skins. And He asks the searching question^ '^ Did not He that made that which is without^ make that which is within also?" The same God who formed our poor dying bodies, is the G-od who gave ns a heart and soul.
For ever let us bear in mind that the state of our hearte is the principal thing that demands our attention, if we would know what we are in religion. Bodily wash- ings, and fastings, and gestures and postures, and self- imposed mortification of the flesh, are all utterly useless if the heart is wrong. External devoutness of conduct, a grave face, and a bowed head, and a solemn countenance, and a loud amen, are all abominable in God's sight, so long as our hearts are not washed from their wickedness, and renewed by the Holy Ghost. Let this caution never be forgotten. The idea that men can be devout before they are converted, is a grand delusion of the devil, and one against which we all need to be on our guard. There are two Scriptures which are very weighty on this subject. In one it is written, " Out of the heart are the issues of life." (Prov. iv. 23.) In the other it is written, " Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh at the heart." (1 Sam. xvi. 7.) There is a question which we should always ask ourselves in drawing near to God, whether in public or private. We should say to ourselves, " Where is my heart P "
Let us notice, thirdly, in this passage, the gross incon- sistency which is often exhibited by hypocrites in their religion. We read that our Lord says to the Pharisees, " Ye tithe miat and rue, and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God." They carried to an ex- treme their zeal to pay tithes for the service of the