Twelve Sermons, Sermon 2
THE SECOND SERMON OF THE SONG OF OLD FATHER SIMEON.
Thy saluation which thou hast prepared before the face of all the people; a light to be reuealed to the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israell.
THY saluation. This word saluation is a sweete word, and holds me to it like an Adamant, for when I thought to proceed, this word said vntounto me, stay here, teach this & teach all, learne this and learne al, for it is the pith of all the mercies of God towardes his children.
Christ is called saluation, because no man shold dispaire, and because it is impossible to be saued without him, for saluation is only in him. Christ can do any thing but this, hee cannot saue him that will not repent. He is called the saluation of God because he came not from men, nor from Angels, nor by chance, but from Luke. 1. Luke. 1. Mat. 2. Luke. 2. Mat. 2. Luke. 3. Mark. 1. Luke. 4. 15. Iohn. 11. Mat. 27.God himselfe, and therfore his name was not giuen him after the maner of men, which was, that eueryevery father should name his owne child, but so did not Ioseph, for the Angell had giuen him direction for his name. The Virgine, the oracles, the babes, the shepheards, the starre, the wisemen, the voice of the crier, the diuels, the leapers, the sicke, the dead, the earthquake, the sunne, the moone, and all the creatures do beare witnesse vntounto the Sonne of God which is our saluation. He is called the saluation of God, because he is saluation according to Gods owne mind. He came not to bring ease and libertie, but he came to bring the spirituall sword, and condemnation to all obstinate sinners, yet saluation to the penitent.
I shewed you how many despised this iewell, because they know not what it is worth, how few Simeons there be in the Temple, how few Nathaniels, how few mē that feare God: these plāts grow not on eueryevery ground. Who would be vnthankful if he knew what the Lord giues, and what he forgiues? he giues the sonne for the bastard, the Lord for the seruant, the righteous for sinners, the innocent for the wicked, and the almightie Lord, for the sinfull sonnes of men. Do you not maruell how you can offend this Lord willingly, which hath done so much for you? Here I reproue vnthankfulnesse, securitie, and negligence, striuing as it were to crucifie Christ againe, as the wicked Iewes did, who neuer prospered since the time that they said, his bloud be vponupon vsus, and vponupon our seede. They were not like Simeon, who as soone as he saw Mat. 27. 25him, embraced him, and reioyced ouer him. There is no shew of grace in them which shew no liking of godlinesse, neither in themselues, nor in others: for this is the first part of our conuersion, to louelove them that louelove God, and so they are drawne to the Sonne. No man will build an Arke vntill the floud come, no man Gen. 7.will seeke for corne vntill the famine come, and scarse Lot will be gone out of Sodome before the time of execution of Gods Gen. 42. Gen. 19.wrath do come vponupon them. We preach vntounto you, and call vponupon you, we hauehave euen wearied our selues among you, we hauehave reproued you for sinne, and we must still reproue you vntill you amende: now therefore if there bee any grace in you, if yee hauehave any knowledge, any feare of God in you, if ye hauehave any goodnesse in you, if you hauehave any leasure to be saued, turne backe now from doing euill, come out of hell, and plucke your limmes out of the clouches of the Serpent, for verily we hauehave not done so well in this citie as the Niniuites did, for all the preaching and teaching we hauehave had. For who hath determined in his heart to amend his life? who hath left his pride? who hath restored that which he hath taken by extortion, vsurie, and wrong? Surely they that hauehave done thus are monsters, I cannot see him, he walketh inuisible and cannot be found. The heauens trembled at the death of Christ, the sunne did hide his face, the earth quaked, the Mat. 27. 45 51. 52. 53.vaile of the Temple rent in sunder, the dead bodies rose out of their graues, and all this was to shew, that the Prince of the world suffered violence, and that the Lord of life suffered death for the ransome of vsus, and of all whosoeuer throughout the world do beleeue the Gospell, and liue in obedience thereof, and withall that he suffering for sinnefull and wretched man, was a conquerer ouer hell and all euill, and had ouercome death. The Scribes are against him, the Pharisies were against him the rulers band thēselues against him, the Atheists against him, and all the spitefull & enuious Iewes against him, whose birth was base, whose life was contemptible, and whose death was ignominious, but God was with him, and in him, by whose power he ouercame them all, and so became the saluation of God.
Dauid being to encounter with Golioh, Saul tooke and put 1. Sam. 17.on him his owne harnesse, but he could not weare it, it was too heauie for his little body, therefore the tooke nothing but a staffe and a few stones in a scrip, and so Dauid slue the pride of the Philistines, and the feare of Israell. And euen thus the Lord set his Sonne to fight with the Prince of this world, not with swords and targets, bowes and billes, but with the word and spirite of God, with the which he hath ouercome, and through him we also hauehave the victory.
Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, &c.
He speakes this to the end that the eyes of all mankind may be fixed vponupon him, as the eyes of all Israell were fixed vponupon the brasen Num. 21.Serpent in the wildernesse, that when they be stinged with the sting of that fiery Serpent which deceiued our forefathers, they may flie vntounto him for helpe, lest they perish in their sinne, and their bloud be on their owne heads.
Which thou hast prepared.
