The Soul of Man, Part 2
USE.
FRom the several parts and branches of this Description of the Soul, we may gather the choice Fruits which naturally grow upon them, in the following Inferences and Deductions of truth and duty. For we may say of them all, what the Historian doth of Palestine, that there is nihil infructuosum, nihil sterile; No Branch or Shrub is barren or unfruitful. Let us then search it Branch by Branch, and,
Inference. I.IThe Soul a substantial Being. Tanta praerogativa manife…e test…tur ipsius animam, penes quam …atio principatus est, non esse materialem & caducam, sed s…perioris cujusdam atque eminentis naturae, à conditione reliquarum animarum longē distantem. Co…imb. Disp. de Anima separ. p. 584.
FRom the substantial Nature of the Soul, which we have proved to be a Being distinct from the Body, and subsisting by it self, we are informed, That great is the difference betwixt the death of a Man, and the death of all other creatures in the world. Their souls depend on, and perish with their bodies; but ours neither result from them, nor perish with them. My Body is not a Body, when my Soul hath forsaken it; but my Soul will remain a Soul, when this body is crumbled into dust. Men may live like beasts, a meer sensual life; yea, in some sense, they may dye like beasts, a stupid death: but in this there will be found a vast difference, Death kills both parts of the Beasts, destroyes matter and form; it toucheth only one part of Man, it destroyeth the Body, and only dislodgeth the Soul, but cannot destroy it.
In some things Solomon shews the Agreement betwixt our death and theirs, Eccles. 3.19, 20, 21. That which befall…th the Sons of Men, befalleth the Beasts; even one thing befalleth them. As the one dyeth, so dyeth the other, all go to one place, all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. We breathe the same common air they breathe; we feel the same pains of death they feel; our bodies are resolved into the same earth theirs are. O! but in this is the difference, The spirit of Man goeth upward, and the spirit of a Beast goeth downward to the Earth. Their spirits go two ways at their dissolution; The one to the Earth, the other to God that gave it, as he speaks, cap. 12.7. Though our Respiration, and Expiration have some Agreement, yet great is the odd; in the consequences of death, to the one and other. They have no pleasures nor pains besides those they enjoy or feel now; but so have we, and those eternal, and unspeakable too. The Soul of Man like the bird in the shell, is still growing and ripening in sin or grace,Con…tu…, fuit, & discretum et; re…itque unde venera…: terra deo s…m, spiritus sa s…m. Epich…. till at last the shell breaks by death, and the Soul flees away to the place it is prepared for, and where it must abide for ever. The body, which is but it's shell, perisheth, but the Soul lives when it is fallen away.
How doth this consideration expose and aggravate the folly and madness of the sensual world, who herd themselves with beasts, though they have souls so near of kin to Angels. The Princes and Nobles of the World abhorr to associate themselves with Mechanicks in their shops, or to take a place among the sottish rabble upon an Ale-bench; They know and keep their distance and Decorum, as still carrying with them a sense of Honour, and abhorring to act beneath it: But we equalize our high and noble Souls, in the manner of life, with the Beasts that perish. Our Tables differ little from the Crib at which they feed; or our Houses from the Stalls and Stables in which they lie down to rest, in respect of any Divine worship, or Heavenly communication that is to be heard there. Happy had it been for such men (if so they live and dye) that their souls had been of no higher Extraction, or larger Capacity, or longer Duration than that of a Beast: for then, as their comforts, so also their miseries had ended at death. And such they will one day wish they had been.
A Separate Soul immediately capable of Blessedness. Inference II.
THe Soul of Man being a Substance, and not depending in its Being on the Body, or any other fellow creature; There can be no reason on the Souls account, why its blessedness should be delayed till the Resurrection of the Body.
'Tis a great mistake. (and 'tis well 'tis so) that the Soul is capable only of social Glory, or a Blessedness in partnership with the Body: And that it can neither exert its own powers, nor enjoy its own happiness in the absence of the body. The opinion of a sleeping interval took its ri…e from this errour, (as it is usual for one mistake to beget another) they conceived the Soul to be so dependent upon the Body, at least in all its operations, that when death rends it from the Body, it must needs be left as in a swoon, or sleep; unable to exert its proper powers, or enjoy that felicity, which we ascribe to it in its state of separation.
But certainly its substantial Nature being considered, it will be found, that what perfection soever the body recieves from the Soul, and how necessary soever its dependence upon it is: *Anima ration…i… nihil … poss…t…r …. Co…im…r. Disp. 2. Art. 3.The Soul receives not its perfection from the Body, nor doth it necessarily depend on it in its principal operations, but it can live and act out of a Body, as well as in it. Yea, I doubt not, but it enjoys it self in a much more sweet and perfect liberty, than ever it did or could, whilst it was clogged and fettered with a body of flesh. Doubtless, *Proculdubio cum …i mortis exp…imitur de c…tione ca… n…s, & ipsa e…pressi…ne colatu…to de o…pan…o co…pore …umpit in apert…m, ad m… ram & p…am, & sua… … statim semetipsam in expeditione substantiae recognoscit, ut de somno emergens ab imaginibas ad veritates. Tertul. in lib. de Anima.saith Tertullian, when it is separated, and as it were strained by death, it comes out of darkness into its own pure, perfect light, and quickly finds it self a substantial Being, able to act freely in that light. Before the eyes of the dead body are closed, I doubt not, but the believing Soul with open eyes beholdeth the face of Jesus Christ: Luk. 23.43. Philip. 1.23. but this will also be further spoken to hereafter.
