Os the Excedlencye,tJbe Semi. 227 Senfe, for the body, why the brute- healks they have fenfe, they have flel'h and blood as well as wee, only wee dif- fer in chef rational immortal ibuls that Cod hatlr given to us; therefore fuch, ìvhofe fouls! are Bled with divine excellency, they are to bee mod honoured, theyare indeed the Lords and Ladies of the world; therefore the Scripture fpeaks of thofe, whofe out-fides were mean enough; in the latter end of the z ath. of the Hebrews , that wandered in íheep -skins and goat - skins; yet they were fuch as the world was not worthy of them. Indeed , a man of underitanding is of an excellent fpirit; wee read of the Ark, the outfide was of Badgers- skins, it had a poor and mean outfide, but within were the Cherubims, and Gold was within; And fo, many have very mean ourfides, but within there is a great deal of excellency; and others that have brave outfides, and well clad without, yet if : you look within them, oh what vile fouls have they l the heart of the wicked is little wonh, faith the Scripture ; Perhaps his Land may bee fomewhat ci'brth, and his Idoufe, but his heart is little worth; As ma- ny a man that bath perhaps a hand full of fores, yet may have a fine imbroidered Glove upon it; and a dunghill may bee ftrewed with herbs, and in the winter time filthy dung- hills you know are covered with white Snow, that in a fair frail)/ day look as gliilering as the Snow that is upon a fine Ivleddow, but 1 }ill nothing but filth So it is with many a man thatbath a fine outfide, covered ova itanay bee with a great many outward excellencies, but within their fpirits nothing but carrion, nothing but abominable (tuff that is thy and loathfome in the eyes of God ; as a fore legg may have a fine ftockinor boot upon it; and fo a fore -putrified foul may have a brave outfide upon it. But that God that is a Spirit, that looks unto Spirit, and th©fe men that know' what fpirttual excellency means , if they fee a man or wo- man have a filthy, defiled, corrupt foul , they cannot but elleem of them accordingly. Whatfoever the body, or the out =fide bee, tilde are the molly excellent in Godsefteein, and the holy Angels , and the Saints,that,have the moo -ex- F f 2 cel-
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