creature whose motion hee could not vnderstand As for the earth it is a worke so wonderfull that no man tell wherevpon it hath beene founded Tell me O thou most learned Philosopher what can vphold such a heavy masse Thou wilt say that is founded vpon its Centre But what is that centre but a point What beareth vp that point that beareth vp all the rest But how can a point bee a fundation of so hudge a masse But imagine a man standing in the centre tell me what should be his situation According to the rules of Philosophie both his head should be vpward and his feete should be vpward Now what braine is able to conceiue this Some may think all this to be very easy but God did propound it vnto Job as a great argument Wherevpon said Hee are the fundations of the earth fastened We must therefore confesse that this worke of GOD which is but earthly is so wonderfull that it overfloweth all humane capacitie When a vessell is filled to the brimme it must at last overflow When our heart is filled with that which is wonderfull the wonders which we can not containe must runne over What shall J say more Behold O man all the parâ—es of the mekle world bend thy wits and see where thou can correct God his wisedome Come foâ—ward I pray thee and teach him a lesson if thou can If not confesse that his workes are wonderfull and that thou is filled with wondering so that GODS wonders in thy heart doe overflow From the mekle world let vs come to man the litle world Behold the fabricke of his body his browes his eares his eyes his nose his mouth Behold the wonderfull worke of God Teach GOD a lesson if thou can Wilt thou say that his mouth had beene best in his brow and that his nose had beene best behind his eare and that his eyes had beene more fitly into his chinne No not There is no part which can be devised to bâ—â— better then it is the worke is vvonderfull and therfore say that thou art filled with wondring Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men To come from the body to consider God his workings in the soule they are so wonderfull that no man can declare them Who shall not wonder to consider the workings of the soule J admire the mind and vnderstanding the will and the affections agreeing discording considering judging loving or hating making the body to laugh or to weepe according as the spirit is disposed Consider the spirit of man furnishing the body with fiue watches as with a guard for its preservation viz hearing seeing smelling feeling tasting and touching all set about the body for its preservation for as many watches to tell who is a foe and who is a friend The worke is so wonderfull that while I consider it my spirit doth overflow with wondering Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men Last of all seeing the curing of the sicknesse of the body is called a wonderfull worke how wonderfull must the curing of the sicke soule be For this cause and for others also CHRIST the Saviour of soules was called Wonderfull Vnto vs a child is borne said the Prophet and his name shall bee called WONDERFVLL This is he who hath not only filled the earth but the Heavens with wondering The Heavens at the first could not well perceiue how by God his stripes man should haue health The Cherubins which represented the Angels had their heads ever bowed toward the Mercy-seat for to see the calling and healing of the Gentiles The fellowship of that mysterie had beene hid in God from them and that from the beginning of the world But so soone as it was revealed vnto them by the Church that is so soone as they sawe God his promise accomplished in the Church as in a glasse they all with one voyce praised God for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men All the spirits of Heaven did praise Him that day with that divine song Glory bee to GOD in the highest Heavens peace on earth and toward men good will But what shall J say of men who are so much beholden vnto God Hath not God created vs Hath he not redeemed vs with the blood of his sonne Hath hee not delivered vs from many dangers at home and a field Hath bee not made all our bed in our sickenesse Hath he not brought vs backe from the doores of death But where is our thankfulnesse I say againe OH where is our thankfulnesse Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodnesse and for his wonderfull workes to the children of men To the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost bee glory and Majestie Dominion and power for ever and ever AMEN Eccles. 12. v. 10. Eccles. 12. v. 11. Bernar. super Cant. Quâ—rit aâ—â—â—aâ— verâ—uâ— cui consentiat aâ— correâ—iâ—â—em 〈◊〉 illumiâ—nâ—â—ur ad cognitioneÌ„ cui innitatur ad virtutem quo res â—nctur ad sipientiâ—m cui 〈◊〉 tur ad deâ—â—rem cui â—â—â—â—tetur ad sâ—â—uâ—â—illaâ—â—◠〈◊〉 sâ—uatur 〈…〉 Eccles. 12. v. 4. Luke 12. v. 35. Note 2. Tim. 1. v. 18. Libri Liberi Gen. 4. v. 7. Hieron ad Pamâ—nach Epist. 5. cap. 8. Exod. 33. â—1 v. 22. v. 19. v. 23. Exod. 34 v. 6. v 7. Note Psal. 101 v. 1. Ephes 3 v. 10 Psal. 18 v. 26. * Note * Note 1. King 1â— v 11 Jude v. 22. v. 23. * Note Act. 4. v. 36. Mark 3. â—7 * Note * Note Deut. 20 v. 10. v. 1â— * Note 2. Cor. 10 v. 4. * Note Leut. 19. v. 17. Ezek. 33. v. 3â— * Note * Note Note Act. 24 v. 25. * Note 1. King 22 v. 8. * Note * Note Job 6. v. 10. Ezek. 33 v. 3. * Note * Hose 6. v 5. Note * Note Jere. 1. v 17. Note Isa. 62 v. 16. * Note Ierem. 