And know that all wee that haue our errand from Heauen and are called of God as Aaron was haue knowledge ioyned with authoritie sufficient without feare of them that haue authoritie to kill the bodie but are not able to kill the soule boldly to preach the Gospell of Christ Iesus euen before Kings and to make you tremble at our Doctrine Acts 24.25 as Foelix did to heare Paul preach of Iudgement And can so easily confute such busie Ignorants that they shall willingly confesse vnto their shame we teach as men hauing authoritie not as the Scribes Thirdly Iesus sate daily in the Temple to teach the people he that will take the fleece must feed the flocke For whosoeuer shall perish in thy Fold for want of instruction his soule will I require at thy hands saith the Lord and my sheepe heare my voyce marke that if it be our dutie to teach it s your duty to heare Therefore I admonish you all examine your selues how you haue profited in the Schoole of Christ long hath the holy Gospell beene taught vnto vs if we be not bettered by these holy Councels it s a sure token that we haue not yet sought after God debito modo as we ought with our whole heart mournfully by Repentance diligently seeking nothing but God constantly not fainting till wee find his Spirit answering our spirits in loue It s also an infallible token of our irregular life carelesse of our small time of abode in that we will not seeke him debito tempore while it is day watchfully while he is present cheerefully while he is mercifull acceptably It s also a manifest testimonie of our contempt against God refusing to come where God is for the Lord is in his holy Temple Psal 11.4 therefore wee must seeke him debito loco In his Temple to powre out our hearts in Prayer before him In his Temple to learne instruction and to incline our hearts to vnderstanding In his Temple reuerently to obey our spirituall Teachers and not to resist the authoritie of their Doctrine nor to make difference of the holy Word of God and of the Gospell of Iesus Christ by hauing in respect of persons any man but only for the words sake Thus to seeke after God debito modo debito tempore debito loco we shall be sure to find him with ioy vnto our soules which blessing God grant vnto vs all through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen THE GAINES OF SEEKING GOD. PSAL. 69.32 Seeke after God and your soule shall liue THis Text I partly handled before leauing the rest till now then I deuided it into two parts first a Precept in these words Seeke after God secondly a Promise in these words and your soule shall liue The first part which is the Precept I handled then at large of the second part which is the Promise I purpose now to treate and doe humbly beseech Almightie God his assistance and your gentle patience Here indeed is the true gaines of seeking after God for so saith my Text your soule shall liue In the handling whereof these are the chiefe points wherein to insist first the dignitie conceiued in the Word soule secondly the qualitie in the Word your thirdly the vtilitie and comfort of the soule in these words shall liue First the dignitie of the soule fitly mentioned in the verie Word it selfe soule shall more plainly bee conceiued in the consideration of these three circumstances first the condition of the soule while wee consider the matter and essence whereof the soule consisteth For behold In the soules Creation God only made it according to his owne Image a spirituall and incorporeall substance And Augustine reasoning about the soule saith thus Anima est incorporea substantia regens corpus sicut enim in Deo vna est essentia tres distinctae personae sic in anima vna est essentia tres distinctae potentiae Memoria Intelligentia Voluntas which is thus in English The soule is a spirituall substance gouerning the bodie for as in God there is but one essence and three distinct persons so in the soule there is but one essence and three distinct powers that is the Memorie the Vnderstanding and the Will but howsoeuer the immortalitie of the soule may be proued in this in that it neuer ceaseth to liue euen in miserie Thus you see the dignitie and excellent nature of the soule for according to the Image of God the soule is made reasonable and may bee imployed about euery thing but cannot bee satisfied with any thing for it being made capeable of God whatsoeuer is lesse then God is vnable to fill it O noble Creature thou soule which art only ordayned for the fruition and vision of God O my soule that art formed in the Image of God betrothed by faith and indued with the Spirit loue him O loue him of whom thou art so much beloued O knit thy heart vnto him that hath knit himselfe to thy soule and