The Hypocrite Discovered and Cured, Book 2 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. The ſixth cauſe of Hypocriſie. Hypocrites are indulgent to their corrupt affections. Envie. Popularitie. Ambition. Love of riches.
6. Hypocrites indulgent to luſt.THe maine cauſe of Hypocriſie, is Indulgence to corrupt affections. This is the common root both of Hypocriſie and Atheiſme. In the generall, the carriage of Johanan and his confederates, related in the 42. Chapter of Jeremy, to the 7th verſe of the 43. Chapter, is an example of this obſervation. When men have not learned to deny themſelves, they make Selfe the ſupreame Law, to which the very will of God muſt yeeld, and for the maintenance of which they will ſhuffle any way. Such men as have not made over all their interests in life or whatſoever elſe is deareſt unto them unto God, there will be no holding of them to any reſolution, Neceſſe eſt honeſtum fit ei vile, cui cerpus charum eſt. Senec. Envy makes Hypocrites.but they will breake with any profeſſion or vow, for the advantage or ſafetie of thoſe intereſts; and thus Selfe being deare unto them, honeſty will be cheape, and they will part with it eaſily. I deſcend to particulars.
1. Envy makes hypocrites. We ſee it in the Preachers at Philippi whom Envy thruſt into the Pulpit. This made Licinius partner in the Empire with Conſtantine, to diſſemble with him in matter of Religion, and granting liberty to the exerciſe of Chriſtian Religion: He ſaw that all mens mouthes were full of graciouſneſſe and lenity of Conſtantine. To me it ſeemes that it was Envy which brought him on, as it was Envy which tooke him off againe, which he was not ſo wiſe as to conceale, for when he recalled ſome Edicts for liberty, he gave this reaſon, Becauſe the Christians prayed for Conſtantine not for him, Euſeb. l. 8. c. 23. l. 10. c. 8, 14.or more then for him.
But this Envy appeares in none more then in Oratours and Writers. We have many that in pleadings and Sermons and writing of Bookes, aime not at the ſearch of truth, but to contradict the opinion that hath gotten the ſtart of fame. Alex. ab Alex. Ge. l. 1. c. 23.Such was he that Alexander Neopolitanus ſpeakes of, who was waſted and pined in himſelfe at the Lectures of Francis Philelphus, and therefore took a ſmall, a no-occaſion to contend with him. Some cannot endure that what is ſpoken or writ ſhould come off fairely and with cleare allowance. Hence ſome ſtudy the Art of making eminent men to claſh with one another; a conjuring Art, to raiſe up the ſpirits (as we may ſay) of the dead againſt the fame of the living, or to blurr the reputation of ſuch as died with fame; which practiſe Philip Pareus obſerves to have been uſed by ſome, who to blemiſh his father publiſh'd ſome poſthume Epiſtles of Joſeph Scaliger. In this, like that paltry fellow that Pauſanias ſpeakes of, Narrat. Hiſt. de vita. D. Parei p. ult.who being never able to get the Maſtery in his life time of one Theagenes a famous wraſtler, came many a night after he was dead and ſcourged his Statue which was erected in honour of him. It is out of the ſame corrupt envious diſpoſition, that others who would be held great reverencers of the Ancients, doe yet find ſomewhat to ſay againſt that which is ſpoken by men of their times, though it be the ſame matter and in the ſame words. It was an handſome policie in that Preacher, who being to ſpeake (I thinke it was) againſt wanton dances, only engliſhed St Chryſoſtome to the Auditory. Another Preacher objects againſt the Sermon, as ſavouring of Puritaniſme, and new invented preciſeneſſe and rigidneſſe, contrary to that latitude of liberty, which Chriſt had left unto us. But had no more to ſay, when St Chryſoſtomes Homily was ſhewed unto him, Eſse quid hoc dicam vivis quod ſama negatur, Et ſua quod rarus tempora lector amat. Hi ſunt Invidiae nimirum (Regule) mores Praeferat antiques ſemper ut illa novis. Martial. l. 5. Epigr. 10.and that his words had been onelyonly tranſlated without the leaſt alteration. The truth is, this partiall and perverſe judgement ſprings not ſo much from a due reſpect to the Ancients, as from an envious diſeſteeming of the preſent. Put a moderne name upon the title of one of St Pauls Epiſtles, and haply it ſhall ſcarce goe for ſound. St Paul had experience of ſomewhat to this purpoſe in himſelfe, he could not pleaſe ſome men, while he was among them, His bodily preſence is weake and his speech contemptible. Somewhat there is amiſſe in every mans doctrine, or in his ſpeech, or in his preſence, or ſomewhat they know not well what; when the fore that cauſeth all the ſmart is their envy that it is not more amiſſe with them.
