Of the firſt cauſe vvhy men differre the amendment of their life.

FIrſt therefore the chiefe & principall cauſe hereof I thinke to be our incredulitie. For if we did beleeue thoſe thinges which are conteined in ye holy ſcriptures, of the iudgement to come, of the voyce of the Archangell, and the trumpe of God, of the iudgement ſeate of the Lord before which we muſte all appeare, alſo thoſe thinges that are mentioned of the puniſhments in time to come of the wicked, of the life and immortall felicitie of the godly, of the reſurrection of the bodyes to gether with the ſoules either vnto aſſured glorye or certaine paine: If I ſaye wee did beleeue theſe thinges not to be a vayne or fond fable, we would ſurely endeuour to liue farre otherwiſe, neither woulde wee ſo daily differ and prolong the amendment of our life. For who liuing wickedly is not eyther ſtriken with horror in his whole bodye, or dooth not altogither tremble in his minde and hearte as often as he remembreth the laſt iudgement? In which men muſt giue an accounte before the tribunall ſeate of God of all their thoughtes, purpoſes, ſayinges and deedes, and euery one muſt for himſelfe pleade the cauſe of his lyfe. O iudgement worthelye dreadfull to the wicked, the memory whereof oughte neuer to ſlippe out of our minde. For if the righteous ſhall ſcarcely be ſaued (as ſayeth the Apoſtle) where ſhall the vngodly & ſinner appeare? The ſonne of God himſelfe ſhall ſitte the iudge of all men whiche haue bin from the creation of the world, being then ſeuere, ſharpe and inexorable, who is now an aduocat • wyth the father for them that be guiltie. All ſhall be called to the examination of the life which they haue led, the ſecretes of all heartes ſhall be opened: euerye mannes conſcience ſhal accuſe reproue and conuince him. In fine God wyll with iuſte ſeueritie and rigour puniſh the wicked, and graciouſly and mercifullye ſaue ye godly, that is, he will reward euery man according to his works, as the Apoſtle Paule ſayth.

Neither ſhall euill deedes onely be iudged here, as adulterie, fornication, inceſt, ſorcerye, murder, ſclaundering, theft, extortion, ſacriledge, ſurfetting, riot, dronkennes, vſurie, and ſuch like ſinnes: neither onely all idle, rayling vaine, foule, filthy, light, fond, fooliſhe, raſh, vnmodeſt, preſumptuous wordes, and all other whereby godly eares are iuſtlye offended: but alſo the ſecrete wills of mē, vngodly wiſhes & thoughtes, wicked affections and ſuch as diſagree with the lawe of God, as wrath, hatred, contentiō, enmitie, ſpite, enuye, euel will, pride, couetouſnes, deſire of that which is an other mans and not our owne, and other of like ſort. Who is there then that verelye beleueth that the laſt iudgement ſhall come, whom the remē braunce thereof doth not reclaime from ſinning and retaine in his dutie, being otherwiſe ready, and prone to offende. Well ſayd one of the auncients: Whether I eate (ſayth he) or drinke, or doe anye thinge els, me thinkes I heare that voyce alwayes ſound in mine eares: Ariſe yee dead and come vnto iudgement. As often as I thinke vpon the day of Iudgement, I tremble for feare in my whole heart and body &c.

If therefore the fleſhe ſtirreth vp anye man to luſt and filthy pleaſures, if to gluttony and ſurfeiting, if to other vices and naughtines, lette him remember the day of the laſt iudgemente. If proſperitie (as it often commeth to paſſe) doth puffe vp any, if riches do make any proud and inſolent, if honour, dignitie, rule doe cauſe anye to bee ouer ſtoute and preſumptuous, let ſuch ſtraight call to mind the iudgement ſeate of God. If wrath ſtirre vp anye to take reuenge, if enuye and malice poſſeſſe anye mans minde, if auarice moue thee to fraude or extortion, if the world allure any to ambition, pride, riot, if the deuill prouoke anye to blaſpheme God, and to other ſinnes and wicked dedes, let him thinke vpon the voyce of the Archangell, let him beleeue that he ſhall plead his cauſe before the iudgement ſeat of God, let him earneſtly dread the ſentence of the iudge that condemneth the wicked to eternall fire.

I would to God, I would to God I ſay this day of iudgemente did neuer ſlippe out of the mindes of men, then would we all endeuour to doe our duety. Princes would procure the proſperitie and ſe to the ſafetie of the people, which God hath committed vnto ihem, they woulde defende and preſerue their libertie, they would eſtabliſhe and maintaine good and wholeſome lawes in their common wealth. Againe the people would ſhewe themſelues obedient and loyall to their princes, they woulde not grudge at their rule and aucthoritie, they would not refuſe to pay tribute & cuſtome, they woulde giue vnto them due feare and honour. Euerye man would loue his wyfe as himſelfe. Wiues would reuerence their huſbandes, and be ſubiect vnto them as vnto their head. Parents would bring vp their children in the diſcipline and nurture of the Lord, as the Apoſtle Paule teacheth.

Children on the otherſide would obey their parents in the Lorde, and giue vnto them due reuerence and honour. Seruaunts woulde obeye them that are their maiſters according to the fleſhe, with feare and trembling and ſinglenes of their hearts as vnto Chriſte, as the Apoſtle Paul admoniſheth. Maſters would deale more gently & curteouſly with their ſeruants, knowing that they themſelues alſo haue a maiſter in heauen. Paſtors would haue that care of the Lordes flocke which they oughte. Rich men would relieue the penurie of the poore wt their ſubſtaunce. Widowes would giue themſelues day and night vnto prayer. Poore men woulde ſuffer their pouertie patientlye, ſeeing it pleaſeth the Lorde they ſhall liue in that ſtate. He that hath a wife would be as thoughe he hadde none. He yt is ſingle woulde haue care of thoſe thinges that pertaine to the Lorde. What ſhoulde I make manye wordes? Euerye one would doe his duety from his heart, if that day of the laſt iudgemente did neuer departe out of our mindes, when as God wil require of vs an account of our whole life and all our actions, and will reward and puniſhe euerye one according to his deſert.

We ſee in the time of a great plage or ſicknes whē death is daily before our eyes, how careful all are to reforme and amende their life, at the leaſt ſuch as doe not falſely vſurpe the name of Chriſtians. What then? Oughte we not at all times, at all houres, yea and almoſt euery moment to thinke of the amendment of our lyfe, to be touched with vnfained and bitter greefe of mind for our ſinnes, and to pacifie gods wrathe with earneſt and harty repentaunce, ſeeing that by reaſon of the vncertaine chaunces which be incident vnto vs in this life death is dayly imminent, & wee ought to be verely perſwaded yt almoſt euery houre it is preſent and doth hang ouer our heads? Let him that is wiſe therefore endeuour (as I haue ſayde) ſo to leade his life, as men for the moſt parte are wont in the time of ſome great plague or ſickneſſe, at whiche time they being as it were wakened oute of ſleepe, beginne to haue ſome minde and care to amende their life, to auoyde and deteſt ſinne, to loue and embrace vertue and godlines, briefely are wont by true repētance to pacifie God beīg iuſtli offended at their ſinnes. Let euery one thē continue ſuch a one being nowe deliuered from feare of ye plague, as he purpoſed with himſelfe to be when ye plague moſt reigned and raged.

There is none but he doth confeſſe, that the houre of death is vncertaine, albeit it be moſte certaine that we ſhall at one time or other dye: Now, how fooliſh a thing is it to feare death hanging ouer our heads euery moment, and in the meane ſeaſon to thinke nothinge of amending of our life? But thus it is. In aduerſitie, as in the time of a great plague, in the time of famine, warre, earthquakes, in the time of ſome greeeueous and daungerous diſeaſe of the body, we acknowledge Gods moſte iuſt wrath & indignation againſt ſinne: ſinne: But when we haue the worlde at will, & thinges are on euery ſide proſperous: we ſticke not to abuſe his bountie and goodnes, neither doe wee then remember death yt hangeth ouer our heades euery houre, neither the laſt iudgemente, neither ye voyce of the Archangell, whereof Paule ſpeaketh, writing to the Theſſalonians, neither the ſounde of the trumpe of God, neither of hell or eternal puniſhment, neither the fire that ſhal neuer goe out, neither that darkenes where ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. The memorie of which thinges ought neuer to depart out of our minde, neyther when we riſe in ye morning nor when we goe to bed at night, whether wee dyne or ſup, whether we are occupyed aboute any earneſt matter, or recreate our mind with ſome honeſt paſtime. But all theſe things ſeme fables to ye wicked, namely the laſt iudgement, the tribunal ſeate of the lord, yt voice of yt Archangel, ye trumpe of God, the eternall paines of hell fire. And as the heathen did in time paſt thinke thoſe thinges falſe, wc the Poets were wont to ſpeake of, concerning hel, the riuer in hel yt alwayes burneth, the iudges Minos and Rhadamanthus, the place, abode & puniſhmēt of the wicked, wherupon came that ſaying of Seneca: The poets deluded vs (ſaith he) and put vs in vaine feare: ſo many count for trifles and fables, & vtterly contēne as vayne threats thoſe thinges which at this day are read in the holy Scriptures, of hel, of eternal death, of the fiery lake, wher ſhalbe weeping & gnaſhing of teeth, alſo of ye reſurrectiō of the ſoule & bodye either to euerlaſting paines or eternal glorye. Whē as al theſe things wtout doubt ſtrike horror into thē yt be godly in deede, & do feare god aright, & as one ſaith, they are almoſt afraid to heare thē once named or ſpoken of. Thus haſt thou the chiefe & principall cauſe, as I thinke why all of vs almoſt do ſo prolong the amendment of our life.

Of the ſecond cauſe vvhy man differreth to amende his lyfe.

LEt vs nowe come to the ſecond, whiche is hope of Gods pardon and fauour: a hope great in deede, but ſurelye falſe and altogether vncertaine. With this hope the continuall enemy of mankind the Deuil holdeth man in ſinne and by dayly ſetting before him Gods lenitie and gentlenes, keepeth him from fearing his iuſtice. But as God doth eaſily pardon the penitent, and fatherly forgeiueth ſuch as returne vnto goodnes: ſo he leaueth not vnpuniſhed, neither ſuffereth vnreuenged, ſuche as with an obſtinate mind perſeuer in wickednes. In vain therefore doe they hope for pardon, who do not hartely repent for their ſinnes committed. The deuil notwithſtanding by ſetting this hope before man, bringeth to paſſe that he ſinneth ſecurely, and neuer hath any earneſt cogitation of amending his lyfe, but deſpiſeth the riches of Gods bountifulnes, patience, and long ſufferance, not knowing that the bountifulneſſe of God leadeth him to repentaunce, that I maye vſe the wordes of the Apoſtle Paul writing to the Romans. Let man here call to minde that which our ſauiour ſayth in the goſpell of Matthew. Repent, (ſaith he) your former life, for the kingdome of heauen is at hand. And that which the Lord ſaith in Eſay: Which of them ſhall I then regarde? Euē him that is poore & of a lowly troubled ſpirite, and ſtandeth in awe of my words. Chriſt ſaith moreouer in the goſpel of Luke: Ʋnleſſe ye repent, ye ſhal al likewiſe periſh. And Peter in the Acts ſayth: Repente ye therefore and conuert, yt your ſinnes may be put away. I omit ſixe hundred other places in the Scriptures which tende to the ſame ende, that is, which teache that none can hope and truſt for pardon of his ſinnes, but he that repenteth. For in vaine (as I haue ſayde) doth he hope to haue remiſſion and forgiuenes whoſe hearte is not touched with true repentance.

Now albeit no repentaunce be to late before God, which the example of the theeſe mentioned in the goſpell doth declare, for God deſireth not the deſtruction of ſinners, but rather that they repent and liue: Who notwithſtanding ſeeth not how daungerous a thing it is to differre the amendment of our life? Well was it ſayd of one, that none hath euer had God ſo fauourable vnto him, yt he coulde promiſe himſelfe to liue till the morowe. Death oftentimes cōmeth vpon men vnawares, ſo yt they haue no time ſo much as to thinke of repenting and amendinge their life. I will not here rehearſe thoſe thinges whiche Plinie declareth in hys natural hiſtory of ſodain deathes, faraſmuch as nothing almoſt is more common & vſual euen at this time alſo. It is not many yeeres ſince there were two olde men in this country both inhabitants of one and the ſame citie, who the ſame night they dyd lye with the ſtrumpets to whō they vſed to reſort, yt one loſt his life by an Apoplexie, the other was ſtabbed in wt a dagger, ſo both of them died ſodenly, wt how great peril of their ſoules let euerye one thinke with himſelfe.

I confeſſe it in dede to be true, yt it is cōmon to the godly as wel as to ye wicked, to die ſodenly, & that yt is true alſo wt the wiſeman ſaith, yt the righteous man wt what death ſo euer he be preuented ſhalbe in reſt: How dreadful a thing is it notwtſtanding that the impenitent perſon ſhould ſodenly be ouertaken wt death after ſuch a ſort? Of how many haue we heard oftētimes who euen when they were tipling and making god chere, falling vnto ſtrife & brawling amōg themſelues, haue bin thruſt through one of an other? Of howe many, who being taken in adultery, haue by the ſword loſt their liues: Of howe many, who playing at the dice, haue bin ſlayne of them that played with them? That I may ſay nothing of them who falling frō their horſe haue brokē theyr neckes, who haue periſhed ſodenly in the ſea by ſhipwracke, finally, who either byfalling of houſes, or by ſome other chance haue died a ſodain death. Although then y• God doth deſire rather the repentaunce then death of a ſinner, as in deede he doth, it is notwithſtanding a very perilous thing by reaſon of the vncertaine chaunces which be incident vnto vs, to differre the amendment of our life vppon hope of Gods mercy.

Thou muſt repent in time, while thou dooſt yet liue, and art in good health. But thus ſtandeth the caſe: A younge man takethe hys paſtime and pleaſure, geueth himſelfe to banketting and riotous liuing, promiſeth himſelfe to liue manye yeeres, and therefore thinketh nothing of reforming his life, but differreth this thing vntill olde age, whereunto notwithſtanding it is vncertaine whether he ſhall euer come. For what one among manye thouſandes liueth vntill olde age? Nowe what doth he that is become verye olde, and is as it were euen at deathes dore? To morrowe ſaith he it ſhall be done, and againe, it ſhall be done to morrow: ſo he willingly deceiueth & vaynly flattereth himſelfe, ſeeing, as I haue ſayde, no man can promiſe himſelfe to liue till the morrow, no no man knoweth whether he ſhall liue vntil the euening.

In ye meane ſeaſon mē ſo dayly differring & prolonging ye amendmēt of their life, death oftentimes commeth vppon them vnawares, as we may ſee almoſt euerye day: and yet can not other mens harms make vs to beware, ſo doth the deuill alwayes drawe vs on and allure vs with a vayne hope of Gods pardon, and of a long life. Now although it neither ought, nor by any meanes may be denyed, that the penitēt obtaine gods grace and fauour at all times, neither may it be ſayde that he who is nowe about to yeeld vp the ghoſt, & in yt very agonye of death, ſhould deſpeire of pardon: who notwithſtanding is ſo vnwiſe, that he doth not rather deſire that which is ſafe and boyde of all danger, then that which is ioyned with exceedinge greate perill? Wherefore rather then there ſhoulde be any ſcruple or doubte, let vs thinke in time of amending our life, let vs not differre it from day to day, eſpecially ſeeinge it is vncertaine whether wee ſhall liue vntil to morowe. As concerning the clemencie & gentlenes of God, let that alwaies remaine in our mind, which Cyprian ſayth in a certaine place: As fauourable, (ſaith he) & gracious as God alwayes is by the loue of a father, ſo much is he to be feared by the maieſty of a iudge. So ſhall it come to paſſe that the feare of Gods puniſhmente wil reclaime vs from ſinning, & hope of Gods pardon will not lull vs a ſleepe in ouer much ſecuritie.

