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
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
it come to passe that God will take pitie vppon thee forgiue thy sinnes and receiue thee into fauour for hys sonnes sake For he is our aduocate with god who maketh intercessiō for vs and reconcileth and pacifieth our heauenly father being offended at our sinne and wickednes as Iohn in his first Epistle generall teacheth East of therefore all regard of popishe indulgences of that superstitious worship of S. Barbarie and of the habit and clothing of S. Fraunces by which thinges no man can haue any hope to obtain saluation Flie vnto Christ himselfe who is our mediator and aduocate as I haue sayd the throne of grace the reconciliation for the sinnes of the worlde the Lambe which was slaine from the beginning of the world briefly our righteousnes sanctification and redemption as the Apostle saieth to the Corinthians Doe not then that I may returne to my purpose doe not I saye prolong the amendment and reformation of thy maners trustinge to indulgences and other such trifles especiallye in such shortnes of this life the houre of most certain death being so vncertain Which death forasmuch as it is dayly imminent by reason of the vncertaine chaunces which be incident vnto vs may euen at this very instant come vpon thee vnlooked for surely by reason of the shortnes of our life as it is saide of one it can neuer be farre of Howe daungerous a thing is it then to liue in that state in which if sudden death ouertake thee there is no more hope of thy saluation That thou mayst auoid this daunger see thou alwayes liue godlily acknowledge thy sinnes flie humbly to God for mercy aske pardon and forgiuenes and throughe Christe hope and looke for saluation from god Resort also often to the ministers of Gods word and aske of them godly instructions and spirituall comforte And that thou mayst be stirred vp to remember the promises concerning remission of sinne and be more more confirmed concerning the good wyll of God towarde vs come often to the Lordes table and as Christe hath instituted feede of that body which was once offered for the sinnes of mankinde and drinke that blood which was shed for the remission of our sinnes and so being mindfull of the Lords death giue heartye thanks to God for so great benefites and sing hymnes and prayses vnto him both priuatly with thy selfe at home and publikely in the assembly of the faithfull abroade A most fruitful admonition to auoid euill company NOw that I may goe forward to other matters endeuor as much as thou may alwayes to seuer thy selfe from the companye of the wicked and to associate thy selfe as neere as can be wyth the vertuous and godlye And as one admonisheth bee conuersaunt with suche as may make thee better admit such into thy companye as thou mayste amende It is a matter of no smal importance whose familiaritie thou vsest and with whom thou daily liuest For as we are infected with the company of the wicked as with a certen contagion so by dayly liuing together with the vertuous and such as feare God we are almoste reformed and amended Be therefore familier and a frend with these latter as for the other thinke thou oughtest to haue nothinge to doe with them The same doth Salomon commaund in his Prouerbs Paule also writing to the Corinthians doth so earnestly dehort from the companye and societie of the wicked in all thinges that he will not haue vs so muche as to resort to the table with them If anye that is called a brother be a fornicatour or couetous or a worshipper of Idoles or a rayler or a drunkard or an extorsioner with him that is such see that yee eate not There be in deede other causes I graunt why he will haue such to be auoyded either lest we shoulde seeme to allowe their lewdnes and wickednes or that such when they see all men shunne their companye may be ashamed and amende but surely this is not one of the smallest causes least the contagion of their vices shoulde infect others if any haue familiaritie with them For as a little leuen leueneth a greate lumpe of dough so oftentimes the example of one dooth marre and infect a great number Nowe althoughe it be in deede difficult and hard to forsake the aquaintance and familiaritie of them with whō thou hast long liued delightfully and pleasantly thou must notwythstanding with might and maine attempte the same and verye diligentlye endeuour to sequester and seuer thy selfe from the companye of such Onely be willing and earnest in the matter and without doubte it wil goe better forward then thou lookest for And because according to the greeke prouerbe the beginning is halfe of the whole and again as Horace saith he that hath well begunne hath halfe done see in any case thou doe beginne and doubt not of the successe by considering the difficultie If as it commonly falleth out thou doe eftsones thinke vppon the feastes mery meetings and such other vaine and fond delights which thou hast had with them if thou often euen against thy will remember thy mery mates and companions see thou doe then forthwith call to mynde the shortnesse of this lyfe death that hangeth ouer our heads euery houre the laste iudgement the tribunall seate of the Lord hell fire and eternall condemnation and so as the saying is driue out one nayle with another If thou call to mind these thinges and do thus speake with thy selfe Thy felowes pleasaunt companions inuite thee vnto them suppers dinners and mery meetings allure thee what doe I If thou doe earnestly say this with thy selfe what doe I then reason after a sort gathering her strength will subdue thy desire and thy will wyll yeelde to reason exhorting to that which is best Take therfore time as I haue sayde to thinke vpon these thinges and deale aduisedly in them when any such thinge come into thy minde by the suggestion of Satan cast of all remissenes of mynd neither doe straighte giue place to thy desire nor runne whither the deuill would driue thee Doe the companyons inuite thee to drinke and make mery with them See thou then cal to mynde that which our Sauior saith in a certen place Take heede saith he that your heartes be not ouercome with surfetting drunkennes Also that which Paule saieth Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse and again drunkerds and gluttons shal not inherite the kingdome of heauen Also that which Peter saieth Be sober and vigilant moreouer that saying of Esayas Woe be vnto them that rise vp early to folow drunkennes Remember that thou must obey the authoritie of God and his Apostles rather then follow the will of wicked mē and that thou must yeld vnto reason exhorting vnto that which is best rather then consent to the deuill mouing thee to that which is worst finally that thou muste rather resist that euill spirite then grieue the holy spirite of god Do not therefore doe not
