The righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees considered. In a sermon on Matth. V. 20. : Preach'd at the evening-lecture in Boston, January 27. 1740, 1. / By Gilbert Tennent, A.M. and Minister of the Gospel at New-Brunswick, in New-Jersey. ; [Three lines from Luke] Tennent, Gilbert, 1703-1764. Approx. 43 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 13 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI : 2011-05. N03917 N03917 Evans 4821 APV9742 4821 99005390

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eng Pharisees. Scribes, Jewish. Sermons -- 1741. 2008-10 Assigned for keying and markup 2008-12 Keyed and coded from Readex/Newsbank page images 2009-06 Sampled and proofread 2009-06 Text and markup reviewed and edited 2009-09 Batch review (QC) and XML conversion

Mr. Tennent's SERMON PREACH'D at the Tueſday Evening Lecture, January, 27. 1740, 1.

The Righteouſneſs of the SCRIBES and PHARISEES conſidered.

IN A SERMON On MATTH. V. 20. Preach'd at the Evening-Lecture in BOSTON, January 27. 1740, 1.

By Gilbert Tennent, A.M. And Miniſter of the Goſpel at New-Brunſwick, in New-Jerſey.

Luk. xiii. 24. Strive to enter in at the ſtrait Gate: For many, I ſay unto you, will ſeek to enter in, and ſhall not be able.

BOSTON: Printed by J. DRAPER for D. HENCHMAN, in Cornhill. 1741.

THE Righteouſneſs OF THE Scribes and Phariſees CONSIDER'D. MATTH. V. xx.

For I ſay unto you, That except your Righteouſneſs ſhall exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, ye ſhall in no Caſe enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

THESE Words are as weighty and ſolemn, and as much deſerve and require our ſerious and ſpeedy Conſideration and cloſe Application, as any I know of in the whole Book of God.

It is a moſt difficult Task to bring back ſecure Sinners to the ſerious Search of their State towards God, and their Springs of Action; they conclude without an impartial Tryal, without Reaſon, that they are in a ſafe Condition, and ſo go on building a Fabrick in the Air. They endeavour to grow in Grace, before they get Grace. But can the fond and groundleſs Notions of Men's Brains alter the Nature of God and of Things? Will a Building ſtand well without a Foundation, or upon a ſandy one? Would it not be better for Mankind, to labour with Impartiality and Speed to know the worſt of their State, while there is an Opportunity to get it alter'd?

Is it reaſonable for Men, in order to prevent a little neceſſary and tranſient Trouble of Mind, to ruſh upon the Boſſes of God's Buckler? To ruſh againſt the ſtrongeſt Remonſtrances of Conſcience and of God, into inexpreſſible, incomprehenſible, intolerable, and eternal Torments? Is not this juſt as if a Man, in order to eſcape the Bite of a Musketoe, would run his naked Boſom againſt a drawn Sword?

I am grieved to behold the prepoſterous Practice of many of this Generation, who like fooliſh Children are attempting to raiſe a Superſtructure, before they lay the Foundation.

I would to God, that that golden Saying of our Lord, A corrupt Tree cannot bring forth good Fruit, was better underſtood, and more ſeriouſly ponder'd upon, by the Profeſſors of this Age

If all that are born of the Fleſh, be Fleſh, and if he that is in the Fleſh, (i. e. unconverted) cannot pleaſe God, or perform acceptable Service, any more than a Thorn can bring forth Figs, or a Thiſtle Grapes; then it is of the laſt Moment for us, to begin at the right End of Religion, by enquiring into our Hearts and Principles of Action, and not reſting 'till we come to a ſcriptural Concluſion about our preſent State. If it be good, we need the Comfort of it, in a World of Labour and Sorrow; if bad, we need to know it, that ſo we may be affected with the Miſeries of it, and ſo with Earneſtneſs uſe proper Means to obtain an Eſcape. If Men know not the Miſeries of their natural State, how ſhall they be duly affected with what they know not? And if they be not deeply affected, how can it be reaſonably ſuppoſed that they will uſe Violence to take the Kingdom of God? And without a holy Violence or Importunity, what Reaſon is there to expect an Intereſt in it?

Conſcience and Credit excite many Men to take ſome Care of their outward Actions, and having done this, they reſt ſecurely with the old Phariſees: Many now-a-days cleanſe the outſide of the Cup and Platter, but leave the inſide foul and neglected.

