Raiment, the Body, the Soul

“A 7nan ivJio is luounded, and ait through his clothes atid skin and all, will be more anxious to have the wound closed up in his body tha?i to have the rent iti his garment 77iendedr His body is much more himself than the garment with which he covers it, and, therefore, he gives it his first attention. Now, on the same principle, we should take more care of the soul than of the body, for the soul is more truly the man than the mere flesh and blood which he inhabits. As a man may get a new coat, so shall he obtain a new body at the resurrection; but his spirit, which is his real self, abides the same as to identity, and should, therefore, be carefully guarded. Yet what fools the most of men are; they spend a lifetime in providing for a body which will soon be worms’ meat, and their immortal soul is left uncared for, to go before God, naked, and poor, and miserable. If there were as much as a pennyworth of wisdom to be found among ten thousand sinners they would no longer neglect their own souls.

O Lord, heal thou my soul; and as for the rents in my garments, they shall give me small concern.