The harmony of the divine attributes in the contrivance and accomplishment of man's redemption…

3. The Pomp of the Pagan Worship was very pleasing to the flesh. The Magnificence of their Temples adorned with the Trophies of Superstition, their Mysterious Ceremonies, their Music, their Processions, their Images and Altars, their Sacrifices and purifications, and the rest of the Equipage of a carnal Religion, drew their respects and strongly affected their Minds through their Senses: Whereas the Religion of the Gospel is Spiritual and serious, holy and pure, and hath nothing to move the Carnal part. Now how difficult was it to overcome Paganism when fortified by Custom, Antiquity, and so agreeable to Sense.

3. The Pomp of the Pagan Worship was very pleasing to the flesh. The Magnificence of their Temples adorn'd with the Trophies of Superstition, their Mysterious Ceremonies, their Musick, their Processions, their Images and Altars, their Sacrifices and purifications, and the rest of the Equipage of a carnal Religion, drew their respects and strongly affected their Minds through their Senses: Whereas the Religion of the Gospel is Spiritual and serious, holy and pure, and hath nothing to move the Carnal part. Now how difficult was it to overcome Paganisme when fortified by Custom, Antiquity, and so agreeable to Sense.

2. The depravation of Manners was such in the Heathen World, that if the unclean Spirits had been incarnate, and taken their residence among Men, they could not have acted worse Villainies. The whole Earth was covered with Abominations, as Egypt with the Frogs that poisoned the whole Climate. We may see a picture of their conversation in the first to the Romans. And it could not be otherwise; ⟨p. 435⟩For as the Apostle saith, Those who are drunk are drunk in the night. So when the Mind is darkened with Ignorance and Error, the Affections are corrupted, and Men give up themselves to the unfruitful works of darkness. Unnatural Crimes were committed even among the Grecians and Romans with that liberty, as if no spark of common Reason had remained in them. The most filthy Lusts had lost the fear and shame that naturally attends them. They esteemed those things to be the means to obtain Happiness, that were causes of the contrary. They placed their Sovereign Good in extreme Evil, i. e. sinful Pleasures.