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IT is the Fire that is within each Terrestrial bo∣dy, which alone exposeth it to that Fire which
is without. It is a most true saying, that Fire is potentially in almost all bodies, but actually in very few; the meaning is, there is that in most bodies which can easily become fire, yea which is actually fire, quoad actum primum, and differs no more from true fire, than the same man when he is quiet, differs from himself when he is in a rage or passion, which he may be easily put into. Were it not for that fire that is within its self, nothing could be burnt: for fire doth all its execution upon other things, by means of that confederacy and conspiracy which it hath with those bodies which are inkindled by it, opening as it were the prison-doors for them, knocking off their fetters, rescuing them from their keepers, I mean those contrary Ele∣ments whereby they were restrained before, and kept asunder, and then giving them op∣portunity to unite together, and with joynt force violently to break away, and to destroy those bodies which before they did help to pre∣serve.
How great cause have we then to wonder that almost the whole creation is not in a flame, sith most creatures carry fire as it were in their bosoms continually, at leastwise are as tinder, which a few sparks falling upon, are able to turn into fire? It is no marvel to see those things destroyed which do alwaies bear about them the instruments and principles of their own de∣struction, as one that did alwaies go up and down with his pockets full of loose Gun-pow∣der. In a like sense as St. John saith, All that is in the world, is the lust of the flesh, or the lust of
the eye; meaning as fuel ready for those lusts to kindle upon, and propagate its self by, may it be said that all or most things of the World are Fire, as to some part of them, that is, as fuell for fire to work upon, and to convert into its own nature.
May not this notion of creatures, being consu∣med by their own internal fire, put us in mind how that mans destruction also is of himself, and that our greatest enemies as Christ saith, are those of our own house. The fire of temptati∣on from without us could do us no great hurt, were it not for the fire of sin within us consent∣ing and conspiring therewith. For every man is then only tempted, that is overcome by tempta∣tion, when he is inticed and drawn away of his own lusts. It is said of Christ that the Devill came and found nothing in him. Thereupon it was that the fiery darts which he threw at Christ, were presently quenched and took no effect, nei∣ther could they upon us, if there were nothing in us to comply with them. Woe unto us that we are traytors to our selves, and do naturally combine with our greatest enemies to accom∣plish our own ruine.
But as those bodies are least incident to fire, in which there is most of water, salt, or earth, to rebate the petulancy of sulphur, so are those soules lest obnoxious to the injuries of temptati∣on that have the most grace, which in scripture is compared sometimes to water, and other times to salt, let your words be seasoned with salt, that is, with grace.
Seeing then in this life more or less of sin will alwayes cleave to us, as so much sulphur ready
to set us on fire; labour we to weaken the power of it, by the predominancy of grace, so shall the remainder of our very sins in some sense, contri∣bute to our good (as sulphur to the good of those bodies it is mixed with) as tending to keep us from pride, security, self-confidence, trust in our own righteousness, and such like evils, to weaken in us the salt sharp humour of censuring others to make our spirits more serious and consistent by the shame and grief which they occasion in us: so shall we improve them as vipers in treacle, which so mixed, make it the better antidote, and that which was as down-right fire in the com∣mission of it, shall become as profitable sulphur in our reflection upon it, and accommodating of it to the forementioned uses and purposes.