The Hypocrite Discovered and Cured, License – To the reader
THis choicely learned and accurately laboured Treatiſe I cannot let paſſe with a bare Imprimatur: but muſt adde, I am confident, that, as it will ſerve (moſt ſeaſonably) both to correct the licentious ſurfets of the Preſſe by its example, and uncheate the maſquery of the times by its uſe, ſo can it not but much delight the Reader with its variety both of story and conceipt.
Charles Herle.
THE HYPOCRITE DISCOVERED AND CVRED.
The Definition Of Hypocriſie.
The Kindes Of Hypocriſie.
The Subject Of Hypocriſie.
The Symptoms Of Hypocriſie.
The Prognoſticks Of Hypocriſie.
The Cauſes Of Hypocriſie.
The Cure Of Hypocriſie.
A DISCOVRSE FVRNISHED With much variety of Experimentall and Hiſtoricall obſervations, and moſt ſeaſonable for theſe times of happy deſigne for Reformation.
In two Bookes.
By SAMUELL TORSHELL.
With an Epiſtle to the Aſſembly of Divines, about the diſcerning of ſpirits.
1 JOH. 4.1. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God,
1 COR. 12.10. To one is given by the Spirit the word of wiſedome; to another, diſcerning of spirits.
ORdered, Novemb. 24, 1643. that this Booke be printed, for Iohn Bellamie.
IOHN WHITE. Imprimatur, Edm. Calamie.
London, Printed by G. M. for John Bellamy at the Signe of the three golden Lyons neare the Royall-Exchange, M.DC.XLIV.
TO THE REVEREND AND LEARNED Prolocutor, the Aſſeſſors, and the reſt of the Reverend Divines, in the Honorable and Reverend Aſſembly now ſitting, by the Ordinance of our High Court of PARLIAMENT.
I Have ventured forth a tender piece, which is not likely to eſcape the cenſure of ſuch as are guilty, whom perhaps it may make to ſmart; and therefore it will need the patronage of ſuch as are very diſcerning, and very ſincere. Such I eſteem you, and from my very ſoule doe bleſſe God for you, and have hopes that God hath in it his thoughts to refreſh this poore and torne nation, and the Churches, becauſe he hath given courage to ſo many able and godly Divines to meet together, though threatned with Proclamations to the contrary, and being met, a ſweet agreement in common principles and the love of the truth, though prophecied of by ungodly, wanton and prophane witts, that they would preſently breake aſunder through variety of opinions. Truely if you had brought with you that pride and pomp which we were wont to ſee in our former mock-Synods and Convocations, we might have expected that before this time you ſhould have been the diriſion and ſcorne of the Prelaticall and Atheisticall party. But for ever bleſſed be the name of God, for that ſweet condeſcenſion, for that humble and reſolved ſubjection unto light, for that diligent and holy purſuit of truth, which all-together doe promiſe an happy iſſue of your meeting. Goe on with your prudent and holy debates, and the Lord ſo bleſſe them and crown them, that your advice being lay'd before our great and high Court, they may under God ſettle upon us the glory of all the Ordinances of Christ, and remove every burthen which the tyranny of abuſed Epiſcopacie had layd upon us. I call their courſes tyranny, and their Impoſitions burthens, as having had thorough the happineſſe of theſe late times, better meanes and opportunity to diſcerne and weigh them: for let me ſpeake freely, and as becomes us now that the hand of God is ſo much out againſt the nation, let me ſpeake humbly, I confeſſe my thoughts were heretofore more favourable, as walking according to thoſe principles I had received in my education. The truth is, though I never thought Epiſcopacie to be of Divine-right, as it was proudly chalenged, yet I looked upon it as the moſt antient and moſt prudentiall way of government, and ſo obeyed it and ſpake well of it, though not its mad and furious wayes, for I ever proteſted againſt their Altars and their cringes, their ſuppreſſing of faithfull and painfull Preachers, their diſcouraging and undermining of the power of godlineſſe, their wanton and profane abuſe of the high and dreadfull cenſure of excommunication; yet in a generall conformity to ſuch things as I conceived were by law eſtabliſhed, I obeyed it, as thinking it to be a ſin not to have done ſo. I will not be aſhamed to put thoſe charitable thoughts I had (for ſo I will call them, and ſo my own conſcience after I examined it, doth call them) among the errata of my life. The reading of Cyprian, firſt made me ſtumble in the point of Epiſcopacie, but afterwards when I met with Mr Whites learned and ſerious Speech againſt it in Parliament, which was afterwards printed, to the great good I believe of the Kingdom, as no doubt inviting many to look into that point, which they had not formerly ſtudied, I was fully convinced of the inconveniencies and miſchiefes of it among us.
