Family devotions for Sunday evenings, throughout the year being practical discourses, with suitable prayers / by Theophilus Dorrington.

THE EXCELLENCY OF THE SOUL.

Let us Pray. PRevent us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most graci∣ous favour, and further us with thy continual help, that in all our works begun, continued and ended in thee, we may glorify thy Holy Name, and finally by thy Mercy obtain Everlasting Life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Zach. 12. Last Part of the First Verse. And formeth the Spirit of Man within him.

THE Words that I have now read from the Holy Scripture, are part of a very Majestick Preface or Introduction to a favourable Prophecy concerning Judah and Jerusalem, which is understood to fore∣tell the Times of the Maccabees; the distresses

of those times, and the mighty Deliverances which God would give the Jews by the Conduct and Courage, and Resolution of those Men. In so great and lofty Expressions, the Prophet was directed to introduce it, that he might encourage the Faith, and raise the Expectations of that People, who were now in a very weak and low Condition: For they were but newly returned from their Captivity, and were envied, and hated, and opposed in their present Interests by wicked and powerful Neighbours. He reminds them herein of the great Works of that God in whom he would have them now put their trust. The whole Verse and Preface contains thus much; The Burden of the Word of the Lord for Israel, saith the Lord, Who stretcheth forth the Heavens, and layeth the Foundations of the Earth, and form∣eth the Spirit of Man within him.

That which we may observe in this Text is; That the Prophet places this work of God, His forming the Spirit of Man within him, together with his stretching out the wide and spacious Heaven, and his laying the Foundations of the ponderous Earth; and that, when he design'd to re∣present the Greatness of God, his ability and fitness to do what he had promised, by shewing them the works he had already done. This then we may reckon is here intimated to be a workparal∣lel with those that are mentioned with it, and fit to be mention'd with them to the same purpose: This is a great and mighty Work as well as the other two. All God's Works of Creation do declare their Authors Greatness, and (as the Psalmist speaks) Praise him. But some do this more than o∣thers

as they are more excellent, and greater than others. Elsewhere also the Scripture mentions the making of Man as one of the more excellent and wonderful Works of God, and sets it together with his making the Earth, and stretching out the Heavens: As, in Isa. 45. 12. where God, to magnify himself in the Esteem of that People, and to assure them that he could raise up one that should deliver them from Captivity, says by his Prophet; I have made the Earth, and created man upon it: I, even my Hands have stretched forth the Heavens. Now when the making of Man is here spoken of as one of the greatest Works of God; this must needs be understood with relation to the Soul of Man. For certainly a thing so small and weak, so gross and heavy, and so dark and so decaying, as is the Humane Body, cannot justly be reckoned worthy of this great comparison. Were there nothing in the Constitution of Man but that, he could not be worthy to be compa∣red with the vast bigness of the Earth and Hea∣vens, with the constant Motion, the brightness and durableness of the Heavenly Bodies. But the Soul of Man is in a Sense vaster and larger than these, as it is capable to comprehend them: It is of more unwearied motion than they, it moves its self, it is brighter far, and far more durable than any of them. It is then upon the account of the Spirit in Man that the making of him is thus set together with those great operations of the Creating Power.

Upon these grounds we may conclude that the Prophet Zachary does in our Text intimate the great excellency and dignity of the Soul of Man.

It shall be the business of this Discourse to insist upon some Proof and Application of this Truth: And let us now perswade our selves for a little while to turn our Thoughts inward, to view and consider our selves, to know what a sort of Being God has given us: Of all knowledge this may be reckon'd some of the most useful and im∣portant: Hereby we shall come to understand what it becomes us to do, what our true Interest is, what great things we are capable of, and should therefore pursue them.

To demonstrate the Excellency of the Soul of Man, I shall insist only upon these two Heads of Discourse, as containing what is sufficient for the present purpose; They are, the Nature of the Soul, and the Capacities of it, which do arise from, and are the Consequents of such a Nature.

In the first place, Let us consider the Nature of the Soul of Man: And this I shall represent to you briefly under two Particulars. 1. It is a Spirit. 2. It is Immortal.

