for full basquets and rich store-houses abundance of Talents fruitfull wife for their Oliue branches their children but the same men are neyther vocally nor really in words or workes thankefull vnto God for Christ Iesus for the benefits vvee haue by him 1. of Election 2. Vocation 3. Iustification 4. Redemption 5. Sanctification and title to 6. Glorification for his 7. Word 8. Gospell 9. Sacraments 10. Ministers 11. Ministerie for these ne verbum quidem not a word there is altum silentium as mute as fishes All naturall and morall men in this are Mutes and not Consonants as it is most consonant they should be Or if they speake a gratulatory word their hearts are as farre from it as heauen from earth at least their workes proclaime open warre and hostililie against the Lords Christ kissing him with Iudas in outward profession crying Aue and all haile with the Iewes when their liues being all hell they cry Crucifie him in their conuersation Psal 3.17 And thus much for the Title now to the Text Lord now lettest c. Euery word hath his waight without torturing the Text these things are obseruable 1. Simeons Compellation Lord 2. his desires Limitation Now 3. the acknowledgement of the Diuine Permission Lettest thou 4. his proper Appellation Thy Seruant 5. his desired Dismission Depart 6. his hoped Pacification In peace 7. his grounded Resolution According to thy Word of which in order Simeons Compellation In this word Lord. SOme take Lord essentially for the whole Trinitie Iehouah Elohim some personally for one of the Persons for indeede the vvhole Trinitie and euery Person in the Trinitie is oft in the Scripture tearmed by this vvord Lord. Some appropriate it here to God the Father some to Christ the Sonne so e In locum Theophilact and Euthumius some â—o God the holy Ghost so f In Lucam Athanasius Apply it vnto Christ and then you haue to consider a great Mysterie a great Mercy God manifested in the flesh iustified in the spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles 1 Tim. 3.16 beleeued on in the world and receiued into glory for that incarnate Babe vvhich Simeon hath in his armes in respect of his humanitie hee cals him Lord in respect of his Diuinitie From whence wee see demonstratiuely what all Orthodoxe Antiquitie affirmes the testimonie of Scriptures g 1 Ioh. 1.14 Ephes 4.10 Phil. 2.6.7.8 harmony of all reformed Churches h Of Bohemia Basill France Sweula see harmonie of confessions Generall and Prouinciall Concels seuerall Creedes both Apostolicall and Nicene confirme that Christ the Messias the Sonne of God i Mat. 3.17 Psal 2.7 is both k Ioh. 17.3 Iohn 1 1. God and Man l Esay 7.14 Christus Deus de Patre Homo de Matre c. God of his Father Man of his Mother m Mat. 10.18.23 Luke 1.27.31.34 of his Fathers immortalitie of his Mothers virginitie of his Mother without Father of his Father without a Mother a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech n Heb. 5.10 without Father as hee was Man without Mother as hee was GOD of his Father without time of his Mother without seede not borne without eyther man or woman as was Adam o Gen. 1.27 nor of man without a woman as was Eue p Gen. 2.22 nor of both man and woman as are wee the posteritie of Adam and Eue but of a woman without a man Patrem habuit in Coelis Matrem quesiuii in Terris q August de temp hom 9 vide hom 13 hauing a Father in Heauen hee sought for a Mother in earth yea such a Mother as made the Mystery so miraculous as all things in heauen and earth cannot paralell or patterne it for these three things in this one are accomplished of GOD admirably singular and singularly to be admired Deus Homo Mater Virgo Verbum Caro to wit God and Man a Mother and a Maide the Word and Flesh vnited in one A Mystery neuer sufficiently to be admired Vt propter nos veniret in mundum per quem factus est mundus a Mercy neuer enough to be magnified of men and Angels that for our sakes hee should come into the world which made the world that the Creator of Mary should be borne of Mary that Dauids Lord should be Dauids Sonne hee which was long before Abraham the seede of Abraham the Maker of the earth made of the earth that as in the nonage of of the world man was made after the Image of God so in the dotage of the world God should come in the similitude of sinfull man that God should be made man that man should be as a God