The Mortified Christian, Part
The true Israelite.
SERMON I.
Joh. 1.47.
—Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile.
THese words are a lively portraiture of sincere Nathanael, in which Christ does as it were Anatomize his heart, turning his inside outward, that you might see what was in him.
Julius Drusius, a Senator of Rome, was so confident of his own integrity, that he wisht his house were so contrived that all might see how he lived. And another wished that his brest were a window of chrystal, that all men might look into his very heart. Such a man was Nathanael: Christ saw into his inward parts, and gives him this ample commendation, that in him was no guile.
I shall not spend time in prefacing to the words, but shall fall immediately upon the words themselves, and first explain them, and then draw out some Doctrinal Conclusions from them.
For the Explicatory part two things are to be done.
First, I shall shew you who this man was that Christ here speaks of. And,
Secondly, What it is that Christ does here commend him for; Behold an Israelite indeed in whom there is no guile.
First, Who this man was? Ans. His name was Nathanael, an Hebrew name, and signifies as much as the gift of God: But that you may know particularly who this man was, though there be much strife among Interpreters concerning it, yet from the probablest Reasons that I can gather from Scripture, I finde, that this Nathanael was Bartholomew, one of the Apostles. And I shall give you these three Reasons for it from Scripture.
1. Because here you see in the Verse preceding my Text, that this Nathanael was converted by Philip: in Vers. 45. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. Now this argues that Nathanael was Bartholomew, because where ever Bartholomew is named, Philip is named with him; as in Matth. 10.3. Mark 3.18. Luke 6.14. In all these places Philip and Bartholomew are named together, that is one Reason.
2. Another Reason is this, Because of the promise which Christ made to Nathanael: In Joh. 1.50. Jesus said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the Fig-tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things then these, hereafter thou shalt see Heaven open, and the ANgels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man. Now if this Nathanael were not Bartholomew, the promise could not be made good to him, for onelyonly the twelve Apostles saw Christ go into Heaven; and if Nathanael were not one of the Apostles, this promise could not be made good to him.
3. Another Argument to prove, that this Nathanael was Bartholomew, is from that Text in Joh. 21.2. There were together (when Jesus shewed himself to his Disciples) Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael: Here Nathanael is named among the Apostles; and this may be another Reason of it. Et hoc est grave argumentum, saith Salmeron; This is a weighty argument, because none were named there but Apostles.
Object. But some may say, Object. If this Nathanael was Bartholomew, one of the Apostles, how comes it to pass he is never reckoned or named in the catalogue of the twelve Apostles?
Ans. I answer, Answ. Most of the Apostles had two names in Scripture, and they are never called by both of their names at once; Peter was called Simon, and Thomas was called Didymus, &c. Now if other Apostles had two names, why might not Bartholomew have two names likewise, and be called Nathanael and Bartholomew, Nathanael his proper name, and Bartholomew his sirname.
Secondly, What it is that Christ commends this man for, namely, that he was an Israelite indeed, a man in whom there was no guile.
I shall first explain this term here, Behold, which denotes three things in Scripture:
1. This word Behold, when it is prefixed to any matter appertaining to God, it is then a note of admiration and wonder; as in 1 Joh. 3.1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: Behold, that is, admire and wonder at it.
2. When it is set before any thing concerning wicked men, it is a note of detestation; as in Psal. 52.7. Behold this is the man that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his rickes: Behold him, that is, detest and abhor him.
3. When it is set before any matters concerning goodmen, it is then a note of imitation, and thus it must be taken here in the Text, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile; that is, imitate and follow him.
Alass, many Israelites were children of falshood and deceit, in whom much guile was found: Many were Jews outwardly, but not inwardly; they had the circumcision of the flesh, but not of the heart; their praise was of men, not of God, Rom. 2.28, 29. Dives called Abraham father, and yet nevertheless was the son of perdition. Many were Israelites by a natural descent, that were not so by a spiritual birth: But Nathanael was not one of these.
Behold an Israelite, that is, not onelyonly so by natural descent from Jacob; but an Israelite indeed, that is, so by regeneration, and in truth, as well as so by name; For all are not Israel that are of Israel; Rom. 9.8.they which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God. Nathanael was not an Israelite by natural generation onelyonly, but by spiritual regeneration likewise; Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile: He doth not say, in whom there is no sin, but in whom there is no guile. Now though it be true, what is spoken here of Nathanael, that he was a man without guile, and the same is said of Christ in 1 Pet. 2.22. He did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; yet you must know (though the terms be the same) that there is a vast difference between Christs and Nathanael's being without guile: It is said of Christ, there was no sin in him, neither was guile found in his mouth; but it is not said of Nathanael, that there was no sin in him, for he had sin in him: but Christ was without sin, his nature was like a pure chrystal glass of clear water, though the glass was shaken, yet there was no mud or dirt of sin at all appeared; but our natures are like a glass full of muddy water, if you stir but the glass, the mud will appear presently.
Quest. What is it to be a man without guile?
Ans. A man without guile is such a one as is a sincere Professor of the Gospel, and can approve his heart to God that he endevors to perform all those duties the Lord requires of him, both from a right principle, in a right manner, and to a right end, and labors to be better before God then he seems to be before men. An Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile: the words carry an allusion to that commendation that is given of Jacob, which was called Israel, in Genes. 25.27. it is said there, that Jacob was a plain man, and dwelt in Tents: and it is said of Noah, that he was a perfect man, and walked with God in his generation: A plain or perfect man, that is, a sincere man, without deceit, a man in whom there is no guile: Psa. 32.2. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
I have been somewhat long in opening the words: it is my usual course, at the first entrance into a Text, to take some liberty in expounding of it, before I come to draw out any Doctrinal Observations from it: And yet before I shall do that, I would have you take notice of these four things.
1. Christ does not say here, Behold an Israelite in whom there is no guile, but Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile; for all are not Israel that are of Israel: A man may be an Israelite by natural generation, and yet be full of deceit, hypocrisie, and guile; therefore Christ does not say, Behold an Israelite, but one so indeed.
2. He does not say, Behold an Israelite in word, or shew, or profession onelyonly, but one so in deed and in truth. There are many men that are so in word and profession, but in their deeds and actions are far otherwise. Not words and professions, but practice and actions, are demonstrations of true conversion.
3. Christ does not say, Behold an Israelite indeed, with whom is no guile, but in whom there is no guile: Hypocrisie may be with us, but it should not be in us; Hypocrisie was not in Nathanael. There is a vast difference between doing a thing in hypocrisie, and doing it with hypocrisie. Godly men do many times perform duties with hypocrisie, but they do not perform them in hypocrisie. A man doth things in hypocrisie, when he indulgeth himself in sinister ayms, and performeth duties for corrupt ends; as if a man frequent Ordinances that he may have an esteem among good men, or that he may raise himself to preferment, this man acts in hypocrisie: But now a man acts with hypocrisie, when it makes an assault and violent invasion upon man, when, like flies, it comes upon a man, though he endevour to beat it off.
4. Though Nathanael was not a guileful man, yet he might be a sinful man; and therefore Christ does not say, he was without sin, but without guile.
