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DR. JOHNSON'S SERMONS.

SERMON XIII.

2 TIMOTHY, CHAP. III. PART OF THE 5th VERSE.

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.

WHEN St. Paul, in the precepts given to Timothy for his instruction how to regulate and purify the conversation of the first Christians, directed him to take care that those men should be avoided, as dangerous and pestilent, who, having the form of godliness, denied the power; it is reasonable to believe, that he meant, in his direct and immediate intention, to awaken his caution against gross hypocrites; such as may easily be supposed to have appeared too often in the most early seminaries of Christianity; who made an appearance of righteousness subservient to worldly interest; and whose conversion, real or pretended, gave them an opportunity of preying upon artless simplicity, by claiming that kindness which the first believers showed to one another; and obtaining benéfactions which they did not want, and eating bread for which they did not labour.

To impostors of this kind, the peculiar state of

the first Christians would naturally expose them. As they were surrounded by enemies, they were glad to find, in any man, the appearance of a friend; as they were wearied with importunate contradiction, they were desirous of an interval of respite, by consorting with any one that professed the same opinions; and what was still more favourable to such impostors, when they had, by embracing an unpopular and persecuted religion, divested themselves, in a great degree, of secular interest, they were likely often to want that vigilance and suspicion which is forced, even upon honest minds, by much converse with the world, and frequent transactions with various characters; and which our divine Master teaches us to practise, when he commands us to join the "wisdom of the serpent with the harmlessness of the dove." The first Christians must have been, in the highest degree, zealous to strengthen their faith in themselves, and propagate it in others; and zeal easily spreads the arms, and opens the bosom to an adherent, or a proselyte, as to one that adds another suffrage to truth, and strengthens the support of a good cause. Men of this disposition, and in this state of life, would easily be enamoured of the form of godliness, and not soon discover that the power was wanting. Men naturally think others like themselves, and therefore a good man is easily persuaded to credit the appearance of virtue.

Hypocrisy, however, was not confined to the apostolic ages. All times, and all places, have produced men, that have endeavoured to gain credit by false pretensions to excellence, and have recommended themselves to kindness or esteem, by spe

cious professions, and ostentatious displays of counterfeited virtues. It is, however, less necessary now to obviate this kind of fraud, by exhortations to caution; for that simplicity, which lay open to its operation, is not now very frequently to be found. The hypocrite, in these times, seldom boasts of much success. He is for the most part soon discovered; and when he is once known, the world will not wait for counsel to avoid him, for the good detest, and the bad despise him. He is hated for his attempts, and scorned for his miscarriage.

It may therefore be proper to consider the danger of a "form of righteousness" without the "power," in a different and secondary sense, and to examine whether, as there are some who by this form deceive others, there are not some, likewise, that deceive themselves; who pacify their consciences with an appearance of piety, and live and die in dangerous tranquillity and delusive, confidence.

In this inquiry it will be proper to consider,

First, What may be understood by the form of godliness, as distinct from the power.

Secondly, What is the power of godliness, without which the form is defective and unavailing.

Thirdly, How far it is necessary to the Christian life, that the form and power should subsist together.

Let it therefore be first considered, what may be easily and naturally understood by the form of godliness as distinct from the power.

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