as the spirit 4 No Scripture says that any soule is yet in heaven Christ is the first fruits of them that sleep Second part of the difference is between these Scriptures say 1 That the souls dye 2 That they only sleep Note In this is the great controversie for by the one it is mortall and the other it seems not to be so 1 For reconciliation we are to distinguish between the differing nature of Death in these parts of man for as the parts differ in themselves so their deaths differ the spirit is dead while in the body and the soule and body alive but never suffers corruption as the body doth in its death whose death is a totall privation of life sence and motion ending in corruption 2 The soules death differs from that of the spirit and that of body 1 Gods leaving the spirit it dies by withdrawing the spirits operation from it which when by Christ it returned into man he is raised from the spirit death 2 The soule leaving the body it dyes 3 The spirit leaving the soule it suffers its death as the body lives by the soule so the soule by the spirit so that when the spirit is gone the soule is dead as the body moves not without the soule so the soule acts not without the spirit be in her who is its life in it s as well natural as spiritual being Conclusion 1 Unbeleevers and all men by nature are subject to this death of soul as that of spirit and body as being the way and means designed of God for their dissolution 2 Beleevers now though their spirits forsake the soule yet the spirit of Christ being with their soules and they said to sleepe in Jesus it is a sleepe to them though a death to others 3. As somnum is imago mortis it shews the difference seems not much between these there is at least the image of the one in the other though not the other 4 This is a further clearing of the preciousness of the first resurrection and Christs so oft saying to his people they should not see death nor taste of death Vse To shew what a sweet use of Christ in mans forsaken condition is lost and unknown Now if Christ bee with us and wee in Christ though in the grave what matters it we are safe enough whiles in Christ 5 The death of the soule is that it is not with God nor God with it in the absence of its spirit its naturall life and body but sin and death hath dominion over them which it hath not over those asleep in Christ Object Christs soule is said to dye Resp 1. Christs soule was left of its spirit as ours which was one part of this death 2 Hee cries out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me which was that other part God forsook the creature the soule in Christ of which O how sensible was hee though wee are not of the spirits death 3. This is more clear Thou wilt not leave my soule in grave that is no longer but the appointed time of three dayes and after God and his spirit would come to the soule and also raise the body 4 This was he in soul to suffer with man that he might become a ransome for and redeem men from death and the grave where hee indured what man by sinne should suffer under death in the grave 5 Hence those that beleeve not and are not in Jesus doe not sleep in Jesus but are dead and so only are ye to understand the Scriptures when it speaks of the dead in soul and body it cals them dead only but of the beleevers as of men that sleep and sleep in Christin the soule 6 When as the Scriptures speak of the dead in Christ then they cheifly respect the bodies not the soules of Saints Vse Shews what multitudes of lyes and errors are taught in the name of Christ and how destructive the doctrine now taught is 2 How obscure the faith of Christ and the Gospel is in this and multitudes of other cases is not seen nor credited 3 Vse Confirmation of this is deduced hence The spirit dieth and the body dyeth and by the argument of the souls mortality that though God hath said in many Scriptures the soul doth dye and the soule that sinneth shall dye 4 The wages of sin is death and the soul that sinneth shall dye and yet it must not dye how contrary this is to Gods word and Justice and mans desert let the world be judge 5 It is set down in the future tence shall die and shews that it is to be another death on the soule then what was on man by Adams fall Object They make the soul doth dye but it is in Hell hereafter Resp That death of soule is a death in which spirit and body doth partake with it and is after the resurrection as they confesse 1 But that death is called the second death Rev. 21.8 2 In that it is called the second death and soule body and spirit are to die therein it is cleare all these must first suffer a first death before this second which by the now doctrine the soule doth not 1 Thes 4.14 16. In one the soules are said to sleep in Jesus in the other the body dead in Jesus the same persons being spoken of Reasons why the Soules of Saints sleep but of Vnbeleevers are dead FIrst The beleeving soule through the seed of faith and hope sleeps only and is not dead as those without hope Secondly The soule though it be left of its own spirit yet it is in the spirit of Christ Thirdly In this is fulfilled that the beleever seeth not nor doth hee tast