Englands sickness, comparatively conferred with Israels Divided into two sermons, by ThoEnglands sicknes, comparatively conferred with Israels Diuided into two sermons, by Tho

Spiritual and celestial delicates, the diet of grace, ⟨p. 72⟩and sanctification, nourish and cherish the souls health, and put the good blood of holiness into her veins, give her a fresh and cheerful look, roses and lilies, (the pride of nature in their colours) make not so beautiful a mixture. But the world-affected, and sin infected delights pale her cheeks, drink up her blood, and sap of virtue, dim her intellectual eyes, lame her feet the affections, craze her health, crush her strength, and which is most wonderful, for morte carent animae, even kill her immortality.

Spirituall and celestiall delicates, the dyet of grace, ⟨p. 72⟩and sanctification, nourish and cherish the soules health, and put the good bloud of holin•sse into her veines, giue her a fresh and cheerefull look, roses and lillies, (the pride of nature in their colours) make not so beautifull a mixtur. But the world-affected, and sinne infected delights pale her cheekes, drinke vp her bloud, and sappe of vertue, dimme her intellectuall eyes, lame her feete the affections, crase her health, crush her strength, and which is most wonderfu•l, for morte carent animae, euen kill her immortality.

Now they are not simply the things of this world, that thus sicken the Soul, but our extravagant desires and corrupt usage. For all these were made for mans delight and comfort in the second place, yield them immediately for the makers glory, and we offend not to serve our necessities in them it is their abuse which brings this sickness. It is with nutritive things to the soul, (in some sort) as with all meats to the body. They are of three kinds,¹ Contraria, naturalia, neutralia, contrary, natural, indifferent. Contraries hurt, natural and kindly help, neutral or indifferent, either hurt or help as they are received, 1. Food merely contrary to the soul is, Sin, this kills, 2. natural and proper to it is grace, this saves, 3. indifferent, or of a middle nature, are the inferior things of this world, house, lands, riches, &c. these either hinder or further our souls health, as they are used or abused. They may be consolations, they may be desolations, ladders of ascent, or stairs of descent, as our regenerate or degenerate minds shall embrace them. Now the reason why earthly things do neither strengthen our spirits, nor lengthen our joys is doubt, 1. They be transitory, 2. They be not satisfactory.