of the Rose Vel mista rubent ubi Lilia multa Alba Rosa c. Virg. this of the Violet and that of the Lilie are esteemed the three chiefe ingredients in beauty Where there is shame for their former disobedience and other sinnes 2 Thes 3.14 whereof they have been guilty and true humility in the acknowledgement of their unworthinesse and imperfection Rom. 6.21 and an holy desire to keep themselves pure and without blemish for the time to come Those soules are all glorious within they are all faire like the Spouse Cant. 47. and there is no spot in them If wee could find a prescript how our bodies which are as the garments unto the soule in this our pilgrimage may endure in the prime beautie like the clothes of the Israelites in the wildernesse Deut. 29.5 which did not waxe old upon them how our youth might bee renewed like the Eagles Psal 103.5 and we may continue untill our latter end in perfect comelinesse not having our best forme obscured by the wrinkles of age there bee very many who would rejoyce herein more than he doth that finds a great treasure And such a Physician as could thus helpe them should bee liberally paid though they did endure many dayes torture to gaine this harme and losse Now which is much more here is evidently set before us an approved experiment Not how to retaine our former favour but how to increase more and more in divine beauty and excellent lovelinesse by washing in the bloud of that immaculate Lambe and by being adorned with the graces of the holy Spirit that wee may bee as the Sunne when hee goeth forth in his might Judg. 5.31 which doth not reveale its complete majestie when it first comes out at the doore of the Tabernacle but after ascends to great glory Though our beginnings bee weake yet we shall attaine unto a more perfect estate And as Moses eye was not dimme Neque aufugit Viror ejus Calvin Viriditas ejus Jun. nor his naturall force abated when hee died but was then as greene and flourishing as in former time so we in old age and in death it selfe shall still retaine the vigour of the new man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holinesse And after our dissolution the soule shall appeare in glorie as the lamps in Gideons Army did then shine forth when the pitchers were broken Though for the present this divine Light bee eclipsed by the interposition of the body of the earth yet at the last day the body also shall become spirituall and we shall put on not rich robes and costly array not pearles and flowers and such like ornaments 1 Cor. 15.53 but Incorruption and Immortality Phil. 3.21 And our body shall be fashioned like the glorious bodie of Christ That is the last and lasting fashion the fashion that will follow all other Oh that all other would follow that fashion that we would labour for holinesse And so being espoused unto one husband 2 Cor. 11.2 we may be presented to Christ without spot or wrinkle Ephes 5.27 or any such thing As a chaste Virgin caring for the things of the Lord that shee may bee holy both in body and spirit 1 Cor. 7.34 I doe not deny that divers ornaments are tolerable and there may be some distinction and difference according to order and dignity The Crowne that is fit to bee set upon the head is not meet to bee placed upon any other part of the bodie But there must bee abstinence in some things Non tantum mediocritas colenda est sed etiam abstinentia Calv. and moderation in all Such as are captivated by their owne chaines such as are inthralled by fond affectation and notorious ostentation should breake those bands asunder and cast away their fetters from them Shall wee with the Pharisee looke only to the out-side which may bee like a painted Sepulchre Shall they that professe themselves to bee Gods servants bee of as little use in the Church as is commonly made of the Tulippa in the garden which is onely for shew And yet even by viewing of that various flower we may observe something that may bee helpfull unto us For as that falleth and the grace of it perisheth so shall the rich man clothed in goodly apparrell and fine linnen Jam. 1.11 fade away in his waies Yea so shall the fashion of this world passe away 1 Cor. 7.31 and the lust thereof but hee that doth the will of God abideth for ever 1 John 2.17 Hee shall live an eternall felicitie And may in that regard bee compared unto this flower which in Winter shrinkes low into the earth but in the Spring doth rise againe with great beauty so although for the present he may be cast downe in godly sorrow for his sinnes yet hee shall bee lifted up with comfort and consolation when the Sunne of Righteousnesse shall arise with healing in his wings and shine upon him with grace and favour Then let us learne of this and other flowers which doe open themselves Helotropium c. and turne towards the Sunne when it shines upon them that they may bee refreshed by the influence thereof to open unto Christ that he may enter into our soules to encline our eares unto his Word and our hearts to keep his Commandements And to turne unto the Lord with all our strength that wee may bee enlightened by his glorious truth and supported by his almighty power The Word of God is as seed sowne in our hearts it may be wee have for a long time been unprofitable hearers and the Word wee have received hath been as the seed of this flower before named which doth not satisfie our desire untill many yeeres after it is sowne Yet let it not for ever bee buried within us for then it will prove the savour of death unto death 2 Cor. 2.16 but rather let it bee as the seed wee sow 1 Cor. 15.36 which first dies and then is quickened That seed which fell among stony places sprung up forthwith Matth. 