more likely to produce a furfeit than a fit of forrow. One might run the parallel much farther, but this may be fufficient to fhew how dangerous and delufive these mistakes are how apt to mislead and overfet weak minds, which are ever apt to be caught by the pomp of fuch external parts of religion. This is fo evident, that even in our own church, where there is the greatest chastity in things of this nature - and of which none are retained in our worship, but what I believe, tend to excite and affift ityet fo ftrong a propenfity is there in our nature to fenfe and fo unequal a match is the understanding of the bulk of mankind, for the impreffions of outward things that we fee thousands who every day mistake the shadow for the substance, and was it fairly put to the trial would exchange the reality for the appearance. You You fee, this was almoft univerfally the cafe of the Jewish church where, for want of proper guard and distinction betwixt the means of religion and religion itself, the ceremonial part in time eat away the moral part, and left nothing but a fhadow behind. - 'Tis to be feared the buffooneries of the Romish church, bid fair to do it the fame ill office, to the disgrace and utter ruin of christianity. wherever popery is eftablished. What then remains, but that we rectify these grofs and pernicious notions of religion, and place it upon its true bottom, which we can only do, by bringing back religion to that cool point of reason which firft fhewed us its obligation by always remembering that GoD is a fpiritand must be worshipped fuitable to his nature, i. e. in fpirit and in truth - and that the most acceptable facrifice we can offer offer him is a virtuous and an upright The End of the FIRST VOLUME. |