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
godlines doth vndoubtedly proceede from a sincere faith as the fruite froÌ„ the tree the effect from the cause Nowe in vvhome soeuer such a faith is they are free from the curse of the lawe from the tyranny of Satan from the daunger of death from the horror of hell they haue God to theyr father Christe to their brother they shall inherite the kingdom of heauen as the word of God vvitnesseth Forasmuch theÌ„ as the Guide vvhich vve haue spokeÌ„ of doth leade froÌ„ that vvhich is foule filthy vvhich kinde of things vve are vvont coÌ„monly to detest and loth froÌ„ that vvhich excludeth vs from the fruition of Gods benefites from that vvhich hath so bitter and grieuous an end euen eternall death and destruction and not onely thys but also directeth vs to that vvhich is so precious and profitable whiche proceedeth from the grace of God the fountaine of all goodnes which is not subiecte to worldâ—y mutations vvhich is an vndoubted fruit of a true faith and therefore they that bee endued therewith are the sonnes of God and heyres of eternall blessednes Forasmuch I say as this Guide doth thus leade direct who oughte not to be moste willing to follow the same to their no small commoditie and profit Thus haue I right reuerend father bin briefe short in a matter wherin I might haue bin larg long Howbeit I thinke those things which I haue entreated of sufficient to cause the Christian reader the better to loue like the more vvillinglye to reade and peruse this present treatise and also to embolden me to presume to publish the same vnder the protection of your reuerend name forasmuch as by the premisses is proued that it conteyneth matter very good and godly and therefore is agreing to your Christian conuersation not for any instruction vvhere right graue and greate learning aboundeth but onely for vvell liking vvhere good vvill is not vvanting which I earnestly desire and heartelye wish being little or nothing doubtfull thereof And nowe to conclude the Lord God graunt for his Christes sake that after yee haue runne the race of this mortall life ye maye reape the fruite of an vnfeyned faith euen the saluation both of body and soule Amen Your Lordships to commaund and vse in the lord W. Gace A Guide vnto godlines most worthy to be folowed of all true Christians IF they that wil be couÌ„ted Christians did so much dreade and mislike the thing it self as they doe at thys day detest the name and profession of EpicureaÌ„s or Sadducees they would no lesse surely refraine themselues from all euill doing and embrace vertue and godlines then they doe now with an obstinate mind follow vice and naughtines and liue lewdly and vngodlily neither woulde they any lesse keepe the commaundements of Almighty God then they are now voyde of all feare of his diuine maiesty But truly all of vs almost doe beare a mind not so much alienate and estraunged from the thing it selfe whiche our life deedes and conditions doe witnes as we doe dread the disdayne of the worde and vtterly mislike the bare name of the thinge For what Either can they beleeue the immortality of the soule who liue almost like beastes or can they be perswaded that there are rewardes prepared in heauen for the godlye and punishments appoynted in hell for the wicked who almoste in nothing sticke to breake the commaundements of God and runne hedlong vnto al vice either as though they verely thought that God is a thing vayne and fayned or did beleeue that the soule is extinct and doth perish with the body Now to confesse that there are some which both feare God and doe nothinge doubte that hee will in time to come either punish or reward euery one as he hath deserued of which sort surely ther are very few what one is there among a great number whom the fear of Gods iustice doth either reuoke from sinne euill doing or induce to amend and reforme his life Wherein thou mayst worthelye lament and bewayle the case of vs all maruell at our folly blindnes and madnesse who in such shortnes and vncertaintie of this life doe so behaue our selues that being nowe become euen verye olde when as our dying day is not farre of wee doe not so muche as thinke of amendinge our manners much lesse goe we about to doe the same being yet younge and in our flourishing yeeres I oftentimes entring in to consideration of this folly as it were dotage of men in deferring the amendment of their sinful life doe thinke it good to search out the causes why in so waighty a matter wheron dependes saluation wee behaue our selues so slacklye and slothfullye For these being once found out and made manifest it will not be afterward hard as I thinke to find some remedy to cure this euill Of the first cause vvhy men differre the amendment of their life FIrst therefore the chiefe principall cause hereof I thinke to be our incredulitie For if we did beleeue those thinges which are conteined in the holy scriptures of the iudgement to come of the voyce of the Archangell and the trumpe of God of the iudgement seate of the Lord before which we muste all appeare also those thinges that are mentioned of the punishments in time to come of the wicked of the life and immortall felicitie of the godly of the resurrection of the bodyes to gether with the soules either vnto assured glorye or certaine paine If I saye wee did beleeue these thinges not to be a vayne or fond fable we would surely endeuour to liue farre otherwise neither woulde wee so daily differ and prolong the amendment of our life For who liuing wickedly is not eyther striken with horror in his whole bodye or dooth not altogither tremble in his minde and hearte as often as he remembreth the last iudgement In which men must giue an accounte before the tribunall seate of God of all their thoughtes purposes sayinges and deedes and euery one must for himselfe pleade the cause of his lyfe O iudgement worthelye dreadfull to the wicked the memory whereof oughte neuer to slippe out of our minde For if the righteous shall scarcely be saued as sayeth the Apostle where shall the vngodly sinner appeare The sonne of God himselfe shall sitte the iudge of all men whiche haue bin from the creation of the world being then seuere sharpe and inexorable who is now an aduocatâ— wyth the father for them that be guiltie All shall be called to the examination of the life which they haue led the secretes of all heartes shall be opened euerye mannes conscience shal accuse reproue and conuince him In fine God wyll with iuste seueritie and rigour punish the wicked and graciously and mercifullye saue the godly that is he will reward euery man according to his works as the Apostle Paule sayth Neither shall euill deedes onely be iudged here as adulterie fornication incest sorcerye murder
