it doth no good vnlesse we haue life and the iust shall liue by fayth It is very necessarie that we labour for fayth whereby we may perfectly be nourished and well fedde with this meate there is nothing that the deuill desireth more then to haue fayth out of our heartes therefore hee planted vnbeliefe in the heartes of Adam and Eue for vnbeliefe they were thruste out of paradise vnbeliefe in the heartes of Moses and Aaron for vnbeliefe they neuer came into the lande of promise vnbeliefe in the heart of Zacharie for vnbeliefe hee was dumbe vntill the thing came to passe whereof hee doubted Faith is the euidence of thinges whiche are not seene vnto faith did Christ call Mary when he saide to her touche me not for I am not yet ascended to my father Cum iam ascenderit saith Barnard tum tangi ab ea velit aut possit vtique poterit sed affectu non manu voto non ocu lo fide non sensibus woulde he or could he be touched of her when hee was ascended truely he coulde but with the hearte not with the hande with prayer not with the eie with faith not with sēses By faith we see him as the wise men we imbrace him as Simeon we heare him as Mary we touche him as Thomas Faith is the shield whereby we quenche all the fierie darts of the wicked by faith our hartes are purified by faith we resist the deuill by faith we are the children of Abraham by faith we shall not come to condemnation but shal passe from death to life no vertue by Christ so much cōmended as faith be it vnto thee according to thy faith thy faith hath made thee whole I haue not founde so great faith no not in Israell O woman great is thy faith be it vnto thee euē as thou wilt to faith nothing is vnpossible Whatsoeuer is without faith is sinne and without faith it is vnpossible to please GOD on the contrary parte nothing doeth more greeue the Maiestie of Almightie Iehoua then incredulitie and vnbeliefe all the day long I haue stretched out my hande to an vnbelieuing people O thou of litle faith why dost thou doubt to them that went to Emaus hee saide O fooles and slowe of heart to beleeue Againe O generation incredulous how long shall I bee with you how long shal I suffer you in his owne countrie hee coulde not do many myracles for their vnbeliefe the Iewes entred not into his rest Why for vnbeliefe let vs therfore crie with the Apostles Lorde increase our faith and as the father of the sicke childe cried with teares Lord I beleeue helpe my vnbeliefe Now because faith is not reuealed vnto vs by fleshe and blood but by the holy ghost let vs labour for him also that this meat by faith may worke effectually in vs let vs vtter vnto the Lorde strong cryings and deepe sighings for his spirite that our prayer may bee in his sight as the incence and the lifting vp of our handes an euening sacrifice For hee is the spirite of trueth the Maister and Teacher of the faithfull the shewer of thinges to come the witnesse of Christ the distributer of all giftes the spirite of adoption the pleadge of our inheritance hee beareth vs witnesse that we are the children of God hee helpeth our infirmities and maketh petition for vs. No man saith that Iesus is the Lorde but by the holy Ghost did not the Diuelles saith Chrisostome name Christe Somtime they named Christ saith he for feare not for loue and somtime that the people might giue eare to them take them for professours of the gospel so they might bring the people through a colour of christianity into manifolde heresies but of sinceritie heartie good will they neuer named him So then no man can name Christ louingly sincerely but by the holy Ghoste we haue not receiued the spirite of bondage to feare againe but the spirite of Adoption wherby we crie abba father Wherefore this is the end of my exhortation that you labour for all these three meate faith the spirit by heartie and earnest praier I meane not to crie all day long as Baals Priestes did O Baall heare vs O Baal heare vs. Nor as the Ephesians cried for the space of two houres great is Diana of the Ephesians But in hearte feruently and strongly as Moses Phinehes Manasses Ionas our Sauiour Iesus Though our praiers be short as was the prayer of the poore publicane God be mercifull to me a sinner of the prodigall sonne father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee am no more worthie to bee called thy sonne Of Steeuen Lord Iesu receiue my soule Of our Sauiour Christe Father into thy handes I commit my spirite nay though wee vtter neuer a worde the Lord will heare vs Moses spake neuer a woorde when GOD saide vnto him why doest thou cry vnto me Moses Anna spake neuer a word when God heard her prayer she only moued her lippes and Ely the Prieste saide she was dumbe If we thus labour for the spirite we shal obteine him and then our faith shall be fruitefull thē the meate in vs shalbe effectuall The word norisheth faith reuiueth the holy ghost quickeneth the word saueth faith iustifieth the holy Ghost sanctifieth the worde bringeth vs to heauen faith openeth the dore the holy Ghoste placeth vs among the holy Angels to haue euerlasting life which the sonne of man shal giue vnto vs. And this is the reason added to the exhortation being drawne from the person that giueth and the certaintie of the thing giuen Hee which is called the word of God the image of God the power and wisdome of God the Creator of all thinges the searcher of the heart the prince of life the Lord of glory the prince of saluation the prince of faith the brightnesse of the glory and the ingraued fourme of gods person the sonne of God doeth heere call himself the sonne of man he whom Peter confessed to be the sonne of God hee whom the Angell named Iesus hee of whom God the father witnessed this is my beloued sonn in whom I delight heare him hee when the very Diuelles could not choose but confesse him to bee the sonne of God doeth heere call himselfe the sonne of man Hee calleth himselfe the sonne of man first to testifie that he tooke a very true and substantiall nature of man both body soule vpon him fleshe of our fleshe bone of our bone Verbum caro factum est the worde was made fleshe heere some woulde proue that hee was not perfect man because the worde was made flesh that signifieth only the body but these men know not that flesh in the scripture sometime signifieth the one part of mā as when Christ saide
