A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 1 · Chapter 4

A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament · Biblical tract · Volume 1 · Chapter 4

p. 20CHAP. IV. Of the Soul of MAN.

HAving diſcourſed largely of the excellency of the Body, which is but the Houſe, Scabbard; and Cabinet, the Soul is the Gueſt, the Sword, the Jewel in the Body: I now come to ſpeak of the Souls Excellency. (1.) in general, As the greateſt thing in the great world is Man, ſo the greateſt thing in the little world (Man) is the Soul, which Jacob calls his honour, Gen. 49.6. or glory (as the word [Chabod] ſignifies.) The Soul is the glory of a Man, not onelyonly as it is the Breath of life, and of a more noble nature than other Creatures) but alſo as it is a beam of Eternity, an abridgment of the inviſible, as the Body is of the viſible world, and as it is a Spirit that had its immediate original from the Father of Spirits, Hebr. 12.9. Gen. 2.7. Num. 16.22. and ſeeing the Soul is a nobler part of Man, than is the Body, therefore 'tis frequent in Scripture (Synecdochically) to put Soul for Man, and Souls for Men, Gen. 12.5. & 14.21. Exod. 1.5. &c. The very light of nature hath called it Divinoe particula Aurae, a Particle of Divine Breath: that the Soul is of a noble nature, is one of thoſe Natural principles which Philoſophers call [foreign] the common notions of the light of Nature, like that, the whole is greater than the part, and like that, one and two make three, &c. Nature dictates thoſe Truths, and ſo likewiſe, that the Soul of Man is an excellent Creature, and made for excellent employment; inſomuch that the Sage Heathen Seneca could ſay of his Soul, Major ſum, & ad majora natus ſum, quàm ut Corporis mei ſim mancipium; My Soul is a greater thing, and made for greater ends, than that it ſhould be a bond-ſlave to my Body. Hereupon Chriſt refers that great point, [that a Soul was better than the whole world, Matth. 16.26] to their own (though carnal) Conſciences, intimating, p. 21how it was Truth in it ſelf, and that if they had the leaſt ſpark of natural reaſon left in them, they muſt judge it to be ſo, the bare recital of it was ſufficient demonſtration: how much more doth the light of Grace (far clearer than that dim light of nature) diſcover the excellency of the Soul, that it is a pretious Jewel which God himſelf made up and laid up in the curious Cabinet of the Body, that at death is reſigned up unto God again! All Saints learn this leſſon from their dying Saviour, ſaying, Father, into thy hands I commend my Spirit, Luk. 23.46. Our Lord had received his Soul (as he was the Son of Man) from God, and now as a Sacred Depoſitum or pledge (his Father had betruſted him withal) he commits and commends it into his Fathers hands again, as a moſt faithful keeper of it, who within three days reſtored it to his Body at his Reſurrection. The like did David (who was Chriſts Father and figure) Pſal. 31.5. Into thy hands I commit my Spirit. And this leſſon that bleſſed Proto-Martyr Stephen learnt of his Saviour, Act. 7.59. Lord Jeſus receive my Spirit. This was one of the ſeven Sentences which our Saviour ſpake upon the Croſs, and though undoubtedly Stephen ſpake more than this (while he ſaw Heaven through a ſhower of ſtones) yet this was the ſum of all. The like Leſſon learnt learned Luther, whoſe laſt Prayer was this: My Heavenly Father, thou haſt manifeſted Chriſt to me, I have known him and taught him, and love him as my life, now draw my Soul to thy ſelf: I commend my Spirit into thy hands, thou haſt redeemed me, O God of truth, &c. The like Leſſon learnt moſt of the Holy Martyrs, according to the Divine Counſel of 1 Pet. 4.19. Committing the keeping of their Souls (as a moſt precious Depoſitum) unto God, as unto a faithful Creator, who will rather unmake all by his Creating power, than that any Soul (which he hath given to Chriſt) ſhould be marr'd or miſcarry. Our Saviour committed his Soul to God, both in his life, 1 Pet. 2.23. and at his death, Luk. 23.46. But what a wretch was that Huberus, who dyed with thoſe wicked words in his mouth, I yield my goods to the King, my Body to the grave, and my Soul to the Devil! On the contrary, this hath always been the comfort of Dying Saints, that they are aſſured Chriſt Jeſus (who dyed for them) ſhall at their diſſolutions receive their Souls into his ſafe and bleſſed cuſtody, to live with him, who is the life and the God of the living. Chriſt gave it as a Cordial to the penitent Thief, (dying with him on the Croſs) This day thou ſhalt be with me in Paradiſe, Luk. 23.43. which was an anſwer to the penitents Prayer, v. 42. Lord, when thou comeſt into thy glory, receive my Soul (as one of thine) into thy mercy: and this is the double priviledge of every true Believer, that they are born upon the wings of Prayer (into every condition good for them) while they live, and that their Souls are born upon the wings of Angels (into Abrahams boſome) when they dye, as Lazarus's Soul was, Luk. 16.22. As the Palſey-man was let down in his Couch through the roof of the houſe by his loving Relations, before Jeſus, Luk. 5.13. ſo is every good Soul taken up in an Heavenly Charet through the roof of his houſe, and carried into Chriſts preſence by theſe Heavenly Courtiers; the Angels conveys it ſafe through the Air, which is the Devils Territories, as he is Prince of the Air, Eph. 2.3. Not unlike as Gods Hoſt (the Angels) conducted Jacob through all his dangers, Gen. 32.1, 2. & 48.16. The Angels met Jacob, as Servants meet their Maſters, or as Nurſes meet their Nurſe-Children; The great King of Heaven commits his Children to the Tuition of Angels while they li…e, Pſal. 91.11. They bare them all that time (as the Nurſes doth the Babes) in their boſome, always ready to ſecure them from the roaring Lyon that rangeth up and down to devour them; they do fight for them (in battle-aray) againſt all their Enemies, Dan. 10.20. and pitch their tents round about them night and day, Pſal. 34.8. Then, when the Nurſe-Children come to be weaned and drawn off from the world, (their work there being done, that their Father gave them to do, Joh. 17.3.) the Angels (thoſe Nurſes) carries them home at their Fathers command, to their Fathers houſe, through their Enemies Country, into Abrahams boſome; ſo that all Gods Children may call Death (as Jacob did the place where he met the Angels) Mahanaim, becauſe there the Angels do meet them (as their Convoy) when they dye, ſecuring their Souls from all thoſe Pyrats (the Devil's) that would both intercept and deſpoil them; yea, ſafely tranſporting them into the Cape of Good Hope, and into the Fair Haven of Everlaſting Happineſs.

