that preached Iesus Christe that we for hym onely haue the forgeuenesse of synnes by the fayth in hym Nother is there ony other waye to obtayne the true saluacion thā by the fayth in Christe Iesu nor yet also is ther geuen vnto men ony other name wher in we be saued Actu iiii For the glory of God is to saue as many as are ordined ther to and that glory geueth he to none other Seynge than Ihon dyd opē shewe declare Iesus Christ the doer away of our synnes ▪ he is ryghtfully sayd to haue geuē or to haue taught the people suche knowlege whereby they obtayne the remission of theyr synnes that is ryghteousnesse and lyfe euerlastyng But for what deseruynges or merites sake hath y e people obtayned such benefites that they shulde learne the waye of saluacion get the remission of theyr synnes Veryly not for the circumcision nor sacrifices nor ciuile honesty the whych though they haue a worthynesse in theyr kynde yet were they not such thynges before God that therfore he shulde bestowe on vs the benefyte of forgeuenesse of synne What are then the thynges wherfore we haue such benefyte bestowed on vs Thorovv the the tender mercy sayeth he of our God He sayeth not onely by the mercy ▪ but by the tender mercy that is thorowe the great and vnsearcheable mercy for thorow the same and for none of mās merites dyd the daye sprynge frō on hygh visite vs. For as the remissiō of synnes happened vnto vs for none of our merites but only of the mere grace and tender mercy of God euen so doth thys fayth also The day sprynge doth Zachary call here Christe as thoughe he were buddynge and spryngynge lyke a braunch of a tre alludynge to the sayenge of Ieremy in hys .xxiii. chap. sayenge I wyll rayse vp the ryghteous braunch of Dauid which shall beare rule discusse matters with wysedom shal set vp equite and ryghteousnesse agayne in the earth And also to the prophecy of Zachary in hys .vi. chap. sayenge Beholde the man whose name is y e braunch and he that shall sprynge after him shall buylde vp the temple of the LORDE Thys braunch than or daye sprynge is rysen from aboue and hath visited vs whā Iesus Christ came into thys world sente Ihō baptiste before to beare opē wytnes of him To what intente That he myght geue lyghte vnto thē that syt in darknesse and shadovve of death and to gyde oure fete into the vvaye of peace These wordes of Zachary concerne the prophecy of Esaye in his .ix. chap. sayenge The people that haue dwelte in darknesse shall se a great lyght to thē that dwell in the lande of the shadowe of death to thē shall the lyght shyne And agayne in y e .lx. chap. And therfore get y e vp by tymes for thy lyght cōmeth and the glory of the LORD shall ryse vpon y e. In the darknes and shadovv of death do they syt whiche are so wrapped in wretchednesses y t they se nought saue euē euerlastyng dānaciō That is done whan the synnes are vttered and y e conscience knoweth the iudgement of synne Therfore whan Ihon dyd shew Christe takynge awaye the synnes of the worlde surely he shewed vs such a lyghte whereby we maye not only auoyde the darkenesse of infelicite or wretchednesse and the shadowe of death but also to gyde our fete into y e way of peace so to obtayne y e true saluaciō felicite For ther is none other way of peace or felicite saue Iesus Christ our LORD by whose faythe we beynge iustifyed haue peace to Godwarde A foote in scripture is takē oftymes for y e affection desyre wyll of the harte as in y e .xxxv. Psal Let not the foote of pryde ouertake me That is the affections thoughtes of pryde lest I conceaue a proude opinion of meselfe in my mynde of my ryghteousnesse wysdom strength wyll lest I coūte meselfe somewhat where I ame nothynge seynge I fynde no good thynge in my flesh The clause wherwith Zachary doth ende hys songe is veryly a pythy one namely into the vvay of peace For yf we walke not in the wayes of God in hys commaundemētes in the lyfe that is blessed and happy because of the assuraunce of Gods goodnesse wherby such tranquillite rest of conscience is procured y t we take all thynges in worth and as neare as we can haue peace wyth al men than veryly do we wander in darknes goynge astraye as shepe hauyng no sheperd He doth worthely cal the ignoraunce of god the shadowe of death wherwith are holdē all those into whose hartes Christe the true Sonne of ryghteousnesse hath not spred hys beames seynge y e true knowlege of God is lyfe euerlastynge What tunge cā expresse y e misery of thē that want y e knowlege of God For in thys lyfe they haue a cōscience captiuate restlesse marked wyth a whote yron sekynge now thys waye to be saued thā puttynge y e body to such payne to deserue heauē so y t it can nomore reste thā Euripus the ryuer which ebbeth and floweth .vii. tymes in a daye and nyghte And agayne what tunge can vtter the felicite happinesse of such as haue thys knowlege that Ihon is come to geue for they beynge suffysed y e