that concerns not himself, and that to good purpose, for the salvation
of his soul. 1. A fool has not an heart, when the price is in his hand,
to get wisdom. (Prov 17:16). 2. ‘It is a sport to a fool to do
mischief.’ and to set light by the commission of sin (Prov 10:23). 3.
‘Fools despise wisdoml’ ‘fools hate knowledge’ (Prov 1:7,22). 4. ‘A
fool,’ after restraint, ‘returneth to his folly’ (Prov 26:11). 5. ‘The
way of a fool is right in his own eyes’ (Prov 7:15). 6. The fool goes
merrily ‘to the correction of the stocks’ (Prov 7:22).
I might add many more, but these six shall suffice at this time, by
which it appears that the fool has no heart for the heavenly prize, yet
he has to sport himself in sin; and when he despises wisdom, the way is
yet right before him; yea, if he be for some time restrained from vice,
he greedily turneth again thereto, and will, when he has finished his
course of folly and sin in this world, go as heedlessly, as carelessly,
as unconcernedly, and quietly, down the steps to hell, as the ox goeth
to the slaughter-house, This is a soul fool, a fool of the biggest
size; and so is every one also that layeth up treasure for himself on
earth, ‘and is not rich towards God’ (Luke 7:21).
Objection 1. But would you not have us mind our worldly concerns?
Answer. Mind them, but mind them in their place; mind thy soul first
and most; the soul is more than the body, and eternal life better than
temporal; first seek the kingdom of God, and prosper in thy health and
thy estate as thy soul prospers (Matt 6:33; 3 John 2). But as it is
rare to see this command obeyed, for the kingdom of God shall be
thought of last, so if John’s wish was to light upon, or happen to some
people, they would neither have health nor wealth in this world. To
prosper and be in health, as their soul prospers—what, to thrive and
mend in outwards no faster? then we should have them have consumptive
bodies and low estates; for are not the souls of most as unthrifty, for
grace and spiritual health, as is the tree without fruit that is pulled
up by the roots?
Objection 2. But would you have us sit still and do nothing?
Answer. And must you needs be upon the extremes? must you mind this
world to the damning of your souls? or will you not mind your callings
at all? Is there not a middle way? may you not, must you not, get your
bread in a way of honest industry; that is, caring most for the next
world, and so using of this as not abusing the same? (1 Cor 7: 20-31).
And then a man doth so, and never but then, when he sets this world and
the next in their proper places, in his thoughts, in his esteem, and
judgment, and dealeth with both accordingly (2 Cor 4:18). And is there
not all the reason in the world for this? are not the things that are
eternal best? Will temporal things make thy soul to live? or art thou
none of those that should look after the salvation of their soul? (Deu
8:3; Matt 5:4; Heb10:39).
Objection 3. But the most of men do that which you forbid, and why may
not we?
Answer. God says, ‘Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil’ (Exo
23:2). It is not what men do, but what God commands; it is not what
doth present itself unto us, but what is best, that we should choose
(Matt 6:23; Luke 10:41,42). Now, ‘He that refuseth instruction,
despiseth his own soull’ and ‘He that keepeth the commandment, keepeth
his own soul’ (Prov 15:32; 19:16). Make not, therefore, these foolish
objections. But what saith the Word? how readest thou? That tells thee,
that the pleasures of sin are but for a season; that the things that
are seen are but temporal; that he is a fool that is rich in this
world, and is not so towards God; ‘and what shall it profit a man, if
he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?’
Objection 4. But may one not be equally engaged for both?
Answer. A divided heart is a naughty one (Heb 10:2). ‘You cannot serve
God and mammon’ (Matt 6:24; Luke 16:13). ‘If any man love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him,’ (1 John 2:15); and yet this
objection bespeaks that thy heart is divided, that thou art a
Mammonist, or that thou lovest the world. But will riches profit in the
day of wrath? (Prov 11:4). Yea, are they not hurtful in the day of
grace? do they not tend to surfeit the heart, and to alienate a man and
his mind from the things that are better? (Luke 21:34). Why, then, wilt
thou set thy heart upon that which is not? yea, then what will become
of them that are so far off of minding of their souls, that they, for
whole months, and years together, scarce consider whether they have
souls to save?
USE THIRD.—But, thirdly, is it so? Is the soul such an excellent thing,
and is the loss thereof so unspeakably great? Then this should teach
people to be very careful to whom they commit the teaching and guidance
of their souls.