(2ly.) More particularly, the Soul of Man hath a manifold Excellency, as (1.) It hath a moſt Noble Original: when the Lord God had made up Mans Body (as the Potter furniſheth up his Veſſel) out of the Clay, then he animated it, by inſpiring into it a living and Rational Soul or Spirit. The Soul of Man is not deduced or derived out of any power in the matter of the Body, nor made of any matter at all as his Body was, and as the Soul of a Beaſt is, (which Solomon obſerveth, as much differing the one from the other, Eccleſ. 3.21.) but it is a Spirit Immaterial and Immortal, ſo had its immediate Original from the Father of Spirits; God who is a Spirit, gave this Spirit or Soul to the Body by way of Infuſion, Superſlation, or Breathing upon it, (as out of his mouth) that he might make him a perfect man, conſiſting of an Earthly body, and of an Heavenly Soul: God (indeed) made the Brutes living Creatures, but 'tis not ſaid, that he breathed upon them the breath of life, as he did upon Man, Gen. 2.7. God Created the Souls of p. 22Beaſts together with their Bodies, out of thoſe humours and vital Spirits which do exiſt in them; and thoſe humours corrupting, that Spirit or Soul of Beaſts (which is but a vapour) corrupteth alſo and periſheth: but he made Man a more noble Creature than Beaſts, in two reſpects. (1.) In his Body, erected to look up with our Eyes to Heaven. (2.) In his Soul, not ariſing out of the Humours of the Body, but infuſed from without, even from God himſelf; hence is he call'd the God of Spirits, Zech. 12.1. Job 33.4. Num. 16.22. & 27.16. and this Spirit does not dye with the Body (as that of Beaſts doth) but is ſeparable from the Body, and returns to God that gave it, Eccleſ. 3.21. & 12.7. to receive its doom from him either good or evil. God is the Maker of Souls, Iſa. 57.10. & 42.5. & Jer. 38.16.

(2ly.) The Soul hath a moſt noble Nature, as before, inſomuch, that it was an old and an odd opinion, that there was a Deity in it; this was long ſince exploded for Heterodox by the Orthodox: Ariſtotle (Natures Secretary) judged it a Divine thing: however, this is certain, the Soul (as to Matter) is more excellent than the Heavens, and (as to Nature) not inferiour to Angels: 'tis of ſuch a Noble Nature, that it is of near Allyance to the Divine Nature from whence it cometh. 'Tis a queſtion in Philoſophy, whether a Fly be a more noble Creature than the Sun, and 'tis concluded in the Affirmative, upon this ground, becauſe the Fly is an Animate thing, & the Sun is Inanimate, and that which hath life in it, muſt needs be more noble than that which hath it not, though otherwiſe never ſo glittering and glorious: 'tis alſo diſputed among Philoſophers, whether one Star be not of a more noble nature than the whole Globe of the Earth; and this alſo is granted, ſeeing Coeleſtia… Matter muſt needs be better than the Terreſtrial, which was but the dregs of the firſt Chaos. How much more noble Nature is the Soul then of!

(3ly.) The Soul hath the moſt Noble Rank in the whole Creation: God hath placed the Soul among all his other Creatures, in the nobleſt condition: it was the Soul that God gave dominion overall the works of his hands unto. All things are put under the feet of the Soul, Pſal. 8.5, 6, 8. The Body is but the Souls ſervant, and all other Creatures are but the ſlaves and drudges of the Soul, God made it the Lord and owner of all.

(4ly.) The Soul hath the moſt noble ſtamp upon it. Gold is precious, in regard of its Matter and Subſtance; but when it is Coined, and comes from the Mint, with a Princes ſtamp upon it, then onelyonly is it currant Coin, and more precious than before. So this noble nature of the Soul hath a noble Image engraven upon it: There is a twofold Image of God upon the Soul. The firſt is in the ſubſtance of it, as it is one Immaterial, Immortal, and Intelligent Spirit, diſtinguiſh'd into three powers, (the Mind, Will, and Memory) all which make up one Soul. This Image is never loſt, Gen. 9.6. The ſecond is in its Divine Qualities, Knowledge, Holineſs, and Righteouſneſs. This Image is loſt by the firſt Adam, and cannot be reſtored but by the ſecond.

(5.) The Soul hath the moſt noble proviſion made to preſerve it. The moiſture of the Earth feeds the Plants, the Graſs of the Field feeds the Beaſts, &c. yea, and Bread that periſheth feeds the Body; but God hath provided Bread from heaven, Angels food to feed the Soul: his Word and Sacraments exhibits to us a pretious Chriſt, whoſe Fleſh and Blood is Meat and Drink indeed, Joh. 6.55, 56. Chriſt is call'd the Shepherd and Biſhop of Souls, 1 Pet. 2.25. he hath (by way of eminency) Curam Animarum, both the Care and the Cure of Souls; therefore hath he ordained Holy Ordinances both for its Food and Phyſick: this Prince and principal Paſtor hath appointed the means of Grace, as [Pabulum Animae] the green paſtures of the Soul, Pſal. 23.1, 2. wherein this chief Shepherd feedeth the Sheep that belong to, and keep in his ſheepfold, bidding them eat and drink abundantly there, Cant. 5.1. he feedeth his Church among the Lillies, Cant. 2.16. on Mountains of Spices, Cant 8.14. Chriſt feeds them and feaſts them daily and daintily with the beſt of the beſt, Iſa. 25.6. in thoſe glorious Ordinances, wherein the Saints go in and out; that is, out of one green paſture into another, with refreſhed Souls: what the Tree of life was to Adams Body before the fall, that the Tree of Ordinances are to Believers Souls after the fall: An Ordinance now is to the Soul, what the River Jordan was to Naamans Body, 'twas not any intrinſick vertue in the water, but the Divine Inſtitution which gave it an healing vertue: ſo the Ordinance (materially taken) hath not in it ſelf any Spiritual good to convey to the Soul, ſave only by Divine appointment. And in as much as Chriſt hath appointed not only feeding but alſo phyſicking Ordinances for the Soul, and rather than the Soul ſhould not proſper, 3 Epiſt. Joh. v. 2. he giveth his fleſh and blood to feed and phyſick it. The Travel of Chriſts Soul, is the cure of ours, Iſa. 53.11. As if the Phyſicians death were the beſt Medicine to make his Patient live. All this Soul-care and Cure from Chriſt, evidenceth the Souls excellency.