13. and was as suddenly scorched If this seed hath for a great space been hid within us let it take the deeper root and at last bring forth an hundred fold Doth the earth bring forth herbes meet for them by whom it is dressed Heb. 6.7 Doth the garden cause the things that Isa 61.11 are sowne in it to spring forth And shall not man Terra nunquam recusat impâ—rium nec unquam sine usurâ reddit quod accepit c. Cicero who receives these blessings of the fatnesse of the earth become fruitfull himselfe that hee may likewise bee blessed with all heavenly blessings in spirituall places in Jesus Christ Gal. 6.7 Doth man for the most part Doth man for the most part reap whatsoever hee soweth and shall God reape nothing but tares having sowne such
partakers of the divine nature This is intended by the Apostle when he saith James 1. Receive with meekness the engraffed word When the heart is made lowly it will be more ready to receive the Word the Word will be more ready to incorporate into it Wee must not only lay aside our greatest sins our boasting that we could do mischiefe our delight in folly and wickednesse but also all confidence in our owne seeming vertues as of temperance liberality moderation and the like lest we be puffed up thereby See this in Saint Paul who saith Phil. 3.3 wee are the circumcision who have no confidence in the flesh and though he were blamelesse touching the righteousnesse that was in the law yet those things that were gain to him he counted losse for Christ Thus David saith His soule was even as a weaned childe and thus we should bee weaned and estranged from taking any contentment in our owne strength and ability and should put on as the Elect of God holy and beloved humbleness of mind meeknesse and lowlinesse In the next place there is an incision or wound made into the stocke by which it may be made capable and fitting to receive the cyons In like manner we must rend our hearts and open our selves that Christ may enter into our soules Our hearts must be broken and opened like the heart of Lydia that we may receive the Word of life Was Christ wounded for our transgressions and shall not wee be pricked to the heart with sorrow for our former provocations After this we put the cyons into that breach and division that is made in the stocke so after sorrow and humiliation God puts joy into our hearts and his law into our inward parts implanting his graces in our soules and rejoycing over us to doe us good Surculi vis ea est ut in tantillo corpusculo tamen praeponderet arboris viribus totius Non enim arboris prodit sed surculi fructus Scal. in Theoph. Bacon Cent. Although the Cyon be small in the beginning yet it groweth to be a great tree over-ruling the stocke and bringing forth fruit of its owne kind so although the beginning of grace be weak and little like a graine of mustard-seed yet there is a continuall increasing and growing unto more perfection when we yeeld our selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and our members as instruments of righteousnesse not living any longer in sinne but living by the faith of the Sonne of God who loved us and gave himselfe for us that hee might reconcile us who were sometimes alienated and enemies in our minds by wicked workes and delivering us from the power of darknesse might translate us into the Kingdome of his deare Sonne As after graffing the stocke being nigher unto the root than the cyons and still abiding in its proper place where it formerly did prosper is ready to send forth many young twigs that will arrest and anticipate that strength and vertue which should ascend for the nourishment of the cyons and are therefore diligently taken away to prevent that mischiefe So there is a combat betweene the flesh and the spirit the one lusting against the other there is the body of death and the old leaven of corruption remaining within us Our sins and infirmities are continually interposing and hindring us from apprehending the favour and love of God with that strength and fulnesse which wee doe desire and therefore wee must cut off these sprigs with pruning-hookes not suffering sinne to reigne in our mortall bodies and have dominion over us but mortifying the deeds of the body through the Spirit and casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ The Kingdome of God is compared to leaven hid in three measures of meale Luke 13.21 untill the whole were leavened A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump the grace begun should grow strong and powerfull within us the leaven of holiness should work out the leaven of malice If the tree doth not flourish we will impute the cause unto the barrennes of the ground or the want of a good root Crassitie suâ cortex obstat quo minus à terrae humore augeatur acinus non enim transmittitur Scal. in Theop. or the thicknesse of the bark that binds the stocke but not unto the graft it self which did grow very happily before it was converted to this use From whence is it that there is such imperfection weaknesse such backwardnesse in the good way and that our fruits rellish so much of the stocke so little