him that taketh it into it selfe according to that saying of Augustine speaking as it were in the person of this meate Non me mutabis in te sed tu mutaheris in me Thou shalte not chaunge mee into thee but thou shalte bee chaunged intoo mee and another difference the same Lyra maketh in this sort Panis vitae non solum vitam conseruat sed etiam dat ipsam de no uo panis corporalis vitam corporalem preexistentem tantummodo conseruat The bread of life doeth not onely preserue life but geueth life anew but the meate of the bodie onely preserueth the life which is in the bodie and let these serue for two reasons to proue my secōd part That we ought not to labour for meate which doth perish wherevnto nowe I come In the beginning the Lorde God tooke the man put him into the garden of Eden that he might keepe it and dresse it wherevpon as Peter Lombard noteth that man was made out of Paradise and afterwarde put into it both to signifie that he should not long continue there and also that Paradise was assigned vnto him by grace and not by nature so haue we to learne that God doeth so detest and abhorre idlenesse that though then there was no neede of labour yet hee woulde haue Adam there not onely a keeper but a dresser of the garden For although at the first God made euery plant of the fielde before it was in the earth and euery herbe of the fielde it grewe for the Lord had not caused it to rayne vppon the earth neyther was there a man founde to till the grounde yet afterward God would haue the man to keepe labour dresse and trimme the garden not in the sweate of his face not in paine not in sorrowe but in mirth ioy pleasure and peace Where ydle liuers loytring vacabundes wilde rogues begging Friers loose libertines carnall Anabaptistes snatchers from other mens trenchers they that liue in no vocation no arte no trade no science cannot make this a shroude for their sinne or a cloake for their knauerie saying we are heare forbidden to labour for this sentence of God pronounced against man in the sweate of thy face thou shalt eate thy breade was not onely a curse but a commaundement That euery man should labour in some vocation that as Paule sayth he that woulde not woorke might not eate For wee heare sayth he that there are some which walke among you inordinately and woorke not at all but are busie bodies therefore them that are such wee warne and exhort by our Lorde Iesus Christ that they woorke with quietnes and eate their owne breade For this commandement giuen to the Iewes from God by Moses there shal be no begger among you was a commaundement not only to moue thē to pitie to mercy to liberalitie but also to take away roote out al loyterers al shifters al vagabunds all busie bodies all that liue in no vocation from the common wealth of Israel The slouthfull will not plow because of winter sayth Solomon therefore shall he begge in sommer but haue nothing But you will say I will neyther plow nor begge I will shift with the vniust steward whom Christ commended and say dig I cannot and to begge I am ashamed The breade of deceite sayth Solomon is sweete to a man but afterwarde his mouth shalbe filled with grauell Wherfore we are not heere simplie forbidden to labour but this is forbidden both to labour too carefully as the heathen doe or to labour for the meate of the bodie and care not for the meate of the soule as the Athistes doe which saye in their heartes there is no God The Lord God knowing the nature of man aboue al other vices would be prone to gluttonie and belly cheere did first before al other commandemēt consecrate proclaime an iniunctiō of tēperancy fasting thou shalt not eate of the tree of knowledge of good euil The breach of the which commaundement did iustly and differently not onely thrust Adam and Euah out of Paradise but caused the Cherubins to be heat and the blade of a sword shaken to keepe the way of the tree of life for euer to keepe vs from it had not he which hath the keyes of the bottōles who openeth no man shutteth shutteth no man openeth he who deuided the red sea that we might escape frō the Egyptiās he who deuided the rock that might haue water in the wildernesse hee who duided Iordā that we might pas in to the land of promise he who deuided the earth that we might rise againe he who diuided the cloudes and the heauens with his bodye that wee might might followe after him he who onely giueth to eate of the tree of life had not he I say taken away the Cherubins and remooued the blade of a swoorde too make vs a plaine direct open and safe way to enter againe into Paradise and to taste of the fruite of the tree of life But what caused Euah to eate of it that which doeth cause vs all too labour for that meate which perisheth Nitimur in vetitum We must desire that which we are forbidden to doe it was a fruite too get knowledge a proude mynde a fruite pleasant to looke on a wanton eye a fruite good for meate a lickerishe tooth of the woman But that we may the better vnderstande howe God is grieued when men labour for this belley meate let vs call to remenbrance the times of olde and thinke vppon the daies of late how the Lord hath executed his terrible iudgementes and horrible vengeence how he hath abundantly poured out of the violl of his wrath whē men haue bin in the middest of their mirth of their feasting and banquetting The people sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp againe to play let me alone sayth the Lorde to Moses that my wrath may wax hote against them for I will consume them And although God hearde the prayer of Moses yet Moses slewe of those belly Gods 3000. men agayne the people lusted for meate saying who shall giue vs fleshe to eate wee remember the fishe that we had in Egypt for naught the cucumbers the pepons the leekes the onyons and garlike But nowe our soule is dried away wee can see nothing but this Manna as now sayth the Papists where is our plentie of victuall our feasting our singing our ringing our pyping our dauncing we see nothing but the bare Testament nothing but this manna sayde the Iewes nothing but this Gospell saye the Papistes beholde while the fleshe was betweene their teeth before it was chewed the wrath of the Lorde was kindled there was an exceeding plague among them that the place was called Kibroth Hattanah the graues of lust When fel downe the house vppon the Lordes of the Philistines at a banquette When fell downe the house vpon Iobs children at a feast Yea
but he that drinketh of the water whiche the sonne of man shall giue vnto him whome God the father to this purpose hath sealed shall neuer thirst agayne but the water in him shalbe a well of water springing vpp vnto euerlasting life yea out of his belly shall flowe riuers of water of life Wherefore as Eleasar and his two companions did breake thorowe the mighty hoste of the Philistines and brought water out of Bethlehem for Dauid euen thorowe the hoste backe againe Dauid longing after that water right so let vs boldely and couragiously breake thorowe the middes of all our enemies both temporal and spirituall to get this water and this bread of the soule of heauen and of life that it may bee sayde of vs as our Sauiour spake of the Iewes in the beginning of the gospel the kingdome of heauen suffereth violence and the violent take it by force So zealous were they O I wold to God so zealous were wee too receiue Gods mercy so freely offered so greedie were they O I would to God so greedy were we to imbrace to loue to obey to follow Gods word so purely preached For as the pewter pot which the fire melteth is not so soone consumed beeing full of licour as the glasse which euery knock breaketh is not so lightly dasht in peeces beeing full of water so we though wee consume as the fat of lambes before the presence of the Lord and be as drie stubble the Lorde a consuming fire though we be more brickle then glasse for glasse being safely lockt vp endureth long but we kepe we our selues neuer so daintily neuer so warily neuer so safely come to an end as a tale that is told So wee I say being full fed with this foode shalbee able to abide all blowes al knocks shall quēch all the fyrie darts of the wicked shall stand fast in the euil day so stand that all the gates of hell shal not once be able to preuayle against vs. What better reason can I geue then this for it endureth vnto euerlasting life But alas as Eue was content to aduenture the losse of Paradise for an apple as Esau was content to loose his birthright his fathers blessing for a messe of pottage as the children of Israel did loath Manna Angels foode in their hearts turned back to the flesh pottes of Egypt as the Iewes at this time did seek Christ not for his doctrine not for his miracles but chiefly for meate because hee had fedde them and so fedde them that they had more store left when they had done then when they beganne to eate So because the dayes of Noe are come because the dayes of Lot are come because the dayes of the Sonne of man are at hande wee are weerie of the meate that endureth vnto euerlasting life and doe labour for the meate whiche perisheth to serue the bellie the fleshe sinne the worlde and all is to serue the Diuell For as it was in the dayes of Noah so shall it bee in the dayes of the sonne of man they ate they dranke they maried and gaue in mariage vnto the day that Noah went into the Arke and the flood came and drowned them all lyke as it was in the dayes of Lot they ate they drank they bought they solde they plāted they builte they married but in the day that Lot wēt out of Sodom the lord rayned fire brimstone from heauen consumed them all There was neuer more eating and drinking I meane neuer more surfetting and drunkennesse neuer more buying and selling I say neuer more deceyt in buying and selling neuer more planting I might truely say neuer more supplanting one of another neuer more marying I woulde to God I might not iustly say neuer more whoring to conclude neuer more building I meane not building of Colledges of almes houses of schooles there was neuer lesse I pray you mistake me not I say neuer more building of priuate houses which wee thinke shall continue for eeuer and call our houses and our landes after our owne names So that wee may iustly bewayle the madnesse and miserie of this age as Chrysostome did the folly and fondnesse of his tyme. Si secularibus abstinere iubemur quae miseria quae amentia est ea a domino postulare quae habita abiicienda desiderare in quibus nullam omnino curam adhibendam praecipit That is if wee are commanded to abstayne from worldly thinges what a misery what a madnesse is it to begge those thinges at the Lordes hands which when we haue wee must cast away and to desire