IIImmediately Created.Inference III.
THe Souls of men being created immediately out of nothing, and not seminally traduced; it follows, That all souls by nature are of equal value and dignity. One Soul is not more excellent, honourable or precious than another: But all by nature equally precious.
The Soul of the poorest Beggar that cries at the door for a crust, is in its own nature of equal dignity and value, with the Soul of the most glorious Monarch that sits upon the Throne. And this appears to be so,
1. First, because all souls flow out of one and the same fountain, viz. the creating power of God. They were not made better or worse, finer or courser matter, but foreign, out of nothing at all. The same Almighty power was put forth, to the forming of one, as of another. All Souls are mine, saith he that created them; Ezek. 18 4. The Soul of the Child, as well as the Father, the Soul of the Beggar, as well as the King; Those that had no praeexistent matter, but received their beings from the same efficient cause, must needs be equal in their original nature and value. The bodies of men which are formed out of matter, do greatly differ from one another: some are moulded (as we say) è meliori luto, out of better and finer Clay; some are more exact, elegant, vigorous, and beautiful than others: but Souls having no matter of which they consist, are not so differenced.
2. Secondly, All souls are created with a capacity of enjoying the infinite and blessed God. They need no other powers, faculties, or capacities than they are by nature endued with (if these be but sanctified and devoted to God) to make them equally happy and blessed with them that are now before the Throne of God in Heaven, and with unspeakable delight and joy behold his blessed face. We pass through the fields, and take up an Egg which lies under a clod, and see nothing in it but a little squalid matter; yea, but in that Egg is seminally and potentially contained such a melodious Lark, as it may be at the same time, we see mounting Heavenward, and singing delicious notes above. So 'tis here. Those poor despised souls, that are now lodged in crazy despicable bodies on Earth, have in their Natures a capacity for the same imployments, and enjoyments with those in Heaven. They have no higher Original than these have, and these have the same capacity and hability with them. They are Beings improvable by grace, to the highest perfections attainable by any Creature. If thou be never so mean, base, and despicable a creature in other respects, yet hast thou a Soul, which hath the same alliance to the Father of Spirits, the same capacity to enjoy him in glory, that the most excellent and renowned Saints ever had.
3. Thirdly, All Souls are rated and valued in Gods book and account, at one and the same price, and therefore by nature are of equal worth and dignity. Under the Law, the Rich and the Poor were to give the same Ransom, Exod. 30.15. The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel. The Redemption of Souls by the Blood of Christ, costs one and the same price. The poorest and most despised Soul that believes in Jesus, is as much indebted to him, for the Ransom of his Soul, as the greatest and most illustrious person in the World. Moses, Abraham, Paul, &c. did not cost Christ one farthing more than poor Lazarus, or the meanest among all the Saints did. The Righteousness of Christ is unto all, and upon all that believe, and there is no difference, Rom. 3.22.
But yet we must not understand this Parity of humane Souls universally, or in all respects. Though being of one species, or common nature, they are all equal, and those of them that are purchased by the blood of Christ, are all purchased at one rate; Yet there are divers other respects and considerations, wherein there are remarkable differences betwixt Soul, and Soul. As (1.) some Souls are much better lodged and accommodated in their bodies than others are, though none dwell at perfect rest and ease. God hath lodged some Souls in strong, vigorous, comely bodies, others in feeble, crazy, deformed and uncomfortable ones. The Historian saith of Galba, Anima Galbae male habitat: The Soul of Galba dwelt in an ill Body. And a much better man than Galba, was as ill accommodated: Iohn wishes in behalf of his beloved Gaius, that his body might but prosper as his Soul did; Epist. 