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1. See we then what actions become Re∣ligion: Every thing that is unbeautiful, unseemly, is to be suspected as no part of Christianity.
Whether it be the Scabs and Leprosie of a vicious Life, or the Rottenness of Hypocrisie, or the Dawb and Paint of Superstition and Idolatry, the ascilitious and counterfeit Beauty of humane Inven∣tions, (so far as they are made parts of Religion, and are look't upon as of Ver∣tue
to commend us unto God) or the Moroseness and Unmannerliness of men in civil Conversation, or odd Gestures and unseemly Actions, or slovenly Ad∣dresses in the Divine Worship, or what∣ever else is of that kind in the matters of Religion, are certainly forreign, hete∣rogeneous, and spurious to the Gospel of our Saviour, which requires nothing from us but what is holy, just, and good, i. e. In our Language comely, decorous, and beautiful, and apt to set all Mankind in a handsome and pleasant dress: Perhaps 'tis not convenient to name the parti∣culars expresly which come under this Head. I leave it to the judgments of those who are discreet, impartial, and unprejudiced, to make Observati∣ons this way, and judge according to the Analogy of Faith; but this I am sure of, that many, even well-meaning per∣sons, forget themselves, and adopt such Principles and Practices into their Re∣ligion, as are in the judgment of any impartial and judicious Eye, of a Bastard kind, perfectly Aliens to the Common-VVealth of Israel, and have no affinity at all with the Gospel of our Saviour; and besides these, even the best of us all sometimes through the imperfection of our holiness, the weakness of our Gra∣ces,
the strength and predominacy of of the Old Man, do act such things as shed an Ignominy and Disgrace upon our Profession, and represent it unlove∣ly and untaking with the World: And as for those Artificial Embellishments which the superstitious Votary makes use of to curl his Religion with, let us remember how we take upon us to add with our Inventions to the naked purity of Divine Institution, and let us be asraid of being shortly asked by the Dreadful and Jealous God, that Que∣stion—Who hath required these things, &c.
2. This may seem to reprove those, who are so far from aiming at any Beauty in Religion, that they are in good earn∣est the fo, &c. The Scum and Sweepings, the Botches and Leprosie of the Churches of God; which make, as the Patriarch said of his Sons, — the ve∣ry Name of Religion stink in the Nostrils of the Inhabitants of the land; that lye like Mountains and Affirghtments in the way of coming Proselytes, to terrifie and deterr men from coming into the Church, and espousing Holiness, and falling in love with our Religion; and I will not stick to say, that almost all
the Schisms amongst us are owing to these ill Men, these Judas's, that betray their Saviour; these Spots in our Feasts, in our Feasts of Charity; these Scan∣dals and Stumbling blocks, deformed and disfigured Christians that are a∣mong us! Sirs, what do ye mean, nei∣ther to glorifie God, nor his Gospel, nor your selves! to strike at the Repu∣tation of Holiness, and make a blot upon your Creed with the Carelesness of your Lives! to defile your own Souls, and make your Names rot, and (more than that) to expunge them quite out of the Book of Life! and which is a yet greater aggravation to your sin, to do what ye can to render Religion odi∣ous and disgraceful to others; to pour∣tray it in hateful Colours and a Mon∣struous shape, and so neither go to Heaven your selves, nor suffer them that would to enter in.
3. Let us be exhorted, if we have con∣tracted any blemish or desilement upon our Souls by sin, if we have in any respect marr'd the Beauty of our Religion, let us make hast to wash in the Blood of that Immaculate Lamb that takes away the sins of the World, &c. to purge our Consciences, and rinse our Souls, and
put on the Robe of Christ's Righeous∣ness to hide our shame and nakedness, that it may no more appear either to the eyes of God, or the World, or our own Consciences; let us wash and be clean, and being once sanctified, let us henceforth endeavour to keep our Garments unspotted.
Directions to this purpose:
1. Let us often look our Faces in the Glass of God's Law, James 1. 23. else we may be deformed, and not know it: St. Paul — I had not known sin, but by the Law, &c. Let us search our Beauties with a curious Eye, and take heed least we take Spots, black Patches, Moles, and Morphew, for any parts of our Beau∣ty: Let us beware of being Wise, and Holy, only in our own conceits. Self∣deceit is a common imposture in this case, and how often do we see Men de∣fending the grossest Errors and greatest Vices with the strongest vigour and greatest Zeal, and all this through Ig∣norance, and want of consulting the Glass sufficiently: Ye do err, not know∣ing the Scripture. This is the only Rule to judge aright of Beauties by.
2. Let us often go into the Company
of those that excell in Spiritual Beauty: Let the Excellent of the Earth be our Companions, and the best of Men our dearest Associates: Let us say with the Blessed, Psal. 101. 3, 4, &c. and if we do so, by keeping Company with wise Men we shall learn Wisdom, and by often conversing with Holy Men we shall understand mor eof Holiness and Sanctity than we did before; we shall learn by their dress how to dress our selves better, and by their defects be admonished to beware.
3. Let us beware of any thing that may soil our beauty: Let not the Sun look upon us, the Sun of Temptation, Sin, the World, and Vanity, which have too much influence upon us; and of Affli∣ction also, for that likewise is apt to shade our Beauty, and make our Servi∣ces deformed, and our Graces uncome∣ly to the Eyes of the World, and to our selves also.
4. Let us acknowledge with thankfulness whence all our Beauty is derived, Psal. 149. 4. 'Tis He that gives us all our fine Robes, that decks our Souls out with the Graces of his Spirit, that pours his Goodness and Mercy upon us, and makes
us shine with the Beauty of his own Coun∣tenance; and therefore let us be still humble, and give him the Praise of all that little good that appears in us — Not unto us — but to his Name give Glory, &c. let us Pray still for more Grace to be poured out upon us, that our Light may shine every day clearer and brighter, 'till it come to a perfect day; 'till we arrive at that blessed state where our Faces shall shine as the Sun in the Fir∣mament, and all our Graces, which be now but in the bud, veil'd over with the Infirmity of Humane Nature, and clouded with the remainders of our old Man, be ripen'd into a Compleat Glory, an accomplish'd and unfading Beauty: And then shall that Song be sung in good earnest, Isa. 59. 1. Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion, put on thy beautfiul Garments, O Jerusalem, the Ho∣ly City, for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.