OH,Ier. 9.1. that my head were (ful) of wa­ter, & mine eies a fountayne of tears! Much more [...]tly is it spoken of me now, than [...]t that time, of the Prophet of God.The worthines and integritie once of the per­son to whome he writeth. For howbeit not many ci­ [...]ies, neither a whole countrey is [...]o be lamented of me, yet I must mourn for a soule, of more worth [...]han many natiōs, of more price [...]han many cities.Ecclus. 16.3. For if one that [...]oe the will of God, be better [...]han a great companie of the wicked, thou also wast better once, than many multitudes of the Iewes. Wherefore let no man woonder, if I peraduenture vse more large lamentations at this time,The cause of his lamentati­on. and powre out more plenty of teares, than at that time the Prophet did. For (as I said) I do [Page 2] not bewaile the sacking of a citie which is taken, nor the thraldom of the common people little set by: but the downefall of an ex­cellent soule, and the ruine of a temple which Christ inhabited. If any euer knew the ornaments of thy minde, which nowe the flame of the diuell hath consu­med; if any euer beheld the tem­ple of thy body, when it glittered with the brightnes of chastitie; soothly, he would deeme that la­mentation of the Prophet smal [...] and much inferior: wherein he bewaileth that the hands of Bar­barians had prophaned the holy place, and that the enimies fire had destroied the Temple, and that the Cherubin and the Arke were defiled, and that the mercy seate, with the tables of stone, & the golden potte, were polluted For this lamentation which I vse, is by so much more piteous & bitter than the other; by how much more truly and euidently all these things were to be seene [Page 3] in thy soule, than betweene the wals of that Temple; the Tem­ple which was in thee, was much holier than the other. It shined not with the metals of gold and siluer, but with the virtues of the mind, & gifts of the holy Ghost: fit had within it the Arke & the two Cherubins, that is, the faith of the father, and the sonne, and the holy Ghost.The wretched plight where­into this man was fallen. Yet now nought of all these is left, all thinges are taken from thy soule, she is be­reft of all her beautie, and all the giftes which God bestowed on her, she remaineth spoiled, de­formed, fowle, she hath lost all her aide and safegard. No dore now is shut in her, no entrie is kept, but she lieth open to all naughtie spirits, which corrupt the soule. No vncleane thought, no filthie desire is thence expel­led, but if the spirite of fornicati­on come, it entreth in, if the spi­rite of pride, if the spirite of aua­rice, if more hellish and vnpure, than these shall come, none for­biddeth [Page 4] them, none beateth them backe. For she hath no kee­per, no Sexton. And as to the se­cretes of heauen there is no ac­cesse for an vngodlie person; so at the first no infection coulde touch thy mind.

But perhaps I may seeme to speak incredible things, to those especially that knew not thy for­mer state, and onely see the de­struction wherein thy soule now lieth. This surely is the cause why I weepe without remedie, bicause I knewe thee: and whyd sorrow vncessantly, bicause I re­member howe long it is, vntill I see thee returne to thy wonted and pristine glorie. Which for all that men may iudge impossible, yet to God al things are possible.Mat. 19.26. Psal. 113.8.9. 1. Sam. 2.8. For he it is, that raiseth the nee­die out of the dust, and lifteth vp the poore out of the dunge. That he may set him with princes, (e­uen) with the princes of his peo­ple. He it is that maketh the bar­ren woman to dwell with a fami­lie, [Page 5] and a ioyfull mother of chil­ [...]ren.

Let vs not then doubt nor de­ [...]paire,If sathan draw to sin, God can pull backe to goodnes. but that thou maiest be [...]onuerted into a better case. For [...]f the diuell could do so much in [...]hee, as to draw thee from the [...]eight of vertue to the depth of wickednes, how much more shal God be able to reclaime thee to [...]he highest pitch of goodnes, & [...]ot onely make thee that thou wast once, but far more blessed [...]han thou diddest seeme in thy owne conceit. Onely be of stout courage, neither cast off the hope of goodnes: let not, I pray thee, that betide thee, which doth the godlesse.Vngodlines without peni­tencie breedeth to despaire. It is impietie not the multitude of sins, that [...]ringeth a foole to desperation: and therfore Salomon said not, that each one when he cōmeth into the depth of euils contem­neth, but,Prou. 18, 3. the wicked (saith he) if he come into the depth of e­uils contemneth.Or, when the wicked com­meth, then cō ­meth contempt It is then a point of the impious to haue no [Page 6] hope of saluation, and to con­temne when they come into the depth of sinnes, vngodlines not permitting them to haue respect to God, and to returne thither from whence they fell. So that this thoght which cutteth away all hope of conuersion, issueth from impiety, and as a most heauie stone accloying the soule, i [...] perpetually compelleth it to be hold the earth and neuer to loo [...] vpward on God.When we sin we must not despaire. But a lustie stomacke and loftie minde will cas [...] downe this hurtful weight of hi [...] soule, and tread vnder feete Sathan, that being his owne gouernour he may sing the Psalmist wordes to God,Psal. 113, 2. As the eies o [...] seruants looke vpon the hands o [...] their masters, and as the eies o [...] a maiden vpon the hands of hi [...] mistres: so our eies waite vpon the Lord our God, till he haue mercy vpon vs. Haue mercy vp­on vs, O Lord, haue mercy vpon vs, for we haue suffered to much contempt. And in these word [...] [Page 7] [...]f this heauenly prophecy, there [...]s singular doctrine, we haue suf­ [...]ered too much comtempt. This [...]s that he woulde haue vs saie, [...]hat although for the multitude [...]f our sins we haue suffred much contempt, and are surrounded with reproches, yet our eies shal waite vpon the Lord our God til we haue mercy vpon vs, and that [...]e will not leaue of beseeching, [...]ntill we be vouchsafed forgiue­ [...]es.We ought to be earnest in prai­er, when we sue for forgiuenes, and not to rest till God haue fulfilled our pe­titions. For this is the badge of a [...]onstant and setled minde, that is not weary of perseuering in [...] treaty through despaire to ob­ [...]ain, but continueth & persisteth [...]n crauing, vntill the Lord haue [...]ercy vpon it.These two pe­riods following G. F. Capito hath not in his translation. And least you [...]hould thinke you offend greatly [...]efore the Lord, if not vouchsa­ [...]ed to be heard, you continue [...]mportunately in praiers, call to [...]emorie the euangelicall para­ [...]le, and there you shal find, that [...]he Lord sheweth, that stiffe and [...]erseuering beggers are not vn­ [...]cceptable to him. For he saith, [Page 8] Luk. 11, 8. Though he would not giue hi [...] bicause he is his friend, yet b [...] cause of his importunitie, he w [...] rise, and giue him asmuch as h [...] needeth. Vnderstand therefo [...] (deare friend) that the diu [...] putteth into our minds despai [...] of obteining, to this end, that h [...] may cut from vs the hope of t [...] goodnes of God, which is t [...] ancor of our saluation, the fou [...] dation of life, the guide of t [...] way through which we passe heauen: in briefe, the Apos [...] saith,Rom. 8, 24. by hope we are saued. so much that our saluation co [...] sisteth in hope, which draweh [...] our soules from out the eart [...] knit (as it were) to certain chaines hanging downe fro [...] heauen, and calleth again the to the heauenly dwelling pla [...] which cleaue to themselues, e [...] alting them securely aboue th [...] troubles of this life, and earth miseries. Wherefore if any e [...] cumbred with these calamitie be dissolute, and let go out of hi [...] [Page 9] [...]andes the ancor of hope, he [...]ust needes fall, and be carried [...] to the bottomlesse pit and pro­ [...]nditie of euils.The dangers of despaire. Which assoone [...]s the enimie shall perceiue, and [...]ee vs loath the multitude of our [...]ns, & feare through remorse of [...]onscience, straight way he dra­ [...]eth neere, and casteth before [...]ur eies cogitations of despaire, [...]ore heauie than any lead or [...]rauel: which if we vndertake, we [...]ust of necessitie be drowned in [...]he depth of euils, bicause, with [...]he very loade, the staies of our [...]aluation are broken. Into the which depth bicause thou art [...]ast, thou doest throwe behinde [...]hee the precepts of a good and gentle lord, and thou doest obey [...]he becke of a bloudie and mer­tiles tyrant, the enimie of thy [...]aluation. Thou hast shaken off the sweete yoke of Christ,Mat. 11, 30. & hast [...]aid on thy necke for it, the hard and iron fetters of sinne: thou hast shaken off the easie burden of a lowly and meeke Lord, and [Page 10] for it hast hāged about thy nec [...] a milstone, but howe long doe thou so continue? Stand now [...] the last, and cease to drowne th [...] vnhappy soule, without any car [...] without any aduise: howe lon [...] doest thou haste it foorth, & ca [...] it downe headlong to thy own decaie?Luke. 15. And truly the woman the Gospell, which found again [...] the lost groate, called togith [...] her friends and neighbours, th [...] they should reioice with her: b [...] I will call your and my friends neighbours togither, and wil e [...] treate them to meete, not th [...] they shoulde be glad, but tha [...] they should lament with me: no [...] that they shoulde reioyce, bu [...] mourne with me, and greatly so [...] rowe, lifting vp their handes t [...] heauen, as they shall see me t [...] doe, and I will saye vnto them howle and lament with me, ô m [...] friendes, powre out and bring foorth with me fountaines an [...] floudes of teares, not for that haue lost vnpoisable weights o [...] [Page 11] [...]lde, or innumerable talents of [...]er; not because I haue loste reads full of costly pearles, but [...] that my friendAmicus al­ter ipse. dearer than [...]y golde, & more pretious than [...]y stone, is (I knowe not how) [...]ile he sailed with vs ouer the [...]ge and broade sea of this life, [...]en downe into the very depth destruction. And if some one my friends shall goe about to [...]mfort, and will me to leaue of [...]rowing, I will aunswere him in [...]e Prophets words:Or, let me a­lone, I will weepe bitterly, you can not comfort me. Suffer me weepe most bitterly, neither [...]de on comforting mee: for I [...]epe not through the affection the flesh, neither is my lamen­ [...]tion woman like, wherein ap­ [...]are immoderate teares to be [...]med. I mourne for that, which [...]e great and famous Apostle S. [...]ule saieth he mourneth for, [...]en as he saieth:2. Cor. 12, 22. That I may [...]ourne for them that haue sin­ [...]d, and haue not repented.

Certes with reason shall one buke those that for the com­monThe death of the soule is piti­fully to be la­mented, seeing the death of the body is so bit­terly taken. [Page 12] death of their friends we without meane; but when t [...] wounds not of a bodie but o [...] soule are lamented, and of suc [...] soule, which in death it se [...] sheweth signes of hir former betie, and wonderous gaines, a with liuely tokens displayeth t [...] floure of vertues extinguished hir, who is so cruell, and vnquainted with vertue, that wo [...] not be mooued to lamentati [...] that would not be prouoked teares? For as it is a pointe [...] philosophy, to forbeare weep [...] for common death: so in a death of a soule, and such a sou [...] to receiue comfort, I adiud both vngodly and irreligious. [...] ordinary death to keepe the e [...] from teares, is the chiefest thin [...] in the studie of wisedome: b [...] how shall not he seeme to be [...] mented for without intermissio [...] who of late reckned the wh [...] brauenes of the bodie but li [...] carued stones, who account gold as clay, who respected [...] [Page 13] lights as durt, and now atra­ [...]ed by the sodaine feuers of lust [...]d voluptie, being depriued of [...]e integritie and bewtie of his [...]inde, hath shaken hands with [...]rtue, and is become a slaue to [...]ce and pleasure? This man shal [...]ot bewaile? This man shall I [...]t moysten so long with a riuer teares, vntill with weeping I [...]r vp feeling in him, and by the [...]rmth of teares I raise some [...]ely motions in him, if mour­ [...]ng may do ought? And if mour­ [...]rs of the body cease not from [...]menting, though they assured­ [...] know, their weeping profite [...]em nothing, to renew the life him that is dead: why should [...]t we, that know the soule may [...] called from death by conuer­ [...]n, earnestly follow after the [...]edicine of repentance, that (e­ [...]n the sepulchre being opened) [...]th abundance of teares he [...]ay be recouered? Yea also I [...]inke we are to be accused of [...]ggardie, sith the lamenters of [Page 14] bodies and ordinarie death o [...] weepe so much and continu [...] (yet certaine, as we said, t [...] they shall not raise againe th [...] dead,) if we that know, that repentance (lamentation cou [...] led with it) a soule may be ref [...] red to his former state, (for t [...] kingly prophet said,Psal 6, 5. Or, in the graue who shal praise thee. In hell [...] shall confesse thy name?) do thing so.