3. v. 2. Timothy had his often infirmities. Indeed the world is full of instances and examples of this kind. *… Bp. of Ab…l…m had so stro…g and firm a con…titution to e… dure severe studies, that he is said … in…estina … to have h…d a body of Brass.If some Souls had the advantages of such bodies as others have, who make little, or very bad use of them; O what service would they do for God! (2.) There is a remarkable difference also betwixt Soul and Soul, in respect of natural gifts and abilities of mind. Some have great advantages above others in this respect. The natural spirits and organs of the body being more brisk and apt, the Soul is more vegete, vigorous, and able to exert it self in its sunctions and operations. How clear, nimble, and firm are the apprehensions, fancies, and memories of some souls beyond others? What a Prodigy of memory, fancy and judgment, was Father Paul the Venetian ▪ and Suarez, of whom Strada saith, such was the strength of his parts, that he had all S. Augustine's works (the most copious and various of all the Fathers) as it were by heart, so that I have seen him (saith he) †Statim … loco …readily pointing with the finger to any place or page he disputed of. Our Dr. Reynolds excell'd this way to the astonishment of all that knew him, so that he was a living Library, a third Vniversity. But above all, the character given by Vives, of Budeu…, is amazing, that there was nothing written in Greek or Latin, which he had not turned over and examined: That both languages were alike to him, speaking either with more facility than he did the French, his mother tongue; and all by the penetrating …orce of his own natural parts, without a Tutor: so that †Q…o viro, Gallia a… tiore inge…io, … produxit: hic … atate nec Ita…a quidem. Lud. Viv. in 1…. cap. de civit. De….France never brought forth a man of sharper wit, more piercing judgement, exact diligence, and greater learning, nor in his time, Italy it self. Foelix & foecundum ingenium, quod in se uno invenit, & Doctorem, & Discipulum! A happy and fruitful wit, which in it self found both a Master, and a Scholar. And yet Pasquier relates what is much more admirable of a young man, who came to Paris in the twentieth year of his age, and in the year 1445, and shewed himself so excellent and exact in all the Arts, Sciences, and Languages, that if a man of an ordinary good wit, and sound constitution, should live an hundred years, and during that time, study incessantly, without eating, drinking, sleeping, or any recreation; He could hardly attain to that perfection. (3.) And yet a far greater difference is made betwixt one Soul and another, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit of God. This makes yet a greater disparity, for it alters and new moulds the frame and temper of the Soul, and restores the lost Image of God to it; by reason whereof the righteous is truly said to be more excellent than his neighbour, Prov. 12.26. This ennobles the Soul, and stamps the highest dignity and glory upon it, that it is capable of in this world. 'Tis true, it hath naturally an excellency and perpetuity in it above other Beings, as Cedar hath not only a beauty and fragrancy, but a soundness and durability far beyond other trees of the Wood: But when it comes under the sanctification of the spirit, then it is as Cedar overlaid with gold. (4.) Lastly, a wonderful difference will be made betwixt one Soul, and another, by the judgement of God in the great day. Some will be blessed, and others cursed Souls, Matt. 25. ult. some received into glory, others shut out into everlasting misery, Matth. 8.11, 12. Many shall come from the East, and West, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Iacob, in the kingdom of Heaven, but the children of the kingdom, shall be cast out into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
And that which will be the sting and aggravation of the difference which will then be made, will be this Parity and Equality in the nature and capacity of every Soul: by reason whereof, they that perish, will find, they were naturally as capable of blessedness, as those that enjoy it; and that it was their own inexcusable negligence and obstinacy that was their ruine.
Inference IV.
IIIThe Soul a created Substance.IF God be the immediate Creator and Former of the Soul of Man, Then sin must needs involve the most unnatural evil in it, as it is an horrid violation of the very law of nature. No title can be so full, so absolute, as that which Creation gives. How clear is this in the light of reason? If God created my Soul, then my Soul had once no Being at all: That it had still remained nothing, had not the pleasure of its Creator chosen and called it into the Being it hath, out of the millions of meer possible Beings. For as there are millions of possible Beings, which yet are nothing; so there are millions of possible Beings which never shall be at all. So that since the pleasure and power of God, was the only fountain of my Being, he needs must be the rightful owner of it. What can be more his own, than that whose very Being flowed meerly from him; and which had never been at all, had he not called it out of nothing.
And seeing the same pleasure of God, which gave it a Being, gave it also a reasonable Being, capable of, and fitted for moral Government by laws, which other inferiour natures are incapable of; it must needs follow, that he is the supream Governour, as well as the rightful owner of this Soul.
