The Hypocrite Discovered and Cured, Book 2 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. Another Prognoſticke. The ſeventh. The firſt part of it. The Hypocrite hated of men, bad and good.
7. Hypocrites hated of evill men.HYpocriſie is a prognoſticke of hatred both from God and man. It is odious to both.
1. Hypocriſie is odious unto other men. 1. Even to Heathen men, wicked men, yea to hypocrites themſelves. Non tu deſines virtutis ſtragula pudefacere.When the Cynick Phyloſopher ſaw one that he knew to be a coward weare a Lions skin, he cried out againſt him, as if he had diſhonour'd vertue it ſelfe by preſuming to weare her livery. Reaſon will teach a man thus much without any farther light. Plut. Parall. in vita Solon. To 1. mihi, p. 134 D.Solon was a meer Ethnicke, but what a deteſtation doth he expreſſe againſt diſſimulation, for when Theſpis the Tragedian firſt brought into Athens the uſe of Stage-playes, and acted ſome diſſimulations, Solon cals him, and askes if he were not aſhamed to bring forth ſuch ſtuffe before the people; when Thespis anſwered ſuch things might be ſpoken and done in play: The old man ſtriking his ſtaffe angrily upon the ground, But ſhortly, ſaid he, thoſe lyes which we laugh at in play will be brought into uſe in our contracts and ſerious affaires. But moſt remarkably doth this appeare in that famous and well knowne inſtance of Constantius father to the great Constantine, who being no Chriſtian himſelfe, yet accounted thoſe moſt odious that were not ſound Chriſtians. The Story is related both by Euſebius and Sozomen, Euſeb, de vita Conſt. l. 1. c. 11, Sozom. Hiſt. l. 1. c. 6. foreign.one of them cals it an incredible and very admirable fact. He made this tryall of his Courtiers, that ſuch Chriſtians among them that would ſacrifice to his idols, ſhould continue with him and enjoy their honours and offices, otherwiſe they ſhould be baniſh'd his preſence and the Court. Some reſolved to forſake all, and to looſe their places; but many complied with the conditions he propounded, and preferred their offices before their Chriſtianitie. But then he diſcovering himſelfe, commended the ſincere, though in profeſſion differing from himſelfe; but the others, the baſe hypocrites who had deſerted their faith for him, he deſerts them, and baniſhes them the Court, telling them they would not be true to him that had been falſe with God. Tit Liv. l. 1. Dec. 5.The Reader may find in the Roman Hiſtory to this purpoſe, how much the Senate condemned the dealing of one of their own order, who gave them an account at his returne, how he had entertained Perſeus of Macedon under pretext of peace, and had fed him with faire words. I might be plentifull in other examples, that the light of nature hath dictated to the ſoules of Infidels to hate all manner of deceit. I might adde alſo ſome inſtances of this loathſomeneſſe of hypocriſie in the eyes of the very enemies of the truth; Melch. Adam in vita Bulling. p. 498.I will content my ſelfe with one, of the Cardinall of Lorraine a bitter enemy to Geneva and the Reformed Churches, who yet when that hypocrite Bernard Ochin us meeting him, began baſely to inſinuate into him, and to offer his ſervice to write againſt the Reformed Churches, he ſlighted him and gave him cold entertainment.
2. Hypocrites haced of good men. Pſal. 101.6, 7.If hypocriſie be thus odious even to evill men, no wonder that it appeares loathſome to ſuch as are good and godly. David profeſſeth he could not endure an hypocrite in his ſight, or to be in his houſe. Mine eyes (ſaith he) ſhall be upon the faith full in the land, that they may dwell with me, he that walketh perfect in the way he ſhall ſerve me: He that worketh deceit ſhall not dwell within my houſe, he that telleth lyes ſhall not tarry in my ſight. David would not ſuffer hypocrites to come into his houſe, The Apoſtles it ſeemes would not come into an hypocrites houſe, if they knew or ſuſpected him to be ſuch. Me thinkes we may gather it from that ſpeech of Lydia the Shop-keeper, Act. 16.15.but an excellent woman, ſhe beſought the Apoſtles, ſaying, If yee have judged me to be faithfull to the Lord, come into my houſe and abide there. She conſtrained them; but it was ſurely becauſe they judged her faithfull, elſe they would not have been her guests; for what the Apoſtolicall ſpirit was appeares plainly enough in the caſes of Ananias and Saphira, Act. 5. Act. 8.and of Simon Magus. We ſhall ſee the ſame ſpirit of indignation againſt the unſound in other godly men. I will produce teſtimony out of the ancient and moderne ſtory. In the ancient Church we reade, Socrat. Hiſt. l. 4. c. 29.that a people of the Saracens being newly converted to Chriſtianity, Mavia their Queene deſired one Moſes, a man of an Heremiticall life, but of remarkable holineſſe to be Biſhop of them. He being brought out of the Deſert, but very unwillingly to Alexandria to be ordain'd, he would not ſuffer Lucius the Biſhop there ſo much as to lay his hands upon him, and ſaid openly, I am unworthy of this office, but if I be forced to take it I will not endure Biſhop Lucius to conferre Orders upon me. Lucius being much moved told him, that he being but a new convert ought of him to be inſtructed in the right faith. But Moſes anſwered him roundly, 'twas true he profeſt himſelfe a Chriſtian Biſhop, but ſhewed himſelf no Chriſtian by his perſecuting and baniſhing the Orthodox; and that he talkt of faith, foreign. Socrat. Sozom. l. 6. c. 38.but for his part he would have faith that might be ſeene rather then heard. Sozomen relates his words ſomewhat larger. As for theſe latter times, in which I ſuppoſe there have been many experiments of that ſame zeale and indignation againſt the unſound; among others Calvin is a pertinent example, in regard of his ſharp ſightedneſſe and reſolute oppoſing of a notable hypocrite, a kind of wandring fellow that came to Geneva, where he pretended much ſanctity of life, and was cried up by many as a great holy man, as we find the paſſage in Beza's relation of his life.