A Treasury of Similes, Part S · Part 15
Soule.
1 LIke as to be healthie in our bodies, it is not inogh, not to hauehave the plague, or a pluraſie, but generally to be free from all diſeaſes: Euen ſo to be holy in our Soules, we muſt be clean from all ſpots, and defilings; and we muſt take the whole lawe of God, as an vniuerſall rule of all our thoughts, affections, words, and deeds; to the end to keepe it from point to point, and not to omit any thing which is there commaunded vsus.
2 As ſweete Oyle powred into a fuſtie veſſell, looſeth his pureneſſe, and is infected by the veſſell: So the Soule created good, and put into the corrupt bodie, receiues contagion thence. Rom. 5.13.
3 Like as if a man ſhould borrow a thing of his neighbour, and vſe it ſo, as he doth quite ſpoyle it, he would be aſhamed to bring it againe to the owner in that manner, and if he doo, the owner will not receiue it: Euen ſo vngodly men in this life, do ſo ſtaine their Soules with ſinne, as that they can neuer be able to giuegive them vp into the hands of God, at the day of death: and if they would, yet God accepts them not, but caſts them away.
4 Like as we know that in any common danger or perill; as the ſacking of a Citie, or burning of an houſe, if a man hauehave any pretious Iewell therein, he will firſt fetch that out, and make choyſe of a faithfull friend, to whoſe cuſtodie he will commit the ſame; Euen ſo, in common perils and daungers, we muſt alwayes remember to commit our Soules, as a moſt precious Iewell into the hands of God, who is a faithfull Creator. Pſal. 31.5. Luk. 23.46. Act. 7.59.
5 Euen as a little Bird ſhut vp in a Cage, although it be very precious and coſtly, and be made of Cedar, Iuorie, or Gold, yet ſhee deſireth to goe out, and ſtriueth to hauehave her libertie, and in her eager and earneſt deſire to be gon, ſhee doth oftentimes thruſt her bill through the loupes of the Cage: So likewiſe the Soule of a vertuous man, inflamed with an vnfained louelove of God, beeing ſhut vp and holden in the coupe of his body, although hee abound with all neceſſaries, fit for the preſeruation of this temporall life, yet moſt earneſtly deſire to depart hence, and to goe to his Counrie, which is heauen. 2. Cor. 5.2. Phil. 1.23.
6 As the Soule hath a heauenly, and the body an earthly beginning: So the Soule is immortall, and not ſuffering corruption; the body is mortall and corruptible, and yet be ſo ioyned together without confuſion, that in both, remaineth his owne nature.
7 As it were great folly to buy a houſe for the body, laying out ſo much therupon, that for want of goods, and other maintenance, the body ſo well houſed muſt die for hunger: Euen ſo, a man ſhall get nothing by keeping his goods for to feede & cloath the body, which is the houſe of the Soule; and in the meane time ſuffer the Soule to pine away, and to die for hunger. Math. 16.26.
8 Like as it grieueth and maketh ſorrowfull, and expert Ieweller, when he beholdeth and ſeeth, thoſe Iewels and precious ſtones, which he with all his wit, induſtrie, and Art, hath trimmed and poliſhed, to be tumbled and toſſed in the foule and filthie fingers, of children and fooles, who neither knowing them, nor eſteeming them, do ſoyle, blemiſh and deſpiſe them: Euen ſo, our heauenly Father, when he ſeeth our Soules, the which hee hath created after his own ſimilitude and likeneſſe, to be in the middeſt and depth of the corrupted cogitations, wicked and beaſtly thoughts, and helliſh imaginations of our hearts, he taketh it heauily, and in euill part. Math. 9.4. & 15.18. Ezech. 11.5.
9 As the Soule of Chriſt was receiued into Paradiſe, the ſame day that it departed out of the body: So alſo muſt we thinke of the bleſſed ſpirit & Soules of the Saints, according to the promiſe made to the theefe. Luk. 23.42. Phil. 1.2.
10 As a body without a Soule is cleane dead, and nothing but a filthie loathſome carcaſſe: Euen ſo the Soule, vnleſſe it ſtirre and rayſe vp it ſelfe by prayer, is dead and miſerable.
11 As they that hauehave healthfull bodies, eaſily endure both cold and heate: So they that hauehave a ſtayed and ſetled Soule, hauehave the dominion, ouer anger, griefe, ioy, and all other their affections.
12 As the body of man by nature is mortall, lumpiſh, and heauie, delighting in thoſe things which are viſible & temporall, and alwayes of it ſelfe ſinketh down-ward: So the Soule, being of a celeſtiall nature, violently enforceth her ſelfe to flie vpward, and with al her might, ſtriueth and wraſtleth continually, againſt the heauie burthen of the earthly body, wherein ſhe abideth; deſpiſing thoſe things which are mortall, and onelyonly deſiring things permanent and immortall.
13 Like as a man comforteth his earthly & corruptible body, with bread and meate, when it is hungrie; and with ale, beere, or wine, when it is thirſtie: Euen ſo dooth the Soule of man (when the lawſheweth to her, her faults and eternall damnation, and the dreadful iudgements of God for her offences) comfort her ſelfe in her great hunger and thirſt; beleeuing that Almightie God, hath forgiuen his ſinnes for Chriſtes ſake.
14 Euen as a man, who by chance is fallen into a deepe drie pit, far from ſuccour, cannot by any meanes poſſible help him ſelfe out, vnleſſe ſome man come with ſome ladder, or other inſtrument to helpe him our; deſireth to bee deliuered out of the pit, but by his owne wit he cannot tel how: Euen ſo the Soule of man, deſireth to bee deliuered out of the ſorrowful agony of death, hell and damnation, but ſhe cannot tell how, otherwiſe then by the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt. Pſal. 42.1, 2. Iohn. 7.37.