Moreover, it is plain, that he who gave my Soul it's Being, and such a Being, gave it also all the good it ever had, hath, or shall have; and that it neither is, nor hath any thing but what is purely from him: And therefore he … needs …e my most bountiful benefactor, as well as … owner and supream Governour. There is not a Soul which he hath created, but stands bound to him, in all these ties and titles. Now for such a creature, to turn rebelliously upon its absolute owner, whose only and wholly it is: upon its supream Governour, to whom it owes intire and absolute Obedience: upon its bountiful …enefactor, from whom it hath received all, and every mercy, it ever had, or hath; to violate his laws, slight his Soveraignty, despise his goodness, contemn his threatnings, pierce his very heart with grief, darken the glory of all his Attributes, confederate with Satan, his …alicious enemy; and strike, as far as a creature can strike, … his very Being, (for in a sense, Omne pe… catum est Deicidium, every sin strikes at the life and very existence of God). Blush O Heavens at this, and be ye horribly afraid! O cursed sin, the evil of all evils, which no Epithere can match; no name worse than its own can be invented, sinful sin. This is as if some venemous branch should drop poyson upon the root that bears it. Love and gratitude to Benefactors, is an indelible principle ingraven▪ by nature, upon the hearts of all men. It teacheth children to love and honour their Parents, who yet are but mee… instruments of their Beings. O how just must their perdition be, who casting off the very bonds of nature; turn again with emnity against that God, in whom they both live, and move, and have their Being. O think, and think again on what an holy *Mr. B… rou…s exc…llency of the Soul of Man; p. 232.Man once said, What a sad charge will this be against many a man▪ at the great day, when God shall say, Hadst thou been made a Dog, I never had had so much dishonour as I have had. 'Tis pity God should not have honour from the meanest creature that ever he made, from every pile of grass in the field, or stone in the street; much more that he should not have glory from a Soul more precious and excellent than all the other works of his hands. Surely, 'tis better for us, our Souls had still remained only in the number of possible Beings, and had never had an actual existence in the second rank of Beings, but a very little lower than the Angels; than that we should still be dishonouring God by them. O that he should be put to levy his glory from us passively, that it should be with us as it was with Nebuchadnezzar, from whom God had more glory when he was driven out amongst the beasts of the field, than when he sat on the Throne. In like manner his glory will rise passively from us, when driven out among Devils, and not actively and voluntarily, as from the Saints.
Inference V.
IF God create and inspire the reasonable …ul immediately, this should instruct and incise all Christian Parents, to pray earnestly for their Children, not only when they are born into the world; but when they are first conceived in the Womb.
It is of great concernment both to us, and our Children, not only to receive them from the womb, with bodies perfectly and comely fashioned; but also with such Souls inspired into them, whereby they may glorifie God to all Eternity. 'Tis natural to Parents to desire to have their children full and perfect in all their bodily members, and it would be a grievous affliction, to see them come into the world defective, monstrous, and mis-shapen births; should a Leg, an Arm, an Eye be wanting, such a defect would make their lives miserable, and the Parents uncomfortable. But how few are concerned, with what Souls they are born into the world! Good God! (saith *… quàm pauco… re…erias qui tam … quomodo p…è & honestè …, quàm c…rant ut amplam relinquant … haereditatem, quâ post … i…lor…. splendidè, & ot…se del…ientur? Mu…. in 8 Gen.Musculus) how few shall we find, who are equally sollicitous to have such children as may live piously and honestly, as they are to leave them Inheritances, upon which they may live splendidly and bravely? It pleaseth us to see our own Image stampt upon their bodies; but O! how few pray, even whilst they are in the womb, that their Souls may in due time bear the image of the heavenly, and not animate and use the members of their bodies, as weapons of unrighteousness against the God that formed them?
Certainly, except they be quickned with such Souls, as may in this world, be united with Christ, better had it been for them, that they had perished in the Womb, whilst they were pure Embryoes, and had never come into the number and account of Men and Women: for such Embryoes go for nothing in the world, having only the Rudiments and rough draughts of bodies, never animated and informed by a reasonable Soul: Iob 3.11, 12. But as soon as such a Soul enters into them, though for never so little a time, it entails Eternity upon them. We also know, that as soon as ever God breathes or infuses their Souls into them, sin presently enters, and death by sin, and that by us, as the next Instruments of conveying it to them: Which should have the efficacy of a mighty Argument with us, to lay our prayers and tears for mercy, in the very foundation of that union.
Think on this particularly, you that are Mothers of children, when you find the fruit of the Womb quickned within you; that you then bear a creature within you of more value than all this visible world, a creature, upon whom, from that very moment, an eternity of happiness or misery is entailed, and therefore it concerns you, to travel, as in pain for their souls, before you feel the sorrows and pangs of travel for their bodies. O! what a pity is it, that a part of your selves should eternally perish! That so rare and excellent a creature as that you bear, should be cast away for ever, for want of a new Creation superadded to that it hath already! O! let your cries and prayers for them, anticipate your kisses and embraces of them. If you be faithful and successful herein, then happy is the Womb that bears them; if not, happy had it been for them, that the knees had prevented them, and the breasts they have sucked. O! you cannot begin your suits for mercy too early for them, nor continue them too long, though your prayers measure all the time betwixt their Conception and their Death.
IVA Vital Substance.Inference VI.
MOreover, if God have created our Souls vital Substances, to animate and act those bodies, How indispensably necessary is it, that a principle of spiritual life do quicken and govern that Soul, which quickens and governs our bodies, and all the members of them? Otherwise, though in a natural sense we have living souls, yet they are dead whilst they live.
