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
eie to be a byshop euery man cānot be a leg to be a piller in gods church yet euery one may be a hād to giue sōwhat to the building therof euery one may be an eare to heare the word a tongue to prayse the Lord and a mouth to receiue this meat which endureth vnto euerlasting life whē the people came home from Babila they buylded the temple of the Lorde before they builded eyther their own houses or the walles of the citie they builded with one hand hauing weapons in the other All the people followed Dauid to seek the Arke of God and all went with Solomon to builde a temple vnto the Lord. How did the Iewes desire and loue this meate when they heard Esdras read the law from morning to noone and wept bitterly How did the people of Antioch labour when the rulers of the sinagogue an example for officers to folow came to Paule and his companions and said Men and brethren if ye haue any word of exhortation to the people say on When they besought Paule to preache the same sermon the next sabboth day the nexte sabboth daye the whole citie came together to heare the worde of God How did Cornelius labour when he wayted for Peters comming he called his friends and kinred into his house to heare him for we haue not done our dutie if we our selues onely eate of this meate vnlesse we cause them also to eat that belong vnto vs as Cornelius brought his friendes to heare Peter preach as Andrew brought his brother Simon as Philip brought Nathanael as Iohn Baptist brought his Disciples to christ I was glad saith Dauid when they said to me we will goe into the house of the lord If we thus labour the lord God wil raise vp cunning workmen for his tēple painfull labourers in his vineyard faithful pastors of his flock good teachers of his people as when Moses made the Arke he called Bezaleel by name and when Soloman built the temple he raysed vp Hyram of Tyrus whome he filled with his spirit to work in timber siluer brasse and golde But it is not vnknown to vs how the Popes shauelings and that fat Priest of Rome himselfe do mocke vs while we are building as Sauballat mocked the Iewes saying what doe these weake Iewes will they fortifie themselues will they sacrifice will they finish it in a day wil they make the stones whole again out of the heapes of dust seing they are burnt sōe deride vs as Tobiah the Ammonite did mock thē saying although they builde yet if a fox go vp he wil break down the stony wal Some come to vs as the men of Samaria came to Zerubbabel we wil build with you for we seeke the Lord your God as you do But he answered so doe we it is not for you it is for vs to builde the house vnto our God Ye hypocrites you speake good wordes to the people but as Absolon to steale away the hartes of the people from Dauid his father you will proclaime a fast but as Iezabell to kill Nabot you will worshippe Christ but as Herod to murther him you wil kisse Christ but like Iudas you will kill Christ You are knowne to the worlde O ye Gibeanits which fain your selues Ambassadours to Ioshua bringing old sacks vpon your Asses old bottelles for wine olde shooes and clouted on your feete olde rayment dryed and mouled bread Doe you not knowe that for all their old stuf they were knowen at three dayes end Ieroboams wife disguised her selfe and went to Ahiiah for her sonne she caried ten loaues and cracknels and a bottell of hony though Ahiiah were blinde yet he sayd come in thou wife of Ieroboam So you disguise your selues you bring hony in your mouths there is none so blind but he can say come in or rather come out thou sonne of Antichrist You vsed vs and so you hope to doe again as the Philistines vsed Isaac when they stopped and filled vp with earth all the welles which Abraham his Fathers seruantes had digged for him The water for a time with earth may be stopped fire for a time with ashes may be couered the sonne for a time with clowdes may be shadowed but now the Lord be thanked the erth is remoued and the water doeth runne the ashes are consumed and the fire doeth burne the clowdes are dispersed the sun doth shine Now that we may long enioy these benefits the Lord continue encrease the zeale of our soureigne that shee neuer set her minde on that meat which perisheth not on any erthly thing as did good king Dauid when hee numbred the people as did good king Ezechias when he bragged of his treasure to the Ambassadours of the king of Babell but to continue in maintaining the Lordes cause not like Ioash who did well all the dayes of Iehoida the Priest and afterwarde fell from the Lorde nor like Vzziah who sought God as long as Zachariah the Prophet liued and afterward forsooke God but that as her dayes may be as the dayes of heauen so to her liues ende shee may labour for to keep among vs this