of amending their life neither can they be driuen easilie from their pleasaunt fellowship So that although they frequēt godlie Sermōs are admonished by good-men in authoritie yea and them-selues too through the feare of Gods indignation doo desire to reforme their manners and that earnestlie yet I knowe not how they driue off from daie to daie and can neither vnfeinedlie repent nor at any time come home againe In the meane while when they litle thinke thereof sudden death many times striketh them vnawares For as euerie man is sure to die so the houre of death is vncertaine And therefore we are willed in the scripture to watch and to be readie against the last daie of life Hetherto maketh that of our Sauiour in Luke where he saith Be yee prepared therefore for the sonne of man will come in an houre when yee thinke not Cap. 9. ⧠An other cause of deferring repentaunce THere is another cause why many of the common people do prolong and deferre the correctiō of their life For there be some and those verie zelous too for we maie not thinke otherwise yet not circumspect enough in this point which in their Sermons laie open the mercie of God the remission of sinnes and such other thinges tending vnto our redemptiō they vrge full zelouslie but of newnes of life in Christ of holines and quickening of the holie spirit they speake either nothing at all or verie litle For according to the doctrine of Paule he that would be counted a Christiā must die to sinne liue to righteousnes cast off the olde man vvith all his vvorkes and put on the newe and so walke liue proue worthy the Gospel of Christ. Againe God giueth the holie spirit to such as beleeue and call vpon him which maie raise new motions in the heart and as it were regenerate the will of man and driue him vnto all duties of godlines and to all vertues seemelie for a Christian and finallie to a life aunswerable and agreeing to the profession of the Gospell Of which we haue spoken at large in an other place Oh how much are the mindes of simple people offended by these and such like speeches Be thou saie they an adulterer a fornicator a couetous person or defiled with any other vice or wickednes beleeue onlie and thou shalt be saued As for the lawe thou needest not feare it for Christ hath fulfilled the lawe and satisfied for the sinnes of mankinde These wordes without peraduenture doo much offend the eares of the godlie and open a gap to the committing of wickednes and are a cause that men doo not think of amending their manners but perseuere obstinatelie in vice and wickednes yea and to saie the truth animate such as are ill bent vnto all impietie and as I maie saie cut off all occasion of repentaunce How much better did Paule who as Luke in the Actes recordeth did not only preach vnto Felix and to Drusilla his wife the faith which is in Christ but disputed also of righteousnes and temperaunce and of the iudgement to come in so much that Felix trembled therat Yea and the same Paule againe in the Actes witnesseth how that he shewed vnto the Gentiles not onlie that they should repent and turne to God but ouer and besides doo vvorkes vvorthie amendment of life Thus you haue the causes in a manner why we are wont to prolong and deferre the correction of our life Now doo we purpose to shew what remedie maie be found for this mischiefe all be in part we haue it alreadie Cap. 10. ¶ A remedie against incredulitie which is the first cause why man doth not repent Of which afore Chapter second AGainst this incredulity therfore of ours cōcerning the iudgement to come the paines of the wicked and immortall happines of the godlie the authoritie of God our Lord and sauiour Christ vnles we had rather to be counted than in deede be Christians will preuaile out of doubt if we remember and set as it were before the eies of our minde those sayings which are contained in the holie scripture cōcerning this matter As that is of many to recite a few in the 〈◊〉 after Iohn The houre shall come saith he in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voice And they shall come foorth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation c. Againe he saith This is the will of him that sent me that euerie one which hath the Sonne and beleeueth in him shall haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last daie Furthermore in the Gospel after Matthew speaking of the last iudgement among other thinges our sauiour telleth of the sentence he will pronoūce vpon the godlie on this wise Come ye blessed of my Father inherit yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world And on the other side of the wicked he saith Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels And a litle after And they shall goe into euerlasting paine and the righteous into life eternall O horible sentence of the Iudge condemning the wicked vnto euerlasting fire Now if the feare of earthly Iudges doo astonish malefactors how should they stand in feare of the celestiall Iudge or how should their gilty cōscience terrifie them If thou art so afraid of the Iudge in this world from whom notwithstanding thou maist appeale how much more oughtest thou to stand in dread of that Iudge to whose verdict thou must stand Depart from me yee cursed he saith How horrible then wil it be from God him-selfe who is the souereigne and excellēt happines to be seperated from the fellowship of the righteous and holie spirites to be debarred to be excluded from the eternall blessednes of the celestiall kingdome which is such and so great that neither wordes can expresse nor the minde comprehend nor all the cogitations of man cōceaue the same and not onlie so but to be sent vnto extreame tormentes in hell and condemned vnto euerlasting fire the heate whereof is so extreame that our fire in comparison thereof is but ice and so continue worldes without end among the diuels voide of all hope of better state What thinke you that men would liue so wretchedlie as they doo if they remembred these things But they remember not what Peter in the Actes of the Apostles witnesseth that Christ is ordeined of God a Iudge of quicke and dead whereof Paule in like sort vnto Timothie maketh mention Againe vnto the Corinthians he saith For we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euerie man maie receaue the thinges which are done in the bodie according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill In which iudgement as testifieth the same Paule He will lighten thinges that are done in darknes and make the councels of the