He was prepared long ago, as it doth most plainly appeare, for the Virgin which bare him, the place of his birth, the poore estate wherein he was, his miracles, his Apostles, his torments, his crosse, his death, his resurrection & ascension into heauen; all these were foreshewed and foretold long before they came to passe. Therfore Luke. 4. 7. Iohn. 11. Luke. 8. Mat. 27. Iohn. 10. Mar. 6.some said, who is this that is so often spoken of by the Prophets? who is this that can do many miracles, that the Scribes and Pharisies cannot do? that can raise the dead, that can ceasse the winds, that can calme the waters, at whose suffering the earth quaked, the sunne hid his face, darknesse came ouer all: and being dead, rose againe by his owne power, and ascended into heauen in the sight of a great multitude? How can it bee then but it must bee knowne before the face of all people, which was so manifest by dreames, by visions, by oracles, by power, by authoritie, and eueryevery thing? for there was nothing which had not a tong to speake for God. EueryEvery thing was prepared for him before he came to be reuealed, he came not in the beginning, nor in the ending; hee came not in the ending, that we which come after him might long for his second comming. He came not in the beginning, because that such a Prince as he, should hauehave many banners & triumphes before him. He came not in the beginning because the eyes of faith should not be dazeled in him, and lest they which should liue in the latter times should forget him and his comming, which was so long before, euen as you forget that which I hauehave said as soone as you are gone hence. He came not in the beginning, because if he had come before man had sinned, man would hauehave acknowledged no neede of a Phisition, but when man had sinned, and had felt the smart of sinne: for when they were cast out of Paradise, they ran vntounto Christ as the Israelites did to the Serpent. He came not in the beginning, but in the perfect age of the world, to shew that he brought with him perfection, perfect ioy, perfect peace, perfect wisedome, perfect righteousnesse, perfect iustice, perfect truth, signifying thereby, that notwithstanding he came in the perfect age thereof, yet he found all things vnperfect. The Iewes thought that he should come like some great Prince, with pompe and glory, which was a carnall conceipt, for herein they were maruellously deceiued, his father was but a poore carpenter, and his mother but a simple woman, and he a sillie babe wrapt in cloutes. Then ought not we to reuerence our Lord, and to praise his name, for that he became so humble for vsus most vile wretches, that are worthie of nothing? yet we see how cruelly they dealt with this blessed one which came to saue them. Ignorance sate in the chaire, deceipt gaue the sentence, and cruelty executed him when the most painfull and shamefull death of the crosse. O that your eyes do not dazell, and your eares tingle, and your hearts maruell at this dealing of theirs to our louing Sauiour, which came to saue them if they would, and especially in that now you see that he abased himselfe for our sakes, euen to the vttermost! ô wonderfull thing to thinke of! If you would marke, I would make you in louelove with him before I hauehave done with you, I say vntounto all those that come hither to be edified, take your fill of pleasure, enter into Paradise, lift vp your eyes, stretch forth your hands, and eate your fill of the tree of life, and the Lord will go home with you, imbrace him and kisse him, entertaine him well, and hee will dwell with you for euer. But you that come hither for fashions sake, either to see or to be seene, to finde fault with somewhat, or to make an hypocriticall shew of godlinesse where there is none. I tell you that comfort shall shake hande with you at the dore, marke it, and you shall see that my words are true. Shew me what it is that is better then saluation. I wold hauehave none of you to be damned if I might preuent it, nor so much as a peece of you to be giuen vntounto Sathan, therefore I would I knew that stone that would kil Goliah for I would strike it with my might into his temples. If you will, you may be saued, and the Lord will one day put those words in my mouth that will touch your harts. Therefore now arise, kisse and imbrace the sweete babe Iesus, and then afterward frame your selues to obey him, for then the Lord will knocke at your hearts, and if you will let him in, he will teach you all things. The Lord came not in the beginning, nor in the ending, but he came in the middle age of the world, to shew that if it wil not learne now, it wil neuer learne to come vntounto God Psalm. 2.by repentance and amendment, that they may learne to kisse the sonne least he be angrie, and so they perish in his wrath like Sodome. He came in the middle age of the world, to shew that he was indifferent for the world, to giuegive light and life vntounto all that returne vntounto him. For God respecteth no persons, but eueryevery man Acts. 10.of what nation or countrey soeuer he be, that feareth God and worketh righteousnesse is accepted of him, and he will fulfill their ioyes through Christ, yet not when we will, but according to his owne good pleasure, and when he thinketh good. Therefore; Stay Helias, anon the rauens will bring thee meate, and thou shalt 1. Kings. 17hauehave enough. Anon Moses will deliuer Israell. So saluation is already Exod. 14.prepared of God, & hath bin lōg since with fulnes of knowledge, and all excellent gifts, and he will giuegive them to vsus when he seeth good. But we are like whining children that will not stay till their milke be cold, but would hauehave it, though they be scalded with it: so we would hauehave the knowledge of God and libertie before we know how to vse it. We would know the high mysteries and deepe counsels of God, before we know our selues, we would hauehave the liberty of the Gospell, when we know no way how to vse it but in securitie. But the Lord, he will wisely giuegive vntounto vsus as it were our bellies full when he seeth it good, and when he seeth vsus ready for it, who knoweth our hearts better then we our selues.
A light to be reuealed to the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israell.
