therin and whosoeuer of these do desyre and séeke at me aright for health and lyfe But sayth Symeon this light is sent to be reuealed made knowne to thys worlde For the same cause Christ fyrst preached it Iohn Baptist and the Apostles were sent to manifest him thereto that as saluation was wrought by him so they by fayth which commeth by hearing the worde reuealed might apprehend it in him Of which more a little after God so wylling But possibly some man would aske me if Christ be the light and Sauiour of the whole worlde The cause of our great blindnesse in so clere light howe it is that so manye therein are notwithstanding still blynded and so condemned Christ aunswereth drawing his generall spéeche to a speciall which onely receyue health by him in the eyght of Iohn Ioh. 8.12 He that followeth mee walketh not in darknesse It is not ynnough that God hath made his sonne our light vnlesse we embrace and walke therein And this is the condemnation of the worlde sayth Christ hymselfe that light came into the worlde Ioh. 3.19 and men loued darkenesse rather then the light The nature of these men is to hate the light and to absent themselues from it least their déedes should be made manifest thereby Loe it is not that these wante in the world that they hate it but for that they lust after their owne wyll to lyue wickedly still therfore they refrayne it yea and to their power restrayne it also But here they are conuinced in conscience that the gospel is light and they are the sonnes of darknesse drawing to themselues damnation I aske againe and if Christ be the light of the worlde The worlds darkenesse what it is what is the darknesse then of the same It is a profitable question and it may be aunswered thus The darknesse of the worlde reprehended by Christ walloweth in two myrie dangerous doungeons that is to say in false Religion and fylthye conuersation bothe which Christ the lyght calleth darknesse in that he sayth Lighte came into the worlde and men loued darknesse more then lyghte Iohn 3.19 That a Religion or worship of God deuised of mans brayne wythout warrante of Gods worde is darknesse and the author and fautors blynde it is more then apparente to him that hath but halfe an eye Therfore the teachers therof be called blynde guydes Math. 23.24 Eph. 4.17.18 the hartes imbracing it blynded and the whole which follow it in much paine to themselues walkers in the vanity of their darkned minds to their owne damnation what intent purpose or séeking soeuer they haue to serue God But amongst manye the former false Religions the Romishe is not the least Romishe Fayth the roote bottomlesse pyt of darknesse from whose Pope and Clergy hath come the Cup of fornication whereof all Princes haue dronke not as the saying is till they stare but that which more is vntyll they became starke blynd through that gréedy draught of excecating ignorance Apo. 17.4 And to proue the Religion of Rome a false corrupte and humane blynde Religion First I say I speake of the latter Rome who hath as an Apostata and fylthy strumpet runne farre awaye from her fyrst fayth and faythfull husbande Iesus Christ and his couenant the gospell of God Rome is runne from God That the Church of Rome nowe is become an Apostata from her former fayth it shall appeare to all that measure hir Religion with that fayth delyuered to that Churche and of them receyued by the pen of Paule in his Epistle sente to Rome extante in the Lordes Testament Paule teacheth it folly and wickednesse Rom. 1.23 To serue the immortal God by the ymage of a mortal man Is not the Church of Rome fallen from this fayth now Doth not her chiefe ioy consist in Images of mortall men and séeketh and commaundeth men to serue God and saints by before them neyther fearing Gods prohibiting lawe or Paule theyr chiefe Doctors proclamation from his mayster Christ Paule and Rome then beléeued Rom. 5.28 that man was iustifyed by fayth in Christ and not by the works of the Lawe But the Church of Rome nowe denyeth it flatly and condemneth them for Heritiques which be of that iudgement Rome did then as Tertullian sayth acknowledge one God the Creator of all things Tertul. de prescript Hereticorum and Christ Iesus the sonne of the Virgin Mary to be the sonne of God to haue suffred death and to arise againe She did ioyne the lawe and the Prophets the Gospell and the Apostolicall Epistles together and from that Fountayne she did drinke her fayth she baptized wyth symple water she was adorned with the giftes of Gods spirite she fedde her people with the Euchariste note he sayth not Rome offred vp the sacramēt of Christs bodye for the synnes of the people But Rome receyueth it of the Lords institution and fed hir people therewith she exhorted her flocke to the fayth by the constancie of Martyrdome in her example and against his order and institution she admitted no man But what doth Rome nowe Euen as the Samaritans The Papistes beleue with vs as the Samaritans dyd with the Iewes ioyned with the Iewes in some and sundry poyntes but varyed from them in many most wickedly So doth newe Rome with Gods Churche in olde Rome and ours nowe they ioyne in some principall poyntes of our Religion as in the Trinitie and vnitie of persons of the profession of the holye ghost c. But if ye once come to the office of Christ the fruite of his death the valour of his Sacrifice the authority of hys worde the contynuance of hys sole priesthoode and the truth of his sacraments they flée from you as farre as East from weast and vtterly denie the auncient fayth and moste fylthylye corrupt the true administration of Gods mysteries as men that neuer had heard of such matters Charge them with the scriptures and they would compell them to stoope to the false gloses Offer them the name of Paule and he is as odious in harte to them as a venemous Serpent to a woman Gen. 3. betwixt whom God hath for euer set a perfite hatred Notable is that saying of the learned Lodouicus agaynst the blyndnesse of his tyme in the latyn Church Lodo. viues in li. 13 de ciuit Dei cap. 2. Augustinum vetustas tuetur c. Augustine is safe for his age But if he and Paule were aliue agayne he should be shaken of as a badde Rethoritian or a poore Gramarian But saint Paule should be taken for a mad man The Romans nowe would call Paule an Heretique were he alyue or else for an Heretique Thys learned man approoued by them thus openly conuinceth them of flatte Apostasye and horrible blasphemy Neyther let anye man obiect to me that thys Church of Rome could possibly neuer erre so wickedly for thou seest by comparing
