When We confider the extenfive Contrivance, and delicate Mechanifm-What Plans of Geometry*, have been laid; what Operations + of Chemiftry, are performed; in a Word, what Miracles of Art and Elegance are executed; in order to furnish Us with the neceffary Recruits, and the feveral Delights of Life-Is there not abundant Reason to cry out, with the fame inspired Writer; "How dear are thy Counfels unto me, O GOD! Thy <Counfels of creating Wifdom! Thou haft not "been fparing, but even lavifh of thy artificial "and elaborate Defigns. Thou haft omitted no "Expedient, which might establish my Eafe; en"large my Comfort; and promote, yea complete my bodily Happiness !" And is not this a most endearing Obligation, to present our Bodies a living Sacrifice, holy and acceptable to GOD? ८८ Should We not, every One, acknowledge with David? Thy Hands have made me, and fashioned me pray with David? O give me fpiritual Understanding and godly Zealand refolve with David? that I may learn and keep thy Commandments? What "Thou, LORD, haft, with fo much Curiofity "contrived, with so much Accuracy framed, and " with In the Muscles alone, fays Mr. RAY, there feems to be more Geometry, than in all the artificial Engines in the World. + Plans, Operations.-Job, fpeaking of the human Structure, ufes a Word expreffive of both thefe Ideas. Thy Hands have made me, fays our Tranflation. But the Original nagy fignifies abundantly more. It is applied to Artificers, who undertake fome curious and elaborate Work; which cofts them much Study, and great Pains. Much Study, to plan; and great Pains, to execute. Job x. 8. Rom. xii. 1. I! Pfal. cxix. 73. " with so much Liberality adorned, I would fain "devote to thy Glory. Never, O! never let me "debafe to the Drudgery of Satan, nor prostitute $5 to the Slavery of my Lufts, thofe Members and fothofe Faculties, on which Thou haft bestowed ❝ so much divine Coft and heavenly Skill. Let ❝ them all be Servants of Righteousness, and Inftru❝ments of Holiness. Let them all be Veffels of 6.6 Honour, fanctified and * meet for their indulgent "CREATOR's Service. That I may glorify "the great AUTHOR of Existence, with my "Body and with my Spirit, which are, as to Work"manship, Property, and Redemption, wholly Ther. With my Spirit-Ay; what is this Manfion of Flesh, though fo exquifitely wrought, compared with that fublime and immortal Inhabitant, which refides within?low the guitars. That intellectual Being ; • Those Thoughts, which wander through Eternity ‡! This Confideration inclines me to think, that, if the Cafket be fo highly polished, the Jewel cannot be fo exceffively coarfe, as my Afpafio's Doctrine of original Corruption supposes. Afp. I perceive your Aim, Theron. But muft beg leave, at prefent, to decline all Overtures for a Difpute. If my Arguments have failed, your Description has answered its End.-I cannot suffer my Thoughts to be diverted from a Subject, which is so very engaging, yet fo rarely difcuffed. I have fuch 2 Tim. ii. 21. +1 Cor. vi. 20. MILTON. a ftrong Defire to recollect and retain what has been obferved, that even your Converfation will, at this Juncture, lofe its Relifh. Here therefore I put a Period to our Difcourfe, and muft break away from your Company, in order to ruminate and digeft my Notions, in fome fequeftred lonely Walk. Unless You will permit me, before I retire, to make one Remark. And let it not ftartle my Friend, if I venture to fay, That, amidst all his curious Obfervations, He has forgot the principal Circumftance of Honour and Excellence, which dignifies the human Body. Ther. I have omited many fine and admirable Properties, I confefs. But fure I have not forgot the principal and most distinguishing. Afp. You need not be displeased with Yourself. It argues no Defect in your Differtation. The Circumftance I have in my View, could never be difcovered, by following the Diffecting-knife. It is learnt, not from Chefelden's Draughts, or the Tables of Albinus; but from the Word of Revelation. What I mean, is This--The human Body was exalted to a moft intimate and perfonal Union, with the eternal SON of GOD. He who decorated the Heaven with Stars, and crowned the Stars with Luftre; HE vouchfafed to be made Flesh, and was found in Fashion as a Man +.-Nay, this is, even now, the Apparel of that majestic and adorable PERSON. He is clothed with our Nature; He wears our very Limbs; and appears in the Drefs of Humanity, even at the Right-hand of GOD, and at the Head of all the heavenly Hofts. What John i. 14. † Phil. ii. 8. What think You of another Privilege, mentioned by the Apostle? Your Bodies are the Temple of the HOLY GHOST *. Not your Souls only, but your very Bodies, are the Shrine, in which the High and Holy ONE, that inhabiteth Eternity, condefeends to dwell. HE, who fitteth between the Cherubim, and walketh in the Circuit of the Skies, is pleased to fanctify thefe earthly Tenements, and to choose them for his own Habitation. Is not this a much grander Embellishment, than all their matchlefs Contrivance and masterly Workmanship? Juft as the Rod which budded, and the Manna which was miraculously preferved; the facred Oracle of Urim and Thummim; with the Cloud of Glory covering the Mercy-feat; were a much more eminent Diftinction to Solomon's Temple, than the most heightened Beauties of Architecture. Nor muft I omit the Dignity-the tranfcendent and amazing Dignity-which is referved for these Syftems of Flesh, at the Refurrection of the Just. They will then be refined and improved, into the moft perfect State, and the moft beauteous Form. Surpaffing whatever is refplendent and amiable inthe most ornamental Appearances of material Nature. They will be purer than the unfpotted Fir mament; brighter than the moft brilliant Stars; and, which exceeds all Parallel, which comprehends all Perfection, they will be made like unte CHRIST's glorious Body †. Like that incomparably glorious Body, which the blessed JESUS VOL. II. • 1 Cor. vi. 19. P Phil. iii. 21. wears wears, in his celestial Kingdom, and on his triumphant Throne *. When We add all these magnificent Prerogatives, which are revealed in Scripture, to all those inimitable Niceties, which are difplayed by Anatomists, what Thankfulness, what Admiration, can equal fuch a Profufion of Favours? When all thy Mercies, O my GOD, This is a Circumftance, rather inexpreffibly marvellous. Let the Chriftian, who, like the Writer of this Note, languishes under a fickly Constitution, think upon it with peculiar Attention, and with peculiar Pleasure.The Body of CHRIST is, if I mistake not, the noblest and most finished Part of the material Creation.-To have formed it in the Womb of the Virgin, is, perhaps, the strongest Proof of the Omnipotence and Divinity of the bleffed SPIRIT.-This Body ftands, as the First-born in the Family of GOD, poffeffing the Excellency of Dignity and the Excellency of Power.-In the Mount of Transfiguration, it" fhone like the Sun." To Saul, in his Journey towards Damafcus, it fhone" above the Bright nefs of the Sun." And who can tell how illuftriously, it will shine; when the Man CHRIST JESUS comes in the Clouds of Heaven, and takes his Seat on the great Tribunal ?-But this We can tell; of this We are fure ; that thefe Bodies of ours; though now (Couala rnS TATING:ws, Phil. iii. 21.) enfeebled by Sickness, polluted by Sin, and foon to be degraded in the Duft; that these very Bodies will, at our REDEEMER's Appearing, be exalted to the fame State of Purity and Perfection, the fame Life of Immortality and Glory, with his own.Bleffed be GOD for this delightful Hope! No Reftorative fo efficacious. No Cordial fo fovereign. 3 DIA |