The Hypocrites Ladder, Treatise · Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI. Containing the Hypocrites Looking-glaſs.
THus have wee done with the Hypocrites Ladder, and ſhall now proceed to ſhew him his Glaſs, wherein hee may more clearly behold himſelf; yet if hee hath already obſerved what was ſaid before of the evill and unſound ſtate wherein hee ſtands, and the good ſtate wherein he never was Chap. 4. and of the Duties wherein he fal…s ſhort, and of his failing in the manner of the duties which hee doth perform, Chap. 5. And eſpecially if hee do conſider the ſeveral graces wherein he was defective, both preparatory, fundamental, nutritive, conſummative, and privative, or expulſive, that he falls ſhort in humility, ſelf-denial, ſin-mortification and repentance, that he falls ſhort in a right faith, love, and hope (a working faith, labouring love, and patient hope) and eſpecially how he falls ſhort in integrity, integrality, perſeverance, &c. Hee needs no other Glaſs, having had theſe three Glaſſes already; yet becauſe theſe perſons, though they are Eagle-eyed to ſpy out others failings, are dim-ſighted in beholding themſelves, wee ſhall ſet before them two Glaſſes more. The one in this Chapter, wherein onelyonly the hypocrites foul or painted face is plainly repreſented, and the other in the next Chapter, wherein two faces are to be ſeen together (the ſincere mans Glaſs) wherein the ſound Chriſtian may behold himſelf plainly, and by reflexion it gives the hypocrite a dark reſemblance of himſelf.
I read in Exodus, that the Laver of the Sanctuary was made of the womens Looking-glaſſes; Exod. 38. 8.and I would have my Looking-glaſſes made of the Laver of the Sanctuary, that they might bee as well clean ſing as diſcovering.
Yet before I open this Glaſs, I ſhall premiſe two things by way of caution.
1 Let no man think what is ſpoken here all along of the hypocrite, of formall Profeſſors, or hypocriſie, is ſpoken to expoſe Profeſſion to reproach, & to gratifie the humor of the prophane, who are ready to catch hold of paſſages to this purpoſe, becauſe they are not Profeſſors. And they think none are Hypocrites, but Profeſſors, and none Profeſſors but ſuch as repeat Sermons, pray, read, and ſing Pſalms in their families, &c. And this they call Profeſſion, and all Profeſſion they either count it ſingularity and unneceſſary preciſeneſs, or plain hypocriſie, and becauſe they will bee ſure to hate hypocriſie, they diſclaim and hate Profeſſion. But diſclaim Profeſſion, and diſclaim Salvation, and all Chriſtianity too, For with the heart man beleeveth to righteouſneſs, and with the mouth confeſſion, or profeſsion is made unto ſalvation. But if thou wilt ſhew Rom. 10. 10.thy hatred to hypocriſie indeed, oppoſe it by ſincerity her profeſt enemy, and not by prophanenſs, which is not oppoſite to hypocriſie, but to piety. But I ſhall ſhew that many who run not after Sermons and are not ſtrict in the obſervation of the Lords day, &c. are before they are aware as great Profeſſors as any others, and which is worſe, as great hypocrites as they are Profeſſors: Therefore ſpare thou to throw thy ſtone at firſt at the Profeſſor, Et tandem major parcas Inſane minori.
Firſt, hee that prayes that he may live a godly, righteous and a ſober life, prayes a good prayer, and makes a loud profeſsion in his recital of thoſe petitions, yet if hee do not live a ſober, righteous, and religious life, he will be loath to bee accounted an hypocrite.
Secondly, He that prayes that thoſe things which he doth may pleaſe God, and that all the reſt of his life may bee pure and holy, ſteps far in the way of good praying and profeſsing, but if he have no care out of his devotions to pleaſe God, and be a ſcoffer at purity and holineſs in his diſcourſe, can there be any greater hypocriſie?
Thirdly, He who is a Witneſs or Surety at the Baptiſme of an Infant, and being asked, Doeſt thou forſake the Devil, and all his works, the vain pomps, and deſires of the world, with all ſinful, and carnal luſts of the fleſh, ſo that thou wilt not follow, nor bee led by them? doth anſwer, I forſake them all. He maketh a good profeſſion I ſay, and is a great Profeſſor, as great as Saul, who 1 Sam. 15. 15.ſaid, Come thou bleſſed of the Lord, I have done all that the Lord commanded mee, or as that young man who anſwered well for himſelf, All theſe have I kept from my Mat. 19. 20.youth.
Fourthly, He who being examined about his faith, Doeſt thou beleeve, &c. hath his anſwer ready, All this I ſtedfaſtly beleeve. This is a high profeſſion; it is more than his who ſaid, Lord I beleeve, help my unbeleef. It is as much as his, who Mark. 9. 24. Mat 19. 20.ſaid, What lack I yet? And I doubt not, if there were more Interogatories put, they would get their anſwers ready; yet I fear mee, there be many of theſe, who tying other Profeſſors to the rules of their profeſsion, and finding them fall ſhort, condemn them of Hypocriſie, that if they ſhould try themſelves by theſe expreſſions of their own mouthes, muſt be forced to condemn themſelves when they cry out Hypocriſie, Hypocriſie, as Athaliah did, who cried out, Treaſon, Treaſon, when ſhee was the greateſt Traytor, and Uſurper.2 King. 11. 14.