hym to preaching Paule And also of a most zealous Pharisey in blyndnesse made him most feruent in the Gospell of God to all our comfortes which be Gentyls For thys our Lord Christ Aelion most highe hath consecrated Paule aboue Peter to be our especiall Apostle both at Rome and else where in the rounde world Our Sauyour Christ our God Iere. 20. Esa 42. is also called of the Hebrewes El. to say of his great strength For whatsoeuer he wyll doe that can he doe For which cause he is called by the Prophets The God of strength and the mightye Lorde or Gygante Sometyme also Eloah and of the Trinitie in coniunction we may say Elohim which signifyeth God our Christ in his deuyne nature to be alwayes and euery where present in heauen and in earth and in peace and warre in persecution and preaching peace in workes and playes in actes and thoughtes in lyfe and death in all places at one and selfe instante Of whose presence the Psalmist sayth thus Whether shall I go from thy Spirite Psal 139. or where shall I flee from thy face If I ascend into heauen thou art there if I go down to hell thou art there also But if I shall take the wings of the morning and dwell in the farthest part of the Sea euen there shall thy hande gouerne me and thy right hande shall beholde me And Paule aptly pronounceth our Lordes presence to the Athenians Act. 17.28 testifying him not to be farre from them but they in him rather saying For in him we lyue moue haue our being And it séemeth probable for this cause the Grecians to haue called God Theos and the Latines to haue formed thence thys worde Deus As one learned affyrmeth Theos to come of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of redynesse and running to and fro so is God called by such a name as best can expresse his presence who is neuer absent from mortall men in earth but to euery man in all places gyueth all things that they possesse Of which his liberalitie some suppose him to be called Deus a dando for that he gyueth to all men that they haue God our Lorde and Christ is also called Schaddai .i. sufficient in himselfe and the sufficientcy to all creatures that whosoeuer hath him to their Lorde hath all sufficientcy to body and soule to this and the lyfe eternall And in oure tongue we call Christ in his deuyne nature God that is the most principall and best good Lastly he is called the God of Abraham the God of Isaack the God of Iacob insinuating vnto vs from whence the holynesse of these Fathers with their fayth came And also that as we are the posteritie of the Noble Abraham by fayth in Christ So is he to vs our best good and most excellent God so that with Paule we may conclude our selues in him most vertuous Rom. 8.31.32 sufficient and blessed saying If God be on our syde who can be against vs. It is God that iustifyeth who shall condemne Againe if he hath giuen vs Christ how shal he not giue vs all things with him And by him we shall bée more then Conquerors Loe this god is thy Iesus whose power is prest and ready to thy best good if thou faythfully put thy trust in him He is also called the Lordes Christ which word Christ Luc. 4.18 Esa 61.1 importeth his honorable Function by the excellent Oyntment aboue his fellowes euen the holy ghost by which he is annoynted of his father to be the king and Priest of his Church for euer according to this saying Heb. 7.17 Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchesidech So then he is called Iesus of the worde Iesehak and so called as the Angell testifyeth bicause he saueth his people from theyr synne Mat. 1.21 The worde Christ is a greeke word which aunswereth the Hebrewe vocable Messhiah annoynted In olde tyme with the people these persons Prophets Priests and Princes were annoynted with Oyle Wherefore our Iesus is called Anoynted signifying the plentifull graces of Gods spirite giuen to those called of god to these Functions and also into what perillous daungers and harde battles they were to enter which truely exercised that seuerall calling By which Oyling they were as with a Symbole put in mynd what couragious Champions they ought to be in their offices This was the cause why the noble Champions before the pryse playde were annoynted But in as much as the Lord Christ had a greater enimy then all other Champions and therewyth a most deadly fyght towards whose body and soule was to stande in the battle of death vppon the crosse against his fathers iustice for the synnes of the whole worlde Satans malice and mans corruption Hell and Death it was most necessary that he shoulde before thys cruel combate haue a more precious Oyntment then had his shadowing fellowes preaching Prophets sacrifycing priests and ruling Princes Wherefore he was annoynted with the holy ghost The spirit of God is vpon me sayth Christ because he hath annoynted me that I should preache the Gospell to the poore c. Esa 61. Luc. 4.18 This sentence expresseth Christs priesthood kingdome and preaching office He is sente sayth he to preache His kingdome he is annoynted to delyuer the oppressed His priesthood he is giuen to heale the broken and wounded hartes wyth synne and iniquitie by the sacrifice of his death vpon the crosse During hys lyfe he preached the gospel Rom. 1.16 which is Gods power in Christ to saluation to euery one that beleeueth In his sacrifice of hymselfe vpon the crosse he performed both the other By his death he healed our infirmities Esa 53. Col. 1.20 for the chastisment of our peace was layde vpon him In hys death he obtayned the victory hauing fully aunswered the Fathers iustice against synne death and hell and spoyled principalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly Col. 2.15 and hath tryumphed ouer them in the same crosse He hath forgyuen vs our synnes put out the hande wryting that was agaynst vs he hath taken it out of the waye and fastened it to his crosse hath translated vs from the power of darknes into the kingdome whereof he is king of kings and Lorde of Lordes vz the body of hys Church of which he is the onely heade Whose kingdome is thréefold of power of grace and of glory Of power for all Nations shall bow the knee to this Lorde of Lordes and king of kings Christ the annoynted king and priest And who so wyl not kysse the sonne Christ Iesus shal perish whether Prince Psal 2. 1. Rom. 14 17. Potentate Preacher Magistrate people or pestilente Pope Of grace which he sayth by Luke is within vs and consisteth as Paule sayth in righteousnesse Christ the high Byshop of our soules in peace and ioy in the holy Ghost His kingdome of glory as well in that he