It may be the wiſedom of this generation, will account it an unwary and imprudent part in me, to expreſſe my ſelf ſo freely and ſo nakedly, in a time when all the religious endeavours of our Parliament run ſuch a dangerous hazard, and when the violent Popiſh Counſels drive on with ſuch advantage; and I confeſſe that in ſuch a throng of accidents and occurrances, wherein a man may eaſily loſe himſelfe and miſſe the times he would faine meet and comply with, it were better to ſtand ſtill till the times found and came up to him: but give me leave to breath out a ſad thought or two, I much doubt we ſhall not meet thoſe good times we look for, for as ſome Declarations of Parliament, and ſome other Books formerly and of late, have made it manifeſt, that there is a deſigne for the readvancement of Popery, ſo I feare the counſells of God are that way for our tryall, I meane the word of prophecie in the eleventh chapter of the Revelation, concerning which thing I profeſſe I have not ſeen Mr Mead's argument ſatisfied, That that ſlaying is yet to be expected. I ſhould with all my heart ſay Amen to the contrary opinion, and ſhould be glad to be found in an error in this thing, and I hope I am in one. Howſoever, this opinion is ſo far from weakening and diſengaging of me, that it carries me on more effectually and reſolvedly in the good liking of all the preſent attempts for Reformation; for by comparing the Prophecie, with the late and preſent motions of Ireland, of the Kings-Army, and of ſome Princes abroad, I have collected that whoſoever runs all along to the end of the courſe with the Court-Counſels and Armie, muſt be a Papiſt at laſt whatſoever he be now, or whatſoever his thoughts be yet.
Upon theſe conſiderations, I had once reſolved to have brought my Hypocrite before the Parliament-barre, and in an humble Dedication, to have Indicted it before them, the grandſtate-Hypocriſie, I had drawn up ſome Articles of Impeachment to that purpoſe, but this very weeke, while I was thinking of it, there came abroad, beſides Mr Prinnes Book, (The Favourite,) another Diſcourſe, to my apprehenſion very cleare, ſerious and weighty, I meane, The Myſterie of Iniquity, whereby I was happily prevented.
Being hereby diverted, I have applied my ſelf to you, Fathers and Brethren, Reverend and Beloved. Much depends upon your adviſe for the promoting of Reformation, which notwithſtanding what I have ſaid and feared, and for ought I know, may have an happy progreſse, and oh that it might have ſo, withwithout interruption or prevention. To this purpoſe your inſpection and care will be very needfull, that while unworthy, corrupt and ſcandalous men be very deſervedly ſhut out of one dore, they or as bad as they get not in again by another.
There is a neceſsitie of a publike and ſtanding-Miniſterie, as our Lord Jeſus took care for it, Epheſ. 4.11, 12. ſo he would not immediately inſtruct Cornelius, but remits him to the Eccleſiasticall Miniſtery, namely to Peter, who muſt tell him what he was to doe, Acts 10.6. And though it pleaſed him extraordinarily by an heavenly viſion to convert Paul, (in which regard he ſaith, he received not the Goſpell of man) yet he ſo far honoured the Miniſterie, Act. 9.6.that he ſent him to Ananias, to tell him alſo what he muſt doe.
There muſt be ſome, that muſt have power to open and ſhut the doore of entrance into Eccleſiaſticall Miniſtry, elſe ſome will get in, that care no otherwiſe for the Prieſts office, then that they may eate a peece of bread a1 Sam. 2.36.: others will creepe in to corrupt and pervert the Congregation, privily bringing in damnable hereſies b2 Pet. 2.1., ſpeaking perverſe things to draw away diſciples after them cAct. 20.30.. For the prevention of which, as to one is given by the Spirit the word of wiſdome, to another the word of knowledge by the ſame Spirit, to another prophecie, 1 Cor. 12.10.ſo there is given to another diſcerning of ſpirits. This foreign, the gift of diſcerning of ſpirits, was principally the prerogative of the Apostolicall times, an extraordinary faculty that then the Apoſtles, yea and ſome private men had from God, to detect and convince fanaticall ſpirits. Some excel'd others in this. It ſeemes Peter was more able to diſcern then Philip, for Simon Magus joyning himſelfe to the Church continued with Philip aAct. 8.13; but when Peter came to Samaria, he preſently diſcerned and diſcovered him, that his heart was not right in the ſight of God, but that he was in the gall of bitterneſse and in the bond of iniquity bAct. 8.20, 21, 23.. This gift Peter alſo exerciſed another time about Ananias, who pretended to like well of the Apostolicall fellowſhip, and the Chriſtian Communitie which was thought requiſite for thoſe times, but he lyed to the Holy Ghoſt, and Peter found that Satan had filled his