The Apostle in 1 Cor. 15.45, 46. compares the animal life we live, by the union of our souls and bodies, with the spiritual life we live, by the union of our souls with Jesus Christ. And so it is written (viz. in my Text) The first Man Adam was made a living Soul, the last Adam was made a quickning spirit. He opposes the animal to the spiritual life, and the two Adams from whom they come: And shews in both respects, the excellency of the Spiritual above the Animal life, not in point of Priority, for that which is natural, is before that which is spiritual, (and it must be so, because the natural Soul is the recipient Subject of the spirits quickning and sanctifying operations) but in point of dignity and real excellency. To how little purpose, or rather to what a dismal, and miserable purpose, are we made living souls, except the Lord from Heaven by his quickning power make us spiritual and holy Souls? The natural Soul rules and uses the body as *Corpus organo simile est, anima A…tificis ratio…em obtinet. Irenaeus lib. 2.an Artificer doth his Tools; and except the Lord renew it by grace, Satan will rule that which rules thee, and so all thy members will be instruments of inquity to fight against God. The actions performed by our bodies, are justly reputed and reckon'd by God to the Soul, †Omnia quaecunque fecerit corpus, sive bonum, sive malum, animae reputantur. Origen. in Job.because the Soul is the spring of all its motions, the fountain of its life and operations. What it doth by the body its instrument, is as if it were done immediately by it self; for without the Soul, it can do nothing.
Inference VII.VA Spiritual Substance.
MOreover, from the immaterial and spiritual nature of the Soul we are informed, That Communion with God, and the enjoyment of him, are the true and proper intentions and purposes, for which the Soul of Man was created.
Such a nature as this, is not fitted to live upon gross, material and perishing things as the body doth. The food of every creature is agreeable to its nature, one cannot subsist upon that which another doth: As we see among the several sorts of Animals, what is food to one, is none to another. In the same Plant there is found a root, which is food for Swine, a stalk which is food for Sheep, a flower which feeds the Bee, and a seed on which the Bird lives. The Sheep cannot live upon the root, as the Swine doth; nor the Bird upon the flower, as the Bee doth; But every one feeds upon the different parts of the Plant, which are agreeable to its Nature: So it is here, our bodies being of an earthly material Nature, can live upon things earthly and material, as most agreeable to them, they can relish and suck out the sweetness of these things; but the Soul can find nothing in them suitable to its nature and appetite, it must have spiritual food or perish. It were therefore too brutish, and unworthy of a man that understood the nature of his own Soul, to chear it up with the stores of earthly provisions made for it, as he did, Luk. 12.20. I will say to my Soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. Alas, the Soul can no more eat, drink, and be merry with carnal things, than the Body can with spiritual and immaterial things: It cannot feed upon bread that perisheth, it can relish no more in the best and daintiest fare of an earthly growth, than in the White of an Egg: But bring it to a reconciled God in Christ, to the Covenant of Grace, and the sweet promises of the Gospel; set before it the joyes, comforts and earnests of the Spirit; and if it be a sanctified renewed Soul, it can make a rich Feast upon these. These make it a …east of fat things, full of Marrow, as it is expressed, Isaiah 25.6. Spiritual things are proper food for spiritual and immaterial Souls.
VIA Spiritual Substance.Inference VIII.
THE spiritual nature of the Soul farther informs us, That no acceptable service can be performed to God, except the Soul be imployed and ingaged therein.
The Body hath its part and share in Gods worship, as well as the Soul; but its part is inconsiderable in comparison: Prov. 23.26. My Son, give me thy heart, (i. e.) thy Soul, thy Spirit. The holy and religious acts of the Soul, are suitable to the nature of the Object of worship: Iohn 4.24. God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must worship in Spirit and in truth. Spirits only can have Communion with that great Spirit. They were made spirits for that very end, that they might be capable of converse with the Father of Spirits. They that worship him, must worship in Spirit, and in Truth: That is with inward love, fear, delight, and desires of Soul, that is to worship him in our spirits: And in Truth, (i. e.) according to the rule of his word which prescribes our duty. Spirit, respects the inward power; Truth, the outward form. The former strikes at Hypocrisie, the latter at Superstition, and Idolatry: The one opposes the inventions of our Heads, the other the loosness and formality of our Hearts.
No doubt but the service of the body is due to God, and expected by him, for both the souls and bodies of his people are bought with a price, and therefore he expects, we glorifie him with our souls and bodies, which are his: But the service of the body is not accepted of him, otherwise than as it is animated and enlivened by an obedient Soul, and both sprinkled with the blood of Christ. Separate from these, bodily exercise profits nothing, 1 Tim. 4.8. What pleasure can God take in the fruits and evidences of mens Hypocrisie? Ezek. 33.31.
