fions, in Honour of the Saint, whofe Feftival they are then about to celebrate; and that they then ufually carry about a Shrine, wherein fome of the Relicks of that Saint are fuppofed to be lodged ; at which Time it is alfo common to expofe an Image or Figure of the faid Saint. Now it happened, that at one of thefe Anniversary Proceffions, in Honour of Mary Magdalene, a certain Community of Monks, being defirous of out-doing all that had ever before been feen, erected an Altar, whereon to reft the Shrine, with a kind of a Dome, fupported by wooden Pillars, twifted round with Boughs, under which was formed a Grotto, hung with Greens, whereon was to be placed the Figure of the Saint abovementioned, in the Pofture of one expiring.

But in lieu thereof, what did thofe Monks, that the Image might refemble the Original as near as poffibly, but procure a beautiful young Damfel, of about Fifteen Years of Age, to perfonate the Figure of the Saint, in order whereto fhe was laid on a Bed of Turf, ftark naked, but with her long Trefles fo artfully difpofed, that hardly any Part of her Body was to be feen; and having thus done, a ftrict Charge was given to this animated Statue, not to move Hand or Foot, till the Ceremony was quite over: The Proceffion then began, and the Maiden had performed her Part for most of the Time to a Miracle, none but those who were privy to this Farce, in the leaft fufpecting so indecent and abominable a Contrivance.

But to the utter Confufion of the Monks, and Scandal of all ferious People, when the Proceffion paffed before the Altar, and the Bishop who affifted thereat was about to reft the Shrine, with the Relicks of the Saint thereon, the Statue, forgetting the Part fhe was to act, and being touched with a Fit of Devotion, ftarted up, and placed herself up. on her Knees in the Grotto before the Shrine.

Her

Her fine long Treffes, which before almoft covered her intirely, falling then in waving Ringlets behind her upon her Shoulders, the Damfel remained in the pure State of Nature; difcovering to the Spectators all her hidden Beauties, and making an Ap. pearance nothing like that of a dying Saint and exemplary Penitent. Could it have been believed by Strangers, to the Abominations of the Romish Church, that any Men, who called themfelves Chriftians, could have dared be guilty of, and patronize fo grofs a Profanation, and fo fcandalous a Violation of all the Laws of Modefty, and even common Decency? In effect, the Bishop himfelf was fo much offended thereat, as he well might, that he laid the whole Community under an Interdict: Much too light a Punishment for fo great an Enormity!

To return from whence we have digreffed; it is not only by grofs and actual Idolatry, that this Commandment is tranfgreffed, but by any facrilegious Practices, or Profanations of the Houfe of the true God; fince we thereby declare, in effect, that we look upon it as no more than the Temple of an Idul, and, as much as in us lies, degrade him, and fet him upon a Level with thofe falfe Idols. And can we imagine that the Moft High, who is the fame Yesterday, Today, and for ever, and who fhewed himself fo jealous of the Profanation of any Thing fet apart for his Honour, that he flew of the People of Bethfhamesh Fifty Thoufand and Threefcore Men, for only looking into the Ark; who alfo fmote Uzzah for only taking hold thereof, left it should fall by the Oxen fhaking it, is not now as jealous of the Honour of his Houfe, as he was formerly of the Ark? Undoubtedly he is; and though he may not fo immediately punish the Offenders as he did in the Cafes aforementioned, we may reft affured, he will not fuffer them wholly

to

o escape, but will chaftife them feverely, either here or hereafter.

And yet how common are Profanations of this Sort? Is it poffible to go into any of our Churches without obferving them? Is it not evident, by the Behaviour of the Generality of the People, that they pay but little more Regard thereto, than to any other Places of publick Refort? Would it be poffible for them, if they confidered the Almighty as actually prefent there, to spend their Time in bowing and curtfying to all their Acquaintance, or in handing about the Snuff-Box, talking and even fleeping, inftead of applying themselves to his Worfhip, with the utmoft Awe, Reverence, and Devotion? It is certain they could not; they would as foon dare to eat Fire; and it is therefore plain, that they come thither with Sentiments very improper for fo venerable a Place, and that they would do much better to keep from thence.