godly Ioash to be daylie thankfull to God for her deliuery and to continue the godly counsell of Iehoidah I meane her Maiesties honorable Counsell learned Bishops and godly preachers and to stop her gracious eares against the wylie charmes of such as séeking to bring some sorte of these states to contempt would doe their best to drawe vs to their former Idolatrye the dore of our vtter desolation Finally the wicked wayteth but to wallow in all synne and Epicureous lyfe saying Let vs eate and drinke 1. Cor. 15.32 to morrowe we shall dye take our pleasures whylst we lyue for after this we knowe not what shall become of vs. But Symeons brethren are farre and sure set another waye they wayte and looke for the Heauenly knowledge of the Lorde wherein is eternall lyfe for Christ their consolation to dwell in their hartes by fayth Iohn 17.3 for his holye spirite to kéepe their bodyes Soules and Spirits blamelesse vnto the day of consolation when Christ with his Angels shall come to receyue them to glorie They vse the worlde as they whose mindes are else where set in the heauens from whence they wayte for their Sauiour Titu 2.13 They lyue in hope and wayte by al meanes to ouercome the worlde the fleshe and the Deuill they abyde paciently the euill degenerating dayes of our lyfe Hebr. 12. and méekely beare the crosse of Consolation heauy to the flesh hoping that the euent shal be to their God glorious to his Church commodious and to themselues in hym prosperous 1. Pet. 2.12 They finally wayte to liue so as the enimy which backbyteth them may by their example be trayned to reioyce in the daye of their visitation And last of all when God the Father with whome their lyfe is treasured vp in Christ will by his beloued sonne appeare for our full redemption Collos 3. that all we that longly wayte in Spirite and Truth for his comming to cutte of these dayes of synne and ende this wretched worlde maye lifte vp our heades with assured comforte Luc. 21.18 bicause we shall then be with thys our Symeon and the whole elect of God for euer after glorious brought to our Fathers kingdome the inheritance of our onely consolation Christ Iesus and lykewise oure inheritance in him Furthermore we are precisely to stande in this No health but in christ that besyds Iesus Christ there is no consolation and without syncere fayth in him nothing but desolation and eternall woes The way to rest in this our Redemption by Christ is with Symeon to fixe our fayth absolutely in him for our Saluation without which we shall neyther feele comfort in him or rightly serue him And before I passe this point as the meaner sort haue had in Symeon a playne patterne of holynesse So I thought to giue the Ritcher and more Noble personages A Noble patterne to the Nobles of England an example of Nobilitie to followe in this case And the same is noble Ioseph of Aramathaea the Disciple of Iesu and the same was ritche Luke sayth of him thus And beholde there was a man named Ioseph he was a Councellour a good man and a iust c. Luc. 23.50 Hee did not consent to the counsell and deede of them which was of Aramathaea a Citie of the Iewes who himselfe also wayted for the kingdome of God Mathew thus And when euen was come Math. 27.57 there came a ritch man of Aramathaea named Ioseph who had also himselfe bene Iesus Disciple Iohn sayth He was Iesus Disciple Ioh. 19.38 but priuilye for feare of the Iewes for he doubted that if he should confesse Christ they would cast him not onely out of Counsell but out of the Synagoge Marke the Euangelist sayth thus Mar. 15.24 Ioseph of Aramathea an honorable Counsellour which also looked for the kingdome of God came and went in boldly vnto Pilate and asked the body of Iesus This noble Counsellour by all the Euangelists is thus discribed First his dwelling place is to vs noted which was a famous Citie of the Iewes for Ioseph was of Aramathaea supposed to be the same which was also before called Ramath layde oute for the Citie of the Leuites by Samuel the Prophet sytuate about the Mounte Ephraim néere to Lydda which after was called Diospolis Secondly his condition and lyfe by condition Noble for he was an honorable Counsellour eyther of the Sanhedrin or called to Pilats Counsell Concerning godly cyuilitie he was honest a good man and a iuste Touching his Religion he was a disciple of Iesu and wayted with Symeon for the kingdome of God that is for his redemption in Christ his Lord and Mayster Concerning his faythfull seruice to his Mayster Christ our Lorde he withstoode the Counsell boldly as did also Nicodemus and when he coulde not preuayle he openly refused to gyue his consent to them in the death of Christ for the Euangelist speaketh of a thing that was knowne to all men His infirmitie was somewhat great in déede that hee durst not confesse Christ for feare of the Iewes But his modestie was more that being of such place and power he resisted not the Magistrate by sworde for the cause of Christ being a subiect to that tyrannous power or with haultie wordes or conuitious spéeche gaue counterchecke to their curssed blasphemies but manifestly refused to allowe of that murthering Sentence To giue you this man wholy in his vertues As he refused to kyll Christ by cruell sentence So Christ being slayne he sheweth himselfe more faythfull and bold in the cause of Christ then eyther the Virgin Mary or any other of the Apostles For as saint Marke sayth He went with great boldnesse to that dissembling Tyran Pilate in the heate of the Iewes rage and honorably obtayneth the body of Iesu to be buryed and the same layeth in his owne graue honorably prepared for himselfe This was to his state very dangerous For in that he maketh sute to honor him with buriall whome the Presidente Princes and people of the Iewes had condemned to death and subscribed therevnto what might they accompt of Ioseph other then that this his peticion gaue flat condemnation to their present action What was he and where dwelte he That did or durst begge with boldnesse the bones of the beloued Bucer which the Papists in their rage and great solemnitie burnte at Cambridge By this measure howe bolde and aduenturous attempte this was in this Noble Counsellour his honor ryches place and calling considered Besides this Ioseph myght haue founde some better and more easie waye to haue obteyned his purpose to haue done that honor to the slayne bodye of Christ whome he durst not confesse during his lyfe As he might haue obserued the Iewes where their crueltie ended they woulde haue caste the deade bodye of our Sauiour Iesus Christe and by night haue priuely conuayed the same to hys Sepulture or to haue procured fauour of the Centurion for