heart manifest so that all men shall behold the same The which how horrible it will be to the wicked no man can sufficientlie either tell or conceaue For if in this life a wicked man whose wicked and shamefull vices and wickednes are to be ripped vp and repeated in the face of a great multitude of men would wish rather to be swallowed vp of the earth aliue then haue so many witnesses of filthie life to appeare in sight how thinke yee our mindes shalbe troubled when the harts of the wicked shalbe opened and all our cogitations councels and doinges brought before the sight of the whole world of the Angels of God and of all the Saints in heauen If here we deeme it a miserable and wretched thing to be led vnto prison how miserable will it then seeme to be throwen into euerlasting tormentes If it be horrible to be punished in this world either with banishment or death what will it be hereafter to be banished worldes without end from the celestiall kingdome and body and soule to be put to euerlasting death If it be most comfortable for the godlie to heare God bidding them to inherite the kingdome prepared for them from the foundation of the world how horrible doo we thinke that the sentence of the Iudge will be to the wicked condemning them vnto euerlasting fire prepared for the Diuell and his Angels If we beleeue these thinges of the iudgement to come of the reward of the godlie and due punishmēt of the wicked are true why doo we so liue as though there were neither heauen nor hell If we doo not beleeue these thinges why will we needes be called and counted Christians Let vs therefore shake off securitie which possesseth our mindes together with that sluggishnes cowardnes and blockishnes and drousines which haue inuaded vs. We argue not about nifles but about the saluatiō of the soule the possession of the kingdome of heauen about euerlasting life and blessednes VVherfore now I saie now while we liue and are in health while we maie be forgiuen while he is our aduocate which will be our Iudge let vs endeuor to amend our liues and neuer deferre we the same till our sinnes forsake vs before we forsake them Let vs alwaies remember the daie of iudgement and the horrible voice of the Iudge bidding the wicked depart from him also the paines of hell and the euerlasting fire let vs neuer forget Finallie let the shortnes of our life the certaintie of death the vncertaintie when we shall depart be euermore in minde to the ende that no man maie promise him selfe so much as one daie no not one moment of life To which effect it was well saide of Seneca It is vncertaine in what place death will waite for thee therefore waite thou for death in all places And therefore the more vncertaine and short mans life is the more while we maie we are to thinke of repentance Cap. 11. ¶ A remedie for the second cause whie we repent not◠mentioned afore in the third Chapter FOr to saie some-what against the second cause why shouldest thou defer the amendment of thy life in trust and hope of Gods mercie I graunt Christ when he came called sinners but vnto repentance for their life mispent not vnto libertie to sinne The Lord gratiouslie as he is mercifull doth forgiue but such as repent nor them which obstinatlie persist in wickednes Christ bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree saith Peter I know he did but what addeth he That we being deliuered frō sin should liue in righteousnes Christ gaue himselfe for vs saith Paule vnto Titus No man denieth that but what followeth 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 workes Christ hath washed vs from our sinnes through his blood saith Iohn in the Reuelation I knowledge it but not that we should againe defile our selues with sinne and wickednes VVe haue an aduocate with God the Father saith Iohn euen Iesus Christ Not vnles we repent and so run vnto him for helpe But you vvill saie I vvill hereafter bewaile my sinne But how knowest thou that thou shalt liue one minute of an houre much lesse so long a time as thou vvilt prefixe for thy conuersion Call into thy minde vvhat God vnto that Rich-man in the Gospell vvhich in his great prosperitie promised long life to him-selfe doth saie O foole this night will they fetch awaie thy soule from thee Thou hast much to feare least the like happen to thy selfe I hope thou saiest it will be better vvith me then so But vvhat if your hope deceaue you then maie some one exclame and saie O vaine and deceitfull hope Now if that should come to passe vvhich God forbid thou art vtterlie damned and voluntarilie throwest thy selfe into euerlasting destruction Yet you can not denie but it maie fall out so our life is so vncertaine Then vvhat a follie is it by procrastinating repētance to bring thy saluation in hazard vvhich thou maist be sure of repent thou neuer so soone VVhy then foorth-with dost thou not amend rather then vvith such daunger of thy saluation to feede thy vaine hope God is mercifull me thinkes you saie So is he righteous too VVhy then standest thou not in feare of his iustice vvhose mercie thou dost trust vntoo I desire not the death of the wicked saith the Lord by the Prophet True but what followeth those wordes But that the wicked man turne from his waie and liue Therefore turne you vnto the Lord as Ioel adhorteth with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning Turne you vnto the Lord your God for he is gratious and mercifull slowe to anger and of great kindnes as the same Ioel speaketh Hetherto maketh that of Ezechiel If the wicked man will returne from all his sinnes that he hath committed and keepe all my statutes and doo that which is lawful and right he shall surelie liue and shall not die And a litle after Haue I anie desire that the wicked should die saith the Lord or shall he not liue if he turne from his waies Hetherto belongeth that of Esaie Let the wicked forsake his waies and the vnrighteous his own imaginations and returne vnto the Lord and he wil haue mercie vpon him and to our God for he is verie readie to forgiue The Prophet sheweth how that God is gratious and merciful but toward them which repent and acknowledge their sinne Therefore doo thou speedelie repent turne againe vnto the feare of God aske forgiuenes of thy sinnes with teares and sighing be thorowlie out of loue with thy selfe for wickednes perpetrated and committed leaue thine owne waie and turne vnto the Lord thy God and then assure thy selfe of saluation despaire not neither doubt thou of Gods mercie and fauour In the meane while remember the saying of our Sauiour That ioie shalbe in heauen for
be farre off How daungerous therefore is it to liue in such a state wherein if sudden death should strike thee thou wert vtterlie damned Then to auoide this daunger see that alway thou liue in the feare of God acknowledge thy wickednes flie vnto the mercie of God aske pardon and hope looke too for saluation at Gods hand for Christ his sake Beside make thou oftē recourse vnto the minister of the Church and craue cōsolation and absolution from him And that thou maist be stirred vp vnto the remembrance of the promise of pardon and be confirmed more more of Gods mercie to vs-ward make often recourse vnto the Lordes table and according to Christes institution both eate that bodie which some-time was a sacrifice for the sinnes of mankinde and drinke the blood shedde foorth for the remission of our sinnes and so being mindfull of the Lordes death yeeld thou heartie thankes to God for his so great benefits and with a grateful mind sing thou Psalmes to him both with thy selfe at home and with others in the congregation of the faithful Cap. 16. A remedie for the seuenth cause specified afore in the eight Chapter AS much as thou canst to come vnto other thinges auoide euermore the companie of the wicked and ioine thy selfe vnto the societie of the good And as one councelleth haue cōuersation with such as maie make thee better and admit them into thy fellowship whome thou maist reclame from vice vnto vertue For it is behoouefull to marke what companie one vseth and who are his dailie companions For as by the familiaritie of wicked men we are infected as with a certaine contagion so by dailie acquaintance of the godlie and vertuous we are in manner corrected and amended Seeke therefore the amitie and friendship of these men but haue no dealing at all with those Salomon in his Prouerbes commaundeth the same thing Yea