The Hypocrite Discovered and Cured, Book 1 · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. A third of thoſe Symptom's from the end of Hypocriſie. Tenderneſſe and Scruples pretended. Straining at Gnats. Scruples made to cover treacherie, rebellion, envie, to beget opinion of extraordinarie holineſse.
3. Scruples pretended by Hypocrites.THe matter of this Symptome and this Chapter, is I confeſſe of the ſame ſpinning with the former, but I have only for the Readers eaſe wound it up upon another bottome: That hypocrites ſometimes pretend tenderneſſe and ſcrupulouſneſſe, when it may appeare there is no ſuch matter; Vid Mont. Appar. ad Orig vij. 25, 26.becauſe they ſtraine at ſmaller things, and can ſwallow greater. The Phariſees made a ſcruple of it to eate with unwaſhen hands, becauſe it was contrarie to the Tradition of the Elders. They were ſo preciſe in it, that they waſhed before meate, Mar. 7 3. foreign Mat. 15.2, 3, 4.and in eating betweene every diſh or ſervice; Except they waſh their hands oft, (ſaith St Mark) they eate not. And to that purpoſe they had water-pots ready at their Feaſts. Yet they made no conſcience of Gods expreſſe commandement, Honour thy Father and thy Mother. They would not touch mony the price of blood, and yet had their hands deeply in the bloud of Chriſt. They are much like ſuch as theſe, of whom Dr Hall ſpake in his Character; Mat. 27.6. See a like caſe, Joh. 18.28.He turneth all Gnats into Camels, and cares not to undoe the world for a circumstance: fleſh on a Friday is more abomination to him then his neighbours bed.
I the rather give this Symptome, becauſe though all ſcrupulouſneſſe be a diſeaſe of conſcience, Martin Breſſer. de Conſc. lib. 6. cap. 2.as ſome Caſuiſts have rightly obſerved, and be cauſed ſometimes by ignorance, ſometimes by melancholy, ſometimes by Satans tentations, &c. yet it may ariſe from over-weening ſelfe-conceit and ſecret pride, and other corrupt affections, and ſo may be a more evident ſigne of Hypocriſie: which will alſo appeare, when Scruples are but pretended, as we find they have bin.
1. Scruples to cover treachery.To cover Treacherie. The Phariſees are an example. They tooke counſell how to entangle Christ in his talke, and they ſend their Diſciples to him with a ſeeming ſcruple, Mat. 22.17, 18.as if they ſtumbled at the lawfulneſſe of paying Tribute to Caeſar; but Chriſt perceiving their wickedneſſe, and that they meant to tempt and entrap him, cals them hypocrites for their labour. This treachery of theirs is more fully diſcovered by St Luke, who ſaith, Luk. 20.20.They watched him and ſent forth ſpies, which ſhould feigne themſelves juſt perſons, that they might take hold of his words, that ſo they might deliver him to the power and authority of the Governour.
2. To cover envy. Scruples to cover envie.When Chriſt had healed a woman that had been crooked 18. yeares, and the people were much affected with the miracle; the Ruler of the Synagogue having much indignation, and fretting with envie that Christ received ſo much glory of the people, he colours over his pale of Envie, with the red of zeale, and ſtands up for the maintenance of the honour due to the Sabbath, and tels the people they ought to make more conſcience of that day. There are ſixe dayes, (ſaid he to the people) in which men ought to worke, in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day. One would have thought he had bin a marvellous tender man, Luk. 13.15.and full of ſcruples touching any thing to be done on the Sabbath. But Chriſt who knew all things, knew his heart, and cals him Hypocrite, and convinceth him of the unreaſonableneſſe of that pretence he inſiſted upon. Such Hypocriſie did the Colleagues of Brentius diſcover, Melch. Adam in vita Bren p. 438.who when he being enlightned with Luthers writings, began to expound St Matthew in his chamber, and by reaſon of the confluence of Auditours, removed his Lecture into the common Schooles at Heidelberge; they envied the concourſe to him, but covered their Envie with a religious pretence, that it was a profane thing for him to handle Divinity, being himſelf not in orders, and eſpecially in ſuch a place.
3. To beget an opinion of more then ordinary ſanctity. Scruples pretended to ſeem holy.The Phariſees and Scribes were ſcrupulous preachers, they taught the preciſeſt points, the moſt rigid obſervations; they bound heavie burthens and grievous to be borne, and laid them on mens ſhoulders: but 'twas onelyonly to be high and weighty in the peoples thoughts: for they beleeved not their owne preſcriptious; Mat. 23.4.They would not move thoſe burthens with one of their fingers. Such are Preachers (if there be any ſuch, as it is likely ſuch there be) when doe much urge upon their hearers, the frequency of faſting, the exerciſe of ſecret prayer, the diligent ſtudy of holy Scripture: To have the name of great advancers of ſerious pietie: whereas if you goe after them, and get ſome occaſion and looke in, and ſee them in their ſtudy; you ſhall find them ſtudy in the ſtrength of their owne wit and reading, and entertaine their houres with Ariſtotle or Aquinas, and the Schoole-men, with Auguſtine or the Councels, while the booke of God lies by as a neglected and duſty Pamphlet.
This is to be an Hypocrite, whereas ſuch as are ſincere are ready to doe more themſelves then they urge upon others; as St Paul preſſeth a due maintenance for others, in reſpect of their labour in the Miniſtrie; but yet works with his owne hands for his own livelihood.1 Tim. 5 18. 1 Cor. 9.12, 13