THE CHRISTIANS CARE FOR THE SOVLES safety: OR, The woeful loss of the soul Compared with The vain gain of the World. In a Sermon lately Preached by John denizen Doctor of divinity: And one of his majesties chaplains. LONDON, Printed by Aug: Math: for John Budge and are to be sold at his Shop at the green Dragon in Paules churchyard. 1621. To the Reader. CHristian Reader, the importunity of some worthy friends, having prevailed with me for copies of this Sermon, their judgements for the use of it haue made it public. The subject indeed is large, but my time allotted for delivery was short according to which J was to contrive and contract my Meditations. For what is the allowance of an hour, to speak of whatsoever is under the sun? Yet as a few clusters of grapes, Num. 13.25.28. were sufficient to show by implication the desolate condition of the wilderness and to demonstrate the riches of Canaan: so these few Lines may in some measure discover the vanity of this present life, and manifest the excellency of the soul; and consequently what great care is to bee had and what good courses to be taken for the preservation of the same. This is that Vnum necessarium, Luke 10.42 that one thing which is needful; Which if a man neglect, Sap. 2.8. though he crown himself with Roses,& enjoy the confluence of all earthly contents, yet is he miserable and his case lamentable. it were good for him if he had never been born: Or, mat. 26.24 like the contemptible creature, had a Life onely in stead of salt to prevent putrefaction. Animum pro sale datum. Cicer of the Hogg. de finib. bon. lib. 5. If these brief meditations shal add somewhat to thy Christian care, it is what I desire of God, to whose good blessing commending both them and thyself, I rest Thine in the Lord, I. D. The Christians care for the souls safety. mark 8.36. For what shall it profit a man though he should win the whole world, if he loose his own soul. THE Apostle Peter, who vpon his worthy Confession, Thou art Christ the son of the living God, heard that benediction; Blessed art thou the son of jonas: Vpon his inconsiderat diswasion, Be it far from thee Lord, it shall not be so to thee, heard also that sharp reprehension, go behind me Satan. Thus as good laws do arise out of mens evil manners: So vpon Peters frailty our saviour takes occasion to deliver this caveat, If any one will be my Disciple, let him take up his cross and follow me. Now because this might seem too bitter a pill to the weak musics of the Disciples, he shows in the next words how dangerous it is to neglect the taking thereof. For, whosoever will seek by shunning the cross to save his natural life, shall lose eternal life; the folly and misery whereof he propounds in these words. For what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world, and to lose his soul? In handling of which words I purpose, God willing, to observe, 1 The manner 2 The matter of the speech. For the maner, it is by way of Interrogation: and for the matter, it is by way of Comparison, setting forth the transcendent excellency of the soul above the whole world, and consequently the correspondent care to be had for preservation of it. First, of the manner of the speech. In Interrogations we are to consider the nature and use of them. For their nature, they are commonly either vehement affirmations, or Negations. Affirmations, Act. 26.27. as in that speech of Paul to Agrippa, O King Agrippa believest thou the Prophets? For the Apostle himself makes answer. I know that thou believest. Negations, Rom. 6.1. as in that to the Romans, Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? For Saint Paul also answers with vehemency, God forbid. And such is the interrogation in this place. When david saith in the 130. Psal. 130.3. Psal. 130. psalm, If thou Lord shouldst mark iniquities! O Lord who shall stand? Chrysostome saith thereupon, utique ille millus est surely, that who is no body at all: And so may I say of our saviours words, What should it profit a man though he should win the whole world, if he loose his soul? utique illud quid ni hil est, surely that what is nothing at all. It shall bee to him no true gain, but a most lamentable loss. The use of Interrogations is to press some matters of weight or difficulty vpon the heart and conscience of the hearer. And what thing is there of more weight then the soul? What more difficult then to win the affections of a carnal man from the love of the world? Therefore this Interrogation chargeth the words strongly, that they may make a battery in the heart of a worldling. And indeed Interrogations are excellent to inform the iudgement, to continue the conscience, and to confirm the memory. To inform the iudgement: for they stir up the understanding to conceive, and seriously to consider what is spoken. Therefore, Genes. 3.9. whereas Almighty God calls to Adam, Where art thou? Hast thou eaten of the three, Chrysost. in Gen. Hom. 17. which I forbade thee? Saint Chrysostom calls this Benignam interrogationem, a gracious interrogation, by which God speaks in effect to Adam, revel. 2.5. as Christ to the Church of Ephesus, Consider whence thou art fallen. again, they are powerful to convince the conscience. Deut. 10.12. Therefore Moses speaks thus to the children of Israel. And now O Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee? but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways, to love and serve him? Wherein he apple to their consciences, that their hearts may give an echo, whether Gods abundant favours may not justly challenge an exact obedience; as if he should say with the Prophet Isaiah, Esay ●3. Thou man of Iuda,& thou inhabitant of jerusalem, judge I pray you between me and my Vineyard. again, they are excellent to confirm the memory. Eccles. 12.11. The words of the wise, saith Salomon, are like goads and nails; they are like goads in piercing, and like nails in fastening instructions in the hearts of the hearers. And such is the form of our saviours speech: his interrogation is like a thread, whereby the jewels of holy directions are tied, lest the memory of the hearer, becoming like a leaking vessel, the same should bee lost. And here behold the great Doctor, Christ Iesus, hath taught us how to teach; that is, to take the best courses for pressing of our Doctrines upon the souls and consciences of the hearers, not regarding so much to speak to a curious ear, as to a religious heart. To whet and sharpen them( as Moses speaks, Deut. 6.7. Act. 2.37. ) that they may pierce the hearts of our hearers, as Peter did the hearts of his happy converts. I do not like those indigested meditations of mere talking and Tautologizing preachers. I wish every one to bee like a rich merchant, and a good householder, that brings out of his stock and storehouse things new and old; and I say with Chrysostome: Ne mihi proponus illum qui sine affectu philosophatur, Chrys. ad pop. Antioch. hom. 70. though I regard not idle affectation: yet I care not much for him that preaches without feeling and affection. What is a rhetorical flourish without substance, but a tinkling cymbal? and what is a material discourse without form, but a sword without a point? wee must therefore charge the Canons of our holy directions both with powder and shot, I mean with matters and form,( in weighty cases especially), that they may cast down the strong holds of time, and cause the hearer to fall down on his face, and worship God, and say, surely God is in these men. And here again is use of our saviours exhortation, Luke ●. 