Ott the Excellency of the Soul. thou idea the Work be not yeedbri'e, let mee know it, let tniek know it noiro', before it is too'late; It is better to know that yet the Nork-is to begin, white you have time to work, chan to knew it after when the time is gone : And then, be= Willing to examine your hopes) to lay them to the 'rule of the Soripture; and that very narrowly And if you finde yo r hopes cannotf+ and with the Word, then refolve thus with yotr (elves, the work is yet to bee done, the very laying of the foundation of that great work, of the faving of my foul , k is to begin : - = Í but you will fay, God forbid this, wee have not lived all this white, to begin to lay the work for. the Paving of our fouls now, that were an ill thing indeed : -- O I would to God it were nor fo. ; but this very thought that fofne have-, that they are not now CO begin the ,aying.Of the foundation in faving their ,fouls, is that that doth deiirgy them whereas, though a Man or woman have lived many years, yea though they have been Profeffours of Religion , ?let if upon examination they can finde chat the Paving work of God is not wrought in their hearts, and upon that can conclude, Lord it is to begin, for ought I know, I. Milli be- gin the work again, and better it is to begin twice, than bee damned once, therefore whatfoever becomes of mee , I will begirt again ; this were a good ,.fien Suppofe you oink f begin again, and it may bee you thought too ill of yourfelve§;: lot it may bee there was fame troth in your hopes, br hearts, that you could not fee, yet there is no great danger in this, that that vas good Will hold, though you do not fee it; it is the Cafe- men and woiiaen there- fore to bee willing to begin often, yea and fometimes it is the belt and the readiell courfe for people that have loll their evidences for falvation, and they can fee no clear evi- dences out of Gods Word to fettle their hearts upon, for the great matter of their falvation; I fay; it is the readie(t way for them to do as if they were to begin again, rather than ru fpend time in looking out their old evidences; as a man perhaps that hath loft his evidences May have them renewed with lefs charge and colt than bee can leek them out, and 27 `
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