(6ly.) The moſt noble price that ever was paid in the world, was laid down for the Soul, when it was loſt, taken captive, and enthralled by Satan. God counted nothing too good and too dear to redeem it. The Soul was not then redeemed with corruptible things, as Silver and Gold, (which are the moſt pretious things in the world; yet are they but corruptible things, and p. 23therefore far below the worth of an Incorruptible Soul) but the Peerleſs price for purchaſing the pretious Soul (when loſt) muſt be no leſs than that Pearl of great price, (Matth. 13.45, 46.) paid down as a ranſome for it, it was no leſs than the pretious blood of Chriſt, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. which Bernard calls, Animae pretioſae Ineſtimabile pretium, an unvaluable price for a pretious Soul, the Blood of this Lamb of God was not the Blood of a mere-man, but of God-man; hence 'tis call'd the Blood of God, Act. 20.28. The Soul of Man is ſo pretious, that God is ſaid there to purchaſe it with his own Blood. 'Tis call'd there the Blood of God, not as if there were any Blood or Fleſh in God (who is a Spirit) but by a Communication of properties in God-Man our Redeemer, to ſet forth the ineſtimable value and vertue thereof. Hence the Schools do ſay, that one drop of Chriſts Blood was ſufficient for the whole world, as to the dignity of the perſon, and natural value of the thing; yet not ſo by a value poſitive, in reſpect of the Covenant. Chriſts Blood was more precious and more profitable than Davids, who ſaid, what profit is there in my Blood, Pſal. 30.9. but oh how precious and profitable was Chriſts Blood, wherein there was both a [foreign] a price of ranſome from Hell, and a price of purchaſe for Heaven. Now ſeeing the redemption of the Soul is ſo precious, Pſal. 49.8. and Money will bear no Maſtery in the things of the Soul, it follows then that it is a moſt precious thing.

(7ly.) The moſt noble place that ever was made in both worlds, was framed for the reception and Manſion-houſe of the Soul, to wit, the Third Heaven, that Heaven of Heavens, Hebr. 12.23. &c. This is the order of Nature, that the baſeſt things be below, and the choiceſt and pureſt be above. Thus the dreggy lumpiſh earth is below our feet, but the pure Heaven is above our heads. Our worthleſs lumber we lay in our Cellars underneath, but our Treaſure and Jewels we chamber them above. Thoſe moſt glorious Bodies (the Sun, Moon, and Stars) are placed in the Heavens above us, yet is there an Heaven which we cannot ſee, (ſave only the underceiling of it) the higheſt and therefore the richeſt of all the Heavens, this was made for a receptacle of the Souls of juſt men made perfect. Our Jewels (which are our choiceſt treaſure) we keep them in the richeſt Cabinets: ſo this higheſt Heaven (the richeſt and moſt pretious of all places) was created as a Cabinet to contain the moſt pretious Soul, therefore it is called [Sedes Beatorum] the ſeat of the bleſſed, the Paradiſe of God, wherein are many Manſions of glory, Joh. 14.2. Now if the outſide and the underceiling (which we behold) of this glorious room be ſo glittering and ſo glittering and ſo beſpangl'd with Stars, how much more glittering and glorious is the inſide, wherein the Souls of the Saints ſhall live and reign with Chriſt for ever!

(8ly.) and laſtly, The Soul is a moſt noble thing, in reſpect of all its four Cauſes, Efficient, Material, Format, and Final. 1. The efficient cauſe was Elohim, who call'd a Counſel, only for making Man a living Soul; the Lord God conſulted not about making any other Creature, ſave only Man. 2. The material cauſe, the Soul was a quinta eſſentia, a noble and Divine ſubſtance, a Spiritual matter, more pure than the Heavens, and of the ſame nature with Angels. 3. The formal cauſe, the Soul was made not after the ſimilitude of any Created thing, but after the Image of God (himſelf) the Creators, both in reſpect of its ſubſtance and qualities. 4. The final cauſe both of the Creation of the Soul, and of its redemption alſo, was (1.) That it might be the Temple of God, and the Habitation of his Holy Spirit in this world. (2.) That it might Temple with God, and ſit ſhining upon a Throne in the world to come. This noble end in both worlds (together with the other three cauſes) make the Soul like Saul, higher by the head and ſhoulders, than all other Created Beings.

