Jewish Hypocrisy, Chapter 17
CAP. XVII.
1. An entrance to a more particular diſcourſe about Falſe Religions. Hypocriſie double. 2. Atheiſtical Hypocriſie. 3. It is threefold: Firſt out of a deſign to be great. 4. Secondly, To ſerve the pleaſures of the fleſh. 5. Thirdly, to hide ſome dangerous opinions. 6 Phariſaical Hypocraſie what it is. 7. How men come to get ſuch a good conceit of themſelves while they are vitious. 8. They may deceive themſelves but not God: the danger of it.
1. HAving thus paſſed through the Jewiſh Story in the Old Teſtament, and made it as ſerviceable as I could to the preſent Age; I begin to conſider that it will be very profitable for to give a more particular deſcription of that Falſe Religion that domineers ſo much in the world; whereby men cozen their ſouls, without undertaking an Univerſal piety towards God, together with Juſtice and Charity toward their Neighbours. And for an introduction to that diſcourſe,D. Jachſon. I think fit to diſtinguiſh with a very great Divine (one of whoſe Sermons put me into the foregoing meditations) concerning a double Hypocriſie. The one of the Atheiſt, the other of the Phariſee.
2. The former is very groſs and palpable, whereby a man labours to cozen the world with a Mask of Religion which he puts on as he ſees occaſion, for the ſerving of ſome worldly ends that he knows not how better to advance, then by ſuch a diſguiſe. The men of this ſort have a perfect reſemblance to the Gentleman in Aelian, who being to go into the preſence of the Perſian King, before whom he was to make ſuch adoration as he had not mind to give him, He let fall his ring at his entrance in the preſence-Chamber, and ſo his ſtooping to take it up paſſed for a worſhip of that great Majeſty. Theſe Atheiſtical Spirits ſeem to worſhip God, and make very lowly addreſſes unto him, when indeed they do but ſtoop to their own intereſt, and are but taking up ſome worldly thing, to which they have more mind then to be Godly.Mr. Greg. Annot. p. 144. Religion (as a learned man of our own ſpeaks) is but a politique Engine of State in ſome mens hands; but of ſuch power, that it is uſefull for the battery as well as the defence of the State; and as ſerviceable to the ruine as the conſervation of a Common-wealth. A very neceſſary thing it is as they handle it to the turning of affairs here below, but of no concernment at all to the other world.
3. And of theſe that put on a face of Religion out of deſign, there are three ſorts which I will unmask before you. The firſt is he that deſigns his profit and utility, when he ſees that Religion is a fair means whereby he may riſe to Greatneſs, a ladder whereby he may climb to high preferments. When he diſcerns the times are of that temper, that Religion will make a good mask to hide his covetous, ambitious and perfidious intendments from the eyes of well meaning and charitable men; when he perceives that it will make him to be more truſted, and that a greater confidence ſhall thereby be repoſed in him; there is no man ſhall have a more Saint-like garb, a more reformed tongue, and devout behaviour. Many petty chapmen in the world that trade but for little things, have learnt this Art, to gain credit and repute with others that ſo they may ſuffer themſelves to be cheated by them with more faith and confidence. We may be ſure then that the Great ones of the world, who deſign higher matters, and aim at more lofty ends, are well verſed in theſe religious tricks of deceiving. Herod pretended religious devotion and worſhip which he would fain give to Chriſt, when he intended that this Lamb of God ſhould be the ſacrifice. Numa among the Ancient Romans, pretended Revelations and familiarity with a Goddeſs, but it was to make himſelf a God among the people, and his Laws held for ſacred. And ſo the Grand impoſter Mahomet (as is in every ones mouth) held his neck away, as if he lookt for a whiſper from heaven, when his head hung towards the world, and he meant only to get his doctrine to be more devoutly devoured by the people. The Maſters of policy know that their talk of God, their praying to him, and their ſolemn attendance on all religious offices, together with a ſanctimonious carriage & ſeeming ſqueamiſhneſs of Conſcience, will make them more reverenced by the multitude, & leſs ſuſpected to have any but good and ſimple deſigns. They know that theſe things will make the world gape upon them, and ſwallow all their propoſals without any chewing; or elſe they willmake them caſt all the odium of their wicked actions upon other men, and hold them excuſed as men whoſe integrity would not ſuffer them to do ſo badly: or at the worſt paſs them by for religious weakneſſes and infirmities, unto which all are incident. It is not to be told what the name of a Saint will do to hallow thoſe actions which in other men would ſeem as black as the Devil; to caſt a varniſh and a moſt handſome gloſs upon the moſt helliſh and fouleſt enterprizes. And therefore the Politician had been much defective if he had left this Rule out from among the reſt, That a man who would be great in the world, muſt be externally religious. And the greater grace and comelineſs he is able to act Religion withall, the more eyes he ſhall have upon him, and the more will fall down and worſhip him.