of death he being by his faith in the name of the Son of God kept from the power of death Fourthly Christ hath by his souls death redeemed theirs from that death the souls of unbeleevers dye 1 This is in Lazarus set forth John 11.4 This sicknesse is not to death his soul not dying Ver. 11. Our friend Lazarus sleepeth they not understanding the soules sleep Ver. 14. he spake more plainly he is dead speaking of his body Ver. 4. if not thus understood is a mystery that the sicknesse was not to death and yet hee dyed 2 This is seen in Stephen Act. 7.59 Hee commends his spirit to Christ ver 60. his soule is made asleep his body chap. 8.2 is committed to the grave the significancy of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his death chap. 8.1 is exceeding great and signifies his resolution as the taking down of a house The life of the soule is maintained within it by hope and differenceth the dead and living soules 1 Hence hope is said to be the anchor of the soule Heb. 6.19 2 The Apostles 1 Thes 4.13 I would not have you ignorant Brethren concerning those that sleep that they mourn not as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those others those that have no hope Thus Mark. 5.39 Why lament yee and
word and fulfilled in man one on his spirit which differs in kind from that of the soule and then there is death in hell as God of one matter made many creatures so of one breath many lives Object Adam was created mortall Resp Death entered by sin into the world and first ceized on his immortall part the spirit and after on the soule had not man finned death had never been on soul or spirit Object 6. Luk. 12.20 This night they shall require thy soule It seems hence the soule is immortall and was taken from the body by the devils Note the words are parabolicall Resp 1. Who these they are is not set down in the Scripture before going or that that followeth after 2 By they are meant the grave and death of whom God saith I will ransome them from the hand of the grave and power of death Hos 13.14 death hath the soule first and after the grave hath soule and body 3 That the grave requires such a soule as fitted for it and the manner Isa 14.9 the grave from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming And Isa 5.14 the grave opened her mouth wide And Salomons Proverbs tel what she means by her cry give give me this or that soule Job 17.1 the graves are ready for me 4 As the grave so death and the law compare Ps 118.18 Ier. 15.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those are for death to death God gives him up to death to take him Object 7 He should rather have spoke of his body then Resp As the fool spake to his soule not body so doth God also 2 If the soule be required the body must be 3 The soule and body lie in grave 4 The foole had more wit then we he saw his soul did partake of the meat he eat and drink and mirth in them which I have not understood Quest In what was his folly then 1 In that he made provision for the flesh not spirit and took up his rest in these earthly things as if he needed no more 2 In that he had goods for many years and his soule might take its ease and never thought his life was of so short continuance 3 That he was now to go to the grave when these should be left to he knew not whom and he have no more to doe with any such things Object 8. Rev. 6.9.10 The soules under the Altar cry how long before thou avenge our blood Hieron ad Vigilantium Ep. Lib. 3. ais enim c. subter aram Dei animas Apostolorum martyrum consedisse nec posse suis tumulis neque ubi voluerunt esse presentes in terra Resp 1. The way of answering Tropological sayings hath been Theologia symbolica non est argumentativa 2 But to answer it indeed is to know what the Altar is and that is Christ at whose feet the Martyrs as the beasts slaine had their blood poured out and to which here the Spirit alludes 3 Where the soules are that are said to bee under the Altar Resp Where ever they are they are under the Altar and not forsaken of Christ as Christs soule was not left of his Father hence they are said to sleep in Jesus and the dead in Christ 1 Thes 4.13 14. Matth. 27.52 4 The soules are said to cry after they were slain ergo not dead Resp A soul hath no articulate voyce to cry with and therefore can be nothing else but Gods beholding the blood and past death the enemy of Saints Antichrist had cruelly spilt Obj. Here are the soules and blood of soules the cry is from the soul not the blood Res It was the same in Abels blood Gen. 4.10 Heb. 12.24 the soul is not seen nor heard 6 Of this Altar speaks the Apostle We have an Altar which they that serve at the Tabernacle have no right to eate 7 As the Altar is a metaphoricall speech so the soules cry and the souls being under the Altar under which some Gospel truth is mystically represented thereby unto us as that the blood of Saints now came to be inquired after Revel 18.24 and 19.2 and 16.6 Note from the nearnesse of blood and the soule 1. Gen. 9.4 5. God giving leave to man to eate flesh forbid him to eate blood before the Ceremoniall Law 2 Under the Ceremoniall Law 3 After the Ceremoniall Law