while we were yet sinners and enimies vnto him Christ died for vs. The scripture beareth recorde that Christe died for the vngodly but as it is there affirmed hee is scarce to bee founde that will die for a good man What good man hathe euer beene found that would haue suche compassion as to offer himselfe to die for a godlesse person The Sonne of God giueth his life for vngodly men Meruell not at these wordes neither thinke there is any thing too muche spoken in this matter For in that Chapter it is saide plainely that Christe died for the vngodly for sinners for his enimies and al to commend the greatnesse of his loue It will be graunted of all men that in deede before the death and passion of Christ we were godlesse vngodly enimies to God without any hope of a better life But all men are not persuaded that we doe nowe come suche men into the worlde and continue so vntil by the special grace of God working with his worde we be reclaymed and refourmed whiche for that chaunge is called regeneration or newe birthe All men are not persuaded that when Christe beginneth Christianitie in any he doeth beginne with his enimie Yet doeth the Apostle S. Paule affirme that he as others was by nature the childe of wrath that before his calling he as other men was dead in trespasses and sinnes walking after the course of this worlde after the spirite that woorketh in the children of disobedience but GOD sayth he whiche is riche in mercie throughe his great loue wherewith hee loued vs euen when we were dead by sinnes hathe quickened vs. There is no doubt of it but that he who liueth the moste blamelesse life of all men in the worlde is an enimie vnto God and without all hope of any better life before this especiall woorking and calling of god I doe call Christianitie a speciall woorke of God because it is not to bee founde in the nature of any man how great good thing soeuer it seeme to haue in it but is a peculiar worke of god This is a matter needefull to stande vppon because it giueth vnto God the commendation of that loue whiche is not to be matched in the worlde And in denying this greatest kinde of louing dealing we darken and diminishe the glorie of his mercie appearing so clearely and so aboundantly herein we deale vnthankefully with GOD not giuing vnto him all the praise that of duetie belongeth vnto him If two seruauntes had receiued equall commodities and benefites of one maister the one hauing beene a verie profitable seruaunt to his maister the other a verie vnthrifte and not onely not profitable but also a waster of his goods should the vnthrift sufficiently acknowledge the liberalitie of his maister if he should confesse that he had receiued as muche of him as his fellowe-seruaunt making no mention in the meane time of his vnworthinesse in respect of his fellowe Euerie man seeth the good will of the maister to appeare more in the one then in the other and therefore he should iustly bee accounted vnthankfull if hee woulde not bothe thinke and confesse that he were more beholding to his maister then the other For true thankefulnesse causeth the benefite receiued after a certeine manner to remaine still in the benefactour by thankefull remembraunce not onely of the gifte but also of the maner and qualitie of the gifte especially when it addeth any thing to the worthinesse and deserte of the giuer The cause therefore is great and a parte of our thankfulnesse vnto God is in it to withstand with the Churche of Rome herein that not onely wee haue had these benefites that we haue from God but also that wee haue had them contrarie to our deseruing which vtterly ouerthroweth those workes of preparation and setting our selues in a towardnesse for the Lorde and maketh the benefite to remaine in God by his iust praise not only for the deede dooing but also for tne mercifull maner of dealing with vnworthie men wherin his loue is tryed to haue more in it then any affectiō that hath beene hearde of amongest men that we may truly say with the holy Ghoste not only that God hath loued the worlde but as it is saide in this place So God loued the world noting in that word So no common affection but the highest and greatest degree of loue By this that hathe beene saide before wee doe learne that God did beare tender affection towards his not onely before any deseruing hadde gone before to procure the same but also when as yet they were enimies vnto him and therefore the Apostle in the Epistle to the Ephesians bringeth the benefites of GOD to be considered in his free good purpose and gratious good will towardes vs beeing the head and spring thereof whiche addeth greatly euen to the greatest of his benefites And if the consideration thereof be omitted the whole deseruing of the benefactour is not acknowledged nor deserued praise rendered therevnto When the Apostle had giuen praises vnto God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christe for that he had blessed vs with all spirituall blessinges in