and Paule writing vnto the Corinthians doth so dehort vs from liuing and hauing to deale with the wicked that he would not haue vs so much as to eate and drinke with them If anie saith he that is called a brother be a fornicator or couetous or an idolater or a railer or a dronkard or an extortioner with such one eate not I graunt diuers other causes there be why he would haue such to be auoided either because we maie seeme in no sort to allowe the sinnes and wickednes of these men or that such whome all men doo so auoide and shun through shame of the world maie repent Notwithstanding it is not the least cause that the contagion of wickednes doo not redound vnto such as are ioined vnto them in friendship For as a litle leauen maketh a great heape of doa to swel so the example of one wicked man doth corrupt and infect a great many And although it be hard and verie difficult to for sake their acquaintance and familiaritie with whome a man merelie a long time iocundlie hath liued yet earnestlie thou must endeuor and labour with carefulnes by all meanes to depart and plucke thy selfe from their companie If thou but from thine heart once minde the same without doubt thou wilt finde better successe then thou art ware of And for so much as according to the Greeke prouerbe The beginning is as good as halfe and as Horace doth write He which hath begunne hath halfe done set vpon the same at the least and despaire not of the successe through consideration of the difficultie Now as commonlie it falleth out if thou thinke of the bankets the feastinges the reare-suppers the reuelinges and such like fond and childish things which thou hast vsed with them and if thou against thy will remember thy companions and merrie mates call into thy minde foorthwith the shortnes of this life the nighnes of death the last iudgement the tribunall seate of Christ hel fire and euerlasting damnation And so as the saying is Thou shalt driue out one naile by the force of another If these thinges come into minde and thou thinke thus with thy selfe My cup-mates and companions inuite me vnto them their suppers dinners and potations doo allure me But what doo I Credite me wouldest thou saie but thus much with thy selfe what doo I foorth-with both reason would ouer-come thy lust and thy will would listen to reason adhorting vnto the best Therefore as I saie thou must take a space to deliberate and make some delaie When any such thing by the suggestion of Satan commeth into thy minde throwe awaie thy weaknes of minde and loase not the bridle by and by to thy lust for then thou wilt runne as the Diuel would haue thee Doo thy companions inuite thee to the Tauerne Call thou into thy remembraunce what our Sauiour in a certaine place doth saie Take heede to your selues least at anie time your heartes be oppressed with surfetting and dronkennes what Paule doth write Be not dronke with wine wherein is excesse And Neither dronkardes nor gluttons shall inherite the kingdome of God what Peter saith Be sober and watch finallie what the Prophet Esaie writeth VVo vnto them that rise vp earlie to follow dronkennes Remember that the authoritie of God and of his Apostles must be obeied and not the mindes of vngodlie persons followed that thou art to hearken to thine Angel adhorting thee vnto all goodnes and not to obeie the Diuel pricking thee forward vnto wickednes finallie that thou must resist the euil spirit and not grieue the holie Ghost Wherefore doo not thou I saie doo not thou destroie thy selfe for the sweete companie of thy cup-mates but so much as in the lieth withdrawe thy selfe from their familiaritie and make thou more accoumpt of euerlasting saluation then of a litle short pleasure Cap. 17. ¶ A remedie against the last cause which holdeth men from repentance entreated of before in the ninth Chapter NOw to prescribe a remedie for the last cause thinke alwaie with thy selfe that he vnfeinedlie doth not repent neither that he either is or maie be counted a true Christian that goeth on forward in wickednes neither that he hath true faith which continueth in sinne against his conscience and committeth any outragious wickednes Let vs not then be Christians in name onlie being farre from the nature neither let vs in wordes boast of faith but let vs trulie and vnfeinedlie repent turne vnto the Lord with our whole heart and reforme our sinfull conuersation by wel doing yea let vs studie by good workes to blot our wickednes as it were out of the minde of God and through hope of Gods assistance not through our own strength endeuor we to liue godlie righteously innocentlie vprightlie holilie chastlie soberlie temperatelie profitablie to the Church of God friendlie vnto man and as Paule doth saie as it becommeth the Gospel of Christ. Furthermore beg we of our heauenlie Father through our Lord and sauiour Christ that he would impart vpon vs his holie spirit which maie rule gouerne instruct sanctifie
which Publius saide Fortune makes him extreamelie foolish whom she fauoureth then it appeareth euidentlie how prosperitie dooth not onelie make men secure but is the mother of all wickednes For hence it is that we perceaue not the wrath of God against sinne which we ought continuallie to feare hence dooth drousines so occupie our mindes that we neither dread the vengeance of God nor think that we shall either die or appere before the iudgement seate of Christ. Our Sauior in the Gospell after Luke dooth by an elegant similitude paint foorth as it were this securitie of welthie men where that rich man whose ground had brought foorth fruits plenteouslie neuer thought of amending his life nor of repentaunce nor yet of helping the poore but fixing his cogitations vpon building greater barnes and of gathering his fruites into them thought thus with himselfe I will gather all my fruites and heape my goods together and I will saie to my soule Soule thou hast much goods laide vp for manie yeeres liue at ease eate drinke and take thy pastime But in this securitie and opinion of continuall felicitie which the churle conceaued in his minde what saith God at the lenghth Euen thus he saith O foole this night will they fetch awaie thy soule from thee Thus you plainlie see how the riche man while he dreameth of a secure and quiet life of dyning and supping and faring deliciouslie liuing delicatelie while he thinketh all was well Sudden destruction came vpon him as Paule dooth saie Therefore the holie Scripture biddeth vs to VVatch continuallie and euermore to be readie against the comming of the Lord. A goodlie admonition did we set therebie But as it fell out in the time of Noe VVhen as they did eate drinke marrie and were married so vpon the sudden were taken all awaie by the flood And as they all suddenlie were destroied with fire from heauen when Lot was departed from among the Sodomits so euerie mans last daie of life commeth vpon him vnawares when he looketh not therefore When S. Iames would driue awaie this securitie from rich and fortunate men what saith he Go to now yee rich men saith he weepe and houle for your miseries that shall come vpon you Your riches are corrupt and your garments are moth-eaten Your golde and siluer is cankred Yee haue liued in pleasure on the earth and in wantonnes Yee haue nourished your harts as in a daie of slaughter Here call into thy minde that rich man in the Gospell who after his delight in wearing purple and fine linen and in faring well and delicatelie euerie daie being dead