true Christianity. Even as Christ dealt with the Pharisees,
who brought in such a confusion in religion, by imposing a necessity upon
ceremonies, and an indifferency upon the very substance itself, truly, I
think, it may be said unto us, you tithe mint, anise, and cummin, and pass
over judgment and the love of God, these things ye ought to have done, and
not to leave the other undone. Ye neglect the weightier matters of the
law, judgment, mercy, faith and truth, and in the room of these ye have
misplaced things, that are higher in God's esteem from an apprehension of
their necessity. Thus by your traditions and opinions of things so remote
from the kingdom of God, ye have made the unquestionable commandments of
God of none effect, Matth. xv. 6. You think possibly, if this apostle was
coming out to preach unto you this day, that he would certainly resolve
you in many controverted points, and would bring some further light to the
debates of the time. But truly I think if he knew the temper of our
spirits, he would preach over this sermon to us again, "My brethren, be
not many masters," &c. I suppose he would bring that old primitive light
of pure and undefiled religion, the splendour of which our present ways
and courses could not endure, but would be constrained to hide themselves
in darkness. What would you think of such a sermon as this, "If any man
among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, this man's
religion is vain?" Jam. i. 26. "If any man offend not in word, the same is
a perfect man," Jam. iii. 2. This is accounted a common and trivial
purpose. But believe it, sirs, the Christian practice of the most common
things, hath more religion in it than the knowledge of the profoundest
things, and till you learn to do what you know, it is a mockery to study
to know further what to do. There is a strange stirring of mind after more
light and knowledge in some particulars of the time. But I would fain
know, if there be as much ardour and endeavour to practise that which we
have already. To him that hath shall be given, to him that makes use of
his knowledge for the honour of God, and the good of mankind, and their
edification, more shall be given, but from him that hath not, shall be
taken away even that which he hath, and yet really and cordially hath not,
because he hath no use of it. Therefore he may by inquiry find more
darkness, because his old light shall rather be put out. Do you not all
know that ye