The greatness of the soul and unspeakableness of the loss thereof with the causes…

3. ^eThe Body is called a Vessel, or a Case, for the Soul to be put and kept in. That every one of yo• should know how to possess his Vessel in sanctification an• honour: The Apostle here doth exhort the People to abstain from fornication: which in another place h• saith, is a Sin against the Body. And here again h• saith, ^fThis is the Will of God, your sanctification that you should abstain from Fornication, that the Body be not defiled, that every one of you should know how t• possess his Vessel▪ in sanctification and honour: His Vessel his Earthen Vessel, as he calls it in another place, For we have this treasure in Earthen Vessels: Thus then the Body is called a Vessel, yea every Man's Body is hi• ⟨p. 27⟩Vessel. But what has God prepared this Vessel for, and what has he put into it? Why▪ many things this Body is to be a Vessel for, but at present God has put into it that curious thing, the Soul, Cabinets that […] rich and costly things of themselves, are not made nor designed to be Vessels to be stuf• or filled with trumpery and things of no value: no, these are prepared for Rings and Jewel, for Pearls, for Rubies and things that are choice. And if so, what shall ••e then think of the Soul, for which it is prepared, and that of God, the most rich and excellent Vessel in •he World, surely it must be a think of worth, yea, of more worth than is the whole World besides. But alas! Who believes this talk? do not even the most of Men so set their minds upon, and so admire the glory of this Case or Vessel, that they forget once with seriousness to think, and therefore must of necessity be a great way off of those suitable esteem•, hat becomes them to have of their Souls. But oh, ince this Vessel, this Cabinet, this Body is so curiously made, and that to receive and contain, what thing is at for which God has made his Vessel! And what is at Soul that he hath put into it? Wherefore thus n the third Place is the greatness of the Soul made manifest, even by the Excellency of the Vessel, the Body, that God has made to put it in.