at the time of our banquetting the diuel is more busy with vs hath eftsones more power ouer vs at a diner did the diuel moue Herode to behed Iohn Baptist at a supper did Satan perswade Iudas to betray his maister But what sayth Paul to vs of these things these things are our examples to the intēt we should not lust after euil things as they lusted al these things came vnto thē for exāples ar writtē to admonish vs vpō whō the ends of the world are fallē But haue we had no exāples of late whō did the Lord smite down in that terrible plague in Oxford not mockers of Gods seruantes as were the Philistines not Idolaters and murmurers as were the Iewes but the most religious zealous the godliest the strongest the best learned amongst vs iudges sherif knight esquier iustice gētleman scholler for zeale for godlines learning I may truly say for the most of them as Dauid said of Israel the Lord smot down the chosen men that were in Oxford But when was this done euen whē the meat was in our mouths at our acte and proceeding a time of mirth of feasting bāquetting I meane not that scholers made the feasts but their frends then assembled I come a litle nearer to your remembrāce was there not a great feaste and a greate assemblie in this Citie not of Herode and his courtiours but of many right noble personages when the Lord of late shooke not London not Englande onely but the most part of Europe with a terrible earthquake the earth at that time did shake and we for a time did quake the Lord shake the heartes of al englishmen What shall I say of these they are no doubt examples for vs that in the middest of our feasting we set not our minds on our bellies but remember our God think on that meate which endureth vnto euerlasting life If we so doe thē shal we come to the marriage of the greate kinges sonne the Lord graunt wee may leaue our farmes forsake our oxen and not suffer our wiues to make vs say I can not come Then shall we be partakers of that feast with the prodigall sonne the Lorde turne vs home from feeding of swine and in hearte to cry for our sinnes father I haue sinned agaynst heauen and against thee I am no more worthy to be called thy sonne Then shall we enter with the .5 wise virgines into the bridegromes chāber the Lord graunt that we haue lāps that our lāps may haue oyle and that our oyle may burne Man beefore his fall might onely eate of the fruit of trees as Tertullian noteth afterwarde the vse of corne was lawefull for him conditionem consciencie ipso situ corporis approbante the bodie allowing the state and condition of the consience For mans concience being right and vpright he looked vp towarde heauen and pluck the fruite of trees but when the conscience of man was by sinne cast downe man turned his eyes toward the ground and made the graine of corne to bee his meate and so after the floode not onely fruite not onely corne but fleshe was also lawfull The Lorde did alwayes prouide according to the times and seasons and ages of mankind sufficient and conuenient foode Nay beholde the Lorde feedeth the young rauens that call on him the foules of the heauen sowe not reape not nor gather into ther barnes yet they are fed and by our heauenly father they are fedde The Lillies of the fielde labour not spinne not yet Solomon in all his royaltie was not clothed like one of them Thus then will I reason hath God care for beastes too feede them and for flowers too cloth them and will he not much more feede and cloth vs are they fedd and clothed without sowing without reaping without carying without spinning and labouring and shall not wee bee clothed and fed if wee sowe reape cary spinne and labour Will God care for my rayment then much more for my body will he care for my bodie then muche more for my life For the life is more woorth then meate and the bodie more woorth then rayment I will then care neither for cloth nor foode nor bodie nor life but I will first seeke the kingdom of God and the righteousnes thereof and then I am fully assured that all these thinges shalbe ministred vnto me thou shalt not saith the law mussel the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne And again if thou wilt finde a birds nest the dam sitting theron thou shalt not take the dam with the yong Doth God take care for oxen is God so mercifull to birdes will he not take more care for vs will he not be more merciful vnto vs. In the Cedars of Libanus saith the Prophet the byrdes make their nestes and the Fir trees are a dwelling for the Storcke the hie hils are a refuge for the wilde Goates and so are the stony rocks for the conies the Lyons roring after their pray doe seeke their meat at God In the Sea are thinges creeping innumerable both smal and great beastes there goe the shippes and there is that Leuiathan whom thou hast made to take his pastime therein These waite all vppon thee that thou maist