those things wherein the Lord commaundeth vs to put no care at all Wherefore seeing it may well be sayde of vs Englishmen as Paule sayde of the Cretians euil beastes slowe bellyes and seeing I may now truly speake with Paule many walke of whome I haue told you often and nowe tell you weeping that they are enemies to the crosse of Christ whose ende is dānation whose God is their belly whose glory is to their shame whiche minde earthly thinges and seeing vppon good occasion I may exhorte you with Paule nowe I beseeche you brethren marke them diligently whiche make diuision offēces cōtrary to the doctrine which you haue learned and auoyde them for they that are such serue not the Lord Iesus but their owne bellies with fayre speech flattering deceiue the hearts of the people this doctrine is as needfull necessary nowe as it was in the time of our Sauiour Christ when he thus taught the people Labour not c. Not onely to disswade you frō laboring for the meate which perisheth but to perswade you to labour for that meat which doth endure vnto euerlasting life The which wordes conteine in them first a disswasion a dehortation a proposition negatiue Secondly a perswasion an exhortation or conclusion positiue Whervnto is annexed first a reason taken from the person that geueth the certainty of the thing geuen which the Sonne of man shal giue vnto you Secondly a confirmation drawen from the office and function of our Messias and Sauiour For him hath the Father sealed that is appoynted and consecrated him to geue life vnto all thē that labour for this meate IT had been sufficient for our Sauiour onely to haue vsed the exhortation labour for c had he not perceiued them as we nowe see the worlde to hunt labour for bellie cheere as dogges doe for carion swine for draugh horses for prouender too bee wrapped and tyed in these earthly thinges as the men of this age are like the fishe in the hooke the bird in the net the conie in the hay therfore he beginneth with the dehortation Labour not c. And bicause a litle before mention was made of meat he speaketh figuratiuely vsing the Metaphore of meate whereas hee might plainely haue saide care not for the bodie to fulfill the lustes of it but care
holy place by the hie prieste for sinne were burnt without the campe therefore euen Iesus that he might sāctifie the people with his owne blood suffered without the gate What is this to vs let vs therefore saith the Apostle goe forth to him out of the campe for here haue we no continuyng citie but we looke for one to come Wilt thou O man go forth out of the camp Labour not so much to prouide meat for the campe The workes of the fleshe are manifest as gluttony dronkennesse c. They that doe such thinges shall neuer inherit the kingdome of God The fruite of the spirite is temperancie and such like against such there is no lawe For they that are Christes haue crucified the fleshe with the affections and the lustes if wee liue in the spirite let vs also walke in the spirit Woe be to you saieth Esay that ryse to followe after dronkennesse and are strong to drinke wine Wilt thou resist the diuell be sober and watch saieth Peter beware take heed saieth our Sauiour least your harts be ouerloaden with surfaiting and droukennesse and that ayde come on you vnawares Let vs then remember the time that we are in and the consideration hereof shall call vs from labouring for this meate Wee are not children of the night nor of the darknes that that day should come on vs as a thiefe wee are children of the day and of the light therefore let vs not sleepe as other doe but let vs watch and be sober For they that sleepe sleepe in the night and they that bee dronken are dronken in the night but let vs which are of the day be sober considering the season it is nowe time that wee shoulde arise from sleepe for now is our saluation neerer thē whē we beleued it the night is past and the day is come let vs therfore cast away the works of darkenes put on vs the armour of light so that we walk honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and enuiing but put on the Lorde Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it Consider the time for the deuill knoweth his time to be short the yeares of his lease are now almoste expired therfore now he will make hauocke Consider the time for the day of the Lorde is at hand let vs waite for his cōming Cōsider the time we haue had the Gospel these xxii ful yeres by reasō now we should be able to be taken for tutors to teach and gouern our selues The sunne stoode still in the middest of heauen for a whole day in the dayes of Iosua neuer such a daye of light as was in the dayes of Iosua The sonne of God hath holden his sunn ouer this Realm a long time neuer such a time of light as hath beene in the dayes of Elizabeth Many haue desired to see that we see and could not see them to heare those thinges that we heare but could not heare them But yet beholde the Niniuites shall rise and shalbe able to condemne vs for they repented at three dayes preaching If such preaching had beene in Tyrus and Sydon in Sodoma Gomorrha in the new found landes as hath beene in England they woulde haue brought forth more fruite of repentaunce then we haue done Let vs therefore for it is time with weeping and fasting turne to the Lord our God The Iewes in token of contrition and true