the children of God wee are ready to giue ouer to dissemble and conceale our selues with Nicodemus as though wee were ashamed of Christ whereas wee should rather shew our selues to be ashamed of their wickednesse and our owne spirituall cowardice The Seruing-man will bee diligent and faithfull in his Maisters domesticall businesses and outward imployments hee will carefully obserue and note his Masters disposition and nature what things delight and please him what not And if his master bee of a right generous disposition that he vse to preferre good seruants then will he serue him diligently many yeares and the doubtfull hope of vncertaine preferment giueth life and courage to him to vndergoe ioyfully and willingly any paines heat cold wet dry night day are all alike to him and hee is ready to hazard limme and life in his masters quarrell But what is the haruest of his labours Some preferment by his Master or Masters procurement yet is his Master but a man and therefore vnconstant he is but a man therefore hee may leaue his former goodnesse and because hee is but a man the floure of grasse hee may dye before the time therefore saith Dauid Psalm 146. 2. 3. O put not your trust in Princes nor in any childe of Man c. But howsoeuer Seruice is no heritage but the Lords seruice is heritage hee hath no sonnes no daughters no kinsfolkes but his onely Sonne which he gaue a ransome for vs the price of our redemption and adoption that wee might be his Sonnes and coheyre with his owne Sonnes of the Kingdome of glory Now will the Seruingman doe this and that nay hee cares not what vpon vncertaine hopes of trifles and shall not we much more ioyfully and faithfully serue the Lord enduring with patience the afflictions of this present time seeing that wee haue a Master that is most good most mercifull most true who hath promised plentifully to reward his Seruants and is most willing and most able to performe his promises Why doth not the hope of this reward incourage and giue life vnto vs faithfully to serue him and ioyfully to suffer for him It is because infidelity lurketh in the heart it is because wee are not his Seruants wee haue no delight in such kinde of seruice nor in seruing such a Master And forasmuch as wee are carnall wee will in such sort serue bodily Masters for the good of our bodies but we will not serue the Lord for the both temporall and euerlasting felicity of body and soule Such like bruit beasts are sure that they haue bodies and they daily feele that they require maintenance therefore are they so labourious for the time present and so prouident and carefull for the time to come but whether they haue soules they are not very sure neither whether they be immortall neither what shall become of them do they much regard From whence then proceedeth this bodily niggardship and spirituall prodigality and dissolutenes that for a crust of bread they will sell the kingdome of heauen but from Infidelity and Atheisme Lastly the poore man that about ten twelue or twenty yeares hence or hee knowes not how soone shall haue a Lordship befall him or some great liuing can in the meane space farre more patiently indure pouertie the hope of inioying the same before his death doth reioyce his heatt in the greatest want and though he be doubtfull whether he shall liue and haue the benefit thereof yet is it no small comfort to him that his posterity shall be raised out of the dust But we poore and miserable wretches being sure that the inheritance promised is not farre off death making a passage and entrance to the same are little or nothing comforted therewith yea though the time of life be almost expired that one foote is euen in the graue already though I say we be so neere to our inheritance yet haue wee no reioycing therein because wee are more in loue with this nasty and muddy cottage than with the glorious pallace of heauen distrust infidelity and the loue of this world doth so deepely possesse our dead and darke hearts Thus much of the dehortation But labour for the meat that endureth to eternall life which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto you for him hath God the Father sealed These words contayne the Exhortation The matter of the exhortation is meate which is declared 1. By the effect or efficacie proceeding from the immortall nature thereof which endureth to eternall life 2. By the Author or Giuer which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto you This Authority and Office of the Sonne is confirmed by the primarie or principall cause thereof that is the Assignement and Designement of the Father according to the euerlasting decree of his counsell in calling him for him hath the Father sealed But for meate Meate in this place is quite opposite and contrary to the former signifying metaphorically in generall all things belonging to newnesse of life in speciall the doctrine of the Gospell For as the body is fed with meate so the soule is fed by the word of God through the efficacy and vertue of the spirit which begetteth Faith in the soule whereby the soule is quickened for of it selfe it is dead therefore seeing that faith is the life of the soule that is well compared to meate which increaseth and preserueth faith and that is the Gospell onely 1 Pet 1. 