beginneth to roote out some error or superstition at the first shall haue much a do for custome and natural corruption are the first causers of heresie and shall crie against her in the maintenance thereof and withstanders of reformation shall say great is Diana of Ephesus and so for a long time they seeme to wash the Ethiopian or the blacke More the more they wash him the more they gall him and yet he is an Ethiopian still but in the end the Arke standeth and Dagon falleth downe truth triumpheth 1. Sam. 5. ouer falshood hauing got the victorie light chaseth away darknesse with the brightnesse thereof To him that asketh what scripture haue you against it it is sufficient to answer what scripture haue you for it Is not this enough to ouerthrow it that for euerie idle word you must giue account as our sauiour Christ saith And againe saith God who hath required these things at your hands They aske what shall we not say God be with them Why should you I pray Esa 1. 2. Sam. 12. you what said Dauid of his child he said no such thing but thus he is gone and will not returne but I shal follow him If he be a good man we say the Lord be thanked for his deliuerance but if he be not then we say God graunt we may do better then he hath done that by his fall we may learne to rise from sinne Therefore as Iacob said to his wiues Gen. 35. and children giue me your idols that I may burie them so say I vnto you giue me your superstitions that I may burie theÌ„ that they may remaine with you or in you no longer to the dishonor of God offending of your weake brethren or to my griefe for I am iealous ouer you because seeing you are mine and I am yours ô that my voyce were as the whirlwind to beate downe root out and blow away all your superstitions that they may no loÌ„ger raigne among you Now to my text For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation Because the holy Ghost by inspiration had declared vnto him that he should not die til he had seene Iesus Christ therfore the same spirit led him to the temple shewed him that which it promised hauing seene the same he desireth and wisheth to die and be released from this earthly prison that he might liue with God As idle euil wishes are vaine because they are not according to faith nor grounded vpon the word of God so though we aske as cunningly as Iacob and as earnestly as the sonnes of Zebede yet if we aske not in faith according to knowledge Mar. 10. we can not obtaine for we must aske so that we may receiue that we may not returne emptie Then we see that the principal cause that moued Simeon to wish for death was because he had seene his sauiour and the true Messias which was promised by the father figured by the law spoken of by the Prophets and foretold by the fathers and pointed at by Iohn Baptist he embraced What desire should he haue of life when life and ioy and peace and the verie brightnesse of the image of God appeared vnto him for all his life is but a pilgrimage of sorow and of griefe yea a continuall combat with sin therfore what should he feare death But he might haue sayd long haue I wayted in patience but what is all the time that is past and the life that is to come to an ende My kingdome is not of this world and yet I Iohn 18. haue a kingdome whereof I am certified now I see thy saluation thou hast promised and now is thy promise fulfilled therefore blessed are they that hunger and thirst after Mat. 5. righteousnesse for none shall haue this food but they that huÌ„ger for it The murmuring Isrraelites died in the wildernesse might Num. 11. 14. and 16. and 21. c. not so much as see the land of Canaan because they murmured against their God As Moses died on the mount where he saw the land of Canaan so the godly die in the sight Deut. 34. of God in the contemplation of his glorie like Steuen who at the verie instant of Act. 7. his death saw the heauens open and Christ Iesus sitting at the right hand of his father and like Simeon here which died not till he saw the Lord of life and till he embraced him thankfully in his armes Beloued you are not ignorant that the great day of the Lord is neare at hand and therfore they that haue not yet seene Christ they that haue not yet embraced him but still sleepe without oyle in their lamps shall suddenly be ouertaken without the wedding garment and shall be cast into eternall torment for euer Mine eyes haue seâ—ne thy saluation c. Then we see that Christ was no spirit neither was his bodie a fantasticall bodie for if he were a spirit Simeon could not see him if his bodie were a fantasticall bodie then could not he haue embraced him Therfore we see that the wordes of the Scripture are true which saith that Christ was perfect man in all things sinne onely excepted For he sometime wept as at the death of Lazarus and likewise ouer Ierusalem Sometime Iohn 11. Luke 19. Iohn 4. Luke 10. Luke 5. he thirsted as at the well where the woman of Samaria disputed with him also sometime eate as at Marthaes house as also amoÌ„g Publicans and sinners which in euery thing shewed him selfe to be perfect man For mine eyes haue seene thy saluation c. O Lord saith he I desire now to be dissolued and free from the bondage of sinne which so long hath inhabited in my mortall bodie for now he is come by whom thou hast promised