meat of our soules for this meat hath no end but endureth vnto euerlasting life That she may still haue before her eies the example of Dauid who before all thinges did seeke the Arke of the Lord would haue builte an house for his God and though he were forbidden because hee was a man of blood yet hee prouided timber and stone and commaunded Solomon his sonne to builde it That Solomon may bee in her remembraunce who builte the house of God before he built his owne courte The house of God was 7. yeeres in buylding but his owne was thirteene yeeres not that he bestowed more charges on his owne house but with more hast and speede he did builde a temple vnto the Lord. That she neuer cease to follow Ezechias who first of all brake the Images cut downe the groues and brake in peeces the brasen serpent that Moses had set vp that she thinke alwayes on Iosiah who being a childe beganne to seeke after the God of Dauid his father and did purge Ierusalem and Iudah that she may alwayes thinke on the commaundement of the Lorde when the kinge shall sitte in the throne of his kingdome then he shall write him this lawe in a booke repeated by the priestes it shalbe with him and he shall reade therein al the dayes of his life that he may learn to feare the Lord his god keep al the words of this law and these ordinaunces for to doe them Now for as much as meat doeth not nourish vnles it be receiued by fayth we receiue it it cannot cherish vs vnlesse it be digested and by the heate of fayth it is concocted it cannot profit vs vnlesse it be kept in our hearts and by fayth we retaine it
o heauēs harken o earth saith the Lord the oxe knoweth his owner the Asse his Miasters cribbe but my people doth not know me again the stork in the ayre doeth knowe her appointed times the tutele the crane the swallow obserue the time of their comming but my people knoweth not the iudgement of the Lord. But why doth the oxe know his owner the Asse his maisters cribb why doe the storke the turtle the crane the swallowe obserue the time of their comming is it not for meate for their bodies and for their liues shoulde they labour for their liues not we for ours For well saide Tullie to Caesar Non est haec tua vita dicenda quae corpore spiritu continetur illa inquam illa est vita tua Caesar quae vigebit memoria saeculornm omnium c. This is not to be called thy life which doth consist of bodie and soule that I say that O Caesar is thy life which shal endure thorow out all ages c. And well saide Africanus to Scipio Nou tu is es quem fama ista declarat sed mens cuiusque is est quisque non ea figura quae digito demonstrari potest Thou art not he Scipio whom this form and proportion of bodie doth shew thee to be and eche mans minde is the man not that figure and shape of bodie which may bee demonstrated and poynted at with the finger We then in labouring for this corruptible meate doe neither labour to mainteine our liues nor yet too susteine our selues For this is not our life wee are not they whom these shapes and formes of our doe shew vs to be Our soules are our selues our selues are our soules let vs then labour for our selues that is for our soules As the Lord did carie the Iewes so doeth hee offer too carie vs vppon Eagles winges what whereas the deade carcase is we like young Eagles may resort but wee will not bee carried As Christ did clocke for the Iewes so he doth for vs to come vnder his wings but wee will not come We are like Esops cocke who estemed more of one barley corne thē of al the precious stones in the world The heauens doe declare the glory of God the firmamēt sheweth his handy worke the Elemēts obserue their order the sun doth reioyce to run his course onely the foundations of mans hearte are out of course only man doth disobey gods wil. The sun once abode in the mids of heauen for the space of a whole day but it was at the prayer of Ioshua the sunne once went backe tenne degrees but it was at the request of Ezechias but flesh and blood doth stil stand in the way of sinners still walke in the counsell of the vngodly sit stil in the chayre of pestilence and still goe backe from the streight way streight path of the Lord. if this foode were cleane taken from vs and were not to be found as it hath byn wee might then seeme to haue some reason to labour for the other meate For as Hanum king of Ammon tooke Dauids seruāts shaued their beards halfe of cut of their garments by the halfe so those shauers and shauelinges those barbours and Barbarians of Rome tooke away half the Lords Supper from the people they might haue no drink And took the woorde of God from them they had not their meate But now as Mary sate in her owne house quietly hearde Iesus preach as in the dayes of Solomon euery man vnder his figge tree vnder his vine tree heard the lawe