YOU shall find, in the former Chapter, Christ charging of the Pharisees for their unsu­table actings unto the rule, notwithstanding all their profession, and pronouncing woes against them of all sorts of people: And here he [Page 2] takes occasion upon the addresse of peo­ple, to open those things further, and to apply what he had said unto them; When he saw a multitude of people, many people gathered together, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to preach and ex­pound unto them; and this is the first Les­son that he gave them, an admonition that they should take heed of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisie.

Now by leaven here of the Pharisees, some take the doctrine of them to be meant: but you know Christ tels them in another place (Math. 23.2, 3.) they sit in Moses chaire, all therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and doe: Yet certainly it may be taken for their do­ctrine here likewise, for they did manage their doctrine with hypocrisie, and did not plainly and clearly open the nature of those things the Law spake of. But chiefly and especially is meant here by the leaven of them, i.e. those private and particular doctrines that they gave out from their owne Sect, from their own par­ticular judgment: For when they expoun­ded [Page 3] the Law, so far as it referred to Mo­ses, the Lord Jesus gave them a warrant to heare them; but they have private instructions, and practices that will be as leaven to corrupt you, if you be not very exact. I need not to comment upon it, for my designe is only to open the nature of hypocrisie, and discover it to you both in the Churches of Christ, and up and down the world. And I have chosen this exam­ple of Jesus Christ: now it's mighty em­phaticall to consider, who are the persons he picks out, as who are the subjects of this admonition; The Pharisees, the strictest Sect among the Jewes, those that had the greatest name of Religion, that did most exactly (outwardly) follow all the rules that the Law seemes to command; they were expounders of Moses Law (to give you but a short hint of their life and actings) they gave themselves up wholly to it: so you shall find up and downe all the New Testament, they were sequestred persons from all sorts of men, must not be so much as touched by any: For so it seems there when the poore woman came to [Page 4] Christ, and touched the hemme of his gar­ment, they wondred that Christ would suffer himselfe to be touched by her being a sinner; they were so exact, that they would have no legall pollution upon them, they would not eat a bit of meat untill they washed, especially at a Fast, then some of them would even goe to wash their whole bodies, for feare any pollution should fall upon them; they were so exact, that they counted all men but themselves to be sinners: these things you shall find up and downe the Scrip­tures, I need not name the places; they al­wayes were fasting twice a weeke, would not touch any meat, so exact that they wore schedules about their armes and necks, whereon the Law was written, the chiefest and most positive Commande­ments; so exact were they, as to outward appearance humbling themselves on pur­pose, so that they seemed to be most ex­act (Paul was of the same Sect which he gloried of) and yet the most hypocriti­call and unworthy generation of men that ever were, and the greatest enemies [Page 5] of Christ that ever he had, and there's none he gave that bitter language to as to them.

They did ever endeavour these two things:

First, To intrap and intangle him with with their questions, to make him speake something contrary to the Law.

Or secondly, To blurr him if they could, to put a publique blot upon him before the people, and such a kind of calumny that they might all hate him; therefore the greatest woes that Christ pronounces are against the Scribes and Pharisees.

But to goe no further, observe only this;

Obs. The more outwardly Religious men are, without spirituall Principles, the more dangerous they are to converse withall: there's a leaven in them, there are no such per­sons so dangerous to converse with the Saints as these, a man is gone insensibly, and taken insensibly with these things be­fore he knowes where he is; the autho­rity of the person takes hold on his heart: Can such a person be so and so? he is [Page 4] [...] [Page 5] [...] [Page 6] rather fit for heaven then earth, and so a man sucks in all the venome of his spi­rit and opinions; and so it was with those that went about to be false Apostles, in 2 Tim. 4 chap. they went about cunningly to deale with men, and they gained excee­dingly; and I am confident that in these latter dayes more have been deceived by the seeming profession of men speaking great things, and lifted up high in esteeme then by any otherway, as they speak lyes secretly and with hypocrisie; all their actings, and all they did was but hypo­crisie.

But the thing I shall come to, is to open hypocrisie: Now that which I shall shew in the generall, is,

First, what hypocrisie is? what the nature of it is? 2. and the severall sorts of it. 3. how it acts? 4. what the characters of hypocrites are, how they passe through all sorts of duties?

Hyprocrisie may be considered these two wayes:

First, as opposed unto the reality of the worke of the Gospell in a mans heart, as [Page 7] opposed unto what's reall in a man, that's hypocrisie, when I have an appearance of what I have not; that's the first thing. I doe, it may be, conceive I have this and that which I have not, and so hypocrisie lyes in a defect of those Principles that should be in a man, it's opposed unto that reall worke in a mans soule, when I act those things outwardly that I have no reall foundation for in my owne heart, pray, and preach, and heare, and doe all duties that are suitable to the will of God, and no reality of these things in my owne heart, nothing within but the stir­rings of my naturall affections, and the like; when as a man hath not that clear­nesse of judgement to discerne his owne state, and hath not that within him that is reall.

Secondly, hypocrisie is opposed to that inward simplicity of heart and intention in a mans spirit, when I doe professe that which I doe not intend, that's hypocrisie; when I doe that in the Gospell which my intentions are not reall in, and yet my in­tentions may be reall in the things I doe, [Page 8] but I have not a reality in the principle: but this is the grossest sort of hypocrisie, when it is opposed to that singlenesse of sincerity and intention; they are as Stage-players, act the part of them they know they are not. A man doth out of shew and vanity faigne himselfe to be that which he is not; this is the second sort of hypocrisie, when I would be counted so for strictnesse and holinesse that I am not, and there's now in the very inten­tion of my soule hypocrisie. But hypo­crisie may be without the intention, where there is not that spoken of in the 1 Philip. 10. that you may be sincere, ^* [...], which is a very large word, and signifies that cleare judgement a man should have, as if he were tryed by the beames of the Sun. Now though there be sincerity as to intention, yet there may be hypocrisie as to the defect of the reality that should be in a mans soule.

So that from these two considerations in generall, you may see that hypocrites may be of those sorts.

First, a man may be an hypocrite and may not know it; he may go on in all sorts of duties of Religion, and do all things exactly according to the letter of the Law, and do it with integrity in his spi­rit, as he thinks, not knowing that he doth it out of any false intention, hath not that cunningnesse to deceive (as I shall shew you by and by,) not so cunning a hypocrite as one who deales from the in­ward wickednesse of his heart, on pur­pose to deceive: but yet he goes on, and never had the worke of God upon his soule; he follows on the outward Letter of the Law, goes on in a drudging way, he finds some naturall propensity in his spirit to it from ingenuity, and common principles which are left in him by the Gospell: so a man may be long in duties, (Paul was so) he professeth, that what he did was out of Ignorance, 1 Tim. 1.13. he did not know he was an hypocrite, he had no designe to deceive the world, and to deceive himselfe, he thought he was an exact man, and carried it as clearely as could be, he had no designe but to [Page 10]propagate his own principles, and he was above all the Pharisees, therefore he puts down himselfe as the most zealous of them, and surely he had a good in­tention as to his own thoughts, as to de­signe he was, as it were, an innocent hy­pocrite. And surely so it was with the foolish Virgins, Mat. 25. they went on smoothly a long time, and slumbred, and slept, and thought themselves as pure Virgins as the wise untill midnight came. And the young man in the Gospell, Mat. 19. he came to Christ with a confidence in his own intentions, that he had kept the Law, or else he would never have come to Christ as he did, but yet he lac­ked something, he wanted the maine principle, he wanted selfe-deniall, never knew what it was to cast himselfe upon the Lord Jesus purely: All his hypocri­sie lay in that. If there be but a naturall ingenuity and simplicity, and it come under the Gospell, it will be mightily impro­ved by a mans following the outward Let­ter of it, he will be as simple-hearted in all duties, as much as formerly he was by [Page 11] following the common principles of ho­nesty: therefore when the young man came to Christ, there was a kind of affe­ction in Jesus Christ to him, and a love to him, and yet this was his hypocrisie; he did all those things, and had no inten­tion at all to deceive the world or him­selfe by it, but he wanted the principle that should have carried him on in all things: So that a man appeares to be what he is not, appeares to be a Saint, and does duties well, but is not, this comes from a want of principles, a de­fect in that; It is not my intention that makes me a hypocrite before God, but if I go on in profession, and have not what should make out that profession to be from God, it is hypocrisie. Only these are the most to be pittied and bewailed that go innocently to hell; they thinke they have grace, and no man in the world can perswade them to the contrary, and as strong a faith as any in the world, and alas they have not; they thinke they love Christ, and would do any thing for him, but they never had that love flaming in [Page 12] them from the power of divine love, and spirituall Gospell-principles.

Now the reasons why men go on thus are.

First, because they never had the sight of their own natures; they never were under the through-convictions of their sinfull state by nature, only bred up faire­ly and ingenuously in the Gospell; God never shewed them their own faces in the glasse of the Law, only they have looked on the Law with their own eye, in their own prospect; it is impossible, if God shewed a man his nature, he should go without principles in his heart.

Secondly, It comes from a generall view of the Gospell, meerly from generall con­siderations of the Gospell, and outward rule, without any particular inward sense of the spirit and frame that should be in him: men looke upon the Gospell as a Histo­ry, and never come to see what spiritu­all frames should be in their hearts to every duty.

Thirdly, Men do find some kind of comfort in those waies, and they have not [Page 13] those checks of conscience that others have, because they are not so grosse in their actings, but go on smoothly, without que­stioning their own state, and their spirits are pretty well composed.

Fourthly, The maine and the great reason is want of through-examination, want of diving into the depths of the heart, not putting a mans selfe to it every day, men take up meerly the imitation, as it were, of others, and the shadow, and the outward expression, and consider them no otherwaies, whereas they are but shews; men never go no further in their own spirits than the outsides, never search their hearts to lay them open before the Majesty and Authority of a great God, and so they live and dye securely. And is not this a sad thing, that a man should thinke he hath grace, and have no inten­tion at all to deceive? That is, he hath not that cunning and desperate frame, but only goes on and trusts his own judg­ment, and trusts his own generall appre­hensions, and hopes well of himselfe, and thinkes surely he would do no [Page 14] wrong, do no evill, and this man slips down, and away to the bottome of hell; here is a hypocrite, though not a professed one, he is deceived, though he intend not to deceive, for here is that I would have you look to.

☞ It is not your thinking and saying you have grace, you may be hypocrites for all that, if you are not what you ap­peare to be: you are a hypocrite what­soever you seeme to be, and whether you think so or no. God thinkes so, and know's so, and you will find it so one day, when you come to have the vaile taken off from your eyes; Paul wondred what he was a doing when God opened his eyes, what he had been doing all this while. Therefore you had need be trying your hearts every day, dayly fearing your hearts, and jealous over your spirits, and suspecting every motion, untill you have tried your hearts by Law and Gospell, yea, and waited upon the Spirit for a new triall.

Now there is a second sort, and they are such as are conscious to themselves of [Page 15] their hypocrisie, that they are not yet sound in the maine, and yet go on in their profession from their education, or for some designe, and cannot leave it, have many stirrings of God in their hearts un­der Ordinances from light convictions of the Lord upon their Spirits. And this is exceeding common, many go on a long time in profession and cannot leave it, but have many motions of God in their soules, and many sharpe reproofes from God, and yet cannot see a through work upon their hearts, yet go on and professe, and hope it may be, but take themselves for Saints continually, and must have their names enrolled for Saints in Churches, and yet have a jealousie of their own hypocrisie, and go on so for many yeares under many regrets and wounds of spirit; they have many twangs that pierce them sometimes, and yet the Conviction is not so strong as to shew them their miserable and vile estate, or to presse them on to the through worke of the Gospell upon their hearts. And you shall find those persons very high in pray­er, [Page 16] and very able to speake well in their converse with Saints: But they never met with God in duties, never had Gods assistance, never found that spirituall strength; when they heare men Anato­mising of soules, they are only for keep­ing up the glorious outside, and the glory of outward formes; they have been some ten or twenty years, and knew that Christ never appeared to them, and yet they cannot leave off duties, conscience and the outward rule lies upon them still: this is very common: And so it was with Saul, he knew in his own heart that God had forsaken him, and yet he would be doing something, he would have Samuel to pray for him, but God had left him: he knew in his own conscience he was un­sound, and had not done the will of God. And so a man may go up and down a great while, having a conscience and abi­lity as to outward actings, and yet never be sound: God improving a naturall light so far as to outward actings, that he can­not chuse but do those outward duties, and yet he knows in his conscience that [Page 17] he never met with God, and if he do, it is only to tell him thou art not sound, and sometimes he breakes out in extravagan­cies; these can find nothing in their hearts, but conscience will be pressing them on still to keep up the forme. This is a mise­rable soule. Certainely some men are self-condemned, and it is impossible if so be a man have any stirrings of Conscience, and live under the Ministry of the Go­spell, but he will some time or other (if he be a hypocrite) have some discoveries of his owne heart, when he comes to prayer, there is not that working of a spi­rit of Adoption; God may leave a man so in a generall kind of way, that he may not at all set out those convictions, but those that have their consciences convin­ced of particular acts of sin, when they turne Professors they have often times conviction, as to those acts, but let a man have never such a daily hint that he is an hypocrite, yet it is no more to him to strike him off his bottome and make him to be sound, no more than if a man had a dayly sense of sin that he cannot get [Page 18] mortified, and he finds convictions not so sharpe but that he can go under them and live, (though sometimes they are sore to him) and stop the mouth of con­science. The Lords power comes not in with the Conviction; and certainely those soules are mightily startled soules, have mighty sharpe convictions upon their spirits, but it is off againe, and they carry a generall kind of feare in their own hearts, but still something or other there is, and they must keep up: O take heed then.

Looke to your own hearts, what secret hints you have of hypocrisie, you that have lived long under the Gospell, been given much to duties, look to your own hearts, how many twangs have you had in the night-season in your spirits? You never met with God in the duty, though you prayed well, and read well in the sight of men, though you have carried it faire up and down the world: what in­ward regret have you had in your own spirits? This is a lamentable condition, for a man to be so a hypocrite, that a man [Page 19] goes on under the conviction and cannot get from it, and yet goes on in duties still. Now you have a third and last sort, which is the grossest sort.

Thirdly and lastly, a designing hypo­crite, one that takes up Religion for some particular designe, which he knows the designe of in his own heart, as to get ho­nour, or profit, or the countenancing of some particular last, or whatever it be; meer­ly that a man may cover some secret lust, meerly to follow the opportunities and seasons of the world: this is the grossest of all: State-hypocrites, as I may so call them, those that are only making use of the name of Religion on purpose to de­ceive, and begin all their evill in the name of God; these are the grossest sort that can be possibly. And there are severall sorts of these. Some that are more refined, as to be honoured among men, as Simon Magus, he would give any thing that he might have had the gift of the Holy Ghost, because he thought it was a brave thing to do miracles that he might be ac­counted of among men, therefore he [Page 20] was in the Gall of bitterness.

There are a more refined sort, which care not so much for outward kind of profit or honour, but they do follow on duties and the waies of God, meerly to quiet their consciences upon some speciall guilt as to former actings, to cover some kind of corruptions that they may be husht, and be counted Saints besides: That is a more spirituall way, for there be some so curious in a spirituall hypocrisie that no man can find them out, they have some old blot upon their consciences that they would take off by a new way of acting, take it off from the sight of others, and be accounted as new: I only give you these in generall, they have some secret corruption that is their darling lust that they would nourish. This is now to be a Stage-player indeed: when I know I am a beggar, and yet shall put on the Robes of a Prince, when I know I have that unsound­ness in my heart, and yet would be ac­counted a sincere Saint, and would do something that shall cover my corrupti­on, and I would do duties because I [Page 21] would get such an honour: That is a most shamefull way: These are the wic­kedest sorts of men in the world; cer­tainely there is none have more shame in their own soules than these, if they look into their own hearts.

I would therefore now apply this, and leave the rest for some other time.

Applic. I beseech ye therefore every one take in the exhortation of Jesus Christ, take heed of this Leaven, this Hy­pocrisie, this wicked venemous poyson that lies in all sorts; most in Churches and Congregations where the Gospell is Prea­ched, we are leavened before we are a­ware, take all diligence and care, yet it comes in: This is that which Christ did advise his Disciples of: take heed of that above all things; but before I go on, I would leave these Considerations with you, that you may not mistake.

First know, that there may be hypocrisie in the soule, and yet a man cannot be called a Hypocrite; There is Hypocrisie in every state; you must not thinke that if you find some Hypocrisie you are a Hypo­crite: [Page 22] I speake this for the comfort of poore Saints; if they find any deceit or cun­ning in their spirits in their duties, then they say they are hypocrites; they are damned; no, I would have you to know, that Hypocrisie lies very close in the soule of the best Saints; but only when the straine of a mans spirit goes on so, then you had need looke to your selves when you find that Hypocrisie predominant.

Secondly, There may be great charges of hypocrisie as to particular actings, (nay, whole actings may be in hypocrisie) yet not a Hypocrite. Gal. 2.13. as Paul charged Pe­ter with Hypocrisie, the whole act was done hypocritically, and he brings in Barnabas as guilty with him, he did dis­semble, so it may be with a Saint; he may dissemble in an action, in a duty, and yet not be so in his whole state. Therefore judge not of your selves by particular acts.

Thirdly, know that Hypocrisie is not only as to an outward duty, but in every moti­on of your spirits you must looke; it lies not only in grosse designes to advantage selfe, [Page 23] but it grows secretly, you know not how it touches upon every part upon a sudden before you are aware of it; In your love to Christ, strange Hypocrisie! In your very motion to Saints, and expressions, what won­derfull vailes of hypocrisie. You must therefore looke exceeding narrowly, you must put on Gospell-eyes to try hypocrisie in your own hearts. But I say however, whatever you do in the world, and whatever you be, be not Hypocrites, Shew your selves to be what you are, let the sense of things so lye upon you, that you may not deceive. I say not, that profane hearts should vent their profane thoughts, but lye humbly before God in a deep sence of your deceitfull hearts. And make not the world beleeve you have such and such enjoyments, and sights of Christ, yet have none.

☞ Take the best of men in the world, we that preach to you, we are in some kind Hypocrites: we thinke we are so and so, and speake nothing but from our own experiences in our hearts; we may shew a perfect rule, and yet be Hypocrites in many [Page 24] things. Only there is the spirituall inten­tion and reality to honour God, which is the only comfort; but we are not ful­ly what we appeare to be, yet are endea­vouring and pressing on to be so, and that shews we are not hypocrites, though, in some sense, every man may be called a hypo­crite when he is not what he should be.

Oh! take heed, take heed. But I say, be what the Gospell saies, hold forth what you are indeed unto the world. I had thought to have named severall sorts of persons, that had more need to looke into their own hearts about hypo­crisie.

First, those that are of popular spirits, that are to converse with many, these had need looke closely to their own spirits, for the most of our garbs and expressions are but very seldome true, and reall, but of the deep sence of our duties to one ano­ther: Take heed therefore, lest we ga­ther up a name of hypocrisie: it is very hard to have much converse with the World, and not be much in hypocrisie; without a man be much given up to rea­lity [Page 25] of spirit: you will find your tempers, in that regard, how they are: you had need have more warinesse in your owne spirits.

Secondly, those that are of a naturall cunningnesse, a naturall craftiness of spirit, they had need to take heed, especially when they come under the Gospell, in opening their soules, and conversing with Saints; then that naturall cunningnesse will be mightily improved under the Gospell; if not mighty wary it will come up to a spirituall hypocrisie, if a man have not an exceeding care, and it is dan­gerous dealing with a person that is apt to cunningnesse. There are exceeding many that are thus in these daies.

Thirdly, Those had need to looke to their own spirits, whose Religion begins with some particular occasion in the world; where Religion begins with the times, it is a thousand to one but such will prove hypocrites, and dangerous ones too.

Fourthly, Those that are given to an out­ward strictness and severity to externall things, observance of outward actings, [Page 26] and circumstances of outward formes, without they be very careful in them, for here lies hypocrisie, in doing all duties, in being most exact in the outward form.

We shall come to open something hereafter, that if it please God all shall see if they be hypocrites or no.

THis is one of the serious cau­tions of Jesus Christ to his owne Disciples; and to those that had grace; yet he bids them, and all that ever he met with, to beware of the Lea­ven of the Pharisees, which he saies was hypocrisie.

Now he calls the Doctrine of the Pha­risees a Leaven.

First, Because of the spreading nature of it, there is nothing so spreading as Leaven: put a little of it in, and it will go through the whole Lumpe. Hypocri­sie is the most spreading thing in the soule, and goes over all the faculties, no faculty [Page 28] is free of it; a little Leaven, once it is engendred, saies the Apostle, will leaven the whole Lumpe, 1 Cor. 5.6. A little Hy­pocrisie in a mans spirit it will soone spread (if it be countenanced) over his affections and faculties; and then

Secondly, he compares hypocrisie to Leaven, because of its insensible way of spreading, no man knows it; a man puts but a little Leaven and it gives a Tincture of it presently, so it is in the heart; Hy­pocrisie workes so insensibly, so closely in a mans spirit, that if you be not excee­ding wary and carefull, it will undo your whole soule; It will give you such a Tincture that you will hardly be able to take off the savour of it without you have a mighty power from heaven; therefore you had need beware of the Leaven of Hypocrisie. That is only for the Word.

But you may remember I began last time to open the nature of Hypocrisie, and shewed you that it was opposed to two things.