I come now to draw out some Doctrines from the words, which I shall do from a double consideration of the Text:
1. From a relative consideration of it, as it relates to what was spoken of, and found in Nathanael.
2. From an absolute consideration of them as they are in themselves.
1. From the words, as they relate to Nathanael: This Nathanael was a very ignorant man; for when Philip told him, that they had found Christ, says he, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? He conceived no good thing could come out of Nazareth. And then again (secondly he did doubt of Christs Omnisciency; for says he to Christ, How knowest thou me? He was ignorant both of Christs Goodness and Omnisciency; and yet of this Nathanael that was thus ignorant Christ says, that he was a man without guile: From whence observe this Doctrine,
That a godly man may have much Ignorance in his minde, Doct. 1 and yet in the account of God have no guile in his heart.
And then, taking the words as an entire consideration, you may learn this Doctrine,
That it is a good commendation for a man that is a professor of Religion to be such a one as in whom there is no guile. Doct. 2
We shall begin with the first of these, That there may be no guile in the heart, where there is a great deal of ignorance in the minde. Weakness of grace is consistent with sincerity of grace: The children of God are sometimes compared to Doves; now a Dove is not onelyonly a harmless and innocent, but a silly creature likewise; so a man may be an harmless man, a man without guile, and yet be an ignorant man.
The Disciples of Christ themselves were ignorant of many things; as in Matth. 15.16, 17, 18. Christ there speaking of the great Doctrine of Original sin, that whatsoever cometh forth from the heart, that defiles the man, and not that which goeth into a man; and that out of the heart proceedeth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies, &c. these are they which defile a man. It is said, the Disciples did not understand these things, though they were plain and obvious truths, yet they did not understand them. So in Matt. 16.6. where Christ bid them take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, they reasoned among themselves, saying, it is because we have taken no bread. And so again, when Christ rose from the dead, they would not believe it, they were ignorant of the Doctrine of the Resurrection. In Luke 24.45, 46, 47. and so in Acts 19.2. when the Disciples were examined about the Holy Ghost, they answered, They did not so much as know that there was a Holy Ghost: And yet all these men were the Disciples of Christ, and men without guile. From whence you see it clearly made good, That godly men may have much ignorance in their mindes, and yet in the account of God have no guile in their hearts.
The Use I shall make of this, Ʋse. shall be first by way of caution. If it be so, that men may have much ignorance in their mindes, and yet have no guile in their hearts, Then take heed that upon this ground you do not Indulge Ignorance in your selves, and yet think your selves sincere; for though in some cases men may have much ignorance in their mindes, and yet have no guile in their hearts; yet in all cases it is not so. In Prov. 19.2. says Solomon, Without knowledg the mind is not good; as I shall shew you in these three particulars: As first,
1. If you are ignorant, and yet do not desire and labor after knowledg, this is inconsistent with sincerity: If you are like those spoken of in Job 21.14, 15. that say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledg of thy ways: Such an ignorance cannot be in a sincere heart. So 2 Pet. 3.5. This they willingly are ignorant of; they were ignorant, and desired to be ignorant; they did not care for, nor labor after the knowledg of that great Truth.
2. To be ignorant, and yet obstinately to remain ignorant, this is likewise inconsistent with sincerity, when you are like those in Psal. 82.5. They know not, neither will they understand: Godly men they know not, neither do they understand; but onelyonly a wicked man knows not, and will not understand.
3. To be ignorant, and yet to hate knowledg, to be perversly and opposingly ignorant, this is inconsistent with sincerity; like those in Prov. 1.29. They hated knowledg, and did not chuse the fear of the Lord: And therefore though this Doctrine be true, yet this should not imbolden you to indulge and nourish your selves in a state of ignorance.
Secondly, Caut. 2 I infer from hence, That you are not to conclude all knowledg in the minde to be an infallible demonstration of the truth of grace in the heart; for there is a form of knowledg, as well as a form of godliness: therefore do not conclude abundance of knowledg to be a sufficient demonstration of sincerity. There are many men that have very knowing heads, but yet have onelyonly deceitful hearts. As,
First, When they know things notionally onelyonly, and in the minde, but not experimentally in the heart. Psal. 51.6. says David, In the hidden parts thou shalt make me to know wisdom: When knowledg is onelyonly notionally in the brain, this can be no demonstration of sincerity.
2. To know conceitedly; for a man to be self-conceited, and thinks he knows much, this is no demonstration of sincerity; as in Habak. 2.4. His Soul which is lifted up, is not upright in him. As tumors or swellings in the flesh are a sign of rottenness and corruption; so when knowledg puffeth up, it is a symptome of an unsound heart.
3. To know things notionally, but not practically; to know, and do not; to know, and practice not; this is likewise no evidence of sincerity in the heart.
Thirdly, Take this Caution; Caut. 3 You that are sincere Nathanaels, do not conclude against your selves, that because you have some ignorance, therefore you have no truth and sincerity in you. Christ, you see here, tells Nathanael, that was a man grosly ignorant, both of Christs Goodness and Omnisciency, and yet Christ says of him, that he was a man without guile: And therefore I beseech you that you would not pass hard censures upon your own Souls; do not say, you have no truth in your hearts, because you have little understanding in your heads.
Fourthly, Take in this Caution, That sincerity of heart is consistent, not onelyonly with ignorance in the minde, but also with many infirmities in the practice. David is said to be a man after Gods own heart, 1 Sam. 13.14. and that he was a perfect man, but onelyonly in the matter of Ʋriah; and yet he had many other failings and infirmities; he was guilty of rash anger and sury against Nabal, one that delt unjustly with poor Mephibosheth, and in numbering the people and many other things he was to blame. So Jehoshaphat he is said to be a perfect man, and to do that which is right in the sight of the Lord, and yet his sins were very great; 2 Chro. 20.32he joyned in battel with Ahab at Ramoth Gilead, though he had warning from God that he should not go, yet he went: 2 Chr. 18.3and he gave his son in marriage to a wicked and an Idolatrous woman, and yet the Scripture says, he was a man upright before God all his days.
Thus much shall serve for the first Use, the Use of Caution.
I now proceed to a second, Ʋse 2 and that shall be of Examination: and I beseech you lend me your thoughts a little while: Is this so, That there may be much ignorance in a mans minde, and yet no guile in his heart, Then let this Doctrine put you upon the tryal, whether upon Scripturegrounds you can every one of you say for your selves, your consciences also bearing you witness, that you are men without guile.
And the better to help you in this, I shall here lay down several Marks, and I shall reduce them to these three general heads; and shall discover to you an Israelite indeed, a man without guile:
First, In regard of his sinning against God.
Secondly, In regard of his performing Duties to God. And,
Thirdly, In regard of his carriage and conversation among men.
These are the three general heads, and under them there will be some twenty particulars, as so many Discoveries of a man without guile.
First, A man without guile may be discovered in regard of his sinning against God; and under this head I shall give you eight Discoveries of him.
1. Such a one does not allow or indulge himself in the practice of the least known sin; as in Psa. 119.1, 3. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, that walk in the Law of the Lord, they also do no iniquity: that is, they allow themselves in no iniquity. The evil that I do, I allow not, says the Apostle: That which a man does not allow himself in, that he does not do. In Prov. 16.17. The highway of the upright is to depart from evil; (that is) it is his ordinary and constant and usual course. So in Isai. 56.2. An upright man he keepeth his hand from doing any evil; that is, he does not do evil willingly. And hence it is the Apostle Paul saith of himself, 2 Cor. 1.12that in simplicity and godly sincerity he had his conversation here in the world: And again saith he, 1 Cor. 4.4I know nothing by my self, yet am I not hereby justified. There were some that did censure Paul, and condemn him for such and such things; but saith he, I thank God, I know nothing by my self; that is, I do allow my self in no known sin; but yet I do not plead Heaven for this, I am not hereby justified. Such a one is an upright man, that can appeal to Heaven that he allows himself in the practice of no known sin: thus David did; Search me, O Lord, says he, and know my heart; try me, Psa. 139.24and know my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me: This is the first badg of a sincere heart.
