A spirite hath not flesh bone as you see mee haue Somtime carnall lustes and affections as whatsoeuer is borne of fleshe is fleshe somtime it doth signifie the whole man body and soule as all fleshe shall see the saluation of GOD that is mankinde and againe I will powre out of my spirite vpon all fleshe that is men And so in this place the worde was made flesh that is man Damnable therefore is the heresie of the Maniches who helde that Christes bodye was brought from heauen and put into the virgins womb damnable also is the heresie of the Arrians who saide that his body was made of nothing and that he had not his flesh of the virgin Athanasius willeth Epictetus Bishop of Corinth to ioyne these wordes of the Angel in Matthewes gospell that which is conceaued in her is of the holy Ghost with these wordes of the Angell in Lukes Gospel that holy thing that shalbe born of thee shalbe called the sonne of God Christe was conceaued in her therefore his body came not from heauen Christe was borne of her therfore his body was not made of nothing Secondly he doth cal himselfe the sonne of mā signifiyng that he was subiect to al infirmitity that happē to man sin only excepted For he was hungry he was thirstie he was werie he sorowed he wept he did sweate water blood he suffered the most vile and approbrious death the death of the crosse Lastly hee calleth himselfe the sonne of man as though he were acounted the vilest man in the worlde Beholde I who was borne in a stall laide in a manger poore needy contemned whome they call the Carpenter and the Carpenters sonne beholde I the sonne of man will giue euerlasting life vnto you Nowe if the sonne of man doth giue euerlasting life howe is it that he made this answere to Iames and Iohn to sit at my right hande and at my left hande is not mine to giue but it shall bee giuen to them for whom it is prepared of my father Againe he shall say Come ye blessed of my father inioy you the kindome of my father He saith not my blessed nor my kingdome but blessed of my father and the kingdome of my father and in the fifth of Iohn hee saide I can doe nothing of my selfe Wherfore if he cannot giue to sit at his right or left hande if the kingdome bee not his if he can doe nothing of himselfe how doth he heare promise euerlasting life he saieth blessed of my father the kingdome of my Father I can doe nothing of my selfe because he woulde as man giue to the father all the glory My father hath appoynted these thinges to giue before the beginning of the world I am not now to bestow thē they shalbe giuen to them for whom it is prepared of my father But yet this is true as many as receiued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name We are sonnes by nature so we are the sonnes of Adam we are sonnes by discipline so we are the sonnes of Christ we are sonnes by adoption and so we are brothers to Christ and sonnes of God Heare doe the Papists gather that euerlasting life is due vnto vs by desert because by labouring or working for the meate of the soule we get euerlasting life I purpose not to entreat of the controuersie Christ doeth take away all doubt in these words following whē he saieth that hee will giue this life for whatsoeuer we haue of gift that is not of merit They are opposite as Paule saieth By grace you are saued through fayth and that not of your selues it is the gift of God yea by euill workes we deserue death and by good workes we deserue life according to the Maxima of the Logicians But if I followe Paule I must deny the argument for the wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is euerlasting lyfe through Iesus Christ our Lord. Moses did shewe vnto the Iewes the lande of promyse but hee could not bring them into it that was left for Ioshua euen so the law is a scholemaister to bring vs to christ it cannot purchase euerlasting lyfe that is left for Iesus whose office it is to giue euerlasting life and therfore he was sealed of the Father and this is the confirmation taken from the office and functiō of Iesus christ he saith of himself I came not into the world to iudge the world but to saue the world He came not as Herod thought to put him out of his kingdome not to giue Dukedomes and Lordshippes as Iames and Iohn thought not to restore the earthly kingdome to Israell as his Disciples thought not to be a King as the Iewes would haue made him not to call the righteous as the phariseies thought but sinners to repentaunce as we all beleeue For to this purpose hath his father giuen to him his seale he hath sealed him Hereby wee are able to answere all obiections that the deuil al the kingdome of hell is able to lay against vs and say if God be on our side who can be against vs it is christ that iustifieth who shall condemne vs. Hee hath the broad seale of his father