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
for his owne glorie then for the benefite of man Of the waters God created the great Whales euery thing liuing and mouing which the waters brought forth in abundāce according to their kinde euery fethered foule according to his kinde God saw al that he had made and lo it was very good and al these things were made as good for the necessitie of man God made these creatures for man yea he made them blissed for man saying bring forth fruite multiplie Now when God had thus prouided all things to mans hand set them in so blissed estate then came the course of our creation then he said let vs make man how after what forme in what moulde was he cast In our Image saith the almightie according to our owne likenesse not as other his creatures therfore that this high point of Gods loue might with the déeper consideration enter our harts Moyses repeateth it double Thus God created man in his image in the image of God created he him neyther did he make him sole and comfortlesse but male and female created he them neither when he had made man straight he cast him of set him as it wer a grasing with other his creatures so taking no further care of him but without long delay he gaue him his heauenly blessing he made him a souereigne and a ruler ouer all other his creatures and streight gaue him possession of them God blessed them and sayd bring forth fruite and multiply and fil the earth and subdue it and rule ouer the fish of the sea and ouer the foule of the heauē and ouer euery beast that moueth on the earth Now beholde the loue of God towardes man in his firste creation God viewed all the glorious workes of his fingers and they were all pleasant in his sight but he did moste glorie in man as the perfection of all his workes wherefore hée coulde not but delight in him while he kepte himselfe in that estate man was nowe a blessed man when God had blessed him and blessed euery thing about him wherefore Dauid rauished in manner with the consideration hereof bursteth out in vehemencie of spirite and sayth what is man O Lorde that thou art mindfull of him or what is the sonne of man that thou visitest him for thou hast made him a little lower than God thou haste crouned him with glorie and worship thou makest him to haue dominion ouer the workes of thy handes thou hast put all thinges vnder his féete all shéepe and Oxen yea and the beastes of the field the foules of the aire and the fish of the Sea and that which passeth through the pathes of the Seas besides all this he made him a Prince of Paradise and placed him in a garden of pleasure where he turned him on no side but euery eye was full of the blessing and loue of God. The fifth Chapter ¶ The fall of Adam and his miserable estate by occasion thereof THus God loued the worlde euen in his first foundatiō wherin he shewed manifolde tokens of a fatherlye fauour towardes man but this was not that speciall loue here meante there was yet no néede of that loue let vs therefore nowe consider the occasion of this our necessitie why God shoulde so shewe his mercie towardes vs as is here mentioned let vs search the sore so shall the salue séeme more precious He that can not in himselfe finde what he is of himselfe let him loke vpon Adam as the childe on the father and the true image of vs all so iustly valewing our selues what we are whom God so loueth we shall haue occasion to set the greater price on that loue and it may be as a spur vnto vs stirring vs vnto a further thankefulnesse Nowe therefore when God had so mercifully dealte with Adam settling him in that place of pleasure giuing him such libertie as these wordes do import Thou shalte eate freely of euery tree of the Garden yet leaste the pot might set vp himselfe against the potter least by presumption man shoulde aduance and equall himselfe with his creator it was the good pleasure of the almightie God to giue him this brydle to byte on and to kepe down that stomacke which he foresawe woulde shortly swell with pride so to restraine his libertie as in those wordes is expressed But as touching the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalte not eate of it for whensoeuer thou eatest thereof thou shalte dye the death This was the holy commaundement of our heauenly father whiche it had bene the parte of man willingly to haue obeyed alwayes to haue obserued neuer to haue resisted so might he haue kept his possession in Paradise For all the benefites which God had moste plentifully bestowed vppon man he desired but this one thing that is obedience to his will. This was a sacrifice wherewith he woulde be pleased he hath alwayes cryed for obedience euen from