7/4 Chap. 34. An E.xpofition upon the Book,of Jos Verf. 3o. we have to doe ( Heb: 4. i 3.) though we are painted over, though we are cloaked, and hooded,and vizarded with pretences, yet we are naked before the eye of God. And that was the argu- ment withwhich Godpreffed Abraham to bewareof hypócrifie ( yen: 17. t. ) Walkee before me and be thou perfeçt ; that is, re- member thou art alwayes in myeye and fight,therefore takeheed of falfeneffe and infincerity. We ufe to fay , There is no halting before a Criple; Criples knowwhether yours be a fined or real! lamenetfe. O take heed of halting before God, he knoweth how it is with you , he knoweth the temper of your foules , as wel as the body of your converfations ; he doth not only know what you doe, but with what aimes, with what heart and purpofe you doe it. Paul fayd ( Thef. z. 5.) We have not ofed a cloake of covetoufneffe, God is witneffe. As ifhe had fayd, God willquick- ly fee through us, and find out our covetoufneffe, though we cover it with never fo thicke or faire acloake of devotional pro - fetfions. Secondly , Confider, as the Lord fee.h through you , fo he will make you throughly feene, he will makeyou knowne or un- maske you before men one time or other. As he will bringforth the righteoufneffe ofagodly man as the light (after it bath been long hid under the darkneffe of uncharitable fufpitions or falfeaccula- tions ) and his jui dealing as thenone day, Pfal: 37. 6.) fo hewill bring forth the unrighteoufneffe of ahypocrite as the lighr,and his falfe-dealing as the noone-day, though it have layne hid a while under the cloake and faire colours of the moll pious femblances and proreffations. God loves to uncaCe hypocrites, becaufe he is a God of truth ; and becaufeit magnif ethhis truth, juftice, and 'omnifcience to do fo. And hedoth it many times, by letting them fall into foule fins ; theymake faire fhewes in religion , through refraining grace, and as foone as that bridle of refraining grace is let loofe , that very thew is gone, and they Phew plainly what they are. The clofell defgning hypocrites , often prove open Apo- flates ; and though force may abide long, ( poffibly as long as they live ) in this vaine thew or forme of Godlinefs, without difcove- ring their rottennefs, yet at bail their rottennefs than be difcove- red : for as Solomon affureth us (Ecclef 12. 14.) God will bring every worke to fudgement, andeveryfieret thing, whetherit begood or whetherit be evill. Or as the Apofilebath it, ( Cor: 4. S. ) He
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