the saluation of God because hee came not from men nor from Angels nor by chance but from Luke 1. Luke 1. Matth. 2. Luke 2. Matth. 2. Luke 3. Marke 1. Luke 1. 15. Iohn 11. Matth. 27. God himselfe and therefore his Name was not giuen him after the manner of men which was that euery Father should name his owne child but so did not Ioseph for the Angell had giuen him direction for his Name The Virgin the Oracles the Babes the Sheepheards the Staire the Wise-men the voice of the Crier the diuels the leapers the sicke the dead the earth-quake the Sunne the Moone and all the creatures doe beare witnesse vnto the Sonne of God which is our saluation He is called the saluation of God because he is saluation according to Gods owne minde He came not to bring ease and liberty but he came to bring the spiritual sword and condemnation to all obstinate sinners yet saluation to the penitent I shewed you how many despised this jewell because they know not what it is worth how few Simeons there be in the Temple how few Nathaniels how few men that feare God these plants grow not on euery ground Who would be vnthankfull if hee knew what the Lord giues and what he forgiues Hee giues the sonne for the bastard the Lord for the seruant the righteous for sinners the innocent for the wicked and the Almightie Lord for the sinfull sonnes of men Doe you not maruel how you can offend this Lord willingly which hath done so much for you Heere I reprooue vnthankfulnes securitie and negligence striuing as it were to crucifie Christ againe as the wicked Jewes did who neuer prospered since the time that they said His blood bee vpon vs and vppon our seede They were not like Simeon who as foone as he saw him embraced him and reioyced ouer him There is no shew of grace in themwhich Mat. 27. 25. shew no liking of godlines neither in themselues nor in others for this is the first part of our conuersion to loue them that loue God and so they are drawne to the Sonne No man will builde an Arke vntill the Gen. 7. flood come no man will seeke for corne vntil the famine come and scarce Lot will bee gone out of Sodome before the time of execution of Gods wrath doe come vpon Gen 42. Gen. 19. them Wee preach vnto you and call vpon you wee haue euen wearied our selues among you wee haue reprooued you for sinne and wee must still reprooue you vntill you amend now therefore if there bee any grace in you if ye haue any knowledge any feare of God in you if you haue any goodnes in you if you haue any leasure to bee saued turne backe now from doeing euill come out of hell and plucke your limbes out of the clouches of the Serpent for verilie we haue not done so well in this city as the Niniuites did for all the preaching and teaching we haue had For who hath determined in his heart to amend his life Who hath left his pride Who hath restored that which he hath taken by extortion vsury and wrong Surely they that haue done thus are monsters I cannot see him he walkes inuisible and cannot be found The heauens trembled at the death of Christ the Sunne did hide his face the earth quaked the vaile of the Temple Matt. 27. 45. 51. 52. 53. rent in sunder the dead bodies rose out of their graues and all this was to shew that the Prince of the world suffered violence and that the Lord of life suffered death for the ransome of vs of all whosoeuer throughout the world doe beleeue the gospell and liue in obedience thereof and withall that hee suffering for sinfull and wretched man was a conqueror ouer hell and all euill and hath ouercome death The Scribes were against him the Pharises were against him the Rulers band thēselues against him the Atheists against him and all the spitefull and enuious Iewes against him whose birth was base whose life was contemptible and whose death was ignominious but God was with him in him by whose power he ouercame them all and so became the saluation of God Dauid being to encounter with Goliah Saul tooke 1. Sam. 17. and put on him his owne harnesse but hee could not weare it it was too heauy for his little bodie therefore he tooke nothing but a staffe and a few stones in a scrippe and so Dauid slew the pride of the Philistines and the feare of Israel And euen thus the Lord set his sonne to fight with the Prince of this world not with swords and targets bowes and bills but with the word and spirit of God with the which he hath ouercome and through him we also haue the victory Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people c. He speakes this to the end that the eies of all mankind may be fixed vpon him as the eies of all Israel were fixed Num. 22. vpon the brasen Serpent in the wildernesse that when they be stinged with the sting of that fierie serpent which deceiued our forefathers they may flie vnto him for help lost they perish in their sinne their blood bee on their owne heads Which thou hast prepared He was prepared long agoe as it doth most plainely appeare for the virgin which bare him the place of his birth the poore estate wherein he was his miracles his Apostles his torments his crosse his death his resurrection and ascension into heauen all these were foreshewed and fore-told long before they came to passe Therfore some said Who is this that is so often spoken of by Iohn 11. Luke 8. Matth. 