made manifeste in the company assembly of all sorts of men had rather the earth should swalow him vppe then to haue so manye witnesses of his sinnes and wickednes how doe we think shall we be affected when the hearts of the wicked being opened all our thoughts purposes and deedes shal be brought to light before the whole world before the angels of god before all the saints If we count it here a miserable wretched thing to be caried to prison what a thing will it be to be cast into eternall torments If it be a dreadfull thing here to be punished with exile or death what a thing will it be to be exiled and banished from that heauenly countrye for euermore and for the body with the soule to be tormented with continual death If it shall be most pleasaunt to the godly to heare when the Sonne of God shall bidde them inherite the kingdome prepared for them from the foundations of the world howe dreadfull and terrible to the wicked thinke we shall that voyce of the Iudge be condemning them to euerlastinge fire prepared for the deuil his angls If wee beleeue these thinges concerning the iudgement to come the reward of the godly and deserued punishment of the wicked Why doe we so liue as thoughe there were neither heauen nor hel If we do not beleeue them why will we be counted and called Christians Let vs therfore shake of this securitie which possesseth our minds y sluggishnes slothfulnes that dulnes drousines which is come vpon vs For we haue not to doe with trifling matters but with such as concerne the saluation of our soules y inheriting of the kingdome of Heauen the life blessed and immortall Now now therefore I say while we liue and are in helth while there is yet time for pardon while we haue him an aduocate in heauen whom hereafter wee shall haue a iudge let vs endeuour to amend our life and not differre so long till sinnes rather forsake vs then we them Neyther let vs euer be vnmindfull of the daye of Iudgemente and the dreadefull voice of the Iudge bidding the wicked departe from him neither of the pains of hell and that euerlasting fire Let vs haue alwayes in mind the shortnes of our life the certaintie of Death the vncertaintie of the houre thereof which is such that no man can promise to him selfe that he shall liue till to morowe no not so much as one moment longer Whereupon well surely sayth Seneca it is vncertaine saith he in what place death looketh for thee therefore looke thou for it in euery place Wherefore the lesse certaine and continuing that the life of men is so much more while they maye oughte they to thinke of repentance Remedies againste the second cause for which men driue of to amend their life vvhich was sayde to be hope of Gods mercy pardon WHereas vpon hope and truste of Gods goodnes and clemency thou prolongest the amendment of thy life that we may nowe speake some thing againste the seconde cause thou oughtest in no wise to be moued thereby so to do Christ when he came called sinners in deede but to repentance of their former lyfe not vnto libertie and licence to sinne As God is mercifull so dooth he graciouslye forgiue howbeit them that repente not such as obstinately perseuer in wickednes Christ bare our sinnes in his body on the tâ—ee saith S. Peter I graunt it but what addeth he that we being deliuered from sinne should liue vnto righteousnes Christe gaue himselfe for vs sayth Paul writing to Titus There is none that denyeth that but what foloweth in the same place that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good works Christ hath washed vs from our sinnes in his bloude as Iohn saieth in hys Reuelation I confesse it but not to this ende that we should againe defyle our selues wyth the filthinesse of sinne and wickednesse We haue Christe an aduocate with the Father howebeit if wee repente our former lyfe and so flye vnto him I will thou wilt say hereafter lament mine euill life But how knowest thou whether thou shalt liue one momente longer much lesse so long while thou bewaile thy sinnes and amend thy life Call to mind what God saith to that riche man mencioned in the Gospell who in great prosperitie promised himselfe to liue yet manye yeeres Thou foole sayeth God this night will thy fetch away thy soule from thee Thou haste cause to feare leaste the same happen vnto thee I hope thou wilt say it will be better with me then so But what if this hope deceiue thee for here one may worthely crye O vayne and deceitful hope Nowe if thys come to passe whiche I woulde in no wyse shoulde thou shalt perishe for euer and willinglye caste thy selfe into euerlastinge destruction And thou canst not denye but it maye come to passe in so greate vncertaintye of thy lyfe What follye is it then to bringe thy saluation in doubte by differring and prolonginge that thinge whereby thou mayst presently prouide for the same Why dooste thou not therefore foorthwith amende thy lyfe rather then with so greate perill of thy saluation nourishe such vaine and deceitfull hope God is mercifull