We know too, that diuers the daies both of vs and our a [...] cestors hauing sliden out of [...] straight path, and straied fr [...] the entrance of the narrow w [...] were so againe restored, th [...] their end answered their beg [...] ning, obtaining the goale a crowne, yea they were thoug [...] to haue place among the nu [...] ber of the Saints. But as long one remaineth in the flame a fornace of lust, these thing seem impossible to him althou [...] A thousand. infinit examples should be al [...] ged. But if some small conuersi [...] be began, and the penitent po [...] [...]on [Page 15] cast vpward his eies, that [...]ourning flame will tarry behind [...]im, and by how much more [...]wiftly he shall take his pace, by [...]o much more, before him shall [...]e see all things sumpled with [...]e coale of an heauenly dew.Despaire the greatest enimy to our salua­tion. So much woorth is it that we be­ware of one thing, the greatest [...]nimy to our saluation, to our [...]onuersion, to our repentance, [...]o wit desperation: which if it [...]ake hold in our mind, how great [...]esire soeuer we haue of saluati­ [...]n, how great purpose soeuer to [...]ue euerlastingly, if (I say) de­ [...]paire come, all the entry to sal­ [...]ation is stopped, the way to re­ [...]entance is hindered, and the [...]eginning of anguish is engen­ [...]red. And how then shal he, that [...]s out of the way, and to whom [...]he doore is shut, be able to doe [...]ny good worke, when as (bi­ [...]ause despaire prohibiteth) he [...]annot come to the entrance of goodnes? For this cause the Di­ [...]ell goeth about with tooth and [Page 16] naile, to plant in our harts such manner of cogitations. For i [...] the feare of despaire shall re­mooue vs from the way of vertue, he hath no long combate with vs, for why should he assault when none resisteth? An [...] whoso shall haue the power to vndoe this knot, incontinent hi [...] strength returneth, the lustine of his mind encreaseth, he shal b [...] delighted with the renuing o [...] those contentions, the reason is he shall see himselfe chase th [...] chaser, & pursue the persecute [...] And if in case, (as in wrastling i [...] falleth out) he faulter againe & fal, let him not be out of hope fo [...] shame, but remember, that is no [...] the law of wrestling and iusting not once to fall, (for he may no [...] be said to be conquered that falleth) but in the end not to yeeld for he that despaire hath maystered, howe can he either recouer might in cōtention, or with stand and fight, seeing he taketh his heeles, and doth not at al re­turne [Page 17] to the conflict? Neither thinke that I speake of those a­lonely, that haue transgressed in small and not much important things, but my speech is of him that hath made himselfe a vil­laine to all mischiefe, and hath damned to himselfe the way to the kingdome of heauen, & was once of the number not of the incredulous miscreants, but of them that liked God, and after this hath fallen either into for­nication, or into all sortes of vn­chastitie, which (as the Apostle saith.)Ephes. 5.3. to name is vnseemely. This man (I saye) ought not to misdoubt of saluation, though such wickednes enuiron him e­uen to the last gaspe.The anger of God is not passible, and therfore though we sinne, yet his wrath may be changed into mercie. But harken what the cause of this is. If the wrath of God were an affection that did worke a passion, wee might rightly say, that the flame of it kindled with so many & such euils, might not bee quenched: but for asmuch as the truth tea­cheth, that the nature of God is [Page 18] void of passions, we must learne that though God punish, though he plague, he doth it not with a wrathfull passion, but with vn­speakeable gentlenes, going a­bout to cure vs, not to confound vs, and therefore with gladnes will receiue the penitent. For the plaister of repentance (if thou seeke it) healeth the soule, and defendeth thee from the anger of God, which he conceiued for thine offences. God doth not (as I saide) punishe a sinner for his owne fantasie,Why God pu­nisheth man. when he reuen­geth his wrong, (for the nature of God is not capable of such an affection) but for our profit; he doth all things for our vtilitie, & he chastiseth and correcteth not to auenge himselfe, but to a­mend vs.

And if any persist in hardnes, as the man that turneth his eies from the light, damnifieth no­thing the light, but damneth himselfe to darkenes; so he that contemneth vertue through a [Page 19] hart that can not repent, estran­geth himself from saluation. And as a Physition that suffreth wrōg at the hands of phrenticke and brainesicke men, sorroweth not, nor is displeased a whit at it, but doth all things that appertaine to ease the maladie of the pati­ent, (for the wrong is caused by paine:) and as you may see the Physition glad at a litle amend­ment of the sicke person, and to execute the residue of his charge with ioye and chearefulnes, not keeping in mind the wrong don, but respecting the health of the patient: so, much rather God,God is willing to haue vs re­turne. when we are become stark wood, is not greedy of vengeance for our trespasses, but desirous to heale our olde & putrified biles; for to this end he saith and doth al things, thirsting after our safe­tie, not our punishment.

And albeit reason sufficiently shew the contrary, yet least you should stagger in the matter, we are able to auouche it out of the [Page 20] holie Scriptures. Tell me what more wicked bodie was there e­uer than the king of Babylon? Who hauing found out in many things the omnipotency of God, in so much that hee worshipped his Prophet,Dan. 2.46. and commaunded frankencense and myrrhe to be offred to him: yet againe in de­spight of God he returned to his wonted hawtines,Dan. 3. and did cast iointly into the ouen of burning fire, those that refused to wor­ship his image, bicause they pre­ferred the seruice of God. Neuer­theles, God allured to repen­tance, and gaue occasion of re­canting to this so bloudie, so wic­ked a king. First in this, that with the three children he appeared vnto him in the ouen;Dan. 3. afterward, in that he caused him to see the vision which Daniel interpreted,Dan. 4. that was able to mollifie euen an hart of flint. But when he was warned by workes, the Prophet also exhorted him by wordes, & he receiued the counsell of the [Page 21] Prophet, saying:Dan. 4. Wherefore, O king, let my counsell be accepta­ble vnto thee, and breake off thy sins by righteousnes, and thine iniquities by mercie towards the poore, lo, let there be an healing of thine errour.

What saiest thou to this, O thou wise and blessed man? Yet is there a returning after so great slides? credit me there is, after grieuous sickenes and from the doore of death proceedeth health, and after desperate sins many waxe wise. For loe (as we shewed afore) this king of Babel had now stopped all way of sal­uation, in that he prouoked the Lord to wrath, who made him, and exalted him to the throne of a kingdome, who reuealed al­so to him heauenly mysteries, who imparted on him the know­ledge of things to come, & dis­closed to him the secrets of all his kingdome, who confounded by the diuine solution of his pro­phet, the iuglings of the wise [Page 22] men, Astrologers, Gazarens, & Caldeans, and opened to the ca­pacitie of a child, by a diuine in­terpretation a hidden secrete: in somuch that he seemed not only to beleeue in the highest God, but to proclaime throughout all the world, that the God of Dani­ell was the true God; yet after this, he fell into such an outrage, that he threw headlong into the hoate burning ouen the seruants of God that would not worship his image. And yet ne here doth the mercy of God forget to cure and remedy him, but in the mid­dest of the fire, when he had put to the flame the children that worshipped God, there he asswa­geth him not with quenching the fire with water, but with wor­king a wonder. For he could both extinguish the fire, & distill down a showre from heauen, but this he doth not, least he should en­crease the force of his rage, but permitteth the flame to be made as great, as the furie of the tor­tor [Page 23] desired, and he doth not for­bid him to punish, but taketh a­way power from the torment. And that no one that sawe the children not burnt, might sup­pose it was a vaine imagination, no fire in deede that he saw, he suffred the executioners (name­ly those that stoode about the fornace) to be consumed, that he might make manifest, that not onely fire in truth was seene, but that Gods commandement was more forcible than anie strength of fire. For euery thing that is, obeieth him of whome it had his beginning. That fire re­ceiued the bodies of those saints and by the ordinance and wil of God forgetting his nature wher­by it burneth, vpon it shewed onely his nature of illumining, rendring againe the holie and faithfull thing committed to his charge nothing hurted; for they came foorth out of the flaming fornace as it had beene out of a princes palace, woorthy to be [Page 24] admired of all, of all to be reue­renced. None then cast his eies on the king who glittered in pur­ple, with a diademe on his head, but he was forsaken of all a [...] though he had beene no bodie, for that the children had rapt euerichone into an admiration. For who woulde not be astonied that the fire was afrighted at the fight of the yoong mens bodies, and that it did not onely flie from the flesh of those saints, but also did not touch one haire of their head (which was but little) nor the vttermost hem of their garments?

Who would not admire, that their members were stronger than mountains, their garments than metals, their haires than diamondes? And herein is the woonder aggrauated, that when they were in the middest of the fire, they sang a Psalme to God, albeit experience teacheth, that they that are committed to the flame, be consumed assoone as [Page 25] they open their mouth. To con­clude, those blessed children re­maine with God glorious, with men woonderful; but the naugh­tie king was neither mooued with these miracles, nor woon­dered at the vision and the fore­telling of his confusion, but a­bode heard of beliefe, neither yet was punished. And hitherto Gods patience was not tired, but when he had forborne him a long time, at length he vnneth corrected him, not punishing the offences past, but respecting the amendment to come: in a word, he condemned him not euerla­stingly, but chastised for a little space,Dan. 4, 33. but reformed for a fewe yeeres, he got againe his former estate, so that by the punish­ment he sustained no losse, but by the amendement gat great good.

Such (beleeue me) such is the goodnes of God towards men, neuer reiecting repentance if it be truely and vprightly offered; [Page 26] although one come to the top of wickednes,Nunquam se­ [...]a est ad bo­nos mores via. Sen. notwithstanding if he haue a desire to returne to the way of vertue, he gladly reteineth and imbraceth him, and doth al­things whereby he may be re­claimed to his wonted conditi­on. Yea, and that which is more worth the noting, although any be not able wholy to abandon the vre of sin, he will not refuse how small soeuer repentance, and in how little time soeuer vndertaken, he will take it, and not suffer the least conuersion goe vnreguerdoned. For this (me thinketh) Isaiah sheweth,Is. 57. Or, for his sins, J haue made him sory a litle while, &c. and J haue beene sad, and I haue walked heaui­ly, and J haue healed him, J haue comfor­ted him. where he speaketh after this manner of the people of the Iewes, for his sin I haue made him somewhat sory, and I haue smitten him, and I haue turned my face from him, and he was sory and walked heauily, and I healed him, and comforted him.

But the wicked king, that by reason of the naughtines of his wife sought a booty for his lust, [Page 27] may be a more euident testimo­nie of this matter; who being troubled with the hainousnes of his sins repented, and cloathed in sackcloth bewailed his doing, and here in so drew the mercy of God vpon him, that he pardo­ned all his trespasses. For so it is said,1. King. 21, 28.29. and the word of the Lord came to Eliah the Tishbite, say­ing, seest thou how Ahab is hum­bled before me? bicause he sub­mitteth himselfe before me, I will not bring that euill in his daies. Also after him againe Ma­nasses, who bare the bell from all pittiles tyrants, who ouerthrew the seruice of God and the wor­ship of his lawes, who replenished the temple of the Lord with I­dols, thrusting out the worship­ping of the Lord, this king (I say) surpassing the wickednes that euer hath beene heard of, albeit repented, and after was numbred among the friends of God.2. Chron. 33. Now if he or they of whom afore we mentioned, pondering [Page 28] the vnmeasurablenes of the transgressions, had despaired o [...] returne by conuersion & repentance, doubtles they had lost a those good things which hapened vnto them by amendmen [...] of life. But contrariwise they be holding the mercie that canno [...] be vttered, and God his infini [...] and profound goodnes, vntie from their neckes the diueli [...] bonds of despaire, & spurring v [...] themselues, were conuerted t [...] the way of vertue, and by with­drawing their foote from head­long ruine finished a good course. And so far of the exam­ples of the holy men.

Psal. 95, 1.Now harken how God by the prophet allureth vs in wordes to repentance, to day (saith he) if you will heare his voice, har­den not your harts, &c. And in that he saith to day, he meaneth all our life time,Short repen­tance looseth not reward. euen vnto the last part (if so it chance) of our old age; for not the length of time but the trunes of repenting [Page 29] [...]s considered, or else how is it [...]ead that the Niniuites in the [...]itle space of one day not in long [...]ime purged a most grieuous sin.Ionas. 3. And the theefe also which han­ged on the crosse,Luk. 23. needed not a very long season to be made fit for paradise, but so much space was ynough as was spent in pro­nouncing one speech. Insomuch that in a moment, hauing all his sinnes clensed, he was thought woorthy to enter heauen before euen the Apostles. And sembla­bly, do we not oftentimes see the martyrs in one day, and percase in the space of one hower, to re­ceiue the crownes of great re­wards? Wherefore hardines is al, and a boldnes conioined with prompt and ready minds, that mooued (as it were) with a cer­tain wrath, we be displeased with lust our inueagler, and offer all our desire and loue on the altar of vertue. For this is that thing that God willeth, and requireth of vs, he seeketh not continu­ance [Page 30] of time, nor vexations of vs, he respecteth true and vnfai­ned conuersionSeeing many that were last, haue by ear­nest labour ex­ceeded those that were be­fore them.. It is not then so bad to fall, as after a fall to ly still, and be vnwilling to rise, co­uering the vitiousnes of our ill intent (taking no delight but in sin) with desperate speeches. For wtih indignation the prophet crieth out against these; Doth not he rise vp that falleth, and he returne that is turned awayIerem. 8.?

