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 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
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
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