of offence that rocke it is that shattereth our shippes that shooteth vs on the sandes but the anchor of fayth fast fixed on the sure ground Christ hauing holde by his worde that neuer deceyueth him that hopeth for helpe that saueth vs sounde from storme and tempest from all winde and weather he maketh sure worke that worketh by the worthie and sure instrument of fayth and he buildeth once for all that hath Christ laid for his foundation directing himselfe alway by the right rule of his worde for they that come to that liuely stone they are a spirituall house as Saint Peter sayth yea they are the sure grounded and glorious temple of the liuing God thus then we being builded vp by faith casting anchor on Christ nowe let the floudes aryse let the windes blowe yet stande we sure for we beléeue in him that will sée we do not perishe those that are in that raging sea of the wilde wicked worlde they séeme to stande in great daunger of shipwracke but if we enter the Arke by fayth with Noe for S. Paule attributeth his fauour vnto fayth then let the Pyrates come let Satan assaulte vs yet are we harmelesse Christ is on oure syde what maye preuaile against vs not sands not Rockes not stormes nor tempestes no windes ne floudes nor fire nor water no not all the power of Satan not the gaping gates of hell shall moue vs a whitte Such commoditie doe those finde that be so happie as to enioy the inestimable iewell of faith but those that haue no experiēce hereof and féele not the force of faith they make light of the matter not séeking Christ by faith nor faith by his word and therfore no marueyl though they be stil ouershadowed with death being in darknesse comprehended not the light howe should they beléeue except they heare fayth commeth by hearing hearing of the word of god They then that haue lost their hearing howe shoulde they finde fayth where the séede of the worde is not sowne how shoulde the fruite of fayth spring howe may they enioy Christ or any part of his loue that receyue not his witnesses The Scriptures sayth Christ they beare witnesse of mée These things sayth S. Iohn meaning the contents of the Gospell are written that ye might beléeue that Iesus is Christ the son of God and that in beléeuing ye myght haue lyfe through his name Wherefore vnderstande ye that vpon this double point standeth the whole course of oure saluation art thou in the right waye therefore then it is bicause thou hast followed the counsell of our sauiour saying searche the scriptures Art thou out of the way The cause learne of Christ ye are deceyued not knowing the Scriptures This is the marke wherewith Christ marketh his shéepe by the voyce we know our shepeheard and by hearing we are knowne of him my shéepe heare my voyce sayth that good shepeherd and I knowe them and they followe mée Thus knowe where we haue to fetche fayth that wée bée not to séeke on this sid◠where we finde also howe God loueth the worlde in prouiding so mercifullye the lyuely foode of his worde that our soules faint not in fayth but let vs treade a little deeper in thys matter and that wée maye value faythe somewhat neere the worthie pryce it shoulde beare with vs let vs consider howe the market goeth with vs let vs consider in what case wée stand then shall we see what seruice faith will doe vs first this we knowe that we haue but borrowed breath and that lying in our nostrelles as the scripture speaketh our life what is it but a plaine warfare wherein we haue either to yéeld or to ouercome we vnderstande with what enimies we are beset as that wily witch the world the prowde swelling fleshe euer rebelling agaynst the spirit the serpent and his seede dayly spetting out his fierie flames and venimous poyson vpon vs Satan I meane that ramping roring Lion continually séeking and searching how to deuour vs Now he that must abide the brunt of such a battell and hath to encounter with so fierce and cruell aduersaries as whome we sée dayly murthering many a soule it is necessarie that such a souldiour shoulde go well appoynted to the fielde Wherefore in this behalfe it shall be good we follow the counsell of Saint Paule who speaketh not without booke but of experience for hée fought a good fight his councell is that we put on the armour of God and this is the furniture that he appointeth for to arme suche a Souldiour as we seeke He wisheth our loynes to be gyrded with veritie hauing on the breastplate of righteousnesse oure féete being shod with the preparation of the Gospell of peace But aboue all sayeth he take vnto you the shield of faith wherewith ye may quenche all the fierie dartes of the wicked and Saint Iohn likewise strong in the spirite he giueth vs good instruction and warneth vs whiche waye we may winne the fielde All that is borne of God sayth he ouercommeth the worlde and this is the victorie that ouercommeth the worlde euen our fayth then he addeth this question with his answere who is it that ouercommeth the worlde but he whiche beleeueth that Iesus is the sonne of God And S. Peter also when he had declared what an aduersarie we haue of the deuill as that lyke a roaring Lyon he séeketh to deuour vs then maketh he this exhortation shewing howe we may stande agaynst the assaultes of Satan resist him sayth he stedfast in the fayth Thus is fayth