330 Of the Form, and Vol. II. Ihrewd ground of fufpicion that it is not Virtue but Defign, that it is not Religion but interefl which prompts Men to it. For if it were Religion, and donewith regard to God, the very fame reafon would oblige them to all other parts of their Duty as well as that. VII. A great Zeal for fome particular Patty, or Opinions, or Circumflances of Religion. 'I'his Form is frequentlyaffumed, becaufe Men find the greateft filcher and pro -. tef ion under it. He that declares zealoufly for a Party or Opinion, and is fierce and eager againft thofe that oppofe it, feldom fails to gain the reputation of areli- gious and godly Man; becaufe he bath the Voteof the whole Party, and a great number to cry him up. And if lie be guilty of any mifcarriage, unlefs it be very grofs and vifible, he (hall never want thofe that will apologife for him, and be ready to vindicate him at all turns. Either they will notbelieve what is reported of him, but impute it to malice ; or they will extenuate it, and afcribe it to hu- man Infirmity : but ffill they cannot but think he is a religious Man, becaufe he is fo zealous for that which they efteem to be fo confiderable apart of Religion. Nay fuch is the horrible partiality and injuflice ofParties, that a very bad Man that ap- pears zealous for their way, (hall eafily gain the efteem of a holy and religious Man, though he have many vifible and notorious faults; though he be paffionate and ill-natur'd, cenforious and uncharitable, cruel and oppreffive, fordid and cove- tous; when another who quietly and without any noife and buftle, minds the fubffantial parts of Religion, and is truly devout towards God, juft and peaceable and charitable towardsMen ; meek,and humble, and patient, kindand friendly even to thofe that differ from him, {hall hardly efcape being cenfur'd for a lukewarm, formal, moral Man,,deflitute of the Graceof God and of the power of Godlinefs. So likewife Zeal for or againft indifferent circumflances of Religion, is another Formof Godlinefs which many appear in. And commonly fuch perfons, the more deflitute they are of true Piety and Virtue, the greater (fir they keep about thefe things, that they may feem to be fomething in Religion ; juft like thofe, who be- ing confcious to thenifelves that they are defe&ive in true and ufeful Learning, that they may not Teem to be fo, are always troubiefome with the fhreds and ends of it. Now the indifferent circutnflancesof Religion are things which no Man ought to have the face to trouble himfelf about, that neglebts the weighty and fubifan- tial Duties of it. No Man that bath a beam in his own eye, ought to be concern'd for the mote that is in his brother's eye. Indeed he that is careful of the main parts of Religion, may and ought to be concern'd for the other in their due place, fo far as the order and decency ofGod's Worfhip, and obedience to Authority, and the peace of Chriftians is concern'd in them. But to placeall Religion in a Zeal for or againft theft things, is one of the thinneft and IlighteffForms of Religion. VIII. Sillynefs and freakifhnefs, and either a pretended or real ignorance in the common affairs and concernments of human life. This may Teem at firft hearing to be a very odd Formof Religion, and indeed fo it is; yet in feveral Religions Men have appear'd in it with great applaufe and acceptance. Among the Turks Ideots and madmen are mightily reverenc'd, it be- ing always taken for granted that they are infpir'd. And among the Papiffs, the moll eminent of their Saints, iftheir Legends do not bely them, efpecially St. Fran- cio, and St. Dominick, are magnified fcarcely for any other reafon, but for faying and doing the mod filly and ridiculous things. What can be imagin'd more foo- lifhand fanatical than St. Francis's ffripping himfelf of hisCloaths andrunning about naked ? Than his frequent preaching to the Birds, and Beads, and Fifties? Was ever any thing more naufeoufly ridiculous, than his picking up the Lice which were beaten off his Cloaths, and putting them in his Bofom ? which is magnifi'd inhim as a profound piece of humility, as if naftinefs were a Chriflian Grace. Thefe and many more fuch freaks which are related in his Life as inffances of his great fan&ity, ferve to no other purpofe, but to render Religion ridiculous to any Man of common fenfe. As if to be a fpiritual man, and a mere'scaturel,' were all one, and as if this werea good"coufequence, that a Man cannot chufe but be very 2 know-
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