pp. 119–1269 passages
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For the clearing of this, Consider,
I. Particular Acts of sin are no evidence of hypocrisy.
1. Many internal acts of sin, are no evidence of Hypocrisy. Every godly man has a corrupt principle remaining in him, and that principle don't lie still; but is busy and active. Tho' it be mortified, yet it is full of life, Heb. 12.1. Lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us. It is like a fountain, always springing up. Gal. 5.17. The flesh lusts against the spirit. Rom. 7.21. I find a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. The choicest saints do find every day the stirrings of corruption. If they are alone, if they are in company, if they are in the works of their calling, if they are exercising themselves in the duties of religion, they are always haunted with a corrupt heart. They have a multitude of evil thoughts, desires, delights, fears, sorrows. Unbelief is often stirring; so pride and worldliness, frowardness and envy. There be many stirrings of sin that they don't perceive; but abundance that falls under their observation. A corrupt principle will stir upon all occasions; every thing that occurs will awaken it: Therefore saints are warned to keep their hearts with all diligence. Prov. • 33. And godly men have great occasion every day to repent, and to say as Paul, Rom. 7.2 O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death!
1. Many internal acts of sin, are no evidence of Hypocrisy. Every godly man has a corrupt principle remaining in him, and that principle don't lie still; but is busy and active. Tho' it be mortifyed, yet it is full of life, Heb. 12.1. Lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us. It is like a fountain, always springing up. Gal. 5.17. The flesh lusts against the spirit. Rom. 7.21. I find a law, that when I would do good, evil is present with me. The choicest saints do find every day the stirrings of corruption. If they are alone, if they are in company, if they are in the works of their calling, if they are exercising themselves in the duties of religion, they are always haunted with a corrupt heart. They have a multiude of evil thoughts, desires, delights, fears, sorrows. Unbelief is often stirring; so pride and worldliness, frowardness and envy. There be many stirrings of sin that they dont perceive; but abundance that falls under their observation. A corrupt principle will stir upon all occasions; every thing that occurs will awaken it: Therefore saints are warned to keep their hearts with all diligence. Prov. • 33. And godly men have great occasion every day to repent, and to say as Paul, Rom. 7.2 O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death!
2. Many external acts of Sin are no evidence of Hypocrisy. Men have much more command of their words and outward actions than of their thoughts, and the inward workings of their hearts: Yet godly men are often guilty of external sins: They commit many sins in words, Jam. 3.8. The tongue is an unruly evil. Many times their words savour of vanity, pride, unbelief, and uncontentedness. And they are often guilty of other external sins, Psal. 19.12. Who can understand his errors? Every corruption is running them into transgression; sometimes •omitting duty, sometimes committing sin. They are guilty of many sins of ignorance. Men that understand general rules, often fail in applying them to particular cases. There be many proud, worldly, froward carriages that they are not aware of, and are ready to justify▪ And many sins are committed thro' inadvertency; they are hurried thro' fear, or passion, or pride, and consider nor at the time, but presently after they see it, and are sorry for it.
2. Many external acts of Sin are no evidence of Hypocrisy. Men have much more command of their words and outward actions than of their thoughts, and the inward workings of their hearts: Yet godly men are often guilty of external sins: They commit many sins in words, Jam. 3.8. The tongue is an unruly evil. Many times their words savour of vanity, pride, unbelief, and uncontentedness. And they are often guilty of other external sins, Psal. 19.12. Who can understand his errors? Every corruption is running them into transgression; sometimes •omitting duty, sometimes committing sin. They are guilty of many sins of ignorance. Men that understand general rules, often fail in applying them to particular cases. There be many proud, worldly, froward carriages that they are not aware of, and are ready to justify▪ And many sins are committed thro' innadvertency; they are hurried thro' fear, or passion, or pride, and consider nor at the time, but presently after they see it, and are sorry for it.
