similitude of 〈◊〉 Love I speak of what is revealed the secret thing belong to the Lord our God Now by all this iâ— manifest the Greatness of the Soul Men of greatnesâ— and honour if they have respect to their own glory will not chuse for their familiars the base and rasâ—â— Crue of this World but will single out for their fellows fellowship and communion those that are moâ—â— like themselves True the King has not an equalâ— yet he is for being familiar only with the Nobles oâ— the Land so God with him none can compare yeâ— since the Soul is by him singled out for his walking Mate and Companion 't is a sign it is the higheâ— born and that upon which the blessed Majesty looksâ— as upon that which is most meet to be singled out for communion with himself Should we see a Man familiar with the King we would even of our selves conclude he is one of the Nobles of the Land but this is not the Lot of every Soul some have fellowship with Devils yet not because they have a more base Original than those that lye in God's bosom but they through sin are degenerate and have chosen to be great with his Enemy but all these things shew the Greatness of the Soul 4. The Souls of Men are such as God countâ— worthy to be the Vessels to hold his Grace the Graces of the Spirit in The Graces of the Spirit what like them or where here are they to be found save in the Souls of Men only of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace received into what Into the hidden Parts as David calls it Hence the King's Daughter is said to be all glorious within because adorned and beautified with the Graces of the Spirit For that which David calls the hidden part is the inmost part of the Soul and it is therefore called the hidden Part because the Soul is invisible nor can any one living infallibly know what is in the Soul but God himself But I say the Soul is the Vessel into which this golden Oyl is poured and that which holds and is accounted worthy to exercise and improve the same Therefore the Soul is it which is said to love God Saw ye him whom my Soul loveth and therefore the Soul is that which exerciseth the Spirit of Prayer With my Soul have I desired thee in the night and with my Spirit within me will I seek thee early With the Soul also Men are said to believe and into the Soul God is said to put his Fear This is the Vessel into which the wise Virgins got Oyl and out of which their Lamps were supplied by the same But what a thing what a great thing therefore is the Soul that that above all things that God hath created should be the chosen Vessel to put his Grace in The Body is the Vessel for the Soul and the Soul is the Vessel for the Grace of God But 5. The Greatness of the Soul is manifest by the Greatness of the Price that Christ paid for it to make it an Heir of Glory and that was his procious Blood We do use to esteem of things according to the Price that is given for them especially when we are convinced that the purchase has not been made by the Estimation of a Fool. Now the Soul is purchased by a Price that the Son the wisdom of God thought fit to pay for the redemption thereof what a thing then is the Soul Judge of the Soul by the Price that is paid for it and you must needs confess unless you count the Blood that hath bought it an unholy thing that it cannot but be of great worth and value Suppose a Prince or some great Man should on a sudden descend from his Throne or Chair of State to take up that he might put in his bosome some thing that he had espyed lying trampled under the Feet of those that stand by would you think that he would do this for an old Horse-shooe or for so trivial a thing as a Pin or a Point nay would you not even of your selves conclude that that thing for which the Prince so great a Man should make such a stoop must needs be a thing of very great worth Why this is the case of Christ and the Soul Christ is the Prince his Throne was in Heaven and as he sat there he espied the Souls of Sinners trampled under the Foot of the Law and Death for sin now what doth he but comes down from his Throne stoops down to the Earth and there since he could not have the trodden-down Souls without price he lays down his Life and Blood for them But would he have done this for inconsiderable things no nor for the Soul of Sinners neither had he not valued them higher than he valued Heaven and Earth besides This therefore is another thing by which the Greatness of Soul is known 6. The Soul is immortal it will have a sensible Being for ever none can kill the Soul If all the Angels in Heaven and all the Men of Earth should lay all their strength together they cannot kill or annihilare one Soul no I will speak without fear â—f it may be said God cannot do what he will not do then he cannot annihilate the Soul but notwithstanding all his wrath and the vengeance that he will inflict on sinful Souls they yet shall abide with sensible Beings yet to indure yet to bear punishment If any thing could kill the Soul it would be death but death cannot do it neither first nor second The first cannot for when Dives was slain as to his Body by death his Soul was found aliâ—â— in Hell He lift up his Eyes in Hell being in torment The second death cannot do it because it is said their Worm never dies but is always torturing them with his gnawing but that could not be if time or lying in Hell-fire for ever could annihilate the Soul Now this also shews the Greatness of the Soul that it is that which has an endless life and that will therefore have a Being endlesly O what a thing is the Soul The Soul then is immortal though not eternal That is eternal that has neither beginning nor end and therefore eternal is properly applicable to none but God hence he is called the eternal God Immortal is that which though it hath a Beginning yet hath no end it cannot dye nor cease to be and this is the state of the Soul It cannot cease to have a Being when it is once created I mean a living sensible Being For I mean by living only such a Being as distinguishes it from annihilation or uncapableness of sense and feeling Hence as the rich Man is after death said to lift up his Eyes in Hell so the Begger is said when he dyed to be carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosome And both these sayings must have respect to the
with his passiâ—on thus sanctified by the Love of God and thaâ— makes sin which is God's enemy the only object oâ— its indignation How many be there I say whoâ— hatred is turned another way because of the maligâ—nity of their minds They hate Knowledge They hate God They hate the Righteous They hate God's ways And all is because the Grace of final fear is not thâ— Root and Principle from whence their hatred flows For the Fear of the Lord is to hate evil wherefore where this grace is wanting for a Root in the Souâ— there it must of necessity swerve in the letting out â— this passion because the Soul where grace is wanting is not at liberty to act simply but is byassed by thâ— Power of Sin that while grace is absent is preseâ— in the Soul And hence it is that this Passion which when acted well is a Vertue is so abused and made to exercise its force against that for which God never ordained it nor gave it license to act 3. Another Passion of the Soul is joy and when the Soul rejoyceth not in iniquity but rejoyceth in the Truth This Joy is a very strong Passion and will carry a Man through a world of difficulties 't is a Passion that beareth up that supporteth and strengtheneth a Man let the Object of his joy be what it will 'T is this that maketh the Soul fat in goodness if it have its object accordingly and that which makes the Soul bold in wickedness if it indeed doth rejoyce in iniquity 4. Another passion of the Soul is Fear natural fear for so you must understand me of all the Passions of the Soul as they are considered simply and in their own nature And as it is with the other Passions so it is with this it is made good or evil in its acts as its principle and objects are when this passion of the Soul is good then it springs from sense of the greatness and goodness and Majesty of God also God himself is the object of this fear I will forewarn you says Christ whom ye shall fear Fear him that can destroy both Body and Soul in Hell yea I say unto you fear him But in all Men this passion is not regulated and governed by these Principles and Objects but is abused and turned through the Policy of Satan quite into another channel It is made to fear Men to fear Idols to fear Devils and Witches yea it is made to fear all the foolish ridiculous and apish Fables that every old Woman or Atheistical Fortune-teller has the Face to drop before the Soul But fear is another passion of the Soul 5. Another passion of the Soul is Grief and it as those aforenamed acteth even according as it is governed When holiness is lovely and beautiful to the Soul and when the Name of Christ is more precious than life then will the Soul sit down and be afflicted because Men keep not God's Law I beheld the Transgressors and was grieved because they kepe not thy word So Christ he looked round about with anger Being grieved for the hardness of their hearts But it is rarely seen that this passion of the Soul is thus exercised Almost every body has other thingâ— for the spending of the heat of this passion upon Men are grieved that they thrive no more in the World grieved that they have no more carnal sensual and worldly honour grieved that they are suffered no more to range in the Lusts and Vanities of this life but all this is because the Soul is unacquainted with God sees no beauty in holiness but is sensual and wrapt up in clouds and thick darkness 6. And lastly There is Anger which is another passion of the Soul And that as the rest is extended by the Soul according to the Nature of the Principle by which it is acted and from whence it flows And in a word to speak nothing of the fierceâ—ness and power of this passion it is then cursed when it breaketh out beyond the bounds that God hath set it the which to be sure it doth when it shall by its fierceness or irregular moâ—tion run the Soul into sin Be angry and sin not is the Limitation wherewith God hath bounded thiâ— â—assion and whatever is more than this is a giâ—ing place to the Devil And one reason among others Why the Lord doth â—o strictly set this bound and these limits to anger 〈◊〉 that it is so furious a Passion and for that it â—ill so quickly swell up the Soul with sin as they say Toad swells with its poison Yea it will in a moment â—o transport the Spirit of a Man that he shall quickly â—orget himself his God his Friend and all good â—ule but my business is not now to make a Comâ—ent upon the Passions of the Soul only to shew â—ou that there are such and also which they are And now from this description of the Soul what â—ollows but to put you in mind what a noble powerâ—ul lively sensible thing the Soul is that by the Text is supposed may be lost through the heedlesâ—ess or carelesness or slavish fear of him whose Soul â—t is and also to stir you up to that care of and laâ—our after the Salvation of your Soul as becomes the Weight of the Matter if the Soul were a trivial Thing or if a Man though he lost it might yet â—imself be happy it were another matter but the â—oss of the Soul is no small loss nor can that Man â—hat has lost his Soul had he all the World yea the whole Kingdom of Heaven in his own power be but â—n a most fearful and miserable condition but of these â—hings more in their place Having thus given you a Description of the Soul what it is I shall in the next place shew you the Greatness of it And the first thing that I shall take occasion to make this manifest by will be shewing you the Disproportion that is betwixt thâ— and the Body And I shall do it in these followiâ— particulars 1. The Body is called the House of the 〈◊〉 an House for the Soul to dwell in Now every boâ— knows that the House is much inferior to him 〈◊〉 by God's Ordinance is appointed to dwell thereiâ— that it is called the House of the Soul you find Paul to the Corinthians For we know saith hâ— if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolve we have a Building of God an House not made wiâ— hands eternal in the Heavens We have then an Hoâ— for our Soul in this world and this House is thâ— Body for the Apostle can mean nothing else theâ—â—fore he calls it an earthly House If our earthly House Our House But who doth he personate if he says Tâ— is an House for the Soul for the Body is part of hâ— that says Our House In this manner of Language he personates his 〈◊〉 with the
