7o The Caufes and Danger of $ERm. For, the underftanding muft have fome ap, III pearance of truth, that it may give its affent ""v"--'in any degree, and particularly a bad moral obje ± muff be difguifed, that the eye of the foul muft not difcern its turpitude. One in, ftance of this . kind, is a falfe imagination, that fomething different from true moral piety and virtue, as they appear to the mind in their genuine fimplicity, will anfwer the ends of them, and make amends for defects in them, rendering men acceptable to God. It is firft of all fuppofed, and we eafily come into it, that the end of all religion is pleafing the deity, It is then infinuated, that the Iirict obfervance of fome pofitive appoint.. ments will certainly pleafe him ; while it is not confidered what the voice of reafon, as well as fcripture would convince us of, if we attended to it, that morally good difpofi- tions and actions are, to this purpofe, not only of equal, but vaitly fuperior neceflity, and importance. This is the evil of fuper- ftition; placing religion in the things wherein it does not confift, or which are of little or no moment to its ends. It is what experience íhews us men have always been eafily led into, Heathens, Jews, and Chriftians ; and nothing has been more fuccefsful in blinding the
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