27. Iohn 10. Marke 6. the Prophets Who is this that can doe many miracles that the Scribes and Pharises cannot doe that can raise the dead that can cease the windes that can calme the waters at whose suffering the earth quaked the Sunne hid his face darknes came ouer all and beeing 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 knowne before the face of all people which was so manifest by dreames by visions by oracles by power by authority and euery thing For there was nothing which had not a tongue to speake for God Euery thing was prepared for him before hee came to bee reuealed hee came not in the beginning nor in the ending hee came not in the ending that wee which come after him might long for his second comming He came not in the beginning because that such a Prince as hee should haue many banners and triumphs before him Hee came not in the beginning because the eies of faith should not bee dazeled in him and lest they which should liue in the latter times should forget him and his comming which was so long before euen as you forget that which I haue said as soone as you are
fastned as strangers amongst cruell enemies imprisoned They were vnnaturall if they did not it were vnreasonable to require they should not for wee not onely may thinke it lawfull but must also acknowledge it euen a necessary duty to desire death For is there till then in vs any perfect yea any pure obedience of God Doth not sinne as long as this life lasteth dwell in our members Is there any passage to the perfect life but by the first death The fish which is taken in the net out of the sea strugleth to get in againe and Adam thrust out of Paradise would faine haue beene within againe how much more should we be desirous to bee setled in the true Paradise in assurance neuer to bee put from thence Therefore also it is not onely our dutie to desire death but also as soone as any cleerly seeth Christ presently hee desireth to die For though his state bee neuer so pleasant though his life bee most delightful though hee excell in riches and pleasures and honours and knowledge and glory and sarre exceede all that euer were yet at the sight of Christ hee euen reioyceth to forgoe all the loue of the world falling away like the mantle of Elias when hee was rapt into heauen and so crieth with the Apostle I desire to bee dissolued that he may be with Crist For Christ is light and as soone as they see him they see also themselues and the worlds false happinesse his glory and their shame and filthinesse which maketh them wish for death that they may cease to sinne against God perfectly please him and enioy true happinesse with him for all sinne is blood in their eies and all worldly pleasures vanities But why then say you haue Heman the Ezrachite Psal 88. 15. 16. 17. and Ezekiah that godlie king Esay 38. 10. 12. 13. 14 and that man after Gods owne heart the sweet singer of Israel Dauid Psalme 6. 4. and 30. 8. 9 so prayed and taught others to pray against death Why Because they all were and would haue others to be in the feruent loue of God both to die and to liue Psal 6. 10. and 36. 10. 88. 11. 12. 13. Esay 38. 11. 12 Phil. 1. 23. 24. desirous to liue that they might amongst men vphold and further the true worship of God so to saue their brethrens soules and aduance the glory of God the more to die that they might perfectly obeying God fully please him and freed from all euill enioying all good with him most blessedly liue For not onely the Apostle Paul but all these and whosoeuer are grounded in the faith of Christ but especially all that haue strong hope to aduance the honour of God are in a straite as the Apostle speaketh Philip. 1. 23. and crusht on both sides euen with two contrary desires to be with Christ which is best of all for themselues and to continue amongst men which is most needfull for them So that this remaineth a manifest most necessary dutie and of all that haue truelie as Simeon beleeued in Christ performed namely thenceforth still to desire death though they also withall desired life for others death for themselues Yet all that desire death performe not a dutie for the wicked often desire to die but not duely for though they wish sometimes for it and be willing also to abide it yet do they not in heart desire it because they thinke it not a thing in the ordinance of God good and that for them but vtterly hate it holding it an extreame euill For they acknowledge as the trueth is it will depriue them of all ther delights which heere they desire and they cannot but at least feare it will take from them all pleasure and bring them to easelesse and yet endlesse paine and torments intollerable and yet vnspeakeable For the sentence of the vnchangeable God is already giuen The fearefull and vnbeleeuing and the abominable and murtherers and whoremongers and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars shall haue their part in the lake Reu. 21. 