A Light to Grammar and All Other Arts and Sciences, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
The ſoule, how precious; yet how vile in Mans eſteeme, while hee is himſelfe: when hee is changed, his judgement changeth, and then hee gives us mighty leſſons, and of univerſall uſe.
WEE have heard that the body is like a ſtately houſe, ſomething ruined, but ſtately ſtill; though it be the receptacle of all diſeaſes, and the center where all kindes of miſeries doe meet, yet is it proud enough, becauſe it hath a ſpecious out-ſide. What kinde of thing is the ſoule then? It is beyond our expreſſion or imagination; but thus we reaſon:
If this out-ſide be ſo glorious, which is but as the back, the out-houſe, or the like, what is the inmate, the dweller there? If we ſee a goodly Palace, wee can conclude, That it was not built for the Shepherd and his dogge: It is true, we reade of ſpecious, and goodly Temples, and within an ugly beaſt, but that beaſt was acounted a god by them; ſuch beaſts they were cClem. Alex. paed. 3. 2. foreign, &c. Baſil. p. 244.. But ſtill if the houſe be ſpecious & rich, ſo we preſume is the dweller there too. What an houſe have we, how beautified, how adorned, what is the inmate then, how glorious, how excellent, how precious is that, which we call the dCauſſ. de Elog. li. 3. cap. 1.ſoule! I will not gaze upon that wonder, ſo wonderful it is yet this, how wonderfull a thing the ſoul is, the operations there-from doe ſhew. Wee may ſpeake the language of the Spirit, and ſay thereof, This inviſible thing is made viſible, and legible, by that we ſee it doe, for thereby its power, and excellency is made ſo plaine, that hee who runs may reade it. And for its preciouſneſſe, we muſt remember the price was paid for it, for that will declare it. But we need not goe ſo high yet. The childe haply marks this rather: If we doe not count our ſoules precious, the Devill will reprove us,; eJob 2. 4.Skin for skin, all that a man hath will he give for his ſoul; ſo Iunius reads it, and from thence Salvian fQuis fu-to eſt vi'es … zobis ani-mas veſtras haheri, quas etiam diabo-lus putat eſſe precioſas. Eccl. cap. 3. p. 437.gives us an eaſie leſſon; What madneſſe is this, That a man ſhould have a baſe eſteeme of his ſoule, which the Devil accounts precious?
Again the child reads, That ſo many ſouls went down into Aegypt, he knows the meaning is, ſo many perſons: Hee reads alſo, gJoſh. 10. 34.That all the ſoules there were ſmote with the edge of the ſword; that could not bee; for the edge of a mans ſword cannot reach the ſoule. We muſt beware of men, but wee will not feare them: ſome injury they may doe to the body; but the ſoule is out of their reach; it is to be underſtood then, as before, every perſon there was ſlaine: And becauſe the ſoule is the excellency of a man, the very all of a man, therefore it is put ordinarily for the whole man, for if I ſay his ſoule, I have ſaid all. Therefore it is, we are bid to take no care for the body (in compariſon) to make no proviſion for the fleſh: The ſoule is all, that muſt take up all the care: The Apoſtles ſalutation is notable; I wiſh 3 Joh. 2.thou maiſt proſper, and be in health, as thy ſoule proſpereth; Yes, that is proſperity indeed, for what is the gain of the whole world, if the ſoule be loſt? what is the bodyes proſperity, if the ſoule wither? we know we beſtow but ordinary care upon ordinary matters, but for our jewells, they have our eies, and heart too: And if danger come, fire, or the like, let the lumber alone, out goe the jewels, all the precious things. This practiſe argueth clearely to the weakeſt underſtanding, what wee ſhould doe touching our ſoules, look to them with all our care: For a man to intend his minde about low, and poore things of the world, is to doe as we reade a great Emperour did, who buſied himſelfe about flies, when hee ſhould have attended the great affaires of the State, or Empire; or to doe as another did, who muſtring a great Army, then commanded them to gather cockle-ſhels along the Sea-ſhore.
