fulnesse of our lyfe perfited in him 2. Cor. 5.16 Heb. 1.2 We doe not in déede beholde Christ nowe anye more after the fleshe or that waye to imbrace him in our armes But he shyneth the beames of his fathers glorye into our ignorante harts and in the bosome of our faythfull brests he maketh his habitation By his holy gospell he sheweth himselfe face to face and not by the infyrmitie of his flesh but by the deuine power of his holy spirite he teacheth vs purgeth vs and pardoneth our sinnes and changeth vs to a lyfe most méete for his holy presence And to be short he is so absent from vs in body that we maye with boldnesse spiritually approch to his grace Heb. 12. Rom. 5.1 set on the right hand of his father in glory Loe this is that christian sight and heauenlye presence that we haue of our Christ And if this cannot worke in vs a wyllingnesse to dye with ioye bicause oure synnes by Christes death purged we shal raigne with him eternally then are we a thousand tymes more harde then the Adamant blinder then the Moules and more vnkinde then the vnnaturall Iewes it is verye significante that Symeon sayth No man saued but by hys owne fayth Because mine eyes hath seene c. In which wordes are layde vp this Emphasis that not other mens fayth could worke this comfort in this good father excepte together his owne eyes in fayth had séene this Babe to be hys sauiour Abac. 2.4 Gal. 3.11 Hebr. 10.37 according to the Prophet Abacuck his saying The iust man shall lyue by his fayth Note he sayth not by the fayth of the Church or by the fayth of another for him but he sayth he shal lyue by his owne fayth For the fayth of an other man cannot saue thée or yet the fayth of the whole church Or that which more is Christ will not saue thée or can his death be thy lyfe vnlesse thou in thine owne hart fyrmely beléeue in him Wherefore let not the Papist longer deceyue thee which teach it sufficient thoughe thou know not what to beléeue if thou yet beléeue as their Churche beléeueth which is the greatest daunger to thy soule that possibly can bée eyther to rest in the later Romishe fayth since the daies of Popery or not to beléeue vpon assured knowledge of Gods promise in the warrant of his word thy selfe For the holy scriptures do condemne al those which themselues effectually beléeue not in christ and promiseth saluation to him that beléeueth 1. Pet. 2.7 To you which beleeue sayth Peter he is precious but to them which beléeue not he is the stone which the buylders refused which stone shal crushe his enemies that beléeue not al to powder 1. Ioh. 3.36 Iohn sayth Hee that beleeueth in the sonne of God hath eternall lyfe But he that beleeueth not the wrath of God abydeth vpon him And Christ our Sauiour Hee that beleeueth in me hath eternall lyfe Againe Ioh. 3.18 He that beleeueth not is condemned already that is to saye it is impossible but he that dyeth not beléeuing shall be damned And to the Gallathians Paule sayth Gal. 3.26 Ye are all the sonnes of God bicause ye haue beleeued in Christ Iesu but as manye as rest in the workes of the lawe are subiect and vnder Gods cursse By this speciall gift in euerye mans owne soule from God is he made the sonne of God and by no other meane is God his father vpon whome he maye call with boldnesse in and by his spirite as the chylde vpon his Parentes and shall be heard For thus the Euangelist sayth As many as beleued in him he gaue them prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God The worde that was preached to Israell in the wildernesse profited them not sayth the author to the Hebrewes bicause it was not mixed with faith in those that heard it yet in the wildernesse God had hys Church Moses Aaron and the rest which beléeued notwithstanding the fayth of this Church could not saue the other Israelits which beléeued not No more can the fayth of the church of God nowe saue them which are not conglutinate by the same spirite in the fayth of Christ loue in him by which the whole body growing together by synewes and ioynts doth encrease to an holye temple in the Lorde But without this coniunction no fayth Ephe. 2.21 no saluation or can the workes of such please God in whose heartes Christ dwelleth not by fayth as sayth the scriptures without fayth it is impossible to please God I denie not Rom. 14.23 Gen. 18. but the fayth and godlynesse of some may temporally bring some benefite to the Infydels as the Cities of Sodome had bene saued if there had bene founde in them but ten iuste persons And for Helias sake the wicked king Achab Iesabel The faythfull may obtayne temporall blessings and bodily helth but saluation is the gift of God to him that beleeueth onely and that persecuting kingdome Samaria had raine to fertyl the soyle which thrée yeares had lyen barren Also the Euangelists report the fayth of them which bare the man taken with Palsye much to profyte his health to whose fayth the Lorde Christ gaue respect and not chiefely their worke and healed the man But to the man he sayde My sonne thy synnes are forgiuen thee This worde sonne approoueth the Palsye man to beléeue in Christ by which fayth his sinnes are forgiuen him as by his bearers fayth his body was healed Luc. 9.8 Mar. 2.3 Mat. 9.1 I also comfortably confesse that the fayth of our father Abraham doth so much profite his posteritie bicause of the couenant of God with him and hys seede after him so as they are imputed to be gods children and that so long as they continue in that couenant But when they degenerate from their fathers fayth Gen. 17. God cutteth of this imputation and that the chylde borne of contrarie parents as the father an Infidell the mother a christian 1. Cor. 7.14 Abac. 2. Ezec. 18.20 I say with Paule that the chylde is holye through the fayth of the beléeuing parent But to iustification it is established that euerye man should be saued by his owne fayth To this sayth Ezechiel The righteousnesse of the righteous shal be vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be vpon himselfe To this end serueth that whole excellent Chapter to the reading whereof I referre thée The prayers of the faythfull doe much preuayle to those that yet are not fully brought to Christ Yea the ardent zeale of others fayth doth enflame the soules of their brethren to follow their steps in Christ and the prayer of one faythful man doth promise auayle to another for encrease in fayth Ephe. 6.18 19. Phil. 1.19 Wherefore Paule prayeth for all saints and desyreth them to pray for him For by the prayers of the Phillipians he perswadeth the trouble of