First, Unto the Truth and Reality of [Page 29] things, as they lay in their owne na­ture.

Secondly, Unto that simulation, that fainedness, unto that sincerity of intenti­on, faining what a man doth.

As it signifies a faining in that,

First, It was opposed unto the truth of things; that is Hypocrisie that is not ac­cording to the nature of things as they are; so he is a hypocrite that is not reallie sound, though he may pretend he is so, and thinke he is so; for I shewed you that is the grosser sort of hypocrisie to be fained so; to faine my selfe to be a holy person, to faine my selfe to be Saint when I am not, that is the grosser sort of Hy­pocrisie; but there is Hypocrisie lies closer, when I thinke I am a Saint and am not so, I am a hypocrite.

So it is opposed to a word in the Greeke, often-times used and put for sinceritie, [...], and is a word that will expresse it exceeding clearly.

I shall only speake to the first sence at this time.

To open it more clearely to you.

First, This Hypocrisie is opposed to the truth, the reality, and clearenesse, the sincerity and soundnesse of things in their being and nature. As you know that is a false Jew­ell and Diamond that hath not the proper nature and colour that belongs to it, it is counterfeit, it is not right, though I may thinke I am enriched by it; that makes not the thing the truer for that, they are but all counterfeit. I am not richer if I had many of those glittering Diamonds, that is my mistake; so it is as to hypocri­sie on this first consideration if there be not a cleannesse, a perfection in the kind. If I be not a Saint reallie in my own Spirit, let my perswasions be what they will of my selfe, and others perswasions be what they will be of me, yet I am a hypocrite in the eyes of God. Let my graces be never so glittering and glorious in the sight of my selfe and others, yet if they be not such as can be tried according to that [...], that sinceritie, such that may abide the judgement of the Sun: If they cannot 'bide the pure sight of God, and his Glorie, I shall be found to be still [Page 31] a person that I am not, I shall be found in another condition.

This is that I would speake unto:

It is not my intention only that will make me a hypocrite, it makes me a grosser, to feigne and dissemble; But it is as well the one as the other: the want of the reall principle, the want of a sound worke upon my heart.

Take in the first place this considera­tion:

First, I appeare to my selfe and others to be what God will not own me to be at the last day; so there is Hypocrisie in Fundamen­tals; I say I have grace, and God saies I have none. I say I beleeve, and God will never owne my faith when it comes to triall. I am as far to seeke, and I am as much a Hypocrite, (for I have a false faith, a false motion after God and Christ) as much as if I did intend to palliate, to counterfeit my faith on pur­pose: A man may have the complexion but not the constitution of a Saint. If I appeare not really what I am before God, I am a hypocrite. Therefore this I [Page 32] say is the great thing that few in the world do know, that most of Professors are Hypocrites; they are not throughly con­verted though they have (as they thinke) the glorious workings of God upon them, yet if they be not true and reall, and will go through the fire of a divine eye, and the search of that Omniscien­cie of the Lord, they will never hold. I am an Hypocrite, though not so in intention: I am not so as to the formality of Hypo­crisie, but I am so really as to God; there­fore consider of it, consider it; for the most people think, if they have but a good ho­nest intention in what they do; they think they are perfectlie free of all danger of hypocrisie; they are safe and sound in Religion if they pray and do not dissem­ble in their prayers: that is, that their hearts and their tongues do not jar but do agree, they are then free from hypo­crisie: but that is a miserable mistake. For alas, it is all one whether or no you feigne your selves to be what you are not, or are not what you thinke yourselves to be; it is all one as to the thing it selfe, you will [Page 33] find it so one day in your own spirits: when you shall find all that ever you have done to be but glorious appearan­ces; What will it do you good when you can say only, I had a good intention, I thought I prayed well, and had the straines of the Gospell in my own spirit, what will this do you good if you be not found so? But this is that I say, that if I have not the truth in me of what I do professe, though I do sincerelie and ho­nestly professe what I thinke, it is all one (as to the nature of the thing) as if I do feigne what I am not: For I shall be as well undone by the one as by the other, and I am not the person I thinke my selfe to be, nor others thinkes to be, if God thinkes not me to be what I and others thinkes me to be; and to what end should we soulke up and down and not be what we are in our own hearts, but delude our selves, and not deale faithfull [...] with our own spirits.

☞ As now take a Preacher of the Go­spell, suppose I preach the Gospell; if I preach any thing that is untruth, or a lye, [Page 34] though I do it with never so honest a heart, I shall be damned for it: If I preach against Jesus Christ any thing that will destroy the fundamentals of the Gospell, I shall be destroyed for all that, though I be never so honest in my intention; For our intentions are but naturall and com­mon: If I think I have grace, and a work of God upon my soule, and yet have it not, it is all one as with those that know they have no worke of God and yet pro­fesse.

Secondly, there is hypocrisie seene in it likewise, because I take up things in a generall manner, and never try them, nor my own heart by them, that shews my hy­pocrisie, though I thinke I am reall in my intentions, I should try them over and over againe. But to make out this a little more cleare to you.

Let us consider in the generall the power that imagination hath upon the spirits of men: Take [...]y one that is thought to con­verse with the devill, and trade with him upon promise of Gold, and Silver, and the like. The power of imagination will [Page 35] worke upon such a man that he will be­leeve on the Devill, that he hath all the riches in the world, the gold of the In­dies; this the very power of imagination will do, he thinkes he can want nothing, and yet so strong is this power of imagi­nation upon him all his daies.

Do but take a man in a melancholly straine, he will thinke really he is what he thinkes any other man to be: If any man be taken in a feaver, he will beleeve he is so, he will sweat at it. If any one be thought to go mad, he will be the same; It is the same in Religion; the fancy and imagination of a man will work as strongly in Religion and the Gospell-perswasion as a melancholy constitution: I will perswade my selfe to be in heaven, and see Angels and glorious Saints, and be in the bosome of Christ, though I never heard his voice to my own soule, and all this upon the power of imagina­tion, it is so strong upon our spirits; if there were no more but that, it were enough.

Secondly, in generall know this, that [Page 36] you may see it by the contrary of sincerity; you know that is said to be sincere in the proper sence of it that is not mixt, that is without any mixture at all; as that is pure wine that is not sophisticated by any brewing, that is sincere that is not mixt, that is pure from the grape, shines in its own lustre; we call that hypocriti­call that is mixt, or hath any thing to set it off but its own nature, these things that come purely from it selfe; so it is in the soule of a man that is hypocriticall in his owne spirit: that is not sincere that hath a shew of grace, and yet hath it not, that is hypocrisie; he hath common and carnall principles, or, if you will, common grace and carnall principles mixt together, it is ordinary in the Gospell; man hath his naturall principles; and some additions of assistance and power from God, and they are jumbled together, they are not sin­cere at all, but hypocriticall, nothing shines in its own nature; so it is with most men in the world: there are other ingredients that are mixt with all their actings, there is something mixt with it [Page 37] in the Principles, in the very first moti­ons. And certainly this is that which is sutable to this Text, where he saies, Take heed of the leaven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisie. You must not thinke the Pha­risees did preach Hypocrisie, but only their doctrine tended to nothing else but set­ting up an outward Religion, without any power, to lead men to holinesse in sincerity: and so they mixed their own interests with any thing of the Gospell; you must not thinke they preached hy­pocrisie, no, they were wise men and observant, but their doctrine did lead men alwaies to nothing but outsides of Religion: to be common Professors, and look after nothing at all but the meere shew of the Gospell and of the Law; the Doctrine it selfe was good, but they mixed it with some other ends; they had a dash of their owne (as I may say) with what they said, they were never pure and sincere in their actings. Therefore the same word that is put for sinceritie is put for unleavened bread, that is, pure bread that is made up without any leaven. Now if a soule be [Page 38] not cleare and sound in the principles of the Gospell, in the workings of it, he is a hypocrite be he what he will.

There may be mixtures in second actings, but if there be mixtures in principles, that is hypocrisie.

And upon this account all Professors that live under the Gospell, be they of what height they will, they are Hypo­crites, they never had a sound worke of God: if there be a mixture in the prin­ciples and the end: They are hypocrites that never had a through worke of God, and pure divine principles acting in their soules: But have a mixture of other ends in their hearts, that do leaven and spread through their whole principles, they are Hypo­crites.

But for a sincere soule, in principles and actings, they have really unmixt actings from heavenly and holy princi­ples, to a holy, and spirituall, and divine end.

How many Hypocrites shall we then find before we have done, if men will but search their hearts?

But that men may be thus hypocrites, and thinke they have grace, and yet not know so, do not beleeve they are such:

I will give you first some demonstra­tions.

Secondly, Shew you that they may have some sincerity, and yet be hypocrites.

First, That men may be hypocrites, and yet not know it in their own spirits, take these demonstrations.

First, From the generall rule that all Di­vines give; That whatsoever grace is in a Saint, the likenesse and imitation of it may be in a Hypocrite, and he may thinke he hath it so; there is a faith in the Gospell like the faith of a true beleever▪ there is a joy in the Gospell like those that have seene the face of God; there is a pati­ence in the Gospell like that which comes to the perfect submission to Gods will: and so I might go over all the rest. And so there is a likenesse of sincerity to that which is flowing out from a pure hea­venly spirit: For look whatsoever God hath imprinted, that the Devill can paint; what God leaves as a Character of the [Page 40] heart of a Saint, that the Devill may strive to imitate, and from a compliance in a mans owne temper forme up the same, as Children do make up Babies in imitation of children which are reall: and those that know not this know no­thing.

But secondly, as another considerati­on and demonstration to make this out, know, that all those things we call morall virtues, that were in heathens, that is the very reliques and remainders of pure na­ture that God hath left in some measure: those morall virtues are as much improved in the Gospell without grace, as any other con­sideration, principle, or rule. I say, morall virtues, as the Justice, Integrity, Patience, keeping of corruptions, and the evennesse of actings unto a Rule, the same are im­provable under the Gospell with more advantage than by any other Rule.

Take Socrates and Seneca, two of the great paterns of morality that ever lived in the Heathen world; had they been un­der the Law with Paul, and brought up under the legall dispensations as Paul [Page 41] and the young man in the Gospell were, Mat. 19. they would have as easily com­plied with that Rule, that is, been as faire, as improved men as ever Paul, or as the young man, that came to Christ, and said, he did never omit any of those things from his youth.

They did all that the light of nature did shew them, and their consciences, and Paul's conscience did not check him doubtlesse, as to his exact walking accor­ding to the Rule of the Law: Now as the Law was a higher Rule than the Light of Nature, because it was expres­sed and given more positively by God, and some spirituall addition given to it being writtten by that finger of God; the other had as it were the whole Copy. So Socrates and Seneca, had they been un­der the Law, and brought up as well as Paul was, Pharisees, they would have ta­ken in as easily those things, and have brought up under it with as much zeale, and largenesse, and refinednesse of their natures as he.

And my reason is this; because out­ward [Page 42] Rules are as improvable by one as ano­ther, according as a man is but under the knowledge of them; A man can as well take in the sense of the one as of the o­ther, while he is inured to them he sees some conveniencie, some goodnesse in them; so that consider all th [...]se things are improvable in the Gospell, and then you will see how nature may be refined by the Gospell; and if the very meere light of nature imprinted, and glimme­rings in a mans conscience could learne a man so far, how would a man come to be when he was under the Letter of the Law: and beleeve it was writ by the finger of God; and then if a man should passe through the Law, and come to the Gospell Letter, and beleeve in a common manner, that this [...] a more pure and refi­ned Rule, still [...] spirit goes on, and is more heig [...] to a more bright frame, that a m [...] thinks all these morall virtues even perfectly to be graces: For a man acts but the same principles, the same faculties still in the Gospell, only they are changed, transformed: But how­ever [Page 43] there is enough in the Gospell to suit all these principles, to refine them, and make them more curious than ever they were by any other principle or Rule.

Thirdly, Adde this, the voluntary agen­cy and power of the spirit, and workings of the Holy Ghost, who workes as he pleases, and how he will, and is not bound to worke the uttermost of his strength upon a soule, but he may work upon nature, and glance upon nature, and leave it still in its own condition, and yet mightily improved as to those tastings and enlightnings, Heb. 6. there is even in nature a kind of taste of Heaven and Grace, which will make a man thinke he hath the power of the world to come, as you have it in the [...] of the Hebrews.

And, as I told you before, there are:

First, the same [...] that grace is sealed upon, as nature, the same understan­ding, the same will.

Secondly, the same kind of motions, as I must know Christ, and will Christ, and go out to Christ, and breathe after Christ, only [Page 44] they are; they have the same motion as to will and desire, but not the same prin­ciples. And therefore it is no wonder a man may be deceived in his own spirit, and thinkes he knows Christ, and beleeves on Christ, and hath many motions of him, and all it may be are of outward consi­derations of him: never hath a pure light shining from heaven upon his soule, so that, I say, it is a very easie thing to see how a man can be a hypocrite and not know it: to consider what voluntary motions there are of the Holy Ghost up­on a mans spirit, yet not a saving worke; for as the Spirit blows upon whom he will, is not bound to convert you: so he may present the outward species of Christ to you, and never change your will, nor understanding, and yet a man may thinke he knows perfectly what's the nature of the whole Gospell in his soule.

For a man hath to be improved in the Gospell a rationall understanding, the Go­spell can improve as well as any other Rule.

Secondly, There are those passionate love-expressions [Page 45] that will worke mightily upon the affections, as they are taken in with so much fulnesse and variety as to thinke of Christs dying, that was innocent, and out of love, if it were but read in a History would worke upon the affections, and yet leave nature as nature; a man thinks he loves Christ, and may weep at the thoughts of Christs death, and yet be unsound for all this.

Fourthly, if you consider the variety of Gods workings upon soules in conversion; how many waies he workes, he may thinke he is perfectly converted, and yet an unsound man for all this: Alas the ways of God are so mysterious it is comap­red to a new birth, Joh. 3. who knows how a child is borne in the womb? A man must have a divine light in his soule to see through and through his soule; Take a Saint himselfe in his cleare light, he can hardly tell how to discerne into the va­riety of Gods workings: what hath been the pure working of God: where lies the Child; the new-borne babe, as it were. It hath come and past through the [Page 46] many varieties of Nature and Grace; and then if I should adde, how apt men are to be perswaded of the goodnesse of their con­ditions, and not know the badnesse of them, and how easily selfe-love will be trying to set off what hath but a shadow of Religion, with many other deceits: then you will easily say, A man may be unsound and never know it in his own spirit for a long while.

Secondly, A man may be sincere, and have honest intentions in all his duties and actions, and yet be an hypocrite. And that it may be so, I shall demonstrate it thus to you.

First, There is in some men such a mo­rall, such a naturall sincerity (as I may so say) in their actings, that they are not disposed unto the contradicting of their principles, and their actings, they are tem­pered within themselves; they are not disposed to contradict their actings, so it is said of the sincerity of Alimelech, as concerning Abraham's wife, he appealed to God in Genesis 20. in the beginning, Saies he, in the integrity of my heart, [Page 47] and innocency of my hands have I done this: saies God, I know thy integrity. Now there is such a sinceritie even in men that have not grace, that they would not do such a thing if they knew it to be unjust, according to their Principles, they would not do it for a world: or if they had taken up an opinion, they would not go against their opinion, there is such a kind of sincerity. Now the same may be in the Gospell; that is, I go on ho­nestly as I think, able to preach, and pray, and I have no kind of ill intention to de­ceive, only I have not a spirituall principle to act me, there is my misery; I come not so much to be seen of men as from the intention of my heart; but I come not to have Christ, or to meet with Christ; so I am a hypocrite, because I come not from the maine principle. Therefore first know this as a Rule, that you may see this cleare: That simplicity of intention cannot justifie any acts of men that are bad, all will grant that: for as it was with Pilate, he washed his hands, yet that did not ex­cuse him.

Secondly, My intentions in any action doe not make a thing to be true or good in it selfe at all; as if I have a Jewell to sell, my intention in the selling it for a good one may deceive the buyer, it being coun­terfeit; no act can be good without a good intention, but my good intention makes not the thing really good in it self: if the thing in it selfe be not perfect and good, it is hypocrisie.

Thirdly, know, that a meere good in­tention may proceed from the naturall consti­tution of a person, not from the goodnesse of his heart. It may be I am not given so much to cunning and deceit as other men, but have a plaine naturall constitution; but if it come to a particular, it may be I have as much in my intention (if I were put to it) as others.

Fourthly, know this about intentions, and the sincerity of them: That sincerity that will demonstrate a man to be a Saint, must flow from the pure and even wor­kings of principles towards their ends: sin­cerity must flow from the even acting of faculties within towards their ends: I do [Page 49] not act sincerely to God though I pray never so much in duties, if I have not a divine spirituall spring of love to God, A heart impulsed, moved to God from the power of his own spirit: If I have not graces acting together in a harmony (faith, and love, and all other graces) purely and really working to God: For sincerity (as I may say) is but the spirituall tune of the motions of all graces in a mans soule, it is no more. But I will close up all, there are many things I should have shown you.

But now for distinction sake, having laid down this: That a man may be a hy­pocrite and not know it, thinke he hath grace and hath it not: I shall therefore come and shew you the severall sorts of hypocrites; I will but name them.

First, there is a meer formall hypocrite that insensibly drudges on in his duties, praies, and heares, and comes to Church, and no more, and hath no inward power nor vir­tue in his own soule, nor is convinced of any thing to the contrary; as Papists say over their beads whilst they are sleeping; [Page 50] I confesse every Formalist is a hypocrite, but there is a low sort of Formalist that meerely drudges, and that is all, there is something wanting within.

Secondly, there is a zealous hypocrite, and he seemes to actuate his Forme, a fiery hypocrite, (as I may so say) one that you would thinke had life and soule indeed, and follows on Religion to purpose, and yet it is but his passion and humour, no grace at all: Some men have taken up an opinion, and are devoted to a way, and their heat is so much as they follow it on with might and maine, and spits in the faces of others besides: Such a hypocrite was Paul, as to zeale-persecuting the Church, I followed them on, I dragg'd them to prison, saith he: so it is certaine, there are some men have taken up an opinion some way or other, and have no more Religion than the stones in the street; and that they will follow with fire and sword, and thinke all Religion is lost if that be lost, that is their end and Centre; That is a zealous hypocrite, I call him so, for he hath nothing at all but [Page 51] that opinion; come to aske him of Faith, and Christ, and the Worke of God upon his soule, and he can tell you no more than a Heathen: and commonly where­ever you find so much zeale and fire there is hypocrisie; for the fire of the Sanctuary will enflame a soule, there is that: but it will not scorch the flesh, nor burne the heart; We have enough of those zea­lots in our daies, that without they have their own opinions maintained, they do not mind Christ or the Gospell; nor observe how it will go with their own immortall soules no more than if they were heathens.

Thirdly, There are confident and lofty hypocrites upon thi [...] opinion: They are full of perswasions of the love of God, and grace in their hearts, they have lived under the bright sun-shine of the Go­spell, and never came to the truth of the Gospel, never saw their own soules and hearts, never came to the furnace of the Law and Gospell; they have met with some good notions of grace and mercy, and apprehensions of Gods love and joys [Page 52] in their spirits, have had some little twangs of conscience now and then, which have put them to seeke after the best kind of remedy, and of a sudden, are got to a great height in the apprehensions of Gods love, those I call lofty, confident hypocrites: yet it is said in Job 8. the hope of the hypocrite shall perish; many soules have great flourishings, mighty bud­dings, they thinke Summer is come and Winter is past, and no more but an e­ternall spring in the soules; like the stony ground, they beleeved for a time, and immediately received the word with joy.

Ob. How can they receive the Word with joy? That is strange that a man should receive the Word with joy and wither presently.

Sol. Truly they had some workings on their soules, and pangs in their con­sciences, they saw some sins, and had some feares, and lived where (it may be) they had some sweet notions of the Go­spell was, and they had a promise, and tooke it in presently before ever they knew the nature of it, and rejoyced, and [Page 53] were confident of their own estate, and of the love of God, so they go away merry from Sermons, and duties, and nothing at all of true grace; this is the highest judgement of God upon soules; in 2 Thes. 2.11. the Apostle speakes of gi­ving men up to strong delusions: Though it is taken for delusion of doctrines, yet it may as well be taken for mens being gi­ven up to their own strong perswasions of that they have. This is a strong delu­sion, saying, I have seene heaven, and the face of Christ, and yet deluded in my own spirit. I will adde but one more.

Fourthly and lastly, A demure and stately hypocrite, this is the highest sort of them: as upon this principle, one that will walke so exactly and curiously, ha­ving conversed with all the notions and rules of the Gospell, that hath sprung up so curiously, and yet is choaked with something at the bottome of his own heart; he goes on with that strictnesse, that gravity in the Gospell, that he con­demnes all others as unfit, as below him, as one above all others, he hath all kind [Page 54] of Artificiall motions, one that hath a pret­ty even temper in his naturall constituti­on; and what through restraining grace, and what with morall considerations, and enlightnings of the Gospell, he hath got some exact formes of the Gospell; this man walkes so strictly, so curiously, that none can discover him: Such a hypocrite there is in the world. Look to it, this man walkes step by step, he walkes so exactly that all the Saints may admire him: so curiously that none can discover him: But for those glorious converses with Christ, and through powerfull wor­kings he never knew them; he is the fai­rest to looke upon of all sorts of hypo­crites: Now there be many things I should have shown to you, how to discover those sorts of hypocrisie; As,

First, to shew to you that of all sorts and straine, selfe is the bottome of all they do, that is the secret of all their moti­ons; and indeed selfe-love is the ground of all hypocrisie; for it makes a man per­swade himselfe he is that which he is not, and feigne himselfe to be what he knows [Page 55] he is not, selfe-love is at the bottome: and that workes at the heart secretly and closely; there be two things I would have shewed you about this acting of selfe. That

First, a man acts purely, and moves most strongly from selfe-love, and selfe-considera­tions; and then,

Secondly, Selfe-satisfaction is the utter­most of the desires of the best sort of hypo­crites in the world.

