then Fellow of Emman Col. afterwards Provost of Kings College Dr. Whichcote to whom for his Directions and Encouragements of him in his Studies his seasonable provision for his support and maintenance when he was a young Scholar as also upon other obliging Considerations our Author did ever express a great and singular regard But besides I considered him which was more as a true Servant and Friend of God and to such a one and what relates to such I thought that I owed no less care and diligence The former Title a Servant of God is very often in Scripture given to that incomparable person Moses incomparable for his Philosophical accomplishments and knowledg of Nature as also for his Political Wisdom and great abilities in the Conduct and managing of affairs and in speaking excellent sense strong and clear Reason in any business and Case that was before him for he was mighty in words and in deeds Acts 7. and of both these kinds of Knowledge wherein Moses excell'd as also in the more recondite and mysterious knowledge of the Egyptians there are several Instances and Proofs in the Pentateuch written by him incomparable as well for the loveliness of his Disposition and Temper the inward ornament and beauty of a meek and humble Spirit as for the extraordinary amiableness of his outward person and incomparable for his unexampled Self-denial in the midst of the greatest allurements and most tempting advantages of this world And from all these great Accomplishments and Perfections in Moses it appears how excellently he was qualified and enabled to answer that Title The Servant of God more frequently given to him in Scripture then unto any other The other Title a Friend of God is given to Abraham the Father of the Faithful an eminent Exemplar of Self-resignation and Obedience even in Trials of the greatest difficulty and it is given to him thrice in Scripture 2 Chron. 20. 7. Esay 41. 8. James 2. 23. and plainly implied in Genes 18. 17. Shall I hide from Abraham c. but express'd in the Jerusalem Targum there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in Philo Jud. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nor is less insinuated concerning Moses with whom God is said to have spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mouth to mouth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mouth to mouth as a man speaketh unto his friend And how fitly and properly both these Titles were verified concerning our Author who was a faithful hearty and industrious Servant of God counting it his Duty and Dignity his Meat and Drink to doe the will of his Master in heaven and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from his very Soul and with good will the characters of a good Servant and who was dearly affected towards God and treated by God as a Friend may appear from that Account of him represented in the Sermon at his Funeral I might easily fill much Paper if I should particularly recount those many Excellencies that shined forth in him But I would study to be short I might truly say That he was not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both a Righteous and truly Honest man and also a Good man He was a Follower and Imitator of God in Purity and Holiness in Benignity Goodness and Love a Love enlarged as God's Love is whose Goodness overflows and spreads it self to all and his tender mercies are over all his works He was a Lover of our Lord Jesus Christ in Sincerity a Lover of his Spirit and of his Life a Lover of his Excellent Laws and Rules of holy life a serious Practiser of his Sermon in the Mount that Best Sermon that ever was preach'd and yet none more generally neglected by those that call themselves Christians though the observance of it be for the true Interest both of mens Souls and of Christian States and Common-wealths and accordingly as being the surest way to their true Settlement and Establishment it is compared to the building upon a Rock Matth. 7. 24. To be short He was a Christian not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more then a little even wholly and altogether such a Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inwardly and in good earnest Religious he was but without any Vaingloriousness and Ostentation not so much a talking or a disputing as a living a doing and an obeying Christian one inwardly acquainted with the Simplicity and Power of Godliness but no admirer of the Pharisaick forms and Sanctimonious shews though never so goodly and specious which cannot and do not affect the adult and strong Christians though they may and doe those that are unskillful and weak For in this weak and low state of the divided Churches in Christendom weak and slight things especially if they make a fair shew in the flesh as the Apostle speaks are most esteemed whereas in the mean time the weightier matters of the Law the most concerning and Substantial parts of Religion are passed over disregarded by them as being grievous to them no way for their turns no way for their corrupt interests fleshly ease and worldly advantages But God's thoughts are not as their thoughts The Circumcision which is of the heart and in the spirit is that whose praise is of God though not of men and that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God What I shall further observe concerning the Author is only this That he was Eminent as well in those Perfections which have most of Divine worth and excellency in them and rendred him a truly God-like man as in those other Perfections and Accomplishments of the Mind which rendred him a very Rational and Learned man and withall in the midst of all these great Accomplishments as Eminent and Exemplary in unaffected Humility and true Lowliness of Mind And herein he was like to Moses that Servant and Friend of God who was most meek and lowly in heart as our Lord is also said to be Mat. 11. in this as in all other respects greater then Moses who was vir mitissimus above all the men which were upon the face of the Earth Num. 12. And thus he excell'd others as much in Humility as he did in Knowledg in that thing which though in a lesser degree in others is apt to puff up and swell them with Pride and Self-conceit But Moses was humble though he was a Person of brave parts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Josephus speaks of him and having had the advantages of a most ingenuous Education was admirably accomplish'd in the choicest parts of Knowledg and * learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians whereby some of the Antients understood the Mysterious Hieroglyphical learning Natural Philosophy Musick Physick and Mathematicks And for this last to omit the rest how excellent this Humble man the Author was therein did appear