18. Take heed how you hear; for if Christ hath been careful to speak effectual, should not wee bee as careful to harken diligently? Wee must not bee like the houreglasse, which hath the sand running from one end to another. What we hear should not go in at one ear, and out at another; neither should our hearts be like the anvil in beating back the hammer of exhortation. jer. 23.29. But as Moses said of the burning bush, I will turn aside and see this great sight: Exod 33●… So must wee retire our thoughts diligently: ponder and consider seriously, what is spoken, persuading ourselves, that when matters of weight are thus vehemently urged, the Lord would haue us entertain them with our best attention, and lay them up carefully in our hearts, as the blessed virgin did the words of our saviour for our salvation. Luke 2.57. Thus haue I made the manner of Christs speech, the gate into the City, the door into the matter of my Text: that it may be as a preparative to stir up your hearts to a diligent consideration of these two main points. 1. The vanity of the world. 2. The excellency of the soul. Of which I purpose to speak in order; and from them to deduce this conclusion: It is extreme misery and folly, even for the gain of the whole world, to lose the soul. And as in commerce and commutation men will consider seriously,& severally the worth of those things which are to pass in traffic, by buying or exchanging: so must we do in this case, except wee will sit down by the loss. The world in Scripture is diversly taken; there is fex mundi, John 17. 1. joh. 2.2. Math. 24.21. Math. 18.7. and flos mundi: a world of reprobates, and a world of the Elect. There is a world containing, and a world contained. But in this place it is with the largest extent. For here is both Haec fabrica quam videmus, even all that goodly fabric which we behold, August. in Psal. 34. as Saint Austine calls the world; {αβγδ}, all that is in the world, 1. joh. 2.16. as Saint John speaks. If I could set before your eyes all the world as it were in one Sunnebeeame, It is said he saw all the world, quoddle subvno solis radio. Greg. dialog. lib. 2. cap. 31. as it is in that fabulous Dialogue concerning Benedict; If I could show you in a moment, as satan did our saviour, even all the kingdoms of the earth, Math. 4.8. and the glory of them, as it is in the sacred story; whatsoever is resyding vpon the ponderous center, whatsoever is included within the compass of the vast circumference; The whole world. this {αβγδ} doth comprehend it. Concerning all which Salomon, forth of his great wisdom and experience, hath given this brief censure; Ecclesa. Behold all is vanity and vexation of Spirit. And so must I, in viewing the vanities of the world, Phil. Jud. de mundi fabric. as Philo Iudaeas speaks, contrive a great picture in a little ring, close up a great building in a small model, and set forth the whole world in a little map. I may say of the worlds vanities, as Saint Ambrose speaks of Iudithes virtues, Prolixum est enumerare omnes cognoscite aliquas. Amb. de viduis. It were a tedious task to reckon up all; consider some few of them. And first, all things in the world are vain, in respect of use without a divine blessing vpon them. They can neither give health to the body, nor grace to the soul. The perfumed rob cannot prevent the infected air, the noble Garter cannot cure the irksome Gout, the imperial crown cannot help the painful headache, the chair of estate cannot keep out cares and fears, the awful Sword and sceptre cannot keep off Gods dreadful judgements. Though Pharaoh would haue resigned his crown and kingdom, he could not keep the frogs from his chambers, Exod. 9.10. the blood from the waters, the borches from the body, nor obstinancy from his soul. The rich mans great possessions and full barns could not redeem his life, Luke 12.20. nor bale him for one night. All dives wealth could not purchase one drop of water to cool his tongue. Luke 16.24. The whole world if it were at a mans disposing, could not give him Faith, Repentance, the gift of prayer, or the least degree of grace; nor obtain him pardon even for the least sin that ever he committed. Such goods, Talibus bonis non siunt homines boni August. Epist. 121. saith Saint Austine, cannot make men good. If all human excellency might meet together in one person, as it were so many sunbeams in one center, yet behold all were vanity. Esay 40.6. All flesh is grass, and the glory thereof as the flower of the field. again, as they are vain for use, so are they frail for substance. Chrys-in Rom. hom 20. 1 Cor. 7.31. Tertul Cont. Marc. 1.13. The world is Persona quaedam scenica, and the fashion of it passeth away. Diuers Philosophers, saith Tertullian, were loathe to ascribe a beginning to the world, because that would necessary infer an ending, Philo. de decem precept. ( for ortus is principium interitus;) But wee by Faith do know the infancy of the world, Heb. 11.3. and behold by experience her declining estate. And as it was once nothing but a toha and bohu, Gen. 1.2: even a confused Chaos: So some shall live to see the day of her total dissolution. 