1. The Soul of Man is a Spirit; and therein it is an Excellent Being. It is Invisible; A thing that cannot be seen by the Eyes of the Body through the Excellency of it. It is said of God in Praise of him, that he cannot be seen. The Apostle Paul calls him by way of Eminency, the Invisible God. 1 Tim. 1. 17. This then is an Excel∣lency, and does greatly recommend the Soul: It is too pure and sublime a thing to fall under the gross apprehension of Bodily Senses: It is a Pure, Uncompounded and Unmix'd thing: It is all the same, is not made up of worse and better Parts: It is in a sort all Light, and has no Darkness, is

a bright celestial Ray, sprung from the Great Fa∣ther of Lights and Spirits; Or at least it was very full of light and brightness in its Original State, and before it was sullied with sinful Pol∣lution in the Fall of our first Parents. It has not diversity of Parts designed for divers Actions, so as that what one Part can do, another cannot, which is the usual disparagement of Bodies; But all the Soul can do, whatever the Soul can do: It can, all of it, understand and will; apprehend or remember; it can all chuse or re∣fuse. It has not some parts heavy and some active, some to move, and others to be moved, but is all full of Action, and is always working and busie: It knows no weariness, it needs no rest or refreshment: It knows its own Actions, and chuses what it does, and acts freely and from its own Motion. These are the Properties and Advantages that belong to it as it is a Spirit.

That the Soul of Man is a Spirit, the Holy Scripture does abundantly declare. When a man dies, it says of his Body, The Dust shall re∣turn to the Earth as it was; and of his Soul, The Spirit shall return to God that gave it. Eccles. 12. 7. This is a thing distinct from the Body; it was not raised from the Dust as that was, but came from God immediately; nor does it re∣turn to the Dust, but returns to God at our Death. The Apostle says; What man knoweth the things of a man, that is, the purposes, wishes, designs, save the spirit of man which is in him? speak∣ing of the Soul of Man, 1 Cor. 2. 11. And in the Fifth Chapter of that Epistle, at the 5th Verse, he directs the Corinthians to ex∣communicate

an Eminent Person among them who had been Incestuous, for the destruction of the Flesh, that the Spirit might be saved in the Day of the Lord, meaning his Soul. I shall add no more to this particular, but proceed,

2. To what was next mentioned, as declaring the Excellent Nature of our Souls, which was, that they are Immortal. These Beings have a begin∣ning indeed as every thing else has, but One who is the first Cause and Author of all others, But the Souls of men shall never come to an End. When a man dies there is only a separation made for a while of his Soul from his Body, with a dis∣solution indeed of the Body, but the Soul remains the same that it was. That lives still, though not here, and continues to be, though it has changed its Habitation. Do not imagine (said the dy∣ing Cyrus to his Children) That when I depart from you I shall be no where, nor any longer; For whilst I was with you, ye could not see my Soul, only ye knew, by the Actions ye observed, that it was in my Body. Be assured then that it is still the same, tho ye do never see it. Thus the Learned Heathen could speak of the Soul: And it is in the Nature of this to be Immortal as it is a Spirit. It has nothing in its self to put an end to its being as it is an uncom∣pounded thing: It cannot be destroyed by any thing else but only by God that made it. The Soul of man knows no decay, it admits of no encrease of its Substance; It remains always the same, and is here∣in a Noble Image of the Unchangeable God. It shall out-last the strongest works of Humane Art: It shall endure longer than the Heavens and the Earth: It shall weary time, and then run on

with Eternity. This is a very great and im∣portant Excellency of it, That it shall never cease to be: and certainly if we are in any respect Im∣mortal, this deserves our very serious considera∣tion.

And this also the Holy Scripture (that source of all Saving-Knowledge and Wisdom) does suffici∣ently teach us: When it speaks of our Being after this Life, and even before the Resurrection of our Bodies; As when Christ said to the penitent Thief when he was dying, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise: He was to Be, therefore his Soul was not to be dissolved with his Body, and he was to be in Paradise, in a happy State. When the Scripture calls Death a Departure out of this World, it seems to intimate this. The Apo∣stle Paul who was to leave his Body in this World, as all other dying Persons do, yet speaks of his Death as a Departure, 1 Tim. 1. 6. And in Phil. 1. 23. He speaks of his Death as what he desired, in these words, I desire to depart and to be with Christ: Which does most plainly shew, he expected to Be still, and to be more happy after Death than he was here. Again, this is also plainly suggested by our Saviour in the Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus, Luke 16. 19 Verse to the End. The Soul of Man, then, is at his Death disposed to such Abodes as it deserves and is suited to, till the time of the General Resurre∣ction of the Bodies of Men, and then it shall be united to its own Body again, and live with it for ever in a State of endless Happiness, or end∣less Misery. Thus much may suffice to shew the Excellency of the Soul of Man from its Nature.

