Page:The Hardships of the English Laws in Relation to Wives. Bodleian copy.pdf/70

, to hinder their Perception of, and compliance with Truth. And to us, who lie under the unhappy Byas of a Nature depraved by original Sin, and the Dominion of o many vagrant Affections, which continually cloud the Undertanding and tir up the Will to rebel, poitive Commands were abolutely necesary, even to put us in a Condition of perceiving and practiing moral Virtues, by bending and ubduing the Will, rectifying and weakening the Affections and Appetites, that they might be left able to pervert, and impoe upon the Undertanding.

I believe it would be eaie to hew, that this has always been God's Method of Proceeding, by applying to the Will according as he aw Occaion. The Jews being a Stiff-necked, pervere People, and almot all Will, had their religious Worhip encompaed, and fenced round with outward obervances, many of which there appears no Reaon to have kept, but as they were the direct Command of their divine Legilator. As Chrit's Coming was foretold at the Time of the Cure, and he being deigned to root out, and detroy the whole Body of Sin; and the Seat of Sin being in the Will, it was neceary under his Dipenation alo, that there hould be Laws which bore ticular