Phile. I am glad brother Theophilus to hear you speak on this manner. But let us go forth. After so many pleasures showed to man, which all through his own fault he so wickedly lost, after so great a sin committed against the divine majesty, so freely to forgive man, so to accept him into his favour, so to love him, that he promiseth to send down from his most glorious throne ⟨image 80⟩his own dearly beloved son to make a perfect reconciliation & everlasting agreement between him and man, that they may for ever and ever dwell together in joyful glory. Oh what a fervent charity, and unmeasurable love of God is this?
Who can worthily either by heart think, or by tongue express or yet by pen set forth the exceeding greatness of God's kind hearty love toward man? The King of all Kings, the 1Lord of all Lords, yea, that Lord to whose majesty all things 2are obedient both in heaven, earth, and Hell, so to set his mind on man being but a pore vile, and miserable creature, yea of all mortal Creatures most sinful, most disobedient, most frail, and ready to fall, so to love and tender him, that ⟨image 80⟩3to do him good, to bring him unto glory and honour, he dis 4dayneth not, but most willingly vouchsafeth to send down his only begotten and dearly beloved son, yea and that into this sinful vale of misery here to become man, to be circumcised, to be made obedient to the law, to be baptised, to preach, to work miracles, to hunger, to thirst, to watch, to fast, to pray, to suffer all kind of adversity, to be persecuted, to be laid wait for, to be snatched at, to be blasphemed, to be railed upon, to be convented before worldly tyrants, Bishops priests, lawyers. &c, to be scorned m•d, buffeted, whipped, crow ned with thorn, nailed on the cross, s•d, pierced to the heart with a sp•re, & at the last dying the mos• desp•ful & shameful death ⟨image 81⟩that could be invented of the wicked worldlings unto the utter defacing of this blessed seed Christ, and of his Godly doctrine, yea, and all this for the love that he beareth toward man. Oh what a kindness is this? what love, what amity, what hearty friendship? Far be it from us, dear brethren, to be so stony hearted, & ungodly, that we feel not this tender love of God toward us.
Phile. I am glad brother Theophilus to heare you speake on thys maner. But lette vs go forth. After so many pleasures shewed to man, which all thorowe hys owne faulte he so wyckedly loste, after so greate a synne committed agaynste the diuine maiestie, so frelye to forgeue man, so to accepte hym into hys fauoure, so to loue hym, that he promiseth to send downe from hys moste glorious throne ⟨image 80⟩hys owne dearly beloued son to make a perfect recōciliation & euerlastynge agremente betwene hym and man, that they may for euer and euer dwell togyther in ioyefull glorye. Oh what a feruente charitie, and vnmeasurable loue of God is this?
Who canne worthelye either by herte thynke, or by tonge expres or yet by penne sette forth the exceadynge greatenes of Goddes kynde hertye loue towa•d man? The Kynge of all Kynges, the 1Lorde of all Lordes, yea, that Lord to whose maiestye al thinges 2are obediente boeth in heauen, earth, and Hell, so to set his mynd on man beyng but a pore vile, and miserable creature, yea of all mortall Creatures moste synne•ull, mooste disobediente, mooste frayle, and readye to fal, so to loue and tender hym, that ⟨image 80⟩3to do hym good, to brynge hym vnto glorye and honoure, he dis 4dayneth not, but mooste wyllyngelye vowchesafeth to sende downe hys onelye begotten and dearelye beloued sonne, yea and that into thys synnefull vale of miserye here to become manne, to be circumcised, to be made obediente to the lawe, to be baptised, to preache, to worcke miracles, to honger, to thyrst, to watche, to faste, to praye, to suffer all kynde of aduersitie, to be persecuted, to be laied wayte for, to be snatched at, to be blaphemed, to be rayled vpon, to be conuented before worldly tyrātes, Bishops priests, lawiers. &c, to be scorned m•d, buffeted, whipped, crow ned wt thorne, nailed on ye crosse, s•d, •earsed to ye hert wyth a sp•re, & at the last diynge the mos• desp•ful & shameful death
- 1Apo•. •ix.
- 2Philip. i•.Philyp. i•.
- 3Roman. viiiRomayn. viii
- 4John. iii.Iohn. iii.
