The Soul of Man, Doctrine 2
DOCT. II.
Doct. II.THat the Souls and Bodies of men are knit together by the feeble band of the breath in their Nostrils.
Mr. How in a Funeral Sermon, p. 9, 10.There is (saith a learned Man) no greater mystery in nature, than the union betwixt the Soul and Body: That a mind and spirit should be so tyed and linked with a clod of Clay; that while that remains in a due temper, it cannot by any art, or power free it self. It can by an act of the Will move an hand, or a foot, or the whole body; but cannot move from it one inch. If it move hither, or thither, or by a leap upward, do ascend a little, the body still follows; it cannot shake or throw it off. We cannot take our selves out; by any allowable means we cannot, nor by any at all (that are at least within meer humane power) as long as the temperament lasts. While that remains, we cannot go; if that fail, we cannot stay, though there be so many open avenues (could we suppose any material bounds to hem in, or exclude a spirit) we cannot go out, or in at pleasure. A wonderful thing! And I wonder, we no more wonder at our own make and frame in this respect —What so much akin are a mind and a piece of earth, a clod and a thought, that they should be thus affixed to one another?
My design here is to shew by what ligament, tye, or bond it hath pleased the great and wise Creator, to affix and link these so different parts of man together: and this Moses in the Text tells us, is no other but the breath of his nostrils.
The Breath, and Soul of Man are two distinct things. His Breath is not his Soul, nor his Soul his Breath, but the Nexus or bond that couples and unites his Soul and body in a personal union. The Body hath no life in it self, but its life results from its union with the Soul; Iames 2.26. this union is maintained by the breath of our nostrils, which upon that account is here called the breath of life. What breath isBreath is an act of life, proceeding from the Souls union with its Body, and ending with the dissolution of it. Life is continued by its respiration, and ended by its expiration. Whilest we live, and whilst breath is in our bodies, are terms Synonymous.
That little quantity of air, which we thus breath in and out at our nostrils, is more to us, than all the three Regions of air, which fill up the vast space between earth and heaven. It is in a sense, our life.
For the use and office of Respiration, the Lungs were formed, and placed where they are, not without the most wise counsel and direction of God.What the Lungs are. They are that organ in the *Pulmo est spirandi, & respirandi instrumentum, ad pulmones inducitur s…ula quae dicitur Trachea arteria, ad geminos usus condita, &c.body, which by the help of that Arterie, called Arteria trachea, leading to them as a Chanel, for the passage of air from the mouth and nostrils; the air is transmitted to, and ventilated by them for the refreshment of the *Cor movet…r motu duplici, nempe foreign & foreign qua calo… innatus attracto aëre mitigatur & refrigeratur. Alsted. Theolog. Nat. p. (mihi) 614.heart, and exhaling the fumes thereof.
The heart hath continual need of such a vent and refreshment, and therefore the Lungs, like a pair of Bellows, must be kept continually going. Longer than breath is going, the heart is dying. That which stops the one, suffocates the other.
And here we may with admiration contemplate the wonders, by which our lives are continued. These Lungs are the most frail and tender part of the body, and kept in continual motion and agitation; yet are made serviceable for Seventy, or Eighty years together, which is the wonder of Providence. Were a piece of Brass, Iron or Steel, kept in continual and incessant use, it would not indure half the time. In a word, The *Quia Co…fo… …itae, & offi…na spirituum operosi… sima, ita ut pe…petuo motu pendulum agititur; utique etiam vehementer incalescit, ita ut si calor iste per respirationem non restingueretur, necesse fuerit, & calidam, & …midum nativum nimiae aestuatione opprimi, & suffocari. Pulmones …ant nihil aliud quàm folles quidam naturales, qui sefe dilatando aë…em attrabunt, in que cor effundurt, ita ut cor perpetuo aestuans, aëre refrigeretur; qui aër, ubi intra co…dis meatus incaluit, iterum à corde effunditur in pulmones, qui sese contrabendo foras emitt…t. Kecker… ▪ phys. p. 142.heart, that noble part of the Body, is the shop wherein the spirits are laboured and prepared, which therefore is in continual motion and heat; and so needs continual cooling and refreshing. We can live no longer, than it labours; it can labour no longer than it is refreshed and cooled by respiration.
