i,fdjjiNgw3d 27 ly indeauour to take away fromhis owne death the powerand flrength thereof. And I pray you marke thispoint.ThePhiliflims law byexperience that Samfon was ofgreatttrength,and therefore theyvied meanes to know in/what part ofhisbodie it lay: and when theyfound k to bein the haire of his head, theyceafed not vntill it was cut off. In like manner the time will come when we muff incourterhand tohandwith tyranous& cruel! death: thebell therefore is, beforehand nowwhile we haue time to fearchwhere the firength ofdeath lies,whichbeeing once knowne, wemutt with (peed cutoff his Sampfo.ns lockes,and bereauc himofhis power,difarme him, and make him altogether vnable topreuaile againt vs. Nowe to findeout this matter, we needenot to vfe the counfeli ofany Delilah; for we haue the wordof Godwhichteacheth vs plainly wherethe flrength ofdeath cone. li(Is,namely inour finnes,as Paul faith, Theft,ng ofdearhir Arne. Well then, we knowing certenly that the power and force ofeuerymans particular death lies in his owne finnes, mutt spendour time and ttudie invunggood meanesthatour Ganes may be remooued and pardoned. And thereforewe muff dailymûreour felues inchepradifeoftwo duties. One istohumble our felues for all our firmes pal}, partly confeffing them againit our fclues, partly inprayer crying to heauen for the pardonofthem. The otheris for time tocome to turne untoGod, and to carrie apurpofe, refolution, and in- deauour in all things to reforme both heart& life according toGods word. ?hefe are thevery principal! and proper duties, whereby the flrengthof death is much rebated, andhe is made ofamightie and bloodie enemie fo farre forth friendly and traétablc,that we may with comfort incounter with him and preuaile too. Therefore I commend theft duties royour Ghriflian confderations, and carefullpra1tife, defiring that ye would fpend your dales euer hereafter indoingofthem. Ifa man were todeale witha migh. tie dragonor ferpent hand to hand,in fuckwife as he mutt eitherkill or be killed, thebell thing were to bereaue him of hisfling or ofthat part ofhis bodie where his poyfon lies:now death it felfe is a ferpent, dragon, orfcor. pion,and Anne is the fling or poyfon wherby he wounds andkillsvs.Wher- fore without any moiredelay, fee that ye pull out his fling : the pra6ifeof the forefaide duties is as it were a fitte and worthie inthun.ent to doe the deede.'Hatt thoubeetle aperfon ignorant ofGods will,a contemner ofhis word and worfhip,ablafphemer ofhis name,a breakerofhis fabbaths,dif- obedient toparents and r agiftrates,a murderer,a fornicatour,a rayler,a flä- derer,acouetousperfon.,&c.reforme theft thy finnes andall ocher like vnto them,pull them out by the rootes from thy heart,and caf} themoff.Somany finnes as bein thee, fo many flings ofdeath be alto inthee to wound thy fou;etoeternal' death. Therefore let no onefnne remaine for which thou haft not humbled thy felfe and repented ferioufly. VVhen death hurts any man,it takes the weapons whereby he is hurt,froni hisowne hand,lt cannot doevs the leaf}hurt but by the forceofour ovine finnes. VVhereforeI fay agaiineand againe,lay this point toyour hearts, and fpendyour firength, S life
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