this Razias be thou iudge indifferent Reader thy selfe conferring them together Neyther can the excuse by Augustine and others made that something was lawfull for them which is not for vs wype this bloody body when as the same commandement was then which now is Thou shalt not kyll As for languyshing Lucrece I leaue her to her Torquine whose adultresse she seemeth and to her selfe a murtheresse But to vs godly and chaste Susanna is a contrarye and christian example But Curtius for the loue of his country cast himselfe into the gaping gulfe by whose death the earth reclosed yea but this was Satans arte to whome this Noble and valyaunt Champion was to seruiceable We are to fight for our Country to spend our lyues for our Prince but in the warres to doe our best against the aduersaries and not to cast oure selues desperatly to death by Satans delusion But some will say Did not Christ séeing that no waye else mankinde could be saued most wyllingly gyue himselfe to death for man And so did Curtius Yea but as Christ sayde I lay downe my lyfe for the people and take it to me agayne So did he it in most noble order First he obeyed his fathers ordinance herein A bodye hast thou ordeyned me Loe I am here to doe thy will O God Secondly Heb. 10.5 he nayled not himselfe on the crosse nor thrust hymselfe to the hart or crowned himselfe with thorne but quyetly tooke this crueltie at the Magistrates hande which dyd manger their hartes performe that which the deuyne counsell had determined Act. 2.23 Let Curtius shewe this order or lyke warrante to his case in truth and you shall haue answere Sampson freed from selfe murther As for Sampson which pulled the house vppon hys owne person and all that were therein This appeareth to haue warrante from God as well in that his strength being taken from hym was at this moment of tyme restored to him as also God did by this iudgement execute his wrath on them Iud. 16.30 Psal 1.1 Heb. 11.32 which were obstinately set in the chayre of Scorners And to conclude his actes are warranted to procéede of fayth in the cononicall Epistle to the Hebrewes Furthermore Sampson is not to be taken as a priuate person but he was in déede the Lords Magistrate which office he best executed in the office of his death wherin the Lorde by his hand did reuenge the blasphemy of the Philistines and their Idolatry And did also perfite that curse which by the Prophet Dauid is giuen to those Psal 109. which do afflict them whom the Lord doth scurge This horrible sinne is crauing vengeance vntitl it be powred out euen to the dredges of the Lords angry cup. Amos. 1.11 Wherefore Amos doth threat Edom for that Israell being exiles they vsed them most cruelly which God sayeth by the Prophete he wyll not leaue vnpunished So did the Philistines to Sampson whome God had delyuered into their handes for hys sinne and whoredome They put oute his eyes and caste hym in pryson and proclayming a Popishe feast daye to their Mungril God that Idol Dagon which was in forme aboue the Nauell lyke to a man but from the belly lyke to a Fishe they gathered themselues into his Temple to prayse him for their victory of their enimy Sampson The house was full of men and women and there were all the Princes of the Philistines and vpon the house top were 3000 men which looked down into the house to sée Sampson play whome these wicked Philistines made their iesting Foole. But as Dauid hath sayde Let his dayes bee fewe and another take his office Psal 109. for he remembred not to shewe mercy but persecuted the poore helplesse man the begger and the broken harted that he might slay him So came it to passe Their dayes were fewe for euen the hower of their most tryumph was the moment of their vtter destruction Sampson prayeth to the Lord O Lorde Iehoua remember me In which wordes he confesseth Gods power his owne sinnes calleth for mercy as by the same words did the théefe vpon the crosse Luc. 22.42 He expresseth his faith as well in that he maketh prayer to God for without faith it is impossible in hart to call vpon God as in the presently after he assayeth to doe that which he had prayed for And with the théefe he was receyued to mercye and his prayer heard For his desyre was graunted him he pulled downe the house so in his death he slue mo persons then he did during the dayes of his naturall lyfe Sampson cannot be charged sayth that godlye and learned Martyr Peter Martyr Iudi. ca. 6. For he sought not his owne death but by the spirite of God he roycally bente he desyred and executed herein the iudgement of the Lorde against his enemies which by this waye he knew should come to passe The Apostles acts and Sampsons he tyeth together putting on their persons saying If we teach as we haue begunne the Gospell of Christ without doubt we shall be slayne Well they contynued tho their preaching they were slayne and yet are not the causes of their owne death So sayth Martyr Sampson did not rashly cast himselfe to death but faythfully followed his vocation lyke as the hartie Souldiour albeit the Coward say vnto him beware go not there are arrowes Speares Gunnes and shot innumerable wherewith yée shall perishe They answere what if We go not to séeke death we go to defend our Countrie and goods and to bée reuenged of our enimies to followe our calling Euen so sayth he did Sampson and was thereto ledde by the spirite of God Ambrose sayth that Sampson herein was the Image of Christ who as he lyued he much vexed wounded the Deuill so by his death he tryumphed against him The Philistines he compareth with the Iewes Sampson with Christ as a figure of him The Philistines in the victory against Sampson receyued their vtter ruine and decay And the Iewes crucifying Christ cast themselues into eternall damnation The ende sayth Peter Martyr in nature was both one but in condition sundry twixte the Philistines and Sampson In nature they both dyed but in condition the Philistines in surfetting cruelty and Idolatry are destroyed And Sampson endeth his naturall lyfe in repentance in fayth and in prayer to God Sampson had fallen in déede sayth he but he is turned vnto God he calleth vpon him was heard As for these his wordes Let me loose my lyfe with the Philistines he spake them not of despaire but he hereby humbled himselfe before God for that he had so greatly neglected his function and calling beséeching God hereby to be aduenged of the Philistines who had put out the eyes of Gods magistrate not bicause they would this way punish his trespasse but this they did in despite of Israell and that he should no more be able to doe them violence And iustly sayth mayster Bucer
