must differ from them. We should shim ostentation and vain-glory, as much as we would the most enor- mous crimes. We should bear in mind, that any thing done with a view to man's applause, is alto- gether worthless in the sight of God : whatever it be, we have in the applause of men the reward we seek after, and the only reward that we shall ever obtain. We should also dread self -righteousness, as utterly inconsistent with a Christian state. St. Paul assures us, that " the Jews, who sought after the law of righteousness, did not attain to [any justifying] right- eousness, because they sought it not by faith, but, as it were, by the works of the law ; for they stumbled at that stumbling-stone V The making of our own works the foundation of our hope towards God, argues a contempt of that " foundation which God has laid in Zion :" it thrusts out from his office the Lord Jesus Christ, " who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness," and who, from that very circumstance, is called, " The Lord our Righteousness." A truly Christian spirit will lead us, even " after we have done all that is commanded us, to say. We are unprofitable servants, we have done that [only] which it was our duty to do." See this exemplified in the Apostle Paul, than whom there never was but one brighter example of piety in the world : he, after all his eminent attain- ments, " desired to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness which was of the law, but the righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ™."
Now then, compare the righteousness of the two parties ; the one, " cleansing carefully indeed and superstitiously, the outside of the cup and platter, whilst within they were full of many unsubdued lusts;" the other, allowing not so much as an evil thought, but " cleansing themselves from all filthi- ness both of flesh and spirit, and perfecting holiness in the fear of God:" the one filled with a high conceit of their own goodness, and claiming heaven itself on account of it, whilst they aimed at no- thing but the applause of man ; the other, in the
• Rom. ix. 31, 32. n» Phil. iii. 9.