242 on the Excellency of the Soul. pereffes of their bodies.. 4rnbrofe faid of Iralentinian, No man was ever fuch a fervant to his Mailer, as Valentinians body was to his foul ; Bring your bodies down, and therein you will thew the grease(} love unto your fouls. 3. And further, Adorn your fouls, labour to put come - linefs and beauty upon them as much as you can, and therein you will fhew love and refpe6 to them : Adorn them with thofe graces that may make them amiable and lovely in the eyes of God himfelf, in i Pet.s.s. Bee cloathed with humility. Thofe that underfland the Greek language, know it to bee -a word that lignifies a drefs that Gentle- women ufe t6 hive their heads with ribauds , fuch, as they did ufe to wear in thofe dayes , and fo they thought themfelves very comely , and the Apoftle alludes to thole kìnde of dreffes. Oh humility is the fineft drefs for a wo- man in the world, and fo for nien too. The fineft cloaths that you can put upon you is the cloaths of humility ; and fo any grace of Gods Spirit it is the cloathing of the foul : Oh therefore thew your love unto your fouls by labour - ing to deck - and adorn them with fuch cloathing as this is. 4. And fhew your love to your fouls by providing for . them, while God affords means, labour to underfcand the want of your fouls_, and be willing to bee at any charge and colt for the good of them : If your head ake , or you have any little pain in any of your members , how do you Peek out, and are willing to bee at a great deal of charge that you may have cafe for your bodies ? now feek out for your fouls, the.one is a 4n that you love your bodies well, and the other will bee a fign that you love your fouls: as well. S. And then thew love to your fouls in the excellency of them, in things that are fuitable to them,in converfing with God and Jefus Chritf, with the myfleries of the Gofpel , and withheavenly things. 6. Shew your love to them in labouring to bring them to the attaining of that end that they were made: for , the utter-
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