day ; " What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, " and lose his own soul ? Or what shall a man give in exchange for " his soul ?" Certainly it would make men slacken their pace and cool themselves in their hot and earnest pursuit of the trifles of this world, and convince them, that they have somewhat else to do of far greater importance.
It was not without great and weighty reason, therefore, that the apostle Peter exhorts to all diligence to make our calling and elec- tion sure, 2 Pet. i. 10. There are two words in this text of extra- ordinary weight, s-Ti'Satfarg, Give all diligence ; the word is studij ; the utmost intention of the mind, pondering and comparing things in the thoughts, valuing reasons for, and objections against the point before us, this is study ; and such as calls for all diligence where the subject-matter is (as to be sure here it is) of the greatest importance : And what is the subject-matter of all this study and dihgence ? Why, it is the most solemn of all works that ever came under the hand of man, to make our calling and election sure^ firm, stable, or fixed, as a building raised upon a square and strong foun- dation ; or as a conclusion is sure, when regularly drawn from cer- tain and indubitable premises: There can never be too much care, too much study or pains about that which can never be too well secured.
Many souls never spent one solemn hour in a close and serious debate about this matter ; others have taken a great deal of pains about it ; they have broken many nights sleep, poured out many prayers, made many a deep search into their own hearts, walked with much conscientious watchfulness and tenderness, proposed many a serious case of conscience to the most judicious and skilful ministers and Christians ; and after all, the security is not such as fully satisfies : And probably one reason of it may be the great weight wherewith the matters of their salvation lie upon their spirits. O that these soul-concerns did bear u|X)n all, as they do upon some ! It requires more time, more thoughts, more prayers to make these things sure, than most are aware of.
Inf. 3. If the soul he so precious^ then certainly it is the special care of heaven, that which God looks mo7'e particularly after, than any other creature on earth.
There is an active, vigilant providence that superintends every creature upon earth ; there is not the most despicable, diminutive creature that lives in the world, left without the line of providence : God is therefore said to give them all their meat in due season, and for that end they all wait upon him, Psal. civ. 27. who, as a gi'eat and provident house-keeper orders daily, convenient provisions for all his family, even to the least and lowest among them : The small- est insects and gnats which swarm so thick in the air, and of the usefulness of whose being it is hard to give an account ; yet as the
172 A TREATISE OF THE SOUL OF MAN.
incomparably learned * Dr. More well observes, these all find notr^ rishment in the world, which would be lost if they did not, and are again convenient nourishment themselves to others that prey upon them.
But man is the peculiar, special care of God ; and the soul of man much more than the body. Hence Christ fortifies the faith of Christians against all distrusts of Divine Providence, even from their excellency above other creatures.
Mat. X. 31. " Ye are of more value than many sparrows ;'' and Mat. vi. 26. your heavenly Father feeds the fowls of the air, and ** are ye not much better than they ?''' and ver. 30. he clothes the grass of the field, " and shall he not much more clothe you ?^^ and so the apostle, 1 Cor. ix. 9. " Doth God take care for oxen ? or •* saith he it altogether for our sakes ? For our sakes, no doubt, " this is written." In all which places vre have the dignity of man above all animals and vegetables in respect of the natural excellency of his reasonable soul, but especially the gracious endowments of it, which endear it far more to its Maker ; this is the very hinge of the argument, and a firm ground for the believer's faith of God's tender care over both parts, but especially the soul. The body of a believer is God's creature, as well as his soul ; but that being of less value, hath not such a degree of care and tenderness expressed towards it, as the soul hath: the father's care is not so much for the child's clothes, as it is for the child liimself Besides, the im- mediate wants and troubles of the soul, which are idiopatheticaly are far more sharp and pinching than those it suffers upon the body's account, which are but sympathetlcal ; and therefore, when- ever such an excellent creature as a sanctified soul which is in Christ, or a soul designed to be sanctified, which is moving towards Christ, falls under those heavy pressures and distresses, (as it often does) and is ready to fail ; let it be assured, its merciful Creator will not fail to relieve, support, revive, and deliver it, as often as it shall fall into those deep distresses.
Hear how his compassionate tenderness is expressed towards distressed souls. Isa. xlix. 15. " Can a woman forget her sucking " child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her " womb ? Yea, they may forget, yet I will not forget thee."
Sooner shall a wovian, the more tender sex, forget, (not the nurse-child, that only sucks her breast, but) the child, yea, the son of her womb, and that not when grown and placed abroad, but whilst it hangs upon her breast, and draws love from her heart, as well as milk from her breast, than God will forget a soul that fears him. Let gracious souls fortify their faith, therefore, in the
• Antidote, ^c, p. 82.
A tltEATISE OF THE SOUL OF MA>r. 173
Divine eare, by considering with what a peculiar eye of estimation and care God looks upon them above all other crearures in the world : only beware you so eye not the natural or spiritual excel- lencies of your souls, as to expect mercy for the sake thereof, as if your souls were worthy for whose sake God should do this : no, sin nonsuited that plea ; all is of free grace, not of debt : but he minds us to what reputation the new creation brings the soul with its God.
Inf. 4. If the soul of man he so precious, 7iow precious and dear to all believers should the Redeemer and Saviour of their precimis souls be ?