yet I saw neuer the righteous forsaken nor his séede begging their bread Doubtlesse GOD shall prouyde for you and yours sufficientlye and abundantly if you caste awaye all suche worldly respectes and muche more than otherwise Nowe I thinke these shall suffice to vnderset and staye you vp that you fall not on this side The next care concerneth my second suter that he take you not with the bayte of beautie wherby manye wise women and men haue bin deceyued and with a shorte pleasure haue purchased long and desperate repentance This caused Salomon to commit follie .11 of the 1. Kings This cooled she mightie Sampsons courage Iud. 16. Did not the beautie of Bethseba so rauish the eyes of holy Dauid that he committed with hir moste abhominable adulterie and made him also guiltie of bloudshed So it is written .11 of .2 Samuel He saw a woman washing hir selfe and the woman was very beautifull to looke vpon You might abuse these examples to folly as to saye These men were notable for strength for wisedome for godlynesse maruaile not then mighte you saye though I be ouercome in that case Not so sister but thys consider in these examples that if such of so excellent graces haue bene ledde awaye with these traynes you haue hereby a faire warning to beware and to be very circumspect in so subtill a pointe and so daungerous a case if you giue place to such fantasies that they ouercome reason you may soone slip into those inconueniences that you see in the examples of others you may plucke the house on your head as Sampson dyd As you choose your marke so goeth your game as you make your foundation so will your building be if the one be stedfast the other will not lightly shake but if the one be not surely grounded a little blast marreth much work surely the handsome person of man is not of long continuaunce Besides that it is subiect to corruption by innumerable meanes Wherfore if your mariage hang vpon that knot a little force will breake it a little laboure will vndoe it and of it selfe it will decay and weare away If this fansie be the leader of your loue you follow a blinde guide you may soone slide and wander out of your right waye Many an vnsauery wéede beareth a faire blossome so vnder a faire face there lieth hiddē many a foule fault and with sounde looke often is couered the hollow heart all hatred A liuelye example in Absolon 14. Sam. 2. I haue read an historie of one Paulus Aemilius a noble man of Rome matched with a wife called Papiria both for birth and beautie to iudge worthye suche an husbande Howbeit he diuorced hir and when hir friends entreated for hir demaunding of him what shoulde be the cause mouing him so to doe for they saw none séeing that she was to behold manerly and modest fayre and fruitefull Then he for answere thrusteth out hys foote and sayth Beholde see my shoe is it not fayre is it not newe yet none of you woteth where it wringeth me Belyke there was some secret fault in that woman not to be borne withall whych was so lothsome vnto the husbande as hir beautie coulde be pleasant Be aduised therefore least you finde that your handsome husband haue that which this man found in his faire wife If you will not that your shoe wring measure hym before you buie and iudge not of hym by the colour but measure him rather within than without least you wring for it afterwarde The goodly personage without wisedome vertue what is it better than a painted man Plato the Philosopher in the person of Socrates thus saith to Alcibiades He that at any time hath loued Alcibiades body hath not loued Alcibiades himself but he that loueth thée loueth thy minde nunc tui corpus amatur c. And the wise Tullie sayth Man is as his mind is not that forme figure whiche may be pointed at with the finger For this you vnderstande that man consisteth of two parts the one as the mind endued with reason that beareth the image of god the other as the body which we haue common wyth the brute beasts Wherefore Dauid you know cōpareth that mā that lacketh vnderstanding vnto horse mule and I me thinkes may well cōpare such lusty lads whose commendation is onely on their personage and lacketh learning witte and honestie vnto Plato his Man as Diogenes called When that Plato in his schoole had defined a man in this wise as to be a lyuing and twofooted creature made vpright and without any feathers Diogenes thinking that he had not well defined or expressed the nature bycause he suppressed that which was most proper to man and did concerne the mynde and gifte of reason he pluckte me a Capon bare and turned him into the schole saying Beholde Platos man Thus is a man if you consider not his mind a foole what is he but an vnfeathered foule A man without maners what is he better than a capon without feathers Wherefore if you méete any such in your dyshe estéeme him as you list I haue tolde you the price Trust not to soone those faire faces which come like capons vpon soppes