The Hypocrite Discovered and Cured, Book 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX. The ſecond Symptome from the end of Hypocriſie, farther inlarged. Two other Inſtances. Religion put on for Sedition. And for Covetouſneſse.
3. SEdition alſo ſometimes weares the liverie of Religion, Religion a cover for Sedition. Num. 16.1. See Num. 3.28, 30.when it is aſhamed of its own name. Korah the Levite being well conceited of himſelf it ſeems, and (as Solomon Jarchi obſerves) being offended at the preferment of Elizaphan the ſon of Ʋzziel of a younger family then his own, Numb. 16.10.and affecting the Prieſthood, thought fitteſt to make ſome commotion for the accompliſhment of it, and to fiſh in a troubled water. This being his Deſigne, he eaſily drew others into his party, namely Dathan, Abiram and On, the ſons of Reuben, they being his neighbours (for the Reubenites camped next to the Kohathites on the fouthſide of the Tabernacle) and having much like Intereſts, Numb. ….10 See M. Mores Map. of Cana.being willing to recover by any means the dignity which their grand-father Reuben the firſt-borne of Jacob had loſt, and which was held from them by the Tribe of Judah. This was the double plot, and the true ground of the ſedition. But all this while, as if they (holy men as they were) had had no other ambition but Spirituall, and to be neare God; pretend an holy diſlike of a proud tyranny in Moſes and Aaron as if they were only holy. Yee take too much upon yee, (ſay they) Seeing all the Congregation are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is among them. They might be ſure this Pretext would take, when they made themſelves Tribunes of the people, and Champions for their ſpirituall liberties, that every body might be a Priest and offer Sacrifice. This humour is commonly predominant in the vulgar people: It appeared in Germany in the Sedition of the Anabaptiſts, every one would be a Preacher, and claime priviledge of Chriſtian liberty as they pretended. It is a notable Story which I am led unto. Ioh. Sleiden. Comment. ad An. 1525.In the yeare 1525. the Country-people of Suevia and other parts about the Danube, covenanted together by an Oath, and raiſed a terrible Sedition, pretending the maintenance of the Goſpell and the publick liberty. The Magiſtrates promiſed to ſatisfie them fairely, but they would not be quieted. They ſent abroad their demands, 1. That they might have the choice of their Miniſters. 2. That they might be exempt from paying tyth's. 3. That they might be no longer counted Servants, being redeemed by the blood of Christ. 4. That all Fiſh-pooles, Woods and Commons might be at their liberty. 5. That they might be exempt from Tributes, and Mortuaries or Herriots. Before the publiſhing of theſe Demands, Luther had wrote a book to perſwade people to obedience; and after theſe came abroad, he writes another in anſwer to them; for they had appealed to him, as if he had patronized their doings, He ſhews they abuſed the Name of God, becauſe they pretended in their ſedition, the promoting of the ſincere Doctrine of the Goſpell, and of righteouſneſſe and equitie, whereas in truth they tooke a courſe to deprive Magiſtrates of that authority which God had put into their hands. And in many other words, he deales friendly, yet faithfully and roundly with them. And in another writing, adviſeth to put them to the ſword, Gabr. Prdtreolus, Elench. Haeret. l. 10. c. 15. p. 288.and cut them off as wild beaſts. Which I the rather note, becauſe the Papiſts faſten this very crime of ſedition upon him, to which we ſee how great an enemy he was.