repentaunce did sometimes were sackloth sometime tumbled in ashes sōtime did lye on the ground rent their cloths shaued their heds powred out water before the Lord signifying that they were like vnto water which being powred out is troden vnder foote runneth away and is dryed vp Let vs rente our heartes and not our garmentes put on sobrietie and not sackloth tumble in heauines and not in ashes lye in mourning and not on the ground cut of the foreskin of our harts and not shaue the hayre of our heades powre teares out of our eies and not water out of buckets let vs weepe as Ezechias wept who turned his face to the wall and wept heauily as Mary who fell downe behinde Iesus and wept pitifully as Peter who remembring the wordes of Christ went out and wepte bitterly Wee are not commaunded to fast eyther fortie dayes as Moses before the law as Elyas vnder the law as Christ after the lawe or superstitiously or hipocritically as the Papistes doe but that euery man may truly say with Paule I chastise my body bring it vnder subiection least when I haue preached to others I my selfe become a castaway The Lorde will prouide for them that seeke him The multitud was with Christ three dayes and had nothing to eate yet they were not hungry bee strong then O Sampson a dry iaw bone shall giue thee water before thou perish Faint not O Israel the Lord shall turne the hard rock into a standing water and the flinte into a springing well before thou perish dispayre not Elyas the Angelles of heauen the Rauens of the ayre shall feede thee before thou perish Die not O Daniel if none in Babilon wil pitie thee Abacucke shalbe brought out of Iewrie to bring thee meate before thou perish You cannot adde one cubit to your stature after this meat the Gentles labour a sparrowe doeth not fall downe to the ground without Gods prouidence all the hayres of your head are numbred I haue beene young and now I am olde sayeth Dauid yet I neuer sawe the righteous forsaken nor his seede to begge their bread O care not then for to morowe the morowe shall care for it selfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The day hath enough with his owne griefe Let vs now examine our selues whether we labour for this meate or noe And so I come to my third part If we consider the great and gratious benefits wherewith God hath blessed England as peace wealth health libertie plentie victorie the Gospell Preachers Gouernours so noble and wise counsaylours so godly and so zealous a Princes England hath receiued much therefore of England much shalbe required England is not able to render I appeale to euery mans conscience one for a thousand therfore is England very much indebtted O London daughter of England thy siluer is become drosse thy wheate chaffe thy gold yron thy wine water thy grapes thorns thy figs thistels yet thou art taught the will of thy father more then other thy sisters of England therfore O London with many stripes vnlesse the Lord turne to thee thou to him and that shortely thou must needes be punished For we al doe so draw iniquitie with cordes of vanitie and sinne as with cart ropes we so staine our selues with our own works and goe a whoring with our owne inuentions as Iob in body so we in soule are so sicke from the soule of the foote to the crowne of the head
harts where he cryeth Abba Father as the Apostle saith because we are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirite of his sonne into our heartes which cryeth Abba father It is a true saying Bona magis carendo quam fruendo sentimus We better perceiue and feele the commoditie of a thing when we lacke it then when we haue it For who doth better consider the benefit of the warm fire then he that is frosen with colde who doeth better thinke on the commoditie of libertie then the prysoner who doeth better remember the vse of apparell then he which is naked who doeth more esteeme of meate then hee that is almost famished for after a long colde winter a little sun shining is fayre weather after great sorowe one dayes pleasure is a paradise after a long bloody warre a little peace is a merye world and after long hunger browne bread is good cheare Now if wee could eyther thinke on their extreame miserie who like the woman of Canaan like hungry dogs would gladly picke vp the crummes that fall from our table and can haue no more of them then the prodigall sonne had of the swines huskes or at least woulde call to minde our owne miserable famine when like poore Lazarus wee lay begging at the rich mans gate dogges hauing more mercy then men and wee no more satisfied then Tantalus with his apples We would no doubt labour to obtaine by Christ not houses or liuings as that Scribe not to bee Lordes and Dukes as Iames and Iohn not to haue belly cheare as in this place the Iewes did but for the meate of the soule which endureth vnto euerlasting lyfe But what was our famine how were we vsed or rather abused Sower leauen was put to our sweete bread Coloquintida was cast into our potage chaf thrown among our wheate sand mingled with our dough amongst our gold there was drosse wee had water for wine brasse for siluer the cuppe of the whore for the cup of the Lord wormewoode for hony gall for Manna the legende for the Gospell wolues for shepheards the inuentions of man for the commaundementes of God man for God Antichrist for Christ the son of perdition for the sonne of GOD. Agayne the worde was deliuered vnto vs in a straunge tongue that neither we could tel how to daunce when they blewe the pipe nor how to behaue our selues in battaile when they did sound the trumpet neither the vnderstanding was bettered nor the congregation edified nor the vnlearned at the giuing of thanks coulde say Amen but they were Barbarians to vs and we Barbarians to them Furthermore the common people might not reade the worde they might not once taste of that heauenly foode vnlesse the Priestes had first chewed it in their own mouths whose mouths were full of bitternesse whose throates were open sepulchres whose teeth were venomous whose tongues were ful of deceite vnder whose lippes was the poyson of aspes who did eate vp the Lords people as bread whose feete were swift to shedde the blood of Saints but right deare in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his Saintes But why might not the people reade the word taste this meate they forsooth gathered damnable errours and sucked out thence deadly poyson Because our Sauiour sayde it is giuen to you to know the secreetes of the kingdome of heauen but to them it is not giuen Because hee sayd again giue not that which is holy to dogges neither cast ye your pearls before swine First I aunswere that Vzza for putting forth his hande to holde the arke when the oxen did shake it died before the Lorde that Vzziah burned incense and was therefore stroken with a leprosie because they vsurped the offices of the Priestes and Leuites contrary to the expresse commaundement of God But if this was spoken to all and be the dutie of all Christians searche the scriptures I do not only say wo vnto thē because they shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men they themselues will not goe in nor suffer them to goe that would enter but I exhorte them to remember the blinde zeale of Christes Disciples in forbiddinge children to come vnto him rebuked suffer little children to come to mee and forbidde them not the blinde zeale of Ioshua requesting Moses to forbid Elead and Medad to prophecie reprehended I would to God that all the Lords people were Prophets The blinde zeale of Iohn willing Christ to forbidde one to cast out deuils in his name misliked suffer him hee that is not against me is with me The blind zeale of Nadab and Abihu because they offered straunge fire condemned who because they offered not that fire which came from heauen but straunge fire were deuoured of fire An euerlasting fire is reserued for those which haue troaden vnder foote the doctrin that came from heauen haue brought in straung doctrine which neuer was in heauen As that fire so this meate came from heauen in this they differ that fire endured onely to the captiuitie of Babylon but this meat endureth vnto euerlasting life Wherfore though Peter or Paule though Gabriel or Michael Cherubim or Seraphim teach any other thing thē that we haue receiued of the Lord who came downe from heauen and brought this meate from heauen let him be accursed as I said before so I say again if any of these bring any thing besides that which we haue receiued of the Lord let them and euery one of them be accursed Secondly I answer that though the spider doe gather poyson where the Bee doth suck hony yet there is no poison in the sweet flower but the corrupt humour that is in the spyder doth turne the sweet iuyce into poison so there are no errours nor heresies in the word of god but the corrupt venomous nature of man doth turn the comfortable sap of Gods word into deadly poyson Now if the spyder gather poyson let not therfore the Bee be driuen from the flowers though the sons of Satan doe gather errours and suck that which vnto them is poison yet let not therfore the children of GOD be forbidden to sucke mylke which shall saue their soules Christ is put both for the fall and also for the rysing agayne of many in Israell he is a rock to buylde on and hee is a stone that will grind to powder if the Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost it is vnto some the sauour of death vnto death to other some the sauour of life vnto lyfe It is not giuen to them to knowe the misteries who are they to whom it is not giuen it followeth that people whose heart is waxed fat whose eares are dull of hearing who winke with their eies least with their eies they shoulde see and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their heartes and should returne that I might heale them The Gospell
saieth Paule is the misterie hid since the world began and from all ages but nowe is made manifest to the Saintes of God to whom GOD would make knowne what is the riches of his glorious misterie among the gentiles Dogs must not haue that which is holy There is a dogge which turneth about and teareth them that doe offer holy thinges Let not this dogge receiue that holy thing There is a dogge that cryeth with the woeman of Canaan trueth Lord I confesse that I am a dog yet the whelps may gather vp the crums that fal frō the childrēs table Christ wil haue that holy thing to be giuen to this dog Cast not pearls before swin Truth if they bee foule and treade them vnder their feete or if they bee washt and returne backe too their wallowing in the myre But if wee which were swine are by the blood of Christe washed and by the water of