giue them meat in due season Let not vs therefore labour for this meate let vs with prayer seeke our meat at God let vs waite vpon him and he will giue vs meate in due season For our God which layeth the beames of his chamber in the waters which maketh the cloudes his chariot and walketh vpon the winges of the winde is so mercifull that he suffereth his rayne to fall vpon bad and good his sunne to shine vpon iust and vniust For it is hee that appoynteth the Moone for certain seasons and by him the sunne knoweth his going downe Hee couereth the heauen with clowdes he prepareth rain for the earth he maketh the grasse to grow vpon the mountaines and greene hearb for the seruice of men He doth cōmand the clowdes aboue and open the dores of heauen Hee doeth send the first and latter raine his clowdes droppe fatnes hee onely maketh the vallies so full of corne that they laugh and sing If wee aske bread of our earthly father will he giue vs a stone if we aske fish will hee giue vs a serpent if we aske an egge wil he giue vs a Scorpion Much more will our heauēly father giue good things vnto vs if we labour for the meate that endureth vnto euerlasting life Chrisostom woondreth that men will presume so much to begge corruptible meate at Gods handes seeing that among seauen petitions in the Lordes prayer sixe are for the spirit and soule and but one and not that altogether for the bodie For the first three hallowed bee thy name thy kingdome come thy will be done are for the spirit and soule the three last forgiue vs our
TWO SERMONS preached the one at Paules Crosse the eight of Ianuarie 1580. The other at Christes Churche in London the same day in the after noone By Iames Bisse maister of Art and fellowe of Magdalen â—â—lledge in Oxenford ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Woodcocke 1581. To the right worshipfull Syr Iohn Horner and Syr George Rogers knightes Iames Bisse wisheth grace mercy and peace from GOD our father and from our Lorde Iesus Christe WHen I had preached these two sermons right worshipfull diuers of my friendes requested a Copie of them the which they craued earnestly at the last I graunted hardly I had small leasure to pen my Sermons for them and thought it lesse honestie and as little curtesie to denie them But when through importunitie they had gotten the vpper hande and receiued my Sermons at my handes they went presently after a viewe taken of them vnto the Printer to haue them published They vsed many reasons to persuade me to yeeld therevnto but but when they coulde by no reason moue me to agree to their attempt they protested that my Sermons shoulde bee printed though I were neuer so vnwilling they hauing the copies in their handes in the ende wheÌ„ I could nothing preuaile with them but perforce was constrained to yeelde to the publishing of these my Sermons I Purposed as duetie moued mee to commend and commit them vnto your worships to whom I doe acknowledge my selfe diuers wayes much bounden and the rather was I mooued to hide them vnder the winges of your worships protection because your fauour in mainteining the Gospell your zeale to Gods worde the regard that you haue of Gods Ministers is knowne not to mee only who haue often times perceiued it but to all theÌ„ which although they know not you yet both know do acknowledge your good deedes The Lorde powre downe his spirite plentifully vpon you kindle more more in you the true zeale that alredy burneth increase the loue and good affection which you haue toward the gospel that you being pillers in the Church of Christ militant may also bee pillers in his Church triumphant And thus desiring your worships to accept this my simple and rude worke with my humble commeÌ„dations to you and to the vertuous Ladies your wiues I bid you hartily fare well from London this xix of Ianuarie 1580. Your worships to commaâ—ndâ— in the Lord Iames Bisse Iohn 6. 27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for the meat that endureth vnto euerlasting life Which the Sonâ—â— of man shall giue vnto you for him hath God the Father sealed DAuid a King and a Prophet a man after Gods owne heart the first liuely branche of the roote of Iesse of whose seed Christ was made according to the flesh vpon whose throne he doeth and shal sit for euer although he were a worme and no man the outcast of the people a Pellicane in the wildernesse an owle in the desert a sparowe without her mate alone vpoÌ„ the house top yet as the heart desireth the water brookes so longed his soule after the meate whiche endureth vnto euerlasting life being more precious vnto him than thousandes of gold and siluer sweeter than hony vnto his mouth and the honycombe vnto his throte For though the plowers had so plowed vpon his backe and made long furrows though the Lord so had troden downe his soule vpon the earth and layd his honour in the dust though his God had so exalted the horne of his enimies making them to ryde ouer his back that he as it were entring into the kingdome of desperation did cry then haue I clensed my hearte in vaine in vaine haue I washed my handes in innocencie and againe will the Lord absent himselfe for euer wil he be no more intreted is his mercie cleane gone for euer and is his promise come vtterly to an ende for euermore What will he now forget to bee gratious and shutte vp his louing kindenesse in displeasure Yet notwithstanding when hee had beene in the sanctuary of the Lord and so knewe the ende of his enemies and the causes of those thinges he was filled with marow and fatnes his head was annointed with fresh oile his cup was ful because