Secondly know this likewise, (that you may discover such an hypocrisie in your own hearts) that all such sorts of hy­pocrites, as are known to themselves, cannot abide to be tried, to be unript, doth not love launching and piercing, he loves not to have his bowels turned up, he cannot endure to thinke to be put to the utter­most of his own spirit, that is a perfect signe of such a hypocrite; These things that go between the marrow and the bone, the soule and the spirit, he cannot endure that: he would avoid the dints of the sharpest Arrows in the Gospell, if possible. Looke how much flinching you [Page 56] find in your own spirits so much hypo­crisie. A hypocrite cannot abide to be touched fully to the quick, and laid open: to be ripped at the heart, to have the naile driven into the vitals, which a gracious heart longs for.

Thirdly, There is ever some secret un­mortified lusts under all those seeming gra­ces of a hypocrite; ever some secret un­mortified lust, either pride, passion, or co­vetousnesse, or concupiscence, something or other, which will, and doth breake forth some time or other; and looke to your selves, you that have been ten or twenty yeares under the power of a lust, and it breakes forth continually upon you: if you be not hypocrites, you are as nigh them as ever was egge to egge, as to the likenesse of them; you that have been known to be what you are so many yeares together, I durst denounce such a man a hypocrite that hath lived so many yeares under a secret lust unmortified; what, is there no power in Christ? hast thou not kept thy lust close all this while? It may be thou goest to prayer after­wards, [Page 57] and thinkest that will make it up, but thy prayer shall shew thy hypocrisie more, seeing thy lusts live.

Fourthly and lastly, those are the highest hypocrites of this kind: They se­cretly envy the brightnesse and glories of the gifts and graces of other Saints that goe be­yond them; and that is the perfect Cha­racter of a hypocrite where ever it is found, if that be not a hypocrite there is none in the world; when a soule can­not abide to be outshined, it is a signe that a man never loved grace for grace, for then he would love it where it is most pure, and shines most gloriously, and this the Pharisees were vext at, they ha­ted Christ perfectly, because he went be­yond them, and was a conviction to them: these and severall other Characters I had thought to given you; but to satisfie some soules that will be apt to say: every one will be a hypocrite if this be so, I an­swer:

First, My designe is to bid you beware of hypocrisie as Christ doth: Try your hearts, take not things up in ordinary and com­mon [Page 58] waies, be not unbeleeving and doubting, that is not the thing I would be at, it is not to scare you off the Gospell; be cu­rious and criticall, be serious in the viewing of your own hearts, and search to the bot­tom, and trust not your selves with feigned enjoyments, ☞ I would not discourage the poorest looker after Christ for all the world, only I would have all men to be pure in their spirits, and let every man put him­selfe to it; let a man have gold that hath passed through the furnace; let a man that will be rich be rich with those pre­cious things that are of an eternall na­ture.

Secondly, to answer that, you will find grace will lye but in a little roome, there­fore I put you to it, true grace is like a Diamond, very little in bulke, but of a high price, and mighty value; therefore I beseech you be through in your own hearts, thou poore looker after Christ, Grace lies in a little roome, more may be in one motion than in all the acts of the world: you may have more grace than the greatest and gloriousest Preacher of [Page 59] the Gospell, therefore try thy soule, and be not discouraged though thou art not such a flourishing and glorious professor as another, yet thou maiest be a greater Saint.

Thirdly, I would have none taken up with any outside or glorious formes in the world, but be looking within what inward frames you have in all your duties; no, I would have no soule taken up with any opinion, with any religion that is externall at all, but that carries out purely to hea­ven, as the very heart is meeting with the Lord Jesus, and as he hath a spirit acted in every word he speakes in the Gospell, not to dant you from Religion, that is not my designe, but to keep you only from the leaven of the Pharisees; externall depen­dencies, that your soules may not be lost with the greatest misery to all eternity.

I Have endeavoured to shew you in general what Hypocrisie is, and the last time gave you a hint of severall sorts of hy­pocrites; for hypocrisie lies not in one straine.

Now we will lay this down as a foun­dation, (which was named before) that looke as many sorts of tempers as there are, and humours, and constitutions of men, and designes that men have in Religion, and as many waies as there are, so many common workings as God may have upon men; so ma­ny sorts of hypocrites may you have entring upon Religion on those grounds; for looke [Page 61] as it is with grace, where it worketh ef­fectually, it changes not the faculties, nor constitutions: A melancholly man is so still though he have grace, and so you shall find; his actings will shew some­thing of his temper and nature, so as to hypocrisie and demonstrations of hypo­crisie, so many sorts of tempers as there are in the world, when men enter on the ways of Godlines upon unsound grounds, not being wrought upon throughly by God, so many sorts of hypocrites you will have. I told you of foure Sects the last time; now I shall go on and shew you more.

Looke as a man is by nature of a duller and heavier constitution, and hath got the outward forme of Religion, he will be a meere formalist, drudging on in duties, and no more: nothing of the spirituall na­ture of it, taking abundance of paines without sense, go on in his waies, and his duties without any power at all, and that was the meere formall hypocrite I told you of, he hath had some little touches upon his spirit that moves him, and together [Page 62] with education hath gone on as in a Tract.

If a man be of a hot temper and consti­tution, fiery in his nature, and enter on Religion upon such common grounds and ordinary frames (as the most do) he will be a zealous man, exceeding zealous: Some opinion or other, some particular forme his heart is most in, and he is the zealous hypocrite I spake of; he will stick to his opinion and hazard all, and never care for the other part of Religion if they can but maintaine that; so it is with many in these times, never care how the work of God goes on in the world, or their own soules, so they have their opinion. So if a man be of a facile and easie na­ture to be perswaded, and enter upon Re­ligion, he will easily conclude that all the promises are his, Take every thing for granted in the Gospell, and apply it to his own soule, as if he had a peculiar in­terest to all the promises, and so grows in a confident secure frame, and that is the hypocrite I told you was confident, that out of the easinesse of his nature [Page 63] takes all things in the Gospell as his owne, though he never saw the need and want of them, and never knew the worth of them; for I told you, that selfe-love is the ground of all hypocrisie in a mans spirit: If a man can get any thing for himselfe, as selfe-love acts, so a man gets into such and such a frame, as it was with a mad man that sate at a Port, that when all the ships came by, said, this is mine, this is mine: so doth all men say, without ei­ther Religion, or the knowledge of the nature of the promises of the Gospell, challenging them without a need of them, or a knowledge of the glorious de­signe of God in them.

Then againe, if a man be of a more for­ward and daring spirit, and if he get into a profession of Religion, he will prove a presumptuous hypocrite, to presume excee­dingly upon the Gospell, and the things of it; he will vent the opinions he hath taken into his consideration, and that he sees most sutable to the world.

If a man be of a more grave and sober temper, and hath got such a custome of [Page 64] Religion and duties, and taken up the profession of it with a secret inward de­sire of applause to be somewhat in the world, he will be most curiously exact in all his frames, such a man will cut to a hair, and he will observe the least thing in others that may be as a blot in them, and him I called a stately and curious hypocrite, he will not be blamed in the world, that is all his designe; he will keep all plots and spots off him, if out of mistake he be wrung, he will mend it next time; his name lies at the stake for it, and all his comforts lies only in a faire handsome neat carriage in his duties to the Sons of men, that he may be able to be blame­lesse in his reputation in the world, and some men have been so curious in their actings and observances, that they have shamed many precious people; that was Pauls temper and care alwaies, that he might be without blame to the world; as to the Law he was blamelesse, Phil. 3. and it is as great a thing as a man can speake, and doubtlesse the Pharisees had a handsom­nesse and neatnesse in all their observan­ces, [Page 65] that they were very much admired by the People: A strictnesse, that they looked at a Point, at a Latchet, though the great and eternall things lay with no weight on their spirits: such kind of hy­pocrites will go on smoothly in the world, that a man shall admire them, and check his own heart, & say, I am a hypocrite, cer­tainely I never came up to those frames; This man dazels the eyes of men, and all his designe is to carry on a handsome garbe, and go for somebody in the world. Oh! this is that, that many in these times had need looke to their own hearts in; Tithe mint and cummin, and neglect the most weighty things of the Gospell; they have handsome apparell without, but never look within to the eternall wor­kings of their poore soules, and that state that must be before God for ever.

And againe, If a man be of a crafty cunning temper, of a naturall subtilty, and he begin to professe the Gospell, he will play the part of a hypocrite to purpose, he will shift at every turne, and change every time; he will not be found at any [Page 66] time unsutable, he will tell you he must change with providence; he will be sure to mannage all that naturall subtilty in Religion to his owne designe perfectly: and truly there are no persons so perfectly hypocrites as these, that out of craftinesse begin to be hypocrites; upon subtle prin­ciples are privy to their own deceits, they are out of intention hypocrites, and they know they can shift and comply with any occasion; there are thousands of these hypocrites in these times in Eng­land, that conclude with the times, that make use of the time and occasion, and have no more grace in them than Hea­thens. So take it as to any other temper, whatever you will, if a man be not throughly converted and enter upon Re­ligion; looke as his temper is naturally, so will his hypocrisie be; and that I may go on a little clearer, take it now as to the temper of feare on a man, and the wor­kings of God upon him: If a man be apt to feare, and God lay any thing up­on a mans conscience, (for God some­times keeps such all their life-time in [Page 67] feare) you shall find that there will a­bundance of hypocrisie appeare in those actings, and such a man shall be a terri­fied hypocrite; he shall live under terrours, and make abundance of worke through his feares, [for feare may put a man ex­ceedingly on to duties] and be but a hypo­crite all this while: Now of these there be two sorts that live under terrours, and I will especially speake to these; for ma­ny thinke if they be under trouble of conscience and terrour, they are past the worst, and in the best frame that can be: Therefore,

First, there are some that are but more generally touched with the sense of some sin that God meets them with, and laies up­on them, and at every turne checks them for, and lets in glimpses of his wrath now and then upon his conscience, and they get into a strange kind of temper, of complaining, and whining, and whimpe­ring in their owne spirits, and go on in their duties, (for they dare not but go to duties) but yet it doth not worke so much upon them as to cry out with hide­ous [Page 68] noyses of damnation, yet are kept under feare, and bondage of spirit, and cannot get out of it, and all their design is to whine at it, and complaine of it to others abroad: that as we say in griefe, (to open a mans mind is a mighty ease) so you shall find them open their hearts, and say, they are under these and these sins, talking of their corruptions, telling how they are under such trials, under such feares of their passions, and tell you of hypocrisie, and thus they go from doore to doore, and from Professor to Profes­sor, and all to no purpose, for they ne­ver knew, nor never found the weight and power of the Gospell lying upon their spirits, never see the depth of a de­ceitfull heart for all this; But only say, alas! I have such and such corruptions, I am afraid of my estate and condition; and so take a pleasure in their complaining. Now there are three waies wherein they shew their hypocrisie.

First, By this way of complaining they thinke to get off from suspition of hypo­crisie: Such Soules, such creatures are al­waies [Page 69] complaining of their conditions; and so they thinke to be free of hypo­crisie by this kind of whining, though they never knew what the hatred of sin was, never knew what it was to be pier­ced through with the darts of the Gospel for sin.

Secondly, they thinke by this to get the pity and compassion of other Saints, to pitty and bemoane them, and we ought (say they) to speak a good word to com­fort them: Though Saints nor Angels cannot speake a good word to soules, yet they looke for it.

Thirdly, they shew their hypocrisie by this, They looke upon themselves by it as poore in spirit, alwaies in sense of sin, and under a sense of their lost condition, and would have others thinke so too: there is a poore spirit, nothing but poverty of spirit, never come to him but he hath low esteeme of himselfe.

Fourthly, But the great straine of hy­pocrisie lies in this, they perfectly rest in this straine of complaining, and never look after Christ, they get ease by opening their [Page 70] minds, and if they can but get a good answer to quiet them for the present, they go away content; I have abominated this frame of any frame in Professors; A strange ugly whining frame of spirit constantly upon a soule, which should not be upon a Professour but in the abso­lutest cases of necessity, and extraordina­ry occasion, for he shews he hath not been at Christ and opened his condition to him, but he must have this and that outward help first, and if he cannot help himselfe, then go to him. It is common, you shall find people complaining and speaking strangely of their condition, and by a poore common word speaking to them they go away content, though they ne­ver had the thoughts of Christ in their hearts, many make a trade of it; you shall find an old Professour say, I am of a strange passionate spirit, and have been so many yeares, of a sullen, ugly, peevish spirit, that none can deale with me, I have such and such a corruption, and I am afraid that I am a hypocrite. [Aye, so thou maiest know thou art one.] They [Page 71] will complaine, Oh! what a wicked wretch am I; give him but one word of comfort in an ordinary manner, they are content, though the corruption be lying still, be living in the heart still; I told you the last time, I would pawne my life that he was a hypocrite that lived so long time under the Gospell under the power of one corruption, having no power against it, ha­ving no grace to ballance his corruption, and though the corruption might act, yet a soule might see there are other glori­ous graces besides; and do you thinke, that complaining of your corruptions, can that serve your turnes? you will come to a Minister, or a serious Saint, and say, thou art troubled for thy sin or corruption: Art thou troubled with thy corruption? Then thy trouble would be known, the very bowels of thee would be seene working out, one way or other; thou wouldst never let Christ rest, but get pardon, and power to kill thy corrupti­on, and if it should breake out, it would be the constant shame of thy soule night and day before all the Saints; Never tell [Page 72] me of Religion if it lies not in the vitals of men, and kills the vitall corruptions, and actuates the soule into the eternall wor­kings. And a man may be found to be a hypocrite for all these things: Art thou troubled with a corruption and complai­nest of it, canst thou be quiet with com­plaining? Can any word comfort thee but the death of it, and the sence of the death of it every day? Can any promises comfort thee, but as they tend directly to destroy thy corruption? Is it possible if a soule have any reality of grace in his own heart: I had rather [saies a grati­ous heart, saies a poore sincere soule] go to the funerall of that corruption, and see it buried, than be the greatest Emperour of the world, or in the glorious frame in the world, be it Pride, Passion, Lust, or whatever it be in a mans soule. But this is the misery of men taken up with meer complainings: of all Professors this sort goes on most cunningly, for we common­ly judge of men by their sence and sight of sin, and thinke they are in the most fundamentall way of the Gospell; and [Page 73] they have the root of the matter, and God hath touched them indeed; and yet God hath done nothing for all this.

Secondly, there is another sort that lie under terrours sharply, flaming ter­rours, and are scorched, in their conscien­ces for some speciall sin; and mighty vio­lent in duty: they will run here and there, and say, I am damned, I am damned, what shall I do, I am lost for ever, they will come with such hideous noises and cries to men, and run any where, the flame is so hot; yet all this while sin not dis­covered, nor the sence of Christ taken in upon the soules of men.

Now know these two things:

First, That the greatest unbeliefe is hid under the greatest terrours.

Secondly, that the greatest hypocrisie is under the sights of sin, and greatest terrours, [for a man will do any thing to avoid that] that if he be mightily terrified he will be any thing, do any thing to take off that sin: herein lies

First, the hypocrisie, that he does no­thing but to ease himselfe, quiet his con­science, [Page 74] and he lets sin alone: that he may but live quietly, he desires no more.

So I have known some Professors that have been in mighty terrours for one halfe yeare, and the other halfe yeare been as joy­full as could be: Going to others, saying, pitty me, save me, do any thing with me and save me, and when God hath with­drawn the violence againe from them, when any considerations have come in, they have falne to their old corruptions againe.

Secondly, Their hypocrisie lies in this, they will snatch at any thing to comfort them, take any hand as soone as Christs. But a truly touch'd soule will not be comfor­ted; a poore soule indeed cannot be quieted or comforted by any but Christ, or the mani­festations of his love; but as for this terri­fied hypocrite, he will snatch at any thing as soon as Christ; give him but a Promise [though it no more concerne his condi­tion than if it were never named, yet he will have it as if it had been made for him,] he will be sure to catch at it, if you can divert his thoughts, it shall be as much [Page 75] to him as Christs bloud: take off the strength of his terrours he is pleased. And the truth is, most kind of hypocrites are under some kind of terrours or other; they would never have such twangs of conscience as they have, but that they are under some terrours of conscience from God upon their soules: But as for this kind of hypocrite, he may be so carried on, that he may do all du­ties with the most zeale and violence: he may pray with great passion, and be­moane his condition, that it would make a mans heartake [if you could but heare him praying] sometimes, if you could but be privy to his cryings, which some­times he makes loud ones, and every man may heare him; but still his consci­ence grows more insensible and his heart hardened, and grows common to him at last. And such a hypocrite will live in the fire, if he can but get off the violence of terrours, his heart shall be as black as hell, with the very burnings of corrup­tion, and certainly that which the Apo­stle saies of a conscience seared with a hot [Page 76] Iron may referre exceeding much to this, that God may with terrours seare up a mans heart, for the devill is the greatest hypocrite, and he lives under the grea­test terrours, the flame of wrath hath hardened his heart infinitely against God, that there can be no place of repen­tance; so these hypocrites goe on by degrees, and only in a generall manner find the terrours of God upon their con­sciences, and never see the nature of sin and vilenesse of it to the soule. So that this I say, do not thinke, that because you are troubled in your consciences, or un­der terrours, that you are free from hy­pocrisie; nay, there is most hypocrisie there; plainnesse of heart is under cleare light, when a man is free from advantage of feare, or terrour, and too much com­forts, then is the best time to try a mans heart.

Secondly, Take one in the second place as to Gods workings, one of a naturall capacity, that is, he is capable of under­standing of things; he begins to professe the Gospell, and comes under a kind of [Page 77] enlightning of God, God giving a man [as he may] a common gift of grace by com­mon notions of the Gospell, here is one will come to be a most glorious hypocrite; I call a hypocrite, because the fundamen­tall worke is not done, because he is not what he should be, nor what he seemes to be. Now as the former sort his conscience was enlightned with flames, this man he is enlightened with more calme and sun-like beames; this man can now see into the Rules of the Gospell, he can be able by degrees and time to forme and worke in all the notions of the Gospell into his head, that he now comes to be a profi­table hypocrite unto others, comes to be able to speake very great things of the Gospell, and can tell you as perfect truths as any experienced Saint in the world can do; and especially if he have edu­cation, and time, and acquaintance to communicate them to: he will come to be able to delude any Saint in the world, for now he is not a meere out-side man in sight, but one that brings out of his trea­sury things new and old, that hath got a vein [Page 78] of discussing and speaking as reall things as any man can speake in the Gospell; how far may this man go? and yet here lies his hypocrisie.

First, All these things goe no further than the head; they were never stamped upon the heart, never upon the breast, they are Artificially formed in the under­standing, never come down to be imprin­ted in the soul, upon the will & affections, never had those heavenly influences dropping in the favour, the sweetnesse, the power, and the virtue of that know­ledge, proportionably working in their spirits: and there lies their hypocrisie, that all those things are but artificially formed in the understanding.

Secondly, All that such a man doth act in the expression of any knowledge he hath, it is with secret glory; he joyes, he takes himselfe to be somewhat now, and makes all these things to be his own, as though he received them from Christ, he glories in them, there is all, shame him, there you make him miserable, if you hit him there you cut upon his heart veine. And that [Page 79] is the way of God commonly with those sorts, their parts die, and God with­draws by degrees, and lets knowledge dye, letting corruption come in so much upon them as they lose all at last. But it is wonderfull to conceive how far these convictions will carry a man, when he hath a Candle lighted by God how far he may walke in the Gospell; when God shall shine in (as it were) upon nature, how it will appeare before the Sons of men: It lies in the head, and selfe is com­monly advanced, not Jesus Christ; that Christ may have all the praise and ho­nour, as it is said in Job of the hypocrite, the heart of him is little worth; he may have some fine parts and be ingenuous in his understanding, but his heart is the worst, there is nothing but sin and selfe together, and inward secret contradi­cting and working against God, and the power of Religion; so it was with the foolish Virgins, they went on gloriously, but at last they said, our Lampes are gone out, we have lost our light, we have slum­bered and slept away our time, we de­pended [Page 80] upon our gifts and endowments, and our faire actings in the world, and our Lamps are gone out, and now we have nothing to shew for all our profe­s­sion. I will a little set home this with a word or two of Use.