throughly acquainted with him knew well That as there was in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as'twas said of Solomon a largeness and vastness of Heart and Understanding so there was also in him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a free ingenuous noble Spirit most abhorrent of what was sordid and unworthy and this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Lxx. translate that Hebrew is the genuine product of Religion in that Soul where it is suffer'd to rule and as S. James speaks of Patience to have her perfect work The Style in this Tract may seem more rais'd and sublime then in the other which might be perhaps from the Nature and quality of the subject matter apt to heighten expressions but yet in this as in the other Tracts it is free from the Vanity of Affectation which a Mind truly ennobled by Religion cannot stoop to as counting it a Pedantick business and a certain argument of a Poorness and Weakness of Spirit in the either Writer or Speaker But if in this Tract the Style seem more magnificent yet in the Tenth and Last Discourse viz. Of a Christian's Conflicts and Conquests it is most familiar The Matter of it is very Useful and Practical for as it more fully and clearly acquaints a Christian with the more dangerous and unseen Methods of Satan's activity concerning which the Notions and Conceptions of many men are discovered here to be very short and imperfect so it also acquaints him with such Principles as are available to beget in him the greatest Courage Spirit and Resolution against the day of battel chasing away all lazy faintheartedness and despair of Victory This for the Matter The Style is as I said most familiar This Discourse was deliver'd in publick at Huntingdon where one of Queen's College is every year on March 25. to preach a Sermon against Witchcraft Diabolical Contracts c. I shall onely adde this That when he preach'd in lesser Country-Auditories particularly at Achurch near Oundle in Northamptonshire the place of his Nativity as it was his care to preach upon arguments of most practical concernment so was it also his Desire and Endeavour to accommodate his Expressions to ordinary vulgar Capacities being studious to be understood and not to be ignorantly wondred at by amuzing the People either with high unnecessary Speculations or with hard Words and vain Ostentations of Scholastick Learning the low design of some that by such arts would gain a poor respect to themselves for such and no better is all that stupid respect which is not founded upon Knowledg and Judgment He was studious I say there to speak unto men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Edification and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what was significant and easie to be understood as the Apostle doth phrase it and to express his Mind in a way suitable to the apprehensions of Popular Auditories And as for the Discourses now published they also were delivered being College-Exercises in a way not less suitable to that Auditory and therefore it may not be thought strange if sometimes they seem for Matter and Style more remote from vulgar capacities Yet even in these Discourses what is most Practical is more easily intelligible by every honest-hearted Christian. And indeed that the whole might be made more familiar and easie and more accommodate to the use of any such I thought it would be very expedient as to cast the Discourses into Chapters so before every Chapter to propose to the Readers view the full Scope Sense and Strength of the principal Matters contained therein I could willingly have spared such a labour the greater when busied about the Notions and Conceptions of another and not our own if I had not conceived it to be greatly helpfull and beneficial to some Readers besides another advantage to them hereby viz. That they may the more easily find out and select any such particular Matters in these Discourses as they shall think most fit or desireable for their perusal Thus have I given the Reader some account of what seem'd fit to be observ'd concerning these Ten Discourses which now present themselves to his free and candid Judgment And now if in the reading of these Tracts enrich'd with Arguments of great variety there should occur any Passage wherein either He or I may 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it need not be a matter of wonder for what Book besides that Book of Books the Bible has not something in it that speaks the Author Man It would not have displeased our Author in his life-time to have been thought less then Infallible He was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was no fond Self-admirer nor was he desirous that others should have his person his opinion and judgment in admiration he was far from the humour of Magisterial dictating to others not ambitious to be called of men Rabbi Rabbi as were and are the old the modern Pharisees nor of the number of those who are inwardly transported and tickled when others applaud their judgment and receive their Dictates with the greatest veneration and respect but very peevish and sowre disturb'd and out of order when any shall express themselves dissatisfied and otherwise minded or goe about modestly to discover their mistakes No he was truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a lover of Truth and of Peace and Charity He loved an ingenuous and sober Freedom of Spirit the generous Berean-like temper and practice agreeable to the * Apostle's prudent and faithful advice of proving all things and holding fast that which is good But to return It s possible that some Passages in these Tracts which seem dubious may upon a patient considering of them if the Reader be unprejudic'd one of a clear Mind Heart gain his assent and what upon the first reading seems obscure and less grateful may upon another view and further thoughts clear up and be thought worthy of all acceptation It is not with the fair Representations and Pictures of the Mind as with other Pictures these of the Mind shew best the nearer they are viewed and the longer the Intellectual Eye dwells upon them There is only one thing more which I ought not to forget to mind the Reader of and it is shortly this That he would please to remember that the now-published Tracts are Posthumous works and then affording that charity candour and fair respect which is commonly allowed to such works of Worthy men I nothing doubt but he will judge them too good to have been buried in obscurity although its likely if the Author himself had revis'd them in his life-time with an intent to present them to publick view they would have received from his happy hand some further polishing and enlargements He could have easily obliged the world with other Discourses of as valuable importance if he had liv'd and been so minded But it pleas'd the only-wise God in whose hand our breath is to call for him home to the Spirits of just
and the New Covenant as it is laid down by the Apostle Paul A more General Ansiver to this enquiry together with a General observation of the Apostle's main End in opposing Faith to the Works of the Law viz. To beat down the Jewish proud conceit of Merit A more particular and Distinct answer to the Enquiry viz. That the Law or Old Covenant is considered only as an External administration a dead thing in it self a Dispensation consisting in an Outward and Written Law of Precepts but the Gospel or New Covenant is an Internal thing a Vital Form and Principle of Righteousness in the Souls of men an Inward manifestation of Divine Life and a living Impression upon the Minds and Spirits of Men. This proved from several Testimonies of Scripture pag. 308. Chap. V. Two Propositions for the better understanding of the Doctrine of Justification and Divine Acceptance 1. Prop. That the Divine judgment and estimation of every thing is according to the truth of the thing and God's acceptance or disacceptance of things is suitable to his judgment On what account S. James does attribute a kind of Justification to Good works 2. Prop. God's justifying of Sinners in pardoning their Sins carries in it a necessary reference to the sanctifying of their Natures This abundantly proved from the Nature of the thing pag. 325. Chap. VI. How the Gospel-righteousness is conveighed to us by Faith made to appear from these two Considerations 1. The Gospel lays a strong foundation of a chearfull dependance upon the Grace and Love of God and affiance in it This confirmed by several