Hypocrisy Discovered, Sermon 6
SERMON VI.
LUKE 12.1.
Beware of the Leaven of the Phariſees, which is Hypocriſie.
I Have ſhewed you in ſeverall exerciſes what the characters of hypocriſie is, what they are in many ſtates, how to trace them in duties in generall, in prayer eſpecially, in communion of Saints, in actings in the world, and civill reſpects.
But you may remember, at the firſt opening of the words, I told you that there were ſome ſorts of hypocrites that did not ſo much diſcover themſelves, but muſt be diſcovered by the truths of the Goſpell that are propounded, they are not ſo conſciencious of want of integritie, as they are wanting in principles; thoſe we have moſt endeavoured to diſcover.
But in the ſecond place I told you, ſome there are that know themſelves to be ſo, at leaſt they have ſecret conſcientious checks of conſcience, yet go on in profeſſion: I would a little ſpeake to them at preſent, and then make application of the whole.
There are many, I ſay, that knows themſelves to be unſound in their owne ſpirits and yet go on in profeſſion, and that you would thinke ſtrange; and it is more ſtrange to thinke a man ſhould be a hypocrite and not know it: than that a man ſhould know his hypocriſie and yet go on in it.
I ſhall in the opening of this ſhew you,
Firſt, That it may be ſo, and that it is often ſo, and moſt hypocrites ſhew themſelves to be ſo.
Secondly, I ſhall diſcover how it can be that they can go on in profeſſion ſo eaſily and freely as they do.
Thirdly, Wherein their hypocriſie ſtill lies.
Firſt, That it may be ſo, and that they do go on ſo, I ſhall make it cleare in theſe particulars; and I beſeech you obſerve.
Firſt, Take the common principle of a naturall conſcience, which is enlightned, (for every hypocrite hath an enlightned conſcience) it is not ſo dull as it is in other men, unleſſe it be after a long time of hypocriſie; but the naturall conſcience of a man will tell him thus, that this is not right, you do not this according to this rule, for there is a light left in a mans conſcience till God give a man over to blindneſſe and darkneſſe, there is is a light will alwaies give a man a check without there be ſome eminent thing to ſilence conſcience at the preſent, as it was with the Heathens in the ſecond of the Romans, their conſciences did naturally accuſe, and excuſe, them upon the common principle of that light of nature imprinted on them, this is not juſt, this is not ſutable; though they had not ſuch written rules before them, yet there were ſuch dictates ſutable to the impreſſion that God left upon their naturall conſciences, much more an hypocrite, an enlightened hypocrite under the Goſpell; but a naturall conſcience will tell a man really, and check him in a duty, and ſay, this never came from the mover, this motion of yours did not run freely in your ſpirits, this prayer was but pumpt, it comes not from the fountaine, you had ſome by-end or other; did you not aime at this or that, ſome applauſe or comfort to your ſelves, never minded Chriſt? Conſcience will ſpeake if you be not judicially hardned: it will ſpeake very loud to a man, at leaſt it will give a man ſuch checks as a man ſhall conſider, and by the cuſtome of it conclude, that it is thus and thus with him: For looke as it is with the Saints under full light, and full evidence, ſo it is with a hypocrite under the enlightenings of his conſcience: ſaies Paul, I have lived in all good conſcience unto this day, that is, walked according to the principles of reaſon and Religion, according to the light I had, lived in all good conſcience unto this day, never ſtrained my conſcience.
Now it is impoſſible for a man under enlightening (if he have not a mighty ſecure frame of ſpirit, or wonderfull dexteritie of colouring his heart) but naturall conſcience will reflect upon him, and ſay, this was not intended right though the action was done, this was not ſo ſpirituall, nor ſo firmely acted before God; you know you had your intention beſides the rule. But then
Secondlie, Take ſuch a conſcience under the Miniſtrie of the Goſpell, where there are Characters given on both ſides, where hearts are dealt withall ſeriouſlie, and with abundance of cleareneſſe, where the deſigne is to anatomize the ſpirit, to give characters of a Saint, and give diſtinctions between common graces, and thoſe graces that are purely ſanctifying, changing and transforming the ſoule, and thoſe that are common, and worke nor the image of God in the ſoule, if you have any light (as hypocrites have abundance of light, otherwiſe they could never play their tricks ſo as they do) it is impoſſible but the heart ſhould ſay, this is not right, I find not this right in my own ſpirit; it is impoſſible they ſhould lye under theſe things and have no convictions, no checks ſecretly that he is truly ſuch an one.
