Hugo Grotius · 42 of 132

SECT. XI. The exceeding purity of its precepts, with respect to the worship of God.

ANOTHER thing, in which the Christian religion exceeds all other religions that ever were, are, or eau be imagined, is the exceeding purity and holiness of its precepts, both in those things which concern the worship of God, and also in all ether particulars. The rites of the heathens, almost all over the world, were full of cruelty; as Porphyry has largely shewn; and as we are convinced, by those in our age, who have sailed to those places. For it is an established principle, almost every where, that the gods are to he pacified with human blood; which custom neither the Greek learning, nor the Roman laws, abolished: as appears from what we read concerning sacrifices offered up to Bacchus Omesta, amongst the Greeks; concerning a Grecian man and a Grecian woman, and concerning a man and woman amongst the Gauls, that were sacrificed to Jupiter Latialis. And the most holy mysteries, both of Ceres and of Bacchus, were full of lewdness; as was plain, when once the secrets of their religion began to be publicly discovered; as is at large declared by Clemens Alexandrinus, and others. And there were such sights shewn upon those days, that were consecrated to the honour of their gods, that Cato was ashamed to be present at them. In the Jewish religion, indeed, there was nothing unlawful or immoral; but to prevent that people, who were prone to idolatry, from revolting from the true religion, it was burthened with many precepts, concerning things that were in themselves neither good nor bad: such as the sacrifices of beasts, circumcision, strict rest on the sabbath day, and the forbidding many sorts of meats; some of which the Mahometans have borrowed, and added to them a prohibition of wine. But the Christian religion teaches us to worship God, who is a most holy Being, with a pure mind, and with such actions as are in their own nature virtuous, if they had not been commanded. Thus, it does not bid us to circumcise our flesh, but our desires and affections: not to abstain from all sorts of works, but only from all such as are unlawful: not to offer the blood and fat of beasts in sacrifice to God; but, if there be a just occasion, to offer our own blood for a testimony of the truth: and whatever share of our goods we give to the poor, we are to look upon as given to God: not to forbear certain kinds of meat or drink, but to use both of them with such temperance as may most secure our health; and sometimes, by fasting, to render our bodies more subservient to the mind, that it may with more freedom advance itself towards higher objects. But the chief part of religion is every where declared to consist in such a godly faith, by which we may be framed to such a sincere obedience, as to trust wholly upon God, and have a firm belief of his promises; whence arises hope, and a true love both of God and of our neighbour, which causes obedience to his commands; not a servile obedience, proceeding from the fear of punishment, but because it is well-pleasing to him, and because he is our Father, and rewarder, out of his exceeding goodness towards us. And we are commanded to pray, not to obtain riches or honours, and such other things, which many have desired to their own hurt; but, in the first. place, for such things as are for the glory of God; and so much only for ourselves of those perishable things as nature requires, permitting the rest to Divine Providence; being contented, which way soever they happen: but for those things that lead to eternity we are to pray with all earnestness, viz. for pardon of our past sins, and for the assistance of the Spirit for the future; that, being established firmly against all threats and temptations, we may continue on in a godly course. This is the worship of God required by the Christian religion, than which certainly nothing can be conceived more worthy of him.