to free vs and set vs at liberty he is come by whom thou hast promised to breake the serpents head and he is come that will heale our infirmities and giue strength against sinne and Sathan by faith peace towards God through loue And now saith he I haue embraced him and thankfully do receiue him I beleeue and am perswaded that this is the same Messias whom the Father promised and the Prophets â—oretold all Israel loÌ„ged expected for who is the light of the Gentils the glory of Israel the God of the whole world Simeon was desirous to liue no longer in this mortall life when he saw perfect life but like Adam when he Gen. 3. came out of Paradice was desirous to come in againe or like the fish which is taken in the net out of the sea struggleth to get in againe Seeing now he is come for whom Simeon longed therfore what are the troubles that are past and the sorowes that are come to an end So they which loue the trueth of God and waite with desire to be filled with the knowledge therof such shal not die vntill they haue their hearts
did will daunce about the Arke as Dauid did and that with ioy and 2. Sam. 6. gladnesse Isaac was a good man his name signified laughter wherby was shewed what ioy laughter there should be about Christ Iesus for he was the only figure euē Christ him selfe The Virgin song when she knew Luke 1. that she should beare him the Angels song ioyfully when he was borne and Simeon song Luke 2. when he was brought into the Temple but as soone as he saw Christ he desired of God that he might die depart out of this earthly prison So soone as a man knoweth God euer henceforth he crieth with the Apostle I desire to be dissolued that he might be with Christ for Christ is light as soone as they Phil. 1. 23. see him they see also them selues his glorie and their shame filthinesse which maketh them wish for death that they might liue with him and this made the martyrs desire death or any other torment that their dayes of iniquitie might be ended and that sinne might cease against God by them for all sin is blood in their eyes and all worldly pleasures vanities Simeon desired death for the feruent loue of God made life irksome vnto him which naturally is the most pleasant thing of all vnto mā death pleasant vnto him which all men hate naturally and would giue all the riches in the world if they had it that they might not die such loue they beare to life So I conclude that no man is willing to die till his conscience be quiet in Christ for then the loue of the world falleth away like the mantell of Elias when he was rapt into 2 Kings 2. heauen Simeon had seene many things in his dayes but when he saw Christ he was vnwilling to liue any longer to see more but like the hart which panteth with desiring after the Psal 42. water brookes so he longed so long till he had seene with his eyes the Sauiour of the world and then he so thirsted for death that he sought nothing else And thus they that hunger after righteousnesse are satisfied and Mat. 5. filled It is enough for me saith Iacob that my Gen. 46. sonne Ioseph liueth so let vs be satisfied with Gen. 46. this that our sauiour Christ liueth where he is thither shal we come I would go saith one through heate and cold through ehalth and sicknesse and through all kinde of miseries that I might hunger after God and after his righteousnesse They that beare the crosse of Christ haue al the marks of Christs Disciples None are so wel fed as they which went with Christ into the wildernesse and Iohn 6. where there was no food there they all were satisfied and filled with wholsome food Simeon knew Christ as soone as he sawe him and embraced him as soone as he knew him and enioyed him as soone as he embraced him Some know the word of God as soone as they heare it others heare it as though they heard it not like deafe adders which stop their eares at the voyce of the charmer So Pharao would not heare the voyce of Moses nor Baals priests would not heare the voyce Exod. 5. c 1. Kings 18. of Elias Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace c. Christ brings peace with him not the peace of the world but that peace which passeth all vnderstanding my peace I leaue with you my peace remaine with you saith he Our peace is laid vp in Christ and all the peace we haue by him els it is no true peace Simeon had peace enough that he departed Psal 37. 37 in peace so marke the ende of the iust and you shall then depart in peace like the lambe vpon the crosse Faine would Balaam die the death of the righteous but Balaam Num. 23. must then liue the life of the righteous therfore all men looke to this Happie are they that depart in peace when death saith feare and the serpent saith despaire then saith the spirit to the flesh crouch bids the serpent flie while death openeth the prison doores If the Papists beleeued that they depart in peace they wold neuer say that those which depart go to Purgatorie so by their own saying the worst part is behind Some say this Purgatorie is in the earth neare to hell and other say it is in the aire neare to heauen Some say they are punished there by fire and some say by water some say by fire and water and some say that if it be in the earth it is too farre then from heauen to be saued Others say that if it be in the aire it is