and Sugar That braue apparell what is it but Pecockes feathers the good cōplexion the strength of the body the white hand the cleane leg what are these but fading flattering floures what but baites to deceiue the foolishe fishe all these serue but to please the eye and to satisfie the fantasie of the fleshe Consider what is writtē in the .6 of Genesis The sonnes of God sawe the daughters of mē that they were faire they toke thē wiues of all that they liked Therefore the Lorde sayde my spirite shall not alway striue with man c. Beholde that fleshly fansie of mariage for that they thereby abused and polluted the holy ordinaunce of God is expressed there as one of the causes that prouoked God so to powre out the raine of his wrath and to destroy all fleshe from the face of the earth Wherefore in this point I end with the exhortation of S. Iohn .1 epist. 2. chap. Loue not the world neither the thinges that are in the worlde if any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in him for al that is in the worlde as the lust of the fleshe the lust of the eyes and the pryde of life is not of the father but is of the worlde and the world passeth away and the lust thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abydeth for euer By these sister you may cōsider the true and sure waye you haue to walke you haue the bywayes that may cause you to wāder in some sort stopped vp you may see if it please you the good and the bad although set forthe but in a rude glasse Sing not now Medeas song who sayd I see and allowe the better but yet I folow the worse Giue not Venus your apple
treasure hidden and closed vp as in these wordes but haue life euerlasting here is poynted out the fielde of fayth where we haue to fetche that treasure héere is also a light sette vp vnto vs that we doe not wander in darkenesse and so léese our way I meane Christ that bright blasing starre the true light of the world finally here is as it were in a plot drawn out the worke of oure redemption and in a knot knit vp the whole mysterie of oure saluation and in handling hereof I thinke it good to vse that meanes that those do which when they haue an hard knot giuen them to knit the like straight they vndoe the same and so make it vp againe with lesse adoe you may say then here is a goodly warning not to perishe a large promise a ryche pearle a worthy treasure to haue life euerlasting but the next question is howe we may obtayne those promises héere is an ordinarie meanes expressed aunswering that question who so beleeueth in him This is the fielde to walke in the foote we muste trust to euen the fielde and foote of fayth But whom in whom shall we beléeue here can we not bee to séeke neyther For Chryste setteth vppe hymselfe here as a marke for our faythe to shoote at who so beleeueth in him Why shoulde we beléeue in him Here is answere to that also bicause he is that Prophet sent of God the sonne the onely begotten sonne of the father therefore ought our faithe to worke and rest on him What moued God to sende that Ambassadour not to spare his deare his onely sonne that cause also is not omitted God so loued the worlde c. it was his owne loue his frée mercy that brought this to passe nowe I thinke there are no more questions to be made no more doubtes to be moued For if all were sayde and vnderstoode whiche concerneth these pointes it were sufficient to saue a soule and to make a perfite man of god For beleue thou in Christ as sent of God as the sonne of God considering thorowly the loue of God by him declared then as truely as Christ is the truthe and may not lye thou standest in the state of saluation thou hast founde the fielde possessest that treasure not to perish but to haue life euerlasting The thirde Chapter ¶ That the especiall loue of God is the chiefe cause of mans saluation and that to the right knowledge thereof mans estate must be considered THus the knot being vndone let vs seuerally consider the partes and péeces thereof that the very bowels of the matter being searched there may a more perfecte vnderstanding grow thereof Therfore the firste steppe the firste entrie towarde the worke of oure saluation is the loue of God God so loued the worlde And to consider how this loue is declared towardes man therein consisteth the whole summe of our redemption And the first consideration herein to be hadde is this as whose loue it is we speake of for it is no vaine or light loue of man but an assured and stedfast loue the loue of God who is as S. Iohn saythe loue it selfe Then what loue it is that is here mentioned For God declareth his loue towardes vs in diuers sortes and manye are the benefits of God towardes man as that by him we liue we moue and haue our being he satisfieth the thirstie soule and filleth the hungrye soule with good thinges And the seruant of Abraham when he wente a wooing for Isaac tolde his tale vnto Laban the brother of Rebecca in this wife I