Thirdly, He may by reflecting upon himſelfe know it by his getting in his duties, if he had nothing but that which he gets in duties, when he hears how Saints get communion with God in duties, how their ſoules are taken up with Chriſt, what glorious enjoyments they have of God, in Prayer, and Sacraments, what glorious frames they find upon their ſpirits when they have communion, he knows he can hardly get from one duty to another; the truth is, a hypocrite is the pooreſt, miſerableſt ſoule in the world: he never hath any thing but what he gets from hand to mouth, when he comes to dye he is a begger, nothing at all to live on, and he knows he never met with Chriſt ſo as to humble him and to lay him low, he knows when he heares other Saints ſpeake of the Goſpell, and the ſweetneſſe they have had in the ſights of Chriſt, pardoning and applying his love to them: he knows he hath not theſe things; when he comes to action he is as dead, and as low as may be; and as I told you, he is pooreſt and worſt at laſt.
Fourthlie, God delights to diſcover a hypocrite, he delights in that exceedingly, and commonlie doth it, and laies it upon a man cloſely and wonderfullie by wonderfull flaſhes of ſpirit, and God delights to do it.
Firſt, Becauſe it is a ſecret that none can find out but himſelfe, therefore he delights to anatomize a wicked, cunning, deceitfull heart.
Secondlie, God he delights to do it, becauſe he loves to put a ſpeciall marke upon them of all perſons in the world, thoſe that have deceived others ſhall deceive themſelves, he put a marke upon the firſt hypocrite in the world that ever was, that he changed his countenance, ſo that if you had no more, take them altogether and you ſhall find, that a man may very well be a hypocrite, and know himſelfe to be ſo, and yet go one; nay, it is very hard for a man to be long a hypocrite under the Goſpell but he muſt lye under the checks of it. But
Secondly, you will ſay, how can this be? How can he continue in Congregations, in Churches? how can he continue all this while and not be terrified, and not leave off all profeſſion? My Brethren,
In the firſt place, pray take in theſe things, know it is the moſt deluding ſin in the world, the moſt pleaſant ſin in the world to a man, as men love by Art to imitate nature, they are mighty pleaſed with it to repreſent Nature in Art, how men give up themſelves and their ſtudies, and are pleaſed with it; there is nothing more pleaſing to a man as hypocriſie is, that he can turne himſelf at any time here and there, & evade all things that are laid upon him by the Goſpell. (It is juſt as you ſee with thoſe that are your theeves or cut-purſes, that have a curious art and dexterity to do it; they will take a mans purſe out of his pocket ſo exactly, that he cannot know it is done, but they are gone, and when they come together at night, they rejoyce and brag who hath done the beſt feats,) ſo hypocrites cannot but know in their naturall conſciences it is againſt the rule, but there is abundance of pleaſure in it to cheat themſelves, and cheat others, till God worke mightilie upon them: for to imitate a Saint in every thing, and do it exactly, pleaſes a hypocrite, that he can delude others: when he hath been in prayer, coſened and deluded the beſt ſort of men in the world, as I have heard ſome ſay, they could delude all the Saints in the world, for that is pleaſing to a man that nouriſhes his ſelfe-love, and that does carry him on to act, ſo as to be well thought of by others, it ſhews a man an artificiall man that can thus and thus move up and down the world, and none ſee him, or take notice of him, all think him a bleſſed Saint; I am confident there is no ſin ſo pleaſing to a ſoule as hypocriſie is, for it will have ſo many varieties of Artificiall motions laid before it to act by, that a man is not tyed to one or tother, but ſtill acted in variety, and the ſence of divine things is not on his heart at all, as I ſhall ſhew you in the ſecond place.
