Hypocrisy Discovered, Sermon 7
SERMON VII.
LUKE 12.1.
Beware of the Leaven of the Phariſees, which is Hypocriſie.
I Have endeavoured in many exerciſes to open to you the nature of hypocriſie, and have told you the ſorts of hypocrites that are up and down the world, and in Churches: Now in the latter daies they grow more glorious than ever, therefore Chriſts exhortation had need be more preſſing; formerlie hypocriſie was courſely cloathed, could hardlie ſtep out among the Saints, they were ſo prying, and ſo cunninglie carefull to obſerve the dangers of the Devill in times of danger and perſecution: Now when the Sun ſhines, faire daies againe, Religion ſeems to flouriſh in the outſide of it, and there is a benefit, by the name of it, men will be very glorious in hypocriſie: and if ever there were need to preſſe Chriſts exhortation, it is now upon all ſorts of men and profeſſours: among his owne diſciples there was one among twelve, he bids them beware, take heed: It is a good caution for them all, Saints are ſubject to the ſtraines of it many times, without they have an abundant care in their own ſpirits.
Therefore that I ſhall do, is ſtill to preſſe this exhortation upon your hearts, that it may take ſome weight and impreſſion: for beleeve it, however you looke upon your ſelves, or whatever thoughts others have of you, we had need to tell you to beware of hypocriſie, the better you are thought of, the more danger. And you may remember the laſt time, firſt I told you, you had need to looke to your own ſpirits concerning this ſin, becauſe of the danger of it in its nature and workings.
Secondlie, becauſe of the uglineſſe, and vileneſſe of it, of all other ſins in the ſoule how it is that which is perfectlie againſt the nature of God, his holineſſe and ſimplicitie, his faithfulneſſe and realitie to the Sons of men, how it is that that makes a man like the devill moſt of any ſin: he will beleeve, and is convinced of the things that the Goſpell ſpeakes of that they are true: but here lies the greatneſſe of his wickedneſſe, the cunningneſſe of his deceit, that he ſets up an art of deceiving in the world, to deceive the Sons of men that they ſhould not beleeve the word of God; there is none like the devill, ſo perfectlie like the devill as hypocrites, I have choſen you twelve, and one of you is a devill, none is called a devill in Scripture but he: and there lies the ſutableneſſe that he is a lyar, and hypocriſie is a perfect lye in the ſoule.
Then I ſhewed you the uglineſſe of it likewiſe, that it doth indiſpoſe the ſoule to every thing that is good, when one is in the beſt frame, as it were, that ſpoiles all, it is of a poyſonous nature.
I ſhall go on to ſhew you what is that you muſt continuallie look after if you meane to beware of it, and prevent it, as the care and remedie of this ſad condition.
Therefore firſt, as to the generall, and as the maine thing, if ever you meane to beware of hypocriſie you muſt principle your hearts, and farniſh them with all the graces of the ſpirit, you will never be ſincere elſe, you will never be ſincere till you have all graces, and the workings of them proportionable in your ſoules and ſpirits, Epheſ. 3. he begs of them to go on, and this I pray that your love may abound more and more in all knowledge, and in all experience, that you may be able to approve the things that are excellent, that you may be ſincere, Phil. 1.9. A man muſt have all judgement, a diſcerning eye, for ſinceritie, doth not lye only in the intentions of men, but in the reall workings of all the frames of the ſoule, of all the graces as they are in the heart, when a man can approve the things that are excellent, that is, he can judge them, and try them, and act them as they are diſcovered to be truths, that is ſinceritie: for ſinceritie is not ſo much a diſtinct grace as a reſult of the harmonious workings of all graces in the ſoule, there muſt be a rectified mind to make a man ſincere, for it is not a good intention that will make an action good, or make you ſincere in any action, but as it flows from inward reall frames and principles that are ſutable; Peter was an affectionate man, and he ſaid to Chriſt when he told him of his ſufferings, ſpare thy ſelfe, do not go and ſuffer, he did it out of a good intention, but he was rebuked for it, he had a cleare intention, would not have the leaſt hurt come to Chriſt, but it was againſt the deſigne that Jeſus Chriſt came about, therefore he ſaid, get thee behind me Sathan: It was not that ſincerity, therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, that you may be ſincere: Oh that ſincerity of ſoule! it lies in thoſe two things; that you may be ſincere, you muſt be able to judge and approve things that are excellent.