ways and doings which is the terriblest Judgment under Heaven And this brings me to the third Thing the which I now will speak to 3. As the Soul receives detains entertains and willily worketh to bring Sin from the motion into act so it abhorreth to be controuled and taken off of this work My Soul loathed them says God and theâ—â— Soul also abhorred me My Soul loathed them because they were so bad and their Souls abhorred me because I am so good Sin then is the Cause of the Loss of the Soul because it hath set the Soul or rather because the Soul of love to sin hath set it self against God Wo unto their Souls for they have rewarded evil unto themselves That you may the better perceive that the Soul through sin has set it self against God I will propose and speak briefly to these two things I. The Law II. The Gospel 1. For the Law God has given it for a Rule of Life either as written in their Natures or as inserted in the Holy Scriptures I say for a Rule of Life to all the Children of Men but what have Men done or how have they carried it to this Law of their Creator let us see and that from the Mouth of God himself I. They have not hearkened unto my Law II. They have forsaken my Law III. They have forsaken me and not kept my Law IV. They have not walked in my Law nor in my Statutes V. Her Priests have violated my Law VI. And saith God I have written to him the great Thâ—ngs of my Law but they were counted as a strange Thing Now whence should all this disobedience arise â— not from the unreasonableness of the Commandment but from the Opposition that is lodged in the Soul against God and the Enmity that it entertains against goodness Hence the Apostle speaks of the Enmity and says That Men are enemies in their Minds their Souls as is manifest by wicked works This if Men went no further must needs be highly provoking to a just and holy God yea so highly offensive is it that to shew the heat of his anger he saith Indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish upon every Soul of Man that doth evil and this is evil with a witness of the Jew first and also of the Gentile that doth evil that breaketh the Law for that evil he is crying out against now But 2. To speak of the Gospel and of the Carriage of sinful Souls towards God under that dispensation The Gospel is a Revelation of a sovereign Remedy provided by God through Christ for the Health and Salâ—ation of those that have made themselves objects of wrath by the Breach of the Law of Works This is manifest by all the Scripture But how doth the Soul carry it towards God when he offereth to deal with it under and by this dispensation of grace Why just as it carried it under the Law of Works they oppose they contradict they blaspheme and forbid that this Gospel be mentioned What higher affront or contempt can be offered to God and what greater disdain can be shewn against the Gospel Yet all this the poor Soul to its own wrong offereth against the way of its own salvation as it is said in the Word of Truth He that sinneth against me wrongs his own Soul all that hate me love death But further The Soul despiseth not the Gospel in that revelation of it only but the great and chief bringer thereof with the manner also of his bringing of it The Bringer the great Bringer of the Gospel is the good Lord Jesus Christ himself he came and preached Peace to them that the Law proclaimed War against he came and preached Peace to them that were far off and to them that were nigh And it is worth your observation to take notice how he came and that was and still is as he is set forth in the Word of the Gospel to wit First as making peace himself to God for us in and by the Blood of his Cross and then as bearing as set out by the Gospel the very Characters of his sufferings before our faces in every tender of the Gospel of his grace unto us And to touch a little upon the Dress in which by the Gospel Christ presenteth himself unto us while he offereth unto sinful Souls his peace by the Tenders thereof 1. He is set forth as born for us to save out Souls 2. He is set forth before us as bearing of our Sins for us and suffering God's Wrath for us 3. He is set forth before us as fulfilling the Law for us and as bringing of everlasting righteousness to us for our covering Again As to the manner of his working out the Salvation of Sinners for them that they might have Peace and Joy and Heaven and Glory for ever 1. He is set forth as sweating of Blood while he was in his Agony wrestling with the Thoughts of Death which he was to suffer for our Sins that he might save the Soul 2. He is set forth as crying weeping and mourning under the Lashes of Justice that he put himself under and was willing to bear for our Sins 3. He is set forth as betrayed apprehended condemned spit on scourged buffeted mocked crowned with Thorns crucified pierced with Nails and a Spear To save the Soul from being betrayed by the Devil and Sin to save it from being apprehended by Justice and condemned by the Law to save it from being spit on in a way of contempt by holiness To save it from being scourged with guilt of Sins as with Scorpions To save it from being continually buffeted by its own Conscience To save it from being mocked at by God To save it from being crowned with ignominy and shame for ever To save it from dying the second Death To save it from wounds and grief for ever Dost thou understand me sinful Soul He wrestled with Justice that thou mightest have rest he wept and mourned that thou mightest laugh and rejoyce he was beâ—rayed that thou mightest go free was apprehended that thou mightest escape he was condemned that thou mightest be justified and was killed that thou mightest live he wore a Crown of Thorns that thou mightest wear a Crown of Glory and was nailed to the Cross with his Arms wide open to shew with what freeness all his Merits shall be bestowed on the coming Soul and how heartily he will receive it into his bosom Further All this he did of meer good will and offereth the Benefit thereof unto thee freely yea he cometh unto thee in the Word of the Gospel with the Blood running down from his Head upon his Face with his Tears abiding upon his Cheeks with his holes as fresh in his hands and his feet and as with the Blood still bubling out of his side to pray thee to accept of the Benefit and to be reconciled to God thereby But that saith the
THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL And unspeakableness of the Loss thereof with the Causes of the Losing it First Preached at Pinners-Hall and now Enlarged and Published for Good By JOHN BUNYAN LONDON Printed for Richard Wilde at the Sign of the Map of the World in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCXCI THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL And unspeakableness of the Loss thereof c. MARK 8. 37. Or VVhat shall a Man give in Exchange for his Soul I Have chosen at this time to handle these Words among you and that for several reasons 1. Because the Soul and the Salvation of it are such great such wonderful great things nothing is a matter of that concern as is and should be the Soul of each one of you House and Land Trades and Honors Places and Preferments What are they to Salvation to the Salvation of the Soul 2. Because I perceive that this so great a thing and about which Persons should be so much concerned is neglected to amazement and that by the most of Men Yea who is there of the many thousand that sit daily under the sound of the Gospel that aâ— concerned heartily concerned about the Salvation 〈◊〉 their Souls that is concerned I say as the Natuâ—â— of the thing requireth If ever a Lamentation waâ— fit to be taken up in this Age about for or conâ—cerning any thing it is about for and concerning thâ— horrid neglect that every where puts forth it seâ— with reference to eternal Salvation Where is onâ— Man of a thousand yea Where is there two of teâ— thousand that do shew by their Conversations publicâ— and private that the Soul their own Souls are considered by them and that they are taking that carâ—â—or the Salvation of them as becomes them to witâ— as the weight of the Work and the Nature of Saâ—â—vation requireth 3. I have therefore pitch'd upoâ— this Text at this time to see if peradventure thâ— Discourse which God shall help me to make upon it will 〈◊〉 â—en you rouse you off of your Beds of ease 〈◊〉 and pleasure and fetch you down upon youâ— Knees before him to beg of him Grace to be conâ—cerned about the Salvation of your Souls And the in the last Place I have taken upon me to do thiâ— that I may deliver if not you yet my self and thaâ— I may be clear of your Blood and stand quit aâ— to you before God when you shall for neglect bâ— damned and wail to consider that you have lost you Souls When I say saith God to the Wicked th◠〈◊〉 surely dye and thou the Prophet or Preacher givest him not warning nor speakest to warn the Wickeâ—â—om his wicked way to save his life The same wickeâ— Man shall dye in his iniquity but his blood will I requirâ— at thy hand Yet if thou warn the Wicked and he turâ— not from his wickedness nor from his wicked way 〈◊〉 â—all dye in his iniquity but thou hast delivered thy â—oul Or what shall a Man give in Exchange for his Soul In my handling of these Words I shall first speak â—o the occasion of them and then to the words themâ—elves The occasion of the Words was for that the Peoâ—le that now were Auditors to the Lord Jesus and â—hat followed him did it without that consideration â—s becomes so great a Work That is The generaâ—ty of them that followed him were not for consiâ—ering first with themselves what it was to profess Christ and what that Profession might cost them And when he had called the People unto him the great â—ultitudes that went with him Luke 14. 25. with is Disciples also he said unto them whosoever will come â—fter me let him deny himself and take up his Cross and â—ollow me ver 34. Let him first sit down and â—ount up the Cost and the Charge he is like to be at 〈◊〉 he follows me For following of me is not like folâ—owing of some other Masters The Winds sits always 〈◊〉 my Face and the foaming Rage of the Sea of this World and the proud and lofty Waves thereof do â—ontinually beat upon the sides of the Bark or Ship â—hat my self my Cause and my Followers are in â—e therefore that will not run hazzards and that 〈◊〉 afraid to venture a drowning let him not set foot â—nto this Vessel So whosoever doth not bear his Cross â—nd come after me he cannot be my Disciple For which â—f you intending to build a Tower sâ—â—teth not down firsâ—â—nd counteth the Cost whether he have sufficient to finish 〈◊〉 Luke 14. 15 26. 27 28 29. True To Reason this kind of Language tends to â—ast Water upon weak and beginning Desires but 〈◊〉 Faith it makes the things set before us and the â—reatness and the glory of them more apparently excellent and desirable Reason will say Then who will profess Christ that hath such course entertainment at the beginning but Faith will say Then surely the things that are at the End of a Christians race in this World must needs be unspeakably glorious since whoever hath had but the knowledge and due consideration of them have not stuck to run hazzards hazzards of every kind that they might imbrace and enjoy them Yea saith Faith it must needs be so since the Son himself that best knew what they were even For the joy that was set before him endured the Cross and despised the shame and is set down on the right-Hand of the Throne of God Heb. 12. 2. But I say There is not in every Man this knowledge of things and so by consequence not such consideration as can make the Cross and self denial acceptable to them for the sake of Christ and of the things that are where he now sitteth at the Right-Hand of God Col. 3. 2 3 4. Therefore our Lord Jesus doth even at the beginning give to his followers this instruction And lest any of them should take distaste at his Saying he presenteth them with the consideration of three things together namely The Cross the Loss of Life and the Soul and then reasoneth with them for the same saying Here is the Cross the Life and the Soul 1. The Cross and that you must take â—p if you will follow me 2. The Life and that you may save for a time if you cast me offâ— 3. And the Soul which will everlastingly perish if you come not to me and abide not with me Now consider what is best to be done will you take up the Cross come after me and so preserve your Souls from perishing or will you shun the Cross to save your lives and so run the danger of eternal damnation Or as you have it in John will you love your life till you lose it or will you hate your life and save it 〈◊〉 that loveth his life shall lose it and he that hateth his â—e in this World shall keep it unto life eternal John 12. â— 5. As who should say He that loveth a temporal â—ife he that so loveth it as
