godly Ioash to be daylie thankfull to God for her deliuery and to continue the godly counsell of Iehoidah I meane her Maiesties honorable Counsell learned Bishops and godly preachers and to stop her gracious eares against the wylie charmes of such as séeking to bring some sorte of these states to contempt would doe their best to drawe vs to their former Idolatrye the dore of our vtter desolation Finally the wicked wayteth but to wallow in all synne and Epicureous lyfe saying Let vs eate and drinke 1. Cor. 15.32 to morrowe we shall dye take our pleasures whylst we lyue for after this we knowe not what shall become of vs. But Symeons brethren are farre and sure set another waye they wayte and looke for the Heauenly knowledge of the Lorde wherein is eternall lyfe for Christ their consolation to dwell in their hartes by fayth Iohn 17.3 for his holye spirite to kéepe their bodyes Soules and Spirits blamelesse vnto the day of consolation when Christ with his Angels shall come to receyue them to glorie They vse the worlde as they whose mindes are else where set in the heauens from whence they wayte for their Sauiour Titu 2.13 They lyue in hope and wayte by al meanes to ouercome the worlde the fleshe and the Deuill they abyde paciently the euill degenerating dayes of our lyfe Hebr. 12. and méekely beare the crosse of Consolation heauy to the flesh hoping that the euent shal be to their God glorious to his Church commodious and to themselues in hym prosperous 1. Pet. 2.12 They finally wayte to liue so as the enimy which backbyteth them may by their example be trayned to reioyce in the daye of their visitation And last of all when God the Father with whome their lyfe is treasured vp in Christ will by his beloued sonne appeare for our full redemption Collos 3. that all we that longly wayte in Spirite and Truth for his comming to cutte of these dayes of synne and ende this wretched worlde maye lifte vp our heades with assured comforte Luc. 21.18 bicause we shall then be with thys our Symeon and the whole elect of God for euer after glorious brought to our Fathers kingdome the inheritance of our onely consolation Christ Iesus and lykewise oure inheritance in him Furthermore we are precisely to stande in this No health but in christ that besyds Iesus Christ there is no consolation and without syncere fayth in him nothing but desolation and eternall woes The way to rest in this our Redemption by Christ is with Symeon to fixe our fayth absolutely in him for our Saluation without which we shall neyther feele comfort in him or rightly serue him And before I passe this point as the meaner sort haue had in Symeon a playne patterne of holynesse So I thought to giue the Ritcher and more Noble personages A Noble patterne to the Nobles of England an example of Nobilitie to followe in this case And the same is noble Ioseph of Aramathaea the Disciple of Iesu and the same was ritche Luke sayth of him thus And beholde there was a man named Ioseph he was a Councellour a good man and a iust c. Luc. 23.50 Hee did not consent to the counsell and deede of them which was of Aramathaea a Citie of the Iewes who himselfe also wayted for the kingdome of God Mathew thus And when euen was come Math. 27.57 there came a ritch man of Aramathaea named Ioseph who had also himselfe bene Iesus Disciple Iohn sayth He was Iesus Disciple Ioh. 19.38 but priuilye for feare of the Iewes for he doubted that if he should confesse Christ they would cast him not onely out of Counsell but out of the Synagoge Marke the Euangelist sayth thus Mar. 15.24 Ioseph of Aramathea an honorable Counsellour which also looked for the kingdome of God came and went in boldly vnto Pilate and asked the body of Iesus This noble Counsellour by all the Euangelists is thus discribed First his dwelling place is to vs noted which was a famous Citie of the Iewes for Ioseph was of Aramathaea supposed to be the same which was also before called Ramath layde oute for the Citie of the Leuites by Samuel the Prophet sytuate about the Mounte Ephraim néere to Lydda which after was called Diospolis Secondly his condition and lyfe by condition Noble for he was an honorable Counsellour eyther of the Sanhedrin or called to Pilats Counsell Concerning godly cyuilitie he was honest a good man and a iuste Touching his Religion he was a disciple of Iesu and wayted with Symeon for the kingdome of God that is for his redemption in Christ his Lord and Mayster Concerning his faythfull seruice to his Mayster Christ our Lorde he withstoode the Counsell boldly as did also Nicodemus and when he coulde not preuayle he openly refused to gyue his consent to them in the death of Christ for the Euangelist speaketh of a thing that was knowne to all men His infirmitie was somewhat great in déede that hee durst not confesse Christ for feare of the Iewes But his modestie was more that being of such place and power he resisted not the Magistrate by sworde for the cause of Christ being a subiect to that tyrannous power or with haultie wordes or conuitious spéeche gaue counterchecke to their curssed blasphemies but manifestly refused to allowe of that murthering Sentence To giue you this man wholy in his vertues As he refused to kyll Christ by cruell sentence So Christ being slayne he sheweth himselfe more faythfull and bold in the cause of Christ then eyther the Virgin Mary or any other of the Apostles For as saint Marke sayth He went with great boldnesse to that dissembling Tyran Pilate in the heate of the Iewes rage and honorably obtayneth the body of Iesu to be buryed and the same layeth in his owne graue honorably prepared for himselfe This was to his state very dangerous For in that he maketh sute to honor him with buriall whome the Presidente Princes and people of the Iewes had condemned to death and subscribed therevnto what might they accompt of Ioseph other then that this his peticion gaue flat condemnation to their present action What was he and where dwelte he That did or durst begge with boldnesse the bones of the beloued Bucer which the Papists in their rage and great solemnitie burnte at Cambridge By this measure howe bolde and aduenturous attempte this was in this Noble Counsellour his honor ryches place and calling considered Besides this Ioseph myght haue founde some better and more easie waye to haue obteyned his purpose to haue done that honor to the slayne bodye of Christ whome he durst not confesse during his lyfe As he might haue obserued the Iewes where their crueltie ended they woulde haue caste the deade bodye of our Sauiour Iesus Christe and by night haue priuely conuayed the same to hys Sepulture or to haue procured fauour of the Centurion for
