other mens perilles and harmes to take heede The deuyll leadeth vs on forthe and feadeth vs in suche wyse with vayne hope of the mercie of god and of longeâ— lyfe But here though it can not be denyed nor ought to be denyed but that the repentant receiueth of gods mercie at all tymes nor that he nedeth to feare or fal into desperation whiche is at the very poynt of death yet I recken that there is none so folish that he wyll chose that thynge which is ieoperdsome and leaue the other wherin there is no daungere at all Wherfore that noo suche feare or grudge of conscience remaine let vs goo about the reformation herof betimes nor differre it in any maner wise sythe that we are vncertaine of the nexte morowe folowing And as towchynge the mercye of god let vs remembre continually the saiyng of Ciprian So much as god is sayth he euer bountious and merciful for his fatherly loue and tendernes towardes vs so muche oughte we to feare and dreade hym for the maiestie of a iudge that he beareth Thus shall it come to passe that through the feare of gods wrath we shal be withdrawen and brought froÌ„ vyce and shall not yet throughe the hope of his mercy be deceyued and corrupted in securitie A worlde it is to consider how the popyshe prestes flatter theym selues with this selfe same hope of goddes mercy whiche kepe concubines al the days of their lyfe and lyue-vnder the pretence of single lyfe in moste shamefull whordome and abomination nor thynke ernestly with them selues of any reformation at any tyme or of dischargynge them selues of theyr whores And thoughe they be giltie in theyr own conscience of this theyr vicious and abomynable lyuynge yet they go to theyr masse sacrifice euery day and do also resort and presume vnto the lordes table as they do take it to be They eate the lordes breade vnworthely and drynke vnworthely of the lordes cup. Oh lord how dangerfull and horrible is it to lyue in that state wherin if death shulde preuent a man he were vtterly condempned and cast away both body and sowle Those than that after this maner kepe whoores all the dayes of theyr lyfe and do in the same thyng obstinately continue nor purpose at any tyme to dismis theyr strumpets nor truely do repent and crie god mercy with sighynge and teares for their wicked and synfull life doo flatter them selfe falsely with this hope But here peraduenture some man wyll obiecte this and saye What good syr do they not cry god mercye oftentimes and beseche him to haue mercy vpon them do they not dayly say in theyr euensong Conuert vs Lorde and turne thine angre from vs Also in the later ende of theyr matines lord haue mercy vpon vs. I se farther they pray in many other places that it wil please god to haue mercye spare and forgyue them I here your reasons very well Nor I entende not to axe you the question or reason with you in this place how they praye or with what entente of mynde or what zele or what feruentnes of spirite But admit that they pray with an ardent deuotion and a mynde erecte and lyfte vppe to god with most ernest affection what can ye conclude herevpon For what profyteth it them onles they discharge them of theyr harlots in that minde purpose neuer to receyue theym agayne and in that purpose to lyue chastly and contynue euen to th end But for so muche as they do not repente as we see playnely surely we nede not to doubt but that they eyther holde it to be a fable whiche is taught in scripture of the last iudgement or els fondly flatter them seues with this hope of the mercy of god Oh yl fauored and horrible face of that the popishe churche Such as shulde rule teache and instructe others not so much by their learning as example in lyuynge become soo dissolute that in theym others take greate cause of offence Marke diligentely the laye men when they repaire vnto the mysticall table of the lorde how reuereÌ„tly with what preparation in confessyng their sins c. with what godly behauour and deuocion they come how diligently laâ—…ure they and endeuour that noo grudge remayne behind in their conscience how certaynly purpose they thenseâ—orth to amend that whiche is amisse to refourme theyr lyuynge but consyder now what our whorishe masmongers commonly vse to doo Verelye as one of theyr order wytnesseth they come froÌ„ thimbrascinge of a whore vnto the aulter and that not ones or twyse but often and dayly without any punysshemente or shame They passe not for any reformation they mynde not to discharge theym of theyr whores No sygne of repentaunce foloweth of the reknowlegynge of theyr faultes and to say the verye truthe they seme to be in name onely christians in deade very heathen and publicans Than some man wyll are of me whether there be any hope that suche shal be saued or not