A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

Two friends are said to come into Vulcans shop, and to beg a boon of him: it as granted. What was it? that he would either beat them on his Anvil, or melt •hem in his furnace, both into one. But without fiction, here is a far greater love CHRIST: for he would be melted in the furnace of wrath, and beaten on •e anvil of death, to be made one with us. And to declare the exceeding love: here •ere not both to be beaten on the anvil, or melted in the furnace: but without us, he •one would be beaten on the anvil, he alone melted, that we might be spared. Esa. •3.6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. They talk of an Athenian King, ••at offered his own life to save his people. And no doubt, the zeal of Moses ••d Paul was great, when they desired Perire pro pereuntibus, to perish themselves for ••e redemption of others. Jonathans love was great to David, hazarding his own ••fe for him, 2 Sam. 1.26. Thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. Davids love was great to an evil son, 2 Sam. 18.33. Would God I had died for thee, •h Absalom, my son, my son. Alas, all these copies are short of this original: •ome we yet nearer. Abraham had but one son, the son of his old age, likely to have no •ore: Filius rei, filius spei; the heir of his estate, the pledge of the promise of his ••lvation: yet in love to his commander, he suffered him not to be banished, but ••lled: not behind his back, but before his own face: not by another, but by his •wne hand. This was much: yet it was but to lose a son for a Father, a mortal ••nne for an immortal Father; that could give him more sons, or raise up that son gaine to life. But here God did give a Son, not for an immortal father, but for ortall enemies. He loved him ten thousand degrees better than Abraham could ue Isaac: yet he gave this Son, not by command as Abraham, but willingly: not to the hands of them that sorrowed to kill him, but to butchers that delighted to rment him: not for his friends, as Abraham did, but for traitors that would have alled him out of his Throne: not to a death that only parts body and soul, and instantly