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
neither to doe any thinge which may seeme vnhonest to be done but rather so honestly vertuously to lead their life that children may set their example before theÌ„ to folowe looking into all their maners and life into all their sayings deedes as it were into a glasse may learn euen from their tender age what things are to be don what to be auoided For he that by his maners teacheth those things which he detesteth in his childreÌ„ while he blameth rebuketh theÌ„ reproueth his own faults With what face can he find fault with his children when they offend who marreth them by his owne example With what grauitie can he disalowe that in them which another maye reprehende in him with like seueritie Let parents therefore remember that it is necessary for them to liue vertuously honestly that they must necessarily prouide that no blemish or dishonesty appeare in their life whereby they may with greater aucthoritie correcte the manners of their children lest that those faultes which they blame in them be found in themselues and their rebuking of them be to no purpose and so by their owne faulte they make their aucthoritie to be despised and light ly set by of them Herevnto pertayneth that saying of the Poet How of a father vvilt thou beare the countenance and vse The libertie vvhen thou in age thy selfe doost vvorse abuse Also that saying in an other Poet of Nausistrata reprouing her husband who was angry with his sonne because of his louer he knowing himselfe guilty of a more greuous offence With what countenance saith she wilt thou blame him And that which Artemona sayth in Plautus Is it meete that a father shoulde thus nurture his children art thou not ashamed hereof But let vs here what y younge man alleageth for himselfe who accuseth hys father of extreme folly My riot sayth he I will impute to my father I was vnder no seuere discipline and correction I was vnder no lawe of a well ordered house which mighte frame a right a young mans manners withdraw him from vices which be incident to his age I was after a sort procured of my father to riot and naughty liuing c. So did not that Tobias a man vertuous and beloued of God who as his history declareth both taught his sonne euen from his childhoode to feare God and abstaine from all sinne and also set himselfe before him as an example of godlines to imitate followe After this sort ought pareÌ„ts to bring vp their children teaching them froÌ„ their tender yeeres the feare of the Lorde and by their owne good example mouing them forward to all vertue and godlines For if contrariwise they giue them ouermuch libertye and suffer them to accustome themselues to sinning while they be yet young they shall hardly or neuer afterwarde be reclaymed to goodnes It is not like that he will liue honestly being now olde who liued dishonestly wickedly when he was younge neither that he who was ill broughte vp being a childe will take good instructions wheÌ„ he is growen in yeres So great a thing is it to be accustomed to any thing from tender age as it is sayd of one and as another sayth It is long ere the mind forgetteth that which it was long in learning From whence aâ—e at this day so many adulterers so many ruffians so manye retchles and prodigall persons so many disers and other wicked vngodly liuers but euen as it were out of this fountaine of euill education and instruction of children Seing then it doth much concerne the common wealth that children be godlily instructed vertuouslye broughte vp there is great diligence to be geuen of parents and maisters in this behalfe For if this were done vice would not so preuaile as it hath don which can by no lawes otherwise be sufficiently anoyded And whereas lawes punish offences and naughtines already committed but good bringinge vp prouideth that nothing be committed worthy of punishment and wheras lawes doe reforme vices but good bringing vp doth quite remoue theÌ„ it manifestly appeareth of howe much more importance this is to the commoditie of the common welth theÌ„ y other That I may not adde hereunto that they whiche are ill brought vp do afterward cast of al feare reuerence of lawes whereby punishment is appointed to vice naughtines Wherefore y chiefe care of wise gouernors of cities hath alwayes bin not how they should punish wicked and naughty persons but by what meanes they mighte best bringe to passe that the Citizens would commit nothing worthy of punishment Now because they trusted they could at the last bring this to passe if youthe were vertuously trained vp from their childhoode and parents did godlily bringe vp instruct their children they thoughte it was their dutye to haue an especiall care hereof But let vs nowe proceede and goe forward to the rest Of the fourth cause vvhy man differreth the amendment of his lyfe THe fourth cause of differring the amendment of our life is welth and prosperitie which oftentimes maketh men being as it were drunken with prosperous fortune so secure that they verye seldome remember God ney her thinke of amending theyr sinfull life Whereupon one of the auncients sayde well Of prosperitie sayth he commeth riot of riot as all vices so impietie toward God. And Seneca affirmeth that mens mindes are luld a sleepe with ouermuch felicitie as it were with a continuall dronkennes Hereunto pertaineth that saying of Paule vnto Timothee where he biddeth him charge them that are rich in this worlde that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertain riches but in the liuing God that they doe good and be rich in good workes c. If that saying of Publius be true that fortune maketh him foolish whom shee ouer much fauoureth it appeareth surely howe greate the securitie of men is in prosperitie and when thinges fal out according to their desire which securitie afterwarde bringeth forth all kind of wickednes For hereby it commeth to passe that wee feele not the wrathe of God against sinnes which in deede we ought to feare eueÌ„ euery hour also that a certaine senslesnes and drousines possesseth mens mindes so that neyther the feare of Gods punishmente dooth reclaime them from sinning neither doe they scarce remember either death or the last iudgement Our Sauiour in the gospell accordinge to Luke hath in a goodly similitude set forth this securitie of men in prosperitie where that rich man whose ground had brought foorth fruites plenteously thinking not of amendinge hys life or repenting for his sinne neither of releuing and succouring the poore but being carefull of building his barnes greater and laying vp his fruites thought thus with himselfe I will gather all my fruites and goods together and will saye to my soule Soule thou hast muche goodes layde vp for many yeeres liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime But in this securitie and as