It is too much to ſay howe Prieſtes in the papacie doe flatter themſelues with this hope of Gods clemency, who al their life time kepe concubines, and vnder a pretence of ſingle life company wt harlots freely & without puniſhment, neuer thinking of reforming their life, or putting their concubines away. And in the meane ſeaſon knowing themſelues guiltie of this diſhoneſtie, & vnclean and wicked life, they doe notwithſtanding almoſte euerye day celebrate diuine ſeruice, and come to the miſticall and holy table, feeding vnworthely of y• breade of the Lord, & vnworthely drinking of his holy cuppe. Now how horrible a thing is it, and how ful of peril and danger, alwais to liue in yt ſtate, in which if death come vpon thee, there is no hope at all of thy ſaluation? In vaine therfore do they flatter themſelues wt hope of gods mercy who ſo kepe cōcubines, & do wt an obſtinate mynd perſeuer in wickednes, neither euer go about to put away their ſtrumpets, or to amend their life, neither do repent truely & from their heart, neither wt weeping & ſighes craue pardon of God for their wickednes cō mitted. But (will ſome mā ſay) they aſke pardon of God oftentimes, they often beſeech his clemency to forgiue them. For in ye end of their euening prayer they ſay almoſt dayly: Conuert vs O God, and turne thine anger away from vs. Alſo in the end of morning prayer: Thou O Lord, ſay they, haue mercy vpon vs. So at other times alſo they often pray, that God wil haue mercy on them, that he will be fauourable vnto them & forgiue them. I heare it: neither doe I here ſtand to decide with howe earneſt attention of mind, with what zeale & ferueney of ſpirite they doe that. But be it yt they pray with a mind ardent & lifted vp vnto God, and with a moſt ſerious and earneſt affection: what then? What doth this auaile if they put not away their concubines with intent neuer to receiue them againe, and do perſiſt in a ſetled purpoſe and determination to liue chaſtly afterward, doe alſo perſeuer in endeuouring to amend their life, and in continuall repentance for their wickednes committed? Now becauſe they doe not this, as the thinge it ſelfe plainly ſheweth, who can doubt, but they either beleue thoſe things to be a fable, wt the holy ſcriptures tech of ye laſt iudgemēt, or els do too much flatter thēſelues wt a vain and falſe hope of Gods pardō? O horible face of y• popiſh church. They which oughte to ouerſee, guide, gouerne and teach others, and yt as wel by example as word they behaue themſelues ſo, that others are meruelouſly offended by them. When the laity come to the Lordes table, with what reuerence, with what feare & trembling, with howe deuout loue and godlines doe they the ſame?

Howe doe they prepare themſelues to confeſſe their ſinnes, and to aſke pardon of God? How doe they endeuour to their vttermoſte, yt no ſcruple or doubt remayne in their minde & conſcience? how certainely and firmely do they determine with them ſelues to amende theyr maners and reforme their life? Now what doe the Popiſh Prieſtes? Theſe forſooth (as one of their owne profeſſion ſayth) make haſt from the wicked company of their concubines to go to the alter, and this they doe very often vnpuniſhed without all ſhame. They haue no care to amend their life, they thinke not of putting away their harlots, finally they are touched with no greefe in their mindes by conſidering their ſinne: and not to vſe many woordes, they ſeeme chriſtians in name onely and word, but in very deede are plain heathen.

Howe many occaſions haue they to repente and turne vnto goodnes: they viſite ſuch as are afflicted with greeuous diſeaſes, they heare thē confeſſe their ſinnes, they cōfort thē & giue them wholeſome exhortations, and are oftentimes preſent with them when they yeelde vp the ghoſte. Moreouer they celebrate their funerals & exequies, and with great ceremony burie them & commit their bodyes to ye earth: they walking in the temple oftentimes reade Epitaphs and verſes grauen vpon tombes & ſepulchers: they oftentimes heare and reade of the comming of the lord, of the reſurrection at the laſt day, of the voyce of the Archangell, of the trumpe of God &c. So yt by theſe meanes they may remember not onely the dead, but euen death it ſelfe hanging ouer their heades euery houre, they may remember alſo the laſte iudgement, the tribunall ſeate of the Lord, and many other thinges which mighte moue them to amend. But ſeeing by all theſe they are not brought to repent, one of theſe two muſt nedes be true, eyther that they count a fable thoſe things which they reade in the holy ſcriptures of the iudgement to come, and are with the Epicureans perſwaded that the ſoule is extincte and dooth periſhe with the body: or els (as I haue ſaid yt they flatter themſelues with a vai • and falſe hope and truſt of Gods mercy.

Of the third cauſe why men driue of to reforme their life.

THe third cauſe why we prolong ye amendment of our life, is the cuſtome of ſinning, which hath now almoſt the force of nature.

Now as it is very hard for euery one to ouercome his owne nature, ſo the force of cuſtome alſo is almoſt inuincible, which men truely ſay to be as it were another nature. Neither is it ſaid amiſſe of one yt thoſe vices are hardlye cut of which do as it were grow vp wt vs. Howe tenderly & gently parents bring vp their children frō their infancie, we al do know. From their tender age they are accuſtomed to delights & pleaſures. They abſtaine not frō foule & ſilthy words, and ſuche as are wicked & blaſphemous againſt God: they weare ſumptuous & gorgeous apparel: they do al things ſtoutly, boldly, & impudently, nothing modeſtly or reuerently. They honour not their parents, they reuerence not old folkes, they diſdaine their equales: briefly what ſoeuer they liſt, they think is lawful for thē to doe. They are reclaimed frō naughtines neither wt ſhame of men, nor with feare of God. They haue no care of religion & pietie toward God, much leſſe of vertue & honeſty among men. What ſhould I vſe many wordes? Parents doe at this day by their owne example marre & corrupt their children, yt they can wt no aucthoritie correcte their maners. Whereas in dede it becōmeth parentes neither to ſay any thing before their children wt is vnſemely to be ſpoken, neither to doe any thinge which may ſeeme vnhoneſt to be done: but rather ſo honeſtly & vertuouſly to lead their life, yt children may ſet their example before thē to folowe, & looking into all their maners and life, into all their ſayings & deedes as it were into a glaſſe, may learn euen from their tender age, what things are to be don, & what to be auoided. For he yt by his maners teacheth thoſe things which he deteſteth in his childrē, while he blameth & rebuketh thē, reproueth his own faults. With what face can he find fault wt his children when they offend who marreth them by his owne example? With what grauitie can he diſalowe that in them which another maye reprehende in him with like ſeueritie?

Let parents therefore remember that it is neceſſary for them to liue vertuouſly & honeſtly: that they muſt neceſſarily prouide, that no blemiſh or diſhoneſty appeare in their life, whereby they may with greater aucthoritie correcte the manners of their children, leſt that thoſe faultes which they blame in them, be found in themſelues, and their rebuking of them be to no purpoſe, and ſo by their owne faulte they make their aucthoritie to be deſpiſed and light ly ſet by of them. Herevnto pertayneth yt ſaying of the Poet: How of a father vvilt thou beare the countenance, and vſe The libertie, vvhen thou in age thy ſelfe dooſt vvorſe abuſe?

Alſo that ſaying in an other Poet of Nauſiſtrata reprouing her huſband, who was angry with his ſonne becauſe of his louer, he knowing himſelfe guilty of a more greuous offence: With what countenance (ſaith ſhe) wilt thou blame him? And that which Artemona ſayth in Plautus, Is it meete that a father ſhoulde thus nurture his children? art thou not aſhamed hereof? But let vs here what y• younge man alleageth for himſelfe, who accuſeth hys father of extreme folly. My riot, (ſayth he) I will impute to my father, I was vnder no ſeuere diſcipline and correction, I was vnder no lawe of a well ordered houſe, which mighte frame a right a young mans manners, & withdraw him from vices which be incident to his age. I was after a ſort procured of my father to riot and naughty liuing. &c. So did not that Tobias a man vertuous and beloued of God, who (as his hiſtory declareth) both taught his ſonne euen from his childhoode to feare God, and abſtaine from all ſinne, and alſo ſet himſelfe before him as an example of godlines to imitate & followe. After this ſort ought parēts to bring vp their children, teaching them frō their tender yeeres the feare of the Lorde, and by their owne good example mouing them forward to all vertue and godlines. For if contrariwiſe they giue them ouermuch libertye, and ſuffer them to accuſtome themſelues to ſinning while they be yet young, they ſhall hardly or neuer afterwarde be reclaymed to goodnes. It is not like that he will liue honeſtly being now olde, who liued diſhoneſtly & wickedly when he was younge, neither that he who was ill broughte vp being a childe, will take good inſtructions whē he is growen in yeres. So great a thing is it to be accuſtomed to any thing from tender age, as it is ſayd of one, and as another ſayth: It is long ere the mind forgetteth that which it was long in learning.

From whence a • e at this day ſo many adulterers, ſo many ruffians, ſo manye retchles and prodigall perſons, ſo many diſers and other wicked & vngodly liuers, but euen as it were out of this fountaine of euill education and inſtruction of children? Seing then it doth much concerne the common wealth, that children be godlily inſtructed & vertuouſlye broughte vp, there is great diligence to be geuen of parents and maiſters in this behalfe. For if this were done, vice would not ſo preuaile as it hath don, which can by no lawes otherwiſe be ſufficiently anoyded. And whereas lawes puniſh offences and naughtines already committed, but good bringinge vp prouideth that nothing be committed worthy of puniſhment, and wheras lawes doe reforme vices, but good bringing vp doth quite remoue thē, it manifeſtly appeareth of howe much more importance this is to the commoditie of the common welth thē y• other. That I may not adde hereunto yt they whiche are ill brought vp, do afterward caſt of al feare & reuerence of lawes, whereby puniſhment is appointed to vice & naughtines. Wherefore y• chiefe care of wiſe gouernors of cities hath alwayes bin, not how they ſhould puniſh wicked and naughty perſons, but by what meanes they mighte beſt bringe to paſſe, that the Citizens would commit nothing worthy of puniſhment. Now becauſe they truſted they could at the laſt bring this to paſſe, if youthe were vertuouſly trained vp from their childhoode, and parents did godlily bringe vp & inſtruct their children, they thoughte it was their dutye to haue an eſpeciall care hereof. But let vs nowe proceede and goe forward to the reſt.

Of the fourth cauſe vvhy man differreth the amendment of his lyfe.

THe fourth cauſe of differring the amendment of our life, is welth and proſperitie, which oftentimes maketh men, being as it were drunken with proſperous fortune, ſo ſecure, that they verye ſeldome remember God, ney, her thinke of amending theyr ſinfull life. Whereupon one of the auncients ſayde well: Of proſperitie (ſayth he) commeth riot, & of riot, as all vices, ſo impietie toward God.

And Seneca affirmeth that mens mindes are luld a ſleepe with ouermuch felicitie as it were with a continuall dronkennes. Hereunto pertaineth that ſaying of Paule vnto Timothee, where he biddeth him charge them that are rich in this worlde that they be not high minded, and that they truſt not in vncertain riches but in the liuing God, that they doe good, and be rich in good workes &c. If that ſaying of Publius be true, that fortune maketh him fooliſh whom ſhee ouer much fauoureth, it appeareth ſurely howe greate the ſecuritie of men is in proſperitie, and when thinges fal out according to their deſire, which ſecuritie afterwarde bringeth forth all kind of wickednes, For hereby it commeth to paſſe that wee feele not the wrathe of God againſt ſinnes, which in deede we ought to feare euē euery hour, alſo yt a certaine ſenſleſnes and drouſines poſſeſſeth mens mindes, ſo that neyther the feare of Gods puniſhmente dooth reclaime them from ſinning, neither doe they ſcarce remember either death or the laſt iudgement.

Our Sauiour in the goſpell accordinge to Luke hath in a goodly ſimilitude ſet forth this ſecuritie of men in proſperitie, where that rich man whoſe ground had brought foorth fruites plenteouſly, thinking not of amendinge hys life, or repenting for his ſinne, neither of releuing and ſuccouring the poore, but being carefull of building his barnes greater, and laying vp his fruites, thought thus with himſelfe: I will gather all my fruites and goods together, and will ſaye to my ſoule: Soule thou haſt muche goodes layde vp for many yeeres, liue at eaſe, eate, drinke, and take thy paſtime. But in this ſecuritie and as it were dreaming of long proſperitie, what dooth God ſaye vnto him? O foole, this night will they fetche away thy ſoule from thee. Doſt thou not ſee, yt while the rich man dreameth that he ſhall enioy a ſecure and quiet life, deintie dinners, and ſumptuous ſuppers, coſtly and delicate bankets, the ioyes and pleſures of this world, and thinketh now all things ſafe and ſure, dooſt thou not ſee I ſay that while he vainely looketh to enioye all theſe thinges, ſodaine deſtruction is ready to fall vpon him, according as ye Apoſtle Paul ſaith? The holye Scripture therefore biddeth vs watch alwayes, biddeth vs be prepared at all times for the comming of the Lorde: an excellent admonition aſſuredly, if we did not cō temne it. But as in ye time of Noe, when they were eating, drinking, marrying, the flood ſodenly deſtroyed them all, & as when Lot was departed out of Sodom, they al periſhed ſodenly by fire frō heauen: ſo doth y• laſt day of euery mans life come ſodenly & vnawares vpō him.

S. Iames going about to ſhake of this ſecuritie y• of rich & welthy of the worlde, what doth he ſay? euen as foloweth: Go to nowe, yee rich men, ſaith he, weepe and howle for your miſeries that ſhall come vpon you. Your riches are corrupt, your garments are moth eaten: your gold and ſiluer is tankred. Ye haue liued in pleaſure on the earth & in wantonnes, and haue merely kept continual feaſtes & bankets. Let here that rich man mentioned in the Goſpell come into thy mind, who was clothed with purple and fine ſilke, and fared deliciouſly euery day, but at the laſte leauing this life, he is continually tormented in hell. Surely ouermuch welth and proſperitie ſuffered him not to thinke of amending his life. Hereunto pertaineth that ſaying of our Sauiour in the Goſpell of Matthew: It is a hard thing for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of heauen. And againe: It is eaſier for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle, then for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God. This our Sauior as it were interpreting in ye Goſpell of Marke. Howe hard is it, (ſayth he) for them that put their truſt in riches, to enter into the kingdome of God? Hereunto tendeth that whereas Chriſt calleth riches & delightes of this life, thornes which choke that leede of the worde of God, yt it can not ſpringe vp, and bring forth fruite. This therefore is the cauſe why God ſometime ſendeth aduerſitie, & chaſteneth them whō he loueth as y• apoſtle ſaith, euen vnto this end, yt he may ſhake of our ſecurity, & ſtirre vs vp to feare him & cal vpō him, whō for ye moſt part in proſperitie wee doe too much forget, alſo yt he may pricke vs forwarde to acknowledge our ſinnes, and hartely to repent for the ſame, moreouer that he may moue vs to deſire after heauenly thinges, and to deſpiſe thoſe that be humaine and earthly.

For in them who haue the world at will, meruelouſly raigneth that carnall ſecuritie, which is counted amonge the moſte heynous ſinnes, and ſloth & ſluggiſhnes, yea & as it were a certain ſenſleſnes & drouſines with a contempt of diuine thinges poſſeſſeth their mindes: briefely in godly & vertuous actions they are faint, remiſſe, ſlothfull, and without all courage and ſpirite. By all theſe wordes and many moe I can ſcarce ſufficiently expreſſe that which I thinke, ſuch is the greatnes of this ſinne. Now the Scripture declareth that in proſperitie and abundance of welth men are made not only ſecure, but alſo almoſt blind, and oftentimes vngodly & wicked. Whereupon is that ſaying of Moſes: He was well fedde, growne thicke, and laden with fatnes: ſo he forſooke God his maker, and regarded not the rocke of his ſalnation. They prouoke him to anger wt ſtrange Gods &c. So Dauid when his enemies were on euery ſide ſubdued, being ſecure & thinking all things to be ſafe, falleth into adultery, and defileth himſelfe with the ſlaughter of an innocent man. He that before when Saule perſecuted him, had behaued himſelfe very well, in proſperitie became vtterly vnlike himſelfe: ſo much doth it concerne him that ſtandeth, again and again to take heede leaſt he fall. Nowe after he had committed theſe ſinnes, in howe great ſecuritie did he liue a long time? For as though there had bin no daunger, becauſe God is mercifull, he went to the tabernacle, he celebrated Sabbats and feſtiuall dayes, he was preſent at ſacrifices and offered them, like as others did: and not to vſe many wordes he lyued with a ſecure mynd. But when God by the Prophet Nathan denounceth vnto him puniſhment and vengeaunce, and putteth him in feare and terror, then at the laſt he returning to himſelfe, perceiueth what he had committed, weyeth with himſelfe the grieuouſnes of his offence, and conceiueth greate greefe by reknowledging his ſinne, openly confeſſeth the ſame, humbly craueth the mercy of God, deſireth to be waſhed from his iniquitie, to be clenſed from his ſinne, and to haue the filthines of his offence wiped away: neither doth he in the meane ſeaſon refuſe the puniſhment which god had threatned againſt him, neyther ſeeketh to auoyde that ſcourge which he had deſerued.