20. v. 9. * Note * Note * Note * Note 1. Cor. 3 v 18. * Note Prou. 30 v. 2. v. 3. * Note 1. Cor. 4 v. 10. 2. Kings 9. vi 1. Act. 26 v. 24. * 1. Cor. 1. v. 25. Note 1. Cor. 1. v 21. 1. Cor. 1 v. 18. Luk. 24. v. 2 Luk. 15. v. 17. 1. Cor. 1. v. 18. Note Luk. 12 v. 20. Note Heb. 6. v. 4. Note Psal. 37 v. 35. Ps. 129. v. 6. Iob. 5. v. 3 Iob. 5. v. 4. v. 5. Amos. 2. v. 9. The doctrine 1. Cor. 3. v. 19. The vse Note Tit. 2 v. 12. Note Note Note Note Note Luke 34 v. 25. Note Iude. v. 9. Note The doctrine Note Note Isay. 66. v. 17. The vse Note Note Ephes. 5. v. 3. Note Ier. 22. v. 8. Note v. 9. The doctrine Note Ionah 1. v. 11. v. 12. Iosh. 7. v. 8. v. 12 Note Iob. 8. v. 11. Note
a place by me and thou shalt stand on a rock and it shall come to passe while my glory passeth by that I will put thee into the clift of a Rocke and will cover thee with my hand I will make all my goodnesse passe before thee and I will cover thee with my hand whiles I passe by After I will tak away mine hand and thou shalt see my backe parts but not my face Now as the Lord said so hee did he passed by and while he passed he made a Proclamation The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gratious long suffering and abundant in goodnesse and trueth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie transgression and sinne Behold how in the Lords comming to Moses mercy came before and after iudgement in the words following that will by no meanes cleare the guilty visiting the iniquitie of the Fathers vpon the Children The Lords sluggorne in his comming to Moses was mercifull and righteous first was Mercy and then Iustice this was the order of Davids Song I will said hee sing of Mercy and of Iudgment First of mercy then of Iudgement like Gods passing by Moses But here in my Text Gods order is inverted for there is first a song of Judgement and after of mercy what should be the cause of this This is as the Apostle calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Multiformis â—lla sapientia Dei that is the manifold wisdome of God or the wisdome of God that is of many forms as there be diverse faces and formes of men so there be diverse hearts diverse dispositions some be thrown faced and some be thrown hearted with with the pure thou wilt shew thy selfe pure froward with the froward To one that is of a meeke disposition and of a gentle nature like Moses let the Pastour preach first of mercy as God came to Moses making all his goodnesse to goe before him But having to doe with fooles such as are into my Text it shall bee wisedome first to sing to them of Iudgement and thereafter of mercy Gods comming to Elias declared with what method he had to preach to that rebellious people with whom hee had to doe while hee was into the caue of Horeb the mount of God the Lord bade him come out and stand vpon the mount before the Lord and behold while God was comming to him there came from before him three mighty Messengers for to make awaye to the King of Glory The first Messenger was called the WIND A mighty strong winde rent the mountains and brake the rockes before the Lord but the Lord was not in the winde After the winde came another Poste called an EARTHQUAKE but the Lord was not in the earthquake After the Earthquak came yet one more furious called FIRE but the Lord was not in the fire After the fire came a still and foft voyce wherein was the Lord By this God teached Elias how he shuld teach that stiffnecked people how he should bring the Lord to them viz. that first he should preach Judgments whereby as by a wind the proud heartes like hie Mountaines might bee shaken and the harde hearts like rockes might be rent If that did not the turne let him yet threaten Iudgments like earthquaks which might mak all hearts to quak If that did not the turne that hee should preach Hell fire death and damnation against the Sonnes of men Now if men did tremble at the fire Gods will was that hee should preach with a soft and still voyce the mercyes of God the promises of the Gospell This order and Methode is plainely sette downe by Saint Iude Of some have compassion making a difference that is to some first preach mercy But others save with feare pulling them out of the fire there is a preaching of Iudgment To some preachers should bee as Barnabas sonnes of consolation to others they should bee as Iames and Iohn Boanerges duo fulmi na belli two sonnes of thunder Ill men like nettles must bee first gripped left they burne thee Gods naturall dealing with men is first to offer mercy vnto them if they will repent This was a Law of warre prescribed by God himselfe vnto his people when thou comest night vnto a City saith God to fight against it then proclaime peace vnto it But if it will not make peace with thee but will make warre against thee then thou shall be beseidge it As it was ordained by God in that warre so shuld it be practised in the Christian warrefare while Pastours come from God to a people they must first proclame peace vnto them