he had dronken plentifully of the water of life and eaten abundantly of the bread of heauen For as Iohn did eate not a leafe only but the whole booke as Ezechiel did eate not a peece but the whole role the which booke and role were sweet as honie in their mouthes But the booke made Iohns bellie bitter and the role brought heauinesse to Ezechiels spirite that is the word brought vnto theÌ„ both peace to the conscience from the Lorde but warre to the bodie from the world So Dauids whole delight was in the law of the Lord his God to muse and meditate thereon too exercise and practise himselfe therein both day and night all dayes nightes of his life Whose good and godly example wee must followe in labouring for meate if wee will haue the crowne of life if wee will eate of the tree of life if we will eate of manna that is hid if we will haue that whitestone in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth but he that receiueth it if wee will stande in the middest of the paradise of GOD if wee will bee cloathed in white aray if wee will haue our names in the booke of life if we will be a piller in the temple of God and neuer goe out if we wil haue written vpon vs the name of God and the name of Ierusalem if wee will come to mount Syon to the citie of the liuing God to the coelestiall Ierusalem to the companie of innumerable angelles to the assembly and congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen to God the iudge of al to the spirits of iust and perfect men to Iesus the mediatour of the new tastament to the blood of sprinckling that speaketh better thinges then the blood of Abel For all other meates perish they with vs and we with them O then labour not for them only this meate the foode of the soule doth endure vnto euerlasting life it with vs and wee with it O then let vs all labour for it The children of Israel did eate Manna in the wildernesse but they are al dead Manna was not to bee founde on the sabboth dayes Manna was full of wormes and stanke Manna ceased when they had eaten of the corne in Canaan Manna was kept in a pot for the posteritie But is was no where to bee founde in the dayes of Solomon But they that are fedde with this bread shall neuer dye it is to be founde at al times it neuer putrifieth it neuer ceaseth for it doeth endure not to death but to life and that to euerlasting life Hee that drinketh of the water of Iacobs well shall thirst againe
for your soules to possesse the kingdome of heauen And if he had onely vsed the affirmatiue exhorting thē to labour for meate they might haue been as grosse in vnderstanding him as his Disciples were who when he spake of the leauen of the Pharesies thought hee had spoken of the leauen of breade as carnal as Nicodemus who when Christe tolde him a man muste bee borne agayne thought a manne should goe into his mothers wombe againe as rude as the woman of Samaria who when Christ spake of the water of life thought he had spoken of the water of Iacobs well Therfore as hee vseth a metaphore beeing plaine so to make it more plaine so to shew whereunto their nature was bent so to declare what they should labour for hee vseth both the affirmatiue the negatiue but hee beginneth with the negatiue labor not c. As if he should haue sayd Wilt thou come vpp into my holy hill put of thy shoes Wilt thou come into my congregation cut of the foreskin of thy flesh or rather of thy heart Wilt thou haue my durable coate made of skinnes O sonne of Adam cast of thy breeches made of figge leaues Wilt thou bee clad with my garment cast of thy ragged cloake with blind Bartimeus Wilt thou haue a salue for thy wound cut of thy rotten fleshe Wilte thou haue a medicine for thy diseases purge thy body Wilt thou build plucke downe thy ruinous walles Wilte thou sow pluck out the weedes of thine heart Wilt thou put on a cleane shirte put of the foule I will not put my newe Wine into olde bottelles I will not put a peece of my new cloth vpon the moth eaten garmentes my coate is without seame from the top to the skirtes I geue all or none Wilt thou entertaine me Zacheus come downe from the wild figge tree Wilt thou doe good decline from euill Wilt thou put on the armour of light cast of the workes of darkenesse You cannot serue God and Mammon Christ and riches you cannot labour for the meate which perisheth and for the meate that endureth vnto euerlasting life Were not a garment of linnen and wollen eate not with sweete bread and sower leauen sow not two sorts of grain in one fielde goe not too plowe with an oxe and an asse in one yoke for they that doe so looke backe from the plough are not fit for the kingdome of God For what felowship hath righteousnesse and vnrighteousnes what communion hath light with darknesse what concord hath Christe with Belial what parte hath the beleeuer with the infidel what agreemēt hath the temple of God with Diuelles GOd and Mammon meate which perisheth and meate which endureth vnto euerlasting life cannot stande together But let vs labour a little I pray you for this meate a little is to be borne with What know you not that leauen and a little leauen doth leauē the whole lump that a breache and a little breache doeth marre the sale of a whole cloth that a scarre and a little scarre doeth disfigure the whole face that poyson and a little poyson doth poyson the whole bodie that Coloquintida and a little Coloquintida doth infect the whole pot of pottage that a hole and a little hole in a vessell will let out al the licour that fire and a litle fire is able to burne a whole Citie Kisse the Sonne saith the Prophet least he be angry