Divine Characters in Two Parts

CHAP. XIX. The Preaching Hypocrite Is he that Preacheth Christ, but not for Christ.

WE Suppose him a Minister legally admitted, but not called of God . He pretends the service of Christ, but serves himself of Christ. Not zeal to do good, but hunger, or lucre makes him an hanger on upon those in God's House that have power to admit him, to whom he croucheth for a piece of silver, and a morcell of bread, and saith, put me (I pray thee) into one of the Priests Offices, that I may eat a piece of bread .

He is a perfect Balaamite, that will Divine for money : and 'tis all one to him whether he bless, or curse the people of God, as the rewards of Divination appear unto him for either purpose. He loveth the wages better than the work, although it be the wages of iniquity . He will not teach without hire : and let him be hired, he shall teach anything; even to lay a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to profane the Lord's day; yea, to commit fornication, or anything, by which himself may thrive by gratifying the lusts of those that employ him, and will reward him.

He is a cunning Merchant, the balances of deceit are in his hand . He will pollute God himself among his people , (by using his name contrary to his will ) for handfulls of barley, and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, (by making sad the hearts of the righteous whom the Lord hath not made sad , in denouncing evil against them, and condemning the generation of the just), and to save the souls alive which should not live, in strengthening the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life, even in a wicked way.

He is not for saving, but hunting of souls , and will not only lay pillows already made to his hand by others; but, sow pillows to all arm-holes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature, that is, study, preach, and write books to justify any abomination that persons in power applaud and practice, rather than lose his preferment by not upholding great men's courses how much soever decried and condemned by God and all good men. He is for his own profit, and through covetousness will he with feigned words make Merchandize , of any that come in his way, even of the souls of men ; yea, of those very men whose lusts he serveth. He can for a need, break any Commandment, and teach men so : he will not only justify other men in their profanations of the Lord's-day, by his own practice, but by his doctrine too; and be not only a spectator but a countenancer of those that do the same, if thereby he may please those that are above, how much soever God be dishonored and displeased.

Yea, sometimes very envy makes him to preach Christ , in hope thereby to breed strife, between the people and those that preach Christ of good-will, hoping to add affliction to those who are in bonds for the Gospel, and have more esteem and place in the hearts of men than himself. There is a spirit within every man that lusteth to envy . This is too common in ambitious and contentious spirits that take up the ministry for advantage sake, and resolve to cross and oppose all whom they envy for their parts and acceptance.

Thus Jannes and Jambres the magicians of Pharaoh, withstood Moses , when he began to grow more famous then themselves for miracles in Pharaohs Court: so doth this hypocrite resist the truth, being of a corrupt mind. If the Devil furnish him with parts and opportunities, no man of eminency shall escape his opposition and lash, even for maintaining those very truths which this envious one once held and defended before the stream and tide of the times ran against them.

He is a Preacher (perhaps) of righteousness, but a worker of iniquity. He preacheth Christ, but hath no acquaintance with him; He never knew Christ, nor was known of him. This is one of those many who (after all their preaching, and prateing) shall endeavor at the last day, to scrape acquaintance with Christ, and say, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy Name, &c ? He thinks in his heart thus to say, and plead; and, in this opinion perhaps he dies, without discovering this self-deceit while he liveth and believes he doth well enough; even till he come to judgment, particular at least after death. So that he bears not only the world, and the Church, but his own soul in hand, that what he doth will serve his turn even before Christ his Judge. He professeth to teach truth; he saith, Lord, Lord, which argues some fervor and zeal, as well as service. Yea, he hath gifts too, perhaps more then ordinary, even to the working of miracles and the casting out of Devils, if the times require it, in thy Name have we cast out Devils, &c. but all this will not serve in the day of Christ, whose answer will be a sad protestation, I never knew you, depart from me ye that work iniquity . He renounceth all acquaintance with him, passeth an heavy sentence upon him, as judging no better of him than of a worker of iniquity. For, indeed, such an one is declared by Jeremiah to be no other but the staple of all profaneness and hypocrisy, from whom profaneness goeth forth into all the Land . His wickedness is wickedness in the Watch-tower that may endanger all. Such an one may call himself the servant of Christ, for his better grace, but he serveth not the Lord Jesus, but his own belly, how many good and fair words soever he useth to deceive the hearts of the simple . And one time or another, the Devil himself will disown and reprove him saying, Jesus I know, and Paul I know, but who are ye ?

On the contrary, the true Minister of Christ, spends and is spent only for, and upon the interest of Christ.

He not only preacheth, but labors to adorn the Doctrine of God our Savior in all things. And if Christ be preached, in truth, and sincerity, he hath enough. For his part, he looks not so on his own things, as on the things of Jesus Christ. He not only speaketh the things which become sound doctrine , but is a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing uncorruptnesse, gravity, sincerity, sound speech that cannot be condemned, that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed . He will be an example to believers in word, and conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity , that in so doing he may both save himself, and them that hear him .

He is not only an Officer commissionated by Christ, but so waits on his office, that he really serveth God with his spirit in the Gospel of his Son . He is careful not only of his parts and gifts to make him an able Minister of the New-Testament , but to receive a commission and calling from God, by man to exercise those gifts which he hath received, with hope of a blessing. He knows that as God never sent message by the hand of a fool, so he never gives a blessing to their labors who run before they be sent; and, that no man (who desires to be found faithful) takes this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron . He looks upon the work of the Ministry as a distinct Office, which none but such as are called of God unto it, can meddle withal, without high presumption, and sinful usurpation, by which they do not edefie, but deceive the hearts of the people. Never did any people thrive and grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ; who, forsaking the public Assemblies, betook themselves to such Usurpers and Impostors .

And albeit he will not teach for hire, nor Divine for money, as making that the motive, much less the ground of undertaking the Ministry; yet, he believes the laborer is worthy of his hire , and that Christ never required him to go a warfare at any time at his own cost ; nor, to work with his hands , to give a free Gospel to those who are a constituted and established Church, whatever he may do among unconverted Heathens not yet brought in to the acknowledgement of Christ, and the profession of the Gospel. He knows that God himself hath ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel ; and, that charge is given to everyone that is taught in the Word to communicate to him that teacheth him, in all good things . Therefore he feareth not the unjust aspersions of earth-worms, or sectaries, that proclaim him an hireling, a Balaamite, because he takes maintenance; and a legal Priest, because he takes tithes, for that he is well satisfied, that among other Argumens by which the Apostle proved Christ himself to be a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek, his receiving of tithes is one, forasmuch as he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth . But his main aim is to approve himself to God in the matter he delivereth as also in his zeal, and practice.

Thus, this hypocrite preacheth himself when he pretends most service to Christ, the true Christian Minister preacheth Christ sincerely, with denial of himself. The one undertakes the work merely for the wages, the other takes the wages set out by God, when he hath done his work; the one cares not what becomes of the sheep, so he may have the fleece; the other is more careful to feed the flock, than himself.

The Preaching Hypocrite is very ambitious to show Learning, without learning. [Character 1]

He stands not so much upon solid and profitable matter, as to make show of his own learning, therefore he pitcheth on such subjects as he is best verst in, and that may occasion the bringing out of most of that stuff which he calls learning, not that which is most needful and suitable to his Auditory. It is below him to be setting milk before babes, he is altogether for strong meat for men, although his meat be rather strong lines than strong food, borrowed of his neighbor , rather then of his own providing.

There is a kind of forced learning, or rather a show of it, which a smatterer and mean Scholar, with some stock of wit, help of Books (especially of Indices) Flores, Polyanthea's, Postils, and length of time set out upon the staule, when with long turning of Books he hath made up a rapsody of several sorts of flowers (some no better then gayweeds,) which he calls a learned Sermon, not so much for the solidity or depth of matter, as for the multitude of quotations of Authors, on which (save upon this occasion) he never spent his time, or study. Peradventure he never saw the Authors themselves, but took them upon trust, from others who collected them to his hand. Yea, haply, he hath taken all out of a printed or written copy, and without variation, uttered it as his own: as young shop keepers, having but small stock of their own, set out pictures of wares instead of parcels; or, as Apothecaries that paint the outsides of their pots and boxes with names of drugs, that are not to be found within

And as Empericks bear out their reputation with their ignorant patients with the force of strange words, and names, and terms of art, which neither their patients nor themselves understand, so this hypocrite affecteth high-flown expressions, exotic language, and obscure words by which he endeavors to sore beyond the capacity of his auditory; desiring rather to be admired then understood; and, to low-bell his hearers, rather than to edify. And having a while thriven in this way of trade, he grows in confidence and Pride, to censure and contemn his betters, as some of his stamp did Paul himself ; in which course this Novice, being lifted up with pride falls into the condemnation of the Devil .

On the Contrary, the faithful Minister is a Scribe instructed unto the Kingdom of heaven, and brings forth out of his own treasure things new and old .

He is not a Novice, but rooted and built up in Christ, and so is better able to build up others, as a laborer together with God. He is more careful to store himself well with the best wares than to hang them out at all times upon his stall. He is afraid to seem; or to be seen by others, more than he is, least any man should think of him above that which he seeth, or heareth him to be . He is not ambitious, and therefore seeks not to raise an expectation, yet humbly strives to go beyond it. He labors to be wise as well as learned, that he may still teach the people knowledge . He is not careless, under pretence of extraordinary inspired assistance, but takes good heed, and by study searcheth out, and sets in order many Proverbs, that is solid, wise, grave, experimented truths that become an able Minister of the New Testament.

He affects no language made up of enticeing words of man's wisdom, yet he seeks to find out acceptable words that may edify. He will not be rude, loose, light, vain, frothy, in his expressions, nor be rash with his mouth, nor let his heart be hasty to utter anything before God . He is not for jerkes of wit, but whatever words he useth, are upright, even words of truth; and so they are as goads and as nails fastened by this Master of the Assembly, which are given from one Shepherd .

He disdaineth not the help of others, how able soever he be in himself; and although much study be a weariness to the flesh , yet he will study to show himself approved unto God, a work man that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth ; and albeit he would not have it taste too strongly of human wit, yet he loves to have it smell of the candle. He maketh himself master of what he delivereth, and he cites with choice; not everything, to bring in the name of an author, or to fill up room, but such things as are pertinent, and not observed by every Reader of his Author. What he cites he makes himself owner of, so as to make it more useful and profitable than he found it. He not only reads the Author himself (the means by which one man derives knowledge from another,) but he also pondereth, judgeth, applieth and so improveth what he borroweth, to his own purpose, thereby giving it as it were a new concoction, as 'tis said of Uirgil that he translated many things out of Homer, but made them all his own, by clothing them in a new notion, and better habit.

Although he neglect no pains or care, no study, nor art; yet he endeavors more that his Sermons may savor of judgment, piety, practice and conscience than of wit or human learning. He brings forth his old store (which is best digested) as well as new: He will not be put to go to the Market for new, so long as he hath ought of the old wine (which is better ) remaining: Not as neglecting to lay in new provision, but as choosing rather to set forth that upon which he hath formerly bestowed most pains.

He affects not to be commended for making a learned Sermon, but is glad to hear that it is profitable. He glorieth not in making up a Sermon in a few days or hours, but is ready to make it out that he hath studied for this all his life: His Sermon was perhaps quickly framed when he went about it, as Jacob's savoury meat was soon made for his Father, when his mother undertook it: but the Kid, the materials was at hand, and well grown in the flock .

It were folly to say to a Joyner, you have made a Table in a day or two, that I could not have done in a year. For, what marvel? He served an apprenticeship to the Trade; after that wrought journey-work for a good space together, hath his hand always in ure, his tools in readiness, and his timber cut out, and at hand: whereas another man is to learn, and to borrow all. There is great difference between a workman, and one that only now and then tries an experiment: for this man for the most part doth magno conatu magnas nugas edere, toils extremely to bring forth a bungled piece, and takes great pains to no purpose.

A mean Scholar, with time, may make one of those learned Sermons which this hypocrite is so proud of, and make show of much more than ever he was master of. But a profitable popular Sermon well digested, and fit for edifying, is not made without much more judgment and experience than this hypocrite ever attained. For, these, to wit, judgment and experience, work an habit without which one or a few picked Sermons will never make an expert Preacher, no more then one learned speech will make an Orator. It is the property of Art to conceal Art, when it is most exactly made use of; and, to make learning popular and familiar is the most infallible demonstration of a learned man.

Thus, this hypocrite, like Simon Magus , gives himself out to be some great one; the servant of Christ cries out, who is sufficient for these things ? The one being an empty vessel, makes a greater noyce, and magnifieth himself without cause; the other, being fully taught with learning and gifts of edification dares not make himself of the number, or compare himself with those that commend themselves . The one boasteth of a false gift, the other improveth a real ability, to the glory of him that bestowed it. The one takes it to be below him to attend upon Lambs, when himself hath not in truth a sufficiency to feed them; the other knows himself as much obliged by the great Shepherd, to feed the tender Lambs, as the stronger sheep, and acknowledge himself a debtor even to the unwise as well as to the wise .

This hypocrite brings learning, but not the true, that is, divine. [Character 2]

The former Character pointed to him that pretended to learning; but had it not, this, discovers what his is that in his kind, is learned. He hath learning, and that from God (for every good gift, wit, all arts and sciences originally are from him , as wealth and honor , bestowed on those who most abuse it,) but, not for Christ, to promote his Gospel and Kingdom. It is like worldly wisdom, that though, as wisdom, it came from God, yet as it used, it fights against him. It is a Cannon turned against him that first furnished the present possessor with it. Without God no man can have learning; but, for the most part, learning is so much abused, that none suffer more from the learned, than God himself, because that when thereby they come to have some knowledge of God, they glorify him not as God, neither are thankful, but become vain in their imaginations, whereby their foolish heart is darkened . Christ hath no enemies like those who have received from God most knowledge in the brain, without true grace in the heart. He receives most wounds in the house of his friends .

