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
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
with our hand much more see with our eies For that I may begin with the most vsual vice what euils doo not follow dronkennes and gluttonie For as he in the Storie of the world doth saie Hence commeth palenes of the face hanging cheekes sore eies palsie in the handes ouglie dreames and vnquiet sleepe in the night Hence proceede stincking breathes hed-aches weake memories dul wits Hence are ingendered grieuous diseases as ache of the iointes goutes the falling euil as both Phisitions doo affirme and dailie examples testifie Now touching whoredome how in this our age doo we behold the same to be punished with the French-pocks as also other immoderate venerie with the palsie with the blearednes of the eies with the quiuering of the sinewes As for luxuriousnes doth it not bring manie a man vnto neede and beggerie Adulterie is it not sometime punished and they which commit the same alwaies after infamous Besides the angrie man doth he not oftentimes get hurt and the proude man hatred What shall I saie of Enuie is it not a punishment to him which is giuen there-vnto doth it not eate vp and consume the enuious As rightlie did one saie The Sicilian Tyrans did neuer finde A greater plage then enuy to the mind So did another Th'enuious man doth pine away in paine To see another florish wel and gaine Now to speake of couetousnes is it not euermore tormented as with desire of getting so with feare of forgoing For that which a couetous man hath wil not content him and that which he hath maketh him to feare least he loase the same Thus you maie see how that vice and wickednes are often punished yea in this world Now if these thinges doo nothing moue vs yet should the euerlasting tormentes of hell threatened to the wicked in the holie scripture stirre vp euerie man with all earnestnes of minde to amend his naughtie life without delaie if we beleeue those thinges to be true and not a fable which the holie scripture teacheth both of the eternall life of the godlie and of the punishment of the wicked Cap. 18. ¶ What meanes a godlie man maie vse by the example of the Author to stirre vp him selfe vnto a godlie life HEre I wil brieflie declare if happily it may giue occasion to others in like sort to amēd their life what it is wher by I am greatlie incensed and set on fire to followe vertue and godlines For thus many times I doo reason with my selfe What Riuius what if at this verie instant of time thou shouldest leaue this world in what state shouldest thou be Art thou wel prepared to die For albe thou reposest thy confidence as it is thy part to doo so in the infinite mercie and goodnes of God haue you not neede for all that to stand infeare of his iustice How manie thousandes of Christians how manie young men old men of middle age women wiues vnwedded finallie of all degrees of all ages and of all kindes whose sinnes are neither for number so manie nor so hainous as thine and yet are damned to euerlasting tormentes O horrible iudgement of God yet a righteous iudgement How manie Iewes are in hel how manie Idolaters are punished with perpetuall paines The which had escaped those paines had they bene conuerted vnto the faith of Christ as we are through the goodnes of God seeing they liued farre more vprightlie in the world then we haue done O cursed ingratitude of ours O the hardnes of our harts I saie what if it were saide vnto thee as it was saide vnto Ezechias Put thine house in an order for thou shalt die and not liue what wouldest thou doo then I thinke thou wouldest craue longer life that thou mightest bewaile thy sinnes repent and aske God mercie VVhie then dost thou not that daie by daie all thy life long which thou vvouldest doo at such a point By these cogitations as I saie I am woont maruelouslie to be inflamed to liue well to flie sinne and to requite mercie at Gods hand Let others then as like this woont place the same before their eies Cap. 19. ⧠How men should addresse them-selues to liue well THere is none almost but thinketh enimies should be forgiuē before death comes let him now then forgiue none but desireth Gods fauour let him now then seeke the same none but would thinke to amend his life let him now then amend Finallie doo that while thou liuest and art well doo that through trust in God which thou wouldest wish to doo at the point of death That is particularlie to expresse the same repent continuallie feare the Lord vnfainedlie loue him heartelie trust in him alone in aduersitie call vpon him in prosperitie thanke him alwaie see thou praise extoll acknowledge his goodnes sing Psalmes to him let him alone be euermore in thy praiers in thy cogitations and in thy desires Commit thy selfe to his goodnes and submit thy wil to his Follow his example in doing wel to all men and endeuor to be like him in louing thine enimies Furthermore be thou in troubles patient in peace modest in thy office diligent in thy liuing and apparel temperate Be thou toward thy neighbour righteous toward the poore liberall