Imatges de pàgina
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nature, and of kindred are unheard, and God's world must become a wilderness, if all men were thus to worship him.

More ufually a multitude of religious rites, and a fhewy worship leads the common people to Superftition. They are taught to place their religion in practices, which at best are but fteps towards it. They mistake the means for the end, and are much engaged in the fervice of God, without Godliness. The Divine Being is dishonoured by their opinions of him; while they think he can be pleased with performances of no value, and offended without a fault: as if the heart and life were not of more confideration with him than words and geftures, or any offering could be preferred before innocence and charity. It is from fuch notions as these, that men contract the Judaical difpofition, and exercise the righteousness of a Pharifee; adorning the temple, if they leave their parents in neceffity: they cringe

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cringe at God's altar with hardened hearts; and are willing to atone by the mockery of penance, and numbered prayers, for the want of the Love of God, and of Justice to man.

So true is it, that Religion, as well as other objects naturally beautiful, is seen to best advantage when adorned with moderation; and fuffers alike by too much Art, and by the hand of Ignorance.

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It is often easy to see the mischief in the two extremes, and yet difficult to affign the exact mean at the beft distance from them both. As Catholics are liable to cenfure for the abuse of religious rites; fome Proteftants are juftly blameable for vehemently rejecting the whole use of them: mighty earnest in their averfion to little matters, and formal in the very abhorrence of forms. Our church in her public fervice, we think, is neither deftitute of grace and dignity,

dignity, nor yet laboriously or fancifully ceremonious; neither fupinely negligent, nor vainly oftentatious. She recommends to her fons, and defires to inftil into them fuch a reverence for religion as may be united with the love of it, a found piety untainted by hypocrify or enthusiasm.

Let us then improve both under her care, and by her example; fearing God with all folicitude, yet without that frivolous anxiety which is the parent of many scruples and but finall improvement; and obeying men too, them that Hebr.xiii. have the rule over us, with a willing mind,

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but without fervility; as free, but not using & Pet. ii. our liberty for a cloke of maliciousness.

Let us have a tender confcience, with

a teachable temper; giving no offence, 2Cor.vi.3. and taking as little as is poffible; and

yet ready with an honest answer to every 1 Pet. iii. man, that afketh d reafon of the hope that

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is in us.

Let us be obliging without selfish views, without partiality, without fear; and

pious indeed, but neither frantick nor Rom, xiv. cenforious; fully perfuaded in our own Tit. iii. 2. mind, and shewing all meekness to all men; active, and patient; warmed with zeal,

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and illuminated by knowledge.

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Let us add humanity to our godliness, 2 Pet. i. 5. and to faith virtue; and uniting, what indeed cannot dwell asunder, Religion

and Charity, recommend what we pracTit. ii. 10. tife, adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour, Eph.v. 30. and be living members of his body, which is Col. i, 24. the church.

i. 22,23.

However agreeable the doctrines of our faith, or the mode of our worship may be to our own judgment, or even to the word of God, they will avail us but little, if our life be not anfwerable to them. The purity of our principles must be transferred into our practice;

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the holiness of our prayers pass into our difpofition and deportment.

It has been obferved of the Heathens, that their errours must needs have an ill influence upon their lives; and that it was difficult indeed for them to be virtuous, while their religion itself was impure, and their very Gods impious.

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Our God is of purer eyes than to behold Hab.i. 13. evil: and, the commandment is holy and just Rom. vii. and good. We are not expofed to the fame temptation, but then we are without their excufe. That which is good may be made Rom. vii. death unto us; and every additional motive 13.

to goodness make us ftill more the children of perdition. Chriftians, who lead the life of Infidels and Heathens, mufl expect, not their punishment, but a worse.

We Proteftants especially are on all accounts obliged to this fanctity in our lives, and felf condemned if we neglect it.

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