Holy Paul appeals to God in this matter, Rom. 1.9. God is my witness (saith he) whom I serve with my spirit. q. d. I serve God in my spirit, and he knows that I do so. I dare appeal to him who searches my heart, that it is not idle and unconcerned in his service. The Lord humble us, the best of us; for our careless, dead, gadding, and vain spirits, even when we are engaged in his solemn services. O that we were once so spiritual, to follow every excursion from his service with a groan, and retract every wandring thought with a deep sigh! Alas, a cold and wandring spirit in duty, is the disease of most good men, and the very temper and constitution of all unsanctified ones. It is a weighty and excellent expression of the Iews in their Euchologium, foreign b. …. q…a re potius praeveni…m faciem … nisi spiritu meo? nihil enim est homini praeciosius animâ suà.or Prayer-Book; Wherewithall shall I come before his face, unless it be with my spirit? For man hath nothing more precious to present to God than his Soul. Indeed it is the best man hath, thy heart is thy totum posse, 'tis all that thou art able to present to him. If thou cast thy Soul into thy duty, thou dost as the poor Widow did, cast in all that thou hast. And in such an offering, the great God takes more pleasure than in all the external, costly, pompous ceremonies, adorned Temples, a… external devotions in the World. It is a remarkable an… …tonishing expression of his own in this case, Isai. 66.1, 2. Thus saith the Lord, the Heaven is my Throne, and the Earth is my footstool, where is the house that ye build to me, and where is the place of my rest? For all these things have mine hands made, and all these things have been, saith the Lord, but unto this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. q. d. Think not to please me with magnificent Temples, and adorned Altars; if I had pleasure in such things, Heaven is a more glorious Throne than any you can build me, and yet I have more delight in a poor contrite spirit, that trembles with an holy awe and reverence at my word, than I have in Heaven or Earth, or all the works of my hands in either. O if there had been more trembling at his word, there had not been such trembling as now there is, under fears of the loss and removal of it. Some can superstitiously reverence and kiss the sacred dust of the sanctuary, as they call it, and express a great deal of zeal for the externals of religion, but little consider how small the interest of these things is in Religion, and how little God looks at, or regards them.
Inference IX.
HOw much are the spirits of men sunk by sin, below the dignity and excellency of their Nature?
Our Souls are Spirits by nature, yet have they naturally no delight in things spiritual: They decline that which is homogeneal and suitable to Spirits, and rellish nothing but what is carnal and unsuitable to them. How are its affections inverted and misplaced by sin? That noble spiritual Heaven-born creature the Soul, whose Element and Centre God alone should be, is now fallen into a deep Oblivion both of God, and it self; and wholly spends its strength in the pursuit of sensual and earthly enjoyments, and becomes a meer drudge and slave to the body. Carnal things now measure out and govern its delights and hopes, its fears and sorrows. O how unseemly is it, to b…ld such an high-born spirit lackying up and down the Wo…d in the service of the perishing flesh? Their heart (saith the Prophet) goeth after their Covetousness, Ezek. 33.31. as a Servant at the beck or nod of his Master.
O! how many are there to be found in every place, who melt down the precious affections and strength of their Souls, in sensitive brutish Pleasures and Delights. Iames 5.5. Ye have lived in pleasures upon Earth, as the Fish in the Water, or rather as the Eel in the Mud; never once lifting up a thought or desire to the spiritual and eternal pleasures, that are at Gods right hand.
Our Creation did not set us so low; we are made capable of better and higher things.
God did not inspire such a noble, excellent spiritual Soul into us, meerly to salt our bodies, or carry them up and down this world for a few years, to gaze at the vanities of it. It was a great saying of an Heathen: *Maior sum, & ad majora natus, quam …t carporis …ti sim mancipium. Seneca.I am greater, and born to greater things, than that I should be a slave to my body. We have a spirit about us, that might better understand its Original, and know it is so base a Being, as its daily imployments speak it to be. The Lord raise our apprehensions to a due value of the dignity of our own Souls, that we may turn from these sordid imployments with a generous disdain, and set our affections on what is agreeable to, and worthy of an high-born spirit.
Inference X.VIIThe Soul an immortal Substance.
IS the Soul of Man, a Vital, Spiritual, and immortal Substance? Then it is no wonder, that we find the resentments and impressions of the world to come, naturally ingraven upon the Souls of men, all the world over. These impressions and sentiments of another life after this, do as naturally and necessarily spring out of an immortal Nature, as branches spring out of the body of a Tree, or feathers out of the body of a Bird. So fairly and firmly are the characters and impressions of the life to come, sealed upon the immortal spirits of all men, that no man can offer violence to this truth, but he must also do violence to his own Soul, and unman himself by the denial of it. Who feels not a cheariness to spring from his absolving, and an horrour from his accusing Conscience? Neither of which could rise from any other prinple than this. We ar… Beings conscious to our selves of a future State, and that our Souls do not vanish, when our breath doth: That we cease not to be, when we cease to breathe.
And this is common to the most Barbarous and Salvage Heathens: They shew (saith the Apostle) the work of the Law written in their Hearts, their Conscience also bearing them witness, and their thoughts in the mean while, accusing, or else excusing one another. By the work of the Law, understand the summ and substance of the Ten Commandments, comprizing the duties to be done, and the sins to be avoided. This work of the Law, is said to be written upon the Hearts of the Gentiles, who had no external written Law; upon their hearts it was written, though many of them gave themselves over to all uncleanness, and they shewed, or gave evidence and proof, that there was such a Law written upon their hearts. They shewed it two ways: (1.) Some of them shewed it in their Temperance, Righteousness, and moral honesty, wherein they excelled many of us, who have far greater Advantages and Obligations. (2.) In the efficacy of their Consciences, which as it clear'd and comfor…ed them for things well done; so it witnessed against them, yea, judg'd and condemned them for things ill done. And these evidences of a Law written on the heart are to be found, where-ever men are to be found. Their ignorance and barbarity cannot stifle these sentiments and impressions of a future State, and a just Tribunal, to which all must come. And the universality of it, plainly evinces, that it springs not out of Education, but the very nature of an immortal Soul.