that God should descend downe to the earth that man should ascend vp to the heauen Oh wonder at this you that wonder at nothing for my part saith Cyprian r Cyprian I doe not admire the beautie of the Sunne the colours of the Raine-bow the glory of the Moone the motion of the Heauens the fixed stabilitie of the earth the ebbing and flowing of the Sea the varietie of the Creatures the alteration and succession of times and seasons nor any thing else amongst all the Creatures Celestiall and Sublunarie but this I admire and for euer will Deum in vtero Creatorem in creatura c. God made man the Creator borne of the Creature and for the Creature yea the mighty God before whom the heauens shake and the Mountaines tremble a little Infant in the armes of a Virgin Mother in the armes of old Simeon an aged Father this is such a worke such a wonder that I say with S. Ierome s Hierome Quod natura non habuit c. that which Naure had not which Vse knew not which Reason was ignorant of mans Minde vncapable of which the Cherubins conceiued not the Angels till reuealed vnderstood not which all the Powers of created nature vvere amazed at came to passe when CHRIST by his Incarnation did vnite the Humanitie to the Diuinitie in a true naturall reall and Hypostaticall t Vide Zanchium de incar verbi vnion Vse Oh therefore let vs reape the fruit of this Vine since he is come from heauen to earth to marry vs in our owne nature v Bern. ser 2 in Cant. Nam vt Sponsus Sponsa in Thalamo c. for as man and wife are one in the Bride-chamber so God and man one Christ in the wombe of the Virgin Oh let vs labour by faith to be vnited and marryed vnto him to be made members of this Head Branches of this Vine Buildings vpon this Corner-stone parts of his Body Spouses of this Bridegrome that with the vvise Virgins being contracted by faith vnto him here in grace the Marriage may be solemnized in Glory Then shall wee truely be kissed with the kisses of his loue u Can· 1.1 Oh foelix osculum x Oh foelix osculum in quo
sounding Trumpet doe in that day Our Bed saith another is the Image of our Graue the cloaths that couer vs of the dust and earth cast vpon vs the little Flea that biteth of the Wormes that shall consume vs the Cocke that croweth of the last Trumpet and as saith hee I rise vp lustily when sluggish sleepe is past so hope I to rise vp ioyfully to Iudgement at the last How fitly then Death and Sleepe be resembled together you see CHAP. IIII. Considerations to moue vs to embrace death as willingly as we goe to sleepe in our beds naturally BVT you may happily wish to know what may make you dye willingly and gladly when Gods time commeth flesh being fraile and an enemy still to the Spirit till God subdue it your desire herein is good and hearken a little to these things if death be a sleepe as you heare the Scriptures still call it for our Comfort then looke what maketh men goe to sleepe gladly without any feare and the same shall helpe vs greatly to dye contentedly and chearefully the first thing is wearinesse Note 1 or paine of body for in this case you know how willingly wee goe to rest and how heartily wee wish wee were asleepe for the sleepe of him that trauelleth is sweet Eccles 5.11 Apply it to death if you eyther be weary of the toyles and troubles of this wretched life of the dishonest courses that are in it and of the infinite trickes sinfull and vile before God and good men or if you be in any paine of the whole or any part of the body not to be eased and helped by the Art of man how in such a case is death welcome and of right so should be much more then sleepe For first sleepe easeth but for a time but death for euer both these causes secondly sleepe taketh not away the Maladie but the feeling Death taketh both away and as I say for euer The diseases of the body how many how strange how fearefull who can number them when daily happen new that the Physitian knoweth not sweet Death is a Supersedeas for all curing what we haue and preuenting what we might haue should God so be pleased to lay them vpon vs. Thinke therefore seriously of this one meanes to make death welcome and assuredly you shall be the better Sect. 3. The second Consideration Note 2 A Second thing that maketh vs willing to to goe to our naturall sleepe is griefe and anguish of minde sorrow and woe of hart and will not this also make vs