in the Gospel estate Act. 15.29 by which the esteem and mystery of Christs blood in the Sacrament is exalted 4 On this ground Marriages of such as are of consanguinity and next affinity with the Husband and Wife are forbid because of confusion 5 There is in eating blood a confusion of souls with soules as Pilat mingled the blood of men with blood of beasts Obje 9. Every creature of God is good c. for it is sanctified by the Word and prayer 1 Tim. 4.4 5. Resp Note the dependance of its lawfulnesse because sanctified by the word but if the word forbid a thing then it is otherwise Object 10. Not that goeth into a man but that which commeth out doth defile a man Mat. 15.11 Res This is spoken in contempt of a natural defilement by meat eaten without washt hands as being the cause of Christs speaking the words Note under the Gospell the eating blood is forbid for the reverence to be had to the drinking of the blood of Christ Sacramentally also Obj. Tit. 1.15 To the pure all things are pure 1 Cor. 7.14 Their Wife and children are pure yet not to be eat so blood is pure but not to be eate 1 Tim. 4.3 The Apostle shews it was a sign of the false Teachers to command to abstain from meates calling it doctrine of devils Col. 2.21 1 See abstinence was from meat not from drinking blood 2 It was on a religious ground not a morall ground as this 3 There was an abstinence from meat sacrificed to Idols 1 Cor. 10. Object 1 Cor. 10.25 27. What ever is sold in the Shambles and what ever is set before you eate Resp The Gentiles themselves but in their Temples and worship did abstain from eating and drinking blood 4 The abstinence spok of to the Colossians was Judaizing abstinence from meats 5 That of Timothy was Antichrists corrupt worship and religion placed in such things Object 11. Matth. 10.28 Fear not those that kill the body but cannot kill the soule 1 This Scriptures obscurity is to bee explained by Luk. 12.4 which was spoke at the same time and the same thing intended in that of Luke as that of Matthew as in the verses before these Scriptures and after they being the same words matter and occasion in one as in the other 2 In which this general rule is to be observed for the understanding the historians of Christs life 1 That what seems to be obscure in one we are to seek an explanation of in the other 2 What seems wanting in one wee ought to seek the supply thereof in the other 3 That the mind
the Beast and Man enjoyeth These places and many more in our Translations for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soul have life put in them against the Syriac and the Arabic which retain the Hebrew root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Translations Matth. 6.25 Luk. 12.23 Mat. 10.39 16.25 Mark 8.35 Luk. 9.24 17.33 Joh. 12.25 Luk. 9.56 14.26 Joh. 10.11.15.17 13.38 39. 15.13 Acts 15.26 20.24 27.10 22. Rom. 16.4 Joh. 1. Ephes 3.16 Revel 12.11 Note If the soul and life are two distinct things in Man then to write life where God writes soul is a presumptuous destruction of the Truth of God and the natural life in Christ is the same with that in us he being in all things like us sin onely excepted That the spirit soul and body are three distinct parts of Man I commend these Scriptures to you Note how God speaks to us of himself Gen. 6.5 My Spirit and my Soul Mat. 12.18 My Soul Mat. 10. As having a Body 1 Thess 5.23 as before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 1.46 47. Mary said there is the body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My soul doth magnifie the Lord and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour Job 12.10 For in his hand is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the soul of every one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of every fleshman or all mankinde which is the Adam soma In respect the Scripture saith that every truth is confirmed und r two or three witnesses and here Paul Mary Job are produced which is the number required I shall proceed to particulars and first of the Spirit Joh. 11.33 Christs Spirit is troubled which was his humane spirit And Cap. 13.21 of his Soul Joh. 10.15 12.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Spirit is not by propagation conveyed from man to man Job 26. vers 4. Whose spirit came from thee The first thing necessary to be considered is the Being and Beginning of the Spirit Genes 2.