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A93117 Sincerity and hypocricy. Or, the sincere Christian, and hypocrite in their lively colours, standing one by the other. Very profitable for this religion professing time. / By W.S. Serjeant at Law. Together with a tract annexed to prove; that true grace doth not lye so much in the degree as in the nature of it. Sheppard, William, d. 1675?; Barlow, Thomas, 1607-1691. Tract annexed to prove. 1658 (1658) Wing S3210; Thomason E1822_1; ESTC R209797 215,937 433

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sea and land to make a proselite c. SECT III. 2 In their zeale The Hipocrite may have and hath as wee have shevved a zeale and this zeale may bee upon religious grounds as is and must bee the zeale of the true Christian and according to the dictates of his Conscience But vve shall find a vvidc difference betvvene the zeale of the one and of the other in these things 1. The true Christians zeale is after knovvledge received from the Word of God and it is for Christ and his truth Isa 8. 16. Rev. 3. 19. Tit. 2. 14. Numb 25. 11 13 But the zeal of the Hypocrite is nofter the knowledge of Gods Word but after his own or other mens opinions and inventions Rom 10 2. They have a zeal of God but not according to knowledge Mat. 15. 9 Gal. 4. 17 18. and against Christ as that of Paul was at first Phil. 3. 6 9. 2. The true Christians zeal is and springs from the work of Gods Spirit and his own faith in Gods word Jer 20. 9. Acts 19 19 20. But the Hypocrites zeal ariseth from some humane Motive Tradition Custom Education or some such like thing without and the corruption of his own heart within Act. 22. 3. I was zealous toward God as ye all are this day Mat. 15. 9. Teaching for doctrines the cōmandments of men Joh. 4. 20. 3. The true Christians zeal is accompanyed with a deep sense of his original and internal wickedness which the Hypocrite mindeth not Luke 18. 10 11 12. The Publican went up to pray c. He stood afar off c. 4. The true Christian being sensible of his own heart-emp●iness of Grace and the insufficiency of all things without Christ to fill it sets a low value upon all other things in comparison of Christ and longs after and looks for all from Christ Phil. 3. 8. Luke 1. 53. But the Hypocrite hath with his zeal a heartfulness and self-confidence of his own sufficiency Luke 1. 53. Mat. 5. 6. Rom. 10 2 3. For they being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness c. SECT IV. 3 In their love to God And the properties of true love to God The true Christian loveth God and so he must for this is the whole duty of man Mat. 22. 37. And so perhaps the Hypocrite may doe But there is a wide difference betwixt the one love and the other love thus The sincere love of the true Christian is 1 A rational and understanding love it ariseth from the knowledge of God his excellencies loveliness goodness beautie and works and especially as he is revealed in Christ by the Gospel Psal 63. 2 3. O God thou art my God early will I seek thee my sonl thirsteth for thee c. to see thy power and thy glory c. For thy loving kindness is better than life c. Psal 9. 10. Heb 1. 3. Joh. 14 9. 2 It ariseth from Gods love and the sense thereof to him and the apprehension he hath that God is a reconciled Father to him 1 Joh. 4 10. We love him because he first loved us Joh. 3. 16. Luke 7. 47 2 Thes 2. 16. 3 It is a natural love as the love of a childe to the father arising from his new nature as he is born and brought forth a childe of God And so he loveth God as in the relation of a Father to him Gal. 4. 6. And because ye are sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. 4. It is a pure love he loves God for his own sake and for the good he seeth to be in him and for the good he doth to others as well as for the good he doth to him And in this it is like to the true love of a man to a woman when he loves her only for her person and qualities sake and not for her portion Psal 34 8. Cant. 1. 4 15. Psal 63. 1 2 3. 5 It is an open and ingenuous love it moves the heart towards God as the heart of one faithful friend to another James 2 23. Ioh 3. 29. Ioh. 15. 14 15. 1 Cor. 13. 4. 