God hath therefore prepared the Lungs for this service, which being of a thin, porous, and spungy substance, can easily be dilated, and contracted. By dilating themselves, they attract and suck in the air into themselves; first, duely to prepare and temper it, and then communicate it to the heart for its refreshment; which being quickly heated in the heart, is again breathed out by the Lungs, by contracting themselves again. This double motion of inspiration and expiration, we call Respiration, and this Respiration is the bond that holds our Souls and bodies together.
And indeed, this is but a feeble bond, a very slender and weak thread which holds our Souls and Bodies in union. What more volatile, evanid and uncertain, than a puff of breath? The nostrils are the outer door of the body, our breath is continually in our nostrils, and how soon may that depart, which is day and night at the door, as if it were still taking its leave of us. Our breath is always going, and what is still going, will be gone at last. How small a difference is there betwixt Respiration and Expiration? A breathing, and a breathless lump of clay? Breath cannot continue long, and life cannot stay a moment behind it. Psal. 104.29. Thou takest away their breath, they dye; and return to their dust. Life is breath given, and Death is breath taken away. The breath of Man is like a written sentence in which there are diverse Comma's, or short pauses; after which speedily follows a full stop, and there's an end of it.
… ita & p. menes … …otu … attra…t, & expell…t. Alsted …hcol. Mat. ….623.Some conceive Solomon points at the continual motion of the Lungs, in that figurative and elegant description of the death of man, Eccles. 12.6. Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden Bowl be broken; or the Pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the Cistern. The double motion of the Lungs, he seems here to compare to the double motion of the buckets in a Well, the turn of the wheel sends one down, and draws the other up. But as we use to say proverbially, the Bucket or Pitcher that goes so often to the Cistern or Well, is broken at last: So must we say of these, they will fail at last. One sitting by the bedside of a dying Person, sighed out this compassionate expression, Ah! quid s…u… ? His sick friend hearing it, replied, Pulvis, & …, fumus, dust, a shadow, a puff of wind. The wind without us is fick…, and inconstant to a proverb, and so is that within us too. Many grudge at the shortness of life; but considering the feebleness of this Bond, we have more cause to wonder at the slowness of death. For let us but seriously consider the frailty of our breath on a double account:
viz. 1.
In respect of our breathing instruments.
viz. 2.
Or of breaths-stopping accidents.
1. Great is the frailty of our breathing instruments. What is flesh, but weakness? Even the most solid and substantial; it is as the fading grass: Isa. 40.6. But our *Est enim substantia pulmon…m caro laxa, spo…giosa, aërea; & similis coagulatae spumae sanguinis. Alsted. ibid.Lungs are the most lax, spongy and tender of all flesh; if that which is so airy, light and spumous, deserve the name of flesh. And as it is the most frail of all flesh, so it is in continual motion, labouring night and day, without rest or intermission; and that which wants alternate rest cannot be durable. We see motion wears out the wheels of a watch, though made of Brass; but our strength (as Iob speaks) is not the strength of stones, nor our bones (the most solid, much less our Lungs, the most frail and feeble parts) of Brass. Beside,
2. There are a multitude of breath-stopping accidents, which may, and daily do beat the last breath out of mens nostrils, before any decay of nature cause it to expire.
Many mortal diseases are incident to these frail and tender parts. Phthisicks, Intenerations, Ulcers, easily barr the passage of our breath there; y…a, and slighter accidents, which immediately touch not that part, are sufficient to stop our breath, and dislodge our souls. A Flie, a Gn…t, the stone of a Raisin, a Crumb of bread have often done it. There is not a pore in the body, but is a door large enough to let in death, nor a creature so despicably small, but is strong enough (if God commissionate it) to serve a Writ of Ejection upon the Soul: the multitudes of diseases are so many lighted Candles put to this slender thread of our breath, besides the infinite diversity of external accidents, by which multitudes daily perish. So that there are as great and and astonishing wonders in our preservation, as in out Creation.
Inference I.
HOw admirable then is the Mystery of Providence in the daily continuation of the breath of our Nostrils?
That our breath is yet in our Nostrils is only from hence, that he who breathed it into them at first is our life, and the length of our days, as it is, Deut. 30.20. It is because our breath is in his hand, Dan. 5.23. not in our own, or in our enemies hand. Till he take it away, none shall be able to do it, Psal. 104.29. Thou takest away their breath, they dye, and return to their dust.