in thy dealing with others milde and courteous Put vp iniuries pursue peace loue chastitie shamefastnes sobrietie and in all thinges shew thy selfe vp-right and vncorrupt And forasmuch as these thinges cannot be attained by the onlie power of nature flie thou vnto the Lord for helpe and assistance acknowledging thy weaknes the infirmitie of man praie God both humblie and continuallie to impart vpon thee his holie spirit the which Christ hath promised that the Father wil giue to them that desire him If therefore thou craue that the same spirit maie be giuen thee of God and shed vpon thee aboundantlie to vse the wordes of S. Paule through Iesus Christ thou shalt finde that what thinges of thy selfe thou couldest not doo through him thou shalt bring to passe Onlie be not thou thine owne foe neither doo thou voluntarilie loase the bridle to thine affections and with all endeuor looke that thou feede not thy wanton humor For the holie Ghost doth not assist cowards sluggardes and such as idlelie sit with their armes folded together but those which worke and labour earnestlie to tame their natural wickednes yea he deemeth such worthie his aide which continuallie doo striue with the wicked affections of the minde Let vs not then doo as that countrie-man did as the tale is who his cart sticking fast in the myte cried vnto God for helpe but stoode idlelie him-selfe and would not helpe at all Aboue all be thou terrified from sinning and stirred vnto a godlie life through the presence both of God who euerie and no waie can be auoided and of his holie Angel thy keeper and guider yea and the beholder and witnes of all thy doinges Now if thou wouldest for no good that anie man should come in when thou
be denied so foule and abhominable that it neither ought nor maie be excused And although they denie that they are altogether vngodlie because they haue the name of God in honour yet manifest is it that they are not godly because they followe those things which are cleane contrarie to godlines as Hilarie speketh of such like And they are namlie those who being not grieued at this filthines and wicked life of their shauelings show plainely that they abhorre the honest vndefiled bed as the Apostle saith that is the honest and lawfull mariage of the ministers of the holie Church Oh horrible case to heare oh wretched miserable state of Christian people Come Lord Iesu come and helpe thy Church which now a long space hath had those pastors vnder the popish tyrannie which are vtterlie in a manner destitute of all Christian faith They beleeue will some saie to haue saluation through Christ. Go to for we will not striue much about that point let vs thinke it be so What Beleeue they that which the Apostle saith VVhoremongers shall not inherite the kingdome of God They beleeue so I thinke neither maie we suspect the cōtrarie Now forsomuch as they are of that nomber for that must needes be grāted which no mā may denie which Paule or the holy spirit rather by Paule saith shall not inherit the kingdome of heauen howe can they promise themselues saluation through Christ then beleeue they both that they shalbe saued and that whoremongers as they are themselues shalbe condemned Oh immortal god what blokishnes is this what blindnes of hart what darknes of minde See they not what contrarieties they speake For if they haue an assured trust that they shalbe saued for that is it which we call beleefe thē that is false which Paule vnto the Ephesians dooth write but if it be sin as it is to saie so they can haue no faith or trust that God the Father is mercifull to them and pleased through Christ. Then what is their beliefe what makes them to promise to themselues saluation what faith haue they VVhat force our conclusion hath euen a blinde man maie see as the common saying is For the Apostle dooth propose and affirme that No whoremonger shall inherite the kingdome of God The whole world maketh the Minor and saith with one consent Popish Priestes are such Hereof doo the right Christians conclude that no Popish Priestes with their concubines shall inherit the Kingdome of God All men though they haue but meane skil in Logique see that this conclusion followeth of the former propositions which are manifestlie true and granted euen of our aduersaries For this argument is made in right moode and figure Popish Priestes therefore with their harlots haue none hope to be saued neither doo they beleeue as they falselie reporte albeit they feine certaine vaine dreames to themselues concerning faith But some will saie It maie be that they who to daie are wicked to morowe or when God thinkes good may repent and acknowledging their faults liue the time which they haue to spend in the feare of God and therefore we should not so quicklie despaire of anie mans saluation I know it well but it appeareth how these felowes are onte to returne vnto godlines and how vnfeindlie they repent For what one of manie thousands haue you seene heretofore which comming vnto himselfe hath either cast off his whore or determined neuer to haue companie with her hereafter I speake