IN the former part of this chapter, the Euāgelist declareth that the people followed Christe into the wildernesse, where they be­ing fed with fiue loues and two fishes, Iohn did not only acknowledge him to be that Prophete that should come into the world, but also would haue taken him and made him a King. He sheweth like­wise that the nexte day the people by ship passed ouer to Capernaum, where they fyn­ding [Page] Iesus, and maruelling at his strange kinde of comming thither (for they knewe that he came not in the same ship with his Disciples, and that there was no other shippe there for him to passe in) demaun­ded of him when he came thither, saying: Master, when camest thou hither? to whom Iesus answering sayde, verelye verely I say vnto you, yee seeke me, not bycause you sawe the myracles, but bicause yee eate of the loaues and were filled. &c. In which wordes two things are generally to be considered: the one is, the question of the people: the other, the answer of Chryst. In the questiō of the people, there are thrée things especi­ally to be noted: theyr inconstancie: their flatterie: & their curiositie. In the answere of Chryst, there is a reprehension, and an exhortation: the reprehension is this: Verelye verelye I say vnto you, yee seeke me, not bycause yee sawe the myracles. &c. the exhortation is this: Laboure not for the meate which perisheth. &c. of these poyntes I will speake (by the grace of GOD) as bréefly as I can.

The first thing therefore that I note in [Page] this question of the people, is their incon­stancie, the whiche that aunciente and learned Father Chrysostome gathereth of this, Chryso 6. Ioan that when as the day before, after they had béene filled with bread and meat, they esteemed Chryste as a Prophete, and woulde haue taken him and made him a Kyng: now hauing him in theyr presence, they neyther so greatly magnifye him, neyther offer vnto him anye kingdome at all, but rather beginne to doubte of hys omnipotencie and power, as thoughe they had vtterly forgotten hys former myracles.

Auncient and learned interpreters doe ascribe this inconstancie of the people to two chiefe and principall causes: The one is, bycause the people (for the moste part) respecte onely those things that are present, and are moste commonly allured wyth presente commoditie or pleasure. An other is, bycause the people are oftener moued wyth affection than reason, and ledde wyth fansie rather, and opinion, than with sounde proofes and certayne knowledge: and such motions as spring of [Page] present commoditie, and are grounded on­ly vpon opinion, be but momentane and sone passe away. Therefore sayth the wise man in the .27. c. 27. of Eccle. Homo sapiens in sa­pientia sua permanet sicut Sol, stultus autem v [...] luna mutatur. A wise man continueth in his wisedome constant as the Sunne: but a foole is altered and chaunged euen as the Moone. By a wise man he meaneth suche as are guyded with reason and knowledge: by a foole he vnderstandeth, not those that lacke the vse of reason, and be voyde of wit, but those that folow affection rather than rea­son, and are caried away with opiniō and fansie, not with sure proofes and certaine knowledge: the whiche thing bicause the people (for the most part) do, therfore are they called the vnlearned and vnstable mul­titude. And these be the causes why they are so greatly delighted with noueltie, so readie to embrace euery strange and new kynd of doctrine: these (I say) be the causes why one and the selfe same thing and per­son, can not long please them: but whom to day by praising they extoll vp into hea­uen, to morowe by dispraysing they caste [Page] downe into hell.

Of this so great inconstancie, we haue a notable example, and a manyfest patern in this people that we haue now in hand: For the selfesame people that followed Chryst into the wildernesse, & from thence ouer the sea into Capernaum, Iohn. as it is euidēt in this Chapter, shortly after (as it appea­reth in the same Chapter) vtterly forsooke him, saying. Durus est bic sermo: quis potest eum audire? This is a hard saying: who can a­bide to heare it? only bicause he taught thē not suche things as pleased their fansie, and serued their fonde affection. And the same people which immediatly after their eating with him did acknowledge him to be a Prophet, and had a reuerent opinion of him: shortly after (as it is also to be seen in this Chapter) spake contemptuously of him, saying: Is not this Iesus the sonne of Io­seph, whose father and mother wee knowe? as though they shuld say, is not this Iesus the Carpenters sonne? what do we make so great account of him? Againe the peo­ple that spake here so louingly vnto him, and salute him by an honorable title, cal­ling [Page] him Rabbi: in the .8. [...]. 8. Chap. of his gos­pell speake most slaunderously and oppro­briously of him, calling him Samaritane, and saying that he had a Deuill. And whō they in this sixt Chapter, woulde haue ta­ken and made a Kyng if he had not con­ueyed himselfe from them: in that eyght Chapter they would haue stoned to death, if he had not withdrawne himselfe out of their company. To be short, the same peo­ple that in his iorney from the Mount to­wardes Hierusalem so ioyfully receiued him, with spreading their garmentes and boughes of trées in the ways, and saluting him with a moste honorable salutation, crying Hosanna to the Sonne of Dauid. &c. not long after, [...]h. 21. preferred a murtherer and a seditious person before him, & with might and mayn cryed out, that he might be cru­cified. And this is the inconstancie euen of that same people, among whome Christe himselfe was conuersant: whome he so diligently taught, and in whose presence he had wrought so many and notable myracles.

