The vofullofsofthe precious Soul. x 6 7 flan,ped with'a Roman Cefar, but with Gods own Image andfuperfcriplroi; mird, that .. In «C rß of Firfl in refpe& of the fitbftance, beingnot only a fpiritual, intdle&sal, tneorpo ho fefpeft f rCal, 'invifible eflèncc ; but explaining by the pluralityof Powers, in the uhïy of theplurality of l'crfons in the unityofthe Deity. Seéondly,being furmthed- with fngularindowments; as in die fattofinnisceaa The indoor cy with perfcChwtldofnc, ìt)d holinefs, and rìghteooftacfs. , Yea, (till in the ftate&f menu. fin, Tome generals are left, forne broken fragments of the crcaion,< moralquallea eotirthdt may lead us by the hand to the knowledgeofour Mailer. The c mmand Laflly, in regard of the commanding power it kath over the body: It itta the ove bödy. body', as Moles. was to Pharoah; a God to the body; ita&nates it,,andmovcs, and comuaàtids, and reftrains it whereby (next and immediately under God): sep live and move, and have our being. Seeing then the foul is the immediatc..+.vork, and charaeter of God himfclf, fo excellent for the Original , andfor therlmage, let nature conclude that thefoul in there regards, is of greater value than thewhole. world: Secondly;" in the Kingdome of grace, the price of the fool is far above the ° By grace. dignity of the world ; and that in the graceof Redemption, and the grace ofreno: bation, 1. InRcdcmp For fiat"; 'in-the fouls redemption, the foul amounts fo high, as that the whole rios. ;Creation is not able to discharge it ; 1t it notgòtten for gold , norfrlver is not weigh, edfor the price ofit ; it is not valued with the goldof Ophir, orthe precious Onise. It colt more to redeem the foul of fiuful man: the precious bloodof the eternal Son of God ; he could' only redeem it , that at the firff created it ; Te arebought with a price, the precious blood ofChrift. Secondly,- ;n the graceof renovation, nothing is able to cicanfe it from fin, but n. In repava,- the Spirit of God. The fpiritalone mufl'enlighten tie underitanding, and re&ifie tion. theaffe&ions,and purifie the will,andfan&ifie the confcience, and féal up the Image, of God in rightcouftaefs , and true holinefs. And the foul thus renewed, is as a Garden inclofed, a fpiritual Paradife, where the God of heaven delights to dwell, the Spoufeof the Beloved, and inthe phrafeof theChurch, As the Lillyamong the thorns, fo is my love among the daughters. Seeing it appears that the univerfal World is not able to redeem, or being redeemed,to renew, or renewed,to parallel the foul; let grace fulifcribe to that vvhichnature concludes, that the foulis ofgrea- ter value than the vvhote vvorld: Laftly, for the paflagc ofglory, the contents of the vvhole Univerfeare not able 3 By g1ory. tocome near thefoul. SaithS. Bernardvvell, vvellitmay be bufie,andtook up vyith Bern. other things, but it cannot be fatiate, and replenifhed vvith them. AndDemocrates imagined, that if there vveremillions of vvorlds,it avere all one in comparifonofthe foul for bleffedncfs. Thevvorld istranfitory likethe devv of themorning,it fades as the grafs, and as the flovver of the held ; vvhcreas on the contrary, the foulof man is the fubje&of immortality, capable ofan exceeding, furpaffing, eternal vveight ofglory. For it in the time of grace vve behold áS in a glafs, the glory of the Lord, and are changed into thefame Image, fromglory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord. Hovv refplendant (hall the foul ofthe righteous be, in the beatified vifion ofGods excellencies. How wonderful ;hall that divinecapacity be, that (hall be capableof God himfclffora perpetual rcftdence? Infomuch that themofl ancient ofdayes!hall givefulnefs to eieSoul, ofknowledge and wifdome, and his facred Spirit that !hall fill it with tle fulnefs ofGe,d, with contentation, and the facred Trinity all be all in all to ir. Seeing then the Soul is capable,and is the fubje&of the happinefs,and joyes of heaven, and partner with the glorious Angeis in the fruition of the chief good, let the fentence of glory joyn to Grace andnature, that the Soul is ofgreater value than the whole world. Behold then,O man,outof the mouth of three witneffes : (for I may fay in this cafe,as Saint yehn faith in another, There arethree that bear record in heaven, the Father, the word, and the holy Chart. Behold, out of the mouthof threeWit: neffus) tIre furpaffingexcellency, anddignity ofthy foul; it is the breathing of God, Mm i the
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