enimies and at vtter defiance with God. The sixt Chapter ¶ That all Adams posteritie are ioyned with him in the same guiltinesse of sinne and so stand in the same miserable estate NOw the matter standing at this stay if God did so stretch his mercie as that he woulde voutsafe to take vs into his fauour againe to make attonement with vs if we maye perceiue him notwithstanding our frowardnesse to receiue vs as his children then if we did not worthily estéeme that loue we were worthy double damnation But let euery man be thus minded that he standeth in case like with Adam Let euery one consider his necessitie and search his wounde and sée what néede he hath of suche a medicine for some peraduenture there be hauing so little taste of the truthe that they will say what tell ye me of Adam what haue I to doe with him Other not considering their owne infirmitie in whome the inposthume of sinne lyeth so hidden that they will beare themselues as whole and sounde whereas within like painted Sepulchers they are full of corruption hauing nothing in them to shewe when they shall come to be opened but rustie and rotten bones and suche sayings procéede from them as doe declare their hollowe heartes puffed vp with painted hipocrisie and double dissimulation These men will say I am not like Adam or if I had bene in Adams case I would haue looked better before I had made so rashe a leape But O thou man dissemble not with God iudge thy selfe leaste thou be iudged of the Lorde searche the bottome of thy conscience take thy glasse in thine hande is it a true glasse what then findest thou there but the very face of Adam be it neuer so well coloured It is true it is to true euery one of vs are falne we haue sinned euery mothers childe as truely as we are the séede of sinfull Euē it is but vaine to say this if I had bene in Adams coate for we haue each one of vs in our coates cloathed a sinfull Adam or to say if I hadde bene in his case for euery mans skinne is the case of a sinner Nay we maye not so ridde our handes we can not washe our fingers so cleane but that pitche of sinne will sticke faste what soeuer face be set on the mater O thou man that yet knowest not thy selfe that art so benummed of thy senses that thou féelest not the serpent whiche lyeth gnawing at thy héele whiche sléepest in a deade slumber and féelest not the sting of deathe fast fired in thy fleshe whyche bréedest in thy breste the consuming worme of sinne awake out of thy slumber stande vp and hearken to the cry of Esdras in his disputation wyth the Aungell O Adam saythe he what haste thou done for in that thou haste sinned thou arte not fallen alone but thy fall also redoundeth vnto vs that come of thée and so saith the Apostle that by one man sinne entred into the world and death by sinne and so went death ouer all men for as much as al men haue sinned this floude of sinne it goeth with a higher streame thā the floud of Noe that went euen ouer the top of the Arke for so saith S. Iohn the whole world is set on wickednesse Thus do they say of vs and we can make no better of oure selues we are lost euery one of vs haue gone astray we haue lost our selues in the wilde wood of worldly wickednesse following that blinde guide our owne wilfull appetite Adam he gaue the first onset and we brake not the araye he brake the yce and we are lept into the ditch we are all hong on one hooke like fishe taken with the baite for we haue tasted of the cup of short swéete concupiscence and as Esdras saith we and our fathers haue all one disease meaning sinne that shrewe amongst the shepe of Gods pasture we are al sicke of sinne that is the griefe that Esdras complaineth of Ieremie 31. The fathers haue eaten a sowre grape and the childrens téeth are sette on edge withall This Prouerbe did the people vse in the time of Ieremie murmuring againste God as though they were punished for the offence of their fathers But thus saith the Lord euery one shall die for his owne iniquitie euery man that eateth the soure grape his téeth shall be set on edge Now what father what childe is it that hath not tasted of the sowre grape of sinne Dauid maketh thy confession we haue sinned we haue done wickedly wyth oure fathers recken al the children to the last all the fathers to the firste who is it that hath not eaten with Adam the Apple that grape it sticketh yet in our teeth we are all choked with the core of carnall cōcupiscence that subtil counsell of the Serpent which deceyued the first man it will also deceiue the laste that venime hath infected the whole race the whole broode of Adams birdes Dauid he thus saythe of no worse man than himselfe I was borne in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceyued me Beholde no sooner conceiued in Eue but as soone deceyued of the Serpent and this hath God to lay against vs as he doth againste the Israelites Thy first father hath sinned