Gospel-expressions containing plainly in them the most strong Motives and Encouragements to all ingenuous addresses to God to all chearfull dependance on him and confident expectation of all assistance from him 2. A true Evangelical Faith is no lazy or languid thing but an ardent breathing and thirsting after Divine grace and righteousness it looks beyond a mere pardon of sin and mainly pursues after an inward participation of the Divine nature The mighty power of a living Faith in the Love and Goodness of God discoursed of throughout the whole Chapter pag. 332. Chap. VII An Appendix to the foregoing Discourse How the whole business and Undertaking of Christ is eminently available both to give full relief and ease to our Minds and Hearts and also to encourage us to Godliness or a God-like righteousness briefly represented in sundry Particulars pag. 343. DISCOURSE VIII OF THE SHORTNESS OF A Pharisaick Righteousness CHap. I. A General account of men's Mistakes about Religion Men are no where more lazy and sluggish and more apt to delude themselves then in matters of Religion The Religion of most men is but an Image and Resemblance of their own Fansies The Method propounded for discoursing upon those words in S. Matthew 1. To discover some of the Mistakes and False Notions about Religion 2. To discover the Reason of these Mistakes A brief Explication of the Words pag. 349. Chap. II. An Account of men's Mistakes about Religion in 4 Particulars 1. A Partial obedience to some Particular Precepts The False Spirit of Religion spends it self in some Particulars is confin'd is overswayed by some prevailing Lust. Men of this spirit may by some Book-skill and a zeal about the Externals of Religion loose the sense of their own Guiltiness and of their deficiencies in the Essentials of Godliness and fansy themselves nearly related to God Where the true Spirit of Religion is it informs and actuates the whole man it will not be confin'd but will be absolute within us and not suffer any corrupt Interest to grow by it p. 353. Chap. III. The Second Mistake about Religion viz. A meer complyance of the Outward man with the Law of God True Religion seats it self in the Centre of mens Souls and first brings the Inward man into Obedience to the Law of God the Superficiall Religion intermeddles chiefly with the Circumference and Outside of men or rests in an outward abstaining from some Sins Of Speculative and the most close and Spiritual wickedness within How apt men are to sink all Religion into Opinions and External Forms pag. 357. Chap. IV. The Third Mistake about Religion viz. A constrained and forc'd Obedience to God's Commandments The Religion of many some of whom would seem most abhorrent from Superstition is nothing else but Superstition properly so called False Religionists having no inward sense of the Divine Goodness cannot truly love God Yet their sowre and dreadfull apprehensions of God compell them to serve him A slavish spirit in Religion may be very prodigal in such kind of serving God as doth not pinch their Corruptions but in the great and weightier matters of Religion in such things as prejudice their beloved Lusts it is very needy and sparing This servile Spirit has low and mean thoughts of God but an high opinion of its Outward services as conceiting that by such cheap things God is gratified and becomes indebted to it The different Effects of Love and Slavish fear in the truly and in the falsly Religious pag. 361. Chap. V. The Fourth and last Mistake about Religion When a mere Mechanical and Artificial Religion is taken for that which is a true Impression of Heaven upon the Souls of men and which moves like a new Nature How Religion is by some made a piece of Art and how there may be specious and plausible Imitations of the Internals of Religion as well as of the Externals The Method and Power of Fansy in contriving such Artificial imitations How apt men are in these to deceive both themselves and others The Difference between those that are govern'd in their Religion by Fansy and those that are actuated by the Divine Spirit and in whom Religion is a living Form That True Religion is no Art but a new Nature Religion discovers it self best in a Serene and clear Temper of Mind in deep Humility Meekness Self-denial Universal love of God and all true Goodness p. 366. DISCOURSE IX OF THE EXCELLENCY and NOBLENESS OF RELIGION CHap. I. 1. The Nobleness of Religion in regard of its Original and Fountain it comes from Heaven and moves towards Heaven again God the First Excellency and Primitive Perfection All Perfections and Excellencies in any kind are to be measured by their approch to and Participation of the First Perfection Religion the greatest Participation of God none capable of this Divine Communication but the Highest of created Beings and consequently Religion is the greatest Excellency A twofold Fountain in God whence Religion flows viz. 1. His Nature 2. His Will Of Truth Natural and Revealed Of an Outward and Inward Revelation of God's Will pag. 380. Chap. II. 2. The Nobleness of Religion in respect of it's Nature briefly discovered in some Particulars How a man actuated by Religion 1. lives above the world 2. converses with himself and knows how to love value and reverence himself in the best sense 3. lives above himself not
therefore the true Cause and Rise of Superstition is indeed nothing else but a false opinion of the Deity that renders him dreadfull and terrible as being rigorous and imperious that which represents him as austere and apt to be angry but yet impotent and easy to be appeased again by some flattering devotions especially if performed with sanctimonious shewes and a solemn sadness of Mind And I wish that that Picture of God which some Christians have drawn of him wherein Sowreness and Arbitrariness appear so much doth not too much resemble it According to this sense Plutarch hath well defined it in his Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strong passionate Opinion and such a Supposition as is productive of a fear debasing and terrifying a man with the representation of the Gods as grievous and hurtfull to Mankind Such men as these converse not with the Goodness of God and therefore they are apt to attribute their impotent passions and peevishness of Spirit to him Or it may be because some secret advertisements of their Consciences tell them how unlike they themselves are to God and how they have provoked him they are apt to be as much displeased with him as too troublesome to them as they think he is displeased with them They are apt to count this Divine Supremacy as but a piece of Tyranny that by its Soveraign Will makes too great encroachments upon their Liberties and that which will eat up all their Right and Property and therefore are slavishly afraid of him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fearing Heaven's Monarchy as a severe and churlish Tyranny from which they cannot absolve themselves as the same Author speaks and therefore he thus discloseth the private whisperings of their minds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the broad gates of hell are opened the rivers of fire and Stygian inundations run down as a swelling flood there is thick darkness crouded together dreadfull and gastly Sights of Ghosts screeching and howling Judges and tormentors deep gulfes and Abysses full of infinite miseries Thus he The Prophet Esay gives us this Epitome of their thoughts chap. 33. The Sinners in Zion are afraid fearfullness hath surprized the hypocrites who shall dwell with the devouring fire who shall dwell with everlasting burnings Though I should not