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
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
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