God is theyr God that he careth for thē that he forgeueth thē theyr synnes thorow the tēder mercy of theyr God wherewyth the daye sprynge or braūch frō on hygh hath visited vs they kepe an euerlastyng Sabbat cōmyttyng al y e care ether of lyuelode of clothyng or of ryddaūce and delyuerynge frō al theyr enemyes both bodyly and goostly to hym only that hath created and gouerneth all thynges trustyng in him that as he is only good so cā not he do other wyse but good vnto them Thys veryly is a peace passynge the peace of y e worlde Thys peace maye be felte inwardly but can be vttered sufficiently with no tunge outwardly Yee noman can synge nother thys nor lyke songes worthely frutefully wythout he be contrite of harte endued w t the holy goost Therfore is it a haynous iniury vnto God to synge thys lyke wholsome songes only for auauntage wythout ony consyderaciō of the benefites that God hath shewed vs as it testifyeth God graunte that abuses may be redressed by the breth of hys holy worde ¶ Thys is the songe of prayse that Zachary dyd synge at hys chyldes natiuite whereby seynge the truth mercy of God and the benefites which we haue gottē thorow Christ whome Ihon by by hys preachyng testimony doth auaūce are chefely praysed let vs stablysh our fayth declare our thankfulnes towarde God that we maye kepe retayne with thankfulnesse y e godly benefites which of liberalite we haue receaued by Iesus Christe AMEN ¶ The songe of the aunciente father Simeon called Nunc dimittis the whyche he dyd synge whan Mary was puryfyed LORDE novv lettest
be destroyed of God wyth theyre pryde and arrogācy But seynge ther is noman that so persueth y e truth ryghteousnes as these do though they thynke it be ongods behalfe as we haue sayde before therfore amonge the thre enemyes of God muste they go before and beare the standarde the seconde leest are the rych whome the greate men and rulers the thyrde enemyes do passe in executynge power But these learned men excell ether of the other farre beyonde the nocke for they do hurte on both partyes with theyr bloudy entysynge The rych men quenche y e truthe by themselues only The men of authorite chace her from other But these learned men quenche her cleane out in themselues in steade thereof they brynge forth y e imaginacion of theyr owne harte so that she can neuer ryse agayne Now as the truth is better in herselfe than men in whome she hath hyr dwellynge so much are the learned men worse than the greate men or rych mē O how doth God abhorre and hate such as they be worthy The thyrde worke is to subdue the proude He putteth dovvne the myghty from the seate Thys worke wyth the other followynge maye easely be perceaued by the two workes aboue rehearsed For lyke as he destroyeth the wyse and suttyll in theyr imaginacions and good meanynges where vnto they sticke and vse theyr pryde agaynste suche as feare God whiche must suffre wronge and theyr wytte and ryghteousnesse must be cōdemned the whiche all is chefely done for y e loue of Gods worde Euen so he destroyeth and putteth downe the myghty great men wyth all theyr power and dominion where vpon they leanynge vsed theyr crueltye and pryde vpon theyre inferiours and on the good lowlyones the whiche must suffre punyshmente death and all euell of them And as he comforteth thē that must suffre wrōge and shame for ryghteousnesse the truth and hys wordes sake euen so strengtheth he thē that suffre hurte and wronge but the more he cōforteth those that must suffre wronge so much the more frayeth he the other But thys all muste be perceaued and loked for in fayth For he destroyeth not the myghty as soone as they haue deserued it sufferyng them sometyme vntyl theyr power or authorite be fynisshed for than doth God kepe thē nomore nother can they kepe themselues but do vanyshe fayde of theyr owne swyng wythout ony rumoure or sedicion and than such as are oppressed comeforth and reioyce without ony vprour or noyse For the power of God is in them which only abydeth Marke that she sayeth not he destoyeth the syes or trones but he putteth the myghty dovvne out of the seates nother sayeth she that he leaueth the oppressed vnder foote but setteth them vp For as longe as thys worlde doth endure so longe muste Superiorite Rule Power the Trones continue But that they are euell vsed contrary to the wyll of God in doynge iniurye and wronge vnto such as are good and that they do also delyte therin and exalte themselues therein and vse it not with the feare of God to his prayse and defence of iustice that can he not suffre longe As experience here of maye be sene in all storyes how that God setteth vp one kyngdome and putteth downe another howe he rayseth one prouince and putteth downe another howe he multiplyeth one nacion and destroyeth another as maye be sene in the Assyrians Babylonians Perses Grekes and Romanes which neuerthelesse imagined theyr raygnes to endure euer