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
A VIEWE OF mans estate wherein the great mercie of God in mans free iustification by Christ is very comfortably declared By Andrewe Kingesmill Diuided into Chapters in such sorte as may best serue for the commoditie of the Reader Wherevnto is annexed a godly aduise giuen by the Author touching mariage Seene and allowed according to the order appointed Imprinted at London by H. Bynneman for Lucas Harison and George Bishop Anno. 1574. To the Reader THe authour hereof being a very yong Gentleman so applied the studie and exercises of the ciuill lavve in the Vniuersitie of Oxford that he attained as much knovvledge therin as any of his time professed the same in keeping of publike exercises vvith great commendation Yet did he not forget as many do to seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof but so earnestly trauelled to vnderstand the mysteries of Christiā religiō that he thought himself neuer vvell satisfied in any thing touching the same vntil he could by word and writing giue accompt of the truthe which he conceiued VVherefore he endeuored to commit to memorie the text of holy Scripture with such diligence in learning and often repeating therof that he could readily vvithout boke reherse in the greke tong Paules Epistles to the Rom. and Galat. S. Iohns first canonical epistle besides other Psalmes chapters of the old newe Testament Also he exercised himself by writing of sundry matters that he might growe in iudgement readinesse and aptnesse to teach other if at any time God shoulde call him therevnto VVherof this treatise yeldeth some proof which he writ being about 22. yeres of age by which thou maist cōceiue what fruit the Church of God in time might haue reaped of his towardnes if it had pleased god in this vntovvarde vvorld to prolong his days He estemed not so much the preferment and profit whervnto many wayes he might easily haue attained by profession of lawe as the comfortable assurance and blessed hope of life eternall which he might enioy by the truth of the Gospell and the sinceritie of Gods holy religion Therfore to further himselfe herein he sought not only the exacte knowledge of the greke hebrewe tongs but also for a time to liue in some one of the best reformed Churches where he might both by the doctrine and discipline of the gospel be dayly confirmed in the true worshipping of God and well prepared to the ministerie of the churche So he setled himselfe at Geneua where he remained being wel liked of the learned and godly the space of three yeres From vvhence he remoued to Lausanna where beeing too good for this corrupt vvorlde he ended this mortall life in the moneth of September Anno. 1569 vvhen he had liued about 31. yeares a Phoenix among Lawyers a rare example of godlynesse amongst gentlemen Iohn 3. ¶ God so loued the worlde that he hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting life The first Chapter ¶ That many seeke the kingdome of God and that men are directed to the knowledge thereof only by the worde of God. IN the .xiij. of Mathewe Chryste our Sauiour by diuerse Parables setteth forth and preacheth vnto vs the euerlasting Kingdome of his heauenly father and amongst other vseth these similitudes saying The kingdome of heauen is like vnto a treasure hidde in the fielde which when a man hath found he hideth it and for ioy therof departeth and selleth all that he hath and buieth that fielde Againe the kingdome of heauen is like to a merchant mā that séeketh good pearles who hauing found a pearle of great price wente and solde all that he had bought it Now I thinke there is none in so desperate a state or so farre fallen out wyth himselfe but that he is very fayne of the finding of such a fielde as is here spoken of neyther is there anye so vnhappie a merchant but that he would venter farre so that he myght come to the purchase of so precious a pearle as to haue parte in the inheritance of the kingdome of heauen to enioy the rest of God and to dwell on his holy hill yea many will say they wyll be glad to walk wander forth the vttermoste compasse of the earth so that they might at length track trie out the fielde where in lyeth hidden so great a treasure and all men will professe this merchandise not refusing the paines to trauayle thrugh the whole seas so that they might in the end assure themselues to arriue at the heauenly hauen of the kingdome of God and who is he which so farre setteth the body before the soule that be he neuer so ryche will not sell all to purchase that glorious iewell of eternall ioy But a lamentable case fewe there are of those fayning folke that knowe the right waye whych should leade them to that pleasant place of eternall reste so that theyr questions are such and the like Which is the waye Where lyeth the pathe that we may walke therein so Christ talking of a redéemer and a Sauiour vnto the blind man he thus questioneth who is the Lord that I may beléeue in him So