SECOND APPLICATION: The grounds of a hypocrite’s profession and their falsities 1/2

           First. I shall lay down the grounds with which a hypocrite shores up his rotten house, and will show the falsities of them.  The hypocrite will stand upon his defence, his heart is sincere.  Well how will he prove it?

1. False Ground.  The hypocrite will say ‘Sure I am no hypocrite, for I cannot endure it in another.’

           Answer. This is not enough to clear thee from being a hypocrite, except thou canst show thou dost this from a holy ground.  Jehu, that asked Jehonadab whether his heart was right, carried at that same time a false one in his own breast.  It is very ordinary for a man to decry that in another, and smartly to declaim against it, which he all the while harbours himself.  How severe was Judah against Tamar?  He com­mands, in all haste, to burn her, Gen. 38:24.  Who would not have thought this man to be chaste?  Yet he was the very person that had defiled her.  There may be a great cheat in this piece of zeal.  Sometimes the very place a man is in, may carry him—as the primum mobile  i.e. the first cause of motion] does the stars—in a motion which his own genius and liking would never lead him to.  Thus many that are magistrates give the law to drunkards, and swearers, merely to keep the decorum of their place, and shun the clamour that would arise from their neglect, who can possibly do both, when they meet with place and company fit for their purpose.  Some [there are whose] zeal against another’s sin is kindled at the dis­grace which reflects upon them by it in the eye of the world; and this falls out when the sin is public, and the person that committed it stands related.  This is conceived to be Judah’s case, who was willing his daughter should be taken out of the way, that the blot which she had brought on his family might with her be out of sight.  Some again find it a thriving trade, and make this advantage of inveighing against others’ faults, to hide their own the better, that they may carry on their own designs with less suspicion.  Absa­lom asperseth his father’s government, as a stirrup to help himself into the saddle.  Jehu loved the crown more than he hated Jezebel's whoredoms, for all his loud cry against them.  In a word—for it is impossible to hit all—there may be much of revenge in it, and the person is rather shot at than his sin.  This was observed of Antony’s zeal against Augustus, odit tyrannum amavit tyranidem—he hated the tyrant, but loved well enough the tyranny.

2. False Ground.  The hypocrite saith, ‘I am bold and fearless in dangers; sure I am no hypocrite;’ but it is ‘the righteous’ that ‘is bold as a lion.’

           Answer. The better way, sure, were to try thy boldness by thy sincerity, than to conclude thy sin­cerity by thy boldness.  Truly confidence, and a spirit undaunted at death and danger, are glorious things, when the Spirit and Word of Christ stand by to vouch them—when the crea­ture can give some account of the hope that is in him, as Paul, who shows how he came by it.  This [is] Christian, not Roman courage, Romans 5:1-4.  Many rooms one passeth before coming to this, which indeed joins upon heaven itself.  Faith is the key which lets him into all.  First, it opens the door of justification, and lets it into a state of peace and reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ, ‘being justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,’ Romans 5:1.  Through this he passeth on to another room—the presence-chamber of God’s favour—and is admitted nigh unto him, as a traitor once pardoned is; ‘by whom also we have access by him into this grace wherein we stand,’ ver. 2; that is, we have not only our sins pardoned, and our persons reconciled to God by faith in Christ, but now under Christ's wing, we are brought to court as it were, and stand in his grace as favourites before their prince.  This room opens into a third room—and ‘rejoice in the hope of glory.’  We do not only at pres­ent enjoy the grace and favour of God and commun­ion with him here, but have from this a hope firmly planted in our hearts for heaven’s glory hereafter. Now he is brought to the most inward room of all, which none can come at but he that goes through all the former, ver. 3.  ‘And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also.’  If thou hast not entered at these doors, thou art a thief and a robber; thou gettest thy confidence too quickly to have it brought to thy hand by God.  If God means thee well for eternity, he will make thee smart for this thy boldness, as he did Jacob for stealing his father's blessing; and therefore content not thyself with a bare boldness and confidence in dangers, but inquire whether it hath a Scripture bottom and basis to stand on, or whether the pillars supporting it, be not ignorance in thy mind, and stu­pidity in thy conscience.  If the latter, thou art in a sad condition.  Thy boldness will last no longer than thou seest it doth in one that is drunk; who, when he is wine-sprung, thinks, as they say, he can skip over the moon, and ventures to go without fear upon precipices and pitfalls, [but,] when sober, trembles to see what he did in his drunken fit.  Nabal that feared nothing when drunk—his heart dies within him and became as stone, at the story Abigail told him in the morning, when the wine was gone out of him, I Sam. 25:37.  Therefore, as he [who,] when his cause mis­carried through the sleepiness of the judge on the bench, ‘appealed from the judge asleep to the judge awake;’ so do I here with you, that through the pres­ent stupidity of conscience are bold and fearless of death, and from this plead your uprightness.  I appeal from your conscience asleep, to the sentence it will give when it shall be awake; which I wish may be in this world, that you may see your mistake where you may amend it.

SECOND APPLICATION: Exhortation to all to see to it whether they be sincere or not

           Use Second.  Doth sincerity cover all a saint’s infirmities?  This shows how it behoves every one to try his ways and search narrowly his heart, whether he be sincere or hypocritical.

