The souls humiliationThe soules humiliation

Use 2 Secondly as they are guides to lead us to a Christ, soe they are means to convey grace,¹ mercy and comfort from Christ to our souls. Though they are not meat yet they are as dishes that bring the meat. They are the means whereby salvation hath ⟨p. 60⟩been revealed, and is conveyed to you. There is a fountain of grace in Christ, but the word, and prayer, and Sacraments, and fasting, these are the conduits to convey this water of life, and to communicate this grace to us. You do not use to drink the conduit, but the water that the conduit brings. Ask, that your joy may be full, (saith our Saviour) and so the Lord speaks by the Prophet Isaiah,² incline your ear, and come unto me, hear and your souls shall live. As if he had said wait upon God in his word and ordinances, and your souls shall live. Though the means are not life it self, yet life is conveyed by them. In Christ are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ³If you would have any grace and holiness, the treasure of it is in Christ. The word is as the Indenture or great will of God whereby the treasure of Gods favour is made known to your Souls. The bond or will is not the treasure, but conveys the treasure to us, and makes us have a right, and title to it: our Saviour saith, my peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, and, all the promises in Christ are, yea, and Amen. yea, that is truth it self, and, Amen, that is confirmed now, you must receive the tenure of all these in Christ. And the holy Sacraments, are as the broad seals whereby the Covenant of grace is confirmed, made authentical and ratified to your Souls. When a man hath much goods and lands and would make an other his heir, he passeth his lands or goods over to him by will, and if the will is not only drawn but also sealed, then, though this will is not the treasure it self, yet it is a special means to convey this treasure to the ⟨p. 61⟩heir that must have it. So, the Word is the will of God, and the Sacraments are the Seals of it, and all that mercy and goodness in Christ is made known to you by the Word, and made sure to you by the Sacrament; the Word and Sacraments are not this treasure, but they are blessed means to convey this treasure to your Souls.