Firſt, foreign, it ſignifies ſuch a ſtraine as is without any mixture, hath no compoſition of any forraigne thing in it, when every thing is pure in its native colour, you muſt prove all things, be able to try all things, and have a judgement of them: that you may be ſo unmixt in your actings, that you may have nothing at all of the corruption of the world in it; for we commonlie in our duties mixe our owne ends, and our own intereſts, and engagements in the things of God, and whatever the intentions be, yet if there be any ſuch mixtures, you are not ſincere; though you may thinke you do well, and are very exact in the Goſpell, yet you cannot be ſincere whileſt there is ſuch a mixture in your principles and ends, 1 Cor. 8. A man is not ſincere when there are any mixtures, when a man is carried on by inward motions of ſin: Now, I confeſſe, there will be many mixtures, but there are mixtures in intentions, and mixtures in principles, and ends: and theſe are dangerous, for a man cannot be ſincere if theſe be predominant over him. As if I go to God, if it be not to glorifie God, and to have communion with him, having the higheſt end, and do not act from a ſpirituall principle of holy love to him, and his glorie, if I have any mixture in my intentions, though other things may come in accidentallie, yet if they be incorporated in the principle, then I am not ſincere.
For to make up that ſinceritie, a man muſt have that ſpirit of ſinceritie that is pure to act from God to God, from the Spirit unto Chriſt. Now here is a pure way of acting, when the ſoule ſees what its own ſtrength is, caſts it out, lies at Chriſts feet, is carried out by the aſſiſtance of Gods ſpirit, will not have any thing but the ſtrength of Chriſt, when the intentions goe along together with the acting of theſe things, when there is a pure intention, that I fix but my eye wholly on one object, for there be many conſiderations that come in accidentally, but the eye is fixt upon one object; I muſt have Chriſt, and my ſoule is working after him, and there I center my heart, that is ſinceritie indeed, ſo we ſhould receive the ſincere milke of the word, that is, that milke that is unmixt with the corruption of men, the ſincere milke, 1 Pet. 2. therefore looke to your owne hearts, if ever you meane to avoid hypocriſie, you muſt be ſure that you keep from mixtures, mixtures of unſound principles, and ends, ſelfe-love, ſelfe-ends, take heed of the aire of the world, left that come in and fill your ſailes in your duties; take heed of any thing that may mixe with your principles, & your ends; for in acting towards God, you cannot act purelie, but you muſt act from ſingle and entire principles in your hearts, and cleare apprehenſions of the object, and the end: And however you may conceive you act evenlie, and your heart is not feigning to be ſo in a duty; yet if you be not carried out in ſuch a heavenly harmony of principles and inclinations, and your ends together, you will never be found to be ſincere in the Goſpell.
Secondlie, the word ſignifies that clearneſſe, that perſpicuity that ſhould be in a mans ſoule in all his actings: ſo ſaith the Apoſtle, that you may be ſincere, the word ſignifies ſuch a cleareneſſe, as when a man is under the judgement of the Sun, as under the Sun ſhining on a mans ſpirit, you will hardly avoid hypocriſie till your conſciences be under a light, and a brightneſſe of the glory of divine workings upon your hearts: for when your conſcience lies under darkneſſe and guilt as to the teſtimony it ſhould give, you will ſtill have ſhiftings off of hypocriſie from your ſpirits, to take off the weight and miſery off from you; but the Apoſtle would have you to be ſo cleare in your judgement of the Goſpell, as if you were to be judged by the Sun it ſelfe, it ſhould be found that there is nothing but ſinceritie: a faire teſtimonie in everie dutie, that inward whiteneſſe of a mans ſpirit in a duties, that it is not mixed with any bribings from without, nor ſecret evaſions from within. And that ſhining from the conſcience is ſo bright, that as the Apoſtle ſaith, this is the teſtimonie that we have, the teſtimonie of our conſciences: A man ſhould be ſo cleare in his own ſpirit if he meant to avoid hypocriſie that if he were to be brought out to be judged before men and Angels, he might have ſuch an inward brightneſſe in his own ſpirit, that he might be comforted and refreſhed in the ſight of it.
