Hypocrisy ~ Various

[b]The Great Danger of Hypocrisy[/b]

Andrew Bromhall (c. 1608-1662)

[i]"First of all, beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy"[/i]
—Luke 12:1.

[b]Doctrine[/b]: hypocrisy is a dangerous leaven, which ministers and people are chiefly and especially to beware of and acquit themselves from. Hence, you have a chapter of woes against it (Mat 23). And it is represented as that which renders odious to the Lord and defiles His choicest ordinances and our best duties, if it cleave to them (Isa 1:11, 12; 66:3) and puts God to sad complaints and exprobrations of such a people: "O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud" (Hos 6:4)—all show, no truth, no showers. And [it] hath been the ruin of many forward and glorious professors as Balaam, Jehu, Saul, and many other persons of great parts and many great performances and, one would conceive, of great hopes too. But they and their works and their hopes are all perished: "The hypocrite’s hope shall perish" (Job 8:13).

[b]What hypocrisy is[/b]: much of the nature of a thing is many times discovered in its name; the name is a brief description. The word [i]hypocrite[/i] properly signifies "an actor or stage-player, a personator of other men in their speech, habit, and action." The Hebrew word signifieth both "a wicked man" and "a deceiver." And it is observed that those whom David, the devoutest man, called "wicked," Solomon, the wisest man, calls "fools," and Job, the most upright man, calls "hypocrites."

Hypocrisy then is but a feigning virtue and piety, [which] it seems to put on; and vice and impiety, [which] it conceals and seems to put off. It is indeed vice in a vizor: the face is vice, but virtue is the vizor. The form and nature of it is imitation: the ends are vainglory, to be seen of men, or some gain or carnal respects.

There is a [i]gross hypocrisy[/i] whereby men pretend to the good, [which] they know they have not. And there is a [i]formal close hypocrisy[/i], whereby men deceive others and themselves too—are hypocrites and do not know it. In this case, it is probable the Pharisee was signified by "the five foolish virgins" (Luk 18:11; Mat 25:2), [as well as] all formal Christians that are not regenerated by the Spirit nor put into Christ by faith. This is a subtle evil, a secret poison, a close contagion. And here it is infinite mercy and grace that we do not all split and perish. And if we can escape this, if we are indeed sincere, we are out of the greatest danger of all, "the leaven of hypocrisy."

[b]Wherein is this leaven of hypocrisy so dangerous, that ministers and people ought firstly, chiefly, to beware of it?[/b]

[b]1. There is [i]great danger of it:[/i][/b]

[i]For we have the ground of the matter in ourselves:[/i] hearts deceitful above all things and desperately wicked—who can know thy wickedness? "I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins" (Jer 17:9, 10). As if none beside the Lord knew the bottomless depths and deceits of the heart! In the heart are those lusts and affections that feed and foment all the hypocrisy in the world—pride, vainglory, concupiscence, carnal wisdom: were it not for these, there would not be an hypocrite living.

[i]The devil watcheth night and day to set fire to this tow:[/i] he is fitted to the purpose and filled with raging desire to comply with a filthy heart and to engender this spurious offspring of hypocrisy. He hath in readiness his wiles and his depths, his baits and his snares; and for a false heart [he] hath false ways, false doctrines, false faiths, false seasons, false ends and aims. When two such be agreed to such a purpose, "hardly will they be frustrated."

[i]And that we may not be secure, there are before our eyes and in our view dreadful examples:[/i] Balaam, a great prophet; Judas, an apostle famil-iar with Christ; Saul, Jehu, Herod, and Agrippa, famous kings; five virgins, conspicuous and most confident; Ananias and Sapphira, eminent converts; Alexander and Demas, confessors…It may grieve and make a tender heart tremble to think what they became and what is become of them! [May it] teach him that standeth to take heed lest he fall (and all of us to our dying day) to "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."

[b]2. And there is [i]great danger by it:[/i][/b]

[i]The loss of all that is done:[/i] Christ will say, as to that young man, "Yet lackest thou one thing," sincerity (Luk 18:22). Wouldest thou have heaven too? Why then didst thou all things for the praise of men? Thou hast thy reward and art overpaid. "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (Mat 7:23).

[i]Frustrating of hopes, great hopes, hopes of glory and heaven, and escap-ing eternal misery:[/i] all these hopes must "perish" to the "hypocrite" (Job 8:13), perish like a ship at the very mouth of the haven; perish while they are crying, "Lord, Lord"; perish into everlasting horror and eternal despair.

[i]Full detection and manifesting of them in the sight and face of all the world:[/i] "For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known" (Luk 12: 2). The vizor will be then taken off, which was feigned sanctity; and the face will appear, which was indeed double iniquity. And for going about to cozen God, the world, and his own soul, the miserable hypocrite will be left to eternal, intolerable confusion, to be detested and derided by God, angels, and saints; to be insulted by the devils and damned to all eternity.

[i]And in hell the hypocrite "shall be beaten with many stripes":[/i] for he "knew his Master’s will" and pretended he was doing of it, and yet "did it not" (Luk 12:47). Shall he that judged others to hell lie lower in hell and have more of hell than those condemned by him? Shall it be worse with a proud Pharisee than with a publican, nay, a damned publican? Is hell the portion of hypocrites? (Mat 24:51). Are they the freeholders and all others but tenants and inmates with them? Or else, if there be a worse place in hell, must it be theirs? It must be so; for the nearer heaven, the more of hell. And that will be the hell of hell to all eternity. Surely, then, hypocrisy is a dangerous thing. There is exceeding danger [i]of[/i] and danger [i]by[/i] this "leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."

[b]Use[/b]: I shall commend but one use to be made of this doctrine at this time, and it is the "beware" in the text: to stir and provoke you to put forth your utmost care, diligence, and circumspection, to "beware of this leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."

[b]Here I could show you how much you are concerned to beware of the Pharisees’ leaven in [i]doctrinals:[/i][/b] to beware of doctrines advancing anything in man or of man, doctrines that are derived from any other fountain than the pure Word of God: traditions, enthusiasms, impulses beside or against the Word; doctrines of will-worship, superstition, voluntary humility; doctrines ascribing too much to and laying too much stress on externals in worship not instituted by Christ; doctrines of rigid imposition of things indifferent; doctrines that have a tendency to blind obedience and implicit faith. Whoever reads the New Testament may soon discern [that] such were their doctrines, and this is the leaven of the Pharisees in doctrinals. And truly you had need to take care of this, for doctrines and principles have no small influence on conversation and practice.

From "How Is Hypocrisy Discoverable and Curable?" in Puritan Sermons 1659-1689 in Six Volumes, Being the Morning Exercises at Cripplegate, Vol. 1,
reprinted by Richard Owen Roberts, Publishers.

_______________________

[b]Andrew Bromhall (c. 1608-1662[/b]): English Puritan minister. His sermon "How Is Hypocrisy Discoverable and Curable?" is undated but preserved in Samuel Annesley’s edition of the Morning Exercises at Cripplegate. Apparently born at Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.

Brother Mike, what a strong word.

Is this a snare to us as a people, or community in general, not sermonindex only, but more generally so? Are we afraid to be [i]honest[/i] before each other? What is, or what do we percieve to be, at stake if we are? I believe it has been a snare to me.

Looking back, when I came to the Lord it was in open confession of all my guilt and shame and by His grace I was not afraid to have been so exposed. But what happens after this? Do we somewhere along the way trade our wordly forms of pride and hypocrisy for [i]spiritual[/i] ones?

[i] For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.[/i]

And what is right before this?

[b] Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.[/b]

Do we even feel comfortable admitting we have such?

Are we afraid to be [i]honest[/i] before each other? What is, or what do we percieve to be, at stake if we are?

Just honest period. But, yes Chris ... At stake? Falling down, embarrassment, shame ... risk, [i]misunderstanding[/i]... challenged on that line of [i]'being offended'?[/i], in the sense of the Lords [i]Does this offend you?[/i]

Foolishness. Paul's kind of foolishness ...

I think it is entirely worth it. Especially if we ever truly think we are going to win anyone to our Great Cause.

Great post brother.

This is a timely post brother, and I thankyou for it.
Indeed, it is of great concern in my own life because of the great strongholds the Lord has delivered me from. And I believe this wretched leaven was the great, deceiving sin that hurried me headlong into backsliding when I became a new convert. Taking my eyes off Christ and putting them on the things around me enabled hypocrisy to take its hold.
The Lord reminds me of this leaven... and I pray that He will continually remind me of my own wickedness that is within my heart lest I fall away for good. I need daily reminders of these things... oh it is good to be humble at all costs. Is not this leaven rooted in pride?
The only good things that have ever manifested out of my life were only due to the grace of God. Putting confidence in my own flesh has always been such a monsterous destroyer to me.
Pride is so ugly. May the Lord cleanse me of all such wicked leaven. Daily repentance is required of me... a forsaking of such wicked thoughts when they arise.
Do you think this leaven can be compared in some way to the fermentation inside the old wineskins Jesus Christ spoke of in Mt 9:14-17, Mark 2:18-22 and Luke 5:33-38?
Anyway, I've noticed the unbelieving world respects those of the Way that are honest concerning their sins and shortcomings. How can an honest, humble testimony be rebuked? If God is for this, then who can be against it and overcome it with evil? The meek shall....
The Lord Christ Jesus bless you and your family,
richie

Sadly, I've been in church when hypocrisy was mentioned, and it so angered people, that they argued about it for weeks and eventually left the church.

It is sad that rather than get right with God, people will leave a church, or go to another church which won't mention any biblical standards and feel comfortable doing so.

I know I haven't arrived, whatever that is, but it scares me that I can fall at any time, unless I check myself with God's word on a daily basis, and seek God to keep me.

Jude 24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling...

Thank you for the article.

God bless.

Anyway, I've noticed the unbelieving world respects those of the Way that are honest concerning their sins and shortcomings. How can an honest, humble testimony be rebuked?

Sadly, I've been in church when hypocrisy was mentioned, and it so angered people, that they argued about it for weeks and eventually left the church.

Interesting placing these side by side. What exposure and disclosure can do.

One proud man may hate another, and he that is covetous himself will be apt to censure another for being so…so may an hypocrite loath that in another, which yet he alloweth in himself.— [i]John Flavel[/i]

[b]The Hypocrite’s Character[/b]

[b]Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)[/b]

This age is full of shams. Pretence never stood in so eminent a position as it does at the present hour. There be few, I fear, who love the naked truth: we can scarce endure it in our houses; you would scarcely trade with a man who absolutely stated it. If you walked through the streets of London, you might imagine that all the shops were built of marble and that all the doors were made of mahogany and woods of the rarest kinds. And yet you soon discover that there is scarce a piece of any of these precious fabrics to be found anywhere, but that everything is grained and painted and varnished. I find no fault with this, except as it is an outward type of an inward evil that exists. As it is in our streets, so is it everywhere: graining, painting, and gilding, are at an enormous premium. Counterfeit has at length attained to such an eminence that it is with the utmost difficulty that you can detect it.