it were dreaming of long prosperitie what dooth God saye vnto him O foole this night will they fetche away thy soule from thee Dost thou not see that while the rich man dreameth that he shall enioy a secure and quiet life deintie dinners and sumptuous suppers costly and delicate bankets the ioyes and plesures of this world and thinketh now all things safe and sure doost thou not see I say that while he vainely looketh to enioye all these thinges sodaine destruction is ready to fall vpon him according as the Apostle Paul saith The holye Scripture therefore biddeth vs watch alwayes biddeth vs be prepared at all times for the comming of the Lorde an excellent admonition assuredly if we did not cōtemne it But as in the time of Noe when they were eating drinking marrying the flood sodenly destroyed them all as when Lot was departed out of Sodom they al perished sodenly by fire frō heauen so doth y last day of euery mans life come sodenly vnawares vpō him S. Iames going about to shake of this securitie y of rich welthy of the worlde what doth he say euen as foloweth Go to nowe yee rich men saith he weepe and howle for your miseries that shall come vpon you Your riches are corrupt your garments are moth eaten your gold and siluer is tankred Ye haue liued in pleasure on the earth in wantonnes and haue merely kept continual feastes bankets Let here that rich man mentioned in the Gospell come into thy mind who was clothed with purple and fine silke and fared deliciously euery day but at the laste leauing this life he is continually tormented in hell Surely ouermuch welth and prosperitie suffered him not to thinke of amending his life Hereunto pertaineth that saying of our Sauiour in the Gospell of Matthew It is a hard thing for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen And againe It is easier for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of god This our Sauior as it were interpreting in the Gospell of Marke Howe hard is it sayth he for them that put their trust in riches to enter into the kingdome of God Hereunto tendeth that whereas Christ calleth riches delightes of this life thornes which choke that leede of the worde of God that it can not springe vp and bring forth fruite This therefore is the cause why God sometime sendeth aduersitie chasteneth them whō he loueth as y apostle saith euen vnto this end that he may shake of our security stirre vs vp to feare him cal vpō him whō for the most part in prosperitie wee doe too much forget also that he may pricke vs forwarde to acknowledge our sinnes and hartely to repent for the same moreouer that he may moue vs to desire after heauenly thinges and to despise those that be humaine and earthly For in them who haue the world at will meruelously raigneth that carnall securitie which is counted amonge the moste heynous sinnes and sloth sluggishnes yea as it were a certain senslesnes drousines with a contempt of diuine thinges possesseth their mindes briefely in godly vertuous actions they are faint remisse slothfull and without all courage and spirite By all these wordes and many moe I can scarce sufficiently expresse that which I thinke such is the greatnes of this sinne Now the Scripture declareth that in prosperitie and abundance of welth men are made not only secure but also almost blind and oftentimes vngodly wicked Whereupon is that saying of Moses He was well fedde growne thicke and laden with fatnes so he forsooke God his maker and regarded not the rocke of his salnation They prouoke him to anger with strange Gods c. So Dauid when his enemies were on euery side subdued being secure thinking all things to be safe falleth into adultery and defileth himselfe with the slaughter of an innocent man He that before when Saule persecuted him had behaued himselfe very well in prosperitie became vtterly vnlike himselfe so much doth it concerne him that standeth again and again to take heede least he fall Nowe after he had committed these sinnes in howe great securitie did he liue a long time For as though there had bin no daunger because God is mercifull he went to the tabernacle he celebrated Sabbats and festiuall dayes he was present at sacrifices and offered them like as others did and not to vse many wordes he lyued with a secure mynd But when God by the Prophet Nathan denounceth vnto him punishment and vengeaunce and putteth him in feare and terror then at the last he returning to himselfe perceiueth what he had committed weyeth with himselfe the grieuousnes of his offence and conceiueth greate greefe by reknowledging his sinne openly confesseth the same humbly craueth the mercy of God desireth to be washed from his iniquitie to be clensed from his sinne and to haue the filthines of his offence wiped away neither doth he in the meane season refuse the punishment which god had threatned against him neyther seeketh to auoyde that scourge which he had deserued I would to God there were not like security in vs who for the most part liue with such a secure minde as thoughe all thinges were well neyther doe we acknowledge our offences nether feare the seuere iudgement and grieuous and heauy wrath of God againste sinne So arre is it of that howe great sinnes we cōmit so greatly we doe also lament the same as the most holy martyr of Christ S. Cyprian saith But that I may returne to our former matter and knit vp all in fewe wordes No man can be saued but he whose sinnes are forgiuen and none hath his sinnes forgeuen but hee that asketh pardon of God nowe none asketh pardō of God but he that desireth to returne into Gods fauour neither doth any desire this from his heart but he that is throughly grieued for his sinnes and none is grieued for his sinnes but he that acknowledgeth them and feeleth the wrathe of God againste sinnes This he doth not who is secure and touched with no care of his saluation but for the moste parte he is suche a one with whom all thinges goe prosperously forward and who is as it is said of one drunke with sweete and prosperous fortune It is therefore manifest hereby that prosperitie and fortunate affaires doe cause that men seldome thinke of amendinge theyr life Of the fift cause vvhy man prolonggeth the reforming of his life THe fift cause of differring the amendment of our maners from day to day is hope of long life For although there be none albeit he be but young who knoweth assuredly as he saith in Cicero that he shall liue til the euening notwithstanding there is almost none so old but he thinketh he may liue yet one yere more An old man crieth out in a certaine comicall Poet sayinge shall I beeing threescore