           First Argument. It behoves thee to search thy heart so, because all depends on it—even all thou art worth in another world.  It is thy making or marring for ever: ‘Do good, O Lord....to them that are upright in their hearts; as for such as turn aside to crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity,’ Ps. 125:4,5.  That the end the hypocrite is sure to come to.  He would indeed then fain pass for a saint, and crowd in among the godly, but God ‘shall lead them forth with workers of iniquity’—company that better befits him.  It is sincerity that shall carry it in that day.  ‘I will come,’ saith Paul, ‘to you shortly,...and will know, not the speech of them which are puffed up, but the power; for the kingdom of God is not in word but in power.  What will ye? shall I come unto you with a rod, or in love?’ I Cor. 4:19.  Oh friends! not Paul, but Christ, will shortly come unto us, and he will know, not the speech and soothing language of such as are puffed up with an empty name of profession, but will know the power, gauge the heart, and see what is in it.  Now, will ye that he come with a rod, or in love, to judge you—as hypocrites, or to give you the euge of a faithful servant?  Doth he not spend his time ill, that takes pains in his trade, and lays out all his stock upon such a commodity which, when he opens his stall, will be seized for false ware, and he clapped up for abusing the country?  All that ever the hypocrite did, will in the great day of Christ be found counterfeit, and be sure to be laid by the heels in hell for going about to cheat God and man.  Every man’s works shall then be manifest, that day shall declare it.  Even the sincere Christian where he hath tampered with hypocrisy shall lose that of his work; but the hypocrite, with his work, his soul also.

           Second Argument. It behoves thee thus to try thy ways when you consider how hypocrisy lies close in the heart.  If thou beest not very careful, thou mayest easily pass a false judgement on thyself.  They who were sent to search the cellar under the parlia­ment, at first saw nothing but coals and winter provi­sion; but, upon a review, when they came to throw away that stuff they found all [to be] but provision for the devil's kitchen; then the mystery of iniquity was uncased, and the barrels of powder appeared.  How many are there, that from some duties of piety they perform, some seeming zeal they express in profes­sion, presently cry omnia benè—all things are well, and are so kind to themselves as to vote themselves good Christians, who, did they but take the pains to throw these aside, might find a foul hypocrite at the bottom of them all.  Hypocrisy often takes up her lodging next door to sincerity, and so she passes unfound—the soul not suspecting hell can be so near heaven.  And as hypocrisy, so sincerity, is hard to be discovered.  This grace often lies low in the heart, hid with infirmities, like the sweet violet in some valley, or near some brook, hid with thorns and nettles, so that there requires both care and wisdom, that we neither let the weed of hypocrisy stand nor pluck up the herb of grace in its stead.

           Third Argument. It behoves thee to search thy heart thus, because the exercise is feasible.  I do not set you about an endless work.  The heart of man I confess is as a ruffled skein of silk not easily un­snarled; yet with a faithful use of the means, it may be disentangled, and wound up on the right bottom of sincerity or hypocrisy.  Job, when Satan and his cruel friends laboured to royle his spirit most, and muddy the stream of his former course and condition, by throwing their objections as so many stones into it; yet he could see this precious gem at the bottom sparkling most brightly.  Yea, Hezekiah, in the very brim of the grave, recreates his spirit with it.  Indeed, friends, this is a soul's encouragement, that it shall not want God's help in this search, if it goes about it with honest desires.  A justice will not only give his warrant to search a suspicious house, but, if need be, will command others to be aiding to him in the busi­ness.  Now word, ministers, Spirit, all thou shalt have for thy assistance in this work; only have a care thou dost not mock God in the business.  That soul de­serves to be damned to this sin, who, in the search for hypocrisy, plays the hypocrite, like a naughty, dis­honest constable that willingly overlooks him whom he searcheth for, and then says he cannot find him. Now, for the fuller satisfaction in this point, and help in the trial; it is that which both good and bad are mistaken in—the carnal wretch flattering himself his heart is good and honest; the sincere soul kept under fear of being a hypocrite, and Satan abusing them both.  I shall therefore, First. lay down the grounds with which a hypocrite shores up his rotten house, and will show the falsities of them.  Second. I will lay down the grounds of the weak Christian’s fear for his being a hypocrite, and the weakness of them.  Third. I will lay down such positive discoveries of sincerity as no hypocrite ever did or can reach to.