But if they will not make peace then they must beseige them with the Cannons of Gods Judgements If Barnabas cannot winne the Citadell of mens hearts by consolations let James and Iohn Boanerges Sonnes of thunder besiege their hearts with the thunders of Gods Iudgements they must shoot downe the strong holdes of sin that every thought and imagination may bee taken and brought captive to the obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ. I know that preaching of Judgement is vnpleasant preaching to flesh and blood But heere is the command Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour and not suffer sin vpon him Most men will heare onely the piping of mercy Songes of Loves but ditte their eares from the dinne of Judgements They like well of Barnabas with his consolations but cannot abide the thunders of Boanerges None so fain as fools would haue their head clapped fooles fedde on folly would bee fed in their follie Infelix Felix more vnhappy in deede than hee was happy in name could not heare Faul preach Pauls Text was of righteousnes of temperance and of Iudgement As he reasoned vpon the point of Iudgement Felix interrupted him crying vnto him in a feare God thy way for this time when I have a convenient season I will call for thee There bee many vnhappy like Felix sold vnder sinne like Ahab who could not heare Mecaiah Gods Prophet I hate him said Ahab for hee doeth not prophesie good concerning me but evill But who can speak good to him that doth euill and bee a Trumpeter of Trueth The word of God bee it of Iudgement or of Mercy should not bee concealed from them to whom it is ordained while a man is become a fool in his sinnes a Sermon of Iudgment is for him the faithfull Pastour must denounce against him what ever is in his Roll not keeping vp a word were it to call him a foole in his face This was Iobs great comfort in his distresse that he had not concealed the words of the holy one the office of teachers the Lords servants is to blowe the Trumpet and warne the people with alarmes They are compared to the hewers of wood I have hewed them by my Prophets saith the Lord
For if a man desire lyfe for to eate drinke and make good cheere of his provisions laide vp for many yeeres it were better for him to die before such riots Lord keepe me from the gift of lyfe except it bee that J may amend my lyfe lyfe should bee desired that it may bee better spended The vse of this doctrine is that every man in his sicknesse try wherefore hee desireth his lyfe Jf it be for to glorifie God and to redeeme evill spent tyme to doe some more good in the world such a desire is godly such a request is holy whether it be graunted or not Well is the man that hath gotten lyfe and thereafter so liveth and learneth to die that hee may dye to liue Let him whom God hath afflicted with sore sicknesse and thereafter hath brought even from the doores of death let him I say learne to be circumspect in his wayes When Christ met afterwarde with the sicke man whom hee had cured at the poole of Bethesda hee gaue him a godly counsell Behold said hee thou art made whole sinne no more lest a worse thing come vnto thee It is a token of a deadly disease when the phisicke can not worke Againe heere I obserue the sluggishnesse of mans heart in prayer He will not pray till hee bee at the extremitie even at the doores of death then and not till then saith my text they cry vnto the Lord. Why would they not cry while they perceived their appetite decaying why would they not cry while their soule began to abhorre all maner of meate Doeth the wild asse bray when hee hath grasse Or loveth the oxe over his fodder No not So long as a man hath the grasse of prosperitie and the fodder of wealth hee can neither loue nor bray nor pray The young man will not quite the harlot till a dart strake through his liver If the vntamed colt be not sore ridden and beatâ—â— hee can not bee broken Hard hearts like hard knots must haue hard wedges A small wind is notable to fanne away meakell chaffe A hautie heart will not stoupe for a little distresse Jt is not the little touch of affliction that will waken a snorting sinner Except it bee an imperious crosse which cause him smart hardly will hee yeeld so head strong a thinge is sinne So long as the Mariners can worke amongâ—t their cordes they runne raâ—â—le reele and sweate in the tempeâ—t But after that they haue reeled to c fro and staggered like drunken men when all their running is gone then as it is said in the psalme they cry vnto the Lord in their trouble yea though the ship reele and crack as thought it should bee crusht yet Jonas will not waken till a Pagan pull him vp and buffet him with rebukes what meanest thou O sleeper Arise call vpon thy God The vse While God giveth vs warning by any disease let vs take it as a precept of warning from GOD and prepare our selues for death * Jt is to bee too venturous not to cry till thou be at the doores of death that is to put craig in perrill wise Salomon forbiddeth a man to delay a day This was his watch-word Boast not thy selfe of to morrowe for thoâ— knowest not what a day may bringe foorth Age hodie quod moriturus agas Doe that to day that thou