2. A man without guile he does make conscience to abstain from small and secret sins, as well as from gross and open transgressions; as in Psa. 19.12, 13. says David, Cleanse thou me from secret faults; keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let not them have dominion over me, so shall I be upright. A godly man keeps the Law as he keeps the apple of his eye, Prov. 7.2. The least moat or dust will offend the eye as well as a great flaw: When secret evils, the least moat and dust of sin, does trouble you, as well as mountanous sins; when you strain at a Gnat, as well as at sins as big as a Camel; this is a sign of an upright heart. A sincere Nathanael, upon the conviction of a sin committed, is troubled in conscience for the commission of small and secret sins, as well as for open and scandalous sins. Thus Davids heart smote him after he had numbred the people; yet Divines can scarce tell wherein his sin lay, unless it were in his pride and high-mindedness: So his heart smote him for cuting off Sauls lap. It is a token of a sincere heart, when it smites a man for breaking the least iota or tittle of Gods Command.
3. He does not onelyonly abstain from sin of all sorts, but he likewise makes conscience of abstaining from all allurements or occasions to sin, that might provoke him to any sin. Daniel was a sincere man in this particular: in Dan. 1.8. it is said of Daniel, who was a comely young man, in whom no blemish was found from top to toe, that he was appointed to have the Kings portion, but he purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the Kings meat, nor drink of his wine; and what was the reason why he would not eat of it? Interpreters do much vary about it: some say, he would not eat of it, because it was forbidden under the Law as unclean; but the generality are of opinion, that he would not eat of the Kings meat, nor drink of his wine, because had Daniel lived at a full Table, and fed upon the Kings dainty fare, he might have hereby ensnared himself, and been drowned in sensuality, and so have neglected his duty and service to God, and forgotten the calamities of the Church: It would have been a provocation to him to sin against God, and therefore he would rather content himself with water and Pulse, then to defile and ensnare himself with the portion of the Kings meat. This is a mark of an upright heart, He will hate the garment spotted by the flesh, Jude 23. He alludes to leprous garments under the Law; He that would avoyd the leprosie, must avoyd all those things that are apt to occasion the leprosie. Now all you, whose hearts can bear you witness that you make conscience of avoyding all occasions of sin, you are the men that are without guile.
4. A man without guile, he prays as vehemently and impartially against sin, because of the evil of it, as because of the punishment of it. I shall give you a clear Text for this in Psal. 19.12, 13. Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins, says David: But why does he make this prayer to God? So (says he) shall I be innocent from the great transgression: He does not say, Keep me from presumptuous sins, that so I may be free from Hell; but that so I may be innocent from sin, from the great transgression: He doth not say, So shall I be free from the great Correction; but, So shall I be free from the great Transgression. If therefore, when you pray to be kept from sin, you do it because you would not sin, lest you offend God; if you can appeal to Heaven, that you pray against sin, more because of the evil of it, then for the punishment of it; then you pray uprightly, and this is a token of a sincere heart.
I might illustrate and set out this discovery to you by this familiar comparison: (Beloved) Suppose a childe and a man of discretion were both together by a fire, now neither of them would touch one of the coals, but yet they do refrain from it upon different grounds; the childe will not touch the coal, because it is hot, and will burn him; but the man of discretion will not meddle with it, because it will defile his fingers.
So here, wicked men sometimes refrain from sin, and will not commit it, because there is a fire in sin; he thinks he shall dye, and be damned for it, and therefore he will not commit it: But now a godly man he will not sin, because though it does not damn his Soul, yet it will defile his Soul, and dishonor God, and make him displeased with him, &c. An upright man hates sin as impartially for the filth of it, as for the punishment of it.
5. A man without guile discovers his sincerity in reference to sin, in that he does make conscience to bend most of his strength and endevours against his constitution sins, the sins of his calling, and condition and complexion: this is an argument of a sincere man, as you may see in that place I have often quoted in Psal. 18.26. I was also upright before him, and kept my self from mine iniquity: Why, 2 Sam. 22.24were not all the sins David committed his sins? yes; but he kept himself from that sin which he was most addicted to. An upright man he keeps himself from his own evils, that is, those evils that he is most inclinable and addicted to. It is an observation I have from a late Writer that is yet alive, speaking about this subject, he gives a badge of sincerity in Job, in Chap. 31. of that Book, says he, To depart from sin is not sincerity; for many men their natural tempers do make them averse to some sins: but this is sincerity, to abstain from a sin that suits with a mans natural humor and constitution: And thus Job did; He abstained from the sin of his age, calling, and constitution; says he in Job 31.1. I have made a Covenant with my eyes, why then should I look upon a maid? There he abstained from the sin of his youth. 2. Says he, While I sat in the gate, I never oppressed the poor and needy: There was the sin of his Calling, which he abstained from. 3. If, saith he, I have eaten my morsel my self alone, and the fatherless hath not eaten thereof, let God do so and so to me: There was the sin of his Condition; he was a rich man, and yet did abstain from Covetousness. That man that does bend the strength of his endevours against those sins that suit most with his age, calling, condition, and constitution, he is the man in whose spirit there is no guile.
6. A man in reference to sin discovers his sincerity, if he doth grieve for sin, as much because it wars against grace in his heart, as because it wars against the glory of his Soul; as much because it indisposeth him to good, as because it deprives him of good. There are many that can mourn for sin, because it hinders them from that which is good, but not because it indisposeth them to do that which is good: But now Paul he mourned for sin, because he could not do the good that he would, Rom. 7.19. A sincere man mourns for sin, because it interrupts and hinders him from doing the good that he would do: and therefore you that can appeal to Heaven, that you mourn and grieve for sin, because it interrupts you in duties, and hinders you in prayer, reading, hearing, &c. you are sincere men indeed.
7. A sincere man he can mourn for the sin of his nature, as well as for the sin of his life: This is a sincere man indeed, that can as well mourn for the body of sin he carries about him, as for the sin of his body. This Hildersham takes notice of, and challengeth all the men in the World to bring one Text to prove, that ever an Hypocrite did bewail the sin of his nature; that concupiscence, and lust, and inclination to vanity and wickedness, that is in his heart naturally. And therefore, you that carry bad and polluting natures about you, that do defile you and all your services, and yet can never mourn or shed one tear for them; this is a sign that you are not sincere and upright men. But when you look upon that body of sin you carry about you, as the grief and burden of your Soul, as a clog that hinders you in your duties and services of God, this is an argument of a sincere heart.
8. A man without guile is very apt to carry a suspicion and jealousie over his own heart: So in Mat. 26.21, 22. when Christ told his Disciples that one of them should betray him, those that were most free from it began first to suspect their own hearts, and cryed out, Master, is it I? None are more jealous of themselves then godly men are: None pray more against hypocrisie: Psal. 51.10. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. O you, whose Souls can bear you witness that you are afraid of sin, and jealous lest your false hearts should betray you to it, and that you do pray and strive against hypocrisie, know, these are certain Evidences that you are true Nathanaels, men in whom there is no guile.