too farre from hell to be damned Some say the good Angelles torment and other say that the euill spirits do it But we must vnderstand that it is a painted sepulcher made rather for the liuing then for the dead For the Locust of Rome doth liue altogether by such Trentals and by such traditions and this is the profitablest dreame that euer any of thē dreamed but it is manifest by the word of God that where the tree falleth there it lyeth shall Eccles 11. lye for euer Diues and Lazarus are dead Luke 16. where they are thither shall we all go Sathā hath many sleightes to deceiue vs of which this is one of the greatest to bring vs from the word of God to dreames and traditions and things inuented by the braines of mortal men which haue not the spirit of God in them Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace c. In my last lecture I vnfolded two questions the first whether it be lawfull for a Christian man to wish to die The second whether we may pray for the dead and say Lord haue mercie vpon them But all the seed is not fallen into good ground therfore some thinke it but a small matter to say so or as it were a venial sinne if it be a sinne But let vs take heed how we make trifles of sinnes for there is no dalying with God who is iealous as a consuming fire when his people make such small accoūt of his words Heb. 12. Other demaund whether it be not better to say God be with them then the deuill be with them both which are naught and to be eschued And herein they aske this question like a thiefe hauing robbed a man by the high way and being taken with it and demāded why he did such a villany he saith is it not better to rob him then to kill him as though he must needes do the one of thē then what a shamelesse answer is this for it is manifest that of two euils none is to be chosen Some wil say it is a testimonie of our good Three bucklers wherewith some do vse to maintaine prayer for the dead will To such we must replie saying so it is a
whose life is famous whose death is mâ—ritorious None can take vpon him the authoritie of God but he on whose shoulders the Lord layeth it being sent of God from God Then we see that our Sauiour is the true Sauiour sent from God for all creatures beare witnesse vnto him yea the verie deuils with all the euill spirits do obey his voyce at whose name all knees do bow He Mar. 1. Phil. 2. came not to bring health wealth pleasures or profits for the which if he had then multitudes of worldlings would haue followed him but he came to bring saluation righteousnesse peace truth and life therefore few care for him He came to saue sinners not all sinners not euery one that saith Lord Lord Mat. 7. Luke 5. but he came to saue penitent sinners which turned vnto God by their repentance therfore he prayeth in Iohn for those onely that Iohn 17. were giuen vnto him So soone as the seed is sowen the stones bruse it the thornes choke it and the sunne doth parch it and what comfort hath the lillie among thornes therfore wisedome taketh her vnto her wings whispereth saying you shal seeke me before I come you shall seeke me but shal not find Pro. 1. me because ye haue refused me when I offred my selfe vnto you Christ is their saluation that beleeue in â—im and make much of him and thankfully receiue him The godly he deliuereth from sinne but the wicked he leaueth bound in the chaines of their iniquitie to be tormented of him which had tempted them thereunto whose will they alwayes endeuoured to fulfill not the Lords he sheweth them a hand vpon the wal writing their condemnation Dan. 5. and another catching them by the hairie scalpe which maketh all their ioynts to tremble and their heats to despaire and he saith vnto them what doest thou here without thy wedding garment how darest Mat. 20. thou come to steale away the childreÌ„s bread The spirit of Saule worketh in him in his 1. Sam. 16. bed and euerie where and he calleth for the harpe of Dauid to comfort his heart which can not be comforted And this spirit sayth to Iudas thou hast betrayed thy Lord and Mat. 27. crucified him therefore go and hang thy self for it sticketh within thee like the mark of Cain But the godly heart goeth home reioycing Gen. 4. and chewing the cud like the Apostles which reioiced in that they were counted worthie to suffer for his names sake Act. 5. 41. O what a good banket we haue had this day the bee goeth lodeÌ„ to the hiue goeth longer in the strength thereof then Elias did 1. Kings 17. Thy saluation The onely Sauiour is here called saluation it self for if he were called a bare Sauiour only theÌ„ you might likly vnderstand it by some other sauiour but here he is called saluation it selfe to shewe that there is no other for there be more sauiours but no more saluations and there is manie wayes to death and yet but one death The brasen serpent was a figure of Christ that Num. 21. Iohn 3. they which are stong by sinne by fire and by the serpent which beguiled Euah may make speede because there is no remedie but to come to Christ The Papists haue found out many saluations they haue found out a saluation by Saints a saluation by Angels a saluation by Masses a saluation by merits a saluation by Idols as though Christ had least to do in his owne office for they haue other saluations to flie vnto They