Of the restoring againe of him that is fallen.

OH; Iere. 9.1. that my head were (full) of water and mine eies a fountaine of teares Much more fitly it is spoken of mee now, The wor­thines & integritie once of the per­son to whom he writeth. Ecclu. 16.3 then at that time of the Prophet of God. For how­beit not many cities, neither a whole countrey is to bee la­mented of me, yet I must mourne for a soule of more worth than many nations, of more price than many cities. For if one that doe the will of God, be better than a great companie of the wicked thou also wast better once, than ma­ny [Page 2] multitudes of the Iewes. Wherefore let no man won­der, if I peraduenture vse more large lamentations at this time, The cause of the la­mentati­on. and powre out were plenty of teares, than at that time the Prophet did (For as I said) I do not bewaile y ^e sac­king of a city which is taken, nor the thraldome of the com­mon people little set by: but the downfall of an excellent soule, and the ruine of a tem­ple which Christ inhabited. If any euer knew the orna­ments of thy mind, which now the flame of the diuel hath con­sumed; if any euer beheld the temple of thy body, when it glittered with the brightnesse of chastitie; soothly he would deeme that lamentation of the Prophet small and much inferior: wherein hee bewai­leth that the handes of Bar­barians had prophaned the holy place, and that the ene­mies fire had destroied the Temple, & that the Cherubin [Page 3] and the Arke were defiled, and that the mercy seat, with the tables of stone, and the golden potte, were polluted. For this lamentation which I vse, is by so much more piteous and bitter than the other; by how much more truly and euident­ly all these things were to bee seene in thy soule, than be­tweene the wals of the Tem­ple; the Temple which was in thee, was much holier than the other. It shined not with the mettals of golde and siluer but with the vertues of the mind, and giftes of the holy Ghost: it had within it the Arke and the two Cherubins, that is, the faith of the father, and the sonne, and the holy Ghost. The wret­ched plight wherein­to this man was fallen. Yet now nought of all these is left, all things are taken from thy soule, she is bereft of all her beautie, and all the giftes which God bestowed on her, she remaineth spoiled, de­formed, fowle, she hath lost all her aide and safegard.

No doore now is shut in her, no entrie is kept, but she lyeth open to all naughtie spirits, which corrupt the soule. No vncleane thought, no filthie desire is thence expelled but if the spirit of fornication come, it entreth in, if the spirit of pride, if the spirit of auarice, if more hellish and vnpure, than these shall come none forbiddeth them, none bea­reth them backe. For she hath no keeper, no Sexton. And as to the secrets of heauen there is no accesse for an vn­godly person; so at the first no infection could touch thy mind.

But perhaps I may seeme to speake incredible things, to those especially that knew not thy former estate, and onely see the destruction wherein thy soule now lieth. This surely is the cause why I weepe without remedie, be­cause I knew thee: and why I sorrow vncessantly, because [Page 5] I remember how long it is, vntill I see thee returne vnto thy wonted and pristine glory. Which for all that men may iudge impossible. Mat. 19.26 Psal. 113.8, 9. 1. Sam. 2.8 For he it is, that raiseth the needy out or the dust, & lifteth vp the poore out of the dunge. That he may s [...]t him with princes ( [...]uen) with the princes of the people He it is that maketh the bar­ren woman to dwell with a family, and a ioyfull mother of children.

Let vs not then doubt nor despaire, If Sathan draw to sin, God can pull backe to goodnes. but that thou may­est be conuerted into a better case. For if the diuell could do so much in thee, as to draw thee from the height of ver­tue to the depth of wicked­nes, how much more shal God be able to reclaime thee to the highest pitch of goodnesse, and not onely make thee that thou wast once, but farre more blessed than thou diddest seeme in thy owne conceit. Onely be of stout courage, neither [Page 6] cast of the hope of goodnesse: let not, I pray thee, that be­tide thee, which doth the god­lesse. Vngodli­nes with­out peni­tencie breedeth to de­spaire. It is impietie not the multitude of sinnes, that brin­geth a foole to desperation: and therefore Salomon sayd not, that each one when hee commeth into the depth of e­uils contemneth, but, Pro. 18.3 the wic­ked (saith he) if he come into the depth of euils contemneth. It is then a point of the impi­ous to haue no hope of salua­tion, Or, when the wic­ked com­meth, thē commeth contempt. and to contemne when they come into the depth of sinnes, vngodlinesse not per­mitting them to haue respect to God, and to returne thither from whence they fell So that this thought which cut­teth away all hope of conuersi­on, issueth from impietie, and as a most heauie stone accloy­ing the soule, it perpetually compelleth it to behold the earth and neuer to looke vp­ward on God. When we sinne we must not despaire. But a lusty sto­macke and loftie minde will [Page 7] cast down this hurtful weight of his soule, and tread vnder feet Sathan, that being his owne gouernour hee may sing the Psalmists words of God, Psal. 113 2. As the eies of seruans looke vpon the hands of their ma­sters, and as the eies of a mai­den vpon the hands of her mi­stres, so our eyes waite vpon the Lord our God, till he haue mercy vpon vs. Haue mercy vpon vs, O Lord haue mercy vpon vs, for we haue suffered too much contempt. And in these wordes of this heauenly prophecie, there is singular doctrine, we haue suffered too much contempt. This is that hee would haue vs say, that although for the multitude of our sinnes wee haue suffered much contempt, and are sur­rounded with reproches, yet our eyes shall waite vpon the Lord our God till hee haue mercy vpon vs, & that we will not leaue of beseeching vntill we be vouchsafed forgiuenes.

We ought to be ear­nest in prayer when wee sue for forgiue­nes, and not to rest till God haue ful­filled our petitions.For this is the badge of a constant and setled minde that it is not wearie of perseuering in intrearie through dispaire to obtaine, but continueth and persisteth in crauing, vn­till the Lord haue mercy vpon it. These two peri­ods fol­lowing G.F. Ca­pito hath not in his translati­on. And least you should think you offende greatly be­fore the Lord, if not vouchsa­fed to be heard, you continue importunately in prayers, call to memory the Euangelicall parable, and there you shall find, that the Lord sheweth, that stiffe & perseuering beg­gers are not vnacceptable to him. For he saith, Lu. 11.8. Though he would not giue him because he is his friend, yet because of his importunitie. he will rise and giue him as much as hee needeth. Vnderstand therefore (deare friend) that the diuell putteth into our mindes de­spaire of obteining, to this end, that he may cut from vs the hope of the goodnesse of God, which is the Anchor of [Page 9] our saluation, the foundation [...]f life, the guide of the way [...]hrough which wee passe to [...]eauen: in briefe, the Apostle [...]aith. Ro. 8.24. by hope we are saued. Insomuch that our saluation consisteth in hope, which draw­ [...]th vp our soules from out the earth, knit (as it were) to certaine chaines hanging downe from heauen, and cal­leth againe those to the hea­uenly dwelling place which cleaue to themselues, exalting them securely aboue the trou­bles of this life, and earthly miseries. Wherefore if any en­cumbred with these calami­ties, bee dissolute, and let goe out of his hands the anchor of hope, hee must needes fall, and be caried into the bottom­lesse pit and profunditie of e­uils. The dan­gers of despaire Which assoone as the e­nemie shall perceiue, and see vs loath the multitude of our sinnes, and feare through re­morse of conscience, straight­way he draweth neere, and ca­steth [Page 10] before our eyes cogitati­ons of despaire, more heauie than any leade or grauell which if wee vndertake, we must of necessity bee drowned in the depth or euils, because, with the very load, the staies of our saluation are broken. Into the which depth because thou art cast, thou dost throw behind thee the precepts of a good and gentle lord, and thou doest obey the becke of a blou­dy and mercilesse tyrant, Mat. 11.30. the enemie of thy saluation. Thou hast shaken off the sweete yoke of Christ, and hast laid on thy necke for it, the hard and iron fetters of sinne: thou hast shaken off the easie bur­den of a lowly and meeke Lord, and for it hast hanged about thy neck a milstone, but how long doest thou so con­tinue? Stand now at the last, and cease to drown thy vnhap­py soule, without any care, without any aduise how long doest thou hast it foorth, and [Page 11] cast it downe headlong to thy owne decay? Luke 15. And truly the woman in the Gospell, which found againe the lost groate, called together her friends and neighbours, that they should reioyce with her: but I will cal youre & my friends & neigh­bours together, and will en­treat them to meet, not that they should be glad, but that they should lament with mee: not that they should reioyce, but mourne with me, & great­ly sorrow, lifting vp their hands to heauen, as they shall see me to doe, and I will say vnto them; howle and lament with me, O my friends, pow­er out and bring foorth with me fountaines and floods of teares, not for that I haue lost vnporzable weights of golde, or innumerable ta­lents of siluer; not because I haue lost threades full of costlie pearles, but for that my friend Amicus alter i [...]se. dearer than any gold, and more pretious than any [Page 12] stone, is (I knowe not how) while he sailed with vs ouer the large and broad sea of this life, fallen downe into the ve­ry depth of destruction. And if some one of my friends shall goe about to comfort, and will me to leane of sorrowing I will aunswere him in the Prophets words: Or, let me alone, I wil weep bitterly, you can not com­fort me. Suffer me to we [...]pe most bitterly, nei­ther hold on comforting mee: for I weepe n [...]t through the affection of the flesh, neither is my lamentation woman like, wherein appeare immo­derate teares to be blamed. I mourne for that, which th [...] great and famous Apostle S. Paul saith hee mourneth for when as he saith: 2. Cor. 12.22. That I may mourne for them that haue sinned, and haue not re­pented.

The death of the soule is pitifully to be lamen­ted, see­ing the death of the body is so bit­terly ta­ken.Certes with reason shall one rebuke those that for the common death of their friends weepe without meane; but when the wounds not of a bo­dy, [Page 13] but of a soule are lamented, [...]nd of such a soule, which in [...]eath it selfe sheweth signes of [...]er former beautie, and won­ [...]erous gainesse, & with liue­ [...] tokens displaieth the floure [...]f vertues extinguished in her, [...]ho is so cruell, & vnacquain­ [...]ed with vertue, that would [...]ot be prouoked to teares? For it is a point in Philoso­ [...]hie, to forbeare weeping for [...]ommon death: so in the death [...]f a soule, and such a soule [...]o receiue comfort. I adiudge [...]oth vngodly and irreligious. For ordinary death to keepe [...]he eyes from teares, is the [...]hiefest thinge in the studie of wisedome: but how shall not [...]e seeme to be lamented for without intermission, who of [...]ate reckned the whole braue­nesse of the bodie, but like [...]arued stones, who accounted gold as clay, who respected all [...]elights as durt, and now [...]ttached by the sodaine feuers [...]f lust and voluptie, being de­priued [Page 14] of the integrity an [...] beautie of his mind, hath shaken hands with vertue, and i [...] become a slane to vice an [...] pleasure? This man shall I not bewaile? This man shal I not moysten so long with riuer of teares, vntill wit [...] weeping I stirre vp feeling i [...] him, and by the warmth o [...] teares I raise some liuely motions in him, if mournin [...] may doe ought? And i [...] mourners of the body ceas [...] not from lamenting, though they assuredly know, thei [...] weeping profite them nothing to renew the life of him tha [...] is dead: why should not we that know the soule may be [...] called from death by conuersion, earnestly follow after the medicine of repentance, tha [...] (euen the sepulchre being ope­ned) with abundance of teares hee may bee recouered? Yea also I thinke we are to be ac­cused of sluggardie, sith the la­menters of bodies and ordi­narie [Page 15] death doe weepe so much & continually (yet certaine as we said, that they shal not raise againe their dead,) if we that know, that by repentance (la­mentation coupled w ^c it) a soule may be restored to his former estate (for the kingly Prophet said. Psal. 65. Or, in the graue who shall praise thee. In hell who shall con­fesse thy name?) do nothing so.