2. Popularity is another of thoſe corrupt affections, Popularity makes hypocrites.which riſing out of the ſame ſtocke that Envy doth, may be, and is often times a cauſe of hypocriſie. The Monke in the Story could faſt frequently and long together in a City, where he might grow fat with reputation; Eſt quaedam ſagina laudis.but would preſently be extreame hungry in the deſart where he had neither bread nor praiſe to feed in. To be look'd at, to be talk'd of, is the poyſon that deſtroyes many a ſoule; mens eyes being oft-times the Baſilisks that kill good workes with looking on them. Digito monſtrari & dicier, hic eſt.Men may doe much and ſuffer much too out of pride. To be a ſufferer in and for the truth, I muſt needs ſay is to be glorious. Mat. 5.10, 11, 12. Baſil. Praefat. ad Aſcetica.Bleſſedneſſe is promis'd to it, Bleſſed are they that ſuffer for righteouſneſſe ſake. To be a ſufferer for Chriſt is to be a conquerour with Chriſt; Yea though thou beeſt killed (ſaies St Baſil) thou ſhalt more then conquer. Hence there was in the ancient Church ſuch an ambition after Martyrdome, that they ſought death more earneſtly, then others afterwards ſought Biſhopricks and preferments. Sulpitiusin hiſt. ſacr. l. 2.I might ſay much in the due praiſe of ſuffering; but here is the great deceit and miſchiefe, that there may be ſuffering out of deſire of praiſe. Popularity may carry a man to the Scaffold and the Stake; 1 Cor. 13.3.there may be a giving of the body to be burned, and yet not accepted. Is there not a pride in ſuffering, when men put themſelves upon trouble without a calling? The gracious humble heart feares and ventures not till it be ſure it heares God call; Mat. 14.28, 29.but then Lord if thou bid me come, I'll caſt my ſelfe with Peter into the Sea. But what ſhall we ſay to ſuch as ſtay not till Chriſt ſay, Come! 'Tis to be ſuſpected that they ſeek the praiſe of their forwardneſſe. Is there not a pride in ſuffering, when men only mind that one Cauſe in which they ſuffer, as if all Gods honour lay at that one ſtake? They cry out, Gods honour is not regarded, if men ſide not with them, runne not their way, (though haply they have as great deſignes of good as themſelves) applaud not their doings. Is it not to be ſuſpected, that while they are loud in calling for Gods glory, they are buſie Merchants for their owne? What would they doe if their names were laid aſide, and that they became forgotten men, and were rendred odious and ignominious, could they ſuffer ignominy and the laying of their reputation in the darke, as well as they did the publike and ſolemn Combat? Ioh Picus Com. Miran. Epiſt. ad Franciſ. P… cum.Truly, to me this is the ſincere tryall of ſuffering, To be able to rejoyce (as that noble learned Earle writ to his Kinſman) that Gods glory may be ſet forth in our ignominy. Againe, ſuch as are ſufferers, how doe they thrive by ſuffering, what nouriſhment have they received from the bread of affliction; have they learnt to walk more humbly, more conſcientiouſly, more watchfully? more evenly with the world? more cloſe with God? What calmneſſe, meekneſſe, ſweetneſſe of ſpirit doth there appeare in them? If they be bitter and ſwell, and fume, and chafe, and be impatient at any ſmall thing that they call affrent and diſreſpect? 'Tis to be doubted 'twas not Chriſts hand, but ſome bladders that they had got about them that kept them from ſinking when they walkt upon the ſea of trouble. Beſides, how ſtands their hearts affected for reveng; could they eate them up without ſalt, as we ſay, by whom they ſuffered, when they have recovered advantage againſt them? Sure this is not the Spirit of Chriſt. He prayed for his enemies, and bids us doe ſo; and Steven did it. The Antients followed this rule; Origen bids us love them and take pitty on them. Orig. in Ezek. Hom 13.And we reade of one, that prayed not only for their pardon but a reward of eternall happineſſe upon them, Lanſperg. in pharetra Divin. Amor p. 77.