This hypocrites learning is not like that fire which came out from before the Lord and consumed the burnt-offering and the fat, upon the Altar ; but, like that of Nadab and Abihu, who offered strange fire before the Lord which he commanded them not . Not fire from heaven, but from their own hearths. So this man brings learning, but not that which is divine but only human; that is, such as he beholds not God in, but learns it only of men, and makes use of it against God, not for him, as it proves, at least in the sequel. It is not a learning received from the Scriptures of God, but from Plato, Aristotle, Porphyry, and others, enemies to the Scriptures, rather than teachers of them, or of the truths contained in them.

If the matter be examined, what is it but Philosophy and vain deceit after the tradition of men, and the rudiments of the World, not after God (k): or, Poetry degenerated, which is but the excremental superfluity of a frothy wit, or, Philology abused to make God to speak in the dialect of men, as if he spake the same Criticismes which, they who are his enemies, do most use and affect; or (which is not much better) School-Divinity of the third edition , wherein not only Scripture and Fathers, but Philosophers and Poets, have their suffrages allowed them in matters of faith and manners contained in the Scriptures; whereby that kind of learning also, for the most part, falls into that common gulf of the depths of Satan, as they speak . And what can Philosophy do, to the converting of the heart? Poetry, to the raising of the soul to heaven? Philology, to satisfy the conscience? or School-divinity to build a man up in divine faith? yet this hypocrite, like one of Penelope's Wooers, (who being not able to corrupt the Lady, betook themselves to her Hand-maids) seeks to human Authors (the hand-maids to divinity) to make out that, which in sacred Writ is not so clear, for his purpose.

The manner of his proceeding is made up with more Art and exactness of method, than becomes the simplicity of the Gospel. Much of Art, little of the Spirit, life, and power of God appeareth in it. His preaching is more artificial than spiritual. It may benefit such as have some grace already, or rather give them occasion to benefit themselves more by making better use of that Art which he abuseth to ostentation. His artificial light hath no warmth in it: it glisters with a cold light, like that of the glow-worm, but burns not; like that of the Baptist who was a burning as well as shining lamp. He teacheth the ear well, observing a measure that pleaseth sense, and makes men rather to look at him with admiration, than upon themselves to conversion, but he keeps aloof from the heart and conscience: whence it comes to pass that men exalt him, but abase not themselves; yea, they think it a great argument of their own sufficiency (never finding, by his preaching, any necessity of more goodness) to be able to judge of his excellency, without any reflection upon their own hearts or ways to reform them.

And as his matter is (for the most part) human; and his manner, savouring more of Art, than of God; so is the authority of what he delivereth very small and despicable, because but carnal: Moral, yea divine truths delivered merely, or chiefly, or but in part recommended, upon the credit of Plato, Aristotle, Seneca; yea, or of Jerome, Ambrose, Augustine; or other of the Fathers, become but human testimonies; and, suppose an human authority to be a sufficient ground of faith, so as all the faith wrought thereby is but human, causing it to consist in, and rely upon the wisdom of men, not the power and authority of God, which that learned Apostle by all means endeavored to prevent .

Contrarily, the servant of Christ determines so to preach, as if he knew nothing save Jesus Christ and him crucified.

He is learned, but shows no more learning in his preaching, but what he may make a flarre to lead more directly unto Christ. He is no child in understanding, but knows how to speak wisdom among them that are perfect . yet to the weak, he can become as weak; not to nourish them in it, but to apply milk to babes, gentle physic, to the sick, that of weak they may become strong. He is jealous of the pride of his own heart, and very careful that his speech and preaching (both for matter and manner ) may not be with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. He speaks of the things of God, without mingling chaff-with the wheat , speaking them as the Oracles of God ; not with wisdom of words, lest the Cross of Christ should be made of none effect , by attributing that to his learning and parts, which none but Christ and his death can effect. By this learning Paul desires to be tried, and esteemed, to wit, by his knowledge in the mystery of Christ . Even that learning, which not flesh and blood hath revealed unto him, but the Father which is in heaven .

Not that he despiseth human learning, nor wholly layeth it aside in his preparations to preach the Gospel of Christ, but humbly useth it, and improveth himself by it, the more to illustrate the truths of God when just occasion is offered.

He looks upon it as a necessary furniture for a Minister wherein he is to be before hand trained up, as Moses was in all the wisdom and learning of the Egyptians , the better to fit him for his after employment; and, as Paul, who excelled, not only in all the learning of the Jews, but in all other human learning, even of Philosophers and Poets, the better to enable him to deal with all sorts, when after called to be an Apostle to the Gentiles. And he makes use of it (without boasting of it) to furnish him for his present study, to interpret, and divide his Text, to couch and dispose his matter to more edification: because he knoweth that God speaking to men, speaketh after the manner of men; to reasonable creatures, rationally; and, to those that speak by rule, according to the rules of speech, if pertinent and necessary to convey what is spoken to the understanding with more facility and benefit.

He well considereth what excellent use not only Solomon, in his Proverbs; but even a wiser and greater than Solomon, in his Parables, made even of human things and of the knowledge of them, by way of illustration, allusion, insinuation, conviction of natural and carnal men who are sometimes more silenced by reason, antiquity, authority of men, than by the Word of God, so as to have their mouths stopped, when their hearts are not converted.

Thus, Paul cites Aratus to the Athenians; Menander, to the Corinthians and Epimaenides against the Cretans , the more to shame and condemn them: each of these being known Authors and looked upon as classical, among those to whom he wrote.

And thus doth he make use of authority without the Church, to convince Infidels who acknowledge that authority, but not the true God: and, of ecclesiastical authority, to confute Papists, who set more by the authority of the Church, than of God himself in his Word. Not with intention, to ground faith upon it, because all men are liars; they only excepted, who in delivering the rule of faith, were in fallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost, as the Prophets, and Apostles, but only, to defend the faith and the truth of the Gospel against all gain-sayers, who will not be judged by it.

He useth it as an hand-maid to the truth of God; so long as she keeps distance, without usurping the place of the Mistress, to obscure or abase the wisdom of God in his Word, he is resolved that divine truth shall ever be predominant, and have the honor of being Lady and foundation of our faith. He will with David, lead the multitude to the house of God; but, being there they shall all be taught of God, or from God: nothing shall be heard there as the rule of faith or manners, but God himself, either in the Word, or in that which leads to a more clear and distinct understanding of it: so as the Word in all things may have the preeminence.

He will not read a Philosophy lecture out of the Pulpit, although haply he may, by the way, tell us how far Philosophy may be useful in the subject whereof he is treating (suppose it to be a discourse of the sweet influence of the Pleiades, or bands of Orion, &c.) to help us to understand the Text the better. He may in shooting an arrow out of the Quiver of the Word take the feathers, and, perhaps the shaft, from men, but, the steel head (as one saith) must be from God: else, it will not pierce the heart of the Kings enemies , whereby they may fall under him. It will never wound the Heretic, nor kill the old man of sin.

Nor will he espouse human learning to himself how beautiful soever she appear, and how great soever his desire be to her, but on condition that, as the Captive woman first shaved her head, and then pared her nails; before an Israelite who had taken her in war, might take her to wife ; so all human learning shall shave off all her wisdom that may oppose Christ, and pare her nails that she act nothing against Christ, and submit herself wholly to the obedience of Christ.

Thus, this hypocrite sets up Hagar to despise her Mistress and to usurp over her, because in a carnal way more fruitful; the true servant of Christ when once he perceives this, as Abraham, he turns Hagar and her brat out of door, how grievous soever it be unto him: the one so useth human learning that he abuseth it; the other useth it, as a true Christian doth this world as not abusing it: the one makes his learning no better than Achan's babylonish garment and wedg of gold that proved his ruin; the other improveth it as the Israelites did their spoils of Egypt, for the service of the sanctuary.

[Character 3] This Hypocrite useth Divine Learning, unto human and carnal ends.

As the godly Minister extracts honey out of weeds, and makes an holy use of secular and profane literature; so this hypocrite, with a carnal spirit and profane heart, polutes the holy things of God, and stains all that Word of God which he lays his hand upon; dallying with words, mincing of Texts, playing with Scripture, and darkening it with Allegorical, or other senses, refusing to rest in the plain meaning which the words naturally afford, and the context amply gives witness to. If he find not a knot in a Bull-rush, and discover not some great difficulty in the plainest Text, he thinks it too low and mean a subject to bestow his pains upon. If he keep to the plain-song of the text, and seem zealous in the prosecution of it, yet his carnal heart hath a base end in it. Either he preacheth Christ of contention, not sincerely , out of faction, emulation, opposition, envy, and strife, as the Adversaries of Paul, to cry him down; taking more than ordinary pains not so much to make Christ to shine, as to eclipse those they envy and emulate, where how good soever the Sermon be, yet the end of the preacher makes his preaching evil, and hypocritical; the Doctrine good, and, the Use, evil;

Or, he doth it for vain-glory, of lucre, making Merchandize of the Word of God , for his own advantage, not for the benefit of the hearers; teaching his Auditors to know not God and themselves, but his good parts; to admire him, rather than to be bettered by him; and to show what he can do, rather then to teach what they should do. Or he carries on the work of preaching as a Trade or Occupation to which he was brought up, to get wealth by, and so he follows it as a secular business, wherein his own ends and interests require him to be diligent and industrous: for the people expect it, and must be satisfied: the market must be served, he must take pains, because by this craft he hath his living .

Contrariwise, the true servant of Christ handleth the Word of Christ not deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, commendeth himself to every man's conscience in the sight of God .

He renounceth the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness; and having the Word of God with him, he will speak it faithfully . He is so far from preaching it of contention, that he is content to be opposed and vilified by those that do so; so Christ may be preached , and God honored in the propagation of the Gospel. Let who will abase him, by striving to go beyond him in preaching, so Christ may be exalted by it, he cares not how meanly others speak of the earthen vessel, so the excellency of the power of God, may appear to be of God, and not of him . And if others can do it better, although from a worse principle, while Christ is preached, whether in pretence or in truth, therein he doth rejoice and will rejoice .

He is not of those who corrupt the Word of God, but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God, speaketh he in Christ . He opens not a story to man, but his heart to the Lord. He resolves to be made manifest unto God, and trusteth also to be made manifest in the conscience of his hearers . He likes well that good works be visible, yet doth it not to be seen; so he is content learning should be used in his preaching, but makes it not his end that it may appear. Opinion of diligence addeth respect both to the matter, and to the speaker; therefore he useth it, that men may not justly complain for want of it; yet aims not at applause by it: Demosthenes would never speak to the people without preparation, much less will he, to the people of God, in the presence of Christ.

And so far is he from making preaching a secular employment, to get money by it, that though he do preach the Gospel, he hath nothing to glory of; for, he looks upon it, as a necessity laid upon him by Christ, for higher ends and uses; and, as being obnoxious to a we if he preach it not, whether he receive pay or not . He will preach whatever his allowance from men be, expecting his reward from God, with whom his work is, and for whom he worketh; and whatever he receiveth from men (which he fears not to do, because God allows it him) he respecteth it, not as the recompense of his work, or as that for which he worketh, but as necessaries while he is employed in the Vineyard, in the work of his Lord.

Thus, this hypocrite makes use of learning and speech, as a thief doth of a pick-lock to open other men's Coffers; the servant of Christ useth it as a key to open the soul, that the Word may find passage into the inner-man; the one converts heaven into earth, the other raiseth earth up to heaven; the one preacheth Christ, but mindeth himself; the other, denieth himself that he may preach Christ sincerely.

The Preaching Hypocrite makes choice to speak of such subjects as may [Character 4] please.

He that seeks himself more than Christ, must please men, that he may find what he seeks. Men-pleasing is sometimes a duty, when it is not with seeking a man's own profit, but the profit of many that they may be saved . Otherwise it is a base occupation; which shows plainly that he that pleaseth men, is not the servant of Christ , even in the Lord's service. He serveth himself of men's corruptions, making his avarice the Merchant to sell their souls, with feigned words , to their own lusts, which will in the issue draw all to the Devil.

Faire words (we say) make fools fain, the way therefore to beguile unstable souls, is, to be much in enticing words; to speak, not to the judgment, but to the fancy, not to the conscience, but to the appetite and corrupt palate of the hearers. He is a right Prophet for Ahab, he will be sure to speak good to the King , not that which proves so, but that which he loves to hear. If he will be deceived there will be four hundred to one, to bid him go, and prosper , because they knew his heart was set upon that engagement, especially in that juncture of time when Jehoshaphat, a pious and puissant Prince, was ready to engage with him.

Hirelings, ill chosen will sell their lies at dear rates; as Ahab's Prophets sold theirs at the price of his life. Where the Ruler hearkens to lies, all his servants will be wicked : They will sell their lies too dear, and their Master too cheap.

He speaks not in the nature of an Ambassador of Christ, but of a mercenary Orator, who, to get benevolence, makes both his office and message a prostitute to his Auditory. And if, as an Advocate, he plead hard as minding the cause; yet it is not with that feeling as if himself were a party; but, either for the fee, or for the victory, not of the cause, but of his Antagoniss.