Secondly, he may go on in profeſſion though he know himſelfe to be ſo; he may go on, becauſe he knows not the nature and vileneſſe of his ſin at all, only ſees he is not as he ſhould be, and it is the ſame with other ſins; he may lye long under a ſin, ſo long as Conſcience is not preſſed on with an unreſiſtible conviction, only a generall cold conviction is upon him; he ſees that he hath done ſo and ſo, and he is ſo and ſo, but there is not any thing of the power of conviction upon his ſoule, for then a ſoule ſhould not be able to ſtand under it, but cry out he cannot endure it; but commonly it is with hypocriſie (ſuch a pleaſing ſin) as with other ſins; a man ſees the guilt by the rule, but not by the light of a divine conviction, ſtrangely working in his ſoule and ſpirit, and ſo goes on as thoſe did which the Prophet ſpeakes of, you lye, and ſteale, and commit adultery, and yet come and appeare before me; they had brazen faces for all that, they never felt the power of conviction upon their ſpirits, and if God ſhould ſhew any man any one ſin, he would never act that ſin, but he would abhor the very ſights of it; But there are ſuch poore common generall convictions meerly from conſcience; conſcience hath a power within a man, but it never ſtirs with terrour till God anew, as it were, ſhews his ſin, and his miſerable eſtate by ſin, by a light from heaven, and ſo ſets conſcience afreſh a working; God then gives it a new Commiſſion to charge his ſoule, he goes to duty though he knows himſelfe full of hypocriſie, yet he can go to duty as quietly as can be; a man may know himſelfe to be a hypocrite and yet go on in it; becauſe
Secondly, He thinkes he ſhall weare out his hypocriſie by his duties, though he performe them in it, though he contract guilt by them: and moſt of his hypocriſie is in his duties, and that is exceeding ſtrange, but it is moſt true, for a hypocrite thinkes by his duties to weare out all his deceits; as he colours his hypocriſie by it, ſo he hopes to weare it out by it, he hopes it is a worke of time, though he have a bad heart yet he hopes to have a better heart, though he never looks to Chriſt for it.
Fourthly, He hath ſomething at preſent that he gets by his profeſſion, ſomething that is ſutable to ſome end, ſome luſt or other of his own, and that keeps him up, notwithſtanding thoſe generall convictions; I know not how to call them convictions, they are ſo cold and poore upon a mans heart, but he hopes to get ſomething, either applauſe of men to be a good Chriſtian, or ſomething to be thought of by men, or to get ſome peace of conſcience, that the violence and deſperateneſſe of wrath fall not upon him. Aye, but
Fifthly, which is moſt of all, that I may ſhew you this; God doth judicially give up thoſe kind of hypocrites that have begun without him, tooke up profeſſion without any workings of God upon their ſoules, he gives them up commonly unto a reprobate mind, that you have ſo commonly named in the New Teſtament, ſo injudicious as they cannot underſtand their own condition, but go on ſtill, ſee no more in one condition than another; but that I may ſpeake of Gods dealing with hypocrites in this way.
Firſt, As I told you, God delights to diſcover hypocrites, ſo he hath moſt judgements upon them of any in the world, and he diſcovers them commonly, either
Firſt, By ſome ſecret giving them up, or withdrawing ſtrength; giving them up to ſome corruption, or withdrawing ſtrength from them abſolutely, that they find nothing of former ſtrength at all: ſo he doth many times with thoſe that have lived upon parts, gifts, and endowments, it is ordinary for God to leave them, as you have it in John 15. they wither, the life and ſap that they were wont to have is withdrawn, and the ſpirit is gone, ſo it is with many; and certainly that is the Reprobate mind; taking away from the underſtanding that common light, that the ſoule ſhall only looke after the outward part of a duty, but never knew the life of it, never underſtands nor diſtinguiſhes when he is in a bad or a good condition. Oh! looke after the impreſſion and ſence of the things of God upon your ſoules.