6 It is a strong transcendent and supernaturall love And more and greater than his love is to his Father Mother Brother Sister Wife Children Self or any thing else in the world for he looks on God as his chief good and cannot be satisfied with any thing else in the world without him can acqui●sce in and be satisfied with him without all things else and for his sake he can and will do or suffer any thing and for the enjoyment of him he can and will part with his right eye right hand or any thing else whatsoever never so near or dear to him and in him is all his delight Mat. 10. 37. Heb. 11. 24 25 26 27 28 35. Rev. 12. 11. Cant. 8 6 7. Luke 18. 28. Psal 63. 1. 116. 7 8 4. 2. 5 7. Psal 37. 25. Luke 14. 27. 7 It labours to improve it self by all advantages and tha● it may love more Psal 116. 1. 8 It is a laborious and working love Gal. 5. 6. 1 Thess 1. 3. 9 It is a true love that runs through the whole man inward and outward The Thoughts 1 It will make them be all upon him Ps 113. 13. and 63. 6. ubi amor ibi oculus ibi animus 2 The Judgement it will cause it to set a great value on him Lam. 3 24. 3 The Desires it will make them to goe much after him Isa 26. 9. 4 It will make him content to wait for him Isa 26. 8 9. Psal 40. 1. 5 It will make him to be patient under delay and suffering till he come Psal 40. 1. 6 It will make the Will to close with him hold him fast and not to let him go Cant. 3. 4. Psal 18. 21. 7 It will make him rejoice in his presence and mourn for his absence c. Ps ●2 1. 11. 19. 8 It will make his tongue to be still talking of him Psal 119. 27. and 63. 3. and 145. 21. 9 It will make his hands still ready to be working for him 10 It will make the whole man to be ready to doe or suffer any thing for his sake Psal 119. 168. And not be satisfied but mourn that he can do no more for him 10 It is a lasting constant unchangeable and never dying love Cant. 8. 6 7. 11 It cannot be quenched and it doth manifest it self by these and such like signs and effects 1 By the hatred of evill Psal 97. 10. Yee that love the Lord hate evill 2 By the love of the godly 1 Ioh. 5. 1. Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him that is begotten of him 1 Pet. 1. 8. 1 Joh. 3. 13 14. 3 By pittying of and yeelding help to them in time of misery 1 Ioh. 3. 17. 4. By care to keep the Commandements of God Ioh.
the best of the time and place as he did 1 Sam. 14. 33 34. observe all Gods commands and desire to know what is lacking Mat. 19. 20. In a way of Religion he may advance farre and goe beyond others comply with the designe of Christians and professe and doe as the true Christian and so doing hold out till Christ come Mat. 25. And be drawn to all this by the operation of the word so that for his outside he may seem to be as glorious as the house built upon the Rock Mat 7. 24 25 26 27. and as faire for heaven as the wise Virgins Mat. 25. 1 2 3. c. Gal 1. 13 14. Ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews Religion c. and profited above many of my equalls Phill. 3. 4 5 6. If any other man thinketh he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh I more Circumcised the 8th day c. touching the Law a Pharisee concerning zeale persecuting the Church touching the righteousnesse which is in the Law blamelesse 2 Pet. 2 20. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they be againe entangled and overcome c. it happeneth to them according to the Proverb The Sow that was washed to be wallowing in the myre Mat 12. 43 44 45. So the foolish Virgins Mat. 25. 1 2 3 c. The man not having on the wedding garment Mat. 22. 11 12. The young man Mat. 19. 20. The pharisee Luke 18. 11 12. Herod Mark 6. 20. Ioash 2 Chron. 24. 25 26. But yet more particularly for this Outwork 1. The Hypocrite being a master of a Family or Magistrate he may goe very farre and doe and suffer very much in the work of Reformation for the suppressing of evill and the advancement of good so did Iehu 2 Kings 10. 16 17 18. c. v. 29 30. and Ioash 2 Chron 23. 1 2 c. 2. And being a Minister or other Officer of the Church he may Preach or write or both as much and as well for the truth as any man and seem very zealous therein And thereby or otherwise in Goverment of the Church he may be very active and doe very much toward the advancement of Christs and overthrow of Satans Kingdome So Iudas Mat. 10. 