On the contrary, the faithful servant of Christ disclaims men-pleasing as the forfeiture of his Master Christ's livery and service.

He will please men in all things unto edification, but not to feed their humor, or to fill his own purse. He makes not preaching a device to get money, nor a bridge to fame, nor a bait to catch fools, but a wisdom to win souls. He useth not a parcel of good words and fair speeches to entice and beguile the simple, but speaks the Word in the evidence of the spirit to bind or loose the conscience. And look what difference between a Prologue to a play, with his populo ut placeret, and an Herald from a Prince proclaiming conditions of life and death to mutining subjects, the same is between that hypocritical Pulpit-man, and this faithful servant of Jesus Christ.

Should the Herald of Christ forget his Lord's errand, pass over to the enemies Camp, and curry favor with the Rebels? Nay, he will not say a confederacy with them that this people say a confederacy ? Nay he knows that it is required of every steward that he be found faithful ; and, to put a difference between the precious and the vile, that he may be as God's mouth, whereby they may return unto him, not he unto them .

If he be in bonds, yet, with blessed Paul, he asserteth the word, and speaks it out confidently that the Word is not bound, even when himself suffers trouble as an evil doer, even unto bonds . And therefore therewith he bindeth even Kings with chains, and their Nobles with fetters of Iron : insomuch that while he speaks at the Bar, he wrought on the Bench, so that Felix tremblied , Festus exclaimed , and A grippa staggered .

Thus, this hypocrite is like Ahab's flatterers that declared good unto the King with one mouth ; the true servant of Christ is like Micaiah that will by no entreaties be persuaded to speak so, nor by any threats deterred from speaking what the Lord shall say unto him ; the one is like the hungry Parasite emptying his book of phrases, that he might fill his belly; the other is as the faithful and wise steward whom his Lord makes Ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season .

[Character 5] This Hypocrite affects doubtful and ambiguous expressions.

He would be thought to speak Oracles: and so he doth, not for depth of wisdom, but for ambiguity of language, like those among the Heathens of old, that so his words may be interpreted either way. He will not expressly, or absolutely condemn Popery, lest the times should alter; and he, be compelled to eat his words. He will not declare himself too violently against any popular vice, til he see whether the great ones will be offended at him for so doing. And, as a Fencer, in favor of his Scholars, will sometimes smite over, sometimes above, always beside them, but seldom or never right upon them; so the preaching hypocrite will be very careful not to come too near the sore, or the evil that attends it, especially if it be the sin of his honor, or of but his worship.

In the City he declaimes against the sins of the Court, and Country; at the Court, he cries out against Country, and City; but, seldom or never, against the sins of the place wherein he preacheth. With the Lap-wing he cries most and loudest when farthest from the Nest. He is always flattering most, where he exspects greatest gain: an easy task, at Athens to praise the Athenians; or, to accuse the Lacedemonians.

But such milk from the Nurse breeds no good blood in the child. Hence it comes to pass that his hearers are neutral; and, for the most part, are neither good flesh, nor good fish, as we say: Protestants, but once removed from Papists; Professors, removed scarce one degree from the most profane; possessed they are with a strange and uncouth zeal for their Linsie-Woolsie Preacher; ready to commend him highly, and factiously; but, not able to show wherein they are the better, or the wiser for him.

Contrarily, the man of God speaks down-right and plainly to the condition of his present hearers.

He is not furious through passion, but zealous out of duty. He will not be ambiguous, to save his own stake, but down right, to save other men's souls. In absence he is more gentle, because no eye-witness: in presence, plain and sharp, because evil doers cannot be hid, When he is remote from the Corinthians he spares them , especially in difficult and doubtful cases: but he dares to call God to record upon his soul, that, when he comes amongst them, he came not to spare them , therefore he professeth plainly both to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all others, that if he come again, he will not spare .

He remembereth that he is as God's mouth, and therefore must speak plainly; not the Devils, who delights in ambiguities that he may more effectually entice, where he cannot force. He so divides the Word, that thereby also he may difference the sheep from the goats, and distinguish between the precious and the vile. Therefore, of loose hearers he is hated , because he testifieth that their works are evil ; and, their estates dangerous. He presseth not only the letre, but the end, power, and profit of the Scripture, to teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in righteousness , to perfect his hearers in knowledge and holiness. He is able to appear and to set himself and those poor of the sheep that wait upon him, in any contest against the proud goats that oppose, saying, Behold, I and the children whom the Lord hath given me .

Thus, this hypocrite is a Juggler, that you know not where to have him; the servant of Christ is as Jacob, a plain man, that loves down-right dealing: the one flutters about the window, to be gone as far as he can from those before him, the other flies in the very face of sin wherever he descries it: the one playeth with his work where he thinks seriousness would be distasteful; the other is serious even where they who are greatest, and most concerned, are most apt to frown upon him for his fidelity.

This hypocrite puts on a face of zeal, without zeal. [Character 6]

Towards others he seems very zealous, to move them; but, himself is not moved. His zeal makes an hissing noise, but it burns not. It doth not cate him up, as Christ's zeal did him ; but, rather licks up others, as fire doth stubble. He is mighty hot towards others, yet is but luke-warm himself . His fire flames most at the Ovens-mouth, it heats not the Oven within. As there is a form of godliness, so this man hath a form of zeal, that makes a show, and a great light, like an ignis fatuus, or fools fire, which never does good, but harm; it leads out of the way, rather then guides men in it.

His zeal is either Heathenish, lighting his Torch at Seneca's fire, or other Stoics, whose sentences being very acute, and pungent, serve his turn, as well as if he had it from Paul: yea, better, for the zeal of Paul, David, or Christ, would make him a Puritan. But all the zeal of Heathens was but a counterfeit heat, that served to warm others; as a burning-glass may set other things on fire, without being itself fired. It never makes him, as it did the Baptist, a burning as well as a shining lamp . It is enough to him, if others seem willing to rejoice in his light (as in the light of the moon, which warms not) for a season, till he (who is but a slimy slough, no true star in the hand of Christ) have his own ends upon them.

If he seem hot against sin, it is after the manner of Satyrists; either by the way of Irrision, as Horace, whereby he causeth laughter, rather than mourning for sin; whereas laughter in the Church, is (as Chrysostom well,) fitter for the devil to procure, than for the servant of Christ to occasion: or, he doth it by way of Insultation, as Persius; thus, divers crow loud against Papists, without bringing matter (whereof they might soon be stored) to confute them; and, chide the world upon advantage, being secure not to be answered: or, peradventure he doth petere jugulum, fly at the throat, as Juvenal; but, it is rather of the man, than of his sin; piercing some adversary with bitter scoffs, or Sarcasmes, as Socrates, or Archil • cus sometimes did theirs.

Or, haply, he hath only a Monkish zeal; which seems exstatical, but is apocriphal, because he hath read that Paul once could have wished himself accursed from Christ, for the great zeal he had for his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh , that they might come to the true acknowledgement of Christ, and be saved by him; therefore, he will needs give out his wish, that all the sins of the people may be set upon his account, and that their souls may be in his souls stead: never considering how far from Paul's spirit he is, in becoming all things to all men, that by all means he might save some . He lights his Torch at Paul's fire, when he is abroad; but, soon puts it out again, when Paul and he are parted; and he alone. He hath theatrical fires, that never burn in his own private hearth, or so much as smoke in his Chimny at home. He would (if you believe him) have them saved, but he will never spend, and be spent for them , especially when the more abundantly he loveth, the less he is loved.

He may have a zeal by rote, not by heart. He may store himself with sundry quick sayings of Fathers, or of the Scriptures, and be so earnest in the delivery, as to put himself into a sweat all over, so as to need shifting: yet, all this, without inward feeling in the heart, as duly affected with what he delivers. He is a Tragedian; he speaks passionately, but without passion. All his hot expressions are but his Minerva, the children of his brain, not the fruit of the womb of his heart, which caused any strong pangs of soul in the birth. He can lay wood together; and, haply, blow; but he administereth only breath, not fire. If the hearer were before converted, he may profit by him; but, seldom doth this hypocrite convert the disobedient: sharp reproofs and carnal glances do but anger a sinner, and nourish the sin, as cold water doth a fever: and, where good things be delivered without love to goodness, as they come but from the lips, so they reach but to the ear.

He may, possibly, have some sudden feelings and affections, as Balaam, when he wished to die the death of the righteous : but, he never goes about it by living their life. He wisheth himself as much good as any man, but never takes the way to attain it. And, if they that hear, be ready to wish themselves a share, Give me of this water , Lord give us evermore this bread ; much more may he, that speaketh and laboreth to set forth those things of God with which the hearers are so taken: but yet all this is no permanent expression, but a sudden flash that passeth with the sound and action.

Some zeal he may have for the Church, (as Jehu for the Common-Wealth:) not for the spreading of the Gospel in the regions that formerly never had it, or for advancing the spiritual growth of the Church in grace, and the enlarging of Christ's Kingdom, as Paul ; but, for the temporal state, wealth, and pomp, of what he calls the Church; to wit, the Clergy, that is, such as have gotten the best preferments of the Church, of whom one, too truly,

In this case and argument, he is very eloquent, he is as zealous for his gain, as Micah for his gods ; especially, if in danger to be taken from him. He can plead more for the garlic, onions, and flesh-pots, than for Canaan itself. He can be pathetical for the one, but hath little to say for, but much against the other. He talks high of the Church, but never knew more than to eat the fat of it: Not unlike the Painter Androcides, who taking upon him to describe the gulf of Scilla, painted excellently the fishes that were in it, because himself loved fish; but, the gulf it self, slightly and carelessly, because he never regarded it, save only for the fish.

Contrarily, the servant of Christ hath zeal in his bosom, more than in his tongue.

He is as Elijah, very zealous for the Lord , not for himself; or his own interest. If he be constrained sometimes to keep silence, because it is an evil time , yet the Word of the Lord, and the cause of God is like fire in his bones, making him weary of forbearing, so that he cannot stay, whatever his going on may cost him. He learns not his zeal from counterfeits, nor takes his pattern from men, but from Christ, as acted by the Spirit of Christ as well as observing the acts of Christ. He reproves sin with sorrow for those whom he reproveth; and, with as much pity and compassion. His soul mourneth in secret for the sins he reproveth; he beareth his part in the burden of the common sins, because he dwells in the midst of a people of polluted lips . He hewes the sin, as Samuel did Agag; but he spares the sinner repenting, as Christ did the woman taken in adultery ; and, whiles he kills the sin with the sword of the spirit, he raiseth up the sinner with the spirit of meekness.

He professeth no more than he can warrant for the good of his hearers. What mercy himself hath found he willingly sets forth to the height, for a pattern to them which shall after believe on Christ to life everlasting . The great things God hath done for his soul , he gladly publisheth in the great Congregation to all that fear God. Nor is he always in reprehension, and denouncing hell and damnation to the rebellious and obstinate; but he is as much, yea more in setting forth the rich grace, free love, and infinite mercy and bowels of God in Christ to poor sinners; the one of these is but a work of necessity which he delights not in, the other is the joy and rejoicing of his heart, wherein, were it not for the base lusts of sinful men that sometimes divert him, he would ever be employed.

His zeal is in his heart more than in his head or tongue, and that makes him many times to find and express more in the Pulpit then he brought thither; and his spirit is stirred in him, as Paul's at Athens . Above all, he is first warmed, then warmeth others; his web of zeal is woven wholly out of his own bowels fired by the Spirit of Christ. He first eats and digests the Book, and then preacheth it. He draws it first through his own heart, and thereby is better skilled to cut out a way for it into the hearts of others. He teacheth nothing but he can write probatum est, upon it, because himself hath had experience of it. He first preacheth to himself, then to others, that he may not preach to others and himself become a cast-away , but may save himself and those that hear him . He goeth forth in the spirit and power of Elias to convert the disobedient to the wisdom of just men . He hath not only the tongue of the learned to speak unto others, but an ear wakened to hear as the learned . He first heareth, and learneth, and then speaketh. His fire is first kindled within, then it breaks forth into a flame for the good of others.

Thus, this hypocrites zeal is culinary, or from the Kitchen; that, of the servant of Christ is fire from the sanctuary; the zeal of the one is like fire at the mouth of the Oven, when there is none in the Oven itself, he is tongue-zealous and heart cold; the others fire is most within; the zeal of the one is furiously bitter and bitterly passionate, the zeal of the other is ever accompanied with compassion, and a spirit of meekness; the zeal of the one consumeth others, the zeal of the other saveth them and consumeth himself.

This Hypocrite is a Preacher of Righteousness, but a worker of iniquity. [Character 7]

As is his zeal, so is his conversation: he is strict in rules, loose in practice: yea, the more strict in the one, the more loose in the other, because he neither cares, nor means to go that way himself, which he directeth others unto. He preacheth as if he believed in earnest, but liveth as if he preached in jest; therefore though he be in profession a Preacher, yet he must needs be in great part an Atheist. In preaching to others he divideth himself from his hearers, as not concerned in what he presseth on them. He feedeth others, as the Bird her young ones, but forgets himself.

He binds heavy burdens on other men's shoulders grievous to be born, which himself will not move with one of his fingers . 'It is no great pain to say, what others shall do; Therefore he can load others, and lay on till their backs crack again; take it off, who will. He is a Physician that will bind his patient, being loose himself; or, as a Cook, cloyed with the sight and sent of meat that he cannot eat himself, yet for his credits sake, he is careful to dress for others He is a Mercury that points others the way which he never goeth himself. He is one of those spies that coasted Canaan for others, but never entered themselves. He thinks his office is, to say; to others, it belongs to do, and strives more to be a good preacher, then a good man.