We know too, that diuers in the dayes both of vs and our ancestors hauing sliden out of the straight path, and straied from the entrance of the narrow way, were so a­gaine restored, that their end answered their beginning, ob­taining the goale and crowne, yea they were thought to haue place among the number of the Saints. But as long as one remaineth in the flame & for­nace of lust, these things seeme inpossible to him although A thou­sand. in­finit examples shuld be alleged. But if some small conuersion be begun, and the penitent per­son cast vpward his eyes that [Page 16] burning flame will tarry be­hind him, and by how much more swiftly he shall take his pace, by so much more, before him shall hee see all thinges sumpled with the coale of an heauēly dew. Despaire the grea­test ene­my to our saluation. So much worth is it that wee beware of one thing, the greatest enemy to our saluation, to our conuer­sion, to our repentance, to wit desperation: which if it take hold in our mind, how great desire soeuer we haue of saluation, how great purpose soeuer to liue euerlastingly, if (I say) despaire come, all the entry to saluation is stopped, the way to repentance is hin­dered, and the beginning of anguish is engendred. And how then shall he, that is out of the way, and to whom the doore is shut, ve able to doe any good worke, when as (be­cause despaire prohibiteth) he cannot come to the entrance of goodnes? For this cause the Diuell goeth about with [Page 17] tooth and naile, to plant in our hearts such manner of cogita­tions. For if the feare of de­spaire shall remooue vs from the way of vertue, he hath no long combate with vs, for why should hee assault when none resisteth? And whoso shall haue the power to vndoe this knot, incontinent his strength returneth, the lusti­nesse of his mind encreaseth, he shall be delighted with the renuing of those contentions: the reason is, he shall see him­selfe chase the chaser, and pur­sue the persecuter. And if in case (as in wrastling it falleth out) he faulter againe and fall, let him not be out of hope for shame, but remember, that is not the law of wrestling and iusting, not once to fall (for he may not be said to be conque­red that falleth) but in the end not to yeeld, for hee that de­spaire hath maystered, how can he either recouer might in contention, or withstand and [Page 18] fight, seeing hee taketh his heeles, and doth not at all re­turne to the conflict? Neither thinke that I speake of those alonely, that haue trangres­sed in small and not much important things, but my speech is of him that hath made himselfe a villaine to all mischiefe, and hath dammed to himselfe the way to the kingdome of heauen, and was one of the number not of the incredulous miscreants, but of them that liked God, and after this hath either fallen into fornication, or into all sortes of vnchastitie, which (as the Apostle saith) Ephe. 5.3. to name is vnseemely. This man (I say) ought not to mis­doubt of saluation, though such wickednesse enuiron him euen to the last gaspe. The an­ger of God is not passi­ble, and therefore though we sinne, yet his wrath may bee changed into mer­cie. But harken what the cause of this is. If the wrath of God were an affection that did worke a passion, we might rightly say, that the flame of it kindled [Page 19] with so many and such euils, might not be quenched: but for as much as the truth teacheth that the nature of God is void of passions we must learn that though God punish, though he plague, he doth it not with a wrathfull passion, but with vnspeakeable gentlenesse, go­ing about to cure vs, not to confound vs, and therefore with gladnesse will receiue the penitent. For the plaister of repentance (if thou seeke it) healeth the soule, and defen­deth thee from the anger of God, which he conceiued for thine offences. God doth not (as I said) punish a sinner for his owne fantasie, Why God punisheth man. when he reuengeth his wrong (for the nature of God is not capa­ble of such an affection) but for our profite; he doth all things for our vtilitie, and he chasti­seth and correcteth not to a­uenge himselfe, but to amend vs.

And if any persist in hard­nesse, [Page 20] as the man that turneth his eyes from the light, dam­nifieth nothing the light, but damneth himselfe to darkenes; so he that contemneth vertue through a heart that cannot repent, estrangeth himselfe from saluation. And as a Physition that suffreth wrong at the handes of phrenticke and brainesicke men, sorrow­eth not, nor is displeased a whit at it, but doth all things that appertaine to ease the maladie of the patient, (for the wrong is caused by paine:) & as you may see the Physition glad at a little amendment of the sicke person, and to execute the residue of his charge with ioy and cheerefulnes, not kee­ping in mind the wrong done, but respecting the health of the patient: so, much rather God, God is willing to haue vs returne. when wee are become starke wood, is not greedy of vengeance for our trespasses, but desirous to heale our olde and putrified biles; for to this [Page 21] end he saith & doth all things, thirsting after our safetie, not our punishment.

And albeit reason suffici­ciently shew the contrary, yet least you should stagger in the matter, we are able to auouch it out of the holy Scriptures. Tell me what more wicked body was there euer then the king of Babylon? Who ha­uing found out in many things the omnipotency of God, Dan. 2.46. in so much that hee worshipped his Prophet, and commaunded Frankencense and Myrrhe to be offered to him: Dan. 3. yet againe in despight of God he retur­ned to his wonted hawtinesse, and did cast ioyntly into the ouen of burning fire, those that refused to worship his image, because they preferred the seruice of God. Neuer­thelesse, God allured to repen­pentance, and gaue occasion of recanting to this so bloody, and wicked a king. First in this, Dan. 3. that with the three chil­dren [Page 22] he appeared vnto him in the ouen; afterward in that he caused him to see the vision which Daniel interpreted, Dan. 4. that was able to mollifie euen an heart of flint. But when hee was warned by workes, the Prophet also exhorted him by wordes, and he receiued the counsell of the Prophet, say­ing: Dan. 4. Wherefore, O king, let my counsell be ecceptabe vnto thee, and breake off thy sinnes by righteousnes, and thine ini­quities by mercy towards the poore for, let there be an hea­ling of thine errour.

What satest then to this, O thou wise and blessed man? Yet is there a returning after so great slides? credite mee there is, after grieuous sicke­nesse and from the doore of death proceedeth health, and after desperate sins many waxe wise. For loe (as we shewed afore) this king of Babel had now stapped all way of salua­tion, in that hee prouoked the [Page 23] Lord to wrath, who made him, and exalted him to the throne of a kingdom, who reuealed al­so to him heauenly mysteries who imparted on him the knowledge of things to come, & dis­closed to him the secrets of all his kingdom, who confounded by the diuine solution of his prophet, the iuglings of the wise men, Astrologers, Gaza­rens, & Caldeans, & opened to the capacity of a child, by a di­uine interpretatiō a hidden se­cret: insomuch that he seemed not only to beleeue in the high­est God, but to proclaime tho­roughout al the world, that the God of Daniel was the true God; yet after this he fell into such an outrage, that he threw headlong into the hot burning ouen the seruants of God that would not worshis his image. And yet ne here doth the mer­cy of God forget to cure & re­medy him, but in the midst of the fire, when he had put to the flame, the children that wor­shipped [Page 24] God, there he asswa­geth him not with quenching the fire with water, but with working a wonder. For hee could both extinguish the fire, and distill downe a showre from heauen, but this he doth not, least he should encrease the force of his rage, but per­mitteth the flame to be made as great, as the furie of the tortor desired, and hee doth not forbid him to punish, but taketh away power from the torment. And that no one that sawe the children not burne, might suppose it was a vaine imagination, no fire in deede that he saw, he suffered the executioners (namely those that stoode about the fornace) to bee consumed, that hee might make manifest, that not onely fire in truth was seene, but that Gods commaunde­ment was more forcible than any strength of fire. For eue­ry thing that is, obeieth him of whom it had his begin­ning. [Page 25] That fire receiued the bodies of those saints and by the ordinance and will of God forgetting his nature where­by it burneth, vpon it shewed only his nature of illumining, rendring againe the holy and faithfull thing committed to his charge nothing hurted; for they came foorth out of the fla­ming fornace as it had beene out of a princes palace, wor­thy to be admited of all, of all to be reuerenced. None then cast his eyes on the king who glittered in purple, with a diademe on his head, but hee was forsaken of all, as though he had beene no body, for that the children had rapteu [...] rich-one into an admiration. For who would not hee astonied that the fire was afrighted at the sight of the young mens bodies, and that it did not on­ly she from the flesh of those saints, but also did not touch one haire of their head (which was but little) nor [Page 26] the vttermost hemine of their garments?

Who would not admire, that their members were stronger then mountains, their garments than mettals, their haires than diamonds? And herein is the wonder aggra­uated, that when they were in the middest of the fire, they sang a Psalme to God, albeit experience teacheth, that they that are committed to the flame, bee consumed assoone as they open their mouth. To conclude these bl [...]ssed chil­dren remaine with God glo­rious, with men wonderfull; but the naughtie king was neither mooued with these miracles, nor wondered at the vision and the foretelling of his confusion, but abode hard of beliefe, neither yet was punished. And hitherto Gods patience was not tried, but when hee had forborne him a long time, at length hee vnneth corrected him, not pu­nishing [Page 27] the offences past, but respecting the amendment to come: in a word, he condem­ned him not euerlastingly, Dan. 4.33. but chastised for a little space, but reformed for a fewe yeeres he got againe his former estate, so that by the punishment he sustained no losse but by the amendment gat great good.

Such (beleeue me) such is the goodnes of God towards men, neuer reiecting repentance if it be truely and vprightly offred; although one come to the top of wickednesse, Nunquam sera est ad bonos mo­res via. Sen. notwithstan­ding if he haue a desire to re­turne to the way of vertue, he gladly receiueth and imbraceth him, and doth all things wher­by he may be reclaimed to his wonted condition. Yea & that which is more worth the no­ting, although any be not able wholy to abandon the vre of sin, he will not refuse how smal soeuer repentance, & in how little time soeuer vndertaken, hee will take it, and not suffer [Page 28] the least conuersion goe vnre­guerdoned. Is. 57. Or, for his sins I haue made him sory a lit­tle while, &c. and I haue bin sad, and I haue wal­ked hea­uily, and I haue hea­led him, I haue cō ­forted him. For this (mee thinketh) Isaiah sheweth, where he speaketh after this manner of the people of the Iewes, for his sinne I haue made him somewhat sory, and I haue smitten him, and I haue turned my face from him, and he was sory and wal­ked heauily, and I healed him, and comforted him.

But the wicked king, that by reason of the naughtinesse of his wife sought a booty for his lust, may be a more euident testimonie of this matter; who being troubled with the hainousnesse of his sinnes, re­pented, and cloathed in sacke­cloth bewailed his doing, and heere in so drew the mercy of God vpon him, that hee par­doned all his trespasses. For so it is said, 1. King. 21.28.29. and the word of the Lord came to Eliah the Tishbite, saying, seest thou how Ahab is humbled before me? because he submitteth [Page 29] himselfe before me, I will not bring that euill in his dayes. Also after him againe Manas­ses, who bare the bell from all pittilesse tyrants, who ouer­threw the seruice of God and the worship of his lawes, who replenished the Temple of the Lord with Idols, thrusting out the worshipping of the Lord, this king (I say) sur­passing the wickednesse that e­uer hath beene heard of, albeit repented, and after was num­bred among the friends of God. 2. Chro. 33. Now if he or they of whom afore we mentioned pondering the vnmeasurable­nesse of their transgressions, had despaired of returne by conuersion and repentance, doubtles they had lost all those good things which happened vnto them by amendment of life. But contrariwise they beholding the mercy that can­not be vttered, and God his infinite and profound good­nesse, vntied from their neckes [Page 30] the diuelish bonds of despaire, and spurring vp themselues, were conuerted to the way of vertue, and by withdrawing their foote from headlong ruine finished a good course. And so farre of the examples of the holy men.