8. which burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death And the iust Iudge shall say to all woorkers of iniquity Go ye accursed into hell fire prepared for the diuell and his Angels hell fire where the worme Mat. 9. 43. 44. 48. neuer dieth and the fire neuer goeth out Wherupon this the Prophet auoucheth There is no peace to the wicked Esay 57. saith my God For in their strong hope they feele a stinging feare their greatest confidence is not without trembling of conscience Therefore fearing the euent of death to be for them as indeed it is most horrible they vtterly abhorre it they detest it extreamely How then say some should they seeke death so eagerly How should they murder themselues so willingly They doe it not altogether willingly but wittingly not freely but forced with feare of some supposed greater euill The troubles of this world the anguish of body the horrour of mind they are most impatient of they cannot they will not endure them and thereupon they sometimes preferre death before life lesse willing to liue in vexation then dying to try whether they shall feele what they feare euen deserued damnation for they are neuer willing to die but vnwilling to liue often and so work themselues endlesse woe in hope of supposed happinesse abhorring life not truly desiring death For how die they when they most voluntarily bereaue themselues of life not in loue of God longing to please him performing all seruice to him but either in paine of bodie or else anguish of mind either raging that they cannot satisfie their lusts or haue lost outward things immoderatelie loued for fearing if they die deserued torments if they liue they shall either continue in felt horrour or lose hoped for honour either impatient of Gods rod fretting against him that they so heauily feele his fury and cannot fiercely fulfill their malitious minds or freelie feede on the rest of their fleshly lustes or impotent in their desire of some false fondly conceiued good hoping with dreadfull doubting by death to better their state they choose rather to prooue the truth of Gods threats and of the terrors of their trembling minds then in life to remaine any longer rather abhorring life then any way truly desiring death Therefore in that Simeon duly desired death that which we heard of Simeon in the beginning is proued true to wit that he was iust and feared God For none but the truly religious none but they that by faith are assured they are before God righteous can rightly desire death For who would desire a change but for the better But all that are ignorant of God all the vnfaithfull what knowledge soeuer they haue cannot be in better case dead then they are now in liuing though most miserably pained nay they cannot be without iust feare when they forgoe this life to feele for euer the second death But the faithfull hauing their
neuer haue beene Papists But when they cast a mist before the eyes of men then the blind fell into the ditch which doth containe so many grosse corruptions For mine eies haue seene thy saluation For c. Because the holy Ghost by inspiration had de-declared vnto him that he should not die till hee had leene Iesus Christ therefore the same spirit led him to the Temple and shewed that which it promised and hauing seene the same he desired and wished to die and be released from this earthly prison that he might â—iue with God As idâ—e and euill wishes are vaine because they are not according to faith not grounded vpon the word of God so though we aske as cunningly as Iacob and as earnestly as the sonnes of Zebede yet if wee aske Gen. 27. 17. 18 19. 20. c. Mar. 10. 35. 37. Iam. 1. 7. not in saith according to knowledge we cannot obtaine But wee should aske so that we may receiue that we may not returne empty Therfore the ground whereon Simeon setled himselfe to wish for death was that hee had receiued a promise of God that he should be deliuered from this miserable life when hee had once seene the light of the Gentiles the Christ and now hee had seene his Sauiour and embraced the true Messias which was promised by the Father figured by the law spoken of by the Prophets foretold by the Fathers and pointed at by Iohn Baptist For thus he reasoneth Now that I see thy saluation according to thy word and therefore the condition is now performed let thy promise also be fulfilled Now let thy seruant depart c. For mine eyes c. Mine eyes haue seene c. Then we see that Christ was no spirit neither was his body a fantasticall body for if he were a spirit Simeon could not see him and if his body were a fantasticall body then could not he haue embraced him Therfore wee Iohn 11. Luke 29. Iohn 4. Luke 10. Luke 5. see that the words 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 like wise ouer Ierusalem Sometime he thirsted as at the Well where the woman of Samaria disputed with him and also sometime eate as at Marthaes house as also among Publicans and sinners and in euery thing shewed himselfe to be perfect man Haue seene c. O Lord saith he I desire now to be dissolued and free from the bondage of sin which so long hath inhabited in my mortall body for now