Godly men may rise by re­pentance after their fall.Now if thou say; What if one of the faithfull should fall, may he be restored? To this I answer; in that we say he hath fallen, we confesse he stood before he fell: for it is an absurd thing to bee spoken, that any man fell, that hath still lien and neuer stood. We will produce also out of the booke of God allegations, if ought hath been spoken of this matter, either in parables or in plaine speeches, or if any thing may be found in the examples of our elders. What representeth that sheepe,Luk. 15. which when it wan­dred [Page 31] from the ninetie and nine, was sought by the sheepheard, and brought home on his shoul­ders? doth it not euidently shew [...]he sliding and the repairing of a faithfull bodie? For it was a sheepe like as were the ninetie and nine, not of any other, but of the selfe same flocke, it had the selfe-same guider, it was first [...]ed in the same pasture, with the same water, and the same fold contained it that did the rest. But it straied not a little, & wan­dred through the mountaines and hils, that is, it went far from the right path, yet the good [...]hepheard suffereth it not to [...]ine away in straying, but see­ [...]eth it, and calleth it againe, and be calleth it home, not driuing it [...]iolently, neither beating it with [...]rokes, but supporting it with [...]is owne shoulders. For as all [...]kilfull physitions by mitigation [...]f medicine deale more nicely [...]nd tenderly, with those that [...]aue been long vexed with in­firmitie: [Page 32] so God doth not reclaime those that haue been long corrupt with sinne to th [...] way of vertue with any tariand at all, but by peece-meale, an [...] little and little, bearing wi [...] their weakenes in many thing and assisting them often, th [...] conuersion on the sudden ma [...] not be vnpleasant to them, a [...] that they may not go againe lewdnes, for the difficultie of r [...] turning.

But not this parable only d [...] clareth the moderatenes of a [...] teration,Luk. 15. but that likewise whi [...] is written of the prodigal son [...] He was a sonne also no a lia [...] his naturall brother that ne [...] went from his father: he (I sa [...] was a sonne that went far in t [...] borders of iniquitie: for he we into a far countrie, and far fro [...] the Lord, he that was rich an of good name, was made bas [...] than a seruant and hireling, b [...] sorrowfully returning, he was t [...] ken into his ancient estate, an [Page 33] [...]uested in his former glorie. [...]ow if he had lost hope, and [...]d beene ashamed to come a­ [...]ne to his father, bicause of [...] mischances, and had abode way in a strange and forren [...]untrie, he had not gotten that [...] gat, but perishing for want of [...]od, had died a miserable deth. [...]u see therefore how great ne­ [...]ssitie repentance hath, what [...]ce in turning hope hath, by [...]entance the prodigall sonne couered the old condition of [...]e glory, which the elder bro­ [...]er had without repentance. [...]d if I might speake that I [...]ould in these matters, me see­ [...]eth he gat more by conuersion [...]an the other had.verse. 29, 30. For so he [...]mselfe saith, loe these manie [...]eres haue I done thee seruice, [...]d yet thou neuer gauest me a [...]d that I might make mery with [...]y friends.Sinners con­uerted get more than they which stumbled not. But when this thy [...]nne was come, which hath de­ [...]ured thy goods with harlots, [...]ou hast for his sake killed the [Page 34] fat calfe. Why should I not the thinke, that he that turneth b [...] repentance obteineth more th [...] other, sith he had neuer a kid g [...] uen him, but for this the fat cal [...] was killed? Wherefore beloue hauing these examples of repe [...] tance, let vs not persist in euil [...] nor despaire of attonement: h [...] will neuer (put affiance in m [...] turne his eies from the conu [...] ted, if we our selues remoue n [...] our selues from God.Hier. 23, 23. Our sinnes se­parate vs from God. Isai. 59, 2. For h [...] saith, I am a God at hand, an not a God far off. And againe b [...] the prophet,Or, your ini­quities haue separated be­tweene you and your God. Your sins separa [...] betweene me and you. If the our sinnes disseuer vs from God let vs take away this bar, and n [...] thing may let vs to be brough [...] into the fauor of God.

Will you that I shew it not only spoken in parables, but forme in deed? There was a man among the Corinthians by a likelihood of no small calling, h [...] had committed such a sin as wa [...] not cōmitted amongst the Gentils, [Page 35] being of the number of the [...]aithfull, and Christ his frindes, [...]or some reporte (me thinketh) [...]hat he was of the linage of the [...]riests. What then? Paul neuer [...]arted him from the number of those, that hope to attaine sal­ [...]ation. But when he had suffici­ [...]ntly rebuked the Corinthians [...]or him, purposing to shew that [...]here is no wound nor disease [...]hat may not be cured and made whole by repentance,1. Cor. 5, 5. he com­maundeth to deliuer him ouer vnto Sathan, for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirite may be saued in the day of the Lorde [...]esus. But this he commaundeth before he was done to wit of his repentance;2. Cor. 2, 6. for when he had so­rowed, it is sufficient (saith he) to him,8. that he hath bene rebu­ked of many, and addeth, Wher­fore I praye you that you would confirme your loue towardes him:11. lest Sathan should circum­uent vs, for we are not ignorant of his enterprises. The nation of [Page 36] the Galathians after it had pe [...] fectly beleued in Christ, and h [...] receiued the holy Ghost, in [...] much that it wrought signes a [...] miracles by the spirite, after, the faith of Christ it had sust [...] ned many things, after all th [...] thinges (I say) it fell from t [...] faith, and was renued againe the exhortations of the Apos [...] And that thou maist knowe th [...] by the spirit they had done wo [...] ders and miracles, heare ho [...] the Apostle saith:Gal. 3, 5. he therefo [...] that ministreth to you the spi [...] and worketh miracles amon [...] you, doeth he it by the works the lawe, or by the hearing faith preached? And againe, th [...] they had susteined many thin [...] after the receit of faith, he tes [...] fieth where he saith:Vers. 4. Haue yo [...] suffred so many things in vaine Nowe after so great a steppe i [...] faith, they committed a sin [...] which was able to abaliena [...] them from Christ, of which th [...] Apostle himselfe saith:Gal. 5, 2. Behol [...] [Page 37] Paul say vnto you, that if you be [...]ircumcised, Christ shall profite [...]ou nothing. And againe,Vers. 4. whoso­euer are iustified by the lawe, ye [...]re fallen from grace. And not­withstanding after these slydes [...]n faith, after so grieuous a fall, [...]e reclaimeth them, and (as I [...]ay say) with motherlike com­ [...]assion reformeth them, saying: My little children,Gal. 4, 19. of whome I [...]rauell in birth againe, vntill Christ be formed in you. What [...]lse therefore by all this is there [...]aught, but that it may be, that Christ may be formed anewe in him, that hath sold himselfe to worke iniquitie,Ezech. 18, 32 for he will not [...]he death of a sinner, but that he shoulde be conuerted and liue. For this cause (most intirely be­ [...]oued) let vs goe about to fulfill the will of God, therefore hath God created vs, and caused vs to be that we were not,Heauen was made for man, hell for the di­uils. that he maye bestowe euerlasting good things vpon vs, and enfranchise vs into the heauenly citie, for he [Page 38] made vs not faggots for hell fire The kingdom of heauen was ordeined for vs, and hell for the d [...] uell. And that this is true, the gospell reacheth: for the Lord sha [...] say to them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father,Mat. 25, 34. inherite ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world.Vers. 42. But he shall say [...] them on his left hande, depa [...] from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire, which is prepared fo [...] the diuell and his angels. By thi [...] reason, the kingdome of heaue [...] was made for man, and hell f [...] for the diuell, euen from the foū dation of the world.

So much doth it concerne vs that by perseuering in euils, w [...] doe not frowardly exclude o [...] selus from the entrance of good­nes.Repentance in this life profi­teth much, af­ter this life nought. And while we are in this life how great soeuer sins we com­mit, it is possible by repentance to purge them: but when we are once dead, then though we sor­rie (and we shall be very sorrie) [Page 39] yet there will be no profite of re­pentance. Although there be gnashing of teeth, although there be howling & lamenting, although we pray and beg with innumerable petitions, yet none shall heare vs, none shall helpe vs, no not our toong tormented in flames shall be wet with the tip of a finger dipped in water. But we shall heare that which the rich man heard of Abraham, that there is a great swallowing pit set betweene vs and you,Luk. 16, 26. so that they which would go from hence to you can not: neither can they come from thence to vs. Therefore let vs repent (my brother) and as good and profi­table seruants seeke our Lorde Iesus Christ, neither let vs be discouraged to obtaine pardon (while we liue here) by repen­tance, for in hell (as I saide) the medicines of repentance wil not be auaileable, but in this life, though in the end of your daies and extreeme old age you vse it, [Page 40] it shall cure you. Which to stop the diuell sturreth & laboreth, that he may make vs despaire, for he knoweth that euen in a little time, if any be penitent though it be a short turning, yet it will not be vnfruitefull. For as the man that giueth a cup of cold water looseth not his meed; so he that hath remorse for his euill deedes, though his repen­tance seeme not counterpoisa­ble to his offences, yet how little soeuer it be, and in the twinkling of an eie, the recompence shall not be lacking. No one good deed though very smal, shall be contemned of the Lorde a iust iudge: for if he be so hard a com­putist of our misdeeds, as that euery one must be punished for his wordes and thoughts,Matt. 12. how much more shall our good deeds both great and small be rewar­ded in the day of doome? Wher­fore if thou thinke it vnpossible to be restored to thy accusto­med order of life, yet prune off a [Page 41] little from that great extremitie of ryot and lust, which thou shalt perceiue not a whit vnfructu­ous. Make only a beginning and smooth the way to goodnes, which tread, albeit with the tips of thy toes; and till thou begin, the way of vertue seemeth diffi­cile and harde. For such is the nature of all things, that all la­bour is thought greeuous while it is weighed onely in our minds, but when we come to the mat­ter, and haue ouercommed some of the worke, then all feare and fainting is shaken off, and the successe of the worke breedeth delight: so also the renuing of vertue causeth gladnes to the mind, and then are we stronger, when we see the hope of saluati­on approch.

For this cause also the enimie tooke Iudas hence, least in case knowing there was a returne to saluation, he might reforme his fall by repentance. And I say not (although it be wonderfull) that [Page 42] that sinne of Iudas might not be purged by repentance: for which cause I intreat and beg o [...] thee that thou abandon out o [...] thy minde all diuelish cogitations, and quickly beturne thee to the way of saluation. If I should sodainly and wholy call thee to that old height of vertue, tho [...] mightest not without cause tremble, not without deeme i [...] harde. But considering this onely I desire at thy handes, tha [...] thou increase not in iniquities neither euery day go neerer t [...] perdition, that thou leaue off [...] make an end of offending, wh [...] dost thou doubt and linger drawing backe thy foote, fo [...] fear only to receiue the though [...] of goodnes? Hath not the superfluitie of lust bred loathsomnes, as yet in thee?Pleasure of the bodie vadeth away. What hath it bettered them that abode in bodily sensualitie and in the pleasure of this present life vntill the end of their liues? Looke now on th [...] their sepulchers, and see whethe [...] [Page 43] there be any shew of glorious io­ [...]litie? Whether there be any to­ken of dainties and sumptuous fare. Demaund where now their gorgeous weedes and strange perfumes be, whither the plea­sure of their games, the troupes of their attendants, the dainti­nes of their feasts is gone? Whi­ther their laughtures, sports, im­moderate and vnbrideled lust is [...]ecome and vanished? Where [...]hey themselues are with all [...]hese things? What was the end of them both? Behold more nar­rowly and come more neere to [...]heir graues, looke on the dust [...]nely and the filthy reliques of wormes, remember that this is [...]he end of bodies, although in [...]elights and ioy, although in la­ [...]our and chastitie men spend [...]heir life. And would God all the matter were ended in dust and wormes, these loffes would seem [...]ut little, and the state of nature [...]ought easily be excused. But [...]ow glid thine eies from these [Page 44] ashes and graues,How terrible the iudgement seate of God shall be to the wicked. and thinke vp­on, that horrible seate of the iudgement of God, which is en­uironed with a burning riuer o [...] fiery streames, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth, wherei [...] vtter darkenes, where is that worme of conscience that neuer dieth, and the vnquenchable fire. Forget not the parable of Lazarus and the rich man,Luk. 16. who being once an owner of grea [...] wealth, and clad in purple and silke, could not find (afterward) one drop of water, & that when he was in the heate of the fire. Tell me (I beseech thee) what is there in this life but a dreame?Our life but a dreame. For as those that are condem­ned to liue among metals, or af­flicted with any other punish­ment, when they take some rest after the hard labours of their troublesome life, beleeue them­selues to enioy the manifold dainties they see before them; but when they arise they feele full well, there is nothing left of [Page 45] the delicatenes of the dream, so that rich man who in a dreame had the voluptuousnes of this life, when he deceased, nought remained with him, but griefe of the things past, & paine of the things present. Remember this (my friend) and oppose hell fire to this flame of lust and concu­piscence that now tormenteth thee. And it is a strang kind of medicine that fire should be quenched by fire; but if this fire shall not be stinted which now so troubleth thee, it will cause to thee that euer-endu­ring fire more fierce and vn­quenchable.

Also,The pleasures of this life are momentanie, in respect of the punish­ment for them. how long doest thou iudge the pleasures of thy pre­sent life may endure? As I thinke thou canst not liue 50. yeeres moe, admit thy old age be long. But in the meane while see what thinges befall, first in this behalfe, that no body is cer­taine he may liue till night; next, for that the condition of hu­mane [Page 46] affaires is still moueable, for many times life continueth many yeeres, but wealth and ri­ches faile, and often some make shipwracke of goods before they die. But grant we, that thou maist both liue a long time, and suffer no alteration of times; yet what is this space to euerlasting paines; what is this voluptie to those miserable and vntollerable plagues? For in this life whether it be good or euill, it hath his li­mitation, & that speedily, but in the world to come both are euer­lasting. Ouer and besides, the state of the very punishment is different: for the fire in this life cōsumeth al things it taketh, but that fire whom it once taketh hold on, it vexeth & alwaies re­serueth to the tormēt. And ther­fore is it termed vnquenchable, not only bicaus it cānot be quē ­ched it selfe, but bicause it doth not quench or sley thē it taketh. For the scripture saith, that sin­ners put on immortalitie, to wit, [Page 47] profitable, not to honor of life, but to perpetuitie of correction.