the firste man hither vnto but he could neuer get it at any mans handes excepting Christe the righteous For Adam how did he behaue himselfe what obedience shewed he he stopped his eare at the voice of the liuing God his louing Lorde who dealte so mercifully and liberally with him it was forgotten whiche God sayde thou shalte dye and that voyce of the serpent ye shal not dye howe soone did that enter the eare For the man he gaue eare to the Woman the Woman to the Serpent they brake the commaundement they eat of the excepted trée so the blinde led the blinde and they fel togither into the ditch they became subiecte to the curse of God who called them to accompt for their disobedience and gaue to euery one his seueral curse here is the point here lieth the matter a bleeding this is the olde sore as they say bred in the bone that will neuer be gotten out of the fleshe passing mans cunning to cure without a speciall remedie prouided of god O Adam how wert thou bewitched thou wert once in an highe and heauenly estate but thou arte falne flat to the earthe thou werte sure in Paradise but now thou art endaungered to become a firebrand of hell it was swéete meat perchance thou tastedst but thou shouldest haue remembred the sowre sause that followed Coulde not these blessings and manifolde benefites receyued of thy creator coole thy presumptuous courage coulde not the feare of falling into the contrarie plagues and calamities stay thy wilfull appetite O howe didst thou forget that threatning thou shalt dye the death that double deathe the due rewarde of thy sinne But thou shouldest haue bene obedient obedience had bene the waye to haue kepte thee vpright but nowe thou hast receiued thy wages the wages for sinne is death Whilest thou keptst thy selfe within the bounds which thy louing Lorde hadde appoynted for thée then waste thou an happie Adam O thanke God for that nowe arte thou vnhappie and in miserie thanke thy selfe
euill and he that followeth euill counsell bycause he hath sinned he muste be payde with the wages of sinne here then are we as far to séeke as at the firste here then are we as farre out of the way as before here is no sure ground for vs to stand on yet that sting of death sticketh as déepe in vs as euer it did The eight Chapter ¶ The distresse and dispaire of man in the viewe of his owne wickednesse HOwe then is there no remedie to be founde must we néedes lie stil sweating in the greace of our own fleshly wickednesse is there none to delyuer vs from this body of death if it be so then sucke on Serpent then death take thy pleasure then craue thy righte graue open thy mouth Hell swallowe vp thy portion for thou God haste forsaken vs thou hast yéelded vp all thy right whyther shall we flée then where may we finde rest for our soules Thy face thou mightie one is alwayes against vs we sweate we burne we frie with the furie of wrath all places are to hote for man to reste on so is thine indignation kindled If I saye I haue done iustly then thou reprouest me as a lyer if I haue sinned then thou wilt streightly looke vnto me and wilte not holde me guiltlesse of mine iniquitie and séeing thou markest iniquitie straightly who shall abide it wherefore then hath thine handes fashioned me O that I had perished in my conception and that none eye had séene me and that I were as I had not bene that my graue had bene my mother beholde I goe and shall not returne euen to the lande of darkenesse into a lande I saye darke as darkenesse it selfe into the shadowe of deathe where is no order but the light is there as darknesse my dayes are as the smoke and my life as the shadowe O ye wormes I am your foode O corruption thou art my father O death thou art my mother out of thee was I taken and into thée I return to thée I bequeath that whyche I hadde from thée this lumpe of earthe this masse of fleshe To whome shall I betake my spirite I maye not long possesse it my selfe séeing thou wilte not haue it thou holy one I muste néedes yéelde it vp as a praye vnto myne enimie The ninth Chapter ¶ That Chryste from the beginning hath bene is and shall be the only staye and comforte of all sortes of men BVt thou sonne of man staye thée a whyle in pacience doe not so gyue ouer thy soule as to saye thy sinne is greater than it may be forgiuen humble thy selfe acknowledge thy rebellion but despaire not cast not thy selfe headlong into Hell is there no remedie to be found on earth then lifte vp thyne eyes to heauen there is a comfort there is a comfort cōming there is a sauing healthe in hande thy wounde is great indeede but there is a strong medicine a tempering thy fall was grieuous but thy rysing vp shall be as wonderfull many