For you find this commonly, take hypocrites in the time of convictions, they have no teſtimonie of God at all: Now take a ſincere heart, though he be under conviction, yet there is ſuch a light that he judgeth there is ſinceritie in his own heart, convince but a hypocrite of one thing he can give no account of the other: all comes in upon him, and challengeth him, for he hath no brightneſſe within that will teſtifie to his ſoule at a dead lift; when conſcience accuſeth, he hath nothing to excuſe in his conſcience from the cleareneſſe of the acting of true principles in him: I beſeech you, if ever you meane to avoid hypocriſie, be ſincere, and if you will get ſinceritie, you muſt get all theſe graces clearelie ſhining and working in your owne ſpirits, for you will be put hard to it to get ſinceritie while your principles are darke and not even; if you find not your principles and ends meet together, and your eye is ſingly ſet upon the Lord Jeſus, and your hearts ſet for the glory of God, you will not have that inward plainneſſe in your own hearts. Though the nature of ſinceritie lies much as to theſe two things.
Firſt, the clearneſſe of a mans principles and unmixtneſſe in them.
Secondlie, a plainneſſe and ingenuitie in the actings of them; from theſe two flows that which we call that ſinceritie of ſpirit: To be free from ſembling, and faigning of things, when I am not mixt, when I am without impuritie in my motions as to what I act: though there be hypocriſie in ſome other things, yet there is not in thoſe maine things. So that the firſt thing I would commend unto you, if you would avoid hypocriſie, is to furniſh your ſelves with all ſpirituall graces of ſinceritie, that you may be juſtified before the Sun, that as they ſay of the Eagle, they try their young ones by the Sun, if they can endure the ſight of the Sun they are then true: ſo you, if theſe things will endure the Sun, and the light of God, then you may ſay you act ſincerelie.
Secondlie, if you would avoid hypocriſie, lye alwaies under the dread of an omniſcient eye, this is that that men are diſcovered hypocrites by: they know not what the ſights of God are, that allſeeing God, if I thought God did looke into my heart, and did ſee me, it is impoſſible I ſhould then go on in a way of ſin and deceit to deceive my own ſoule, for to deceive the omniſcient God: Hypocrites thinke in the generall that God ſees all things, but they lye not under the dread and aw of an omniſcient God, no grace keeps a ſoule ſo much from hypocriſie as the feare of God, the awe and dread of God ſeeing into a mans heart; for though thy heart be cloſe to others, it is tranſparent to God, he ſees all the cunning of thy ſpirit, and veines of thy ſoule, how thou doſt delude thy owne heart, therefore if thou wouldſt be ſound, looke after that, the feare and dread of God: Remember, what is it for me to be well thought of by others when God ſees it not ſo, the omniſcient eye knows I have a ſecret cunning heart for to deceive? He ſees me, though I ſpeake faire to this and that perſon yet God knows I am wrong, he knows I am lying when I ſpeake a word, though others know it not: Oh, if the eye of God were but thought of by men, if we thought we had a divine preſence with us, Whither ſhall I go? if I go to heaven thou art there, Pſal. 139. if a ſoule were under this conſideration, whither ſhall I go from thy preſence? I may carrie this ſin cloſelie and ſecretlie, yet the eye of God is upon me, the Lord ſees me: I had better all the world ſhould ſee me than God, for he diſcovers me from the bottome: ſo much for that.
