A Gospel Glass, Treatise · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Their regardleſſeneſs of Souls.
1. HOw Careleſs are we of our own Souls?
1. Ignorance of their preciouſneſs.O how few do believe they are men, having bodies that muſt dye, but Souls that will never dye? How few do believe that their bodies were given them to be ſerviceable to their Souls? Their heads, their hearts, their eyes, their ears, their hands, their feet, &c. were all to attend upon their ſouls, and to help them to Heaven: But this is not believed by many: As they are ignorant of the bleſſed God, who made them, and of Jeſus Christ, who came to redeem them, and know not whether there be an Holy-Ghost or no: So they are ignorant of the preciouſneſs of their Souls: Chriſt hath not given them eyes to read and underſtand that a man is not, cannot be, profited, if he ſhall gain the whole world, and loſe his own Soul. Chriſt's queſtions, what will it profit a man, &c. What ſhall a man give in exchange for his Soul? Matth. 16.26.Put it out of all queſtion. Alas! many, who carry the name of Chriſtians, deſerve not the name of men. When you begin to value your Souls, you begin to be men. Oh that men would value that, which once they ſhall, they muſt, value? The damned Spirits know now the worth of their Souls: How many will not?
2. Inconſiderateneſs.How few conſider the worth and preciouſneſs of their Souls? When do ſuch thoughts, as theſe, poſſeſſe you? Here in this earthly tabernacle, in this houſe of booths dwells a thing, that I never ſaid, that is worth a world: though here I crawl up and down, like a worm of two or three Cubits long, and am in danger to be thrown into an hole every day; yet I carry with me a Jewell, the loſs whereof the whole world cannot repair. How ſeldome do nominal Profeſſours conſider ſadly and ſeriouſly, what will become of their ſouls, when their excellency, Job. 4 21.which is in them, ſhall go, or journey, away, as Eliphaz ſpeaks? Examine your thoughts all the day long, from morning to Evening, and few are laid out for the Soul.
3. Caring …e for the body …han the …Are not all the thoughts and cares laid out upon the body, though the body be but clay, and the ſoul is a ſpirit, the body muſt dye; but the ſoul ſhall never dye? How frequently do we think of our …odies, what their wants, burthens, neceſſities are? but not ſo of our ſouls. How much of every day is ſpent in providing for thy body, but how little for thy ſou…? The body ſhould be but the ſoul's ſervant, yet men feed the ſlave, and ſtarve the child. The body muſt be fed every day, clad every day, yea adorned every day, and …hyſick'd if diſtempered; but the ſoul needs food, rayment, phy…ck continually, yet lyeth unregar…ed, is left miſerable, naked, ſtarved, &c. A ſervant hath two talents to keep, the child, and the child's cloaths: will the Maſter thank the ſervant, if he plead I have kept the cloaths; but I have neglected the life of the child? Thy body is but thy ſouls outward garment. How often have your Miniſters told you, that the ſoul was better than the body? and that your ſouls needed dayly care more than your bodies? and yet you look after the one, with the neglect of the other. A day is coming, when thou wilt wiſh thou hadſt been bred in the Field among the beaſts and worms, for that thou regardeſt thy ſoul no more, than if thou hadſt but the life of a beaſt: thou wilt wiſh thou hadſt been made a toad, a ſerpent, a worm, a dog, a ſwine, &c. for then thou ſhouldſt not have ſuffered to eternity, as now thou wilt, unleſs the eyes of thy underſtanding be opened to ſee, conſider, and make proviſion for thy precious, but periſhing ſoul. Thy body is periſhing every day, and thy ſoul is upon the borders of eternity: it muſt live for ever; and yet all thy care is for the body, which likely will not live threeſcore years and ten; but the ſoul is neglected, that muſt live threeſcore millions of years in hell without repentance, and then, when that date is over, thou art as far from the end of thy miſery, as thou waſt the firſt day, thou waſt thrown among the damned.