gloryously arose from death and ascended aboue al heauens as that he shall appeare most gloryouslye to haue gouerned all things when he shal call before him to iudgement all the Nations of the worlde and giue to them their portion in his right iustice due vnto them This Lorde Christ and Sauiour is also the high Byshop of our soules the one and onely priest that hath fully taken awaye oure sinnes in the sacrifice of himselfe vpon the aulter of the crosse once for all and all ages there and then offered Of whose priesthood Dauid long before prophecied in these wordes Psal 110. The Lorde hath sworne and wyll not repent thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech By which words the Apostle Paule purposing to proue Christ the sayde priest thus speaketh Thys Melchisedech was king of Salem Heb. 7.17 king of the most high God c. Hee is the king of righteousnesse after that he is called the king of Salem 1. king of peace without father without mother wythout kyndred and hath neyther beginning of his dayes nor ende of his lyfe but is lyke vnto the sonne of God and contynueth a priest for euer And that rightly for Christ the sonne of God is our righteousnesse and peace and the king of Salem euen of the peaceable church and tryumphante kingdome euerlasting He is without father in his humanitie onely being conceyued by the holye ghost of the womans séede wythout mother in his deuyne nature begotten of the fathers owne nature without beginning of dayes or ende of lyfe For he is God for euer And though in his humanitie he suffred for vs yet his Godhead coulde not dye but remayneth immortall for euer This Iesus is both king and priest not after Aaron but according to Melchisedeches order for all tymes to come And as the holye scriptures hath mention of no mo such So is he the onely priest of God for the saluation of his church and there can besides hym be none other who gaue hymselfe to dye for vs and by whose onely death we be all saued that beléeue in hym The meane whereby this eternall Priest saueth hys people is by tryple operation Howe our Christ saueth vs. all which haue their force from the action of his death First in gyuing hymselfe a raunsome for theyr sinnes to God his father and by hys bloudy sacryfice once for all offered he fully acquyteth all his people of all their damnable debt Secondly by the preaching of hys Ghospell vnto the sonnes of men as whereby he is depaynted thus crucifyed for them therby they brought by his spirite to beléeue the forgiuenesse of synnes in his bloud Thirdly by that he remayneth the onlye Mediator for his people to his father so reconciling the worlde to God and guydeth his people by his spirite in the pathes of righteousnesse for his holy names sake 1. Pet. 2.5 Mat. 20.28 Thus is thy soueraigne Lorde and Christ thy highe Priest and Byshop of thy soule thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to saye the price of thy redemption by whose sacrifice alone vpon the crosse God the father is iustly payde the pryce due to hym for all our iniquities For the which cause also that he is the pryce of thy Redemption in hys death he is of God constitute for thy only Mediator as Paule sayth to the Hebrewes and saint Iohn If any man sinne Heb. 9.15 1. Ioh. 2.2 we haue an Aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for our sinnes only but for the synnes of the whole worlde Where note that the Apostle sayth and for this cause is he the Mediator of the new Testament Hebr. 9.15 Namely for thys cause that through his death men might receyue the promise of inheritance He that dyeth for mans transgressions is onely the Mediator for their sinnes But Christ only dyeth for mans transgressions therfore Christ is the onely Mediator for mans iniquitie This is the Apostles reason And further this priesthood so dwelleth still in Christ that no inferiour creature maye be enstalled into that function For he lyueth for euer and therfore contynueth a priest for euer after the order of Melchesedech Whersoeuer then any man or Angell would take vppon hym this office to be a priest to offer sacrifice in the Church of God For thy synnes know thou that he is not thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy redemption and therefore cannot be thy sacrificer Besydes thys that sacrifice of Christ is thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the absolute price of thy raunsome and therefore no neede of further payment to God by sacrifice Christ hath fully payde the ransome for our syns therefore can there be no more offring to God for synne Thirdly neyther néede nor can that sacrifice of Christes death and bodye to be iterate or offred of freshe for that were to kyll Christ agayne and to make lesse the valour of thy redemption by which thou art redéemed fully and for which cause Christ is called in the holye scripture thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to saye an absolute price of thy redemption by whome and whose price thou hast by fayth in hym the whole forgiuenesse of thy sinnes Heb. 10.18 And where thys Remission is sayth the scripture there remayneth no more offerings for synne but we maye with boldnesse enter into heauen not by an other sacrifice but by a new and lyuing way namely sayth he by fayth in Christs fleshe bloud once thus offred who remayneth our high priest with God Lastly were there a sacrifice remayning to be offred for sinne we had no priestes or anye one man or Angell in heauen or earth that could be a fitte Sacrificer for the same For besyds that a true Sacrificer for synne by whose Sacrifice iniquitie shall be awaye taken There can be found as a meete man no Priest in earth to offer sacrifice must be the sacrifice hymselfe There are also certayne Noble qualities must inhabite that man which can be a sacrifycing priest for sinne and the house of GOD which are by the Apostle to the Hebrewes set downe on thys maner Such an high priest it became vs to haue sayth he which is holy harmlesse vndefiled seperate from sinners and made higher then the Heauens which needed not daylie to offer vp sacrifice first for his owne sinnes and then for the synnes of his people for that did he once when he offred vp himselfe for the lawe maketh men highe priests which haue infyrmitie but the worde of the othe which was synce the lawe maketh the sonne who is consecrated namely the onely priest of God for euermore Now deare Reader if it be of necessitie that we should haue such a Priest to offer sacrifice for our sinnes and that no other can take that office to pacifie the father whose iustice changeth not or is by affection altred how can it be that eyther the