dislike these dreadful astonishing thoughts of future torment which I doubt even good men may have cause to press home upon their own spirits while they find Ingenuity less active the more to restrain sinne yet I think it litle commends God and as little benefits us to fetch all this horror astonishment from the Contemplations of a Deity which should alwayes be the most serene and lovely our apprehensions of the Deity should be such as might ennoble our Spirits and not debase them A right knowledge of God would beget a freedome Liberty of Soul within us and not servility 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch hath well observ'd our thoughts of a Deity should breed in us hopes of Vertue and not gender to a spirit of bondage But that we may pass on Because this unnaturall resemblance of God as an angry Deity in impure minds should it blaze too furiously like the Basilisk would kill with its looks therefore these Painters use their best arts a little to sweeten it and render it less unpleasing And those that fancy God to be most hasty and apt to be displeased yet are ready also to imagine him so impotently mutable that his favour may be won again with their uncouth devotions that he will be taken with their formall praises and being thirsty after glory and praise solemn addresses may by their pompous furnishing out all these for him be won to a good liking of them and thus they represent him to themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore Superstition will alwaies abound in these things whereby this Deity of their own made after the similitude of men may be most gratified slavishly crouching to it We will take a view of it in the words of Plutarch though what refers to the Jews if it respects more their Rites then their Manners may seem to contain too hasty a censure of them Superstition brings in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wallowings in the dust tumblings in the mire observations of Sabbaths prosternations uncouth gestures strange rites of worship Superstition is very apt to think that Heaven may be bribed with such false-hearted devotions as Porphyrie hath well explain'd it by this that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an apprehension that a man may corrupt and bribe the Deity which as he there observes was the Cause of all those bloudy sacrifices and of some inhumane ones among the Heathen men imagining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like him in the Prophet that thought by the fruit of his body and the firstlings of his flock to expiate the sinne of his Soul Micah 6. But it may be we may seeme all this while to have made too Tragicall a Description of Superstition and indeed our Author whom we have all this while had recourse to seemes to have set it forth as anciently Painters were wont to doe those pieces in which they would demonstrate most their own skill they would not content themselves with the shape of one Body onely but borrowed severall parts from severall Bodies as might most fit their design and fill up the picture of that they desired chiefly to represent Superstition it may be looks not so foul and deformed in every Soul that is dyed with it as he hath there set it forth nor doth it every where spread it self alike this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that shrowds it self under the name of Religion wil variously discover it self as it is seated in Minds of a various temper and meets with variety of matter to exercise it self about We shall therefore a little further inquire into it and what the Judgments of the soberest men anciently were of it the rather for that a learned Author of our own seems unwilling to own that Notion of it which we have hitherto out of Plutarch and others contended for who though he hath freed it from that gloss which the late Ages have put upon it yet he may seem to have too strictly confined it to a Cowardly Worship of the ancient Gentile Daemons as if Superstition and Polytheism were indeed the same thing whereas Polytheism or Daemon-worship is but one branch of it which was partly observed by the learned Casaubon in his Notes upon that Chapter of Theophrastus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where it is describ'd to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he thus interprets Theophrastus voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deos Daemones complexus est quicquid divinitatis esse particeps malesana putavit antiquitas And in this sense it was truly observed by Petronius Arbiter Primus in orbe Deos fecit Timor The
there is no Union so no Communion it is very agreeable every way and upon all accounts that they who in themselves are altogether unworthy and under demerit should come to God by a Mediator Thus the Scripture every where seems to represent and hold forth Christ in the forenamed Particulars without descending into Niceties and Subtilties such as the School-men and others from them have troubled the World with in a very full and ample manner that so the Minds of true Believers that are willing to comply with the Purpose of God for their own Eternal peace might in all Cases find something in Christ for their relief and make use of him as much as may be to encourage and help on Godliness for by this whole Undertaking of Christ manifested in the Gospel God would have to be understood Full relief of Mind and Ease of Conscience as also all Encouragement to Godliness and Disparagement of Sin And indeed the whole business of Christ is the greatest Blow to Sin that may be For the World is taught hereby that there is no Sinning upon cheap and easie terms men may see that God will not return so easily into favour with Sinners but he will have his Righteousness acknowledged and likewise their own Demerit And this Acknowledgment he is once indeed pleased to accept of in the person of our Saviour yet if men will not now turn to him and accept his favour they must know that there is no other Sacrifice for Sin By these Particulars we have briefly touch'd upon to name no more it may appear That when we look into the Gospel we are taught to believe that Christ hath done according to the good pleasure of God every thing for us that may truly relieve our Minds and encourage us to Godliness a God-like Righteousness far exceeding the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees A Discovery of The SHORTNESS and VANITY Of A Pharisaick Righteousness OR An Account of the False Grounds upon which Men are apt vainly to conceit themselves to be Righteous Luke 16. 15. And he said unto the Pharisees Ye are they which justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your Hearts for that which is highly esteemed amongst men is abomination in the sight of God Epiphanius in Haeres 59. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Renatus Des Cartes in Epistol ad Princ. Elizabetham Nulli facilius ad magnam Pietatis famam perveniunt quà m Superstitiosi vel Hypocritae THE SHORTNESS and VANITY OF A Pharisaick Righteousness Discovered in a Discourse upon MATTHEW 19. 