that which is well knowen and what we at this daie doo not onelie see with our eies but also euen well nigh feele with our handes if so I maie saie Not one of a thousand scarse can you finde which from his harte at anie time purposeth to amende or to put awaie his concubine But to let these things go how abhominable in the mene while be it spokē in the feare of God deformed is the face of the popish Church wherein the pastors and rulers of the christian flock doo openlie to the great offence of the Church commit wickednes wherein whoremaisters adhorte vnto chastitie impenitent persons vnto repentaunce they who are defiled with all impuritie vnto holines And these things are doone not in villages onelie but in townes also and citties nor in a fewe regions onelie but in euery land beside and in all places where the Pope hath dominion yea the verie Bishops themselues loking on winking therat what saie I winking thereat permitting and approuing the same who because they do not seuerelie punish this wickednes as by their office they are bound but as I saide before for monie permit them yeerelie to haue harlots by these their pardons dispenatiōs beside that it is a speciall prouocation vnto sin as one doth saie they emboldē thē the more in wickednes prick forward giue such the head whom they should bridle yea they bring it so to passe that liuing in open wickednes they thinke they sinne not so for their owne cōmoditie they giue them occasion obstinatelie to persist in sinne of which as of all their office they shall one daie render an accompt What I praie you may some demaund should Bishops do in this case I will tell you They must as the Apostle teacheth not winke at such wickedues much lesse allowe and maintaine the libertie of whoredome but first admonish improoue rebuke afterward if these doo no good remoue them from their charge and gouernement of the congregatiō where they are placed thē banish them from the temples and sacraments afterward being condemned to the pit of hel to excommunicate thē frō the companie of the godlie finallie as Paule saith deliuer them vnto Satā for the destructiō of the flesh that the spirit may be saued in the daie of the Lord Iesus These thinges they should doo if their minde were to execute their office vprightlie and to be allowed before God the iudge who will aske an account of them for all their doings Cheefelie and aboue all things they should showe themselues an ensample of good workes as Paule admonisheth Titus and be to them that beleeue an ensample in woord in conuersation in loue in spirit in faith and in purenesse as he warneth Timothie But at this daie the Bishops for the moste parte showe themselues to be such as they suffer the Clergie to be whereby it falleth out that what by the licence and what through the example of Bishops that they sinne more wilfullie and boldly For as one saith That is thought to be well doone which is doone by example But forsomuch as Priestes hauing so manie occasions to repent and to forsake their wickednes for they both visit such as are extreamelie sicke and heare confessions of sinne and comforte the troubled conscience and absolue from wickednes and reach foorth the bodie of the Lord and minister extreame vnction and are present oftentimes when men giue vp the ghoste beside they sing Dirges
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
erect comfort and quicken vs according as Christ hath promised in the Gospel that our heauenlie Father wil giue the holie ghost to them which aske it at his handes And yet in the meane while let vs not resist the holie Ghost by yeelding to wicked affections contrarie to our conscience neither yet expel and grieue him to vse the wordes of Paule Let vs walke in newnes of life not insinfulnes Let vs giue vp our bodies a lâ—ing sacrifice holie acceptable vnto God let vs crucifie the flesh with the affections and the lustes thereof let vs keepe our selues vnspotted of the world Let vs be renued in the spirite of our minde and put on the newe man which after God is created in righteousnes and true holines Be we followers of God as deare children and walke we worthie of the Lord as it becommeth Saintes supporting one another through loue endeuoring to keepe the vnitie of the spirite in the bond of peace let vs be gentle one toward another and merciful let vs loue our enimies blesse them that curse vs doo good to them that hate vs and praie for them that hurt vs and persecute vs. Let vs giue to the hungrie meate to the thirstie drinke to the needie reliefe to the harborles lodging cloathing to the naked let vs visit the sick admonish the wanderer teach the ignoraunt councel the troubled comfort the afflicted let vs reconcile them which be at variance despise honour refuse promotion abhorre couetousnes finallie let vs endeuor euermore to tame and subdue our ingraffed naughtines together with wicked affections let vs not only take heed to ourselues least at anie time our hearts be oppressed with surfetting and dronkennes but also prepare we our selues in like sort vnto praier by abstinence and fasting