Psal. 95.1.Now hearken how God by the Prophet allureth vs in words to repentance, to day (saith he) if you will heare his voice, harden not your hearts: &c. And in that he saith to day, he meaneth all our life time, euen vnto the last part (if so it chaunce) of our olde age; Short re­pentance looseth not re­ward. Ionas 3. for not the length of time but the truenes of repenting is considered, or else how is it read that the Niniuites in the little space of one day not in long time purged a most grieuous sinne. And the theefe also which hanged on the crosse, Luk. 23. needed not a very long season to bee made fit for para­dise, but so much space was ynough as was spent in pro­nouncing [Page 31] one speech Inso­much that in a moment, ha­ [...]ing all his sinnes clensed, he was thought worthy to enter heauen before euen the Apo­stles. And semblably, doe we not oftentimes see the martyrs in one day, and percase in the space of one howre, to receiue the crownes of great rewards? Wherefore hardinesse is all, and a boldnes conioined with p [...]ompt and ready minds, that mooued (as it were) with a certaine wrath, we be displea­sed with lust our inueagler, and offer all our desire and loue on the altar of vertue. For this is that thing that God willeth, and requireth of vs, he seeketh not continu­ance of time, nor vexation of vs, he respecteth true and vnfained conuersion. Seeing many that were last, haue by earnest la our ex­ceeded those that were be­fore thē. It is not then so badde to fall, as after a fall to lie still, & be vnwilling to rise, couering the vitious­nes of our ill intent (taking no delight but in sin) with despe­rate [Page 32] speeches For with indig­nation the Prophet crieth out against these; Doth not he [...] rise vp that falleth, and he re­turne that is turned away Jere. 8. Godly men may rise by repen­tance af­ter their fall.?

Now if thou say; What if one of the faithfull should fall. may he be restored? To this I aunswere; in that we say he hath fallen, wee confesse he stood before he fell: for it is an absurd thing to be spoken, that any man fell, that hath still lien and neuer stood. We will produce also out of the booke of God allegations, if ought hath bene spoken of this mat­ter, either in parables or in plaine speeches, or if any thing may be found in the examples of our elders. What represen­teth that sheepe which when it wandred from the ninetie and nine, Luke 15. was sought by the sheepheard, and brought home on his shoulders? doth it not euidently shew the sliding and the repairing of a faithfull bo­dy? For it was a sheepe like [Page 33] as were the ninety and nine, not of any other, but of the selfe same flocke, it had the selfe same guides, it was first fed in the same pasture, with the same water, and the same fold contained it that did the rest. But it straied not a litle, and wandred through the mountaines and hils, that is, it went farre from the right path, yet the good sheepheard suffereth it not to pine away in straying, but seeketh it, and calleth it againe, and he calleth it home, not driuing it vio­lently, neither beating it with strokes, but supporting it with his owne shoulders. For as all skillull Physitions by mitigation of medicine deale more nicely and tenderly, with those that haue beene long vexed with infirmitie: so God doth not reclaime those that haue beene long corrupt with sinne to the way of vertue with any tariance at all, but by peece-meale, and little and [Page 34] little, bearing with their weakenesse in many things, and assisting them often, that conuersion on the sudden may not be vnpleasant to them, and that they may not goe againe to lewdnes, for the difficulty of returning.

But not this parable onely declareth the moderatenesse of alteration, but that likewise which is written of the prodi­gall sonne. Luke 15. He was a sonne also no aliant, his naturall brother that neuer went from his father: he (I say) was a sonne that went far in the bor­ders of iniquitie: for he went into a farre countrey, and farre from the Lord, he that was rich and of good name, was made baser then a seruant and hireling, but sorrowfully re­turning, he was taken into his ancient estate and inuested in his former glorie: Now if he had lost hope, and had beene ashamed to come a­gaine to his father, because of [Page 35] his mischanches, and had a­ [...]ode alway in a straunge and forren countrey, hee had not gotten that he gat, but peri­shing for want of food, had di­ed a miserable death. You see therefore how great necessitie repentance hath, what force in turning hope hath, by repen­tance the prodigall sonne re­couered the olde condition of his glory, which the elder brother had without repen­tance. And if I might speake that I would in these matters, me seemeth he gat more by conuersion than the other had. ver. 26.30. For so he himselfe saith, loe these many yeeres haue I done thee seruice, and yet thou neuer gauest me a kid that I might make mery with my friends. Sinners conuer­ted get more thē they which stumbled not. But when this thy sonne was come, which hath deuoured thy goods with harlots, thou hast for his sake killed the fat calfe. Why should I not then think, that he that turneth by repen­tance [Page 36] obtaineth more then o­ther, sith he had neuer a kid gi­uen him, but for this the fat calfe was killed? Wherefore beloued hauing these examples of repentance, let vs not per­sist in euils, nor despaire of at­tonement: he will neuer (put affiance in me) turne his eyes from the conuerted, if we our selues remooue not our selues from God. Hier. 23.23. Our sins separate vs from God. Isai. 59.2. For he saith, I am a God at hand, and not a God farre off. And againe by the Prophet, Or your iniquities haue se­parated betweene you and your God Your sinnes sepa­rate betweene me and you. If then our sinnes disseuer vs from God, let vs take away this barre, and nothing may let vs to be brought into the fauour of God.

Will you that I shew it not onely spoken in parables, but formed in deed? There was a man among the Corinthi­ans by all likelihood of no small calling, he had commit­ted such a sinne, as was not committed amongst the Gen­tiles, [Page 37] being of the numbe of [...]he faithfull, and Christs his [...]riends, for some report (mee [...]hinketh) that he was of the [...]mage of the Priests. What [...]hen? Paul neuer parted him [...]rom the number of those, that [...]ope to attaine saluation. But when he had sufficiently rebu­ [...]ed the Corinthians for him, [...]urposing to shew that there [...]s no wound nor disease, that may not bee cured and made whole by repentance he com­maundeth to deliuer him ouer [...]nto Sathan, 1. Cor. 5.5. for the destru­ [...]tion of the flesh, that the spirit may be saued in the day of the [...]ord Iesus. But this he com­maundeth before he was done [...]o wit of his repentance; for when he had sorowed, it is [...]ufficient (saith he) to him, 2. Cor. 2.6. that [...]e hath beene rebuked of ma­ny, and addeth, 8. Wherefore I [...]ray you that you would con­ [...]irme your loue towards him: [...]est Sathan should circum­ [...]ent vs, 11. for we are not igno­rant [Page 38] of his enterprises. The nation of the Galathians af­ter it had perfectly beleeued in Christ, and had receiued the holy Ghost, insomuch that it wrought signes and miracles by the spirit, after, for the faith of Christ it had susteined ma­ny things, after al these things (I say) it fell from the faith, and was renued againe by the exhortations of the Apostle. And that thou maist know that by the spirit they had done wonders and miracles, heare howe the Apostle saith: hee therfore that ministreth to you the spirit, Gal. 3.5. and worketh mira­cles among you, doth he it by the workes of the law, or by the hearing of faith preached? And againe, that they had su­steined many things after the receit of faith, he testifieth where he saith: Vers. 4. Haue you suf­fered so many things in vaine? Now after so great a steppe in faith they committed a sinne which was able to abalienate [Page 39] them from Christ, of which the Apostle himselfe saith: Gal. 5.2. Be­hold I Paul say vnto you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profite you nothing. And againe, Verse 4. whosoeuer are iusti­fied by the law, yee are fallen from grace. And notwith­standing after these slides in faith after so grieuous a fall, hee reclaimeth them, and (as I may say) with motherlike compassion reformeth them, saying: My little children, Gal. 5.19. of whom I trauell in birth againe, vntill Christ be formed in you.

What else therefore by all this is there taught, but that it may be, that Christ may be formed anew in him, that hath solde himselfe to worke iniquitie, for he will not the death of a sinner, Eze. 18.32 but that he should be conuerted and liue. For this cause (most intirely beloued) let vs goe a­bout to fulfill the will of God, therefore hath God created [Page 40] vs, and caused vs to be that we were not, that he may be­stow euerlasting good things vpon vs, Heauen was made for man, hell for the diuils. and enfranchise vs into the heauenly city, for hee made vs not faggots for hell fire. The kingdome of heauen was ordained for vs, and hell for the diuell. And that this is true, the Gospell teacheth: for the Lord shall say to them on his right hand, Mat. 25.34. Come ye bles­sed of my father, inherite yee the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Vers. 42. But hee shall say to them on his left hand, depart from mee yee curs [...]d into euer­lasting fire, which is prepared for the diuell and his Angels By this reason the kingdome of heauen was made for man and hell fire for the diuell, euen from the foundation of the world.

So much doth it concerne vs, y ^t by preseruering in euils, wee doe not frowardly ex­clude our selues from the en­trance [Page 41] of goodnes. Repen­tance in this life profiteth much, af­ter this life nought. And while we are in this life how great soeuer sinnes we commit, it is possible by repentance to purge them: but when we are once dead, then though we sorrie (and we shalbe very be sorrie) yet there will bee no profite of repentance. Although there be gnashing of teeth although there be howling and lamen­ting, although we pray and begge with innumerable peti­tions, yet none shall heare vs, none shall helpe vs, no not our tongue tormēted in flames shall be wet with the tippe of a finger dipped in water. But we shall heare that which the rich man heard of Abraham, Luke 16.26. that there is a great swallow­ing pitte set betweene vs and you so that they which would goe from hence to you cannot: neither can they come from thence to vs. Therfore let vs repent (my brother) and as good and profitable seruants seeke our Lord Iesus Christ, [Page 42] neither let vs be discouraged to obtaine pardon (while we liue here) by repentance, for in hell (as I said) the medi­cines of repentance will not be auaileable, but in this life, though in the ende of your dayes and extreme old age you vse it, it shall cure you. Which to stoppe, the diuell starreth and laboureth, that hee may make vs despaire, for hee knoweth that euen in a little time, if any be penitent, though it be a short turn [...]ng, yet it wil not be vnfruitfull. For as the man that giueth a cuppe of cold water looseth not his meed; so he that hath remorse for his euill deedes, though his repentance seeme not counter-poysable to his offences, yet howe little soeuer it bee, and in the twinkling of an eye, the recompence shall not bee lacking. No one good deed though very small, shall bee contemned of the Lord a iust iudge: for if he be so harde a [Page 43] computist of our misdeedes, as that euery one must be puni­shed for his wordes and thoughts, Mat. 12. how much more shall nor good deeds both great and small be rewarded in the day of doome? Wherefore if thou thinke it vnposs [...]ble to be restored to thy accustomed or­der of life, yet prune off a little from that great extremi­tie of ryot and lust, which thou shalt perceiue not a whit vn­fructuous. Make onely a beginning and smoth the way to goodnesse, which tread, al­beit with the tips of thy toes; and till thou begin, the way of vertue seemeth difficile and hard. For such is the nature of all things, that all labour is thought grieuous while it is weighed only in our minds, but when we come to the matter and haue ouercom­med some of the worke, then all feare and fainting is sha­ken off, and the successe of the worke breedeth delight: [Page 44] so also the renuing of vertue causeth gladnesse to the mind, and then are wee stronger, when we see the hope of sal­uation approch.

