The Hypocrites Ladder, Treatise · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. The Sincere Chriſtians Glaſs, whereby the truth of Grace may be diſcovered.
I Come from the Hypocrites, to the Sincere Chriſtians Glaſs. This is a better Glaſs, and a more delightful, not better for matter, both being taken out of the Laver of the Sanctuary. The Snuffers of the Sanctuary were of as Ex. 25. 38.good gold as the Incenſe-diſhes, though put to a meaner uſe. The interpretation of the Bakers Dream was as good, becauſe true, as that of the Butlers, though not ſo pleaſing, becauſe the Dream was worſe, and the event proved ſadder. The Butlers interpretation was called good, becauſe good Gen. 40. 16.to him: So this will be a good glaſs to thee, if thou canſt ſee thy ſelf in it; otherwiſe we are to God as good interpreters of his revealed will, and our Miniſtry, as ſweet a ſmelling ſavour in them that periſh, as in them that are ſaved, though to the one wee are a ſavour of life to life, to the other 2 Cor. 2. 15, 16.the ſavour of death to death. The former Glaſs, I ſaid, was as well cleanſing as diſcovering; and I heartily wiſh that it may prove ſo to every one that looks into it; and that this may as well be transforming, as informing, that whoſoever as in a Glaſs, beholding this Image of the ſincere man, may be changed into the ſame Image from glory to glory, by the Spirit of God, as the Apoſtle ſaith in another caſe.
1 The ſincere man is careful of the matter of duty and manner both, but of the manner more; our duties may be for matter good, and commanded, and for manner evil and condemned. We may ſin in doing good, if not doing it well. Amaziah and others did what was right in the ſight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart. And 2 Chron. 25. 2. & 26, 4. & 27. 2then it was ill: Therefore remember the ſic and quomodo. Take heed how you hear, as well as what you hear; how you pray, as well as that you pray, &c. The ſtrange fire to a known God was greater ſin in the ſons of Aaron, than a ſtrange Altar to an unknown god to the men of Athens, Act. 17. 23. And wee may obſerve the irreverent uſage of the Ark by the men of Bethſhemeſh, was more ſeverely puniſhed than the Philiſtims looking upon it as an Idoll, and ſetting it up by Dagon, fifty thouſand Iſraelites ſlain at Bethſhemeſh, 1 Sam. 6. 19. And moſt remarkable of all it is, that when as the Philiſtims carried the Ark on a Cart, it made up the breach. But when David would have it carried on a Cart, a ſad breach followed. God would have his people know that hee is to be ſought unto in a due order, 2 Chron. 15. 13.
2 Hee is for hearing and doing both, but for doing rather; Hee that heareth and doeth is the wiſe builder, Matth. 7. 24.
3 Hee is for knowledge and practiſe both, but for practiſe rather; Hee had rather fall ſhort of others in point of knowledge, than fall ſhort of himſelf in point of practiſe, to bee beaten with more Luke 12. 47.ſtripes.
4 Hee looks to his words and thoughts both, but to his thoughts more; his rule and buſineſs is to keep his heart above all keeping, knowing that out of it are the iſſues Prov. 4. 23.of life.
5 Hee labours to provide things honeſt in the ſight of men, and God too, but of God rather; for hee is the man whom God approveth, and not hee whom man onelyonly. This man reſts not till hee can ſay, Yee are witneſſes and God alſo, how 2 Cor. 10. 18. 1 Theſſ. 2. 10.holily, juſtly, and unblameably I have had my converſation.
6 Hee is for publick duties ſtrict, and private both, but ſtricter for private; if any where hee inlarge, be longer in duty, weep, afflict himſelf, it is in his Cloſet, as Peter went out when he wept bitterly, and meant to have his fill of weeping. Mat. 26. 75.Ille dolet vere, qui ſine teſte dolet. Wee never read our Saviour held his Diſciples over long in prayer, or late at night, or before day in the morning. But hee once ſpent all the night in prayer to God by himſelf, Luk. 6. 12. and at other times went a part to pray till morning, and ſometimes early a great while before day to Mat. 14. 25. Mar. 1. 35.pray. In private uſe thy liberty, here is no ſuſpicion of hypocriſie, or danger of ſcandal. The right Jew is one, foreign one in a corner, and not foreign in open view. Jacob was all alone when hee Rom. 2. 29.wraſtled and prayed all that night untill break of day, Gen. 32. 24.