heauenly things in Christe immediatly in the verse following which is the 4. in number he hath these wordes As he hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the worlde c. As if his loue towards vs had not begonne then first when those benefites were bestowed vpon vs but that his good will whereof those were testimonies and fruites was bent towardes vs before the beginning of the worlde whiche is the cause why he letteth vs to see those fruites not barely in them selues alone but in that good will which so long before was inclined towards vs And good will the longer it hath continued the more it is to be esteemed and the benefites of an olde friend and welwiller of long time haue iust occasion in thē to be the more accounted of It is not to be merueyled then why with the gift he bringeth in also the good will of the giuer For the gifte is made thereby the greater bothe for that the good will hath beene of long time continued and also for that it is his goodwill onely and not any thinge either had allready or else hoped for from vs that hath brought all these benefites vnto vs as it followeth in the nexte verse in expresse wordes That he hath predestinate vs to bee adopted through Iesus Christe according to the good pleasure of his will by whome as it is there in like manner affirmed we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his riche grace In all these places we are let to vnderstand that all our benefites euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes came from the good pleasure of his will and the riches of his grace and not as hath beene saide before from any thing of ours either had already or else hoped for Let vs learne therefore to set his loue before
vppon vs to let goe the care of that and there to keepe watche and warde where there is no assault made against vs As if sathan should sore assault vs with couetousnesse and labour to enter there breakinge downe the walles of sobrietie and temperaunce in these earthly profites whiche we should vse so soberly and temperantly as if we vsed them not and wee doubting no harme from thence should conuert all our munition and defence to vpholde the walles of gentlenesse loue and meekenesse when as in deede we are not assaulted with wrathe or displeasure Were not this a wofull kinde of warre to lay open where we are assaulted and to bee fenced on those partes where we are not once attempted Were not that a slender victorie for that man to bragge that he hath not one wound vpon his legges whose heade and shoulders haue borne off all It cannot be denied but many that goe for Christians boast themselues greatly of such kinde of victorie that their legges are safe because some grosse euils as reuengement or plaine oppression hathe not preuailed against them when notwithstanding their head is yet bleeding with the strokes of ignorance in GODS worde or carelesnesse of his glorie and their shoulders full of the scarres of couetousnesse or suche other like grieuous woundes This mischiefe is redressed by the lawe by the light whereof we clearely perceiue where the force of the aduersarie lieth soarest vpon vs that we may turne our prayers and all spirituall armour to that part especially So shall our prayers not bee cast off without care at aduenture and by custome but beeing bothe warned of great daunger which without the alarme of the law we would not haue feared and also hauing warning to what place the aduersarie directeth his power our prayers may carefully and directly stande against it Nowe let vs praye vnto our Heauenlie Father that we may learne by the Lawe bothe to bee humbled vnder his mercies and also to be directed vnto his owne good pleasure will to the praise of his name and our owne euerlasting comfort c. The fourteenth Lecture vpon the thirde Chapter of S. Iohn verse 16. So God loued the worlde that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perishe but haue euerlasting life AFter the knowledge of the Lawe and the vse thereof it is necessarie to speake of Christe who is the ende of the lawe howe by faith he is receiued bothe to iustifie vs from the curse and rigour of the lawe and also to sanctifie our hearts to such a liking of those duties that there are appointed to be done as bringeth with it the careful attending vppon the doing thereof This doctrine hath bene somewhat touched in the lawe but a more plentifull discourse thereof is yet required where the mater may be laide open more at large then hitherto we haue heard of For the perfourmance wherof this portion of Scripture that now I haue read vnto you promiseth verie muche Wherein we may vnderstande that the firste spring and founteine of our saluation is the loue of god That is the first cause the principal ground and chiefe beginning of all our happinesse and therfore it is set down here as the cause why Christ was giuen for our sinnes So God loued the worlde sayth the texte that he gaue his onely beegotten sonne The tender affection