Thirdly, The hypocrite in heart, I conceive, is such a one as knows himself to be an hypocrite. There are many hypocrites, who little think that they are hypocrites, yea, they may think themselves very upright and honest in what they do; ignorant deluded souls, understand not their own case. Laodicea was wretched and miserable, these are false and hypocritical, but know it not. As some judge, or rather mis-judge themselves hypocrites, who are upright in the main with God, and honest at heart, (How frequent are such complaints, and self-wronging accusations?) ⟨p. 259⟩So many are hypocrites, or rotten at heart, who know it not. The heart is deceitful above all things, (saith the Prophet Jer. 17.9.) and desperately wicked, who can know it? And among all men, common hypocrites know least o• their own hearts. But the hypocrites in heart know their hearts are rotten and fal•e, to what they profess.1 The politic hypocrite knoweth that all he doth is but in show, and that he doth but act a pa•• in Religion, as a Player upon the Stage, when he is most religious; he doth but take a colour, or die, or paint himself with Religion, (which is the signification of the word here used in the Hebrew) but i• not religious, he doth but put a fair gloss, or disguise upon himself, that he may appear what he is not, or what he knows himself not to be; He knoweth in himself that he is naught, while he would be known by and to others as good. The Apostle speaking of the grievous sufferings of some primitive Christians, saith (Heb. 10.34.) They took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves that they have a better and a more enduring substance; that is, they knew they were in a present gracious state, and that there remained for them an eternal happy state. Thus also an hypocrite in heart, is one that knoweth in himself, or in his heart, that he doth but pretend to be good, and that whatsoever good he doth, it is only in pretence, and is therefore (as the Apostle speaks of the Heretic, Tit. 3.11.) condemned of himself, while he acquits or commends himself never so well to others. Thus it appears how bad, how base the hypocrite in heart is in his best appearances, and how much he excels and bears away the Bel for baseness and badness, I may say, for madness too, from all common hypocrites.
Thirdly, The hypocrite in heart, I conceive, is such a one as knows himself to be an hypocrite. There are many hypocrites, who little thinke that they are hypocrites, yea, they may think themselves very upright and honest in what they do; ignorant deluded souls, understand not their own case. Laodicea was wretched and miserable, these are false and hypocriticall, but know it not. As some judge, or rather mis-judge themselves hypocrites, who are upright in the maine with God, and honest at heart, (How frequent are such complaints, and self-wronging accusations?) ⟨p. 259⟩So many are hypocrites, or rotten at heart, who know it not. The heart is deceitfull above all things, (saith the Prophet Jer. 17.9.) and desperately wicked, who can know it? And among all men, common hypocrites know least o• their own hearts. But the hypocrites in heart know their hearts are rotten and fal•e, to what they professe.1 The politick hypocrite knoweth that all he doth is but in shew, and that he doth but act a pa•• in Religion, as a Player upon the Stage, when he is most religious; he doth but take a colour, or die, or paynt himself with Religion, (which is the signification of the word here used in the Hebrew) but i• not religious, he doth but put a faire glosse, or disguise upon himsel•, that he may appear what he is not, or what he knows himself not to be; He knoweth in himself that he is naught, while he would be known by and to others as good. The Apostle speaking of the grievous sufferings of some primitive Christians, saith (Heb. 10.34.) They took joyfully the spoyling of their goods, knowing in themselves that they have a better and a more enduring substance; that is, they knew they were in a present gracious state, and that there remained for them an eternal happy state. Thus also an hypocrite in heart, is one that knoweth in himself, or in his heart, that he doth but pretend to be good, and that whatsoever good he doth, it is only in pretence, and is therefore (as the Apostle speaks of the Heretick, Tit. 3.11.) condemned of himself, while he acquits or commends himself never so well to others. Thus it appears how bad, how base the hypocrite in heart is in his best appearances, and how much he excels and bears away the Bel fobaseness and badness, I may say, for madness too, from all common hypocrites.
- 1Induunt pallium pretatis et colorem sanctitatis; haec enim est proprietas radicis [Greek or Hebrew], sc: infi•ere rem alieno colour, •el obmibere et velare alieno pallio.Induunt pallium pretatis et colorem sanctitatis; haec enim est proprietas radicis 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, sc: infi•ere rem alieno colore, •el obmibere et velare alieno pallio.