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plasmavit the word respects the forming of a thing out of a gross body as a Potter of the clay his vessel so God formed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Adam of the dust of the Earth when he breathed in his face spiraculum vitarum the breath of lives not of life as the corrupt Translations read but lives in the plural viz. that of the soul of the spirit and the Adam the Earth became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I thus expound And the Earth IS to the Soul vivens living where the Soul and the life are distinguished Isai 38.19 Gen. 7.21 22. Numb 31.40 2. Whereas it is said the Lord breathed into Adam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is lives in the plural not life as it is corruptly translated and admirably cleared Isai 57.16 the spirit and spiration shewing 1. That God placed in man differing lives 2. That the spirit hath its life the soul it s and the body it s by this Breath 3. All were far differently from the beasts by God communicated to man in his Creation as I shall shew hereafter Job 35. Of this Life of the Spirit 1. As God of the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tohu and bohu chaos and confusion made Heaven and Earth Man and Angels Beasts and Fishes so of the same spiration or emission he made life in the soul the spirit the body 2. As he divided between the waters above the Firmament and the waters beneath so he divided the soul life from that of the spirit Man the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having in himself as the perfection of the Creation that which corresponds to all these 3. A darkness that lieth hereby on the spirits of men is removed because whereas God said Gen. 2.17 Adam should dye in the day he eat of the tree of knowledg of good and evil some expound ing the day by a thousand years others other-ways but I forbear and commend to you this That God in that day he spake to man alluded to the natural day of man not God this sentence was made good on him not by taking away his soul-life but his spirit-life which was then dead in him as appears in that his access to familiarity with and innocency before God was lost together with all farther actings of the spirit within him 4. Hence as Tim. 1.5.6 of the wanton widow she is dead whiles she liveth which shews that she was some way or where dead that is in spirit and in some thing or part alive which was in body and soul 5. That the spirit was dead appears 1 Cor. 15.44 for Christ was made a quickening spirit to Adams generation who by his fall became only a living soul the spirit being dead in him Ephes 5.14 this spoke to men alive in the flesh but dead in the spirit 6. This quickening of the spirit is the great work of Christ on man in the days of the Gospel to raise the spirit from its death which is called the first Resurrection Rev. 20.6 7. Those that confound soul and spirit do destroy the faith and put men either to expect that now is to be done hereafter or that hereafter is to be done now indeed now is to be the resurrection of the spirit by the Word and Spirit of Christ or that at last will be nothing available many Souls by this delusion have been undone 8. This death first entred into the world by Adams sin so the restoration of this life is first and is called filthiness 2 Cor. 7.1 9. This resurrection is by beleeving in Jesus Christ John 11.25 26. 10. As the soul is to the body so the spirit is to the soul the soul is in the blood as its seat and the spirit in the mind as its seat being the sublimest part of the soul informing and leading the soul and body To make a definition of the Spirit no man ever could since the fall that was meer man Solomon whose Philosophy exceeds all else that men call so Eccles 3.21 Who knoweth the spirit of man that ascendeth to supernals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that above and above of the Apostle 1. Shewing that the spirit of man was of an unknown excellency if any had known it of men Solomon had Adams death of spirit was that he lost the knowledg of God himself and sense of his Soul-misery 2. In the Restoration thereof we have some discovery made of the exercise thereof Gal. 5.22 23. among which Faith that excellent grace is said to be one which since the death of the spirit is the gift of God and a part of the spirits resurrection and life 3. The spirit is that which is immortally with God as in Eccles 12.7 The spirit returns to God that gave it and who dares say more returned either that the Soul or life doth and not be guilty of adding to the Word
Have not we much more cause to love him for it and inquire into it that it may be a cause of our love to him also what need have our hearts to be stirred up thereunto O know to lay down 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the life a vapour is nothing like this to ingage Gods love to Christ or mans either 3. 1 John 3.16 in this we have knowne love because he laid downe his soule for us as if without this laying downe of his soule no soule can know his love not in laying down of his life or being man c. Io. 15.13 4. What Christ did we may and ought doe by laying downe our souls for the brethren 5 Isa 53.10 His soul was made an offering for sin in which we may see how far the soule of Christ acted in the work of our salvation and how unable wee are to bee saved without it and beleeving it against all which men oppose themselves in these dayes 6 His soule was in the grave Act. 2.31 7 He saith his soule was heavy to the death Math. 26.38 Quer. If all this were done in Christs soul whether our souls are not capable of and lyable to the same things in this world he was in all things tempted like us Object Christ suffered in the flesh for us 1 Pet. 4.1 and therefore not in his soule 1 His suffering in the flesh contains all those sorrows afflictions pains and