The counterfeit so near approacheth to the genuine, that the eye of wisdom itself needs to be enlightened before she can discern the difference. Especially is this the case in religious matters. There was once an age of intolerant bigotry, when every man was weighed in the balance; and if he was not precisely up to the orthodox standard of the day, the fire devoured him. But in this age of charity and of most proper charity, we are very apt to allow the counterfeit to pass current and to imagine that outward show is really as beneficial as inward reality. If ever there was a time when it was needful to say, "Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy," it is now.

The minister may cease to preach this doctrine in the days of persecution: when the faggots are blazing and when the rack is in full operation, few men will be hypocrites. These are the keen detectors of impostures; suffering, pain, and death for Christ’s sake are not to be endured by mere pretenders. But in this silken age, when to be religious is to be respectable; when to follow Christ is to be honored; and when godliness itself has become gain, it is doubly necessary that the minister should…lift up his voice like a trumpet against this sin, "the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."

The Christian, however, does not belong to that class. He will at times begin to be terribly alarmed, lest, after all, his godliness should be but seeming and his profession an empty vanity. He who is true will sometimes suspect himself of falsehood, while he who is false will wrap himself up in a constant confidence of his own sincerity. My dear Christian brethren, if you are at this time in doubt concerning yourselves, the truths to utter will perhaps help you in searching your own heart and trying your own reins; and sure I am you will not blame me if I should seem to be severe. But you will rather say, "Sir, I desire to make sure work concerning my own soul; tell me faithfully and tell me honestly what are the signs of a hypocrite, and I will sit down and try to read my own heart to discover whether these things have a bearing upon me. And happy shall I be if I shall come out of the fire like pure gold."

[b]The Hypocrite’s Character:[/b] We have an elaborate description of the hypocrite in the chapter we have just read, the twenty-third of Matthew, and I do not know that I can better portray him than by turning again to the words of Christ.

[i][b]A hypocrite may be known by the fact that his speech and his actions are contrary to one another.[/b][/i] As Jesus says, "They say and they do not." The hypocrite can speak like an angel; he can quote texts with the greatest rapidity. He can talk concerning all matters of religion, whether they be theological doctrines, metaphysical questions, or experimental difficul-ties. In his own esteem, he knoweth much and when he rises to speak, you will often feel abashed at your own ignorance in the presence of his superior knowledge.

But see him when he comes to actions. What behold you there? The fullest contradiction of everything that he has uttered. He tells to others that they must obey the Law. Doth he obey it? Ah! No. He declares that others must experience this, that, and the other; and he sets up a fine scale of experience, far above even that of the Christian himself. But does he touch it? No, not with so much as one of his fingers. He will tell others what they should do. But will he remember his own teaching? Not he! Follow him to his house, trace him to the market, see him in the shop; and if you want to refute his preaching, you may easily do it from his own life. My hearer! Is this thy case?

With a blush, each one of us must confess that to some extent, our life is contradictory to our profession. We blush and we mourn over this….Ah! Believe me, my hearers: talk is easy, but walk is hard. Speech any man may attain unto, but act is difficult. We must have grace within to make our life holy; but lip-piety needs no grace. The first mark of a hypocrite, then, is that he contradicts by his acts what he utters by his words. Do any of you do so? If so, stand convicted of hypocrisy, bow your heads, and confess the sin.

[i][b]The next mark of a hypocrite is that whenever he does right it is that he may be seen of men.[/b][/i] The hypocrite sounds a trumpet before his alms and chooses the corner of the streets for his prayers. To him virtue in the dark is almost a vice: he can never detect any beauty in virtue, unless she has a thousand eyes to look upon her, and then she is something indeed. The true Christian, like the nightingale, sings in the night; but the hypocrite has all his songs in the day, when he can be seen and heard of men. To be well-spoken of is the very elixir of his life. If he be praised, it is like sweet wine to him. The censure of man upon a virtue would make him change his opinion concerning it in a moment, for his standard is the opinion of his fellow creatures. His law is the law of self-seeking and of self-honoring: he is virtuous because to be virtuous is to be praised. But if tomorrow vice were at a premium, he would be as vicious as the rest. Applause is what too many are seeking after.

Now, is this our case? Let us deal honestly with ourselves. If we distribute to the poor, do we desire to do it in secret, when no tongue shall tell? Are our prayers offered in our closets, where God who heareth the cry of the secret ones, listeneth unto our supplication? Can we say, that if every man were struck stone blind and deaf and dumb, we would not alter our conduct the least? Can we declare that the opinion of our fellows is not our guiding law, but that we stand servants to our God and to our conscience, and are not to be made do a wrong thing from flattery, nor are we urged to do a right thing from fear of censure? Mark: the man who does not act rightly from a higher motive than that of being praised gives sore suspicion that he is a hypocrite. But he who will do a right thing against the opinion of every man, and simply because he believes it to be right, and sees the stamp of God’s approval upon it, need not be afraid that he is a hypocrite….Is it so with you? If so, be honest. And as you would convict another, convict yourself.

[i][b]Again, hypocrites love titles, honors, and respect from men.[/b][/i] The Pharisee was never so happy as when he was called Rabbi. He never felt himself so really great as when he was stuck up in the highest seat in the synagogue….But the true Christian cares not for titles. It is one of the marks of Christians that they have generally taken names of abuse to be their distinctive appellations. There was a time when the term methodist was abusive. What did those good men say who had it so applied to them? "You call us methodists by way of abuse, do you? It shall be our title." The name Puritan was the lowest of all; it was the symbol, which was always employed by the drunkard and swearer, to express a godly man. "Well," says the godly man, "I will be called a Puritan. If that is a name of reproach, I will take it." It has been so with the Christian all the world over. He has chosen for himself the name, which his enemy has given him in malice. Not so the hypocrite. He takes that which is the most honorable; he wishes always to be thought to belong to the most respectable sect, and to hold an office in that sect which will confer upon him the most honorable title.

Now, can you say from your inmost soul, that in religion you are not seeking for honors or titles, but that you can tread these beneath your feet and want no higher degree than that of a sinner saved by grace and no greater honor than to sit at the feet of Jesus and to learn of Him? Are you willing to be the despised followers of the carpenter’s Son…? If so, methinks, you have but little hypocrisy in you. But if you only follow Him because you are honored by men, farewell to the sincerity of your religion!

[i][b]There was another evidence of an hypocrite which was equally good, namely, that he strained at a gnat and swallowed a camel.[/b][/i] Hypocrites in these days do not find fault with us for eating with unwashen hands, but they still fix upon some ceremonial omission. Sabbatarianism has furnished hypocrisy with an extremely convenient refuge. Acts of necessity done by the Christian are the objects of the sanctimonious horror of Pharisees; and labors of mercy and smiles of joy are damning sins in the esteem of hypocrites, if done upon a Sunday. Though our Father worked hitherto and Christ worked, though works of kindness, mercy, and charity are the duty of the Sabbath; yet if the Christian be employed in these, he is thought to be offending against God’s holy Law. The slightest infringement of that which is a ceremonial observance becomes a great sin in the eye of the hypocrite. But he, poor man, who will find fault with you for some little thing in this respect, straining at a gnat, is the man you will find cheating, adulterating his goods, lying, puffing, and grinding the poor.

I have always noticed that those very particular souls who look out for little things, who are always searching out little points of difference, are just the men who omit the weightier matters of the Law….Always suspect yourself when you are more careful about little than about great things. If you find it hurts your conscience more to be absent from the communion than to cheat a widow, rest quite assured that you are wrong…

Rest ye assured, that the man who strains at a gnat, yet so allows the camel, is a deceiver. Mark you, my dear friends, I like you to strain at the gnats; I have no objection to that at all—only do not swallow the camel afterwards! Be as particular as you like about right and wrong. If you think a thing is a little wrong, it is wrong to you. "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom 14:23). If you cannot do it, believing yourself to be right in not doing it, though another man could do it and do right, yet to you it would not be right. Strain the gnats; they are not good things in your wines; strain them out! It is well to get rid of them, but then do not open your mouth and swallow a camel afterwards. For if you do that, you will give no evidence that you are a child of God, but prove that you are a damnable hypocrite.

[i][b]But read on in this chapter, and you will find that these people neglected all the inward part of religion and only observed the outward.[/b][/i] As our Savior said, they made clean "the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess" (23:25). There are many books, which are excellently bound; but there is nothing within them. And there are many persons that have a very spiritual exterior, but there is nothing whatever in the heart. Do you not know some of them? Perhaps if you know yourself, you may discover one. Do you not know some who are precisely religious, who would scarce omit attending to a single means of grace, who practice the ritual in all its forms and all its ceremonies, who would not turn aside as much as a hair’s breadth from any outward command? Before the world, they stand as eminently pious because they are minutely attentive to the externals of the sanctuary; yet they are careless of the inward matter. So long as they take the bread and wine, they are not careful about whether they have eaten the flesh and drunk the blood of Christ. So long as they have been baptized with water, they are not careful whether they have been buried with Christ in baptism unto death. So long as they have been up to the house of God, they are satisfied. It is nothing to them whether they have had communion with Christ or not. No, they are perfectly content, so long as they have the shell without looking for the kernel. The wheat may go where it pleases—the husk, the chaff, and the straw are quite sufficient and enough for them.

Some people I know of are like inns, which have an angel hanging outside for a sign, but they have a devil within for a landlord. There are many men of that kind. They take good care to have an excellent sign hanging out; they must be known by all men to be strictly religious. But within, which is the all-important matter, they are full of wickedness. But I have sometimes heard persons mistake this matter. They say, "Ah! Well, poor man, he is a sad drunkard, certainly; but he is a very good-hearted man at bottom." Now, as Rowland Hill used to say, that is a most astonishing thing for any man to say of another, that he was bad at top and good at bottom. When men take their fruit to market, they cannot make their customers believe, if they see rotten apples at the top, that there are good ones at the bottom. A man’s outward conduct is generally a little better than his heart. Very few men sell better goods than they put in the window.

Therefore, do not misunderstand me. When I say we must attend more to the inward than the outward, I would not have you leave the outward to itself. "Make clean the outside of the cup and platter"—make it as clean as you can, but take care also that the inward is made clean. Look to that first. Ask thyself such questions as these—"Have I been born again? Am I passed from darkness to light? Have I been brought out of the realms of Satan into the kingdom of God’s dear Son? Do I live by private communion near to the side of Jesus? Can I say that my heart panteth after the Lord, even as the hart does after the water-brooks?" For if I cannot say this, whatever my outward life may be, I am self-deceived and deceive others, and the woe of the hypocrite falls upon me. I have made clean the outside of the cup and platter, but the inward part is very wickedness. Does that come home to any of you? Is this personal preaching? Then God be blessed for it! May the truth be the death of your delusions.

