2.86 on the Excellency of the Soul. Lif.e. of ours thatbee hath given unto us that is our worfbip; that is the nature of worlhip, :The _tendering up fome- thing by way of homage, CO acknowledge that due refpefl wee owe unto God, as that -Lord that hash the abfolute difpofe of us; now by negledl of woríhipping of God, of tendering up his homage, thou forfeited thy foul, and in dangereil thy felf to perith eternally ; and oh how few people regard any fuch worthip of God! and though they do the thing that God requires, as praying, and coming to hear the Word, yet do they not do it as in a way of ten- dering up homage to that God , upon whom they do onely depend; but now this is that which God requires of us, or otherwife our fouls are forfeited. Secondly, Men forfeit their fouls by breaking covenant with God; however there may bee fome that God will not take the forfeiture of, yet certainly upon thy breach cif covenant with God thy foul is forfeited : Thou doll ingage thy foul to God every time thou doll enter into covenant with him ; It may bee faid of any man or woman that en- ters into covenant with God, who is this that hath ingaged his foul to God ? now thou ingaging and binding thy foul to God in thy covenant, upon thy breach of it, dealing falfely, thou doll forfeit thy foul : And by thefe feveral Waies fouls are loll; and oh how many thoufand fouls perifia with fuch wales and manners as ahefe are ? sand therefore feeing there are fuch feveral waies. of the lofs of fouls, let not people think themfelves fafe, though they do not go in fome,waies whereby they may come to lofe their fouls ;for there are very many waies whereby thou mayell lofe thy foul, and fo mifcarry to eternity. The other life that remains, is this, If the lofs of our fouls bee fo dreadful athipg,, and there bee fo many wales for the_lofng of them, then it concerns us neerly to exa- mine whether wee bee not in fuch a condition for the pre - fent, that if our fouls thould depart our of our bodies, they would certainly bee loll ; this is a needful fcrutiny, and a moll nece`.faryinquirt': Many men have thefe thoughts, what
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=