"Hypocrites! You are so careful to clean the outside
of the cup and the dish; but inside you are filthy—
full of greed and self-indulgence!" Matthew 23:25
A hypocrite's outside never corresponds with his inside.
A hypocrite's outside is one thing—and his inside another.
A hypocrite's outside is religious—but his inside is wicked.
Hypocrites are like the Egyptian temples, which were beautiful
outside—but within there was nothing to be found but serpents
and crocodiles, and other venomous creatures. They are like
white silver—but they draw black lines. They have a seeming
sanctified outside—but are stuffed within with malice, pride,
worldliness, envy, etc. They are like window cushions, made up
of velvet and richly embroidered—but stuffed within with hay.
A hypocrite . . .
may offer sacrifice with Cain,
and fast with Jezebel,
and humble himself with Ahab,
and lament with the tears of Esau,
and kiss Christ with Judas,
and follow Christ with Demas,
and be baptized with Simon Magus;
and yet for all this, his inside is as bad as any of theirs!
A hypocrite is . . .
a Jacob on the outside—and an Esau within;
a David on the outside—and a Saul within;
a John on the outside—and a Judas within;
a saint on the outside—and a Satan within;
an angel on the outside—and a devil within.
But let all such hypocrites know, that pretend sanctity
is double iniquity—and accordingly at last they shall be
dealt with. "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will
you escape being condemned to hell?" Matthew 23:33
Be the first to react on this!
Thomas Brooks (1608 - 1680)
Much of what is known about Thomas Brooks has been ascertained from his writings. Born, likely to well-to-do parents, in 1608, Brooks entered Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1625, where he was preceded by such men as Thomas Hooker, John Cotton, and Thomas Shepard. He was licensed as a preacher of the Gospel by 1640. Before that date, he appears to have spent a number of years at sea, probably as a chaplain with the fleet.After the conclusion of the First English Civil War, Thomas Brooks became minister at Thomas Apostle's, London, and was sufficiently renowned to be chosen as preacher before the House of Commons on December 26, 1648. His sermon was afterwards published under the title, 'God's Delight in the Progress of the Upright', the text being Psalm 44:18: 'Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from Thy way'. Three or four years afterwards, he transferred to St. Margaret's, Fish-street Hill, London. In 1662, he fell victim to the notorious Act of Uniformity, but he appears to have remained in his parish and to have preached as opportunity arose. Treatises continued to flow from his pen.[3]
Thomas Brooks was a nonconformist preacher. Born into a Puritan family, he was sent to Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He soon became an advocate of the Congregational way and served as a chaplain in the Civil War. In 1648 he accepted the rectory of St. Margaret's, New Fish Street, London, but only after making his Congregational principles clear to the vestry.
On several occasions he preached before Parliament. He was ejected in 1660 and remained in London as a Nonconformist preacher. Government spies reported that he preached at Tower Wharf and in Moorfields. During the Great Plague and Great Fire he worked in London, and in 1672 was granted a license to preach in Lime Street. He wrote over a dozen books, most of which are devotional in character. He was buried in Bunhill Fields.