A Golden Mine Opened, Sermon 25
HEB. II. 3. How ſhall we eſcape if we neglect ſo great Salvation?
Serin. IV.Ninthly, GOSPEL-Salvation is great, if we conſider the Subject thereof, or what is delivered and ſaved for ever, namely, the Souls and Bodies of his People.
Firſt, The Soul: that is it Jeſus Chriſt came to ſave, which Salvation great in reſpect of the Subjects of it.is very precious, as I ſhall ſhew you in a deduction of ſeveral Particulars. Certainly the Salvation of the Soul muſt needs be a great Salvation: What is it to ſave our Eſtates, our Liberties, our Healths, the Members of our Bodies, our Eyes, Arms, Legs, or our natural Lives, to the ſaving of our precious and immortal Souls? The Soul is more worth than all the World: What ſhall it profit Mat. 16. 26.a Man to gain the whole World, and loſe his own Soul?
1ſt. To demonſtrate the great Worth, Excellency and Preciouſneſs of the Soul, conſider that it was firſt formed in the Image of God, in Righteouſneſs and true Holineſs. Our Souls had a glorious Impreſſion of God's Image ſtamp'd upon them in the firſt Creation, which we loſt by Sin and Tranſgreſſion: But this Bleſſed Image is reſtored again, as you have heard, by the Grace of God in this Salvation.
1. Pray, Brethren, remember that the Soul of Man is capable of a Divine Impreſſion, of God's glorious Image; it is made, I mean, of ſuch a Nature, that it is capable of this great Bleſſing, therefore to be deemed a very precious thing; God will not ſtamp his Image upon low and baſe Metal, if I may ſo ſpeak with reverence.
2. There are three things I find which the great God glories in, as being peculiar to himſelf, or his own glorious Prerogative alone; The Burden of the Word of the Lord for Iſrael, ſaith the Zech. 12. 1.Lord, which ſtretcheth out the Heavens, and layeth the Foundations of the Earth, and formeth the Spirit of Man within him. The firſt is his ſtretching out of the Heavens; O what a great and glorious Work was that! The ſecond is his laying the Foundation of the Earth, the hanging it upon nothing; what a wonderful thing is that, conſidering its great Weight and wonderful Body! The third is, his forming of our Souls: Certainly the Spirit or Soul of Man is a glorious thing, that God ſhould account the Creation of it amongſt thoſe chiefeſt Parts of his admirable Handy-work. Why is not the forming the Bleſſed Angels, who are glorious Spirits, rather mentioned? it is worthy of ſerious Contemplation: Our Bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made, they are no ſmall part of God's Wiſdom and curious Workmanſhip, if the Nature and Order of every Part was conſidered, as ſome Artiſts who ſtudy Man's Humane Body will ſhew you: But what is the Formation and Excellency of our Bodies to our Souls?
3. The Soul is capable of Divine Union with Jeſus Chriſt, through a Communication of the Holy Spirit, and by Faith of the Operation of God, and thereby the whole Man partakes of the like Union alſo; therefore it is a very precious thing, it is principally the Soul that Jeſus Chriſt doth eſpouſe, it ſeems to be a proper or fit Match for the Son of God: He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit.
4. And 'tis not only capable of Union, but alſo of Divine Spiritual Communion, both with the Father and the Son: That which we have ſeen and heard, declare we unto you, that you might have fellowſhip 1 Joh. 1. 3.with us; and truly our Fellowſhip is with the Father, and with his Son Jeſus Chriſt. That Communion we have in our Spirits with the Father and the Son, is by the Holy Ghoſt, by which we come to have, through his gracious Influences, a Communication of that which is truly and ſpiritually Good, according to our Needs, and to delight, ſtrengthen and rejoice our Hearts: our Souls being changed into the Life and Likeneſs of Chriſt, and walking in the Light of the Spirit, we have Fellowſhip one with another; that is, Chriſt with us, and we with Chriſt: for till the Soul is regenerated, it cannot have Fellowſhip with the Holy God, for Light cannot have Fellowſhip with Darkneſs; it is not earthly or ſenſual, but a Divine, Heavenly and Spiritual Communion. O what a precious thing is the Soul of Man! there's no other Creature that is capable of theſe moſt excellent Privileges ſave Man; Mankind only of all that dwell on the Earth: Nor could we have had this Honour and Dignity conferred on us, (we ſhould not, I mean, been capable Subjects of it) had it not been upon the Account of the excellent Nature of our Souls.