dye willingly Surely so much more then the former by how much griefe of minde exceedeth any griefe of body The crosses by Foes the crosses by Friends the disobedience of Children the vnfaithfulnesse of Seruants publike woes and priuate wrongs in goods in name and many other wayes they are more bitter then Gall and Wormewood more burning and biting then tongue can expresse now scalding now cooling the oppressed heart groaning and sighing panting and pâ—neing away in the view and sight of all beholders the number is so great that no man can comprehend them euery day begetting new griefes of minde as well as new paines and diseases of body Thinke with your selues whether euer you escaped day in your life without some discontent greater or lesser that according to his measure hath not bit you and grieued you It is Vallis Lachrimarum the Vale of misery that we liue in and from one misery or other we shall neuer be free while wee liue in it S. Augustine said vpon some feeling Diu viuere est diu torqueri Long to liue is long to be vexed and tormented The holy Prophet Elias went a dayes iourney in the Wildernesse and sate downe vnder a Iuniper tree desiring that hee might dye and saying It is enough 1 King 19.4 O Lord take my Soule for I am no better then my Fathers See how griefe of minde made this holy man willing to dye and most welcome should that good will of God haue beene to him if so it had pleased the giuer and taker away of life to doe with him adde vnto these words the like words of Tobiah Deale with me O Lord as seemeth best vnto thee and command my spirit to be taken from mee that I may be dissolued and become earth for it is better for mee to die then to liue because I haue heard false reproches and am sorrowfull command therefore that I may be dissolued out of this distresse and goe into the euerlasting place turne not away thy face from mee See the effect of sorrow and griefe of minde in this good man againe it maketh him most willing and desirous to dye It is written of Babylis Bishop of Antioch slaine by Decius that persecuting Emperour that going to his death he said the words in the Psalme Returne vnto thy rest O my Soule for the Lord hath beene beneficiall vnto thee an excellent place for such a time as if he should haue said Now my griefes farewell and all my woes and wrongs in this wicked world and now my Soule be chearefull and glad for now commeth thy rest thy sure rest thy sweet rest thy neuer failing rest but eternall for euer therefore returne vnto it O weary soule and giue thankes and praise to God for hee hath beene beneficiall vnto thee in this most gracious change and happy release Conclude with the words of wise Sirach and remember them often O Death how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liueth at rest in his possessions vnto the man that hath nothing to vexe him and that hath prosperitie in all things c. But againe O Death how acceptable is thy iudgement vnto the needfull and vnto him whose strength faileth and that it now in the last age and is vexed with all things c. Feare not the Iudgement of death remember them that haue beene before thee and that come after thee it is the ordinance of the Lord ouer all flesh and why wouldest thou be against the pleasure of the most Highest whether it be tenne or an hundred or a thousand yeeres there is no defence for life against the graue Sect. 3. The third consideration A Third reason that maketh a man willing to sleepe naturally is the good that commeth Note 3 both to body and minde by such sleepe it cheareth and refresheth gladdeth and comforteth both let the same reason also make thee willing to dye for Death will minister much more comfort chearing and refreshing and that for euer as shall be said The Brazen Serpent cured the beholders and had no sting so doth death and hath no sting neyther That it cureth and helpeth all euils you know because it is Finis omnium malorum the end of all euils and it hath no sting as you are taught when you reade those words O Death where is thy sting O Graue where is thy victories 1 Cor. 15.55.56.57 the sting of death is sinne and the