This being the Caſe of Multitudes at this Time, Is it not neceſſary to ſound the Alarm of God's Judgments; to cry aloud and not ſpare, to ſhew to Judah their Tranſgreſſions, and the Houſe of Jacob their Sins? To try by the Terrors of the Lord to perſwade Men? For this we have the Example of our Saviour in the Text under our preſent Conſideration; which, doubtleſs, however it may ſeem to the Sons of this Generation, was a terrible Paradox in the Age in which it was ſpoken! For then the Scribes and Phariſees had the greateſt Fame for Religion, and took more Pains about it than any others; ſo that the People of that Age had a common Proverb, That if but two were ſaved, one would be a Scribe, and the other a Phariſee.

Seeing that Life and Immortality are bro't to Light by the Goſpel, it is well worth our Labour, to enquire, Upon what Terms an Intereſt therein may be obtained: To this our Lord gives a plain and pungent Anſwer, in the Words of the Text, which inform us, That except our Righteouſneſs ſhall exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, we ſhall in no Caſe enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.

By the Kingdom of Heaven here, we are not to underſtand the viſible Church, as elſewhere the Term is taken, but the Seat of the Bleſſed; for we have too great Reaſon to believe, That many who have not a Righteouſneſs exceeding that of the Scribes and Phariſees, are too eaſily admitted as Members of the viſible Church.

The lax Method of Admiſſion to ſacred Communion, which has too generally obtained among the Proteſtant Churches, more eſpecially of late, has been, I believe, one great Cauſe of the lamentable Decay of Religion in them! This, the firſt Fathers of this Country, who had much of the Simplicity and Power of the Religion of Chriſt, were very ſenſible of, as appeared by their Practice reſpecting Church Fellowſhip.

But however Hypocrites may, by their ſpecious Pretences deceive and intrude, or by the Careleſsneſs of Watchmen obtain a Place in the viſible Church, yet they ſhall in no Caſe enter into the inviſible, viz. the Kingdom of Heaven; all their Pleas and Pretences will be baffled and rejected, their Mouths ſhut, and their falſe Hopes turned into everlaſting Diſpair and Horror!

The Paradiſe of God is compared to a Kingdom, to ſignify the Order and Harmony that there ſubſiſts, as well as the impregnable Strength of the Place, and the univerſal perpetual Subjection of all its Inhabitants, to the Empire of the great GOD, the King of Kings.

Now in order to explain the ſolemn Propoſition of our Saviour in the Words before us, I intend to purſue the following Method,

In the firſt Place ſhew, what the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees was. And

Secondly, Wherein we muſt exceed them upon Pain of Death. And

Thirdly, Offer ſome Things to confirm and illuſtrate the Propoſition. We return to the firſt.

The Scribes were Writers of the Law, and the Phariſees a ſtrict religious Sect of the Jews, who truſted they were righteous and deſpiſed others, of theſe many were publick Teachers of others. But before I ſpeak of the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, I would premiſe this, viz. That I intend to diſcourſe upon the Attainments of the ſtricteſt of them, and that with this View, that what ſhall be ſaid may have the greater Tendency to convince the Secure.

Some of the Phariſees were groſs Hypocrites, who took up a Cloak of Religion, in order to ſecure worldly Gain; for a Pretence they made long Prayers, that they might devour Widows Houſes. Some were much for Oſtentation in Alms-giving, and other Duties. But we are not to imagine that this was the Character and Temper of the whole Sect. No, not at all; the young Man of the Goſpel, Paul before his Converſion, and the fooliſh Virgins were of another Stamp and Diſpoſition; they had a moral Integrity and Seriouſneſs. Now Brethren, Until we exceed the higheſt Reach of the beſt Sort of the Phariſees and all other Hypocrites that have been upon the Stage of Time, I can't ſee that we have the leaſt Ground for Peace and Quiet.

The Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees may be ſaid to conſiſt in theſe two Generals, viz. 1ſt. In a certain Blameleſsneſs or Freedom from groſs Crimes. And 2dly, In a ſtrict Conformity to the moral and ceremonial Laws.

As to the Law, Paul, while a Phariſee, was blameleſs, Phil. 3 Chap. But it may not be improper here to enquire more particularly, How ſtrictly and punctually the Phariſees performed the Duties required by the firſt and ſecond Table of the moral Law, as to the Letter of them.

They not only believed that there was a God, but were very zealous in celebrating the Duties of his Worſhip; they were certainly one of the moſt ſound and ordox Sects of the jewiſh Nation, much preferable to the Sadducees, (who in many Things reſemble our modern infidel Deiſts,) they were diligent in attending publick Prayers at the ſtated Seaſons: Hence we find that the Phariſee is ſaid, by our Lord, to go with the Publican to the Temple to pray; as, no doubt, many of both ſorts do this Night. They were alſo ſtrict in obſerving the Duties of Family-Religion; which ſome think is intended by that Paſſage of our Lord reſpecting them, viz. That they pray'd ſtanding in the Corners of the Streets, i. e. ſay they, in Corners of Houſes; they were not aſham'd to perform the Duties of Religion in the moſt publick and conſpicuous Places, altho' they muſt needs know, that this would expoſe them, in all probability, to the Taunts and Fleers of the Sadducees, who could not brook even ſo much as the dead Form of Religion! This is a greater Length than many Pretenders to Chriſtianity come now-a-days, who, when they come to irreligious Places, ſoon lay aſide their Form, and turn with the Tide.