And thus I have done with the eight first Discoveries of a sincere man, in reference to sin.
Secondly, A man discovers his sincerity, in regard of his Duties to God, these three general ways:
1. An upright man performs Duties to God from a right Principle.
2. In a right Manner.
3. To a right End.
I. He performs Duties to God from a a right Principle: And this is twofold;
1. A principle of Faith. And,
2. A principle of Love.
1. From a principle of Faith: and hence it is called the obedience of Faith, in Rom. 16.26. because all obedience, if it be sincere, must flow from Faith.
2. From a principle of Love: He performs all his duties out of love to God, and to his service. When Christ would find out the sincerity of Peters heart, he asked him, Simon Peter, lovest thou me? Joh. 21. He did not ask him, Simon Peter, dost thou preach for me? dost thou labor to convert Souls for me? wilt thou follow after me? but, dost thou love me? dost thou preach in love, pray in love, do all in love?
And if thou dost so; 1. Love is liberal, and thinks no time too long that is spent in the service of God: If thou dost love God, thou art liberal in thy performances to him.
2. Love makes a man take as much delight in the performance of duties, as in the answer and return of your prayers upon your head.
3. The love thou bearest to God, and to the duties thou performest to him, will make thee out of love with thy sins, and out of love with every lust; as David in Psal. 119.163. I love thy Law, says he, but I hate lying.
Now then do you perform Duties from a right principle of Faith in God, and love to God.
II. A man without guile he labors to perform Duties in a right Manner, and that in these four particulars:
1. A sincere man makes as much conscience of the manner how he performs Duties, as of the matter of the performance.
2. He labors that the inward man be imployed and taken up in Duties, as well as the outward man: Rom. 1.9. The God whom I serve in the spirit: 1 Cor. 6.20So in Psa. 103.1. says David, Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and let all that is within me praise his holy Name. So Ezekiel is said to serve the Lord with all his heart. You should labor to have your inward man, as well as your outward man, imployed in the service of God.
3. He does as sensibly bewail the sins of his Duties, as he can heartily rejoyce for the returns of his Prayers.
4. He doth make as much conscience to be intent and fervent in secret Duties before God, as in publique Duties before men. Cant. 2.14. Christ speaks to his Church, O my Dove, that art in the clefts of the rocks, and in the secret places of the stairs, let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voyce; for sweet is thy voyce, and thy countenance is comely. Some think that Christ speaks of his Church here, as in an afflicted condition; but others conceive these words [My Dove, that art in the clefts of the rocks, and in the secret places of the stairs] have reference to the people of God praying in secret; there says God, let me hear thy voyce, and see thy countenance; for sweet is thy voyce, and thy countenance is comely. Why now such a man as makes conscience to pour out his heart to God in secret, though it be in a corner where no eye sees him, and no ear hears him, this is a sincere man indeed.
III. He discovers his sincerity in performing his Duties to a right End: which he does these several ways:
1. More to get inward and saving grace, then to get outward and common mercies by his Duties. Hypocrites perform Duties, but it is for their publique good and outward advantage; but a sincere man he performs Duties, that he may get inward and saving grace and comfort by them: as David in Psal. 4.6. says he, Other men say, who will shew us any good? but Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me, and it shall make me more glad then they are when their Corn and Wine and Oyl increaseth. Wicked men they assemble themselves for corn and wine, in Hosea 7.14. not for inward grace, but for outward mercies.
2. The end of a godly mans prayers under any affliction, is more to have sin removed, then to have the punishment removed: You have a platform of a godly mans heart in Hosea 14.2. Shall I say, Lord, free us from captivity, or deliver us from the sword? No; but say unto him, Take away the iniquity of thy servants. What was Pharaohs prayer? In Exod. 8.8. says he, Entreat the Lord that he would remove his judgments from me: But now a guileless man he prays, O Lord, remove my sins and corruptions from me.
3. A sincere man performs duties more, that so he might express his submission and obedience to the authority of a command, then to stifle the accusations of his own conscience.
4. He performs Duties more to have communion with God, then to have communications from God. And thus I have done with the second particular. I have already gone over two Discoveries of a sincere man: First, In reference to his sins, in eight particulars. Secondly, In regard of his Duties to God, in three generals, His performing Duties from a right Principle, in a right Manner, and to a right End.
I now proceed to a third Discovery of a man without guile, which shall be in reference to his carriage and conversation amongst men; Discoveries of a sincere man in reference to his conversation amongst men.wherein he discovers his sincerity several ways: As,
1. He is the same man in all companies: he is not a Camaelion, a man that can suit with all sorts, and comply with all societies of men: If he be in bad company, he will shew a dislike of their ways, and labor to make them better; if in good company, he will commend and approve of their doings. Godly sincere men, you cannot turn them out of their course; they are the same men, take them where you will, and when you will, and in what company you will. He is like Aristides; It was said of him, you might as soon turn the Sun from his course, as deter him from the Administration of Justice.
2. It is a delight, and matter of rejoycing to them, to converse with good men; and a grief of heart to them to be amongst wicked men, or to have any thing to do with them: This character you have layd down in Psal. 15.2, 4. He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart; you may know him by this mark, In whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoreth them that fear the Lord. It is the joy of a godly man to be amongst good men, and his grief to be among wicked men: So says David, My delight is to be with the Saints, and with them that excel in vertue: And again says he, Wo is me that I am constrained to dwell in Mesech, and to have my habitation in the Tents of Kedar. The inhabitants of Mesech were a barbarous and a vicious people, as you may see in Genes. 10. And David dwelling amongst these wicked men, and in the Tents of Kedar, a wicked generation (Kedar was Ishmaels son) he bewails his sad condition therein. So we read of Jacob, who was the root of the Israelites, they all had their denomination from him; he would not be buryed amongst a wicked people, to shew his indignation against them, in Gen. 49.29.
3. A man without guile discovers his sincerity in his carriage amongst men, in that he orders his conversation so, as not to give offence to any man where he lives, neither to the Jew or Gentile, or to the Church of God. You have a pregnant place for this in Philip. 1.10. the Apostle prays, that they might be sincere, and without offence to others, which intimates, that those that are sincere, it is their continual endevour to walk without offence to any. What Paul made an evidence of his sincerity in the course of his Ministry, that may be to us an evidence of our sincerity in the course of Christianity: in 2 Cor. 6.3. Paul gave no offence in any thing, that so his Ministry might not be blamed: So if you walk without offence in the course of Christianity, this will be an argument of your sincerity.
And thus I have done with these three general Discoveries of a man without guile, in reference to his Sins, his Duties, and Conversation.
We now come to the Application: and the Use that I shall make of it, shall be of Comfort to all you that have the reflection and testimony of a good Conscience, that these characters of a sincere Nathanael are found in you: Know, for your Comfort, all you true Nathanaels and men without guile, that the Lord looks upon you as perfect men and women. If you have sincerity in you, the Lord accounts of you as if you had attained perfection.
SERM. II.
Joh. 1.47.
—Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile.
WE come now to consider the words as an entire Proposition; and then the Doctrine it self will be this,
That it is an admirable and a commendable Excellency in a Christian, Doct. to be a man without guile.
I shall, in the prosecution of this Doctrine, shew you the excellency of this temper, to be without guile; and then come to the Application.
I have pitch'd my thoughts upon ten particulars, wherein the excellency of this quality doth appear.