23. Also the same Apostle saith as Babes desire the syncere milke of the Word It is a known principle in Philosophy ex quibus nascitur aliquid ex ijs pascitur Whereof we are bred thereof are we fed Now our bodies are bred or created out of the great world that is the firmament and the elements therefore are we sustained maintained and preserued by the same till the appointed time of our dissolution euen so our soules are regenerate and borne a new of the word and the spirit not to temporall but to eternall life Which endureth to eternall life These words are the effect of the Gospell The Gospell is such meate as it maketh the soule immortall working in the soule faith of the promises therein contained and an assured hope of the performance thereof in due season This meate being immortall maketh the soule immortall but the other is perishing therefore it cannot free the body from corruption And heerein appeares the difference of these meates First the vertue and strength of bodily food wherewith it feedeth is naturall being infused into it in the creation and continued till the end by generation and production But the vertue and strength of this meate is the spirit of regeneration descending from aboue inlightning and sanctifying whom hee will And as meate without the naturall strength thereof is but a dead corps and cannot feede so the Gospell without the spirit which is the life thereof is a dead letter to him which receiueth the same which killeth but feedeth not for then is it liuely
iustice mercy Heere is matter for the reasonable soule to worke and feede vpon but this is animall bread enduring but to temporall life not quickning or reuiuing the soule to eternall life Therefore there can no bread of life bee gathered out of this world but the liuing bread must come downe from heauen that must quicken and sustaine the soule to eternall life It is liuing bread not onely because it hath life in it selfe but also because it giueth life vnto vs which are dead which worldly bread cannot doe For other bread must come to a liuing stomacke as the matter to the workeman but this liuing bread commeth to a dead stomacke to giue not onely foode but life also to the same which it doth by the spirit which quickneth whom hee will And hee that hath the spirit hath life from whence proceedeth spirituall hungar and thirst and consequently spirituall digestion of Christ the liuing bread but hee that hath not the spirit hath not life therefore though Christ be offered to him yet is hee not quickned nor fedde therewith for the word of God is to him but a dead letter euen as restoratiues and nourishing meates are to a liuelesse corps Therefore let vs not labour for bodily meate pampering and fulfilling too much the brutish appetites of those corruptible carkasses which are a burthen and wearisomnesse to the sanctified soule Let vs rather labour to suppresse the intemperate and inordinate desires and lusts thereof least that obeying them in the lusts thereof wee be transformed into the nature of euill beasts or ciuill Epicures as very many are in these latter euill dayes wherein there are not so many conuerted from Popery to Protestancy as doe reuolt from true Christianity to manifest Pharisaisme to Ethnicall ciuility Epicurisme and flat Atheisme the Deuill catching more this way then escape out of his hands the other way Labour not for the preferments promotions pompes and vaine flourishes of this transitory world all which things are but momentary and being persecuted with enuy and accompanied with inseperable griefe and sorrow affoord no true felicity nor yet hearty reioycing to the possessours thereof Let vs rather labour to curbe these high aspiring thoughts moderating these flying and groundlesse imaginations with sobriety and sad wisedome Labour not for worldly wisedome and knowledge For the wisedome of God in his workes is vnsearchable neither can the ground of his workes be found out So that when wee haue done all this is all that wee haue learned namely that wee now know nothing whereas beeing vnlearned wee thought we knew or might know something and haue onely gotten some discerning of our ignorance and want of knowledge Moreouer whatsoeuer it is it dyeth and perisheth together with the braine not helping forward the soule one haire bredth towards the attainment of eternall blisse for otherwise Satan might haue cause of hope at least some mitigation of endlesse despaire But let vs labour for the meate that indureth for euer whereby our soules and bodies are preserued eternally Let vs labour that we may attaine to the knowledge of God in the saluation of our soules by faith in Christ This is true wisedome Let vs labour for the spirit of Regeneration that wee may bee deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God This is true liberty Let vs labour for the assured hope of our eternall inheritance in the kingdome of heauen This is an euerlasting and true kingdome Let vs labour that wee may bee truely perswaded of the forgiuenes of our sinnes and that we are in the fauour of God This is true comfort ioy delight and pleasures Let vs labour to know God to be our God and protectour which is our safety both from our temporall and spirituall enemies Let vs labour to be partaker of all spirituall blessings from aboue which proeeed from the Father of lights Let vs labour for this meate that is able to make our soules and bodies immortall not like vnto Manna which our Fathers haue eaten and are dead but he that eateth this meate shall liue for euer It is the precious balme that will preserue our soules and bodyes from corruption that they shall neuer see death Which meate the Sonne of man Iesus Christ hath giuen vnto vs euen the Sonne of God incarnate and made man hee is the spence and store-house out of which wee must receiue this euerlasting foode for all the treasures of the Father are hid in him of whose fulnesse we shall receiue and our soules shall bee satisfied with God The Law affords no meat vnto vs it is a destroyer not a Sauiour the Leauen of the Pharisees euen Popery which is a masse and the head of all heresies and Satanicall policies is no meate but poyson And as for bodily meate and drinke which passeth by the mouth into the belly it is of short continuance Neither the Law nor the prudent nor the wise nor the Scribe nor the disputer of this world can affoord any