You hauehave heard Simeon shewing the cause why the Sonne was sent from the Father, why he became man, which raigned before in Paradise. What moued God to leaue his ioy and his blisse, & suffer more then all the world could suffer together? A great cause it is that would make a king leaue his kingdome, and fall to beggerie. A great and wonderfull cause it was that made Iehouah to come downe from heauen to suffer misery vponupon the earth. Two vnderunder causes Simeon sheweth why this Messias came from heauen. The first that he might enlighten the Gentils, which sat in darknesse, and the second, that he might be the glory of Israell, which gloried in their sacrifices and in their ceremonies, and so had no glory before he came, but were like the Moone when the Gen. 29.Sunne doth shine vponupon it, or like Rachel which dispised Leah and became barren. And they despised the Gentiles light, like that sonne which was angry because his lost brother came home again, Luke. 15.or like those labourers which checked the Lord of the vineyard, Mat. 20.because hee gaue vntounto the other labourers as much as hee gaue vntounto them. But the Gentiles are like Leah, who being despised became fruitful. Simeon reioyced in Christ, not only for that he Gen. 29.was the glory of Israell, but also for that he was the light of the Gentils. Shall the head be sorrowfull because the hand is well? nay rather the hand should be glad because the head is well, and the head because the hand is well. The father should be glad because his son is stronger then himselfe, the mother shold be glad because her daughter is wiser then her selfe, the brother shold be glad, because his brother is richer then himself, the mistresse shold reioyce, because her maide is a better housewife then her selfe. But wee enuie our brethren and our neighbours, because they are better then we, and because God hath blessed them with temporall or spirituall thinges aboue vsus: if we see that they hauehave learning, then we enuie them for their learning, if hee hauehave more giftes, we enuie him for his giftes, if hee hauehave more knowledge, wee enuie him for his knowledge, if he hauehave more zeale, we enuie him for his zeale, if he hauehave more riches, wee enuie him for his riches, and how can we reioyce when eueryevery bodies good is our euill, and eueryevery bodies ioye is our sorrow? But fixe your eyes vponupon Christ alone, and hee will fulfill your ioy, if you looke not backe to Sodome like Lots wife. If you louelove ioy and gladnesse, Gen. 19.Christ is ioy and gladnesse; if you louelove comfort, why, Christ is the comforter of all that beare his crosse; if you louelove life, Christ is eternall life; if you louelove peace, Christ is peace; if you louelove riches, Christ is full of heauenly riches, and full of liberalitie to bestow them vponupon all such as louelove God: so Christ is all in all vntounto the godly, and they hauehave more ioye in Christ alwayes and in all things, then the richest, and most glorious and sumptuous Prince in the world, then Salomon himselfe had in worldly riches, honours, pleasures, ease or felicitie. For the wicked which put their trust in riches, and make them gods of golde and money, of ease and pleasures, though they doe all that they can to fulfill their lusts, and take neuer so much pleasure, and be neuer so merry, yet they can hauehave no true ioy, nor peace of conscience, for all the peace, the mirth and sport they hauehave, is but deceipt, all false and indurable, like the grasse, greene in the morning, and withered ere night. But when the Lord doth Esay. 58. & 57.knocke at their heartes, and strike them with a feeling of their horrible transgressions, as no doubt he will, then they are all in a maze, and they can hauehave no ioy, no peace, no rest, but they may say, in laughter my soule is sorrowfull, in ease my soule hath trouble, in mirth mone, in riches pouerty, in glory shame, in life my soule is euen deade, in plentie my soule wanteth all thinges wherein it should reioyce, it is destitute of all comfort, and possessed with all slauish feares like Cain, who being Lord of all the Gen. 4.earth, yet had no ioy in it when God had once forsaken him. Likewise Saul when God had forsaken him, he had no ioy of his kingdome, nor of all his riches, and then who had more ioy, Saul the King, or Dauid the subiect? So then wee see that perfect 1. Sam. 16.ioy can bee had in nothing but in God and in Iesus Christ. Wherefore as by the streame you may bee led to the fountaine, euen so let the ioye and peace of this life serue to leade vsus to God which is perfect ioy and peace, and there rest, like the wise men which were guided by the star, to come to the true Sonne of grace, Iesus Christ when he was borne: and if we rest not in him when we hauehave found him, there is no rest for vsus, we shall bee like the restlesse done, which fluttered about and found no rest any way, till she returned to the arke: but we seeme as though we sought him and found him, when as we do but play the hypocrites. Salomon saith; that the waies of the whore are prosperity & welfare, for she euer putteth on a vizard, that she might not be knowne to be so vile as she is: so vnderunder the colour of goodnesse euill is alwayes lurking.
Therefore also is Christ called the light, because we shold leaue our foolishnesse seeing light is come, & that we should forsake all our lights which are but darknesse, and cleaue vntounto his light which is the true light indeed.
A light to be reuealed to the Gentiles, &c.
He came to lighten the Gentiles, and they receaued him with thankfulnesse, of whom there was no hope of goodnesse left. Who would suppose that the barren woman should become fruitful, or the prodigall sonne returne home againe? It is like as if an owle should bee conuerted to see light, or as if the streame would returne into the fountaine, or as if an old man should become yong againe.
A light to be reuealed to the Gentiles.
