THIS seemeth but an odd kind of Passage; and of all the Books in the World one would least have expected it from the Holy Bible. That was written to instruct men in Righ­teousness; but this tendeth rather to the hardening of them in their Wickedness: That was to build us up in our most Holy Faith, but this striketh at the very Root of all Religion.

Before therefore we give any Answer to the Question, it may do well to enquire how it cometh to be asked? As it pro­ceedeth from Solomon (whose Book this is) it may startle us indeed, that a Man [Page 2]of his Superlative Parts and Wisdom should insinuate so dangerous and wretch­ed an Opinion! Speak so slightly of the Souls of Men, as if they were no other than such as Beasts have! If we look into the main Drift of his Writings, we shall find he had quite another Notion of them; and Chap. 12.7. he affirmeth ex­presly, That when the Dust shall go to the Earth as it was, our Spirits shall return un­to God that gave them. What then? Doth he use Lightness, that his Word towards us is Yea and Nay? No surely, not so nei­ther; but he bringeth in this not as a Doctrine, but a Misfortune, not as an As­sertion that so it is; but as a Lamentation, that so it is thought, that there is no dif­ference between our Souls and those that are in the Beasts.

Among the Vanities the Sons of Men labour under, he accounteth this as one of the Chief, that they do not understand nor know themselves, because it is not so [Page 3]very obvious to the heedless common Eye; and we fare in the same manner with the other Creatures here both in Life and Death: He observeth men are so besot­ted as to imagine it is so after Death too, that it is all one then also, and we no more survive than they do. This he bewail­eth as the Occasion of many more Evils than otherwise would be under the Sun; and yet a Disease so Epidemical, that it was rare to find them who were wholly free from it, judging the Thoughts of others by those which himself had sometimes had, and speaking in the name of the Person he had formerly been; he maketh as if the contrary Tenent were but a bare Surmize, and that which no body could be sure of, who knoweth the Spirit of Man that goeth upward, and the Spirit of the Beast that goeth downward to the Earth.

This is the sad case that is here upbrai­ded, and (Oh!) that there were no rea­son to continue it, that the Cause had [Page 4]ceased with that Age it was written in, and that in ours it were as groundless as 'tis doleful! But Men talk too extrava­gantly to let us think so charitably; and what is here represented but as a Tem­ptation, is now adopted into an Opini­on.

That therefore what is here observed, may tend to our better edifying, I shall discourse upon the Design and Scope of it under these following Propositions.

First, That all men are not so well convinced and satisfied as they ought, that their own Souls are other than such as Beasts have, they hesitate, as if they they could not well tell what to think of it: Who knoweth, &c.

Secondly, That though it be not so e­vidently apprehended, yet there is a won­derful and real Difference between them, The Spirit of Man goeth upward, and [Page 5]the Spirit of the Beast goeth downward to the Earth.

Lastly, That the observing and Consi­deration of this Difference would be an excellent Remedy for the mortifying and removing the Sins and Vanities of Hu­mane Life: To this he doth ascribe them, that Men have not a due Sence of their own Excellency and Immortality, Who knoweth the Spirit of Man, &c.

I begin with the First of these, That all Men are not so well convinced and satis­fied as they ought, that their own Souls are other than such as Beasts have. It must be acknowledged for the Honour of our Species, that the National Opinion throughout the World, hath and doth every where run in the Affirmative▪ There is not a Kingdom or Country on the Face of the whole Earth, yet disco­vered, so barbarous, which doth not pub­lickly profess to believe better. But the [Page 6]Spirit that searcheth all things giveth ano­ther kind of Account of Mens Personal Inward Perswasions; and acquainteth us, that they who do not deny the received notion of them as false, yet very ordinarily are but too mistrustful whether it be true.

Gerson telleth of a Friend of his, who for a long while had been very much fluctuating in his Mind about this thing, that at last came to him, and with great Joy told him, That by Reading and Meditation, by Prayer, and the use of Means, he was attained to such a Plero­phory, that he did now no more questi­on the things that are not seen than the things that are seen; and did as firmly be­lieve the Immortality of his Soul, as he did the Mortality of his Body. Such are the Fruits of pious and sincere Endeavours, that by the Blessing of God they over­come and conquer these untoward Suspi­cions; but without them they do not use [Page 7]to go off of themselves, but by Fits and Occasions will disturb and haunt us.

And there are two things in our very Constitution that do much contribute to it.

