The second thing that I am to do, is to discover to you, what hypocrites are, whom God is so severe in his judgment against. The Greek word signifies stage-players. A hypocrite is a slave in king's robes; he is a devil in angel's apparel; he is a wolf in a sheep's skin. As Cicero says of Epicurus, that he was no philosopher in truth—but put on the bare name of a philosopher; so I may say, a hypocrite is no saint, no holy man in truth—but one who puts on the name of a saint, and outwardly appears to be a saint, though inwardly he is a devil incarnate. The Hebrew word which is rendered a hypocrite, signifies to dissemble, and defile, or pollute. Hypocrites are the greatest dissemblers in the world; they dissemble with God, with men, and with their own souls; and as they are the greatest dissemblers, so they are the greatest defilers in the world; they defile all places and company where they come; they defile all duties, mercies, and ordinances they touch. But I shall show you more fully what he is in these six following things—
[b][1.] First, Hypocritical hearts are proud, vain-glorious hearts.[/b]
Every man's silver is but brass, compared to theirs; and every man's light is but darkness, compared to theirs; and no men's duties and abilities are comparable to theirs. The proud and vain-glorious hypocrite, Jehu-like, says, "Come, see my zeal for the Lord," 2 Kings 10:16. A sincere heart loves to do much for Christ, and not to be seen by any but Christ. Jehu's zeal is but the shadow of zeal, as all hypocrites' virtues are but the shadows of virtues—and yet the hypocrite, Narcissus-like, falls in love with his own shadow. The hypocrite loves to see the hat move, and the knee to bow, and men to cry, "Rabbi, rabbi!" in the market-place, Mat. 23:5-7. [A sincere heart is like the red rose, which though outwardly it be not so fragrant as the damask—yet inwardly it is far more cordial: a sincere heart is like the violet, which grows low, and hides itself and its own sweetness, as much as can be, with its own leaves.]
Charis, a soldier, was so proud because of the wound he gave Cyrus, that shortly after he went mad, says Plutarch; and Menecrates was so proud because he cured many patients which others could not, that he called himself Jupiter. Just so, hypocrites are proud, and swell with the thoughts of their own worth and doings, that they cry up and set up themselves above others: Luke 18:11-12, "God, I thank you that I am not as other men are," etc. "I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess;" Isaiah 65:5, which say, "Stand aside, come not near to me, for I am holier than you."
[b][2.] Secondly, Hypocrites, they do always cover their cruel and bloody intentions with specious and religious pretenses.[/b]
Herod, a notorious hypocrite, covers his intentions of murdering Christ, with pretenses of worshiping Christ; and those in Ezra 4 cover their intentions of pulling down the temple, with pretenses of help in building the temple. They pretend to build the temple—and yet they intended to pull down the temple; and so did Jezebel, in 1 Kings 21; and so Ishmael covers his bloody intention of murdering, with weeping, Jer. 41. A hypocrite will draw a fair glove upon a foul hand; he is like the serpent which stings without hissing; they will kiss, and kill you; they will kiss, and betray you; they will stroke you, and cut your throat. There is nothing more evident in experience and Scripture than that hypocrites have all along covered their bloody and cruel designs with religious pretenses. Parsons, when he had plotted that matchless villainy the Powder-plot, he sets out his book of resolutions as if he had been made up all of devotions. Hypocrites are like the Italians, who will hug and embrace you in those arms they intend to imbrue in your dearest blood.
[b][3.] A hypocritical heart is a subtle heart, a deceitful heart.[/b]
What is said of Jonadab, 2 Sam. 13:2, that he was a very subtle man, that may I say of all hypocrites; they are very subtle men; by good words and fair speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple, drawing them unawares into the lion's paw, as Mohammed did. The hypocrite is a cloud without rain, a blossoming tree without fruit, a star without light, a shell without a kernel. The hypocrite is like the fruit of Sodom, that without is very fair—but within is nothing but dust. The hypocrite is like the images Lucian speaks of, that were bravely wrought over with silver and pearl—but within are filled up with the basest things—as pieces of wood, pitch, mortar, etc.; whereas a sincere heart is like Brutus' staff, thorn without and gold within; or like that ark, gold within and goat's hair without.
