The Godly Man's Picture

7. The vileness of hypocrisy: The Lord would have no leaven offered up in Sacrifice; leaven did typify hypocrisy, Luke 12. 1. The hypocrite doth the devil double service, under the Visor of Piety, he can sin more, and be less^† suspected, Mat. 23. 14. W• unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye devour Widows houses, and for a pretence, make long prayers: Who would think they were guilty of Extortion, that would pray so many hours together? Who would suspect him of false weights, that hath the Bible so often in his hand? Who would think he would slander, that seems to fear an oath? Hypocrites are the worst sort of sinners, they reflect infinite dishonour upon Religion; hypocrisy for the most part ends in scandal, and that brings an evil report upon the ways of God; one man breaking, makes such as are honest suspected; one scandalous hypocrite, makes the world suspect that all Professors ⟨p. 139⟩are so; the hypocrite was born to do Religion a spite, and to bring it into an odium.

7. The vileness of hypocrisie: The Lord would have no leven offered up in Sacrifice; leven did typifie hypocrisie, Luke 12. 1. The hypocrite doth the devil double service, under the Vizor of Piety, he can sin more, and be less^† suspected, Mat. 23. 14. W• unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, for ye devoure Widows houses, and for a pretence, make long prayers: Who would think they were guilty of Extortion, that would pray so many hours together? Who would suspect him of false weights, that hath the Bible so often in his hand? Who would think he would slander, that seems to fear an oath? Hypocrites are the worst sort of sinners, they reflect infinite dishonor upon Religion; hypocrisie for the most part ends in scandal, and that brings an evil report upon the ways of God; one man breaking, makes such as are honest suspected; one scandalous hypocrite, makes the world suspect that all Professors