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
teache hymselfe that he is to the hartes of men When he was at Iacobs Well with the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4.10 he tooke occasion by the Metaphor of water to teache her the lycour of lyfe By the desyre the Iewes had to earthy bread therfore followed him Ioh. 6.15 Luc. 5.3 he began to teach himself to be the bread of lyfe And teaching in the shyp by that myracle of Fishes he taught the Apostles the waye to catch men The same thing he vseth in these wordes I am the lyght c. For teaching in the morning in the Temple the Sunne nowe shyning moste brightly bewtifying the place to the great delight of the beholders he calleth them from the terrestriall to the sonne of righteousnesse affirming in him to finde the true properties of the glorious sonne in déede First as the Sunne is a most pure Planet most bryght and cléere defyled with nothing wheresoeuer it shyneth but maketh the darke and fylthy places more open to the eyes of men So Iesus Christ the brightnesse of his fathers glory Col. 1.15 is of nature most pure and holye and albeit he hath taken oure nature vpon him lyued amongst vs did accompany wyth synners to their good and abhorred not to eate with Publicans yet was he nothing defyled therby but by him these fylthy persons made wholy to know themselues through him were illuminated and fully sanctifyed The Sunne that is to say the light doth so shyne that himselfe may be séene of vs and doth make all other lyuing creatures to sée by him So Iesus Christ our light doth so manifestly in his nature appeare that the insensible heauens and earth do know him he doth so powre by his spirite the beames of his brightnesse into the hartes of hys beloued that they by his spirite and resplendishing Scriptures both perfitly as fleshe may know God the Father and his Christ and all things else which be eyther necessary or expedient to their saluation in him besydes whom there is none other Act. 4.12 Psal 36.9 Thys compelled Dauid to say With thee O Lord is the Well of lyfe and in thy lyght shal we see lyght Through christs light we see God to be our father hym the lord to be our Sauior And as the lyght discouereth darkenesse and refresheth the toyled bodyes in former obscuritie Euen so Christ remouing the former ignorance of God in vs banyshing the terror of cōscience doth most magnificently recreate our sences and refreshe our spirites renouate our conscience quyet oure soule and replenishe vs with ioye And lyke as the lyghte doth not onely in darknesse of night guyde our footesteps but helpeth vs aright to our whole businesse So Christe that eternall worde of God is the Lanterne to our feete and the light to our labours Psal 119. in that the doctrine and preceptes thence shyning to vs doe direct our darke soules into the paths of righteousnesse and that for his owne names sake And as light banyshing darknesse openeth to mans eye many things which in mircke midnight were not onely shadowed The commodities of light but also sheltered and so vnknowne that many adulters théeues murtherers and wicked persons by her were couered Iohn 3.19 and nowe by light disclosed for which cause naturally they loue darknesse hate the lyght So Christ hauing by his worde of most cléerenesse and heauenly power banyshed from Realmes Familyes and persons the darknes of ignorance maketh knowne to them their syns and reproueth their errors accuseth the corruptiō of mans nature and playnely maketh vs sée that all those things which without him we most imbraced are most fylthye and horrible And this is the cause why all such as wallow in wicked lyfe and false Religion doe hate Christ in hys Gospell to this present daye Ioh. 3.19 but to their vtter ruine and selfe condemnation Lastly as one shyning Sunne serueth the vniuersall worlde and is the onely Fountayne of light to all lightes in the same So the bright sonne of God our righteousnesse Christ is the onely author of spirituall light whome the Father of lights hath onely giuen to the whole worlde And he doth lighten euerye man that commeth into the worlde Ioh. 1.9 neyther will he admit any copemate to be ioyned with him What church is not guyded by our lyght Christ onely is eclypsed and bloudy to Christ and his members but kéepeth the whole Regimente in and to himselfe For as the Moone the figure of Gods Church receyueth at the handes of the Sunne her lighte and is so much darkned as she wanteth of his brightnesse So the Churche of God not kept with the countenance of Christs shyning face and Gospell is wrapped in the wayne of darknesse but lightned by his truth she is most gloryous and her naturall spottes shall not deface her yet both Moone and Church remayne to be light by hym else as opposite to him they are eyther darke or bloody or one or bothe Let no man obiect to me Lightened by Christe her spots do not hurt her that the Apostles are called also lightes of the worlde for that