276 SEVENTH SERMON Fountain of goodness, where is fulness of perfection, and perpetuity of fruition, The excellency of every thing standeth in two things. The perfection of beauty wherein it was made, and the perfection of use for which it was made. The beauty of man, especially in his soul, consists in this, that he was made like to God, after his image, Gen. i. 26, 27. and his end and use in this, that he was made for God, first to serve him, and after to enjoy him ; for the Lord hath set apart him that is godly for himself, Psa. iv. 3. " This people have I formed for myself, they shall show forth my praise," Isa. xliii. 21. Therefore to recover the image of God, which is in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness, Col. iii. 10. Eph. iv. 24. to work to the service and glory of God, John xv. 8. to aspire and to enjoy the posses- sion and fruition of God, Exod. xxxiii. 18. Phil. i. 23. must needs be man's greatest good ; and by conse- quence, to attend on the means hereof, must needs be his greatest wisdom. What is the most pernicious and destructive evil which a man is in danger of ? not the loss of any outward good things whatsoever, for they are all in their nature perishable ; we enjoy them upon these conditions to part with them again ; no wisdom can keep them ; " Meat for the belly, and the belly for meats, but God shall destroy both it and them," 1 Cor. vi. 13. Not the suffering of any outward troubles, which the best of men have suffered, and triumpher over ; but the greatest loss is, the loss of a precious soul, which is more worth than all the world, Matt. xvi. 26. and the greatest suffering is the wrath of God upon the conscience, Psa. xc. 11. Isa. xxxiii. 14. Heb. x. 31. Matt. x. 28. Therefore to avoid this danger, and to snatch this darling from the paw of
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