will haue it but they wil buy it and what will they giue for it whie they will fast so many dayes go so farre on pilgrimages hire priestes to say so manie Masses build so manie Abbeys and giue so many summes of money to the Monks and Friers Therfore this scripture goeth against them doth dishonor their shamelesnesse who like Nemrod heaping stone vpoÌ„ stone Gen. 11. would haue built vp to heauen so they heape sinne vpon sinne and euerie houre some one heresie or superstition groweth vp from this filthie roote for what Papist dare say that Simeon thought on any of these or put confidence in anie other Sauiour but only in him whoÌ„ he embraced in his armes for saluation is by the promise of God and all promises are in Christ And though Iacob 2. Cor. 1. wanted bread Ioseph wanted not mony Gen. 42. therefore he gaue them backe againe their money likewise he gaue them that corne that they would haue bought with it so I would wish them to say as Iosephs brethreÌ„ that they haue their corne for nothing and had their money too so let them be content to say that they haue mercie for nothing their works too For god careth not for their workes because they profit not him but theÌ„ selues For there is no water can wash Naaman 2. Kings 5. but Iordan no water can wash the leprosie of sinne but the bloud of the Lambe By this the Israelites were saued when the Exod. 12. destroyer passed by By this the Lord knoweth vs to be his people and by this the deuill knoweth vs to be none of his As it is proper vnto God to be called goodnesse so is it proper vnto Iesus Christ to be called saluation He is called the way the truth and Iohn 14. the life for that life which we haue is but a sparke and shadow of life but he is the true and eternall life Then seeing Christ is both our righteousnesse saluation and also the way the truth and the life to leade vs thereunto It is as possible for vs without Christ to be righteous or saued as it is to be wise without wisedome righteous without righteousnesse or saued without saluatioÌ„ Therfore let vs not be ashamed to take our water from the fountaine seeing Christ is the fouÌ„taine of all wisedome of all righteousnesse of all truth of all knowledge of all saluation and briefly of all goodnesse therefore there is no other Arke to saue vs from the floud no other ladder to ascend with into heaueÌ„ no other Ioseph to feed vs in the famine no other Moses to lead vs through the wildernesse But as the riuer Sâ—loa ruÌ„neth through all the land of Iudaea watereth the whole citie of God so Christ doth shew him selfe all in all and all sufficient in mercie to saue and to blesse all his Church with spirituall gifts If Christ be life what shall make vs Ephes 4. 1. Cor. 15. despaire shall Sathan No for he hath ouercome Sathan Shal death No for he hath ouercome death Shall hell No for he hath ouercome hell Shall the Law No for he Rom. 5. hath fulfilled the Law Shall wrath No for he hath troden the wine presse of his fathers Esa 63. wrath Therefore it was a sweete saying of one at his death wheÌ„ mine iniquitie is greater then thy mercie ô God then
that he suffering for sinfull and wretched man was a conquerer ouer hell and all euill and had ouercome death The Scribes are against him the Pharisies were against him the rulers bande themselues against him the atheists against him and all the spitefull and enuious Iewes against him whose birth was glorious whose life was famous and whose death was meritorious but God was with him and in him by which power he hath ouercome them all Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people c. I thought when first I began this song to end it in foure or fiue sermons and I know not what keepes me from it so long but if it be as pleasant to you as it is to me you will not be wearie of it though I go forward but like a snaile but hereafter I will go faster take more and giue you the best thereof Let vs proceede Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people c. He speakes this to the ende that the eyes of all mankind may be fixed vpon him as the eyes of all Israell were fixed vpon the Brasen serpent in the wildernesse that when Num. 21. they be stinged with the sting of that firie serpent which deceiued our forefathers they may flie vnto him for helpe lest they perish in their sinne and their bloud be on their owne heads Dauid being to encounter with Goliah 1. Sam. 17. Saule tooke and put on his harnesse but he could not weare it it was too heauie for his litle bodie therefore he tooke nothing but a staffe and a few stones in a scrip and so Dauid slue the pride of the Philistines the feare of Israell And euen thus the Lord set his Sonne to fight with the Prince of this world not with swords and targets bowes and billes but with the word and spirit of God with the which he hath ouercome and through him we also haue the victorie and for this cause hath he bene prepared that all people might haue cause to reioyce in him Which thou hast prepared He was prepared long ago as it doth most plainly appeare for the Virgine which bare him the place of his birth the poore estate wherein it was his miracles his Apostles his torments his crosse his death his resurrection his ascensiō into heauē al these were foreshewed and foretold long before they came to passe Therefore some sayd who is this that is so often spoken of by the Prophets who is this that can do many miracles that the Scribes and Pharisies cannot do Luke 4. 