heart cAct. 5.3.. Peter Martyr thinks the Church had then this gift, the better to ſuppreſſe hereſies and corruption in manners, becauſe they then wanted the helpe of the Magistrates Sword. And Muſculus is of opinion that the gift was taken away againe, that the Scripture concerning Antichriſts riſing might be fulfilled, for had that gift remained, the Ancients would have diſcerned him, and he could not have stept in. I encline to it, that it was a prerogative, and a gift then peculiar; yet in ſome meaſure it ſtill remaines, and as he that is much acquainted with Virgils ſtile, and hath his Genius, as it were, is reaſonably able to judge of a Poem, whether it be Virgils or no; ſo thoſe that maintaine much communion with the holy Spirit of God, and know much of his working, may diſcerne ſomewhat farre of others. Theodor. Hiſt. l. 4 c. 19, 20.So the very private Christians of Alexandria, ſoone found and diſ-reliſhed the corrupt Biſhop, whom the Governour had ſubſtituted in the place of Orthodox Athanaſius. And why elſe doth S. Iohn write generally for the uſe of the faithfull d1 Joh. 4.1; Beloved beleeve not every ſpirit, but try the ſpirits whither they are of God; becauſe many falſe Prophets are gone out into the world. And S. Paul warning and adviſing the ſtanding Miniſtry, aſſembled at Miletus, ſpeaks unto them thus, eAct. 20.20, 29, 30, 31.Take heed to all the flocke, for know this, that of your owne ſelves ſhall men ariſe, ſpeaking perverſe things, therefore watch. The Ancients ſince the Apoſtles times tooke and uſed this liberty. Not onelyonly the Fathers in the Trullan Councell, judged many of the opinions of Origen, Dydimus and Evagrius to be foreign, mentis deliria, and call'd others of them foreign, dreams. But other Councels judg'd perſons. And Athanaſius in particular notably diſcerned Arrius. Calvin of late was ſingular this way, and ſo have been ſome few reverend Divines and others, whom we have knowne. Indeed it is proper and moſt neceſſarie, as Beza obſerves, for Rulers in Eccleſiaſticall Diſcipline.
I only offer it, and ſubmit it to your grave judgements, whether that place of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 14.29, 32. doe not in ſome part hold out this point unto us, where he ſaith, Let the Prophets ſpeake, two or three, and let the other judge. If any thing be revealed to another that ſitteth by, let the first hold his peace; For yee may all prophecie one by one. And the ſpirits of the Prophets are ſubject to the Prophets. That the Apoſtle ſpeaks not there of the promiſcuous Aſsembly or whole Congregation of the godly, but only of a certaine order of them, who were called Prophets, to me appeares unqueſtionable, 1 Cor. 1.28, 29.ſeeing hee had ſaid before, God hath ſet ſome in the Church, firſt Apoſtles, ſecondarily Prophets, &c. Are all Apoſtles? Socin. in Tr. de eccl. Theophyl Nico aid. in defenſ. Socini. Schmaltz in reſut. Theſ. D. Frantz.Are all Prophets? This we generally hold againſt the Photinians, who deny a neceſſitie of calling, and make it lawfull for any Christian man to preach or prophecie. What order theſe Prophets were, it may be we are not certaine. Whether they were the ordinary Doctors or Teachers of the Church, ſuch as had the gift of Prophecie, that is of interpreting the Scripture. For we may collect it from Act. 13.15. Where we reade, that after the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the Rulers of the Synagogue, ſent to Paul and Barnabas, who were then preſent, ſaying, Men and Brethren, if yee have any word of exhortation for the people, ſay on; That the uſe was, that ſome place of Scripture being read, then one of the Doctors aroſe, and expounded it, and drew ſome Doctrines or Exhortations from it, and after him another, and ſo a third, or if there were more Prophets or teachers there, they ſpake in courſe. Or whether they were an office diſtinct from the office of ordinary teachers, namely ſuch who opened the more hidden points, pertaining to Chriſtian Religion; as is intimated, 1 Cor. 12.28, 29. and Eph. 4.11. where Prophets and teachers are diſtinguiſhed. But whatſoever thoſe Prophets were, this is it only that I enquire upon the place, what judging it is that is there ſpoken of, and what ſubjection of ſpirit. For though the learned Camera be abſolute in it, that the Apoſtle deales not there de probatione ſeu diſcretione ſpirituum, but only ſpeaks of order, that the Prophets aſſembled had authoritie (when it may be two or three might riſe together) to appoint who ſhould ſpeake, and in what order, and the reſt to be ſilent. And though I grant this may be the ſpeciall intent of the place, becauſe of the Argument that follows, Ver. 33. For God is not the Authour of confuſion (or tumult) but of peace, as in all Churches of the Saints (i.) according as it is