Wesley Corpus

to point out iii what instances all Christians are to exceed them. We see that their external regularity, their zeal, their exact manners, and decent deport ment, are such as might be well proposed to a Christian ; but they are patterns which we must not be content to equal, but infinitely surpass, or our righteousness will avail nothing in the great day of accounts. The Christian religion requires indeed an exemplary beha viour, an external reverence to God and holy things, and all demonstrative of our piety and virtue : but it endeth not here ; it's chief resi dence is in the heart, and there it is designed to effect the greatest change. Its principal de sign is to convert the sinner, to rectify his mind, and alter the most prevailing evil temper of his soul. And herein consists the grand dif ference between the righteousness required of the Christian, and that which was practised by the scribes and pharisees. Theirs was an out side holiness; ours is commanded to be the holiness of the heart. Their virtue consisted in their sanctified actions ; ours in upright in tentions. Their works of piety and charity were performed to be seen of men ; ours must be performed to please our Father which is in heaven. In short, the scribes and pharisees considered external sanctity all that was re quired of them ; whereas the Christian is taught principally to regard the state and dis position of his heart, and to regard his outward behaviour only as a testimony and proof of his internal spirit and temper. For instance, the learned scribe and proud pharisee would think he had sufficiently done his duty to God, by having been present at his public worship ; but the humble pious Christian knows that God will not accept a religion only confined to time and place, or has any respect to such holiness as is bounded by the walls of the church. No ; his conscience tells him that pious ceremonies, without a corresponding purity of mind, are so far from being acceptable to God that they are abomination in his sight. Indeed devotion, if it consists in no more than bodily worship and the prayers and thanksgivings of our lips, is a solemn mockery