7. Iohn 11. Luke 8. Mat. 27. Iohn 10. Mar. 6. that can raise the dead that can ceasse the windes calme the waters at whose suffering the earth quaked the sunne hid his face darkenesse came ouer all and being dead rose againe by his owne power and ascended into heauen in the sight of a great multitude How can it be then but it must be known before the face of all people which was so manifest by dreames by visions by oracles by power by authoritie euery thing had a tong to speake for God Euerie thing was prepared for him before he came to be reuealed he came not in the beginning nor in the ending he came not in the ending that we which come after him might long for his second comming He came not in the beginning because that such a Prince as he should haue manie banners and triumphs before him He came not in the beginning because the eyes of faith should not be daseled in him and lest they should forget him and his comming so long since which liued in the latter ages euen as you forget that which I haue sayd as soone as you are gone hence He came not in the beginning because if he had come before man had sinned man would haue acknowledged no need of a phisitian but when man had sinned that he might feele the smart of sinne therfore he came not then for when they were cast out of Paradice they ran vnto Christ as the Israelites did to the serpent He came not in the beginning but in the perfect age of the world to shewe that he brought with him perfection perfect ioy perfect peace perfect wisedome perfect righteousnesse perfect iustice perfect truth signifying therby that notwithstanding he came in the perfect age thereof yet he found all things vnperfect The Iewes thought that he should come like some great Prince with pōpe glorie which was a carnal conceipt for herein they were maruelously deceiued his father was but a poore carpenter and his mother but a simple woman and he a sillie babe wrapt in clouts Then ought not we to reuerence our Lord and to praise his name for that he became so humble for vs most vile wretches that are worthie of nothing and yet we see how cruelly they dealt with this blessed one which came to saue them Ignorance sate in the chaire deceipt gaue the sentence and crueltie executed him with the most painfull shamefull death of the crosse O that your eyes do not dasell your eares tingle and your hearts maruell at this dealing of theirs to our louing Sauiour which came to saue them if they would and now see that he will abase him self for our sakes euen to the vttermost ô wonderfull thing to thinke of If you would marke I would make you in loue with him before I haue done with you I say vnto all those that come hither to be edified take your fill of pleasure enter into Paradice lift vp your eyes stretch foorth your hands and eate your fill of the tree of life and the Lord will go home with you imbrace him and kisse him entertaine him well and he will dwell with you for euer But you that come hither for fashions sake either to see or beseene to finde fault with somewhat or to make an hypocritical shew of godlinesse where there is none I tell you that comfort shall shake hands with you at the dore marke it and you shall see that my wordes are true Shewe me what it is that is better then saluation I would haue none of you to be damned if I might preuent it nor so much as a peece of you to be giuen to Sathan therefore I would I knew that stone that would kill Goliah for I would strike it with all my might into his temples If you will you may be saued and the Lord will one day put those words in my mouth that will touch your hearts Therefore now arise kisse and imbrace the sweet babe Iesus and then afterward frame your selues to obey him for then the Lord will knocke at your hearts and if ye will let him in he wil teach you all things The Lord came not in the beginning nor in the ending but he came in the middle age of the world to shew that if it will not learne now it will neuer learne to come vnto God by repentance amēdment that they
of vs and our Maisters that thou seeing and beholding vs with thy fatherly eyes promising reward to them that faithfully and truly walke in their vocation and threatening euerlasting death and damnatiō to them that deceiptfully and wickedly do their works and labours We besech thee ô heauenly father to giue vs the strength of thy spirit that godly and gladly we may ouercome our labours and that the tediousnesse of this irksome labour which thou for our sins hast powred vpon al mankind may seeme to vs delectable and sweet Graunt ô deare Father that we may chearfully walke in our vocation and faithfully serue thee in this our seruice and gladly and ioyfully go foorth in our labors Fulfill now ô Lord these our requests for thy son our Sauiours sake in whose name we pray as he him selfe hath taught vs. Our Father c. Another Prayer ETernall God all mightie and most mercifull we thy vnworthie seruants prostrate before the throne of grace do yeeld our selues bodie and soule vnto thee for all thy benefits which thou from our birth hast heaped vpon vs as though we had alwayes done thy