The old Phariſees pray'd ſecretly many ſcores of Times in a Day, they had Prayers ſuited to every Occurrence, which they punctually us'd. It is ſtoried of them, that ſome of that Sect, in order to excite themſelves to ſecret Devotion in the night Seaſon, were uſed to put a braſs Bowl by their Bed-ſide, and hold a Bullet in their Hand, that ſo by the Bullet's falling into the Bowl, they might be alarmed to Prayer.

The Phariſees had alſo a great Veneration for God's Name: they they wou'dn't mention the Name of JEHOVAH in their common Diſcourſe. And ſo ſtrict were they in the Obſervation of the Sabbath, that they ſuperſtitiouſly charg'd our Lord with a Breach of it, for doing Works of Neceſſity and Mercy, in healing the Sick, and relieving the Neceſſities of Nature.

The Fame which the Phariſees obtain'd and retain'd as to Religion, neceſſarily ſuppoſes, That a Number of them were ſtrictly honeſt in their Dealings with Men; for whatſoever Regard Men may pretend to the Duties of the firſt Table of the Law, yet if they obſerve not the Laws of Honeſty, in civil Life, they'l ſoon crack their Credit.

As to Chaſtity; the Phariſees were ſo ſtrict, that it is reported of them, that they wore deep brim'd Hatts, leaſt thro' the Windows of the Senſes, their Minds ſhould be ſtain'd by tempting Objects, and thus indulge unchaſt Meditations.

It is certain, that the old Phariſees, had a Zeal for the Good of the Souls of their Fellow-Creatures, and this they expreſs'd by much Pain and Labour: They compaſſed Sea and Land, to make Proſelites to their Sect. Their Zeal was ting'd with that of a party Spirit; and thus it is with their Succeſſors at this Day. There are many rigid Bigotts of all Sects, who are more zealous about tything Mint, and Annis, and Cummin, than about the weightier Matters of the Law! more ſtudious to proſelite People to their ſeveral Parties, than to CHRIST. All that are juſtify'd by CHRIST's Blood, and ſanctify'd by his Spirit, upon Earth, will doubtleſs agree in Heaven; and therefore they ſhould not juſtle in the Way to it.

We are inform'd, Luk. 18.11, 12. That the Phariſee ſtood and prayed thus with himſelf, GOD I thank thee, that I am not as other Men are, Extortioners, Unjuſt Adulterers, or even as this Publican: I faſt twice in the Week, I give Tithes of all I poſſeſs.

But to explain and illuſtrate this Head of Diſcourſe, let me offer a few Inſtances more.

That of the young Man in the Goſpel, is very memorable: He was concerned about the Salvation of his Soul; be gave our Lord a civil Salutation, Good Maſter, ſaid he, What ſhall I do to inherit eternal Life? And in his Anſwer to our Saviour, he aſſerted, That he had kept all the Laws from his Youth up, (i. e. outwardly) which our Lord did not contradict. Which of you now in this great Aſſembly, exceeds that young Phariſee?

The next Inſtance I would mention, is that of Paul before his Converſion, of which we have an Account, Phil. 3d Chap. He ſays of himſelf, That if any Man thinketh, that he hath whereof he might truſt in the Fleſh, (i. e. in his own Righteouſneſs) he more. He further adds, That he was of the Stock of Iſrael, of the Tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; touching the Law, a Phariſee; concerning Zeal, perſecuting the Church; as touching the Righteouſneſs which is in the Law, blameleſs. Well, my Fathers and Brethren, See what a dreadful Pitch in Religion this Phariſee came to, and yet was not ſo much as convinced! Which of you now exceeds the Attainments of this Man, while under the Curſe of CHRIST? Don't ſay within your ſelves, that you have Abraham to your Father. What will your good Parentage avail you, unleſs you walk in the Steps of their Simplicity, Faith, and Holineſs, but to aggravate your everlaſting Pains? becauſe of your rebellious and ungrateful oppoſing of the Light of their Inſtructions and Examples! May I not ſay unto you, as my Maſter once did to the Jews, Ye are of your Father the Devil; for his Works you will do. A Pagan could ſay, Quae avi et proavi, &c. What our Parents and Grand-Parents have done, are not our's Think not that your being admitted to outward Ordinances, will ſcreen you from GOD's Vengeance; this was the fooliſh Confidence of the carnal Jews, who ſaid, The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, are theſe. Saul, a Phariſee, was circumcis'd, and no doubt he partook of the Paſſover: Do you depend upon the ſoundneſs of your Sect, and inoffenſiveneſs of your Life; why Saul was of the ſtricteſt Sect of the Jews, and as to the Law, blameleſs.