[Page] Of the like inconstancie the Apostle S. Paule had experience: for y ^e Galathiās who were so greatly affected towardes him when he first preached the Gospell amōgst them, Gal. 4 that if it had bin possible (as he himselfe doth testifie) they woulde haue plucked out their eyes and giuen them vnto him, within a whyle after (being seduced by false prophets & contentious teachers) contemned and despised him. Hereby al­so it came to passe, that the Corinthians were deuided into so many factions, why­les some sayd, 1. Cor. they helde of Paule, some of Apollo, some of Cephas, and some of Christ. The like inconstancie appeareth to haue bin in the people at all times, and in all a­ges. Let the ecclesiastical histories be per­used, and it wyll easely be proued, that there was neuer Heretike so horrible, nor Schismatike so pernicious, but that they had numbers of the people to follow thē: euen of the selfesame people that before embraced the true and sincere doctrine o [...] the Gospell. Therfore the Apostle Sainct Paule doth forewarne his scholer Timo­thie hereof, and as it were, arme him a­gainst [Page] this temptation, saying: Erit tempus cum sanam doctrinam non sustinebunt. [...]. 4. &c. The tyme shall come when they wyll not abide wholesome doctrine, but they whose eares doth itche (that is, whiche are delighted with nouelties and newe inuented opini­ons) shall heape vp to themselues teachers according to their owne desires, euen suche as will satisfie their fansies, and applie themselues to their humor.

My meaning is not to condemne al the people of this crime, I know there be ma­ny both constant and godly: but I speake of the most part, and I declare that, which most commonly commeth to passe. It is reported of one Polycletus a cunning I­mage maker, that he framed two Ima­ges, the one according to arte, the other according to the opinion of the people: and whē he had finished them, he brought them foorth to bee séene of the passers by, that he might heare their iudgements of them: it came to passe (contrarie to hys expectation) that the Image made accor­ding to arte, was praysed euen of the peo­ple, and the other dispraysed. Whereat [Page] Polycletus marueling, sayde vnto the peo­ple, At (que) bane quam tantopere laudatis ego feci, eam quam vtuperatis vos fecistis: this whyche you so greatly commende I my selfe made, that whiche you so discommende, you your selues haue made: meaning that he made that whiche was made according to arte, and that the people made that, which was framed according to their fansie. So that sometime it may happen that the people iudge aright, & mislike their former fan­sies, though it bee most rarely. I speake this for two principall causes, the one is, that no man depend vpon the iudgement and opinion of the people whiche is so in­constant and variable: for (as Basill Basil. [...] ad ado centes. sayth) he that wil study to please the people, had néede to be like vnto that Sophister of E­gypt whiche coulde transforme himselfe when he listed, into any kind of forme or shape. The other is, to admonish the peo­ple of GOD to take heéde of this crime whervnto they are so naturally inclined: not to be caried away with euery winde of doctrine: not to be delighted with suche teachers as study to satisfie their foolishe [Page] affections, least it proue true that is com­monly sayd, Incertam scinditur studia in con­traria vulgus: the vnstable people is easelie drawen into contrarye opinions: least also that saying of Chrisostome be verefyed. Populus est quiddam ad instar fluctuum maris, [...] varia & pugnante sententia saepenumeròiacta­tum: The people is like to the waues of the sea, oftentimes tossed with diuers and con­trarye opinions: But rather to bée con­stante in the truthe that they haue em­braced, to holde fast the Gospell that is and hath bin truly preached vnto them, alwayes remembring that whyche the spirite of GOD speaketh to the Church of Philadelphia: Tene quodbabes, ne alius ac­cipiat coronam tuam: [...] 3. holde fast that whyche thou hast, be contente with that doctrine that God of hys infinite mercie hathe opened vnto thée, least if thou béest not therewith contented, but séekest for farther nouelties, that whyche thou haste bée taken from thée, and gyuen too some other that shall more thankfully accepte it, and be better con­tent with it.