Thirdlie, If ever you meane to avoid hypocriſie in your own ſpirits, be alwaies conſidering the vanitie of this ſin of all other ſins: A ſin which there is no profit in at all: A hypocrite takes as much paines for all his cunning deceits as a Saint for all his ſinceritie; for a man to act as a King upon a Royall Stage, and the next moment he is in Rags, not a bit of bread, ſo here, a hypocrite, take him out of his duties, hath nothing to live upon but what they ſhirke up and down the Goſpell for, and that is ſo miſerable and ſo poore a life, that they would give over the waies of Religion, if it were not for ſhame; and when a man conſiders old age is comming on, there is a day of darkneſſe, a midnight houre that muſt be upon my ſoule, God will one day take off all this diſguiſe, I am well thought of by others now, but what ſhall I be then, there is a night up on me, but there is a day upon others, and that which is the day of the Lord to others will be a midnight to me, and that will be the time of the diſcoverie of me to be miſerable. Better a man had never gone on in ſuch a hood, and have it plucked off, and to ſee ſuch an ugly face: Oh, what hideous cries will one day be! Oh, that I had never made uſe of the name of Chriſt! Oh, that I had been through with my owne ſpirit, that I had never deceived my own ſoule, that I had known what my condition had been before I played with the Goſpell, and dallied with the things of Chriſt; I beſeech you conſider, to be cloathed in darkneſſe after you have ſeemed to be cloathed with the brighteſt notions of the Goſpell, it is a vaine thing, a man gets nothing at all, lives upon the aire, what men ſay of him, the good thoughts, and good words of men, there is all, for he hath nothing from Chriſt as to the enjoyments of the Goſpell in his own ſpirit, and is not that ſad? Againe,
Fourthlie, Looke to beware of hypocriſie, for it is a dangerous thing if it go on to a height, hypocrites are ſeldome converted under the Goſpell, the reaſon is, they weare out all thoſe principles they knew, they curſe themſelves under the Goſpell, they have heard over and over againe the ſame things, and they make little of them in their own ſpirits; God ſeldome converts them, only that conviction that is commonlie upon theſe that are hypocrites, is to ſhow them their hypocriſie to be their miſerie, whereas to others the time of their conviction is the time of their converſion: When God comes to profane men and ſtrikes them home, it is commonlie to convert them, but as to a hypocrite, it is Gods time to ſhew him his hell and miſery, and how he hath out-run his glaſſe, and paſt the day of the Goſpell: Oh that thou hadſt known in this thy day the things of thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes: God loves to make ſuch perſons examples to the world, if they get a breath at the laſt day it is well. Therefore looke to it you that begin to be formall, and to play with your convictions, and take them off now and then, dallying with the Lord, looke to it, it is a thouſand to one if ever you be converted, that that converts others condemnes you: And tremble at this, that you ſhould live under Ordinances and diſcoveries every day, and yet be no better; if you eſcape long without through-improved convictions upon your hearts, it is a dangerous ſymptome, it is a thouſand to one God hath made but an eſſay upon thy heart. Where did you find that ever God convinced a hypocrite up and down the Goſpell, that was a profeſt one, if you look through the whole Bible, but he left his marke upon them all the daies of their lives? It is a dreadfull thing; yet grace is not bound up, it is not limited at all, it may be God may ſhew more riches of grace upon ſome ſoules, but it is not uſuall: therefore if ever you would be ſcared from hypocriſie take heed of that; when a man comes to dye, and ſhould come at laſt to refreſh himſelfe with the thought that he hath ſerved God faithfullie, and ſincerelie, and finds no comforts of all his duties and enjoyments, then to be convinced that he hath been one that hath deceived himſelfe is very terrible, when he ſhould have God eternallie, then to have that time of times of his everlaſting ruine; God will take ſome time or other to diſcover your hearts, and it may be he will diſcover them and you ſhall not be better, only let the world know, and your owne hearts know what you have been, and leave a ſecret-deadneſſe for ever upon your hearts, or fry in the wrath of it all your daies, as you go up and downe the world, conſume you to nothing with the ſenſe of wrath; Oh prize a ſincere heart, and prize opportunities, and take heed of puttings off, and delaying time, and being careleſſe of what you are about, for that is the trick of a hypocrite to put off, and thinke it will be better, and hug himſelfe with ſome conſiderations, that time will be otherwiſe, take heed: the day of the Lord will be a day of blackneſſe. And that you may be further ſet againſt the nature of this ſin: (for that is my deſign) I beſeech you conſider the hideous doom upon hypocrites, the laſt doome upon hypocrites: when Chriſt would ſpeake the uttermoſt of miſery, he ſaith, he will give them their portion with hypocrites, they ſhall burne in the hotteſt fire, they and the devils together ſhall be companions in the uttermoſt wrath, the ſubjects of the infinite wrath of God, they ſhall be moſt enlarged for wrath, for they are veſſels fitted for wrath, you know, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes, ſo prepared, ſo enlarged for wrath: ſo is the ſoule of a hypocrite that hath lived all his daies in darkneſſe, and blackneſſe, only reſtrained himſelfe as to outward acts: but he is fit for wrath, he hath laid in ſuch treaſures there, that he is every day treaſuring up wrath againſt the day of wrath, that he will be forced to take in the thoughts of wrath, becauſe he hath ſinned againſt the greateſt light, and opportunities, and advantages of the Goſpell: Oh, therefore that you would fright your ſelves out of hypocriſie, (if you can do nothing elſe) and formalitie, and mixt frames of your ſpirits; ſcare your hearts with the day of judgement, with the ſadneſſe of the doome, with the miſerie of the condition.