and mightie are thine enimies but there is one that shall fight for thée whose name is the Lorde of Hostes and he shall subdue all power Beholde thy creator hath not vtterly cast thée off thou hast found fauor in his sight S. Iohn saith God loueth the world yea suche store of mercie there is with God that although we were his enimies yet he is become our God againe and wyll stand an enimie against our enimies and although he seeth that the imagination of mans heart is euill euen from his youth yet he doth not vtterly cast vs off Goe to then Lorde we beséech thée we haue séene thy iudgements how terrible they are we are full fedde with the gall of thy bitter vengeance now if it be thy good pleasure turne thy face from our sinnes and blot out our offences create in vs a new hart renew a right spirit in our bowels shewe thy selfe once againe a mercyfull God we knowe we are not worthy to be called thy children we haue sinned againste heauen and against earth they bare part of our curse againste thée againste thée haue we sinned but if it be thy good pleasure turne thy louing countenaunce towardes vs Surely there is mercie wyth God he hath heard the gronings and afflictions of his people he is moued wyth compassion and pitie towardes vs beholde we that were shattered in pieces lying still in the sounde of sinne and buried vp in death the Lorde of his infinite goodnesse goth about togather vs vp and to set vs vpright agayne he intendeth to cast Adam in a newe mould and to make him a newe creature not of earth earthly but of heauen heauenly For there is a Lambe a killing whose bloud shall washe awaye our sinnes there is a stone framing it shall be layde in Sion it shal fall vpon our enimie it shal grinde his heade and crushe it in pieces we are but héele hurted but he shall be wounded on the head And it shall be thine owne childe Adam thyne owne séede Eue that shall thus subdue the Serpent So good and gracious is the Lorde he promiseth a victorie his owne mouth hath spoken it and wyth his mightie hande hath he brought it to passe for God so loueth the worlde that he hath sente what hath he sente euen that sauing séede that innocent Lambe prouided from the beginning he hath sent his onely begotten sonne bringing with him that pearle not to perishe with that heauenly treasure to haue lyfe euerlasting héere then maye we caste anchor all other remedies failing vs this is it we muste trust vnto this is the sure pledge of Gods fauor towardes vs without this comforte we had bene altogither comfortlesse but nowe is our ioy full and plenteous This is that ioyfull tydings sent from heauen brought by the Angell belonging to all as well as to those ioyful shepherdes be not afrayd saith the angel for beholde I bring you tidings of greate ioy that shall be to all the people that vnto you this day is borne a Sauiour in the citie of Dauid which is Christe O glorious daye wherein shineth suche a sunne the verye sun of God the bright sunne of righteousnesse in that day so bright were the beames of the sunne that they shyned euē into the dim eyes of Abraham this was the glorious day which he saw with such ioy Nowe by this is God truely become the God of Abraham Isaack and Iacob here is the performance of the heauenly promise and blessed bargaine made for him vs all betwixt Abraham and his God for when it might séeme a hope against hope that aged Abraham should haue any suche séede the Lorde knew that Sara would laugh and wonder at his worde yet the Lorde of his loue wherewith he loued the worlde established his couenaunt wyth them that in them sholude all nations be blessed yea we of England Irelande haue our parte in this blessing and of
Sara Kings also should come And to cōfirme vs in opinion that this is the very true promised seede by the whiche Abraham should become a blessed father and we his happie Children and by the which Adam should subdue the Serpent S. Paule proueth vnto vs arguing of the forme of the promise he sayth not to the seedes as speaking of many but and to thy seede as of one as thoughe he hadde sayde of all the Kings comming of Sara yet was there but one by whome we shall obtaine the kingdome of heauen of all the seede of Abraham whyche was innumerable as the starres of the heauen and the sande of the Sea shore yet was there but one séede whyche brought this blessing with it and that was as he there sayth onely Chryste and as S. Iohn here speaketh the onely begotten sonne of God for it was not that earthly Isaack that fleshely sonne of Sara but it is this heauenly Isaack the onely begotten sonne of God that bringeth his blessing on his backe neyther was it that Iacob the begotten of Isaack but the onely