and loue of God towards vs is placed before that great gift to commend the goodnesse of it For not so muche the gifte as the minde of the giuer is wont to be considered This is noted by the holy Ghost with a speciall note of cōmendation in these wordes Herein is that loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to bee a reconciliation for our sinnes Likewise in the Epistle to the Romanes There is set against the single transgression of Adam as an ouer matche the grace of God and the gifte in grace or by grace The benefite and medicine of Christe his obedience was sufficient for the wounde of Adam his transgression to make it whole withall then remaineth as an aduantage or ouerplus the grace and goodwill of the Father wherin this medicine was lapped and closed vp which is the cause why he maketh a special note of the grace of God and of the gifte in grace or by grace These thinges are diligently to be obserued for they are the groundes of muche good doctrine that is established strongly hereby When we consider what that was that first turned the fauour of God towards vs we may not begin at ourselues as if it had come of our works preparing ourselues for him addressing ourselues towards his obedience we may not beginne at our merites nay we may not beginne at the worke of our redemption and the merite of Christe to make that the first thing that euer turned his heart towardes vs For here it is affirmed by the holie Ghost that he loued vs and therefore gaue his onely begotten sonne for vs When we come to the meriting of Christe we must not looke vpon the vertue of it without the good will and fauour of God wherein it was founded and from whence it hathe the worthinesse and merite that it hath So farre off then are our owne works from bringing their deserte with them and opening by themselues the gates of his goodnesse that the good will of God the father prepareth the way euen for the merite of Christe his passion Our owne woorkes come shorte of beeing the first that hath commended vs vnto God when bothe the good will of God the Father and the merite also of Iesus Christe haue beene there before them in our behalfe Let men therefore ceasse to say or imagine that their owne woorkes were the firste that euer spake one good worde for them when it is so assured by the word of God that they haue had friendes in that courte that haue done for them when al the credit of their owne doeings was vtterly reiected and coulde not be heard Whensoeuer therefore we seeke out the chiefe cause and the first spring of our blessednesse let vs come to the loue of God. For it is saide that God so loued the worlde that he gaue his onely begotten sonne c. Let vs take heede of beginning at our selues and our owne doinges For as hath beene saide it was the loue of God that did begin all our blessednesse yea and that euen then when we were enimies vnto him and therefore farre from deseruing any good thing at his hands which thing cōmendeth his loue aboue all the loue and affection that is to be found in the worlde For who hath euer beene knowen the Sonne of God excepted to giue his life for his enimies Therefore doth the holy Ghoste vppon iust cause affirme that the loue of God towards vs is herein sette out and commended aboue all loue and affection that we haue heard of because
with the Publicane to humble themselues truely and from the sense of their heart in the nature that they haue rebelling against him It is neither great aduauncing of God nor any great abasing of our selues to professe him to haue done vs good when there is no deseruing of ours to the contrarie confessed or acknowleged For euen ciuil men haue this goodnes in them to do wel to them that haue deserued nothing to the contrarie But then is he truly honoured in his goodnesse when it is giuen to vnworthie vndeseruing persons when the loue is so great towarde his enimies Then are we truely humbled when in hart we acknowledge it not only to be vndeserued but also euen contrarie to our deseruing What then Shal we sinne that God may be glorified in our humilitie God forbidde For when we haue taken as good care ouer our wayes as fleshe and bloud possiblie can perfourme there will be matter enoughe of throwing downe our selues in all humilitie before the throne of his mercie By this cōmandement are Papistes Anabaptists and that wicked damnable sect of the familie of loue vpholding free wil their fulfilling of the law found all traitours to Gods glorie which standeth not whole and sound vnles euerie mouth be stopped al the world found culpable faulty before GOD as it is written to the Romanes This commaundement as farre foorth as it is ceremonial nowe is ceased bycause Christe is nowe come by whose death we die to sinne rest from our owne wayes And therefore in that it did admonishe vs of him to come nowe in that he is come it serueth no longer to that ende In asmuche also as the dispensation of those times were as the Apostle saith to the