5. Our Souls are alſo capable, it appears from hence, of Divine Inſpiration: God in a gracious manner inſpires our Spirits with glorious Light and Knowledg; there is a Light of Acceptation, and a Light of Inſpiration: Like as Aſtronomers tell us, that the Moon i… of ſuch a Nature that ſhe is capable, by the glorious ſhining and reflection of the Son, to receive Light; and ſo ſhe ſhine, and gives Light to us in the Night: Thus the Moon is a Light of Acceptation, but it is the Sun that gives Light to her. So a Candle is made meet to receive Light, but ſhines not, gives not Light until it is lighted: And thus alſo our Spirits are made meet to receive Divine Light from God; The Spirit of a Man is Job 32. 8.the Candle of the Lord: but it never ſhines with any ſupernatural Light, until the Lord pleaſes to light it. There is a Spirit in Man, and the Inſpiration of the Lord giveth him Vnderſtanding: In Man, that is in every Man, every Man hath a rational Soul in him fit to receive Divine Light and Inſpiration, if God pleaſe to inſpire him therewith; he hath not that ſaving Knowledg and Light naturally, no not till he doth partake of the Inſpiration of the Almighty: Though Man be endowed with natural Light, Knowledg and Reaſon, and may underſtand in ſome meaſure the Parts of Natural Religion, yet that Light is but Darkneſs compared to the ſupernatural Light of Grace, or the ſaving Knowledg of God in Chriſt. All true and ſpiritual Knowledg and Underſtanding, is from the ſpecial Inſpiration of the Almighty: For what Man knoweth the things of Man, ſave the Spirit of a Man that is in him? even ſo the 1 Cor. 2. 11.things of God knoweth no Man, but the Spirit of God. But though it be thus, that Man's Spirit, without the Teachings and Inſpiration of God's Spirit, cannot underſtand nor know the things of God, that is, the Myſteries of the Goſpel, or have the ſaving Knowledg of Chriſt, yet there is a Spirit, a Soul in him that is capable to receive this Light and Revelation of God, when he pleaſes to enlighten him therein: therefore I ſay, the Soul of Man is a very precious thing, and ſo tends to greaten the Salvation of the Goſpel, by which it is ſaved from Hell and Wrath.
6. The Soul is capable of Divine Contemplation, it can muſe, The Soul is capable of Divine Contemplation.meditate and contemplate upon God the higheſt and chiefeſt Being; no other Creatures on Earth are capable to do this, becauſe they have no rational Souls: What have ſome Men found out of the Myſteries of Nature, by means of the Excellency of the Soul? Nay, and alſo what Knowledg have they attained of the God of Nature? as might be demonſtrated ſhould I ſpeak of Natural and Moral Philoſophy, &c. though it is true, and I deny it not, but that the knowledg of theſe things is acquired in a great meaſure, yet nevertheleſs all in the firſt place, next unto God, muſt be attributed to the Excellency of the Soul: I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvellous are thy Works: and that my Soul knoweth right well. Pſ. 139. 1David aſcribes that wonderful Knowledg which he had of the Works of Creation, to his Soul: No doubt he was well skilled in Philoſophy, and was a Man greatly given to Contemplation: My Sub…iance was not hid from thee, when I was made in ſecret; and curiouſly Ver. 15.wrought in the loweſt parts of the Earth. How curiouſly and exquiſitely haſt thou (as if he ſhould ſay) compoſed my Bones, Muſcles, Sinews, Veins and Arteries, in my Mother's Womb, and all the Parts and Members of my Body: And my Soul contemplates all theſe things, my Soul knows that thou art a wonderful working God. O what a precious thing is the Soul of Man! what pity is it that it ſhould be loſt and damned for ever, (and how doth this tend to demonſtrate the Glory and Greatneſs of this Salvation!) for it was under Wrath and the Curſe of God by Sin. Sirs, the Nature of the Soul is ſuch, that it leads a Man out to behold and magnify God in the Works of Creation and Providence, tho it want, ſupernatural Light and Knowledg: But O when it comes to be divinely inſpired, what does it diſcover through the help of the ſame Spirit of God in Chriſt, and of the Work of Redemption? For all Knowledg to this Knowledg, is but of little worth: Paul therefore determined to know nothing but Chriſt and 1 Cor. 2. 1, 2.him crucified; nay, and accounted all natural Knowledg, Gifts, Wiſdom and Improvements, or whatſoever he once eſteemed of, to be but Dung in compariſon of the Excellency of the Knowledg of Jeſus Chriſt his Lord.