1 2. c. Luke 9. 1 2 c. Demas Coll. 4. 14. 2 Tim. 4. 10. Philemon 24. And for any man he being publickly trusted he may be faithfull to his trust in any publick work Esay 8. 2. Nehem 13. 13. 3. A man may be externally called Heb. 3. 1 2. Or be converted to Christianity 1 Tim. 1. 20. 1 Cor 1. 2 3 c. He may be Baptized 1 Tim. 1. 20. Acts 8. 9 13 18. He may make a publick confession of his Sinnes and of particular Sinnes and of his Faith in Christ and his voluntary subjection to him 1 Tim 1. 20. 1 Cor 5. 1 20. Mat. 7. 22. 23. 1 Sam 15. 24 30. Mat. 3. 16. compared with Io. 5. 35. He may be convinced that a Church of Christ is a blessed Society and upon this become a member of a visible and pure Church and walk orderly by Christs rule therein 1 Tim 1. 20. Phill 1. 5. 1 Cor 5. 1 2 3. All this must needs be true of them who were cast out of the Church for they could not have been cast out if they ●●d not been in the Church 1 Io. 2. 19. He may be a bold Professor of the Faith Acts 16. 17. Mat. 25. 1 2 3 4. c. He may associate himselfe with Saints Mat 25. 1 2 3. He may dispense the Sacraments divinely and purely He may Preach the word by voyce or pen or both have a singular gift and take much pains therein 1 Cor. 13. 1. Luk 9. 1 2. Mat. 7. 22. Many will say to me in that day Lord Lord c. then will I professe unto them I never knew you c. And in his Preaching or writing he may be a sharp reprover of Sinne he may cry out against the prophanenes of the wicked civill honesty and Hypocrisy of others coldnesse of the best And perhaps say very much against Hypocrisie it selfe Io. 12. 3 4 5 6. Mat 7. 3 4 5. He may partake of the Lords Supper Luke 13. 25 26. And ye shall knock and say Lord open to us And he shall answer I know you not whence yee are then shall yee begin to say we have eaten and drank in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets But he shall say I tell you I know you not whence ye are depart from me c. He may heare and repeat Sermons Heb. 4. 1 2. Perhaps heare and delight to heare the best and most searching Preachers Io. 5. 35. He may read and study the Scriptures much so did the Pharises and were by this means exceeding skilfull therein He may Prophesy or expound Scriptures and have a great gift and take much paines therein 1 Cor 13. 2. And though I have the gift of Prophesy c. He may pray and pray much and fast and pray and fast and pray often and have a singular gift of the Spirit in prayer and make long prayers and seem very devout therein 1 Cor. 13. 1 2. Though I speak to God or man with the tongue of Angells c. Mat. 23. 14. and 9. 14. Luke 11. 1. He may use to pray alone or perhaps in private Luke 11. 10. and 18. 10. But see more for the proofe of all these things Mat. 10. 7. 1 Cor. 5. 1 2 c. Rom. 2. 20. 1 Tim. 4. 16. c. Luke 22. 14 15 16 c. 2 Tim. 4. 10. Isa 1. 11 15. Mark 3. 12 19. He may in all this service of God be very diligent and industrious Esay 58. 2. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways as a Nation that did Righteousnesse and forsook not the Ordinances of their God they aske of me the Ordinances of Justice they take delight in approaching to God He may in case of some trouble or upon some other speciall occasion make a solemne engagement to God and man of amendment of life and in especiall to forbear such and such things or doe such and such duties Psal 78. 34 35 36. He may have or seem to have and take some delight in all these things Isa 58. 2 3. He may doe as much in the outworke or upon the outward man in mortification and selfe-deniall by fasting and the like and goe as farre in appearance of like zeale and devotion without by Teares c. as any true Christian shall doe Mat. 6. 16. so Jehu and Paul when a Pharisee Phill. 3. 6. Acts 22. 3. He may bestow much to good uses and doe many singular good works He may build Churches give maintenance to Ministers for Preaching give to the poore and the like Yea he may give all that he hath to such uses