Galathians The minoritie and wardshippe of the Churche during whiche time the heire though Lord of all differeth not from a seruaunt but is vnder gouernours These times that nowe followe Christe must needes bee more free from the bondage of these outward thinges and from that strict obseruing of the outwarde rest that in those times they were in bondage vnto Yet all this notwithstāding in as much as this seuēth day is appointed by the Church for the assembling of the faithfull and for their ioyning together in prayer Sacramentes and hearing of the worde thereby to gette power to ceasse from sinne that is our owne wayes and workes it cannot without great wickednesse and sinne against God be neglected Wherein the wickednesse of this exceedeth in that men commonly no day in the weeke followe so muche their owne wayes and the delightes of their owne hart as on that day which is appointed to learne them howe to ceasse from their owne wayes workes and delightes For a great number those not the worst of all take that day to be ordeined only for the ease of their bodie to be a day of recreation after their trauels labours that haue beene the sixe dayes before and vse it accordingly whereas the Lorde hathe appointed it to the exercise of the word and prayer that beeing vnburdened of their worldly affaires they mighte with free harts and mindes attend vpon the word prayer and meditation of the mercies benefites of God and so profit therein that the other dayes of labour might feele the benefite and commoditie therof they being better armed to stand against the occasions of euil which men who haue daily dealings in the world and so tickle a disposition vnto sin without great grace shal neuer be able to auoyd but must altogether bee ouerwhelmed therewith And likewise it was ordeyned that men by consideration of his mercies should so be ledd to loue him and by faith to waite for the mercies and happynes laide vp for his that they might become the more willing to ceasse from their owne wayes wills and to moderate their inordinate desire after worldly thinges But is this regarded of the moste I cannot say so for common experience would confute mee One sorte as was declared before making the case of the body to be the end thereof An other a great deale worse then they vsing it onely to make good cheere play and sporte themselues on that day Thus the right vse and end of the Sabbaothe is cleane altered and not that only but chaunged into a practise moste contrarie to the institution thereof For beeing appointed to bee as I may call it the market day of the soule to make prouision for the dayes following they are not onely no better holped that way but as if Sathan might boldely open his shoppe windowes then whiche could not bee permitted him before they doe so fasten vppon his wares and stoare them of that prouision that not onely that weeke but many weekes are serued of the abundance thereof In a third sorte we shall see it that if a man haue any matter to deale in that is of smaller importāce then that his ordinarie busines may giue place therevnto those are cast vpon the Lords day and then muste hee and also oftentimes some of his be sent vpon those messages or other matters whatsoeuer to dispatch them These kinde of men vse the Sabbaoth day commonly to make an end of reckonings or other kind of like matters not finished the former weeke and to set matters and busines in a redynes for the week following so that their heads are as ful fraught with the world that day as vpon any other and therfore far from the right vse therof which is to be emptied of all suche thinges that better may haue the place These foure commaundements instruct vs perfectly concerning the glorie of God wherin it doth consist First in acknowledging him alone the author of all our welfare both in body and soule Secondly in taking such comfortes therein that wee be allured by his mercyes to doe the things that are pleasant in his sighte making it the beginning of our seruice Thirdly in hauing no other end then by our carefull doeing of his will to get glorie and praise vnto him Fourthly in all these doings euen the best to humble our selues in true acknoweledging from the heart the corruptiō of our owne heart wayes and workes earnestly trauelling to subdue the same therby aduancing the free mercie and vndeserued goodnes of our God both in iustifying and also sanctifying of vs. In the examination of our selues concerning this cōmaundement we haue to learne that we are by nature corrupted in this commaundement as in the rest that there is nothing so hard as with true humilitie of hart to be humbled in acknowledging and mortifying the corruptions wickednes rebelliōs of our nature against Gods cōmandemēts in somuch that oftentimes he suffereth his children to fall into grosse infirmities that all the world may see it before they can truly be humbled in the sight of their infirmitie and so cast downe as they giue the whole glorie to his mercie earnestly seting vpon their affections for the subduing
