The saints treasury being sundry sermons preached in London /

I thought to have enlarged my self in comparing the glory and happiness of the Saints, and the misery of the wicked together, but time will not give leave.

I thought to have enlarged my selfe in comparing the glory and happinesse of the Saints, and the misery of the wicked together, but time will not give leave.

Further, as holiness makes the name of God to be reverend, so holiness in the Saints puts a reverend respect upon them in the very consciences of wicked men: take the vilest of wicked men, though they cry out of thee; yet know, if thou walkest strictly, thy close walking with God will gain respect and reverence from their hearts, in spite of their hearts. And the reason why the people of God gain not respect and esteem, is, because they do not walk strictly; many men mistake themselves: they think that strictness is slighted and contemned, and therefore they begin to lessen and abate in their exact walking: but this makes them disesteemed; and it is just with ⟨p. 25⟩God it should be so: doth the abating of holiness help thee to a reverend respect? no, walk more closely with God, and thou wilt have respect from mens consciences: do what they can, thou wilt anger their lust; but thou wilt convince their consciences: and in their most serious mood they will say, O that my soul were in this mans souls stead: and how often do they say so on their death bed? and if holiness put an excellency and glory upon low and mean things, as in the law what a glory did it put upon a piece of Wood, or Leather, or Brass, when once it was consecrated to a holy use? because that was Gods Ordinance, God did put it in it, and not man: for a man to think it is in the power of his will to make God esteem, or that others in reference unto God should esteem of a creature, more then what God hath put into it, is a great mistake: that common stones by my will should be holy, and consecrated to God, and must not be meddled with, that I should put a divine excellency upon that which hath only a natural excellency in it; what a boldness would this be in me: but now, if Gods Ordinance be so, then there is a glory put upon it, as in the Temple, because it was dedicated to God by divine institution, there the very wood, and brass, and every thing had an excellency upon it. Now I would argue thus, shall ceremonial holiness put such an excellency upon a piece of Leather! what then shall the image of God put upon an immortal soul!