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read so much then they make their consciences easy but how they felt inwardly in praying or reading, and what the state of their affections is, that they regard not. A A ceremony is of more consequence with them than the regulation of the heart. Malice and censoriousness cost them no pangs of conscience; but the omission of a trifling custom in religion of no moment would make them uneasy. In general, much pains a blind Pharisee may take to no useful purpose at all. He has no foundation. His heart is wrong altogether, having no faith in God, no love of his Maker, no delight at all in heavenly things. It is to no purpose that such a person asks whether it be lawful to do or to omit such and such things, and hopes there is no great harm in his indulging and diverting himself in such and such a way. What signifies it to his soul's interest, how he proceeds in these things, while his heart is far from God, and means to continue so all the time? Even if he do nicely employ himself in some matters of "mint, anise, and cummin," he acts only like a man who should undertake to build a house, and, instead of laying a foundation, and proceeding on a regular plan, should give himself entirely to the curious cutting and ornamenting of a stone with the chisel. How ridiculous, should he continue to boast that he was building apace, and should finish by and bye! As ridiculous, and infi

nitely more ruinous, is the blind Pharisee's labour in religion.

The case being by this time so clearly laid down that you cannot miss of its application, it seems high time to apply to the blind Pharisee the advice of the text; "Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also."

Do you mean to be saved? Are you in earnest to gain the favour of God? See, at any rate, that this be your case first. If it be not; if what you do in religion be only matter of amusement, or habit, or education, or for the praise of men; all advice while you so continue will be lost upon you. If you are in earnest, remember, you. must get into quite a different way from your present one. It is not this or that particular thing that wants amending; you want an universal change. Your heart is bad; so is that of all men by nature. You never felt yet the plague of your own heart. To lop off a few topmost branches of a poisonous tree, is doing nothing, while the root and stock remain. When Peter exhorts the Jews, who were pricked to the heart and asked what they must do, he bids them repent-that is, change their minds altogether;-and in the next chapter, "Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." You fancy your hearts are good, and your state right in the

main, only there are some particular matters that want rectifying; and you labour at this or that point; and you take fruitless pains for years, and are just as unholy as ever you were. It is the alteration of your whole state and plan that is required. Let me beg your attention to the following directions and remarks.

(1.) Desire and labour to be convinced of your entire guilt and depravity. Let the great fundamental doctrine of original sin come with weight on your consciences. See your own part in it; that the account given in Scripture of the fall and misery of man suits you; and that what you say in this house from time to time, "There is no health in us," is true of you in particular. Get a heart-affecting sense of this from the Spirit of God. Know that the law requires the obedience of the heart; and that even in those instances in which you have obeyed, as well as in those in which you have disobeyed, you are guilty, because quite void of that love which is the fulfilling of the law. : (2.) Knowing yourselves lost and guilty, look out heartily for a Deliverer. Desire, by the Spirit's working, to receive Jesus as your Saviour in good earnest; a Saviour to you in particular; to justify you from all your sins, to make you children of God by adoption and grace, to bring you to the right knowledge, love, and fear of God, and to peace and fellowship with him. For this you have need of faith,. a living principle, whereby you draw nigh to

God through the blood of Jesus. You no longer hope for heaven from the doing or the not doing of certain things, on which, with the true Pharisaic spirit of self-righteousness, you hitherto laid the whole stress of your soul's acceptance; but, casting away all these dependencies, you learn to be grounded and settled on Christ alone, as a stone, a tried stone, a sure foundation, on which whosoever believeth shall not be confounded. This will bring you to peace. And,

(3.) Hence on this foundation you will build for heaven. Love will give you wings of zealous duty; gratitude will draw you; the Spirit of Christ in you will constrain you with sweetness and with power. Your cases of conscience will be satisfactorily solved by the Spirit of God. A new light will break in upon your steps, and order all your walk; walk; and your heart being purified by faith, and your conscience sprinkled by the blood of Christ, you will find a new heart, a new will, new affections. And that which is within being first cleansed, that which is without will be clean also; your walk will be made heavenly, comfortable, and holy. Thus, by an experimental acquaintance with original sin, justification by faith, and the new birth, you will be brought out of Pharisaism into the spirit and liberty and love of the Gospel.

I advertise you of one thing. If any of my audience see cause to accuse themselves of

mere Pharisaism to this day, and would effectually learn the principles that have been briefly stated, let them know that they are such as the world is pleased to despise as fanatical; and no man can seriously seek to practise the advice of the text, but he must undergo the odious imputation. They are most precious truths; and the experience of real salvation by Jesus, and the real use of him as a Saviour, are the most comfortable things in the world. Nevertheless, you cannot understand them aright, nor have a mind and will suited to them, but from above. It is God's own prerogative to change the heart. You have the more need, therefore, to pray for understanding, and to search the Scriptures with reverence. And do not be offended if you find the path strange, difficult, mysterious, mortifying to flesh and blood, and not easily digested. The false religion you have followed is easy to be digested, it suits corrupt nature: this is above nature; we need a new nature to enter into it aright. But if you persevere in seeking to know yourselves as lost, to know Christ as your Saviour, to walk with him by faith, and to draw every thing out of his fulness, you yourselves shall in this life feel the happy change: you shall find a peace to which you were before strangers, be pleased with a truly heavenly light, and breathe the air of heaven while on earth. You shall find passions and lusts subdued in a way you never could have imagined. You shall look