[b][i]You may know a hypocrite by another sign: his religion depends upon the place or upon the time of day.[/i][/b] He rises at seven o’clock perhaps, and you will find him religious for a quarter of an hour. He is, as the boy said, "Saying his prayers to himself," in the first part of the morning. Well, then you find him pretty pious for another half-hour, for there is family prayer. But when the business begins, and he is talking to his men, I won’t guarantee that you will be able to admire him. If one of his servants has been doing something a little amiss, you will find him perhaps using angry and unworthy language. You will find him too, if he gets a customer whom he thinks to be rather green, not quite pious; for he will be taking him in. You will find too, that if he sees a good chance at any hour of the day, he will be very ready to do a dirty trick. He was a saint in the morning, for there was nothing to be lost by it. But he has a religion that is not too strict. "Business is business," he says, and he puts religion aside by stretching his conscience, which is made of very elastic material. Well, some time in the evening you will find him very pious again, unless he is out on a journey, where neither wife, nor family, nor church can see him; and you will find him at a theater. He would not go if there were a chance of the minister hearing of it, for then he would be excommunicated. But he does not mind going when the eye of the church or of any of his friends is not upon him. Fine clothes make fine gentlemen, and fine places make fine hypocrites. But the man who is true to his God and to his conscience is a Christian all day and all night long and a Christian everywhere. "Though you were to fill my house full of silver and gold," he says, "I would not do a dirty action. Though you should give me the stars and the countless wealth of empires, yet I would not do that which would dishonor God or disgrace my profession."

Put the true Christian where he might sin and be praised for it, and he will not do it. He does not hate sin for the sake of the company, but he hates it for its own sake. He says, "How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God?" You shall find him a [i]fallible[/i] man, but not a [i]false[/i] man. You shall find him full of infirmities, but not of intentional lust and of designed iniquity. As a Christian, you must follow Christ in the mire as well in the meads; you must walk with Him in the rain as well as in the sunshine; you must go with Him in the storm as well as in fair weather. He is no Christian, who cannot walk with Christ come rags, come poverty, come contumely or shame. He is the hypocrite who can walk with Christ in silver slippers and leave Him when it becomes necessary for him to go barefoot….Is this true then of any of us? Can we say we desire to be evermore the same? Or do we change with our company and with the times? If so, we are hypocrites confessed, and let us own it before God, and may God make us sincere.

There is another sign of the hypocrite; and now the lash will fall on my own back and on most of us too. [i][b]Hypocrites, and other people besides hypocrites, are generally severe with others and very lenient with themselves.[/b][/i] Have you ever heard a hypocrite describe himself? I describe him thus: "you are a mean, beggarly fellow." "No," says he, "I am not; I am economical." I say to him, "You are dishonest, you are a thief." "No," says he, "I am only cute and sharp for the times." "Well, but," I say to him, "you are proud and conceited." "Oh!" says he, "I have only a proper and manly respect." "Ay, but you are a fawning, cringing fellow." "No," says he, "I am all things to all men." Somehow or other he will make vice look like a virtue in himself, but he will deal by the reverse rule with others.

Show him a Christian who is really humble, and he says, "I hate his fawning ways." Tell him there is one who is very courageous for Christ: "Oh! He is impudent," says he. Show him one who is liberal, doing what he can for his Master’s service, spending and being spent for Him. "Rash and imprudent," says he, "extravagant! The man does not know what he is about." You may point out a virtue, and the hypocrite shall at once say it is a vice. Have you ever seen a hypocrite turn doctor? He has a fine beam in his eye, large enough to shut out the light of heaven from his soul. Nevertheless, he is a very skillful oculist. He waits upon some poor brother, whose eye is a little affected with a mote, so tiny that the full blaze of the sun can scarce reveal it. Look at our beam-eyed friend; he puts on a knowing look and cries, "Allow me to extract this mote for you!" "Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye" (Mat 7:5). There are people of that sort who make virtues in others into vices, and vices in themselves they transform into virtues. Now, if thou be a Christian, I will tell thee what will be thy spirit: it will be the very reverse. Thou wilt be always making excuses for others, but thou wilt never be making excuses for thyself. The true Christian, if he sees himself sin, mourns over it and makes much ado concerning it. He says to another, "Oh! I feel so sinful." And the other one cries, "I cannot really see it. I can see no sin in you; I could wish I were holy as you." "No," says the other, "but I am full of infirmity."

John Bunyan describes Mercy, Christiana, and the children after having been washed in the bath and sealed with the seal, as coming up out of the water and being all fair and lovely to look upon; and one began to say to the other, "You are fairer than I!" and, "You are more comely than I!" said another. And then each began to bemoan their own spots and to praise the beauty of the others. That is the spirit of a Christian. But the spirit of the hypocrite is the very reverse: he will judge and condemn and punish with lynch-law every other man. And as for himself, he is exempt, he is a king, he knows no law, and his conscience slumbers and allows him to go on easily in the very sins which he condemns in others.

Delivered on Sabbath morning, February 6, 1859,
at The Music Hall, Royal Surrey Gardens.

_______________________

Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892): Influential Baptist minister in England. The collected sermons of Spurgeon during his ministry fill 63 volumes. The sermons’ 20–25 million words are equivalent to the 27 volumes of the ninth edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica and stand as the largest set of books by a single author in the history of Christianity. Born at Kelvedon, Essex, England.

* ([i]Forgot to make a mention of this earlier... Again, with great appreciation to www.mountzion.org for these needed heart studies[/i])

Edit: I believe the very first word there may have been cut off and should read "[i]This[/i] age ...". Made the correction from [i]His[/i].

Quote:...and chooses the corner of the street for prayers.

I was once in a prayer meeting years ago, when someone was praying really loudly, banging on the puplit, and saying 'More Lord, more!'

It was a horrible sight. I still recoil at the memory of it, even though it was about 18 years ago.

Quote: Some people I know are like inns, they have an angel hanging outside for a sign, but they have a devil within for a landlord.

You can really feel guilty reading that one!

But seriously, if reading this makes us abhor hypocrisy, then let's reject it in it's most vehement form.

How many of us will come home from church, only to switch the t.v on, or the computer and start playing on mindless games?

Spurgeon mentioned theatre going, as though Christians then did not, or were not, supposed to go.

How does that differ from today when we will go and see a movie?

I don't know but, is God pleased with what we are watching, and at the judgment seat of Christ, would it be okay for everyone to see and know about the movies we watch?

Judgment begins at the house of God.

We always suppose that scripture refers to the church, and it does, but what about the indiviual Christian who houses God's Holy Spirit?

I could go on, but I won't.

God bless.

[i]Hypocrisy is a weed naturally springing in all ground. The best heart is not perfectly clear or free of it.[/i] —John Flavel

[b]Hypocrites and Christ

Thomas Brooks (1608-1680)

There is never an hypocrite in the world that makes God, or Christ, or holiness, or his doing or receiving good in his station, relation, or generation his grand end, his highest end, his ultimate end of living in the world.[/b] Pleasures, profits, and honors are the hypocrite’s all, [which] he aims at in this world. They are his trinity, which he adores and serves and sacrificeth himself unto (1Jo 2:16). An hypocrite’s ends are corrupt and selfish. God may possibly be at the higher end of his work, but [i]self[/i] is at the further end; for he that was never truly cast out of himself, can have no higher end than himself. An hypocrite is all for his own glory: he acts [i]for[/i] himself and [i]from[/i] himself. "So I may have the profit, the credit, the glory, the applause, come of God’s glory what will!" This is the language of an unsound heart.

[i]An hypocrite will seem to be very godly when he can make a gain of godliness.[/i] He will seem to be very holy when holiness is the way to outward greatness and happiness. But his religious wickedness will double-damn the hypocrite at last. Self-ends are the operative ingredients in all an hypocrite does….When hypocrites take up religion, it is only to serve their own turns, to bring about their own carnal ends. They serve not the Lord, but their own bellies (Rom 16:18; Phi 3:19)….An hypocrite always makes himself the end of all his service; but let such hypocrites know, that though their profession be never so glorious and their duties never so abundant, yet their ends being selfish and carnal, all their pretensions and performances are but beautiful abominations in the sight of God.

[i]An hypocrite has always a squint-eye, and squint-eyed aims and squint-eyed ends in all he does.[/i] Balaam spake very religiously, and he multiplied altars and sacrifices; but the thing he had in his eye was the wages of unrighteousness (Num 22:23; 2Pe 2:15). Jehu destroyed bloody Ahab’s house, he executed the vengeance of God upon that wicked family; he readily, resolutely, and effectually destroyed all the worshippers of Baal, but his ends were to secure the kingdom to him and his (2Ki 10). Ahab and the Ninevites fasted in sackcloth, but it was merely that they might not feel the heavy judgments that they feared would overtake them (1Ki 21; Jon 3). The Jews in Babylon fasted and mourned, and mourned and fasted seventy years, but it was more to get off their chains than their sins; it was more to be rid of their captivity than it was to be rid of their iniquity (Zec 7:5, 6)….It is the end that dignifies or debaseth the action, that rectifies it or adulterates it, that sets a crown of honor or a crown of shame upon the head of it. He that commonly, habitually, in all his duties and services, proposes to himself no higher ends than the praises of men or rewards of men, or the stopping the mouth of natural conscience, or only to avoid a smarting rod, or merely to secure himself from wrath to come, he is an hypocrite.

[i]But now mark: a sincere Christian, if he prays or hears, or gives or fasts, or repents or obeys, God’s glory is the main end of all.[/i] The glory of God is his highest end, his ultimate end (Psa 115:1; 1Th 2:6). A sincere Christian can be content to be trampled upon and vilified, so God’s name be glorified. The bent of such a heart is for God and His glory; nothing but sincerity can carry a soul so high as in all acts natural, civil, and religious to intend God’s glory (Rev 9:9-11). A sincere Christian ascribes the praise of all to God. He sets the crown on Christ’s head alone; he will set God upon the throne and make all things else His servants or His footstool (Rom 14:7, 8). All must bow the knee to God or be trodden in the dirt. He will love nothing, he will embrace nothing but what sets God higher or brings God nearer to his heart….He lives not to his own will, or lusts, or greatness, or glory in this world, but he lives to His glory, Whose glory is dearer to him than his own life (1Co 10:28; Rev 12:11)….The daily language of sincere souls is this: "Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, Lord, but to thy name give glory" (Psa 115:1).

Glory is God’s right, and He stands upon His right; and this the sincere Christian knows, and therefore he gives Him His right, he gives Him the honor and the glory that is due unto His name. But pray do not mistake me: I do not say that such as are really sincere do actually eye the glory of Christ in all their actions. Oh no! This is a happiness desirable on earth, but shall never be attained till we come to heaven. Bye and base ends and aims will be still ready to creep into the best hearts; but all sincere hearts sigh and groan under them. They complain to God of them…and it is the earnest desires and daily endeavors of their souls to be rid of them….But now take a sincere Christian in his ordinary, usual, and habitual course, and you shall find that his aims and ends in all his actions and undertakings are to glorify God, to exalt God, and to lift up God in the world….He that sets up the glory of God as his chief end will find that his chief end will by degrees eat out all low and base ends.

[b]No hypocrite can live wholly and only upon the righteousness of Christ, the satisfaction of Christ, the merits of Christ for justification and salvation.[/b] The hypocritical scribes and Pharisees prayed, fasted, and kept the Sabbath and gave alms; and in this legal righteousness they rested and trusted (Mat 6; Luk 18:11, 12). Ponder upon that in Revelation 3:16-18. Upon the performance of these and such like duties, they laid the weight of their souls and the stress of their salvation and so perished forever.