to this purpose who can disanull it by this seale we are sealed also as the Apostle saieth grieue not the holy spirite of God by whome ye are sealed vnto the day of redemption by outward exercises we may doubt of others but by this seale the prynte whereof is in our hearts we may assure our selues of euerlasting lyfe Doest thou sacrifice thou doest well so did Abel and so did Cain doest thou prophecie so did Samuell and so did Saul art thou baptised so was christ and so was Simon Magus dost thou cōmunicate so did Simon and so did Iudas dost thou pray in the temple so did the Publican and so did the Pharisie therfore the holy Gost is a seale authentical in our own hearts wherby we may examine try and proue our selues whether we be the sonns of God or reprobates Caine had a marke to be known Esau being rough was known from Iacob being smoth the Lord hath a mark for his enemies and the Lord knoweth who are his The Gileadite by Shibboleth was knowne from the Ephraimite by Shibboleth the 500. valiant men by lapping water like dogges were known from the cowardes who kneeled lapped as Rahab was knowe by binding a red corde about her window as they were saued that had the letter tau on them as the Angell passed from them that had the blood sprinckled on their postes as they were not hurt that had the seale of God in their foreheades so we are known so we are saued so the Angell doth passe from vs so we are not hurt which haue the seale of the holy Gost in our hearts wherby we can
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
TWO SERMONS preached the one at Paules Crosse the eight of Ianuarie 1580. The other at Christes Churche in London the same day in the after noone By Iames Bisse maister of Art and fellowe of Magdalen â—â—lledge in Oxenford ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas Woodcocke 1581. To the right worshipfull Syr Iohn Horner and Syr George Rogers knightes Iames Bisse wisheth grace mercy and peace from GOD our father and from our Lorde Iesus Christe WHen I had preached these two sermons right worshipfull diuers of my friendes requested a Copie of them the which they craued earnestly at the last I graunted hardly I had small leasure to pen my Sermons for them and thought it lesse honestie and as little curtesie to denie them But when through importunitie they had gotten the vpper hande and receiued my Sermons at my handes they went presently after a viewe taken of them vnto the Printer to haue them published They vsed many reasons to persuade me to yeeld therevnto but but when they coulde by no reason moue me to agree to their attempt they protested that my Sermons shoulde bee printed though I were neuer so vnwilling they hauing the copies in their handes in the ende wheÌ„ I could nothing preuaile with them but perforce was constrained to yeelde to the publishing of these my Sermons I Purposed as duetie moued mee to commend and commit them vnto your worships to whom I doe acknowledge my selfe diuers wayes much bounden and the rather was I mooued to hide them vnder the winges of your worships protection because your fauour in mainteining the Gospell your zeale to Gods worde the regard that you haue of Gods Ministers is knowne not to mee only who haue often times perceiued it but to all theÌ„ which although they know not you yet both know do acknowledge your good deedes The Lorde powre downe his spirite plentifully vpon you kindle more more in you the true zeale that alredy burneth increase the loue and good affection which you haue toward the gospel that you being pillers in the Church of Christ militant may also bee pillers in his Church triumphant And thus desiring your worships to accept this my simple and rude worke with my humble commeÌ„dations to you and to the vertuous Ladies your wiues I bid you hartily fare well from London this xix of Ianuarie 1580. Your worships to commaâ—ndâ— in the Lord Iames Bisse Iohn 6. 27. Labour not for the meat which perisheth but for the meat that endureth vnto euerlasting life Which the Sonâ—â— of man shall giue vnto you for him hath God the Father sealed DAuid a King and a Prophet a man after Gods owne heart the first liuely branche of the roote of Iesse of whose seed Christ was made according to the flesh vpon whose throne he doeth and shal sit for euer although he were a worme and no man the outcast of the people a Pellicane in the wildernesse an owle in the desert a sparowe without her mate alone vpoÌ„ the house top yet as the heart desireth the water brookes so longed his soule after the meate whiche endureth vnto euerlasting life being more precious vnto him than thousandes of gold and siluer sweeter than hony vnto his mouth and the honycombe vnto his throte For though the plowers had so plowed vpon his backe and made long furrows though the