Fifthly, When at the Communion ſome admoniſhed by the Miniſter to lift up their hearts, preſently anſwer, Wee lift them up, and lift them up unto the Lord: What is here but great profeſsion?
And laſtly, to inſtance in no more, when upon your knees, in confeſſion of ſin, you ſay, The remembrance of our ſins is grievous unto us; The burden of them is intolerable, &c. What is here but great Profeſſion, holy and gracious expreſſions. But is the life, and the profeſſion alike?
I ſpeak not this ſo much to finde any fault with thoſe wonted expreſſions in our late Liturgy, as to ſhew thee thy fault, who denieſt thy ſelf to be a profeſſor, and yet makeſt as great a profeſſion as any man can do, and declaring againſt hypocriſie, and art thy ſelf (if thou wouldeſt judge impartially) the greateſt hypocrite.
2 The ſecond Caution is, I ſpeak not of the hypocrites properties here, that thou ſhouldeſt learn and follow them, but as Solomon in deſcribing the Harlot, and her Prov. 7. 25.haunts and properties, that thou mayeſt avoid them. There is a Proverb I have read of the Pope, Hee that goeth once to Rome ſeeth a wicked man, hee that goeth the ſecond time, gets acquaintance with a wicked man, hee that goes the third time, brings him home with him. I would have the clean contrary here in them that ſhall look into theſe Glaſſes, at the firſt look, thou mayeſt ſee, and ſpy a wicked man, but at the ſecond look, be ſhie and jealous of him; and at the third, flye him, and get thee far from him, and leave him behinde thee.
Note 1. At the firſt bluſh, thou mayeſt ſee an hypocrite before thou lookeſt for him, and know him by his complexion, If any man thinke himſelf Religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own ſoul, this mans Religion is vain. It Jam. 1. 26.is all hypocriſie: He that thinks he may be a Chriſtian, and yet a ſwearer, a ſcurrilous perſon, a ſcoffer, brawler, railer, reviler, backbiter, &c. What doth his Religion mean? They make Religion nothing but an empty notion. Doth this bleating and bellowing of ſuch ſhew that they have done all that the Lord requireth? It is not for the Chriſtian to ſay, My tongue is my own, my heart is the Pſal. 12. 4. Rom. 7. 25.Lords; with my minde I ſerve the Law of God, but with my fleſh and tongue the Law of ſin, as he excuſed his idle Poems. Laſciva eſt nobis pagina, vita proba.
So many plead, I talk merrily, mean no hurt, my heart is as good as the beſt: I anſwer, the good communication ſhews the good heart, and the good treaſure within; Mat. 12. 34, 35.ſay as well the tree is good, though fruit bad; the ſpring ſweet, though water bitter, as to ſay my heart is ſound, though ſpeech rotten and unſavoury. The ſtinking breath comes not from the tongue or mouth, but from within, and ſhews the inwards not to be ſound; thy ſtinking communication doth the like. Not onelyonly doth Grammar begin at In Speech, but Grace. Some have ſaid, He that would learn to thrive, let him begin at his mouth; I ſay, and David ſaith, He that would learn to live, Pſal. 34. 12, 13. Either therefore make the tree and fruit, heart and ſpeech both good, or elſe for ſhame, Get thee out of the Camp with the Leper, Cover thy lip, and cry out, Unclean, Lev: 13. 45, 46Unclean.
Note 2. When thou ſeeſt a man onelyonly curious and Religious in his diſcourſe (on the other ſide) and regardleſs of his heart and actions, here is a groſs Hypocrite again, none can deny. Such a one is ever more careful of his ſpeech, than of his ſpirit, hee looks more to his lips, than to his life; His ſpeech is with grace, his ſpirit without grace; his ſpeech ſeaſoned with ſalt, his ſpirit unſavoury and unſanctified. Grace ſeems to bee poured into his lips, and out of his lips; but his Religion is but lip-deep. This is Hypocriſie. The mouth of the Harlot drops like an hony-comb. Grace, I ſaid, begins at In Speech. The hypocrite begins and ends there, never cometh to Syntaxis, or well-ordering of his life. He never comes, as one ſaid to Verbum perſonale, he is only Perſona verbalis, hee is only a verbal perſon, not a perſonal verb, whoſe deed is as good as his word. Jeſus Chriſt was called the Word, but hee was Verbum perſonale, Jo. 1. 1.and ſubſtantiale, Hee that was called the Word of God, did do the Works of God; Hee is called the Truth Jo. 14. 6.alſo, I am the way and Truth. There was no contradiction between his heart and deed with his ſpeech. His ſaying, and his doing went alway together, his Doctrine, and his Uſe, or his Life, Act. 1. 1.
Note 3. Where you ſee a man make more ado about things circumſtantial, than about thoſe things that are ſubſtantial, wherein the Kingdome of God doth conſiſt; I do not ſay, Lay flat hypocriſie to his charge, but charge thy ſelf upon ſuſpicion, if it bee thy caſe. As for example.
