over them and thus much for the general frame SECT 2. NOw come we to the particular parts and therein let us consider I. Those that are contained in the rest namely the Blood and Spirits 1. For the blood you know it is an excellent part of the body and of absolute necessity insomuch that the blood is said to be the life of the body which must not be understood directly as the words seem to imply as if the life of a man were nothing but his blood for that is not possible if that were so then nothing could live which hath no blood but this is certain that Bees and many other like Creatures have no blood and yet have life it would also follow that so many drops of a mans blood as he loseth so much he loseth of his life whereas many times the evacuation of blood is the preservation of life And that which is most absurd it would follow that a mans life might be severed from him and yet remain for a time after such separation for so you see that the blood of men and of other creatures may be kept a long time in vessels after it is severed from the body And besides all this the Angels who have neither blood nor other bodily parts have life in greater perfection than a man Thus then we understand these places that speak of the the Blood that it is a special instrument of the soul whereby life is convayed to the several parts of the body by reason of the spirits which are a kind of airy invisible substance yet bodily arising like vapours â—rom the purest part of the blood for although it be said the life is in the blood yet this is because the blood is a thing which is more obvious to the senses than the spirits and again because it is the nursery and as it were the fuel of the spirits whereby as by a precious oyl the lamp and flame of life is cherished and maintained so that life is more immediately in the spirits than in the blood Again life is lost by the shedding of the blood because the spirits the immediate Instruments of the soul whereby it communicateth life to the body are extinguished by the shedding of the blood even as the flame goeth out when the wood is quiâ—e taken away and so in this respect also the blood is said to be the life of the Creature Moreover consider the spirits whereof somewhat hath already been spoken by the way These are called spirits not but that they are bodily substances but because they have the least grossness in them of all other parts of the body and come nearest to a spiritual nature And these are indeed the immediate instruments of the soul and being as it were of a middle nature between the soul and body they are a common tye or bond between them both uniting both together These are of most excellent use in the body throughout the parts they convay life sence and motion to them all they are in special manner employed in the more retired and spiritual actions of the soul in the exercise of reason and understanding in the serious thoughts and meditations of the heart by it the pain or delight of one part of the body is convayed and imparted to the rest and a sympathy or fellow feeling is derived from one to the other and in these the singular wisdome of the Creator is notably manifested SECT 3. THe parts containing these are in the next place to be considered where first the Head is that which is set in the highest place and is full of most curious workmanship it is the seat both of the outward and inward senses and as all the outward senses are placed there so none of the five are to be found in any other part of the body except that of the touch or feeling which is the lowest and grossest of the rest There is the Eye of a singular and most curious making which is the instrument of seeing the very window of this house that letteth in light to the soul which otherwise would dwell in a dark dungeon It is an admirable thing to consider how by the wonderful power and wisdome of God all colours have his property to caff sorth a resemblance and image of themselves whicâ— by the air is convayed into the Eye if this were well considered and understood it would be found one of the most wonderful works of the Creation setting forth the Creators glory But ye may conceive it thus When a Looking-glass is held before the face instantly there is an image of the face in the glass now the glass cannot frame such an image in it self for then it should be there as well when the face is turned away wherefore it must be of necessity that the face doth at all times in the light cast forth an image of it self and the glass doth only hold it by reason of the lead at the backside whereby this image is stayed and not suffered to pass through and vanish And so doth every thing that hath colour cast forth an image of it self at all times which being received into the eye presently the thing is seen and perceived by the eye which is an admirable thing to consider that all things that are Trees Plants Men Beasts c. whatsoever can be seen do every way cast forth Images of themselves into the air and that these are severally and distinctly conveyed to the eye and discerned by it There are the Ears whereby we hear which take in sounds and noises in a wonderful manner wherein also the admirable power and wisdome of God appeareth in that one voice issuing out of one mouth should enter in at many hundred ears for this must needs be granted that we cannot hear any voice or noise unless it truly enter into our ears for if the noise could be heard without such an entrance then were those open passages needless which are in the ears but these open passages are as needful to let in sounds as a door is to let a man into an house Now one man cannot enter in at many doors at once and so one voice remaining one cannot enter in at many hundred ears at the same moment and therefore it must needs be multiplied in the air and so that which is but one in the mouth of the speaker is manifold in the air and is taken in by many ears There is also the Nose which is the instrument of smelling another part of the body which serveth us both for necessity and delight it is a means to prove the wholsomness or unwholsomness of many things which are good and which are hurtful to us and yeildeth delight and refreshment in presenting us with many pleasing and fragrant smells There is also the Tongue and Palate the instruments of Tast but especially the palate or upper part of the mouth the Tongue having another and more proper use This is a sense of greatest use for