am Abrahams seruant and the Lorde hath blessed my master wonderfully that he is becom great for he hath giuen him shéepe and Beeues and siluer and golde and men seruantes and mayde seruantes and Camels and asses This was a blessing a great tokē of Gods loue but there was a better blessing a greater loue wherwith God embraced Abraham and his posterity that is it whereof S. Iohn speaketh God so loued the worlde c. It is a speciall loue that is héere meant and it néedeth a speciall consideration Therefore that we maye the better acknowledge the goodnesse of God in this behalfe it shall not be from the purpose to remember oure first state howe God did then shew himselfe a louing Lorde towards vs then to set before vs our fall that we mighte vnderstand what we are whome God so loueth as S. Iohn here speaketh of loue that God shoulde sende his onely begotten sonne to be a pledge of his loue then howe the loue of God did worke and appeare in him fynallye howe that loue might haue his full effecte in vs by receiuing that worthy Ambassadour Chryste which is as S. Iohn saithe by beleeuing in him These being treated in whose hearts it shall happen to take roote it wil be a séede that shall spring to that floure that withereth not and fruite that fadeth not as to haue life euerlasting The fourth Chapter ¶ Howe the loue of God appeareth in the creation of the worlde and in mans first estate FIrst therefore the loue of God did maruelously appear in our first creatiō yea before our creation he made all thinges for the benefite of man and man for his owne glorie he bestowed sixe dayes labor vpon man and his necessaries as the booke of Genesis reporteth He layde the foundations of the earth and stretched out the heauens like a curtaine he gathered the waters togyther that the drye lande might appeare This he did for the benefite of man bringing all things into an vniformitie that there myght be a place of habitation for man but yet were not all things prouided necessarie for the maintenance of man wherefore he stayd his creation vntill all suche things were prouided as his heauenly wisdome thought best to serue his turne out of these thrée his first creatures the earth the firmament and the waters he drew out his other creatures necessarie for the vse and preseruation of man To the earthe God sayde Let the earth budde forth the bud of the herbe that seedeth séede the fruitfull trées bearing fruite according to his kinde God saide that worde and it came to passe and God sawe it was good it was good forthe glorie of God principally and it was good for the commoditie of man Moreouer God let the earth bring forthe the liuing thing according to his kinde cattell and that whiche créepeth and the beast of the earth according to his kinde it was done it was good in the sight of God and it was good for the profite of man of the firmament God sayde lette there be lightes in the firmament of heauen to giue light vpon the earth Then God made two great lightes the greater light to rule the daye and the lesse lighte to rule the night he made the starres also and sette them in the firmament of the heauen to shine vpon the earth God saw that it was good firste
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
for if righteousnesse be by the law then Christ died with out a cause Neyther will excuses serue to saluation for then shoulde the Serpent haue bene cursed alone as vpon whome all the blame was layde but if the Serpent seduce and be followed if the Deuill tempt and be not withstoode both Adam Eue man and woman they must néeds drinke of the cup of Gods curse This for the knowledge of oure selues what the world is which God so loueth and so setting before vs our reward by iustice the terrible torments intollerable flames of hel fire with the bitter byting worm that neuer dyeth whiche Satan threatneth leading vs forward fast fettered with the chaine of sinne what might we do but lye sweating in the myserable pitiful pangs of desperation what comfort might we finde one in another but teares and torments sorowes sighes crying and howling wéeping and wayling groning and gnashing of téeth But the merciful God the louing Lorde when we stoode at this point in manner at defiance with God although he sawe that al flesh had corrupted his way although he knew the imaginations of mans heart to be euil euen from his youth and saw that we alwayes bare a styffe stomacke agaynst him and his holy will yet hath he not vtterly cast vs of but blessed be his name for euer he hath shewed vs a glad and chearefull countenance hée taketh pitie vpon vs it grieueth him we should deserue his wrath but it woulde more grieue him that we should die the deserued death Wherefore he hath shewed vs marueylous kindenesse and more mercie than when we stoode first in his fauour yea more mercie I will not say than man might deserue but more than we coulde deuyse to aske For beholde he hath opened vnto vs