part of this euerlasting food vnto vs. These are drye barren hungry and fainty deserts But Christ is the true Manna that came downe from heauen which who so eateth shall not hunger any more He is the rocke out of which doe flow the waters of life and hee that drinketh thereof shall neuer thirst any more For thus hath God the Father decreed in his euerlasting counsell and called him from all eternity that through the assumption and mediation of the man-hood hee should conuey this immortall meate and spirituall treasures vnto vs. Therefore the bread of life can wee haue from none but from the Sonne for the decree of the Father cannot be altered neither can the calling of the sonne be in vaine There is no wisedome knowledge saluation else-where to be found saue onely in the Sonne the truth of all which things may appeare outwardly vnto vs by his miracles which no man could worke but hee that was sent of God who heereby testified of his Sonne that by beleeuing in the Sonne wee might haue life through him not through our selues nor any other FINIS Mark 7. 21. 22. Heb. 4. 12. Ephes 6. 4. Psalm 119. 96. Psalm 146. 2. 3. Iob. 5. 13. Mat. 5. 16. Eph. 3. 10. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Rom. 6. 13. 1 Cor. 6. 13. 1. Tim. 6. 8. Esay 55. Prou. 8. 3. Hest 5. 11. 12. Psalm 146. 2. 3. 1 Pet. 1. 23. Math. 9. 6. Iohn 3. 13.
his owne conceit for his owne wisedome and prouidence Ezech. 28. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. He that is thus alienated in his heart from the Lord is a fornicator diuorcing himselfe from the Lord adulterating and polluting all the creatures and gifts of God In which kind of vsage both he and they are accursed euen as the Serpent was accursed whom Satan abused to tempt our first parents to sinne Gen. 3. 14. and as the brazen serpent was broken in peeces being abused by the Israelites 2 King 18. 4. In which sence and for which cause they are called wicked Mammon But the body is for the Lord. Euen for God and Christ who in him and by him and through him hath reconciled begotten and married vs his Church to himselfe that being separated from our selues from the world Psal 45. 10. 11. we should onely beleeue in him onely hope in him onely loue him and all things for him yea that we should be so rauished with the loue of his presence as that we should neglect all worldly things and euen forget to eate our bread Hereby we are taught to bridle our inordinate desires and to moderate our cares labouring for worldly things which are fraile vncertaine and corruptible and to busie our selues not so much in the getting of aboundance with continuall vexation disquietnesse feares and sorrowes as to seeke continually to the Lord to sanctifie and establish our hearts with his good spirit to grant vs patience and contentation with that which commeth to vs from his hand and to giue vs wisedome and discretion to order our affaires and so to dispose of the same as may be most for his glory the good of vs and ours and of others especially the godly the care of whose things pertaine to vs also To this purpose let vs alway beare in minde the words of the Apostle 1 Tim. 6. 8. When wee haue foode and raiment let vs be therewith content Vers 9. For they that will be rich fall into temptations and snares and into many foolish and noisome lusts which drowne men in perdition and destruction Vers 10. For the desire of money is the root of all euill which while some haue lusted after they haue erred from the faith and pierced themselues through with many sorrowes Vers 17. Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs abundantly all things to enioy Vers 18 that they doe good and be rich in good works c. Secondly seeing that our bodies are but the vessels and houses of our soules 2 Cor. 5. 1. And that all things serue onely for the sustentation and maintenance thereof wee are heereby taught to make a separation of the spirituall soule from the earthly body and to bee ioyned in spirit to the Lord not liuing to and for the body nor hauing any care to please and satisfie it in the lusts thereof but liuing in to and for the Lord subduing and beating downe the rebellious flesh crucifying euery thought imagination and lust bringing them into bondage and homage to the Lord that the vertues and graces of his spirit may shine forth in our words workes and euen in our persons as the light appeared out of darkenesse and gaue shine vnto the world 1 Cor. 9. 24. 25. 26. 27. Math. 5. 14. Phil. 2. 15. Prou. 4. 18. But alas how short wee come of those duties and how neerely and deerely we are addicted lincked and bound to the body may easily appeare if wee enter into vnpartiall iudgement with our selues examining our daily practice and the continuall course of our liues And comparing our selues as wee are with our selues as we should be wee shall easily see that wee are flesh and not spirit that our soules are the drudges of our bodies and our bodies the drudges of our meate seeing that for the large possessions and plenty of outward things many haue no regard to the body to the safety or health thereof Eccles 4. 8. In the practice of this multitude that followed Christ wee may behold as in a glasse the nature and condition of all earthly men For wee are all of one earth or clay descended of earthly Adam our mindes are full of darkenesse our wills froward our affections sensuall there is none righteous none vnderstandeth none seeeketh after God Rom. 3. 10. 