so he himselfe maketh comparison I am the breade of life your fathers did eate Manna in the wildernesse and are deade I am the liuing bread whiche came downe from heauen if any maÌ„ eate of this breade he shall liue for euer finally that God by the hande of his seruant Iosua conducted his people and sette them safe in the possession of CanaaÌ„ that lande so long looked for so commended that it should flow with milke and hony therein did he shew himselfe as a mightie so a most mercyfull God but blessed be the father of our Lord Iesus Christ whiche according to his abundant mercy hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrectioÌ„ of our Lorde Iesus Christ from the deade to an inheritance immortall and vndefiled and that fadeth not away This is that eternal possession whiche Christ hath purchased for vs with the price of his precious bloude euen the eternall and glorious kingdome of his heauenly father O blessed Bées that may be so happy as to swarme about Christ and to suck the swéete hony flowing from the floures of that Canaan verily there is heauenly hony eueÌ„ such as the eye hath not séen the eare hath not heard neyther yet hath euer entred into the heart of man that is it which God hath prouided for his beloued it was vndoubtedly a great losse which we had in Adam But thankes be vnto God we haue founde more in Christ than we enioyed before So saint Paule maketh conference of both estates for if by the offence of one death reigned through one much more shall they which receyue the aboundance of grace and of the gifte of righteousnesse reigne in life through one that is Iesus Christe O Lorde what is man that thou shouldest be so mindfull of him But herein is loue that Christe hath purchased vs a newe Paradise is gone to prouide vs a kingdome euen of his own kingdome doth he make vs fellow heires he rayseth vs togyther with him to the heaueÌ„ly places and with his crowne of thornes he hath gotten vs the crowne of glorie that euer florisheth and neuer fadeth although we eate not the fruite of the trée of the knowledge of good and badde yet may we be sure to auoyd the châ—king peare I meane to perish althogh we meete not with the trée of life which stood in the old Paradise yet in the high pillar of the Almightie God comming to Christe his heauenly table we shal not misse the worthy fruit to haue life euerlasting The fiftenth Chapter ¶ The assurance of such as take holde of Gods mercie freely offred in Christe THus haue we looked on and ouerlooked the beautifull worke of God concerning our regeneration in Chryste Iesus our Lorde we haue assayed to drawe vp that which was layd abrode now therfore to knit vp the knot and to make a through styche let vs cast asyde all selfe loue and sticke onely to the loue of the liuing God the true fountaine and wel of the water of life bearing still in mynde the saying of S. Iohn God so loueth the worlde and that he saithe herein is loue not that we loued him and that oure loue is but a fruite of the roote for so he saith therefore we loue him bicause he loued vs first let vs therefore begin to recken there where we haue to fetch all good things whether it be loue light or life eueÌ„ from that first fountaine whiche S. Iohn hath so set abâ—och before vs saying he loued vs first remeÌ„ber what he saith in whom God sheweth all his mercie without me ye can do nothing and what he saith to them that take parte with him to you nothing shall be vnpossible and aboue all things let vs consider the conditioÌ„ vnder which that deede of gifte passeth God hath giuen his sonne that whoso beleueth in him he should haue loue and life with God So doth God drawe vs vnto Christe as he pronounced by his Prophet he that beléeueth on him shall not be ashamed And Christe calleth vs vnto him come vnto me al ye that are heauy laden how may we come but by the foote of faith for whom he calleth theÌ„ he iustifieth and we being iustified by fayth haue peace towardes God through oure Lorde Iesus Christe by whome also we haue accesse through faythe sayth the Apostle vnto this grace wherein we stand for want of fayth it was that Christe was not receiued of his owne but the beloued beleeuers they receiued him to them he gaue the power to be the sonnes of God they are knit fast to Christe they are the body and he is the heade they are frée by him they are frends in one house felowes in one inheritance and sonnes of one father with our Lorde Iesus O how happy are we if we haue faithe for then are we chosen we are called we are iustified we are glorified God is on our side who may stand against vs what shall we now dout to obtaine at Gods hands for he that spared not his sonne but gaue him for vs al howe shall he not with him giue vs all things also we are Gods chosen who shall lay any thing to our charge Christ is dead he is rysen euen he to whome all iudgement