hath the true light imported in mercye to them by borrowed spéeche as we may call the Lanterne a light Eph. 5.25.26.27 bicause the light shyneth by and through it vnto the whole housholde And so are the Apostles called lights not bicause they are the light Christ How the Apostles and preachers of the worde are called lighte but bicause they bring vnto vs the true light that dwelleth in them which doth also by them and their labours preaching and wryting shine into the vtmost partes of the earth to the great comforte of all those that loue the same To conclude great is the mercye of our good God séeing the darknesse of the world so greate that no otherwise it could be discouered remoued gaue vnto vs this his owne son whome he hath made to vs the onely light of God to Iew and Gentyle that we should not for wante of safe conduction perishe in our wandring passage Now the vse of thys light and wherto he is giuen vs of God Symeon doth tell vs and sayth it is that he should be reuealed vnto the Gentyls and to be the glory of the people Israel Two things also the good father telleth vs in these words Fyrst that the ages from tyme to tyme should knowe that this one Christ is to all them and people in them the one and onely saluation light guyde and delyuerer Christ is to all ages the the one and onely lyght to lyfe sygnified by the two Nations by him named Iewe Gentyle The lyke doth Esay before naming the Gentyls and addeth and health to the vtmost partes of the world So Christ himselfe concludeth saying as before is saide I am the lighte of the worlde that is to saye of euerye place in the worlde of all sortes of men women and chyldren
for the age to come Amen Thirdly he is sayde to wayght for the consolation of Israel The Euangelists purpose is Symeons ioye to shewe vs wherein the ioy of this olde father consisted Namely that whether he did eate or drinke or whatsoeuer he else did therin he neyther tooke more then was méete and sufficient or made his bâ—lly his pleasant God or any worldly thing else but that his ioye was fixed in his féeling fayth fastened in the Messias our annoynted Christ which he knewe by the studie of the Scriptures to be at hande by whome he sawe his synnes to bée forgiuen and hys whole Countrye and brethren with him to haue their full and only consolation And here agayne is noted Symeons iustification in that he beléeued in Iesus Christ promised in the worde of God to haue the forgiuenesse of hys synnes and in hym eternall lyfe His fyrme fastened fayth is here noted vnder thys worde He wayted which expresseth as well his constancie as his fortitude against those perillous tymes wherein he was The common welth of Israell so ruyned and the Church of God in Iewry so corrupted that it mighte seeme all her hope of recouerie from their woes or consolation in their hartes to be vtterly extinguished We may not forget here howe the Euangelist significantly noteth the corruption and degenerate condition of the Citie Ierusalem which sometymes being the holyest place vnder Heauen is nowe become so estranged from her God so plunged in securitie and synne Shadow of Englands securitie so hardened in hart against the truth and so ignorante of her estate that neyther shée féeleth her present miserie or wayteth for her consolation Christ the Messiah Onely this one man in a whole Citie is here named to féele the one and with long expectation and pacient abode for the Lords leasure hopeth after the other and that bicause he had the warrante of God by his holy worde for the same and was fylled with the spirite whereby he was in mercye preserued from that déepe and iuste iudgement of blyndnesse wherein the wicked Pharysies and the whole people and Princes of Iewrie a few with Symeon excepted were ouerwhelmed which is vehemently noted by the Euangelist in this worde Ecce beholde O beloued England thou mayest lawfully mourne fostering a great number of such people which be as wandring as carelesse as bolde in their synne and hardned in heart as euer were the inhabitants of Ierusalem They talke of Christ and they are myraculously preserued by this our Messiah but as in their déeds they doe denie him So they counte him to them eyther vnprofitable or think him not their consolation For truely they desire not hys presence they hate his Gospel Iere. 3.19 that bicause their deeds are euill Neyther desire they his comming But as the théefe imprisoned wysheth the Iudgement seate ouerturned the lawe with his Princes and power deade and the day of his execution neuer to come Euen so doe these Caterpillers of the earth whose consciences doe accuse them guyltie and fearing his iudgement they desyre rather that he were not at al then that he should come to giue them the rewarde of synne Eternall death the assured stypende to al wicked actions and thoughts Rom. 6.23 to Princes fyrst and to whomsoeuer men and women which in like wickednesse ioyne with these Princes and prophane Pharysies of Ierusalem Surely lyke desolation shall ouerthrowe them if they séeke not Christ in tyme by repentance and with Symeon wayte for their consolation in him Note with me gentle Reader in the commendation of this good man that the spirite of God ioyneth righteousnesse and Religion in one yoke together saying No godlynesse of lyfe no ryghte Religion Symeon was iust and religious Hereby he teacheth vs that these two are so lincked and connexed by the Fynger of God that they cannot be seperate in twayne but of lyke necessitie with the Sunne which hath his Globe his light and his heate so conioyned that wheresoeuer the one shyneth the other cannot but warme and as the soule body are so compact in one that the bodye cannot but performe the pleasures of the same Euen so in whomsoeuer true Righteousnesse in Christ is in him also there cannot but be the true