This is a business of the greatest concern; men will be careful to whom
they commit their children, who they make the executors of their will,
in whose hand they trust the writing and evidences of their lands; but
how much more careful should we be, and yet the most are the least of
all careful, unto whom they commit the teaching and guidance of their
souls. There are several sorts of soul shepherds in the world: 1. There
are idol shepherds (Zech 6:5). 2. There are foolish shepherds (Zech
11:15). 3. There are shepherds that feed themselves, and not their
flock (Eze 34:2) 4. There are hard-hearted and pitiless shepherds (Zech
9: 3). 5. There are shepherds that, instead of healing, smite, push,
and wound the diseased (Eze 34:4,21). 6. There are shepherds that
‘cause their flocks to go astray’ (Jer 50:6). 7. And there are
shepherds that feed their flock; these are the shepherds to whom thou
shouldst commit thy soul for teaching and for guidance.
Question. You may ask, How should I know those shepherds?
Answer. First, surrender up thy soul unto God, by Christ, and choose
Christ to be the chief Shepherd of thy soul; and He will direct thee to
His shepherds, and He will, of His mercy, set such shepherds over thee
‘as shall feed thee with knowledge and understanding’ (1 Peter 2:25;
4:19; John 10:4,5; Song 1:7, 8; Jer 3:15; 23:4). Before thou hast
surrendered up thy soul to Christ, that He may be thy chief Shepherd,
thou canst not find out, nor choose to put thy soul under the teaching
and guidance of His under shepherds, for thou canst not love them;
besides, they are so set forth by false shepherds, in so many ugly
guises, and under so many false and scandalous dresses, that, should I
direct thee to them while thou art a stranger to Christ, thou wilt
count them deceivers, devourers, and wolves in sheeps’ clothing, rather
than the shepherds that belong to the great and chief Shepherd, who is,
also, the Bishop of the soul.
Yet this I will say unto thee, take heed of that shepherd that careth
not for his own soul, that walketh in ways, and doth such things, as
have a direct tendency to damn his own soul; I say, take heed of such
an one, come not near him, let him have nothing to do with thy soul;
for if he be not faithful to that which be his own soul, be sure he
will not be faithful to that which is another man’s. He that feeds his
own soul with ashes, will scarce feed thine with the bread of life;
wherefore, take heed of such an one; and many such there are in the
world (Isa 44:20). ‘By their fruits you shall know theml’ they are for
flattering of the worst, and frowning upon the best; they are for
promising of life to the profane, and for slaying the souls that God
would have live; they are also men that hunt souls that fear God, but
for sewing pillows under those arm holes which God would have to lean
upon that which would afflict them. These be them ‘that, with lies, do
make the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sadl’ saith
God; and that have ‘strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he shall
not return from his wicked way, by promising of him life’ (Eze
13:18-22).
And as thou shouldest, for thy soul’s sake, choose for thyself good
soul shepherds, so also, for the same reason, you should choose for
yourself a good wife, a good husband, a good master, a good servant;
for in all these things the soul is concerned. Abraham would not suffer
Isaac to take a wife of the daughters of Canaan, (Gen 24:3); nor would
David suffer a wicked servant to come into his house, or to tarry in
his sight (Psa 101:7). Bad company is, also, very destructive to the
soul, and so is evil communication; wherefore, be diligent to shun all
these things, that thou mayest persevere in that way, the end of which
will be the saving of thy soul (Prov 13:20; 1 Cor 15:33).
And since, under this head, I am fallen upon cautions, let me add these
to those which I have presented to thee already:
Caution 1. Take heed, take heed of learning to do evil of any that are
good. ’Tis possible for a good man to do things that are bad; but let
not his bad action embolden thee to run upon sin. Seest thou a good man
that stumbleth at a stone, or that slippeth into the dirt—let that warn
thee to take heed; let his stumble make thee wary, let his fall make
thee look well to thy goings; ‘ever follow that which is good’ (1 Thess
5:15). Thy soul is at stake.
Caution 2. Take heed of the good things of bad men, for in them there
lies a snare also; their ‘good words and fair speeches’ tend to deceive
(Rom 16:17, 18). Learn to be good, by the Word of God and by the holy
lives of them that be good; envy not the wicked, ‘nor desire to be with
theml’ ‘choose none of his ways’ (Prov 3:31; 24:1). Thy soul lies at
stake.