can neither be a price for Souls while here nor can that with all the Forces of Strength recover one out of Hell Fire Doct. 1. â—o then The first Truth drawn from the Words stands firm namely That the Lâ—ss of the Soul is the highest the greatest Loss a Loss that can never be repaired or made up In my discourse upon this subject I shall observe this method I. I shall shew you what the Soul is II. I shall shew you the greatness of it III. I shall shew you what it is to lose the Soul IV. I shall shew you the cause for which Men lose their Souls and by this time the Greatness of the Loss will be manifest I. I shall shew you what the Soul is both as to the various names it goes under as also by describing of it by its powers and properties though in all I shall be but brief for I intend no long discourse I. The Soul is often called the Heart of Man or that in and by which things to either good or evil have their rise thus desires are of the Heart or Soul yea before desires the first conception of good or evâ—lare in the Soul the Heart The Heart understands wills affects reasons judges but these are the faculties of the Soul wherefore Heart and Soul are often taken for one and the same My Son give me thy Heart Out of the Heart proceedeth evil thoughts c. 2. The Soul of Man is often called the Spirit of a Man because it not only giveth Being but life to all things and actions in and done by him Hence Soul and Spirit are put together as to the same action Wiâ—h my Soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my Spirit within me will I seek thee early when he saith yea with my Spirit I will seek thee he explaineth not only with what kind of desires he desired God but with what principal matter his desires were brought forth It was with my Soul saith he to wit With my Spirit within me So that of Mary My Soul saith she doth magnifie the Lord and my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour not that Soul and Spirit are in this place to be taken for two superiour Powers in Man but the same great Soul is here put under two names or terms to shew that it was the principal part in Mary to wit her Soul that magnified God even that part that could spirit and put life into her whole self to do it Indeed sometimes Spirit is not taken so largely but is confined to some one power or faculty of the Soul As the Spirit of my Vnderstanding and be renewed in the Spirit of your Mind and sometimes by Spirit we aâ—e to understand other things but many times by Spirit we must understand the Soul and also by Soul the Spirit 3. Therefore by Soul we understand the Spiritual the best and most noble part of Man as distinct from the Body even that by which we understand imagine reason and discourse And indeed as I shall further shew you presently the Body is but a poor empty Vessel without this great Thing called the SOVL The Body without the Spirit or Soul is dead or nothing but a clod of dust her Soul departed from her for she died It is therefore the chief and most noble part of Man 4. The Soul is often called the Life of Man not a Life of the same Stamp and Nature of the Bruit for the Life of Man that is of the rational Creature is that as he is such wherein consisteth and abideth the Understanding and Conscience c. Wherefore then a Man dieth or the Body ceaseth to act or live in the exercise of the thoughts which formerly used to be in him When the Soul departeth as I hinted even now her Soul departed from her for she died and as another good Man saith In that very day their thoughts perish c. The first Text is more emphatical Her Soul was in departing for she dyed There is a Soul of a Beast a Bird c. but the Soul of a Man is another thing it is his Understanding and Reason and Conscience c. And this Soul when it departs he dies Nor is this life when gone out of the Body annihilate as is the Life of a Beast no this in it self is immortal and has yet a Place and Being when gone out of the Body it dwelt in yea as quick as lively is it in its Senses if not far more abundant than when it was in the Body but I call it the Life because so long as that remains in the Body the Body is not dead And in this sense it is to be taken where he saith He that loseth his life for my sake shall save it unto life eternal And this is the Soul that is intended in the Text and not the Breath as in some other places is meant And this is evident because the Man has a Being a sensible Being after he has lost the Soul I mean not by the Man a Man in this World nor yet in the Body or in the Grave but by Man we must understand either the Soul in Hell or Body and Soul there after the Judgment is over And for this the Text also is plain for therein we are presented with a Man sensible of the damage that he has sustained by losing of his Soul VVhat shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul But 5. The whole Man goeth under this denomination Man consisting of Body and Soul is yet called by that part of himself that is most chief and principal Let every Soul that is let every Man be subject to the higher Powers Then sent Joseph and called his Father Jacob to him and all his Kindred threesâ—ore and fifteen Souls Acts 7. 14. By both these and several other places the whole Man is meant and is also so to be taken in the Text for whereas here he saith VVhat shall it profit a Man if he shall gain the the whole VVorld and lâ—se his own Soul 'T is said elsewhere For what is a Man advantaged if he shall gain the whole World and lose Hâ—MSELF and so consequently or VVhat shall a Man give in exchange for himself for his Soul his Soul when he dyes and Body and Soul in and after Judgment 6. The Soul is called Good Man's Darling Deliver Lord said David my Soul from the Swordâ— my Darling from the Power of the Dog So again in another place he saith Lord how long wilt thou look on rescue my Soul from destruction my darling from the Power of the Lyons My darling this Sentence must not be applied universally but only to those in whose Eyes their Souls and the redemption thereof is precious My Darling most Men do by their actions say of their Soul my drudge my slave nay thou slave to the Devil and Sin for what sin what lust what sensual and beastly
lust is there in the World that some do not cause their Souls to bow before and yield unto But David here as you see calls it his Darling or his choice and most excellent thing for indeed the Soul is a choice thing in it self and should were all wise be every Man's darling or chief treasure And that it might be so with us therefore our Lord Jesus hath thus expressed the worth of the Soul saying VVhat shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul But if this is true one may see already what misery he is like to sustain that has or shall lose his Soul he has lost his Heart his Spirit his best Part his Life his darling himself his whole self and so in every sense his all And now what shall a man What would a Man But what can a Man that has thus lost his Soul himself and his all give in exchange for his Soul Yea What shall the Man that has sustained this Lâ—ss to recover all again since this Man or the Man â—ut under this Question must needs be a Man that is gone from hence a Man that is cast in the judgment â—nd one that is gone down the Throat of Hell But to pass this and to proceed I come next to describe the Soul unto you by such things as it is set â—ut by in the Holy Scriptures and they are in general â—hree I. The Power of the Soul II. The Senses the Spiritual Senses of the Soul III. The Passions of the Soul I. We will discourse of the Powers I may call â—hem the Members of the Soul for as the Members â—f the Body being many do all go to the making up â—f the Body so these do go to the compleating of the â—oul 1. There is the Vnderstanding which may be â—ermed the Head because in that is placed the Eye â—f the Soul and this is that which or by which the â—oul discerneth things that are presented to it and â—hat either by God or Satan This is that by which Man conceiveth and apprehendeth things so deep â—nd great that cannot by Mouth or Tongue or Pen â—e expressed 2. There is also belonging to the Soul the Conâ—ience in which I may say is placed the seat of Judgment for as by the Understanding things are let in Swordâ— the Soul so by the Conscience the evil or good â—f such things are tryed especially when in the. 3. Place the Judgment which is another part of his noble Creature has passed by the light of the â—nderstanding his verdict upon what is let in to the â—oul 4. There is as also the Fancy or Imagination another part of this great thing the Soul and a most curious thing this Fancy is It is that which presenteth to the Man the idea form or figure of that or any of those things wherewith a Man is frighted or taken pleased or displeased And 5. The mind another part of the Soul is that unto which this Fancy presenteth its things to be considered of because without the mind nothing is entertained in the Soul 6. There is the memory too another part of the Soul and that may be called the Register of the Soul for it is the memory that receiveth and keepeth in remembrance what has passed or has been done by the Man or attempted to be done unto him And in this part of the Soul or from it will be fed the Worm that dyeth not when Men are cast into Hell also from this Memory will flow that peace at the day of Judgment that Saints shall have in their service for Christ in the World 7. There are the Affections too which are as I may call them the Hands and Arms of the Soul for they are they that take hold of receive and embrace what is liked by the Soul And it is a hard thing to make the Soul of a Man cast from it what its affections cleave to and have imbraced Hence the Affections are called for when the Apostle bids Men seek the things above set your Affections upon them saith he or as you have it in another place Lay hold of them for the Affections are as hands to the Soul and they by which it fasrneth upon things 8. There is the Will which may be called the Foot of the Soul because by that the Soul yea the whole Man is carried hither and thither or else held back and kept from moving These are the golden Things of the Soul though in carnal Men they are every one of them made use of in the Service of Sin and Satan For the Vnbelieving are throughout impure as is manifest because their Mind and Conscience two of the Master-pieces of the Soul are defiled for if the most potent Parts of the Soul are ingaged in their service what think you do the more inferior do But I say so it is the more is the pity nor can any help it This work ceaseth for ever unless the great God who is over all and that can Souls shall himself take upon him to sanctifie the Soul and to recover it and perswade it to fall in love with another Master But I say What is Man without this Soul or wherein lieth his preeminence over a Beast no where that I know of For both as to Man's Body go to one place only the Spirit or Soul of a Man goes upward to wit to God that gave it to be by him disposed of with respect to things to come as they have been and have done in this life But 2. I come in the next place to describe the Soul by its Senses its spiritual Senses for so I call them for as the Body hath Senses partaining to it and aâ— it can see hear smell feel and taste so can the Soul I call therefore these the Senses of the Soul in opposition to the Senses of the Body and because the Soul is the Seat of all spiritual Sense where supernatural things are known and enjoyed not that the Soul of a natural Man is spiritual in the Apostles sense for so none are but those that are born from above nor they so always neither But to go forward 1. Can the Body see Hath it eyes so hath the Soul The Eyes of the Vnderstanding being enlightned As then the Body can see Beasts Trees Men and all visible things so the Soul can see God Christ Angels Heaven Devils Hell and other things that are invisible nor is this property only peculiar to the Souls that are illuminated by the Holy Ghost for the most carnal Soul in the World shall have a time to see these things but not to its comfort but not to its joy but to its endless woe and misery it dying in that condition Wherefore Sinner say not thou I shall not see him for Judgment is before him and he will make thee see him 2. Can the Body bear hath it ears so hath the Soul See Job 4. 12 13. It is