[Page] The seconde thyng that I note in thys people, is their adulation and flat­terie, the whiche the most and best in­terpreters do hereof gather, that the people by asking Christe this question, doe insinuate, that they maruayle at this straunge manner of comming thither: the whiche they doe to this ende, that they might seme to be commenders and praysers of hys vertues and miracles, and maruelters at hys doings, and yet their ende was nothing lesse. In thys manner dyd the Disciples of the Pha­risies assault him, when they came vnto him with the Herodians to demaunde whether it were lawfull to giue tribute to Caesar, or no: they called him Master, they sayd that he was true, Math and taught the way of God truely, and had no respect of per­sons: in words they pretended that whych they thought not in hart, and that is the nature and propertie of all flatterers. For it is truly sayd that Adulator omnis est virtutis inimicus, & quasielauum figit in oculo eius cum quo sermones confert. &c. A flatterer is an enimie to vertue, and dothe as it were [Page] fasten a nayle in his eyes with whome he tal­keth, and stoppeth his eares with waxe, least he shoulde eyther see, or heare the truth. It is most certaine that flatterie hathe al­ways these companions wayting on it: Subtiltie and deceit: the blinding of him that is flattered: a note of seruitude: and the banishment of all honestie. S. Augu­stine sayth that Adulator est crudelis & fal­lax: a flatterer is cruell and deceitful: a flatte­rer is a present frend, & an absēt enimie: which vndoubtedly is founde to be moste true in diuers of the people: for howsoe­uer in presence they seeme to commende or reuerence, especially those that be in authoritie, yet in their absence they are delighted to heare and to speake all euill of them. It is most certaine that Andro­nicus the Emperoure was wont to saye. Vulgiaures insectatione aliorum quàm collauda­tione magis delectari, epb. [...]. & iniurias quàm rectè fac­ta liben [...]iùs legere, quamuis illas prolixamenda­cia ven [...]itent, haec verò lux veritatis antecedat: The eares of the common people are more delighted with the dispraise and discommen­dation of other, than with their praise and [Page] commendation, and had rather heare of their euill, than of their good deedes, although the one be vttered neuer so falsly, the other neuer so truly verefied. Hereof we haue too great experience in these our daies: for if a man in some congregations commend the ma­gistrates and suche as be in authoritie, if he exhort to obedience, if he moue vnto peace, if he confirme the rites and orders by publike authoritie established (though he doe it neuer so truly, neuer so learned­ly) he shall scarcely be heard with paci­ence: nay, he shall be sente away with all kind of opprobries and reproches: but if he nip at superiours, and reproue those that be in authoritie (though they be ab­sent and not in place to heare) if he shall inueigh against lawes and orders esta­blished, and talke of matters that teud to contention rather than edificatiō (though it be done neuer so vntruly, neuer so vn­learnedly, as commonly it is) they flocke vnto him like bees, they estéeme him as a God, they extoll him vp into heauen, euen as the Corinthiās and Galathians some­time did their false prophets and conten­tious [Page] teachers: and yet notwithstanding do they colour and cloke this peuish and sinister affection with dissembled gesture, countenance, and words, when they be in the presence of those that may hurt them, or do them good: and I would to God they did not deceiue some, whose office and du­tie it were, rather to suppresse this fonde affection, than to nourish it, especially sée­ing that it tendeth to two principall e­uils: disobedience towardes the magi­strate, and flat Anarchie. But I may not stande vpon this poynte, onely I note it being therevnto moued by the writings of such learned interpreters as expounde this place.