11. All our labour trauel is to satisfie the flesh in the lusts thereof And therein are our paines endlesse and our desires boundlesse But when wee come to take view of our inner man the spirituall and regenerate part wee can see nothing our foules are dead or sicke and feeble for there is no spirituall hunger and thirst in vs after the bread of life the word of God there is no appetite desire care labouring for that because the sensuall body hath brought the soule into captiuity and subdued it to the flesh that with the powers and faculties thereof it should serue the flesh In the tillage and sowing of our ground what paines doe wee willingly take How readily doe wee plow and roote vp briers thistles and other weedes least they ouer-grow and sucke vp the fatte of the earth wherewith our corne should be fed How patiently can wee endure the cold of Winter the stormy blasts of the Spring and the broyling heat of Summer in doing our necessary businesses And when we haue done all what haue we got saue only a little perishing meat for our mortall bodyes But contrarily how little paines doe wee take in breaking vp the fallowes of our hearts in rooting out the thornes and briars of sinne which our nature doth as plentifully and willingly bring forth as the earth doth weedes Wee can well enough endure that the strength of soule and body should be eaten vp and deuoured of the canker-worme of sinne which should bring and shew forth the fruits of the Spirit A corrupt and weedy soile wee are and therefore wee are apt to receiue Satans tares and to cherish the same in vs but the word of life can make little or no impression in vs our cold waterish and heartlesse foules can not nourish the seede of God to bring forth any fruit for his vse In the time of haruest with what ioy doe we reape the fruits of the earth the very sight of our commodities so glads our hearts that hunger thirst sweat ache want of sleepe nothing troubles vs. We loue to be alwaies in the fields redeeming the faire season with losse of our pleasures and ease which otherwise wee know we should want afterward But how carelesse are wee in reaping the spirituall foode of our soules How little pleasure haue we therein We thinke we stand in no neede thereof therefore we goe dully and heauily to that field where the same is to be gathered as though wee came thither by compulsion of law rather than of a willing minde Many exeuses and
in opâ—ration when the receiuer thereof that before was dead is now raised from death by the spirit which as it gaue life to the first Chaos or Masse in the creation so it giueth life to the second confused Masse the naturall man Secondly bodily meate must bee mortified by the body which separateth the impure from the pure conuerting the one into his owne substance and nature but expelling the other as excrements but contrarily the meate of the soule which is the Gospell is not mortified of the soule but it doth mortifie the soule with all the powers and faculties thereof conuerting the soule into the nature and property of it selfe It destroyeth nature it casteth a man out of himselfe separating himselfe from himselfe as a corrupt refuse or excrement As for example Paul counted all things losse for the knowledge of Christ and iudged them to bee but dung that hee might win Christ and bee found in him But what things are they His Iewish priuiledges whereof he maketh an enumeration in the former verses and diuers other things wherein hee excelled many of his owne nation For hee was of excellent education perfectly instructed in the lawes of the Fathers skilfull in diuers languages by profession a Pharisee not luke-warme but zealous touching vertue and righteous liuing according to the Law vnrebukeable Heere is nothing wanting to Paul as hee supposed hee had made his saluation so sure that if hee were not saued hee thought none could be saued But this proud and dead flesh that is without feeling must bee launced cut and eaten away For when as in blinde zeale riding toward Damascus hee was throwne beside his horse being affrighted and astonished with the sudden light that shone about him and the voyce that spake vnto him hee was throwne beside himselfe also Hee fell a Iew he rose a Christian his fall was his spirituall death to his former Iudaisme the miraculous light and voyce of Christ his spirituall resurrection From hence-forward he glorieth not in worldly prerogatiues and Iewish priuiledges hee counts them but losse for Christ and iudges them to be but doung but hee reioyceth and glorieth in afflictions for Christs sake yea hee is content to suffer any thing scourgings imprisonments shipwracks perils of waters of robbers of the Iewes of the Gentiles of false brethren in the City in the wildernesse in the sea to suffer wearinesse painefulnesse watching hunger thirst colde nakednesse stonings fire sword if so bee that by any meanes hee might attaine to the resurrection of the dead Therefore this spirituall meate cures not for wee are past cure there being nothing in vs for medicine to worke vpon to recouer vs withall It mends not for these mildring muddy walls of ours can sustaine no new matter no more then olde vessells can containe new wine or an old garment retaine the new peece of cloth It repayres not for this ruinous building must not bee built vpon but pulled downe yea the foundation thereof must bee razed All mans vnderstanding wisedome reason imaginations will affections and all his goodnesse must be cast vp as vnprofitable rubbish good for nothing but as vnsauory salt to bee cast into the streets for men to tread vpon and a new foundation must be laide whereon he must build a new euen Iesus Christ on whom hee must be founded and out of whom he must grow euen as the building doth artificially grow from and out of the foundation And all other things what shew soeuer they haue of wisedome godlinesse zeale deuotion yet are they but sinne because they arise not from the true foundation which is Faith Therefore this meate transformeth and renueth non superinducens sed inducens nouam formam not putting vpon vs but putting in vs a new forme or shape which must transforme and change the whole man and life of