of the graft Comes it not hence that our corruptions and lusts doe still warre in our members and we doe not labour to perfect holinesse in the feare of God O wretched men in whom the Crosse of Christ hath not yet worne out the bitter taste of that first tree The Cyon is taken from the tree of life Every good gift commeth downe from the Father of lights who giveth liberally and upbraideth not Oh that we were enlarged in apprehending and applying what is so freely offered If our hearts were opened wide in holy desires the Lord would fill them with spirituall blessings but wee are straitned in our owne bowels and being in this great strait we are as unable to free our selves as the Prophet was to deliver himselfe out of the belly of the Whale We cannot relieve our selves and vaine is the helpe of man who is subject to the same misery We may not trust to the arme of flesh or ascribe the praise to humane power as Adrian did who wrote over his Hospitall at Lovan Adr. 6. Trajectum me plantavit Lovanium me rigavit Caesar incrementum dedit Ergo Deus nihil fecit Utrecht planted Lovan watered Caesar gave the increase Whereunto it was fitly subscribed by another Therefore God had nothing to doe in this man We know that neither hee that planteth is any thing neither he that watereth but God who giveth the increase So Noah began to be an husbandman and planted a vineyard Gen. 9.20 He is the Husbandman saith our Saviour and we are his husbandry saith the Apostle both which places are to be understood of a Plantation as appeares by the context where it is said John 15.1 That Christ is the Vine and we the Branches whereof hee purgeth some and taketh away others Also there is frequent mention of planting watering 1 Cor. 39. which is some part of countrie labour And then the Apostle concludes We are Gods husbandry wee are Gods building and except the Lord build the house they labour in vaine that build it Except the Lord gives a blessing our paines and industry will be fruitlesse In demanding who built such an house or planted such an orchard we intend not the inferiour workmen but the chief owners at whose expence they
pathes Hos 2.6 than to permit us to runne greedily after licentious errours Psal 23.3 Blessed is the man whom God leadeth in the pathes of righteousnesse for his names sake He doth alwaies heare a voice behind him saying This is the way Isa 30.21 walke in it Having once entred into the way of truth we must persevere in it alwaies going on cheerfully without fainting or wearinesse like the Cherubims in Ezechiel Ezech. 1.9 which went straight forward and returned not againe Although in our walkes we goe first forward and then turne againe yet in this passage we must proceed constantly without turning backe Luke 9.62 for then we are not fit for the Kingdome of God Having begun well who should hinder us from persisting in our obedience It had been better not to have knowne this way than having knowne it 2 Pet. 2.21 to turne from the commandement delivered unto us Gen. 5.22 Did Enoch walke with God three hundred sixty and five yeeres and shall not we walke in his ordinances the short terme of our life which is but a span long He had a spacious ground to walke in of a vast extent like Paradise it selfe whereas we are concluded within narrow bounds and can never goe farre but that we are called backe Psal 90.3 Returne yee children of men Although we cannot keep pace with him and Abraham Gen. 24.40 Psal 116.9 and David yet if we walke in the steps of their faith and obedience we shall in the end finish our course with joy In the meane time Rom. 4.12 as we are preserved from discouragement so we must be awakened from securitie there ought to be a continuall pressing forward in the good way By using our legges in walking we become the more fit and able to performe that exercise So we setting our selves in the right way it pleaseth the Lord to establish our goings and to strengthen us for the better discharge of all holy duties We walke with speed and agility when we desire to obtaine heate thereby so there must be a cheerfull forwardnesse in Gods service and a fervent zeale after his glory that our hearts may be warmed by his grace our soules refreshed by his love Thus by revolving such pious thoughts in our minds we may be preserved from evill as the sea by its fluctuation is kept from putrefaction Hic motus aquas maris à putrefactione tuetur Magir. but how few be there who retire into their owne hearts when they goe forth into their walkes and doe more desire the influence of the Spirit to come upon them Cant. 4.16 as the North wind purging them from the infectious settlings of corruption and to blow upon them as the South wind watering their roots by sweet showers that their graces as spices may flow out than they do the gentle breath of coole aire for the refreshing of their bodies It is the common practice of most men in the very beginning of their daies to enter into an intricate Maze of endlesse wandring walking on every side Impii ambulant in circuitu Psal 12.8 as the Psalmist speakes Running round in a circulation untill they waxe giddy and fall into extreme perill or else be as farre in the end from any true rest and solid comfort as they were in the beginning Job 1.7 It was the Divels vagrant course to go to and fro in the earth and to walke up and downe in it Whom doe these men chuse for their leader