will although we occupied about vaine things neuer marked neuer loued neuer serued neuer thanked thee so heartily for them as we esteeme a mortall friend for the least curtesie Therefore we come with shame and sorow to confesse our sinnes not small but grieuous not few but infinite not past but present not secret but presumptuous against thy expresse word and will against our owne conscience knowledge and liking if any had done them but our selues O Lord if thou shouldst require but the least of thē at our hands Sathan would chalenge vs for his and we should neuer see thy face againe nor the heauens nor the earth nor all the goodnesse which thou hast prepared for man what shall we do then but appeale vnto thy mercie and humbly desire thy fatherly goodnesse to extend that compassion towards vs which thy beloued sonne our louing Sauiour hath purchased so mightily so mercifully so graciously so dearely for vs. We beleeue and know that one drop of his bloud is sufficient to heale our infirmities pardon our iniquities and supplie our necessities without thy grace our strēgth our guide our life we are able to do nothing but sinne as woful experience too long hath taught vs and the example of those which are voyd thereof whose life is nothing else but the seruice of the world the flesh the deuill therefore good Father as thou in especiall fauor hast appointed vs to serue thee like as thou hast ordained all other creatures to serue vs so may it please thee to send down thine heauenly spirit into this earthly mansion to illuminate our minds mollifie our hearts cleanse our affections subdue our reason regenerate our willes purifie our natures with thy spirit so shall not thy benefits nor thy chastisements nor thy word returne void but accōplish that for the which they were sent vntill we be renued into the image of thy sonne Good Lord we beseech thee to looke downe in the multitude of thy compassions vpon thy militant church this sinfull Realme thy gracious handmaid our dread Soueraigne her honorable Counsellers the ciuill magistrats the painfull ministers the two Vniuersities the people that sit in darknesse and all that beare thy crosse gather vs into one communion of thy truth giue vnto euery one a spirit vnto his calling that being mindfull of the account and that we are called Christians may firmely resolue speedily begin and continually perseuere in doing and searching thy most holy will Good Lord blesse sanctifie our meeting that no temptation hinder me in speaking or them in hearing but that thy word may be heard spoken as the word of God which is able to saue our soules in that day howsoeuer it pleaseth thee by weake foolish things to magnifie thy selfe there is no cause ô Lord most iust why thou shouldest heare sinners which art displeased with sin but for his sake which hath suffered for sin and sinned not in whose name we are bold to lift vp our hearts hands and voyces vnto thee saying as he hath taught vs O our Father c. FINIS
reuealed vnto whole nations And so solemne is our calling as that in so manie places of the scripture it is foretold whereby we see how dearely the Lord tendereth our saluation like as a kind spouse which was longed for while she was in a strange countrie so Christ longed for the gentiles till they came home againe vnto him Therefore let vs now consider what he giueth vs namely righteousnesse and saluation first righteousnesse then saluation first repentance and then forgiuenesse of sinnes the sunne of the gospel least we should see heauen in hell and light in darknesse and ioy in anguishes Let vs not contemne our light or grow carelesse of it let vs not build with one hand ouerthrow with the other by prophanesse like those men which while they surfetted at their gluttonous tables did call vpon God for health Christ is not receyued with the hand if the father offering a gift do see the sonne stretch foorth his left hand he will withdraw his gift from him I say let vs not contemne our light as the Iewes contemned their glorie For what is light to him that will shut his eies against it What is this light It is such a glorious light and such an excellent reuelation that great and mightie kings haue earnestly desired to see and princes haue laid downe their crownes to reueale it Let vs embrace this light Let vs take put on the wedding garment and go to the banket vnto which a thousand messengers haue inuited vs and do alledge none excuses I haue married a wife I haue bought oxen I go to see a farme Mat. 22. c. and therefore I cannot come neither will I come Well do so if that ye will needes but remember that thou wast inuited and therfore the blessing shall be giuen to another Therefore shall Esau weepe for the blessing but shall not haue it Heb. 1â— But giue me a reason I pray thee why thou wilt be called the seruaÌ„t of God which doest not serue him or the child of God which dost not loue him or the disciple of Christ which dost not learne of him yet his raine falleth vpon all the iust vniust and he giueth thee al things for nothing â— the sun doth giue his light for nothing the dewe doth giue his moisture for nothing the â—â—uers do giue their waters for nothing and the earth doth giue her fruit for nothing What shall we do then when the sunne shineth We must not do as