. Ofe$Vliracles,ando f Jv.feane.f: 361 wafflingaway offinne,and getpowertomortifie finne dayliewithin vs : andthen (hall wee profile by the LordesSupper,whenweebeleeue all thepromifesof our Redemption, wrought by lefts Chrift, and !hall bee vnited into his bodie dayliemore and moreby the word. 3 Pharaoh did askea íigne notfor any purpofe toyeeidethereuro,but ifthey could notdoe any, fleeplight haue thegreateraduauntage againftAlofts and thepeople. So the ScribesandPharifees aske of Chrift, towhom hceanfwered the adulterous generation reeked, a Diane : Somany in thefedayes askeproofe ofmany things in religion, notthat they minde to yeelde thereto,butif they cannot bane filch proofe as will ftoppe their mouthes,they maymore quietlie continue in their error. Weemuft Icarneto leauethis kinde of quefl:ontng, which is feldome graunted forgood, and let vs fo frame our requelts,l as that theymay be reuerent, and,we may haue adelire to refs in that whichis graunted. 4 Awonder maymoue vs for a time, but commonly, theylaft with molt, but fornine dayes t andwefhall neuer gatherany fruite thereby, exceptit doth preparevs toprofite more effe&uallicby the worde. s Some thinke that themiraculous Manna wasnot foftraunge,becaufe is is tobe found alannamira- in thefedayes inother countries.I anfwernot,ofthatcolour,nor ofthatppropertie:There- mbar. fore this was a miracle, as may appears by there reafons following. Firlt, bemireit was neuer ferne before, and then cameat Gods commaundement. Secondly, becaufeneither raynt norfayre weather didlet it. Thirdly,becaufe as Tooneas they cameto the bordersof thepromifedLand it ceafed. Fourthly becaufe ifit were kept tillthe mourning it flanks, buton the Sabbothdayeit continued fweete, albeit gathered the daye before. Againe, when itwasvelerued inthe Arke, it putrifiednot. Fifcly,becaufe it followed the Ifraelites, whitherfoeuerthey went. Sixtly,becaafe itfell in fachabundance, asthat it Ijiltained fo great amultitude. 6 .At whattimethe Lordefirft rent Manna, thechildrenof lfraell being rauifhedwith the loue ofit,called itManra,that is meate preparedoftheLord: andherein theyacknow- ledged the goodnelfeofthe Lord. This Manna is firlt commended forthecolour, it was afanns. white as the precious ikonscalledBdellirsm.Secondly, for the talle, tailing likefrefh oyle, Numb. r 1.7.Thirdly,for that itwas Angela foode orlocate prepared by Angels,Pfahn.98. Andyet for allthis, when the people had beenaccuftomed toit, they lothedit, and Pet light by it,wherefore their finne wasthe greater. The reafonofit maybee this:this Manna was giuen them, notonely tobee foodefor their bodies,butalfo tobeea token vntothem, that feeingthe Lordfeddethem from hcauen, they were notto fettle themfelues on the earth, but to lookefor their inheritance in Heauen. Somany thereforeas did reftin the bodily foode, not refpeeting the thingfpirituallie fignified by it,theywereToonewearieof it. Sots it alit)with vs, for albeit all the bleffings of Godbee very dearsvnto vs,and ofa great price at the firlt receuingofthem,yetwhen they arecommon, the beltblefiiings are lightly regarded. Ifit befo in earthly things,which are agreeable to ournature,how much more willit be in fpirituall things, which are focontrarie toour nature. And herebythe greatcorruptionofmans heart is difcouered,which will not beematedbutwith noueltie. As for example, the flumeif it werebutfeldomePeen, how glorious a creature would it be accounted, but becaufe wehaue the dayly vfeof it,therefore veriefew regard it. Nay the word ofGod which is hisarose todrawe vsto faluation, whenit bath beena little while a- mongvs, it is a thing finally efleemed ; whereas contrarywifein chofe places, whereit is newly recouered, they flocke togetherfarre and neare, and will make it their talke and fonges,and wholedelights. Thelike reafonis ofthe f craments,and other bletlïngsofGod, which whilemen do vie offafhion and cuftome, orelfe doe relt in the outward thing, not lookinginto them, norbeholdingthefpirituallgrace offered by them, itcannot beebut that theymutt needes fall into a fuperftitious abufe of them, or chi defpife andloath them. 7 Our Sauiour Chriltgiueth twonotable titlesand commendations to the exercifes of Ii the
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