Caution 3. Take heed of playing the hypocrite in religion. What of God
and His Word thou knowest, profess it honestly, conform to it heartily,
serve Him faithfully; for what is the hypocrite bettered by all his
profession, ‘when God taketh away his soul?’ (Job 27:8).
Caution 4. Take heed of delays to turn to God, and of choosing His ways
for the delight of thy heart, ‘for the Lord’s eye is upon them that
fear Him, to deliver their souls’ (Psa 33:18,19).
Caution 5. Boast not thyself of thy flocks and thy herds, of thy gold
and thy silver, of thy sons and of thy daughters. What is a house full
of treasures, and all the delights of this world, if thou be empty of
grace, ‘if thy soul be not filled with good?’ (Eccl 6:3). But,
USE FOURTH.—Is it so? Is the soul such an excellent thing, and is the
loss thereof so unspeakably great? Then, I pray thee, let me inquire a
little of thee, what provision thou hast made for thy soul? There be
many that, through their eagerness after the things of this life, do
bereave their soul of good, even of that good the which if they had it
would be a good to them for ever (Eccl 4:8). But I ask not concerning
this; it is not what provision thou hast made for this life, but what
for the life, and the world to come. ‘Lord, gather not my soul with
sinners,’ saith David, (Psa 26:9); not with men of this world: Lord,
not with them that have their portion in this life, whose belly Thou
fillest with Thy hid treasures. Thus you see how Solomon laments some,
and how his father prays to be delivered from their lot who have their
portion in this life, and that have not made provision for their soul.
Well, then, let me inquire of thee about this matter. What provision
hast thou made for thy soul? And,
1. What hast thou thought of thy soul? What ponderous thoughts hast
thou had of the greatness and of the immortality of thy soul? This must
be the first inquiry: for he that hath not had his thoughts truly
exercised, ponderously exercised, about the greatness and the
immortality of his soul, will not be careful, after an effectual
manner, to make provision for his soul, for the life and world to come.
The soul is a man’s all, whether he knows it or no, as I have already
showed you. Now a man will be concerned about what he thinks is his
all. We read of the poor servant that ‘setteth his heart upon’ his
wages (Deu 24:14,15). But it is because it is his all, his treasure,
and that wherein his worldly worth lieth. Why, thy soul is thy all; it
is strange if thou dost not think so! and more strange if thou dost
think so, and yet hast light, seldom, and trivial thoughts about it.
These two seem to be inconsistent, therefore let thy conscience speak;
either thou hast very great and weighty thoughts about the excellent
greatness of thy soul, or else thou dost not count that thy soul is so
great a thing as it is, else thou dost not count it thy all.
2. What judgment hast thou made of the present state of thy soul? I
speak now to the unconverted. Thy soul is under sin, under the curse,
and an object of wrath; this is that sentence that by the Word is
passed upon it—‘Woe unto their soul,’ saith God, ‘for they have
rewarded evil unto themselves.’ (Isa 3:9). This is the sentence of God.
Well, but what judgment hast thou passed upon it while thou livest in
thy debaucheries? Is it not that which thy fellows have passed on
theirs before thee, saying, ‘I shall have peace, though I walk in the
imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst’ (Deu 29:19).
If so, know thy judgment is gross, thy soul is miserable, and turn, or
in little time thine eyes will behold all this.
3. What care hast thou had of securing of thy soul, and that it might
be delivered from the danger that by sin it is brought into? if a man
has a horse, a cow, or a swine that is sick, or in danger by reason of
this or that casualty, he will take care for his beast, that it may not
perish; he will pull it out of the ditch on the Sabbath day. But, oh!
that is the day on which many men do put their soul into the ditch of
sin; that is the day that they set apart to pursue wickedness in. 32
But, I say, what care hast thou taken to get thy soul out of this
ditch?—a ditch out of which thou canst never get it without the aid of
an omnipotent arm. In things pertaining to this life, when a man feels
his own strength fail, he will implore the help and aid of another; and
no man can, by any means, deliver by his own arm his soul from the
power of hell, which thou also wilt confess, if thou beest not a very
brute; but what hast thou done with God for help? hast thou cried? hast
thou cried out? yea, dost thou still cry out, and that day and night
before him—‘Deliver my soul’ (Psa 17:13) ‘Save my soul, preserve my
soul’ (Psa 25:20) ‘Heal my soul,’ (Psa 42:4), and, ‘I pour out my soul
unto thee?’ (Psa 62:5). Yea, canst thou say, My soul, my soul waiteth
upon God, my soul thirsteth for Him, my soul followeth hard after him?
