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
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
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
of better state that is being alwaies in extreme and vtter desperation then which there can be no torment more greeuous or greate Whom would not all these thinges greatly feare from sinning namely the horror of hell the paines that neuer shall haue ende or measure eternall death the fire that shall neuer go out vnspeakeable torments the companye of the deuils the societie of the reprobate and wicked feare anguishe tremblinge euerlastinge and infinite and suche as the minde of man can not comprehende nor any words expresse Whom I saye will not that daye of wrath terrifie as both the Prophet and Paule to the Romans calleth it a daye of affliction and anguish a day of calamitie and miserye a darke glomie day a cloudy and blacke day when God will reward euery mā according to his workes I woulde to God the cogitation and remembraunce of these thinges were alwayes before the eyes of our minde Truely if they were either I am much deceiued or men would more diligently obserue the commaundements of Almighty God they would more refrain themselues from sinne and euel doing they would embrace vertue and godlines and endeuour to liue holily and vprightly What ought that also nothinge to moue vs that vertue is sometimes rewarded here on the earth as vice wickednes is plagued and punished And that I may omit to say any thing of the conscience wherof we haue spoken in other bookes we wil entreate of those things which thou mayst almost handle with thy handes much more be hold with thine eyes For that I may speake of a moste common vice what inconueniences euils ensue of surfettinge drunkennesse hereof as one saith in his historye of the worlde commeth palenes of colour hanginge cheekes sore eyes trembling handes troublesome sleepe vnquiet rest in the night hereof commeth stinking breth ache of the hed a weak memorie a dul wit hereof come oftentimes greuous diseases as great ach of the ioynts the gout apoplexies as both the phisitions affirme and almost dayly examples do teach As for lecherye howe often doe we see it in our age punished with the french pocks as also immoderate carnall pleasure wyth the palseye blerednesse of the eyes tremblinge of the sinewes What shall I saye of prodigalitye and ryotte hath it not broughte many to pouerty and penurie What of Adultery is it not somtimes a present punishment and is cause of infamie alwayes after Moreouer whō hath not his wrath often hurt vnto whom hath not prid procured hatred What shoulde I speake of enuie is it not a punishment vnto it selfe and doth gnaw and consume it selfe so that it was sayd rightly of one The tyrannes of Sicilie found no greater torment then enuie and of an other also An enuious man doth pine at the prosperitie of another Now concerning couetousnes is not he whose hearte it possesseth disquieted with a desire alwayes to encrease his substance and afflicted with feare to lose that he hath For a couetous man is not content with that which he hath and he feareth also least he shall not still retaine the same Dost thou not plainly by the premisses see that euen here vpon earth vice wickednes oftentimes escapeth not vnpunished Nowe if this little moue vs yet those eternall torments in hell which the Scripture threatneth to the wicked ought worthely to moue all and greatly to stir vs vp and pricke vs forward without all delay to amend our life if we count not those things a fable which the holy Scriptures teach of the life immortall of the godlye and of the paines eternall of the wicked I will rehearse what is wont mightelye to moue me and as it were inflame me to liue godlily if perhaps the same may minister occasion to other to amend their life Thus doe I often thinke with my selfe What I say Riuius if at this very instant thou shouldest depart out of this life what thinkest thou would become of thee Thinkest thou thy selfe sufficiently prepared to dye For althoughe thou reposest thy trust as thou oughtest in deede in the infinite clemency and goodnes of GOD thinkest thou notwithstanding that thou hast no cause to feare his iustice How many thousand christians are committed to euerlastinge paines howe many young men old men men of midle age women folks maried vnmaried finally howe many of euerye state age and sex whose sinnes were both farre fewer and much lighter then thine O dreadfull iudgement of God yet righteous and iust How many Iews are there in hell how many idolaters are tormented with continuall paynes Who if they had bin conuerted to the faith of Christ as by Gods goodnes and grace we are they would perhaps haue liued farre better on the earth then we at this daye doe and also would haue auoyded those eternall torments O execrable ingratitude of ours O senselesnesse of mans heart What I say if thou shouldest heare that which was spoken of the Prophet vnto Ezechias Prepare thy selfe for thou must dye and shalt not escape what wouldest thou doe in this case Thou wouldest wyshe I thinke a tyme to liue wherein thou mightest bewayle thy sinnes vnfeynedly repente and aske mercye of god Why then dooste thou not that daylye and throughe thy whole lyfe which thou wouldest then do in a moment of time By thinking of these things I am wont as I haue sayde to be much stirred vp and inflamed to liue godlily also hereby am I terrified from sinning moued to craue mercy of god Let therefore such as thinke good set the same before their eyes There is scarce any mā who purposeth not to forgiue his enemies before he go hence let him then forgiue him now There is scarce anye who desireth not to returne into Gods fauour let him returne therefore nowe There is scarce anye who thinketh not to amend his life let him amend it therefore now Brieflye whatsoeuer thou wouldest doe at the poynte of death doe the same through Gods helpe and assistance while thou liuest and arte in helth that is that I may speake particularly repent continuasly feare God vnfeynedly loue him wyth thy whole heart and most entirely repose all thy trust and confidence in him alone call vpon him in aduersitie giue him thanks in prosperitie prayse extoll confesse him at al times singe willinglye hymnes vnto him remember him alwayes in thy prayers wishes and desires committe thy selfe to hys goodnes and submit thy selfe to hys wyll set his example before thee and imitate the same in deseruing well of men finally endeuour to be like vnto him in louing thine ennemies Moreouer be patient in aduersitie humble in prosperitie diligent in thy dutie temperate in thy liuing comely in thine apparel iust toward thy neighbor liberal toward the poore gentle curteous in the company of mē patient to suffer iniuries a furtherer of peace concord chast shamefast sober to conclude in all thinges vpright entire And forasmuch as thou art not able to performe