To be reuealed, not yet reuealed, the Iewes must first reiect him before the Gentiles receiue him: and when the Iewes did oppresse him, condemne him, & crucifie him, then were his armes spread vntounto the whole world. When the guests would not come, Luk. 14. 23.then he sendeth into the high wayes, to compell others that wold not come willingly vntounto it. Comfort is on foot, & that which wil come shall come, &c. The Queene of Saba came from the vttermost Mat. 12.part of the earth to heare Solomons wisedome, and the wisemen came from the East to see Iesus Christ, but we may say, the Lord was heere in the Temple, and I was in my shop, selling and buying, lying, deceiuing and swearing. Well, when hee comes backe againe I will be better accquainted with him, and so we esteeme not of his presence in any reuerent sort. The Shunamite said; Let vsus build a chamber for the man of God: then we shold 2. King. 4. 20. Luk. 19.build an house. Zacheus did climbe vp into a tree to see our Sauiour, and the Lord seeing his diligence called him, Zacheus come downe, for I will dine at thy house this day, and that was a ioyfull day with Zacheus, for then saluation came into his house, and vponupon all his family: he gaue the Lord a feast, and the Lord made him a far better feast of peace, a feast of ioy, a feast of heauenly things, and so for his zeale and indeuour to see Christ bodily, he shewed himselfe vntounto him spiritually, euen to his hearts desire.
To be reuealed.
HaueHave an eye to the future tence, that which is not shalbe. As for 1▪ King. 3. 12. 11. Iud. 13. & 15. and. 16. Luke. 6. Acts. 1. Acts. 9. Mat. 16. Acts. 4. Acts. 7.example, Salomon was wise, but he is foolish, Sampson was strong, but he is weake; Iudas was a preacher, but he is a traytor, Paul was a persecutor, but he is a preacher; Peter was a denier of Christ, but now he is a bold professor of Christ, Moses was learned in the wisdome of the Egyptians, but now he is learned in the wisdom of God, by which the wisdome of the Egyptians is made but meere foolishnesse in the sight of God. Others as heathen Philosophers, Plato, Aristotle, Cato, Crates, and such like, were counted verie wise men in the sight of the world, yea they wrote so many bookes full of wisedome, and also adorned with notable sentences and wittie sayings, that one would thinke all wisedome were buried with them, so famous were they, and so full of earthly vnderstanding, teaching manners counsels and pollicies: yet for my part I hauehave neither seene nor heard of any such, being wise in worldly things and without the wisedome of God, but that they hauehave committed some notorious foolishnesse in the sight of all men, like Achitophell, of whom we read that he was so wise a 2. Sa. 16. 23 2. Sam. 17. 23.counseller, that his counsell was like as one had asked counsell at the oracle of God, and yet see the ende of him, hee hanged himselfe, and all for want of the knowledge of God. It had bin better therfore for him to hauehave had more wisdom & lesse wit. Crates, Aristotle, Plato, and others of the wise Philosophers, hauehave either poisoned, burned, or drowned themselues, & so we see 1. Cor. 1. 20.that the end of worldly wisedome is meere foolishnesse, and the foolish hauehave more peace then the wise: for their wisedome without the feare of God, doth them no more good then the Arke did to the Philistines, which did nothing but torment them, because they knew not how to vse it, and therefore vnreuerently 2. Sam. 5.abused it. For if your wisedome consist in eloquence of words, in profundity of wit, to gaine craftely, & spend warily, to inuent lawes, to expound riddles, and interpret dreames, to tell fortunes, and prophecy of matters by learning: all your wisdome is but vexation of the spirit; for all these without the feare of God do vsus no more good then their wit did these Philosophers, which notwithstanding sate in darkedesse. And I am afraid though Christ brought light vntounto the Gentiles, yet it may bee said, that the Gentiles sit in darkenesse stil, sauing a few Leuits scattered vponupon the mountains, for whose sake Sodome is spared. And because those had not the knowledge of God, therefore they worshipped Mars and Cupid, 2. King. 17. 30. foreign Iud. 16. 23. Act. 19. 33. 2. King. 19. 37. Exod. 32 4. 6. 1. King. 1. 2. 1. King. 22. 13. 1. King. 16. 32,sunne and moone, beasts and serpents: so the Philistines worshipped Dagon, the Ephesians worshipped Diana, the Assyrians Nesroch, the Israelites worshipped a calfe Ahaziah worshipped Beelzebub, the Moabites worshipped Chamos, the Samaritans did worship vntounto Baal: so the trueth to such seemeth falshood, & error seemeth truth. As for example, that the world shold be made of nothing, that the world became flesh, that God and man was ioyned together in one person, that one man may be righteous in the righteousnesse of another, which is Christ, and that the dead shall rise againe, these seemed foolishnesse vntounto the Gentiles, neither could they beleeue them. No more can some Gentils amongst vsus at this day, which are but naturall men, therefore they do not beleeue them, for when they professed themselues to be wise, they became fooles, saith the holy Ghost.Rom. 1. 22.
So then we see now what Christ hath done for vsus, he hath boūd that Serpent, which hath sowne all the tares, so that the diuell is fayne for want of better lodging, to enter into swine.
Heretofore, whereas one followed God, a thousand followed Baall, but now kings & princes lift vp their heads, desiring Christ to raigne with them and in them. Heretofore we made our selues like the wounded man, we were spoyled, we were stript naked, & we were bathed in our bloud being full of woundes, but now Christ hath furnished vsus, hee hath washed vsus, he hath clothed vsus, and we are now become true Israelites: vsus which were the vile and wild Oliues, he hath grafted vponupon the true oliue, and planted vsus in a fruitfull soyle. And what cause can we shew for this but only mercy? For heretofore we were called foolish, but the Lord Deut 32.hath made vsus wise according to the wisdom of God in these daies by his spirit: but if you deserue to be called the foolish nation againe, then yee are most vnhappy and most cursed. So now wee hauehave heard that the Lord doth reueale all his counsels vntounto his Prophets, and how the glory of Israell is now reuealed to bee the light of the Gentiles. And you hauehave heard the cause why: because the Iewes reiected their owne saluation. You hauehave heard that the cause was only his mercy and his louelove, because mercy cannot containe it selfe within Ierusalem.