The Second Head of Proof of this which I shall now speak to is, the Capacities of the Soul ari∣sing from its Nature. It will give us a further apprehension of its Excellency to consider what great and honourable things it is capable of. And these I shall speak of under three Heads. It is capable of Knowledge; of Moral Qualifi∣cations; and of a most sublime and elevated kind of Happiness.

1. It is capable of Knowledge. It can know the Creatures about us which are the Objects of our Senses, can understand their Nature and Use; by vertue of which it has, and exercises a Domi∣nion over these things: It knows how to apply them to the serving our Necessity and Delight. By vertue of this it can make those things which have no use of reason themselves, to serve for rational and wise Purposes. It can tame the wild, and correct the hurtful Creatures: It can govern the Strong, and by artful application give strength to the weak Ones: It often fetches whole∣some Food, or very effectual Physick out of mortal Poysons.

The Soul of Man is capable of knowing him∣self: To understand his own Nature in the prin∣ciples and end of it: To know his Ornaments and Disparagements, the causes and means of his Happiness or Misery, and wherein these do truly consist and lie.

Man is capable to understand and know very much of the Ever-blessed God, the Highest Being; to apprehend and meditate upon the most glorious and delightful Perfections of his Infi∣nite Nature. He can see the Marks and Chara∣cters

of these perfections upon the sensible things (which is the most excellent Knowledge, and the best use of them) as the Apostle suggests, Rom. 1. 20. The Invisible things of God are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal Power and Godhead.

The Soul of Man renders him capable of know∣ing the Rules of true Wisdom; of that Wis∣dom which is from above. Those Rules which direct us to render our selves acceptable and a∣miable to God and one another, to Become and Honour our selves: Those Rules by which the Wise and Holy Angels govern their behaviour; and those by which the most Holy God, tho in an Infinite Eminency above all his Creatures, go∣verns his.

And surely this Capacity of Knowledge may be lookt upon as a great and honourable Advan∣tage; especially that of such a Knowledge as hath been mentioned. Knowledge finds the mind of man pleasant and useful Employment, which as it is an active and busie thing must have such employment, or 'tis uneasy and unhappy. Knowledge presents us with the Objects of our Happiness, and inables us to enjoy them. This is the light and brightness, and beauty of the Mind; Ignorance is dark and deform'd, and leaves the Soul unpolisht and ugly; Ignorance like darkness, is uncomfortable and sad; Knowledge, like the light, is chearing and delightful: This improves and raises the activity and freedom of the Mind, but ignorance is clogg'd and wretch∣edly confin'd. Of Knowledge then it may be said, It is more to be desired than Gold, yea, than

much fine Gold: But especially is that true of that Knowledge which the Psalmist speaks it of, even that which presents to us the Rules of good living: Of which also Solomon speaks thus, Hap∣py is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding; For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of Silver, and the gain thereof than fine Gold; She is more precious than Rubies, and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her, Prov. 3. 13, 14, 15.

2. Another Capacity which greatly recom∣mends the Soul of Man is, That it is capable of Moral Qualifications. By which word I mean the glorious Vertues of Holiness and Justice, Goodness and Mercy, Faithfulness and Prudence. It is not only capable of knowing the Rules of these Vertues, but also of possessing the Vertues themselves, and of expressing them in our Act∣ions. Our behaviour towards God may be adorn'd with the bright Rays of Faith, and Love of Pie∣ty and Devotion, of Reverence and Humility. Our behaviour towards men may all be regulated and adorned with Justice and Charity; Meekness and Sincerity; Goodness and Mercy. None of the other Creatures about us can be possest of such Qualifications: A Stone or a Beast cannot be just, or good, or faithful. A Beast does not know what its self does; it has not freedom of will, does not chuse any of its actions, therefore can∣not be vertuous or vicious. The Soul of Man has in this the Advantage of all the visible World, and when 'tis endowed with these Ver∣tues, at least, it is brighter and more glorious than the Sun or Stars. These render us like

to God himself in the highest manner that a Creature is capable of. In these things consisted the best part of the Divine Image in man before the unhappy Fall of our Nature in our first Pa∣rents; and tho we then lost the things themselves, yet we did not lose the capacity of receiving them again: And when the Scripture speaks of the renewing or restoring that Image in us a∣gain, this is said to be done by enduing us with Righteousness and true Holiness. These are Ex∣cellencies which God ascribes to himself, which he glories in, and therefore it must be our great∣est Advancement and Honour to be partakers of them; and it must be accounted an argument of great worth in the Soul of Man to be capable of such Honourable Ornaments.