Euen so lykewyse doth he not destroye reason wysedome and lawes for they muste be had yf y e worlde shalbe mayntayned but pryde the hyghmynded which serue themselues w t these gyftes feare not God persecute y e good and gods lawe abuse such bewtyful giftes of god against hī Gods busynesse is in that case now that the wyse and proude meaners yf I maye so call them do mooste communely ioyne themselues with mē of authorite and steare them agaynst the truthe as Dauid wytnesseth in the .ii. Psalme sayenge The kynges of the earth stande vp the rulers are come together agaynst the LORDE and agaynst hys anoynted Because the lawe and ryght haue alwaye the wyse myghty and ryche agaynste them that is the worlde wyth hys greate and valeaunt powers therfore doth the holy gooste conforte them by the mouth of hys mother that they be not abasshed nor doute but let these wyse myghty and ryche alone seynge they shall not longe endure Yf the holyones and learned takynge to thē the myghty wyse rulers gouernours and y e rych shulde all not stande agaynst the truth but be of hyr syde where shulde vnryghteousnes remayne who shuld suffre wrōge or euel Not so For the holyones myghty superious the ryche and the beste of the worlde muste fyghte agaynst God and hys ryghteousnesse and be the Deuels darlynges as wytnesseth the prophet Abacuc in the fyrste chapter sayenge Hys meate is pycked and deynty That is the wycked sprete hath a denty touth he loueth to eate of the swetest moost deyntyeste and costlyest dyshes as y e Beer also doth hony Therfore are the learned the holy pharises the Herodes and the rych euen the deuels deynties Agayn what so euer the worlde doth refuse as the poore lowly symple vyle and despysed that dothe God chose as wytnesseth S. Paule .i. Cor. i. that he maye suffre the vylest of y e worlde to be myshādled of the best of the same that so it be euidently knowen that our saluaciō doth not stande in mans power but only in the power handes of God as Paule doth also testify Hereof cōmeth that these by wordes are cōmunely vsed They that be learned are peruerted And a ruler is venyson in heauen And here rych there poore For the learned alaye not theyr hartes pryde the myghty theyr oppressynge nother do the rych despyse theyr pleasures and fynally is it done that maye be done The fourth worke is to exalte thē of lowe degre And exalteth them of lovve degre They of lovve degre are not to be taken here for those that be lowly but such as be vnderlynges and of no reputacyon befor the worlde For it is euen the same worde y e she ment whan she sayd For he hath loked vpon the lowe degre of hys handmayden Neuerthelesse they that of theyr fre wyl are nought abiecte of harte not sekyng hyghe thynges they are lowly in dede Moreouer thys exaltynge is not to be vnderstande as that he shulde set them in the thrones places of them that be putte downe as he doth not set them that feare hym in the rowme of the learned that is proude another whā he sheweth mercy vpon them but he geueth thē such gyftes as do farre passe those namely y t they beyng exalted in God spiritually are set as iudges aboue all thrones powers and knowlege both here in thys worlde and in the worlde to come for they are better learned than al the learned
God that hys chyldrē take no consolacion of the gyftes ether spirituall or temporall be they neuer so great but of hym and hys goodes yet not despysynge the gyftes Nother doth y e mother of God rehearse ony goodnesse seuerally but wyth one word doth she comprehende them all sayenge He hath done great thynges vnto me that is all that he hath done vnto me is greate Whereby she teacheth vs that the hygher the contemplaciō in sprete be the lesse wordes ought we to make For she feleth well ynough that she can not vtter wyth wordes the thynge that she thynketh in hyr mynde and wolde fayne expresse Wherfore such fewe wordes of the sprete are sometyme so weyghtye and profounde that no man can vnderstāde them wythout he somdeale fele the same sprete But vnto them that be voyd of the spret do such wordes seme very sleght and clene wythout swetnesse or tayst which dispatch theyr taxe wyth many wordes and greate noyse Christe in the .vi. Chapter of Mathew teacheth vs to eschue the multiplyenge of wordes in oure prayer seynge the Heythen men do euen the same whyche therby do thynke to be herde As now a dayes also in many churches ther is plenty of ryngynge of bels playenge on organes and other instrumentes of musyke of syngynge cryenge and readinge but scarcenesse of praysynge of God the whyche is to worship God in sprete and truth Ioh. iiii Salomō sayth in the .xxvii. chap. of y e Pro. He that is to haysty to prayse his neghboure aboue measure shalbe taken as one that geueth hym an euell reporte For he causeth y e matter to be suspect so that euery man doth thynke it a fayned matter whych he busyeth so earnestlye to stuffe with hys