Gods husbandry

A Good conversation consisteth in freedom from sinful practises,¹ & care of doing the things commanded by God. The hypocrite in both these may have attained a large commendation before men: it may fall out; that he shall live all his whole life long, without the committing of any such sin, ⟨p. 59⟩as should cause him to inherit reproach in the world: what actions are grossly wicked, and palpably shameful before men, of those the false hearted may perhaps be much more free than the sincere Christian. So the Pharisee (which yet was not justified before God, and therefore was void of uprightness), could make his boasts before God, that he was neither whoremonger, nor extortioner, nor drunkard (& doubtless he might have said), nor curser, nor swearer, nor murderer. This brag may seem to prefer him before David; & before Lot, and before Noah; for never an one of them at his last end, was able to affirm so much of himself. Paul also, when he was a Pharisee, & a notable hypocrite yet (as concerning the Law) did live without rebuke, as himself afterwards (when he had no lust to tell untruths in his own behalf) affirmeth of himself.² But the difference betwixt the true and false in this point, standeth in two things. First, the hypocrite in this innocency of his, is proud of himself, exalting himself with cracks & vaunts upon every little occasion, and insulting over others, that are not alike innocent, with a plain contempt and disdain of them. Yea, when he compares the grosser sinners with himself, he doth it not alone with scorn of them, but sometimes also with a kind of bitterness. Thus our Saviour brings in the Pharisee, crowing over the poor Publican, because himself was not like him, and thanking God (that is put in for form sake) that he was no such manner of man, as this Publican. And you know, how bitter the Pharisees were against the poor sinners; even, so that ⟨p. 60⟩they would not endure to be touched by them, or once to sit at meat with them. All this ariseth from the blindness of the hypocrite, who (not having ever been discovered unto himself, nor perceiving the sinfulness and foulness of his own nature) imagines, that no more evil abideth within, than shows it self without; and that his wickedness of heart is no greater, than that which breaketh forth in act: