bellie Gods whō the trencher doth make friendes to Christ like vnto him which when he sweat ouer his trencher yet cryed out O quanta patimur pro amore Christi Lorde what suffer we for the loue of Christ Iesus therfore reprehendeth these men saying Verily verily I say vnto you yee seeke mee not because yee sawe the miracles but because yee cate the loanes and were filled Yet they obstinatly aunswered him VVhat miracles hast thou done hast thou commaunded the Sun and the Moone to stand still as Iosua did hast thou reuiued the widdowes son as Elias did hast thou made yron to swim as Eliza did hast thou reuiued the dead bones as Ezechiell did hast thou been in the VVhales belly with Ionas or parted the redde sea with Moses Our Fathers did eate Manna in the VVildernesse Moses gaue them bread from heauen to eate but marke I pray you how Iesus did aunswere them Nay saith hee Moses gaue you not bread from Heauen but my Father gyueth you the true Breade from Heauen For the breade of GOD is hee vvhich commeth downe from Heauen and giueth life vnto the world Then sayde they vnto him Lorde euermore giue vs this Breade And Iesus sayde I am the Breade of life hee that commeth to me shall not hunger he that belieueth in me shall neuer thirst And thus much for the cohaerence and occasion of our Sauiour Christs wordes now particularly as they lie in order first who is this Breade VVhich is Christ persona loquens signified in this word I. Secondly what is this breade It is the breade of life Thirdly the powerfull efficacie and effect of this bread declared in these wordes Hee that commeth to mee shall not hunger and hee that belieueth in mee shall neuer thirst And first vvho is this Breade which is Christ I am the liuing Breade vvhich came downe from heauen saith Christ Ego sum panis vitae et fons aquae viuae I am the bread of life and sountaine of liuing water Omnia nobis est Christus sayth Ambrose si esuris ipse est panis si sitis ipse est fons aquae viua si carus es ipse est lumen si infirmus es ipse medicus si mortuus ipse vita gratiae et gloriae Christ is all things to vs if thou beest hungry he is bread if thou beest thirsty he is the fountaine of liuing water if thou beest blind he is the light hee is the health of a feauered soule light of thy life life of thy desire heauen of the minde guide to thy wandring feete succorer in necessity helper in aduersitie yea hee is all things to thee I am the liuing bread sayth Christ The bread which I giue is my flesh and the drinke which I giue is my blood my flesh is meate indeede and my blood is drinke indeede Hee that cateth my flesh drinketh my blood hath eternall life and I will raise him vp at the latter day O blessed meate O celestiall food O heauenly Manna it farre excelleth the Poets Ambrosia would to God that all of vs daily might eate of this Manna would to God that all of vs which trauell in the Wildernesse of this world might lodge at such an Inne where God the father is the host the holy Ghost the hostesse the Church the Inne the crosse the signe and Christ the meate and drinke Aristotell must dine when it pleaseth Phillip but heere thou maist haue store of spirituall foode for the repast of thy soule and take it when it please thy selfe Say but thy grace before this blessed banquet and then sit downe and satisfie thy hunger The more thou eatest the more it encreaseth like to Iupiters nectar the more it is drunke of the more it ouerfloweth Neither needst thou vse the counsaile of Lysander which hee perscribed to his Daughters to drinke with a drop of wine a spunful of water Thou maist drinke as much of this pretious wine as thou wilt neither canst thou infuse any mixture of water but of the water of eternall life This meate is of the like quality with the stone of Thracia which whosoeuer findeth is neuer after troubled so whosoeuer eateth of this meate is neuer after grieued labour therefore to get this meate which endureth to euerlasting life No water was so good as that which came out of the Rocke no meate so delicate as Manna which came from heauen no wine so wholesome as that which Christ made of water at the marriage of Cana no oyle so pretious as that which the Samaritan had no robe so costly as that which the father gaue to the prodigall son no bread no foode no meate so profitable as this meate of the soule which endureth to euerlasting life This meate is water to refresh vs and wine to cheare vs this is bread to strengthen vs and Manna to nourish vs it is a treasure to inrich vs and a pearle to adorne vs it is a fire to purge vs and salt to pouder vs it is a trumpet to call vs and wisedome to instruct vs it is a way to direct vs and life to reuine vs it is a Lanterne to guide vs and a buckler to shield vs it is phisicke to recure vs and a salue to heale vs if wee haue this meate this Manna this bread we shall haue no neede of Elizens to increase our oyle no neede to begge at the gluttons gate or to send vnto Naball the churle for foode if wee haue this treasure wee shall not neede to rob the Egiptians if we haue this pearle we shall not neede the golde of Ophire if we haue this water wee neede not drawe water at Iacobs well Naaman needes not wash his feete seauen times in Iordan the sicke needes not to goe to the poole of Bethesda for this pretious meate and inestimable Manna will purge vs from all leprosie of sinne So that we shall loath to drinke of the slumbering cup of the deuills sorceries to bewitch vs to sinne this bread is Homers Moly and Plinies Centauria against all lustfull inchauntments for this bread this spirituall foode will so clense our mindes and purifie our harts that we will alwaies detest the eye-pleasing baits of carnall desires and wholly delight our selues with this inestimable treasure carnall voluptuousnes is transitorie and fading the minuts that lackey at the heeles of time runne not faster away then doe those pleasures but this spirituall foode this breade of life is not like palate-pleasing dainties whose sugered sweetenesse once rellisht is presently gone but it yieldeth the hungry soule an euerlasting fruition of most rauishing pleasantnesse labour therfore for this bread which bringeth to euerlasting life The Bees doe labour to get a little hony Mella stipant et dulci distendunt nectare cellas But this bread is sweeter then honie or the hony-combe Our forefathers did eate of the Acorns of the Oakes and thought them pleasant meate And we which by Ceres huswifrie haue learned to bury the
this bread is the bread of heauen which giueth life vnto the world Therefore be carefull to seeke for this breade for Christ doth not forbid vs to seeke for this bread hee saith in Mathew the sixt chapter Bee not carefull what you shal eate or what you shal drink behold the fowles of heauen they sow not neither reape nor carry into theyr barnes yet your heauenly Father feedeth them the Lillies doe not labour nor spin yet Salomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these therefore take no thought saying what shall wee eate or what shall we drinke or how shall we bee claothed but seeke yee the Kingdome of heauen and all these things shall bee ministred vnto you yet in all these exemplified admonitions of our Sauiour Christ he doth not forewarne vs to bee carelesse for seeking of this bread of life will Christ forbid vs to seeke himselfe Christ is this bread of life feede on his flesh and nourish your soules hee is the oyle and lampe with which the fiue Virgines entered into the Bridgromes chamber He is the Lord of life the way of life the bread of life Belieue in this Lord come vnto this way eate of this bread you shall neuer hunger or thirst after But some man peraduenture may obiect can bread extinguish hunger and thirst When a man is dry and thirsty he doth not vse to eate bread I aunswere that the Hebrewes doe vse this phrase panem comedere pro caenare for to sup as Maister Caluin heere well noteth so wee say in the Lords prayer danobis quotidianum panem giue vs our daily bread signifying all necessary things belonging to a man eate of this bread of life and you shall not neede to say giue vs our daily breade for you shall neuer hunger or thirst after Hee that commeth to mee shall not hunger accedat ad Christum omnis anima let euery soule come to Christ and hee will refresh it I will saith he feede the hungry soule and refresh all faint harts I am the strength of the feeble the succor of the hungry a refuge against euill weather a shadow against heate I am a continuall feast where all hungry languishing soules may satisfie thēselues with celestiall food O well are they and happy shall they be which sit at this heauenly Table and eate of this blessed and spirituall meate the price and redemptian of theyr soules Heere is Manna which the childrē of Israel shal neuer lothe the wise Ethnick mans saying vpon a feast heere taketh no place Prima cratera saith he ad sitim pertinet secunda ad hilaritatem tertia ad voluptatem quarta ad insaniam The first cuppe belongeth to thirst the second to mirth the third to pleasure and the fourth to insobrietie But at this feast of the Soule it is quite contrarie for the more thou drinkest tanto propriores ad animae sanitatem et salutem thou art so much the neerer to the health and welfare of thy soule Calistenes said to Alexander that he had rather carouse olde graines with Diogenes in his dish thē new grapes with Alexander in his cup for of all the Gods quoth hee I loue not Esculapius But whosoeuer drinketh in this cup shall not neede Aesculapius phisicke for it is a present remedy a soueraigne restoratiue against the maladies of a sinfull soule it is an excellent potion and a most wholsome purgation to expell the leprosie of a sinne-seauered soule The precious stone Sandastra hath nothing in outward appearance but being brokē it poureth forth beams like the sun so this bread of life hath not an outward glea of superexcellent goodnes but taste it and then it poureth forth such admirable excellencie that thou shalt neuer hunger any more Therfore the sheepheards of Christes flock should onely feede his lambes with this bread of life VVhen they bee hungry they should fill them with this Breade of life They should cry vnto them alwaies Come vnto Christ and he wil giue you the bread of life so that you shall neuer hunger or thirst any more The Ministers should haue a cōtinuall cry not like the Swallows which haue matutinū cantum a morning song or as the Grashoppers meridianum cantum a noone song or as the Owles vespertinum cantum an euening song or as the Cocks antelucanum cantum a song before morning but they shold haue a morning song a noone song an euening song and a song before day light to awake Christes slumbering sheepe to come vnto Christ and eate of this bread of life so they shal neuer hūger or thirst more He that commeth to me shall not hunger he that belieueth in me shall neuer thirst To belieue in Christ is the totall summe of all Christian religion For our fayth in the death and passion of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ is the sure foundation of our saluation Fides in Christo saith S. Ierome est fundamentum humanae saluationis Faith in Christ is the foundation of mans saluation without this fayth all our vertuous actions good endeuours be in vaine So saith S. Augustine Sine fide falsa est omnis virtus without faith all vertue is in vaine Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo with out faith it is impossible to please God Sine fide omnis labor vacuuo VVithout faith all our labour is frustrate Faith is the porter of heauen gate and not Saint Peter He that hath faith yea but as much as a graine of mustard seede shall be able to remooue Mountaines VVherefore let vs labour to get this faith which being obtained we shal not neede any other treasury let vs lay vp this iewell in our harts which will inrich vs euer after The Anotomists say that in the heart of a man there is a little whole which hath nothing in it VVhereupon a good writer sayth that this little Cabinet and Cell of the heart God doth reserue for himselfe to be a chamber and a priuate mansion for him to dwell keepe therin let vs therfore bestow vpon our gracious Lord this pretious gemme this excellent ornament to adorne and beautifie this inward chamber That when it shall please the Lord to call vs to the high starre-chamber ouer our heades hee may Antipelargein that is requite vs with farre more sumptuous iewells and richer ornaments making vs cohabitors with Angells and the admired paragons of all perfection let vs therefore confidently belieue in Christ desiting him most heartily and vnfainedly to giue vs of this breade of life which is the only restoratiue against hunger and thirst Auicen like a foole sayd in his Aphorismes that golde was the best restoratiue No no this bread of life is the most heauenly remedie against al diseases it is a poyson for vice but a life-giuing potion for vertue It is the bread of death for carnall gluttonie but it is the bread of life for spirituall hunger If thou beest famished eate of this bread
sound a retraite froÌ„ sin alwaies remembring Christ crucified For as Bernard saith The remembrance of Christ crucified crucifieth sinne And as S. Augustine saith Then Christ dooth sleepe in thee when thou hast forgot his passion The readiest way direct path to goe to Heauen is to swim through the red sea of Christes blood The droppes of Christs precious blood raigning downe from the clowdes of his mercie must queÌ„ch the angry flame of Gods wrath which wee cannot extinguish by the vertuous water of any merrit It is the oyle of Grace which must purge our defiled harts It is the dewe of heauen which will make vs florish beeing ingrafted into the true Oliue It is the welspring of our saluation it is the heauenly manna which all of vs should gather vp in the wildernes of this world Loue this good thing in which all goodnes is it is enough for thee yea obserue but this short lesson which Augustine giueth thou art a good Christian Ama deum et amices in deum et inimicos propter deuÌ„ et beatus es Loue Christ who loueth thee loue his friends that loue Christ and thee loue Christes enemies that hate Christ and thee then thou shalt be beloued of Christ for louing him thou shalt bee beloued of Christ for louing theÌ„ that hate Christ thee the haters shall perrish yet thou louing shalt be beloued Loue GOD without measure theÌ„ shalt thou be happy without measure Loue God withal thy hart whoÌ„ thou shalt behold without end loue without pride praise with out wearines Therfore if men did but obserue this briefe lesson wee need not feare death but welcome him vvith a thousand kisses for that messenger doth bring vs gladde tidings for by him we change transitory mortall and corruptible things for certaine immortall and incorruptible treasures earth for heauen sin for godlines darknes for light feare for security trauell for quietnesse sicknesse for health death for life the company of men for the companie of the omnipotent God and heauenly angels the vile pleasures of this world for the inestimable ioyes of heauen Oh therefore let vs hartily wish to be losoned froÌ„ this life that we may come to appeare before the presence of God let vs say with Dauid Like as the Hart desireth the water brookes so longeth my soule after thee ô God O GOD thou art my God early will I seek thee my soule thirsteth for thee my flesh also longeth after thee in a barren and dry land where no water is Let vs say with Iob It grieueth my soule to liue longer in this mortall body Let vs say with holy Toby O Lord deale with me according to thy will and command my spirit to be receiued in peace For wheÌ„ the liuely threds of our life vntie the spindle vndoe the web riue and our naturall life endeth yet the spirituall and essentiall part namely the soule shall be receiued with Angels carried to heauen most louingly as a precious relique into the kingdome of heauen It shal be like a Doue carried on the wings of Angels into this heauenly Palace For as Augustine saith It is the office of Angels to carry soules to the company of the blessed Now therefore when Death shal breake vp your mortall house imprint this lesson in the forefront of your languishing flesh yea euen when you are halfe berest of life that you remember Christ crucified remember him to be the onely Sauiour remember God the Father to bee a most mercifull Father Fixe the eyes of your faith on Iesus Christ on his merrits on his passion death on his blessed body breaking and his most precious blood shedding on his triumph and victory ouer fathan and his hellish army Forget not that all your sinnes are washed away in Christes blood that by vertue of his death and passion you are made beyre of euerlasting saluation Fight a good fight be not discouraged by the paines of death neuer shrink in Deaths battell call vppon Iesus for no baulme will be more comfortable to a wound theÌ„ the name of Iesus to deaths wound Put on the Helmet of saluation the brest-plate of righteousnes the girdle of truth the shield of faith the sworde of the spirit and your feete shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Feare not stand fast quit your selues like men for in this spirituall battell you sight vnder the banner of the mighty victorious Emperor Iesus Christ onely continue with these weapons the day is yours If sathan tempt you you may with hartie prayers good Orators for your saluation inchant that Dragon that hee may sleep while your soule is translated to tast of the golden fruite of blessed soules perseuere in this battell which is the true complement of vertue The paine of the battel is small the glorie of the triumph shall abide for euer euer For so saith the scripture To him that ouercoÌ„mmeth I will giue to eate of the tree of life which is in the midst of Paradice be faithful vnto the death and I wil giue thee a crowne of life Hee that ouercommeth I wil make a piller in the temple of my God and hee shall go no more out yea to him that ouercoÌ„math wil I grant to sit with me in my seate These precious promises rewards may make vs couragious against death folow your captaine Christ you cannot erre for he is the way belieue christ you cannot be deceiued for hee is the truth abide and remaine in Christ and you cannot die the death euerlasting for he is the life wherfore cleaue with strong faith to Christ and say with that wise man My minde is rooted and built in Christ and then you neede not feare when death shall giue your soule the winges of true libertie to depart out of your fraile flesh and to flie vp to heauen and rest within Abrahams bosome for theÌ„ you shal rest from your labors trauels For so saith the scripture the soules of the righteous are in thy haÌ„d ô God the paine of death shall not touch them In the sight of the vnwise they appeare to die but they are in peace they are as the Angells of God they are clad with white garmeÌ„ts haue golden crownes vpon their heads They doe stand day night before his Maiesty there they haue all ioy solace and harts contentments By death we passe from earth to heauen from men to Angells from warre to peace from paine to pleasure from griefe to gladnesse from miserie to perpetuall felicitie we passe by death from this life which is like a bubble in the water like a weauers Shettell like a smoake like a vapoure like a shaddowe like a flower that fadeth like grasse that withereth it is but a span-long it is a warfare it is like a ruinous house euer readie to fall it is like a cloude in the element whereof wee are vncertaine where and when it falleth This cloude sometimes melteth in the cradle sometimes in the chaire Death is like the Sunne whensoeuer it shineth it melteth our cloudie life be the cloude thereof neuer so thicke or thin in yeares this life is like an vncertaine wethercocke which turnech at euery blast like a Waue that mounteth at euery storme like a reede that boweth at euery whistling wind This world is an exile a vale of miserie a wildernesse of sorrowes a dungeon of sinners a sea of miseries where wee passe away the wauering daies of this vncertaine life sayling as Pilgrims on the waters of this world tossed by the tempests of aduersitie and oppressed by sundry Pyrats the flesh sin and the deuill and yet by the Barke of a liuely faith and by the Marriner death wee shall bee transported from the flesh pots of Egipt to eate of comfortable Manna not in the wildernesse but in new Ierusalem Therefore hast ô good God to deliuer me froÌ„ this painfull life to that glorious life from this wretched mansion to that excellent tabernacle from this stormie worlde to the calme country of heauen where I shall haue liberty without imprisonment health without sicknes ioy without sorrowe pleasure without paine in such securitie eternitie and perpetuitie as passeth all thoughts Come therefore Death thou art welcome thou art thrice welcome death For when the Tree of my life shall fall downe heere vpon earth and I shall see my father dust my mother ashes yer my soule shall be carried into Abrahams bosome Adiew vile life farewell life sinfull life adiewe and welcome Death the Embassador from my louing Sauiour for by thee my misery shall end So that O Death thou art welcome VVelcome sicknes for my Lord Iesus hath nowe sent thee to fetch mee from this prison to his Pallace from a strange pilgrimage to dwell in the restfull Country of Canaan from these teares and mourning to the day of mariage sweet Iesus to bee espoused to thee in thy merrits for euermore where I shall liue like a Demie-god hauing the sight of the glorious Trinitie and the companie of holie Patriarks Prophets Apostles Martirs and blessed Saints inherite such ioyes as neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hart euer conceiued Therefore welcome death welcome sweet death for thou shalt remooue me out of this prison deliuer me froÌ„ this body of sinne to enter into the amiable tabernacles of my Lord where one day is better then a thousand else-where I shal no more weep by the waters of Babilon when I shal remember thee ô Sion for now I shall be in Sion and dwell there for euermore Come therfore ô death to mee at thy pleasure for it is a pleasure for me to die com death ô my ioy for it is a ioy for mee to enioy thee VVelcome death the beginning of ioy the first fruite of pleasure when thou commesâ—â—ar well sorowes adiew miseries death is the Prince of delights Arise therfore make hast ô my beloued my delight my comfort for at thy comming my winter is past and the tempestuous waters of miseries are ceased thou art ioâ—es messenger and gladde tidings bringer ô life thou art my death ô death thou art my life this life is a coÌ„tintiaÌ„ll death but after this death hath ceased vpon my body theÌ„ shal my soule go vnto her life Adiew therfore ô myserable liâ—e welcome thrice welcome death farewell also ô death welcome immortall life Laus Deo FINIS
the Tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradice of almightie GOD The righteous shal neither hunger nor thirst heate nor sunne shall not hurt them for he that fauoureth them shal lead them and giue them drinke of the springing wells they shal eate drinke and be merry for very quietnes of hart yea their gladnes and theyr ioy shall continue for euer and euer The wise saith Daniell shall glister as the shining of heauen and be like the starres worlde without end My people saith God shal dwell in pleasant peace and safe holds shal haue continuall rest without disturbance Therefore when the Psalmograph did consider the excellent things that are spoken of the Citty of God and of the great Citty holy Ierusalem he cryed out O how amiable are thy dwellings thou Lorde of Hosts my soule hath a desire longing to enter into the Courts of the Lord. My hart my flesh reioyce in the liuing God for who can be delighted with the kennell of this life when he shall read what the diuine Egle the Egle of Diuines hath spoken of this cittie that it is pure golde like vnto cleare glasse that the streets are pure golde as shining glasse that the shining is like vnto a stone most precious as a Iasper stone cleere as Christall that the foundations of the wall are garnished with all manner of precious stones that the twelue gates bee 12. pearles that the keepers of the 12. gates be 12. Angels that the light is the gloty of God the lambe that the temple is the Lord God almightie and the lambe that the inhabitants be pure and that no vncleane thing entereth therein that the Records be the booke of Life that the water is a water of Life that the tree is a tree of Life and of the mimunities of the Cittizens that there shall be no more curse no night no need of candle nor light of Sun and that the estate of the Cittizens is this that they shall raigne for euermore Oh who would not willingly diue into the whitlpoole of deuouring Death and desire that the twisted feeble threds of our life would euery houre vntwine so that we might be receiued into this heauenly foeietie after the ioyfull diuorcement of Soule bodie Balaam wished that his soule might die the death of the righteous and that his last end might bee like vnto theirs the Prophet Dauid wished rather to bee a doore keeper in the house of God then to dwell in the tents of the vngodly one day in thy Courts is better then a thousand blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will alwaies be praysing of thee These ioyes might allure vs to raise our thoughts aboue the ordinarie leuell of this world and to say with Poule I desire to be loosed from this body of sinne and to bee with Christ no musicke should bee so sweete vnto our eares as the remembrance of death for death is our faithful conductor to this Ierusalem I haue oft wondered at the folly of our nature which doe so abhorre to heare the mention of our death yea euen aged men whose spring was past whose summer spent and euen arriued at the fall of the leafe and winter cullours had stayned their hoary head whose tired ship did beginne to leake and grate vppon the grauell of their graue yet how timerously they were amazed when they perceiued that the trumpet of death beganne to giue his last sound O foolish imbecillitie who would not willingly bee luiled in deaths slumbering fits and close vp the day of his life that from a mortall day hee may come to an euerlasting morrow It is they will say themselues the greatest delight and pleasure in this world to heare the Nightingales recount their tunes with daintie variety to see Valleis compassed about with siluer Riuers To see medowes enameled with eye pleasing flowers to see Gardens bedecked with roses and lillies and pleasant shades Or to heare the Lambs craue their Dams comfort with their bleting oratorie yet these be trifles from heauen you shall heare the Angells singing Alleluia which will surpasse the musicke of Nightingalls there is the Eden of content the Paradise of pleasure Will you haue pastures to pastime in Marke what Saint Gregorie saith pasma electorum sunt vultus Dei vbi erit perpetua latitia et securitas Dost thou delight in shepheard Lambs there is our watchfull shepheard Christ there is the Lambe of God crauing day and night for the comfort of our soules yet I will saile a little further into the broad Sea of these celestiall ioyes It will bee no small ioye vnto vs when our soules shall bee presented before the Throne of the most blessed Trinitie by the hands of the Angells and they placing them before the Tribunall seate of almightie God shall declare our good workes our almes deedes our prayers our fastings our innocencie of life our temperance in diet our crosses our tribulations torments iniuries and afflictions we haue suffered for Gods sake Saint Luke writeth that when holy Tabitha the great almes giuer was dead all the widdowes and poore people came about the Apostle Saint Peter showing him the coates and garments she had giuen them wherewith the Apostle being mooued made his prayer to almightie God for that so mercifull a woman and by his prayers he raised her againe to life Now what a ioy and gladnesse will it be to vs when the Angells shall rehearse our vertues and good deedes which wee haue performed in our lise Then shall wee fully perceiue the value of vertue there the obedient man shall talke of victories there shall the Kings come loaden with the spoiles of honor There shall the valiant men enter with triumphe which haue conquered sathan and all his deuises There shall the innocent Virgines enter which haue liued chastly in the world adorned with Garlands of Lillies and Roses There shall the whole Court of heauen imbrace with kisses religious bishops which haue beene watchfull shepheards ouer the whole flocke of Christ There shal the constant Martirs bee receiued which haue suffered martirdome for the Gospell There shal the aged men enter which haue with discretion and wisedome passed their daies on earth There shall the vertuous young men receiue there reward There vertue shal be honored according to her merrit Oh how sweete and sauorie shall the fruite of vertue then bee Sweet is the fountaine to the weary traueller sweete is rest to the tyred seruaunt sweet is the cold euening after a hote sunny day yet much more sweeter will it be to the faithfull seruaunts of almightie GOD and Saints of the heauenly Cittie to haue peace after warre continuall quietnesse after paynes ioy after trouble securitie after danger Then shal not the childrē of Israel neede to feare Pharao Then Mardocheus neede not feare proude ambitious Haman Then Iosephs feete shal not be pinched and hurt in the stocks Then the VViddowe of
reuiuing graine doe thinke that Bread most delicate foode O foolish Caterers let vs rather learne to bury in our harts this reuiuing graine that in this generall famine of true Christian foode we may with Ioseph prouide aboundance of this bread of life for the benefit of our soules thē should we not haue such spirituall penurie and dearth of religion if our hearts were made fertill to bring forth the seedes of our soules nourishment and sustenance Labor not therefore for the bread that perrisheth but for this bread which remaineth vnto euerlasting life Ay but will some say where shall we find this spirituall food this bread of life I tell thee Christ is this bread of life Ay but will he perhaps reply how shal I come to Christ to get this foode I bidde thee goe to the scriptures Christs treasury where thou shalt finde this Manna this Bread of life there is plentifull store take and satisfie thy selfe neyther needst thou goe farre to seeke it as Dauid did the Arke of GOD or as Iosias did the Booke of the Lawe Neither canst thou desire with the Glutton that one frō the dead might arise to teach thee how to finde this bread of life for now adayes thanks be giuen to GOD for it the dispencers of this bread of life be plentifull who may without feare or perril shew thee the compendious way to seek this bread of life Now Obadia neede not feare Queene Iezabell to bide an hundred Prophets in a Caue Moses need not feare King Pharao and say I haue a stuttering tongue Ieremy need not feare the Iewes and say I am a child for now the Ministers of Gods word are maintained and preserued and may freely without danger boldly without feare dispence of this bread of life Yea enery one of Christes faithful children although he be not an heade in the misticall body of Christ or an eye or a legge yea if he be but an hand yet he may gather of this bread of life if he be but an eare he may heare of this bread of life or a tongue he may praise this bread of life or a mouth he may receiue this bread of life Labour therefore for this bread which endureth to euerlasting life I am the Breade of lyfe O Iesus art thou the bread which giuest life Thou art a guide to our waies a gardian to our persons a counseller in our doubts a comforter in misery a patron in necessity and wilt thou be bread also Thou art our keeper our sheepheard our defender our Sauiour wilt thou be bread also O Iesus thou art light vnto our eies musick to our eares contentment to our soules wilt thou be bread also O louing Iesus O mercifull redeemer O blessed Emanuell O Iesu we giue thee our bodies our soules our substance our wealth our honor our friends our Children our life and all that is ours Iesus wee are not our own but thine claime vs as thy right keepe vs as thy charge loue vs as thy children Iesus fight for vs when sathan commeth heale vs if he woundeth reuiue vs if hee killeth receiue vs if we flie into thy merciful bosom protect vs when he approcheth detect vs when he cōmeth Iesus thou art our foode in the day thou shalt also be our repose in the night Iesus make vs pliable to thy will resigned wholy to thy pleasure Iesus forsake vs not least wee perrish leaue vs not least we bee ouercome Iesus direct our intentions correct our follies erect our cogitations protect our endeuors Iesus grant vs sorrow for our sinnes feare for thy iudgements loue of thy mercies thankfulnesse for this bread of life I am the breade of life that is I am the bread of an immortall heauenly life not of this mortall and earthly life for else Christ might rather haue saide I am the bread of death and not of life for this life is a liuing death and a dying life But Christ is not bread of such a life But he is the bread of an immortall and neuer fading life Happy therefore is hee which is at this hanquet tasteth of this breade of life Neither is this an imaginarie fruition or a painted banquet resembling the hungry cheere which the birds had that fedde themselues with Zeuxis painted grapes vntill with picking at shaddowes they waxt so leane that they were glad with Esops Cocke to scrape for a Barley corne But with this bread of life thy foule shall be so cherrished with this Manna thou shalt be so wonderfully delighted that euer after thou shalt loath the flesh pots of Egipt Hic panis est corpus meum this bread is my body and therefore thou canst not mislike it O you Ministers the faithful dispencers of this hallowed bread of life feede duly Christs flock with this bread of life Christ said to Peter Pasce pasce pasce feede feede feede Feede with this bread of life vvith your doctrine with your almes Feede first with this bread of life for it is the bread of saluation Secondly feed with your wholsome doctrine that Christs sheep do not surfet with vice and so neede the corsiue of his correction to amend them Thirdly feede with almes but what shall I presse you to that Nay I must in cōscience spare you for the case nowe so stands that you are liker to liue of almes then bee able to giue almes and therfore till happier times come wherein your diuine function may more bounteously be rewarded I will spare you for that poynt for necessitie hath no law In meane while feede with this bread of life spend your breath happily in the fires of deuotion crying alarum spiritual gainst soule vice and all wickednesse so at last you hauing not defrauded Christes children of this bread of life may haue a most bountifull remuneration for your painfull labours and enioy all heauenly happinesse and celestiall ioyes tasting this bread of life which is prepared for all Gods faithful children And thus much shall suffice to haue spoken of the first parcell of my text I am the bread of life Nowe it followeth that I should briefly speake of the powerfull efficacie and effect of this bread of life VVhich by the tongues of Angels cannot be so wel declared as by these our Sauiours words He that commeth to me shall not hunger and hee that belieueth in me shall neuer thirst After a man hath tasted of all manner of delicate meats yea although hee hath caroused new grapes in Alexanders cup and plentifully payd that dailie Tribute to the stomacke which the lawe of our nature exacteth yet that foode will not satiate him for euer so that hee shall neuer hunger or thirst after But this bread this breade of life hath another power and effect for he that eateth of this breade shall neuer hunger or thirst more VVe read in the fourth chapter of Mathewe that man liueth not by bread onely but I say man onely liueth by this bread for