begotten of God in whome the promise was performed this is that wise warie Iacob that supplanteth and vndermineth all enuious Esaus this is the mightie and sturdie Israell that subdueth all powers to whom al knées be they neuer so stiffe shal crouch here beneath and aboue in earth in hell and in heauen this is the very séede out of which springeth all blessing all that are blessed among the begotten of men it is by this begotten of God this seede blesseth both the begetting and begotten the sonne and the father the first as Alpha and the laste as Omega without this heauenly Iacob had that bene but a detested Esau and not a beloued Iacob without this Isaack had that other bene in worse case than wilde Ismael and in this Isaack stoode the chiefe ioy of Abraham yea before Abraham was this Isaack was for but in respecte of him had blessed Shem bene an accursed Ham it is written that Noah foūd grace in the sight of the Lord had it not bene for this gracious Lord he had not founde suche grace for it was the hope of this grace giuen by Chryste that bore the Arke and saued him from those roaring floudes And this Isaack stoode by Abell shadowing him with his blessing while Caine was cursed and this is the selfe seede that saueth Adam from the serpent And that blessed among women the mother of our Sauioure wherein stoode hir blessednesse but in that the Angel said Thou hast found fauor with God for loe thou shalte conceiue in thy womb beare a sonne and shalt cal his name Iesus and she of hir selfe from henceforth shall all nations call me blessed From that tyme when God had so shewed his fauour as that she was ouershadowed by the power of the highest and had conceiued that fruit of the wombe then from that time became she blessed and not she onely but all those nations calling hir blissed haue part with hir in the blissed séede in the conceiued fruite Iesus This therefore is the loue wherewith God so loueth vs that he sending his onely begotten sonne his dearely beloued Chryste we stand in possibilitie to become the blessed sonnes of blessed Abraham let vs therefore the children with our father reioyce in this daye whereof the Aungell speaketh and wherof the Lorde himselfe sayth Thou art my sonne this daye haue I begotten thee This day was such as many Kings and Prophets desired to sée yea happy were they that were so happie as to hope for this day for all the blessed among the fathers rested in this hope This was the comfort of Iacobs féeble spirite nowe entring into the graue for thus he gloryed before his son Ioseph visiting him in Egypt in his sicknesse and to him was it ioyfull tydings to hear that saying at his fathers mouth God almightie appeared vnto me at Luze in the lande of Canaan and blessed me in the which blissing was cōteined the promise of the hoped and performed sauiour and a litle before his last breath he declareth his hope by these words O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation and this was the comfort wherewith the prophetes comforted themselues and the people of God declaring it in suche sorte as though the insensible creatures the heauens and the earth the mountaines and the valleyes should be refreshed withall such was the prophecie of Esaye Reioyce O heauens and be ioyfull O earth burst forth into prayse O mountaines for God hath comforted his people and will haue mercie on his afflicted And by the prophet Zacharie thus said the Lord Reioyce with great ioy O daughter Sion shoute for ioye O daughter Ierusalem behold thy King commeth vnto thée And by Micheas And thou Bethléem in the land of Iuda art not the least among the Princes of Iuda for out of thée shall come the gouernour that shall féede my people Israell and to the comforte of the gentiles thus he saith speking as it were to his Chryste Beholde thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not and a nation that knewe not thée shall runne vnto thée bicause of the Lord thy God and the holy one of Israell thus was Chryste alwayes a comforte for the hope of the fathers to rest vpon and by him was their hope full with ioy So did God loue them his chosen of Israell that he hath sent thē the gouernor that should féede his people he hath sent them the good shepeherd that should saue the lost shepe But this loue is suche that it resteth not in the compasse of Ierusalem for S. Iohn saith it is the loue wherewyth God loued the worlde God hath sent his sonne and he hath sent him as well for the light and ioye of the Gentile as for the glory of the Iewe and we that knew not God may now know him and nowe if fayth fayle not it shall please God as well to be called the God of Englande as the God of Israell for he hath