'Tis very obſervable, Jude, v. 8.that the Apoſtle St Jude puts this among the characters of hypocriticall ſeducers, Thoſe filthy dreamers that defile the fleſh, That they deſpiſe dominions and ſpeake evill of dignities; if the place be to be underſtood of Magiſtrates, Adam Sasbout. in loc. Philip. Parcus in loc.which I find ſome to make doubt of. But the younger Pareus takes it in the ſenſe in which I have alledged it, and applies it againſt the Gnosticks and Baſilidians of old, the Anabaptiſts and Libertines of late. Yea thoſe roguiſh and vagrant diſciples of John Batemburg, who were not aſhamed publikely to avow ſedition, (if we may believe Lindan, Lindan. Dubitant. 2 Dialog. de Patemburgicis.a man whom we have reaſon enough to ſuſpect in his reports, becauſe of his groſſe partiality towards the See of Rome) were yet zealous againſt Romiſh ſuperſtitions. To whom we may adde Hacket and his Complices in our own ſtory, ſo ſeditious, and yet withall ſo ſhamefully hypocriticall, that I know no man that hath endeavoured to excuſe them. The fuller Anſwer. Script. and Reaſon. The Lord of Hoſts by Mc. Burroughs.Let no Malignant or ill affected reader wrong my meaning here, as if I would in the leaſt meaſure reflect upon the preſent warre, and the pretenſes of it, the neceſſity and juſtifiableneſſe whereof I am fully ſatisfied in, and ſo I think may the world be, by the Books that are abroad.
4. But above all, we have moſt to ſay in the diſcovery of hypocrites who ſerve their Covetouſneſſe by Religion. When Ahab is ſick for the vineyard of Naboth, and Jezabel will needs have it to make him well, a holy faſt muſt be proclaimed, a religious Scrutenie and a zealous tenderneſſe of Gods diſhonour, to bring the buſineſſe about. 'Tis a known ſtory, Judas was a covetous wretch, but one would think he were an holy man, an enemy to vaine expenſes, a great friend to the poore, brim-full of charity: When the humble ſinner beſtowed her coſtly ſweet ointment, where ſhe thought it was moſt worthily ſpent, Religion a cover for covetouſneſſe.upon the feet of Chriſt; Judas cryes out, Why is this waſt? It had been better given to the poore. Good words; but we know the miſtery; He would have been Almoner; Joh. 12.5, 6.He was a Thieft, the text tells us, and bare the bagge, and cared not for the poore. Act. 19 24, 25, 26, 27. Act. 8.18.Demetrius the Silver-ſmith is become religiouſly zealous for Diana; but t'was indeed the decay of his Trade that pinch't him. Simon Magus was ſo deſirous of the gift of the holy Ghoſt, and of the power of giving it, by the impoſition of hands, that rather then miſſe he would give money for it, but it was becauſe he meant to make money of it againe, and ſo would lay out his money in a good way of trading. And how came Foelix ſo devout, Act. 24.26.that he ſent ſo oft for his priſoner, and heard him ſo oft? It was his money rather then his Doctrine that he gaped after, and he would rather have ſeen a fee, then heard the other point. Foelix then was an hypocriticall hearer; and are there no examples to be found of hypocriticall preachers too, who love to labour where they may be ſure to eate, Hoſ 10.11. Mich. 3.11.like Ephraim, who loved to treade out the Corn? Yes, They were ſuch of whom the Prophet ſpeakes; The Prieſts teach for hire, and the Prophets divine for money; yet will they leane upon the Lord, and ſay, Is not the Lord among us? Luk. 20.47.And ſuch of whom our Saviour ſpeakes, Beware of the Scribes which deſire to walke in long robes, which devoure widows houſes, and for a ſhew make long prayers. Chriſt doth not condemne Macrologie or long prayers; which I alſo note as a caution by the way againſt profane ſpirited men, who are ready to catch at the ſhado'ws of advantage which ſuch like places ſeem to give them, and turn the ſharpedge of ſuch Texts againſt all ſuch who having their hearts full of matter, and their ſpirits inflamed doe continue long in prayer; But he diſcovers the abuſe of it among the Scribes, who either by this means did inſinuate themſelves into rich widdowes as moſt faithfull and religious over ſeers of their eſtates, to whom they might ſafely commit themſelves and their eſtates, that ſo they might gain a convenient opportunity to beguile them; or under pretenſe of long prayers, expounding the word, inſtructing of them, and the like, ſtaid with them, fed upon them, St. Chryſoſt. in los.and eate them up; which is St Chryſoſtoms obſervation. A practiſe like unto this, a late godly and reverend Divine of ours, diſcovered in ſome Antinomian Miniſters about London, and therefore warneth the reader in theſe words. 1. Dr. Taylor, The rule of the Law. Preface to Read.Looke carefully to your pretious ſoul's. 2. Looke well to your eſtates and outward meanes, leſt theſe Impoſtors make a prey and advantage on you, as they have done on ſome already, who have confeſſed that theſe Pedlars have baſely inveagled from them, even the very Cuſhions of their window's; for the Apoſtle obſerved not in vaine, that through covetouſneſſe they make merchandiſe of unwary ſoules. Of this ſort are they which creepe into houſes, and leade captive ſilly women laden with ſins. 2 Tim. 3.6.This is the parallel to that line which St Auguſtine drew, Aug. de opere Monachorum, cap. 28.when he deſcribed ſome hypocriticall Monks of his time, who gadded about the Country, ſelling the reliques of Martyrs, or pretending them to be ſuch, making a gainfull poverty, and exacting the hire of a counterfeit ſanctitie.