APPLICATION: THE THINGS THE HYPOCRITE TRADES IN AND LAYS CLAIM 2/2

  

Second. Consider the hypocrite in the things he lays claim to; and they are no small privileges —relation to God and interest in Christ.  Who more forward to saint himself, to pretend to the grace and comforts of the Spirit, than the hypocrite?  We see this in the Pharisees, whose great design was to get a name, and that, not such as the great ones of the earth have for prowess—worldly majesty and the like —but for sanctity and holiness.  And they had it, if it would do them any good.  ‘Verily,’ saith Christ, ‘they have their reward,’ Matt. 6:2.  They would be thought for great saints; and so they were by the multitude, who did so applaud them for their holiness which faced their outside, that they had a proverb, ‘If but two could be saved, one of the two should be a Pharisee.’  We read of some that profess they know God, but in works they deny him, Titus 1:16.  They boldly brag of their acquaintance with God, and would be thought great favourites of his, though their lives are antipodes to heaven.  So, Rev. 3:9, we meet with some that say they are Jews, and are not, but lie. They dwell sure by ill neighbours.  None would say so much for them but themselves.  The hypocrite is so ambitious to pass for a saint, that he commonly is a great censurer of the true graces of others, as too much hindering the prospect of his own; like Herod, who, as Eusebius writes, being troubled at the base­ness of his own birth, burned the Jews’ ancient gene­alogies, the better to defend his own pretended noble ascent.  Who now is able to give a full accent to this high-climbing sin of the hypocrite?  It is a sin that highly reproacheth God, to have such a vile wretch claim kindred with him.  Christ indeed is not ‘ashamed to call’ the poorest saints ‘brethren,’ but he disdains to have his name seen upon a rotten-hearted hypocrite, as princes to have their effigies stamped on base metals.  What scorn was put upon that mock-prince, Perkin Warbeck, who, having got some frag­ments of courtship and tutored how to act his part, was presented to the world as son to Edward the Fourth of this nation, but [who], when he had aped a while the state of a prince, was taken, and with his base ignoble pedigree, writ in great letters, pinned at his back, sent about, that wherever he came he might carry his shame with him, till in the end he was sent to act the last part of his play at the gallows.  But what is all this to the hypocrite’s portion? who for abusing others here, with a seeming sanctity, as if indeed he was of heavenly extraction—a child of God—shall be brought at the great day, to be hissed and hooted at by men and angels, and after he had been put to this open shame to be thrown deepest into hell.

           Of all sinners the hypocrite doth most mischief in this world, and therefore shall have most torment in the other.  There is a double mischief which none stand at like advantage to do as the hypocrite by his seeming saintship.  The one he doth while his credit holds, and he passeth for a child of God in the opin­ion of his neighbours; the other when his reputation is cracked, and he discovered to be what he is—a hypocrite.  The mischief he doth when his mask is on, is as a deceiver.  Machiavelli knew what he did in commending to princes a semblance of religion, though he forbade any more.  It hath been found to be the most taking bait to decoy people into their snare, who come in apace when religion is the flag that is set up.  Ehud could not have thought on a surer key to open all doors, and procure him admit­tance into king Eglon’s presence, than to give out he had a message from the Lord to him.  This raised such an expectation, and bred such confidence, that room is made for him.  Presently all depart and he is left alone with the king.  Yea, the king will rise to hear this message that comes from the Lord, and so gives him a greater advantage to run him into the bowels. Had some in our days pretended highly to saintship, I doubt not but they would have found the door shut, where now they have too much welcome, and find it easy to procure belief to their errors.  Even the elect are in some danger, when one cried up for a saint is the messenger that brings the error to town, and that under the notion of a message from God.

           I confess the hypocrite acts his part so hand­somely, that he may do some good accidently.  His glistering profession, heavenly discourse, excellent gifts in prayer or preaching, may affect much the sincere soul, and be an occasion of real good to his soul.  As the stage-player, though his tears be coun­terfeit, may stir up by his seeming passion real sorrow in his spectators, so as to make them weep in earnest; thus the hypocrite, acting his part with false affec­tions, may be a means to draw forth and excite the Christian's true graces.  But then is such a Christian much more in danger to be ensnared by his error, because he will not be readily suspicious of anything that he brings, whom he hath found really helpful to his grace or comfort; and thus the good the hypocrite doth makes him but able to do the greater hurt in the end.  Sisera had better have gone without Jael’s butter and milk, than by them to be laid asleep against she came with her nail; and it had been far happier for many on our days not to have tasted of the gifts and seeming graces of some, than to have been so taken with this sweet wine, as to drink themselves drunk into an admiration of their persons, which hath laid them asleep, and thereby given them whom they have applauded so much, but advantage the more easily to fasten their nail to their heads—errors I mean, to their judgments.  The other mischief the hypocrite doth is when discovered, and that is as he is a scandal to the ways of God, and the servants of God.  It is said of Samson, ‘The dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life,’ Judges 16:30.  Truly the hypocrite doth more hurt when he is discovered—which is the death of his profession —than when he seemed to be alive.  The wicked world that are not long seeking a staff to beat the saints with, have now one put into their hand by the hypocrite.  O how they can run division upon this harsh note, and besmear the face of all professors with the dirt they see upon the false brother's coat, as if they could take the length of all their feet by the measure of one hypocrite.  Hence comes such base language as this: ‘They are all of a pack, not one better than another.’  Indeed, this is very absurd reasoning.  [It is] as if one should say that no coin were current and right silver, because now and then a brass shilling is found amongst the rest.  But this lan­guage fits the mouth of the ungodly world.  And woe be to the man that makes these arrows for them by his hypocrisy, which they shoot against saints; better he had been thrown with a millstone about his neck into the sea, than have lived to give such an occasion for the enemy to blaspheme.