pulleth it down and makes it the worse the more earthly and fleshly An earthly mind maketh the very posture of the body raised toward heaven to become hypocritical and counterfeit sith God hath given thee the body of a man looking upward towards heaven do not take to thy self the spirit of a Beast grovelling on the earth here below VIII Seeing God at the first gave man perfect beauty in regard both of temper and proportion then let all defects or deformities which thou seest in any not move thee to contemn their persons but rather to lament the common misery of mans nature fallen into sin the fruits whereof do rather appear in some particular persons in this kind than they do in some others And think with thy self that by the law of Creation he that is most deformed was to be as beautiful as any that excelleth most and he that is most beautiful by the Fall was as subject to deformity as any other CHAP III. SECT 1. MOreover from the particular parts divers Meditations may be raised I. As the Head is to the Body so Christ is to his Church Ephes. 4.15.16 1. As the Head is the Guid to the whole Body so is Christ to the Church every member followeth the direction of the Head Christ is the wisdom of the Father and He as he is made unto us an Head so also is he our wisdome our guide and directtour he is the great Prophet He by his Spirit revealeth the mysteries of grace and sheweth the way of life unto his Members and all must 3. Neither doth any member despise or scorn another the eye doth not scorn the lowest member in the body neither should any one whom God hath raised highest in gifts calling place dignity wealth or any other way scorn the poorest and meanest in any respect but rather seek their good as being members of the same body 4. As the principal parts of the body have need of the meanest so the greatest in the Church have need of meaner Christians in many respects if the whole body were eye where were hearing Thus much for the first part of the first point viz. the Creation of mans body CHAP. 4. Of the Creation of Mans Soul I Now come to speak of the Creation of mans Soul the story whereof is briefly laid down in Gen. 2.7 And breathed into his nostrills the breath of life and man became a living soul. Where you must not conceive that the Lord did breath like a man but the intent of the Holy Ghost I conceive is to shew that Man had another kind of Soul than the Beasts or Birds they were brought forth out of the material Elements but Man though his Body were drawn out of the Dust yet his soul was in a peculier manner given him of God and not composed of any earthly waterish or aiery substance but that it was a spiritual substance immediately created of God and further this breathing in of the soul implieth as may seem that the soul was not first created without the body and then put into the body but that at once it was both created and infused into the body SECT 1. NOw let us here speak a little of the nature of the Soul and then of its powers and faculties 1. For the nature of the soul it is a spirit and herein most like unto the Angels of any other Creature and though the wise man doth communicate this name to the life of a beast yet he sheweth a great difference between these two sorts of spirits saying The spirit of a Man that goeth upward and the spirit of a Beast that goeth downward The spirit of a Beast or that which giveth it life vanisheth and dyeth with the body being a principle that riseth out of material or bodily substances tempered and composed together but the spirit of a man being of an higher nature than any of these gross material bodies and not rising out of them but being created immediately of God the Father of Spirits it goeth upward it is presented before the Lord in judgment after its departure from the body 2. It is such a spirit as can subsist alone of it self out of the body so the Apostle maketh mention of the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. the Spirits of the Saints now in heaven whose bodies rest in the dust and this sheweth the excellent matter of mans spirit far above the life of the beast or any unreasonable Creature that it can subsist when it is severed from the body This sheweth that it doth not depend upon the body nor was extracted out of it but rather that the perfection of the body dependeth on it it can live without the body but the body without it rotteth putrifieth and mouldereth away into dust Dust returneth to Dust as it was saith the wise man and the Spirit returneth to him that gave it Eccles. 12. 3. It is an immortal Spirit so this very place sheweth that when dust returneth to dust when the body dissolveth then the spirit liveth and yieldeth up it self into the hands of God And so the Scripture sheweth both in the case of the godly and of the wicked the one shall go into life eternal and the other into everlasting punishment SECT 2. IN the next place let us speak of the powers and faculties of the soul here I shall speak first of those which are common to it with other Creatures viz. those which they call vegetative and sensitive which are found in the beasts and birds These I call faculties of the soul although for mine own part I concieve them not to be properly inherent in the reasonable soul but rather in the temper of the body for the intellectual soul being a Spirit I cannot see how these brutish affections such as many of these are can be inherent in it especially because many of them as the faculties of attraction retention expulsion augmentation c. are ordinarily exercised not only without the command but also without the knowledg of the reasonable soul which I know not how it could be if they were inherent in it immediately it being a single spiritual and intellectual being Now these faculties are many which the Lord hath given and shewed his admirable wisdom in them 1. Of the Vegetative part There is a nutritive or nourishing property to which diverse others are serviceable as that of hunger and thirst which is properly a branch of the sensitive yet insensible Creatures are a servant to the vegetative for by these the appetite is provoked to seek for nourishment There is a digesting faculty to concoct that nourishment that is received first in the stomach then in the liver turning it into blood then in each several part turning it into substance in particular To these also belongeth these three inferiour faculties Attractive Retentive Expulsive 1. Attractive whereby every part hath a power to draw nourishment unto it self so the Head and upper parts of the
that is true which is said though often false But on the other side one is ignorant he hath a blind soul Another hath a graceless profane and unsanctified soul laden with many sins in great danger to perish for ever but when shall ye hear such a one complain of his neighbours for hard-heartedness toward his soul in not pittying his spiritual misery in not instructing him in his ignorance When shall ye hear one of these complain oh I have a neighbour that hath knowledg he knoweth that I am ignorant of God but alas he is hard-hearted he doth not pitty my soul he will sooner see me damned in my ignorance than once open his mouth to instruct me in any matter of salvation Or when shall we hear one that goeth on in sin cry out of another in this respect I have a neighbour seeth my soul in a fearful case he perceiveth me to go on in the stubbornness of my heart and he knoweth that the wrath of God will one day smoak against me for it and yet his heart is hard he hath no pitty upon me he did never once open his lips to bring me into the right way to reprove me for my sin Nay if any in zeal to Gods glory and love to the souls of such shall labour to do them good what is their answer meddle with your own business I shall answer for my self you shall not answer for my sin I pray mark what sensles speeches these be it is as if a man should see another fallen into a dangerous pit where he could not live without help