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We may clearly discern the worth of our Soul, and the esteem and care we ought to have of the Salvation of it, by what Christ did do, and suffer, for this end.
The Salvation of our Soul avails as much as it cost; but it cost the Blood, the Merits, the Life of Christ, which are in∣finite;
from which we must necessarily conclude, that it is of an infinite value. I advance in this further; for ordinarily we value a thing, more than the price we paid to make it ours, if we be not de∣ceived in it; but the Son of God, who hath an infinite Wisdome, and so cannot be deceived in the esteem and valuing of things, gave his Life and Merits to purchase the Salvation of our Souls; may we not then say, that in some man∣ner, he esteemed them more than the price he gave for them.
I can declare unto you a clearer mani∣festation of this; Having redeemed our Souls with his pretious Blood and Mer∣rits, he esteemed this infinite price so little, as he esteemed them given him gratis by his Heavenly Father, Quos dedisti mihi, [John 10] whom thou hast given me. Again, to know what e∣steem the Son of God had of our Souls, after having purchased them with so great a price, he calls the Angels ••o Feast and Congratulate, not only man, but himself, as St. Thomas observes,
[Opusc. c. 63.] and to speak with him, as if man were the God of God, and that the felicity of the Soveraign Majesty de∣pended on the Salvation of man; as if he could not be happy, if man were mi∣serable.
Having shewed the price of thy Sal∣vation, the great esteem the Son of God had of it, that as St. Chrysostom speaks, Nihil indignum se putat, quod nobis pro∣ficiat ad salutem; He thought not any thing unworthy of him, which might con∣duce to our Salvation. If thou comest now to neglect this, by this Crime thou committest two grand outrages, One a∣gainst the Son of God, the Other against thy self: for the first St. Augustine observes, [St. Aug. Sermo. 37. de temp.] qui dat pro modica delectatione: He who gives to the Devil for a short pleasure or transitory satisfaction, that, for which Christ gave no less than himself. Stultum reputat Christum mercatorem; By that very acti∣on, condemns Christ as a foolish and ig∣norant Merchant. Who hath not light to discover, nor wisdome to esteem the
true value of Souls, seeing he did give an infinite price for the Salvation of them, which thou esteemest as a thing of nothing. What an affront is this offered to Christ? it is no less, as the Apostle affirms, than to trample his sa∣cred Blood under our feet; of which he complained by the Psalmist, Sicut aqua effusus sum; I am poured out as water: as a thing of no esteem, trampled under the feet of all.
Ah Sinner! this outrage against the Son of God will fall heavy upon thy self, when thou comest to lose thy soul, and to sell it to the Devil for a transitory pleasure: Hast thou any thing so preti∣ous wherewith to purchase it again, as the price that was given for it, and is so contemned by thee? St. Chrysologus assures thee, no. Quando eam tanti emptam perdideris, quomodo poteris eam deinceps emere? When thou losest that which was bought with so great a price, how can'st thou purchase it again? O Christians! after we have seen the esteem that God makes of our Salvation, the
price he hath given for it, the labours and sufferings that his only Beloved Son did undergo to procure it for us; the crafts and endeavours the Devil useth to deprive us of it, what remains but to conclude? that this is the only thing in which you should be employed; the grand affair which deserves the applicati∣on of your Spirits; the affections of your wills, the force of your bodies: when you have effected this, you have done all; if you miscarry in this, all is lost though you should gain the whole world by it.