and in Truth, and be loft in the Amusements of Pomp and Circumftance, which are Things that the People are delighted with most generally, and therefore tho' for their Sakes, for their Inftruction, for the heightning of their Devotion, the Romanists pretend the Profitablenefs of their vaft Train of Ceremonies in their Service, yet here again appears the Foolishness of Men when they would be Wifer than God; the People, who are more fubject to Fancy and Imagination than Philofophers are, are lefs able to bear fuch Amusements, and lefs able to feel a true fpiritual Senfe of Religion, when it runs out into the Entertainments of the Eye and Senfes.

Our Lord therefore thought fit to inftitute a pofitive Religion of no more than Two Rites, the one of Baptifm, and the other of the Supper of the Lord, by which it was plain that he never intended to gain the People to his Service by the Charms of a ceremonious and pompous Religion: In Compliance with this inftructing Example of our Saviour, the External Parts of Divine Service fhould indeed be adorned with Gravity, and all the Marks of Reverence and Decence, which the Nature of fo holy a Work requires, but not wrapt up with infinite Superftitions, Geftures, and Obfervanwhich cannot but hinder a Man from

ces,

feeling

feeling the Edge of it, and from being af fected with thofe Spiritual Confiderations and Inftructions, which are for the edifying and bettering of the Mind. All Things in the Chriftian Worship should be done to Edification, and with a conftant Regard to the Rule of the Text, that God is a Spirit, and must be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth. The Heathens, who abounded with superftitious Formalities in their idolatrous Service, derided the Chriftians of the first Age for following this Rule in their Worship, for their unpompous Solemnities, and the little outward Shew in comparison they made at their facred Things; but the Christians conftantly gave them to understand, that the Godhead was not fo much pleased with a ftately and magnificent Service as they imagin'd; that God ftood in no need of Blood, or Smoke, or Incense, or Perfumes, or the like, but that the chiefeft and best Sacrifice that he liked, was a Mind piously and humbly devoted to him. I come then to

III. The Third General propounded, which is, more effectually yet to prefs the practical Doctrine contained in the Text, which concerns the abfolute Neceffity of inward Piety and Virtue, if we would worship God fo as to Please him here, and to be rewarded by him hereafter. And as the Piety of the Mind is expreffed by outward Worship, fo Y 3

the

the Virtue of the Mind is known by suitable Actions of Charity and Purity; and there is not the leaft Doubt but Goodness and Sincerity is the good Tree, which will bring forth good Fruit, as our Saviour hath faid. So that if we would but be perfuaded to take Pains with our felves to reform our Tempers, and fet our Minds and Affections right, fuch an Alteration and Amendment in us would univerfally influence our Thoughts, Words and Actions, and would fanctify us throughout.

Now of all Men Chriftians will be moft inexcufable, if they deceive themfelves with giving God an outfide Refpect and Service, that hath no Agreement with their Minds and Actions, that is, if they deceive themfelves by Hypocrify, for indeed it is no better; and the great reafon of their Inexcufableness is this, that it is by no means fo eafy for a Chriftian thus to deceive himself, as it is for a few or an Heathen. To omit the Cafe of the Heathen, the external Religion of the Ifraelites was made up of Abundance of Obfervances and Ceremonies, the true reafon and meaning of divers of which was very little, if at all understood, till the Gofpel gave Light to the Meaning of them, when indeed they were to ceafe. Now this was fuch a Temptation to Men of mean Understandings, to believe that God was delighted

lighted with the Pomp and Grandeur of outward Worship, notwithstanding their Sins, that it is almoft the whole Bufinefs of the Prophets, before, in, and after the Captivity, to affure them that God cared not for their Sacrifices, their New Moons, their Sabbaths, their Temple, nor any of those Inftitutions which himself had appointed, fo long as they were Corrupted in their Minds and Manners, and Impure in their Hearts and Lives. But as they plainly had fuchrepeated Admonitions as thefe, fo it must be confefs'd that they ftood in great need of them. Their external Worship and Religion was founded upon Temporal Promises, and the great Solemnities of it, fuch as the Paffover and the Feaft of Tabernacles, were inftituted in Commemoration of Temporal Bleffings. And the Religion of the Ifraelites, as it was diftinct from Natural Religion, feem'd to be a Law of external Commandments, and to confift of little elfe befides Bodily Purifications and Worship. And altho' they were excellent and moft wife Reafons for which God trained up that People in this manner, yet it must be confefs'd that it was not of it felf the best Way of serving God, as himself fays exprefly, I gave them Statutes that were not good, Ezek. 20. 25. that is, fuch as were not good in themfelves, but fuch as they could bear, and that Age

of the World required; but however they prov'd a Temptation to them, to place the whole Service of God in the outward Obfervations of Religion, and to overlook the Moral and Spiritual Service, which was agreeable to the Nature of God, who is a Spirit, and which tends to the perfecting of our Natures, which are Spiritual too.

But we do not lie under these Disadvantages, the Business of Outward Worship with us is not only reduc'd to a few Rules, but those of themselves highly ferviceable, and plainly leading to inward Purity and real Virtue. The Admission into the Church of Christ by Baptifm doth, we know, fignify that Purity of Heart and Life, to which a Christian is obliged. The Commemoration of the Death of Christ in the holy Communion is the proper Means of mortifying our carnal and worldly Lufts, and alfo of crucifying the World to us, and our felves to the World, by the Cross of Chrift, in Hope of Everlafting Life. So in our Prayers and Praises we are taught to look in comparison to nothing else but Spiritual and Eternal Bleffings. Our Religion reprefents God to us as a pure and perfect Spirit, most holy, wife, and good, and is altogether fram'd for cleanfing of our Minds and reforming of our Lives, by Rules of the most perfect Piety and Virtue. And yet after all we may

make