The thirde vice that I note in thys people, is theyr curiositie, whyche appeareth in that they propounde so vayne and friuolous a question vnto Chryste. The vanitie of the whyche question Cyrill setteth foorthe in these wordes: Althoughe thys question (saythe he) signifyeth some affection of loue, yet is it but vnprofitable and childishe: neither oughte they to haue demaunded so vayne [Page] and vnprofitable a question of him, Clrill in Ioan. whose diuine power and vertue they had experi­ence of: and what profite could come vnto them by asking this question? Therefore wise men are to be asked wise questions, and si­lence is better than vnskilfull talke. VVhere­fore the wise man saythe, Eccles. if thou be asked a­ny wise question, answere, if not, lay thyne hand to thy mouth, that is, keepe silence: thus farre Cyrill. Whereby he vtterly condemneth the vayne curiositie of thys people in demaunding so friuolous a que­stion. The Apostle Sainct Paule, spea­king of the like curiositie, commaundeth his scholer Timothie that he warne those that be preachers, ne aliter doceant, that they teach no otherwise, than the Apostle be­fore had taught: that is, that they broach no new or vayne opinions: and to the people he willeth him to gyue warning, ne attendant fabulis. &c. 1. Tim. [...] that they giue no eare to fables and genealogies that neuer haue ende, but ingender questions rather than the edifying of God; which is in fayth: that is: that they giue no eare to vayne and con­tentious teachers and doctrines, whyche [Page] tend not to edification but to contention. And in his .2. [...]m. 2. Epist. 2. chap. he sayth, f [...]ultas & ineruditas quaestiones respue. &c. auoide foo­lish and vnlearned questions, knowing that they ingender strife, porrò feruum Dei non opor­tet esse pugnacem, the seruant of God must not be contentious: In which place the Apostle speaketh against such teachers as sought to win credite vnto themselues by broa­ching newe opinions. And in the .1. epist. to Timo. and .6. [...]im. 6. chap. he sheweth the fruites that come of such questions. ex quibus (saith he) nascitur inuidia, contentio. &c. of the which there commeth enuie, contention, cursed spea­king, vaine conflicts, euill suspitions. &c. And therefore well sayth Tertullian in his booke De praescript. [...]tullian. aduersùs haeret. Nobis curiositate o­pus non est post Christum Iesum, nec inquisitione post euangelium: cum credimus, nibil desyder amus vltracredere, hoc enim prius credimus, non esse quod vltra credere debeamus. VVe neede not to be curious after we haue receyued Chryste Iesus, nor inquisitiue, after that we haue re­ceyued the Gospell: when we beleeue, we de­sire not to beleeue any more, for this we first beleeue, that there is nothing more that wee [Page] ought to beleeue. And in the same booke, shewing what discretion is to be vsed in mouing of questions, speaking of these words, Quaerite & inuenietis, Idem. seeke and ye shal find, he saith: ratio dicti huius in tribus articulis consistit, in re, in tempore, in modo: in re, vt quid sit quaerendum consideres: in tempore, vt quando: in modo, vt quous (que) igitur quaerendum est quod Christus instituit, vti (que) quandiu non inuenis, & vs ti (que) donec inuenias: The reason of this saying doth consist in three poynts: in the matter: in the time: and in the manner: in the matter, that thou consider what it is that must be inquired of: in the tyme, that thou consider when it is to be inquired of: in the manner, as how farre it is to be inquired of: we must inquire of those thinges that Chryste hathe appoynted: so long as thou hast not found them: and vntill thou hast founde them. Therefore sayth Chrisostome, Vbi sides, Chrysos [...] nulla quaestio­num vtilitas est, quaestio namque fidem tollit: where fayth is, there is no neede of que­stions, for questions destroye fayth. And all this do the auncient fathers speake of suche questions as are moued to stirre [Page] vp strife and contention in the Churche of Christ where the Gospel is truly prea­ched, and the sacraments rightly admini­stred. Here therefore is first condemned the vayne curiositie of the scholemen, who haue pestered their volumes, & troubled the Church, partly with vaine and fri­uolous, partly with wicked and impious questions: with vayne and friuolous que­stions, as these and such lyke: VVhether the Pope be God or man, or a meane betwixt both? whether the Pope may be sayde to be more mercifull than Christ, bicause we reade not that Christ euer deliuered any soules out of Purgatorie, as it is saide the Pope to haue done? whether God can make of an Harlote, a virgin? whether such a number of Angelles may be conteyned within the compasse of a mans nayle? with infinite other of the same sorte, wyth wicked and impious questi­ons, as these: whether God in the beginning could haue made the world better thā he did or no? whether he could haue created mā so, that he shoulde not haue sinned, and why he did not? whether God coulde beget a sonne, and after what sort? with