ferved to attack the Eyes of Spectators, they were for; and of this Nature were all their External Severities, and Rigours, and Reven ges, they used upon themfelves. But, as to Mortifying their inward Pride, and Rancour, and Hatred, and Malice, and Covetoufnefs, and love of the World, they were fo great Strangers to it, that they did not think it part of their Religion, which makes Christ tell them, Thou blind Pharifee, cleanfe first that which is within the Cup and Platter, that the outfide of them may be clean alfo: Wo unto you Scribes and Pharifees, for ye are like unto whited Sepulchres, which appear fair unto Men, but within are full of Rotten Bones; even fo ye appear outwardly Righte ous unto Men, but within are full of Covetousness, Matth. xxiii. 26, 27.

5. Tho' they own'd, profeffed, and taught the Law of Mofes ; yet in effect, they preferr'd their wild and phantaftick Traditions before it. Not to mention their common Proverb, That the Words of the Scribes, i. e. of their Traditionary Divines, were more Lovely than the Words of the Law; where it was fo, that the Law, and the Tradition clafht, they Interpreted the Law by the Tradition, not the Tradition by the Law, and hearken'd more to the Dictate, and Suggestion of a groundless and whimfical Tradition, than to an exprefs Text of the Written Word of God; as is evi dent from what Christ tells them, Matth. xv. 3. Why do ye Tranfgrefs the Commandment of God, by your Tradition, for God commanded, fay ing, Honour thy Father and thy Mother; and, he D 3

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that Curfes Father and Mother, let him die the Death; but ye fay, Whofgever shall fay to his Father, or to his Mother, though ready to starve and Perish, for want of Neceffaries, it is Corban, it is a Gift, I have Dedicated it to the Temple, by what foever thou mightest be profited by me, and Honour not his Father, or his Mother, be fhall be Free. Thus have ye made the Commandment of God of no effect, by your Tradition.

Indeed, where Men invent new Doctrines and Articles of Faith, there the good Old Word of God will do them no Service, but they are forced to make, and run to Traditions, and broken Cisterns which can hold no Water.

6. To Sum up all. They were very severe and ftrict in keeping fome Commandments of God, but very fupine and negligent as to others. They hated Extortion, but were Malicious to a Prodigy; they would not be Drunk, but were abominably Proud; they were for giving Alms to People of their own Sect, but look'd upon it as Sinful, to relieve a poor Samaritan: They were for ftrictnefs of Life before People, and Spectators, but loofe and wicked in Secret; they abhorred Adultery, but were Slaves to Ambition and Vain-Glory; they bound heavy Burthens on other Mens Shoulders, but would not touch them with one of their Fingers, and while they preffed a fevere Obfervance of the Sabbath-Day, forgot they were to reft from Sin, and Envy, as well as from fervile Labour, Matth. xii. 12, 13, 14.

Indeed this was one of their pernicious Traditionary Principles, That if a Man or Woman were but industrious in the Practice of any one Command of God, though they neglected the other Precepts, that fervice was

חלק בעולם הבאfafficient to entitle them to a

to the Portion of the Bieffed in another World. To be short, they ferved God at the best, by halves, were quick-fighted as Eagles, in fpying out other Mens faults; but blind as Moles in discovering their own, and while they divided their Affections, betwixt God and the World, allow'd the World the far greater fhare.

These were the Distempers and Diseases of the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharifees, and how we are to exceed them, is the third Particular I am to speak to.

III. Except your Righteoufnefs fhall exceed the Righteoufnefs of the Scribes and Pharifees; and how, or, in what Things we are to exceed them, is foon guefs'd at; for 'tis evident from the preceding Difcourfe, that it must be in Sincerity, in Simplicity, in Humility, in Charity, and in Univerfality of Obedience.

1. In Sincerity, in being that within, which we feem to be without. Christ is not against external Devotion, hath no dislike of an outward Profeffion, never declared against decent external Ceremonies; but he requires, we should be Devout and Serious within, as well as without, and take care that what we do without, do arife from a sense of God: within; and that a relish of Spiritual Things in

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the Soul within, do put us upon Devotion without; that the Heart and the Lips, and the Hands, be all of a piece; and moreover, that we ufe the fame diligence to Mortifie our inward Lufts, which we use to restrain our felves from evil Actions in Company, or, in the prefence of Men. In a Word, that we do not only pretend to Religion, but Practife it; not only talk and difpute, and entertain our felves with Speculations, and Difcourfes of it, but Live up to the Holy Rules of it; not only make Profeffion of it, but fhew out of a good Converfation, our good Works with Meekness of Wisdom, as it is faid, Jam. iii. 13,

2. In Simplicity, and having pure and holy Ends in our Religious Actions, and particularly in our Religious Severities, and Self-Denials, Ends fuitable to the Holinefs of God, and the Edification of our Neighbours; in a Word, Ends Rational, and fuch as may be justified before God and Man. This is part of the single Eye we read of, Matth. vi. 22. Indeed, the Ends and Designs of Actions, make a strange Alteration in their Worth and Value, render them either Good or Bad, either Commendaple or Abominable, either Sacrifices of Righte oufness, or, Sacrifices of Fools. Chrift is fo far from difcouraging his Followers from Religious Self-denials and Severities, that his Do

rine and Difcipline preffes nothing more; infomuch, that the greater your Self-denials are, the better Chriftians you are. But, the right end, is the thing our Mafter presses, and infifts upon. Faft and Pray, and continue in

Prayer

Prayer a long time, fpend whole Hours in it, if your Strength, and Senfe, and Affections will ferve; give Alms, and give very liberally; deny your felves in a Thousand Vanities, the World doats upon; Mortifie your Bodies ⚫ in a decent manner, but take heed of fecret hopes of Meriting by all this, and of fecret Defigns, either to promote your Worldly Profit and Intereft, or to gain the Commendations and Admiration of your Neighbours, or, to make God amends for fome Sins, you are loath to part withal. Have no Worldly Ends in all this, but let a Senfe of your Duty, and your Gratitude to God, and an earnest defire to Crucifie the Flefh, to die to the World, to imitate the Saints of Old, to encourage your felves in a Spiritual Life, and to prepare for Heaven and Happiness. Let these be the Principals and Motives that put You upon all this, and you will undoubtedly exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharifees.

3. In Humility; not only in having a just Senfe of our Errors, and many Infirmities, which render us unworthy to appear before God, without the Affiftance and Interceffion of a Mediator; not only in abhorring our felves for those many defects, which cleave to our best Services; not only in accufing our felves before the All-feeing Eye, as Wretched, Naked, Poor, Blind and Miferable, from a Senfe of his Infinite Majefty and Purity; but alfo in having low and humble Thoughts of gur Religious Performances, acknowledging

that