z56 Theperfit Tilttcrne g yeti, hid a (as Panel fp,aketh) whatappearanceofany excellency tobeinhim is there in the opinion of a naturali man ? Amap exceeeding poorc, not having whereon to lay his head, ill followed with a filly fort ofhfhermen,andmen ofno note, hated, perrccured,euill fpokeu of, defpiled by thole that werereputed wife, acculed , condemned , put toafhamefull and opprobious death ; what likeli hood is there in this in the iudgementofa man that vnder all this bafneffeand contempt,rhe treafures ofhappinefle thould lie hid ? who would thinke that this teiefted perron, this fionewhom all the wife buildersrefuledfhould be the headefthe hMer ni.4 , corner h, and lhould bethepeacemakhr betwixt God and man, the corquerour ofSarhan, themafjererofdeath , reconçilerofmankindevntoGod I This is a my Veryof miteries,thisis (as the Apoff ealleth is) thevery hid wifedomeof ï 1.Cor.z.7. Gsd'.And thiswas as a veilebefofe the eyes oi`many,euen thewifeof the world; When the Apoftles preachedofdne Iefus thwas crucified , they couldfee no- thing in it, why they fhould beléeùeor pl:uè heir hope epos Co vnlikely a Sari- our. Come downe next unto the ordinarie measen the word and Sacraments . k s.Cor, 4.y; Thetrea(ure òf the word is brought to vs inearthen veffile k. Itdoth not feeme probable, that by the preachingof a filly man,oneMimicnote in the world, Ie- fus Chrill with all his treafures lhould be offeredvnro vs. It bathbreoethe an- I r.Cor, t..z. 'clear phrafeof profaine men, to teasme it thefodifhnes ofpreaching' ; nor one a. mong many that imagineth that there isloch llore ofescellent matter tendred voto.vs by fo bale amearesas the minitery& ianfeen;estobe. When Naa_ mz Kings S. man theSyrian "' being a leper, came to theProphet ofGod tobeehealed, and heCent him out wordto geewallt himfeife in Jordanfrrten times, hee was much difcontented and thought it and idle thing, that hee fhould come fo farre out of hisowns countryi,as though there had not beese riuera there,asgoodasTardavi fo when the feemingwife menof theworld, reare the chargeand direEtion chat GOD gives, that ifthey would hauethe treafure of his heaueuly grace, byhea- ring they tirati feche toreteiueir, they fcorne ir by andby, meafuring all by the outward appearance;anddoe not lee thegrace that is hidden vnder it. Thefame may besfaid of the Sacraments. There is bread andwine intheLords Supper, therein water in Baptifmc,fiwple thingstoa carnalleye;whowould thinke that under thefe creatures were hid the feales and pledges ofthe kingdomeofbee. uen? mt4hartrell then that it is called ahidden treafure, iris Co wrapped vp ina Pimple lifipry ofacrucified Saviour, and tendred unto vs in fo filly a means as the voice and miniftery ofa mortall man, and infuch flendefandvnlikely ele- mens, ofwater, bread and wine, andfo crofsing in all things voro reafon,that the clulcla eye ofanatural! man cas neuer Ipir it out, he would rather thinke to finde the treafureofgraceand lifeeternallevery where, thenthere where it is by thewifedome ofGod pointedoutunto vs. This isone reafon why the treafureof faluation,and meanesleadingunto it, iscalled a hidden treafure.Beforewecome to note the fecond reafon, let vs makevfe ofthis : wee may learnt fuudrygood thingsfrom ir. ThesPfe. Firlt, itlfiewethvntóvs the truecaufewhy fo fewdoeeteetneand makerec. koningofthemeases of faluation, but doeeven paffebyir, asa thing not worth the looking One Saint Pan, giueththe reafon, TheGodofthis world (that is, thediuell) bath blinded their minds:, thatthe light oftheylarioutGefpnllufCbriff z.Cor,.},4 fhonldnotfhine sumo them ". Throughthe lulljudgementof God their eyes are holden that they cannot fee the ereajare that lyeth hidden in the miniltery and Sacraments of the Church. Irememberwhat the Apolile faithofthe great men which put Chrill to death, that if they badknowneit theywould not bare o i.Curs,g. ere sfìed r she Lord ofglory".1 may tritely fay the fame of thecontemners ofthe word and Sacraments, that if they know what riches were couched vnder (eueu) the miniltery ofrnan, and vnder tirole bate elementsofbread andwine ' at the Lords Table ; they would neuer dare (asThey doe) to tread tholeholy things
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