teache hymselfe that he is to the hartes of men When he was at Iacobs Well with the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4.10 he tooke occasion by the Metaphor of water to teache her the lycour of lyfe By the desyre the Iewes had to earthy bread therfore followed him Ioh. 6.15 Luc. 5.3 he began to teach himself to be the bread of lyfe And teaching in the shyp by that myracle of Fishes he taught the Apostles the waye to catch men The same thing he vseth in these wordes I am the lyght c. For teaching in the morning in the Temple the Sunne nowe shyning moste brightly bewtifying the place to the great delight of the beholders he calleth them from the terrestriall to the sonne of righteousnesse affirming in him to finde the true properties of the glorious sonne in déede First as the Sunne is a most pure Planet most bryght and cléere defyled with nothing wheresoeuer it shyneth but maketh the darke and fylthy places more open to the eyes of men So Iesus Christ the brightnesse of his fathers glory Col. 1.15 is of nature most pure and holye and albeit he hath taken oure nature vpon him lyued amongst vs did accompany wyth synners to their good and abhorred not to eate with Publicans yet was he nothing defyled therby but by him these fylthy persons made wholy to know themselues through him were illuminated and fully sanctifyed The Sunne that is to say the light doth so shyne that himselfe may be séene of vs and doth make all other lyuing creatures to sée by him So Iesus Christ our light doth so manifestly in his nature appeare that the insensible heauens and earth do know him he doth so powre by his spirite the beames of his brightnesse into the hartes of hys beloued that they by his spirite and resplendishing Scriptures both perfitly as fleshe may know God the Father and his Christ and all things else which be eyther necessary or expedient to their saluation in him besydes whom there is none other Act. 4.12 Psal 36.9 Thys compelled Dauid to say With thee O Lord is the Well of lyfe and in thy lyght shal we see lyght Through christs light we see God to be our father hym the lord to be our Sauior And as the lyght discouereth darkenesse and refresheth the toyled bodyes in former obscuritie Euen so Christ remouing the former ignorance of God in vs banyshing the terror of cōscience doth most magnificently recreate our sences and refreshe our spirites renouate our conscience quyet oure soule and replenishe vs with ioye And lyke as the lyghte doth not onely in darknesse of night guyde our footesteps but helpeth vs aright to our whole businesse So Christe that eternall worde of God is the Lanterne to our feete and the light to our labours Psal 119. in that the doctrine and preceptes thence shyning to vs doe direct our darke soules into the paths of righteousnesse and that for his owne names sake And as light banyshing darknesse openeth to mans eye many things which in mircke midnight were not onely shadowed The commodities of light but also sheltered and so vnknowne that many adulters théeues murtherers and wicked persons by her were couered Iohn 3.19 and nowe by light disclosed for which cause naturally they loue darknesse hate the lyght So Christ hauing by his worde of most cléerenesse and heauenly power banyshed from Realmes Familyes and persons the darknes of ignorance maketh knowne to them their syns and reproueth their errors accuseth the corruptiō of mans nature and playnely maketh vs sée that all those things which without him we most imbraced are most fylthye and horrible And this is the cause why all such as wallow in wicked lyfe and false Religion doe hate Christ in hys Gospell to this present daye Ioh. 3.19 but to their vtter ruine and selfe condemnation Lastly as one shyning Sunne serueth the vniuersall worlde and is the onely Fountayne of light to all lightes in the same So the bright sonne of God our righteousnesse Christ is the onely author of spirituall light whome the Father of lights hath onely giuen to the whole worlde And he doth lighten euerye man that commeth into the worlde Ioh. 1.9 neyther will he admit any copemate to be ioyned with him What church is not guyded by our lyght Christ onely is eclypsed and bloudy to Christ and his members but kéepeth the whole Regimente in and to himselfe For as the Moone the figure of Gods Church receyueth at the handes of the Sunne her lighte and is so much darkned as she wanteth of his brightnesse So the Churche of God not kept with the countenance of Christs shyning face and Gospell is wrapped in the wayne of darknesse but lightned by his truth she is most gloryous and her naturall spottes shall not deface her yet both Moone and Church remayne to be light by hym else as opposite to him they are eyther darke or bloody or one or bothe Let no man obiect to me Lightened by Christe her spots do not hurt her that the Apostles are called also lightes of the worlde for that hath the true light imported in mercye to them by borrowed spéeche as we may call the Lanterne a light Eph. 5.25.26.27 bicause the light shyneth by and through it vnto the whole housholde And so are the Apostles called lights not bicause they are the light Christ How the Apostles and preachers of the worde are called lighte but bicause they bring vnto vs the true light that dwelleth in them which doth also by them and their labours preaching and wryting shine into the vtmost partes of the earth to the great comforte of all those that loue the same To conclude great is the mercye of our good God séeing the darknesse of the world so greate that no otherwise it could be discouered remoued gaue vnto vs this his owne son whome he hath made to vs the onely light of God to Iew and Gentyle that we should not for wante of safe conduction perishe in our wandring passage Now the vse of thys light and wherto he is giuen vs of God Symeon doth tell vs and sayth it is that he should be reuealed vnto the Gentyls and to be the glory of the people Israel Two things also the good father telleth vs in these words Fyrst that the ages from tyme to tyme should knowe that this one Christ is to all them and people in them the one and onely saluation light guyde and delyuerer Christ is to all ages the the one and onely lyght to lyfe sygnified by the two Nations by him named Iewe Gentyle The lyke doth Esay before naming the Gentyls and addeth and health to the vtmost partes of the world So Christ himselfe concludeth saying as before is saide I am the lighte of the worlde that is to saye of euerye place in the worlde of all sortes of men women and chyldren