Verely to speake my conlcyence I thynke that they can coÌ„ceyue no hope of the mercy of god bycause S. Paule affirmeth vnto the Hebrewes that god wyll iudge whorkepers adulterers And doth plainly denye that those shall be the inhericers of the kyngdome of god Nowe if the prestes of Balaan perswade theym selfe that Paule dyd speake the truthe as it can not be denied but he dydde can they in suche abomination and fylthy liuing conceyue any hope of saluation considering that they neyther do repent vnfeinedly nor purpose to discharge theim of theyr minions but if they doo not beleue S. Paule we take them to be christians amisse for they ar no more to be taken for Christians than the heathen and publicanes are like as our sauiour sayth By what lawe or authoritte do the byshops theÌ„ suffre such abominable liuers to continue within their iurisdictions dioceses why licence they such men by theyr aucthoritie to preache in churches wherfore do they wynke at such abominacion and permitte them for brybâ—s to vse yerely such whordome This thyng is so manifest that it can not be denyed so fylthye and cryed out on that it is not lawfull to beare with it And it can not be couered or cloked anye longer Thoughe than they wyl say that they are not playnlye vngodly bycause they attrybutâ— honoure to the name of god yet it is manifest that they can not be taken for godly bycause they giue them seâ—ues to such thynges as are most coâ—trary to godlinesse like as Hilarius affirmeth where he wryteth of suche And surely suche are they also which are not greued and offended with the abominable liuyng of those and openly do detest the vndefiled pure bed as S. Paule calleth it that is the honest and laweful matrimony of the mynisters of the congregation Oh terrible thynge to be harde oh miserable and lamentable state of the congregation O lorde Iesus come and succour thy churche which so long as the popisshe kingedome endured had such
vncertaine so that in such vncerteÌ„te a man can not promes him selfe that he shall lyue but one moment of an hour a great dele lesse a day or twain Therefore this is an excellent and a very notable saieng of Seneca For as much as thou knowest not when or where thou shalt die therfore loke thou for death in euery place and at al times In this wise I wyl conclud then that the shorter and vncertener mans lyfe is so much the more shuld we repent and refourme our lyuing whyles we haue yet tyme. ¶ The seconde remedy NOwe to say some thynge in the seconde cause we shulde nat in any wyse differre the reformation of our lyfe for that hope truste whiche we haue in the mercy and goodnes of god Christ came to call synners But to repeÌ„t theÌ„ of their former life and not to syn more frely more at lybertie As god is mercyfull so doth he mercifully forgyue But the repeÌ„taunt not the obstinate in sin Christ bare our synnes on his owne body to the crosse as Peter sayth I do not deny but what foloweth that we mortifyenge our fleshe shulde lyue to ryghtuousnes Christe gaue him selfe for vs as Paul remeÌ„breth vnto TituÌ„ I denye not but what dothe immediatly folowe That he myght redeme vs from our synne pourge a chosen people for him selfe to do good workes Christe pourged vs by his bloude shed frome synne As Iohn declareth in his Reuelations I graunt that to but nat that we shuld pollute our selfe agayne with the fylthynes of syn We haue Christ our aduocate with the father But if we repent vs of our former lyfe and so resorte vnto hym for succoure Thou wylt peraduenture saye that I maye well ynoughe here after bewayle my synnefull lyfe To this I answer Howe knowest thou that thou shalt lyue but a moment much lesse canst thou haue â—ope to lyue vntyll thou mayst repeÌ„t and refourme thy lyuyng Consyder with thy selfe what the lorde sayde to the rych man in the gospell that in prosperitie promised hym selfe manye yeres to lyue O foole they shal requyre this nyght thy sowle of the. Thou haste nede to take heade leste the same chaunce also to the. Thou sayest but I hope better But what if this hope begyle you for here I may cry out Oh deceyptfull hope Now if it hap so which thynge god prohibite thou shalt peryshe and wylfully cast thy selfe into euerlastynge destruction This thou wylt not agayne say but that in such vncertenty of lyfe it may well come to passe What follye then is it by dilayenge to putte that thynge on syx and seuen whiche at the first thou myghteste prouyde for without al daunger why doest thou not repent betymes rather then hope thus with such ieoperdy Thou wilt say to me God is mercyfull Truth it is but he is also iuste Then syth that thou trustest so much in his mercye why fearest thou not lykewyse his iustyce The lorde speaketh by his prophet