the Soul not the Body that hears the Language of things invisible 'T is the Soul that hears God when he speaks in and by his Word and Spirit and 't is the Soul that hears the Devil when he speaks by his illusions and temptations True there is such an Union between the Soul and the Body that oft-times if not always that which is heard by the Ears of the Body doth influence the Soul and that which is heard by the Soul doth also influence the Body but yet as to the Organ of Hearing the Body hath one of his own distinct from that of the Soul and the Soul can hear and regard even then when the Body doth not nor cannot As in time of sleep deep sleep and trances when the Body lyeth by as a thing that is useless For God peaks once yea twice yet Man as to his Body perceiveth it not In a Dream in a Vision of the Night when deep sleep falleth upon Men in slumbrings upon the Bed Then openeth he the Ears of Men and sealeth their instruction c. this must be meant of the Ears of the Soul not of the Body for that at this time is said to be in deep sleep moreover this hearing it is a Hearing of Dreams and the Visions of the Night Jeremiah also tells us That he had the rare and blessed Visions of God in his sleep and so doth Daniel too by the which they were greatly comforted and refreshed but that could not be was not the Soul also capable of hearing I heard the Voice of his words said Daniel and when I heard the Voice of his words I was in a deep sleep on my face and my face toward the Ground 3. As the Soul can see and hear so it can taste and relish even as really as doth the Palate belonging to the Body But then the thing so tasted must be that which is suited to the Temper and Palate of the Soul The Souls taste lyeth not in nor is exercised about meats the Meats that are for the Body Yet the Soul of a Saint can taste and relish God's word and doth oft-times find it sweeter than Honey nourishing as Milk and strengthning like to strong Meat The Soul also of Sinners and of those that are unsanctified can taste and relish though not the Things now mentioned yet things that agree with their fleshly minds and with their polluted and defiled and vile affections They can relish and taste that which delighteth them yea they can find Soul-delight in an Ale-house a Whore-house a Play-house Ay they find pleasure in the vilest things in the things most offensive to God and that are most destructive to themselves This is evident to sense and is proved by the daily practice of Sinners Nor is the Word barren as to this They feed on ashes they spend their Money for that which is not Bread yea they eat and suck sweetness out of sin They eat up the Sin of my People as they eat Bread 4. As the Soul can see hear and taste so it can smell and bring refreshment to it self that way Hence the Church saith Her Fingers dropped with sweet smelling Myrrh and again she saith of her beloved That his Lips dropped sweet smelling Myrrh But how came the Church to understand this but because her Soul did smell that in it that was to be smelled in it even in his word and gracious visits The poor World indeed cannot smell or savour any thing of the good and fragrant scent and sweet that is in Christ but to them that believe His name is as an oyntment poured fourth and therefore the Virgins love him 5. As the Soul can see taste hear and smell so it hath the sense of feeling as quick and as sensible as the Body He knows nothing that knows not this he whose Soul is past feeling has his Conscience â—eared with an hot Iron Nothing so sensible as the Soul nor feeleth so quickly the Love and Mercy or the Anger and Wrath of God Ask the awakened Man or the Man that is under the Convictions of the Law If he doth not feel and he will quickly tell you That he faints and dyes away by reason of God's hand and his wrath that lyeth upon him read the first eight Verses of the 38 th Psal. if thou knowest nothing of what I have told thee by experience and there thou shalt hear the Complaints of one whose Soul lay at present under the Burthen of guilt and that cryed out that without help from Heaven he could by no means bear the same They also that know what the Peace of God means and what an eternal weight there is in Glory know well that the Soul has the sense of feeling as well as the sense of seeing hearing tasting and smelling but thus much for the senses of the Soul Thirdly I come in the next place to describe the Soul by the Passions of the Soul The Passions of the Soul I reckon are these and such like to Wit Love Hatred Joy Fear Grief Anger c. And these Passions of the Soul are not therefore good nor therefore evil because they are the Passions of the Soul but are made so by two things to wit Principle and Object The Principle I count that from whence they flow and the Object that upon which they are pitched To explain my self 1. For that of Love This is a strong Passion the Holy Ghost saith 'T is strong as Death and cruel as the Grave And it is then good when it flows from Faith and pitches it self upon God in Christ as the Object and when it extendeth it self to all that is good whether it be the good Word the good Work of grace or the good Men that have it and also to their good lives But all Soul-love floweth not from this principle neither hath these for its object How many are there that make the Object of their Love the most vile of Men the most base of things because it flows from vile Affections and from the Lusts of the Flesh God and Christ good Laws and good Men and their holy lives they cannot abide because their love wanteth a Principle that should sanctifie it in its first motion and that should steer it to a goodly Object but that is the first 2. There is Hatred which I count another Passion of the Soul And this as the other is good or evil as the Principle from whence it flows and the Object of it are Ye that love the Lord hate evilâ— then therefore is this passion good when it singleth out from the many of things that are in the World that one filthy thing called Sin and when it setteh iâ— self the Soul and the whole Man against it and inâ—gageth all the Powers of the Soul to seek and invenâ— its ruine But alas where shall this Hatred be found What Man is there whose Soul is filled
Souls of the rest that are saved and thâ— to do is common with the Apostles as will be easiâ— discerned by them that give attendance to Reading Our earthly Houses or as Job saith Houses 〈◊〉 Clay for our Bodies are Bodies of Clay your râ—â—membrances are like unto ashes your bodies are bodies clay Indeed he after maketh mention of an Houâ— in Heaven but that is not it about which he noâ— speaks now he speaks of this earthly House whiâ— we have we our Souls to dwell in while on thâ— side Glory where the other House stands as reaâ— prepared for us when we shall flit from this to that or in case this should sooner or later be dissolve â—ut that is the first The Body is compared to the House but the Soul to him that inhabiteth the House Therefore as the Man is more noble than the House 〈◊〉 dwells in so is the Soul more noble than the Body â—nd yet alas with grief be it spoken How common â—s it for Men to spend all their care all their time â—ll their strength all their wit and parts for the â—ody and its honour and preferment even as if the â—oul were some poor pitiful sorry inconsiderable â—nd under-thing not worth the thinking of or not â—orth the caring for But 2. The Body is called the Clothing and the Soul â—hat which is clothed therewith Now every body â—nows that the Body is more than Rayment even carâ—al sense will teach us this But read that pregnant place For we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being â—urdened that is with mortal flesh not for that we would be unclothed but clothed upon that mortality â—ight be swallowed up of life Thus the greatness of â—he Soul appears in the preference that it hath to the â—ody The Body is its Raimenâ— We see that above all Creatures Man because he is the most noble among â—ll visible Ones has for the adoring of his Body that more abundant comeliness 't is the Body of Man not of Beast that is clothed with the richest Ornaments â—ut now what a thing is the Soul that the Body it â—elf must be its cloathing no suit of apparel is by God thought good enough for the Soul but that which is made by God himself and that is that curious thing â—he Body But oh how little is this considered â—amely The greatness of the Soul 'T is the Body the Cloaths the suit of Apparel that our foolish fancies â—re taken with not at all considering the richness and excellency of that great and more noble part the Soul for which the Body is made a Mantle to wraâ— it up in a Garment to cloth it withal If a Maâ—gets a rent in his Cloths it is little in comparison oâ— a rent in his Flesh yea he comforts himself wheâ— he looks on that rent saying thanks be to God it 〈◊〉 not a rent in my Flesh. But ah on the contrary how many are there in the World that are morâ— troubled for that they have a Rent a Wound oâ— a Disease in the Body than for that they have Soul that will be lost and cast away A little Rent in thâ— Body dejecteth and casteth such down but they are not at all concerned though their Soul is now anâ— will yet further be torn in pieces Now thereforâ— consider this ye that forget God lest he tear you iâ— pieces and there be none to deliver but this is the second thing whereby or by which the greatness oâ— the Soul appears to wit in that the Body that excellent piece of God's Workmanship is but a Garment or Clothing for the Soul But 3. The Body is called a Vessel or a Case for the Soul to be put and kept in That evâ—ry one of yoâ— should know how to possess his Vessel in sanctification anâ— honour The Apostle here doth exhort the People to abstain from fornication which in another place hâ— saith is a Sin against the Body And here again hâ— saith This is the Will of God your sanctification that you should abstain from Fornication that the Body be not defiled that every one of you should know how tâ— possess his Vessel in sanctification and honour His Vessel his Earthen Vessel as he calls it in another place For we have this treasure in Earthen Vessels Thus then the Body is called a Vessel yea every Man's Body is hiâ— Vessel But what has God prepared this Vessel for and what has he put into it Why many things this Body is to be a Vessâ—l for but at present God has put into it that curious thing the Soul Cabinets that 〈…〉 rich and costly things of themselves are not made nor design'd to be Vessels to be stufâ— or filled with trumpery and things of no value no these are prepared for Rings and Jâ—wel for Pearls for Rubies and things that are choice And if so what shall â—â—e then think of the Soul for which it is prepared and that of God the most rich and excellent Vessel in â—he World surely it must be a think of worth yea of more worth than is the whole World besides But alas Who believes this talk do not even the most of Men so set their minds upon and so admire the glory of this Case or Vessel that they forget once with seriousness to think and therefore must of necessity be a great way off of those sutable esteemâ— â—hat becomes them to have of their Souls But oh â—ince this Vessel this Cabinet this Body is so curiously made and that to receive and contain what thing is â—â—at for which God has made his Vessel And what is â—at Soul that he hath put into it Wherefore thus â—n the third Place is the greatness of the Soul made â—anifest even by the Excellency of the Vessel the Body that God has made to put it in 4. The Body is called a Tabernacle for the â—oul Knowing shortly I must put off this my Tabernacle â—hat is my Body by Death So again For we know that â— our Earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we â—ave a bâ—ilding of God c. In both these places by â—abernaâ—le can be meanâ— nothing but the Body â—herefore both the Apostles in these sentences do personate their Souls and speak as if the Soul waâ— the All of a Man yea they plainly tell us that thâ— Body is but the House Cloths Vessel and Tabeâ—nacle for the Souls But what a famous thing thereâ—fore is the Soul The Tabernacle of old was a place erected foâ— worship but the Worshippers were far more excelleâ—â— than the place so our Body is a Tabernacle for thâ— Soul to worship God in but must needs be accounteâ— much inferior to the Soul for as much as the worâ— shippers are always of more honor than the place theâ— worship in as he that dwelleth in the Tabernacleâ— hath more honor than the Tabernacle I servâ— says Paul God and Christ Jesus with my Spirit or Soâ—â— in