Secondlie, If ever you meane to be free from hypocriſie, you muſt through with your ſpirits night and day, ſound them to the bottome, let your line be long, let it downe to the bottome of the well, give conſcience leave to ſpeake in the authoritie of God every day upon your hearts: beg of God to try you, to ſearch you, as David ſaid: Go every day to God to ſearch you, and be glad, and beg of all the Saints to remember thee, for there is deceits of hypocriſie in every one of our hearts; never come off viewing of your ſpirits till you have diſcovered ſomething or other: if ever you would be freed from hypocriſie you muſt do this; alwaies keep a narrow watch upon the ſecret parts, be not afraid to looke into your own hearts, but aske every motion what it comes from, whither it moves, try every thing in your own ſpirits; let not any motion go free unexamined in your ſoules, but have a ſevere cenſure of it; no dutie but have a jury on it; looke into the maine frame of your ſpirits: try your principles and intentions firſt, try your motions, obſerve your ends, and how you attaine them conſtantlie; if ever men would be ſincere and free of hypocriſie, they muſt be thus ſpirituallie ſevere to their owne ſoules: it is wholſome ſeveritie, it is bleſſed; it is the ſleight common dealing with our ſpirits, (that we are formall and cold) that makes ſo many deceits in mens hearts which lodges ſo ſecretlie within; we do not go to purpoſe with the ſearch of our own ſpirits, challenging our hearts in every dutie; we ought, I confeſſe, to be carefull how we queſtion the motions of grace in our hearts: But a watchfull Saint, if he will cleare himſelfe of hypocriſie, muſt be eying, and prying into every thing that he doth: obſerve his ſetting out in his duties, the carriage and frames of his ſoule, obſerve the tune afterwards that he is in, for hypocriſie will get upon a ſudden into a mans heart, and a man will thinke himſelfe to be an hypocrite preſently if he be not thus ſtrict and wary; ſo that if you will lay all theſe to your hearts ſeriouſly, it may be a pretious meanes to keep you from the danger of this leaven, though it is impoſſible for to cure it, but only as you grow in grace, and get ſound and ſincere principles in your hearts. So much for the ſecond.
Uſe 2. However let it be a word of comfort unto ſome poore ſoules, that have all this while been harkening after hypocriſie, charging of their own hearts, for I would not let any ſoule go away but with ſome refreſhment. Some will ſay, I ſee ſo much hypocriſie in my own heart, that I cannot but thinke my ſelfe one that never had any grace, or ſoundneſſe in my own ſpirit: I know not what to do, or what to ſay to mine own heart; conſider, I ſay, theſe things.
Firſt, know, it is good for thee to have thy hypocriſie diſcovered, it is a mercy to thee, and a favour of God that he will ſhew thee thy inward parts, that he will diſcover the ſecrets of thy heart, whileſt he lets others go in that eſtate, and never knows what is within all the daies of their lives, only mind outward acts: this is ſo far from being a diſcouragement, that you ſhould bleſſe God for it, that he hath been pleaſed to ſhew thee thine own heart, the ſtraines of hypocriſie in a duty; God might have left thee to go on, and thought thy ſelfe what thou art not.
