' · ~---- · . 0 thou fozrefl amongWO'IJien,&c. 3 11 , \ that is ~ood in the~. 0 whe!e ~s t~w Spirit of S BR .XIII. Chrifl:, or ofthe Church ofChnfl: mthem that . rhus befcratch the face ofthe Church~whenyet (oft times)their hearts tell them thefe poore defpifed ones will be·better then thernfelves one day ; for grace !hall have the upper hand ofall excellencies. . The Church isfaire and [Air~ft, Grace is a tranfcendent good, all the excellency ofcivility and morality is nothing to this, this denomi– nates the cht~rch the /t~ireft, lhe is not guilt, but pure gold ~ not painted, but hath atrue naturall compleetion,all 'other excellencies arebut guilt, p:1inted excellencies. The whore of Babylon the is wondrous faire. But wherein doth her beauty confill: ~ In ornaments and ceremonies to abufe filly people, that goe no further then fancy, it is an excellency that comes not to the judgement, but the excellency oftheChurch is otherwife, ilie isThe {t~ireft amo-ng women, the hathanaturall fairene1fe; asgold is pure gold,fo the Church is of a pure compofidon, glorious within.. It is for the falfe whoriili Church tobe glorious without That 11/i otbtr exce/iencies fa'tJe grace are but painted ex– ce/Jencies. only, but the true Church is gloriouswithin:But I ' that which we ihould efpecially obferve,is,That Ol{erv. 1 we foould labour to an(wer thiJ commendation, not onely to be foire, lut the _faireft, tB he trtmftendently jingularly good, to doe fomer:vhat m8re then,. 1 • • • 1therscan, to have fomewhttt morem us then others '{hst t_hTJ flri[e. ·h ) 1 or emmenc]J m ave. \ grace u (utable For it is anfwerable to the fiateofa Chrifl:ian, 1 to~ cbrifti~,sr is a ChrHHan in an excellent .ranke above other 1 •a!Jmg. · X 4 men'! 1 1 ---
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