(though his expreſſion be ſomewhat ſtrange) becauſe (ſaith he) they were the inſtruments of thy eternall diſpenſation and providence. The banner over a gracious heart in all the troubles that befall it, is love; and therefore whatſoever the wrongs be that are offered to ſuch, there is ſtill preſerved a ſpirit of love in it, ſaith a Divine (now living) ſweetly, Ier, Burroughs Moſes ſelf-denyall, ch 14. p. 2…4. reade the Chap. throughout.whoſe words I the rather note, becauſe himſelf was alſo a ſufferer. And he obſerves further, that he who ſuffers out of pride and for praiſe and vaine-glory, loves to make his ſufferings known, and boaſts much of them. I will not adjoyne any example to his obſervation, time may diſcover ſome to ſet it off. But I will mention the due honor of Euſebius Biſhop of Samoſatenum for the contrary, who was a ſtout ſufferer, for when Constantius threatned to cut off his right-hand, unleſſe he yeilded to him, Hiſt. Magd. Cent. 4 c. 10.('twas in a diſhoneſt buſineſſe) he offers him his right and left too, rather then he would doe it: This man being afterward commanded into baniſhment, received his ſentence with ſo much moderation, that he deſired the Officers to make no words of it, but to leade him away quietly and in ſecret: It is thought the people elſe would have relcued him, and done ſome outrage to the Officers.
What I have ſpoken of ſuffering, may be ſaid alſo of doing; how much doth the deſire of popular opinion prevaile with many. Nothing more fooliſh then to eſteem their opinion, whoſe judgement we doe not approve. An quidquam ſtultius quam quos ſingulos contemnas, eos cliquid put are eſſe univerſos, Aelian,A thouſand blind-men ſee no more then one; and yet as if there were ſome great matter in the common cry, we take many times that courſe that is voiced up by them, whom yet ſingle we account not able rightly to judge. This is the weakeneſſe of many, they leave the good way, the right way they are in, becauſe a croud of people cry after them and ſay, That is the wrong way, you muſt turn upon the other hand. They that are ſincere and reſolved will goe the way that they know to be right, Gloria noſtra eſt, teſtimonium conſcientiae noſtrae, Aug.as counting it their glory to have the teſtimonies of their conſciences with them, if they have company they are better pleaſed, but if not, yet they will goe alone rather then goe wrong. But the moſt follow the multitude. Hier. Ep ad Iulian. Animalia gloriae, popularis aurae vilia mancipia.St Hierom calls them Creatures of glory, Slaves to popularity. How will ſome of the wiſer and ſober Heathens condemn theſe men, and riſe up in judgment againſt them. One of them ſaid, One is to me inſtead of the people, and the people to me are but as one man. Another, when his friend asked him why he uſed ſo much exactneſſe in compoſing a diſcourſe that would come into few hands, A few (ſaid he) will ſerve, one will be enough, no matter if there be none that ſee it. Another to his friend. Senec. Ep. 7.I write not this for many but for thee, we are a great audience to one another. Seneca that recounts theſe, would be now adayes eſteemed a ſtrange kind of man, who in another Epiſtle, writes thus to his friend, Epiſt. 32.Thou enquireſt what it is that pleaſes me most of thoſe things which I heare concerning thee. It is this, that men doe not talk of thee at all, and that when I ask after thee, moſt men know not what thou doſt. Our times are of another temper, men would faine be the Town-talke, and doe ſomewhat that may be carried down into the Country every where by the runningpoſt.