Secondlie, Remember, the more thou diſcovereſt the ſecret workings of hypocriſie, the more it is a ſigne thou groweſt in grace; for this is the great end of grace, as by the incomings of it to kill ſin, ſo for to diſcover ſin, and the ſecrets of it: the more ſpirituall any heart grows, the more he grows in the inward ſights of his own heart, the more he comes to be acquainted with thoſe ſpirituall kinds of wickedneſſe in his own ſpirit: And be not therefore troubled at that poore ſoule, for it is rather a ſigne of thy grace than hypocriſie, than of any other impulſe, becauſe God doth ſtill by degrees ſhew thee thy own heart, ſo long as thy heart is againſt it.
Thirdlie, be not diſcouraged by the ſights of hypocriſie as long as thou findeſt a ſincere heart from the diſcovery of it: that is, ſo long as thou lyeſt in wait from the ſincerity of thy heart to diſcover it, and likewiſe bewailes it from the ſincerity of thy ſoule; know that it is a true ſigne of a ſincere heart, he lies in wait to diſcover his hypocriſie, he laies himſelfe in ſecret obſervances continually to ſpy out the cunningneſſe and deceits of his own heart. For you ſhall find thoſe ſignes of a ſincere heart.
Firſt, This will diſcover a ſincere heart, that I may comfort a poore ſoule, though he may have hypocriſie in him, yet he will be most impartiall to himſelfe from once he finds it out, it may be he will be charitable to others, yet he will be ſevere to himſelfe; if he find out any hypocriſie, he will be ſure to fall on it with all deteſtation, he will charge his own ſoule, as if it were the damned ſoule, he will rather lay too much weight upon his conſcience, lay it too ſevere on his own ſpirit, than any way excuſe himſelfe; but hypocrites will deale gently with themſelves, if they have not an excuſe at hand, they will not lay it home too much to heart: but a reall Saint will ſay, Oh, wretched man: Oh thou unworthy heart, that ſhould live ſo long, and have ſo many advantages to kill this luſt, and art thou alive yet? Thou ſhalt never eſcape more, I will follow thee night and day with prayers and teares, it will not ſay it is my infirmitie; it is my failing, but is will call himſelfe a wretched man, a heart, and a heart, therefore looke to your own ſoules as to that, and comfort your ſoules any poore heart of you, that though you find hypocriſie, yet you deale ſeverelie with it.
A ſecond Character of a ſincere heart is, though he have hypocriſie in him, he is moſt jealous of hypocriſie: when he finds his heart moſt calme, and faire, ſeemes leaſt checkt in conſcience, hath moſt reſpect from others, oh then he is moſt jealous leſt there be ſome deceit, he is alwaies looking at bottome, alwaies afraid through a ſpirit of care and holy jealouſie within him, alwaies afraid leſt he be deceived, and when his heart ſeemes to be ſo calme, ſo faire, any body would thinke his ſoule to be in a bleſſed frame, and a man himſelfe can ſee nothing upon himſelfe at preſent as to preſent actings, yet then he is afraid of thoſe things that gives moſt advantage to the actings of hypocriſie.
The third Character is, though he have hypocriſie in him, he loves to be throughly dealt withall, he counts the diſcovery of his heart to be a pretious meanes of the ſaving of his poore ſoule: Oh how glad is he to ſee his own heart, and his hypocriſie, ſo he may but find it out to kill it, and go to God againſt it, making it the burden and mourning of his ſoule, he loves to find it out, he cannot abide any pleaſing words to him, unleſſe Chriſt ſpeakes them, he cannot endure, that though he have abundance of hypocriſie, it will not for all that give any countenance to it, but earneſtly rejoyces to be throughly dealt with.
Fourthly and laſtly, though there may he hypocriſie, yet a ſincere heart will ſtand upon a true account, he cannot endure to have any one to commend his heart, he would not be accounted more than he is, he loves to be aſhamed, he cannot abide others to advance him in their commendations of his heart, that he ſees ſo much hypocriſie in: ſo that I ſay, let this be a comfort to you if you have no more.