(Psa 63:1,8). I say, dost thou this, or dost thou hunt thine own soul
to destroy it? The soul, with some, is the game, their lusts are the
dogs, and they themselves are the huntsmen, and never do they more
halloo, and lure, and laugh, and sing, than when they have delivered up
their soul, their darling, to these dogs—a thing that David trembled to
think of, when he cried, ‘Dogs have compassed me. Deliver my darling,’
my soul, ‘from the power of the dog’ (Psa 22:16,20). Thus, I say, he
cried, and yet these dogs were but wicked men. But, oh! how much is a
sin, a lust, worst than a man to do us hurt; yea, worse than is a dog,
(or) a lion, to hurt a lamb!
4. What are the signs and tokens that thou bearest about thee,
concerning how it will go with thy soul at last? There are signs and
tokens of a good, and signs and tokens of a bad end that the souls of
sinners will have; there are signs of the salvation of the soul, (Heb
6:9); evident tokens of salvation; and there are signs of the damnation
of the soul, evident signs of damnation (Phil 1:27,28; Job 21:29,30; 1
Sam 3:9). Now, which of these hast thou? I cannot stand here to show
thee which are which; but thy soul and its salvation lieth before thee,
and thou hast the book [the Holy Bible] of signs about these matters by
thee; thou hast also men of God to go to, and their assemblies to
frequent. Look to thyself; heaven and hell are hard by, and one of them
will swallow thee up; heaven, into unspeakable and endless glory, or
hell, into unspeakable and endless torment. Yet,
5. What are the pleasures and delights of thy soul now? Are they things
Divine, or things natural? Are they things heavenly, or things earthly?
Are they things holy, or things unholy? For look what things thou
delightest in now, to those things the great God doth count thee a
servant, and for and of those thou shalt receive thy wages at the day
of judgment—‘His servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto
death, or of obedience unto righteousness’ (Rom 16:16).
Wicked men talk of heaven, and say they hope and desire to go to
heaven, even while they continue wicked men; but, I say, what would
they do there? If all that desire to go to heaven should come thither,
verily they would make a hell of heaven; for, I say, what would they do
there? why, just as they do here, scatter their filthiness quite over
the face of heaven, and make it as vile as the pit that the devils
dwell in. 33 Take holiness away out of heaven, and what is heaven? I
had rather be in hell, were there none but holy ones there, than be in
heaven itself with the children of iniquity. If heaven should be filled
with wicked men, God would quickly drive them out, or forsake the place
for their sakes. It is true, they have been sinners, and none but
sinners, that go to heaven; but they are washed—‘Such were some of you;
but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the
name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God’ (1 Cor 6:11).
When the maidens were gathered together for the great king Ahasuerus,
before they were brought to him into his royal presence, they were to
be had to the house of the women, there to be purifed with things for
purification, and that for twelve months together—to wit, six months
with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and other things,
and so came every maiden to the king (Esth 2:3,9,12,13). God also hath
appointed that those that come into His royal presence should first go
to the house of the women, the church, 34 and there receive of the
eunuchs things for purification, things to make us ‘meet to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light’ (Col 1:12). None
can go from a state of nature to glory but by a state of grace, the
Lord gives grace and glory; hence he that goeth to heaven is said to be
wrought for it, fitted, prepared for it (1 Cor 5:5; Rom 19:23).
USE FIFTH, Again, fifthly, Is it so? is the soul such an excellent
thing, and is the loss thereof so unspeakably great? Then this doctrine
commends those for the wise ones, that above all business concern
themselves with the salvation of their souls; those that make all other
matters but things by the by, and the salvation of their souls the one
thing needful. But, but few comparatively will be concerned with this
use; for where is he that doth this? Solomon speaks of one man of a
thousand (Eccl 7:28). However, some there be, and blessed be God for
some; but they are they that are wise, yea, wise in the wisdom of God.