would desire to bee doing in the day of thy death But alas what order for all this haue wee taken with our soules though wee know not how neere wee are to the doores of death Who amongst vs can say with the Psalmist My heart is prepared my heart is prepared Alas for our heart it is like the field of the sloathfull and like the vineyard of the man voide of vnderstanding I went by it saith Salomon and loe it was all growen over with thornes and nettles had covered the face thereof Our hearts for the most part are either pricked with the thornie cares of the world or burnt so with the burning nettles of lust that we remember not our latter end So soone as wee come out of the burning nettles of youth wee fall into the pricking thornes of worldly cares the sicknesse of colde and olde age Except that wee take heede to our selues in tyme our damnation shall come as one that travaileth our destruction like an armed man For this cause let every man rouse vp him selfe at the first touch of affliction and no more put the Lord as it were to paines for to stretch out his arme still Why should yee bee striken any more said God to his people Though God spare man in his sinnes for a space yet at last shall hee not disdaine to bee crossed of dust asses I will tell thee ô man that if thou sit the Lords first summonds Hee vvill send to thee a new charge which shall make thy griefe to grow If yee walk stubbornly against mee said the LORD I will bring seven tymes more plagues vpon you according to your sinnes If seven will not worke God hath seventie seven at his command every one readier than another to say with that spirit send me Jf for the gentle corrections of his rodde thou will not turne Hee shall scourge thee with scorpions till hee cause thee câ—y If a sinner overcome a little affliction and come out of it not being bettered thereby Gods armie shall bee stretched out still by some greater judgement After that Hananiah had broken the yoke of wood which was about Ieremiah his â—ecke for to bee a token of a great judgement God commanded to tell Hananiah Thou hast broken the yokes of wood but thou shalt make for tâ—â—m yokes of yron If yokes of wood can not daâ—ton stif-necked sinners the Lord shall change wood into yron malo nodo malus cuneus for a hard knot he can make a hard wedge nill wee will we God will haue his blowes felt Againe heere in that a sicke man at the doores of death is said to cry to God I obserue a powerfull working of the spirit of God in his owne children While they are at the doores of death and can not speake vnto man for weaknesse yet are they said to cry vnto the Lord. At such a tyme all the force of nature is spent and words are said to be swallowed vp yet such are said heere to cry vnto the Lord. Wherefrae commeth this force to cry Not from nature It is from the spirit within While the godly man is at his last gaspes and hath layd speach before men even then is a voice of power within him crying through the heavens vnto God The vse In confidence of Gods assisting power let vs comfort our selues against the houre of death the houre of our greatest weaknesse Heere is the ground
They looked vnto him and were lightened and their faces were not ashamed Now let vs see the kirnell of that comfort in the verse following This poore man cryed and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles Behold a progresse of seeking and of deliverance first hee sought God secondly he looked vnto God thirdly the poore man cryed So first God mett mans seeking with deliverance from the feare of trouble secondly while man looked vnto him hee made him to bee inlightened so that hee knew both who did afflict and wherefore hee did afflict him But last of all while God saw this sinner humbled like a poore man and heard him crye then hee saved him from his troubles This poore man cryed saith the Psalmist and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles See how the Lord at the first saved him not from all his troubles but by degrees till hee cryed vnto him like a poore man crying for an almes The harder health is more come by the more it is set by a disease easily cured is easily incurred The sooner a sinner bee helped if hee returne againe to his sinnes hee shall find God the slower to come to his helpe againe God will let him seeke and looke and cry yea and crye againe to teach him better manners This wee see in the booke of Iudges to have beene Gods doing with Israel The Israelites beeing oppressed by the Philistimes and Ammonites in their miserie they sought vnto God they looked vnto him yea and they cryed but what answere got they at the first God sent them vnto their false gods at the first and yet vpon their repentance hee hee pittied them The wordes are so weightie that they are worthie to be heard these be they euen as they were writen by Gods pen-man when the Israelites sawe that they were so sore afflicted by their enemies it is said They cryed vnto the Lord saying wee haue sinned against thee both because we haue forsaken our God and also serued Balaam let vs now heare what answere God made vnto them Hee said vnto them Did I not deliuer you from the Egyptians and from the Ammorits and