Ioseph who left his cloak in the hands of his Mistris and ranne away naked rather than he would yeeld to hir wicked lust to leaue all that thou hast in the world rather than to the offence of God and destruction of thy soule to cleaue vnto wickednes What prisoner that is fast shutte vp in prison A similitude and condemned to die for his capitall crimes and he seeth no other meane of escaping but by the breach of the wall and his friendes aduiseth him hereunto wil not take their counsell and the better to get through so narrow a passage wil not put off al his apparel to the skinne and leaue it behinde him to preserue his life Wee see how death is set before our eies for our heinous sinnes and rebellions against God and we cannot shun it but by striuing to goe through the straight gate that entreth into heauen and to crowd into that Iet it not be grieuous to stripour selues of whatsoeuer burden wee doe carry about vs but to presse in le ts make any shift albeit it be with grating galling and wounding these our mortall bodies To be blinde in soule and to be ignorant of Gods word is a farre more horrible and palpable blindnes than that which the Lorde in iudgement did bring vpon the land of Egypt Exod. 10. which was so foggy and grosse for the time as one man could not see an other or once stirre out of the place wherein he was For whereas man consisteth of two parts the body and the soule how farre the soule doth exceede the body it is not so easie for vs to define But this is most manifest that the body if it might be sundred from the soule litle differeth from the bodies of bruit beasts if that the soule might be singled from the body it would be but little inferior vnto angelicall spirites Whatsoeuer ornament A similitude grace and feature is in the body it hath it from the soule his vigor functions and naturall induments are from thence deriued For as the beautie and brauery of a picture ouer-layde with golde consisteth not in the woodden subiect but in the orient and golden forme which beeing defaced and put out it is nothing but a rude and deformed substance so the soule beeing the life and the liuelihoode of the man which giueth essence and forme vnto the man being taken from the body the body becommeth a most vncleane carrion most vgly and fearefull vnto vs to behold Yet in most preposterous and brainsicke maner al the whole care is set vpon the body and we grow most remisse and carelesse of the soule The base bond-woman the flesh is aduaunced and set in the higher roome and the spirit our peerelesse and beautiful lady to her great disgrace is debased and put downe to the lowermost end If the body be diseased how many Physitians are sent for to succor it if in want what cares do we take to supply it if in danger we runne through thicke and thinne to shunne it but the deadly disease the wofull want the extreamest danger that can be of the soule is not respected of vs. Whereas the soule is the Mistris and the body but the chamber-mayde whereas the soule is the rider and the body but the beast that beareth the rider loe the minion mayd is graced and her Mistris despised the simpler iade is stroaked and the rider is thrown off and cast vnto the ground The body is but the garment couerlet of the soule It is meere madnesse for any to spoyle his body that he might not spoyle his garment so is it for vs to saue the body to destroy the soule If all outward things be ordayned for the body and the body bee created for the soule and the soule for God is it not grose and absurde follie to busie our selues wholly about those things that are to this end and to neglect the maine poynt of all which is the end it selfe To prouide such stuffe as may sette vp a house and neuer to goe in hand with the house To get many bookes and to procure vs many teachers and yet to make no vse of these bookes and teachers To goe to warre and to be carefull to haue a fine scabard enamelld embossed with pearle with gold and not to care for the matter of the blade whether it be of yron or of lead or of any other base and impure substances The bodie is the subiect and as it were the case sheath of the soule wherein the soule is hidden it is a franticke fashion therefore to be so curious and nice about the pleasures of the body and to be so carelesse and vnwise for the treasure of the soule Let vs lay them both together and weigh them in the ballaunce of iudgement and discretion and the disproportion that will appeare betweene them will conuince in our election our too too blinde and preiudicate affections If no tongue be able to vnfold the