Mathewe he descrybeth Abrahams seate to be in the kingdome of heauen Luc. 23.43 Mat 8.11 Ioh. 14.23 And in Iohn our seates with him in the heauens as in our Mansion house But neuer in the scriptures is the place of our deade godly fathers called eyther Lymbus or Purgatory but contrary they affirme there is no payne to them And Purgatory hath the same paynes the Papists which fayne that place say that Hell hath onely this is the difference that they which be in Purgatory shall come thence by the merits of the Church and purging in fyre in Hell there is no redemption Wherefore the godly fathers were not in Purgatory paynes but in the handes of God which is a Paradise of most pleasure And whereas by the Apostle Peter they go about to proue their Fathers Lymbo as whence the soule of Iesus Christ brought them that place doth neyther affirme the naturall Soule of Christ to go to Hell after his death on the crosse or else that he did bring thence the soules of the fathers For his spirite discending left all those there which he found not in a fayned Lymbo but in the paynefull Helles For thus sayth the Apostle He suffred in the fleshe but was quickned in the spirite 1. Pet. 3.18.19.20 by the which he also wente and preached vnto the spirites that are in prison which were in tymes paste disobedient in the dayes of Noah c. The Apostle sayth not that Christ in his naturall Soule went downe into Hell but he sayth that by that spirite which raysed him to life he preached to them that are in prison Nowe againe he sayth not he fetched out the soules of the fathers which were before hys comming in this prison but he sayth his spirite preached vnto them that still are in prison So farre from delyuerie are they that they as obstinate Rebelles remayne in their former tormentes Nowe then the reason standeth thus By what spirite Christ was raysed from the deade by that same spirite he wente or came to the spirites that are in prison but Christe was raysed not by his owne soule but by the deuine spirite of God euen by the operation of the father Therefore by his deuine power Eph. 1.17.18 not in his humaine soule he came vnto the spirites that are in prison Again note it is one to say he delyuered the Gaole and an other to saye he made an exhortation to the prisoners This their alledged place were it the soule of Christ yet prooueth not a delyuerye but a preaching to them that now was that Sauiour borne dead and crucified for the redemption of the worlde which by his spirite in the mouth of Noah for one hundred and twenty yeares space preached to the disobedient in his dayes had they beléeued That it was not the soule of Christ which quickned Christ from death but the Deuine power these places approue 2. Cor. 13.4 Rom. 8.11 Althoughe he was crucifyed by infyrmitie yet he was raysed and lyueth by the power of God Againe But if the spirite of him that raysed vp Iesus to lyfe dwell in you he that raysed Iesus from the deade wil also quicken your mortal bodies bicause his spirite dwelleth in you And againe Act. 4.10 Be it knowne to you al and to the whole people of Israel that by the name of Iesus of Nazareth whom ye slue and hanged on high whome God raysed vp from death by this man standeth this person sound before you To the Romaynes also we are commaunded to beleue in him Rom. 4.14 which raysed Iesus Christ from death And in the vj. chapter thus As Christ is raysed vp by the glory of the father where note that not by the soule of Christ but by God the father Christ was raysed vp so let vs walke in a newe lyfe And to the Ephesians Ephe. 1.17 Alwayes in my prayers I praye for you that the God of our Lorde Iesus Christ the father of glorye might giue vnto you the spirite of wisedome c. And a little after that ye may know what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saintes is and what is the exceeding greatnes of his power towardes them that beleeue according to the working of his mightye power which he wrought in Christ when he raysed hym from the deade set him on his right hande on heauenlye places These places sufficiently expounde our Apostle or rather assist his affirmation which sayth that he suffred in the Fleshe but was raysed in the spirite that is by the Godhead of the father by which spirite in his deuyne nature long before he had our humayne nature vpon him he by his Prophetes taught the inobedient then as by vs his Apostles sayth Peter he preacheth to you in that spirite at this present Yea and also to the verye damned in the Hels no doubt at the death of Christ by the deuyne power of his holye spirite was the glory of his crosse opened to their greater condemnation which contemned their saluation in him as the godlye fathers and their sacred bodyes in great comforte by his power were raysed sundry from their brethren to testifye the glory of this our crucifyed Christ raysed vp by his father and set vp wyth him in glory Adde to this this place of Peter is so farre from warrante to that Popishe opinion that the soule of Christ fetched forth the soules of the godly fathers Adam c. That of the flatte contrary he sayth they to whome thys spirite came were disobedient And that thou shouldest not dreame of Christs soule after his death herein he setteth thée the time when this office was fulfylled saying In the daies of Noah whyle the Arke was a preparing Last of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the godly learned Beza doth interprete qui sunt which are not which were in pryson according to the efficacie of the gréeke worde And the Apostles purpose is not to tell vs that they were in prison what tyme Christe by his spirite in the dayes of Noah preached vnto them for then they were men in naturall lyfe as Noah was but he will giue the Iewes to vnderstande that all were drowned except eyght persons bicause they were disobedient vnto his worde All whose soules that then were damned nowe at the wryting of this Epistle and at this present and euer shall be thoughe their bodyes be rotten and dust are in prison So now most iustly they receyue damnation which refused their saluation in Christ preaching vnto them in spirite in the mouth of Noah not hauing as yet our nature vpon him We conclude therefore that Abrahams Bosome is a place of celestiall comforte a Paradise of pleasure vnspeakable the hande of God deuoyde of Hellish or any torments the Aulter of ioy the kingdome of God Iohn 14.2 Ephe. 1.18.19 Christes fathers house where he sayth are many Mansions euen the inheritance of the iust
vnder foote his death most auayleable and glorious Thou shalt dye a death immortall and ignominious But the heartes of the regenerate sonnes of God feare not death bycause they are assured by his spirite to lyue with Christ This is the cause why so manye Martyrs wyllingly giue their bodyes to the fyre and other deaths terrible to the fleshe Phil. 1.29 bicause his spirite which maketh them on this wise to confesse his holye name goeth with them through the midst of the flames and corroborateth their hartes moste constantly to wade through the valley of this shadowe of death by fayth in him Secondly the children of God Hebr. 12. for the moste parte are so farre from fearing naturall death that they desyre and couet the same as the last remedy against the enimy Satan 1. Cor. 15.26 Rom. 7. Ephe. 1.14 Luk. 21.28 Rom. 8.23 as the day of delyuerie from the body of synne lastly as the dore of entrance into their eternall redemption by Christ The wicked we graunt to hunger for death many tymes but it is not to shut vp the shop of synne but by that meane to ende the daies of their deserued shame And hereof come so manye murtherers Iudas children which ashamed to liue being charged with a most guyltie conscience doe hang drowne or cut their owne throates which is the force of Satan in them as thereby beginning their endlesse sorrowes but in the godly there is this mature moderation for as they most hartilye with Paule desyre to be dissolued So they submit themselues moste humbly to his worde of decrée Phi. 1.21.22.23 c. in their appointed course regarding the place they haue and the office they beare wherein their lyfe God will vse longer then their desyre to the profite of those to whome he hath giuen them for his honorable instruments to the benefite of his beloued Church Wherfore they restrayne theyr peticions in Symeons lyne thus O Lorde when it pleaseth thée according to thy worde for my dayes are thereby numbred which I shall not passe Note here that no Papist in the perswation of