APPLICATION: The things the hypocrite trades in and lays claim 1/2

   

        First. The hypocrite trades in the duties of God’s worship.  Judas sits down with the rest of the apostles at the passover, and bids himself welcome as confidently as if he were the best guest—the holiest of all the company.  The proud Pharisee gets to the temple as soon as the broken‑hearted publican.  But what work doth the hypocrite make with these things that would be known indeed.  Sad work, the Lord knows, or else God would not so abominate them as to think he hears a dog bark, or a wolf howl all the while they are praying.  We think David had a curious hand at the harp that could pacify the evil raging spirit of melancholy Saul.  But what a harsh unhappy stroke have they in the duties of God's worship, that are able to make the sweet meek Spirit of God angry, yea, break out into fury against them?  And no wonder, if we consider but these two things.

1. The hypocrite does no less than mock God in all his duties.And of all things God can least bear that.  God is not mocked.  Christ preached this doc­trine when he cursed the fig-tree, which did, by her green leaves, mock the passenger, making him come for fruit, and go ashamed without any.  Had it wanted leaves as well as fruit, it had escaped that curse.  Every lie is a mocking of him to whom it is told, be­cause such a one goes to cheat him, and thereby puts the fool upon him.  Why hast thou ‘mocked me,’ said Delilah to Samson, ‘and told me lies?’ Judges 16:10, as if she had said—as is usual upon the like with us —Do you make a fool of me?  I leave it to the hypo­crite to think seriously what he is going to make of God, when he puts up his hypocritical services.  God’s command was none should appear before him empty. This the hypocrite doth; and therefore mocks God. He comes indeed full-mouth, but empty-hearted.  As to the formality of a duty, he oft exceeds the sincere Christian.  He, if any, may truly be called a ‘master of ceremonies,’ because all that he entertains God with in duty, lies in the courtship of tongue and knee. How abhorrent this is to God may easily be judged by the disdain which even a wise man would express to be so served.  Better to pretend no kindness, than, pretend­ing, to intend none.  It is the heart God looks at in duty.  If the wine be good, he can drink it out of a wooden cup.  But let the cup be never so gilded, and no wine in it, he makes account that man mocks him that would put it into his hand.  It was Christ’s charge against Sardis, ‘I have not found thy works perfect before God,’ Rev. 3:2.  I have not found them full ‘before God,’ as the original hath it.  Sincerity fills our duty and all our actions.  And mark that phrase before God, which implies that this church retained such an outward form of devotion as might keep up her credit before men.  She had ‘a name to live,’ but her works were not full before God.  He pierced them deeper than man’s probe could go, and judgeth her by what he found her within.
2. The hypocrite performs the duties of God’s worship on some base design or other.This makes him but yet more abominable to God, who disdains to have his holy ordinances prostituted to serve the hypocrite’s lust—used only as a stream to turn about his mill, and handsomely effect his carnal projects.  When Absalom had formed his plot within his own unnatural bosom, and was as big with his treason as ever cockatrice was with her poisonous egg; to Hebron he goes in all haste, and that forsooth, to pay an old vow which in the time of his affliction he had made to the Lord, II Sam. 15:7,8.  Who would not think the man was grown honest, when he begins to think of paying his old debts?  But the wretch meant noth­ing less.  His errand thither was to lay his treason under the warm wing of religion, that the reputation he should gain thereby might help the sooner to help to hatch it.  And I wish, as Absalom died without a son to keep his name in remembrance, that so none had been left behind to inherit his cursed hypocrisy, that the world might have grown into a happy ignor­ance of so monstrous a sin.  But alas, this is but a vain wish.  Vivit imo in templum venit—this kind of hypocrisy yet lives, yea comes as boldly to out-face God in his worship as ever.  Many make no better use of the exercise of it, than some do of their sedans, to carry them unseen to the enjoyment of their lust. And is it any wonder that God, who hath appointed his ordinances for such high and holy ends, should abhor the hypocrite, who thus debaseth them in the service of the devil?  Did you invite some to a costly feast at your house, who instead of feeding on the dainties you have provided for them, should take and throw all to their dogs under the table; how would you like your guests?  The hypocrite is he that casts God’s holy things to the dogs.  God invites us to his ordin­ances, as to a rich feast, where he is ready to entertain us in sweet communion with himself.  What horrid impiety is it then that the hypocrite commits, who, when he is set at God’s table, feeds not of these dain­ties himself, but throws all to his lusts—some to his pride, and some to his covetousness, propounding to himself no other end in coming to them than to make provision for these lusts.  They act as Hamor, and Shechem his son, who, when they would persuade the people of their city to submit to circumcision, used this as a great argument to move them, that they should grow rich by the hand.  ‘If every male among us be circumcised, as they are circumcised, shall not their cattle and their substance and every beast of theirs be ours?’ Gen. 34:22,23.  A goodly argument, was it not, in a business of such a high nature as coming under a solemn ordinance?  They rather speak as if they were going to a horse-market or a cow-fair, than a religious duty.  Truly, though most hypocrites have more wit than thus to print their thoughts, and let the world read what is writ in their hearts, yet as Queen Mary said of Callis—‘If she were ripped up it would be found in her heart,’—so some low things, as vain­ glory, worldly profit, &c., would be found engraven in the breast of all hypocrites, as that which they most aim at in the duties of religion.

