And be gentle one to another, and kind-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God through Christ forgave you. Be therefore followers of God, as dear children. And walk in love, even as Christ loved us, and gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice unto God, for a sweet smelling savor. (Ephesians 4:32-5:2)

We know that all God's children not only should be peaceable themselves, but also should procure peace to the uttermost of their power and make atonement where there was disagreement and strife, forasmuch as it is the mark that our Lord Jesus Christ has given us. Now if we ought to reconcile those between whom there was any secret grudge, much more ought we to abstain from all stirring of debate.

For what authority or means shall we have to bring together those who are grieved with one another, and to set them at brotherly atonement, or to assuage their choler when they are moved with some over-vehement passion, if we ourselves are full of strife and trouble, and given to crying, roaring, and storming?

So then, not without cause does Saint Paul declare that all bitterness, with testiness, anger, and cursed speaking, ought to be put away from the faithful, even with all spitefulness. For he sets down spitefulness here as the root that yields the fruits which he speaks of. By that word, he means such churlishness as makes every man to be given to himself and to draw alone without regard for others. For it cannot be but that the man who loves himself overmuch must needs disdain his neighbours, and so shake them off, as no gentleness can be gotten at his hand.

Therefore, if we intend to avoid strife and quarrelling, we must begin at this point of putting away churlishness. Considering that God has linked us together, let every man endeavour to maintain peace and friendship, and regard those whom God has so honoured as to make them His children, or at least created after His own image. That is for the first point.

Now, out of this spitefulness springs bitterness, which is when we are wayward and easy to be moved, and there reigns such a scornfulness in us as we think all the world to be our underlings, and that other folks are nothing in respect of us. When we are puffed up with such pride, it cannot be but that we must needs be bitter, and by and by be out of patience at the stirring of every straw if it be to our misliking, taking all things in ill part and seeking occasions of unquietness.

Accordingly, we see a great number who are not contented with chafing when any wrong is done to themselves; but although the matter touches them not, they seem to be set as spies to mark if there is anything to check at. Indeed, if a man speaks but one word that mislikes them, they will not in any wise be quieted, but are still finding fault with everything. And however the world goes, they must needs be meddling where they have nothing to do; for they are of so froward a nature that they will be quarrelling for the furthest stranger in the world.

But if the matter concerns themselves, though a man labors never so much to please them, and to do the thing that may content them, yet will they ever mislike of something; and if a man asks them the reason why, there is none other to be found but their own cankered stomach, because they have conceived rancor and are puffed up with pride to esteem their own self-will with disdain of others. We see then that Saint Paul has shown us here the true remedies to hold ourselves in awe, that we may live peaceably and keep ourselves from entering into quarrels and brawls.

A physician will not only bid a man beware of the fever or any other disease, but he will also consider where he is inclined, and see what things may be against him, and thereupon say unto him, "Beware of such a thing, for surely you cannot but fall into such a sickness or such an inconvenience if you take not heed to yourself."

Now, we would be heedful enough to keep the orders that are prescribed for the health of our bodies, but when it comes to the soul, every one of us is negligent, whereby we show that we make no account of our salvation. That is because we do not consider that, on the one side, the devil labors to seduce us, and we, on the other side, are so frail that we never cease to give ourselves to evil, except our Lord has armed and fenced us with His word. So much the more, therefore, does it stand us in hand to mark the order that is set down here: which is that, to live quietly together and to keep ourselves from contention and strife, first, we must not be blinded with excessive love of ourselves, but rather endeavor to rid away all pride, that we may make account of our neighbors and live meekly with them, for that will restrain us from being so bitter and testy in taking all things in ill part.

Hereupon, Saint Paul tells us that when we are so purged within, both of spitefulness and of bitterness, we must abstain from hastiness, from wrath, and from roaring. For here he sets down the sudden heats of choler through which men overshoot themselves ere they are aware of it and afterward fall into rages that cannot be stayed. For this cause, it behooves us to be mortified, for then it will be easy to allay the heat, yea, and even to quench it. But when we are so inflamed with wrath, all must needs be full of thundering, and there will be no measure to our anger.