such like. Of the [Page] which, & of al other like vnto them, Chri­sostome giueth this censure & determina­tion. Quid si periculosum est de his quae ille ma [...] ­dauit curiosiùs indagare, Chrisost 1. Rom. extremum (que) supplicium curiosis est propositum, quamnam tandem defen­sio [...]m [...]abituri sunt, qui ea curiose perscrutātur: quae sunt [...]is multò & secretiora, & honorabilio­ra, verbi gratia, quomodo Deus filium generault? &c. If it be dangerous to inquire curiously of those things which God hath commaunded, and extreme punishmēt is prepared for those that be curious: what defense can they haue, which curiously search those things, that are much more secret and honorable than these be, as, how God could beget a sonne? &c. And I would to God this vaine curiositie had only occupied the scholemē, and conteined it selfe within the Popish church, I would to God it had not inuaded this Church al­so: nay, I would to God it did not muche more troubled the church of Christ now, than it did in that time, for as much as thē it was only among those that were lear­ned: now it hath inuaded the commō peo­ple, most vnapt persons to deale in suche causes. For nowe it is a question among [Page] them, whether, if a man be certeinely per­swaded y ^e he is moued with y ^e spirit, it be lawfull for him to do any thing that is cō ­trary to the expresse cōmandemēt & worde of God, as to kill? which once to imagin, is extreme wickednesse, & it is a méere Ana­baptisticall fansie, neither is it the spirit of God, but the spirit of the deuil that moueth such cogitations: for the spirit of God mo­ueth a man to nothing that is contrary to the worde and commaundement of God. Likewise, it is now disputed at euery ta­ble, whether the magistrate be of necessitie bound to the Iudicialles of Moses, so that he may not punish otherwise, thā it is ther prescribed, nor pardon any offence that is there punished: which is most absurd, and contrary to al those places of scripture that teach vs the abrogatiō of the law: besides, it is contrary to the opinion of all learned men: and some of them (as namely M. Cal­uine) do cal it a seditious opiniō, as indéede it is: for it tendeth to the ouerthrow of all, or at the least of the best cōmon wealthes that are now in Christendome. Moreouer it is doubted whether the magistrate is to [Page] be obeyed for cōscience sake, or no: though the Apostle S. Paule hath flatly determi­ned the matter in the .13. to the Romaines where he sayth Oportet esse subditos, non solùm propter iram, Rom. 1. sed etiam propter conscientiam: we must be subiect, not only for feare of punish­ment, but also for conscience. And the cōtra­trary doctrine must néedes roote out of the heart of the subiect, true obediēce. It is al­so doubted, VVhether the magistrate may pre­scribe any kinde of apparell to the Minister, without doing vnto him some iniurie: which is too too much to strengthen the authoritie of the magistrate. To conclude, it is nowe called into controuersie, VVhether the chil­dren of Papists and excommunicated persons (notwithstanding their parents be Christians, and cannot amittere baptismum, lose their bap­tisme, as it is determined by S. Augustine against y ^e Donatists) ought to be baptised. And whether the minister be of the essence & being of baptisme, & none to be counted mini­sters but such as be preachers, so that whosoe­uer hath not bin baptised of a minister, of a precher, is not baptised? the which questiōs & o­ther such like, spring out of y ^e scholes of the [Page] Anabaptises, and tend to the rebaptizati­on of all, or the most parte of those that at this day are liuing. With these and such like questions, partly impious, partly vaine and friuolous, is the Churche of Christe at this day maruellously trou­bled: and men so occupie themselues a­bout them, that they neglect those thinges that perteine to their saluation, and for­get due obedience. Yea, it is come to suche extremitie, that if any doe withstande them in these questions (as they must be withstanded, for the wise man sayth, an­swer a foole according to his foolishnesse, [...]. 26. least he seeme to himselfe wise: and Basill sayth, that we must answer cauilles, least we by silence seeme to confesse them to be true) he shalbe compted a worldling, a flat­terer, a Papist: neither shal any thing be omitted, that may sound to his reproche. But on the other side, if any man consent vnto thē in such opiniōs, though he be an vsurer, an whoremōger, an extorcioner, a royster, a swearer. &c. yet shal he be cōpted zelous, & godly. I haue therfore to exhort all that be godly in deede, to take héede [Page] of thys curiositie, knowing that it hath alwayes bene counted of all learned men a manyfest note and token of a conten­tious nature, to make such stirres, and to moue suche controuersie about externall things, in that Church where the gospel is truly preached, and the Sacramēts rightly administred. And thus much of y ^e first part of this text, that is, of y ^e questiō of y ^e people.

