EffeB of Divine Wifi'om and GJodnefs. 3~ ward Glory and Beauty ofit. And both thefe were nothing, or had nothing in them, but only what they before propo· fed and reprefented ofChtifr, God manifefled in theflejh~The ·Promife was concerning him; and the Infritutions ofWor– ihip did only reprefent him. So the Apoflle declares it, (of. 2. I7· ·Wherefore as all the Religion that was in the world after the fall was built on the Promife of this Work of God in due time to be accomplifhed, Jo it is the aCtual per– formance of it, which is the Foundation of Chrifiian Reli-. gion, and which gives it the preheminence above all that _went before it. So the Apofile expreifeth it, Heb. r. I, 2, ~. God who at, &c. Allfalfe Religion pretended alwaies unto things that wer~ m)flerious. And the more men co.uld invent, or the Devil fuggeil: that had an Appearance of that nature, as fundry things were fo introduced horrid and dreadful, the more ' Reverence and Efieem were reconciled unto it. But the whole compafs of the craft of Satan, and the Imaginations ofmen, could never extend it felf unto the leafi Re1emblance of this ,Myfiery. ·And it is not amifs conjeCtured, that the Apofile in his defcription of it, I Tim. 3· I6. did refleCt upon, and condemn the vanity of the Eleujjnian lV!Jfleries, which were of the greateil: vogue and reputation among the Gentiles. Take away the confideration hereof, -and we defpoil Chri– fl:ian Religion of all its Glory, debaGng it unto what Mahu~ metifm pretends unto, and unto what in Juclaifm was really enjoyed. . The Faith of this Myfiery ennobles the mind wherein it is, rendring it fpiritual and heavenly, tr~nsforming it into the Image of God. Herein coniifis th~ excellency offaith .above all other Powers and ACts of the foul, that it receives, aiTents unto, and refis in things in their own nature abfo-· .lutely incoinpreheafihle. It is ~1\~yx®-- oJ t3~>-~7ropvivwv, , He6 .
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=