20 21. The young man saith unto him All these things have I kept from my youth up what lack I yet Jesus saith unto him If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give it to the Poor and thou shalt have treasure in Heaven and come and follow me CHAP. I. A General account of men's Mistakes about Religion Men are no where more lazy and sluggish and more apt to delude themselves then in matters of Religion The Religion of most men is but an Image and Resemblance of their own Fansies The Method propounded for discoursing upon those words in S. Matthew 1. To discover some of the Mistakes and False Notions about Religion 2. To discover the Reason of these Mistakes A brief Explication of the Words AS there is no kind of Excellency more generally pretended to then Religion so there is none less known or wherein men are more apt to delude themselves Every one is ready to lay claim and to plead a Right in it like the Bat in the Jewish fable that pretended the Light was hers and complain'd of the unjust detainment thereof from her but few there are that understand the true worth and pretiousness of it There are some Common Notions and a Natural instinct of Devotion seated in the Minds of men which are ever and anon roving after Religion and as they casually and fortuitously start up any Models and Ideas of it they are presently prone to believe themselves to have found out this only Pearl of price the Religion of most men being indeed nothing else but such a Strain and Scheme of Thoughts and Actions as their Natural propensions sway'd by nothing else but an Inbred belief of a Deity accidentaily run into nothing else but an Image and Resemblance of their own Fansies which are ever busie in painting out themselves which is the reason why there are as many Shapes and Features of Religion painted forth in the Minds of men as there are various Shapes of Faces and Fansies Thus men are wont to fashion and limne out their Religion to themselves in a strange and uncouth manner as the Imaginations of men in their Dreams are wont to represent monstrous and hideous shapes of things that no where else appear but there And though some may seem to themselves to have ascended up above this Low region this Vulgar state of Religion yet I doubt they may still be wrap'd up in Clouds and darkness they may still be but in a Middle region like wandring Meteors that have not yet shak'd off that gross and earthly Nature which will at last force them again downwards There may be some who may arrive at that Book-skill and learning in Divine Mysteries that with a Pharisaick pride looking down upon the rude and vulgar sort of men may say This people that knows not the Law are cursed who themselves yet converse only with an aiery Ghost and shadow of Religion though the Light of divine truth may seem to shine upon them yet by reason of their dark and opacous hearts it shines not into them They may like this dark and dull Earth be superficially guilded and warmed too with its beams and yet the impressions thereof doe not pierce quite through them There may be many fair Semblances of Religion where the Substance and Power of it is not We shall here endeavour to discover some of them which may seem most specious and with which the weak Understandings of men which are no where more lazy and sluggish then in matters of Religion are most apt to be deluded and then discover the Reason of these Mistakes For which purpose we have made choice of these Words wherein we find a young Pharisee beginning to swell with a vain conceit of his good estate towards God looking upon himself as being already upon the Borders of Perfection having from his youth up kept on a constant course in the way of God's Commandements he could not now be many miles from the land of Canaan if he were not already passed over Jordan he thought himself to be already in a state of Perfection or at least within sight of it and therefore making account he was as lovely in our Saviours eyes as he was in his own asks him What lack I yet For the understanding of which we must know the Jewes were wont to distinguish Righteous men into two sorts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
true face of Vertue and a good Bodily temperament will serve it as a flattering glass to bestow beauty upon a deformed and mis-shapen Mind that it may seem vertuous But it is not a true Spirit of Religion whatsoever those wanton wits may call it that is thus Particular and confin'd No that is of a subtile and working nature it will be searching through the whole man and leave nothing uninformed by it self as it is with the Soul that runs through all the portions of Matter and every member of the Body Sin and Grace cannot lodge together they cannot divide and share out between them two several Dominions in one Soul What is commonly said of Truth in general we may say more especially of true Goodness magna est praevalebit it will lodge in the Souls of men like that mighty though gentle Heat which is entertained in the Heart that alwaies dispenseth warm Bloud and Spirits to all the members in the Body it will not suffer any other Interest to grow by it it will be so absolute as to swallow up all our carnal freedom and crush down all our fleshly liberty as Moses his Serpent did eate up all the Serpents of the Egyptian Magicians so will it devour all that viperous brood of iniquity which our Magical Self-will by her witchcraft and enchantments begets within us like a strong and vehement Flame within us it will not only singe the hair or scorch and blister the skin but it will go on to consume this whole Body of death it is compared by our Saviour to Leaven that will ferment the whole mass in which it is wrap'd up it will enter into us like the Refiner's fire and the Fuller's Soape like the Angel of God's presence that he promised to send along with the Israelites in their journy to Canaan it will not pardon our iniquities nor indulge any darling lust whatsoever it will narrowly pry into all our actions and be spying out all those back-waies and dores whereby Sin and Vice may enter That Religion that runs out only in Particularities and is overswayed by the prevailing power of any Lust is but only a dead carkass and not indeed that true living Religion which comes from Heaven and which will not suffer it self to be confin'd that will not indent with us or article upon our tearms and conditions but Sampson like will break all those bonds which our fleshly and harlot-like wills would tie it with and become every way absolute within us And so I pass to the Second thing wherein men are apt to delude themselves in taking an Estimate of their own Religion viz. CHAP. III. The Second Mistake about Religion viz. A meer complyance of the Outward man with the Law of God True Religion seats it self in the Centre of mens Souls and first brings the Inward man into Obedience to the Law of God the Superficial Religion intermeddles chiefly with the Circumference and Outside of men or rests in an outward abstaining from some Sins Of Speculative and the most close and Spiritual wickedness within How apt men are to sink all Religion into Opinions and External Forms A Mere compliance of the Outward man with the Law of God There is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Philosophy hath acknowledged as well as our Christian Divinity and when Religion seats it self in the Centre of mens Souls it acts there most strongly upon the Vital powers of it and first brings the Inward man into a true and chearfull obedience to the law of God before all the seditious and rebellious motives of the External or Animal man be quite subdued But a Superficial Religion many times intermeddles only with the Circumference and Outside of men it only lodges in the suburbs and storms the out-works but enters not the main Fort of mens Souls which is strongly defended by inward Pride Self-will particular and mundane Loves fretting and self-consuming Envy Popularity and Vain-glory and such other Mental vices that when they are beaten out of the visible behaviours and conversations of men by Divine threats or promises which may be too potent to be controll'd retreat and secure