228 on the Exstllency of the Soul. cellentfouls,for that is the bell part of man. But fifthly , If the foul: of man bee fo excellent , Oh let us biefs God for =fouls ,' . biefs God , I fay , tb:.,t bath given unto you thefe immortal fouls that are of fo great a v orth : 'Oh what caufe have every one of you to biefs God that hee did not make you a Toad , a Dog , a Snake, that hee did not make you any vile brute creature, but that when you were before him in the common lump out of which God made his creatures:, that hee would rather choofe you to bee one thatfhould have an immortal foul, fo precious,rather than to bee a brute creature ? Biefs God, I fay for this, for by this means, Frrft, You are looked upon by the Angels themfelves, with honour, and with;refpe I, till fuch time as the Angels certainly knowyour Reprobation, and that you bee fens down to hell Though you bee wicked for the prefent, and your fouls bee defiled , yet the Angels know nothing but that thefe fouls, though now much fallen from God , may bee fuch as may live with them to injoy eternal communi- on with God together widh them , and therefore they. look upon you withrhonour. And the providence of God it is more towards you,than towards any other creature in the world. Doth God take care for Oxen? faith the - Scripture : True , the providence of God it is over all his works there is not the leaft worm that flits without his providence. _, I, but Both God -take care for Oxen ?. that is, as if die Holy Ghoft there fhould fay, the providence of God over other creatures, it is nothing in comparifon of that it is over the fpirits of men, over chofe that have immortal fouls When God looks upon the creature , that bee' bath. given an immortal foul too, why faith' God, My Providence (hall in a fpecial manner bee over this foul : And certainly the thoughts of God have been from all eternity working toward chofe chat have immortal fouls, in a. more fpecial manner than to- wards any of his, óther creatures ; how ever you think of God , yet that is certain , God bath had his thoughts to- wards
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