A Saint Indeed

2. The sincerity of our profession much depends upon the care and conscience we have in keeping our hearts; for it's most certain, that a man is but an hypocrite in his profession how curious soever he be in the externals of Religion, that is heedless and careless of the frame of his heart: you have a pregnant instance of this in the case of Jehu, 2 King. ⟨p. 21⟩10. 31. But Jehu took no heed to walk in the ways of the Lord God of Israel with his heart. That Context gives us an account of the great service performed by Jehu against the house of Ahab and Baal, as also of a great temporal reward given him by God for that service, even that his Children to the fourth Generation should sit upon the Throne of Israel. And yet in these words Jehu is censured for an hypocrite; though God approved and rewarded the work, yet he abhorred and rejected the person that did it as hypocritical: and wherein lay his hypocrisy? but in this, that he took no heed to walk in the ways of the Lord with his heart, (i. e) he did all insincerely and for self-ends; and though the work he did were materially good, yet he not purging his heart from those unworthy self-designs in doing it, was an hypocrite: And Simon of whom we spake before, though he appeared such a person that the Apostle could not regularly refuse him, yet his hypocrisy was quickly discovered: and what discovered it? but this, that though he professed and associated himself with the Saints, yet he was a stranger to the mortification of heart sins; Thy heart is not right with ⟨p. 22⟩God, Acts 8. 21.—'Tis true, there is a great difference among Christians themselves, in their diligence and dexterity about heart-work; some are more conversant and successful in it then others are, but he that takes no heed to his heart, he that is not careful to order it aright before God, is but a hypocrite, Ezek. 33. 31, 32. And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and sit before thee [as my people] and they hear thy words, but they will not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness. Here were a company of formal hypocrites, as is evident by that expression [as my people] like them, but not of them: and what made them so? their out-side was fair, here were reverent postures, high professions, much seeming joy and delight in Ordinances, thou art to them as a lovely Song;