fing the Folly and Impiety of those who paid their Worship to real Creatures, or to Creatures of the Imagination, or any way fought for Protection or Affiftance from thofe, who by Nature were no Gods. And for the very fame Reason that They infifted chiefly on this Species of Superftition, This is entirely omitted by the Heathen Philofophers, who treated on this Subject. The Worship of a Plurality of Gods, was established amongst them, and They either did not, or would not fee or acknowledge an Error, which had the Authority of their Laws to fupport it. But They could fee, and defpife, and expose Superftitions in another Shape, relating to the Methods of pacifying their falfe Gods; and all their Cenfure and Ridicule fell on that Branch of it concerning the Manner of expreffing their Duty and Devotion to the fuppofed Authors of their Being and Well-Being. Here They are full and fevere in their Declamations concerning the Folly and Vanity of fuch Practices as could neither please nor displease the Supreme Being: but They are totally filent on the Folly of paying any Devotion at all to fuch imaginary Deities as had no Authority to require Obedience, no Power to grant them Protection; fuch as perhaps exifted not at all, or were their Inferiors in the Scale of the Creation. It was the peculiar Privilege of

Revelation to correct this Error, which Reafon, however fufficient in itself, yet in Fact had failed to detect and to reform. Yet fince it was a groundless Awe and Adoration of such as of themfelves could neither hurt nor help, nor had any deputed Authority for either Office, and fince Reason as affifted and enlightned by the Gospel, can now discern it to be fo, it must be confeffed to be on that Account a very plain and grofs Superftition. And though We are lefs affected with it, because in our Time, or at least in our Part of the World, it is lefs visible, yet it was in Truth both in itself, and in its Confequences, the most melancholy of all Inftances, the most injurious to the Honour of God, and the most prejudicial to the Welfare of Man. What could be more dreadful than to fee poor miferable helpless Mortals terrifying themselves with imaginary Fears from Beings as helpless as themselves, and comforting themselves with as vain Hopes from Objects as incapable of rewarding as of punishing? And it is to be obferved, that an Error in this capital Article of the Object of Worship did almost uniformly draw after it a numberless Train of other Superftitions; for when Men placed their Expectation of Happiness in Thofe, who were no way concerned in the Difpofal of it, it usually happened, whether by a natural or judicial Effect,

Effect, that the Means ufed to conciliate the Favour of fuch Deities, were contemptible, or trivial, or indecent, or inhuman.

It must not be omitted that Idolatry is not the only Inftance of fuperftitious Vanity even with Refpect to the Object of Worship. They who have been taught to believe in the one only true God, have sometimes framed Notions of Him, which They were never taught by Reason or Scripture, have attributed Paffions and Weakneffes to Him, of which the Divine Nature is incapable, have seemed to think that their Master was altogether fuch an one as themfelves, and have in their Devotion and Conduct treated Him accordingly. Though They have confeffed the Unity, They have misrepresented the other Attributes of the Deity, and have changed the Glory of the incorruptible God, not indeed into an Image made like to corruptible Man, but into the real Infirmities and inward Sentiments of corruptible Man Himself. Now there can be no right Worship, where there is no right Notion of God; but where fuch Opinions of Him are entertained as are contrary to Reason and Scripture, there a fuitable Impropriety and Irregularity of Practice will enfue: and thus by not worshipping God as He is, and as He has commanded Himself to be confidered, the very Object of Adoration is in Truth chan

ged,

ged, and the Charge of Superftition is justly imputed. The Philofophers reproved this sharply amongst their Disciples; And it is a melancholy Confideration that this Species of it is to be found amongst Those who bear the Name and Title of Chriftians.

But again there may be Errors in the Method of Worship, where the only just Object of it is believed and acknowleged. Superftitions of this Kind are various, but may all be confidered under one or other of these Heads: either in the Use of Practices directly forbidden, or in the Estimation of things as necessary which are no where enjoined, or in Abftinence from things as unlawful which are no where forbidden, or in an Over-Regard for Ufages in themselves innocent and in their proper Order and Degree useful.

The Ufe of Practices directly forbidden is the Capital Instance of this Kind of Superftition. Applications are sometimes made to the Deity even by those who own his revealed Will, in a Manner, which that Revelation was intended to abolish; and Methods are pursued under Pretence of his Service, which are prohibited by the plainest Dictates of his Holy Word. Of the former Sort too Many are retained amongst profeffed Proteftants, when Lots are confulted, or Planets obferved, or Diviners reforted to, for Knowlege

of

of Events, or Direction of Conduct; whereas the only allowable Rule for Chriftians expreffly declared to exclude all others, is the Obfervance of Scriptural Doctrines and Precepts, and a rational Application of general Rules to particular Cafes. If Men in earnest believe that there is any Power in fuch Perfons and Methods for Difcovery or Direction, this must arise from fuch Affiftance as Chriftians have most folemnly renounced; and if there be not, then the Whole is Fraud and Imposture, which it is their Duty to discourage: so that either Way the Practice is groffly fuperftitious and abfolutely criminal.

The Other Branch of fuperftitious Practices directly forbidden is yet more terrifying, namely the Purfuit of fuch Methods under Pretence of the Service of God, as are contradicted by the plainest Dictates of his Holy Word. And for a Pattern of this We may refer to Those who have been the greatest Disgrace to the Christian Name, and Reproach to the Chriftian Character, the Advocates for those infamous Barbarities practiced in the Romish Church. The Worship of God is not more clearly enjoined in the new Teftament, than Perfecution for the Sake of Religion is prohibited. We are enjoined to love all Men, to be kindly affectioned one towards another — in Meekness inftructing those that oppose themfelves. In what E

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