thou wilt saye True it is but he is also iuste Whereas then thou trusteth in hys mercy why doost thou not also feare his iustice I haue no pleasure in the death of a sinner saieth the Lorde by the Prophet It is true but what dooth he adde by by after But that he turne from hys waye and lyue Turne then vnto the Lorde as Ioel exhorteth wyth all thine heart wyth fasting weepinge and mourninge Turne thee to the Lord thy God for he is gracious and mercifull flowe to anger and of greate goodnesse as the same Prophet sayeth Hereunto maketh that sayinge of Ezechiell If the vngodly wyll turne away from all hys sinnes that he hath done and kepe all my statuts and doe the thing that is iudgemente and righte doubtlesse he shall liue and not dye And a little after Haue I any pleasure in the death of a sinner saith the Lorde God shall he not liue if he returne from his wayes To the same effect tendeth that saying of Esai Let the vngodly man forsake his owne wayes and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations and turne againe vnto the lord so shal he be merciful vnto him and to our God for he is verye ready to forgiue The Prophet declareth that God is gentle and mercifull but to such as repente acknowledge their sinnes Doe thou therefore first repent returne vnto goodnes aske pardon of thy sinnes with weeping and mourninge be sorye euen from thy heart for thy offences committed forsake thine owne way and turne vnto the Lord thy God and then conceiue sure truste of thy saluation neither despeire of pardon neither doubte of Gods goodnes and clemencye In
the meane season remember that which our sauiour saith in the Gospell that there is ioy in heauen for one sinner that repenteth and turneth vnto God more then for ninetie and nine iust men which neede none amendment of life Yea let this thing greatly stirre thee vp to repent cōsidering with thy selfe howe desirous the Angels are of thy saluation and how they reioyce and be gladde at thy repentaunce But that doth singularly wel please thee which is in the booke of Psalmes The Lorde is good gracious and of great mercy But heare againe what is also in the same booke Thou hatest all that worke iniquitie and again The countenaunce of the Lord is against them that doe euill Iohn will some man alleage sayth in this wise He that beleueth in the Sonne hath eternall lyfe But what doth the same Iohn say moreouer He that committeth sinne is of the deuill and he that saith he knoweth God and keepeth not his commaundements is a lyer Iohn Baptist beareth witnesse of Christ Behold saith he the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinne of the worlde But what saith he in another place Repent and bringe forth fruites worthy amendment of life Peter as Luke mentioneth in the Acts saith in this sort We beleeue through the grace of y Lord Iesus Christ to be saued But what doth the same Peter say also in another place of the same boke Amend your liues therefore turn that your sinnes may be put away Christ himselfe saith in the Gospel of Iohn God so loued the world that he hath giuen his only begottē sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting life But what dooth he also saye in the Gospell of Matthew Not euery one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of my father which is in heauen Thou beleeuest that which Paule saieth that Christ Iesus came into the worlde to saue sinners Beleeue then the same Paule also when he affirmeth that sorcerers adulterers whoremongers murderers theeues extorsioners couetous men proude persons drunkards slaunderers such as be enuious and malicious shall not inherite the kingdome of god For if thou be verelye perswaded that Paul doth speake truely here or rather the holy Ghoste by the mouth of Paule thou then plainely seest that thou canst cōceiue no trust of Gods mercy nether hope for saluation frō him as long as thou liuest wickedly and vngodlily For faith as it learneth out of the Gospel that God is gracious merciful to them that repent so doth it also learn that he is angry oftended with them that obstinately perseuer in sinne There is no cause thē that thou shouldest vpon hope truste of Gods fauour pardon prolong the amendment of thy life so deceiue thy selfe Repent first return into the right way thē be bold to promise to thy selfe largely of Gods elemency mercy Now as none can well repent but he that hopeth for pardon as Ambrose hath truely said so he can not hope for any pardon who doth not vnfeinedly repent I wil moreouer adde hereunto somewhat out of the booke of Iesus the sonne of Sirach before I procede any further Say not saith he I haue sinned what euill hath come vnto me For the Almighty is a pacient rewarder but he wil not leaue thee vnpunished Because thy sinne is forgiuen be not without feare to heape sinne vpon sinne neither say the mercy of God is great he will forgiue my manifold sinnes For like as he is mercifull so goeth wrath from him also and his indignation commeth down