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
superstitious Egyptians Chirstians without none within Iewes in the flesh not in the heart Israelites in the letter and not in the spirit who sought praise of men but none of God left very fewe whetstones few swordes that is very few Testamentes and Bibles left fewe Smithes that is fewe builders in Gods Churche among vs least the Protestantes said they make them swordes and speares and so preuaile against vs. O let vs reioyce and be thankful For as Ionathan with one swoorde ouercame the Philistines so Gods ministers by one swoorde the sworde of spirite the worde of GOD haue pulled downe the power kingdome of Antichrist God graunt he neuer rise again in England As waxe melteth at the Sunne as the fat of lambes consumeth before the fier as the heate dryeth vp the clowdes as the Lion goeth into his denne when man goeth foorth to his worke as the Owle flieth to his hole when the day starre appeareth as Dagon fell downe before the arke of the Lord as Bell the Dragon were destroied before the face of Daniell so the mists of Egypt vanished the Lions of Babilon were vanquished the owles of Rome departed the fat greâ—e of Antichriste melted the Gods of that Sunne of perdition were with vs in Englande all destroyed they al come to nothing when it pleased the Lorde too sende his fier his heat his sonne his day starre his ark and his Daniell that is his worde and ministers amongst vs. Let vs then remember howe cruelly we were handeled and reioyce in the Lorde that wee are so mercifully deliuered but I would to God that many were not sory for the departure of this whoore out of England loke you to your selues chiefly O ye merchants For you may seeme to haue most cause to lament for the fall of that great strumpet For thus sayth the Angell The kinges of the earth shal bewaile her and lament for her which haue committed fornication with her they shall cry Alas alas the great citie Babilon that mightie citie but why shall they so lament because saith hee they liued in pleasure with her yea chiefly the merchantes of the earth saith the Angel shall weepe and waile ouer her yea euery ship maister and all the people that occupie shippes and shipmen and whosoeuer trafficke on the Sea shal stande a farre of and crye Alas alas that great citie But why shal merchants and all shipmen crie so Because no man buyeth their ware any more and by that whore saith hee were made rich al that had shippes on the Sea by her costlinesse Bee not sory for her marke what the Angell saith in that place O heauen reioyce of her and the holy Apostles and Prophetes and pray vnto the Lorde that she neuer returne hyther againe When Dagon fel downe before the arke of the Lord the first time hee was not broken hee was set vp the second time but then the head of Dagon and his handes were broken of That whore of Babylon fell downe once in the dayes of king Edward and was set vp again in the dayes of Queene Mary But nowe in the glorious raigne of our Souereigne Elizabeth shee is fallen downe the seconde time not only her head and her handes are broken of but wee hope that all her body is grounde to powder a curse come to him that shall goe about to set her vppe againe Cursed bee that man saith Ioshua before the Lorde that ryseth vp and buildeth this Citie Ierico yet Hiell did builde Ierico but a curse came to his whole stocke and house for it So cursed be that man before the Lorde that shall beginne to builde that towre of Babell that seate of Antichriste in Englande againe But as the Lorde commaunded Ierusalem to be distroied and all the Iewes though Iulian the Emperour did with all his power aide them were not able to build it so the Lord hath throwne downe this whore and we trust that all the kings of the earth all Popes all Priestes all Monkes all Friers all Nunnes shall not bee able to lift her vp againe She was in England a glorious whore a gorgeous whore therefore her desolation is more shamefull she was in England an high whore and an heauie whore Therefore her fal is the greater as Iezabell was hurld out at a windowe eaten vp of dogges only her skull the palmes of her hands her feete remaining the which the seruants of Iehu buried so wee thanke our God who hath throwne downe this great Iezabell and we pray that if any thing of her be left it shalbe buried O let vs then loue embrace the Gospel followe and obey the Gospell and continue in our profession to our liues end I say continue abide endure stand fast be stronge quiet your selues like men You haue put your haÌ„ds to the plough looke not back least you be iudged vnfit for the kingdome of God For not euery one that runneth but he that runneth to the goale hath the garland not euery one that entreth into a ship but hee that goeth ouer the Seas bringeth home treasures not euery one that worketh in the vineyarde but he that continueth working vnto night hath the peny not euery one that fighteth but hee that ouercometh shall haue the crowne To conclude not euery one that beginneth well but that endureth vnto the ende shalbe saued Nowe you follow the Gospell but I feare many are like the snaile who pulleth in her hornes if any man goe againste her Nowe you laboure for the meate of the soule but you are in your houses like the snaile rather theÌ„ you will loose your houses I feare many will fall from their standing I loue the Gospell saith the worldly man but as long as I am in my house that is as long as I haue peace and quietnesse but if persecution come as lice forsake the head when the man is dying as rattes forsake a house that is ruinous or hath no victuall so will I leaue the Gospell if it bring a swoorde or warre or take away my goods All the Apostles forsooke Christe in time of danger and Demas did forsake Paule and imbraced this present worlde But remember this O man Hee that loueth landes liuings or life more then the Gospell it is as true as the Gospell for it is in the Gospell hee shall neuer come to heauen bring hee neuer so manye keyes from Rome in his hande but hee that shall loose life or liuing for the Gospell it is as true as the Gospell for it is in the Gospell shall haue for his liuing a kingdome for his life a blessed immortall euerlasting life in heauen Satan goeth about to winowe you as wheate stande fast in the faith a lawe in your members rebelleth against the lawe of your mindes stande fast in the faith the fleshe fighteth against the spirite stand fast in the faith the worlde plucketh you by the sleeue to looke backe stande
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
