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.
By the force of godliness, may be properly understood, not only a specious practice of religious duties, exhibited to public notice, but all external acts of worship, all rites and ceremonies, all stated observances, and all compliance with temporary and local injunctions and regularities.
The religion of the Jews, from the time of Moses, comprised a great number of burdensome ceremonies, required by God for reasons which perhaps human wisdom has never fully discovered. Of these ceremonies, however, some were typically representative of the Christian institution, and some, by keeping them distinct, by dissimilitude of customs from the nations that surrounded them, had a tendency to secure them from the influence of ill example, and preserve them from the contagion of idolatry.
To the use of observances, thus important, they were confined by the strongest obligations. They were, indeed, external acts, but they were instituted by Divine authority; they were not to be considered merely as instrumental and expedient, as means which might be omitted, if their ends were secured: they were positively enjoined by the supreme Legislator, and were not left to choice, or discretion, or secular laws; to the will of the powerful, or the judgment of the prudent.
Yet even these sacred rites might be punctually performed, without making the performer acceptable to God; the blood of bulls and of goats might be poured out in