regeneration sanctified of swine are made lambes let vs haue that pearl we wil not tread it vnder our feete One Gospell yet diuersly it worketh in diuers mens heartes Water wil harden yron and soften the earth The Sunne drieth clay and melteth waxe the seede in good groūd bringeth forth increase but sowed among stones or thornes it bringeth foorth no fruit The fault is not in the seede but in the soyle the Sunne to vs that haue cleare sight is comfortable to the man that is poreblinde it is hurtfull Blame not the Sunne but the foole that will turne his eyes towardes the Sunne Suger to vs that bee in health is sweete to the sicke of an Ague it is bitter the Suger is not bitter his tast is naught Daintie meates to some stomackes are wholesome to others they are fulsome the fault is not in the meate but in the stomacke Euen so Christe crucified is to the Iewe a stumbling blocke to the Grecian folishnesse but to them that are called he is the power of God and the wisedome of God bee they Iew or Grecian bond or free male or female Wherefore thirdly I answere though drunkardes and tosse pottes abuse wine yet wine is profitable though vsurers and couetous men abuse money yet money is necessary though cutters and swinge-bucklers abuse weapons yet weapons are needfull Right so though the word of God by Heretikes and Athistes bee abused yet it is not to be forbidden Because it giueth wisedome euen vnto the simple because it hath milke for babes and strong meate for men because it is a lanterne to our feet and a light to our pathes because it doth lightē vs that sit in darknesse and in the shadow of death and doth guide our feet into the way of peace Let them with Otho reason thus absurdly the title set ouer Christs head by pilat was written in Hebrew Greek and Latine therefore the worde muste be read in one of these tongues wee thus affirme that God who did confounde the tongues of all men at the building of Babell they before hauing all one language that God I say at the beginning of the building of his church did giue to his Apostles and seruantes not onely the knowledge of Hebrew Greeke and Latine but of all languages in the worlde that all tongues vnder heauen all nations vnder the Sunne might reade heare and pray in their owne language in their owne mother tongue Wee therefore say with Cyprian Non videndum est quid aliqui ante nos fecerunt sed quid ille qui ante omnes est faciendum mandarit We must not care what they haue doone which were before vs but what hee doeth commaund to be doone which was before all Let vs then remember our miserable estate howe wee sate downe and wept to remember Syon howe we sought the word in strange Countries howe the Gospel was mingled with vanities how it was in a strange language how it was hid from the common people O let vs nowe then bee thankefull vnto the Lorde and that the world may knowe that wee are thankefull let vs labour for that meate whiche indureth vnto euerlasting life As the Philistines coulde not preuaile against Sampson although his heyfer had betraied him and his hayre cut of vntill they had pluckt out his eies so the Papistes could by no means so sone get the vpper hād as by pulling out the eyes of the people by taking from them their light sight knowledge and vnderstanding making them blinde not as whelpes whiche see after ix dayes not as the blinde man who sawe men as trees not as Paule whose eies were open yet sawe nothing by reason of his scales but as blinde as Moles as blinde as beetles as blinde as the men of Sodome who coulde not finde Lots doore as blinde as the king of Arams seruantes who came to bring Elizeus to their maister but were by him not seeing whither they wente brought into Samaria But as the Lorde opened the eyes of Hagar that she sawe the well of water as he opened the eies of Elizeus his man that hee sawe the mountaines full of Chariots and horses of fier as hee opened the eies of Paule that the scales fell from his eies so hath hee nowe opened our eies that wee see the wonderous thinges of his lawe the light of his truth the brightnesse of his woorde the shining beames of his glorious Gospell Noah reioyced when hee sawe the Doue come in with a leafe in her mouth wherby he knew the waters were abated Ioshua reioyced when hee sawe the Sun stand still for a whole day whereby hee knewe his enimies shoulde bee discomfited Israell reioyced when hee sawe the clowde or the piller of fier whereby hee knewe that by the Lord he was guided Elias reioyced when he saw the clowde no bigger then an hande whereby hee knewe the earth should be watered Ezechias reioyced when hee sawe the shadowe goe backe x. degrees whereby hee knewe his dayes were prolonged the wise men reioyced when they sawe the starre whereby they knew that to Iesus they should be conducted The wise men reioyced when they sawe Christe in the manger the shepheardes when they harde the newes Simeon when he imbraced him in his swadling clowtes Thomas when hee felte his woundes Steuen when he saw the heauens open Euen so iust cause haue wee to lift vp our heartes and reioyce For many kinges wise men prophetes fathers haue desired to heare those things which wee heare and coulde not heare them and to see those dayes which wee see but coulde not see them The Lorde graunt that as wee haue eies and see taste and feele this meate So we may haue mindes to desire it and willes to labour for it Againe remember as the Philistines left neuer a whetstone no speare onely two swordes no smith in all the lande of Israell least said they the Hebrwes make them swordes and speares and so preuaile against vs so the vncircumcised Romanes the Popish shauelings the