The First is, the very little we understand in this State of what the Soul is. She (like the Eye) seeth all things else, but cannot see her self but in an imperfect Looking-Glass: Could she behold her self as she is, she could never doubt more: Then she would accost her self as Jacob did his Brother, and say, I have seen thy Face as the Face of God. She would discover something Divine and Coelestial in her own Countenance: But now, as a Child of high Descent that was dropped at his Birth in a strange Place, and can give no Account of his own Quality, is easi­ly made believe, that they are his Parents with whom he hath lived ever since he can remember, and those his Brethren [Page 8]with whom he hath used to eat and play. So it is here; being placed in the Body, and dwelling there from the very first, it is apt to be perswaded it hath no other Original; but is the Product of Matter, as that which animateth the other Crea­tures; and so in this Sence saith to Corrup­tion, thou art my Father, and to the Worm, thou art my Mother and my Sister.

They who have searched most indu­striously after her, the most profound and eminent Philosophers do not at all agree in their Discoveries: Some will have it one thing and some another; and so far is what the best of them have said from satisfying others, that it is plain enough from Socrates's, Aristotle's, Tully's, Seneca's faint misgiving Passages about her, it hath been unsatisfactory to them themselves. We are formally taught that it is a Spi­rit; but when all is done we cannot tell what a Spirit is, and all that we know of it, is only what it is not. Though she be [Page 9]within us we cannot perceive her, she putteth a Veil upon her shining Face, and near us as she is we cannot discern the Form of her: And that may be one Ac­count why Men are so staggered about the Pre-eminence of their Souls, the very little they truly understand of what the Soul is.

The other is the very great Resem­blance between them and those the Beasts have in their Functions and Operations. The curious and useful Offices which ours perform in us, it is visible theirs also per­form in them. Do ours give Life and Motion to the Body? So do theirs too. Do we see, and hear, and feel, and smell and taste? So do they too much more ex­actly. Have we our Affections and Pas­sions? So have they, their Love, their Anger, their Grief, their Joy, according to the Occasions. Do we retain the Memory of things when they are past [Page 10]and gone? So do they too, of Persons, Kindnesses, and ill Turns. Nor is this all, even in that which we pretend our peculiar Prerogative, Ratiocination, they seem to have a Share too; their Know­ledge extendeth not only to simple Ob­jects, but it is evident by the Subtilty and Docibility which is so wonderful in many of them, even to Propositions, As­sumptions and Deductions.

Several beneficial and choice Accom­plishments which are Arts in us, and at­tained with Difficulty, in them are natu­ral; and some are of Opinion that we learned them first from them: That we had our Architecture from the Nests of the Swallow, our Musick from the Notes of the Nightingale, our Weaving from the Work of the Spider; our Skill in Simples, from Observation of what several of the Beasts in their Extremities have Recourse to. However (without magnifying the [Page 11]thing fancifully) thus much is certain, though it be in an inferior Manner, yet something they have of all these things we value our selves so much upon: And from hence, because they are in so many things something like, sensual and superficial Men have great Jealousie that they are the same: For the preventing or curing which dangerous imagination, I now pro­ceed to the better Information, which is to be gathered from the Text, my next Proposition.

That notwithstanding this specious Resemblance, there is a great and real Dif­ference; so great, as that we may con­clude from it they have not both the same End; but that the Spirit of the Man goeth upward, though the Spirit of the Beast go­eth downward to the Earth.

What hath been said of our Country in particular, that it can never be con­quered but by it self, the Divisions and [Page 12]Treacheries of its own Inhabitants, is as true of our Nature in general, it cannot be degraded but by it self, the Neglect and Abuse of its own Faculties.

Did we exercise these as we might and ought, we could not be overcome by an Host of such Objections: For though we are so much in the Dark about the Hu­mane Soul, yet we may well enough di­scern it from the Brutal; and notwith­standing the specious Appearance of their Likeness, yet there is so vast an Ʋnlike­ness, that it must be a very hard thing for him that coolly thinketh on both, really to perswade himself that they are of the same kind.

That this may appear the clearer, we will take a particular View of the chief­est of those things that seem common to them with us, wherein it is pretended that they parallel us.

There are Four things the Beasts have something of as well as we,

• Ʋnderstanding,
• Will,
• Habits, and
• Illuminations.