And now change but the perſon, and we doe the ſame as they did: Man, that Lord-like creature, is not wiſer at that point of practiſe; Hee letteth the ſubſtance goe. The All of a man, that is altogether neglected, as a worthleſſe thing; And he catcheth at flies, gathereth ſhells, poore empty things, and yet, inferiour to thoſe before mentioned, is lifted up with conceit of ſome great purchace. This puts me in minde of a ſtrange ſtory, concerning a man whoſe minde changed as his ſhadow did: In the morning his ſhadow was ſtretched Dion Orat. 67.forth, then his minde was lifted up, he had high thoughts of himſelfe, that he was a very tall man, ſome great one. Towards noone he ſhortned again, and at high noone (for then his ſhadow was ſhorteſt) hee was aſhamed to be ſeen abroad, ſuch a dwarſe he ſeemed to be: Towards night he lengthned againe, and about Sun-ſet he thought himſelfe as tall as he was in the morning, for ſuch was his ſhadow. The childe will ſay, this was a foole ſure, hee was indeed: And ſuch another is he, no wiſer, and as full of changes, and more unconſtant then the Moone, who is taken with any worldly thing; for at the beſt it is but a ſhadow, ſometimes longer, ſometimes ſhorter, and the minde being fixed on it, ſo variable, and changeable, muſt the minde be too; it muſt ebbe, and flow, riſe, and fall, being carried with the ſtreame, and current of humane things. This is not diſtinct enough.
Suppoſe we then, that thou ſhouldeſt ſee a man, his houſe being in a flame, carrying out the old lumber, baggage, ſtuffe, ſome contemptible traſh, but having a Cheſt of ſilver and gold in his Chamber, ſhould take no care about that; would we not judge ſuch a man to be very weak, and ſimple; ſuch another is hee, who mindes every thing more then his ſoule. Suppoſe againe, that wee ſhould ſee a Captain, or Commander gratifying his enemy what he can, victualling his Camp, ſending him proviſion every way, doing all that could be done, to help his enemy to make him ſtrong; In the meane time, ſhould ſtarve up himſelfe, and thoſe about him, expoſing himſelfe and them to the very fury of the Adverſary. We muſt needs think, ſuch a man hath a crackd brain, he is not his own man ſure. Such another is hee, who pampers his body, is all for that, for in ſo doing he weakens himſelf, and fights againſt his own ſoul.
Now look abroad in the world, ſee whether men, for the moſt part, do not juſt ſo. But thy obſervation is ſleight; entreat thy father …o help thee to make enquiries into this matter. Certainly, if thy Father doth not finde himſelfe caring and providing for every thing in his houſe, or about him, more then for the ſoules there, his owne or theirs, yet ſo he will obſerve it to be, noting the practiſe of the moſt in the world: For thus it is, they hate a precious jewell in their keeping, more worth then a world, yet they eſteeme their Oxe and their Aſſe before it, nay, lower and baſer things then thoſe, farre before their precious ſoule: Right Gaderens they preferred their ſwine before Chriſt; ſo doe theſe much the ſame; they provide better for them, their ſwine I meane, they better look unto them, then to the ſoule.
I dare not caſt the firſt ſtone here, it is more proper to examine my ſelfe at this great point. But certaine it is, Auguſtus his tannting proverb will reach moſt of us, as well as it did Herod, (who, more then probable, killed his owne Sonne, when he ſlew the Beth: Macrob. Sat. 2. 4.Children) It is better (ſaid Auguſtus, ſo he taunted him,) to be Herods hogge, then his Son. It is no jeſting matter, but a very ſad thing, for the Application is eaſie.