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
fast in the faith Athistes and Papistes and other heretikes are tripping at your heeles stande fast in the faith it is worth the noting that our Sauiour in the seconde and thirde of the Reuelation doeth seuen times at the least vtter these wordes hee that ouercommeth c. There is life and all blessinges promised onely vnto him that ouercommeth Nowe the heauenly Manna is plentifull in Englande let vs prouide for warre though it bee a time of peace let vs take our cloake though the sunne doeth shine let vs prouide for a deare yeere though the victuall bee plentie I say stande fast and labour for this meate it bringeth therewith well fed thereby fatte and in good liking you may stande fast in the euill day For wee haue deserued that plague wherof the Prophete speaketh I will turne your feastes into mourning and your songes into lamentations I will bring sackcloth on your loynes and baldnes on your heades I will bring a famine in to your land not a famine of bread or thirste for water but a famine of the worde of God For if Paule and Barnabas were heere they might haue iust cause to speake against vs as they spake against the Iewes seeing you put the woorde of GOD from you and iudge your selues vnworthie of euerlasting life Loe we turne to the Gentiles Christ may truly denounce these words against vs if he shoulde deale according to our desertes the kingdome of God shall bee taken from you and shall bee giuen to a nation whiche shall bring foorth the fruites thereof Let vs amende least Christe curse vs as he cursed the figtree when hee came vnto it being hungry and found nothing thereon but leaues onely hee doeth hunger and thirst after our good workes but beholde howe we deceiue him for fruite wee offer him leaues a man came to the dresser of his vineyarde and bid him cut downe his figge tree because he had come three yeeres and founde no fruites thereon cut it downe saith hee why keepeth it also the grounde barren The dresser answered let it a lone this yeere also till I digge rounde about it and doung it The Lorde hath come to his fig tree of England not three but almost xxiii yeeres and beholde yet he findeth litle fruite and hee woulde no doubt cut it downe had not the dresser of this figge tree Iesus Christe entreated him to let it alone that hee by his worde his labourers might digge round about it doung it Behold that hath been doone and yet this figge tree bringeth foorth small fruite wee are like trees that haue their heades in the grounde and sucke all their iuice from the earth wee are like bruite beastes who turne their faces to the grounde wee are not like men who shoulde turne our countenances towardes heauen thence to fet our meate and all good thinges which by promise we may haue for the asking Wee are like the corne growing on the house top which withereth before it bee plucked vp whereof the mower filleth not his hand nor he that bindeth vp the sheues his bosome Our Sauiour Iesus if hee were heere shoulde bee moued to weepe ouer England as hee wept ouer Ierusalem and say O England England if thou hadst euen knowne at the least in this thy day those thinges which belong vnto thy peace but nowe are they hid from thine eyes I speake of many I meane not all O England thou sayest the naturall branches are broken of that I might be graft in through vnbeliefe they were broken of and thou standest by faith bee not high minded but feare For if God did not spare the natural branches take heed least hee will not spare thee O remēber thou man thou doest not beare the roote but the roote doth bare thee By Satā thou didst fall by Christ thou art raised vp ingraffed into the right Oliuetree Qui incitatorem habuit ad malum reparatorem habuit ad bonum sicut hominis peccatum per alium habuit inuitium ita per alium habuit remedium Hee that had a tempter vnto euill had a restorer vnto good as the sinne of man had a beginning by an other so it had also a remedie by an other For very wel saieth Ambrose Non sunt Iudei reprobati a Deo vt gentes entrarent sed seipsos reprobos fecerunt spernētes donum dei vnde occasionem dederunt gentibus ad salutem quam extollentiam reperiri vult vt magis saluti congaudeatur non aegretudini insultetur The Iewes were not reiected of GOD that the Gentiles myght come in but they made themselues reprobates contemning the gift of God wherby they gaue occasion to the Gentiles to saluation the which hautines the apostle wil haue to be beaten down that they mighe the more reioyce at their own saluation and not insulte ouer the Iewes destruction Take heede why were they cast off spernentes donum Dei because they despised the gifte to God For if the word spoken by Angelles was stedfast and euery transgression and disobedience receiued a iust recompence of rewarde how shall we escape if we neglect so great saluation Propterea tantam adiecit quod mortis destructio demonū interitus caelorū imperium cuncta haec exprolatis a deo sermonibus nobis sunt parta Therfore saith Theophilact