Popery can say vnto his soule Now shall I depart in peace according to thy worde No Papist in Popery can dye in peace For neyther hath Popery or any part therof warrant thence or doth that profession worke peace in the conscience of his pacient at the hower of death but farre the contrary For if when Satan féedeth their ignorant humors and with pleasure draweth them to the profession they neuer therein can finde sure foote of stay to quyet their minds for sinne How shall they thereby feele that necessary bulwarke and Ancor of health at the instant of natures farewell when that subtill Serpent doth now no longer dally but draw them into despaire shewing them the multitude of their sinnes their securitie in euil their ignorance in God their doubt of his fauour which is an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Popery his seuere iustice and their forlorne estate Then aske they by what meanes shall I passe his iudgemente By Masses sayth one by the Popes pardon sayth an other by the merits of the saints sayth the thirde But then doth Satan sharply fight against the wounded conscience and openeth the truth as thereby further to pierce his conscience to death and enforcing to his harte these things cannot helpe thée thy trust is vaine in them Against which temptation what helpe in Popery They are fayne to cry this is thy helpe euen Iesus Christ but then his comfort is cut short in that they pull his meditation from the Lorde crucifyed and lay on bed before him a brasen Crucifixe They tell him that his friends shall praye for him and the Church shal be plyed with Trentals to delyuer him from Purgatory which doctrine is most troublesome and so the poore Papist for all that Popery can doe dyeth thereby moste doubtfull of rest if not most fearefull of eternall payne Consyder this well there is not the best treasure in Popery that doth warrante thée peace in death If the death of Christ be not sufficient hereto so say they most blasphemously where then shall we haue it in the Masse No for then would that sacrifice sometime cease But so long as the worlde endureth euen so long will they if God ouerthrowe not their seate contynue that deade sacrifice for the dead soule in whose cause it is daylie song or saide Doth not this argue a doubt of valor in the Masse And also of the peace of the soule for whome it is called Requiem Is not this true Can this worke peace in the hart Popery yeeldeth no quyet to mans conscience when the best account made at the foote therof he fyndeth an arrearege which his soule is to aunswere in burning fyre and flaming brimstone in a Purgatorie of payne whence he cannot by all the cunning of Popish arte know when or how to be delyuered Smale quyet in conscience to a poore Papist which séeth no remedy but that he muste from lyfe to death from earthly troubles to hellish paines without intermission to be boyled in lead and imprisoned by Deuils in paynes incurable O poore harte be wise in God imbrace his word beléeue in his Christ walke in his statutes by the grace of his spirite so shalt thou be assured that the popish Purgatory is Hell from whence no man can be delyuered So shall all terror of death be drawne from thée Luc. 16.16 Ephe. 1.13.14 1. Ioh. 5.10 Rom. 8.1 for his holye spirite shall seale thée vp to redemption and the witnesse shal be within thée agaynst Synne Satan Pope and Hell that no condemnation can come to thée which by fayth art ingraffed into Christ whose lyfe is not to walke after the wicked fleshe but after Gods holye spirite guyding thy soule and body into true righteousnesse and sanctification during thy naturall lyfe By this rule onely shalt thou obtayne peace but to the wicked sayth the Prophete vz to the Papist lyuing and dying in Popery there shall be no peace Esa 48.22 Obiection And here I preuent this obiection What say you then of all our forefathers in the long time of Popery are they all without peace What is become of our forefathers in Popry Are they all condemned No God forbid When Achab and Iesabell had ouerrunne all Israell with Idolatry so that Helias supposed hymselfe onely to stande for the cause of God 3. Reg. 19. the Lord answered that he had reserued seauen thousand that is to saye a great multitude in euery part of Israell which did not bowe the knée to Baal Nero was a most cruell persecutor of Christes Church and yet saint Paule wytnesseth Iesus the Lorde Phil. 4.22 to haue his Churche euen in his persecuting Courte But ye will saye these were drawne by preaching of the worde but in Popery the worde is kept hydden from the people It is so Yet we doubt not but as at the
the Sacrifice for syn some of Reconcyliation of peace and all these Rites Ceremonies and Sacryfices were executed in the Hebrewe tongue by the ordinance of God which was the naturall language of the Iewes And if there were some sygnifycations there that concerned not the vulgar sort to know what is that to kéepe vs from the knowledge of the prayses of God in deuyne seruice which ought to be knowne of euery of vs We requyre not our people to vnderstand all secrets but we reprooue the Church of Rome bicause she doth so estraunge Gods people from the knowledge of his true seruice that she wil not spare them in that church so little as the vnderstanding of the bare wordes in their natiue spéeche Let them shewe vs the lyke warrante for this synne as the Iewish priests had for their holye Ceremonies all which were prescribed to them by the word of the Lorde and they haue saide something But this they cannot and therefore are most wicked and their seruice abhominable and to all that vnderstande not their Laten tongue improfytable Enchyrid Hosij cap. 34. Againe others with Hosius say where Paule sayeth He speaketh in vayne that speaketh to a congregation in an vnknowne tongue he in that place saye they speaketh of preaching and not synging or saying Gods deuyne Seruice but the wordes of the Chapter 1. Cor. 14. most manifestly doth conuince them For their is eftsoones mention made of praying in a straunge tongue Verse 14.15 and sayth he How shall the vnlearned to thy blessing that is to thy prayer of thankesgyuing say Amen if he vnderstand not what thou sayest Wherefore this defence is most slender and a falling proppe of Popery Neyther are they to be heard which saye the Church hath power to order thys matter 2. Cor. 14.37 For Paule in the Chapter sayth If any man think himselfe to be a prophet or spiritual whether prince Pope or priest let him acknowledge that the things which I write here against praying and preaching in a strange tongue are the commaundements of the Lorde And can the Pope then or maye he or generall Counsels change the Lordes Decrée in the Church and that against the Lorde and hys commaundements Hath the Church the wyfe such authoritie ouer Christ her husbande This is the duety of the beloued wyfe to heare The Churches office and duety and to obey her husband Heare O Israel hearken and giue eare Oh daughter sayth the Father to his church in the shadow of Salomons mariage to Pharaoh his Daughter consyder enclyne thine eare to Christ thyne husbande forget also thy fathers house Psa 45.10 and thy people the Romishe Church so shall the king haue pleasure in thy bewty For he is thy Lorde and reuerence thou him To heare to obey to forsake thine owne institution constitution Father Pope Popish people that giue thée the lawes of Romishe Egypt is the duetie of Gods Church But to change the lawes of God to comptroll the husband Christes commandement to keepe him