vpon sinners Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord and put not of from daye to day For suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth and in time of vengeance he will destroy thee Thus much saith Iesus the sonne of Syrach Remedies against the third cause for which we prolonge the reforming of our life which vvas sayde to be the custome of sinninge BVt the custome of sinning doth hinder thee that thou causte not returne vnto goodnes and amend For most commonly it commeth to passe that thou shalt euen againste thy will doe those things whereunto thou hast accustomed thy selfe from thy tender yeeres For as Cyprian saith it is not suddenly and quicklye left which hauing bin long vsed hath in continuaunce of time much increased When doth he learne to spare and spende moderatlye who hath bin longe accustomed to sumptuous suppers and deintie delicates And when doth he frame himselfe to weare common and simple apparell who hath of a longe time bin clothed with gorgeous garmentes glittering with gold and other precious ornaments It muste needes be that according to the custome drunkennes do with forcible prouokements allure pryde puffe vp wrath inflame extorsion disquiet crueltie pricke forwarde ambition delight lust cary headlong c. So that it semeth very hard by any meanes to ouercome the custome of sinning which is nowe almost turned into nature Howbeit thou muste notwithstanding endedeuour to doe it if thou haste anye care of thy saluation But by what meanes thou wilt demaunde If by little and little good custome shaketh of that which euill custome hath brought in If that which euill custome hath as it were ingraffed by good custome thou doe endeuor to plucke vp Now nothing is so difficulte and hard as Seneca saith which the minde of man can not ouercome That therefore thou mayste ouer come the force of custome which is almost inuincible there is more neede of a certaine willingnes of mind then of striuing and labor although thou must add these also if thou wilt weaken plucke vp and as it were quite roote out that whiche hath taken deepe roote and is firmely fixed Goe to therefore with a good courage begin and doe thine endeuour with a good hope trusting especially to the assistance of God thou shalt haue prosperous successe At the first perhaps when thou doost begin that long continued custome of sinning will seeme vnto thee euen inuincible but when thou commest to the tryall thou shalt soone perceiue that that which was supposed coulde not bee done without great difficultie is not a matter so troublesome or hard as thou hadst thoughte So doth it fall out oftentimes that in doinge we finde that light and easye which in the beginning seemed heauie and harde Brieflye whereas that excellent Poet sayde of the companions of M◅estheus They prosper wel they able are because they so do seme Trust without all doubtinge that it shal be so with thee also Onely as I haue sayde go to with a good courage and an assured hope of prosperous successe and the endeuour and care to liue godlily will daylye more and more like and delight thee and vertue will meruelouslye allure thee to loue it then which as one truely saith there is nothing more fayre nothinge more beautiful nothing more amiable Finallye thou wilt neuer cease to
suddenly slaine so that he can not repent for his sinne when as wee in the meane season by the singular benefite of God haue time and space graunted to returne vnto goodnes Let vs not then abuse this so greate goodnes of our moste gracious God who doth as it were looke for occasion to take pitie vpon vs Let vs amende our lyfe lest that being suddenly preuented with the day of death we seeke space to repent can not fynde the same And truly he that hath promised pardō to the penitent as I sayd euen now but it must be eftsones repeted hath not granted so much as the morow to him that continueth in sinne But that sinner wil some man say may repent flie vnto God for mercy when he lieth nowe visited with sicknes In dede it is not to be denied that this may be but marke howe manye impediments be heare which can scarce be ouercome For to omit the regarde which he ought to haue to make his last will and testamente the care of his wife and children the griefe of his sicknes and such like which seeme perhaps of small importance Howe will Satan at that time besturre himselfe what meanes will he not attempte that he may driue miserable man to despeyre of his saluation because of his innumerable sinnes committed For then especially if euer he putteth in thy mind what soeuer euil thou hast throughe thy whole life from thy childhood either thought willed sayd or done and those offences that be otherwise greeuous of themselues he encreaseth and amplifieth Finallye he goeth about by all meanes to take from man all hope of pardon and to driue him to despeire of hys saluation because of the multitude and greatnes of his sinne Hereunto may be added the remorse of a guilty conscience the great