3. It is another Argument of this, that the Soul of Man is capable of enjoying a very high and honourable kind of Happiness, even the best that any creatures can attain to. When the Manna which the Children of Israel were fed with in the Wilderness is called Angel's Food, it is intimated, that this wonderful Provision, did as a figure represent, that Mankind are capable of the same Happiness with the glorious Angels, and all holy and devoted Souls do in some measure partake of it in this Life. By vertue of his Soul is every man, even from the Prince to the Beggar, capable of a Spiritual and Eternal Felicity.

As this is a Spirit, it has a very high sense of things, and a very lively perception of Pleasure or Pain. No meer Body or Matter however 'tis refin'd, or made up into an Animal, can have so great a sense of Pleasure or Happiness as a Spirit

may, if it be proper to say that it has any at all. Matter, the best of it, is dull in comparison to a Spirit, and must be moved; but a Spirit is a∣ctive and moves its self, and what is most capable of Action, is most capable of Happiness; for all fruition consists in Action. Further, The Objects of our Happiness are all spiritual things. By vertue of this Spirit in us we can delight in and enjoy such, which are the noblest and most excellent things in themselves, and are able to afford the greatest Pleasure. Sensible Objects have not that force with them, nor that Power to please, which spi∣ritual things have, that are the delights and bliss∣ful enjoyments of wise and refined Spirits. Hence it must be said, that Mankind cannot fall into a greater or more unhappy mistake than to think that there is no pleasure but in gratifying the Senses and Appetites of their Bodies with sensu∣al Enjoyments; or that this is the greatest plea∣sure of any. This in truth is not worthy the Name of Pleasure, if it be compared with the delight which a rectified mind can take in spiri∣tual Objects and Enjoyments. Further, it is doubtless the greatest thing in Happiness, and that which adds much to it still, how great so∣ever it was before, That the Being which enjoys it, can reflect upon it, and so can consider and know its self happy. This the Soul of Man can do, and none but a rational and spiritual Nature can do this. But since I have spoken of spiritual Things, as the chief Object of our Happiness, I shall particularly mention some of them.

The Soul of Man can please its self highly in good and vertuous Actions; In those which we

do our selves, and in those▪ we see done by others. It is incomparably pleasant to view and consider the reasonableness and the fitness of these, to see how necessary and just they are, to consider how much Gratitude towards God, and the Obliga∣tions we have received from him, do require them of Mankind; to consider the wisdom and vast advantages of them. Hence did a good man acknowledge to God, Thy Law is sweet to my taste, yea sweeter than hony to my mouth. There is not any thing among men so pleasant and charm∣ing to a rectified Soul, as are the vertuous and pious Actions and Behaviour of good Men; while the sensual Minds of others dote on a fair outside and sine cloaths, he sees, and takes a more just and true delight in the glory that dwells within, and darts out its rays in Religious and good Acti∣ons. The Soul of Man can take delight in the converse of holy, and wise and kind Angels; those glorious Creatures that are the Beauty and Flower, as we may say, of the Creation. It can delight in what they are, in what they say, and in what they do, when it shall be admitted in∣to their Society. And it is mentioned in Scripture as a part of that Felicity to which our conformi∣ty to the Laws of the Gospel does intitle, and will bring us, That we shall enjoy hereafter the So∣ciety of an innumerable company of Angels, as well as that of the spirits of just men made perfect, and of God the judge of all, Heb. 12. 22. And ve∣ry delightful it must needs be to good men in this Life, to consider these noble Creatures, and to know that they are Ministring spirits upon all occasions sent forth to minister for the good of the