is now in hell tormented For wealth pleasure and ouermuch prosperitie would not suffer him to thinke of amending his life Hetherto maketh that of our Sauiour in Matthewe A rich man shall hardlie enter into the kingdome of heauen and 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 Our Sauiour as Marke recordeth expounding the same dooth saie Children how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdome of God! It maketh also to this purpose that Christ calleth riches and pleasure of this life thornes which cheake the seede of the worde and make it vnfrutefull This then is the cause why God sometime sendeth aduersitie and as he saith chasteneth whom he loueth namelie that they maie shake off securitie and both be stirred vp to feare and call vpon God whom oftentimes in prosperitie they forget be also compelled to confesse their sinne to repent and to thirste after heauenlie thinges despising earthlie For in them which haue the world at will there dooth raigne a maruelous securitie which is nombred among the deadlie offences and their mindes be inuaded with sloth and carelesnes and with a certaine nummednes and sencelesnes whereby they neglect heauenly things finallie idlenes faintnes rechlesnes vnwildenes sleepines and if you will haue it so for by all these names I see I cannot sufficientlie expresse what I thinke drowsines taketh them in such sorte that they haue no minde to doo well nor to liue honestlie Such is the greatnes of this vice The Scripture also showeth that prosperitie maketh men not onelie secure but blinde also and vngodlie manie-times which made Moses to saie VVhen he waxed fat he spurned with his heele thou art fat thou art grose thou art laden with fatnes therefore he forsooke God that made him and regarded not the strong God of his saluation They prouoked him with straunge gods and so foorth This made Dauid hauing ouercome his enimies on all sides when he was quiet and thought all things well not onlie to fall into adulterie but also to defile himselfe with the murder of an innocent man And he who in the persecution of Saule behaued himselfe well in prosperitie prooued wicked So greatlie hath he to looke that he fall not which thinketh he dooth stande Yea after he had committed those sinnes how secure was he for a long space For though there hung no daunger ouer his head forsomuch as God is mercifull he went as well as the best vnto the tabernacle he kept the Sabaoth and other holie daies he was at sacrifices making and offered giftes to be breefe his minde was without care But when God by the Prophet Nathan denounced vengeance and punishment and stroke him with feare and terror then at the length comming againe vnto himselfe he considereth what he had committed and waieth the greeuousnes of the sinne and therfore conceaueth much sorowe through the remembraunce thereof and plainelie confesseth his offence and humblie craueth pardon of God and desireth to be washed from his sinne to be clensed from his wickednes to haue the filth of his vncleanes wiped awaie yea he neither refuseth reuengement which God had threatened nor praieth to escape the punishment which he had deserued Would to God the like securitie were not in vs who for the moste parte liue so without care as if all were well we neither confesse our sinnes nor yet feare the sharpe iudgement and heauie hande of God against wickednes So farre be we from weeping so aboundantlie as we haue greeuouslie transgressed as that holie Martyr of Christ Cyprian dooth saie But to returne vnto our matter and to conclude in fewe words No man can be saued but they whose sinnes be forgiuen And no mans sinnes be forgiuen except he aske forgiuenesse No man dooth aske forgiuenes but he who desireth to come into Gods fauor againe And no man desireth that from his hart vnlesse he be touched with a sense and feeling of his wickednes And no man is sorie for his wickednesse but he that confesseth them and perceaueth the wrath of God against sinne But this dooth not a secure man for he is touched with no care of his saluation Hee to whom all things fall out prosperouslie is as
he saith dronken with sweete fortune is such a person Therefore it is euident that wealth and prosperitie is a cause that men haue no care of amending their manners Cap. 6. ⧠A fift cause why man will not repent A Fift cause of deferring the amending of our manner◠from day vnto daie is hope to liue long For although none no not the yong man is assured as he in Cicero saith that he shall liue vntill night yet there is none so old but he thinketh he may liue one yeere mo The Poet bringeth out an old man exclaiming on this wise Can ye wish me beeing an old man 65. yeeres of age in mine old daies to become a married man and to take an old doting woman to wife But now in these daies men well nigh eightie yeeres of age doo marrie yong girles scarse fifteene yeeres old So that they are of opinion that they may liue as long as lustie yong men as it plainlie appeareth Some perhaps will thinke it follie and madnes for old men to become wooers neither will we reason for or against them this onelie I note that such as at that age take virgins to wiues notwithstanding they are old dote yet are they lead with a vaine hope of vndoubted long life So that this hope is the cause why no man well nigh will earnestlie thinke either of amendment or of an accompt to be giuen vnto the hiest iudge of his life spent Euerie man deferreth and as much as in him lieth puts off so profitable and necessarie a matter I am afraide the verie Heathen hereafter in the last iudgement will laie in our dish this extreame negligence in that either at no time or not earnestlie enough we thinke of reforming our manners and amending our life VVhereas many Heathen vsed continually before they gaue them-selues to sleepe at night to waigh with them-selues according to Pythagoras precept what thing they had done either well or ill VVhich thing Virgil speaking of a good and wise man expressed on this wise He dooth not turne his eies to take the sweete and wished sleepe Till what he did the daie before he waies with motions deepe Of minde what did I pretermit what did I in due time Thinkes he what not vnseemelie this vnwiselie that same crime VVhie haue I done what ouer slipt in fonde opinion Haue I stoode or helpt the poore and wisht my deede vndone Or would I ought which I should not whie wretch did I delight In gaine more then in godlines by worde or eke by sight Haue I offended anie man vvhy to my nature vaine Doo I obeie and reasons lore vvhy doo I so disdaine Thus pondring all things in his minde from morning vntill night VVhich he hath saide or done forthwith he taketh much delight Of doing well and praiseth all vvhich vnto vertue tend But vvhat he vainlie saide or did doth much his minde offend Seneca likewise speaketh somewhat concerning this custome which I can not chuse but mention He therefore in a certaine place speaking of calling the minde euerie day vnto an accompt saith as followeth It was Sextius woont euerie night when he went vnto bed to aske his mind VVhat vice of thine hast thou reformed vvhat tentation hast thou resisted wherin art thou the better And straightway VVhat goodlier thing thē after this forme to examine the whole daie Oh hovv quiet hovv sound and how free is the sleepe vvhich followeth after the examination of mans time spent when the minde is either commended for dooing well or warned to beware of wickednes and man