feare of God and holynes of lyfe which is the singuler seruing of our God in the inwarde desyre of our hartes vnfaynedly and here called Religion or true godlynesse Psal 116. Act. 4.20 I beleeued and therfore I spake sayth Dauid We cannot but testifie the things which we haue heard and seene sayth the Apostle I determined to holde my tongue sayth Ieremy the preaching Prophet the peoples obstinacy was such and my daungers so great but the worde was as fyre within my hart as a burning fyre shut vp within my bones and I was weary with forbearing I could not stay Again I will be their GOD sayth the Lorde by his Prophet and they shall be my people Iere. 20.9 Ier. 31.33 They shall not but serue the Lorde to whome he is God Againe I will poure cleane water into you and you shall bee cleane yea from all your filthynes and from all your Idols will I clense you A newe harte will I giue you and a newe spirite will I put into you and I will take away the stony harte out of your bodye and will giue you an harte of fleshe And I will put my spirite within you and cause you to walke in my statutes and you shall keepe my iudgements and doe them To conclude it is the Lorde Christ which hath created his seruaunts after the Image of God in righteousnesse and true holynesse which is the perfect newe man in whom both these graces be ioyned Ephes 4.24 as Paule sayth to the Ephesians So that true righteousnesse wyll effectually shewe faythfull holynes in one and selfe same Christian But as for such as onely haue Christ in their lyppes and denye him in their déedes whose whole course of lyfe is set vpon sensuall appetite to worldly lustes and yet can crye Lorde Lorde Thou knowest deare Reader what the Lord hath denouÌ„ced against them Luc. 13.26 We haue eaten and dronke at thy Table saye these men yea wee haue preached and taught in thy name and therein cast out Deuils But they haue this sentence Depart from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not That is I approoue not your acts for godly or you for mine therfore departe from me into the Lake of burning fyre that neuer shall be quenched These be those Atheists of our dayes which because the gracious Prince godly lawes laye hande to the Plowe of the Gospels profession the which the Lord in mercy continue and increase therfore to winne fauour in the Courte to maintayne their carnall countenance they wil be Temporarij for the time Gospellers they will heare the Preacher they will curteouslye salute hym they will giue him séemely entertaynment
the false Prophets to turne to his saluation that is their prayer to God for his pacience shall profyte him to beare the crosse wyth silence Iam 5.16 which bringeth peace in Christ And so in such sort it is that Iames sayth The prayer of the iuste auayleth much wherfore pray one for another that ye may be saued But if God by his grace giue not this grace into man to beléeue and suffer for him that man cannot by other mens fayth be saued as we haue sufficiently prooued wherefore Symeon rightly reioyceth that his proper eyes to saye the eyes of his fayth and also of bodye haue had the experimented perswasion in his heart that this borne Babe Iesus the Virgins son is his sauiour But let no man dreame here that Symeons solace is of that that only he saw with his bodily eyes the body of Christ For notwithstanding that sight had he not with the eyes of his fayth beholden Christ for his onely Sauiour he had died most sorrowfull What did it profite the Phariseys Iewes Pilate Caiphas and the tormentors of Christ that they sawe hym whom they pierced No more then it doth the Traytor hauing sentence of death pronounced against him to loke vpon the face of the Iudge hasting the expectation of his final decrée Such is the comforte to all those Papistes which dreame and deceyue the worlde in this imagination that Christs body is to our sight offred really corporally fleshe bloud and bone as he was borne of the Virgin Mary in the sacryfice of their dead Masse A reproofe to the Popishe Masse For as the Iewes were condemned for this sight bicause then when they so sawe him they crucifyed him So are they Papistes when as with the Iewes the Popishe Priest if he coulde shewe thée in déede the bodye of his Christ in his abhominable Masse doth in sacryficing Christ euery daye so often crucifie him afreshe For sayth the Hebrewes where so euer Christ is offred there he is also deade that is to say againe crucified Their comforte is endlesse woe in the same Epistle descrybed thus He that despiseth Moses lawe Heb. 10.28 dyeth without mercy c. Of how much more punishment suppose you shall he be which treadeth vnder foote the sonne of God as doe the Papistes for where God hath exalted him on high no more subiect to death they kill him euery day at their Masse and eate him they say in that cake counteth the bloud of the Testament as an vnholy thing wherewith he was sanctifyed and doth despite that Spirite of grace Hebr. frō the 7. to the. 11. cap. Herein the Papistes are also touched for Paule sayth the holynesse of this bloud is once onely to be offered no more to be offred bicause in that one Oblation once for al offred he hath made perfect for euer those which be sanctifyed They doe despite also the Spirite of grace which sayth in the same Chapter Nowe where there is remission of these things there is no more offring for synne Yet the Popishe Priest wil euery day iterate this Sacrifice wyping thy eyes with thys miste it is an vnbloudy sacryfice For no more may Christ be offered bloudy But I aske the shauen Gentleman whether he offer truely the bodye of Christ or no If he say he doth then I aske hym whether the same body that rose from death and was crucyfied To this if he say yea then agayne I say wheresoeuer that body is offred he must of force in bloud be offred