The laſt Inſtance I ſhall mention, under this Head, is, that of the fooliſh Virgins, recorded Matth. 25th Chap. Were they not call'd Virgins, becauſe of their chaſte and regular Converſation; did they not carry Lamps, which ſhews their Profeſſion of the true Religion; did they not keep Company with the Wiſe, which ſuppoſes that they had ſome Love to thoſe that were truly good? And are not their Lamps ſaid to go out? which ſpeaks forth the Moving they once had in their Affections towards God and Goodneſs, like the ſtony-ground Hearers, who are ſaid to receive the Seed of the Word with Joy, but wanting Root, in Time of Temptation fall away. Had they not a ſtrong Confidence that they ſhould be kindly accepted of at laſt by the Bridegroom? Had not the wiſe Virgins a good Opinion of them, and did they not take Pains themſelves to prepare for the Bridegroom's Coming? And yet, behold and tremble, ye Phariſees! when the Bridegroom did come, the marriage chamber Door was ſtove in their Faces: O confounding dreadful Diſappointment! Take Care, Friends, leſt after all your ſoundneſs in Principle, ſtrictneſs of Life, Love to God's People, religious Affections, Pains and Confidence, the Door of Mercy, of Hope, and Salvation ben't ſhut againſt you, by and by, for ever!

But I proceed to conſider the

Second general Head of Diſcourſe, which was, To ſhew wherein we muſt exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees upon Pain of Death. I anſwer, in two Inſtances, We muſt receive that Righteouſneſs of the Saviour by Imputation which they rejected; and have an inward Righteouſneſs by Implantation, which they wanted. And,

1. I ſay, We muſt have an outward Righteouſneſs by Imputation, which the Phariſees rejected.

The Phariſees, as to the outward Part of Duty, did well; but herein they unhappily fail'd, they depended upon their Doings for Acceptance with God; they truſted in their own Righteouſneſs and deſpiſed others: Yea, they ſlighted Chriſt himſelf, for as Jeſus obſerved, The Whole need no Phyſician, but the Sick; they heal'd their ſlighty Wounds by their dead Performances, and thus remain'd inſenſible of their abſolute Need of an almighty Phyſician! Being ignorant of the Righteouſneſs of GOD, (i. e. of the Righteouſneſs of the Meſſias, which was of God the Father's ſending out and Acceptance) and going about to eſtabliſh their own, they did not ſubmit themſelves to the Righteouſneſs of GOD. They ſought after Righteouſneſs (or Juſtification) and did not find it, becauſe they ſought it not of Faith, (i. e. wholly by the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt, which Faith can only apprehend) but, as it. were, by the Works of the Law. Obſerve, They didn't ſeek it wholly by the Works of the Law, but in part: They tho't that their Obedience would do ſomething towards their Acceptance with God; that the Almighty would be induc'd hereby to pitty and pardon them, and that it would be hard Treatment, if the Almighty ſhould reject them, after all their good Meanings, Harmleſsneſs, and religious Labours.

But, to bring the Matter a little cloſer, for the Diſcovery of Hypocrites, let it be obſerv'd, That thoſe who receive the outward Righteouſneſs of CHRIST as Mediator, are firſt convinc'd by the Law and Spirit, of their Want of Righteouſneſs, according to the Promiſe of our Saviour in his humbled State, Job. 16.8, 9. and theſe Convictions are full, clear, conſtant; the Sinner is ſo convinc'd of Sin, in Life, Heart, State, and has ſuch a View of the Certainty, Dreadfulneſs, and Eternity of that Damnation he is hereby expoſed to, that he is deeply diſtreſſed in Heart, (a wounded Spirit who can bear?) and cannot reſt 'till he finds JESUS: And that which encreaſes his Uneaſineſs, is the Sight and ſorrowful Senſe he has of his Ignorance and Inability to help himſelf out of his preſent State of Sin and Miſery; and the Deſpair he has in the Help of all meer Creatures. Theſe Things are ſet in a ſtrong Light, by that beautiful Paſſage, in the Epiſtle of Paul to the Romans, 7th Chap. and 3d Verſe, where he ſays, That he was alive without the Law once: i. e. before the Law was opened in its ſpiritual Breadth, by the Holy Ghoſt to his Mind, and ſet home with irreſiſtable Energy upon his Heart; he was alive to himſelf, as his laſt End, to the Law as a Covenant of Works; he expected to gain Life by the Law; he was alſo imaginarily alive, and was very perk and merry, as all natural Men are, before they are wounded by the Law. Its a ſad Sight to behold how merrily they go on to Damnation; like Fools in Bedlam, they ſing and dance in their Shackels: But when the Law comes, Sin revives in their View, born as to its Numbers, Aggravations, and Condemnation, like a Lyon rampant, ready every Moment to devour them! Then, and not 'till then, the Sinner dies to himſelf, dies to the Law, dies to his former falſe Peace and Hope, and dies to all worldly Hopes, Fears and Enjoyments! The Law ſlays him, and he thro' the Law, as an Inſtrument, open'd and applied, dies to the Law, as a Covenant of Works. In this Caſe the poor Creature cannot reſt, 'till CHRIST be revealed and applied to his Soul, by the Word and Spirit of GOD.