'Tis neither food nor Physick, but God in and by them that holdeth our Soul in life: Psal. 66.9. We hang every moment of our life over the Grave, and the gulf of Eternity, by this slender thread of our breath; but it cannot break, how feeble soever it be, till the time appointed be fully come: if it be not extinguished and suffocated as others daily are, it is because he puts none of those diseases upon us, as it is, Exod. 15, 26. or if he do, yet he is Iehovah Rophe, the Lord that healeth us, as it follows in that Text.
We live in the midst of cruel enemies, yea, among them that breath out cruelty, as the Psalmist complaineth, Psal. 27.12. Such breath would quickly suffocate ours, did not he in whose hand ours is▪ wonderfully prevent it. O! what cause have we to imploy and spend that breath in his praise, who works so many daily wonders to secure it?
Inference II.
IS it but a puff of feeble breath, which holds our Souls and Bodies in union, then every man is deeply concerned to make all hast, to take all possible care and pains, to secure a better and more durable habitation, for his Soul in Heaven, whilst yet it sojourns in this frail Tabernacle of the Body.
The time is at hand, when all these comely and active bodies, shall be so many breathless carkasses, no more capable of any use or service for our Souls, than the seats you sit on, or the dead bodies that lye buried under your feet. Your breath is yet in your Nostrils, and all the means and seasons of salvation will expire with it; and then it will be as impossible for the best Minister in the world to help your Souls, as for the ablest Physician to recover your Bodies. As Physick comes too late for the one, so counsels and perswasions for the other.
Three things are worth thinking on in this matter.
1. First, that you are not without the hopes and possibilities of Salvation, whilst the breath of life is in your Nostrils. A mercy (how lightly soever you value it) that would ravish with joy those miserable Souls, that have already shot the gulf of Eternity, and turn the shrieks and groans of the Damned into joyful shouts and acclamations of praise. Poor wretch, consider what thou readest; That thy Soul is not yet in Christ, is thy greatest misery, but that yet it may be in Christ, is an unspeakable mercy: though thy Salvation be not yet secured, yet, what a mercy is it, that it is not desperate.
2. Secondly, When this uncertain breath is once expired, the last hope of every unregenerate person is gone for ever. It is as impossible to recover hope, as it is to recover your departed breath, or recall the day that is past. When the breath is gone, the Compositum is dissolved. We cease to be, what now we are, and our life is as water spilt on the ground, which shall not be gathered up till the Resurrection. Our life is carried like a precious liquor in a brittle Glass, which death breaks to pieces. The Spirit is immediately presented to God, and fixed in its unalterable State. Hebrews 9.27. All means of Salvation now cease for ever. No Ambassadors of peace are sent to the Dead. No more Calls, or Strivings of the Spirit, no more space for Repentance. O! what an inconceivable weight hath God hanged on a puff of breath?
3. Thirdly, And since matters stand thus, it is to be admired, what shift men make to quiet themselves in so dangerous a State, as most Souls live in: quiet and unconcerned, and yet, but one puff of breath betwixt them and Hell! O the stupefying and besotting nature of sin! O the efficacy and power of spiritual delusions! Are our lives such a throng and hurry of business, that we have no time to go alone and think, where we are, and where we shortly must be? What shall I say? If bodily concerns be so weighty, and the matters of Eternity such trifles; if meat, and drink, and trade, and children, be such great things, and Christ, and Soul, and Heaven, Hell, and the world to come, such little things in your eyes; you will not be long in that opinion, I dare assure you.
Inference III.
IS the Tye so weak betwixt our Souls and bodies, how close and near then do all our Souls confine and border upon Eternity?