and fiue yeres of age become a newe maried man and marye an olde criple to my wyfe doe yet perswade me vnto thys But at this day olde men being almost four score yeeres of age mary wenches that be scarce yet fiftene yeres old So doe they hope no lesse then striplings or yong men that they shall yet liue a long while but how wisely y thing it selfe is able to shewe And perhaps to some it may seme a thing foolish and fond to be woers being so olde as for vs wee determine thereof neyther way onely this I know well that they which mary Virgins at that age albeit they be nowe olde and euen very criples are notwithstanding caried with hope of liuing yet longer This hope therefore is the cause why almoste no man dooth earnestly thinke of reforming his manners or of rendring an accounte to that highe iudge of the life which he hath led All differre and put of from daye to day as muche as they can so profitable and necessary a thing Howe greatly doe I feare least the very heathen shal in the last iudgement vpbraid vs with this slothfulnes who doe so late or almoste neuer at all thinke of reforming our maners amendinge our life Whereas not a fewe of the Heathen in time paste were wonte dayly to vse this custome before they gaue themselues to sleepe to consider with themselues according to Pythagoras precepte what they had done that daye eyther well or ill Which the Poet Virgill speaking of a good wise man hath declared in manner as followeth HE doth not close his eyes to take the sweete and pleasant sleepe Till all things done the day he weyes vvith cogitation deepe Thinking vvhat did I pretermit vvhat haue I done in season VVhat not why was this naughtly done and why that vvithout reason VVhy did that mynde preuaile with me which altred had bin best VVhy vvhen I had the poore releud did greefe possesse my brest VVherefore did I that thing desire vvhich good is to deny VVhy did I gaine preferre before vertue and honesty Hath any man by me bin hurt by vvord or deede this day VVhy doth nature then discipline vvith me beare greater sway Thus weying thinges both sayd and done from morning vntill night That which is euill doth vvorke him greefe but good doth him delight Of this custome Seneca also saieth somewhat which I can not but adde and annexe hereunto He therefore speaking in a certaine place of calling the minde dayly to giue an accounte Sextius did thys saith he the day being ended when he went to his nightly rest he demaunded of his minde in this sort what euill of thine haste thou reformed this day What vice hast thou resisted in what respect art thou better And a little after he addeth What saith he is more goodlye then thys custome to examine the whole day What sleepe foloweth after such examinatiō of a mans selfe how quiet is it how sound free when the mind is either praysed or admonished the viewer and graue censor thereof doth knowe of the conditiōs of it I vse this custome do dayly examine my selfe When the night is nowe come I cōsider what I haue don the whole day I cal to mind wey my deedes and wordes I hide nothing from my selfe I passe nothing ouer For why should I feare any of mine errors whē I can say se thou do this no more I do now pardon thee In such a disputatiō thou didst speak too carnestly doe not hereafter deale with the vnskilfull Thou didst admonishe suche a one more freely then thou oughtest and therefore didst thou not amēd him but offend him Hereafter take heede not onely whether that be true which thou saiest but also whether he to whom thou speakest will suffer the truth to bee spoken vnto him These thinges saith Seneca and many other concerning the same matter which I would to God we did throughly print in our mindes set them before our selues to imitate folow yea did cause our childrē also to vse this custome Surely if we did this either I am verie much deceiued or els we wold endeuor to lead a life more agreable to a christian professiō But now what do we we merily banket feast togither we haue tables furnished with dainty delicates wee giue our selues to immoderate eating drinking we do scarce once in a yere require an account of our selues of our life past ether aske pardō for our sinnes or determine to return into Gods fauour So farre is it of that daily before wee giue our selues to slepe euery one examineth his own cōsciēce cōsidereth with himselfe what life he doth lead or being wholy displeased with himselfe doth with weping and mourninge and knocking his breste prostrate on the grounde aske God forgiuenesse promiseth to liue better hereafter by Gods helpe and assistance and endeuoreth to perseuer in his purposed determination to leade a godly life And albeit we doe not these thinges yet in that state that wee are we dare be bolde to take sleepe yea and to sleepe very soundly in which state if soden death shoulde come vppon vs as there is none who certenlye knoweth whether he shall in the morning rise safe out of his bedde or no there were no hope left of our saluation But none of these thinges come into our minde so muche doe wee flatter our selues with hope to liue longe which hope notwithstanding when we see it oftentimes deceiue others how childish are we or rather howe vnwise who thinke our selues exempt out of the number of such as it were by a certaine special priuiledge Of the sixte cause why many that are blinded vvith popishe superstition driue of to amende and reforme their lyfe NOw remayneth the sixt cause why many in the papacie prolonge the amendment of their life but especially such as are of the richer and welthier sort and this is not only that trust which is conceiued of pardon and remission of sinnes by popish bulles and indulgences but also a certaine vain and false hope of deliuerance from the paines of purgatorye by yeerely sacrifices and masses and by the helpes and meanes of Priestes and Monkes also by the almes deedes and good workes of their freendes that are aliue as fastings praiers vigils pilgrimages and other such like For some of thē both affirme that by indulgēces may be obtained remission of sinnes and are not ashamed to say that the soule which is tormented in the fire of purgatory doth flie vnto heauen euen at the verye same instant that y mony is throwne into y bason also do think that the departed are holpen by other mens workes and merites which both the scripture it selfe the auncient fathers do vtterly deny affirming that in this present world one maye helpe another either by prayer or good counsell but that when wee come before the iudgemente seate of Christe euery one muste beare his owne burden and not
