in his syghte but by his Fayth Rom. 3.28 as by the hande wherwith he apprehended his righteousnesse in Christ Or maye any person obiect in right as opposite hereto The words of Iames declared By the papists abused the saying of Iames the Apostle was not Abraham iustified by workes For Iames doth not in that place dispute the meanes of mans iustification before God but requyreth that good works be to Christian fayth adioyned as by which grace holye men on earth doe approoue that which God in the Heauens before through the vndoubted fayth in hys Sonne Iesus Christ hath imputed to his beloued children which may easely appeare in the Apostles owne wordes Shewe mee thy fayth out of thy works sayth he and I will shewe thee my fayth by my workes Iam. 2.18 As if he had sayde Thou which boastest to haue fayth shewe me that am but man and therefore knowe not thy state before the Tribunall seate of GOD or his graces in the inwarde man by which meanes I cannot iudge of thée Shewe me I saye thy fayth by hys works in thée and I will beléeue thée then to be a faythfull Christian Gene. 22.16 This sence Moses also testifieth the Angel or rather the Lorde by his Angel to approoue which stayde the hande of Abraham from the sacrifycing of his sonne Touch not thy sonne with violent hands for nowe I knowe that thou fearest God bicause thou hast not spared thine only sonne for my commaundement sake To conclude the Epistle written to the Hebrewes doth attribute this great worke of Abraham to the excellency of his fayth saying By fayth Abraham offred vp his sonne Isaac Heb. 11.17 It resteth therefore sythe Symeon is not able to fulfill the lawe but fayleth in many poyntes thereof and therefore guyltie of all Sithe also that those good workes which he doth be polluted in Gods syght as procéeding from hym selfe by which meanes he is become in himselfe vniuste before God that nowe his righteousnesse consysteth herein that his synnes be not layde to his charge according to the saying of the Psalmist Psal 31.1 Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose synnes be not imputed to them Thus was Symeon vniust in himselfe but iust in his consolation Christ Iesus and that bicause he fyrmely beleeued in him by whose merittes and death on the Crosse the Fathers iustice is answered Symeons synnes raunsomed mercye to hym procured his daylie synnes not layde to his charge bycause by imputation he is accounted for iust And in the same maner are all the elect of God alyke blessed with him And so lykewise all the workes of Gods saintes are impure in his sight if tryed by the phan of hys spirite before his Tribunall seate But such is his fatherly benigne mercye that in and for his sonne Christ he accepteth vs and then our holy actions for iuste as he accepted Habel and his sacryfice but he regarded not Caine Gene. 4. and therfore not his sacryfice also he casteth our iniquities quight out of his remembrance Ezec. 18. Secondly Symeon is called pius godly religious Iere. 31.22 or fearing God This is proper to the chylde of God if iustifyed by his grace then to lyue in his feare that is in his obedience Tit. 2.12 Luk. 1. We are also redéemed to this ende That we should denye vngodlynesse and walke in puritie of lyfe in holynesse and righteousnesse before our iuste God all the dayes of our lyfe So sayth the holye Ghoste in the mouth of Zachary the good maryed Priest So did the same holye man of God and his good wyfe by vertuous lyfe expresse the graces of Gods holye spirite in them as testifyeth Saint Luke saying Both were iuste before God and walked in all the commaundementes of the Lorde without reproofe Luc. 1.6 Here hast thou good Reader the true discription of a godly man namely he that being iustifyed by Fayth in Christ walketh though he cannot performe in perfection in all the commaundements and ordinances of the Lord. Deare Reader we glorye that we be called christians but onely this is a true christian lyfe of which here thou haste heard Our wants in this profession in these oure dayes bewray from top to the toe in the Courte and thence thorowe the Countrie from the Nobilitie to the Plowman and his mate The greater personages boast and bragge of great tytles Lordships Baranies Offices and liberties of bewty byrthe brauerie manhood chyualry and force of cunning skyll learned tongue But vnlesse my Lords ye relye vpon Symeons lore vnlesse ye be worthyly endowed with his style vnlesse ye be iuste before God walke in all the commaundementes of God not only to do holyly but to be holy your selues in déede Vndoubtedly your honor and all your other pompe in pryde shall you change for horror wéeping howling and gnashing of teeth and so shall all fleshe that lyueth not in the feare of God Math. 25.30 What benefite was it to Diues nowe boyling in Hell that he was endewed with all worldlye Epicurious pleasures Luck 16. as gorgious houses costly array after the fashion diuersitie of dyshes and the