believe a lye, (for such in its whole fabric and constitution was the old Pagan idolatry) when these men, who knew the truth, were yet contented to hold it in unrighteousness; they believed, no doubt, nay, they made no scruple to boast, that they had acted with consummate prudence; and that, in sacrificing the interests of religious truth (a small matter in their estimation) they had most effectually provided for the public interest. But what sentence does the Scripture pass on these men of ancient and renowned wisdom? Why this severe and mortifying one, That professing themselves wise, they became fools. And how well they deserved this censure, we understand from their own history; where we read, That Pagan idolatry, thus countenanced and supported, teemed with all the vices, of which our depraved nature is capable; and that the several contrivances of its wise advocates to keep an impious and barefaced falshood in credit, served only to produce, first, a sUSPICION, and in the end, an open and avowed CONTEMPT, of all Religion.

However, the ends of divine wisdom were greatly promoted by this sad experience of human folly. For Christianity, which made its appearance at this juncture, found it an easier

task to establish itself on the ruins of a fallen, or falling superstition. Truth, which had for so long a time been anxiously kept out of sight, was now the more welcome to those, who wished her appearance. And the detection of those prophane arts, which had been so manifestly employed in that service, disposed the most perverse or careless the more easily to reconcile themselves to her.

And it would have been happy if the sense of this advantage, which the simplicity of truth obtained, in the first ages of the Gospel, over all the frauds of imposture, had prevented Christians from copying afterwards what they had so successfully contended against and exposed. Then had a great dishonour of the Christian name been avoided. But that truth, whose virtues are here magnified, must not be dissembled. The practice of lying for the cause of God, too soon revived, and became too frequent in the Christian world. It is in vain to think of diverting your minds, more especially, from that great part of it, which has long since forgotten to be simple concerning evil. But true wisdom will ever be justified of her children. These dishonest arts, which could not support a bad cause, have been injurious and disgraceful to the best. They have

corrupted the ingenuous spirit of the Gospel, they have adulterated the sincere word of God; and, in both ways, have produced innumerable mischiefs, in civil and religious life. They have helped to bring into discredit or disuse a true Christian temper; and have unhappily created in the minds of many an undeserved prejudice against the Christian faith.

II. But if these men have dishonoured Religion, others have defiled MORALITY; yet both assume to themselves the title of wise men ; and for that very reason, because they have departed as far as possible from the virtue of simplicity.

And here your indignation cannot but rise. more especially against a set of men, who, applying the subtleties of school-philosophy to the plain science of Ethics, have made as free with the precepts of the Gospel, us some others had done with its doctrines. These men, under the respectable name of CASUISTS, have presumed to wind up, or let down the obligation of moral duties to what pitch they please. Such as have taken the STRICTER side, deserve but sinall thanks for perplexing the minds of good men with needless scruples; and discouraging the rest with those austerities, which our Religion

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no where commands, and the condition of human life will not admit. But for that looser sort, who by a thousand studied evasions, qualifications, and distinctions, dissolve the force

of

every moral precept; and, as the Pharisees of old, make the word of God of none effect by their impious glosses, I know not what term of reproach you will think bitter enough for them. The sacred writers thought it sufficient to deliver the rules of life in general terms; leaving it, as they well might, to common sense and common honesty, to make the application of them to particular cases, as they chanced to arise. But this officious sophistry intervening and perverting the ingenuous sense of the mind, instructs us how to transgress them all with impunity, and even innocence. By the help of this magic, we may extract the sting of guilt from every known sin; and, if we have but wit enough, may be as wicked as we please with a safe conscience.

To the same purpose, Seneca, of the old heathen philosophers: "Antiqua sapientia," says he, "nihil aliud, quàm FACIENDA et VITANDA, præcepit: et tunc longè meliores erant viri: postquam docti prodierunt, boni desunt. Simplex enim illa et aperta virtus in obscuram et solertem scientiam versa est, docemurque disputare, non vivere." Senec. Ep. xcv.

If the features of this corrupt casuistry have not been overcharged; or, indeed, if there bet any such thing in the world as a corrupt casuistry, it may concern us to reflect, that this pest of society could not have arisen but from a contempt of the Apostle's rule, of being simple concerning evil.

III. Hitherto we have exemplified the breach of this rule in the learned, and the wise. And it may be thought that nothing but perverted science could qualify men for so prodigious a depravity. But there is a casuistry of the heart, as well as head; and we find by woeful experience, that men may refine themselves out of that simplicity which the Gospel enjoins, without the assistance of unblessed knowledge.

For I come now, in the last place, to instance in the vulgar tribes of libertine and careless men. Of whom we may observe, that when indulged passion has taught them to make light of an honest mind; the consequence is, that they run into all excesses, and are rarely hindered from working all uncleanness with greediness. It is true, indeed, that no man becomes at once desperately and irretrievably wicked. But it is not less true, that when this great step is taken of prevaricating