It follows then, that it is a moſt fooliſh thing to play away ſuch a noble and pretious Soul, (which God hath given to Man,) unto Satan, for his Toys and Trifles only. We do judge the ignorant Indians very injudicious, in making away their Gold and Jewels (by way of barter and exchange) onelyonly for old Mettal and gawdy Pictures: and our Courts of Judicature doth judge thoſe Children to be natural Fools by Law, that will part with Gold for Counters; ſuch a one is deemed (not Compos Mentis) incapable of inheriting his Parents Eſtates, and ſo the Judge doth diſinherit him. But this bartering away of a moſt pretious Soul for a few toys of worldly Treaſure, Pleaſure, and Honour, is far worſe than either of the former; and none but Children and Fools would make ſuch fond Bargains: Oh how unfit are ſuch to be betruſted with the true riches, Luk. 16.11, 12. or with a truly rich Soul! ſo it is in it ſelf, and its own nature: Yet many ſuch fools and children there are, (we ſee) in the world ſo betruſted, which ſell away their Souls for traſh and trumpery, pro Theſauro Carbones; 'tis a ſorry exchange of a Pearleſs Pearl for poor Pebles, a gaining of dung, and loſing a Diamond. Oh how unworthy are they of ſuch a pretious Soul, that dare ſell their own Souls, as the falſe Prophets did the Souls of the people, only for handfuls of barley, and for a piece of bread, Ezek. 13.19. like ſo many baſe Gypſies, or common beggars, a pretious Soul was no more ſet-by by them. Such do little conſider, (1.) The worth of their Souls, while they are yet in their hands unſold away. If a Jeweller after much pains and skill in poliſhing his Jewel into a moſt exquiſite piece, cannot chuſe but be much p. 24troubled to ſee his precious Pearl faln into the hands of ſuch Fools or Children, as neither know how to value it, nor how to uſe it: So this rare and choice piece (wrought by Jehovah the Jeweller) ſo tranſcendent in its due and true eſtimate, that the Spirit of God ſeems at a ſtand to find out any thing to equal the Soul in its value, ſaying, What ſhall he give in exchange for his Soul, Mark 8.37. We may ſay after the manner of Men, that God cannot be well pleaſed to ſee a precious Soul (of his making, Iſa. 57.16. Jerem. 38.16.) fall into a fools hand, that hath no Head nor Heart to improve it, Prov. 17.16. Oh what ſublime ſtupefaction even ſtuns the minds of moſt men, that they do not conſider the worth of the Soul, but wilfully cuts the Throat of it, and having no Heart to look after Heaven, while it may be had, do trifle away their precious Souls in their ſinful courſes, and their hard and impenitent Hearts do plainly fool away their own Salvation! (2.) As they do not conſider the worth of the Soul, ſo neither do they conſider the loſs of it, what kind a loſs, the loſs of a precious Soul is: they conſider not, 1. That it is an incomparable matchleſs loſs, yea though a Man ſhould gain the whole world by loſing the Soul; Chriſt (himſelf) declares it a moſt ſilly ſale, and no better than a bruitiſh Bargain, Matth. 16.26. All the world cannot weigh in worth againſt one Soul. This was the Divine Sentence that Francis Xaverius gave John the Third King of Portugal to meditate every day one quarter of an hour on: to wit, What ſhall it profit, to win the whole world, and to loſe one Soul? Wherein our Saviour deals with the worlds darlings to convince them of their mad folly, as Elijah dealt with Baals Prieſts, to convince them of their groſs Idolatry, 1 Kin. 18.23, 24, 25, 30, 33. where Gods Prophet (in his Tryal by Sacrifice) grants them all the advantages that might be, (leſt it ſhould be pretended, that their God was ſullain, and therefore ſilent) and takes all the diſadvantages to himſelf. He gives them dry wood, and takes wet wood to himſelf, &c. that the Miracle might be more manifeſt and without exception, yet was he too hard for them: even ſo Chriſt here grants the worldling all the advantages of the world, all that the whole world can afford to its darlings, to wit, pelf pomp, and pleaſure, yet one pretious Soul (though never ſo wet with the water of adverſity) outweighs all the world; there is no Compariſon between them, the loſs of it is an incomparable loſs. If to loſe a mans life for money, be look'd on as a madneſs, what is it to loſe the Soul, which (indeed) cannot be loſt in reſpect of being and property, though it may be in reſpect of well-being and felicity. As there is no compariſon betwixt a mans pretious life and his periſhing wealth, (ſo that skin for skin, and all that he hath will he give for his life, Job 2.4. that is, any skin, of Cattle, Servants, Children, to ſave himſelf in a whole skin; the Traveller parts with his purſe to the Robber, and the Mariner with his Cargo to the ſtorm, that their lives may be ſpared) ſo there is leſs compariſon 'twixt worldly vanities and a moſt pretious Soul. Seeing (1.) the light of nature hath Philoſophiz'd, that Man is nothing elſe, but a Soul cloathed with a Body, and that this noble Gueſt and Royal Inhabitant dwells in it as in an houſe of clay, or in a bag of duſt; and therefore perſons are uſually called Souls, the more excellent part denominating the whole; yea, and that the Soul was made for noble imployment, and ſhould not be brought into ſubjection unto any ſordid things below its own excellency, as worldly things be. (2.) The light of grace doth much more Theologize, that the Soul is a moſt precious Jewel, which God (himſelf) hath laid up for a little time in the curious Cabinet of the Body, Pſal. 139.15, 16. and therefore all the Saints in all ages, learnt this leſſon from their dying Saviour, to reſign up this Jewel (which they had from God) at death, unto God again. Though our dying Redeemer did commit his dear Mother to his beloved Diſciples care, Joh. 19.27. yet did he commit this precious Jewel, (his precious Soul) to his Heavenly Fathers care, Luk. 23.46. (3.) It was Chriſts judgment, which is certainly Infallible, (as he is Truth it ſelf, and cannot lye) that the whole world is not to be compared to the worth of a Soul: no doubt but Chriſt, who went to the price of Souls, (in his dying to purchaſe Souls) muſt needs beſt know the worth of Souls. He judged them worthy of his own precious life, as he dyed that they might live. Oh how unworthy then are they of precious Souls, that will ſell them away even for a thing of nought, for which our dear Redeemer paid ſo dear to purchaſe them, as with his own precious life, (the beſt and pureſt life that ever was lived by any Mortal Man) yet thought he the purchaſe of Souls better than it; we are all bought with ſo great a price, 1 Cor. 6.20. What a ſhame it is, that Man ſhould be foreign, a life-loving Creature, as the Heathen call'd him, and not alſo foreign, a Soul-loving Creature, ſeeing the Soul is more precious than the precious life it ſelf. (4.) This hath been the judgment of all the Saints in all the Ages of the world, who always valued their precious Souls far above their precious lives. 