vnder and set himselfe aloft in the Temple of GOD as doth the Romishe Church is the signe of a strumpet Iudge therefore good Reader now of thys Church of Rome and what she is which contrary to Christs commaundement in the church of God setteth vp hypocritical seruice in a strange tongue Againe some of them saye for children Mylke is the best bicause they are not able to digest strong men therfore the Laten tongue expedient in the church But I pray you Syr is it your purpose if we be Infantes so to kéepe vs styll For when shall your Laten seruice which you call Mylke be taken by your ordinance from vs And how proue you that your Laten seruice is mylke for Christian Babes Mylke nourisheth and feedeth but howe edyfyeth the Laten tongue mans christian soule when his inward hart cannot perceyue the meaning of hys outward words Againe your seruice is exhibited you say to GOD and wyll you feede the Lorde of truth with Popish Mylke Is not his Maiesty able to receiue stronger meate But from what breast I pray you procéedeth this Mylke Neyther from the espoused Syon or was it drawne from the Dugs of the fyrst mother the Primatiue church eyther in Rome Corinth Ephesus Antioche or else where Syon had her seruice in her owne tongue in Hebrewe the East Churches in the Gréeke tongue which was their natural spéech yea and Rome it selfe in the Laten tongue Gods seruice ought to be to eche Nation in their commō language which is the auncient Romane language And there is no other greater reason in déede for the Laten seruice then that hereby they would séeme to challenge al Nations to be of their church and subiect to their Kingdome But God hauing all Nations vnder his gouernment doth speake to eche Nation in that tongue which they vnderstande Esay 6. Esay sawe the two Seraphins and heard them praysing God in a tongue that he vnderstoode Holy holy holy When Christ was borne in Bethlehem the Angelles were heard of the Shepheards Luc. 2.14 and vnderstood to syng Glory to God on highe in earth peace to men a good will Which song to Gods prayse had it bene sung in a straunge tongue the symple Shepheards had not vnderstood the same Sith therefore the ordinance of God the practise of his church the vse of the tryumphant Church to which we ought to be lyke doth syng and pray in a knowne tongue to them with whome and for whom they doe pray What church is that but Antichrists which degenerating from all these doth hyde the prayses of God in a straunge language Some Papistes are so hatefull that for warrante of their Laten seruice Romishe Churche Antichrists Church they abuse thys sentence of Christ It is not good to take the Childrens breade and to cast it vnto Dogs by which assertion vnwyllingly they confesse Mathew that to haue the seruice in a knowne tongue is to haue the bread of Gods children Wel then God hauing wrung this truth from your lyps we wyll accept the bread of our Lorde to say our seruice to vs Englishe men in the English tongue and doe leaue to your infancie A Popishe blasphemy most horrible your chyldishe Mylke of popishe Laten seruice But are those men for whome Christ hath shedde his precious bloud no better in your account syr but Dogs The spirite of God vseth not to dwell in the bodyes of Dogs but the children of God are the Temples of the holy Ghost O horrible blasphemy 1. Cor. 3.10 to call these holy Vassels caryon Dogs But ye are those dyrtie Dogs which be Canes muti ye can not speake the praises of God in a knowne tongue ye byte and deuour them which doe ye are the Deuils Mastyues which are reserued to eternall chaynes Iudae Epist if God graunt you not repentance For it is not the propertie of a Pastor to hyde the worde of god
to lighten the Gentyles and to be the glory of thy people Israel THE Euangelist Saint Luke after he hath by sundry approoued Testimonies wytnessed to Gods holy Church the order and byrth of Iesus Christ borne of his mother the most holye Virgin Mary doth purpose the description of Christ hys Office and Function In cause wherof he first cyteth the gratulatory Song of olde Father Symeon who doth most pythely set downe the parts of Christes office and valour of his nature to his Godhead annexed Namely giuen of his Father to be our onely sufficient and Omnipotent Messiah gyuen and not solde prepared of the Father not at all purchased by man or Angell to be the Saluation alone of Iewe and Gentyle To the Heathen that laye in darknesse Gods lanterne and light and to his kinsmen the Iewes their greatest cause of glorye But onely Symeon thus fayth And what is he and his authoritie that we should buylde our Fayth on his warraunt For aunswere I say Giue eare to our Euangelist who by the spirite of God wryteth and thy Question shall fullye be answered For thus wryteth Saint Luke Behold there was a man in Ierusalem whose name was Symeon Luc. 2.25 Thys man was iuste and feared God and wayted for the consolation of Israel And the holye Gstost was vpon him and it was declared to him from God by the holy ghost that he should not see death before hee had seene that Annoynted of the Lorde And he came into the Temple by the motion of the holy Ghost when the Parents brought in the Babe Iesus to doe for him after the custome of the Lawe then tooke he hym vp in his armes and praysed God and sayde Lorde nowe lettest thou thy seruant departe in peace according to thy worde c. Symeon I graunt is not here adorned of the Euangelist with Princely style Honorable tytle or sayde to descend of Noble parentage Happely he was of baser byrth and meane estate of the vulgare sorte not exalted to office place of credite in the Common wealths Regiment or to worldly riches And here in doth Gods spirite continue his well be gonne course in the byrthe of thys Babe Christ Who hymselfe though king and Lorde ouer all yet in earth borne is wrapped in sorye clowtes layde in a Manger whose Pallace was the horses stable and his shrowde against the extreame wynters weather was the breathe which the Oxe and Asse naturally breathed A poore beginning yea but gloryous thoughe to the worlde ignomious and in the accompts of the Atheists of our dayes ridiculous But so also to poore Shepheards watching their Flockes by night not to pompous Princes to the learned godly Magi not to the prowde contentious Phariseis did the same spirite manifest our Christs Natiuitie the Gentyls light and Israels glorye So likewise brought to the Temple he is not pompously receyued of the highe Byshop but louingly imbraced by his pore Prophet Symeon vpon whome the spirite of prophecie Luc. 2.36 in steade of worldly pompe at this instant was restant By an olde and poore Wydowe also but a Prophetisse the daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of Aser the lowest amongst the twelue Trybes of Israell This is not done to the contempt of the mightie Monarks and Noble persons of the earth fearing God but to the glory of his holy name and the comforte of the poore despised Christians in the worlde that fleshe and bloud should not haue else where to reioyce but in the Lorde ◠Cor. 1.26 27.28 Againe that the eyes of men being opened may sée that not by many mightie many ritche many wise and Potentates of this world but by himself in his owne power and wisedome he vseth the base beggerly things of this lyfe to be his preaching Prophetes and faythfull wytnesses by them to bring to confusion the glorious wisdome of the world and the pryde therof This poore man tho is enobled with most honorable tytles as to be Iuste Symeon◠style and dygnitie godly