and should go to help him out or to direct one that is going in some dangerous place in in the dark where he is like to break his neck or to succour one that is in need and like to starve and should have such an answer from him as this Why do ye trouble me look to your self if I perish I perish you shall not perish with me Why do ye feed my body if I starve it is nothing to you you shall not be famished by it No verily this help is for the body and therefore it is welcome at all times but the other that is for the soul that is distasted as unseasonable and troublesome SECT 4. IV. THis sheweth us also the greatest harm which a man can do to another is that which is done to the soul men may receive wrong many ways but the greatest injury and mischief that one man can do another is that which falleth upon the soul the best part Is not a blow in the eye worse than one upon the arm he that woundeth thy soul doth he not worse than if he smote thy body and yet what deadly malice doth one bear to another for a box of the ear or some such wrong done to the body whereas they account them their best friends that work the greatest mischief to their souls He that will drink to them when they have drunk too much already he that will flatter and humour them in their sins He that will entice them unto sin he is the only friend and good fellow whereas indeed such a one is a most dangerous enemy He that threatneth to be revenged of thee that saith he wil have thy blood that raileth at thee slandereth thee doth not hurt thee so much as such a one who seeketh to draw thee into that or by joyning with thee to encourage thee in that which tendeth to the destruction of thy soul such a one endangereth thine everlasting life and taketh a course to wound thee so that thou mayst die for ever Therefore when thou hearest that no Drunkard shall inherit the Kingdome of God and one puâ—leth thee by the sleeve and another enticeth thee c. answer him thus I perceive you are none of my friends what are ye loth to have me go to heaven would ye have my soul perish would ye seek my destruction you seek to draw me into such a sin as will shut me out of heaven If thou wouldest answer them so now and then thou wouldest be well rid of such companions and not be so much pestered with these troublesome flies But most lamentable is the sin of such in this case whose care is onely for the bodies of their Children but care not how they betray their souls how they leave them in their sins which they see to grow upon them and use no means to cure them of these deadly evils Oh do not deal with thy child as with thy beast as if it had onely a body to be fed and clothed and not a soul to be saved SECT 5. V. SIth God did Create our Souls let us conceive that he made them for Himself therefore let every faculty be given up to his service 1. As for thine Imagination let it be dedicated to the service of God let thy thoughts and meditations be directed unto God and his Word and Kingdome The fancy of a man is a working stirring thing always medling with something or other now let it be turned toward God and his Word and when thou findest it busie with other things call it home and think with thy self I must go about my Fathers business this faculty of my soul must mind him that made it So for thy memory it is God's treasury he made it and therefore you must lay up the riches and treasures of his Kingdome in it and not the trash of the world you must store it with holy instructions and meditations Promises Precepts c. out of his word and not stuff it with idle Tales waâ—ton Songs or meer earthly Vanities and nothings else This Cabinet of the Soul was not made for such base uses When thou comest to hear the word thou must not think it enough to take it in with thine Ear that is not the onely part which God made but labour to lay it up in thy memory that thou maist be rich in all saving knowledge of the word A man may have a great deal of money come through his hands yet be never the richer if he spend it idlely as fast as it cometh and lay up none A man may have many a Sermon entring in at his outward ears and yet never prove rich in knowledge if he suffer all to be lost again and treasure up none in his memory 2 Thy Understanding that most excellent faculty of the Soul how carefully should it be improved that the Lord may be honoured by it let him have the best that made the whole It is strange to think that men should be excused by ignorance what is that but to rob God of the principal endowment of thy Soul even thine understanding It is a miserable folly when men labour for skill in earthly things and would be wise every way except in heavenly things and in the mean time least of all regard to Know the Lord as if the top of the Soul the Head of the inward man were made to be a
Consider tâ—e unspeakabâ—e multitude of them even bâ—yond all imâ—gination no Man on Earth being able to number all the several kinds of Creatuâ—es muâ—h lâ—ss the particulars of those kinds And then if there were not mâ—ch dulness in our spirits and want of apprehâ—nsiâ—n there would be as it were no spirit in uâ— the powers of our Souls would even bâ— swallowed up with admiration and we should with feeling hearts express our astonished thoughts and cry out with the Psalmist O Lord our God how wonderfull is thy Name in all the Woâ—ld Psal. 8.1 In some one of the least Creatures the Lord is to be seen in admirable Workmanship how much more in the whole â—reatâ—on especially considering how it is brought out of nothing in which respect the least Worm is a witness of his Omnipotency beyond exception and therefore we must take time for Meditation on the Creatures that we may set forth the praise and glory of the Creator and as the Psalmist saith May talk of all his wondrous works That the Heavens may move us to declare the glory of God and the Firmament may provoke us and prevail with us to set forth his Handywoâ—k CHAP. IV. Use 4. AS we should admire and bless the Lord for the whole Creation so in special for any Creatuâ—es by which we receive any benefit Remember whatsoever hath any Beeing in the World whereby thou receivâ—st any comfort in any kind it is part of his Creation it is one of those things which he brought out of nothing A due consideration of this would be an excellent means to lead our minds unto thankfulness and to make â—s both love and praise the Lord at whose hand we receive it If we could but deal seriously there is not the least thing that sâ—rveth to cover our nakâ—dnâ—ss or to keep off the cold in Winter not the least refrâ—shment to a drop of Dâ—ink or a cruâ— of Bread which we take into our Boâ—ies not one draught of the Ayr which we suck in at any time not Fire or Waâ—er which are so usâ—ful to us but that every onâ— at any time whâ—n we partake of the benefit of them should be a motive unto thankfulness Once this and that was meerly nothing but God gave it Beeing and these and these qualities whereby it might do me good yea the Lord to whom his works are all known in all Eternity did shew his Almighty Power in bringing these things out of nothing for this veâ—y puâ—pose that it might do me good and supply my wants In specialâ— the Light which is