1 If thou be more curious about thy Paſtor than thy ſelf, thou rather deſireſt to have the moſt eminent Paſtor, than to be an eminent Profeſſor. What call you this? Many have an itching ear, that have not a circumciſed ear; I am for Paul, ſaith he; But what art thou for thy ſelf? Thou glorieſt in thy Miniſter, can he glory in thee alſo? Hee is thy Crown of rejoycing; art thou his, and like to be ſo in the day of Chriſt? as the Apoſtle ſaid to the Theſſalonians, then are both happy. But wee know many when they 1 Theſſ. 2. 19.are deſtitute how they will beſtir themſelves, and look out to get the ableſt Miniſter that is to be had, and then the work is done; there is the higheſt of their Religion. This is to have rejoycing in another, and not in thy ſelf alone, and this joy will not hold. But as he ſaid,—Gal. 6. 4.
Malo Pater tibi ſit Therſites, dummodo tu ſis
Aeacidae ſimilis, Vulcaniaque arma Capeſſas,
Quam te Therſitae ſimilem producat Achilles.
It is but little credit to a baſe Coward to glory of his valiant Anceſtor; It were more to thy commendation to be the ſon of a Daſtard, and to be a man of valour thy ſelf, than to be the ſon of Hector, or Achilles, and to be one of no ſpirit, or mettle thy ſelf. So I may ſay, Thou hadſt better be one that ſits under the meaneſt, and moſt contemned Miniſter in the City or Country, that is faithful, and thy ſelf be a conſcientious hearer, ſeeking to out-go others in piety; then that thou ſhouldeſt follow the moſt able Miniſter of the Land, and thy ſelf art no body.
It is but hypocriſie joyned with cruelty, to have the key of knowledge in a Phariſee, and to ſhut up the Kingdome of heaven, and neither to go in himſelf, nor ſuffer others: And it is alike hypocr…ſi…, though joyned with curteſie, to get a Key for others, and not to goe along thy ſelf.
2 If thou ſhouldeſt bee more inquiſitive into thy fellow-members ſtate (as I fear ſome are) than into their own, hold this ſuſpicious. It is not ſo needfull for thee to bee troubled about anothers Church-right to Ordinances, as about thy own ſoul-right to Chriſt.
The godly mans work is to examine himſelf, prove himſelf, whether hee bee in the 2 Cor. 13. 5.faith, and to know that Jeſus Chriſt is in him, that hee is not a reprobate, rather than to have the greateſt aſſurance, that all his fellow-members were godly and viſible, yea or real Saints. It would bee more comfort for thee to be a true Diſciple, and to communicate with a dozen Judaſſes, than to be the only Judas, among a dozen Diſciples.
The ſuperſtitious Jews at their Paſſeover, were more nice and ſcrupulous about coming into the Pratorium, and defiling themſelves with the company of a Heathen perſon, than about crucifying Jo. 18. 28.the Son of God. Say not thou with Peter, What ſhall this man do? But with Io. 21. 21.Paul, Lord what wilt thou have mee to do?Act. 9. 6.
3 Where there is more ado made (as it is poſſible it may be ſo ſometimes) about thy being approved of the Church than of God, or thy own conſcience, this is very ſuſpicious. When there is more ado made to inquire what ſhall qualifie mee to be a Church-member, rather than what ſhall teſtifie and manifeſt mee to be a Chriſts-member. And when more queſtions and diſputes are raiſed about the right Church-way, than care and conſcience to walke in the way of ſalvation.
I read once indeed in the Primitive Church, there was no ſmall ſtir aroſe about the way, the way of the Church, but Act. 19. 23.it was raiſed by Demotrius, and ſuch otherh eathen Craftsmen, not by the Chriſtians among themſelves, who all agreeing in Chriſt to be the way, and truth, and life, and the Scriptures to be the way and rule, ſhould as Joſeph charged his Brethren, Take heed that they fall not out by the way, when they were all brethren, who were all going then to the ſame Canaan, and were ſhortly to live together in the ſame Goſhen, Gen. 45. 24.
4 When men make more ſtir about purity of Ordinances, than purity of conſciences, this is very ſuſpicious. It is better it ſhould be ſaid, Omnes puri puris, than Omnia pura puris, That all the perſons are pure, than all the Ordinances pure. What doth the holy fleſh profit, if touched with an unholy garment? Hag 2. 13. The unholy garment is not made the holier, but the holy fleſh is made the unholier.
I hope none will gather from theſe four Inſtances, that we make light of more eminent Miniſters, or due qualilification of Communicants or Church-members, of Church-diſcipline, and purity of Ordinances, wee cannot be too careful in every of theſe, but there is ſomewhat far more to be looked after, wherein the Kingdome of God is more concerned.
5 When mens ſpirits are let out and Rom. 14. 1. 1 Tim. 6. 20. cap. 1. 4. 6.the heat of them is ſpent in controverſies and doubtfull diſputations, and oppoſitions of Science, which tend to ſet up diviſions, and lead to jangling, rather than edifying in the faith, and cloſing in love, hold theſe ſuſpected. When a man cannot quietly and peaceably ſit down where the wholeſome words are taught, and the form of ſound Doctrine held faſt, that Doctrine 2 Tim. 1. 13. 1 Tim. 6. 3. 4. foreign.that is according to godlineſs, that man is not ſound the Apoſtle ſaith, but is ſicke, and diſtempered, hee is proud beſides, doting about queſtions and ſtrifes of words, whereof cometh envy, ſtrife, railings, perverſe diſputings of men of corrupt minds, and deſtitute of the truth, as wee ſee by ſad experience. Dividatur was the diſcovery of the counterfeit mother. Preſervetur of the true. When you will have all men pronounce Shibboleth, to a tittle as you pronounce it, or his paſſage is ſtopped over your Jordan. This is too too rigid. Our Saviour came purpoſely to take down partition walls. It is not Eph. 2. 14.Chriſts, but Satans work to ſet them up. There were two great ſeparations indeed, made in the beginning of the world; the one was Gods, the other Satans. Gods ſeparation was of things Heterogeneous, or of divers kindes; Hee ſeparated the light from the darkneſs, this was a beautiful Gen. 1. 4.ſeparation. Satans was of things Homogeneous, or of the ſame kinde, when Angels of light ſeparated from Angels of light, and made a party by themſelves, and a rent in heaven it ſelf, this was a woful ſeparation, which hath turned Angels into Devils, kept in chains of darkneſs unto this day, and to eternity for this very ſin.