and religious wayting for the consolation of Israel and to haue the spirite of God vpon him all which words as they set forth the excellency of this holye Symeon So are they of vs further to be considered for as much as they be to vs the very assured markes infallible by which we may certainely knowe the faythfull adopted sonnes and trusty seruants of the lyuing God from the counterfeyte Christian and vngodly Atheist But he is called Iust and that of Gods spirite which cannot lye First Symeon is iuste in Gods sight by the will and grace of God Secondly he is iuste in lyfe amongst the sonnes of men But what shall we saye Was Symeon so iuste in the eyes of the Lord that in him could no vnrighteousnesse be found Or was he called iuste for that he iustly fulfilled the commaundements of God Or else was he iuste by imputation bycause his sinnes were not layde to his charge I answere this demaunde Symeon is not so iust in the sight of God that in him can no vnrighteousnesse be found for no man is frée from synne as Salomon sayth Pro. 20.9 Who can say my harte is cleane from sinne If the Fountayne which is the harte of man be corrupted the conductes his members and actions must néeds be infected therwith Truely in Gods syght neyther are the Starres cléere wythout shadowe or the Angels iust in this respect Iob. 15.14 Where shall we finde then an earthly man that can stande in and by himselfe thus iuste before the Lorde Nay the best regenerate person is manye wayes corrupte No man iust before God and his actions full of synfulnesse yea his best works are impure farre shorte of that they should vnworthy Gods sight muche more his louing acceptation but most vnworthy the accompts of righteousnesse In one worde we our workes alwayes our selues and valour respected are though regenerate children as menstruous clothes in Gods eyes Esa 66. 2. Luk. 17.10 and our selues verye vnprofitable seruauntes Neyther was Symeon iuste as fulfylling iustly all the commaundements of God For that neyther could he nor any other before him or since his tyme to the ende of the worlde can there be any Christ Iesus excepted which shall or may doe in perfection the commaundements of GOD And therfore Symeon nor any other man can chalenge to him or them in truth and déede as hauing wonne the same the tytle of righteousnesse But on the other side they are all founde Transgressors Rom. 3.10 and accused of guyltinesse when as in their best workes they are faultie and not able to do all but offending in euerye one they are worthyly pronounced guyltie of the whole No not Abraham in that best approoued worke when he wyllinglye in Spirite though not without sharpe conflicts in bodye and minde offered vp his sonne as the worde of the Lorde commanded him hath warrante to vaunte of righteousnesse before God or was thereby iustifyed
in his syghte but by his Fayth Rom. 3.28 as by the hande wherwith he apprehended his righteousnesse in Christ Or maye any person obiect in right as opposite hereto The words of Iames declared By the papists abused the saying of Iames the Apostle was not Abraham iustified by workes For Iames doth not in that place dispute the meanes of mans iustification before God but requyreth that good works be to Christian fayth adioyned as by which grace holye men on earth doe approoue that which God in the Heauens before through the vndoubted fayth in hys Sonne Iesus Christ hath imputed to his beloued children which may easely appeare in the Apostles owne wordes Shewe mee thy fayth out of thy works sayth he and I will shewe thee my fayth by my workes Iam. 2.18 As if he had sayde Thou which boastest to haue fayth shewe me that am but man and therefore knowe not thy state before the Tribunall seate of GOD or his graces in the inwarde man by which meanes I cannot iudge of thée Shewe me I saye thy fayth by hys works in thée and I will beléeue thée then to be a faythfull Christian Gene. 22.16 This sence Moses also testifieth the Angel or rather the Lorde by his Angel to approoue which stayde the hande of Abraham from the sacrifycing of his sonne Touch not thy sonne with violent hands for nowe I knowe that thou fearest God bicause thou hast not spared thine only sonne for my commaundement sake To conclude the Epistle written to the Hebrewes doth attribute this great worke of Abraham to the excellency of his fayth saying By fayth Abraham offred vp his sonne Isaac Heb. 11.17 It resteth therefore sythe Symeon is not able to fulfill the lawe but fayleth in many poyntes thereof and therefore guyltie of all Sithe also that those good workes which he doth be polluted in Gods syght as procéeding from hym selfe by which meanes he is become in himselfe vniuste before God that nowe his righteousnesse consysteth herein that his synnes be not layde to his charge according to the saying of the Psalmist Psal 31.1 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose synnes be not imputed to them Thus was Symeon vniust in himselfe but iust in his consolation Christ Iesus and that bicause he fyrmely beleeued in him by whose merittes and death on the Crosse the Fathers iustice is answered Symeons synnes raunsomed mercye to hym procured his daylie synnes not layde to his charge bycause by imputation he is accounted for iust And in the same maner are all the elect of God alyke blessed with him And so lykewise all the workes of Gods saintes are impure in his sight if tryed by the phan of hys spirite before his Tribunall seate But such is his fatherly benigne mercye that in and for his sonne Christ he accepteth vs and then our holy actions for iuste as he accepted Habel and his sacryfice but he regarded not Caine Gene. 4. and therfore not his sacryfice also he casteth our iniquities quight out of his remembrance Ezec. 18. Secondly Symeon is called pius godly religious Iere. 31.22 or fearing God This is proper to the chylde of God if iustifyed by his grace then to lyue in his feare that is in his obedience Tit. 2.12 Luk. 1. We are also redéemed to this ende That we should denye vngodlynesse and walke in puritie of lyfe in holynesse and righteousnesse before our iuste God all the dayes of our lyfe So sayth the holye Ghoste in the mouth of Zachary the good maryed Priest So did the same holye man of God and his good wyfe by vertuous lyfe expresse the graces of Gods holye spirite in them as testifyeth Saint Luke saying Both were iuste before God and walked in all the commaundementes of the Lorde without reproofe Luc. 1.6 Here hast thou good Reader the true discription of a godly man namely he that being iustifyed by Fayth in Christ walketh though he cannot performe in perfection in all the commaundements and ordinances of the Lord. Deare Reader we glorye that we be called christians but onely this is a true christian lyfe of which here thou haste heard Our wants in this profession in these oure dayes bewray from top to the toe in the Courte and thence thorowe the Countrie from the Nobilitie to the Plowman and his mate The greater personages boast and bragge of great tytles Lordships Baranies Offices and liberties of bewty byrthe brauerie manhood chyualry and force of cunning skyll learned tongue But vnlesse my Lords ye relye vpon Symeons lore vnlesse ye be worthyly endowed with his style vnlesse ye be iuste before God walke in all the commaundementes of God not only to do holyly but to be holy your selues in déede Vndoubtedly your honor and all your other pompe in pryde shall you change for horror wéeping howling and gnashing of teeth and so shall all fleshe