Use. First therefore, if this be so, that there may be so many sorts of hypocrites and straines, I beseech you examine your own hearts, and put your soules upon it, find out this Leaven; I told you why hypo­crisie was called Leaven, because of the spreading nature of it, none knows how it spreads; Hypocrisie hath many vizards, many waies, you may go on so fairely, and so painted, that no man, nor your own hearts can discerne you: But looke seriously, looke every day what is with­in you, aske your owne soules what is within; bring your selves before a divine eye, looke to every part, to every motion, let nothing pass you without a divine and exact scrutiny, never be quiet till you have get a through definition of your owne estate, stand Sentinell to your own hearts; say not, I am a Saint till you have found [Page 81] clearely, both by Law and Gospell, till it be written with the beames of the Sun upon your own hearts; Oh! I am afraid the most Professors will be found hypocrites at the last day; that those that have the fai­rest faces to us will have the foulest rip­pings up before the Lord; many that go so neately now will have a black Cha­racter at last; Oh! for Christ to say, go you cursed, at the last day, to a glorious Profes­sor, what a word will that be? Appeare to what you are indeed, and strive to be what you should be; take not up ordi­nary and common things in your owne spirits; lay not the weight of God up­on those things that are not reall, that are but meere gilt upon Copper, that will not endure; men are apt to take themselves up with profession if they have but a faire face, if they have but a hand­some carriage in the world: Oh! that Christ would have charity to you at the last day, as we must have now: Christ loves those that are holy, and he loves to make them holy: He must judge you as you are, no charity after the Gospell is [Page 82] past, therefore look to your own soules; there is a day when every thing that is hid shall be revealed, there is no halting be­fore the Almighty, he hath an eye on you: Christ will find you out in the croud of Men, Devils, and Angels, and pick you out with his eye, and say, Friend, how came you hither? You never had the power of the worke of God upon your heart: do not thinke to deceive your own soules by these pretences.

Object. But you will say, What shall I do then? You make all men hypocrites, how shall I know whether I be a hypo­crite yea or no?

I gave you three things the last time in the generall to consider of:

First, I told you my designe was to presse you on to try your selves, and to secure your own estates.

Secondly, Grace will lye in a little roome, in a very little compasse, it lies not in the flaunting garbes and modes of the times, it is like a Diamond, little, but of great prize.

Thirdly, I would have no man taken up [Page 83] with shews: It is not my designe to make you Hypocrites, but to discover Hypo­crisie to you: Therefore looke to your own hearts that you be not Hypocrites. I would not discourage any poore soule that is panting after Christ. Therefore

First, know in generall, though thou maiest be no hypocrite, yet thou maiest suspect thy selfe for hypocrisie every day, in every duty, though thou beest none so called, nor so accounted by God, yet thou must suspect thy selfe.

Secondly, know this in the generall, Thou shouldst not charge thy selfe to be a Hy­pocrite for every sight of Hypocrisie: And the more spirituall you grow under the Gospell, the more you will see of the de­ceitfulnesse of your heart every day.

But I will give you these six Characters, that no hypocrite can ever have in their hearts, nor attaine to: and I hope some poore soules will be comforted, and they are the poorest things you would thinke to flesh and bloud in the world: those things that a man would never imagine, especially those high-grown men in No­tion.

First, Can you hate sin as sin, that is, in its whole nature, in every appearance of it, in its first motion, in the first hints of it, in the sins that are most deare, that I tooke most pleasure in? Hypocrisie in its actings towards sin picks and chooses here and there, it may be angry with some sin that disturbes it, but it never hates it, no hypocrite can have a hatred of sin as sin; hate the first of the first as it were, though it comes never so glori­ous, never so set as it were, hates it as sin upon no other consideration; not be­cause it troubles my conscience, and brings me to hell and wrath, and renders me unsutable to my relations and de­signes in the world: He is a Saint, looke to it, the very Embryo of sin, the sincere soule hates, it hates it as sin.

Secondly, No hypocrite can delight to be ashamed by God in his duties, in his actings, lye under the shamings of God, and made purely nothing in its own eyes and others, that the Hypocrite cannot do; and yet a poore simple sincere soule can do it, a poore soule, that may be [Page 85] can hardly speak two words with sence, and sutablenesse of expression, yet he can do it; he can delight as well to see God shaming his soule, bringing him to no­thing, humbling of him to the dust, as if he were to be in the Armes of the Lord, taking pleasure in his humbling acts; sup­pose God deny him any assistance in a duty, or in the opening of his heart, that if he be in company, he is ashamed to looke upon his own heart, here the soule takes pleasure to be ashamed, no hypo­crite can endure that, to be ashamed in his actings and relations; for selfe-love is the principle of hypocrisie in the heart of a hypocrite: He cannot endure to be out-shined, that is the wicked frame of him; if a Saint go beyond him in grace, and communion with God, he cannot en­dure it, and therefore cannot endure to be ashamed; Oh! how do the Saints love to be laid low before God, that they may have the pure glory of him shining upon their soules. Then

Thirdly, know this as a speciall one, No hypocrite can blesse God, and love him [Page 86] from his heart, when God smites him in his dearest enjoyments, or nearest lusts, where­in he hath delighted; take away his com­forts, take away those things he hath en­joyed formerly, and he cannot love Christ, nor blesse him in his heart; strike him in any thing that the eye and heart of him hath been upon, he secretly hates Christ: Now a Saint can cling to Christ, love him secretly in his own soule, though he seeme to be as an enemie to him, he cannot but love him for all this; no hy­pocrite can do this; take away what pleases his nature, and he cannot love him. Try your hearts by these things.

Fourthly, know this, No hypocrite can love the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, nor a Saint as a Saint, I put these both toge­ther; he cannot love the person of the Lord Jesus, for he never had the glimpses of his glory on his heart, he only loves to be pardoned, and have some comfort from him, but he never finds his heart to worke in love to the Lord Jesus; and have an union with him, as the funda­mentall ground of all his comforts, for [Page 87] love you know it longs for union: Nor he cannot love a Saint as a Saint purely: but a Saint so tempered, so conditioned, he cannot love a poore saint, nor a weak Saint, he cannot purely close with him, and have his bowels working towards him purely as a Saint.

Fifthly, No hypocrite can go on in any spirituall worke or service for Christ with any contentment, with any pleasure, without sensible comforts, or outward respects; pray observe; for if he want inward sensible comforts, yet the wind of men will fill his sailes; but a poore Saint can take pleasure in the meere mention of Christ, in the poorest worke of Christ, wherein he is least seene, wherein he hath hardly a name, only with shame and re­flection: this will try a man, if I had time to open it throughly.

Sixthly and lastly, No hypocrite in the world can long to be like Christ, as to be re­spected by Christ, either as to inward com­forts, or trade in the world. Or thus, No hypocrite can love the holinesse of Christ as the good things he gets of Christ; he can­not [Page 88] abide to be out of his owne forme, and in the forme of the nature of the Lord Jesus Christ; but a Saint, if he have never so much comfort and sweetnesse, and his soule alwaies drawing honey, with marrow and fatnesse, yet if he have not the likenesse of Christ, and be like Christ, he is not pleased; no hypocrite can love the holinesse of the Lord Jesus Christ with a pure love that may destroy his corruption, that may unbottome him, bring him perfectly out of selfe, and transforme him into that glorious Image.

Try your selves by all these things; I had thought to have shewn you wherein the straines of hypocrisie lie to all sorts of duties, and the spirituall workings of it in the hearts of men, but I must leave that to some other time.

I Have shewed you in seve­rall exercises what the nature of hypocrisie is, and have distinguished to you the severall sorts of hypocrites under the Gospell: shewed you how cunningly and closely men may act, and yet still have this leaven in them, passing through all their parts; there is some little thing or other that is insensi­ble to some men, known to others, wher­by they are mistaken and undone under all their profession.

I shall not be able to repeat any thing: but in the latter end of the last Sermon I told you of Six things that no hypocrite [Page 90] could do, or attaine unto: and I will adde but this one to all the rest.

Seventhly, No hypocrite in the world can desire Christ, that God might be glorified in the utter shaming of himselfe, as to all pri­viledges, and to all enjoyments, and abate­ment of comforts to himselfe, pray observe it: this is that which strikes at selfe-love perfectly, which is, as I told you, the o­riginall of all hypocrisie in a mans spirit: and I speake this as a tryall, that is very close and narrow to the spirits of men, and likewise to distinguish in this point between a Saint and a hypocrite.

For I will not go so high as some Chri­stians have often said, and given it as a Character of a gracious and blessed frame (but I will not go so high) that they could be content to be damned: that I take is a passionate expression of Christians not understanding. But as to all enjoy­ments, all things that concerne not purely the glory of God, and all priviledges, and comforts of this life, either inward or outward, that soule that is a Saint can say, he can be really willing to part with­all, [Page 91] that Christ may be all (if he be but himselfe, and have a freedome from temptations, no hypocrite can say it, cut him in his priviledges and enjoyments, there he will fret: But for any Saint to be willing to be damned for Christ, it is an ex­pression that will never hold weight in the Gospell, if it be considered.

For first, know this, I cannot desire that which is not Gods will to grant, nor ought to desire it; it is a sin to desire any thing against Gods will: it is not Gods will that a Saint should be damned.

Secondly, Damnation is not an immedi­ate act of Gods Soveraignty, but of his vin­dictive justice, for indeed, I am damned, because I have sinned, not because God hath willed that I should be in that state, for it follows only sin; damnation, it doth not follow immediately the soveraignty God, who chuseth whom he will, he cals one, rejects another, gives grace to one, leaves another in a state of damnation: that is not immediately an act of Gods soveraignty, though it be consequently.

Then againe thirdly, it is against na­ture; [Page 92] God will never desire any thing of any that is against the constitution of that nature which God hath put in him: that is, to be willing to be separated from God, God cannot command you, nor give it as a rule to you to will it, that any of his Creatures should desire to be sepa­rated from him. Therefore take it as a flashy expression of a Professor to say, he can be willing to be damned; and I should suspect that soules truth of grace that should say so, if I did not know the temper of that person; As for those expressions of Paul, and Moses, and the like, pray consider of it, and you will easily find the answer; it is not the meaning that they desired to be separated from God, for Pauls case, and Moses case was about the People of God; the Children of Israel they had sinned against God, and God was angry with them, and would take the outward Or­dinances from them, and cast them out of the priviledge of being a Church, (saith Moses blot out me rather, let me ra­ther lose the priviledges than they;) but to be desirous to be damned, none could do it [Page 93] without sin: for it is to desire to be sepa­rated from the greatest good, that I may be perpetually incapacious of serving the living God, or knowing any thing of his love. Neither doth God will it, nor law­fully may a Saint, a Saint cannot will it, because it is against God, and for God to do it he cannot, for it is against him­selfe, but that only by the by.

But this is that I say, a Saint can be content and willing if God see it fit to be abstracted from all priviledges, from all en­joyments, from all those things that are deare to him, if he knows it to be Gods will, and mind, and the glory of God is concerned in it, from all selfe-willing, though he should never enjoy any more comforts in the world; for here is selfe-deniall: to be willing to be abstracted from those things that hinder communion with God, to be willing that God for the glo­rifying of his name should leave me in the darke so long as I have but uni­on with himselfe, is but only as to the con­veniency, and the acting of that glorious love to my selfe, else it is unworthy for a [Page 94] Saint to will such a thing. But I say, here is that a hypocrite cannot do, he cannot be willing that God should shame him to glorifie himselfe, he cannot desire to be blasted in those things, those comforts which he most gloried in, he will fret against God, he can never endure it. A Saint, like Jonah, may be pettish for the present when the Gourd is gone, but he continues not so: But a hypocrite let him be poore in the eyes of those Saints he converses withall, and his heart will ne­ver submit to God. But I go on now, and come to shew you the straines of hy­pocrisie in those three things:

First, As to duties in generall.

Secondly, In prayer in speciall.

Thirdly, In converses with Saints, and in the world; we will go as far as we can at this present.

First, A Hypocrites acting as to duties in generall; take all the Commandements of God, and that in these ten particulars at least, I desire you to observe them, and try your own spirits.

First, Every one that is an hypocrite [Page 95] hath a byas in every duty, something that turnes him alwaies; though he may seeme to looke at Christ, yet certainly he looks another way; though he may seeme to go to the promises, yet he hath another end than to be sanctified and made pure by them: there is never a hypocrite in the world but he hath such a byas, that cast him which way you will, that shall lead him, either applause of men, or some secret corruption that acts within him at the same time if he be faithfull to his own heart: and it is the end rules the action; what a man's aimes are, that a man is in his duties; if nothing but pure grace, and Christ, and glory will be of only concernment, then it is a signe I am carried out by other principles than hy­pocrites act from, but I shall know com­monly this at the end, or beginning, or at the first moving to a duty, or the turne of it what hath been that which carries me on, still there is a byas: after I have done, what is that which poyses my spi­rit in the duty, or what moves me to it, or what is that I aime at in it: If a mans [Page 96] aimes in every duty be not primarily the glory of God, secondarily to desire the enjoy­ment of God in a mans own heart, it is an hypocriticall act: O it is strange to see, when a man runs on a long time fairely, evenly, as it were, when the byas comes to have his weight, then you shall see him at length turne with the byas. As the strength of a mans hand in throwing a bowle is so much, that there will be no sight at present of a byas, but when it is set, and the strength of the hand off, then you shall see which way it will turne: So you may try your own spirits; there is a thousand secret kinds of shifts that pass up and down a mans spirit so insensibly in duties, that none knows them but a mans own heart, if he be faithfull; if a man be not high in his aimes, and high in his ends, all his duties are lost, they are to no purpose at all.

Secondly, know this, that you may know a hypocrite in his duties, that he is most forward and zealous in externall du­ties, more than in internall.

For the opening of that, know there are two sorts of duties.

First, These that are purely the acts of the soule within a man, as selfe-examina­tion, and meditation, and inward hum­blings, and mournings of the soule be­fore God: they are perfectly the wor­kings of the soule within from the consi­deration of the things laid before them, as the object is, as the grounds and rea­sons of mourning and rejoycing are, so those inward actings are: these you shall find that a hypocrite seldome takes de­light in, or is considerate about.

Secondly, there is a second sort of du­ties, which I call externall, and they are of two sorts, and hypocrisie is seen in both: they are externall both, but the one is more publike, the other more se­cret, as to preach or pray among others, that is more publike: Now you shall find a hypocrite is more forward, more strict in those duties than in secret duties, more in the externall than in the inter­nall. You shall find that hypocrisie it lies in this; first,

There will be a perfect carelessenesse as to these duties that are inward, seldome exa­mining [Page 98] and ripping up the heart: sel­dome going to God in the humbling frame of a mans heart, studying the na­ture of humiliation, that mourning and humbling of a mans soule in dutie, and for duties, and as to meditation, to me­ditate what is Christ, and what I have done against Christ what is the frame of my own heart, very seldome any of those things at all: And if it comes to a pinch the man is quiet, or at least he finds a conveniency to turne it off: If upon examination of his heart he finds not things so well as he would, he will turne off them by some trick: whereas a graci­ous heart is never well, never better than when he is ripping up all his bowels, than when he is in soule-worke, when he can looke within, there is his great and migh­ty worke he looks after: you shall very seldome find that the Closet-hypocrites if they do these things, and make some triall of them, yet when they come to the pinch they will have something to di­vert them from the strength of their ob­jections.

Secondlie, And so now as to externall duties, do but compare secret to publike, they are mightily taken with those duties that are most publike, will be mighty cu­rious in them; but if you come to secret duties they slubber them over, any thing will serve that; if they can but say they have been upon their knees, or done a dutie in their Closet, or in their Fami­lies, although no care of the nature of those things. That is the second thing: and my Brethren, you should feare and try your own hearts by it, if you have but any consideration, looke seriously into your own spirits what is that that takes you up most, whether those things that are the immediate things of the soule, those duties that do so purelie belong to the nature of your condition, those things that are so within, that they can only be tried by your own spirits, and the spirit of God in them, or whether you are more choice in externals.

Thirdly, know this as to duties in ge­nerall, Hypocrites have their exceptions, and limitations, they have their choice, they [Page 100] will pick and chuse, have what is most sutable to flesh and bloud, and what is most sutable to their condition, what is most plausible, those duties they will close in withall. But it is, my Brethren, contrary to a Saint; indeed he knows there are the great things of God that his heart is taken up with. But as David saies, then shall I not be ashamed when I have re­spect to all thy Commandements; a hypocrite will neglect his duty if he finds it too re­dious, or if it be a hinderance to him in the world, he loves not duty in it selfe, but he hath his choice, and those that are sutable and convenient, those he follows on; and this you will find to be a close tryall for the best sorts of them, you have some so zealous in some duties, that you would thinke their soules were in them, but come to other duties, they have no sence of them: for if I did love duty in it selfe, I would not baulke any thing, be glad of every opportunity, there is Christ and heaven in this as well as in the other; but few hypocrites ever looke after this, they will pick out duties sutable to the [Page 101] times, and sutable to their own humours, and fit to the places they live in, but if they come to a dutie that will put a man to it, and wherein a man must be laid in the dust there will be a shrinking of the soule of a hypocrite; pray consider of it, and apply those things home to your own hearts; he that doth not love every dutie, that he knows to be a duty, and would gladly do it with all his soule, and doth not study to know his duty, he is an hypocrite. Oh, to see some men, and some great Professors, how faire they will be in some actings and duties, but come to others, they cannot abide them, they cannot away with them, there are such winsings, such turnings and deviations in their spi­rits.

Fourthly, know that hypocrites in their duties make a great deale adoe about little things, and neglect the greater and maine things, and this is one of the great things Christ chargeth the Scribes and Pharisees withall, they make a great deale of adoe about little things that are in themselves fit to be done, but neglect [Page 102] the greater and the more weighty and considerable things, so saies Christ, Mat. 23.16. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites, that say, if a man sweare by the Temple it is nothing, but if he sweare by the Gold of the Temple he is a debtor, and Luk. 11.14. You tythe mint and cummin, &c. Now if you find you are curious in your owne spirits about outward little things, (suppose garments) and are not so curi­ous about spirituall things, which should be acted in a mans soule and spirit, it is a most dangerous signe of hypocrisie, those things, saith he, ought to be done; you ought to be exceeding carefull, even of tything mint and cummin, you ought to be carefull how you carry your selves in every thing in the world, but you ought not to have left the other undone; to put weight upon this, and the strictnesse of the Gospell upon this, and yet do far worse, never looking at the wicked­nesse of your own hearts within, and the envyings of your own soule, and pas­sions, but you can for a pin or a point be carefull, this is hypocrisie, neglecting [Page 103] the great things of the Gospell, these ought to be done, but the other ought not to be undone. An hypocrite deales in small ware, as I may say, he takes care only for a little outward concernments, and garbe of Religion, that is all.

Fifthly, This is a discoverie of a hypo­crite as to duties in generall, wherein his hypocrisie is seene, that he never minds to get the spirit of a duty, or to a dutie, that is the holy blessed frame of it, but only cares how to act handsomly and takingly in his du­ties abroad in the world, (for in truth there is most of his actings abroad in the world) he cares not to get the frame and the spirit of his dutie, he only cares for a handsome deportment in it.

Now the frame of a duty in the generall is thus, to get our hearts in a posture fit for the nature of the duty we are about; for,

First, The frame of a dutie, and the spirit of it, is to get your heart in a prepa­ration to meet with God, that is one thing which a hypocrite never lookes after; how shall I meet with God? What frame should I be in when I come to meet with [Page 104] God? What should I meet with God about?

Secondly, The frame of a duty is to get the heart spiritually behaved before God in a duty: truly few looke after it. I wish that the best Saints did looke after it more, but a hypocrite never looks after it at all almost, a spiritual behaviour that lies in that inward proportion of a mans soule before God, according as he is to act to God, or expect from God; if I go to God in a mourning frame, to beg something from him, then can my soule behave it selfe in that poore and low con­dition, as one that expects purelie that which I want from heaven; I ought then to be mightie humble, and in a frame to get that of God; if I come to rejoyce and joy in God, then must I be in that frame that all the faculties of my soule may rejoyce in him, and be in a heaven­lie spirituall tune, this should be the frame of my soule, that spirituall be­haviour which I cannot tell how to ex­presse so well, as in that inward decorum, in that inward proportion of a mans [Page 105] soule unto God, according to the nature of his dutie. And then

Thirdly, which a hypocrite never looks after, it is to have workings in them suta­ble to expectation, and to what I would ex­press to God, and expect from God, which a hypocrite never hath, those glorious desires and breathings in the vigour of my soule carried out according to the weight and nature of things; so that I say all those things shew you what is the frame of a hypocrite in a duty: If he can but carrie it on handsomely, with quietness, and conveniencie, and come off fairelie to his own conscience, and to Saints, he little minds what his soule hath been do­ing, what his heart hath been acting all the while. And then

Sixthly, Pray you observe this: That a hypocrite in the midst of all his zeale, and glory of his duties, he is secretly weary of them: you shall find it cleare in your own spirits, if ever you have been con­vinced of the workings of this sin in your soules, especially if they be duties that do not bring him in present profit, some [Page 106] internall, or externall things he wants. This is that which God complaines of in Malachy, They were weary of the Sabbath, when will the Sabbath be over that we may go to our buying and selling? For the truth is, a hypocrite is but a perfect slave and drudge to duties, he is hurried on either by necessity within, or some lust or feare which moves him outwardlie, but he is wearie, it is a burthen to him, he hath no freedome at all, for no man can have a freedome that hath not a prin­ciple; it is against his nature, he is for­ced to it, he hath weights hang upon him that moves him to it; but it is not so with a gracious man: thy Commandements are not grievous, he can be content to do all duties ever, for saies David, How do I delight in thy Law, it is my meditation day and night: but a hypocrite can be willing to be free, if it were not on some other ground, he thinkes them to be shackles of gold at the best, no more: he cannot be without them, because of those things he laies before him as his ground, and aime, and end: but he would be glad to be [Page 107] handsomelie freed of them. Now with a Saint it is not so: his knees may faile, and his hands hang down, but his heart never: he would do all Gods will, and he is sorry he can do no more than he doth, he is sorry the body should faile when the spirit lives; a Saint seldome failes in his heart and will, for the most part the will is present. I would do more, but I have a cloggy body, and I have a nature which is contrarie to it, but I have a reall will. Now it is not so with a hy­pocrite, he is secretly weary of his du­ties in the midst of all his enjoyments.