while they subject themselves to these serpentine windings being involved and invironed with the turbulent affaires of this life out of which they know not how to extricate and unfold themselves and yet they thinke their way to be safe while they seeke to compasse their designes in this turning Labyrinth when as they have never set foot into the path of life but are as farre from arriving at the port of blisse as they be from good success who would presse thorow the North-west passage and at last if ever returne backe with nought but emptinesse and desolation These men seem to be driven with the unsettled errour of Copernicus Quod terra moveatur sol sit omnis motus expers Clavius who thought that the earth did move and the sunne stood still so they are whirled about with the world and doe compasse sea and land for gaine or to accomplish their designes but they stirre not in pursuit of heavenly blessings 2 Cor. 4.4 their minds being blinded by the god of this world lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them like the Egyptians Exod. 10.23 which rose not from their place in the three daies of thicke darknesse so they during the three daies of their youth middle age and old age never rouze up themselves to seeke for the treasure in heaven or to discover the sweet light of Gods Word whereas they make haste to obtaine the fading benefits of this transitory life with such violent forwardnesse that the swift pace of Asahel or Jehu doth not exceed their furious speed Having spent their breath and tired themselves in following this shadow that flyes away from them it were their onely happinesse to consider their erroneous waies And as Alexander did cut that knot he was not able to untie so if they can find no place where they may goe forth then to breake the circle and free themselves from that restlesse succession of worldly cares in which they were before entangled Homines tibi molesti Hic apud te eris Occupatio exhausit hic replevere Lips and having escaped those tumults and vexations whereby they formerly wasted their vigour and consumed their best strength now to repose themselves under the shadow of the Almighty Psal 91.1 as in an arbour of rest and refreshing where they may cast off those tedious molestations which formerly oppressed them and being exempted from the throng of the multitude Psal 4.4 may commune with their own heart and so come to discern that sore travell wherewith all they are exercised under the Sunne who spend their vain life as a shadow and their daies in sorrow and griefe while they seeke after leasing Judg. 9.15 and trust unto the shadow of Jothams bramble that will rend and teare them or of Manasses thornes 2 Chron. 33.11 Jonah 4.7 that will deceive them or of Jonas gourd that will soon forsake them placing their confidence in the instable benefits of this life which before the morning may be dried up from the roots like the barren figge-tree Mar. 11.20 Luke 12.20 Thou foole this night thy soule shall be required of thee then whose shall those things be that thou hast provided Such as relye upon these outward helpes for the fruition of good and protection from evill declare plainly from what stocke they are come viz. that they be the off-spring of
shoot out great branches and so in the end become like that tree whose branches spreading from the body doe bend themselves downwards to the earth where they take hold and with new rooting multiply themselves into a wood Arbore de rais They enlarge their borders joyning house to house Isa 5.8 and field to field till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth The plant which was a long time in growing up may soon be hewen downe Et quas fallacis collegit lingua parentis Has eadem nati lingua refudit opes Claudian Dirae filius est rapacitatis Martial Nothing is more usuall than for the sonne to cut downe those trees which were cherished and maintained by the father to waste that substance with riotous living which was gotten with avarice and rapine wherefore bee not herein just overmuch neither make thy selfe over-wise Wholly to cast our selves upon the Lord and to neglect all lawfull meanes is a presumptuous temptation Againe to sacrifice to our net and trust to our owne wisedome not leaving any space where God may worke by his power and providence is a desperate contempt of the divine blessing which is the best inheritance Fortunam 〈◊〉 avidè vorare pergas eandem malè concoquas necesse est Sincer. Job 20.15 28. Hee that hath swallowed downe riches shall vomit them up again God shall cast them out of his belly The increase of his house shall depart and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath If God prepares a worme to smite the tree it withereth If hee blowes upon the same it perisheth suddenly and comes utterly to an end This is the conclusion of the covetous man and the same confusion belongs to all other ungodly men Psal 37.35 Luco dilectior omni Laurus hane imo stipite caesam vidit Claudian I have seene the wicked in great power and spreading himselfe like a green bay-tree yet he passed away and loe he was not yea I sought him but hee could not bee found Such men may bee compared unto that tree which doth ever beare leaves and never any fruit so they may make shew of piety and seem to be religious but doe not bring forth the fruit of the Spirit The Bay-tree prospers best in the shade so they seeke