the Gospel but not with his Spirit out of but iâ— this Tabernacle The Tabernacle had Instruments oâ— worship for the Worshippers so has the Body for thâ— Soul and we are bid to yield our Members as Iâ—struments of righteousness unto God The Hands Feetâ— Ears Eyes and Tongue which last is our glorâ— when used right are all of them Instruments of thâ—â— Tabernacle and to be made use of by the Soul the Inâ—habiter of this Tabernacle for the Souls performanceâ— of the service of God I thus discourse to shew you the greatness of thâ— Soul And in mine Opinion there is something if noâ— very much in what I say For all Men admire thâ— Body both for its manner of building and the curiâ—ous way of its being compacted together Yea thâ— further Men wise Men do pry into the wonderfuâ— work of God that is put forth in framing the Bodyâ— the more still they are made to admire and yet aâ— I said this Body is but a House a Mantle a Vesselâ— Tabernacle for the Soul What then is the Soul it â—elf But thus much for the first particular 2. We will now come to other things that shew us â—he Greatness of the Soul And 1. It is called God's breath of life And the Lord God formed Man that is the Body of the Dust of â—he Ground and breathed into his Nostrils the breath of â—ife and he became a living Soul Do but compare â—hese two together the Body and the Soul The Body is made of Dust the Soul is the Breath of God Now if God hath made this Body so famous as indeed he has and yet it is made but of the Dust of the Ground and we all do know what inferior matter that is what is the Soul since the Body is not only its House and Garment but since its self is made of the breath of God But further it is not only said That the Soul is of the Breath of the Lord but that the Lord breathed into him the breath of Life to wit a living Spirit for so the next words infer And Man became a living Soul Man that is the more excellent part of him which for that it is principal is called Man that bearing the denomination of the whole or Man the Spirit and natural Power by which as a reasonable Creature the whole of him is acted became a living Soul But I stand not here upon definition but upon demonstration the Body that noble Part of Man had its Original from the Dust for so says the word Dust thou art as to thy Body and to Dust shalt thou return but as to thy more noble part thou art from the breath of God God putting forth in that a mighty work of creating Power and Man was made a living Soul Mark my reason There is as great a disparity betwixt the Body and the Soul as is between the Dust of the Ground and that herâ— called the breath of life of the Lord. And note furtherâ— That as the Dust of the Ground did not lose but gaiâ— glory by being formed into the Body of a Man so thâ— breath of the Lord lost nothing neither by being mad living Soul O Man dost thou know what thou art 2. As the Soul is said to be of the breath oâ— God so it is said to be made after God's own Imageâ— even after the similitude of God And God said let tâ— mate Man in our Image after our likeness So Goâ— created Man in his own Image in the Imageâ— of God created he him Mark in his own Image in the Image of God created he him or as James hath it lâ—is made after the similitude of God like him having in it that which beareth semblance with him I doâ— not read of any thing in Heaven or Earth or undeâ— the Earth that is said to be made after this manner or that is at all so termed save only the Son of God himself The Angels are noble Creatures and for present imploy are made a little higher than Man himself But that any of them are said to be made after God's own Image after his own Image even after the similitude of God that I find not This character the holy Ghost in the Scriptures of Truth giveth only of Man of the Soul of Man for it must not be thought that the Body is here intended in whole or in part for though it be said That Christ was made after the similitude of sinful flesh yet it is not said That sinful flesh is made after the similitude of God but I will not dispute I only bring these things to shew how great a thing how noble a thing the Soul is in that at its Creation God thought it worthy to be made not like the Earth or the Heavens or the Angels Ceraphims Seraphins or Arch-Angels but like himself his own self saying Let â—s make man in our own likeness So he made man in â—is own Image This I say is a Character above all Angels for as the Apostle said To which of the Anâ—elâ— said he at any time thou art my Son So of which of them hath he at any time said This is or â—hall be made in or after mine image mine own Image O what a thing is the Soul of Man that above all the Creatures in Heaven or Earth being made â—n the Image and similitude of God 3. Another thing by which the greatness of the Soul is made manifest is this It is that and that only and to say this is more than to say it is that above all the Creatures that the great God desires communion with He hath set apart his that is godly for himself that is for communion with his Soul therefore the Spouse saith concerning him His desire is towards me and therefore he saith again I will dwell in them and walk in them To dwell in and walk with are terms that intimate communion and fellowship as John saith Our fellowship truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. That is our Soul-fellowship for it must not be understood of the Body though I believe that the Body is much influenced when the Soul has communion with God but it is the Soul and that only that at present is capable of having and maintaining of thâ—s blessed communion But I say What a thing is this that God the great God should chuse to have fellowship and communion with the Soul above all We read indeed of the greatness of the Angels and how near also they are unto God but yet there are not such terms that bespeak such familiar acts between God and Angels as to demonstrate that they havâ— such communion with God as has or as the Souls oâ— his People may have Where has he called them hiâ— Love his Dove his fair one And where when hâ— speaketh of them doth he express a communion thaâ— they have with him by the
Souls of these Men for as for their Bodies we know at present 't is otherwise with them The Grave is their House and so must be till the Trumpet shall sound and the Heavens pass away like a Scroul Now I say the Immortality of the Soul shews the Greatness of it as the eternity of God shâ—â— the greatness of God It cannot be said of any Angel but that he is immortal and so it is and ought to be said of the Soul This therefore shews the Greatness of the Soul in that it is as to abiding so like unto him 7. But a word or two more and so to conclude this Head The Soul why it is the Soul that acteth the Body in all those things good or bad that seem good and reasonable or amazingly wicked True the Acts and Motions of the Soul are only seen and heard in and by the Members and Motions of the Body but the Body is but a poor Instrument the Soul is the great Agitator and Actor The Body without the Spirit is dead All those famous Arts and Works and Inventions of Works that are done by Men under Heaven they are all the Inventions of the Soul and the Body as acting and labouring therein doth it but as a Tool that the Soul maketh use of to bring his Invention unto maturity How many things have Men found out to the amzing of one another to the wonderment of one another to the begetting of endless Commendations of one another in the World while in the mean time the Soul which indeed is the true Inventor of all is over-look'd not regarded but dragged up and down by every lust and prostrate and made a slave to every silly and beastly thing O the amazing darkness that hath covered the Face of the Hearts of the Children of Men that they cannot deliver their Soul nor say is there not a lye in my Right-hand though they are so cunning in all other matters Take Man in Matters that are abroad and far from home and he is the mirror of all the Word but take him at home and put him upon things that are near him I mean that have respect to the things that concern his Soul and then you will find him the greatest Fool that ever God made But this must not be applyed to the Soul simply as it is God's Creature but to the Soul sinful as it has willingly apostatized from God and so suffered it self to be darkned and that with such thick and stupefying darkness that it is bound up and cannot it hath a Napkin of sin bound so close before its Eyes that it is not able of it self to look to and after those things which should be its chiefest concern and without which it will be most miserable for ever 8. Further as the Soul is thus curious about Arts and Sciences and about every excellent thing of this Life So it is capable of having to do with invisibles with Angels good or bad yea with the highest and supream Being even with the holy God of Heaven I told you before that God sought the Soul of Man to have it for his Companion and now I tell you that the Soul is capable of communion with him when the darkness that sin hath spread over its face is removed The Soul is an intelligent Power it can be made to know and understand depths and heights and lengths and breadths in those high sublime and spiritual mysteries that only God can reveal and teach yea it is capable of diving unutterably into them And herein is God the God of glory much delighted and pleased to wit That he hath made himself a Creature that is capable of hearing of knowing and of understanding of his mind when opened and revealed to it I think I may say without offence to God or Man That one reason why God made the World was that he might manifest himself not only by but to the works which he made but I speak with reverence how could that be if he did not also make some of his Creatures capable of apprehending of him in those most high Mysteries and Methods in which he purposed to reveal himself but then what are those Creatures which he hath made unto whom when these things are shewn that are able to take them in and understand them and so to improve them to God's glory as he hath ordained and purposed they should but Souls for none else in the visible World are capable of doing this but they And hence it is that to them and them only he beginneth to reveal himself in this World And hence it is that they and they only are gathered up to him where he is for they are they that are called the spirits of just Men made perfect the Spirit of a Beast goeth downward to the Earth it is the Spirit of a Man that goes upward to God that gave it for that and that only is capable of beholding and understanding the glorious Visions of Heaven as Christ said Father I will that those whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the Foundation of the World And thus the greatness of the Soul is manifest True the Body is also gathered up into glory but not simply for its own sake or because that is capable of it self to know and understand the glories of its Maker but that has been a Companion with the Soul in this World has also been its House its Mantle its Cabinet and Tabernacle here It has also been it by which the Soul hath acted in which it hath wrought and by which its excellent appearances have been manifested And it shall also there be its copartner and sharer in its glory Wherefore as the Body here did partake of Soul Excellencies and was also conformed to its spiritual and regenerate Principles so it shall be hereafter a partaker of that Glory with which the Soul shall be filled and also be made suitable by that glory to become a partaker and copartner with it of the eternal Excellencies which Heaven will put upon it In this World it is a gracious Soul I speak now of the Regenerate and in that World it shall be a glorious one In this World the Body was conformable to the Soul as it was gracious and in that World it shall be conformable to itt as its glorious conformable I say by partaking of that Glory that then the Soul shall partake of yea it shall also have an additional glory to adorn and make it yet the more capable of being serviceable to it and with it in its great acts before God in eternal glory O What great things are the Souls of the Sons of Men 9. But again as the Soul is thus capable of enjoying God in Glory and of prying into these Mysteries that are in him so it is capable with great