[i]An hypocrite rests upon what he doth and never looks so high as the righteousness of Christ.[/i] He looks upon his duties as so much good moneys laid out for heaven. He weaves a web of righteousness to clothe himself withal. He never looks out for a more glorious righteousness to be justified by than his own, and so puts a slight upon the righteousness of Christ. "For they, being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God" (Rom 10:3). The first step to salvation is to renounce our own righteousness. The next step is to embrace the righteousness of Christ, which is freely offered to sinners in the Gospel. But these things the hypocrite minds not, regards not. The righteousness of an hypocrite is not only imperfect, but impure—a rag, a filthy rag; and therefore he that rests upon such a righteousness must needs miscarry to all eternity (Isa 64:6). O sirs! Who will say that that man needs a savior, [who] can fly to heaven upon the wings of his own duties and services? If a man’s duties can pacify an infinite wrath and satisfy an infinite justice, then farewell Christ, and welcome duties.

He that rests upon anything in him or done by him, as a means to procure the favor of God or the salvation of his soul will put such a cheat upon himself as will undo him for ever. Non-submission to the righteousness of Christ keeps Christ and the hypocrite asunder. Christ will never love nor like to put the fine, clean, white linen of His own righteousness upon the old garment, the old rags of an hypocrite’s duties (Rev 19:7, 8)….An hypocrite’s confidence in his own righteous-ness turns his righteousness into filthiness (Pro 21:27).

[b]But now a sincere Christian, he renounces his own righteousness.[/b] He renounces all confidence in the flesh (Phi 3:3); he looks upon his own righteousness as dung, yea, as dogs’ meat, as some interpret the word in Philippians 3:8. He will say no more to his duties, to the works of his hands, "Ye are our gods" (Hos 14:3). When they look upon the holiness of God’s nature, the righteousness of His government, the severity of His Law, the terror of His wrath, they see an absolute and indispensable necessity of a more glorious righteousness than their own to appear before God in. A sincere Christian sets the highest price and value upon the righteousness of Christ: "I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only" (Psa 71:16).

[i]A sincere Christian rejoices in the righteousness of Christ above all:[/i] "I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels" (Isa 61:10)….Oh then, what matter of joy must it be to a sincere Christian to have the rich and royal garment of Christ’s righteousness cast upon him! (Isa 28:16). A sincere Christian rests on the righteousness of Christ as on a sure foundation: "Surely shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength" (Isa 45:24).

[i]A sincere Christian looks upon the righteousness of Christ as that which renders him most splendid and glorious in the eyes of God:[/i] "And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith" (Phi 3:9)….A sincere Christian looks upon the righteousness of Christ as his only security against wrath to come (1Th 1:10). Wrath to come is the greatest wrath, wrath to come is the purest wrath, wrath to come is infinite wrath, wrath to come is everlasting wrath. Now the sincere Christian, he knows no way under heaven to secure himself from wrath to come, but by putting on the robe of Christ’s righteousness (Rom 13:14)….Well, for a close, remember this: there is never an hypocrite in the world that is more pleased, satisfied, delighted and contented with the righteousness of Christ, than with his own. Though an hypocrite may be much in duties, yet he never lives above his duties; he works for life, and he rests in his work, and this proves his mortal wound. But,

[b]An hypocrite never embraces a whole Christ[/b]. He can never take up his full and everlasting rest, satisfaction, and content in the person of Christ, in the merits of Christ, in the enjoyment of Christ alone. No hypocrite did ever long and mourn after the enjoyment of Christ as the best thing in all the world. No hypocrite did ever prize Christ for a Sanctifier as well as a Savior. No hypocrite did ever look upon Christ or long for Christ to deliver him from the power of his sins, as much or as well as to deliver him from wrath to come. No hypocrite can really love the person of Christ or take satisfaction in the person of Christ. The rays and beams of Christ’s glory have never warmed his heart. He never knew what bosom communion with Christ meant (1Th 1:10). An hypocrite may love to be healed by Christ, and to be pardoned by Christ, and to be saved by Christ; but he can never take any complacency in the Person of Christ. His heart never seriously works after union with Christ. The love of a sincere Christian runs much out to the Person of Christ. Heaven itself without Christ would be to such a soul but a poor thing, a low thing, a little thing, an uncomfortable thing, an empty thing. It is the Person of Christ that is the sparkling diamond in the ring of glory (Phi 1:21; 3:7-10).

[b]No hypocrite in the world is sincerely willing to receive Christ in all His office and to close with Him upon Gospel terms[/b]. The terms upon which God offers Christ in the Gospel are these, viz., that we shall accept of a whole Christ with a whole heart (Mat 16:24).

[i]Now, mark, a whole Christ includes all His offices; and a whole heart includes all our faculties.[/i] Christ as Mediator is King, Priest, and Prophet; and so God the Father in the Gospel offers Him. Salvation was too great and too glorious a work to be perfected and completed by any one office of Christ. Christ as a prophet instructs us, as a priest He redeems us and intercedes for us, and as a king, He sanctifies and saves us. The apostle hit it when he said, "Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption" (1Co 1:30). Consider Christ as our Prophet, and so He is made wisdom to us. Consider Him as our Priest, and so He is made righteousness and redemption to us. Consider Him as our King, and so He is made sanctification and holiness to us.

[i]An hypocrite may be willing to embrace Christ as a priest to save him from wrath, from the curse, from hell, from everlasting burning, but he is never sincerely willing to embrace Christ as a prophet to teach and instruct him, and as a king to rule and reign over him.[/i] Many hypocrites may be willing to receive a Christ Jesus, [who] are not willing to receive a Lord Jesus. They may be willing to embrace a saving Christ, but they are not willing to embrace a ruling Christ, a commanding Christ: "This man shall not rule over us" (Luk 19:27)…."He came unto his own, and his own received him not" (Joh 1:11). An hypocrite is willing to receive Christ in one office, but not in every office; and this is that stumbling-stone at which hypocrites stumble and fall and are broken in pieces. Certainly Christ is as lovely and as comely, as desirable and delightful, as eminent and excellent in one office as He is in another; and therefore it is a just and righteous thing with God that hypocrites that won’t receive Him in every office should have no benefit by any one of His offices. Christ and His offices may be distinguished, but Christ and His offices can never be divided (1Co 1:13). Whilst many have been a-laboring to divide one office of Christ from another, they have wholly stripped themselves of any advantage or benefit by Christ.

Hypocrites love to share with Christ in His happiness, but they don’t love to share with Christ in His holiness. They are willing to be redeemed by Christ, but they are not cordially willing to submit to the laws and government of Christ. They are willing to be saved by His blood, but they are not willing to submit to His scepter. Hypocrites love the privileges of the Gospel, but they don’t love the services of the Gospel, especially those that are most inward and spiritual. But now a sincere Christian, he owns Christ in all His offices, he receives Christ in all His offices, and he closes with Christ in all His offices. He accepts of Him, not only as a Christ Jesus, but also as a Lord Jesus; he embraces Him, not only as a saving Christ, but also as a ruling Christ. The Colossians received Him as Christ Jesus the Lord (Col 2:6); they received a [i]Lord[/i] Christ as well as a [i]saving[/i] Christ; they received Christ as a king upon His throne, as well as a sacrifice upon His cross (2Co 4:5). God the Father in the Gospel tenders a whole Christ. We preach Christ Jesus the Lord; and accordingly, a sincere Christian receives a whole Christ, he receives Christ Jesus the Lord (Act 5:31)….An hypocrite is all for a saving Christ, for a sin-pardoning Christ, for a soul-glorifying Christ, but regards not a ruling Christ, a reigning Christ, a commanding Christ, a sanctifying Christ; and this at last will prove his damning sin (Joh 3:19, 20).

From "A Cabinet of Jewels" in The Works of Thomas Brooks, Vol. 3, reprinted by
The Banner of Truth Trust. Available from Chapel Library as a
large booklet in the Christian Classic Series.

_______________________

Thomas Brooks (1608-1680): Nonconformist preacher and advocate of the Congregational way. Born into a Puritan family, he was sent to Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Author of Precious Remedies against Satan’s Devices, The Mute Christian under the Smarting Rod, and many others. He was buried in Bunhill Fields, London, England.

Hi everyone.

Brother Mike..

"...in the sense of the Lords Does this offend you?"

Great point here brother, not to exlude the others prior. Do we not have that sense of

[i]What will others think?[/i]"

And he said unto them, [b][color=660033]Ye are they which justify yourselves before men[/color][/b]...

Are we more willing to hide our shame before men, and appear just, rather than to justify God and be shamed before men?

I have been. It seems to me that we desperately need God's grace in our hearts to love the approval of God than the opinions of others about us.

"What will others think?" Why do we ask that? Becuase of self, the glory of self, the protection of self through pride?

Are we willing to save, cling to, and hold on to our most detestable and degrading affections and corruptions of heart by keeping them from exposure by all sorts of lies and pretense? Is this rejecting their remedy? Is this hating that which is good and loving that which is evil?

The promise of God in the scripture is [i]beauty for ashes[/i]. Would we rather live amidst the charred remnants and burned out remains of our worldy pollutions than be a vessel fit to display the beautifull flowers of holiness, such as: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance?

[b][color=000000]He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.[/color][/b]

[b][color=000000]And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.[/color][/b]

Brothers and sisters, I have been guilty of this and still am and I know full well that there are yet places in my heart which still hold these evil affections.

[b][color=000000] Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.[/color][/b]

Members,

I sicken myself. These are my lifestories, these articles about hypocrisy. I am sorry for pretending to be holy to you all. I am always ruining my witness with my actions. My words are great, I can quote sripture. I just haven't learned how to obey.

It is embarrassing to write this, but if I can't be honest with you people? It's not like God doesn't know I am a hypocrite. Why haven't I developed the fear of the Lord?

Murray

Brother,

I just haven't learned how to obey.

In a sense you just did.

Your honesty is also my confession, could have written these words in a similar fashion ... Have not pretended to be holy in all honesty ... How much is Holiness derived from honesty? Gods Holiness against ours being something altogether different yet that which we attain after ... Words are dificult and halting here.

Not a few days ago was praying the Lord would turn His face from me.

I am always ruining my witness with my actions.

[b]Hypocrites Deficient in Prayer

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)[/b]

[i]"Will he always call upon God?"[/i] —Job 27:10.

Concerning these words, I would observe, who it is that is here spoken of, viz., the hypocrite….Job’s three friends, in their speeches to him, insisted much upon it, that he was a hypocrite. But Job, in this chapter, asserts his sincerity and integrity and shows how different his own behavior had been from that of hypocrites. Particularly he declares his steadfast and immovable resolution of persevering and holding out in the ways of religion and righteousness to the end; as you may see in the six first verses. In the text, he shows how contrary to this steadfastness and perseverance the character of the hypocrite is, who is not wont thus to hold out in religion.