I would to God there were not like ſecurity in vs, who for the moſt part liue with ſuch a ſecure minde, as thoughe all thinges were well, neyther doe we acknowledge our offences, nether feare the ſeuere iudgement, and grieuous and heauy wrath of God againſte ſinne. So arre is it of that howe great ſinnes we cōmit, ſo greatly we doe alſo lament the ſame, as the moſt holy martyr of Chriſt S. Cyprian ſaith. But that I may returne to our former matter, and knit vp all in fewe wordes: No man can be ſaued, but he whoſe ſinnes are forgiuen, and none hath his ſinnes forgeuen but hee that aſketh pardon of God: nowe none aſketh pardō of God, but he that deſireth to returne into Gods fauour: neither doth any deſire this from his heart, but he that is throughly grieued for his ſinnes: and none is grieued for his ſinnes, but he that acknowledgeth them, and feeleth the wrathe of God againſte ſinnes. This he doth not who is ſecure, and touched with no care of his ſaluation: but for the moſte parte he is ſuche a one with whom all thinges goe proſperouſly forward, and who is, as it is ſaid of one, drunke with ſweete and proſperous fortune. It is therefore manifeſt hereby, that proſperitie and fortunate affaires doe cauſe that men ſeldome thinke of amendinge theyr life.

Of the fift cauſe vvhy man prolonggeth the reforming of his life.

THe fift cauſe of differring the amendment of our maners from day to day, is hope of long life. For although there be none, albeit he be but young, who knoweth aſſuredly, as he ſaith in Cicero, that he ſhall liue til ye euening: Notwtſtāding there is almoſt none ſo old, but he thinketh he may liue yet one yere more. An old man crieth out in a certaine comicall Poet, ſayinge, ſhall I beeing threeſcore and fiue yeres of age become a newe maried man, and marye an olde criple to my wyfe, doe yet perſwade me vnto thys? But at this day olde men being almoſt four ſcore yeeres of age mary wenches that be ſcarce yet fiftene yeres old: So doe they hope no leſſe then ſtriplings or yong men, that they ſhall yet liue a long while but how wiſely y• thing it ſelfe is able to ſhewe. And perhaps to ſome it may ſeme a thing fooliſh and fond, to be woers being ſo olde, as for vs wee determine thereof neyther way: onely this I know well, that they which mary Ʋirgins at that age, albeit they be nowe olde and euen very criples, are notwithſtanding caried with hope of liuing yet longer. This hope therefore is the cauſe, why almoſte no man dooth earneſtly thinke of reforming his manners, or of rendring an accounte to that highe iudge of the life which he hath led. All differre and put of from daye to day, as muche as they can, ſo profitable and neceſſary a thing. Howe greatly doe I feare leaſt the very heathen ſhal in the laſt iudgement vpbraid vs wt this ſlothfulnes, who doe ſo late or almoſte neuer at all thinke of reforming our maners & amendinge our life. Whereas not a fewe of the Heathen in time paſte were wonte dayly to vſe this cuſtome, before they gaue themſelues to ſleepe, to conſider with themſelues, according to Pythagoras precepte, what they had done that daye eyther well or ill. Which the Poet Ʋirgill, ſpeaking of a good & wiſe man, hath declared in manner as followeth: HE doth not cloſe his eyes to take the ſweete and pleaſant ſleepe, Till all things done the day he weyes vvith cogitation deepe. Thinking, vvhat did I pretermit? vvhat haue I done in ſeaſon? VVhat not? why was this naughtly done? and why that vvithout reaſon? VVhy did that mynde preuaile with me, which altred had bin beſt? VVhy vvhen I had the poore releud, did greefe poſſeſſe my breſt? VVherefore did I that thing deſire, vvhich good is to deny? VVhy did I gaine preferre before vertue and honeſty? Hath any man by me bin hurt by vvord or deede this day? VVhy doth nature then diſcipline vvith me beare greater ſway? Thus weying thinges both ſayd and done from morning vntill night, That which is euill doth vvorke him greefe, but good doth him delight.

Of this cuſtome Seneca alſo ſaieth ſomewhat, which I can not but adde and annexe hereunto. He therefore ſpeaking in a certaine place of calling the minde dayly to giue an accounte: Sextius did thys, (ſaith he) the day being ended when he went to his nightly reſt, he demaunded of his minde in this ſort: what euill of thine haſte thou reformed this day? What vice haſt thou reſiſted? in what reſpect art thou better? And a little after he addeth: What, ſaith he, is more goodlye then thys cuſtome to examine ye whole day? What ſleepe foloweth after ſuch examinatiō of a mans ſelfe, how quiet is it, how ſound & free, when ye mind is either prayſed or admoniſhed, & the viewer and graue cenſor thereof doth knowe of ye conditiōs of it? I vſe this cuſtome & do dayly examine my ſelfe. When ye night is nowe come I cōſider what I haue don ye whole day, I cal to mind & wey my deedes and wordes. I hide nothing from my ſelfe. I paſſe nothing ouer. For why ſhould I feare any of mine errors, whē I can ſay: ſe thou do this no more, I do now pardon thee. In ſuch a diſputatiō thou didſt ſpeak too carneſtly: doe not, hereafter deale with the vnſkilfull. Thou didſt admoniſhe ſuche a one more freely then thou oughteſt, and therefore didſt thou not amēd him but offend him. Hereafter take heede, not onely whether that be true which thou ſaieſt, but alſo whether he to whom thou ſpeakeſt will ſuffer the truth to bee ſpoken vnto him. Theſe thinges ſaith Seneca and many other concerning the ſame matter, which I would to God we did throughly print in our mindes, & ſet them before our ſelues to imitate & folow, yea & did cauſe our childrē alſo to vſe this cuſtome. Surely if we did this, either I am verie much deceiued, or els we wold endeuor to lead a life more agreable to a chriſtian profeſſiō. But now what do we? we merily banket & feaſt togither, we haue tables furniſhed wt dainty delicates, wee giue our ſelues to immoderate eating & drinking: we do ſcarce once in a yere require an account of our ſelues of our life paſt, ether aſke pardō for our ſinnes, or determine to return into Gods fauour. So farre is it of yt daily before wee giue our ſelues to ſlepe, euery one examineth his own cōſciēce, & cōſidereth wt himſelfe what life he doth lead: or being wholy diſpleaſed wt himſelfe doth wt weping and mourninge and knocking his breſte proſtrate on the grounde aſke God forgiueneſſe, promiſeth to liue better hereafter by Gods helpe and aſſiſtance, and endeuoreth to perſeuer in his purpoſed determination to leade a godly life. And albeit we doe not theſe thinges, yet in that ſtate yt wee are, we dare be bolde to take ſleepe, yea and to ſleepe very ſoundly: in which ſtate if ſoden death ſhoulde come vppon vs (as there is none who certenlye knoweth, whether he ſhall in the morning riſe ſafe out of his bedde or no) there were no hope left of our ſaluation. But none of theſe thinges come into our minde, ſo muche doe wee flatter our ſelues with hope to liue longe: which hope notwithſtanding, when we ſee it oftentimes deceiue others, how childiſh are we, or rather howe vnwiſe who thinke our ſelues exempt out of ye number of ſuch, as it were by a certaine ſpecial priuiledge?

Of the ſixte cauſe why many that are blinded vvith popiſhe ſuperſtition driue of to amende and reforme their lyfe.

NOw remayneth the ſixt cauſe why many in the papacie prolonge the amendment of their life, but eſpecially ſuch as are of the richer and welthier ſort: and this is not only that truſt which is conceiued of pardon and remiſſion of ſinnes by popiſh bulles and indulgences, but alſo a certaine vain and falſe hope of deliuerance from the paines of purgatorye, by yeerely ſacrifices and maſſes, and by the helpes and meanes of Prieſtes and Monkes: alſo by the almes deedes and good workes of their freendes that are aliue, as faſtings, praiers, vigils, pilgrimages, and other ſuch like.

For ſome of thē both affirme that by indulgē ces may be obtained remiſſion of ſinnes, and are not aſhamed to ſay that the ſoule which is tormented in the fire of purgatory, doth flie vnto heauen euen at the verye ſame inſtant that y• mony is throwne into y• baſon: & alſo do think that the departed are holpen by other mens workes and merites, which both the ſcripture it ſelfe & the auncient fathers do vtterly deny, affirming that in this preſent world one maye helpe another either by prayer or good counſell, but that when wee come before the iudgemente ſeate of Chriſte euery one muſte beare his owne burden: and not to vſe many words, as death fyndeth euerie man, ſo is he iudged of GOD.

Howe execrable then is that ſluggiſhnes of men, who liue with ſo ſecure a minde in ſinne and wickednes? For if they were touched with any care of their ſaluation, they would ſurelye keepe ſome meaſure in ſinning, and thinke of the laſt day of their life: as for example (that I may ſpeake particularly) he that is at enmitie with his neighbour, would endeuour accordinge to the commandement in the Goſpell to be reconciled: whoremongers and adulterers woulde remember that God will iudge them, as the author to the Hebrewes ſayth: murderers, ſorcerers and all lyers woulde neuer forget that lake which burneth with fire & brimſtone, where Iohn in his reuelation writeth, that their portion ſhal bee: couetous perſons, drunkardes raylers, woulde alwayes haue in memorye, that they ſhall not inherite the kingdome of GOD, as y• Apoſtle Paul witneſſeth writing to the Corinthians and Epheſians: rich men woulde neuer ſuffer to ſlip our of theyr mynde, that our Sauiour ſayth it is harde for them that truſte in riches, to enter into the kingdome of GOD: briefly all of vs in generall woulde without doubte be myndfull of that vnquenchable: and eternall fire which Chriſte threatneth in the Goſpell to the wicked and vngodly, and euery one woulde for him ſelfe feare that aunſwere which was made to the fooliſh Ʋirgins: I know yee not: alſo that ſaying concerning y• ſlothful ſeruant: Caſte that vnprofitable ſeruaunte into vtter darkeneſſe, where ſhal be weeping & gnaſhing of teeth: Moreouer that of the man which had not on a wedding garment, Binde him hande and foote and caſte him into vtter darkeneſſe. &c. Finallye that ſayinge of our Sauiour to the wycked, Departe from me yee curſed, into euerlaſtinge fyre. O too too ſtubburne and obſtinate ones, whom theſe thinges doe nothinge moue: O Epicureans whiche bebeleeue not theſe thinges: O wicked and vngodly perſons which laugh and ſcorne at theſe thinges: O mad men and vnmindefull of their ſaluation who neglect theſe thinges. But they neglecte them who thinke they ſhall obteyne pardon and remiſſion of ſinnes, by bulles and indulgences of the Pope, and truſting in thys perſwaſion driue of from day to day the amēdment of their life.

Now there is another cauſe alſo which make many thus prolong and differre, namely for yt they are perſwaded yt becauſe of a goodly worſhip which they giue to S. Barbarie, they ſhall not dye but being verye contrite, and hauing firſt receiued the Lords ſupper. For thys ſuperſtition of worſhipping S Barbarie hath poſſeſſed the mindes almoſt of all in the papacie. Whereupō they haue appointed a faſt vnto her to be obſerued euery yeere: and painters ſet her forth holding the holy cuppe and breade in her hand. Moreouer this is an other cauſe alſo for that they haue prouided long before, that when their dying day is come, they may be admitted into the familie of S. Fraunces, and being deade may be buried in S. Fraunces habit. For this opiniō alſo is fixed in ye minds almoſt of all, that the deuill hath no power ouer them who attaine to this, foraſmuch as the Monks haue together with their habit imparted vnto them their merites and good workes, which are done in their whole order, as maſſes, diuine offices, prayers, preachinges, ſtudyes, faſtinges, abſtinence, vigils, labors, and other ſuch like. For hereupon the Monks, leauing alwayes that which is ſufficient for thē ſelues to obtaine ſaluation, if there be anye ouerplus, as alwayes there is ſome, are wonte not to impart the ſame freely vnto others, but to fell it vnto them for money. This therefore is a cauſe alſo, as I haue ſaide, why they neuer thinke of amending their life, who haue ſo bought with mony the participation of monks merites and deedes. But it ſhall be needeleſſe here to ref •… and confute this manifeſt error of popiſh indulgences, and this very fond and vaine ſuperſtition of worſhipping of Saintes, ſeeing that both others before vs, and we alſo haue often done the ſame in ſundrye places.

Thus haſt thou (gentle Reader) the chiefe cauſes, as I thinke, why we doe eyther neglect or differre ye amendment of our life. There be alſo other as it were ſeconde cauſes he • eof▪ •… s dayly company, ſocietie, and conuerſation with the vngodly and wicked, who are touched with no feare of God, muche leſſe follow vertue and goodnes, or liue holilye and vprightly. Now the familiaritie and company of ſuche men is with all diligence to be auoyded of them, who haue care of their ſoules helth. Euill wordes, as it is moſt truly ſayde of one, corrupt good manners: and another ſaith, by keeping company and liuing together with the wicked, thou thy ſelfe alſo doſt become wicked. Here lette parentes remember that they muſt haue an eſpeciall care that they ſuffer no naughty and leud perſon to haue anye familiaritie with their children, and that they ſee and marke, what youth it is and with what maners they be endued, which are much or daily in their company, doe liue familiarly wyth them, or ſeeke to inſinuate into their frendſhip and fauoure. For euery man doth almoſte become ſuch a one as they are whoſe companye he vſeth. And truely in deede is it ſayde of one, yt he which toucheth pitch is defiled therewith. But let vs heare what another ſayeth who cannot away with our religion: Maners ſayth he, are taken of them with whom we be conuerſant, and as certaine diſeaſes paſſe frō the bodye to them that touch it, ſo doth ye mind alſo inſert them that be next it with the euills thereof: The drunkard bringeth his companions to • oue well wine: the vnchaſt perſon maketh the ſtout and valiant, if it may be, effeminate and wanton: couetouſneſſe poureth her poyſon into them that bee next it: The ſame may be ſayd on the other ſide of vertues, &c. He therefore that deſireth to liue vertuouſlye and godly, and to keepe himſelfe pure & cleane from wickednes, which all Chriſtians oughte to deſyre, let him ſhunne and auoide the companye of the wicked. For they that giue themſelues wholy to theyr companye, and are daily conuerſant, feaſte, eate and drinke, be merye and make good cheere wt them, they I ſay doe hardly euer thinke of amending their life, neither can they eaſily ſeuer themſelues frō y• pleſant cōpany of their cōpanions. Wherfore notwtſtanding they frequent godly ſermōs, are admoniſhed of good men and ſuche as haue authoritye, and they themſelues being moued with feare of Gods puniſhmente, doe deſyre & that vnfainedly to reforme their maners, yet for all this I can not tell howe they alwayes differre and driue of from day to day, neyther can they for the moſte parte euer either truelye repent or turne to the right way. In the meane ſeaſon deathe oftentimes ſodenly & vnawares commeth vpon them being thus ſecure & careleſſe. For as euery mans death is certaine, ſo is the houre thereof moſt vncertaine. And therfore are we commaunded in the Scripture to watch and be alwayes prepared vnto the laſte day of our life, accordinge to the ſaying of our Sauiour Chriſt in the goſpell of Luke: Be ye prepared (ſaith he) for the Sonne of man will come at an houre when ye thinke not.

