Inf 6. Moreover, if God hath created our souls vital substances to animate and act those bodies, How indispensably necessary is it that such a principle of spiritual life do quicken and govern that soul which quickens and governs our bodies and all the members of them ? Otherwise, though in a natural sense, we have living soids, yet they are dead whilst they live.
The apostle, in 1 Cor. xv. 45, 46. compares the animal life we live, by the union of our souls and bodies, with the spiritual life we live, by the union of our souls with Jesus Christ. And so it is written, (viz. in my text " The first man Adam was made a living " soul, the last Adam was made a quickening Spirit.'" He opposes the animal to the spiritual life, and the two Adams, from whom they come ; and shews, in both respects, the excellency of the spiritual above the animal life ; not in point of priority, for that which is natural is before that which is spiritual, (and it must be so, because the natural soul is the recipient subject of the Spirit's quickening and sanctifying operations ;) but in point of dignity and real excellency. To how little purpose, or rather to what a dismal and miserable pur- pose are we made living souls, except the Lord from heaven by his quickening power, make us spiritual and holy souls ? The natural soul rules and uses the body as an * artificer doth his tools : and except the Lord renew it by grace, Satan will rule that which rules thee, and so all thy members will be instruments of iniquity to fight against God. " The actions performed by our bodies, are justly <c reputed and reckoned by God to the soul \? because the soul is the spring of all its motions, the fountain of its life and operations. What it doth by the body, its instrument, is as if it were done im- mediately by itself; for without the soul it can do nothing.
Inf 7. Moreover, from the immaterial and spiritual nature of the soul, we are informed, That communion with God, and the enjoy- meat of him, are the true and proper intentions and purposes for which the soul of man was created.
Such a nature as this is not fitted to live upon gross, material, and perishing things as the body doth. The food of every crea- ture is agreeable to its nature ; one cannot subsist upon that which another doth : as" we see among the several sorts of animals, what is food to one, is none to another. In the same plant is found a root which is food for swine, a stalk which is food for sheep, a flower which feeds the bee, a seed on which the bird lives : the sheep cannot live upon the root, as the swine do ; nor the bird upon the flower as the bee doth : but every one feeds upon the
* The body bears resemblance to an organ, the soul to an artist. Iren. b. 2. f Omnia ynacunque secern, corjnis sivebonum, sive malum, anirrue npuiantur. Origin in Job.
534 A TKEATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAK.
different parts of the plant which are agreeable to its nature. So it is here, our bodies being of an earthly, material nature, can live upon things earthly and material, as most agreeable to them ; they can relish and suck out the sweetness of these things ; but the soul can find nothing in them suitable to its nature and appetite ; it must have spiritual food, or perish. It were therefore two bru- tish and unworthy of a man that understood the nature of his own soul, to cheer it up with the stores of earthly provision made for it, as he did, Luke xii. 20. " I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast " much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, " and be merry.1" Alas ! the soul can no more eat, drink, and be merry with carnal things, than the body can with spiritual and im- material things : it cannot feed upon bread that perisheth, it can relish no more the best and daintiest fair of an earthly growth, than the white of an egg : but bring it to a reconciled God in Christ, to the covenant of grace, and the sweet promises of the gospel : set before it the joys, comforts, and earnests of the Spirit ; and if it be a sanctified renewed soul, it can make a rich feast upon these. These make it a feast of fat things, full of marrow, as it is expressed, Isa. xxv. 6. Spiritual things are proper food for spiri- tual and immaterial souls.
Inf. 8. The spiritual nature of the soul farther informs us, That no acceptable service can be 'performed to God, except the soul be employed and engaged therein.
The body hath its part and share in God's worship as well as the soul ; but its part is inconsiderable, in comparison ; Prov. xxiii. 26. " My son give me thy heart ;" i. e. thy soul, thy spirit. The holy and religious acts of the soul are suitable to the nature of the object of worship : John iv. 24. " God is a Spirit, and they " that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth.'" Spirits only can have communion with that great Spirit. They were made spirits for that very end, that they might be capable of converse with the Father of spirits, " They that worship him must " worship him in spirit and in truth ;" that is, with inward love, fear, delight, and desires of soul, that is, to worship him in our spirits ; and in truth, i. e. according to the rule of his word which prescribes our duty. Spirit respects the inward power ; truth the outward form. The former strikes at hypocrisy, the latter at su- perstition and idolatry : the one opposes the inventions of our heads, the other the looseness and formality of our hearts.
No doubt but the service of the body is due to God, and expect- ed by him : for both the souls and bodies of his people are bought with a price, and therefore he expects we glorify him with our souls and bodies which are his : but the service of the body is not ac- cepted of him otherwise than it is animated and enlivened by an
A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN. 535
obedient soul, and both sprinkled with the blood of Christ. Sepa- rate from these, bodily exercise profits nothing, 1 Tim. iv. 8. What pleasure can God take in the fruits and evidences of men's hypocrisy? Exek. xxxiii. 31.