Simeon was thankfull . Here is the example , but where be they Luke 17. that follow it ? If nine leapers be clensed , yet but one returneth to giue thanks , then one is all . Vnthankfulnesse is the first guest that sitteth at the table ; for some will not sticke to say , that they neuer said grace since they were children , but if they had said they neuer had grace since they were children , I would rather beleeue them . Do you not say , Giue vs this day our dayly bread ? If you do , for . shame say so no more , begge no more at Gods hands , vntill you Leu . 26. 16. bee more thankfull for that you haue receiued . For behold , the heauens frowne vpon you for your sins , and the earth denieth her fruite , and is become barren , because of your vnthankfulnesse .

Here Simeon prayed & praised God , yet but in few words , for God delighteth not in much babling , he prayed not like the Ethnicks , the Pharisies , or the Priests of Baal , but Simeon praied with the heart like Moses , and was heard .

And said : He ioyfully praysing God spake , yea sweetly as it were sung it . Though you sing all Dauids Psalmes ouer , and haue not Dauids spirit , it profiteth nothing : and though Dauid was heard when he sung them , yet you cannot be heard . Therefore let vs pray so , that our prayers may be heard . But we cannot with the heart , and so that we may be heard pray , if we turne away Prou. 28. 9. our eares from the word : for so doing , whatsoeuer prayers we make , they are abhominable . Therefore let vs heare so , that hearing we may profit by it . Let vs not heare still so vnprofitably as we were wont to do : if we do , it shall be required at our hands . Do you thinke you shall neuer be called to account of that which I haue preached vnto you , & therefore as soone as ye are gone out of this place , all is shut vp , and all is forgotten , God is exempted Loh . 12. 48. Luke . 10. 42 from your minds ? Our Sauiour Christ saith , the word that I speake vnto you shall iudge you at the last day . Marie is commended , for that she heard our Sauiour verie diligently , laying vp his words in her heart , and Iacob was wiser then all his children , in that hee remembred the dreame of Ioseph vntill he saw it fulfilled . Those that loue the Lord with an vnfained loue ; do gladly heare his Ioh . 10. 27. voice & become obedient . My sheepe heare my voyce , saith Christ : and they that loue the Arke as Dauid did , will daunce about the Arke as Dauid did , and that with ioy and gladnesse . Isaac was a 2. Sā . 6. 14. Gene . 21. good man , his name signified laughter , wherby was shewed what ioy and laughter there should be about Christ Iesus , for he was the figure , the truth was Christ himself . The Virgin song when she Luke . 2. 46. Luke . 2. 13. 14. knew that she should beare him , the Angels song ioyfully when he was borne , & Simeon song when he was brought into the Temple .

If Simeon had not longed , and so waited for the consolation , should he now haue had this ioy and exultation ? he could not haue felt it , for as our desire is , so is our ioy . And surely therefore we receiue not sound comfort , or feele small ioy by the preaching of the Gospell , because we with longing wait not for it , we haue no liuely desire of it , we hunger and thirst not after it .

Simeon waiting for the consolation of Israell , longing to see the Sauior , was like the hart panting for the water brooks , till he had beheld his best beloued : but as soone as he had taken him in his armes whom his soule desired to see , he so thirsted for death , that he thencefoorth thought of , sought after , besought God for nothing , but to leaue this life , and hence to depart : for he forthwith singing , prayed : Now lettest thou thy seruant depart . But do you ( say some ) commend him herein ? did he well ? May not any man desire death ? may not the fastned ship in a strange land desire to be loosed to hasten to his longed for port at home ? may not a man imprisoned amongst bitter enemies , desire to be set at liberty , to returne to his owne countrey , in freedome to liue amongst his sweete friendes ? Are we not strangers here , and by vnpeaceable most deadly enemies , our owne flesh , the world , and the diuell , held prisoners in the chaines of sin , & manifold infirmities ? and is not our home heauen , and the Saincts and Angels our most deare friends ? No maruell then that Simeon here desireth to be loosed , or let depart : and Paul professeth he desired to be dissolued or Phil . 2. 23. vnlosed , as ships in a strange land fastned , as straungers amongst cruell enemies imprisoned . They were vnnaturall if they did not , it were vnreasonable to require they should not : for we not onely may thinke it lawfull , but must also acknowledge it , euen a necessarie dutie to desire death . For is there till then in vs any perfect , yea any pure obedience of God ? doth not sinne as long as this life lasteth , dwell in our members ? Is there any passage to the perfect life but by the first death ? The fish which is taken in the net out of the sea , struggleth to get in againe , and Adam thrust out of Paradise , would faine haue beene within againe : how much more should we be desirous to be setled in the true Paradise in assurance neuer to bee put from thence ? Therefore also it is not onely our dutie to desire death , but also as soone as any clearly seeth Christ , presently he desireth to dye . For though his state be neuer so pleasant , though his life be most delightfull , though he excell in riches , and pleasures , and honors , and knowledge , and glorie , and farre exceede all that euer were : yet at the sight of Christ he euen reioyceth to forgo all , the loue of the world falling away like the mantell of Elias when he was rapt into heauen , and so crieth with the Apostle , I desire to be dissolued , that he may be with Christ . For Christ is light , and as soone as they see him , they see also themselues and the worlds false happinesse : his glorie , and their shame and filthinesse , which maketh them wish for death , that they may ceasse to sinne against God , and perfectly please him , and enioy true happinesse with him : for all sin is bloud in their eyes , and all worldly pleasures vanities .