The seconde parte is the answere of Christ, wherein (as I sayd) is contained a reprehension, and an exhortation. In the reprehension there are two things to be cōsidered, the maner, and the matter. The manner of reprehending is noted of Chry­sostome in these words: Chrysos [...] Modestiùs coargu­it. &c. He doth modestly reprehend them, for he doth not cal them bellie Gods, or epicures, he doth not vpbrayde them with so many mi­racles which they neither followed nor mar­uelled at: but only he sayth, Amen Amen dico vobis, verely verely I say vnto you. &c. This modest kynde of reprehending the Apostle teacheth his scholer Timothie, when he sayth, Argue, increpa, exhortare cum omni leni­ta [...]e amp; doctrina: 2. Tim▪ improue, rebuke, exhort with [Page] al lenitie and doctrine. And in y ^e first to Ti­mothy the .5. Tim. 5. chap. teaching him how to vse himselfe in reprouing all sortes of men, he saith, Seniorē ne asperèd obiurges, do not bitterly rebuke an elder. &c. and yet there is a time & place, where and when the preacher of the word of God may vse sharp and seuere re­prehēsions: but this is no place to speak of this thing: we haue rather now to consider y ^• matter, than the maner, the matter that is reproued, than the maner of reprouing.

First therefore he doth couertly reproue their flatterie (whereof I spake before) as it is noted by y ^e best learned interpreters, for he answereth not directly to their que­stion: they asked him when he came thi­ther, and he answered them, that they ra­ther sought his meat than himself: so that he reprehendeth their adulation and flat­tering kind of questioning with him, wherby he declared that he nothing at all estée­med of the commendation of the people, or regarded their opinion of him: A worthy & necessarie lesson for al men to learne, es­pecially such as be in authoritie (to wit) y ^• they open not their ears to flatterers, nor [Page] hunt after popular fame & cōmendation. Well saith Ambrose: Prospiciendum est ne adulantibus aperiamus aurem, Amb. De. offic. lib. 1 emolliri enim adula­tione, non solùm fortitudinis non est, sed etiam ig­nauiae esse videtur: VVe must take heede that we giue no eare to flatterers, for to be moued with flatterie is not only no pointe of valiant­nesse, but an euident signe of a cowardly and dastardly minde. Chrysostome speaking of this sinister affection, saith that it is an vn­tolerable drunkennesse, and that whomsoeuer it hathe subdued, it maketh him almost incu­rable. In the same place he compareth it to certaine Images, which are gorgeous and beautifull without, but emptie and vayne within, and therfore he saith that such flat­tering commendation may aptly be called vayne glory, quia nihil in se habet aut clarum aut gloriosum: bicause it hath in it no substāce nor pith. In the same placè he earnestly de­horteth both ecclesiastical and secular per­sons from this vice: ecclesiatical persons, bicause it driueth thē from the truth, & cas­teth thē into errour, it ingendreth in them pryde and arrogancie, the roote and mo­ther of all sectes, schismes, contentions, [Page] and heresies. For while the people com­mende their life and doctrine: whilest they call hypocrisie, holynesse: arrogancie, simplicitie: wrath, zeale: disobedience, con­science: schisme, vnitie: wordes, matter: ignorance, learning: darkenesse, lyght: it so puffeth vp the myndes of their tea­chers with an opinion of themselues, that they dare be bolde to propound any thing, so that it tast of noueltie, & please the peo­ple, though it tende to the disturbance of the Church, the contempt of Magistrates, and the breache of good lawes and orders. Therefore by the olde Canons it was de­créed that those Clearks, which either flat­tered themselues, or gaue eare vnto flatte­rers, should be deposed without hope of restitution.

