754 The Spirituality óf the Divine _Nature. Vol. I. Spirit, prefent to our Spirits, intimate to our Souls, and confcious to the moft fecret and retired motions of our Hearts ; now becaufe we ferve the Searcher of Hearts, we muft ferve him with our Hearts. Indeed if we did worthip God only to be Teen of Men, a pompous and exter- nal Worflhip would be very fuitabie to fuck an end ; but Religion is not intended to pleafe Men, but. God, and therefore it mutt be fpiritual, and inward, and real. And where-ever the external part ofReligion is principally regarded, and Men are more careful to worthip God with outward pomp and ceremony, than inJpi- rit and in truth, Religion degenerates into Superftition, and Men embrace the thadow of Religion, and let goo the fubítance. And this the Church of Rome bath done almoft to the utter ruin of Chriftianity ; {he bath clogged Religion, and the Worfliip of God, with fo many bites and Ceremonies, under one Pretence or other, that the Toke of Chrifl isbecome heavier than that of Mofes ; and they have made the Gofpel a more carnal Commandment than the Law ; and whatever Chri- ftians or Churches are intent upon external Rites and Obfervances, to the negledt of the weightier Parts of Religion, regardingmeats and drinks, &c. to the preju- dice of righteoufnefs andpeace, wherein the kingdom of Godconf fts, they advance .a Religionas contrary to the Nature ofGod, and as unfuitable to the genius and temper of the Gofpel as can be imagined. It is an Obfervation of Sir Edwin Sands, That as Children are pleas'd with Toys; fo, faith he, it is a pitiful and childifh Spirit that is predominate in the contrivers and zealots of a ceremonious Religion. I deny not but that very ho- neft and devout Men may be this way addidted ; but the wifer any Man is, the better he underutands the Nature of God and of Religion, thefarther he will be from this temper. A Religion that confilts in external and little things, doth moft early gain up- on and poffefs the weakeft Minds, and whoever entertain it, it will enfeeble their Spirits and unfit them for the more generous and excellent Duties of Chrifianity. We have but a finite heat, and zeal, and adtivity, and if we let out much of it upon fmall things, there will be too little left for thofe parts of Religion which are of greateft moment and concernment; if our heat evaporate in externals, the heart and vitals ofReligion will infenfibly cool and decline. How Mould we blufh who are Chriflians, that we have not learnt this eafie truth from the Gofpel, which even the Light of Nature taught the Heathen ; Cults autem deorum c i optimas itemgue fandiffimus atquecaflïllimus, plenimufgaepi- etatis, ut eos Temper pura integra & incorruptâ mente ` voce veneremur, 'bully. The la, the fare, the moll chaJl, and moll devout worfhip of the Gods, is that which is paid themwith a pure, fincere, anduncorrupt Mind, and words truly reprefenting the thoughts of the Heart. Compojitum jus fafque animi, &c. Serve God with a pare, honefl, holy frame of Spirit, bring a heart that is but generotfy honefl, and he will accept of theplainfl Sacrifice. And let me tell you, that the ceremonious Woriiip of the Yews was never a thing in it felf acceptable to God, or which he did delight in ; and tho' God was pleafed with their obedience tothe Ceremonial Law after it was commanded, yet antecedently he did not delire it ; but that which our Saviour faith concern- ing the Law of Divorce, is true likewife of the Ceremonial, that it was permit- ted to the Yews for the hardnefs of their hearts, and for their pronenefs to Idola- try. God did not command it fo much by way of approbation, as by way of condefcenfion to their weaknefs ; it was becaufe of the hardnefs of theircarnal hearts thatGod brought them under the Law of à carnal commandment, as the Apo- file calls it. gee Pfal. St. a6, 17. ter. 7. ai. The reafon why I have inIfed fo long upon this, is to let you underhand, what is the true nature ofChrifl's Religion, and to abate the intemperate,heat and zeal which Men are apt to have for external indifferent things in Religion. The Sacrifices and Rites ofthe Yews were very unagreeable and unfuitable to the Nature of God; Pfal. 50. 13. Will I eat the flefh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats? Spirits neithereat nor drink; it was a very unfüitable way of fervice ao kill
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