Secondlie, The way that God takes to diſcover hypocrites, he gives them up to ſome eminent corruption to breake out as to diſcover them; as it was with Judas, he had many gnawings of conſcience doubtleſſe under Chriſts Miniſtry alwaies, and under Chriſts eye, but he was never diſcovered till he gave him up to that covetous heart, that wicked corruption that lay moſt in his heart, then he was diſcovered preſently, then thirty peeces of ſilver was enough for Jeſus Chriſt. Either God gives them up to deadneſſe, to be twiſe dead, that is, dead in their own hearts, the meaning is, they loſt both their naturall affections, and the affections they had on their hearts by common gifts and workings, they loſt both, and now nothing takes hold of them; or elſe he gives them up to ſome eminent corruption, that all the world ſees there is one never minded the Goſpell, now it is broke out; or elſe
Secondlie, As to that head, God gives them up unto a deſpaire, which is very common, and that is twofold:
Firſt, Either ſecret deſpaire, they tug in duties, may by night and day, when they are preſt in conſcience, and they get nothing, go to Sermons and they find no blowings of the Spirit, no breathings at all upon their hearts, and ſo grow into a ſecret deſpaire inſenſibly.
Now there is a ſecret kind of intermiſſion in Saints, but this ſoule goes on and never finds any thing of God or Chriſt.
Secondly, There is a terrifying deſpaire which ſometimes God gives them up to, whereby they are terrified with the hideouſneſſe of the wrath of God, crying out they are damned, they are damned, and they never commonly get out of it: you never heare of any hypocrite in the Scripture that ever got out when God laid a charge upon him; becauſe God would have ſoules walke ſo purely and clearely with him in all their duties.
Now as you ſee how he may know himſelfe to be ſo, to be thus, and yet act; ſo ſee the nature of his hypocriſie; and take it in ſhort.
Firſt, though he know himſelfe to be a hypocrite, and to be unſound, yet he is loath to have it ſaid ſo, or have it diſcovered, he cannot abide that, he would not have any one thinke ſo, though he knows it himſelfe, but yet would walke ſo exactly as he could; ſo it was with Balaam, Num. 21.22, 23. all along how gladly would he have gone to curſe the Iſraelites? but God would not ſuffer him: though he knew he was a moſt wicked notorious hypocrite, and a witch too, yet how would he pretend to Balack he would go to God; he would gladly have done it, but God had a mighty check upon him: it was a Propheſie to all the world, how all dealings with Saints ſhould be, though he ſpoke good things, and he could not but ſpeake them, yet he would gladly avoid them for the money, and ſtill he had an over-awing of God upon him: So it is with many hypocrites, though they know themſelves to be unſound at the heart and bottome, yet they would have all thinke well of them, what they want of integritie that they would make up in the handſomneſſe of their deportment and cariage up and downe the world.
Secondly, Though he know himſelfe to be an hypocrite, yet there is none will be more cenſorious of hypocriſie in others, even to poore Saints; but that is a common rule, he will be ſevere in the cenſuring of others, and he may thinke by that, that others may thinke him far from hypocriſie.
Thirdly, Nay, what ſhall I ſay? in the third place know this, though he know himſelfe thus to be in that condition, yet he never ſtrives to root out the wickedneſſe of that frame out of his own heart, but to ſmother it, and cover it, and palliate it from the eyes of men ſome way or other, not to deſtroy it in his own ſpirit, but ſmother it, ſo that it may looke Saint-like ſtill; but a gracious heart, as ſoone as it diſcovers hypocriſie, as he ſees the ſtraines of hypocriſie in his heart, he looks to root it out as ſoone as it is diſcovered. But to ſpeake no more to that, let us now come to the application of it to all your hearts.
Firſt, If this be ſo: I beſeech you once againe to put your hearts upon the ſerious conſideration, and examination of your own eſtates; what are you? Now you looke well, come to heare, you are not in ſight ſo ugly, what are you within? Have you not ſtrange ſtraines of hypocriſie if you be not hypocrites? I beſeech you looke ſeriouſly to your own hearts: this is the end of all this diſcourſe, to put men ſeriouſlie upon the triall of their own ſpirits, that they may not be unſound in the Goſpell, that they may not have a rotten ſpirit within, that the liver, and lungs, and heart be not corrupted whileſt they deale with the great things of the Goſpell; that is, that the faculties of the ſoule may be purelie acted to God; there are more hypocrites now in the world, than in any one Age ſince the Creation; it was a hard thing to pick out one formerlie; but God will ſhew many of them in theſe daies, he is a trying the world, and as he goes along he will try ſpirits moſt. Oh, you have trials under the Goſpell, have you got a cleareneſſe? Can you ſay you have a glorious inward freeneſſe with God? Oh, what uſe have you made of the Goſpell? Have you inward glorious incomes of God from the breathing in of divine frames in your actings towards God? Let me ask you but theſe common queſtions.