man out of naturall into spirituall out of corruptible into incorruptible out of earthly into heauenly out of temporall into eternall Thirdly bodily meate is mortall therefore it cannot preserue the body for euer but both come to destruction but the word of GOD is immortall seeing that the spirit which is the life and strength thereof is immortall so mortality is swallowed vp of immortality And now Death where is thy sting Sinne where is thy strength Despaire where is thy worme Hell where is thy victory This is the true Philosophers stone that turneth iron euen iron hearts into gold mortall into immortall death into life euen as Lazarus was raised from death to life and as the dead and darke eyes of the blinde man were changed from darkenesse into light Fourthly corporall meate must bee mortified and prepared by our labour and Art but spirituall meate which is the Gospell is as gold purified seauen times in the fire seperated from all impurity much more then gold can bee by the skill of the cunning Alchimist mortifying and preparing vs to conuert vs into the nature of it selfe Wee serue our selues of bodily food but this meate must serue it selfe of vs else wee doe adulterate the same applying it carnally to our condemnation euen as the Iewes adulterated this miracle of our Sauiour making no other vse thereof than to serue their bodily turnes of it the filling of their bellies Note this well for it is the nature and very essence of hypocrisie and carnall gospelling which in these dayes is as rife as euer it was and that in the highest degree For in these dayes as there is much knowledge so is there great abuse of knowledge by hypocrisie and sophistry For men are not onely politicke to couer and hide their filthinesse by dissimulation and apish imitation of certaine words and termes and counterfaite shewes of profession as they are subtile to defend and excuse their wicked and most vngodly doings hauing Scripture and reasons as ready at command as Arrius the hereticke and as the Deuill the Father of cauils and lyes Satan neuer playd his part his Deuills part so kindly as when hee drew arguments of perswasion out of the Scriptures thereby to induce Christ to sinne contrary to the Scriptures Neyther doe hypocrites play their parts so kindely that is imitate their Father the Deuill so naturally as when they transforme themselues into the children of light euen as hee transformeth himselfe into an Angell of light to deceiue This hypocrisie hath taken such deepe rooting and is become so habituall that men are now as skilfull to deceiue their owne hearts as heeretofore they haue bin to deceiue others Let such sophisticall hypocrites take heede how they carnalize the Gospell and profession of religion that is serue their owne turnes of it eyther for profit or vaineglory as the common practise is And as men count themselues the wiser as they deepelier dissemble and blinde the world so much more foolish are they euen the Deuills fooles not considering how that by this way hee serueth himselfe of them Now to conclude this point Bodily foode yea all worldly
cannot be detected by reason of the blindnesse of our mindes and hardnesse of our hearts Heb. 4. 12. Secondly in that after discouery or reproofe he dehorteth them from the loue of this world we learne by his example what we are to doe after that we haue laid open the corruptions of the times in generall and those particular sinnes which particular people are subiect vnto namely in brotherly loue to dehort them from sinne and those especially which are then raigning and ruling and to exhort them to the practice of the contrary vertue And herein ought we chiefly to insist For though the discouery of sinne be necessary to bring men to the knowledge of themselues and their miserable estate and dehortation bee likewise necessary to draw men into the dislike and hatred of sinne yet exhortation preuaileth most to their conuersion and edification The reasons hereof are these First sinfull men being too partiall and fauourable to themselues are apt to deeme the worst of their Pastor discouering and reproouing sinne And hereupon either of themselues or by Satans suggestions they presently frame an argument of resistance or personall segestion This is spoken of malice or of some false informations or of secret euill will c. therefore notwithstanding those great words and neere searching of vs we will not be perswaded to thinke the worse of our selues or former courses Secondly there is in man a gain spurning spirit whereby taking himselfe to be opposed when he is reprooued and dehorted he presently out of dislike falls a making secret contrary oppositions so that much reproouing and dehorting doth kindle and increase this corruption in him and so in the end he is rather made worse than better Those resistances proceed of pride and selfe-loue Againe they that are humane that is of ingenious and free disposition are hereby prouoked to dislike and to anger To this purpose the saying of Paul Ephes 6. 