gorgious prayses and maketh neuerthelesse the matter worse therewyth And contrarywyse he that lacketh hys neghboure and ryseth early that is is not slack and spedely doth ryd the matter thesame is to be taken for a prayser For men do thynke it is not as he doth saye and he doth it of an hatynge and euelwyllynge harte so that he doth make hys cause worse and hys neghboures better On thys wyse do they that endeuoure to prayse God with multiplyenge of wordes with cryenge and ianglynge They do as though he were deafe or knewe nothynge and that we must wake or teach hym Such opinion of God is rather a dispraysynge of hym than a praysynge But he that thynketh vpon the workes of God aryght euen from the bottō of hys harte and beholdeth thesame wyth wonderyng and geuynge of thankes so that for very feruentnesse he bruste out and sygh rather thā speake and the wordes that flowe by themselues not fayned nor connynglye deuysed do so rolle oute that euen the sprete do also comme oute Yee that the wordes haue euen handes fete and lyfe so that finally the whole bodye the whole lyfe and all the members do longe to speake that is to prayse God truly in sprete and verite There are the wordes very fyre lyghte and lyfe as wytnesseth Dauid in the C.xviii Psalme sayenge LORDE thy wordes are fyry And agayne My lyppes shall set forth thy prayse euen as water in a sethynge potte runneth ouer and fometh so that it can not retayne it selfe therein for the vehemente heate in the potte Of thys kynde be all the wordes of the virgine Mary in thys songe the whiche be fewe yet both greate and hygh Such praysers of God doth saynt Paule vnto the Romaynes the .xii. chapter call Feruente of sprete the whych chafe and burne in sprete teachynge vs to be of thesame sorte and such were y e fyry tunges that the holy gooste descēded in vpō the disciples The greate thynges be nothynge els saue that she is become the mother of God by the whyche thynge so greate goodes and so excellent are geuen vnto her that passe all the vnderstondynge of ony man For frō hence floweth all honoure and blesse so that amonge all mankynde she be euen one persone excedynge all other and perelesse because she hath only the heauenly father with the sonne cōmune with her And hereby commeth that she herselfe can not name these greate thynges for the abundaūte excellēcy of them but must rest there and breste oute in praysynge wyth a feruent affeccion sayenge He that is myghty hath done great thynges vnto me For thys cause is all hyr honoure comprehended in one worde namely yf she be called the mother of God for no man can saye greater thynges by her nor to her though he had as many tunges as the earth hath herbes and floures the skye hath starres or the see sondes Moreouer it must be cōsydered wyth a depe harte what it meaneth to be the mother of God She doth also featly ascrybe and attrybute thys thynge vnto the grace of God and not hyr merite For thoughe she was wythout synne yet was that grace so greate that she was in no wyse worthy of it For howe coulde a creature be worthye to be the mother of God Although some vayne iāglers and not wryters do bable very much of hyr worthynesse and deseruynge of thys office But I geue more credence vnto the blessed virgine than vnto those vayne wryters and bablers She sayeth that hyr lowe degre was loked vpon and that God hath not rewarded her therfore but that he hath done greate and myghty thynges vnto her He hath done greate thynges vnto me sayeth she not for my deseruynges For suche a thynge dyd the holy virgine neuer thynke vpon muche lesse than dyd she prepare herselfe to it that she myght be the mother of God The message came sodenly and vnwars vnto her as sayeth Luke the euangeliste As for a deseruyng abydeth and loketh not for the rewarde to come sodenly but of a redynesse and set purpose Now it that is in the songe called Regina coeli letare c. namely Vvhome thou deseruedest to beare And in another songe Vvhome thou vverest vvorthy to beare is nothynge to purpose For y e same wordes are also songe of the holy crosse the whiche not wythstandynge was a tre and coulde deserue nothynge And euen so is thys also to be vnderstande Yf it than of necessite must haue ben the mother of God it was requyred agayne that it shulde haue ben a woman kynne a virgine of the tribe or kynred of Iuda and to beleue the message of the angell that iudged her apte to thesame as the scripture had wytnessed of her The preciousnesse or worthynesse of the woode was none other saue that it was mete to be a crosse was ordyned of God to thesame vse Euē so had the holy virgine none other worthynesse to be the mother of God saue that she was comly and ordyned therto that so it myght be a mere grace and no deseruynge or duety that in no case it were preiudiciall and mynysshynge ether the fauoure or the glorye of God It is more semely to abayte to much from her than frō the glory