You see, then, that the thing in effect which we have to mark here is that, forasmuch as God's children ought to live in peace and concord, they must, to the utmost of their power, bridle all their passions, and consider what comes of wrath and anger, namely, that fire is kindled, open war proclaimed, many words escape which a man would wish in again, and finally, there springs incurable mischief.

Now then, if we look well where all our moodiness leads us, or rather carries us away, namely, that the devil takes possession of us and holds us in the stocks, and that we have neither reason nor control of ourselves when we are so far out of patience, certainly, we would stand on our guard and not give place to the devil, as has been declared before. However, that we may avoid strife and debate, let us learn to cleanse our hearts of bitterness and testiness. And to bring that to pass, let us learn to esteem well those who are linked unto us, and unto whom also we are bound. Thus, you see in effect how we ought to put this text into use.

And forasmuch as it is a thing as hard to be kept as any, and a thing that greatly hinders us, therefore Saint Paul adds that it behooves us to be mild, gentle, and courteous to one another. Here, he sets down the contraries to the bitterness and spitefulness he spoke of. He brings us back to this principle: that inasmuch as we are men, God has created us after His own image, and that inasmuch as He has called us to the belief of His Gospel, He has thereby marked us anew, and there we behold His image, which ought to move us to the gentleness of which he speaks.

Therefore, let us mark well that we cannot despise the least among us without dishonoring God. For (as I told you before), all men are made after His image. Now, would it be tolerable for an earthly worm to esteem itself so highly and exalt itself so far as to set light by its Maker? Let us make no excuse in this behalf, for all that we can allege will stand us in no stead. And (as I said), seeing that God has so highly honored men as to give them such an excellent nature, it is good reason that we should yield honor and reverence to His majesty and not tread underfoot those through whom He represents Himself to us.

Again, if a man considers himself well, shall he not see his own nature as it were in a glass, in all his neighbors? Yes, for the greatest personages in the world cannot say that they are made of any other stuff than the rest of Adam's children are. Seeing it is so then, what cause have we to be so proud as to disdain those who are like us and are allied to us by such a kindred as cannot be worn out?

However, there is yet a more peculiar reason as in respect of the faithful. For in them, God has engraved His image anew, which was as good as defaced by Adam's sin. Then, since it is so, let us learn to be gentle and courteous to one another and not be so churlish that no man may have access to us, nor yet so strange and scornful as to separate ourselves from the common array and company of other men. This is what Saint Paul meant by the gentleness or courtesy of which he spoke.

Now, hereupon he adds, "Mercifulness." "Let us," he says, "have compassion one for another." This compassion stretches very far and is, as it were, the wellspring that moves us to gentleness. We will always grant that a mild spirit is a singular virtue and one without which we cannot continue in the world. And how may it be maintained among us? The only means is this compassion, that is to say, the disposition of mind which causes us to think that when we see any despised person, yet he is our neighbor, that is to say, our own flesh and bone.

"Yes, but yet he is despised, neither does he have anything to be esteemed for." Yet, notwithstanding, the miseries that are in him may also fall upon me. Then, if we consider that, surely our hearts will yearn to see the man who is brought to so great a disadvantage in respect of others; and whether he be weak of body or have some infirmity of mind, it will grieve us and touch us with pity to rue his case. And so, there would be no gentleness in us if it were not for this compassion.

Now then, put the case there is a poor man who is sore diseased or droops and drags his wings upon the ground. Should he be held in scorn for that? No, but contrarywise, if we were not utterly merciless like wild beasts (as the scripture teaches us), surely the very same ought to move our bowels and to incline us to pity, at leastwise if we did our duty.

