hear, &c. ſo they may cheat their Neighbour under a demure behaviour: or they will be ſtrict to rules of Juſtice and equity among men: but they will rob God of his honour: ſome of them are punctual to a day, to a farthing (Bluſh, Reader, if thou art ſhort of the Hypocrites ſtature) they will not cheat you with a braſſe Shilling; but rob God of his due, of his due in the Cloſet, and in the Family too.
How frequently do we hear ſome deſiring to know the leaſt meaſure of ſaving Grace, Deſiring to know the leaſt degree of ſaving grace.and why? becauſe they would ſit down therewith. There is not a ſurer note of an unſound heart, than to be contented with the leaſt degree of grace, and not to preſs forward.
How generally do men hate to be examined and tried about their ſtate? But not to be examined, nor to conſult with Miniſters about their condition, much leſs to follow their directions.This is a ſure ſign of a rotten heart, of a painted-Chriſtian; paint will not endure the fire: Hypocrites hate lancing and piercing work. How many continue in a courſe of Religion, and yet their hearts are hardned more and more, and they know it, and yet will hardly conſult with Miniſters about their ſad condition? or if they do, yet practiſe nothing more than before? I am confident there are many who make it their buſineſs to keep up their reputation among the Saints, but have loſt (and know they have) their credit at the throne of grace; and though they have their reward, the Saints embrace them for Precious, yet Chriſt neglects them, and when they ſpread out their hands all the day long to the Heavens, they have no welcome with God. Iſa. 1.11.To what purpoſe is the multitude of your Sacrifices unto me, ſaith the Lord, I am full of the burnt offerings of the Rams, and the fat of fed beaſts, and I delight not in the bloud of Bullocks, or of Lambs, or of He-goats. And when you spread forth your hands, v. 15.I will hide mine eyes from you: yea when you make many Prayers, I will not hear.
O! Conſiderations againſt hypocrifie Iſa. 48.1, 2.What a Controverſie hath God with England for its great Hypocriſie? We have called our ſelves of the Holy City, and have maede mention of the God of Lrael, but not in truth, not in righteouſneſs. Though you have paſt for Saints in the account of blind, and ſhort-ſighted men; yet you are but Devils in Chriſts account: So was the arch-Hypocrite Judas, One of you is a Devil. Of all Devils none ſo bad as the Profeſſing Devil. Remember the vengeance which fell on Belshazzar, when he carouzed in the Bowls of the Sanctuary. 2 Pet. 2.3.Their damnation ſlumbereth not, who through covetouſneſs make uſe of the covering of faigned words. O! When will ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteouſneſs, and True holineſs? Eph. 4.24.Believe it, if thou art a whited wall God will ſmite thee. Though thou get ſome preſent glory or profit by thy outſide holineſs, yet God more abhors thee, than the bleer and imperfect obſerving World can applaud thee. Will a King indure it, that thou take his Robes, and cloath a Swine with them? or that thou take his Crown and ſet it on the head of a baſe Varlet? God is coming againſt the Hypocritical Nation. And he accounts it a diſgrace, for thee to voice thy ſelf to be the Son of ſo great a Prince, whilſt thou art a Slave to Helliſh luſts. All you do for God will not profit you, you loſe all you have wrought, whilſt acted by ſelf, and corrupt in your ends and aims. Though you truſt in lying words, Jer. 7.8. Iſa. 57.12.in your outward ſhews, yet I will declare thy righteouſneſs, and thy words, for they ſhall not profit thee. What ſhall I ſay? There is no acceptance for you to be had without the Benjamin of ſincerity with you. A day of trouble is haſtning, and you think then to pray, but will God hear your cry when trouble cometh upon you? Job. 27.9. Pſal. 106.15. Pſal. 51.6.If you deny God your heart, never expect his ear. Quails you may have, but with a vengeance, with leanneſs in your ſouls. That which God deſireth and looketh for, is truth in the inward parts. God and Religion have received ſo much diſhonour by pretenders to Chriſt and Truth, and ſo many Atheiſts have been made, confirmed, and hardned in England, by the Obſervations they have made on Profeſſours hypocritical pretenſions, that I fear the ſtains will hardly be waſh'd away without blood, and ſome probably will be called forth to ſeal to the Truth of Chriſt by their death, to convince men, that there are ſome real Chriſtians, who will ſpend, and be ſpent for Chriſt; and that whilſt many have but a Name to live, yet there are a few in our Sardis, who are not defiled with helliſh Hypocriſie, but love Truth in their inward parts.