For this cause also the ene­mie tooke Iudas hence, least in case knowing there was a re­turne to saluation, he might reforme his fall by repentance. And I say not (although it be wonderfull) that that sinne of Iudas might not be purged by repentance: for which cause I intreat and begge of thee that thou abandon out of thy mind all diuelish cogitations, and quickly return thee to the way of saluation. If I should sodainely & wholy call thee to that old height of vertue, thou mightest not without cause tremble, not without reason d [...]ement hard. But considering this only I desire at thy hands, that thou increase not in ini­quities, neither euery day goe neerer to perdition, that thou leaue off and make an end of [Page 45] offending, why doest thou doubt and linger, drawing backe thy foote, for feare onely to receiue the thought of good­nesse? Hath not the superflui­tie of lust bred loathsomnesse, as yet in thee? What hath it bettered them that abode in bodily sensualitie and in the pleasures of this present life vntill the end of their liues? Pleasure of the bo­dy vadeth away. Looke nowe on their sepul­chers, and see whither there be any shew of glorious iollitie? Whether there be any token of dainties and sumptuous fare. Demaund where nowe their gorgeous weedes and strange perfumes bee, whither the pleasure of their games, the troupes of their attendants, the daintines of their feasts is gone? Whither their laugh­tures sports, immoderate and vnbrideled lust is become and vanished? Where they them­selues are with all these things? What was the end of them both? Behold more [Page 46] narrowly and come more neere to their graues, looke on the dust onely and the filthie re­liques of wormes, remember that this is the end of bodies, although in delights and ioy, although in labour and chasti­tie men spend their life. And would God all the matter were ended in dust & wormes, these losses would seeme but little, and the state of nature mought easily be excused But now gl [...]e thine eyes from these ashes and graues, How ter­ [...]ible the [...]udgemēt [...]eate of God shall [...]e to the wicked. and thinke vpon, that horrible seat of the iudgement of God, which is inuironed with a burning riuer of fierie streams where is weeping and gna­shing of teeth, where is vt­ter darkenesse, where is that worme of conscience that ne­uer di [...]th, and the vnquencha­ble fire Forget not the para­ble of Lazarus & the rich man, [...]uk. 16. who being once an owner of great wealth, and clad in purple and silke, could not find [Page 47] (afterward) one drop of wa­ter, and that when hee was in the heat of the fire. Tell me (I beseech thee) what is there in this lif [...] but a dreame? Our life but a dreame. For as those that are condemned to liue among mettals, or afflicted with any other punishment, when they take some rest, af­ter the hard labours of their troublesome life, beleeue them­selues to enioy the manifold dainties they see before them; but when they arise they seele ful wel, there is nothing left of the delicatenes of the dreame. so the rich man who in a dream had the voluptuousnes of this life, when he deceased, nought remained with him but griefe of the thinges past, and paine of the thinges present. Re­member this (my friend) and oppose hell fire to this flame of lust and concupi­scence that now tormenteth thee. And it is a strang kind of medicine that fire shou [...]d bee quenched by fire; but if this [Page 48] fire shall not bee stinted which now so troubleth thee, it will cause to thee that euer-endu­ring fire more fierce and vn­quenchable.

The plea­ [...]ures of this life are mo­mentarie, [...]n respect of the pu­nishment for them.Also, how long doest thou iudge the pleasures of thy pre­sent life may endure? As I thinke thou canst not liue 50. yeeres moe, admit thy old age be long. But in the meane while see what things befall, first in this behalfe, that no body is certaine he may liue till night; next, for that the condition of humane affaires is still moueable, for many times life continueth many yeeres, but wealth and riches fa [...]le, and often some make shippewracke of goods be­fore they die. But grant we, that thou mayest both liue along time, and suf­fer no al [...]eration of times; yet what is this space to euerla­sting paines; what is this voluptie to those miserable and vntollerable plagues? For [Page 49] in this life whether it bee good or euill, it hath his limi­tation, and that speedily but in the world to come both are e­uerlasting. Ouer and besides, the state of the very punish­ment is different: for the fire in this life consumeth all things it taketh, but that fire whom it once taketh hold on, it vex [...]th and alwayes reser­ueth to the torment. And therefore it is termed vn­quenchable, not onely because it cannot be quenched it selfe, but b [...]cause it doth not quench or sley them it taketh. For the Scripture saith, that sinners put on immortalitie, to wit, profitable, not to honour of life, but to perpetuitie of cor­rection.

Now the force of the pu­nishment, and that punish­ment of that fire which is so forcibl [...] [...]o voice will serue to declare, no speech will serue to vtter: for in good or e­uill things subiect to corrupti­on, [Page 50] there is nothing like them. Neuerthelesse that wee may conceiue some motion of that fire and torment, The tor­ments of hell set foorth in their co­lours. call to mind, in him that hath a burning ague, what tribulation, what anxietie of the bodie and soule standeth on each side, and by this temporall maladie ga­ther what those torments be which are inflamed with an eternall fire, which are wa­tered before that horrible iudgem [...]nt s at with a fierie streame of tormenting waues. There what shall wee doe? What shall we answere? No­thing shall be t [...]ere but gna­shing of t [...]eth, but schritching and weeping, and too to late repentance, no way any helpe being found, and euery way the torments increasing with­out any comfort. Wee shall [...]ee none but the executioners and tortors dreadfull to bee beholden, and (which is woorst of all) we shall haue no solace of the very aire. For vt­ter [Page 51] darknes shall compasse the place of torments, and the fire which as it hath not a nature of consuming, so hath it not of illumining, but it is a darke fire, the flame thereof giuing no light. So that to them that are in it, what feare what renting of their bow­els, what dismembring of their bodies, what crosses there be to euery sense▪ no tongue can tell. And as the sortes of tor­ments doe varie and differ, so proportionably euerich one to his sinnes hath his paine mul­tiplied.

Now if thou shouldest say, how can the bodie continue in so wretched and such an end­lesse tormenting? Consider what things now and then in this life betide vs, and by these small things coniecture great, How that some times we see some troubled with long sicknes, & yet their life to in­dure: and howbeit the bodie bee dissolued by some death, [Page 52] yet the soule is not dissolued nor consumed: whence it is apparant that when the body shall also become immortall, no death may kill the soule or body. For in this present life it cannot be, that the punish­ment of the body should bée both grieuous and perpetuall, but the one yeeldeth to the o­ther for that the body cannot abide both But when each shall put off corruption, th [...] corruption afore receiued shall end, but the incorruption got­ten shall be endlesse. So let vs not thinke the very exceeding greatnesse of punishment will cause an end of dolor, but (as I said) our sinnes shall aggrauate the chastisement, and the incorruption of the bodie or soule shall not limite it.

Tell mee now, what space of sensualitie and dainties will thou liken to these torments? Let vs (if we list) bestow on delights an hundreth yeeres, adde thereto an hundreth moe, [Page 53] and tenne times an hundreth, what benefit will there be got­ten of it, if we consider this e­uer-remaining paine? May not the whole time of this life, wherein wee seeme to take pleasure in pastimes, and wal­low in wantonnesse, be recko­ned as the dreame of one night, in comparison of that eterni­tie? Is there any therefore, who to haue a delightsome dreame one night, would vn­dertake sempiternall paines? Or take that for this, or this for that?

I disprayse not as yet de­lights, nor vnfolde the bitternesse of them, because the time serueth not for such speeches nowe, but then I shall be oc­casioned, when I see thee able to auoid the same. For be­cause thou art addicted to them, thou mayest ghesse wee doted, if we auouch that plea­sure which all men reckon ac­ceptable and gladsome, were yrkesome and sowre: But if [Page 54] by the mercy of God, thou maiest escape out of this sort of sickenes, at that time, yea at that time thou shalt finde out what bitternesse, yea what bane sensualitie hath. Nowe m [...]ane while let vs imagine, that pastimes and pleasure and voluptuousnesse are ho­nest and comely: What shall we say to the punishments laide vp in store for them? What shall we say to them, because the delights vade like a sha­dow, and hastily flie away, but the paine abideth for eu [...]r and euer?

Grant the time and space of pastime and punishment were all one, is there any so foolish, or so depriued of his fiue wits, that would chuse to tolerate one day of paine for a day of pleasure? sith the pangs of one houre, and euery vexation of the body, commonly causeth vs to forget all the time past con­sumed in delight. Wherefore forasmuch as we may be ridde [Page 55] (if in a moment we be turned) from euery of those tormen­ting chastisements, and inioy eternall goodnes, why deferre we? why stay we? why doe we not vse the bountifulnesse of God? For this is prouided by the vnspeakeable and infinite clemencie of God, that labour and toile should not bee stret­ched farre, nor be long or end­lesse but short, and (as I may say) for a minute of an houre. Such is this present life, if it be conferred with that euerla­sting. 2. Cor. 4. The clemency (I say) of God hath prouided, that in this fleeting & short life, there should be labors and agonies, but that in the life eternall, there should be crownes & re­wards of good workes, & that trauell should soone be ended, [...]ut the reward of good deeds should last for euer. And euen as this maketh them glad that through induring of toile in­ioye a crowne: so it shall grieue and trouble those in the [Page 56] time to come, that see they haue lost (for a little and small time of delights) perpetuall good things, and haue sought for still induring euill things.

Let vs not therefore incurre this anguish of soule, let vs a­wake while wee haue time. And loe now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salua­tion, now is opportunitie of repentance, and a time where­in repentance will not be fruit­lesse. But if we be carelesse of our life, wee shall sustaine in hell not these calamities alone, whereof we haue spoken, but a more grieuous mischiefe. For to be excluded from blisse, and to be debarred from the things prepared for the Saincts, causeth such afflicti­on, such wofulnesse, as (if no outward punishment tormen­ted) it were sufficient. It sur­passeth all paines of hell, to want that beatitude, the frui­tion of which lay in thy pow­er. For muse (I desire you) [Page 57] on the state of that life, Heauenly blisse set foorth. as much as a man may consider [...]t, for as it is in deed, no [...]peech can vtter. Yet let vs comprehend an image thereof, to the vtmost it may be, by that we haue read, and the darke speeches we haue recei­ued. It is said of it in a cer­taine place, Reu. 21.4. Isai. 35. There shall be no more death, neither sorrowe, neither crying, neither shall there be any more paine. What more felicitie is there than this life, wherin no feare of pouer­tie, nor sickenesse hurteth, none dealeth vniustly, none is in­dangered, none conceiueth in­dignation, none enuieth, no desire inflameth, no lust of meat, no greedinesse of honour and renowne troubleth: but euery spot of vice is blotted out and washed away, where all things are in peace and ioy­ousnesse, all things in quiet and rest, where is light and brightnesse, not such as is a­mong vs, but by so much [Page 58] more bright the sunne is now than any candle? There is no night, no darkenesse, no con­course of clouds, no extremity of cold or heate; but such a temperature shall there bee of all things, as they alone shall know which are worthy to in­ioy the same. There is no old age, nor the miserie thereof, but euery corru [...]tible thing is done away, and the glory of incorruption is euery where But moreouer to haue socie­tie with the Angels & Arch­angels, and of all the celestiall and supernall powers to inioy the companie, is much to bee esteemed: but to obtaine the radiant sight of our Lorde Christ Iesus, and to be ligh­tened with the brightnesse of his maiesty, that cannot be de­scribed, it passeth all such and such like honour.