But why then ( say you ) haue Heman the Ezrachite . Psal . 88. 15. 16. 17. and Ezekiah that godly King Isa . 38. 10. 12. 13. 14. & that man after Gods owne heart , the sweete singer of Israell , Dauid , Psalm . 6. 4. & 30. 8. 9. so prayed , and taught others to pray against death ? Why ? Because they all were , and would haue others to be in the feruent loue of God , both to die , and to liue desirous : to liue , that they might amongst men vphold and further the true Psal . 6. 10. & 36. 10. & 88. 11. 12. 13. worship of God , so to saue their brethrens soules , and aduaunce the glory of God the more : to die , that they might perfectly obeying God , fully please him , and freede from all euill , enioying all good , with him most blessedly liue . For not onely the Apostle Isay . 38. 11. 12. Phil . 1. 23. 24. Paule , but all these , and who so euer are grounded in the faith of Christ , but especially all that haue strong hope to aduance the honour of God are in a strait , as the Apostle speaketh Phil . 1. 23. and crusht on both sides , euen with two contrary desires : to be with Christ , which is best of all for themselues , and to continue amongst men , which is most needefull for them . So that this remaineth a manifest most necessary dutie , and of all that haue truely as Simeon beleeued in Christ , performed , namely thenceforth still to desire death , though they also withall life : life for others , death for themselues .