feare of death being nowe before mans eyes the sorrowfull and bitter cogitation of the tribunall seate of the Lord that terror of Gods iudgement which doe sore amaze and astonish the horror of hell fire but who can rehearse all the impediments and all the causes which will hinder thee that thou canst not thinke of repenting Doe not therefore doe not I say if thou bee wise differre the amendment of thy lyfe vntill the last day thereof For this is a thing full of perill and daunger That I may not adde here vnto that such repentance forasmuch as it is vrged by necessitie forced with feare of hell rather then proceding from a ready willingnes of mind shal little preuaile vnto saluation But there is no repētance to late before god I confesse it is true in deede for in what hour so euer a sinner repenteth God will no more remember any of his iniquities and as the Prophet saith in another place The Lord desireth the repentaunce of a sinner rather then his death and destruction But what if sudden death come vppon thee vnawares that thou shalt haue no time to lament thy sinne or to thinke of repenting For that whiche maye chance to all is to be looked for of all Call to mynde the sudden destruction of them who perished by the fall of the tower in Siloam as it is in Luke What it thou be suddenly taken with such a disease or sicknesse that thou shalt lose thy right vnderstandinge and fall into rauing and madnes which we haue seene oftentimes to haue come to passe Nowe if this chaunce as vndoubtedly it may that hope to repent which the sinner had in prolonging the amendment of his life is then vtterly frustrate and vayne That which may come to others may also come to thee thinke not thy selfe exempt from that which is common to all For true is that saying of Publius It may chance to euery one that may chaunce to any Cast of therfore hope of long life then which nothing assuredly is more vaine and deceitfull doe not dreame that thou shalte haue opportunitie neither appoint the time when thou wilt repent Finally doe not with this so vayne hope further thy folly or rather madnes in differring the amendment of thy life If thou be wise repent at that time when thou canst yet sinne For if thou purpose then to repent when thou canst now sinne no more surely thou hast not forsaken sinne but sinne hath forsaken thee Moreouer it is to be feared lest that thou which wilt not repent when thou mayst shalte not be able when thou wouldest For the iudgments of the omnipotent God are vnsearchable in punishing the sinnes of men As God of his goodnes and clemencye is wont to giue space to repent to them that be willing therevnto and ready and fit to receiue mercy and in the meane season to suffer sinners with much patience and leuitie til they returne vnto goodnes so whē he seeth one desperatly dissolut and naught deluding Gods long sufferance and nowe worthy of destruction he ceaseth any more to kepe him from falling into voluntary perdition and as the Scripture speaketh he blindeth the desperate and bardneth the obstinate neither looketh he any more for his conuersion neither giueth to the condemned time to repent or occasion to amend For God hath appointed euery one his day measure beyond which neither can man procede in sinning neither wil God any longer differ the punishment of sinne Which thing surly ought worthely to stirre vp al without delay to repēt and to endeuor to receiue that grace offered vnto them But seeing we haue spoken sufficiently hereof we will nowe proceede to speake of other matters Remedies against the sixt cause for vvhich many in the Papacie differre and neglecte the reforming of their life SVch as differre the amendment of their life vpon confidence in popish pardons and indulgences doe as the prouerbe is truste to a broken staffe and leane to a ruinous wall as also they that worship S. Barbarie and they that prouide that they may bee buried in S. Fraunces habit For what is there any where in the whole Scripture concerninge these tryfles What in the volumes of the olde Testament What in the bookes of the Prophets What in the doctrine of the Gospell What in the writings of the Apostles Finally which of these thinges was eyther in the Primatiue Church obserued or by the true general iudgment and consent of the Churche at all times receiued and allowed as profitable to saluatiō much lesse as necessary He therefore that lamenteth not his sinne before his death can not obtaine saluation albeit he be furnished euen with a thousande popishe pardons and bulles Wherefore vnlesse thou wilt bring thy saluation in doubt omitting these trifles repent thy euill life reknowledge thy sinne and be hartelye sorye and greatlye greeued for the same with earnest prayer and teares craue mercye of God and flye for succour and refuge to the onely merites of Christ with a firme faith and assured hope to obtaine Gods grace and fauor for Christ his sake whom the father hath giuen to death for vs So will