Again, if there be any impediment of wit or mind (as, for example, some silly soul who has much ado to understand one saying among a hundred, yea, who is not able to discern white from black), if I do not have compassion for him, what hinders me from doing so but my own cruelty, which makes me forget the common kindness whereby God knits us all together? You see then, that if we have any drop of pity to keep us from rejecting those who are allied to us, and also from disdaining those in whom there is any cause for compassion and mercy, we shall not fail to be gentle and courteous towards our neighbors in all cases and at all times.

To be short, like as the miseries which God knows to be in us do move Him to be merciful towards us, so the miseries that are in our neighbors ought to be as spurs to prick us and provoke us to be pitiful to them. Yea, and there is yet more: even their vices, which inflame us to choler and anger, ought to provide us with occasion to pity our neighbors.

I see some man who has done me wrong. Now, is it not the devil that has driven him thereto, and does not the wretched man undo himself, for he provokes God against him? Now then, if there were no more in me than the common nature whereunto God has knit us all, ought I not to be sorry at heart when I see a soul beguiled by Satan going to destruction? Yes, verily. Therefore, let none of the wrongs done to us carry us away, neither let us be so far provoked as not to pity those who do amiss, namely, because they are blinded by Satan, provoke God's wrath, and fight against their own salvation.

Behold then, the very remedy which we have to hold unto and to keep is that, to be gentle, we must be pitiful and have compassion, as is shown in the foresaid texts. For there is none of us who would not gladly be borne with; and without that, we could not know how to live one day in the world. The most perfect man who is has yet some infirmity, insomuch that if men should deal altogether rigorously with him, he should be disdained, yea, and as good as utterly disgraced and defaced.

Nay further, where is the man to be found who does not have many infirmities in him and who would not fain be greatly borne with (as need requires) and that men should not shake him off, though he have some vices that deserve their withdrawing of themselves from him? Now, if we would so fain be borne with ourselves, ought we not also to pity others? And truly, when we see a man has some blemish, ought we not to think, "I am subject to the same"? Verily, when I have sifted all things thoroughly, I shall find other things in myself that deserve more justly to be condemned, and yet I would fain be borne with, though I were never so much convicted. Therefore, like as we would that other men should pardon us, so let us learn to pity other men, for they are no more angels than we are. That, then, is the thing which Saint Paul meant to bring us to.

And thereupon he concludes that we should forgive one another. For if compassion does not always go before, surely we will not let a pin's point go without examination and rigorous sifting of it, and without immeasurable displeasure, as experience shows in very deed too much. Therefore, a body should not stir a straw, but we would be out of patience at it. And why? Because there is no pity in us. But if we are touched with mercy, surely we will easily forgive and let many things slip and pass unseen. Moreover, we will not be lightly moved, but there will be a bridle to hold us back, and we will not refuse to admit them always to friendship who have so offended.

That, therefore, is the order which Saint Paul keeps to bring us to charity and to maintain us in it, for it is the whole sum of this lesson. To be God's children, we must love one another and be knit together in good agreement, so that peace may be maintained among us. And how is that possible to be? For every man is too much wedded to himself. Again, their minds are as far differing as may be, and their manners and conditions also differ. To be short, we have infinite causes to put us away and to cut us off from all company.

Surely, if every man lets himself loose, charity shall never take place but be banished far from us. What is to be done then? We must first rid ourselves of all scornfulness and pride (as is said before) and afterward be cleansed from bitterness and frowardness, so that we do not become choleric and testy, but every man bridle himself and subdue his own affections. But this cannot be done except we are gentle and kind-hearted, namely because we are creatures fashioned after the image of God and knit together with an inseparable bond.

Yet, all this would not suffice until we have learned to know our own infirmities, and that every one of us is angry with himself because he sees that he needs to be quickened up, and that there are many vices in himself of the same sort that are in his neighbors, and that, therefore, we have need of this bond to hold us fast together. This will be done when we are merciful and pitiful.

