Fourthly, Do not dishonour your souls by making them ⟨p. 239⟩drudges to your bodies, by making them to be Caters to provide for the body, and to satisfy the lusts of the flesh; I have seen (saith Solomon) servants upon horses, 1and Princes walking as servants upon the earth. This was an evil Solomon thought, but to see our base vile bodies to be set up, and our souls to be brought under, and servants and slaves to this body, Oh how vile is it! If you should see a great Prince to be made a slave to some Scullion-boy, you would account it a great leaving of his condition, and dishonour put upon him, but while thou makest thy soul to be a slave to thy body, it is worse a great deal. Seneca, though he were but a Heathen, yet hath this notable speech, I am greater, and born to greater things, than that I should be a drudge to my body, and the slave of my body: A Heathen thought himself too great, and born to greater things than that ever he should bring that soul of his to be a drudge and slave to his body. And indeed did we know our souls, we should think so, and we should never make them drudges to our bodies, merely to satisfy the lusts of the flesh; and yet how many men and women are loath to dye, only upon this ground, because that then they shall have no more satisfaction to the lusts of the flesh? Oh what dishonour is there put upon this precious and excellent soul in this? but much more dishonour when thou makest it a drudge and slave to the Devil? it is an evil to have our souls to be slaves to our bodies, but a greater evil to be a slave and drudge to the Devil, that the Devil should have command of them, and carry them up and down as he pleases. I remember, it is reported of Theodosius, and another Emperor that did use to call themselves the vassals of Christ; but as for those precious souls now to be vassals to the Devil, Oh this is too great a dishonour that is put upon them.
Fourthly, Do not dishonour your souls by making them ⟨p. 239⟩drudges to your bodies, by making them to bee Caters to provide for the body, and to satisfie the lusts of the flesh; I have seen (saith Solomon) servants upon horses, 1and Princes walking as servants upon the earth. This was an evil Solomon thought, but to see our base vile bodies to bee set up, and our souls to bee brought under, and servants and slaves to this body, Oh how vile is it! If you should see a great Prince to bee made a slave to some Scullion-boy, you would account it a great leaving of his condition, and dishonour put upon him, but while thou makest thy soul to bee a slave to thy body, it is worse a great deal. Seneca, though hee were but a Heathen, yet hath this notable speech, I am greater, and born to greater things, than that I should bee a drudge to my body, and the slave of my body: A Heathen thought himself too great, and born to greater things than that ever hee should bring that soul of his to bee a drudge and slave to his body. And indeed did wee know our souls, wee should think so, and wee should never make them drudges to our bodies, meerly to satisfie the lusts of the flesh; and yet how many men and women are loath to dye, only upon this ground, because that then they shall have no more satisfaction to the lusts of the flesh? Oh what dishonour is there put upon this precious and excellent soul in this? but much more dishonour when thou makest it a drudge and slave to the Devil? it is an evil to have our souls to bee slaves to our bodies, but a greater evil to bee a slave and drudge to the Devil, that the Devil should have command of them, and carry them up and down as hee pleases. I remember, it is reported of Theodosius, and another Emperour that did use to call themselves the vassals of Christ; but as for those precious souls now to bee vassals to the Devil, Oh this is too great a dishonour that is put upon them.
- 1Eccles. 10 •.
