for then to hypocri es that fay, we have cift out Devils and preached in thy name, he fhall fay, Depart from me, I know je not, Matthew the feventh chapter.

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Secondly, Note how powerfull this perfwafion is,to make us avoid vain glory, and the de fire of it. Here Chrift faith, non habetis mercedem, ye have no reward: In the next verse he faith, you have your reward, habetis mercedem, to fhew, that the worldly reward is nothing in refpe& of the heavenly reward that God will give; Gods reward is by grace in this life, for to them that forfake father and mother, he promifeth an hundred fold, Matthew the nineteenth chapter and the twenty ninth verfe; Then by glory in the world to come,the glory of a Kingdome, Luke the twelfth chapter, It is my Fathers pleasure to give you a kingdome: Than which glory none is greater; and theretore he will lay, Come ye bleffed, poffeffe the kingdome. Secondly, fuch a Kingdome as fhall be void of all affl on, that might take away glory, I know the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory to come, Ramans the eighth chapter. And howsoever no Kingdome is fo glorious, but either eye ha hfeen or care hath heard, or at least, the heart may conceive of a Kingdom of move glorie; yet fuch is the glory provided for them, that by well doing feek the praife of God, and not of men, as neither eye hath feen, the first epiftle to the Corinthians, the second chapter and the ninth verfe. So that if we knew the gift of God, John the fourth chapter; if it would please him to open the eyes of our minde, that we might fee the excellencie of the Heavenly reward, Ephefians the first chapter and the eighteenth verfe; and the bafeneffe and uncertainty of the worlds gift, we would not only, not defire, but even carefully avoid and be afraid of the worlds glory, and would abhor the defire of it, as a thing not only injurious to God, but hurtfull to our felves.

John 6. 17. Operemini non cibo qui perit, fed cibo illi qui permanet in vitam æternam, quem filius hominis dabit vobis: bunc enim Pater obfignavit, id eft, Deus.

Novemb. 6.

1598.

Hefe words are the beginning of that long Sermon which Chrift made concerning the bread that comes down from Heaven; the occafion whereof was the flocking of the multitude to Chrift, for that they had been partakers of the feeding of the loves; and for that Chrift faw them so earnest in seeking after muterial bread, he takes occafion to put them in minde of a more excellent bread which they should labour for: For whereas the names of the good things in this life, were given to fpiri ual things, As the gadlineffe is gain, the first epiftle to Timothy, the fixt chapter, That to be rich

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in good works is true riches, the first epiftle to Timothie, the fixt chapter and the eighteenth verte; That to be decked with virtue is the beauty that doth indeed adorn both men and women, the first epittle of Peter the third chapter and the fourth verie. It appeareth that howloever these corporal bleffings doe carry the names of good things, yet they are not fo truly called; but the truth thereof is comprehended in fpiritual good things, whereof the good things of this life are but shadows. Chrift by that water which the Samaritan came to draw, took occafon to fpeak of the water of life; whereof whosoever drinketh fall thirst no more, John the fourth chapter and the fourteenth verfe. And by the bread which the Capernaites fought after, took occasion to stirre them up to feek for the bread of life. So fhould we from the outward things, which we enjoy for the maintenance of the life present, gather fpiritul meditations of true good things neceffary to the life to

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Secondly, Thefe words depend upon the former verfe; Wherein Chrift fecing them flock unto him, faid, Ye feek me not because ye fam the miracles, but for that je eat of the loves. Upon which words as he concludes with this exhortation, Labour not for the meat, &c. So before he gives them this counsell, he fets down the reproof. Where Booze chargeth his fervants concerning Ruthe, that they should let her gather and not rebuke her, the word lignifieth to confound or put to thame, Ruth the second chapter and the fifteenth verfe; the realon is, because we are all afhamed of reproof. Chrift, though he had no wounds by finne, was contented to be baptized, as if he had been a finner; but we that have the wounds and fores of finne, cannot abide the plaister of reproof, but think it a shame to be rebuked when we offend. But Chrift before he counfels them, doth think good first by reproof to put them to shame : And it is a fhame to bem in two refpects. First, That in the heat of their Religion and devotion, when they would feem moft devout, Chrift chargeth them with hypocrifie, Tefeek me not for the miracles, that by them ye may beleeve, but for the meat. Secondly, They are put to fhame the more, for that he doth not lightly touch them, and glance at their hypocrific, but doth accuse them in vehement and earneft manner, Verily, verily, I say to you, the twenty fixt verfe; but Christ doth rebuke hem for another end. How foever it be a good effect that men be made afhamed of their finne by reproof, yet is it not the last end: Chrift doth it not to confound, but rather to amend them; and therefore exhorts them, that they should chiefly labour for the meat that perifheth not, as the A. poftle in one place faith, hoc loquor ad pudorem, the first epistle to the Corinthians the fixt chapter and the fitt verfe, doth cliewhere fay, I write not these things to Jhame you, the firit epistle to the Corinthians the fourth chapter: So Chrift to thefe men faith, I speak not this for your confufion, but for your amendment. So that albeit they were guilty of hypocrife, yet not defperate hypocrites; for Chrift had fome hope of them, and therefore ceafeth not to exhort them.