of concerning hel the riuer in hel that alwayes burneth the iudges Minos and Rhadamanthus the place abode punishmēt of the wicked wherupon came that saying of Seneca The poets deluded vs saith he and put vs in vaine feare so many count for trifles and fables vtterly contēne as vayne threats those thinges which at this day are read in the holy Scriptures of hel of eternal death of the fiery lake wher shal be weeping gnashing of teeth also of the resurrectiō of the soule bodye either to euerlasting paines or eternal glorye Whē as al these things without doubt strike horror into thē that be godly in deede do feare god aright as one saith they are almost afraid to heare thē once named or spoken of Thus hast thou the chiefe principall cause as I thinke why all of vs almost do so prolong the amendment of our life Of the second cause vvhy man differreth to amende his lyfe LEt vs nowe come to the second whiche is hope of Gods pardon and fauour a hope great in deede but surelye false and altogether vncertaine With this hope the continuall enemy of mankind the Deuil holdeth man in sinne and by dayly setting before him Gods lenitie and gentlenes keepeth him from fearing his iustice But as God doth easily pardon the penitent and fatherly forgeiueth such as returne vnto goodnes so he leaueth not vnpunished neither suffereth vnreuenged suche as with an obstinate mind perseuer in wickednes In vain therefore doe they hope for pardon who do not hartely repent for their sinnes committed The deuil notwithstanding by setting this hope before man bringeth to passe that he sinneth securely and neuer hath any earnest cogitation of amending his lyfe but despiseth the riches of Gods bountifulnes patience and long sufferance not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth him to repentaunce that I maye vse the wordes of the Apostle Paul writing to the Romans Let man here call to minde that which our sauiour sayth in the gospell of Matthew Repent saith he your former life for the kingdome of heauen is at hand And that which the Lord saith in Esay Which of them shall I then regarde Euē him that is poore of a lowly troubled spirite and standeth in awe of my words Christ saith moreouer in the gospel of Luke Vnlesse ye repent ye shal al likewise perish And Peter in the Acts sayth Repente ye therefore and conuert that your sinnes may be put away I omit sixe hundred other places in the Scriptures which tende to the same ende that is which teache that none can hope and trust for pardon of his sinnes but he that repenteth For in vaine as I haue sayde doth he hope to haue remission and forgiuenes whose hearte is not touched with true repentance Now albeit no repentaunce be to late before God which the example of the theese mentioned in the gospell doth declare for God desireth not the destruction of sinners but rather that they repent and liue Who notwithstanding seeth not how daungerous a thing it is to differre the amendment of our life Well was it sayd of one that none hath euer had God so fauourable vnto him that he coulde promise himselfe to liue till the morowe Death oftentimes cōmeth vpon men vnawares so that they haue no time so much as to thinke of repenting and amendinge their life I will not here rehearse those thinges whiche Plinie declareth in hys natural history of sodain deathes farasmuch as nothing almost is more common vsual euen at this time also It is not many yeeres since there were two olde men in this country both inhabitants of one and the same citie who the same night they dyd lye with the strumpets to whō they vsed to resort that one lost his life by an Apoplexie the other was stabbed in with a dagger so both of them died sodenly with how great peril of their soules let euerye one thinke with himselfe I confesse it in dede to be true that it is cōmon to the godly as wel as to the wicked to die sodenly that that is true also with the wiseman saith that the righteous man with what death so euer he be preuented shal be in rest How dreadful a thing is it notwithstanding that the impenitent person should sodenly be ouertaken with death after such a sort Of how many haue we heard oftētimes who euen when they were tipling and making god chere falling vnto strife brawling amōg themselues haue bin thrust through one of an other Of howe many who being taken in adultery haue by the sword lost their liues Of howe many who playing at the dice haue bin slayne of them that played with them That I may say nothing of them who falling frō their horse haue brokē theyr neckes who haue perished sodenly in the sea by shipwracke finally who either byfalling of houses or by some other chance haue died a sodain death Although then y God doth desire rather the repentaunce then death of a sinner as in deede he doth it is notwithstanding a very perilous thing by reason of the vncertaine chaunces which be incident vnto vs to differre the amendment of our life vppon hope of Gods mercy Thou must repent in time while thou doost yet liue and art in good