preheminence and dignitie royall that the soule dooth carry aboue the body I thinke that much lesse the glory of Gods Saintes in the life that is to come how much it exceedeth and excelleth all the glory that this present world affordeth is able to be expressed For how can both themselues admitt a iust comparison whenas one is momentanie subiect to all vanitie the other eternall comprehending all felicitie Isai 64 Of this saieth the Lord The eye hath not seene what the Lord hath prepared for them that expect him And of the other saith Saint Iames It is a vapour that appeareth for a time Iames 4. and vanisheth away The Philosophers of the Gentiles prying into the nature and condition of this life but with the eye of humane reason found matter enough of discontentment with it inasmuch as Seneca is of that minde as hee thinketh that no man would vouchsafe to take vppon him this life if first he might be certified of the estate and maner of it Silenus another of that sect saith plainely that the best thing in his conceit is not to be borne and that the next to that is to die Stories do speake of a people in Thracia who entertaine their infants when they are borne into the worlde with teares and great lamenting and doe celebrate their funeralles with all melody and triumphing And I marud not at it why the heathen sorte should be so conceited of this life since the deere Saints of God Iob and Ieremy were so malcontented with it Iob 3 Ierem. 20 Giue me a man in whome all the fauours of this worlde shall conspire who is in the faunt and liueth as hee list anotomize his lfe giue a right iudgement of al the pleasures and wishes he enioyeth tel me what they are Is hee in honour and estimation amongmen and dooth the worlde applaude him What is this to him in the rigorous iudgment whenas he shall not be tryed by his country but his
water shall thirst no more The word of God raiseth vppe the dead regenerateth the liuing healeth the sicke and preserueth the whole delighteth the godly reclaimeth the wicked lightneth the blinde warmeth the cold comforteth the sad and confirmeth the desperate The want of this is the high way that leadeth to the chambers of death and deadly misfortune For from hence onely proceede vaine hope trembling feare consuming care furious lust boiling couetousnes fretting enuy fuming anger the whole black gard rablement retinue of malignant mischiefs of impotent affectioÌ„s the carbuncles boils botches of our soules Infinite are the attributes to expresse his properties which are giuen to the word It is called Light Bread Wine Medcine a Sword a Hammer a fire Seede Light because with his orient brightnesse it illuminateth our mindes informing them and induing them with heauenly wisedome Bread because it sustaineth our hungry soules Psalm 107 and filleth our empty soules with goodnesse strengthning and staying vs in the way of godlines Wine because it cherisheth mannes heart with the gladsome memory of his mercies promises and maketh him mery with the ioy of his countenance Medicine that it healeth our putrifying sore swellings and corruptions A Sword that it diuideth betweene the soule and the marrow Hebr. 4. and heweth asunder all our workes and affections that are sinfull A Hammer because it battreth and mollifieth our hard and stony consciences A Fire because it kindleth the spirite and the loue of God within vs. And Seede because it being sowed in the furrowes of our heartes by the spirit of God our husbandman it is of verie great increase and cast in some an hundred in some threescore in othersome thirty fold Since then the vse heereof is so great and manifold and extendeth it selfe so farre why worketh it not these wholsome effects in our â—â—nfull consciences why is it still as a dead letter vnto vs as bitter to our taste as is the very gall or the water of worme-wood and we can not digest it If Gods word be a light why walke wee not in this light but groape at noone day â—â—t stil in palpable and damnable darkenesse of horrible ignorance If it be Bread why doe we not as the Angel say de to Iohn Take this booke and eate it Reuel 20. but we do still remayne hungry like dogges and goe about the city If it be Wine why do we not powre out take our fil of it and make our hearts cheereful and merry with it If it be Medicine why do we not bind it to our blisters and wounds to drawe out the rancor and corruption of them and to make vs whole Since it is a Sword why do we not with it cut the cordes of vanitie and cart-ropes of iniquitie and hew all the bondes of vngodlinesse asunder If it be a Hammer why doth not