wilbe his owne watchman and like a seuere Censor bring his owne life into question This power doo I vse and debate the matter with my selfe from daie to daie VVhen the cādle is out I fast the whole daie and measure all my deedes and sayings I neither doo hide anie thing fro my selfe nor ouer-passe anie thing in silence VVhy should I feare anie of my faults sith I may saie looke you doo so no more for this time I forgiue thee At such a disputation you were too fierce doo not hencefoorth encounter with the vnskilfull You looke of such a man too boldlie and therebie you did not amend him but offend him Looke hereafter not onlie that what you speake be true but also that whome you doo rebuke will patientlie heare the trueth when it is tolde him This and much mo thinges to this purpose speaketh Seneca which would to God we would fixe in our mindes and followe yea and acquaint our children with this godlie custome For did we so doubtles either I am much deceaued or we should studie to liue more aunswerable to our Christian profession than we doo But what doo we knowe we feast merrelie together we furnishe our boordes with most daintie dishes yea we spend not the daie onlie in quaffing but the whole night also in riotousnes and what horrible vices of all sortes tend vpon that kinde of life we all knowe and before willinglie we giue ouer drinke ouercommeth vs and so we goe drunke to bed what saie I we go naie manie times because we can neither stand stedelie nor go but totteringlie we are lead and manie times plucked from the boord and laide in bed where we lie buried as in a graue for I can not otherwise better expres the same ouerwhelmed with wine and sleepe and this is a dailie custome Scarce once in a yeere doo we enter into an accoumpt with our selues of our life mispent and aske mercie for our offences sildome it is that we purpose to come againe into Gods fauor And when we doo so litle too we minde to continue in those thinges which we haue set downe so farre be we from examining our consciences before we go to rest and from considering how we ought to liue or with sobs teares and striking our breasts prostrate vpon the ground from asking forgiuenes of the Lord from vowing a new life and from endeuoring to abide and persist in that minde and purpose to liue well Yet for all this we are not afraide in such a cursed state of life to sleepe and to snort too in securitie wherein if sudden death should strike vs as no man is sure that he shall rise in the morning when he goeth vnto bed we are vtterlie damned and cast awaie But litle doo we thinke of these things so greatlie doo we flatter our selues through a vaine hope of longer life Now for so much as commonlie we see many are deceaued through such hope how childish be we naie how mad rather which thinke our selues by a speciall priuiledge exempted from the number of such Cap. 7. ¶ A sixt cause which alienateth mens mindes from repentance THere is an other cause whie manie vnder the dominion of the Pope especiallie such as are welthie rich doo put off their amendement from daie to daie And that is not onlie the trust of remission of their sinnes which they receaue by
one sinner that conuerteth more then for ninetie and nine iust men Yea let this aboue all the rest pricke thee vp vnto repentance considering both how greatlie the verie Angels desire thy conuersion and how much they reioice when thou dost amend But that in the Psalmes likes thee passing well where it is saide Thou O Lord art a pittifull God and mercifull slowe to anger and great in kindnes Seeing you saie so hearken vvhat in the same booke of Psalmes is vvritten Thou hatest all them which worke iniquity Againe The face of the Lord is against them that doo euill Some vvill yet saie it is in the Gospel after Iohn that He which beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life But vvhat saith the same Iohn in an other place He that commiteth sinne is of the Diuel And He that saith I knowe God and keepeth not his commaundementes is a liar and the truth is not in him Iohn Baptist witnesseth of Christ saying Behold the Lambe of God which taketh awaie the sinnes of the world But what saith he beside Repent And Bring foorth fruites worthy amendment of life You vrge further that of Peter in the Actes saying VVe beleeue through the grace of the Lord Iesus to be saued But marke you not what in the same booke is written Amend your liues therefore and turne that your sinnes maie be put awaie Doth not Christ in the Gospel after Iohn saie God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onlie begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life But doth he not saie in Matthewe also Not euerie one that saith vnto me Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth my Fathers wil which is in heauen You beleeue I am sure that which Paule saith That Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners beleeue also that neither enchaunters nor whooremongers nor murtherers nor idolaters nor theeues nor couetous nor proude persons nor dronkards nor railers nor the factious nor enuious nor euil-willers shall inherite the kingdome of God For if you beleeue that Paule or the holie spirite rather by the mouth of Paule doth speake the truth you see plainlie that you can haue no hope of mercie at Gods hand or assurance to be saued liuing awicked filthie life For as faith through the Gospel acknowledgeth God to be mercifull to the penitent so doth it know that he is angrie and displeased with such as obstinatelie proceede in sinne There is no cause then why through hope and confidence of pardon at Gods hand thou shouldest prolong thy conuersion and flatter thy selfe Repent come into the waie againe and then doubt thou no whit but thou maist make thy selfe a large promise of Gods fauour and kindnes And as no man can trulie repent but he which hopeth to be forgiuen as it is well saide by Ambrose so none maie hope to beforgiuen which doth not vnfeinedlie repent This one thing I will ad now out of Iesus the sonne of Sirach before I proceede vnto the rest Saie not saith he I haue sinned and what euil hath come vnto me For the Almightie is a patient rewarder but he wil not leaue thee vnpunished Because thy sinne is forgiuen be not without feare to heape sinne vpon sinne And saie not the mercie of God is great he wil forgiue my manifold sinnes For mercie and wrath come from him and his indignation commeth downe vpon sinners Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord and put not off from daie to daie For suddenlie shall the wrath of the Lord breake foorth and in thy securitie thou shalt be destroied and thou shalt perish in the time of vengeance Hetherto Ecclesiasticus Cap. 12. ¶ A remedie against the custome of sinning which is the third cause of deferring repentance as aboue in the fourth Chapter hath bene showed BVt custome of sinning doth hinder thee that thou canst not amend returne from sinne vnto godlines For commonlie it falleth out that looke what a man hath bene vsed vnto from his youth he pursueth in his age Because as Cyprian saith that is not quicklie and speedelie laide off which is growen to ripenes through long vse For when will he learne to be a good husband which hath spent his time in riottousnes and daintie fare And he which glittereth in braue apparel gloriouslie set out with gold and purple will hardlie attire him-selfe after the facion of the simple sort It cannot be but that with forceable intisementes