by his error, because he will not readily be suspicious of anything that he brings, whom he hath found really helpful to his grace or comfort ; and thus the good the hypoci-ite doth makes him but able to do the greater hurt in the end. Sisera had better have gone without Jael's butter and milk, than by them to be laid asleep against she came with her nail ; and it had been far happier for many in our days not to have tasted of the gifts and seeming graces of some, than to have been so taken with this sweet wine, as to drink themselves drunk into an admiration of their persons, which hath laid them asleep, and thereby given them whom they have applauded so much but advantage the more easily to fasten their nail to their heads, errors I mean, to their judg- ments. The other mischief the hypocrite doth, is, when discovered, and that is as he is a scandal to the ways of God and servants of God. It is said of Samson, ' The dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life,' Judg. xiv. 30. Truly the hypocrite doth more hurt when he is discovered, which is the death of his profession, than when he seemed to be alive. The wicked worldlings, that are not long seeking a staff to beat the saints with, have now one put into their hands by the hypocrite. O how they can run division upon this harsh note, and besmear the face of all professors with the dirt they see upon one false brother's coat ! as if they could take the length of all their feet by the measure of one hypocrite ; hence comes such base language as this : They are all of a pack, not one better than another. Indeed, this is very absxu'd reasoning, as if one should say no coin were current and right silver, because now and then a brass shilling is found amongst the rest ; but this language fits the mouth of the ungodly world, and woe be to the man that makes these arrows for them by his hypocrisy, which they shoot against the saints ; better he had been thrown Avith a millstone about his neck into the sea, than have lived to give such an occasion for the enemy to blaspheme.
CHAPTER X.
WHERE ALL ARE STIRRED UP TO PUT THEMSELVES UPON THE TRIAL, WHETHER SINCERE OR not; THREE ARGUMENTS USED TO PROVOKE TO THE WORK; AND FOUR FALSE CHARACTERS BY WHICH THE HYPOCRITE FLATTERS HIMSELF INTO A CONCEIT OF BEING UPRIGHT.
Use 2. Secondly, Doth sincerity cover all a saint's infinnities? This shews how needful it is for every one to try his ways, and search narrowly his heart whether he be sincere or hypocritical.
Section I. — First, All depends on it, even all thou art worth in another world ; it is thy making or mamng for ever : Psa. cxxv. 5, ' Do good, O Lord, to them that are upright in heart ; as for such as turn aside to crooked ways, the Lord will lead them forth with the workers of iniquity;' that is the end tlie hypocrite is sure to come to ; he would indeed then fain pass for a saint, and crowd in among the godly, but God ' shall lead him forth with workers of iniquity,' — company that better befits him : it is sincerity shall carry it in that day. ' I will come,' saith Paul, 1 Cor. iv. 19, 'to you shortly, and will know, not the speech of them that are puffed up, but the power ; for the kingdom of God is not in word, but power. What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love?' O friends, not Paul, but Christ will shortly come unto us, and he will know the speech and soothing language of such as are pufied up with an empty name of profession, but will know the power, gauge the heart, and see what is in it. Now, will ye that he come with a rod, or in love? to judge you as hypocrites, or to give you the Enge of a faithful servant ? Doth not he spend his time ill, that takes pains in his trade, and lays out all his stock on such commodity which when he opens his stall will be seized for false ware, and he clapped up for abusing the country? All that ever the hypocrite did will in the great day of Christ be found counterfeit, and he sure to be laid by the heels in hell, for going about to cheat God and man ; every man's works shall then be manifest, that day shall declare it. Even the sincere Christian, where he hath tampered with hypocrisy, shall lose his work ; but the hypocrite with his work his soul also.
Secondly, Consider, hypocrisy lies close in the heart ; if thou art not very
GIRT ABOUT WITH TRUTH. g^y