2. Pet. 3.10. For the heauens must pass away with a noise, and the elements melt with heat, the earth and the works therein shall be burned up. Greg. in evang. Hom. 4. Therefore Gregory saith truly, mundi voces ruinae, though the word of God were silent, the world proclaims her own ruin. and if the world might always remain; yet experience doth manifest, that we cannot always remain in the world: Eccl. 1.4. for one generation passeth, and another cometh, like the ebbing and flowing of the waters. Though some bee like the head of gold, some like the breast of silver, and others like the thighs of brass, Dan. 2.45. in Daniels Image, yet death is a ston cut out of the mountain of mans transgressions, that dasheth all to pieces. Though men shine in glory like stars in the firmament, yet is it but for a while; they must in time vanish like comets. Scarce any of us but haue lived to see the setting of three the most glorious stars that ever shined in our Hemisphere. queen Elizabeth the phoenix of her sex, Prince Henry the mirror of his age, and the late gracious queen Anne. Neither could Crownes, or kingdoms, ransom or rescue them from the hand of the grave. Sic transit gloria mundi. again, as they are frail for substance, so are they inconstant for continuance. They wax and wane like the moon, they ebb and flow like the Sea, so saith Nazianzen, Nazianz. Orat. 23. Haec vniuersitas fluctuat. And therefore he fitly calls the world an impostor. If any thing seem more excellent then other: Decursus honorum. it is the course and confluence of honours& aduancement. Yet haue wee seen the moon of great mens honours been eclipsed at the full, and the sun of their pomp go down at noon: as Amos speaks. Amos 8.9. Are not men ambitious of honours well compared to climers of Nut-trees, some breaking their necks with climbing, others their teeth with cracking the nuts; how haue wee seen some followed with Hosannaes, and not long after pursued with Crucifiges, Hest. 3.1.7.10. that haue triumphed with Haman, that great Courtier, and haue afterwards had cause to fear Hamans doom: Dan. 5.4. even when balthasar in his greatest jollity was quaffing and carousing healths in the sacred vessels: Deaths Secretary, the hand writing on the wall, told him he was weighed in the balance, and his kingdom was finished. When Alexander in the height of his glory kept( as the History saith) conuentum terrarum orbis, a Parliament of the whole world, himself was summoned by death to appear in another world. Erat res spectaculo digna, justin. lib. 2. saith justin, It was a wonderful precedent of the vanity and variety of human condition, to see mighty Zerxes float and fly away in small vessel, who before wanted Searoome for his ships. But if ever there were a lively spectacle of the worlds vanity and misery, 2. Kings 25. it was Zedekiah, who of a potent King became a miserable captive: saw his children slain before his face, after that had his eyes put out, and dyed miserable in prison. again, as they are inconstant for continuance, Hieron in Vab. 3. so are they in possession without content, Quod placiut displicet, that pleaseth us to day like a fresh nosegay, to morrow doth displease us as withered flowers; The rich man is as much troubled with his abundance, as the poor man with his pittance. Luk. 12.17. What shall I do saith the rich man; and what greater straite can the poor man bee brought into by his poverty? The Lacedemonians, According to the disposition of man. just. lib. 6. more humani ingenij saith the Historian, having got Athens, are not content, except they be Lords of all Asia. When Pyrhus hath sacked Rome, Plutarch. in vis. Pyrrhi. he will subdue all Italy; when Italy is subdued, he will conquer Carthage; when Carthage is conquered, he will set vpon Macedonia; and will never rest so long as a ston remaines to bee rolled. The heart of a man is little in quantity, but large in desire. Though you fill the hands, the chests, the house: yet is the heart hardly satisfied. The whole circular world cannot fill the triangular heart of man. Lastly, as the world is insufficient for content, so is it dangerous in fruition, and oftentimes becomes a snare to the soul of the careless. The world is Sathans factor, Lequeos a dextriset a sinistris, Bernard. Chrys. op. impers. Hom. 39. and hath snares on both hands. It is fitly compared by the ancient to the brackish sea, wherein are rocks of Pride, shelves of Presumption, gulfs of despair, tempests of vanity, pirates of iniquity, sent out by satan with Pinaces of infinite temptations. It is indeed the pander of 'vice. It stirred up Balaam to curse the Israelits; Numb. 23. made Demetrius an Orator for Idolatry, Act. 19.26. enticed Iudas to become a traitor: Math. 27.15. and as it is the pander of 'vice, so is it the burr and bane of grace. The farm, Math. 22. Luk. 14. the Marriage, the Merchandise, keep men from the heavenly banquet. And are the things of this world so vain in use, so frail in substance, so inconstant for continuance, so insufficient for content, so dangerous in fruition? The due meditation of this may cause us to harken to Saint Iohns dehortation; love not the world, 1. joh. 2.15. neither the things of the world. It may bee a good means to wain our affections from such fading vanities, and to settle them vpon the souls felicity. As Themistocles father, Plutarch. in vit. Themist. to withdraw him from ambitious aspiring, had him along the shore, and shewed him the rack of old Gallies; therein demonstrating the state of men in eminent place: so haue the Scriptures shewed, and experience manifested these vanities and miseries, to withdraw our affections from the love of the world, and to fix them vpon the care of the soul. For the care and love of the world and of the soul, in an extreme degree are so opposite, that they cannot stand together; as it is in nature, so it is in grace: Generatio unius est corruptie alterius. The more care wee haue of the world, the less wee haue of the soul. When Demas embraces the world he leaves the Apostles; 2. Tim. 4.9. but when Paul cleaves constantly to Christ, Phil. 3.8. he counts all dung and loss in comparison of him. Therfore as the woman in the twelfth of the revelation, revel. 12 1. being clothed with the Sunue, tramples the moon under her feet: So must wee,( if wee haue put on Christ the Sun of righteousness, Mal. 4.2. ) trample all sublunary things under the feet of our affections. Like the three children in the third of Daniel, Who( saith Chrysostom) by the wings of Faith had their hearts so elevated, Chry hom, quod nemo leditur nisia se. that they esteemed the Kings Court, quoddle ergastisqualorem: even as a loathsome prison. Now for the better moderating of our affections, these meditations will be helpful. First, Luk. 12.15. let us consider, that no mans life stands in abundance. That nature is content with little, grace with less. Though a great kingdom cannot content Philip of Macedon in the time of his life: Exigua terre portio Plut Moral. de exsulio. Platina in vita Ceustun. 