delyuerer whome they imagined to be some Noble warriour were redy to run with euery Traytor that would lift vp his heade take to himselfe the Tytle of Messias In the which seditions euer they had the worse as reason is such should and many thousandes of them were slayne But when no otherwayes they would be pacified the Romane power was sent with Commission vtterly to destroy them Wherto was Vespasian sent who began his warres in Galilea committing to fyre and sworde all that was before hym From thence he came to Ierusalem and by the Souldiours in that siege chosen Emperour he went to Rome committed the warres of the Iewes to his sonne Titus which Titus lyke a vigilant Gouernour behaued himselfe left not the slaughter til he had fulfilled the prophecy of Christ to that Citie He cast a banck about it hauing 30. Castles or Turrets in it Luke 19. from whence he battered downe the Citie he compassed them on euery side finally he destroyed them and their children For the Lord by him caused the hunger to be such as the mothers were compelled to kyll roste broyle and eate their owne borne children He raced the Citie downe to the ground and so of that most floorishing Citie Iosephus de bel Iud. 6.14 the Flowre and Diamonde of the East he left no more but a smale Monumente to the posteritie of the Romans ouer so strong a defenced Bulwarke That is to say thrée Towers called Phaselus Hyppinus and Mariamnes with parte of the West wall The men which escaped were for the most part taken prisoners and most of them after eyther solde to base bondage or were for the pleasant prospect of the Romans cast vnto wylde beastes in their publique sportes to fight and be deuoured These things came to them in déede but are written for oure sakes 1. Cor. 10.6 that both Prince Potentate Prelacie and people should be terrifyed hereby As also the Church of Ephesus is a notable example for the Church of England to beholde That Church sometime most honorable but now most horrible wrapped in the Dungeon of Turkishe Paganisme God cannot in iustice but plague in seueritie the backslyding from his word And that doth he in two sorts First he gyueth such degenerating children the spirit of Delusion 2. Tes 2.11 that they should beleeue lyes to their damnation which would not receyue the Truth to their Saluation when it was sent them And also he giueth them to their owne harts concupiscence the same to satisfie in most fylthy lusts that not only God but nature it selfe shall be despised Rom. 1.21.22.23.24.25.26.27 For men against themselues and women and men against the vse of Nature shall defyle themselues most filthily A heauy iudgement The second is his sword of Destruction vtterly to throw downe and bring to nothing the power and persons of disobedient backslyders His iudgements hereto are as it pleaseth him sometimes greater sometime lesse Sometimes by sencelesse creatures sometimes by the Heauens sometimes by men of might in the earth Frogs Flyes and Lyce darknesse blood and Caterpillers Psal 78. and fynally the raging Seas shall ouerthrow the Egiptians which were great persecutors of the people of God The Wyndows of heauen shal open and drowne the whole worlde which would not repente Gen. 7.11 but growe into worse and worse Vespasian and Romane Titus shall vtterly subuert the hard harted Ierusalem Ephesus shall yéelde his obedience to his destroying enimy which would not returne to his former loue Iesus Christ and the zeale of his Gospel The Angels Candlestick the Church and the Ministery shall be cast out Apoc. 2. and Mahomet and Sergius shall occupy their function and place O England loue loue loue and feare Feare God as thy father kysse and embrace his sonne thy Christ and consolation Psal 2.12 least he being angry cause thée to feare when thou doest féele his terrible iudgements by which thou shalt perishe if his anger be kyndled yea but a little Returne to thy first loue and do thy fyrst works else wil he come shortly as he sayth to Ephesus which argueth that he is ready Wherfore repent yea though the most in countenance of the best neglect the loue of God yet know that Symeon and Ioseph doe expect the kingdome of God and Consolation of Israel And such onely haue the spirite of God in them as had these holy men by which they are trayned alwayes to the presence of Christ approued his seruants These shall not sée death tyll they haue in hart by the eyes of their fayth ioyfully séene Iesus to be the lighte of the Gentyls and the glory of Israell Iohn 17.2 Esa 9.2 and the saluation by the Lorde set for the whole saluation of God Last of all thys is worthy to be thought vpon that Symeon is brought by the Spirite of Gods motion into the Temple at the very instant when Christ is thether brought to be offred to the Lorde and that al things there were done according to the Lawe 1. Sam. 9.16 Psal 31.15 Luke 1.8 Iohn 17.1 Ephe. 1.10 Mar. 14.41 The worldlings would thinke this to come by chance but the Euangelist sayth he was ledde thyther by the