When godly perſons ſeparate from among the ungodly, this is Gods ſeparation: Come out from among them, and bee yee ſeparate, ſaith the Lord, and I will receive you, and touch not the unclean thing, 2 Cor. 6. 17, 18and yee ſhall bee my ſons and daughters, &c. But when wee ſeparate from holy Ordinances and the ſociety of Gods people, this is Satans ſeparation, who ſaith, Come out from among them, and be yee ſeparate, and touch not the holy things they partake of, and I will deceive you, and yee ſhall bee my ſons and daughters.
6 In the ſixth place, A luke-warm indifferency and tepidity, and a deteſtable (neutrality ſhall I ſay, or) utrality, univerſality, and Catholiciſme, is as bad a ſymptome of hypocriſie (on the other extreme) as ſoparation and diviſion was in the former. This would make the Church Catholick indeed, but would deſtroy the Communion of Saints. The Lord of old, would have the Sanctuary, yea the Camp Numb. 5. 2, 3.holy, and the unclean put out. The Church is not to bee as Noahs Arke, a common receptacle of all ſorts, clean and unclean. It is true, that our Saviour came to take down partition, and ſeparation walls, yet had hee his ſeparation fan in his hand too, to purge his floor, by throwing out the chaffe, and gathering the wheat together.
It is obſervable, there are two great Congregators, and Uniters in Nature, Heat and Cold; Heat congregates and unites homogeneous things, and diſgregates heterogeneous as wee ſay: As the fire congregates the pure mettal together, and ſeparates the droſs from it. Cold congregates all, diſgregates and ſeparates nothing. The hard Froſt unites earth, ſtone, water, traſh any thing into one lump. That which unites all the godly is the right union becauſe from heat. But that which takes in all, admits, tolerates every perſon, doctrine, opinion, and practice, muſt needs bee from Cold. Hypocriſie is ever made up of mixtures, Sincerity is all one, and the ſame without compoſitions. It was reproved as a defect in the Church of Pergamus, That the doctrine of Balaam, and the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, were connived at and tolerated there, Rev. 2. 14, 15. and on the other ſide commended in the Epheſian Church, verſ. 2. That they could not brook thoſe that were evill, but did try out them that ſaid they were Apoſtles, but were not. And this is properly hypocrifie according to the Grammatical ſenſe of the word foreign ſubjudication, or minus Judication, a judging leſs than is meet, though commonly hypocriſie doth over-laſh, and is for the moſt part foreign, an over-judging, and too much readineſs that way, as wee ſhall ſee more of it hereafter.
SECT. 2. Contains ſeveral other Notes of palpable Hypocriſie.
1 When you ſee a man that can bee a great Profeſſor, and yet at the ſame time live in any open groſs ſin, call him an Hypocrite; He is unclean, utterly unclean, ſhut him up. I know that holy men are not without their infirmities. There is no man in all Iſrael, like Abſolom without ſpot, from the crown of the head, 2 Sam. 14. 25to the ſole of the foot, but that onelyonly Lamb without ſpot. In many things wee Jam. 3. 2.ſin all. The godly man though effectually called, is not perfectly cured; yet is there a great difference between ſpot and ſpot, plague and plague.
But where you ſee ſuch notorious ſins as thoſe enumerated, 2 Tim. 3. 2, 3, 4. all covered under the mask or long robe of Forms of godlineſs, cry out, Duplex Iniquitas! Curſed hypocriſie, Double iniquity, They ſhall bee lovers of their own ſelves, covetous, boaſters, proud, blaſphemers, diſobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, falſe-accuſers, unchaſte, &c. Yet having a form of godlineſs, &c. This was foretold to be the diſeaſe of the later times, and it is too plainly fulfilled in our dayes. I may call this the Morbus Anglicus the Engliſh diſeaſe. There was an old diſeaſe in the time of Hen. 7. and after that was called, Morbus Anglicus, or Sudor Anglicus. The ſweating ſickneſs that ſeized on the Engliſh above any other Nation, and ſwept away many thouſands, and many of eminent rank, two Lord Mayors of London, and ſix Aldermen, the Chronicler ſaith were taken away by it in eight dayes ſpace. But this is a worſe diſeaſe that ſeizeth on Hollings headthe more eminent and noted ſort of perſons, and this infection ſpreads, that as the ſame Hiſtorian records in Hen. 8. dayes, it went through Towns, and took away one half of the Town ſometimes; ſo is it not now to be bewayled? I ſhall ſay no more, but I beleeve if Bernard were alive again, and ſaw the Apoſtacy and Hypocriſie of theſe latter times, hee would cry out worſe than ever hee did againſt his Meridianus Diabolus, his Noon-day Devil: Vae generationi iſti propter fermentum Phariſaeorum, quod eſt hypocriſis, ſi modo hypocriſis dici debet, &c. Woe, ſaith hee, to this generation becauſe of hypocriſie, if ſo be it may bee yet called Hypocriſie, which for his Bern. Ser. 33. ſup. Cant. Omnes amici omnes inimiei omnes neceſſarii, omnes adverſarii, omnes domeſtici, nulli pacifici.abundance cannot, for his impudence cares not to bee hid. This botch ſpreads all over the body of the Church, and the further it runs, the more deſperate, and the more dangerous, becauſe it eats inward. All are tainted with it, ſaith hee, All are friends, yet all enemies, all are for Chriſt, yet all againſt Chriſt, &c. Non fugare, non fugere eos potest. There is, ſaith hee, no flying from them, or making them flye, they are ſo many, and in the end hee concludes, That theſe are the worſt enemies the Church ever had. Perſecution did much hurt in the firſt ſpreading of the Goſpel. Haereſie did more after, than perſecution, but Hypocriſie more than Perſecution and Hereſie both.
