PREFACE TO " TÍIE HARMONYOF ALL RELIGIONS." RELIGION, inthemost general sense of the word, signifies that venerationor reverential regard, which man pays to God, his Maker. This venerationis diversified, according to the various perfectionsof'the divine nature discovered to us, or the various relations in which we stand to God. All this is internal religion, so far as it is found in the heart; but, it is also to be expressed out- wardly in the life, by the tongue, or the several powers of action, according to the daily occasions which are given us in the course of providence. Religion in the heart includes in it, all that adoration we pay to God, because of his tran. scendent Majesty, our acknowledgment of all homage and obedience due to. him, as our sovereign, our fear, our love, our imitation, our trust or depen- dance and submission, &c. according as we conceive of him, as the first and hest of beings, as wise and powerful, as holy, just and merciful, as our right- ful owner, Governor and Judge. Theoutward expressions of theseinward sentiments of the mind, whether in voice, gesture, or action, are to he regulated by the dictatesof nature or reason, so far as thatreaches ; as for instance, natureseems to direct the lifting up of the hands and the eyes to God, in our solemn addresses to him, bowing the knee, or standing, or prostration in prayer to God, and laying hands on the head of another, when a blessing is pronounced on him, or implored for hire ; the voceof joy and singing is directed by the light of nature, in speak- ing the praises of God, or in our holy rejoicing before him; groaning and sighing, seems to be the language of nature also in our complaints to God; laying the hand upon the heart, denotes an appeal to God concerning our sincerity, &e. These inward -and reverential sentiments of the mind, may he also ex- pressed by, or attended with a variety of otherrites and forms, which Gott bath prescribed by revelation, in the several ages of his church: and God, only has a right to prescribe them; for he only knows in what manner he will, orhe ought to be honoured or worshipped. Sometimes he has appointed abstinence from particular food, sometimes puttingoff the shoes from the feet, sometimes offering sacrifice to God by fire, sometimes washing orsprink- ling with water or blood, sometimes eating or drinking ns a holy festival, &c. I add further, also, religion includes.in it all our personal duties towards Ourselves and our social duties towards our fellow-creatures, as well as our duties of piety towards God, so far as they are performed from a principle of veneration, obedience and love to our Creator : For this principle turns the common actions of lifh into religious actions, which otherwise would he esteemed but merely moral or virtuous. Scripture favours this representation. The apostle James seems to suppose it thus in the first chapter, last verse; pure religion and stndefiled before Cod and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows ist their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. These moral actions done firorn a supreme regard to God, that is, before hissight, and as under his authority and approbation,render them truly religious. When man was first created, and in his state of innocence, he was bound to fulfil all his ditties towards God and man in perfection ; and he hadpower to perform them ; and these performances were his justifying righteousness inthe sight of God, according to the law of nature and innocence. In his fallen or sinful state, he is still bound by the light of nature and reason, to pay the saint duties towards Goa and má.í ; and that ina perfect manner too, for
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