*Now this _middle way_, hath neither scripture, nor sense in it: for an _occasional_ influence, or concurrence, is as absurd, as an _occasional_ God. For an occasional _influence_ of the Spirit upon us, supposes an occasional _absence_ of the spirit from us. For there could be no such thing, unless God was sometimes with us, and sometimes not, sometimes doing us good, as the God of our life, and sometimes doing us no good, but leaving us to be good from ourselves.――Occasional influence necessarily implies all this blasphemous absurdity. Again, this _middle way_ of an _occasional influence_ supposes, that there is something of _man’s own_ that is good. But if there was any thing good in man, it could not be true, that there is only _one that is good, and that is God_. And was there any goodness in creatures, either in heaven, or on earth, but the _one goodness_ of the divine nature, living, working, and manifesting itself in them, as its created instruments, then good creatures, both in heaven and on earth, would have something else to adore, besides, or along with God. For goodness, be it where it will, is adorable for itself; if therefore any degree of it belonged to the creature, it ought to have a share of that same adoration, that is paid to the Creator. All religion is of _divine inspiration_, which being interpreted, is _Immanuel_, or God _with us_. Every thing short of this, is short of that religion, which worships God in Spirit and in truth. And every religious trust or confidence in any thing else, is but a sort of image-worship, which though it may deny the form, yet retains the power thereof in the heart. And he that places any religious safety, in theological decisions, scholastic points, in particular doctrines and opinions, about _faith, justification, sanctification, or election_, so far departs from the true worship of the living God, and sets up an _idol_ of notions, to be worshipped, if not instead of, yet along with him. And I believe, it may be taken for a certain truth, that every society of Christians, whose religion stands upon this ground, however ardent and laborious their zeal may be in such matters, yet in spite of all, sooner or later, it will be found that nature is at the bottom, and that a selfish, earthly pride in their own definitions and doctrines, will by degrees creep up to the same height, and do those very same things, which they exclaim against in Popes, Cardinals, and Jesuits. Nor can it be otherwise; for a letter-learned zeal has but one nature, wherever it is; it can only do that for Christians, which it did for Jews; as it antiently brought forth Scribes, Pharisees, Hypocrites, and Crucifiers of Christ, as it afterwards brought forth Popes, Papal decrees, images, anathemas, transubstantiation; so in Protestant countries, it will be doing the same thing, only with _other materials_; images of wood and clay, will only be given up for _images