Fooles and Fidlers vnprofitable Moathes of the earth which liue eyther in no calling or in a sinfull calling 3. heard receiued applauded approued laughed at by all the licentious Prodigals loose gull-Gallants Epicures and Carnalists ordinarily in euery Ordinary Inne Tauerne Ale-houses and the like Oh therefore whose heart smites him in this kinde let him reforme this sinne whether actiue or passiue in delighting or desiring to say sing or heare these Organs of Sathan and those Bellowes of sinne and vncleannesse Turne now the streame another way let Iordan runne backe-ward If thou beest afflicted pray take out this rule so did Moses Manasses Dauid the Israelites and all Gods Saints Art thou merrily affected Iames 5.13 sing but what Psalmes Psal 119. Hymnes and Songs and spirituall Psalmes making melody to the Lord in your hearts therefore as I would propound Dauid and Ezekias as true patternes for all mourners so Simeon and Zachary as spectacles to all singers As in Instrumentall Musicke the strings that are out of tune must be set vp to those that are in tune so when thou singest vanitie thy heart and tongue which are distracted distempered and out of tune must be set in the right Key as was Simeons then thou shalt sing at thy departure out of this worlds Prison as a Acts. 16.21 Paul and Silas did in Prison Thou shalt sing Hosanna's in Heauen when thy Friends sing thy Funerall Neniae on earth The ground of this Song is Christ the Messias Sauiour and saluation of Israel the Redeemer of his people as the Word cals him b Luke 2.69 as the Angell christens him from c Mat. 1 2â— God which Sauiour as he was promised to d Gen 3.15 Adam the promise renued to e Gen. 15.5.17.6 Gen 12.3 Gal. 3.8 Abraham prefigured in the Leuiticall Law and those Malachie Types and Ceremonies Aarons Rod the Pot of Manna the watry Rocke the scape-Goat the brazen Serpent the blood of sacrificed Beasts and Bullockes and the like prophesied of by all Prophets f Act. 3.24 great and lesser from Moses g Deut. 1.15 and 7.37 to Malachie so being now reuealed and exhibited is the ground of Simeons Song and the matter of his inward mirth breaking forth like a fire long kept in into these outward Modulations His practise is our precept Vse all our ioy must be in Christ and for Christ In Christ reioyced the Patriarkes when they did but see Christs day a farre off thorow the cloud and the vayle as did h Iohn 6 56 Heb 11.13 Abraham In Christ reioyced the Prophets i Esay 53. ch 54. ch 55. Esay k Ier. 24.5 Ierem Ezekiel c. in the heate of their persecutions being refreshed with the vision of that incarnate Babe l Esay 9.6 Prince of peace branch of Iesse eternall Counsellor which they did preach and of whom they did prophesie In Christ reioyced the Apostles Peter Iames and Iohn yea Paul a 1 Cor. 15. himselfe in the midst of stripes whips and imprisonment Ch. 5.41 In Christ reioyced the ancient Martyres Policarpus Ignatius Cyprian euen like the three Children in the middest of the fire c Dan. 3.23 In Christ reioyced the ancient Fathers Augustine Ierome Bernard c. witnesse their words works and writings amongst the rest of him that could say Deus meus omnia my Christ and all things Wife Childe Friend Father ioy sufficient efficient in life and death Nay lastly as with Christ so in Christ and for Christ reioyced the d Luke 2.14 Angels in earth and in heauen e Reu. 5.11.12 be glad then oh yee righteous and reioyce ye that feare the Lord as the Angels f Luke 2.10 to the Shepheards as Esay to the Church g Esay 9.6 For vnto vs a childe is borne and a Sonne is giuen For to vs is borne a Sauiour in the Citie of Dauid which shall deliuer all his Israel from their sinnes Matth. 1.21 Luke 19.10 Redargution Many and manifold are the ioyes of the sonnes of men as dangerous as diuers few with those sonnes of God by Creation and Adoption Angels and Saints reioyce in or for Christ but sinners according to the diuersities of their darling sinnes solace their soules in such contents as I may call meerely Anti-christian and against Christ and the Lords annoynted in which they please themselues and displease him content their flesh but crucifie CHRIST and grieue his Spirit Nabal h 1 Sam. 15 and Baltazar i Daniel 5. the Epicure and Drunkard hath ioy enough in his feasts and festiuals the colour of the wine delights his sight the relish his deuouring sense like a base Bagge-pipe hee makes such Musicke as the Diuell daunceth at when hee is full The Vsurer Sibilat me populus c Horace the worldling and the miserable able miser hath his heart rauished when his eye