Chapter 12
As wheat resembled is by viler tares,
So vile hypocrisy like grace appears.
Observation.
It is Jerome's observation, that wheat and tares are so much alike in their first springing up, that it is exceeding difficult to distinguish the one from the other. These are his words, Inter triticum & lolium quamdiu herba est, & nondum culmus venit ad spicam; grandis similitudo est: & indiscernendo aut nulla, aut perdifficilis distantia. The difference (says he) between them is either none at all, or wonderful difficult to discern, which those words of Christ (Matthew 13:30) plainly confirm. Let them both alone till the harvest; thereby intimating, both the difficulty of distinguishing the tares and wheat; as also, the unwarrantable rashness of bold and hasty censures of men's sincerity or hypocrisy, which is there shadowed by them.
Application.
How difficult soever it be to discern the difference between wheat and tares; yet doubtless the eye of sense can much easier discriminate them, than the most quick and piercing eye of man can discern the difference between special and common grace: for all saving graces in the saints have their counterfeits in hypocrites. There are similar works in these, which a spiritual and very judicious eye may easily mistake for the saving and genuine effects of the sanctifying Spirit.
Does the Spirit of God convince the consciences of his people, of the evil of sin (Romans 7:9)? Hypocrites have their convictions too (Exodus 10:16): Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and he said, I have sinned against the Lord your God, and against you. Thus was Saul also convicted (1 Samuel 15:24).
Does true conviction and compunction work reformation of life, in the people of God? Even hypocrites also have been famous for their reformations. The unclean spirit often goes out of the formal hypocrite, by an external reformation; and yet still retains his claim in them (Matthew 12:43-44). For that departure is indeed no more than a politic retreat. Many that shall never escape the damnation of hell, have yet escaped the pollutions of the world, and that by the knowledge of the Son of God (2 Peter 2:20).
Does the Spirit of the Lord produce that glorious and supernatural work of faith, in convinced and humbled souls? In this also the hypocrite apes and imitates the believer (Acts 8:13): Then Simon himself believed also. (Luke 8:13) These are they which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
Does the precious eye of faith, discovering the transcendent excellencies that are in Christ, inflame the affections of the believing soul with vehement desires and longings after him? Strange motions of heart have also been found in hypocrites towards Christ and heavenly things (John 6:34): Lord evermore give us this bread. (Matthew 25:8) Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out. With what a rapture was Balaam transported, when he said, Let me die the death of the righteous, and my last end be like his (Numbers 23:10)?
Does the work of faith in some believers bear upon its top branches, the full ripe fruits of a blessed assurance? Lo! What strong confidences, and high-built persuasions of an interest in God, have sometimes been found, even in unsanctified ones (John 8:54): Of whom you say, that he is your God, and yet you have not known him. To the same height of confidence arrived those vain souls, mentioned in (Romans 2:19). Indeed, so strong may this false assurance be, that they dare boldly venture to go to the judgment seat of God, and there defend it (Matthew 7:22): Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name?
Does the Spirit of God fill the heart of the assured believer with joy unspeakable and full of glory, giving them through faith a prelibation or foretaste of heaven itself, in those first fruits of it? How near to this comes that which the Apostle supposes may be found even in apostates (Hebrews 6:8-9), who are there said, to taste the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come. What shall I say if real Christians delight in ordinances, those that are none may also delight in approaching to God (Ezekiel 33:32). It may be you will say, though the difference be not easily discernible in their active obedience; yet, when it shall come to suffering, there every eye may discern it: the false heart will then flinch, and cannot brook that work. And yet, even this is no infallible rule neither; for the Apostle supposes, that the salamander of hypocrisy may live in the very flames of martyrdom (1 Corinthians 13:3): If I give my body to be burnt, and have not charity. And it was long since determined in this case, Non paena, sed causa facit Martyrem; so that without controversy, the difficulty of distinguishing them is very great.
And this difference will yet be more subtle and undiscernible, if I should tell you, that as in so many things, the hypocrite resembles the saint: so there are other things in which a real Christian may act too like a hypocrite. When we find a Pharaoh confessing, a Herod practicing, as well as hearing, a Judas preaching Christ, an Alexander venturing his life for Paul; and on the other side, shall find a David condemning that in another, which he practiced himself; a Hezekiah glorying in his riches, a Peter dissembling, and even all the disciples forsaking Christ in an hour of trouble and danger. O then! how hard is it for the eye of man to discern between chaff and wheat? How many upright hearts are now censured, whom God will clear? How many false hearts are now approved, whom God will condemn? Men ordinarily have no clear convictive proofs, but only probable symptoms, which at most can beget but a conjectural knowledge of another's state. And they that shall peremptorily judge either way, may possibly wrong the generation of the upright; or on the other side, absolve and justify the wicked. And truly, considering what has been said it is no great wonder that dangerous mistakes are so frequently made in this matter. But though man cannot, the Lord both can, and will perfectly discriminate them. The Lord knows who are his (2 Timothy 2:19). He will have a day perfectly to sever the tares from the wheat, to melt off the varnish of the most resplendent and refined hypocrite, and to blow off the ashes of infirmities, which have covered and obscured the very sparks of sincerity in his people. He will make such a division as was never yet made in the world, how many divisions soever there have been in it. And then shall men indeed return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God, and him that serves him not. Meanwhile (my soul) you cannot better employ yourself, whether you be sound or unsound, than in making these reflections upon yourself.