7 Hee is for actions and affections both, but rejoyceth more in his affections than actions; God is my witneſs, whom I ſerve with my ſpirit in the Goſpel of his Son, Rom. 1. 9. 1 Cor 9. 17.ſaid St. Paul: A neceſſity is laid upon me, but if I do this willingly, I have a reward. I have ſet my affection to the houſe 1 Chron. 29. 3. …, 17.of my God, ſaid David: And again, Who are wee that wee ſhould offer ſo willingly after this ſort? And again, It joyes my heart to ſee thy people to offer ſo willingly with a perfect heart, ſaith hee.
8 Hee is for forme of godlineſs, and power both, but for power more; the form is not evill. There can hardly be power without form, as not a tree with fruit without leaves, or gold not gliſtering, but there may be forme without power, as leaves without fruit, and much gliſtering beſides gold. The Kingdome of God is not in word, but in power. That is, not only in word, or not ſo much as in the 1 Cor. 4. 20.power.
9 His deed is good, and his will too, but his will far better than his deed; What I would, I do not, nay wee cannot do what wee would, ſaith the Apoſtle, Velimus enim Rom. 7. 15. Gal. 5. 17.ut nulla omnino ſit concupiſcentia, ſaith Auſtin upon that place. If wee might have our will, there ſhould be neither ſin to reigne, nor remaine neither, neither ſinfull act, nor ſinfull habit, neither concupiſcence conſented to, nor ſo much as the firſt motion though unconſented to. It would bee a merry world with a godly man, if hee might have his will, and be as good as he would bee.
10 Hee is for Gifts and Grace both, but for Grace rather; hee highly honours Gifts where ever hee ſees them, but for himſelf, he ſaith, Lord give me Grace, and beſtow thy Gifts more fully where thou pleaſeſt. Integrity of hearts, is above eminency of parts, in his account. And as to Grace, though hee loves to make no compariſon or oppoſition, as knowing they alwayes go together, yet to ſhew his integrity, he equalls in his deſires, if not prefers ſanctifying grace, with juſtifying, ſanctifying grace above ſaving. Juſtifying grace makes partaker of Chriſt his bloud, ſanctifying of his Spirit. Juſtifying grace makes mee partaker of Gods favours, ſanctifying of his Image, and divine Nature. Saving grace glorifies mee, ſanctifying glorifies God, and it is eaſie to reſolve whoſe glory is to bee preferred.
11 Hee ſeeks to pleaſe men and God both, but God howſoever; Rom. 15. 2. Let every one ſeek to pleaſe his neighbour for his good to edification, Even as I pleaſe all men in all things, not ſeeking my own profit, but the profit of many that they may bee ſaved, 1 Cor. 10. 33. Hee will never diſpleaſe men to pleaſe himſelf; nor will hee much more diſpleaſe God to pleaſe himſelf or others, Gal. 1. 10. If I yet pleaſed men, I ſhould not bee the ſervant of Chriſt. So Act. 4. 19.
12 Hee hath regard to his Credit and Conſcience both, but to conſcience more; A good name is above a precious oyntment to him, and hee had rather loſe and ſuffer in his eſtate, than in his reputation. But a good conſcience is above ſtate or name, and every thing. A wound in the name may be eaſily cured by a good conſcience, but a wound in the conſcience who can bear? Wee are as Deceivers; there name was gone: And yet True, There conſcience was not gone. As unknown, Credit loſt; Yet well known; Conſcience kept, 2 Cor. 6. 8, 9.
13 Hee is a man earneſtly deſirous of outward peace, and inward too, but eſpecially of inward; as much as is poſſible, for what lyes in him, hee deſires to bee at peace with all men, Rom. 12. 18. but his outward peace hee looks upon with a conditional poſſibility (if poſſible) his inward peace of abſolute neceſſity. In the world let mee have trouble, ſo I may have peace in Chriſt, Joh. 16. 33.
