Quest. 3. Can I truly and heartily rejoice to see God's work carried on in the world, and his glory promoted by other hands, though I have no share in the credit and honour of it, as Paul did ? Phil. i. 18.
Quest. 4. Is there no duty in religion so full of difficulty and self- denial, but I desire to comply with it ? And is all the holy and good will of God acceptable to my soul, though I cannot rise up with like readiness to the performance of all duties; according to that pattern? Psal. cxix. 6.
Quest. 5. Am I sincerely resolved to follow Christ and holiness at all seasons, however the aspects of the times be upon religion ? Or do I carry myself so warily and covertly as to shun all hazards for reli- gion ; having a secret reserve in my heart to launch out no farther than I may return with safety; contrary to the practice and resolution of upright souls.? Psalm cxvi. 3. Psal. xliv. 18, 19. Rev. xxii. 11.
Quest. 6. Do I make no conscience of committing secret sins, or neglecting secret duties ? Or am I conscientious both in the one and the other, according to the rules and patterns of integrity ? Matth. vi. 5, 6. Psal. xix. 12.
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A few such questions solemnly propounded to our own hearts, in a calm and serious hour, would sound them, and discover much of their sincerity towards the Lord.
ND as upright hearts are too apt to apply to themselves the threats and miseries of hypocrites, so hypocrites, on the contrary, are as apt to catch hold of the promises and privileges pertaining to believers.
To detect therefore the soul-damning mistakes of such deceived souls, O that these following rules might be studied, and faithfully applied to their conviction and recovery.
llule 1. It is not enough to clear amanfiomhypocrisy, that he knows not himself to be an hypocrite. All hypocrites are not designing hy- pocrites ; they deceive themselves as well as others : " Many will say " to me in that day. Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name,'"" &c. MaM;. vii. 22. Hell will be a mere surprisal to multitudes of professors : a man may live and die in a blind, ungrounded confidence of his safe condition, and not fear his ruin till he begin to feel it.
Rule 2. Zeal andjbrwardness in the cause of God, and for the re- Jbrmation of his worship, will not clear a man from the danger of hy- pocrisy. Jehu was a zealous reformer, and yet but a painted sepulchre. In the year 1549, reformation grew so much in reputation, even among the nobles and gentry in Germany, that many of them caused these five letters, V. D. M. I. jE. being the initial letters of these words, Verhwn Domini manet in ccternum : i. e. The ivord of the Lord abideth for ever, to be wrought, or embroidered, or set in plates, some upon their cloaks, and others upon the sleeves of their gar- ments ; to shew to all the world, saith my * author, that forsaking all popish traditions, they would now cleave to the pure doctrine and discipline of the eternal Word.
And no doubt they would have been as good as their word, if what was embroidered on their cloaks, had been engraven on their hearts ; but, Come, see my zeal, mars all.
Rule 3. It is no sufficient evidence of a marts own integrity, that he hates hypocrisy in another: for, as one proud man may hate ano- ther, and he that is covetous himself, will be apt to censure another for being so ; lusts may be contrary to one another, as well as all of them contrary to grace ; so may an hypocrite loath that in ano- ther, which yet he alloweth in himself: Nay, it is the policy of some to declaim against the hypocrisy of others, thereby to hide their own. Hypocrites are none of the most modest censurers of others, Psal. XXXV. 16. A salt jest seasoned their meat.
Rule 4. The mere performance of private duties will not clear a man from hypocrisy. The influence of education, or support of repu- tation, or the impulse of a convinced conscience may induce a man to • John Wolfty Lett. Memor. Tovu 2. ad Annum 1549.
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it ; and 3'et all this while his heart may not be carried thither with hungry and thirsty desires after God : it is not the matter of any duty that distinguishes the sound and unsound professors; but the motives, designs, and ends of the soul in them.
Rule 5. The vogue and opinions yoii have got among Chrtstians, of your sincerity, will not be sufficient to clear you from the danger of hypocrisy. Christ tells the angel of Sardis, Rev. iii. 1. " Thou " hast a name that thou livest, and art dead."" The fall of Hymeneus and Philetus could never have shaken the faith of the saints as it did, had they not had great credit in the church, and been men of renown for piety among them.
Rule 6. Your respects and love to them that are the sincere and vpright servants of God, will not clear you from the danger of being liypocrites yourselves ; for the bare loving of a Christian is not characteristical and evidential of a man''s own Christianity, except he love him, q^ia talis, as he is a Christian, or as he belongs t6 Christ ; and so his sincerity becomes the attractive of thy affection. There are a thousand by-considerations and respects that may kindle a man's love to the saints, besides their integrity.
^ y ELL, then, if thou wouldst indeed see the unsoundness of thy ov/n heart, propound such heart-sounding questions as these to thy- self.
Quest. 1. Do I engage my heart to approach unto God in the course of my duties ? Or do I go in the round of duties, taking no heed to my heart in them ? If so, compare this symptom of thy hypocrisy with that in 2 Kings x. 3. and that in Ezek. xxx. 31, 32.
Quest. 2. Am I not swayed and moved by self-interest and carnal 3'espects in the ways of religion, the accommodation of some worldly interest, or getting a name and reputation of godliness .'' If so, how apparently do the same symptoms of hypocrisy appear upon my soul, v/hich did upon Judas, John xii. 6. and on Jehu, 2 Kings ix. 13, 14. Quest. 3. Have I not some secret reserves in my heart, notwith- standing that face and appearance of zeal which I put on ? Certainly if there be any sin that I cannot part with, any suffering for Christ which I resolve against in my heart ; I am none of his disciples, my heart is not right with God, the searcher of hearts himself being Judge, Luke xiv. 26, 27.
Quest. 4. What conscience do I make of secret sins ? Do I mourn for a vain heart, wandering thoughts, spiritual deadness ? And do I conscientiously abstain from the practice of secret sins, when there is no danger of discovery, no fear of forfeiting my reputation by it .'^ Is it God's eye, or man's, that awes me from the commission of sin? Cer- tainl}^ if I allow myself in secret sins, I am not of the number of God's upright people, whose spirits are of a contrary temper tomme, Psal. cxix. 113. and Psal. xii. 12.
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