4. may fitly be applied Fathers prouoke not your children to anger c. As if he should say doe not daunt and discourage your children with too much seuerity and rigour least they being prouoked to wrath through your vniust austerity fall to irreuerent murmuring and to contemne your admonitions and threatnings and to harden themselues against you On the other side exhortation presupposeth loue Now whereas the hearers are perswaded of the Ministers loue to their persons as also of his knowledge and iudgement they are by and by made welwilling attentiue and teachable Againe whereas we are better acquainted with vice than with vertue it being naturall familiar and easie with vs exhortation doth not onely mooue vs to practice but also teach vs what we ought to doe bringing vs to the knowledge of our duties and to the remembrance more serious thinking thereof Reprehensions teach not vnlesse obscurely and by consequence but they especially and plainly vnteach Contrarily exhortations as they doe plainly and chiefly teach vs what wee ought to doe so doe they also as plainly teach what we should not doe For as soone as we are taught the vertue we can apparantly and of our selues discerne the contrary vice but being reprehended for vice we cannot so easily discerne the contrary vertue because the one is naturall and the other is of Grace and gotten by industry Thus much of Christs method or order in teaching The matter of the dehortation is Meat Labour not for meat the Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is worke not take no paines for And it signifieth also the worke of the soule study not care not take no thought for Mat. 6. 31. Meate signifieth first bodily sustenance that is whatsoeuer we receiue into our bodies for the increase and reparation of the same till the appointed time of our dissolution Secondly Meate signifieth personall maintenance that is all things outwardly belonging to the body and person of a man as apparell buildings riches honours pleasures and all worldly ornaments and gracements Thirdly meat signifieth naturall wisedom knowledge of arts and morall honesty All which things appeare so glorious in the eyes and imaginations of worldly men that some in the ample possession thereof haue thought themselues to be Gods and many haue forgotten themselues to be but men Notwithstanding all these doe putrifie and rot in the graue there is no vertue or power in them to deliuer the body from the graue or the soule from hell These meats are declared by their adiunct or property perishing The quality of this meate affordeth matter of contempt and consequently of dehortation First bodily meat or sustenance is perishing in two respects First vnlesse corporall food be mortified it is no meate therefore it cannot feed But that it may be meat it must be altered from it owne nature and property and be changed into the nature and substance of our bodies The bodies of beasts foules and fishes that they may be meate must be mortified I. By the shedding of their bloud and other actions pertayning to that trade separating the grosest impure from the pure II. Their flesh must be further mortified by water and fire and other actions pertaining to that trade III. Their flesh must be further mortified by mostication or chewing in the mouth IIII. They must be mortified by generall digestion in the common stomach and from thence must they passe into innumerable parts of the body All which doe mortifie the meat that is sent vnto them separating the impure from the pure conuerting the one into their owne substance and property but expelling the other as an vnprofitable excrement So that mans body is the graue and destruction of all things though in another consideration it be the perfection of all things for as much as it is the Centre of all things and for the sustenance and maintenance whereof the world with the fulnesse thereof was created Secondly bodily sustenance is mortall and corruptible of it owne nature without the body therefore is the purenesse thereof mortall in and with the body So that meat with the body and the body with meat is perishing For if meat without the body were immortall then should it be so in the body and mortality should be swallowed vp of immortality the stronger transforming the weaker into his owne nature In these two respects and therefore in all respects bodily sustenance is perishing Secondly personall maintenance is perishing Riches honors pleasures the estate that is most firmly setled by strength or policy or both are flitting and subiect to dissolution Psal 119. 96. I haue seene an end of all perfection but thy commandement is exceeding large In another place The heauens shall waxe olde as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou change them Nothing there is in this world that lasteth alway but the word of God Innumerable examples hereof might be brought out of the Scriptures and prophane authors but euery mans owne knowledge and experience may teach him that these things are also
perishing Thirdly naturall wisedome deuices and policies are perishing and vaine Psal 146. 2. 3. O put not your trust in Princes nor in any childe of man for there is no helpe in them for when the breath of man goeth forth he shall goe againe to his earth and then all his thoughts perish In another place he saith The Lord casteth out the deuices of Princes and bringeth the counsels of the wicked to naught Iob 5. 13. He taketh the wise in their craftinesse and the counsell of the wicked is made foolish Infinite examples hereof may be brought out of the Scriptures and prophane authors but it were needlesse seeing that euery day we may see with our eyes the fall of these things Therefore seeing that this world and the lusts thereof are vanishing flitting and perishing let vs not too much loue nor labour for the things thereof Our Sauiour Christ dehorteth from caring and labouring for bodily meat by two maine arguments The one is drawne from Gods prouidence Mat. 6. wherein he sheweth that God hath not care onely of great matters as some foolish Philosophers dreamed but euen of the least things For euery thing that hath breath and euery liuing thing is fed of his bountifull hand who like the good master of an houshold giueth meat drinke and all necessaries to euery seruant and child in his house in due measure and season More than that there is not a sparrow that falleth on the earth without his knowledge yea the hayres of our heads are numbred The second maine argument of dehortation is drawne in this place from the mortall and fraile nature of all things within vs and without vs. Now if God in his