And among so manie subtilties and batteringes both of the Diuel the world and the flesh let vs with earnest praier call for the helpe of God that we be neither in prosperitie proude nor out of heart in aduersitie VVhat so euer we doo let vs doo it to the glorie of God let no man seeke his owne but euerie man anothers wealth Furthermore let vs be such as maie offend no man but rather by good example prouoke others vnto godlines and wel-doing And last of all let vs praie continuallie and in all thinges giue thankes let vs set our affection on thinges which are aboue and not on thinges which are on the earth These be hard thinges thou saist I know that yet meete for Christians and necessarie to saluation Let vs then giue dilligence to cast awaie this nicenes of minde let vs not pamper our selues so as we doo neither veeld to our weaknes nor finallie of purpose make the grace of God in vaine to vs-ward Let vs not onlie not wittinglie run headlong into wickednes but stoutlie beside resist the Diuel when he driueth vs to sinne and neuer cowardlie let vs yeeld vnto him And so what is there so grieuous but thou wilt iudge it light so thou maist attaine vnto euerlasting life and heauenlie loies For wel and wiselie was it saide of Paule I count that the afflictions of this present time are not woorthie of the glorie that shalbe shewed vnto vs. Hetherto maketh The thinges which eie hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans heart hath GOD prepared for them which loue him For how great a thing is it which no force of wordes can expresse not cogitations comprehend namelie to be a cittizen and inhabiter of heauen the heire of God the coheire of Christ to possesse the kingdome prepared for the godlie before the foundations of the world euerlastinglie to behold the most souereigne good to enioie the most comfortable contemplation of Gods heauenlie countenance to abide in the societie of Angels in the companie of Saintes in the number of the righteous with continuall Hymnes and Psalmes together with all the holie Angels and Patriarkes and Prophetes and Apostles and Martyrs and with all the godlie now enioying blessed immortalitie and eternitie to praise God euen the fountaine of all glorie VVhat Are not all the miseries and troubles of this life compared to the glorie to come euen to be iudged of no waight nor meete to deserue so great a reward as is appointed for them that in verie deede we maie be ashamed of our nicenes and securitie And who is there calling to remembrance the kingdome of heauen euerlasting life eternall happines the exceeding great and infinite ioie the fellowship of Angels the societie of all the Saints which departing in the feare of God doo enioie felicitie worldes without end I saie who calling these thinges to remembrance wil couet to liue vpon earth and not with Paule rather desire to be loased and deliuered out of the prison of the bodie Let vs not then deeme those thinges hard which our sauiour Christ so often beate into the heads of his for the attainment of this so vnspeakable happines especially sith contrariwise they which obserue not the commaundements of God necessarie vnto saluation are not onlie bereued of the felicitie whereof we haue spoken but are cast headlong into hel among the damned where they are tormented euerlastinglie with extreme paines appointed for the reprobate iudged to hel fire and perpetuall death throwen into vtter darknes where shalbe weeping and gnashing of teeth plagued with most bitter paines and torments which euer shall endure and that in the societie and crew of Diuels and damned soules without all hope of better state that is they shall continue worldes without end in despaire which more grieuouslie shall vexe them then anie torment or then all torments beside Now whome would not these things terrifie from sinning as the feare of hel the paines of which there is neither end nor measure euerlasting death vnquenchable fire vnspeakable tormentes the fellowship of Diuels the societie of the damned horror anguish trembling both euerlasting for continuance and vnmeasurable for greatnes such as neither mans minde can conceaue nor any mouth declare I saie what man is there but wil be terrifed by that daie of wrath as both the Prophet and Paule in his Epistle vnto the Romanes calleth it that daie of trouble and heauines of destruction and desolation of obscuritie and darknes of cloudes and blacknes at what time he wil reward euerie man according to his workes O that the cogitation and memorie of these things were continually fresh before the eies of the minde vndoubtedly then either I am much deceaued or men with more dilligence would obserue Gods commaundements they would study earnestly both to abstaine from sinne and wickednes and also to liue vprightlie and vertuouslie all the daies of their life Moreouer what if here in this world vertue sometime be rewarded as wickednes and il behauiour is punished And to saie nothing of the conscience whereof we haue spoken at large in other bookes let vs bring out those things which in a manner we doo feele