forsomuch as he hath revnited the same to his soule and Godhead and is not a spirite without fleshe and bloud as he sayth to Thomas Lu. 24.39 Secondly if you could and doe offer his body without bloud An vnbloudie sacryfice can neuer take awaye sinne you must of force new agayne kill him and tread a freshe that glorious Wyne presse which ye denie to doe Thirdly if your sacrifice be an vnbloudye Sacrifice then cannot it obtayne forgiuenesse of sinnes which is the colour ye haue to offer it but your owne lucring luste is the cause of it For the Apostle sayth that without blood Heb. 9.22 there is no forgiuenesse And without a testament there is no promise whersoeuer this Testamente and bodye is offred there of necessitie must be the death of the Testator But you chalenge the Testamente to haue forgiuenesse of synnes by your daylie sacryfice it followeth of necessitie then that in this your sacryficing Testament you must again kyll Christ the Testator For thus sayth the text For where a Testament is there must be the death of him that made the Testament And if you wil reply that Christ is aliue and you kill him not which cannot die and yet ye offer him I saye first that in the sacrifice of Christes Testament vnlesse he dye the Testament is of no force so long as he liueth that made it And then I saye it is most absurde to say that you can offer Christ and not make him to suffer death againe When as the text sayth Christ is not entred into the holy places Heb. 9.24 that are made wyth handes which are symilituds of the true sanctuary but is entred into very heauen Marke where our Christ offred is not in the priests hands to appeare in the sight of God for vs. Not that he should offer himselfe often as the high priest entred into the holy place euery yere with other blood now marke to this reason for then must he haue often suffered synce the foundation of the worlde Where and whensoeuer Christ is offred there and then he is also slayn and agayne crucifyed But he can no more dye therefore can he no more be offered but now he hath appeared once to put away synne by the sacryfice of himself Note how elegantly he sayth by the sacrifice of himselfe not of other after or for him hath he put awaye sinne And forget not that he sayth Christ is not gone to heauen to the ende he should be often offered where the daylie offering of the Popishe Masse is denied by Paule to be the offering of Christ and that that Oblation is against the will of God who hath ascended the heauens bicause he will no more be offered for he can no more be slaine and for that he hath obtained in that his owne sacryfice already for vs eternall redemption And laste of all he sayth that whensoeuer Christ is offred he is therewith slayne O Lorde Hebr. 9.12 if wyth pure eyes we coulde looke into the booke of lyfe the worde of God how could this doltish damnable doctrine of Rome deuoure vs and this is most certaine The corporall presence of Christes body not so profitable to be wyth vs. that this corporall sight of Christes body should rather hinder then help vs For Christ sayth vnlesse that he be taken from vs his holye spirite will not come to vs and if we haue not the spirite of
he a little after he is euerye where but as he is man he is onely in heauen yet for the coniunction of the two natures in Christ sundry tymes in Scripture that is spoken of the one which is proper to the other As in example No man ascendeth into heauen Ioh. 3.1.9 but the same which came from heauen euen the sonne of man which is in heauen And yet was not Christ ascended but in earth not glorifyed but subiect to death But bicause of the coniunction with the deuyne nature that is communicated to the humayne nature in spéeche which in déede and truth was onely performed in his Deitie Agayne Act. 20.2 ye are bought with the bloud of God Who knoweth not that this actiō was performed in the humane nature of Christ But bicause he is very God and the nature of his humanitie so connexed that it is inseperable therfore this Conionian and participation of the two natures is often vsed And for thys cause we say God is borne deade and crucifyed for vs when the humane nature onely was so But perhaps it maye astonie thée when I say that the two natures in Christ be inseperable and yet the Godhead is in many places Where his humanity is not nay his deuine nature in all places and his humane nature onely in heauen But consyder in thy self a perfite mirror and ymage hereof Thy soule and body are of two natures the one a spirite the other a compact forme of fleshe the one mortal the other cannot dye Yet during lyfe they are inseperably knit both natures in one in such sorte as eyther nature notwithstanding do kéepe their sundry condition The bodye sléepeth but the soule is alwayes waking the body eateth and drinketh naturall meates the soule onely féedeth of the worde of God the body is sicke and dyeth the soule is for the most parte best healthy when the body is nearest death and most lyuely when she is discharged of the bodye of synne by death Agayne the soule resting with the body is also the selfe instant by her powers at the vtmoste partes of the worlde and aboue the clowds whether shée hath daylie accesse by fayth and inuocation yet for al this the body is but in one place So is it in Christ He is risen he is not here Mar. 16.6 sayth the Angell to the women which came to annoynte Christ in his graue This was spoken of hys humanitie now glorifyed But according to his deuyne nature himselfe hath sayde Wheresoeuer two or three be gathered together in my name Math. 18.20 there am I in the middest of them Thus thou séest who and what is the Lords saluation Namely Iesus Christ the Lorde perfite God the onely begotten sonne of God eternall equall and of selfe substance with his father God and man borne