We muſt be more particular yet; for wee ſay, that Phyſick doth not cure Man in ſpecie; but this or that Man in individuo: So then from theſe premiſſes we have concluded this Man, who is ſo careleſſe of his Jewell, to be one of Solomons fooles. Nor is it poſſible for him to evade here. For he hath a Treaſure in his hand, that is graunted, and hee hath no heart unto it, that is as certaine.
Then he is a foole paſt all queſtion; and till he knowes it, he will never be wiſer; till he can ſay, heartily with David, I was as a Beaſt before thee, I had not the underſtanding of a Man in me; Till he knoweth himſelfe to be void of knowledge, ſo ſimple, till then, hee will never cry for wiſdome, nor lift up his voyce for underſtanding; hee muſt know firſt before he will underſtand; hee muſt priſe Wiſdome firſt, accounting her precious, before he will ſeeke her as ſilver, and dig, &c. But certaine it is, for the preſent he is the foole, for he neglects the Treaſure, and followes after trifles, things that will not helpe. His care is not for the ſoule, as the Scripture counts a care, a well ordered and diligent care, but all is for the body, the things thereof, things that are not, and are of no account aPro. 23. 5.: Theſe ſhadowes, ſhels, empty things, poore, and beggarly, though they are, take up the ſtrength of his ſoule, and drinke in his ſpirits: Such a foole is he. But whence this folly? this deordination? this confuſion in the ſoule? whence this darkneſſe in the mind?Childs Portion. Chap. 2.
This leads him by the hand to the rock whence he was hewen; where hee loſt his ſtrength, his dignity, himſelfe, and what-ever he was, he is now moſt miſerable, and as weake as water.
And here I leave this man ever to contemplate on the face of this deepe, and wee ſhall waite till the Spirit ſhall move thereon, where by one deepe may call upon another deepe, the depth of miſery to the depth of Mercy. Wee know this winde bloweth where it liſteth, the gifts of this Spirit are free aGod doth blinde men when He withdraweth His light. He ſpreadeth a vaile of ignorance, when He hideth his face. He hardeneth by withdrawing His grace: He chaſeth away the ſinner, when Hee doth not call him, and draw him before. B. O…h. Ser. 22.. I meane then, we ſhall here wait, till Hee who cōmanded the light to ſhine out of darkneſſe, ſhall ſhine in his heart, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt. And when this great worke is done, when this Arme of the Lord is revealed; when this Salvation is made knowne to the ſoule, we are ſure of theſe things, everlaſting Truths, ſtreaming forth from this full fountaine, this ſea of mercy.
1. Now this Man can put a right eſteeme upon things, hee can eſteeme them as they are; trifles, as trifles; Low, earthly, beggarly things, as ſuch indeed; and no better: He is all for Heaven, the good things there. The ſubſtance, that is it; for ſhadowes, let them go. One graine of grace, though but as a Muſtard ſeed, hee eſteemes more then the richeſt earthly pearle; and he can part with all, the deareſt affections of his heart, and buy the field, knowing well, That Heaven did never coſt deare. Hee is all now for the ſoule, ſoule-bleſſings, ſoule-mercies: for the body, it ſhall be reſpected in due place, and to its worth, but, if it doth require more then its ſhare, it ſhall fare the worſe for that; It ſhall be kept as a ſervant, nay as a ſlave. But the ſoule, and the proſperity thereof, ſhall be advanced, next to Chriſt Himſelfe: and if any thing ſhall come betwixt Chriſt and it, and ſtand in competition there, away it ſhall, it ſhall bee thruſt away, whether goods, good name, life, all ſhall goe, ſhall be ſacrificed, as wee heard before.
2. When things of Heaven ſhall be He puts no other eſteem up on his learning and wiſdome thē that he hath ſomething of worth to eſteeme as Nothing to Chriſt. ſo Naz.clearely revealed, the things of the earth will bee of little or no account with him, onelyonly to accomodate him in his way, and no more: they have no more luſtre in his eye, then a ſtar hath in ours, when the Sun ſhines forth in his ſtrength. The good things of Chriſt made knowne to the ſoule make a prey of all things here below. If ſwallowes up all our naturall knowledge, all that we call fleſh. It makes all new, as if it were not the ſame, we are ſure of that. All that before was lovely, and is ſo ſtill in its proper place and ſpheare, is now, (in compariſon) but as dung, or, if you will, as that you caſt forth to the dogcforeign. Phil. 3. 8.