that lyueth not in the feare of God Math. 25.30 What benefite was it to Diues nowe boyling in Hell that he was endewed with all worldlye Epicurious pleasures Luck 16. as gorgious houses costly array after the fashion diuersitie of dyshes and the worlde at wyll Or what aduantage to the other Ritchman Luck 12. that pulled downe his Barnes to make them greater sayde to hymselfe Now soule be merrie for thou hast goodes and landes in store for many yeres But how did he possesse this large and newe buylded frame Thou foole sayth the spirite This nighte shall they take thy soule from thee and who shall then possesse thy goods Shall not the wicked ritche men lykewise haue their heauen in this lyfe Shall they not after the hower of death with Diues lye in the Helles lyke shéepe and say Sapi. 3. There was no greene pasture which we wente not through whereby they note in naturall lyfe their courtly pleasures We left no token of vertue behinde vs in thys they signifie their wicked lyfe buryed in contynuall securitie We thought these men fooles vz Symeon and such other the sonnes of God Whereby they vtter their ignorance of godly men and their owne fréedome from godlynesse These are they which wee persecuted scorned and cruelly intreated but nowe see how they are taken with the iuste By which the holye ghost sealeth vp the naturall disposition of all Atheists to their gréeuous and irrecuperable condemnation Wherefore beloued Reader Noble and ignoble Courtier and Countryman séeke the Lorde earely and whyle he is to be founde attayne to his seruice who by his grace will endue thée with iustification Esa 55. and holynesse with obedience to his holy law and delight to dwell therin Ephe. 1.14 bicause his holye spirite is his Arrha and earnest penny giuen thée for thy assurance of his loue and fauour towards thée So shall your Nobilities more encrease your state most surely stande your selues with Symeon shall be famous to your posteritie a good example
delyuerer whome they imagined to be some Noble warriour were redy to run with euery Traytor that would lift vp his heade take to himselfe the Tytle of Messias In the which seditions euer they had the worse as reason is such should and many thousandes of them were slayne But when no otherwayes they would be pacified the Romane power was sent with Commission vtterly to destroy them Wherto was Vespasian sent who began his warres in Galilea committing to fyre and sworde all that was before hym From thence he came to Ierusalem and by the Souldiours in that siege chosen Emperour he went to Rome committed the warres of the Iewes to his sonne Titus which Titus lyke a vigilant Gouernour behaued himselfe left not the slaughter til he had fulfilled the prophecy of Christ to that Citie He cast a banck about it hauing 30. Castles or Turrets in it Luke 19. from whence he battered downe the Citie he compassed them on euery side finally he destroyed them and their children For the Lord by him caused the hunger to be such as the mothers were compelled to kyll roste broyle and eate their owne borne children He raced the Citie downe to the ground and so of that most floorishing Citie Iosephus de bel Iud. 6.14 the Flowre and Diamonde of the East he left no more but a smale Monumente to the posteritie of the Romans ouer so strong a defenced Bulwarke That is to say thrée Towers called Phaselus Hyppinus and Mariamnes with parte of the West wall The men which escaped were for the most part taken prisoners and most of them after eyther solde to base bondage or were for the pleasant prospect of the Romans cast vnto wylde beastes in their publique sportes to fight and be deuoured These things came to them in déede but are written for oure sakes 1. Cor. 10.6 that both Prince Potentate Prelacie and people should be terrifyed hereby As also the Church of Ephesus is a notable example for the Church of England to beholde That Church sometime most honorable but now most horrible wrapped in the Dungeon of Turkishe Paganisme God cannot in iustice but plague in seueritie the backslyding from his word And that doth he in two sorts First he gyueth such degenerating children the spirit of Delusion 2. Tes 2.11 that they should beleeue lyes to their damnation which would not receyue the Truth to their Saluation when it was sent them And also he giueth them to their owne harts concupiscence the same to satisfie in most fylthy lusts that not only God but nature it selfe shall be despised Rom. 1.21.22.23.24.25.26.27 For men against themselues and women and men against the vse of Nature shall defyle themselues most filthily A heauy iudgement The second is his sword of Destruction vtterly to throw downe and bring to nothing the power and persons of disobedient backslyders His iudgements hereto are as it pleaseth him sometimes greater sometime lesse Sometimes by sencelesse creatures sometimes by the Heauens sometimes by men of might in the earth Frogs Flyes and Lyce darknesse blood and Caterpillers Psal 78. and fynally the raging Seas shall ouerthrow the Egiptians which were great persecutors of the people of God The Wyndows of heauen shal open and drowne the whole worlde which would not repente Gen. 7.11 but growe into worse and worse Vespasian and Romane Titus shall vtterly subuert the hard harted Ierusalem Ephesus shall yéelde his obedience to his destroying enimy which would not returne to his former loue Iesus Christ and the zeale of his Gospel The Angels Candlestick the Church and the Ministery shall be cast out Apoc. 2. and Mahomet and Sergius shall occupy their function and place O England loue loue loue and feare Feare God as thy father kysse and embrace his sonne thy Christ and consolation Psal 2.12 least he being angry cause thée to feare when thou doest féele his terrible iudgements by which thou shalt perishe if his anger be kyndled yea but a little Returne to thy first loue and do thy fyrst works else wil he come shortly as he sayth to Ephesus which argueth that he is ready Wherfore repent yea though the most in countenance of the best neglect the loue of God yet know that Symeon and Ioseph doe expect the kingdome of God and Consolation of Israel And such onely haue the spirite of God in them as had these holy men by which they are trayned alwayes to the presence of Christ approued his seruants These shall not sée death tyll they haue in hart by the eyes of their fayth ioyfully séene Iesus to be the lighte of the Gentyls and the glory of Israell Iohn 17.2 Esa 9.2 and the saluation by the Lorde set for the whole saluation of God Last of all thys is worthy to be thought vpon that Symeon is brought by the Spirite of Gods motion into the Temple at the very instant when Christ is thether brought to be offred to the Lorde and that al things there were done according to the Lawe 1. Sam. 9.16 Psal 31.15 Luke 1.8 Iohn 17.1 Ephe. 1.10 Mar. 14.41 The worldlings would thinke this to come by chance but the Euangelist sayth he was ledde thyther by the holy ghost For it is God which doth with his general prouidence behold all things and guydeth euery mans actions to his appointed season and the very moment of tymes he directeth to his seuerall worke at his good pleasure By this heauenly prouidence and not by chaunce came the seruant of Abraham to the Citie of Nahor Gen. 24. in that momente of tyme when Rebecca came out of the Citie to water hir cattle Gods prouidence guydeth as and our actions not blynde chance and for this cause did God bring forth that Mayde at the same instant that by this occasion she might bring the manne to her father by whom shée should be sent to Isaac for his wyfe And Saule went to séeke his fathers Asses but the Lorde brought him to Samuel the Prophet which did expect that hower his comming 1. Sam 9.16 For the Lorde had by Oracle tolde Samuel that he would sende Saule vnto him and that he should annoynte him king of Israel Dauid was brought hereby into the battle 1. Sam. 17. what houre the great Gyant Golyath did vaunt himselfe in blasphemy against the Lorde and by which meanes he might be brought to that fight which the Lord had foreappointed for him to the glory of God the victorious fame of Dauid and the ioy of Israell By this guyde came the Wydowe of Naim to the gates of the Citie Luc. 7.12 with her dead sonne to buriall at that moment when Christ entred the gates of that Citie and was by him restored to lyfe And by this is holy prouydence are our Fathers gone before vs and we not borne vntyll this age of the worlde wherein he hath appoynted his sonne Christe to be more amply reuealed by