themselves here as in a strong Castle There may be many who dare not pursue Revenge and yet are not willing to forgive injuries who dare not murther their enemy that yet cannot love him who dare not seek for preferment by Bribery who yet are not mortified to these and many other mundane and base-born affections they are not willing that the Divine prerogative should extend it self beyond the Outward man and that Religion should be too busie with their Inward thoughts and passions if they may not by proud boasting set off their own sorry commodities upon the publick stage and there read out their own Panegyricks yet they will inwardly applaud themselves and commit wanton dalliance with their own Parts and Perfections and not feeling the mighty power of any Higher good they will endeavour to preserve an unhallowed Autaesthesie and feeling sense of themselves and by a sullen melancholy Stoicisme when Religion would deprive and bereave them of the sinfull glory and pleasures of this Outward world they then retire and shrink themselves up into a Centre of their own they collect and contract themselves into themselves Thus when this low life of mens Souls is chased out of the External vices and vanities of this World by the chastisements of their own Consciences or many times by bodily oppressions it presently retires into it self and by a Self-feeling begins more to grasp and dearly embrace it self When these External loves begin to be starved and cooled yet men may then fall into love with and courting of themselves by Arrogancy Self-confidence and dependence Self-applause and gratulations Admiration of their own perfections and so feed that dying life of theirs with this Speculative wantonness that it may as strongly express it self within them as before it did without themselves Men may by inward braving of themselves sacrilegiously steal God's glory from him and erect a Self-supremacy within exerting it self in Self-will and particular loves and so become Corrivals with God for the Crown of Blessedness and Self-sufficiency as I doubt many of the Stoicks endeavoured with a Giant-like ambition to doe But alas I doubt we generally arrive not to this pitch of Religion to deny the world and all the pomp and glory of this largely-extended train of Vanity but we easily content our selves with some External forms of Religion We are too apt to look at a garish dress and attire of Religion or to be enamoured rather with some more specious and seemingly-spiritual Forms then with the true Spirit Power of Godliness Religion it self We are more taken commonly with the several new fashions that the luxuriant Fancies of men are apt to contrive for it then with the real power and simplicity thereof and while we think our selves to be growing in our
knowledge and moving on towards a state of Perfection we do but turn up and down from one kind of Form to another we are as apt still to draw it down into as low worldly and mundane Rites and Ordinances as ever it was before our Saviour made that glorious Reformation therein which took away these Material crutches made up of carnal Observances which Earthly minds lean so much upon and are fain to underprop their Religion with which else would tumble down and fall to nothing except we can cast it into such a certain Set of duties and System of Opinions that we may see it altogether from one end to another we are afraid lest it should become too abstruse a thing and vanish away from us I would not be misunderstood to speak against those Duties Ordinances which are necessary means appointed by God to promote us in the waies of Piety But I fear we are too apt to sink all our Religion into these and so to embody it that we may as it were touch and feel it because we are so little acquainted with the high and spiritual nature of it which is too subtile for gross and carnal minds to converse with I fear our vulgar sort of Christians are wont so to look upon such kind of Models of Divinity and Religious performances which were intended to help our dul minds to a more lively sense of God and true Goodness as those things that claim the whole of their Religion and therefore are too apt to think themselves absolved from it except at some solemn times of more especial addresses to God and that this wedding garment of holy Thoughts and divine Affections is not for every days wearing but only then to be put on when we come to the Marriage-feast and Festivals of Heaven as if Religion were fast lock'd and bound up in some sacred Solemnities and so incarcerated and incorporated into some divine Mysteries as the superstitious Heathen of old thought that it might not stir abroad and wander too far out of these hallowed Cloisters and grow too busie with us in our Secular imploiments We have learned to distinguish too subtily I doubt in our lives and conversations inter sacrum profanum our Religious approaches to God and our Worldly affairs I know our conversation and demeanour in this world is not nor can well be all of a piece and there will be several degrees of Sanctity in the lives of the best men as there were once in the land of Canaan but yet I think a Good man should alwaies find himself upon Holy ground and never depart so far into the affairs of this life as to be without either the call or compass of Religion he should alwaies think wheresoever he is etiam ibi Dii sunt that God and the blessed Angels are there with whom he should converse in a way of Puritie We must not think that Religion serves to paint our Faces to reform our Looks or only to inform our Heads or instruct and tune our Tongues no nor only to tie our Hands and make our Outward man more demure and bring our Bodies and bodily actions into a better decorum But its main business is to purge and reform our Hearts and all the Elicit actions and motions thereof And so I come to a Third particular wherein we are apt to misjudge our selves in matters of Religion CHAP. IV. The Third Mistake about Religion viz. A constrain'd and forc'd Obedience to God's Commandments The Religion of many some of whom would seem most abhorrent from Superstition is nothing else but Superstition properly so called False Religionists having no inward sense of the Divine Goodness cannot truly love God Yet their sowre and dreadfull apprehensions of God compell them to serve him A slavish spirit in Religion may be very prodigal in such kind of serving God as doth not pinch their Corruptions but in the great and weightier matters of Religion in such things as prejudice their beloved Lusts it is very needy and sparing This servile Spirit has low and mean thoughts of God but an high opinion of its Outward services as conceiting that by such cheap things God is gratified and becomes indebted to it The different Effects of Love and Slavish fear in the truly and in the falsly Religious ANother Particular wherein men mistake Religion is A constrained and forced obedience to God's Commandments That which many men amongst whom some would seem to be most abhorrent from Superstition call their Religion is indeed nothing else but a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I may use the word in its ancient and proper sense as it imports such an apprehension of God as renders him grievous to men and so destroys all free and chearfull converse with him and begets in stead thereof a forc'd and dry devotion void of inward Life and Love Those Servile spirits which are not acquainted with God and his Goodnesse may be so haunted by the frightfull thoughts of a Deity as to scare and terrifie them into some worship and observance of him They are apt to look upon him as one