semblably I wil not the death of a synner well but what foloweth that he be conuerted lyue Therfore be conuerted vnto the lord as Ioell exorteth the with all thine herte in fasting sighing and teares be conuerted vnto the lorde thy god For he is bountifull gentyll longe sufferynge and of much mercy As the same Ioell sayth This thynge dyd also Ezechiell declare Where he sayth If the synner shall repent him of his sinnes kepe my commaundementes and execute iustyce and iudgemente he shall lyue and not dye Is it my wyll sayth the lorde god that the synner rather dye then be conuerted and lyue Also Esaye Let the sinner forsake his waies and the iust chaunge his wycked thoughtes and turne vnto the lord and the lorde wyll haue mercy vpon hym let him be conuerted vnto the lorde god of hostes bicause he is great in mercye The Prophet declareth that God is good and mercyfull but to the repentaunt those that acknowledge confesse theyr synnes Therfore fyrste repente retourne agayne vnto helth requyre forgyuenes of thy synnes with bytter teares and weapynge be offended and displeased with thy sinnes euen with al thin harte Forsake thy former pathes be conuerted vnto the lorde god and then thou mayst vndoubtedlye conceyue a sure hope and trust to be saued Then thou hast no cause to despeire of the goodnes of god and of the forgyuenes of thy synnes And in the meane tyme call this to remembraunce which is spoken by our sauiour that there is greater gratulacion and gladnes for one repeÌ„taunt sinner than is for .xcix. iust menne in theyr owne syght Let this also stere the bycause the Aungels be so glad and wyshe so hartely thy saluacyon I haue bene woÌ„derfully moued and delyghted with the sayenge of the Psalmist The lorde is good and mercyfull longe sufferynge and of much mercy Note also what as he sayeth in an other place Those thou hatest Lorde which worke iniquitie and thy countenaunce is fixed on the which do euyll A man wyll peraduenture say to me that Iohn affyrmeth that who so beleueth in the son hath euerlastynge lyfe But the very selfe same IohnÌ„ dothe in an other place playnely pronounce that who so synneth is of the deuyll And againe who so sayth that he knoweth god and kepeth not his coÌ„maundementes is a lyer But thou wylt say that Iohan the baptist testifyed this thyng of Christ that he is the lambe of god which taketh awaye the synnes of the worlde But what is ioyned immediatly there vnto repente you of your former lyfe eftsoones brynge forth such fruytes as the repentaunt shulde But thou wylt yet go further with me and say that Peter As we reade in the actes sayeth We beleue that by the grace and fre goodnes of our Lorde Iesus Chryst we shal be saued That is plaine also but what addeth he therunto repente therefore and be conuerted to the intent that your sin may be taken away and forgyuen you Thou wylte saye agayne to me that God so loued the worlde as we may reede in S. Iohn that he gaue his onely son that whoso euer shulde beleue in hym shulde not perysshe but enioye euerlastinge lyfe But nowe by your pacience here me what Math. saieth Euery man that saieth to me Lorde Lorde shal not enter into the kyngdome of heauen but onely they which do the wyl of my father which is in heuen If thou beleuest S. Paul where he saith that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners beleue hi also where he saieth that sorcerers adulterers whorekepers murderers robbers theaues proude and couetous men druÌ„kerdes sklaunderers sowers of sedicyon enuious folkes and such other shall not inherite the kingdome of god yf thou beleuest hym where he saieth thou no not Paul but the holye ghost rather speaking in Paul beleue him also in the tother And than vndoutedly thou shalte conceiue none hope of the mercy of God in such fylthy and abomynable liuyng nor yet loke for
god of hell and of euerlasting torment and peyne And like as the heathen in times past were perswaded that these thynges were feyned whiche the poetes feyned of Tartarus and Phlegethon of Minoe Radamanthis of hell and the region of the deuelishe and of the punishment of the same wherupon Seneca toke occasion to saye that the poetes deluded and feared vs with vain menasses and feares So verayly a great parte of men thynke that these are but tales and contemne them as vayne thretenynges whiche are sette forthe to vs in holy scripture of hell of eternall death of the fyre wherin shall be waylynge and gnashynge of tethe of the resurrection of the sowle and body together to partake eyther ioy or peyne when otherwise all these thynges do imprynte in the hartes of godly men and suche as lyue in the feare of the lorde a wonderfull feare and horrour And are as the poâ—te sayth names which euen sowne