be Dictators in Faith and Science, and fo their Books are full of the Spirit of Pedantry, falfe Zeal, and Ill-breeding; and, under the Appearance and Affectation of Learning, contain only Paradoxes, Uncertainty, harsh Severity, or awkward Buffoonery. Any one, who is the leaft acquainted with thefe dogmatical Zealots, these punning Inquifitors, muft own that I have done Juftice to their Characters, and the Merit which runs through them; unless in fome Inftances, mostly about this great Town, where an uncommon natural Genius, Liberty of Mind, generous Birth, or a free Converfation has got the better of a constrained and corrupt Education.

I thank God, fuch as have of late Years had the Honour of being admitted to great Dignities, and been brought into the Legislature or Royal Councils, are of the latter fort: But what Figure have others formerly made in the Senate-Houfe, or Council-Board? How much below young Noblemen, who had never been at the Universities, or had juft forgot what they had learned there, and rubbed or filed off College Ruft by polite Conversation? In One, you might have obferved an Easiness of Address, Softnefs of Speech, and Freedom of Thought; in the Other, Starchness of Behaviour, Sournefs of Looks, and starved Conceits, urged with fierce and impetuous Rage. A late Noble and Great Genius of our Age and Country, compares them to those Grotefque Figures, and Dragon-Faces, which are often feen in the FronVOL. I. tifpiece,

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tifpiece, and upon the Corner-Stones of old Buildings: They feem placed there as the Defenders and Supporters of the Edifice; but with all their Grimace, are as harmless to People without, as they are ufelefs to the Building within.

T.

NUMBER

NUMBER XXXI.

Wednesday, August 17. 1720.

Of CEREMONIES.

LAINNESS and Simplicity are not more infeparable Marks of Truth, than they are of true Religion, which wants neither Paint nor Pageantry

to recommend it felf to the Hearts of Men. It wins the Affections, by the Force of its Perfuafions; and the Understanding, by the Reasonableness of its Precepts. It abhors Violence, as oppofite to its Nature; and defpifes Art and Policy, as below its Dignity. Human Ornaments may hide and disfigure, but cannot preserve nor improve its intrinfick Beauty, and divine Luftre: And Pomp and Grimace, as they are no wise a-kin to it, fo neither are they the Effects of it, nor bring any Advantage to it. On the contrary, they tend to fill the Mind with grofs Ideas, or fullen Fear; M 2 and

and fo create Superftition instead of Piety, and Farce instead of Worship.

GOD himself has told us, that he will be worfhipped in Spirit and in Truth: which fhews, that Love and Sincerity conftitute Devotion, and that Religion refides in the Mind. As to Bodily Religion, and Corporeal Holiness, the Gofpel is filent about them; leaving every one at full liberty to behave his own Way in the Practice of Piety.

IT is justly esteemed the Glory and Felicity of the Chriftian Religion, that by it we are releafed from that grievous Yoke and Bondage of Ceremonies, which neither we nor our Fathers were able to bear. It is a Religion of Reason, void of all Superfluities, and trifling Imperti

nences.

MEN cannot judge of one another's Thoughts and Inclinations, but by Words and Actions: And, because it would be both troublesome and filly to be on every Occafion haranguing our Friends and Superiors, upon the profound Veneration which we profess for their Persons or Characters; it has become neceffary to agree upon fome outward Forms, to denote internal Refpect. And this I take to be the only good Reafon which can be given for fuch Manner of Address or Ceremony. It is ridiculous, either by Sounds or Gestures, to tell a Man over and over again, what he knows already; and therefore, the moft intimate Friends and old Acquaintance

quaintance make but little Ufe of Shew or Complement; and thofe, who make most, are ever found the leaft fincere. But how fenfelefs and abfurd must it be to entertain Heaven with fuch Grimaces! that Heaven, which fearches our Hearts, and knows our most hidden Thoughts; and will not be deceived by outward, arbitrary and fallacious Marks of inward Disposition!

IT can never be conceived, that the Allmerciful and Omniscient God fhould, by the fending of his Son, abolish, or fuffer to be abolifhed, the whole Jewish Legion of Ceremonies, though appointed by himself in Perfon; and fhould gracioufly condefcend to establish a new Difpenfation, deftitute of all Ceremony and exterior Grandeur; and yet fhould leave it to the Ambition of defigning Men, or to the Folly of weak ones, to invent and impose a fresh Load of Rituals, in oppofition to the plain Genius of the Gospel. This would be for the Allmerciful, to be merciful in vain; for the Creator to refign his Power to the Creature; and for God to recall his own Injunctions, which he once gave for a gracious and wife End, fince ceafed, that Men may enforce their's, for a weak or a wicked one.

NOTHING is, or can be, pure Religion, but either what God commands and tells us he will accept; or what is dictated by eternal Reafon, which is the Law of Nature: And whatever is fuperadded, however dignified by a venerable Name, is no part of true Religion;

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which,