First, Sincerity, or to be without guile, hath this excellency in it, That if a man hath a sincere heart, his sincerity will cover a multitude of sins and infirmities in him. As Hypocrisie makes many Duties done, as if they were not done, in regard of divine acceptation: so Sincerity makes many sins and infirmities committed, as if they were not committed, in regard of divine imputation and condemnation. The sincerity of a guileless mans heart covers all his sins. As you may see first in David; There were many sins in him, as his numbering the people, his feigning himself mad, his angry and furious swearing the death of Nabal, his unjust dealing with Mephibosheth, &c. yet his sincerity covers all these sins, that God looks upon him as an upright man, except onelyonly in the matter of Ʋriah. And so Jehoshaphat he had many great failings: As,
1. He made a league with Ahab, a wicked King, which was against the command of God.
2. He went to battel with Ahab against Ramoth Gilead: 2 Chron. 18.27, 28.
3. Though he were reproved for making a league with Ahab, yet he made a league with his son a second time: In 2 Chron. 19.2. Jehu the Seer went out to meet Jehoshaphat, and said unto him, Shouldst thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from the Lord: yet it is said, 2 Chron. 20. that after this Jehoshaphat King of Judah joyned himself with Ahaziah King of Israel, who did very wickedly.
4. He gave his son in marriage unto Ahabs wicked daughter, in 2 Chron. 21.6. and yet, notwithstanding all these infirmities, it is said, that he turned not aside from doing that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but his heart was upright before him, in 1 King. 22.43.
I will give you but one instance more, and that is in Asa, a good man, and yet he had many frailties; in 2 Chron. 16.10, 11, 12.
1. He was incens'd and mad against the good Prophet of the Lord, that told him of his sin, and of his danger.
2. He was so wrathful that he put him into prison.
3. He did not only oppress the Prophet, but the people of the Land also.
4. When he was diseased in his feet, he sought not to the Lord, but to the Physicians.
5. The high places in Asa his reign were not taken down, in 1 King. 15.14. and yet notwithstanding all this, it is said, in 1 King. 15.14. that Asa his heart was perfect with the Lord all his days: His sincerity was as a mantle or covering for his infirmities. A man without guile, the integrity of his heart is a mantle to cover the infirmities of his hands. Whereas, on the contrary, if there want sincerity, all the good a man doth is not accepted, is nothing worth: as it was in the case of Jehu; He had zeal for the Lord his God, destroyed the Idolatrous Worship and Worshipers of Baal, &c. yet because his heart was not upright, God rejecteth him, notwithstanding all his services.
Secondly, Another Excellency of a sincere heart is this, If our hearts be sincere, and without guile, then the sincerity of our hearts supplies what is wanting in the measure of our graces: The defect of our graces is made up, in the divine account, in the truth of our hearts. And therefore Hebricians observe, that the same word in the Hebrew language that signifies upright, signifies perfect too; which implies, That he that is without guile, is, in divine account, as if he were perfect, and without sin. In 1 Chron. 12.33. The men of Zabulon that went forth to battel, are said to be men not of a double heart, or of a perfect heart; intimating, that those that are of a sincere heart, they are of a perfect heart
And hence it is that you read often in Scripture, that the perfect and upright are joyned together; as in Job 1.1. Job is said to be a man perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil: So in Psal. 37.37. says David, Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright; for the end of that man is peace. So in 2 King. 20.3. says Hezekiah there, I beseech thee, O Lord, remember how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart. All which places do intimate, and clearly discover to us, That the truth of the heart does, in divine account, make recompence for the want of the measure of the graces.
And therefore it is worthy your noting (that which I hinted to you before) the question that Christ propounded to Peter, in Joh. 21.25. Simon Peter, lovest thou me more then these? Thou hast sinned against me more then these, and now dost thou love me more then these? But Peter does not answer him to the quantity, but to the quality of his love, I do love thee, though not more then these: From whence one observes, That though we do not love, and fear, and honor God more then others; yet if we do fear him, and serve him, and love him in truth, the integrity of our hearts will supply the defect of our graces. Christ asked concerning the measure of Peters love, Peter answered concerning the truth of his love; and yet in Christs account this is taken for an answer to his Question.
Thirdly, To be without guile, hath this Excellency in it; It is a comfortable and a heart-clearing cordial against the fear of death. O what comfort will this be to a man, to have the approbation of his conscience within him, that he hath lived without guile in the World, when he comes to go out of the World.
We read in Isai. 38.1, 3. when the sentence of death came to Hezekiah, saying, Set thy House in order, for thou shalt surely dye, and not live: Then Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord, and said, Remember now O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart. This consideration did comfort him against the sentence of death pronounced against him. I have read of one, that lying upon his death-bed, they asked him, Whether death were terrible to him? He answered, No: for he had the testimony of a good conscience witnessing to him, That in simplicity and godly sincerity he had his conversation in the world: and therefore, says he, my heart tells me, that I need not fear death. And another, that being asked the same question, He answered, I thank God, I have not so lived that I am afraid to dye.
Fourthly, Another Excellency of Sincerity is this; It will quiet the heart against all slanderous aspersions that may be cast upon a man by wicked and malicious men. It may be wicked men do upbraid thee for following of Sermons, and carrying a Bible under thine arm to Church, that thou dost it in hypocrisie, or the like: now the testimony of thy own Conscience will be as a wall of brass against all their aspersions: As in 1 Cor. 4.3, 4. Says Paul there, With me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of mans judgment; for, saith he, I know nothing by my self: As if he should say, My Conscience does not accuse me to be guilty of what they lay to my charge, and upbraid me with, and therefore I care not for it; It is a very small thing to me to be judged by them, seeing I know nothing by my self. So says Job, in Chap. 31. v. 35, 36, 37. O that one would hear me: Behold my desire is, that the Almighty would answer me, and that mine adversary had written a Book; Surely I would take it upon my shoulder, and binde it as a crown to me: I would declare unto him the number of my steps, as a Prince would I go neer unto him: (that is) I would go with an undaunted heart against him. The fincerity of Jobs heart did bear him out against all the aspersions that were cast upon him by his friends. So in Job 27.5, 6. says he, God forbid that I should justifie you; till I dye, I will not remove my integrity from me: My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me as long as I live. Herein lies the excellency of a heart without guile; Such a man can acquit himself to God, notwithstanding all the slanders and reproaches that wicked men cast upon him. A Politician (though he never was famous for sincerity) could say, Some men flatter me, others slander me; but I think my self never the better for the one, nor the worse for the other: as I do not think my self taller in the morning, because my shadow is then longer, nor shorter at noon, because my shadow is then shorter. How much more then may a sincere Christian say so!
Fifthly, Sincerity will make a man comfortably and couragiously to suffer for Christ: It will make a man willingly to suffer from the hands, as well as the tongues of men: It will make him like a brazen wall against all opposition: As in 2 Cor. 1.12. Paul speaks there of the sentence of death they had in themselves; yet this was their comfort and rejoycing, the testimony of their consciences, that in simplicity and godly sincerity they had their conversations in the world. So in 2 Tim. 1.7. says the Apostle, God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound minde. The spirit of fear is there opposed to a sound minde; that is, power to undergo afflictions and persecutions.
But now a Hypocrite is like an ill-woven piece of cloth that shrinks in the wetting: So they tremble and quake in the time of affliction: in Isai. 33.14. The sinners in Sion are afraid; fearfulness hath surprized the Hypocrites: Who amongst us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who amongst us shall dwell with the everlasting burnings? But herein lies the excellency of sincerity, It will make a man couragious in times of trouble and persecution.