fearfull in our eares Thou hast the first and chefest cause why we for the most parte all of vs in this wyse differ the reformacion of our lyfe ¶ The seconde cause NOwe let vs procede vnto an other cause which is the hope of the mercy of god this hope is greate in verye deade but yet it is suche as they may well ynough deceyue themselues with al. For of theyr hope they haue no sure triall at all With this hope I say the continuall enemie of mankynge kepeth man in sinne wonderfully and by settynge forth to him the mercy of god bryngeth him vnto this passe that he feareth not the iustice of god at all But verely I say vnto you that lyke as god granteth forgeuenes at the fyrste to the repentaunte and most fatherly sheweth his mercy vnto such as be conuerted vnto hym so doth he also sharpelye punyshe those men whiche do contynue obstinatly in vyce Suche men then as repente not vnfeynedly conceyue a false hope of the mercy of god But the deuyl notwithstanding by setting forth to men this hope bryngeth this thyng to passe that they liue on forth quietly and securly in vice and wyckednes nor thyncke ernestely with them selues at any tyme of any reformation or amendment Yea they desâ—ise thabundaunce and riches of the bountifulnes and longe sufferyng of god beynge ignoraunt that the goodnes of god dothe induce and leade vnto repentaunce as Paule testifyeâ—… â–ª In this place also let vs cal that thyâ—… vnto remembraunce whiche our sauiour speaketh of in S. Mat. Repent bycause the kyngedome of god is at hand And also that which the lorde spake by the mouth of his prophete Esai Vnto whome shulde I haue respecte but vnto suche as repente and are lowe in spirite and feare my commaundementes In S. Luke also he declareth the same thynge Excepte ye repente ye are al of you vtterly caste awaye And in the actes Peter sayth in this wyse repente therefore and be conuerted that your sinnes may be taken away Here I myght allege infinite places of scripture which make very plainely for this purpose that no man whiche dothe not vnfeinedly repent can conceyue certain hope to haue remissioÌ„ of his synnes which I wyl omiâ— at this tyme. For as I haue sayde alredy he loketh in vayne for to hauâ— forgeuenes at gods hande whichâ— truely repenteth not with his herte â–ª And althoughe there is no tyme oâ— repentaunce late in gods syght As appeareth by thexample of the thefe which is spoken of in scripture Also god wyll not the death of a sinner but that he repente and lyue yet who may not se howe daungerous a thynge it is to differ the reformacion of our lyfe sith that there is no man as the poete sayth in suche fauour with god that he can assure hym selfe of the next morowe folowyng For many times death crepeth steleth vppon vs when we loke leaste for it so that than there is no tyme of repentaunce lefte nor space to reforme and amende our lyuiug Here I thynke it nedes to speake of those thinges which Plinius maketh mencion of in his naturall history touchynge sodayne deathe sence that there is nothing almost in our tyme more common than the same For not longe ago two olde men of oure countrey which dwelte bothe in one cytye dyed sodaynlye vppon a certayne nyght whan they dyd resorte vnto a certayne woman that they were wonte to company with all the one dyed of a sodayne passion the other was thrust through with a daggar And nere nother of them euer spake worde after that tyme Nowe â–ª let euery man iudge for him selfe in what daunger these twayne dyed And thoughe it be a thyng common as well to the godly as vngodly to dye sodaynly And the iuste can not be but in good state what deathe so euer they dye yet verely a man can not deuise how horryble a thynge it is for one to dye thus which is with out repentauÌ„ce of howe many haue we herde whiche were slayne oute of hande by multyplyenge wordes amonge other ruffyans in tauernes whiche haue bene taken in bed with other mens wyues or haue bene other wyse sodaynly cast away by one meanes or other in gamnyng or otherwyse to passe by those whiche haue broken theyr neckes of horsebacke haue peryshed sodaynlye by shypwreake and haue bene oppressed with the ruyne and fallynge of houses vppon them or with some other such chaunces Let vs then admitte this that god wolde haue the sinner to repente rather than to dye as he vndoubtedly wolde yet by reson of vncertayne chaunces we can not without gret danger diferre the reformation of our life yea though we put our hope firmely in the mercie and goodnes of god we must repente therfore while we liue vppon yearthe and be lustie and haue our helthe but the world is cleane contrarie For we se daily that the yongeman giueth him selfe to belly chere drinkinge and riotte he flaterethe him selfe and saith