Truly, our trade that we ought to drive in preaching ought to be to bring in ſouls to God. Our gaine is when the people gaine by us. They therefore much miſtake the myſterie of their trade, who ſeek the fleece not the ſheep; Iſa. 56.11.yet many ſuch there were in the Prophets time, when he complained; They are greedy doggs which can never have enough, they are ſhepheards that cannot understand, they all look to their own way, every one for his gaine from his quarter. Theſe are they that will pollute the Lord among his people for handfulls of barley, and for pieces of bread, as another Prophet ſpeakes. Eze. …3.1…. c. 22, 25, 26. Jer. 5.31. 2 Pet. 2.2, 3, 15, 16. Mat. 7.15. 2 Cor. 11.9.12, 13.The Scriptures are full of complaints of ſuch, and ſo are the Stories of all times. Yea the blindeſt times took ſo much notice of this trade of covetouſneſſe even in Preaching Fryars and other Religious Orders, that though they durſt not ſpeake out, they expreſt their apprehenſion and juſt indignation againſt them in Pictures. There was found in the Abbey of Fulda, beſides other Emblemes taxing the Popiſh Prelates and other Orders, one picture of a Wolfe in a Monks Cowle and a ſhaven crown preaching to a flock of Sheep, with theſe words, alluding to ſome like words of the Apostle, comming in a pendant out of his mouth, God is my witneſſe how I long for you all in my bowells. And underneth was writ, This hooded wolf is the hypocrite; Joh. Wolf. Lect. Memor. Tom. 1. ad An. 1300.of whom in the Goſpell, Beware of falſe Prophets. This picture was made 200 yeares before the Reformation at Luthers preaching. And one Heerbrand a Germane Divine tells us, that he being employed for the purging out of what reliques of Idolatry, Jac. Heerbrand. in Reſut. Aſſert. Ieſuit.he found remaining in ſome Churches allotted unto him, comming unto Pfort-zheim, he found a Cuſhion in St Michaels Church curiouſly wrought with the like picture, only with this difference, that the Wolf was preaching to a flock of Goeſe, every one holding in his Bill a paire of praying beades. He further tells us, that being at Argentine, viſiting the rarities and Antiquities of that City, he was ſhewed an ingenious piece of carving even in the very ſtone work of the wall of the great Church, wherein it ſeems their forefathers had under the ſhapes of Wolves, Beares, Foxes, and the like, carrying holy-water, croſſes and tapers, expreſſed their diſlike of the religious rapin's and thefts uſed by the Clergy. And this work could be no leſſe then 300 yeares old when he law it, which was in the yeare 1551. But in the times nearer to the Reformation, this hypocriſie (it ſeems) came to be more notoriouſly known. For the reader may gather by that pleaſant Dialogue of Eraſmus, Eraſ. Colloq cui Tit. Franciſc.where the two Franciſcans are entertained of their Hoſt, that it was then ordinary to have ſuch pictures hang up in their Hostries and common Innes; and accordingly he wittily faines ſuch a like picture hanging there, of an Ape in the habit of a Franciſcan Fryer, ſitting by a ſick mans bed, holding a croſſe in one hand, as if he were giving him ghoſtly counſell, but with the other hand picking his pocket. I the longer dwell upon theſe Trifles, becauſe by them we diſcerne the practiſe, and withall, the intelligence of former times.