reste vntill the nexte day Now let vs call vppon our heauenly father in the name of his sonne that wee may wittnesse the loue whiche wee beare vnto our brethren by all faithfull and louing dealing with their goods c. ¶ The ix Lecture continued vppon the 15. verse WE learned the laste day that a man might not take any commoditie from another vnlesse he gaue the worthe of it againe This rule saith sore to the vsuall buyings sellings of these daies when commonly all men regarde them selues alone to make the moste they can of their commodities without any regarde had what his commoditie is like to be that dealeth with them by that which he receiueth from them Yet it is no other rule but that cōmon one which we haue receiued by the light of nature that wee may not doe that vnto another we woulde not haue done vnto our selues And who I pray you would haue the worse at an other mans hand Who would haue willingly lesse giuen him then hee had deliuered vnto an other Or who could beare that another man should haue no regard how well or ill he had dealte with him Then may wee not doe so vnto others Wee must therefore thinck that when wee come to buying and selling we come to wittnesse our loue towardes our neighboure by our good dealing with him in his goods and to leaue some testimonie of the feare of God and a good conscience behinde vs we come to make tryall of our faith to God while we depend vppon his blessing for our prouision to liue well and happily in following the rule of loue and vpright dealing whiche he hath left vs and not the desire of our owne rauinous affection But in verye deede if a man should looke to the dealinges that now are common in the worlde in all buyinges sellinges and exchaūges he must be forced to confesse that men come to buying and selling as it were to the razing and spoiling of some enimies citie or holde where euery man catcheth snatcheth and carrieth away whatsoeuer he can come by he is thought the best that carrieth away the moste his botie is taken to be the warmest that hath made the moste naked in the streetes he commeth home the merriest that hath caused the moste weeping and wayling sighing and sobbing to vtter the heauinesse of the heart Yet in all this oppression euery such offender persuadeth him selfe that he is not out of charitie with his neighbour but that hee loueth him entirely and sheweth it well enough for he giueth him good wordes in buying and selling and hee intendeth no hurt vnto his person But the holie Ghoste will bringe vs to another tryall of our loue he will not be bound to that alone and therfore doeth send vs to see how louing wee are by our dealing with him in his goods Therefore doeth the Apostle say very well to the Romanes that this commandement Thou shalt not steale is as the rest fulfilled no otherwise then by loue These oppressions therefore these fraudes and deceiptes to pul another mans goods into our hands that are so rife euery where doe no lesse declare our want of loue by the testimonie of the Apostle then doe murthers slaughters and bloudshed Now to come to the matter more particularly by this rule is condemned all vttering of naughtie and conterfaite coyne or ware For how can there be equalitie of commodities where the one is not commodious or profitable at all Secondly here is condemned all that vttering of money or wares though good in thē selues whiche haue some thinges closely ioyned with them to vtter them with all and to increase the price aboue that which they are worth and without those additions doe vsually go for which thinges are no commodities nor merchandize at all of them selues neither will they alwayes abide with the vse of the thinges and departing they cannot but bring losse vnto him that must haue the vse of them and leaue him as we say in the lashe In this number are all those that sell their commodities what soeuer dearer then otherwise they are solde for in those times because they giue day with them and longer time before they bee payed taking money for time and making it to increase and add to the value of their commodities First vnderstand that time is no merchaundize for who dare bee so bolde as to say that hee hath brought time into the market to sel or who hath giuen thee leaue to sell dayes and monethes There must also bee equalitie of cōmodities the man hath giuen out for time but when he commeth to the vsing or wearing of that thinge hee findeth no benefite by reason of that time which he hath paide for In deede if a coate or cloake-cloathe solde dearer for time would bee longer time in wearing then another coate of the same or like peece solde for present money there were some reason in it because the buyer should haue the same commoditie of time in the vsing of it that the other had in the sale of it Or if the corne solde dearer for time woulde feede a mans familie longer then so muche bought for readie money there were something