The Hypocrite Discovered and Cured, Book 1 · Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. 6. Some Symptom's of Hypocriſie, from ſeeming graces. The firſt. The ſecond. The third. Vnſound faith. Sandy hope. Pretended love.
6. THe next head that I propounded, is to diſcover the ſeeming and but ſeeming graces of hypocrites, and here I am again in a wild field, and have much buſineſſe to doe, to ſhew the unſoundneſſe of their faith, hope, love, humility, chaſtity, holy deſires, hatred of errour, ſorrow and confeſſion, mortification, zeale. Theſe are the furroughs that I am now to plow and turne up. I will ſet in upon the firſt of them, their unſound faith.
1. Unſound faith of hypocrites. 1 Tim. 1.5. 2 Tim. 1.5. foreignThe Scripture ſpeaking of a faith unfaigned or without hypocriſie, implies that there is an hypocriticall and fained faith. Many have unripe and ungrounded perſwaſions that they have faith, and ſo doe themſelves much hurt. All men that are Chriſtians, are accounted, and are in ſome ſenſe believers. They are baptis'd into Chriſt, and profeſſe Chriſt, and ſo are of the Christian faith. But herein is a great deceit. For as the Heathen at firſt refuſed Chriſt, becauſe of his meaneneſſe, and becauſe they were bred and brought up to another profeſſion, ſo now many entertain the faith becauſe they are born to it, and becauſe it is a profeſſion accompanied with riches and proſperity, and countenanced by publike Laws and the favour of Princes, and becauſe 'tis the faſhion and profeſſion of the Country they draw their firſt breath in. Thus many have no more ground for their profeſſion of faith, Vide, Tho. Campanel. Atheiſm. Tryumph. ch. 1. vide etiam praeſat. ejus.then a Turke hath for his who is bred up in the reverence of Mahomet and is therefore zealous for him. The greateſt number of men are Papists or Proteſtants upon theſe tearmes, without tryall or examination of the difference of faiths. So that their faith is not choyce but a kind of hap: not an acquiſition but a kind of inheritance that they enter upon in ſucceſſion after their fathers. And certainly he that is of the faith of Chriſt, for neighbourhood, for birth-ſake, for cuſtom, for conformity with others, for the priviledg of publike liberty, eaſe, enjoyment of places and offices, and the like, would as eaſily be of another faith, upon the like tearms, or forſake this. Well; ye profeſſe the Chriſtian faith in diſtinction to Jewes and Turks, and the Chriſtian Proteſtant faith in diſtinction to Papiſts; and the Chriſtian Proteſtant holy faith, in diſtinction to Proteſtants at large; But what operation hath it upon you? No faith argues one good and ſound, unleſſe the goodneſſe of it worke upon the heart and make it ſound and good. Acts 15.9.For true faith is a worker out of hypocriſie, it purifies the heart. Now it may be more ſafe to profeſſe the faith then it was in the primitive times, for then perſecutions, reproaches, confiſcations, impriſonments, martyrdoms attended the faith, the front of the Battel was againſt them. But yet now 'tis as hard to be ſincere in the faith as then; for if men profeſſe the faith according to Christs rule, in oppoſition to the corrupt cuſtoms and practiſes of evill men, he makes himſelfe a prey, and meets with thoſe dangers that they did of old; and hereby it is that many diſcover the faigning and counterfeiting of faith, that they run the ſame courſe in their lives with the moſt evill and profane.
Again what doe men talke of faith, when they are partiall and unſound in obedience? for true faith equally reſpects all the Commandements. It is the ſoul of obedience; the reaſon or internall law of the mind which ſets all on worke, and preſents unto men the whole royalty of the Law, James 2.8.it breaks inordinate paſſions, it rebates and turns the violence of contrary inclinations, it perſwades above all oratory, it takes men captives and delivers them into the hand of Chriſt, that they become a ruled people and walke after his Law; And theſe are the men that doe firmely believe Gods mercy in Chriſt. There are many dreamers, that have ſtrange phantaſies; They are ſure they ſhall be ſaved. I once met with a man in ſuch a dreame, he was full of aſſurance, I that knew him very well, and knew nothing that could make him ſo confident, dealt with him as I ſaw moſt convenient for his eſtate, and endeavoured to prick his bladder that he might vent that wind, and urged him with that of the Apoſtle, Give all diligence to make your calling and election ſure; and with that other place, Worke out your ſalvation with ſeare and trembling. He was ſtartled, and at length told me, I acted the Devills part againſt him to make him deſpaire. Beloved the deceit is dangerous. 'Tis not ſo eaſie to believe mercy as men dreame. Beliefe anſwers in proportion to fidelity to Gods commandments. So much ſincere faithfullneſſe, ſo much beliefe. For faith, is an obedientiall affiance, an obſequious confidence.