But lest thou bee daunted with these thinges on the so­daine, I will allure thee by lit­tle and little to the attain [...] ­ment [Page 49] of them. Behold now and looke vpon the heauen, let thy thought also pierce a little aboue heauen, after yonder the transforming of the whole creature. For it shall not abide in this qualitie wherein it is, but it shall be chaunged into another much more fine and faire, as much (let me say so) as gold excee­deth lead. Saint Paul tea­cheth this shall come to passe, when he saith that the crea­ture it selfe shall be freed from the bondage of corruption. Rom. 8.21. For now vnder corruption it suffereth many things which corruptible bodies must needs suffer: but when it shall cast off all frailetie and corrup­tion, it shall be adorned with wonderfull beautie, for it shall not suffer corruptible bo­dies, but it shall receiue them (by resurrection) uoyde of corruption, whereby the very creature shall bee metamor­phised into an excellenter ha­bite. [Page 60] There shall bee then no dissention any where, but all things shall agree in amitie, for the agreement of the saints shall be one, there shall be no dread of the Diuell, no am­bushes of vncleane spirits, the teare of hell shall be farre off, there shall be death neither of the body, nor of the soule, but feare by the meanes of immortalitie shall bee shaken off.

Like as a kings sonne if first of all he be fostered vp in a poore cottage being apparal­led in base raiment, liueth vn­der the feare of Tutors, and gouernance of Masters, wher­by his young-age vnder strait discipline may bring his mans estate into good liking, and make it worthy his famous progenitors; but when the time commeth, that he must both enter into the Court of his Dominion, and take in hand his fathers Scepter, all homely apparaile being reie­cted, [Page 61] hee arayeth himselfe in princely attire, and on a sud­ [...]aine putteth on the mitre of his father, the glittering of [...]urple continually is added, [...]he brightnesse of his diademe, [...]he rowte of his gard, the [...]ower of his name is increa­ [...]ed, and he is made a new man, [...]o after such a manner shall [...]he alteration of Saints be.

And to the end you may be [...]iuen to vnderstand, that pain­ [...]ed words is not all we speake, [...]et vs cast our eyes on that [...]ountaine wherein Christ was transformed, and let vs [...]ehold his brightnesse, that wherein (when he was trans­ [...]ormed) hee shined; neither [...]or all that by this meanes, [...]ll the glory of the world to [...]ome shalbe reuealed vnto vs. For that transformation was [...]eclared not fully as in deede [...]he blessednesse to come shall [...]e, but as much as the behol­ [...]ers eyes could beare. And [...]he Gospell saith Mat. 17.2. his face did [Page 62] shine as the sunne: but the glory of the incorruption shall not onely send foorth such a light, nor such as the eyes of men can looke on, but such shal be the future brightnesse, as eye sight may not indure, al­though it abode that in the transforming on the mount. Whereby it is cleere, that so much was reuealed as the eies of mortall men could suffer neither yet did they fully suffer it, Ʋerse 6. for it is said, They fell on their faces.

Againe, if thou shouldest be brought into an assemble, where euery one should sit ap­parrelled in golden robes, in the middest of whom one should shine decked in pearles and purple, and if he promised that thou mightest be one of the number of those men of honour, wouldest thou not assay and attempt all things to attaine vnto it? So then open thy sight on the heauens, and behold there an assembly ga­thered [Page 63] together, not in bright­nesse of gold, neither in trim­nesse of garments, nor gliste­ring in precious stones, but clearer in righteousnes then either the starres glitter, or the Sunne shineth. Behold there a company not of men a­lone, but of Angels, Archan­gels thrones, dominions, prin­cipalities, and powers; and of the King that sitteth in the middest of them, no speech may be, for he surmounteth all speech and conceit of the mind of man, by reason of his beau­tie, his strength, his glory, his royalty, his maiestie, What then? Tell me, shall we beguile our selues of all these honors, because of sloth in sustaining some labour, and in resisting for a while the allurements of lust? For if wee should dayly sustaine torments, and suffer a little time hell fire to the end we might see Christ comming in glory, & accompanied with his Saints, were it not good [Page 64] to indure all sorrow, that we might be made partakers of so great blisse, of so great glory? Heare what the blessed Apo­stle Peter saith; Matt. 17.4 It is good for vs to to be heer. If he seeing a slender glimse of the glory to come sodainely reiected all things out of his mind, rely­ing on the delectation of the vision he saw, what will one say, if he beheld these things, as they are in truth? Namely at what time, the court of hea­uen shall bee opened, and the K [...]ng of heauen shall be reuea­led, not in a glasse darkely, but face to face, not by faith, but by visage.

Many ignorant folke think it a thing all suffici [...]nt, The tor­ments of hell not so gree­uous as the losse of the sight of Christ. and to be wished for, alone to be de­liuered from the paines of hel; I say to be remooued and cast off from that glory, is a more grieuous torment then hell: neither iudge I the torm [...]nts there so grieuous, as it is to be driuen from the sight of [Page 65] Christ for th [...]s (I assure you) is more miserable then any pu­nishment, this onely exceedeth hell When we see an earthly king entring his pallace, with his adherents and guard, we admire, and call those great men who waite vpon him, and suppose our selues wretched, if we bee not vouchsafed any place amongst them: though we know the weaknes and instability of th [...]se terrene things, somtimes for forreine warres, sometimes for ciuill conterwaits, and sometimes for malicious spite, yet howso­euer it bee, it grieueth those that haue fallen thence. How then shall it not much more vexe vs, if with the highest king, who holdeth the whole globe of the earth, Isai. 40. (not a part thereof onely) yea, who hold­eth it in his fist, who measu­reth the heauen with an hand breadth, who suppor­teth each thing by the word of his power who reckoneth the [Page 66] Gentiles as nothing, yea as spettle, with this (I say) when he bestoweth honour that shal last for euer, we haue no place, neither be numbred among his seruants? Will it not pinch vs more then any paine?

But peraduenture thou sayest, it will suffice vs to es­cape hell, albeit wee bee not thought worthy of the sight of the King. What more vnhap­py and wretched soule is there than to which this is suffici­ent? Supposest thou that the King wherof we speake, shall come to iudge the earth, carri­ed in Chariots of Mules, or in gilded waggons, or with the terrible power of a dia­deme? Nay harken how the Prophets foretold (as much as might be declared to men) the comming of Christ. One of them saith thus: Our God shall come, Psal. 50.3. and shall not keepe silence, a fire shall deuour be­fore him, and a mighty tempest shall be mooued round about [Page 67] him, he shall call the heauen aboue, and the earth to iudge his people. And harken how another to wit, Isaiah, shew­eth the diuerse sorts of punishments; these are his wordes; Behold the day of the Lord commeth, cruel, with wrath, Isai. 13.9. and firce anger to lay the land wast; and he shall destroy the sinners out of it. For the starres of heauen, Verse. 10. and the pla­nets thereof, shall not giue their light, the Sunne shall be darkened in his going forth, and the Moone shall not cause her light to shine, Ʋerse. 11. And I will visit the wickednes vpon the world, and their iniquitie vp­on the wicked, and I wil cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease. I will make a man more precious then fine Gold, Verse. 12. euen a man aboue the wedge of gold of Ophir. Verse. 13. Therefore I will shake the heauen, and the earth shall remooue out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hoasts, and in the day of his [Page 68] fierce anger. And againe hee saith the windowes from on high are open, Jsa. 24.18. and the foun­dations of the earth doe shake. The earth is vtterly broken downe, 19. the earth is cleane dissolued, the earth is exceedingly mooued. The earth shall reele too and fro like a drunken man, 20. and shall be remoued like a tent, the iniquity thereof shal be heauy vpon it so that it shal fall and rise no more. And in that day, 21. shal the Lord visit the hoa [...]t aboue, that is on high, euen the Kings of the world that are vpon the earth and they shal be gathered together as the prisoners in the pit, and they shall be shut vp in prison. And the Prophet Malachies words are consonant hereto; Malac. 3. Ʋerse 1.2. Behold he shall come saith the [...]ord of hoasts, But who may abide the day of his com­ming? and who shall indure when he appeareth? For he is like a purging fire, and like fullers s [...]pe. Verse 3. And hee shall sit [Page 69] downe to fine and try the sil­uer, he shall euen fine the sons of Leuie and purifie them as gold and siluer. Chap. 4.1. And againe he saith, for behold the day com­meth that shall burne as an o­uen, and all the proud yea; and all that doe wickedly shall bee as stable, and the day that commeth shall burne them vp, saith the Lord of hoasts, and shall leaue them neither roote nor branch. And another of the Prophets saith, Dan. 7.9. I beheld till the thrones were set vp, and the auncient of daies did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the haire of his head like pure wooll. Ʋerse. 10 A fiery streame issued and came forth from before him, the iudge­ment was set, and the bookes opened. And a little after, Vers. 13. as I beheld in visions by night, beholde one like the sonne of man, came in the cloudes of heauen, and ap­proached vnto the aunci­ent of these dayes, and [Page 70] they brought him before him. And he gaue him dominion, Vers. 14. and honour, and a Kingdome, that all people, nations and languages, should serue him, his dominion is an euerlast­ing dominion, which shall ne­uer be taken away, and his kingdome shall neuer bee de­stroyed. Ʋers. 15. I Daniel was trou­bled in my spirit, in the midst of my body, and the visions of mine head made me afraid.

So then when these things shall begin, the gates of heauen shall be opened yea rather the very heauen shall be taken a­way, as if the couerings of a pauilion were drawne toge­ther, to wit, that it may be re­stored and transfigured into better. Then all things shall be in feare, amazednesse and trembling shall fill euery place. Then also feare shall shake the Angels, and not the An­gels alone, but perchance the Archangels, thrones, domini­ons, rules and powers. For [Page 71] this is signified where it is said I will shake the heauen; Jsai. 13.13 for they are the fellow ser­uants of them that must bee iudged and must giue an ac­count of this life. If when one Citie is to bee iudged by the iudges of this world other feare and shake although it be not for great danger like to in­sue when the vniuersal world shall come to be iudged of him that lacketh not witnesse, that doth not seek arguments, that doth not require an orator for the cause, but all these things being remooued, that doth re­ueale the deeds, wordes, and thoughts of men, that placeth each thing in open sight, and heweth euery fact, as it wrre in a painted table, before the eyes, both of the transgressors and the beholders, how much more shall euery creature bee mooued with feare? And if then no fierie streame should issue forth neither the terrible Angels, or greesely executio­ners, [Page 72] should stand by; but if thus onely it were, that men should be called, before the king and some should be pray­sed and honoured, other some without honour cast to confu­sion; if men did onely suffer this punishment, would it not surpasse the torments of hell, that when other were en­dowed with gifts of the king, they should shamefully suffer the repulse? Which paine how vntolerable it is, although speech now may not declare, yet then shall we cleerely per­ceiue it, when we come to ex­perience.

Furthermore, besides all these anguishes of torments fet before your eyes. not con­fusion alone, and vtter shame but the way how men are drawne to fire, and deliuered vp to racking. Thinke vpon those cruell and vgly tortors which throw sinners downe headlong and in that time, in which other that haue done [Page 73] well, by the bright and gentle Angels being caried before the high throne of the euerlasting king shall be rewarded with immortall gifte.

