334 0f .the great Duties of Natural Religion, Vol. Í Secondly, The way that Men are apt to take in this Cale ; and that is by fome external piece ofReligion and Devotion; fuch as Sacrifice was both among yews and Heathen. Shall I come before him.with Burnt- offerings, &c. By which que- ftions the Prophet intimates that Men are very apt to pitch upon this courfe. Thirdly, The courfe whichGod himfelf directs to, and which will effectually, pacifie him. Ile bath fhewed thee, 0 Man, what isgoöd g and what loth the Lord thy God require of thee, &c. The Firfi being a meet queftion, there steeds no more to be faid of it ; only that it is a queflion of great importance ; What is the moft effe tual way to a!- peafe God when we have offended him ? For who can bear his indignation, and who can ftand before him, when once he is angry ? Let us confider then, in the Second place, the way that Men are apt to take to pacifie God ; and that is by Come external piece ofReligion and Devotion, fuch as were Sacrifices amorg the yews and Heathen, Shall I come before him with Burnt offerings ? This is the which Men are moli apt to chufe. The Jews, you fee, pitched upon the extcr= nal parts, of their Religion, thofe which were molt pompous and folemn, Cue richeft and mgfi coftly Sacrifices ; fo they might but keep their Sins, they were well enoughcontent tooffer up any thing elfe to God ; they thought nothing too good for him; provided he would not oblige them to become better. And thus it is among our felves, when we apprehend God is difpleafed with~ us, and his Judgments abroad in the Earth, wearecontent to do any thing, but to learn righteoufnefs ; we are willing to fubmit to any kind of external Devotion and Humiliation, to Fait, and Pray, to ofli& our felves and to cry mightily unto God ; things fome of them good in themfelves, but the leaf} part ofthat which God requires of us. And as for the Church of Rome, in cafe of publick Judgments and Calamities, they are the inquifitive and (as they pretend) the moll skilful People in the World topacifie God ; and they have a thoufand folemn devices to this purpofe. I do not wrong them, by reprefenting them enquiring after this manner. " Shall " Igo before a Crucifix, and bowmy felfto it, as to the high God ? And, be- " chufe the Lord is a great King, and it is perhaps too much bpldnefs and arro- " gancy to make immediate Addreffesalways to him ; to which of the Saints or Angele (hall I go to mediate for me, and intercede on my behalf ? Will the " Lord be pleafed with thoufands of Pater-Noulers, or with ten thoufands of " Ave-Marys ? Shall the Hefl travel in procefiion, or my felf undertake a tedi- " ous Pilgrimage ? Or thall I lift my felf a Soldier for the Holy War, or for the Extirpation of Hereticks ? Shall I give half my Eftate tea Convent for my " Tranfgreffton, or chaftife and punifh my Body for theSin of my Soul ? Thus Men deceive themfelves, and will fubmit to all the extravagant Severities, that the Petulancy and Folly of Men can devife and impofe upon them. And indeed it is not tobe imagined, when Men are once under the Power of Superftition, how ridiculous they may be, and yet think themfelves religious ; how prodigi- oully they may play the Fool, and yet believe they pleafe God ; what cruel and barbarous things they may do, to themfelves and others, and yet be verily perfwad- ed they do God good Service. And what is the Myftery of all this, but that Men are loath to do that with our which, nothing elfe that we do is acceptable to God ? Theyhate to be refor- med ; and for this Reafon, they will be content to do anyThing, rather than be put to theTrouble ofmending themfelves; every thing is eafie in comparifon of this Task, and God may have any Terms of them, fo he will let them be quiet in their Sins, and excufe them from the real Virtues of a good Life. And thisbrings me to the , ThirdThing, which I principally intended to fpeak to. The Courfe which God himfelf directs to, and which will effectually pacifie him. He bath(hewed thee, 0 Man, what is good ; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do Jnflly, and to love Mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God ? In the handlingof which, I (hall, Firfl,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=