A light to be reuealed to the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israell.
You hauehave heard why Christ is called light, why he is called the light of the Gentils, why the Lord did change a curse into a blessing, and why the Gentiles did change darkenesse for light, and a thousand Gods for one true God. Then the Gentiles receiued more grace then they desired, for the Lord came vncalled vntounto their owne houses, and made a feast vntounto them in their owne houses. The light of the Gentiles is our light, your light, and my light: Christ is our grace, your grace, and my grace: and Christ is our saluation, your saluation, and my saluation. He came vntounto the Iewes, and for the Iewes, and yet his comming vntounto the Gentiles was better then to the Iewes. He came into the world when the world did abound in al wickednesse, and saued vsus when we most deserued wrath. Wonder at this you that wonder at nothing, that the Lord wold come to bring saluation, to redeem our lost soules, euen as it were against our wils: so that now we wold not be as we were for a thousand worlds. The blindnesse of the Iewes was, & is wonderfull, who heard of their reiection, & of our conuersion, and yet vnderstood it not, neither sought to preuent Gods wrath in reiecting of them. Therefore the rocke which shold hauehave saued them did shiuer thē in peeces, wherin was shewed their wonderfull blockishnesse, hauing it so often foretold by their Prophets, figured in their law, shadowed in their sacrifices, and read in their churches from Saboth to Saboth. EueryEvery thing that commeth to passe in churches, in common weales, in Cities, in countries, in kingdoms, and in prouinces, these are all foretold in the Scriptures, and yet none do vnderstand it, sauing a fewe chosen ones whom God loueth. For, the comming of Antichrist, the ouerthrow of kingdomes, the darkenesse of Poperie, the light of the Gospell, the conuersion of the Gentils, and the reiecting of the Iewes, all these are set downe in the Scriptures, and yet wee cannot vnderstand it, though we heare it day by day, because we do not giuegive our minds to vnderstanding. Such hearers shall stād in a maze before the righteous and terrible throne of God: the dead shall rise, the trumpe shall blow, and all the world shall be in an vprore, and they shall stand quaking, when their hearing without profiting shall be laid to their charge, and they shall say, ô we hauehave knowen no such thing: but surely if the Iewes could come out of hell, they would admonish vsus to take better heede how wee heare: for we heare as though we did not heare at all, our mindes, are otherwise occupied. Now when wee see any thing come to passe, as it is foretold in the Scriptures, then we must say as Christ said, this prophesy is fulfilled, for all thinges that are written are come to Scriptum est & factum est, that is, as sure as it is written, so surely doth it come to passe. It prophecieth nothing but that which truly is fulfilled in due time, and the more often it speakes of a thing, the more certaine, the more excellent, and the more to be beleeued it is. Like a Iewell that is beset with pearle, so is our calling ordained with Scriptures, for so doth God tender our calling, which is so often in his mouth, and we so often in his remembrance, that hee speaketh of vsus in eueryevery booke throughout the whole Scriptures, like a kind spouse whose louelove is in a strange cuntrey, and he delighteth himselfe with thoughts & meditations of her: so he did long vntil the Gentils were come to him again, like the prodigall child, whose father did long vntill he had imbraced him. When shall my prodigall sonne come home againe saith he? I will put my best garment on his backe, and my gold ring vponupon his finger, and his fare shall be the daintiest morsell. Luke. 15.And thus God longeth for our saluation, and he knocketh at our doores. Is faith here? is louelove here? is one called the feare of God in this place?
And as louelove maketh louers somtime to speake plainly & familiarly one to another, somtime by darke speeches and riddles, somtime by letters, sometime by dumbe shewes and signes, and somtime to hide themselues one from another: so our God speaketh sometime plainly to his Church, sometime darkely and mistically, sometime he turneth his face from his Church and deare spouse, as though hee wold not speake vntounto her for louelove, as appeareth in the booke of the Canticles. Of the casting off of the Iewes and calling in of the Gentiles, the first tipe or figure was Cain and Abell; Cain was the eldest sonne of Adam, and Abell the yonger, yet Gen. 4.God loued Abell, & accepted his sacrifice, but God reiected Cain for his wickednesse, and hee became a reprobate. Euen so doth God, he reiecteth the Iewes which were the eldest sonne, the true oliue, and the naturall seede, and Gods dear children if they had continued in obedience, and he taketh vsus being but the youngest son, the wild oliue, the seed of the wicked, and maketh vsus children by adoption vntounto him, onelyonly of his meere mercy without any other cause.
The second example was Sem and Iaphet, both which were Gen. 9. Gen. 5. 32. 9. 24. 10. 21. and. 11. 10. Gen. 9. 27. Iohn. 10. 16.Noahs sons, Sem was the second sonne, and Iaphet the first, and of this Iaphet came the Gentiles: of him said Noah, God perswade Iaphet that he may dwell in the tents of Sem, that is, that they may be vnited together, as we see it is come to passe. Other sheepe I hauehave saith Christ, which are not of this fold, them also wil I bring, and they shall heare my voice, and there shall be one sheepefold and one shepheard.
The third type or figure was Ismaell and Isaak, both the sons Gen. 21.of Abraham: Ismaell was the eldest, Isaak the yonger, yet Isaak was chosen of God, and enioyed the promise, and Ismaell his eldest Gen. 22.brother a mocker of Isaak was put away, the Lord was not with him.