3. Hypocrites Ambitious.Another corrupt affection to which while men are indulgent they loſe their integrity, is ambition. Where that boyles in a mans heart it will make him any thing for his ends. Opta… Milev. adv. Par… l. 2. ver… fin.Optatus layes it to the charge of the Donatists (as rigid as they were) that they were ambitious and gaped after preferments. Jacob will put on his elder brothers clothes to get the bleſſing. This is right Macciavelliſme as they call it. They ſay one of his principles was; That the appearance of virtue is only to be ſought, becauſe the uſe of it is a trouble, but the credit of it an helpe. Cardinall Granvell aſſured the Prince of Parma in his letters, that N. Prince of N. Fam Strada de Bel. Belg l. 2. Dec 1.was much addicted to the reading of that Authour. If he were ſo, and ſuckt ſuch principles as theſe from him, he could not be ſound in religion. Aſterius the Sophiſter was perfect in them; Athanaſ. Orat. 2. contra Arrian.he pretended himſelf a Chriſtian, but in the tenth and laſt perſecution, he ſacrificed to the Idols to ſave his skin; when peace was reſtored, he againe became a Christian, but ſtill minded his game to riſe; and therefore after Conſtantines death, Niceph. Hiſt. l. 8. c. …3.he upholds the Arrians ſide, in hope by their means to get ſome rich Biſhoprick. He would be any thing for a fat preferment. 1 Cor. 13.7.Ambition is the ape of charity, and beareth all things, it can ſtoope, and drudge, and comply to riſe. Petrus Bleſenſis, Petr. Bleſ. Ep. 4.an Arch-Deacon that was ſometime Chancellour of Canterbury, but being a Court-chaplain had occaſion there to attend and obſerve, writes to his friend the miſeries of expectants, and the baſe and ſordid way's taken for preferment; right hypocrites, ready to act any part, yea the part of ſlaves that they may come to rule. Ʋt dominetu… alijs prius ſervit: curvatur obſequio ut … nore donetur.Within a few yeares after the Church enjoyed peace and wealth, there were ſo many allurements to religion, that no marvaile if many unſound men joynd themſelves to that profeſſion, eſpecially to get the favour of Princes, and the dignity of an Epiſcopall-chaire; for indeed they ſoon turn'd it from a burthen into a dignity, and coveted Lordly titles. Even in Tertullians time, Biſhops gate the title of Chiefe Prieſts; Tert l. de Bapt. Optat. adv. Par. l 1. Cod. Can Afric. Can. 39.in Optatus, Princes of Prieſts. So that the Councells of Africk were forced to decree againſt them. But no Canons or Coercive Laws were ever able to reſtraine the violence and rage of this humour. It hath taught men to abuſe religion it ſelfe, and the pretenſes of tenderneſſe. Hubert Walter Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Goodw Catal. of Biſhops in Hubert. An. 1133.and at the ſame time Lord Chancellour and Lord chiefe Juſtice, (places very inconſiſtent and improper to be joyn'd together in one man) pretended a wearineſſe under that double burden, and that the charge of his Church was ſufficient; but it was (ſaith mine authour) becauſe he thought the King could not want him, and would entreat him to hold thoſe Offices ſtill. A man can hardly be ſincere that hath aſpiring thoughts. 'Tis the contented man that probably is moſt incorrupt. Bolton, Qu… tuor Noviſſ. p. 165.Such an one as Juſtice Nicols was; whom K. James would uſually call, The Judge that would give no money. The man of high thoughts will give money and conſcience too rather then looſe the place. Some that have no money to give, buy preferment with zealous preaching, loud invectives againſt the ſinnes of the times, pretended ſufferings for conſcience. Jerard Ruff a Sorboniſt was ſo hot in the Pulpit, that the Papiſts pul'd him out of it. But it appeared he had an eye to his advantage out of it. By this ſuffering he wrought himſelf deeper into the liking of the houſe of Navarre. He ſaw a better dore open, then to languiſh away in the Sorborn Colledg, and goes over to Calvins ſide; but when he had got an Abbey and afterwards a Biſhoprick, he had what he gaped for, and then grew remiſſe in his former courſe, Beza in vita Calv.as Beza notes, and forſook the part of the Queen of Navarre his old Lady and Miſtreſſe, he had then gotten belike a better Maſter.
