Halifax nuts – Thomas Brooks

A man may be visibly holy who is not inwardly holy. A man may have an outward dress of holiness upon him who has not the spirit and vitality of holiness in him.

They say of Halifax nuts, that they are all shells with no kernels. Just so, there are many who make a glorious show before men who are abominable in the sight of God, who are gold in man’s eyes but dirt in God’s sight.

In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous; but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” Matthew 23:28

They were outwardly religious but inwardly wicked; they had the semblance of sanctity but inwardly very full of impurity; they were fair professors but foul sinners; they were gracious without but impious within. Look! as those are the worst of vices which are covered over with the show of virtue; so they are the worst of sinners, who cover over their inward filthiness with the disguises of outward holiness.

The Egyptian temples were fair on the outside but foul and filthy within. Such were the Scribes and Pharisees in Christ’s days and such are many professors in our days.

God will at last hate that man to hell, yes, cast him into the hottest place in hell who has a form of godliness upon him; but nothing of the reality and power of holiness in him.

“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell?” Matthew 23:33