Two discourses I. of the punishment of sin in hell, demonstrating the wrath of…

And it were hard to suppose, that God would give such a part of these joys, even ⟨p. 292⟩whilst Faith continues, for so long a time as until the Resurrection, and then withdraw all communication of himself both in Joy and Faith also. But I leave the prosecution of this Argument, till I come to those words, Who hath also given us the earnest of the Spirit.

I also know, that by this phrase, The salvation of our souls, the Soul being the eminent part of man, is often in Scripture, by a Synecdoche, put for the whole person. And I must not deny but that ultimately it is intended here, it extending it self to the whole of Salvation first, and last after Faith ended. Which sense on the other hand many interpreters are for.

I only contend for this, That the salvation of the soul is intended also of that Salvation which falls out in the midst between these joys (the earnest) in this life, and that ultimate Salvation at the Resurrection, that is the Salvation of the Soul, whilst separate, as being the next. It hath a weight in it, that Salvation and Damnation should so often be said to be of the soul by Christ himself, as Mat. 26. 16. What shall it profit a Man to gain the whole World (and so provide for his body) and lose his own Soul? And again, in speaking of the Soul as considered apart from the ⟨p. 293⟩Body, Mat. 10. 28. Fear not them that are able to kill but the body, and are not able to kill the soul. But that which is more conjunct to my purpose; it is observable, that this our Apostle Peter should choose to use in this Epistle, more than any other Apostle, this phrase of [Soul] in relation to Salvation, either as being the eminent subject, and sometimes as the single subject both of Grace and Salvation: So in this Chapter, You have purified your souls, &c. as the immediate susceptive of the incorruptible seed (as was observed.) Then again, in chap. 2. 11. Abstain from fleshly lusts which war [against the Soul] and, 8. 25. Ye are returned to the Bishop of your Souls. Which he speaks as being the eminent part, and (upon separation from the body) the special charge he hath pastoral care of. And more directly to our purpose, ch. 4. last v. he exhorts them when they come to die, to commit their souls to God, as then being to be separate from their bodies. Now it were hard to think that this Salvation to come should bear the title and name of the salvation of the soul in this and other Scriptures; and