Gods Husbandry, Sermon 1 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V. Shewing the generall notes of difference betwixt the true man and the hypocrite.
AND ſo hauehave I diſpatched the ſecond point I vndertook to ſhew, viz. the ſorts of hypocrits. I now come to ſet downe certaine generall notes of difference betwixt the true-hearted, and the hypocrite. Theſe are very many; I will inſiſt alone vppon foure, which to me ſeeme the moſt euident and eaſily-diſcerned.An hypocrite is moſt troubled with other mens ſinnes, the vpright hearted with his owne. Firſt, the hypocrite is a great find-fault abroad, a little find-fault at home. Many things (almoſt all things) are out of order in his neighbours; in him, little or nothing is amiſſe, if you will take his owne iudgement. Yea, the ſmaller faults of others, he knowes how, euen skilfully to aggranate; his owne greater faults, he wanteth neither will nor wit to extenuate: ſo that in thinking or ſpeaking of his brethren, and thoſe that liue with him, and about him, he can diſcouer diuers great and ſtrange enormities, and is much troubled at them; in thinking or ſpeaking of himſelfe, all things are well, and in very good order, at leaſt not ſo farre amiſſe, as to procure any great trouble or diſquietment to him. Other ſinnes and wrongs (for thoſe ſinnes pinch hardeſt that ſeeme wrongfull) make the hypocrite often euen weary of his life: but ſeldome doe his owne ſinnes ſo much perplexe him; vnleſſe in the agony of bitter tentation, as it fared with Iudas, when his conſcience and hee fell out. This note our Sauiour Chriſt doth point vsus to, when hee bringeth in the hypocrite ſpeaking to his brother in this wiſe,Match. 7.4. Let me pull the moath out of thine eye, when in the meane ſpace hee felt not the beame in his owne eyes. A good man can ſee a moath abroad, but not with the neglect of a beame at home: but the hypocrite will make a great ſtirre about a ſmall matter in others; in himſelfe the greateſt are ſleightly paſſed ouer. But how now the true-hearted? euen quite contrary: the faults of others do leſſe trouble him, than his owne; and hee can farre rather excuſe and defend them than himſelfe. Yea, hee hath more to ſay againſt himſelfe before God in ſecret, than againſt all the world beſides in publique; and he will rather paſſe by a ſinne any where, than in his owne breaſt and life. He followes Chriſts counſell, and pulls out the beame firſt, that afterwards hee may ſee to pull out the moath. Thus, Paul ſpeaketh bitterly againſt himſelfe and his owne ſinnes, eſteeming himſelfe as the leaſt of all Saints, and the greateſt of all ſinners; this was after his conuerſion, for before he would hauehave had him by the eares, that ſhould hauehave ſo intituled him. And indeede it muſt needs be ſo, both with the hypocrite, and the vpright, as hath beene ſpoken: for the hypocrite is deſtitute of the louelove of God, and moued onelyonly by ſelfe-louelove, euen to that little goodneſſe he ſeemeth to hauehave. Now louelove (we know) is a blinding paſſion, and will not ſuffer a man to diſcerne the faults of him, whom he loueth: but the true Chriſtian is endued with the louelove of God, and out of that louelove embraceth the courſes of pietie: but for himſelfe, he is bleſſed with that excellent grace, of loathing and abhorring himſelfe in duſt and aſhes, out of the knowledge he hath of his owne corrupt and ſinfull nature. And from this hatred it cannot but follow, that he will prooue a ſeuere cenſurer of himſelfe; for hatred doth whet on the wit to ſpie faults, and to amplifie them.
Secondly,An hypocrite is confident of himſelfe. an hypocrite is alwayes confident of himſelfe, & of his own power, not to be ouertaken, at leaſt, of ſuch & ſuch great ſins, which (perhaps) he neuer yet hath committed; yea, he thinks alwayes, and often brags, that all the world ſhould not draw him to do ſuch abominations: and from this preſuming of himſelfe it comes, that hee is ſo bitter and pittileſſe, in ſpeaking againſt others that hauehave offended; and alſo, that he is of himſelfe ſo exceeding ventrous, and ſo ready to ruſh vponupon occaſions of euill, for that he miſdoubteth not himſelfe, but imagineth that he ſhall certainely doe well for all that. And in the maine matter, hee is moſt of all confident, likely neuer ſo much as ſuſpecting (becauſe he will not ſuſpect) himſelfe to be an hypocrite (vnleſſe it be in ſome heauy croſſe or tentation) but ſtill ſleepeth quietly in a ſecure opinion of his owne vprightneſſe, and being ſure GODS child. So was Paul once aliue without the Law: ſo the Iewes with whom Chriſt talketh, boldly did affirme, euen (ſay Chriſt what he could to the contrary) that they had God for their Father,Iohn 8.41. though he aſſured them, they were of their father the diuell; and therefore we may be ſure, they were at beſt but hypocrites. But now,The true chriſtian is fearfull of himſelfe. the true Chriſtian is iealous of himſelfe, leſt he alſo ſhould be tempted, and out of this doubting of his owne ſtrength, withdrawes himſelfe from the occaſions of euill, leſt that (afore he were aware) be ſhould be ouercome by them; yea, he is ſomewhat fearefull ofentimes of his owne eſtate, whether hee be a true Chriſtian yea or no; meeting with ſo much falſehood, and ſo many fruites of guile, that often hee ſtands amazed at himſelfe, and is faine to call the matter into queſtion with himſelfe, and to diſcuſſe it much and hard, afore hee can ſettle his minde in that aſſured perſwaſion of himſelfe, that hee is vpright. Thus the one (not fearing himſelfe) takes all for granted, that he thinkes true of himſelfe, without proouing; the other (out of much feare) is much in proouing himſelfe, and will not beleeue any thing, without proofe.