to vse many words as death fyndeth euerie man so is he iudged of GOD. Howe execrable then is that sluggishnes of men who liue with so secure a minde in sinne and wickednes For if they were touched with any care of their saluation they would surelye keepe some measure in sinning and thinke of the last day of their life as for example that I may speake particularly he that is at enmitie with his neighbour would endeuour accordinge to the commandement in the Gospell to be reconciled whoremongers and adulterers woulde remember that God will iudge them as the author to the Hebrewes sayth murderers sorcerers and all lyers woulde neuer forget that lake which burneth with fire brimstone where Iohn in his reuelation writeth that their portion shal bee couetous persons drunkardes raylers woulde alwayes haue in memorye that they shall not inherite the kingdome of GOD as y Apostle Paul witnesseth writing to the Corinthians and Ephesians rich men woulde neuer suffer to slip our of theyr mynde that our Sauiour sayth it is harde for them that truste in riches to enter into the kingdome of GOD briefly all of vs in generall woulde without doubte be myndfull of that vnquenchable and eternall fire which Christe threatneth in the Gospell to the wicked and vngodly and euery one woulde for him selfe feare that aunswere which was made to the foolish Virgins I know yee not also that saying concerning y slothful seruant Caste that vnprofitable seruaunte into vtter darkenesse where shal be weeping gnashing of teeth Moreouer that of the man which had not on a wedding garment Binde him hande and foote and caste him into vtter darkenesse c. Finallye that sayinge of our Sauiour to the wycked Departe from me yee cursed into euerlastinge fyre O too too stubburne and obstinate ones whom these thinges doe nothinge moue O Epicureans whiche bebeleeue not these thinges O wicked and vngodly persons which laugh and scorne at these thinges O mad men and vnmindefull of their saluation who neglect these thinges But they neglecte them who thinke they shall obteyne pardon and remission of sinnes by bulles and indulgences of the Pope and trusting in thys perswasion driue of from day to day the ameÌ„dment of their life Now there is another cause also which make many thus prolong and differre namely for that they are perswaded that because of a goodly worship which they giue to S. Barbarie they shall not dye but being verye contrite and hauing first receiued the Lords supper For thys superstition of worshipping S Barbarie hath possessed the mindes almost of all in the papacie WhereupoÌ„ they haue appointed a fast vnto her to be obserued euery yeere and painters set her forth holding the holy cuppe and breade in her hand Moreouer this is an other cause also for that they haue prouided long before that when their dying day is come they may be admitted into the familie of S. Fraunces and being deade may be buried in S. Fraunces habit For this opinioÌ„ also is fixed in the minds almost of all that the deuill hath no power ouer them who attaine to this forasmuch as the Monks haue together with their habit imparted vnto them their merites and good workes which are done in their whole order as masses diuine offices prayers preachinges studyes fastinges abstinence vigils labors and other such like For hereupon the Monks leauing alwayes that which is sufficient for theÌ„selues to obtaine saluation if there be anye ouerplus as alwayes there is some are wonte not to impart the same freely vnto others but to fell it vnto them for money This therefore is a cause also as I haue saide why they neuer thinke of amending their life who haue so bought with mony the participation of monks merites and deedes But it shall be needelesse here to refâ—… and confute this manifest error of popish indulgences and this very fond and vaine superstition of worshipping of Saintes seeing that both others before vs and we also haue often done the same in sundrye places Thus hast thou gentle Reader the chiefe causes as I thinke why we doe eyther neglect or differre the amendment of our life There be also other as it were seconde causes heâ—eof â–ª â—…s dayly company societie and conuersation with the vngodly and wicked who are touched with no feare of God muche lesse follow vertue and goodnes or liue holilye and vprightly Now the familiaritie and company of suche men is with all diligence to be auoyded of them who haue care of their soules helth Euill wordes as it is most truly sayde of one corrupt good manners and another saith by keeping company and liuing together with the wicked thou thy selfe also dost become wicked Here lette parentes remember that they must haue an especiall care that they suffer no naughty and leud person to haue anye familiaritie with their children and that they see and marke what youth it is and with what maners they be endued which are much or daily in their company doe liue familiarly wyth them or seeke to insinuate into their frendship and fauoure For euery man doth almoste become such a one as they are whose companye he vseth And truely in deede is it sayde of one that he which toucheth pitch is defiled therewith But let vs heare what another sayeth who cannot away with our religion Maners sayth he are taken of them with whom we be conuersant and as certaine diseases passe froÌ„ the bodye to them that touch it so doth the mind also insert them that be next it with the euills thereof The drunkard bringeth his companions to â—oue well wine the vnchast person maketh the stout and valiant if it may be effeminate and wanton couetousnesse poureth her poyson into them that bee next it The same may be sayd on the other side of vertues c. He therefore that desireth to liue vertuouslye and godly and to keepe himselfe pure cleane from wickednes which all Christians oughte to desyre let him shunne and auoide the companye of the wicked For they that giue themselues wholy to theyr companye and are daily conuersant feaste eate and drinke be merye and make good cheere with them they I say doe hardly euer thinke of amending their life neither can they easily seuer themselues froÌ„ y plesant coÌ„pany of their coÌ„panions Wherfore notwithstanding they frequent godly sermoÌ„s are admonished of good men and suche as haue authoritye and they themselues being moued with feare of Gods punishmente doe desyre that vnfainedly to reforme their maners yet for all this I can not tell howe they alwayes differre and driue of from day to day neyther can they for the moste parte euer either truelye repent or turne to the right way In the meane season deathe oftentimes sodenly vnawares commeth vpon them being thus secure carelesse For as euery mans death is certaine so is the houre thereof most vncertaine And therfore are we commaunded in the Scripture to watch and be alwayes