health But thus standeth the case A younge man takethe hys pastime and pleasure geueth himselfe to banketting and riotous liuing promiseth himselfe to liue manye yeeres and therefore thinketh nothing of reforming his life but differreth this thing vntill olde age whereunto notwithstanding it is vncertaine whether he shall euer come For what one among manye thousandes liueth vntill olde age Nowe what doth he that is become verye olde and is as it were euen at deathes dore To morrowe saith he it shall be done and againe it shall be done to morrow so he willingly deceiueth vaynly flattereth himselfe seeing as I haue sayde no man can promise himselfe to liue till the morrow no no man knoweth whether he shall liue vntil the euening In the meane season mē so dayly differring prolonging the amendmēt of their life death oftentimes commeth vppon them vnawares as we may see almost euerye day and yet can not other mens harms make vs to beware so doth the deuill alwayes drawe vs on and allure vs with a vayne hope of Gods pardon and of a long life Now although it neither ought nor by any meanes may be denyed that the penitēt obtaine gods grace and fauour at all times neither may it be sayde that he who is nowe about to yeeld vp the ghost in that very agonye of death should despeire of pardon who notwithstanding is so vnwise that he doth not rather desire that which is safe and boyde of all danger then that which is ioyned with exceedinge greate perill Wherefore rather then there shoulde be any scruple or doubte let vs thinke in time of amending our life let vs not differre it from day
to day especially seeinge it is vncertaine whether wee shall liue vntil to morowe As concerning the clemencie gentlenes of God let that alwaies remaine in our mind which Cyprian sayth in a certaine place As fauourable saith he gracious as God alwayes is by the loue of a father so much is he to be feared by the maiesty of a iudge So shall it come to passe that the feare of Gods punishmente wil reclaime vs from sinning hope of Gods pardon will not lull vs a sleepe in ouer much securitie It is too much to say howe Priestes in the papacie doe flatter themselues with this hope of Gods clemency who al their life time kepe concubines and vnder a pretence of single life company with harlots freely without punishment neuer thinking of reforming their life or putting their concubines away And in the meane season knowing themselues guiltie of this dishonestie vnclean and wicked life they doe notwithstanding almoste euerye day celebrate diuine seruice and come to the misticall and holy table feeding vnworthely of y breade of the Lord vnworthely drinking of his holy cuppe Now how horrible a thing is it and how ful of peril and danger alwais to liue in that state in which if death come vpon thee there is no hope at all of thy saluation In vaine therfore do they flatter themselues with hope of gods mercy who so kepe cōcubines do with an obstinate mynd perseuer in wickednes neither euer go about to put away their strumpets or to amend their life neither do repent truely from their heart neither with weeping sighes craue pardon of God for their wickednes cōmitted But will some mā say they aske pardon of God oftentimes they often beseech his clemency to forgiue them For in the end of their euening prayer they say almost dayly Conuert vs O God and turne thine anger away from vs Also in the end of morning prayer Thou O Lord say they haue mercy vpon vs So at other times also they often pray that God wil haue mercy on them that he will be fauourable vnto them forgiue them I heare it neither doe I here stand to decide with howe earnest attention of mind with what zeale ferueney of spirite they doe that But be it that they pray with a mind ardent lifted vp vnto God and with a most serious and earnest affection what then What doth this auaile if they put not away their concubines with intent neuer to receiue them againe and do persist in a setled purpose and determination to liue chastly afterward doe also perseuer in endeuouring to amend their life and in continuall repentance for their wickednes committed Now because they doe not this as the thinge it selfe plainly sheweth who can doubt but they either beleue those things to be a fable with the holy scriptures tech of the last iudgemēt or els do too much flatter thēselues with a vain and false hope of Gods pardō O horible face of y popish church They which oughte to ouersee guide gouerne and teach others and that as wel by example as word they behaue themselues so that others are meruelously offended by them When the laity come to the Lordes table with what reuerence with what feare trembling with howe deuout loue and godlines doe they the same Howe doe they prepare themselues to confesse their sinnes and to aske pardon of God How doe they endeuour to their vttermoste that no scruple or doubt remayne in their minde conscience how certainely and firmely do they determine with them selues to amende theyr