Philip standing yet in that doubt sayde vnto Christ Master shew vs the father Therfore concerning that question Dauid the annointed of God speaketh by experience Thy word is a lanterne to my féete and a light vnto my footesteps So Dauid founde the waye euen by the lightsome lanterne of Gods word wherefore he maketh often and earnest request that that light might shine still before him thus he sayth O that my wayes were directed to keepe thy statutes open myne eyes that I may sée the wonders of thy lawe make me vnderstande the way of thy precepts teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes Directe me in the path of thy commaunments These were the light and the lanterne the féete and the footesteps the way and the path wherby Dauid was directed and conducted into the field which we are nowe to seeke and euen that commoditie whereof Dauid protesteth so generally that hée founde in the woorde of God shall be proued true in speciall experience of those that shall diligentlye marke and wyth earnest zeale seeke to vnderstand this short sentence spoken of our Sauiour and written by S. Iohn for our learning God so loued the world c. The second Chapter ¶ How pleasantly and playnly one texte of Scripture sheweth the way to life eternall THis is a floure conteyning in it suche pleasant iuice that who so like a diligent Bée shoulde sucke the same for his store and learning he shall say with admiration as the Prophet doth O Lorde how swéete are thy words to my mouth Yea he shal find that they are far swéeter than the hony or the hony combe for beholde in these wordes is that precious pearle to be found I meane the promise not to perishe héere is that inestimable
thy selfe will sinne for that Thou waste once in the fauoure of God he shewed hymselfe a moste fauourable father vnto thée whilest thou behauedst thy selfe as an obedient childe but nowe hath he iustly turned thée of Thou wast once the frée friende of God but nowe art become the sworne seruant of sinne and bondslaue of Sathan this is spoken as by the mouth of God. Then are you my friendes if you doe what I commaunde you nowe therefore arte thou an enimie vnto God bycause thou hast neglected his holy commaundement whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne therefore arte thou Adam out of Gods seruice he that sinneth is of the Deuill thou haste sinned Adam therefore arte thou not of god Thou didst once receiue a blessing at Gods hande thou didst féele no part of paine God cared altogyther for thée thou tookest no care for thy selfe thou wast warme without clothes naked without shame satisfied without trauel thy meat was put into thy mouth God hadde so blessed euery thing for thée that the earth the herbes the trées the cattell the foules the fishe they gaue thée their fruite and yelded their encrease of their owne accorde in the meane while mightest thou take thy pleasure in thy garden but now thou haste sinned Adam therefore must thou harden thy handes to labour thou must set thy shoulders to heauie burthens thou must buie thy breade dearely with the sweate of thy face this might haue bene foreséene hadst thou not sinned thou néedest not haue sweated but there is no remedie that man may finde Thou art sicke Adam thou art sicke vnto deathe thou hast prouoked the wrath of God thou hast caused him to poure out his vengeance and to open his cup of curses O beholde howe the wrath of God being once kindled ouerrunneth the whole worlde for the disobedience of man sée what a flame riseth of the burning sparke of sinne As before in obedience man was blessed so in disobedience of the iustice of God muste he néedes be cursed harken therefore vnto the dreadfull iudgement and hard sentence pronounced vpon disobedience Adam thus sayth the Lorde bycause thou hast eaten of the tree whiche I commaunded thée thou shouldest not eate of Cursed is the earth for thy sake in sorowe shalte thou eate of it all the dayes of thy life thornes also and thistles shall it bring forthe vnto thee in the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate breade till thou returne to the earth thou art dust and to dust thou shalt returne againe O lamentable fall O pitifull case wherin thou nowe standest Adam so cladde and clogged with the intollerable burthen of sinne so ouerwhelmed with the bloudie floudes of Gods vengeance and curses so pitifully and plentifully poured out vpon thy heade and besides this he may no longen enioye his paradise he is dispossessed thereof he is banished he is turned abrode into the wide worlde whereas nowe he might not so much as come neare the trée of knowledge of good and euill for the which he ventred so far neyther might any longer enioy any part of that libertie as to eate of all other the trees and fruites of the garden lost also the fight of the trée of life These are the wages of sinne payde as debte due vnto a sinfull and disobedient man Let vs therfore by this knowe our selues what we are What is Adam he is but dust he