These things are accidents to that day, iudgement, & time, but that which ensueth, what tong can tell? What pleasure, what ioy shall it be to be with Christ, when the soule cam­ming to her proper vigor, shall with confidence begin to looke on God? none can declare the greatnes of that ioy. For she triumpheth not alone for the fruit: on of the things pre­sent, but shee reioyceth much more because shee knoweth, there shall be no end of her blessednes. And howbeit no speech can set forth that gladnes and mirth, nor any thought ōtaine it yet seeing (as it were) a cer­taine shadow of the thing to come, we will also endeuour to acquaint you with it Demand we of the rich & welthy of this world. who vaunt in honors & [Page 74] power, with what gladnesse they are puffed out? With how great delectation and pleasure they are in loue with these things, so that sometime they carry their noses very high in the wind? And that, though they themselues know, that these things are neither right, happy, nor yet euerlasting, but vanish away sooner then a dreame: which if they indure while this life remaineth, if we make the most of them we can, they can indure no longer. Wherefore if men are so excee­ding ioyous, for fraile and transitory things with what ioy shall wee thinke those soules to be filled, which haue gotten heauenly and eternall b [...]sse? In which both quanti­ty and quallity differeth so much from the other in excel­lency, (for all that in this life we account them good) so that neither eye hath seene, Isai. 64.4 1 Cor. 2.9. nor eare hath heard, nor heart as yet hath vnderstood them. For as [Page 75] a little one is in the belly of his mother; so are we in the world in wrapped straitely in darke­nesse, and cannot behold the light and liberty of the world to come. But when the time shall come, Such corne as we sow here, such bread shal wee eate in the world to come. that this world shal trauell in birth with vs, and shal bring forth into the brigh­nes of the future world all it hath conceiued if any shall bee found (by the meanes of sinne) putrified or not of full growth they goe from darkenes to harkenes, from tribulation to more bitter tribulation. But they that shall be perfect and like vnto the king, she proffe­reth to the father, as a worthy issue to be placed in the mini­stery of Angels, and in the seates of Archangels.

Therfore will you goe that way (my friend) that the coun­tenance, and kingly beauty of thy soule may bee polluted and this world at the last re­iectt thee, but repaire quick­ly the Image of thy father, re­paire [Page 76] thy vertue, beauty, and gallantnes, that among other thou mayest be knowne of thy father. The soule must be pollished more thē the body and God hath thus appoin­ted. The beauty of the body, God hath limited with certaine naturall bonds. but the beauty of the soule he hath made free, and subiect to no necessity which leaueth far behind the comlines of the bo­dy. Insomuch that the trim­nes of our soule is at the back of God, yet in our power. For if the Lord had graunted vs licence to vse our owne fancy in our bodilie brauery, we should haue beene burdened with superfluous and naught inaileable cares, spending all the time of our life in them, whereby the soule must needes not be docked Sith euen now when we haue no power ouer the trimnes of our bodies, we so carke and care, that by all possible meanes we polish them, assaying by the painting of colours, by the frisling of our haires, by the roaling of [Page 77] our eyes by variety of vesti­ments, by exquisite practises to augment our bodily b [...]aue­ry. But how much more con­uenient were it for vs to goe about to garnish the soule, wherein the true beauty is and such as may by vs daily be made more beautifull? Yet we on the contrary, consume the whole race of our life in spoyling the mistresse, and in adorning the maiden: leauing the mistresse (like a vile bond-woman) vntrimmed, bespot­ted, vtterly couered with all vnseemely sluttishnes. When as God for this cause, exemp­ted vs from the carke of this body, and inclosed it within the bonds of nature, least be­ing occupied in needles cares, Soules defiled with sin, may bee trimmed againe. wee should neglect the beauti­fying of our soule, whose beauty and brauenesse, albeit it be brought to extreame pol­lution, yet by our labour and diligence shee may be restored to notable gaynesse, and [Page 78] be recouered so farre, that shee may not onely bee admired of all good men, but be desired and loued of the king himselfe, who is Lord of all. As the Prophet speaketh to it in the Psalmes▪ The king shall haue pleasure in thy beauty. Psa. 45.11

Often times experience proueth, that of those women which haue beene inured to common brothelrre, if any bee somewhat handsome for faire­nes sake she hath beene vnited in matrimony to some good man, and hath beene drawne to honestie. How much rather will not God contemne ne dis­pise the soules which haue fal­len from their diuine excellen­cy by the tyranny of the diuel, into the brothelhouse and stewes of this present life: You shall find that the Pro­phets haue vsed these examples when they spake to Hie­rusalem, for she played the dis­honest woman, and went a whoring after a strange sort, [Page 79] as sheweth the Prophet Eze­chiel, Eze. 16.33 saying they giue gifts to all other whoores, but thou gi­uest gifts vnto thy louers, and the contrary is in thee from other women. Ʋerse. 34. And a­gaine another saith; thou hast sitten vpon the way waiting for them, as a desolate C. quaile Or thou hast sit waiting for them in the wayes, as the Ara­bian in the wil­dernesse, Iere. 3.2. chough This people which had so played the harlot the Lord re­claimed to himselfe, for their captiuitie was not so much for their punishment, as for their amendment. For if in case God would haue punish­ed and destroyed them withal he would not haue brought them home againe to their natiue soile, neither would haue caused them to reedifie with greater magnificency, their Citie and Temple which were ouerthrowen: the glory (saith he) of this last house, Hagg. 2.10 shall be greater then the first. So then if God doe not for­bid repentance to those that haue so manifoldly practised [Page 80] whooredome, he will much more willingly reclaime thy soule, which now first hath grieuously falne. God is iealous ouer our soules. The reason is, for that no carnall louer, though neuer so hoate, can bee so ielous ouer the loue of his de [...]ling, as God is kindled with the loue of our soules. Which albeit dayly it may bee gathered, yet it may be appa­rantly proued out of the word of God In a word, read that is spoken of God, in the be­ginning either of Ieremie, or of the other Prophets, how when he was despised and set light by of the people, yet hee returned againe to them, and thirsting after their loue, hee continually followed them And this is that, which God himselfe declareth in the Gos­pell, Mat. 23.37 Luk. 13.34. where he saith. Hierusa­lem, Hierusalem which killest the Prophets, and stonest them which are sent to thee how often would I haue gathered thy children together, [Page 81] as the Hen gathereth her chic­kens, and ye would not. And Paule saith to the Corinthi­ans: For God was in Christ, 2. Cor. 2.19 and reconciled the world to himselfe, not imputing their sinnes vnto them, and hath committed to vs the word of reconciliation. Now then are we Ambassadours for Christ: as though god hid beseech you through vs wee pray you in Christs stead that ye be recon­ciled to God Let vs thinke these things spoken to vs, for not onely infidelitie, b [...]t the polution and vncleannes of life maketh this excerable e­nimitie betwixt God and men, and so the Apostle saith, that the wisedome of the flesh is e­nimity against God. Rom. 8.7. Go too then, let vs raze to the ground this wall of enimitie, let vs smooth the way to an attone­ment with God, that we may be loued & desired of him again

I am sure you wonder not a little at the beauty [Page 82] of Hermione, Hermio­ne daughter to Menelaus & Helena very beautiful, for whom O­restes the sonne of Aga­memnon slew Pyr­thus the sonne of Achilles, because hee mari­ed his be­trothed minion. and thinke the like may not be found on the whole earth. But if you wold (my friend) you may be so much fairer and comelier then she, by how much gold exceed­eth dirt. For if many haue in admiration the beauty of that body, and fall in loue therwith what fairenes do you thinke to be in a soule, if euery point therein were liuely portraited? How much more amiable, how much more wonderfull would it be? For the substance of bo­dily beauty cōsisteth in naught else, but in phlegme, blood, moisture, and Or me­lancholy. gall, which are maintained by the corruptible iuyces of meates? Hereby the aples of the eyes glister, here­by the cheekes are ruddy and hereby the whole face is ador­ned. And vnlesse they be dayly moistened with such iuyce, which ascendeth out of the li­uer, incontinent the skin is dryed vp, the eyes waxe hol­low, al ruddines and beauty [Page 83] departeth from the visage. Now if thou consider what is hidden within that skin which thou iudgest beautifull, what is shut vp in the nostrils what within the iawes and belly, thou wilt protest that this brauery of body, is no­thing but a blanched sepulchre which without appeareth faire to men, but within is full of filthynes and vnclean­nes. Moreouer, if thou see on a ragged cloath, the phlegme and spittle that proceedeth frō the body, thou loathest it, and wilt not touch it with the tip of the finger, looking askew theron: & how then canst thou loue and desire the cel and seat of phlegme? But thy beauty was not such. For by how much heauen is more beauti­full than the earth, by so much [...]id the trimnes of thy soule [...]urmount the beauty of the [...]airest body. And notwistan­ [...]ing none at any time hath [...]eene a soule departed from the [Page 84] body, yet some other time I wil attempt to delare the com­lines of it, by the powers ther­of. At this time let it suffice to rehearse the words of the Lord, which say, they are as the Angels of God in heauen. Againe, Mat 22.30 Mar 12.25 in that of bodies there is so great a difference, be­tweene those that are thin, and those that are thicke and hea­uy (as for example heauen passeth the earth, fire water, the stars stones the rainebowe all terrestriall flowers:) wha [...] would wee say, if it might so chance that with corporal eies, we might behold y ^e gainesse of the soule? Wouldest thou not scoffe at all externall beauty and brauery, in consideration of that internall substance? I pray thee then let vs not con­temn so great a felicity, nor re­gard lightly so great a treasure that is in vs, especially sith a returne is not hard and with no great labour may all the beauty of our soule be renued [Page 85] For as soone as thou shalt i­magine the things to come, and thou shalt be inamored with them, straightway the soule retireth to her former brauenes. So it is written; 2. Co [...]. 4.17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, causeth vnto vs a farre more excellent. 18. an an eternall weight of glory. While we looke not on the things which are seene, but on the things which are not seene, for y ^e things which are seene are corporal but the things which are not seene are eternall. Now if Paule call tribula [...] ­ons light and easie, for that we looke not on the things which are seene, but on the things which are not saue: how much more easie shall it be for thee to shake of the foule burden of vncleannes? Nei­ther now doe I exhort thee to those labours and dangers▪ or to those daily deaths, which the Apostles suffered, or to those persecutions or stripes [Page 86] or bands, or imprisonments, or the contempt of all worldly riches, or famine. or nakednes, or many watchings, or perils of iourneying, or shipwrackes on sea, or dangers of robbers, or dangers of thine own nati­on, or dangers of false bre­thren, for all those afflictions the Apostles indured: nothing of all these I require of thee, but this I desire alone, that seruitude being forsaken, thou returne to thy former liberty, considering both the plague which followeth riot, and the glory which is laid vp for ver­tues. It is no maruell if those which beleeue there shall be no resurrection, neglect their life, feare nothing the iudgement to come, and are nothing pric­ked in heart: but wee which looke more certainely on future then present things, ought we to liue so miserably, and wret­chedly, that wee not onely should not feare at the remem­brance of the iudgement to [Page 87] come, but vtterly contemne it?

