Serm. LIX. Knowledge and Practice neceffary in.Religion. 417 do not do it ; and he compares thofe that hear his Sayings, and do them not, tó foolifh Man that built his houfe upon thefand. And St. ',Imes (peaks of fotne, who are hearers ofthe word only, but not doers ofit, and for that Realm fall (boil of Happi= nefs. And this is no wonder, becaufe the attaining to that knowledge of Religion which is neceffary to Salvation is no difficult task. A great part of it is written in our hearts, and we cannot be ignorant of it if we would ; as that there is a God, and a Providence, and another State after this Life, wherein we (hall be Rewar- ded, or Puni(hed, accordingas we have lived here in this World ; that God is to be Worfhipped, to be Prayed to for what we want, and to bePraifed for what we enjoy. Thus far Nature in(tru&s Men in Religion, and in the great Duties of Morality, as Jultice, and Temperance, and the like. And as for Revealed Religi- on, as that Jefus Chrift the Son ofGod came in our Nature to fave us, by revealing our Duty.moreclearly and fully to, us, by giving usa more perfect E*ampleof Ho- linefs and Obedience in his own Life and Converfation, and by dying for, our Sins, and rifingagain for our Juftification; thefe are things which Men may eafilyunder - ftand ; and yet for all that, they are difficultly brought to the Practice of Religion, I (hall in(tance in three forts ofPerfons, in whom the llnowledge of Religion is more remarkably feparated from the Practice of it ; and for diftinerion fake, I may call them by thefe three Names ; the Speculative, the Formal, and the Hypocritical Chriftian. The fir(t of thefe makes Religion only a Science, the fecond takes it up fora Fafhion, the third makes fome Worldly advantage of it, and ferves fome feen- lar Interet and Dejign by it. All thefe are upon feveral accounts concerned to un- derftand fomething of Religion but yet will not be brought to the Pra&ice ofit. Thefrjlof thefe whom I call the Speculative Chriftian, is he who makes Reli- gion only a Science, and (Indies it as a piece ofLearning, and part of that gene- ral knowledge in which he affects the reputation of being a Matter; he haft' no defign to practife it, but he is loth to be ignorant of it, becaufe the knowledge of it is a good Ornament of Converfation, and will ferve for Difcourfe and Enter- tainment among thofe who are difpofed to be grave and ferions ; and becaufe he does not intend to pratfife it, he paffeth over thofe things which are plain and eale to be underftood, and applies himfelf chiefly to the Convderation of thofe things which are more ab(trufe, and will afford Matter of Controverfre and fub- tle Difpute, as the Dotkrineof the Trinity, Predeftination, Free-will, and the like. Of this temper feemmany of the School-men of old to have been, who made it their great ftudy andbufinefs to puzzle Religion, and to make every thing in it in- tricate, by flatting infinite que(tions and difficulties about the plaineft truths ; and of the famerankufually are the Heads and Leaders of Parties and Fatkions in Re- ligion, who by needlefs Controverfies, and endlefs Difputes about fome thing or other, commonlyofno great moment in Religion, hinder themfelves and others from mindingthePractice of the great and fubftantial Duties of a good Life. Secondly, There is the FormalChriftian, who takes up Religion for a Fafhion. He is born and bred inaNation where Chriftianity is profilt, and Countenan- ced, and therefore thinks it convenient for him to know fomething of it. Of this fort there are, I fear, a great many, who read the Scriptures fometimes as others do, to know the Hittory of it ; and goto Church, and hear the Gofpel Preached, and by this means come in fome meafure to underftand the Hiftory of our Saviour, and the Chriftian Do&rine ; but do not at all bend themfelves to comply with the great End and Defignof it ; they do not heartily endeavour to form and fathion their Lives according to the Laws and Precepts of it; they think they are very good Chriftians, if they can give an account of the Articles of their Faith, profefs their Beliefin God and Chrift, and declare that they hope to be Saved by him, tho' they take nocare to keep his Commandments. Thefe are they of whom our Saviour fpeaks, Luke 6. 46. who call him, Lord, Lord ; but do not the things which he faid. Thirdly, Hypocritical Chriftians, who make an interefi of Religion, and ferve force worldly defign by it. Thefe are concerned to underftand Religion more than ordinary, that they may counterfeit it handfomely, and may not be at a lofs when they have occafion to put on the garb of it. And this is one part of H h h the
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