is hated of GOD he is ashamed of himselfe he is cursed he is sicke with sinne he is deade he is twice deade subiecte to mortalitie and subiecte to eternall damnation Crie out then Adam giue thy Children warning that they maye knowe themselues tell them in what case thou standest and what an inheritance thou hast purchased for them Thus sayth your father O children of men he that hath cares to heare let him heare I was once a man a frée man a blessed man full of life as God had breathed into me the light shining rounde aboute me the mercie of God embrasing me on euery side if I behelde the earth there was blessing for me ingraued as it were in the herbs the flowrs the fruits thereof turning me to the firmamēt ther I sawe the sunne the moone the stars in them was God to be séene a blessed God likewise in the waters there were innumerable tokens of Gods tender mercie towards me so far was I in the fauor of my creator I might stand in his presence enioying his ioyfull countenance yea he made me like vnto his own Image But alas wretch that I am whē I was in honor knew not my self forgot my duetie became far vnlike to my God not like to my selfe but altogither like vnto a beast yea rather worse thā a beast for behold the dul ore he knoweth his owner the simple Asse he knoweth his masters crib but I man nay the shadowe of man a very worm no mā I could not bear the yoke of my creator I would not herken vnto his voice I denied him my seruice I haue sinned I haue sinned therfore I am worthily rewarded I presumed am therfore brought low I aduanced my self therefore I am throwne downe I haue eaten without néed therefore I am subiect to hunger I pine away for desire of the fruit of that pleasant garden I thirste as the Harte after the waters of those swéete rūning riuers I am become of the sonne of God the childe of wrath I am cleane altered I haue lost the light I walke in darknesse of a blessed creature I am become a cursed caitife Where may I rest myselfe I haue sinned and my sinne is euer before me against thée alone against thée Lord haue I sinned I dare not present my selfe in thy presence I tremble at thy voyce I am ashamed of my selfe Whither then may I flée what stay may I finde I sinke in sinne O that sting of death howe it pierceth me O death O graue yours is the victorie and thou Sathan mine enimie how ruefully thou roarest thou standest with open mouth readie to deuour me I finde yet no defense Thou subtill serpent that drewest me into this net how thou spettest thy poyson howe busie art thou about my héele how faste hangest thou howe suckest thou my bloude O that I coulde shake thée of or that I might bruse thy heade And thou Eue which shouldest be my comfort thou hast as muche néede of comfort thy selfe thou shouldest haue comforted me but thou hast deceiued me and thy selfe also we are become a cursed couple and with my creator I finde this comfort thou shalt die the death verily it had bene better for me neuer to haue bene made than so to haue falne into the handes of the liuing god This might be a true confession of Adams follye and the description of his estate after his fall wherein we haue to consider what we are of our selues without Christe euen as it were sworne
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
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
for if righteousnesse be by the law then Christ died with out a cause Neyther will excuses serue to saluation for then shoulde the Serpent haue bene cursed alone as vpon whome all the blame was layde but if the Serpent seduce and be followed if the Deuill tempt and be not withstoode both Adam Eue man and woman they must néeds drinke of the cup of Gods curse This for the knowledge of oure selues what the world is which God so loueth and so setting before vs our reward by iustice the terrible torments intollerable flames of hel fire with the bitter byting worm that neuer dyeth whiche Satan threatneth leading vs forward fast fettered with the chaine of sinne what might we do but lye sweating in the myserable pitiful pangs of desperation what comfort might we finde one in another but teares and torments sorowes sighes crying and howling wéeping and wayling groning and gnashing of téeth But the merciful God the louing Lorde when we stoode at this point in manner at defiance with God although he sawe that al flesh had corrupted his way although he knew the imaginations of mans heart to be euil euen from his youth and saw that we alwayes bare a styffe stomacke agaynst him and his holy will yet hath he not vtterly cast vs of but blessed be his name for euer he hath shewed vs a glad and chearefull countenance hée taketh pitie vpon vs it grieueth him we should deserue his wrath but it woulde more grieue him that we should die the deserued death Wherefore he hath shewed vs marueylous kindenesse and more mercie than when we stoode first in his fauour yea more mercie I will not say than man might deserue but more than we coulde deuyse