and thy teachers haue transgressed against me Séeing then we haue tasted one meate seeing that we haue sucked sinne of the forbidden fruite what maye we looke for but to be serued of the same sauce euen that bitter gall the dreadfull curse of God to turne to duste and to dye the death In this state stande we vnlesse God take pitie on vs we are falne we lie flatte on our faces we are become dustie deadly we can not helpe our selues but as the byrd taken in the nette we lie fast fettered our owne eyes not seruing vs to espie any way to winde out we are not able to moue our féeble legs nor to stretch forth our wearie handes our soules are sicke our hearts are faint we must néeds yéelde to our enimie and be taken as prisoners of Satan that fierce Serpent and fierie Dragon The seuenth Chapter ¶ That the sinne wherewith God may charge euery one of vs can neyther be bidden by vs nor excused by blaming any other NOwe by this we maye consider our fall that we are loste without some special remedie and that we haue no part in Paradise we are in darkenesse wythout light sick for sinne panting for breth and bléeding to death But yet before we despaire let vs looke about vs see whither we can espie any hooke to hang oure hope on let vs conferre and take counsel with our father Adam what is to be done if there appeare any staffe to stay on lette vs there catch holde if we haue any thing to say for our selues it is good to speak in time What then shall we say how shall we begin with God let him that thinketh himself best speak first wil he say
the high Priests and presumptuous Pharisies sawe that Chryste and his doctrine began somewhat to be accepted of the people they thinking that a derogation to their worships sente out theyr officers to take Christe as he was teaching in the temple but these officers although they came with full purpose to haue apprehended our sauioure yet so were they rauished with hys heauenly preachings and wonderfull wordes flowing from hym so plentifully that they had no power to doe their purpose but retourned agayne making thys answere to their maisters neuer man spake lyke thys man but so was not the malice of those hypocrites stayed and with suche wordes they stormed and stamped against him continually saying vnto those their messangers are ye also deceiued dothe any of the Rulers and of the Pharisies beleeue in him but this people which knowe not the law are cursed So did the Serpēt deceiue them that they did still spit their venome against that vnspotted lambe that sought their saluation they helde hym accurssed that followed Christ this suffered our Sauiour the high Priests could not looke so low as to enterteine hym amongst them the Pharisies and Scribes in their owne conceit were to wise to holy and to good to take him into their company it shoulde haue stayned their good name to be called Christians it was not for their worships to haue professed themselues the disciples of Chryste so was our Sauioure an abiecte an outcast and made of no reputation he was disdained bothe of Priest and Prince and this is maruellous in our eyes But it was the good will of God so to prouide for vs that we shoulde not perish for Christe hereby hathe approued himselfe the true annointed the selfe Sauioure and very Messias and Dauid also a true Prophet saying that the head stone of the corner shoulde be refused of the builders they made no more of Christe than a stone to stumble and to spurne at where then had our Sauioure his conuersation he betooke himselfe as he disdained not the name of a phisition comming to haue the sicke euen to be amongst Publicanes and sinners there was his company to visite poore Publicanes and to saue simple sinners that was his comfort This was the comfortable tydings that he had to send Iohn Baptist into prison The blind see the halt goe the leapers are cleansed the deafe heare the dead rise againe This was his garde he was still busie about these the blinde the Leaper the lame the deafe and the dead in the meane space where was the rich the wise and the welthy Nay they would not be taken for Christes souldiers but the poore saythe he receiue the glad tidings of the Gospell and happie it was that all fell not besides but that ther stoode some at receite to receiue the precious séede sowen by our Sauioure thus we sée a greate péece of the loue of God working in his sonne our Sauioure for what loue is this that the sonne of God shuld so humble himself to set vs in honor with his heuēly father but yet the greatest péece of loue and the chiefe token of gods mercy towards vs is yet behind and that which is vnspoken is more than all that hertofore hath bin spoken that doth S. Paule set forth after a most reuerēt sort howbeit no man may vtter it with worthy words that place which I mean is in the seconde to the Philippians whome he exhorteth by the example of Christ to humilitie