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
they will tourne the Popishe face into the inwarde mynde and be couered with this cloke to fawne vpon the gospell But marke their lyues and eyther they be manifest contemners of Religion hating reformation of their wickednes or they doe priuily shoote out their arrowes Psal 120.23 euen tongues as whote as burning coales into the eares of Princes and Potentates against the Lorde and hys truth and against his faythfull seruantes in déede which eyther by preaching exhortation or pen séeme to sommon their conscience to a better consideration of belonging duety to their God Then saye they Come let vs imagine some deuise against Ieremy Iere. 18.18 for the lawe shall not perishe from the Priest nor counsell from the wise The practise of Atheists nor the worde from the Prophet That is the Romaine Church cannot erre or the holy Pope sauing thy reuerence good Reader be deceyued and therefore whosoeuer speaketh against that as farre as we may kéepe credite in these dayes and though it be with some stayne Come let vs smyte him with the tongue let vs slaunder him and accuse him for we shal be beleeued and let vs not giue heede to any of his wordes But let not Ieremy be afrayd For Esay sayth The enimy shall come lyke a flood vz ioyned together vehemently working but the spirite of the Lorde shall chase him away and Christ our consolation doe we wayte for him giuing breade to our brethren in due season shall come to Sion and vnto all them that turne from iniquity in Iacob sayth the Lorde in the former places Wherfore I eftsoones say to you Fleshe bloud earth and ashes not wyse in God deceyuing your selues If ye lyue after the fleshe Rom. 8.13 yee shall dye but if by the spirite ye mortifie and kyll the deeds of the fleshe ye shall lyue which be these Adultery fornication Gal. 5.19 vncleannesse wantonnesse ydolatry which in our dayes is Popery Witchcraft hatred debate emulation hypocrisie wrath contention herisies enuye murther dronkennes gluttony and such lyke you shall lyue eternally Further here are conuinced euery such which not caring for anye Religion at all take parte of neyther side but accounte themselues Gods good seruants if they lead an honest cyuill lyfe amongst men But in Symeons commendation to be Gods seruante we fynde this principallye noted that he was iuste and religious To these we adde all hypocrites which professing outwarde shadowes of fayned holynesse doe spende their waste labors in mens tradicions for the obseruance whereof they make no care to transgresse all bounden pietie and seruice to God obedience to Princes and godlye Magistrates or obsequie to their natural Parents or louing brethren But Christ sayth these worship him in vayne Mat. 15.9 Remember wel the prouident care of the Euangelistes pen that he doth not commend to vs Symeons good lyfe first but his state from God and his religion in God as if hereby he would tell vs that we are not precisely to tye our selues to immitate this or that kynde of worke of the saints for works shall not be wanting in the children of God as we haue sayde but that we should séeke to follow their fayth in Christ First grace then graciousnesse and be zealous in his Religion walking therin with a right foote vpright in the sighte of God Gala. 2.14 We haue here also to consider the dyuers natures of earthly men according to the spirite whereby they are ledde whether of synne vnto death or of righteousnesse vnto lyfe Rom. 6.16 And this note I gyue vpon the reporte that Symeon wayted for the consolation of Israel The sonnes of Symon Magus the Pope and his adherents as carnall Gospellers and Popishe Atheists doe wayte also and séeke for all opportunitie but it is to haue wherewith to satisfie their worldly lustes and that is their expectation When will the newe Moone come say they that wee may sell our corne deare Amo. 8.5 and chaffe for corne and sell our brethren for smale tryflying pleasures and valors to suck the bloud of their Tenants and inferiors The fruite of carnall Gospellers These men can and doe fyrst pull downe Tyllage and dyke in pastures with Lammas cloking Closes they driue the poore pâ—wman to feast with pease breade on Christmas daye euen thys yere it was so These wayte but it is for the deare yeare Some of these nowe buy Corne in Markets hauing great store of their owne to bréede a dearth and in the latter parte of Sommer when the same is established Such mind such purpose then bring they forth their corne to fyll their lucring luste Yea and Dauid expecteth Bethseba her comming to his call And Iesabel the euente of her Deuillishe deuise against Noble Naboth for his Vyneyarde made Achab sicke Herodiadas that dauncing Dame also wayteth but it is for fytte oportunitie when best she maye by the caperous footing and vnwomanly vawting of her Daughter to begge at Herods hands the heade of her reproouer the holye preacher of God Iohn Baptist Whose graunte in delight of such