Yet all that desire death performe not a duty : for the wicked often desire to die , but not duly : for though they wish sometimes for it , and be willing also to abide it : yet do they not in heart desire it ; because they thinke it not a thing in the ordinance of God good , & that for them , but vtterly hate it , holding it an extreame euill . For they acknowledge as the truth is , it will depriue them of all their delights which here they desire , and they cannot but at least feare , it will take from them all pleasure , and bring them to easelesse , & yet endlesse paine , and torments intollerable , and yet vnspeakeable . For the sentence of the vnchangeable God is already giuen . The fear full , and vnbeleeuing , and the abhominable , Reue . 21. 8. & murtherers , and whoremongers , and sorcerers , & Idolaters , and all lyers , shall haue their part in the lake which burneth with fire Mar. 24. 41 and brimstone , which is the second death . And the iust iudge shall say to all workers of iniquity , Go accursed into hell fire prepared Mar. 9. 43. 10 49. for the diuell and his angels . Hell fire , where the worme neuer dieth , and the fire neuer goeth out . Whereupon this the Prophet auoucheth , There is no peace to the wicked saith my God . For in their strongest hope , they feele a stinging feare , their greatest confidence Esay . 57. is not without trembling of conscience . Therefore fearing the euent of death to be for them ( as indeed it is ) most horrible , they vtterly abhor it , they detest it extreamely . How then ( say some ) should they seeke death so eagerly ? how should they murder themselues so willingly ? They do it not altogether willingly , but wittingly , not freely , but forced with feare of some supposed greater euill : the troubles of this world , the anguish of bodie , the horrour of minde , they are most impatient of , they cannot , they will not endure them , and thereupon they sometimes prefer death before life , lesse willing to liue in vexation , then dying to trie , whether they shall feele what they feare , euen deserued damnation : for they are neuer willing to die , but vnwilling to liue often , and so worke themselues endlesse woe in hope of supposed happinesse , abhorring life , not truely desiring death . For how die they , when they must voluntarily bereaue themselues of life ? not in loue of God longing to please him , performing al seruice to him : but either in paine of body , or else anguish of minde , either raging that they cannot satisfie their lusts , or haue lost outward things immoderatly loued , or fearing , if they die , deserued torments , if they liue , they shall either continue in felt horror , or leese hoped for honour : either impatient of Gods rod , fretting against him that they so heauily feele his furie , and cannot fiercely fulfill their malicious minds , or freely feede on the rest of their fleshly lusts , or impotent in their desire of some false fondly conceiued good hoping , with dreadfull doubting , by death to better their state , they choose rather to prooue the truth of Gods threats , and of the terrors of their trembling minds , then in life to remaine any longer , rather abhorring life , then any way truely desiring death . Therefore in that Simeon duly desired death , that which we heard of Simeon in the beginning is proued true , to wit that hee was iust and feared God . For none but the truly religious , none but they that by faith are assured they are before God righteous , can rightly desire death . For who would desire a change but for the better ? But all that are ignorant of God , all the vnfaithfull what knowledge soeuer they haue , cannot be in better case dead , then they are now in liuing though most miserably pained : nay they cannot be without iust feare when they forgo this life , to feele for euer the second death . But the faith full hauing their consciences quiet , & also ioyfull in Christ , free from the feare of that death they haue deserued , and assured by death to passe to that life which God to all faithfull hath promised , earnestly wish to die in feruent loue of God , and zeale of his glory , that so they may cease from offending their good God , and neuer cease magnifying his mercy ; shewing thereby that they are wearie of the seruice and bondage of Sathan and sin , and assured after death to enioy the true lif , most fully glorifying God , & most perfectly pleasing him for euer . And therefore also they desire death , not shortning their life , but waiting his leasure and calling , therby glorifying God as in their liues they haue done , & sought to do . For man was not borne at his owne will , and therfore may not die at his owne pleasure . Therefore they beg it of God , referring themselues euer to his good will , when , where , and how by death they shal glorify him : stil desiring it , but neuer wilfully procuring it . If any obiect that Sampson pluckt the house on his own head aswel as on the Philistins , we must vnderstand that Sampson was a figure of Christ , and therefore as it were offring himselfe to God a sacrifice , first prayed , and then glorified God at his death , more then all his life , in killing so many of Gods enemies .

And because they wait the Lords leasure , they not onely wilfully murder not themselues , but are careful also lest foolishly vnwittingly they hasten it . For all they are guilty of their own bloud , that either by foole-hardy , rash , or vnwise behauing , or with surfets , drunkennesse , or any intemperate vsing of themselues shorten their life . Yea though they tender their liues neuer so deare , yet are they in the guilt , because they willingly vse the meanes that brings death .

Simeon had seene much in his many daies , but when hee saw Christ , he was vnwilling to liue any longer to see more . His desire accomplished , his long longing at length satisfied , his feruent expectation with free ioy now fulfilled , It is inough saith Simeon , that I haue seene my Sauiour , as Iacob said , It is enough that my sonne Ioseph liueth . How much more then should we be satisfied Gen. 45. 28. with this , & in al thankfulnesse rest in it , that we haue seene Christ , not as Simeon in weaknesse & basenesse , but victorious , most glorious , ouer sin , death and hell triumphing , and are more assured then Iacob was , that he not as Ioseph vnder Pharaoh in Egypt liueth , but in heauen with his father in highest maiestie raigneth Lord ouer all , hauing all power both in heauen and earth : and moreouer Ioh . 17. 14. where he is , thither shall we come , and be like him , & with him as 1. Ioh . 3 3. fellow-heires raigne in the kingdome of our fathere for euer ?

Simeon knew Christ as soone as he saw him , and embraced him Rom. 8. 17. as soone as he knew him , and enioyed him as soone as he embraced him : so some know the word of God as soone as they heare it , and beleeue it as soone as they know it , and feele the comfort of it as soone as they beleeue it . But others heare it as though they hard it not , like deaffe adders which stop their eares at the voice of the charmer . So Pharao would not heare the voice of Moses , nor Exod . 5. &c. 1. Kings . 18. Baals priests the voice of Elias : & others though they know it , yet wil not beleeue it , as if God were vntrue . So al malicious wretches that prefer the pleasurs of sin before the glory of God . And others though they beleeue it , yet can they not either presently , or when they will , feele the comfort of it much lesse the ioy which is offred by it , namely the hart oppressed , the desolate afflicted soule .