4. Love of riches a cauſe of Hypocriſie. Mar. 10.17, &c.I have but one inſtance more, and that is that the corrupt affection of a worldly mind, or the love of riches, is in many the cauſe of hypocriſie. There is one that we reade of that was very forward to come to Chriſt and to enquire after Heaven, He came running, and kneeling to Chriſt, asked him, Maſter what ſhall I doe that I may inherit eternall life. But for all this forwardneſſe, and this queſtioning, he was no fit man to make a Diſciple of, for he had a worldly mind, he was all for what he could get, how to inherit; but would not part with what he had; One thing is lacking, goe ſell that thou haſt and give to the poore. But he would not heare of ſuch a religion. A religion that a man may gaine by, ſhall have many followers. But talke of parting with, and he is gone. He went away ſorrowfull, for he had great poſſeſſions. Rich Chriſt many are willing to follow, and him it is that the Popiſh Monks ſerve, whatſoever pretenſe they make of a vow of poverty. This the Monks ſaw in one another, though they would not ſee it in themſelves. The Dominicans who perceived that the Franciſcans brought all the griſt to their own mills, Joh. Vitoduranus in Chron. apud Hoſpin.in hatred and extreme indignation againſt them, uſe ſometimes to paint the Franciſcans god (as they cald it) in their Churches, the image of the crucifix, not Chriſt naked upon the croſſe and crowned with thornes, but crowned with gold, and cloathed with ſcarlet and purple richly embroidered, with a girdle ſet with precious ſtones, and his very feet covered with gold wrought ſlippers reſting upon a footſtall, not peirced with nayles, and ſo ſtretched forth upon the croſſe. To ſhew what a Chriſt it was they ſerved. And in other places, to diſcover further what they thought of that Order, that their endeavour was not to enrich Chriſt or cloath him, but to uſe the deviſe of much devotion to get money to themſelves, they expreſt their conceit by picturing naked Chriſt upon the croſſe, with one hand nayled, but the other hand in a purſe which hung by a girdle about his middle, with a company of Franciſcans ſtanding at the foot of the croſſe to receive the money from his hand. Theſe are counterfeiters of ſtrict devotion, deceitfull workers, earthly minded Hirams that worke in copper, which hath no more then a ſhew like gold. Jeſus hath many lovers of his Kingdom, Gemin. de Ex. l. 2 c. 17. Th. a Kempis de imitctione Chriſti. Euſeb. Hiſt. l. 6. c. 34 1 Tim. 6.9, 10.but few bearers of his croſſe; many that love his table, few that imitate his abſtinence. All would rejoyce with him, few that will ſuffer any thing with him or for him. Many follow Jeſus to the breaking of bread, few will pledge him in the cup of his paſſion, as a devout authour complains. They were the rich men among the Chriſtians that ſooneſt ſhrunk from Chriſt in the time of perſecution under Decius; ſo true (ſaith Euſebius) is that of our Saviour, A rich man can hardly be ſaved. The Apoſtle gives us the reaſon of it; They that will be rich fall into temptation and a ſnare, and into many fooliſh and hurtfull luſts; for the love of money is the roote of all evill, which while ſome coveted after, they have erred from the faith. Men erre to the faith and from the faith, for money ſake. They are backward and forward as they ſee their gaine lyes. Hiſt. Magdeb. Cent. 4, c. 11.Like Eustathius Biſhop of Sebaſte, who held either with the Homouſian or Homoiuſian confeſſion, as he ſaw would fit his turne beſt, and ſo that he might make ſure worke to hold his Biſhoprick. This thing the Author of the MS. Hiſtory of ſome late Biſhops, whom I have often mentioned, pleaſantly but yet truely notes of Dr Kitchin Biſhop of Landaffe. You ſhall have the ſtory in his words, In the 37th. of Hen. 8. Dr Kitchin being made of an idle Abbot, a buſie Biſhop, and wading through thoſe hazardous times that enſued till the firſt yeare of Qu. Elizabeth, to ſave himſelf was content to ſpoile his Biſhoprick, Sathan having in thoſe dayes more care to ſift the Biſhopricks then the Biſhops. Elſe how is it poſſible for a man of that ranke to ſing, Cantate Domino canticum novum, foure times in 14. yeares and never to ſing out of tune, if he had not loved the Kitchin better then the Church. I will content my ſelfe with this inſtance alone to the point I have in hand, that covetouſneſſe made him an hypocrite, ſo that he could diſſemble all religions with the time, to be the Popes ſworne ſervant while he was an Abbot, an half-pupiſt when King Henry had caſt off the Pope, a Proteſtant under Edw. 6. a down-right Papiſt with Q. Mary, a Parliament-proteſtant again when he took the oath of Supremacie under Qu. Elizabeth; Cambden calls this man the calamitie of his See. A man truly very odious, and ſo are all they, who account gain to be godlineſſe, and there are not few that doe ſo. I delight not to dwell with ſuch baſe company, and will therefore ſhut up this matter, and haſten to that which only now remaines, The cure of Hypocriſie.