and wherein for our purpose is to be séene the loue of God working in hys only begotten euē to the vttermost point that may be imagined within al the compasse of loue and in that he procéedeth by degrée gathering vp in shorte summe all whiche is spoken in our former wordes concerning our Sauioure that it myghte enter into vs with a déeper consideratiō this is his saying let the same minde be in you that was euen in Christ Iesus who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God but he made hymselfe of no reputation and tooke vpon him the forme of a seruante and was made like vnto men and vvas founde in shape as a man Here let vs staye a while and deuide Paules sentence kéeping backe that whiche followeth vntill we haue somewhat considered this parte of Gods loue Christe the sonne of God a verye God a glorious God equal with the father and no wrong neyther is come downe frō the bright heauens to the bare earthe is content to be made of mans mettall taking on him very fleshe well pleased to be cast in the mould and simple shape of man no whit disdaining the wombe of a woman contente to be called the seede of Eue and laying aside his glory and as it were hyding his godhead emptied himselfe of all honoure becomming of the sonne of God the sonne of man like vnto man a very man a seruant of men and what else but a slaue to saue men if there had here a stay bene made yet might not the loue of God but séeme maruellous towardes man But that which followeth in Saint Paule that is muche more maruellous that cannot but inflame the hearte of the Christian with the loue of God breake the stony stomack of the infidel To what may I then compare those wordes following it is a thunderbolt that me thinkes should sound through the whole heauens piercing the clouds and shaking the foundations of the earthe bringing with it a smoking fire by the heate whereof the very mountaines melte lyke waxe ioyned with a wind that hurleth downe the high Ceders of Libanus Harken then O heauen giue eare O earth sée the loue of the almightie he saith the Apostle euen that glorious God beside that he became man in his manhoode he humbled himselfe and became obedient with what humilitie howe farre was he obedient euen to the death what death the death of the crosse Thys is that speciall loue God so loueth the world that he hath giuen his sonne to be a sacrifice for our sinnes to be slayne that we might not perishe and to die that we might haue euerlasting life The eleuenth Chapter ¶ A description of the passion of Christe and the profite that commeth thereby BVt yet that this loue mighte enter déeper and take a more grounded roote in our hartes let vs somewhat consider the deathe of the Lorde let vs sée what a preparatiue he had to his cup let vs marke the maner of his deathe and let vs behold him with our inward eyes in hys pangs as hee hangeth on the crosse thys therefore did our Sauioure forewarne his disciples what should become of him wherin we haue also a warning to consider the loue of God Beholde saith he we goe vp to Ierusalem and the sonne of man shall be deliuered into the handes of sinners vnto the chiefe Priestes vnto the Scribes they shall condemne him to deathe and shall deliuer him to the
broughte as a shéepe before hys shéerer that openeth not his mouth so was he brought before Annas Cayphas Herode and Pylate of whome he heard euill wordes ynough to moue his pacience but it was vnmoueable therefore he gaue them the hearing and answered their quarrelling questions with humble silence for pacience and silence they were two of the sharpest weapons he mainteyneth his kingdome withall Another saying of our Sauioure is this I gaue my backe vnto the smyters and my chéekes vnto the nippers I hid not my face from shame and spitting how that was tried true we know when our Sauiour was so roughly handled of Souldiers vnder Pilate now layd on with fistes now smitten with rods and how shamefully he was bespetted the Euangelist dothe most faithfully report and howe he helde hys backe to the tormenters what backbyting he had as well by euill entreatie as misreportes thereof Pylats bitter scurge may be for witnesse sufficiente another Scripture saythe he is broughte as a shéepe to the slaughter in suche manner did our Sauiour goe out of Ierusalem to the place of hys execution called Caluaria where hee was offered vp an innocent lambe and slayne as a sacrifice with bloude for our offences And so dothe the Prophete crie in the person of Christe pouring out hys complaintes and declaring the terrible pangs that he had on hys Crosse I am saythe he become a worme and not a man a shame of men and the contempt of the people all they that sée me haue me in derision they make a mow at me and nod the head saying he trusted in the Lorde let hym deliuer hym let hym saue hym séeing hée loueth hym agayne hée saythe I am lyke water poured out and