Senn. 27. ánd cur,tble i' 6zi And bath been the ruin of many forward and glorious profeffors, as Baalam, ?elm, Saul, and many other perfonsof great parts,.and many great performances, and one would conceive of great hopes too : but they, and their works, and their hopes all are peri(hed, the Job 8.13. hypocrites hope fh.:ll perifh. The explication of this Doc` nine would lye in the fpeaking to thofe particulars : I. What hypocrifie is. 2. How is is refembled by leaven. 3. Why called the leaven of the Pharifees. 4. Wherein is it fo dangeroru. 1. What hypocrifie is : Much of the nature of a thing is many times difcovered in its naine ; the name is a briefdefcription. The word hypocrite properly {signifies an aelor or flageplajer, a perfonater of other men in their fpcech, habit, and a &ion. The He- brew word fignifiech both a wicked man and a deceiver. And it is obferved, that thofe whom David the devouteft man called wicked, Soloman the wifeft man calls fools, and yob the molt upright man calls hypocrites : all is but one and the fame thing under divers names. , Hypocifie then is but a feigning vertue and piety it feems to put on, and vice and impiety it conceals and would feem to put off It is indeed vice in a vitior : the face is vice, but virtue is the vizor. The form and nature of it is imitation : the ends are vain glory, to be feen of men, or fome g in or carnal refpedts. There is agrofs hypocrtf t whereby men pretend to the good they know they have not : an there is a formal( clofe hypocrifie, whereby men dceive others and themfelves too; are hypocrites and do not Luk.1Q. know it : In this cafe it i' probable the Phari fee was, and thofe fignified Mat.a5 i by the five f oolifh Virgins, and all formals Chriflians that are not rege- nerated by the fpirir, nor put into Chrift by faith. This is a fubtle evils, a ferret poyfon, aclofe contagion ; and here it is infi'lice mercy and grace that we do not all fpiit and peril?' : and if we can (cape this, if we are indeed fincere, we are out of the great- eft danger of all the leaven of hypocrit e. To dire& you to find our, and to purge out this, (hall be my. efpeciall endeavour at this time. 2. How is hypocrifie refembled by leaven P Briefly thus : I. Leaven is hardly dtfcerned from good dough bv the fight, and as hardly is hypocrifie ditlinguifhed trom piety ; Tasi outward!, nil appear
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