not to be enlightened from above and to have the Sun of Righteousnesse arise and shine into their hearts Traditur non feriri ipsam à fulmine Fracastor That tree is not blasted nor consumed by lightning so they are not moved nor awakened when they heare Gods judgements denounced against sinners But as the ancient Conquerours were crowned with Laurell Hâc victores Delphi coronari triumphantes Romae Plin. Sec. so they doe triumph as victorious when with their carnall weapons they seem to overcome such as they thinke to be their enemies because they tell them the truth breaking their bands asunder and casting their cords from them yet let them remember that as the branches of this tree are used in solemnities of rejoycing and mourning so their present solace and delight may soon be finished and they bee called to sorrow and lamentation The Bay-trees which for many yeeres have flourished are smitten by a great frost and doe wither away En frigidus orbes Purpureos jam somnus obit Val. Flac. Corpus inane animae frigus letale secutam est Ovid. Such as heretofore have lived in prosperity and enjoyed their health and strength may soon bee surprized by that cold sleep and have their bodies benummed by death After which as the Bayes doth crackle make a noise when it is burnt Laurus Terribili sonitu flammâ crepitante crematur Lucret. so they being cast into unquenchable fire shall continue in weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth Fragiles incende bitumine lauros Virg. Quod inter urendum fragorem edunt Turne There shall bee desperate yellings and hideous outcries the mighty voice of Thunder the raging of the Sea the Cataracts of Nilus the sound of the Ordnance the roaring of Lions howling of Wolves lowing of Oxen barking of Dogges all the most dreadfull and offensive clamours in the world are not to bee compared to the torments that shall be inflicted upon the sonnes of perdition in this their sense of Hearing In the time of their life God gave them this sense by which faith doth enter into the soule Eares they had but not an eare to heare and hearken to the Word of truth and therefore neglecting to improve this gift to their comfort and salvation they are justly therein punished after their decease Not labouring now to receive good things thereby afterward they receive evill things When such as stand in the way of sinners doe heare what evill of punishment the Lord doth threaten to bring upon the impenitent I wish that both their eares may tingle that they may be moved with horrour fear of the vengeance of eternall fire having a space given them to repent if not for love of God and the joy that is set before us yet for dread of the fiery indignation that they may returne unto the Lord in an accepted time while they may be heard before that day doth overtake them in which they shall be as farre from succour as from audience Job 8.9 Our daies upon earth are a shadow whereof we may fitly be admonished by this green tree whose leaves do never fall Wee may soone be changed from a flourishing to a languishing estate and therefore as this tree doth produce some berries for medicine though not for meat so let us bring forth fruit meet for repentance that the diseases of our soules may bee healed and the issue of our corruptions may be stopped It may be expected that as we have compared wicked men in generall unto this Bay-tree mentioned by David so we should now descend to some particulars that wee may see such men as trees walking as the blind man of Bethsaida did Mar. 8.24 when hee began to be restored to his sight It is true that such men are resembled to divers kinds of trees As the proud man to the Cedars of Lebanon Isa 2.13 and the Oakes of Bashan The ambitious to the Bramble Judg 9.15 and the like But within the compasse of our ground we desire to maintaine only such trees as are fruitfull Wee will herein follow the example of Christ who oft-times resorted to the garden with his Disciples not of John the Baptist who went into the wildernesse Wherefore omitting to speake of wild and barren trees we will apply our selves unto the Vine Fructum vitis qui prae aliâ—s omnibus excellit Calvin whose fruit being rightly used doth excell the fruit of all other trees and is said to cheare both God and man God in a drink offering and man when hee doth use it with moderation and is therefore prescribed to
precious seed Shall the good things committed unto us produce such bad effects like unto the wheat that is sowne Infoelix lolium steriles dominantur avenae which in a barren yeere doth degenerate into darnell Far bee it from us to requite the Lord in this manner If hee call and wee refuse If hee stretch out his hand and wee regard not then hee will laugh at our calamity and wee shall call upon him but hee will not heare wee shall seeke him early but shall not find him but if wee doe hearken to his Word and obey his voice then our prayers shall come up as a memoriall before God and bee as seed sowne not in the earth beneath but in heaven above and shall cause a rich and plentifull increase of all heavenly blessings to come downe upon us that our soules may bee filled with good things Yea then our workes of charity and all godly actions shall be as seed which we cast abroad and sow to the Spirit Gal. 6.8 that of the Spirit wee may reap life everlasting 2 Cor. 9.6 Hee that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and