a pearle of price or, The best purchase For which the spirituall marchant Ieweller selleth all his temporalls. By Samuel Gardiner, Batchellor of Diuinitie.

To the Gentle Reader.

IT is a matter of no mean maruel, that man so quicke-sighted in worldly affairs, should be so pur∣blind in things concerning God. That whereas he is Totus occulus & manus, all cie and hand, to obserue and practise in liuely imitational other things, only this main and fundamentall thing, how to order his conuersation right, that he might see the sal∣uation of his God, he is wholy ignorant of: Though he wanteth the wings of a doue, to flie to the vtmost parts of the earth, yet he can so subdue to himselfe his mules and drome∣daries, as their feete like harts feete shall carry them whither they list. And though he hath not the finnes of a fish, to scudde through the channells and pathes of deepe waters: yet in∣stead thereof, his head hath bin occupied in excogitating great vessels, keels and tall ships to transport euery where. Naturally he is vn∣armed of himselfe, yet this art and cunning hath deuised for him selfe, his sword, his bow, and his speare, and all sufficiency of weapons of offence, and armor of proofe to couer his head in the day of battell, enough for his de∣fence. He is vnable so to tune his pipes, and chaunt and sing vnder euery green tree with the nightingale and melodious bird: yet that

his musick is of more delight, which by Lute and Harp, and lowd Cymbals, and other ex∣quisite and deuised instruments, he hath for∣med and framed to himself. Thundrings and coruscations of the ayre, are peculiar vnto God, the arrowes of his quiuer, and his Bai∣liffes arrant, and Purseuants of his anger: yet behold in a strange and prodigious imitation hereof, he hath found out most fearful roring Cannons of all sorts, most horrible to consi∣der of. Finally, he prouideth for this kind of life, infinite kinds of waies, which are like an intricate maze past our finding out, by laws, by trades, by all manner of learning. But Finis vltimus, the last end of all is least considered of, wherein the whole state of all blessednes of the man so fully doth consist. Man (as saith the Psalmograph) is deceitfull vppon the weights, and is altogether lighter then vanity it selfe. Man being in honor, and hauing no vnderstāding, is compared to the beasts that perish. We bewaile those our friends that are dead in body: O let vs weepe and bewaile their estate who are dead in heart, and are twice dead, and to be plucked vp by the rootes. The Apostle accounted all things, but dung to gain Iesus Christ. This is better then the gold of Ophyr or India, albeit we stop our eies with waxe, and bind a napkin

before our eies of knowledge, and think that there is a wisdom in the world far better then this. Thesewipe their mouths with the whore in the Reuelation, & say vnto themselues, that they are rich, and need no more, whenas they are the poorest and most miserable of al men, as the last end shal proue vnto thē. They that haue tasted of this heauenly Manna, wil scorn the grosse food & diet of Egypt, and being cal∣led to the kingdome of grace, will with the shepheards leaue their flock, & with Mathew their custome-seat, with Peter their nets with Paul their proces & writs, that were signed to be sent vnto Damascus, when the loue of God is falne vpon vs, the loue of this world, wil fall frō vs, as Elias mantle when he left the world, and was caried vp to heauen. Buy ther∣fore this Pearl and Treasure of the soule, and lodge it in thy hart: it will be instead of all ri∣ches vnto thee. Couet heauenly things, and let our conuersation be in heauen, seeing we haue here no abiding place, but we look for a city whose builder & maker is God. And so I cōmit you to the grace of God, who is able to build further, & to giue thee an inheritāce among those that are sanctified: & the Lord sanctify these my labors, & direct them to his glory and the common saluation. Farewell.