the uſe and cuſtome of the reſt of the Churches, with which the Apoſtle would have that of Corinth (wherein haply were nouriſhed ſome proud and forward wits) to agree. Yet, may not this alſo be comprehended, that the Prophets might and were to judge of the ſpirits of thoſe Prophets, who would be forward to riſe and offer to ſpeake: Some it may be out of pride and stomacke; ſome out of Envie, leaſt ſome others ſhould be delivered of a choice notion before them; ſome it may be pretending ſpeciall revelation and commiſſion to ſpeake. I doubt not, but even yet, a privater meeting of Divines in a Claſſis or Prophecying (as they ſay they were wont to call the Monethly Exerciſes in Cheſhiere and thoſe parts, heretofore) but much more ſuch a godly and venerable Aſsemblie as yours, may judge not only of the Doctrine that is ſpoken, but of the ſpirit of him that ſpeakes. Both indeed according to the Scripture; yet not neglecting the gift that is in you, and that ability of giving Iudgement, which God hath truſted you with, as ſuch that have obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithfull. 1 Cor. 7.25.The due exerciſe of this gift and judgment, as it will be neceſſary in your teſtimony of ſuch whom you commend unto the Parliament for the furniſhing of thoſe Congregations that are voided by the abſence of ſuch Miniſters as have either ſhunned or juſtly fallen under the cenſure of our High Court: So eſpecially, if ever you come to recover the poſſeſsion of the antient right of Presbiters which the Biſhops had ſo unjuſtly and tyrannically invaded; I meane to be eſtated in and entruſted with the power of ordination, 1 Tim. 5.22.it will be moſt neceſſary, to that end that you lay not hands ſuddenly on any man, which whether it be meant of Ordination or Abſolution, I find the Antients are not agreed. But if the place be underſtood of Ordination, as I have applied it, It is a rock upon which many of our Biſhops (I know not whether All) will be broken. How ſuddenly (to ſay the beſt of it) have their hands been laid upon many, witneſſe the firſt Centurie lately publiſhed, and Mr Whites pious and learned Preface. Methinks many of them upon the peruſing of that Book (if it come to their hands) ſhould ſay of diverſe names there, which they know, as Martian Arch-biſhop of Constantinople ſaid once of Sabbatius a wretched and unworthy man whom he had ordained to be a Presbyter, Socrat. Hiſt. l. 5. c. 20.We wiſh we had rather laid our hands on the briars, then on ſuch heads. I have in this ſmall Treatiſe, endeavoured ſome diſcoverie, and have judged ſuch as ſerve not our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, Rom. 16.17, 18.but their own belly, who by good words and faire ſpeeches deceive the hearts of the ſimple, that we marke them which are contrary to the doctrine which we have learned. Thoſe that I have overtaken, I have marked them nigro carbone, and have preſumed to ſhame them before your eyes. I have done it with ſome liberty of ſpeaking now and then more pleaſantly then the majeſtie of preaching would allow. For I preached the ſubſtrata indeed ſome while agoe; but ſince furniſhed it with ſtorie and experiments. I had not communicated it, but upon the advice and incouragement of ſome whoſe judgments I highly eſteeme. And indeed I had not put my laſt hand unto it, but ſome of my books being rifled, and others even all kept from me through the injury of the times, and the calamity of thoſe parts; I have preſented it to you as it is; The Lord make every path ſmooth unto you, and proſper you in yourway. This is the prayer of
The meaneſt of your fellow-labourers, and your ſervant SAM. TORSHEL.
To the Reader.
Good Reader,
THe worthy Authour was pleaſed to put a valew on my poore judgement (it deſerves not) to commit and betruſt this his pious and learned Treatiſe to my view and cenſure, as a friend. And I having juſtly encouraged him to make it thus publike, could not but ſend this teſtimony alſo with it, if it may any way encourage thee to reade it. The Argument of it is that, which was much the ſubject of our Saviour Chriſts own Sermons in his times: Phariſaicall and outward Hypocriſie. And is as uſefull and neceſſary for theſe, When Chriſt hath therefore reaſſumed his fan into his hand, throughly to purge his ſloore, which this Treatiſe tends to in this Diſcoverie. The compoſure of it, is made up of a great variety of …legant, curious and delightfull learning; He hath ſet forth the cure together with the diſcoverie, which let every man that reades be attentive to make uſe of; And by ſo much the more, by how much, that time is now approaching, of which Chriſt hath long ſince ſaid, Behold I come as a theefe, Bleſſed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, Leaſt, He walke naked and they ſee his ſhame.
THO: GOODVVIN.