have carried forth some amongst us that have of late times appeared so eminently and singularly in ways of new light Quaking and the like that it hath been to draw away disciples after them or some other such like advantage to be made thereby to themselves Jude 11. 2 Pet 2. 3 15. Acts 20. 30. If it be asked why the Hypocrite doth stick here and go no farther what is lacking and how it is that he and the work wrought upon him doth miscarry and why he doth not hold out and come to perfection as the sincere Christian doth We shall answer 1. He is not within the purpose of Gods Election in Christ 1 Pet. 1. 2. Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God c. 2 Thess 2 13. 2. He never was upon or within the foundation of Christ by Faith Ephes 2. 20. 1 Cor. 3. 10. Other foundation can no man lay then what is laid Jesus Christ Ephes 2. 20. 3. He never had the spring of the spirit of God within him Io. 4. 13 14. The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up to everlasting life Io 7. 38. He that believeth on me out of his belly shall flow c. this he spake of the Spirit that they that believe on him should receive 4. He hath not within him that good and honest heart compared to the good ground Mat. 13. 23. Which is the new heart promised Ezech. 36. 26. 5. He never had in him the true love of God for that never failes 1 Cor. 13. 8. 6. He never did throughly know because he did never throughly examine his own heart and state Io. 3. 20. 2 Cor. 13. 5. 7. He hath too hastily that is without good ground taken in the apprehension of the promise of Christ and supposed him to be his and so that his estate is sure Mat. 25. 1 2 3. as the foolish Virgins Mat 7. 22. Luke 18. 21. 8. He did not when he first entred upon the profession of Religion sit down and cast what it would cost him and provide accordingly Luke 14. 25 26 27 28 29 30. c. And there went great multitudes with him and he turned and said unto them if any man come to me and hate not his Father c. And whosoever doth not beare his Crosse cannot be my Disciple For which of you intending to build a tower sitteth not downe first and counteth the cost c. Or what King c. So likewise whoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath he cannot be my Disciple 9. He will not goe to the price he will not be at the cost and paine required to have Christ he will not forsake all for him sell all that he hath to purchase him Mat. 6. 24. he would be content to serve Christ and the world together but not to leave the world for Christs sake Luke 18. 27 28. Mat 13. 46. Mat. 10. 37. Mat. 19. 21. Goe sell all that thou hast and come and follow me c. Mark 10. 21. Luke 12. 33. 22. 36. 10. He doth sometimes take offence at the crosse of Christ or meet with some other Temptation in his profession that he expected not and was unprovided for and thereupon falls away Luke 8. 13. They on the rock c. And in time of temptation fall away Mat 13. 21. When tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word by and by he is offended 11. He hath rooted in his heart with the seeming and ungrounded good so much grounded and and rooted evill that it eats up and destroyeth all the seeming good that is there Luke 8. 14. They that fell amongst thornes c. they go forth and are choaked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life Mat 13. 22. 12. The Hypocrite and the work that is wrought upon him and in him as it is wrought by man and is of the will of man and but an externall work and all the work he doth is from corrupt principles to corrupt ends so is it but carnall and therefore corruptible mortall and perishing and will not carry him that hath it in him to everlasting life no more then Honours Riches meat and drink and the like which last but for this life only 1 Pe 1. 22 23. Phill. 3 3 4 5 19. Acts 22. 3. 1 Tim 3. 5 8. Io. 1. 12. 13. 2 Cor 1. 12. Io. 3. 6. 1 Cor. 15. 19 15. Io. 6 27. 2 Pet 3. 4. and 2. 15. Iames 5. 2. Luke 12. 21 25. 16. 25 26. Pro 6. 16. Mat. 6. 19 20. And it is not like to the true saving work of Regeneration and of true grace in the true Christian which is called Spirituall Ro 8. 6. Life Ro. 8. 6. the hidden man 1 Pe. 3. 4. the true Treasure and Riches Luke 16. 11. Mat. 6. 19 20. Iames 2. 5. Heb 11. 26. That which is wrought by God himselfe Mat. 16. 16 17. by his Word and Spirit Io. 3. 2 3. c. And that which is incorruptible 2 Pe. 3. 