Now the force of the punish­ment, and that punishment of that fire which is so forcible, no voice will serue to declare, no speech will serue to vtter: for in good or euill things subiect to corruption, there is nothing like them.The torments of hell set forth in their co­lours. Neuerthelesse that we may conceiue some motion of that fire and torment, call to minde, in him that hath a burn­ing ague, what tribulation, what anxietie of bodie and soule stan­deth on each side, and by this temporall maladie gather what those torments be which are in­flamed with an eternall fire, which are watered before that horrible iudgement seat with a fierie streame of tormenting waues. There what shall we do? What shal we answere? Nothing shall be there but gnashing of teeth, but scritching and weep­ing, and too to late repentance, no way any helpe being founde, [Page 48] and euery way the torments in­creasing without any comfort. We shal see none but the execu­tioners and tortours dreadfull to be beholden, and (which is woorst of all) we shall haue no solace of the very aire. For vtter darknes shall compas the place of torments, and the fire which as it hath not a nature of consu­ming, so hath it not of illumi­ning, but it is a darke fire, the flame thereof giuing no light. So that to them that are in it, what feare, what renting of their bow­els, what dismembring of their bodies, what crosses there be to euery sense, no toong can tell. And as the sortes of torments do varie and differ, so proportio­nably euerichone to his sinnes hath his paine multiplied.

Now if thou shouldest say, how can the bodie continue in so wretched & such an endles tor­menting? Consider what things now and then in this life betide vs, and by these smal things con­iecture [Page 49] great. How that some­times we see some troubled with long sicknes, and yet their life to indure: and howbeit the bodie be dissolued by some death, yet the soule is not dissolued nor consumed: whence it is appa­rant that when the body shal al­so become immortall, no death may kill the soule or body. For in this present life it cannot be, that the punishmēt of the body should be both grieuous & per­petuall, but the one yeeldeth to the other, for that the body can­not abide both. But when each shall put off corruption, the co [...] ­ruption afore receiued shal end, but the incorruption gotten shal be endlesse. So let vs not thinke, the very exceeding greatnes of punishment will cause an end of dolor, but (as I said) our sins shall aggrauate the chastisement, and the incorruption of the bodie or soule shall not limite it.

Tell me nowe, what space of sensualitie and dainties wilt [Page 50] thou liken to these tormentes? Let vs (if we list) bestow on de­lights an hundreth yeeres, adde thereto an hundreth moe, and tenne times an hundreth, what benefite will there bee gotten of it, if we consider this euer-remaining paine? May not the whole time of this life, wherein we seeme to take pleasure in pa­stimes, and wallow in wanton­nes, be rekoned as the dreame of one night, in comparison of that eternitie? Is there any ther­fore, who to haue a delightsome dreame one night, would vnder­take sempiternall pains? Or take that for this, or this for that?

I dispraise not as yet delights, nor vnfolde the bitternes of them, bicause the time serueth not for such speeches nowe, but then I shal be occasioned when I see thee able to auoid the same. For, bicause thou art addicted to them, thou maist ghesse we doa­ted, if we auouch that pleasure, which all men reckon accep­table [Page 51] and gladsome, were yrke­some and sowre. But if by the mercie of God, thou maiest e­scape out of this sort of sicknes, at that time, yea at that time thou shalt finde out, what bit­ternes, yea what bane sensua­litie hath. Now meane while let vs imagine, that pastimes and pleasure and voluptuousnes are honest and comely: What shall we say to the punishments laide vp in store for them? What shall we say to them, bicause the de­lights vade like a shadowe, and hastily flie away, but the paine abideth for euer and euer?

Grant the time and space of pastime and punishment were al one, is there any so foolish, or so depriued of his fiue wits, that would chuse to tolerate one day of paine for a daye of pleasure? sith the pangs of one houre, and euerye vexation of the bodye, cōmonly causeth vs to forget all the time past consumed in de­ [...]ight. Wherfore for asmuch as we [Page 52] may be rid (if in a moment we be turned) from euery of those tor­menting chastisements, and in­ioy eternall goodnes, why defe [...] we? why stay we? why do we no [...] vse the bountifulnes of God? Fo [...] this is prouided by the vnspeake­able and infinite clemencie o [...] God, that labor and toile shoul [...] not be stretched far, nor be lon [...] or endles, but short, and (as may saye) for a minute of a [...] houre. Such is this present life, [...] it be conferred with that euerla­sting. The clemencie (I say) o [...] God hath prouided,2. Cor. 4. that in thi [...] fleeting & short life, the shoul [...] be labors and agonies, but tha [...] in the life eternall, there shoul [...] be crownes and rewards of goo [...] workes, and that trauell shoul [...] soone be ended, but the reward [...] of good deedes should last fore­uer. And euen as this maket [...] them glad that through ind [...] ring of toile indure a crowne: [...] it shall grieue and trouble thos [...] in the time to come, that se [...] [Page 53] they haue loste (for a little and small time of delights) perpetu­all good things, and haue sought for still induring euill things.

Let vs not therefore incurre this anguish of soule, let vs a­wake while we haue time. And lo now is the acceptable time, now is the day of saluation, now is op­portunitie of repentance, and a time wherein repentance will not be fruitles. But if we be care­les of our life, we shall sustaine in hell not these calamities alone, whereof we haue spoken, but a more grieuous mischiefe. For to be excluded from blisse, and to be debarred from the things pre­pared for the Saintes, cau­seth such affliction, such woful­nes, as (if no outward punish­ment tormented) it were suffici­ent. It surpasseth all paines of hell, to want that beatitude, the fruition of which lay in thy pow­er. For muse (I desire you) on the state of that life,Heauenly blisse set forth. asmuch as a man may consider it, for as it is [Page 54] in deed, no speech can vtter. Yet let vs comprehende an image thereof, to the vtmost it may be, by that we haue read, and the darke speeches we haue recei­ued. It is said of it in a certaine place,Reu. 21, 4. Isai. 35. There shall be no more death, neither sorrowe, neither crying, neither shall there be a­ny more paine. What more feli­citie is there than this life, wher­in no feare of pouertie, nor sick­nes hurteth, none dealeth vn­iustly, none is indangered, none conceiueth indignation, none enuieth, no desire inflameth, no lust of meat, no greedines of ho­nor and renowne troubleth: but euery spot of vice is blotted out & washed away, where all things are in peace and ioyousnes, all things in quiet and rest, where is light and brightnes, not such as is among vs, but by so much more cleare and glittering, by howe much more bright the sun is nowe than any candle? There is no night, no darkenes, no con­course [Page 55] of cloudes, no extremitie of cold or heate; but such a tem­perature shall there be of all things, as they alone shall knowe which are worthie to inioye the same. There is not olde age, nor the miserie thereof, but euery corruptible thing is done away, and the glorie of incorruption is euery where. But moreouer to haue societie with the Angels & Archangels, and of all the cele­stiall and supernall powers to in­ioy the companie, is much to be esteemed: but to obteine the ra­diant sight of our Lorde Christ Iesus, & to be lightned with the brightnes of his maiestie, that can not be described, passeth all such and such like honor.

But lest thou be daunted with these things on the sodaine, I will allure thee by little and lit­tle to the attainement of them. Behold now and looke vpon the heauen, let thy thought also pierce a little aboue heauen, af­ter ponder the transforming of [Page 56] the whole creature. For it shall not abide in this quality where­in it is, but it shalbe chaunged into another much more fine and faire, as much (let me say so) as gold exceedeth lead. Saint Paul teacheth this shall come to passe, when he saith, that the creature it selfe shalbe freed from the bondage of corruptiō.Rom. 8, 21. For now vnder corruption it suffereth many thinges which corruptible bodies must needs suffer: but when it shall cast off all frailetie and corruption, it shalbe adorned with wonderfull bewtie, for it shall not suffer cor­ruptible bodies, but it shall re­ceiue them (by resurrection) void of corruption, whereby the very creature shalbe metamor­phised into an excellenter ha­bite. There shalbe then no dis­sention any where, but all things shall agree in amitie, for the a­greement of the Saints shalbe one, there shalbe no dread of the Diuell, no ambushes of to vn­cleane [Page 57] spirits, the feare of hell shalbe far off, there shalbe death neither of the body, nor of the soule, but feare by the meanes of immortalitie shalbe shaken off.

Like as a kings sonne if first of all he be fostered vp in a poore cottage being apparailed in base raiment, liueth vnder the feare of Tutors, and gouernance of Masters, whereby his yong age vnder streite discipline may bring his mans-estate into good liking, and make it worthy his famous progenitors; but when the time commeth, that he must both enter the Court of his do­minion, and take in hand his fa­thers scepter, all homely appa­raile being reiected, he arayeth himself in princely attire, & on a suddain putteth on the mitre of his father, the glittering of pur­ple incontinently is added, the brightnes of his diademe, the rowte of his gard, the power of his name is increased, and he is made a new man; so after such a [Page 58] manner shall the alteration of Saints be.

And to the end you may be giuen to vnderstand, that pain­ted words is not all we speake, let vs cast our eies on that mountaine wherein Christ was transformed, and let vs behold his brightnesse, that, wherein (when he was transformed) he shined; neither for all that by this meanes, all the glory of the world to come shalbe reuealed vnto vs. For that transformation was declared not fully as in deed the blessednes to come shalbe, but asmuch as the beholders eies could beare. And the Go­spell saithMatt. 17, 2. his face did shine as the sunne: but the glory of the incorruptible shall not only send foorth such a light, nor such as the eies of men can look on, but such shall be the future bright­nes, as eie sight may not indure, although it abode that in the transforming on the mount. Wherby it is cleere, that so much [Page 59] was reuealed as the eies of mor­tall men could suffer, neither yet did they fully suffer it, for it is said, They fell on their faces.Vers. 6.

Againe, if thou shouldest be brought into an assemblie, where euery one should sit apparrelled in golden robes, in the middest of whome one should shine dec­ked in pearles and purple, and if he promised that thou mightest be one of the number of those men of honor, wouldest thou not assay and attempt all thinges to attaine vnto it? So then open thy sight on the heauens, and be­hold there an assembly gathered togither, not in brightnes of gold, neither in trimnes of gar­ments, nor glistering in pretious stones, but clearer in righteous­nes than either the stars glitter, or the sun shineth. Behold there a companie not of men alone, but of Aungels, Archaungels, thrones, dominions, principali­ties, and powers; and of the king that sitteth in the middest of [Page 60] them, no speech may be, for he surmounteth all speech and con­ceite of the mind of man, by rea­son of his beautie, his strength, his glory, his roialty, his maie­stie. What then? Tell me, shall we beguile our selues of all these honors, bicause of sloth in sustei­ning some labor, and in resisting for a while the allurements of lust? For if we should dailie su­staine torments, and suffer a lit­tle time hell fire, to the ende we might see Christ comming in glory, and accompanied with his Saints, were it not good to in­dure all sorrowe, that we might be made partakers of so great blisse, of so great glory? Heare what the blessed Apostle Peter saith;Matt. 17, 4. It is good for vs to be here. If he seeing a slender glimse of the glory to come, sodainly re­iected all things out of his mind, relieng on the delectation of the vision he saw, what will one saie, if he beheld the things, as they are in truth? Namely at what [Page 61] [...]ime, the court of heauen shal be [...]pened, and the king of heauen [...]hall be reuealed, not in a glasse [...]arkly, but face to face, not by [...]aith, but by visage.

Many ignorant folke thinke it [...] thing al-sufficient, and to be wished for, alone to be deliuered [...]rom the paines of hell; I say,The torments of hell not so greeuous as the losse of the sight of Christ. to [...]e remooued and cast off from [...]hat glorie, is a more grieuous [...]orment than hel: neither iudge [...] the torments there so grie­uous, as it is to be driuen from the sight of Christ, for this (I as­ [...]ure you) is more miserable than any punishment, this onely ex­ceedeth hell. When wee see an earthly king entring his pallace, with his adherents and garde, we admire and call those great men who waite vpon him, and suppose our selues wretched, if we be not vouchsafed any place amongest them: though wee knowe the weaknes and instabilitie of these terrene things, somtimes for for­reine warres, sometimes for ciuil [Page 62] conterwaites, and sometime for malitious spite, yet howsoeuer it be, it grieueth those tha [...] haue fallen thence. Howe the [...] shall it not much more vexe v [...] if with the highest king,Isai. 40. who ho [...] deth the whol globe of the eart [...] (not a part thereof onely) ye [...] who holdeth it in his fist, wh [...] measureth the heauen with a [...] hand-breadth, who supporte [...] each thing by the woorde of hi [...] power, who reckneth the Gentil [...] as nothing, yea as spettle, wit [...] this (I say) when he bestoweth honor that shall last for euer, w [...] haue no place, neither be numbred amonge his seruants? Wil [...] it not pinche vs more than any paine?