clothed with austerity or as the Epicurean Poet hath too truly painted out their thoughts as a savus Dominus that is in the language of the unprofitable servant in the Gospel an hard Master and therefore they think something must be done to please him and to mitigate his severity towards them and though they cannot truly love him having no inward sense of his Loveliness yet they cannot but serve him so far as these rigorous apprehensions lie upon them though notwithstanding such as these are very apt to perswade themselves that they may pacifie him and purchase his favour with some cheap services as if Heaven it self could become guilty of Bribery and an Immutable Justice be flattered into Partiality and Respect of persons Because they are not acquainted with God and know him not as he is in himself therefore they are ready to paint him forth to themselves in their own shape and because they themselves are full of Peevishness and Self-will arbitrarily imposing and prescribing to others without sufficient evidence of Reason and are easily inticed by Flatteries they are apt to represent the Divinity also to themselves in the same form and think they view the true pourtraiture and draught of their own Genius in it and therefore that they might please this angry Deity of their own making they care not sometimes to be lavish in such a kind of Service of him as doth not much pinch their own corruptions nay and it may be too will seem to part with them sometimes and give them a weeping farewel if God and their own awakened Consciences seem to frown upon them though all their Obedience arise from nothing else but the Compulsions and necessities which their own sowre and dreadfull apprehensions of God lay upon them and therefore in those things which more nearly touch their own beloved Lusts they
will be as scant and sparing as may be here they will be as strict with God as may be that he may have no more then his due as they think like that Unprofitable servant in the Gospel that because his Master was an austere man reaping where he had not sown and gathering where he had not scattered was content and willing he should have his own again but would not suffer him to have any more This Servile spirit in Religion is alwaies illiberal and needy in the Magnalia Legis the great and weightier matters of Religion and here weighs out Obedience by drams and scruples it never finds it self more shrivell'd and shrunk up then when it is to converse with God like those creatures that are generated of slime and mud the more the Summer-sun shines upon them and the nearer it comes to them the more is all their vital strength dried up and spent away their dreadfull thoughts of God like a cold Eastern wind blasts all their blossoming affections and nips them in the bud these exhaust their native vigour and make them weak and sluggish in all their motions toward God Their Religion is rather a Prison or a piece of Penance to them then any voluntary and free compliance of their Souls with the Divine will and yet because they bear the burden and heat of the day they think when the evening comes they ought to be more liberally rewarded such slavish spirits being ever apt inwardly to conceit that Heaven receives some emolument or other by their hard labours and so becomes indebted to them because they see no true gain and comfort accruing from them to their own Souls and so because they doe God's work and not their own they think they may reasonably expect a fair compensation as having been profitable to him And this I doubt was the first and vulgar foundation of Merit though now the world is ashamed to own it But alas such an ungodlike Religion as this can never be owned by God the Bond-woman and her son must be cast out The Spirit of true Religion is of a more free noble ingenuous and generous nature arising out of the warm beams of the Divine love which first hatch'd it and brought it forth and therefore is it afterwards perpetually bathing it self in that sweetest love that first begot it and is alwaies refresh'd and nourish'd by it This Love casteth out fear fear which hath torment in it and is therefore more apt to chase away Souls once wounded with it from God rather then to allure them to God Such fear of God alwaies carries in it a secret Antipathy against him as being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Plutarch speaks one that is so troublesome that there is no quiet or peaceable living with him Whereas Love by a strong Sympathy draws the Souls of men when it hath once laid hold upon them by its powerfull insinuation into the nearest conjunction that may be with the Divinity it thaws all those frozen affections which a Slavish fear had congealed and lock'd up and makes the Soul most chearfull free and nobly resolved in all its motions after God It was well observed of old by Pythagoras 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we are never so well as when we approach to God when in a way of Religion we make our addresses to God then are our Souls most chearfull True Religion and an Inward acquaintance with God discovers nothing in him but pure and sincere Goodness nothing that might breed the least distaste or disaffection or carry in it any semblance of displeasingness and therefore the Souls of good men are never pinching and sparing in their affections then the Torrent is most full and swells highest when it empties it self into this unbounded Ocean of the Divine Being This makes all the Commandements of God light and easie and far from being grievous There needs no Law to compel a Mind acted by the true spirit of divine love to serve God or to comply with his Will It is the choice of such a Soul to endeavour to conform it self to him and draw from him as much as may be an Imitation of that Goodness and Perfection which it finds in him Such a Christian does not therefore obey his Commands only because it is God's Will he should doe so but because he sees the Law of God to be truly perfect as David speaks his nature being reconciled to God finds it all holy just and good as S. Paul speaks and such a thing as his Soul loves sweeter then the honey or the honey-combe and he makes it his meat and drink to doe the Will of God as our Lord and Saviour did And so I pass to the Fourth and last Particular wherein Religion is sometimes mistaken CHAP. V. The Fourth and last Mistake about Religion When a mere Mechanical and Artificial Religion is taken for that which is a true Impression of Heaven upon the Souls of men and which moves like a new Nature How Religion is by some made a piece of Art and how there may be specious and plausible Imitations of the Internals of Religion as well as of the Externals The Method and Power of Fancy in contriving such Artificial imitations How apt men are in these to deceive both themselves and others The Difference between those that are govern'd in their Religion by Fancy and those that are actuated by the Divine Spirit and in whom Religion is a Living Form That True Religion is no Art but a new Nature Religion discovers it self best in a Serene and clear Temper of Mind in deep Humility Meekness Self-denial Universal love of God and all true Goodness THE Fourth and last Particular wherein men mis-judge themselves is When a mere Mechanical and Artificial Religion is taken for that which is a true Impression of Heaven upon the Souls of men and which moves like an Inward nature True Religion will not stoop to Rules of Art nor be confin'd within the narrow compass thereof No where it is we may cry out with the Greek Philosopher 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God hath there kindled as it were his own Life which will move and act only according to the Laws of Heaven But there are some Mechanical Christians that can frame and fashion out Religion so cunningly in their own Souls by that Book-skill they have got of it that it may many times deceive themselves as if it were a true living thing We often hear that mere Pretenders to Religion may go as far in all the External acts of it as those that are best acquainted with it I doubt not also but many times there may be Artificial imitations drawn of that which only lives in the Souls of good Men by the powerful and wily Magick of exalted Fancies as we read of some Artificers that have made such Images of living creatures wherein they have not only drawn forth the outward shape but seem almost to have copied out the life