Again, Chrift might only have exhorted them, and not used any reproof 3

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reproof; but he in wisdome thinks it meer, first to reprove them for their fault, and then to fhew them how to amend it. Pride is the caufe why many good exhortations have no fucceffe. While men think it needleffe they fhould be rebuked, they are like the proud Pharifees that defpifed the counsel of God, Luke the feventh chapter and the thirtieth verfe. But Chrift to make manifeft to them, that they need counfel, doth firft fhew them their hypocrifie: We are ready to juftifie our felves in all things; our corruption is fuch, that we are ignorant of our own finnes, which made the Prophet to say, Cleanfe me from my fecret finnes, Pfalm the nineteenth: We take them to be no finnes, wherein we greatly offend God: Whereupon the Prophet faith, Cor hominis infcrutabile eft, Jeremiah the feventeenth chapter, only God, being greater than our heart, knoweth all things, and is able to difcover all our finnes, the first epiftle of John the third chapter: Therefore we are to pray to God, to open our eyes, that we may fee the neceffity of exhortation. The people that followed Chrift fhewed two zeals One was to make him King, The other to feek him, but both proceeded from one caufe, becaufe he fed them. Chrift faw both thefe Zeals, The one he rejected utterly, and would not be made King But he corrects the other zeal; he forbids them not to feek him, but wills them to feek him for this end, That from him they may receive the bread that endures to life everlasting.

The reason why Chrift would not be honoured, was of two forts. Firft, For that is a flender honor, to honor God for temporal things; for as the Ifraelites did honor God while he fed them with bread from Heaven and gave them water out of the rocks, but so soon as they wanted either of them, then they murmured:So when God continueth his temporal bleffings upon men, fo long he fhall be heard; but when his benefits ceafeth, then his honor ceafeth. Therefore he rejecteth this honour partly in regard of his own felf, but chiefly for our cause: For howfoever it be lefs honourable for Chrift to be honoured for outward bleffings; yet the chief caufe why he rejeâeth it is because it is leffe profitable for us. They were defirous of temporal blefings, which he did beftow upon them: But yet he is defirous to bestow upon them fpiritual bleffings, which, as they are better for them, fo defies greater honor.

The exhortation, arifeth out of the reproof, which is concluded in it: The matter of it is reduced to fix points, Firft, Cibus bic perit. Secondly, Et quæritur tamen. Thirdly, Cibus eft qui non perir. Fourthly, Et Cibus hic non quæritur. Fiftly, That meat is to be defired which endureth for ever. Sixtly, This bread is to be had only in the Sonne of man for, it is be whom God the Father hath fealed.

For the firft point. Whereas there are two fignifications of life; the one life it felf, or the fubftance; the other the joy of life, which is the life of life; the bread of both thefe lives doth perifh; that which keepeth and maintaineth the fubftance of life, doth perish: For albeit the Ifraelites did eat Manna, which was the bread of Angels, yet of them Christ faith, Your fathers eat of it, but dyed John the fixt chapter;

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for when God takes away the staffe and strength of bread, it hath no more power to preferve life. So that man liveth not by bread of it felf, for it perifheth. Whereas bread hath two powers, the one to fa tisfie the hungry ftomach, the other to restore the body being weak we fee it lofeth both thefe powers: the power of fatisfying doth not continue; for though a man fatisfie himfelf never fo much with it to day, yet to morrow he will crave more, and his stomach will waxe emptie. As for the power to restore, albeit during health, it strengthneth mans heart, yet if once fickneffe come, it hath no power to reftore ftrength. Secondly, Whatfoever maintains the joyes of life, that perisheth alfo, for the world paffeth away and the fashion thereof, the first epistle to the Corinthians the feventh chapter, and the first epiftle of John the second chapter, and whatsoever may make mans life joyfull. The pleasures of this life, which are the caules of our joy, are tranfitory; and though they could continue with us, yet we our felves muft paffe away and leave them; yea even while we may take the pleasures of this world, yet old age will approach, and the dayes wherein we fhall fay, y have no pleasure in them, Ecclefiaftes the twelfth chapter and the first verse.