husbande for the right of mariage yet in Religion and godlynesse she doubted not to be his maystres Thus haue these fathers prooued mariage and mariage of priestes to be no hindrance to godlynesse but a godly helpe thereto Wherfore we may conclude that as syngle lyfe compelled without consyderation to eche priest and minister of God is without the will of God in his worde So is that restraynte of maryage the doctrine of the Deuill as Paule sayeth to Byshop Timothe 1. Tim. 4.3 Let no man make his excuse by his wyfe or chyldren sayth Chrysostome c. For this excuse and this pretence is the craft and deceytfulnesse of the Deuill But the Pope restrayneth maryage therfore the Deuils Doctor Happily hereto it will be sayde with Augustine Aug. con Faus li. 30 ca. 6. He forbiddeth mariage that sayth mariage is euill and not he that setteth before things being good an other thing that is better Consyder yet I pray thée this doctrine of the Pope Qui in carne sunt c. They which be in the fleshe Dist 82. posuisti cannot please God But they which be maryed are in the fleshe Therfore they which be maryed cannot please God Apol. 183. Syricius the Pope calleth mariage vice letchery fylthy luste One Louaniste sayth the East church maintayned a schoole of fylthynesse in cause of the priests mariage there defended To call mariage vice letchery fylthy luste to say that in mariage a man cannot please God to cal those Infidels that marry as Inocentius dist 82. plurimi doth to say it is a Schoole of fylthynesse I suppose is to speake more then much euill of mariage and doth say it is euil The Pope and the Papistes with him thus speake of it therfore they giue forth herein the doctrine of the Deuill and compell by his doctrine their fylthy syngle lyfe And as the Apostle sayth when the Romayns their forefathers thought themselues wise they became fooles and tourned the glorye of the immortall GOD Rom. 1.22 to the ymage of a mortall man c. Wherfore God gaue them vp to all fylthynesse Euen so of right it is come to passe in the Romane papists now to haue the lyke iudgement that they may reape the fruite of their iniquitie and that the blinde guydes and like led people might perishe together Iohn 3. that refuse the light Christ and his gospell and imbrace by loue carnall this deuillishe doctrine What fruites this syngle lyfe bringeth to the world in the Popish Clargie Filthy fruit of Popishe syngle lyfe I blushe to speake I will not therfore tell of those 6000 childrens heades which when saint Gregory the first as they call him the worste Bishop of Rome in déede of all that wente before him but the best of all which haue succeeded his place and dignitie did drawe his Fishe ponds in Rome in stead of well growne Carps were taken vp Isay 6000 childrens heads to the reproch of all popishe fruite in popishe priestly syngle lyfe Thys fruite is whoredome and murther vppon which occasion Gregory repented that he had giuen precept of syngle lyfe remembring the sentenâ—e of Paule It is better to marry then to burne 1. Cor. 7.9 he there to added drawing back his wicked decrée seing it an occasion of great whoredome and murther It is sayth he better to marry then to giue such occasion of murther Epi. cont Oâ—â—g herâ—s 42. We may saye of these Chaplaines and their felowes as Epiphanius sayd of such They refuse mariage but not luste or pleasure for they esteeme not chastitie but hypocrisie and yet the same hypocrisye they will haue called chastitie Can the Popishe Clergie he paynted more plainely I trowe not certainely Much lesse will I saye then eyther their deserte or cause craueth this that I haue sayd doth sufficiently set forth this to be méere popish darknesse and that sufficeth our purpose at this tyme. Trust me good brother as in this poynt thou mayest easely perceiue their tretchery So in the remnante of their Religion there is neyther truth nor true godlynesse Now concerning the second branch of the worde darknesse which is corruption of lyfe If thou wilt aske The darkenes of Englande what corruption I studie to saye not for wante of cause but where to beginne I leaue to speake of forreyne Nations and would to God we had no cause to descry the sicknesse of our selues England Lorde graunt hir repentance Esa 1.5.6 Oh the synnes of Englande They are as Esay sayth of hys time from the top to the sole of the foote there is no health The princes and Nobles waxe wearie of the worde of lyfe they may not abide to be touched at the quicke Secondly such rather wishe that the worde shoulde haue no preachers to reueale it then their iniquity should be made knowne to their amendment by it I knowe the Lorde be praised that we haue sundry doughtie Dauids that yet will humbly heare with noble harts How princes noble men muste be reprooued of sinne the Prophet Nathan to reproue their yll so he doth it by some pretie shadow as Nathan did And truely noble persons are to be vsed with reuerende regarde their synne not nourished least as we slyde from Nathan his example we doe lesse good then eyther our desire or their condition may require So be there also hawtie harts in honors seate to whom Iohn Baptist cannot without great hatred and like displeasure reprooue those things in them which the whole worlde cryeth oute vpon This is corruption but woulde to God this and the rest were farre from all our Nobilitie The poore tenants cry out of some as done to beggery by vnreasonable fynes racked rents great enclosures priuation of their auncient Commons into Parkes and pastures not for fallow but for well tallowed shamble Deare Oh vyle debase of Noble state to acquainte themselues with grasing arte and Butchers skill or to destroye for woole and Lambe the Lambes of Christ bought with the precious blood of the sonne of God Act. 20.8 The Courtly pleasures and Venus Courte is an horrible darknesse of these dayes women be chaunged into mens aparell that is thought a Courtly comlynes which the almightye God doth condemne in his lawe for great abhomination The woman shall not weare that which belongeth or pertayneth to the man sayth the Lord as Dublet bréeches such lyke neyther shall a man put on womens apparell Deut. 22. for all that doe so are an abhomination vnto the Lorde Giue eare to this you Courtly Madams which daunce in mens Dublets to the wante of womanhood The Courtly guyse in wantons the breche of this lawe and the offence of good people which rather then to doe you ought to abstayne from your fantasies were your lewdnesse herein lawfull Whether yee eate or drinke sayth the Apostle or whatsoeuer ye doe doe all to the glory of God not to your owne