There is no more but a puff of breath, a blast of wind betwixt this world, and that to come. A very short step betwixt time and Eternity. There is a breath, which will be our last breath. Respiration must and will terminate in Expiration. The dead are the Inhabitants, and the living are Borderers upon the invisible world. This consideration deserves a dwelling place in the hearts of all men, whether,
I. Regenerate, or
II. Unregenerate.
I. Regenerate Souls should ponder this with pleasure, O 'tis transporting to think how small a matter is betwixt them, and their compleat Salvation. No sooner is your breath gone, but the full desire of your hearts is come. every breath you draw, draws you a degree nearer to your perfect happiness, Rom. 13.11. Now is your Salvation nearer than when you believed: therefore both your chearfulness and diligence should be greater than when you were *Ho… dicit q…od in f…d…i primordiis, ferventiores, & ad opera bona alacriores faissent fideles; temporis autem progressu, refriguissent. Estius in loc.in the infancy of your Faith. You have run through a considerable part of your Christian course and race, and are now come nearer the Goal and prize of eternal life: O, despond not, loyter not now at last, who were so fervent and zealous in the beginning.
'Tis Transporting to think how near you approach the Region of light and joy. O that you would distinctly consider,
1. Where you lately were,
2. Where now you are,
3. Where shortly you shall be.
1. You that are now so near Salvation, were lately very near unto Damnation: there was but a puff of breath betwixt you and Hell. How many nights did you sleep securely in the state of nature and unregeneracy? How quietly did you rest upon the brink of Hell, not once imagining the danger you were in? Had any of those sicknesses you then suffered, been suffered by God, like a candle to burn asunder this slender thread of life, which was so near them, you had been as miserable and as hopeless, as those that now are roaring in the lowest Hell. I have heard of one that rid over a dangerous Bridge in the night, who upon the review of the place next day, fell into a swoon, when he was sensible of that danger which the darkness of the night hid from him. O Reader, shall not an escape from Hell affect thee, as much as such an escape would do?
2. 'Tis no less marvelous to consider where you now are; you that were afar off, are now made nigh, Eph. 2.13. you that were not beloved, are now beloved, Rom. 9. v. 25. You were in the state of death and condemnation; you are now passed from death to life, by your free justification, 1 Iohn 3.14. Your union with Christ hath set you free from condemnation, Rom. 8.1. Dye you must, though Christ be in you, but there is no hazzard or hurt in your death. The stopping of your breath, can put no stop to your happiness, it will hasten, not hinder it. If the pale Horse come for you, Heaven, not Hell will now follow him; your sins are pardoned, the covenant of your Salvation sealed, death is disarmed of its fatal sting, and what then should hinder you from a like Triumph even upon your death-bed, with that, 1 Cor. 15.55. O death, where is thy sting? O grave where is thy victory?
3. And yet you have more room for joy, whilst you consider where you must and shall be shortly. You are now in Christ, but in a few days you shall be with Christ, as well as in him: 'tis well now, but it will be better ere long. Your sin is now fully pardoned, but not fully purged out of your Souls. Your Persons are freed from guilt, but your Hearts are not either freed from filth or grief: But in a little time you shall be absolutely and eternally freed from both your present condition is an Heaven, compared with your former, and your future state will be …n Heaven indeed, compared with your present. The path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more, unto the perfect day. Prov. 4.18.
II. But on the other side, what meditation can be more startling and amazing to all the unregenerate and Christless world? Ponder it thou poor Christless and unsanctified Soul. Get thee out of the noise and clamour of this world, which makes such a continual din in thine ears, and consider how thou hangest over the mouth of Hell it self, by the feeble thread which is spun every moment out of thy Nostrils. As soon as that gives way, thou art gone for ever. What shift do you make to quiet your fears, and eat and drink and labour with any pleasure? 'Tis storied of Dionysius the Tyrant, that when Democles would have flattered him into a conceit of the perfection of his happiness, as he was an absolute Soveraign Prince, and could do what he pleased with others, as his Vassals; Dionysius to confute his fancy, caused him to be placed at a Table richly furnished, and attended with the most curious Musick, but just over his head hanged a sharp and heavy Sword by one single hair; which when Democles saw, no meat would go down with him, but he earnestly begged for a discharge from that place. This is the lively emblem of thy condition thou unregenerate man.
There are three things in thy state sadly opposed to the former state last described.
1. The state you were born in, was bad.
2. The state you are now in, is worse.
3. The state you shall shortly be in, if you thus continue, will be unspeakably worst of all.
1. The State you were born in, was a sad state: you were born in sin, Psal. 51 5. and under wrath, Eph. 2.3. the womb of nature cast you forth into this world, both defiled and condemned creatures.
