T!Je Harrn01ry of tbe 'Divine Attributes ~ ou; Faculti es are natural ,' they thought the firfl ivlotions to for bidden Objetls, that are P· 17. llOJVerfal 10 the beft as well as worn, to be nattmtLDefires, not the Irregularities of Lnf't. \./'V"\..J Accordingly all their Precepts reach no further t han the Counfe ls of the Heart ; but the Defires and1Motions of the lower Faculties, though very culpable, are left by them indlffer~ nr. So that 'ns evident that many Defilements and Stain s are in their purgative Vertues. , , o.: The Stoicfv not being abl e to reconcile the Paflions with Re1fon , wholly reno unced them. Their Philofophy is like the River i n Thracc, . For by a Fitlion of Fancy they turn their vertuous Perfon in to a Statue, that feelS neither the Inclinations of Love, nor the Averfi ons of Hatr ed ; that is not touch:d with Joy or Sorrow; that is exempt from Fears and Hopes. The render and mel ting AffeCtions of N.1 ture toward~.the Mife.ry of others, they intirely ex tingui fh as unbecoming perfect Venue.. Tlwy attnbute Wtfdom to none, hut whom they rob o f Humanity. Now, as 'tis the ordmary effect of Folly to run into one e xtreme by a,·oiding another, fo 'tis mofl vifibl y here. For the Affetlions are not lik e poifonous Plants to be erad ica ted ; but as wild, to be cultivated. They were at firfl fer in the frefh Soil ofMan"s Nature by the Hand of God. And the Scripture defcribes the Divine Perfetlions, and the Atlions proceh ling from them, by Terms borrowed from Humane Affeflions, which RTOv es them to be innocent in their own Nature. P!utarch obferves when Lymrgus commanded to cut up all the Vines in Sparta to prevent Drun~ennefs, he 010uld rather have made Fountains by them to allay the heat of the Wines, and make them beneficia l : So true Wifdom r~:~c~:~~~\Vfi~ft~!~dr~~\~n~d~ ;~~Sefn~h~e~~~~l9?r~mn~!r~~aldt~fl~~r.i:~:rob;:d:, ~~uei are excellently ferviceable. As Reafon is to guid e the Affetlious, fo they are to excite Reafon, whofe Operations would be languid wit hout them. The Natures that are purely Spiritual, as the Angels, have an Underflandi ng fo clear, as fuddenly to difcover in Objetls their Qualities, and to feel their Efficacy : but Man is compounded of two Natures, and the Matter of his Body obfcures the Light of his Mind, that he cannot make fuch a full difcovery of Good or Evil at the firfl view, as may be requi!ite ro quicken his purfuit of the one, and flight from the other. Now the Affetlions awaken the vigour of the Mind, to make an earnefl Application to its Objetl. They are as the Winds, which although fometimes tempefluous, yet are necelfary to convey the Ship to the Port. So that 'tis contumelious to the Creator, and injurious to the Humane Nature, to take them away as abfolutely vifcious. The Lord Jefu s, who was Pure and Perfetl:, exprefs"d all humane Affetlions according to the quality of the Objetls prefented to him: and his Law requires us not to mortify, but eo purify, confecrate and employ t hem for fpi ritual and honourable Ufes. 4· Philofophy is ineffeltual by all its Rules to fo rm the Soul to true Patience and Contentment under Sufferings. Now confidering th e variety and greatnefs of the Changes and Calamities to which the prefent Life is obnoxio'Us, there is no Ver tue more necetfary. And if we look into the World before Ch riflianity had reformed the Thoughts and Language of Men, we fhall difcover their miferable Errors upon the account of the feeming Confufion in humane Affairs, the unequ al diflribution of temporal G(>ods a~d Evils here below. If the Heathensfaw Jnjufiice triumph over Innocence, an d Crimes worthy of the feverefl Punifhment crown'd witC. P rofperity; if a young Man died, who in their ef1:eem deferved to live for ever, and a viciou s perfon lived an Age, who was unworthy to be born, they complained that rhe World was not governed according to Righteoufnefs, but rafh Fortune or blind Fate ru led all. As the Phari{ee in the Gofpel, fee ing the Woman that had been a notorious Sinne r fokindly received by Chrifl, fa id within himfelf, If thi< Man were a Prophet he would know who it ir that toucher him : So they concluded, if there were a Providence that did fe e and take care of fublunary things, that did not only permit but difpofe of all Affairs, it would make a vifible diflintlion between the Verruousand the Wicked. 'Tis true, God did not leave the Gentiles without a witnefl of himfelf; for fomerimes the Reafons of his Providence, in the great Chan ges of the World, were fo confpicu- ~v~~h ~~~~~~:Yw~~~~~~ircg~~~:np;J'v~~~nt~~ ~~;~t~~~il~~a~n~isn~~:~r~:~n:nd~~em~;~~~~ rhofe rhat were clear, lhould have induc'd them ro believe the }uflice and Wifdom of thofe they could not comprehend . As Socrater ha\•ingread a Book of Heraclitur, (Vid. Drog.
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