Inviſibility and Unity of his Nature, and his ſole diſpoſal of Events here below. It preſcribed a Service or his own immediate Direction; and enforced their Compliance by Promiſes and Threatnings of ſuch Temporal Good and Evil, as, by being heretofore erroneouſly aſcribed to falſe imaginary Deities, was the very Ground and Support of all the Pagan Idolatry and Superſtition. It induced ſuch Ceremonies, as might at once carry ſignificint Intimations of inward Purity, and ſtand for indelible Marks, whoſe Peculiar they were. It led them to, and prepared them for, Chriſt and the Myſteries of his Bleſſed Goſpel, by ſuch Emblems and Shadows of better things to come, as, the Corruptions of that Age would admit, and the Condition of that People rendred. practicable and proper: And, Laſtly, It required, as one indiſpenſable Act of Obedience, that every Man ſhould frequently meditate upon, diligently read, and be perefctly well verſed in, the ſeveral Parts of this Law, that could be ſuppoſed at any time to fall within the Compaſs of his Practice.
2. The Virtues of Sobriety, Temperance, Chaſtity, and all the Moral Perfections reducible to That, which Divines uſe to diſtinguiſh by the Duty to our ſelves, were provided for; Not only by thoſe Precepts of the Decalogue relating to this matter; (the Reaſon and Obligation whereof are Univerſal and Perpetual) but alſo by several of the Ceremonial Inſtitutions particular to this People. The Frequency and Solemnity of their Faſts, The Prohibition of ſundry ſorts of Meats, The Abſtinence from Pleaſures otherwiſe lawful and innocent, enjoined upon many Occaſions, all tended to correct that Proneneſs to Luxury and Exceſs in ſenſual Enjoyments, ſo viſible in, but withal ſo injurious to, the preſent corrupt State of Humane Nature. All helped to beget a juſt Contempt and Deteſtation of that Licentiouſneſs which ſinks Men into Brutes; and yet had gained ſuch Credit with the reſt of the degenerate World, as even to be adopted into their Offices of Religion; And ſo to repreſent that their Duty and their Glory, which was in truth the higheſt Aggravation of their Sin and Reproach.