[b]Doctrine: However hypocrites may continue for a season in the duty of prayer, yet it is their manner, after a while, in a great measure, to leave off[/b]….They do so for a while after they have received common illuminations and affections. While they are under awakenings, they may through fear of hell call upon God and attend very constantly upon the duty of secret prayer. And after they have had some melting affections, having their hearts much moved with the goodness of God or with some affecting encouragements, false joy, and comfort; while these impressions last they continue to call upon God in the duty of secret prayer.

[i]It is the manner of hypocrites, after a while, in a great measure, to leave off the practice of this duty.[/i] We are often taught that the seeming goodness and piety of hypocrites is not of a lasting and persevering nature. It is so with respect to their practice of the duty of prayer in particular, and especially of secret prayer. They can omit this duty and their omission of it not be taken notice of by others, who know what profession they have made, so that a regard to their own reputation doth not oblige them still to practice it. If others saw how they neglect it, it would exceedingly shock their charity towards them. But their neglect doth not fall under their observation; at least not under the observation of many. Therefore, they may omit this duty and still have the credit of being converted persons.

Men of this character can come to a neglect of secret prayer by degrees without shocking their peace. For though indeed for a converted person to live, in a great measure, without secret prayer is very wide of the notion they once had of a true convert; yet they find means by degrees to alter their notions and to bring their principles to suit with their inclinations. And at length they come to a notion that a man may be a convert and yet live very much in neglect of this duty. In time, they can bring all things to suit well together: a hope of heaven, an indulgence of sloth, gratifying carnal appetites, and living, in a great measure, a prayerless life. They cannot indeed suddenly make these things agree; it must be a work of time. And length of time will effect it. By degrees, they find out ways to guard and defend their consciences against those powerful enemies, so that those enemies and a quiet, secure conscience can at length dwell together.

Whereas it is asserted in the doctrine that it is the manner of hypocrites, after a while, in a great measure, to leave off this duty, I would observe to you that it is not intended but that they may commonly continue to the end of life in an external attendance on prayer with others. They may commonly be present at public prayers in the congregation and also at family prayer…they may continue to attend upon prayer as long as they live, and yet may truly be said not to call upon God. For such prayer, in the manner of it, is not their own. They are present only for the sake of their credit or in compliance with others. They may be present at these prayers, and yet have no proper prayer of their own.

But they in a great measure leave off the practice of secret prayer. They come to this pass by degrees. At first, they begin to be careless about it under some particular temptations. Because they have been out in young company or have been taken up very much with worldly business, they omit it once. After that, they more easily omit it again. Thus, it presently becomes a frequent thing with them to omit it; and after a while, it comes to that pass, that they seldom attend it. Perhaps they attend it on Sabbath-days and sometimes on other days. But they have ceased to make it a constant practice daily to retire to worship God alone and to seek His face in secret places. They sometimes do a little to quiet conscience and just to keep alive their old hope because it would be shocking to them, even after all their subtle dealing with their consciences, to call themselves converts and yet totally to live without prayer. Yet…they have, in a great measure, left off.

I come now to the reasons why this is the manner of hypocrites:

[b]1. Hypocrites never had the spirit of prayer.[/b] They may have been stirred up to the external performance of this duty, and that with a great deal of earnestness and affection, and yet always have been destitute of the true spirit of prayer. The spirit of prayer is a holy spirit, a gracious spirit. We read of the spirit of grace and supplication: "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications" (Zec 12:10). Wherever there is a true spirit of supplication, there is the spirit of grace. The true spirit of prayer is no other than God’s own Spirit dwelling in the hearts of the saints. And as this Spirit comes from God, so doth it naturally tend to God in holy breathings and pantings. It naturally leads to God to converse with Him by prayer. Therefore, the Spirit is said to make intercession for the saints "with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Rom 8:26)….The truly godly have the spirit of adoption, the spirit of a child, to which it is natural to go to God and call upon Him, crying to Him as to a father.

[i]But hypocrites have nothing of this spirit of adoption:[/i] they have not the spirit of children, for this is a gracious and holy spirit, given only in a real work of regeneration. Therefore, it is often mentioned as a part of the distinguishing character of the godly, that they call upon God. "The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them" (Psa 145:18, 19). "And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Act 2:21).

It is natural to one who is truly born from above to pray to God and to pour out his soul in holy supplications before his heavenly Father. This is as natural to the new nature and life as breathing is to the nature and life of the body. But hypocrites have not this new nature. Those illuminations and affections, which they had, went away and left no change of nature. Therefore, prayer naturally dies away in them, having no foundation laid in the nature of the soul. It is maintained awhile only by a certain force put upon nature. But force is not constant; and as that declines, nature will take place again.

The spirit of a true convert is a spirit of true love to God, and that naturally inclines the soul to those duties wherein it is conversant with God and makes it to delight in approaching Him. But a hypocrite hath no such spirit. He is left under the reigning power of enmity against God, which naturally inclines him to shun His presence.

The spirit of a true convert is a spirit of faith and reliance on the power, wisdom, and mercy of God; and such a spirit is naturally expressed in prayer. True prayer is nothing else but faith expressed. Hence we read of the prayer of faith (Jam 5:15). True Christian prayer is the faith and reliance of the soul breathed forth in words. But a hypocrite is without the spirit of faith. He hath no true reliance or dependence on God, but is really self-dependent.

As to those common convictions and affections, which the hypocrite had, and which made him keep up the duty of prayer for a while—they not reaching the bottom of the heart nor being accompanied with any change of nature—a little thing extinguishes them. The cares of the world commonly choke and suffocate them; and often the pleasures and vanities of youth totally put an end to them; and with them ends their constant practice of the duty of prayer.

[b]2. When a hypocrite hath had his false conversion, his wants are in his sense of things already supplied; his desires are already answered; and so he finds no further business at the throne of grace.[/b] He never was sensible that he had any other needs, but a need of being safe from hell. And now that he is converted, as he thinks, that need is supplied. Why then should he still go on to resort to the throne of grace with earnest requests? He is out of danger; all that he was afraid of is removed. He hath got enough to carry him to heaven, and what more should he desire? While under awakenings, he had this to stir him up to go to God in prayer: he was in continual fear of hell. This put him upon crying to God for mercy. But since in his own opinion he is converted, he hath no further business about which to go to God. And although he may keep up the duty of prayer in the outward form a little while, for fear of spoiling his hope, yet he will find it a dull business to continue it without necessity, and so by degrees he will let drop the practice. The work of the hypocrite is done when he is converted, and therefore he standeth in no further need of help.

[i]But it is far otherwise with the true convert[/i]. His work is not done; but he finds still a great work to do and great wants to be supplied. He sees himself still to be a poor, empty, helpless creature, and that he still stands in great and continual need of God’s help. He is sensible that without God he can do nothing. A false conversion makes a man in his own eyes self-sufficient. He saith he is rich, and increased with goods, and hath need of nothing; and knoweth not that he is wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked (Rev 3:17). But after a true conversion, the soul remains sensible of its own impotence and emptiness, as it is in itself, and its sense of it is rather increased than diminished. It is still sensible of its universal dependence on God for everything. A true convert is sensible that his grace is very imperfect; and he is very far from having all that he desires. Instead of that, by conversion are begotten in him new desires which he never had before. He now finds in him holy appetites, a hungering and thirsting after righteousness, a longing after more acquaintance and communion with God. So that he hath business enough still at the throne of grace; yea, his business there, instead of being diminished, is rather increased.

The hope, which the hypocrite hath of his good estate, takes off the force that the command of God before had upon his conscience, so that now he dares neglect so plain a duty. The command which requires the practice of the duty of prayer is exceeding plain: "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation" (Mat 26:41). "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with [i]all perseverance[/i], and supplication for all saints" (Eph 6:18). "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret" (Mat 6:6). As long as the hypocrite was in his own apprehension in continual danger of hell, he durst not disobey these commands. But since he is, as he thinks, safe from hell, he is grown bold. He dares to live in the neglect of the plainest command in the Bible.

It is the manner of hypocrites, after a while, to return to sinful practices, which will tend to keep them from praying. While they were under convictions, they reformed their lives and walked very exactly. This reformation continues, after their supposed conversion, while they are much affected with hope and false comfort. But as these things die away, their old lusts revive; and by degrees, they return like the dog to his vomit and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire. They return to their sensual, worldly, proud, and contentious practices, as before. And no wonder this makes them forsake their closets. Sinning and praying agree not well together.

[b]I would exhort those who have entertained a hope of their being true converts—and who since their supposed conversion have left off the duty of secret prayer and ordinarily allow themselves in the omission of it—to throw away their hope.[/b] If you have left off calling upon God, it is time for you to leave off hoping and flattering yourselves with an imagination that you are the children of God. Probably it will be a very difficult thing for you to do this. It is hard for a man to let go a hope of heaven on which he hath once allowed himself to lay hold, and which he hath retained for a considerable time. True conversion is a rare thing. But that men should be brought off from a false hope of conversion—after they are once settled and established in it and have continued in it for some time—is much more rare.

Insist not on that as a reason why you should not throw away your hope, that you had the judgment of others…It is a small matter to be judged of man’s judgment, whether you be approved or condemned, and whether it be by minister or people, wise or unwise…if you be one of those who have forsaken God and left off calling upon His name, you have the judgment and sentence of God in the Scriptures against you, which is a thousand times more than to have the judgment of all the wise and godly men and ministers in the world in your favor.

Why will you retain that hope which by evident experience you find poisons you? Is it reasonable to think, that a holy hope, a hope that is from heaven, would have such an influence? No, surely, nothing of such a malignant influence comes from that world of purity and glory. No poison groweth in the paradise of God. The same hope, which leads men to sin in this world, will lead to hell hereafter. Why therefore will you retain such a hope, of which your own experience shows you the ill tendency, in that it encourages you to lead a wicked life?

If your own experience of the nature and tendency of your hope will not convince you of the falseness of it, what will? Are you resolved to retain your hope, let it prove ever so unsound and hurtful? Will you hold it fast until you go to hell with it? Many men cling to a false hope and embrace it so closely that they never let it go till the flames of hell cause their arms to unclench and let go their hold.

Certainly, it is foolish for men to imagine, that God had no more wisdom, or could contrive no other way of bestowing comfort and hope of eternal life, than one which should encourage men to forsake Him.

[i]From "Hypocrites Deficient in the Duty of Prayer" in The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 2, reprinted by The Banner of Truth Trust.[/i]

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Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758): Massachusetts Congregational preacher. Regarded as America’s greatest evangelical theologian and well-known for his preaching in the Great Awakening along with George Whitefield. Author of Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, and numerous other titles. Born in East Windsor, Connecticut, America.

[b]How Far May Hypocrites Go?

David Clarkson (1622-1686)[/b]

[i]"Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity"[/i] —Matthew 7:22, 23.

[b]Observation: Many think themselves sure of heaven, when it is sure they shall never come there.[/b] Many are persuaded they shall enter into heaven, whom Christ is resolved to shut out of it. This is clearly implied in the text. Yet because it is but implied, I shall not much insist on it…Only it will be necessary to take notice of the grounds of this woeful mistake, [so] that they may be avoided. And they are such as these:

[b][i]Ignorance and inadvertency:[/i][/b] there are many who know not or at least consider not what is necessary to bring a soul to heaven, where the way lies, and what Christ requires of those that would enter into it.