3. When Chriſt ſhall manifeſt this great redemption, the ſoule will never ſeeke to other ſaviours; He is a mighty Redeemer; Hee will redeeme out of all adverſity. Sins are multiplyed, pardons ſhall be multiplied; The ſea dforeign; Exod. 37. 29. Chap. 30. 38.of miſery is large, and wide, ſuch is the ſea of this mercy, what need we eekeout that which is infinite? Nay though the Lord ſhould hide Himſelfe, and the Spirit ſhould faint, yet he will not run out after other Comforters; He knows that the odour but of one onelyonly Name, is as an oyntment poured forth over all the Churches; The holy anointing Oyle, and the pure Incenſe, is made up already according to the worke of the Apothecary. Curſed is he that makes like unto that, hee ſhall be cut off from his people. I remember a pretty ſtory, fit enough for a child even in ſo great a buſineſſe. Aelian eforeign, &c. Aelian de Var. biſt. 1. 4. c. 39.tels us, a great perſon ſent to his great Lord, a preſent of Roſes, perfumed with the beſt Spices. I ſhould have thanked you for the preſent, ſaid the Lord, if you had not marred it with making it; The Roſe was ſweet enough, the compoſition ſpoyled it. Certainly the odour of Chriſt His death is of power enough to revive the moſt fainting ſpirit; and to perfume that ſweet ſmelling odour with any thing elſe, is deadly, we are fure of that too.
4. When ſuch a deliverance as this is made knowne to him; even that through Chriſt, hee hath obtained an eternall redemption; he is quick ſwallowed 1 Cor. 6. 20.up in this Ocean of mercy, and is no more now himſelfe, being bought with ſuch a price; What he is, Hee is for Him, Who bought him; And if any thing there be, which ſhall ſeeke to turne him away from this Lord his God, though it bee as deare as his right arme or eye, nay as his owne ſoule, hee Deut. 13. 6.will not conſent nor hearken thereto; his eye will not pity that luſt, nor ſpare; he will thruſt it from him, for it would thruſt him from the ſervice of that Lord, Who redeemed his ſoule from all adverſity.
It is deeply charged upon the ancient people the Jews, and it lyeth as a reproach upon them to this day, That they ſuffered themſelves to bee thruſt away from the Lord their God, who brought them out of Aegypt, from the houſe of bondage. This, I ſay is charged upon them often, I know not how often, but it is worth our inquiry. So unthankfull, ſo abominable were they, They provoked Him at the Sea, even at the Pſ. xc 6. 7.red Sea: When the deliverance was freſh, and ſuch a deliverance as that, yet even then they provoked Him, at the Sea, even at the red Sea. And may not then ſuch a delivered perſon as this, wee ſpeake of, ſuffer himſelfe to be thruſt away from the Lord, that bought him, ſo provoking his Lord, even as they did, may it not be ſo? No, not poſſible; for we doe ſuppoſe, This man underſtands the wonderfulneſſe of his redemption, the freeneſſe of that mercy; then he cannot hearken to that luſt, which would thruſt him away from the Lord, That bought him; he will ſay, How can I doe this, and ſinne againſt the kindneſſe of my Lord? which is underſtood, and remembred, for ſo it is ſuppofed.
Now for theſe people before mentioned, Pf. 106. 7.It is ſaid of them; They underſtood not the wonders in Egypt; they remembred not the multitude of mercies. What followes then? that which ever followes the want of obſerving Gods works; and forgetting His mercies; They turned away from their Rocke, their Redeemer, they provoked Him at the Sea, even at the red Sea.
