SERMON XXIV.

2 TIM. iii. 5.

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away.

THESE words conclude a most dreadful description given by St. Paul of the state of mankind in the last days. Having foretold the general practice of almost every sin, that could be named, he surprizingly adds, that with all these they should retain a mighty pretence of acting from principle: having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof. But how unaccountable soever this may seem in speculation, it is common in fact. And we shall do well to enquire, both into the original and the extent of such behaviour. For though remarks have been made upon some instances of it with sufficient severity, little attention hath been paid to others of almost equal importance: and yet we are charged to turn away from all who are guilty of them, as blameable and dangerous persons.

The duty of man, though proceeding all from one source, naturally divides itself into religion and morals. Our understanding and our affections dictate to us the practice of both these: and both evidently promote our happiness. But they promote it by such exercises and restraints, as the inbred disorder of our frame makes uneasy, at the same time that it

makes them necessary: and that injudicious tenderness for ourselves, to which weak minds, as well as bodies are liable, creates in us a strange aversion from entering upon a course, imagined to be still harsher than it is, though essential to our welfare. Yet avowedly to disregard the obligations they are under, would be too bold a step for most men; who must therefore find out some middle way. And one such way, a very obvious one, is dissimulation: of which accordingly great use hath been made, to preserve a shew both of piety and virtue. But while just notions of either prevail amongst men, it will usually cost hypocrites more pains to gain credit, than would be needful to become in earnest good: and after all, they but seldom fail of being seen through by others, and yet seldomer satisfy themselves. Mere pretence therefore will not answer the purpose; there must be something that hath the look, even to our own minds, of reality; some counterfeit of our duty, substituted instead of it, which we can mistake for it. Were such mistakes involuntary, they would be guiltless: but the persons deceived in this case, choose to deceive themselves; which the vicious are both prone and able to do in a wonderful degree. Thus the voluptuous man takes up with present momentary gratifications for his real proper happiness: and the artful man looks on the cunning, that only serves a short-lived turn, as genuine wisdom.

Now in just the same manner men have contrived to set up for religion, some one thing, some another: all which, though exceeding various, go under the general name of superstition. And several of these corruptions might have their first rise merely from error in judgment or ignorance. But then ill design must have supported afterwards what otherwise good

sense would easily have corrected: and the main cause, why men had false notions of God and his worship, was, that as the Apostle observes, they did not like to retain the true in their knowledge*. It may seem an objection to this, that superstitious observances are often far more burthensome, than our reasonable service t. But an evil heart thinks no grievance so heavy, as the exertion of good, and the mortification of sinful dispositions: besides that ways have been invented of lightening the other burthens, and reducing them commonly to a small matter. No wonder then, that in all ages forms of godliness without the power took place: and being greatly diversified, as different occasions invited, have not only stood in the room of all that affectionate reverence, which men owe to God, but have often been supposed to compensate for breaking the strongest of those ties, which bind them one to another. And thus to their comfort, they found themselves at liberty, in a great measure, to be at once in favour with Heaven, and wicked.

Yet still there was remaining in their breasts a sense of right and wrong in their behaviour towards their fellow-creatures, which the grossest perversions of religion could not quite extinguish; but it would from time to time break out, and be troublesome. They could not therefore be completely easy, till this was quieted also: which accordingly they attempted by the same method that was used in the former case: debasing, as there the natural awe of God, so here the natural approbation of virtuous conduct, into a spurious imitation of it. Good minds esteem themselves, and labour to be esteemed by others, for acting an innocent and useful, and, if need be, a self-denying

part in the community of mankind. But bad ones, unwilling to purchase the applause of the world and their own so dear, dress themselves up in false jewels, formed artfully to resemble the true; are so dazzled and cheated with the blaze of these, that they overlook the inward deformities covered by them, and demand more respect from all around them, as persons of distinction and merit, than the most truly valuable man upon earth doth: for he knows his imperfections, and who hath made him to differ*.

Thus then the form without the power, though much oftener censured in religion, is perhaps as frequent, and as mischievous in morality. Some have corrupted the former with injurious notions of God, with absurd modes of honouring him, with schemes of being pious, consistent with living impiously. And others in like manner have corrupted the latter with chimerical imaginations, with pernicious rules of life, with vain contrivances to be men of worth, notwithstanding a conduct in many instances notoriously unworthy. And these depravations correspond entirely the one to the other. Only the substitutes for true religion, though widely different, are most, if not all of them, comprehended under the term superstition; by which name they have been plentifully exposed: and the substitutes for true morals not having been collected into a body, with a general denomination affixed to them, the abuses introduced by their means have escaped with slighter notice. The most extensive word for them perhaps is, false honour; which therefore, as I proceed, I shall commonly use in speaking of them: yet it by no means includes the whole; for false good-nature, a different thing, is perpetually cried up, to serve just the same purpose.

1 Cor. iv. 7.

But however impossible it may be to find an adequate expression, the fact is clear; that counterfeits of virtue, as well as piety, have been sought out, with a bad design, and too successfully.

These, in some breasts, dwell together amicably; either so adapted to each other, as to join in approving the same actions; or governing by turns when they differ, and dividing life between them: in which last case, if what calls itself religion chance to be offended by any enormous piece of iniquity, some sacrifice is made to it, in acknowledgment of its superior right; and after it is thus appeased, all goes on as before, through the gay and flourishing part of men's days at least. But some persons on the contrary, impatient after a while under the least restraints from it, throw it off entirely, and profess honour alone for their rule; on the dignity of which valuing themselves beyond measure, they not only laugh at superstition with very superior airs, but depreciate all regard to God, as no better than superstition. Now as it would be very unjust for a man of good morals to despise religion : because these two systems are not only both true, but indeed the same truth: so it is quite ridiculous for the man of mere honour to despise superstition; because these two are not only both false, but in effect the same falsehood. They both proceed, as you have seen already, from the same unfairness and inconsiderateness and if we go on to examine their features more distinctly, we shall see the nearness of their relation still more fully: it will appear that each depraves equally a natural and good principle in the heart: that in each the depravation is brought about, by first exalting too highly some one or few things, to the disparagement of others of no less merit, and then carrying the favourite point so far, as turns it