of the Virgin Mary ascended vp in glory reseruing thée eche propertie of eyther nature not confounding the persons nor deuyding the substance Now resteth it to sée also somewhat more of the valor of thy Sauyour in his deuyne nature his valor to thée which best thou shalt perceiue by those noble names according their effects which the sacred scriptures attribute vnto Christ The valour of Christ in hymself and to vs. our one and onely God with the Father and the holy ghost First he is called Tetragramaton or Iehouah which signifyeth that Christ our god with his father is of his owne essence and being hath power and lyfe in himselfe not néeding the helpe of any other but is that sufficiencie which plentifully satisfyeth all others of his fulnes To be shorte the eternall god without begynning and ending In whom we lyue moue and haue our being Act. 17.28 Apo. 1.11 He is Alpha and Omega the fyrst and the last which contayneth all in all in himselfe He is also called Adonay of the Hebrews which of a certaine conceyte would not pronounce hym Tetragramaton or Iehouah rarely but in place thereof set thys name Adonay that is ineffable which all the Interpretors expounde by Dominus Lord. And rightly is Christ with his Father called Lorde For he hath giuen the Regiment of heauen and earth vnto him Mat. 28.18 Col. 1.16 And besydes hym there is none to whome all things visyble and inuysible ought to yéelde their obedience And to this name is added Sabaoth which some interprete the Lord of powers some the Lorde of Hostes the god of battle He it is which ouerthroweth with his myght all power that sturteth vp agaynst god and wyth his armye doth he pull downe the pryde of mightie kings and huge Nations Thys is that Michael who with his army of Angels beate downe Satan from the heauenly habitation of God in his church militant Thys is that Emperour and Monarche Apo. 12.7.9 to whome all kings shall stoupe This is that most tryumphant conqueror who with most symple and small creatures hath can and wyll ouerthrow myghtie Gyants huge armies puyssant Princes and mightie Monarches of the worlde In his campe are infinite Angels Thousande thousands ministred to him sayth Daniell and ten thousand thousands stood before him Dan. 7.10 Beholde of what Maiestie thys christ our Lorde of Hostes is of what force and power when as one Angell of these infinite thousands could and did in one night destroy and kyll in the hoste of Sennacherib which cruelly beséeched the Lordes cytie Ierusalem one hundred forescore and fiue thousand of fyghting Souldiours With water darknesse Frogs Flyes and Grashoppers he wasted and destroyed the pride of the most fertyll lande Egypt With the noyce of Chariots he droue to flyght the kings of Ashur And who is able to withstande his myght For in his army all the Planets and Starres the wyndes fyrie lyghtes Ice Frost Snow rayne Fyre and water Al Deuils in Hell the ayre and Fyrmament all men and kings and all their powers and at one worde all creatures in heauen earth and Hell visyble and inuisible All these are his to vse at hys good pleasure where he wyll when he luste and during his set purpose executing hys vengeance vpon his enimies but the defence of hys Churche Sometyme also he is called Aelion 1. excelsus high As Dauid sayth Psal 113. The Lorde is high aboue all Nations and hys glory aboue the heauens Againe who is lyke the Lord our God that hath hys dwelling so highe and yet abaseth hymselfe to behold the things that are in heauen and earth Euen vnto thys high throne is our Lorde Christ ascended aboue all heauens and set at the right hand of his father on high to beholde the things that are done in earth From this height he sawe Damasco her myserie and Saules pryde and from thence stroake this cruell Tyran to the earth in the mydst of his force and seruantes whose brightnesse stroke Saule with blyndnes but in great mercy wrought his conuersion of persecuting Saule changed him and that bycause he had chosen
money to haue bought the bodye of the Lorde which possyblie might as wel haue come to passe as the high Priests to corrupt the Souldiours for money Mat. 28.13 to saye that his Disciples stole him away by night This might fleshe bloude in infyrmitie of Nature haue perswaded this Princely Péere in God But the wisedome of God hath otherwise determyned and therefore at a sodaine changed the harte of Ioseph and of a priuie and quaking Disciple made hym an open and most Heroycall spirited Souldiour all which holy Luke testifieth of purpose in these words Luc. 23.50 Tum ecce vir nomine Ioseph c. As if he would saye beholde nowe a maruellous matter and sodayne mutation A christian courage in a Noble counsellour beyonde the expectation of all men come to passe When the matters of Christ the Lorde were thus in hande that he was crucyfied slayne and dead vpon the crosse and there hanging was of all men neglected his louers and friends for feare hyding themselues some other of them standing aloofe wéeping the miserable daye and beholding with grieslye griefe the most pitifull case of our despised Christ no man daring to offer himselfe for the glory of the father to honor the bloody body of his dead sonne Then euen then dyd this graue Councellour ritche seruant and faythfull Disciple caste of the cowardishnesse of his fleshe and armed wyth the spirite of God professed himselfe alone to be the seruaunte of Christe in the myddle of his enimies and at Pilates person he stowtely but wisely and with reuerent duety beggeth the bodye of his mayster not anye longer fearing the losse of goods credite office dignitie or caring for anye perrill that might to his Noble person or honorable house thereafter befall O Noble christian Counsellour And note well ye Noble seruants of Iesu the Lorde your mayster who hath the hartes of Kings in his