â—o common a blessing how excellent is it in its nature how needfull and useful unto us how should we glorify the Lord for the use of this mercy every Day that when the Earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep the Lord by his Almighty Word did bring forth this glorious Creature whereby we have the use of that most excellent sense of seeing which otherwise could not be useful to us yea whereby the Lord in a notable manner sheweth forth his glory so that He that is not blind may from this Creature especially learn to see him that is Invisible Yea God himself hath pleased to câ—ll himself by the name of this Creature God is Light So brightly doth his glory shine in this work of wonder What plentiful matter of thanksgiving doth all the world offer us if we could take it yea we cannot look about us but we see that which should enlarge our hearts and open our Mouths for the praises of the Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth all our lives should be a course of thankfulness and as all the Lords works do give us occasion of thankfâ—lness so all our actions should be works wherein our thankfulness should be expressed for the works of God CHAP. V. Use 5. THis should keep us from abusing the least of the Creatures as we fear to become guilty of defacing the Lords own Workmanship and in this regard we should not dare to shew our selves cruel to our very Beasts which we use in our service either to carry our Bodies or to do our work The Righteous is merciful to his Beast but their mercies are cruel who carry merciless hearts towarâ— the poor Creatures We must always remember that the Lord who made them hath more right unto them than we can have our right being wholly derived from him and therefore we must usurp no farther upon them than he alloweth us which is moderately and mercifully to use them not cruelly without mercy to abuse them And therefore the withholding of due and necessary food from the Beast or over-burdening it beyond measure is a dishonour offered to its Creator And as these Beasts of service must not be abused bâ—cause they are the Creatures of God so neither may we in sport torment the poor Creature that crawleth upon the Earth If I should name some practices among us of this nature perhaps some would think them too mean to be mentioned here But Christians must walk exactly and keep Gods commandments diligently or exceedingly as the Hebrew word in â—sal 119 4. noteth unto us and the poorest Creature that is is a part of Gâ—ds Workmanship and God may be dishonoured in it yea to abuse in sport â—hough it be as mean a Creature as a Flâ—â— c. is to take the Name of God in vain sith these works of His are such things by which as by a name he hath made himself known unto us the least Flie being an evidence of his Almighty Power So for those Creatures which we use for cloathing nourishment or other use we must take heed of all excessive abuse and so of taking the name of the Lord in vain Still remember that this is created of God and I must use it as a Creature of His. The Apostle against the sin of Fornication useth this speech Sâ—all I take the Members of Christ and make them the Members of an Harlot God forbid 1 Cor. 6.15 So may I say of the Creatures shall I take Meat and Drink the very Creatures and Workmanship of Gods own hand and make them Instruments of Satan and sin of Gluttony of Drunkenness means whereby to dishonour God and fight against Him that made them Shall I take Money and Cloaths Gods Creatures to shew forth my pride and my heart lifted up against God that made these and made me a poor naked Creature allowing me a â—obâ—r use of them to cover my shame not an excessive or fantastical abuse of them to satisfy and shew forth my pride and vanity God forbid So for Time which God made at the first in the beginning of the Creation we should especially take â—eed of abusing it and account it as a precious thing flâ—wing oâ—t of Gods Eternity too precious to be wasâ—fully mispent and abused If the ancient of Days hath ouâ— of his Eternity broâ—ght forth time and givâ—n us time continuing it to
people the Jews also to yeild him divine honour here now let this wretched man take notice of his own Godhead that cannot stir against a poor fish like a snail with the help of the winds and four hundred Oars when the true and living God shall appoint it to stop his course Wonderful also is that property given to the fish called Torpedo which if it be taken with a Net so soon as the Fisher takes hold of the Net wherein this fish is though he doth not touch the fish it self yet presently it is said his hand will be benumed and he shall lose the use of it for the present as if it were taken with a dead palsey This is not only reported by Pliny in the place fore-cited but Zabarel as I remember also discourseth of that point in natural Phylosophy shewing how natural agents do agere per contactum and bringeth in this by way of objection The wisdome of the Creator is notably seen in this and we may consider of it that those who with Nets of fraud and indirect means do fish for things of this life their wealth proveth to them like this Fish it worketh a kind of dead palsie in their consciences which in such men usually become seared and past feeling it worketh a kind of dead palsie also in their hands which do not freely open to receive the necessities of others for commonly they who are unjust getters are also niggardly keepers this Tropedo in the Net taketh away that charitable use to which their hands should be put they come hardly by that which they have viz. with the loss and forfeiture of their own souls and therefore are loath to part with it to supply others 5. The unseemliness appearing in some Fishes going backwards should make us consider how shameful and unseemly it is for a Christian to go backward in the ways of God cooling in zeal slackning his pace begun the Lord saith If any man draw back my soul shall have no pleasure in him Heb. 10.38 We must therefore stir up our selves with St. Paul to reach and press forward toward the Mark and prize of the high calling that iâ— in Christ Iesus Phil. 3.13 14. 