But peraduenture thou saiest it will suffice vs to escape hell, albeit we be not thought worthi [...] of the sight of the king. Wha [...] more vnhappie and wretche [...] soule is there, than to which thi [...] is sufficient? Supposest thou tha [...] the king whereof we speake, sha [...] [Page 63] come to iudge the earth, caried in chariots of Mules, or in gilded waggons, or with the terrible power of a diademe? Nay har­kē how the Prophets haue fore­told (as much as might be de­clared to men) the comming of Christ. One of them saith thus: Our God shall come,Psal. 50, 3. and shall not keepe silence, a fire shall de­uoure before him, and a mightie tempest shall be mooued round about him, he shall call the hea­uen aboue, & the earth to iudge his people. And harken how ano­ther, to wit, Isaiah, sheweth the diuerse sortes of punishments; these are his words;Isai. 13, 9. Beholde the day of the Lord commeth, cruel, with wrath, and fierce anger, to lay the land waste; and he shall destroy the sinners out of it.Vers. 10. For the starres of heauen, and the planets thereof, shall not giue their light, the sunne shal be dar­kened in his going foorth, and the moone shall not cause her light to shine.Vers. 11. And I will visit the [Page 64] wickednes vpon the world, an [...] their iniquitie vpon the wicked and I wil cause the arrogancie o [...] the proud to cease.Vers. 12. I will make a man more precious than fin [...] golde, euen a man aboue th [...] wedge of golde of Ophir. Therefore I will shake the heauen,Vers. 13. an [...] the earth shall remooue out o [...] hir place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, & in the day of hi [...] fierce anger. And again he saith, the windowes from on high are open,Isa. 24, 18. and the foundations of the earth do shake.19. The earth is vt­terly broken downe, the earth is cleane dissolued, the earth is ex­ceedingly mooued.20. The earth shall reele too & fro like a drun­ken man, & shal be remoued like a tent, the iniquitie thereof shall be heauy vpon it, so that it shall fal and rise no more. And in that day,21. shall the Lord visit the hoa [...] aboue, that is on high, euen the kings of the world, that are vpon the earth, and they shall be ga­thered togither as the prisoners [Page 65] in the pit, and they shall be shut vp in the prison. And the pro­phet Malachies words are con­sonant hereto;Malac. 3. Behold he shall come, saith the Lorde of hostes.Vers. 1.2. But who may abide the day of his comming? and who shall in­dure when he appeereth? For he is like a purging fire, and like ful­lers sope.Vers. 3. And he shall sit downe to fine and try the siluer, he shall euen fine the sonnes of Leuie, & purifie them as golde and siluer. And againe he saith,Chap. 4, 1. for beholde the day commeth that shall burne as an ouen, and all the proude, yea, and all that do wic­kedly shall be as stubble, and the day that commeth shall burne them vp, saith the Lord of hosts, and shall leaue them neither roote nor branch. And another of the prophets saith,Dan. 7, 9. I behelde till the thrones were set vp, and the auncient of daies did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the haire of his head like the pure wooll.Vers. 10. A fierie [Page 66] streame issued, and came foorth from before him, the iudgement was set, and the bookes opened. And a little after,Vers. 13. as I beheld in visions by night, behold one like the sonne of man came in the cloudes of heauen, and appro­ched vnto the ancient of daies, and they brought him before him.Vers. 14. And he gaue him domini­on, and honor, and a kingdome, that all people, nations and lan­guages should serue him, his do­minion is an euerlasting domi­nion, which shall neuer be taken away, and his kingdome shal ne­uer be destroied.Vers. 15. I Daniel was troubled in my spirite, in the midst of my body, and the visi­ons of mine head made me a­fraide.

So then when these things shall begin, the gates of heauen shall be opened, yea rather the very heauen shal be taken away, as if the couerings of a pauilion were drawen togither, to wit, that it may be restored & trans­figured [Page 67] into better. Then all things shall be in feare, amazed­nes and trembling shall fill eue­ry place. Then also feare shall shake the angels, and not the angels alone, but perchance the archangels, thrones, dominions, rules and powers. For this is sig­nified where it is said,Isai. 13, 13. I wil shake the heauen; for they are the fel­low seruants of them that must be iudged, and must giue an ac­count of this life. If when one ci­tie is to be iudged by the iudges of this worlde, other feare and shake, although it be not for great danger like to insue: when the vniuersall world shall come to be iudged of him that lacketh not witnes, that doth not seeke arguments, that doth not re­quire an orator for the cause, but all these things being remooued that doth reueale the deedes, wordes, and thoughts of men, that placeth ech thing in open sight, and sheweth euery fact, as it were in a painted table, before [Page 68] the eies, both of the transgres­sors, and of the beholders, how much more shall euery creature be mooued with feare? And if then no fierie streame should is­sue foorth, neither the terrible angels, or greesely executioners should stand by; but if thus one­ly it were, that men shoulde be called before the king, and some should be praised and honored, other some without honor cast to confusion; if men did onely suffer this punishment, would it not surpasse the torments of hel, that when other were endowed with gifts of the king, they shuld shamefully suffer the repulse? Which paine how vntolerable it is, although speech now may not declare, yet then shall we cleerely perceiue it, when we come to experience.

Furthermore, besides al these anguishes of torments, set be­fore your eies, not confusion a­lone, and vtter shame, but the way, how men are drawne to fire, [Page 69] and deliuered vp to racking. Thinke vpon those cruell & oug­ly tortours, which throw sinners downe headlond, and in that time, in which other that haue done well, by the bright & gen­tle Angels being carried before the high throne of the euer­lasting King, shalbe rewarded with immortall gifts.

These things are accidents to that day, iudgement, and time, but that which ensueth, what toong can tell? What pelasure, what ioy shall it be, to be with Christ, when the soule comming to hir proper vigor, shall with confidence begin to looke on God? none can declare the greatnes of that ioie. For she triumpheth not alone for the fruition of the thinges present, but she reioiceth much more bi­cause she knoweth, there shalbe no end of her blessednes. And howbeit no speech can set forth that gladnes and mirth, nor any thought conteine it, yet seeing [Page 70] (as it were) a certaine shadowe of the thing to come, we will also endeuor to acquaint you with it, Demand we of the rich and wel­thie of this world, who vaunt in honors and power, with what gladnes they are puffed out? With how great delectation and pleasure they are in loue with these things, so that sometime they carry their noses very high in the winde? And that, though they themselues knowe, that these thinges are neither right happie, nor yet euerlasting, but vanishe awaye sooner than a dreame: which if they indure while this life remaineth, if we make the moste of them wee can, they can indure no longer. Wherefore if men are so excee­dingly ioious, for fraile and tran­sitorie thinges: with what ioye shall we thinke those soules to be filled, which haue gotten hea­uenly & eternall blisse? In which both quantitie and qualitie dif­fereth so much from the other in [Page 71] excellencie, (for all that in this life we account them good,) so that,Isai. 64, 4. 1. Cor. 2, 9. neither eie hath seene, nor eare hath heard, nor hart as yet hath vnderstoode them. For as a little one is in the bellie of his mother; so are we in the worlde inwrapped streitly in darknes, & can not beholde the light and li­bertie of the world to come. But when the time shall come,Such corne at we sowe heere, such bread shal we eate in the world to come. that this worlde shall trauell in birth with vs, and shal bring foorth in­to the brightnes of the future world all it hath conceiued, if a­ny shall be found (by the meanes of sinne) putrified or not of full growth, they goe from darkenes to darkenes, from tribulation to more bitter tribulation. But they that shall be perfect and like vn­to the king, she profereth to the father, as a worthie issue, to be placed in the ministerie of An­gels, and in the seates of Ar­changels.

Therefore will you goe that waie (my friend) that the coun­tenance [Page 72] and kingly bewty of thy soule may be polluted, and this world at the last reiect thee, but repaire quickly the image of thy father, repaire thy virtue, beau­tie, and gallantnes, that amonge other thou maiest be knowne of thy father.The soule must be pollished more than the bodie, and God hath thus ap­pointed. The beautie of the bodie God hath limited with certaine naturall bonds, but the beautie of the soule hee hath made free, and subiect to no ne­cessitie, which leaueth farre be­hind the comlines of the bodie. Insomuch that the trimnes of our soule is at the becke of God, yet in our power. For if the Lord had granted vs licence to vse our owne fancie in our bodilie bra­uerie, wee shoulde haue beene burdened with superfluous and nought auaileable cares, spen­ding all the time of our life in them, whereby the soule must needes not be decked. Sith euen now, when we haue no power o­uer the trimnes of our bodies, we so carke and care, that by all pos­sible [Page 73] meanes we pollish them, as­saying by the painting of co­lours, by the frisling of our hairs, by the roaling of our eies, by va­rietie of vestiments, by exquisite practises to augment our bodilie brauerie. But how much more conuenient were it for vs, to goe about to garnish the soule, wher­in the true beauty is, and such as may by vs dailie be made more beautifull? Yet we on the con­trarie, consume the whole race of our life in spoiling the mi­stresse, & in adorning the mai­den: leauing the mistresse (like a vile bonde woman) vntrim­med, bespotted, vtterly couered with all vnseemely sluttishnes. When as God for this cause ex­empted vs from the carke of this bodie, and inclosed it within the bonds of nature, least being oc­cupied in needeles cares, we shoulde neglect the beautifieng of our soule,Soules defiled with sin, may be trimmed againe. whose beautie and brauenes, albeit it be brought to extreme pollution, yet by our la­bour [Page 74] and diligence she may be restored to notable gainesse, and be recouered so farre, that she may not onely be admired of all good men, but be desired and lo­ued of the king himselfe, who is Lord of all. As the Prophet spea­keth to it in the Psalmes:Psal. 45, 11. The king shall haue pleasure in thy beautie.

Often times experience pro­ueth, that of those women which haue beene inured to common brothelrie, if any be somewhat handsome, for fairenes sake she hath beene vnited in matrimo­nie to some good man, and hath beene drawne to honestie. How much rather will not God con­temne ne despise the soules, which haue fallen from their di­uine excellency by the tyrannie of the diuell, into the brothel-house and stewes of this present life? You shall find that the pro­phets haue vsed these examples when they spake to Hierusalem, for she plaied the dishonest wo­man, [Page 75] and went a whooring after a strang sort, as sheweth the pro­phet Ezechiel, saying,Ezech. 16, 33. they giue gifts to all other whoores, but thou giuest gifts vnto thy louers,Vers. 34. and the contrary is in thee from other women. And againe another saith, thou hast sitten vpon the way waiting for them, as a desolateG. quaile. Or, thou hast sit waiting for them in the waies, as the Arabian in the wildernes. Hier. 3, 2. Chough. This peo­ple which had so plaied the har­lot the Lord reclaimed to him­selfe, for their captiuitie was not so much for their punish­ment, as for their amendment. For if in case GOD woulde haue punished and destroied them withall, he would not haue brought them home againe to their natiue soile, neither would haue caused them to reedifie with greater magnificency, their citie and temple which were o­uerthrowen,Hagg. 2, 10. the glory (saith he) of this last house, shall be greater than the first. So then if God do not forbid repentance to those that haue so manifoldly practi­zed [Page 76] whoordome, he will much more willingly reclaime thy soule, which now first hath grie­uously falne.God is iealous ouer our souls. The reason is, for that no carnall louer, though ne­uer so hoate, can be so iealous ouer the loue of his derling, as God is kindled with the loue of our soules. Which albeit daily it may be gathered, yet it may be apparantly proued out of the word of God. In a word, read that is spoken of God, in the be­ginning either of Ieremie, or of the other Prophets, howe when he was despised and set light by of the people, yet he returned a­gaine to them, and thirsting af­ter their loue, he continually fol­lowed them. And this is that, which God himselfe declareth in the Gospell, where he saith: Hierusalem,Mat. 23, 37. Luk. 13, 34. Hierusalem, which killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent to thee, howe often would I haue gathe­red thy children togither, as the Hen gathereth hir chickens, and [Page 77] [...]e would not. And Paule saith to the Corinthians:2. Cor. 2, 19. For God was in Christ, and reconciled the world to himselfe, not imputing their sinnes vnto them, & hath com­mitted to vs the word of recon­ciliation. Now then are we Am­bassadors for Christ:20. as though God did beseeche you through vs, we pray you in Christs stead, that yee bee reconciled to God. Let vs thinke these things spo­ken to vs, for not onely infideli­tie, but the pollution & vnclean­nes of life maketh this execrable enimitie betwixt God and men, and so the Apostle saieth, thatRom. 8, 7. the wisedome of the flesh is e­nimitie against God. Go to then, let vs raze to the ground this wal of enimitie, let vs smooth the way to an attonemēt with God, that we may be loued and desi­red of him againe.