hee that soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully Pro. 11.25 The liberall soule shall bee made fat and he that watereth shall be also watered himselfe Dare wee trust the earth with our seed and dare wee not trust our faithfull Creatour in these workes of charity The earth hath no power nor sufficiencie in it felfe but only from his benediction Shall wee doubt of his goodnesse and mercy who is most just and righteous in himselfe and who doth give this fidelity and ability unto the earth that it may make an abundant returne of that wherewith it is trusted Are wee of such little faith And doe we thus feare in dispencing these outward commodities these transitory benefits Then how shall wee bee able to commend our spirit into the hands of our Father With what courage and comfort shall we commit our bodies to the earth being the last seed we doe sow which shall bee raised in power and great glory excelling that of the pure Lillie more than that doth the royaltie of Solomon Awake and sing yee that dwell in dust for thy dew is as the dew of herbes and the earth shall cast out the dead Isa 26.19 11.1 In illo loco Messias expresse vocatur Flos consentit Hieronymus Causabon Job 38.27 The Flower of the stemme of Jesse did spring up in a garden and our graves shall bee turned into garden-plots As the raine causeth the bud of the tender herbe to spring up so the Lord is able to raise us up unto eternall joy and felicity Yea in this first resurrection hee doth raise us up from the death of sinne to the life of grace I will bee as the dew unto Israel Hos 14.5 even as the cloud of dew in the heare of harvest Isa 18.4 God makes the small drops of water they powre downe raine according to the vapour thereof which the clouds doe drop and distill upon man aboundantly Job 36.27 to satisfie the desolate and waste ground In like manner he doth sendus the showers of his grace he gives us the increase of all spirituall gifts he doth refresh us with his favour and satisfie our thirsty soules with his loving kindnesse Apollo's watering is to small effect unlesse God gives his blessing Deut. 11.10 Although the seed we sow may grow when we water it with our foot yet the seed of grace in our hearts can never prosper unlesse the Sonne of man who began that good work doth likewise perfect the same When the sweet and comfortable showers doe fall upon the earth they doe not onely cherish the flowers and herbs but also doe occasion many offensive weeds readily to grow up so the good gifts that come downe from the Father of lights the gracious blessings that descend from above doe bring forth the acceptable fruit of praise and obedidience in the godly but the cursed weeds of rebellion and provocation in the wicked The goodnesse of God which as a gentle shower mollifying the drie earth doth leade the humble soule to repentance but doth harden the impenitent heart which is fully set to doe evill and to treasure up wrath against the day of wrath The Word of God in season like the former and out of season like the latter raine is the true bread that comes downe from heaven and doth refresh him that is weary and ready to faint and doth satisfie him that is hungry that he shall never hunger any more but it causeth loathing in the full soule As the Israelites did not find any sweetnesse or good relish in the spirituall meat the food of Angels 1 Cor. 10.3 â—s 78.24 25. the corne of heaven that God rained downe upon them Our soule is dried away there is nothing at all besides this Manna before our eyes Num. 11.6 Here is Manna and Manna and nothing but Manna they called it light bread Num. 21.5 and as lightly they esteemed of it Thus the naturall man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.14 for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned hee cannot apprehend the lively power of the hidden Manna Rev. 2.17 he cannot discover the secret of the Lord which is revealed unto them that feare his name The tares that appeared in the field were suffered to grow unto the harvest Mat. 13.30 but the weeds that come up in the garden must bee taken away in the very beginning Our vices must be plucked up by the roots before they bee surely fixed by long continuance Abdolonymus hortum malas herbas eligens repurgabat Q. Curt. The Historian makes mention of a Gardiner who was found destroying of bad weeds when Alexander sent for him and advanced him to a kingdome So wee supplanting our corruptions and casting out the unfruitfull workes of darknesse shall attaine to a crowne of life As Adam was to dresse the Garden of Eden so wee are to keepe our soule and body blamelesse from the pollution of sinne and in the end when wee rest from our labour we shall enter into our Masters joy Christ saith to the good Theefe Luke 23.43 To day thou shalt bee with mee in Paradise Before God said to the rich man 12.20 This night thy soule shall bee required of thee There the night is mentioned death shall come suddenly upon him as an enemy as a theefe and finde him in greatest security in the dead sleep of sinne Hee delighted in workes of darknesse and shall bee cast into utter darknesse But here the day is named To day thou shalt bee with mee a day of salvation unto the good theefe the first day of his life and such a day as never had any end Christ is the true Light John 1.9 which lighteth every man comming into the world with