6. You see the Fish by catching at the bait swalloweth down the hook and so by the greediness in getting it loseth it self this should put us in mind of our carnal folly who by catching at such things which Satan offeret h pleasing to our corrupt affections are caught our selves and take a ready course to lose our souls by satisfying our lusts let us not then so much set our eyes upon the bait but especially have our thoughts upon the hook which lyeth under it CHAP. VIII Meditations on the sixth Days Work I Proceed to the sixth and last Day of the Creation with us usually called Fryday wherein the Lord made those Creatures that furnish the earth namely the Beasts and creeping things and then Man in the last place as the Lord of the rest First of the former those unreasonable creatures for of Man I purpose to speak afterwards more at large And in these creatures brought forth out of the earth the admirable power wisdom and goodness of God is manifested 1. Consider with astonishment how in a moment at the word of the Lord out of the dead womb of the earth issued multitudes of beasts great and small and creeping things Lions Bears Tygers Unicornes Horses all sorts of Cattle c. And that of a just size every way in their several kinds for strength stature and other properties And here consider that the least creature that crawleth upon the earth is a part of Gods own work even every creeping thing as the Text saith And in these the Lords omnipotency appeareth the least worm being a work of an Al-mighty power yea doubt not but as the least are the works of his hands so the least are within the compass of his Al-guiding providence And if the least creeping thing be within the Lords care and receive its maintenance from him Wherefore are ye doubtful O ye of little Faith Will God feed the worms and let his children starve 2. Wonderful is the strength wonderfull is the swiftness of many beasts wonderful is their variety in kind bigness quality voice c. Consider the wonderful strength and courage of the Lion and then consider the excellency of that glorious Lion of the Tribe of Iudah Christ Jesus who as the Prophet saith travelleth in the greatness of his strengtb and is mighty to save Isa. 63.1 He is as a Lion unto his enemies to destroy them Therefore kiss the son left he be angry submit to Christ lest he tear you in pieces as a Lion and there be none to deliver He is as a Lion to defend his people against their enemies this Lion is too strong for that old Red-Dragon and will crush his head and tread him under his feet And as Sampson having killed the Lion found sweet refreshment in the dead Carkass of the same which occasioned his riddle wherewith he posed the Philistines Sweetness came out of the strong one and meat out of the Eâ—ter Iudg. 14.14 So our Saviour this Lion of the tribe of Iudah being slain for the sins of the world yeilded sweet nourishment and refreshment to those who feed on him by faith so that out of this strong one cometh sweetest meat for hungry souls yea as the Lion yeilded pleasant nourishment to him that slew him so doth Christ to the faithful who slew him by their sins yea many of those who in a more special manner did join in sheding his blood did feed on him by faith as appeareth by the fruit of St. Peters Sermon Act. 2. Again the Lords voice in the ministry of the word is compared to the roaring of a Lion When the Lion roareth who doth not tremble When the Lord speaketh who will not prophesie Amos 3.8 This voice of the Lord should rouze up sleepy sinners from their pillows of deep security and make them tremble at the word of the Lord with an holy fear and not trample it under foot nor cast it behind their backs with an hellish scorn Miserable is their folly who are more afraid of the barking of Dogs than of the roaring of This Lion more afraid to do those duties which the wicked scoffe and rail at than to do those sins which the Lord in his word forbiddeth and condemneth upon pain of everlasting destruction Read at large how the Lord in the book of Iob setteth forth the excellency of the Elephant or Behemoth of the Unicorn of the warlike Horse and that of purpose to over-awe Iob with an apprehension of his infinite Majesty by a due consideration of the excellency of these Creatures These things were not spoken to him alone but to us also 3. Consider what multitudes there be of cruel savage beasts in the world which the Lord so restraineth that they do not over-run man-kind which should
should learn to bless God for every faculty of our souls we are too unthankful for all sorts of mercies but yet more apt to give thanks at least outwardly for things without us than for those more excellent things within us Thus many a one saith I thank God for health for meat and drink c. that never not so much as in words doth give him thanks for his soul and the several faculties of it How seldome hath God any praise for our understandings our judgments our memories our reason wills and affections how lame would our souls be without the will and affections how blind without reason memory or understanding yet how unthankful are we to him that made them we should râ—ckon these among the chiefest of Gods blessings next to the sanctifying graces of Gods spirit and accordingly shew our thankfulness for them to his glory SECT 2. II. IN as much as the Soul is more excellent by its Creation than the Body this sheweth that our care should be greater for the soul than for the body Nature it self might teach even a natural man to be more careful of the natural good of the soul than of the body which yet is contrary to the practice of man You will say the Natural man perceiveth not the things of the spirit neither can he discern them because they are spiritually discerned But I speak now of such natural good things as tend to the enriching and perfecting of the soul and mind of man namely such knowledg in Arts and Sciences as concerneth the things of this life How many do preferre the things of the body above these But the principal thing is that which concerneth the spiritual happiness heavenly perfection of the soul. These things which are the most excellent endowments of the most excellent part of man are less regarded and sought for than those that are the meanest appurtenances of the body which is the meanest part The least saving grace being a thing belonging to the perfection of the soul is worth more than the whole body which without the soul is but a dead lump of earth Can a Maid forget her ornament oâ— a Bride her attire yet my people have forgotten me days without number saith the Lord Ier. 2.32 what a shameful indignity is this to the Majesty of God when ornaments of the body toyes head-tyres or the like serving to dress up an earthly carkass shalâ— be better remembred than God himself yea shall be remembred when he is forgotten Thus every thing belonging to the body is thought of but the soul is forgotten the eye must be pleased the ear must be tickled the palate must be delighted great ado must be made for back and belly but where is the care for the soul we can starve that yet never feel any hunger we can let it pine away yet never complain of weakness we can suffer mortal diseases most dangerous corruptions to grow upon our souls and never see our need of spiritual physick How many a soul is swollen with pride and over-grown with vile affections and yet no care is taken of it but it is let alone as if all were well yea what deadly wounds do men daily give to their consciences by swearing lying drunkenness by unjust and indirect dealings with others yet all this is esteemed as nothing no care is used to have it cured nay he that shall desire to cure it or perswade them from these desperate courses tending to the destruction of their souls shall be hated as an enemy Our very creation should make us ashamed of this folly that all the care is taken for the body framed out of the dust and the soul is utterly neglected which the Lord himself breathed into the body Fâ—ar not them saith our Saviour Mat. 10.28 which after they have killed the body can do no more but fear bim which can cast the body and soul into hell-fire Yet he that shall follow our Saviours counsel in this shall be thought to be a fool by many men he that will rather