Firſt, Cannot you find ſome time to play with your ſins ſometimes, ſo they bite you not, and ſting you? Cannot you take ſome recreating times for your ſins and corruptions? Pray you conſider of it; a hypocrite doth ſo: he dares not make a trade of it, but he will make a recreation of it now and then, he loves that he dares not practice, you can now and then play with your wanton thoughts as long as they do not fly in your face, you can delight your ſelfe in your ſecret wiſhes: Oh that I were at it; look to your own ſoules. Nay, what is this Religion that men ſpeake of? do you find ſuch kind of things in your hearts? he that can play with ſin for recreation can joine himſelf unto ſin for delight, and to be one nature with him: a Saint hates appearances, he cannot endure the thoughts of it.
Secondlie, Are there not ſome ſins you call little ſins, and ſome duties you call little duties, and ſome duties that you never lay upon your conſcience? Look to your hearts in that, you are never humbled for the commiſſion of ſins, or the omiſſion of duties, it is a dangerous ſymptome of hypocriſie. A hypocrite will be ſure to make diſtinctions in the Goſpell; there be ſome ſecret workings up of corruptions and ſins, as vanitie of thoughts, diſtraction in duties, and ſecret riſings of corruptions, and deſires in a mans heart which he never chargeth his conſcience withall, and ſome duties he never laies upon conſcience, ſo long as he can paſſe thorough the maine body he never cares for the ſpeciall circumſtances of the Goſpell. A gracious and upright heart ſaies: Shall I call that little that is againſt the glorie of an infinite God? It is the object makes the ſin great, not the act: this dutie hath as much authority upon my heart though never ſo meane, though but to waſh a Saints feet, as to offer the greateſt ſacrifices before the eyes of all the world.
Thirdly, Let me aske you this, Are you not afraid of trialls, and to be throughly diſcovered to your own hearts? Do you not endeavour ſometimes, if poſſible, to evade the ſtrength of a conviction, and the ſtrength of a word from God that is laid upon your heart, afraid to looke into your own hearts and ſee your ſpirits, to be diſcovered to your ſelves? do not you many times huſh conſcience, and ſay, be quiet conſcience, ſtay a while to your own conſciences, I will be better, I will ſtrive againſt it, I will not be thus and thus carried away? do you not find theſe things? A dangerous ſymptome; a hypocrite endeavours to evade the authoritie of the Goſpell, he is afraid to abide the power and the glorie of it; if he cannot find out prudentiall conſiderations enough, he will get ſpirituall pretences, he will be ſure if he can evade conviction he will do it, that is a very dangerous ſigne. And againe,
Fourthlie, Examine your own hearts, Is there not ſome of the fat of the Cattle, of the ſheep, (to allude to that of Saul, for he was an hypocrite) in the going on in your duties, reſerved? Is there not ſome Agag for honors ſake you would keep up, 1 Sam. 15 read over that place at your leiſure: God bids Saul ſlay the Amalekites, deſtroy them all in the third verſe, yet he reſerved an Agag, and the beſt of the ſpoile, here was the diſcoverie of his wicked heart, he would have ſacrificed ſome of the fat things, he had a mind to triumph by Agag: he thought it was too much to deſtroy all thoſe things, though God gave a peremptorie command to deſtroy all, I will ſacrifice them to God to make an attonement, only reſerved ſome of the beſt to carrie to my people in triumph, that they may ſee the out-goings of God; that loſt him his Kingdom, and diſcovered his hypocriſie firſt of any act, he had a ſecret luſt to honour himſelfe by it; have you none of the fat of your corruptions? Have you never a luſt laid up? Is there never a corruption that your ſoules have countenanced, or do countenance?