the noise of it grate thine care and the power of it breake thy heart A similitude but thine eares like Smiths dogges vsed to such noyse giue no heed vnto it and thy heart more hard and stubborn than the adamant yeeld not a whit at all the blowes therewith If it be Fire why doth it not take holde of sin consume our wickednes like stubble and melt all the vngodly of the earth like drosse and inflame and lighten al our heart with Gods loue If it be Seede why commeth it not vppâ—â— and take deepe roote in vs but we are stil as waste ground which hath not beene sowed at all The raine is alone which descendeth vpon the corne and vpon the thornes A similitude but the effect is not one for it falles vpon the corne to ripen it for the barne but vpon the thorn to fit it for the fire The gracious deaw of the blessed worde of God hath beene great among vs it behooueth vs to see to his effect whether this moisture doth bring vppe thornes within vs oringendreth good seede Goe to then now tell me what is it that thou wantest and tel me whether this be not a treasure and a store-house to furnish euery want Doost thou hunt after honour 2. Cor. 4. and praise of men by this shal euery man haue praise of God Doth thy heart couet after riches and â—ong life beholde Prover 3 the length of dayes is at his right hand Riches and plenteousnesse is in his house Dauid resteth wholly contenâ—ed with this The Lord is my portion Moses before him preferreth Christs rebuke before â—he coffers and riches of Aegypt Hebr. 11 All the riches that are in the world make not an end of â—his ioyful haruest for it is not shut vp vnder the promises of this life 1. Tim. 4. but it stretcheth to the promises of the life that is to come The Spirite speaketh euidently Psalme 34 They which seeke the Lord shall want nothing that is good Answerable wherunto is this Aphorisme of our Sauiour Matthew 6 First seeke the kingdome of God and this shall be the Porter that shall bring in all your liuing all other things shall be put into your mouthes If ignorance doth trouble thee here thou maist haue knowledge if heauinesse comfort if doubt counsaile if feare hope if dispaire encoragement if temptation protection The latter Dauid with these small smooth stones Mathew 41 smote the hairy scalpe of our ghostly Goliah and put him to confusion And the former Dauid with his shield and buckler did beare off brauely the buffets that sinne gaue him Psalme 119 I did hide saieth he thy Lawe within my heart that I might not sinne against thee There is no age or sexe or condition of persons that hath not a great benefite and treasure of the word It is a rule for the yong man to square his life and for the old man to order his death 2. King 4 It is vnto the poore instead of the meale that tooke away the bitternes and death of that hearb which was in the pot it giueth them comfort in the midst of al theiâ— sorrowes It sheweth the rich man how to vse his riches it teacheth the Senatour wisedome So that euen as Ioseph had no vse of Astronomie because he had the gift of prophesie so he needeth not any other riches that hath this imcomparable riches of Gods spirit Since therfore we so diligently read books of humane learning from wheÌ„ce we obserue nothing but either common-wealth discipline or gouernement of health or precepts oeconomicall or points of husbandrie or inuentions of trades or allurements vnto pleasures how much more ought our whole studie be set vpon Gods law by which God himselfe speaketh face to face vnto vs by which the mind is exceedingly comforted disquiet thoughts dispelled the whole man enabled beyond all imagination to euery good worke Be thou of what mould and constitution that may be here is argument and reading for thy turne Art thou of a graue and seuere disposition and doth
them and fed them with the bread of heanen so for vs who are trauellers as all our fathers were in the wildernesse of this world the Lord hath likewise giuen vs Angels food the word of God the spirtuall Manna whereby we liue for euer Now as the former rellised most pleasauntly in their mouthes and contained all toothsome and delightsome taste in it which all other his sweete creatures ioyntly or seuerally coulde affoorde vnto vs So this Manna and diet of our soules is instead of al delights and dainties vnto vs and is like a perfume which hath odour for euery one This the spouse sensibly did taste and feel in the presence of her bride-groom Cantie 1 and therfore she desireth to be still vnited vnto him and that he would kisse her with the kisses of his mouth inasmuch as her loue is better