hands and doth turne them as he doth the Tydes of the Sea Pro. 21.1 and Ryuers of water did so humble the harte of Pilate to hys Counsellors request that spéedily he obtayned his godlye desyre And that more is where Ioseph thought hymself alone to haue this cause in hand there the Lord of lyfe doth in the moment of tyme ioyne to him a most Noble Pharisie named Nicodemus God gyueth good successe to godly labours farre beyonde all expectation a teacher of the Law that so both estates Spiritual and Temporall may perceyue that the Lorde doth keepe them in power and fauour with princes and potentates bicause they shoulde with courage doe the Lorde seruice yea euen in dangerous seasons if Christ be eyther accused prysoned or anye waye else euill dealt withall The heroycall hartes then of christian Counsellours and Noble Christians Courtyers and Gentlemen of credite should though alone make humble and earnest and eftsoones peticions to the Deputie of our head Christ for the godly members of the same God will ioyne with them and enclyne the hartes of the hardned for his sonnes glory and graunt ayde vnto you in his businesse beyonde your expectation and your selues shall finde fauour wyth God for your labors in his Christ Now in Ioseph his person and also in Nicodemus there are two things to be well and déepely considred for want wherof many doe to their great hindrance from God take euill example not rightly giuen First therfore we are to consider what be the thinges in these men to be followed of Noble men women others Secondly the hyndring euill A righte eye is to be had in the deeds and lyues of godly men which manye doe presumptuously take as offered in the persons of these men to be receyued without reproofe The thing to bée followed that so this faythfull seruice to God may appeare to the more Noble christians is that they be endowed with their exampler Ioseph his spiritual quallities and christian habite which maketh them truely braue and bewtifull yea so as neyther Silkes Veluets Syluer or Golde can doe and that is that they be in person honest not giuen to the notable vices folowing for the most parte forreyn Nobilitie so I call al those by carnall byrth enobled in whose hart God by his spirite and worde beareth not the soueraigntie as Idlenesse the mother of al euill surfetting dronkennesse whoredome chambring wantonnesse blasphemous othes filthy and rybaldous talking and couetous cruelty ouer their sore oppressed Tenants and inferior people and such lyke but that they be giuen to the custome of honest and chast lyfe sobrietie of minde and manners comlynesse of apparell agréeable his dignitie moderate dyet and frugall hospitality louing harted and vsing vpright dealing with all men assured that as their persons doe farre excell the lower sorte so God requireth more regard of them Luc. 12.48 For to whom much is giuen of him shall be much required And let them make thys reckning if they hunte counter herein the verye heathen Nobilitie shall ryse agaynst them to iudgement It is sayde of the seueritie among the olde Romaynes in iudgement that if an olde person or famous Senator al if greatly for hys desertes were to be renowmed became in any sorte to be the example of yll to the common weale he should haue seuere censure Lucius Antonius Lucius Antonius was cast out of the Senate house for that hauing maried a Mayde he cast her off by deuorce wythout the counsell of his friends Fabritius Lucius Censor adiudged Cornelius Rufinus Cornelius Rufinus who had bene twise Consul and twise Dictator vnworthy the fellowship of Senators bycause he had ouercuriously decked his Cubborde wyth Syluer plate as gyuing thereby a superfluous example to hys fellow brethren and others Duronius Duronius also was remoued the Senate for that being Tribune he did dissolue that reasonable lawe set downe before by the Senate which dyd restrayne the lashing prodigalitie in fumptuous feasts and banquets These and such other examples the Stories delyuer vs. But who thinketh these men were they in these dayes worthye such seuere censure being Noble and well deseruing Or who is of Iulius Caesars Iulius Caesar iudgement holding it most honorable for a noble man or of higher calling by vertues to excell others and also so to guyde his family that his housholde maye be frée from all suspition of euill O that our christian Gentrie were come to this heathen mans perfection in this poynte Or that our Byshops would in all their houses beginne thys daunce What is asked of the Nobilitie Well Ioseph must beginne to doe it and also to be iuste in his dealing with all men which consisteth in the equall gyuing to euery man his owne and to doe to others as they would they should doe to him And to the vtterest of his authority and power Mat. 7.12 he must follow the counsel of the noble prince and Prophet Dauid hymselfe to defende the fatherlesse and people in righteousnes and the poore
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
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