he is come by whom thou hast promised to free 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 sin and sathan by faith peace towards God through loue And now saith hee I haue embraced him and thankfully do receiue him I beleeue am perswaded that this is the same Messias whom the Father promised and the Prophets fore-told all Israel longed expected for who is the light of the Gentiles the glory of Israel and the God of the whole world So they which loue the truth of God and waite with desire to bee filled with the knowledge thereof such shall not die vntill they haue their harts desire with contemplation therof Acts 10. Acts 8. For as Peter was sent to Cornelius and Philip to the Eunuch so the Lord will stirre vp such of his seruants as may bee fit instruments to minister the same vnto vs. Iudas indeed died before the time and liued not to see Christ crucified but the Disciples which loued Iesus did see him die like an vndefiled innocent Lambe and that to their exceeding ioy and comfort when they vnderstood how that he suffered death for loue of them and for their redemption Now if Christ cannot hide him from such as hunger after him through loue then what shall we say of our Fathers which liued in the time of ignorance that longed to see his light although they had a mist cast before their eyes Surely such died not till they saw Christ and embraced him in their hearts And this is our iudgement concerning them that died in the time of Popery And likewise as concerning the rest which thought to be saued by Purgatory and Masses after that they are dead we say that they which sleep without oyle in their lampes they die ere they are aware of and ere they wish for it like the Philistines which sent for Sampson to laugh and mocke at him and to sport Iudg. 16. themselues vpon whom the house fell and destroyed them all or the Egyptians which thought that the waters had made passage for them aswell as for the Israeliers Ezod 16. both which died in and for their security because they were not watchfull nor prepared against the Lord called them Haue seene thy saluation Seeing now hee is come for whom Simeon longed what are the troubles that are past and the sorrowes that are come to an end so when wee haue our desires accomplished feeling the sound comfort of the Gospel what should we how may we thinke either on the length of time wherein we waited for them or the tediousnes or also grieuousnes of the troubles whereby wee haue obtained them Haue seene thy saluation As Moses died on the mount where hee saw the land of Canaan so the godly die in the sight of God and in Deut. 34. the contemplation of his glory like Stephen who at the very instant of his death saw the heuens open and Christ Iesuâ— sitting at the right hand of his Father and like Simeon Acts 7. here which desireth to bee loosed and no doubt shortly died viewing ioyfully and so thankfully beholding the Lord of life Beloued you are not ignorant that the great day of the Lord is neer 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 lampes shal sodainly be ouertaken without the wedding garment and shall be cast into eternall torment for euer Haue seene c. There be many sights of Christ all goe not vp to the mount as Peter Iames and Iohn all see not his face with Matth. 17. Exod. 33. Iohn 13. 2. Cor. 12. 2. Moses all sleepe not in his lappe with Iohn all are not taken vp into heauen like Paul all embrace him not in their armes with Simeon But as pleaseth God so he sheweth himselfe vnto vs and all that loue him both see him and embrace him To some he shewes himselfe as in a glasse to some generally Mat. 20. to some particularly some he calleth early and some hee calleth late and there is no houre in the day wherein he calleth not some to get labour in his Vineyard To some he sheweth himselfe by Angels to othersome by visions Abraham saw
them the Lord of Hostes will rise vp in armes against them Their wickednesse Will you see the Niniuities sins in a scroll that withall you the daughters of Niniuie may see that wealth and wickednes goe together prosperity and securitie kisse each other Niniuie saith Nahum was like a poole of waters most populous and full of all store which to increase Nah. 2. 8. 9. it was wholly full of lying deceit fraud full of 3. 1. and 2 11. 12. Zeph. 2. 15. robberie oppression and all violence a bloodie Citie whereby it encreased in wealth they flourished in honour and glory and therefore as Zephaniah hath it was a reioycing a rioting Citie sate securely and proudly contemned others saying I am and none is besides me Moreouer it was the Mistris of witchcrafts a most idolatrous citie yea sold people through her whoredomes Nah. 3. 4. and Nations through her witchcrafts and made other idolatrous like her selfe as 2. Kin. 16. 