Seventhly, pray take this along with you: That you have all his Religion in a few duties, take him out of duties and he is a common man: this will be a triall to your hearts if you put them to it seriouslie; take him out of prayer and preaching (if he be one called to that worke) there is all his Religion, come to any dealing of corruption, there is his best part past, he is no more religious than he is in these duties; whereas Religion is a life out of duties as well as in duties, a man is every [Page 108] where going out after God, Religion will move him and breath in him: but a hy­pocrite take him out of any dutie he is about, and you have no more Religion, he will be as vaine and foolish afterwards as you can imagine; but if ever you would know a Saint, take him out of his duties as well as in his duties; see how the feare of the Lord is upon him in eve­ry way, in every walking, how the dread of the Almightie aws him; but a hypo­crite it is a wonder to see how flouri­shing he will be in duties; but come and take him out of these, he knows in his conscience there is nothing left, no power, only he was carried out to the dutie by something that lay upon him externallie: therefore lay this to heart.

Eighthly, all duties that hypocrites do are but the colourings of some corrupti­ons that they keep privately in their owne hearts, that they may keep them more undiscernable from the world, looke to it; all their duties do but cover lusts, do but nourish corruptions, they do pray, and heare, but it is to keep in ambition, [Page 109] or pride, or lust, or whatsoever it be, that is all they do, or to keep up a con­stant kind of correspondency with their relations: and this advantage a hypocrite makes of his duties, that after he hath done with duties, he takes an advantage to act his corruptions; How many men they go to prayer, if it be a fast-day, they go to fast, and after they have done their duties, they thinke they are secure, then they may to their lusts and the world a­gaine more eagerly, they may then give themselves a little more way, they have been so long in duties, and their hearts are now warme to their corruptions after they have done their duties: Oh these are the secrets of some mens thoughts and hearts; I heard of a known Professor in London, who would be all the morning two houres in prayer, and then he would say, now let the Devill do his worst, and then play all his rea [...]s; Oh, the damna­ble deceits that are in mens hearts, as to deceits in that regard: and so a hypocrite if he can but shuffle off his duty, thinkes then he may act and speake more freely [Page 110] than if he had not done his duty: this is a wicked straine of hypocrisie that is found in many mens spirits. Then again,

Ninthly, herein lies the hypocrisie of men in duties, that they can be content with the performance of the duty though they have not dealt with Christ in it, and gotten some­thing purely from him in it: And this, my Brethren, is a certaine veine of hypocri­sie, and the common frame of hypocrites, they will be upon their knees a long time together, and never looke for one recep­tion from Christ, and go off their knees, though they have not had any discovery of God unto their poore soules at all. A Saint, though he should pray like an An­gell, I meane, speake the most high and and glorious words in the world, and if he should have all the whole world of Saints to applaud him in his duties, he would hate himselfe, and abhorre his du­ties and all, if he cannot meet with Christ in them it is impossible he should be plea­sed, for his soule is set upon it, and it is that which is the object, that which the soule hath in his eye, he cannot be with­out [Page 111] Christ; The power of a Command will force a hypocrite to his dutie, but the reallitie of the enjoyment is that which a Saint lookes after; If I have not gotten some love-token from the Lord Jesus, if my heart be not in a spi­rituall frame through the operation of the spirit, and communion with Christ, the soule is not satisfied; looke to your soules what manner of frames you have.

Tenthly and lastly, to adde no more at this time; A Hypocrite never grows in or by his duties at all, he is the same man he was to his corruptions and enjoy­ments, he may grow more fluent in his expressions, mannage them externally more neatlie, have an easinesse of utte­rance, and a frequencie, but he grows not at all, as to inward spirituall enjoy­ments, his corruptions never dye, and this is a sad symptome to many souls that have run a long time in duties, and no body can perceive the least sensible growth in the world, nor they them­selves, though they have lived so long [Page 112] under the Gospell of the Lord Jesus Christ, praying zealouslie with much heartinesse, one would thinke, and no fruit, no corruptions mortified, there is no more inward apprehensions of things, no more growth than if they had never begun the Gospell, now, I say, that is hy­pocrisie.

Now some may say, what is it to grow in duties?

First, Then a man grows in and by duties, when a man is more endeared to the spirituall nature of those things, his heart more affected with the heavenly nature of what he is about.

Secondlie, Then a man grows in and by duties, when the soule finds more spiri­tuall power to performe his duties, he goes on more easilie, more spirituallie, and more freelie.

Thirdlie, Then a man grows when a man is fitted by one duty to performe another: when in one dutie, I pray now, I can pray anon in my own heart, as to the inward frame, I do not speake of the outward expression, for that will grow [Page 113] by custome, but now I heare, and I can heare better the next time, be more open to take in the things of God: he grows in it; so it is as to meditation and selfe examination, when I can come and try my own heart now, and I can every day get more spirituall insight into my own soule.

Fourthly and lastly, I grow in and by my duties, when as I get a dayly life in them, an addition, a vigour, and spirit, and life, that whereas I began with a fainting spirit, and feeble knees, my heart now grows warmer every day, my spirit grows stronger: and as a Child finds dayly strength and vigour of spirit, so I find a vigour in my spirit. A hypo­crite runs his round, he grows not at all, there is no spirituall motion in him, but just the same as to the inward frame of his heart; though you and I may thinke he grows, yet he doth not grow, for all growth is by an addition to the same na­ture; if you should see a heape of stones heaped up, you do not say it grows, it is not a growth, but an adding stones to [Page 114] stones, it must be in the degrees, and spi­rit, and life of the same nature, there lies growth.

I should now have come to the second thing, which is hypocrisie of men in prayer, which is a thing especiallie to be disco­vered, for there is nothing a hypocrite is more excellent in, than in prayer, and nothing he esteemes more than that; and there is nothing by which a hypocrite gets more esteeme and a better opinion in the world than by prayer, for it is a dutie so much commended in the Gospel, that all the worship of God is placed in it. My house shall be called the house of pray­er, it is made the Character of a Saint: behold he praies; it is that which every Saint hath need of every moment, and it is is that the Saints are most in of any other duty in the world, and there is the greatest excellency of a hypocrite of any thing, and to discover him there, you would find him out to purpose; for a man in prayer, if he hath got that curio­sitie, as some have done, he speakes as if he were wrastling with the Almightie, [Page 115] and as if he were prompted by some E­vangelical spirit, and assisted by a migh­tie spirit from above, that a man thinks he is a perfect Saint if he have a mightie fluencie as to expression. I should in many particulars have shewed you the deceit of this.

But I will conclude all with a word or two of Use.

Use. First, to every soule to looke to his own heart in his duties, there is most hypocrisie in duties, more than in any other way of acting, there is the closest hypocrisie in a mans duties that can be: there is his pride, and selfe-ends acted to purpose, all other actings are but grosse, a man may see them easilie, but as to duties they are carried so closely no man can know them; Alas, if a man should be found in his Studie alwaies praying, who would not thinke him an excellent Saint? yet he may be the perfectest hypo­crite in the world, nothing of God and Christ in his prayer, it is not the length or the measure you must looke after, nor how you have acted them, but how you [Page 116] are moved and acted in them: Oh, my Brethren, most glorious Professors in du­ties will be found another day in strange frames before God. We have preached in thy name, O Lord, say they, so Lord we have prayed night and day, kept all meetings in the Towne or place where we lived, and been at so many fasts, and kept all publike daies, and kept them closely: Yea soule, so thou maiest: but if you have no more than that, depart from me, I know you not; you are no better, you never minded me, you never had the frame of the Gospell in your own spirits, you never knew what it was to be out of your duties, and have the workings of my power in your hearts, you never knew what it was to denie your selves in your duties, to be made no­thing for my name and glory.

Secondly and lastly, I beseech you (my Brethren) be not content with any thing but what is purely of God, what is a reality in the Gospell, pure realities. Truly, my Brethren, the fairest faces will one day looke like death when God [Page 117] comes to view them; be more afraid in duties than in any other way, the most spritefull men in duties, that we little thinke of, will be wrinckled like old men one day upon a sudden when God comes to deale with them about the things of the Gospell; be more afraid of your selves in duties than in any other way, for though you are in the waies of God as to outward actings, yet you are under the most spirituall temptations that can be, you will wonder to see one day how many thousands will be placed at the left hand, that have passed through all the formes of duties to the uttermost; there­fore be not content with any thing, but what you find perfectly reall, bring it to the touchstone againe, and againe, let it be written with the Sun-beames in your hearts; looke to your principles and ends, mind the vigour and straines of your spirits in duties, observe at what rate you act, still be looking that way; Oh, to be a sound Christian is a most glorious thing. Give me that soule that can say, I have many things that I am [Page 118] ashamed of before God night and day, but I am sound, I am reall, though I were to be searched by God. I have that [...], that inward sinceritie, that is, not only a simplicity of spirit, but such a shining judgement upon my own condi­tion, that I know how I stand before God, and I know whom I have belee­ved, and how I have beleeved, and how I have prayed, and heard in the Gospell; I know it, the divine spirit was in my bo­some in such a place, in such a corner, the Holy Ghost was in my spirit; I know that I was carried out in such a duty meerly by the life and strength of God, when I had no power, when I was as weake as water: Oh! this would be a comfort indeed to a poore soule. Many are glad to be lulled asleepe, if they can but be said to be religious and saints, and follow the things of the Gospell, they thinke they are happy. No, soule: thou must have a principle in thy soule, and an eternall worke upon thee; thou must know what God is, and what Christ is, and what God in Christ is, what it is to [Page 119] have thy corruptions struck at the heart, and be laid as low as hell in thy owne soule, before ever thou enjoy any thing of God in thy owne soule. And when thou hast done so, thou must try all over againe by a spirit of fire and burning, and have not only thy own reason to witnesse, but the Holy Ghost and Scriptures to witnesse to what is in thy heart, to what thy conscience speakes, and all these things will be brought to you one day, though you looke slightly over them now.

Oh that men would be carefull to a­void hypocrisie, this wicked leaven that is in so many soules, to discerne the lea­ven that workes in every part so invisi­bly: Beg of God a spirit of sinceritie, to keep you from your own hearts, beg of the Lord that he never would leave you under any slight ordinarie common wor­kings of spirit, but put you to it every day, shew you your own frames, never be quiet untill you find those reall things, and then having a little grace, yet if in sinceritie, you will find your soules in a [Page 120] happy estate: Oh you soules that have this mercie from God, blesse him, and magnifie him for ever, you have the earnest of immortalitie in your owne soules.

I Have in many exercises endeavoured to open to you the nature of hypo­crisie, what kinds and sorts of hypocrites there are in the world; and the last time you may remember we shewed you the actings of hypocrisie, as to duties in ge­nerall, for hypocrisie is most acted in duties; a man may find out his own de­ceits in many things more easilie than in duties, for in duties there are such faire colours, no man knows how to discover himselfe or others, if he be not carefull in his own heart.

But there were three things propoun­ded [Page 122] at the latter end, which we could not come to: not only as to duties in ge­nerall;

But first the hypocrisie of men in prayer, and how a hypocrite is discove­red there.

Secondlie, as to communion and con­verse with Saints and godly persons.

And thirdly, as to his carriage in the world, those three we would speake to at this time.

First, Hypocrisie as to prayer, which is a dutie that hypocrites most glory in of any; that is the dutie wherein Saints get so much of God, and have so much experience of God in, it is a dutie that is used as the common way to get whatso­ever a soule would have; let your requests be made known to God, therefore there is no dutie a hypocrite is more exact in than that, for he imitates a Saint, that is the nature of a hypocrite that he imitates a Saint in those duties he is most in, that he gets most by: none knows the incomes that Saints have in the dutie of prayer, how much of God is let into them, and [Page 123] how much their soules are let out unto God, when none know it; it is a dutie that is of that request among those that are godlie, that if a hypocrite be not good at that, he is good at nothing, if he be not very curious there he will be of little account; for it is common for one to desire to pray one for another, and with one another, abundance of in­comes come by it in a spirituall way; and therefore that is the care of a hypo­crite to do that well whatever he neg­lects, and you shall find that as to their parts they never excell so much as in that dutie, wherein they excell and go beyond many Saints, as to the outward perfor­mance of it. I shall shew their hypocri­sie therefore as to this.

And first in generall, know that all that a hypocrite doth, as to prayer, is from an art of it, not from a spirit of it within him; some do distinguish it thus, between a gift of prayer, and a grace of prayer; but I had rather take it in these termes, for graces are gifts, and we must come and distinguish again and againe of com­mon [Page 124] gifts, and spirituall gifts, and super­naturall gifts, and supernaturall gifts of such a kind, &c. but this is cleare, that all that ever a hypocrite doth in prayer is from an artificiall motion in his spirit; my meaning is thus: he hath gotten by industrie, by imitation, by converse, by custome, and use in that dutie, such an art, that there is nothing either belongs to prayer, or the exact performance of it outwardlie, but he hath it with more abundant curiositie than the best Saint hath, that he strives to perfect himselfe in exceedinglie.

But take this for the generall rule, that is rather from an art than from the spirit prayer, and many times he gets the art so curiouslie, that he refresheth many Saints and poore souls by it, though he have lit­tle of the sense of it on his own heart; he acts that part so exactlie and carefullie to the sight of men, that it works much upon the affections of all that heare him, and converse with him: This I speake now as to those that are most carefull. Indeed there be some sorts of hypocrites that are [Page 125] not so curious, that are rather for a meer outward forme, and are very dead in it, and make it up some other way, but take hypocrisie in generall, it is seene most in prayer.

In the second place, and more particu­larlie to discover this hypocrisie to you as to the art.

First, know, that the great study of a hy­pocrite is about his expressions more than for any impressions, or any reall sights of the na­ture of his condition or estate; as if he were to mourne for sin, and open his own heart, he studies to set it out in the most melting way, though his heart be not melted, or if he be to set out the love of God, he will do it with the exactest expressions, but he finds not the love of Christ constraining, and those expressi­ons flowing from that love in his heart.

Secondlie, as to that, as his expressions, so his greatest enlargements in that duty of prayer is when he is most in publike, not so much in private and secret dealings with his own heart; this is now to those that deale with others, dead at home, enlarged [Page 126] abroad: Oh my Brethren, this is a most wicked frame of hypocrisie in that duty, when men look at their words, not at their hearts, to make their hearts speake within them; if I be enlarged in prayer when I am with others, and dead when I am in private, it is a certaine signe I have nothing in my heart, only some out­ward gales fill my sailes.

Thirdly, as to that know, there is a secret rejoycing in the very manner of the expressions of a mans wants or of his Petiti­ons, whatsoever he desires of God, which none but those find that have to deale with those things in their owne hearts.

Fourthly, And which is as to expres­sions againe, know that a hypocrite, in the fourth place, is more troubled when he wants an enlargement as to expressions, than when he wants a power of affection to duties, and to God, according to the whole na­ture of what he is to act in that dutie; a Saint can content himselfe more with a sigh and a groane, than all the externall enlargements that can be; if a hypocrite [Page 127] can be enlarged as to gifts, he can easily dispense with some deadnesse as to the frame of his owne heart, pray you ob­serve that; if you cannot be in your clo­set as vehement in sighs and groanes as if you were in companie with others, if your inward motions do not prompt you to as much vehemencie of soule to go out to God to beg what you want, and longings after him to enjoy what he hath communicable to your soules, when alone as well as when before others, it is a dangerous symptome of hypocrisie, it is a signe certainly that I have somewhat at the bottome that is not sound; therefore consider that.

Secondly, As to particulars, know, that a hypocrite loves to lengthen out his du­ties when he is to performe them before o­thers, and to hurrie them over in private; truly most Professours are as Papists in that, for they tell over their private du­ties as so many beads, till they come to a publike Masse, then they are solemne, but there is nothing of Religion in all those things: if they come to company, then [Page 128] they do every thing circumstantially, ex­actly, then they lengthen them out ac­cording to time and every proportion, and this is a very close discovery of hy­pocrisie in any soule, that is slight in pri­vate, and can hurry over his duties there, yet can be mighty solemne when he is in a publike place; pray you con­sider that.

Thirdly, Take this for a Rule, a hypo­crite both in private and publike pray­ers, he flags at last, this will come close to every ones heart, the longer he prayes the worse he is, the heart more dead, best at first, at the beginning he is zealous: it may be sence of wants presses him, some­thing holds him up, but the longer he goes on the worse he is. But the contrary is now in a Saint, the longer he is with God, the more his heart is with him, he grows in his duties; though he be dead at first, he will be sure to get some re­view of God, some quicknings, some enlivenings, though he have been long getting up his heart to a duty, yet when once it is up, he finds the water flows in, [Page 129] the more he is with God, the more he gets up his soule, the divine nature gets more breath and strength by breathing after God, the longer it breaths the stron­ger it breaths; a hypocrite hath much adoe to keep up his affections to the first start, either privately, or publikely, hardly able to keep in his spirit, but he is at a loss as to the divine nature of those things as to the glory of them; therefore he is fain to pumpe and strain for expres­sions when his affections are lost; this you will find as a perfect secret in your own hearts that know and are privie to your own soules.

The Spirit may indeed withdraw sometimes, but takes it commonly and ordinarily, the soule is never so moved as when it is touched in the heart; but a hypocrite you shall have his duties done very sleightlie at the latter end, when there should be most vigour, but you shall find the duties of Saints, when once the soule begins to get heat and warmth with the love of Christ, and sence of wants, and pure thoughts of the love of [Page 130] Jesus Christ, it can pray everlastinglie, if he had a body fit to his soule he could be alwaies praying; and though a Saint may faile in expressions towards the lat­ter end, yet his affections are higher, he can hardly leave Christ, or the thoughts of him, he would be alwaies with him; there is abundance of adoe to get up our hearts to any frame, but when once it is up, and goes on with the strength of God, then he finds new assistance every moment comming in; you shall have a hypocrite at first, like a fountaine, flowing in expressions, but he begins to grow low at last, and just so much water let out as may maintaine him for a while, and turne his wheele and motion: but take a Saint, he is commonlie best at last, as to faith, and spirituall workings in his own heart; And this, my Brethren, will a little in­forme you of the nature of hypocrisie as to prayer; for a hypocrite acts for him­self, and from self-strength, and any artifi­ciall motion, as a Clock or so, grows slower at latter end, untill it be woond up againe; so it is really with those men.

Fourthly, The hypocrisie of men in prayer is seen in this, that an hypocrite ne­ver goes with an absolute present sence of his needs of assistance, or of acceptance, either of the Spirits power, or of Christs interces­sion; if he go to Christ for strength, it is to employ it to his own ends. But, my Brethren, there is no Saint goes to a du­ty ordinarilie and commonly, but he goes with that deep sence of that perfect need he hath of the Holy Ghost to supply him, he can do nothing; though he have parts, yet he sees he must have his assi­stance, else he cannot act, and when he hath acted, he sees as much need of accep­tance at last as of assistance at first. A hy­pocrite acts meerlie from his owne strength; in some extraordinarie dutie it may be he may cast up his eye, and say, Lord carry me on in this extraordinary dutie, but commonly in prayer he never fees the need of the Holy Ghost to teach him how to pray, how to move to God, and what to pray, and that Jesus Christ should hold out his mediation, and stand betweene him and the Father to make a [Page 132] perfect attonement; there is nothing will discover hypocrisie more than this, if you do but consider it seriously; for there is no hypocrite that ever was un­bottomed of himselfe, his own strength, that ever saw the eternall constant need of Christ.

Fifthly, That I may not hold you long; a hypocrite in his duties he praies for those things with seeming earnestnesse that he ne­ver prized, nor knew the worth of; He praies for pardon, it may be elegantlie, with exceeding affections, as to our hea­ring, but he never knew what it was to have pardon, to have divine incomes in his heart; he praies for enjoyments of Christ, but yet he never knew the worth of an enjoyment of Christ; and that is [...]scovered in these particulars.

First, In that he can quiet himselfe with common hopes of him; I hope I shall have him, though now I have him not, and so takes his duties instead of Christ for pre­sent; he can pray for Christ, and yet con­tent himselfe with a generall common ap­prehension that he will shew himselfe [Page 133] good at last, though he have no earnest pressing, nor longing for him at pre­sent.

Secondly, it is seen in this, that the soule secretly dislikes what he praies for, as to those enjoyments, as to the power, and spirit, and life of them; there is no hypocrite, but if he pray for to be transformed, to be made like unto Christ, and be sanctified, but oh, he hath a secret regret, when he comes to the practicall part of it, he could rather wish there were no such thing, or he had stood upon his own bottome.

Thirdly, and especiallie it is seen in this, that those things are matter of petiti­on, but not any ground of endeavour after the enjoyment of them, they are only the bare matter of Petition: I pray for them, and seek after them, but I never endea­vour for them; I pray for Christ, but never look after him; I pray to have my sins mortified, but I never take the course to have that vertue, and that power from Christ that may kill my corruptions: we only put it into our prayers as comple­mentall acts and no more. Those prayers [Page 134] that are not accompanied with earnest heartie endeavours to get the things prayed for, according to the rule pro­pounded, are hypocriticall. I pray I may be pardoned, and I go on in sin, and never looke after the mediation of the Lord Jesus, nor study how these blessed conveyances are made over to my soule; Oh there is a mightie straine as to that.