Elect; To consider, that whilst he is holy and vertuous, he is a delight to them, they love to be about him, and they have the charge of him to keep him in all his ways; and he is ac∣cordingly the object of their continual Care, and they are most willing to do for him all the Of∣fices of kindness that he has occasion for. Fur∣ther, the Soul can enjoy after a very pleasing and satisfying manner the ever-blessed God, who is an infinite, unmeasurable Good, a boundless Ocean of Excellencies and Perfections: It can delight in all the discover'd Glories of this Incompre∣hensible Being; and in considering him it is transported with pleasure, while it finds it self in the utmost stretch of its Faculties lost in the In∣finite Incomprehensible Object. And this Hap∣piness the Enjoyment of God may in some mea∣sure begin in this Life. A most ravishing Plea∣sure the Soul can take to consider what this Ex∣cellent Being has said of himself in Holy Scri∣pture, and what discoveries he daily makes of himself in his Works. When it can view in some of these his wonderful Wisdom and Pow∣er, in others large and bounteous Goodness, in others awful and bright Justice and Righteous∣ness. And when to these Meditations it can add the sweet thought, that this God is reconciled, that it is a Favourite of Heaven, then it must needs be as the Psalmist said, My Meditation of him shall be sweet; I will be glad in the Lord.

And then if to all this we add, that this great Object of the Soul's Happiness will endure for ever, and so will also the lesser ones that have been mentioned; that being spiritual in their

Nature, they are all of them Eternal and Un∣changeable, they will never cease to Be, nor cease to be delightful and pleasing: If we consider that the Soul its self by its Immortal Nature is capable to be for ever blest with the Enjoyment of these Objects; we shall from hence see that we are capable of an Everlasting Happiness; of that which shall never be interrupted, never de∣cay nor diminish, never come to an end: We are capable of living beyond all reach of Thought, beyond all measure of duration amidst unfading Pleasures, unspeakable Joys, and a pure unmix'd and perfect Felicity. Oh that Men were so wise as to consider these things! Thus much, and more than we can now conceive, our Souls are made capable to enjoy. And these things, all of them together at least, I think do sufficiently prove the great Worth and Excellency of the Soul of Man.

Application. And certainly, if the things which have been now said were duly considered; if they had their just and due Influence upon Mankind, they would exceedingly alter and amend the lives and actions of a great many Men. They would make us act more suitable to the dignity and worth of our Souls, and with more regard to their Inte∣rests and Happiness than we commonly do. And in particular these things following the Influence of them upon us would effect and cause. They would make us very Pious towards God, and thankful for what he has made us; they would make us prefer our Souls before our Bodies; and ambitious of attaining those Divine and honourable Accomplishments which we are in our

Nature capable of, they would make us very Industrious to gain that Happiness which we were Originally, and in our Nature designed for. In these things I shall set before you the due Use and Improvement of what has been said on this Subject.

1. Let us with great Thankfulness acknow∣ledge to the Creatour, what he has made us, and praise him for his Bounty towards us. Let us consider and own it is God that hath made us, and not we our selves. It is one part of thankfulness to acknowledge the Benefits we have received. Let us own this, and endeavour to render to God all that which is due from us for it; To shew forth his praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to his service. Let each of us heartily say within himself, Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me, bless his Holy Name: Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and forget not all his Benefits. We may hereupon very justly thus expostulate with, and admonish our selves: Have I a power to think, and shall my Thoughts neglect the excellent Being that gave it me? Should he be seldom in my Thoughts by whom I constantly think? How base and ungrateful a Character of a man is this, That God is not in all his thoughts! Am I capable of Knowledge, and shall it not be my greatest Ambition to know him that made me so, to know the most excellent of all Beings, that I might thereby be inabled to render him the Ho∣mage that belongs to him? Have I a Will to chuse good, and shall I fix my choice on any thing before him? Shall I not cleave to him by it who is the chiefest Good, and who gave me this pow∣er

for that Purpose! Should I not always say it to him as the full Sense of my Soul; Whom have I in Heaven but thee, and there is none on Earth that I can desire besides thee! Shall I not pay him the Homage of my Affections from whom I have them, and the reason that I have wherewith to guide them! I ought to love him above all things, to fear him alone, to entettain my Hope with the pleasing expectations of enjoying him: I should be angry only with that which provokes his Anger, and hate what he hates and forbids. Thus ought we to admonish our selves up∣on this Foundation, and to resolve accordingly. Thus should we endeavour to honour him who hath crowned us with such Dignity and Ho∣nour.

2. What has been said concerning the Excel∣lency of our Souls, should make all men prefer them before their Bodies, and chiefly regard them. The Soul of Man is plainly the chief and most important part of him, as it is a Spirit and Immortal.