         

A few aggravations of hypocrisy

First Aggravation.  Hypocrisy is a sin that offers violence to the very light of nature.  That light which convinceth us there is a God, tells us he is to be served, and that in truth also, or all is to no purpose. A lie is a sin that would fly on the face of a heathen; and hypocrisy is the loudest lie, because it is given to God himself.  So Peter told that dissembling wretch, ‘Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?  Thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God,’ Acts 5:3,4.

           Second Aggravation.  Hypocrisy cannot so prop­erly be said to be one single sin, as the sinfulness of other sins.  It is among sins, as sincerity among graces.  Now that is not one grace but an ornament, that beautifies and graces all other graces.  The pre­ciousness of faith is, that it is ‘unfeigned,’ and of love to be ‘without dissimulation.’  Thus the odiousness of sins is, when they are committed in hypocrisy.  David aggravates the sin of those jeering companions—who made their table talk, and could not taste their cheer except seasoned with some salt jest quibbled out at him—with this, that they were ‘hypocritical mockers,’ Ps. 35:16.  They did it slyly, and wrapped up their scoffs, it is like, in such language as might make some who did not well observe them think that they ap­plauded him.  There is a way of commending which some have learned to use, when they mean to cast the greatest scorn upon those they hate bitterly; and these ‘hypocritical mockers’ deserve the chair to be given them from all others scorners.  Fevers are counted malignant according to the degree of putrefaction that is in them.  Hypocrisy is the very putrefaction and rottenness of the heart.  The more of this putrid stuff there is in any sin, the more malignant it is.  David speaks of ‘the iniquity of his sin,’ ‘I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid.  I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin,’ Ps. 32:5. This sin seems very probably to have been his adul­tery with Bathsheba, and murder of Uriah, by his long ‘keeping silence,’ ver. 3; by the pardon he had immed­iately given in upon confessing, ver. 5, which we know Nathan delivered to him; and by his further purpose to continue confessing of it, which appeared by the mournful Psalm 51, that followed upon his discourse with Nathan.  Now David, to make the pardoning mercy of God more illustrious, saith he did not only forgive his sin, but the iniquity of his sin.  And what was that?  Surely the worst that can be said of that his complicated sin is, that there was so much hypocrisy in it.  He woefully juggled with God and man in it. This, I do not doubt to say, was ‘the iniquity of his sin,’ and put a colour deeper on it than the blood which he shed.  And the rather I lay the accent there, because God himself, when he would set out the hein­ousness of this sin, seems to do it rather from the hypocrisy in the fact, than the fact itself, as appears by the testimony given this holy man: ‘David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from any thing that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite,’ I Kings 15:5.  

Were there not other wry steps that David took besides this? doth the Spirit of God, by excepting this, declare his approbation of all that else he ever did?  No, sure.  The Spirit of God records other sins that escaped this eminent servant of the Lord; but all those are drowned here, and this mentioned as the only stain of his life.  But why? Surely because there appeared less sincerity, yea more hypocrisy, in this one sin than in all his other put together.  Though David in them was wrong as to the matter of his actions, yet his heart was more right in the manner of committing them.  But here his sincer­ity was sadly wounded, though not to the total des­truction of the habit, yet to lay it in a long swoon, as to any actings thereof.  And truly the wound went very deep when that grace was stabbed in which did run the life-blood of all the rest.  We see then that God had reason—though his mercy prompted him, yea, his covenant obliged him, not to let his child die of this wound, I mean finally miscarry of this sin, either through want of repentance on the one hand, or pardoning mercy on the other—so to heal it that a scar might remain upon the place, a mark upon the sin, whereby others might know how odious hypocrisy is to God.

           Third Aggravation.  Those considerations which may seem at first to lessen and pare off something from the heinousness of the hypocrite’s sin, viz. that he walks in a religious habit, hath a form of piety which others want, and performs duties that others neglect—these and the like are so far from taking from, that they add a further weight of aggravation to it.  Let us consider the hypocrite in a twofold respect, and this will appear, either in the things he trades about; or secondly, in the things he lays claim to; these are both high and sacred, and a sin in these can be no ordinary sin.  The things he trades in are duties of God’s worship.  The things he lays claim to are relation to God, interest in Christ, consolations of the Spirit, and the like.  These are things of high price—a miscarriage about these must be somewhat suitable to their high nature.  As is the wool so is the thread and the cloth, coarse or fine.  The profane person pre­tends not to these.  He cannot spin so fine a thread, because the work he deals in is coarser.  All his im­pieties will not have so high a price of wrath set upon them which he, being ignorant of God, and a stranger to the ways of God, hath committed, as the hypocrite’s impieties will.