prosundity to dive into the mysterious depths of Hell Hell is a place and state utterly unknown to any in this visible World excepting the Souls of Men nor shall any for ever be capable of understanding the Miseries thereof save Souls and fallen Angels Now I think as the Joys of Heaven stand not only in speculation or in beholding of Glory but in a sensible Enjoyment and unspeakable Pleasure which these Glories will yield to the Soul So the Torments of Hell will not stand in the present lashes and stroaks which by the Flames of eternal Fire God will scourge the Ungodly with but the Torments of Hell stand much if not in the greatest part of them in those deep thoughts and apprehensions which Souls in the next World will have of the Nature and Occasions of Sin of God and of separation from him of the Eternity of those Miseries and of the utter Impossibility of their help ease or deliverance for ever O damned Souls will have thoughts that will clash with Glory clash with Justice clash with Law clash with it self clash with Hell and with the everlastingness of Misery but the Point the Edge and the Poison of all these thoughts will still be gauling and dropping and spuing out their stings into the Sore grieved wounded and fretted place which is the Conscience though not the Conscience only For I may say of the Souls in Hell that they all over are but one wound one sore Miseries as well as mercies sharpen and make quick the Apprehensions of the Soul Behold Spira in his Book Cain in his Guilt and Saul with the Witch of Endor and you shall see Men ripened Men inlarged and greatned in their fancies imaginations and apprehensions though not about God and Heaven and Glory yet about their Loss their Misery and their Woe and their Hells 10. Nor doth their ability to bear if it be proper to say they bear those dolors which there for ever they shall endure a little demonstrate their greatness Everlasting burning devouring fire perpetual pains gnawing worms utter darkness and the ireful words face and strokes of divine and infinite Justice will not cannot make this Soul extinct as I said before I think it is not so proper to say the Soul that is damned for Sin doth bear these things as to say it doth ever sink under them and therefore their place of torment is called the bottomless Pit because they are ever sinking and shall never come there where they will find any stay Yet they live under wrath but yet only so as to be sensible of it as to smart and be in perpetual anguish by reason of the intollerableness of their burthen But doth not their thus living abiding and retaining a Being or what you will call it demonstrate the greatness and might of the Soul Alas Heaven and Earth are short of this greatness for these though under less judgment by far do fade and wax old like a Moth-eaten Garment and in their time will vanish away to nothing Also we see how quickly the Body when the Soul is under a fear of the rebukes of Justice How soon I say it wastes molders away and crimbleth into the Grave but the Soul is yet strong and abides sensible to be dealt withal for Sin by everlasting burnings 11. The Soul by God's Ordinance while this world lasts has a time appointed it to forsake and leave the Body to be turned again to the Dust as it was and this separation is made by death Therefore the Body must cease for a time to have sense or life or motion and a little thing brings it now into this state But in the next World the wicked shall partake of none of this for the Body and the Soul being at the Resurrection rejoyned this death that once did rend them asunder is for ever overcome and extinct so that these two which lived in Sin must for ever be yoked together in Hell Now there the Soul being joyned to the Body and death which before did separate them being utterly taken away the Soul retains not only its own being but also continueth the Body to be and to suffer sensibly the Pains of Hell without those decays that it uses to sustain And the Reason why this death shall then be taken away is because Justice in its bestowing its rewards for transgressions may not be interrupted but that Body and Soul as they lived and acted in sin together might be destroyed for sin in Hell together Destroyed I say but with such a Destruction which though it is everlasting will not put a Period to their sensible suffering the vengeance of eternal Fire This death therefore though that also be the Wages of Sin would now were it suffered to continue be an hindrance to the making known of the Wrath of God and also of the created Power and Might of the Soul 1. It would hinder the making known of the Wrath of God for it would take the Body out of the way and make it uncapable of sensible suffering for sin and so removing one of the Objects of Vengeance the Power of God's Wrath would be so far undiscovered 2. It would also hinder the Manifestation of the Power and Might of the Soul which is discovered much by its abiding to reâ—in its own being while the Wrath of God is grapâ—ng with it and more by its continuing to the Body 〈◊〉 sensible being with it self Death therefore must now be removed that the â—oul may be made the Object of Wrath without â—olestation or interruption That the Soul did I â—y yea that Soul and Body both might be so Death â—ould now be a Favour though once the Fruit of â—in and also the Wages thereof might it now be â—uffered to continue because it would case the Soul â—f some of its burthen For a tormented Body canâ—ot but be a burthen to a Spirit and so the wise Man â—nsmuates when he says The Spirit of a Man will â—stain his infirmity that is bear up under it but â—et so as that it feels it a Burthen We see that â—ecause of the Sympathy that is between Body and â—oul how one is burthened if the other be grieved A sick Body is a Burthen to the Soul and a wounded Spirit is a Burthen to the Body A wounded Spirit who â—an bear but death must not remove this burthen but the Soul must have the Body for a Burthen and the Body must have the Soul for a Burthen and both must have the Wrath of God for a Burthen O therefore here will be burthen upon burthen and all upon the Soul for the Soul will be the chief Seat of this burthen But thus much to shew you the Greatness of the Soul I shall now come to the second Thing which was propounded to be spoken to and that is to shew you what we are to understand by losing of the Soul or what the Loss of the Soul is What
shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul 1. The Loss of the Soul is a Loss in the Nature of it peculiar to it self There is no such Loâ— as to the Nature of Loss as is the Loss of the Soâ— For that he that hath lost his Soul has lost himseâ— In all other Losses it is possible for a Man to save himâ—self but he that loseth his Soul loseth himself Fâ— what is a Man advantaged if he gain the whoâ— World and lose himself So Luke has it Whereforâ— the Loss of the Soul is a Loss that cannot be parallelâ— He that loseth himself loseth his all his lasting aâ— for himself is his all his all in the most comprehenâ— sive Sence What mattereth it what a Man gets iâ— by the getting thereof he loseth himself Supposeâ— Man goeth to the Indies for Gold and he loadetâ— his Ship therewith but at his return that Sea thaâ— carried him thither swallows him up now what haâ— he got but this is but a lean Similitude with reâ— ference to the Matter in hand to wit to set fortâ— the Loss of the Soul Suppose a Man that has beeâ— at the Indies for Gold should at his return himselâ— be taken by them of Algiers and there made a Slavâ— of and there be hunger-bit and beaten till his bonâ— are broken What has he got What is he advantaged by his rich adventure perhaps you will say He has got Gold enough to obtain his ransom Indeed this may be and therefore no similitude canâ— be found that can fully amplifie the Matter For whaâ— shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul It is a Loss that standeth by it self there is not another like it or unto which it may be compared 't is only like it self 't is singular 't is the chief of all losses the highest the greatest Loss For what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul A Man may lose his Wife his Children his Estate his Liberty and his Life and have all made up again and have all restored with â—dvantage and may therefore notwithstanding all â—ese losses be far enough off from losing of himself for he may lose his life and save it yea someâ—imes the only way to save that is to lose it but â—hen a Man has lost himself his Soul then all is gone â—o all intents and purposes There is no word says â—e that loses his Soul shall save it but contrary-wise â—he Text supposeth that a Man has lost his Soul and â—hen demands if any can answer it What shall a Man â—ive in exchange for his Soul All then that he gains â—hat loseth his Soul is only this he has gained a Loss â—e has purchased the Loss of Losses he has nothing â—eft him now but his Loss but the Loss of himself of his whole self He that loseth his life for Christ â—hall save it but he that loseth himself for Sin and for â—he World shall lose himself to perfection of loss â—e has lost himself and there 's the full Point There are several things fall under this first head upon which I would touch a little 1. He that has lost his Soul has lost himself Now he that has lost himself is no more at his own dispose while a Man enjoys himself he is at his own dispose A single Man a free Man a rich Man a poor Man any Man that enjoys himself is at his own dispose I speak after the manner of Men but he that has lost himself is not at his own dispose He is as I may say now out of his own hands he has lost himself his Soul self his own self his whole self by Sin and Wrath and Hell hath found him he is therefore now no more at his own dispose but at the dispose of Justice of Wrath and Hell He is committed to Prison to Hell Prison there to abide not a pleasure not as long and as little time as he will but the Term appointed by his Judge Nor may he theâ— chuse his own affliction neither for manner meâ—sure or continuance 'T is God that will spread thâ— Fire and Brimstone under him it is God that wâ— pile up wrath upon him and it is God himself thâ— will blow the Fire And the Breath of the Lord like 〈◊〉 Stream of Brimstone doth kindle it And thus it 〈◊〉 manifest that he that has lost himself his Soul is nâ— more at his own dispose but at the dispose of theâ— that find him 2. Again As he that has lost himself is noâ— at his own dispose so neither is he at liberty to disposâ— of what he has for the Man that has lost himselfâ— has something yet of his own The Text implieâ— that his Soul is his when lost yea when that and hiâ— all himself is lost but as he cannot dispose of himself so he cannot dispose of what he hath let mâ— take leave to make out my meaning If he that iâ— lost that has lost himself has not notwithstandingâ— some thing that in some sence may be called his own then he that is lost is nothing The Man that is iâ— Hell has yet the Powers the Sences and Passions 〈◊〉 his Soul for not he nor his Soul must be thoughâ— to be stript of these for then he would be loweâ— than the Brute but yet all these since he is therâ— are by God improved against himself or if you wilâ— the Point of this Man's Sword is turned against hiâ— own Heart and made to pierce his own Liver The Soul by being in Hell loseth nothing of itâ— aptness to think its quickness to pierce to pry anâ— to understand nay Hell has ripèned it in all theâ— things but I say the Soul with its Improvements aâ— to these or any thing else is not in the hand of hiâ— â—hat hath lost himself to manage for his own advanâ—age but in the Hand and in the Power and to be â—isposed as is thought meet by him into whose reâ—enging hand by sin he has delivered himself to wit â—n the Hand of God so then God now has the Viâ—tory and disposeth of all the Powers Sences and â—assions of the Soul for the chastâ—zing of him that â—as lost himself Now the Understanding is only â—mployed and improved in and about the appreâ—ending of such things as will be like Daggers at the â—eart to wit about Justice Sin Hell and Eternity â—o grieve and break the Spirit of the Damned yea â—o break to wound and to tear the Soul in pieces â—he depths of Sin which the Man has loved the â—ood Nature of God whom the Man has hated the Blessings of Eternity which the Soul has despised â—hall now be understood by him more than ever â—ut yet so only as to increase grief and sorrow by â—mproving of the good and of the evil of the things â—nderstood to the greater wounding of the Spirit â—herefore now every touch that the Understanding â—all give to the Memory will