holy ghost For it is God which doth with his general prouidence behold all things and guydeth euery mans actions to his appointed season and the very moment of tymes he directeth to his seuerall worke at his good pleasure By this heauenly prouidence and not by chaunce came the seruant of Abraham to the Citie of Nahor Gen. 24. in that momente of tyme when Rebecca came out of the Citie to water hir cattle Gods prouidence guydeth as and our actions not blynde chance and for this cause did God bring forth that Mayde at the same instant that by this occasion she might bring the manne to her father by whom shée should be sent to Isaac for his wyfe And Saule went to séeke his fathers Asses but the Lorde brought him to Samuel the Prophet which did expect that hower his comming 1. Sam 9.16 For the Lorde had by Oracle tolde Samuel that he would sende Saule vnto him and that he should annoynte him king of Israel Dauid was brought hereby into the battle 1. Sam. 17. what houre the great Gyant Golyath did vaunt himselfe in blasphemy against the Lorde and by which meanes he might be brought to that fight which the Lord had foreappointed for him to the glory of God the victorious fame of Dauid and the ioy of Israell By this guyde came the Wydowe of Naim to the gates of the Citie Luc. 7.12 with her dead sonne to buriall at that moment when Christ entred the gates of that Citie and was by him restored to lyfe And by this is holy prouydence are our Fathers gone before vs and we not borne vntyll this age of the worlde wherein he hath appoynted his sonne Christe to be more amply reuealed by
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
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
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
last hower the spirite of God lightened the harte of the théefe vpon the Crosse Luck 23.40 Ezech. 18. Eph. 1.4.5 Ioh. 1.9 1. Tim. 2.4 Eph. 1.18 Heb. 1.3 so that in yéelding to death he sawe Christ onely to be his lyfe So the same most louing father who wylleth not the death of a synner hath euen in the hower of death and in all the dayes of Popery tourned the hartes of as many as were predestinate before all tymes in Christ to lyue eternally And that our Christ which lighteneth all men that come into the worlde and would haue all men that is to say of euerye country nation people and families some to be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth Hath also illuminated the hartes of all those whome the father hath by his spirite drawne out of the Dungeon of Papistrie to thys brightnesse of his glory wherby they haue with the eyes of their fayth séene this Iesus Christ to be the onely saluation of Iewe Turke Pagan Papist and Gentyle and consequently haue in harte felt him for theirs to their greate and synguler consolation After which sight they haue in the integritie of their soules 1. Cor. 3.12 Phil. 3.8 accounted al the hey tymber stubble and Popishe stuffe as fylthie doung and paciently abode the paine of death for their former ignorance and rest in hope of eternall peace and in the assurance of hys spirite that their synnes in his bloude are washed awaye They are perswaded that death is to them lyfe in cause whereof they haue in Christ banished that feare which bringeth paynefulnesse 1. Io. 4.18 and with Symeon haue sayde Now Lorde let vs thy seruants depart in peace for the eyes of our minde nowe in the agony of our soule hath through the day spring which from an high hath visited vs perfitly seene the Lorde thy Christ to be our sauing health â—uc 1.78 in whome wee departe to thee who neuer before this hower in these dayes of ignoraunce could attayne to this grace But now Lord receiue vs in peace through Christ our lord our God of peace and the same to all his chosen children The prouydence of God in tyme of Popery féedeth this our sentence of the forefathers thus blessed in the dayes of ignorance In that he conserued and during those tymes continued among men the Symbole of our fayth which very manye at their death haue constantly repeated and by open declaration haue affirmed in that fayth to ende their lyfe But thys Symbole preacheth onely the gloryous fayth in God the Father God the sonne and God the holy Ghost In Popery no saluation wherfore I conclude that manye of our forefathers were in the daies of Popery saued by fayth alone in Christ and that by Popery no man may or can be saued For the whole course of the Romishe Religion is to disperce Mat. 12.30 and not to gather together the saintes of God to the vnitie of fayth and knowledge in the sonne of GOD but to hayle to the fayth of Rome which maketh as many Sauiours as the sunne shyning giueth shadowes which can in no case permit a man eyther to rest alone in the death of Christ or to assure himselfe of saluation in hym But to attayne lyfe Popishe Treasures the Papists must fetch the treasures of the Church of Rome parte whereof is the blood of Martyrs though some of them be notable Traytors It is to playne