The Immortality of the Soul. ollr Saviour, when difpoffelt of the Man in theGofpel, they woul~ reguelt in their ~ Jalt hobr when rhey are ready to be calt out of the Body, pernn!IJon to enter mto Chap. '3. rhe Swine, and wallow in mire and filthinefs. This is an indtgnity equally di!bonou- ~ rable and pernicious. As 'twas fa id of Calig11la, Nee Servum me/iorem, nee deteriorem Domimtm, while a Subj ~ £1: none more obedient, but when advanc'd to the ~hrone he be~ came rhe Reproach of the Empire, and Plague of the World: So wlule the Body obeys the [anll:ity and fovereignty of the Mind, 'tis an ufeful Inltrument, but if Jt ufurp the Government, the Spltit is deprelt in the molt ignominious Ca,rrivity, and Man becomes like the Beafls that perifb. Briefly, the common fouruams ot TemptatiOn are Pleafure and Pain that atfell: the outward Sen[es, and 'till the Soul has an eltabltfb'd Dominion over the Body, 'ris continually expos'd to ruin by flefbly Lufls that war againltir. The proper Bur.nefs of Man is to ,rurifie his SJ>irit fr_om all Pollutions, t~ adorn it with all Graces in order to tts everlaflmg Commumon wtth the Father of Spmrs. And though in thisfiateofunion with fielh, he cannot be ~h~ays contemplative, nor ex:ercifed in the highelt and noblefl work, but mull: relax lus mtenfe thoughts by relrefbmg intermiflions, yet all that is allowed the Body, mull be only to make 11 more ready and di(pofed for the Service of the Mind. But alas ! the Soul rhar fbould be incomparably dearefl ro us in reCpdl: of its preciou(nefs and danger, is neglected, as rhe only defpi" cable or (afc thing belonging to us. Of the twenty-four Hours in the Day, how much is wafred on the Body, how little is given w the Soul? As if all the rime were loft that js fpent on it, when 'tis trnly gained. What an unequal divifion is this? Can there be imagin'd a more hurtful and monflrous profu[enefs, and coveroufnefs in rhe fame Perfons? If the Body be !haken with Difeafes, what are they not willing to do, or patiemly to fuffer, to recover loll Health? Long and rigorous Diets to overcome fame obflinate Humours, Potions diflafleful to the Palat, and painful to the Stomach, Swearings, Bleeding, the Knife and the Fire, to cutoff the gangreen 'd part, and fear the Velfels, and many more !harp Remedies 'ris counted prudence to fuffer, to preferve the Life of the Body. And can that be preferved always? No. All this is done not to e[cape, but to delay Death for a time. If we are fo [ollicitous that the Mortal Bo• dy may dye a little later, !ball we not be more diligent and careful that the Immortal Soul may not die for ever? 4· This !bould make us fet a jufl value upon Time,and confecrateit to tho[e things that are preparatory fur the future flare of Blelfednefs. Indeed the prefent Life, tl:ough fpun out to the utmofl date, how fbort and vain is it? But as 'ris the price of Eternity, ard our Well-being hereafter depends upon it, 'tis above all efleem precious. When* • Do, Popili111 by order of the Roman Senate, required Antioch•s to withdraw his Army from the King of Egypt, and he defired time to deliberate upon it, the Ronun drew a Circle with his Wand about him, and faid, In hoc flans delibera? give a prefent anfwer before you move out. Thus Eternity, whofe proper Emblem is a CJrcle, .a Figure without end, pre[ents ~u~~[;~f~/nJA~d·~;lfh: ~a::~:t c~l~~e~:~~:fs~~n~~ ~~; o~'fclC~ef~;~,~~~~? m:~ cannot fo fall repair the ruins of the Body, but that every Day Death makes nearer approaches, and takes away fome fpoils that cannot be recovered, and will fbortly force the Soul to leave its habitation ; and !ball we nor fecure a retreat for it in the Sanll:uary of Life and Immortality? Can any make a Covenant with Death ? Is it to be overcome by the Strength of the young, or appeafed by the Tears and Supplications of the old? 'Tis equally invincible and inexorable. The greenefl Ageis ripe for dying; the Fruit that does not fall is pluck'd and gathered. Every one is under the fame Sentence, and fo far equa lly difpofcd to die. Norie can affure himfelf the continuance of a day, and !ball we be defperately carele[s of our main Concernment? Shall we wafle this unvaluable Trea[ure i~ .Idlenefs, or -:"ll:ions worfe than Idlenefs? Shall we fpend it to purchafe rranfient Va- ~tttes? The gaming thewhole World is not worth theexpence of this Light of Life, Twas gtven us for more excellent ends, to work out our own Salvation, to fecare our l •everlafling Interefl. How !bould we redeem every hour, and live for Heaven? This is . our chief and indifpenfible affair, a~d the _neglect of lt for a Day, is of infinite ha- ~e~;,~:~~;~~~ za_rd. Our feaf~n 1S. fhort, our o~tffion 1rreparable. If we could clip the wing: of vel«itau m · TJme, and fl:op ItS flJgh~, .therermg~lt be lame pretence for delay; btltthe s.un dr~ves ~::::t';~~ on apace, we cannot btd tt !land lhll one hour. 11 Our diligence in improvmg Tuue twppMo, " ' lbould be equal to its fw1ft motion. We fbould fpeedily draw from it what is necelfary, r,mpo-, '1"'' as from a rap}d Torrent that will quick)y be dried up. ~~t~;::~~m breYir.Yit,
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