Now let us compare each of these with our own, enquire and see whether it be likely they are of the same sort; and,

First, Let us look upon their Under­standings: It is confessed, that when they first appear in the World, they have much the Start of us: and there is not any of them, but in choosing their proper Food, in knowing their natural Enemies, in providing for their own Support, have the Advantage of an Infant: Besides these, some farther Improvements they make afterwards themselves. By Experience, Imitation, Institution, they acquire such Cunning and Tricks in their way as look [Page 14]very sagacious and surprizing: But yet all this is still but the Ministry and Work of Sence, by those Impressions which they receive upon their Imaginations from Ex­ternal Objects: And if all the Know­ledge of Men came so (large as it is, and surmounting theirs) I needs must say, the Difference then would be only in De­gree.

But besides this, we have another Way, a Superior Way of Knowing, which presi­deth over this, and when it is out (as oft it is) correcteth its Mistakes, and inform­eth it better: If we had no other Guide but that, we should believe the Sun less than a Bushel, the Moon bigger than any of the fixed Stars, with a hundred such like Errors: For so they are represented to the Imagination. Now how come we to perceive their Falseness? How could this ever be, if we had not something above Sence; some greater Faculty that did con­troll it?

It is true, even this so dependeth up­on the Disposition of the Organs, that if they are either defective by Nature, or decayed by Age, or hurt by a Disease, or disordered by a Debauch, it is hinder­ed in its Operations. So is a curious Writer by a lame Hand, or but a bad Pen; but as they, if both never so well, could not make a Letter without his Skill: So in this case too, though it cannot, where the Organs are at fault, yet (as ap­peareth by the Anatomy of our Brain, which differeth not considerably, except in Quantity, from that of Beasts) it is something higher than these Organs that act thus: So that here is one Difference, between our Souls and those of Beasts, a Difference in their Ʋnderstandings.

A Second is in their Wills: They choose and refuse still as things appear to their Sences, pleasing or unpleasing: As they say to them, they go or come; and as they [Page 16]bid them do this, or that, they do it, follow their Dictates constantly and qui­etly; and so it would be with us too, had we nothing in us but what they have.

But if it be so, why are we thus? Two Desires are in our Breasts, and two man­ner of Wills are strugling in our Bosoms. There is a Law in our Minds that con­tradicteth and opposeth the Law of our Members; and what the Outward Man commandeth, the Inward often will not endure. We cannot without Remorse do many things that we would, and when we yield our selves to the Will of the Flesh, there is something within us, that even then reproacheth us for doing so. Inso­much that what the rude Turks do coarsely; when they are setting to a Debauch, first give a Shout; which they say is a Warn­ing to their Souls to retire into their Heels, that they may not be Witnesses to their intended Bestiality: All others in such [Page 17]Cases are fain to do in Effect, use Arts to shift and get rid of themselves before they can comply well. There are none but feel this at one time or other; and what­ever they do themselves, cannot but in­wardly approve of those as the most ex­cellent Persons, that deny the Sensual Part, even in things where the Body would receive no Prejudice by being gra­tified.

Now how could this be, if there were nothing but Corporeal and Material Soul in us? Where then should be the differing Parties? Doth the same Foun­tain send forth both sweet Waters and bitter? Can the same thing be adverse and contrary to it self? Is it so with the Dog in his Vomit? No, this perpetual Discord argueth there is something pecu­liar in the Sons of Men: And that is a Second Difference between our Spirits and theirs, a Difference in our Wills.

A Third there is in our Habits: I speak not of acquired ones, those which are the Fruits of frequent Exercise and Industry; but those which by the Schools are called infused: Such Dispositions and Capacities as are communicated to, and engrafted in each by the Author of their Beings. And of this kind we have one of mighty Moment, so peculiar to us, that if there were nothing else to instance in, might of it self convince us sufficiently; and that is Religiousness, an Universal Bent and Incli­nation to the Worship and Fear of God.

They who are most for levelling us with the Inferiour Animals, their most eager Advocates freely grant them so far from this, that they will not allow them the least Apprehension of such a Being: Nor indeed is it possible they should have any. How can they that have only Cor­poreal Phantasms frame any Idea of him; These are so far from helping us in form­ing [Page 19]a distinct Conception of an Infinite Immaterial being, that Experience shew­eth they but distract and hinder us, when we attend to it: And yet Mankind of all Ages, former and later, of all Places, civil and barbarous, of all Complexions, san­guine and melancholly, of all Capacities, wise and weak, as by Instinct and secret Impulse own and feel after him.

I know there have been some Atheists in the World; but I dare say, not half so many as there have been Monsters; and if these do not make us alter our O­pinion of what is Natural as to our Shapes; why should those make us call in Questi­on what is so as to our Minds?