2 Note. Every Hypocrite ſtudies the black Art of ſimulation and diſſimulation, to cover or colour vices, and to get a name and ſhew of vertue; hee deſires more to ſeem righteous, than to bee ſo, and fears more to bee thought unrighteous than to be ſo; he doth rather colorare Bernard.vitia quam colere virtutes, cover and colour vice, than covet vertue. His ſtudy is to paint, and though face-painting is bad, grace-painting is worſe, ſaid Chryſoſtome, ſhee that paints tears, is worſe, hee Hom. 6. in Mat.ſaith then ſhee that paints to ſeem faire. Judas was notable for this black Art, hee pretends much charity to the poor, when he would have been fingring the mony for the poores uſe; and his Maſter-peece was to plot and effect the betraying of his Maſter, and no man ſuſpect him, and to give Livery and Seiſin with an harmleſs kiſs.
Like the Lap-wings you know not where to have them, they are moſt loud, when furtheſt off the neaſt, moſt ſilent when neareſt.
3 Ever the hypocrite is a man of a capacious conſcience: Intereſt blows this bladder, and then it reatcheth, hee can finde a diſpenſation or diſtinction for every thing that is advantagious. Gain and godlineſs are to him Synonima's or convertible terms. And hee can beat 2 Tim. 6. 5.out godlineſs very thin, to make his gain the thicker. Hee can run with the Hare, and hold with the Hound, as wee ſay: Reconcile Chriſt and Belial, light and darkneſs, and finde a Back-door to paſs with Judas from Chriſt to the High Prieſts, and from them, to him again.
4 The hypocrites Religion, is ever acted by ſome outward motive, not internal principle. Hee is wiſer than to ingage on the weakerſide, and to imbark himſelf further than to make the ſhore when hee ſees a ſtorm approaching. An applauded Chriſt ſhall have many Hoſannaes from ſuch, a condemned, as many Crucifiges. Theſe Snailes creep not out but when there is ſome dew abroad. Theſe Waſps go not out but when there is ſome hony to bee got. And theſe Swallow-Chriſtians as Dr. Stoughton called them are gone when hard weather ſets in.
5 Hee ſets a high rate upon the honor of men as Saul did. Hee could digeſt the Reprobate, if he might drink a good draught of the honor of the people after it, 1 Sam. 15. 30. I have ſinned, yet honour mee now before the Elders of my people, and turn again with mee that I may worſhip the Lord; and let that bee as it will that I am rejected. How can they beleeve, ſaith Chriſt, who receive honour one from another, and ſeek not that honour which cometh from God onelyonly? But he that ſeeketh not his Jo. 5. 44.own glory, but the glory of him that ſent him, the ſame is true, and no unrighteouſneſs is in him, hee ſaith in another Jo. 7. 18.place.
6 The Hypocrite is ever a man very cenſorious and ſupercilious. So was the Phariſee, Luke 18. 11. When at his devotions what was hee at other times then? I am not as this Publican, whom hee looked upon with diſdain, as fit to be excommunicated, and not be near him in prayer. This is the generation of whom it is ſaid, How lofty are their eyes, and their eye-lids lifted up! It is not for nothing that the word Hypocriſie comes of a verb that ſignifies to judge, foreign. It is as much Prov. 30. 13.ſeen in judging as in any thing.
Hee ſpen…s his cenſure of every man, hee ſpeaks his pleaſure of every Miniſter, this man is formal, that a Time-ſerver, one too cold and flat, another too paſſionate, raſh, and inconſiderate, &c. So of every other perſon publick or private, hee ſpares none. But man who art thou that judgeſt another? And why doſt thou ſet at nough… thy brother? Who made thee a Rom. 14. 10.Judge? none but hee who made thee firſt an Hypocrite. If hypocriſie bee the putting on anothers perſon, then this is the higheſt ſtep of hypocriſie to put our ſelves in his place who is the ſole Judge of the world, eſpecially of the heart.
7 The Hypocrite is one who gives out his duties by tale and number, not by weight. His prayers want not length, but heat, and ſtrength of affections. Much cry, little wooll; more words than matter and devotion, in his Religious exerciſes.