7. The Soul is precious doth yet further appear, becauſe without Nothing but God himſelf can ſatisfy the Soul.an enjoyment of God, or a part and intereſt in him, it can never by happy, nothing ſhort of God himſelf can fill its Deſires. This ſome of the Heathens, by the dim Light of Nature, came to underſtand; it is reſtleſs until it comes to find God, Reſt, Peace and Satisfaction in God, who is the beſt of Beings, and our chief Good. The Soul is much like unto Noah's Dove which he ſent out of the Ark, that found no reſt for the Sole of her Foot, until ſhe returned unto him in the Ark: Therefore miſerable will all thoſe be that for ever ſhall one Day be ſeparated from God, ſhould they meet with no worſe Torment than that. A Man accounts it no ſmall Miſery to be deprived of that which he eſteems to be his only Happineſs, though he knows he can enjoy it but a ſhort time: Suppoſe it be his Riches, his Houſes, his Lands, or his Gold and Silver, or his Pleaſures, or his Honours, or his dear Relations, in whom his very Life ſeems to bound up; he is upon the loſs of that which he eſteems ſo highly of as a dead Man. Now ſure if the Soul is of ſuch an excellent Nature, that no created Good can fill its Deſires, nothing in this World, nothing but God himſelf, it muſt needs be a very precious thing: But ſo it is; for as Rachel ſaid once to Jacob her Husband, Give me Children, or I die: So this is the Voice of the Soul of Man, Give me God, give me Chriſt, or I die. Nay, to be deprived of God, is the Death of the Soul; and it was that which brought Death on the Soul of Man originally; by Sin we were deprived of God, and that was the Death of the Soul: God is the ſpiritual Life of the Soul, as in a moral ſenſe the Soul is the natural Life of the Body; for as the Body is dead without the Soul naturally, ſo the Soul is dead without God ſpiritually. Therefore the Salvation of the Soul muſt needs be a great and glorious Salvation, that which brings God again to the Soul, that which reſtores God, a loſt God to the Soul, that gives Life to a poor dead Soul and makes it live again, and ſo be happy again, yea and that for ever more.
8. The Soul is precious, and a moſt excellent thing it appears, God's Thoughts greatly let out about the Soul of Man.becauſe God's Thoughts are ſo let out upon it. What care hath he taken of the Soul of Man! How early did he concern himſelf for the redemption of it! and what a way did he ſeek out and contrive to reſtore it to a ſtate of Peace, Joy and Happineſs again, when he foreſaw it brought under Death, Sin and Miſery: it ſeems to be the Darling of Heaven; as it was formed (as it were) by the Breath of God, ſo nothing he thinks too good to impart for its Ranſom to redeem it, nor nothing too precious to feed it, heal it, or comfort it: He gives the Bread of Heaven, the very Fleſh and Blood of his own Son to feed it, the Righteouſneſs of his own Son to clothe it, the Graces of his own Spirit to deck and adorn it; nay, and his own Spirit is ſent to lead, to guide, protect and govern it. Certainly theſe things clearly ſhew and demonſtrate its great Worth, or that it is a moſt excellent thing in God's ſight.