2. The state you are in now, is much worse than that you were born in: for what have you been doing ever since you were born, but treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath, Rom. 2.5. For every sand of time which run out of the glass of Gods patience towards you, a drop of wrath hath been running into the Vials of his Indignation against you. O what a treasure of sin and wrath then is laid up in so many years as you have lived in sin? Every sin committed, every mercy abused, every call of God neglected, and slighted, adds still more and more to this treasure.
3. It will be much worse shortly than it is now, except preventing renewing grace step in betwixt you, and that wrath, into which you are hastning so fast. 'Tis sad to be under the Sentence of Condemnation, but unspeakably worse, to be under the Execution of that sentence. To be a Christless man is lamentable, but to be a hopeless man is more lamentable. For though you be now without Christ, yet whilst the breath of life is in your Nostrils, you are not absolutely without hope; but when once that breath is gone… all the world cannot save or help you. Your last breath, and your last hope expire together. Though you be under Gods damning sentence, yet that sentence through the riches of forbearance is not executed; but assoon as you dye, all that wrath which hang'd over your heads, so many years, in the black clouds of Gods threatnings, will pour down in a furious storm upon you, which will never break up whilst God is God. O think, and think again, and let your thoughts think close to this sad and solemn Subject, there is but a Breath betwixt you and Hell.
Inference IV.
DOth God maintain your life by breath? let not that breath destroy your life, which God gave to preserve it.
No man can live without breath, and yet some might live longer than they do, if their breath were better imployed. Some mens throats have been cut by their own Tongues,…. Scalig. Arab. prov. Cent 1. as the Arabian Proverb intimates. Life and death (saith Solomon) are in the power of the Tongue. Criticks observe, that a Word, and a Plague, grow upon the same root in the Hebrew Tongue? 'Tis certain, that some mens breath hath been baneful poison both to themselves and others: It was a word that cut off the life of Adonijah, … King 2.23. and thousands since his day, have dyed upon the point of the same weapon. 'Tis therefore wholsome advice that is given us Psalm 34.12. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days that he may see good; keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
And the more evil the times are, the stricter guard we should keep upon our lips. It is an evil time, the prudent will keep silence, Amos 5.13. When wicked men watch to make a man an offender for a word, as it is Isai. 29.20, 21. it behooves us to be upon our watch, that we offend not with our lips. 'Tis good to keep, what is not safe to trust. David was as a deaf and dumb man, when in the company of wicked men, Psal. 38.13. he thought silence then to be his prudence. It is better they should call you Fools, than find you so.
Inference V.
IMploy not that breath to the dishonour of God, which was first given, and is still graciously maintained by him for your comfort and good.
'Twere better you had never breathed at all, than to spend your breath in prophane Oaths, or foolish and idle Chat, whereby at once you wound the Name of God, draw guilt upon your own Souls, and help on the ruine of others. That is a startling Text, Matth. 12.36. But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak; they shall give an account thereof in the day of Iudgment.
To give an account, is here by a Metalepsis of the Antecedent for the Consequent, put for punishment in Hell fire, without an intervening change of heart, and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus.
And there is more evil in this abuse of our breath, than we can easily discern, especially upon two accounts, (1) Because it is a sin most frequently committed and seldom repented of. The intercourse betwixt the heart and tongue is quick, and the sense of the evil as easily and quickly passeth away. (2) Because the poisonous and malignant influence thereof abides and continues long after: Our words may mischief others, not only a long time after they are spoken, but a long time after the tongue that spake them is turned to dust. How many years may a foolish or filthy word, a prophane scoff, an Atheistical expression stick in the minds of them that heard them, after the Speakers death! A word spoken, is Physically transient, and past away with the breath that delivered it: but it's Morally permanent; for as to its moral efficacy, no more is required, but its objective existence in the minds and thoughts of them that once heard it: And upon that very ground Suarez argues for a general Judgment, after men have past at death their particular Judgment; because (saith he) long after that, abundance of good and evil will be done in this World by the Dead, in the persons of others that ove…live them. For look, as it was said of Abel, that being dead, he yet speaketh; so it may be said of Iulian, Porphyry, and multitudes of scoffing Atheists, that being dead, they yet speak. O therefore get a sanctified heart to season your breath, that it may minister grace to the hearers.