This ought then to have the chief Dominion in us. All the Appetites and Passions of the In∣ferior Body ought to be subject to the Faculties of the Mind. We should not suffer our Senses, or the desires of the Flesh to force Objects and Thoughts upon the Mind, but make it rather to chuse its own employment upon consideration and advice of our Judgment and Reason. How much Folly and Sin would such a Course prevent? And it highly becomes and concerns us to give this as absolute a Dominion in us as we can, that it may not be clogg'd or biassed by particu∣lar

Temper or Constitution. The Obedience to Temper is a most effectual Hinderance both of Wisdom and Religion. No man can govern himself well, that does not set his Reason a∣bove his Constitution, and make his Temper subject to the Rules of that and of Religion. I confess that in some cases some severity towards the Body may be necessary to this purpose; and a great deal of Self-denial and Mortification may be requisite to the bringing our selves to this. But let us observe what our Saviour says to this Case. If thy right hand (says he) offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee; for it is better for thee to en∣ter into life maimed, than having two hands to be cast into Hell Fire. We were better wrong the Flesh, if that must be, than to endanger the Spirit, and a little hurt the Body than damn the Soul. To bring our selves to this State of the Bodies ab∣solute and compleat subjection to the Mind, is of so great use and advantage, as that 'tis worth all that it can cost us: For so we shall become free and easy in all our Actions: We shall pos∣sess and enjoy our own Souls; we shall will to do what we should, and shall do it the more rea∣dily, and do it the better and the more perfectly: Thus shall a man have the greatest Comfort in his Actions, He shall exercise the brighter ver∣tues, and obtain by them the more praise and favour with God and Man.

Let us prefer our Souls above our Bodies, and chiefly mind the Interests of them. We should make the Interests of the Body stand by, when they come into competition with those of the Soul. We should govern our selves in all things

as far as this can be done with a chief regard of these. It were but just and fitting, and due to our selves, that we govern our selves so, in what we chuse to love or hate; in what we pursue or avoid; and that it be the grand business of our Lives to promote the advantage of our Immor∣tal Souls.

3. Let us be greatly ambitious of those Di∣vine and high Qualifications that we have been made capable to possess: since we may be wise and holy, just and good, faithful and prudent; let us earnestly endeavour to be so. To be endow∣ed with these Vertues, is to put on the greatest excellency and worth. The Scripture very just∣ly says, The righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour. These Vertues in truth are the greatest, and the most becoming Ornaments: These make the brightest and most lasting Beauty; such as Angels love, and God himself takes de∣light in. These will encrease, and not fade or decay with Time, and will last to Eternity. These are the truest, and the most useful Riches: they do in a sense deliver the Soul from Hell, and entitle it to everlasting Blessedness. These are not uncertain Riches, but are such a sure and du∣rable Possession, as Moth and Rust cannot corrupt, nor can Thieves break through to, and steal them: These in the Exercises of them in good Works, do lay up a treasure in Heaven. Let it be consider'd, that as we are capable of these Vertues, we are also capable of being the Subjects of the contrary Vices: And that if we are not vertuous and holy, we must needs be vicious and impious: He that is not just and true in his

dealings, must be unjust and persidious: He that is not merciful and good must be hard-hearted and cruel: And as we are acceptable and lovely to God by those Vertues in us, so we are odious and detestable with these Vices. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but he loveth him that followeth after Righteousness. The pure Angels abhor Sinners, and do not care to be near them, to see what is so odious and offensive as the sins of men are to them. As Holiness and Vertue do exalt, and honour, and become us, so does wicked∣ness and impiety debase and disparage us; These latter deform us into the likeness of the Devil, and so make us truely more vile than the Beasts that perish. So much reason is there that we earnestly endeavour, then, to adorn our Souls with Piety and Vertue.

4. And Lastly, The Excellency and Immorta∣lity of our Souls should make us greatly concern∣ed to secure and attain for them an Everlasting Happiness. Since we are capable of such an one, we should not rest till we have some good assu∣rance of it. It would become us, and it were our Wisdom to give all diligence to make our cal∣ling and election sure, as the Apostle advises: We should work out our salvation with fear and trembling.