then wine and because of his sweete oyntments for which the virgins loued her Of this ioy our Sauior Christ speaketh in his generall proclamation Math. 11 vnder the comfort and refection vnto which it pleaseth him most graciously to inuite vs by our obedience vnto his word saying vnto vs Come vnto me alye that trauail and are heauy laden and I will refresh you Such therefore as make that the argument of their sorrow which should be vnto them an occasion of great ioy who are grieued and disquieted at the preaching of the word who entertaine a preacher with no other congee then Achab did Elias saying vnto him 1. Reg. 21 art thou come my enemy hanging downe their heads like bul-rushes Isaiah 58. when the ovice of the preacher toucheth their sinnes and with the sword of the spirit launcheth them deeply and cutteth them to the heart saving within themselues Iohn 6 Durus est hic sermo This is a hard saying and who is able to abide it Such I say A similitude may well be likened vnto those who suffer shipwracke at the hauens mouth and the key side the only place of harbour and refuge in such danger But we cannot be ignorant how vntoothsome and vnwholsome this spiritual diet is to the stomacks and affections of the greater sort who are grossely minded A similitude And we maruel not much at it For as swine are not delighted with the smell of sweete hearbs but with the stinking sauour of corrupt carrion so swinish soules regard not the fragrant odour of the sweet word of GOD but they drinke puddle as an asse drinkes water and their pleasure is to wallow in the myre of their sinnes The wicked A similitude who are senselesse and without feeling both of God and godlinesse are like green and moist faggot sticks which are so far from taking hold of the fire put vnder them as thorough the sap that distilleth from them they do extinguish and vtterly ouercome it The hearts of the godly are of the nature and condition of the gun-powder which is presently set on fire by the lest touch but of a sparke that is put vnto it So the fire of Gods word is choaked and smothered in vngodly men being not a fit combustible subiect to worke vpon But it soone maketh a light and bright flame in the soules of his saints as beeing a sulphurous and apte matter vpon which it may extend and exercise his force A kettle of water set on the fire A similitude as soon as it conceiueth the heate thereof expresseth as we see the motion of the fire for albeit it be a heauy and waighty body and so by nature should descend yet when it boyleth it layeth aside his nature and bubbleth ariseth and ascendeth vpward in the manner of fire The bodies of the righteous howsoeuer by nature they are of an earthly and heauy substaunce and so do bend downeward and haue a prospect to the world yet the fire of Gods spirit that burneth within them contrary to their course lifteth them vpward and causeth them to mount vp to heauen Wherefore as Iohn wept vntill the booke was opened Apoc. 5 and so soone as it was opened all the Elders sung so let vs adiudge it to be the greatest cause of weeping when the word is taken from vs and the best occasion that can be of ioy when it is restored and giuen to vs againe Therefore be like vnto this learned Lapidary and learne out the valew and price of this pearle and thou shalt soone find ioy in it It is a memorable example that Socrates in his ecclesiasticall hystory setteth downe of a certaine Abbot who dieting himselfe with bread that was of a grosse and course graine Hist Tripâ—â—â— lib. 8 cap. â— answered thus finely such who would know his reason therof of him I take my whole repast vpon this bread that is so sower so vild mean that nothing but God might be of any pleasure and delightsomnesse with me Oh that we were thus deuoted vnto God and stoode so affected towardes heauenly things it could not be otherwise but that they would expresse their ioyful effects in vs. A similitude For euen as those that walke in the Sunne be the occasion of what it wil must needs be parched and coloured with the Sunne so they that shall walke in the sun-shine of Gods word the light of the world I doubt not but that it shall comfort their hearts and warme their soules with the loue thereof and alter their conditions and set a new die and hue vpon them and minister such ioy as they are not able to conceiue CHAP. VII ¶ By the example of this Marchant who did hide his Treasure the necessitie not onely of the hearing of the word but also of the faithfull hiding it in our hearts is manifestly euicted FOrasmuch as this Ieweller wheÌ„ he lighted vpon this Treasure