Inference VI.
LEt your breath promote the spiritual life of others, as well as maintain the natural life in your selves.
'Though the maintaining of your natural life, be one end why God gave you breath, yet it is not the only, or principal end of it. Your breath must be food to others, as well as life to you. Prov. 10.21. The lips of the righteous feed many. It will be comfortable to resign that breath to God at death, which hath been instrumental to his glory in this life. It was no low encomium Christ gave of the Church, when he said, Cant. 4.11. Thy lips, O my Spouse, drop as the Honeycomb, Honey and Milk are under thy Tongue. Sweet, wholesome, and pleasant words dropt from her lips. They drop (saith Christ) as the Honeycomb. Some drops ever and anon fall actually, and others hang at the same time prepared and ready to fall. Such a prepared and habitual Disposition, should every Christian continually have. Your Words may stick upon mens hearts to their Edification and Salvation, when you are in your Graves. Your Tongues may now sow that precious seed, which may spring-up to the praise of God, though you may not live to reap the comfort of it in this World, Iohn 4.36, 37. 'tis a rich expence of your breath, to bring but one Soul to God, and yet God hath used the breath of one, as his instrument, to save edifie and comfort the Souls of thousands, Proverbs 11.30. The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he that winneth Souls is wise. The good Lord make all his people wise in this.
Surely, whether we consider the invaluable worth and preciousness of Souls, the benefits you have had from the breath of others your selves, the innate property of grace, whereever it is, to diffuse and communicate it self; how short a time you have to breath, and how comfortable it will be, when you breath your last, to remember how it hath been imployed for God: All this should open your lips, to counsel, reprove, and comfort others, as often as opportunity is ministred.
Did Christ spend his Blood for our Souls, and shall not we spend our Breath for them? O let our lips dispense knowledge. If you will not spend your Breath for God, How will you spend your Blood for him? If you will not Speak for him, I doubt you will not Die for him. Away with a sullen reservedness, away with unprofitable Chat; all Subjects of Discourse are not fit for a Christians lips. 'Tis a grave Admonition God once gave his people, by the Pen of a faithful *Mr. West.Minister. You may rue (saith he) the opportunities you have lost. Here lay a poor Wretch with one foot in Hell, would he not have started back, if he had had light to discover his danger? Well, you are now together, something you must say; the same breath would serve for a Compassionate Admonition, as for a Complacent Impertinency, which will redound to neither of your advantages. You part, the man dies, and in the midst of Hell cries out against you, One word of yours might have saved me: You had me in your reach, you might have told me my danger, you forbare, I hardned. The Lord reward your negligence.
Inference VII.
IF breath be the tye betwixt Soul and Body, How are we concerned to improve, and draw forth, the precious breath of Ministers and Christians, whilst it is yet in their Nostrills.
The breath of many Ministers is judicially stopt already, their breath serves to little other use than to preserve their own lives; it will be stopt ere long by death, and then those excellent treasures of Gifts and Graces, wherewith they are richly furnished, will be gone out of your reach, never to be further useful to your Souls. You should do by them therefore (as one aptly speaks) as Scholars do by some choice Book they have borrowed, and must return in a few days to its Owner: They diligently read it Night and Day, and carefully transcribe the most useful and excellent Notes they can find in it, that they may make them their own, when the Book is called for out of their hands.
But alas, we rather divert, than draw forth these Excellencies that are in them. You may yet converse with them, and greatly benefit your selves by these Converses; but (as one speaks) by the stream of your impertinent talk, that season is neglected: afterwards you see your lack of knowledge, but then the instrument is removed. How must it gall an awakened Iew, to think what Discourse he had with Jesus Christ? Is it lawful to give Tribute to Caesar? Why do not thy Disciples fast? O had I nothing else to enquire of the Lord Jesus? Would it not have been more pertinent to have asked, What shall I do to be saved? But he is gone, and I dead in my sins. How many persons have we sent away, that had a word of Wisdom in their hearts? Having only learnt from them what a Clock it is, what Weather, or what News: Forgetting to ask our own hearts, What is all this to us? And to enquite of them things worthy of their Wisdom and Experience. Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a Fool, seeing he hath no heart to it? Proverbs 17.16. The expence of one Minutes breath in season, may if God concur with it, be to you the ground of breathing forth praises to God to all eternity.