Let every man, then, take it into his most de∣liberate Thoughts, What shall become of him to all Eternity. Let this be a great concern with us all: When this frail Tabernacle of my Body shall be taken down (in which my Soul now dwells) Where then shall my poor banisht Soul abide? Where, Oh where shall that be then dis∣posed

of? To what company shall I go, for I cannot be happy alone? And what good things shall I then enjoy, for I have not a self-suffici∣ency within me? I am told, and assured of two very different States, after this Life; the one of perfect Happiness, and the other of perfect Mi∣sery: To which of these two States am I like∣ly to be doom'd? since I am immortal, and must abide forever, in that I am sent to, it greatly concerns me to know which of them it shall be. The one is designed for good Men, and the other for the Bad: Which is it then of these two Cha∣racters that I bear? Since the course of my Life has a certain tendency towards the one or the o∣ther of these, and I shall fare hereafter according as I have lived here; let me consider well what a Course I take. Am I sit to dwell in the kind and loving World above, if I harbour any Ma∣lice, or Envy, or Hatred in my Heart? Am I fit for the pure Mansions of Heaven, if I live in sensual and brutish Sins? Am I fit to live with those who are all faithful and true, with the God of Truth and Righteousness, if I am deceitful and unjust, and had rather be cunning than sin∣cere? Am I fit to be in the presence of God, and in the Company of those that Reverence and Adore him, if I am habitually Prophane, and accustomed to despise all things that are Sa∣cred, and to abuse the awful Name of God, in vain Oaths and Perjuries? Am I sit to leave this World, and to be happy out of it, if my Heart be so set upon it, that I can love, I can relish and delight in nothing, but what is of this World?

If this be my Condition, and this has been my Course of Life, certainly, this will not bring me to Heaven. If a man finds then, that it has been thus with him, he should resolve to stop and divert his Course. Since without Holiness no man shall see God; we must follow after Holi∣ness; we must follow after these Divine Qualifi∣cations, that have been mentioned as things ne∣cessary to our everlasting Happiness. We must cease to do evil, and learn to do well, and de∣vote our selves to the Service of God in a course of universal Obedience to his Commands; we must repent of our past Sins, that they may be blotted out; we must purify our selves as God is pure: Blessed (says our Saviour) are the pure in heart, for they shall see God: We must cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit, per∣fecting Holiness in the fear of God; and pre∣sent our selves, and our repentance, and obedi∣ence, all in the Name of Jesus Christ, hoping for acceptance through him, and for the favour of God to be bestowed upon us, only for his sake.

Let it be consider'd, that we must either dwell with God, and his holy Angels in everlasting Joy and Bliss, or be doom'd to the Prisons of the Devils, and confin'd to dwell with enraged, and wicked, and spiteful Companions. If we must not dwell in the Regions of Light, we shall be dismissed to the gloomy Caves of everlasting Darkness. If we are not admitted to the Joys, and Hymns, and Praises of Heaven; we shall be condemned to the Howlings and Dis∣cords, and Torments of Hell, and there bear a sad part our selves in those Everlasting Sorrows.

There is no Middle State; but the one or the other of these will be our everlasting and unal∣terable Portion. Life and Death are set before us, and we have leave to chuse between them; But it is so, That if we will not chuse Life, we shall not be at Liberty to refuse Death. If we do not chuse Life and Happiness, and earnestly, and steadily engage in the Course that leads to it, we must fall into the other; destruction and misery will come of themselves. How shall we escape, says the Apostle, If we neglect so great Salvation?

Let it be consider'd, that we must determine our choice between these two things, while our present Life lasts; not a moment more will be allowed us to do it in; and this Life is of uncer∣tain duration, and most certainly is hastning a∣way. It is best for us therefore to hasten our choice in this Matter, and to be very constant and steady in the way to Happiness, when we have chosen that.

THE PRAYER.