They consider not that there must be [i]regeneration[/i], that "except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (Joh 3:3); that there must be a new creation; that the new Jerusalem is only for new creatures. There must be an universal change in every part of the soul, in the whole course of their lives; old things must pass away and all things become new—new heart and new way. There must be a [i]holiness[/i] in the life, growth, power, and exercise of it, "without which no man shall see the Lord" (Heb 12:14). There must be [i]self-denial:[/i] a denying of their own wisdom, will, humor, interests. A [i]renouncing of the world:[/i]they must be crucified to the world. They understand scarce what it is to be crucified. [i]Mortification:[/i] they must mortify the flesh with the affections and lusts [and] die daily. [i]A taking up the cross:[/i] that if any man will come after Christ, it may cost him tears, sighs, bonds, imprisonment, his estate, his relations, his limbs, his blood, his life, and all…that it requires all diligence (2Pe 1:5); that he must strive and break through all difficulty, what sweat and toil soever it cost to crowd in (Luk 13:24); that he must wrestle, employ all his strength (Eph 6:12); that he must run, put out all his might, [and] so run as he may obtain; that he must fight, be in a continual war, fight the good fight; that he must beat his body (1Co 9:27); that he must take heaven by force, if he will have it. If they did know and consider this, they would not be confident of heaven, when they are strangers to these things which are required of all those for whom heaven is intended.

[b][i]Negligence, slothfulness:[/i][/b] if they know these things, yet [they] will not take the pains to examine their state by them. They will not be at the trouble to compare their hearts with the rule. They will not spare a few hours seriously to inquire whether they come up to what the Word requires. Alas, for the wretched carelessness of men as to their own souls and their everlasting state! One that seriously observes would think that the greatest part of people amongst us are either atheists or madmen: either they believe not that there is a God or that the Scriptures are His Word; or that their souls are immortal; or that there is a state of everlasting misery or happiness for every one after death; or that there are evidences in the Word by which they may know whether they shall be eternally damned or saved. Either they believe not these things, and so are plain atheists; or if they believe there is such a God and such a soul and such an eternal state and such a Word, wherein they may have directions to know whether their souls are bound for heaven or hell, would they not make use of these directions? Would they not spare some hours to examine seriously whether heaven or hell be their portion? Would they not do this presently? Would they not do it seriously, as a matter of eternal life or death requires, if they were not madmen indeed, if they were not quite bereaved of all spiritual sense and reason?

No. Rather than thus trouble themselves, they will take it upon trust that they shall go to heaven, when, alas, they have no ground for a trust but what Satan suggests or their own deceitful hearts prompt them. And thus, they hang the whole weight of eternity upon a cobweb. Thus, they pin the everlasting concernments of their souls upon a shadow, as though it would hang there safe enough, where it can have no hold at all. Would any do this but a madman? What! Trust without trial in a matter of eternal consequence to body and soul? "What need I put myself to this trouble? I will trust God with my soul," say some. "What need I take any care further?" But alas, wretched creature! This is not to trust God, but to trust Satan with the soul! And, oh, what a woeful account will he give thee of it one day! Now, when men are so careless of their souls, when they will not trouble themselves to inquire after their eternal state, no wonder if they be so woefully mistaken as to promise themselves heaven, when nothing but hell is reserved for them.

[i][b]Self-love:[/b][/i] this possesses men with a good conceit of themselves, a good opinion of their souls’ condition, so that if they come to examine their state or be called to try it in the public ministry, they come to the work prepossessed. Self-love will not suffer them to deal impartially with their souls. They catch greedily at anything that seems to make for them and are careful to stave off everything that would make against them. Or if they cannot yet put such a favorable construction on it as partial men will do when they are resolved to defend a bad cause, they look upon that word as an enemy that would shake the rotten pillars of a false hope. They deal with it as the prophet did with the king’s messenger: [they] make sure to shut him out.

As self-love makes them flatter themselves, so they would have the Word of God to flatter them. They love not plain, searching, awakening truths. They will have a good opinion of themselves, whatever be said to the contrary. They say as Laodicea that they are "rich and increased," though Christ in the ministry says the contrary: they are "poor, wretched" (Rev 3:17). Though this be plainly manifested, yet self-love makes them both unable and unwilling to discern it. A blind man cannot judge of colors, and self-love blinds them. They cannot judge of the complexions of soul, whether the features, the characters of heaven or hell be on it. [They] care not for looking in a true glass lest the visage of their soul, if truly represented, should trouble them. Satan blinds one eye, self-love closes the other, and the deceitfulness of sin seals both. No wonder if they call darkness light! No wonder if they fancy themselves in the way to heaven, when they are in the high road to hell. [When] the blind leads the blind, you know what will be the issue; no wonder if when they think they shall be safe ashore in heaven and their feet near the very banks of happiness, at that very moment they are falling into the ditch.

[i][b]Misapprehensions of God:[/b][/i] if light and conviction proceed so far as to discover to a sinner that he comes short of the rule and that [which] the Word calls for as necessary to salvation is not to be found in him; if he cannot misapprehend his own state any longer, rather than quit his vain deceiving hopes, he will misapprehend God and think Him more merciful than the Word represents Him. "It is true," says the sinner, "in this case, the rule is strict and the way to heaven seems to be strait, and much is required of a sinner that he may be saved, and I am to seek in this or that. But God is merciful. And He may save me, though I find not this or that which seems to be required. Though I allow myself this or that sin and fall into it now and then, why it is but a little one. And God is gracious. He is not so strict and rigid as some would make Him. What? Though I be not so strict and precise as some others, must none be saved but such as they? God forbid! Though I come not up to the rule, God is gracious. He may dispense with me, [and] I may be saved as well as the best of them."

But alas, poor deluded sinner! If here be all thy hopes, thy case is hopeless. Will God be so merciful as to contradict Himself and go contrary to His Word? Will He show thee so much mercy as to neglect His truth? Will He save thee when He cannot do it without making Himself a liar? Doest thou not tremble to see that thou hast nothing to bear up thy hopes of heaven but plain blasphemy? If thou find not what He requires as necessary to salvation, if He should save thee without it, He should deny Himself [and] abandon His truth. Dost thou think He will make Himself no God that He may make thee happy? Oh, how sad is thy case, when even as thyself has stated it, thou hast no hopes of heaven, but upon such terms as the very thought of them deserves hell forever!

[b]Observation: Many shall go far towards heaven and yet never reach it.[/b] They may go far in the ways of Christ and yet miss heaven in the conclusion. This is evident in the text. Here are many who had professed Christ and been zealous professors; who professed Him not in word only, but had really worshipped Him, had been much in hearing, preaching, praying, praising Him….And yet for all this, when they shall come to allege these things at the Day of Judgment for their admission into heaven, Christ tells us here that He will shut them out. He will disclaim them and profess to them that He knows them not, i.e., that He never loved them, never approved them. He will command them to depart from Him and give them their portion with the workers of iniquity. There needs nothing more for evidence to this truth.…But the question here will be, "How far may professors go in the ways of Christ, and yet come short of heaven?"

I shall resolve this according to the method of the text by endeavoring to show how far they may go in both ordinaries and extraordinaries.

[b]1. In [i]extraordinaries:

Revelations, dreams, visions:[/i][/b] God may reveal Himself by dreams and visions. It is no peculiar privilege of the godly, which is promised, "your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions" (Joe 2:28; Act 2:16). For dreams, it is evident in Nebuchadnezzar, to whom "the Revealer of secrets," as Daniel speaks, by dreams made known what should be hereafter (Dan 2:47). His dream arose not from an ordinary cause: it was sent from the Lord, the Revealer of secrets. The subject of his dream was not ordinary, but secrets and things future. [It revealed] even the most remarkable acts of providence that should come to pass to the end of the world: the rise, periods, and revolutions of the world’s monarchies and the erecting of the kingdom of Christ, [Who is] the stone cut out without hands, which should crush all the kingdoms of the world and raise His throne upon their ruins (Dan 2:34). Here is a remarkable revelation, almost comparable to any mentioned in Scripture.

Pharaoh also had a revelation by a dream (Gen 41:25, 28). And when Saul complains that the Lord answered him not either by dreams or prophets, it implies that He did reveal Himself by these before [Saul] was cast off (1Sa 28:6). This is confirmed [by] Deuteronomy 13:1, 2.

For visions, we have a clear instance in Balaam, the wizard or enchanter, who used to seek for enchantments (Num 24:1). Even to him did the Lord reveal Himself by visions. God came unto him, conferred with him, and revealed to him both what he should say and what he should do (22:9, 12, 20). He had the vision of an angel (22:31)…God met Balaam and put a word into his mouth (23:4, 5). Two immediate revelations we have in that chapter and two in chapter 24, whereto the preface is observable: "And the spirit of God came upon him. And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open. . . which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open" (24:2-4); and, "…and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty" (v. 16).

[b][i]The gift of prophecy:[/i][/b] those, whom Christ shuts out of His kingdom and will take no notice of them, had this plea for themselves, "In thy name have we prophesied." It is known that Saul was at best but an hypocrite; yet, "and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them" (1Sa 10:10, 19, 23). Hence the proverb, "Is Saul also among the prophets?" And there is scarce a clearer prophecy of Christ at such a distance than that of Balaam’s, where he also foretells the ruin of several nations—Moab, Edom, Amalek, the Kenites, Assyrians, and Romans—and who should ruin them, which the event has proved true (Num 24:17-24).

[i][b]The power to work miracles:[/b][/i] they may do signs and wonders, heal all diseases, cast out devils; yea, it is possible for them to remove mountains. For proof, see Deuteronomy 13:1, 2: "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass…saying, Let us go after other gods…" Idolaters may do these. They may also cast out devils. This they plead, whom Christ will not own: "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?" (Mat 7: 22). Yet what they were appears by Christ’s profession, "Depart from me, ye that work iniquity" (v. 23)…it is express that Judas had power to work miracles. For Christ "called unto him his twelve disciples," whereof Judas was one, "he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease" (Mat 10:1). We cannot doubt but Judas was one, since he is named amongst them, verse four; and immediately after Judas [is] named, [Matthew] adds, "These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying…heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give" (Mat 10:4-8).

[b][i]The gift of tongues:[/i][/b] "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels" (1Co 13:1). For these are not saving gifts, and therefore may be given to those who shall never be saved.

[b]2. In [i]ordinaries:[/i]

In knowledge, they may go far:[/b] this we may discover in the text. It is included in the word prophesy. For whether we take it for teaching and publishing the truth or foretelling things to come, it necessarily supposes and imports knowledge. And this knowledge may be,

(1) Great for the extent of it: it may reach many truths that are out of the reach of many sincere Christians. Their minds may grasp more of truth than the understanding of others is capable of; may admit more light than others can let in. They may dig further into the mines of truth and make greater discoveries. No question Judas knew more than many of those he preached to, though we may suppose some of them sincerely converted. If he had not known more than his hearers, he had not been apt to teach [or] fit to be their teacher. And Christ, who would have this to be observed as a qualification in those that we choose, would not Himself choose one destitute of it.

