162 Chap. 4. An Expofition upon the Bookof J O B. Verf2r. of man, the foul, which may be oppofed to clay and dull before fpokcn of, that noblegueft, that royal inhabitant of this houfe of clay gocthour when death enters: Death diffolves the union be tween foul and body. Or rather we may take excellency for any fpecial endowment ; Firft,of the body, as beauty or ftrength. Secondly,of the mind,as wit and knowledg, learning or skill. Thirdly, we may take it for thofe worldly excellencies ofriches,honour,orauthority;when a man gocth out, all theft excellencies which are in him,or which, are about him, goout too. This excellency is the fame which is called thegoodlinefs of man, by the Prophet (712/. 4o. 6.) The voicelaidcry; what 'hall í cry ? All fle(h goafs, and all the good- linefs thereof is as the floner of thefield. Not only is the flefh, but the goodlinefs the roof fadingallo. So here, not only the houfe ofclay and the foundation ofdufl,but the excellencyof it, all the adorning and polifhing, the guild'ing and painting,the rich hang- ing and precious furniture of this'houfe go away, Taking excellency here for the foul, then, we fee wherein our excellency conGfls. As man was the principal part of thecre.» tion, fo thefoul _:is theprincipal part of man. The conftitution of thefoul is mans natural excellency, and the conFerfon of the foul is mans fpiritual excellency. Secondly obferve, Death is the going away, or the departure of the foul from the body. Death is called fbmetime a departure of body and foul out of the world, Now lest eft thou thy fervant de- part in peace i faith old Simeon, Luke 2.) Man goes to his long home, Ecclef 12. 5. Igo the wayof all flefh, faith Mofes, and 1 go away, fai,h ourLordChriftof his death. Death is alto called a departure of the foul from the body. The death of Rachel is thus defcribed, Gen. 35. 18. And it came topafs, that as her Foul was in departing, for'he dyed. From the other interpretation, which I rather infifl upon,Ob- ferve, that in death all a mans natural and outward excellency whatfoever, leaves him and departs from him, Pf 1. 49 , i 6. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his houfe is increafed ; why ? forwhen he dyeth, be 'hall carry nothing away Withhim, his glory (hall not defcend after him ; though a man have an excellentcut -fide, a great flock of riches, beauty and ho- nour, though he have excellent linings of wifdom and know - ledge, yet all ends as to him, when he ends, and therefore David concludes
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