There is alſo another cauſe at this day why many of the common ſort prolonge and driue of the amendment of their life. For ther be certaine and thoſe verye deuoure felowes, for we muſt ſuſpect no other of thē, howbeit not very wiſe and wary, who in ſundry places preache much of the grace of God, of forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, and of other thinges that pertaine to ſaluation, and doe very diligently and wyth greate earneſtneſſe handle the ſame: but they ſay either nothing at all or els verye little of a newe life in Chriſt, of the ſanctifying & quickning of the holy ghoſt. But he that will be coū ted a true Chriſtian in deede, muſt, accordinge to the doctrine of Paule, dye to ſinne, and liue vnto righteouſneſſe, muſt put of the olde man, with his woorkes, put on the newe man and liue as it becommeth the Goſpell of Chriſte: muſt not commit adultery or whoredome, muſt not be at enmitie with his neighbour, muſt not be couetous, an vſerer, enuious, muſte not be proude and high minded. And the holy ghoſt is giuen of God to them that beleeue and cal vpon him, that he may ſtirre vp newe motions in the heart, and as it were regenerate the will of man, & moue him forward to all duties of godlines, to all vertues worthy of a chriſtian man, and vnto a life agreable to the profeſſion of the Goſpell, where of we haue elſwhere ſpoken more at large. Now how much doſt thou think are the mindes of the ignoraunt offended by theſe or ſuch like ſayings of ſome? If thou bee an adulterer (ſay they) if a whoremonger, if a couetous perſon, or defiled with any other ſinne and wickednes, beleeue onely, and thou ſhalt be ſafe. There is no cauſe why thou ſhoul deſt feare the Lawe: for this Chriſte hath fulfilled and made ſatiſfaction for the ſinnes of mankinde. Theſe ſayings doe without doubte grieuouſly offend godly eares, and miniſter occaſion to leade a wicked life, and are cauſe that men thinke nothing of reforming their manners, but obſtinately perſeuer in ſinne and vngodlines, yea they doe encourage them vnto al wickednes, & as it were cut of ſuch meanes as might moue thē to repent & amend. How much better did Paule, who as Luke mentioneth in the Acts, not onely preached of yt faith which is in Chriſt, vnto Felix and Druſilla his wife, but entreated alſo diligently of righteouſnes, and temperance, & of the iudgement to come: ſo that Felix was ſtriken with terror while Paule diſputed. The ſame Paule alſo witneſſeth moreouer in the Acts, that he did not only preache to the Gentiles that they ſhould repente and turne vnto God, but admoniſh them alſo that they ſhoulde doe workes worthye of them that had repented. Thus haſt thou gentle Reader the cauſes which commonly moue vs to prolonge and differre the amendment of our lyfe: it remayneth nowe that we briefly ſhewe what remedye may be founde for this euell, although we haue done the ſame partly alreadye.

Remedies againſt the cauſes aforeſayd, and firſt againſt mans incredulitie which was ſayde to be the firſte cauſe vvhy he differreth the amendement of hys lyfe.

AGainſt our incredulitie then concerninge the iudgement to come, the puniſhment of the wicked, the immortall felicitie of the godlye, very much vndoubtedly (vnles wee had rather ſeeme then be Chriſtians in deede) will preuaile the aucthoritye of our God and Lord Ieſus Chriſte, if wee haue in remembraunce, and alwayes as it were before the eyes of our mynde hys ſayinges whiche are in ſundrye places of the Scripture concerninge theſe thinges, as is that in the Goſpel of Iohn (that of manye I maye rehearſe onelye a fewe) The houre ſhall come (ſayeth he) in the which all that are in the graues ſhall heare his voice: and they ſhall come forth, that haue done good, vnto ye reſurrection of life: but they that haue done euell vnto the reſurrection of condemnation. &c. This is the will ſaith he in another place, of him that ſent me, that euerye man which ſeeth the Sonne and beleeueth in him, ſhould haue euerlaſting life: and I wyll raiſe him vp at the laſte day. Moreouer in the Goſpell of Matthew ſpeaking of ye laſt iudgement, amonge other thinges he ſheweth what ſentence he ſhal pronoūce of the godly: Come, ſaith he, ye bleſſed of my father: inherit ye the kingdome prepared for you from the foundations of the world. And contrariwiſe of the wicked: Depart from me, ſaith he, yee curſed into euerlaſtinge fyre, which is prepared for the deuill and his angels. And a little after: and theſe ſhall goe into euerlaſtinge paine, but the righteous into lyfe eternall. O dreadful voice of the iudge that condemneth the wicked to euerlaſting fyre. If feare of Iudges on ye earth doth aſtoniſh the guilty, howe ought that heauenly iudge to make them afraid? or what terror ought he to ſtrike into the wicked through remorce of conſcience for ſinne? If thou doſt ſo feare a Iudge on the earth, from whom not withſtanding thou maiſt appeale vnto others, how much more oughteſt thou to feare the ſentence of that Iudge, from whom there is no appealing? Depart, ſaith he, from me, ye curſed. Howe dreadfull a thinge will it be to be ſeperate from God himſelfe, who is the chiefe and ſoueraigne good: to be driuen from the company of the godly and holy ſpirites: to be excluded from the eternall bleſſednes of the heuenly kingdome, which is ſo great, that it can neither in words be expreſſed, neither in mynd comprehended, nor by any cogitation of man conceiued: & not only this, but alſo to be cōmitted to extreme & euerlaſting paines in hel, & to be condemned to fire yt ſhal neuer go out, in reſpect whereof our fire is mere yſe, finally to be wt the deuils an infinite time & for euermore, without any expectatiō or hope of better ſtate?

What? thinkeſt thou, if theſe thinges came into mens mindes, they would liue ſo leudlye? Howbeit they thinke not of that which Peter witneſſeth in the Acts of the Apoſtles, that Chriſt is ordeyned of God a iudge of quicke & dead: whereof Paule maketh mention writing to Timothee. And the ſame Paule in his ſecond Epiſtle to the Corinthians ſaith: for we muſt all appeare before the iudgemente ſeate of Chriſte, that euerye man may receiue the things which are don in his body, accordinge to that he hath don, whether it be good or euil. In this iudgement (as the ſame Paule teſtifieth) ſhalbe reuealed and made open before all whatſoeuer is now hidde in the depth of mans hart, and as it were obſcured with darkneſſe. Which thing how dreadfull it will bee to the wicked, it neither can be ſufficiently expreſſed, neither well conceiued. If in this life he, whoſe deedes, being in euery reſpect filthy, and very ſinfull and wicked, ſhoulde be made manifeſte in the company & aſſembly of all ſorts of men, had rather the earth ſhould ſwalow him vppe, then to haue ſo manye witneſſes of his ſinnes and wickednes: how doe we think ſhall we be affected, when the hearts of the wicked being opened, all our thoughts purpoſes and deedes ſhalbe brought to light before the whole world, before the angels of god, before all the ſaints?

If we count it here a miſerable & wretched thing, to be caried to priſon, what a thing will it be to be caſt into eternall torments? If it be a dreadfull thing here to be puniſhed with exile or death, what a thing will it be to be exiled and baniſhed from that heauenly countrye for euermore, and for the body with the ſoule to be tormented with continual death? If it ſhall be moſt pleaſaunt to the godly to heare when the Sonne of God ſhall bidde them inherite the kingdome prepared for them from the foundations of the world: howe dreadfull and terrible to the wicked thinke we ſhall that voyce of the Iudge be, condemning them to euerlaſtinge fire prepared for the deuil & his angls? If wee beleeue theſe thinges concerning the iudgement to come, the reward of ye godly, and deſerued puniſhment of the wicked: Why doe we, ſo liue as thoughe there were neither heauen nor hel? If we do not beleeue them, why will we be counted and called Chriſtians?

Let vs therfore ſhake of this ſecuritie which poſſeſſeth our minds, & y• ſluggiſhnes & ſlothfulnes, yt dulnes & drouſines which is come vpon vs. For we haue not to doe wt trifling matters but with ſuch as concerne the ſaluation of our ſoules y• inheriting of the kingdome of Heauen, the life bleſſed and immortall. Now, now therefore I ſay, while we liue and are in helth, while there is yet time for pardon, while we haue him an aduocate in heauen, whom hereafter wee ſhall haue a iudge, let vs endeuour to amend our life, and not differre ſo long, till ſinnes rather forſake vs then we them. Neyther let vs euer be vnmindfull of the daye of Iudgemente, and the dreadefull voice of the Iudge bidding the wicked departe from him, neither of the pains of hell and that euerlaſting fire. Let vs haue alwayes in mind the ſhortnes of our life, the certaintie of Death & the vncertaintie of the houre thereof, which is ſuch, that no man can promiſe to him ſelfe that he ſhall liue till to morowe, no not ſo much as one moment longer. Whereupon well ſurely ſayth Seneca: it is vncertaine, ſaith he, in what place death looketh for thee, & therefore looke thou for it in euery place. Wherefore the leſſe certaine and continuing that the life of men is, ſo much more, while they maye, oughte they to thinke of repentance.

Remedies againſte the ſecond cauſe for which men driue of to amend their life, vvhich was ſayde to be hope of Gods mercy & pardon.

WHereas vpon hope and truſte of Gods goodnes and clemency thou prolongeſt the amendment of thy life (that we may nowe ſpeake ſome thing againſte the ſeconde cauſe) thou oughteſt in no wiſe to be moued thereby ſo to do. Chriſt when he came called ſinners in deede, but to repentance of their former lyfe, not vnto libertie and licence to ſinne. As God is mercifull, ſo dooth he graciouſlye forgiue, howbeit them that repente, not ſuch as obſtinately perſeuer in wickednes. Chriſt bare our ſinnes in his body on the t • ee, ſaith S. Peter. I graunt it, but what addeth he? that we being deliuered from ſinne, ſhould liue vnto righteouſnes. Chriſte gaue himſelfe for vs, ſayth Paul writing to Titus: There is none that denyeth that, but what foloweth in the ſame place? that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie, and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himſelfe, zealous of good works. Chriſt hath waſhed vs from our ſinnes in his bloude, as Iohn ſaieth in hys Reuelation. I confeſſe it, but not to this ende, that we ſhould againe defyle our ſelues wyth the filthineſſe of ſinne and wickedneſſe. We haue Chriſte an aduocate with the Father, howebeit, if wee repente our former lyfe, and ſo flye vnto him.

I will, thou wilt ſay, hereafter lament mine euill life. But how knoweſt thou whether thou ſhalt liue one momente longer, much leſſe ſo long while thou bewaile thy ſinnes and amend thy life? Call to mind what God ſaith to that riche man mencioned in the Goſpell who in great proſperitie promiſed himſelfe to liue yet manye yeeres: Thou foole, ſayeth God, this night will thy fetch away thy ſoule from thee. Thou haſte cauſe to feare leaſte the ſame happen vnto thee. I hope (thou wilt ſay) it will be better with me then ſo. But what if this hope deceiue thee? for here one may worthely crye, O vayne and deceitful hope. Nowe if thys come to paſſe (whiche I woulde in no wyſe ſhoulde) thou ſhalt periſhe for euer, and willinglye caſte thy ſelfe into euerlaſtinge deſtruction. And thou canſt not denye but it maye come to paſſe in ſo greate vncertaintye of thy lyfe. What follye is it then to bringe thy ſaluation in doubte, by differring and prolonginge that thinge, whereby thou mayſt preſently prouide for the ſame. Why dooſte thou not therefore foorthwith amende thy lyfe rather then with ſo greate perill of thy ſaluation nouriſhe ſuch vaine and deceitfull hope.

God is mercifull, thou wilt ſaye. True it is, but he is alſo iuſte. Whereas then thou truſteth in hys mercy, why dooſt thou not alſo feare his iuſtice? I haue no pleaſure in the death of a ſinner, ſaieth the Lorde by the Prophet. It is true, but what dooth he adde by & by after? But that he turne from hys waye and lyue. Turne then vnto the Lorde, as Ioel exhorteth, wyth all thine heart, wyth faſting, weepinge, and mourninge. Turne thee to the Lord thy God, for he is gracious and mercifull, flowe to anger and of greate goodneſſe, as the ſame Prophet ſayeth. Hereunto maketh that ſayinge of Ezechiell: If the vngodly wyll turne away from all hys ſinnes that he hath done and kepe all my ſtatuts, and doe the thing that is iudgemente and righte, doubtleſſe he ſhall liue and not dye. And a little after: Haue I any pleaſure in the death of a ſinner, ſaith the Lorde God, ſhall he not liue if he returne from his wayes? To the ſame effect tendeth that ſaying of Eſai: Let the vngodly man forſake his owne wayes, and the vnrighteous his owne imaginations, and turne againe vnto the lord, ſo ſhal he be merciful vnto him, and to our God, for he is verye ready to forgiue. The Prophet declareth that God is gentle and mercifull, but to ſuch as repente & acknowledge their ſinnes.

Doe thou therefore firſt repent, returne vnto goodnes, aſke pardon of thy ſinnes with weeping and mourninge, be ſorye euen from thy heart for thy offences committed, forſake thine owne way, and turne vnto the Lord thy God: and then conceiue ſure truſte of thy ſaluation, neither deſpeire of pardon, neither doubte of Gods goodnes and clemencye. In the meane ſeaſon remember that which our ſauiour ſaith in the Goſpell: that there is ioy in heauen for one ſinner that repenteth and turneth vnto God, more then for ninetie and nine iuſt men, which neede none amendment of life. Yea let this thing greatly ſtirre thee vp to repent, cō ſidering with thy ſelfe howe deſirous the Angels are of thy ſaluation, and how they reioyce and be gladde at thy repentaunce. But that doth ſingularly wel pleaſe thee which is in the booke of Pſalmes: The Lorde is good & gracious and of great mercy. But heare againe what is alſo in the ſame booke: Thou hateſt all that worke iniquitie: and again: The countenaunce of the Lord is againſt them that doe euill. Iohn (will ſome man alleage) ſayth in this wiſe: He that beleueth in the Sonne hath eternall lyfe. But what doth the ſame Iohn ſay moreouer? He that committeth ſinne is of the deuill, and he that ſaith he knoweth God, and keepeth not his commaundements, is a lyer. Iohn Baptiſt beareth witneſſe of Chriſt: Behold ſaith he, the Lambe of God, which taketh away the ſinne of the worlde. But what ſaith he in another place? Repent and bringe forth fruites worthy amendment of life. Peter as Luke mentioneth in the Acts ſaith in this ſort: We beleeue through the grace of y• Lord Ieſus Chriſt to be ſaued. But what doth the ſame Peter ſay alſo in another place of ye ſame boke? Amend your liues therefore & turn, that your ſinnes may be put away. Chriſt himſelfe ſaith in the Goſpel of Iohn: God ſo loued the world yt he hath giuen his only begottē ſonne, that whoſoeuer beleeueth in him, ſhoulde not periſhe but haue euerlaſting life. But what dooth he alſo ſaye in the Goſpell of Matthew: Not euery one that ſaith vnto me, Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into ye kingdome of heauen, but he yt doth the will of my father which is in heauen. Thou beleeueſt that which Paule ſaieth, that Chriſt Ieſus came into the worlde to ſaue ſinners. Beleeue then the ſame Paule alſo, when he affirmeth that ſorcerers, adulterers, whoremongers, murderers, theeues, extorſioners, couetous men, proude perſons, drunkards, ſlaunderers, ſuch as be enuious and malicious ſhall not inherite the kingdome of God. For if thou be verelye perſwaded yt Paul doth ſpeake truely here, or rather the holy Ghoſte by the mouth of Paule, thou then plainely ſeeſt, that thou canſt cōceiue no truſt of Gods mercy, nether hope for ſaluation frō him, as long as thou liueſt wickedly and vngodlily. For faith as it learneth out of ye Goſpel yt God is gracious & merciful to them yt repent, ſo doth it alſo learn that he is angry & oftended wt them that obſtinately perſeuer in ſinne. There is no cauſe thē, that thou ſhouldeſt vpon hope & truſte of Gods fauour & pardon, prolong the amendment of thy life, & ſo deceiue thy ſelfe. Repent firſt, & return into ye right way, & thē be bold to promiſe to thy ſelfe largely of Gods elemency & mercy. Now as none can well repent, but he yt hopeth for pardon, as Ambroſe hath truely ſaid: ſo he can not hope for any pardon, who doth not vnfeinedly repent. I wil moreouer adde hereunto ſomewhat out of ye booke of Ieſus the ſonne of Sirach before I procede any further: Say not, ſaith he, I haue ſinned, & what euill hath come vnto me? For ye Almighty is a pacient rewarder, but he wil not leaue thee vnpuniſhed. Becauſe thy ſinne is forgiuen, be not wtout feare to heape ſinne vpon ſinne: neither ſay, ye mercy of God is great, he will forgiue my manifold ſinnes. For like as he is mercifull, ſo goeth wrath from him alſo, and his indignation commeth down vpon ſinners. Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lord and put not of from daye to day. For ſuddenly ſhall the wrath of ye Lord breake forth, and in time of vengeance he will deſtroy thee. Thus much ſaith Ieſus the ſonne of Syrach.

