! CHAP.LE6 324 Matth.sr.t9. 2.ICing.843. Themifcrable condition of the hypocrite. He kabhomi. nable. t.In lusperCon Hcb.so. . a. Inhis actions Luk.rf.sl. 3.I0 his pnnifh aient. A Commestarie vponthe the word ; afhamed to pray, confounded and fomctimes condemned in bimfelfe for his prefent waies : and iuftly, for although he feemed fome- times to thine among the flames, yet his prefent courfes fuite not with fuch praifes, as he had better neuer co hates been acquainted with,then euer to haueBrowne weary of. Which alas, we know to be the cafe not ofa few, who feeme to haue rece'tued the fentence which paffed againft the figge-tree, prefenting Chrift with]eaves, but not with fruite, newer snorefruitgrewe on thee : for how foonearethey withered? Nay more, it is to be feared,that many who nowBand not in the la ft ranks ofprofeffors, if times (hould ferne, wouldplay but an Hazaels part: or Rand at open defiance ofthe truth, if once the chame profeffion should be blowue a- way; no man euer faw the change and alterationof religion, but he fawe alto this truth verified. The third point in thewords, is the miferable conditionof the hypo- crite; Hee is an abhominable perron. Where note, that men ofcorrupt mindes,takin;vpon them the names ofChriflians,and doing the works of Atheifis, are worthily abhorredofGod, and ifthey could be difccr- ned, ought tobe an eie-fore to men, who(hould not with patience be- hold them. They are abhominable to God, which appeareth both I. in their perlons, 2. their aéìions, 3 their punithment. For their perfons, they are but halfe Chrifiians , neither Note nor cold, and therefore the Lord cannot dige(i them, compared tocaller but halfe baked, Hofh. 7. to. andnot turned on the other fide : belowe theyAre hotte, that is, either in theirowne fuperftitions, or in fmaller triflingmatters , or elfe in forme and outwardappearance, they feeme fo zealous, as though the zeal* of Gods houlewould confume them ; but aboue in matter of fpirit and truth, in the inner man, in the foule and heart remaine vnbaked, impeni- tent, vnturned, the fire ofthe fpirit bath not once touched them, and fo they remaine a mixt lumpe (sill , neither hot nor cold : Seeing therefore they are fuch as withdrawe their heftpart frons God, the foule of God can take no pleafure in them. Their actions, although neuer fo good in chernfelues, neuer fo fpecious unto others, neuer fo behoouefull to the focietie where they liue,yet are abhominableDuCe God: yea in their moll deuout feruices, they doe nothingbut (as Ephraim) compaffe the Lord with lyes, and deceit, Hofh. 11.12. Their punifhment fheweth them to be eueryway abhorred of God; for as men deale with things they hate, fo the Lord t. cafteth them out of his fight: lob13.16. The hypocrite (hall not carne beforebun : the workersof lyes lhall not enter within the walls of that holy Citie: yeafometinlesthey are call outofhis pretence, as Caine was, mien out of thevifible Church , as they are euer out of the inuifible, toChew that they (hall neuer beenduredhereafter. 2. De- troieth
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