worlde at wyll Or what aduantage to the other Ritchman Luck 12. that pulled downe his Barnes to make them greater sayde to hymselfe Now soule be merrie for thou hast goodes and landes in store for many yeres But how did he possesse this large and newe buylded frame Thou foole sayth the spirite This nighte shall they take thy soule from thee and who shall then possesse thy goods Shall not the wicked ritche men lykewise haue their heauen in this lyfe Shall they not after the hower of death with Diues lye in the Helles lyke shéepe and say Sapi. 3. There was no greene pasture which we wente not through whereby they note in naturall lyfe their courtly pleasures We left no token of vertue behinde vs in thys they signifie their wicked lyfe buryed in contynuall securitie We thought these men fooles vz Symeon and such other the sonnes of God Whereby they vtter their ignorance of godly men and their owne fréedome from godlynesse These are they which wee persecuted scorned and cruelly intreated but nowe see how they are taken with the iuste By which the holye ghost sealeth vp the naturall disposition of all Atheists to their gréeuous and irrecuperable condemnation Wherefore beloued Reader Noble and ignoble Courtier and Countryman séeke the Lorde earely and whyle he is to be founde attayne to his seruice who by his grace will endue thée with iustification Esa 55. and holynesse with obedience to his holy law and delight to dwell therin Ephe. 1.14 bicause his holye spirite is his Arrha and earnest penny giuen thée for thy assurance of his loue and fauour towards thée So shall your Nobilities more encrease your state most surely stande your selues with Symeon shall be famous to your posteritie a good example
to lighten the Gentyles and to be the glory of thy people Israel THE Euangelist Saint Luke after he hath by sundry approoued Testimonies wytnessed to Gods holy Church the order and byrth of Iesus Christ borne of his mother the most holye Virgin Mary doth purpose the description of Christ hys Office and Function In cause wherof he first cyteth the gratulatory Song of olde Father Symeon who doth most pythely set downe the parts of Christes office and valour of his nature to his Godhead annexed Namely giuen of his Father to be our onely sufficient and Omnipotent Messiah gyuen and not solde prepared of the Father not at all purchased by man or Angell to be the Saluation alone of Iewe and Gentyle To the Heathen that laye in darknesse Gods lanterne and light and to his kinsmen the Iewes their greatest cause of glorye But onely Symeon thus fayth And what is he and his authoritie that we should buylde our Fayth on his warraunt For aunswere I say Giue eare to our Euangelist who by the spirite of God wryteth and thy Question shall fullye be answered For thus wryteth Saint Luke Behold there was a man in Ierusalem whose name was Symeon Luc. 2.25 Thys man was iuste and feared God and wayted for the consolation of Israel And the holye Gstost was vpon him and it was declared to him from God by the holy ghost that he should not see death before hee had seene that Annoynted of the Lorde And he came into the Temple by the motion of the holy Ghost when the Parents brought in the Babe Iesus to doe for him after the custome of the Lawe then tooke he hym vp in his armes and praysed God and sayde Lorde nowe lettest thou thy seruant departe in peace according to thy worde c. Symeon I graunt is not here adorned of the Euangelist with Princely style Honorable tytle or sayde to descend of Noble parentage Happely he was of baser byrth and meane estate of the vulgare sorte not exalted to office place of credite in the Common wealths Regiment or to worldly riches And here in doth Gods spirite continue his well be gonne course in the byrthe of thys Babe Christ Who hymselfe though king and Lorde ouer all yet in earth borne is wrapped in sorye clowtes layde in a Manger whose Pallace was the horses stable and his shrowde against the extreame wynters weather was the breathe which the Oxe and Asse naturally breathed A poore beginning yea but gloryous thoughe to the worlde ignomious and in the accompts of the Atheists of our dayes ridiculous But so also to poore Shepheards watching their Flockes by night not to pompous Princes to the learned godly Magi not to the prowde contentious Phariseis did the same spirite manifest our Christs Natiuitie the Gentyls light and Israels glorye So likewise brought to the Temple he is not pompously receyued of the highe Byshop but louingly imbraced by his pore Prophet Symeon vpon whome the spirite of prophecie Luc. 2.36 in steade of worldly pompe at this instant was restant By an olde and poore Wydowe also but a Prophetisse the daughter of Phanuel of the Tribe of Aser the lowest amongst the twelue Trybes of Israell This is not done to the contempt of the mightie Monarks and Noble persons of the earth fearing God but to the glory of his holy name and the comforte of the poore