The fourth type or figure was Iacob and Esau, both sonnes to Gen. 25.Isaak; Esau was the elder brother and Iacob the yonger, yet God loued Iacob and hated Esau, because Esau contemned his birthright, and sold it to Iacob for a messe of potage, and therefore Iacob stole the blessing from him: so God blessed Iacob, but cursed Esau; whereby is shewed that the Lord did for the contempt of the Iewes, take away their birth-right and their blessing, and hath giuen it vntounto vsus.
The fift type or figure was Leah and Ràchell the two daughters Gen. 29. 26.of Laban; Leah was the elder, but blear or squint eyed, Rachel the yonger beautifull and faire. 17. Therfore Rachell was beloued of Iacob, and Leah despised. 18. Yet Leah was first maried. 23. & also made fruitfull. 31. but Rachell also was after maried. 28. and more beloued. 30. and hauing enuied her sisters fruitfulnesse. 30. 1. and repented, God remembred her, and made her fruitfull. So Christ first maried the Iewes, and made them glorious, but when they despised their glory, he maried with the Gentiles, and they enuying their happinesse, of barren in all goodnesse, became fruitfull in true holinesse.
The sixt figure was Manasses and Ephraim the two sonnes of Ioseph, Manasses was the eldest, and Ephraim was the yongest. Both of them Ioseph hauing brought to Iacob his father that hee might blesse them, he tooke Manasses and put him towards Iacobs right hand, that he might blesse him first and more plentifully, and he took Ephraim and put him towards Iacobs left hand. But Iacob stretched out his right hand, and layd it on Ephraims head which was the yonger, and his left hand vponupon Manasses, directing his hands so of purpose, for Manasses was the elder of them. Thus the Lord blessed vsus when there was no hope left for vsus.
The seuenth figure was Rahab a harlot in Iericho: who was a Gentile, yet her heart was touched so, that she receiued and entertained Iosua. 2.the spies that Israell sent, and in the time of danger hid them, that they should take no harme: signifying thereby, that the Gentiles should receiue and imbrace the true Israelites and messengers of the Gospell, and keepe them as safely, and defend them as diligently as Rahab did the spyes of Israell.
The eight figure was Ruth a Moabite: of her Christ Iesus Ruth 4.vouchsafed to come as concerning the flesh, to shew that he came not only of the Iewes and for the Iewes, but also of and for the Gentiles, which were the lost sheepe, vnhoped for, being strangers from the couenant.
The ninth figure was Sampson, who being a Iew, would needs Iudg. 14.marry with a Gentile, signifying that Christ Iesus would also marry with the Gentiles, as he did with the Iewes.
The tenth figure was Salomon, who maried Pharaos daughter 1. King. 11.which was an Egyptian and Gentile, signifying thereby that Christ wold take him a spouse among the Gentiles to marry with himselfe, as Dauid in the Psalmes declareth.Psalm. 45.
Thee leuenth figure was Naaman the Syrian, whose leprosie is 2. King. 5.turned vponupon Gehezie, the leprosie of an heathen and ignorant man turned vponupon an Israelite, and one that had the knowledge of God, being the seruant of a Prophet: signifying that our leprosie of sin and ignorance shold be turned from vsus vponupon the Iewes, who had the knowledge of the law of God, but esteemed it not, but were vnthankfull for it. Many like examples there are in the new Testamēt. For like as the Cherubins, though seuered in sūder, yet loked one towards another, and both vponupon the mercy seate: so the old Testament and the new looke one towards another & yet point at one and the same thing.
The first type or figure in the new Testament was the wisemen, Mat 2.which were the first fruites of the Gentiles, and came from the East, being guided by a starre: signifying that by the guiding of the word and spirit of God, the Gentiles should come from all the places of the world to imbrace Christ Iesus with ioy.
The second type or figure was Christ his going into Egypt, Mat. 2.signifying therby that he shold go from the Iewes to the Gentils, because the Iewes refused him through vnbeleefe, abundance of wickednesse, and want of reformation: so we see that nothing can driue away Christ but sin.
The third type was Christ whipping the Iewes out of the Temple, Mat. 21. 12.shewing therby that the Iewes shold be whipped or cast out of the spirituall Temple, and the Gentiles should occupy it. This (beloued) belongeth vntounto vsus to whom the Lord so wonderfully hath made his light to shine.
The fourth figure is the parable of the vineyard, which was taken Mat. 21. verse. 33.from them that possessed it, and giuen to them that should bring forth the fruits thereof, and yeeld better increase vntounto the Lord of the vineyard,
The fift figure was the parable of the two sons that were bidden Mat. 22. verse. 28.to go & worke in their fathers vineyard, of whom the first said, he would, and did not: the second said, he would not, & did repent, and went to labour in the vineyard: the first signified the Iewes, which made many vowes with such a shew of godlinesse which was but hypocrisie, whom the Lord reiected and cast off, and said that the publicans and sinners should stand in iudgement to condemne the greatest of them.
The sixt figure, was the feast that the Lord made vntounto the Mat. 22. 2.disobedient guests whom the Lord inuited to his banket, which was only ordained for them and who promised to come vntounto it, and yet refused and would not come, but alledged slight excuses taken from their louelove of earthly and transitory things aboue God. Therefore the Lord sent into the high wayes to call and compell the Gentiles to come, which came, though some left their wedding garments behind them.