APPLICATION: The odious nature of hypocrisy and its hatefulness to God

  Use First.  Doth sincerity cover all defects? Then hypocrisy uncovers the soul, and strips it naked to its shame before God, when set forth with the rich­est embroidery of other excellencies.  This is such a scab as frets into the choicest perfections, and alters the complexion of the soul; in God’s eye, more than leprosy or pox can do the fairest face in ours.  It is observable, the different character that is given of those two kings of Judah, Asa and Amaziah.  Of the first, ‘But the high places were not removed: never­the­less Asa’s heart was perfect with the Lord all his days,’ I Kings 15:14.  He passeth current for a gracious person, and that with a non obstante—‘nevertheless his heart was per­fect.’  Sincerity like true gold hath grains allowed for its lightness.  His infirmities are not mentioned to stain his honour, and prejudice him in the opinion of any; but rather, as the wart or mole which the curious limner expresseth on purpose, the more to set forth the beauty of the other parts, so his failing are recorded to cast a greater lustre upon his sincerity; which could, notwithstanding these sins gain him such a testimony from God's own mouth. But of Amaziah, ‘He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart,’ II Chr. 25:2.  The matter of his actions was good, but the scope and drift of his heart in them was naughty, and this but makes a foul blot upon all, and turns his right into wrong.  Wherein his hypocrisy appeared is ex­pressed, ‘He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father: he did ac­cording to all things as Joash his father did,’ II Kings 14:3.  He did for a while what David did, as to the matter, but imitated Joash as to the manner, whose goodness was calculated to please man rather than God, as appeared upon the death of his good uncle Jehoiada.  Him did Amaziah write after, and not after David in his uprightness.  Thus we see that Asa’s up­rightness commends him in the midst of many fail­ings, but hypocrisy condemns Amaziah doing that which was right.  Sincerity! it is the life of all our graces, and puts life into all our duties, and, as life makes beautiful and keeps the body sweet, so sincer­ity the soul and all it doth.  A prayer breathed from a sincere heart! it is heaven’s delight.  Take away sin­cerity, and God saith of prayer as Abraham of Sarah —whom living he loved dearly, and laid in his bosom—‘Bury the dead out of my sight;’ he hides his eyes, stops his nostril, as when some poisonous car­rion is before us.  ‘Bring no more vain oblations, in­cense is an abomination unto me;...the calling of assemblies I cannot away with;...your appointed feasts my soul hateth; they are a trouble to me, I am weary to bear them,’ Isa. 1:13,14.  What stinking thing is this that God cries so out upon? it is nothing but hypoc­risy.  Surely, friends, that must needs be very loath­some, which makes God speak so coarsely of his own ordinances, yea, make them a nehushtan—prayer no prayer, but a mere idol to be broken in pieces; faith no faith, but a fancy and a delusion; repentance no repentance, but a loud lie.  ‘They returned and en­quired early after God,’ Ps. 78:34; see how the Spirit of God glosseth upon this: ‘Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.  For their heart was not right with him,’ ver. 36,37.  It smoked God out of his own house, and made him out of love with that place whereof he had said, it should be his ‘resting-place for ever.’  It brought the wrath of God upon that unhappy people to the uttermost.  Mark how the commission runs which God gave the Assyrian, who was the bloody executioner of his wrath upon them.  ‘O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.  I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets,’ Isa. 10:5,6; see Jer. 7:10-13.  There needs not the coroner to be sent for, or a jury go upon this miserable people, to find out how they came to their dismal end; they were a ‘hypocritical nation.’  That was it they died of. God had rather see ‘the abomination of desolation’ standing in his temple making havoc of all, than the abomination of dissimulation mocking him to his face, while they worship him with their lips, and their lusts with their hearts.  Of the two it is more tolerable in God's account to see a Belshazzar, that never had a name of being his servant, to quaff and carouse it to his gods profanely in the bowels of the sanctuary, than for a people that would pass for his servants to pollute them in his own worship by their cursed hy­pocrisy.  If God be dishonoured, woe to that man of all that doth it under a show of honouring him.  God singles out the hypocrite as that sort of sinner whom he would deal with hand to hand, and set himself even in this life to bear witness against in a more extraordinary manner than others.  The thief, mur­derer, and other the like sinners, provision is made by God that the magistrate should meet with them, they come under his cognizance; but the hypocrite, he is one that sins more secretly, God alone is able to find him out, and he hath undertaken it, ‘For every one of the house of Israel....which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, cometh to a prophet to inquire of him concerning me,’ Eze. 14:7. [This forms] an excellent description of a hypocrite; he is one that denies God his heart—reserving it for his idols, his lusts—yet is as forward as any to inquire after God in his ordinances.  [He continues] ‘I the Lord will answer him by myself.’  And how will he answer him?  ‘And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the Lord,’ ver. 8; that is, my judgments shall be so remarkable on him, that he shall be a spectacle of my wrath for others to see and speak of. Thus God pays the hypocrite often in this life, as An­anias and Sapphira, who died by the hand of God with a lie sticking in their throats; and Judas, who purchased nothing by his hypocritical trade but a halter to hang himself withal.  His playing the hypo­crite with Christ ended in his playing the devil upon himself, when he became his own executioner.  But if the hypocrite at any time steals out of the world be­fore his vizard falls off, and the wrath of God falls on him, it will meet him sure enough in hell, and it will be poor comfort to him there to think how he hath cheated his neighbours in arriving at hell, whom they so confidently thought under sail for heaven.  The good opinion which he hath left of himself in those that are on earth will cool no flames for him in hell, where lodgings are taken up, and bespoken for the hypocrite, as the chief guest expected in that infernal court.  All other sinners seem but as younger brethren in damnation to the hypocrite, under whom, as the great heir, they receive every one their portion of wrath bequeathed to them by the justice of God. [In] Matt. 24:51, the evil servant is threatened by his master that he will ‘cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.’