They that pretend this is not any na­tural Impression, but only the Influence of Education, contrived for Convenience by Politicians, may as well say of the Trees in the un-inhabited parts of the World, that they were not produced by the Na­ture [Page 20]of the Earth; but secretly planted by a Knot of Gardiners. If it were merely Artificial it would not be Uni­versal; and where it was, would decay without Care and constant looking to: But on the contrary, it is so agreeable to the Humane Soul, that it springeth up in all of them; and they who do all they can are not able utterly to extirpate it, so much as out of their single Selves. From this Principle and Propensity cul­tivated, spring Faith, Devotion, Love, Sincerity, Softness of Heart, Denyal of our selves, Sorrow for Sin, Care for Eternity, with many other Heavenly and distin­guishing Qualities, by which Glorious Things are spoken of thee, Oh thou In­ward Man! And do these look like the Product of Matter and Motion? Can Sence be the Parent of Moral Vertue? Have Brutes such a Faculty in them as Consci­ence? Are the Horse and the Mule Sub­jects capable of Divine Grace? If they [Page 21]are not, why should it be thought they have such Spirits as we? That is a Third Difference between our Spirits and theirs, a Difference in our Habits.

I shall add a Fourth as apparent as any, and that is a Difference in their Illuminations. This I mention distinct from the Understanding, as meaning by it only that part of their Knowledge where­in both are merely passive, and contribute nothing. Of this kind the Creatures a­bout us every one have their Omer, what is sufficient and convenient for them un­accountably put into them by the provi­dent Hand of him that made them: but with Men, besides that Candle of the Lord (as the wise Man calleth it) set up in the whole Species, there is sometimes a Super­natural Light that shineth in upon Indi­dividuals; and the Father of Spirits upon Occasion hath been pleased to honor them with Revelations; at sundry Times, [Page 22]and in divers Manners, speaking to them himself immediately. For though there have been great Frauds and Impostures about these matters; and such things have often been pretended by some, and as oft believed by others where there was no Realty: Yet he must be very skeptical indeed, that upon that Account will give Credit to none. Who can reasonably doubt but the Divine Mysteries of our Faith were communicated this way, when he recollecteth by how many mighty Mi­racles this manner of their Conveyance hath been confirmed to us? Who can make any Question but that the several Prophesies in Scripture were imparted in this manner, when he findeth how the E­vents many Hundreds of Years after so punctually and precisely answered the Pre­dictions?

It is true, this hath been the Case com­paratively but of few Persons; but be­ing as well satisfied as we can be of Mat­ter of Fact that it hath been of any, the Argument hath still the same Force, and equally proveth what it is alleadged for; as if it were universal and constant, viz. that we have a more peculiar way of Il­lumination; by Ʋrim and Thummim, by Dreams and Visions, by Angels and In­spirations, things above our Understan­ding, and Secrets that were then to come have been manifested to some for the Benefit of all: And is this to be over-looked as nothing? Shall it procure them no Veneration, that God himself taketh such Signal Notice of them? Are any but ours Partakers of this Privi­ledge?

The Three former speak a clear Dif­ference in Kind, and are also such pro­bable Arguments of the Immortality of our [Page 24]Spirits, though theirs are mortal, that they and such like have always obtained gene­ral Belief. I will not say they are so concluding, as that nothing can be obje­cted against them: Perhaps Natural Light cannot fully demonstrate it: But if we take in this last also, that of Divine Re­velations, then there remaineth no more place for doubting. For besides the great unlikelihood, that the Almighty should manifest himself in such gracious needless manner to Spirits of that low Rank, (Doth God take Care for Oxen) this is one thing he hath revealed to them, that they are not such; and that there is not only a Difference as to their Kind; but also as to their End. The Spirit of the Man go­eth upward, &c.

And were this reflected on so seriously as it ought, that our Spirits die not with our Bodies; but have an Everlasting Du­ration, what manner of Persons would [Page 25]it make us? How careful that it may be well with them when they go from hence? To this Solomon ascribeth the Sins and Vanities he complaineth of in Humane Life, that they were not so well convin­ced, and did not so well consider their own Excellency and Immortality. And this bringeth me to the last Proposition I am to speak to, Namely that

The Observation and considering of this Difference between our Spirits and those of the Beasts would be an Excellent Means for the mortifying and amending the Miscarriages and Vanities of Humane Life. Who knoweth, &c. The reason of them he supposeth is their not being suffi­ciently possessed and affected with this.