And truly theſe Fables let them be, yet they have been truely acted from time to time. He was a notorious palpable hypocrite, that Salvian was acquainted withall, and did indeed but daube on the colours of Religion over his oppreſſion, When the good Father out of pitty to a poore mans caſe, became a petitioner to a mighty man to reſtore ſomewhat that he had taken injuriouſly, and without which the poore mans life could not be ſuſtained; Audita religioſiſſimi ſceleris ratione diſceſſi Salv de Gubern. Div. lib. 4.He told Salvian fiercely; He had ſworne he would have it, and therefore could not part with it. Salvian calls this, A Religious wickedneſſe.
But we need not aſcend ſo high as Salvians time for examples of this kind of hypocriſie; we find it practiſed in our age among all conditions of men. When that Prince whom I formerly mentioned out of Strada, O inaeſtimabile facinus, & prodigioſum. Quid non auſae ſint improbae mentes? Armant ſe ad latrocinium, dum per Chriſti nomen &c. Fam. Strada de bell. Belg. lib 3. Dec. 1.intended a marriage with Anne the daughter of Maurice Duke of Saxonie, to pleaſe Margaret of Parma the Governeſſe of the Ʋnited Provinces, he conditioned that ſhe ſhould forſake the Lutheran Religion: Her Uncle by the mothers ſide, Philip Lantgrave of Heſſe, deſirous to breake the match, and preferre his owne daughter, would not yeeld to the condition, pretending conſcience, and yet accepted the ſame condition for his owne daughter. So farre dare they abuſe Religion, whoſe God is their private commoditie, ſaith Strada; a grave and a good note, whether he be faithfull in relating the hiſtorie or not, is not to my purpoſe to enquire. But from others whoſe relations we may dare to truſt, we may be further confirmed; Knox Hiſtory of Scotland, p. 503.for Mr Knox reports as bad matters of ſome Noble-men in Scotland, who were forward for the Reformation, but it was to get ſpoiles, and to ſeeke their owne private commoditie; for he ſaith, They were otherwiſe licentious, they greedily griped the poſſeſſions of the Church, and would not lacke their part of Chriſts Coate. And for my part, I will believe that rare French Divine John Camero of Burdeaux, Stellitent in Santangel ep. ad lect. & p 22though ſpeaking in his owne cauſe, that his adverſarie Elias Santangel the Lawyer was a Proteſtant for worldly reſpects, and cared for no Religion further then he could ſerve his ends by it; And the rather, becauſe J finde the ſame character faſtned upon him by Dr Gilbert Primroſe then Camerons Colleague, Primroſi carmen in Stellitent.lately ſhining in our Engliſh Orbe. I might trace more of theſe Foxes, for the tracke of their feet is eaſily ſeene; and if we may believe ſome mens reports, wee find ſome ſuch practiſes in ſome of our owne Courts. W. Huntley breviat p. 144.But I have hunted long upon this Sent, and wearied my Reader haply in this path. It will be time to conclude this Chapter, when I have onelyonly noted this one thing more: That it is no wonder to find Religion and the Truth pretended for private commoditie; when as hypocriſie is ſo ſlie and dangerous, that ſometimes Truths may be truely in the kind aſſented to for the ſame reaſon. Which experiment we find in the Gospell; the people that were fed with Chriſts loaves and taſted of his bread, and ſaw his power and care to provide: it wreſted from them an aſſent and acknowledgement, Joh. 6.14, 15.That of a truth he was that Prophet which ſhould come into the world. And yet notwithſtanding this aſſent, they were no more, no better then hypocrites, as may be gathered by the whole Storie.