perillous fantasies shall force the fleeting tymes retyre to be a wayling wytnesse of this Princes wicked decrée Iudas did wayte in lyke manner but to betray his mayster Christ And the Pharisies expected oportunitie to crucifye the Lorde of lyfe and yet to kéepe quyet in the common wealth 2. Tim. 4.10 Demas a follower of the Apostle Paule wayteth when best he maye vnder pretence of religion become ritche wherof fayling He forsaketh him and loueth this presente worlde Alexander the Copersmythe and Demetrius wayte to reuenge the ouerthrowe of Diana her shryne Act. 19.23 2. Tim. 4.14 3. Epist 9. vers and therfore become they enemies to the Apostles So doth Diotrephes to stop the Truth though Iohn the Euangeliste doth wryte the same The Pope and his wyll not permit the worde of God to come to lighte for then his kingdome must decaye The Satrapas doe wayte for tyme Dan. 6. that Daniel maye by Acte of Parliament be cast into the Lyons Denne and a lawe for his destruction to be established as the lawe of the Medes Daniels lotte which cannot be broken But bicause they cannot obtayne this in christian Cyrus daies they wayte for another Bull to bring in a Cambyses which shal vtterly forbyd the buylding of Ierusalem Athalia wayteth also after the Kings seede 2. Reg. 11.1 the Scarlet Romanist expecteth her tyme when to broyle once again Iehosophat his posterity but Iehoidah our highe and eternall Priest shall cause the Kings Commission at length to cast her out of the house of God that all christian Lords and Captaynes maye bathe their obedient blades in her thirstie bloode Oh that the house of Israel had not wayted the departure of Iehoiadah 2. Chr. 24.17 supposing with more ease to disswade vertuous Ioash from the Lorde The departure of godly Byshops the decaye of Religion God graunt our
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.
Loe to thys place went the holy father Symeon departing wherof perswaded he departed in moste assured peace in conscience and with God who in his Christ with him being satisfied by his holye spirite setled the harte of Symeon in moste quyet rest That the soules departed walke not after death in earth againe But yet or I passe from thys worde departe for that I wryting this a most slaunderous reporte is raysed of an honest and vertuous Minister departed this lyfe that hys soule nowe walketh at this daye in his Parsonage house it shall not be vnprofitable Christian Reader that I saye something to the beating downe to death this error It is an olde sinister opinion of men that the soules of the dead depart not so from vs but that after buryall they walke in the earth and appeare vnto men exhorting them to this or to that as Gregory of Rome reporteth in his Dialogues Yea the Apostles might séeme to be combred wyth this error saying when they saw Christ vpon the water it is a Spirite Act. 12.15 And when Peter knocked at Iohn Markes mothers dore they saide to Rhoda the mayde it is his Angel This had they of the vulgare opinion receyued from Pithagoras teaching the soules of men to returne into the bodies of others eyther for correction or reward And thus deluded Herod hearing of Christ supposed Iohn Baptist to be rysen againe Mat. 14.1 Mar. 6.14 Luc. 9.7 whom he had beheaded And the better sort of the people dreamed Christ to be Helias Iohn Baptist Ieremy or some of the Prophetes all which we sée were most vntrue But as touching the departure of the soule once seperated from the bodye that it returneth not or can possibly into the world the storie of Lazarus doth affyrme Diues desyreth that Lazarus might come to help his tongue Luc. 16. but it is denied that they which be in ioy can come to the Helles He then desyreth that the soule of Lazarus may go to his brethren that are in the earth and may teach them to beware but he receyueth this aunswere They which be here cannot come hence and they which be there cannot come thence And they haue Moyses and the Prophets let them heare them and if they wil not heare them neyther wil they beleue though one should which is vnpossible before iudgement come from death againe Esa 8.19.20 Deut. 18. The Prophets doe forbid vs to aske counsell of the dead God lykewise in the lawe here Abraham doth sende vs to the Prophets and to Moses bookes for our instruction denying most constantly that any soules of the dead shall walke againe to teach or terrifie vs All they which departe thys lyfe be eyther godly or wicked If they be godly then are they by imputation iust and the soules of the iuste Sapi. 3. are in the hands of God And godly Lazarus cannot be permitted no not to do much good to come from Abrahams bosome But if they be wicked they lye in the Hels like sheepe and thence cannot Diues or his fellowes come though heauen and earth should runne together But thou wilt say what shall we saye to this there is much iumblyng in suche a house and there is séene lyuely such a man walke before vs Chrisost hom 29. whome we cannot