is committed he maketh earnest sute and continuall request he pleadeth for vs who shal then condemne vs who shal separate vs now from the loue of Chryst Shall tribulation or anguishe or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword in all these things sayth S. Paule we are more than conquerors through him that loued vs And vpon this is he so bold that he sayth I am persuaded that neyther death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things presente nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lorde O let vs set this example of faithfull Paule before vs let vs holde fast the loue of God with him howe came he by that bolde and mightie spirite by the grace of God I am that I am sayth he againe we haue boldnesse and entrance by fayth in him that is in Christ Iesus wherefore his exhortation shall be moste necessarie at al tymes watch ye saith he stand fast in the faith quit you like men be strong let vs put on the armor of God let vs not feare to enter the fielde hauing Christ our Captaine aboue al let vs be sure to take with vs the shielde of faithe that hath S. Iohns warrant that therewith we may conquer the world as Christ hath done and S. Paules that therewith we maye quenche the fierie dartes of the wicked and S. Peters also that with the mightie force of faith we may mousell vp the bloudy mouth of that roring Lyon so we being armed and fortified with fayth we maye walke free without all feare now we
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
thus I am righteous I walke vprightly I haue recouered my selfe with good workes eyther I am not faln either I haue deserued to be restored againe Such indeede was the saying of the Pharisie iustifying himselfe so he layde out before God his fardle of fastings his rustie packe of almes and tithes but howe sped he the nearer the Churche he made himselfe to be the further he was from GOD he departed home righteous in his owne eyes but so muche the more vnryghteous before god O playe not the Pharisies forget not your selues whose children you are what else but the childe of perdition O earth earth that thou shouldst make so much of thy selfe Nay this is not the way to recouer the lost Paradise this was that fooles Paradise whereinto the Galathians were brought and wherefore S. Paule rebuketh them O ye foolishe Galathians who hath bewitched you are ye foolish saith he to séeke your perfection in your fleshe Take héede then S. Paule counteth thee but for a foole if thou go that way to worke as to saye myne owne deserts shall rayse me vp from my fall no it will be but a vaine bragge in thée and the encrease of thy sinne to say I haue no sinne that were but to proue thy selfe a lier for if we saye we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs nay in so saying we make God a lyer so farre as lyeth in vs this therefore is but a stolne feather belonging to a better bird it is the armes of our heauenly king Christ it is his ensigne wherewith he triumpheth ouer his enimies to saye this who of you is able to reproue me of anye sinne let vs not robbe Christe of his honor let vs not make Gods of our selues for who is good but God To say that we are guiltlesse before the iudgement seat of God in that we shall haue a thousande witnesses against vs euen our own conscience crying and conuincing vs it were a better waye to confesse our selues sinners for that waye there may be some hope for if we acknowledge our sinnes God is mercifull to forgiue vs and to clense vs from al vnrighteousnesse This waye did the holyest of all take for what sayth Dauid that chosen of God he cryeth againste thee againste thee onely haue I sinned and my sinne is euer before me this was the confession of the father and his wise sonne Salomon whom God had endued with such giftes what hath he to say but guiltie wherfore he maketh his prayer and as it were aforehande bespeaketh the mercy of God for him and his people for he foresawe as he sayth that there is no man which sinneth not and he maketh this question who can saye I haue made myne heart cleane I am cleane from sinne And Iob a iust man as the markette of mans iustice goeth he saythe vnto God holding vp his hand I haue sinned what shal I doe vnto thée And Paule the elect vessell doth not he also say guiltie when he protesteth thus of himselfe I knowe that in me that is in my flesh there dwelleth no good thing nay he felt the burthen of sinne so heauie on his back that it causeth him to crie with a great grone and déepe sigh Oh wretche that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of death And that holy Apostle Peter what sayde he but guiltie when he sayd vnto our Sauiour departe from me O Lorde I am a sinfull man Let vs therefore followe the wise counsel of the wise sonne of Syrach My sonne sayth he iustifie not thy selfe before the Lorde for he knoweth