Sixthlie, A hypocrite in prayer calls God Father by his own spirit, not by the spirit of adoption, pray you observe that; by his own spirit, for he hath not the spirit of prayer, which is the spirit of adopti­on; now that you may know the spirit of prayer, what the meaning of that is, he calls God Father by his own spirit, not by the spirit of adoption.

First, He goes not to God from an inward sence of fatherly love, there is no hypo­crite in the world but he hath a secret in­ward frame of spirit, whereby he looks upon God as an enemie, and judge to him in his greatest enlargements; he goes not to God from the sence of fatherlie love, [Page 135] though he may call God father with abundance of varietie in expression; pray you consider that: no man can call God father but from the spirit of adop­tion, but from the sence of his love shed abroad in his heart in prayer; I go to him, because his love as well as my needs workes me up to go to him, the tastes of the sweetnesse of that fatherlie love workes up my heart, I cannot but go to him.

Secondlie, this spirit of prayer lies in that sutablesse of a son-like affection unto God: that sutablenesse of a son-like affe­ction and nature unto God, whereby I go as a Son unto a Father. Now that is certaine, a hypocrite hath no relation to God, he never minds him as a father, he hath not that inward propensitie, that in­ward love and affection unto God as a Son, which lies in the working of the heart inwardlie unto God as unto a Fa­ther: as it is in nature, so it is in grace; take a child, and tell him it is his Father, from once he knows it is his Father, there will be an inward working towards [Page 136] him more than to any person in the world, there will be some disposition in the heart that will answer presently your representation of him as a Father; so it is in the Gospell, when you go to the Father, there will be something that will answer this; thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us: the soule must cry Abba, Father: that no hypo­crite can do in the world, he cannot act as to a Father, but his own spirit prompts him: strength either of his necessities, or the strength of his abilities carries him on.

Seventhly, know this as to a hypocrite in prayer: his heart failes him when his enlargements faile him, which is contrary to a Saint, which is contrarie to the heart of a Saint; his heart though he can but groane, though he can but chatter as a Crane, yet his heart is up, if he have any promise, there he hangs, if he can have any thing to build up his soule in, it keeps up his heart, any twig to hang on. But nothing but comforts and enlargements can keep up the heart of a hypocrite; but [Page 137] a Saint from the inward working of the Spirit can keep up, though he should have nothing else; but a hypocrite in duties, if he should be but once denied enlarge­ments, he is as dead as a stock. Take but a Saint under a promise, though he wants enlargements, let God shame me as to that, I have enough in the promise, and the inward groanings of my soule are more to me than all enlargements.

Eighthly, take in this too: a hypo­crite shews his hypocrisie in prayer, that he makes his prayer his shift upon every turne, upon every occasion, it is his prayer beares him up still. After that he hath done any thing that is unsutable to the Gospel, if he can but go and powre out a prayer he is well enough; his prayer is that which charmes him into quietnesse after guilt; by prayer he gets his ease, and re­tires to it; if he have committed some fault in his ordinary course of life as to his relations, if he can but go to prayer, there is all his life and refuge, that is all; he licks himselfe whole by prayer: for it is a dutie man should go to God in, and a [Page 138] dutie of drawing a soule to God, and when I beg of God pardon, I am so qui­eted, though I never get the ground of pardon, he cannot be quiet untill he hath been upon his knees, and then he is well, this is his common shift: but a Saint can never be quiet, though he pray night and day, untill he hath gotten in prayer Christs bloud, and have hold upon Christ as the attonement and propitiation.

Ninthly, Then especiallie take in but this, that I may adde no more upon this head; if he can but ninthly get teares in prayer, then he is well, for he makes his teares to wash away his guilt, and mingles his teares with Christs bloud; if he can but blubber his cheeks in teares, oh how is he content? how much is he satisfied? whereas teares are the most dangerous signes of Hypocrisie in the world, if they be not the juyce of a broken spirit, the droppings of a melted heart, the dews of a soule that hath been under the sights of love; there is the most dangerous signes of hypocrisie that can be possible, that when a mans prayers are bedewed with [Page 139] teares, then he is well, he hath then no need of Christs bloud, he mingles his teares with his sacrifices, and that is sa­tisfaction enough at present. You will in these things see enough of your owne hearts, if you have had any dealing with them.

Secondly, Now let us view a hypocrite as to his converse with Saints, his commu­nion with them, and see how we can trace him there.

First, In the generall you must know, he is very carefull to keep in, and keep a cor­respondencie with Saints: else he would be a profane person, and would not be re­spected by Saints, all his strivings are that he may keep in there, and common­ly he steales in so secretly, so closelie among them, that none knows how he is gotten in.

But you shall see his hypocrisie.

First, This is the hypocrisie of men as to converse Saints, that they have in­ward prejudices against convincing wal­king Saints (if there be any such in the world,) he will be sure to have his heart [Page 140] worke secretly against them, however he carry it to themselves, he hath a secret inward regret against close convincing walking Saints. I would I could speake that word so loud that it might be under­stood, for it is hard to find such a Saint in the world; yet take one that hath a watchfull and observant eye, he cares ve­ry little for his company, but only for a designe.

Secondlie, as to converses with Saints, a hypocrite labours alwaies to dresse himselfe so, that he may be very handsome when he goes abroad: that is his care alwaies, he cares not how he is at home, how carelesse, and neglective, how sleight in his duties, how unworthy in his actings, so he may but keep up a faire correspondencie with those he is still abroad with; he will speake much of heaven and Christ, tell you of repentance, and experiences abroad: but oh, not a word of examining his owne soule, or a word of God at home, and this is the most wicked straine of hypo­crisie that can be, for all his designe is to gather all the good thoughts of men up [Page 141] and down the world, keep himselfe so, that if he should come to fall or falter (as he feares he shall) he might have abundance of votes of good men for him.

Thirdly, as to converse with Saints, an hypocrite hath an affected tone, or garbe, or carriage, whereby a man may be thought to be singular, to have somewhat more than or­dinary of mortification, or spirituall straines of glory: this is as wicked a straine of hypocrisie as can be; Some men affect a particular tone of language, or expressi­on, some a whining expression, some so neatly, and others so seriouslie, that they would be thought to be grave and migh­ty sober men and Christians, and they have an affected tone of their own; it is the vainest way of hypocrisie that can be to speake of divine things, as if they were whining them out, and weeping them out, and speaking with such gestures as may give the world too much ground to make Religion ridiculous, whereas their naturall language is not so, but they have affected such a way and garbe that they [Page 142] would be thought some body; and this, that in praying, and preaching, and con­versing with some persons, they would be thought to be them alone that take in all the sence of things, and they have no more sence than Posts.

Fourthly, which is a maine one, as to converse with Saints, a hypocrite hath his heart rising against a close, faithfull, nipping reproofe of other Saints. Saul could never endure Samuel after he told him so faith­fully about that businesse of his Sacri­fice, out of my sight, so you have many instances about the Prophets and the Kings, you have some hypocrites carries it so cunningly, that they will take a reproofe ve­ry well, but hate you ever after, have an evill eye upon you that you must keep out of the way of him; a hypocrite would not have others know his distem­pers, he is afraid he shall here some­thing he knows he is guiltie of, and he cannot abide that, he would be thought somewhat by others, though he knows somewhat by himselfe: he is afraid he will be put to it, which he cannot en­dure, [Page 143] to have his graces questioned; that is a perfect signe of a hypocrite as any in the world; he would have all men take it for granted: what, not I a Saint? that have been accounted a Professour so long, and now be questioned for my graces? yea soule, and be damned for it too: thou a soule that cannot endure to be repro­ved? I confesse there be some waies of reproofe that would make a man hate reproofe, when it is for things that are common, when it is for poore and vaine things, when done out of passion, and not done with care and tendernesse to a person, and with the weight of the glory of God upon a man, it is hard for the best Saint to take a reproofe so; but when there is faithfulnesse, and realitie to men, dealing with their soules, and purely touching their consciences, and risings of heart, and then cannot endure reproofe: I may say, if thou be not a hy­pocrite, or will prove one, there is none in the world: it is a signe thou art dive­lish proud in thy heart, and lovest a cor­ruption, and hast a lust thou art loath [Page 144] to part with, and would'st gladly cover in thy owne spirit, thou wouldst live at large, and not have thy heart known to thy selfe, nor others; thou wouldst live at large, thou lovest some corruption. A Saint desires to have corruption killed every day: Oh that I did but know wherein the flaw lies of my graces, wherein the mistake in my owne spirit lies, he would be glad of it. Thou art a wicked hypocrite that lovest not a scri­ous close reproofe, though it cut thee at the heart; and then I would say this: that it is the perfect character of a Saint, if he can take in a reproofe in the shar­pest manner, from the sharpest tongue in the world, if it discover his corruption, and strike at it, it is a signe a man is out of love with his sins, and wants a way only to be rid of them, he is glad when it is made odious to him by any body.

Fifthly, The straine of hypocrisie, as to communion, lies in this, that a hypocrite doth inwardly sleight and contemne Saints below him, and envy Saints above him, you will find it too true in the hearts of many: he [Page 145] sleights first any that is below him, he hath a poore and low esteeme of them, he is a poore ignorant fellow that under­stands not any thing of God, though it may be the breathings of that poore soule unto God are far beyond his: he lives in himselfe, and any that are below himselfe are under some reflections of the inward workings of his owne heart. Then he hath a secret envy against them that are above him, he lives so that he would alwaies be at one stay and frame, he cannot abide that any should attaine more than himselfe, if they do, they are proud, or high, or vaine; and if they do not come up to him, he thinks him a poor low professour, though his soule be groa­ning night and day after Christ.

Sixthlie, Another straine of hypocri­sie is commonly in this, that a hypocrite is mighty censorious and prying abroad into other mens faults, and sleight and carelesse for the seeing to his own heart for the same thing, or worse; this is Christs Charge to the Pharisees, Cast out the beame, thou hypocrite, out of thine own eye before [Page 146] thou find fault with the mote in thy bro­thers; he hath a beame at home in his own eye, and he will not charge his own soule before God: he can see a little thing in another, charge him with all unsutablesse: but to his own conscience, though he fee many a desperate corrrup­tion in his own heart, he lets it alone, as if he never were the man guilty of them, Eagle-eyed abroad, Owle-eyed at home; take heed of censuring, else you had need be very through at home; it is a dange­rous signe of hypocrisie if you be not cu­rious at home: if a man be thorough with his own spirit he may be thorough abroad, Christ gives it himselfe as a sign of a perfect hypocrite; when a soule shall see a mote in anothers eye, and leave a beame in his own.

Seventhly, Hypocrisie lies in this as to communion with Saints, that a hypocrite cannot love Saints but of one size, one that agrees with him in his own humour and opi­nion; That you will find in the New Testament, the Pharisees could not en­dure them that were not of their owne [Page 147] opinion, they would persecute them to the death; so some men cannot endure any one, though never so much grace and grace and godlinesse, if they be not of the same opinion, that is a signe it is not for holinesse or grace in any soule that you affect them.

In the eighth and last place, to adde no more as to this, know as to converse with Saints: Every hypocrite hath his se­cret back doore, and veine with carnall pro­fessours, though he have communion with Saints now and then, and make that his profession, yet he hath his private haunts, where he shews himselfe in his colours one way or other, some secret waies of iniquitie he hath with others, though he professes to be in communion with Saints; that will appeare, and doth ap­peare often, for still his veine lies that way, his humour lies that way, though his eye seems to be this way, there is the humour hid that way in the man, and there will be as familiar embraces among the one as the other when it comes, and as heartie kind of rejoycings with the one [Page 148] as with the other. A secret wicked back doore that they take, and they thinke there will be none to tell: Now they will be telling of the greatest experien­ces, and anon in the greatest wickednes­ses, at least countenancing of them. I would now come to the third thing, wherein it is acted as to civill converses and I shall show you.

First, That a hypocrite can put on any face according to any persons or times in the world; among Saints he will be a Saint, and comply with them, among others be as sutable, he can take up any forme, so Religion be that that may cover all at last, for he fits his actings to his ends, which are various according to severall parties, and companies; and severall So­cieties shall have severall actings, he will be zealous if the times will admit it, he will be hot and violent, and if his com­pany will not serve him to that, he will be as dull, as heavy againe, put on a so­ber temper, and weare gray haires, be cu­rious, and criticall, and serious in the Gospell; and this is very common, my [Page 149] Brethren, and this is the politike hypo­crite; there are hundreds of these in the world, they swarme up and down Eng­land at this day, men that have no more Religion than beasts, as to power and principles in their owne spirits: turne every way, and every where with the times.

Secondly, These men shew their hy­pocrisie in this, they make Religion subser­vient to every principle of men, and every designe.

Thirdly, in converses about civill things, he will wipe his mouth at small and little things. A little oath sometimes, a covert lyes, speaks very demurely, hardly gotten out, (as it were) he can passe it by as his common infirmitie; if he tell a little lye in a bargaine, spare me in this, saies he, to go to the house of Rimmon, he will take his allowance though it be not given him.

Fourthly, He studies perfectly to please men, and he is troubled more when he displeases men, than when he finds his heart unsutable to God.

Fifthly, He cares to keep off scandall to his person more than guilt from his consci­ence; no matter if he can keep off scan­dall though guilt lies fast.

Then sixthly and lastly, to say no more, such a hypocrite as this in all his converses will meddle no more with Religion than may fit his Calling, and his Relations. As the King of Navar said, he would launch no further into the deeps than he might come in againe with the same wind, no farther then sight of the shoare; so it is with hypocrites, if such a way of God be never so pretious and pure, I will not meddle with it, I must take care to my Familie, not to my soule; therefore the waies of Christ never come into counte­nance with such men till it be countenan­ced by the world, you shall never have them hot and zealous till the State have made way for them: you shall never have them care for Religion, where the power must be practised, till the State do it.

I have done in one word, that is, I be­seech you take heed and beware of hy­pocrisie, [Page 151] it is that which is in every duty, in every act you do, when you act fairest you are in most danger of hypocrisie; when you think you are lying in the dust, you are not free from the most desperate hypocrisie; when you think you are wee­ping out your heart for sin, you are not free from that damnable leaven of hypocrisie; when your contemplations are so high, as you thinke you are abstracted from all the world, and the enjoyments of it, that you imagine you are up in glorie, yet you will see that hypocrisie is a secret spirit that runs through all your actings, it is such a secret thing that it will mingle with your best duties, and make you hy­pocrites in the very acting of them: Oh! that men would but look to it, nothing like purenesse, sincerity, reality, inward integrity, to be true to God and my own conscience, to take my heart every day and cut it in peeces by a spirituall inqui­sition, and daylie triall, nothing like it, after every duty to aske my soule what is done, after every prayer to anatomize every petition againe, and know how it [Page 152] was in the frame and workings, and the answers and returnes, and the blessed con­sequences of it upon my heart, nothing will do well else; what a dissection will it be when an old hypocrite will be ope­ned? What that will be none knows yet, what a consumed Lungs, and Liver, and Heart will there be, strangely eaten out, and none knows how it comes; the sub­stance of the body will be well liking, all the flesh fast and sound, nothing but the vitals eaten, strangely eaten as with a Moath and Canker; It will be so with you, I beseech you feare lest it grow up­on you: Beware of hypocrisie, look to it every day, for it is in every duty; and above all things looke after that cleare, pure, sincere temperature, and integrity of spirit in every dutie, whereby you may walke with God.

I Have shewed you in seve­rall exercises what the characters of hypocrisie is, what they are in ma­ny states, how to trace them in duties in generall, in prayer espe­cially, in communion of Saints, in actings in the world, and civill respects.

But you may remember, at the first opening of the words, I told you that there were some sorts of hypocrites that did not so much discover themselves, but must be discovered by the truths of the Gospell that are propounded, they are not so consciencious of want of integri­tie, as they are wanting in principles; those [Page 154] we have most endeavoured to discover.

But in the second place I told you, some there are that know themselves to be so, at least they have secret conscienti­ous checks of conscience, yet go on in pro­fession: I would a little speake to them at present, and then make application of the whole.

There are many, I say, that knows themselves to be unsound in their owne spirits and yet go on in profession, and that you would thinke strange; and it is more strange to thinke a man should be a hy­pocrite and not know it: than that a man should know his hypocrisie and yet go on in it.

I shall in the opening of this shew you,

First, That it may be so, and that it is often so, and most hypocrites shew them­selves to be so.

Secondly, I shall discover how it can be that they can go on in profession so ea­sily and freely as they do.

Thirdly, Wherein their hypocrisie still lies.

First, That it may be so, and that they do go on so, I shall make it cleare in these particulars; and I beseech you ob­serve.

First, Take the common principle of a naturall conscience, which is enlightned, (for every hypocrite hath an enlightned conscience) it is not so dull as it is in other men, unlesse it be after a long time of hy­pocrisie; but the naturall conscience of a man will tell him thus, that this is not right, you do not this according to this rule, for there is a light left in a mans conscience till God give a man over to blindnesse and darknesse, there is is a light will alwaies give a man a check without there be some eminent thing to silence conscience at the present, as it was with the Heathens in the second of the Romans, their consci­ences did naturally accuse, and excuse, them upon the common principle of that light of nature imprinted on them, this is not just, this is not sutable; though they had not such written rules before them, yet there were such dictates sutable to the impression that God left upon their natu­rall [Page 156] consciences, much more an hypo­crite, an enlightened hypocrite under the Gospell; but a naturall conscience will tell a man really, and check him in a du­ty, and say, this never came from the mo­ver, this motion of yours did not run freely in your spirits, this prayer was but pumpt, it comes not from the foun­taine, you had some by-end or other; did you not aime at this or that, some applause or comfort to your selves, never minded Christ? Conscience will speake if you be not judicially hardned: it will speake very loud to a man, at least it will give a man such checks as a man shall consider, and by the custome of it con­clude, that it is thus and thus with him: For looke as it is with the Saints under full light, and full evidence, so it is with a hypocrite under the enlightenings of his conscience: saies Paul, I have lived in all good conscience unto this day, that is, walked according to the principles of reason and Religion, according to the light I had, lived in all good conscience unto this day, never strained my consci­ence.

Now it is impossible for a man under enlightening (if he have not a mighty secure frame of spirit, or wonderfull dexteritie of colouring his heart) but na­turall conscience will reflect upon him, and say, this was not intended right though the action was done, this was not so spirituall, nor so firmely acted before God; you know you had your intenti­on besides the rule. But then

Secondlie, Take such a conscience un­der the Ministrie of the Gospell, where there are Characters given on both sides, where hearts are dealt withall seriouslie, and with abundance of clearenesse, where the designe is to anatomize the spirit, to give characters of a Saint, and give di­stinctions between common graces, and those graces that are purely sanctifying, changing and transforming the soule, and those that are common, and worke nor the image of God in the soule, if you have any light (as hypocrites have abun­dance of light, otherwise they could ne­ver play their tricks so as they do) it is impossible but the heart should say, this is [Page 158] not right, I find not this right in my own spirit; it is impossible they should lye under these things and have no convicti­ons, no checks secretly that he is truly such an one.

Thirdly, He may by reflecting upon himselfe know it by his getting in his du­ties, if he had nothing but that which he gets in duties, when he hears how Saints get communion with God in duties, how their soules are taken up with Christ, what glorious enjoyments they have of God, in Prayer, and Sacraments, what glorious frames they find upon their spi­rits when they have communion, he knows he can hardly get from one duty to another; the truth is, a hypocrite is the poorest, miserablest soule in the world: he never hath any thing but what he gets from hand to mouth, when he comes to dye he is a begger, nothing at all to live on, and he knows he never met with Christ so as to humble him and to lay him low, he knows when he heares other Saints speake of the Gospell, and the sweetnesse they have had in the sights [Page 159] of Christ, pardoning and applying his love to them: he knows he hath not these things; when he comes to action he is as dead, and as low as may be; and as I told you, he is poorest and worst at last.

Fourthlie, God delights to discover a hy­pocrite, he delights in that exceedingly, and commonlie doth it, and laies it upon a man closely and wonderfullie by won­derfull flashes of spirit, and God delights to do it.

First, Because it is a secret that none can find out but himselfe, therefore he delights to anatomize a wicked, cunning, deceitfull heart.

Secondlie, God he delights to do it, because he loves to put a speciall marke upon them of all persons in the world, those that have deceived others shall deceive them­selves, he put a marke upon the first hy­pocrite in the world that ever was, that he changed his countenance, so that if you had no more, take them altogether and you shall find, that a man may very well be a hypocrite, and know himselfe [Page 160] to be so, and yet go one; nay, it is very hard for a man to be long a hypo­crite under the Gospell but he must lye under the checks of it. But

Secondly, you will say, how can this be? How can he continue in Congrega­tions, in Churches? how can he continue all this while and not be terrified, and not leave off all profession? My Brethren,

In the first place, pray take in these things, know it is the most deluding sin in the world, the most pleasant sin in the world to a man, as men love by Art to imitate nature, they are mighty pleased with it to represent Nature in Art, how men give up them­selves and their studies, and are pleased with it; there is nothing more pleasing to a man as hypocrisie is, that he can turne himself at any time here and there, & evade all things that are laid upon him by the Gospell. (It is just as you see with those that are your theeves or cut-purses, that have a curious art and dexterity to do it; they will take a mans purse out of his pocket so exactly, that he cannot know it is done, but they are gone, and when [Page 161] they come together at night, they rejoyce and brag who hath done the best feats,) so hypocrites cannot but know in their naturall consciences it is against the rule, but there is abundance of pleasure in it to cheat themselves, and cheat others, till God worke mightilie upon them: for to imitate a Saint in every thing, and do it exactly, pleases a hypocrite, that he can delude others: when he hath been in prayer, cosened and deluded the best sort of men in the world, as I have heard some say, they could delude all the Saints in the world, for that is pleasing to a man that nourishes his selfe-love, and that does carry him on to act, so as to be well thought of by others, it shews a man an artificiall man that can thus and thus move up and down the world, and none see him, or take notice of him, all think him a blessed Saint; I am confident there is no sin so pleasing to a soule as hypocri­sie is, for it will have so many varieties of Artificiall motions laid before it to act by, that a man is not tyed to one or tother, but still acted in variety, and the sence of [Page 162] divine things is not on his heart at all, as I shall shew you in the second place.

