6. This was the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees: a righteousness, which in many respects, went far beyond the conception which many have been accustomed to entertain concerning it. But perhaps, it will be said, it was all false and feigned; for they were all a company of hypocrites.—Some of them doubtless were; men who had really no religion at all; no fear of God, or desire to please him: who had no concern for the honour that cometh of God, but only for the praise of men. And these are they whom our Lord so severely condemns, so sharply reproves on many occasions. But we must not suppose, because many Pharisees were hypocrites, therefore all were so. Nor indeed is hypocrisy by any means essential to the character of a Pharisee. This is not the distinguishing mark of their sect. It is rather this, (according to our Lord’s account) They trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. This is their genuine badge. But the Pharisee of this kind cannot be a hypocrite. He must be,in the common sense, sincere: otherwise he could not trust in himself that he is righteous. The man who was here commending himself to God, unquestionably thought himself righteous. Consequently, he was no hypocrite: he was not conscious to himself of any insincerity. He now spoke to God just what he thought, namely, that he was abundantly better than other men.
But the example of St. Paul, were there no other, is sufficient, to put this out of all question. He could not only say, when he was a Christian, [95]Herein do I exercise myself to have always a conscience void of offence, toward God and toward men: but even concerning the time when he was a Pharisee; [96]Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day. He was therefore sincere when he was a Pharisee, as well as when he was a Christian. He was no more an hypocrite when he persecuted the church, than when he preached the faith which once he persecuted. Let this then be added to the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, a sincere belief that they are righteous, and in all things doing God service.
7. And yet, Except your righteousness, saith our Lord, shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. A solemn and weighty declaration! And which it behoves all who arecalled by the name of Christ, seriously and deeply to consider. But before we enquire, how our righteousness may exceed theirs, let us examine, whether at present we come up to it?
*First, a Pharisee was not as other men are. In externals he was singularly good. Are we so? Do we dare to be singular at all? Do we not rather swim with the stream? Do we not many times dispense with religion and reason together, because we would not look particular? Are we not often more afraid of being out of the fashion, than being out of the way of salvation? Have we courage to stem the tide? To run counter to the world? To obey God rather than man? Otherwise the Pharisee leaves us behind at the very first step. ’Tis well if we overtake him any more.
But to come closer. Can we use his first plea with God, which is in substance, “I do no harm. I live in no outward sin; I do nothing, for which my own heart condemns me.” Do you not? Are you sure of that? Do you live in no practice, for which your own heart condemns you? If you are not an adulterer, if you are not unchaste, either in word or deed, are you not unjust? The grand measure of justice, as well as of mercy, is, Do unto others as thou wouldest they should do unto thee. Do you walk by this rule? Do you never do unto any what you would not they should do unto you? Nay, areyou not grossly unjust? Are you not an extortioner? Do you not make a gain of any one’s ignorance or necessity? Neither in buying nor selling? Suppose you were engaged in trade, do you demand, do you receive no more than the real value of what you sell? Do you demand, do you receive no more of the ignorant than of the knowing; of a little child, than of an experienced trader? If you do, why does not your heart condemn you? You are a barefaced extortioner. Do you demand no more than the usual price of goods, of any who is in pressing want? Who must have, and that without delay, the things which you can only furnish him with? If you do, this also is flat extortion. Indeed you do not come up to the righteousness of a Pharisee.
8. A Pharisee, secondly, (to express his sense in our common way) used all the means of grace. As he fasted often and much, twice in every week, so he attended all the sacrifices. He was constant in public and private prayer, and in reading and hearing the scriptures. Do you go as far as this? Do you fast much and often? Twice in the week? I fear not. Once, at least; “on all Fridays in the year?” (So our church clearly and peremptorily enjoins all her members to do: to observe all these, as well as the vigils and the forty days of lent, as “days of fasting or abstinence.”) Do you fast twice in theyear? I am afraid, some among us cannot plead even this!—Do you neglect no opportunity of attending and partaking of the Christian Sacrifice? How many are they, who call themselves Christians, and yet are utterly regardless of it? Yet do not eat of that bread, or drink of that cup, for months, perhaps years, together? Do you every day, either hear the scriptures, or read them and meditate thereon? Do you join in prayer with the great congregation? Daily, if you have opportunity: if not whenever you can, particularly on that day, which you remember, to keep it holy? Do you strive to make opportunities? Are you glad when they say unto you, we will go into the house of the Lord? Are you zealous of, and diligent in private prayer? Do you suffer no day to pass without it? Rather, are not some of you so far, from spending therein (with the Pharisee) several hours in one day, that you think one hour full enough, if not too much? Do you spend an hour in a day, or in a week, in praying to your Father which is in secret? Yea, an hour in a month? Have you spent one hour together in private prayer ever since you was born? Ah poor Christian! Shall not the Pharisee rise up in the judgment against thee and condemn thee? His righteousness is as far above thine, as the heaven is above the earth.
9. The Pharisee, thirdly, paid tithes and gave alms of all that he possest. And in how ample amanner? So that he was (as we phrase it) “a man that did much good.” Do we come up to him here? Which of us is so abundant as he was, in good works? Which of us gives a fifth of all his substance to God? Both of the principal, and of the increase? Who of us, out of (suppose) an hundred pounds a year, gives twenty to God and the poor: out of fifty, ten; and so in a larger or a smaller proportion? When shall our righteousness, in using all the means of grace, in attending all the ordinances of God, in avoiding evil and doing good, equal at least the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees?
10. Although if it only equalled theirs, what would that profit? For verily I say unto you except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. But how can it exceed theirs? Wherein does the righteousness of a Christian exceed that of a Scribe or Pharisee?
Christian righteousness exceeds theirs, first, in the extent of it. Most of the Pharisees, though they were rigorously exact in many things, yet were emboldened by the traditions of the elders to dispense with others of equal importance. Thus they were extremely punctual in keeping the fourth commandment; they would not even rub an ear of corn on the sabbath day: But not at all in keeping the third, making little account of light, or even false swearing. Sothat their righteousness was partial: whereas the righteousness of a real Christian is universal. He does not observe one, or some parts of the law of God, and neglect the rest; but keeps all his commandments, loves them all, values them above gold or precious stones.
11. It may be indeed, that some of the Scribes and Pharisees, endeavoured to keep all the commandments, and consequently were, as touching the righteousness of the law, that is, according to the letter of it, blameless. But still the righteousness of a Christian exceeds all this righteousness of a Scribe or Pharisee, by fulfilling the Spirit as well as the letter of the law, by inward as well as outward obedience. In this, in the spirituality of it, it admits of no comparison. This is the point which our Lord has so largely proved, in the whole tenor of this discourse. Their righteousness was external only: Christian righteousness is in the inner man. The Pharisee cleansed the outside of the cup and the platter; the Christian is clean within. The Pharisee laboured to present God with a good life; the Christian with a holy heart. The one shook off the leaves, perhaps the fruits of sin; the other lays the axe to the root: as not being content with the outward form of godliness, how exact soever it be, unless the life, the Spirit, the power of God unto salvation, be felt in the inmost soul.