The Husbandmans Companion, Meditation 94
Ʋpon a fair apple rotten at the core.
94. Med.
TAking notice of a beautiful apple, glorious to the eye, having a promiſing aſpect, a ſmoosh skin and a fair outſide, yet when it was cut, it proved deceitful, rotten at the heart, and corrupted within, and little good but a painted skin, and the corruption within would ſoon have brake forth and corrupted the outſide alſo; this apple ſo deceitful, lively repreſented to my thoughts an hypocrite, who in outward carriage and demeanour, and formalities, makes a fair ſhew, and in the external performance of duties repreſents a true Chriſtian when the heart is rotten, and the vitals of Religion are wanting, and there is nothing but a ſheepsskin drawn over a wolfs body; nothing but plaſter and paint, yet ofttimes ſo artificially done, that it is hard to diſcover it from ſincerity, in the external parts of Religion: many times he outſtrips many ſincere Chriſtians, and acts his part ſo cunningly, that many times he is taken for the man he repreſents: he oft makes a fair ſhew to the world, and holds out a more fairer profeſſion in the ſight of the ſun, then the Saints themſelves; for they may afford to pay more for the colour, for the cloath coſts them nothing; what others beſtow in the lining, they lay it out on the outſide; like an old withered band, rotten within, and painted without; but the rottenneſs that lies at the heart, many times breaks out, and rots the life and converſation alſo; for corruption within will break out: our Saviour Chriſt did lively repreſent theſe men by painted ſepulchers, and whited tombs, glorious to the eye, but within full of filthineſs, and putrefaction, Mat. 23.27. wo unto you Scribes and Phariſees, hypocrites, for you are like unto whited Sepulchres, that appear glorious to the eye, but within are full of dead mens bones and all uncleaneſs; ſo do ye in the eye of the world appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocriſy and iniquity: fair profeſſors but foul ſinners: there are many with Pilate will waſh their hands, but few will waſh their hearts, Mat. 27.24. this alſo the Phariſees did, but this is too weak an element to waſh off guilt, which is not purged but by the blood of Chriſt, or the fire of hell; but God and nature begin at the heart, and ſo muſt a Chriſtian that would be cleanſed; O Jeruſalem, Jeruſalem, waſh thy heart from wickedneſs, how long ſhall vain thoughts lodge in thee? Jer. 4.14. clenſe your hands, ye ſinners, and purify your hearts, ye double minded, Jam. 4.8. both heart and life muſt be reformed, but reformation ſhould begin at the heart, or it will never rightly ſeaſon the life: the moſt men begin reformation at the wrong end, they lop off ſome of the bigger branches of ſin, and it is well they do ſo, many go not ſo far, when the root remains firm and untouched: and hence it is it quickly ſprings again, at the next gale of opportunity or warm gleam of temptation; they are ſeeking to clenſe the ſtream when the fountain that feeds it is corrupt, they would make the fruit good when the tree is bad, but this is but labour loſt, the way is firſt to clenſe the fountain, and then the ſtream will be clear; let the tree be grafted, and the fruit will be better; the hypocrite like a glow worm makes a great ſhew in a dark night, but if you touch her, ſhe yields neither fire nor heat; I have read of a Roman Senatour, that was giving audience to an Embaſſadour, but beholding his coloured hair, and painted face, ſaid, what ſincerity can we expect from theſe men, whoſe very locks, and looks, and lips do lie? ſo theſe mens looks, and words, and actions lie, and ſhew that outwardly that is not inwardly there in the heart: hypocriſy may be ſpun with a fine thread, that it can be hardly diſcerned in the ſtuff, but uſually it is ſeen in the wearing, for uſually it is not durable, neither will it endure a ſtorm, but will ſhrink in the wetting; will the hypocrite pray always? (ſaith Job) intimating, he will not; they are like the ſhort-winded Bethulians, faint after a turn or two: fained converſion often proves unfained apoſtaſy; thoſe that receive not the truth in the love of the truth, will hardly dye for the maintenance of the truth; thoſe that have not the root of the matter in them, will ſoon wither, 1. Iohn 2.19. they went out from us, but they were not of us, for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us, but they went out that they might be made manifeſt, that they were not all of us: hypocrites are in the Church as tares among the corn, and chaff among the wheat, or as a wen or ulcer on the body, or a wooden leg; when a ſeperation is made, the corn is the better, and the body never the worſe; the fooliſh virgins had lamps in their hands as well as the wiſe, but wanting oyl in their veſſels, & grace in their hearts, were ſhut out; thoſe that only pretend to holineſs and the power of godlineſs, and not intend it, are like unto Ʋriah; they carry their own condemnation about them, for if Religion be not good, why do they profeſs it? if it be good, why do they not practice it? if they would not have the tree of ſin kil'd, why do they lop off the branches? if they would, why do they not ſtock it up by the roots? if when they pray that God would mortify their ſin and heal them of their hypocriſy, they would not have God hear them, why do they pray? if they would, why do they not endeavour it as well as beg it? if hypocriſy be good, why do they pray againſt it? if it be bad, why do they wittingly and willingly uſe it? if they would not have the ſtream clean, why do they purge it? if they would, why do they not clenſe the fountain that it may be clean? they ſhould be as they ſeem, or ſeem as they be; they ſhould practice what they profeſs, or profeſs what they practice; I would (ſaith God) ye were either hot or cold; he likes not a lukewarm temper; their profeſſion is but a fantaſtick fire, kindled in their own tinder-box: oh my ſoul, ſee thou be ſound at the heart, that the life of Religion be in thee, and not the dead image; if the heart be rotten, ſooner or later it will break out into the life; ſee that there be oyl as well as a lamp, and practice as well as a profeſſion: oh my God, without thine aſſiſtance my heart will deceive me: Lord, make my heart ſound in thy ſtatutes.