reflexeth vpon his glittering Idoll and golden God the Calfe that this beast bowes too The impure Onan k Gen. 38. filthy Fornicator and inexcusable Adulterer which like to Salomons foole l Pro. 7.7 goes into the harlots house and like Ieremies neighing horse m Ier. 5.8 without vnderstanding n Pro. 6.32 runnes after his neighbours wife like the Oxe to the slaughter o Pro. 7.22 to his owne destruction p Pro. 6.32 delights himselfe as the Swine in the mire as the Toade in the puddle as the Panther with excrements q Gesner Plinie as the Scarabean Flye with ordure and filth as the Diuell his Father r Ioh. 8.44 amongst filthy Hogs s Lu. 15.16 with his vncleane courses and discourses feeding his appetite with strange flesh t Pro. 23.27 as the lusting Israelites with loued and loathed Quayles v as the Italian Pselli and Mersi feede on poyson his chiefe ioy is to touch and taste Sodomes Apples and the forbidden fruit his onely Paradise the ioying in and inioying here which hee dreames of hereafter a Turkish Heauen a Mahumetaine portion of Wine and Women as for Christ hee hauing no heart at all Hosea 4.11 can haue no heart to him neyther in delighting in him or desiring him no more then the very Diuels themselues who quaked and trembled and made out cryes and exclamations at the very sight of him Luke 8.28.29 so all other Libertines amongst vs haue some v Mar. 6.17 Herodias or other some one beloued sinne which they more loue and like and ioy in then in the worlds Sauiour As some in their carnall companions and vvicked associates vvith whose dispositions and conuersations as they receiue as much infection in their soule as their bodyes from a Pest-house so they haue their refections as u Dan. 5.1.2 Baltazzar and Sardanapalus had with their Queenes and Concubines and so in the rest Well these carnall and common Christians which haue as much zeale to Christ and loue for Christ as common women plainely
most worthy of a man are effected by the sinewes of wit not by the strength of sinewes are not both Strength and Beautie the flowers of the body which one blast of a Feauer will deface and shake all to fitters What are the Pleasures of the body but like the body it selfe sensuall sinfull pecuâ—ine and vile Diseases being the Vsury that Pleasures pay and perpetuall Sorrow the bond as the Poets fayne of Iupiter that hee ioyned Pleasure and Sorrow together in an Adamantine Chaine when hee could not agree them in a difference that they brought before him Besides are not these corporall Pleasures inioyed of the Beasts more then of man more strongly vehemently and longer Are they not the workes of darkenesse and vsed in the darke is any man so impudent that dare vse them publikely for shame Are not distempers diseases distractions discredit to our good name losse of substance to our estate when they deuoure their Idolatrous vsers of them as Acteâ—nâ— Dogs did their Master fruitlesse repentance to the mind dulnesse of wit corrupting of the heart darkning the vnderstanding decaying the Soules Intellectuall powers Impatiencie of a mans selfe hatred of all vertues inclination to all vices their bad fruits and base effects Are not nominie ignobilitie imprisonment deformitie sicknesse imbeciâ—litie blockishnesse and Stupiditie their Pages and Attendants For Riches the vulgars God what are they but the long expences and prouisions for a short iourney oppressing the bearers heauy burthens to sincke the Shippe of the Soule For Gold and Siluer the Helena that the world doates on the Lais that most are inamoured vpon as the beasts vpon the Panthers skinne for his seeming luster what are they but red and white dust the base excrements of the earth blowne away with the wind of euery casualtie Pearles and precious Stones what are they but the spoyle of Fishes good onely in the estimation of the Lapidarie and in their owners imagination not in their owne nature nor in any helpfull effects Nobilitie what is it but an opinion or lot of birth being our Ancestors not ours also oft vvrongfully acquired by oppression and crueltie Glory what is it but a puffe of winde the vaine inflation of the earth vncertaine momentanie oft wicked like his father the multitude who this day haue Hosanna for a man to morrow Crucifie him that in one houre will make one more then man and then a murtherer as they did Christ and Paul Power