commended vnto vs of all hands as a shielde to defende vs in all assaultes and as a sure tryed weapon to conquere and beate downe to the dust the diuell the worlde and all that stande agaynst vs it is Christ in déede that hath gotten the victorie but suche is his loue he dothe not enioy it alone but he giueth vs part also Thus he comforteth vs lyke a captayne of courage be of good chéere for I haue ouercommed the worlde He fought the fight indéede he hath taken the fort but he giueth vs the spoyle and is content that his victorie be accounted our victorie so speaketh Saint Paule acknowledging the loue of God therein Thankes be to God sayth he which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lorde Iesus Christ and howe hath Christ giuen vs the victory but as he sayeth fayth quencheth the fierie dartes of the wicked and as Saint Iohn sayth our faith in Christ ouercommeth the worlde and as Saint Peter exhorteth by stedfastnesse of fayth to resist the Deuill Suche is the marueylous vertue of true beliefe that by it we enioye all the fruites whiche spring so plenteously oute of that flourishing roote of Ishai for Christ had subdued sinne so haue wée by fayth in Christe Christe by death hath ouercommed death so haue we by faith Christ is proued by suffering a Sauiour and wée by fayth are
vnto the worlde and this we knowe that God hath not giuen him to any other rather than to vs he is our Sauiour if we be so happie as to receiue him for we being graffed in Christe are members of that worlde which God so loueth Nowe adding to this the knowledge by what meanes Christe wrought this reconciliation how he hath throughlye appeased the wrath of the father whiche we see was so kindled against vs and vnderstanding what price he payde for our redemption then shal the loue of God appeare vnto vs by a brighter light as it were in a cléere sunne shining Oure Sauiour saythe my father worketh and I worke we haue séene the worke proper to the father in that he hath sent the sonne and thus farre forwarde we sée our Sauiour in his worke as that according to the determinate will of the father he is come downe into the earthe and hath debased himselfe to the base estate of our frayle flesh so by this the work of our regeneration is in a goodly forwardnesse now doth Adam beginne to moue himselfe to waxe warme and to reuiue with a newe spirit here lyeth the Serpent a bléeding but by this is not the victorie gotten Let vs sée then howe Christe quitteth himselfe and reuengeth our quarell What force what weapons doth he vse far other than man would imagine He ouercommeth with kindnesse his armour is preaching paynes pacience shame rebuke reproch harde handling euill entreatie tauntes in the teeth and sclaunderous reportes scornes and scourgings false accusations vniuste iudgement and in the ende bitter and bloudye death This was the maruellous working of God that oure Sauiour shoulde passe those harde pykes to saue vs from the sworde of the enimie And beholde as soone as he entred into the world he straight gaue the onset he felte incontinently of our infirmities for sée the Lorde of Dauid the King of Kings in his byrth howe simply he lyeth wrapped in swadling cloutes Thus is it described in the Gospell A stable was his best house and a cratche his Cradle for saythe the Euangelist there was no roume for him in the Inne whose was the earth and the store thereof at whose commaundemente were the heauens there was no roume for him to reste in Well therefore might that complainte be made to the confusion of vnkinde beastly man The Foxes haue holes and the birdes of heauen haue nests but the sonne of man howe is he intreated he hath not whereon to reste his heade Neither was he suffered to haue that litle roume wyth reste but he was faine to flée touch and to auoyde from Bethléem into Egypt as when Herode in his furie sent forthe his slaughter men and bloudie butchers with this cōmaundement that they should slea all the male children that were in Bethléem and in all the coastes thereof from two yeares old and vnder seking thereby as it was forewarned by the Angell to murther the childe Iesus whom he heard should be borne King of the Iewes Such a welcome hadde our Sauiour into the world and afterwarde in processe of time being conuersant in Hierusalem and the countrey about with what trauell preached he the kingdome of God how few receiued that glad tydings howe many a myracle did he and what thanks had he and how small were the number of suche as beleeued and woulde be content to be called the followers of Chryste not disdayning the name of a Christian Now when he was most busy about the worke of our saluation as when he was moste occupied in feeding with the worde and conuerting by miracles the reporte that many made of him it was no better but that his owne helde hym as a straunger some sayde he was a sinner some a seducer of the people some a glutton and a drinker of wine some a man starke mad yea some gaue him this good word that he wroughte by the power of Belzebub Bitter wordes for the sonne of God yet this was his paciēce to beare Of the better sorte some tooke him for Elias some for Iohn Baptist and some were so good as to call him a Prophete but fewe were there found of faithfull Peters that iudged so ryght