despised Christians in the worlde that fleshe and bloud should not haue else where to reioyce but in the Lorde ◠Cor. 1.26 27.28 Againe that the eyes of men being opened may sée that not by many mightie many ritche many wise and Potentates of this world but by himself in his owne power and wisedome he vseth the base beggerly things of this lyfe to be his preaching Prophetes and faythfull wytnesses by them to bring to confusion the glorious wisdome of the world and the pryde therof This poore man tho is enobled with most honorable tytles as to be Iuste Symeon◠style and dygnitie godly and religious wayting for the consolation of Israel and to haue the spirite of God vpon him all which words as they set forth the excellency of this holye Symeon So are they of vs further to be considered for as much as they be to vs the very assured markes infallible by which we may certainely knowe the faythfull adopted sonnes and trusty seruants of the lyuing God from the counterfeyte Christian and vngodly Atheist But he is called Iust and that of Gods spirite which cannot lye First Symeon is iuste in Gods sight by the will and grace of God Secondly he is iuste in lyfe amongst the sonnes of men But what shall we saye Was Symeon so iuste in the eyes of the Lord that in him could no vnrighteousnesse be found Or was he called iuste for that he iustly fulfilled the commaundements of God Or else was he iuste by imputation bycause his sinnes were not layde to his charge I answere this demaunde Symeon is not so iust in the sight of God that in him can no vnrighteousnesse be found for no man is frée from synne as Salomon sayth Pro. 20.9 Who can say my harte is cleane from sinne If the Fountayne which is the harte of man be corrupted the conductes his members and actions must néeds be infected therwith Truely in Gods syght neyther are the Starres cléere wythout shadowe or the Angels iust in this respect Iob. 15.14 Where shall we finde then an earthly man that can stande in and by himselfe thus iuste before the Lorde Nay the best regenerate person is manye wayes corrupte No man iust before God and his actions full of synfulnesse yea his best works are impure farre shorte of that they should vnworthy Gods sight muche more his louing acceptation but most vnworthy the accompts of righteousnesse In one worde we our workes alwayes our selues and valour respected are though regenerate children as menstruous clothes in Gods eyes Esa 66. 2. Luk. 17.10 and our selues verye vnprofitable seruauntes Neyther was Symeon iuste as fulfylling iustly all the commaundements of God For that neyther could he nor any other before him or since his tyme to the ende of the worlde can there be any Christ Iesus excepted which shall or may doe in perfection the commaundements of GOD And therfore Symeon nor any other man can chalenge to him or them in truth and déede as hauing wonne the same the tytle of righteousnesse But on the other side they are all founde Transgressors Rom. 3.10 and accused of guyltinesse when as in their best workes they are faultie and not able to do all but offending in euerye one they are worthyly pronounced guyltie of the whole No not Abraham in that best approoued worke when he wyllinglye in Spirite though not without sharpe conflicts in bodye and minde offered vp his sonne as the worde of the Lorde commanded him hath warrante to vaunte of righteousnesse before God or was thereby iustifyed
God in vs we are none of Christs Ioh. 16.7 Rom 8.9 Act. 3.21 1. Cor. 15.25 This corporal presence is absolutely with a cloude taken from our eyes and is at the right hande of God and shal containe the heauens till his enimies be made his footestoole But the last enimy is death therfore till death by the dissolution of the world be slaine shall the corporall bodye of Christ inhabite the heauens from whence the faythfull and not from the priests head doe looke then for him their sauiour whose comming shall be with glorie and therefore not inuisiblye in a Popishe cake Thy sight knowledge and fayth in Christ now he is ascended must therefore be no more carnall 2. Cor. 5.7 but onely spirituall as Paule teacheth thée saying we walke by fayth and not by sight neuerthelesse we are bold loue rather to remoue out of the body and to dwell with the Lorde Againe Henceforth know we no man after the fleshe Vers 16. yea though wee haue knowne Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more Fynally Symeon sawe Christ borne was blessed But we beléeue in him with Symeon that is dead yea rysen agayne set at the right hande of God his father and maketh intercession for vs vpon which sight our Sauior hath pronounced in check of Thomas sturdy fayth Ioh. 20.29 Thomas thou beleeuest bicause thou hast seene but I say vnto thee Thomas blessed are they which see not and yet beleeue This fayth in Christ is the speciall gifte of God I tell thée once agayne good Reader and ryseth not of our selues 1. Cor. 3.14 Mat. 16.17 For