Now, When the ſick Sinner has got a Diſcovery of CHRIST's Fullneſs, Suitableneſs, and Willingneſs to help the Diſtreſſed; being ſenſible of his abſolute Need of JESUS, in all his Offices and Relations, he receives him in every of them; and is willing, not only to be govern'd by his Law, but to bear his Croſs, in its utmoſt Extent.

And here let it be obſerved, That Faith, which receives the Righteouſneſs of CHRIST, has effectual Influence upon the Heart and Practice; it purifies the Heart, works by Love, and overcomes the World.

Thoſe Perſons who receive the imputed Righteouſneſs of CHRIST, know what it is to be poor in Spirit; what it is to have Peace of Conſcience, after Diſtreſs, upon the Application of Chriſt to their Souls; as alſo what it is to have the Love of God ſpread abroad in their Hearts experimentally; they have a Tenderneſs for God's Honour, Kingdom, and People. The

2d Particular, In which we muſt exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, upon pain of Death, is this, We muſt have an inward Righteouſneſs by Implantation, or Infuſion, thro' the Spirit, which they wanted.

The Phariſees fail'd in the main Spring of Action: They wanted the New-Birth: They were utterly deſtitute of holy Principles, without which, Actions cannot be good; they ſerv'd God in the oldneſs of the Letter, but not in the newneſs of the Spirit. Altho' the Matter of their Actions was good, yet becauſe they perform'd them by their own Strength, and for their own Ends, chiefly; that GOD, who is a Spirit, and to whom ſpiritual Service is only acceptable, rejected them.

When there is a Fault in the main Spring of a Clock, the Motion muſt be ſtopt for a Time, and the main Spring ſet right, before it will anſwer its Deſign in meaſuring of the Hours: And thus muſt it be with graceleſs Sinners; they muſt, by Examination and Conviction, be bro't to a ſolemn Pauſe, and then get a new Principle of Action infus'd by the New-Birth, which will naturally and neceſſarily turn the free and general Byaſs of their whole Souls towards GOD, and ſo prepare them for, and diſpoſe them to acceptable Service.

Now thoſe that are born of the Spirit, receive the Kingdom of God as little Children, and generally ſavour moſt the Things of the Spirit; as little Children hunger after the Milk of the Breaſt, thus do they deſire after the ſincere Milk of the Word, i. e. the Truths of CHRIST, ſpoken ſimply and ſavourily from the Heart, without the vain Affection of humane Wit and Eloquence. Little Children mourn at the Abſence of their Parents, and grow in Stature; thus thoſe who are born of the Spirit, bitterly bewail Chriſt's Abſence, and inſatiably thirſt and honeſtly labour for Growth in Knowledge, Holineſs, and Uſefulneſs; but Phariſees are contented with their dead dry Round of Duties, tho' they make no more Progreſs than a Door on the Hinges, or a turnſpit Dog in a Wheel.

From thoſe that are born of the Spirit, old Things paſs away, and all Things become new: Their old falſe Peace, falſe Hope, Hatred againſt God's Ways and People, Pride of Heart, Covetouſneſs, and worldly Converſation paſs away; and now they ſee divine Things in a new and affecting Manner, and have a new Pliableneſs of Will, readily to comply with the Terms of the Goſpel, a new Run of their Affections to GOD as their Center, a new Tenderneſs of Conſcience, a new Love to Enemies, a new and heavenly Converſation.

I proceed to confider the

3d General Head of Diſcourſe, which was to offer ſome Conſiderations tending to confirm and illuſtrate the Propoſition of our Lord, in the Text we treat upon.

And here I may obſerve, That an outward, or phariſaical Righteouſneſs, does not anſwer the Demands of the Law, which proceeding from a pure and perfect Spirit, requires not only an outward but an inward and compleat Conformity to it: A phariſaical Righteouſneſs is defective, and the Law curſes for the leaſt Defect, Gal. 3.10.

