Page:The works of the Rev. John Wesley, M.A., late fellow of Lincoln-College, Oxford (IA worksofrevjohnwe3wesl).pdf/106

 outward exactness would atone for inward unholiness; for the total neglect both of justice and mercy, of faith and the love of God. Yea, so absolutely was the spiritual meaning of the law hidden from the wisest of them, that one of their most eminent Rabbi's comments thus, on those words of the Psalmist, ''If I incline unto iniquity with my heart, the Lord will not hear me'': that is, saith he, if it be only in my heart, if I do not commit outward wickedness, the Lord will not regard it; he will not punish me, unless I proceed to the outward act!

4. But alas! The law of God, as to its inward spiritual meaning, is not hid from the Jews or Heathens only, but even from what is called the Christian world; at least, from a vast majority of them. The spiritual sense of the commandments of God, is still a mystery to these also. Nor is this observable also in those lands, which are overspread with Romish darkness and ignorance. But this is too sure, that the far greater part, even of those, who are called ''reformed Christians'', are utter strangers at this day to the law of Christ, in the purity and spirituality of it.

5. Hence it is that to this day ''the Scribes and Pharisees'', the men who have the form but not the power of religion, and who are generally wise in their own eyes, and righteous in their own conceits; hearing these things are offended: are deeply offended, when we speak of the religion of the heart, and particularly when we shew, that