In effect, it is much to be feared, that great Part of many Congregations, efpecially thofe of the better Sort, as they are falfly called, go thither only to fee and be feen, obferve Fafhions, and make Remarks upon their Neighbours; if fome do not go with even yet more criminal Views. And nothing is more common, when a Couple are newly married, efpecially if they are of any Figure, than for them to make their Appearance the first Sunday after at Church, fet out to the best Advantage, only in order to fhew their Finery; which is fo well known to be their Defign, that, not to baulk them, three Parts of the People rife up as foon as they come in Sight, and fix their Eyes upon them, as if they were not of the fame Species with themfelves.

Now what muft any ferious Perfon think of fuch a Conduct? Muft he not be greatly fcandalized? Are not both they who thus draw off the Attention

of

of the People from the Service of their Maker, and they who are thus diverted from it, equally to blame? Is not fo much Irreverence inexcufable in all? And if People will be fo ridiculously empty to be puffed up with a gaudy Outfide, and make a Shew of themfelves, can they not chufe properer Places? Muft the Devotion of the whole Parish be difturbed for all that Day? For this is the Cafe ; it is not only whilft at Church, that the Minds of People are taken off from what they fhould be about, but after they come Home, the whole Converfation of every Family turns upon the Drefs and Appearance of the Bride and Bridegroom.

It is no fuch great Wonder, that the Roman Catholicks, who, as has been already fhewn, are guilty of grofs and actual Idolatry, fhould not fcruple fuch Indecencies, when they look upon them only as Peccadilloes, and venial Sins; nor even that they go yet farther, and frequently make Affignations in their Places of Worship: But it were to be wifhed, that we, who profefs a purer Religion, would not commit fuch Enormities; nor thus affront our great Creator, in the very Place where he is fuppofed to be more immediately prefent than elsewhere. Another Way whereby this Commandment is violated, is by ufing any fuperftitious, or unlawful Rites or Ceremonies in our Worship of the true GOD, where-of thofe of the Church of England cannot be faid to be guilty; though it were to be wifhed, in order to avoid giving Offence to fome tender Confciences, and to the end our Brethren the Diffenters might be the more eafily reconciled to our Communion, and brought within the Pale of the Church, that we were not fo tenacious of fome of our Rites, which, being acknowledged by many to be indifferent in themselves, may confequently be either practifed of omitted; and the giving up of which, might go a great Way towards facilitating a Reconciliation fomuch to be defired, or, at least, would open a Door

for

for the bringing over of the most moderate of them.

But, though those of the Church of England cannot be taxed with ufing fuperftitious or ur lawful Rites, the fame cannot by any Means be faid of thofe of the Church of Rome, who are notoriously guilty in this particular, as well as in all others, infomuch that their Celebration of High Mafs looks more like a Theatrical Farce, than the Service of the Living God. Not to mention their Holy Water, their Chrism, their lacerating their Bodies with Scourges, called Difciplines, their going in Proceffion with heavy Weights chained to their Legs, or carrying Skulls in their Hands, with their Arms extended at full Length, with their tedious Pilgrimages, and a thousand other ridiculous Fopperies, to which they fubmit by way of Penance, hoping thereby to atone for their Sins. In fhort, the Limits we have prescribed ourselves in this Undertaking, would be too narrow to admit of recounting all the Abominations they have introduced into their Worship, in Defiance of this Commandment; but we hope we have faid enough to give every Proteftant that reads it, a Surfeit of a Religion, which has fo far degenerated from the Purity and Simplicity of the Primitive Church.

But of all Superftitions, the most abominable, though we fear it is equally practifed by Proteftants and Papifts, is that of having recourfe to Charms, or Amulets, as is frequently done for the Cure of feveral Diseases, efpecially by the meaner Sort of People. Equally impious and wicked is the Cuftom of reforting to Cunning Men or Women, as they are fally and ignorantly called (all their Cunning confifting in picking the Pockets of thofe Fools that confult them) or to Aftrologers, Gypfies, Cafers of Coffee-Grounds, with all that Tribe of Impoftors, either for the Discovery of ftolen Goods,

or