Let none say that these universal impressions are but the effects of an universal Tradition, which hath been time out of mind spread among the Nations of the World: For as no such universal Tradition can be proved; so if it could, the very propension that is found in the minds of all men living to embrace and close with the proposals of a life to come, will evince the agreeableness of them, to the nature of an immortal Soul. Yea, the natural closing of the Soul with these Proposals, will amount to an evidence of the reality and existence of thos… invisible things. For as the natural senses, and their Organs, prove that there are colours, sounds, savours and juices, as well as, or rather because, there are Eyes, Ears, &c. naturally fitted to close with, and receive them: so it is here, if the Soul naturally looks beyond the line of time, to things eternal, and cannot bound and confine its thoughts and expectations within the too narrow limits of present things, surely there is such a future state, as well as Souls made apprehensive of it, and propense to close with the discoveries thereof. So natural are the notions of a future state to the Souls of men, that those who have set themselves designedly to banish them, and struggled hard to suppress them, as things irksome and grievous to them, giving int…rruption to their sensual lusts and pleasures: Yet still these apprehensions have returned upon them, and gotten a just victory over all their objections and prejudices. They follow them wheresoever they go, they can no more flee from them, than from themselves; whereby they evidence themselves to be natural and indelible things.
Inference XI.VIIIEndued with Vnderstanding, Will, and Affections.
HAth God endued the Soul of man with Understanding, Will and Affections, whereby it is made capable of knowing, loving, and enjoying God; 'Tis then no wonder to find the malice and envy of Satan engaged against man, more than any other Creature; and against the Soul of man rather than any thing else in man.
It grates that spirit of envy, to see the Soul of Man adorning and preparing by sanctification, to fill that place in glory, from which he fell irrecoverably. It cut Haman to the very heart, to see the honour that was done to Mordecai; much more doth it grate and gall Satan, to see what Jesus Christ hath purchased and designed for the Souls of Men. Other creatures being naturally uncapable of this happiness, do therefore escape his fury, but men shall be sure to feel it, as far as he can reach them; 1 Pet. 5.8. Your Adversary the Devil, goeth about like a roaring Lyon, seeking whom he may devour. He walks to and fro, that speaks his diligence; seeking whom he may devour, that speaks his design: his restlessness in doing mischief, is all the rest and relief he hath in his own torments. 'Tis a mark of pure and perfect malice to endeavour to destroy, though he knows he shall never be successful in his attempts. We read of many bodies possessed by him, but he never takes up his quarters in the body of any, but with design to mischief the Soul. No room but the best in the house will satisfie him, no blood so sweet to him him as Soul-blood. If he raise persecution against the bodies of men, it is to destroy their souls; holiness is that he hates, and happiness is the Object of his envy: The Soul being the Subject of both, is therefore pursued by him as his prey.
Inference XII.
UPon the consideration both of its excellent nature, and divine Original, it follows, That the corruption and deacing of such an excellent creature by sin, deserves to be lamented and greatly bewailed; and the recovery of it by sanctification to be studied, and diligently prosecuted, as the great concern of all men.
What a Beautiful and Blessed creature was the Soul of Man at first, whilst it stood in its integrity? His mind was bright, clear, and apprehensive of the Law and Will of God: His Will chearfully complied therewith, his sensitive appetite, and inferiour powers stood in an obedient subordination. God made man upright, Eccles. 7.29. foreign straight, and equal; bending to neither extream. The Law of God was fairly engraven upon the table of his heart. Principles of holiness and righteousness were inlayed in the very frame of his mind, fitting him for an exact and punctual discharge of his duties, both to God and Man. This was the soundness of his constitution, the healthful temper of his inner man: Whereby it became the very region of light, peace, purity, and pleasure. For think how serene, lightsome, and placid the state of that Soul must be, in which there was no obliquity, not a jarr with the divine will: But joy and peace continually transfused through all its faculties!