Reflections.
And is this so? Then Lord, pardon the rashness and precipitancy of my censorious spirit; for I have often boldly anticipated your judgment, and assumed your prerogative, although you have said, Why do you judge your brother? And why do you set at nothing your brother? We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ; for it is written, as I live (says the Lord) every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. Let us not therefore judge one another any more (Romans 14:10-13). And again, He that judges me is the Lord. Let us therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and make manifest the counsels of the heart; and then shall every man have praise of God (1 Corinthians 4:4-5).
What if God will own some of them for his sons, to whom I refuse to give the respect of brothers? I may pass hasty and headlong censures upon others, but where is my commission for so doing? I want not only a commission, but fit qualifications for such a work as this. Can I pierce into the heart as God? Can I infallibly discover the hidden motives, ends, and principles of actions? Besides, O my soul! you are conscious of so much falseness in yourself, that were there no other consideration, that alone might [reconstructed: restrain you] from all uncharitable and hasty censures. If others knew but what I know of myself, would they not judge as severely of me, as I do of others?
Though I may not judge the final state of another, yet I may and ought to judge the state of my own soul; which is doubtless a more necessary and concerning work to me. For since every saving grace in a Christian has its counterfeit in the hypocrite, how needful is it, for you, (O my soul) to make a stand here, and solemnly to ponder this great question! Whether those things on which I depend as my best evidences for the life to come, be the real, or only the common works of the Spirit? Whether they be such as can now endure the test of the Word, and abide a fair trial at the bar of my own conscience?
Come then, my soul! Set the Lord before you, to whom the secrets of all hearts are manifest; and in the awful sense of that great day, make true answer to these heart-discovering queries; for though you cannot discern the difference between these things in another, yet you may and ought to discern it in yourself; for what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man that is in him?
First, Is my obedience uniform? Am I the same man in all times, places and companies? Or rather, am I not exact and curious in open and public; remiss and careless, in private and secret duties? Sincere souls are uniform souls (Psalm 119:6). The hypocrite is no closet-man (Matthew 6:5).
Secondly, Does that which I call grace in me, oppose and mortify, or does it not rather quietly consist with, and protect my lusts and corruptions? True grace tolerates no lust (Galatians 5:17). No, not the bosom darling-corruption (Psalm 18:23).
Thirdly, Does that which I call my grace, humble, empty and abase my soul? Or rather, does it not puff it up with self-conceitedness? All saving grace is humble grace (1 Corinthians 15:10). But the soul which is lifted up, is not upright (Habakkuk 2:4).
Lastly, Can you (my soul) rejoice and bless God for the grace imparted to others? And rejoice, if any design for Christ be carried on in the world by other hands? Or rather, do you not envy those that excel you, and care for no work in which you are not seen?
But stay my soul, it is enough: If these be the substantial differences between special and common grace, I more than doubt, I shall not endure the day of his coming, Whose fan is in his hand. Do not those spots appear upon me, which [reconstructed: are] not the spots of his children? Woe is me, poor wretch, the characters of death are upon my soul! Lord, add power to the form, life to the name to live, practise to the knowledge, or I perish eternally! O rather give me the saints' heart, than the angels' tongue; the poorest breathing of your Spirit, than the richest ornaments of common gifts! Let me neither deceive myself or others, in matters of so deep and everlasting consequence!
The Poem.
In Eastern countries, as good authors write,
Tares in their springing up appear to sight;
Not like itself, a weed; but real wheat;
Whose shape, and form it counterfeits so neat;
Though 'twould require a most judicious eye,
The one from the other to diversify.
Till both to some maturity be grown,
And then the difference is easily known,
Even thus hypocrisy that cursed weed,
Springs up so like true grace, that he will need
More than a common insight in this case,
That says this is not, that is real grace.
Never did the cunning actor, though a slave
Arrayed in princely robes; himself behave
So like a king; as this does act the part
Of saving grace, by its deep hellish art.
Do gracious souls melt, mourn and weep for sin?
The like in hypocrites observed has been.
Have they their comforts, joys, and raptures sweet?
With them in comforts hypocrites do meet.
In all religious duties, they can go
As far as saints; in some things farther too.
They speak like angels, and you'll think within
The very spirit of Christ; and grace has been.
They come so near, that some like Isaac take
Jacob for Esau; this, for that mistake.
And boldly call (their eyes with his being dim)
True grace hypocrisy, and duty sin.
Indeed, many also Jacob-like embrace
Leah for Rachel, common gifts for grace.
And in their bosoms hug it, till the light
Discover their mistake; and clear their sight.
And then like him, confounded they will cry,
Alas! 'tis Leah, cursed hypocrisy.
Guide me my God, that I may not in stead
Of saving grace, nurse up this cursed weed.
O let my heart by you at last be found
Sincere, and all your workings on it sound.