[b][4.] Fourthly, again, Hypocrites never do good out of love to God—but out of designs to advantage themselves.[/b]
Mat. 23:14, and 6:1-3. Jehu makes a great deal of stir; he pretends to be very zealous for God; he destroys idolaters—but not idolatry; and all this was only that he might come to the crown. Mr. Knox reports of some noblemen in Scotland who seemed very forward for Reformation—but their design was merely for spoil, and for their private advantage—but they were very licentious, they greedily gripped the possessions of the church, and would not lack their part of Christ's coat. And Mr. Blair, a great Counselor of Scotland, being under great horrors of conscience, professed that he pretended to religion only to get wealth. I have read of a prince that was of no religion but that which was for his own advantage, and which would advance his own interest. Truly there is no hypocrite that breathes, who does any good—but he has some carnal and selfish design in it.
[b][5.] Fifthly, A hypocrite will not acknowledge God in his own righteous judgments.[/b]
Job 36:13, "The hypocrite cries not when God binds him." The Hebrew word which is here rendered "cry," signifies to make no noise. A hypocrite will not acknowledge the justice and the righteousness of God against him; he will not cry, he will make no noise. Although God's hand is sore upon him and against him, he will not say, This is the justice and the righteousness of God; though God's hand be lifted up against him—yet he makes no noise; though God binds him and deals with him as prisoners are bound and dealt with—for so the Hebrew signifies—yet they will make no noise. In Isaiah 26:11, "When your hand is lifted up, they will not see—but they shall see and be ashamed." The word signifies to "see" with the greatest exactness and curiosity that can be, to see with the eye and contemplate with the mind: the hypocrite will not see. "Ay—but," says God, "before I have done with him, I will make him see with his eye, and contemplate on my judgments with his mind. He shall see!"
Jer. 5:10-12, "Go up upon the walls, and destroy—but make not a full end: and take away her battlements; for they are not the Lord's." The word which is rendered "battlements," signifies the young suckers that grow up about a plant; and by a similitude here may be understood the leaning rails on the top of their houses. The battlements were to compass the house round about, to keep men from falling off; for among the Jews their houses had flat roofs, on which men walked, and from thence they called and spoke to the people: to which Christ alludes in Mat. 10:27. The height of the battlement was not to be less than ten hands'-breadths, and it was to be strong, that men might lean thereon, and not fall to maim any. Take away her battlements, take away her succours, her towers, her leaning-places, for they are not the Lord's. But why will God strip them of their strength, and supports, and leaning or resting-places? Ver. 11, "For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, says the Lord." "They have deceived me, they have deceived me;" so it is in the Hebrew, to show that they have most notoriously and frequently dealt guiltfully, deceitfully, and fraudulently with God. But how does this appear, that they have dealt thus with God? It is answered in ver. 12, "They have lied about the Lord; they said, "He will do nothing! No harm will come to us; we will never see sword or famine." The Hebrew word that is rendered here "lied," signifies "to deny." So it is used in Gen. 18:15, "Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not." It is the same word that is here rendered lied. "They have denied the Lord, and said, It is not he;" they have denied the justice and righteousness and severity of God in his judgments against them; and this is evident in the third verse of this chapter, "O Lord, are not your eyes upon the truth? you have stricken them." The Hebrew word signifies "to smite," "to wound," "to kill." Lord, you have smitten them, you have wounded them, you have killed some of them—but they have not grieved. The Hebrew word signifies "to pain," to make sick." "Though I have dealt thus severely with them—yet they are not pained, they are not sick—but bear up hard against all the blows and wounds I have given them. You have consumed them—but they have refused to receive correction." The Hebrew word that is here rendered "refused," signifies to refuse with the greatest pride, disdain, and scorn that may be, Ezek. 17:14. Oh! says God, though I have consumed them—yet they proudly, disdainfully, and scornfully refuse to receive correction. The word that is here rendered "correction" signifies both chastening and teaching, the one being the end of the other. Though my rod has been heavy upon them—yet they have proudly and scornfully refused to be taught by my rod; they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