to be said for it And if it be answered that he who receiueth it of vs maketh a commoditie of time as we doe for he selleth it thereafter the matter is not yet answered vnlesse it be firste proued that thou maist lawfully take money for that whiche though peraduenture one do not lose by through his as vniust dealing as thine owne yet thou art sure another cannot but smart of it for it commeth so muche the dearer to him that must vse it who reapeth no cōmoditie for time but rather losse and hinderance notwithstanding it hath increased thy gaine And who hath giuen thee leaue to take some thing the more for thy commoditie in consideration of that whiche wil be gone when thy commodities shall come to be taken commoditie of and to be put to the vse for the which they were bought and solde that is to occupie spende or vse them as their nature doth require There is no equalitie in that exchange when a man must giue out something for that whiche he is neuer a whit the more but rather so much the lesse benefited by whensoeuer it shal be put vnto that vse for the whiche it was made in respect whereof we do take money for it but in respecte of that commoditie which it will yeelde when it shal be put to that vse and ende whiche the nature of the thing requireth Moreouer if there be any thing of good reporte we Christians must seeke after it and surely it can purchase no commendation of brotherly dealing and good speeche that way when our dealinges shal be harder then the vsuall dealing of those times are euen among those men that haue no other thing to gett their liuing by beside the commoditie and profit that cōmeth vnto them by that their
them something to quiet them withall by loue rewarding rather then reuenging their frowardnesse There is loue and therefore the chiefe propertie thereof can not bee wanting whiche is to be patient and long suffering The litle bearing and forbearing one of an other bothe publiquely and priuately doeth plainely speake that loue is not to be found in the nature of man but is an especiall gift of god For so sicke are we of selfe-loue and so voide of the loue of others that not onely we cannot passe by the transgression of our brother and by a louing hyding of the same cure it but also we can hardly abide that any should in any thing thoughe not euill either in opinion or affection be diuided from vs Nay whiche more is oftentimes we woulde haue all our friendes beare an heauie countenaunce towards him whom we for priuate causes haue begone to mislike But true loue is patient and suffereth long forgiuing others euen as God for Christe his sake hathe forgiuen vs. Neither is there any thing in vs worthie of praise in this worke of loue if this patience and long suffering be absent For asmuche therefore as bothe there hath bene shal be also vnto the end of the world in the children of God weakenesse and wantes bothe in iudgment and in affection it is moste necessarie for him that shall haue dealing with any whatsoeuer to craue earnestly at the handes of God for this excellent stay of loue which is called patience or long suffering without the which it wil be impossible to liue Christianly in any societie howe small so euer especially is this gifte necessarie in these latter dayes where all places and persons almoste are full of offence It is to be obserued that this propertie of loue is not onely at variance with hastinesse that is so soone displeased and so easily offended but also with that other extremitie when a man is so ouerwhelmed with displeasure conceiued as that notwithstanding hee burst not out into heate yet he suffereth his affection towardes the man altogether to quenche in him ceassing any more to shewe forth the fruites of a louing heart Therfore in fewe wordes to comprehend the nature of this propertie of loue it is that good affection whiche passeth through vnkindenesse to vtter it selfe and breaketh through displeasures to make it self knowen by louing deeds being in verie deed the power and work of God and therfore able so strongly against suche strong lets to preuaile It is also said of this loue that it is Bountifull a second note or effecte to discerne it by The worde signifieth him that is courteous gentle and readie to pleasure an other whiche is rather the cause of bountifulnesse then bountifullnesse it selfe For when the heart standeth so sweetely affected it cannot easily be letted from plentifull witnessing of the same as occasion and abilitie will permitte That this is a propertie that cannot be sundered from loue it doeth appeare in the loue and affection whiche parentes beare vnto their children How gentle are they to them howe readie to seeke the pleasuring of them howe plentifull and liberall therein Which commeth wholy of a tender affection towards them This fruite of loue is fitly ioyned vnto the other for when a man can not onely beare the displeasures vnkindnesse of men but also is of a gentle franke dispositiō readie to deserue