For whaÌ„ we do attribut vnto vs no workes no â—oastynge nor loue of ourselues thereof thaÌ„ is it honoured aryghte thaÌ„ doth it touch and hallow vs. For thys cause ought we to beware seynge that we can not be on earth without the goodes name and honoure of God that yf we be praysed of ony man or get a name that than we vse thys example of the mother of God beynge ready to answer them wyth thys verse vsynge the honour prayse aryghte confessynge openly or at the leaste thynkynge thus in oure mynde LORDE God it is thy worke that is praysed auauÌ„ced I beseke the let it be thyne name also Not I LORDE but thou hast wrought it which workest all thynges myghtely and holy is thy name After this maner oughte noman to refuse the prayse and honoure as wronge nor to disprayse them as nothynge worth but he ought not to ascribe it to hym selfe as a thynge to percious and noble referrynge them to hym whose they be truly in heauen Thys lo teacheth thys noble verse wherewith he is answered also that demaundeth whether one do not owe reuerence vnto another Yee Paule sayeth Ro. xii In geuyng honour let one go before another Neuertheles nomaÌ„ shal take y e honour vpon him as though it dyd befall vnto hym nother shall he suffre it to remayne vpoÌ„ hym selfe But he shall hallowe and restore it vnto God vnto whome it belongeth wyth all the good and worke from whence y e honoure floweth Nother shall ony man leade an vnhonest lyfe Yf he lyue honestly than muste honoure be there But as an honeste lyfe is the gyfte and worke of God so let his name also be holye and vndefyled from delytynge and hauynge delectacion in hymselfe This do we also desyre in y e pater noster whan we saye Hallovved be thy name â–ª And hys mercy endureth thorovvout al generacions vpon them that feare hym It is nedefull for vs to knowe the maner of the scripture whiche calleth the naturall linage or yssue a progeny or generacion by the whych one man is euer successiuelye borne of another Wherfore thys englyshe worde generacion or progeny doth not suffyse to expresse the meanynge thereof yet do I knowe none better than it For a progeny do we call the company that belongeth vnto vs ether by reason of bloude or mariage But in thys place it signifyeth the naturall yssue and succession from father tyll chyldes chylde and euery membre of thesame is called a progeny and I thynke it be not wronge Englyshed of thys fasshion namely and hys mercy endureth from chylde to chylde vpon them that feare hym And thys phrase of the scripture is very ryfe hauynge hys begynnynge and originall of the wordes that God spake vnto Moses and all the people vpon mount Syna sayenge Exo. xx I the LORDE thy God ame a gelous God visitynge the synne of the fathers vpoÌ„ the chyldren vnto the thyrde and fourth generacion of them that hate me and do mercy vpon many thousandes that loue me and kepe my commaundementes After that Mary the mother of God had fynished the prayse of God and of hys goodnesse towarde her she wandreth nowe al amonge the workes whych God worketh generally in all men and syngeth of them also teachyng vs featly to knowe the workes kynde nature and wyll of God Many ingenious and wytty philosophers haue atteÌ„pted the same also that they myght knowe what God were wrytynge much of the same the one thus another so But they were all blynde in that behalfe and coulde not perceaue the true shynynge And verely y e greatest thynge both in heauen and earth is to knowe God aryghte yf it do befall vnto ony man And that doth the blessed virgine teach very properly by hyr owne ensample as is shewed aboue But how can he be knowen more easyer or better than by hys workes for he that perceaueth thys duely the same must nedes knowe hys nature wyll harte mynde Wherfore it is connynge to knowe hys workes And that we myghte marke it the better she rehearseth orderlye in these foure verses syxe godly workes in syxe kyndes of men and parteth the worlde in two settynge on ech syde thre maner of workes and thre kyndes of men so that a continuall debate doth remayne amonge y e partyes by reason of the feate opposition one agaynst y e other wherby she doth descrybe hym so goodly as can not be amended Moreouer thys particion is duely and orderly comprehended in sundery places of the scripture as namely Ieremye the nynth Chapter where he sayeth Let not y e wyse man reioyce in hys wysedome nor y e stroÌ„ge man in hys strength nother the ryche man in hys ryches But who so wyll reioyce let hym reioyce in thys that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me for I am the LORDE whych do mercy equite and ryghteousnesse vpon earth Therfore haue I pleasure in such thynges sayeth the LORDE Thys is a noble texte and agreable to thys songe of the blessed virgine By thys place also do we se that the spirite of the prophet dealeth the worlde in thre as namely in Vvysedom Povver and Ryches the which