and so perish from the right way if his wrath be kinndled yea but a little Blessed are all they that put their trust in him Make no pax of the worlde and haue no pax with the worlde but kisse the sonne make a pax of him and haue peace with him Feare his wrath if it be kindled yea but a litle O blessed are all they that put their trust in him But alas we are so far from labouring for this meate that whereas like good husbandmen we should labour dig in the field and sell al that we haue to buy that field Whereas like wise Merchant men wee shoulde labour and seeke for good pearles and sell all that we haue to buy that pearle of great price We like dogs refuse holy things offered we turn about and teare them that doe offer them we like swine tread pearles vnder our feete and doe accounte this pearle this holie thing the word of life to bee vnto vs as a ring of golde in a swines snoute For doeth the people delight to heare Gods word Behold yet they are like the deafe adder which stoppeth her eares at the voyce of the charmer charme hee neuer so wisely Or if they with delight doe heare it doe they vnderstand it behold yet they are like horse and mule which haue no vnderstāding or if they heare it vnderstand it do they obey it behold yet they are vntamed colts vnweaned heyfers Or if they doe all these three heare vnderstand obey can they abyde to be rebuked to their faces of their sins Beholde yet they are like Herode who performed the 3 first but could not abide the fourth Doe they loue the bringers of this woorde beholde yet there is in England an Adders broode a generation of Vipers Doe they abide and stand fast to their profession Beholde yet they are starting aside like a brokē bowe they are yet like the children of Ephraim who be yng harnessed and carrying bowes did turne themselues back in the day of battel Nay doe the bishops and ministers so goe in and so goe out before the people of God that the people seeyng them goe before doe follow after them whereby our father in heauen is glorified Behold yet many of them are like the eye which seeth all thinges and cannot see it selfe like the whetstone which maketh the yron sharpe but dull it selfe like the yron and flint which make fire in the tynder but are colde themselues I pray GOD they bee not like those foolishe Carpenters in the dayes of Noah who buylded the Arke for Noah but they themselues were drowned Or if the Ministers and people doe seeme to liue as they teach and are taught doe they liue so sincerely purely and truely I pray God we be not found to bee stage players to be painted sepulchers Wels without water and cloudes without rayne For so rype is the hypocrisie of men in these dayes that they which beare the fayrest shew of godlinesse doe most deny the power thereof For euen they these holy men or rather holow trees I would they were holie trees which are alwayes greene are like the faire redd morning which bringeth rayne at noone Like the calme water which is most deepe like the greene grasse where the venemous snake lieth and the filthy curre maketh his vrine For they serue their bellies their flesh the world and in heart doe labor for that meat only which perisheth We care not for our liues our soules our selues we are inferiour to bruite beastes Heare
trespasses leade vs not into temptation deliuer vs from euill are also for the spirit and soule Onely this giue vs this day our dayly breade is for the bodie and not for foode of bodie onely but for meate of the soule Ceres the goddesse of corne and bread is placed in the lowest roome of the heathen Gods and Goddesses and her daughter Proserpina was married to Pluto king of hel Let Ceres bread bellie and bellie cheere be last and least accounted of vs. As for her daughters they are not virgines to be married to the great kinges sonne but harlots to be married to Belzebub king of hell Tertullian saith that although God after the flood did permit the vse of flesh yet to his people hee inhibited the vse of certaine meates consilium exercendae continentiae a counsell practise to exercise their continencie vii sonnes with their mother were by that horselech bludsucker Antiochus most cruelly put to death because they would not eate swines fleshe agaynst the commaundement of the Lord. Moses refused to be called the sonne of Pharaos daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt Daniel woulde not defile him selfe with the portion of the kinges meate nor with the wine that he dranke he would haue nothing but pulse to eate and water too drinke O yee adulterers and adulteresses sayth Iames knowe yee not that the frendship of this worlde is enmitie with God Iohn sayth if any man loue this worlde the loue of the father is not in him Lay not vp your treasures therfore on earth where the moth fretteth the rust kankereth the theefe breaketh thorowe and steale but lay vp your treasures in heaueÌ„ where there is no moth to fret no rust to kanker no theefe too breake thorow and steale For is it not a great folly to lay thy tresure in an Inne doubtfully wheÌ„ thou maist lay it in thine own house safely folly to lay it in an house which together with thy treasure thou shalt leaue behind thee certainly not in that house whither thou shalt go find thy treasure assuredly and abyde therin perpetually the fashion of this worlde passeth away the heauens and the earth waxe olde as doth a garment O let vs then get that which endureth vnto euerlasting life The heauens shal passe away with a noise the elements shal melt with heate the earth and 〈◊〉 works therin shalbe burnt vp o let vs then labour for that