bISCObliSE V. 577 savage and. barbarous, contrary to the dictates of reason and human nature, or the word of God." Take for instance, some of the persecutors and idolaters, the bigots and enthusiasts of the church of Rome. And I wish such persecution and bigotry, en- thusiasm and idolatry were never found among any other sectsof christians. 1. With what furious and burning barbarity do popish per= secutors express their zeal for their religion . They arm their tongues and their pens with bitter reproaches, and gall against those who divide fromtheir communion, and would reform their gross corruptions ; and they still profess it is out of love to Christ, and to the souls of men, that they imprison, cut, burn, torment and destroy their fellow-christians. O mysoul come not 'nto theirsecrets, nor learn such unrighteous andbloody zeal ! 2. Survey popish idolaters. They imagine they can never show their affectionate devotion to Christ sufficiently, without making images of a crucified man; and placing them continually in their sight, in order to pay their worship to Christ by those unappointed mediums. Sometimes they wear these little idols in their bosom, near their heart, and then they think theymanifest how much their heart loves him. They kiss these wooden bau- bles, or their silver figures, with a strange childish fondness, and sometimes bedew them with their tears, to chew their inward affection to Jesus, their Saviour. There may be much animal passion, much commotion of nature and the flesh in these prac- tices, with very little spiritual love. Sometimes they make pic- tures even of God the Father, and then perform-their devotions toward them with forbidden ceremonies, and break God's second commandment to express their love to him. Strange and pre- posterous expressions of love, to practise what he forbids so often in his word, and that upon severepenalties! 3. Turn your eyes now to the Romich enthusiasts. God forbid that I should so condemn all that are educated in that church, as though there was no sincere devotion among them, though the church itself is abominably corrupt : But it is well known, that when some of these devotees have fancied them- selves possessed with such a sublime love to God, that they have thrown themselves into odd postures and strange disorders of body, and appeared more like distracted persons than soberchris- tians, as though it must be something not human that must ex- press their divine affections. Others have imagined they could never do nor suffer enough to manifest the inward fire of that love to God which dwelt in their heart, and they have contrived what torments they should inflictupon themselves, as they used to express it, for the love of God. Others, to skew their sorrow for having offended him, have not only worn sackcloth upon their skin, but they have scourged Vox- it. O 9
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