Sixthly, A sincere man does not care who knows his heart: As David says, Psal. 139.23, 24Search my heart, O Lord, and try my ways, and see if there be any way of wickedness in me. Job 31.36 37So Job did not care what men said against him, because he knew his own sincerity: I would declare my steps; I would acquaint him with my whole life, let him pick what he can out of it: so clear am I in my own conscience, I would go neer as a Prince; I would come to him, not tremblingly, as a slave; but confidently, as a Prince. A sincere man wisheth his brest were made of chrystal, that every one might see into his heart.
Seventhly, Another Excellency is this; As Hypocrisie doth war against all Grace, so Sincerity doth war against all sin. Sincerity is not like other single graces; for they do but war against their single opposites; as, Humility against Pride, Patience against Passion, Zeal against Lukewarmness, and the fear of God against the fear of men, &c. But now Sincerity, that wars against the whole body of sin, as well as against one particular sin of the body. Sincerity makes a man grapple with all his lusts, so that no corruptions shall stand against him, but he will by the assistance of God vanquish them all. The first special armor you read of in Ephes. 6.14. is, the girdle of Truth: now Sincerity is that which girds Truth close about you, and makes you fight against and oppose all the sins and corruptions that do make any incursions upon you.
Eightly, A sincere heart is in a more receptive capacity to have growth of grace, and greater encrease of it by Ordinances, then any other men in the World are: Psal. 92.13. Who shall flourish in the Courts of Gods House? why, the upright in heart, they shall flourish there. Amongst all the sorts of ground into which the seed was cast, in Luk. 8.8. there was onelyonly one sort of ground wherein the seed grew up to perfection, which was in the good ground, the sincere and upright-hearted man: And therefore it is well observed from 1 Pet. 8.1. where the Apostle presseth them to thrive and grow under Ordinances, He first bids them lay aside all guile, and all hypocrisie, and then as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby. Sincerity is the way to get growth in grace, and encrease by Ordinances. The seed of Gods Word will never grow to perfection in rotten hypocritical hearts; whereas the sincere heart is in a receptive capacity always to be growing in grace.
Ninthly, Another Excellency is this; Sincerity puts a glorious and beautiful lustre upon all a mans other gifts and graces. You cannot say your gifts are saving graces, till sincerity be in the heart; but fincerity is of that nature that it makes your gifts to be graces. What is Faith but a fancy, if it be not unfeigned? 1 Tim. 1.5. What is Love but flattery, if it be not without dissimulation? Rom. 12.9. What is Wisdom but Machiavellism, or Achitophels Policy, if it be not without hypocrisie? Jam. 3.16. What are all your gifts but shining sins, unless there be sincerity in the heart? Gifts in an unsound heart are but like a jewel in a Swines snout, or a pearl upon the dunghill; but now Sincerity puts a beauty and lustre upon small and ordinary Gifts.
Tenthly, The Excellency of a sincere heart appears in this, Because the Promises of God do most generally and chiefly run to the sincerity of our hearts, rather then to the measure of our graces. God does not say, I will do this or that for you, if you are so strong, or have such a measure of grace; but they run chiefly to the upright in heart: as in Psal. 145.18. The Lord is nigh unto all that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. So in Psal. 18.25. With an upright man the Lord will shew himself upright. In Prov. 14.11. The Tabernacle of the upright shall flourish. Psa. 84.11. The Lord God is a Sun, and a Shield; the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. Psal. 125.4. The Lord is good, and doth good to all them that be upright in heart. So in Psal. 112.2. The generation of the upright shall be blessed.
The Promises of God do generally run in this channel, not to the measure of grace, but to the truth of grace; and therefore this is an admirable Excellency in Sincerity, It gives you a Right in all the Promises of God.
I might add this, A man of a sincere heart is in such a condition wherein the Lord will more manifest his Minde and Will to him, then to any other in the World that are of unsound hearts. I shall illustrate this to you by this similitude; Suppose you have two servants in your house, one whereof is a light-finger'd man, that will steal away whatsoever he can finger with conveniency and secrecy: now to such a man you will lock your doors, and carry a strict eye over him, and trust him with no more then needs you must. But now another servant, that you know is faithful and trusty, such a man you will give him your keyes, and trust him with your Cash, and employ him in your Trade, and reveal to him your counsels, and tell him the mysteries of your Trade, and that because you have found him a faithful servant.
Why, so does the Lord deal with his people: Hypocrites they are like lightfinger'd servants, and therefore the Lord locks up Divine Truths from them: But where God sees sincerity in the heart, that he can say, I have experience of this man or woman, they are my old faithful servants, I can trust them with my treasuries of Gifts and Graces; and therefore I will reveal my secrets to them, and open my whole heart to them. If God hath found thee faithful before him, he will do to you as you use to do to your faithful servants, he will reveal his secrets and his counsels to you.
And thus I have done with the Doctrinal part of this Point, That there is a commendable Excellency in this temper, to be a man without guile; which I drew from the absolute consideration of the words. We come now to the Application, wherein I shall be but short at present, because I have another hour to finish it in.
The Use that I shall now make of it, Ʋse. shall be of Comfort to all you that can lay a just claim to this admirable excellency of sincerity, That you are true Nathanaels, in whom there is no guile. Let other men boast and triumph in other things, yet thou hast more cause to rejoyce and triumph then any other man in the World. Let the Church of Rome boast that their Church is the true Church, because of their universality, unity, numerosity, or antiquity; yet, if thou canst plead but sincerity, thou hast an indubitable evidence of everlasting life. Scholars may boast that they have sound judgments, acute wits, strength of memory, and the like; yet, though you do want all these things, thou canst make boast of this above them all, that thou hast a sincere heart; and in having this, thou hast more then all the gifts of Philosophers, nay then all the men in the World have that are without grace. You may bless God, though you have nothing here in the World, yet happy, yea and for ever happy are you, if you can lay a just claim to a sincere heart. He that hath one Diamond, or Pearl of great value, hath more then he that hath many heaps of stones. Sincerity is this Diamond, which makes a man richer then he that hath mountains of all other excellencies.
Secondly, Ʋse 2 By way of lamentation: Is it so that this is such an admirable excellency for a man to be without guile? then this Doctrine may afford us matter of lamentation, to consider how many Hypocrites there are in the world, and how few Nathanaels there are: The Lord might justly say of us, as in Isai. 9.17. I have no joy in their young men, neither shall I have mercy on their fatherless and widows; for every one is an hypocrite and an evil doer, and every mouth speaketh folly.
A third Use shall be by way of Instruction: Ʋse 3 Of Instruction.Is it such an admirable and commendable excellency in a Christian, to be a man without guile? Then from hence I infer these three useful Instructions: As,
First, By this you may see the hatefulness and mischievous nature of an hypocritical heart. If it be so great an excellency for a man to be without guile, then what an odious and mischievous thing is it for a man to have a guileful and an hypocritical heart? I shall shew you the odiousness of it in these following particulars.