3. An act of gross transgression is no evidence. Gross transgressions are not the ordinary spots of God's children; but grace is no certain preservation from them. Mortified corruption may run a ma• […] transgression as many natural […] were never guilty of. Gross transgression […] of such a nature that they seem to be inconsistent with grace: ⟨p. 122⟩But as a man that has corruption in him may do choice acts of holiness, so a man that has grace in him may commit gross acts of sin. If a man's nature be much weakened, yet in a fit he may act very strongly: So, if mens corruptions be much weakened, yet they may have fits wherein they may act very powerfully. It is an idle thing to think, that such things are impossible as several times have come to pass. Noah's intemperance, Lot's incest, David's adultery, Peter's denying of Christ, are unanswerable arguments, that gross transgression is no evidence of an Hypocrite. It is no wonder if a gross transgression should make a man suspect his godliness, but it is no evidence. If God withdraw from a godly man, his grace will not prevent gross transgression. Natural conscience doth often preserve men, but grace doth not always preserve men from gross sin.
3. An act of gross transgression is no evidence. Gross transgressions are not the ordinary spots of God's chrildren; but grace is no certain preservation from them. Mortifyed corruption may run a ma• 〈…〉 transgression as many natural 〈…〉 were never guilty of. Gross transgression 〈…〉 of such a nature that they seem to be inconsistent with grace: ⟨p. 122⟩But as a man that has corruption in him may do choice acts of holiness, so a man that has grace in him may commit gross acts of sin. If a man's nature be much weakened, yet in a fit he may act very strongly: So, if mens corruptions be much weakened, yet they may have fits wherein they may act very powerfully. It is an idle thing to think, that such things are impossible as several times have come to pass. Noah's intemperance, Lot's incest, David's adultery, Peter's denying of Christ, are unanswerable arguments, that gross transgression is no evidence of an Hypocrite. It is no wonder if a gross transgression should make a man suspect his godliness, but it is no evidence. If God withdraw from a godly man, his grace will not prevent gross transgression. Natural conscience doth often preserve men, but grace doth not always preserve men from gross sin.
II. A Course of sin is an evidence of hypocrisy. If a man makes a profession of religion, and lives in a way of sin against the light of his conscience, he is an hypocrite. He that makes a profession, and contradicts it in his conversation, is an hypocrite. Tit. 1.16. They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him • He ••at pretends to godliness, and turns aside to •ooked ways, is an hypocrite; for those that ••e really godly do live in a way of obedience. Psal. 119.1, 2, 3. Blessed ⟨p. 123⟩are the undefiled in the way, that walk in the way of the Lord, they also do no iniquity. Luk. 1.6. They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But such as live in ways of sin are dissemblers; for all such will be rejected in the day of Judgment: Mat. 7.23. Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. The like we have, Luk. 13.27. If Men live in a way of Disobedience they don't love God; for love will make men keep God's commands. 1 Joh. 5.3. Herein is love, that we keep his commands, and his commands are not grievous. If men live in a way of disobedience, they have not a spirit of Faith; for faith sanctifies men: Acts 26.68. Sanctified by faith that is in me. If men live in a way of disobedience they are not Christ's sheep; for his sheep hear his voice, Joh. 10.27. Men that live in a way of disobedience are not born of God; 1 Joh. 3.9. He that is born of God sinneth not. Men that live in a way of disobedience are the servants of sin;
1. A course of external sin is an evidence of Hypocrisy, whether it be a sin of omission or commission. If men live in the neglect of known duties, or in the practice of known evils, that will be their […]. Let the sin be what it will; •it be Profaneness, Drunkenness, Uncleann•••, ••ing, or Injustice. Thus it was with the sons of Eli, Hophni and ⟨p. 124⟩Phinehas, they are called sons of Belial, that knew not the Lord, 1 Sam. 2.12. The foundation of their censure was their profaneness and uncleanness, v. 13, 14, 22. So it was with Jehu, notwithstanding his zeal in destroying Baal, because he practiced and tolerated the worship of the Calves at Dan and Bethel, 2 King. 10.31. Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the Lord God of Israel, with all his heart and with all his soul; for he turned aside after the sin of Jeroboam. So many of the Pharisees were wicked, because they devoured widows houses, Mat. 23.14. Thus Judas appeared to be an hypocrite, because he lived in theft, Joh. 12.6. He was a thief. That showed the rottenness of the heart of Demas, that he was an Apostate, 2 Tim. 4.10. Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present evil world. To live impenitently in any outward known sin, will cast the case against a man, and prove him a hypocrite.