It is a dangerous ſigne of hypocriſie, if a man have any thing that the word of God ſaith is not the mind of God, that he reſerves in his heart without utter hatred. Well, look to it I beſeech you, and eſpeciallie look to that of the triall of your ſpirits, whether you can be willing to be tried, for you ſhall find a hypocrite will appeale to God and his conſcience, but he cannot endure to be tried by Saints, he will appeale to God if it be not ſo, yet he cannot endure to be put to it, to have his heart ript open. Nay, it is very common to ſay, God knows my heart, but if you come to try his heart, and ſay, how can this grace ſtand with this corruption, he cannot endure that, he will hate the thoughts of it. And if you do try him him about his eſtate, you muſt not debate it with him, but you muſt take it for granted, elſe he will try your graces as well as you try his, and queſtion your ſtate as much as you his: And then if he be put to it at laſt, as to triall of his own ſpirit, he will ſave all with a whining confeſſion, and that is all you will get of him; therefore look to your ſelves as to theſe things.
In the ſecond place, I ſhould now have come to have preſt on the exhortation of the Lord Jeſus; beware of hypocriſie, you that are Chriſtians, you that are reall Saints ſhould beware of it, and ſo to all ſorts of profeſſours, take heed and beware of it, and ſhewed you theſe things. To have opened the nature of it, and the hideouſneſſe of it.
And firſt from the danger of it to your ſoules, it is the moſt dangerous ſin you can have in your ſoules, and that, Firſt, becauſe it is the last reſerve, it is undiſcernable, a man muſt ſearch as with a Candle that finds it out: as the Jews were to ſearch for the Leaven with a Candle, and then curſe all the reſt, it is a cloſe ſin: indeed there are ſome actings of it that are very groſſe; but as for ſpirituall ſecret hypocriſie in duties, compare them with actings they are exceeding cloſe and undiſcernable in the ſoules of men; a ſoule muſt dig very deep, and be very obſervant, and have a watch over his ſoule every moment if ever he would trie his heart; it is ſo cloſe and ſo cunning, that a man will hardlie beleeve it is there, there is ſuch a hidden motion upon a man, that he cannot tell how it comes.
Secondlie beware of it: It is infectious, it is a dangerous infectious ſpreading nature, it will be over all the faculties on a ſudden: it will repreſent you all kind of glaſſes that can be poſſible; it can in the morning give you one glaſſe to looke in, at noone another glaſſe, and in the evening one different from both; take one part of the Law you ſhall ſee your ſelves in it very faire, it ſpreads over all: it will, it may be, begin with your underſtandings, and give you ſtrange ſights and apprehenſions of God, then come in upon your affections upon a ſudden, and work them to this end, and to their end: it will kiſſe and kill at once; looke to it, for it is the moſt dangerous ſin of any in the world in a mans heart.
For if the ſoundneſſe be gone from a mans heart, what will he do then? A man cannot act like a man when the ſubſtance of the ſoule is gone, he cannot act, neither Scripture, reaſon, nor his judgement, but a particular cloſe humour.
Thirdlie, beware of it: It is the most inconſtant in its motions, the moſt various in its repreſentations, ſo many habits, and ſo many formes it will appeare in to you, and alter upon every occaſion, that it is impoſſible, unleſſe a man be given up to try his own heart, to find it out: A heart, and a heart: you ſhall have a faire heart now, and a wicked heart anon: come and talke with a Perſon now, and you ſhall find them in a good frame, ſo as if they were commanded by the power of of it, come an houre after, and you ſhall find them in a wicked damnable ſtraine of ſpirit, ſpeaking like mad men, this is moſt common: eſpeciallie come to talke with a man privately, what abundance of ingenuitie there is: come to another action, and at another time, and he is not the ſame man, hypocriſie will appeare, and this is the miſery mens ſoules are juggled to hell, put in ſo many formes, they know not when they are right, know not what is the reall complexion they ſhould have in the Goſpell, it is ſo various and ſo cunning: it juggles a mans ſoule to hell.
Fourthly, It is the moſt odious thing to God of any, it takes his name in vaine moſt of any, it is againſt his ſimplicitie, omniſciencie, his puritie, God hates nothing more than this ſtate, therefore he ſets himſelfe againſt hypocrites of all ſorts of people in the world.
