244 objeci. r. From the ope ration of Cc tond taures. vtnfw. I. r. The Lord workes by them. Reafon Which is ill'- arase by (orne cowparifonrs. Sermon Preached before him in giving the leaft comfort. But you will fay to mee, Is this fo Doe not we find by experience, that riches, and friends, and credit, and wifedome and the like doe com- fort use And that the want and abfence ofthefe doth us hurte Yes, but I may give you this double anfwer, Firft, thefe things are at Gods difpofing and com- mand,theref ore it is not they that do any thing,but the Lord by them. Iris the hand that brings to pafl'e a thing, yet it is not vertually in the hand, but in the will of the man that commands it. But fecondly, I anfwer, It is not thefe things that do you good or hurt,but the LORD by them. You know when water heates the hand, you doe not fay, the water doth it,but the heat that is by the fire in the water. When you take a medicine in Beere or Wine, it is not the Beere or Wine that cures,but the medicine that is taken in that Beere or Wine : So it is the Lord that refrelhes and corn. forts, he wounds and he healcs by the creature, but the creatureBoth neither. But you will fay, this ability is borne and bred with tht creature,and is never fcparated from it. I anfwer, it is very truc, the Creature hath a fit- ncffe in it to doe us good or hurt ; but it is not able to put forth that fitnefle, or that ftrcngth, till it bee ailed by God ; that is, till it be fet a worke to doe it, by his biding or curling : For example, The bread hath a f tneffe to nourifh, but if G o D faycs not to the bread, nourifh fuch an one, it !hall not be able to doe it ;for we live not by bread, but
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