The third consideration

THe third cōsideration is this, that where notwithstanding this great and excelent gyft you neuerthelesse by the reason of originall sinne wherewith you were born of your mother into this world, had lost the great inheritaūce aboue in heauen, and purchased euerlasting imprisonment in hell, he of his great and singular goodnesse had prouyded you to be borne within the precinctes of Christendeome, where you haue bene instructed in the doctrine of hys fayth, and receyued the holy Sacrament of baptisme, and haue béene made a christian woman, whereby you dyd receyue againe your inherytaunce before lost, and haue etcaped yt most horrible daūger of euerlasting dampnation. Howe manye suppose you in all the worlde that bée not instructed in this lawe and fayth of Christ, ne haue not receyued the holy Sacrament of Baptisme, both noble men & women, both Knightes and Princes, which haue great wisdome and reason, and many suche as peraduenture if they were taught it, woulde more readilye applye their myndes to Christes fayth then you doe, and more hartily serue him, honour and loue hym, thē euer you did. And yet loe thus graciously hath hée prouyded for you before all them, and hath appointed you to be a Christian woman, & to be partaker of all those graces and benifites that belong vnto the christian people, which bée so many and so great, that it passeth the wittes of men, not onely to number, but also to think? And héere good sister doe déepely consider in your soule, howe much this louing preferment of our Lorde God should sturre you to loue him agayn, when he suffereth so innumerable a multitude of men and women to perishe & to be lost for euer, amongest whom many do passe you in all naturall vertues, both of bodie and soule, and also would farfarther passe you in profiting in the lawe of Christ, if they were receyued therevnto, and yet I say he suffereth them to perish euerlastingly and perpetuallie to be dampned to: And for your safegarde hath prouided of hys singular goodnesse & mercy towardes you, for the whiche sithens it is not possible of your parte to recompence, whie shall you not with all your power enforce your selfe to loue hys most gracious goodnesse againe, and after your possibilitie to gyue vnto him most humble thankes therfore.