he doth ouerthrowe whan he sayeth that nomaÌ„ shuld reioyce in them for God is not founde in them nother can he haue pleasure in them Moreouer he setteth thre other agaynste these namely Mercy Iudgemente and Ryghteousnesse In these is myne endeuoure sayeth he yeâ— I myselfe do all these So neare ame I that I do these thynges not in heauen but vpon earth there ame I founde He that knoweth me of thys maner thesame maye reioyce truely and make hys boaste boldely therof For yf he be not wyse but poore spreted than is my mercye wyth hym Yf he be not myghty but vyle lowlye than is my iudgement ready for hym Yf he be not ryche but poore and nedy than is my ryghteousnesse so much the more raygnyng wyth hym By wysedome he vnderstandeth al hygh spirituall goodes whereby man maye get a delyte reioycynge and a good opinion as the verse followynge doth specifye as be vnderstandynge reason prudence knowlege vertuousnesse an honest conuersacion finally all that is called in the soule holy or spirituall how greate gyftes that euer they be so that none of them be God hymselfe By power he vnderstandeth all power noblynesse of byrth frendes dignityes worshyppe whether they concerne temporall or spiritual goodes or men though in scripture ther be no spirituall superiorite but onlye a seruice and occupyenge of a lowe rowme wyth all hys ryghte lyberte and priuilege c By ryches are â—â—â—â—te health bewtye pleasure and all that maye chaunce vnto the body outwardly Agaynste these are thre other set of the prophete namely the poorespreted the oppressed and the nedy But we wyll loke orderly vpon the syxe workes and partes The fyrst worke of God is Mercy Of thys worke speaketh thys presente verse sayenge Hys mercy endureth from chylde to chyldes chylde or froÌ„
progeny to progeny vpon them that feare hym She begynneth at the greatest namely at the spirituall or inwarde goodes whyche make men here vpon earth the moost proudest hyghmynded and hardnecked Ther is no rych man no myghtye lorde so proude or hygh mynded that is not ouercome of such a wyse man the whych perceaueth and douteth not at all that he doth pleate or defende a iuste cause vnderstande the matter well and that he is wyser than other folke Specially whan it is come so farre y t ether he must auoyde or els knowlege hys cause to be vniust than becommeth he so rash and voyde of the feare of God that he wyll not be ashamed to boast and say that he can not erre that God is wyth hym and other be accursed yee he is not ashamed to call the iudgement and daye of dome to wytnesse and yf occasion be ioyned to hys power than breaketh he forthe wyth hys malepartnesse where it pleaseth hym he persueth iudgeth vexeth slayeth dryueth away and waisteth all them that wythstande hym and thys affirmeth he to be done to the prayse glorye and seruice of God And is so sure of a great deseruynge and plenteous grace by God that the angels of heauen be scarce so sure O what a great burble is this O how much doth y e scripture treate of such kynde of mē how dredfull thynges doth she threaten thē but they fele it lesse than the anuylt doth the hammer strokes And thys thynge is ryfe and plenteous of matter Of suche speaketh Christ in the .xvi. of Ihon sayenge The tyme cōmeth that who so euer putteth you to death shal thinke that he hath done seruyce to God And Dauid sayeth lykewyse of such on thys wyse He doth preuayle agaynst all hys enemyes sayenge Ther shall no euell aproche me As though he wolde saye I defende a ryght quarell I do well God shall rewarde me hyghly Such do Esay in the .xvi. Chapter and Ieremye in the .xlvii. say◠that the Moabites were wrytynge on thys wyse As for Moabs pryde we haue herde of it she is verye hygh mynded I know hyr stoutnesse hyr boastynge hir arrogancy and the pryde of hyr stomacke sayeth the LORDE For hyr furiousnesse maye nother vpholde her wyth strength nor dede We se such mē take thynges vpon them passynge theyr power for the great pryde Such were the Iewes agaynst Christe and hys apostles Suche were Iobs frendes whyche reasoned aboue measure wysely agaynste hym and commended and praysed God vehemētly But such kynde of men heare no man they can be persuaded of no man nother can onye man brynge them therto that yf theyr cause be wronge they wyll graunte it or to geue place but styck to it that they haue begonne and procede therein though the world shulde perysh therfore Nother can the scripture sufficiently reprehende such naughty packes callynge them sometyme an adder stoppynge hys eare lest he heare the charmers voyce somtyme a roarynge lyon somtyme an vnmoueable rocke somtyme a draggon so forth other names But thys kynde of men is no where better set forthe in hys colours than in the .xl. and .xli. chapters of Iob where they be called Behemoth Nowe Behema in Hebrue is as much to saye as a beaste and Behemoth the plurall nombre sygnifyeth beastes that is a vmbremente