Hale - BR120 H364 1684

(291 Superf1ruaions, are but Policies._ to diflinguiflr, and fortifie,. and inereafe Parties. 3. T here are fome Superadditiens to Religion, that though I do not think they are to be condemned, yet are carefully to be difl'inguiJhed from the true and natural Life of Religion; and fo long as they are kept under that ap- prehenfion, they may, ifprudently applyed andmanaged, do good. But if either they are imprudently inftituted, impru- dently applyed,or incinftderately over-valued, as if they were Religion, they may and many times do harm; and fuel' aredecent and inofl'enfive Forms in the External Worihip ofGod appointed by the Civil Magiftrate, by the adviceof thofe that are defervedly eminent in the Church for their Piety, Learning, and Prudence, And there feems to ,_be very good Reafonfor it. l3ecaufe if every man fhouldbe left to hirnfelf, there would Confufion enfue ; becaufe no man knew anothers Mind, or Rule of hisexternal Deportment. z. All men have not that equal Prudence to Judge what were fit to be ufed: the Magiflrate is like to makechoice of thole perfons that are fittest to advife, and their Recom- mendations would be ofgreateft authority withothers. 3. It is molt certain, that Man beingcompofed of Soul and Body, cannot fo regularly and well fix himfelf to his Duty, without force juftifiable help to his Devotion; fuch are vocalPrayers, Kneeling, and other,Geftures proper for theMatter ofWorship whichhe intends And this maybeoneReafon, why the Lord, though he ftri&ly forbad all Idolatry and Superftition,and Heathenith Practice to the yews, yet did appoint Sacrifices, Priefts, a glorious Tabernacle,and the Ark, which was not only a di- verfion from theEgyptian Idolatry whichthey had feen,but alfo a help to their natural infirmity for the excitation of their Devotion. And {

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