but say to be our friend departed to all our sences iudgemente To thys I aunswere wyth Chrysostome vpon S. Mathew What shal we say to those voyces sayth he which saye I am the soule of such a man The Deuil not the soule of the deade it is that after buryall walketh to deceiue men Say it is not the soule of the deade man but it is the Deuill which doth fayne these things to deceyue the hearers thereby These are sayth he olde wyues Fables and fryuolous tales The soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and soules of Infants c. But the soules of synners are straight waye after their departure called to their place as playnely appeareth sayth thys father by Lazarus the righteous and the wicked rich man Loe this is no newe doctrine by vs deuysed but an olde truth by the Fathers concluded through the warrante of Gods worde that the soules of men departed be placed presently at the hower of death out of which place they cannot come againe to men in earth Whether Samuell apeared to Saule or no. before the day of iudgement But the Papistes séeme to presse vs with the apparition of Samuel to king Saule at the cuniuration of the Pythonisse To whome we soundly aunswere that Samuel appeared not to Saule but Satan abusing the king tolde him that he was Samuel But here againe they saye sée howe these men denye the playne Text of scripture Doth not the holye booke of GOD twise saye 1. Sam. 28. Eccle. 46. Samuel appeared vnto Saule we acknowledge the scripture to call the Spirite that apeared by the name of Samuel And albeit against the second place as not Canonicall we maye lawfully excepte August quest 3. yet we answere with Augustine ad Simplicianum the Bishop of Millaine It was not sayth he the spirite of Samuel raysed from his rest but it was some fantasie or imagination of the Deuill which the scripture notwythstanding calleth Samuel as Images be called after the names of such persons as they do represent Who doubteth sayth this father to name the Images of the Phylosophers pictured vpon the wall saying this is Cicero that is Salust and this is Achilles and this manne is Hector this is the flood of Simois and that is Rome when these be nothing other but bare pictures vpon a paynted wall No maruell therfore though the wryter of the sacred Storyes sayth he call this Image of Samuel by the name he represented or that the Deuill could transfigure himselfe to the shape of a holye man which hath power also to tourne hymselfe into an Aungell of lyght But Turtullian sayth Absit vt animam cuiuslibet sancti c. God forbid that wée should beléeue the Deuill to haue power to call vp anye soule of the saints of God much lesse of his holy Prophets for we are taught that Satan doth transforme hymselfe into an Angel of light with what ease then into the shape of a manne of lighte so he calleth Samuell bicause he is a member of Christ the true light of the worlde yea he doth sayth he affirme himselfe to be God and worketh great and prodigious things if it were possibly therby to seduce the elect people of God That learned father Peter Martyr sayth that Samuell apeared not to Saule but it was an imagined shape which by the delusion of Satan was brought vnto Saule and as we call it a Ghost and he gyueth probable reasons to approoue his assertion Diuers reasons proouing Samuell not to appeare to Saule First syth the case so stood with Saule that God would neyther answere him being often
owne way euerye one for his aduantage and for his owne purpose There is an other sorte of whome maye be sayde once professing God They are gone out of the way Malac. 2.8 they haue caused manye to fall by the lawe They haue broken the couenant of Leuy sayeth the Lorde And now harcken to the plague of Harding such papisticall backslyding priestes Therfore haue I also sayth the Lord made you to be despised Why the Clergy is despyced and vyle before the people bicause you kept not my wayes but haue bene parciall in the law To the best of our godly Bishops and learned brethren may it rightly be sayde as was sayde to the Angell the Byshop of Ephesus by the spirite of God Thou haste left thy fyrst loue Apo. 2.4 Psal 36.9 God graunt them eche of vs his light wherin we shall haue light to remember from whence we are fallen that we maye repent and doe the fyrst workes which we did before we were promoted to our places and preferred to others as well if not better deseruing least the Lorde returne shortly and remooue our Candlestickes Zorobabel Iehosua waxed very slacke in the buylding of Gods house Hagge 1. but warned by Haggeus the Prophete they stopped not his mouth depryued him not of his place and Function or shut him vp in prison but gaue eare vnto his worde and rowsed vp their slothfull bodyes to the Lordes labors which when the common people sawe they stack to their godly Prince and holy learned Byshop for lyfe with tooth and nayle to the fynishing of the Lords worke Contrarily Ieroboam Achab Herod and such others