3. yet a small portion of ground will suffice him at the day of his death. Though three kingdoms seem not enough for great Saladine whilst he is alive; yet when he is dead his winding sheet is all that he carries with him. again, let us consider that our lives are short and uncertain. Chry. de Laz. Con. 2. Wee are, saith Chrysostom, like actors on a stage; when the evening is come, and the stage dismissed, the King and the captain lay by their personated parts: and so when the Comedy or Tragedy of our life is ended, all worldly ornaments and honours are then removed. Then the rich and the poor meet together, as Salomon saith. Prou. 22.2. They meet in the grave, and there poor Codrus is as rich as pompous Craessus. Therefore as Plutarch saith of Demosthenes, Spiritus angustia, &c. Plutar. in vita Demosth. His short breath and long periods did not well agree: So Gregory says well, Greg. in evang. Hom. 32. Longa nostra desideria increpat vita brevis. Our short lives may very well check and abridge our immoderat desires. again, let us consider that the eye of our all-sufficient God is still watching over vs. Math. 6.32. Your heavenly Father knoweth what you need, saith Christ. He can cause all the creatures to haue care of us, as wee see in the case of Elias. The ravens, which by name& nature are ravenous, 1. Reg. 17.6. brought him bread& flesh both morning and evening. Vers. 10. The widow, which lacked relief for her self, did furnish him with meal& oil. The angel of God presented him with a cake, 1. Reg. 19.6. and a cruse of water. Thus the air, the earth, the heauens, by Gods appointment and providence, shall bee rich storehouses, and yield plentiful supplies to his seruants; this meditation did establish Moses heart: though the Israelites murmured vpon every want, Moses was never dismayed so long as he wanted not a God. And so let it establish ours, least wee hear that just reproof, O you of little Faith, Math. 14.31. wherefore do you doubt? But what must we cast off all care concerning earthly things? Nothing less. But first, wee must proportion our cares for our souls and the world, as Noah did the creatures for the ark, Genes. 7.2. he brought in of clean beasts by seuens, of unclean by couples. So must our care for our souls surmount our care for the world by many degrees. Secondly, Math. 6.25. this care of ours for worldly things must not be {αβγδ}, a distracting of our mindes in themselves, or from God: we must entertain therefore the Apostles direction, in using the things of this life, 1. Cor 7.31. as if we used them not. Thirdly, in our care for worldly things, wee must haue an especial care to keep our souls from the spots and snares of the world; Iam. 1.27. like the fish that keep freesh in the brackish seas. A seruant, whilst a stranger walks with his master, will follow them both; but when the stranger departs from his master, he will leave the stranger,& follow his master. Whilst the world doth any way concur with the Lord, and conduce to the salvation of the soul, so far we may accompany it: but if it once depart from that then let us give the world a farewell, follow the Lord, and haue care of our souls. Fourthly, we must imitate the skilful Physitians, who make sovereign mythridates of the venomous Viper. As Almighty God, by bounding and confining the waters to their proper places, Gen. 1.9. hath made the sea a garment, which before was a grave to the earth: So wee by bounding and ordering our affections towards the world, and actions in the world, may make it a help, which otherwise would be a hindrance to the salvation of our souls. For so may a man use the things of the world, that he may further his account in the day of the Lord. Make your bags, Luk. 12.33. saith our saviour, that wax not old, a treasure that shall never fail in heaven. To this purpose Saint Austin saith, Fac traiectitium; meaning that wee should employ these earthly things to the glory of God, and the good of our brethren; that, like provident Marchants, wee may haue these temporals returned in heaven, by bill of exchange, in things eternal. And so much for the first part. The second part. The excellency of the soul. WHen Almighty God had in six dayes made the light, the common dial of the world; the firmament, the store-house of his iustice and mercy, the Sea, the worlds ferry: the earth, mans worke-house; the sun and moon, the lights chariots; the fowles, the air Chorists, and the beasts mans seruants: yet had he one more excellent piece of work to bee made. And that was man, a {αβγδ} even an abstract of the whole. To whom having fashioned a body, proceeding by degrees of perfection, he lastly created a soul. And as the family of Matri was singled out of the Tribe of benjamin, and Saul out of the family of Matri, 1. Sam. 10.20. being higher then the rest by the shoulders upward: So is the soul singled out from the other creatures far surpassing them all in excellency. As I haue briefly displayed the vanity of the world: so must I now call you to view the excellency of the soul; that you may see how bad a bargain it is to win, if it were possible, the whole world, and to lose the soul. every soul is more excellent then the best body that is; August de lib. arbitr. 3.5. So that anima muscae est sole praestantior. Aug. de dunb. anim. cap. 4. even the sensitive soul of a silly fly is more excellent in nature, though not in use, then the glorious sun. But here you must not consider the soul deflowered, like Tamar, by Adams transgression: Psal. 45. but like the Kings daughter, all glorious within by the work of Redemption. Of which I may say with Saint jerom, Hieron. ad Furiam. Quid anima pulchrius? what is more beautiful then the soul? First, the excellency of the soul is seen in the work of creation: for in that all the causes do concur for the perfection of it. If you consider the efficient cause, Gen. 1.26. it is Elohim the blessed trinity, as it were consulting vpon the creation of man. T●rtul advers Marc. lib. 2. And how? Non imperiali verbo said familiari, Not by a word of power and precept, but by a word of favour and familiarity. Not with a fiat, let it bee made, as in the other works, but with a faciamus, let us make man. Here is, saith Chrysostom, a great diversity of words, to set forth the wonderful difference of the works. Here God the Father, who is the fountain of the deity, consults the son and the holy Ghost; and all of them in an extraordinary manner do( as it were) lay their hands to the work. Yea it is further observable, that whereas Almighty God hath left to other creatures a certain power to produce their like, by an ordinary course of propagation, he hath reserved to himself the creation of every human soul to the end of the world. If you consider the matter whereof the soul was made; it was not produced out of the base Chaos, and confused mass, as the other creatures were: but is of a far more noble and divine substance. A quint● essentia, indeed more excellent then the heauens. For though concerning the body {αβγδ} God framed it of the earth: yet of the soul it is said {αβγδ} he created it, that is of nothing, as Petrus Galatinus observes. Petr Gal. de arcan. sidei. lib. 2. cap. 8. Gen. 2.7. And the Scripture likewise saith, that God breathed into man the breath of life. So that albeit the soul of man be not a part of the divine Essence, as the Maniches absurdly held: yet is it of an angelical nature. Therefore I may say with Bernard, Bernard. in Cant. ser. 27. Anima non solum caelestis est, said caelum. The soul of man is not onely of a heavenly nature, but even a heaven itself, wherein all excellent virtues are fixed, like the sun, and moon, and stars in the firmament. If you will consider the form of the soul, Gen. 1.27 behold it was made after the image of God. There are two different words in the Decree, Gen. 1.26. Let us make man in our image,& according to our likeness; and the word creat is repeated in the execution of the Decree; Thus God created man in his Image, in the Image of God created he him. And both those doubtless to note the great resemblance the soul of man hath of God. As indeed it hath in respect of Essence, attributes& operation. God is a spirit immortal, invisible,& so is the soul. There are three persons in one divine Essence; and there are three especial faculties in one soul, as St. ●… gust de Trin. 