that they make such not Mediators onely but Sauiours also from synne Who can forget this solemne Anthemne to that Traytor Thomas Becket sometimes Byshop of Caunterbury which the Popes Portuse and all laten Primers haue farsed in them for men in prayer to vse In the Popishe Primers Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro te impendit fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascendit That is graunt vs Christ by the vertue of saint Thomas his bloud which he shedde for thée to ascende whether Thomas is gone where note that Christ hath but that office which else they giue to Peter Namely to be the dore kéeper and to admit those soules into heauen which clayme it by the bloud of Barrabas I should say Thomas and they do refuse bicause they doe distrust the raunsome of Christ our onely way to lyfe Oh horrible and most abhominable blasphemy Ioh. 14.6 But deare Reader No man can come to the father sayth our sufficient Sauyour but by mee And therefore praying for the Papists conuersioÌ„ if it be Gods good will let vs as Paule doth exhort vs Heb. 12.19 seeing by the bloud of Iesus we may be bold to enter into the holy place into heauen by the newe and lyuing way which he hath prepared for vs thorow the vayle that is to say his fleshe and seeing we haue an high Priest ouer the house of God let vs drawe neare with a true hart in assurance of fayth sprinckled made pure in our hearts from an euil conscience and washed in our bodies with pure water Let vs keepe the profession of our hope without wauering for he is faythfull that promised And let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue and to good workes not forsaking the felowship that we haue among our selues as the maner of some is but let vs exhorte one another that so much the more bicause ye see the day draweth neere Let vs expect his comming and loue the Lorde so shall we not feare any perrill of death And God graunt our Englishe Papistes once to sée and be ashamed of their wylfulnesse to damnation sléeping in the bedde of the whore of Babilon Reuel 18. which is prepared to desolation and perpetuall fyre And to imbrace his Gospell which is the onely ioy of soule and solace in death â—â—t 3.17 the path to lyfe in that Sauiour in whome God the father is onely pacifyed The second note is that the godly are so farre from fearing naturall death that on the contrary part they humbly many tymes at the hande of God can earnestly pray for it and wyshe it yea and eaten vp of griefe for the dayes of synne they lament that they are not disburdened of the bodye thereof Finally in desyre of the full accomplishment of the bodye of Christ that the same his Church might be thorowly glorifyed in heauen as she is in parte and in earth perfitly sanctifyed The saints in this lyfe praye for the dissolution of the world and Christ to come with speede to iudgement For the fyrst Paule prayeth thus I desyre to be dissolued and to be with Christ and our Symeon here Lorde now let thy seruaunt depart in peace Secondly in the seuenth to the Romaynes Paule cryeth out of synne lamenting and saying O wretched man that I am who shall delyuer me from the body of this death that is from this lumpe of fleshly sinne and death Where note gentle Christian that the saintes of God are subiect to the
from the bottome of his harte at that tyme will I put all his wickednesse out of my remembrance sayth the Lord. Repent sayth Christ and beleeue the Gospell Mar. 1.15 Rom. 1.16 The gospel sayth Paule is the power of God to delyuer from sinne Satan and Hell and to bring to saluation euery one that rightly beleeueth 1. Tim. 2.4 Finally this is the will of God that all men shoulde be saued and come to the knowledge of the truth Beholde a most ample delyuerance offered in Gods mercy to all but onely his people haue the fruition thereof and that bicause they come to the knowledge of his truth in their soules taught of God by which they are delyuered from error and synne Gods malediction burning Hell Ab omni peccato sayth saint Iohn from euery synne as well actuall as originall 1. Ioh. 1.7 and that by the bloud of Christ for these be his wordes Christes bloud doth styll daylye wash flowing from the Fountayne of his death away al our synnes The bloude of Iesus Christ doth washe where note he doth not say hath washed but the force thereof doth washe no more offered but beleeued from euery synne Confounded or conuerted at Gods good pleasure be all they that in Popery or else derogate from the sacrifice of Christ this true validitie this mightie and most perfite operation and doe giue to their abhominable Masse and selfe merittes the greater glorye Acurssed are all they that rest vppon the Masse for reconcyliation leauing Christ skante the reast Namely that they hereby delyuer men from actuall synnes and Christes death onely from Originall trespasse O horrible blasphemy what Deuil bewitcheth men to this madnesse But good Reader remember as we haue saide thy deliuerer muste himselfe be thy Lutrosis price of redemption Paule thy Doctor in truth telleth thée that Christ Iesus is onely he 1. Cor. 1.30 saying to the Corinthians Christ is made to vs of God wisedome righteousnesse and sanctifycation Math. 20.