1. A course of external sin is an evidence of Hypocrisy, whether it be a sin of omission or commission. If men live in the neglect of known duties, or in the practice of known evils, that will be their 〈…〉. Let the sin be what it will; •it be Profaness, Drunkeness, Uncleann•••, ••ing, or Injustice. Thus it was with the sons of Eli, Hophni and
2. A course of internal sin proves a man to be an hypocrite. Tho' he washes his hands, if he does not cleanse his heart, he is ungodly. The external conversation of some hypocrites may excel the conversation of some saints; but if there be a way of internal sin, their pretences to godliness are vain. There be two sorts of • ••rna• […], which men may live in a way of, and is a •••tness against them. One is, a way of corrupt thoughts and affections: If men allow themselves in malice, envy, wanton ⟨p. 125⟩thoughts, profane thoughts, that will condemn them: Though those corruptions do not break out in any scandalous way, those thoughts are an evidence of a rotten heart. Tit. 3.3. We our selves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. If a man allows himself, though he thinks he doth not, in malice or envy, he is an hypocrite; tho' his conscience disallows it, yet if his heart allows it he is no saint; if he don't hate and mortify those corrupt affections, he is no saint. The other way of living in internal sin is, to live in the omission of spiritual duties: Whether a man knows it or knows it not, it is an evidence of hypocrisy. Many men that make a fair show, don't believe in Jesus Christ: They have a persuasion of the truth of the gospel, they hope Christ will save them, they have had some joy in hearing the gospel, but they don't believe in Christ; either they are carnally confident, or discouraged: This doth condemn them. He that believeth not, the wrath of God abideth on him, Joh. 3.36. He that is contentious, and obeys not the gospel will be condemned, Rom. 2.8. So, if a man live in the neglect of love to God▪ If there be no hearty love to God in his […] in his obedience, he is not go• […] though there be affection, yet if there […] hearty love, that will condemn him: that was the condemnation ⟨p. 126⟩
2. A course of internal sin proves a man to be an hypocrite. Tho' he washes his hands, if he does not cleanse his heart, he is ungodly. The external conversation of some hypocrites may excell the conversation of some saints; but if there be a way of internal sin, their pretences to godliness are vain. There be two sorts of • ••rna• 〈…〉, which men may live in a way of, and is a •••tness against them. One is, a way of corrupt thoughts and affections: If men allow themselves in malice, envy, wanton ⟨p. 125⟩thoughts, profane thoughts, that will condemn them: Though those corruptions do not break out in any scandalous way, those thoughts are an evidence of a rotten heart. Tit. 3.3. We our selves were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. If a man allows himself, though he thinks he doth not, in malice or envy, he is an hypocrite; tho' his conscience disallows it, yet if his heart allows it he is no saint; if he dont hate and mortify those corrupt affections, he is no saint. The other way of living in internal sin is, to live in the omission of spiritual duties: Whether a man knows it or knows it not, it is an evidence of hypocrisy. Many men that make a fair shew, dont believe in Jesus Christ: They have a perswasion of the truth of the gospel, they hope Christ will save them, they have had some joy in hearing the gospel, but they don't believe in Christ; either they are carnally confident, or discouraged: This doth condemn them. He that believeth not, the wrath of God abideth on him, Joh. 3.36. He that is contentious, and obeys not the gospel will be condemned, Rom. 2.8. So, if a man live in the neglect of love to God▪ If there be no hearty love to God in his 〈…〉 in his obedience, he is not go• 〈…〉 •hough there be affection, yet if there 〈…〉 hearty love, that will condemn him: that was the condemnation ⟨p. 126⟩of the Jews, Joh 5.42. I know you, that you have not the love of God in you. If men be zealous men, have tenderness of conscience, delight in sabbaths, but are destitute of love to God, they are hypocrites. So, if there be not a spirit of love to saints, 1 Cor. 13.23. If I speak with the tongue of men and angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal, So, 1 Joh. 4.8. He that loveth not, knoweth not God.
