Hale - BR120 H364 1684

(25) additions, that it may be he hath altered tlit Nature, and defiroyed the Virtue of it. The Superadditions and Superftru&ions inPoint of Re- ligion are very, many, and from very many and various tempers in men that add them. As for Inftance, z. There is onecommon Superaddition that naturally all men are apt to bring into it, viz. that it may Gratifie the Senfe; for in as muchas the molt powerful and immediate influenceuponus comes from and throughour Sen- .* fes, and that fpiritual and internal apprehenfions have not fo 4rong or confiant an Impreflìon upon us, they feem things at a diftance, flat, and the Soul is wearyof bearing it felt' upon them ; men areapt to drefs up Religion fo as it maybe grateful to the Senfe : Make asGods that may go before us : And this is the chieforiginal of Idolatry, and alfo of Superfiition. 2. There areother Superadditions that come even from the accidental Inclinations of men to Tome fpecial matter which they value and love ; and that they carry over into Religion ; and many times mingle with ir. As for the purpofe, take a man greatly admiring natural Philofophy, he will be apt to mingle and qualifie Religion withPhilofophical Notions. Many of thofe things of Ari/iotle that are harfhly and difhonourably alferted concerning the Dietyare fromhis tenacious adhering to certain Philofophical Pofitions that he had fixedupon. Behmen, who was a great Chymift, refolves almoft all Religion in Chymifiry, and frames his Conceptions of Religion fuitable and conformable to Chymical No- tions. Socinus and his Followers,being great Matters of Reafon, anddeeply learned in matters of Morality, mingle almoft all Religion with it, and form Religion purely to the Mo- del and Platform of it. E Many

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