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bits, to hinder their Perception of, and compliance with Truth. And to us, who lie under the unhappy Byaſs of a Nature depraved by original Sin, and the Dominion of ſo many vagrant Affections, which continually cloud the Underſtanding and ſtir up the Will to rebel, poſitive Commands were abſolutely neceſſsary, even to put us in a Condition of perceiving and practiſing moral Virtues, by bending and ſubduing the Will, rectifying and weakening the Affections and Appetites, that they might be left able to pervert, and impoſe upon the Underſtanding.
I believe it would be eaſie to ſhew, that this has always been God's Method of Proceeding, by applying to the Will according as he ſaw Occaſion. The Jews being a Stiff-necked, perverſe People, and almoſt all Will, had their religious Worſhip encompaſſed, and fenced round with outward obſervances, many of which there appears no Reaſon to have kept, but as they were the direct Command of their divine Legiſlator. As Chriſt's Coming was foretold at the Time of the Curſe, and he being deſigned to root out, and deſtroy the whole Body of Sin; and the Seat of Sin being in the Will, it was neceſſary under his Diſpenſation alſo, that there ſhould be Laws which bore par-