Remedies againſt the third cauſe for which we prolonge the reforming of our life, which vvas ſayde to be the cuſtome of ſinninge.

BƲt the cuſtome of ſinning doth hinder thee that thou cauſte not returne vnto goodnes and amend. For moſt commonly it commeth to paſſe that thou ſhalt euen againſte thy will doe thoſe things whereunto thou haſt accuſtomed thy ſelfe from thy tender yeeres. For as Cyprian ſaith, it is not ſuddenly and quicklye left, which hauing bin long vſed hath in continuaunce of time much increaſed. When doth he learne to ſpare and ſpende moderatlye, who hath bin longe accuſtomed to ſumptuous ſuppers and deintie delicates? And when doth he frame himſelfe to weare common and ſimple apparell, who hath of a longe time bin clothed with gorgeous garmentes, glittering with gold and other precious ornaments? It muſte needes be, that according to the cuſtome, drunkennes do with forcible prouokements allure, pryde puffe vp, wrath inflame, extorſion diſquiet, crueltie pricke forwarde, ambition delight, luſt cary headlong. &c. So that it ſemeth very hard by any meanes to ouercome the cuſtome of ſinning, which is nowe almoſt turned into nature.

Howbeit thou muſte notwithſtanding endedeuour to doe it, if thou haſte anye care of thy ſaluation. But by what meanes thou wilt demaunde? If by little and little good cuſtome ſhaketh of yt which euill cuſtome hath brought in: If that which euill cuſtome hath as it were ingraffed, by good cuſtome thou doe endeuor to plucke vp. Now nothing is ſo difficulte and hard as Seneca ſaith, which the minde of man can not ouercome. That therefore thou mayſte ouer come the force of cuſtome which is almoſt inuincible, there is more neede of a certaine willingnes of mind then of ſtriuing and labor: although thou muſt add theſe alſo, if thou wilt weaken, plucke vp, and as it were quite roote out that whiche hath taken deepe roote and is firmely fixed. Goe to therefore with a good courage, begin and doe thine endeuour with a good hope, truſting eſpecially to the aſſiſtance of God, & thou ſhalt haue proſperous ſucceſſe. At ye firſt perhaps when thou dooſt begin, that long continued cuſtome of ſinning will ſeeme vnto thee euen inuincible: but when thou commeſt to the tryall, thou ſhalt ſoone perceiue, that that which was ſuppoſed coulde not bee done without great difficultie, is not a matter ſo troubleſome or hard as thou hadſt thoughte. So doth it fall out oftentimes, that in doinge we finde that light and eaſye, which in the beginning ſeemed heauie and harde. Brieflye whereas that excellent Poet ſayde of the companions of M •… eſtheus. They proſper wel: they able are becauſe they ſo do ſeme

Truſt without all doubtinge that it ſhalbe ſo with thee alſo. Onely (as I haue ſayde) go to with a good courage, and an aſſured hope of proſperous ſucceſſe, and the endeuour and care to liue godlily will daylye more and more like and delight thee, and vertue will meruelouſlye allure thee to loue it, then which (as one truely ſaith) there is nothing more fayre, nothinge more beautiful, nothing more amiable. Finallye thou wilt neuer ceaſe to reioyce on thine owne behalte, for tht thou haſte begun to reforme and amend thy maners: ſo greate pleaſure wilt thou take hereof, and dailye more fruite and more. And thou wilt without doubte nowe confeſſe that to be true which our Lorde and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſte ſaieth in the Goſpell of Matthew: My yoke is caſye, and my burden is lighte. Hereunto maketh that whiche Ierome ſaieth in a certaine place: Ouermuche cuſtome of ſinning, ſaieth he, maketh the waye to vertue harde and grieuous, but if this cuſtome bee contrariwiſe altered, the waye to godlineſſe is founde playne and pleaſaunt. Thus ſaieth he no leſſe truely then elegantly.

If ſo be yt Stilpho the philoſopher, as Cicero witneſſeth, whē he was enclined both to drunkennes & lechery, did ſo not withſtandinge by learning, bridle and repreſſe his vicious nature, that no man euer ſaw hym drunken, no man euer ſawe anye appearaunce of vnlawfull luſte in hym: why mayſte not thou through Gods helpe and aſſiſtance by litle and little ſubdue, and at the laſt quite ſhake of (that I may ſo ſpeake) an euill cuſtome, although it hath continued euen a long time? An heathen man ouer came nature, ſhall not a Chriſtian ouercome cuſtome? eſpecially if he earneſtlye endeuour to doe the ſame, if he haue greate regarde to himſelfe, if he doe after a ſorte force himſelfe, and nothing at all fauour or further his proneneſſe to euill: if in reſpect of his imbecillitie and weakenes, he doth with ardent prayer craue Gods helpe and aſſiſtaunce: if he deſire that the holye Ghoſte may be giuen vnto him, which may ſtirre vp newe motions in his heart, and aſſiſte and further his ſtudye and care which he hath to liue well. But let vs nowe proceede to the reſt.

Remedies againſte the fourth cauſe for vvhich mē differre to amend and repent, vvhich vvas ſayde to be vvelth and proſperitie.

LEt them whome welthe and proſperitie maketh ſecure (for this was ye fourth cauſe of differring repentaunce) call often to minde that dreadful ſaying which is in the Goſpel of Luke: Woe be to you that are rich: for yee haue receiued your conſolation. Wo be to you that are full; for ye ſhal hunger. Wo be to you that nowe laugh: for ye ſhall wayle and wepe. Neither lette that departe out of their mynde which is ſayde to the riche man in the Goſpel: Thou foole, this night wyll they fetche awaye thy ſoule from thee. Let them remember alſo thoſe thinges which we haue ſpoken of before, concerning them whom the flood ſuddenly deſtroyed when they looked for nothing leſſe: of them which periſhed in Sodom by fyre from heauen: of the rich men whom the ſeruaunt of God S. Iames biddeth weepe and houle for the miſeries that ſhall come vpon them: alſo of the rich man mencioned in Luke, which was clothed in purple and fared deliciouſly euerye day, who being dead is tormented in hell fyre. Let vs then ſhake of all carnall ſecuritie: Let vs not forget God in our proſperitie: Let vs feare the wrath of the eternall Iudge, before whoſe tribunall ſeate we muſt all ſtand, and euery one for himſelfe pleade his owne cauſe, his conſcience accuſing him, being witneſſe of all things that he hath done either well or ill.

It moſt commonly commeth to paſſe, that proſperitie puffeth vp mens mindes, that ſuch as flow in welth wax inſolent and proude, that riches make men ſtoute and ſtately. Let vs therefore alwayes ſuſpecte and miſtruſte our good fortune and proſperitie: let vs againe & again take hede that temporall telicitie be not cauſe vnto vs of eternall miſery and deſtruction. What muſt we then doe? Paule in fewe words declareth in his firſte epiſtle to the Corinthians: It remaineth ſaith he, brethren, that they which haue wiues be, as though they had none, and they yt weepe, as thoughe they wept not: and they yt reioyce, as though they reioiced not: and they that buy, as thoughe they poſſeſſed not: & they that vſe this world as thoughe they vſed it not: for ye faſhion of this world goeth away. The Apoſtle ſheweth here, yt there ought to be none or very litle care of wiues, of proſperitie or aduerſity, of welth & riches, finally of all terrene and earthlye thinges: but our chiefe and almoſt onely care oughte to be of eternall & heauenly things. Not without cauſe doth Paul bid Timothee charge them that be rich, that they be not high minded, and yt they truſt not in vncertain riches but in the liuinge God. And Dauid in ye booke of pſalmes ſaith. If riches increaſe, ſet not your hart theron. Riches are not condenmed, which euen the godly haue often poſſeſſed, but truſte which is repoſed in riches, & ſtoutnes & inſolēcy which commeth by them. For riches and proſperitie are wont for ye moſt part to make men ſtout & lofty whereupon is yt ſaying in a certain commody, becauſe they haue gotten a litle mony they are become high minded. Let him therefore yt is welthy & rich, and who in all his affaires hath proſperous ſucceſſe, both giue thāks vnto god, & take good heede yt he become not inſolēt and proud: let him put no truſte or affiance in his fortunate eſtate: let him haue an eſpeciall care, leſt yt a certain ſecuritie creping vpon him (as it commonly cōmeth to paſſe) he forget God: let him beware that he become not voide of all ſenſe of Gods wrath againſte ſinne, ſo that a carnal careleſues poſſeſſe his minde, & he wax altogether ſlothful and ſluggiſhe. Ʋnleſſe he take diligent heede of theſe thinges, it is to be feared aſſuredly, leaſt that, reſting in hys preſent proſperitie, he be caried awaye with a falſe and vayne ioye: and leaſt flatteringe himſelfe with hope that his good fortune ſhall long continue, and hauing caſt of the feare of God, death come vppon him in the meane ſeaſon in this his ſecuritie: for the laſte daye of mans life is then moſt commōly wont to come when it is leaſt looked for.

Let alwayes therefore this ſayinge of the Apoſtle be before the eyes of our minde: When they ſhall ſay, peace and ſafetie, then ſhall ſudden deſtruction come vpon them. Wherefore let vs not ſleepe, as Paul admoniſheth, but let vs be vigilant and ſober. Let vs not ſay, Wee ſhall haue peace, and no euill ſhall come vnto vs: neither let vs ſay as they whom the Prophet Eſay ſpeaketh of: We haue made a couenaunt with death, and with hell are we at agreement: and thoughe there goe forth a ſore plague, it ſhall not come vnto vs. Many teſtimonies of Gods wrath againſte ſinne may be founde here and there in the writinges of the Prophets and Apoſtles, manye examples of the puniſhment of the wicked, which euerye one reading to his own cōmoditie, may be moned thereby to ſhake of that ouermuch ſecurity which is commonly incident to men in ye time of proſperitie. I mynde not here to rehearſe them all, leaſt I ſhoulde be too long and tedious. Let vs alwayes haue before our eyes thoſe thinges which Moſes mentioneth came to paſſe in the former ages of the world, concerninge the deſtruction of mankinde by the flood, concerning the cities of Sodom & Gomorthe howe they were conſumed to aſhes by fire from heauen: alſo thoſe thinges which hiſtories both ſacred and prophane declare of the moſt grieuous and often calamities of the people of Iſraell, how they were often caried captiue of Barbarous nations, for the neglect of pietie and godlines: Finally thoſe thinges whiche wee reade of the vtter deſtruction and ruine of the citie of Ieruſalem. For all theſe thinges are written (as Paule ſaieth to the Corinthians) to admoniſh vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come. Now how God hath often puniſhed all ſortes of men for ſinne, it woulde be longe as I haue ſayd and needeleſſe to rehearſe: I will ſpeake onely of one for examples ſake.

When that noble king Dauid, whom God dearely loued, at ſuche time as being ſecure & idle he liued in great proſperitie, had fallen into adulterye, and had encreaſed the ſame offence by the murder of an innocent man, wyth what miſeries, and calamities was he not afflicted of God, euen after that hauing acknowledged his ſinne and repented, he was reſtored to Gods accuſtomed grace and fauour? For God puniſhed him with the death of his ſonne newly borne, with the conſpiracie of the ſonne againſt the father, with his ſorrowfull flighte out of the citie of Ieruſalem, with the forcing of his concubines by hys owne Sonne, with the reuolting of the people from him, finally with greate mortalitie and death of hys citizens. So great and horrible is the wrath of God againſte ſinne. If a man ſo holy dyd not ſcape vnpuniſhed for his ſinne committed, no not when hee had obteyned pardon, and was reconciled into Gods fauour, as in the hyſtorye of the Kinges is declared: Howe thinkeſt thou will it fall out with others, who are nothinge at all greeued and troubled in minde for their ſinnes, but doe ſecurelye offende and heape one ſinne vppon another, finallye who wyth an obſtinate mynde perſeuer, in wickednes? Let vs therfore ſhake of ſlothfulnes, & that carnal & careleſſe ſecurity which commonly commeth vpon vs in ye time of proſperitie: Let vs liue in the feare of the Lord, and with feare and tremblinge procure our ſaluation: let vs not ſuffer our ſelues to be entangled with the allurements of the fleſhe: let vs by continual praier reſiſt ſatans tētations. And thus much ſhal ſuffize concerning this poynt.

Remedies againſt the fift cauſe for which man prolongeth the amendment of his lyfe.

NOw to ſpeake of ſuch as being led with hope of long life, do differre the amendment of their maners, theſe doe willingly deceiue themſelues: and of that which they excedingly deſire they haue a vain hope, and doe fondly dreame, and ſo they wittingly and willingly periſh, being aliue and beholding their ſtate they be in, then which no folly can be ſaid to be greater. If theſe be nothing moued with thoſe things, which wiſe mē, yet no profeſſors of Chriſtian religion, haue commited to writinge concerninge the ſhortneſſe and vncertaintie of thys lyfe, as is that of one who ſayde that man a is buble, and of another who calleth him a dreame of a ſhadowe: at the leaſt let y• man beloued of God, holy Iob I meane, moue them, who ſayth that man hath here but a ſhorte time to liue: Let the ſeruaunt of God S. Iames moue them, who ſayth that mans life is as a vapour, that appeareth for a little time and then vaniſheth away: Let him that cannot lye, the Sonne of God, our Lorde and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſt, moue them, who biddeth vs watch, becauſe we knowe neither the daye nor the houre: Finally let experience it ſelfe moue them, if thou thinke that to be more certaine. Thou ſitteſt often with thy friends, being ſicke or diſeaſed, and lying without hope of recouery, thou art ſometimes preſente with them that giue vp the ghoſte, thou heareſt the groninges of them that dye, thou ſeeſt the dead caried forth, thou alſo doſt accompany them to burying, thou ſeeſt the bodyes committed to the earth, thou heareſt men lament the death of their freendes, thou readeſt Epitaphs and inſcriptions of tombes, thou meeteſt them that weare mourninge apparell: all which thinges ought worthely to ſtir vp in thee a remēbrance of the ſhortnes of this life, and of death that is dayly imminent.

If the death of ſtrangers doe nothing moue vs, yet let the death of our familiers & neighbours moue vs: let our owne perils in whiche we often are, & the grieuous diſeaſes that we fall into moue vs: and where as wee conſider not our infirmitie by the example of others, let vs at the leſt by our own weakeneſſe acknowledge the imbecilitie and frailtie of mankind, and of our common nature, Which if we ſhall do, we ſhal then perceiue that there is no cauſe why we ſhould flatter our ſelues with a vaine and falſe hope of long life. But, will ſome man ſay, I may in olde age amende my life and repent: in the meane ſeaſon I will take my pleaſure. I heare this: but who certenlye knoweth that he ſhall liue vntill olde age? Dooſte thou thinke that it wilbe in thy power to repente when thou wilt, who nowe neglecteſt and pretermitteſt the time and occaſion of the ſame being offered? Thou art deceiued truly, thou art deceiued I ſay, if thou ſo dooſt thinke. God of his goodnes whereby he deſireth rather the amendment then deſtruction of a ſinner, when it ſeemeth good vnto him, calleth thee to repē taunce, and (as he ſayth in the reuelation) he ſtandeth at the dore & knocketh: open thou to him knocking, heare him calling thee, and whither he calleth followe thou: deſpiſe not the riches of his bountifulnes and lenitie, leaſt after thine hardnes and heart that can not repente, thou heape vnto thy ſelfe wrath againſte the day of wrath, as Paul ſaith writing to the Romanes. Remember what the ſame Paule ſayth to the Corinthians: We beſeeche you (ſaith he) that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine. For he ſayth: I haue heard thee in a time accepted, and in y• day of ſaluation haue I ſuccoured thee: behold now the accepted time, behold now the day of ſaluation. The Apoſtle ſheweth here, yt the time of repentinge being offered of God, is not to be neglected, & that the like occaſion is not alwayes giuen. Hereunto pertaineth that ſayinge to the Galathians: While we haue time, let vs worke that which is good. And one of the auncients ſayde not amiſſe: He yt hath promiſed pardon to the penitent, hath not graunted ſo much as ye morrow to him that diſſembleth. Take hede therefore, leaſte by prolonginge the amendment of thy maners, and that vpon hope of long lyfe, thou do wittingly & willingly tempt the Lord whoſe goodnes inuiteth thee vnto repētance: which we are forbidden to do by ye commandement of God, as is declared in Deuteronomie.

