SERM ter condition, and of a good education; it XVII. is therefore generally accompanied with

more reputation and honour, with more Value and Efteem in the World, than most Other fingle Virtues. For This reason, those who are not indued with this Virtue, are yet very defirous of being thought to be fo; and, as That which is most efteemed is always moft in danger of being counterfeited, Falfe Courage is very apt to supply the Place and the Want of True. For there is a Courage, which deferves not That Name; and there is a Hardiness, which is not a Virtue, but a Vice. Something of this nature there may be obferved in the inftance of almost every Virtue. Superftition, and Forms, and outward Ceremonies, too ufually fupply the place of true Piety towards God. Cove teousness calls itself Frugality; and the name of Generofity often covers the real crime of Profufenefs. The most unchriftian Vices of Uncharitableness and Perfecution frequently pafs under the Title of Zeal; and Love towards God, is (in fome men's opinion) excellently expreffed by Hatred towards their Brethren, towards Men

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Men very often much more pious than SER M. themselves. Thus likewife in the cafe of Courage; Fool-hardiness too often puts on the Garb of This Virtue; and a fenfelefs pretending to defpife, what ought not and cannot be despised, ferves inftead of really contemning fuch Dangers, as ought to be contemned. Now the way to distinguish rightly, when Courage is really That Virtue which the Name denotes, is to confider carefully its true Definition: Which, (as I before obferved,) is this; 'Tis a Greatness or Braveness of Mind, consisting and showing forth itself in a just Contempt of Danger. Where therefore the Contempt of Danger is juft and well-grounded, there fuch Contempt is the True Virtue of Courage, a True Greatness and Bravery of Mind: But where the Contempt of Danger is neither reasonable nor just, there it is not Courage, but Fool-bardiness and Madness. For want of obferving this plain diftinction it comes to pass, that whereas it is True Greatnefs and Bravery of Mind, for a Man to hazard his Life in the Defence of his Country, in Defence of the common Rights and Liberties of Man

SERM kind, in oppofition to the unjust Invafions XVII. of ambitious Tyrants, and the Great Opprefors of the World; contempt of Danger, in This cafe, being just and wellgrounded, becaufe a Man hazards Himself for the Publick Benefit, and for the preventing a much greater and more extenfive Evil than the Lofs of his own fingle Life : From hence paffionate and unreasonable Men ignorantly call it Courage, to hazard their Lives in their own private Quarrels; where Contempt of Danger is, on the contrary, neither reafonable nor just, because, neither is the Danger at all needful to be run into, nor is the Benefit proposed to be obtained by it, in any manner equal to the Evil hazarded. Again: Whereas it is True Greatnefs of Mind, to be above all vain Superftitions, to defpife all falfe and groundless Imaginations, not to be terrified with empty Phantoms, nor fear where no Fear is; hence weak and profane Men have ridiculously attempted, to cause it to be looked upon as a piece of Courage and Gallantry, to despise the real Differences of Good and Evil; to mock at Truth in common with Errour, and

at

at Religion and Virtue equally with Super-SER M. ftition; to affect to be above the Obliga- XVII. tions even of the most reasonable and neceflary Laws, without which no Order, no Government, no Peace could poffibly fubfift in the World; laftly, to dare undauntedly to revile the Maker of all things, and show their Fearleffnefs even of God himself, by openly trampling upon his Commandments in their Lives, and reproaching his Name by vain Oaths and profane Speeches. The Fortitude of these Men, is like that Courage of a Soldier, who not daring to do his common Duty against the publick Enemy, fhould be perpetually showing his Prowefs in bravely refufing to obey the Orders of his proper Commander. And the Liberty These Heroes in Vice promise to their Followers, in discharging them from all Obligations of Virtue, and from all Fear of God, is excellently defcribed by St Peter, in his 2d epistle, ch. ii. 18. When they speak great fwelling words of Vanity, they allure thro' the Lufts of the Flesh, thofe that were clean efcaped from Them who live in Errour; While they promise them Liberty,

SER M. they themselves are the Servants of CorrupXVII. tion; For of whom a man is overcome, of

the fame is he brought in bondage. These are the perfons, who, in the worst and highest Senfe of the phrase, make a Mock at Sin; and who are accordingly in Scripture represented as being guilty of the worft and highest degree of Folly. Fools, that is, those who in a fingular manner, and by way of emphafs or diftinction above all Others, deferve the Name of Fools, are They which make a Mock at Sin. Weaknesses there are in all Men; and the Most are too often guilty of fuch Actions, as would in ftrictnefs rank them, in those particulars at least, among the Unwife. But the compleat character of Folly, or that which renders a Man in his whole denomination, according according to the Scripture-fenfe, a Fool; is the making a mock at Sin. Not, being deluded into it by Ignorance or Miftake; Not, being feduced into it by Inadvertency or Surprize; But, knowingly and deliberately looking upon it as a trivial matter; mocking at it as a thing harmless, and of no great Danger; This is the proper Effence, This

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