harts where he cryeth Abba Father as the Apostle saith because we are sonnes God hath sent forth the spirite of his sonne into our heartes which cryeth Abba father It is a true saying Bona magis carendo quam fruendo sentimus We better perceiue and feele the commoditie of a thing when we lacke it then when we haue it For who doth better consider the benefit of the warm fire then he that is frosen with colde who doeth better thinke on the commoditie of libertie then the prysoner who doeth better remember the vse of apparell then he which is naked who doeth more esteeme of meate then hee that is almost famished for after a long colde winter a little sun shining is fayre weather after great sorowe one dayes pleasure is a paradise after a long bloody warre a little peace is a merye world and after long hunger browne bread is good cheare Now if wee could eyther thinke on their extreame miserie who like the woman of Canaan like hungry dogs would gladly picke vp the crummes that fall from our table and can haue no more of them then the prodigall sonne had of the swines huskes or at least woulde call to minde our owne miserable famine when like poore Lazarus wee lay begging at the rich mans gate dogges hauing more mercy then men and wee no more satisfied then Tantalus with his apples We would no doubt labour to obtaine by Christ not houses or liuings as that Scribe not to bee Lordes and Dukes as Iames and Iohn not to haue belly cheare as in this place the Iewes did but for the meate of the soule which endureth vnto euerlasting lyfe But what was our famine how were we vsed or rather abused Sower leauen was put to our sweete bread Coloquintida was cast into our potage chaf thrown among our wheate sand mingled with our dough amongst our gold there was drosse wee had water for wine brasse for siluer the cuppe of the whore for the cup of the Lord wormewoode for hony gall for Manna the legende for the Gospell wolues for shepheards the inuentions of man for the commaundementes of God man for God Antichrist for Christ the son of perdition for the sonne of GOD. Agayne the worde was deliuered vnto vs in a straunge tongue that neither we could tel how to daunce when they blewe the pipe nor how to behaue our selues in battaile when they did sound the trumpet neither the vnderstanding was bettered nor the congregation edified nor the vnlearned at the giuing of thanks coulde say Amen but they were Barbarians to vs and we Barbarians to them Furthermore the common people might not reade the worde they might not once taste of that heauenly foode vnlesse the Priestes had first chewed it in their own mouths whose mouths were full of bitternesse whose throates were open sepulchres whose teeth were venomous whose tongues were ful of deceite vnder whose lippes was the poyson of aspes who did eate vp the Lords people as bread whose feete were swift to shedde the blood of Saints but right deare in the sight of the Lorde is the death of his Saintes But why might not the people reade the word taste this meate they forsooth gathered damnable errours and sucked out thence deadly poyson Because our Sauiour sayde it is giuen to you to know the secreetes of the kingdome of heauen but to them it is not giuen Because hee sayd again giue not that which is holy to dogges neither cast ye your pearls before swine First I aunswere that Vzza for putting forth his hande to holde the arke when the oxen did shake it died before the Lorde that Vzziah burned incense and was therefore stroken with a leprosie because they vsurped the offices of the Priestes and Leuites contrary to the expresse commaundement of God But if this was spoken to all and be the dutie of all Christians searche the scriptures I do not only say wo vnto thē because they shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men they themselues will not goe in nor suffer them to goe that would enter but I exhorte them to remember the blinde zeale of Christes Disciples in forbiddinge children to come vnto him rebuked suffer little children to come to mee and forbidde them not the blinde zeale of Ioshua requesting Moses to forbid Elead and Medad to prophecie reprehended I would to God that all the Lords people were Prophets The blinde zeale of Iohn willing Christ to forbidde one to cast out deuils in his name misliked suffer him hee that is not against me is with me The blind zeale of Nadab and Abihu because they offered straunge fire condemned who because they offered not that fire which came from heauen but straunge fire were deuoured of fire An euerlasting fire is reserued for those which haue troaden vnder foote the doctrin that came from heauen haue brought in straung doctrine which neuer was in heauen As that fire so this meate came from heauen in this they differ that fire endured onely to the captiuitie of Babylon but this meat endureth vnto euerlasting life Wherfore though Peter or Paule though Gabriel or Michael Cherubim or Seraphim teach any other thing thē that we haue receiued of the Lord who came downe from heauen and brought this meate from heauen let him be accursed as I said before so I say again if any of these bring any thing besides that which we haue receiued of the Lord let them and euery one of them be accursed Secondly I answer that though the spider doe gather poyson where the Bee doth suck hony yet there is no poison in the sweet flower but the corrupt humour that is in the spyder doth turne the sweet iuyce into poison so there are no errours nor heresies in the word of god but the corrupt venomous nature of man doth turn the comfortable sap of Gods word into deadly poyson Now if the spyder gather poyson let not therfore the Bee be driuen from the flowers though the sons of Satan doe gather errours and suck that which vnto them is poison yet let not therfore the children of GOD be forbidden to sucke mylke which shall saue their soules Christ is put both for the fall and also for the rysing agayne of many in Israell he is a rock to buylde on and hee is a stone that will grind to powder if the Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost it is vnto some the sauour of death vnto death to other some the sauour of life vnto lyfe It is not giuen to them to knowe the misteries who are they to whom it is not giuen it followeth that people whose heart is waxed fat whose eares are dull of hearing who winke with their eies least with their eies they shoulde see and heare with their eares and vnderstand with their heartes and should returne that I might heale them The Gospell
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