to him selfe that he maye liue many yeres and therfore myndeth not any thynge the reformation and amendemente of his life but differreth and putteth that thinge of vntill his olde age whervnto whether he shall euer attayne or neuer it is harde for any man to saye For tell me one of many thousandes which hath lyued vntil that age but for his pleasure let vs admytte that he may lyue soo longe as he wold wyshe What doth he than I praye you goeth he about any reformation or amendment of his life No no. This is euer more his sayinge I wyll amende to morowe to morowe And thus with such delayinge he flatereth and deceiueth him selfe at length for he is vncertayne euen as al other be whether god wil permit hym to lyue vntyll the same nyghte or not much lesse is he certayne of the nexte morowe Thus whiles a man differreth the reformation of his lyfe often tymes deathe sodaynly stealeth vpon hym As we may dayly se by experience And yet we can not be admonished and warned by
it were a vapoure appering for a shorte tyme and after euanishing away let this also moue the whiche was spoken by hym that neuer made lye by our lorde and sauiour Iesus Chryste for he geueth the warninge and vs all to watche forsomuche as we knowe neither the day nor hour Ye and if these wyl not serue let experiēce moue the for thou sittest many tymes by thy frendes lieng sicke without al hope to recouer there helth Thou arte presente with them at theyr deathe Thou hearest theyr greuous grones and payneful panges Thou seest them brought forth on beers laide in their graues and thou thy selfe doest often tymes burye them Agayne thou herest men in euery place lamenting and bewayling their frendes deth Thou redest Epitaphies verses wryten vpon dead mens graues oftentymes thou metest men in morning weede c. which thynges myght put the in mynde as wel of the shortnes of lyfe as also of death whiche at no tyme is farre of If death of strangers doth not moue vs we shuld be moued with the deth of our familyar freendes with oure owne proper daungers that befal to vs all moste daylye with our owne syckens wherwith we be not ones or twyse visited And for so much as we wey not our wekenes in consydering the afflictiō and plagyng of others we shulde remembre it and acknowledge it by reson of our owne aduersitye and syckenes wherewith God plageth vs often times Which thinges yf we consyder we shall perceyue that we haue very litle cause or none at all to flatter our selues with hope of longer lyfe But in this place som man wyll peraduenture saye to vs what maye we not amende and refourme our liuinge sone ynoughe in our old age Than I pray you what shulde we do in the meane tyme but lyue merely and iocundlye good syr I here you wel but tel me I shal desyre of you by your pacyence what man is sure to lyue vntyll that age Thinkest thou to haue occasion whē thou wylte to repente whiche when thou myghtest commodiouslye woldest not take it Nay thou art far deceaued beleue me thou art deceaued For surely god which of his inexplycable goodnes wolde that the sinner shulde lyue rather then dye when he thinketh tyme doth call the vnto repentaunce and standeth at the doore as S. Iohn sheweth in the Reuelacions and knocketh Open the doore therefore and lette hym in Here hym which calleth vppon the and folowe hym whyther he calleth the. Dyspise not the ryches of the free grace and goodnes of God lest thou lay vp for thy selfe against the day of anger the wrath and indignacion of God As Paul saith vnto the Romains Forget not Paul his lesson vnto the Cor. we beseche you brethren receyue not the grace of god in vaine I herd the in an acceptable tyme and am thy fort in the day of saluaciō and helth by which wordes thus much is declared to vs that when the tyme of repentaunce is offered we shulde not lette it escape vs in any maner wyse And that there be not like times and lyke occasions giuen and offered euery day Paul hath also vnto the Galathians a sayeng that we may very fytly apply to this purpose Whyles we haue tyme let vs do good workes This was also very truly sayd of the olde doctour he that hath promised his mercy to the repentaunt hath not ascerteined him of the next morowe folowinge whiche dyssembleth Thou hast nede therefore to take hede least by dayeng and puttyng of the reformacion of thy lyfe for hope of longer lyfe thou willingly tempt the Lorde thy God whiche of his goodnes moueth the vnto repentaunce for this thing we are forbiddē to do by scripture and the expresse commaundmēt of God which is written in Deutero It chanceth oftentymes that throughe brawlyng by some occasions giuen in playeng and drinkinge a man is soddeinelye slaine so that there is no tyme then lefte to repentaunce when otherwyse we