9. The Soul is precious, if we conſider what God gave for its Pſal. 49. 8.Redemption. David ſaith, That the Redemption of the Soul is precious, and ceaſes for ever; hard to be obtained, though not impoſſible; Nothing but Chriſt's Blood could redeem the Soul.nothing but the Blood, the precious Blood of Chriſt Jeſus could redeem it. Some take Soul there for our Life, but certainly David intends the Redemption of the Soul from Sin and Wrath. Silver and Gold could not do this, no it muſt not be redeemed, it could not be redeemed by corruptible things, not by a thouſand Rams, nor ten thouſand Rivers of Oil, nor by our Firſt-born; the Mich. 6. 7.Fruit of the Body could not make an Atonement for the Sin of the Soul: No, no, it muſt be the Father's Firſt-born, it muſt be Jeſus Chriſt, the Blood of the Son of God, or nothing; if Chriſt die not for the Soul, it muſt periſh for ever. But rather than the Soul ſhould be loſt and undone for ever, God will not ſpare his own Son, but deliver him up for us all.Rom. 8. 32.
10. The Soul is very precious doth appear, becauſe from the The Rage of Satan to deſtroy the Soul, ſhews it is a precious thing.unwearied Attempts, and reſtleſs Endeavours of the Devil to deſtroy it, all Satan's grand Rage and Malice is let out againſt the Soul of Man; had it not been for our Souls, he would have concerned himſelf no more to have work'd out our Ruin, than the Ruin of irrational Creatures: But he foreſaw the precious Nature of the Soul of Man, what excellent Faculties it was endowed withal, and what a glorious Image of God was ſtamp'd upon it, and therefore he rages and foams out his helliſh Spite and Malice againſt us, and all to deſtroy our Souls; and this Rage and Fury he continues ſtill againſt our Souls. O what Ways, diverſe and cunning Stratagems doth he uſe, that ſo he may ſpoil the Happineſs, or deſtroy the Comfort of our Souls: For as it is God's great Concern to ſave our Souls, ſo it is Satan's great Buſineſs to damn and deſtroy our Souls for ever; and as God contrives Ways and Means to make our Souls happy for ever, ſo the Devil contrives Ways and Means to make our Souls miſerable for ever. The Soul is (as I may ſay) that ſweet Morſel Satan hungers after, and fain would tear in pieces and devour if poſſible; it is not ſo much to deſtroy our Bodies by natural Death, as our Souls and Bodies by eternal Death. O how great is that Salvation, that is the Salvation of our precious Souls! God's Care, Coſt and Labour to preſerve our Souls, to ſave our Souls, ſhews that it is of great Worth. And it is this that makes Man to differ ſo much from brutiſh Creatures, and to excel all the Works of God in this nether Creation: Had it not been for our Souls, would God have been any more concerned for us, than for the Beaſts that periſh? And was not the Soul, I ſay, a very excellent and precious thing, Satan would not make it his greateſt Work and Buſineſs to deſtroy it, as Could a Man gain all the World with the loſs of his Soul, his Loſs would be great.he hath always done, and ſtill continues to do.
11. The Soul is very precious doth yet further appear, becauſe if a Man could gain all the World, all the Riches, Honours and Pleaſures of the World, with the loſs of his Soul, his Loſs would be more than his Gain, yea, infinitely more; there's nothing that can make a Recompence for the loſs of the Soul, as our Saviour clearly ſhews, Mat. 16. 26. All the World is nothing in Value when compared with the Soul; therefore it is precious.
12. The Soul is immortal, its Nature is Life, it is no corporal The Soul is immortal.Thing, … thing, it is not compoſed of the four Elements as our … it cannot di…, nor be annihilated; it will either …, Joy and …lehedneſs, or elſe of Eternal …: 'Tis ſtrange to me that any Man ſhould … to be mortal.
(1.) … and caſt Contempt upon themſelves? … Mankind of their greateſt Glory, and re…der Man in … above the Beaſts that periſh; and alſo they darken and …ngely eclipſe the Infinite Love and Grace of God in the Redemption and Reſtoration of Man.
