A harmony upon the the three Evangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke with the commentary…A harmonie vpon the the three Euangelists, Matthew, Mark and Luke with the commentarie…

Yet this kind of speech seemeth to be contrary to many places of scripture, which do lay the first foundation of Gods love toward us in Christ, and without him they show that God doth hate us. But we must remember that which I said before, that the secrete love wherewith God embraced us with himself, because it floweth from his eternal purpose, is above all other causes: and that the grace which he will have showed unto us, and whereby we are lifted up unto the hope of salvation, doth begin at the reconciliation gotten by Christ. For seeing that it must needs be that he hateth sin, how shall we be persuaded that he loveth us until such time as our sins are purged, in respect whereof, he is worthily angry with us? So that the blood of Christ, must come between, to reconcile us unto God, before such time as we can feel his fatherly good will. And as we hear in the former place, that God did give his son to die for us, because he loved us: so it followeth straightway after, that Christ alone is he in whom we ought properly to fix our faith He hath given his only begotten son that whosoever shall believe in him may not perish. This I say is the right beholding of faith, to set Christ before it, in whom it may behold the breast of God poured out into love: this is the firm and sound shore to lean unto the death of Christ, as the only pledge. This word only begotten, hath in it great force to set forth unto us the vehemency of Gods love toward us. For because men are not easily persuaded that God doth love them: to the end he might take away all doubtfulness, he setteth down in plain words, that God did love us so dearly, that he spared nor his only son for our sake. Therefore seeing that god hath declared his love toward us sufficiently, whosoever is not contented with this testimony but doth as yet doubt, he doth Christ no small injury, as if some one of the common sort were delivered up to death.

Yet this kinde of speech seemeth to be contrarie to manye places of scripture, whiche doe laye the firste foundation of Gods loue toward vs in Christe, and without him they shew that God doth hate vs. But we must remēber that which I said before, that the secrete loue wherewith God imbraced vs with himself, because it floweth from his eternall purpose, is aboue all other causes: and that the grace which he wil haue shewed vnto vs, and whereby we are lifted vp vnto the hope of saluation, doth begin at the reconciliation gotten by Christ. For seeing that it must needes be that he hateth sin, how shal we be persuaded that he loueth vs vntill suche time as our sinnes are purged, in respect whereof, he is worthily angrie with vs? So that the blood of Christ, must come betweene, to reconcile vs vnto God, before such time as we can feele his fatherly good wil. And as wee heare in the former place, that God did giue his sonne to die for vs, because he loued vs: so it foloweth straightway after, that Christ alone is he in whom we ought properly to fixe our faith He hath giuen his only begotten sonne that whosoeuer shall beleeue in him may not perish. This I say is ye right beholding of faith, to set Christ before it, in whom it may beholde the breast of God powred out into loue: this is the firme and sounde shoare to leane vnto the death of Christ, as the only pledge. This worde only begotten, hath in it great force to set foorth vnto vs the vehemency of Gods loue toward vs. For because men are not easily persuaded yt God doth loue thē: to the end he might take away all doubtfulnes, hee setteth downe in plaine words, yt God did loue vs so dearely, that he spared nor his only son for our sake. Therfore seing that god hath declared his loue toward vs sufficiētly, whosoeuer is not cōtented with this testimonie but doth as yet doubt, he doth Christ no small iniurie, as if some one of the common sorte were deliuered vp to death.