II. Of proud formality —
[Multitudes there are, who, like the Pharisees of old, are extremely attentive to the established forms of religion, and are observant of morality also, as far as it is approv^ed by the world. In relation to these things they may be said to be blameless : and so good is the opinion which they entertain of their own state, that they would, without any fear of being confounded, ask, "What lack I yet?" In this state they are approved and admired of men ; and therefore they conclude, that they are equally acceptable in the sight of God also. Persons of this description scarcely ever entertain a doubt, or a fear, but that all will issvie well with them at the last. But they will find themselves awfully mistaken as soon as ever they go hence. They will then discover, that their obedience was infinitely more defective than ever they conceived it to be : and that, if it had been as blameless as they imagined, it would still have afforded them no ground of hope before God. Had such attain- ments as these sufficed, St. Paul needed never to have embraced the Gospel at all : or had they been capable of adding any thing to the righteousness of Christ, he never would have desired to be found in Christ, not having his own righteous- ness which was of the law ? How erroneous a way to life this is, will be seen at once in the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican. Few of the formalists of the present day can *> Hcb. iii. 19. andiv. 1, 11. <■ John viii. 24, <i Markxvi. 16.