seeke after him that seeketh for thee O seeke after God c. But alas for the stiffe-necked hard-hearted Sinner what shall become of thee why doe you so neglect the saluation of your soules which are immortall If thou diddest truely know the dignitie of thy selfe O soule whosoeuer thou beest thy sins would be abominable vnto thee a noble spirited man scorns rude and base companions and all men naturally doe shunne the plague and their dearest friends possest therewith There is nothing so base as sinne the verie plague and infection of the soule Oh then forsake and loath thy dearest affections so long as they are in loue with sinne and let the consideration of thy soules dignitie keepe thee in innocencie for euermore The second circumstance to be considered whereby we may know the dignitie of the soule is by comparison wherein it shall appeare how infinitely the soule exceeds the bodie with all the members thereof and all things whatsoeuer haue beene created besides Euery soule is better then euery body for that that giueth life is better then that which receiueth it and the soule giueth life to the bodie yea so much as the Firmament of Heauen is more beautifull then the Earth so farre doth the soule exceede in glorie the beautifullest bodie that euer was framed O how admirable is the diuers coloured beautie of all the Esements and of all the celestiall Firmament how pleasant and profitable vnto vs and how necessarie the seruice of them is for vs and yet all these were made but for the soule thou O God that hast made all things hast placed subiected all these things vnder mans feet that only Man remaining Lord ouer all thy Workes should himselfe remayne only thine and which is more all outward things are created ordayned for the bodie but the bodie it selfe is subiect to the soule and the soule it selfe is subiect vnto thee that it might only serue thee only loue thee and only possesse thee alone The price
mouth from corrupt communication 2. Oris As in the tongue of a Swine wee doe iudge of the soundnesse of the bodie so by the words of the mouth the cleanenesse of the soule is conceiued for when a good man openeth his mouth behold as it were in a temple the glorious similitude of a holy Soule A good man out of the good treasure of his soule bringeth forth good things therefore let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouthes but that which is good to the vse of edifying that yee may minister grace vnto the Hearers and grieue not the holy Spirit of God Ià m 3.6 By his euill words wee know that an euill mans tongue is set on fire of Hell And by a good mans words Act. 2.4 we conceiue his tongue to be set on fire by the holy Ghost therefore the holy Prophet exhorteth O sing yee praise with vnderstanding no member without the bodie no part or facultie within the bodie is capeable of vnderstanding but by the soule and only by the powers thereof is vnderstanding infused into other parts as you haue beene taught already if therefore yee will grace your selues and edifie your Brethren and glorifie your God O let your soules speake first vnto your tongues and be a watch vnto your mouthes and set the seale of wisedome vpon your lips that ye may speake with vnderstanding it is the phrase of the wise Iew therefore I pray beare with me The hearts of Fooles is in their mouth but the mouth of the wise is in their heart If therefore you desire to bee counted wise and would not speake like fooles often let your soules take heede vnto your mouthes that you offend not in your tongue according to your words will all men iudge of your liues if your words be prophane your conuersation cannot be holy if your words bee good men will iudge your liues to bee honest by good words the soule is delighted by euill words the soule is grieued But take heede if one of vs will scarce abide where wee haue rude and base entertainment how much rather shall the holy Ghost the soules ghest being daily disquieted with blasphemies and disgrac't with filthy talking seeke to change her habitation and leaue vs destitute of all grace Againe the soule must bee our guide and leade vs in our actions that we may doe all things to the glorie of God Grace is the life of the soule by which only man is taught the knowledge of his sinnes the loue of God 3. Operis and how to cleaue fast vnto him now it is impossible for vs to iudge whether grace be in the soule of man or no but by his outward actions for the habite of the soule is knowne by the workes of the bodie the worke shewes what the soule is euery mans life is as his soule therefore saith our Sauiour let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your Father which is in Heauen and we say a wicked man hath