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
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
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
presently recalled bâ— the decreed gulf that bindeth them under perpetuâ—â— punishment The great fixed gulf they know will keep them in their present place and not suffeâ— them to go to Heaven and now there is no otheâ— place but Heaven or Hell to be in for then the Eartâ— and the works that are therein will be burned uâ— Read the Text But the Day of the â—ord will coâ—â— as a Thief in the Night in the which the Heavens shâ— pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall mâ— with servent heat and the Earth also and the Worâ— â—hat are herein shall be burnt up If then there will be â—o third place it standeth in their minds as well as â—n God's decree that their punishments will be eâ—ernal So then sorrows anguish tribulation grief â—oe and pain will in every moment of its abiding â—pon the Soul not only flow from thoughts of what â—as been and what is but also from what will be â—nd that for ever and ever Thus every thought â—hat is truly grounded in the cause and nature of their â—tate will roul toss and tumble them up and down 〈◊〉 the cogitations and fearful apprehensions of the â—stingness of their damnation For I say their â—inds their memories their understandings and conâ—iences will all and always be swallowed up with â—or ever yea they themselves will by the means of â—hese things be their own tormenters for ever 3. There will not be spaces as Days Months Years and the like as now though we make bold so â—o speak the better to present our thoughts of each â—thers capacities for then there shall be time no â—onger also day and night shall then be come to an â—nd He hath compassed the Waters with bounds unâ—il the day and night come to an end until the end of â—â—ght with darkness Now when time and day â—nd night are come to an end then there comes in â—ternity as there was before the day and night or â—ime was created and when this is come punishâ—ent nor glory must none of them be measured by â—ays or months or years but by eternity it self Nor shall those concerned either in misery or glory â—eckon of their now new state as they used to reckon â—f things in this World but they shall be suted in â—heir capacities in their understandings and appreâ—ensions to judge and count of their condition according as will best stand with their state in eterâ—nity Could we but come to an understanding of thing done in Heaven and Hell as we understand hoâ— things are done in this World we should be strangâ— amazed to see how the change of places and of coâ—ditions has made a change in the understandings 〈◊〉 Men and in the manner of their enjoyment of thingâ— But this we must let alone till the next World aâ— until our lancing into it and then whether we be 〈◊〉 the Right or Left-hand ones we shall well know thâ— state and condition of both Kingdoms In the meaâ— time let us addict our selves to the Belief of the Scriâ—tures of Truth for therein is revealed the way 〈◊〉 that of eternal life and how to escape the damâ—nation of the Soul But thus much for the Loss 〈◊〉 the Soul unto which let me add for a conclusion theâ— Verses following These cry alas but all in vain They stick fast in the mire They would be rid of present pain Yet set themselves on fire Darkness is their perplexity Yet do they hate the light They always see their misery Yet are themselves all night They are all dead yet live they do Yet neither live nor dye They dye to weal and live to woe This is their misery Now will confusion so posseâ—s â—hese Monuments of ire â—nd so confound them with distress â—nd trouble their desire That what to think or what to do â—r where to lay their head â—hey know not 't is the damned's woe â—o live and yet be dead These castaways would fain have life â—ut know they never shall â—hey would forget their dreadful plight â—ut that sticks fast'st of all God Christ and Heav'n they know are best â—et dare not on them think â—hey know the Saints enjoy their rest â—hile they their tears do drink And now I am come to the fourth thing that is â—o shew you the cause of the Loss of the Soul That Men have Souls that Souls are great things â—hat Souls may be lost this I have shewed you â—lready Wherefore I now proceed to shew â—ou the cause of this Loss The cause is laid â—own in the Eighteenth Chapter of Ezekiel in â—hese words Behold all Souls says God are mine â—s the Soul of the fallen so also the Soul of the Sun is â—ine the Soul that sinneth it shall dye It is sin then â—r sinning against God that is the cause of dying of â—amning in Hell Fire for that must be meant by dyâ—ng otherwise to dye according to our ordinary acceptation of the notion the Soul is not capable of being indeed immortal as hath been afore assertâ— So then the Soul that sinneth that is and perâ—vering in the same that Soul shall dye be cast aâ—â—or damned Yea to ascertain us of the undoubtâ— Truth of this the Holy Ghost doth repeat it agaâ—â— and that in this very Chapter saying The Sâ— that sinneth it shall dye Now the Soul may divers ways be said to siâ—â— gainst God As 1. In its receiving of sin into its bosom and in 〈◊〉 retaining and entertaining of it there Sin mâ—â— first be received before it can act in or be acted 〈◊〉 the Soul Our first Parents first received in the sâ—gest or motion and then acted it Now it is 〈◊〉 here to be disputed when sin was received by tâ—â— Soul so much as whether ever the Soul received siâ— for if the Soul has indeed received sin into it seâ— then it has sinned and by doing so has made it seâ— an object of the wrath of God and a fire-brand of Hâ—â— I say I will not here dispute when sin was receivâ— by the Soul but it is apparent enough that it râ—ceived it betimes because in old time every Châ—â— that was brought unto the Lord was to be redeemeâ— and that at a Month old which to be sure uâ— very early and implyed that then even then thâ— Soul in God's judgment stood before him as defilâ— and polluted with sin But although I said I wâ—â— not dispute at what time the Soul may be said to râ—ceive sin yet it is evident that it was precedent 〈◊〉 the redemption made mention of just before and 〈◊〉 before the Person redeemed had attained to the Agâ— of a Month. And that God might in the Languagâ— Moses give us to see cause of the necessity of this â—emption he first distinguisheth and saith The â—â—lling of a Cow or the firstling of a Sheep or the â—stling of a Goat did not need this redemption for â—â—ey were clean or holy But the first-born