its resurrection to damnation to everlasting shame and contempt will receive all its senses again so it will have matter to exercise them upon not only to the letting into the Soul those aggravations which they by hearing feeling and seeing are capable to let in thither but I say they will have matter and things to exercise themselves upon for the helping forward of the Torment of the Body under temporal Judgments of old the Body as well as the Soul had no ease day nor night and that not only by reason of what was felt but by reason of what was heard and seen In the Morning thou shalt say would God it were even and at even thou shalt say would God it were Morning 1. For the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear 2. And for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see Nay he tells them a little before That they should be mad for the sight of their eyes which they should see See! Why what shall they see Why themselves in Hell with others like them and this will be a Torment to their Body there is bodily torment as I said ministred to the Body by the Senses of the Body What think you If a Man saw himself in Prison in Irons upon the Ladder with the Rope about his Neck would not this be distress to the Body as well as to the Mind To the Body doubtless witness the heavy Looks the shaking Legs trembling Knees pale Face and beating and aking Heart how much more then when Men shall see themselves in the most dreadful Place it is a fearful Place doubtless to all to behold themselves in that shall come thither Again They shall see others there and shall bâ— them see themselves There is an art by which 〈◊〉 Man may make his Neighbour look so ghastly thaâ— he shall fright himself by looking on him especiallâ— when he thinks of himself that he is of the samâ— shew also 'T is said concerning Men at the downfâ—â— of Babylon That they shall be amazed one at anoâ—ther for their faces shall be as flames Anâ— what if one should say that even as it is witâ— an House set on fire within where the Flame ascend out at the Chimnies out at the Windows and thâ— smoak out at every chink and crevis that it can find so it will be with the Damned in Hell That Soâ— will breath Hell-fire and smoak and coals will seeâ— to hang upon its burning lips yea the Face Eye and Ears will seem all to be Chimnies and Vents foâ— the Flame and Smoak of the Burning which God bâ— his breath hath kindled therein and upon them which will be beheld one in another to the greaâ— torment and distress of each other What shall I say here will be seen Devils anâ— here will be heard howlings and mournings herâ— will the Soul see it self at an infinite distance froâ— God yea the Body will see it too In a Word who knows the Power of God's Wrath the Weighâ— of Sin the Torments of Hell and the Length 〈◊〉 Eternity If none then none can tell when theâ— have said what they can the intollerableness of thâ— Torments that will swallow up the Soul the lost Souâ— when it is cast away by God and from him intâ— outer darkness for Sin But thus much for the Causâ— of the Loss of the Soul I now come to the second Doctrine that I gathereâ— from the Words namely That how unconcerned aâ— â—areless soever some now be about the Loss or Salvation â—f their Souls the Day is coming but it will then be 〈◊〉 late when Men will be willing had they never so much to give it all in exchange for their Souls There are four things in the Words that do prove this Doctrine 1. There is an intimation of Life and Sense in the Man that has lost and that after he has lost his Soul 〈◊〉 Hell Or what shall a Man give in exchange for his Soul These words are by no means applicable to the 〈◊〉 that has no life or sense for he that is dead according to our common acceptation of death that is â—eprived of life and sense would not give two pence 〈◊〉 change his state Therefore the words do intimate that the Man is yet alive and sensible Now were a Man alive and sensible though he was in none other place than the Grave there to be confined while others are at liberty what would he give in exchange â—or his place and to be rid of that for a better but â—ow much more to be delivered from Hell the present place and state of his Soul 2. There is in the Text an intimation of a sense of Torment Or what shall a Man give in exchange for 〈◊〉 Soul I am tormented in this flame Torment then 〈◊〉 Soul is sensible of and that there is a place of ease 〈◊〉 peace And from the sense and feeling of torment he would give yea what would he not give â—n exchange for his Soul 3. There is in the Text an intimation of the intolerableness of the Torment because that it supposeth that the Man whose Soul is swallowed up therewith would give all were his all never so great â—n exchange for his Soul 4. There is yet in the Text an intimation that the Soul is sensible of the lastingness of the punishment or else the question rather argues a Man unwary than considerate in his offering as is supposeâ— by Christ so largely his all in exchange for 〈◊〉 Soul But we will in this manner proceed no further hâ— take it for granted that the Doctrine is good wherefore I shall next enquire after what is contaiâ—â—ed in this truth And first That God has undertakeâ— and will accomplish the breaking of the Spirits of 〈◊〉 the World either by his grace and mercy to Salvatiâ—â— or by his justice and severity to damnation The damned Soul under consideration is certainâ— supposed as by the Doctrine so by the Text 〈◊〉 be utterly careless and without regard of Salvatioâ— so long as the acceptable time did last and as the whiâ— Flag that signifies terms of peace did hang out aâ— therefore it is said to be lost But behold now it careful but now it is solicitous but now What shâ— a Man give in exchange for his Soul He of whoâ— you read in the Gospel that could tend to do nothinâ— in the days of the Gospel but to find out how to beâ— cloathed in Purple and fine Linnen and to fare sumpâ—tuously every day was by God brought so doâ—â— and laid so low at last that he could crouch and cringe and beg for one small drop of Water â— cool his Tongue a thing that but a little before 〈◊〉 would have thought scorn to have done when 〈◊〉 also thought scorn to stoop to the Grace and Mercâ— of the Gospel But God was resolved to break 〈◊〉 Spirit and the Pride of his Heart and to humblâ— his lofty Looks if not by
state of grace the Lord gives grace and glory hence he that goeth to Heaven is said to be wrought for it fitted prepared for it Vse 5. Again Fifthly Is it so is the Soul such an excellent thing and is the Loss thereof so unspeakably great Then this Doctrine commends those for the wise ones that above all business concern themselves with the salvation of their Souls those that make all other matters but things by the bye and the salvation of their Soul the one thing needful But but few comparatively will be concerned with this use for where is he that doth this Solomon speaks of one Man of a thousand however some there be and blessed be God for some but they are they that are wise yea wise in the Wisdom of God 1. Because they reject what God hath rejected and that is sin 2. Because they esteem but little of that which by the word is counted but of little esteem and that is the World 3. Because they chuse for a Portion that which God commendeth unto us for that which is the most excellent thing viz. Himself his Christ his Heaven his Word his Grace and Holiness these are the great and most excellent thing and the things that he hath chosen that is truly wise for his Soul and all other wise Men are Fools in God's account and in the judgment of his word and if it be so glory and bliss must needs be their portion though others shall miss thereof The wise shall inherit glory but shame shall be the promotion of Fools Let me then incourage those that are of this mind to be strong and hold on their way Soul thou hast pitched right I will say of thy choice as David said of Goljah's Sword There is none like that give it me Hold fast that thou hast that no Man take thy Crown Oh! I admire this Wisdom this is by the direction of the Law-giver this is by the teaching of the blessed Spirit of God not the Wisdom which this World teacheth nor the Wisdom which the World doth chuse which comes to naught surely thou hast seen something of the World to come and of the glory of it through faith surely God has made thee see emptiness in that wherein others find a fulness and vanity in that which by others is counted for a Darling Blessed are thine Eyes forâ— they see and thine Ears for they hear But who told thee that thy Soul was such an excellent thing as by thy practice thou declarest thou believest it to be What set more by thy Soul than by all the World What cast a World behind thy back for the welfare of a Soul is not this to play the Fool in the account of Sinners while Angels wonder at and rejoyce for thy wisdom What a thing is this that thy Soul and its welfare should be more in thy esteem than all those glories wherewith the Eyes of the World are dazled surely thou hast looked upon the Sun and that makes Gold look like a clod of Clay in thine Eye-sight But who put the thoughts of the Excellencies of the things that are Eternal I say who put the thoughts of the Excellency of those things into thy mind in this wanton Age in an Age wherein the thoughts of eternal Life and the Salvation of the Soul are with and too many like the Morrocco Ambassador and his Men Men of strange Faces in strange Habits with strange Gestures and Behaviours Monsters to behold But where hadst thou that heart that gives entertainment to these thoughts these heavenly thoughts These thoughts are like the French Protestants banished thence where they willingly would have harbour how came they to thy House to thy heart and to find entertainment in thy Soul The Lord keep them in every imagination of the thoughts of thy heart for ever and incline thine heart to seek him more and more And since the whole World have slighted and despised and counted foolish the thoughts and cogitations wherewith thy Soul is exercised what strong and mighty supporter is it upon and with which thou bearest up thy Spirit and takest incouragement in this thy folorn unoccupied and singular way for so I dare say it is with the most but certainly it is something above thy self and that is more mighty to uphold thee than is the power rage and malice of all the World to cast thee down or else thou couldest not bear up now the Stream and the Force thereof are against thee Obj. 1. I know my Soul is an excellent thing and that the World to come and its glories even in the smallesâ— Glimpse thereof do swallow up all the World that is here my heart also doth greatly desire to be exercised about the thoughts of eternity and I count my self never better than when my poor heart is filled with them as for the rage and fury of this World it swayeth very little with me for my heart is come to a point but yet for all that I meet with many discouragements and such things that indeed do weaken my strength in the way But brave Soul pray tell me what the things are that discourage thee and that weaken thy strength in the way Why the amazing greatness of this my enterprize that this one thing I am now pursuing things of the highest the greatest the most enriching nature even eternal things and the thoughts of the Greatness of them drown'd me for when the heat of my Spirit in the pursuit after them is a little returned and abated methinks I hear my self talking thus to my self Fond fool canst thou imagine that such a Gnat a Flea a Piâ—mire as thou art can take and possess the Heavens and manele thy sâ—lf up in the eternal Glories if thou makest first a 〈◊〉 of the succesfulness of thy Endeavours upon things far lower more base but much more easie to obtain as Crowns Kingdoms Earldoms Dukedoms Gold Silver or the like how vain are these attempts of thine and yet thou thinkest to possess thy Soul of Heaven away away by the heighth thereof thou may'st well conclude it is far above out of thy reach and by the breadth thereof it is too large for thee to grasp and by the nature of the excellent glory thereof too good for thee to possess These are the thoughts that sometimes discourage me and that weaken my strength in the way Answ. The Greatness of thy undertakings does but shew the nobleness of thy Soul in that it cannot will not be content with such low and dry things as the base-born Spirits that are of the World can and do content themselves withal And as to the greatness of the things thou aimest at though they be as they are indeed things that have not their like yet they are not too big for God to give and he has promised to give them to the Soul that seeketh him yea he hath prepared the Kingdom given the Kingdom and laid up in
