e, in the stead of it.
Instead of labouring, under God's grace, to change their wills, to
purify their hearts, and so prepare themselves for the kingdom of God,
they imagine that in that kingdom they may be saved by something short
of this, by their baptism, or by their ceremonial observances (the
burnt offerings and sacrifices which the scribe disparages), or by
their correct knowledge of the truth, or by their knowledge of their
own sinfulness, or by some past act of faith which is to last them
during their lives, or by some strong habitual persuasion that they are
safe; or, again, by the performance of some one part of their duty,
though they neglect the rest, as if God said a thing to us in nature,
and Christ unsaid it; and, when men wish a thing, it is not hard to
find texts in Scripture which may be ingeniously perverted to suit
their purpose. The error then being so common in practice, of
believing that Christ came to gain for us easier terms of admittance
into heaven than we had before (whereas, in fact, instead of making
obedience less strict, He has enabled us to obey God more strictly, and
instead of gaining _easier_ terms of _admittance_, He has gained us
_altogether_ our admittance into heaven, which before was closed
against us); this error, I say, being so common, it may be right to
insist on the opposite truth, however obvious, that obedience to God is
the way to know and believe in Christ.

1. Now, first, let us consider how plainly we are taught in Scripture
that perfect obedience is the standard of Gospel holiness. By St.
Paul: "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God[2]." "Circumcision is nothing,
and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of
God[3]." "Whatsoever things are true . . . honest . . . just . . .
pure . . . lovely . . . of good report: if there be any virtue, and if
there be any praise, think on these things[4]." By St. James:
"Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is
guilty of all[5]." By St. Peter: "Giving all diligence, add to your
faith virtue . . . knowledge . . . temperance . . . patience . . .
godliness . . . brotherly kindness . . . charity[6]." By St. John:
"Hereby do we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments."
Lastly, by our Lord Himself: "He that hath My commandments, and keepeth
them,