But that their knowledge may be exceeding great, the Apostle puts it out of question (1Co 13). . .They may know not only all necessary truths, those that are vital and radical, being the foundation of religion, but those which raise the structure and tend to edifying, nay, those which are for the finishing and completing of an intelligent Christian, which tend to make him a thoroughly furnished and accomplished man as to his intellectuals.

"All knowledge" is a large expression and will reach thus far and farther without stretching. He may far outgo a true saint in the largeness and extent of his knowledge….He may apprehend truth not only truly, but clearly, distinctly, evidently so as the clearness of his conceptions may convince his conscience and satisfy his judgment of the truth he apprehends. His notions may appear in his mind with such a clear ray of evidence as may scatter all doubt [and] leave no room for question or contradiction. He may be able to convey his notions clearly to others so as to convince and satisfy them. A sincere soul, as to many things, may be much in the dark compared with him.

[b](2) [i]Divine[/i] as to the object of it:[/b] they may have great and clear knowledge of the things of God, of the truths of Christ, [and] of the doctrine of the Gospel; not only of those truths that are more common and obvious, but of the more mysterious and subtle parts thereof, those which are called the mysteries of the kingdom. "Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven" (Mat 13:11). Mysteries of God: "Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God" (1Co 4:1). The Apostle’s discourse implies that he, who has no true grace, may know all mysteries, all Gospel mysteries (1Co 13:2). [The hypocrite may understand] a divine secret, such as could not have been known but by divine revelation, such as no light of nature, no human understanding could have ever reached had they not been brought down by the Spirit of revelation. He may see far into these mysteries; he may have access unto the most retired of those secrets; he may wade far into the deep things of God, as if all were fordable. Those things, which are difficult to others, may be easy to him…

As for [i]experimentals[/i], though they have but this knowledge second-hand, yet they may have more at the second than those of experience have at the first. By experimental discourses and conversing with experienced Christians, they may come to great attainments in this kind. They may draw the lineaments of a new creature and to the life so exactly, as though they had a pattern thereof in their own souls. They may give such an account of the work of grace, as you may think they were transcribing their own hearts, and that their expressions were but copies of some original there. They may hold forth the conflicts betwixt the flesh and the spirit, as though the combat were in their own quarters, as though they had really felt some such thing as you hear. They may express the actings of grace in such and such a duty, such an occasion, under such a temptation, in such a manner, as you would think nothing could teach them but their own experience. They may have the exact idea, the true notion of these things in their heads, when there is nothing of all this in their hearts.

As for [i]textual divinity[/i], the understanding of the Scriptures, they may excel herein. They may overcome those difficulties, which some obscure places make impassable and unfordable to others. They may understand not only the words and phrases, and so become masters of the letter of the Scripture, but they may with a great sagacity, find out the sense and meaning of the Holy Ghost and may outstrip many herein who have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them.

[b](3) [i]Spiritual[/i] as to the author of it (such as proceeds from the Spirit of God):[/b] they may attain their knowledge, not only by their pains and industry in searching after it, by not only reading, study, conference, etc.; but the Holy Spirit may dart this light into them, either in the use of means or immediately (Heb 6:4-6). Those who were never in a sav-ing condition are said to be "enlightened." And who it was that enlightened them, we may learn by another clause in that verse: "partakers of the Holy Ghost." They partook of the Holy Ghost because they were partakers of the light and other gifts and operations of the Holy Ghost. They did partake of Him, as He communicated Himself to them. This was one way He enlightened them—not only in a common way, as all light and knowledge in the world may be said to come from the Father of light and as Christ is said to enlighten every man that comes into the world, viz., by implanting in their minds that light which we call "natural"…But He enlightens them in a more special and peculiar manner, though not the most peculiar, as He is Mediator and the great Prophet of His church. [Christ sends] His Spirit in the execution of His prophetical office to spread abroad a divine light in the minds of some who enjoy the Gospel, whereby they may discover the deep things of God. The Spirit of God may come upon such a man as Balaam, or Saul, or Caiaphas, and may shine into their souls, if not ordinarily now with a prophetical light, yet with an evangelical light to discover to them the secrets of Christ, the mysteries of the Gospel, and the things of the world to come….They may partake of the Holy Ghost and be thereby so enlightened as to see these things and so see them as to taste them. They may by this light discover the excellency, goodness, [and] sweetness of these things so clearly and convincingly as if they did taste them. Such a light, such a knowledge, they may have from the Spirit of Christ in that respect a spiritual knowledge, and yet have their portion in outer darkness.

[b](4) [i]Operative[/i]:[/b] their knowledge may be in great measure effectual. It may have a mighty efficacy both upon their souls and lives, both upon heart and affections, and upon their conversation. It may have an influence both upon inward and outward man, powerful to change both in some degree.

Now since this knowledge may have such power upon the affections, and seeing affections are but the acts and motions of the will, it follows that it may have some efficacy upon the will. Now the will being the great wheel that [being] moved sets all the parts of the whole man on motion, it is hence evident that their knowledge may be operative upon the whole man. It may have a working influence upon every faculty within, upon every part and member without. For the inward efficacy of it, we have said sufficient at present. It may excite fear, hope, joy, sorrow, etc….See here the efficacy of this knowledge as to reformation of life: it may make them not only avoid sin, but fly from it, fly from it as from a pollution, as though they loathed and abhorred it—fly from it, as we do from that we are greatly afraid of and to fly so far, so fast, as one would think it could never overtake, one would hope they had made a clear escape. Such, so powerful may be the knowledge of those that are no better than hypocrites.

Oh, consider your sad condition! Will you stay far short of those who fall short of heaven? If those who come so near Canaan as they can descry it, so near it as they taste some of it, shall yet fall in the wilderness and never enjoy it, how can they come to Canaan, who will not stir out of Egyptian darkness? How can you come to the land of promise, come to heaven, who stay in your ignorance, that which is worse than Egyptian darkness and a condition further from heaven than Egypt is from Canaan? A man with thus much knowledge may possibly perish, but an ignorant person shall certainly perish.

From "The Conviction of Hypocrites" in [i]The Works of David Clarkson[/i], Vol. 2,
reprinted by The Banner of Truth Trust.

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David Clarkson (1622-1686): Independent Puritan preacher and author. Colleague of John Owen and successor to Owen’s pulpit. Clarkson wrote powerful, experimental works. Born in Bradford, Yorkshire, England.

The Christian, however, does not belong to that class. He will at times begin to be terribly alarmed, lest, after all, his godliness should be but seeming and his profession an empty vanity. He who is true will sometimes suspect himself of falsehood, while he who is false will wrap himself up in a constant confidence of his own sincerity. My dear Christian brethren, if you are at this time in doubt concerning yourselves, the truths to utter will perhaps help you in searching your own heart and trying your own reins; and sure I am you will not blame me if I should seem to be severe. But you will rather say, "Sir, I desire to make sure work concerning my own soul; tell me faithfully and tell me honestly what are the signs of a hypocrite, and I will sit down and try to read my own heart to discover whether these things have a bearing upon me. And happy shall I be if I shall come out of the fire like pure gold."

Hypocrisy is a weed naturally springing in all ground. The best heart is not perfectly clear or free of it. —John Flavel

In The Mystery of Providence, J. Flavel also wrote
"Yea, the holiest,and best of men, before God: [b]'verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity' Ps 39:5[/b]
'Every man,' take where you will; and every man 'in his best state', or 'standing in his freshest glory,' is not only 'vanity', but altogether vanity.' literally 'every man is very vanity.' For do but consider the best of men in their extraction. ' By nature the children of wrath even as others'.

In my mind, it doesn't really make much difference, hypocrisy or not, for the non/false Christians, men/women are all hypocrites of some sort, and even when they are at their very best or holiest, as one read in the above verse in Psalms, they are vanity.

Flavel called it a weed, sadly, for as long as we (the Christians) live in the flesh, hypocritical actions or behaviours will spring up here and there from our sin nature.

Perhaps pride is the main root of this "weed"..., whereas unbelief the seed thereof. Even with a "best heart", one will definitely not be permanantly clear or free of it, I think.

As for the danger of hypocrisy in Christians, (me included), it has got to be the robbing of Christ's glory.

thanks

[b]A hypocrite may be known by the fact that his speech and his actions are contrary to one another.[/b] As Jesus says, "They say and they do not." The hypocrite can speak like an angel; he can quote texts with the greatest rapidity. He can talk concerning all matters of religion, whether they be theological doctrines, metaphysical questions, or experimental difficul-ties. In his own esteem, he knoweth much and when he rises to speak, you will often feel abashed at your own ignorance in the presence of his superior knowledge.

[b]The next mark of a hypocrite is that whenever he does right it is that he may be seen of men.[/b] The hypocrite sounds a trumpet before his alms and chooses the corner of the streets for his prayers. To him virtue in the dark is almost a vice: he can never detect any beauty in virtue, unless she has a thousand eyes to look upon her, and then she is something indeed. The true Christian, like the nightingale, sings in the night; but the hypocrite has all his songs in the day, when he can be seen and heard of men. To be well-spoken of is the very elixir of his life. If he be praised, it is like sweet wine to him. The censure of man upon a virtue would make him change his opinion concerning it in a moment, for his standard is the opinion of his fellow creatures. His law is the law of self-seeking and of self-honoring: he is virtuous because to be virtuous is to be praised. But if tomorrow vice were at a premium, he would be as vicious as the rest. Applause is what too many are seeking after.

There is another sign of the hypocrite; and now the lash will fall on my own back and on most of us too. [b]Hypocrites, and other people besides hypocrites, are generally severe with others and very lenient with themselves.[/b] Have you ever heard a hypocrite describe himself? I describe him thus: "you are a mean, beggarly fellow." "No," says he, "I am not; I am economical." I say to him, "You are dishonest, you are a thief." "No," says he, "I am only cute and sharp for the times." "Well, but," I say to him, "you are proud and conceited." "Oh!" says he, "I have only a proper and manly respect." "Ay, but you are a fawning, cringing fellow." "No," says he, "I am all things to all men." Somehow or other he will make vice look like a virtue in himself, but he will deal by the reverse rule with others.

[i]Edit; Origianly posted the middle section as an excerpt. Detaching it from the whole for the purpose of the heading (Hypocrisy). Felt though it might be long that I could not really do justice this way, have now included the whole of it, even if it is but a section of a greater work.[/i]

[b]Faithful Witness to the Truth[/b]

Then He was a [i]“faithful Witness”[/i] to the truth.

It’s a word that was very often on His mouth – on His lips: the truth – truth – truth. “Faithful and True Witness” He is called in another place in this book of the Revelation [3:14]: [i]“faithful Witness”[/i] to the Truth.

There was faithfulness about His Witness, His Witness as to the truth of man. He covered up nothing. He made no pretence that man is better than he is. He was faithful in His Witness as to what man is. We might be afraid to do that. Or we might think it not politic. We certainly would know that it would be unpopular to speak the truth about man. But Jesus was faithful in this – in the uncovering and the exposure of the truth about man.