Contrarily, the faithful Minister is afraid to preach, what he endeavors not to practice.

He well understandeth that it is not enough to sit in Moses his chair, unless he walk in his steps; nor, to say what others should do, unless he do it himself; not, as a young beginner whose any-thing may serve the turn, but as a Master Work-man setting a pattern to oath s. Ordinary Righteousness, Humility, Meekness will not serve for him, he must be an example to the flock; and, should he do otherwise, he should not answer his calling, he should preach to others, and himself become a cast-away .

He rightly considereth that a faithful Minister sustaineth a double person, the one of a Speaker to his hearers; the other of an Hearer with them, even while he speaketh: and so looks to his duty as a Christian, as well as to his office as a Minister. He doth not hold it enough to be an hearer, but is careful that he be not a forgetful hearer. He will be a doer of the work, that he may be blessed in his deed . He will so speak, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the Law of liberty . He is for graces of adoption, as well as of edification. He knows, he may be an Apostle, yet a Judas; but, cannot be a sincere Christian, unless he live the life of Christ, and walk as he hath walked . He saith to his hearers, as Caesar to his soldiers, venite, non ite; follow me; not, go ye in the Van, I will come in the Rear. Himself will be in the front, and bespeaks the rest, to be followers of him, as he is of Christ . He strives as much to be stored with Thummim, or sanctification, as with the Urim of light. He will have holiness as well as illumination. They were both the portion of the Priest, and they shall be equally his care and study, both shall be upon his heart , and that continually: nor will he eat of the holy things allowed for his livelihood, until furnished with both the former .

Thus, this hypocrite is as the Pharisee sitting in Moses chair, he saith, but doth not : the sincere Minister is as Timothy, an example to believers ; the one teacheth others, but not himself , the other teacheth himself that he may the better teach others; the one abhorreth Idols, but committeth Sacrilege; the other, abhorreth Sacrilege, because he teacheth men to keep themselves from Idols ; the one confuteth by his life what he preacheth, the other by his conversation confirmeth all that he teacheth.

[Character 8] This Hypocrite makes the way to Heaven as broad as he can, especially to himself.

He that is crooked must have his clothes wider in some parts, to give scope to the parts that are defective, as well as to hide his deformity. And a criple requires more room to walk in, than he that makes straight paths for his feet , as not being lame. He that is a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God, must maintain sensual recreations on the Lord's day, and confute that Puritan-tenet maintained by the gravest and most learned of all ages since Christ left the earth ( Die Dominico, toto die Deo vacandum; the Sabbath is to be spent only and wholly in the service of God ). He that is for human inventions, must hold an indifferency in worship, and a lawfulness to impose what man listeth, under the notion of things indifferent. He that hath a profane heart, must uphold a liberty and use of petty oaths, especially of such as custom and education never bogled at. If he have an heart exercised with covetous practices, he will maintain usury, deceitfulness in trading, anything that brings in gain to be lawful. That he may uphold his own course, he preacheth peace to the wicked, and war to the righteous: like one that can skill of Medicines, but mis-applieth them. He giveth strong wine, or water in a feavour, and prescribeth phlebotomy in a consumption. God's children may sometimes err in this kind, for want of experience, or better consideration, as Jobs friends. But this hypocrite usually offendeth for want of conscience in himself, and of compassion towards others He healeth others slightly, because he is sick of the same malady, and is loath to search to the quick at home, not only for fear of smart, but out of love to his lusts.

Contrariwise, the faithful Minister makes the way narrower to himself then to his hearers.

Some smaller things, as Cards, Dice, &c. which upon a serious scanning, he dares not absolutely to condemn as simply sinful in some others, he dares conclude them to be unlawful to him. He will not be peremptory in things doubtful, in reference to others, but rather leaves them to stand or fall to their own Master ; yea, though himself be satisfied touching the lawfulness or unlawfulness of them: yet he is resolved to forbear them himself, how lawful soever, if others take offense at his using of them . He will not, for meat, destroy the work of God .

He will not teach duties which he means not to practice, nor mince them because himself is deficient in them. He will not forbear teaching, because himself faileth in practice, but rather rouse up himself to the doing of what he finds a necessity to teach. He will not therefore fail to display sins, because he hath no mind to forego them; but rather forsake them the sooner, because he finds a necessity to cry aloud against them. He knows that more is given to him than to others, and therefore more will be required. Peter must love Christ more than others of lower rank and less experience of his power and love. He must not only live as a Christian, but shine as a Minister. A Christian must not take all the liberty that the best civilized and moral Heathen doth; nor, a Minister all that some Christians do. Therefore he winkes at divers things in others which he will not suffer in himself.

He remembereth with holy trembling, who hath said, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified . Therefore he will glorify God in holiness, and not leave it to God (as the hypocrite doth) to glorify himself, in his confusion. He is Christ's Herald, and resolves to deliver his message faithfully, although it should fall most sharply upon himself; but, will be the more careful in his carriage, that he may not fall into the greater condemnation. He is willing to let the Word have a free passage, where ever it lighteth, because he knows it to be not only a promptuary of graces unto well-doing, but an Armory of weapons against the strongest corruptions; which he not only brandisheth, but really applieth with most vigor against those within himself, in hope thereby to get more strength to resist evil, and to follow that which is good; praying for not only his hearers, but for himself, Let thy Urim and thy Thummim be upon thine holy one , let thy Priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy Saints shout for joy .

Thus, this Hypocrite imitates the old Serpent his father, in persuading that God is too strict in his commands; and that it can be no danger but advantage, to take a little more liberty: the faithful Minister of Christ dares not go beyond what he is allowed of God when put in trust with the Gospel . The one, having a club-foot, strives to make every shoe wide enough for himself; the other keeps close to the Last of the Word, although his one foot be pinched thereby: the one will take from his neighbors allowance to make his own clothes wider: the other will rather straiten himself than wrong his neighbors of his just allowance.

CHAP. XX. The Hearing Hypocrite Is he that hears the Word of Christ, without acceptance, or benefit.

HE is a daily hearer, a greedy frequenter of the Word in outward appearance. He seeketh Christ daily as delighting to know his ways. He asketh of God the Ordinances of justice, and takes delight in approaching to God , in his outward carriage among others who are better affected, and more sincere; And having, with this show, pleased, and deluded others who could not discern his inward hypocrisy, but judged of him by his outward carriage, he pleaseth himself so well with his deceiving them, that he thinks he shall be able at last to deceive Christ himself, even at the great Day: and intends to plead (as a good plea) that Christ hath prophesied in his streets . and he hath been an Hearer of him.

In the Word Christ speaketh, as the Bride-groome to his Bride. This hypocrite heareth as one going out to meet the Bride-groome ; taking this common rode-way to Christ that leadeth to him and to salvation, and rejoiceth greatly to hear the Bride-groomes voice ; not as one that takes the right course to become his Bride; but, as an attendant only, that waits for a Point, or Ribbond, without further hopes, or aim. He presseth to be as near the Bride-groome and Bride as he can; not so much to partake with either, as to catch what he can from both. Let him but get a Favor, to wear abroad, he hath enough.

In this also he is as the stony ground, in hearing the Word, and with joy receiving it ; not into his heart, but into his ear, which it tickleth, but openeth not, to penetrate the heart. Herein he differeth from the Profane. The Profane comes not to the light because he knows full well that thereby he should be rebuked of all, and judged of all . An evil life makes an evil conscience; and, an evil conscience hath Owls eyes, that can endure none but Owl-light. The Profane hates the light, and therefore shuns it; but, this hypocrite comes to it although he hate it as much as the other. He comes, but, not in love to the Word, because he knows it condemns him; yet he brooks it, and cometh to it, because it condemns him not openly, but in secret whispers to his conscience even when openly preached to others as well as to himself; so as they who see the light, cannot discern the voice as it more particularly concerns him in secret, in point of application.

Hence, he hardens himself so far against reproof, as to be Sermon-proof. He can hear anything, but not with love: for, how can he love the light that delights in darkness, and loveth sin? All sin is from the heart, which no sooner conceives it, but is infected by it with hatred of goodness, and consequently with hatred of the Word the rule of goodness, until the guilt be taken away by reconciliation, and the corruption by repentance. This makes his sin the greater, to come for fashion to that Word that he hateth, which argues an whores fore-head, that refuseth to be ashamed .

But, what gets he by his hearing? Christ quickly descryes him and passeth sentence on him, as being but stony ground ; as building his house upon the sands , and already declaring what the doom of such shall be, at the last day: I know you not, depart from me all ye workers of iniquity . Possibly he aiming at some present private worldly advantage, may attain that, as other hypocrites have done in this world : but, no further and therefore are of all men most miserable . His hearing may, and will add to his condemnation ; but will contribute nothing to his salvation.

Contrarily, the Christian heareth Christ in the Word, and is so taught by him, that his profiting appears to all.

He hears not only the Word of Christ, but Christ himself speaking in that Word, and is taught not only by the Ministers of Christ, but by Christ himself, as the truth is in Jesus . This is an apt Scholar that not only hearkeneth, but learneth, so as to give account, to the credit of his Master, and to his own benefit. He gives himself wholly to the things taught, that his profiting may appear to all . He hearkens what God the Lord will say , not what man will invent. When he comes to the Word, he beholds him that is invisible; and whatever God speaks, that will he do. He looks upon man as God's conduit-pipe; but, upon God himself as the fountain of living water springing up and issuing forth the water of life to his soul.

Thou hast the words of eternal life, saith he (as well as Peter ) unto Christ: therefore he will not stir from him. He receiveth the Word which he hears from the Minister; not as the Word of man, but (as it is in truth) the Word of God, which therefore effectually worketh in him that so believes . When he comes to the Word he knows he hath to do not only with man whom he may deceive, but with God that trieth the heart, and will not be mocked: and therefore as the faithful servant of Christ speaketh, as of God, in the sight of God; so, he heareth Christ.

He comes to the Word not as to a lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an Instrument , nor takes his liberty to hear and not to do, as Ezekiel's hearers did to him: but he comes to it as Israel to Mount Sinai to receive a Law from God's own mouth, which he must obey, or perish. He looks upon it as that which shall judge him in the last day . He goeth to it as to Christ's Standard lifted up that all his Soldiers may resort to their colors: or, as to the Law of God going out of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem . He gives himself up unto it as to a mould in which he is new cast, and transformed into the fashion of it. He turns towards it, and followeth it as the Heliotrope or flower of the Sun, turns to, and followeth the Sun. He is to the Word what Jehoshaphat was to Ahab: every way the same with it, and engageth for it even to the peril of his life.

He frequenteth it out of love to the Law, as well as to partake the benefit of the promises. He doth not cast it behind his back as hating to be reformed, but hath it in his heart as his choicest treasure. He doth not harden himself against it, but is softened by it, as wax by the Sun. Nor is he a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work prescribed in it, and so is blessed in his deed .

Thus▪ this hypocrite is as the people in Jeremiah's time that made great show of much desire to be directed of God with promise to obey it whatever it should be ; yet dissembled in their hearts . The true Christian is as Ezekiel, that causeth his belly to eat, and filleth his bowels with the roll that God gives him , although it make his belly bitter : the one heareth it as the dictate of man, the other receiveth it as the Word of God.

This Hypocrite will hear only such as suit with his own humors and [Character 1] lusts.

He pretends great love to hearing, but will hear none by his good will, but such as rather stroke his lusts than strike through the loins of his corruptions. If the Seers and Prophets be not for his turn, if they be down-right and plain against his sins, even this mock-hearer will say to the Seers, see not; and to the Prophets, prophecy not us right things: speak unto us smooth things, prophecy deceits; otherwise, away with such Preachers, and preaching as will not comply; and, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before him . If he be set upon voluptuousness, give him a Preacher that will prophecy of wine and strong drink, although he walk in the spirit of falsehood, and lies . He will not endure sound doctrine, but after his own lusts will heap to himself teachers, having itching ears, turning them from the truth, unto fables . None but a Balaam will fit Balaack: none but a lying Prpohet will be acceptable to Ahab.

And as there are many such hearers, so there are too many such Preachers, that study to be popular; to please rather, than to profit: that will act Tertullus much better than imitate Paul. Tuning their pipes to their Auditors key; and it is hard to say, whether they have mar'd their hearers more than their hearers have marred them. Curious, and voluptuous hearers must have obnoxious Preachers, who must stand in awe of the hearers; and not be too bold lest they hear of somewhat as bad, or worse done by themselves. They must be careful to quit themselves well, by toothless preaching; because they speak at their peril; not at theirs that hear them.

Nor is he wanting to pass his censures upon all the faithful servants of Christ; one is not learned enough, another not eloquent, a third rigid, another indiscreet. Thus he can play the Preacher himself, and reprove the Priest ; seldom doth he judge right of a Minister, his judgment being ever guided by his lusts. I hate him, saith Ahab for he doth not prophecy good concerning me, but evil .

On the Contrary, the true Christian heareth any Preacher of God's sending; and the more faithful, the more acceptable.