prouidence doe supply vnto vs all needfull things by such meanes as he offereth to vs and layeth before our eyes continually which he hath commanded to vse and none other and that all farther cares are superfluous and vaine not adding one iot or title to our estates and if so be that those things when we already haue them be corruptible and perishing and therefore cannot free vs in the vse of them from corruption let vs not vexe and disquiet our soules with care and thought let vs not toyle and weary our bodies with labour and trauaile as the heathen doe that know not God nor yet know by what meanes the soule though they confesse it to be immortall is fed and sustained to eternall life Thus much of the matter of the Dehortation Concerning the equity thereof It is not to be vnderstood that Christ here dehorteth vs from labour and trauell in a lawfull calling seeing that God hath giuen euery man some gift for the same purpose and hath prouided both meanes and place for the exercising of the same But his meaning is that we should not so much carke and care labour and trauaile for bodily sustenance and maintenance busying the faculties of the diuine and immortall soule and spending the strength of the body about earthly and perishing things as though God had made all things for vs and vs for our bellies and our bellies to liue for euer Againe he would haue vs hereby to know that as all things are created for the sustenance and maintenance of mans body so the body is made to be a vessell and receptacle of the soule and the soule is made an immortall and spirituall vessell or receptacle of the vertues gifts and graces of the holy ghost which the soule is to shew forth by the bodily members that so God may be glorified both in the soule and in the body therein beholding his owne image and likenesse with ioyfull complaeence euen as the father reioyceth in the sonne and that he may be glorified by the soule and by the body his power his wisedome his goodnesse his mercy shining therein before men Mat. 5. 16. and Angells Eph. 3. 10. For which cause he hath redeemed and sanctified vs 1 Pet. 2. 9. Ye are a chosen generation a royall Priesthood an holy nation a peculiar people that you should shew forth the vertues of him that hath called you out of darknesse into his maruellous light Therefore wee must not set our mindes on earthly things to satisfie the lusts and inordinate desires of the flesh therewith like bruit beasts that haue none vnderstanding but we must with godly care diligence labour and patience seeke and get our liuing by such good meanes and in such a calling as God hath giuen vs power and ability to discharge knowing and remembring alwayes this that perishing meate is not the end of our labours endeauours and proiects but serueth only for the building and maintaining of this Tabernacle of clay wherewith the soule is clothed and to which it is vnited The gathering together of wood stone lime yron lead c. and the building of our houses therewith is not the chiefe end that we ayme at but habitation making the house to serue for our vses and not our selues to serue it euen so meats of what kinde soeuer are but the matter and ornaments of our naturall buildings which is not the chiefe end but the soules habitation or dwelling which maketh her house euen the body to serue for her vse and not her to serue the body The body is nothing else but a shop furnisht with sundry instruments the great World that is the Firmament and the Elements with all things therein contained serue but to afford matter for the building making and maintaining of the shop with the tooles and furniture thereof Now the soule is Gods Apprentice Seruant or workeman doing the workes of God in the same and with the instruments of the same And the works of God are First that we beleeue in him Ioh. 6. 29. that is know and acknowledge him to be our master and Lord creating redeeming and sanctifying vs. Secondly that in this shop and with these instruments members and faculties we doe his will euen those things not which we our selues haue a lust vnto because we are not our owne Rom. 14. 8 but his 1 Cor 6. 19. but what he himselfe hath commanded Rom. 6. 13. Giue not your members as instruments of vnrighteousnesse vnto sinne but giue your selues vnto God as they that are aliue from the dead and giue your members as instruments of righteousnesse vnto God 1 Cor. 6 13. The body is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the body Though fornication in this place doth properly and specially signifie vnlawfull carnall copulation yet it may and doth also signifie the alienation of mans heart from God the creator Deut. 31. 16. and the setting of his affections on the creature Colos 3. 5. This he doth when he maketh his belly that is himselfe his Idoll Phil. 3. 19. Louing only himselfe and all things for himselfe seruing himselfe euen of God and of all his creatures blessings and benefits kissing his hand Iob 31. 27. that is magnifying and delighting himselfe in
