InftitutedReligion not intended, &c. Vol. Ì, 2. What bath been Paid gives us a right Notion and Chara&erof that Church and Religion, which prefers the pafntive Rites and Inflitutions of Religion, and the obfervance of them, to thole Duties which are of natural and Eternal Obli- gation, Mercy and Goodnefs, Fidelity and yuflice ; and which for the fake ofa pretended Article of Religion, or Rite of Wor/hip, (which if it were certain that they were revealed, and in(lituted by God are yet meetly poftive) will break the greateft ofGod's Commandments, and teach men fo. It is too plain tobe denyed, that the Principles and Precepts of naturalReli. gion were never fo effe&ually undermined, and the Morality of the Chriftian Religion never fo intolerably corrupted and debauched, by any thing that ever yet had the face of Religion in the World, as by the allowed Do&rines and Pra&ices of the Church of Rome, and this out of a blind and furious Zeal for fome Imaginary Do&rines and Rites of the Chriftian Religion, which at the belt are of meer pofitive Inflitution, and of the fame rank among Chrnflians, that Sacrifices were in the 5ewifb Religión. For which we need go no further for an inftance, than in the Occafion of this Day's Solemnity; upon which Day, (about fourfcdre years ago) there was defigned a mighty Sacrifice indeed, the greatefl and richefl burnt -offering that ever was pretended to be offered up to Al- mighty God, by thofe of any Religion whatfoever ; not the blood of Bulls and Goats, but of King, and Princes, and Nobles more in value, than thoufands of Rams, and ten thoufandsof Rivers of Oyl ; than all the Beafls of the Forrefl, and the Cattle upon a thoufand Hills. Here was a prodigious Sacrifice indeed ;. but where was Mercy? the thing God chiefly defires, and which above all other things is acceptable to him ; no Mercy, not even to thofe of their own Religion, whom thefe nice and tender Cafuifis, after a folemndebate of the Cafe, had refolved to involve in the fame common Deftruttion with the reft; rather no mercy, than that this Sacrifice which their mad zeal had prompted them to, fhould be omitted. To conclude, They that can do Inch inhumane things, and think them to be Religion, do not underftand the nature of it, but had need to be taught the fill Rudiments of natural Religion ; that natural Duties are not to be violated upon pretence, no, nor for the fake of pofitive Inflitutions; becaufe natural Religion is the Foundation of that which is inflituted.; and therefore to violate any natural Duty for the fake of that which is inflituted, is for. Religion to undermine and blow up it felf. Let thofe who do filch things, and teach men fo, go and learn what that meaneth, I will have Mercy andnot Sacrifice. SER
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=