all my bones are out of ioynt mine hart is lyke waxe it is moulten in the midst of my bowells my strength is dried vp lyke a potsherde my tongue cleaueth to my iawes and thou hast brought me into the dust of deathe for doggs haue compassed me and the assembly of the wicked hathe enclosed me they pierced my handes and my féete they gaue me gall in my meate and in my thirst they gaue me vineger to drinke they parted my garmentes amongst them and cast lottes vpon my vesture rebuke hathe broken my hart and I am full of heauinesse and I looked for some to haue pitie on me but there was none and for comfort but I founde none These were the sighes and sobbes vttered of the Prophet to be verified of our Sauioure whiles he was in that terrible horror and dreadfull anguish of soule as he lay like a lambe broken to the crosse and most bitterly bléeding to deathe for so farre dyd he submit himselfe in the cause of our redemption that he is made the most perfect patterne of all pacience so did the loue of God work in him that he was consumed euen of very zeale to hys house so was he turmoyled and tormented brused and broken racked and rent into péeces for euill deseruing seruauntes for our disobedience hée performed the vttermost poynt of obedience as Sainte Paule saythe he was obedient to the death the deathe of the crosse The fourtenth Chapter ¶ The sweetenesse of Gods loue fealt by a true and liuely fayth THis was the price paid for our redēption this was the purchase of our pardon euen the most precious bloudshéeding of the only begottē son of God so hath the merciful Lord stretched his loue towards the world in Christ euen to the top of the crosse and so to the bowels of the earth the bottome of the graue from whence he is risen to the right hand of the father ther to reigne vntill he haue troden his enimies cleane vnder his féete Now we to whome belonged nothing but shame and reproch may fréely glory without all suspition of vanitie we that in ourselues had no cause but to lament haue nowe good leaue to reioice reioicing in the Lord now may we withoute all feare triumph ouer our enimies with that sure Souldier of Christ say O death wher is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie May we now stay ourselues but to fal in admiration of gods infinite mercie and say with the Apostle O the déepenesse of the riches of God with the Prophet O Lorde what is man that thou visitest him or what is the sonne of man that thou so regardest him No man can haue greater loue than to giue his life for hys friendes What then mighte we now aske more at Gods hands what péece of loue is there nowe left which god hath not fully bestowed vppon vs for Christ is that good shephearde which layth downe his life for his shéepe O Lord what is man that thou shouldest so regard him O that mē would consider this loue of God which S. Iohn maketh so much of that he repeateth it again and againe In this saith he appeared the loue of God toward vs bycause God sente hys only begotten sonne into the world that we might liue through him And agayne herein is loue saith he not that we loued him but that he loued vs and hath sente hys sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes Let this sentence be well weighed The loue of God is a well conteyning the water of life whose operation is reconciliation whose riuers are righteousnesse whose streames wipe awaye the sands of sinne whose little drops refresh the hote hart of man flaming and boyling with the smoking fire of Gods furie and besides this it is a fountaine not forced but fréely springing of it selfe so saythe S. Iohn it is not a reward for a desert it is not loue for loue one for another but it is loue for hatred mercy without merite fauoure for falshoode pitie for obstinacie pardon for rebellion the payment of honoure for the debte of shame bringing hope for desperation and lyfe vnlooked for in place of deserued death thus dothe S. Iohn lay foorth the loue of GOD before vs as it were still harping on thys one string God so loueth the vvorlde and on thys playeth S. Paule also not without great pleasure in such sort that I thinke where it entreth the eare it may not but muche moue the hart for first he putteth the Ephesians in mind of their old estate in what case they stoode before they were called to the grace of the gospell that they so knowing them selues might the better knowe God hys goodnesse towardes them ye were saith he dead in trespasses and in sinnes yée in time past walked according to the course of the world and after the Prince that ruleth in the aire euen the spirite that worketh in the children of disobedience and here ioyning himselfe and his fellowes with the Ephesians among whome we also had our conuersation in times past in the lusts of our flesh and were by nature what were they the children of wrath as well as others Such were they such children are we