2. Neither is the hope that many have or pretend to have, Sandy hope of hypocrites.any founder then their faith. If there were a true hope of the coming of Chriſt, there would be a true preparation to give him meeting; a ſighing and longing after him, even with the very languiſhing of the heart, according to that of Solomon, Prov. 13.12. Rom. 8.Hope deferred makes the heart ſick: a groaning within our ſelves, waiting for the redemption for our bodies. But hypocrites think themſelves well here, and care not for changing: there would be a ſweet joy in the ſoule, Rom 5.2.a rejoycing under the hope of the glory of God, a rejoycing with joy unſpeakeable and full of glory; but hypocrites rejoyce here, and have contentment enough if the world ſmile upon them. There would be an endeavour after holineſſe, according to that of St John, He that hath this hope purifieth himſelfe even as God is pure; 1 Joh. 3 2.But hypocrites wallow in their impurity, and have no regard to be like Chriſt, or fitted for thoſe holy Heavens into which no uncleane thing muſt enter. There would be unweariedneſſe in labouring, and fortitude in ſuffering for Chriſt; Phil. 3.13. Heb. 11.25.a preſſing forward to the things that are before, with Paul; a chooſing to ſuffer affliction with the people of God, with Moſes; But hypocrites languiſh in their undertaken wayes, and are diven back with the croſſe and ſhame. There would be a forgetting the things that are behind, and blunting of the edge of ſharp affections to the world; But hypocrites hunt for the world, deſire the world with all earneſtneſſe, hug and embrace the world as the Miſtreſſe and Lady of their pleaſures. There would be a ſollicititude to promote all the meanes of attaining this expectation, a diligence to remove all that might be impediments; But hypocrites hope to come to Heaven, and yet ſet on the journey in the way of life. There would be an eſtabliſhment of the heart in all the fluctuations and changes of this life, a bearing up in all the bluſtring and windie weather of affliction; Job 8.11.13.14.but the hypocrites hope is a ſhaken ruſh, a weake flag, his truſt is a ſpiders web; his hope ſhall periſh and be cut off.
3. Pretended love of hypocrites.The hypocrite pretends much love to God, and flatters him with his lips, but his unfaithfullneſſe unto him many wayes appeares. Thoſe that keep not promiſe with God, how can they ſay they love him? Jude 16.15.as Delilah to Sampſon, How canſt thou ſay, I love thee, when thine heart is not with me? Thou haſt mocked me theſe three times. Thoſe that cannot endure Christs miniſtery, how can they ſay they love him? They will not be intimate with Chriſt in his miniſtery, they give his Goſpell the faire entertainement of a ſtranger; It may come into the parlour and diſcourſe, but it muſt not ſtep with them into the cloſet, and ſee and know all as a privado: Thoſe that nouriſh ſecret diſlikes and indignation againſt Gods people, how can they ſay they love him. Can ye love the perſon, and yet not endure to looke upon the picture? Thoſe that have a leering and wanton eye after other ſuitors, whoſe ſoules are taken up with baſe loves, who hearken to the muſick and ſongs of Gods corrivals, how can they ſay they love him? The chaſt wife of Tigranes tooke no notice of Cyrus, ſhe minded none but her husband. But the hypocrite hath a cloſe arbour, and a private poſtern to let in other lovers. Thoſe that entertaine Chriſt, but ſet him not in the higheſt roome, or ſet others by him, or bring into the ſame place ſuch companions as he loathes, or ſuffer him to be diſquieted with the noiſe and the revellings and loud clamours in the next chamber, or enquire not of his ſervants his miniſters, what he loves, what he likes, what will pleaſe him, &c. how can they ſay they love him? I diſpatch theſe things the more briefly, becauſe many have written fruitfully and largely of theſe arguments, about the tryall of the ſincerity of theſe graces.