The seuenth Type or figure, was the vision of Peter in Ioppa, Acts. 10.when he was on the top of the house, where hee saw the vessell come downe that had in it all manner of foure footed beasts of the earth, and wilde beasts, and foules of the ayre, and creeping things, where also the voyce said vntounto him, Arise Peter, kill and eate: wherein the Lord shewed vntounto him, that he should count no man vncleane, although the Gentiles then were counted vncleane, as were the vncleane beasts set downe in the law of God, and therefore when Peter was sent for to Cornelius house, he said: Verse. 34.Of a trueth I perceiue that God hath no respect of persons, but in eueryevery nation he that feareth God, and worketh righteousnesse, is accepted of him.
Many other examples of our calling, as the strayed sheepe, the lost groate, the prodigall sonne, and Christ eating with publicans Luke. 15. Luke. 5.and sinners, which when we read we should cast our figure and say, of whom is this spoken? of the Gentiles? then it is of me, for I am a Gentile. But am I conuerted? If I be not, then hauehave I not fulfilled this prophesie: therefore let vsus striue to do well, and to mortifie and subdue sin which dwelleth in our mortall bodies, for none but the valiant can enter into the kingdome of heauen.
Now all these prophesies are fulfilled, the blind see, the lame go, the dumbe speake, the deafe heare, the maimed worke, the dead are quickned, the leapers are cleansed, and the poore receiue the Gospell. Therefore who will despaire, and say, light is not reuealed vntounto me, whē as he seeth it to be reuealed vntounto whole nations? And so solemne is our calling, as that in so many places of the scripture it is foretold, wherby we see how dearly the Lord tēdreth our saluatiō as a kind spouse which was lōged for, while she was in a strange cuntrey: for Christ lōged for the Gentils, till they came home again vntounto him. Therfore let vsus now cōsider what he giueth vsus, namely righteousnes & saluatiō: first righteousnes, then saluatiō: first repentance, and then forgiuenesse of sins, the sun of the Gospell, least we should see heauen in hell, and light in darknesse, and ioy in anguishes.
Let vsus not contemne our light, or grow carelesse of it: let vsus not build with one hand and ouerthrow with the other by prophanenesse, like those men which while they surfetted at their gluttonous tables, did call vponupon God for health. Christ is not receiued with the left hand: if the father offering a gift, do see the sonne stretch foorth his left hand, hee will withdraw his gift from him. I say let vsus not contemne our light as the Iewes contemned their glory. For what is light to him that will shut his eyes against it? What is this light? It is such a glorious light, and such an excellent reuelation, that great and mightie kings hauehave earnestly desired Mat. 13.to see, and Princes hauehave laid downe their crownes to reueale it. Let vsus embrace this light, let vsus take and put on the wedding garment, and go to the banket, vntounto which a thousand messengers hauehave inuited vsus, and alledge none excuses: say not, I hauehave married Mat. 22.a wife, I hauehave bought Oxen, I go to see a farme, &c. and therefore I cannot come, neither will I come. Well do so, if that ye will needs: but remember that thou wast inuited, and therefore the blessing shall be giuen to another. And Esau shall weepe for the Heb. 1 2.blessing but shall not hauehave it.
But giuegive me a reason I pray thee, why thou wilt be called the seruant of God, which doest not serue him, or the child of God, which doest not louelove him, or the disciple of Christ, which doest not learne of him: yet his raine falleth vponupon all, the iust and vniust, and he giueth thee all things for nothing: the sunne doth giuegive his light for nothing, the dew doth giuegive his moisture for nothing, the riuers do giuegive their waters for nothing, and the earth doth giuegive her fruit for nothing.
What shall we do then when the sunne shineth? We must not Rom. 13 Ephes. 5.do as we do in the darke, for then men ought to betake them to their labour. Learne of the sauage beasts, who as soone as the day springs, betake them to their trauell, and eueryevery bird welcommeth it with many a sweete song, Christ is light, and this light is come: therefore hee that seeth not now is blind. Are not they then blind which yet see not, that prayer for the dead is vaine, needlesse and bootlesse? But thicke darknesse must hauehave a mighty light to chase it away. So that he which beginneth to roote out some error or superstition, at the first shall hauehave much ado for custome and naturall corruption are the first causers of heresie, and shall crie against her in the maintenance thereof, and withstanders of reformation shall say, great is Diana of Ephesus, and so for a long time they seeme to wash the Ethiopian or the blacke More, the more they wash him, the more they gall him, & yet he is an Ethiopian still, but in the end the Arke standeth, and Dagon falleth 1. Sam. 5.downe, and truth triumpheth ouer falshood, hauing got the victory, and light chaseth away darknesse with the brightnesse therof. Why then doth this darknesse continue amongst vsus still? To him that asketh what Scripture hauehave you against it? it is sufficient to answere, what Scripture hauehave you for it? For if the word command it not, God reiecteth it, and will say, who hath required these things at your hands? But what is this, for eueryevery idle word you must giuegive account, as our Sauiour Iesus Christ saith. Mat 12. And whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne. Rom. 14. 23. They aske, what, shal we not say God be with them? Why shold you? Why (say they) must we say nothing? What if thou do not? What saiest thou, when thou mentionest the death of thy first fathers, Adam, Seth, Enos, Enoch, Noah? Doest thou lesse louelove these, not praying for them, then thou doest them for whom thou saiest, God bee with them, &c,
