The outward dress and garb of religion

(Thomas Brooks, "The Privy Key of Heaven" 1665)

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!
 You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you
 have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice,
 mercy and faithfulness." Matthew 23:23

Take heed of spending too much of your precious time about
circumstantials, about the minor things of religion—as "mint,
dill, and cummin;" or in searching into the circumstances of
worship, or in standing stoutly for this or that ceremony, or
about inquiring what fruit it was which Adam ate in paradise,
or in inquiring after things which God in His infinite wisdom
has concealed.

It is one of Satan's great designs, to hinder men in the great
and weighty duties of religion, by busying them most about
the lowest and least matters of religion. Satan is never better
pleased, than when he sees Christians puzzled and perplexed
about those things in religion, which are of no great consequence
or importance. Such as are more busied about ceremonies, than
substances; about the form of godliness than the power. Such are
more taken up with the outward dress and garb of religion,
than they are with the spirit, power, and life of religion.

There cannot be a surer nor a greater character of a hypocrite,
than to make a great deal of stir about little things in religion, and
in the mean while, neglect the great and main things in religion.