neyther would heare the Lords Prophetes lende them libertie or graunt them lyfe Good Lorde defende this age thy church and people from this most horrible darknesse Shyne into the hearts of thy lightes our godly learned Byshops and preachers that their lyght maye so shine vnto vs as we by them may be procured to gloryfie thee our father which art in heauen to whom be prayse and glory for euer and euer Mat. 5.16 Amen Thys light Christ and his worde is giuen of the father to be made knowne as hath bene sayd vnto the Gentyls A light to be reuealed vnto the Gentils and to be the glorye of the people Israell and to be the glory of the people of Israel Where we haue to note that his worde is not to be kept hydden or secrete If a man be blynde and a perfite medicine be sent hym if no man tell the same vnto him if it be not applyed wyth purpose to his eyes or place to heale howe can he but remayne in his former blyndnesse still Euen so the blynde worlde cannot be brought to sée the light of God albeit Christ the light is sente vnto it by him vnlesse by his spirite and worde the same be reuealed vnto men aptly aplyed to their seuerall darkned consciences It is knowne that God would haue of all Nations 1. Tim. 2.4 tongues kyndreds to be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth Hereto he hath gyuen Moses his Prophets his Christ and hys Apostles Euangelists Pastors Doctors and teachers Ephe. 4.11 that Christians might by the knowledge of the light be brought to his vnitie and to féele by fayth their consolation in him both Iewe and Gentyle and if after so long preaching thereof the light of the Gospell be yet hidden it is hyd to them that perishe 2. Cor. 4.3 whose harts the God of this worlde hath blynded lest by the worde they should be conuerted and saued But as God hath giuen his sonne by his worde to be made knowne So Antichrist the Pope his aduersary séeketh by all meanes and wayes to hyde this knowledge of the truth from men And therefore he locketh vp from the people of God the word of God into the Coffer of a strange tongue which of fewe is vnderstood The Popes practise and of them not without long studie and many yeares trauayle To this ende all prayer and seruing of God is in the Churche subiect to Romishe tyranny tumbled ouer in the Laten tongue But this is quyght against Gods purpose 1. Cor. 14.40 14.19 Symeons worde and Christs most holy Testament Let al things be done in the Church to edyfying sayth the Apostle I had rather speake fiue wordes in the Church that the people sayth he might vnderstande me then ten thousande in a straunge tongue When thou blessest with the spirite howe shall he which occupyeth the place of the vnlearned say Amen at thy giuing of thanks which is the blessing here spoken of séeing he knoweth not what thou sayest Again when the whole Church is come together in one and all speake straunge tongues as the Englishe man to praye in the Laten Hebrewe or greeke tong not vnderstanding it there come in they that are vnlearned or they which beléeue not will they not say 1. Cor. 14.23 that ye are out of your wyts But if all prophesie namely speake in a knowne tongue to that place to edyfying to exhortation and consolation he is rebuked of all men and is iudged of all and so are the secretes of his harte made manifest and so wil he fall downe on his face and worship God and saye plainely that God is amongst you in déede Wherevpon the Apostle thus concludeth If any man speake a strange tongue let it be by two or thrée at the most and that by course and let one interprete But if there be no Interpretor let him keepe silence in the congregation which speaketh languages and let him speake to himselfe and to God No Laten in the English church bicause it cannot edyfie those which vnderstande it not thoughe it be the scripture of God that is reade or prayed vnlesse there be to reueale it and doe presently interprete the same This is Paules conclusion The Popishe Mattens Masse Euensong Complyn Pryme Howres Masse booke Manuel Grayle Antiphonor and Portuse all of Popishe matter and Laten tongue is to be banished the Church of Englande and else where in the house of God So as Rome it selfe ought to haue the seruice pure and in that language which the symplest Italian can easily at the fyrst hearing perceyue well vnderstand But what sayth the Romish Frye to this Popish reasons for the seruice in the Laten tong Forsooth in the lawe were many Ceremonies vsed in the temple which the ignorant laytie neuer vnderstoode and yet they were contynued in that church So though the Laten tongue be vnknowne to the most it may also well ynough stand in Christs church now In answere hereto I saye it is vntrue that the people were ignorante of the Church Ceremonies For euerye Father was commaunded to teach his children Exod. 12. what sygnified the pascall Lambe The Feastes of Pentecosts of Tabernacles they vnderstood and the ceremonies in them their Sacrifices they knew some to be