〈…〉 cap. 11. Austin notes. The soul likewise resembleth God in respect of wisdom, 〈…〉 ●4. Holinesse, righteousness, and other particular attributes of Grace. And concerning her operations and actions, shee is in them, though not omnipotent, yet very admirable; as her witty invention, sound resolution, swift motion, high and divine contemplation do manifest. She being able in a moment, to mount up to the heauens, to descend down to hell, and to fly to the uttermost parts of the world. If you consider the end why the soul was made, it was, 1. Cor. 6.19. that it might be the Temple of God, and the habitation of his blessed Spirit. It is true that the body is, in some sort, the Temple of the holy Ghost; but the soul in a far more excellent maner. The body is but like the base Court of Salomons Temple, the soul is like the Sanctum Sanctorum, the Holy of Holies, wherein were the Cherubins and the mercy seat: yea therefore was the soul created, that it might bee the habitation of Gods Spirit in this life, and take up with him an eternal habitation in the life to come. Secondly, again, as the excellency of the soul is set forth in the work of creation, so is it evident in the work of Redemption. Propter hanc Deus facit mundum, Chry. in Mat. Hom. 25. propter hanc filius Dei venit in mundum. It was for the souls sake that God created the world, and it was for the soul that the son of God came into the world, saith Chrysostom. Lactant. lib. 3. cap. 25. quod Platonem parvo astuncret. Seneca did censure Aniceris for that he redeemed Plato for eight Sestertijs, the same being too mean a ransom for so worthy a man. But this censure cannot light vpon our saviour; who gave not for the soul of man the Earth, the Sea, the World, as Chrysostom saith: Chry. in Ps. 48. but that which was of infinite value, even his own dearest blood. And so saith the Apostle. 1. Pet. 1.18. We were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without spot. It was no small matter that caused the son of God to descend from his throne, and disrobe himself of his glory; yea, to make himself of no reputation. Phil. 2.7. It was no base purchase that must cost him his dearest heart blood, Act. 20.28. as Bernard truly saith; Bern. Epla. 54. Magna res est anima quae Christi sanguinae redempta est. The soul must needs bee excellent that was redeemed with the blood of Christ. Thirdly, again it doth not a little argue the excellency of the soul, in that satan seeks so earnestly to gain it. 1. Pet. 5.8. job. 1.7. He goes about like a roaring lion, and compasseth the earth too and fro to get one soul. For it was not so much the afflicting of Iobs body that satan stood vpon, but the gaining of his soul, by stirring him up to impatience, job. 2.5. that so he might curse God to his face. Gen 14.21. He says as the King of Sodom said to Abraham, give me the souls, and take thou the goods to thyself. And indeed they are the souls of Gods dearest seruants which he especially aims at; Like the King of Syria, 1. King. 22.31. who said to his souldiers, Neither against small or great, but onely against the King of Israel. A man that sees a mighty enemy laying siege to a city with great violence to win it; will quickly conjecture that the same is rich. And may not a man conclude likewise the riches and excellency of the soul, from the fierce and violent assaults that satan makes vpon the seruants of God for the winning of it? In a word, the excellency of the soul is evident in the offices of the Angels, Psal. 34.7. who being the guard of Gods children, do pitch their tents about them while they live, and when they die, are the Lords winged posts, Luk. 16.22. to carry their souls into Abrahams bosom. Thus haue I spoken somewhat of the the excellency of the soul; and many of you, no doubt, who haue with Socrates been much exercised in contemplation of that noble substance, can say with the queen of Sheba to Salomon, 1. King. 10.7. Behold the one half hath not been told me. Yet even this which hath been said may, I hope, be sufficient to win this conclusion from any religious heart; It were pitty to lose the soul for the gain of the whole world. There is nothing so dear to a Christian( the glory of God excepted) as his soul. Exod. 32.32. For though Moses desired to bee blotted out of the book of life for the nation of the Iewes; yet was not this simply forth of his compassion to them, or neglect of himself, but with especial reference to Gods glory, which otherwise might haue been impeached in the failing of his truth and power, for the performance of his promises. Wee will laugh at little children, to see them part with rich jewels for childish trifles: and who doth not wonder at the folly of our first parents, that would lose Paradise for an Apple? yet alas, daily experience doth proclaim it that many are so childish, to part with these rich and precious jewels their souls, for base trifles, and so foolish to lose the celestial Paradise, the kingdom of heaven, for earthly vanities. Of whom I may say with Augustus Caesar, Sueton in vita August. in Suetonius, They are like a man that fishes with a golden book, the gain can never recompense the loss. It is hard to find a Curtius or a Codrus, that will voluntarily lay down his life for large offers. Yea a poor man will not do it for the whole world. For he knows, when he is gone, al the world is gone with him. If men do thus value their temporal lives, Oy, how highly should they prise eternal life? job. 2.4. If skin for skin, and all that a man hath he will give for his life, then surely skin for skin; yea life and all, should he give for his soul. For though it cost him his natural life for the salvation of his soul: Hilar. in Mat. Can. 16. yet O beatum damnum, O iactura faelix, saith Hilary, O blessed loss, O happy damage: for behold, it shall yield a blessed recompense. again, the consideration of the souls excellency should cause us to mourn, when wee see others run headlong