Secondly, he may go on in profession though he know himselfe to be so; he may go on, because he knows not the nature and vilenesse of his sin at all, only sees he is not as he should be, and it is the same with other sins; he may lye long under a sin, so long as Conscience is not pressed on with an unresistible conviction, only a generall cold conviction is upon him; he sees that he hath done so and so, and he is so and so, but there is not any thing of the power of conviction upon his soule, for then a soule should not be able to stand under it, but cry out he cannot en­dure it; but commonly it is with hypo­crisie (such a pleasing sin) as with other sins; a man sees the guilt by the rule, but not by the light of a divine conviction, strangely working in his soule and spi­rit, and so goes on as those did which the Prophet speakes of, you lye, and steale, and commit adultery, and yet come and ap­peare before me; they had brazen faces for all that, they never felt the power of [Page 163] conviction upon their spirits, and if God should shew any man any one sin, he would never act that sin, but he would abhor the very sights of it; But there are such poore common generall convictions meerly from conscience; conscience hath a power within a man, but it never stirs with terrour till God anew, as it were, shews his sin, and his miserable estate by sin, by a light from heaven, and so sets conscience afresh a working; God then gives it a new Commission to charge his soule, he goes to duty though he knows himselfe full of hypocrisie, yet he can go to duty as quietly as can be; a man may know himselfe to be a hypocrite and yet go on in it; because

Secondly, He thinkes he shall weare out his hypocrisie by his duties, though he per­forme them in it, though he contract guilt by them: and most of his hypocri­sie is in his duties, and that is exceeding strange, but it is most true, for a hypo­crite thinkes by his duties to weare out all his deceits; as he colours his hypocri­sie by it, so he hopes to weare it out by [Page 164] it, he hopes it is a worke of time, though he have a bad heart yet he hopes to have a better heart, though he never looks to Christ for it.

Fourthly, He hath something at present that he gets by his profession, something that is sutable to some end, some lust or other of his own, and that keeps him up, not­withstanding those generall convictions; I know not how to call them convictions, they are so cold and poore upon a mans heart, but he hopes to get something, either applause of men to be a good Christian, or something to be thought of by men, or to get some peace of con­science, that the violence and desperate­nesse of wrath fall not upon him. Aye, but

Fifthly, which is most of all, that I may shew you this; God doth judicially give up those kind of hypocrites that have begun without him, tooke up profession with­out any workings of God upon their soules, he gives them up commonly unto a reprobate mind, that you have so commonly named in the New Testament, so injudicious [Page 165] as they cannot understand their own con­dition, but go on still, see no more in one condition than another; but that I may speake of Gods dealing with hypocrites in this way.

First, As I told you, God delights to discover hypocrites, so he hath most judge­ments upon them of any in the world, and he discovers them commonly, either

First, By some secret giving them up, or withdrawing strength; giving them up to some corruption, or withdrawing strength from them absolutely, that they find nothing of former strength at all: so he doth many times with those that have lived upon parts, gifts, and endow­ments, it is ordinary for God to leave them, as you have it in John 15. they wi­ther, the life and sap that they were wont to have is withdrawn, and the spi­rit is gone, so it is with many; and cer­tainly that is the Reprobate mind; ta­king away from the understanding that common light, that the soule shall only looke after the outward part of a duty, but never knew the life of it, never un­derstands [Page 166] nor distinguishes when he is in a bad or a good condition. Oh! looke after the impression and sence of the things of God upon your soules.

Secondlie, The way that God takes to discover hypocrites, he gives them up to some eminent corruption to breake out as to discover them; as it was with Ju­das, he had many gnawings of consci­ence doubtlesse under Christs Ministry alwaies, and under Christs eye, but he was never discovered till he gave him up to that covetous heart, that wicked cor­ruption that lay most in his heart, then he was discovered presently, then thirty peeces of silver was enough for Jesus Christ. Either God gives them up to deadnesse, to be twise dead, that is, dead in their own hearts, the meaning is, they lost both their naturall affections, and the affections they had on their hearts by common gifts and workings, they lost both, and now nothing takes hold of them; or else he gives them up to some eminent corruption, that all the world sees there is one never minded the Go­spell, [Page 167] now it is broke out; or else

Secondlie, As to that head, God gives them up unto a despaire, which is very com­mon, and that is twofold:

First, Either secret despaire, they tug in duties, may by night and day, when they are prest in conscience, and they get nothing, go to Sermons and they find no blowings of the Spirit, no breathings at all upon their hearts, and so grow into a secret despaire insensibly.

Now there is a secret kind of inter­mission in Saints, but this soule goes on and never finds any thing of God or Christ.

Secondly, There is a terrifying despaire which sometimes God gives them up to, whereby they are terrified with the hi­deousnesse of the wrath of God, crying out they are damned, they are damned, and they never commonly get out of it: you never heare of any hypocrite in the Scripture that ever got out when God laid a charge upon him; because God would have soules walke so purely and clearely with him in all their duties.

Now as you see how he may know himselfe to be so, to be thus, and yet act; so see the nature of his hypocrisie; and take it in short.

First, though he know himselfe to be a hy­pocrite, and to be unsound, yet he is loath to have it said so, or have it discovered, he can­not abide that, he would not have any one thinke so, though he knows it himselfe, but yet would walke so exactly as he could; so it was with Balaam, Num. 21.22, 23. all along how gladly would he have gone to curse the Israelites? but God would not suffer him: though he knew he was a most wicked notorious hypocrite, and a witch too, yet how would he pretend to Balack he would go to God; he would gladly have done it, but God had a mighty check upon him: it was a Prophesie to all the world, how all dealings with Saints should be, though he spoke good things, and he could not but speake them, yet he would gladly avoid them for the money, and still he had an over-awing of God upon him: So it is with many hypocrites, though [Page 169] they know themselves to be unsound at the heart and bottome, yet they would have all thinke well of them, what they want of integritie that they would make up in the handsomnesse of their deport­ment and cariage up and downe the world.

Secondly, Though he know himselfe to be an hypocrite, yet there is none will be more censorious of hypocrisie in others, even to poore Saints; but that is a common rule, he will be severe in the censuring of others, and he may thinke by that, that others may thinke him far from hypo­crisie.

Thirdly, Nay, what shall I say? in the third place know this, though he know him­selfe thus to be in that condition, yet he ne­ver strives to root out the wickednesse of that frame out of his own heart, but to smother it, and cover it, and palliate it from the eyes of men some way or other, not to de­stroy it in his own spirit, but smother it, so that it may looke Saint-like still; but a gracious heart, as soone as it discovers hypocrisie, as he sees the straines of hy­pocrisie [Page 170] in his heart, he looks to root it out as soone as it is discovered. But to speake no more to that, let us now come to the application of it to all your hearts.

First, If this be so: I beseech you once againe to put your hearts upon the seri­ous consideration, and examination of your own estates; what are you? Now you looke well, come to heare, you are not in sight so ugly, what are you with­in? Have you not strange straines of hy­pocrisie if you be not hypocrites? I be­seech you looke seriously to your own hearts: this is the end of all this dis­course, to put men seriouslie upon the triall of their own spirits, that they may not be unsound in the Gospell, that they may not have a rotten spirit within, that the liver, and lungs, and heart be not cor­rupted whilest they deale with the great things of the Gospell; that is, that the faculties of the soule may be purelie acted to God; there are more hypocrites now in the world, than in any one Age since the Creation; it was a hard thing [Page 171] to pick out one formerlie; but God will shew many of them in these daies, he is a trying the world, and as he goes along he will try spirits most. Oh, you have trials under the Gospell, have you got a clearenesse? Can you say you have a glo­rious inward freenesse with God? Oh, what use have you made of the Gospell? Have you inward glorious incomes of God from the breathing in of divine frames in your actings towards God? Let me ask you but these common questions.

First, Cannot you find some time to play with your sins sometimes, so they bite you not, and sting you? Cannot you take some re­creating times for your sins and corrup­tions? Pray you consider of it; a hypo­crite doth so: he dares not make a trade of it, but he will make a recreation of it now and then, he loves that he dares not practice, you can now and then play with your wanton thoughts as long as they do not fly in your face, you can delight your selfe in your secret wishes: Oh that I were at it; look to your own soules. Nay, what is this Religion that men [Page 172] speake of? do you find such kind of things in your hearts? he that can play with sin for recreation can joine himself unto sin for delight, and to be one nature with him: a Saint hates appearances, he cannot endure the thoughts of it.

Secondlie, Are there not some sins you call little sins, and some duties you call little duties, and some duties that you never lay upon your conscience? Look to your hearts in that, you are never humbled for the commission of sins, or the omission of duties, it is a dangerous symptome of hy­pocrisie. A hypocrite will be sure to make distinctions in the Gospell; there be some secret workings up of corruptions and sins, as vanitie of thoughts, distracti­on in duties, and secret risings of corrup­tions, and desires in a mans heart which he never chargeth his conscience withall, and some duties he never laies upon con­science, so long as he can passe thorough the maine body he never cares for the speciall circumstances of the Gospell. A gracious and upright heart saies: Shall I call that little that is against the glorie [Page 173] of an infinite God? It is the object makes the sin great, not the act: this dutie hath as much authority upon my heart though never so meane, though but to wash a Saints feet, as to offer the greatest sacri­fices before the eyes of all the world.

Thirdly, Let me aske you this, Are you not afraid of trialls, and to be through­ly discovered to your own hearts? Do you not endeavour sometimes, if possible, to evade the strength of a conviction, and the strength of a word from God that is laid upon your heart, afraid to looke into your own hearts and see your spirits, to be discovered to your selves? do not you many times hush conscience, and say, be quiet conscience, stay a while to your own consciences, I will be better, I will strive against it, I will not be thus and thus carried away? do you not find these things? A dangerous symptome; a hy­pocrite endeavours to evade the authori­tie of the Gospell, he is afraid to abide the power and the glorie of it; if he can­not find out prudentiall considerations enough, he will get spirituall pretences, [Page 174] he will be sure if he can evade convicti­on he will do it, that is a very dangerous signe. And againe,

Fourthlie, Examine your own hearts, Is there not some of the fat of the Cattle, of the sheep, (to allude to that of Saul, for he was an hypocrite) in the going on in your duties, reserved? Is there not some Agag for honors sake you would keep up, 1 Sam. 15 read over that place at your leisure: God bids Saul slay the Amalekites, destroy them all in the third verse, yet he reser­ved an Agag, and the best of the spoile, here was the discoverie of his wicked heart, he would have sacrificed some of the fat things, he had a mind to triumph by Agag: he thought it was too much to destroy all those things, though God gave a peremptorie command to destroy all, I will sacrifice them to God to make an attonement, only reserved some of the best to carrie to my people in triumph, that they may see the out-goings of God; that lost him his Kingdom, and discovered his hypocrisie first of any act, he had a secret lust to honour himselfe by it; have [Page 175] you none of the fat of your corruptions? Have you never a lust laid up? Is there never a corruption that your soules have countenanced, or do countenance?

It is a dangerous signe of hypocrisie, if a man have any thing that the word of God saith is not the mind of God, that he reserves in his heart without utter ha­tred. Well, look to it I beseech you, and especiallie look to that of the triall of your spirits, whether you can be willing to be tried, for you shall find a hypocrite will appeale to God and his conscience, but he cannot endure to be tried by Saints, he will appeale to God if it be not so, yet he cannot endure to be put to it, to have his heart ript open. Nay, it is very com­mon to say, God knows my heart, but if you come to try his heart, and say, how can this grace stand with this corruption, he cannot endure that, he will hate the thoughts of it. And if you do try him him about his estate, you must not de­bate it with him, but you must take it for granted, else he will try your graces as well as you try his, and question your [Page 176] state as much as you his: And then if he be put to it at last, as to triall of his own spirit, he will save all with a whining confession, and that is all you will get of him; therefore look to your selves as to these things.

In the second place, I should now have come to have prest on the exhortation of the Lord Jesus; beware of hypocrisie, you that are Christians, you that are reall Saints should beware of it, and so to all sorts of professours, take heed and beware of it, and shewed you these things. To have opened the nature of it, and the hideousnesse of it.

And first from the danger of it to your soules, it is the most dangerous sin you can have in your soules, and that, First, because it is the last reserve, it is undis­cernable, a man must search as with a Candle that finds it out: as the Jews were to search for the Leaven with a Candle, and then curse all the rest, it is a close sin: indeed there are some actings of it that are very grosse; but as for spirituall secret hypocrisie in duties, [Page 177] compare them with actings they are ex­ceeding close and undiscernable in the soules of men; a soule must dig very deep, and be very observant, and have a watch over his soule every moment if e­ver he would trie his heart; it is so close and so cunning, that a man will hardlie beleeve it is there, there is such a hidden motion upon a man, that he cannot tell how it comes.

Secondlie beware of it: It is infectious, it is a dangerous infectious spreading na­ture, it will be over all the faculties on a sudden: it will represent you all kind of glasses that can be possible; it can in the morning give you one glasse to looke in, at noone another glasse, and in the eve­ning one different from both; take one part of the Law you shall see your selves in it very faire, it spreads over all: it will, it may be, begin with your understand­ings, and give you strange sights and ap­prehensions of God, then come in upon your affections upon a sudden, and work them to this end, and to their end: it will kisse and kill at once; looke to it, for it [Page 178] is the most dangerous sin of any in the world in a mans heart.

For if the soundnesse be gone from a mans heart, what will he do then? A man cannot act like a man when the sub­stance of the soule is gone, he cannot act, neither Scripture, reason, nor his judge­ment, but a particular close humour.

Thirdlie, beware of it: It is the most inconstant in its motions, the most various in its representations, so many habits, and so ma­ny formes it will appeare in to you, and alter upon every occasion, that it is im­possible, unlesse a man be given up to try his own heart, to find it out: A heart, and a heart: you shall have a faire heart now, and a wicked heart anon: come and talke with a Person now, and you shall find them in a good frame, so as if they were commanded by the power of of it, come an houre after, and you shall find them in a wicked damnable straine of spirit, speaking like mad men, this is most common: especiallie come to talke with a man privately, what abundance of ingenuitie there is: come to another [Page 179] action, and at another time, and he is not the same man, hypocrisie will appeare, and this is the misery mens soules are juggled to hell, put in so many formes, they know not when they are right, know not what is the reall complexion they should have in the Gospell, it is so various and so cunning: it juggles a mans soule to hell.

Fourthly, It is the most odious thing to God of any, it takes his name in vaine most of any, it is against his simplicitie, om­nisciencie, his puritie, God hates nothing more than this state, therefore he sets himselfe against hypocrites of all sorts of people in the world.

I should have come to have shewed you how to avoid it, what are the speci­all remedies of hypocrisie, the speciall things to keep a man from the evill of it, the way to preserve a man from this dan­gerous sin: but I would not leave some poore soules without some kind of com­fort; all this while many will say, Alas, I am the man: I am the woman: cer­tainlie I have been a hypocrite all my [Page 180] daies: I would only speake a little com­fort to such poore soules.

First, know this: Jealousie of thine own heart, and severe inquisition into it, is a good hopefull Character that thou art far off that condition.

There is a twofold jealousie that there­fore you may not be deceived.

First, A jealousie on probable grounds, se­cret and close symptomes, and hints from actings, which may teach many a soule that hypocrisie may have place in his heart; for I find this and that when I come to looke on the whole straine of my life, I have not my heart so carried out in spirituall things: I never minded this and that in my actings: this is a jea­lousie that may consist with the know­ledge of hypocrisie.

Secondlie, there is a jealousie that ari­seth from feare and care lest I should be such an one, from the hatred of the thing: thou seest the vilenesse of it, and thou seest thou canst never be quiet till thou hast the clearenesse of integritie made out to thee: that is good, that is sweet: none [Page 181] more apt to censure a Saint than him­selfe; you know when Jesus Christ made the question about his betraying, the hypocrite spake last, never spake till he was put to it; every one said at the Supper, Lord is it I? Is it I? Every one had rather dye than heare that word spoken; but when it comes to Judas, he was forced to it at last, and yet he would not confesse it; but when the conviction lay upon him, and he must needs be un­der it, then he went out, and that was all you heard of him till he hanged him­selfe.

Secondlie, To comfort poore soules, they have no reason to conclude themselves hypocrites, when they are glad if God by any meanes discover and destroy their hypocrisie whatever way it be: for there lies the weight when God shall be blessed for dis­covering a mans heart to him: take this for a rule; If a soule can rejoyce and blesse God for his convictions of sin, as for his comforts after conviction it is a signe of a most blessed glorious spirit; though the sight of hypocrisie be the ug­liest [Page 182] sight in the world, yet when he sees it he blesseth God for it.

Thirdlie, Never thinke thou art an hypo­crite, if thy heart is set against the nature of sin, and pursuest the enjoyment, of the nature of God, whilest thy heart is set against the nature of sin, and followest on the na­ture of God, that is, to be really posses­sed with a substantiall enjoyment of God, when the very nature of sin is a­gainst thy heart, and when the nature of godlinesse is in thine eye as to enjoyment, to be fully possessed with that.

Fourthlie, know this too: Never say thou art a hypocrite when no outward act can content thee, though never so glorious, with­out thou hast an inward frame according to that act, according to the inward spiritu­alitie of the Gospell, if thou lookest to have thy soule in a frame to thy duty, thou needest not feare hypocrisie.

Fifthly, While thy soule is as much trou­bled for omission of thy duty as for commission of thy sin, thou needest not feare that thou art a hypocrite, while thy soule is as much troubled for omission of a duty, or [Page 183] an act of faith, or closing with Christ, or of any outward duty wherein thou hast enjoyed Christ, as for commission of sin, thou needest not feare thou art a hypo­crite.

Sixthly and lastly, thou needest not feare thou art a hypocrite whilst thou hatest thine own strength in thy duties as much as an outward act of sin, or the most distemper of thy spirit, or a corruption done in the wickednesse of thy heart; I speake on­ly this a little to divert the thoughts of poore soules that say, I am certainly un­der this frame of spirit.

But looke to your own hearts every one, if you find all these, or any of them in any life upon your soules, you are free from that state; but if you find not such an universall opposite nature to sin, but a frame to sin against God, if you find not such constant pure frames in your owne spirits as to principles, intentions, and ends, you will never be able to free your selves from such a state and condition.

I Have endeavoured in ma­ny exercises to open to you the nature of hypo­crisie, and have told you the sorts of hypocrites that are up and down the world, and in Churches: Now in the latter daies they grow more glorious than ever, there­fore Christs exhortation had need be more pressing; formerlie hypocrisie was coursely cloathed, could hardlie step out among the Saints, they were so prying, and so cunninglie carefull to observe the dangers of the Devill in times of danger and persecution: Now when the Sun shines, faire daies againe, Religion seems [Page 185] to flourish in the outside of it, and there is a benefit, by the name of it, men will be very glorious in hypocrisie: and if ever there were need to presse Christs exhortation, it is now upon all sorts of men and professours: among his owne disciples there was one among twelve, he bids them beware, take heed: It is a good caution for them all, Saints are subject to the straines of it many times, without they have an abundant care in their own spirits.

Therefore that I shall do, is still to presse this exhortation upon your hearts, that it may take some weight and im­pression: for beleeve it, however you looke upon your selves, or whatever thoughts others have of you, we had need to tell you to beware of hypocrisie, the better you are thought of, the more danger. And you may remember the last time, first I told you, you had need to looke to your own spirits concerning this sin, because of the danger of it in its nature and workings.

Secondlie, because of the uglinesse, and [Page 186] vilenesse of it, of all other sins in the soule how it is that which is perfectlie against the nature of God, his holinesse and simplicitie, his faithfulnesse and realitie to the Sons of men, how it is that that makes a man like the devill most of any sin: he will beleeve, and is convinced of the things that the Gospell speakes of that they are true: but here lies the greatnesse of his wickednesse, the cunningnesse of his deceit, that he sets up an art of deceiving in the world, to de­ceive the Sons of men that they should not beleeve the word of God; there is none like the devill, so perfectlie like the devill as hypocrites, I have chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devill, none is called a devill in Scripture but he: and there lies the sutablenesse that he is a lyar, and hypocrisie is a perfect lye in the soule.

Then I shewed you the uglinesse of it likewise, that it doth indispose the soule to every thing that is good, when one is in the best frame, as it were, that spoiles all, it is of a poysonous nature.

I shall go on to shew you what is that you must continuallie look after if you meane to beware of it, and prevent it, as the care and remedie of this sad condi­tion.