4. Strangeneſs towards our ſouls.How many will not ſpeak with their ſouls? They are greater ſtrangers to them, than the Londoners are to their next Neighbours. Didſt thou ever ask thy ſoul ſuch queſtions? O my ſoul how is it, how will it be, with thee? O my ſoul, in what ſtate art thou? O my ſoul, what will become of thee? O! what will become of thee in the next world?
5. Niggardlyneſs towards our ſouls.At what coſt were we any time for our jeoparded ſouls? The Phyſitian is conſulted with, if there be an ache upon the body: we will, with the woman, part with all, beggar our ſelves, to recover health of body. When did you know a man ſtarve himſelf, if he could have bread, and water, what ever it coſt? We will be at any expence of time, labour, and charges, to keep our bodies from ſtarving; but how are the Ordinances of God, the Word and Sacraments (the ſpiritual food of the ſoul) neglected? The fleſh muſt be ſatisfied; as for the ſoul, there is little regard to its well-being. 1 Pet. 2 2.We cannot endure to ſee a Cat, a Dog, a Beaſt want meat; but how eaſily do many digeſt the want of that milk, whereby they ſhould be maintained and grow? God (ſaith one) gives to theſe their requeſts, he gives them quailes, but ſends leanneſs into their ſouls.
6. How fearleſs are many of ſoul-loſſes? Fearleſsneſs of ſouls loſſes.how common is it for people to draw back from the ſervice of Chriſt? O! what is the matter? I ſhall loſe my eſtate, liberty, pay ſuch a fine, &c. They little conſider what their ſouls will loſe, if they do not perſevere, if they live not up their light. Profeſſours (pardon me that I miſcall you) though you are blind, and mad; and ſee not the worth of your ſouls; yet know, that your ſouls are the moſt conſiderable Jewels, you ſtand poſſeſſed of. All the world will not weigh with one ſoul. Thy money may ranſome thy body; nothing ſave Chriſts blood thy ſoul. Pauſe a while (Reader) and reflect on all thy ſinfull neglects of thy immortal Soul, leſt on thy death-bed thou ſhriek and cry, O my ſoul, whether art thou going?
2. Careleſsneſs of others ſouls.How little are the ſouls of others valued and cared for? how many maſters are there, that care no more for their ſervants ſouls, than for the dogs? nay not ſo much? Perhaps ſome of you are carefull that the bodies of your families be cloathed, be fed, &c. but the ſouls lie unprovided for: Soul-poyſoners not cenſured as they ought to be. Make nothing to lay poyſon for ſouls.more care is taken for the pigs, than for the ſouls.
1. How do we justly cenſure them as worthy of Capital puniſhments, that murther the bodies of men; but not ſo others who poyſon and deſtroy thouſands of ſouls?
How do you hate to have an hand in murthering the bodies of any, to lay poyſon for the deſtruction of any? and yet how commonly do men lay the poyſon of ill councell, and ill example before others to cauſe them to fall into the pit of hell, and are not affected with this great evil?
2. Not troubled at ſoul-murtherers.How troubled are we at any that kill bodies, or that murther others, but not ſo at the millions, that deſtroy their own and others ſouls, that have an hand in ruining, in damning themſelves and others?
3. If any neglect means that might have continued the life of their husbands, children, &c. how are they dejected? how do the wring their hands, and beat their breaſts? whereas, if by careleſsneſs, if by the neglect of their duties, if by evil example, they have deſtroyed their ſouls, they are not troubled about theſe matters.
4. Low eſteems of thoſe that prize their ſouls.How do you account meanly of all that take pains for their ſouls? that wait at the pools of Bethesda, that conſult Miniſters, and books, and attend on the Ordinances for their ſouls, whilſt you account it your wiſdome to lay out the moſt, if not all, of your time for your bodies? Haſt thou the name of a Chriſtian? I pray God to let one word to ſink into thine heart; thou haſt not Chriſt, thou haſt not the Spirit of Chriſt in thee; he knows how to value ſouls, and therefore ſhed blood for them, and ſends his Spirit in the Goſpel to be importunate for their ſalvation.