14 Hee loves his life, his relations, his ſtate, and Chriſt Jeſus too, but Chriſt Jeſus far more; Skin for skin, hee ſaith, and let all go for life, but skin and life, and all for Chriſt. Wife and children are dear, and eſtate is not to bee ſquandered away: But for Chriſt I count all loſs and dung, and hate father, mother, wife, children, and this very life, I count not Phil. 3. 8, 9.dear that I may win Chriſt. As godly Kilian ſaid, when asked if he loved not his wife and children, yea ſaid hee, My wife and children are ſo dear to mee, that if the world were of gold, and all mine, I would give it to live with them, yea though in priſon, but my ſoul and Chriſt are much dearer to mee.
15 Hee is good in good times, places, and companies, and bad too, but eſpecially in bad; ſo were Lot, Noah, Elias. It is otherwiſe with an hypocrite, hee can Ezek. 26. & 37. 7.onelyonly propheſie when among the Prophets, with Saul, not with Ezekiel among the dry bones, much leſs among Briars, and Scorpions.
16 Hee is for Righteouſneſs of works, and faith both, but ſpecially for righteouſneſs of faith; after righteouſneſs and works hee labours; but in the righteouſneſs Gal. 2. 16. Phil. 3. 8, 9.of faith without works, hee ſolely relies and reſts. Though hee ſeek to bee blameleſs as touching the righteouſneſs of the Law, yet all this righteouſneſs hee makes orts and dung of, deſiring to bee found in the righteouſneſs of Chriſt alone.
17 Hee is for Negative and Poſitive righteouſneſs both, but for poſitive more; negative righteouſneſs is ſomewhat, when a man can ſay, Whoſe Oxe or Aſſe have I taken, &c. I have corrupted no 1 Sam. 12. 3.man, wronged no man, defrauded no man, 2 Cor. 7. 2. I have coveted no mans gold, ſilver, or apparrel, Act. 20. 33. But poſitive righteouſneſs is far higher, when one can ſay, Yee are witneſſes, and God alſo, how 1 Theſſ. 2. 10.holily, juſtly, and unblameably, wee have had our converſation in the world.
18 Hee is for perſonal righteouſneſs, and relative both, but eſpecially for relative; Perſonal is indeed the firſt ſtep, but relative is the higheſt ſtep of righteouſneſs. The man muſt be good, before the Magiſtrate, or Miniſter can bee good. But to be good in our relations, is that which doth much more commend the perſonal goodneſs. To bee the good Shepherd, Miniſter, Parent, Husband, Steward, Servant, &c. Every tree to bring forth fruit after his kinde, and in his due ſeaſon, this is beautifull, and delightfull.
19 Hee follows the beſt Examples and Rule too, but hee looks more to his Rule than to any examples. As to example, he dare not make the moſt or greateſt his example, but the beſt. And in following the very beſt examples, hee conſtantly obſerves theſe four following Rules.
Rule 1. To pick out the very beſt of men, ſome choice ones only for his examples; Brethren hee followers together of mee, and Phil. 3. 17.marke them that walke ſo, as you have us for an example. And therefore if the preſent age afford not fit preſidents, he looks back to ages paſt, as Jehoſhaphat, Hezekiah, Joſiah, &c. walked in the wayes of David their Father. He reckons it a good rule with him, Uti verbis & nummis preſentibus, vivere moribus praeteritis, to make uſe of ſuch mony and words, as are currant at preſent, but of ſuch examples and manners as were in uſe in times paſt.
Rule 2. His ſecond Rule is in the example of the beſt, to pick out the Beſt of the Beſt, the moſt imitable part of all their acts and lives, as Jehoſhaphat picked out David for a pattern, and the first part of Davids life for his ſamplar or copy. Hee walked in the firſt wayes of David his father, it is ſaid, 2 Chron. 17. 3.
In Examples there may and muſt bee picking, and chuſing, whom to follow, and what to follow, though in Commandements there muſt bee neither picking nor chuſing, but all muſt bee followed.
Now the actions of Beſt men may bee referred to three ſorts.
1 Some are deviations from the Rule, and falling ſhort (though wee call them Tranſgreſſions (improperly enough) they are foreign, ſinfull and irregular digreſſions, and exorbitancies, deficiencies) ſuch was Davids Adultery, which fell ſhort of, or ſwarved from the Rule, and Law of chaſtity.
