19. He seeks to be better inwardly in his substance than outwardly in appearance
Another singular action of a sanctified Christian, is, To seek to be better inwardly in his substance, than outwardly in appearance.
This is a business which no hypocrite chooses to be employed in: he prefers varnish to massy gold. It little concerns him how much the house be infected with the leprosy, so it be but outwardly fair to human inspection. He forgets that, he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit.
Formality frequently takes its dwelling near the chambers of integrity, and so assumes its name; the soul not suspecting that hell should make so near an approach to heaven. A rotten post, though covered with gold, is more fit to be burned in the fire, than for the building of a fabric. Where there is a pure conscience, there will be a pure conversation. The dial of our faces does not infallibly shew the time of day in our hearts. The humblest looks may enamel the former, while unbounded pride governs the latter. Unclean spirits may inhabit the chamber, when they look not out at the window.
An hypocrite may be both the fairest and the foulest creature in the world; he may be fairest outwardly in the eyes of man, and foulest inwardly in the sight of God. How commonly do such unclean swans cover their black flesh with their white feathers! Though such wear the mantle of Samuel, they should bear the name of Satan.
Many appear righteous, who are only righteous in appearance: but while they are deceiving others with the false shews of holiness, they are also deceiving themselves with the false hopes of happiness. The hypocrite would not willingly seem evil, and yet would inwardly be so; he would fain be accounted good, and yet would not be so. O man, either appear what you are, or be what you appear. What will the form of godliness do for
I you, if you deny the power thereof? Own this, or God will disown thee. Those who have the power of godliness, cannot deny the form; while those who have the form, may deny the power.
Hypocrites resemble looking-glasses, which present the faces that are not in them. Oh, how desirous are men to put the fairest gloves upon the foulest hands; and the finest paint upon the rottenest posts! To counterfeit the coin of heaven, is to commit treason against the King of heaven. Who would spread a curious cloth upon a dusty table?
If a mariner set sail in an unsound bottom, he may reasonably expect to lose his voyage. No wise virgin would carry a lamp without light. O professor, either get the latter, or part with the former. None are so black in the eyes of the Deity, as those who paint for spirit spiritual beauty.
Some persons are better in show than in substance; but not so with true Christians: they are not like painted tombs, which inclose decayed bones. The king's daughter is all glorious within. She is all glorious within; though within is not all her glory. That is a sad charge, which the God of truth brings against certain false professors: I know the blasphemy of them who say they are Jews, and are not; but are the synagogue of Satan. A false friend is worse than an open enemy. A painted harlot is less dangerous than a painted hypocrite. A treacherous Judas is more abhorred of God than a bloody Pilate.
Christians! remember the sheep's cloathing will soon be stripped from the wolf's back. The velvet plaster of profession shall not always conceal the offensive ulcer of corruption. Neither the ship of formality nor hypocrisy will carry one person to the harbour of felicity. The blazing lamps of foolish virgins may light them to the bridegroom's gate, but not into his chamber. Either get the nature of Christ within you, or take not the honours of Christians upon you.
Oh, what vanity is it to lop off the boughs, and leave the roots which can send forth more; or to empty the cistern, and leave the fountain running which can soon fill it again! Such may swim in the water as the visible church; but when the net is drawn to shore, they must be thrown away as bad fishes. Though the tares and the wheat may grow in the field together, yet they will not be housed in the granary together.
How pious and devout did the pharisees appear before men! They concluded them to be the only saints upon earth. They judged the inward man by the outward: but not so with the heart-searching God; for, He said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men, is abomination in the sight of God. That sepulchre is not always the repository of gold, which is outwardly garnished. Herod was a God in the esteem of the people, when he was but a fiend in the sight of the Lord; they adored him, he destroyed him.
A man's conversation may be civilized, when his heart is not evangelized. There is as much difference between nature restrained and nature renewed, as between the glimmering of a glow-worm and the splendour of the noonday sun. A bad man is certainly worst, when he is seemingly best. We must not account every one a soldier, who swaggers with a sword. A rusty scymitar may frequently be found in a highly-trimmed scabbard. What is it to have our hands as white as snow, if our hearts be as black as the bottomless pit? Such professors resemble curious bubbles, smooth and clear without, yet only filled with air.
A man may wear the Saviour's livery, and yet be busied in Satan's drudgery. The skin of an apple may be fair, when it is rotten at the core. Though all gold may glitter, yet all is not gold that glitters. The errantest hypocrite may have the colour of gold, but not the value of gold. What comparison is there between the gilt tun filled with air, and the homely vessel filled with generous wine?
Very few deceivers duly weigh that notable saying of the wise man: He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. He that promises to cover the Christian's infirmities, threatens also to disclose the antichristian's impieties. Well would it be for such to remember that arch-traitor Judas, who purchased nothing by his deceitful dealings, but a halter for his body, in which he was hanged; and fire for his soul, in which he is burning.
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