haue tyme and space graūted vs by the specyal grace and goodnes of God wherin we may repente and be conuerted vnto health Let vs not therefore abuse this exceding gret benefite of our most bountious and merciful father which loketh for an occasiō as it were to haue mercy and compassion vpon vs Let vs repent and reforme our liuing by tymes least we be sodeinly preuented with the daye of death and seeke for space of repentaunce and finde it not As the churche singeth For verely he that hath promysed mercye to the repentaunt As we sayd once and must eftsones saye assured not the synner of the next morowe folowyng But thou wilte saye that the sinner may repent them sone ynoughe and cry god mercye when he begynneth to sycken I graunt it you but consyder nowe I besech the how many impedimentes and lett es are in that tyme whiche a man can skarsly withstande for to omit the busines about making of his last wyll testament the care for his wife and children the payne grefe of the sickenes and such other which may appere peraduenture but lyght matters how muche thynkest thou that in that tyme Sathan laboureth and what wiles and deceites doth he inuent and imagine to driue a man vnto desperacyon throughe the multytude of his synnes For at no tyme so much as then the deuyl laboureth to set before our eyes and to call to our remēbraunce what euil thing soeuer we haue eyther thought purposed saide or wrought and such offences as are otherwise greuous of thē selfe he maketh to seme a great dele more heynous And to be short he goeth about by all meanes that euer he can to leue vs none hope of forgyuenes and to driue vs to despeire of the mercy of God by reson of the multitude and greatnes of our sinnes There is more ouer the vexation and grefe of conscyence There is presente before our eyes death it self we bethinke vs of the last iudgemente of the iudgement seat of the lorde and of hel fyre who or what man is able to recken vp euery let whiche causeth a man that he neyther thynketh nor yet can thynke of repentaunce in suche anguysshe Therefore dyferre not in any wyse the reformacion of thy lyfe vntyl the last daye yf thou be wyse For it is very perilous and daunger full so to do that I adde not howe that such repentaunce as is constreined by necessite and the feare of hell and dothe not procede of our owne free wyll doth but lytell further and helpe vnto saluacion But this wyll be obiected that before God there is no tyme of repentance late I graunt that in verye deade it is so for God wyll no longer remembre the fautes and offences of a sinner then he shal repente and be sorye in his herte for his iniquyty And the Prophet sayth in an other place that god wyll that the synner rather repente then dye But what if sodaine death so opresse a man vnwares that he can not haue
in the assembles of the faythful As muche as euer thou mayst withdrawe thy selfe from euyll company and accompanye the vertuous and godlye for by them thou maist be the better But receaue such to be thy familiers as thou maist refourme and make better For it is a great matter and very expedynt to consider what maner of felowes those are whiche are our familiers and dayly companions for lyke as in accompanienge the naughtye we be as it were infected by a contagyon so verelye by the company of suche as be godlye and liue in the feare of the lord our maners are corrected and amended With these therfore be conuersant but with the other neyther make nor meddle Salomon in the prouerbes commaūdeth the same thynge And vnto the Cor S. Paul ernestlye counselleth and exhorteth men to eschewe the felowship and company of the wicked insomuch that he wold not haue men to eate and drinke with them These are his wordes If any man among you called brother shal be an whorekeper couetous a worshypper of ydols a railer a dronkerde or a rauener neither eate nor drinke with him And I graunt that there are diuerse other causes why S. Paul wylleth vs that we shulde eschewe their company eyther that we seeme not to alowe their vices or els that whē thei perceaue that all men for theyr vyce sake do flee and abhorre there company they might be ashamed repent But verely the chefest cause this is bicause he wolde not that their famyliars and companions shulde therewith be infected For lyke as a lytell leauen dothe cause a great heape of doughe to soure so verelye thexample of one naughty man corrupteth and dothe marre a great multytude And though it is a very herde thyng to leue the company and familiaryty of suche as thou hast afore tyme lyued withal long merely and plesant lye yet verely thou must dyligently apply thy selfe therunto and laboure by al meanes that euer thou canst to withdrawe thy selfe from theyr company Attempt