an vnfaithfull soule a good man is knowne by his workes as a Tree by his fruits do well then and men shall speak well of thee The soule moouing the members of the bodie to doe good makes the whole man delightfull to be in the assembly of the faithfull as the Prophet saith I was glad when they said vnto me we will goe into the House of the Lord and all my delight shall bee in the Saints that dwell vpon Earth and vpon such as excell in Vertue Also she teacheth them innocencie in their priuate life knowing that they are alwayes in the sight of God and therefore they abstayne from all iniquitie and shee teacheth them to deale iustly and charitably with all men Magistrates to deal cōscionably in their Offices Subiects to yeeld reuerent obedience to the Magistrates briefly so to liue one with another that the fruits of our faith may be made manifest vnto all and shee teacheth them of what calling or condition soeuer they be so to exercise themselues in their seuerall vocations that they may bee profitable and helpfull to themselues and priuate Families to the Church and members of God and to the whole Common Wealth wherein they liue Thus you see the qualitie of the soule to keepe vs innocent in our heart our mouthes and our workes which God grant vnto vs for euermore Thirdly Constantiam nutrit it nourisheth Constancie which is these three wayes humiliter accipiendo humbly taking vp our Crosse patienter tolerando patiently bearing our afflictions fideliter diligendo faithfully louing our Fathers correction First humiliter accipiendo while troubles doe assault vs our soules are humbled within vs there is giuen vs a pricke in the flesh to buffet vs lest we should be exalted aboue measure the weake flesh is readie to shunne all incumbrances like the Sluggard that saith There is a Lion in the way and a Beare in the streets or the Spies that spake of the great Gyants of Anacke but the valiant Spirit and soule makes vs willing to meete with any crosse and to embrace euery temptation cheerfully As Iob when hee had lost all his estate and had no friends left him rebuked his Wife for that she would not willingly receiue euil at the hands of God aswell as good likewise holy Dauid said of Shimei hee curseth because God hath bid him curse Dauid and as Paul flyeth not being perswaded not to goe vp to Ierusalem but answered I am readie not to be bound only but also to dye at Hierusalem for the Name of the Lord Iesus He hath done halfe his worke that beginnes well the willingnesse of the soule doth minister strength to the Labourer that he may not faint in the Worke of the Lord nor be wearie of well-doing It makes things that be most hard and difficult to seeme easie to be done therefore begin willingly for by continuall labour strength is attayned this willingnesse is only in the soule Secondly patienter tolerando the state of mans bodie is vtterly vncapeable of griefe but the soule must beare the burthen of affliction Lo Iob 13.15 though hee kill me yet yet will I trust in him Patience is the closet of the soule wherein it is preserued from all iniuries of temptation therefore when Christ our blessed Sauiour told his Disciples of the ruines of the World and terrours of the last times hee wisheth them to possesse their soules with patience This makes the Prouerbe true Vincit qui patitur He that suffereth ouercommeth not with fighting but with patient bearing as Eleasar being readie to giue vp the ghost 2. Mac. 11.30 said The Lord knoweth manifestly that whereas I might haue beene deliuered from death I am scourged and suffer these sore paines of my bodie but in my minde I suffer them gladly for his Religion The stalke of a rotten Apple will not endure the least winde without falling so the patience of an vnfaithfull soule will
enough to weep for Melt then your hearts in sorrow for your sinne as holy Dauid did whose heart in the middest of his bodie was euen like melting Waxe that God may quit your soules with peace and seeke him lachrimabiliter mournfully Secondly in seeking after God we must vse faithfulnesse without slothfull negligence and seeke him diligenter diligently as the woman in the Gospell seeking her Groat that was lost Luke 15.8 did light a Candle and sweepe the house and sought diligently vntill shee found it Eccles 9.10 And as Salomon the wise Preacher hath taught thee All that thine hand shall find to doe doe it with all thy power And as Dauid seeking the Lord did seeke him with his whole heart For you shall seeke mee with all your heart Ier. 29.14 and I will be found of you saith the Lord. And if thou seeke the LORD with all thy heart Deut. 4.29 and with all thy soule Pro. 10.26 thou shalt finde him For as Vineger to the teeth