suffer harm in his body or loss in his goods and such things as concern the body than hazard his soul upon any sin which is death to the soul is thought to do it in simplicity for want of wit whereas even reason might teach us that the soul is a thousand times better than the body and the misery of the soul incomparably beyond the punishments that can befall the body in this life Let us then labour to prevent the everlasting destruction of the soul and fear it more than a thousand deaths of the body if it could possibly endure so many Think that a precious thing that weigheth more than the whole earth in the ballance of the sanctuary and the judgment of Christ. What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul Oh learn to prize thy soul a precious Creature and immortal Spirit and make it appear thou makest more reckoning of it than of thy body thy body is but a small piece of earth but the whole earth is not able to bring forth or yeild matter for one soul which is of an higher nature SECT 3. III. THis should teach us also that the greatest good which one man can do for another is that which is done for his soul. The feeding cloathing and refreshing of anothers body is a good work if rightly performed but the good which is done to the soul is a better work as the soul is better than the body This therefore should reform a gross folly among us whereby it is conceived that there is no good work in a manner besides that which is done to the body It is true that he who hath this worlds good and yet doth no good in this kind doth not truly perform any other good work but yet this on the otherside is a gross errour to conceive that the best thing that a man can do is to help the outward man and that the doing of this is enough to excuse him from doing good to the souls of others This is a gross carnal conceit it is as much as to affirm that the body is better than the soul earth than heaven mortality more excellent than immortality and a lump of flesh more worth than a spiritual being Now men are so far from esteeming that best which is done for the good of the soul that they account those admonitions and reproofs which are tendered to them for this purpose the greatest signs of ill-will that any man can shew to others no man is accounted a worse neighbour than he that will seek to pluck mens souls as brands out of the fire of Gods wrath by shewing them the danger of their sins If men want for the body what outcrys are there made against the hardness of others hearts men are so hard-hearted now a days that they will not give a poor man a bit of bread they will see him starve first and somtimes
vassall to the earth and not a servant to the Lord. Learn thou to know him that made thee and never think thine understanding so well employed about any other things as when it is busied in studying the word of God frequent those exercises wherein the word of God is taught and thine understanding is to be preâ—ected The eye loveth the light and is delighted with the sun-shine let thine understanding the eye of thy Soul love the light that shineth from heaven in the ministery of the word and do not turn from it or neglect it Let thy delight be in the law of the Lord and meditate therein day and night magnifie God who hath given thee this faculty of thy soul whereby thou mightest come to be acquainted with him thy Maker and think there is none so worthy of thy knowledge as he that made thee this knowledg shall be everlasting the knowledg of earthly things worldly policy skill in dealings laws of men c. shall perish but the knowledg of God is everlasting and immortal as the soul it self is yea it shall be perfected when other knowledg shall perish 3. Thy Wâ—ll wherein the strength of thy soul lyeth must be wholly for God it must be firmly bent to obey God and strongly resolved against all disobedience flashes motions and good moods and fits now and then arising in the heart toward God either in affliction or when we see some spectacles 〈◊〉 mortality or hear the word pressed upon us are but slight and weak of themselves and soon Vanish if there be nothing else but these But the strength of the Soul lies in the Will when it is sanctified and firmely resolved to obey its Maker in all things When Barnabas saw the good affections of the new Converts at Antioch be exhorted them all that with purpose of heart they would cleave unto the Lord Act. 11.23 So David I have sworn and I will perform it that I will keep thy righteous judgments Psal. 119.106 there was a resolute spirit and such should be the bent of every sanctified will The affections may be stirred and yet may be no more but as a few loose sticks which Satan will soon break again and bring to nothing but the will when it is throughly bent and confirmed indeed it is as a common bond to tye up all the affections and to strengthen all let us therefore pray to the Lord that he would give us both the Will and the Deed. 4. The will being thus for God then labour to stir up the affections which are as it were the wings of the soul. 1. Love is strong as death jealousie is hot as fire thou shouldest love God with passionate and strong affections Oh how I love thy law it is my meditation all the day saith David Psal. 119.97 Tell him that I am sick of love saith the Church of Christ. Cant. 5.8 That is an happy soul that is sick of this heavenly love It is not enough to wish well to God and his glory and coldly to desire that things might be amended but the heart must be carried after him in strong and stirring passions of Love that as the heart of a fond lover is passionately carried and overcome with the love of the person beloved so should a Christian Soul not content it self with an ordinary cold temper of love but should labour to have it self possessed with fervent affections yea to be overcome The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts saith the Apostle now that I hope will work an affectionate love to God when his love is poured abundantly into the heart this will make a man love out of a pure heart fervently 2. This will draw desire after it which is another affection oh how the Soul will pant long hunger and thrist for God if once it fall in love with him and be truly joyned unto him having tasted of his excellency and found how Good the Lord is I have lifted up mine eyes to the hills saith the Psalmist Travellers at the foot of the hill look up to the top and now oh that I were there with a wish so a Christian in the valley of humiliation and in the sence of his own wants locketh up to God and his holy Mount and now oh that I were with the Lord oh that I were neer to him and could more fully enjoy him oh that I had more of his Spirit more of his fulness more of his graces my soul thirsteth for the Lord even for the living God And when once thou comest to this how canst thou chuse but from thy heart loath all sin tendered or suggested to thee by Satan the world or the flesh if once thou thus lovest God thou wilt not make league with any enemy of His. 3. Then thou wilt rejoice in the Lord with joy unspeakable and full of glory then the worlds joys will seem poor heartless unsavoury flashes and now a world for my part in that blessed