thyne heart This accompt therefore must we make of our selues we are bare Adams and naked Eues we haue nothing to hide our sinnes but the more we séeke to cloake them the more they doe appeare our own works they be but figge leaues they will not hide our nakednesse we shall be ashamed of them and will be faine to hide our heads from the presence of the Lorde when the coole of the day cōmeth that he wil call vs to accompt But why do I compare them to figge leaues the Prophete hath made a meeter comparison of them what is our righteousnesse like vnto it is almost a shame to speake of them as they deserue they are sayth he like vnto a cloth bespotted with the flowers of a womā O shamelesse hypocrites that can present the moste holy God with the shamefull cloutes and filthy ragges of their owne righteousnesse and offer that a price of their redemption Hath not God then left a lawe of righteousnesse by the whych we shall be iudged Yea verily But who will stande to the triall thereof that he hath kept that law he that thinketh that iustification cōmeth this waye lette him harken a little to the doctrine of S. Paule By the lawe saythe he commeth the knowledge of sinne that is it proueth vs guiltie it conuinceth vs of vnrighteousnesse and there is the office of the lawe but concerning our iustification we knowe saythe he that what soeuer the lawe saythe it sayth it to them which are vnder the lawe that euery mouth may be stopped and all the worlde founde culpable before GOD. And this is his conclusion therefore by the workes of the lawe shall no fleshe be iustifyed Nay let vs not take this waye let vs rather craue a pardon than pleade the law for that we see is a bone that choketh vs all if we stande vpon the plea we are sure to be caste in the great debte of sinne and after to be throwne in that prison of darkenesse neuer to be let loose againe no not til we haue payde the vttermost farthing Yet then we slide we fall here is no holde to be had no reste to be founde whiche way then shall we nowe turne vs Shal we séeke excuses to cloake our offences Shall we say this man or that man prouoked me to wickednesse had not this cause bene I had not transgressed neyther will this cloake serue vs it is not able to kéepe off the smoking raine of Gods wrathe which is poured downe out of heauen vpon all vnrighteousnesse This way was fyrst of al sayed but it would not preuayle with God for when God called Adam to reckening and sayd why hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commaunded thée that thou shouldst not eate then did Adam put it ouer to Eue and so sayde the woman whiche thou gauest to me she brought of the trée and I did eate then God called the woman saying why hast thou done this and she layde the blame vpon the Serpent hauing no more to say but this The Serpent beguiled me and I did eate But God helde not Adam excused by Eue nor Eue by the Serpente euery one of them beareth his iniquitie and they drinke all of one cup that is of the curse of God so he that giueth euill counsell shal haue the rewarde of
thirtenth Chapter ¶ That true faith requireth an earnest consideration of mans estate and the loue of God towardes him appearing in the death of Christ THus haue we waded in the bottomelesse sea of Gods loue infinite mercy wherewith he loueth and embraceth the worlde not minding to finde any ende or to search the grounde thereof for we confesse with the Prophete Thy mercy O Lord reacheth vnto the heauens and thy faythfulnesse vnto the cloudes thy righteousnesse is like the mightie mountaines and thy iudgementes are like a greate deepe but by this which is sayde we haue assaid somewhat to tast of the goodnesse of God following herein the prouocation of the Prophete whiche calleth men to the consideration of Gods mercy by this call O tast and sée saith he how gracious the Lorde is Blessed is the man that putteth his trust in his mercy And thus far haue we tasted the loue of God as we might onely picking out the swéete marrowe of that bone which S. Iohn hath cast vs for the comfort of our soules to feede on God so loued the world c. In the which shorte and swéete sentence duely considered and weighed as it is worthy what find we but saluation shewing it selfe vnto vs in a bright glasse and that as is aforesayde it is a knot knitting vp the whole mysterie of our redemption wherefore in the handling thereof we haue passed to this point as that we haue losed and vndone the same and as grace was giuen haue layde out the partes thereof to the viewe of the Reader Now that we may gather vp those pieces and close the knot againe let vs stand a while and sée what rockes we haue passed let vs looke backe and view the wonderfull worke of God declaring his loue to our saluatiō we know therfore what a losse we had in Adam being depriued vtterly of the fauor of God for so God loued