He will hear what God the Lord will say, by whomsoever he speaks even when truths come so near and close, as to cut and launce his bosom darling: he would no more have Agag (his Master corruptions) spared, than those which he least careth for. Tros Tyriu{que} sibi nullo discrimine agetur. Trojan and Tyrian are both alike to him, and shall drink of the same cup. Whoever preacheth Christ, whether Paul, or others, makes no difference to him who hath not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with respect of persons . if they preach so, so he believeth . He will with Cornelius present himself to Peter as in the presence of God, to hear all things that are commanded of God . He heareth not one in opposition to others, or as slighting any faithful Minister of Christ, but looks upon all as in commission from the Lord: therefore, he receiveth all his servants, as the Galatians sometimes did Paul, as so many Angels of God, yea even as Christ Jesus .

He looks not so much at the workman as at the work; honoring the man for his works sake. He runs not after teachers by heaps, but wisely makes choice of those who are most faithful in preaching sound words that cannot be condemned . He judgeth not of the Word by the Preacher, but of the Preacher by the Word; And as the mouth tasteth meats, choosing that which is most wholesome, not which is most toothsome; so doth he; and therefore heareth with fear and trembling, because he looks upon it not as a vain Word, which little concerns him, but as his life whoever brings it. He declines no truth that any servant of Christ offereth: only he searcheth the Scriptures daily to see how it is grounded. He will hear his own Minister before others, if industrious and faithful: yet if opportunity be offered, he will hear Timothy as well as Paul; Apollos, Cephas, any man that worketh the work of the Lord .

Thus, this hypocrite is as Ahab, who will hear four hundred false Prophets before one true Prophet; the Christian is as Jehoshaphat that will hear one Micaiah, before them all: the one hath an itching ear which man must claw, the other hath an hearing ear which God hath opened.

[Character 2] This hypocrite hears, but it is in hope to hear some new thing.

He is a news-monger, he is very attentive to news. A new point, or device that is rare, will chayn his ears to the Preachers lips. He is an Athenian-Academic. He will be content to hear Paul (whom he accounts but a babbler if he bring any strange thing to his ears; Then he must needs know what those things mean . If any Preacher set a broach any new doctrine, he shall have hearers enow. All Athens itself will go after him, as sometimes the Jews to the Baptist . Any new Preacher is a welcome man, while new: afterwards, when he grows stale, though his matter be as quick and pungent as ever, his Auditory grows lean and thin. When he sees the utmost of the Ministers parts, the Minister shall see his back more often then his face.

This makes many forsake truth and hunger after fables, so they seem new. Their stomachs will soon be quesie, which makes them desirous often to change the Cook, in hope of some rarity from the next commer. The newest man is ever most welcome to him, because now he hopes for new matter. Coleworts twice sodden are nauseous. He cannot be of Paul's mind, that it is safe to hear the same things again . If his Minister do preach or write so, away with him. As they that are sweet-mouthed like nothing but new and lushious wine full of flatalent and windy spirits, so this hypocrite being full, despiseth an honey comb ; New Quelque chooses and new notions suit better with his palate, than wholesome doctrine of more antiquity. He will never be of their mind who having heard a good Sermon this day, desire even a Paul that the same words may be again preached to them the next S •• bath .

But, as there is no greater note of a foul stomach than to loath solid food, and to pick sallets, or to feed upon ashes: so there is no surer sign of an unsanctified heart, than not to relish a settled Ministry; or, to grow weary of his own Pastor as if he had got all he can from him, and knows the best that he can say or do. To have a Minister to become like a Comet that is much observed for a while, (as people were willing to rejoice in John Baptists light for a season ). but, after a nine days wonder, to neglect him and grow weary of him, is a dangerous symptom of a corrupt spirit;

Contrarily, the true hearer having once tasted the sincere milk of the Word, desires, where he beginneth, to end.

His palate is in frame; he desires no new wine, because he saith the old is better The milk of his own nurse is most kindly and agrees best with him at all times. He refuseth not to hear any, where providence casteth him: and he can profit by any that are profitable: but, variety and novelty are not his choice: his own Pastor is most natural and savory to him. He expects a blessing under his Ministry, but cannot promise it to himself in a wandering, gaddy, gidding course. He that affects a multitude of teachers, may please his palate (as a glutton, with variety of dishes;) but will never thrive in his soul by variety of Preachers. Therefore, he will not willingly go from God's blessing into a warmer Sun, nor leave him who in the name of Christ bringeth the words of eternal life, unto him, lest he be turned away from the truth, and slip into fables.

He likes well the ordinary grounds of faith and repentance, and is never weary of the Apostles Catechism. He hath a good stomach to wholesome food, and can always eat best of the same dish. Manna is to him the same at forty years end that it was the first day, and agrees every day better and better with him; so that he saith, out of judgment and experience, what they once did out of ignorance or a jeer, Lord, evermore give us this bread . This is, to him, cibus dimensi sui, food convenient for him . He may possibly meet with some other pleasant and toothsome; but, none more nourishing and truly comfortable or welcome.

Thus, this hypocrite in choice of matter is a child, and therefore can never be in understanding a man: the true Christian never desires change where he hath once fared well, and therefore grows in grace, and in the knowledge of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ : The one covets variety, the other contents himself with the sincere milk of the Word, and thrives thereby. The one feeds upon novelty, and falls into a consumption; the other is wholly for solidity, and thereby becomes fat and well-liking.

This hypocrite hearkens more after eloquence then substance. [Character 3]

As St. Augustine before his conversion confesseth, that he heard St. Ambrose more for his elegancy than for his divinity; so this hypocrite listeneth more how comptly rather than how soundly the Preacher delivers himself. He entertains a Prophet but not in that name and nature; a Minister, as he is an Apollos an eloquent man , but not an Ambassador of Christ . Flowres of theorick relish better upon his palate than Manna from heaven. He is a great admirer of the Ministers parts, if a master of language and happy for elocution: but it is not so much for the grace of the Word in his lips, as for the grace of his lips in a quaint delivery of that Word.

He makes no other use of his Minister than of a skillful Musician, he applauds his voice and skill, but cares not much for the ditty. He looks on him to tickle his ear, not to edify the heart. He hears him for his pleasure, and credit that he hath judgment to make so good a choice, but never regards any real benefit by him to beget him unto Christ by the Gospel.

So that upon the whole matter, he hears in jest, till God set home his Word in earnest, laying the axe to the root : and until he heweth him by his Prophets, and slayeth him with the words of his mouth . It is ill jesting with such an edge-tool. For, as the Philistines sporting with Sampson were at last slain by him, so this hypocrite serveth the Word: he must clip the locks of the Word, lest it be too strong for him; and the eyes of it put out, lest it be to prying into his dark and black heart, and, play with the Minister (as either delighting too much in his gifts, or laughing at his infirmities;) but he will hereby bring an old house about his ears ere he be aware, causing the Minister of life to become unto him a savor of death .

On the contrary, the true Christian looks most at the power of God in the Word heard.

He comes not to hear the words of a man, but the Word of God, as mighty through God : as able to work in him what it requires of him; to be the Word of life, by sanctifying him through the truth , and to make him clean through the Word spoken unto him . He comes not unto it as to a May-game to make him sport; but, as to the Crown-Office, for a pardon. For, therein the Lord speaketh peace unto his people and Saints . It is the Word of reconciliation committed to Christ's Heralds, upon hearing whereof he labors to be reconciled unto God, to this end he hears; and, by such hearing attains this end.

He considers the Ministers Errand, not his Oratory; his Commission, not his Rhetoric; his Office, not his Person (so Titled, so Qualified, or so Friended); not his excellency of speech, but the usefulness of the matter, and the efficacy of the Word upon his own heart. Yea, if through much infirmity of the flesh, and temptation in the flesh, the Minister preach the Gospel sincerely, he will not despise nor reject him, but receive him as an Angel of God . He puts a difference between the treasure and the earthen vessel into which it is put; between the excellency of the power of God, and the weakness of man . If a Pharisee sitting in Moses Chair, teach Moses his Law truly, he will do as he saith, but not as he doeth . If the matter be of God, he dares not refuse to hear it, because the man pleaseth him not, but with meekness receiveth it, because it comes from him who will save or condemn by it.

Thus, this hypocrite plays with the Word, for man's sake, but receiveth it not for God's sake; the sincere hearer trembles at the Word, because he finds God to be in it indeed: the one falls down and worshippeth man for his oration, as the people did Herod , as if it were rather the voice of a God than of a man; the true Christian falls down and worshippeth God for giving such gifts unto man; the one feeds greedily on the honey-comb which will never nourish him; the other eats the honey that hath not only sweetness, but strength in it, whereby he is nourished up in the words of faith, and of good doctrine .

[Character 4] This Hypocrite will not hear all.

He will hear not only when, but what, he listeth. Comforts are generally liked, unless when restrained to such of whom he cannot hope to be one; but, no reproofs will down except they hover in generalities only; Promises, that contain Privileges, are welcome; but Precepts, that enjoin duties, are not so pleasing. If the Preacher touch his special sin, he is too busy; if he restrain him from some unlawful or offensive liberty, he storms with indignation, and pronounceth of it; That's but his private opinion; others are of another mind: he is not bound to all he saith, &c.

Tell him he must renounce inordinate pleasures, discard evil company, make conscience to sanctify the Sabbath, &c. Tush saith he, God is not so precise or austere, the Preacher is too harsh, Professors are too riged, the light of doctrine and example is too glaring; he needs a Curtain, a Veile, or an Huke. No man ever heard a reproof, but he hated the reproover, if he love his sin. If the sword be drawn, whetted, and brandished, if it pierce too deep to the dividing of soul and spirit, of the joints and marrow, and lays open too much of the thoughts and intents of the heart , as the intrailes of an Anatomy: He is offended, and hates the light more, either the Word must be but a wooden sword, or confined to the scabbard, or the edge rebated, that it draw not blood.

But, if he cannot effect this, but he must hear the words of reproof, he will either dissemble his opinion of the Preachers application of it, saying, he meant not me; or, if it be in some smaller matter he regards it not, but puts it off with a jest. If it be of concernment, and he must needs take it to himself, he takes it as an injury done unto him to be so charged, not as a fault committed by him. He assures you it proceeded from misinformation, ill-will, or a maligrant eye. Therefore he is angry in earnest, and saith to, or of his Minister, as Zipporah to Moses , thou art a blood, Minister unto me; and if he have opportunity, this hypocrite is likely to prove a bloody hearer; an Herod, to John Baptist: plain reproof putteth an hypocrite out of his fence, and turns the Fox into a Wolf.

Contrarily, the Christian hearer, heareth whatever God speaketh in his Word.

Reproof, correction, instruction in righteousness are as welcome to him, as promises and privileges. He will not be his own carver, but gladly lets God choose for him: and he is best pleased when the Word cometh nearest, and entereth deepest into his heart. He likes not so well that neighbor who refused to smite him; when desired , but rather saith to his Minister (as he to another) smite me I pray thee; and likes him best, that in smiting, woundeth him . He quarrelleth, not as Ahab, hast thou found me, O mine enemy? Nor, as the idle Scholar, commends him most, who takes least account of him; but is as the wise child who likes that master best, who drives out the drone, and drives in learning.

The wise Christian likes those words best which are as Goades and Nailes , driven to the head by the Masters of the Assemblies; and holds him to be the best Chirurgeon that goes to the quick, that turns the inside outward, and lays the conscience stark naked before God, and himself. He is glad his sin is discovered so soon as it begins to move, and peep up, and followed as with Hue and cry, to prevent God's pursuit of it.

As he that going into a curious garden, is much taken with all he finds in it, yet culleth out someone choice flower or herb, most desired, for his own use; so the Christian in hearing liketh well whatever savoreth of truth and soberness, but carrieth home with him that which is most necessary in order to his own particular state and condition. He is not for that preaching which is intended to please all his humors, (as wares in a shop, to please all Chapmen) but hopeth for benefit by that which displeaseth the worst. He conceiveth comfort or hope, when the voice of Christ from heaven strikes him to the ground, as sometimes it did Saul : for he is confident of this, that when men are cast down, there is a lifting up; and, that God will save the humble person .

Thus, this hypocrite is as a pedling chapman that picks out a few wares to fit his customers; the true Christian deals by wholesale, and buys up all. The one takes exceptions to what he likes not, and throws it away as unworthy of regard, because it suites not with some of his secret ways of sin; the other esteemeth all God's precepts concerning all things to be right, because he hateth every false way .

This Hypocrite looks on the Word as a Landskip. [Character 5]

He beholds it as a representation of the actions and ends of others, not his own: as a story of other men, without application. He is content for information, or out of curiosity, to behold, or hear the Tragedies of Cain, Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, Saul, Judas, the rich glutton, &c. to understand their stories, but not to receive instruction by them. He maketh the Word as a Spectacle, to see other things without him; or, a Perspective to discern things a far off; or, as Merlins glass, to divine of state-matters.

He takes pleasure to see the world set forth in lively colors in the Map of the Word, so there be nothing of him in particular to lay him open in his colors. If there be, he draws a curtain before his own picture. He cares not who be deciphered to the life, so he be concealed. He saith to the Minister, pursuing him too close, as Abner, to Asahel, following him ; turn thee aside from following me; Wherefore should I smite thee to the ground? He is content to be an hearer, but one thing he is resolved upon, he will not part with his lust, nor willingly hear ought against it; for who can with patience hear anything spoken against his most dearly beloved? Shew him as many pictures as you please, paint them as deformedly as you list, so you let alone his, or draw it to his content.

On the Contrary, the true Christian looks into the Word as a glass.

He looks into the perfect Law of liberty , as into a mirror to behold and take a perfect view of himself from top to toe. To that end, although he see many more pictures in it beside his own, yet he looks most directly & fixedly upon his own, and but obliquely on others. He considereth with most care how the Law representeth him unto himself. The Law is spiritual, saith he, what seeth he in it concerning himself? this; I am carnal, sold under sin . He compares the Word and his own way together, by which he sees and bewails his wanderings; and knows more of his own sin by the Law , than ever he could by other means discover.