the loue of Christ shall oppression shall extremitie shall persecution famishment Rom. 8.35 nakednes perill or sworde as it is written For thy sake are we al day slayne and brought as sheepe to the slaughter but in all these we are more then conquerors in and by him that loueth vs. So are we with Paule perswaded that neyther death nor lyfe Aungell principalitie or potentats neyther things present or to come neyther things aboue or yet belowe or any other creature can seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lorde And this is that our fayth which is farre differente from the Iewes condemneth the Pagans conuinceth the Papists of Heresie and apprehendeth Christ Iesus which is our peace our saluation our light and eternall glory Further note here that as this christiaÌ„ faith is not without these workes of hope and loue So doe we learne that they procéede of fayth as they whose nature cannot be seperate from the same We are iustifyed by fayth sayth Paule and therefore haue peace with God by Christ Rom. 5.1 by whome we haue accesse by Fayth into that grace wherein we stande and glorye in the hope of the glorye of God Fayth hath two daughters Hope and Loue. Beholde the Apostle doth playnely affirme vs to haue accesse to God and peace in him the hope of glory by fayth in Christ But more playnely to the Ephesians saying We haue accesse in hope which is by fayth Ephe. 3.12 Here is hope sayde to be conceyued of the spirite and borne of fayth That Charitie also is borne of her as her second daughter 1. Tim. 1.5 Paule to Timothy doth wytnesse thus The ende of the commaundement is loue out of a pure harte and of a good conscience and of fayth vnfayned And how can it be but loue of force must procéede of fayth For thereby we beholde the Lorde our God to be our best good most mightie wise and best belouing father in whose loue he hath giuen vs his onely begotten sonne to dye for vs and wyth him hath giuen vs all things Howe cannot I saye then this Charitie to breake out of vs in floodes of loue to oure good God and elect brethren for him in euery such office as the rules therof requyreth at our hands But still obserue this for their order Fayth is the Noble parent the daughter of Gods holy worde whose father is Gods spirite begotten in the bed of a christian harte and hope is the fyrst Daughter of fayth Eph. 17. expecting the fruite of Gods faythfull promise and cannot be drawne from her mother bicause she is holden by the holy ghost nor thrust down to distrust or doubtfulnesse for that she is sustayned in her mothers lappe the most assured fayth in God And loue is the laste daughter and of longer contynuance For when the mother and her elder Sister shall giue ouer their office hauing attayned their rewarde and promise this vertuous loue in the saints of God shall neuer cease 1. Cor. 13.13 but contynue in the heauens with them for euer And thus hath loue of vs her due commendation but so as she is set orderly in her besytting place against the cauils of al Papists Atheists whatsoeuer Further to thée which art an olde man our aged Symeon standeth a perfite patterne to follow That not thy gray heares but thy graue and godly conuersation may with him approoue thée in the house of God a manne venerable and worthy regarde A Lesson to olde men His steps to lead thée are his fayth in Christ his feare in GOD his godly lyfe his loue to his Countrie and his desyre to departe these miserable dayes at the wyll and worde of God But in his godly lyfe thâ—e is by the Euangelist set downe for great and chiefe that he followed his guyde the holye Ghost O ye olde fathers whose gray heads doe sommon your toyled Soules to the Tribunall seate of God take care that ye follow Symeons trace in the obedience to Gods holye spirite For they alone are Gods children Rom. 8.14 which are ledde by his spirite and thereby doe mortifye and kyll the lustes of the flesh It is ynough and tootomuch that you haue spent the dayes of your youth after the wanton guyse of fleshlye lustes Learne to say with Paule when I was a chylde 1. Cor. 13.11 Psal 19.12 13. Eph. 24 7 I did as a chylde but now I am a man I haue cast away childishnesse Pray with holy Dauid O Lord forgiue me the rebellion of my youth lay not my presumptuous syns against me Reioyce with Sophocles that Nature hath bidde adue to the fleeting feates of fleshly affects Cast away whoredome and lasciuious delights A Christian cautar and aboue all delight not in thy former euils but reprooue thy selfe in them Ephes 5.11 and condemne thy hart for them Ioy in God and begge earnestly for repentance at his hands Luk. 15.21 and aske mercy with the prodigall sonne for thy wasting dayes past thee Defye the receypt of Satans baytes which now that Nature cannot ruffle as to fore do enflame thy hart with conceypt of fryuolous and fylthy ioy for the euill done déede so long time paste Eph. 4.29 Let no fylthy communication proceede out of thy mouth nor haue thou anye fellowship with the workes of darknesse but rather reproue them For so shalt thou be learned in Christ Be not so farre from the duety of an olde christian Father that a Heathen though a cyuill naturall man may well condemne thée A notable and pythie saying of Cicero Fylthy lustes sayth Cicero is hatefull to gréene dayes but most odyous to gray heares as of which commeth two pestilente euilles It bréedeth common crye of shame and dishonor to the aged Eccle. 9.25.2 and their example giueth beastly boldnesse to youthfull intemperance There be three things sayth the wyse man that God hateth A pore man that is prowde a ryche man that is a lyar and an olde Adulterer that doteth The Preacher Ecclesiastes Eccle. 11.9 derydingly sayth to a yong manne which olde men are in wisedome to recorde Reioyce in thy youth let thine harte cheere thee walke in the wayes of thyne harte and in the sight of thine eyes But knowe that for al these things God will bring thee to iudgement Doctrine for yong Gallants Therfore take away griefe out of thyne harte and cause euill to depart from thy fleshe for chyldhood and youth are vanity Hereto shall it much profite you you elder fathers if with Symeon ye enter the Temples of God where hys worde is daylie preached his graces exhibited and sealed to you in his Sacraments Where with the iust your contynuall prayers shall be acceptable and receyuing fruite in Christ Where shall this counsell of the Lorde be giuen you to your eternall good forth of his holy word Remember now thy Creator Eccle. 12.1 c.