1. Guile and hypocrisie in the heart, The odiousness of Hypocrisie in several particulars.it mars all the duties and services that ever you perform to God: herein lies the odiousness of it, It makes all your Duties unacceptable to God. Thus Jehu, though he did many good things for the matter of them, yet because he took no heed to walk in the ways of God with an upright heart, therefore the Lord does charge that upon Jehu as murther, which was but his duty for the matter of it: In Hosea 1.4. says God, I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu. Hypocrisie, or guile in the heart, is as the Fly in the Box of Ointment, it makes your Duties Fly-blown Duties; or like poyson in the pot, that spoyls all: So Hypocrisie spoyls all the Duties you perform to God. As it is reported of a precious stone of admirable excellency, that if it be put into a dead mans mouth, it loseth all its vertues: So Prayer, and Duties coming from an hypocritical and guileful heart, loseth all its vertue and efficacy.
2. The odiousness of this sin appears in that, Guile in the heart it will bereave a man of all those common gifts that God hath endowed him withall. Painted graces will soon decay and fade. As in Luk. 8.18. says Christ there, To him that hath shall be given, but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he seemeth to have. That which hypocritical men have onelyonly a shew of shall be taken away from them: It not onelyonly decays gifts, but graces; as you may see in the example of bloody Bonner, who at first was an eloquent Preacher; but having hypocrisie in his heart, that did quickly eat out all his gifts and graces, and he confessed he had lost the gift of preaching. A painted Childe, though never so exactly drawn and coloured, yet because it is but painted, it presently loseth its beauty, and grows worse and worse: but a living Childe grows fresher and fairer every day then other. Painted graces may shine for a while, but ere long the gloss will vanish.
3. Hypocrisie and guile, it hardens a mans heart so, that he cannot repent for the hypocrisie that is in his heart. In 1 Tim. 4.2. the Apostle there speaks of some that should speak lyes in hypocrisie, having their conscience seared with a hot iron. A guileful heart is a hard and seared heart: It makes repentance and amendment a far harder work then otherwise it would be.
4. A heart full of guile is odious, in regard it exposeth a man to all manner of Errors and Heresies. A man that hath an unsound heart, will hardly have a sound head and a pure judgment. As in 1 Tim. 1.18. you read there, that those that made shipwrack of a good Conscience, made shipwrack of Faith also. That man that casts away a good Conscience, will not long keep a clear Judgment. Hypocrisie will make one speak lyes, as wel as do wickedly: it lays a man open, and plungeth him into Error. If the heart will swallow down wicked practices, the minde will easily digest erroneous opinions. A pure Faith cannot well be preserved in an impure Conscience. Acts 20.29. —grievous Wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock: He means, not open Tyrants, but hypocritical Seducers, Wolves in sheeps clothing, that had a shew of holiness and harmlessness (but not the thing;) These lie and cry, like wounded men, to call the shepherds to them, and so fall upon the flock.
5. The odiousness of it appears in this, Because God, to shew his indignation against it, hath provided more exquisite torments for Hypocrites, then for any other men in the World; and therefore when God would punish a notorious sinner, says he, Give him his portion with Hypocrites: in Mat. 24. ult.
Plutarch relates of one Thespesius, that he beheld Hell in a vision, wherein he saw those that did counterfeit the Religion of the true God, and served him in guile and hypocrisie of heart; they of all others had the greatest torture among the damned.
To this purpose is that passage in Ezek. 14.7, 8. says God there, Every one of the House of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his Idols in his heart, and yet cometh to a Prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the Lord will answer him by my self, and I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb; and I will cut him off from the midst of my people. A man that pretends to be religious, and yet keeps guile in his heart, I will deal with him my self, says God; as if none could punish a Hypocrite enough, unless God doth it himself.
This then is the first Inference, That if it be such an excellent temper for a man to be without guile, then hence we see the odiousness of a guileful and an unsound heart.
Secondly, If this be so, then this Doctrine should provoke each of you to purge out this leaven of Hypocrisie out of your hearts, and to gird your loyns with the girdle of sincerity and truth. We have a Proverb amongst us, [Ʋngirt, unblest;] though I do not say this is true, yet take this from me, That if you be ungirt with this girdle of truth, you are unblest: Eph. 6.14.O therefore purge out this guile out of your hearts.
Thirdly, I infer from hence, That if this be so, it should then teach us to nourish hopefulness in us of mens integrity. If they make but a slender profession of the Gospel; if you see them love Gods Ordinances, and joyn with his people, judg charitably of them.
Nathanael was but a new Convert, he was called and converted but that day: That very day that Philip converted him, Christ saw him coming towards him, and said this of him: Christ gave him this commendation upon the very first begining of his conversion; To teach us not to dishearten young Converts, and small proficients in grace, and censure them to be Hypocrites, or the like: but to encourage them, and help them in the way to Heaven, and strengthen them as much as we can. Ʋse 4 And thus much shall serve by way of Inference and Instruction.
The next Use that I am to handle, Of Examination.is a Use of Examination: And having before given you the Discoveries and Excellencies of a man without guile, I shall here shew you the Characters of a man full of guile and hypocrisie; and these Characters shall not be such onelyonly as are deduced from the Scripture, but such as are directly found in the Scripture, that so they may make the more impression upon your spirits; for they are the same Characters that Jesus Christ himself lays down of an hypocrical heart in Matt. 23. In that very Chapter there are eight Characters usher'd in with so many Woes.
1. Several characters of an Hypocritical heart.The first Character you shall finde in Vers. 13. of that Chapter, and that is this; Hypocrites will not be good to themselves, and yet do what they can to hinder others from being so. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites; for you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men: for ye neither go in your selves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. This is the character that Christ gives of him, He will neither do good, nor be good himself, and will hinder others what in him lies from being so too. Thus Elymas the Sorcerer, in Acts 13.7. when Sergius Paulus, the Deputy, a prudent man, was going to embrace the Faith, and receive the Gospel, it is said, he withstood them, laboring to turn away the Deputy from the Faith; he endevoured to hinder his conversion: but Paul being filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes upon him and said, Oh full of all subtlety and all mischief, thou childe of the Devill, thou enemy of all righteousnesse, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right waies of the Lord?
2. Another discovery is this, Char. 2 It is the badge of an hypocrite, to performe good duties meerly to be a cover to hide some foul sins. This is laid down in the 14 verse, Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites, for you devour widowes houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: that is, to cover some foul sin in their practise, they made long prayers. So that dissembling Harlot, Prov. 7. paid her vowes, and offered her peace-offerings, that she might with more secrecy and security entertain her paramours. Thus that hypocriticall fox Herod, pretended to worship Christ, Mat. 2.8. when he intended to murther him. as when a man that is an adulterer, shall make a great profession of Religion, that so men might the lesse suspect him to follow the stewes: this was the hypocrisie of Jezebel, that had painted grace as well As a painted face, she could cause a fast to be proclaimed, that so she might the better take away both the life and the vineyard of Naboth, 1 King. 21.9. and this is that which is expresly forbidden in 1 Pet. 2.16. saies the Apostle, Ʋse not your liberty for a cloak of maliciousnesse. When men shall take the vail of the Temple Gods ordinances, and with them cover their deformities and notorious sins, this is a sad thing, and therefore all you that do make a holy profession, and frequent the congregations and assemblies of Gods people, that come to the ordinances and hear the Word of God, and yet indulge your selves in known and notorious sins, making the word of God and profession of Religion, a cloak to cover them: let me tell you, that these are the very badges of an hypocrite.
3. Char. 3 Another Character is this, all those that do converse or associate with them, are a great deal the worse, and not the better for their company: this is laid down in vers. 15. Ye compasse sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the childe of hell then your selves, his conversion is a meer perversion: this is the badge of an hypocrite, those that converse with them are the worse for them.
