gious, and may be fully persuaded in his own mind that he is so ; and yet have so little government of his tongue, as to prove that he deceives his own heart, and that his religion is vain. And is this a supposition that is not warranted in fact ? Would to God it were so! but he can know very little of the Christian world, divided as it is into innumerable sects and parties, and not know, that the most prominent in every sect have been but too ready to condemn each other, and oftentimes with an acrimony which has shewn clearly enough under whose ma- lignant influence they were. A little difference of sentiment about certain doctrines (though not of primary or funda- mental importance), or about matters of discipline only (which are confessedly less plainly revealed in the Gospel), have been sufficient, and still are, to rend the seamless gar- ment of Christ into ten thousand pieces, and to fill with mu- tual enmity whole communities, who profess to have em- braced a religion of love. Nor is it in this respect only that the Christian world are obnoxious to the reproof given in our text. The pride, and conceit and vanity of many professors proclaim to the whole world how destitute they are of true humility, and consequently of true religion. Their envious surmisings too, their uncharitable censures, their vindictive recriminations, alas! there are scarcely any persons more guilty of these things than blind bigots, and party zealots, and talkative professors. Shall I mention the licence -which many give to their tongue, in ungoverned anger, in palpable falsehood, in shameless impurity ? Ah ! tell it not in Gath ; publish it not in the streets of Askelon: such are the defects of many who yet stand fair with the Christian world, and would think themselves greatly injured, if their piety were held in doubt. It is plain that such things existed in the Apostle's days ; and we flatter ourselves too much, if we think that the Church is a whit purer in the present day. There ever were, and there still are, " tares growing with the wheat;" and they must be left to God, who alone can make the separation.]
2. What is here asserted —
[The religion of such persons, however eminent they may be in the estimation of themselves or others, is altoge- ther "vain:" for it will neither be accepted of God, nor be of any avail for the salvation of their souls. God cannot ac- cept it, because he looketh at the heart. External forms, or strong professions, cannot deceive him. " He requireth truth in the inward parts :" and forms his estimate of men by the conformity of their hearts to his mind and will. To what purpose will it be that we " cry, Lord, Lord, if we do not the things which he says?" Wc are told by St. Paul to what
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