Serm. CL. the Power ofGadlrnefs. ing in Religion,: becaufe he is very filly in all other things; and mutt needs have abundance of Grace, becaufe he hath noWit. It is pity it fhould be fo, but Iam afraid it is too true, that the greateft mifchiefs that have been done to theWorld, have been done by filly well meaning Men. Lally, Great noife and talk about Religion. This is as empty a Form as any of the refs, and yet this does ftrangely pleafe and fatisfie a great many. If a Man do* but mix fomething of Religion with all his Difcourfes, and be often fpeakingof God and heavenly things, this paffeth for a more than ordinary charafter of a religious Man. And many deceive themfelves with it, they havetalk'd of Religion fo long, till they believe they have it. Not but that this is a good thing, provided it be order'd with diferetion and humility, and be not forc'd and affected, impertinent and troublefome. But then we mull have a great care that other things be anfwerable. Our lives mutt juftifie our godly talk, and our a Lions muff give weight to our words; for nothing is more odious, than a religious and good Difcourfe from the mouth of a bad Man. This made our Saviour fo full of indignation againft the Scribes and Pharifees, they were not what they appeared to be in their difcourfe and outward garb. They faidand did not, therefore he compares them to whited walls and painted Sepul- chres, that were beautiful indeed without, but within were full of all uncleannefa and rottennefs. 'Tis true indeed,. that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth fpeaketh if Religion be within, it will appear in Mens words as well. as allions; this is a fire that will breakout: but the belt Men are very =deft, and make little noife, do nothing out of oftentation and to be taken notice of, and had rather refrain from good words, than to make an unfeafonable Phew of Religion. Speech is intended to fignifie the inward fenfe of Mens minds, but it does not alwaysdo fo; Men may be full of religious talk, when there is nothing of Reli- gion.in their hearts,nothing anfwerable in their lives; Men may fpeak like Angels, and yet do like Devils. Therefore let no Man deceive himfelf, or think to deceive others with this ap- pearance of Religion: for let Men talk never fo pioufly, every confiderate Man knows that there is more of true Religion in one good action, than in a thoufand good words. And thus I have done with the fir:// thing, viz. wherein a FormofReligion doth confift. Secondly, Wherein thepower of Godlinefs doth confift. And becaufe it is very material to be rightly informed in this, 1 will reduce the feveral particulars to thefe four general heads. I. A due fenfe of God, and fuitable affe&ions towards him. II. A fincere and diligent ufe of the Means and Inftruments of Religion. III. A firm and fteady Refolution of well-doing. IV. As the proper and genuin effeft of all thefe, the prafticeof a good life, in the feveral parts andinflances of it. I. A due fenfe of God, and fuitable affeftions towards him. This is theprinci- ple and fountain of all Religion, from whenceall a&ions of Piety and Goodnefs do fpring. Under this I comprehend a lively fenfe of God's Being; which theApoftle tells us is fundamentally neceffary to all Religion, He that cometh to Godmull believe that he is. This is the great fpring of all religious. Motions, andof our dependence upon him, the lively fenfe whereof will make us humble and thankful, and teach us to acknowledge him inall our ways, and to refer all our concernments to him ; and of our fub}edion to him, which will make us obedient to his Laws, and fubmiflive to his pleafure; nothing being more reafonable than that he that gave us our lives fhould have the entire government difpofal of them ; than that he that made us what we are, fhould command us what we fhould do. In Ihort, this comprehends Fith in God, or a readinefs to affent to what he reveals, with the Fear and the Love of God, which are thegreat Principles of Religion. U u 2 II.A 33'
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