I am sure you woonder not a little at the beautie of Hermio­ne,Hermione daughter to Menelaus and Helena very beautifull for whom Orestes the sonne of Agamemnon slew Pyrrhus the sonne of Achilles, bi­cause he mar­ried his betro­thed minion. and thinke the like may not be founde on the whole earth. [Page 78] But if you would (my friend) yo [...] may be so much fairer and comlier than she, by how much gold exceedeth dirte. For if many haue in admiration the beautie of that body, and fall in loue therewith; what fairenes do you thinke to be in a soule, if euerie point therein were liuely por­traited? How much more amia­ble, how much more woonderful would it be? For the substance of bodilie beautie consisteth in naught else, but in phlegme, blood, moisture, andOr, melan­choly. gal, which are maintained by the corrupti­ble iuyces of meats? Hereby the apples of the eies glister, hereby the cheekes are ruddie, & here­by the whole face is adourned. And vnles they be daily moiste­ned with such iuice, which as­cendeth out of the liuer, incon­tinent the skin is dried vp, the eies wax hollow, al ruddines and beautie departeth from the vi­sage. Now if thou consider what is hidden within that skin which [Page 79] [...]ou iudgest beautifull, what is [...]ut vp within the nosethriles, [...]hat within the iawes and bel­ [...]y, thou wilt protest that this [...]rauery of body, is nothing but a [...]anched sepulchre, which with­ [...]ut appeereth faire to men, but within is full of filthines and vn­cleannes. Moreouer, if thou see on a ragged cloath, the phlegme and spittle that proceedeth frō the body, thou loathest it, & wilt not touch it with the tip of the finger, looking askew thereon: and how then canst thou loue & desire the cel & seat of phlegme? But thy beauty was not such. For by how much heauen is more beautifull than the earth, by so much did the trimnes of thy soule surmount the beautie of the fairest body. And notwith­standing none at any time hath seene a soule departed from the body, yet some other time I will attempt to declare the comli­nes of it, by the powers thereof. At this time let it suffice to re­hearse [Page 80] the words of the Lorde which say,Matt. 22, 30. Mark. 12, 25. they are as the ange [...] of God in heauen. Again, in th [...] of bodies there is so great a dif­ference, betweene those that a [...] thin, and those that are thick and heauy, (as for example hea­uen passeth the earth, fire water the stars stones, the rain-bow al [...] terrestriall flowers:) what woul [...] we say, if it might so chance, tha [...] with corporall eies, we might be­holde the gaines of the soule. Wouldest thou not scoffe at all externall beauty and brauery, in consideration of that internal [...] substance? I pray thee then let vs not contemne so great a feli­citie, nor not lightly regarde so great a treasure that is in vs, especially sith a returne is not hard, and with no great labour may all the beautie of our soule be renued. For assoone as thou shalt imagine the thinges to come, and shalt be inamered with them, straightway the soule retireth to hir former brauenes. [Page 81] [...]o it is written; For our light af­ [...]ction,2. Cor. 4, 17. which is but for a mo­ [...]ent, causeth vnto vs a far more [...]xcellent, and an eternal weight [...]f glory.18. While we looke not on [...]he things which are seene, but [...]n the things which are not [...]eene, for the things which are [...]een are corporal, but the things [...]hich are not seene are eternal. Now if Paul call tribulations [...]ght and easie, for that we looke [...]ot on the thinges which are [...]een, but on the things which are not seene: how much more easie [...]hall it be for thee, to shake off the soule burden of vncleannes? Neither nowe do I exhort thee to those labours and dangers, or to those daily deaths, which the Apostles suffred, or to those per­secutions, or stripes, or bands, or imprisonments, or the contempt of all worldly riches, or famine, or nakednes, or many watch­ings, or perils of iourneying, or shipwracks on sea, or dangers of robbers, or dangers of thy owne [Page 82] nation, or dangers of false br [...] thren, for al those afflictions th [...] apostles indured: nothing of a [...] these I require of thee, but this desire alone, that seruitude being forsaken, thou returne to th [...] former liberty, considering both the plague which followeth riot and the glory which is laide vp for vertues. It is no maruell, i [...] those which beleeue there shal [...] be no resurrection, neglect thei [...] life, feare nothing the iudge­ment to come, and are nothing pricked in hart: but we which looke more certainely on future than present things, ought we to liue so miserably, & so wretched­ly, that we not onely should not feare, at the remembrance of the iudgement to come, but vt­terly contemne it?

A part it is of extreme mad­nes, and no mischiefe is compa­rable, that beleeuing we be like the vnbeleeuing. Yea amongst thē not a few haue beene found, who haue florished in this life, in [Page 83] [...]he vertues of the mind, & what [...]hall be our excuse, what our so­ [...]ace, if in the daie of doome [...]hose shall be brought foorth for examples against vs? Some that exercise marchandice we see haue suffred shipwracke, & the [...]osse of all their goods: yet for this they haue not beene dis­maied, but againe haue applied the same way and traffike. These did leese their substance not by sloth, but by violence of windes. But we which know afore vn­doubtedly, that if we our selues will, we may incur neither ship­wracke, neither damage of soule; should we not take in hand againe our former exercises, and renew our busines by negli­gence ouerslipped? Neuertheles we lie retchlesly, and fold our idle hands on our breast, after the manner of sluggards: and would God our hands were idle, and did not worke our owne de­cay. Which if they doo it hath great affinitie with most mani­fest [Page 84] outrage, as if (for example a champion leauing his aduers [...] ry, should turne his hands on hi [...] owne head, and buffet himselfe The diuell hath put vs to fligh [...] and hath dashed vs in sunder, w [...] haue neede then to rise an [...] to resist him. When thou an [...] once cast downe, if thou be wil­ling not onely to lie still, but t [...] throw down thy selfe headlong this is to assent to thine eni­mie, and to take in defence hi [...] part.

Blessed Dauid fell after the same sort thou diddest, neither so alone, but in more greeuous wise, for he combined murder with adultery: and what did he then? Did hee lie so? Did hee not rise and resist the enimie, and so ouercame him, that his good deeds profited his posteri­tie when he was gone? For when Salomon had committed that hainous crime, and was deemed woorthy of a thousand deathes, yet for Dauids sake the Lorde [Page 85] [...]aid he woulde bestow the king­dome on him longer. These be the wordes;2. King. 11, 11 I will surely rent the kingdome from thee, and will giue it to thy seruaunt. Notwithstanding in thy daies I will not do it,12. bicause of Dauid thy father, but I will rent it out of the hand of thy sonne. Hezechi­ah when he was much indange­red, (albeit he were a iust man himselfe,) yet for blessed Dauid the Lord promised to help him,Or, J will de­fend this citie to saue it for mine owne sake, and for Dauid my ser­uants sake. I will defend this citie for mine owne sake,2. King. 19, 34 and for Dauid my ser­uants sake, I will saue it. See what was the strength of repentance, see what power conuersion had. But if hee had thus thought, (which thou now thinkest,) and had said, it is impossible that the Lord shoulde nowe be mercifull to me, he hath greatly honored me, and hath endued me with the gift of prophecie, he hath exalted me to a kingdome, he hath deliuered me from mani­fold dangers, how then can I [Page 86] promerite clemencie at th [...] hands of God, forasmuch as [...] haue thus fallen? Yf Dauid ha [...] thus thought, he had lost no [...] onely that went afore, but tha [...] that followed also. For not only the wounds of the body if they be neglected bring death; but the wounds of the soule sembla­bly. Are we so sottish to put a plaister to a bodily wound, and neuer attempt to cure the soule Many woundes of our bodies may not be cured, yet we de­spaire not, and though the Chi­rurgions say, the wound is vn­cureable, yet we earnestly and vrgently beseech them, that they would mittigate somewhat the paine. But in the wounds of the soule, which are not vnsana­ble, (for the soule is not tied to necessitie, neither abideth any passion) we are remisse, we are past hope, we are pricked with no care. When there is no hope our griefe of body may be hea­led, yet we withdraw nothing [Page 87] from our care: but here when no occasion is of desperation, with­out vsing any labor, we omite all care. So you perceiue, how that more ardently we loue our body than our soule, knowing not, that if we regard not our soule, we cannot saue our body. For the soule was not ordained for the body, but the body for the soule: and he that esteemeth no­thing the higher, but polisheth the inferiour, marreth both. But he that obserueth an order, and garnisheth the first, admit he do not passe for the second, by the saluatiō neuertheles of the first, the second shall be saued. The which is builded on the plot of Christ his words,Matt. 10, 28. Feare ye not them which kil the body, but are not able to kill the soule: but ra­ther feare him, which is able to destroy both soule and bodie in Hell.

Thinke you we haue done e­nough, and satisfied you in this thing, that no infirmitie of the [Page 88] soule is vncureable? Or else is it needefull we should vse other reasons, and confirme it yet far­ther? For although a thousand times thou despaire of thy selfe, we will neuer despaire of thee. Neither do we this that we mis­like in other, howbeit there be ods, whether one despaire of himselfe, or another of him. To despaire of another is pardona­ble, but to despaire of himselfe, is not: bicause he is not master of anothers minde, this ruleth his owne purpose. Wherefore we hope there is a returne for you to the state of your former life, and to the vertues of the mind, which we know are in you. Be­sides these things, this we adde.

Ion. 2, 4.The Nineuites heard the pro­phet saying definitely, Yet four­tie daies and Nineueh shall be ouerthrowen, notwithstanding they were not discouraged. No not when they were not cer­taine, that the Lord would not bring to passe his words, & when [Page 89] (in mans iudgement) there was no hope of forgiuenes. And as­soone as that abrupt saying was ended, they determined repen­tance, saying,Verse. 9. 10. who can tell if God will turne and repent, and turne away his fierce wrath that we perish not. And God saw their workes that they turned from their euil waies: and God repen­ted of the euill that he had said he would doo vnto them, and he did it not. If Barbarians and ig­norant folke could vnderstand so much of the mercy of God, doth it not much more behoue vs to do so, who are enstructed in the word of God, & know this example was before our time, and that many moe like are con­tained in Gods Booke, either in words, or in actes? For my thoughts are not your thoughts,Isai. 55, 8. neither are your waies my waies, saith the Lord.9. For as the hea­uens are hier than the earth, so are my waies higher than your waies, and my thoughts aboue [Page 90] your thoughts.

Futhermore if we receiue our seruants, who haue offended vs, when they promise they will a­mende, and account of them as afore, nay many times credit them more after reconcilemēt; will not God much rather deale thus with vs? If he had made vs to punish vs, thou mightest well despaire, and doubt of thy saluation: but if for his goodnes onely he made vs, to enioy hi [...] euer-enduring blisse & rewards, and doth all things from the be­ginning of the world til this day, to this end and purpose, that he may saue vs: what matter of de­spairing, what matter of mis­doubting is there left?

Wee haue offended him (say you) more than euer any man. For this cause shouldest thou more speedilie & earnestly make satisfaction, and be sorrowful [...] for thine offence, & abandon those deedes with which God is offen­ded. Neither doth a grieuous in­iurie [Page 91] offend any bodie so much, as to continue in it, when there is time and opportunitie of satis­faction. To sinne is humane, but to perseuer in sinne, is diaboli­call. To conclude, beholde howe God by the Prophet misliketh this more than that:Hier. 3, 7. And I haue said (saith hee) after that shee hath in all this gone a whooring,Or, and I said, when she had done all this, turne thou vnto me, but she returned not. be thou turned to me, and she is not turned. And otherwhere, when he had rebuked the trans­gressions of the people, by his Prophet, and they had promised amendment, he sheweth how lo­uingly he receiueth the conuer­sion of sinners, who will graunt their hart maye bee so in them, that they may feare me, & keepe my commaundements all the daies of their life, that it may be well with them, and their chil­dren for euermore? Moses like­wise, when he would teache the people, what God requireth of men, saith thus: And now, Israel,Deut. 10, 12. what doth the Lord thy God re­quire [Page 92] of thee, but to feare the Lord thy God, to walke in all his waies, and to loue him, and to serue the Lord thy God with all thy hart, and with all thy soule?

God then, who is desirous that himselfe be beloued of vs, and for this doeth all things, not sparing his onely begotten for our salua­tion, & the loue he bare towards vs, would faine (after what sorte soeuer, if I may so speake,) we should be reconciled to him; and how can it be, that he should not receiue and loue vs being peni­tents conuerted vnto him, and that as chearfully as he doth his children? For, in what respect do you thinke, spake he by the Pro­phet, saying: Tell thou thine ini­quities first, that thou maist be iustified?Amantium irae amoris redintegra­tio est. Was it not, for that he coueted to reuoke vs to his loue, and tender affection? He that lo­ueth his friend, if perchaunce he suffer many iniuries at his hands, his loue is not for that cooled to­wards his beloued, if in case he [Page 93] will let the wrongs to be opened & discouered, and certes he that is iniuried, doeth desire this for no other cause, but that their re­newing of loue may be of more force and validitie. Nowe, if the confession of sinnes mattreth so much to attonement, how much greater may be our hope of re­conciliation, if by workes of re­pentance, we blot out the offen­ces we haue committed? For if God prohibited the fallen to re­turne to the right waie, either none, or very fewe, should enter the kingdom of heauen. Yea, the chiefe Patriarchs whom we haue in admiration, after backeslides in sinnes, they haue bene resto­red. For they that were earnest in euill, being turned to goodnes, vse the same forwardnes, know­ing that their debt is great. In the gospel this is taught of the Lord, when he said to Simon of a cer­taine woman,Luk. 7, 44. Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, and thou gauest me no [Page 94] water to my feete, but she hath washed my feete with teares, an [...] wiped them with the haires o [...] her head.45. Thou gauest mee no kisse, but she since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kisse my feete.46. My head with oile thou diddest not annoint: but she hath annointed my feete with oynt­ment.47. Wherfore I say vnto thee, many sins are forgiuē hir, for she loued much. To whom a little is forgiuē, he doth loue a litle. And he said vnto hir,48. thy sins are for­giuen thee. [...]r which cause the diuell knowing that they which haue solde themselues to worke iniquitie, if they reuolt are dili­gent and serious, and as in their transgressions they were hastie, so in their amendment they are heedful (bicause now they know what they haue done,) he fea­reth & shaketh least any of thē should make the onset to repen­tance. For if they once begin, they may not be withstaied, but [...]dled with the heate of repen­tance [Page 95] as it were with a fire, they make their soules purer than fi­ [...]ed golde, and by the remem­brance of their former misdeeds [...]nd as it were by the blowing wind of their conscience, hauing hope their pilote, they arriue in [...]he hauen of health. And bi­cause of the honours past, the circumspecter they are in their iourney; so that in this wel-nigh they may seeme to passe those that neuer faultered,Experientia stultorum mater. bicause ex­perience maketh them more charie. For (I know not how) we loue more entirely the thinges we had and haue lost, than the thinges we haue not and desire to get.

