2d. In reference to ourselves. The com- mandment, " Thou shalt not kill," requires tJiat we should preserve our own life and soul. — 1. It is engraven upon every crea- ture, that we should preserve our own na- tural life. We must be so far from self- minder, that we must do all we can to pre- serve our natural life ; we must use all means of diet, exercise and lawful recrea- tion, which is like oil to preserve the lamp of life from going out. Some have been under temptation ; Satan has suggested they are such sinners as do not deserve a bit or bread, and so they have been ready to starve themselves : this is contrary to this sixth coHiinandment, "thou shalt do no murder;" it is implied, we are to use all means for the preservation of our own life, 1 Tim. v. 23., " Drink no longer water, but use a lit- tle wine for thy stomach's sake." Timothy was not by drinking too much water to o- vercool his stomach, and weaken nature, but we must use means for self-preserva- tion, ' drink a little wine,' &c.
2. This commandment requires, that we should endeavour (as to preserve our own life, so especially) to preserve our own souls. —
Omnia perdas onimam senare memento. It is engraven upon every creature, as with the point of a diamond, that it should look to its own preserA'ation. If the life of the body must be preserved, then much more the life of the soul. If he who doth not provide for his own house is worse than an infidel, 1 Tim. v. 8., then much more he who doth not provide for his own souL This is a main thirjg implied in the com- mandment, a special care for the preserv- ing our souls ; the soul is the jewel, the soul is a diamond set in a ring of clay; Christ puts the soul in balance with the world, and it outweighs, Mat. XA'i. 26. The soul is a glass, in which some rays of divine glory shine ; it hath in it some faint idea and resemblance of a Deity ; it is a celesti- al spark lighted by the breath of God. The body was made of the dust, but the soul is of a more noble extract and orij:iual, Cen. ii. 7., " God breathed into liis nostrils the breath of life, and nianhccane a liviiigsoul."
1. The soul is excellent in it^^ n;itm-e. It is a spiritual being, — ' if i> a kind of ange- lical thing,' — the niirnl sparkles with know- ledge, the will is crowned with liberty, and all the affections are as stars shining in their orb. The soul being spiritual, (1.) It is of quick operation. I low quick are the mo- tions of a spark ! How swift the wing of a cherubim ! So quick and agile is the motion of the soul. What is quicker than a thought ? How many miles can the soul travel in an instant ! (2.) The soul, being spiritual, moves upward, — it contemplates God and glory, Ps. Ixxiii. 25., " Whom have I in heaven but thee ?" The motion of the soul is upward; only sin hath |)ut a wrong bias upon the soul, and made it move too much downward. (3 ) Tiic soul being spiritual, hath a self-moving ])<)wer; it can subsist and move when the body is dead, as the mariner can subsist when the ship is brok- en. (4.) The soul, being spiritual, is im- mortal, (Bternilatis gemma, — ' a bud of eter- nity.' SCALIGER.
2. As the soul is excellent in its nature, so in its capacities. It is capable of grace.
OF THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT.
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— ^it is fit to be an associate and companion : of angels. It is capable of communion with God, — of being Christ's spouse, 2 Cor. xii. 15., That I might espouse your virgin souls to Christ. It is capable of being crowned with glory for ever. O then, carrying such precious souls about you, created with the breath of God, redeemed with the blood of God, what endeavours should you use for the saving of these souls ! Let not the de- vil have your souls. Heliogabalus fed his lions with pheasants : the devil is called a roaring lion, feed him not with your souls. Besides the excellency of the soul, which may make you labour to get it saved, con- sider how sad it will be not to have the soul saved ; it is such a loss as there is none like it ; because, in losing the soul you lose a groat many things with it. A merchant in lo^^ng his ship, loseth many things with it; he loseth money, jewels, spices, &c. so, he that loseth his soul loseth Christ, the com- |>any of angels in heaven ; it is an infinite loss, and it is an irreparable loss; it can never be made up again. Two eyes but one soul, Chrys. O what care should be taken of the immortal soul ! I would re- quest but this of you, that you would but take as much care for the saving of your souls, {IS you do for the getting of an estate : nav, I will sav this, do but take as much care for the saving your souls as the devil doth for destroying them. O how indus- trious is Satan to damn souls ! How doth be play the serpent in his subtle laying of snares to catch souls ! How doth he shoot fiery darts; the devil is never idle; the devil is a busy bishop in his diocese, he *' walketh about seeking whom he may de- vour," 1 Pet. v. 8. Now, is not this a rea-