the Kingdom of Heaven the things that thy Soul longeth for presseth after and cannot be content without As for thy making of a tryal of the succesfulness of thy endeavours upon things more inferior and base that is but a trick of the old deceiver God has refused to give his Children the great the brave and glorious things of this World a few only excepted because he has prepared some better thing for them wherefore faint not but let thy hand be strong for thy work shall be rewarded and since thy Soul is at work for Soul-things for divine and eternal things God will give them to thee thou art not of the number of them that draw back unto perdition but of them that believe to the saving of the Soul thou shalt receive the end of thy Faith the salvation of thy Soul Obj. 2. But all my discouragement doth not lie in this I see so much of the sinful vileness of my nature and feel â—ow ready it is to thrust it self forth at all occasions to the defiling of my whole Man and more now this added to the former adds to my discouragement greatly Answ. This should because of humiliation and of self-abasement but not of discouragement for the best of Saints have their weaknesses these their weaknesses the Ladies as well as she that grinds at the Mill know what doth attend that Sex and the Gyants in grace as well as the weak and shrubs are sensible of the same things which thou layest in against thy exercising of hope or as matter of thy discouragement poor David says his Soul refused to be comforted upon this very account and Paul crys out under sense of this O wretched Man that I am and comes as it were to the borders of a doubt saying Who shall deliver me only he was quick at remembring that Christ was his righteousness and price of redemption and there he relieved himself Again This should drive us to faith in Christ for therefore are corruptions by divine permission still left in us to drive us to unbelief but to faith that is to look to the perfect righteousness of Christ for life And for further help consider that therefore Christ liveth in Heaven making intercession that thou mightest be saved by his life not by thine and by his intercessions not by thy perfections let not therefore thy weaknesses be thy discouragements only let them put thee upon the duties required of thee by the Gospel to wit faith hope repentance humility watchfulness diligence c. Obj. 3. But I find together with these things weakness and faintness as to my graces my faith my hope my love and desires to these and all other Christian Duties are weak I am like the Man in the Dream that would have run but could not that would have fought but could not and that would have fled but could not Answ. 1. Weak graces are graces weak graces may grow stronger but if the Iron be blunt put to the more strength 2. Christ seems to be most tender of the weak He shall gather his Lambs with his arm shall carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead them that are with young And again I will seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away and I will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick Only here will thy wisdom be manifested to wit that thou grow in grace and that thou use lawfully and diligently the means to do it I come in the next place to a Use of Terror and so I shall conclude Is it so Is the Soul such an excellent thing and is the Loss thereof so unspeakably great Then this sheweth the sad state of those that lose their Souls we use to count those in a deplorable Condition that by one only stroak are stript of their whole Estate the Fire swept away all that he had or all that he had was in such a Ship and that Ship sunk into the bottom of the Sea this is sad news this is heavy tidings this is bewailed of all especially if such were great in the World and were brought by their loss from a high to a low to a very low Condition but alas what is this to the Loss about which we have been speaking all this while The Loss of an Estate may be repaired or if not a Man may find Friends in his present deplorable condition to his support though not recovery But far will this be from him that shall lose his Soul Ah! he has lost his Soul and can never be recovered again unless Hell-fire can comfort him unless he can solace himself in the fiery Indignation of God terrors will be upon him anguish and sorrow will swallow him up because of present misery slighted and set at nâ—ught by God and his Angels he will also be in this his miserable state and this will add to sorrow sorrow and to his vexation of spirit howling To present you with Emblems of tormented Spirits or to draw before your eyes the Picture of Hell are things too light for so ponderous a Subject as this nor can any Man frame or invent words be they never so deep and profound sufficient to the Life to set out the Torments of Hell All those expressions of Fire Brimstone the Lake of Fire a fiery Furnace the bottomless Pit and a hundred more to boot are all too short to set forth the Miseries of those that shall be damned Souls Who knows the Power of God's Anger none at all and unless the Power of that can be known it must abide as unspeakable as the Love of Christ which passeth knowledge We hear it Thunder we see it Lighten yea Eclipses Comets and Blazing Stars are all subject to smite us with Terror the thought of a Ghost of the appearing of a dead Wife a dead Husband or the like how terrible are these things but alas what are these meer Flea-bitings nay not so bad when compared with the Torments of Hell Guilt and Despair what are they who understands them unto perfection the ireful looks of an infinite Majesty what Mortal in the Land of the living can tell us to the full how dismal and breaking to the Soul of a Man it is when it comes as from the Power of Anger and arises from the utmost Indignation Besides who knows of all the ways by which the Almighty will inflict his just revenges upon the Souls of damned Sinners When Paul was caught up to the third Heaven he heard words that were unspeakable and he that goes down to Hell shall hear groans that are unutterable Hear did I say they shall feel them they shall feel them burst from their wounded Spirits as Thunder-claps do from the Clouds Once I dreamed that I saw two whom I knew in Hell and methought I saw a continual dropping from Heaven as of great drops of fire lighting upon them to their
sinful Soul to this I do not ask what he saith with his Lips for he will assuredly flatter God with his Mouth But what doth his actions and carriages declare as to his acceptance of this incomparable benefit For a wicked man speaketh with his feet and teacheth with his fingers With his feet that is by the way he goeth and with his fingers that is by his acts and doâ—ngs So then what saith he by his goings by his acts and doings unto this incomparable benefit thus â—rought unto him from the Father by his only Son Jesus Christ What saith he Why he saith That he doth not at all regard this Chrâ—st nor value the Grace thus tendered unto him in the Gospel First he saith That he regardeth not this Christ that he seeth nothing in him why he should admit him to be entertaâ—ned in his affections Therefore the Prophet speaking in the Person of Sinners says He Christ haâ—h no form nor comeliness and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him And then adds to shew what he meaneth by his thus speaking saying He is dâ—sâ—ised and rejected of Men. All this is spoken with reference to his Person and it was eminently fulfiâ—â—ed upon hâ—m in the days of hiâ— flesh when he was hated maligned and persecuted to death by Sinners And is stiâ— fulfilled in the Souls of Sinners in that they cannot abide to think of him with thoughts that have a Tendency in them to separate them and their Lusts asunder and to the making of them to imbrace him for their darling and the taking up of their Cross to follow him All this Sinners speak out with loud voices in that they stop their ears and shut their eyes as to him but open them wide and hearken diligently to any thing that pleaseth the Flesh and that is a Nursery to Sin But 2. As they despise and reject and do not regard his Person so they do not value the Grace that he tendereth unto them by the Gospel this is plain by that indifferency of spirit that always attends them when at any time they hear thereof or when it is presented unto them I may safely say That the most of Men who are concerned in a Trade will be more vigilant in dealing with a Twelve-penny Customer than they will be with Christ when he comes to make unto them by the Gospel a tender of the incomparable Grace of God Hence they are called fools Because a price is put into their hands to get wisdom and they have no heart unto it And hence again it is that that bitter complaint is made But my People would not hearken to my voice and Israel would none of me Now these things being found as practised by the Souls of Sinners must needs after a wonderful manner provoke wherefore no marvel that the Heavens are bid to be astonished at this and that damnation shall seize upon the Soul for this And indeed The Soul that doth thus by practice though with his mouth as who doth not he shall shew much love he doth interpretatively say these things 1. That he loveth Sin better than Grace and darkness better than light even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath shewed And this is the Condemnation that light is come into the World and Men love darkness more than light as is manifest because their deeds are evil 2. They do also by their thus rejecting of Christ and Grace say That for what the Law can do to them they value it not they regard not its thundering threatnings nor will they shrink when they come to endure the Execution thereof wherefore God to deter them from such bold and desperate ways that do interpretatively fully declare that they make such desperate conclusions insinuates that the Burden of the Curse thereof is intolerable saying Can thy Heart endure or can thy Hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee I the Lord have spoken it I will do it 3. Yea by their thus doing they do as good as say That they will run the hazzard of a sentence of death at the day of judgment and that they will in the mean time joyn Issue and stand a Tryal at that day with the great and terrible God What else means their not hearkning to him their despising of his Son and the rejecting of his grace yea I say again what else means their slighting of the Curse of the Law and their chusing to abide in their sins till the day of death and judgment And thus I have shewed you the Causes of the Loss of the Soul And assuredly these things are no fables Object But some may Object and say But you denounce all against the Soul as if the Body was in no fault at all or as if there were no punishment assigned for the Body I Answer The Soul must be the part punished because the Soul is that which sins Every q Siâ— that a Man doth is without the Body Fornication or Adultery excepted Is without the Body that is as to the wilily inventing contriving and finding out ways to bring the motions of sin into action For alas What can the Body do as to these it is in a manner wholly passive yea altogether as to the lusting and purposing to do the wickedness excepting the sin before excepted Ay and not excepting that as to the rise of that Sin for even that with all the rest ariseth and proceedeth out of the Heart the Sul. For from within out of the Heart of Man proceed fornication adultery murder thefts covetousness wickedness deceit lasciviousness an evilâ—eye blasphemy pride foolishness all these evil things come from within and dâ—filâ— the Man that is the outward Man But a difference must always be put betwixt defiling and being defiled that which doâ— sileth being the worst not but that the Body shall have its share of judgment for Body and Soul must be destroyed in Hell the Body as the Instrument the Soul as the Actor but oh the Soul the Soul the Soul is the Sinner and therefore the Soul as the Principal must be punished And that God's indignation burneth most againâ— the Soul appears in that death-hath seized upoâ— every Soul already for the Scripture saith That every natural or unconverted Man is dead Dead How Is his Body dead No verily his Bodâ— liveth but his Soul is dead Dead but with whaâ— death Dead to God and to all things Gospell good by reason of that benumâ—ing stupefying and senselesness that by God's just Judgment for and by sin hath swallowed up the Soul Yea if you observe you shall see that the Soul goeth first or before in punishment not only by what has been said already in that the Soul is first made a partaker of death but in that God first deals with the Soul by convictions yea and terrors perhaps while the Body is well or in that he giveth up