4. A Second ſort there is that deſign their own eaſe, pleaſure and bruitiſh delights, whom I may call the Fleſhly Politians. Men that are cunning in this art of Religion, that thereby they may enjoy the foul delights of the fleſh with more ſecurity, and with the favourable opinion of the multitude. By a great ſhew of ſomething that is extraordinary in devotion, they hope to draw the eyes of the world from their beaſtly life, and make them gaze at the ſtrange appearances that they ſay is of God in them. They hope by making a blaze on high, to make men take no notice of what is done here below, juſt as they ſee while the vulgar ſtare at ſome comets that appear in the heavens, they neglect what is under their feet more apparent upon the earth. And therefore they reſolve to talk of wonderfull manifeſtations, diſcoveries and appearances of God to them, they riſe preſently into the clouds in their expreſſions, and diſcourſe of divine things in a myſtical ſtrain; they ſpeak of revelations and high illuminations from heaven, and uſe perhaps ſome very fiery devotions which dazzle the vulgars eyes and amaze their underderſtanding, ſo that they cannot ſee their wicked and abominable practices. But if men will needs be prying into their ſecrets, and when they ſee them, will not in charity excuſe men of ſuch high attainments, then they begin to rant more confidently, and boldly to affirm that all things are lawfull to men of ſuch a growth, and in ſuch ſpecial favour with God, and lead ſo certainly by his Spirit. Or if they do not go thus high, yet they take up the Religion that is in faſhion, on purpoſe that they may avoid all ſufferings and perſecution, and that they may never receive any moleſtation in their beloved fleſh. They are reſolved to do any thing that they may never feel any pain, and if Religion be the way to preſerve them from it, they will make it their pleaſure ſure to counterfeit it as exactly as they can. Such are the Leviathans of this Age, who love to tumble up and down in the flood of worldly delights, and would rather imitate all Religions then be of any. The great pillar of their Religion is ſelf-preſervation, though our Saviour hath expreſly ſaid. That he who will ſave his life ſhall loſe it, and he who will loſe it ſhall find it.
5. A third ſort may have it in their deſign to ſpread ſome dangerous notions and traiterous opinions againſt God, for the hiding of which it is but neceſſary that they ſeem very ſtrictly pious. All men are very ſhy of a profeſſed Atheiſt, or of one that denyes the Bible to be Gods word; and therefore they that would diſſeminate any thing to the prejudice of that belief we have of a Deity and of the holy Scriptures; muſt look as if they were of all men the furtheſt off from ſuch prophaneneſs. And though they laugh in corners at the ridiculous ſimplicity (as they deem it) of thoſe that fear before God and tremble at his word; yet before others they can put on a ſowre face, and ſeem to do more then ſtand in awe of him. But theſe Players and Actors in Religion it is not my deſign to ſet forth in all their colours, both becauſe they are not ſo numerous as the other, and becauſe they cannot ſtand long upon the ſtage before they go off & every one know what they are.
6. The Pharaſaical Hypocriſie is a more fine and ſubtile poiſon, whereby a man Coſens himſelf and puts a cheat upon his own ſoul; and therefore about the diſcovery of it I ſhall beſtow all my pains, as moſt latent, and ſtanding in greateſt need of a cure. This is it alſo which the Scripture ſpeaks of, in whoſe phraſe hypocriſie, flattering of God, and lying to him with ones lips do not ſignifie the profeſſing of one thing and meaning another, but a preſent profeſsion of love to God and Religion, without a cordial renouncing of every thing that is contrary to him and it: or a great heat and forwardneſs to ſome things that God commands which are eaſie and more ſuitable to a mans guſt and humor, with a coldneſs to other things that are more difficult and contrary to his nature and intereſt. There is an extraordinary meaſure of Zeal for ſome matters required to its conſtitution, elſe they in whom it is would not be ſo confident as they are that they are good Chriſtians; but then this zeal is not equally deſtributed through the whole man, and doth not animate and quicken him to all his duty; and that is it which makes it to be Hypocriſie, and not true Religion. As for example, if a man have this partial zeal in hearing of Gods word and diligent attending upon Sermons, this may make him take himſelf for a Saint; whereas his frozenneſs to meditation and ſecret converſe with God, and diligent examination of all his actions, renders him a meer hypocrite. So if he be partially zealous for the purging of himſelf from ſuperſtitious conceits and Popiſh tenents, but yet remain a Mammoniſt, a Lucifer, a murtherer of his Brethren by hatred and uncharitable cenſuring of others that differ from him; this is the ſame diſeaſe, though he take himſelf for a man excellently pious. And on the contrary, if a man be juſt in his dealing, and carefull not to cheat, but yet be all bedaubed with the world, and laden with thick clay, & ſtick faſt in covetouſneſs, or neglect many religious duties to Godward, he is but an hypocritical Religioniſt, though he keep his Church, and pay the Mininiſter his dues as well as others.