This is David's direction to the young man that desires to cleanse, and better his way; to take heed thereunto according to the Word . That is the compass by which he must steer his course, if he mean to arrive at the desired haven; as Saylors, that compare the Coast with their card, and their course with the compass. This is David's own practice, as well as his rule to others, thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee . He is a way faring man travelling among many turnings and windings of cross ways, and therefore makes diligent enquiry for the old paths, and the good way, that he may walk therein , as knowing it to be the wisdom of the prudent to understand his way .

Thus this hypocrite makes no better use of the Word, than idle boys do of their books, gazing more on the pictures they find in them, then minding their lessons; the true Christian improves all to his own proficiency in knowledge and grace; The one looks on it with a direct aspect; the other with reflection upon himself: the one looks on it no otherwise then a beast, merely to behold it, the other as a man, to know it for himself.

[Character 6] This hypocrite heareth, but without preparing his heart to hear.

He is as careless of the manner of hearing, as he is humorously careful of the matter which he heareth. He will hear nothing but what suits with his humor, and that he hears as best pleaseth himself. When he hath drawn the speaker to prophecy to him those things only, which may please his Palate and not offend his lust, in what he heareth , let him alone for the manner, how he heareth . Whereas this is of as great concernment, as to his concernment, as the former Physic; through carelessness abused, will never work a cure.

He comes indeed to the house of God, but without looking to his feet . He hath ears, but they are deaf: his ear is not bored, nor wakened, to hear as the learned . He goeth to a Sermon, no otherwise then he goes to a Play; whether from bed, from board, from game, from Brothel-house, it matters not. If his clothes be handsome, and such as may draw the eyes of others to gaze on him with applause, he takes no care for the heart, (when the very Word that he is to hear is matter of life or death; Will any man come so to the bar to receive his sentence?

He comes without prayer, repentance, faith, sense of his wants, or of any Ordinance of God to which he comes, much less of God's own presence in it. And whereas a wise man will not eat without appetite, which if he want he will use exercise, thereby to stir up natural heat to enable the stomach both to crave and digest meat with more benefit and contentment; this man comes without a stomach to wholesome food, and without any exercising of himself unto godliness, and so for want of this care, surfeits on the Word not by taking too much (for a small pittance serves his turn;) but by being unable to digest the least morsel, through want of exercising of himself unto godliness.

The prudent Husbandman will not sow without plowing and harrowing too, where he finds weeds or briars: but this hypocrite being fool-hardy, fears not to sow among the thorns. He comes merely upon his own account, and in his own might (by which no man shall prevail. ) He is confident that, although he pray not before hearing, yet he will carry away as much of the Sermon as he that prayeth: But it is as an horse that carrieth a burden, which may break his back, but will be of no benefit to him: Or, he carries the Sermon, as Uriah did David's Letters, to his own c • nfusion.

His ear may hear, but as a man hears a noise in the street, which he passeth over as not concerning himself; his understanding may be employed, but not his affection; or his affection may be moved, but his conscience not awakened. The first is as mastication or chewing of meat in the mouth, without swallowing it down; The second is as the first concoction making it a Chylus but not furnishing the liver; the third is as the digestion of a feavourish man, whose liver may possibly be in good temper, but his heart much distempered; and so no pure spirits, no clean life can be expected, be the food what it will.

Contrarily, the true Christian is as careful of his preparation for hearing, as he is of the Word which he heareth.

He dares not come to a Sermon, to the reading of the Word, but he prayeth, open thou mine eyes that I may behold wondrous things of thy Law . He ploweth up the fallow ground, before the seed be cast in, and he will not sow among thorns . He looks upon hearing as hard and difficult, to hear with profit, and therefore is careful to wash his hands in innocence, before he compass God's Altar . He is careful to purge not only his ears but his heart and conscience; from all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness , with all malice, guile, hypocrisy, envy, and evil speaking , that he may with meekness receive the engraffed Word; that is, so receive that it may be engraffed into him and he into it; that as a new born babe he may desire, hunger. long for the sincere milk of the Word, that so he may receive and digest it with more profit, that he may grow up thereby, and that it may be able to save his soul.

He stirs up, not his natural, but heavenly Spirits, the Spirit of faith, love, zeal, and reneweth and sharpeneth his spiritual Palate, that he may the better taste how gracious the Lord is to his soul in the Word spoken to him. He desires that his ear may so be opened as to hear Christ himself in the Word, that he may be taught by him as the truth is in Jesus . And that God would teach him wisdom in the most inmost secrets of his soul. He bringeth conscience and affections with him to the Word. That the Word may work upon the whole soul, the whole man with more efficacy and advantage.

Thus, this hypocrite comes to the Word without an heart, and so doth but only v e w; but not receive the Word; the Christian seeks God with his whholeheart and so findeth God in his Word: the one offers up the sacrifice of a fool, that knows not what evil he doth, the other looks to his feet with more care so often as he entereth the house of God, and so offers up a spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

This hypocrites end in hearing is only to hear for the time present.

As he is a sinful respecter of persons whom he hears, humurous for the matter, [Character 7] and careless of the manner; So is he as corrupt in the ends of his hearing. His hearing expires with the Preachers speaking, he minds it no longer: when he is at the end of the Sermon, there is an end of his care of what he hath heard. He went not to better, but to entertain himself; he is content the Ministers doctrine should a drop as the rain, and that the Word should distil as the dew , but it shall be only upon the superficies, or outward surface of the ear, as the dew upon the tops of the grass, which easily dissolves, or is dried up, or licked off; it sinks not down into the inward care , but only, as a sound, strikes upon it, and then vanisheth; it goes not to the root. The Word heard profiteth him not, nor did he hear that he might profit by it.

He may perhaps have a spiritual Bulimy or dog like-appetite that makes him to devour (or rather to seem to ingurgitate) much, but it does him no good at all. What he eats and drinks at Church, he casteth up again at the Church door, or in the very Pew wherein he hearerh. It makes him sick as it did Felix ; it comforteth him not, as it did David . The Word flasheth in upon him like a flash of lightening, and is as welcome to him, especiaily when it comes so near as to give him a glimpse of his conscience, which he as immediately (in the twinkling of an eye) forgets, and is willing so to do; as he that looks in a glass forgets the fashion of his face . He is much in hearing, but allows himself no time to meditate and digest, much less to practice what he heareth, or to come to the knowledge of the truth . This is no better then a riot in hearing, which increaseth bad humors; but never breeds good blood: it causeth a surfeit, but nourisheth not.

He hears; but, ask him what he hath heard, and he can scarce tell you anything, at least anything that he is the better for, he hath no relish of his meat, therefore cares not for it, even when he would have you to think he eateth. The Word of life hath no savor in it upon his Palate; he hath no feeling of comforts, is not terrified by threatenings. He openeth his ear, but heareth not, because his heart is still shut against the Word: therefore he never tasteth how gracious the Lord is , nor how much good the Word doth to those that walk uprightly : for, let both be what they will to an hungry soul, he never minds it.

On the Contrary, the true Christian will not only hearken for the present, but hear for the time to come .

He considers not only what, but how he heareth; and propounds to himself a further end then only to hear. He not only looketh into the perfect Law of liberty; but continueth therein, and thereby becomes, not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, which was his aim; and therefore is blessed in his deed . He heareth to do: he not only looketh in the glass of the Word, but he is all day a dressing, somewhat he finds continually that needs mending, something to be added, that the Physnomy of Grace may be perfected; not with painting, but with a constant endeavor to put all into better order, to amend the constitution of the inward man, as well as the complexion without.

He lets not this Manna to lie upon the grass, without gathering till it dissolve and melt to nothing, but he puts it into the best vessel he hath, even into his heart, he suffers the rain to soak into his root, that it may bring forth fruits of increase. He will not let the water of life to run wast, but brings his bucket or pitcher to draw water out of the wells of salvation , and will be sure to fill his Cistern with it. He never goes to the Word, but he is always careful to bring home something for the good of his own soul, and for the benefit of others also to whom he is related, as the bird to her young ones, when she goes abroad for provision.

He adds to his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 an 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to his simple knowledge, application, which bringeth knowledge to conscience, and conscience to practice. He heareth to know, and knoweth to believe, and obey: To know God, in Christ, to trust in him; in his benefits, to be thankful in his commandments, to be obedient; in his graces, to improve them; in his quarrels, to take them up. Yea, he heareth so, that there may be in him not only 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , , a sensible experimental knowledge of God in Christ, that not only his ear, but all his senses to wit, the whole soul may be actually exercised to discern both good and evil .

Every man that is a Scholar, may be able to prove by reason, argument, and testimony that faith only justifieth; but, only the experienced Christian finds it to be true indeed. He only can say, I have tried both, and find comfort only in the doctrine of faith. The good hearer therefore heareth that he may have a feeling of what he hears, and a taste of the sweetness of God that speaketh, and is thereby incited to desire more of the sincere milk of the Word . He never heareth Sermon, but he feeleth the virtue and Power of Christ, burning in him , discovering the thoughts and secrets of his soul , and more and more transforming him into the image of Christ who speaketh to him.

Thus, this hypocrite comes to the Word, as many of the Ephesians came together at the Oration of Demetrius, not knowing wherefore they were come together ; The true hearer is as Cornelius and his company (when he desired to hear Peter) all present before God, to hear all things that should be commanded the Preacher, of God . The one hears to no end, but that he may be thought to be an hearer: the other propounds faith and obedience as the end of his hearing: the one is like unto a man beholding his face in a glass, and then going his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was ; the other as he that never looks off the glass, and so hath perpetually in his eye a true representation of himself.

[Character 8] This hypocrite, if he propound to himself any end in hearing, it is carnal.

This hearer being himself carnal propoundeth ends suitable to his constitution; He heareth, it may be; but, it is either for gaining of applause for his diligence, to become a good Church-man: the Bell no sooner tolls, but he is presently there: or out of faction to prefer Apollos before Cephas; or out of malice, to watch for iniquity, that is for some advantage against the Preacher, and to make him a transgressor for a Word, and to lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate ; to carp, censure, cavil and to entangle him, laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, thereby to accuse him ; or, to spend time: the market, or the dancing begins not, good-fellows meet not, till the Sermon be done. Or, to keep his seat, or to take away, (stolen sleep is sweet, especially when stolen from God:) or, to out-face the Word; to go to the water, and not drink; to go into the Sun, without fear of being burnt; as Caesar, resolved not to be moved with Tullyes Oratory; to be Sermon-proof; or, to gratify a friend whom he respecteth as Ahab was content to hear Micaiah for Jehoshaphat’s sake; and, Felix to hear Paul, to please Drusilla; and, Festus, to content Agrippa: or, to furnish himself with discourse and arguments: with many other windings and extravagancies, which the Lord will one day find out, and record among the sacrifices of fools .

On the Contrary, the true hearer heareth only for edification both of himself and otehrs.

He hears that he may get knowledge: not that he may only know, which is but curiosity; or, be known, which is vanity; but that he may be edified, which is wisdom; and edify others which is charity. The spirit of new life is in him a vegetative soul, intending nothing more or less, than to grow up by the Word , he heareth; and to be built up further that he may receive an inheritance among all them which are sactified . He comes to it, as to his appointed food, not as to a Banquet of sweet meats; that may be missed without prejudice: he looks upon it as his daily bread without which he cannot live. He layeth it up not for discourse or ornament, but for use; not for ostentation, but for sanctification; not for the man's sake that brings it, but for the matter which he brings; not to entrap the Minister, but to deliver himself out of the snares of the Devil. Not to spend time, but to redeem it; not to sleep, but to watch and pray: not to show how many bullets and thunder-claps he can bear, without piercing; but, to get his heart softened and changed.

Thus, this hypocrite heareth the Word, as those Israelites which gathered Manna not for use, but to try conclusions, and then it bred worms and stank : the Christian-hearer is as they who gathered and reserved Manna for use on the Sabbath, in which case it stank not, neither was there any worm therein . The one poisoneth himself by over-charging his stomach with good meat to make experiments; the other thrives by all that he takes in upon his single design of growing thereby

This hypocrite sometimes pretends practice as an excuse for not hearing. [Character 9]

This head of the hearing hypocrite, contains under it many sorts of hypocritical hearers: some seem very zealous of hearing, yet truly and savingly hear not: others are as much against frequent hearing under color of being very busy to learn and practice what they heard before. We must practice one lesson saith he, before we take out another; these frequent hearers are in his opinion, but dull practicers. Therefore he thinks one reason of their slow practice is their over-charging themselves with hearing: and, a sufficient plea for him to hear but seldom. One Sermon in a week is well: nay, one in a month, or in a quarter of a year (he would, if it were not for shame, add, in a year) is more then he can learn and practice well [and, in this you may believe him:] which is as much as to say, a child should learn but one letter at once throughout the whole book; or but one word first, throughout all Authors before he set himself to learn any other; or that everyone should be like Pambo [in the ecclesiastical history] who desiring to be taught the thirty nine Psalm, after he had heard the first verse thereof [I said I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue] bad his teacher to hold there: this one verse, saith he, is enough at once to learn; and he was so long a learning that [even above nineteen years] that he never went further, and so he remained 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . an illiterate Dunce as that Hystorian terms him.

Contrarily, the true hearer makes practice and hearing to go hand in hand together.

