210 7 he Harmony of the 'Divine Attributes CHAP. XVII. 1he l'erfe8ion of Chri!l:'s Laws appeart hJ compari11g them witb tiJe l'recepu of Mofes. The Temple-Service war manag'd witb l'omp fi•itable tb tbe dlfpojition oftbe Jews, andtbe dtfpenfation of tbe Law. Tbe Cl~fiil:ian Service is l'ure and Spiritual. Tbe Levitical Ceremoniet and Orna;uents are ex· eluded from it, not only at unnecefJary, but inconjifttnt with its Spirituality. Tbe Obligatiun to the Rituals of Mofes it abolijb•d; to introduce real Rigb: teoufnefs. The Indulgence tif Polygamy and Divorce is takpz away by Cluifi, and Marriage reftored to its Primitive Purity. He cleared the Law from tbe darkoning Glolfes of the Pharifees: And enforced it by new Obligations. Tbe Law of Chrill: exceedt tbe Knlet wbich tbe higheft Mall:ers of Morality in the School of Nature ever prefcribed. Philofophy is defeCiive as to Piefy, and in feveral things c~ntrary to it. Philo~ophers delivered unworthy ConceptioriS of God. Phdofophy doth not en;oyn the Love of God, whi<b is the firll: and great Command of the Natural Law. Philofophers lay don·n the fervile Maxim, To comply with the common Idolatry. They arrogated to themfelves the l'raife of their Vertue and Happineft. Philofophy duth r.ot proponnd the Glory of God for the Supreme End of all Humane Aetions. l'hilofophy is defe8ive at to the Duties refpe8ing o11r felves and others. , It allows the Jirft Jinful motions of the lower Appeties. The Stoicks reno11nte tbe Paffions. l'hilofophy iufolficient to form the Soul to ·, Patience <tnd, ,Content under AffiiB:ions; and to [Hpport in the bour of Death. A RefleCtion ~tpon fome Immoral Maxims of the fe'lleral 6e8s of Philofophers. T HE PerfeCtions of the La.;,s o~ Chri£1 will furth;r appea~, by comparing them with the Precepts of Mofes, and wtth the Rules whiCh the htghefl Maflers of Morality in the School of Nature have prefcribed for the directing our ,Lives. The Gofpel ex, ceeds the Mofaicallnflitution: , r . In ordaining a Service that is pure, fpiritual, and div.ine, confifling in the Contemplation, Love and Praifes of God, fuch as the .holy Angels perform above. The Tem- ~~~fr~~~~ ~:~;~n.';fJ~h~i~~r~:rJ:i~~do~~~~~wMag~~:c~~~c~u~~~l~h~~ :~e;~i~~;~:: jlate, as St. Paul expreffesit: And that Age is rnore wrought on by Senfe than Reafon : For fuch is the fubordination of our Faculties, that the vegetative A~s, then thefe,zjitive, then the rational, as the Organs appointed for its ufe acquire Perfection. The Knowledge of the 1ews was obfcure and imperfetl:, and the external part of their Religion was ordered i n fuch a manner, that the Senfes were much alfefted. Their Ligh ts, Perfumes, Mulick and Sacrifices were the proper entertainment of their cxter11al Faculties. Belides, being encompafl with Nations whofe Service to their Idols was full of Ceremonies, to render the Temptation ineffeCtual, and take off from the efficacy of thofe Allurementswhich might feducethem to the imitation of Idolatry, God ordained his Service to be performed with great fplendour. Add further, the Di fpenfa tion of the Law was typical and myfterio~ts, repre[enting by vifible material ObjeCl:s, and their Power ro ravi!h the Senfes, Spiritual things, and their efficacy to work upon the Soul. But our Redeemer hath rent the Veil , and brought forth Heavenly things into a full Day, and the cl ea.- ell: Evidence. Whereas Mofcs was very exaCt in de[cribing the numerous Ceremoni es of the 1ewifo R.eligion, the quality of their Sacrifices, the Place, the Perfons by whom they muf't be prepared and prefented to the Lord : We are now commanded to drJ.w near ro God with cletutfod Hands and purified Hearts, twd that Afen pray every wbere, lifting up boly Htmds , 1Pithottt wrath ancl doubting . Every place is a Temple, and evtr}r Chrifl"ian a Priert, to offer up Spiritual lncenfe to God. The mort of the LevitiCitl Ceremonies and Ornaments are excluded from the Chrif\:iJ.n Se.rvice, no t only as unnece!Tary but incon fi~ !lent with its Spiritualnefs : As Paint, they corrnpt the native Beauty of ftel igion. The Apojlle tell s us, that humane Eloquence was not uled in the firfl preachi ng of the Gofpel, I M
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