_Direct._ XXV. Remember that hypocrisy lieth much in doubling, and in a dividing heart and life: see therefore that you serve God in singleness of heart, or simplicity and integrity, as being his alone. Think not of serving God and mammon: a deep reserve at the heart for the world, while they seem to give up themselves in covenant to God, is the grand character of a hypocrite. Live as those that have one Lord and one Master, that all power stoopeth to; and one end or scope, to which all other are but means; and one work of absolute necessity to do; and one kingdom to seek first, and with greatest care and diligence to make sure of; and that have your hearts and faces still one way; and that agree with yourselves in what you think, and say, and do.[156] A double heart and a double tongue is the fashion of the hypocrite, Psal. xii. 2; 1 Tim. iii. 8. He hath a heart for the world, and pride, and lust, which must seem sometimes to be lifted up to ask forgiveness, that he may sin with quietness and hope of salvation: you would not think when you see him drop his beads, or lift up his hands and eyes, and seem devoutly to say his prayers, how lately he came from a tavern, or a whore, or a lie, or from scorning at serious godliness. As Bishop Hall saith, he seemeth to serve that God at church on holy-days, whom he neglecteth at home; and boweth at the name of Jesus, and sweareth profanely by the name of God. Remember that there is but one God, one heaven for us, one happiness, and one way;[157] and this one is of such moment, as calls for all the intention and attention of our souls, and is enough to satisfy us, and should be enough to call us off from all that would divert us. A divided heart is a false and self-deceiving heart. Are there two Gods? or is Christ divided?[158] While you grasp at both (God and the world) you will certainly lose one, and it is like you will lose both. To have two Gods, two rules, two heavens, is to have no God, no true rule, no heaven or happiness at all. Halt not therefore between two opinions: if God be God, obey him and love him; if heaven be heaven, be sure it be first sought. But if thy belly be thy god, and the world be thy heaven, then serve and seek them, and make thy best of them.
_Direct._ XXVI. Take heed of all that fleshly policy or craft, and worldly wisdom, which are contrary to the wisdom of the word of God, and would draw thee from the plain and open-heartedness which godly sincerity requireth. Let that which was Paul's rejoicing be yours, "that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom, you have had your conversation in the world," 2 Cor. i. 12. Christianity renounceth not wisdom and honest self-preservation; but yet it maketh men plain-hearted, and haters of crafty, fraudulent minds. What is the famous hypocritical religion superadded to christianity and called popery, but that which Paul feared in his godly jealousy for the Corinthians, "lest as the serpent beguiled Eve by his subtilty, so their minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ," 2 Cor. xi. 1-3. A forsaking the christian simplicity of doctrine, discipline, worship, and conversation, is the hypocrisy of religion, and of life. Equivocating and dishonest shifts and hiding, beseem those that have an ill cause, or an ill conscience, or an ill master whom they dare not trust; and not those that have so good a cause and God as christians have.