(2.) And if the Soul be mo…t … with the Body, then had we not been redeemed at all, we …d been no more if … than the Beaſts are; we ſhould but have … been no more, we ſhould have known no more Pain nor Sorrow after Death.
(3.) Beſides, if the Soul was mortal then the ſame Food that feeds the Body, …eeds, or might feed the Soul; and the ſame Balſam that will heal the Sores of the Body … Sores and Wounds of the Soul. I ſee… reaſon who I ſhould not from their fooliſh Notion affirm this: Therefore when the … ſick, they ſhould ſend to a Phyſcian to … caſe of bodily Sickneſs, and not ſ…nd … of … to apply a ſpiritual Cordial. What ſignifies a Spiritual Medicine to a Corporal Thing? Will preaching the Word ſeed and relieve a Man that is ready to periſh with external Hunger?
Moreover, (4.) If the Soul be mortal, then that Sword that kills the Body, alſo kills the Soul, Man may as well ſtill one as the other: But how contrary is this to that which our Saviour ſ…ith to his Diſciples, And fear not them which kill the Body and are not able to kill the Soul, but rather fear him which is able to deſtroy both Mar. 10. 28.Soul and Body in Hell. 'Tis not a Sword, a Spear, nor a Furnace of boiling Oil that can kill the Soul; Man that way cannot hurt the Soul, 'tis Sin that deſtroys that. Note this well, if Man cannot kill the Soul, it is immortal; but Man cannot kill the Soul, therefore it is immortal. Is there any Creature or Thing that is Mortal, which Man cannot kill, or deprive it of Life? Certainly theſe Men are ſtrangely miſled.
(5.) Beſides, did not our Saviour ſay to the Penitent Thief on the Croſs, I ſay to thee, this Day thou ſhalt be with me in Paradiſe? Luk. 23. 43.Was the Body of Chriſt, and the Body of that gracious Perſon that Day together in Paradiſe? Their baſe abuſe of this Text, in reading it falſly, by miſplacing the Stops, will not relieve them; I ſay to thee this Day; I make thee a Promiſe this Day, that thou ſhalt ſometime or another be with me in Paradiſe: thus they to favour their grand Error miſplace the common Point in reading; which ſhould we allow of, what abominable Abuſe might be put upon the Scripture in other places, even quite to deſtroy the true Senſe, nay and make the Scripture ſpeak untruly?
(6.) Moreover, doth not Paul ſay, For me to live is Chriſt, and Phil. 1. 25.to die is Gain. How could Death be Gain to him, if his Soul was mortal, and ſlept with his Body in the Grave? Is Communion with Chriſt on Earth worth nothing? Is it Gain to loſe that? They know he would no ſooner riſe from the Dead if he died preſently, than if he lived twenty or thirty Years longer in the Body: How then could Death be Gain to him? Certainly it would be great Loſs to him, for he would loſe all thoſe Years of ſweet Joy and Comfort in Communion with Chriſt, if he died preſently, which he might have ſhould he live twenty or thirty Years longer in this World.
(7.) To this let me add what Paul affirms in another place; For we know that if our earthly Houſe of this Tabernacle be diſſolved, 2 Cor. 5. 1.we have a Building of God, an Houſe not made with Hands, eternal in the Heavens. He doth not ſay, when this earthly Houſe is raiſed up again, but when it is diſſolved, that is, when the Body lies in its duſty Crumbs, the Soul hath a Houſe in Heaven: Therefore (ſaith he) we are always confident, knowing that whilſt we are at home Verſe 6.in the Body, we are abſent from the Lord. Pray what is that which is abſent from the Lord whilſt it is at home in the Body, is it not the Soul? And what is that which is preſent with the Lord, when it is abſent from the Body? Doth not this Place as fully prove the Immortality of the Soul, as if the Apoſtle ſhould in plain words ſay, at Death the Soul (which dwells now in our Body) goes to Heaven, to dwell in Heaven, it goes to Chriſt, Heaven is its Home? As ſoon as Lazarus died, his Soul was carried into Heaven, ſignified by Abraham's Boſom; and as ſoon as the rich Man died, Luke 16.his Soul was in Hell: though it is a Parable, yet it clearly teaches us thus much, (though Parables do not always go on all four, as we uſe to ſay).