from the Children of Ammon and from the Philistimes The Zidonians also and the Amalelikites and the Maonites did oppresse you and yee cryed vnto mee and I deliuered you out of their hands yet ye haâ—e forsaken mee and serued other Gods Behold their relaps what saith the Lord to that I will deliuer you no more Goe and crye vnto the Gods which ye haue chosen let them deliuer you in the time of your tribulation heare what a hard answere Now what did the Jsraelites They said to God We haue sinned doe thou vnto vs whatsoeuer seemeth good vnto thee deliuer vs onely we praye thee this day as if they should haue said Lord but for this one time Thus after they had cryed they amended their life by putting away the strange Gods from among them and serued the Lord what did God then It is said that his soule was grieued for the miserie of Israel So at last they got help but after many prayers and after the amendement of their life O the great mercy of our God! O the preseruer of man Let vs make vse of this by applying it to our present purpose which is concerning these that are so sicke that they seeme to bee neere the doores of death While God delayeth to bring them from their sicknesse notwithstanding of all their prayers and of all our prayers private or publicke let vs not grudge neither let the sicke murmure God while hee delayeth their health hee as it were sayeth to them as hee said to Israel I will deliver you no more yet if the poore patient persist to murne before him God will not faile to give him full contentment at last God afflicteth not willingly the children of men no not his soule often is grieved for the miserie of Israel How can hee but deliver repenting sinners seeing their miserie grieveth his verie soule It is not wonder that God repented himselfe to have made man because that hee is the chiefe matter of his griefe As for the Devils they grieve GOD by their sinnes but he is not grieved for their torments God gladly shall cause scourge them with scorpions But as for his owne children heere hee is grieved and grieved againe first for their sinnes but most for their sufferings hee is grieved for their sinnes as a father for his childrens faults and againe he is grieved to strike them Last of all hee is most grieved after that hee hath striken them These bee wonderfull wordes his soule was grieued for the miserie of Israel God that forgave David his sinne could as gladly have spared him in his iudgments but the wicked were looking on wondred how God did spare and therefore â—or his honour and for his names sake he could not let David go vnpunished So soone as David had said I have sinned against the Lord Nathan answered that the Lord had put away his sinne but as for afflictions and troubles hee could not put them awaye because by that deede hee had giuen great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme Jf all the wicked were blind God would often spare to afflict his Children An obiection Heere some may obiect and saye that this our Text is not ever true Js it not cleare that God delivereth not all men from the gates of death though they cry vnto him The answere It is certaine that it is not aye done For if men by crying to God were ever brought backe from the doores of death death should bee a rare thing among men If life could bee had for crying to GOD the World should be deafned with din for all that a man hath he will giue it for his life Jt is but one of a thousand that can say with S. Paul I desire to be dissolued what then shall we say to our Texte wherein is said that when the sicke man cryeth then God deliuereth Surely this is not euer done but if it be once done to a man in his life they be fewe here of anye age but once in their lifetime God hath brought them from the doores of death If God once hath done this to thee by thy owne experience subscribe to the trueth of my Texte Neither doth my Text say that this is done to all left that anye should beguile himselfe saying I may sinne seeing as yet I haue neuer bene so sicke as to be at the ports of death before J die I must first be neere these portes and be broght backe againe to health and so shall liue a space and afterward die No not God hath not astricted himselfe by promise to anye that he shall get but an houres sicknesse before he die If
God had before life could be gotten Though he should haue walked to and fro and streatched himselfe vntill now except that God had sent his word Elisha should haue said as Gehazi said that was sent with his staffe The child is not awaked There is no force in man against death to make either voice or hearing Heere then let vs obserue the great power of God who by the message of his word cureth such deadly diseases A Physitian may helpe a sicke man by application but what can he doe by explication Mens wordes are but wind wordes can not worke Mens wordes are but of dead letters But the word of god is quick and quickening it is mighty in operation the Power of God to salvation both of soule and of body That which is able to saue both soule and body from Hell fire may easily be a power for to heale the sicke body The Centurion after that hee had sent a man for Christ to come and cure