But there are many present, who, I trust, are truly, and in earnest, endeavouring to live to God. To such, this subject is indeed interesting. Let me exhort you to learn from it, to consider this life, and all its events, as of very small importance in themselves. You must learn to think less and less of the troubles and trials of life. Weigh them against eternity. These light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work out for you a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. Consider them as the appointed means of your sanctification; this will give them a dignity and excellence, which will render them not merely tolerable, but in some degree acceptable. They bring forth the fruits of righteousness to them that are exercised thereby.Look also on the present life as merely a state of infancy. What are eighty or a hundred years, in the comparison with a million of ages? Or what the evanescent pleasures of this world, when opposed to the never-ending enjoyments of the life to come?-Learn also to estimate every thing by a spiritual standard, That is the true view of life which teaches you to consider it as consisting in holiness: Accustom yourself, then, to look upon death in a different point of view from that in which it appears to the world. Consider it as the beginning of life, the æra of new hopes and more exalted happiness.-And, finally, my beloved brethren, endeavour to improve the present span of existence. It is, indeed, very short; but every day is big with importance, when you consider its possible effects. Every day gives in its account: and happy are they who are found consecrating it to God, and living as he would have his creatures employed,-to his glory, and their own eternal benefit.

SERMON VII.

DEFICIENCY OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES.

Matth. v. 20.

I say unto you, that except your righteousness shall exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

THE example of others may be of material benefit to us, if we use it in order to excite a greater abhorrence of evil, or to animate our ardour in the pursuit of good. Thus the example of the transgressing Israelites in the wilderness is set before us by the Apostle: "Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Now all these things happened unto them for examples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” On the other hand the example is presented to us of those who through faith and patience have inherited the promises. Their faith we are exhorted to imitate; and, "seeing we are encom

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passed with so great a cloud of witnesses," we are to "lay aside every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset us."

In allowing, however, that both good and evil example may be of the highest utility, it is pre-supposed that we fully understand what is evil and what is good. This knowledge being obtained, the experience of others may be made subservient to the purpose of strengthening our dread of that which is evil, and our attachment to that which is good. But example is often lamentably misapplied; it becomes the subject of blind and indiscriminate imitation; and fallible man is made the standard of faith and practice, instead of the word of God. This is what our Saviour has forbidden: "Call no man master, for ye have one who is your master in heaven." Yet this was the fault of the Jews, and it has been the fault of every age. The Jews looked to the Scribes and Pharisees as the only teachers and models of right. They were therefore disposed to reply to our Lord, when urging more religious strictness than that to which they had been accustomed; "Our Scribes, those whose office it is to teach religion; and our Pharisees, whom we reverence as most exemplary persons; do not press upon us that inward and spiritual religion on which you insist." To this objection our Lord replies in this in this decisive manner; Whatever false teachers may affirm, or formal professors practice, I say unto you, that "except that your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." It is therefore important,

I. To inquire what was the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees;

II. To shew wherein it was deficient, and in what quality and degree we must exceed them;

III. To impress upon our consciences the absolute necessity that our righteousness should exceed theirs, if we would enter into the kingdom of heaven.

I. Let us inquire what was the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees.

The Pharisees professed greater strictness and purity in religion than the rest of their nation. They had the Law and the Prophets always before their eyes, and considered themselves bound to observe both the righteousness of the Old Testament and the traditions of the elders with the most rigid punctuality.

The Pharisees were sound in most of the doctrinal points of religion. They acknowledged the one true God of Israel, and were zealous in endeavouring to make proselytes to the truth. They believed in the resurrection of the dead, and in the departure of the soul to a state of happiness or misery after death.

In their observance of the ceremonial parts of the Law, they were not only blameless, but scrupulously exact. They paid not merely tithes of all things usually demanded, but even of the smallest herbs that grew in the garden.

In their devotions they were frequent. They were constant at the temple at every hour of prayer; they fasted often; and they were such strict observers of the Sabbath as to be shocked at our Lord's healing of the sick on that day, which they considered as a violation of its sanctity; and, from the same principle, we find that they were offended at his disciples for rubbing out ears of corn in their hands on the Sabbath day, as they passed through a field.

With respect to their outward morals also, as far as they acted according to their profession, they were blameless. And that they were, in general, free from gross and outward sins, is presumable from the reputation for religion which they possessed: for who could imagine, a society of openly licentious, intemperate, or dishonest men to be held in esteem as a religious sect? Add to this, that they seem to have been, in a measure, charitable to the poor, giving alms of that which they possessed,