Now, if common courtesy ought to move us to succor those in necessity, it ought also to be of force to reconcile us. For when our Lord Jesus exhorts us to be merciful, it is not only to the intent that we should relieve the hungry and thirsty with meat and drink or help up a man again who has fallen into decay, or that we should succor every man according to our ability and the party's need; our Lord Jesus does not intend that alone. True, all things are comprehended therein, but He will have us especially show mercy in forgiving the faults that are committed and not be so extreme as to shake off those utterly who are not altogether to be commended or in whom we spy many vices.

Indeed, we ought not to flatter one another, for true friendship will not bear that, because it would only be a foading of us to our own destruction. If a man is a friend to another and suffers him to overcome himself with meat and drink, so as in the end he kills himself, is it to be said that his flattering of him after that manner, and his foading of all his foolish appetites, is friendship? No. So then, if we see a poor man at the point of throwing himself headlong into destruction, we do well to show ourselves to be rather traitors than friends to him if we do not endeavor to pluck him back.

The compassion, therefore, whereunto our Lord Jesus exhorts us, is not a rocking of us asleep in our infirmities through flattery but a holding of ourselves in measure, and a tempering of our rigor in such wise as oil may always be mingled with our vinegar, as they say. That is in effect the thing whereunto Saint Paul meant to bring us. For although every man do his best to be pitiful, so as he may show no over-great rigor towards his neighbors, yet it is as contrary to our nature as anything can be. For (as I have said already) this self-love of ours does so blind us that we make the least escapes in the world to be heinous sins and offenses unpardonable.

By means whereof, if any man angers us, to our seeming, his fault ought not in any wise to be forgiven. So then, mercifulness shall never be found in men unless they fight it out to the uttermost against their own affections. As for single teaching, it will not avail in that behalf. We have this churlishness so deeply rooted in our hearts that if we are told of our duty, it does but half move us. For this cause, Saint Paul sets God's example before us here, who has forgiven us in His only Son. And immediately thereunto, he adds our Lord Jesus Christ, who spared not Himself for our redemption and salvation.

The thing, then, that can break all hardness in us, the thing that can mortify all our excessive passions, the thing that can reclaim all our cruelty, pull down all our pride and loftiness, and sweeten all our bitterness, is to have an eye to God's behavior toward us.

"Now he has loved the world so well that he has given his only Son to death for our sakes" (John 3:16). If we compare ourselves with God, what a distance is there betwixt us? So then, the greatest wrongs that we can possibly imagine to be done unto us are nothing in comparison to the least fault that we commit against God. For a man cannot devise to break God's will ever so little, but the same is an encountering of His sovereign dominion, a violating of His majesty, and an overthrowing of His righteousness, which are things too precious to be abused.

What like thing is to be found in man? Can it be said that if one has misused us, it ought to be esteemed as if a man had infringed God's righteousness? Now then, we have just cause to condemn ourselves until we serve God as we ought to do. And who does that? We are enemies to Him beforehand, even from our mothers' wombs; and as we grow in age, so grow we continually without ceasing in naughtiness, in all sinfulness, and in all unrighteousness. And yet for all that, God has not forborne to look mercifully upon us, insomuch that the more wretched we were, the more has He uttered His infinite mercy in sending us His only Son.

Now, if we consider this, ought not all pride to be laid down, all bitterness assuaged, all rebelliousness tamed, all spitefulness rid out of our hearts, and all untruth put away? Yes, verily. What is the cause, then, that we are so wayward, and that when heat has once carried us away, we cease not even to spur forward ourselves, and that we do so easily enter into contention and strife that all the house where we be must ring of us? What is the cause hereof? Even our own unthankfulness, for that we think not upon God's incomprehensible goodness towards us, in that He has not spared His only Son, notwithstanding that we were His deadly enemies, notwithstanding that we were at war with Him, notwithstanding that we were cursed already by nature because of the corruption that is in us.