his sick seruant hee bethought himself what power was in Gods word and therfore he sent back word againe to Christ that hee should not come him selfe but only send his word Tell him said the Centurion to his friends whom he sent to him tell him Lord trouble not thy selfe for I am not worthie that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe wherefore neither thought I my selfe worthie to come vnto thee but saye in a word and thy servant shall bee healed Saye in a word that is send a word and it shall heale him I read of Ioseph that he was cast into the stockes in a prison But by what meanes was he deliuered It was by Gods word The psalmist saith that they hurt his feete with stockes and that he was laide in yron But how was he deliuered there he laye vntill the time that his word came God had giuen to Ioseph the word of his promise in a dreame that he should be a sheafe before whom all others sheaues should bowe yea that before him the Sunne and Moone and elleuen starres should doe reuerence So soone as the time of that word came the stockes could keepe Ioseph no more As Ioseph lay in the stockes so must the sicke man ly in his bed vntill the the time that his word came then shall he goe free Heere behold the great power of the word of the Lord. Turne thee yet againe and behold the power of this word in a greater cure In Ezekiel J see a strange worke wrought by this word In a valley there was a huge great number of bones both bare and drye loe saith the Prophet they were very drye God hauing showne them to his Prophet said vnto him Sonne of man can these bones liue The Prophet said Lord thou knowest as if he had said there is very little appearance J will make them liue said the Lord But how By my word I will send my word vnto them Prophecie vpon these bones and say vnto them O ye dry bones heare the word of the Lord Behold I shall cause breath enter into you and ye shall liue And I will lay sinewes vpon you and will bring vp flâ—sh vpon you and couer you with skin and put breath in you and ye shall liue As soone as the Prophet had giuen the bones this first charge of Gods word at that first prophecie there was a noise and behold a shaking and the bones came together euery bone to its owne bone But there was no breath in them Behold how the first charge of the word made onely the bones to be conueened and to be couered with flesh and skinne But how shall life be gotten God must send his word againe God sent his word to the wind for to fetch breath for the quickning of these dead men Prophecie vnto the wind said the Lord Prophecie Son of man say to the wind Thus saith the Lord God Come from the four winds O breath breath vpon these slaine that they may liue At that second charge of the word the wind fetcht breath which entred into them and all those bones lived and stood vp an exceeding great armie He who by his word prophecied made dry bones to creepe together and by this word made the winde to breath life into them may easily send vnto sick men a word that will heale them thought they were even at the doores of death Secondly in that the word of God is said heere to be the meanes whereby God healeth the sicke J obserue the diuersitie of the operation of his word what ever God hath to doe let him but send his word and it shall be done When he made the world he vsed no other hand but his word let there be light let there be a firmanent Gods word LET wrought all the creatures He said and it was and as he said so it was The word of God is like a Mine of diuers veines either for to help Gods friendes or for to hurt his foes as the cloudy pillar was darkenesse by day vnto the Egyptians and light in darkenesse vnto the Jsraelites As that Pillar was a darke cloud by day behind Israel for to hide them from the Egyptians and a burning Pillar of fire by night going before Israel for to let them see the waye So the word that God sends is euer for the good of Israel It is a quickning spirit and sauour of life to life vnto these that are saued but it is a killing letter and a sauon of death to these that perish When Christ had a will to ding his enemies vpon their backe he sent his word to doe it I with I am he he made them goe backward to the ground With his word he dang his enemies vpon their backe and with his word he raised vp Lazarus his dead freind out of the graue Gods greatest wonders were done by his word When Israel at Massah and Meribah tempted God in their thirst for to get water God directed Moses to find water But how was it by sending him for to delue downe in the ground for to find some water spring No not He sent him to a Place where naturally was rather fire then water euen to a hard flint Rocke But how was that water gotten God sent his word vnto the Rocke speake vnto the Rocke said the Lord to Moses and it shall giue forth his water Thirdly seeing Gods word is of such power that for all things it is a soveraine remeedie let vs beware to doubt of its power These gluttons that cryed for flesh are branded with this blot They spake against God saying Can God furnish a table in the wilderenesse Beware to say Can God were the difficultie neuer so great in appearance Moses his doubt made