consist in Bodily pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and when the molestation is gone and the just constitution of Nature recovered Pleasure ceaseth But the highest Pleasure of Minds and Spirits does not onely consist in the relieving of them from any antecedent pains or grief or in a relaxation from some former molesting Passion neither is their Happiness a mere Stoical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Happiness of the Deity is not a mere Negative thing rendring it free from all disturbance or molestation so that it may eternally rest quiet within it self it does not so much consist in Quiete as in Actu vigore A Mind and Spirit is too full of activity and energy is too quick and potent a thing to enjoy a full and complete Happiness in a mere Cessation this were to make Happiness an heavy Spiritless thing The Philosopher hath well observ'd that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there is infinite power and strength in Divine joy pleasure and happiness commensurate to that Almighty Being and Goodness which is the Eternal source of it As Created Beings that are capable of conversing with God stand nearer to God or further off from him and as they partake more or less of his likeness so they partake more or less of that Happiness which flows forth from him and God communicates himself in different degrees to them There may be as many degrees of Sanctity and Perfection as there are of States and Conditions of Creatures and that is properly Sanctity which guides and orders all the Faculties and Actions of any Creature in a way suitable and correspondent to that rank and state which God hath placed it in and while it doth so it admits no sin or defilement to it self though yet it may be elevated and advanced higher and accordingly true Positive Sanctity comes to be advanced higher and higher as any Creature comes more to partake of the life of God and to be brought into a nearer conjunction with God and so the Sanctity and Happiness of Innocency it self might have been perfected Thus we see how True Religion carries up the Souls of Good men above the black regions of Hell and Death This indeed is the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Souls it is Religion it self or a reall participation of God and his Holiness which is their true restitution and advancement All that Happiness which Good men shall be made partakers of as it cannot be born up upon any other foundation then true Goodness and a Godlike nature within them so neither is it distinct from it Sin and Hell are so twined and twisted up together that if the power of Sin be once dissolv'd the bonds of Death and Hell will also fall asunder Sin and Hell are of the same kind of the same linage and descent as on the other side True Holiness or Religion and True Happiness are but two severall Notions of one thing rather then distinct in themselves Religion delivers us from Hell by instating us in a possession of True Life and Blisse Hell is rather a Nature then a Place and Heaven cannot be so truly defined by any thing without us as by something that is within us Thus have we done with those Particulars wherein we considered the Excellency and Nobleness of Religion which is here exprest by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The way of life and elsewhere is stiled by Solomon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A tree of life true Religion being an inward Principle of life of a Divine life the best life that which is Life most properly so called accordingly in the Holy Scripture a life of Religion is stiled Life as a life of Sin and Wickedness is stiled Death In the ancient Academical Philosophy it was much disputed whether that Corporeal and Animal life which was always drawing down the Soul into Terrene and Material things was not more properly to be Stiled Death then Life What sense hereof the Pythagoreans had may appear by this practise of theirs They were wont to set up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Empty coffins in the places of those that had forsaken their School and degenerated from their Philosophy and good Precepts as being Apostates from life it self and dead to Vertue and a good life which is the true life therefore fit only to be reckoned among the dead For a Conclusion of this Discourse The Use which we shall make of all shall be this To awaken and exhort every one to a serious minding of Religion as Solomon doth earnestly exhort every one to seek after true Wisedome which is the same with Religion and Holiness as Sin is with Folly Prov. 4. 5. Get Wisedome get understanding and v. 7. Get Wisedome and with all thy getting get understanding Wisedome is the principal thing This is the summe of all the Conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty business and concernment of man Let us not trifle away our time and opportunities which God hath given us wherein we may lay hold upon Life and Immortality in doing nothing or else pursuing Hell and Death Let us awake out of our vain dreams Wisedome calls upon us and offers us the hidden treasures of Life and Blessedness Let us not perpetually deliver over our selves to laziness and slumbering Say not There is a lion in the way say not Though Religion be good yet it is unattainable No but let us intend all our Powers in a serious resolv'd pursuance of it and depend upon the assistance of Heaven which never fails those that soberly seek for it It is indeed the Levity of mens spirits their heedlesseness and regardlesseness of their own lives that betrays them to Sin and Death It is the general practice of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extempore vivere as the Satyrist speaks they ordinarily ponderate and deliberate upon every thing more then how it becomes them to live they so live as if their Bodies had swallowed up their Souls their lives are but a kind of Lottery the Principles by which they are guided are nothing else but a confused multitude of Fancies rudely jumbled together Such is the life of most men it is but a meer Casual thing acted over at peradventure without any fair and calm debates held either with Religion or with Reason which in it self as it is not distorted and depraved by corrupt men is a true Friend to Religion and directs men to God and to things good and just pure lovely and praise-worthy and the directions of this Inward guide we are not to neglect Unreasonableness or the smothering and extinguishing the Candle of the Lord within us is no piece of Religion nor advantageous to it That certainly will not raise men up to God which sinks them below men There had never been such an Apostasy from Religion nor had such a Mystery of iniquity full of deceiveableness and imposture been revealed and wrought so powerfully in the Souls of