Lord so had troden downe his soule vpon the earth and layd his honour in the dust though his God had so exalted the horne of his enimies making them to ryde ouer his back that he as it were entring into the kingdome of desperation did cry then haue I clensed my hearte in vaine in vaine haue I washed my handes in innocencie and againe will the Lord absent himselfe for euer wil he be no more intreted is his mercie cleane gone for euer and is his promise come vtterly to an ende for euermore What will he now forget to bee gratious and shutte vp his louing kindenesse in displeasure Yet notwithstanding when hee had beene in the sanctuary of the Lord and so knewe the ende of his enemies and the causes of those thinges he was filled with marow and fatnes his head was annointed with fresh oile his cup was ful because he had dronken plentifully of the water of life and eaten abundantly of the bread of heauen For as Iohn did eate not a leafe only but the whole booke as Ezechiel did eate not a peece but the whole role the which booke and role were sweet as honie in their mouthes But the booke made Iohns bellie bitter and the role brought heauinesse to Ezechiels spirite that is the word brought vnto theÌ„ both peace to the conscience from the Lorde but warre to the bodie from the world So Dauids whole delight was in the law of the Lord his God to muse and meditate thereon too exercise and practise himselfe therein both day and night all dayes nightes of his life Whose good and godly example wee must followe in labouring for meate if wee will haue the crowne of life if wee will eate of the tree of life if we will eate of manna that is hid if we will haue that whitestone in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth but he that receiueth it if wee will stande in the middest of the paradise of GOD if wee will bee cloathed in white aray if wee will haue our names in the booke of life if we will be a piller in the temple of God and neuer goe out if we wil haue written vpon vs the name of God and the name of Ierusalem if wee will come to mount Syon to the citie of the liuing God to the coelestiall Ierusalem to the companie of innumerable angelles to the assembly and congregation of the first borne which are written in heauen to God the iudge of al to the spirits of iust and perfect men to Iesus the mediatour of the new tastament to the blood of sprinckling that speaketh better thinges then the blood of Abel For all other meates perish they with vs and we with them O then labour not for them only this meate the foode of the soule doth endure vnto euerlasting life it with vs and wee with it O then let vs all labour for it The children of Israel did eate Manna in the wildernesse but they are al dead Manna was not to bee founde on the sabboth dayes Manna was full of wormes and stanke Manna ceased when they had eaten of the corne in Canaan Manna was kept in a pot for the posteritie But is was no where to bee founde in the dayes of Solomon But they that are fedde with this bread shall neuer dye it is to be founde at al times it neuer putrifieth it neuer ceaseth for it doeth endure not to death but to life and that to euerlasting life Hee that drinketh of the water of Iacobs well shall thirst againe
trespasses leade vs not into temptation deliuer vs from euill are also for the spirit and soule Onely this giue vs this day our dayly breade is for the bodie and not for foode of bodie onely but for meate of the soule Ceres the goddesse of corne and bread is placed in the lowest roome of the heathen Gods and Goddesses and her daughter Proserpina was married to Pluto king of hel Let Ceres bread bellie and bellie cheere be last and least accounted of vs. As for her daughters they are not virgines to be married to the great kinges sonne but harlots to be married to Belzebub king of hell Tertullian saith that although God after the flood did permit the vse of flesh yet to his people hee inhibited the vse of certaine meates consilium exercendae continentiae a counsell practise to exercise their continencie vii sonnes with their mother were by that horselech bludsucker Antiochus most cruelly put to death because they would not eate swines fleshe agaynst the commaundement of the Lord. Moses refused to be called the sonne of Pharaos daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt Daniel woulde not defile him selfe with the portion of the kinges meate nor with the wine that he dranke he would haue nothing but pulse to eate and water too drinke O yee adulterers and adulteresses sayth Iames knowe yee not that the frendship of this worlde is enmitie with God Iohn sayth if any man loue this worlde the loue of the father is not in him Lay not vp your treasures therfore on earth where the moth fretteth the rust kankereth the theefe breaketh