profession, yet his eye was still upon his prey, upon his bags ; and so he might have it, he cared not who went without it ; so he might be rich, he did not care though his Lord and his retinue grew never so poor. Judas under all his shows and sanctity, had not so much as common honesty in him.^- Counterfeit holiness is often made a stalking-horse to much righteousness f but certainly it were better with the philosopher to have honesty without religion, than to have religion without honesty. An hypocrite may exercise himself in some outward, easy, ordinary duties of religion ; but when shall you see an hypocrite laying the axe to the root of the tree, or a-searching and trying his own heart, or severely judging his bosom sins, or humbly mourning and lamenting over secret corruptions, or doubling his guards about his own soul, or rejoicing in the graces, services, or excellencies of othei's, or striving or pressing after the highest pitches of grace, holiness, and communion with God, or endeavouring more to cast out the beam out of his own eye, than the mote out of his brother's eye, or to be more severe against his own sins than against the sins of others ? Alas ! an hypocrite is so far from prac- tising these duties, that he thinks them either superfluous or impossible. An hypocrite's obedience is always a limited and stinted obedience. It is either limited to such commands which are most suitable to his ease, safety, honour, profit, pleasure, &c., or else it is limited to the outward part of the command, and never extends itself to the inward and spiritual part of the command ; as you may see in the scribes and pharisees. Their obedience was all outward ; they had no regard at all to the inward and spiritual part of any command ; as is evident in that high charge that Christ gives in against them. Mat. vi. They did not murder, they did not commit adultery, they had an eye to the outward part of the command; but Christ charges them with unjust and adulterous thoughts, unchaste glances, contemplative wickedness, speculative un- cleanness, &c., they having no regard at all to the inward and spiritual part of any command. Common grace looks only to some particular duties, but saving grace looks to all. Renewing grace comes off to positives as Avell as negatives ; it teacheth us to cease to do evil, and it learns us also to do good, Isa. i. 16, 17. It teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and also to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, Titus ii. ll-13i These words contain the sum of a Christian's duty. To live soberly towards ourselves, righteously towards our neighbours, and godly towards God, is true godliness indeed, and the whole duty of man. There is never an hypocrite in the world that can sincerely appeal to God, and say, Lord ! thou knowest that my heart is subdued to a willingness to perform all known duties ; I would willingly do the best I can to observe all thy royal laws : Lord ! I unfeignedly desire, and really endeavour to have, an eye upon every command of thine, and to live up to every command of thine ; and it is the real grief of my heart, and the daily burden of my soul, when I violate any of thy blessed laws, Ps. cxix. 6 ; Luke i. 5, 6 ; Acts xiii. 22. He that can in uprightness thus appeal to God, shall never miscarry in that other world. But,
* After some men have made a long and hifjli profession, some one beloved lust or otlier, which they would never let go. parts Christ and them for ever. " Qu. ' unrighteousness ' ? — Ed.
Chap. IV.] a cabinet of jewels. 44t.