Mat. 23.

Luk. 20.

19, 20.

Ezek. 8.

12.

Mat. 26.

20, 21.

5.

2 Cor.6.6.

duties of a man.

So that here is

a great iniquity to be parted from, an over-fpreading iniquity. This fin will get into all thy profeffion, into every whit of it, and will make the whole of it a loathfome ftink in the noftrils of God. Hypocrifie will be in the Pulpit, in Conference, in Closets, in Communion of Saints, 2 Tim. 1. in Faith, in Love, in Repentance, in Zeal, in Humility, in Alms, in the Prifon, and in all duties. Mat. 23. that here is, for the keeping of thy 15. foul upright and fincere, more than ordinary diligence to be ufed. HyMat. 6. 2. pocrifie is one of the most abomi. 1 Cor. 13. nable of iniquities. It is a fin that dares it with God. It is a fin that Luk.12. 1. faith, God is ignorant, or that he delighteth in iniquity. It is a fin that flattereth, that diffembleth, that

Mal. 2.23.

Col. 2.

23.

3.

2.

So

offereth to hold God, as it were

fair in hand about that which is neither purposed nor intended. It Hypocri- is alfo a fin that puts a man upon fie a vileį ftudying and contriving to beguile, and deceive his Neighbour, as to the bent and intent of the heart, and alfo as to the caufe and end of acti

ons,

ons. It is a fin that perfwadeth a man to make a fhew of Civility Morality, or Chriftian religion as a cloak, a pretence, a guise to deceive withal. It will make a man preach for a place,and praise, rather than to glorifie God and fave fouls; It will put a man upon talking that he may be commended; It will make. a man, when he is at prayer in his, Clofet, ftrive to be heard without doors; It will make a man ask for that he defireth not, and fhew zeal in duties, when his heart is as cold,, as fenfelefs, and as much without favour, as a clod: It will make a man pray to be feen and heard of men, rather than to be heard of God. It will make a man ftrive to weep, when he repenteth not, and to pretend: much friendship, when he doth not love. It will make a man pretend to experience, and fanctification, when he has none; and to faith and fincerity, when he knows not what they are. There is opposed to this fin, fimplicity, in nocency, and gadly fincerity, withou which three graces, thou wilt be an

Hypo

1

Pro. 21. 2.

Luk. 16.

Hypocrite, let thy notions, thy knowledge, thy profeffion, and com.

Pro. 16. 2. mendations from others be what. they will. Helpsagainst this fin there are many, fome of which I fhall now present thee with.

1. Believe that Gods eye is always upon thy heart to obferve all the ways, all the turnings, and windings of it.

1.2. Believe that he obferveth all thy ways, and marks thy actions. Pro.5. 21. The ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings. We ha¿

1

3. Believe that there is a day of judgment a coming, dand that then all things fhall be revealed and

Luk. 12.2, discovered as they are.

For there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed, nor kid, that shall not be known. Therefore whatsoever ye have fpoken in darkness, fhall be heard in light, and that which ye have spoken in the ear in Clofets, fhall be proclaimed upon the house tops.

4. Believe that an Hypocrite, with the cunning and throuds for his hypocrifie can go unfeen no

farther

farther than the grave, nor can he longer flatter himself with thoughts

of life. For the triumphing of the wicked Job 20.5, is short, the joy of the Hypocrite but for a 6, 7, 8. moment. Though his exellency reach up to the heavens, and his head reacheth unto the clouds: yet he shall perish for ever like his own dung, they which have feen him, fhall fay where is he? He shall fy away as a dream and not be found yea, he shall be chafed away as a vifion of the night.

5.

Believe that God will not Luk, 20. fpare an Hypocrite, in the judgment; 47. no nor punish him neither with ordinary damnation but as they have here finned in a way by them felves, fo there they fhall receive greater damnation.

"

Of all fins, the fin of Hypocrifie befpeaks a man moft in love with fome luft, because he diflembleth both with God and man to keep

it.

For a conclufion upon this feven fold answer to the question above propounded; let me advife thofe that are tender of the name of Chrift, to have regard to these things.

Firft, Be well acquainted with the word, and with the general rules of holiness; to wit, with the moral law, the want of this is a caufe of much unholinefs of conver fation. These licentious and evil times wherein we live, are full of iniquity, nor can we (though we never fo much love God ) do our duty as we are injoyned, if we do not know it. The law is caft behind the back of many, when it should be carried in the hand and heart,that we might do it to the end, the Gospel, which we profefs, might be glorified in the world. Let then the law be with thee to love it, and do it in the fpirit of the Gospel, that thou be not unfruit ful in thy life. Let the law, I fay, be with thee, not as it comes from Mofes, but from Chrift; for though thou art fet free from the law, as a Covenant for life, yet thou still art under the law to Chrift, and. it is to be received by thee, as out of his hand, to be a rule for 1 Cor. 9 thy converfation in the world. What then thou art about to do, do it or

1.8.

leave