maners and reforme their life Now what doe the Popish Priestes These forsooth as one of their owne profession sayth make hast from the wicked company of their concubines to go to the alter and this they doe very often vnpunished without all shame They haue no care to amend their life they thinke not of putting away their harlots finally they are touched with no greefe in their mindes by considering their sinne and not to vse many woordes they seeme christians in name onely and word but in very deede are plain heathen Howe many occasions haue they to repente and turne vnto goodnes they visite such as are afflicted with greeuous diseases they heare thē confesse their sinnes they cōfort thē giue them wholesome exhortations and are oftentimes present with them when they yeelde vp the ghoste Moreouer they celebrate their funerals exequies and with great ceremony burie them commit their bodyes to the earth they walking in the temple oftentimes reade Epitaphs and verses grauen vpon tombes sepulchers they oftentimes heare and reade of the comming of the lord of the resurrection at the last day of the voyce of the Archangell of the trumpe of God c. So that by these meanes they may remember not onely the dead but euen death it selfe hanging ouer their heades euery houre they may remember also the laste iudgement the tribunall seate of the Lord and many other thinges which mighte moue them to amend But seeing by all these they are not brought to repent one of these two must nedes be true eyther that they count a fable those things which they reade in the holy scriptures of the iudgement to come and are with the Epicureans perswaded that the soule is extincte and dooth perishe with the body or els as I haue said that they flatter themselues with a vai◠and false hope and trust of Gods mercy Of the third cause why men driue of to reforme their life THe third cause why we prolong the amendment of our life is the custome of sinning which hath now almost the force of nature Now as it is very hard for euery one to ouercome his owne nature so the force of custome also is almost inuincible which men truely say to be as it were another nature Neither is it said amisse of one that those vices are hardlye cut of which do as it were grow vp with vs Howe tenderly gently parents bring vp their children frō their infancie we al do know From their tender age they are accustomed to delights pleasures They abstaine not frō foule silthy words and suche as are wicked blasphemous against God they weare sumptuous gorgeous apparel they do al things stoutly boldly impudently nothing modestly or reuerently They honour not their parents they reuerence not old folkes they disdaine their equales briefly what soeuer they list they think is lawful for thē to doe They are reclaimed frō naughtines neither with shame of men nor with feare of god They haue no care of religion pietie toward God much lesse of vertue honesty among men What should I vse many wordes Parents doe at this day by their owne example marre corrupt their children that they can with no aucthoritie correcte their maners Whereas in dede it becōmeth parentes neither to say any thing before their children with is vnsemely to be spoken
it come to passe that God will take pitie vppon thee forgiue thy sinnes and receiue thee into fauour for hys sonnes sake For he is our aduocate with god who maketh intercessiō for vs and reconcileth and pacifieth our heauenly father being offended at our sinne and wickednes as Iohn in his first Epistle generall teacheth East of therefore all regard of popishe indulgences of that superstitious worship of S. Barbarie and of the habit and clothing of S. Fraunces by which thinges no man can haue any hope to obtain saluation Flie vnto Christ himselfe who is our mediator and aduocate as I haue sayd the throne of grace the reconciliation for the sinnes of the worlde the Lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the world briefly our righteousnes sanctification and redemption as the Apostle saieth to the Corinthians Doe not then that I may returne to my purpose doe not I saye prolong the amendment and reformation of thy maners trustinge to indulgences and other such trifles especiallye in such shortnes of this life the houre of most certain death being so vncertain Which death forasmuch as it is dayly imminent by reason of the vncertaine chaunces which be incident vnto vs may euen at this very instant come vpon thee vnlooked for surely by reason of the shortnes of our life as it is saide of one it can neuer be farre of Howe daungerous a thing is it then to liue in that state in which if sudden death ouertake thee there is no more hope of thy saluation That thou mayst auoid this daunger see thou alwayes liue godlily acknowledge thy sinnes flie humbly to God for mercy aske pardon and forgiuenes and throughe Christe hope and looke for saluation from god Resort also often to the ministers of Gods word and aske of them godly instructions and spirituall