so is a slothfull body to them that send him Therefore the sleeper shall be clothed with ragges Pro. 23.21 and he is denounced accursed that doth the worke of the Lord negligently Ier. 48.10 The Lord loueth a cheerefull giuer as Zacheus and will be found of them that seeke him diligently that is faithfully But such is the madnesse of this rude age wherein we liue and the blindnesse of worldly minded men that they esteeme no labour too much in seeking after worldly gaine which cannot profit them and in seeking after the pleasures of this life which may much annoy them but will not step one foot towards Heauen with an holy desire to seeke after God In whom is the fulnesse of all true felicitie The Apostle complained not without a cause Phil. 2.21 That all seeke their owne and not the things of Iesus Christ but if thou desirest to finde Heauen seeke after God by Iesus Christ who is gone thither before to prepare a place for you and seeke him diligenter with all your hearts diligently Thirdly wouldst thou finde the Lord thy only Comforter seeke after him perseueranter constantly with perseuerance and bee not weary of well-doing for in due season yee shall reape if yee faint not therefore seeke the Lord and his face euermore Cant. 3.4 As the Spouse neuer ceased to seeke him whom her soule loued till she found him and tooke hold of him and left him not A Ship that hath made many a faire venture on the Sea and after perisheth in the Hauen brings losse and sorrow to the Owner that hoped for gaine And a Souldier that fainteth before the battaile bee ended must expect shame and death in stead of Victorie So he that seeketh after God and faileth in his intended course before hee finde him must needes bring losse and sorrow to his soule and expect confusion for saluation For the Crowue is giuen only to the Conquerour Apoc. 2.10 Be thou faithfull vnto the death and I will giue thee the Crowne of life the fire of Gods Altar must neuer goe out so the zeale of a constant Professor must not be extinguished by worldly care No man that putteth his hand to the Plough and looketh backe Luk. 9.62 is apt to the Kingdome of God Remember Lots wife Gen 19. who for looking backe was turned into a Pillar of Salt And hauing once begun to seeke after God Col. 3.1 and to seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Col. 2.20 why as though yee liued in the World are yee burthened with traditions The Prophet testifieth that the life of a righteous man shall neuer fade Psal 1.4 and that the heart of a righteous man shall neuer faint Psal 112.8 if his faith were enioyned to seeke after God through all the fierie tryalls of this World and all the fierie flames and torments of Hell it would not sticke at the condition being before with confidence perswaded Philip. 1.6 That he that hath begunne this good worke in him will performe it vntill the Day of Iesus Christ Thus must you seeke after God Psal 51.17 with a sorrowfull heart which he shall not despise you must seeke him diligently that you may bee counted worthy to escape all those things that shall come to passe And that you may stand before the Sonne of man Luke 21.36 and you must seeke him with perseuerance and neuer giue ouer for any temptation lest you fall away for God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that you bee able 1. Cor. 10.13 but will euen giue the issue with the temptation thus Thus to seeke the Lord alwayes longing after the God of our saluation wee cannot chose but finde the comforts of his graces in our soules and bee assured to bee deliuered from the power of darknesse Col. 1.13 and to bee translated into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne whether hee bring vs all that hath so dearely bought vs with his precious bloud euen Iesus Christ our Lord and only Sauiour Amen Thus you haue heard the manner how to seeke God It followeth whereby we may learne the time when to seeke God which is our second obseruation in my Text as in the time of sinne Iam. 1.14 the lusts of our owne concupiscence led vs astray from God so now in the time of grace through the preaching of the Gospell being led by the Spirit in the light of faith wee make haste to returne and seeke after God in whom alone we may find true rest vnto our soules debito tempore in a conuenient time And as at al times and in all places it is meete to seeke vnto God Rom. 11.36 Of whome and through whome and for whome wee liue and mooue and haue our being So wee are taught in holy Scriptures of three times most conuenient to seeke after God First Dum dies est Secondly dum praesens est Thirdly dum misericors est First while it is day Nicodemus Iohn 3.2 though hee was a Ruler of the Iewes and a Teacher