He is careful to practice what he heareth, but doth not upon that ground that he cannot perfectly practice it, forbear to hear frequently, but rather hears more often, that he may be better instructed, and more effectually stirred up to practice better; He finds exercise of the body doth not only help digestion, but increase appetite; and that none have so good appetites to more food, as they that use most action. He knows that one Sermon helps him to understand, remember, apply, and practice another: and that one Sermon is as an hammer to drive the former nails fastened by the Master of the Assembly, to the head. He observeth that a child grows not one year in a leg, another in an arm; one year in one eye, another, in the other; but, in all, together, therefore he takes in food accordingly: so the new creature (after once formed) in a Christian, groweth in all the parts together, not in one limb alone; therefore he often receiveth food, that he may have a full supply to carry on the whole work together, as the Masters in Architecture give direction in building to carry up all the building together, and to avoid pawses and intermissions in carrying up of the whole, till someone part be finished.

Not that he sets no limits to his hearing, although he hear so often as he can; There are occasions sometimes offered by God in his providence, not only extraordinary occasions (as when an Ox, or an Ass falleth into a pit; a child, a wise, a parent, &c. suddenly falleth dangerously sick on the Sabbath, and there is a necessity to go for the Physician, &c.) but even ordinary; as the following of his lawful calling in days of labor; and, the private duties of Religion in his own family at times requisite; he will not neglect his calling under color of hearing, seeing Adam even in innocence, was set to till the ground as well as to converse with his Maker: neither shall private exercises be omitted under pretence of the Public, seeing David, when he had set up the Tabernacle, returned to bless his household . Howbeit, for both he will labor to improve time, so as neither of these shall be neglected. He will rise more early, labor with more industry, and avoid other occasions that may withhold from hearing, to redeem time to hear.

Thus, this hypocrite thrusts out one duty with a show of diligence in another which he never performeth, the true Christian hearer is diligent in both, and so hath time enough to hear more, even when he is most in learning and practicing of what he hath heard; the one with Judas, under color of charity to the poor, seeks to rob Christ of what is due to him; the other will not let Christ go without his box of precious ointment, nor wholly neglect the poor, although there be but two mites left him to cast into the Treasury, the one pretends practice as a bane to hearing, the other makes frequent hearing a spur to practice.

[Character 10] This hypocrite sometimes trembles at the Word, when yet he despiseth it in his heart.

He makes great show of being deeply affected with the Word heard: but he stands still in his sin, snotwithstanding his trembling: and as the tree, the more it is shaken by the wind, the faster it rooteth itself; so he shaken in conscience settles deeper in the love of the world and of himself. He can tremble, but knows how at present to shift off the Word, as Felix did Paul, with, go thy way for this time, &c. He trembles not willingly, he would do otherwise if he could help it. Not out of sense of the Majesty of the Word, but of the terribleness of the judgments denounced in it: not out of any grief for sin condemned by it, but out of apprehension of the dreadfulness of the punishment prepared for him. Fearfulnesse hath surprised this hypocrite , ere he was aware. The Law is in his ears, as it was to the Israelites upon Sinai, shril, and dreadful. It works, and stirs up in him a spirit of bondage filling him with slavish fear.

He trembleth, but runs not to God, but from him, as Cain who went out from the presence of the Lord , that is from having intercourse with God in any Ordinances then used: and so he and his posterity were after called, sons of men in opposition to the sons of God, that is, such whom God owned as his people by external profession . Thus he anathematizeth himself in departing from God, when through horror he can endure his presence no longer; he will come no more at God in seeking of his grace, nor will God come to him in a way of saving mercy. He trembleth, but is angry and offended that the Word should come so near him, yet at the same time could find in his heart to cut it with a pen-knife, and cast it into the fire , because it so directly points at his sins, and lays him open to the view of all. His heart is so generally exulcerated with the guilt of many sins, that a man can hardly step beside him. His pride, his covetousness, ambition, are so notoriously visible, that scarce anything can be spoken (although with no glance at him in particular) but he takes it as an high affront purposely put upon him, to expose him to shame.

On the contrary, the true hearer trembleth at the Word, as afraid to sin against it.

He so standeth in awe of the Word, that it keepeth him from sinning against God. He trembles at the Word, out of a poor and contrite spirit ; not out of a guilty conscience uncleansed. He feareth always , that he may be blessed from an hardened heart. He so trembleth, that his heart is made soft and malleable. The needle of contrition makes way for the thread of consolation, to sow him the faster unto Christ. He so trembles, that he is not only moved, but removed from the way and love of evil. He trembleth, but so as not to depart away from God; but to work out his salvation with fear and trembling ; and then fears not to come again to God for comfort; he trembles that he may tremble again to commit sin; and then, dares to draw near, and to cast himself upon God that wounded him, to bind up and heal him.

And as when Jerusalem was surrounded and taken by the Chaldeans, some fled, others were put to the sword, others yielded, and were spared: so it falls out in this case, the wicked tremble, and fly from God, or harden themselves against him, and perish by him: the godly cast down their weapons, submit to mercy, and are received to it. He trembleth in himself, that he may rest in the day of trouble .

Thus, this hypocrite trembles as the men of Israel, when the Lord sent terrible thunder and rain in the time of wheat-harvest, for their great sin in unseasonable asking of a King ; the true hearer trembleth, as Moses when he went up into the holy Mount . The one trembleth, yet is hardened, as Pharaoh; the other trembleth, and is softened, as Josiah, and at length was destroyed; and is saved.

This hypocrite is sometimes in hearing transported with joy, without being made [Character 11] better.

He seems to be much taken with the Word heard, as the stony ground, that receiveth the seed with joy ; as Herod did the preaching of John without forgoing his incest : and to the Jews, who rejoiced in his light for a season thereby he making a fair show of grace; for what more, in outward expressions, can the best hearer do than to say, O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth glad tidings of good things ; and, to acknowledge the Minister to be his rejoicing, as he is also the Ministers, in the day of the Lord Jesus . But notwithstanding all this his joy is far from the joy that is of the holy Ghost. For, if we look more narrowly into the hypocrites joy, we shall find many differences between them.

He rejoiceth in hearing, but it is rather in the gifts and excellencies of the speaker, than in the Word spoken, as Ezekiel's hearers, that were much taken with his voice, but not all with the matter . It is his ambition and glorying that he hath a learned eminent man to his Pastor, and that he is the disciple of a man of note and worth, such an one as Moses . Or he joyeth in the Word, because it procures him countenance and favor from men of power and authority, as being thought the better Subject, or Common-wealths-man for his profession of Religion, as it sometimes falls out in times of pretended reformation. Or he rejoiceth in the Word as a true Christian rejoiceth in outward things; rejoicing, as if he rejoiced not . He lets not that joy to settle in his heart, lest it should disturb his beloved sin by coming too near it. He rejoiceth from the teeth outward, as we say. But if the Word be too busy with his Herodias, or his conscience, he is presently dog-sick, and throws up all, accounting that Word, that Minister an enemy which tells him the truth; and will, if he dares, reward him as Herod did John the Baptist.

His joy in the Word is like a flash of lightning, therefore sudden; extemporary, and therefore temporary; much like a fire of thorns, soon kindled and soon consumed and extinct: soon hot; suddenly cold. In a moment he is light all over, by and by his light vanisheth, and he is left more melancholic and mopish: more blind in mind, and hardened in heart.

Now, John Baptist is a Prophet: all Jerusalem and Judea, yea, many of the Pharisees and Sadducees flock after him , so that the Kingdom of heaven suffereth violence ; shortly after, the tide is turned, and then John Baptist hath a Devil . He is too sour, too sharp, too bold; he brings the light too near to the bleered eye of this hypocrites guilty and unsound conscience.

Or his joy in the Word is secondary, not like the joy he taketh in outward things. He is delighted in the Word, but he will not be at so much cost for that, as for his pleasures, his profit or other lusts. He will spend more freely at a Whitson-Ale, or in a Tavern, than he can afford to his Minister. He affords more time for his sports, than for hearing; for a merry-meeting, than for a Sermon: he likes well a short Sermon, and a long play; a short grace, and a long dinner; he will suffer more for outward things, than for Religion: he will travail further to a Bul-baiting, or to get gain, than to a Sermon; he will contend more earnestly for his lusts, than for the saith once delivered to the Saints ; Yea, he will sooner take up the patronage and defense of the worst causes the vilest persons, than of God's cause, or of good men. He can better want the Word, than the world; a Sermon may be better spared, than his sports or gain. And let him but have the calf , he can be without Moses as long as he will: give him liberty, and take much preaching who will: he can joy in hearing, so he be not tied to it. He can delight in it as in a jest or pastime, when his work is done, not as in a dear friend, for whose company he leaves all business. He can rejoice in it when it brings him in prosperity, but takes no comfort in it when he suffers for it.

Finally, he is much in joy, but he is never the better for it; he expresseth much delight in the Word, but he grows not by it, he thrives not under it. He is still like Pharaohs lean kine in the fattest pasture; yea, his latter end is worse then the beginning: his love pines away, his humility become flatulent, and degenerates into complements, or pride. His fear is taught by the precepts of men: he is ever learning, as if he delighted much in the Ordinances, but never comes to the knowledge of the truth ; or, if he do, he is soon turned from the truth unto fables , even to the believing of lies : for, evil men and seducers will wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived .

Contrarily, the true Christian rejoiceth in the Word with the joy of the Holy Ghost.

He rejoiceth in the Word, and in him that brings it; in the Word for its own sake, in him that brings it, for the Words sake, and in both, as in the glory of Christ . He joys more in the message then in the Messenger, although one of a thousand , yet he rejoiceth in him too, as the wise men did in the star, as it conducted them to their Savior, not as it gratified their curiosity. He will be a follower of faithful leaders, not only when they lead him to preferments, but even unto bonds; for even then he will receive the Word with joy of the holy Ghost , although with much affliction . It is his comfort in his trouble , and his songs in the house of his pilgrimage . When trouble and anguish take hold upon him, the commandments of God are his delights ; and even when Princes persecute him without a cause, for the Words sake he rejoiceth at the Word, as one that findeth great spoils , as sure not only of the victory, but of a rich booty.

He rejoiceth in the Word, as the worldling in outward things. He preferreth it, as David did Jerusalem, before his chief joy , It is to him as a discovery of treasure hidden in a field, which when he hath found, for joy thereof he selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field : yea, so powerful is this joy, that it makes him to delight in the Law of God, discovering and crossing his corruptions to the utmost height of opposition , even to a giving of Law, and bringing him into captivity to the Law of sin. His joy is not only full, but lasting. It is perhaps not soon obtained: the Word first discovereth unto him both the nature, loathsomeness, heinousness, and wages of his sin, casteth him down to hell, makes him a lost man in his own eyes, and to cry out, O wretched man that I am , but afterwards, it shows him a well, as God did to Hagar in a mortal extremity of thirst, and causeth him to draw waters with joy out of it , which joy shall be an everlasting joy; he shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away . He rejoiceth as in a good bargain, which the longer he holdeth, the better it proves, and the more joy it yields. He went about it with discretion and deliberation, and therefore holds it with more content and rejoicing; every using of it adds to his joy, and becomes a perpetual promptuary to further rejoicing. And albeit he sometimes feel the Word sharper than a two edged-Sword, yet when he finds it directed not against him, but his lusts, he is of the mind of honest Citizens who are glad of the coming of the Judge to a goal-delivery, because he comes to cut off those troublesome and unruly malefactors whom they were forced to watch with much care and fear.

His joy is magistral and magistratical: it overtops all carnal joys; and, as love casteth out fear, so this joy casteth out all false joys of the hypocrite which are as the crackling of thorns under a pot The Law of the Lord is better to him then thousands of gold and silver . Nay, he hath no joy without this, but his soul is disquieted and cast down within him , if this be wanting, he hath indeed no joy but this: all his springs are in this . And as nothing can still and content the child but the breast, so nothing can satisfy him but the sincere milk of the Word. This is a joy which no man shall take from him ; a joy that remains with him .

In a Word, it is such a joy as makes him to thrive and grow by it, as herbs and plants by the warmth and influence of the Sun. He shall rejoice, and his bones shall flourish like an herb . All joy and mirth, if not forced or counterfeited, is apt to make men fat and flourishing, and to lengthen out nature and the concernments and contentments of it; much more then doth spiritual joy make the true Christian to flourish in old age, to be fat and well-liking . He goeth to the Word with joy as an healthy man to his meat; not as a sick man to his meat, whose stomach loathes the sight of it.

Thus, this hypocrite rejoiceth in himself, but not in the Lord, the true Christian rejoiceth in God, when he cannot rejoice in himself: the joy of the one is carnal, and therefore fleeting; the joy of the other is heavenly, and therefore everlasting: the joy of the one is as a painted face without bettering the complexion, the joy of the other is true joy, and therefore not only cheereth, but every way adds to his consolation.

This hypocrite is a seeming friend, but a secret foe to the Word. [Character 12]

Sometimes he makes great show of friendship, a good Sermon tickles him, so it bite not, as Tullyes Oration did Caesar, but never removes him from his former bottom: he is as good a friend to an interlude that makes him weep, as to that which makes him laugh, so it concern not himself. He commends the Sermon, and lets the Preacher enjoy his liberty, as the Officers sent to take Christ, did him. Never man spake like this man , but never was the better for what he spake; and so they befriended him out of admiration, not because edified by him. Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked (m), said the woman to Christ; but if this were all, this all was nothing to make her blessed in him. If he commend the Preacher, he thinks that to be enough for him, and it may be so indeed for the Preacher (and perhaps too much;) but not enough for himself, unless to his condemnation, for applauding the Preacher who condemned this hypocrites unforsaken sins.