4. And that which will abide for ever 1 Cor. 13. 8 13. 1 Io 3 9. 1 Pe. 1 23 24. And shall never perish but endure to everlasting life Io. 6. 27. Heb. 10. 34. Eccl. 7. 12. It is therfore to be observed that in the parable of the seed sown in the bad ground amongst thornes and bryars which is in an evill and Hypocriticall heart a heart of a contrary making to the good and honest heart that it miscarried and never came to any perfection Luke 8. and Mat. 13. CAP. VI. Wherein the true Christian and Hypocrite differ And how and wherein the true Christian doth goe beyond the Hypocrite ALbeit there be as we have shewed a very great agreement and likenesse between the true and the counterfeit Christian and between the common speciall work of the Spirit in them yet there is and upon a narrow search there will be found a great and wide difference between them Our next work therefore shall be to lay open this wherein we shall lay down the true differences of the operations that are in the one and in the other And this we shall doe first generally and then particularly In the next place we shall farther lay open those persons 1. by their outside 2 By their inside 3. By their inside and outside both together This only we must premise that the true Christian must be have and doe all that is good in the Hypocrite For a man cannot be a sincere Christian and doe in Sincerity what he doth that doth not seem to be a Christian at all and that doth nothing at all of the work of a Christian there cannot be Truth and a power where there is no forme of Religion for however it be true that the forme is many times seen without the power of Godlinesse yet it is as true that the power is never seen without the forme of Godlinesse although all that doth
good spirit ineffectuall to those who are so happy as indeed to have it Was the title of the Athenian merchants any worse to their ships which came into the Piraea or Port of Athens because the madd man in the story thonght and confidently said they were all his May not those who have good and well disposed eyes see and certainely know the objects they looke upon are immoveable and fix'd because they who have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quibus omnia rotari circumferri videntur thinke otherwise The mad man in the Tragedy said and I doubt not beleived it too that he saw two sunnes and another Thebes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and yet those who were not guilty of so much Phrensie did and might trust their owne eyes that both Thebes and the the sunne were single The Church of Rome was sure enough of the truth of her beleife by the Ghospell and the good Spirit of God confirmeing and witnesseing the truth of it to their soules even then when Donatus sayd that the Church and Spirit of Christ was onely in him and his faction Those first and commonly call'd purest times haveing a Vid. Jrenaei lib. 5. advers Haereses cum Epist Erasmi Nuncupatoria Augustinum de Haeresibus ad Quod vult Deum cum Notis Lamb. Danaei Gen. 1595. Philastrii Brixiensis Catalogum Haeresium cum Supplemento Helm 1611. Epiphanii Responsad Epist Acacii Pauli libros 3. adversus Haereses as many and as wild Heresies as we now The truth is the errors and heresies of those who confidently pretend to the Spirit of Christ but have it not are no prejudice to or argument against those who are so happy as to have it but that they may and ought to rely upon the witnesse and Divine testimony it gives to the truth So that their faith and theirs onely is divine not onely respectu objecti the sacred word of God containeing the truthes beleived but respectu principii too the regenerateing Spirit of Christ from whom their understandings have divine illumination to know and strength and confirmation to beleive and obey the truth 4. I have onely this to add that this witnesse and testimony of the spirit is onely argumentum ad intra a convinceing argument to him that has it whereon he may rely and be assured himselfe not argumentum ad extra whereby he may convince others This is that inward witnesse which did so confirme the primitive persecuted Christians in their faith so persuade and convince their understandings of