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FORMAL WORSHIPPERS, HYPOCRITES
IN the present day, there is very little of superstitious observance in the world, and still less of Pharisaic hypocrisy; except indeed in the Church of Rome, which is still unhappily a compound of them both. Yet these do exist even amongst Protestants: and the declaration, which in the first instance was delivered, not as a prophecy respecting future ages, but as a reproof to the Jews, in Isaiah’s time [Note: Isa_29:13.], and which our blessed Lord afterwards applied as a prophecy respecting the people of his day; that declaration, I say, may well be considered as applicable to us, so far as our habits accord with those of the Jews in the two fore-mentioned periods. Let me, then, state to you, as it is my duty to do,
I. In whom this prophecy is fulfilled—
Granting that, in many things, we differ from the Pharisees, to whom our Lord applied these words, yet is the prophecy fulfilled at this day by,
1. Those who satisfy themselves with mere formal worship—
[The house of God is, on the whole, well attended in this land: and in many private families is the worship of God observed. But where shall we find any thing but a mere lifeless form? The very habit of persons in the public assembly shews, for the most part, that their souls are not engaged, and that the decent performance of an acknowledged duty is all that the worshippers have in view. Hear the confessions: Do they resemble those of the poor publican? Do they indicate any thing of real brokenness of heart and deep contrition, like that of the converts on the day of Pentecost? Hear the petitions: How little fervour, how little importunity, how little of urgent pleading with God, do you observe! Hear the thanksgivings: Are these such as should proceed from souls “delivered from the powers of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God’s dear Son?” Are the emotions of gratitude for the salvation of the soul such as the lame man, whom Peter and John healed, evinced for the healing of his body [Note: Act_3:6-8.]? Do the worshippers in our churches appear at all as if they were in close communion with God himself, and transacting with him the business of their immortal souls? Alas! the devotions of the generality are no better than a solemn mockery, an “honouring of God with their lips, whilst their hearts are far from him.”]
2. Those who substitute the conceits of men for the commands of God—
[This obtains to a fearful extent in the Church of Rome, where pilgrimages, and penances, and burthensome rites of various kinds, are substituted for “repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Among Protestants, also, the same evil obtains to a very great degree. Every sect has its peculiarities, on which it lays a very undue stress, just as the Pharisees did on washing the hands before meat [Note: ver. 2.]: and a violation of any one established order, or traditionary conceit, would be far more severely noticed than any departure from the commands of God. Let there be in any person a disposition only to disregard some characteristic dogma, or some peculiarity in discipline of his own particular Church, and how many cautions will he receive against such unadvised conduct! whilst, if he neglect God and his own soul during his whole life, he shall never hear so much as one word of friendly admonition. Nay, more; an occasional neglect of some established usage in society, or a deviation from the laws of fashion and politeness, will go further to sink us in the estimation of our neighbours, than an habitual violation of all the commands of God. This, then, shews us plainly, that a Pharisaic spirit still exists amongst us; and that the prophecy is fulfilled in our land, if not so extensively, yet as truly, as in the land of Judah, either in our Saviour’s day, or in the days of the Prophet Isaiah.]
Such characters, then, still existing, let us inquire,
II. In what light they are viewed by Almighty God—
Our blessed Saviour calls them “hypocrites.” True, they are the last people in the world who suspect themselves of hypocrisy. On the contrary, they account religious persons hypocrites; and conceive themselves to be the only persons whose integrity is clear. But, however high they stand in their own esteem, they are hypocrites in the estimation of the heart-searching God. They are hypocrites,
1. In their professions—
[They profess real sanctity; but they possess it not: they have not any one of those qualities of which real sanctity consists. They “have a form of godliness, but are altogether destitute of its power.” If they say, ‘We make no profession of religion,’ I ask. Do you not call yourselves Christians? Do you not demand Christian baptism for your children? And do you not expect Christian burial when you die? Then you do profess yourselves followers of Christ: and while you shew so little love to Christ, and so little resemblance to him, you are downright hypocrites. And if a man were as disloyal to an earthly king as you are to our blessed Lord, and yet profess himself a loyal and devoted subject, you yourselves shall assign to him the designation he would merit, and, in so doing, shall assume it to yourselves.]
2. In their aims—
[These persons would have it supposed that they aim at advancing the honour of their God. But, infact, there is nothing further from their thoughts than this. Many seek only to maintain a good character before men: and those who are less actuated by worldly applause, yet think of nothing but satisfying their own minds, and forming for themselves some specious ground for self-complacency and self-dependence. But as God said to the Jews by the Prophet Zechariah, “When ye fasted and mourned, did ye at all fast unto me, even unto me? And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink for yourselves [Note: Zec_7:5-6.]?” so must it be said to those whom we have before described: they shew, by their very best services, that they have no view beyond themselves: when, if they were really upright before God, they would, “whether they ate or drank, or whatever they did, do all to the glory of God [Note: 1Co_10:31.].”]
3. In the whole of their spirit and conduct—
[They would be thought to possess a Christian spirit: but there are few, if any, in the world more proud, more uncharitable, or more intolerant than they. They hold in contempt those who differ from them, whether they be religious or profane: the godly, as possessing an unfashionable and contemptible religion; and the profane, as destitute of the very appearance of religion. As for those who are living nigh to God in the enjoyment of his presence and in the prospect of his glory, these Pharisaical persons can scarcely endure them. In their sight, all spiritual religion is no other than conceit and vanity and hypocrisy: and those who possess it are deemed “as the filth of the world, and the off-scouring of all things,” and, consequently, as worthy of universal reprobation. In every age of the world the mere formalists have thus persecuted the people of God; and have thus shewn themselves, in the midst of all their pretended zeal for good works, “the children of the devil.”]
See, then, Brethren,
1. What need we have to examine our state before God—
[We may be extremely zealous about the impositions and enactments of men, whilst we are adverse to the commands of God: and we may greatly honour God with our lips, whilst our hearts are altogether enmity against him. Then let us judge ourselves by the word of God, and by the examples of the primitive saints: for if in our whole spirit and deportment we be not followers of Christ and of his holy Apostles, whatever we may think of ourselves, we shall never be accepted of our God.
2. What need we have to rise above the trammels of a worldly religion—
[We have seen what the religion of carnal professors is: it is no better than hypocrisy; and as such it will be accounted in the last day. Nothing but vital piety will stand the test to which we shall be brought in that day. If, therefore, we be satisfied now with that which satisfies the world, we shall be grievously disappointed. If we will stand before God in the future judgment, “our doctrines” must be such as he has revealed, and our “worship” such as he will approve: for “not he that commendeth himself shall be approved, but he whom the Lord commendeth.”]