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The lawyers question The answer to the lawyers question. The censure of Christ upon…The lavviers question The answere to the lawiers question. The censure of Christ vpon…
The lawyers question The answer to the lawyers question. The censure of Christ upon the answer. By Henry Smith.The lavviers question The answere to the lawiers question. The censure of Christ vpon the answere. By Henry Smith.
London: printed by J. Danter for Thomas Gosson, 1595
Title page typeset from the transcription.
THE LAWGIVERS Answer to the Lawyers Question.THE LAVVGIVERS Ansvvere to the Lavvyers Question.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
If we were not too unkind, God needed not to crave our love having so well descried our love, in loving us before we loved him, first of John the fourth Chapter. But now he is •aine to become a Suitor for our love which he hath dearly bought, for he showed his love to us before he craves our love to him. By his almighty power he created us of nothing, and made us the most excellent of all his creatures; if that be little worth because it cost him little, for he spake the word and we were made, Psal. 33.9. Yet this is such a love as cannot be expressed, that when we were fallen from that excellent estate wherein we were created and become heirs of hell and condemnation; so did he love this sinful world, that he gave his only begotten son to die for the sins thereof. That he might bring us to heaven, he came down from heaven; that he might deliver us from hell, he went down to hell for us; Not gold nor silver, but his dearest blood was the price of our redemption, 1 Peter, 1. What can a man do more than to give his life for his friend? Rom. 5.6.7. And what can God do more, than to die for sinful men? And for all this, what doth this loving Lord require of ⟨image 17⟩thee, but that thou love the Lord thy God. Blessed be such a Lord that requireth nothing of his servants but love. If any Prince were so gracious unto his subjects that he would require no other subsidies, nor tribute, nor custom of them but love: how were the subjects bound to love and honour such a Prince? And such a one is our most gracious Lord and King, who for all the blessings and benefits that we enjoy under his most happy government, craveth no more but love at our hands for recompense. Once he required burnt offerings, that was a deer kind of service; but now he asketh love, a kind of service which every man may well afford. He asketh not learning, nor strength, nor riches, nor nobility, but he asketh love; a thing that the simplest, the weakest, the poorest, the basest may perform as well as he that is most learned, most strong, most rich, or most nobly borne. If God had required this of thee, that thou shouldst be able to dissolve doubts like Daniel, and to dispute subtle questions, what should then become of thee that art unlearned?