temple ; — and yet they neglected the plainest duties to- wards God and their neighbours. They were scrupulous to an extreme about small matters in the ceremonial law ; — and yet they were utterly regardless of the simplest first principles of justice to man and love toward God. In the one direction they were rigidly careful to do even more than was needful. In the other direction they would do nothing at all. In the secondary things of their religion they were downright zealots and enthusiasts. But in the great primary things they were no better than the heathen.
The conduct of the Pharisees in this matter, unhappily, does not stand alone. There have never been wanting religious professors who have exalted the second things of Christianity far above the first, and in their zeal for the second things have finally neglected the first things en- tirely. There are thousands at the present day who make a great ado. about daily services, and keeping Lent, and frequent communion, and turning to the east in churches, and a gorgeous ceremonial, and intoning public prayers, — but never get any further. They know little or nothing of the great practical duties of humility, charity, meek- ness, spiritual-mindedness, Bible reading, private devo- tion, and separation from the world. They plunge into every gaiety with greediness. They are to be seen at every worldly assembly and revel, at the race, the opera, the theatre, and the ball. They exhibit nothing of the mind of Christ in their daily life. What is all this but walking in the steps of the Pharisees P Well says the wise man, ''There is no new thing under the sun." (Ecdes. i. 9.) The generation which tithed mint, but