the present truth of the Ghospel and that all the gratious promises contained in it would be fulfilled and made good for the future that they who could not dispute could and did dy for their faith and that with so much courage and miraculous constancy as amazed their persecutors and made even the Pagan world beleive that such strange courage and confidence in the losse of what this world calls dearest livelyhood life too could not proceed from any principle lesse then divine Whence it was that Sanguis Martyrum was semen Ecclesiae the death of many old gave life to more new Christians Sed manum de tabula enough of this Rat. 6. If saveing and common grace be essentially the same then irregenerate and impious persons who may and many times have common graces might be call'd and indeed were as truely gracions and as truely beleivers as the best Saints and Sonns of God although not in so high a degree For by this hypothesis against which we now dispute they have as true faith and grace as regenerate persons themselves seeing common in the wicked and speciall grace in the regenerate are by this hypothesis essentially the same For as the smallest wire of good gold is as truely gold as the whole wedge though not so much and as a body hot in the second or third degree is as truely hot as that which has heate in the 6. or 8. degree So if common grace in hypocrites and saveing grace in the Saints be essentially the same then such impious persons for common grace may be in such may be justly call'd as true beleivers and as truely gratious as the most regenerate persons in the world But this is certainely untrue and repugnant to the receaved and cleare principles of Divinity and Philosophy too The Morall Philosopher truely tells us that a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist de moribus lib. 2. cap. 5. Commentatores universi ib. virtus est habitus rectâ ratione electivus prout vir prudens definiverit So that he that has not morall prudens that great Virtus directiva has indeed no morall vertue for all vertues as Philosophers b Vides is Aristotelem Ethic. lib. 6. cap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem habent A. Aphrodisaeus G. Pachymerius G. Burlaeus Commētatores in Aristotelem universi ut Scholastici ut videre est apud Aquinat 1. 2. Quaest 63. Art 1. c. quem sequuntur Medina Suarez Vasquez Universa Scholasticorum turba universaly aggree sunt in prudentia connexae Now c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Qui voluptate corruptus est ei statim principii videndi facultas eripitur neque cernere potest se hujus rei causa omnia agere opor tere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Ethic. lib. 6. cap. 5. Vide Aphrodisaeū Averroem Eustratium Hyperiū eâ de re idē asserentes Aristotle saith truely that no vitious person is or can be prudent vice and the irregular passions in such corrupting that great vertue And ergo wicked men whatever common graces or vertues they may seeme to have neither are nor can be truely vertuous no not in respect of Morall vertues 2. And. ergo much lesse in respect of those vertues we call Theologicall as wanteing faith which is the first and foundation of all Theologicall Vertues and Christian prudence all wicked men being in scripture phrase and really fooles But I shall not insist upon this which I believe no sober person will deny if they should 'tis by a Vid. Baron Exercitat de Fide c. Art 30. pag. 279. Rat. 7. others proved 7. M. Baxter b Aphorismes in explicat Thes 69. pag. 277. tells us 1. That the wills acceptance of Christ is the essentiall forme of saveing and true justifying faith 2. That love to Christ as our saviour and Lord is c Ibid. pag. 266. essentiall to this acceptance Whence I inferre thus If the essence of saveing faith consist in accepting Christ and loveing him as our Lord and Saviour then those who doe not so love and accept him have not the essence of saveing faith but no irregenerate person lett him have what common faith he will doth so accept and love Christ as it evident and ergo No irregenerate person hath the essence of true saveing faith Now this being granted it further followes That common and saveing beliefe are not essentially the same