But there is a farther Inftance of Superftition in the Ufe of Things prohibited, where the true God only is worshipped, and the Duties immediately refpecting Him are fuppofed to be rightly understood and discharged, but where the known Duties towards each Other are violated in Support of those fuppofed Truths. Such are all Cafes of Perfecution under Pretence of Religion; for though We may with Truth and Comfort observe, that it is most usually Error which has Recourfe to this Support, and they have been other Superftitions which have introduced this additional one to maintain them, yet if ever it be found on the Side of found Doctrine, it must neverthelefs be freely disclaimed, as being in itself unwarrantable and criminal. The Discharge of our Duty to Men is Part of that general Duty We owe to God. Morality is confirmed by our Religion, and interwoven into it, and the Precepts which recommend Justice and Charity, Tendernefs and Bowels of Compaffion towards our Brethren, are even more frequent than those, which relate to other Inftances of Duty. The Reason poffibly might be, that Indifference towards all Worship, and an entire Neglect of Devotion to the Deity was not the Fault of the Times, when the Old and New Testaments were written; but the Want of Brotherly Love was a reigning Er

ror,

ror, and Chriftians were to be a Pattern in this Respect to all the World. Some Severities had likewise been enjoined in the Jewish Law, whilst the People were in very peculiar Circumstances, and were under the immediate Government and Direction of an alwife Lawgiver: And that This might not be pleaded as a Precedent, where there was neither the fame Authority, nor the fame Reafon for the like Proceeding against the supposed Enemies of the Truth, it was more proper and indeed neceffary for the infpired Writers to abound in their Directions and Exhortations on this Subject, and to inculcate universal Benevolence and Affection; because the Difciples of Fefus were to be distinguished by their Love towards one another, and towards all Men.

Yet all this Precaution has not proved effectual, but We must with Grief of Heart confefs, that as Idols have had their Human Sacrifices, fo have numberless unhappy Men been sacrificed to a false Notion of doing Honour to his Name who came into the World to establish Peace on Earth, and Good Will towards Men. Now This is a Superftition of the most complicated Iniquity, fuch as may well warrant the Deteftation expreffed in the Text, yet it is not fuch as arifes from that timid and fearful Spirit ufually described, but is the criminal Error of the fanguine, the fu

rious, and the prefumptuous. They delight: themselves in thus exercifing Cruelties on their Fellow-Creatures, and in invading the Prerogative of God, whofe alone is Vengeance of this Kind, and who has not under our Difpenfation authorized us to be the Inftruments of it toward each other. The Mischiefs of this Superftition are not like those of most other Species of it, where the Perfons themselves, who are under the Delusion, are usually the greatest Sufferers by it; but here the Miseries of it are felt by Others, and Reproach is occafioned to that Holy Name and Profeffion by which We are called. True Religion was instituted to establish the Security and Comfort of Men in this World as well as in the other, and therefore when it is feen to be applied to their Destruction, prophane Inferences have been drawn from the Abuse against the Use of it, and Men have proceeded to call in Question the Truth of the Foundation, upon which fuch unjustifiable Superftructures have been raised. The Cruelties of the Inquifition have, as We are affured by concurring Teftimonies, made Multitudes of Scepticks as well as of Hypocrites; Men have taken Offence at the true Doctrine of the Gospel by not distinguishing between this, and those Alterations of its Inftructions, and Contradictions to its Precepts, which Blindness

and

and Tyranny have introduced; and though the Scandal fo taken be no ways excufable, yet Wo unto them by whom fuch Offence cometh.

The fecond Branch of Superftition in the Method of discharging our Duty, was observed to confist in the Estimation of Things as necessary which are no where enjoined. These are more or less prejudicial, according to the Instances in which they are expreffed; but in all Cases they are a Mifrepresentation of Religion, a Burden to those who obferve them, a Difcouragement to those, who are not difpofed to obferve them, even from the Practice of Things really neceffary. We meet with many Instances of this Kind, and many Cenfures upon them, in the Heathen Philofophers; and indeed this was that Branch of Superftition, which chiefly fell under their Ridicule. Some of these made the Service of God contemptible, others were trivial, fome were painful, all were wearifome to the fruitlefs Obferver. As they were founded on no Authority or Reason, and answered no good End or Purpose, they were most properly fuperftitious Vanities; They often occafioned real Afflictions and imaginary Terrors, always Sufpence, Anxiety and Diffatiffaction. At the best They withdrew the Attention of the well-meaning from more important Çares, and gave a Handle to thofe, who were. H-y other

otherwise difpofed, to ridicule all Appearances of Devotion.

Nor did this Species of Superftition fink with the Cause of Heathenifm. The Vanity of practifing more than has been appointed, and of laying Ourselves under Obligations that our Maker has not laid us under, has ftill continued, and has fo far prevailed, that it has almost created the Notion and engroffed the Name of Superftition. The earlieft Inftance of this in the Chrif tian Church, which has chiefly occafioned what We find upon this Subject in the New Testa'ment, was that of retaining the Jewish Ceremonies even under the Profeffion and Practice of the Gospel. Whilft this was done in Confideration of their being Things indifferent in themfelves, and with the charitable View of influenc ing the Jews to the more ready Acknowledgment of the Gospel, there was much Reason and no Superftition in the Practice; Nay St. Paul Himself not only did not cenfure it, but did in fome Inftances comply with it. But when it was advanced as the Duty of every Christian, and as in itfelf of Neceffity to Salvation, then the Apoftles declared fully and freely against it, as a Yoke which neither their Fathers nor they were able to bear, and exhorted their Converts, to ftand faft in the Liberty wherewith Chrift had made them

free