Therefore first, as to the generall, and as the maine thing, if ever you meane to beware of hypocrisie you must principle your hearts, and farnish them with all the graces of the spirit, you will never be sin­cere else, you will never be sincere till you have all graces, and the workings of them proportionable in your soules and spirits, Ephes. 3. he begs of them to go on, and this I pray that your love may abound more and more in all knowledge, and in all experience, that you may be able to approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere, Phil. 1.9. A man must have all judgement, a discerning eye, for sinceri­tie, doth not lye only in the intentions of men, but in the reall workings of all the frames of the soule, of all the graces as they are in the heart, when a man can approve the things that are excellent, that is, he can judge them, and try them, and [Page 188] act them as they are discovered to be truths, that is sinceritie: for sinceritie is not so much a distinct grace as a result of the harmonious workings of all graces in the soule, there must be a rectified mind to make a man sincere, for it is not a good intention that will make an action good, or make you sincere in any action, but as it flows from inward reall frames and principles that are sutable; Peter was an affectionate man, and he said to Christ when he told him of his sufferings, spare thy selfe, do not go and suffer, he did it out of a good intention, but he was re­buked for it, he had a cleare intention, would not have the least hurt come to Christ, but it was against the designe that Jesus Christ came about, therefore he said, get thee behind me Sathan: It was not that sincerity, therefore the Apostle saith, that you may be sincere: Oh that sincerity of soule! it lies in those two things; that you may be sincere, you must be able to judge and approve things that are excellent.

First, [...], it signifies such a straine [Page 189] as is without any mixture, hath no composi­tion of any forraigne thing in it, when every thing is pure in its native colour, you must prove all things, be able to try all things, and have a judgement of them: that you may be so unmixt in your act­ings, that you may have nothing at all of the corruption of the world in it; for we commonlie in our duties mixe our owne ends, and our own interests, and en­gagements in the things of God, and whatever the intentions be, yet if there be any such mixtures, you are not sincere; though you may thinke you do well, and are very exact in the Gospell, yet you cannot be sincere whilest there is such a mixture in your principles and ends, 1 Cor. 8. A man is not sincere when there are any mixtures, when a man is carried on by inward motions of sin: Now, I confesse, there will be many mixtures, but there are mixtures in intentions, and mixtures in principles, and ends: and these are dangerous, for a man cannot be sincere if these be predominant over him. As if I go to God, if it be not to glorifie [Page 190] God, and to have communion with him, having the highest end, and do not act from a spirituall principle of holy love to him, and his glorie, if I have any mix­ture in my intentions, though other things may come in accidentallie, yet if they be incorporated in the principle, then I am not sincere.

For to make up that sinceritie, a man must have that spirit of sinceritie that is pure to act from God to God, from the Spirit unto Christ. Now here is a pure way of acting, when the soule sees what its own strength is, casts it out, lies at Christs feet, is carried out by the assi­stance of Gods spirit, will not have any thing but the strength of Christ, when the intentions goe along together with the acting of these things, when there is a pure intention, that I fix but my eye whol­ly on one object, for there be many consi­derations that come in accidentally, but the eye is fixt upon one object; I must have Christ, and my soule is working after him, and there I center my heart, that is sinceritie indeed, so we should re­ceive [Page 191] the sincere milke of the word, that is, that milke that is unmixt with the corruption of men, the sincere milke, 1 Pet. 2. therefore looke to your owne hearts, if ever you meane to avoid hypo­crisie, you must be sure that you keep from mixtures, mixtures of unsound principles, and ends, selfe-love, selfe-ends, take heed of the aire of the world, left that come in and fill your sailes in your duties; take heed of any thing that may mixe with your principles, & your ends; for in acting towards God, you cannot act purelie, but you must act from single and entire principles in your hearts, and cleare apprehensions of the object, and the end: And however you may conceive you act evenlie, and your heart is not feigning to be so in a duty; yet if you be not carried out in such a heavenly harmony of prin­ciples and inclinations, and your ends to­gether, you will never be found to be sin­cere in the Gospell.

Secondlie, the word signifies that clear­nesse, that perspicuity that should be in a mans soule in all his actings: so saith the [Page 192] Apostle, that you may be sincere, the word signifies such a clearenesse, as when a man is under the judgement of the Sun, as under the Sun shining on a mans spirit, you will hardly avoid hypocrisie till your consciences be under a light, and a brightnesse of the glory of divine wor­kings upon your hearts: for when your conscience lies under darknesse and guilt as to the testimony it should give, you will still have shiftings off of hypocrisie from your spirits, to take off the weight and misery off from you; but the Apo­stle would have you to be so cleare in your judgement of the Gospell, as if you were to be judged by the Sun it selfe, it should be found that there is nothing but sinceritie: a faire testimonie in everie dutie, that inward whitenesse of a mans spirit in a duties, that it is not mixed with any bribings from without, nor secret evasions from within. And that shining from the conscience is so bright, that as the Apostle saith, this is the testimonie that we have, the testimonie of our con­sciences: A man should be so cleare in [Page 193] his own spirit if he meant to avoid hypo­crisie that if he were to be brought out to be judged before men and Angels, he might have such an inward brightnesse in his own spirit, that he might be com­forted and refreshed in the sight of it.

For you find this commonly, take hy­pocrites in the time of convictions, they have no testimonie of God at all: Now take a sincere heart, though he be under conviction, yet there is such a light that he judgeth there is sinceritie in his own heart, convince but a hypocrite of one thing he can give no account of the other: all comes in upon him, and chal­lengeth him, for he hath no brightnesse within that will testifie to his soule at a dead lift; when conscience accuseth, he hath nothing to excuse in his conscience from the clearenesse of the acting of true principles in him: I beseech you, if ever you meane to avoid hypocrisie, be sincere, and if you will get sinceritie, you must get all these graces clearelie shining and working in your owne spirits, for you will be put hard to it to get sinceritie [Page 194] while your principles are darke and not even; if you find not your principles and ends meet together, and your eye is singly set upon the Lord Jesus, and your hearts set for the glory of God, you will not have that inward plainnesse in your own hearts. Though the nature of since­ritie lies much as to these two things.

First, the clearnesse of a mans princi­ples and unmixtnesse in them.

Secondlie, a plainnesse and ingenuitie in the actings of them; from these two flows that which we call that sinceritie of spirit: To be free from sembling, and faigning of things, when I am not mixt, when I am without impuritie in my mo­tions as to what I act: though there be hypocrisie in some other things, yet there is not in those maine things. So that the first thing I would commend unto you, if you would avoid hypocrisie, is to furnish your selves with all spirituall graces of sinceritie, that you may be justified be­fore the Sun, that as they say of the Ea­gle, they try their young ones by the Sun, if they can endure the sight of the [Page 195] Sun they are then true: so you, if these things will endure the Sun, and the light of God, then you may say you act sin­cerelie.

Secondlie, if you would avoid hypo­crisie, lye alwaies under the dread of an omniscient eye, this is that that men are discovered hypocrites by: they know not what the sights of God are, that all­seeing God, if I thought God did looke into my heart, and did see me, it is im­possible I should then go on in a way of sin and deceit to deceive my own soule, for to deceive the omniscient God: Hy­pocrites thinke in the generall that God sees all things, but they lye not under the dread and aw of an omniscient God, no grace keeps a soule so much from hypo­crisie as the feare of God, the awe and dread of God seeing into a mans heart; for though thy heart be close to others, it is transparent to God, he sees all the cun­ning of thy spirit, and veines of thy soule, how thou dost delude thy owne heart, therefore if thou wouldst be sound, looke after that, the feare and dread of God: [Page 196] Remember, what is it for me to be well thought of by others when God sees it not so, the omniscient eye knows I have a secret cunning heart for to deceive? He sees me, though I speake faire to this and that person yet God knows I am wrong, he knows I am lying when I speake a word, though others know it not: Oh, if the eye of God were but thought of by men, if we thought we had a divine pre­sence with us, Whither shall I go? if I go to heaven thou art there, Psal. 139. if a soule were under this consideration, whither shall I go from thy presence? I may car­rie this sin closelie and secretlie, yet the eye of God is upon me, the Lord sees me: I had better all the world should see me than God, for he discovers me from the bottome: so much for that.

Thirdlie, If ever you meane to avoid hypocrisie in your own spirits, be alwaies considering the vanitie of this sin of all other sins: A sin which there is no profit in at all: A hypocrite takes as much paines for all his cunning deceits as a Saint for all his sinceritie; for a man to act as a [Page 197] King upon a Royall Stage, and the next moment he is in Rags, not a bit of bread, so here, a hypocrite, take him out of his duties, hath nothing to live upon but what they shirke up and down the Gos­pell for, and that is so miserable and so poore a life, that they would give over the waies of Religion, if it were not for shame; and when a man considers old age is comming on, there is a day of darknesse, a midnight houre that must be upon my soule, God will one day take off all this disguise, I am well thought of by others now, but what shall I be then, there is a night up on me, but there is a day upon others, and that which is the day of the Lord to others will be a midnight to me, and that will be the time of the discoverie of me to be miserable. Better a man had never gone on in such a hood, and have it plucked off, and to see such an ugly face: Oh, what hideous cries will one day be! Oh, that I had ne­ver made use of the name of Christ! Oh, that I had been through with my owne spirit, that I had never deceived my own [Page 198] soule, that I had known what my condi­tion had been before I played with the Gospell, and dallied with the things of Christ; I beseech you consider, to be cloathed in darknesse after you have seemed to be cloathed with the brightest notions of the Gospell, it is a vaine thing, a man gets nothing at all, lives upon the aire, what men say of him, the good thoughts, and good words of men, there is all, for he hath nothing from Christ as to the enjoyments of the Gospell in his own spirit, and is not that sad? Againe,

Fourthlie, Looke to beware of hypo­crisie, for it is a dangerous thing if it go on to a height, hypocrites are seldome con­verted under the Gospell, the reason is, they weare out all those principles they knew, they curse themselves under the Gospell, they have heard over and over againe the same things, and they make little of them in their own spirits; God seldome converts them, only that con­viction that is commonlie upon these that are hypocrites, is to show them their hy­pocrisie to be their miserie, whereas to [Page 199] others the time of their conviction is the time of their conversion: When God comes to profane men and strikes them home, it is commonlie to convert them, but as to a hypocrite, it is Gods time to shew him his hell and misery, and how he hath out-run his glasse, and past the day of the Gospell: Oh that thou hadst known in this thy day the things of thy peace, but now they are hid from thine eyes: God loves to make such persons examples to the world, if they get a breath at the last day it is well. Therefore looke to it you that begin to be formall, and to play with your convictions, and take them off now and then, dallying with the Lord, looke to it, it is a thousand to one if ever you be converted, that that converts others condemnes you: And tremble at this, that you should live under Ordinances and discoveries every day, and yet be no better; if you escape long without through-improved convictions upon your hearts, it is a dangerous symptome, it is a thousand to one God hath made but an essay upon thy heart. Where did [Page 200] you find that ever God convinced a hy­pocrite up and down the Gospell, that was a profest one, if you look through the whole Bible, but he left his marke up­on them all the daies of their lives? It is a dreadfull thing; yet grace is not bound up, it is not limited at all, it may be God may shew more riches of grace upon some soules, but it is not usuall: there­fore if ever you would be scared from hypocrisie take heed of that; when a man comes to dye, and should come at last to refresh himselfe with the thought that he hath served God faithfullie, and sincerelie, and finds no comforts of all his duties and enjoyments, then to be convinced that he hath been one that hath deceived himselfe is very terrible, when he should have God eternallie, then to have that time of times of his everlasting ruine; God will take some time or other to discover your hearts, and it may be he will discover them and you shall not be better, only let the world know, and your owne hearts know what you have been, and leave a secret-deadnesse for [Page 201] ever upon your hearts, or fry in the wrath of it all your daies, as you go up and downe the world, consume you to nothing with the sense of wrath; Oh prize a sincere heart, and prize opportu­nities, and take heed of puttings off, and delaying time, and being carelesse of what you are about, for that is the trick of a hypocrite to put off, and thinke it will be better, and hug himselfe with some considerations, that time will be otherwise, take heed: the day of the Lord will be a day of blacknesse. And that you may be further set against the nature of this sin: (for that is my design) I beseech you consider the hideous doom upon hypocrites, the last doome upon hypocrites: when Christ would speake the uttermost of misery, he saith, he will give them their portion with hypocrites, they shall burne in the hottest fire, they and the devils together shall be compa­nions in the uttermost wrath, the subjects of the infinite wrath of God, they shall be most enlarged for wrath, for they are vessels fitted for wrath, you know, as the [Page 202] Apostle speakes, so prepared, so enlarged for wrath: so is the soule of a hypocrite that hath lived all his daies in darknesse, and blacknesse, only restrained himselfe as to outward acts: but he is fit for wrath, he hath laid in such treasures there, that he is every day treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath, that he will be forced to take in the thoughts of wrath, because he hath sinned against the greatest light, and opportunities, and advantages of the Gospell: Oh, there­fore that you would fright your selves out of hypocrisie, (if you can do nothing else) and formalitie, and mixt frames of your spirits; scare your hearts with the day of judgement, with the sadnesse of the doome, with the miserie of the con­dition.

Secondlie, If ever you meane to be free from hypocrisie, you must through with your spirits night and day, sound them to the bottome, let your line be long, let it downe to the bottome of the well, give conscience leave to speake in the autho­ritie of God every day upon your hearts: [Page 203] beg of God to try you, to search you, as David said: Go every day to God to search you, and be glad, and beg of all the Saints to remember thee, for there is deceits of hypocrisie in every one of our hearts; never come off viewing of your spirits till you have discovered some­thing or other: if ever you would be freed from hypocrisie you must do this; alwaies keep a narrow watch upon the secret parts, be not afraid to looke into your own hearts, but aske every motion what it comes from, whither it moves, try every thing in your own spirits; let not any motion go free unexamined in your soules, but have a severe censure of it; no dutie but have a jury on it; looke into the maine frame of your spirits: try your principles and intentions first, try your motions, observe your ends, and how you attaine them constantlie; if ever men would be sincere and free of hypocrisie, they must be thus spirituallie severe to their owne soules: it is whol­some severitie, it is blessed; it is the sleight common dealing with our spirits, [Page 204] (that we are formall and cold) that makes so many deceits in mens hearts which lodges so secretlie within; we do not go to purpose with the search of our own spirits, challenging our hearts in every dutie; we ought, I confesse, to be carefull how we question the motions of grace in our hearts: But a watchfull Saint, if he will cleare himselfe of hypo­crisie, must be eying, and prying into every thing that he doth: observe his setting out in his duties, the carriage and frames of his soule, observe the tune afterwards that he is in, for hypocrisie will get upon a sudden into a mans heart, and a man will thinke himselfe to be an hypocrite presently if he be not thus strict and wary; so that if you will lay all these to your hearts seriously, it may be a pretious meanes to keep you from the danger of this leaven, though it is im­possible for to cure it, but only as you grow in grace, and get sound and sincere principles in your hearts. So much for the second.

Use 2. However let it be a word of [Page 205] comfort unto some poore soules, that have all this while been harkening after hypocrisie, charging of their own hearts, for I would not let any soule go away but with some refreshment. Some will say, I see so much hypocrisie in my own heart, that I cannot but thinke my selfe one that never had any grace, or sound­nesse in my own spirit: I know not what to do, or what to say to mine own heart; consider, I say, these things.

First, know, it is good for thee to have thy hypocrisie discovered, it is a mercy to thee, and a favour of God that he will shew thee thy inward parts, that he will discover the secrets of thy heart, whilest he lets others go in that estate, and never knows what is within all the daies of their lives, only mind outward acts: this is so far from being a discouragement, that you should blesse God for it, that he hath been pleased to shew thee thine own heart, the straines of hypocrisie in a duty; God might have left thee to go on, and thought thy selfe what thou art not.

Secondlie, Remember, the more thou discoverest the secret workings of hypocrisie, the more it is a signe thou growest in grace; for this is the great end of grace, as by the incomings of it to kill sin, so for to dis­cover sin, and the secrets of it: the more spirituall any heart grows, the more he grows in the inward sights of his own heart, the more he comes to be acquain­ted with those spirituall kinds of wicked­nesse in his own spirit: And be not there­fore troubled at that poore soule, for it is rather a signe of thy grace than hypocri­sie, than of any other impulse, because God doth still by degrees shew thee thy own heart, so long as thy heart is against it.

Thirdlie, be not discouraged by the sights of hypocrisie as long as thou findest a sincere heart from the discovery of it: that is, so long as thou lyest in wait from the sin­cerity of thy heart to discover it, and like­wise bewailes it from the sincerity of thy soule; know that it is a true signe of a sincere heart, he lies in wait to discover his hy­pocrisie, he laies himselfe in secret ob­servances [Page 207] continually to spy out the cun­ningnesse and deceits of his own heart. For you shall find those signes of a sincere heart.

First, This will discover a sincere heart, that I may comfort a poore soule, though he may have hypocrisie in him, yet he will be most impartiall to himselfe from once he finds it out, it may be he will be charitable to others, yet he will be severe to himselfe; if he find out any hypocrisie, he will be sure to fall on it with all detestation, he will charge his own soule, as if it were the damned soule, he will rather lay too much weight upon his conscience, lay it too severe on his own spirit, than any way excuse himselfe; but hypocrites will deale gently with themselves, if they have not an excuse at hand, they will not lay it home too much to heart: but a reall Saint will say, Oh, wretched man: Oh thou unworthy heart, that should live so long, and have so many advantages to kill this lust, and art thou alive yet? Thou shalt never escape more, I will follow thee night and day with prayers and [Page 208] teares, it will not say it is my infirmitie; it is my failing, but is will call himselfe a wretched man, a heart, and a heart, therefore looke to your own soules as to that, and comfort your soules any poore heart of you, that though you find hy­pocrisie, yet you deale severelie with it.

A second Character of a sincere heart is, though he have hypocrisie in him, he is most jealous of hypocrisie: when he finds his heart most calme, and faire, seemes least checkt in conscience, hath most respect from others, oh then he is most jealous lest there be some deceit, he is alwaies looking at bottome, alwaies afraid through a spirit of care and holy jealou­sie within him, alwaies afraid lest he be deceived, and when his heart seemes to be so calme, so faire, any body would thinke his soule to be in a blessed frame, and a man himselfe can see nothing upon himselfe at present as to present actings, yet then he is afraid of those things that gives most advantage to the actings of hy­pocrisie.

The third Character is, though he have hypocrisie in him, he loves to be throughly dealt withall, he counts the dis­covery of his heart to be a pretious meanes of the saving of his poore soule: Oh how glad is he to see his own heart, and his hypo­crisie, so he may but find it out to kill it, and go to God against it, making it the burden and mourning of his soule, he loves to find it out, he cannot abide any pleasing words to him, unlesse Christ speakes them, he cannot endure, that though he have abundance of hypocrisie, it will not for all that give any counte­nance to it, but earnestly rejoyces to be throughly dealt with.

Fourthly and lastly, though there may he hypocrisie, yet a sincere heart will stand upon a true account, he cannot endure to have any one to commend his heart, he would not be accounted more than he is, he loves to be ashamed, he cannot abide others to advance him in their commen­dations of his heart, that he sees so much hypocrisie in: so that I say, let this be a comfort to you if you have no more.

But as to the sincerity of your heart, that you would deale with your selfe, and would have a spirituall inspection with feare and jealousie alwaies, that you may stand upon a true account still, that you cannot endure any body should commend your heart. There is no Saint but he knows his heart to be the worst part, he sees so much wickednesse there, that he wonders how others can thinke well of him, he cannot abide that any one should conceive he hath such a heart that he mournes under night and day.

So that I say, lay all these things toge­ther, and though thou dost find some hypocrisie in thy heart, yet be not dis­couraged, go on still to follow the rule of Christ, that when you find it you do not lye under it; for that will bring guilt, and will spread far, but comfort your selves still that there is a seed, that you do real­ly find that you are pursuing continually growth, that is the constant study of you, that you may be perfectly sincere, that all your frames may act so evenly with God, that there be no jarring at all, that [Page 211] your consciences may be kept continually under the power of the Gospell.

But to conclude all: I beseech you looke to it, you that are Professours, you have heard the nature of hypocrisie, you have heard what deceits there are in the hearts of men, you have heard the strictnesse of Christ to his own Disciples, how pressing he was upon them, now look to your own soules, try your selves by all these things, examine your hearts over and over againe, do not content your selves with this, that you have names in the world, that you have abun­dance of inward kinds of experience, for now hypocrites will be growing up in the flourishings of the Gospell, they will have an imitation of faith, and of patience, and of joy, as the Gospell shines forth brightly, they will have an imitation of adoption, it is a wonder­full thing to thinke how a Professour will bring himselfe into the fashion of a most glorious Saint, transforming him­selfe into an Angell of light, as it were, striving to imitate every thing, and yet [Page 212] enjoy nothing, is loath to have his name expunged out of glory, out of the hearts of Saints. But alas the Lord will come and shew himselfe exceeding dreadfull to Professours in the latter daies; there is a terrour will be upon you one day, that you have only walked up and down and no more, you have found no sweetnesse, you have only cozened your selves and others: Oh that is misery enough for every poore soule, and therefore re­member what hath been said, lay it home upon your consciences, examine your hearts, commune with your own spirits in the night-season, and remember there will be a day to discover the hearts of men, and you shall stand naked, uncloa­thed, and God will set a marke on you to all eternity,