prepared vnto the laste day of our life accordinge to the saying of our Sauiour Christ in the gospell of Luke Be ye prepared saith he for the Sonne of man will come at an houre when ye thinke not There is also another cause at this day why many of the common sort prolonge and driue of the amendment of their life For ther be certaine and those verye deuoure felowes for we must suspect no other of thē howbeit not very wise and wary who in sundry places preache much of the grace of God of forgiuenesse of sinnes and of other thinges that pertaine to saluation and doe very diligently and wyth greate earnestnesse handle the same but they say either nothing at all or els verye little of a newe life in Christ of the sanctifying quickning of the holy ghost But he that will be coūted a true Christian in deede must accordinge to the doctrine of Paule dye to sinne and liue vnto righteousnesse must put of the olde man with his woorkes put on the newe man and liue as it becommeth the Gospell of Christe must not commit adultery or whoredome must not be at enmitie with his neighbour must not be couetous an vserer enuious muste not be proude and high minded And the holy ghost is giuen of God to them that beleeue and cal vpon him that he may stirre vp newe motions in the heart and as it were regenerate the will of man moue him forward to all duties of godlines to all vertues worthy of a christian man and vnto a life agreable to the profession of the Gospell where of we haue elswhere spoken more at large Now how much dost thou think are the mindes of the ignoraunt offended by these or such like sayings of some If thou bee an adulterer say they if a whoremonger if a couetous person or defiled with any other sinne and wickednes beleeue onely and thou shalt be safe There is no cause why thou shoul dest feare the Lawe for this Christe hath fulfilled and made satisfaction for the sinnes of mankinde These sayings doe without doubte grieuously offend godly eares and minister occasion to leade a wicked life and are cause that men thinke nothing of reforming their manners but obstinately perseuer in sinne and vngodlines yea they doe encourage them vnto al wickednes as it were cut of such meanes as might moue thē to repent amend How much better did Paule who as Luke mentioneth in the Acts not onely preached of that faith which is in Christ vnto Felix and Drusilla his wife but entreated also diligently of righteousnes and temperance of the iudgement to come so that Felix was striken with terror while Paule disputed The same Paule also witnesseth moreouer in the Acts that he did not only preache to the Gentiles that they should repente and turne vnto God but admonish them also that they shoulde doe workes worthye of them that had repented Thus hast thou gentle Reader the causes which commonly moue vs to prolonge and differre the amendment of our lyfe it remayneth nowe that we briefly shewe what remedye may be founde for this euell although we haue done the same partly alreadye Remedies against the causes aforesayd and first against mans incredulitie which was sayde to be the firste cause vvhy he differreth the amendement of hys lyfe AGainst our incredulitie then concerninge the iudgement to come the punishment of the wicked the immortall felicitie of the godlye very much vndoubtedly vnles wee had rather seeme then be Christians in deede will preuaile the aucthoritye of our God and Lord Iesus Christe if wee haue in remembraunce and alwayes as it were before the eyes of our mynde hys sayinges whiche are in sundrye places of the Scripture concerninge these thinges as is that in the Gospel of Iohn that of manye I maye rehearse onelye a fewe The houre shall come sayeth he in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice and they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euell vnto the resurrection of condemnation c. This is the will saith he in another place of him that sent me that euerye man which seeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I wyll raise him vp at the laste day Moreouer in the Gospell of Matthew speaking of the last iudgement amonge other thinges he sheweth what sentence he shal pronoūce of the godly Come saith he ye blessed of my father inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world And contrariwise of the wicked Depart from me saith he yee cursed into euerlastinge fyre which is prepared for the deuill and his angels And a little after and these shall goe into euerlastinge paine but the righteous into lyfe eternall O dreadful voice of the iudge that condemneth the wicked to euerlasting fyre If feare of Iudges on the earth doth astonish the guilty howe ought that heauenly iudge to make them afraid or what terror ought he to strike into the wicked through remorce of conscience for sinne If thou dost so feare a Iudge on the earth from whom not withstanding thou maist appeale vnto others how much more oughtest thou to feare the sentence of that Iudge from whom there is no appealing Depart saith he from me ye cursed Howe dreadfull a thinge will it be to be seperate from God himselfe who is the chiefe and soueraigne good to be driuen from the company of the godly and holy spirites to be excluded from the eternall blessednes of the heuenly kingdome which is so great that it can neither in words be expressed neither in mynd comprehended nor by any cogitation of man conceiued not only this but also to be cōmitted to extreme euerlasting paines in hel to be condemned to fire that shal neuer go out in respect whereof our fire is mere yse finally to be with the deuils an infinite time for euermore without any expectatiō or hope of better state What thinkest thou if these thinges came into mens mindes they would liue so leudlye Howbeit they thinke not of that which Peter witnesseth in the Acts of the Apostles that Christ is ordeyned of God a iudge of quicke dead whereof Paule maketh mention writing to Timothee And the same Paule in his second Epistle to the Corinthians saith for we must all appeare before the iudgemente seate of Christe that euerye man may receiue the things which are don in his body accordinge to that he hath don whether it be good or euil In this iudgement as the same Paule testifieth shal be reuealed and made open before all whatsoeuer is now hidde in the depth of mans hart and as it were obscured with darknesse Which thing how dreadfull it will bee to the wicked it neither can be sufficiently expressed neither well conceiued If in this life he whose deedes being in euery respect filthy and very sinfull and wicked shoulde be
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