or multitude of men leadynge a beastly lyfe and not permittynge themselues to be guyded by the sprete of God Thys kynde doth God in the same place saye to haue eyen lyke the mornynge shyne for ther is no ende of hys wysdome Hys skynne also is so harde that no wapen can pearse thorowe it ether shot or stycked at that is yf the worde of God be preached agaynst thē to theyr reprofe they laugh it to scorne for they iudge theyr matter sure ynough The skales also do shycke so faste together that the leest ayre can not entre that is they agre so and be so one mynded that they wyll not admitte the leeste breth of Gods sprete As for hys harte sayethe God is hardened lyke an anuylte It is the Deuels body and therfore doth he in thys place attribute it all vnto thesame Suche a people aboue all other is the Byshoppe of Rome wyth all his vmbremente and hath ben a greate season For they do lykewyse and that of such a fashion as is euidente that neuer was sene they heare no body ther is no redressynge and amendynge of lyfe No persuadynge no prayenge no threatenynge wyll helpe Shortelye they nother saye nor synge saue We defende a good quarell thus must it be auaunte they whome thys doth not please yee though it were the whole worlde Here myght some body saye How shall thys agre shal we not kepe the lawes shall we let go the truthe Is it not commaūded vs euen to dye in the truthes quarell ryghteousnesse haue not the holy martyres of God suffred much for y e Gospel Wolde not Christ himselfe haue ryght For it chaūceth oftymes that such men defende a iuste quarell yee and before God also as they do boaste and that they handle themselues ryghteously and truely I Answere Here is it due to haue the eyes opened and also necessary here is the knot It resteth only in that that a man haue the true learnynge in the lawe It is true veryly that we must suffre much for the truthe and ryghteousnesse not to denye thesame howe slender soeuer she be Moreouer it maye be that the other parte haue ryght but they do amysse in that they execute the lawe vniustely and handle not the matter with feare nother haue they God before theyre eyen but thynke it to be ynough that the matter is ryghte and therfore he both wyll and must procede by hys power and make an ende of the game wher by they make of theyr ryght wronge though it were true in dede and vnblameable But it is mooste perrillous whan they thynke themselues to be in the ryght waye and yet be not sure what oughte to be done in matters that concerne God and hys iudgementes But we wyll fyrst speake grosly and set forth a commune and blonte ensample Are not mony goodes the body honoure a wyfe chylderen frendes and suche lyke good creatures created and geuen of God ▪ Now that they are the gyftes of God and not thyne and God wyll proue the whether thou canste fynde in thyne harte to lose thē to auaunce hys glory and hange more vpon hym only than vpon these creatures and therfore shulde rayse one that ether shulde take parte of them from the or altogether ether hurte the or by bodylye death wolde cause the to lose them Thynkes thou not here were a iuste cause to be wytlesse to rage to recouer thesame agayne by force and stronge hande or to be vnpaciente vntyll thou haddest recouered thē agayne layenge for the that they be good creatures of god And because y t all the scripture iudgeth the thynges to be good therfore
wyll departe in peace To departe wyth ioye or dye in peace is a goodly worde in y e eares of hym that can so do But where of hath he such a pleasaunt death Euen of the chylde Who hath euer sene suche lyke death But all they that put theyr truste in ony other saue in thys chylde the Saueoure whan they shall dye they tremble and quake and are very sorowfull at the harte chaūge theyr coloure theyr wytte reason vnderstādynge and all theyr strength faydeth euen awaye death ouercōmeth them Yee though all the kynges princes powers of y e world were by wyth theyr horses armes to helpe them and the feare of death came vpon thē they shulde stande as styffe as a stake before death But the good Simeon reioyceth y t he wyll departe in peace as though ther were no death He calleth not y e passynge a death he disdayneth to honoure it so much He sayeth LORD novv lettest thou thy seruaūt departe in peace not thou lettest me dye He calleth the passynge a swete easy slepe From whence hath he the connyng that he feareth not death but counteth it a swete slepe for the whych not wythstandynge all the worlde is afrayed Euen frō thence that synne the law and death were banyshed out of hys harte he dyd not regarde them For where the lawe is there is also a conscience of synne but where she is not there is nothynge saue ryghteousnesse and Moses is exiled and so wholy out of syghte that hys sepulture is not sene nor knowen where it is Where Moses is gone frō thence is synne taken awaye also and so becommeth death a