peaceably euen from Dan to Beersheba so nowe euery man in his owne house may reade with quietnesse and euery one vnder his figge tree and vine tree with cheerefulnes and ioyfulnes may heare the glorious gospel of Iesus Christ euen from the mount to Barwicke from Douer to S. Dauies the Lord be thanked for it the Lorde continue it the Lord grant we be not vnthākfull that we may labour for this meate which endureth vnto euerlasting life But that my speech may more edifie that it may be mighty in operation that it may pearce and enter thorow euen to the deuiding asunder of the soules and spirites of your ioynts marrow that you may be pricked at the hearte in hearing this my sermon as the Iewes were at Peters sermon when they cried Alas men and brethren what shall we doe as Iosiah was hearing the lawe read by Shaphan when ye tare his clothes As the King of Niniuie was when he hearde the woord by Ionas as Eglon king of Moab whē he heard the word by Ehud who rose vp from their thrones cast of their Kingly robes that my talke may so be powdred with salt that it may giue sauour vnto al to conclude that my sermon may be like that precious oyntmēt which was on Arons head ranne downe on his beard to the very lower skirts of his clothing That it may touch head foote king subiect hie lowe rich poore young old bond and free man and woman Let vs first see what this meat is secondly why we should not labour for it thirdly let vs examine our selues and this our age whether wee labour for this meate or no. By meate is meant not onely food for the belly which the erth bringeth forth as greene hearbe for the seruice of men wine to make glad the heart of man oile to make him a cheerefull countenance bread to strengthen mans heart not onely cloth for the back furniture for bedding which by Gods appoyntment we receiue of dumbe creatures as wooll of sheep lether of oxen fethers of foules silk of wormes but also honour promotion fauour dignitie woorship countenance iolity pride ambition auarice riches surfetting drunkennesse and whatsoeuer else is carnall whatsoeuer is fleshly whatsoeuer is worldly whatsoeuer is tēporal whatsoeuer is not eternal is called meat which perisheth The which Epithetan is added both as a reasō to with draw vs from labouring for this meate because it doth perishe and also to declare a difference betweene the bodie the soule the meates of them both Lyra maketh this difference Cibus corporalis perit non spiritualis Si enim cibus corporalis maneat in propria forma non nutrit sed nocet cerpori sedsi nutriat oportet quod a propria natura pereat conuertatur in membra econuerso cibus spiritualis manet Conuertit in seipsum sumentem That is the meate of the bodie doth perish but not the meate of the soule for if the meate of the body should abide in it proper forme it could not nourish but hurte the bodie but if it nourisheth it must loose it proper nature and bee turned into the partes and members of him that taketh it whereas contrariwise the meate of the soule doeth abide in it owne nature and turneth
But hearken O foole this night perhaps thy soule shalbe taken frō thee O foole thou heapest vp riches and canst not tell who shalbe thine heire O foole Solomon made shields of gold but Rehoboam his sonne made thē of brasse O foole in one day the Arabians tooke away Iobs oxen and his Asses the fire of God burnt vp his sheepe his seruants the Caldeans tooke away his cammelles and slew his men O foole it is more easie for a cammell to goe thorowe the eye of a needle then for one that trusteth in his riches to come to heauen O foole what shall it profit thee to win the whole world loose thine owne soule O foole what recompence canst thou make to redresse thy soule o foole thou art not assured whether thou shall liue one houre O foole where thy treasure is there will thy heart be also Goe to nowe yee riche men sayth S. Iames weepe and houle for the miseries that shall come vppon you your riches are corrupt your garments are motheaten your gold and siluer is cancred and the rust of them shalbe a witnes against you shall eate your flesh as it were fire you haue heaped vpp treasures for the last dayes Take heede O yee rich and mighty you see your calling howe that not many wise men after the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish of this world to ouerthrow the wise the weake too confounde the stronger Why that no flesh should reioyce in his presence What then that he that reioyceth should reioyce in the Lord. Whom did the Lord choose for a captaine No expert souldiour but Gedeon a thresher whō made he ruler ouer Pharaos house none of the nobles but Ioseph a bonde seruāt whō made hee the first king of Iuda not any of a great house but Saule of the little tribe of Gemini and of the least familie in the tribe Whom made hee