The Cure of Misprision, Section 77 – Section 79
Sect. 77.
2. But ſecondly, to bring the openly prophane, and looſe Libertines to this tryall: who above all cry, out upon Puritans, and Profeſſors: If he be a notorious Puritan. id. eſt. an Hypocrite: whoſe profeſſion, and practice; is cleane contrary: then thou art a notorious Hypocrite, in bearing the name of a Chriſtian, and boaſting that thou art one: but doing the workes of the Divell, and that more exactly then a very infidell. In adoring Chriſt, ſo often as thou comme…t to Church: as it were with an Ave Rex in thy mouth: but ſpitting oaths in his face: ſo ſoon as thou commeſt out: and in crucifying him afreſh, with thy graceleſſe actions, in being all the weeke a drunken, beaſtly, blaſpheming wretch, and on the ſabbath; eſpecially for foure houres: as devout in the Church as the beſt. For in praying with Gods people▪ thou calleſt God father: whom thou neither fea…eſt▪ nor loveſt, nor truſteſt in. Thou prayeſt that his nam… may be hallowed; when indeed thou doeſt nothing leſſe▪ that his kingdome may come, and his will bee done on earth as it is in heaven: when thou hateſt nothing more, then to be governed by his lawes, and ruled by his ſcepter. That he will forgive thee thy treſpaſſes, as thou forgiveſt them t…at treſpaſſe againſt thee▪ when thou wilt ſtab a man for the lye, or a croſſe word: and not ſo much as pardon one that is better, or would have thee better: for others muſt ſwear as thou doſt, drink and talke obſcenely as thou doeſt, &c. or thou wilt be offended with them. That he will not lead thee into temptation, but deliver thee▪ from evill: when thou uſeſt all opportunities to be tempted, and to tempt others to evill, &c. Againe in ſinging with the Aſſembly: thou uſeſt theſe and the like expreſſions of the Pſalmiſt. I love thee deerly O Lord my ſtrength. Pſal. 18. 1. I will alwayes give thankes unto the Lord: his praiſe ſhall be in my mouth continually. Pſal. 34 1. Evening and morning, and at noone will J pray and make a noiſe. Pſal. 22. 17. J will ſet no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the workes of them that fall away: it ſhall not cleave unto me. Pſal. 101. 3. &c. In all which thou doeſt lye, and diſſemble moſt egregiouſly: for doeſt thou love God deerly? no, thou hateſt him in thy heart, as thy workes ſhew plainly▪ Doeſt thou praiſe God, and that continually? no, thou blaſphemeſt him every houre, and reprocheſt his children & ſervants; & in them him, in every place where thou commeſt. Doeſt thou prayevery day thrice? Yes, if curſes, and oathes, and ſcoffes be praying: then thou prayeſt fifty times a day, yea thou prayeſt continually▪ Doeſt thou ſet no wicked thing before thine eyes? and doeſt thou hate the workes of them that fall away? no, thou lyeſt falſly: thy whole felicitie is in wickedneſſe: and thou not onelyonly hateſt that which is good: but all that is, or are good, or hath the appearance.
But in this caſe aſſure thy ſelfe: that God infinitely more ſcornes that one in praying, and ſinging in his houſe, upon his day, and among his people: ſhould offer up a petition, or proteſtation to him: who cares not whether he have his petition granted, and his vowes performed or not: yea, that laboureth all he can to hinder the ſame: and as much ſcornes, that any ſhould repeat his commandements: that cares not to doe them, but the cleane contrary: and that the ſame tongue which ſayes, Thou ſhalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine: ſhould preſently take the ſame name in vaine; and ſo be contrary to it ſelfe, and give the ly to it ſelfe: then a temporall King would ſcorne to be ſo derided, and abuſed by any baſe and unworthy fellow in his owne preſence; and before his people. And yet thou knoweſt, that the worſt of deaths would be the reward of ſuch contumacie.