'Tis true, life is ſweet (as we ſay) and Man is naturally both fond of life, and fearful of death, which therefore Ariſtotle calls foreign, the moſt terrible of terribles, and the Scripture better, the King of terrours, Job 18.14. as it is more terrible to fleſh and blood than any other thing , and carries away the principality from all, inaſmuch as nothing terrifies nature ſo much, as that which hath a tendency to death, which is Natures Executioner, Gods p. 25Curſe, and Hells Purveyour; hence 'tis ſaid, Revel. 6.8. that death haleth Hell at the heels of it. Hence it is, that the Conquered in a Field-Battel are content to be ſtript of their all, ſo the Conquerour but give them Quarter for their Lives: and that the Mariners in a Sea-ſtorm lift overboard their lading into the Sea, rather then hazard their own lives thereby: Hence it was that the Gibeonites would not refuſe to become Iſraels perpetual ſlaves, ſo their lives might be preſerved, Joſh. 9.24. Their ſlavery was a Civil death, which yet they ſubmit to, that they might be freed from a natural death: yet we find upon Record, that the Holy Martyrs did prize their Souls above their Lives, they would let Life, Liberty, and all go, rather than ſin againſt their own Souls: they durſt not purchaſe their own Lives at too dear a rate, which (they judged) would have been done, have they pawn'd their Conſciences, and paid away their Honeſty and Holineſs to ſave them: He that thus ſaveth his life (Chriſt ſaith) ſhall loſe it, Matth. 10.39. that is, he that redeemeth his Life with the forfeiture of his Faith, and with the Shipwrack of his Conſcience, makes no better than a great loſers bargain, for whiles in running from death as far as he can, he runs to death as faſt as he can; and that from a leſſer to a greater death. Chriſt will kill ſuch Cowards (that are ſo fearful of death natural) with both death Spiritual and Eternal, Revel. 2.23. he will ſentence ſuch Apoſtates unto a double damnation: Hereupon theſe Bleſſed Saints loved not their lives unto death, Revel. 12.11. but by loſing their lives, rather than defile their Souls) they ſaved both Life and Soul. The line of their loſt lives was hid in the endleſs Maſs of Gods ſureſt mercies; their ſilver of a life natural, was changed into the gold of life eternal; their death-days of miſery, were their birth-days of felicity, and the day-break of their eternal brightneſs: they ever thought it a very bad market to play away their precious Souls at any paultry price, and that they could not be profited by all the profits of the world, ſhould they barter away their precious Souls for them: Thoſe Ancient and Primitive Chriſtians did demonſtrate as much glorious power in the Faith of Martyrdom, as they had done in the Faith of Miracles: and then was ſeen the Savageneſs of the perſecutors, plainly conquered by the Faith and patience of the perſecuted, yea, our Modern Martyrs loved not their lives, when they could no longer live without ſinning againſt their Souls; when 'twas ſaid to one of them, Life is ſweet, and 'tis an unbearable burden to burn, he anſwered, 'Tis indeed ſo to all ſuch as have their Souls linked to their Bodies, as a Thiefs foot is to a pair of fetters: And another not long ago could ſweetly ſay, If I may no longer live as Gods ſervant, I am very willing to dye as his ſacrifice. All thoſe priz'd their Souls above their Lives. (2.) Vain men doth not conſider, that the loſs of the Soul (as 'tis incomparable, ſo it) is an unvaluable loſs, a total loſs: the loſs of all is the deepeſt and moſt deplorable loſs that can befal us. 'Tis a common ſaying, When life is gone, all is gone; but much more may it be ſaid of the Soul, when the Soul is gone all is gone. All our good in this world goes with the Life, but all our good in both worlds goes with the Soul: it had been better for us we had never been born, Matth. 26.24. to wit, for Judas his own particular. When Parmenio complain'd to Great Alexander, that they had loſt their Paggage and Ammunition, Tuſh, ſaid that Brave General, let us but win the field, then all will be recovered again with advantage. So if the Soul doth but fight the good fight of Faith, and win the field, all other loſſes are not to be laid to heart; we ſhall be more than gainers, if Conquerours, yea we ſhall be more than Conquerours, Rom. 8.37. even Triumphers, 2 Cor. 2.14. If the Soul be ſafe, all is ſafe; if the Soul do but live by Faith, Habb. 2.4. then through Faith in Chriſt we overcome before we fight; we do not only overcome, but over-overcome (as the word foreign ſignifies) we are both ſure and ſecure of victory, while our Redeemer rideth upon us upon his white horſe conquering and to conquer, Revel. 6.2. and is the Captain of our Salvation, Hebr. 2.10. Our Faith in the Son of God, (who had (himſelf) broke the Serpents Head, and leaves only Tail-temptations for us, which yet he ſtrengthens us to ſubdue) doth aſſure us of the Victory. 1 Joh. 5.4. Rom. 8.38. Suppoſe a Ship in a ſtorm at Sea Ship in much water, and the wares be ſpoild with Sea-water; If the Veſſel can but live at Sea, Ride out the ſtorm, and weather the point, yea Arrive ſafe to the Haven with all the lives of the Sea-men, This Qualifies all the other loſſes, ſhe is capable of a new Cargo, which (with Gods bleſſing) may make a double Amends for former loſſes: but if the ſtorm prevail, Run down the Ship, (with all the Wares and lives) into the Deep, This loſs (is) unvaluable, being a Total loſs: So if the Soul can but live on a Sea of Adverſity, on this Sea of Glaſs mingled with fire (as this world is, Revel. 15.2.) All will be well (ſay ſo from me ſaith God to the Righteous, for their Comfort and Encouragement) Iſa. 3.10. So they can but Hold faſt their Righteouſneſs and not let it go, Job 27.6. Tob (that is Good) ſhall betide them; what ever befal others, God will be with the Good, 2 Chron. 