Secondly, Though this bread decay, yet our Saviour telleth us, that men are fo foolish, they gave themselves wholly to feek it. And that this is true, will appear, if we look upon our actions, either civil or religious; If we confider either the care we take for this life, or the diligence we ufe in Gods fervice. Of the first care we have an example in Martha, against inordinate care of this life: Our Saviour rebuketh Martha, who was troubled about many things, Luke the tenth chapter; and fo we doe rife fo early and take fuch pains for this life, Pfalm one hundred twenty leven, that is the fervice of Baal was more painfull, than the service of the true God. So we take more pains in the fervice of the three Gods of this world, the first epiftle of John the second chapter, than of the true good: The fame appears if we confider our care in matters of Religion: Wherein we must confeffe, that our fpecial joyes are in the things of this life, and for the bread ofit. Thefe men whom Chrift here reproveth, were not about their Trades, but occupied in a matter of Religion, then to hear Chrift and to fee his miracles and yet we fee that under colour of fowing to the fpirit, they did but fow to the flesh, and make provision for the fame, Galatians the fixt chapter. And howbeit Maries part be the berter, and the actions of religion more excellent than the actions of this life, yet they feek their own thing's and not the things that are Gods.

Thirdly, There is a bread that doth no: perish. Chrift commends the care of fpiritual things under them four: First negatively, Labour not for that bread which perisheth. Secondly affirmatively, Labour for that which endureth; This life doth not laft for ever: but after this life there is another life, which shall be everlasting : And as it is a life, fo there is a food for it, which we must labour for: without which we fhall not attain to that life, no more then we can continue in life here, unleffe we have the food appointed for it, Apud te fons vite, Xxx 2

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Pfalm the thirty fixt, and with him is fulnesse of joy,Pfalm the fixteenth. Now we have the one life and the joyes ut ir, our of the confideration of the Creature; but then we shall have life and joy from Godthe C cator, who is the fountain of joy and life. Therefore howfoever we labour in this life to lay up treafure for our ourward maintenance, yet we muft chiefly take care for the life to come, and lay up for our fouls a good foundation, the first rp ftle to Timothie the fixt chapter; but the following of the good things of this life doth hinder us from this care. We are like the Ifraelites that cared not for the promised bread, because they had the flefl pots in Egypts, fo as they could be content to have turned thither: So it was with the two tribes and half; who for that they had convenient pasture for their Cattel on the other fide of Jordan, cared not for travelling into the land of Canaan, Numbers the thirty fit charter. Another hindrance is, the labor and trouble that must be fuffered, for the purchafing of eternal life. We have a spiritual fluggishneffe,like the floithfull perfon whom Salomon fpeaketh of, He would fain have had broad, but was loth to labour for it It was cold and there was a Lyon in the way, Proverbs the twenty fecond chapter. So the great trouble and danger that must be born, doth keep us from fecking the bread of eternall life, as the Ifraelites faid, The Land is a good Land, but the People are many and strong, Numbers the thirteenth chapter, and fo had no luft to feek to enter into the land of Canaan: So we confeffe that eternall life is the better, but we have fo many comforts in this life, and finde it fo troublefome to attain to the other life, that we leave off all care for it, and content our felves with our prekat ftate: The trouble and danger that ftayeth us from fecking life eternal, is that which the Scripture fetteth out, All that will live godly in Christ Jefus, must suffer perfecution, the fecond epiftle to Timothy the third chaprer. By many tribulations we must enter into the kingdome of Heaven,cts the fourteenth chapter And the way is narrow and the gate freight that leadeth to life, Luke the thirteenth chapter.

To take away the first hindrance, the holy Ghoft fheweth, that there is a better life and greater joyes referved in the life to come, The ege hath not feen, the eare hath not heard, the first epistle to the Coristhians the fecond chapter. And, that the other fhould not hinder us, he faith, All the afflictions in this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be revealed, Ramans the eight chapter. In both which places we fee God would kindle in us a defire of eternal life: As there is a life that endureth, fo there is a meat for it. We know the body needs bread, therefore we feek for bread for it: fo muft we seek for the food ofthe foul. The joy of the body must be a memorial to stirre as up, to provide food for the foul.

Fourthly, This food we doe not feek: We are fo intangled in the pleafures of this life, that we think not of eternall life; the pleafures of this life, while we enjoy them, doe quench the care of the life to come: But being once paft, they are as nothing, and we are never the better for them; though we defire eternall life, yet we per

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