But sin hath defaced its Beauty, raz'd out the divine Image which was its glory, and stampt the very Image of Satan upon it: Turn'd all its noble powers and faculties against the Author and Fountain of its Being. Surely, if all the posterity of Adam, from the beginning to the end of the world, should do nothing else but weep and sigh for the sin and misery of the fall; it could not be sufficiently deplored: Other sins, like single bullets kill particular persons, but Adams sin like a Chain-shot mowed down all mankind at once. It murthered himself actually, all his posterity, virtually; and Christ himself, occasionally. O! what a black train of doleful consequents attend this sin▪ It hath darkned the bright eye of the Souls understanding, 1 Cor. 2.14. made its complying and obedient will, stubborn and rebellious, Ioh. 5.40. rendered his tender heart obdurate and senseless, Ezek. 36.26. filled its serene and peaceful Conscience with guilt and terror, Tit. 1.15. The consideration of these things is very humbling, and should cause those that glory in their high and illustrious Descents, to wrap their silver Star in Cypress, and cover all their glory with a mourning Vail. But this is but one part of their duty.
How should this consideration provoke us, to apply our selves with most serious diligence, to recover our lost beauty and dignity, in the way of sanctification! This is the great and most proper use of the Fall, as Musculus excellently speaks; ut gratiam Christi eo subnixius ambiamus, to inflame our desires the more vehemently after grace.
Sanctification restores the Beauty of the Soul, which sin defaced. Eph. 4.24. Col. 3.10. Yea, it restores it with this advantage, that it shall never be lost again; holiness is the beauty of God imprest upon the Soul, and the impression is everlasting▪ Other beauty is but a fading flower, time will plow up deep furrows upon the fairst faces: But this will be fresh to eternity.
All moral vertues, homilitical qualities which adorn and beautifie Nature, and make it attractive and lovely in the eyes of men; are but separable accidents, which Death discinds and crops off like a sweet flower from the stalk. Iob 4.21. Doth not their excellency that is in them go away? But sanctification is inseparable, and will ascend with the Soul into Heaven. O! that God would set the glass of the Law before us, that we may see what defiled souls we have by nature, that we might come by faith to Jesus Christ, who cometh to us by water, and by blood. 1 Ioh. 5.6.
Inference XIII.
TO conclude: Upon the consideration of the whole matter before us, if this excellent creature, the Soul, receive both its Being and excellencies from God; Then he that formed it, must needs have the full and only right to possess and use it, and is therefore most injuriously kept out of the possession of it, by all unsanctified and disobedient persons.
The Soul of Man is a building of God, he hath layed out the treasures of his wisdom, power and goodness in this noble structure; he built it for an habitation for himself to dwell in. And indeed such noble rooms, as the Understanding, Will, and Affections, are too good for any other to inhabit. But sin hath set open the gates of this hollowed Temple, and let in the abomination which maketh desolate. All the doors of the Soul are barr'd and chain'd up against Christ, by ignorance, and infidelity: he seeks for admission into the Soul which he hath made, but findeth none. A forcible entry he will not make, but expects when the Will shall bring him the keys of the Soul, as to its rightful owner. So he expresseth himself to us in Rev. 3.20. Behold, I stand … the door, and knock, if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and sup with him, and he with me: his standing at the door, denotes his earnest desire, and patient waiting, in the use of all those means, that are introductive of Jesus Christ into the Souls of men: His knocking, signifies the various essaies he makes by Ordinances and providences externally, and the convictions and perswasions of his Spirit, and the Consciences of sinners internally: every call of the word, and every conviction of Conscience, is a Call, a Knock from Heaven, at the door of the Soul, for the admission of Christ into it. By the souls hearing his voice, and opening the door, understand its approbation, and consent to the motion and offer of God. By Christs coming in, is meant his uniting that Soul unto himself, that opens to him: And as his coming in, denotes union; so his supping with the Soul, and the Soul with him, denotes his sweet Communion; imperfect here, compleat and full in Heaven.
O The admirable condescensions of God to poor sinners! The God that formed you with a word, and can as easily ruine you with a frown; yet waits at the gates of your Souls for admission into them. There be many Souls within the sound of this complaint, that have kept God out of his own right, all their days. They have shut out Jesus Christ, and delivered up their Souls to Satan; if he but knock by a slight Temptation, the door is presently opened: but Jesus Christ may wait in vain upon them, from Sabbath to Sabbath; and from Year to Year. But the longest day of his patience hath an end. And there is a refusal of Grace, after which, no more tenders of mercy shall ever be made.
What say you, Souls, will you at last open the door to Jesus Christ, or will you still exclude him? If you will open to him, he will not come in empty-handed, he will bring a feast with him, such a feast, as you never tasted any thing like it in your lives: But if you will not open to him; then I call Heaven and Earth to witness against you this day, that you have once more barr'd the doors of your Souls against him, whose pleasure and power gave them their very Beings: Against him, who is their Soveraign Lord, and rightful Owner; and consequently, this Act of yours must stop your mouths, and deprive you of all Pleas and Apologies, when you shall knock hereafter at the door of mercy, and God shall for ever shut it up against you, according to his ju…t, but dreadful threatnings, Matth. 7.22. Prov. 1.24, 25 And thus much of the Divine Original, and excellent Nature of the Soul of Man.
Having taken a view of this excellent Creature, the Soul, in opening the former Proposition; we come next to the consideration of its union with the Body, in this second Proposition.