19. laſt, and will do them all manner of good at the laſt, Deut. 8.16. as he did to Righteous Job, whoſe latter end the Lord bleſſed far more than his beginning, Job 42.12. But if the Soul ſink and Founder at Sea, and ſuffer Shipwrack, (and ſo will it certainly do if Chriſt be not its Pilot, and ſit at the Stern, Joh. 16.33. and 17.15.) then the Veſſel, the wares, and all the World is gone with it. Better had it p. 26been we had never been born (as Chriſt ſaid of Judas) Body and Soul both loſes their lives, both dye and are Damned for ever. Oh what a wretched loſs is this! (3.) Men do not conſider that the loſs of the Soul (as it is an Incomparable Matchleſs loſs, and an unvaluable Total loſs, ſo it) is alſo an Irrecoverable, Irreparable, and Final loſs: for after other loſſes of worldly things, there may be found ſome Supplys for Repairing them again, whether they be loſſes either by Sea or Land: A Merchant Adventurer may meet with many mighty loſſes either by Pyracy or by Shipwrack at Sea, which may Stun him, and make him Stagger in his eſtate and ſtanding; Yet poſſibly he hath Enſured his Goods, and then hath he a Recruit from the Enſuring office; or if this be not, he probably maketh ſome other Adventures either in the Mediterranean or Indian Voyages, and thoſe (with Gods bleſſing) are made ſo ſafe and ſucceſsful, that all his former loſſes are abundantly made up, and he made a man and a Rich Merchant again. So likewiſe loſſes by Land (whether by fire or by other Caſualtyes) are frequently (we ſee) repaired by Briefs: and how might a flouriſhing Trade (for a few years) Recover thoſe unſpeakable loſſes which ſo many worthy Citizens ſuſtained by that late (almoſt) Univerſal and moſt Dreadful Conflagration of this famous City! no doubt but Gods bleſſing hath made up many loſſes from his own fulneſs. A clear Inſtance of a great Land-loſs made up again to man by God, The Holy Scriptures gives us in that None-ſuch Job, whom the Devil (by Gods permiſſion) Stript Stark-naked of all his Creature-comforts, as Stark-naked as ever he was born, leaving never a Ragg to his Back: he left him as naked as he firſt found him Job 1.21. Naked, that is, not onelyonly without clothing, but alſo without Cattel, Children, or any worldly wealth, Eccles. 5.15. Pſal. 49.17. 1 Tim. 6.7. Yet after all this, the Lord turned again Jobs Captivity (that is, took him out of the Devils clutches, wherein he had been Captivated (as it were) in the Bands of Poverty, Sores, Contempt, &c.) and gave him twice as much as he had before, Job 42.10. his Riches were not onelyonly Reſtored, but Redoubled. Compare Job 1.3. with 42.12. God enclined the minds of all his Kinred and Acquaintance (whom Satan had Alienated from him, as he Complains, Job 19.13, 14, 15.) to come and Condole with him and Comfort him, yea and to countribute to him, either a Lamb, or a Sheep, or an Ox, or a Camel, &c. to ſtock him again (as ſome ſay) or however, a piece of Money and an Ear-ring of Gold every one gave him, as a recompence of his loſſes, Job 42.11. and the Lord bleſſed All, even to a Duplication of all, v. 12. yea (ſome Learned men ſay) The Lord did not onelyonly double Jobs Goods, but alſo his Graces, which were much impaired by his Unſufferable ſufferings, eſpecially, when he Curſed the day of his Birth, (through Impatience) though he did not (as the Devil both Suggeſted and expected) Curſe God to his face, Job. 1.11. and 3.8. So ſorely did this ſevere ſhower of diſtreſs fall upon him, that it did not onelyonly wet him to the skin (though he ſecured himſelf dry under the ſhield of Patience in the two former Chapters) but it began here to ſoak into his Soul, as afterwards it did in many other paſſionate and Impatient expreſſions: wherein he chargeth God, for Dealing unkindly, if not unjuſtly with him. Yet when the Lord (who had over-heard all) and takes him up for his ſinful ſpeeches, ſaying, Who is this that talketh thus? How now? Job 38.2. preſently Job was not onelyonly Huſht, Job 40.4, 5. but alſo Humbled, Job 42.6. and though Job did not loſe his Graces (as he did his Goods) as to the ſubſtance and Root of them (which all along Remained in him, Job 19.28.) yet loſt he the luſtre and ſhine of them, but the Splendour thereof was certainly recovered; yea by (as well as after) his ſorrows and ſufferings, his very experience did both breed and increaſe his Hope, Faith, and Patience, Rom. 5.3, 4. Thus we ſee, not onelyonly loſſes Temporal, but alſo Spiritual may be recovered. There is a [poſt Naufragium Tabula] a plank to ſwim ſafe to ſhore on after Shipwrack: Thus the Antient Fathers calleth Repentance, as it is a Recovery of the loſt Image of God in man (ſeeing True penitency is (Tantamount, or) aequivalent to a thorough Innocency) thereby man is brought out of the State of Sin into the State of Grace, and the Image of Chriſt is ſtamped afreſh upon the Soul: and ſeeing the Soul is ſubject to Spiritual loſſes even in the State of Grace by the Diſtempers of ſin (though they be freed from the State of ſin) and Spiritual witherings may come upon it, as they did upon Jobs Soul as aforeſaid, and upon Davids Soul, much more in his foul falls from God: Yet were they (though foul) not Final falls. David did not loſe his Salvation, twas onelyonly the Joy of his Salvation, which yet the Free and noble Spirit, of God reſtored to him. Pſal. 51.8, … 10, 11, 12. All thoſe kinds of Temporal and Spiritual loſſes are recoverable; but this loſs … the Soul is a final and an Irrecoverable loſs, like the loſs of life, which is as water ſpilt upon … …round, and cannot be gather'd up again, 2 Sam. 14.14. who would therefore give his life for a…e world, ſeeing the loſs of it is Irreparable, and can never be recompenced from the Cre…, much leſs the loſs of the Soul: Alas the day will come when ſuch as have ſinned againſt … …ouls, Hab. 2.10. and are Sinners againſt their own Souls, Num. 16.38. yea have ſinned aw… their Souls, ſhall find their loſs irrecoverable. All ſuch as ſpend the Span of this Tranſitory …e after the ways of their own wicked hearts, Eccleſ. 