“Your Penitence, your diligence   to Read, to Pray, to Hear, Were but to drown the clam’rous sound   of Conscience in your Ear. If light you lov’d, vain glory mov’d   yourselves therewith to store, That seeming wise men might you prize,   and honor you the more. XCI. [78] “Thus from yourselves unto yourselves,   your duties all do tend; And as self-love the wheels doth move,   so in self-love they end.“ Thus Christ detects their vain projects,   and close Impiety, And plainly shews that all their shows   were but Hypocrisy. _Civil honest men’s pleas._ XCII. [79] Then were brought nigh a Company   of Civil honest Men, Civil honest That lov’d true dealing and hated stealing,   ne’er wrong’d their Bretheren; Who pleaded thus: “Thou knowest us   that we were blameless livers; No Whoremongers, no Murderers,   no quarrelers nor strivers. XCIII. “Idolaters, Adulterers,   Church-robbers we were none, Nor false dealers, nor cozeners,   but paid each man his own. Our way was fair, our dealing square,   we were no wasteful spenders, No lewd toss-pots, no drunken sots,   no scandalous offenders. XCIV. [80] “We hated vice and set great price,   by virtuous conversation; And by the same we got a name   and no small commendation. God’s Laws express that righteousness   is that which he doth prize; And to obey, as he doth say,   is more than sacrifice. XCV. [81] “Thus to obey hath been our way;   let our good deeds, we pray. Find some regard and some reward   with thee, Lord, this day. And whereas we transgressors be,   of Adam’s race were none, No, not the best, but have confess’d   themselves to have misdone.“ _Are taken off and rendered invalid._ XCVI. [82] Then answeréd unto their dread,   the Judge: “True Piety God doth desire and eke require,   no less than honesty. Justice demands at all your hands   perfect Obedience; If but in part you have come short,   that is a just offense. XCVII. “On Earth below, where men did owe   a thousand pounds and more. Could twenty pence it recompense?   Could that have clear’d the score? Think you to buy Felicity   with part of what’s due debt? Or for desert of one small part,   the whole should off be set? XCVIII. [83] “And yet that part whose great desert   you think to reach so far, For your excuse doth you accuse,   and will your boasting mar. However fair, however square   your way and work hath been Before men’s eyes, yet God espies   iniquity therein. XCIX. [84] “God looks upon th’ affecti-on   and temper of the heart; Not only on the acti-on,   and the external part. Whatever end vain men pretend,   God knows the verity, And by the end which they intend   their words and deeds doth try. C. [85] “Without true Faith, the Scripture saith,   God cannot take delight In any deed that doth proceed [86]   from any sinful wight. And without love all actions prove   but barren empty things; Dead works they be and vanity,   the which vexation brings. CI.