The underſtanding this wonderfull ſalvation; the recording ſuch a mercy, keeps up the ſoule, even to its height, to walke ſtill with God below: If wee could but underſtand; and marke common mercies, we ſhould find our ſelves mightily engaged unto duty thereby: we ſhould not eaſily give way to that luſt, which would thruſt us away from that Lord, who feeds us, cloathes us, makes His mercies new every morning, reneweth our ſtrength every moment: The very thoughts of theſe are great engagements; But the underſtanding ſuch a deliverance as this, recording ſuch an unſpeakeable mercy, binds the ſoule to God in bonds, as ſtrong as iron, and braſſe; If there bee atumult, and diſorder in the ſoule, as there will be ſure enough; thus the man reaſons, and overcomes; How ſhould I doe this, and ſinne againſt the Lord that bought mee? How ſhould I bee as thoſe who provoked him at the Sea, even at the Red-Sea? Let the redeemed of the Lord ſay ſo, nay we are ſure ſo they will ſay after ſuch a deliverance as this, fully underſtood, and recorded.
5. This perſon is now a ſecure perſon, his ſpirit is now at reſt, he knowes God hath dealt bountifully with him. Now his feares, and troubles, and ſorrowes are under his feet; Let the raine fall, and the windes riſe from all quarters, and the Sea of this world rage, he ſtands for all that like a rock, all theſe may aLavant, non laedunt. Riv. Praef. in Exod.waſh him, they cannot waſt him; they may threaten, they cannot deſtroy, no not hurt him: If the Ship ſave him not, a plank ſhall; and if the extremity bee ſuch, that the Sea-Monſter ſwallowes him up quick, it is but to doe his Lord and him ſervice, for now hee ſhall be conveyed to the Haven where hee would bee, and no hurt in all that. We cannot bee miſtaken here: We mean all this while, God doth manifeſt the riches of His merciemercy to him; this is not alwayes.
The Lord doth hide his face, even from his deareſt, and then if but a little, no little trouble, as when the Sun withdrawes, there followes darkneſſe; But even then when God abſents Himſelfe, there is more praiſe, and ſtronger prayets. And this is the courage and comfort to his ſoule; That as the Lord hath made him put his feet upon the necks of his enemies: So through God, that makes ſtrong, and gives power, bforeign phil. 4. 13.he ſhall doe to all his enemies, againſt whom he fights, hee ſhall feele them no more again for ever. So it ſhall be, but hee is yet as a Souldier in the field, he may have ſome fainting ſits; he is not yet attained to that height of ſecurity, that his face ſhall waxe pale no more: But he knowes whom he hath truſted, and though youths ſhall faint, for they are confident of their owne ſtrength, yet he ſhall mount up with wings as Eagles, &c. Eſay 40.
6. This man is one of the humbleſt perſons in the world: what ſhould hee be proud of? what hath he, he hath not received? He was vile in his own eyes, ever ſince God accounted him precious: ever ſince God regarded the low eſtate of his ſervant, hee walked alow by the ground humbly with his God. He keeps Court in his owne breaſt, there he judgeth himſelfe, no man elſe. He cenſures no man; Hee prayes for every man, the love of Chriſt is ſpread abroad in his heart; now he can ſpread out himſelfe for others; what he is, what he hath, is for them in reference to Chriſt; His heart is enlarged. O that all were as he is, excepting his bands, if any about him! O that the bounds of Chriſts Kingdome were enlarged, His glory advanced, Jeſus Chriſt exalted every where; in all His Attributes, in all His Excellencies! whether by life or by death, therein he is careleſſe, ſo the thing be done, that is his ambition, there in he laboureth aforeign. 2. Cor. 5. 9., we are certain of all this.