           Question. But why should God be so angry with the hypocrite?  He seems a tame creature to other sinners, that like wild beasts rage and raven, not fearing to open their mouth like so many wolves against heaven, as if they would tear God out of his throne by their blasphemies and horrid impieties. The hypocrite is not thus woaded with impu­dency to sin at noon-day, and spread his tent with Absalom on the house-top.  If he be naughty, it is in a corner. His maiden-blush modesty will not suffer him to declare his sin, and be seen in the company of it abroad.  Nay, he denies himself of many sins which others maintain, and walks in the exercise of many duties which the atheistical spirits of the world deride and scorn.  Why then should the hypocrite, that lives like a saint to others, be more distasteful to him?

           Answer. Indeed, the hypocrite at first blush may be taken for a kind of saint by such as see only his outside, as he passeth by in his holiday dress, which he is beholden to for all the reputation he hath in the thoughts of others, and therefore is fitly by one called ‘the stranger's saint,’ but a devil to those that know him better.  He is like some cunning cripple, that is fain to borrow help from art to hide the defects of na­ture, such as false hair to cover his baldness, an arti­ficial eye to blind his blindness from others’ sight, and the like for other parts.  Here is much ado made to commend him for some beautiful person to others, but what a monster would he appear should one but see him through the key‑hole as he is in his bed-chamber, where all these are laid aside?  Truly such a one, and far more scareful, would the hypocrite be found, when out of his acting robes, which he makes use of only when he comes forth upon the stage to play the part of a saint before others.  It were enough to affright us only to see the hypocrite uncased; what then will it be to himself, when he shall be laid open before men and angels!  So odious this generation is to God, that it is not safe standing near them.  Moses, that knew Korah, Dathan, and Abiram better than the people—who, taken with their seeming zeal, flocked after them in throngs—commands them to depart from the tents of those wicked men, except they had a mind to be consumed with them.  Such horrid hy­pocrisy he expected vengeance would soon overtake. But that it may appear to be a sin ‘exceeding sinful,’ I shall give a few aggravations of it, in which so many reasons will be wrapped up why it is so odious to God.

Two effects inseparable from sincerity

           Now to give some account of why this grace of sincerity is so taking with and delightful to God, that it even captivates him in love to the soul where he finds it, there are two things which are the inseparable companions of sincerity, yea, effects flowing from it, that are very taking to draw love both from God and man.

           First.  Effect.  Sincerity makes the soul willing. When it is clogged with so many infirmities, as to disable it from the full performance of its duty, yet then the soul stands on tip-toe to be gone after it, as the hawk upon the hand, as soon as ever it sees her game, launcheth forth, and would be upon the wing after it, though possibly held by its sheath to the fist. Thus the sincere soul is inwardly pricked and pro­voked by a strong desire after its duty, though kept back by infirmities.  A perfect heart and a willing mind are joined together.  It is David’s counsel to his son Solomon, to ‘serve God with a perfect heart and a willing mind,’ I Chr. 28:9.  A false heart is a shifting heart—puts off its work so long as it dares.  And it is little thanks to set about work when the rod is taken down.  Yet hypocrites are like tops that go no longer than they are whipped, but the sincere soul is ready and forward, it doth not want will to do a duty when it wants skill and strength how to do it.  ‘The Levites’ are said to be ‘more upright in heart to sanctify them­selves, than the priests’ were, II Chr. 29:34.  How ap­peared that?  In this, that they were more forward and willing to the work.  No sooner did the word come out of the good king’s mouth, concerning a ref­ormation, ver. 10, than presently the Levites arose to ‘sanctify themselves.’  But some of the priests had not such a mind to the business, and therefore were not so soon ready, ver. 34, showing more policy than piety therein—as if they would stay, and see first how the times would prove before they would engage.  Ref­ormation work is but an icy path, which cowardly spirits love to have well beaten by others, before they dare come on it.  But sincerity is of better metal. Like the true traveller, that no weather shall keep from going his journey when set, the upright man looks not at the clouds, stands not thinking this or that to dis­courage him, but takes his warrant from the word of God, and having that, nothing but a countermand from the same God that sets him a work shall turn him back.  His heart is uniform to the will of God.  If God saith, ‘Seek my face,’ it rebounds and echos back again, ‘Thy face will I seek,’ yea, Lord; as if David had said with a good will, Thy word is press money enough to carry me from this duty to that whither thou pleasest.  May be when the sincere soul is about a duty, he doth it weakly; yet this very willingness of the heart is wonderful pleasing to God.  How doth it affect and take the father, when he bids his little child go and bring him such a thing, that may be as much as he can well lift, to see him not stand and shrug at the command as hard, but run to it, and put forth his whole strength about it; though at last may be he cannot do it, yet the willingness of the child pleaseth him, so that his weakness rather stirs up the father to pity and help him, than provokes him to chide him.  Christ throws this covering over his disciples’ infirm­ities—‘The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’  O! this obedience that, like the dropping honey, comes without squeezing, though but little of it, tastes but sweetly on God’s palate, and such is sincere obedience.