we do in the darke for then men ought to betake them to their labour Learne of the sauage beasts who as soone as the day springs betake theÌ„ to their trauell and euery bird welcommeth it with many a sweet song Christ is light and this light is come Therefore he that seeth not now is blinde and he that heares not now is deafe and he that workes not now is maimed But we will not worke holy workes according to the word neither in light nor darkenes we can see to sin in the darke as well as in the light for the light discouereth both the harlot â—â— the theese for he is afraid of the light where light is not Christ is not but Christ Iohn 1. is light and let none be afraid to seeke this light which is so good so excellent and so profitable for vs. For it doth not onelie desoâ—e it solfe but al other things round about it Therfore if thou hast this light thy faith thy feare thy loue will shew it selfe good things cannot now hide themselues for he that is light doth delight to please God in the light It is no maruell though a man stumble in the darke but he which stumbleth in the light is not verie strong because he seeth his way before him Once we stumbled at euerie straw when we walked in darknesse for then light had a fall pride had a fall lust had a fall drunkennesse had a â—al penurie had a fall ignorance had a fall or if you will pride rose and we fell lust rose and we fell c. Were Egypt as light as Goshen that is whether the Iewes haue receiued their glorie or no yet if thou sin in the darke the light wil bewray thee and thy conscience will accuse thee and condemne thee for it Therefore now giue ouer darknes and arme thee with light for your life shineth like the light therefore now we should be Israel for Israel is reuolted But many scrolles may be written of our sinnes and thus the gentiles are as gentiles still He that beleeueth not the word is an infidell he that beleeueth not God is an Atheist he that worshippeth anie thing more than God is an idolater euerie mans conscience shall condemne himselfe Men will leaue godlinesse for riches but they will not leaue their riches for godlinesse The Iewes neuer serued God at any time with such deuotion as they doe now their gold and their riches Many theâ—e are which could be content neuer to die but liue here with their riches and pleasures Is not the godly more despited for his godlinesse than the wicked for his wickednesse Are not the members of Christ more hated and worse entertained by vs then the limmes of Sathan So dearely doth euerie one loue sinne and drawes sinne vpon sinne like a chain or monsters drawne in a chain pride sheweth drunkennesse sheweth euerie man his sinne They came vnto vs and said your fathers loued vs well and said vnto vs if you wil be faire you shall be wise if you will be drunke you shall be rich and so euerie one pointeth at and sheweth vs the way which leadeth to destruction and how few are the number of them which sheweth vs the way of vertue and godlinesse And thus we are euen as forward as those Iewes which striue who shall come to hell first Who did euer thanke God that he was not borne an hundred yeares ago when ignorance spred ouer all and all Egypt was smitten with darknesse or that the Lorde hath not left him to himselfe to become an Atheist or an Epicure which liues without God in the world VVe haue all Gods gifts offered vs but we haue refused them Christ brought light but we had rather he had brought darknesse for we loue darkenesse more then light The Angels the heauens the word the spirit are light and we which see it are darknesse for we can not abide light but are like an Owle which flieth out of a haâ—e field from the light of the day such a death is day vnto vs. Faith is flowen away truth is become a pilgrim and euerie string is out of tune He which should weep and bee sorrowfull laughes and truth is brought to the ground yea poore truth is euen persecuted to the death therefore sinners are stubble and their sentence is burne them How fine would be the way of vertue if you would pare away the rubs that are in it if you would take away all occasions of
sinne and giue it gall to eate and when you haue done so set a crowne of thornes vpon his head and when you haue thus crow 〈…〉 you haue condemned it put it to death and when you haue put it to death burie it and when you haue buried it â—oll a great stone vpon the head of it and set watch men to keepe it and let your watch-men be fasting and prayer that it may neuer rise againe to raigne any more the which the Lord for his mercie sake grant Amen THE CALLING OF IONAH Ionah 1. 1. 2. 