SECT. 3. Contains five. Glaſſes of our Saviours ſetting out the Hypocrite.
There are five Glaſſes of our Saviours ſetting up to ſhew you an Hypocrite, ſet down in five places of Scripture, whereof
The firſt is taken out of Matth. 6. 1, 2, &c. wherein our Saviour bids us in Almes-giving, Prayers-making, Faſt-celebra…ing, not to bee as the Hypocrites, who muſt bee ſeen, and heard, and obſerved, or their devotion freezeth. They are onelyonly Synagogue-men, not Cloſet-men. They can pray in the corners of the ſtreets, not in a corner of the houſe, they can give an Alms when others look on, nothing elſe. It is contrary to him, with what Job noteth of the Theef, all whoſe works are in the dark, They know not the light. The morning is to them as the ſhadow Job 24. 16, 17.of death. To the Hypocrite it is otherwiſe, his devotion riſeth, and ſetteth with the Sun, and the darkneſs is the ſhadow of death to his devotions.
The ſecond is Matth. 7. 1, 2 &c. Thou Hypocrite, ſaith he, Firſt caſt out the beam out of thine eye, then ſhalt thou ſee to pull out the moat out of thy brothers eye. Where our Saviour ſhews what I noted before, that the hypocrites guiſe is to bee alwayes judging, condemning, cavilling, even at motes, and trifles in another, when himſelf is guilty of groſs enormities. Hypocriſie Luk. 12. 1.is compared to leaven, and beſides other, it hath ever theſe two properties of leaven, it is ſwelling and ſowring. Swelling, that no man is ſo good as himſelf, and ſowring that no man is ſincere but himſelf.
The third is Matth. …4. 48, 51. where the evill ſervant is deſcribed to bee ſuch a one as puts far off the evill day, thinks not of his Maſters coming, and hee is ſmiting his fellow ſervant with the fiſt, or with the tongue, and is, if not a drunkard himſelf, yet one that can accompany and aſſociate with them, Hee eateeth and drinketh with the drunken, his Lord ſhall come when hee is not aware, and appoint him his portion with the Hypocrites, for ſuch a one he was all along.
The fourth is, Luke 13. 14, 15. When one pretendeth to bee ſtimulated by holy zeal, and it is no other than indignation. The Ruler of the Synagogue anſwered with indignation, when hee ſaw Chriſt heal on the Sabbath day, and ſaid, Are there not ſix dayes in which men ought to work, in them come and be healed? But our Saviour called ſuch blinde zeal plain hypocriſie. Thou hypocrite, doth not each of you on the Sabbath water his Oxe or Aſſe; and ſhould not a Daughter of Abraham bee healed on the Sabbath day?
But the fifth and laſt is the whole 23. Chapter of Matthew, a large and faire Glaſs, wherein you may ſee the full portraiture of the hypocrite at large in the deſcription of the Scribes and Phariſees, the greateſt Actors that ever came upon this ſtage.
1 Hee is a good Preacher, bad pattern; obſerve what hee ſaith, Do not as hee doth; They ſay, and do not, verſ. 3.
2 They are great impoſers, and oppreſſors of other mens conſciences, and make no conſcience themſelves of what they impoſe, and task others with, and neglect themſelves. Egyptian Task-maſters. They binde grievous burdens for others, but touch them not with ſo much as one of their fingers, verſ, 4.
3 All their works they do to be ſeen of men, not of the Father that ſeeth in ſecret, verſ 4.
4 They make great oſtentation of Religion, They make broad their Phylacteries, and inlarge the borders of their garments; as if they were the onelyonly men, the onelyonly obſervers of the Law. The Lord commanded, Numb. 15▪ 38. That they ſhould wear fringes about their garments, to minde them of his Commandements, and to write them as frontlets upon their fore-heads; theſe Phylacteries were peeces of Parchment which they wrote the Law in, and wore them on their fore-heads, as if they had Holineſs to the Lord engraven on their fore-heads. But as one notes, they made the Phylacteries Verſ. 5.broad, but the Precepts themſelves narrow, as our Saviour ſheweth in their ſtraitning many of the Precepts, Matth. 5.
5 They are men that affect popularity, Digito monſtrari & dicier hic eſt.to bee noted, ſaluted, pointed at by the finger, to have the upper hand, and uppermoſt room, to bee given them, verſ. 6.
6 They love to have men admire them, depend upon their judgement, as Oracles, and to bee called Rabbi, Rabbi. The Doctors that had ſo much in them as Pareus notes, verſ. 7.
7 They had long prayers, and large conſciences. They made long prayers, yet made no conſcience of rapine and oppreſſion. They could precari & praedari, both pray and prey, verſ. 14.
8 They were men of cruel and mercileſs diſpoſitions to ſuch as fell into their hands, they made no bones or ſcruple to devour and deſtroy a family, yea the houſe of a poor helpleſs widow, adding extremity to affliction.
9 The hypocrite is more zealous to make a Proſelite to his opinion, and to promote his private intereſt in Religion, than to promote the power of godlineſs. Verſ. 15.Identity in opinion is more looked at by him than ſincerity. His Pepuza is Jeruſalem, as Euſebius relates that Montanus called a paltry Viliage in Phrygia, where his curſed doctrine was received.