feast of fat things of wine upon the lees of wine upon the lees well refined No delicates so sweet as the Paschal Lamb Christ Jesus no feast so excellent as that which the soul maketh on him by Faith Now I can relish Christs sweetness in the Word in the Sacraments in private Meditations 4. And now also must thy sorrow be sanctified and nothing be so grievous to thee as that which is displeasing to thy God thy heart should ake when his spirit is grieved all should be godly sorrow that bringeth repentance give not way to that sorrow for which thou must sorrow again but to those tears after which thou shalt reap in joy 5. As for Hope where shouldest thou cast Anchor but upon the Rock there is the only sure hold that will abide a storm fasten there lean not upon the arm of flesh cast not Anchor in the Sand. 6. And whom shouldest thou fear but him that hath all power in his hand all Creatures that can help or hurt at his command eâ—ther to let them loose or to tye them up fear him for his Goodness and Mercy as well as for his Justice that it is too good to be abused and to be made a patronage to thy sins 7. Labour to be couragiously confident in the Lords goodness toward thee and bear up thy soul upon the multitude of his mercies and his truth that never faileth above the gulf of desperation 8. And for thine Anger let it not be a strange fire of inordinate and distempered passion but an holy fire of zeal for the glory of God oh let it burn inwardly to consume the dross and corruptions of thy own soul and to burn up the stubble vanity of thy corrupt affections and then let it flame out in the eyes of the world that those that hate it may yet see its light and then whatsoever the world speaks or thinks of thee thou maist with a glad heart say in the presence oâ— God Praise the Lord O my soul
last thing is a consequent of Gods Image in both which was that their nakedness was without shame the cause whereof was because they were free from sin Thus much for the opening of these things I now proceed to application CHAP VIII Use 1. THis condemneth the folly of those that use to say that women have no souls which though it be a most sottish speech yet no Opinion is so sottish which hath not some to embrace it Howsoever though men think not so but speak it many times in an idle jesting humour yet is it worthy of reproof in publique both because it is to be reckoned among those idle words for which the speaker must give account at the day of Judgment and also because it is a notorious lie and falshood which no Christian tongue should utter in jest or earnest And that which the Apostle speaks in another case may be applied to this That evil words corrupt good manners But if it were worthy of a confutation it were easily shewed that the blessed Virgin began her song of praise thus My soul doth magnifie the Lord c. It is said that Lydia another woman had her heart or soul opened to attend to the word of God It is said that the Woman whose Daughter had a Devil had a great Faith which is always seated in the soul. It is said that the woman who washed our Saviours feet with tears had many sins forgiven her but without a soul she could not have sinned nor have received forgiveness of sins But some that will take upon them to carp at Sermons or Catechisms though themselves have need to be catechized will say it is an idle thing to speak of this let their wisedomes know then that in mine own experience I have found such as could not tell whether Christ were God or man or an Angel c. Therefore there is need that the plainest things should be taught and that they which know them should also know some arguments whereby to stop profane cavilling mouths but Moses tells us that both male and female were made after the image of God and therefore both the one and the other had an immortal Soul both were made Rulers over the Creatures 2. This sheweth God's tender care over man he would not suffer him to want that which was good for him thus tender is his love when sin maketh no breach This should therefore teach Thee O man to lament thy sins and the sins of the land when any evil befalleth thee or the land Hadst not thou wronged him by thy sins as Adam then had not he would have been as tender over Thee as over Him Had it not been for sin the Lord would have said It is not good for man to be punished with famine and scarcity I will provide him food convenient for him It is not good for man to be sick I will continue health unto him It is not good for him to be made a Slave or a Prisoner whom I have made Lord of the other creatures I will give him liberty It is not good to bring him under any affliction I will keep him free from sorrow It is not good that he should die I will give him immortality Thus would the Lord have dealt with man had not sin confounded that happy peace between God and man complain not then so much of thy affliction as it is a cross to thee as of thy sin which is a cross to God and which hath moved him to bring the cross of affliction upon Thee 3. In that woman was made to be an Help meet for man at her creation and at the first appointment of marriage this sheweth that So far as she is an hinderance to him or neglecteth to help him So far she erreth from the right end of marriage As she is an hinderance to him in Spiritual things and a means either to draw him from God or to cool his Zeal for Gods glory to lessen his care for his service or to make him more backward in good duâ—ies or to discourage him from a sincere constant course of obedience so far doth she grievously cross the very rules the true end and original institution of marriage Again so far as she helpeth him forward in these things as she provokeâ—h him to grow in grace and to be more and more fruitful in good works so far she sheweth her self to be a wife even a wife of Gods making an help meet for man for indeed she is no farther a wife then she is an helper Again So far as by her wilfulness negligence or wastful riot she impaireth his estate So far she faileth of those accomplishments that should go to the making up of a wife And so far as by moderate care diligence and discretion she furthereth him this way so far she approveth her self to be a true wife that is an help meet for him So it is in regard of his true comfort and contentment every way sc. of his credit c. Therefore wives should labour to be Wives that is helps in every respect for although infirmities sithence the fall wil not permit them to be perfectly helpful in the highest degree yet should they labour to do their best in every several kind wherein they ought to be helpful 4. The neerness of the marriage-bond which is shewed by the original of the woman taken out of Man and the law of marriage enacted by God whereby they are become one flesh should move them both to knit their hearts in most intire and mutual love accounting each other and affecting each other as a part of him or her self 5. This condemneth the pride of the whore of Babylon which accounteth the state of marriage polluted and thinketh her shavelings too good and holy to enter into that order which yet the Lord thought a fit and helpful estate for Adam in his first estate when the image of God shined bâ—ightly and perfectly in his Soul without all spot of lust or stain of corruption 6. In that nakedness it self was not shameful until naked Man and woman became sinfull this should make us not so much ashamed of any thing as of sin no meanness of condition no defects or deformities no reproaches of lving and idle Tongues should make us so ashamed as any sin against God for shame is as proper unto sin as the shadow to the Body and we may call shame the shadow of sin For as there is no shadow without some light yet the shadow cometh not from the light but from the Body So shame doth not follow sin without some light to discover it yet the shame cometh not from the light but from sin there must be either the light of the Word or of Conscience or nature c to discover sin before the shame of it which is its shadow will appear and therefore men that are wholly in darkness and blindness and come not to the light they go on without sense of the shame of
