A68877:203
Gods husbandry
Gods husbandry: the first part. Tending to show the difference betwixt the hypocrite and the true-hearted Christian. As it was delivered in certain sermons, and is now published by William Whately, preacher of the Word of God in Banbury in OxfordshireGods husbandry: the first part. Tending to shew the difference betwixt the hypocrite and the true-hearted Christian. As it was deliuered in certaine sermons, and is now published by William Whately, preacher of the Word of God in Banbury in Oxfordsheire
London: printed by Bernard Alsop and Felix Kyngston for Thomas Man, 1622
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
CHAP. III. Showing the reasons of the destruction of hypocrites.
CHAP. III. Shewing the reasons of the destruction of hypocrites.
Thus have you seen how sure it is that hypocrites must fearfully perish. Let us consider, why it must needs fall out so hard with them. And the reasons hereof are to be taken from God partly, & partly from themselves, and from all other of Gods Saints. From God, Reason 1 1First, because he sees them. Secondly, because he hates them. Thirdly, because he will gain glory by them. For the first of these,2 Though the hypocrite do cover himself over with such a thick cloudy as the eyes of men are not able for the most part to pierce through it, and discern him: yet the Lord of heaven doth always see him, and see through him. His eyes in every place behold the evil and the good: He trieth the hearts, he searcheth the reins, he spieth into the deepest and darkest corners of every soul. Hell and destruction are before the eyes of the Lord: how then should the hearts of the sons of men be hidden from him? Nay doubtless, there is neither darkness nor the shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves, but his eyes do observe, and his eye-lids do ponder all their paths. From men like himself, a man may make an easy shift to keep his heart secret, yea, so is this vice given to cloaking and skulking, ⟨p. 10⟩that from a mans own self, he will make a shift to hide the odiousness of his inside, and this filthy guilefulness of his own spirit; But after all the turning, and shifting, and winding of mankind, that shall prove true at length (in spite of all) which Paul affirmeth, viz. that God is not mocked. There is no beguiling of that all-searching eye of our Maker. There is no possibility of offering cozenage, and putting tricks upon the King of heaven. The Lord of all the world is not subject to the weakness of earthly Princes, that often take flatterers for friends, and fawning sycophants, for loyal subjects: but even such as a man is in deed and truth, such doth God esteem and take him for: for he doth not judge after the outward appearance, but judgeth righteous judgement. A man may say of hypocrisy, as once Job in another sense said of Wisdom: That it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the Fowls of the air: but God understandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof: for he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven. Did not our Saviour Christ know what was in man?