passe in the former ages of the world concerninge the destruction of mankinde by the flood concerning the cities of Sodom Gomorthe howe they were consumed to ashes by fire from heauen also those thinges which histories both sacred and prophane declare of the most grieuous and often calamities of the people of Israell how they were often caried captiue of Barbarous nations for the neglect of pietie and godlines Finally those thinges whiche wee reade of the vtter destruction and ruine of the citie of Ierusalem For all these thinges are written as Paule saieth to the Corinthians to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Now how God hath often punished all sortes of men for sinne it woulde be longe as I haue sayd and needelesse to rehearse I will speake onely of one for examples sake When that noble king Dauid whom God dearely loued at suche time as being secure idle he liued in great prosperitie had fallen into adulterye and had encreased the same offence by the murder of an innocent man wyth what miseries and calamities was he not afflicted of God euen after that hauing acknowledged his sinne and repented he was restored to Gods accustomed grace and fauour For God punished him with the death of his sonne newly borne with the conspiracie of the sonne against the father with his sorrowfull flighte out of the citie of Ierusalem with the forcing of his concubines by hys owne Sonne with the reuolting of the people from him finally with greate mortalitie and death of hys citizens So great and horrible is the wrath of God againste sinne If a man so holy dyd not scape vnpunished for his sinne committed no not when hee had obteyned pardon and was reconciled into Gods fauour as in the hystorye of the Kinges is declared Howe thinkest thou will it fall out with others who are nothinge at all greeued and troubled in minde for their sinnes but doe securelye offende and heape one sinne vppon another finallye who wyth an obstinate mynde perseuer in wickednes Let vs therfore shake of slothfulnes that carnal carelesse security which commonly commeth vpon vs in the time of prosperitie Let vs liue in the feare of the Lord and with feare and tremblinge procure our saluation let vs not suffer our selues to be entangled with the allurements of the fleshe let vs by continual praier resist satans tētations And thus much shal suffize concerning this poynt Remedies against the fift cause for which man prolongeth the amendment of his lyfe NOw to speake of such as being led with hope of long life do differre the amendment of their maners these doe willingly deceiue themselues and of that which they excedingly desire they haue a vain hope and doe fondly dreame and so they wittingly and willingly perish being aliue and beholding their state they be in then which no folly can be said to be greater If these be nothing moued with those things which wise mē yet no professors of Christian religion haue commited to writinge concerninge the shortnesse and vncertaintie of thys lyfe as is that of one who sayde that man a is buble and of another who calleth him a dreame of a shadowe at the least let y man beloued of God holy Iob I meane moue them who sayth that man hath here but a shorte time to liue Let the seruaunt of God S. Iames moue them who sayth that mans life is as a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Let him that cannot lye the Sonne of God our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ moue them who biddeth vs watch because we knowe neither the daye nor the houre Finally let experience it selfe moue them if thou thinke that to be more certaine Thou sittest often with thy friends being sicke or diseased and lying without hope of recouery thou art sometimes presente with them that giue vp the ghoste thou hearest the groninges of them that dye thou seest the dead caried forth thou also dost accompany them to burying thou seest the bodyes committed to the earth thou hearest men lament the death of their freendes thou readest Epitaphs and inscriptions of tombes thou meetest them that weare mourninge apparell all which thinges ought worthely to stir vp in thee a remēbrance of the shortnes of this life and of death that is dayly imminent If the death of strangers doe nothing moue vs yet let the death of our familiers neighbours moue vs let our owne perils in whiche we often are the grieuous diseases that we fall into moue vs and where as wee consider not our infirmitie by the example of others let vs at the lest by our own weakenesse acknowledge the imbecilitie and frailtie of mankind and of our common nature Which if we shall do we shal then perceiue that there is no cause why we should flatter our selues with a vaine and false hope of long life But will some man say I may in olde age amende my life and repent in the meane season I will take my pleasure I heare this but who certenlye knoweth that he shall liue vntill olde age Dooste thou thinke that it wil be in thy power to repente when thou wilt who nowe neglectest and pretermittest the time and occasion of the same being offered Thou art deceiued truly thou art deceiued I say if thou so doost thinke God of his goodnes whereby he desireth rather the amendment then destruction of a sinner when it seemeth good vnto him calleth thee to repētaunce and as he sayth in the reuelation he standeth at the dore knocketh open thou to him knocking heare him calling thee and whither he calleth followe thou despise not the riches of his bountifulnes and lenitie least after thine hardnes and heart that can not repente thou heape vnto thy selfe wrath againste the day of wrath as Paul saith writing to the Romanes Remember what the same Paule sayth to the Corinthians We beseeche you saith he that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine For he sayth I haue heard thee in a time accepted and in y day of saluation haue I succoured thee behold now the accepted time behold now the day of saluation The Apostle sheweth here that the time of repentinge being offered of God is not to be neglected that the like occasion is not alwayes giuen Hereunto pertaineth that sayinge to the Galathians While we haue time let vs worke that which is good And one of the auncients sayde not amisse He that hath promised pardon to the penitent hath not graunted so much as the morrow to him that dissembleth Take hede therefore leaste by prolonginge the amendment of thy maners and that vpon hope of long lyfe thou do wittingly willingly tempt the Lord whose goodnes inuiteth thee vnto repētance which we are forbidden to do by the commandement of God as is declared in Deuteronomie It doth not seldome happen that in the time of contending brawling of playing of drinking and tipling some is
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
