unto the utmost of our power to do it; and then our righteoufnefs, tho it be not fo much applauded by men, be fure it will be accepted of by God, through Jefus Chrift our Lord: For this fincerity is indeed our evangelical perfection; that which will be accepted by the golpel in lieu of that abfolute perfection which the law of God. requires; and by this it is that our righteouf nefs may not only exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharifees, but we may all become really and truly righteous in our felves, 1uch as the gofpel would have us to be in order to our being happy for ever. THUS we fee wherein our rightconfness ought to exceed the righteoufness of the Scribes andPharifees; in being internal, univerfal; and fincere. The laft thing to be confidered is, how it appears, That unless our righteousness exceed theirs, we can never enter into the kingdom of heaven. But this we need not ftand long upon, it being fo exprefly afferted by Jefus Chrift himself; and I hope there is none here prefent but will take his word for any thing, efpecially for what concerns your falvation, fecing, that it is by him only that you can be faved. But if you would know the reason why your rightconfness should exceed the righteoufnels of the Scribes and Pharifees, in order to your going to heaven; in few terms it is only this: Because it is neceffary that you fhould be righteous, which it is plain the Scribes and Pharifees were not: For if theirs had been truc true righteousness, yours needed not to exceed it. But the truth is, no man deferves the name of a righteous man, but he that exceeds the Scribes and Pharifees in all the fore-mentioned particulars: For he is truly righteous in nothing that is not fincerely righteous in all things; and he that is not truly righteous, you'll all grant he can never go to heaven, as being a perfon not only unworthy, but incapable of those celeftial joys. WHICH being seriously confidered, I hope I need not use any arguments to perfuade you to exceed the Scribes and Pharifees in being truly righteous: For if your Saviours own words will not prevail upon you, I am fure that nothing that I can fay will do it Howfoever, give me leave in your Saviour's name to call upon you, to advise, exort, and befeech you to labour after that righteousness which Chrift in his Gospel requires of you; not fuch a righteoufnefs as the Scribes and Pharifees had, not fuch a righteoufnefs as many among us fo much pretend to, confifting only in the outward performance of fome religious duties; fuch a righteousness as this, you may be confident, will never carry you to heaven; for Chrift himself hath told you in plain terms it will not: And therefore it is quite another righteousness which you muft endeavour after; even fuch a righteousness as confifts in nothing less than in a fincere devotion of your felves wholly to the fervice of Almighty God, and in the the performance of univerfal obedience to all his laws and commands; for nothing less than this will ferve your turn. And do not say within your felves this is more than you can do: For there is never a one of you but as yet is in a capacity of attaining to it; for if you do but as much as you are able, God is ready to enable you to do what otherwife you cannot, and for Chrift's fake to accept of your fincere, instead of perfect righteoufnefs. And therefore do but you do what you can, and I dare affure you no more will be required on your parts: But if you would but all do as much as every one is able, what holy, what righteous creatures would you foon become? especially confidering that the Almighty God himself is always at hand to affift your weak endeavours with his own grace and Spirit. And therefore let me beg of you to make no more vain excufes, nor halt any longer between two opinions. If you care not whether you go to heaven or no, what do you here? If you do defire in good carneft to live with God and Christ for ever, and to partake of that glory which is prepared for the righteous in the world to come, why do not you endeavour to be fuch righteous perfons as that glory is prepared for? What, do you think to go to heaven whether you be righteous or no? Hath not Chrift told you, you shall not? And would you make him a lyar, and his word void and of none effect? No, mistake not your felves, whatsoever becomes of you, you, Chrift's word must fland; So that if you be not truly, unter fel, and fincerely righteous bere, you must of necefity be miferable hereaf ter; there is no help for it: If you could have been faved without being righteous, he that came to fave you would never have required it of you: But you fee he hath and doth require it of you, yea, fo as to affure you, that you can nover go to heaven without it; and therefore it is in vain for you ever to think of coming there, except your righteousness exceed the righteoufness of the Scribes and Pharifecs, BUT methinks you should not stand out any longer against fuch plain and express words as thefe are of our bleffed Lord himself: And therefore I hope you will not content your felves any longer with the bare profeffion of that most excellent religion you are all of; but are refolved by god's affifance to fet upon the pritice of whatfoever you know to be required in it; which if you do, you will not only exceed the ancient but the modern Pharifees too, whether they be of the Proteftant or Popifh religion, fo as to be truly righteous here, and eternally bleffed hereafter. Which God grant that you may all be, through Jefus Chrift our Lord, &c. 味 SERMON The THIRD. The Wisdom of being Holy. PS AL. CXI. 10. The Fear of the Lord is the beginning A S nothing is more ridiculous in itself, nor more odious and deteftable both to God and man, than hypocrify, or counterfit religion; fo neither is there any thing more excellent in itself, more acceptable to God, nor more advantageous to mankind, than real and true piety; which is therefore commended to us in holy fcripture, under the name or notion of whatsoever we can defire to make us happy or do us good. Are we covetous of riches? The apoftle tells us, that Godliness with contentment is great gain, 1 Tim. vi. 6. Yea, That godliness is profitable for all things, ch. iv 6. Which I am fure nothing in the world befides is. Are we ambitious of honour? The truly pious are certainly invefted with the higheft hoH I noure |