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SERM. the hypocrite with GoD and men: whereas a truly ccv. good man, when he employs himself in acts of reli

gion, or juftice, or charity, he doth it naturally, and hath a mighty fatisfaction of mind in the doing of it, and if he were permitted to make his own choice, he would not do otherwife; but a hypocrite puts a force upon himself all the while, and acts against his nature and inclinations, every thing he does in religion goes against the grain, and because it is unnatural must be uneafy; his outward converfation and demeanour is fet, and in a frame, he does not move as he would, but as he muft, and the fecret propenfions of his nature are under a continual reftraint.

He hath indeed one advantage by his artificial garb, that he can more fecurely over-reach and defraud others by his fhew of godlinefs, while men are not aware of his diffimulation. But this commonly does not laft long, and only ferves a man for a few turns; and when 'tis difcovered, the man is loft, and no body will truft him. But fuppofe he could ferve himself of religion this way for fome confiderable time, where is the advantage? it amounts to no more than this, that the man hath the opportunity of being a greater finner, of making himself more miferable, and "treasuring up to himself more "wrath against the day of wrath." So that he pays dear for all this in the end and iffue, as well as in the way. He fpends many a tedious hour in the fervice of GOD, and the exercife of religion; more it may be than many do, who fave their fouls, and get to heaven. For as to the external part of religion, a hypocrite muft do all that which a truly religious man does; he must frequent the church,

and

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and make as much fhew of devotion as the beft; SERM. nay, it may be he prays more, and fafts oftner, ccv and is more bufy, and keeps a greater ftir in the outward part of religion, than the fincere christian; for being conscious to himself of his own hollowness and infincerity in religion, he thinks himself obliged outwardly to over-act it in unseasonable and fuperftitious obfervances, and in all other arts of affected devotion; and when he goes abroad into the world, he is forced to lay great reftraints upon himself, and to be continually gathering his cloke about him, as being afraid left any body should spy what is under it. So much more troublesome it is for any man to feem to be religious, than to be fo indeed.

II. A mere form of religion does upon fome accounts bring a man under a heavier fentence, than if he were openly profane and irreligious. He that makes a fhew of religion, flatters Go D, but all the while acts and defigns against him: whereas the profane man deals plainly, and though he be a monstrous and unnatural rebel, yet he is a fair and open enemy; and the kiffes of a falfe friend are more hateful than the wounds of an open enemy. Upon this account it is that our SAVIOUR denoun、 ceth so many severe woes against the Scribes and Pharifees, because they were wicked under a fhew of religion. "Wo unto you Scribes and Pharisees, hy"pocrites:" and when he would fet forth the feverity of the LORD against the evil fervant, Matth. xxiv. 51. he expreffeth it thus, "he fhall cut him afunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites; there fhall be weeping and gnashing "of teeth." As if the punishment of hypocrites, VOL. X.

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SERM. were the rule and standard of the feverest punishCCVI. ment. "He fhall appoint him his portion with the hypocrites."

I will not deny but that a profane man is a worse example to the world, and may do more mischief upon that account: but the hypocrite is more mifchievous to himself, and of the two more odious to GOD, and fometimes does more prejudice to religion by undermining it, than the other does by all his open affaults and batteries. GOD cannot endure to be affronted: but he hates to be mocked. So that upon this account, it is like to go harder with the formal profeffors of religion, than with the open contemners of it.

And thus I have done with the four things I propounded to speak to from these words; wherein “a "form of godliness" does confift; wherein "the

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power of it" lies; by what marks and characters we may know when these are separated; and that "a a form of religion" without "the power of "it," is infignificant to all the great ends and purposes of religion; and not only fo, but it is greatly to mens difadvantage to affume "a form of godli"nefs," if they be deftitute of "the power of it."

All that now remains, is to draw fome inferences from this difcourfe by way of application; and they fhall be these three.

First, to take heed of mistaking "the form of "religion, for the power of it."

Secondly, to take heed of being captivated and feduced by those who have only "a form of godlinefs." Thirdly, to perfuade men to mind the life, and power, and fubitance of religion.

Firft, to take heed of mistaking" the form of "religion,

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religion, for the power of it." The papifts have SERM, almoft confined the words religion and religious to cloifters and monks; and they make a religious life to confift in maffes and ave-maries, and pater-nofters, in the obfervation of canonical hours, and the diftinctions of meats and habits, in coarse clothes, and a diffembled poverty, and several bodily rigours and feverities. As if to make a man a religious and good man, it were neceffary that he should be drest fantastically, and in a great many in-' different things be different from other men. Nay, fo far doth this fuperftition prevail, that a great many think that they should hardly get to heaven without it, or that it will be very much for their advantage, if they be buried in the habit of a religious man: as if to be put in a monk's coul, would give a man the start of other people at the refurrection. But what reafon is there that the name and title of religion should be appropriated to these usages? does, the scripture any where conftitute religion in these. things, or confine it to them? are not thefe voluntary things, which GOD ties no man to? whence then come they to swallow up the name of religion, and to engross it to themselves, as if they were the very life and foul of chriftianity; when the great author of our religion JESUS CHRIST, and his blessed apostles, never fpake one word of them? what an abuse of language is this, to confine the name of religion to that which is not fo much as any part of it!

But the church of Rome is not alone guilty of this; among ourselves it is very ordinary to mistake "the form of godlinefs for the power," though the miftake is not fo grofs, as in thofe particulars I have mentioned.

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