106 Matthew, V. 20. [1299.

ever the Pharisees of old were ; we may, hke them, be quite indignant to have our wisdom and goodness called in question; "Are we bhnd also?" "in so saying, thou condemnest us :" But all this will not make us Christians. A sepulchre may be whitened and rendered beautiful in its outward appearance ; but it will be a sepulchre still ; and its interior con- tents will be as lothesome as those of a common grave. It is to little purpose to " have the form of godliness, if we have not the power ;" to " have a name to live, whilst yet we are really dead." God will not judge of us by our profession, but our practice : " Then are ye my friends," says our Lord, " if ye do whatsoever I command you." To this effect is that declaration also of the Psalmist : having asked, " Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord ? or who shall stand in his holy place ?" he answers, " He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart." The truth is, that those whom Christ will acknowledge as his disciples, have been " born again ;" they are " renewed in the spirit of their minds ;" " they are new creatures ; old things are passed away, and all things are become new:" they have been taught the spirituality and extent of God's law ; to know, that an angry word is murder, and an impure desire adultery ; and in that glass they have seen themselves guilty, polluted, and condemned sinners : they have been stirred up by this view of themselves to flee unto Christ for refuge, as to the hope set before them in the Gospel : having " found peace with God through the blood of his cross," they devote themselves unfeignedly to his service, and strive to " glorify him with their bodies and their spirits, which are his." Here is the true secret of their obedience; " The love of Christ constraineth them; because they thus judge, that, if one died for all, then were all dead : and that he died for all, that they who live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto Him that died for them and rose again." This is conversion ; this is regeneration ; this is what every Scribe and Pharisee must be brought to : even Nico- demus, " a master in Israel," must become a disciple