Quesnel: Moral Reflections on the Gospels Vol 1

362 ST. MATTHEW.
serves only to nourish pride and vanity, and to deceive
the sinner by an appearance of good. One man is
extremely concerned at the omission of a prayer, or
of some arbitrary practice, which he has imposed on
himself, who takes no care to correct his vicious hab-
its of anger, evil-speaking, lying, slandering, luxury,
immodesty, &c. Another would not take from his
neighbour the value of a gnat or fly, who robs the
poor of a sum or heap as big as a camel, by his cove-
tousness, vain expenses, ill use of ecclesiastical re-
venues, &c.
" 25. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hy-
pocrites I for ye make clean the outside of the cup
and of the platter, but within they are full of extor-
tion and excess."
The heart is the seat of virtue and vice : it is by
the heart that we please or displease God. In vain
do men hinder their corruption from appearing out-
wardly, that they may not lose the esteem of men, if
their heart be corrupt in the sight of God, through
the love of sin, and through criminal desires. A
true penitent acts quite contrary : he uses his utmost
endeavours to cleanse his heart by the love of God,
and the hatred of sin; and is willing to bear the
shame and confusion of his misery before men.
" 26. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that
which is within the cup and platter, that the outside
of them may be clean also."
External purity proceeds only from the internal
from within it diffuses itself without. He who seeks
the applause of the world, is but little concerned
about his inward part. It is a blindness, which is
very common, for men to think that they have ful-