And as it worketh this effect in men of the clergie in matters Ecclesiasticall, so doth it worke the like effecte in ciuill per­sons in matters ciuill. For it breedeth in them Ambition, the roote of rebellion and treason. It moueth them, not to be content with their state and calling, but to aspire to greter dignitie, and to take those things [Page] in hande which commonly turne to theyr ruine and destruction. And in whome hath not popularitie wrought these effectes? or who euer fell into these inconueniences, but such as first were prouoked ther vnto by the flattering of the people? But my meaning was not to speake much of this matter: this only I thought good to note, and to admonishe all (but especially those that be in authoritie) by the example of Christe, not to giue eare to flatterers, nor to be delighted with the commendation of the multitude.

An other thing that he reroueth in the people (which is in déed the chief and prin­pal) is, that they sought him not with that mynde, nor to that end, that they ought to haue done: and therefore he sayth, verely verely I say vnto you, ye séeke me, not bicause you haue seene the miracles, but bicause you haue eaten of the breade and are filled: as though he shoulde say, ye séeke me not a­right, ye seeke me not to learn of me those things that pertaine to eternall life: but you seeke me to haue your bellies filled▪ an euident argument hereof is this, that [Page] you are more moued with yesterdayes sa­turitie, with yesterdayes bread and meat, than with all the miracles that I haue wrought among you, and all the exhortati­ons that I haue made vnto you: and ther­fore you séeke not me but your selues. In the person of this people, Christ reproueth all those that séeke him not aright, y ^t séeke him not with a sincere affection, but for some worldly respect and cōmoditie. Such was Simon Magus, who ioyned himselfe to the Apostles, was baptized and preten­ded great zeale, onely that he might gaine something therby, as it is euident in the .8 ct. 8. of the Actes. Suche was Demas also, of whom the Apostle speaketh .2, Tim. 4. Tim. 4. De­mas hath forsaken me, imbracing this present world. Such are they whose religion con­sisteth in words, not in workes: in conten­tion, not in peace: in contempt, not in obe­dience: who vnder the pretence of zeale, séeke their own libertie: vnder the colour of religion, séeke confusion: and with the shadowe of reformation, cloake and couer their vsurie, their ambition, theyr myn­des desirous to spoyle the Churche. All [Page] which Chryst in the .xiij. of Mathew, Math. 1. com­pareth to the stonie grounde, wherein the séede being sowne prospereth for a time, so long as there is any moisture, but when the Sun waxeth hote, and the moysture is dryed vp, then doth the séede wither away, and becommeth vnprofitable: euē so they (while there is any moisture left, that is, as long as they can hope for any commo­ditie to come vnto them by the professing of the Gospell) séeme to passe all other in zeale, but when the sunne waxeth hote, & y ^e moisture is dried vp, so that they cā suck out no more gaine, but must now suffer & indure persecution for the Gospell sake, and léese that they haue, they waxe mar­uellous cold, and suffer the séede vtterly to decay. It is most truly said of Saynct Au­gustine, Boni ad [...]ocvtuntur mundo, Aug. lib e [...] ciui [...]. [...] cap. 7. vt fruan­tur Deo: Good men vse this world, that they may enioy God: that is, Good men may en­ioye & vse the commodities of this world so, that therby they may be more able to do their duetie towards God. Mali autem con­tra (saith he) vt fruantur mūdo vti volunt Deo: [Page] contrariwise euill men will vse God, that they may enioy the world: that is, they will pre­tende religion & godlynesse, that they may gaine thereby some worldly commoditie. Suche there haue bene in this Church of England euen within our memorie, who whilest there was some commoditie to be looked for by the dissolution of Monaste­ries and such like places, were bitter eni­mies to the Pope, and pretended to be ear­nest professors of the Gospel: but the same men afterward (whē this hope was past, and the time nowe come when they must suffer for the Gospell, and leaue that whi­che before they had gottē) did not only not professe it,, but persecuted those that were professors. And may there not be suche (thinke you) at this time, who woulde not séeme only to fauour the Gospell, but ve­ry earnestly to séeke reformation, onely bicause they sée the newe platforme tende to the spoyle of Colledges, Churches, By­shoprickes. &c. whereby they suppose that they might procure vnto themselues no small aduantage? Surely it is to be thou­ght that if they were once frustrate of this [Page] hope, the waywarde and contentious zeale of many would soon decrease. And how shuld we otherwise iudge of diuers, who being scarsly as yet deliuered frō y ^e suspition of Pa­pistrie in matters of substance, woulde now séeme to condemne this church of imperfec­tion, bicause it retaineth some accidentes v­sed in Papisme? or of those, who when as they could neuer abide such as haue hither­to faithfully planted and preached the Gos­pel in this kingdom, would now séeme fau­tors and patrones of those that are wholly occupied in disturbing and disquieting the peace of y ^e Church? or of those, who hauing in them no sparkle of godlinesse, being drū ­kards, swearers. &c. being (I say) of so large a conscience towards themselues, yet are so precise in other mens doings, that they can not abide to haue thē wear, no not a square cap? we may say vnto them as Christ sayd vnto the Pharisies: Ye hypocrites, Math ye stumble at a strawe and leape ouer a blocke: ye straine at a Gnat, & swallow vp a Camell. I feare it may be truly verefied of this time that Augustin Augu [...] spake of his time: Quam-multi hodiè non quae­runt Iesum, nisi vt illis benefaciat secundùm tēpus: vix quaeritur Iesus propter Iesum: propter carnem [Page] quaeritur, non propter spiritum. Many in these dayes seeke not Iesus, but onely that they may gaine some thing by him for a time: Iesus is not fought for Iesus sake, he is sought for the flesh, not for the spirit: That which Chrysostome spake of this people, which then onely con­fessed Christe to be a Prophet, when he had filled their bellies with breade and meate, O gulae incredibilem auiditatem, [...] maiora his miracu­la, & quidem innumera operatus est Iesus, ne (que) vn­quam confessi sunt, nisi nunc exaturati: O incre­dible greedinesse and gluttonie, Iesus did grea­ter miracles than this, and that a great number, and yet did they neuer confesse thus muche of him, but euen now when their bellies are filled. Euen so may we say to suche like kinde of men: O ye couetous persons, and desirous of the spoyle, we haue taught you more ne­cessarie pointes of doctrine, than these that are now preached vnto you: we haue exhor­ted you to repentance, and to amendment of life: we haue taught you the true doctrin of iustification, the true and right vse of the sacraments: we haue confuted the errone­ous and damnable pointes of Papisticall doctrine, as transubstantiation, the sacrifice of the Masse, Purgatorie, worshipping of [Page] Images, praying to Saincts, the Popes su­premacie, and such like: and you haue not beleued vs, nor harkned vnto vs. But now that we begin to teach you these things that tende to your own commoditie, and to con­tētion, you magnifie vs, you commend vs, you make vs Gods, nay, you make vs De­uils, for you so puffe vs vp w ^t vaine glorie, that we know not our selues. O gulae incredi­bilem auiditatē, O vnsatiable desire to spoile, O couetousnesse: non quaeritis Iesum propter Iesum. &c. you seeke not Iesus for Iesus sake, ye seeke him for the fleshe and not for the spirite: non quaeritis iustitiam propter iustitiam, sed prop­ter crapulā: yee seeke not rightuousnes for righ­tuousnesse sake, but for the bellies sake. Ther­fore séeke Christ, not for any temporal com­moditie, but for himself: least it be as truly said of vs as it was of the Iewes, yee seeke me, not bicause ye haue seene the miracles, but bicause ye haue eaten of the bread and are filled And thus much concerning the reprehensi­on that Christ héere vseth.