to rule his people after Saule no Prince but Dauid a shephearde whom had he to be his Prophet None of their Doctors but Amos an heardman Whō had Christ to his disciples No scribes but simple fishers Many widowes were in Israel in the dayes of Elias to none of them was he sent but to a poore widowe in Sarepta To whom was the newes of Christ his birth first brought not to Herode not to Pilate not Annas or Caiphas but to shepheardes yea and very poore shepheards for they kept their sheepe in the field all night God woulde not haue his Altar made in a kinges court but in poore Oruan his threshing flowre the Lorde would not haue his temple in Euphrata a plentiful soyle but in the wood a barren wildernesse This was done that God might haue al the glory Of Sara being barren came Isaack of Annah whose wombe was dead came Samuel of Elizabeth with whom it had ceased to be after the maner of women came Iohn Baptist And this was done that GOD might haue all the glory The Lorde gate victories for his people with an Oxe goade with pitchers with Rāmes hornes with a iawe bone of an asse with one sword with a stone out of a sling and this was done that GOD might haue all the glorie Diseases were healed by spittle by touching the hemme of a garment by a napkin by a shadow and this was doone that GOD might haue all the glorie For there was no vertue in Shamgars oxe goade nor in Ionathans sworde nor in Sampsons Iawe bone nor in Dauids stone wherewith they ouercame the Philistines no vertue in Gedeons pitchers wherewith he ouercame Oreb and Zeb no power in the Trumpets of Rammes hornes wherewith the walles of Iericho fell downe there was no vertue eyther in the hem of Christes garment or in his spittle or in Paules napkin or in Peters shadowe wherewith diseases were cured no vertue in Aarons rod wherewith the dust of Egypt was turned into lice no power in Moses hand wherewith the red sea was deuided no vertue in the Priests feete or Elias his mantle wherewith Iordane was deuided yet all these thinges were done by such bare base weake simple meanes that no man should trust in the arme of flesh that no man should seeke for any meate that perisheth and that God in all things might only haue the glory Let vs now call to mind those excellent names and titles wherwith the holy Ghost in the holy bible doth name vs the remembrance and consideration whereof will somwhat withdrawe vs from labouring for that meate which perisheth Wee are called Angelles and Saintes Priestes and a kingely priesthoode Kinges and a royall nation seruauntes of GOD friendes of God sonnes of God heyres of GOD and fellowe heyres with Iesus Christ are wee Angelles and Saintes let vs then seeke the thinges that are aboue Are we Priestes and a kingly Priesthoode let vs then offer vp our bodyes a liuely sacrifice and not labour for the meat thereof Are we kinges and a royall nation let vs then lift vp our eyes to heauen and not cast our faces down to the earth lyke abiectes and bondeslaues Are we seruantes of God wee cannot serue God and riches Are wee friendes of God the friendshippe of this worlde is enmitie with God Are we sonnes of God heires of God and fellowe heires with Iesus Christ let vs then with our brother the prodigal son come home from feeding of swine that we may haue the best robe on our back a ring on our finger shooes on our feet the fatte calfe killed for vs to eate and drinke to singe daunce and be merye with our elder brother Iesus Christe who sitteth in that house which hath many mansions preparing roome for vs. We were chaf but now we are wheat we were drosse but now we are golde we were rauens but now we are doues wee were goates but now we are sheep we were thornes now we are grapes we were thistels now we are lillies we were straungers nowe are we citizens wee were harlots now are we virgins hell was our inheritaunce nowe heauen is our possession we were the children of wrath we are the sons of mercie Finally we were bondslaues to Satan but nowe we are heires of God and coheires with Iesus Christ We were once fet home from going astray let vs not agayne returne to the wildernesse the candel was once lighted for vs let vs not againe fall into darke holes wine oyle were once powred into our woundes let vs not by wandring fal again into hands of theeues We were once founde let vs not agayne loose our selues Wee were once made aliue let vs not againe kil our selues Christ was once crucified for vs that we should onely reioyce in the crosse of Iesus Christ whereby the worlde is crucified to vs and we to the world let vs not crucifie to our selues again the sonne of God make a mock of him The bodies of those beasts whose blood was brought into the
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
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