1. It is the inward man that is esteemed with God, and therefore that is it the saints mainly look after. God doth not look upon men according to their outward condition, pomp, and appearances in the world, but according to the inward endowments of the heart : 1 Sam. xvi. 7, * Man's eye is upon the outward appearance, but God regards the heart ;' and ' the hidden man of the heart,' that is said to be ' an ornament of great price with God,' 1 Peter iii. 4. Intellectual beauty is that which is esteemed in heaven, and spiritual wealth is only current in the other world. Poor creatures, that are led by sense, they esteem one another by these outward things ; but God esteems men by grace, by the soul, how that is cherished and strengthened ; and though we are otherwise never so well accomplished, we are hated if we have not his image stamped upon us.
2. The everlasting welfare of the whole person depends upon the flourishing of the inward man. When we come to put off the upper garment of the flesh, the poor soul will be destitute, naked, and har- bourless, if we have made no provision for it, 2 Cor. v. 3, and then both body and soul are undone for ever. "When the soul is to be thrown out of doors, whither will it go, if it hath not an eternal build- ing in heaven to receive it ? The soul is the man ; the body follows the state of the soul, but the soul doth not follow the state of the body. The life of God, which he doth begin in the soul, does in time renew and perfect the body too. The apostle saith, Ptom. vi. 11, ' The Spirit that now dwelleth in us will raise up our mortal bodies.' But now those that seek to pi-eserve the outward man with the neglect of the inner, in time ruin both body and soul. Well, then, here is their care.
3. The loss of the outward man may be recompensed and made up by the strength of grace that is put into the inner man, but the loss of the inner man cannot be made up by the perfections of the out- ward man. A man that is afflicted in his outward estate, God makes it up in grace ; if he makes him rich in faith, in the experiences of his favour, the loss is made up and supplied more abundantly ; and the
270 ser:\ions upon psalm cxix. [See. XXIX.
children of God can comfort themselves in this, that their inward man is strengthened and renewed day by day, 2 Cor, iv. 16 ; so that a man may be happy notwithstanding breaches made upon the outward man. But when there is a wounded spirit, and God breaks into the inward man, then what good will riches, estate, and all these things do? They are as unsavoary things as tlie white of an e^g.
4. The outward man may fit us for converse with men, but the in- ward man with God. We need bodies, and organs of speech, and reason, and present supplies, which fit us to converse with men ; but we converse with God by thoughts and by grace, and b}' the perfec- tions of the inward man ; this fits us for communion w^ith him.
5. The life and strength of the inward man is a more noble thing than the strength of the outward man or the bodily life, for it draws nearer to the life of God, as the life and strength of the body draws nearer to the life, pleasure, and happiness of a beast. By the bodily life we eat, drink, labour, sleep, and so do the beasts ; yea, many of the beasts excel us in the perfection of that kind of life. Lions excel in strength, roes in swiftness, eagles in long age ; none of their plea- sures are soured with remorse of conscience. But the inward spiritual life is called the life of God, Eph. iv. 18.
6. The inward life is the beginning of our life in heaven. A glori- fied saint and a saint militant upon earth both live the life of God ; and the life of grace is the same life for kind, though not for degree ; and one that is glorified and one here upon earth difler but as a child and a man. But now the life of sense and the life of grace difler as a toad and a man, not only in degree, but also in kind.
7. Yet further, this is that great thing which God hath been at such great expense about, to raise the being of the new creature : John vi. 51, ' This is my flesh, which I give for the life of the world.' The supports, the strength of the inward man cost dearer than all other comforts whatsoever : it must have nobler supports, it must have the blood of Christ, daily supplies from heaven. But the other life is called the life of our hands, Isa. Ivii. 10. We patch up to ourselves some conveniences for the sensible life by labour and service here in the world. Well, then, this is that which the children of God do mostly look after, that the inward life may be kept free from annoy- ance, and fit for the i^urposes of grace.