causeth, that after it hath been duly purged and cleansed, it remaines for ever in its purity, for as much as fire devours and consumes the filthy scumme thereunto fastned, cloathing it selfe with a new and pure fire, which it could not otherwise do. For if it were not so assisted with this pure fire, the Cherubin which is committed to the keeping of the Gate of the City of _Delices_, with a fiery sword, to forbid the approach to the tree of Life, would not permit it to enter therein; from whence the curiosity of tasting of the knowledg of good and evill excluded our forefathers, and us with them hereditarily. Hitherto _Zohar_, then which nothing could seem more conformable, nor which carryed it selfe better to our subject. _Every man shall be salted with Fire, and every Sacrifice with Salt._ For to salt, in this regard, to cleanse, and purifie, are but one thing, as also to salt, and to burn, because of their consemblable effects. _Burne my reines and my heart_; where burning, is put for repurging and cleansing, according to the Hebrew, and the Chaldee; and in the 13 of _Zachary_ 9. _I will burn them, as silver is burned._ To which sutes also that which the Apostle writ in the 1 _Cor._ 3.12. _If any man build upon this foundation, gold, silver, pretious stones, or wood, hay, stubble; Every mans work shall be made manifest, for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every mans work of what sort it is. If any mans work abide, which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any mans work shall be burnt, he shall suffer losse, but he himself shall be saved, yet so, as by fire._ Saint _Augustine_, citing this place throughout the whole scope of his works interpreteth it in the 21. of the _City of God_, 26. chap. for the vanities which men have too narrowly embraced in this age, which we shall not enjoy in another, but they must be abolished and defaced by the repurgation of fire; for that which he had not without provoking love, he shall not lose without burning grief. And at length shall be saved as by fire, because nothing shall be able to remove it from this foundation upon which it shall be built. S. _Ambrose_ to the same purpose, in his third Sermon upon the 118. _Psal._ As good gold, even the very Church when it is burnt, receives not detriment, but its lustre and resplendency encrease more and more. The _Persians_ esteemed that when they voluntarily burned themselves, the soul remained thereby repurged from all iniquities & misdoings, which consumed by the flames as touching the body, which had power to move the Indian _Calanus_ and some others to come from thence, (for God would not that we should advance our dayes by one moment) who, at the time they receive him, he washeth us, and cleanseth us from all preceding faults. Whereby some abusing themselves thereby, attended to receive it as slowly as they could; and others baptized themselves for those which were already deceased.