as the manner is wine must inuite pride puffe vp anger set on fite couetousnes vnquiet cruelty prick forward ambitiō delight lust bring downe head-long and so foorth So that it maie seeme verie hard by anie meanes to alter custome which in a manner is become another nature Notwithstanding if you loue your owne wel-fare you must endeuor yet But you wil aske how you maie so do Euen if you cast off that by litle and litle through good custome which you haue got through euil custome and if you labour to plucke vp that by good custome which euil custome hath ingraffed And nothing is so hard as Seneca doth saie which the minde of man cannot ouercome VVhat-soeuer the mind went about it hath brought to passe VVherefore to breake this almost inuincible strength of custome you must addresse your minde chieflie there-vnto and not striue and labour onlie by force to ouercome the same And yet you must striue withall if you would weaken and plucke vp and roote out a thing which is fastened and sticketh to the rootes VVherefore set there-vpon couragiouslie at the least wise begin vpon good hope endeuor with a sure trust in God doubt thou not but thou shalt blessedlie go forward For before thou begin thine olde custome perhaps wil seeme vnuincible but when you come vnto the triall straight-waie that which you thought would hardlie be done will seeme nothing so or at least not so difficult So often-times that which at the first we thinke heauie when we once go about the same proueth light Brieflie what the most excellent Poet speaketh of Mnestheus companions to this effect Their good successe doth make them bold and stoute They able are Because they seeme to be Nothing their courages can dare Thinke without peraduenture will fitlie be applied to thee Onlie as I haue saide go about the same with a courage hope wel and euerie daie thy care and minde to liue godlie wil like thee more and more and the loue of vertue than which as one trulie saith nothing is more beutiful nothing more faire more louelie nothing is wil maruelouslie inflame and rauish thy mind And in the ende thou wilt vse much ioiful gratulations to thy selfe for addressing to reforme thy manners Such a pleasure and euerie daie more profite then others shall you reape thereby So that you wil confesse that to be true which our Lord and sauiour Christ said vnto his Disciples in these
children of the paine of sicknes and such like vvhich maie seeme of small importance how doth Satan bestirre him-selfe then vvhat engins doth he set to bring the poore soule vnto desperation through laying his manifold offences before his eies For then chieflie if euer he rippeth vp and bringeth into remembraunce whatsoeuer euil a man hath either thought or wild or said or done and such faultes as of them-selues are great and hainous he doth make much greater then they be and by all meanes doth studie to withdrawe him from hope of saluation and to driue him vnto despaire for his manifold and great offences Hetherto belongeth the griefe of a guiltie conscience the great feare of death before his eies the wofull and bitter cogitation of Gods iudgement seate the dread of a seuere sentence which wil sore dismaie and trouble the minde the horrible remembrance of the paines of hel and who is able to repeate all the impediments and causes which let men that they cannot so much as thinke of repenting at that time Doo not therefore doo not if thou be wise deferre the amendement of their life till the last daie For that is a verie dangerous matter that I saie not how such a repentance for so much as of necessitie it springeth and is extorted through the feare of damnation rather then taken in hand of pure zeale is of small force to get pardon But no repentance is too late before God I confesse so much For At what time so euer a sinner dooth repent him of his sinne I wil put all his wickednes out of my remembrance saith the Lord. And as the Prophet in another place God desireth not the death of a sinner but that he repent and liue But what if sudden death take thee vnawares that thou canst haue no time to lament and to repent thee of thy sinnes For all men should looke for that which maie happen vnto all men Let the vnlooked for destruction of them vpon whome the towre in Silo fell as Luke recordeth come into your minde VVhat if suddenlie you should leese your wits and vnderstanding as we see many doo The which if it should fall out as it maie happen then gone were all hope of repenting which the sinner had placed in prolonging the amendment of his life For that maie betide thee which hath happened to others that you maie thinke you are not exempted from that which is common to all men For a true saying is that of Publius That maie happen to euerie man which maie happen to anie man Cast awaie therfore all hope of long life then the which vndoubtedlie nothing is more vaine fleeting neither doo thou dreame of occasion nor appoint a time wherein thou wilt repent nor finallie doo not thou nourish thy foolishnes or madnes rather in deferring the reformation of thy sinfull life through this deceiptful hope VVert thou wise thou wouldest repent at that time wherein thou maist offend For if thou minde then to repent when thou canst sinne no more doubtles thou dost not leaue sinne but sinne thee Furthermore it is to be feared least seeing when thou maist thou wilt not repent that when thou wouldest thou maist not For the iudgementes of almightie God in punishing mans wickednes are vnsearchable For as his woont is of his goodnes and mercie to giue them space of repentance vvhich are prepared readie and willing to receaue mercie yea and in the meane while with much patience and lenitie to beare with sinners vntill they returne from their wickednes so when he seeth any man vtterlie bent vnto vngodlines and deriding Gods long suffering and so worthie damnation then ceaseth he to hold such a one back from falling into destruction and so according to the phrase of scripture blindeth the desperate and hardeneth the obstinate neither dooth he looke any longer for his conuersion nor offereth occasion for the damned to repent For God hath appointed a time and manner for each man the which no man in wickednes maie ouer-passe and God will not prolong his punishment and paine of sinne The which should stirre vp all men to repent without delaie and to prepare them-selues to receaue the grace of God But for so much as we haue spoken sufficient hereof let vs hasten vnto other thinges Cap. 15. ⧠A remedie for the sixt cause of deferring repentance declared afore in the seuenth Chapter THey vvho through the opinion which they haue in Popes pardoÌ„s doo defer the correction of their life doo trust to a weake staffe and depend vppon a tottering wall as the saying is So doo they in like sort that worship Saint Barbara and wil be buried in the habite of a Franciscane For in all the scripture what maie be found concerning these toies VVhat in all the old Testament In the Euangelical doctrine what VVhat in the works of the Apostles To conclude which of these thinges was obserued in the primitiue Church or else by a generall iudgement and consent of the Church at all times receaued and allowed as a thing auaileable and necessarie to saluation Therefore who doth not before death bewaile his offences he albeit he haue a thousand Buls and Pardons shall neuer be saued And therefore vnlesse thou wilt be in doubt of thy saluation omitting these vices thou must earnestlie