and a Kingdome are but a spatious molestation Pulchrum malum a beautifull euill a guilded poyson a Crowne adorned with counterfeite Iemmes a sea of euils Honour if it come not from Vertue a friuolous and peruerse conceit Dignitie if desert beget it not what is it but the bastard of an vncertaine father oft acquired by suite craft fraud ambition sinister meanes and vvicked Arts Lastly to draw together the sailes of our speech in one word what is the World with all her Iezabels paint and Peacockes plumes with which shee deludes her louers What is Life and the best things in life with which her Amorettoes and Idolatrous Adorers are so delighted hath not Salomon by a diuinely inspired spirit giuen in his vnpartiall and infallible verdict as one that knew most in this kinde of all meere men Vanitie of vanities and all is but vanitie saith the Preacher And as there is little good in life to be loued so there is nothing but euill in this life Malum culpae malum poenae eyther in it owne nature as is the euill of sinne or penall the fruit of sinne eyther crosses such as the godly trye or curses such as the wicked feele The due meditation whereof hath caused many zealous spirits Augustine Ambrose Chrysostome Bernard Fulgentius as also Pontanus and Stella with many moe to write seuerall Tractates which I thinke as the Spider drawes her webbe they drew from themselues and from the feeling of their owne hearts concerning the contempt of the world and the not louing this life Vnicuique sua cupiditas est tempestas some comparing it to a Sea in which euery mans turbulent desires are a tempest some to a darke and dangerous Wood wherein are many wilde Beasts Buls of Basan deuouring Wolues Herodian Foxes poysoning Basiliskes The world anatomized by sundry Similies fiery Dragons for the Scripture giues the true mortall of Pithagoras and Ouids fictions in their Transmutations men in shape are beasts in conditions Tit. 2.12 Esay 1.4 c. Some to a Net that is spread for all but catcheth and retaines onely foolish fishes Others say it is an vngratefull Hoast that entertaines and retaines yet pils and spoyles all that trust it still dislodging dismissing forsaking forgetting his old Guests to retaine new Some say it is like the darkesome Aegypt wherein is plague vpon plague at last deuastation to all that are not the true Israell of GOD. Some compare it to the Firmament in continuall motion Some to a solitarie Desart wherein is the roaring Lyon the Diuell the Scorpion and Dipsas the old Serpent wicked Spirits Theeues Thornes of sinnes and barrennesse of grace Some vnto the Night First because of the blindnesse and ignorance that is in it Secondly the drowsie and secure sleepe of sinne thirdly the wilde beasts of the night Heretiques Schismatiques c. Bores of the Forrest Foxes that spoyle the Vines the night the time of forraging in which also the enemie sowes Tares of sinnes and Heresies the one to corrupt the good Wheate of Sanctification in the heart the other of Illumination of the braine Others with holy Iob make it a place of warrefare and combat wherein wee are to fight with seuerall enemies of sundry natures as Dauid did with a Lyon with a Beare and with Goliah some being within vs craftie Sinons our owne lusts some without vs like armed Philistines the lust of the world some aboue vs Sathan in the Ayre some on the right hand some on the left as prosperitie and aduersitie some before vs as the forbidden fruit of Sin some behind vs the barking mouthes and biting tongues of maleuolent men Some to a prison wherein though it feed the body yet it fetters the soule like that wherein Ioseph had fauour yet hee was kept fast Lastly Fulgentius compares it to a fayre Amazon Maide with these Mottoes writ vpon her head I haue wit and policie vpon her browes I haue comelinesse and beautie vpon her brest Here is strength and agilitie on her right hand Here are riches and prosperitie yet vnder her feete Haec omnia vanitas All these are but vanitie and so let vs account them Loue not the world much lesse the lusts of it concupiscence of the flesh of the eye and pride of life Imitate CHRIST thy head hee despised the pride and pompe of it in refusing a Kingdome in washing his Disciples feete Iohn 13. in preaching practising humilitie Mat. 11. in sustaining temptations and tryals Mat. 4. in assuming our flesh in