sent the promised seede of Abraham that shall blesse the one nation as well as the other and he hath sente his sonne to bestowe his loue vpon all partes of the worlde that in him all people shoulde be blessed The tenth Chapter ¶ What Chryste is and in what state he wrought the worke of our saluation NOwe this hithervnto spoken we haue béene thus farre in the fauor of God and haue tasted howe gracious the Lorde is that we know euen for the loue he beareth vnto vs he hath sent vs a redéemer whiche shall be a reconciliation for vs and shall quicken vs lying in the shadowe of death that we might not perishe but liue for euer and who it is that he maketh our redéemer as by the fleshe the blessed séede of Abraham a true man and yet the onely begotten sonne of God him he hath not spared to make a Messanger of saluation
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
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
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
that deceyued thee he shall make his enimies his footestoole and he hathe troden thy enimies vnder his féete for this is thy séede that hathe crushed his heade he hath obtayned a crowne of glorie and he maketh thée also a glorious conquerour Al this no doubt did S. Iohn consider in the loue of God whē he wrote this worthy saying of our Sauiour God so loueth the world that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that he shoulde liue with vs bycause we were deade to him that he shoulde dye for vs to the ende we myghte liue with him that he shoulde enter into the earth to make vs an entry into the heaens We haue by this séene some shadow of the maruellous worke of God concerning oure redemption we sée the louing worke of God the father whose proper praise it is that he hath sent his sonne we haue seene also the painfull worke of God the sonne who hath suffered as we sée nowe haue we to consider the worke of the holy spirite likewise whose worke it is that we enioye those benefites sente vs by the father brought by the Sonne for in whose hart that spirit worketh not to him is the Crosse of Chryste altogyther fruitlesse to him is Iesus no Iesus that is no Sauioure and he may inioy no part of that loue of God whiche bringeth life with it for what now God hath sent his sonne is that sufficiente for vs haue we withoute any further adoe taken possession of heauen are we streight by thys in the bosome of Abraham shall we now take no further care is the Crosse of Christ accepted an excuse indifferently for all shall euery soule be saued Nay let no man deceiue hymselfe Christe indeede hathe made an entry into Heauen he hath set open a gate vnto vs but yet a strayght gate where fewe shall enter neyther yet is the gate of Hell cleane shut vp no it standeth wide opē with a gaping mouth and many shall go that way In the generall flocke Christe hathe his sheepe and they are the fewer he hath also his gotes and they are the greater part There is in Gods field good corne but that is ouergrowen with euill chaffe there be some likewise that shall be receiued with the right hand O happie are they for Christe is theirs altogyther there are also whose place is prouided on the left hande O vnhappie are they for they haue no parte in Christ let vs therefore looke vnto our saluation whiles yet the light shineth for as much as there is a little flocke which that good sheephearde hath chosen to himselfe let vs get into the folde with them and following his councell let vs striue to enter in at the strayt gate and that in tyme least the dore be shutte against vs when it shall be to late to knocke Christ is sent vnto vs let vs beware that we receyue him Christ hath brought this rewarde with him to as many of vs as do receyue him that we shoulde not perishe but liue for euer Let vs therefore prouide that we léese not oure part in that precious pearle what then is there nowe to be done Verily nowe we haue séene the loue of God declared by Christ there is but one steppe betwixt vs and home but one worde betwixt vs and lyfe euerlasting neyther hathe the holy Euangelist left that out of his place for those are the footesteppes he poynteth out vnto vs the loue of God the father the patience and crosse of Christ finally faith the good gift of the holy Ghost for this is the condition who so beleeueth in Christ sent from God he should be sure not to perishe but to haue life euerlasting Nowe then must we make prouision for beléefe that fayth faile not this must be all our care for what shall it profit vs though Christ come into the worlde and come againe if he bée not receyued of vs By fayth he must be receyued or else he must be refused his owne receyued him not