which the fire cannot consume which wil saue oursoules froÌ„ euerlasting fire If we would thinke vpon our name that we are christians we would vnles we should prooue our selues to be reprobates not so much labour for this bellie meat First let vs remeÌ„ber that in our baptisme we forsake the world the flesh the â—iuel for baptisme signifieth not only the death and resurrection of Christ bâ—â— that we must dye to sin and liue in newnes of life How shal we saith Paul that are dead to sin liue yet therin Knowye not that al we which haue bin baptized into Iesus Christ haue bin baptized into his death we are buried then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised from the dead to the glory of the father so wee should walke in newnes of life SecoÌ„dly as thou art a christian remember the estate of thy lord maister here on erth Doest thou brag of thy blood thy progenitors thy house stock thy maister came as of a pure so of a poore virgine espoused to a poore carpenter who for lack of mony could haue no roome in the Inne who did offer to the Lorde a paire of Pigeons because he was not able to buy a lamb Ierome noteth that only poore sinfull women are named by S. Math. in the genelogie of Christ as Ruth a poore Moabitis pore Mary the carpenters wife to signifie howe Christ did vouchsafe to come of poore womeÌ„ came into the world to redeeÌ„e pore sinful persons doest thou brag of the countrye Adam was made out of Paradice and Euah in Paradice yet the Diuell hadde more power ouer her then ouer him they had both one name Adam reed earth for this name Adam was not giuen by God only to the man but also to the woman Thy maister was not borne in Ierusalem whither the wise men came but in little Bethlehem as it was prophesied Doest thou glory in thy houses buildings courtes pallaces Thy maister was borne in a manger the foxes haue holes and the birdes haue nestes but the sonne of man thy Lorde had no where to rest his heade on Doest thou boast of thy bagges thy coffers thy welth When thy maister woulde haue payed tribute Iudas bagge was emptie Peter must run and fetch a peece of monie in the mouth of a fishe Doest thou desire to be well spoken of to haue the good will of the world There were generally iii. diuerse opinions of Christ one which flesh and blood could not reueale that he was Christ the sonne of God an other of ignorance that he was Elias Ieremie Iohn Baptist or one of the prophets the third was of mallice that hee was a glutton a drunkard a bon companion a friend to Publicans and sinners a coniurer a woorker by Diuels But what sayth he Woe bee vnto you when all men speake well of you Why For so did their fathers to the false Prophets But reioyce when they speake euil of you for so did they to the true Prophets reioyce and great shalbe your rewarde in heauen Finally if you be a christian remember the resurrection of thy mayster Iesus Christ and what of that if you be risen with Christ sayth Peter seeke those thinges that are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God I would to God we were as prouident and carefull to prouide foode for our soules as brute beastes are vigilant and paynefull to lay vp foode for theyr bodies The Emmot doeth lay vp in sommer foode for winter Istuc est sapere sayth Syrus in Terence non quod ante pedes modo est videre sed etiam illa quae futura sunt This is wisedome not to see those things only which lye before our feete but to fore see thinges that are to come But as the fishe called Vrlica feedeth alwayes on a stone and being taken from the stone dyeth presently so we doe so cleaue vnto to stones vntoo earthly thinges that wee account life lost if they bee taken from vs or wee from them Nay I woulde to GOD wee did not thinke these corruptible thinges to bee meete meate and sufficient food for our soules and say with the rich mans soule thou hast much goodes layde vppe for many yeeres liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime
superstitious Egyptians Chirstians without none within Iewes in the flesh not in the heart Israelites in the letter and not in the spirit who sought praise of men but none of God left very fewe whetstones few swordes that is very few Testamentes and Bibles left fewe Smithes that is fewe builders in Gods Churche among vs least the Protestantes said they make them swordes and speares and so preuaile against vs. O let vs reioyce and be thankful For as Ionathan with one swoorde ouercame the Philistines so Gods ministers by one swoorde the sworde of spirite the worde of GOD haue pulled downe the power kingdome of Antichrist God graunt he neuer rise again in England As waxe melteth at the Sunne as the fat of lambes consumeth before the fier as the heate dryeth vp the clowdes as the Lion goeth into his denne when man goeth foorth to his worke as the Owle flieth to his hole when the day starre appeareth as Dagon fell downe before the arke of the Lord as Bell the Dragon were destroied before the face of Daniell so the mists of Egypt vanished the Lions of Babilon were vanquished the owles of Rome departed the fat greâ—e of Antichriste melted the Gods of that Sunne of perdition were with vs in Englande all destroyed they al come to nothing when it pleased the Lorde too sende his fier his heat his sonne his day starre his ark and his Daniell that is his worde and ministers amongst vs. Let vs then remember howe cruelly we were handeled and reioyce in the Lorde that wee are so mercifully deliuered but I would to God that many were not sory for the departure of this whoore out of England loke you to your selues chiefly O ye