saying Ioh. 6.44 Mat. 3.17 Mat. 17.5 This is my beloued sonne in whom not in any other matter or man I rest wel pleased heare him The holy ghost in lyke maner beareth wytnesse of Christ preacheth him and teacheth no other doctrine 1. Cor. 3.11 1. Pet. 2.6 Eph. 2.20 then fyrst he gaue to the Church The Apostles lay him the onely foundation and corner stone of Gods house denying all other to haue such place in the conscience of man Peter calleth the Pope and all other onely to Christ Peter the Apostle vpon whose person that Antichrist of Rome falsely fathereth all his vsurped authoritie calleth al men lyuing stones vnto this stone Christ and calleth hym the stone onely precious That sinister doctrine which is layde vppon this buylding shall vanishe awaye but all opposite to the same Gal. 1.8 is thereby moste flatly accursed with the bringer and begynner therof be they men or Angels Hereby then is Popery proued guyltie of highe Treason against the truth of God which flat against the course of Gods booke and holy church setteth into the consciences of men themselues and their inuentions for Gods their Saintes of all sortes for lyghtes and guydes helpers and Sauyours to the glory of their Pope and ignominy of the Lorde of the house Iesus Christ It is not Mary Gods mother his Apostles Angels or men but onely and alone Iesus Christ that Symeon sayth GOD the Father hath prepared and erected as it were vpon an high place that all men might see and perceyue him to be to them al their only Sauyour lyght and glory Secondly our Saluation is by Symeon deuinely here alone giuen to Gods prouision not mans deuise saying He hath prepared and therein his great and inestimable mercy is made manifest who whyle euery man falleth in lust from God to damnation in security without remorse God our good Father yet prouydeth for them all his one and alone sauing health an other himselfe euen his onely begotten sonne Christ our Lorde To this ende is the Parable of the Kings banquet Mat. 22.4 where the Fatlings are kylled and al things made ready before the guestes be called so that their is no other thing for them to do but onely to obey the voyce of the Caller Our Redemption is in Christ the preparation in God the Father our grace to imbrace and receiue it in the holye ghost This was the fayth of the Patriarkes and fyrst fathers Thus Dauid confessed saying Thou doest prepare a Table before me in the syght of myne aduersaryes Psal 23.5 This was the doctrine of Christes Spirite in Zacharius lyps that the mercye of God gaue and prepared vs this lyght of the Gentyls Luc. 1.78 the day starre from an high and not for our procéeding works which all were malicious as Paule sayth to the Romans or for our succéeding merits Rom. 5.8 which are menstruous and fylthy in gods eyes but of hys owne synguler loue Esa 64.6 Rom. 8. Ioh. 3.16 gaue he vs his prepared Christ for our Saluation as this our heauenly lyght and glory sayth So dearely God loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne thereto that as many as beleue in him should not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting Thirdly he hath prepared him to be a Lyghte to the Gentyls and the glory of Israel Thrée things in the former Verse are to be noted First why Christ is called Lyght Secondly the vse of this light And thirdly to whome he is a light giuen to be made knowne vnto Namely vnto the Gentyls Christ is most worthyly called light not onely bicause he is the engrauen forme and brightnesse of the Father of lyghtes but also bicause he giueth light Col. 1.15 Ioh. 1.9 and doth illuminate the hartes of all things that come into the worlde called so not onely for the light and lyfe he giueth to the body Christ is our onely lyght but also and most speciallye for the heauenly light of Gods knowledge which he engraueth by his worde and spirite in the hartes of all men but most effectually in the Electe and chosen children Of which light and illumination the Euangelist Iohn speaketh in the gospell saying Ioh. 1.4 In hym was lyfe and this lyfe was the lyght of men and thys lyghte did shine in darknesse the darknesse did not comprehend it By the worde life he meaneth all liuing power which at this daye is to be séene in all creatures as well endued with naturall reason spirituall wisedome as sauage creatures and sencelesse things trées plantes herbes grasse corne c. Eche of these hath his proper lyfe and of Christ the Creator the light and lyfe of all things And for that no man should suppose this lyght whereof he speaketh to concerne the lyfe and lyght which euer is common with the bodyes of men and beastes He addeth that this lyfe was the light of men So teaching vs what lyfe we are to receyue of him we being blynde and ignorante darkenesse Namely the lightning of our minds with the word of his truth whereby our hartes doe see in perfite wise Christ Iesus to be the day starre from on high Luc. 1.7.8 sente of hys Father to giue light to vs Gentyls that were in the dore and prison of darknesse Esa 42.7 Symeon had respect no doubt calling Christ a Lyght to the Prophets which so spake of him Namely that Noble Esay Esa 42.6 saying I the Lorde haue called thee in righteousnesse and wil holde thine hande and I wyll keepe thee and guyde thee for a couenant of the people and for a lyght of the Gentyls that thou mayest open the eyes of the blynde and bring out the prisoner out from the prison and them that syt in darknesse out of the prison house And againe Esa 49.6 It is a smale thing that thou shouldest bee my Seruant to rayse vp the Tribe of Iacob and to restore the desolations of Israel I wyl also giue thee for a lyght to the Gentyls that thou mayest be my saluation vnto the ende of the worlde Nowe in thys Parable there be two things worthy the note First that all men in themselues as well Iewes as Gentyls be méere darknesse The other that God the Father in heauen and earth hath giuen no other to illuminate mankinde with the light of nature of God and true godlynesse but his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ and him onely to the whole worlde as hymselfe wytnesseth Ioh. 8.12 saying I am the light of the worlde And most lyuely is our Christ represented by the glorious Sunne which being in his Spheare farre aboue Christ our light shadowed forth by the Sunne performeth al his office enioyned him wythout default to the circuits of the whole earth and Seas and that to the endes of the world And by the way note good Reader how the Lorde taketh apt occasion by the tyme and place where he is to
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