of hym as to say Thou art the sonne of the lyuing god And wyth whome had our Sauioure his conuersation here on earthe he was to be had in suche reputation as of whome the almightie father forespake by thys Prophete euen hym that was bothe a king and a Prophete I haue set my king vpon Sion myne holy mountayne and suche a one was he as Dauid acknowledged to be hys Lorde and souereygne The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde sitte thou at my right hand c. It had bin therfore the parte of Princes to haue bin alwayes in hys presence and the duetie of Kings to haue kept him company or rather to haue attended on hym as whose shooe latched they were not worthy to vnloose But true is the Prophet in his saying The Kings and Princes of the earth they assembled and bente themselues againste hym there was no company nor comfort with them for the méeke King of Sion and the poore Prince of Ierusalem For we see howe Herode persecuted and hunted him as the Foxe the shéepe from Bethléem to Egypt from one place to another and it was treason to Cesars person to call Christ a King he might not be taken for Cesars friende that woulde speake on Christes parte to mainteyne hys kyngdome But oure Sauiours kyngdome was not of thys worlde therefore no maruell though the kings of the earth were so cruelly set againste hym Our Sauioure was also the annointed of God a Prince and a princely Priest for euer of whose body Melchisedech was the shadowe he was that Doctor admitted and authorised to teache with that heauenly and thundering voyce of the father this is my beloued sonne in vvhome I am vvell pleased heare hym it woulde haue besemed therfore those high priests looked they neuer so high that ruffling garde of Pharisies those greate Doctors the Scribes to haue had their conuersation with him of whome they should receiue their saluation if they had harkened to him then mighte they haue reckened themselues wise if they had followed that good shepehearde then mighte they haue gloried truly as otherwise they dyd vainely that they had bene the leaders of the blinde But Christ was not for their tooth neyther any méete man for their company he was a stone cast aside of those builders although hée approued hym selfe the chiefe corner stone they could not reproue hym yet they refused him they myghte find no fault with hym yet he could find no fauour with them he put them many times to silence and stopped their mouthes in reasoning and argument yet they spared no wordes in misreporting him he soughte all meanes to winne them yet they disdayned him as one vnworthy to haue place amongst them for when that carnall spiritualitie
where was his sword now wher was his heart when the maid moued him this questioÌ„ art not thou one of this mans disciples what had he then to answer he made then a flat deniall of hys maister he was none of his disciples he knewe no suche man as Christe was and nowe was it tyme for the cocke to crowe for Peter to fall a weeping and a howling there was Christe left alone and giuen ouer on euery side for the shéepe they were all dispersed Now that guiltlesse Lambe with what a sorte of wicked wolues was he beset There was Annas the fyrste Caiphas the high Prieste Pilate the president there was the assembly of Scribes the â—ocke of Pharisies but thankes be to God the heauenly father his Christe had pacience ynough for them all There was in that Lambe bloude ynough for those greedy wolues the rulers and gouernors there were bones ynough for those hungrie dogges the Scribes and fleshe to satisfie that swarme of adders the Pharisies for all those there was pacience ynough with our suffring sauiour being ready to beare what soeuer burthen they might deuise to oppresse him wythall for they bounde him they made a scorne and a mock of him turning him into a strange disguised apparell platting a crowne of thornes vpon his heade adding thereto thorny and gauling wordes beyng haled and tossed to and fro betwixt Pilate the Priestes and the people one crying on this side beholde the man in dispite of his omnipotent godheade on the other syde another company crying hayle Kyng of the Iewes in contempt of this eternall kingdome and yet for further tryall of his pacience some blindfelded hym some buffetted him some moste shamefullye spued theyr spettle on his face then was hée tormented also wyth Pylates bitter scourge yet no resistance made Christ remedie was pacience but that was not thought ynoughe neyther scourging woulde not serue therefore he muste bée committed againe to the handes of Pylate hée muste be examined witnesse is sought and false witnesse is brought in agaynst the truth it selfe yea although Pylate himselfe coulde not but thus depose for his innocencie saying and repeating it often I finde no fault in hym wherefore yet thys friendship was shewed of Pylate that the people contented he shoulde bée let loose according to the custome of the Iewes This was the greatest curtesie that Christe founde he was set agaynste Barrabas an holy God compared wyth a wicked murtherer for so did Pylate put it to the peoples choyse saying Wil ye that I let loose vnto you Barrabas or Iesus whiche is called Christ naye if Christ should haue nowe bene let at libertie then had the Priestes his enimies froÌ„ the beginning