sclaundering theft extortion sacriledge surfetting riot dronkennes vsurie and such like sinnes neither onely all idle rayling vaine foule filthy light fond foolishe rash vnmodest presumptuous wordes and all other whereby godly eares are iustlye offended but also the secrete wills of mē vngodly wishes thoughtes wicked affections and such as disagree with the lawe of God as wrath hatred contentiō enmitie spite enuye euel will pride couetousnes desire of that which is an other mans and not our owne and other of like sort Who is there then that verelye beleueth that the last iudgement shall come whom the remēbraunce thereof doth not reclaime from sinning and retaine in his dutie being otherwise ready and prone to offende Well sayd one of the auncients Whether I eate sayth he or drinke or doe anye thinge els me thinkes I heare that voyce alwayes sound in mine eares Arise yee dead and come vnto iudgement As often as I thinke vpon the day of Iudgement I tremble for feare in my whole heart and body c. If therefore the fleshe stirreth vp anye man to lust and filthy pleasures if to gluttony and surfeiting if to other vices and naughtines lette him remember the day of the last iudgemente If prosperitie as it often commeth to passe doth puffe vp any if riches do make any proud and insolent if honour dignitie rule doe cause anye to bee ouer stoute and presumptuous let such straight call to mind the iudgement seate of god If wrath stirre vp anye to take reuenge if enuye and malice possesse anye mans minde if auarice moue thee to fraude or extortion if the world allure any to ambition pride riot if the deuill prouoke anye to blaspheme God and to other sinnes and wicked dedes let him thinke vpon the voyce of the Archangell let him beleeue that he shall plead his cause before the iudgement seat of God let him earnestly dread the sentence of the iudge that condemneth the wicked to eternall fire I would to God I would to God I say this day of iudgemente did neuer slippe out of the mindes of men then would we all endeuour to doe our duety Princes would procure the prosperitie and se to the safetie of the people which God hath committed vnto ihem they woulde defende and preserue their libertie they would establishe and maintaine good and wholesome lawes in their common wealth Againe the people would shewe themselues obedient and loyall to their princes they woulde not grudge at their rule and aucthoritie they would not refuse to pay tribute custome they woulde giue vnto them due feare and honour Euerye man would loue his wyfe as himselfe Wiues would reuerence their husbandes and be subiect vnto them as vnto their head Parents would bring vp their children in the discipline and nurture of the Lord as the Apostle Paule teacheth Children on the otherside would obey their parents in the Lorde and giue vnto them due reuerence and honour Seruaunts woulde obeye them that are their maisters according to the fleshe with feare and trembling and singlenes of their hearts as vnto Christe as the Apostle Paul admonisheth Masters would deale more gently curteously with their seruants knowing that they themselues also haue a maister in heauen Pastors would haue that care of the Lordes flocke which they oughte Rich men would relieue the penurie of the poore with their substaunce Widowes would giue themselues day and night vnto prayer Poore men woulde suffer their pouertie patientlye seeing it pleaseth the Lorde they shall liue in that state He that hath a wife would be as thoughe he hadde none He that is single woulde haue care of those thinges that pertaine to the Lorde What shoulde I make manye wordes Euerye one would doe his duety from his heart if that day of the last iudgemente did neuer departe out of our mindes when as God wil require of vs an account of our whole life and all our actions and will reward and punishe euerye one according to his desert We see in the time of a great plage or sicknes whē death is daily before our eyes how careful all are to reforme and amende their life at the least such as doe not falsely vsurpe the name of Christians What then Oughte we not at all times at all houres yea and almost euery moment to thinke of the amendment of our lyfe to be touched with vnfained and bitter greefe of mind for our sinnes and to pacifie gods wrathe with earnest and harty repentaunce seeing that by reason of the vncertaine chaunces which be incident vnto vs in this life death is dayly imminent wee ought to be verely perswaded that almost euery houre it is present and doth hang ouer our heads Let him that is wise therefore endeuour as I haue sayde so to leade his life as men for the most parte are wont in the time of some great plague or sicknesse at whiche time they being as it were wakened oute of sleepe beginne to haue some minde and care to amende their life to auoyde and detest sinne to loue and embrace vertue and godlines briefely are wont by true repētance to pacifie God beīg iustli offended at their sinnes Let euery one thē continue such a one being nowe deliuered from feare of the plague as he purposed with himselfe to be when the plague most reigned and raged There is none but he doth confesse that the houre of death is vncertaine albeit it be moste certaine that we shall at one time or other dye Now how foolish a thing is it to feare death hanging ouer our heads euery moment and in the meane season to thinke nothinge of amending of our life But thus it is In aduersitie as in the time of a great plague in the time of famine warre earthquakes in the time of some greeeueous and daungerous disease of the body we acknowledge Gods moste iust wrath indignation against sinne sinne But when we haue the worlde at will thinges are on euery side prosperous we sticke not to abuse his bountie and goodnes neither doe wee then remember death that hangeth ouer our heades euery houre neither the last iudgemente neither the voyce of the Archangell whereof Paule speaketh writing to the Thessalonians neither the sounde of the trumpe of God neither of hell or eternal punishment neither the fire that shal neuer goe out neither that darkenes where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth The memorie of which thinges ought neuer to depart out of our minde neyther when we rise in the morning nor when we goe to bed at night whether wee dyne or sup whether we are occupyed aboute any earnest matter or recreate our mind with some honest pastime But all these things seme fables to the wicked namely the last iudgement the tribunal seate of the lord that voice of that Archangel the trumpe of God the eternall paines of hell fire And as the heathen did in time past thinke those thinges false w the Poets were wont to speake
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
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