Here alſo I might take occaſion, to ſhew thee, how deſparate thy condition is above all other mens, above the Heathen man, who knowes not God as thou doeſt: Above the Athiest, who beleeves not that there is a God; as thou wouldeſt be thought to doe: above the cloſe Hypocrite, who thinkes to deceive God and the world; which thou boaſteth thou doeſt not. And make it appeare, that every one of them is more righteous then thy ſelfe: if they wou…d pay me to plead their cauſes. As I would urge in defence of my Clyent the Hypocrite: that he in the diſſembling of vice, and faining of Godlineſſe: though he doe hurt to himſelfe, yet he oft doth good to others▪ by his example: cauſing them to doe that in truth, which he doth only in hypocriſie. As often times Stage players, by their fained mourning, wring forth true teares out of the ſpectators eyes: whereas thou by thy ſhew, and publication of thy vicious, and filthy practices: doſt more hurt by thy example, then by the ſinne it ſelfe. More I could ſay for him, and as much for the reſt: who doe not ſo manifeſtly againſt their conſciences, as thou doeſt, who art convinc'd of a deitie: but I liſt not to be tedious▪ Wherefore
Sect▪ 78.
3. In the third place, to bring the Polititian: another opponent to this tryall. If he be an hypocriticall puritan: who…e profeſſion and practice is contrary: then he is alſo a groſſe hypocrite: For though this beaſt, like that other beaſt, Rev. 13. 11. be a ver… dragon in condition: yet he hath horns like the Lamb, when they may ſtand him in ſtead: for be his actions never ſo diveliſh, he can ſpeak aſwell as the beſt: and how ſhould men be hypocrites, if they had not good tongues?
Perhaps he is not ſo much noted for hypocriſie, as others that make leſſe uſe of diſſembling: but his owne conſcience tells him▪ that he hates Religion in his heart: at leaſt that Liſander like, he makes no conſcience or reckoning of it, but when it may prove profitable: but though he will not admit it in him▪ yet to further his own ends, he will ſometimes put it on, and adorn himſelf therewith. Religion ſhall ſerve him as a canopy, to ſhroud the putrifaction of his diveliſh plots; being like one that lookes a ſquint, for while he ſeems to caſt his eye on goodnes: his ſight is fixed on wickednes, and may fitly be reſembled to thoſe women divels, who employ holy and ſacred words about witchcraft, and magicall effects.
Yea, it is grown the higheſt maxime, in mundane policy, to ſeem (not be) religious. And there is ſcarce a man, who (ſometimes to ſerve his own turn) will not ſeem devout: reſembling that Roman Wolfe; who uſeth to talk of Religion▪ and piety; when he means policy▪
But principally, and more ſpecially: there are two ſorts of Polititians▪ who do play the hypocrites, and abuſe religion for their own ends. viz. Covetuous perſons, and Cruel men.
Sect. 79.
As for the firſt of theſe, how many Courtiers, Lawyers, Gentlemen, and Tradeſmen are there? who make Religion ſerve them as a ſtalking horſe, or mantle▪ that under pretence of it, they may deceive the world; both unſeen, and unſuſpected? like Judas, who pretended a religious care of the poor, when he would have the precious oyntment ſpared: when he intended nothing but to fill his owne bag: as the holy Ghoſt witneſſeth, John 12. 5. 6. Or Gehazi, who pretended the children of the Prophets, when he aimed onelyonly at his own benefit. Or the Scribes and Phariſees, who devoured widdows houſes, under a colour of long prayers: Matth. 23. 14. Or Veſpaſian the Emperour; who erecting places to receive the urine, pretended the Cities wholeſomneſſe, and ſweetnes: when he onelyonly aimed at the ſweetnes of gain, in the augmenting of his tribute, as Suetonius obſerves.
Whoſe publique ſpirit, is now growne ſo common: that every man, of every profeſſion; can ſay as much: Not a Souldier either in the Kings, or▪ Parliaments Armie: but will ſay that he fights for religion, lawes, and liberties: when God knowes, and many of their owne conſciences know; that no motive is ſo powerfull with them; as the name of commodity: as neither ſighting for God, Religion, nor Country; but gold, the hope of which, makes them prodigall of their skin and blood.
Yea, let a common thief by the high way, but light into true meaning company: he will talke of ſincere dealing, and uprightnes, againſt robbery, and oppreſſion, and have many ſemblances of Religion, till he ſpies his opportunity, and then his hands ſhall manifeſt, that his heart and tongue did but diſſemble.