Body and Soul sinning together, lyable to be punished together. [ 1996]
THere was a Master of a Family, which committed the custody of his Or∣chard unto two of his servants,* 1.1 whereof the one was blind, and the other lame; and the lame servant being taken in love with the beauty of the fruit, presently told his blind fellow, that if he had but the use of his limbs, and his feet to walk as well as he had, it should not be long ere he would be Ma∣ster of those apples; The blind Man answered, He had as good a mind to enjoy them as himself, and if his eyes had not failed him; they had not rested all that while upon the Tree: Whereupon they both agreed to unite their strength, and joyn their forces together; the whole-blind Man took the well-sighted-lame Man upon his shoulder, and so they reached the Apples, and conveyed their Masters fruit away; but being impeached for their fault, and examined by their Master, each one framed his own excuse; The blind Man said,* 1.2 he could not so much as see the Tree whereon they grew, and therefore it was plain he could have none of them: And the lame Man said, He could not be suspected, because he had no limbs to climb, or to stand to reach them; but the wise Ma∣ster perceiving the subtle craft of the two false servants, put them, as they were, one upon the others shoulders, and so punished them both together.* 1.3 Thus it is, that Sin is neither of the body without the Soul, nor of the Soul without the Body, but it is a common act both of Body and soul, they are like Simeon and Levi, brothers and partners in every mischief; like Hippocrates twins, they have idem velle et idem nolle, they do commonly will and nill the same thing, and therefore God in his just Judgment will punish both body and Soul together, if they be not repaired and redeemed by Christ.