Gospel-revelation in three treatises, viz, 1 The nature of God. 2 The excellencies of…

Now mark what he saith in the 15. verse, The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel when they give an offering unto the Lord to make an atonement ⟨p. 231⟩for their souls; There must be the same atonement made for souls, both for the rich, and for the poor. And as we spake the last day in opening the excellency of the soul, it appears by the price that was paid for it; so here they are equal in this, that the poor mans soul must have as great a price paid to save it, as the richest man in the world. And therefore bless God for thy soul in this, that he hath made thee equal with the Kings and Princes of the world in that that is thy more noble, and more excellent part.

Now mark what hee saith in the 15. verse, The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel when they give an offering unto the Lord to make an attonement ⟨p. 231⟩for their souls; There must bee the same attonement made for souls, both for the rich, and for the poor. And as wee spake the last day in opening the excellency of the soul, it appears by the price that was paid for it; so here they are equal in this, that the poor mans soul must have as great a price paid to save it, as the richest man in the world. And therefore bless God for thy soul in this, that hee hath made thee equal with the Kings and Princes of the world in that that is thy more noble, and more excellent part.

And bless God for soul-mercies above all mercies; If the soul be so excellent, then I say, bless God that hath granted thee soul-mercies, though he hath denied thee bodily-mercies, it is no great matter; as suppose, If so be that God should take away the sight of thine eyes, yet if he opens the eyes of thine understanding, of thy soul, thou art happy: Suppose that thou art lame in thy body, yet if thou canst walk in the ways of Gods Commandments, and run there, thou art a happy creature: It may be thou wantest food, I, but if God feed thy soul with spiritual Manna, feed thee every day with food from heaven, and take care for the feeding of thy soul, thou art not so miserable as thou thoughtest thy self; thou hast tattered clothes, I but if God hath provided the righteousness of his Son to be a garment to clothe thy soul, every time thou appearest before him, thou art a happy creature in that, therefore when thy heart is ready to murmur, that God hath denied thee bodily mercies that he hath granted to others, think with thy self, I but hath not God recompensed me in soul mercies? I make no question but there are many souls that bless God that ever they have lived to this time, though they have suffered hard things for their bodies, many that have lost, and been plundered of all, yet bless God that they have lived to the time wherein there was so much plenty of the food of souls: Oh those truths of God that have been revealed unto us since those times, but had those that had the power before, had the power still continued, we had never had such truths made known