A Treasury of Similes, Part P · Part 31
Preaching.
1 AS ſentence was giuen by God, that S. Paul ſhould appeare at Rome, and not periſh with his companie in the Sea: It now being vnpoſſible that he ſhould periſh, or any of his companie; notwithſtanding he yet truely ſaid; that they could not bee ſaued, vnleſſe the Marriners did abide in the Ship: Euen ſo it is impoſſible to take God his ſheepe out of his hand, is truely ſaid; neuertheleſſe it is yet impoſſible for them to bee ſaued without Preaching & continuance of feeding by the word of God; for as that (namely the continuance of the Mariners in the ſhip) was the ordinary meanes to ſaue their liues, & to deliuer them from ſhipwracke: So this (namely continuance of Preaching, Catechiſing, and often feeding by the word) is the ordinarie meanes to deliuer vsus from ſpiritual deſtruction. Act. 23.11. & 27.23, 24, 25. Act. 27.31. Iohn. 10.29.
2 Like as meate doth not nouriſh (I meane the Preaching of the word of God, the foode of the ſoule) vnleſſe it bee receiued, and by faith wee receiue it; it cannot cheriſh vsus, vnleſſe it bee digeſted, and by the heate of faith it is concocted; it cannot profit vsus, vnleſſe it bee kept in our hearts, and by faith we retaine it; it doth no good, vnleſſe wee hauehave life, and the iuſt ſhall liue by faith: So that it is moſt requiſite, that we labour by earneſt prayer to attaine vntounto faith, whereby we may be perfectly nouriſhed with this meate, the Preaching of the word of God. Haba. 2.4. Rom. 1.17.
3 Like as the prophane and wicked people, hauehave wit enough to ſay, that if a man bee fallen into a ditch, or brooke, he may crie long enough, Lord helpe me, Lord helpe me, if he do not endeuour & ſtriue to come out, by taking hold of ſuch things as he may eſcape and clamber vp by: And yet are they not ſo wiſe, as to conſider the meanes by which God in merciemercy, doth reach foorth his mightie arme vntounto them, to draw them out of the puddle and mire of ſinne; and to ſaue them, which is, onelyonly by the Preaching of his word; but this they doo not ſeeke to lay hold of. But contrarily, they caſt themſelues head-long into the ſnares of temptation, by ioyning in fellowſhip, with the workers of iniquitie. 1. Cor. 1.18, 21. Rom. 1.16. & 10.17.
4 As there is not a greater bleſſing giuen of God to any nation or people, then the gift of his holy word, there to be ſincerely taught and preached: So likewiſe no greater curſe from God, can be laid vponupon any nation or people, then when the word of God, and the true Preaching thereof, is taken away from them. Amo. 8.11, 12.
5 As there is much difference betwixt a drawne plat, and the builded houſe, betwixt the figure and the thing figured, the naturall, and the thing preſented: So is there much more difference betwixt the hearing of a Sermon preached, and the reading thereof afterwards in writing; for the heart is more mooued by hearing the word preached, then read.
6 As the Hen clocketh and calleth her chickens together, and louingly ſpreadeth her wings to keepe them vnderunder, and to protect and defend them, from all things that would hurt or harme them: Euen ſo the Lord moſt louingly, by the continuall Preaching of his holy word, doth call men to the imbracing of his merciemercy. Mat. 23.37.
7 As Chriſt when hee rayſed vp dead men, did onelyonly ſpeake the word and they were made aliue; and at the day of iudgement, at his voice, when the trumpe ſhall blow, all that are dead ſhall riſe againe: So it is in the firſt reſurrection; they that are dead in their ſinnes, at his voice vttered in the miniſterie of the word, ſhall riſe againe.
8 As Chriſt rayſed three from the dead; Iairus daughter newly dead; the widdowes Sonne dead and wound vp, & lying on the Hearſe; Lazarus dead and buried, and ſtinking in the graue; and all this he did by his very voice: So alſo by the Preaching of his word, he rayſeth all ſorts of ſinners, euen ſuch as hauehave lien long in their ſinnes, as rotting and ſtinking carrion.
9 As the dayes of our life, they ariſe with the Sunne, and goe downe againe with it: So the day of our ſaluation, it ſpringeth in the Preaching of the Goſpell, and it is ſhut vp againe with the ceaſing of that voice. Math. 4.16.
10 Euen as a fruitful field bringeth two kinds of fruits, for mans bodily ſuſtenance, wherof one muſt be dreſſed, ſodden, baked, or roſted, &c. the other may be eaten raw as it commeth from the ground: So Gods word hath two kinds of foode for the ſoule; whereof the one muſt needs be dreſſed, and minced as it were by Preaching, and rightly diuiding it, the other may bee vnderſtood and digeſted by reading.
11 As a Mother doth not giuegive her child a whole Nut in the ſhell, but breaketh and cracketh it, and ſo giueth it the kernell: Euen ſo muſt a Miniſter doo with the word, and open it by plaine Preaching.
12 Like as they that refuſe Pearles, becauſe they are brought & offered vntounto them, in homely and baſe veſſels; or as they that had rather ſit in the darke, then to hauehave a light brought them, vnleſſe it were put in a Siluer candleſticke; or as the baker that refuſeth good and pure wheate, becauſe of the baſeneſſe of the bag, in which it is brought; may all be accounted fooles: So in like manner, ſuch men as refuſe to heare the Preaching of Gods word, becauſe it is preached by ſimple & baſe men, in regard of the countenance of the world, are much deceiued.