lost al their labor wherfore Mathewe reporteth that they counselled the people to quite Barrabas and to aske Christ to be crucified wherefore the sauing and condemnation being referred vnto them when they cried for Barrabas that he might be saued then Pylate speaking somwhat fauourably as he durst on Christes part sayd what shall I do then with Iesus the answere was let him be crucified And Pylate demaunding again what euill hath he done That question might not be heard bycause it coulde not be aunswered but the more they cryed away with him crucifie him This was that rufull crie that Christe was content to heare for all the loue of God that was and shoulde be declared by him towardes the worlde he had this rewarde crucifie him nothing but crucifie him After this hard sentence as a lamb to the slaughter so was our Sauioure led out of the Citie to the place of his executioÌ„ hauing the coÌ„panie of his Crosse and bearing it part of the way himselfe Now must our Sauiour be serued as the Serpent in the wyldernesse he must be lifte vp to the crosse beholde he drinketh the cup of that curse Cursed is he that hangeth on the trée This is the true represented Isaacke that humbleth himselfe to the aultar a sacrifice for sinne and the Lorde suffereth that bloudy knife withdrawn froÌ„ Isaack to fall vpon his onely begotten sonne and to pierce his precious bowelles that the water mought runne out whiche shoulde washe away the sinnes of his people O Christians O men and brethreÌ„ this was ours by right but Christe is contented to beare our burthen he is contented to dye to dye the death the shamefull deathe the cursed death of the bitter crosse Nowe beholde the Lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the worlde O thou sonne of man sée what the sonne of God suffereth for thy sake sée how he is tormented let his panges enter a little into thy hart that thou mayste consider the loue of God towardes thee lette that pitifull scricke of our Sauiour alwayes ring in thyne eare as when he cryed my God my God why hast thou forsaken me for so did the sorrowes of death gripe him as thoughe he had indéede bene forsaken of his father wherefore he suffered him to be layde in the graue also that he might tast of al our infirmities as well vnder the earth as aboue howbeit nowe was it time for the Lord God to gloryfie his sonne in the heauens which had glorified him on the earth wherefore he might not leaue the soule of his dearely beloued in the graue nor suffer his holye one to sée corruption but hath raysed him vp to his ryght hande there to reigne with glorie vntil he make his enimies and our enimies if we be true Christians his footestoole and thus with the glorie of Christe doth the loue of God fully appeare towardes vs for in all this hath God and his Chryste sought our saluation for the sonne of man came for no other purpose but to saue that which was loste and by these meanes in summe hathe he atchieued the ende of his message he was deliuered to deathe for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification The tvvelfth Chapter ¶ How only faith wrought in vs by the spirit of God and grounded vpon the word of God maketh vs partakers of the fruit of Christes death THus is that worthy worke finished Nowe may Abraham reioyce with ful ioy for his promised séede is performed and he hath poured out his blessing moste plentifully vpon his faithfull children now is Adam truly made vp a new creature thus far is he in the fauor of God that he hath sent his only begotten son to purchase him his pardon God said in his indignation thou shalt die the death but so hath the sonne pleased him that he nowe cryeth thou shalt not perishe but haue life euerlasting Nowe shalte thou liue for so God loueth thée that Christ hath dyed in thy stead now mayst thou stand vpright for so God loueth thée that his Chryste hath falne for thee Chryste is rysen and beholde he so loueth thée that he offereth his gentle hande to rayse thée togyther with himselfe he hath deceyued the serpent
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
may defie the serpent his séede with all their subtiltie let the Deuil now rore and rage let him fret let him fume fome Christ is on our side in whome the Prince of this worlde hath naught to do let him as he dare fling vpon vs his fierie darts the shield of faith shall soone quench them let him cast his blockes and set his trees againste vs yet by fayth we shall soone remoue and rent them by the rootes let him throw mountaines vpon vs let the gates of hell be sette open vpon vs yet what is that can preuayle againste vs what may separat vs from the loue God Christ is risen and we shall not be kepte down for in him as S. Paule saith we are raised vp togither through the faith of the operation of God whiche raysed him fro the dead wherefore I exhort such as loue their life and like the loue of God and say againe with S. Paule that which can neuer be said to much stand fast in the faith of Christ let vs heare his warning while it may profite vs This is the condemnatioÌ„ sayth Christe that light is come into the world and men loued darknesse more thaÌ„ light And againe on the contrarie part he calleth vs vnto him on this wise While ye haue light beléeue on the light that ye may be the