and all that is within me praise his holy name bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits as David doth Psal. 103.1 2. CHAP. 7. Of the Creation of both Sexes I Come now to the second point and that is that God made both Sexes Male and Female Man and Woman which is here laid down in general but more particularly set forth afterwards in the second Chapter from the eighteenth verse to the end So that first you see as was shewed before that the Mans body was framed out of the Dust and the breath of life was breathed into him as hath been shewed Now in the next place we may observe 1. The necessity of the Creation of Woman after that Man was made 2. The manner of it 3. The conjunction of Both together 4. A special consequent of the Image of God in both and that was that their nakedness was without shame being without sin The first of these is laid down Chap. 2. verse 18. 20. and therein two things are to be noted 1. That man was alone 2. That it was not good for him to be alone and therefore the Lord would make him an help Meet for him 1. He was alone therfore it was noted that when all the other living creatures were brought before him there was not among them all when they were in that best estate of their creation any one that was an help meet for him or fit to be joined in neerest society with him There was not any among all the Creatures to which he gave Names that did bear the Image of God and so no fit match for him 2. It was not good for him to be thus alone Object But it may be objected that then all that was made was not very good Resp. It was very good when it was perfected but not whilest it was in hand before it was finished An house is not very good for habitation before the roof is laid c. when it is but an imperfect frame So mans estate was not yet perfected till the Lord had made him an help meet for him and that was all done upon the Sixth day and then the Lord said of all that he had made That it was very good But to the point It was not good that man should be alone 1. Because it was needful that Mankind should be encreased for the glory of God that as the other Creatures did encrease so men should multiply also and bear rule over them Therefore Gen. 1.28 God said to them in the state of holiness and innocency Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it Many other reasons there are now sithens the Fall for which it is needful that the Woman should be made which had no force in the state of Innocency But yet 2. A second may be that as God needing no creatures yet did make creatures to which he might communicate his goodness so he might be pleased to make such a creature as should be sutable unto Adam to whom he might communicate his love and with whom he might take such an holy undefiled mutual contentmenâ— as did become the estate of Innocency 2. In the second place followeth the manner of the Creation of the Woman and therein 1. The preparative which was a Deep Sleep falling upon the man to take away the present uâ—e of his sences that he might not feel any pain in taking away the Rib out of his side which shewed the Lords tender care over man when he continued upright that he would not put him to any pain no not in such a case as tended to his special good that he might have an help meet for him 2. He took a rib out of his body and left no breach nor wound in the body but closed up the flesh again and left it whole And of this Bone he made a Woman which should be joined unto him as an help meet for him 3. The third thing is the institution of Marriage wherein we have the Lords act in joining them together and his enacting that holy law of Matrimony Gen. 2.24 1. The Lord bringeth the woman to the man where ye see that God is the great Match-maker and He is the Author of Marriage God brought all the creatures before Adam but among them all he found none that was an help meet for him and therefore he brought the woman to another end and in bringing her did join her to him in marriage and Adam on the other side with a glad and thankful heart accepteth her at the hands of God giveth her a name answerable to her beginning which he alleadgeth as a reason of the name and of the near affinity between him and her This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh she shall be called woman because she was taken out of man 2. The law of marriage was enacted vers 24 where is shewed 1. That the conjunction between Man and Wife should be most near 2. That it should not be dissolved 3. That it should be between one Man and one Woman 1. It should be most near for it should be nearer than that between the child and his father and mother which is nearer than any other besides this of Marriage Therefore in marriage the father is said to give his child so that now the husband is the wifes and the wife is the husbands They must be near in cohabitation or in dwelling together most near in affection near in a mutual communion of bodies and goods so near that they must be one even as the woman was a part of the man being taken out of him so it must be conceived that each man must judge himself one with his wife and not esteem her as a person divided from himself not take her for another but account her a part of himself 2. It must not be dissolved because they are become one for a man to foâ—sake his wife is as if he should pluck an arm from his body or pull a rib out of his side they being by the ordinance of God made one even as all the members of a mans body make up one body Therefore our Saviour giveth not way to any divorce except it be for Adultery for then the party that committeth adultery doth rent it self from that Union wherein they were knit together every adulterous act being a division of the Marriage-bond 3. It must be between one man and one woman and not between one and more than onâ— So it is plain 1. By the Creation it self when the Lord made but one woman for one man which is the argument used by the Prophet Malach. 2.15 and if ever it had been expedient to have had many wives it had been then fittest that the earth might have been more speedily replenished 2. You see it is said That a Man shall cleave to his Wife and not unto his wives and that they two and not more than two should be one flesh 4. The