And ſo hee becomes one of their way, they care not what he is for his heart or life; let him be double a childe of hell to what he was before, they regard not. Whereas the ſincere deſire that thoſe, who come in to them, ſhould firſt give themſelves to the Lord, and then to them according to the will of God, as the Apoſtle 2 Cor. 8. 5.ſaith of the Macedonian Converts.
10 The hypocrite never wants his diſtinctions and evaſions, to mince and extenuate ſome ſins, as to ſwear, by the Temple or Altar, lawfull, by the gold, or gift, ſinful. Excellent Caſuiſts. Take an hypocrite without a diſtinction at any time, and hang him up as wee ſay. Hee can make one thing ſinful at his pleaſure, and the like to it lawful, ver. 16, 17, 18, 19.
11 He is a man of a more ſcrupulous than tender conſcience ſtumbles at a ſtraw, leaps over a block, kecks at a gnat, ſwallows a Camel, ſtands ſtrictly upon tything Mint, Annis, and Cummin, but Mercy, Juſtice, Honeſty, Love, or to injure, oppreſs, defame, ſlander, are nothing with him, verſ. 23, 24.
12 He ſcruples eating with unwaſhed hands more than praying with an unprepared heart, and makes more matter of obſerving that one tradition of waſhing the cup and platter, than of the ſix Commandements of the ſecond Table.
Laſtly, he is one who is all outſide, hee is like unto a whited ſepulchre, he prefers Cauté above Caſté, and had rather his dead ſoul ſhould lye in a fair Sepulchre, than a living ſoul in a homely outſide; v. 27. he crieth out, Bleſſed is the man whoſe ſin is covered, but not, he in whoſe ſpirit is no Pſal. 32. 1, 2.guile.
SECT. 4. Another Glaſs for the Hypocrite, diſcovering him to bee made up of Contradictions, and Diviſions.
To diſcover the Hypocrite ſomewhat more fully, here ſhall one Glaſs more bee ſet before him, ſhewing him his face in his many Contradictions and Div…ſions.
1 He is made up of many Contradictions, viz. 1 Hee is one of too much conſcience, and of too little, 1 Tim 4. 1. The Apoſtle ſheweth that in theſe laſt dayes, many Apoſtates and Hypocrites ſhould creep abroad, Speaking lies in hypocriſie, having their conſcience ſeared with an hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abſtain from meat, which God hath created to be received, &c.
Firſt, you ſee they have too much of conſcience, they ſcruple marriage and meats, which others ſcruple not.
Yet ſecondly, you may ſee they have too little conſcience (none at all, unleſs a cauterized) having their conſcience ſeared, and as much as they ſcrupled meats, and marriages, they made no ſcruple of Lying, ſpeaking lies in hypocriſie, as in the Kidneys or Bladder, oft-times an ulcer and a ſtone meet, the ulcer ſoft, the ſtone hard, but between ſoft and hard, the man dyes: ſo this ſeared and ſcrupulous conſcience often meet to deſtroy the ſoul.
2 Hee is All-eye, and No-eye. Hee is All-eye. Argus-eyed. Hee can ſpy the leaſt moat in anothers eye, which a ſincere eye cannot diſcern. And he is no eye to ſee his own beam, which he that hath Mat. 7. 3.but half an eye cannot but diſcern. None ſo blinde as hee, none ſo quick-ſighted as hee.
3 So is he all ear, and yet heareth not: Having ears yet heareth not, Mat. 13. 14. Hee is the greateſt hearer, and the leaſt doer. The Popiſh Confeſsion is onelyonly Auricular, to the Prieſt, and his Profeſsion is onelyonly Auricular profeſſion. Hee heareth the Prieſt, not God, Iſa. 42. 20. Seeing many things, but thou obſerveſt not, opening the ears, but he heareth not But Auricular confeſsion, and Auricular profeſsion may go together, they are both bad.
4 Hee is the moſt faire, and the moſt foule Chriſtian, moſt faire outwardly to man, moſt foule inwardly, as to God. If you would ſee a Sepulchre, you cannot deſire a fairer, if a courſe, you cannot imagine a fouler.
5 None is more deſirous to be known, & none ſo afraid to be known; he is deſirous his words, profeſſion, and ſome of his more publick acts ſhould be known, but he would not for all the world, his heart, his intentions, ends, aimes, and private carriage ſhould be made known, His Rule is for the former, Bene qui placuit, bene vixit, for the later, Bene qui latuit, bene vixit.
6 He is the moſt deſirous to pleaſe, and the leaſt deſirous. To pleaſe God, is no part of his buſineſs, which is the whole of a Chriſtian, Col. 1. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 9. But to pleaſe men is his whole buſineſs as to the Comedian, Id ſibi negotii ſolummodo impoſuit ſibi populo ut placerent, &c.
7 He is the moſt and leaſt for ſelf, the greateſt and leaſt ſelf-lover, for his body, name, ſtate, advantage, none truer to ſelf-intereſt, as to ſoul, conſcience, heaven, hell, none is more regardleſſe of ſelf; hee can truſt God with his ſoul, without any heſitation, when hee will truſt none of them all (neither God, nor man) with his outward ſtate.
