I come next to
describe the soul unto you by such things as it is set out by in the Holy
Scriptures, and they are, in general, three—First, The powers of the soul.
Second, The senses, the spiritual senses of the soul. Third, The passions of
the soul.
Of the powers of the
soul.
First, We will
discourse on the powers, I may call them the members of the soul; for, as the
members of the body, being many, do all go to the making up of the body, so
these do go to the completing of the soul.
1. There is the
understanding, which may be termed the head; because in that is placed the eye
of the soul; and this is that which, or by which the soul, discerning things
that are presented to it, and that either by God or Satan; this is that by
which a man conceiveth and apprehendeth things so deep and great that cannot,
by mouth, or tongue, or pen, be expressed.
2. There is, also,
belonging to the soul, the conscience, in which I may say, is placed the Seat
of Judgment; for, as by the understanding things are let into the soul, so by
the conscience, the evil or good of such things are tried; especially when in
the
3. Third place, there
is the judgment, which is another part of this noble creature, has passed, by
the light of the understanding, his verdict upon what is let into the soul.4
4. There is, also,
the fancy or imagination, another part of this great thing, the sou1: and a
most curious thing this fancy is; it is that which presenteth to the man the
idea, form, or figure of that, or any of those things, wherewith a man is
either frighted or taken, pleased or displeased. And,
5. The mind, another
part of the soul, is that unto which this fancy presenteth its things to be
considered of; because without the mind nothing is entertained in the soul.
6. There is the
memory too, another part of the soul; and that may be called the register of
the soul; for it is the memory that receiveth and keepeth in remembrance what
has passed, or has been done by the man, or attempted to be done unto him; and
in this part of the soul, or from it, will be fed 'the worm that dieth not,'
when men are cast into hell; also, from this memory will flow that peace at the
day of judgment that saints shall have in their service for Christ in the
world.
7. There are the
affections too, which are, as I may call them, the hands and arms of the soul;
for they are they that take hold of, receive, and embrace what is liked by the
soul, and it is a hard thing to make the soul of a man cast from it what its
affections cleave to and has embraced. Hence the affections are called for,
when the apostle bids men 'seek the things above; set your affections upon
them,' saith he (Col 3), or, as you have it in another place, 'Lay hold' of
them; for the affections are as hands to the soul, and they by which it
fasteneth upon things.
8. There is the will,
which may be called the foot of the soul, because by that the soul, yea, the
whole man, is carried hither and thither, or else held back and kept from
moving.
These are the golden
things of the soul, though, in carnal men, they are every one of them made use
of in the service of sin and Satan. For the unbelieving are throughout impure,
as is manifest, because their 'mind and conscience (two of the masterpieces of
the soul) is defiled' (Titus 1:15). For if the most potent parts of the soul
are engaged in their service, what, think you, do the more inferior do? But, I
say, so it is the more is the pity; nor can any help it. 'This work ceaseth forever,' unless the great God, who is overall, and that can save souls, shall
himself take upon him to sanctify the soul, recover it, and persuade it
to fall in love with another master.
But, I say, what is
man without this soul, or wherein lieth this pre-eminence over a beast? (Eccl
3:19-21). Nowhere that I know of; for both, as to man's body, go to one place,
only the spirit or soul of a man goes upward—to wit, to God that gave it, to be
by Him disposed of with respect to things to come, as they have been, and have
done in this life, But,
