r. Command. Ripon the Commandements. to any hard and euill Maifter. For hee will doe fomething that bee is bidden, but I haue done nothing, as I plainly fee by viewing of my life, and as my confcience telleth mee being priuie to mypathes. For haue 1 loued thee as I ought? Namely, euenwith all my heart, with all my fohle, with all my ftrength, which is the firft thing that is commaunded mee in this commaundement ? 111 haue done it, then haue I lowed thy word, and euerie way made that account of it that I ought. For Dauidthat deere feruant loued thee, and beholde what hee faieth, 7hj word vista Mee wasfweeter than the honey, and the honiecombe. leremie thy prophet loued thee, and fee what followed, Thy words were founde6y him, and bee dtdeatethem, and they were onto him theioy and the reiorfin! of his heart. And a number moe fuck examples haue we, wherebywelearnethat there is no true loue of thee in vs, vnleffe there bee ioyned therevnto a fincere and feruen.t. liking ofthe worde. Now forafinnch as I am guiltie to my felfe, that I have nbe had that care of thyworde, that I ought to reade it, to heare it, to Jeanie and feeke it, and euerie way to (hew my loue toward it, therefore ô deare Father, to lay I haue lourd thee as I ought, with all my foule and power, alas I dare not, alas 1 cannot. For much more occupied might I haue bene in themeditation efthy law, than euer I haue bene. Iconfeffe it ô Lord, I confeffe it euen with griefe of heart. And therefore if thou werft nova God moll merciful', I euen for this onxe thing were a wretch molt miferable. The like might Ifay of that light and little account that I haue madeofthy Miniflers, which being another braunch of the loue ofthee,bewrayeth my want voto me. But fee yet fiuthcr,grearly my hart hath failed inlouingof thee. Forlooking vino toy felfe alittle deeper, behold euen fuch thinges as flatly and direaly are contrary to the loue of thee : alas I fee them to haue bene, and to be, at times in me mofthorrible. To murmur and grudge, to repine and tobe offendedwith any croffe or griefe whatfoeuer laid vpon mee by thee, or not euen willingly to accept it as a meffengerofa gracious friend, to feeke any wicked meáes to be eafed ofit,iscötrárie to that loue that we owe to thee.And how fraile my felfe haue bene herein, thou (catcher of hearts knowefl it wcll,and t wretch molt weake,with riling heart hefeecb thy pardon. Againe, to fuffer the r.iehn.a; Worlde,or any glultering glorie chereof,fnrther to creepe into our heartes,and to tickle vs with delight and liking, than it ought, is a thing flat contrary to the loue of thee. For fo we reade: Lowe not t hisWorlde,nor any thing that is in the World. For, if any man lone this World, the loue of the father is not in him. To drawe backe allomy helping hande from thofe that are in neede, and not with readyheart and willing minde to comfort their podre eflate, with whome thou haft dealt more hardly than with mee, I knowe it bewraieth a want of loue to thee. For lo I learnt, Wholoeuer bath this worldes good, andfeethhts brothers neede, r.Iohn3.t7. and fbutteth his coeapaf on fromhim, howdwelleth the lone of Clod in him? But th efe ô Lord haue tainted fometimes this heart of mine, and therefore Ihaue not lotted thee as I ought. But what fhoulde I fay when I view in my felfe, howe my flefh and my heart runneth backe as it were to hide it felfe, when I thinke of anyper- fecution to bee abidden for thee and thytrueth, and fpecially when I looke vpon thefe horrible Loan ents, than Come of thy Martyres haue fuffered, oh what want ofloue bewraieth it to mee? My houfholde and familie, my children and. charge, my life and prefent eft ate ( teppe in veto mee, 'as 'Peter once did to hisMaifter, drawemeealide, and whifper in mine care to faue my felfe, if that day come, and my powerfaileth, with "courage to anfwere, as then mySauiour did, Come 2fter mee Sachons, your cou'ìlcll is not good, neither fauour you the thinges that Matt6. "s1; are ofGOD: fo that cuery wayI fee Iloue thee not myGOD as i thould. Looke at my behauiour, when I fee or heare thy name dilhonoured any way, and I (mother it vppe, I holce my peace, h make as though I heard it not, yea and fometimes f app,oue wickedneflè with my laughter, and Ibreake not out iu zeale of rebuke. No, I that hearing as much by any worldly friende, would C 3 readily
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