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the pryce of thy redemption And our Sauyour sayth of hymselfe thus The sonne of man is not come to be ministred vnto but to minister and to giue not to sell as Popishe priests do their sacrilegious Masses his lyfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the ransome of many The worde Lutron saye Beza and Erasmus in their great Annotations sygnifyeth the price of Redemption that is that thing which is giuen to redéeme those that be in captiuitie which in Englishe we call a Raunsome Christ sayth he is come to gyue himselfe to his Fathers iustice for this Raunsome But he hath giuen that which he came to giue therfore by his gift to his Father we that beléeue in him are raunsomed and for euer saued For he hath payde as much as coulde or can be for vs asked Thus then thou séest good brother that we are raunsomed by Christ from all our iniquitie and from euerye sinne and as the Apostle sayth Heb. 10.14 all which are sanctified by the fayth in his bloud are made perfyte for euer They which be perfitely whole by Christ his death our medicine néede not the Popishe Phisition Mat. 9.12 But we by Christs death our medicine are perfitly whole No neede of the Masse for it is Popishe phisick and trashe Therfore no néede to vs of the Popishe Phisition For there is full forgiuenesse of our synnes in the sacrifice of Christ to al ages that beleeue in him Therfore there is no more offering for sinne Lastly we are to remember whose sinnes the Lorde Christ thus pardoneth and to whome is this Sauiour vz his people Math. 1.21 as the Angell sayth Hee shall saue his people from their synnes Now who they are which be Gods people I haue sufficiently said in my Booke of Benedictus and here they may be placed into these branches Generally and specially Generally all the people tongues and Nations of the whole earth are the Lordes as Dauid sayeth The earth is the Lords and all that therein is Psal 24.1 the rounde worlde and they that dwell in it The speciall people of God are they which be consecrate to him in holynesse which be of him predestinate to lyfe chosen in and for Christ to saluation sanctified by the holye Ghost redéemed by their Sauiour Christ iustifyed by his grace and death peaceably preserued by his ayde in earth and glorified by his truth in the heauens These are they of whome the Apostle sayth The Lorde hath this sure seale 2. Tim. 2.19 he knoweth who be his And onely these in him their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are saued from their syns the rest haue condemnation abyding them that of themselues For he being the sauyour of the whole worlde as Christ himselfe affirmeth Iohn 8. Ioh. 6.44 I am the worlds Sauiour The same generall sorte from whome these speciall by the Father of heauen to his Christ are drawne refuse their sauing health in him They say with the prowde Iewes we will not haue thys man to raigne ouer vs. Come let vs kill hym and proue whether he be the sonne of God This is the fruite of ignorant blindnesse from which Christ came to delyuer man but bicause the Worlde loued darknesse more then light Iohn 3.19 and refused the light when it was sente them Therfore thys is their condemnation sayth our Sauyour Christ Texte Which thou haste prepared before the face of all people To be a lyghte to lighten the Gentils and to bee the glory of thy people Israel In the verses before sayd the man of God Symeon hath opened one most comfortable true tytle of Iesus Christ affyrming him to be our sauyour And now he prosecuteth his purpose to shewe the same Sauiour to belong to all Nations and people without exception And also that their fayth maye be the more confyrmed in hym He sayth that this Christ our Lorde is prepared of God our father to be our Sauiour our lyght and glory which thou hast prepared before the face of all people sayth he to be a lyght to lyghten c. At the fyrst entring into these verses we must consider that Symeon in them giueth to Christ two most notable Epithits names and tytles He calleth hym the lyghte of the Gentyls and the glory of the people Israel The world he also deuideth into two people Iewes and Gentyls and vnto all and euery of them he preacheth this one Christ to be prepared of God the Father for their sauing health direction and glory But fyrst let vs note the marke that Symeon shooteth at euen that which the whole scriptures of God doe Namely to pretermitte all others and onely to preache vnto vs from God the father alone his onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ to be our Sauiour our lyghte guyde Shepheard Byshop Prophete Priest Prince and Lorde which alwayes is the worke of the Father to drawe to his sonne Christ
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