Then a hard thing it is (as I saide) to make a beginning, in this lieth all the difficultie, to prepare the way to repentance. For straightway at the entrance the enimy bloweth out threates and manacings, and in his rage driueth vs back, when we would go foorth. The smokie puffes, [Page 96] and cloude of whose terrours, if thou contemne, when the way is entered, thou shalt see thy selfe corroborated, and obteining the conquest thou wilt reioice thine enimie manaced thee, and thou shalt perceiue the rest of this combate easie. Go to, go to in the name of God, now let vs en­ter the path of life, let vs returne to the heauenly citie, seeing we are appointed and inrolled citi­zens. The gates of this citie de­spaire shurteth against vs, hope and confidence will open them fully; the which if we cast behind vs, we incurre the crime not of sloath alone, but of arrogancie. For sathan was made as he is, by no other means, but for that af­ter his sinne, first he despaired, and next fell from despaire into hawtines and pride. So likewise the soule if it once begin to de­spaire of saluation, it vnderstan­deth not into what mischiefes it runneth, fearing not to speake or do whatsoeuer may stop sal­uation. [Page 97] Commonly wee see in those that are mad, when once they haue lost their wit, they feare nought any longer, they blush at nothing, but licentious­ly they dare speake and do eue­ry thing. If they fall into the fire, they auoid it not; if they be go­ing into a headlong place, they pull not backe their foote. After the same maner they that are in despaire commit intollerable actes, they range in al the waies of wickednes, shame is no let, feare hindereth nothing, the things present do not refraine them, the things to come do not terrifie, death onely it is that they cannot escape.

Wherefore I humbly request thee, before the poison of this sinne more infect thee, arise and awake at the last, and lay aside this diuellish droonkennes. If on the sudden thou canst not ga­ther thy wits togither, yet do it leisurely, although (in my opini­on) it be the easier way at once [Page 98] to breake off all the staies of this euill, to sheere it in sunder fully, and to begin repentance anew. But if this be difficile vnto thee, as thou wilt and art able, begin a better conuersation, and couet eternall life. Runne therefore I pray and beseech you deare friend, (I beseech you for those good deeds you haue done here­tofore, I pray you for the libertie that first you had,) let me see you climbe vp to the top of ver­tue, as truely a repentant as you were before. Yeelde to me thy friend, yeeld to all them that are offended through thee, and fall bicause of thy fall, yeelde to all them that are in despair bicause of thy despaire, that they may not surmise they can not treade the true waie, vnles they see thee returne. Regarde (I desire you) the pensiuenes of the whole con­gregation of the faithfull bre­thren, the great ioie and trium­phing of the faithles, the vsuall by word of slouthfull youthes, re­gard [Page 99] what authoritie thou art to manie to wallowe in the mire of riot. And if so be that you re­turne into the waie of your for­mer vertues, all these things will be turned into the contrary. Our shame and confusion shall light on them, we shall be ioifull and glad. For wee will blaze abroade throughout the world, that thou art a subduer of lust, a subduer of vncleane and foolish voluptie & riot, and we will brute farre and wide thy glorious triumph. That victory is the greater that is got­ten after a fall, and that is resto­red after flight. And you shall not only be rewarded for your owne labour and reformation, but shal receiue a meede for the safetie of them, who leuelling their life to thy conuersation, haue (without despaire) be turned themselues to repētance. Neither any here­after hauing fallen howsoeuer, will not be greedie by and by to rise, and incontinentlie to be re­stored. Despise not (if you loue [Page 100] me) these great profits, neither bring our soules with sorrowe to the graue: but vouchsafe vs some rest, and chase away the cloude of heauines, which for thy sake hath ouercouered vs; for loe let­ting passe our owne euils, we be­waile thy fall. But if you would a little looke vpward, & be in loue with celestiall things, we should be eased of this lamenting, and we might be caused to consider our owne offences.

That men may by repentance repaire their pristine gaines, yea somtimes be made more excel­lent than before they were, hi­therto we haue confirmed out of the worde of God. And to con­clude this point, this is the cause why that harlots and Publicans inherite the kingdome of hea­uen, and that manie that were last, shall be first. Hencefoorth I will adde the things that haue beene done in our age, of whichG. F. C. of which my selfe may be a wit­nes. thou thy selfe art a witnes.

G. F. C. I know.You knowe that yoong man [Page 101] the sonne of VRBANVS, the chiefest of that prouince, whose parents died in his minority, but left him verie wealthie in hous­hold stuffe, golde, siluer, and pos­sessions. That youth cōtemning at the first all pompe, and pride, (which that age and riches for the most part follow) he left the schooles of humane artes, and betooke himselfe to a base life, in which putting on course and homely arayment, he departed to the mountaines and desart places. Where being exercised in the temperancie of true phi­losophie, he not onelie mat­ched (which is but seldome seen in those yeeres,) but passed to, great and woonderfull men in the vertue of abstinencie; yea, when afterwarde he was bapti­zed he passingly increased in vertues. At which thing all re­ioiced, and praised the Lorde, that borne to so great wealth, & descended of such a family, euen in the April of his dais he trode [Page 102] vnderfoote at once all vanitie of this momentary life, and had an hungrie desire of eternall ioye.

Liuing after this sort, and in this admiration, among all, cer­taine of his kindred (but naugh­ty persons) at the first came to see him,Euill speeches corrupt good maners. and after by continu­ance of lewde talke, drewe him againe to that he hated and loa­thed, so that all philosophie (which he studied) being laied apart, he came from the hils to the market place. Then caried on a palfrey through the midst of the citie, & garded with foot­men he vauntingly began to wander vp and down the streets. Insomuch that the rains of cha­stitie were also let loose, bicause it hath no fellowship with dain­ties and ryot. After this he was snarled in the baite of filthy loue, and led into captiuitie by euery lust, which caused all men to despaire of his saluation. For swarmes of parasites enuironed [Page 103] [...]his hope-lost yonker, the adul­ [...]erous rabble compassed him in. [...]nd what hope woulde a man [...]hinke to be remaining? Those [...]lso which were giuē very much [...] reprehending, founde fault [...]ith this likewise, that in the be­ [...]nning he entred a course, he [...]ould not continue in, and had [...]spired to that was aboue his [...]each, forsaking the studie of [...]earning wherein he might haue [...]rofited.

When these and such like [...]hings as touching his life being [...]umored abroad were knowne to all, and we also were ashamed [...]f his doing; certaine holy men, expert in this kinde of hunting, and who had found out by long vse and experience, that naught was to be despaired, putting on the armour of hope, they began to watch him more narrowly. And if it fortuned he were in the streat, they approched neere and courteously saluted him; but he on horse-backe scarce [Page 104] greeted them againe, or thought them worthy an answere, when they went by his side; such was his pride and wickednes. But those mercifull men, accoun­ting none of these an iniurie, re­spected onely that they had in­tended, that they might (if it were possible by any meanes) deliuer the lambe out of the teeth of woolues; which by pa­tience was in fine atchiued. For weighing they did this often, & prying into his owne life with the inward eies of his minde, he blushed somewhat at their bold­nes and tendring, and when he marked they came a far off, he would dismount from his horse, and bowing his head towardes the earth, he hearkened dili­gently to their speeches, and in processe of time he reuerenced them more. And so reuolting by peece-meale, through the grace of God, and their meeke coun­sell, and rid fromall the nets of death wherin he was intangled, [Page 105] he went againe to the wilder­nes, to the mountaines, and to the woonted exercises of philo­sophie, and after was of such hu­militie, that his latter doings ex­ceeded his woonderfull begin­ning. He learned by proofe the occasion of his fall, and the al­lurement of all his error. That also he did, which (doubtles) was agreeable to Christs commaun­dement in the Gospell;Matt. 19, 21. Selling all he had, and distributing it on the poore, to the end he might remooue his treasure from the earth to heauen, and his hart might be there, where his trea­sure was. But bicause as yet he had somewhat left on earth, his hart returned to the earth, and making an estimate of all his goods, (for he cared nothing for them,) he bestowed much on the needy, that so freeing him­selfe from care of minde, he might take away all occasion of stumbling. And thus walking in the way to heauen, by amende­ment [Page 106] he is come to ech accom­plement of vertue. So you see, how this yoong man fell quick­ly, and arose speedily.

Another also after many la­bours he had susteined in the wildernes, hauing onelie the company of one in his life and mansion-place, continued an Angelicall life, from his yoong age, to his verie old daies. But (I know not how) drowsily yeelding to the suggestion and first batterie of the diuel,Good Lord, how much diffe­rence is there betweene the Ro­mish Masse-mongring Moonks now being, & the Monks which were in Chrysostoms daies? Those were continent, and sequestred (although they should haue had a care of the saluation of their brethren also) themselues from the vulgar sort of men, to the end they might giue themselues wholy to contemplation and me­ditation, (for this was the cause why Basill the great went to Pontus, and inuited his friend Gregorie the Diuine to him;) these are lecherous and lustfull, coueting that sort of life for idle­nes alone, and belliecheere. Those as soone as they perceiued their vncleannes (this fellowe heere alledged is a witnes) fel to repen­tāce without stay: these through sensualitie committing grosse & carnall sins, neuer truly repent for it, and yet beare men in hand they are the holiest persons vn­der the sunne. Of whom it was said rightly, though in a rithme, O monachi, vestri stomachi, sunt amphora Bacchi! Vos estis, Deus est testis, tur­pissima pestis. Let none then of the ignoranter sort suppose, that this example maketh ought for the vpright­nes of Moonks now a daies. he fell into the desire of a woman, when as he neuer saw any, sithence he becam a Moonke. First, then hee desired his fellowe with whom he liued, to bring him wine, & flesh to feede on, who making no haste, he threate­ned [Page 107] him, that he would go down in­to the city. Which he saide not that he might eat flesh, but that he might finde opportunity to satisfie his lust. His compaignion marueling at this, and fearing least he should do him more harme, if he shoulde denie his request, gaue that hee asked, and fulfilled his will. When he sawe no waie to guile, open­ly and shamelessely hee reuea­leth his desire, and confesseth he will goe downe to the citie. The other by much perswasion not able to reteine him, let him goe, and followed him farre off, to see what he would doe, and whither he would goe. And when a great waie behind, he saw him entring a brothell-house, & to haue coo­led his lust with the companie [Page 108] of a strumpet, tarieng at the dore, straightway when he came foorth, hee exhorted him to re­pentance, he imbraced him, and louingly kissed him, and rebuked him not for his fall, but desired him, that now his lust being coo­led, he would returne to his olde habitation, and to the solitarie wildernes. But he marking in him such meekenes and gentlenes, was ashamed, & striken through with the force of his wordes and deedes, and condemning him­selfe for his misdemeanor, goeth with his fellowe (which was so good & humble) into the moun­taine. Whither when they came, he intreated of him, that when he was shut vp closely in his cell, and heremitage, he wouldG. F. C. daily. eue­rie second daie bring him bread and water. If anie should seeke him, he willed him saye, that he wasG. F. C. asleep. dead. Which things obtai­ned, he shut himselfe in, & there abode, clensing the foulenes of his sinne, with fasting, praiers, [Page 109] and weeping.

Few daies passed ouer, when a drowth (bicause of the want of raine) had hurted the countrie neere about him, and all the in­habitants of that land lamented much. But one of them was war­ned in a dreame to goe to that man inclosed in a cell, that he might pray, and that by no other waie raine might bee procured, but by his praiers. So departing with some other taken to him, he found this Monkes complice a­lone, and demaunded where he was, whome the vision admoni­shed him to seek. When he heard he was dead, he deemed his visi­on false, and they returned all to praier, but the same vision tolde him againe the same thinges. Whereat earnestlye intreating him, that before had deceiued them, they requested him to shewe them the man, affirming that by the authoritie of so mar­uellous a vision, they were sent to him being aliue, not dead. Seing [Page 110] it was the will of God, he bringeth them to that godlie man, and the wall being broken down (because he had shut the doore) they enter in and fall before hi [...] feete, desiring him (when the trueth of the matter was decla­red) to release the famine by in­tercession. First, his excuse was, that he coulde not demerite so great a thing: at which wordes, he burst foorth into weeping for the offence he had committed, as if he had seene it fresh before his eies. At length for the impor­tunitie of the requesters, (for as­much as hee perceiued GOD would haue it so,) he gaue him­selfe to supplication, and out of hand there followed great store of rain, wherwith both the earth and men were refreshed.

