The Hypocrite Discovered and Cured, Book 1 · Chapter 19
CHAP. XIX. The ſixth Symptome continued. The eighth head. The weeping Hypocrite. The ninth ſtage-Mortification.
8. LEt us in the next place caſt our eyes upon the Weeping Hypocrite; and view him in his ſorrowing for and confeſſion of ſinnes. There are ſome that are ſorry for ſin, and chide themſelves for ſinne, and yet keepe it, and cheriſh and maintain it, and put themſelves upon the occaſions of the practiſing of it. Like ſome indulgent and fooliſh father, who blames and chides an unthrifty darling, and yet gives him ſtill mony to ſpend, and ſo feeds that luſt which he reproves him for. I knew a Miniſter ſcandalous this way, as much as in the ſin it ſelf, whoſe courſe was after his drunken riots to whine and lament; Yea even in the Pulpit too, and yet preſently with the Swine returned to wallow in the ſame mire, and haunt the ſame company, and follow the ſame ſin, and that in as conſtant a courſe as men attend their Trades. I know there are no eyes more lovely in Gods ſight, Pili oculorum ejus ex jugifletu ceciderunt. In vita Par. par. 2. Sect. 153.then the eyes that are full of teares: Arſenius in the ancient Hiſtory is famous for a weeper: The broken tender ſpirit is moſt acceptable unto God, it is his Sacrifice. But moſt abominable before God it is, with tears and ſighings for what is paſt, to fetch out as it were a new licence to ſin a freſh.
Concerning the confeſſing of ſin, theſe things among others I have obſerved. 1. That in publick ſome will ſpend a long time, halfe an houre, an houre, it may be more, in a methodicall Confeſſion of ſins in order againſt all the 10. Commandements, and yet no compunction to be diſcerned in the breaſts of them that make that Confeſſion, or as I ſhould rather ſay, that repeate it; for ſuch a confeſſing is but the worke of memory; and wrought out like an other Diſcourſe; whereas me thinkes that man confeſſeth beſt to God, that feeles the weight of every particular ſin, and when every acknowledgement fetches ſome blood from the heart with it, and is delivered with a trembling lip, with a face covered with ſhame, though haply the words be not laid in ſo good an order, nor ſo many things remembred, nor ſo much time dully ſpent.
2. That in private, in diſcourſe, there are ſome that confeſſe and complain of ſmaller faults and defects, when 'tis but to be thought tender and open-ſighted, and that they may hide and cover greater errours: Like the patient in Plutarch, that complained to his phyſitian of his finger, when his liver was rotten. You ſhall have ſome complain of their weake memory, their want of underſtanding, and I know not what; when alas the fault lyes in the badneſſe of their hearts, their want of delight and affection to ſpirituall things.
3. I will adde unto theſe Mr Culverwels obſervation, It's hypocriſie in publike to diſpraiſe ones ſelfe, ſeeking thereby a ſecret praiſe. And if we be deſirous to ſearch into the manner of Popiſh Confeſſions; Holy Court. Tom. 3. max. 9.Cauſſin will enforme us of the ceremonialneſſe, formality and ſleightneſſe of ſome of their devotes; who after they have told all the tales of the City to their Confeſſours, and made them looſe their patience in attending their confeſſion, doe ſpin out other diſcourſes, and hold them with eternall prattle.
9. Stage mortific…tion.Becauſe ſorrow and confeſſion are among the ſignes of mortification, as I have ſhewed the deceit of thoſe, I ſhall thinke fit to adjoyne the Symptome of pretended mortification; for this is one of the great Maſter-peeces of the hypocriticall Art, to win opinion of being mortified perſons, dead to the world and dead to ſinne. Some abſtain indeed from ſin, but 'tis becauſe they are under a conſtraint, ſomewhat it may be controules them, as a Dogge ſnatches not a morſell that he would faine devoure, but he ſees and feares the cudgell and the hand that is over him; or as ſome patients that forbeare a diſh they love, becauſe they know it will encreaſe their diſeaſe upon them, and cauſe an after paine. Theſe men diſlike not the ſinne, they are bowles that have a ſtrong Bias to it, but ſome rub or unevenneſſe of a hillocke caſts them a ſide, and makes them run the other way. In others you ſhall not perceive the power and force of their luſts, becauſe it may be they have met with no provocations, and therefore they run ſmoothly like a river that makes no noyſe nor roaring, till it meet with the Arches of a bridge or a damme, or ſome high ſtones that reſiſt the waves. It may be great ſinnes appeare not, yet doth it not follow that they are mortified; a ſmaller ſinne may governe them. 'Tis not the largeneſſe of the Dominions of Spain, and both the Indies, that makes Philip more a King, then one that hath ſoveraigne dominion in a ſmall Iſland.
But to omit other particulars, are not they mortified perſons, who after the practiſe of the Church of Rome doe macerate and afflict their bodies, with ſcourgings and other cruelties that they exerciſe upon themſelves. Alas, there may be much ſeverity, and yet no mortification. Divers of the Phariſees, proud and hypocriticall men though they were, Vid. Mont. Appa…. v… ſ. 17.wore thornes in the hemme of their garments to pricke and draw blood of their bare heeles, as they walked, to remember them of the Law, which yet in their hearts they regarded not. But in the Church of Rome (ſetting aſide ſome frantickly ſuperſtitious perſons) for the moſt part they practiſe but a mock-pennance, Nic. Cauſ. Holy Court. To. 3. max 9.and even in their very ſcourgings are neate and curious; ſo that a French Jeſuite of great note tels us, That ſome had their very Haire-cloathes and Diſciplines made of ſilver, rather to ſee the bright luſtre of it, then to feele the ſmart. And I have read of ſome Popiſh Ladies, as coſtly about their whips as their fannes, the handles of their ſcourges or diſciplines, being enchaſed with gold and ſet with pearle.