Neither does a phariſaical Righteouſneſs anſwer the Demands of the Goſpel, becauſe it wants thoſe main Principles of acceptable Service, which the Goſpel requires, Namely, Faith and Love; without which, whatever we do is Sin.

A phariſaical Righteouſneſs can neither prepare us for nor entitle us to eternal Bleſſedneſs; becauſe it may conſiſt with a coverning Enmity againſt God, his Ways and People. This is evident from the Example of the old Phariſees, who notwithſtanding their Strictneſs, were virulent Oppoſers of Chriſt and his Followers. And here, My Brethren, Let me obſerve, That if this Work of GOD which is more remarkably begun in New-England of late, be carry'd on, you will ſee ſome that profeſs the greateſt Regard to Religion now, ſtand up and oppoſe it with implacable Hate. Formaliſts cannot brook the Power of Religion, our Lord and his Apoſtles were not oppoſed by any, ſo much as by that Sett of Men. Altho' Phariſees make a fair Shew in the Fleſh, yet are the main Springs of their Obedience, mean and ignoble.

Some are bro't to this outward Strictneſs, meerly by the Force of a religious Education; long Cuſtom makes the Performance of Duties eaſy, as it were a ſecond Nature, ſo that it creates Uneaſineſs to neglect them.

Some are regular in Life, thro' Want of much Temptation to the contrary. The Devil does not tempt the Secure much, leaſt he ſhould ſcare them out of his Clutches. While the ſtrong Man arm'd keeps the Houſe, all the Goods are in Peace. What tho' a Rattle-Snake does not ſpit its Venom in the Winter, for want of the warming Beams of the Sun, yet it has the poiſonous Nature of a Snake ſtill.

Some obtain Credit among their fellow Creatures, or to preſerve it when obtain'd, labour for the outward Form: This is their main Motive, and a wretched one it is.

Some are careful in the outward Duties of Religion, thiefly in order to acquire or preſerve Peace of Mind.

Some perform this outward Obedience, as Slaves, principally to eſcape the Whip of eternal Damnation: If you hold a Whip over a Dog's Head, it will ſcare him from ſnatching at a Bone, which notwithſtanding he has a great Love to.

Others perform this phariſaical Obedience as Hirelings, chiefly out of Reſpect to the Wages; they imagine that their rotten Truck of graceleſs Prayers, and other dead Duties, will do ſomething towards the purchaſing of God's Favour for them. They think that if they do what they can, the Almighty will be in their Debt, their Salvation will be certain. They imagine that the Lord will be induc'd by their Doings, to ſhew them Kindneſs rather than Others. But it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of GOD that ſheweth Mercy.

Thus you may ſee, Brethren, That all this outward Obedience, inaſmuch as it ſprings not from Love to GOD, for himſelf, as its main Principle, but from ſelfiſh Reſpects, is mean and ſordid, and tho' it has a fair Sun, yet is it, upon the aforeſaid Account, rotten at the Core.

The IMPROVEMENT of this Subject remains.

And here, My Fathers and Brethren, I would ſolemnly in the Name of the great GOD, my Lord and Maſter, ask you, What you think of your State towards GOD? Pray have you a Righteouſneſs exceeding that of the Scribes and Phariſees, or have you not? Pauſe a while, my Brethren, and let your Conſciences give an impartial Anſwer to this important Queſtion: O Conſcience! I charge thee, in the Name of the great GOD, to ſpeak the Truth: Is it ſo, that our Righteouſneſs muſt exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, upon Pain of eternal Death? O what Terror does this ſpeak to thoſe, who habitually fall ſhort of their moral Righteouſneſs!

The Phariſees abounded in the Duties of Devotion: What will become of you then, who knowingly and generally neglect ſecret or family Devotion, or attending the Places of publick Worſhip? Will not God's Wrath be pour'd out upon the Families that call not on his Name? If you deſpiſe thoſe who are ſent by Chriſt, do you not deſpiſe Chriſt who has ſent them, and his Father alſo? If the Fooliſhneſs of Preaching (i. e. a ſimple Method of Preaching, from the Heart, without the Affectation of Wit or Eloquence, which is reckon'd, by the worldly Wiſe, Fooliſhneſs) be the appointed Mean of ſaving thoſe that believe, then how ſhall thoſe be ſaved who do not attend upon it?

The Phariſees had a great Veneration for the holy Name of GOD, and were ſtrict Obſervers of the Sabbath. What then ſhall become of you wicked Creatures, who cuſtomarily prophane his holy Name, and violate his ſacred Reſt? Surely the righteous GOD will not hold you guiltleſs.