the world in the first foundation that we stoode in the state of innocencie comparable with the glorious Angels of heauen we were fashioned of earthe but not endangered to turne againe into earth we were made men but like vnto God ours matter and substance was earthly but our forme and fashion was heauenly the patterne whereafter God made vs was his own image being in subiection to god our creator but reigning as souereignes ouer all Gods creatures blessed in oure selues in our séede walking on a blessed earth enioying at will the fruits flours of pleasant paradise that image of heauē all our senses they were sette vpon pleasure wythout any lothsomenesse what sounded in the eare but the swéete and cōfortable voyce of Gods blessing Gods blessing was alway in our eies yea what was in oure mouth but Gods blessing Our labor was rest our reste was continuall our paines was pleasure and oure pleasure was eternall we sweated not for we had no neede to trauell we were ignorant of euill tasting of no corruptiō free from infirmities standing in the presence of God without feare beholding his glorious countenance without shame hauing health without danger of sickenesse enioying life without feare of death the fleshe and the spirite neuer striued the body obeyed the soule and the soule saued the body they were knit togyther with a fast bynding bande so that they might not departe the one from the other yea then was the body in better case than is nowe the soule separate from Chryste the soule was not subiecte to death nor the body in case to be corrupted of the duste neyther hell nor the graue nor dust nor death no not the feare of them mought touch or trouble vs so standing as God hadde appointed And such was the loue of God that he gaue all those heauenly commodities as a state of inheritance to our firste father to him and his heires for euer O goodly gift of God wherein the date is euer and a day and nothing betwixt heauē and earth excepted but only that the fruit of one tree might not be tasted But O fraile flesh O lykerishe lippes of earthly Adam that knewe not himselfe and considered not how mercyful and louing a God he had of his creator it did not content him to be a mā but he would be a God a Gods name he did not content him to rule and reigne ouer the insensible and vnreasonable but he woulde set his foote as farre forwarde as his Creator in whose handes he was as the brittle claye in the potters fingers Therefore when that man had so giuen ouer the seruice of God as rashly to break his holy commaundement and to deuour the forbidden fruite what then myghte the righteous Lorde doe of his iustice but plucke downe that presumptuous stomacke but set his face with furie against rebellious man but hate him but curse him and cleane caste him off as one that despised his goodnesse vnworthy of his fauour and vtterly to be reiected as the seruant of the Serpent the slaue of sinne and a méete helhounde for the Deuill Verily so are we without Chryste cursed creatures children of disobedience childrē of perdition euer rebelling againste the ryghteous God seruing the fleshe with his appetites gyuen ouer to concupiscence the lost sonnes of the lost father nothing heauenly but altogyther earthly vsing the worlde and the present life as a shadowe whose ende is eternall darkenesse and as a course to runne headlong to Hell being nothing but naked soules ashamed to stande in the sight of God no not the best of all were we as holy as holy Dauid but must be faine to saye after hym I haue sinned as whose righteousnesse are but rotten ragges all to bespotted with the foule blurre of sinne whose hope is desperation whose life is without lyght and whose desert is death So are we falne and our féete serueth vs not to get vp againe we are taken prysoners in captiuitie with the Deuill and we are not so ryche as to redéeme our selues for our desertes are but such that when we haue reckened all that we can doe yet are we but vnprofitable seruants but who is he that commeth so neere perfection as to performe that duetie to set his brother equall in loue wyth himselfe and to sette God before himselfe and that in al times all places and al respectes and who then is he that dare aduenture the tryall hereof and to stande to the extremitie of the lawe S. Paule hath tryed that way and gyueth vs a faire warning as that the lawe stoppeth euery mouth no flesh shall be founde righteous by that rule Let vs then cast aside those figge leaues whyche can not hide our nakednesse that is the deserts of the fleshe the deedes of the law for this waye we maye be sure to méete with that curse Cursed is he that abydeth not in all that is written in the lawe Let vs not make so litle of the loue of Christ and so much euacuate his crosse as to iustifie our selues by any lawe
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