childreÌ„ of light let vs beware therefore and as we would be loth to lose our part in that ioyfull tydings of the Angell vnto you is borne a Sauiour so let vs take that warning of Christ beleeue in the light vpon this point standeth the whole cause of our redemption God he hath sent light into the world that light is life to the beléeuer betwixt beléeuing not beleeuing there now lieth the whole matter a bléeding if we beléeue not then no doubt but we bléede to death for Christ is come and this is he that should come we must not loke for any other he is dead and he dyed once for all he offered one sacrifice and that once for all let vs therefore now or neuer beware that Christ be welcome vnto vs that he denie vs not before his father and that we be welcome vnto him at his next comming For he shall come the seconde tyme not as before to saue that which was lost but to sitte in his glorious throne and to iudge who is saued and who is lost Then shall he vse his left hande as well as his right hande he shall sift the good corne from the chaffe the one part shall be gathered into the barne but the other shall be moste terribly burned with vnquenchable fire and it is fayth that maketh and marreth in this matter that is the knyse wherewith Christ shall cut the partes asunder if we beléeue we liue if we beléeue not we liue not for it is decréed that Christ shall deale those two dishes to perish and to haue life euerlasting And he hath alreadie made the deuision and shall as certainly distribute it And this is thy portion O vnhappie infidell Christ biddeth thée depart from him for thou hast not receyued him thou hast refused the loue of God offered in Christ and therefore must thou take thy part with the Diuell and his fellowes thou shalt perish and not haue life euerlasting but blessed are you ye faythfull beléeuers you haue the right hand Christ biddeth you welcome you are the beloued of God you haue not bene ashamed to receyue Christ on the earth and he shall receyue you in the high heauens you shall possesse the glorious kingdome prepared for the chosen of God you shall not perish but haue life euerlasting The which God graunt vs of the loue wherwith he so loueth the world for his only begotten sonnes sake God be blessed for euer Amen By M.A.K. The yeare of our Lorde 1562. A godly aduise touching Mariage WOrshipfull as I am not vnmindfull so I desire by these not to seeme vnthaÌ„kfull for those rewards not small in my purse which you haue heretofore of your liberalitie diuerse times bestowed on me The which my purpose is not here to recompence as Courtiers thinke sufficient to rewarde other mens good workes with their fayre words but yet I thought it good maner first to make this curtesie before I entered any further matter with you least I should seeme still to begge and neuer to bring or else that my bringing might séeme nothing else but a coloured begging euen as the subtill fawning Spaniell ofte tymes fetcheth hys Maysters gloue in hope to chaunge it for a better morsell Wherefore vnderstand you that this procéedeth not of any suche purpose as eyther to picke any thanke for an vndeserued good turne for therein you are before hande with me eyther to quite you with like measure as you haue met vnto me for that is also aboue my reache but onely I wish you to accept this as a pledge of a gratefull minde confessing vnto you a debt and yet desiring a pardon of payment And suche is the pledge whiche I haue to commende vnto you surely without dissimulation no better than of that whiche is growne in mine owne ground no farre fet thing neyther dearely bought and therefore not méete for you especially if you bée very Ladie fine no greater than that came out of my penne not more precious than may be kept and caried in a poore péece of paper of no further forme and fashion than mine owne handes could frame mine owne simple witte might worke The fine cooke men dight the rude morsell with some conceyte of their cunning but I haue no other Sugar to grace my dishe withall but as I haue sayde Wherefore as you sée so shall you taste as you like the qualities so accept my present Whereas therefore your gentlenesse is suche that it deserueth great thankfulnesse and otherwise moued if you had not sette me vp this marke I thought it my part if you should take it in good part not to spare penne paper nor paines at this present in writing vnto you and although it were more meete for me to treate trysles than mysteries things of naught little force thaÌ„ matters of weight and great importance yet considering your person whose case requireth euen in inforced tryfles to séeke a grauitie and I â—eeing loth that lost labour shoulde run with lost time for lost time I account lost laÌ„ds haue bethought my selfe to deuise some matter that happily might quite your labor for reading and not be altogither fruitlesse in wit so that altogither my wordes might not séeme as wasted winde and I might be somewhat botter occupied than as one that did naught else but tell the clockes and watch the sunne howe he shadoweth the diall Considering therefore the state of your life the case wherein you now stande that is towards me and the world my sister a woman once a wife nowe a widow and therefore hauing of God leaue and libertie by mariage to