securitie for thy Christes sake But as their is a lyking generall except of Gods chosen and mutuall for these euils So is there else a pestilent hate among these sorts of men For the Riche men as Micha sayth are full of crueltie Mich. 6.12 and the inhabitants of the land speake lyes one to another there is to daye no trust in mans tongue The worlds fashyon We are become Coosoners one of another there is but deceyte in our mouthes The good men perishe amongst vs and there is none righteous in earth Men lye some in wayte for blood 7.2 others hunte as with a Hay net to catch his brother The Iudge iudgeth for rewardes the great man speaketh out the corruption of his harte and so against the poore it is shut vp Mic. 6.13.74 that no man dare whisper against him Therefore will the Lorde make vs sicke with smyting and desolate bicause of our synnes The day of our watchmen and visitation commeth then shall be our confusion Againe Gods church is spoyled the people by impropriations robbed of their Pastour by whose spirituall féeding this bread of lyfe should worke saluation by Christ in them This is presumptious darknesse Ioh. 2.15 Christ droue out those which bought and solde in the Temple and saide that they made it a den of theeues But what will he do to these Impropriaâ—â—ons the seede of ignorance in godly knowledge and a great cause of Gods anger ouer vs. which buy and sell the church it self and al her maintenance From God and his Ministers to Atheists Papistes and curssed worldlings that lyue of the Churches spoyle and hate the Lord thereof his worde and ministry Dauid sayth He hateth all those that haue euil wil at Syon Antiochus for spoyling the Temple had a shamefull ende Let not these in this looke for a happie blessing Wyl a man spoyle his Gods sayth the Lord but you haue spoyled me Mala. 3.8 and yet you say wherein haue we spoyled thee In tythes and offerings haue you spoyled mee sayth the Lorde ye are curssed with a cursse for yee haue spoyled me sayth the Lorde euen this whole Nation Note well beloued this darknesse is more pestiferous in that it doth beget the ignorance in learned letters and of Gods truth to the posterity to come For who is he that seing the Church so spoyled will sende and set his sonne to schoole to be a preacher when the reward of that holy learning and place is next vnto beggery except the highe Roumes This is Gods iudgement for ignorant darknesse But when shal I make an ende a whole volume would not sufficiently set forth the worlds darknesse and humane fraile conditions For the preachers are to the people as a merry sounde Ier. 5.13 Eze. 33.32 as the Prophete sayth of one which syngeth a pleasant song And so it is nowe All our endeuour is to marke the Preachers cunning his Eloquence and synguler gyftes and when the Sermon is ended we thinke sufficiently to haue aunswered all our duetie if vpon the conceyued delight of his well digested order The loue of thys tyme to Gods worde and ministers and sound delyuery we can and doe giue him his due commendations but the cause wherfore God sent him or he spake to our amendment we regarde not but as we came so we go and contynue as we were as not hauing heard at all Gods prophet sent amongst vs. Thys vniuersall olde and moste horrible darknes The Country hath receyued the Courtly vice night is tourned into daye and day into night to bedde at midnight and vp at the noone day The Sermon Bell doth lull these Babes a sleepe and Sathan laugheth at their swynishe slumber Halas thys synne Idolatrous feastes are daylie kept the Church Saint muste haue hys wake daye which is all spent being the Lords Sabboth in Bearebating Bacchus chéere and Venus fylthy sports Thys execrable darknesse in England without restrainte Euery man séeketh prayse one of another and therefore can they not beleue Ioh. 8.47.5.44 and seeke the only praise of God This flattering darknesse The holye Ministrie is holden in contempt Christ and hys Father despysed in them their patrons many Poling Patrons are become Latrons and pryue the preachers portion to serue their owne prouision it is ynough for the priest to haue ten powndes by the yeare and for this too he shal besydes carry a dyshe to his maysters Table or else stande at the dresser orderly to set out the messes of meate and supply the Clarke of the kytchyns place his Seruice and Homilyes he must cut short and measure them by the Cookes readynesse and dynner dressing the roste neare ready the kitchin boye is sente to master Parson to bydde hym make hast the meate is readye and hys mayster cals for dynner he commeth at a becke not daring to denye or make longer staye least his delaye might cause the Cooke to burne the meate and he be called of mayster and men Syr Iohn burne Goose These Parsons must begyn ende Gods deuyne seruice at their Patrons pleasures This sacrilegious darknes Agayne Gods Ministers haue taken to them womanishe hartes they doe not or dare not reproue the ryche and mightie of their iniquity Thys is our spirituall synne of which Chrysostome sayth Chrysost Reproue the myghtie in synne and they will feare thee be afrayd of them and they will despice thee O Lord amende thys tymerous darknesse To be short euery man in priuate talke accuseth his brother of darknesse and synne yea one and al and yet no one almost wyll submyt hymselfe to the censure of Gods worde or abyde thereby to be reprooued This Catholique darknesse Finally we walke after wicked counsels we stand and abyde in synfull wayes Oh returne before ye syt in scorners Chaire which cannot be reclamed for of all other thys is a most curssed synne and desperate darknesse O Lord be merciful vnto our gracious Quéene and shewe the lyght of thy countenance vpon vs and bée mercyfull to vs illuminate our harts aright that we may once sée our synne and vtterly cast of these deadly workes of darknesse for thy Christes sake our onely Lord and Sauyour But Syr sayth the Temporall as the worlde calleth them hath your selfe and Clergy some imunitie and pryuiledge from these darke and mistie clowdes of synne whereof you haue so sharply sayde Not in so déepe drownings I truste But are we frée No no God knoweth The priests lyps should preserue knowledge Mala. 2.7 at his mouth should the Lordes people fetch the wyll of God for he is the Lords messenger and Angel But halas of the most we may say Esa 56.10 The watchmen are al blynde they be al ignorante dumbe Dogs which cannot barke Clergy syn they lye and sleepe delight in sleeping and these greedie Dogges can neuer haue ynough and these shepeards cannot vnderstand the reason is for they all looke to their