1. Because they reject what God hath rejected and that is sin. 2.
Because they esteem but little of that which, by the Word, is counted
but of little esteem, and that is the world. 3. Because they choose for
a portion that which God commendeth unto us for that which is the most
excellent thing—viz., Himself, His Christ, His heaven, His Word, His
grace, and holiness; these are the great and most excellent things, and
the things that He has chosen that is truly wise for his soul (and all
other wise men are fools in God’s account, and in the judgment of His
Word), and if it be so, glory and bliss must needs be their portion,
though others shall miss thereof—‘The wise shall inherit glory, but
shame shall be the promotion of fools’ (Prov 3:35).
Let me, then, encourage those that are of this mind to be strong, and
hold on their way. Soul, thou hast pitched right; I will say of thy
choice as David said of Goliath’s sword, ‘There is none like that; give
it me.’ ‘Hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown’
(Rev 3:11). Oh! I admire this wisdom; this is by the direction of the
Lawgiver; this is by the teaching of the blessed Spirit of God: not the
wisdom which this world teacheth, nor the wisdom which the world doth
choose, which comes to nought (1 Cor 2: 6). Surely thou hast seen
something of the world to come, and of the glory of it, through faith;
surely God has made thee see emptiness in that wherein others find a
fulness, and vanity in that which by others is counted for a darling.
Blessed are thine eyes, for they see; and thine ears, for they hear.
But who told thee that thy soul was such an excellent thing as by thy
practice thou declarest thou believest it to be? What! set more by thy
soul than by all the world? What! cast a world behind thy back for the
welfare of a soul? Is not this to play the fool, in the account of
sinners, while angels wonder at and rejoice for thy wisdom? What a
thing is this, that thy soul and its welfare should be more in thy
esteem than all those glories wherewith the eyes of the world are
dazzled! Surely thou hast looked upon the sun, and that makes gold look
like a clod of clay in thine eyesight.
But who put the thoughts of the excellencies of the things that are
eternal—I say, who put the thoughts of the excellency of those things
into thy mind in this wanton age?—in an age wherein the thoughts of
eternal life, and the salvation of the soul, are with and to many like
the Morocco ambassador and his men, men of strange faces, in strange
habit, with strange gestures and behaviour, monsters to behold. But
where hadst thou that heart that gives entertainment to these thoughts,
these heavenly thoughts? These thoughts are like the French
Protestants, banished thence where they willingly would have harbour.35
How came they to thy house, to thy heart, and to find entertainment in
thy soul? The Lord keep them in every imagination of the thoughts of
thy heart for ever, and incline thine heart to seek Him more and more.
And since the whole world have slighted and despised, and counted
foolish the thoughts and cogitations wherewith thy soul is exercised,
what strong and mighty supporter is it upon and with which thou bearest
up thy spirit, and takest encouragement in this thy forlorn,
unoccupied, and singular way? for so, I daresay, it is with the most;
but certainly it is something above thyself, and that is more mighty to
uphold thee than is the power, rage, and malice of all the world to
cast thee down, or else thou couldst not bear up, now wind and weather,
now the stream and the force thereof are against thee.
Objection 1. ‘I know my soul is an excellent thing, and that the world
to come and its glories, even in the smallest glimpse thereof, do
swallow up all the world that is here; my heart also doth greatly
desire to be exercised about the thoughts of eternity, and I count
myself never better than when my poor heart is filled with them; as for
the rage and fury of this world, it swayeth very little with me, for my
heart is come to a point; but yet, for all that, I meet with many
discouragements, and such things that indeed do weaken my strength in
the way.’
But, brave soul, pray tell me what the things are that discourage thee,
and that weaken thy strength in the way?
Why, the amazing greatness of this my enterprise, that is one thing. I
am now pursuing things of the highest, the greatest, the most enriching
nature, even eternal things; and the thoughts of the greatness of them
drowned me; for when the heat of my spirit in the pursuit after them is
a little returned and abated, methinks I hear myself talking thus to
myself: Fond fool! canst thou imagine that such a gnat, a flea, a
pismire as thou art, can take and possess the heavens, and mantle
thyself up in the eternal glories? If thou makest first a trial of the
successfulness of thy endeavours upon things far lower, more base, but
much more easy to obtain, as crowns, kingdoms, earldoms, dukedoms,
gold, silver, or the like, how vain are these attempts of thine; and
yet thou thinkest to possess thy soul of heaven! Away, away! by the
height thereof thou mayest well conclude it is far above out of thy
reach; and by the breadth thereof it is too large for thee to grasp;
and by the nature of the excellent glory thereof, too good for thee to
possess. These are the thoughts that sometimes discourage me, and that
weaken my strength in the way.