---------- - - '----··-------- 'DireEI:ions for ycwzg [/iriflimzs. thrrnfdvcs a(corn b)' their divifions to the Inhdd world: And thus the Primitive Uniry, Ch:niry and Peace, is partly deHroycd, and partly degemrate into the Vr.it)•, Charity :1nd Pcact of fevrral Se[i 1 among thunfdvcs. lhc pritniti\•t: limplicity · in Government and Dikipline, is with mofi turned into a fOrcible Secular Goyernment, exerci!i:d to advance one man ::1bovc orhrrs, and to fatistie his Will and lufis, and make him the Rule of orher mens liv(s, and ro fupprcfs the power and lj:>irim– ality of Rdigion in the world. The primitive fimpliciry of\Vorfhip is rurned into fuch a.MJfquc of Ccrtmony, and fuch a task of formalities and bodily cxctcife, that if one of the Apofiolical ChriHi– >Ins fhould come among them, he would fcarce think that this is the fume employment \vhich for– merly the Church was cxercifed in, or fcarce know l~eligion in this antick drdS. So that ,rhe ami– able glorious face of Chril~ianiry, is. fo fpotced. :m~ defiled, t~a.t it ~s hidden from the ~n~e!ieving world, and they laugh at It as urauonal, or thmk It to qe but ltkc rhc1r own; And the: prmc1pal hin– tlerancc of .the convctfion ot Heathens, Mahometans, and other Unbelievers, is the corruption <lnd deformity of the Churches that are near them, or fhould be the infirnments of their COllWrlion; And the probablefi way to the conveliion of thofe Nations, is the true R<.form2tion ofthe Churches both in Eafi and \VeH : which, if they were rdiorcd to the ancient i{>iriruality, r~tiom:.lity and timpli– city of DoCtrine, Difcipline and Woril1ip, and lived in charity, humility ;u;d holinefs) as thcfe whole hearts ~nd converfations are in Heaven, with all worldly glory and honour as under their teet, rhcy would then be fo illufhious and amiable in the eyes, even of Heathens and orht.r Intidds, thar ma– ny would flock in to the Church of Chrifi, and ddirc to be fuch as they : And their light WOtlld {Q fhine before thtfc men, that thty would fee their good works, and gloritie their heavenly Fa.rher, ;1;nd embrace their faith. 9: 4· !hecommonc~ ~ay of the dege~eratiug of all Religious ds!tiu, is i~r.o th~s dead formality, or /ifelef.r Image of Rtll£_ton : If the Dt.vll can but gtt you ro call: otf the {pmwa/Jty and lifcof'd.u– ty, he will give you leave to feern vety devout, and make much ado with outward 2Ctions, words and beads : and ycu !hall haYe !o much 1ral for a dead Religion, or the Corpfi of Wa;jhip as will make you think that it is indeed alive. By all means rake hc:cd of rhis turning the Woril1ip of God into lip-firvice: The cornmoncfi caufc of it is, a carnalityof mind ( Fle01ly men will think befl: of the moll fldhl)' Religion): or clfe a jlotbfulncfs in duty, which will make you tit down with the tajicjf p2rt : It is the work of a Saint, and a diligent Sa.int) to keep the foul it (df bod1 regulJr}y :u:d vigoroufly employed wid1 God: But to fay over certain words by rorc, and to lift up the h:mds and eyes, is eaii~.:: And hypocrites that are confcious that they are void of tlu: life and fpiritu:zlity of \Vor!l1ip, do think to make all up with this formality, and qwiet their confcienct.s, and delude their follls wi!h a hanfome Image: Of this l have fpoken more la.rgdy in a Book callc:d, Tbi! Vain Religicm tf the Formal Hypocrite. ~. 5· Yet ruH not here into the contrary cxtream, as to think that the B&dy mufr nor worfhip God as well as the foul, or that the decem and edifying dercrmination of the omward cir,umlb.nces of Religion, a11d the right ordering cf WorChip, is a needlc:fs thing, er !i!lfl.d,) or t!u r a fOrm of pr2yer in it.fclf, or when impofld is unlawful: Bur Icr.thcSo~t/ and Body of_Rd~£.1011 go together, and rhc a.l– ierahle adjuncts be uf,d, as thi~!l' alrrrahk, wh1le the life •fHolinefs IS tl!lll<,pt up. Direc1.
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