a88 The excellency of the righacoufneffe of SanElification. a &ion fo farre as this righteoufneife is in it, is more worth then H av n and earth, you who are Saints, prize your parrs, prize your cities : It was a fpeech of Luther, who extolled faith and righreoufneife as much as ever any did, when he met with an expreifion of righteoufneffe or faith, he would be Tura to carry it to exalt Free grace, yet he who was fo full in the extolling of the righteoulnpelfe of Chria, fairh,that every good work that fprings from faith is more precious roGod then hea- ven & earth; heaven & earth holds forth Godsglory in a pal five way,thefe in an a &ive way, thofe a &ions that come from this righteoufnefshold forth the glory of God in an active ivay,ard one a &ion done unto the glory of God in an a &ive way, holds forth Gods glory more eminently then all the world betides 3 Ninthly, This Righteoufnefie the excellency of it confias in this, this raifes the heart above all creatures, and enjoy- ments, and carryes the foule beyond them all; before Righte- oufneife comes into the heart, the heart lies below the crea- ture, and is a flave unto every creature, when the creature bids goe, it runs; when that would be obeyed it yeelds pr e- fently, but this righteoufneile it railes the foule above them all, fo as it now comes to have God alone to be higher then it f lfe, the foule acknowledges no fupream but God himfelfe, and is fubje& unto him and him alone : The foule now knowe's it's excellency and worth, that there's no creature fit and wor- thy to have converfe with ir, It is onely a companion for God himfelfe, if God will have it fubje&, it will in order to him "fubmit to any thing, but it's fubmiifìon fhall be onely in order tohim, fo that the good of the creature now confias not in any thing the creature can give, nor the hurt in any thing the creature can do, but onely in God alone. The foule is now in a kinde enlarged infinitely, and can be fatisfied with nothing but God, nothing but a God only can fill up the crave - ings of the foule, whereas before it was fatisfied with every luff, with every filthy vanity,now nothing but real enjoyments, and onely that which is reali can fatisfie the,foule. Tenthly, The excellency of this righteoufneffe confias in- this, that it is a prí`üciple of union and communion with God him-
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