repent thy wicked life and be heartelie sorie at the remembraunce of thy sinnes thou must with teares and praiers beseech God to be good vnto thee finallie thine onlie refuge must be to runne vnto the merites of Christ in a strong hope that God the Father wil be merciful to thee for Christ his sake whome for vs he hath deliuered vnto the death So wil it come to passe that God wil haue mercie on thee forgiue thy sinnes and for his Christes sake receaue thee into fauour For we haue him our aduocate with God which praieth for vs and doth reconcile his heauenlie Father who by reason of our sinnes and wickednes is offended with vs and maketh him both mercifull and quiet as Iohn in his first Catholical Epistle doth teach So then regard thou neither the Popes pardons nor the worship of Barbara nor the habite and weede of a Franciscane wherin there is no hope at all to be saued Run thou vâ—to Christ him-selfe who is our mediator and aduocate as I said the throne of grace the propitiation for the sinnes of the world and the Lambe killed froÌ„ the beginning of the world as in the Reuelation it appeareth brieflie who is our righteousnes sanctification and redemption as Paul vnto the CorinthiaÌ„s doth witnesse VVherfore to returne vnto the purpose prolong not the amendement of thy sinfull life for anie Bull or Pardon from the Pope especiallie seeing our life is so short and the houre of certain death so vncertaine The which death for so much as in respect of vncertaine chaunces it is alwaies nigh and maie in this verie moment ouer-take a man vnawares doubtles as one saith can not
art committing anie fowle and dishonest fact how much more oughtest thou to abstaine there-from through reuenence and shame of God and his Angel Fearest thou to haue man priuie to thy fact and art thou not afraide in the presence of God whose eies beholding all thinges no man can escape to commit that which thou wouldest not doo in the sight of man Especially seeing he one daie shall be thy Iudge which now beholdeth whatsoeuer thou doest A certaine Philosopher councelleth vs So to liue as though we liued in the sight of all men so to thinke as though one might behold the most secrete cogitation of the heart Againe saith he So doo all thinges as though some man sawe thee It is doubtles good to appoint a keeper ouer thy selfe to haue one vpon whome thou maist looke backe whome thou maist suppose is priuie to all thy cogitations A great part of wickednes is left vndone if one be present when a man is about to sinne Thus councelleth an Ethnike which I would haue euerie man suppose to be spoken to him-selfe If therefore thou enterprise any thing which is filthie and wicked before thou goest about the same thus reason with thy selfe what is that I doo Shall I commit that in the sight of God which for my life I would not haue any man to know Should I driue awaie the Angel appointed to ouer-looke me by this crime which would not loase the friendship of a mortall man Shall I grieue the holie spirit to make the euil spirit reioice through my falling Hath Christ redeemed me with his precious blood that voluntarilie I should giue my selfe into the bondage of Satan Hath he redeemed me from sinne to the end I should runne headlong into wickednes Hath he therefore made me an heire of heauen that through mine owne default I should forgo the same Where is now my zeale to God-ward where is my reuerend feare of his maiestie where is my faith and godlines Is this the thankes I giue to my God for his so innumerable benefites Is this the thankes I doo yeeld to Christ for my saluation Doo I thus submitte my selfe to the direction of the holie spirit With this holines doo I approch vnto the Lordes table Looke I for the comming of Christ after such a sort Shall death laie hold on me in this state of life Shall I go vnto the iudgement seate of God in this pickle Shall I suffer mine affections to preuaile the weake flesh to ouercome sinne to raigne in my bodie Am I so voide of stomacke and courage that I can-not resist the motions of the minde Doo I behold the better and yet chuse the worser still These and other thinges for who can recite all thinke dailie with thy selfe so wilt thou not easilie doo that which is not seemelie Then to come vnto an end whatsoeuer thou goest about perswade thy selfe that God is present as in deede he is and beholdeth all thy doinges and therfore stand thou in awe of him and let the reuerence of him with-draw thee from wicked enterprises For as the Poet saith He witnes is and Iudge also He so doth view the heart of man That euerie thought he wel doth kno And him deceaue no creature can This also wil further thy zeale to liue wel if continuallie thou thinke with thy selfe how thou art the sonne and heire of God in the spirituall regeneration and which is the greatest honour the brother and heire annexed with Christ. For who wil not be inflamed mightelie vnto godlines and with a Christian feare and shame abhorre sinne when he shall call into remembraunce how that God is his Father Doo not therefore I saie doo not forget this benefite at anie time loue him worship him serue him honour him ouermore who hath made thee his sonne by adoption and neuer doo anie thing which maie displease him hencefoorth Fulfil thou his wil obeie his commaundement keepe his lawes Thinke with thy selfe that not onlie the participation of his inheritance but also the imitation of his vertue and goodnes doth belong vnto thee so that although thou canst not by imitation attaine vnto that singularitie of goodnes which is in the Father yet endeuor thou earnestlie to come nigh the same and thinke it a most shamefull thing to degenerate there-from And if at anie time vnwittinglie thou cōmittest somwhat contrarie to thy Fathers minde as great is mans frailtie let it much grieue thine heart punish thy selfe therefore thinke no paine grieuous enough for thee who hast offended so mercifull a Father and neuer be quiet in minde and at rest til thou hast recouered thine offence with greater good deedes and pacified thy Father by vnfained repentance So farre shouldest thou be from sinning voluntarilie and from committing anie sinne against thy conscience And who so remembreth howe that he is the sonne and heire of God the brother heire annexed to Christ doubtles wil be terrified from sinne and wickednes not so much for feare of the last iudgement of euerlasting tormentes and of hel fire which neuer wil be quenched as for feare of displeasing his so louing Father and will endeuour to liue godlie to offend no man after the example of the Father to doo well to all men not so much in hope of reward in heauen and of eternall ioie as through a certaine greate and vnspeakable loue which he beareth toward God the Father He which beleeueth as Paule saith that his bodie is the Temple of the holie Ghost dwelling in vs easelie refraineth from sinne and polluteth not him-selfe with filthie lust Finallie who out of doubt thinketh that he is adopted into the fellowship of Saintes wil not neglect to emulate the vertues of the Saintes namelie zeale toward God and loue toward man Cap. 20. The causes whie we proceede not in wel doing hauing purposed to liue in the feare of God with the remedies for that infirmitie of man BVt some wil say what may be the cause whie minding some-times to liue chastlie soberlie and godlie after the wil of God we doo not constantlie fulfill which wiselie we purposed To aunswer in few wordes the principall cause is the naturall wickednes that is in vs the proanesse which we haue to sinne which cleaueth to our bones and bowels that is to saie the verie flesh that we beare about which hath a grieuous and troublesome combat and a continuall fight in a manner with the inner man as witnesseth Paul So that we must resist the same when it inticeth vs vnto lust and filthy pleasure vnto the vices of the throate and bellie vnto lasciuiousnes and wantonnes and vnto other vices and vnhonest factes and furthermore we must bridle the same by godlie cogitations exercises watching abstinence and also tame and bring it vnder by continuall sobrietie and temperance This made our sauiour Christ to wil vs To take heede least at anie time our heartes be oppressed with surfetting and Paule both to bid that we be not