4. They make a thing either to be a sin or to be no sin, according as it makes for their private interest or advantage, and this you have in vers. 16. Wo unto you ye blinde guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the Temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the Temple, he is a debtor. It is a sin to swear at all, but they say no, that it was no sin to swear by the Temple, but if any man did swear to give gold to the Temple to beautifie the Temple, that so the Priests might be the better for it, then they should be debtors and make good their oath, but otherwise not: that which any man swears, if it makes for their advantage, they must fulfill, otherwise not. These men are of that religion, gain is their godlinesse: Ʋbi utilitas ibi pietas, as Epictetus observed.
5. The fifth badge that Christ gives of a guileful heart is this, to be scrupulous in the smaller and circumstantiall matters of Religion, and to neglect the greater, and weightier, and substantiall matters thereof. This you have laid down in vers. 23. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law, Judgement, Mercy, Faith, these ought you to have done, and not to have left the other undone: They would pay tithes of mint and cummin, &c. and be very scrupulous about nice and triviall matters of Religion, but neglect the practicall points of Christianity, and have no regard at all to them, they were very exact in small inconsiderable things, but neglected the practicall Doctrines of Christianity. And this was the hypocrisie of Saul, he gave a strict charge that men should not eat the bloud of beasts, but yet he made no conscience of shedding the bloud of men, he would have killed Jonathan, and because the people did admire David and honour him above himself, he would have killed David likewise.
And so Joab did much scruple Davids numbring of the people, and yet was not at all scrupulous of murdering of people.
Thus the Scribes and Pharisees, when Judas came to them and told them that he was guilty of innocent bloud, and bid them take their money again, they would not receive it because it was the price of bloud: they made no conscience of giving money to shed bloud, and yet would not receive the money that was the price of innocent bloud. They scrupled to have the price of bloud in their treasuries, when they were not troubled for having the guilt of bloud upon their consciences.
Thus the Papists are scrupulous of eating no flesh in Lent, and will suffer no man to do it, but make no conscience of suffering all profanenesse and uncleannesse, and of tearing the flesh and spilling the bloud of poor Protestants.
And thus the Prelaticall Clergie, they were very strict and ceremonious that every Minister must wear a Surplice, but yet took no care at all whether they lived holy lives or no: So they were mighty strict in observing holy daies, which was needlesse, when they did not regard the profaning of the Sabbath, which the Lord does exactly command to be kept holy.
And so the Pharisees, though they would not eat meat with unwashed hands, yet they took no care to wash and cleanse their hearts from sin.
And therefore if any of you would know how the case stands with you in this particular, take a survey over your own hearts, and consider whether or no you are men that are nice and scrupulous about smaller matters, and yet neglect the greater and weightier matters of the Law.
(6) A guilefull man is such a one that makes conscience to avoid great and open and scandalous transgressions, but takes no care, and makes no conscience to avoid small and secret and inward corruptions: this you have laid down in Mat. 23.29. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for you make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excesse: they made no conscience of inward and bosome lusts, and yet were carefull to avoid great and notorious sins that were obnoxious to the reproach of men, as in Psal. 36.4. They devise mischief upon their beds, and make no conscience of secret sins, they imagine mischief, Psal. 62.3. their inward and secret thoughts are very wicked.
(7) Another Character is this, they take more care and use more endeavours, for a seemingly holy life, then for a truly holy heart, he takes more care to be counted holy then to be so indeed: this is laid down in vers. 27. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, for ye are like unto white sepulchres, which appear indeed beautifull outward, but are within full of dead mens bones and of all uncleannesse. Hypocrites have glorious outsides, but nothing but sin and corruptions, and rotten hearts within, they are like Apothecariers boxes that have specious superscriptions without, but nothing at all within. So hypocrites endevour for a plausible carriage with the men of the world, but care for nothing else. Intus Nero, foras Cato, They have the heart of a Nero under the face of Cato.
(8) Hypocrites they blame and condemn those sins in, other men, which either themselves commit or would doe so, so, had they the same opportunities. Vers. 29. Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites, for ye build the tombes of the Prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the daies of our fathers, we would art have been partakers with them in the bloud of the Prophets, and yet they themselves were guilty of the very same sinne. For so Christ tels them afterward in vers. 34. Behold, I send unto you Prophets and wise men, and some of them ye shall kill and crucifie, and some of them you shall scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute them from city to city.
Our Chronicles tell us of a Jesuite here in London in the daies of Queen Mary, that made a glorious speech in the praise of chastity, and dispraise of adultery, yet was that night taken in bed with a whore.
Now therefore I beseech you survey your own hearts, whether you do not blame others for the very same sins that you your selves are guilty of.
And now if all these particulars be well weighed, what a world of hypocrites shall we finde? how few Nathaniels, how many Pharisees? One told the Emperour Frederick that he would goe to a place where no hypocrites were. Then (said he) you must go beyond the frozen Ocean where there are no inhabitants: and yet thou wilt finde an hypocrite there, if thou finde thy self there. You have need therefore to make a through search whether you are not one of that number.
And thus I have done with these eight Discoveries, we come now to another Use an Use of Consolation.
All you that are sincere Nathaniels I have three or four comfortable considerations to uphold your spirits. Use of Consola∣tion.
And here first you must know that you are to distinguish between the having of hypocrifie, and the reigning of hypocrisie in your hearts; every man may have hypocrisie though he, does labour and strive against it: but where hypocrisie reigns, there it is unseen, unfelt, unbewailed, and unlaboured against.
2. Take notice that you are to distinguish from doing of things in hypocrifie, and doing things with hypocrisie. A godly man may do a thing with hypocrisie, but he does not do it in hypocrisie. Christ saies of Nathaniel, that he was a man in whom there was no guile, but does not say, with whom there was no guile.
3. Take notice that thou maiest have an assured pledge in thy own heart, that thou art no hypocrite, if thou hast but these three properties in thee, 3Symptomes of 2 man without hypocrisie.they are such dispositions, that no true childe of God can be without, and yet such things as no wicked man or hypocrite can possibly have.
(1) Thou art no hypocrite if thou doest seriously bewail thy own hypocrisie and sin of this nature. It is Hildershams observation, he makes a bold challenge to all the world to do these two things, to bring a Scripture proof that ever a hypocrite did bewail his own hypocrisie, or mourn for the sin of his nature, there was never any wicked unsound man did ever bewail his own hypocrisie, or the pravity or sinfulnesse of his own nature, and hence it is that Paul he was never sensible, nor troubled for those sins and corruptions that were in his heart before he was coverted, but afterward he cries out, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death! Rom. 7.24.
And therefore you that bewail your hypocrisie, and mourn for the sin of your natures, that body of death you do carry about with you, this is an undoubted evidence that you are new born.
(2) If you are conversant in the mortification of your inclination to lusts: hypocrisie may have a seeming opposition against sin, but a godly man he wars and fights in good earnest against all sin. Now if you can appeal to heaven that all sinnes are alike to you, you do hate and abhorre them all, your bosome sins, your constitution sins, your inclinations to lust and vanity that is in your natures, this is another evidence that you are void of hypocrisie. And,
(3) If you make conscience of the manner how, and the end why you perform duties to God, these are things that hypocrites never do all their life long, if your conscience bear you witnesse that it is thus with you, these are unquestionable evidences that you are the men and women that are true Nathaniels, Israelites indeed in whom there is no guile.