He may be almost persuaded. Festus acknowledged much learning in Paul; Agrippa much force of reason, and evidence of Scripture, yet neither of them converted. He escapes storms and Pirates at Sea, and makes shipwreck in the Haven, where destruction is no less sure, but much more miserable. He escapeth the waves, and splits upon the rocks; he out-lives the storms, and perisheth by a leak. He hath escaped the more gross lusts of Publicans and harlots; and yet is further than both from salvation. Or if he make a show of being altogether persuaded and won unto God, yet he doth but verba dare, besprinkle God with court-holy-water, and is like the Daw, or Parret, that speaks, but hath no meaning. He speaks well, but Oh! that there were an heart in him , saith the Lord. He will with Johanan, and his companions, entreat the Prophet to ask of God the way wherein he may walk, and the work he should do , with great protestations of obeying the voice of the Lord whether it be good or evil in the corrupt account of flesh and blood. But his after carriage soon bewrays a dissembling heart and tongue in all this profession, which will at last fly out upon the Prophet and charge him with falsehood and conspiracy, as if not God had sent him but Baruch had provoked him to make that answer from the Lord: and shortly after, in plain terms to tell the Prophet to his head, as for the Word that thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee . And so he turns the inside outward, and professeth himself of a seeming friend to become an open enemy.

Sometimes he is a secret foe, under a disguise of friendship. The Word preached is a nail driven by the Masters of the Assemblies; which rives and drives this hypocrite farther from Christ than he was before. If Christ speak but of spiritual eating of his flesh, this hypocrite is one of those that slink from Christ, and walk no more with him . There is a knot, or stump of infidelity, and disobedience in his heart, that causeth the nail to recoil and to fly back into his face that drives it, so as it can take no hold. In public he may perhaps (for his credit) dissemble his wrath, but inwardly he is all in a flame at the Word, although with Herod he can dissemble it, till an opportunity of revenge; which, notwithstanding his seeming sorrow; he not unwillingly layeth hold upon.

The Word is an hammer appointed to break the rocks it finds in men's hearts in pieces : this hypocrites heart is not only a rock that is unmalleable, but as an Anvil that is made harder and harder by often beating upon it. Yea, he maketh his heart as an Adamant , that he may not hear with profit, and so falls under that further penal hardening under which Pharaoh perished; and so he frets at that Word which still follows him, so that he can neither avoid it, nor be quiet for it. Yea, the Word is a sharp two-edged Sword, which • cutteth and gasheth, and cleaveth this hypocrites heart, which cannot but fill him with inward rage; even when he dissembleth with his lips, he layeth up deceit within him, and when he speaketh fair, there are seven abominations in his heart .

When the Word is as fire to melt, this hypocrites heart is as clay which in burning is hardened, and baked up to brick: so that let Christ declare himself against any of this man's lusts, he will not only continue them, but mock him for his admonition. And whereas the Word is as Physic, this hypocrites heart is as a queazie stomach that favors the disease, and loathes the medicine. He may partake take it, as by force; and be sick with it, (as many are Sermon-sick.) The Word hath stirred the ill humor in him, but it is too tenacious to let go its hold and seat; too much impact and confirmed to be purged away. He may be moved with a rousing Sermon, but it is to anger, not to sorrow. His conscience may be troubled and terrified, as Ahab's was, at Elijah's prophecy; but never be cleansed. Therefore his heart hates the medicine, and at last casteth it up again . He hates to be reformed, and therefore casteth the Word at his heels , when he can dissemble his hatred no longer.

On the Contrary, the true Christian-hearer is truly reconciled to the Word, and transformed into it.

His heart is not tickled, but pricked : not exasperated by gawling, but cleansed by letting out the corruption of it: nor gloweth, but burneth , until it be converted into the Word, and cast into a new mould, to be made a new creature. His hearing is not scenical to please and delight fancy; but serious, to work upon the whole soul, the whole man. To his hearing he addeth meditation, for this is the life of hearing. It is the plaster for the wounded conscience that feels and complains of the wound: they that are whole use it not, because they do not think they need it. Only the soul that finds itself sick of sin, or of love to God, finds no such lenitive, no such fomentation as to meditate on the comforts of the Word.

He saith not, what an excellent man! but what a mighty Word! He praiseth the Work-man by showing forth the power of the Word taught by him. He hath the servants of Christ in singular respect and honor, for their works sake; but he knows that if he be not a doer of the Word taught by them, he requiteth their labor with no better than unthankfulness and intolerable contempt. He is not only almost, but altogether persuaded, as Japheth, to dwell in the Tents of Shem . He takes up bag and baggage, and removes whither God would have him, although he know not whither that be. He will not indent with God for fair way and weather, for peace and plenty, but is content to follow God through thick and thin, and to partake of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the power of God . He is fully satisfied not only by faith, but by experience that the Gospel is truth, and the power of God unto salvation . Therefore he really and without all diffimulation, reservation, or tergiversation, he receiveth the Word of God from the Minister, not as the Word of man, but as (it is in truth) the Word of God ; and he receives it in the love of it, without which he knows he shall never be saved by it . He comes to the Word, as a child to the breast, that he may suck out and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations . He is for sincere milk, without minglings, that he may grow the better by it.

He not only promiseth, but voweth and thereby binds himself, as by an oath, to keep God's righteous judgments . He gives himself up to the Word, and to Christ in it, and obeys from the heart, the Word to which he thus delivereth up himself. If the Word snib and check him, he soon cries peccavi , if the Word speak comfort, he is cheered; if terror, he is humbled; that God may, (as certainly he will) exalt him, upon all which accounts he may well make this appeal to God, O how I love thy Law ! Thus is he a true friend to the Word, and to all that are friends unto it.

If the Word be a nail, it fastens him only to Christ. When the Gospel exhorted to cleave unto the Lord, as Barnabas did, the first Christians . He will be one of the first that joins himself unto Christ . If the Word be an Hammer, he is well content his heart should be beaten to Powder by it, rather than stand out against the Word. And let it be a Sword, and a sharp one too, he is content to be dissected by it, so as to have all his thoughts laid open to God and himself, and to have the foulest corruptions discovered, that they may be the sooner, and the better cleansed; for which he will fall down on his face, and worship God, acknowledging that God is in the Minister dispensing the Word, in deed He is well pleased that by a spiritual incision, he may be cut for the stone in the heart: and that the goodlyest tops of his corrupt nature may be all cut off, and the stock cleft, that Grace may be graffed on it by the powerful Ministry of the Word.

If the Word be as fire, yet it is welcome: for his heart is as wax which melteth and dissolveth by it, and not as clay that stands out against it. He hath much dross in him, that he desires may be either burnt up, or separated: and he cries out, hic ure, burn and spare not here, so I may be saved hereafter, although it be as by fire ; If it deprive him of an hand, a foot, or an eye, he will endure it, as knowing it to be more profitable for him that one of his members should perish, than that the whole should be cast into hell . He never complains of the Hammer, but of the stonynesse of his heart that needs the hammer. Nor doth he cry out of the fire, but of the dross within him, which needs to be burnt up. He willingly suffers the strongest Physic which the Word affordeth, not only to stir, but to scour and carry away all his ill humors, that he may once hear Christ say unto him, now art thou clean through the Word that I have spoken to thee . Which he can never hope for, until by faith, applying the Word, his heart be purified . For, though the Physic administered to all, be, in itself, all one; Yet, the Holy Ghost as the Spirit of faith, infuseth and mixeth one ingredient more in the hearts of the godly, and that is faith, without which the Word profiteth not those that hear it. He hath woeful experience of his Infidelity, that it is astringent and obstructive, it stops the passages, but faith is as opening Physic that mollifieth the heart and makes it capable of any impression, which the Holy Ghost by the stamp of the Word shall make upon the heart.

Thus, this hypocrite is to the Word as Mical to David, who never hated him in her heart more, than when she went to meet him . The true Christian is unto it, as Jonathan to David; saying unto it, whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee , because he loveth it as his own soul . The one saluteth the Word with Judas his kiss ; the other embraceth it as Joseph did Benjamin, his bowels yearning upon it . The one is as the adversaries of Judah, offering Zerubbabel and the rest of the fathers to build with them , as pretending to seek and worship the same God with them, when their purpose was to undermine, or destroy the building; the true Christian is to the Word what Jehoshaphat was to Jehoram, desiring his assistance against the Moabites, I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses . He will engage with it, and for it, body for body, and life for life.

CHAP. XXI. The Praying Hypocrite, Is he whose tongue prayeth, but not his heart.

HE draweth near unto God with his mouth, and with his lips pretendeth much honor to him, but he removeth his heart from him . He sacrificeth the calves of his lips, but without an heart, which the very Heathens account ominous. If any beast sacrificed by Heathens (whoever looked narrowly into the entrails) was found without an heart, this was held ominous, and construed as very prodigious to the person for whom it was offered, as it fell out in the case of Julian. This hypocrites sacrifice of prayer is no better: He flattereth God with his mouth ; but is, as Ephraim, a silly dove, without heart . He crieth not to God with his heart, even when he howleth upon his bed . Therefore his calves are as unacceptable to God, as Aaron's calf, in the wilderness; by which he made the people naked to their shame , or, as Jeroboams calves in Dan and Bethel, after which the ten Tribes went a whoring to their ruin.

His prayers are Idol-calves, Moon-calves that cannot speak: at best, they do but lough as beasts, or babble as Heathens ; and such praying would make God an Idol too, that cannot hear. For, albeit God accepteth the calves of the lips, when the heart indireth the petition, and the Spirit of God directeth it in so doing, (because he that searcheth the heart, knoweth what the mind of the spirit is ), this man, mentem imprecatam gerit, carries about him an unhappy soul, that draws down a curse instead of blessing. He may cry Lord, Lord, praying again and again; but, all his importunity will not procure him entrance into the Kingdom of heaven , because he doth not the Will of the father which is in heaven, in praying with the heart, as well as in other things. There is a sacrifice of fools offered in praying, as well as in hearing. Such is every prayer of the hypocrite, who knoweth not what evil he doth . For, how can it but highly displease and provoke the Lord, to find this hypocrite daily telling lies, not only to the world, and the Church, by his profession without answerable walking; but, even to God himself, by a prayer that proceedeth from feigned lips; and, so grossly to dissemble, not only in speaking of God, but in speaking to him? He that undertakes to pray, dares to tell God to his face, that he loves him, fears him, and trusteth in him; in all which, this hypocrites heart doth, or can give his tongue the lie: There is no forgery to that of counterfeiting the voice of God's own Spirit: no mockery, like the praying God to hear and consider, what he that prayeth considereth not himself, nor scarcely hears what he rashly uttereth with his mouth before God. No marvel then, if such mock-prayers be not only returned into the bosom, empty; but, turned into sin to him that prayeth, and into abomination to him to whom they are directed.

On the Contrary, the true Christians heart is first in prayer.

He knoweth that prayer is the key to all the treasures of grace, but the heart is the hand that must turn this key; as faith is the hand by which he receiveth whatever is given him of God upon his praying; Therefore he looks very carefully to this key that it rust not for want of use, and manageth it dextrously in all addresses to the throne of grace.

He maketh use of the tongue in prayer, but is careful that his prayers go not out of feigned lips . Therefore first, his heart inditeth a good matter: then, his tongue is the pen of a ready Writer . If he lift up a prayer , it shall not be only with his tongue or hands: but, he will lift up his heart with his hands, unto God in the heavens ; If his eyes (as Jehoshaphat’s ) be towards God in prayer, he lifteth up his soul unto God also .

The Spirit is the chief Musician to which every song of prayer and praise is committed, to compose it to the mind of God. The heart is the chief string in the soul, to which all the rest, to wit, the tongue, eye, hand, understanding, must be tuned. The Spirit of prayer first, sets up the heart to its due height, and then winds up the rest accordingly to it, and so makes up a complete Diapason, or harmony of the whole, to yield a grateful sound in the ears of God, and to offer up a spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ .

Thus praying, he sweetly communeth and converseth with God, and God with him, by answering prayer, as he did with Abraham , Moses , David, and all the faithful. And when he speaketh, it is not so much the speech of the tongue, as of the heart by the tongue, as the Bell being first moved, yieldeth a sound by the clapper striking upon it. The heart may speak without the tongue, and be heard without the moving of the lips; but if the tongue speak without the heart, the man goes away without answer. There is nothing uttered before God in prayer, that turns to profit, either for matter, manner, measure, time, place, or end of prayer, but the heart must be, Rector Chori, the chief leader of the Choir, being itself first prepared and guided by the Spirit of Prayer. When God calls him to this duty, and saith, seek my face, his heart saith unto God, thy face, Lord, will I seek . He knows that he can never shoot one prayer steadily into the throne of grace, to hit the white, until he be able to say, my heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise ; that so; he may pray with the Spirit, and with the understanding also; and sing with the Spirit, and with the understanding also. .

Thus, this hypocrite is no better than the Prophets of Baal who cried aloud to their Idol; but, without answer or regard . The true Christian prayeth as the Prophet of the Lord, being answered with fire from heaven that consumed his sacrifice : the one is as the Nightingale, nothing but a voice; the other as David, whose prayer is set forth as incense, and the lifting up of his hands as the morning sacrifice which God accepteth: the one prayeth as Esau, for the blessing, seeking