A part it is of extreame madnes and no mischiefe is comparable, that beleeuing we be like the vnbeleeuing. Yea amongst them not a few haue beene found, who haue flourished in this life, in the vertues of the mind, and what shall be our excuse, what our solace, if in the day of doome those shall be brought forth for examples against vs? Some that exercise marchan­dise we see haue suffered shipwracke, and the losse of all their goods: yet for this they haue not beene dismayed, but againe haue applyed the same way and trafficke. These did [...]eese their substance not by [...]oth but by violence of winds But we which know afore vndoubtedly, that if we our selues wil we may incur nei­ther shipwrack nor damage of soule; shuld we not take in hand againe our former exercises, & renue our busines by negly­gence [Page 88] ouerslipped? Neuerthe­lesse we lie retchlesly, and fold our idle hands on our breast, after the manner of sluggards and would God our hands were idle, and did not worke our owne decay, Which if they doe it hath great affinitie with most manifest outrage, as if (for example) a champion lea­uing his aduersary, should turne his hands on his owne head, and buffet himselfe. The diuell hath put vs to flight, and hath dashed vs in sunder, we haue need then to rise and to resist him. When thou art once cast downe, if thou be wil­ling not onely to lie still, but to throw downe thy selfe head­long this is to assent to thine enemie, and to take in defence his part.

Blessed Dauid fell after rhe same sort, thou diddest, neither so alone, but in more grieuous wise, for he combined murder, with adultery: and what did he then? Did he lie so? Did he [Page 89] not rise and resist the enemy, and so ouercame him, that his good deeds profited his poste­rity ween he was gone? For when Salomon had commit­ted that hainous crime, and was deemed worthy of a thousand deaths, yet for Dauids sake the Lord said he would bestow the kingdome on him longer. These be the words; I will surely rent the king­dome from thee, 2. Ki. 11.11 and will giue it to thy seruant. Notwith­standing in thy daies I will not doe it, 12. because of Dauid thy father, 2. Ki. 19.34 but I will rent it out of the hand of thy sonne. Hezechiah when he was much indangered, (albeit he were a iust man himselfe,) yet for blessed Dauid the Lord promi­sed to helpe him, Or, I will de­fend this citie to saue it for mine own sake, and for Dauid my ser­uantes sake. I will de­fend this Citie for mine owne sake, and for Dauid my ser­uants sake, I will saue it. See what was the strength of re­pentance see what power con­uersion had. But if he had [Page 90] thus thought, (which thou now thinkest.) and had said it is impossible that the Lord should now be merciful to me, he hath greatly honoured me, and hath endued me with the gift of prophecy, he hath exal­ted me to a kingdome, he hath deliuered me from manifold dangers, how then can I promerite clemencie at the hands of God, forasmuch as I haue thus fallen? If Dauid had thus thought, he had lo [...] not only y ^t went afore but that that followed also. For not on­ly the wounds of the body if they be neglected bring death; but the wounds of the soule semblably. Are we so sottish to put a plaister to a bodily wound, and neuer attempt to cure the soule? Many wounds of our body may not be cured, yet we dispaire not, and though y ^e Chirurgions say y ^e wound is vncu [...]able, yet we earnestly and vrgently beseech them, that they would mittigate some [Page 91] what the paine. But in the wounds of the soule; which are not vnsanable, (for the soule is not tyed to necessity neither abideth any passion) we are remisse, we are past hope, we are pricked with no care When there is no hope our griefe of body may be healed, yet we withdraw no­thing from our care: but here when no occasion is of despe­ration, without vsing any la­bour, we omit all care. So you perceiue, how that more ardently we loue our body then our soule, knowing not, that if we regard not our soule we cannot saue our body. For the soule was not ordained for the body, but the body for the soule: and he that esteemeth not the higher but polisheth the in­feriour, marreth both. But he that obserueth an order, and garnisheth the first ad­mitte hee doe not passe for the second, by the sal­uation neuerthelesse of the [Page 92] first the seeond shall be saued. The which is builded on the plot of Christ his words, Feare ye not them which kill th [...] body, Mat. 10.28 but are not able to kill the soule; but rather feare him, which is able to destroy both body and soule in Hell.

Thinke you we haue done enough, and satisfied you in this thing, that no infirmity of the soule is vncureable? Or else is it needfull wee should vse other reasons, and confirme it yet further? For although a thousand times thou dispaire of thy selfe, wee will neuer dispaire of thee. Neither doe we this that wee mislike in other, howbeit there be ods, whether one dispaire of himselfe, or another of him. To dispaire of another is par­donable but to dispaire of him selfe is not: because he is not master of anothers mind, this ruleth his owne purpose Wherefore we hope there is a returne for you to the state of [Page 93] your former life, and to the vertues of the minde, which we know are in you. Besides these things this we adde.

The Nineuits heard the Prophet saying definitely, Jon. 2.4. yet forty dayes, and Nineueh shal be ouerthrown, notwitstanding they were not discouraged No not when they were not certaine, that the Lord would not bring to passe his words, and when (in mans iudge­ment) there was no hope of forgiuenesse. And as soone as that abrupt saying was end­ed, they determined repentance saying who can tell if God will turne and repent, Ʋerse. 9. 10. and turne away his fierce wrath that we perish not. And God saw their workes that they turned from their euill waies: and God repented of the euill that he had said he would doe vnto them and he did it not. If Barbarians and ignorant folke could vnderstand so much of the mercy of God, [Page 94] doth it not much more behoue vs to do so. who are instructed in the word of God, and know this example was before our time and that many more like are contained in Gods booke, either in words, Isai. 55.8. or in acts? For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your wayes my wayes, saith the Lord. 9. For as the heauens are higher then the earth, so are my wayes higher thē your wayes, and my thoughts a­boue your thoughts

Farthermore if we receiue our seruants, who haue offen­ded vs, when they promise they will amend, and account of them as before, nay many times credit them more after reconcilement; will not God much rarher deale thus with vs? If he had made vs to pu­nish vs, thou mightest well de­spaire, and doubt of thy sal­uation: but if for his goodnes, onely he made vs to enioy his euer-during blisse and rewards [Page 95] and doth al things from the be­ginning of the world till this day, to this end and purpose, that he may saue vs: what matter of despairing what matter of misdoubting is there left?

We haue offended him (say you) more than euer any man. For this cause shouldest thou more speedily and earnestly make satisfaction and be sor­rowfull for thine offence, and abandon those deedes with which God is offended. Nei­ther doth a grieuous iniury offende any body so much, as to continue in it, when there is time and opportun [...]tie of satisfaction. To sinne is hu­mane, but to perseuer in sinne, is diabolicall. To conclude, Hier. 3.7. Or, and I said, when she had done all this, turne thou vnto me, but she retur­ned not. behold how God by the Pro­phet mistiketh this more then that: And I haue said (saith he) after that she hath in all this gone a whooring be thou turned to me, and she is not turned. And other-where, when he had rebuked the transgressions [Page 96] of the people, by his Prophet, and they had promi­sed amendment, hee sheweth how louingly he receiueth the conuersion of sinners, who wil grant their heart may be so in them, that they may feare me, and keepe my commaunde­ments all the daies of their life, that it may be well with them, and rheir children for e­uermore? Moses likewise, when he would teach the peo­ple, what God requireth of men, Deu. 10.12 saith thus: And now, Is­rael, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to feare the Lord thy God, to walke in all his wayes, and to loue him, and to serue thy Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soule.

God then, who is desirous that himself be beloued of vs, and for this doth all things, not sparing his onely begot­ten for our saluation, and the loue he bare towards vs, wold faine (after what fort soeuer, [Page 97] if I may so speake) we should be reconciled to him; and how can it be, that he should not re­ceiue and loue vs being peni­tents conuerted vnto him, and that as cheerefully as he doth his children? For in what re­spect doe you thinke, spake hee by the Prophet, saying▪ Tell thou thine iniquities first, that thou maist be iustified? Was it not for that he coueted to re­uoke vs to his loue, Amantium irae amoris redinte­gratio est. and ten­der affection? He that loueth his friend, if perchance he suf­fer many iniuries at his hands, his loue is not for that cooled towards his beloued, if in case he will let the wrongs to be opened and discouered, and certes he that is iniured, doth desire this for no other cause, but that their renew­ing of loue may be of more force and validity. Now, if the confession of sinnes mat­treth so much to attonement, how much greater may be our hope of reconciliation, if by [Page 98] workes of repenance we blot out the offences we haue com­mitted? For if God prohibited the fallen to returne to the right way, either none, or very few should enter the kingdom of heauen. Yea, the cheefe Pa­triarchs whom we haue in admiration, after backeslides in sinnes, they haue beene re­stored. For they y ^t were earnest in euill, being turned to good­nes vse the same forwardnes, knowing that their debt is great. In the Gospell this is taught of the Lord, when he said to Simon of a certaine woman Seest thou this woman I entred into thine house and thou gauest me no water to my feet, but she hath washed my feet with teares, Luke. 7.44 and wiped them with the haires of her head. Thou gauest me no kisse, but she since y ^e time I came in, 45. hath not ceased to kisse my feete, My head with oile thou didst not annoint: 46. but she hath annoin­ted my feete with oyntment. [Page 99] Wherefore I say vnto thee, 47. many sins are forgiuen her, for she loued much. To whom a little is forgiuen, he doth loue a little. 48. And he said vnto her thy sins are forgiuen thee. For which cause the diuell know­ing that they which haue sold themselues to worke iniquity, if they reuolt, are diligent and serious and as in their trans­gressions they were hastie, so in their amendment they are heedefull, (because now they know what they haue done,) he feareth and shaketh least any of them should make the onset to repentance. For if they once begin, they may not be withstood, but kindled with the heat of repentance, as it were with fire, they make their soules purer than fined gold, & by the remembrance of their former misdeeds, and as it were by the blowing wind of their conscience, hauing hope their pilot, they ariue in the hauen of health. And bi­cause [Page 100] of the horrours past, the circumspecter they are in their iourney; so that in this wel­nigh they may seeme to passe those that neuer faultered, be­cause experience maketh them more chary. Experien­tia stulto­rum ma­ter. For (I know not how) we loue more entirely the things we had and haue lost, then the things we haue not and desi [...]e to get.

Then a hard thing it is, (as I said) to make a begin­ning in this lyeth all the diffi­culty, to prepare the way to repentance. For straight way at the entrance the enemy bloweth out threats & menacings, and in his rage driueth vs backe, when we would goe forth. The smokie puffes, and cloude of whose terrours, if thou contemne, when the way is entred, thou shalt see thy self corroborated, and obtaining the conquest thou wilt reioyce thine enemy menaced thee and thou shalt perceiue the rest of this combate easie. Go too, go [Page 101] too, in the name of God, now let vs enter the path of life, let vs returne to the heauen­ly city, seeing we are appoin­ted and inrolled citizens. The gates of this Citie despaire shutteth against vs, hope and confidence will open them ful­ly; the which if we cast behind vs we incurre the crime, not of sloath alone, but of arro­gancy For sathan was made as he is by no other meanes but for that after his sinne first he despaired and n xt fell from despaire into hautines and pride. So likewise the soule if it once begin to des­paire of saluation, it vnder­standeth not into what mis­chiefes it runneth, fearing not to speake or doe whatsoeuer may stop saluation. Common­ly we see in those that are mad when once they haue lost their wit, they feare naught any longer, they blush at nothing, but licentiously they dare speake and doe euery thing. [Page 102] If they fall into the fire, they auoid it not, if they be going into a headlong place, they pull not back their foote. After the same manner they that are in despaire commit intollerable actes, they range in all the waies of wickednes, shame is no let, feare hindreth nothing, the things present do not re­frain them, the things to come do not terrifie, death only it is that they cannot escape.

