The sum of sacred divinity briefly & methodically propoundedThe summe of sacred diuinitie briefly & methodically propounded

And of this sort is outward Abstinence from meats, without any care and conscience thereby to serve God more fervently, or to be better strengthened against sin, ^mYe fast not, as these times are, to have your voice to be heard on high. Is this such a fast as I have chosen, that a man should afflict his soul for a day, & bow down his head like a Bull-rush, and lye down in sackcloth and ashes? callest thou this a fasting, or an acceptable day to the Lord? Is not this the fasting that I have chosen, To loose the bands of wickedness, to take away the heavy burdens, and let the oppressed go free, and that ye take off every yoke? So of the outward observing of the Sabbath, not regarding the true piety of the heart. Therefore ⁿthe Lord telleth the Jews, My soul hateth your new Moons, and your appointed Feasts: they are a burden unto me: I am weary to bear them. And when you shall stretch out your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you, and though you make many Prayers, I will not hear: for your hands are full of blood. The Prophet, Psal. 12. 3. expresseth this Hypocrisy in flattering and deceitful dealing with our Brethren, by the Phrase of a heart and a heart, that is, a double heart (contrary to that singleness without all mixture spoken of before) when our heart in outward pretence seemeth to run one way, but indeed and in truth is carried another. Our Saviour ^otelling the Pharisees, they devoured Widows houses, under a show of long Prayer, calleth it a show only, without any truth or substance: for so are truth and ⟨p. 132⟩show opposed, Phil. 1. 8. The Notes of Hypocrisy are specially these: First, To rest in outward observances, & to press them strictly and severely, letting pass those things wherein true Piety standeth. Woe be ^pto you Scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites: for ye tithe Mint, and Anise, and Cummin, and leave the weighty matters of the Law, as Judgement, and Mercy, and Fidelity. These ought ye to have done, and not to have left the other; ye blind guides, that strain out a Gnat, and swallow a Camel.