Your bodies are not only poor and perishing like your cloaths, but they are like ill infected cloaths, that fill you with ill diseases, which oppress the soul with sickly appetites, and vain cravings.
So that all of us are like two beings, that have, as it were, two hearts within us; with the one we see, and taste, and admire reason, and holiness; with the other we incline to pride, and vanity, and sensual delights.
If you would know the one thing necessary to all the world, it is this, to preserve and perfect all that is rational, holy, and divine in our nature, and to mortify, remove, and destroy all vanity, pride, and sensuality.
Could you think, my children, when you look at the world, and see what customs, and fashions, and pleasures, and troubles, and projects, employ the hearts and time of mankind, that things were thus?
But don’t you be affected at these things; the world is in a great dream, and but few people are awake in it.
We fancy that we fall into darkness, when we die; but alas, we are most of us in the dark till then; and the eyes of our souls only then begin to see, when our bodily eyes are closing.
13. You see then your state, my children; you are to improve and perfect the spirit that is within you; you are to prepare it for the kingdom of heaven, to nourish it with the love of God, to adorn it with good works, and to make it as holy and heavenly as you can. You are to preserve it from the errors and vanities of the world; to save it from the corruptions of the body, from those false delights and sensual tempers which the body tempts it with.
You are to nourish your spirits with pious readings, and holy meditations, with watchings, fastings, and prayers, that you may relish that eternal state which is to begin when this life ends.
As to your bodies, you are to consider them as poor, perishing things, that are corrupt at present, and will soon drop into common dust; you are to watch over them as enemies, that are always trying to betray you, and so never follow their counsel; you are to consider them as the place and habitation of your souls, and so keep them clean, and decent; you are to consider them as the servants and instruments of action, and so give them food, and rest, and raiment, that they may be strong and healthful to do the duties of a charitable, useful, pious life.
Whilst you live thus, you live like yourselves; and whenever you have less regard to your souls, or more regard to your bodies; whenever you are more intent upon adorning your persons, than upon perfecting your souls, you are much more beside yourselves, than he that had rather have a laced coat, than an healthful body.