The seed is not cast all on a heape , but it is cast abroade : therefore where be the fruites of the spirit that you haue brought forth ? for the spirit of God is not like a dead potion in the stomach , which worketh not , neither can we haue this spirit in vs and feele it not . For if thou hast it , it will leade thee as it did longing Simeon , as we haue hitherto seene , to the Temple , and when thou art there , it will lead thee to Christ , and when thou hast receiued and embraced him , it will possesse thee with ioy & so with thankfulnesse , and godly care to keepe him and to entertaine him , and to be obedient vnto him : nay also with a longing to be loosed hence , and euermore perfectly to please him . Therefore beloued , iudge your selues , that ye be not iudged of the Lord .

The godly would not leaue this priuiledge for all the riches in the world , for that they are the seruants of God , fellows to Princes and Angels : for we serue him whom Dauid , Salomon , Ezechias , Iosias serued : yea to whom a thousand thousands , Dan. 7. 10. euen Dan . 7. 10. innumerable Angels minister , Heb . 12. 22. euen him who is most blessed for euer . Euery seruing-man beares the cognisance of his master vpon his sleeue . What then will the Lord say when he commeth and findeth vs marked with the badge of Sathan ? Surely he will say , giue vnto Sathan that which is Sathans . But Exod . 12. 22. 23. Eze . 9. 4. 11. Reuel . 10. 7. 3. 5. 6. all the houses of Israell are sprinkled with the bloud of the Lambe , and all the mourners in Ierulalem are marked , and all the chosen are sealed with the seale of the liuing God .

Well , was it said the poore receiue the Gospell ? The yong men are more forward in the truth , and more zealous then the aged , the sonne then his father , the seruant then his maister . Once the yonger brother stole away the blessing from the elder , therefore the elder hated him euen for his zeale . And when was Iacob hated more then he is now ? when was he so hated and persecuted as he is now by Esau ? Yet in the old time men were more zealous in their age then euer we heare of them to be in their youth , yea they were zealous in the Lords businesse . Age hindred not Noah Gen. 5. 32. & 6. 22. from building of the Arke when God commanded him : age hindred not Simeon from reioycing and mirth when he beheld and embraced the Lord Iesus Christ . Then old Simeon embraced Christ , & he enioyed him with heartie ioy in zele , but now where is old Simeon ? there be but few of them to be seene coming to the temple to receiue Christ , but now yong men receiue him , yong Simeons , yong Daniels , yong Samuels , yong Timothies , and yong Onesimus , and the yong infants begin to speake againe . The yong Dan . 1. 8. 1. Sam . 2. 3. 1. Tim . 4. 12 Phile . 10. Mat . 21. 15. haue him , they are zealous , and I hope they wil keepe him though old men neglect him . Sathan thou hast too much for nothing alreadie .

Christ brings peace with him , not the peace of the world , but that peace which passeth all vnderstanding , My peace I leaue with you . Ioh . 14. 27. My peace remaine with you , saith he . Our peace is laid vp in Christ , and all the peace we haue , we haue by him , else Psal . 37. 37 it is not true peace . Simeon was iust , and feared God in his life , and therefore he departed in peace : so marke the end of the iust , and follow their steps , and you shall then depart in peace , like the lambe vpon the crosse . Faine would Balaam die the death of the righteous , but Balaam must then liue the life of the righteous , therefore Num . 23. 14 all men looke to this . Happie are they that depart in peace , who when death saith feare , and the Serpent saith despaire , then say by the spirit to the flesh , crouch , and bid the Serpent flie while death openeth the prison doores .

If the Papists wold haue men to depart in peace , they wold neuer say , that those which depart go to Purgatorie : for so by their owne saying , the worst part is behind . For they affirme , that the paine thereof is far grieuouser then any that in this life may be sustained . But againe some say , this Purgatory is in the earth neare to hel , & so it is too far from heauen to be saued . Some say , they are punished there by fire , and some say by water , & some say by fire & water . Some lastly say , that the good Angels torment , & others say , that the euill spirits do it . In this variety of most vncomfortable opinions , how is it possible hence to depart in peace ? But we must vnderstand , it is a painted sepulcher , made for the pampering of the liuing , not for the punishing , nor purifying of the dead . For the locust of Rome doth liue altogether by such Trentals & by such traditions , and this is the profitablest dreame that euer any of them Pro . 30. 15. dreamed , but it is manifest by the word of God , that where the Eccl. 11. 3. Luke . 16. 22. 23. tree falleth , there it lyeth , and shall lye for euer . Diues and Lazarus are dead , and where they are , thither shall we all go .