36 Sincere Obedience neceffary to SERM. dom of heaven, if it be feparated from the II. practice of true holinefs and virtue in their lives, or doing the will of his heavenly Father, which is the fuppofition in the text. One would indeed think it ftrange, that any fhould delude themfelves in that manner, confider - ing how obvious the obligation and neceffity is upon all men to keep God's command- ments as the condition of pleafing -him ; and efpecially how exprefs the declarations of his word are as to that point, and yet in fad we find it is the way of hypocrites. How often do the prophets reprove the antient Jews for trufting to, a zealous profeffion, and to exter- nal ads of worfhip, fuch as facrifices, keep- ing the new-moons and fabbaths, and an out- ward refpeft to the temple of the Lord, whilft they neglected the moral precepts of the law, and indulg'd themfelves in wicked courfes ? And in our Saviour's time, the pharifees went on in the fame track ; they were the ftrideft fed of the Jews, but their ftridnefs confifted all in external obfervances ; in tithing mint, annife, and cummin; making long prayers, and nicely performing all the ceremonies, which were either enjoingd by the law of Mofes, or recommended by the tradition of the elders ; yet they neglefedjudgment, faith, 8 mercy,
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