into perdition. It is lamentable to behold: for what trifles many sell their souls, that cost Christ Iesus so much the redeeming. The view of this drew tears from the Apostles eyes: for saith he, Phil. 3.18. There are many walk, of whom I haue told you, and now tell you weeping; and why? they are enemies to the cross of Christ, and their end is damnation. And surely it would make a Christian heart bleed, to see how people by swearing, lying, whoring, and other profane and wicked courses do cast away their souls. The loss of the which is vnualuable, unrecoverable. gravius est damnum quam vt sit comparatio. August. serm. dom in mount. l b. 2. Mich. 6.7. It is not a thousand of rams, or ten thousand riuers of oil, that can satisfy for the sin of the soul. It is not the whole world; yea were there as many worlds as Epicurus dreamed of, they could not countervail the loss of the soul. And therefore our saviour demands in the next Verse, What shall a man give in exchange for his soul? meaning indeed, that nothing in the world can answer the worth of it. All other losses may bee recompensed, or recovered, this by no means can. Saint Chrysostome hath well observed with the Anatomistes, Chrys. ad pop. Antioch. hom. 22. Omnia Deus dedit duplicia, God hath in the frame of the body given a man two eyes, two ears, two hands, two feet and the like: that the failing of one may bee supplied by the other; Animam vero unam, he hath given him but one soul; so that if it bee lost, there is no supply to be had. Dan. 4. Nebuchadnezar may lose his kingdom, job. 2.7.42. and it may be restored; job his health and wealth, and they may bee recovered, joh. 11. Chry. in plate. Hom. 56. Lazarus his life and he may revived; But this loss saith Chrysostom, Nullo remedio sareiri, nullo pretio redimi potest. No means can repair it, no price can redeem it; all the world cannot recompense it. When Phineas wife heard of the loss of the ark as we red, 1. Sam. 4.19. Shee fell in travell, and though the woman did seek to comfort her, by telling her she had born a son: yet shee did not regard it, but name the child Ichabod and so expired. That is, the glory is gone. So if a man lose his soul, all the pleasures and profits in the world can yield him small comfort. he must needs travail in anguish and anxiety of mind, and may say of his soul, as shee said of her son Ichabod, Where is the glory? Chrysostome hath a notable comparison to this purpose. If thou shouldst be grievously sick, saith he, what comfort could it be to thee to see thy seruants merry and jocund? So if thy soul be dangerously sick with sin, what comfort can it haue, to see thy body to enjoy all the pleasures of the earth? Were the loss of the soul a mere privation thereof onely; some peradventure might say desperately, as Hester said religiously: Hest. 4.16. If I perish, I perish. But behold an infinite number of miseries do accompany the loss of the soul. With the loss of thy soul thou losest thy God, who is anima ainae, Bern. serm. de vit.& 5 sens. Psal. 16.11. the soul of thy soul; In whose presence is the fullness of ioy, and at whose right hand are pleasures for evermore. Then maiest thou go mourning all the day long, when it may bee said unto thee, as it is in the psalm, Psal. 42.10. Where is now thy God? Thou losest Christ with all his merits. And if this sun of righteousness bee eclipsed to thee, where is thy comfort? thou losest the presence and protection of the holy Angels, Heb. 1.14. Who are ministering spirits, sent forth for the good of those that are heirs of salvation. Thou losest the comfort of a good conscience. which to the godly is a continual feast. In a word, thou loofest the joys of heaven, the blessed society of innumerable Angels, Heb. 12. the spirits of just and perfect men. Can the whole world recompense these losses. When queen Hester entreated for herself and her people, Hest. 7.4. shee spake thus to Assuerus, If we had been sold for bond-men, and bond-women, I had held my tongue, though the enemy could not recompense the Kings damage; So may I say if the loss of the soul carried with it solely the former losses, though the damage be incomperable, yet were it somewhat tolerable. But now, in the losing of God, of Christ, and the Elect Angels, thou gainest the society of damned spirits: in the loss of heaven, thou gainest hell. In the loss of that celestial city, thou gainest a loathsome prison, that shall never bee opened. In the loss of the glory of the lamb, thou gainest the fire that can never be quenched. In the loss of a comfortable conscience, thou gainest a hellish torture that shall never be eased or ended. Therefore I may say with the ancient Father, August. Damnatio ainae est damnum maximae luctuosum, The damnation of the soul is the most lamentable damage that possibly can be. God forbid therefore that any man, for winning the whole world, should lose his own soul, that is impar commercium, Cyprian. no valuable commerce, a bad bargain. Some peradventure will say unto me, who doth not prefer his soul before any thing in the world? 1 Sam. 15.14 but as Samuel said to Saul, What means then this bleating of sheep in mine ears, and the lowing of the oxen? So may I say, what means then that curious and fantastical decking of the body? what means those stately buildings, the monuments of pride? what means that rising up early, and going late to bed, to get the worldly Mammon, and all with neglect of the soul? were men and women half so industerous and studious in the service of God, the practise of piety, and the duties of christianity, as they are for these earthly things, I would then say indeed they preferred their souls before the world. But experience sheweth, that the most are like Martha, Luke 10.40. careful and troubled about many things, neglecting the soul the most precious of all things. When men can sorrow for a small loss, and not mourn for a great sin, where is their care for the soul? Whereas God hath selected but one day of the seven for the mart of the soul, yet how few do spend that day for the enriching of the same? yea, how many are there that give God and their souls scarce the tithe of their own? and where is then their care of the soul. As Dalilah said to samson, Iud. 16.15. How canst thou say I love thee; when thy heart is not with me? So may I say to a careless Christian, how dost thou love thy soul, when thy greatest cost, and care, and pains, are for thy body, and thy outward estate, and very little, if any at all, for the salvation of thy soul? again, seeing that the soul is so excellent, wee must haue care to avoid those things that endanger or lose it. There are many difficult problems concerning the soul, as appears by Saint Austins perplexed disputes. August. in vartis locis. But there is none more expedite, and expedient then these: namely, how the soul may bee lost, and how that it may bee saved. The things that are dangerous to the soul are many, but they may bee reduced to two heads. For as there are two ways of killing the body, so are there two also of destroying the soul. The first is positive, by offering violence to it. The second privative, by with-holding the means of preservation from it. sin is that which offers violence to the soul, Clemeus alexander. storm. l. 3. Mors ainae peccatum, saith Clemens Alexandrinus: sin is the death and destruction of the soul. And so saith the Apostle, Rom. 6. ult. The wages of sin is death. Thus many Gentlemen, by their pride, oppression, Esay 3.15. and grinding of the faces of the poor, to enlarge their Possessions, do lose their souls. Thus too many Church-men, Tit. 1.7. for that Filthy lucre, the bargain of Simon Magus, Act. 8.18.19. 