wel of men howe can there be any thing more required For his patient spirite wil not easily take offence at the euil dealinges of others and his mylde affection will as hardely vse euill dealing towardes another Therefore peace is soone purchased and long continued where there is plentie and store of suche affections Euerie man may see how hard a thing it is to finde either of these fruites of loue For where is that man almoste to bee found that will beare any vnkindenesse at the handes of another Or where is that gentle disposition that hath a grace and facilitie in readinesse to doe well vnto another If any shal haue obteined the one he thinketh it therefore almoste an vnlawfull thing to request the other at his handes For if he be a man that can beare somewhat with the vntowardnesse of others he taketh the desert thereof to be so great as that it were not lawfull to looke for any courteous dealing from him but to holde them selues well satisfied with that other so as euen that were to be vnthankfull for it if they did but seeme to require any thing to be added more vnto it Likewise if any be founde of a gentle and readie affection to pleasure others he thinketh his so doing to carrie with it a dispensation and priuilege for his not bearing of vnkindenesse at the handes of others so harde a thing is it to match these two together But how hard soeuer it be to find these two coupled together in any one yet this is an assured trueth that wheresoeuer loue is there are apparant tokens of them bothe There is bothe patience towardes infirmities and readinesse to deserue wel of those howe many soeuer we shal loue It is lamentable to consider howe farre the dealings of men swarue from these properties Euerie man saith he is in loue and charitie with al men yet if he shall neuer so litle be offended he cannot be kept either from plaine reuenging or at the least from letting go al good liking of the man And as he cānot be kept from reuenging no more can he be dragged and haled to well deseruing of any yet for al this persuadeth he himselfe that al the loue and charitie that is required in a man doeth dwel plentifully in him so vnskilfully vncharitably do we iudge of loue and charitie as if he loued a man who were not prouoked by any affection boiling in him to hate or at lest to mislike him whereas in verie deede loue is a tender liking conceiued of a man and so greatly delighting affecting of him that it maketh him bothe merueilous apt and easie to doe whatsoeuer may pleasure him and also verie harde by any griefe or displeasure to let goe the good liking that once he hathe conceiued of him The worlde knoweth not this affection for it is the speciall worke of Gods grace It needeth no long speeche to declare that the world is not acquainted with it for euerie man almoste is carelesse in offending other so farre is he from this affection that is so readie to pleasure and euerie man also is impatient of the lest displeasure that may be offered from any other This that hath ben spoken of the rarenesse of this affection which we cal loue may not beget in vs a despaire to come by it but a care earnestly to seeke it where it may bee had and wil be had of so many as in the carefull desire therof shal multiplie their petitions prayers to God for it which must be so much the more feruent and often as
all his benefites as the only cause and spring therof For if we shall beginne at our selues to say that either that which already wee had as a towardenes and preparation to goodnesse or that whiche God did forsee would bee in vs was the cause why the Lorde hath appointed euerlasting life for vs and giuen vs the graces that apperteine there vnto we darken and diminish the greatnesse and goodnesse of the gifte Whiche cannot be so commendable if it come for the deserte of benefites either had already or else hoped for as if it had beene sent from the frank and free good will of the giuer without any such respect of any thing that should proceede from vs This is the reason why the loue of God is heere set before the gifte of the mediatour and redeemer Iesus Christe and also why the benefite of election and all other in the first cap. to the Ephesians are alwayes coupled to the good will of god For we are giuen to imagine that the good things which are supposed to be in vs doe turne his heart purchase his fauour towards vs when in very deede his good wil towardes vs brought all those graces all the goodnes that we haue vnto vs In somuch that both our election and redemption are recited to the Ephe. to haue proceeded from the free good wil of God and are made not as matters purchasing it but as matters purchased of it Whē this free goodwil of God is not acknowledged to be the beginning of all his giftes his giftes must of all men that are so persuaded be lesse esteemed For it is the minde and goodwil of the giuer that doth commend the gift and maketh it to be alwayes the better accepted Men are wont not to esteme