11.9. do ſin againſt their own Souls, Hab. 2.10. and are Sinners againſt their own Souls, Num. 16.38. and thereby deſtroy them, and both Soul p. 27and Body do periſh for ever: for what Poiſon is to the Body, that ſin is to the Soul: yet how freely and fully do Vain men feed upon it, as if it were Meat or Medicine, and not Poiſon! We Read of the Tartarians, that they will feed luſtily upon dead Horſes; of the Turkiſh Gally-ſlaves, that they will Eat Opium (an Ounce at a time) as if it were Bread; and of the Maid (in Pliny) that did Eat Spiders; and of Mithridates, who had made Poiſon ſo natural to him, that when he would have Poiſoned himſelf (being Captive to the Romans) he could not. Yea, Joſeph Scaliger ſpeaks of Spiders in Italy to have ſuch a Poiſonous nature, as they will kill him that treads upon them, and they will break a Glaſs if they do but creep over it. Yet this Poiſonful nature falls far ſhort of the Poyſon of ſin, in as much as Moral poyſon is worſe than Natural; and that which kills the Soul, exceeds that which onelyonly can kill the Body. Tis a wonder how men dare take ſuch hearty and deep Draughts of this Poyſon of ſin, So hateful to God, and ſo hurtful to men. (1.) Tis ſo hateful to God, that it made God (1.) Repent he had made Man. (2.) Deſtroy all Dumb Creatures with a Deluge. (3.) Not ſpare his own Son, &c. this makes God hate ſin with a perfect hatred. (2.) Hurtful to men: the leaſt Sin is Mortal to the Soul (as the leaſt Poyſon is to the Body) and if the Soul dye, the Body cannot live. This Sinful ſin, Rom. 7.13. is deſtructive and Damnable both to Soul and Body. Hence the Apoſtle could find no Name bad enough for it but its own name, calling it foreign, Sinful Sin. If he that provoketh an Earthly King to Anger, doth ſin againſt his own Soul, Prov. 20.2. how much more he that provokech the King of Heaven by Sin, which is ſo Execrable, ſo Deteſtable, and ſo Intolerable to him! why ſhould it be foreign an eaſie work (as the word ſignifys, Acts 18.14. to be wickedly Lewd, or Lewdly wicked, and ſo to Damn our own Souls, yea and bodies too, and that for ever. 'Twas therefore well ſaid by Maximilian (King of Bohemia, and afterwards Emperour) to the Pope (who perſwaded him to be a good Catholick, with many promiſes of profits and preferments) The King anſwered, I thank your Holineſs for your kind offers, but the weal of my Soul is of more worth to me than the whole World; to this the Pope angerly replyed, that he ſpoke like a Lutheran. See Hiſt. Council of Trent, p. 429. Though this wholeſom form of ſpeech pleaſed not the Pope, yet that of Lewis King of France diſpleaſed the Pope much more, who caſt his Bulls (whereby he required the fruits of Vacancies of all Cathedral Churches in France) into the fire, ſaying, I had rather the Popes Bulls ſhould Roſt in the fire, than that my Soul ſhould Fry in Hell. Speed, 496. year 1152. As the woman with two Children, the one loved and pamper'd, the other Hated and Starved, the pamperd child falls ſick and dyes, and before its Death ſhe caſt ſome care (when too late) on the Starved child: So do too many with the Body and Soul: As the woman who had her houſe on fire, was altogether taken up to ſave her Lumber from the flames, and all the while forgot ſhe had left her child in the Cradle, but remembring when too late, ſhe cryed out moſt Horribly, Oh my child, my child, I have forgot my child. Thus do many men (till too late) forget their Dear and pretious Souls, while Toiling, about the Lumber of the world, for the Body onelyonly. The loſs of the Soul is a loſs of All, and a loſs for ever. The reaſons be theſe. (1.) Though fooliſh Sinners ſhould ſay after Death (when launched out into an Eternity of woe) the words of Chriſt [What ſhall we Give in Exchange for our Souls] yet then they have nothing to give for their Souls Redemption. Their Riches have then taken the Wing, Death robbed Dives of all his poſſeſſions, Then his friends were ſcrambling for his Goods, Worms for his body, and Devils for his Soul, when he ſlept his ſleep, Pſal. 76.5. that long Iron Sleep of death (as the Poets call it) he left his Wealth to others, Pſal. 49.10. when he dyed be carryed nothing away, v. 17. Job 1.21. and 1 Tim. 6.7. Eccleſ. 5.15. Death as a Porter ſtands at the Gate and ſtrips men of all their worldly wealth, leaving them not an Half-penny to pay their fare over the Stygian lake, as the Poet ſaid. And he was but a fooliſh fellow, who when he ſaw he muſt dye, claps a piece of Gold into his mouth, ſaying Some wiſer than ſome, Ille take this along with me. Worldly wretches would gladly carry the world out of the world, but the Apoſtle aſſureth them that it is impoſſible, ſaying, It is certain, as we do bring nothing into the world, we can carry nothing out of the world, 1 Tim. 6.7. Wherewith then ſhall the Soul be Redeemed in the place of the Damned, where there is puniſhment without pitty, miſery without mercy, ſorrow without ſuccour, crying without compaſſion, miſchief without meaſure, torments without end and paſt Imagination. Therefore (2.) Suppoſe the Damned ſhould have ſomething wherewith they might offer a price of their Redemption, Non eſſet Eſtimabile, It would utterly be Rejected. Money may be a Maſter and a Monarch in this world, but it bears no Maſtery in the other World: If Death will Regard no Reaſon, nor reſt ſatisfyed though …ou would give many Gifts (as Soloman ſaith of Jealouſy, Prov. 6.35.) If a man can never buy off Death though he would give never ſo much, as that Carnal Cardinal Beauford (the Chancelor of England in Henery the 6. time) upon his Death-bed complained, that his Vaſt riches would not Reprieve him from Death, crying out, Fie upon it, will money do nothing? will not Death be Hired? wherefore ſhould I die, being ſo Rich? If the whole Realm would bribe Death, I am able (quoth he) either by Policy▪ to procure it, or by Money to purchaſe it, &c. p. 28How much More unable is money (which cannot buy off Death) to buy off Damnation! for the Devils (thoſe Tormentors of Damned Souls) are far worſe than thoſe Medes which God ſet on to deſtroy Babylon, Iſa. 13.17. who would not regard Silver or Gold for a Ranſom, but kill all they came to; though never ſo Rich, and ready to Redeem their lives with their Riches: Alas, the Devils have far leſs Reaſon to Delight in Silver and Gold, than thoſe Medes had, who were Men with whom Money bears a Maſtery, not ſo with Devils: Riches may indeed be the ranſom of a Mans life from the wrath of men, Prov. …3.8. but they will not be the Ranſom of a Mans Soul from the wrath of God, Prov. 11.4. or the Rage of Devils. Hence the Rich Glutton is told of a Great Gulph twixt Heaven and Hell, Intimating his ſtate of Torment to be uncapable of any eaſe, much leſs of any Redemption, but was an Unchangeable and Eternal State, Luke 16.24, 