Divine drops distilled from the fountain of Holy Scriptures: delivered in several exercises before sermons, upon twenty and three texts of Scripture. By that worthy gospel preacher Gualter Cradock, late preacher at All-Hallows Great in London.

Expositions and Observations on ISAIAH 65. 5.

I have spread out my hands all the day unto a re∣bellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good: after their own thoughts, &c.

Which say, Stand by thy self, come not near to me, for I am holier then thou: these are a smoak in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.

THe Lord doth here reprove, or rather shew his indignation against hypocrites. Here is their description, they say, stand by thy self, come not near to me, for I am holier then thou, yet they were a rebellious people, as we see before, the Lord spread out his hands to them all the day long, and they walked in their own wayes, after their own thoughts. The thing I drive at, is, to acquaint you with this;

How hatefull, how abominable hypocrisie is to God.

Their hypocrisie was, that they thought, and they said * 1.1 to their brethren, stand off, I am holier then thou, come not near me, &c. yet it was but outward holinesse, and

the Lord saith, they are a smoake in my nostrills all the day long. The meaning is not, as if God had nostrills, though usually where you read of the anger, and wrath of God in the Hebrew, It is said, Gods nose, God tooke this to his nose, when he was angry. But when he saith, they are a smoake in my nostrills, God takes the comparison from man, as it is oft in the pro∣verbs, a sloathfull messenger is as vinegar to the teeth, and smoak to the eyes, that is, very sore. So God saith, hypocrites are as a smoak in his nostrills all the day long, that is as smoak in a Kiln, or in a smoaky house where there is a bad chimney, it is a wondrous trouble∣some thing, especially if a man be driven to continue all the day, a man is not able to bear it, the smoak will fill his eyes, and his nose. God takes the expression from men, to shew his indignation, and displeasure a gainst hypocrisy. My aime is to make you sensible, how displeasing to God hypocrisy is.

Hypocrisy, take it in the grossest sense (though there be a hundred degrees of it) is when men seeme and are not, when you say, and do not, as some expresse it; when you pretend to be that you are not, or pretend to be more then you are; for so it is here, I am more holy then thou. That is hypocrisy, when you seem what you are not, or in degree more then you are; yet that lesse degree is as a smoak in Gods nostrills all the day long. It is abominable to God; and that is the rea∣son that Christ eight times in the same Chapter, Mat. 23. pronounceth Wo to you hypocrites, Wo to you hypo∣crites. It may be the Lord may call an hypocrite: for an hypocrite is but a sinner though he be the worst of sinners: but hypocrisy is abominable to God.

The reason is, because such a man Idolizeth every * 1.2 creature, and makes every creature more then God, he honours every creature more then God. For he knows that God deales with his heart, he knowes that God deals with his heart, he knows that God sees his heart, and men, and children, and every thing, sees his out∣ward life: now he is more carefull to please men and creatures, and to carry himself religiously, and devoutly, as a Saint before men, then he cares how to carry his heart before the Lord, which is as if he should say, I do more honour, and respect every creature that seeth my outside; then the Lord God that views, and sees my heart. What can more provoke God, when God is put below every creature, and every creature is ad∣vanced above him? That is one reason.

Another reason is this, because that the name of God is more dishonoured, and his Gospell, and his King∣dome * 1.3 more scandalised by them, then by all the world besides. The Saints sometimes dishonour God by weaknesse: but carnall men usually know in their con∣sciences that it is but weaknesse in such a Saint, looking on the course of his life, and the frame of his spirit: but hypocrites, the world seeing sometimes their base doings, are ready to curse them; Here are the men that go to such Lectures, and such Sermons, and thus they cozen, and over-reach, and all their Religion is of the same stamp; they are all hypocrites, as this sanctified bro∣ther, cheaters they are. This doth transfigere nomen Jehovah (as blasphemy signifies) it makes men pierce through the name of God, and of Christ, God hath so fastned it on my heart how abominable it is, that it cannot out of my thoughts: therefore God may have

an end in it, to reach some of you at this time, though you have been as a smoak in his nostrills, though you have kept God no a kilne (as it were) by your villany, by seeming what you are not; or to be far more then you are. For take it from God, for it is from him in a speciall manner, let us all look to our selves, let us all consider our wayes, and let all take heed that we seem, and pretend not to be any thing in Religion more then we are in our closets; That we may be able to say, O Lord, if I were at thy tribunall, this is true, I desire thy glory, I seek thine honour, and the welfare and advancement of thy people, and so whether I be well, or ill, or live or die, I care not. Look to it, and wo, wo, wo, to those among us whosoever they are, let them be Magistrates, or Ministers (I leave them to the Lord to point them out) that drive on Iesuiticall designs under the pretence of Religion; They talk of Refor∣mation, and I know not what, and a blind man almost may see their covetousnesse, and self-seeking, and oppres∣sion of the Saints. Whosoever thou art, thou hast the worst end of the staff, be sure. The hearts of the Saints are touched with the same loadstone as the heart of God, they judge as he judgeth, and as God saith, such people are a smoak in his nostrills, so they are in the eyes of the Saints, they curse such. They pity wicked men when blindly they go against the Saints: but when thou puttest the best side outward, and pre∣tendest to be holy, and thou knowest, thou couldst eat all the Saints of God, and throw down the Worship of Christ, O there are many prayers against thee, and there is a harmony between the hearts of the Saints, and the heart of God. God saith, ye are a smoak in his

nostrills, and so say the Saints. It grieves me more at the Jesuiticall designes of some, then all the proceedings of the Cavaliers. Wo be unto them: there is no∣thing done in secret, but it shall be open, there is no∣thing spoken in the ear, but it shall be published on the house top; all their villany shall come out.

And so in trading, a man must take heed of many professors (I hope the generation of the Saints shall not suffer by it) in buying, and selling; a man were better deal with carnall men, then with some professors in the City that I have knowen.

I speak this to thy comfort that art such a one, though thou be the very heir of hell, Mat. 24. they shall have their portion with hypocrites, as if hell were their inheritance, Yet for thy comfort know that an hypocrite is but a sinner, though he be as far from hea∣ven as any. For there is that that magnifies Christs love, he came to die for sinners, and thy conscience tells thee, I am the man that the minister meant, my trading is so, I know what accompts I keep, and what wares I sell: though thou be, yet I trust God means thee so well as to bring thee to Christ, and when thou art as bad as thou canst be, think yet thou art but a sinner, the Lord doth but rank thee among sinners, learn this short word, to see how hatefull hypocrisy is.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hypocrisie a hatefull thing to God.
• * 1.2

  Proved from two reasons. 1. The hy∣pocrite ho¦nours the creature above God.
• * 1.3

  2. Hypocrisy contributes most to Gods dis∣honour.