(8.) To which let me add what Paul further ſays, For I am in Phil. 1. 23.a Strait betwixt two, having a deſire to depart and to be with Chriſt, which is far better. Our Souls at Death depart, and they go to Chriſt: What is Joy and Peace in Chriſt, to Joy, Peace and Conſolation with Chriſt? In the Reſurrection-Day Chriſt comes to us, we ſhall meet him in the Air, but at Death we go to him; the Spirits of all Men go upward, to God that gave them, to be ſent to the Eccleſ. 12. 7.Place appointed for them, either to Heaven, or to the Priſon of Hell, or Place of Darkneſs; in which Priſon the Spirits of thoſe Men are now who were once diſobedient (and ſinned againſt God) in the 1 Pet. 3. 19, 20.Days of Noah.
(9.) In the laſt place, to prove the Soul to be immortal, conſider well what Paul ſaith; I knew a Man in Chriſt above fourteen Years 2 Cor. 12. 2, 4.ago, (whether in the Body, I cannot tell, or whether out of the Body, I cannot tell, God knoweth) ſuch an one caught up to the third Heaven—How he was in Paradiſe and heard unſpeakable Words, which it is not lawful for a Man to utter. In the third Heaven, or in Paradiſe for certain he was; but whether caught up Body and Soul together, or in the Soul only out of the Body, he could not tell. From whence I argue, that Paul knew that the Soul was capable of being ſeparated from the Body, and in that ſeparated ſtate capable of the Divine Raviſhments of Heaven, or of the Viſion of God, if he had not been of this Judgment, ſince he was in the third Heaven, he might be ſure he was taken up in the Body. Beſides, do we not read of the Spirits of juſt Men that are already made perfect?Heb. 12. 23.
Object. But is it not ſaid that David is not yet aſcended into Heaven?
Anſw. I anſwer, Peter there only refers to the Body of David, that is not aſcended, for his Sepulchre is with us to this Day, ſaith he; Acts 2. 29.and therefore he argues David means Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe Soul was not left in Hell, that is, his Body was not left in the Grave, for the Body is often in the Scripture called by the Name of the Soul. But when we read of the Soul as diſtinguiſhed from the Body, and as that which Man cannot kill, it intends the ſuperiour Part of Man, or that which in our common acceptation is called the Soul, or Spirit of Man; in which the Image of God was chiefly created, and which is fed with Spiritual Food, and capable of ſweet Communion with Jeſus Chriſt, as you have heard. Now then if the Soul be Immortal, and goes to Hell or Heaven at Death, I mean to Joy or Sorrow, or to a Priſon of Pain and Darkneſs, or to a Palace of Joy and Pleaſure; O what a great Salvation is Goſpel-Salvation! How ſoon doth eternal Miſery or Torment ſeize upon the Ungodly; even no ſooner do they die but their Souls are in Hell, and no ſooner do Believers die but their Souls are in Paradiſe: and had not Chriſt came and wrought out our Salvation, our Souls muſt have lain under Wrath and Miſery for ever in an eternal ſeparation from God and all true Joy and Happineſs.
