SER M. ever, upon the Principles laid down in this VI. Difcourfe, admit the Neceffity and Ufe of Prayer in the Cafe of particular Persons, can hardly fail to acknowledge the Propriety and Advantage of focial and publick Devotion, and to look upon the Contempt, or Neglect of it, as a Thing very inexcufable.

SER

SERMON VII.

The Nature, various Kinds, Caufes, and evil Confequences of Superftition; with Reasons for guarding against it, and the Methods of preventing, or remedying it.

ACTS XVII, 22.

Then Paul flood in the Midft of Mars-Hill, and faid, ye Men of Athens, I perceive that in all Things ye are too Superftitious.

T

HE Charge which St. Paul here SER M. advances against the Athenians, VII. might, perhaps, always have been,

and may ftill, with too much Truth, be brought against the greatest Part of Mankind. A Proneness to Superftition, is plainly one of those Weakneffes which are most incident to human Nature, from which even great Degrees of Understanding and Wisdom are not always fufficient wholly to N 2 exempt

SPRM. exempt us. If a pure and rational DevoVII. tion was to have been found univerfally taking Place in any Part of the World, it might very reasonably have been expected in Athens, which in St. Paul's Time, and long before it, was the principal Seat of Philofophy and Learning, and of all polite and liberal Education; but notwithstanding this Advantage, we find that the People of this celebrated City, according to the Apostle's Account of them, which is the fame with that which has been given. of them by other ancient Writers, were fallen into a moft abfurd and grofs Superftition, having for the moft part no clear and diftinct Notions of the true God of the Universe, being always ready to increase and multiply their Deities, and to receive even unknown Beings into the Number of them, and to make ufe of any vain or immoral Rites for pleafing and honouring thefe Deities, which their weak Apprehenfions and idle Fears fuggefted to them. As therefore a Propenfity to Superftition is an Infirmity fo common to Mankind, and as it is withal a Thing of very dangerous Tendency, it may be of great Ufe to put Men upon their Guard against the Prevalence of it in their Minds; or, if they are already

in

any Measure infected with it, to deliver SER M. them from it by proper Inftructions and VII. Directions.

That I may contribute a little to this End, I fhall in the following Discourse take these several Things into Confideration.

I. The Nature, various Kinds, and ufual
Causes of Superftition.

II. The evil Tendency and unhappy Con-
fequences of it.

III. The Reasons which fhould make us
guard against it, and oppose it.

IV. The Methods of preventing or reme-
dying it. After which I fhall make a
few general Reflections upon
this Subject.

I. I fhall confider the Nature, various Kinds, and ufual Caufes of Superftition. Superstition is a Word which has not one precife and determinate Signification, and it would be hard to give any Definition of this Term, which would comprehend the several Things to which it is applied*. It N 3 denotes

*Superftition, according to the Propriety of the Original Word, fignifies the Worship of Demons, or the Souls of dead Men And indeed Idolatry, in this, and every other Form of it, is Superftition. But there is a more general Notion of Superftition, both in ancient and modern Writers, which includes the feveral Species of falfe Devotion,

SERM. denotes different Difpofitions and Affections VII. of Mind, the Nature of which will be best understood, by confidering the feveral Kinds of Superftition which have prevailed among Mankind. The Foundation of all Superstition feems indeed to be laid in false or unworthy Notions of that Power which governs the Universe, and upon the Exercife of which the Happiness or Mifery of Men depends. But as thefe falfe Notions have been different in the Minds of Men, they have given Rife to different Kinds and Inftances of Superftition. Thus, an Apprehenfion that the Being, or Beings, fupposed to be concerned in the Government of the World, were fevere and cruel, arbitrary and tyrannical in their Adminiftration, delighting in the Torments and Mifery of Mankind, has often begot a most flavish Fear and Dread of them, which has urged the Perfons poffeffed with this Fear to the most impious and inhuman Practices for appeafing the Wrath of these Beings, and entitling Themfelves to their Protection

and

or the various Affections which arife in Men towards real or imaginary Beings, falfely fuppofed to be Divine, according to the Conceptions which they have of their Nature and Qualities; or towards the true God, from a mistaken, or unworthy Conception of fome Part of his Character. And in this largest and most extenfive Senfe, Superftition is treated of in this Difcourfe.