It doth not ſeldome happen, that in the time of contending & brawling, of playing, of drinking and tipling ſome is ſuddenly ſlaine, ſo that he can not repent for his ſinne, when as wee in the meane ſeaſon by the ſingular benefite of God haue time and ſpace graunted to returne vnto goodnes. Let vs not then abuſe this ſo greate goodnes of our moſte gracious God, who doth as it were looke for occaſion to take pitie vpon vs. Let vs amende our lyfe, leſt that being ſuddenly preuented wt the day of death, we ſeeke ſpace to repent, & can not fynde the ſame. And truly he yt hath promiſed pardō to ye penitent (as I ſayd euen now, but it muſt be eftſones repeted) hath not granted ſo much as the morow to him that continueth in ſinne.

But yt ſinner, wil ſome man ſay, may repent & flie vnto God for mercy, when he lieth nowe viſited wt ſicknes. In dede it is not to be denied that this may be: but marke howe manye impediments be heare, which can ſcarce be ouercome. For to omit the regarde which he ought to haue to make his laſt will and teſtamente, the care of his wife and children, the griefe of his ſicknes, and ſuch like, which ſeeme perhaps of ſmall importance: Howe will Satan at that time beſturre himſelfe, what meanes will he not attempte, that he may driue miſerable man to deſpeyre of his ſaluation becauſe of his innumerable ſinnes committed? For then eſpecially, if euer, he putteth in thy mind what ſoeuer euil thou haſt throughe thy whole life from thy childhood either thought, willed, ſayd, or done, and thoſe offences that be otherwiſe greeuous of themſelues, he encreaſeth and amplifieth: Finallye he goeth about by all meanes to take from man all hope of pardon, and to driue him to deſpeire of hys ſaluation becauſe of the multitude and greatnes of his ſinne. Hereunto may be added the remorſe of a guilty conſcience, the great feare of death being nowe before mans eyes, the ſorrowfull and bitter cogitation of the tribunall ſeate of the Lord, yt terror of Gods iudgement which doe ſore amaze and aſtoniſh, the horror of hell fire: but who can rehearſe all the impediments, and all the cauſes which will hinder thee that thou canſt not thinke of repenting?

Doe not therefore, doe not I ſay, if thou bee wiſe, differre the amendment of thy lyfe vntill the laſt day thereof. For this is a thing full of perill and daunger. That I may not adde here vnto, that ſuch repentance, foraſmuch as it is vrged by neceſſitie, & forced with feare of hell, rather then proceding from a ready willingnes of mind, ſhal little preuaile vnto ſaluation. But there is no repētance to late before God. I confeſſe it is true in deede: for in what hour ſo euer a ſinner repenteth, God will no more remember any of his iniquities: and (as the Prophet ſaith in another place) The Lord deſireth the repentaunce of a ſinner, rather then his death and deſtruction. But what if ſudden death come vppon thee vnawares, that thou ſhalt haue no time to lament thy ſinne, or to thinke of repenting? For that whiche maye chance to all, is to be looked for of all. Call to mynde the ſudden deſtruction of them who periſhed by the fall of the tower in Siloam, as it is in Luke. What it thou be ſuddenly taken with ſuch a diſeaſe or ſickneſſe, that thou ſhalt loſe thy right vnderſtandinge and fall into rauing and madnes, which we haue ſeene oftentimes to haue come to paſſe? Nowe if this chaunce (as vndoubtedly it may) that hope to repent which the ſinner had in prolonging the amendment of his life, is then vtterly fruſtrate and vayne. That which may come to others, may alſo come to thee: thinke not thy ſelfe exempt from that which is common to all. For true is that ſaying of Publius: It may chance to euery one that may chaunce to any.

Caſt of therfore hope of long life, then which nothing aſſuredly is more vaine and deceitfull: doe not dreame that thou ſhalte haue opportunitie, neither appoint the time when thou wilt repent: Finally doe not with this ſo vayne hope further thy folly or rather madnes in differring the amendment of thy life. If thou be wiſe, repent at that time when thou canſt yet ſinne. For if thou purpoſe then to repent, when thou canſt now ſinne no more, ſurely thou haſt not forſaken ſinne, but ſinne hath forſaken thee. Moreouer it is to be feared, leſt that thou which wilt not repent when thou mayſt, ſhalte not be able, when thou wouldeſt. For the iudgments of the omnipotent God are vnſearchable in puniſhing the ſinnes of men. As God of his goodnes and clemencye, is wont to giue ſpace to repent, to them that be willing therevnto, and ready and fit to receiue mercy, and in the meane ſeaſon to ſuffer ſinners with much patience and leuitie, til they returne vnto goodnes: ſo whē he ſeeth one deſperatly diſſolut and naught, deluding Gods long ſufferance, and nowe worthy of deſtruction, he ceaſeth any more to kepe him from falling into voluntary perdition and (as the Scripture ſpeaketh) he blindeth the deſperate, and bardneth the obſtinate: neither looketh he any more for his conuerſion, neither giueth to the condemned time to repent or occaſion to amend. For God hath appointed euery one his day & meaſure, beyond which neither can man procede in ſinning, neither wil God any longer differ the puniſhment of ſinne. Which thing ſurly ought worthely to ſtirre vp al without delay to repēt, and to endeuor to receiue yt grace offered vnto them. But ſeeing we haue ſpoken ſufficiently hereof, we will nowe proceede to ſpeake of other matters.

Remedies againſt the ſixt cauſe for vvhich many in the Papacie differre and neglecte the reforming of their life.

SƲch as differre the amendment of their life vpon confidence in popiſh pardons and indulgences, doe, as the prouerbe is, truſte to a broken ſtaffe, and leane to a ruinous wall: as alſo they that worſhip S. Barbarie, and they that prouide that they may bee buried in S. Fraunces habit. For what is there any where in the whole Scripture concerninge theſe tryfles? What in the volumes of the olde Teſtament? What in the bookes of the Prophets? What in the doctrine of the Goſpell? What in the writings of ye Apoſtles? Finally which of theſe thinges was eyther in the Primatiue Church obſerued, or by the true general iudgment and conſent of the Churche at all times receiued and allowed as profitable to ſaluatiō, much leſſe as neceſſary? He therefore that lamenteth not his ſinne before his death, can not obtaine ſaluation albeit he be furniſhed euen with a thouſande popiſhe pardons and bulles. Wherefore vnleſſe thou wilt bring thy ſaluation in doubt, omitting theſe trifles, repent thy euill life: reknowledge thy ſinne, and be hartelye ſorye and greatlye greeued for the ſame, with earneſt prayer and teares craue mercye of God, and flye for ſuccour and refuge to the onely merites of Chriſt, with a firme faith and aſſured hope to obtaine Gods grace and fauor for Chriſt his ſake, whom the father hath giuen to death for vs: So will it come to paſſe that God will take pitie vppon thee, forgiue thy ſinnes, and receiue thee into fauour for hys ſonnes ſake. For he is our aduocate with god, who maketh interceſſiō for vs, and reconcileth and pacifieth our heauenly father being offended at our ſinne and wickednes, as Iohn in his firſt Epiſtle generall teacheth.

Eaſt of therefore all regard of popiſhe indulgences, of that ſuperſtitious worſhip of S. Barbarie, and of the habit and clothing of S. Fraunces, by which thinges no man can haue any hope to obtain ſaluation. Flie vnto Chriſt himſelfe, who is our mediator and aduocate, as I haue ſayd, the throne, of grace, the reconciliation for the ſinnes of ye worlde, the Lambe which was ſlaine from the beginning of the world: briefly our righteouſnes, ſanctification, and redemption, as the Apoſtle ſaieth to the Corinthians.

Doe not then (that I may returne to my purpoſe) doe not I ſaye, prolong the amendment and reformation of thy maners truſtinge to indulgences and other ſuch trifles, eſpeciallye, in ſuch ſhortnes of this life, the houre of moſt certain death being ſo vncertain. Which death foraſmuch as it is dayly imminent, by reaſon of the vncertaine chaunces, which be incident vnto vs, may euen at this very inſtant come vpon thee vnlooked for: ſurely by reaſon of the ſhortnes of our life as it is ſaide of one it can neuer be farre of. Howe daungerous a thing is it then to liue in that ſtate, in which if ſudden death ouertake thee, there is no more hope of thy ſaluation? That thou mayſt auoid this daunger, ſee thou alwayes liue godlily, acknowledge thy ſinnes, flie humbly to God for mercy, aſke pardon and forgiuenes, and throughe Chriſte hope and looke for ſaluation from God. Reſort alſo often to the miniſters of Gods word, and aſke of them godly inſtructions and ſpirituall comforte. And that thou mayſt be ſtirred vp to remember the promiſes concerning remiſſion of ſinne, and be more & more confirmed concerning the good wyll of God towarde vs, come often to the Lordes table, and as Chriſte hath inſtituted, feede of that body which was once offered for ye ſinnes of mankinde, and drinke that blood which was ſhed for the remiſſion of our ſinnes: and ſo being mindfull of the Lords death, giue heartye thanks to God for ſo great benefites, and ſing hymnes and prayſes vnto him both priuatly with thy ſelfe at home, and publikely in the aſſembly of the faithfull abroade.

A moſt fruitful admonition to auoid euill company.

NOw (that I may goe forward to other matters) endeuor as much as thou may alwayes to ſeuer thy ſelfe from the companye of the wicked, and to aſſociate thy ſelfe as neere as can be wyth the vertuous and godlye. And (as one admoniſheth) bee conuerſaunt with ſuche as may make thee better, admit ſuch into thy companye as thou mayſte amende. It is a matter of no ſmal importance whoſe familiaritie thou vſeſt, and with whom thou daily liueſt. For as we are infected with ye company of ye wicked, as with a certen contagion: ſo by dayly liuing together with the vertuous and ſuch as feare God, we are almoſte reformed and amended. Be therefore familier and a frend with theſe latter: as for the other thinke thou oughteſt to haue nothinge to doe with them. The ſame doth Salomon commaund in his Prouerbs. Paule alſo writing to the Corinthians, doth ſo earneſtly dehort from the companye and ſocietie of the wicked in all thinges, that he will not haue vs ſo muche as to reſort to the table with them: If anye that is called a brother be a fornicatour, or couetous, or a worſhipper of Idoles, or a rayler, or a drunkard, or an extorſioner: with him that is ſuch ſee that yee eate not. There be in deede other cauſes, I graunt, why he will haue ſuch to be auoyded, either leſt we ſhoulde ſeeme to allowe their lewdnes and wickednes, or that ſuch, when they ſee all men ſhunne their companye, may be aſhamed and amende: but ſurely this is not one of the ſmalleſt cauſes, leaſt the contagion of their vices ſhoulde infect others, if any haue familiaritie with them. For as a little leuen leueneth a greate lumpe of dough, ſo oftentimes the example of one dooth marre and infect a great number.

Nowe althoughe it be in deede difficult and hard to forſake the aquaintance and familiaritie of them, with whō thou haſt long liued delightfully and pleaſantly, thou muſt notwythſtanding with might and maine attempte the ſame, and verye diligentlye endeuour to ſequeſter and ſeuer thy ſelfe from the companye of ſuch. Onely be willing and earneſt in the matter, and without doubte it wil goe better forward then thou lookeſt for. And becauſe according to the greeke prouerbe, the beginning is halfe of the whole, and again, as Horace ſaith, he that hath well begunne, hath halfe done: ſee in any caſe thou doe beginne, and doubt not of the ſucceſſe by conſidering the difficultie. If (as it commonly falleth out) thou doe eftſones thinke vppon the feaſtes, mery meetings, and ſuch other vaine and fond delights which thou haſt had with them: if thou often euen againſt thy will remember thy mery mates and companions, ſee thou doe then forthwith call to mynde the ſhortneſſe of this lyfe, death that hangeth ouer our heads euery houre, the laſte iudgement, the tribunall ſeate of the Lord, hell fire and eternall condemnation: and ſo (as the ſaying is) driue out one nayle with another. If thou call to mind theſe thinges, and do thus ſpeake with thy ſelfe: Thy felowes & pleaſaunt companions inuite thee vnto them, ſuppers, dinners and mery meetings allure thee, what doe I? If thou doe earneſtly ſay this with thy ſelfe, what doe I? then reaſon after a ſort gathering her ſtrength, will ſubdue thy deſire, and thy will wyll yeelde to reaſon exhorting to that which is beſt. Take therfore time (as I haue ſayde) to thinke vpon theſe thinges, and deale aduiſedly in them when any ſuch thinge come into thy minde by the ſuggeſtion of Satan, caſt of all remiſſenes of mynd, neither doe ſtraighte giue place to thy deſire, nor runne whither the deuill would driue thee. Doe the companyons inuite thee to drinke and make mery with them: See thou then cal to mynde that which our Sauior ſaith in a certen place: Take heede (ſaith he) that your heartes be not ouercome with ſurfetting & drunkennes. Alſo that which Paule ſaieth: Be not drunke with wine wherein is exceſſe: and again drunkerds and gluttons ſhal not inherite the kingdome of heauen. Alſo that which Peter ſaieth: Be ſober and vigilant: moreouer that ſaying of Eſayas: Woe be vnto them that riſe vp early to folow drunkennes. Remember that thou muſt obey the authoritie of God and his Apoſtles, rather then follow the will of wicked mē: and that thou muſt yeld vnto reaſon exhorting vnto that which is beſt, rather then conſent to the deuill mouing thee to that which is worſt: finally that thou muſte rather reſiſt that euill ſpirite, then grieue the holy ſpirite of God. Do not therefore, doe not (I ſaye) runne to thy ruine and deſtruction for the pleaſant companye of thy companions, but to the vttermoſt of thy power, ſequeſter thy ſelfe from them, and let eternall ſaluation be more deere and pretious vnto thee, then a ſhorte delighte of worldly ioye and pleaſure.

A right pithie and profitable exhortation to forſake vice and imbrace vertue.

AGaine and againe thinke thus with thy ſelfe, (that I may nowe come to the laſte poynt) that he doth not truely repent, neyther is, or may be counted a Chriſtian, who continueth in ſinne and wickednes, neither that there is anye true faith in him, who ſinneth againſt his conſcience, and committeth an heynous offence. Let vs not therefore be Chriſtians in name onely, being farre of from ye thing it ſelfe: neither let vs boaſt of faith in wordes alone, but let vs truly and vnfeynedly repente, let vs turne to God with all our heart: let vs, not truſting to our owne ſtrength, but to the helpe and aſſiſtance of God, endeuour to reforme vice by vertue, alwayes to liue godlily, iuſtly, innocently, vprightly, holily, chaſtly, ſoberly, temperately, profitably to the Churche of God, friendly to the life of man, and (as Paule ſaith) as it becommeth the Goſpell of Chriſte.

Let vs moreouer dayly deſire of our heauēly father by our Lord and ſauiour Ieſus Chriſt, that he will giue vnto vs his holy ſpirite, who may gouern, guide, teach, ſanctiſie, rayſe vp, comfort and quicken vs: for Chriſte in the goſpell hath promiſed that his heauenlye father will giue the ſame ſpirite vnto vs if we by harty prayer aſke it of him. And let vs not reſiſte the holy Ghoſt, by yeelding to our wicked deſires againſt our conſcience, neither let vs expell or greeue him, that I may vſe the word of the Apoſtle Paul. Let vs walke in neweneſſe of life, let vs not ſerue ſinne, let vs giue vp our bodyes a liuing ſacrifice, holy, acceptable vnto God: let vs mortefie the fleſhe with the affections and luſtes thereof, let vs keepe our ſelues vnſpotted of the world: let vs be renued in the ſpirite of our minde, and put on the newe man, which after God is created in righteouſneſſe and true holines: let vs be followers of God as deere children: let vs walke worthye of the Lord, and as it becommeth ſaints, forbearing one another through loue, endeuoring to kepe the vnitie of the ſpirite in the bonde of peace: let vs be gentle & louing one towards another, let vs loue our enemies, let vs bleſſe them that curſe vs, let vs doe well to them that hate vs, let vs praye for them that hurt and trouble vs, let vs giue meate to the hungrye, drinke to the thirſtie, releefe to the needye, let vs harbour ſtraungers, cloth the naked, viſite the ſicke, admoniſh him that is out of the way, inſtructe the ignoraunte, helpe the perplexed with our counſaill, comfort the afflicted, reconcile ſuche as be at diſcorde and variance, deſpiſe worldly honours, contemne vayne glorye, brieflye let vs not ſeeke after welth and riches, lett vs endeuour alwayes to ſubdue and repreſſe our naturall corruption and wicked affections: and let vs not onely take heede leaſt our hearts be at anye time ouercome with ſurfettinge and drunkennes, but let vs alſo by faſting and due abſtinence prepare our ſelues to prayer: and among ſo many deceites and inuaſions of Satan, the world, and the fleſh, let vs with ardent prayer aſke helpe of God: Let vs not be proud in proſperitie, or diſcouraged in aduerſitie: whatſoeuer we doe, let vs doe all things to the glorye of God: let vs not regarde onely our owne matters but rather, thoſe which are other mens. Moreouer let vs ſo behaue our ſelues that none be offended by vs, but that we may by our good example bring other to vertue and godlines: finally let vs pray dayly and without intermiſſion, in all things let vs giue thanks, let v • • lwaies aſpire to heauēly things let vs contemne humane and earthly.