10. Their wickednesse is come vp before me Sinne mounts vp on hie like the tempter which led Christ vnto the top of the pinacle to behold al the pleasures of the world at once and then because wee haue falne down before the god of this world and tempted the God of heauen whether he be iust or no therefore wrath speakes out of the fire Now thou hast taken thy pleasure thou must take also thy punishment A most heauy and greeuous thing it is if you knew what you are doing here and what your sinnes are doing at the barre of Gods iust iudgement For euen now before you came hither you were seruing the diuell in sinne but now it is too late to speake of it and where are they now flesh and blood could not stay them nature could not stay them pleasures could not stay them riches could not stay them nor they could not stay themselues but they are ascended vp before the face of the eternall God to stand at his barre and cry for vengeance to fall vpon vs for committing such hainous sinnes against the maiesty of God An arrow is swift the Sunne is swifter but sinne is swiftest of all for in a moment it is committed on earth it comes before God in heauen is condemned to hell for though Nimrod could not climbe vp to heauen his sinnes flew vp to heauen and though wee stay below our sinnes ascend high like the tower of Nimrod but they fling vs down to confusion we become Babel For when we sinne we are as the shel-fish which the Eagle taketh and flieth into the aire with and then letteth it fall vpon the rockes and so dasheth it in peeces and then deuoures it For the wrath of God taketh vs vp on hie and throweth vs downe low vpon the rockes of shame and contempt and terrour of conscience and so hauing crushed vs bruised our very bones consumes vs with double death the graue deuouring vs hel swallowing vs. Is come vp before me To them which aske how our sinnes ascend and flie vp before God J answer God here speakes vnto vs after the maner of men who cannot see a thing afore it be brought vnto them euen where they are and before them So that hereby is signified God had seene their wickednesse We fast as before him we pray as before him we giue almes as before him and wee doe euery good thing as before him because we doe it freely and as it were not caring who looks vpon vs. But we sinne as behind him because we hide and cloke our sinnes and commit them in secret loath that men should spie them our conscience in such actions accusing vs instantly telling vs we are about that which we cannot iustifie And wee suppose that we sinne behinde him because wee sinne here below saying with our selues in the consideration of our blinded hearts as Eliphaz accused Iob to haue said Is not God in the height of heauen and see the Iob 27. 12. 13 14 highnesse of the starres how high are they Therefore how should God know it Should he be able to see through the darke The thicke cloudes are a couering to him that he may not see and hee walketh vp and downe the round circle of the heauens But then chiefly we imagine that God beholds vs not when men cannot see vs as if God could not know what man cannot spie But let vs not deceiue our selues for God seeth not as man seeth Man can see but only outward things committed in action but God seeth and knoweth and searcheth the secrets of the heart yea the secretest thoughts and imaginations of it Againe man can see but one thing at once he cannot turne his right eye one way left eie another he cannot see before him behinde him with one looke but God seeth all things at all times Though we sinne as closely as we can for feare of hatred or shame of the world or for any other respect yet God saith your sinne is come vp before mee For though we couer it and hide it and colour it yea and as it were bury it as well as lieth in vs yet all is open vnto him therefore he saith your sinne is come vp before me For when we speake euill he is all eares to heare vs and when we doe euill he is all eyes to beholde it Therefore O foolish man doe not thinke that God seceth not which man seeth not for when he lookes vp he sees all below also and when he lookes downe he sees all aboue also If he should not much wickednesse should lie in darknes vnrewarded and men should not be terrified from sinne but rather by the example of other allured to sinne freely secretly For Ananias might haue gained by his craft if God had not seene his heart which Acts 5 men saw not but God saw his distrustfull and dissembling and corrupt heart therefore he lost his goods and his life too If God had not seene that which men see not Gehezi might haue gained a bribe for his labour when he 2. King 5. ranne after Naaman the Assyrian tolde him a lie for his profit But God seeing his fetches which men saw not turned his bribe to a leprosie and so made him a leaper for his labour A fearfull example for such as take bribes yet many care not what bribes they take so men see it not The man that said Be merry my soule and take thy Luk. 12. pleasure for many yeares might haue done it ahd not God seene him but hee espied him falling to godlesse securitie and threatned him that night to bereau him of his soule Forget it not yee that abound in wealth whose cup runneth ouer If God had not seene Achan take vp the peece of gold he had kept it to himselfe for his labour and no man should haue knowne where he Iosu 7. had it But God seeing it though closely done rewarded him with shame in the sight of all