I saye runne to thy ruine and destruction for the pleasant companye of thy companions but to the vttermost of thy power sequester thy selfe from them and let eternall saluation be more deere and pretious vnto thee then a shorte delighte of worldly ioye and pleasure A right pithie and profitable exhortation to forsake vice and imbrace vertue AGaine and againe thinke thus with thy selfe that I may nowe come to the laste poynt that he doth not truely repent neyther is or may be counted a Christian who continueth in sinne and wickednes neither that there is anye true faith in him who sinneth against his conscience and committeth an heynous offence Let vs not therefore be Christians in name onely being farre of from the thing it selfe neither let vs boast of faith in wordes alone but let vs truly and vnfeynedly repente let vs turne to God with all our heart let vs not trusting to our owne strength but to the helpe and assistance of God endeuour to reforme vice by vertue alwayes to liue godlily iustly innocently vprightly holily chastly soberly temperately profitably to the Churche of God friendly to the life of man and as Paule saith as it becommeth the Gospell of Christe Let vs moreouer dayly desire of our heaueÌ„ly father by our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ that he will giue vnto vs his holy spirite who may gouern guide teach sanctisie rayse vp comfort and quicken vs for Christe in the gospell hath promised that his heauenlye father will giue the same spirite vnto vs if we by harty prayer aske it of him And let vs not resiste the holy Ghost by yeelding to our wicked desires against our conscience neither let vs expell or greeue him that I may vse the word of the Apostle Paul. Let vs walke in newenesse of life let vs not serue sinne let vs giue vp our bodyes a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable vnto God let vs mortefie the fleshe with the affections and lustes thereof let vs keepe our selues vnspotted of the world let vs be renued in the spirite of our minde and put on the newe man which after God is created in righteousnesse and true holines let vs be followers of God as deere children let vs walke worthye of the Lord and as it becommeth saints forbearing one another through loue endeuoring to kepe the vnitie of the spirite in the bonde of peace let vs be gentle louing one towards another let vs loue our enemies let vs blesse them that curse vs let vs doe well to them that hate vs let vs praye for them that hurt and trouble vs let vs giue meate to the hungrye drinke to the thirstie releefe to the needye let vs harbour straungers cloth the naked visite the sicke admonish him that is out of the way instructe the ignoraunte helpe the perplexed with our counsaill comfort the afflicted reconcile suche as be at discorde and variance despise worldly honours contemne vayne glorye brieflye let vs not seeke after welth and riches lett vs endeuour alwayes to subdue and represse our naturall corruption and wicked affections and let vs not onely take heede least our hearts be at anye time ouercome with surfettinge and drunkennes but let vs also by fasting and due abstinence prepare our selues to prayer and among so many deceites and inuasions of Satan the world and the flesh let vs with ardent prayer aske helpe of God Let vs not be proud in prosperitie or discouraged in aduersitie whatsoeuer we doe let vs doe all things to the glorye of God let vs not regarde onely our owne matters but rather those which are other mens Moreouer let vs so behaue our selues that none be offended by vs but that we may by our good example bring other to vertue and godlines finally let vs pray dayly and without intermission in all things let vs giue thanks let vâ—â—lwaies aspire to heaueÌ„ly things let vs contemne humane and earthly These things are hard thou wilt say I coÌ„fesse it yet are they agreable to a christian profession needeful to saluation Let vs then do our diligence that we may cast of al remissenes of mind let vs not ouermuch fauor our selues nor yeeld to our own infirmitie or euer willingly be cause that the grace of God bee in vaine in vs Let vs not only not fall into sinne wittingly but let vs also valiauntly resist the assaults of Satan neuer yeeldinge vnto him through cowardise or sluggishnes Nowe what is not to be iudged light whereby thou mayst come to that life which aboundeth with all good things to those eternal ioyes Not without cause saith the Apostle Paul I count that the afflictions of this present time are not worthye of the glorie which shall be shewed vnto vs Hereunto maketh that which is sayde in another place The eye hath not seene the eare hath not heard neither haue entred into the hearte of man the thinges which God hath prepared for them that loue him For how great a thing is it which can neither by force of words bee expressed nor by thought of man conceiued of what sorte it is to be a citizen and inhabitour of heauen to be an heyre of God an heyre annexed with Christe to possesse the kingdome prepared for the godly before the beginning of the worlde without end to beholde that soueraigne good to enioy the most comfortable coÌ„templation of the countenaunce of God to be conuersant in the company of Angels to haue societie with the blessed spirits to be in the assembly of the righteous together with the angels the Patriarchs the Prophets the Apostles the Martyrs finally with all the godly enioying blessed immortalitie and life euerlasting together I saye with all these to celebrate with hymnes and prayses the eternall God the fountaine of all glory What are not al the miseryes and molestations of this lyfe to be counted light if thou looke vnto the glory to come so that we oughte worthelye to be ashamed of our sluggishnesse and remissenes who when he remembreth these thinges namely the kingdom of heauen the life immortal euerlasting blessednes ioies exceeding great and infinite the companye of Angels finally the societie of all who after their life led godlily vpon the earth shall enioy a life moste blessed and eternall who I saye when he remembreth these thinges is willing to cary on the earth and doth not rather with Paule desire to be dissolued and deliuered out of the prison of this body Let vs not therefore count these things heard after which so greate commodities do ensue especially seeing on the other side they that keepe not the commandements of God that are needefull to saluation shall not onely be excluded from that felicitie whereof we haue spoken but also be cast headlong into hell fire and eternal death throwne into vtter darkenes where shal be weeping gnashing of teeth afflicted with most greuous paines and continual torments in the companie and societie of the deuils and the wicked without any hope