Read Eusebius hist. eccl. lib. 3. cap. 23.What should I speake of him which first was the Disciple of Iohn theG. F. C. sonne of Zebedeus. Apostle, but after practised robbing for a lōg time? Neuertheles afterward, the A­postle gat holde on him, as hee [Page 111] came out from the robbers den, and brought him againe (as you well knowe) to his former life, so that his beginning was not to be conferred with his end. I remem­ber when you read this storie, you admired the incredible meeknes of this blessed Apostle, and among other tokens of his sincere loue towards him, which he shewed, this you said you most wondered at, that he kissed the hand of the yoong man besmea­red with bloud, and so with im­bracing reclaimed him to euer­lasting life, when as by all likeli­hood he was neare the brinke of the pit of death.

Saint Paul also not onely lo­ued and embraced Onesimus being conuerted, who was an vnprofitable seruant, and fugi­tiue theefe, but maketh petition to his master, that he should esteeme him as himselfe, & that bicause he recanted. These be the Apostles words,Philem. from the 10. verse to the 18. I beseech thee for my sonne Onesimus, [Page 112] whom I haue begotten in my bonds. Which in time past was to thee vnprofitable, but now profitable both to thee & to me, whom I haue sent againe, thou therefore receiue him, that is mine owne bowels. Whom I would haue retained with me, that in thy stead he might haue ministred vnto me in the bonds of the Gospell. But without thy mind, would I do nothing, that thy benefite should not be as it were of necessitie, but willingly. It may be that he therefore de­parted for a season, that thou shouldest receiue him for euer, not now as a seruant, but aboue a seruant, euen as a brother be­loued, specially to me; how much more then vnto thee, both in the flesh and in the Lorde? If therfore thou accoūt our things common, receiue him, as my selfe.

The same Apostle writeth to the Corrinthians touching thē that haue sinned, in this wise, [Page 113] [...]east when I come againe,2. Cor. 12, 22. I shall bewaile many of them which haue sinned already, and haue not repented of the vncleanes, and fornication, and wantonnes which they haue committed. And againe, I told you before,2. Cor. 13, 2. and tell you before, if I come a­gaine, I will not spare. You see then whom the Apostle bewai­leth, and whom he wil not spare; not those which haue sinned, but those which haue not repented, and not onely not repented, but once or twise admonished of their faultes haue refused to o­bey. For in that he saith, I told you before, and tell you before, as though I had beene present the second time, so write I now being absent, he signifieth thus much, that being warned they contemned counsell.

For which cause, I feare me, the same will fall out to vs; and although the same Paul, who threatned the Corinthians, be not at our elbowes, yet Christ is [Page 114] present, who spake by him, and if we perseuer in hardnes of hart, he will say to vs, I will not spare you, not onely in the time pre­sent, but not in the time to come neither.We must ac­knowledge our sinnes, and in confession in­tend not to commit them againe, assu­ring our selues of remission. Wherfore let vs preuent his face by confession, and let vs powre our our harts in his sight,Ecclus. 21, 1 Hast thou sinned? Saith the Scripture, do so no more, pray for thy fore-sins, that they may be forgiuen thee. And againe,Prou. 18, 17. Or, he that is first in his cause is iust. The iust is an accuser of him­selfe in the beginning of his speech. Let vs not then looke till our aduersarie accuse vs, but let vs preuent him by confession, and so make the iudge more fa­uorable towards vs.

And surely this I assuredlie know, thou confessest thy trans­gressions, and mournest for thy selfe, but this I do not alonely re­quire of thee; for I would haue the amendment of the things to come arise, of the confession of the things past, and so I would haue it done, that whilest thou [Page 115] doest it, thou be ascertained of forgiuenes. For euery one that doth ought, vnlesse he know the thing he hath in hand will profit him, goeth about it, either care­lesly, or not seriously. For exam­ple; he that soweth seede, vnles he be sure & certaine there will be raine, that the earth will send foorth the blade, and that the fruite will ripen, he will neuer reape. And as none would faine spend labor in wast, nor bestow diligence in that which shall not be beneficiall vnto him: so he that soweth visiens, teares, and cōfession which is without hope vnprofitable, cannot cease from sinne, being holden fast by in­credulitie. But as the husband­man which hath no hope to reape fruite, careth not to driue off the birds from his corne, or beastes, or any other nociue things: right so he that soweth confession with teares, and ho­peth not it will be gainefull, put­teth and driueth nothing from [Page 116] his hart, which may hurt repen­tance. Repentance is hurted, i [...] one be enwrapped in such euils as he was first;Ecclus. 34, 24. When one buil­deth & another breaketh down, what profite haue they then (saith the scripture) but labour? And he that is purged from the touching of a corse, and againe toucheth the dead, what auail­eth washing? So he that fasteth to decline sins, and goeth backe againe to them, who will heare his praiers?Ecclus. 26, 29. And again it is said, when one departeth from righ­teousnes to sinne, the Lorde ap­pointeth such to the sword. And as a dog is odious that licketh vp his vomite againe,Prou. 26, 11. so is a foole, when he returneth to his transgressions.

So then this sufficeth not, to accuse thy selfe by declaring thy sinnes, but do it with that zeale, that hope of iustification may proceede of repentance, and so you may bridle your soule to commit neuer the things again, [Page 117] of which you haue made confes­sion. One for to giue censure a­gainst himselfe, is common to the faithfull and faithlesse. Many enactors on stage which repre­sent vnchast queanes & whore­mongers call them-selues sin­ners and naughty folke, but not with purpose to amende, and therefore in very deed it is no confession. For they speak it not for griefe of hart, nor with bit­ternes of teares, nor with hatred of the things they confesse, as if they could no more either hear or do the like, but the words be all the matter, which they lab out with their lips, not touched or pinched in minde, but after a sort hunting for praise, through the elegancie and trimnes of speech, which they vse to their auditours. Neither are sinnes so greeuous when they are colou­rably declared, as when indeed they are committed. Againe some are so benummed with ouer-great despaire, and are so [Page 118] deuoide of sense, that making like account of good and ill re­port, with great impudencie they disclose their sinnes, as though they were another bo­dies. But I woulde haue thee to do nothing so, neither for de­spaire to come to confession, but with good and sure hope of for­giuenes, the very roote of de­spaire being cut off. Nowe the roote of dispaire is sloathfulnes, and not the roote onely but the nourse to. For as a garment breedeth mothes, and nourish­eth thē also;A man is caused to think that any good thing is hard, and not possi­ble to be ob­tained by him or any other through too great bashful­nes: which when it ruleth in ones affection, he thinketh it may be eased by no good thing. And bicause slothfulnes is a certaine deiectiue pensiuenes of the spirit, it commeth to passe, that despaire ariseth of sloth. Thom. Aquin. lib. 2. s. p. q. 20. de desper. so sloth doth not a­lone beget desperatiō, but nou­risheth and also fostereth it. In­somuch that they wax and grow togither, the one being cut off, the other (without question) waneth and decreaseth. Where­fore separate this link of sinnes, [Page 119] and breake their yoke. By the yoke of thy soule, I meane vice, whereto as it were a yoke, the life of man is tied: for when the thought of man is not right, the axle-tree of life is carried head­long.

Harken yet what more we wil say. Often times it falleth out that a man amendeth many and great sins by repentance, yet he committeth faultes after the good he hath wrought. And this is it, which laieth chiefely de­spaire on the soule, bicause she seemeth to pull downe that she builded, and vainly to haue spent al hir trauell, this cogitation (I say) depriueth the soule of hope and confidence. Contrariwise we must thinke, what way this bad and hurtful thought may be expelled; namely, that vnlesse the good we do, and the amend­ment gotten by repentaunce prohibited, & were (as it were) a contrary weight to our sinnes, there were no stay, but that we [Page 120] shoulde be carried downewarde into the depth of mischiefe. And as a strong habergeon suffereth not a kine and poisoned dart to pierce the intrailes of the body, but in some part stoppeth the force thereof: so is it certaine, that he that carrieth hence ma­ny good things and many bad, shall finde some ease in his pu­nishment: and he that shall de­part without any goodnes, and with great store of euill, what shoulde I speake of his punish­ment? For there (questionles) good and had works shall be re­warded, and ech (as it were) shall be ballanced, and the part that sinketh, shall drawe with it the worker.Rewards in the life to come of works both good and bad. If the multitude of euils shall ouer-poise, it will pull the worker to hell; but if the good workes shall be greater, they will resist and repugne against the e­uils, and will bring their worker to the place of the liuing, euen from the gate of hell. This is not phantastically imagined of my [Page 121] braine, the diuine Scriptures dis­assent not from it, for thus the word of God speaketh:Psal. 62, 12. Matt. 16, 27. Thou rewardest euery one according to his worke. For not in hell one­ly, but in the kingdome of God,Differences of ioies & plagues in the life to come. Caluin. Institut, lib. 3. cap. 25. sect. 10 Bulling. in Cō ­ment. & Eras­mus in Para­phrase. in 41. vers. cap. 15. 1. Cor. there shall be many differences.Ioh. 14, 2. In my fathers house (saith he) are many dwelling places. And againe:1. Cor. 15, 41. There is another glory of the Sunne, and another glorie of the Moone. What is more wō ­derful, than that he sheweth how exactly the measure of our deeds shall be weighed? One star (saith he) differeth from another star in glory, that by it he might shew that amongest all and euery one that shall be in that kingdome, there will be a difference. There­fore sith we knowe all this, let vs not withdrawe our selues from good workes, neither yeelde to sloth and sluggardie, by the pre­tence of despaire. And admit we cannot attaine to the clearenes of the Sunne or Moone, yet we must desire the brightnes of a [Page 122] starre, howbeit inferior to them, let vs seeke at the least for some light by our good deedes, let vs labour to be found worthie, to in­large somewhat the shining of heauen. If we cannot be gold, if we cannot be pretious stones, yet let vs be in stead of siluer, on­ly let vs not be turned into that matter, which fire may consume, that we be not found to be wood, hay, or stubble, let vs be euen the last in goodnes, not the first in e­uill.By often ad­ding a little to a little, there will arise a great heape, as wittily said Hesiodus, [...], [...]. And as worldlie riches in­crease, when euery small gaine is regarded: so it fa­reth in heauenly riches, in increa­sing the which no little good deede must bee con­temned.Small good works conioi­ned with faith & repentance go not without reward. Surely it is an absurdi­tie, (seeing our Iudge doeth not denie a reward forMatt. 10. a cup of cold water,) for vs to saye, that vnles we do great things, it will be no­thing auaileable. Yea this more I adde, that he that despiseth not small and little things, will by lit­tle [Page 123] & little come to great things, andEcclus. 19, 1 he that contemneth small things, (which concordeth with the Scripture) shall fall by little and little. And therfore I thinke for this cause, our Lord and Sa­uior did ordeine for small things great rewardes. For what is lesse, than to visit the sicke? And yet for this small worke, he hath laid vp a great rewarde. And againe, what is so easie, as to giue the hungrie bread, the thirstie drink, the naked raiment, and to seeke out him that is shut vp in prison? Yet these things that be so little and small, he reckeneth so great, as that he accounteth them mi­nistred not to man, but to him­selfe, and for them hath promi­sed the celestiall kingdome.

Wherefore (most dearely be­loued) enter, enter the waie to eternall life, and put on againeMy yoke is light, and my burden is light This burden [...] not the weigh [...] of him that is loden, but the wings of him that flieth. For birds haue bu [...] dens of their feathers, which on earth they beare, and them they are borne into the heauen. Augustin. the yoke of Christ which is ea­sy, [Page 124] and his burden which is light, recouer the vertues of thy mind, make thine ende like to thy be­ginning, let not the treasure of spirituall graces, gotten by such labour, decaie; and they will ve­rily perish, if thou persist in euils, & exasperate the wrath of God against thy deedes. But before thou lose much of thy treasure, and before thy manured field be surrounded with hurtefull de­luges, if thou exclude the en­trance, and stop the ouerflow­ing of sinne, thou maist bring it againe to his pristine fertilitie, and by husbanding make it very battle.

Arise therfore, arise and shake off the dust from thee, arise from the earth, and straightway (be­leeue me) thine enimie will be a­fraid. For he threw thee downe, as though thou shouldest neuer rise vp, but if he shall see thee to rise from the earth, and lift thine eies towards the heauens, incon­tinent thy boldnes wil out-coun­tenance [Page 125] him,Resist the di­uell, and he wil flie from you. Jam. 4, 7. Jf one flie the diuell, he is a lion: if one resist, he hath (for he is Beel­zebub, that is, a god of flies) no more power than a weake flie: according to the old verse, Hóstis non laedir, nisi cùm tē ­tátus obedit, Est leo si cedis, si stas quasi musca recedit. & the more rea­die thou art, the more fearefull he wilbe, and the more thou pre­sumest, the more fraile and infirme thou makest him. Think also on this, that the more hardinesse God shall indue thee withal, the more hee will weaken both his boldnesse and might.

If so be thou haue affiance in my words, me thinketh I see to­wards thee the mercy and aide of God, but thine aduersarie to be affrighted by reason of shame and confusion. Me thinketh I perceiue now in my mind, that with all gratefulnes and fauour euery virtue allureth thee to hir, hold on then earnestly, labour chearefully, runne forward wil­lingly. Thou shalt find no want of me in that I can, but I will still reason with thee in speech, I wil continually exhort and stir thee [Page 126] vp, both present with liuely voice, and absent with letters. Albeit I perswade my selfe, if thou gladly read this I haue now written, there will be no cause, why thou shoul­dest seeke for far­ther medi­cines.