did the Apostle adde so great saluatiō because the destructiō of death the death of deuilles the kingdome of heauen all these thinges are gotten for vs by the worde which came from GOD Brag not boast not therefore Pride made Herod to haue a fall from his pulpet and to be eaten of wormes Nay beholde a greater fall pride made Nabuchadnezzar to bee a beast nay yet a greater fall pryde did thrust Adam and Eue out of paradise And yet behold I will shew one greater fal pryde did throwe Lucifer and manye Angelles moe out of heauen What shall I say then If GOD did not spare his owne people the Iewes if hee did not spare Adam and Eue in paradise if he did not spare his bright Angelles in heauen will he spare vs if iudgement beginne at the house of GOD what shall the ende of them be that obay not the Gospell If the righteous scarcse be saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare did the naturall braunches wither and were cast into fire what shall bee done to the vnnatural Did the green tree suffer what shall be done of the dry Loe I beginne to plague the Citie saieth the Lorde where my name is called vppon and should you escape let vs then be humble and feare Let vs not despise this great gift of GOD. That fire onely was to be vsed in sacrifice which came from heauen Moses must make all things according to the patterne he sawe in the mounte GOD write the lawes with his owne finger that wee should make nothing of our selues our owne braines
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
boldly call Christ our brother and God our Father The foundation of God remayneth sure and hath this seale the Lord knoweth who are his and let euery one that calleth on the name of Christ depart from iniquitie The Lord seale vs vnto the day of redemption the Lord graunt we may alwayes labour for that meat which endureth vnto euerlasting lyfe that we may labour for the word for fayth and for the holy Ghost that wee may be fully assured of euerlasting lyfe because the sonne of man and the son of God to that purpose is sealed appointed annointed cōsecrated of his father to whom with the holy ghost 3. persons and one immortall God be all honour glory praise power dominion authoritie worship and Maiestie both now and euer Amen FINIS Rom. 1 Psal 102. Psal 119. Psa 73. Psal 77. Reuel 10. Ezech. 3. Reuel 2. 3. Heb. 12. Exod. 16. Iosu 5. 2. Chro. 5. Iohn 4. Iohn 7. 1. Chro. 11. Mat. 11. Luke 17. Homil. 42. in Iohan. Tit. 2. Phillip 3. Rom. 16. The diuision Mat. 16. Iohn 3. Iohn 4. 1. Cor. 6. Psal 2. Math. 13. Math 7. Mark 6. Isay 1. Ierom. 8. Orati per M. Marc. In somnio Scipionis Exod. 19. Mat. 23. Psalm 19. Ios 10. 2. Reg. 20. Chro. 19. Act. 2. 2. Chron. 34. Iohn 3. Iud. 3. What meate is here ment Lyra in Ioh. August Lira in Iohan. We ought not to labour for this meat Gen. 2. Lib. 2. dist 17. Gen. 2. Gen. 3. 2. Thessa 3. Pro. 20. Luk. 16. Pro. 20 Gen. 3. Reuel 3. Reuel 20. Exod. 32 Num. 11. 1. Cor. 10. De ieiunio Psal 147. Math. 6. Deut. 22. 1. Cor. 10. Psal 104. Psa 104. Luk. 11. Homil. 42. in Iohan. Li. 20. aduersus Marcinnē 2. Mach. 7. Heb. 11. Daniel 10. Iam. 4. 1. Iohn 2. 2. Pet. 3. Rom. 6. Ierom. Gen. 5. Luk 6. Colloss 3. Adelp Arist hist animall 40. Luk. 12. 2. Chro. 12. Iob. 10. Iames. 5. 1. Cor. 1 Heb. 13. Gal. 5. Esai 5. 1 Pet. 5. 1. Thes 5. Rom. 13. 1. Sam. 7. 1. Cor. 9 Marc. 8. Whether we labor for this meat or noe Isay 47. Iudg. 9. 2. Reg. 22. Ezech. 4. Luk. 12 1. Tim. 6. Actes 19. De Zacheo Math. 8. ◠Chro. 21. ◠Reg. 19. Math. 24. 2. Reg. 18. Gen. 47. Psal 107. 2. Chro. 20. Luke 10. Exod. 16. 2. Sam. 6. 2. Reg. 22. Deut. 30. Iere. 31. 1. Reg. 19. 1 Reg. 22 1. Theodoret. Exo. 2. Iosh 2. 1. Sam. 19. 1. Reg. 18 Act. 9. Exod 4 Iere. 1. Io. 1. Gene. 42. 1. Sam. 25. Num. 11. 2. Reg. 7. Io. 6. Deut. 28. Ezech. 16. Mat. 15 Act. 12. Luk. 19. Mar. 2. Mat. 9. 1. Reg. 10. Act. 8. Mat. 2. Mat. 3. Act. 2. Gala. 4. Cicero Mat. 8. Mat. 20. 1. Cor. 14. Mat. 13. Mat. 7. 1. Chron. 13. 2. Chron. 26. Io. 5. Mat. 19. Mat. 19. Num. 11. Luke 9 Leuit. 10. Gala. 10. Luke 2. 2. Cor. 4. Mat. 21. Rom. 9. Mat. 13. 1. Cor. 1. Psal 119. Otho Cardinalis Gen. 19. Cyprian Iud. 16. Marke 8. Gen. 19. 2. Reg. 6. 1. Sam. 13. Apoca. 18. 1. Sam. 5. Iosh 6. 1. Reg. 16. 3. Reg. 9. 1. Cor. 16. Marke 14. 2. Tim. 4. Marke 8. Matth. 19. Reue. 2. 3. Amos. 8. Act 13. Matth. 21. Mathew 21. Luke 13. Luke 19. Rom. 11. Lombar li. 2 Distinct 21. Ambrose in Rom. 11. Heb. 2. Theophil in 2. hab 1. Pet. 4 Ierom. 25. Exod. 25. 2. Reg. 4. Heb. 10. 2. Reg. 5. Mat. 3. Act. 2. Iere. 44. Iere. 36. 1. Mach. 1. Euseb li. 8. c. ◠Exod. 3◠1. Esdr 3. 2. Esdr 8. Act. 13. Act. 12. Io. 1. Exod. 31. Nehem. 4. Ezra 4. Iosh 9. 1. Reg. 14 Gen. 26. 2. Sam. 24. 2. Reg. 22. 2. Chron. 23. 2. Chron. 26. 1. Reg. 6 2. Reg. 18. 2. Chron. 34. Deut. 17. Fayth Heb. 11. Barnard sup Cant. ser 28. Ephe. 6. Iohn 15. 1. Peter 5. Rom. 9. Io. 5. Esay 65. Mat. 14. Luk. 24. Mar. 9. Mat. 15. Heb. 2. Luk. 17. Mark 9. The holy Ghost Iohn 14. Luk. 12. Ioh. 16. Iohn 15. 1. Col 17. Rom. 8. 2. Cor. 1. 1. Cor. 12. Chrisost in eodem loco Rom. 8. 1. Sam. 1. The reason 1. Iohn 1. Col. 10. 1. Cor. 1. Iohn 1. Mat. 9. Act. 3. 1. Cor. 2. Heb. 2. Heb. 12. Heb. 1. Mat 3. Iohn 1. Luk. 24. Iohn 3. Esay 40. Ioel. 2 Manichai Arriani Matth. 1. Athanasius Luk. 1. Matth 20. Matth. 25. Io. 5. Io. 1. Ephe. 2. Rom. 6. Confirmation Io. 12. Ephe. 4. Ezech. 9. Reuel 7. 2. Tim. 2.