The second consideration

THe second consideration is this, where there is manye maner of beings, some creatures haue a goodly béeyng, some haue an vngoodly being. It is a more goodly beinge Margarite of a precious stone, then of a peble stone, of the fayre bright golde, then of rustie yron, of a goodly Fesaund then of a venemous Serpent, of a prettie Faune then of a foule Toade, of a reasonable soule, then of an vnreasonable beast. And it is not to be doubted but almightie God might haue giuen to any of them, what being so euer he woulde, & might haue transformed eche of those into the nature and kynde of any of the other at hys pleasure and will. For of the stones he might make men, as in the gospel our sauiour doeth affyrme, potens est deus de lapidibus istis suscitare filios Abrahe. Almightie God is of power to make of these stones the children of Abraham. And contrariwise he might of men haue made stones as the wife of Loth was turned into a salt stone. And in likewise me or you or any other man or woman, he might haue made a stone, or a Serpēt, or a Toad, for his pleasure. There is no creature so foule, so horrible, or so vngoodlie, but he might put you in the same cō dition that the most loathly of them be put in, and them, in contrariwise he might haue put in the same condition that you be in. Consider now by your reasō, that if you had bene made in the lykenesse of an Owle, or of an Ape, or of a Toade, howe deformed you shoulde haue bene, and in howe wretched & myserable condition. And thank your Lord God yt hath giuē you a more excelēt nature, yea, such a nature as excelleth in noblenesse, in dignitie, all other bodilie natures: For it is made to the verie lykenesse and Image of almightie God: wherevnto none other bodily creature doth reach néere. Metalles ne stones be they neuer so precious, neyther herbes nor Trées, neither Fysshes, ne foules, neyther any maner of beast be they neuer so noble in their kinde, doeth attayne to this high poynte of noblenesse to haue in them the Image and lykenesse of almightie God, but onely man. For as much thē as our lord God, might haue giuen this excelent dignitie to other innumerable creatures, as to beastes, to Foules, to fishes, to trées, to herbes, to mettalles, to stones. And hathe not so done but before all those hath elected and chosen you to beare hys Image & lykenesse, & to bée indued wt a reasonable soul, how much shuld his louing dealing moue you to enfore your selfe wt all ye strength and power of your harte & mynde, to loue him therfore agayne.