8 Laſtly, he is wholly made up of Contradiction, his heart and life contradict each other, his word and thought, his ſaying and his doing, his Church-carrtage, and his Cloſet-carriage, and his profeſsion and converſation, do all jar and contradict one the other, Et ſibimet diſconvenit ordine toto, he is, foreign; not foreign, ſemper idem, in the neuter, not in the maſculine gender. He is alway the ſame thing, h. e. an hypocrite, not alway the ſame man.
Thus much for his Con…radictions, now for his Diviſions in the next place.
2 He is made up of as many Diviſions, as he is of Contradictions; As
1 Hee is a conſtant divider between the form of godlineſs, and the power; none hath more than hee of the former, none 2 Tim. 3. 5.leſs of the latter.
2 Hee divides between ſin and ſin; ſome ſin is venial, ſome mortal. Idols he abhorreth, Sacriledge hee alloweth, and Rom. 2. 22.committeth; the one are Antichriſtian and Popiſh, the other is Chriſtianity and Piety with him. Ahabs Prophets and Idols go to wrack, Jeroboams Calves and Prieſts are ſpared, 2 King. 10. 28. and 31.
3 Between duty and duty, he divides; The eaſier, cheaper, ſafer duty, he performs; the hard, coſtly, offenſive, and prejudicial, he neglects. Hee is no Ʋniverſalliſt, unleſs for univerſal Election, univerſal Redemption, univerſal Admiſsion to Sacraments, or univerſal Toleration. But never for univerſal Obedience, flying all ſin, and performing every duty. Hee Malach. 1. 14. 1 Sam. 15. 9.hath a male in his flock, but will not offer that, but the vile, and refuſe, he can afford God; not the beſt, but the worſt is beſt cheap here.
4 Hee divides between Gifts and Graces. Gifts hee admires, and deſires the moſt that he may excell. (So did Simon Magus, that he might be Simon Magus ſome great one) Grace he deſires leſs. Hee is content others ſhould be more holy, not more honoured. Gifts may make him more acceptable to men, Grace more ſerviceable to God; he prefers acceptable, before ſerviceable. Grace brings God more honour; Gifts him more honour. And proximus ſum egomet mihi, is his firſt Maxime. I am firſt for my ſelf.
5 Between Grace and Peace. Hee likes both well, but peace more, he had rather have peace without grace, than grace without peace: A quiet conſcience is more deſired than a pure conſcience with him. The godly ſaith rather, give mee grace than peace, if not both; he ſaith, give me Grace, Grace and Peace are alwayes joyned by the Apoſtles in their ſalutations and prayers, but Grace put firſt. But the hypocrite ſaith, Peace and Grace. And he croſſeth hands, laying his right hand on Peaces head, his left on Graces, preferring the younger before the elder, as Jacob did to the Sons of Joſeph, Gen 48. 14.
6 Between Grace and Grace. Juſtifying grace he admires, ſanctifying he undervalues; Free, and rich, and full grace he extolls, Efficacious grace he diſclaims. Sin-pardoning grace is all in all with him, but diſtinguiſhing grace, ſin-purging, ſin-ſubduing, heart-renewing grace, he is a ſtranger to.
7 Between Promiſes and Precepts. The one he likes, the other he diſſikes. Hee likes, Beleeve onelyonly, and bee ſaved. Hee Luke 10. 28. Mat. 19. 17.likes not, Do this, and live. If thou wilt enter into life keep the Commandements, and ſuch like hard ſayings.
8 Between the Promiſes, and the Conditions. Hee likes the one, not the other; There is no condemnation to them that are in Chriſt Jeſus, This is a good ſaying, worthy of all acceptation. But that Rom. 8. 1.which follows, Who walk not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit, This is an hard ſaying. All things work together for good, this he likes and repeats, but leaves out, To them that love God, who are the called according to his purpoſe, Rom. 8. 28.
9 Much more between the Promiſes and Threats; Thoſe he loves, theſe hee trembles at. If yee live in the fleſh yee ſhall dye, but if through the Spirit, yee mortifie Rom. 8. 13.the deeds of the body, yee ſhall live. Theſe conditional promiſes and comminations pleaſe him not; whereas godly ones eye the condition as much as the promiſe, and the commination too they dare not but minde.
10 Between Priviledges and Duties. To be juſtified, to be the Sons of God by Adoption, to be Heires of God, 1 Pet. 1. 16. Rom. 12. 2. & 13, 14.Co-heires of Chriſt, &c. Theſe are great things with him. But be holy as God is holy. Put on the Lord Jeſus, faſhion not your ſelves to the world. Theſe pleaſe not. Hee goeth away heavily when hee is told, yet lackeſt thou one thing.
11 Between purity of Ordinances and Conſciences. The one he ſtands up earneſtly for, the other he is careleſſe of. Hee looks to the waſhing of the cup, not to the waſhing of his heart.
12 Between faith and faith, faith for ſoul, and faith for body. Hee can beleeve in God to ſave his ſoul without grace, but he cannot rely on God to preſerve him here without ſin.
13 Between Scripture and Scripture. Hee ſtudieth ſuch Scriptures as may confute other mens errors, but findes no Scripture to batter down his own corruptions. Jehu could finde Scripture ready to juſtifie the murder of Joram, of Jezabel, of all Ahabs children, and a firſt 2 King. 9. 25. & 36. & 10. 10Commandement to take away Baals houſe, and Prieſts, he could readily turn unto. But hee could not finde the ſecond Commandement to take away Jeroboams Calves.
And thus I have done with the firſt Glaſs.