Now foloweth his exhortation: Labor not for the meat that perisheth, but that remaineth to eternall life. By the meat that perisheth, our sauior Christ vnderstandeth al those things [Page] which pertaine to this life temporall: by the meat that endureth to eternall life, he compre­hendeth all those things that be spirituall, & wherwith the soule is nourished to eternall life. He doth not here forbid men to labour for these things that pertaine to this life tēporal, but he admonisheth them to preferre those things that belong to the life eternall. It is a negatiue by comparison, which doth not simply denie, but in the way of compa­rison. So when he sayd to Martha, Martha thou troublest and busiest thy selfe about many things, [...]. but ther is but one thing necessarie. &c. he dothe not condemne in Martha hir dili­gence in receiuing of him, or the office of ci­uilitie whiche is to be exhibited towarde straungers (for it was commended in Abra­ham Genesis .xviij. [...] 8. and is prescribed vn­to vs Heb. 13.) but he teacheth hir that she ought not so to be occupied about these ex­ternall offices of ciuilitie, [...] 3. t [...]at in the meane time she neglect those wholesome exhorta­tions that hir sister Marie attended vnto. In like manner, when Christ sayth, If any man come vnto me and hate not his father and mother. &c. [...] 14. he cānot be my disciple: [...] 20. His mea­ning is not that we shuld hate our Parēts, [Page] whome we are commaunded to reuerence and to loue, but he only speaketh in the way of comparison: that is, that we be so affected towards our Parents, that we preferre the loue of God before them: and that (if the case so stand) we rather forsake them for Chri­stes sake, than Christ for their sake. Wher­fore Chrisostome iustly reprehendeth those y ^• abuse these words of Christ in this place to the defense of their idlenesse and slouth­fulnesse, Chriso [...] Ioan. and sayth that in so doing they doe but peruert the scripture wher also he pro­ueth by sundry places of the scripture (as 1. Thes. 4. 2. The. 3. Eph. 4. Act. 20. all whiche for breuities sake I passe ouer) y ^• it is law­ful to labour for external things: and in the end he concludeth that the true meaning of Christ in this place is nothing else but this, that we prefer heauēly things before earth­ly things, according to that which is writtē Math. 6. Firste seeke the kingdome of heauen and the rightuousnesse therof, Mat [...] and then al these things shall be ministred vnto you.

Many reasons may be alledged, why we should prefer heauēly things before world­ly things. First worldy things are but mo­mentanie, they haue no continuance, Magna momento ruunt, though they be neuer so preci­ous, [Page] yet are they soone decayed: to daye, as a beawtiful floure, to morrow, as the withe­red grasse: now, as the burning fire, and by and by, as the dead and quenched ashes. Vo­luptas & bonor finem habebunt: [...]ost. pleasure and ho­nour haue their end: but heauenly thinges re­maine and continue for euer. Therefore saith Sainct Paule, Gal. 6. Qui seminat in carnem, de carne metet corruptionem. &c. he that soweth in the flesh, shall reape corruption of the flesh: but he that soweth in the spirit, shall reape eternall life of the spirit. That is, those that laboure for such things as perteine to the flesh, shall reape only that which is mortall and tari­eth not: but those that labor for things per­teining to the spirit, reape that, that conti­nueth for euer.

Secondly, worldly things how pleasant soeuer they are and delectable, yet in the end they ware lothsome: Omnia mundana quantum­uis dulcia, amarescant: All worldly things howe pleasant soeuer they be, in the end waxe bitter. Yea the perfectest pleasure that can be in worldly thinges, is mixed with sorow. Ri­ches are gottē with labour, kept with care­fulnesse, & lost with griefe. Therefore saith S. Augustine. Si vana seculi huius inexperta cō ­cupisti, epist. experta contem [...]e: fallaxest enim in eis sua­uitas, [Page] & infructuosus labor, & perpetuus timor, & periculosa sublimitas: initium sine prudentia, & finiscū paenitentia. Ita se habent omnia quae in ista mortalitatis aerumna cupidius quam prudentius ap­petuntur: If thou hast desired the vaine things of this world before thou hadst experience of thē nowe hauing experience, contemne them: for there is in them deceitfull pleasure, vnprofitable labour, perpetuall feare, daungerous dignitie, or promotiō: the beginning is without wisedome, and the end with repentance. This is the con­dition of all these thinges that in this miserable mortalitie are more greedily, thā wisely desired. But heauenly things are void of all suche gréefe and sorow.

Thirdly, what will it profite a man to win the whole world, Mat [...] and to lose his owne soule? or what shall he gaine, if he féeede and pamper his body with delicates, and suffer his soule to perish for hunger?

To conclude, we are but straungers in this world, and therfore we must so behaue our selues as those that are in a straunge coūtrie, who though they prouide for things necessary for a time, yet their desire & intēt is to retourne home to their owne naturall countrie againe: euen so we, though we in­ioy those things that are néedefull for thys [Page] presente life, yet must we not so fixe oure minds vpon them, that we be withdrawen from that earnest desire that we haue to re­turne to our own countrie. These & a great number reasons moe may be giuen, why we shoulde prefer heauenly thinges before earthly things. But how few are there that consider them? It is reported of Pambo, that when he sawe a woman decking hir selfe with costly aray, he wept bitterly: and be­ing demaunded the cause of his wéeping, he said that one cause was, for that he himselfe was not so desirous to please Christ his sa­uior, as this woman was to please mortall men: nor he so careful for eternal things, as she was for earthly and corruptible things. But what would he say if he liued in these dayes, when not one or two women, but al­most all mankind do only labour for thys, that they may please men, and prouide for those things that perteine to the bellie? Ne­cessary therfore is this exhortatiō of Christ laboure not for the meate that perisheth, but that remaineth to eternall life, the whiche the sonne of man will giue vnto you: to whome with the father & the holy Ghost, three per­sons and one God, be all honor and glorie, now and for euer. Amen.