On the Excellency of the Soul. nous work of God in the covenant of Grace, in thofe great counfels of God, and great things that God bath done for the falvation of mankind in Jefus Chrith, that foul would bee loft, if it fhoald now go from the body, and no fur- ther work of God upon it: That Scripture that divers times you have heard named, is proof fufficient for it; If our Gof- pet bee hidden,- it is hidden to thofe that are loft, 2 Cor. 4. 3. Now certainly, my brethren, if God hath revealed to your fouls the glorious things of the Gofpel, they cannot but bee taking things to you, they cannot but caufe much furring, much à,;ivenefs, mighty workings in your fouls : when once the glorious light of the Gofdel comes into a foul, I fay, it cannot but caufe mighty fittings and workings in fuch a foul. When I fee people fit deadly and dully under the means of Grace, under the preaching of the glorious thins of the Gofpel, I cannot but think with my felf , Lord , to thefe people know what Jefus Chrif is ? and underfand what the great things are that God hath done for the fal- vation of man- kind? certainly did they but know the wonderful and frange works of God about the falvation of the fouls of the children of men, their hearts could not but fir within them, and work in another manner than yet they have done. Fourthly, That foul that hath no other righteoufnefs to tender up unto God but its own righteoufnefs, if now it fhould.depart, would-bee loft eternally : Whatever man or woman it bee that have lived the moil unblameable in his life and conveffacion, that bath been the moil righte- ous, that no man could bee able to blame him for any thing, yet I fay, if this man or woman hath no other righte- oufnefs to tender up unto God but his own, certainly this foul would bee a loll foul for ever; the truth is, even the foul of Abraham, !fax, and Jacob, the fouls of all the Pa- triarchs, Prophets, Apofles, Martyrs, all of them would bee loll eternally, had they no other righteoufnefs to ten- der up to God but their own, much more thole who have only a Civil righteoufnefs,and a meer natural righteoufnefs, q o fuck
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