things that serue but eyther to feede and sustaine the body or to glorifie the person of the outward man doe no more but bring the body to the graue or earth from whence it was taken but contrarily spirituall foode the word of God doth feede and preserue the soule to eternall life and bring it into the hands of God againe who made it and infused it into the body Secondly this spirituall foode is declared by the Author and giuer thereof which the Sonne of man shall giue vnto you Hee calleth himselfe the Sonne of man not purposely to signifie vnto them that he is the Son of Adam Abraham Dauid Mary but heereby hee intimateth his godhead vnto them recalling them from the view of his man-hood to the consideration of his God-head and of both in the one person of Christ In Math. 9. 6. hee saith The sonne of man hath power on earth to forgiue sinnes Now to forgiue sinne is proper to God alone Heere therefore he plainely confesseth himselfe to be God on earth Againe Iohn 3. 13. hee saith No man ascendeth into heauen but the sonne of man which is in heauen here he manifestly sheweth that he is man in heauen This amazeth the eyes and astonisheth the vnderstanding of the world how hee is God on earth and man in heauen at one and the same time That he was man on earth the world saw yea with contemptuous and scornfull eyes looking onely on his outward appearance Mat. 13. 35. And that God is in heauen it knoweth but it neyther seeth nor knoweth how the God head should be on the earth and the man-hood in heauen much lesse how they both should be vnited in the one person of Christ This difficulty is thus manifested and declared First the body of Christ was formed of the sanctified substance of the Virgin and without the knowledge of man that his reasonable soule might come to an vndefiled vessell instrument or body and that which Salomon speaketh of himselfe Wisd 8. 20. hyperbolically is truly spoken of Christ yea rather being good I came to vndefiled body Secondly the humane soule of Christ was sanctified and replenished with the gifts of the spirit aboue measure to bee a fitting instrument for the God-head And the God-head tooke the manhood vnto it thus preparing sanctifying and furnishing it So that the God-head and man-hood without confusion of the one with the other doe make one person without diuision of the one from the other Now by vertue of this vnion and communication of the two distinct natures that is of the God-head and man-hood with their properties and actions in one person hee being man on earth may be said to be in heauen that is in respect of the person to which the God-head is inseparably communicated which is in heauen and euery where And this is Christ the son of God on earth and Christ the Sonne of man in heauen which I further illustrate by this similitude First the light was before the starre of the Sunne was made For three dayes and three nights were already passed and the starres were made on the fourth day Gen. 1. 14. So the God-head of Christ was before the manhood which was incarnate in the yeare of the world 3962. Secondly the light assumed and tooke this starre to it which both make one Sunne yet is the starre one thing and the light another but by indiuisible vnion of their substances they make one Sunne euen so the God-head tooke the manhood vnto it which both make one Christ yet is the God-head one thing and the man-hood another but by vnion of both in one person they make one Christ Thirdly the body of the Sunne is little at least in our eyes but the light is vnmeasurable comprehending and filling both the Sunne and all things to the vtmost circle of the highest world so the body of Christ is for quantity like to ours but his God-head is infinite comprehending and filling both the man-hood and all things infinitely Fourthly though the body of the Sunne be in the firmament yet wee may say that the Sunne is heere or there because the light thereof is in this or that place yea the vitall power also whereby euery thing doth liue and mooue which is not separable from the Sunne but beeing rooted in the same is deriued and extended thence into all places yet we say not heere or there is the starre of the Sunne not making the starre but the Sunne to be in euery place Euen so though the man-hood of Christ bee now in heauen yet is Christ in earth and all places as himselfe saith Wheresoeuer two or three be gathered together in my name there am I in the middest Againe Loe I am with you till the end of the world Not that the man-hood should be with them on earth as them it was which being ascended and glorified must bee contained in heauen till the day of iudgement but that Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be with them So that to conclude this point Christ God and man in respect of his God-head is euery where and Christ God and man in respect of the man-hood is in heauen and no where else Thus much of the author and giuer of this foode Moreouer this authority and office of the Sonne is confirmed by the principall cause thereof for him hath the Father sealed God the Father decreed in his euerlasting counsell the office of mediation of the Sonne and called him heereunto with an euerlasting calling as hee is the Sonne of God but from the wombe of his Mother as hee is man This is the character seale and expresse image of God wherewith the Father hath sealed him euen all authority and power with all infinite celestiall and spirituall gifts Now this euerlasting calling which is executed in and by the man-hood appeareth to the world by his doctrine and miracles the authority power and maiesty of the God-head shining in his person beeing the splendour and brightnesse of the glory of his Father Seeing that Christ alone is the spence or storehouse of spirituall foode wee learne whether wee are to repaire for bread in our spirituall hunger and thirst Hee alone is the bread of God that came downe from heauen and giueth life to the world Other bread there is but it is not liuing bread This great world is Gods spence or storehouse which affoordeth corporall bread or rather matter of bread which wee gather out of the same and by our Art and industry worke it into immediate foode which so soone as it commeth into the stomacke is fet from thence into euery part of the body for the nourishing and sustaining thereof but this naturall bread is perishing Againe this world affordeth meate for the naturall soule For it is Gods temple or building and all the creatures therein contained are his liuing vessels or instruments doing and working his will And in them appeareth his owne omnipotency maiestie power wisedome goodnesse