A third note of difference is this,Iames 1.8. An hypocrite is changeable as occaſion ſerueth, a true Chriſtian conſtant. the hypocrite is (as Saint Iames ſpeakes) variable in all his wayes, wauering off & on, differing according to the difference of time, place, company, and the like, if hee be put to it. So in perſecution hee falls off: when wealth and honour comes in, to draw him another way, he is gone; he is not ſtill ſutable to himſelfe. When piece is fauoured, hee is for it; at other times, when it is out of countenance, he is at beſt a newter, perhaps againſt it. In places where goodneſſe is in good requeſt, he is good; elſewhere hee alters himſelfe, and giues himſelfe leaue to ceaſe being good; and for company, he is moſt times as the company; and in truth is a man ſo apt to turne, that (vnleſſe he chance to be of a ſowre, or a teſtie nature) he is for all companies. He is not the ſame prinately, that publiquely; betwixt God and himſelfe, that before others; at home and abroad; neyther indeed ſtriueth to be. But the true Chriſtian, he is fixed and conſtant, alwayes the ſame, rooted, grounded, eſtabliſhed, and doth not giuegive himſelfe ouer to changes and alteration. I eonfeſſe, he alſo findeth it much harder to be good in ſome times, than in ſome; and in ſome places and companies, than in others. The diuell failes not to take the aduantages of time, place, company, and to preſſe more hard vponupon him to doe euill, when hee hath theſe opportunities ſtanding fauourably-for euill-doing; and likewiſe to pull him backeward (with more violence of tempting) from God, when theſe things ſtand croſſe to goodneſſe; yea, his corrupt nature is capable enough of the helpes to euill, and hindrances from good, which change of place and company doe bring with them. Yea, ſometimes alterations in theſe things, may euen adaunt him for a while, and according as they finde him weaker, make him now and then ſtart backe from ſome good deed, or ruſh forward into ſome euill: but ſtill hee would not alter, hee is aſhamed that hee finds himſelfe ſomewhat altered, and he returneth in concluſion to be the ſame, notwithſtanding the variation of theſe circumſtances. A Compaſſe Needlewell touched with the Adamant, will alwayes be turning Northward; and though with ſhaking it may for a time be pulld backward, yet it returnes againe (after a little ſtanding ſetledly) to the old point, and (as ſoone as euer it can be ſuffered to follow its owne inclination) it trembles and hangs Northward: ſo whatſoeuer change of things befall, a true Chriſtian hangs in his deſires to Godward; and if the vehemence of a tentation, through feare or hope, do ſhake him off a litle, yet he quickly turnes to God-ward againe, and is neuer well, till hee hauehave returned to the poynt of obedience. Not ſo the hypocrite; for hee (becauſe he is not good for Gods ſake, but his owne) if matters come to that paſſe, by occaſion of changes, in time, place and company, that goodneſſe may be an hurt to him, or badneſſe a benefit, or no hurt; is wholly ſweyed by reſpect of himſelfe, and takes leaue to himſelfe, to pleaſe himſelfe in his ſo changing. The one is chaffe, the other a tree; ſo mainly they differ.
Laſt of all,An hypocrite is moſt troubled with the outſide, a true Chriſtian with the inſide. Matth. 23.25. the hypocrite (as Chriſt chargeth the Phariſies) are ſtill making cleane the outſide of the Cup and Platter, not regarding though the inſide be full of rauening and couetouſnes. Chriſts meaning is plaine enough, That diſſemblers looke altogether to their outward or open actions and ſpeeches; not regarding the thoughts and corruptions of their hearts. All their care is, that they may not bee knowne to doe euill: but the cloſer diſorders of their inward man, they can eaſily beare withall; it little vexeth them to find, what euill imaginations, and ſinfull inclinations they hauehave within. But the true Chriſtian (according to the counſell that God doth giuegive to Ieruſalem by Ieremiah) is carefull to waſh his heart,Ierem. 4.14. and to make his inſide cleane, and not his outſide onelyonly. He laboureth to keepe his hand and tongue vnſpotted of the world; and if any blot cleaue to him, he is diligent to waſh it off by humiliation: but he is alſo carefull to keep his ſoule pure from the hidden cogitations and inclinations after euill. And if heere it fall out, that he gather any filth, hee ſcoureth the inſide with as much diligence, as the Phariſie vſed to doe his hands. So then the hypocrite hath little to doe with his heart: the euills thereof doe not much diſquiet him, hee takes ſmall paines to reſiſt and oppoſe the ſecret and darke diſorders of his ſoule. But the true Chriſtian findeth himſelfe to hauehave a world of labour within: hee is much vexed with theſe heart-euils, and hath farre more to doe in the inward roomes of his ſoule, than in the outer court of his conuerſation. An hypocrite (like a ſlothfull or ſluttiſh ſeruant) leaues the nookes and corners vnſwept, and vncleanſed; the true Chriſtian, (as a true louer of cleanneſſe) is carefull to ranſacke, and purge eueryevery corner of his ſoule: ſo you hauehave the generall differences betwixt the fruitfull and the drie branch. But the heart will eaſily put off theſe generalities; and therefore moſt hypocrites will not find themſelues by theſe notes: for nothing is more common with our deceitfull ſpirits, than when ſuch generall notes are giuen, to make our ſelues beleeue, that all is well with vsus, though all be out of order. I will therefore proceede to a more particular diſcouery of the hypocrite, by ſhewing how he agrees with the vpright (and yet ſtill differs from him) in the foure chiefe and principall graces, wherein he oftentimes doth thinke himſelfe as abundant as his betters: but now I will ſo plainely lay open his failings, that hee ſhall no longer miſtake (with ſo wide miſtakings) vnleſſe hee will adde wilfulneſſe to his error.