But yet, notwithstanding all this (as I said afore), it is impossible that we should taste of God's mercy except we be touched with compassion and have our hearts rid clean of that cursed affection of revenge. So then, albeit that Saint Paul has exhorted us to things that are very hard, yea, and utterly repugnant to man's nature, and which cannot be brought to pass except God work in that behalf, yet notwithstanding the declaration that is showed us here ought to prevail so much with us as to make us forget all wrongs. For admit that another man has offended me: what then? Can I try myself righteous and guiltless when I shall come before God? Alas, there are so many iniquities and transgressions in me that I should be confounded a hundred thousand times.

Should one fault, then, which is committed against me, be unpardonable, and shall a hundred, yea, a whole million which I have committed against God, be nothing? What am I in comparison of that sovereign Majesty? So then, following this warning of Saint Paul's, whenever we are moved to impatience for any displeasure or wrong, so as we have any desire of revenge, let us learn, let us learn, I say, to gather our wits about us and to consider what we are. For first of all, if a man has committed any fault against us, we ourselves do the like or far worse. On the other side, let us consider how God has redeemed us, yea, and especially by that most precious pledge of the bloodshed of His only Son. And have we deserved that?

Again, what cause has moved God to be so merciful toward us? Nothing else but our wretchedness. Now, seeing that He, who is so good and that He, being not of our nature, has nonetheless had compassion on our wretchedness wherein we were plunged: what shall we do? Ought not we to have much more compassion one of another, because we find the things in ourselves which we pardon in our neighbors? God can find no infirmities in Himself, and how then shall He be moved to forgive us? Truly, even because He is the wellspring of all goodness and mercy. But when I see the thing that grieves me in my neighbor, if I examine myself well, I shall find the like there, or else much more. Should not all these things persuade me to some compassion, if I forgot not myself too much?

The way, then, to make us easily forgive many faults, and to bear with many vices that may mislike us in our neighbors, is to cast our eyes upon the inestimable love which God has borne us in the person of His Son.

And hereupon we may conclude, as I said before, that if we were not too unthankful, there would be another manner of mildness among us than there is, and we would not so soon fall out for every wrong that is done to us. For ought we not to think early and late, day and night, upon the favor that is granted us in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the day-sun to enlighten us? Should we be so brutish as not to consider that He makes His spiritual light shine upon us, with the purpose to guide us to salvation? And how is that done but by God's mercy?

Again, when we behold the favor that God shows us in maintaining us in this present life: are we worthy to be found at His cost? No, but all comes to us through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, it would become us, both sleeping and waking, eating and drinking, in rest and in labor, and in all things else, to consider always the mercy that God uses towards us, to bear it in mind, and to make it our continual exercise. And especially must this grace come always before our eyes when we pray unto God.

For what access may we have to talk familiarly with Him, to discharge all our cares and griefs as it were into His lap, yea, and to call Him our Father if we are not called to Him through His freely bestowed goodness in our Lord Jesus Christ, and if He does not forgive us our transgressions? If we do not think of all these things, we are too dull-headed and brutish. And hereby it appears full well that we shall always be disallowed in bragging ourselves to be God's children, His household folk, and faithful children, if we are not willing and glad to forgive. We may well boast of it before men, and we may be held in estimation through a fond opinion; but yet God will disgrace us.

So then, if we are loath to forgive, our unthankfulness betrays itself therein, showing that we do not consider the infinite goodness of our God as He shows it in our Lord Jesus Christ. That is the thing, in effect, whereunto Saint Paul intends to bring us.

Now he adds that we must be followers of God, as well-beloved children. For a man might yet reply, "It is true that God's mercy ought to ravish us all and amaze us, and it is so wonderful a thing that all our affections ought to be fastened upon it. But what for that? Are we able to be like unto God? No, for He is the fountain of all goodness, and we are lewd and untoward. Yea, God has the full perfection of all goodness in Him, and there is not so much as one drop of it in our nature. No marvel then though we come nothing near Him, nor have any resemblance or likeness unto Him."

Such a reply, I say, might men have made if Saint Paul had not added this saying: "Be followers of God," that is to say, follow him; let Him be your example or pattern. For although God be the sovereign goodness itself, and that we have not any piece of us which tends not to evil, yet it is no sufficient excuse for us that we should therefore be utterly against Him, for that is a token that we belong not at all to Him.

