56 TheDo4lrineof Mortification: theywould ftarve their bodies,fo©ner thenthey fhould deceive themoftheir foules. For firft, as there is no- thing more hurtfull unto man than earthlyminded neufe ; fo, fecondly, there is nothingmorehateful' un- to God ; and thirdly, there is nothing morecontrary unto theprofeffionof Chriftianity, than the lovingof thofc earthly members. For the firít,I fay thatthere is nothing in theworld Norhi morehurtful' untomanthan earthlymindedneffe,be- more hurtfull rßman then caufe it makeshim worfe than the beafts ; the beafts earthly miai- doe not fine, but theie earthlymembers arethecaufe e edneífe' of finne inus, and finne takes away theexcellency of thecreature. Innocency is the excellencyofthecrea- ture, (imply taken as he is acreature, and this was all the excellency that wehad inAdam, butfinne"tookea- way that excellency : therefore what ¡-cob faidofRem. Gen.49... whenhehaddefiled his bed, Thou haft (faith he) taken away any excel/mew; that is, that which When men I outwardly refpected moft,maybe faid ofevery luft; tote their ex- for what aman keepes, that is his excellency ; the are faid to eellencie, wife is the husbands excellency, and therefore when Tee isdefiled, heehath loft his excellencie ; for as a mankeepesor lofeth that outward thing whichbee moft refpedeth, fo he kecpeth or lofethhis excellen- $ß,3alra cie : TheStarres that fall, when they are in theEle- ment they thinand give light, and then theyare faid tokeepe their excellencie ; but when they once fall thenthey lofetheirexcellency, becaufe theyhaveloft their light and fplendor ; fo men are laid to lofe their excellencywhen they giveway unto their lufts. Rea Aud the reafon is, firft, becaufewhen themind of fe4lsearthly things, it mingles together two contra -, ries,
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