3. Its purity above and beyond all other Religions, appears in this, That it forbids Evil, all Evil, nothing but Evil; it commands Good, whatsoever is Good, and nothing but Good, Isa. 1. Psal. 32.14 The Laws of Lycurgus among the Grecians, and Numa among the Romans, had somewhat of good in them, but not all prohibited, somewhat that was evil, but not all that was evil: But the Christian Religion is of a larger extent both in its Precepts and Prohibitions. I have seen an end of all Perfections, but thy Commandments are exceeding broad, Psal. 119.96. A man with the eye of his Body may behold an end of many worldly Perfections, of many ⟨p. 246⟩fair Estates, great Beauties, large Parts, hopeful Families; but a man with the eye of his Soul (for by Faith) may see an end of all earthly Perfections. He may see the World in a flame, and all its Pomp, and Pride, and Glory, and Gallantry, and Crowns, and Sceptres, and Riches, and Treasures, turned into ashes; he may see the Heavens passing away like a scroll, and the Elements melting with fervent heat, and the Earth with the things thereon consumed; and all its Perfections which men doted so much on vanished into smoke and nothing. It's easy to see to the end of all terrene Perfections, but its difficult, yea impossible to see to the end of Divine Precepts: But thy Commandments are exceeding broad. Of a vast Latitude, beyond our apprehension. They are so deep, that none can fathom them, Psal. 36.6. So high, that they are established in Heaven, Psal. 119.48. So long, that they endure for ever, 2 Pet. 1. And so broad, that none can measure them. They are not only broad, but exceeding broad. Higher than Heaven, longer than the Earth, broader than the Sea. The ⟨p. 247⟩Commands of God reach the inward parts, the most secret motions and retired recesses of the Soul: They reach all the privy thoughts. They pierce even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the Joints and Marrow, and discern the thoughts and intents of the heart, Heb. 4.12. They reach to all our Actions, to those that seem smallest and of less concernment, as well as to those that are greater, and of more concernment.
3. Its purity above and beyond all other Religions, appears in this, That it forbids Evil, all Evil, nothing but Evil; it commands Good, whatsoever is Good, and nothing but Good, Isa. 1. Psal. 32.14 The Laws of Lycurgus among the Grecians, and Numa among the Romans, had somewhat of good in them, but not all prohibited, somewhat that was evil, but not all that was evil: But the Christian Religion is of a larger extent both in its Precepts and Prohibitions. I have seen an end of all Perfections, but thy Commandments are exceeding broad, Psal. 119.96. A man with the eye of his Body may behold an end of many worldly Perfections, of many ⟨p. 246⟩fair Estates, great Beauties, large Parts, hopeful Families; but a man with the eye of his Soul (for by Faith) may see an end of all earthly Perfections. He may see the World in a flame, and all its Pomp, and Pride, and Glory, and Gallantry, and Crowns, and Scepters, and Riches, and Treasures, turn'd into ashes; he may see the Heavens passing away like a scroll, and the Elements melting with fervent heat, and the Earth with the things thereon consumed; and all its Persections which men doted so much on vanished into smoke and nothing. It's easie to see to the end of all terrene Perfections, but its difficult, yea impossible to see to the end of Divine Precepts: But thy Commandments are exceeding broad. Of a vast Latitude, beyond our apprehension. They are so deep, that none can fadom them, Psal. 36.6. So high, that they are established in Heaven, Psal. 119.48. So long, that they endure for ever, 2 Pet. 1. And so broad, that none can measure them. They are not only broad, but exceeding broad. Higher than Heaven, longer than the Earth, broader than the Sea. The ⟨p. 247⟩Commands of God reach the inward parts, the most secret motions and retired recesses of the Soul: They reach all the privy thoughts. They pierce even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit, and of the Joynts and Marrow, and discern the thoughts and intents of the heart, Heb. 4.12. They reach to all our Actions, to those that seem smallest and of less concernment, as well as to those that are greater, and of more concernment.