But thou hast speeches inough to vse, if thou wilt needs say somwhat, and leaue such supersticious and offensiue sentences, if he be a good man, thou maist say, the Lord be thanked for his deliuerance, or the like: but if he be not, then thou maist say, God graunt we may do better then he hath done, and that by his fall we may learne to rise from sinne, or some such thing: whatsoeuer he be, thou maiest say as Dauid said of his child, giuing a reason why he would not pray for him any longer being dead. Can I call him backe againe? I shall go to him, but he shall not returne to me: or any other words, so they be wise, and therefore not against the word. What then is to be done? As Iacob said to his wiues and children; GiueGive me your idols that I may burie them: so say I vntounto you, giuegive me your superstitions that I may bury them, that they may remaine with you, or in you, no lōger to the dishonor of God, offending of your weake brethrē, or to my greefe. For I am iealous ouer you, and because you are mine and I am yours, O that my voyce were as the whirlewind, to beate downe, roote out, and blow away all your superstitions, that they may no longer raigne among you: or rather ô that Christ which is our light were come into vsus all, and shined so bright, that we were ashamed of all our darknesse: of all, not of mind onelyonly, but of will also, and of workes, that we no longer would walke in darkenesse, for few hauehave the will to walke according to the word, either in darknesse or light: we can see to sinne in the darke as well as in the light, and do rather, because the light discouereth both the harlot and the theef, so they are afraid of the light, but assured be we, where light is not, Christ is not: for Christ is Iohn. 1.light, and let none be afraid to seeke this light which is so good, so excellent, and so profitable for vsus. For it doth not onelyonly descrie it selfe, but all other things round about it. Therefore if thou hast this light, thy faith, thy feare, thy louelove will shew it selfe, and good things cannot now hide themselues, for he that is light, doth delight to please God in the light. It is no maruell though a man stumble in the darke, but hee which stumbleth in the light is not very strong, because he seeth his way before him. Once we stumbled at eueryevery straw when we walked in darknesse, for then wrath had a fall, pride had a fall, lust had a fall, drunkennesse had a fall, penury had a fall, ignorance had a fall: or if you will, pride rose & we fell, lust rose, and we fell, &c.
Were Egypt as light as Goshen, we should hauehave idolaters as ioyfull as true worshippers, but there is palpable darknesse, tedious, fearfull, and of long continuance in Egypt, cleare light onelyonly in Goshen: therefore flie Egypt, but if thou liue in Egypt, that is, walke in darknesse, or commit wickednesse, though thou sin in the darke, the light will bewray thee, and thy conscience will accuse thee, and condemne thee for it. Therefore now giuegive ouer darknesse, and arme thee with light, for our life shineth like the light, therfore now we should be Israel, for Israel is reuolted.
But many scrolles may be written of our sinnes, and thus the Gentiles are as Gentiles still. He that beleeueth not the word, is an infidell, hee that beleeueth not God, is an Atheist, hee that worshippeth any thing more then God, is an idolater: eueryevery mans conscience shall condemne himselfe. Yet men will leaue godlinesse for riches, but they will not leaue their riches for godlinesse. What madnesse? Yea the Iewes neuer serued God at any time with such deuotion as many do now their golde and their riches, ô intollerable wickednesse! For many there are which could be content neuer to die, but liue euer here with their riches and pleasures.
And is not the godly more dispited for his godlinesse then the wicked for his wickednesse?
Are not the members of Christ more hated, and worse entertained by vsus then the limmes of Sathan? So dearely doth eueryevery one louelove sinne, and drawes sinne vponupon sinne, till there bee a chaine of many linkes and monsters therein drawne most lothsome. And though we of our selues run swiftly to hel, yet the most driue vsus to make vsus hie faster, they come vntounto vsus and say, your fathers loued vsus well, and said vntounto vsus, if you will be faire, you shall be wise, if you will be drunke you shalbe rich, &c. Yea eueryevery one pointeth at, and sheweth vsus the way which leadeth to destruction: and how few are the number of them which shew vsus the way of vertue and godlinesse?
And thus we are euen as forward as those Iewes which striue who shall come into hell first. Who did euer thanke God that he was not borne an hundred yeares ago, when ignorance spread ouer all, and all Egypt was smitten with darkenesse? or that the Lord hath not left him to himselfe to become an Atheist, or an Epicure which liues without God in the world? We hauehave al Gods gifts offered vsus, but we hauehave refused them. Christ brought light, but we had rather he had brought darkenesse, for we louelove darkenesse more then light. The Angels, the heauens, the word, the spirit, are light, and we which see it are darkenesse, for we cannot abide light, but are like an owle which flieth out of a bare field from the light of the day, such a death is day vntounto vsus. Faith is flowne away, truth is become a pilgrime, & eueryevery string is out of tune. He which shold weepe & be sorrowfull, laughes: & truth is brought to the ground, yea poore truth is euen persecuted to the death: but sinners are stubble, & their sentence is burne them.
How fine wold be the way of vertue, if you would pare away the rubs that are in it, if you would take away all occasions of sin, and giuegive it gall to eat, & when you hauehave done so, set a crowne of thornes vponupon the head thereof, and when you hauehave thus crowned it, make it carry the crosse, and when it hath carried the crosse condemne it, and when you hauehave condemned it, put it to death, and when ye hauehave put it to death, bury it: and when you hauehave buried it, roll a great stone vponupon the head of it, and set watchmen to keepe it, euen fasting and prayer, that it may neuer arise againe to raigne any more, the which the Lord for his merciemercy sake grant.
Amen.