2. The reference which it bears to this head; it is made a part of it, we are warily to distinguish between that which is Essential, and that is merely accidental, or a common adjunct: Man is to be considered, not only as he is Religious, but also as he is a man: and in this last respect, there are many things that are inseparable from his actions, and for that reason, are common to all both natural, civil, and religious: such as time, and place, and what else of like nature: and therefore their consideration in Religion is not Essential, but Accidental to it, and that have a mere civil respect in it: and are directed to by the Law of nature, and common prudence is to direct men in their usage of them; though these also, when they have a religious respect put on them, are made essential, and come under the things our Saviour here refers to: But a thing may then be said to be made a part of Worship, when it hath such an Holiness put upon it, as to be reputed ⟨image 6⟩a medium of our Communion with God? and this is not to be judged of, by what men say of it, but by the necessary consequence of the usage of it: of this nature were all the Observances of the Ceremonial Law of Old, & they continued to be such, till such time as Christ abolished them; and such was this usage which he here condemns in our Context: it was not the washing of their hands at meals, as it was a point of civility and outward cleanliness, that our Saviour was offended at, or would ever have found fault withal; but it was for their placing of a Ceremonial Holiness in this Tradition, thinking that God was a great deal more Honoured by them that did it, than by such as omitted it: which Opinion of their removed it from among Civils, and placed it among religious things.
2. The reference which it bears to this head; it is made a part of it, we are warily to distinguish between that which is Essential, and that is meerly accidental, or a common adjunct: Man is to be considered, not only as he is Religious, but also as he is a man: and in this last respect, there are many things that are inseparable from his actions, and for that reason, are common to all both natural, civil, and religious: such as time, and place, and what else of like nature: and therefore their consideration in Religion is not Essential, but Accidental to it, and that have a meer civil respect in it: and are directed to by the Law of nature, and common prudence is to direct men in their usage of them; though these also, when they have a religious respect put on them, are made essential, and come under the things our Saviour here refers to: But a thing may then be said to be made a part of Worship, when it hath such an Holiness put upon it, as to be reputed ⟨image 6⟩a medium of our Communion with God? and this is not to be judged of, by what men say of it, but by the necessary consequence of the usage of it: of this nature were all the Observances of the Ceremonial Law of Old, & they continued to be such, till such time as Christ abolished them; and such was this usage which he here condemns in our Context: it was not the washing of their hands at meals, as it was a point of civility and outward cleanliness, that our Saviour was offended at, or would ever have found fault withall; but it was for their placing of a Ceremonial Holiness in this Tradition, thinking that God was a great deal more Honoured by them that did it, than by such as omitted it: which Opinion of their removed it from among Civils, and placed it among religious things.