26. (3.) That the Damned Souls do ſink into an irreparable irrecoverable State, may be further Argued and Illuſtrated, as (1.) Hell is cal'd the Bottomleſs pit, Revel, 9.1.11. and 11.7. and 17.8. and 20.1, 3. as if it were a dark Dungeon with a narrow entrance into it, and eternity to the bottom of it, ſo that Souls there are ever falling, and crying out [foreign] woe woe, quaſi foreign (not ever Lord) yet never do reach to the bottom. (2.) There is no Room for Repentance in this Damned eſtate: Now if ever, now or never, muſt we be reconciled to God. Now is the Accepted time, now is the day of Salvation, 2 Cor. 6.2. The Apoſtle beats upon the foreign this preſent now, becauſe oportunity is headlong bald behind, having never a Lock to catch hold of, and therefore if once paſt, is irrecoverable: if the day of Salvation be once over, it will never Dawn again: If we receive not Mercy while we are in the body, we can never (ſaith Cyprian) receive it when out of the Body; there is no Mercy, but all Juſtice then to be expected and endured. (3.) No man can by any means Redeem his Brother from Death, Pſal. 49.7. much leſs from Damnation, whatever the doting Dreams of Romiſh Doctrine ſay to the contrary; and therefore all the Money which hath been given for Maſſes, Diriges, Trentals, &c. for praying Souls out of Purgatory, hath been caſt away and loſt Money, for Money bears no maſtery in the other World; and that fictitious fire was deſigned and deviſed onelyonly to make the fire in the Popes Kitchin burn the brighter, ſeeing all that Money (ſo disburſed) doth purchaſe fewel for it. No nor the prayers and faſtings of ſurviving friends can recover a Soul out of Damnation. (4.) No nor the Holy Angels in Heaven can redeem a Soul out of the torments of Hell, for then there would be more Redeemers than one; but Chriſt is the onelyonly Redeemer, there is but one Mediator, 1 Tim. 2.5. both of Redemption and of Interceſſion, beſides him there is no Savour, Iſa. 43.11. 1 Joh. 2.1. the Papiſts therefore are groſs Idolaters in ſetting up Angels and Saints to be their Saviours: we ſhould acknowledge no other Maſter of requeſt in Heaven but Chriſt. (5.) No nor (yet higher) the very Bloud of Chriſt, and if any thing could, that would do it, but that cannot then Redeem a Soul, ex Inſtituto & Secundum pactum, according to the Divine Inſtitution and covenant of Grace, for thereby the Bloud of Chriſt was ſhed for the ſins which penitent Sinners do commit in this world, and not for thoſe ſins which impenitent Sinners carry with them out of this World into another. Their wilful and final refuſing of the Goſpel-remedy, and their Trampling under foot the Bloud of Chriſt (as if it had been the filthyeſt Dirt in the Street) maketh their Repentance in this Life Impoſſible, much more their Redemption in the next Life. There is no more Sacrifice for the ſins of ſuch, Heb. 2.3. & 3.19. & 6.4. & 10.26. (3.) As Vain men doth not conſider (1.) The worth, (2.) The loſs, So neither doth they conſider (3.) The exchange of their Souls, which is like the ſelling of the Jews [A damage that could not be countervailed] Eſth. 7.4. that is, It is not Hamans ten thouſand Talents, Eſth. 3.9. nor ten more to that, which can make up the loſs that the King is ſure to ſuſtain by the Slaughter of the Jews, ſuch a vaſt Diminution of the Annual Entradoes would happen thereby, how much more in the Exchange of the Soul, if a right eſtimate be made! there is no proportion 'twixt it and the World: for, (1.) There is the diſproportion of the moſt noble thing exchanged for that which is Ignoble, as before in eight particulars; in all exchanges or purchaſes, there ſhould be Charum pro chariori, ſomething dear given for what is more dear: Now the Soul being the very Elixir and Quinteſſence of all beings, ſo neer a kin to the Divine Nature, muſt needs be much more Noble than the baſe things of the World, for which too many do exchange them, though they be Dung to it. The (2.) Diſproportion is the exchanging of that which is eſſential and intrinſecal, for that which is onelyonly extrinſecal and circumſtantial, ſuch as the world is with all its Beauties and Braveries: Chriſt ſaid to his Diſciples, The Life is more worth than meat, and the Body than Raiment, Math. 6.25. now if the Body be more worth than Raiment, how much more is the Soul more worth than all the accidential things of the World? for 'tis the principal part; as (1.) We have our being by it: had it not been for the Soul, we had periſhed in the Conception, and been as the untimely fruit of a Woman: we have our continuance (as well as our original) from it: 'tis neither Riches nor Honours make a Man; Plato ſaith, Anima Cujuſ que eſt Quiſ que The Soul of every man is the Man himſelf: the Body is not mentioned in the ſtory, where 'tis ſaid, Man became a living Soul, Gen 2.7. and if the Body p. 29give not the being, much leſs Bodily goods, of which Cato could ſay, let men take them all away, I am Cato ſtill. We loſe not our ſelves, if we loſe not our Souls. (3.) The Soul gives us not onelyonly our being, but alſo our well being; If it be but well with the Soul, 'tis well with the Man, whatever his outward condition be; If the ſtate of the Soul be good, all is good: This made Paul and Silas ſing in Priſon, and all the Martyrs joy in tribulation: this made them happy in the midſt of miſery; on the contrary, the miſery of the Soul is the Soul of miſery: let a man have a Confluence and Quinteſſence of all created comforts, yet a wounded Spirit ſpoils and ſowers all, and makes him (for all this) a Man of miſery. The (3.) Diſproportion is, 'tis exchanging Eternal treaſure for Temporal traſh, which is as tranſitory as the Head-long Torrent, 1 Cor. 7.31. the Glory of this World is but a blaze, and then dyes. If it dye not to us, we ſhall to it, Eccleſ. 1.4. All are either as empty ſwelling Bubbles, or painted Butterflies, which quickly fall down, or fly away: but the Soul is Eternal, and goes to a place Eternal, as Elijah did; and then dropt are all worldly things, as he did his Mantle; they all have wings then to fly from us, and we from them, 1 John 2.17. Oh then exchange not thy Soul (with profane Eſan) for pottage, or with Dives for profit, then it goes to Eternal woe as his did: If not, thou reſerves it as a Diamond to beautify Heaven with, it ſhall ſparkle there Eternally (a Veſſel of mercy) upon the ſhelf of Glory, among glorifyed Saints and glorious Angels.