Book.IV._Parc.VI. L6okingunt~:jefm~ Chap.2.Sett.G 1 tlie firft words which ever Cbrift wrote, were , love to bela- .vers: and thefe were written with giory, for it was before gold was, and they were written upon hrs bofome, for then other books were not. 2 . In the beginning of time he loved man above all creatures, for after he had made ch~m all, he chen fpeaks as he never did be. fore, let m mafes man in our im11ge, after our lifesneffi, and let · him have dominion over the fifo if the Sea, and over the fowle ofthe ayre, 11nd over the cattell, and over nit the earth; and though man at that very infiant unmade himfelfby fin; Chrifls love yet was not broken off , hut held forth in a promife till the day of performance, thf'Jeed of the womav /ball bruife the S trpents head, 11nd ;, rhJ feed fhall all the Natiens of the eArth be blejfed. 3. In the fulnelfe of time his love was manifefted; the feed then hlolfomed, and the birth came ou~ in an high exprefiion of love; the man-child, the love ofChrift was borne , and faw the light. After that (faith the Apofile) the kJndnrjJe 11nd love of 0 odourSav iour towards mttn appe11red. I lhall not need fure to inflance in fucceeding palfages; fo far as we have gone we have clearly feen Chrifls life was a perfel't mirrour of his love ; as there is no hearne in the Sunne in which there is no light, fo there was no ad: in the life ofChrift, but to a fpiritual eye it lhines with the light oflove. But above all, 0 the love ofChrift in his death ! ask a MalefaCtour if the Princes So·nne lhould go to his Farber, and fay; ' ' Father, I confelfethis wretch hath deferved " to dye, but I fee a willingneffe in thee rhat he lhould live; only " I perceive it Jlicks with thy jofiice; why, for that, Father, ' ' here I am ; and to fatisfie thy jufiice I will dye my fclfe,_ one• " ly let t~is poor wretch tive to the glory ofchine, and my free " grace. Ask (I fay ) the Malefaetour what kind of love were this? Surely Chrifl: dyed for our finnef, and Chrift rofe 2.gaine for our juftifi<:ation, and he afcended, and fate down at Gods right hand, and fent down his holy Spirit, and all for us; there \Yas not one palfage in all the(e tranfad:ions , but held forth the breakings and breathings out of a ftrong fire of love. 4· At this time there is a coaleofburning love in the breafi of Chrift: this fire was indl!ed from everlafting, but the flames are as
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