[b][6.] Sixthly, Hypocrites despise those who, in their apprehension, are in outward form below them, and envy those who, in the spirit and power of holiness and godliness, do excel them.[/b]
Luke 18:11-12, "God, I bless you that I am not as this publican: I fast twice in the week." He pleads his negative righteousness, and he stands on his comparative goodness, "I am not as this publican: I fast twice in the week,"—on Thursdays, because on that day Moses went up to mount Sinai; and on Mondays, because on that day he came down, says Drusius. Hypocrites are better at showing their worth than their needs; they are as notable at discommending others, as they are at commending themselves; at abasing others, as at exalting themselves; at lessening others, as at greatening themselves. They envy every sun that outshines their own. Let a man excel them in his enjoyments of God, in his communion with God, in working for God, etc., he shall be envied and hated to the death, John 11:47-48.
Androgeus, king of Crete, was slain for envy. Just so, Socrates, who was the wisest man on earth, and in many moral excellencies did outshine all others, which the eye of envy could not endure. This occasioned him to say, "My accusers nor my crime cannot kill me—but envy alone, which has and will destroy the worthiest ever." The emperor Adrian oppressed some, and slew others, who excelled in any art or faculty, that he might be held the only skillful artist. Aristotle is said to have burnt and abolished the books of many philosophers, that he might be the more admired. Just so, do hypocrites envy all who excel them in any spiritual or moral excellencies.
There are divers other characters that I might give of those hypocrites who God is so severe in his judgments against, as:
[b](1) Hypocrites are most zealous about the external part of duties, and regard not the spiritual part of duties, Isaiah 1:11-18; Mat. 23:25-27; John 18:28.
(2) Hypocrites are seemingly for one thing and really for another, as Herod, Pilate, and Judas were.
(3) Hypocrites are uneven-carried hearts; they do not carry themselves evenly in all places, nor in all companies, nor at all times. Witness the scribes and pharisees. A sincere heart is like a dice, which is every way even, and, like itself, turn it or throw it how you will. But the hypocrite is like the cameleon, that changes his colours—now he is this, and now he is that; sometimes you shall have him an angel at home and a devil abroad, and sometimes a devil at home and an angel abroad. Hypocrites are like Cicero: they will speak to please Pompey—and Caesar too.
(4.) Hypocrites will rather use spectacles to behold other men's sins, than looking-glasses to behold their own, Mat. 7:3-5. Hypocrites mind not Conradus' motto, "Observe all men's carriages—but especially your own."
(5.) Hypocrites trade not with God upon the credit of Christ's love, blood, righteousness, and intercession—but upon the credit of their own prayers, tears, desires, and endeavors, Isaiah 58:3.
(6.) Hypocrites usually hold not on in religious duties under the lack of outward encouragements, and against outward discouragements, John 6:66; Job 27:10.
(7.) Hypocrites are heartless in all religious duties, Isaiah 29:13; Hosea 7:14; Ezek. 33:31-32.
(8.) Hypocrites are not only heartless in duties—but they are also partial in duties. The lesser duties they will do, the greater duties they will not do, Mat. 23:23. Just so, Saul, Herod, Judas, and Pilate, etc.
[/b]
It shall suffice that I have named these things. Let us now come to the PRACTICAL APPLICATION of the point, which is the main thing that I have in my eye.
The main thing that my heart is most upon is to present unto you those choice things that the great and glorious appearance of God against the hypocritical nation, and for your safety, does bespeak of you; and they are these—
cont....