But as to the ſincerity of your heart, that you would deale with your ſelfe, and would have a ſpirituall inſpection with feare and jealouſie alwaies, that you may ſtand upon a true account ſtill, that you cannot endure any body ſhould commend your heart. There is no Saint but he knows his heart to be the worſt part, he ſees ſo much wickedneſſe there, that he wonders how others can thinke well of him, he cannot abide that any one ſhould conceive he hath ſuch a heart that he mournes under night and day.
So that I ſay, lay all theſe things together, and though thou doſt find ſome hypocriſie in thy heart, yet be not diſcouraged, go on ſtill to follow the rule of Chriſt, that when you find it you do not lye under it; for that will bring guilt, and will ſpread far, but comfort your ſelves ſtill that there is a ſeed, that you do really find that you are purſuing continually growth, that is the conſtant ſtudy of you, that you may be perfectly ſincere, that all your frames may act ſo evenly with God, that there be no jarring at all, that your conſciences may be kept continually under the power of the Goſpell.
But to conclude all: I beſeech you looke to it, you that are Profeſſours, you have heard the nature of hypocriſie, you have heard what deceits there are in the hearts of men, you have heard the ſtrictneſſe of Chriſt to his own Diſciples, how preſſing he was upon them, now look to your own ſoules, try your ſelves by all theſe things, examine your hearts over and over againe, do not content your ſelves with this, that you have names in the world, that you have abundance of inward kinds of experience, for now hypocrites will be growing up in the flouriſhings of the Goſpell, they will have an imitation of faith, and of patience, and of joy, as the Goſpell ſhines forth brightly, they will have an imitation of adoption, it is a wonderfull thing to thinke how a Profeſſour will bring himſelfe into the faſhion of a moſt glorious Saint, transforming himſelfe into an Angell of light, as it were, ſtriving to imitate every thing, and yet enjoy nothing, is loath to have his name expunged out of glory, out of the hearts of Saints. But alas the Lord will come and ſhew himſelfe exceeding dreadfull to Profeſſours in the latter daies; there is a terrour will be upon you one day, that you have only walked up and down and no more, you have found no ſweetneſſe, you have only cozened your ſelves and others: Oh that is miſery enough for every poore ſoule, and therefore remember what hath been ſaid, lay it home upon your conſciences, examine your hearts, commune with your own ſpirits in the night-ſeaſon, and remember there will be a day to diſcover the hearts of men, and you ſhall ſtand naked, uncloathed, and God will ſet a marke on you to all eternity,
FINIS.
Reader, theſe Books following are Printed, and are to be ſold by Richard Tomlins, at the Sun and Bible neare Pye-Corner.
THe general Practice of Phyſick, Fol.
The Fortune Booke in Fol. Engliſh.
Pleaſant Notes upon Don Quixot, Fol.
Mr Collings his Cordials, firſt, ſecond, and third parts, quarto.
His Vindiciae Ministerii, quarto.
His Anſwer to Mr Sheppard, quarto.
His Anſwer to Fiſher and Hammond, quar.
His Anſwer to Boatman, Priane, and Humfries, quarto.
Dr Holdſworth's twenty one Serm. quarto
Euclids Elements in quarto Eng.
Hiſtory of ſeven Champions, quarto.
Packet of Letters, quarto.
Cupids Meſſengers, quarto.
The Birth of Mankind or Womens Book, quarto.
The Perfect Phariſee under Monkiſh holineſſe, quarto.
The falſe Jew, quarto.
Mr Collings Five Leſſons for a Chriſtian to learne, octavo.
His Faith and experience, octavo.
Mr Wincolls Poems, octavo.
Excellency of Chriſt, octavo.
Eraſmus Colloquies, octavo.
Wings and Libourns Urania Practica, octav.
Velitationes Polemicae, octavo.
Perkins Catechiſme, octavo.
Janua Linguarum, octavo.
Brinſley's Cordelius, octavo.
Mr Sidenham's Myſtery of Godlineſs, oct.
Watſon's untaught Bridegroome, Twelves.
End of the text · Cuthbert Sydenham, Hypocrisy Discovered (1654)