but the thing ernestly and with a bolde courage and I dare promise the suche successe in the thynge as thou woldest not thynke And bicause the beginninge as it is commonly said is the better parte of the whole and whosoeuer begynneth wel hath as Horace saieth the halfe of the whole dead set vpon the thing therfore nor despeire in an◠wise whē thou considerest with thy selfe howe harde and ful of difficultie the thing it selfe is If it shal fortune the to cal to remembrance those feastes which thou hast kepte with thē the reresuppers the bākets and quaffing which thou hast had with them ofte and many tymes If it fortune the I saye to fal into any such fonde and folyshe ymaginacion Againe if thou shalt call to remembraunce at any tyme sore against thy wyll al such good felowes as thou werte wont to iest and prate withal merely al such as kept the company in playe and at tauerues euen then in that same very moment cal also to remembraunce the shortnesse of life death which is nighe at al tymes the last dowme the iudgement seat of the lord hel and dampnacion And by this meane thou shalte put away one difficultie with an other If thou shalt reson with thy selfe in this wise my felowes whiche I haue afore nowe ben merye withall call and cry vppon me deinty suppers bankets and reresuppers allure me what shal I nowe do verelye if thou thinke but so with thy selfe what shal I do streight way reson weieng and debatinge the thynge shall ouercome the and thy wylle and appetyte shall without questyon be made obedient to reason whiche moueth and exhorteth menne euer vnto those thinges which be best and most profitable for our behofe Take space therefore when the deuyll putteth any suche thinges in thy mynde to pouder and wey the thing and laye awaye all folyshe nisenes of the mynde and lette not the appetites bere the suffragnitie in any wise fal not hedlong whither the deuel wold haue the. What do thy felowes prouoke the vnto wine drinkig moderate thou thy selfe kepe measure bycause in a certaine place our sauiour speketh these wordes Take heed lest your hertes be burdened or ouerladen with meate Also Saynte Paul saith ouercharge not your selues with winedrinkinge for therein is riote and againe drunkerdes and rioters shall not inheryte the kingedome of god Also S. Peter be sobre and awake also Esay wo be to such as do arise in the morning to frequēt and haunte tauernes And in this place thou must remember that we be more bounden to be obedient and submit our selfe to the auctorytye of the word of god and of his Apostles then to do a pleasure and to gratyfye the desires of the wicked and vngodlye and that we must rather obey the good angel which exhorteth vs and doth gide vs vnto al good thynges then the deuyl whiche intiseth vs to al kinde of naughtynes And that we must rather withstande the euyl spyryte then repyne agaynste the good Wherfore for the plesaunt company of thy playfelowes be not cause of thyne owne destruction but rather withdrawe thy selfe so much as lieth in the from them neither make nor medle with thē Regarde and esteme yf thou be wyse more thy saluacyon then the shorte delectation that here thou maist haue by thy naughtye wicked company of thin old cōpanions Se also that thou remēber and diligently wey this thinge that who so doth obstinately contynue in vyce doth neyther vnfeynedly repent nor eyther is or can be taken for a Christian for in hym surely whom sinne pleseth trewe fayth can not be which he lacketh also that sinneth against his owne conscience or commytteth any deadly syn Wherfore let vs not be named Christians when we are farre of much differ from the thing it selfe nor yet let vs boste and sette forth our fayth in wordes but let vs in deade and vnfeynedly repent and with all our herte be conuerted vnto the lorde god Let vs laboure to a mende that thyng whiche is amysse and by doynge wel and as we shuld and are bounden to do recompence such offences as we haue alredy cōmitted and by thus doyng remoue out of gods sight the remembraunce of oure former mysdoynges Let vs referre and imploye our studies vnto these endes that we maye alwaye lyue in the feare of god and accordyng to ryghtuousnes let vs in our lyuynge be innocent vpryght holye chaste sobre and temperate in al maner of thynges Let vs profitte the congregation and helpe the poore membres therof and to be short let vs as Paule exorteth vs lyue worthely and as it becommeth such as do professe the gospell of Chryst hauynge yet for all this our cheafest special trust in the goodnes and mercye of god none at al in our selues Let vs praye also with out ceasynge vnto the father by our lorde and sauyoure Iesus Chryste that he wyll vouchsafe to sende his holy spirite among vs for to