O what a fearful and an amazing Loſs is the loſs of the Soul! Sirs, pray remember, this Salvation is the Salvation of your precious Souls; thy Soul, O Sinner, is dearly concerned in it: Our Soul is our All, what have we more? A Man is never utterly undone till his Soul is utterly loſt: if the Soul is ſaved, all is ſaved; but if the Soul is loſt, for ever loſt, all is loſt. But,
2dly. The loſs or loſing of the Soul, is the loſs of the Body too; that muſt have periſhed for ever with the Body of Beaſts, whilſt our Souls muſt have lain in Torments, had not Chriſt came to redeem us. Moreover, The Salvation of the Soul is the Salvation of the Body; Chriſt came to ſave both the Soul and Body too: And hence the Apoſtle ſaith, Even we our ſelves groan within our ſelves, waiting for the Adoption, to wit, the Redemption of Rom. 8. 23.our Body; that is, for the farther Effects of our Adoption. Now are we the Sons of God, but it doth not appear what we ſhall be; that is, it 1 John 3. 12.doth not appear what we ſhall be when our Bodies ſhall be raiſed. He ſhall change our vile Body, that it may be faſhioned like unto his own Phil. 3. 21.glorious Body. This Salvation ſaves not our Souls only from Wrath, but our Bodies alſo, they ſhall riſe to Life and Immortality; the Bodies of the Wicked as well as their Souls ſhall be caſt into Hell, but the Bodies and the Souls of the Godly ſhall be glorified in Heaven for ever. O what a grievous thing it is to think of the loſs of the Body, to have the Soul taken away from the Body! But how ſweet is it to think of that Day, when thoſe two old Friends ſhall meet together again, and when both ſhall be delivered from all Evil, from all Deformity and Pollution, and be glorified, and alſo ſhall never part more, or be ſeparated from each other to the Days of Eternity.
APPLICATION.
1. Reproof to ſuch who deſpiſe their own precious Souls: What Fools are they, who to ſave their Hutts, loſe their Heads; or who to ſave their Goods in a fearful Fire, loſe their dear Child in the Cradle? As I once told you of a Woman that did thus, her Houſe was on Fire, and ſhe beſtirred her ſelf to get out her beſt Goods; and at laſt when ſhe could go in no more, ſhe rejoiced that ſhe had ſaved her Goods; but ſaid one to her, Woman, where is your Child? O my Child, my Child; then ſhe cried her Child, when it was too late, for that was burned to Death in the Cradle. Juſt thus ſome, to get and ſave their Goods, to get the World, loſe their Souls. We read of ſome, who to ſave their Lives or their Bodies from being burned to Aſhes for Chriſt, denied Chriſt; they could not burn for him: What ſaith our Saviour? He that ſeeks to ſave his Life, ſhall loſe it. What Fools are they then who think that way to ſave their Bodies; for as they loſe their Souls, ſo they loſe their Bodies alſo: And it is not worſe to have the Body to …e in Hell-Fire for ever, than to be burned in Martyrdom, and be conſumed to Aſhes in Corporal Fire?
2. Conſider, that all ſuch who neglect this great Salvation, ſlight and neglect their own precious and immortal Souls: What is the Job 27. 8.Hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained, when God taketh away his Soul? He makes a bad Market that puts off his Soul at any Price; What ſhall a Man give in exchange of his Soul? Jeſus Chriſt, who knew the great worth of it, laid down a Price of infinite Value to redeem and purchaſe it. Witches they ſay ſell their Souls to the Devil out of Malice, to be revenged on ſome that have offended them: What a diſmal thing is that, how fearful is their State? But pray, Brethren, what do they loſe who ſell their Souls to the Devil, as it were, for the ſake of their brutiſh Luſts, or out of love to Sin? Thus the Whoremongers and unclean Perſons ſell their Souls, and Drunkards who will have their merry Bouts, their Cups and Pots, and ſilthy Companions, and may be their Whores too, let what will become of their immortal Souls: others will have their Pride and haughty Hearts, gay Clothes, and their deteſtable Dreſſes, though their Souls are clothed with Rags, and a crawling Worm knaws on them, and to Hell muſt be thrown at laſt, where the Worm dieth not, and the Fire is not quenched. Moreover, the carnal Worldling will be rich, he will lay up Gold and Silver, he will gain the World though he loſe thereby his own Soul. But remember, Sinners, Chriſt died for the Soul, this Salvation is the Salvation of the Soul; and does any wretched Sinner deſpiſe his Soul, or is it think you not worth his Pains to part with his Cups, with his ſinful Companions, with his or her Pride, unlawful Gain, or the love of this World, to ſave it for ever?