Were the Phariſees honeſt, chaſte, charitable, zealous? Then how dreadful is your State, who fall ſhort habitually of thoſe Hypocrites, upon whom our Lord denounc'd ſo many Curſes? Are not ſome of you habitually diſhoneſt, unchaſt, uncharitable, and lukewarm about Religion? Does not a terrible Damnation await you? Surely the Lord will ſpue ſuch ſordid Wretches out of his Mouth, i. e. reject you with eternal Abhorrence.

You prophane Herd of harden'd Mortals, who have not ſo much as the outward Form of Religion: Hear, with Confuſion and Trembling, your Damnation denounc'd by the Mouth of Chriſt, in the Text I am now diſcourſing upon; For I ſay unto you (who am the Truth and the Life) that except your Righteouſneſs ſhall exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, ye ſhall in no Caſe enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. All ye Publicans and Harlots, behold your diſmal Doom expreſs'd, 1 Cor. 6.19. Imprime Verba.

But perhaps you will ſay, in your Excuſe, I do exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, for I believe and truſt in the Lord JESUS CHRIST, which they did not; and I am ſincere, thank God, but they were groſs Hypocrites: Therefore I ſcorn your Compariſon! Anſwer, I ſay, ſtay Friend, not ſo haſty neither; ſuffer me, for thy Conviction, to ſpeak a Word in behalf of the old Phariſees. You ſay, you believe, and truſt in Chriſt: Well: But what is Faith? You can't tell. I ſuppoſe, you never ſaw you was without Faith; never felt your Inability to believe; never felt Oppoſition made by Satan againſt your Faith; never ſelt the Effects of Faith on Heart or Life; it's probable your Faith never had ſo much Influence upon you, as the Faith of the Devils upon them, for they believe and tremble. You needn't boaſt of your dead bypocritical Faith; you'l ſurely go to the Devil with it, if you get no better. You ſay, you truſt in Chriſt: Ay, truſt; without Difficulty; with a whole Heart, and unholy Practice: Why, you truſt in the Devil, and not in CHRIST; for you have no Word of Chriſt to truſt upon, while in your preſent Condition. You ſay, you are ſincere; but what is Sincerity? it's like you can't tell; What were you never without it; has it coſt you nothing; no Sorrow, no Mourning; then you are without it ſtill. Why your Sincerity is nothing but a moral Earneſtneſss in ſeeking yourſelves as your laſt End: And had not the Phariſees this? Yes, they had, witneſs Saul, and the young Man in the Goſpel.

Thus it appears, That your Righteouſneſs does not exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, and therefore, ſo continuing, ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of GOD.

Dear Brethren, and Fathers; Are there not a great Number in this large Aſſembly, of old, middle-aged, and young Perſons, who have not exceeded the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees, in the Inſtances before mentioned? You, aged Perſons, What ſay ye to this? Is not your Religion a meer dead Form, accompany'd only with ſome ſelfiſh Earneſtneſs? Are ye not Strangers to the receiving of that outward and inward Righteouſneſs before expreſs'd? Search your Boſoms by what has been ſaid, and ſee if ye be not in the Gall of Bitterneſs. I know its hard for old ſecure Profeſſors to begin again, and caſt away their falſe Hopes; its hard, I confeſs; but yet its harder to be damn'd: Chuſe you which you will.

And you middle-ag'd People, of thirty Years old and upwards, I ask you, in the Name of the great GOD, wherein do you exceed the Righteouſneſs of the Scribes and Phariſees? Don't you know in your own Conſciences, that many of you are unacquainted with Poverty of Spirit, and the new Birth?

And you, my younger Brethren, of fourteen Years and upwards; are not many of you in the ſame doleful Caſe? Poor Things, Does not this Text condemn you to Hell, if you continue thus?

I would not paſs over the little Children, of ſix Years old and upwards. Altho' the haughty Phariſees ſhould, in their great Wiſdom, ſneer at my Simplicity; You, dear little ones, are not many of you alſo Strangers to the new Birth? My bleſſed Maſter has ſaid, Suffer little Ones to come unto me, for of ſuch is the Kingdom of Heaven. You are not too young, dear little Creatures! to mourn over Sin, and to come to Chriſt.