comforte And that thou mayst be stirred vp to remember the promises concerning remission of sinne and be more more confirmed concerning the good wyll of God towarde vs come often to the Lordes table and as Christe hath instituted feede of that body which was once offered for the sinnes of mankinde and drinke that blood which was shed for the remission of our sinnes and so being mindfull of the Lords death giue heartye thanks to God for so great benefites and sing hymnes and prayses vnto him both priuatly with thy selfe at home and publikely in the assembly of the faithfull abroade A most fruitful admonition to auoid euill company NOw that I may goe forward to other matters endeuor as much as thou may alwayes to seuer thy selfe from the companye of the wicked and to associate thy selfe as neere as can be wyth the vertuous and godlye And as one admonisheth bee conuersaunt with suche as may make thee better admit such into thy companye as thou mayste amende It is a matter of no smal importance whose familiaritie thou vsest and with whom thou daily liuest For as we are infected with the company of the wicked as with a certen contagion so by dayly liuing together with the vertuous and such as feare God we are almoste reformed and amended Be therefore familier and a frend with these latter as for the other thinke thou oughtest to haue nothinge to doe with them The same doth Salomon commaund in his Prouerbs Paule also writing to the Corinthians doth so earnestly dehort from the companye and societie of the wicked in all thinges that he will not haue vs so muche as to resort to the table with them If anye that is called a brother be a fornicatour or couetous or a worshipper of Idoles or a rayler or a drunkard or an extorsioner with him that is such see that yee eate not There be in deede other causes I graunt why he will haue such to be auoyded either lest we shoulde seeme to allowe their lewdnes and wickednes or that such when they see all men shunne their companye may be ashamed and amende but surely this is not one of the smallest causes least the contagion of their vices shoulde infect others if any haue familiaritie with them For as a little leuen leueneth a greate lumpe of dough so oftentimes the example of one dooth marre and infect a great number Nowe althoughe it be in deede difficult and hard to forsake the aquaintance and familiaritie of them with whō thou hast long liued delightfully and pleasantly thou must notwythstanding with might and maine attempte the same and verye diligentlye endeuour to sequester and seuer thy selfe from the companye of such Onely be willing and earnest in the matter and without doubte it wil goe better forward then thou lookest for And because according to the greeke prouerbe the beginning is halfe of the whole and again as Horace saith he that hath well begunne hath halfe done see in any case thou doe beginne and doubt not of the successe by considering the difficultie If as it commonly falleth out thou doe eftsones thinke vppon the feastes mery meetings and such other vaine and fond delights which thou hast had with them if thou often euen against thy will remember thy mery mates and companions see thou doe then forthwith call to mynde the shortnesse of this lyfe death that hangeth ouer our heads euery houre the laste iudgement the tribunall seate of the Lord hell fire and eternall condemnation and so as the saying is driue out one nayle with another If thou call to mind these thinges and do thus speake with thy selfe Thy felowes pleasaunt companions inuite thee vnto them suppers dinners and mery meetings allure thee what doe I If thou doe earnestly say this with thy selfe what doe I then reason after a sort gathering her strength will subdue thy desire and thy will wyll yeelde to reason exhorting to that which is best Take therfore time as I haue sayde to thinke vpon these thinges and deale aduisedly in them when any such thinge come into thy minde by the suggestion of Satan cast of all remissenes of mynd neither doe straighte giue place to thy desire nor runne whither the deuill would driue thee Doe the companyons inuite thee to drinke and make mery with them See thou then cal to mynde that which our Sauior saith in a certen place Take heede saith he that your heartes be not ouercome with surfetting drunkennes Also that which Paule saieth Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse and again drunkerds and gluttons shal not inherite the kingdome of heauen Also that which Peter saieth Be sober and vigilant moreouer that saying of Esayas Woe be vnto them that rise vp early to folow drunkennes Remember that thou must obey the authoritie of God and his Apostles rather then follow the will of wicked mē and that thou must yeld vnto reason exhorting vnto that which is best rather then consent to the deuill mouing thee to that which is worst finally that thou muste rather resist that euill spirite then grieue the holy spirite of god Do not therefore doe not