prouoked eyther by Oracle by Prophete or yet by the Priest it is to be denyed that he would appeare to him by the deade especially considering hymselfe in his most holy iust lawe to haue forbidden the same in these words Let none be founde among you Deut. 18.10 that maketh his sonne or his daughter to go through the fyre betwixt two fyres by a superstitious ceremony therby to be purged or that vseth Wytchcraft or a regarder of tymes Popish purgatory her priests build all vpon the reporte of the deade as their Fryrie bookes declare wherfore accursed for abhominations or a marker of the flying of Foules or a Sorcerer or a Charmer or that counselleth with spirites or a Southsayer or that asketh counsell at the dead For all that do such things are an abomination to the Lord bicause of these abhominations the lord doth cast them out before thee Secondly this must be done eyther by the will of God or by force of Magicall Arte. This was not the will of God for his written will doth prohibet the same and Satans Arte cannot haue power against the will of God Thirdly if this Spectrum were Samuell then did he appeare eyther wyllingly or by force he coulde not come to Saule wyllingly for the hartes and obedience of the saints of God alyue and dead doe concurre with the will of him their father But in this apparision the Prophete should haue yéelded to sathan against Gods will but to saye he came against his wyll is more then wicked nay to say he came at al is pestiferous when Abraham affirmeth constantly that neyther Heauen or the place of Torture can yéelde from them the soules of the departed To conclude this matter of Samuel your vnholy lawe of your lyke holye father doth refell this opinion as a fantasie of no reputation It was not sayth this Decrée Samuel that apeared to Saule but the Deuill Decret pontif 26. que 5. cap. and he sayth it is an absurde and vnworthye matter to holde that so holye a manne from his natiuitie could by Deuillish arte be drawne to so wicked a man as Saule was But this was sayth the Decrée the fallacies of sathan hereby compelling men to dreame that he had power as well of the holye mens soules as of the wicked Thus by the scripture of God by the testimony of godlye Fathers by probable reasons and lastly O Papist by the Popes Decrée thou doest sée howe this was not Samuel but the delusion of sathan and is called in the storye Samuel respecting therby the mind of Saule supposing this Spectrum to be Samuel And as the golden Mice and Emraldes 2. Sam. 6.4.5 which the Philistines layd in the Arke of wytnes are called Mice and Emraldes and yet are but the shape and Figures of them made by the arte of the Philistines cunning Euen so the shape of Samuell set before Saule by the deceytfull arte of the Pythonisse bicause he stood for Samuel is so called in the holy story To this I could adde further proofe and authoritie but I suppose this sufficient to a godly minded man and also further testimonie of Fathers to deny that any soule of man walketh in this world after the hower of death Athanasius an olde learned and godly Father sayth Atha li. de ques 9. 13. that the wisdome of God will not permit the soules to retourne before the iudgement daye into this worlde least by such meanes the Deuill shoulde take vpon him mans shape and should into the forme of dead men being transformed say he were the soule of such a one raysed from death and by such deceyte should teach many lyes and false opinions to the destruction of the Church Augustine sayth that if the soules of the dead could walke wyth men in earth his godly mother Monica Aug. de cura pro mor. ca. 13 Illirius Cent. 2. who trauayled from Sea to lande to be with him would neuer nowe after her death be absent from him No truely the soules of dead men cannot walke in this worlde For presently at the hower of death as the olde Father Ireneus also sayth they are placed the godly in ioye the wicked in perpetuall payne But the Papists obiect yet against this truth and say that this Samuel did foretell to Saule what shoulde become of him in that battle and that he and his children should be slayne and Saule himselfe shoulde be with thys Samuel These things say they the Deuill could not tell for the Deuill knoweth not things to come it must therfore of necessitie be the true Prophete Samuel which being the Lordes Prophete could therefore foretell of these things But all this is easily aunswered This obiection standeth vpon trembling props as thus The Deuil foreknoweth not things to come but this knewe before hand that Saule shoulde in the ouerthrowe be slayne therefore was not this the Deuill which by the Pythonisse was raysed By the same reason maye I say this was not Samuell Esa 41.23 for the holye scriptures doe attribute this alone to God to tell things before they come to passe yet for all that the same place doth nothing derogate but that the Deuil may foreknow and also declare some things or that they come to light For sometyme he receyueth commission of the Lord to plague this Country Deuils doe foreknowe many thinges and that person as the rodde of his loue or anger and standing among the saints of god he heareth the sentence which had swiftlye and easily he can vtter before the execution be done For the Deuils can most spéedily as the wynd ouerrunne the earth therfore by Tertullian they be called Volucres But hauing authoritie to plague Iob Iob. 15.16.17 coulde he not haue told Iob what shold haue become of him before he brought the Caldes the foure wyndes the fyre and death to hys children and sicknesse to hymselfe yes veryly sent to bée the lying spirite in the mouth of Achabs false Prophetes with this warrant 1. Reg. 22.21.23 c. that he should preuayle was it not in his skyll to vtter Achabs destruction as Micha did before it came to passe yes certainely But the Lorde will not vse the person of the Deuill to be his Prophet and therfore his deuyne spirite spake in the mouth of his holye afflicted seruant Micha So no doubt did he know Gods counsel vttered touching Saule whose ende the Lorde had determined to be at this tyme perfected and therfore of the Pythonisse demaunded gyueth answere thereby to bring Saule into greater desperation which was Satans glory Further the infernall spirites be also called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which name some of the olde fathers as Tertullian Lactantius and others affirme them to haue asciendo of knowing much But doth Daemon the Deuill knowe of his owne present knowledge things to come No for that is proper onely to God who comprehendeth all tymes all men all things and
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