Theſe things are hard, thou wilt ſay. I cōfeſſe it: yet are they agreable to a chriſtian profeſſion, & needeful to ſaluation. Let vs then do our diligence, that we may caſt of al remiſſenes of mind, let vs not ouermuch fauor our ſelues nor yeeld to our own infirmitie, or euer willingly be cauſe that the grace of God bee in vaine in vs. Let vs not only not fall into ſinne wittingly, but let vs alſo valiauntly reſiſt ye aſſaults of Satan, neuer yeeldinge vnto him through cowardiſe or ſluggiſhnes. Nowe what is not to be iudged light, whereby thou mayſt come to yt life which aboundeth with all good things, & to thoſe eternal ioyes? Not without cauſe ſaith the Apoſtle Paul: I count that the afflictions of this preſent time are not worthye of the glorie which ſhall be ſhewed vnto vs. Hereunto maketh that which is ſayde in another place: The eye hath not ſeene, the eare hath not heard, neither haue entred into the hearte of man the thinges which God hath prepared for them that loue him. For how great a thing is it (which can neither by force of words bee expreſſed, nor by thought of man conceiued of what ſorte it is) to be a citizen and inhabitour of heauen, to be an heyre of God, an heyre annexed with Chriſte, to poſſeſſe the kingdome prepared for the godly before the beginning of the worlde, without end to beholde that ſoueraigne good, to enioy the moſt comfortable cō templation of the countenaunce of God, to be conuerſant in the company of Angels, to haue ſocietie with the bleſſed ſpirits, to be in the aſſembly of the righteous: together with the angels, the Patriarchs, the Prophets, the Apoſtles, the Martyrs, finally with all the godly enioying bleſſed immortalitie and life euerlaſting, together I ſaye, with all theſe to celebrate with hymnes and prayſes the eternall God the fountaine of all glory?

What? are not al the miſeryes and moleſtations of this lyfe to be counted light, if thou looke vnto the glory to come, ſo yt we oughte worthelye to be aſhamed of our ſluggiſhneſſe and remiſſenes? who when he remembreth theſe thinges, namely the kingdom of heauen, the life immortal, euerlaſting bleſſednes, ioies exceeding great and infinite, the companye of Angels, finally the ſocietie of all who after their life led godlily vpon the earth, ſhall enioy a life moſte bleſſed and eternall: who I ſaye, when he remembreth theſe thinges, is willing to cary on the earth, and doth not rather with Paule deſire to be diſſolued, and deliuered out of the priſon of this body: Let vs not therefore count theſe things heard, after which ſo greate commodities do enſue, eſpecially ſeeing on the other ſide, they that keepe not the commandements of God that are needefull to ſaluation, ſhall not onely be excluded from that felicitie whereof we haue ſpoken, but alſo be caſt headlong into hell fire and eternal death: throwne into vtter darkenes, where ſhalbe weeping & gnaſhing of teeth: afflicted with moſt greuous paines and continual torments, in the companie and ſocietie of the deuils and the wicked, without any hope of better ſtate, that is, being alwaies in extreme and vtter deſperation, then which there can be no torment more greeuous or greate.

Whom would not all theſe thinges greatly feare from ſinning, namely the horror of hell, the paines that neuer ſhall haue ende or meaſure, eternall death, the fire that ſhall neuer go out, vnſpeakeable torments, the companye of the deuils, the ſocietie of the reprobate, and wicked, feare, anguiſhe, tremblinge euerlaſtinge and infinite, and ſuche as the minde of man can not comprehende, nor any words expreſſe. Whom, I ſaye, will not that daye of wrath terrifie, as both the Prophet and Paule to the Romans calleth it, a daye of affliction and anguiſh, a day of calamitie, and miſerye, a darke & glomie day, a cloudy and blacke day, when God will reward euery mā according to his workes. I woulde to God the cogitation and remembraunce of theſe thinges were alwayes before the eyes of our minde. Truely if they were, either I am much deceiued, or men would more diligently obſerue the commaundements of Almighty God, they would more refrain themſelues from ſinne and euel doing, they would embrace vertue and godlines, and endeuour to liue holily and vprightly. What? ought that alſo nothinge to moue vs, that vertue is ſometimes rewarded here on the earth, as vice & wickednes is plagued and puniſhed? And yt I may omit to ſay any thing of the conſcience wherof we haue ſpoken in other bookes, we wil entreate of thoſe things which thou mayſt almoſt handle wt thy handes much more be hold with thine eyes. For that I may ſpeake of a moſte common vice, what inconueniences & euils enſue of ſurfettinge & drunkenneſſe? hereof (as one ſaith in his hiſtorye of the worlde) commeth palenes of colour, hanginge cheekes, ſore eyes, trembling handes, troubleſome ſleepe, & vnquiet reſt in the night: hereof commeth ſtinking breth, ache of ye hed, a weak memorie, a dul wit: hereof come oftentimes greuous diſeaſes, as great ach of ye ioynts, the gout, apoplexies, as both ye phiſitions affirme, and almoſt dayly examples do teach. As for lecherye, howe often doe we ſee it in our age puniſhed with the french pocks, as alſo immoderate carnall pleaſure wyth the palſeye, bleredneſſe of the eyes, tremblinge of the ſinewes? What ſhall I ſaye of prodigalitye and ryotte, hath it not broughte many to pouerty and penurie? What of Adultery, is it not ſomtimes a preſent puniſhment, and is cauſe of infamie alwayes after? Moreouer whō hath not his wrath often hurt? vnto whom hath not prid procured hatred? What ſhoulde I ſpeake of enuie? is it not a puniſhment vnto it ſelfe? and doth gnaw and conſume it ſelfe? ſo that it was ſayd rightly of one: The tyrannes of Sicilie found no greater torment then enuie, and of an other alſo: An enuious man doth pine at the proſperitie of another. Now concerning couetouſnes, is not he whoſe hearte it poſſeſſeth diſquieted with a deſire alwayes to encreaſe his ſubſtance, and afflicted with feare to loſe that he hath? For a couetous man is not content with that which he hath, and he feareth alſo leaſt he ſhall not ſtill retaine the ſame. Doſt thou not plainly by the premiſſes ſee that euen here vpon earth vice & wickednes oftentimes eſcapeth not vnpuniſhed? Nowe if this little moue vs, yet thoſe eternall torments in hell which the Scripture threatneth to the wicked ought worthely to moue all, and greatly to ſtir vs vp and pricke vs forward without all delay to amend our life, if we count not thoſe things a fable which the holy Scriptures teach of the life immortall of the godlye, and of the paines eternall of the wicked.

I will rehearſe what is wont, mightelye to moue me, and as it were inflame me to liue godlily, if perhaps the ſame may miniſter occaſion to other to amend their life. Thus doe I often thinke with my ſelfe: What, I ſay, Riuius, if at this very inſtant thou ſhouldeſt depart out of this life, what thinkeſt thou would become of thee? Thinkeſt thou thy ſelfe ſufficiently prepared to dye? For althoughe thou repoſeſt thy truſt, as thou oughteſt in deede, in the infinite clemency and goodnes of GOD, thinkeſt thou notwithſtanding that thou haſt no cauſe to feare his iuſtice? How many thouſand chriſtians are committed to euerlaſtinge paines, howe many young men, old men, men of midle age, women, folks maried, vnmaried, finally howe many of euerye ſtate, age and ſex, whoſe ſinnes were both farre fewer and much lighter then thine? O dreadfull iudgement of God, yet righteous and iuſt. How many Iews are there in hell, how many idolaters are tormented with continuall paynes? Who if they had bin conuerted to the faith of Chriſt, as by Gods goodnes and grace we are, they would perhaps haue liued farre better on the earth then we at this daye doe, and alſo would haue auoyded thoſe eternall torments: O execrable ingratitude of ours, O ſenſeleſneſſe of mans heart. What, I ſay, if thou ſhouldeſt heare that which was ſpoken of the Prophet vnto Ezechias: Prepare thy ſelfe, for thou muſt dye and ſhalt not eſcape: what wouldeſt thou doe in this caſe? Thou wouldeſt wyſhe I thinke, a tyme to liue, wherein thou mighteſt bewayle thy ſinnes, vnfeynedly repente, and aſke mercye of God. Why then dooſte thou not that daylye, and throughe thy whole lyfe which thou wouldeſt then do in a moment of time?

By thinking of theſe things I am wont (as I haue ſayde) to be much ſtirred vp and inflamed to liue godlily, alſo hereby am I terrified from ſinning, & moued to craue mercy of god. Let therefore ſuch as thinke good, ſet the ſame before their eyes. There is ſcarce any mā who purpoſeth not to forgiue his enemies before he go hence, let him then forgiue him now. There is ſcarce anye who deſireth not to returne into Gods fauour, let him returne therefore nowe: There is ſcarce anye who thinketh not to amend his life, let him amend it therefore now. Brieflye whatſoeuer thou wouldeſt doe at the poynte of death, doe the ſame through Gods helpe and aſſiſtance, while thou liueſt and arte in helth: that is, that I may ſpeake particularly, repent continuaſly, feare God vnfeynedly, loue him wyth thy whole heart and moſt entirely, repoſe all thy truſt and confidence in him alone, call vpon him in aduerſitie, giue him thanks in proſperitie, prayſe, extoll, & confeſſe him at al times, ſinge willinglye hymnes vnto him, remember him alwayes in thy prayers, wiſhes and deſires: committe thy ſelfe to hys goodnes, and ſubmit thy ſelfe to hys wyll: ſet his example before thee, and imitate the ſame in deſeruing well of men: finally endeuour to be like vnto him in louing thine ennemies.

Moreouer be patient in aduerſitie, humble in proſperitie, diligent in thy dutie, temperate in thy liuing, comely in thine apparel, iuſt toward thy neighbor, liberal toward ye poore, gentle & curteous in ye company of mē, patient to ſuffer iniuries, a furtherer of peace & concord, chaſt, ſhamefaſt, ſober, to conclude in all thinges vpright & entire. And foraſmuch as thou art not able to performe theſe things by ye only ſtrēgth of nature, flie vnto God for helpe & aſſiſtance, acknowledge thine infirmitie and weaknes: pray dayly vnto God humbly and hartely, that he will giue thee his holy ſpirit, which Chriſte hath promiſed in the goſpell that he will giue vnto vs if we aſke it of him. If thereforr thou deſire that the ſame ſpirit may be ſhed on thee abundantly through Ieſus Chriſte, then thoſe thinges that could not be done by the ſtrength and power of nature, ſhall by his ayde & helpe be accompliſhed. Onely let there be no faulte in thy ſelfe, neither yeelde thou willinglye to thine euill deſires, but haue an eſpeciall care to ſhake of all remiſſenes of mynd. For the holye ghoſt doth not helpe ſuche as bee ſlothfull and ſluggiſhe, and ſit idle with their handes folded together, but ſuch as are doing, and put to all their ſtrength and endeuour: and counteth thē worthy of his helpe, which labour to repreſſe and ſubdue their naturall corruption, and haue a continuall combat and fight with the euil affections of their minde. Let vs not doe then as that contriman did whiche is mentioned in a certen fable, who when the carte that he draue ſtucke faſt in the myre, called to God for helpe he himſelfe in the meane ſeaſon ſtanding idle and doing nothing.

Moreouer let the preſence of God in euerye place, which thou canſt by no meanes auoyde, greatly feare thee from ſinning, and ſtirre thee vp to liue holilye and vertuouſlye, ſeing thou muſt nedes haue God a witnes & be holder of al thine actions. If ſo be thou wouldeſt not haue a man to come in vnto thee, when thou committeſt any vnſemely or diſhoneſte thinge: howe muche more oughte that reuerence and ſhame which ſhoulde be in thee for that God beholdeth thee, reuoke thee from ſinne and wickednes? Thou feareſt to haue man know of thy ſinne: dareſt thou then attempt any thinge the Lord God beholding thee, which thou durſte not commit in the ſight of man? eſpecially ſeeing that whom thou haſte nowe a witnes and beholder of all thy doings, him thou ſhalt haue in time to come thy cenſor and iudge. One of the heathen admoniſheth, that we muſt ſo liue as though we liued in the ſight of men: that we muſt ſo thinke, as though men might alwaies ſee into the depth of our heart. And againe the ſame heathen man ſaith: So, ſaith he, doe all thinges, as though ſome man behelde thee. It is profitable vndoubtedlye for thee to ſette a keeper ouer thy ſelfe, and to haue one whom thou mayſte beholde, and whom thou mayſte thinke to be priuie to all thy cogitations. A greate parte of ſinne is taken awaye, if there be a witnes preſent wyth him that is aboute to ſinne. Theſe thinges ſaieth that heathen man, whiche let euerye one thinke ſpoken to himſelfe. If thou therefore purpoſe to doe any diſhoneſt or vngodlye thinge, before thou attempte the ſame thinke thus with thy ſelfe: What doe I? Shall I enterpriſe to doe that GOD beinge witneſſe thereof, and beholdinge me, whiche I durſte not doe in the ſight of a mortall man? Shall I by this deede procure the diſpleaſure of the Lord GOD, when I woulde not willinglye loſe the fauour of a man that is my friende? Shall I greeue the holye Spirite of GOD, that that wicked ſpirite maye reioyce ouer me? Hath Chriſte therefore redeemed me with his blood, that I ſhoulde voluntarilye yeelde my ſelfe to the ſeruitude of Satan? hath he therefore deliuered mee from ſinne that I ſhoulde wittinglye and willingly fall into the ſame againe? Hath hee therefore made me an heyre of the kingdome of heauen, that I ſhoulde throughe myne owne defaulte depriue my ſelfe of ſuche an inheritance? Where is nowe that ardent loue towardes GOD? Where is reuerend feare and honeſt ſhamefaſtneſſe? Where is pietye and fayth? Doe I thus thanke God for his innumerable benefytes? Doe I thus thanke Chriſte for my ſaluation purchaſed?

Doe I thus geue my ſelfe to bee guided of the holye Ghoſte? Doe I come wyth theſe deedes to the table of the Lorde. Do I thus looke for the comminge of Chriſte? Shall death fynde me in thys wiſe occupied? Shall I thus come to the iudgemente ſeate of God? Doe I ſo muche fauour my ſelfe that euell deſyres preuayle againſte me, the infirmitie of the fleſhe ouercommeth mee, and ſynne reigneth in my bodye? Am I ſo voyde of all vigour and vallour, that lyke an effeminate perſon I reſiſte not theſe motions of the mind? Doe I ſo ſee that that is better and follow that which is worſe? of theſe & other like thinges (for who can rehearſe all) if thou dayly thinke with thy ſelfe, thou ſhalte not eaſily commit any thing which is vnſemely or diſhoneſt. To conclude then, what ſoeuer thou art about to doe, be verily perſwaded that God is preſent (as he is in deede) and doth behold all thinges that thou doeſt, him ſee thou feare, let the reuerence which thou oughteſt to giue vnto him who is in euerye place, keepe thee from doing any euill. For as one ſayeth. He vvitnes is and arbiter, he all thinkes doth behold and ſee, VVhich in mans minde conceiued are: before him all ſhall iudged be.