in Israel hath this Record left in Scripture against him that hee came to Iesus by night And the Spouse in the Canticles confesseth Cant. 3.1 why she could not finde her Loue that is because shee sought him by night and our Sauiour himselfe teacheth Iohn 9.4 The night commeth when no man can worke In the night of Ignorance wee are more prone to seeke after Error then the Truth In the night of sinne we seeke for the things that please men and not the things that please God and in the night of death we shall not bee able to seeke at all For who shall giue thee thankes in the pit therefore holy Dauid longing for the God of his saluation deferres no time But flyeth to the Lord before the morning watch Psal 130.6 Psal 63.1 2. Chron. 33 3.
with men Iacob was comforted by the Angels in the Wildernesse Gen. 28.12 Exod. 3.2 as he fled from his Brother Esau Moses was instructed by the Angell of God in the flaming Bush in the Wildernesse what hee should doe to deliuer Gods people out of bondage Mat. 4.11 The Angels came and comforted Iesus in the Wildernesse after hee was tempted of the Deuill The farther from the World the neerer to God as an Apple-tree planted where the branches spread ouer a common way those branches so spreading are alwayes subiect to spoyle and are made a prey to euery Passenger but those that grow in the compasse of the Owners ground beare fruit vnto the Planters profit so the man that spreads his heart to entertayne the World cannot keepe innocencie to the end whereby it often falls out that God loseth his due which is their heart and they their desire which is Heauen as in the example of Ananias and Saphira Acts 5.5 Againe In solitudine scandalum malignorum euitatur In desart and solitarie places wee escape the poyson of slanderous tongues therfore Iohn Baptist being to prepare the way of the Lord Mat. 3.1 had his continuall abode in the Wildernesse where he taught all that came vnto him When God gaue Israel a Law it was in the Wildernesse Exo. 19.20 where he spake vnto Moses in the Mount Mat. 5.1 When Iesus made that heauenly Sermon to the multitude he went into a desart place and there taught them from the mountaine by which examples wee are learned that whosoeuer will bee good Teachers and good Hearers must separate themselues sometimes and for the most part from common and publike Societies for in desart and solitarie places the minde is inlightened so it fared with that great King Nabuchadnezzar who secing nothing but confusion while hee liued in his stately Palace at great Babel Dan. 4.34 could yet behold Gods glorie in the Heauens being banished also in desart and solitarie places the heart is inflamed with good desires Iudith 8.5 therefore Iudith built her Oratorie in the top of her house that the priuatenesse of the place might increase the zeale of her affection also in desart and solitary places the soule is often rauished with the contemplation of Heauens sweetnesse as Iohn the Euangelist being banished into the I le Pathmos Reuel tot writ a whole Booke of sweet Reuelations there I speake not this to animate our Separatists whose daily practice is to draw the Communion of Christs Church into priuate Conuenticles but of the mutinous multitude of this Age that ioyne hand in hand and haue all one Purse and are all of one minde to doe euill and to worke all vncleannesse euen with greedinesse these yea these are they whom I would haue and whome I doe beseech to consider of their wayes and workes by themselues alone and of Gods presence instantly able to reward euery man according as his workes shall be lest the Lord should suddenly plucke them away when they shall finde none to rescue them thus by priuate conference Confession and Absolution betweene their soules and God let them seeke out of desart places euen seeke after God by themselues alone that so they may taste the sweetnesse of Gods grace and mercie in the secrets of their soules for euermore Thirdly wouldst thou know where to seeke God debito loco come to the Temple where the lips of the wise preserue knowledge they shal counsaile thee in templo exorationis in the Temple of Prayer God standeth alwayes readie to heare all those that call vpon his Name and to answere all their soules that desire instruction There you cannot faile to heare of him for in his Temple doth euery man speake of his honour When Salomon prayed in the Temple and offered vnto the Lord a Sacrifice 1. King 9.3 then God promised his blessing to that house for euer When King Hezechia spred the blasphemous Letter of rayling Rabshakeh 2. King 19.14 before the Lord in the Temple God promised to deliuer the King and put his foes to confusion We reade of Iesus in the Temple Luke 