2 Some of their acts as much exceeded, and went beyond the ordinary Rule, and were in them commendable (or not unlawfull) which would become ſinfull to us if wee ſhould do the like by vertue of their example, without any particular warrant. Such was that act of Abraham ſacrificing his Son, Elias calling for fire from heaven: The Iſraelites borrowing Gen. 22. 10. 2 King. 1. 10. Ex. 12. 35.of the Egyptians. Theſe in us would become Tranſgreſſions.
3 Some of their acts had a due conformity to the Rule, and theſe onelyonly are for imitation; ſuch was Davids piety, zeal, integrity towards God, his loyalty towards his Sovereigne, fidelity to his friends, as Jonathan eſpecially, clemency to enemies, as Shemis for inſtance, &c. Theſe I ſay onelyonly are for our imitation.
Rule 3. The beſt examples muſt bee followed alwayes with this Restriction, 1 Cor. 11. 1. Bee yee followers of mee, as I am alſo of Chriſt. If wee are ſure our neighbour ſet his Clock by the Sun, wee may ſafely ſet our Watch by his Clock.
Rule 4. The beſt examples muſt ever bee followed with this Addition alſo, 1 Theſſ. 1. 6. Yee became followers of us, and of the Lord. Of us, though Apoſtles, holy teachers and livers, is not enough; But of us and the Lord: This makes all up.
20 Hee is afraid of appearances of evill, and of appearances of good both, but which you would little expect, hee fears and ſuſpects the appearance of good more; Abſtain from all appearance of evill, 1 Theſſ. 5. 21. But hee abhors onelyonly the appearance of good, where there is no Reality.
21 In the next place, which is an undoubted note of ſincerity, hee is oft with himſelf, deſirous to examine and know himſelf, and oft with God, deſirous that he would examine and try him: And Gods examination hee deſires much more than his own, as not daring to truſt himſelf. Hee oft judgeth, and examineth himſelfe, hee puts all the hard queſtions and doubts hee can by communing with his own heart, and making diligent ſearch (a privy ſearch) in his ſpirit, as David ſaid, and he Pſal. 77. 6.handles his conſcience roughly, as Joſeph did his brethren at firſt, fearing there was yet no change, to finde out what he himſelf is, and though he liſtens to what is ſaid of him abroad, yet if it be good, he dare not take up ſo. Nec te quaeſiveris extra. One teſtimony of his own conſcience is to him above a thouſand witneſſes, but the teſtimony of God is to him above a thouſand conſciences, therefore he often prayes, Lord examine me, and prove mee, try my reines, and my heart, ſee if there bee any way of wickedneſs in mee (for I much ſuſpect my ſelf) and lead mee in the way everlaſting, Pſal. 26. 2. and 139. 23, 24.
22 Hee is afraid of open and ſecret ſins both, but eſpecially of ſecret ſins: His prayer is, Lord cleanſe mee from my ſecret ſins, my unknown ſins. The Iſraelites Pſal. 19. 12.hid in holes, mauled the Philistims. 1 Sam. 14 22. The Philiſtims lodged in Dalilahs chamber overcame Sampſon when none elſe could.Judg. 16. 7.
23 Hee is afraid of carnal and ſpiritual ſins both, but of ſpiritual moſt; Theſe oft live, when the other dye. When the unclean, and prophane ſpirit is gone out, ſeven worſe ſpirits may come into the houſe Mat. 12. 43.ſwept and garniſhed. It may bee a ſpirit of error, unbeleef, ſpiritual pride, hypocriſie ſecurity, opinion of his own righteouſneſs comes in the room, and the laſt ſtate is worſe than the firſt.
24 In a word to conclude, as to ſin, hee is afraid, oft watcheth and prayeth againſt one and all, but one eſpecially above all, and that is Hypocriſie, Job 17. 8. The upright is ſaid to ſtir up himſelf againſt the hypocrite. There is ſuch an Antipathy between them; much more doth uprightneſs ſtir up it ſelfe againſt hypocriſie, eſpecially in his own heart? And hee that feareth this ſin indeed, need not fear any other ſin, this one fear of hypocriſie keepeth both that, and all other ſins under.
Thus I have in a few ſhort Aphoriſmes (and ſome of them Paradoxes) given you the character of a ſincere perſon. Conſider what thou readeſt, and the Lord give thee underſtanding, and an heart to reflect on thy ſelfe as thou goeſt along.