OEternal and Almighty God! Before the Mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the Earth, or the World, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Thy duration is without beginning or end, and thou art the Author and End of all things besides thy self. It is thou, O Lord, that hast made us, and not we our selves: Thou hast sent us into this world to enjoy it a while; to study, and see Thee in the things about us; to praise Thee for their Excellency and Good∣ness; to love Thee for them, and more than them, as being the Fountain and Center of all that Goodness, which is scattered and dispersed among them: And thou hast made us for the high and noble Happiness of enjoy∣ing thy self. O Lord, how great and good things hast thou designed us for, and how low and mean things do we consine our selves to! We are ashamed to think how seldom we think of thee; we use thy Creatures, and thy Gifts, and forget thy Self; we are charmed and de∣tained with that little Goodness that is in them, and neg∣lect that infinite Abundance which is in thee; we com∣monly make but a low animal use of the things of this world, considering in them only their suitableness to the Appetites and Necessities of our Bodies, and valuing and delighting in them only for that; and so they do not raise up our minds to thee: And thus it comes to pass, that we seek none but these things; we live as if we were not made capable of better; we seek our Happiness where it is not, and neglect it where it is; we hew out to our selves broken cisterns, that can hold no water, and forsake Thee the Fountain of living waters: In thee alone is true content, and full satisfaction to be found. O Lord, as sensible of this our very guilty, and very dangerous Errour; we desire for the future to return unto thee;

to esteem thee our chiefest Good, and to desire thee a∣bove all things: Our Hearts are now ready to say each of us for our selves. Bless the Lord, O my Soul, and all that is within me, praise his holy Name: We desire, O Lord, to praise and to honour thee with all the excel∣lent Faculties and Powers that thou hast given us: We devote our Reason and Understanding to thee, to learn and meditate on thy glorious Excellencies, thy wonder∣ful works, and the instances of thy obliging Goodness: We devote all the power of our Wills to thee; to chuse thee, to fix upon thee, as our chief Good; to submit to thy will, as the rule and law of ours. We devote our Affections, to love thee above all things, to fear and re∣verence thee, to hope and trust in thee, to hate what thou hatest, and love what thou dost love. We devote all our Members unto thee, to be governed by thy wise and righteous Laws. We desire, O Lord, we purpose to love and serve thee the Eternal, Infinite, and most Bounteous Good, with all our Heart, and Soul, and Strength: O Lord, strengthen we pray thee, and con∣firm our too feeble and wavering Resolutions. Create thou us again in Christ Jesus unto good works. Let us not live estranged from thee, whom we are made capable to enjoy, both here and hereafter. Make us in love with Holiness and Vertue, as the health and rectitude of our Minds, as our brightest and most advantageous Orna∣ments, and the most useful, and most durable Riches. Renew in us, most loving Father thy decayed Image, and create us to righteousness and true holiness. Learn us to see thy glorious Perfections in the visible things about us, to make a religious Use of all that we enjoy in this World, in loving thee for what is Good, praising thee for what is Excellent in them, and giving thee Thanks for whatever we enjoy of them.

We humbly recommend to thy infinite Mercies all Estates and Conditions of Men: O Lord, lover of Souls, pity those that sit in darkness, and bless them with the Knowledge of thee, and of thy Christ, whom to know is Life everlasting; rescue them from their miserable Bon∣dage under the Enemy of Mankind, and bring them in∣to

the Kingdom of thy Son. We pray thee, bless and defend the Christian Church; let the Gifts and Graces of thy good Spirit be abundantly poured out upon it; purge it from all things displeasing to thee, and give it peace, and great enlargement. Be merciful to that Part of it which thou hast planted amongst us in these Nations: Water it plenteously with the Dew of thy Heavenly Blessing; make it fruitful in all good Works, and a Praise in the Earth: We pray thee bless our King and Queen, and all subordinate Magistrates, and those that are the Mini∣sters of thy holy Word and Sacraments; make them all in their several Places and Stations, useful to the pro∣moting Piety and Vertue amongst us. And make all those that are under them, peaceable and obedient, teach∣able and submissive to their Laws and godly Counsels. Grant that we may all lead peaceable and quiet lives, in all Godliness and Honesty. Visit and relieve all those that are in any Trouble or Affliction. Bless our Rela∣tions, requite our Friends and Benefactors; and forgive our Enemies, Persecutors, and Slanderers, and turn their Hearts.

Finally, O Father of Mercies, we give thee Thanks for all thy Care of our Immortal Souls, for all that thou hast done for their Happiness and Well-fare: We pray thee, bless to our spiritual Advantage those Ordinances of thine, which we have this Day been partakers of. Give us leave to commit our selves to thy Protection for this Night, and reward our trust in thee, with safe and com∣fortable Rest; that being well refresh'd, we may return the next Morning chearfully to our several Businesses and Duties; and do thou accept us in all, we pray, through Jesus Christ, in whose Name we present our selves, and all our poor Services unto thee; and in whose most comprehensive Words we conclude these our imperfect Prayers, saying; Our Father, &c.