the natural man cannot perceyue the things that be of God Thou art sayth Peter the sonne of the lyuing God Truely beloued Peter but who gaue thée this fayth Not flesh and bloud but my heauenly father sayth Christ which is in heauen It is giuen to you sayth Paule to the Philippians not onely that you should beléeue but that you shoulde also suffer for his sake This is nourished and encreased by his worde For fayth commeth by hearing not of a Popishe Masse Rom. 10.17 or Saraphicall Doctor but of the word of God By the ministerie of preaching and not by daylie sacryficing is this obteyned How shall they heare without a preacher sayth Paule he sayth not without a Massemunger By his Sacraments and prayer the same encreased wherefore pray earnestly with the Apostles Luc. 17.5 O Lorde encrease our sayth And if thou wouldest learne to know that fayth which only iustifyeth This it is to beléeue vndoubtedly the Symbole of thy Creede or more shortly to beleeue God to be thy good God that goodnesse from whome all goodnesse commeth to be in Christ thy best beloued Father thy Christ to be thy brother Lord and onely sauiour by whose death and lyfe thou art in him fréed from synne death and Hell The holy Ghost to be the Lorde and giuer of lyfe thy comforte and Arha of saluation thy Guyde What fayth it is that iustifyeth and author of all goodnesse in thée and that power by whome thou doest thus beléeue by the rule of the worde and promise of God and by hys holynesse sanctifyed doest lyue and loue this thy good God and thy brethren for and by him And as the fruitfull trée in his tyme giueth profitable fruite So doest thou in this his spirite by thy good workes profite his church and glory thy father which is in heauen Mat. 5.16 This is that fayth which iustifyeth and is the onely gifte of God The Lorde graunt it sounde perfite stable experimented and alwayes stedfast as well in the author of this booke as the Readers thereof for Christes sake our Lorde So shall we see Christes day with Abraham imbrace him with Symeon depart in peace and rest in ioy All other opinions besides this or not fyxed in this are called fayth as an Image beareth the name of a man But as the Image is without lyfe so such fayth not adourned with good workes as Iames sayth is an Image of fayth a deade fayth This fayth working by loue Fayth compared to a Vyne is by Barnarde compared to a Vine thus Fayth is the Vine christian lyfe be her branches Psal 2. and good woorkes her clustering Grapes And Chysostome compareth it as elegantly to a Lampe wryting vpon Mathew For as a Lamp burning giueth light to the whole house So doth fayth giue light intelligence of God and Christ to the soule of man but as in a Lampe fyre and Oyle are ioyned together so in the shyning Cresset of a good conscience are contynually resiant fayth and good workes True fayth and good workes resydent in a good conscience alwaies Notwithstanding as the Trée is before the Apple so doth fayth go before good workes So the Apostle connexing Fayth Hope and Loue together giueth fayth the fyrst place And Augustine in his booke de fide operibus sayth Except fayth go before a godly lyfe cannot in any wise come after Cap. 7. If we be Virgins hauing our Lamps thus burning we shall be sure to enter wyth our Brydegrome Christ into his heauenly chamber Mat. 25.10 But in no case can our Oyle doe anye others good for our owne works shall follow vs good or euill they shall not be imparted to others Apoc 14. Ioh. 14. If we become such Vines our father wyll proyne and purge vs when he cutteth downe the wythered Images and dead branches and will make vs more fruitfull Laste of all note here that Symeon hauing séene the Saluation set by the God of heauen stayeth his conscience in him which is the true nature of lyuely fayth and though there be infynite saluations sought for by men yet he hungreth after Gods saluation and sayth Now I haue ynough let me Lord depart in peace For my eyes haue seene thy saluation Hee that hath Christ hath lyfe No Christ no lyfe So deare Reader hauing by the mercies of god once with the eyes of our fayth in hart séene confessed Christ our saluation Though the Iewe the Pharisey the Turke the Panyme Papist and carnall Atheist haue their trust in broken Cysterns which can holde no water yet doe thou stande with Symeon and the iust in lyfe to the ende of death in persecution and pleasure to this the saluation giuen of God to Iewe and Gentyle euen the Lorde Iesus And saye to kings and Prelates there is no other name giuen vnder heauen wherein we can be saued but the name Iesus Act. 4.12 Nor can other foundation be layde then which is already layde euen the Lorde Iesus Or can anye man attaine to iustifycation before the iust father by other then his beloued sonne in whome alone he resteth for our synnes well pleased Neyther are we from the pyt of perrillous death in Hell redéemed by Golde or syluer but by the bloud of this immaculate and