was as carefull in keeping it as hee was ioyfull in hauing it which he euidently shewed in his prouident hiding of it it is argument enough to conclude the necessity not only of the reading and hearing of the word but also of the industrous preseruing it in our harts Without this the immortal seed of gods word A similitude shall neuer take deep root and fructifie in our hearts For euen as the seede that is strowed vpon the furrowes of the earth vnlesse it be ploughed in and buried in the earth that thereby it may take root can neuer spring vp and be fit for the haruest so the word of God vnlesse it may be throughly fixed in our hearts and there abide and remain his ful time it wil neuer yeeld any grain of good works or serue to any profitable pur pose any waie We must not be trewants in the Church of God as Schollers in the schoole or be idle in the church as children in the market who neither buy nor sel but we must heare mark and hide vp that which is taught vs. As the yron steel A similitude so long as it is cold can not be
the comfort of his spirit especialy the word the conuoy and viatiâ—um and releef of the whole man and therefore we cannot be too carefull of it We see how euery Princes exchequer is strictly kept A similitude they must passe through many walls doores and locks that intend to rifle it Let vs therefore keep our heauenly treasure which farre surmounteth this as fast locked up that it may be rescued from the hand of the robber As Ladies fasten their pearles to golden A similitude chaines or twisted ribbands that they might not be lost so let vs fasten this pearle to our heart that it may not be lost This wee shall doe if wee shall continue as wee beginne in the spirite If as we heare we mark and lay vp that which we haue heard if we resort vnto sermons not for carnall respects but for the glorie of God to receiue comfort from them if our treasure shal be where the hart is as the heart is where the treasure is Be not therfore slacke and remisse in this duty for if it be not continued and wel kept it will be gone from thee Such as keep it not when they haue it A similitude are compared by saint Iames to a man that beholdeth his face in a glasse Iam. 1 The man looketh not so well on the glasse as the woman doth for the man carelesly seeing a spot and blemish in his face letteth it alone but the woman curiously prieth into it and with a linnen cloth wipeth away euery little moath and whatsoeuer she espieth amisse in her Is this point of wisedome to learne of a woman it is no disgrace vnto vs to be as nice to reforme by the glasse of Gods word euery spot and wrinckle of the soul as women are by an outward glasse to do away the staines and vncleannes of the flesh It is labor lost to plant a vineyard A similitude if before it should yeeld his sweet and pleasant grape the hedge be broken vp and the way be laid open for the wild board out of the wood Psal â—0 and the beare out of the forrest to deuoure and root it vp It is in vaine to plough the ground and to sow thy field and to neglect thy haruest to fight manfully at the first brunt and before the victory like a seely coward to take thee thy to heels to lay a good fouÌ„datioÌ„ and not to go forward with the rest of the building so to saile prosperously in the wide Ocean and to perish at the key side to go to schoole for a time with children and a little while after to giue it ouer quite Blessed are they that heare the word and keep it Luke 11 and hide it in their heart saith Christ for that is the vse A similitude the end of it If we heare it to any other vain end we do like idle boies who being sent into the streete by their parents for to buy a thing do loiter by the way and gaze vppon euery vaine and idle toy that they see before their eyes CHAP. VIII That this heauenly Treasure is to be preferred and esteemed of vs aboue all earthly riches COmparisons betweene heauenly and earthly riches are both odious and dangerous There is as great difference and ods between them as between light and darknes righteousnes and vnrighteousnes God and Belial 1. Cor. 6 He that seeth a Phisitian to make good account of such hearbs and simples A similitude which him selfe in simplicity hath euer trampled vnderfoote argueth himselfe by this man â—â—ection of former indiscretion We haue hitherto bin too erroneously led with an obiect opinion of dueties of religion The lustes of the flesh haue bin more set by then the lawes of the spirit this present euill world more then Gods most blessed word and momentany vanity more then endles felicity The base brat of the