19.45 how he whipt out the Marchants posed the Doctors and daily taught the people First He whipt out the Marchants saying My House shall be called the House of Prayer but you haue made it a Den of Theeues marke I pray you he suffereth none to buy and sell but taught the mall that came to heare and pray such still are welcome to their Sauiour but in this monstrous Age most doe come to make marchandize both in and of the Temple Some make marchandize in the Temple and teach not the way of God truely but for feare or flatterie speake not at all or speake pleasing things and spare to tell the house of Iudah their transgressions and the house of Israel their sinnes that they might forsake their wicked wayes and turne againe vnto the Lord and liue And some make marchandize of the Temple and are not at rest til the House of God lye waste Hag. 1.4 or if not quite waste yet more then halfe spoyled dealing with the Lmbassadours of the Lord as the Princes of the children of Ammon dealt with the Messengers of Dauid who shared of the halfe of their beard 2. Sa. 10.4 and cut off their Garments in the middell so too many at this day haue spoyld the Treasures of the Temple strangely metamorphosing Parsonages into Vicarages and Vicarages into Donatiues and Donatiues into Pensions leauing scarce the price of a Liuerie for the Priest that wayteth on the Altar and should liue of the Altar But the Lord will one day come against them as he came against Antiochus that sought to destroy the Temple of God he did it not 2. Mat. 9.5 but while he thought to doe it marke that the Lord plagued him with a Disease in his bowels inuisible and incurable so that he died so you that now liue of the spoyles of the Temple God will one day whip you out with a rod of Iron Secondly Iesus was found in the Temple posing the Doctors a good Lesson for vs all to learne First for vs Ministers for hee that desireth the office of a Bishop must be apt to teach being sufficiently instructed to conuince Heresie to exhort vnto Godlinesse and to rebuke them that sinne before all that others also may feare or else he is vnworthy to bee a Master vnto the Israel of God if hee bee ignorant of these things Secondly here is a good Lesson for you to learne that come to the Temple and House of God to bee made partakers of his holy Word come not hither to heare the Preacher as the Iewes came to heare Christ that they might intangle him in his talke nor as Herod who heard Iohn Baptist gladly yet cut off his head nor in presumption with the Iewes to teach your Teachers if you doe then as Christ saith take heed how you heare
of the whole Word is not to be valued to the worth of the soule for what shall it profit a man to winne the whole World and lose his owne soule Wee reade that the holy Saints haue crucified their owne bodies and chastized themselues with hard penance and all that they might saue their soules Gal. 5.4 For they that are Christs haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts of it O you holy Saints and dearest friends of God tell vs O tell vs why with so many Watchings so many Prayers and so much Discipline you haue so cruelly mortified your flesh O most glorious Martyrs why haue you exposed your selues to such cruell torments that you haue not refused to die yea euen a violent death with cheerfulnesse embracing such a sentence O blessed Iesus why diddest thou suffer three and thirtie yeeres together hunger thirst labour sweat deepe wounds and finally death it selfe they answere all aloude it was for the soule therefore it is manifest the soule is more precious then all the other things of the world Seeing then all things are but vile in comparison of the soule why doe wee so vainly care for the preseruation of euery thing but the soule our bodies our riches our cattell our garments are curiously deckt and prouided for but alas few men haue any respect at all vnto their soules O vnhappie wretched men why are you so carefull about many things nay euery thing sauing this one thing for which all your care should be bestowed Remember Christs counsell to Maries complayning Sister Martha Martha thou carest and art troubled for many things but one thing only is necessarie O then beloued in the Lord let vs louingly care for this one thing our soule in the faithfull preseruation whereof consisteth all things else that pertaine to mans eternall happinesse which God giue vs grace truly to performe for euer more Amen The third circumstance to be considered whereby to know the dignitie of the soule is by the habitation being capeable of such a glorious Tenant as the Holy Ghost for God hath created the soule to no other end but for himselfe which is to be his habitation so that