The form of godliness
A second thing implied in being almost a Christian is having a form of godliness. It is the godliness prescribed in the gospel of Christ. It is the outside of a real Christian.
Accordingly, the almost Christian does nothing which the gospel forbids. He does not take the name of God in vain. He blesses, and he does not curse. He does not swear at all, but his speech is yes, yes, and no, no. He does not profane the day of the Lord, nor does he allow it to be profaned, even by the stranger who is within his gates.
He not only avoids all actual adultery, fornication, and uncleanness, but every word or look that either directly or indirectly tends that way. He avoids all idle words (Matthew 12:36). He abstains from detraction, backbiting, tale-bearing, and evil-speaking, and from all foolish talking and jesting, the polished wit which a heathen moralist counted a kind of virtue. In short, he abstains from all conversation that is not good for the use of edifying (Ephesians 4:29), and that consequently grieves the Holy Spirit of God, by whom we are sealed to the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).
He abstains from wine in which there is excess, and from reveling and gluttony. He avoids, as far as he is able, all strife and contention, and he continually endeavors to live peaceably with all men.
If he suffers wrong, he does not avenge himself, and he does not return evil for evil. He does not rail. He is no brawler, and no scoffer, either at the faults or at the infirmities of his neighbor. He does not willingly wrong, hurt, or grieve any man. In all things he acts and speaks by that plain rule: Whatever you would not want him to do to you, do not do that to another.
And in doing good, he does not confine himself to cheap and easy offices of kindness. He labors and suffers for the profit of many, so that by all means he may help some. In spite of toil or pain, whatever his hand finds to do, he does it with his might, whether it is for his friends or for his enemies, for the evil or for the good.
He is not slothful in this, or in any business. As he has opportunity he does good, all manner of good, to all men, to their souls as well as to their bodies. He reproves the wicked, instructs the ignorant, confirms the wavering, quickens the good, and comforts the afflicted. He labors to awaken those who sleep. He labors to lead those whom God has already awakened to the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness, so that they may wash there and be clean. And he labors to stir up those who are saved through faith, so that they may adorn the gospel of Christ in all things.
He who has the form of godliness also uses the means of grace, yes, all of them, and at every opportunity. He constantly attends the house of God. He does not come as the manner of some is, who enter the presence of the Most High either loaded with gold and costly clothes, or in all the gaudy vanity of dress. By their ill-timed civilities to each other, or by the rude gaiety of their behavior, they give up all claim to the form of godliness, as well as to the power of godliness.
Would to God there were none even among ourselves who fall under the same condemnation. They come into his house, it may be, gazing about, or with all the signs of the most listless, careless indifference. Sometimes they may seem to offer a prayer to God for his blessing on what they are about to do. During that solemn service they are either asleep, or laid back in the posture most convenient for sleep. Or, as though they supposed God was asleep, they talk with one another, or look around, as if they had nothing to do there at all.
Do not charge these people with the form of godliness. No. He who has even this behaves with seriousness and attention in every part of that solemn service. Above all, when he approaches the table of the Lord, it is not with a light or careless behavior. His air, his gesture, and his whole bearing say nothing else but, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Add to this the constant use of family prayer by those who are masters of families, and the setting apart of times for private address to God, together with a daily seriousness of behavior. He who practices this outward religion uniformly has the form of godliness. Only one thing more is needed for him to be almost a Christian, and that is sincerity.
1771 text
II.) 4. A second thing implied in the being almost a Christian, is the having a form of Godliness, of that Godliness which is prescribed in the gospel of Christ: the having the outside of a real Christian. Accordingly, the almost Christian does nothing which the gospel forbids. He taketh not the name of God in vain: he blesseth and curseth not; he sweareth not at all, but his communication is yea, yea; nay, nay. He profanes not the day of the Lord, nor suffers it to be profaned, even by the stranger that is within his gates. He not only avoids all actual adultery, fornication, and uncleanness, but every word or look, that either directly or indirectly tends thereto: nay, and all idle words, abstaining both from detraction, backbiting, tale-bearing, evil-speaking, and from all foolish talking and jesting, εὐτραπελία, a kind of virtue in the Heathen moralist’s account. Briefly, from all conversation that is not good to the use of edifying, and that consequently grieves the Holy Spirit of God, whereby we are sealed to the day of redemption.
5. He abstains from wine wherein is excess, from revellings and gluttony. He avoids, as much as in him lies, all strife and contention, continually endeavouring to live peaceably with all men. And if he suffer wrong, he avengeth not himself, neither returns evil for evil. He is no railer, no brawler, no scoffer, either at the faults or infirmities of his neighbour. He does not willingly wrong, hurt, or grieve any man; but in all things acts and speaks by that plain rule, Whatsoever thou wouldst not he should do unto thee, that do not thou to another.
6. And in doing good, he does not confine himself to cheap and easy offices of kindness, but labours and suffers for the profit of many, that by all means he may help some. In spite of toil or pain, Whatsoever his hand findeth to do, he doeth it with his might: whether it be for his friends, or for his enemies; for the evil, or for the good. For being not slothful in this, or in any business, as he hath opportunity he doth good, all manner of good to all men; and to their souls as well as their bodies. He reproves the wicked, instructs the ignorant, confirms the wavering, quickens the good, and comforts the afflicted. He labours to awaken those that sleep, to lead those whom God hath already awakened, to the fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness, that they may wash therein and be clean; and to stir up those who are saved through faith, to adorn the gospel of Christ in all things.
7. He that hath the form of godliness, uses also the means of grace, yea, all of them, and at all opportunities. He constantly frequents the house of God; and that not as the manner of some is, who come into the presence of the Most High, either loaded with gold and costly apparel, or in all the gaudy vanity of dress; and either by their unseasonable civilities to each other, or the impertinent gaiety of their behaviour, disclaim all pretensions to the form, as well as to the power of godliness. Would to God there were none even among ourselves who fall under the same condemnation; who come into his house, it may be, gazing about, or with all the signs of the most listless, careless indifference, tho’ sometimes they may seem to use a prayer to God for his blessing on what they are entering upon; who, during that awful service, are either asleep or reclined in the most convenient posture for it; or, as tho’ they supposed God was asleep, talking with one another, or looking round, as utterly void of employment. Neither let these be accused of the form of godliness. No; he who has even this, behaves with seriousness and attention, in every part of that solemn service. More especially when he approaches the table of the Lord, it is not with a light or careless behaviour, but with an air, gesture and deportment, which speaks nothing else, but God be merciful to me a sinner.
8. To this if we add, the constant use of family-prayer, by those who are masters of families, and the setting times apart for private addresses to God, with a daily seriousness of behaviour: he who uniformly practises this outward religion, has the form of godliness. There needs but one thing more in order to his being almost a Christian, and that is, sincerity.
About this text
Rendered in modern English, to be read and heard. Open the 1771 text under each part to check the claims and the scripture.
Rendered in modern English. The 1771 panel is his own Pine printing of the Works. It is public domain.
Catalogue & scope
Sermon 2 in the 1771 Works. Saint Mary's, Oxford, 25 July 1741. Acts 26:28.
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. It is not a complete critical edition.