bond-woman too presumptuously lordeth the son of the free-woman a deadly debate and dispute there is about Moses his body between the Angell and the diuell not that each of them might haue part but which of them should haue al. And thus whilst the strife is endles between them we are put to our dumps and doubts within our selues with the damsell that hath many sutors comming to her and knoweth not whom to chuse This Gospel like a Gold-smith is in the right and his imitation is our best direction His cunning serueth him to make chiefest choyce of that which we chiefly do debase and for the gaine of godlynes which we esteeme of least to barter away as beggarly trash all worldly kind of wealth which we set by so much This man for the gain of his golden mine and for the purchase of this matchles pearle giueth ouer all whether it was bequeathed vnto him by legacy or coffered vp since by foreseeing industry whatsoeuer it was it was morgaged and sold for the purchase of piety And surely herein his choice is very good and cannot be reproued A similitude For better reason ruleth him and wisedome that goeth beyond the reach of mans wisedome is his warrant in this action Is it not good reason when offer is made to him of the wedge of gold at the same rate which the foyl and rayes are set at which this mettall casteth and the true pearle indeede standeth him in no more then that would do which is counterfeit of glasse that he shuld more esteeme of the one then the other the treasures of Gods kingdome are offred vnto him at the same charge that he bought his worldly wealth true pearle is as cheap as the dung of the earth vnto him I maruell not therefore that be accounted other things as lost to win and weare this inestimable iewell The rudest poorest peasant A similitude that feedeth most grossely masting himself with akornes a swinish foode if he may haue wheat as cheap a pure and kind repast the naturall strength and staffe of mans life he would be glad of such an exchange would cope the other for it Worldly riches are but hoggish huskes rather filling vs then fatting vs rather aggrauating then recreating the stomack if Manna which is heauenly and angelicall food may be giuen vs for this I hold him miserably madde that shall make refusall of it If God doth put vpon vs the persons of Agamemnon and will make vs kings for euer haue we reason still to beare the image of Thersites and to liue as seruile slaues and caitiues for euer See we not how Cleargy men do resigne and giue vp their meane and smaller liuings A similitude whenas benefits of more worth and sufficiency are giuen them if the benefits which the spirit yeeldeth are of more valew then such which the world is able to affoord vs why work not we so wisely as to make our choice of them What esteemed Saul the losse of his asses 1. Sa. 9. 10. when he found
with vs but we should take that course which this Ieweller by his practise here prescribeth vs who resigneth vp all that he had in the world that he might buy this treasure of Gods word Let vs doe the like Augustine Nos ipsos pro illa margarita demus non quia tanti vateamus sed quia plus dare non possumus Let vs giue our selues for this pearle of great price not because we are worth somuch but because we haue no more to giue Minus dat vt plus accipiat hoc fac tu Da modica accipe magna da temporalia accipe aeterna da terram accipe coelum This Ieweller hath a wonderfull bargaine in giuing vp his state and interest to this world for liuery and seisin of this better purchace of the world that is to come For as Augustine saith he giueth the lesse to receiue the more doe thou the like Giue meane things and receiue greater for them giue temporall things and receiue eternall giue earth and receiue heauen giue golde and receiue God As thou forsakest father and mother to cleaue to thy wife so forsake father and mother wife and al be it neuer so neere and deere vnto thee to cleaue to God To sell all that we haue is to renounce the lusts of the flesh and of the minde and so to shake off the world which inticeth vs to wickednes as Ioseph shaked his cloake from him Genesis 39. and left it with his mistris egging him to vncleannesse But this is that that breaketh off the bargaine and keepeth vs from this purchase we endure well enough to heare of the pleasure and profit of this purchase but we like not the couenants we are loath to be touched in our worldly state or to alter the condition of our life the doctrine of repentance and the Gospel of Christ teaching vs to deny all vngodlinesse and worldly vanity and to liue soberly iustly