the soule is called the Temple of God As the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 3.16 Know yee not that yee are the Temple of the Holy Ghost and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you if you bee the holy seate of God thither our Sauiour comming to keepe perpetuall Holidayes hath ordayned all things necessarie for the honour of his entertaynment So long as God dwels in the soule of a iust man Psal 91.1 Hee hath commanded an Host of Angels to guard him Hee shall giue his Angels charge ouer thee to keepe thee in all thy wayes Psal 34.7 And the Angell of the Lord tarryeth round about them that feare him to deliuer them Behold the dignitie of the soule how God hath appointed the Angels that are so noble Creatures to bee their keepers Man made lower then the Angels yet lo attended by them Surely its great dignitie to the soule that euery man at his birth hath an Angell chosen to bee his keeper And this Angell is so employed about our businesse as a Messenger alwaies running betwixt the Beloued and her Loue offering our Desires and Prayers as an acceptable Sacrifice vnto God and bringing downe the Royall Present of Gods holy Gifts into the soule still stirring vp the soule to all good workes and labouring to appease Gods wrath that it should neuer bee kindled against vs this Royal prerogatiue of the soule to entertayne God as a Ghest truely describes the dignitie of the same which all this while is attended with an Armie of heauenly Souldiers 2. Kin. 6.17 Againe whilest God inhabiteth the righteous soule he makes it a continuall feast in the large open Chamber of a quiet conscience and giues them the Bread of Life to feed vpon euen by breaking his owne precious Bodie vnto them the effect of bread is to preserue life and to strenghten mans heart So Christ that is the true Bread come downe from Heauen giueth them spirituall Bread his Bodie thereby to preserue the life of the soule Labour not then for the meate that perisheth but for the meate that endureth to euerlasting life which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto you for him hath the Father sealed Againe yet whilest God in habiteth the righteous soule hee bringeth her a greater blessing then Caleb could bestow vpon his Danghter although hee gaue her the Springs aboue the Springs beneath a rich Dowrie Iosh 15.19 For whereas Man by nature and sinne is made barren of all Grace yet being bathed and washed in the euer-streaming Fountaine of Christs Bloud by Repentance and renewed by the Grace that is brought vnto her through our Lord Iesus Christ She is made fruitfull in euery good worke and to walke acceptably before God The Apostle shewing the Corinthians That the vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdome of GOD saith such were some of you but ye are washed but yee are sanctified behold the dignitie of the soule in the estimation of her price For saith the Apostle yee are bought with a price 1. Cor. 6.20 Great is the price of the soule whome nothing could redeeme but the bloud of Iesus Christ God make vs carefull of this dignitie for euermore through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen In the second place we are to consider the qualitie of the soule which may bee vnderstood in the three powers of the soule which I told you of before and is mentioned in this word your First Sapientiam docet It teacheth vs Wisedome Secondly Munditiam seruat It preserueth vs in Innocencie Thirdly Constantiam nutrit it nourisheth our Constancie who were else vtterly vnable to fight that great and tedious battaile betweene vs our spirituall enemies It teacheth vs wisedome three wayes intelligende praeterita by vnderstanding the things long since past Iudicanda praesentia in being able to discerne and iudge of those things that bee now present Expectando futura in expecting good things to bee receiued hereafter at the hands of God First Intelligendo praeterita bona Animae Sapientiae Wisedome is the treasure of the soule a good man knoweth all things which God hath made to be knowne aswell those things of the World which are past as the things that are to come euen the inuisible things of God that is his eternall Power and Godhead are seene by the Creation of the World being considered in the Creatures his Workes This made Dauid sing The Heauens declare the glorie of God and the Fi mament sheweth his handy-worke the soule is only capeable of Reason and therefore considering the worthinesse of her selfe the vilenesse of the bodie and the shortnesse of this life therefore she chuseth rather to prouide for the Life to come which is immortall then to regard at all this life which is so transitorie this makes vs to worship