to aske For beholde he hath opened vnto vs all his treasure and endlesse riches of his infinite mercie choosing out as it were the best iewell of all hys store and stocke euen that precious pearle his owne glorie in whome is all his delight his onely begotten hys best beloued sonne in whome dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godheade bodily in whome are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge who is the verie expresse Image of the inuisible God him he hath not spared to make our Messias and to sende vs a sauiour to rayse vs from that foule fall of our first father to regenerate and make vs a new to conquer the world to slay the séede of the serpent and sée that we shoulde not perish but liue and reigne with him in his kingdome euerlastingly and how Christ hath approued himselfe a sauioure and how he persited that knotty worke of our redemption and made all sure that it might not perish what he suffered before he said it is finished we haue séene some shewe thereof but O that we could consider it worthily and weigh it in a iust ballance then should our harts vndoubtedly waxe hote with the feruent loue of God so maruellously declared in hys sonne our sauioure bearing this in mind alwayes that whatsoeuer he suffered he suffered for vs hauing still that voice of our Sauiour ringing in our eares and fresh in our harts the zeale of thy house hath consumed me Christe was sicke of that consumption euen of zeale to make vs an holy house to his father and what soeuer was done by Christe on the earth let vs recken altogyther vppon the ende whereof he himselfe protesteth the sonne of man came to saue that whyche was lost and whatsoeuer was layde vppon him let vs recken that ours by ryghte and that we deserued a thousande folde more than so for we alas like giddy shéepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one of vs his owne way we were oppressed with burthen of sinne but by him we are eased and refreshed for he hathe layde vpon him the iniquitie of vs all that are come vnto him with our heauy lode surely he hath borne our infirmities and caried our sorrowes he was wounded for our transgressions he was broken for our iniquities the chastizement of our peace was vpon him and with hys stripes we are healed he came downe from the high heauens to raise vs that were fast slipping to the déepe darke hell he refused not to take vpon him the burthen of our flesh that we might by him be quickened in the spirit he liued amongst vs men that we by him might liue with God he suffered suche euill entreatie at that Foxe Herods handes least we might be a portion for Foxes and a pray for woolues he followed that thanklesse office of preaching that we myghte not perish but liue by hys worde for though the deuill say nay yet Christ sayth truely that man liueth by euery worde procéeding out of the mouth of God and therefore rather than hée woulde leaue vs vnprouided of that necessary foode whiche he brought from heauen he tooke well a woorth the misreports of the wicked blasphemers That we might call on him as a Sauioure he suffered himselfe to be called a Samaritane a sinner a surfetter and for our souls hâ—altâ— it was that he wrought so many a miracle by the meanes of one body cured visibly sauing a thousand soules by inuisible operation of faith so Christ himselfe saith vnlesse you sée signes and wonders you will not beléeue therefore to lay that salue to our sore also he professeth himselfe a Phisition and a Surgion nothing disdaining the company of such as were in miserie and despised of men he shut not his eyes to the blinde he came to the lame that coulde not come to him he looked on the Lepres he visited the sicke he wepte with the sorrowfull he lamented wyth Lazarus fewer times bidden to feastes than he was founde at burialls But this is to be accounted the least part of al the paines sorowes of our sauiour The cup the cursed cup of his crosse what hart is so harde that may consider that without great admiration of Gods mercy with howe bitter temptations did he take the tast therof before his hour came with what heauinesse of hart did he vtter his complainte vnto his disciples and againe to his father when he sweated that bloudy water let vs heare then our Sauioure himselfe vttering his complaints by the mouth of the Prophets Thus saith one he is despised and reiected of men he is a man full of sorrowes and hath experience of infirmities we hidde our faces from him we estéemed him not thys we knowe howe it was accomplished in that the hanghtie high Priestes and proude Pharisies regarded not but vtterly dysdayned our Sauiour by another Prophet he saith he that eateth bread with me lifteth vp his héele against me This we saw performed by saucy Iudas who when he had dipped with our Sauiour in his dish streight after gote him out and made vp his bloudy bargaine and as Christ forewarned his disciples deliuered the sonne of man into the handes of sinners another Scripture is he is