7. And if you ſhould ask me why this good conceit that men have of their Piety may not be eaſily beaten down, when it is ſo viſible that they live in great ſins, and have not denyed abundance of their earthly affections: I anſwer, that their firſt reſolutions to undertake ſome duties of Religion are commonly very warm, if not hot and fiery, which inſpires them preſently with a perſwaſion that they are dearly beloved of God, becauſe they feel ſuch a difference in themſelves from what they were before in their total coldneſs. Now though they continue to live in many ſins, yet this perſwaſion doth not abate, (1.) Becauſe this zeal doth continue and hold on afterwards through the concurrence of their particular Temper with it, which inclines them to that ſort of actions, or doth not make them averſe from them. And (2) Then they may think it to be a Temptation of the Devil, to doubt of their good eſtate after they have had ſuch great aſſurance (as they imagine) from God. And (3) They find a deſire to do thoſe things that they do not, which they take to be a great ſign of grace: Eſpecially ſeeing (4) That they are troubled for the not doing of them, and they have now and then ſome ſad thoughts about it. Yea (5) Their Conſcience perhaps is much againſt it when they do it, and they commit ſuch ſins not without great reluctance and difficulty: Which indeed renders their condition the worſe becauſe they can ſin even againſt conſcience; but they take it to be a ſign of their tenderneſs, not of their ſins ſtrength. And (6) Perhaps they have learnt to call ſuch ſins their Infirmities, and hearing that all have their failings, theſe they think are theirs. And (7) By their Confeſſions and Prayers, and outward humiliations, they hope to gain pardon for all: or (8) Perhaps they think there is no need: but by a device beyond all theſe, they imagine Jeſus Chriſt hath done all for them long ago. And ſo the leſs they do, the more they ſhall be beholden to him, and the more honour they do him by putting more upon his account then others dare do, who will be doing more themſelves.
8. Thus I ſay do they ratifie that Decree, which they have paſſed for themſelves in heaven: They having ſo certainly fore-ordained that they ſhall inherit eternal joyes, none of thoſe foul blemiſhes that are in their actions can blot out their names which they have written in the Book of life. But though they think that nothing can hinder their admiſſion to that bleſſed place which they have deſigned for themſelves: yet God I am ſure hath choſen no ſuch perſons to ſalvation. If the holy Apoſtle be not leſs infallible then they, you had better believe him,2 Theſ. 2.13. when he ſaith that God hath choſen us to ſalvation, through ſanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth; and when he prayes that the whole Spirit, 1 Theſ. 5.23.Soul and Body may be preſerved blameleſs unto the coming of our Lord Jeſus.
Theſe men may mount up while they are in ſome holy exerciſe as high as the third heavens, and think verily that they are in Gods embraces; But they will find ſhortly that all their hopes will fall to the ground, as that Turk did from the top of the Moſque, who perſwaded the people that he could fly. And therefore let us be ſure to lay the foundations of a ſolid and entire Religion in our ſouls, and take heed we do not deceive our ſelves with ſome flaſhy devotions, and a lame, halting obedience. To mortifie all our carnal affections, to put off the body of ſin, is the work of a Chriſtian, and becauſe of the multitude of our enemies, and the infirmities of our fleſh, we ſhall find it a matter hard and difficult. How inſuperable then will this work be, if our Religion it ſelf do conſpire with the Fleſh, and if that which ſhould ſerve for the deſtroying of ſin, do by a great many falſe Principles exceedingly promote it? That it may not do ſo, but that our Religion may be in us a Divine nature, I ſhall now proceed to ſhew you what the counterfeits of it are, and how ſmall a matter, if we be not ſerious, will tickle us with a belief that we are good Chriſtians, without a total change of our hearts and lives.