This alſo may moue thee much to liue well, if thou continually conſider that in thy ſpiritual regeneration thou waſt made the ſonne and heyre of God, and which is the greateſt dignitye, the brother of Chriſt, and an heire annexed with him. For who is not greatly inflamed vnto godlines, who dooth not with a certaine reuerend feare and ſhame faſtnes deteſt ſinne and wickednes, when he calleth to minde that hee hath God to his father? Doe not therefore, do not I ſaye, euer forget this benefite: he that hath adopted thee to be his ſonne, ſe thou loue, reuerence and honour, and not offende in anye thinge whatſoeuer: Submit thy ſelfe to hys wyll, follow his commaundements, obeye hys precepts: Thinke that not onely the participation of his inheritance, but alſo the imitation of his goodnes and vertue doth pertaine vnto thee: ſo that albeit thou canſt not by imitating attain to the excellencie of the goodnes which is in this thy heauenly father, yet muſt thou in will come as neere as may be, and count it a moſt vnſemely thing to degenerate therfrom. If thou doe any thing vnawares that may diſpleaſe this thy father (as the frailty & weakenes of mankind is greate) let the ſame ſtrike ſuch greefe into thy mind, that thou wilt thinke thy ſelfe worthy of any puniſhment, who haſte offended ſo gracious a father: and be not quiet in mynd, before thou haſt by true and heartye repentance pacified him. So farre is it of that thou ſhouldeſt euer wittingly ſinne, or commit any offence againſt thy conſcience. And ſurely he that remembreth that he is the ſonne and heyre of God, the brother of Chriſt, and heyre annexed wt him, is terrified frō ſinne & wickednes, not ſo much with drede of ye laſt iudgemēt, of eternall torments, of the fire that ſhall neuer goe out, as with feare of offending his heauenly father: and endeuoureth to liue godlilye, to hurte no man, to deſerue well of all after the example of his father, being moued thereunto not ſo much with hope of an heauenly reward and euerlaſting ioye, as with a certeine exceeding and vnſpeakable loue towarde God hys father. He that beleeueth Paule, that his body is the temple of the holy ghoſt that dwelleth in vs, doth eaſily abſteine from ſinne, and defileth not himſelfe with unlawfull luſte. Finally he that doubteth not that he is admitted into the number of the Saints, omitteth not to followe alſo the vertues of the Saints, as pietie toward God, and loue towardes our neighbour.

Of the cauſe why purpoſing many times to liue godlily, we perſiſt not in our good purpoſe, and vvhat meanes may be founde to remedye the ſame.

BVt what is the cauſe (wil ſome man ſaye) that whereas we ſometime thinke and purpoſe to liue vertuouſlye, godlilye, chaſtly, and ſoberlye, yet wee doe not conſtantlye continue in the faythfull fulfillinge of that whyche wee haue ſo well determined? That I maye aunſweare in fewe wordes, the chiefe and principall cauſe hereof is the naturall naughtineſſe and corruption which is in vs, and that proneneſſe to ſinne whyche ſticketh as it were in our verye bowells and marowe: that is, the verye fleſhe which we beare about, wherewith the inwarde man hath a ſore and grieuous fighte, and almoſt a continuall combat, as Paule dooth witneſſe. This therefore wee muſt alwayes reſiſte when it prouoketh vs to vnlawfull luſte and filthye pleaſures, to gluttonie and ſurfettinge, to laſciuiouſneſſe and lecherye, finally to anye other filthye factes or diſhoneſt behauiour, and with godly ſtudies, exerciſes, abſtinence and faſtings bridle and bring vnder the force thereof, and with continuall fobrietie and temperance of life repreſſe and ſubdue the ſame. For thys cauſe our Sauiour commaundeth that our harts be not oppreſſed with ſurfetting and drunkennes: & Paul forbiddeth vs to be drunken with wine, prohibiteth gluttonie and exceſſiue drinking, and willeth vs to be vigilant and ſober. Hereunto muſt be added dayly prayer and callinge for Gods helpe and aſſiſtance, without whiche all the endeuour that we beſtowe in bridlinge the fleſhe and repreſſing the force thereof, is fruſtrate and in vaine.

But the motions of the fleſh being after a ſort ſubdued, ther is moreouer the world & the deuil our deadly enemies, wherwith we haue a cōtinual fightifor nether wil theſe ſuffer vs to preſiſt in our purpoſe & determinatiō to liue godlily & wel. For ye world prouoketh to ambition, pryd, riot, to wrath, hatred, enuie, impatiencie, ſclaunderinge: and miniſtreth occaſions to other ſinnes which no man can rehearſe, moreouer it marreth men with euill examples, and corrupteth them with ſundrye offences. The deuill ceaſeth not to induce and moue mā to y• neglect of Gods word, to incredulitie and diffidence, to a falſe perſwaſion of himſelfe, to an obſtinate perſiſting in euill, to blaſpheme the Lord God, to impugne the knowne truth, to hypocriſie, ſuperſtection, idolatrie, and other infinite and innumerable ſinnes, and offences.

What is then to be don, thou wilt ſay in this caſe? Surely we muſt valiantly reſiſt our enemies, we muſt caſt of all remiſſines of minde and faintnes of courage, and with ardent and earneſte prayer craue Gods ayde and helpe, and truſtinge there unto not deſpeire of the victorye. But let vs here what Paule ſaith concerning this matter writing to the Epheſians: Finally, my Brethren (ſaith he) be ſtrong in the Lorde and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to ſtand againſte the aſſaults of the deuill. For we wreſtle not againſte fleſhe and bloud, but againſt principalities, againſte powers, againſt worldly gouernours, the princes of the darkeneſſe of thys worlde, againſte ſpirituall wickedneſſes, which are in the hie places. A little after rehearſinge by name the armour of Chriſtians, he willeth them to ſtand with their loines girt about with veritie, hauing on the breſt plate of righteouſnes, taking the ſhielde of faith, whereby they may quench all the fiery darts of the wicked: he willeth them moreouer to take the helmet of ſaluation & the ſworde of the ſpirite, which is the word of God, and exhorteth them to pray alwayes. Thus haſt thou the armour wherewith thou muſt fight againſt our aduerſary the deuill, who neuer omitteth day, no not an houre, nay ſcarce one moment but he alwais aſſaileth vs, & like a roring lyon goeth about, ſeeking whom he may deuoure, as the Apoſtle Peter ſaith.

Let vs therefore being fenced and furniſhed with this armour whiche Paule preſcribeth, valiantly reſiſt him, and he will flye from vs, as ſayth the Apoſtle Iames. Let vs daylye deſyre Gods ayde and helpe: Let vs praye vnto God that he will not leade vs into tentation: Let vs beſeeche him that for Chriſtes ſake he will deliuer vs from that wicked fende, which is the continuall enemie of mankinde. Howbeit let vs take ſpeciall hede, that we fall not wittingly into ſinne, whether ye deuil wold driue vs, and into voluntarye deſtruction, neyther that we yeeld to our own imbecillity, but with a ſtout courage reſiſt Satan, and deſire of the eternall God, the father of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, that he wil helpe our infirmitie and weakenes. And becauſe the deuil doth not alwayes ſet vpon vs with open force, but aſſayleth vs alſo priuily and by ſecrete meanes, and (as one ſaith) flattereth that he may deceiue, ſmileth that he may hurt, allureth that he may ſlay and kill: let vs doe our endeuour, that we may wiſely and warely auoyde the ſnares that he layeth for vs, and that wee may giue hym no occaſion to aſſaile and oppreſſe vs of a ſudden and vnawares.

Hede may be more eaſily taken, ſaith Cyprian, where feare is manifeſt. Let vs therefore ſhake of ſluggiſhnes and ouermuch ſecuritie in our life, and feare that vnder euery ſtone as ye ſaying is, there is a ſcorpion, and let vs not be quiet & ſecure as though al things were ſafe & ſure. None is ſoner ouertaken (as a certen hea then mau ſaith) then he that feareth nothing: and ſecuritie is very often the beginning of calamitie. Doe not then, if thou haſte once ouercome thine enemie, looke by and by for peace, as though thou were alreadye pa •… e all perill. Thou muſt alwayes ſtande in the battell, and as it were prepared and ready to fight, ſo that Cyprian ſaid well, that in the worlde there is nothinge but continuall conflictes wyth the deuill, and dayly fighting againſte his aſſaults and inuaſions. We encounter ſaith he, with couetouſnes, with vncleannes, with wrath, with ambition: we haue a dayly and grieuous fighte with carnall vices and worldlye allurements: the mynde of man being as it were beſieged and on euery ſide compaſſed with the inuaſions of the deuill, doth ſcarce withſtande euerye one, doth ſcarce reſiſt them. If couetouſnes be conquered, luſte riſeth vp: if luſt be repreſſed, ambition ſucceedeth: if ambition be contemned, wrath doth exaſperat, pryde puffeth vp, drunkennes inuiteth, enuie breaketh concorde, zeale diſſolueth friendſhip. &c. Nowe as wee oughte not to be proude or preſumptuous being once victors, ſo neither ought we ſtraighte to be diſcouraged or caſte awaye our weapons when we are ouercome. What muſt we do thē? To take away the former ignomie, let vs more fiercely aſſaile the enemie & put away the ſhame before receiued by newe vallour and valiantnes: no otherwiſe then that champion mentioned in a certain Poet, when he had fallen heauily to the earth, being nothing terrified with the fall. He commeth fiercer to the fight, ire doth his courage moue again: Shame ſtirres his ſtrength and vallour which he in himſelfe knew to remaine.

HOwbeit we muſt encounter with the enemie, truſting not ſomuch to our own power & proweſſe, as to Gods helpe & aſſiſtaunce. Thus haſt thou y• cauſe why for the moſt parte we perſiſt not in our purpoſed determinatiō to liue vertuouſly & according to Gods wil. For the cauſe as I haue ſayde, is our naturall corruption and proneneſſe to ſinne: alſo the world offering daily inumerable occaſions & meanes to all kind of wickednes: finally the deuill, alwayes thinking of our deſtruction, and omitting not ſcarce one moment of time, eyther with open force, or by priuie and ſecret means to aſſaile vs.

God the father of our Lorde and ſauiour Ieſus Chriſt, vouchſafe with his ayde and aſſiſtance to helpe vs, and with his holye ſpirite to confirme and ſtrengthen vs, hauing ſuche a ſore and continuall conflict with ſo manye enemies, whom we are very weake to reſiſte, that by his helpe we may repreſſe the motions of the fleſh, and not be caried awaye with the allurements thereof, that we may ſubdue our vicious nature, and be able valiantly to reſiſt the world alwaies miniſtring occaſions & means to infinite ſinnes, and the deuil on euerye ſide aſſailinge vs, and attemptinge all meanes to deſtroye vs: and that not onely a ſeruile feare, which the law bringeth, namely of Gods vengeaunce and eternall puniſhment, may reuoke vs from ſinne, and wickednes, being terrified with Gods wrath and iudgement, and ſtriken with dread and horror of hel: but much rather yea ſpecially a free feare with a certen honeſte ſhamefaſtnes and vertuous reuerence toward GOD maye moue vs not eaſilye to commit any thinge, whiche may diſpleaſe our moſte gracious and fauourable father: and may alſo make vs of our owne accorde to auoyde vice and embrace vertue, and by loue and charitie keepe vs in doing our duty, ſo that if we commit anye offence vnawares, as the imbecilitie of man is great, the ſame may bring ſo greate griefe and diſquietneſſe of mynde vnto vs, that we ſhall take no ioye of our lyfe, for that wee haue offended ſo louinge and mercifull a father, vntill wee haue by heartye repentance pacified him againe. Finallye the eternall God for his ſonne our Lorde and Sauiour Ieſus Chriſtes ſake graunte, that in ſuche ſhortneſſe of thys lyfe, in ſuche vncertaintye of the houre of death, we may not prolonge and dryue of from daye to daye the amendement of our manners: but that acknowledging our ſinnes, wee may withoute all delaye endeuour to returne vnto goodneſſe, truelye and heartelye repente, and by vnfeyned repentance of our ſinnes, pacifye our heauenlye Father: Moreouer wyth the Publican mencioned in the Goſpell, humblye and wyth knockinge our breaſte implore Gods fauour and mercye: Fynallye that wee may be willing & carefull to doe thoſe thinges onelye which are acceptable to God, that wee may reforme vice with vertu and that through Gods aſſiſtance wee may by all meanes endeuour to leade the reſt of our lyfe hereafter godlily, holily, innocently, chaſtly, ſoberly, temperatly, profitably to the church of God, friendly to the life of men, agreeable to a chriſtian profeſſion, and alſo perſeuer in this our good purpoſe and determination.

The Concluſion.

THus much I thoughte good to write concerning the folly of men in prolonging the amendment of their life. The verye matter it ſelfe whiche I tooke in hande to entreate of, hath enforced me to ſpeake of ſuch thinges as to the vertuous and them that loue God, are very pleaſant and delectable, but to ſuche as will ſeeme Chriſtians, when they are nothing leſſe, very vnpleaſant and grieuous. We haue ſpoken many things, yea and haue ſo earneſtly repeated the ſame, that we may ſeeme almoſt tedious to the reader, concerninge the ſhortnes and vncertainty of thys lyfe, concerning death which by reaſon of the vncertaine chaunces that be incident vnto vs, is dayly imminent, and doth oftentimes come vppon men ſuddenly and vnawares, which the godlye doe hartely deſire, and willingly ſuffer when it ſo pleaſeth God, but the wicked doe wonderfully dread and feare. We haue ſpoken of the generall reſurrection, of the comming of ye Lord, of the laſt iudgement, when all ſhall be called to the examination of the life which they haue led, the daye whereof being dreadfull to the wicked, the godly thinke ſhalbe to them ioyfull and happy. For then approcheth their redēption, then commeth the time of comforte and refreſhing, as the Apoſtle in the Acts ſayeth, and as Tertulian ſayeth, then is the daye of Chriſtian reioycing.

We haue ſpoken moreouer, what rewardes are appointed after death for the godly, and what puniſhments for the wicked. For the godly ſhall aſcende vnto God, and in heauen enioye a life moſt bleſſed and euerlaſting. For what great felicitie is it, alwayes to beholde God, to be exhilarated with a perpetuall and moſt pleaſant contemplation of his coſitenance to ſee him as he is, whom we now ſee through a glaſſe darkely, as the Apoſtle Paule ſaieth: finally to abound with all good thinges, to be partakers of ſo great delights and ioyes as no man is able ſufficiently either in cogitation to comprehend, or in words to expreſſe? Contrariwiſe the wicked ſhalbe thrown hedlong into hell, there to be tormented with moſt grieuous & euerlaſting paines. For there is no eloquēce of any man ſo great, which is able in words to vtter, nether ye wit of anye ſo ſharp, yt it is able in cogitation to conceiue ye leſt parte of thoſe torments which ye wicked ſhal ſuffer in hel, being condemned by ye iuſt iudgement of God to eternall fire. Finally, we haue ſpoken of ſundry other things, which, as I haue ſaid, ſhalbe very pleaſant to ye godly, but to the wicked very vnpleaſant & grieuous: as of the ſenſe of Gods wrath againſt ſinne, of ſhaking of ſecuritie in the time of proſperitie, of repenting vnfeynedly, of the amendment of our manners, of the reforming of our life, of a dayly fight with our aduerſaries, the world, the fleſh, and the deuill, and of other ſuch like thinges, which it is not here needefull to repeate. Theſe things are in deede hard & vnpleaſant, but, as I hope wholeſome & profitable. For phiſitions, as one wel witneſſeth, do cure grieuous diſeaſes wt ſharpe remedies, and as Cicero ſaith vnto Octauius, No remedies which are laid vnto wounds do ſo procure griefe, as they that are wholeſome.

The eternal God, the father of our Lord and redeemer Ieſus Chriſt, graunt that in this ſo corrupt and wretched age, this our treatiſe (howbeit if anye will earneſtlye peruſe the ſame) may ſomewhat conteine ye godly in their dutie, and confirme them in the beſt part: and may giue ſome occaſion to the wicked, I mean ſuch as be not paſt hope, to returne vnto goodnes: finally that this ſharpe medicine whiche is giuen yt health maye be recouered thereby, may haue force and power to helpe and heale them that be as it were ſicke and almoſt deſperate. Which he, without whoſe helpe al the endeuour of men is fruſtrate & in vaine, euen the Lord God almighty graunt: To whom be praiſe, honor, and glory for euer.