torments were laid on him before his death 2 In his death and death of soule was the last end of all his sufferings 3 The pouring of his soule out to death was in the soul a suffering in a speciall manner 4 As he that saith Christ ascended into Heaven with his body in so saying denies not he also ascended into the heavens in his soule so in saying Christ suffered in his flesh it is not denyed that he also suffered in his soule 8 The soule and body of Christ being thus carryed home to the house of death the grave Christ by his Spirit and Almightinesse redeems his soule and in that others destroying death delivers the body from the grave and the bonds thereof Hos 13.14 9 The excellency of the soule Mat. 16.22 Mark 8.37 what shall it advantage a man to gaine the whole world and lose his owne soule or what shall a man give in exchange for his soule 10 If figurative speeches would prove any thing Rev. 16.3 were effectuall where mens soules of the Antichristian estate are every one said to dye which shews it concerns men of the false Church estate every one of them to mind their estates Matth. 20.28 He gave 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his soule a ransome for many 1 The soule of Christ was the ransome 2 This ransom was paid by death or could not be paid Mar. 10.45 1 Joh. 3.16 Rev. 12.11 They loved not their souls to death 1 That is they gave their souls to death 2 This the word injoyns saying he that saveth shall lose his soul The fleshy nature of the soule is clear in that it came out of the loyns by propagation in that God saith what ever is of the flesh is flesh Joh. 3.6 1 This is notably manifested in the seat of the soule that it is in the blood Eccles 6.2 Luk. 12.23 is not the soule more then meat and the body then raiment Math. 6.25 Luk. 12.22 Take no thought for your soule what yee shall cate or what yee shall drinke Eccles 6.2 3. Note 1. Rayment that is proper to the body that looks for it 2 The soule that minds meat and drink careing for it as being very sensible of the lack thereof and delighted in the injoyment of it Salomons Prov. 27.7 The full soul loatheth the hony comb but to the hungry soule every bitter thing is sweet Psal 107.5 Hungry and thirsty their soules fainted in them Note it is observable God speaking of spirituall hunger he saith not he hath filled the hungry soul but the hungry only with good things Luk. 1.53 or as Psal 107.9 he distinguishes the soule hungring for goodnesse and that for meat and drink 3. Job 33.20 His life abhorreth bread and his soule desireable meat the soul it longs for meats that are pleasing to its appetite in which is the sensuality of it Note this is an emminent argument of the soules fleshy nature and subjectnesse to mortality 4 If the soule may live without why saies the Lord to it to take it off your father knoweth that yee have need of these things 5 Why doth he use this Argument to the soule that it is more then food as to the body that it is more then raiment if the soules necessitys were not supplyed in the one as the bodies in the other Reason of it is because the seat of the soule is in the blood which is fed with food meat and drinke 6. Gen. 34.3 Shechems soule clave unto Dinah which shews the terrene carnall nature of the soule being conversant about fleshly things Object Fleshly lusts war against the soule 1 Pet. 2.11 here it seems the desires of meat and drink are not of the soule but the flesh here by wars against it Resp 1. I beseech you as Pilgrims and Strangers to be taken off from fleshy lusts which war against the soule Noting that the fleshly lusts of the soule did oppose and hinder it from those things did more especially concern it which were offered to them by the Spirit but care of eating and drinking would not give them leave This is no more then what Christ did before in saying take no care what yee shall eate Here in the flesh they are but Pilgrims and strangers to the world and therefore the soul to seek satisfaction in these was against it selfe 1. In that he exhorts them to be taken off from them shews the whole man flesh body and dead spirit were once all fixt upon it and after quickening troubled with it 2 And whereas the flesh and spirit may say and object why we must care for meat and drinke these are so necessary that our soule cannot be without it Note the Spirit of God makes as it were an answer to it saying the lusting after these things doe warre against the soule and were enemies to it And shewes that these things they should have without having their minds carryed after and perplexed with care for them as in Luk. 12.22 3 It is usuall that the mind of man is divided into carnall and spirituall whiles it is set on cloath and food it is carnal when on God and Christ spirituall Note now the soule of the regenerate is for spirituall things but the souls care of food wars against him in those desires of life God hath quickened in him to kill and destroy them 4 It shews how the soule is affected with fleshy things the delights sweetnesse pleasure gaine losse of them and how the gay out-side things of the world are in its mind being said to be carnally minded