louely slepe But whereby getteth he that Veryly not by hys deseruynges workes but onely by the beholdynge of the saueoure For he sayeth Myne eyen haue sene thy Saueour He maketh no mencion nor is once thynkynge that he hath done or procured it wyth hys handes but hath sene it wyth hys eyen though the outwarde syght wythout the inwarde do auayle so lytle as the handes They are two poyntes to se and the Saueoure To se Christ perteyneth vnto a quiete and peaceable death Yf we se hym than can we dye merely but yf we se hym not thā is he there in vayne vnto vs. Many haue sene hym in the temple but not aryght Ioseph Marye Anna and Simeon haue sene hym aryghte but all the other that behelde hym not lykewyse they haue not sene Christ nor the Saueoure Caiphas Annas Pilate Herode dyd beholde hym in dede but they sawe not that he was the Saueoure But where in is the faute that they can not se hym In the eyen of the harte they must be cleare that they may beholde y e yonge LORDE that is entred in to the wynepresse for vs and hath suffred wronge for vs settynge vs at lyberte not for our merytes or deseruynges but for hys truth and loues sake Who so beholdeth him after thys maner the same hath ouercome the law synne death despysynge all theyr assaultes The true seynge consisteth not in the bodely eyen for many haue sene hym after that maner which were neuer the better for it but in fayth in the harte It maye well be that they haue sene hym wyth bodyly eyen but yet not beleued that he was the Saueoure thynkynge on thys wyse Shulde thys chylde be he it is scarce syxe wekes olde nother can it lyfte vp the heade The true Saueoure thought they shal come wyth an armye wyth horses and al maner of weapens But the good Simeon hath sene hym other wyse He was warned in hys hart a worde was geuen hym sayenge The same is he ▪ He had another lyght and another syghte Euen so muste we also not onely heare at Christes mouth but also beleue in the harte thorowe the holy goost and so must y e harte be illumined by the holy goost for it is naturally stony hardened and darkened so sore that it can not knowlege such saluacyon and se such lyghte Nother is it ynough that Mary Ioseph Simeō and other haue sene hym I muste se hym also I muste knowlege hym also I muste knowe also that he is the true Messias Simeon myght wyth few wordes haue vttered the cause of hys ioy and sayd Therfore lettest thou me depart in peace because I haue sene Christe But that he myght declare the maiesty of Christe more clearelye he leaueth the name of Christ and in steade therof he setteth thre tytles wherewyth Christ is set forth moost playnly and his vse is shewed moost manyfestly The fyrst tytle that Christ is declared wyth is Saueoure sayenge Myne eyen haue sene thy Saueoure vvhome thou hast prepared before all people Thys sayenge semeth Simeon to haue taken out of the .lii. Chapter of Esaye where he sayeth The LORDE wyll make bare hys holy arme shewe it forth in the syght of all the Gentyles and all the endes of the earth shall se the sauynge health of oure God That Esaye doth prophecy for to come that sayeth Simeon to be now fulfyllynge That is that our LORDE Christ whych as the true Saueoure is shewed in y e fleshe and set vp therfore that he myghte be shewed vnto al nacions both the Iewes and Gentyles Yf the synnes do racke oure consciences and cast them to the euerlastynge damnacyon than is Christ oure Saueoure the wholsome playster whyche layed to the sores of our synnes doth so drye vp clense heale the etter of them that although he fele hymselfe greued wyth synnes and yet do beleue in Christe yeldynge hymselfe wholy to hys cure yet is he for all that rekened clene from all synne ryghteous and holy And yf Christe be wholsome to clense and heale synnes it followeth also that he is wholsome in al aduersites troubles grefes and paynes of death and hell For yf ony man be payned or greued than is Christe wholsome vnto hym For in forgeuynge synnes he maketh the same grefe to be no instrumēt or accasion of misery vnto hym Yf ony mā be cast before death and hell in hys cōscience Christ is a Seueoure vnto hym the whych seynge he hath satisfyed hys father for our sinnes he chaungeth the feare of death and hell in a waye not vnto perditiō but vnto lyfe euer lastynge saluacion Let vs therfore embrace thys Saueoure of God the whych Simeon dyd beare in hys armes and let vs lykewyse beare hym by fayth that we maye be letten go in peace lykewyse The seconde tytle that Simeō decketh Christ wyth is the lyght For he sayeth A lyght for the lyghtenynge of the Heythē he shall not onely be a Saueoure but also a lyghte to lyghten the Heythen that is He is a lyght that shall not only shyne amonge the Iewes but also amonge the Gentyles and lyghten them that they also maye come to the eternall blesse oute of the darkenesse of death and hel Thys part of y e songe semeth to be taken out of the