Truly, as in respect that we are but only men, Adam's sin has so alienated us from God that thereout spring malice, spitefulness, pride, excessive passions, and wicked desire of revenging; and it separates us from God, in whom is the fullness of all goodness. Such are we from our mother's womb through Adam's sin, as I said before. But yet, for all that, must we not needs change our kind when it pleases God to reach us His hand, to gather us to Him, and to knit the things again in one which were scattered asunder? Yes.

And that is the cause why Saint Paul says, "as God's dear beloved children." Herein he shows that we shall have our mouths shut unless we answer God in goodness by bearing with one another, according also as our Lord Jesus tells us in Saint Matthew: "Follow your heavenly Father," says He, "which makes His sun to shine both upon the good and bad" (Matthew 5:45). For to say that we are God's children, to call upon Him, to pretend the name of Christians, and yet in the meanwhile to be despisers of God and to make as though we would defy Him by showing that we draw aloof from Him: is it not utterly against kind? Yes.

And therefore let no man deceive himself, but let us consider that we are not only full of hypocrisy but also utterly past shame when we fashion not ourselves like unto God, and yet will needs be held and taken for His children. True it is, that to be so fashioned like unto God, and to resemble Him so fully as one man comes near unto another, is impossible; but yet we must not be out of heart for all that. And soothly we must call to mind how the Scripture says that if we go on toward God, although we be far off from the mark that we aim at, yet does He accept that willingness of ours when we keep our way and endeavor continually to go forward still.

Although we are slow and weak, and although we trip and stumble, yet God imputes none of those faults to us when we are desirous to fashion ourselves like to Him. When we shoot at that mark, although we are far short or wide of it, yet does God take it in good worth, as I said. And that ought to give us courage. For if we were required to fashion ourselves like unto God point by point in all respects, alas, how could it be done? For even the very angels, notwithstanding that there is nothing but holiness in them, and that God's glory shines forth in them, are yet far short of the perfection that is in God.

And what are we, then, who are so corrupted and marred, who have such an abundance of naughtiness, and who are so pulled back and turned away by so many vices and temptations which Satan thrusts in our way? Yet we have this to rejoice in, that our Lord bears with us and accepts all our doings in good part, so long as we keep on toward Him. That is the manner of following Him which is commanded us here. True it is that we must not, in the meantime, fall asleep and say, as many do: "I would fain be like unto God," and then do but wrinkle their mouth at it. But we must consider every day and every hour how poorly we have profited in the true rule of fashioning ourselves like unto God, and thereupon condemn ourselves for it, thinking thus: "I had some good will yesterday; how has it increased since?" (Nothing at all), but rather, to my seeming, it has become colder.

After this manner, we must quicken up ourselves and fight against the things that hinder us, that we may endeavor to go still forward and to come nearer and nearer to our mark, from which we are yet so far off. But, however we fare, yet will not our Lord fail to esteem us always to be like Him and to be true followers of Him, if we willingly and without hypocrisy forgive those who have offended against us, at least after His example, who has given us a pardon that is far greater than all the pardons that can be gotten at our hands. We must bear with the vices and infirmities of our neighbors, as we see that He has borne with us.

For He might justly sink us down to the bottom of hell, and yet He does not forbear to adopt us as His children. Seeing then that He loves us after such a sort, notwithstanding all the unworthiness that is in us, it is good reason that we should resemble Him in so doing. And although we had no better prerogative than our natural birth, yet ought we to know that God has not separated us asunder. Even the wretched pagans had some understanding hereof. For they said that man's life is to tend unto God and to be fashioned like unto His image, and that the same is also the full perfection of all happiness. And again, they added that we cannot resemble God better in any thing than in using gentleness one toward another, in doing good, and in being pitiful.

