the Likelihood that our Care will not be in vain, but that it will preferve the Thing cared for.

The Worth of the

Soul.

5. FOR the First, We know our Care of any worldly thing is anfwerable to the Worth of it; what is of greatest Price we are most watchful to preferve, and most fearful to lofe; no Man locks up Dung in his Chest, but his Money, or what he accounts precious, he doth. Now in this Refpect the Soul deferves more Care than all the Things in the World befides, for 'tis infinitely more worth; First, In that it is made after the Image of God, it was God that breathed into Man this Breath of Life, Gen. ii. 7. Now God being of the greatest Excellency and Worth, the more any thing is like him, the more it is to be valued. But 'tis fure that no Creature upon the Earth is at all like God, but the Soul of Man, and therefore nothing ought to have. fo much of our Care. Secondly, the Soul never dies. We use to prize Things according to their Durableness: What is moft lafting, is moft worth. Now the Soul is a Thing that will last for ever: When Wealth, Beauty, Strength, nay, our very Bodies them felves fade away, the Soul ftill continues. Therefore in that Refpect alfo, the Soul is of the greatest Worth, and then what strange Madnofs is it for us to neglect them as we do? We A. 4

can

The Mifery of fing the Soul.

can spend Days, and Weeks, and Months, and Years, nay, our whole Lives, in hunting after a little Wealth of this World, which is of no Durance or Continuance, and in the mean Time let this great durable Treasure, cur Souls, be ftolen from us by the Devil. 6. A SECOND Motive to our Care of any Thing, is the USEFULNESS of it to us, or the great Mischief we shall have by the Lofs of it. Common Reafon teaches us this, in all things of this Life. If our Hairs fall we do not much regard it, because we can be well enough without them; but if we are in danger to lose our Eyes or Limbs, we think all the Care we can take little enough to prevent it, because we know it will be a great Mifery. But certainly there is no Mifery to be compared to that Mifery that follows the Lofs of the Soul. 'Tis true, we cannot lofe cur Souls in one Senfe, that is, fo lose them, that they fhall ceafe to be; but we may lofe them in another, that we fhould with to lofe them even in that; that is, we may lose that happy Estate, to which they were created, and plunge them into the extremest Misery : In a Word, we may lofe them in Hell, whence there is no fetching them back, and so they are loft for ever. Nay, in this Confideration. our very Bedies are concern'd, thofe Darlings of ours, for which all our Care is laid out,

for

for they must certainly after Death be raised again, and be joined again to the Soul, and take part with it in whatever State; if then our Care for the Body take up all our Time and Thoughts, and leave us none to bestow on the poor Soul, it is fure the Soul will, for want of that Care, be made for ever miserable. But it is as fure, that that very Body must be so too. And therefore, if you have any true Kindness to your Body, fhew it by taking care for your Souls. Think with your felves, how you will be able to endure everlasting Burnings. Ifa fmall Spark of Fire, lighting on the least Part of the Body, be fo intolerable, what will it be to have the Whole caft into the hottest Flames, and that not for fome few Hours or Days, but for ever? So that when you have spent many thousands of Years in that unfpeakable Torment, you shall be no nearer coming out of it, than you were the first Day you went in. Think of this, I fay, and think this withal, that this will certainly be the End of neglecting the Soul, and therefore afford it fome Care, if it be but in pity to the Body, that must bear a Part in its Miferies. 7. THE Third Motive to the Care of any Thing, is its being in Danger. Now a Thing may be in Danger two Ways: First, By Enemies from without: This is the Cafe of the Sheep, which is still in Danger of being devoured by Wolves;

A 5

the Soul is in. The Danger

Wolves; and we know that makes the Shepherd so much the more watchful over it. Thus it is with the Soul, which is in a great deal of Danger in refpect of its Enemies: Thofe, we know, are the World, the Flesh, and the Devil; which are all fuch noted Enemies to it, that the very first Act we do in behalf of our Souls, is to vow a continual War against them. This we all do in our Baptifm; and whoever makes any Truce with any of them, is falfe, not only to his Soul, but to his Vow alfo ; becomes a forfworn Creature: A Confideration well worthy our laying to Heart: But that we may the better understand what Danger the Soul is in, let us a little confider the Quality of these Enemies.

8. IN a War, you know, there are diverse Things that make an Enemy terrible; the First is Subtilty and Cunning, by which alone many Victories have been won; and in this Refpect the Devil is a dangerous Adversary; he long fince gave fufficient Proof of his Subtilly in beguiling our firft Parents, who yet were much wiser than we are; and therefore no Wonder if he deceive and cheat us. Secondly, The Watchfulness and Diligence of an Enemy makes him the more to be feared; and here the Devil exceeds: It is his Trade and Bufinefs to deftroy us, and he is no Loiterer at it: He goes up and down feeking whom he may devour, 1 Pet. v.8. He watches

all Opportunities of Advantage against us, with fuch Diligence, that he will be fure never to let any flip him. Thirdly, an Enemy near us is more to be feared than one at a Distance: For if he be far off we may have Time to arm, and prepare ourselves againft him; but if he be near, he may fteal on us unawares. And of this Sort is the Flesh; it isan Enemy at our Doors fhall I fay? nay, in our Bofoms; it is always near us to take Occafion of doing us Mifchiefs. Fourthly, The bafer and falfer an Enemy is, the more dangerous. He that hides his Malice under the fhew of Friendship will be able to do a great deal the more Hurt. And this again is the Fieb, which like Joab to Abner, 2: Sam. iii. 27. pretends to speak peaceable to us, but wounds us to Death: 'tis forward to purvey for Pleasures and Delights for us, and i fo feems very kind; but it has a Hook under that Bait, and if we bite at it we are loft. Fifthly, The Number of Enemies makes them. more terrible; and the World is a vaft Army / against us: There is no State or Condition in it, nay, fcarce a Creature, which doth not: at fome Time or other, fight against the Soul: The Honours of the World feek to wound us by Pride, the Wealth by Covetousnefs, the Profperity of it tempts us to forget God, the Adverfities to murmur at him. Our very Table becomes a Snare to us, our Meat A 6 daམ་འ ༢