2. Pet. 2.15. and the wages of Balaam, do lose their souls. Thus many tradesman, by dealing deceitfully, dishonestly, vnconscionbly, whilst they say, and swear, and lie, do vent their wears but lose their souls. There is never unjust gain, saith Saint Austin, Aug. de Temp. Serm. 215. but with just loss. There is lucrum in area, but damnum in conscientia. There is gain in the Coffer, but loss in the Conscience. God forbid, 1. King. 21.3. said Naboth, That I should give the Inheritance of my Fathers. And so should every good Christian say, God forbid, that for any worldly gain I should give away my soul. It is true, Naz Orat. 36. as Nazianzen saith, Omne peccatum est mors ainae: every sin doth wound and kill the soul. But as it is in wounds some are more mortal then other; so is it in sins, some are more dangerous and deadly then others. Some with Ahab, 1 King. 21.25. do even sell themselves to work wickedness. Some wretches make fearful and real compacts with the divell, and engage their souls, as Witches, conjurers, and the rest of that black guard. Yea, some do engage both body and soul to the divell, as Pope sylvester the second, who attained the popedom, by the divels help, plate. in vita sylvest. 2. Ea lege vt totus illius esse, Vpon condition, saith Platina, that he should be his both body and soul. Yea some, not onely are profane and vicious themselves, but corrupt others also, as jeroboam, 1. Reg. 15 30. Who made all Israel to sin, and so they lose their souls by a double iniquity, and make Hell their own by a double purchase. Thus are some more desperate sinners then others; yet is there no sin so small, but like a little leak in a ship, if it bee not stopped, it makes somewhat to the shipwreck of the soul and will in time drown it in the gulf of eternal perdition, and therefore is carefully to bee auovded. But every one that fears God and loues his own soul, should especially pray with the Prophet david, Lord keep thy servant from presumptuous sins: 〈…〉 for such indeed are the 〈◇〉 bane of the soul. The second way of losing the soul is, by withholding from it the means of presernation. It was a poor equiuoting trick of the Duke de Alba, at the Finke before Harlem, when having promised the Souldiers their lives, he caused them to perish with hunger, and being challenged for his promise, answered, that he had given them assurance of their lives, but not promised that they should haue meate and drink. And such is the folly of him that talks of saving his soul, and yet denies unto it the means of salvation. Therefore the Apostle told the Iewes, that In putting away the Word of God they judged themselves unworthy of everlasting life. Acts 13.46. It is not material, if the soul bee lost, whether it bee by languishing or violence. When a Christian is negligent in hearing the Word of God, could and careless in prayer, remiss in the actions of mortification, &c. his soul must needs languish. If Salomon call it a Vanity for a man to defraud his soul of temporal blessings, I may truly say, Eccles. 4.8. It is a great folly and misery to defraud the soul of spiritual, and consequently to deprine it of eternal. again, forasmuch as the soul is so excellent, that it stands us vpon to take the best courses for the preservation and salvation of it. That physical aphorism for the body holds very well in the case of the soul, Hipocrat. Contraria contrarijs curantur. And basil speaks in this case like a physician, Basil Asset. cap. 55. Evacuetur superfluum, subministretur necessarium. 'vice must be abandoned, and grace entertained. As the violence of sin and the neglect of good means are the destruction of the soul: so the avoiding of the one, and the use of the other, must bee the means of the sole preservation of the same. First of all, sin must bee expelled out of the soul by unfeigned repentance, Gen. 21. as Ishmael was cast out of Abrahams House. The soul is the Temple of the Holy Ghost, if therefore sin haue entered, scourge it out with the rod of remorse and compunction, as our saviour did the buyers and sellers out of the Temple at jerusalem. John 2.15. If the physician persuade us to take physic, though it bee irksome, or warn us to avoid evil diet, though it bee pleasant, wee do it. Vincis desiderium ventris ob desiderium sanitatis, saith Chrysostom? Chry. in Mat. Hom. 31. dost thou subdue thy appetite for the health of thy body, and wilt thou not master thy affections for the salvation of thy soul? what greater folly and misery then this? yea the sooner sin is expelled and purged, the safer shall thy soul be. Therefore Salomons counsel to a surety is good for a sinner; Prou 6.4. If thou hast ensnared thy soul with sin, give no sleep to thine eyes, nor slumber to thy eye-lids. deliver thy soul as a row from the hand of the hunter, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler. Rest not till thou hast made thy peace with God. again, the soul must bee carefully fenced against the incursions of sin: as a man will arm himself carefully against a thief that will rob and kill; so must wee do against sin which will rob us of grace, and wound souls to death. Wee red in the 2. 