and vprightly in this world is grieuous vnto vs Tit. 2. and we cannot abide it The children of Israel hearing of the fruitfulnes of the promised land of Canaan Num. 14 buckled themselues in al the haste vnto the battell and marched towards it eger of the present possession of it but hearing the place was inhabited with Giants they hung downe their heads and their hearts failed them and altred quite from the men they were before their fancies were set vpon Aegypt again So many hearing by Gods spies that came from heauen of the ioy and happines laid vp in store for vs in the life that is to come especially of saint Paul who was rapt vp to heauen and was full of reuelations 2. Cor. 12 and discoursing of the vnspeakable riches of his kingdome rauisheth the hearers with these delightfull tidings that the eie hath not seene the eare hath not heard 1. Cor. 2 neyther can the heart of man conctiue the things that God hath prepared for them that loue him men I say heartned with such consolation they take stomacke to themselues and are zealous and hot in spirit after it to winne and enioy it But withall vnderstanding that the way is narrow Math. 7 and the doore streight that leadeth into it and that there wil be some difficultie in our passage our hearts grow heauy and our iourney is dashed and our whole minde is set vppon retiring vnto Aegypt and to embrace this present world He that hath earnest occasion of speech with another man A similitude coueteth to find that man alone and free from other busines when as God would speake to vs he would find vs in this case he would haue vs loue men sequestred and put apart from the world Therefore when hee was to commune with Abraham Gen. 12 he willed him to be priuate to resigne his natiue soyle Vr of the Caldeans and to inioy his blessed presence to forget his owne kinred and his fathers house And because that cares are the daughters of riches which as thornes do choake the good seed of the worde in worldly minded men the Lord enacted in the state of Israel that cleargy men Deut. 18 seperated and put a part to the ministrie should not haue worldly hereditaments and possessions as other of the tribes that their minds whilest they were in their holy ministration might not be distracted and miscaried with them As also it was a constitution among them Leuit. 〈◊〉 that he that was bunched and crooked in the backe shuld not serue minister in the temple For this defect and impediment of body is a hindraunce to their eies that they cannot lift them vp to heauen as they shuld So such as are distorted and crooked in mind and haue their affections always stooping looking on the world are no fit persons to serue before the Lord and to enter into his courtes Mortifie we therfore all our worldly lusts and slay we them down right with the sword of the spirit Let vs not imprison in the bowels of our soules such sinnes as we like best and keep them aliue as Saul did Agag 1. Sam. 15 whom God commaunded should be put to death but let vs hew them in peeces as Samuel did Agag in Gilgal before the Lord and beate them as small as the dust of the earth If we pitty our sins as Ely did his sons 1. Sam. 2 when we ought to punish them God will punish them and wil bring a great iudgement against vs for them Oh heauy and most grieuous is that commination of the Lord against Achab 1. King 20. for demissing Benhadad Because saith God thou hast let goe out of thy handes a man whome I appointed to die thy life shall goe for his life The like sentence is gone out against all that saue aliue that sinne they should destroy they shal die for it If ye liue saith Saint Paul after the flesh ye shall die Rom. 8 but if ye shall mortifie the flesh by the spirit ye shall liue Thus Paul maketh two men of one the one the outward and the other the inward man both which are vnited in one yet are they so sundry as they cannot agree in one but the generation of the one must be the others corruption the life of the one must be the death of the other and therefore to saue and keepe aliue the one we must needes mortifie and put to death the other What a good match we shall make in coping away the pleasure of the world for the ioyes of heauen at that generall county day wherein the bookes and scrolles of consciences shall be laid open plainly will appeare at what time all those things that we haue here gathered together will do vs no good where no manner of excuse may serue our turne where there wil be no place of any refuge for vs. Here there haue bin found some places of small succor in the time of danger Gen. 3 Genes 18 Gen. 19 1.