Laſtly, for we will break off; This man thirſting to ſee Gods glory, and having the joy of his life in immortality, (ſo we ſuppoſe) in reſpect of which hee accounteth all dung, as was ſaid; This man, I ſay, is not taken with favours, nor troubled with frownes: But as Letter 13.M. Deering ſaid long ſince, ſeeing the goodneſſe of God ſuch towards him, he waighs not all the world (except ſin) a feather, and with as glad a mind he can foreign. Baſil. p. 210.ſpit blood, as cleare ſpittle; Nay though God ſhould beate him every morning, and correct him every night, yet he is ſilent, and can rejoyce in his portion, preſſing down, running over. His heart is fixed now, his heart is fixed; now his eare is prepared, let me ſay, and his back too; In patience he can poſſeſſe his ſoule; Now he can ſay, Speak Lord, for thy ſervant heareth; Nay, Smite Lord, for thy ſervant beareth: He is fitted now to doe the whole pleaſure of the Lord, and to ſuffer the ſame too. His Fathers will is his will: Speak Lord, ſmite Lord, doe what thou wilt, thou doſt all things well; he can now heare, he can now beare, all things readily, patiently, ſilently, nay and rejoyce in all: for he ſees love in all, and eternall love: he ſees pleaſures at the foot of the account, and all ſhall further the giving up his account with joy.
In the meane time, though the Sea of his conflicts riſe high, and the flouds of great waters make a noyſe, yet is hee quiet, ſecure, at peace round about; how ſo? God is friends with him, and then all is peace; he hath ſpoken ſupplications to his God; his God in Chriſt hath ſpoken peace to his ſoule; He hath commanded him to come under the ſhadow of his wing, where he is ſecure and at peace; he can mock aJob 39. 22. Job 5. 22. Childs Portion. p. 171. Prov. 31. 17. explained.at danger, and laugh at famine, and the ſword, for God is his rock, the mighty God of Jacob is his defence; he will not be afraid, not he; though the flouds riſe, yet there will be a ſtandard ſet up againſt them: Nay though his God ſtrikes him, it is but to correct him, to ſweeten his after-comforts; he knowes his God will doe him no hurt aforeign. &c. Chryſ. in cap. 18. Matth., for the Father will not hurt his childe, we are ſure of that; Theſe are mighty words, I know it well, yet no other but what a mighty ſervant of the Lord, Luther, ſaid long ſince, for the comfort of all thoſe, whoſe God is the Lord, who can ſtay themſelves upon God Almighty: Strike Lord, where Thou wilt, when Thou wilt, how Thou wilt, it will be a mercifull ſtroak, and I beare it; I beare any thing now my ſins are pardoned. bMel. Ad. vit. Luth. p. 168. w. c Spiritus Domini gubernet te totum, & rapiat ex Tuis in Sua, ex buman is in Divin…. Noſtra ſnnt caro, foenum, et ſtipu'a, Dei omnia ſunt, verbum veritus et vi…a, quite cuſtodiat, et gubernet. Mel. Ad.I ſaid I would break of. And yet we will reade a ſhort prayer firſt, it is the ſame in effect which one c M. Merlinus put up for his friend O ſiander. Now the Spirit of the Lord fall down upon thee, make a ſeizure on thy whole man; be Lord and King there, ruling thee wholly. The Lord pluck thee from under the power of thy ſelfe, from out that rubbiſh, and bring thee to Himſelf, to behold His beauty, ſtrength, glory there; for all is there. Alas, what we call ours, wee muſt call nothing, yea worſe then nothing, an abomination. Ceaſe not then to cry mightily, till God ſhall anſwer, He is thine, for then all things are yours; And then thou art fitted to doe and to ſuffer; to teach, and to be taught. The Lord keep thy ſoule as under watch and ward, guide thee by His counſell, afterwards bring thee into His Kingdome. Amen.
And ſo much to the whole Compoſitum, the body, and the ſoule put together; The excellency of the one, and of the other, but loſt in both; How repaired; The exceeding mercy in that work of mercy; The Concluſions there-from.