merchants For you may seeme to haue most cause to lament for the fall of that great strumpet For thus sayth the Angell The kinges of the earth shal bewaile her and lament for her which haue committed fornication with her they shall cry Alas alas the great citie Babilon that mightie citie but why shall they so lament because saith hee they liued in pleasure with her yea chiefly the merchantes of the earth saith the Angel shall weepe and waile ouer her yea euery ship maister and all the people that occupie shippes and shipmen and whosoeuer trafficke on the Sea shal stande a farre of and crye Alas alas that great citie But why shal merchants and all shipmen crie so Because no man buyeth their ware any more and by that whore saith hee were made rich al that had shippes on the Sea by her costlinesse Bee not sory for her marke what the Angell saith in that place O heauen reioyce of her and the holy Apostles and Prophetes and pray vnto the Lorde that she neuer returne hyther againe When Dagon fel downe before the arke of the Lord the first time hee was not broken hee was set vp the second time but then the head of Dagon and his handes were broken of That whore of Babylon fell downe once in the dayes of king Edward and was set vp again in the dayes of Queene Mary But nowe in the glorious raigne of our Souereigne Elizabeth shee is fallen downe the seconde time not only her head and her handes are broken of but wee hope that all her body is grounde to powder a curse come to him that shall goe about to set her vppe againe Cursed bee that man saith Ioshua before the Lorde that ryseth vp and buildeth this Citie Ierico yet Hiell did builde Ierico but a curse came to his whole stocke and house for it So cursed be that man before the Lorde that shall beginne to builde that towre of Babell that seate of Antichriste in Englande againe But as the Lorde commaunded Ierusalem to be distroied and all the Iewes though Iulian the Emperour did with all his power aide them were not able to build it so the Lord hath throwne downe this whore and we trust that all the kings of the earth all Popes all Priestes all Monkes all Friers all Nunnes shall not bee able to lift her vp againe She was in England a glorious whore a gorgeous whore therefore her desolation is more shamefull she was in England an high whore and an heauie whore Therefore her fal is the greater as Iezabell was hurld out at a windowe eaten vp of dogges only her skull the palmes of her hands her feete remaining the which the seruants of Iehu buried so wee thanke our God who hath throwne downe this great Iezabell and we pray that if any thing of her be left it shalbe buried O let vs then loue embrace the Gospel followe and obey the Gospell and continue in our profession to our liues end I say continue abide endure stand fast be stronge quiet your selues like men You haue put your haÌ„ds to the plough looke not back least you be iudged vnfit for the kingdome of God For not euery one that runneth but he that runneth to the goale hath the garland not euery one that entreth into a ship but hee that goeth ouer the Seas bringeth home treasures not euery one that worketh in the vineyarde but he that continueth working vnto night hath the peny not euery one that fighteth but hee that ouercometh shall haue the crowne To conclude not euery one that beginneth well but that endureth vnto the ende shalbe saued Nowe you follow the Gospell but I feare many are like the snaile who pulleth in her hornes if any man goe againste her Nowe you laboure for the meate of the soule but you are in your houses like the snaile rather theÌ„ you will loose your houses I feare many will fall from their standing I loue the Gospell saith the worldly man but as long as I am in my house that is as long as I haue peace and quietnesse but if persecution come as lice forsake the head when the man is dying as rattes forsake a house that is ruinous or hath no victuall so will I leaue the Gospell if it bring a swoorde or warre or take away my goods All the Apostles forsooke Christe in time of danger and Demas did forsake Paule and imbraced this present worlde But remember this O man Hee that loueth landes liuings or life more then the Gospell it is as true as the Gospell for it is in the Gospell hee shall neuer come to heauen bring hee neuer so manye keyes from Rome in his hande but hee that shall loose life or liuing for the Gospell it is as true as the Gospell for it is in the Gospell shall haue for his liuing a kingdome for his life a blessed immortall euerlasting life in heauen Satan goeth about to winowe you as wheate stande fast in the faith a lawe in your members rebelleth against the lawe of your mindes stande fast in the faith the fleshe fighteth against the spirite stand fast in the faith the worlde plucketh you by the sleeue to looke backe stande