I ſhould have come to have ſhewed you how to avoid it, what are the ſpeciall remedies of hypocriſie, the ſpeciall things to keep a man from the evill of it, the way to preſerve a man from this dangerous ſin: but I would not leave ſome poore ſoules without ſome kind of comfort; all this while many will ſay, Alas, I am the man: I am the woman: certainlie I have been a hypocrite all my daies: I would only ſpeake a little comfort to ſuch poore ſoules.
Firſt, know this: Jealouſie of thine own heart, and ſevere inquiſition into it, is a good hopefull Character that thou art far off that condition.
There is a twofold jealouſie that therefore you may not be deceived.
Firſt, A jealouſie on probable grounds, ſecret and cloſe ſymptomes, and hints from actings, which may teach many a ſoule that hypocriſie may have place in his heart; for I find this and that when I come to looke on the whole ſtraine of my life, I have not my heart ſo carried out in ſpirituall things: I never minded this and that in my actings: this is a jealouſie that may conſiſt with the knowledge of hypocriſie.
Secondlie, there is a jealouſie that ariſeth from feare and care leſt I ſhould be ſuch an one, from the hatred of the thing: thou ſeeſt the vileneſſe of it, and thou ſeeſt thou canſt never be quiet till thou haſt the cleareneſſe of integritie made out to thee: that is good, that is ſweet: none more apt to cenſure a Saint than himſelfe; you know when Jeſus Chriſt made the queſtion about his betraying, the hypocrite ſpake laſt, never ſpake till he was put to it; every one ſaid at the Supper, Lord is it I? Is it I? Every one had rather dye than heare that word ſpoken; but when it comes to Judas, he was forced to it at laſt, and yet he would not confeſſe it; but when the conviction lay upon him, and he muſt needs be under it, then he went out, and that was all you heard of him till he hanged himſelfe.
Secondlie, To comfort poore ſoules, they have no reaſon to conclude themſelves hypocrites, when they are glad if God by any meanes diſcover and deſtroy their hypocriſie whatever way it be: for there lies the weight when God ſhall be bleſſed for diſcovering a mans heart to him: take this for a rule; If a ſoule can rejoyce and bleſſe God for his convictions of ſin, as for his comforts after conviction it is a ſigne of a moſt bleſſed glorious ſpirit; though the ſight of hypocriſie be the uglieſt ſight in the world, yet when he ſees it he bleſſeth God for it.
Thirdlie, Never thinke thou art an hypocrite, if thy heart is ſet againſt the nature of ſin, and purſueſt the enjoyment, of the nature of God, whileſt thy heart is ſet againſt the nature of ſin, and followeſt on the nature of God, that is, to be really poſſeſſed with a ſubſtantiall enjoyment of God, when the very nature of ſin is againſt thy heart, and when the nature of godlineſſe is in thine eye as to enjoyment, to be fully poſſeſſed with that.
Fourthlie, know this too: Never ſay thou art a hypocrite when no outward act can content thee, though never ſo glorious, without thou haſt an inward frame according to that act, according to the inward ſpiritualitie of the Goſpell, if thou lookeſt to have thy ſoule in a frame to thy duty, thou needeſt not feare hypocriſie.
Fifthly, While thy ſoule is as much troubled for omiſſion of thy duty as for commiſſion of thy ſin, thou needeſt not feare that thou art a hypocrite, while thy ſoule is as much troubled for omiſſion of a duty, or an act of faith, or cloſing with Chriſt, or of any outward duty wherein thou haſt enjoyed Chriſt, as for commiſſion of ſin, thou needeſt not feare thou art a hypocrite.
Sixthly and laſtly, thou needeſt not feare thou art a hypocrite whilſt thou hateſt thine own ſtrength in thy duties as much as an outward act of ſin, or the moſt diſtemper of thy ſpirit, or a corruption done in the wickedneſſe of thy heart; I ſpeake only this a little to divert the thoughts of poore ſoules that ſay, I am certainly under this frame of ſpirit.
But looke to your own hearts every one, if you find all theſe, or any of them in any life upon your ſoules, you are free from that ſtate; but if you find not ſuch an univerſall oppoſite nature to ſin, but a frame to ſin againſt God, if you find not ſuch conſtant pure frames in your owne ſpirits as to principles, intentions, and ends, you will never be able to free your ſelves from ſuch a ſtate and condition.