Inference VIII.
ARE Souls and Bodies tack'd together by so frail a thing as a puff of breath? How vain and groundless then are all those Pleasures men take in their Carnal Projects and Designs in this World!
We lay the Plot and Design of our future earthly felicity in our own thoughts, we mould and contrive a design for a long and pleasant life. The model for raising an Estate is already formed in our thoughts, and we have not patience to defer our pleasure till the accomplishment of it, but presently draw a train of pleasing Consequents from this Chimaera, and our thoughts can stoop to nothing less than sitting down all the remainder of our days, in the very lap of delight and pleasure: Forgetting that our breath is all the while in our Nostrils, and may expire the next moment; and if it do, the structure of all our Expectations and Projects come to nothing in the same moment: His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his dust; and in that very day his thoughts perish. Psal. 146.4. The whole frame of his thoughts falls instantly abroad, by drawing out this one pin, his breath. Tis good with all our earthly designs, to mingle the serious thoughts of the Dominion of Providence, and our own frailty, Iames 4.15 If the Lord will, and we live.
'Tis become a common Observation, that assoon as men have accomplished their earthly designs, and begin to hug and bless themselves in their own Acquisitions, a suddain and unexpected period is put both to their Lives and Pleasures, as you may see Luke 12.19, 20. Dan. 4.30.
O then drive moderately, you will be at the end of all these things sooner than you imagine. We need not victual a Ship to cross the Chanel, as they do that are bound to the Indies. What is your life? It is even a Vapour, which appeareth for a little while; and then vanisheth away, James 4.14. In one moment the Projects of many years are overturned for ever.
Inference IX.
IS it but a puff of breath that holds Man in life, then build not too much hope and confidence upon any man.
Build not too high upon so feeble a foundation. Cease ye from man (saith the Prophet) whose breath is in his Nostrils; for wherein is he to be accounted of? Isai. 2.22. There are two things that should deter us from dependance upon any man, viz. his falseness, and his frailty. Grace in a great measure, may cure the first, but not the last. The best of men must die, as well as the worst, Rom. 8.10. 'tis a vanity therefore to rely upon any man. It was the saying of a Philosopher, when he heard how Merchants lost great Estates at Sea in a moment, Non amo foelicitatem è funibus pendentem; I love not that Happiness (said he) which hangs upon a Rope. But all the happiness of many men, hangs upon a far weaker thing than a Rope, even the perishing breath of a Creature.
Let not Parents raise their hopes too high, or lean too hard upon their Children, say not of thy Child as Lamech did of Noah, this Son shall comfort us, Gen. 5.29. The World is full of the Laments and bitter Cries of disappointed Parents. Let not the Wife depend too much on her Husband, as if her earthly Comforts were secured in him, against all danger. God is often provoked to stop our friends breath, that thereby he may stop our way to sin. 1 Tim. 5.5. The trust and dependance of a Soul is too weighty to be hang'd upon such a weak and rotten pin as a Creatures breath is.
Inference X.
TO conclude; If this frail breath be all that differences the living from the dead, Then fear not man whose breath is in his Nostrils. There is as little ground for our fear of Man, as there is for our trust in Man. As death in a moment can make the best man useless, and put him out of capacity to do us any good; so it can in a moment make the worst man harmless, and put him out of a capacity to do us any injury. Indeed if the breath of our Enemies were in their power, and ours at their mercy, there would be just cause to tremble at them, but they are neither Masters of their own or ours. Who art thou that thou shouldest … afraid of a man that shall die? saith God to Iacob, Isai. 51.12. The breath of the mightiest is no better secured, than of the meanest, nor never in more danger to be stopt, than when they breath out threatnings against the Upright.
Iulian's breath was soon stopt, after he threatned to root out the Galileans. Queen Mary resigned her breath, at the very time when she had filled the Prisons with many of Christs Sheep, designed for the slaughter. Read Isai. 17.12. and see what Mushromes we are afraid of; The best way to continue your Relations and Friends to your comfort, is to give God, and not them your dependence; and the best way to secure your selves against the rage of Enemies, is to give God your fear, and not them. And thus of the nature of the Soul, and its Tye with the Body.