1 The vvord of the Lord came to Ionah the sonne of Amittai saying 2 Arise and go to Niniuie that great Citie and crie against it for their vvickednesse is come â—p before me YOu haue heard the sweet song of old father Simeon like the pleasaunt song of a sweet bird before her death setting foorth the ioy of the righteous which embrace Christ Iesus Before Christ Iesus vouchsafed to come vnto vs we would not come vnto him but in all our doings we wrought our condemnation through the innumerable heapes of our iniquities laboured to driue him without all hope of mercie from vs. So we continued like flies which flutter about the candle till they haue consumed them selues When we had done as much as in vs lay to driue him away from vs then he saued and recompenced good for euill vnto vs. So that if God had loued vs no better theÌ„ we loued our selues we might haue perished in our sinne and our bloud should be vpon our owne heads If Christ be the light of the Gentiles let vs embrace himâ— and let euerie one walke as becommeth the children of light but many do shut their eyes against it least they should see and many do not onely smoother their owne light but the Sunne sayth vnto the Moone shine not and the Moone sayth vnto the Stars be not bright And many haue smothered their light so long that the dampe hath put out the candle and thus they labor to bring the darkenesse of Egypt vpon Goshen so that their eyes haue forgotten to see and so manie goe out of the way because they would not looke vpon the candle and the deuill giueth to euerie one that which he wisheth so it may be for his hurt to the bramble fire and who can but pittie that the same Manna which commeth from heauen should be poysoned with it The Iewes had no cause to enuie our light for he gaue theÌ„ glorie he was poore and yet he gaue them riches he was counted base and yet he made them honourable he was contemned and yet he made them beloued they were full of darknesse and he brought them light but they contemned this light and so procured their owne condemnation And therefore now it is come to passe that they are become vagabonds vpon the earth and most contemned of all other nations euerie people haue a dwelling but since they prophesied euill vnto themselues saying his blood be vpon vs and our children goodnesse hath put on the face of bath fulnesse amongst them If thou embrace Christ as Simeon did then Christ is thy glorie but if thy glorie consist in beautie which fadeth in gay clothing which weareth in wealth which wasteth or in gold which rusteth then Christ is not thy glorie We haue gone long with an olde man and now we haue lost him but we are loth to part with him he is such a good companion neuerthelesse we hope to finde him againe in Ionah We haue gone but slowly with him as with an olde man which is not verie swift on foote but now we must runne with Ionah as with a poste least Niniuie be destroied The word of the Lord came vnto Ionah I neede not shew the authoritie of Prophets but concerning their sorts and difference there are three sorts of Prophets The first were such as called vpon the name of the Lord in prayer for the people and receiued an answer from the Lord in the peoples behalfe of which sort was Samuell these 〈◊〉 Sa. 10. 9 were called Seers A second sort of Prophets were such as God raysed to expouÌ„d the law and declare the will of God vnto the people when the Priests and such as should do so were slacke in their callings of which sort was Esay Ieremie Ezechiell Damell Hose Ioell Aâ—â—os Obadiah Ionah and the rest of the holy Prophets A third sort were such as haue beene since Christ woorking such like effectes of which sort was the Prophet Agabus of whome mention is Act. 11 28. made in the eleuenth of the Acts and the 28. verse Now in the second sort of these was Ionah whom God sent to declare his wil vnto his people vnto whom also the Lord did reueale the subuersion of kingdomes the ouerthrow of Tribes the captiuitie of Nations and calamities that were to come vnto the sonnes of men for iniquitie and rebellion against God As all wise men were not borne at once nor liued togither so these holy Prophets haue not beene at once but were raised vp by the Lord God some here some there according to his pleasure and as he sawe the people stand in need of them by reason of the corruption of the times And furthermore the Lord hath not at any time reuealed vnto one of these all things that might be reuealed but as much as was sufficient for them euerie one in their times and places Neither hath any of them told as much of the will of God as might be nor the expounding of his lawes But the Patriarkes haue left some to the Prophets and the Prophets haue left some to the Apostles but they haue left none for vs but they haue all left open the whole will of GOD vnto vs and euerie one bringeth Golde and Myrrhe and Frankensense like the wise men which came to see our Lord. There are three things which moued me to take this storie in hand aboue al others First because you know the storie and therefore can the better conceiue of the matter as I go forward with it Secondly because it is brief and doth containe a great deale in a little Thirdly because it is most agreeable for the time and state of this sinfull age wherein we liue and therefore most conuenient for vs. It is manifest that Ionah liued in a very troublesome time namely in the time of Ieroboam a wicked king of whom it was said that he not only sinned himself against the Lord but it is he which is called the IeroboaÌ„ that made Israell to sinne Also this commeÌ„deth the constancie of Ionah that he in the midst of all the corruptions wherwith all the people were ouerflowne kept him selfe vncorrupted and vnspotted amongst them all And furthermore it layeth open and magnifieth the great loue of God in that he sent a Prophet to admonish his vngodly people when as he should haue sent a thunderbolt to terrifie them or rather vtterly to destroy