As Christ is the heade of the Churche he never suffered nor dyed.
The brasen Serpent was made like the live and true serpents in all thinges, the sting onely excepted; Christ was made like man in all things sauing synn.
All which beheld the brasen Serpent were cured; all that beleeve in Christ are saved.
Remedies are either naturall, by virtue of some inherent qualitie in the medicine applied; or by diuine influence and institution, when some thing is effected either beyond or contrary to the force and nature of that which is used. And this is miraculous; soe was the curing of the blind by laying spittle and clay upon the eyes of the blinde. Soe the cure of the lame by washing in the poole of Bethesdas, and soe the healing of the Israelites by beholdinge the brasen Serpent.
Fayth properly in things beyond or contrary to reason.
May 9, 1602.
fo. 19b.
As by the institucion of marriage the heate of the flesh is abated, soe by our mysticall connection with Christ the heate of syn is allayed.
May 13. At the Temple Churche.
One Moore of Baliol Colledge in Oxford; his text Amos iii. 6: "Shall there be evil in the city and the Lord hath not done it?" Malum culpe et malum pœne; of the latter onely God is the author. God may be said to be the author of synn permissive, and an actor in synn, though not the author of the synne, for ther is noe action but he is the first cause of it: and yet he is noe partner or cause of the il in the action, noe more then he which rideth vpon a lame iade, can be said to be the cause of his limpinge, though he be the cause of his paceinge, nor a cunning musician the cause of discordes when he playeth on a lute that is out of tune. There is a two-fold power in every thing, and both derived from God; the one of creacion, May 13, 1602.
fo. 20.whereby every thing worketh according to nature, as the fyre to burne, &c.; and the other of preservacion, whereby that force is continued, and if the second be withdrawne the first perisheth, for God is not a mere efficient externall, as the taylour of the garmente, or a carpenter of the house, whose effects may continue though their labour continue not, but he is an inherent continuall assistant cause, soe that yf he withdrawe his power of preseruing the power of creacion is idle, soe the fire in furnace could not burne the children, &c.