thorowe and steale but lay vp your treasures in heaueÌ„ where there is no moth to fret no rust to kanker no theefe too breake thorow and steale For is it not a great folly to lay thy tresure in an Inne doubtfully wheÌ„ thou maist lay it in thine own house safely folly to lay it in an house which together with thy treasure thou shalt leaue behind thee certainly not in that house whither thou shalt go find thy treasure assuredly and abyde therin perpetually the fashion of this worlde passeth away the heauens and the earth waxe olde as doth a garment O let vs then get that which endureth vnto euerlasting life The heauens shal passe away with a noise the elements shal melt with heate the earth and 〈◊〉 works therin shalbe burnt vp o let vs then labour for that which the fire cannot consume which wil saue oursoules froÌ„ euerlasting fire If we would thinke vpon our name that we are christians we would vnles we should prooue our selues to be reprobates not so much labour for this bellie meat First let vs remeÌ„ber that in our baptisme we forsake the world the flesh the â—iuel for baptisme signifieth not only the death and resurrection of Christ bâ—â— that we must dye to sin and liue in newnes of life How shal we saith Paul that are dead to sin liue yet therin Knowye not that al we which haue bin baptized into Iesus Christ haue bin baptized into his death we are buried then with him by baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised from the dead to the glory of the father so wee should walke in newnes of life SecoÌ„dly as thou art a christian remember the estate of thy lord maister here on erth Doest thou brag of thy blood thy progenitors thy house stock thy maister came as of a pure so of a poore virgine espoused to a poore carpenter who for lack of mony could haue no roome in the Inne who did offer to the Lorde a paire of Pigeons because he was not able to buy a lamb Ierome noteth that only poore sinfull women are named by S. Math. in the genelogie of Christ as Ruth a poore Moabitis pore Mary the carpenters wife to signifie howe Christ did vouchsafe to come of poore womeÌ„ came into the world to redeeÌ„e pore sinful persons doest thou brag of the countrye Adam was made out of Paradice and Euah in Paradice yet the Diuell hadde more power ouer her then ouer him they had both one name Adam reed earth for this name Adam was not giuen by God only to the man but also to the woman Thy maister was not borne in Ierusalem whither the wise men came but in little Bethlehem as it was prophesied Doest thou glory in thy houses buildings courtes pallaces Thy maister was borne in a manger the foxes haue holes and the birdes haue nestes but the sonne of man thy Lorde had no where to rest his heade on Doest thou boast of thy bagges thy coffers thy welth When thy maister woulde haue payed tribute Iudas bagge was emptie Peter must run and fetch a peece of monie in the mouth of a fishe Doest thou desire to be well spoken of to haue the good will of the world There were generally iii. diuerse opinions of Christ one which flesh and blood could not reueale that he was Christ the sonne of God an other of ignorance that he was Elias Ieremie Iohn Baptist or one of the prophets the third was of mallice that hee was a glutton a drunkard a bon companion a friend to Publicans and sinners a coniurer a woorker by Diuels But what sayth he Woe bee vnto you when all men speake well of you Why For so did their fathers to the false Prophets But reioyce when they speake euil of you for so did they to the true Prophets reioyce and great shalbe your rewarde in heauen Finally if you be a christian remember the resurrection of thy mayster Iesus Christ and what of that if you be risen with Christ sayth Peter seeke those thinges that are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God I would to God we were as prouident and carefull to prouide foode for our soules as brute beastes are vigilant and paynefull to lay vp foode for theyr bodies The Emmot doeth lay vp in sommer foode for winter Istuc est sapere sayth Syrus in Terence non quod ante pedes modo est videre sed etiam illa quae futura sunt This is wisedome not to see those things only which lye before our feete but to fore see thinges that are to come But as the fishe called Vrlica feedeth alwayes on a stone and being taken from the stone dyeth presently so we doe so cleaue vnto to stones vntoo earthly thinges that wee account life lost if they bee taken from vs or wee from them Nay I woulde to GOD wee did not thinke these corruptible thinges to bee meete meate and sufficient food for our soules and say with the rich mans soule thou hast much goodes layde vppe for many yeeres liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime
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