sayth S. Iohn and why but for lacke of faith for to as many as receyued him to them he gaue power to bée the sonnes of God and what were they euen to them sayth he that beleeue in hys name accordingly as S. Paule saith to the Galathians by fayth are ye the sonnes of God the beleeuers then they are the beloued sonnes of God they are the right receiuers of Christ when that Christ the glorie of God first appeared amongst vs then did the Angelles proclayme peace betwixt heauen and earth and from God good-will towardes men for Christ indeede is the true Melchisedech that is the King that brought peace wyth hym into the worlde But what shall all this auayle vs if we beléeue not for so sayth our Sauiour himselfe he that beléeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life and he that obeyeth not the sonne shall not sée lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth vpon him so wrath remayneth for the infidell what then for the faythfull there is peace kept in store for him as for a faythfull subiect to the king of peace for we béeing iustified by fayth haue peace with God through our Lorde Iesus Christ that is the saying of the Apostle Christ is appoynted for the fall of many who are they but the faythlesse he is ordeyned also to bée the rysing of many and who are they but the faythfull for so sayth oure Sauiour likewise who can not belie himselfe hée that beléeueth in him he shall not bee condemned hée that beléeueth not is alreadye condemned bycause hée beléeueth not in the name of the onely begotten Sonne of god Christ is also a stone of diuerse operations hee is a precious stone and hée is lykewyse a stumbling stone To whome then is it precious but to suche as by ioyning the iewell of fayth therevnto haue the right vse thereof So sayeth the Scripture Beholde I put in Sion a chiefe corner stone electe and precious and hée that beléeueth therein shall not be ashamed and here Saint Peter maketh this conclusion saying to you therefore which beléeue it is precious this part is for the beléeuer nowe must the infidell take that which is left they haulting for want of the steadie foote of fayth make themselues of Christ a stone to stumble at and a rocke of offence although Christ be set vp vnto them a signe of saluation yet they like the Cocke on the dunghill do spurne him aside not knowing what vertue there is layde vp in that precious stone for such as by fayth doe finde him wherefore that Prophecie is their portion whosoeuer shall fall on this stone he shall be broken and on whome soeuer it falleth it shall grinde him to powder the misbeléeuers they stumble and lie vnder the stone they fall and are fallen on therefore must they be broken and that grinding stone shall grinde them to powder O the rocke of infidelitie that maketh Christ the rocke
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
all as we are the children of Adam withoute the loue and the beloued son of god But now Christ is come what news bringeth he But God saith the Apostle which is rich in mercie through his greate loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were deade by sinnes hath quickened vs togither in Christe by whose grace ye are saued and hathe raysed vs vp togither and made vs sit togither in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus O what is man that God should so loue him as thus to poure vpon vs the whole store and riches of his mercy and to bestow vpon vs his chiefe iewell his only begotten sonne and by him to exalt vs euē from the déepe hel to the high heauēs Surely God hathe maruellously shewed hys gracious goodnesse vpon the children of men but in this that he so loued the world as to giue vs hys son euē as the heauens the earth so dothe this farre surmount al the prosperity that any people al the felicitie that any mā at any time hath euer enioyed it was much that God blessed Abraham so as to gyue him the deaw of heauen the fat of the earth enriching him with great store of treasure and flocks of cattell but what was this to the blessed séede that blesseth all nations and Salomō in al his royaltie what was he but a lilie in the garden and a floure in the fielde but that he was assured of that promise made vnto hys father that vnto Dauid shuld be raysed a righteous branch and a king should reigne and sit vpon hys seate whome we should call the Lord our righteousnesse God as he had before the comming of our Messias chosen to hymself the Israelites a peculiar people whōe he tendered as the husbandman his vine so his hande wrought maruellously wyth them and bestowed innumerable benefits vpon them goodly and glorious were the frutes and floures that God caused to flourish in that