3. How does this tend to reprove ſuch who do expoſe their precious Souls to eternal Wrath, for the unjuſt Gain of Six-pence or a Shilling? Are there not too many ſuch in the World, who will cheat, lie and defraud their Neighbours for a ſmall matter of profit? O how dear will they one Day pay for that Gain!
4. How does this reprove likewiſe ſuch Parents that think they can never do enough for to enrich their Children, or get them great Portions, and care not what they eat, drink, wear, or how richly their Bodies are deck'd and adorned, but take no care of their immortal Souls, but rather indulge them in their Sins and vain and wicked Practices, and ſet alſo Soul damning Examples continually before their Eyes?
5. We may alſo infer from hence, what a mighty Charge, an amazing Charge Parents have committed to them; as alſo the Miniſters of the Goſpel, who are to take care and watch over the Souls of ſuch who are committed to them, as ſuch that muſt one Day give an Account of them.
6. Moreover, wo be to ſuch who deceive and blindly lead the Souls of Men to deſtruction, that are ſo exceeding precious: If the Blind lead the Blind, they will both fall into the Ditch.
7. Shall I exhort you, Sinners, to look to Chriſt for the Salvation of your Souls.
1. He bids you look to him; Look unto me, and be ye ſaved, all ye Ends of the Earth.
2. Conſider, that there is no other way to ſave your Souls, there is but one Saviour, and one way of Salvation: There is no other Name given under Heaven whereby we muſt be ſaved. He that receives Acts 4. 12.Chriſt, believes in Chriſt, ſhall be ſaved; and he that believes not ſhall be damned.Mark 16. 16.
3. If Life be more worth than all the World, certainly the Soul is more worth than ten thouſand Worlds. O do not part with it on any Terms, for it coſt Chriſt dear, the Price of his own Blood; his Heart-Blood was let out to ſave our Souls. Alas, there are ſome nevertheleſs that are like the falſe Prophets of old, who ſold the Souls of the People for a handful of Barley, and for a piece of Bread.Ezek. 13. 19.
4. How near may ſome of you be to Death; and if you have not got an Intereſt in Chriſt before then, what will become of your precious Souls?
5. Will you conſider what Means of Grace God is pleaſed to afford you for the good of your Souls, and know it is by the preaching of the Goſpel that God commonly ſaves the Souls of Men, I mean, that it is the Means he uſes for the begetting of Faith: Shall the Word have ſome good Effect upon your Souls this Day?
6. Conſider, all your Prayers, Tears, Alms-deeds, all Reformation of Life, Services, Duties and inherent Holineſs, cannot ſave your Souls; no, none but Chriſt, nothing but the Merits of Chriſt, it is his Blood alone that made your Peace, and muſt waſh away all the Guilt and Filth of your Sins. Your Souls, your precious Souls, O Sinners, are wounded, polluted, naked; what will you do? Nothing but Chriſt's Blood I tell you can heal them; nothing but his Fleſh, his Blood, can feed them; and nothing but his Righteouſneſs can clothe them; and nothing but the Graces of Chriſt's Spirit can inrich, can deck and adorn your Souls; and without Faith you cannot obtain any of thoſe Bleſſings.
O what ſhall I ſay to you, if going down upon my Knees could move you to lay to Heart what a ſad State you are in, who have not received by Faith this Salvation, and incline you now to believe, I would readily do it; but alas, it is God's Gift: O look up to him, do what you can, pray and attend on the Word: What do you ſay, do you believe that this is a Great Salvation? Will you eſteem it, and look after it above all things in the World? It is, Sirs, that one thing needful; chuſe with Mary that good Part that ſhall never be taken from you. Shall there be Joy in Heaven this Day? how can you ſlight ſuch a precious Soul, and ſuch a precious Saviour, who ſpilt his Blood to ſave the worſt of Sinners? Will you tread his Blood under your Feet? If ſo, what will you do at the Day of Death, and in the Day of Judgment? Should your Souls be loſt, there is no repairing that Loſs, no redemption of the Soul out of Hell, no other Price, no other Saviour, no other way; if this be ſlighted, you muſt periſh.