2. Reg. 11.4.8. Kings 11. That jehoiada caused a strong guard to attend vpon joash the Kings son, and appointed them in their several ranks to compass him about, that whosoever should come within the ranges should be slain. And such must be our guard of the soul, which is like the Kings son; wee must fence it on every side, that sin may not come near it, if it approach near let it die like a traitor. Prou. 4.23. As Salomon exhorts, supper omnem custodiam, keep thy heart with all diligence: so must the soul be kept with all care and vigilance. If a man shall see the gates of a City standing open day and night, he will judge that either it is poor, or hath careless Citizens. And surely it argues either great poverty of the soul, or extreme neglect of it, when the doors and windows of it stand continually, or commonly open to sin. Now the senses are ainae foenestrae, August. the gates and windows of the soul, we must therefore shut them up against sin. Wee must make a covenant with our eyes as job did: job. 31.1. wee must stop our ears at Rabshekaes blasphemies, as the Iewes did: 2. Reg. 18. wee must keep our mouths as it were with a bridle, as david did. Psal. 39.2. Gen. 6.14. And as Noah pitched his ark within and without against the inundation of the waters; so must we every way defend our souls against the inundation of sin. He that will keep infection from the heart will use some good Mithridate. Now against sin, which infects the soul, there is no Mithridate like the meditation of Christs death and passion. For it will cause a man to reason thus; was this the enemy, the traitor, that was the cause of my saviours death, and shall I entertain it? God forbid. The second course to bee taken for the safety and felicity of the soul is the entertainment of those Christian duties and graces, wherewith shee is not onely preserved, but also adorned and beautified, and of this wee must also haue especial care. For if our bodies shall be decked, and our souls deformed, if wee bee rich in wealth, and poor in grace, if wee bee honourable in the eyes of men, and despicable in the sight of God and his holy Angels, then is our condition miserable and lamentable. I will briefly propose some especial ornaments of the soul which every good Christian must be careful to obtain and retain. First, keep Faith and a good conscience. For Faith is Regina virtutum, the queen of virtues, Chrysost. and the foundation of all religious actions. A good conscience is anima culcitra, the souls pillow, Bern. fest omn. anim●r. serm. 2. whereupon she doth repose herself most sweetly and securedly, so saith the Apostle, This is our rejoicing, 2. Cor. 1.12. the testimony of a good conscience. Bee conversant in the word of God; for it is pabulum ainae, Lactant. Lectio fortem reddit animam. Chrysan Gen. Hom. 29. the sincere milk, and the bread of Life wherewith the soul is nourished and strengthened. Tender daily and duly the homage of obedience to God, in sobriety, righteousness, and godliness; Tit. 2. ●2. Chrys. in psal. 49. for pulchritudo ainae pendet ab obedientia. Obedience is much to the beautifying of the soul. Be fervent and devout in prayer: Chry. de anima. for prayer is the same to thy soul, that the soul is to the body, even the life of the soul, August de temp. Serm. 2●6. Ascendit oratio, descendit Dei miseratio, When our prayers ascend up to heaven, Gods mercies descend down upon our souls, to our unspeakable comfort. Be frequent in receiving the Sacrament; for it is the souls viaticum, as the ancients call it. By it our souls are nourished, that wee may pass thorough this our pilgrimage confidently and comfortably to the kingdom of heaven. Be often sequestered from earthly affairs, for holy and heavenly meditations. The fowle that flies low is quickly taken, Ambros. de bono morti● cap. 5. saith Saint Ambrose, but that which soars aloft Nec laqueis capitur, nec visco fallitur, is neither entrapped in the snare, nor entangled in the limebush: So the soul, whilst it is hovering about these earthly vanities, is easily and quickly ensnared by satan; But when it soars aloft in divine meditations, is seldom taken in the snares of temptation. lo these are ornamenta, Studium pretatis divinis cogitationibus animam pascit. Basil. Epla. 1. and nutrimenta, both the nourishment and ornaments of the soul. Lastly, behold here is singular comfort and encouragement for every faithful Minister of Christ. Great is the honour of our calling, in regard it is conversant about such a noble subject. What more honourable and comfortable then the winning of souls unto God: Let him know( saith Saint james) that he which converteth a sinner from the error of his way, Iam. 5.20. shall save a soul. Let him know saith he, as speaking of a matter very remarkable; and reason, for the saving of a soul is a more glorious work then the conquest of all the whole world. It is a battery in the kingdom of satan, and the enlargement of the kingdom of Christ. It is the happiness of the convert, who is rescued from the jaws of Hell, and the paws of the roaring lion. It adds to the glory of the conuerter: Dan. 13.3. For those that turn many unto righteousness shall shine as the stars for ever and ever. Well might Saint Paul therefore call it {αβγδ}, 1. Tim. 3.1. a worthy work. Yet must we remember that as it is {αβγδ}, so is also {αβγδ}, as it is worthy, so is it weighty; They watch for your souls( saith the Apostle) as those that must give an account. Heb. 13.17. Our charge is strict like that in the first of the Kings, 1. King. 20.39. keep this man, if he be l●st, Ezech. 3.18. then shall thy life be for his life. For so the Prophet Ezechiel tells us, that if our people perish through our negligence, their blood shall bee required at our hands. When our saviour Christ saw people without pastors, as sheep having no shepherd, Mat. 9. ●…. he had compassion vpon them. And no matuell, for what man,( except he haue shut up the bowels of compassion) can choose but grieve, to see some goodly ship fraught with rich jewels, and many passengers ready to sink through negligence of the Mariners. If so, who can without sorrow of heart, behold the ships: yea the fleet of diuers congregations ready to perish through neglect of ignorant and negligent Pilots? The consideration of which may stir up every conscionable Minister to be faithful and careful in the work of the Lord: 1. Thes. 5.12. and may move the people to honour, encourge and obey those that so watch for their souls; Heb. 13.17. to yield them the assistance of their prayers; yea, Ephes. 6.18. to pray the Lord of the harvest that he would sand forth labourers into his harvest. That so they may make work for the great harvest, Mat. 9.38. when the Angels shall bee the Lords haruestmen, Mat. 24. Mat. 3. to carry the souls of his seruants, like good wheat into his heavenly garner. When jacob had a long time taken pains in Labans service, Conclus. Gen 31. he pleaded at last the equity of labouring for himself. So is it reasonable, that he which hitherto hath been addicted to the world, should now at last devote himself and his best endeavours to the good of his soul. And this indeed is the sum of all that I at this time haue laboured for: namely, that you and I, and every one of us, may hereafter haue more care of our souls, then ever we had. Which that wee may, that blessed trinity who created them, that blessed saviour who redeemed them, and that biessed Spirit who doth sanctify them, grant to which blessed Trinity all honour, and glory, dominion and majesty bee rendered from henceforth and for ever, Amen, Amen.