           Second Effect.  Sincerity makes the soul very open and free to God.  Though the sincere soul hath many infirmities, yet it desires to cloak and hide none of this from God, no, if it could, it would not, and this is that which delights God exceedingly.  To be sure he will cover what such a soul uncovers.  If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive, I John 1:9.  It was a high piece of ingenuity and clemency in Augustus, that having promised by proclamation a great sum of money to any that should bring him the head of a famous pirate, did yet, when the pirate, who had heard of this, brought it himself to him and laid it at his foot, not only pardon him for his former offences against him, but rewarded him for his great confidence in his mercy.  Truly thus doth God.  Though his wrath be revealed against all sin and un­righteousness, yet when the soul itself comes freely and humbles itself before him, he cannot stretch forth his arm to strike that soul which gives such glory to his mercy; and this the sincere heart doth.  Indeed, the hypocrite when he has sinned, hides it, as Achan his ‘wedge of gold.’  He sits brooding on his lust, as Rachel on her father's idols.  It is as hard getting a hen off her nest, as such a one to come off his lusts, and disclose them freely to God.  If God himself find him not out, he will not bewray himself.  I cannot set out the different disposition of the sincere and false heart in this matter better, than by the like in a mer­cenary servant and a child.

           When a servant—except it be one of a thousand —breaks a glass or spoils any of his master’s goods, all his care is to hide it from his master, and therefore he throws the pieces of it away into some dark hole or other, where he thinks they shall never be found, and now he is not troubled for the wrong he hath done his master, but glad he hath handled the matter so as not to be discovered.  Thus the hypocrite would count himself a happy man, could he but lay his sin out of God's sight.  It is not the treason he dislikes, but fears to be known that he is the traitor; and therefore, though it be as unfeasible to blind the eye of the Al­mighty, as with our hand to cover the face of the sun, that it should not shine, yet the hypocrite will attempt it.  We find a woe pronounced against such, ‘Woe unto them that dig deep to hide their counsel from the Lord,’ Isa. 29:15.  This is a sort of sinners whose care is not to make their peace when they have of­fended, but to hold their peace, and stand demurely before God, as Gehazi before his master, as if they had been nowhere but where they should be.  These are they whom God will put to shame to purpose. The Jews were far gone in this hypocrisy, when they justified themselves as a holy people, and put God so hard to it as to make him prove his charge, rather than confess what was too true and apparent.  This God upbraids them for, ‘How canst thou say, I am not polluted?  I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done,’ Jer. 2:23. Hast thou such a whorish forehead to justify thyself, and hypocritical heart to draw a fair cover over so foul practices? would you yet pass for saints, and be thought a people unpolluted?  Now mark, it is not long but this hypocritical people that thus hid their sin hath shame enough, ‘As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so,’ saith the prophet, ‘is the house of Is­rael ashamed,’ ver. 26; that is, as the thief, who at first is so insolent as to deny the fact he is accused of, yet when upon the search the stolen goods are found about him, and he brought to justice for it, then he is put to double shame, for his theft, and impudence al­so in justifying himself.  So it is with this people, and with all hypocrites; though while in peace and at ease they be brag and bold, yea, seem to scorn to be thought what they indeed are; yet there is a time coming—which is called ‘their month wherein they shall be found,’ ver. 2:24—when God’s hue and cry will overtake them, his terrors ransack their consciences, and bring forth what they so stiffly denied, making it appear to themselves, and others also, what juggling and deceit they have used to shift off their sin.  It is easy to think what shame will cover their faces and weigh down their heads while this is doing.  God loves to befool those who think they play their game so wisely; because, with Ahab, they fight against God in a disguise, and will not be known to be the men.

           But the sincere soul takes another course, and speeds better.  As a child when he hath committed a fault doth not stay till others go and tell his father what the matter is, nor till his father makes it appear by his frowning countenance that it is come to his ear; but freely, and of his own accord, goes presently to his father—being prompted by no other thing than the love he bears to his dear father, and the sorrow which his heart grows every moment he stays bigger and big­ger withal for his offence—and easeth his aching heart by a free and full confession of his fault at his father’s foot; and this with such plain‑heartedness—giving his offence the weight of every aggravating circumstance —that if the devil himself should come after him to glean up what he hath left, he should hardly find wherewithal to make it appear blacker;—Thus doth the sincere soul confess to God, adding to his sim­plicity in confession of his sin such a flow of sorrow, that God, seeing his dear child in such danger of being carried down too far towards despair—if good news from him come not speedily to stay him—can­not but tune his voice rather into a strain of com­forting him in his mourning than of chiding for his sin.