To conclude, Were I to define _Superstition_ more generally according to the ancient sense of it, I would call it _Such an apprehension of God in the thoughts of men, as renders him grievous and burdensome to them, and so destroys all free and cheerfull converse with him; begetting in the stead thereof a forc’d and jejune devotion, void of inward Life and Love._ It is that which discovers itself _Pædantically_ in the worship of the Deity, in anything that makes up but onely the _Body_ or _outward Vesture_ of Religion; though then it may make a mighty bluster; and because it comprehends not the true Divine good that ariseth to the Souls of men from an _internall frame_ of Religion, it is therefore apt to think that all its _insipid devotions_ are as so many _Presents_ offered to the Deity and _gratifications_ of him. How _variously_ Superstition can discover and manifest itself, we have intimated before: To which I shall only adde this, That we are not so well rid of _Superstition_, as some imagine when they have expell’d it out of their Churches, expunged it out of their Books and Writings, or cast it out of their Tongues, by making Innovations in names (wherein they sometimes imitate those old _Caunii_ that _Herodotus_ speaks of, who that they might banish all the forrein Gods that had stollen in among them, took their procession through all their Country, beating and scourging the Aire along as they went;) No, for all this, _Superstition_ may enter into our chambers, and creep into our closets, it may twine about our secret Devotions, and actuate our Formes of belief and Orthodox opinions, when it hath no place else to shroud itself or hide its head in; we may think to flatter the Deity by these, and to bribe it with them, when we are grown weary of more pompous solemnities: nay it may mix it self with a seeming Faith in Christ; as I doubt it doth now in too many, who laying aside all sober and serious care of true Piety, think it sufficient to offer up their Saviour, his Active and Passive Righteousness, to a severe and rigid Justice, to make expiation for those sins they can be willing to allow themselves in. ON THE FACE WHICH APPEARS ON THE ORB OF THE MOON A DIALOGUE INTRODUCTION