He was faithful to the truth about God. He was faithful in His Witness to the truth about sin – sin. And He was faithful in His witness to the truth about satan. He does not hedge this matter. He does not hesitate to uncover the devil; He exposes him, drags him right out into the light, tells you exactly what he is: ‘he’s a liar from the beginning - he’s a murderer.’ A [i]“faithful Witness”[/i] to the truth.

Why? Because He was the Truth. His nature was the Truth. And there we must stay to use more of our time. It is a tremendously important thing, in relation to the power of Resurrection, to authority, to Government, to what is here revealed as to Christ in Resurrection. It is a basic, a fundamental thing that there shall be the Truth – the true Witness.

You see, His authority, His judgment, His government, His everything – His right – His right to call the churches into question, His right to judge the nations, His right to deal with the kingdom of satan – is based upon this thing – this one thing, and that He [i]IS[/i] the Truth. He is [i]TRUE[/i]. He is [i]TRUE[/i]. There can be no comeback from Church or world or satan which would find some point in Him that was a flaw, that was not true. That would upset His whole authority, His right to judge. It is all resting upon the fact that He is True.

Dear friends, you will at once pass in mind from Him to ourselves, to the Church, see weakness, failure to register, the lack of authority, the absence of authority; and all this terrible state of weakness, and that the world can point at the Church, point a finger. And that the Church has not the influence and power with the world; and that satan can stand and hold the ground and almost laugh at the Church is very largely due to the fact that the truth is not here. It’s not true. It is just not true. Many of the things that you say may be true in themselves; they’re not true in you. Many of the things that you profess, while in themselves they may be correct, they are not true of you. There’s a gap between what you profess, and say, and claim, and yourself. It’s just not real in your own case. Therefore your whole position is given away. You see what I’m getting at.

This is a very important matter for witness, for influence, for effectiveness, for standing before God and standing before man, before the world, and standing before satan. What a large place God has given to this matter of truth! He is Himself the God of Truth. He is shown in His Word to be very jealous over the truth. He is said to desire truth in the inward parts. He holds all lies, we are told, in abomination. He has consigned all liars to the lake of fire, so the Word says [Revelation 21:8]. He excludes from the city, the New Jerusalem, [i]EVERYTHING[/i] that maketh a lie. It has no place within [Revelation 21:27]. Jesus Himself is called “the Truth”. He called Himself “the Truth”. And here He is [i]“the Faithful and true Witness.”[/i]

While, on the other side satan, at the other extreme, in the other realm altogether, is called “the liar”, and “the father of lies” [John 8:44]. The whole structure of creation collapsed when the lie, the falsehood entered in. There was that time that all that beautiful structure just went to pieces. It was all because of a lie, a lie came in. And if there is a lie in anything, that’s what’s going to happen to it. Sooner or later it is going to mean the collapse, the disintegration of any structure, if there’s a lie in it.

The result of that lie entering at the beginning was that man himself became a lie. Man became a falsehood. It was not just that there was untruth in him: he himself [i]BECAME[/i] a falsehood. He is a deceived creature. There’s a lie in his very nature. He is not the true thing that God made him and intended him to be. He is a misrepresentation of God’s thought about man. There is a lie not only in his nature and constitution, but there is a lie in his life and in his work. He hopes and he believes. He works and he strives. And it is all in vain. It is all in vain.

The wise man said that he had explored every realm of knowledge and learning. He had sought out every secret law. He had made it his business to go into every realm to discover its secrets and to make himself acquainted and familiar with all things – with all things. And he said when I’ve done it (and, you know, he did get quite a lot; the Queen of the South came to see his wisdom. And the wisdom of the […] of Solomon is proverbial, if it is not fabulous), he’d gone a long way in this matter, and when he had done it all, made it his life business, he said: [i]“All is vanity. All is vanity. All is vanity”[/i] [Ecclesiastes 12:8]. There’s a lie in it all. There’s a falsehood in the whole thing. Disappointment awaits the best that man can do. Disappointment is his destiny. That’s the end.

Man thinks that he’s free, but he is a prisoner. He thinks that he knows, but he’s a fool. That’s not too strong a word. In the light of things today you have to say: “Oh, what fools men are. The wisest and the cleverest and the strongest of them, what fools they are. They’ve missed the Way.” He thinks he knows. He’s a fool. He thinks he can do, and he does a great many things. But where does it end? In the hydrogen bomb. Terror, fear in all the earth, apprehension, holding of the breath, men at their wits’ end. ‘What to do? What to do?’ That’s what he can do. The end of his wonderful, wonderful work, all that he can do, only leads to more problems – still more problems. He builds on sand, not on rock. His whole world is run by lies, [hypocrisy], make-believe, pretence, falsehood.

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One of the rarest commodities in this world is downright honesty, in politics, in industry, in commerce, in business, in society – downright honesty. Man can only succeed in this world if he misrepresents or deceives or pretends (I speak quite generally), if he mixes things a bit, he exaggerates a bit. What about all our advertisements? What a marvellous, marvellous world this would be if a modicum of what is said in our advertisements were really true. My, we should have reached utopia. We should all have immortal bodies. We – well! The golden age would come if only half a dozen advertisements were true. It’s true – that’s a fact, you know. Just read them and, of course, you read them and you’re captured and go off and buy this, that: food or medicine or something. And then you try it out, and afterwards, well, it hadn’t done the thing it was advertised to do. But man can only run his world like that. He can only get on, he can only make money, he can only get any success by these appearances and exaggerations.

There’s a lie, you see, somewhere in the whole creation, and the lie has gone into religion. The charge that our Lord laid against the scribes and the Pharisees was in a horrible word – a horrible word: [i]“HYPOCRITES!”[/i] – play-actors, pretenders, those who are making believe. [i]“HYPOCRITES!”[/i] – false, false. Yes, the outside of the platter washed, but underneath... the sepulchre painted white, but inside: rotting bones. The Lord saw through! It’s a horrible story, isn’t it? – this story of man’s deceived and lying nature.

Over against that, you see, Jesus says: [i]“I am the Truth; I came to bear witness of the Truth”[/i] [John 18:37]. Those were among His last words at the Cross, for His statement to Pilate that He had come to bear witness of the Truth and Pilate was so unfamiliar with that commodity that he said ‘Well, [i]“WHAT IS TRUTH?”[/i] I – I’m not familiar with that. I – I don’t know anything about that. What is it? What is that thing you call truth?” This world doesn’t know what that is.

The Truth, the true Witness. You see, it’s a great spiritual fundamental law. This is why I said that it is so important to note these things at the beginning, that this is an unveiling of Jesus in Authority and in Government and in just Judgment, because it rests upon this. No-one has a right to exercise authority or judgment at all. No-one has a right to be in a place of government unless this can be said of them: “They are true. They are true – absolutely true, through and through. There’s no lie in them. There’s no falsehood in them. There is no question about them. There are no two things in them that contradict each other.”

Dear friends, that is why the Lord Jesus came to the church's [i]BEGINNING[/i]. He started there, you see. [i]“Judgment begins at the house of God,”[/i] and He began this whole exercise of His Authority with the churches, the seven churches symbolic, of course, of the whole Church, and He stands before and He is really saying, “Look here, you are weak, you have failed, your testimony has broken down. The world is not feeling the impact of your presence. Powers of evil are making inroads into your life as churches, and it is because – this is the implication – it is because there’s something false there – something false there.” You notice how again and again, in His messages to the churches, He raises this question of falsehood and truth – whether things are true. Oh, it is important for it to be like this about us – that we are real, that we are real, that we are genuine, that what we say is true, what we pretend or profess is true of us. It must be like that for spiritual power in this world. If only the Church could recover itself from the weakness resultant from a false position – something that is not really true. [i]“As the truth is in Jesus.”[/i] If our representation of God’s Mind were more exactly according to [i]THAT MIND[/i], what power there would be – what power there would be. But as I said, as the creation at the beginning collapsed and went to pieces because a lie entered in, it’s an abiding – an abiding fact that wherever there is anything that is questionable, doubtful, not true, not real, there will be sooner or later spiritual collapse. We have to be built upon the foundation of the Truth – the Truth.

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Now this so much explains, does it not, the very title of the Holy Spirit that Jesus gave Him: [i]“When He, the Spirit of Truth, is come”[/i] [John 16:13]. [i]“The Spirit of Truth”[/i] – the Holy Spirit is [i]THAT![/i] He is exact! He is particular! He sees through everything. And if you and I walk in the Spirit, we shall be very true. We shall be very real. There would be nothing that is doubtful and false about us. We shall be checked up on everything: upon maybe an exaggeration – maybe an exaggeration, it may be a pretence, a make-believe, anything that is not true, that is false, the Holy Spirit will check us up on that – not because He delights to bring us into judgment, but simply because it is so very important for the building of that which is going to stand, abide, and go through, and go right through to the end, and come out triumphant at the end. It is so important that right from the foundation the thing should be true.

The Lord will take us down, take us down, take us down, all to pieces, and bring us right down to the bottom in order to begin with what is true if there’s a superstructure that is unsafe because it is mixed or because it is not true. And we ought to be thankful to the Lord that He does that. I am sure we would say: “Lord, let there be no falsehood in my position, no untruth in what I profess. There should be nothing that is not absolutely real in what people think about me.” It’s very important. You see, the Lord Jesus stands as He does, and as He may, to judge, and to be the Measure because He is the true Witness – the true Witness. That is, He is the embodiment of the Truth.

Now that is a sombre word. It’s a searching word. It is not perhaps a very inspiring and uplifting word. But, you see, after all, this is a title of the Risen Lord – a title of the Risen Lord. Why did God raise Him from the dead? Why could He be raised from the dead? God won’t raise a lie! God will never even resuscitate a falsehood! He was raised because He was the true Witness. He had in His Own Person borne a true testimony to His Father, and to the thoughts of His Father. It’s a matter of life whether there’s truth, you see. Life can never go alongside of anything that’s not true. Life demands the Truth.

Excerpted from;

[url=http://www.austin-sparks.net/english/000418.html]Titles of the Risen Lord[/url]
[i]T. Austin-Sparks[/i]

Sparks has a way of saying things, he just thrust that truth in there and twist it around.

I recently heard a sermon from him called reality through the cross, there is one part where this old sparks, 1967 i think, two years before he went to glory speaks with such trembling in his voice about [i]the[/i] reality in his/our walk.

if you havent heard it brother, take a listen, i think you will appreciated it.

God bless you brother

I recently heard a sermon from him called reality through the cross, there is one part where this old sparks, 1967 i think, two years before he went to glory speaks with such trembling in his voice about the reality in his/our walk.

I must search that out, thank you brother. Sparks has a way as you mentioned, he always brings me back to contemplation, conviction ... such a myriad of things; his demeanor, his ability to speak truthfully without guile or a misplaced criticism ...

[i]speaks with such trembling in his voice about the reality in his/our walk.[/i]

God bless you dear brother.

(Forgot to mention I went back an edited the post prior, felt it was necessary to include it all)