dronke with wine and also to forbid gluttonie and dronkennes and Peter to commaund vs to watch and be sober VVith this we must ioine continuall praier and earnest calling for the assistance of God without which all our endeuor to tame the flesh and to suppresse the force of the same is vaine and to no purpose Now hauing as wel as we can subdued the motions of the flesh there be moreouer the world and the Diuil deadlie enimies with whome we haue continual warfare for they wil not suffer vs to abide in our godlie purpose of liuing wel For the world stirreth vnto ambition pride and riottousnes vnto anger hatred enuie impatience back-biting and ministreth occasion to fall vnto other vices which no man is able to number they be so manie it marreth by euil examples and corrupteth with offences The Diuel for his part neuer ceaseth to bring and driue man to contemne the word of God to mistrust his promises to conceaue amisse of him to persist obstinatelie in wickednes to blaspheme to impugne the knowen truth to plaie the hypocrites to be superstitious idolatrous and vnto other infinite and cursed wickednes VVhat is now to be done in this case dost thou saie Surelie we must valiantlie resist these enimies we must take a courage vnto vs and by earnest zelous praier craue the helpe of God through confidence wherof we should neuer giue ouer the battel Touching which point let vs heare what S. Paule writeth vnto the Ephesians Finallie my brethren saith he be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the assaultes of the Diuel For we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against principallities against powers against worldlie gouerners the princes of the darknes of this world against spirituall wickednes in the hie places And by and by shewing the armour by name he biddeth vs to stand our loines girde with veritie hauing on the breast-plate of righteousnes taking to our selues the shield of faith wherewith we maie quench all the firie dartes of the wicked He willeth vs to take the helmet of saluation and the sword of the spirit which is the word of God and adhorteth to praie alwaies Thus you see the armour which we must vse against our aduersarie the Diuel who intermitteth no daie nor houre nor yet anie moment but continuallie laieth at vs and raungeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whome he maie deuoure as Peter saith Let vs therefore hauing on this armour of Paule resist him valiantlie and he wil flie from vs so saith Iames. Let vs call vpon God continually for helpe praie we God that he wil not leade vs into tentation beg we at his hand to be deliuered through Christ from that euil which is euermore an enimie to mankinde Aboue all let vs take diligent heede least wittinglie we rush vpon sinne and destruction wherevnto Sathan driueth vs and fauour our owne weaknes but with a courage let vs resist the Diuel and desire of God the eternall Father of our Lord Iesu Christ that he would strengthen our weaknes And for so much as the Diuel doth not alwaie set vpon vs openlie but some-time secretlie and by vndermining and often-times as one saith Doth flatter to deceane doth laugh to hurt and doth entice vs to kil vs Let vs vse diligence that we maie circumspectlie auoide the snares which he hath set and prepared and giue him no occasion to assaile and kil vs on the sudden VVhere manifest feare is saith Cyprian the weake is the more easelie taken Let vs therefore cast from vs all sluggishnes and our too much securitie let vs feare that vnder euerie stone as the common saying is there is a Scorpion and as though all were safe and at a good staie let vs not be secure No man commeth sooner to destruction as that Heathen saith then he which feareth nothing and the most vsuall beginning of miserie is securitie Thinke not foorth-with thou shalt haue peace or that thou art quit from all daunger if thou hast once obtained victorie ouer thine enimies Thou must euermore keepe the battel and be readie to fight as well said Cyprian In the world we are continuallie to wage battel with Satan continuallie we must fight against his dartes and assaults VVe are to encounter saith he with auarice with lecherie with anger with ambition we haue an eger and continuall fight with carnall vices with the enticementes of the world Hardlie can the minde of man go against euerie one with much a doo it resisteth being besieged and round about inuironed with the armie of Sathan If auarice be laide flatte on the ground lust riseth vp if lust be quenched anger mooueth pride puffeth vp dronkennes allureth ielosie parteth friendship and so foorth And as we ought not to insult if we get a conquest so must we not despaire or fling awaie our weapons by and by if we be ouercome VVhat must we then doo Surelie to recouer our honour againe we must set vpon our enimie with more courage and with a newe power make amendes for our former faintnes and foile after the example of that noble warrier whome Virgil maketh mention of which being beaten to the ground with great force nothing terrefied with the fall VVent to the fight more fierce againe which did his courage fresh renew And shame did make him fight amaine So did his prowesse which he knew Albeit we must not encounter with the enimie trusting to our owne prowesse but to the power of God Thus you haue the causes why we doo not persist in our purpose of liuing godlie after the wil of God For as I saide one cause is the wickednes ingraffed in our flesh and our proanesse vnto sinne another is the world offering infinite occasions and causes dailie to offend the last is the Diuel who continuallie is thinking of our destruction and ouerslippeth no minute of time either by open force or by secrete fraude to ouercome vs. O God father of our Lord and sauiour Christ proceede we beseech thee in helping vs in this hard and continuall warre which we haue with so manie enimies and for so much as of our selues we are vnable to resist confirme and strengthen vs with thy holie spirit that we maie both represse the motions of the flesh and neuer be corrupted with the allurementes of the same and also valiantlie resist as wel the world offering so manie occasions continuallie to sinne as the Diuel casting all sorts of dartes to hurt vs and vsing all meanes to bring vs to destruction And that we maie not onlie abhorre sinne and wickednesse through a seruile feare of Gods wrath and euerlasting death which the lawe doth bring terrefying vs with the anger and iudgment of God and striking men with the terror of hell but also and the more a great deale maie be crowned through childrens feare which ariseth from faith with a certaine honest