the gift so much as the minde of the giuer Therefore the doctrine of the churche of Rome hath and doth meruelously pull away from the benefites of God and the deseruings therof because it doth not esteme of them as fruites of a well willing minde towardes vs and of suche a one as-already liketh well of vs because that doctrine professeth that those giftes of his in vs by our vse thereof do first turne his fauourable countenaunce to vs-ward Moreouer because that loue was bent towards vs when we were bent as enimies against him which maketh his loue so great that it may iustly be said of it So God loued the world as being a rare kinde of loue the like whereof we haue not knowen Therfore that doctrin of the church of Rome that giueth vnto man workes of preparation and making of him selfe fit to meete God to ioine with him in the purchase of his happinesse darckeneth greatly this great degree of his loue that was shewed vnto vs when we were so farre from preparing our selues to mete with him for our saluation that we were vtter enimies both vnto him and vnto it Which is so cōfortable vnto those that are truely turned vnto him that it is the groūd of their 〈◊〉 in their affliction distresse that their end 〈…〉 happie because that if when they were enimies they were reconciled by his bloud much more being now made friends they shall by his life be saued from wrath It hath beene declared at large why the greate loue of GOD is set before the benefite of our redemption and the greate gifte of Iesus Christe giuen vnto vs Now it remaineth after the sight had of his good will to see into the gifte what it is that commeth from so greate good will. The texte saieth that this gifte is his onely begotten sonne For So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne Now we knowe the gifte it is his onely begottē sonne which at the first sight doth witnesse greate good will the gifte beeing so greate as to pleasure vs with his onely begotten sonne But yet it is needeful that we vnfolde this gifte that wee may vnderstand of euery commoditie that lyeth hid within it It is written to the Corinthes that Christ of GOD the father is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnesse sanctification redemptiō Behold the seuerall commodities that come with this gifte of Iesus Christ giuen vnto vs from God the father which euery one of them is of that dignitie and worthinesse that I cannot ioyne them all together and in few wordes dispatch them but am inforced seuerally and yet as briefely as I can to stand vpon euery one of them First it is said heere that he is made of God vnto vs wisdome Christe is become the wisedome of his seruants he teacheth his chosen children true wisedome hee is appointed of his father to be their scholemaister as it is written in the Gospel after S. Matthew This is that my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him And to the Colossians it is written That all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge are hidden in Christ If it shall be demaunded how it cōmeth to passe that so many men in the gouerning of their liues dealings doe followe their owne wisedoms their owne witt going no further but holding them selues well content with that neuer suspecting any want in it and yet another sorte shall so suspecte their owne wisedome and the deuises of their owne head and see such want in it that letting it alone they betake them to the wisdome of God reuealed in his word become paineful traueilers therin and careful framers of their liues accordingly the aunswer is redy that Christe who is made of God the father wisdome vnto his hath laid claime vnto the one sorte and taken possession of them as vppon his owne but not vpon the other This is the cause of this diuersitie and none other thing And therefore the Apostle proueth that the testimonie of Iesus Christe was confirmed amongst the Corinthians because they abounded in all knowledge And here by the way it is manifest that ignorance is not mother but stepmother vnto deuotion and true Christianitie For Christ is made vnto Christians of God the father wisedome teaching them the knowledge of his word and wil. In like manner if it should be demanded why in their religion and seruing of God some followe the inuention of man which hath in it great shew of holines in humblenesse of mind not sparing the body but laying much affliction vppon it in doeing many thinges vnto God voluntarily not beeing bound vnto it by him but frankly and freely of their own accorde And another sorte contenting them selues with the bare and naked simplicitie of Gods worde in the worshipping and seruing of him do condemne and vtterly reiect all those inuentions of men and shewes of holinesse and humblenes of minde which standeth so strongly vpon the wisedome and reason of man the matter is plaine and the aunswere soone made Christe is made of GOD the father wisedome vnto his This is the cause why his seruantes finde no wisedome but in him