How wretched is the Caſe of all the Formaliſts in this Aſſembly? Woo to you Scribes and Phariſees, Hypocrites, ye make clean the outſide of the Cup and Platter, while the inſide is left unclean: You are like whited Sepulchres, which appear beautiful outwardly, but are within full of dead Men's Bones, and all Rottenneſs: Ye Serpents, ye Generation of Vipers, how ſhall ye eſcape the Damnation of Hell? Behold, the Ax is laid to the Root of the Tree, every Tree that bringeth not forth good Fruit, ſhall be hewn down, and caſt into the Fire

All you Publicans and Phariſees, in this Aſſembly, apply to your own Conſciences, the Threat'ning of our Lord in this Text, Ye ſhall in no Caſe enter into the Kingdom of GOD. No! let the Devil, and your own falſe Hearts, ſay what they will to flatter you; the Mouth of Truth ſays, That ye ſhall, in no Caſe, enter into the Kingdom of GOD. The Door of Heaven is ſhut againſt you, and ſeeing there is no Purgatory, where muſt ye go, why into the Kingdom of Death, of Darkneſs, of the Devil, of Damnation! There (if ye die as ye are) ye will ſuffer the Loſs of the bleſſed God, and all the Sweets of Heaven. Now your Minds are blinded, your Conſciences ſtupify'd, your Hearts harden'd, ſo that you don't perceive your Loſs, and ye are amus'd with worldly Projects, and Entertainments: But by and by, your Minds will be enlighten'd to take a View of your diſmal diſmal Loſs! Your ſecure Conſciences will be alarm'd, to ſting you with eternal Reflections, which ye can as little endure as avoid. Your curſed Hope, which makes you eaſy now, will then give Place to eternal Diſpair! GOD will read your Confidence out of your Tabernacle, and bring you before the King of Terrors! You will be ſtrip'd naked of all your temporal Comforts, and not have ſo much as one Drop of Water to cool your flaming Tongues! The Springs of your now frozen Paſſion, will then be open'd, and run with inceſſant, but uſeleſs Streams, There ſhall be Weeping and gnaſhing of Teeth! ſaith our dear Lord. Never did any ſo mourn over the untimely Bereavement of a dear Relative, as you will over your loſt and damned Souls! but in vain! Now if you wou'd ſow in Tears, it might be of ſaving Service: But then it will be too late, too late! O when you think in the gloomy Vault, of the Calls, Warnings and Entreaties you have had from GOD and Man, and of your wilful Murder and Madneſs, in rejecting of them, how will it rend your curſed Souls, with the acuteſt Agonies, when you reflect how you have ſold your Souls to the Devil, for a Thing of Nought, and have taken ſuch Pains to compaſs your own Ruin? You will be ready to tear your own Hearts out with Indignation, and wiſh you had no Being!

Think, my Friends, How dreadful it will be to fall into the Hands of the living GOD! and to be ſwallow'd up in the burning Main of his flaming Jealouſy! to have your naked Souls eternally laſh'd with the Whip of his inſenced Indignation!

O how ſhocking is it, to be expos'd to intolerable, continual, inexpreſſible, unconceivable, unavoidable, and eternal Pains!

Ye ſecure Sinners, think on theſe Things, 'till you be awaken'd, for ye muſt be awaken'd, or damn'd!

You that are but ſlightly convinc'd, O think on theſe Things, in order to get your Convictions faſtned and rivited. I am jealous over you, my dear Brethren, with a godly Jealouſy, leaſt your Convictions die away of their own Accord, or be ſlightly heal'd. O don't reſt, for Chriſt's Sake, till Jeſus be diſcover'd and apply'd to your Souls! Think often upon the Uncertainty of your Lives, the Uncertainty of the Spirit's Strivings, and the dreadful Conſequences of expiring Convictions, before Converſion. When the Bloſſoms are nipp'd, what Expectation is there of Fruit? Don't ruſh to the Lord's Table, till ye receive that Jeſus, who is there repreſented.

One Word I muſt ſay to thoſe that are deeply convinc'd of their Want of Righteouſneſs. Dear Creatures! There is a Balm in Gilead, there is a Phyſician there; the Lord JESUS has come to ſeek and ſave thoſe that are loſt. He has receiv'd a Commiſſion from his Father, to bind up the broken hearted, and to comfort the Mourners: He invites you that labour and are heavy laden to come to him, and he ſays he will give them Reſt: He is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, all that come to the Father by him, and he that cometh, he ſays, he will in no wiſe caſt them off. Don't be diſcourag'd upon the Account of any Oppoſition that may be made againſt you, or Contempt that may be caſt upon you, in your Way to CHRIST, either by Phariſees or Publicans. Some are ſo perverſe that they will neither enter into the Kingdom themſelves, nor ſuffer thoſe that are entring to enter: Methinks they might be contented with their own Damnation. Dear Brethren, and Siſters! Let not thoſe Things diſmay you, it is an Honour to be diſhonour'd by ſuch People: What are the Trifles that we can ſuffer here, in Compariſon of the Weight of Glory before us? Go on therefore, in the Name of GOD, ſeeking JESUS, ſorrowing 'till ye find him. Which, may GOD grant, for CHRIST's ſake.

AMEN.