The Cure of Misprision, Section 80 – Section 81
Sect. 80.
Secondly, touching cruel, and bloody minded men▪ How …ſuall is it with our Lordly Prelates, and State Polititians, to imitate Iehu: who pretended zeale for the Lord of Hoſts, when his project was for the Kingdom. Yea, how many of them will pretend with Herod, religiouſly to worſhip Chriſt: when they intend wolviſhly to worry him. It is no hard matter to find a Judas in the Church: or a Joab in the State: that will ſeem to kiſſe Chriſt in his Ordinances, while they ſeek only to betray and murther him. Yea, I wiſh, there were not Commanders in both Armies, that reſemble Galba: who aſſembled togetter the people of 3. Towns in Spaine, under colour to treat of ſomething for their wealth: and having ſo done, cauſed 7000. ſuddenly to be murthered: amongſt whom was the flower of all their youth: as Valerius relates. For as in former ages, ſo now: every Machiavilian Atheiſt, will ſometimes make a ſhew of Religion, and honeſty: though in their hearts they laugh at it; Even Iezabel, that her diveliſh plot may take the better, proclaims a faſt before the murther. And Saul plotting to take away Davids life, by the hands of the Philiſtins: ſayes to him, Be a valiant Son to me, and fight the Lords battayls. So Simeon and Levi cloak their purpoſed maſſacre of the Sechamites, with the conſcience of Circumciſion. And Abſalom his treaſon, with the religion of his vow: yet theſe forſooth, are neither puritanes, nor hypocrites in the apprehenſion of our blind ſenſualiſts: becauſe their ſpleene is onelyonly againſt the religious; againſt whom they never leave barking out theſe names.
Yea, admit one ſhall upon every occaſion, and in every company, be a ſeverall man, and of a ſeverall Religion, to day a papiſt▪ to morrow a preciſian, and between whiles a Protestant at large; as ſhall beſt fit the affairs he is to negotiate, though his conſtant religion be according to the ſtatute: as many ſuch there be, both in Church and State, reſembling an Actor on the ſtage, who ſometimes playes the part of Agamemnon, ſometimes of Achilles, ſometimes of their enemy Hector, ſometimes taking one mans perſon upon them, ſometimes another. Or Water fowle, that for food and relief, go on the land with beaſts: and ſwim in the water with fiſhes: and fly in the ayre with birds. Or Protius, who changed colour upon every remove. Or the Camelion, that can turn to all colours but white; the ſymbole of purity, can be any thing but innocent. Or Stython, Caneus, and Tyreſias, who as they liſted, would be either men or women. Or the Nazarens, who were with the lews circumciſed, and baptized with the Chriſtians: and ſo, as Ierome writes, were neither Iews, nor Chriſtians; yet theſe are no hypocrites, &c.
But the truth is▪ the world affords not arranter hypocrites, then thoſe ſhe moſt acquits of hypocriſie, of whom theſe are chief. For as Christ to deceive the divel, took man upon him: ſo theſe to deceive men, take the Divel upon them; like that Dominick Fryer who poyſoned Henry the ſeventh, County of Luyſenborgh, with the Sacrament. No… does the Divel ever ſo deceive; as when hee appears like an Angel of light. 2. Cor. 11. 14. Our ſtate Polititians; are like thoſe Serpents ſpoken of by Solinus: that wound as many, as they wind into their imbraces. Nor do theſe Serpents ever ſting ſo deadly, as when they bite without any hiſſing The skill is to know, and beware of them; For theſe Wolves come evermore in ſheeps cloathing. And the more foule their intent or project is, the fairer ſhall their pretence be.
Sect. 81.
Now the beſt way, not to bee deceived is: to try before you truſt them. And ſeeing mens hearts, and tongues, are not ever relatives: beleeve not words alone; for words of themſelves, are no good tryall of profeſſion. The worſt men may ſpeak well, and actions have only the power to diſcry Hypocrites.
Yea when all a mans religion lies in his tongue: and his hands either doe nothing, or ill: his profeſſion is but wind as his words. Yea the noyſe which their tongues make, in a formality of profeſſion: ſhall in the ſilence of their hands, but condemn them for hypocrites. And no better argument, of an empty barrell then loudnes.
2. Neither l…t outward ſhews overcome thee: for an hypocrite is a thing fair to the eye, pleaſing to the eare, harſh to the underſtanding: reſembling Alcibiades Tables; which were fair without, foule within. And nothing more common then for men to pluck a fair glove, upon a foule hand: and under divers ſutes to wear the ſame skin.
Yea over fair ſhews, are a juſt argument of unſoundnes: for no naturall face, ha…h ſo fair a white, and cleare a redde; as that which is painted. And while wee ſee men notoriouſly zealous in ſome things, & remiſſe in others: we may be charitably ſuſpitious: many a ſorry Tapp houſe, white limes, and glaſſes the front towards the ſtreete: and ſetts out a coſtly painted ſigne; when there is nothing in the inward parts; but ſticks, and clay, and ruines, and cold earthen flowers, and ſluttery.
3. Touching practice: the beſt way is, not to judge of men by this or that ſingle action as ignorant worldlings do; but by all together▪ as wiſe Chriſtians doe. Obſerve what they are abroad, and what at home (for many of them are Angels abroad, Divels at home; at leaſt in their own breaſts: and worſe when Angels, then when Divels) compare the ſeverall circumſtances, of their words and actions private and publique, paſt and preſent: conſidering, that whiles the mettle is the ſame; the form of each Cup may be divers. And ſo doing, thou ſhalt bee able to anſwer ſuch an one, as Alexander did Antipater; Thou weareſt a white garment, but it is lined with purple: thou art no more the man thou ſeemeſt, then the fouler (who under the ſhape and likeneſſe of an Ox; lyeth in waite for Partridges: that ſo hee may take and kill them) is that ſimple creature, which he would be thought to be. And having once diſcovered him: have no more to do with him. Yea accept not of the greateſt curteſie from him: for they that are ſuch; ſerve not the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; nor ſeeke not thy good, but their own profit; and with fair ſpe…ch, and flattering gifts; deceive the hearts of the ſimple. Rom▪ 16. 18. The Bird that accepts of the Fowlers meat. buyes it full deetly, with the loſſe of her owne life. And Rat catchers uſe to mingle good Bread, with Poyſon: that they may more eaſily deceive.
Wherefore when thou meeteſt with theſe Greeks, play thou the Trojan: who ſayes, I much doe feare the Greeks, when they bring gifts. Take their meaning from a ſimilitude: In leaping we uſe to go back, that wee may leap the further: and in ſtriking, wee lift up our hand the higher: that our ſtroak may be the greater; which is the guiſe of all Hypocrites, and Polititians. And ſo much touching this ſort.