vine but if we be braunches well graffed in the true vine then may Englande well compare with Israell For whatsoeuer they receiued otherwise we haue receiued as fully and wyth as large conditions in Christ the sonne of God they had but the figure more than we we haue the body and substance represented as well as they their 's was the shales but we haue parte in the kirnell they had the shadow aboue vs but we enioy the true sunne of righteousnesse equall with them there was a greate iubilie no doubt among the Israelites when that voice was firste heard on the mount Sinai I haue séene the affliction of my people whiche is in Egypt and I am come downe to deliuer them but what was this to the ioyfull tidings brought of the Aungell vnto you is borne in the Citie of Dauid a Sauioure and by another Aungell he shall saue his people from their sinnes Herein was loue as Sainte Iohn sayth farre in deede mighte that people séeme to be in the fauoure of God that he did so mightily by his seruante Moses deliuer them out of the hands of hardharted Pharao and that cruell countrie of Egypte But O Lorde what is man that thou so louest him as by the crosse of thy Christe to plucke him out of the bloudy clammes of that roring and rauening Lion Satan and to saue vs from that hote burning Egypte the fiery furnace of hell God made Moyses a maruell and a mirroure before his people but he neuer gaue hym thys commendation Thys is my beloued sonne Naye to which of the Angels said he at any time Thou arte my sonne this daye begat I thee yet thys beloued sonne whome the father maketh so much of is made our Moses to fulfill the lawe and our Messias to fill vs full of grace he hathe broughte vs out of all bondage it is he that hath led captiuitie captiue and nowe are we free in déede when the sonne hathe made vs frée Dauid refresheth hymselfe maruellously wyth the memorie of those benefytes of GOD whyche hée bestowed vpon hys people when they were nowe passing from Egypt toward the promised land wherefore he vttereth such sayings in hys psalmes and songs recording therin the goodnesse of God he deuided the Sea and led them through In the daye also he led them with the cloude This was theyr Baptisme vnder Moyses as Sainte Paule saythe Nowe if we be baptised in Christe Iesus with water and the holy Ghost then haue we drowned Pharao in the floud and haue buried vp Sathan safe in the Sea then are we couered and clothed with the true cloude so that the heate of hell may not hurt vs so saithe S. Paule All ye that are baptised into Christ haue put on Christ and so saithe S. Iohn of the water falling frō that cloude The bloud of Iesus Christe cleanseth vs from all sinne Dauid goeth forward and saith as he led them in the daye tyme with a cloud so he did all the nighte with a light of fire This was a great token that God was with them but this was but a shadow of him that saythe I am the light of the world he that followeth me shall not walke in darknesse but shall haue the lighte of life This is the lyght that is the lyfe of men this is the light that shineth in the darkenesse here hathe the Gentile gotten as muche as the Iewe for this is the true light that lighteth euery man that commeth into the world Againe saithe Dauid for the glory of the Iewe he claue the rocke in the wildernesse and gaue them drinke as of the great depthes but Paule saithe also for the comforte of the Gentile the rocke was Christe for out of the rocke rent on the crosse gushed out that plentifull aqua vitae whyche serueth to satisfie the thirst of euery soule that is it which shall wash away all our vncleannesse That although our sins were as crimsin they shall now be made white as snowe though they were red lyke Scarlet they shall be as wooll though they be rusty for sinne as those that haue lyen among pottes yet shall we be as the wings of a Doue that is couered with siluer and whose feathers are lyke vnto the yellowe golde Wherefore without this water was that nothing in comparison but as our Sauiour sayth in hys reasoning wyth the woman of Samaria concerning Iacobs well Whosoeuer shall drinke of thys water shall thirst agayne but who so drinketh of the water which I shall gyue him shall neuer thirst agayne and it shall be vnto him a well of water springing vp into eternall lyfe Another maruellous benefite of God doth Dauid glory in saying God opened the dores of heauen and rayned downe Manna vpon them for to eate and gaue them of the Wheat of heauen and so man did eate Aungels foode this was a sure token of Gods singular loue towardes them but this was but a shadowe to that which Christe bringeth with him for
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