When Saint Paul reasoned of Judg­ment to come it made Licentious Felix trem­ble. We, Italian-like that ring the Bells to drown the Noise of thunder, expel [Page 26]out of our Minds such severe and startling thoughts, with the lowd Iustruments of this Worlds Business and Enjoyments, did we not, it must needs be so with us too: It is the not meditating upon our future State that maketh us behave our selves as we do, a conceit that they may dye like Beasts that hardneth Men to live so.

The most Notorious Miscarriages of Men Solomon in this Book hath ranked un­der these three Heads,

• Voluptuousness,
• Earthly mindedness, and
• Prophaneness.

These are the unhappy Mothers of all the other either Sins or Follies he maketh remarques on. Now the firm belief and Solemn Consideration of this great Arti­cle, he more than once remembreth us would be a Cure for all of them.

First for Voluptuousness,

A receipt for this ought not a little to be prized, if it were but for the rifeness of the Distemper which is so very catching. Indeed none so apt to be infected with it as those in great and Prosperous Circum­stances; their Temptations are extraordi­nary, and though sometimes their under­standings be so too, yet they are violent­ly born down by them: It appeareth by his own Pen here Chap. 2. so it fared with Solomon himself for some Years, notwith­standing all his Knowledge and Accom­plishments: but though these chiefly, it is not these only that are ensnared by her: She hath Idolatries of all sorts, and not only they that wear soft Cloathing, but they that are scarce able to cover their Nakedness, devote themselves to her.

Now if with such our Inclinations there should meet this sad Delusion, that there is no Life but this, what hopes would [Page 28]there be of amending or reclaiming Men? When once they have imbibed this Opiat Principle, there will be no awakening them; then they will reckon it not their fayling but their Philosophy to indulge themselves. Accordingly this sort of Peo­ple used among the Antients to place a Scull upon the Table at their Feasts, not to correct but provoke their Extravagan­cies, to keep them Sober but to make them Madder; that seeing they must shortly be such as that, they should live as fast as they could, and be diligent to get their fill of Sensuallity.

But with what Horror doth he that is convinced of his existence beyond the Grave look upon such Resolutions? what Stomach can he have to such dangerous Dainties, that looketh forward upon the everlasting Consequences? It was wittily said of the Poet in Atheneus, If the Head­ach did but come first, Men would not [Page 29]be drunk: And St. Austin descanting up­on that desperate Passage of them in the Prophet Isaiah 22. Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall die. Certainly (saith he) these men were distracted as well as debauched, that could conclude thus: Had they been themselves it would ra­ther have been, Let us fast and pray, let us repent and redeem our time, for to mor­row we shall die. This is sound and pro­per arguing, such as Conscience can make no Reply to; and therefore no more is said to the wild Extravagant, Chap. 11.9. but only this, Know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into Judgment. It is supposed such a Rational Creature as Man, when he cometh to think seri­ously upon this, will be wiser than to walk in the ways of his own Heart, and the Light of his own Eyes.

That is a First thing insisted on, that a due Consideration of the Nature [Page 30]of our Spirits would prevent the Sins of Voluptuousness.

A Second is Earthly-mindedness. This he speaketh of in the fourth, and again Chap. 6. as another Reigning Vanity: The former is a Sin against our selves; this against our Neighbours; being the Cause of all that Oppression, Cousenage, Uncharitableness, Envying, Ambition, Contention that the World is pester'd and disturbed with. Whence come all these unseemly and mischievous Doings, but from not considering, that this is but our Passage to the place we must dwell for ever in; and that according to our Be­haviour in the way here, will be our Entertainment at our Journeys End? Were this well imprinted on us, as much need as we have of these things, surely we could never think we have so much, as for the while, the uncertain little while we can enjoy them, to do that in pur­suit [Page 31]of them, that will make us either blush or tremble, be either asham'd or afraid when we are to leave them. When Scipio in Tully is relating the Dream of his Ascension among the Stars, he saith, as he looked down from thence upon the Earth, the whole looked like so dull and inconsiderable a Spot, that he was abashed and out of Countenance, to think of the Meanness of Men, in making such a Stir and Bustle for any of the Scraps and Pieces of it. Indeed, he that goeth up into the Mount, and looketh upon the things above, the Transcendent Glo­ries that we are designed for must needs have the same Thoughts; the things of this World cannot but from thence look very small and little to him. The Apostle speaking of them that died in Faith, in the Faith of these Great Arti­cles, Hebr. 11. giveth them this Chara­cter, that they looked upon themselves as Strangers and Pilgrims on the Earth: No [Page 32]more set their Hearts upon that, than the Traveller on the Inn he only lodgeth in for a Night, and on the morrow must be gone from; think of it for their present Convenience, but by no means dote of it as their Standing Happiness. This is the Natural Result and Consequence of such Perswasions and Meditations: And that is a Second sort of Evils the Consi­deration of the Nature of our Spirits would prevent, those of Earthly-minded­ness.