our owne heades our owne pollycies our owne inuentions Let vs then receiue this meate which came from heauen and put nothing into it least while we with the young Prophets thinke to gather good hearbes we gather and cast Coloquintida into the pot No water euer so good as that which came out of the rocke no meate so delicate as Manna which came from heauen no wine so wholsome as that which Christ made of water no oyle so precious as that which the Samaritan had no robe so coastly as that whiche the father gaue to the prodigall sonne no bread no foode no meate so profitable as this meate of the soule which doeth endure and bring vs vnto euerlasting life O contemne not this meate he that despiseth Moses law dieth without mercie vnder two or three witnesses of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall he be worthy which treadeth vnder foote the sonne of God counteth the blood of the newe testament an vnholy thing wherwith he was sanctified and doth despite the spirite of grace These men crucifie to themselues again the sonne of GOD and make a mock of him This meat is water to refreshe vs and wine to cheare vs it is bread to strengthen vs Manna to nourish vs it is a treasure to enrich vs and a pearle to adorne vs it is a leauen to heate vs and salt to powder vs it is a sword to defend vs and fire to purge vs it is a salue to heale vs and a lantorne to guide vs it is a trumpet to call vs and wisdome to enstruct vs a way to directe vs and lyfe to reuiue vs. If wee haue this meat this leuen this bread this Manna wee shall haue no neede of Elizeus to encrease our oyle to augment our loaues we shall haue no neede of his meale to sweeten our pottage wee neede not to waite at the gluttons gate or sende to churlish Nabal for foode If wee haue this treasure we neede not rob the Aegyptians if we haue this pearle we shal not neede the gold of Ophir if we haue this water we neede not to drawe water at Iacobs well Naaman need not wash himselfe seuen tymes in Iorden the sick neede not to goe to the poole Bethsida for helpe we need not Elizeus salte or Moses tree to heale the venomous water if we haue this sword Peter may put vp his sword into his sheth if we haue this fire we need not the fire of purgatorie if we haue this lantern we neede not the Lanterns of Gedeon to ouercome the Midianites to conclude if we haue this trumpet we shall haue no neede of the Priests trumpets made of Rams hornes to pull downe the walles of Ierico For by this meate we shall doe all thinges for it doth endure and will bring vs vnto euerlasting lyfe O then labour for this meate and I speake vnto you as sometyme Naamans seruant spake vnto him when he refused to wash himselfe seuen times in Iorden as Elizeus willed him Naaman thus sayde are not Abanah and Pharapar ryuers of Damascus better then all the waters of Israell May not I wash me in them and be healed but this man sayde if the Prophet had commaunded thee a great thing wouldest thou not haue done it how much rather then when he saith to thee wash and be cleane you are bidden to come for the water of life for the bread of heauen Doe not many say there are other meates at Rome other waters at Rome better then all the meate and water that is now in England O but I say vnto you if the Lord should commaund you to doe a great thing ought ye not to doe it How much more then when he sayth labour for the meate which endureth vnto euerlasting lyfe which I the sonne of man will giue vnto you this is but aske and haue seek and finde knock and it shall be opened Let vs aske let vs seek let vs knock let vs labour for this meate Labour for this meate O you people and pray vnto the Lord that his Ministers put their candell on a candelsticke with cherefulnes and not vnder a bushell labour for this money and pray vnto the Lorde that his merchantes may occupy with aduauntage with faythfulnesse and not to hyde it in the grounde labour for this seede and pray vnto the Lord that his husbandmen may sowe it with painfulnesse not hoard it in their barnes Labour for this meate and pray vnto the Lord that his Stewards may distribute it with bountifulnes and not keepe it in their closets Labour for this that is be earnest hot zealous firy God the Father did appeare in fire God the Sonne doth baptise with fire God the holy Ghost came downe in forme of clouen and fiery tongues but alas are not yet the people as they were in the time of Ieremy they sayde to him the word thou hast spokē to vs in the name of the Lord we wil not heare it of thee but we wil doe whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our mouth as to burne incense to the Queene of heauen and to purge out drink offrings vnto her as we haue don both we and our fathers our kings and our princes for then had we plenty of victuall and were well and felt no euil Are not these the sayings of the romanists and Papists first to graunt that we haue the word of GOD secondly to say we will not so much as heare it thirdly to follow their own inuentions Againe are not these their arguments first of custome wee haue done so and our fathers secondly of a generalitie not we onely but our fathers our Princes and al haue done so thirdly of their belly then we had plentie of victuall and felt no euill and to whome would they offer their sacrifice not to God but as the Papistes doe to the Queene of heauen Aske the Papistes how they prooue their religion to be the trueth and they will drawe their argumentes from antiquitie from custome from vniuersalitie and from the belly as did the Iewes in the dayes of Ieremy Nay hath not the deuill raysed vp Iehoiakim from the dead to burne the wordes that Baruch had out of the mouth of Ieremy and Antiochus to burne the bookes of the law and delectation to know the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles But beholde I shewe you a better way and whome you should folow When Moses made the arke euery man was cōmaunded to bring somthing the people brought to much and were bidden to bring no more And that no man should think he were exempted from Gods work he that hath no gold to bring might bring Goates hayre or badgers skinnes if a woman were not able to buy a Lambe it was accepted of the Lord if she brought a payre of turtle doues or two young pigeons Euery man cannot be a head in this mysticall body of Christ to be a King Euery man cannot be an