So then, let us consider that inasmuch as God has made us His well- beloved children, us, I say, who were His enemies, who had nothing but filthiness in us and were clogged with so many vices that we were worthy to be loathed by Him, and yet He has not withheld His love from us, it is good reason that we should overlook many things that might offend us and hinder our loving of our neighbors and our holding with them.

And now Saint Paul, having spoken of God, adds also the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. "The heavenly Father loved the world so well that He spared not His only Son, but delivered Him to death for us" (John 3:16). And what did Jesus Christ do? He forgot Himself; He regarded not His own person: "He that was the Lord of all glory submitted Himself to all reproach; He that was the life from the beginning made Himself mortal" (Philippians 2:7-8). "He that was the power of God the Father made Himself weak for love of us; He that had all things in His hand became poor to enrich us; He by whom all things are blessed became subject to cursing" (2 Corinthians 8:9; Galatians 3:13).

Seeing then that our Lord Jesus Christ abased Himself after that fashion (as Saint Paul also says in another place, where he sets Him forth as an example for us), and in place of His glory, took upon Him all shame, and in place of His righteousness became sin (not that He offended or had any blemish or spot in Him, but as bearing the punishment of our sins, in which respect also the Scripture calls Him by the name of sin), and again, in place of life, took death, and condescended to be cursed of God in this world, that we might have blessedness by His means, when we think upon all this, ought not all pride, all presumption, all fierceness, all scornfulness, and all bitterness to be laid away, considering the means by which our Lord Jesus Christ has reconciled us to God His Father?

So then, let us think well upon all those things.

And furthermore, to pull us the more down, and to break the hard- heartedness to which we are too much inclined, Saint Paul says that He offered a sacrifice of good savor unto God His Father. As if he should say, "My friends, had you once well weighed the grace and favor that is purchased for you by our Lord Jesus Christ, you would soon beat back all the wicked affections which make you to harbor ill feelings, and you would fight against them until you had overcome them. Therefore, be kind-hearted in bearing with one another. Seeing it has pleased God to gather us as it were into one flock, and that our Lord Jesus Christ does the duty of a shepherd to lead us together, show yourselves to be as a flock of sheep, and not as ravening wolves."

Since our Lord Jesus disdains us in nothing, insomuch that He has made an offering and sacrifice of His own person unto God His Father, whereby He has wiped out all our sins, let it move us, and captivate all our hearts to glorify God, and to do homage to our Lord Jesus Christ as often as we think upon it. And whereas he says that the sacrifice which was offered by Jesus Christ was of sweet scent or savor, thereby he shows that there is nothing but stench in us.

To what end has He sanctified us? To rid us of our infections and filthiness, which made us stinking and loathsome before God. As when sacrifices were offered in the material temple, God said they were of good savor unto Him, yet that was in respect of men, who could not come unto God by reason of their sins, for they were infected with them, and therefore God must needs have shunned them. But all was fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the truth of the shadows of the law.

Seeing it is so, let us understand that when it is said that the sacrifice which Jesus Christ offered was of sweet savor before God, it was to put away the remembrance of all our infections, to the intent that when we appear before the face of our God (as we must daily in our prayers and supplications), our sins may not be laid to our charge. So that although we are disfigured like wretched lepers, so that there is nothing but infection in us, yet the same may be no impediment but that God may embrace us as righteous and innocent, to be companions with the angels and fashioned fully according to His image.

And how may that be done? Even because our Lord Jesus Christ will have all our spots wiped away, so that we may come before Him with our heads upright, being well assured that He will always make us find the fruit of His mercy which He has once told us of.

Now, let us kneel down before the majesty of our good God, with acknowledgment of our faults, praying Him to make us feel them more and more, so that it may draw us unto true repentance. Yet, let us not doubt that He bears with us, to the end that we should ask Him for mercy and forgiveness, assuring ourselves that He will hear us if we keep the way that He shows us by His Word and reform ourselves more and more according to His image, so that we may give true proof that, as we call upon Him as our Father, we also desire nothing else but to be His true children. And so let us all say, Almighty God, heavenly Father, etc.