The Third is Profaneness, which is mentioned in this, and again treated on more largely Chap. 9. as under the First Head are comprehended the Sins against our selves; under the Second those against our Neighbour; so under this, those more directly and immediately against God: A­theism, Infidelity, Blasphemy, and those foolish, as much as hurtful Sins, that bring as great Reproach as Guilt upon them [Page 33]they are found with Plutarch saith of Sylla, that he was much more exaspera­ted against the Athenians for what they said against him, than what they did: The one he looked upon as more excu­sable, being in their own Defence; but the other he would make no Constructi­on of, but that it was merely spiteful. Something like it may be said in this case what Men do against the Honour of God, admitteth comparatively of some Pity and Extenuation from our Frailties and strong Temptations: This is Hu­mane Nature; but to speak against it, and teach Men so to do, where no Sensitive Appetite is gratified, this is such a Plato­nick Love of Wickedness, as looketh merely malicious and Diabolical.

Now these sorts of Sins which this Age hath so abounded in, it is a more proper Remedy for than any. It is an excellent Medicine for any Sin, to miti­gate [Page] [...] maketh [...]. For however [...] upon the Point of this Sword, [...] they see nothing; and with Balaam, look upon it as the Restiness or Cowardise of the Asse, to make any Bo [...]ing at it; when once with his their Eyes are opened, they acknowledge their Error, and are astonished at the Danger. Who will dispute against Pro­vidence that owneth a Future State? Who droll upon the Scriptures that thinketh in them he hath Eternal Life? Who make a Mock at Sin, that believ­eth there is a Worm that dieth not? Who disobey them that rule over them in the Lord, that considereth they watch for their Souls? Such an effectual Stop would it give to the Sins of Men of all Kinds, to be sensible of this Im­portant Truth, That the Spirit of Man go­eth upward, though the Spirit of the Beast go­eth downward to the Earth.

[...] leave to exp [...] [...] I must not suppo [...] [...] to, to be of them that [...] Complaint, do not you [...] Spirit of Man goeth upward [...] you do acknowledge it; an [...] [...] that (miserable Riddles of [...] we are!) How very little is there of any of these Fruits? This Man, saith he ma­keth no doubt of it, and yet liveth in Rioting and Drunkenness, in Chambering and Wantonness, and many other Vices, of which it is expresly said, that they who do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. Another pretendeth he doth believe it, and yet is covetous and proud, unjust and hard hearted, and maketh no better use of the Mammon of Ʋnrighte­ousness, than those uncharitable ones that were to depart accursed into Everlasting Burnings. A Third professeth he is con­vinced of it; but yet a little sleep, yet a [Page 36]little slumber, and worketh not while the Day is, though the Night is coming, when no man can work.

And is this our Kindness to our bet­ter Part? What Augustus is said to have replied, when told how Herod had killed all the Males from two years old and un­der, and among the rest his own; That it was better being his Hog than his Son, This precious Heavenly Guest within us may too, wish it had been any thing but what it is. How do we give it cause to lament its own Dignity, and be troubled at its Prerogative! to be frighted to think it hath no End, and repine that it was not a Lamb or Worm! How may it sigh with Sadness, Oh that I had been thy Body! then thou would'st have fed and cloathed me. Oh that I had been thy Friend! then thou wouldst have been faithful and true to me. Oh that I had been thy Child! then thou would'st have [Page 37]laid up and provided for me. Now Wretch that I am, I can have no Re­gard; but am daily exposed to Everlast­ing Hazards for Humors, Toys and Fol­lies!

To stop all such too just Reproaches for the time to come, let us, in this Solemn Season, for the judging of our selves, take their Case into better Considerati­on. Use them so while they are in the Body, as we shall wish we had done when they are going forth of it. Let us not for the sake of any thing that is Tempo­ral, make a Forfeiture of that which is Eternal: Nor to please that part of us which goeth downward to the Earth, lose that which goeth upward.