all his treasure and endlesse riches of his infinite mercie choosing out as it were the best iewell of all hys store and stocke euen that precious pearle his owne glorie in whome is all his delight his onely begotten hys best beloued sonne in whome dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godheade bodily in whome are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge who is the verie expresse Image of the inuisible God him he hath not spared to make our Messias and to sende vs a sauiour to rayse vs from that foule fall of our first father to regenerate and make vs a new to conquer the world to slay the séede of the serpent and sée that we shoulde not perish but liue and reigne with him in his kingdome euerlastingly and how Christ hath approued himselfe a sauioure and how he persited that knotty worke of our redemption and made all sure that it might not perish what he suffered before he said it is finished we haue séene some shewe thereof but O that we could consider it worthily and weigh it in a iust ballance then should our harts vndoubtedly waxe hote with the feruent loue of God so maruellously declared in hys sonne our sauioure bearing this in mind alwayes that whatsoeuer he suffered he suffered for vs hauing still that voice of our Sauiour ringing in our eares and fresh in our harts the zeale of thy house hath consumed me Christe was sicke of that consumption euen of zeale to make vs an holy house to his father and what soeuer was done by Christe on the earth let vs recken altogyther vppon the ende whereof he himselfe protesteth the sonne of man came to saue that whyche was lost and whatsoeuer was layde vppon him let vs recken that ours by ryghte and that we deserued a thousande folde more than so for we alas like giddy shéepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one of vs his owne way we were oppressed with burthen of sinne but by him we are eased and refreshed for he hathe layde vpon him the iniquitie of vs all that are come vnto him with our heauy lode surely he hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastizement of our peace was vpon him and with hys stripes we are healed he came downe from the high heauens to raise vs that were fast slipping to the déepe darke hell he refused not to take vpon him the burthen of our flesh that we might by him be quickened in the spirit he liued amongst vs men that we by him might liue with God he suffered suche euill entreatie at that Foxe Herods handes least we might be a portion for Foxes and a pray for woolues he followed that thanklesse office of preaching that we myghte not perish but liue by hys worde for though the deuill say nay yet Christ sayth truely that man liueth by euery worde procéeding out of the mouth of God and therefore rather than hée woulde leaue vs vnprouided of that necessary foode whiche he brought from heauen he tooke well a woorth the misreports of the wicked blasphemers That we might call on him as a Sauioure he suffered himselfe to be called a Samaritane a sinner a surfetter and for our souls hâ—altâ— it was that he wrought so many a miracle by the meanes of one body cured visibly sauing a thousand soules by inuisible operation of faith so Christ himselfe saith vnlesse you sée signes and wonders you will not beléeue therefore to lay that salue to our sore also he professeth himselfe a Phisition and a Surgion nothing disdaining the company of such as were in miserie and despised of men he shut not his eyes to the blinde he came to the lame that coulde not come to him he looked on the Lepres he visited the sicke he wepte with the sorrowfull he lamented wyth Lazarus fewer times bidden to feastes than he was founde at burialls But this is to be accounted the least part of al the paines sorowes of our sauiour The cup the cursed cup of his crosse what hart is so harde that may consider that without great admiration of Gods mercy with howe bitter temptations did he take the tast therof before his hour came with what heauinesse of hart did he vtter his complainte vnto his disciples and againe to his father when he sweated that bloudy water let vs heare then our Sauioure himselfe vttering his complaints by the mouth of the Prophets Thus saith one he is despised and reiected of men he is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities we hidde our faces from him we estéemed him not thys we knowe howe it was accomplished in that the hanghtie high Priestes and proude Pharisies regarded not but vtterly dysdayned our Sauiour by another Prophet he saith he that eateth bread with me lifteth vp his héele against me This we saw performed by saucy Iudas who when he had dipped with our Sauiour in his dish streight after gote him out and made vp his bloudy bargaine and as Christ forewarned his disciples deliuered the sonne of man into the handes of sinners another Scripture is he is
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