Wherefore I humbly re­quest thee, before the poison of this sin more infect thee, arise and awake at the last, and lay aside this deuellish drunken­nes. If on the sudden thou canst not gather thy wits to­gether, yet doe it leisurely, al­though (in my opinion) it be the easier way at once to break off all the staies of this euill, to sheere it in sunder fully, and to begin repentance anew But if this be difficile vnto thee, as thou wilt and art a­ble, begin a better conuersati­on, [Page 103] and couet eternall life. Runne therefore I pray and beseech you deare friend, (I beseech you for those good deeds you haue done hereto­fore, I pray you for the liberty that first you had) let me see you clime vp to the top of ver­tue, as truely a repentant as you were before. Yeeld to me thy friend, yeeld to all them that are offended through thee, and fall because of thy fall, yeeld to all them that are in despaire because of thy des­paire, that they may not sur­mise they cannot tread the true way, vnlesse they see thee returne. Regard (I desire you) the pensiuenesse of the whole congregation of the faithfull brethren, the great ioy and triumphing of the faithlesse, the vsuall by words of slouthfull youthes, regard wbat authority thou art to many to wallow in the mire of riot. And if so be that you returne into the way of your [Page 104] former vertues, all these things will be turned into the contra­ry. Our shame and confusion shall light on them, we shall be ioyfull and glad. For we will blaze abrode throughout the world, that thou art a subduer of lust, a subduer of vncleane and foolish voluptie and riot, and we will brute farre and wide thy glorious triumph. That victory is the greater that is gotten after a fall, and that is restored after flight. And you shall not onely be rewarded, for your owne la­bour and reformation, but shall receiue a meede for the safety of them, who leuelling their life to thy conuersation haue (without dispaire) retur­ned themselues to repentance. Neither any hereafter hauing fallen howsoeuer, will not be greedy by and by to rise, and incontinently to be restored Despise not (if you loue me) these great profits, neither bring our soules with sorrow [Page 105] to the graue: but vouchsafe vs some rest, and chase away the cloud of heauines, which for thy sake hath ouercouered vs; for loe letting passe our owne euils, we bewaile thy fall. But if you would a lit­tle looke vpward, and be in loue with celestiall things, we should be eased of this lamen­ting. and we might be caused to consider our owne offen­ces.

That men may by repen­tance repaire their pristine gainesse yea somtimes be made more excellent than before they were, hetherto we haue confir­med out of the word of God. And to cōclude this point, this is the cause why that harlots and Publicans inherit the kingdome of heauen, and that many that were last, shall be first, Henceforth I will adde the things that haue beene done in our age, of which thou G. F. C. of which my selfe may bee a witnes. thy selfe art a witnes.

G. F. C. I know.You know that yong man [Page 106] the sonne of Vrbanus, the chie­fest of that prouince whose parents died in his minority, but left him very wealthy in houshold stuffe, gold, siluer and possessions. That youth con­temning at the first all pompe, and pride, (which that age and ritches for the most part follow) he left the schooles of humane artes, and betooke himselfe to a base life in which putting on course and homely arayment, he departed to the mountaines and desart places. Where being exercised in the temperancy of true philoso­phy, he not onely matched (which is but seldome seene in those yeeres,) but passed too, great and wonderfull men in the vertue of abstinency; yea when afterward he was bap­tised he passingly increased in vertues At which thing all reioyced, & praysed the Lord, that borne to so great wealth, & descended of such a family, euen in the Aprill of his daies [Page 107] he troad vnder foote at once all vanity of this momentary life, and had an hungry desire of eternall ioy.

Liuing after this sort, and in this admiration, among all, certaine of his kindred (but naughty persons) at the first came to see him, and after by continuance of lewd talke, Euill speeches cor­rupt good manners. drew him againe to that he hated and loathed, so that all philosophy (which he studied) being layed apart, he came from the hilles to the market place. Then carried on a pal­frey through the midst of the citie, and guarded with foote­men, he vauntingly began to wander vp and downe the streetes. Insomuch that the raines of chastity were also let loose, because it hath no fellowshippe with dainties and ryot. After this he was snarled in the baite of filthy loue, and led into captiuitie by euery lust, which caused all men [Page 108] to despaire of his saluation. For swarmes of parasites en­uironed this hope lost yonker the adulterous rabble com­passed him in. And what hope would a man thinke to be re­maining? Those also which were giuen very much to re­prehending, found fault with this likewise, that in the be­gining he entred a course, he could not continue in, and had aspired to that was aboue his reach, forsaking the study of learning wherein he might haue profited.

When these and such like things as touching his life be­ing rumored abroad, were knowne to all, and we also were ashamed of his doing; certaine holy men, expert in this kind of hunting, and who had found out by long vse and experience, that naught was to be despaired, putting on the armour of hope, they began to watch him more narrowly. And if it fortuned he were in [Page 109] the street, they approached neere and courteously saluted him; but he on horse-backe scarce greeted them againe, or thought them worthy an answere, when they went by his side; such was his pride and wickednes. But those mercifull men, accounting none of these an iniury, respec­ted only that they had inten­ded, that they m [...]ght (if it were possible by any meanes) deli­uer the lambe out of the teeth of wolues; which by patience was in fine achiued. For weighing they did this often, and prying into his owne life with the inward eyes of his mind, he blushed somewhat at their boldnesse and tendring, and when he marked they came a far off, he would dismount from his horse, and bowing his head towards the earth, he harkened diligently to their speeches, and in processe of time he reuerenced them more. And so reuolting by peece-meale, [Page 110] through the grace of God, and their meeke coun­sell, and rid from all the nets of death wherin he was en­tangled, he went againe to the wildernes, to the mountaines, and to the wonted exercises of philosophie, and after was of such humilitie, that his lat­ter doings exceeded his won­derfull beginning. He learned by proofe the occasion of his fall, and the allurement of all his error. That also he did, which (doubtlesse) was agree­able to Christs commaunde­ment in the Gospell; Mat. 19.21 Selling all he had, and distributing it on the poore, to the end he might remooue his treasure from the earth to heauen, and his heart might bee there, where his treasure was. But because as yet hee had some­what left on earth, his heart returned to the earth, and ma­king an estimate of all his goodes. (for he cared nothing for them) he bestowed much [Page 111] on the needy, that so freeing himselfe from care of mind, he might take away all occasi­on of stumbling. And thus walking in the way to heauen by amendment he is come to each accomplement of vertue: so you see, how this yong man fell quickly, and arose speedily.

Another also after many la­bours he had sustained in the wildernes, hauing onely the company of one in his life and mansion place, continued an Angelicall life, from his yong age, to his very old daies. Good Lord, how much difference is there betweene the Ro­mish Masse-mongring Moonkes now be­ing, and y ^e Monks which were in Chriso­stomes dayes? Those were continent, and sequestred (although they should haue had a care of the saluation of their brethren al­so) themselues from the vulgar sort of men to the end they might giue thēselues who­ly to contemplation and meditation, (for this was the cause why Basill the great went to Pontus, and inuited his friend Gregory the Diuine to him,) these are lecherous and lustfull, coueting that sort of life for idle­nes alone, and belly cheere. Those a soone as they perceiu­ed their vnclean­nes (this fellow heere alleaged is a witnes) fel to repen­tance without stay: these through sensuality committing grosse & carnall sins, neuer truely repent for it, and yet beare men in hand they are the holiest persons vnder the Sunne. Of whom it was said rightly though in a rithme, O monachi, vestri stomachi, sunt amphora Bacchi! Vos estis, Deus est testis, turpissima pestis. Let none then of the ignorant sort suppose that this example maketh ought for the vp­rightnes of Moonkes now a daies. But (I know not how) [Page 112] drowsily yeelding to the sug­gestion and first battery of the diuell, he fell into the de­sire of a woman, when as hee neuer saw any, sithence he be­came a Moonke. First, then he desired his fellow with whom he liued, to bring him wine, and flesh to feed on, who making no hast, he threatned him, that he would goe downe into the city. Which he said not that he might eat flesh, but that he might find opportunity to satisfie his lust. His compani­on marueiling at this and fea­ring least he should doe him more harme, if he should deny [Page 113] his request, gaue that he asked, and fulfilled his will. When he saw no way to guile, open­ly and shamelesly, he reuealeth his desire, and confesseth he will goe downe to the Citie. The other by much perswa­sion not able to retaine him, let him goe and followed him a far off, to se what he would doe and whither he would go. And when a great way behind he saw him entring a brothel-house, and to haue cooled his lust with the company of a strumpet, tarrying at the dore straightway when he came forth, he exhorted him to repentance, he imbraced him, and lo­uingly kissed him, and rebuked him not for his fal, but desired him that now his lust being cooled, he would returne to his old habitation, and to the soli­tary wildernes. But he mar­king in him such meekenesse and gentlenes, was ashamed, and stroken thorow with the force of his words and deeds, [Page 114] and condemning himselfe for his misdemeaner, goeth with his fellow (which was so good and humble) into the moun­taine. Whither when they came he entreated of him, that when he was shut vp closely in his cell, and heremitage, he would G.F.C. dayly. euery second day bring him bread and water, If any should seeke him, he willed him to say, that he was G.F.C. a sleepe dead. Which things obtay­ned, he shut vp himselfe, and thereabode, clensing the foul­nesse of his sinne, with fasting, prayers, and weeping.

Few daies passed ouer, when a drowth (because of the want of raine) had hurte the country neere about him, and all the inhabitants of that land lamented much. But one of them was warned in a dreame to goe to that man in­closed in a cell, that he might pray, and that by no other way raine might be procured, but by his prayers, So depar­ting [Page 115] with some other taken to him, he found this Monkes complice alone, and demaun­ded where he was, whom the vision admonished him to seek. When he heard he was dead, he deemed his vision false, and they returned all to prayer, but the same vision tolde him againe the same things. Wher­at earnestly entreating him, that before had deceiued them, they requested him to shew them the man, affirming that by the authority of so maruei­lous a vision, they were sent to him being aliue, not dead. Seeing it was the wil of God he brings them to that godly man, and the wall being bro­ken downe, (because he had shut the doore,) they enter in and fall before his feete, desi­ring him (when the truth of the matter was decla­red) to release the famine by intercession. First, his excuse was, that hee could not demerite so great a thing. [Page 116] at which words, he burst forth into weeping for the offence he had committed, as if he had seene it fresh before his eies. At length for the importuni­tie of the requesters, (for as much as he perceiued God would haue it so,) he gaue him selfe to supplication, and out of hand there followed, great store of raine, wherwith both the earth and men were refreshed.

Read Eu­sebius hist eccl, lib. 3. cap. 23.What should I speake of him which first was the desciple of Iohn the G.F.C. sonne of Zebidaeus Apostle, but after practised robbing for a long time? Neuerthelesse af­terward the Apostle got hold on him, as he came out from the robbers den, and brought him again (as you will know) to his former life, so that his beginning was not to be con­ferred with his end. I remem­ber when you read this story you admired the incredible meekenes of this Apostle, and among other tokens of his [Page 117] sincere loue towards him, which he shewed, this you said you most wondered at that he kissed the hand of the young man besmeared with bloud, and so with imbracing reclai­med him to euerlasting life, when as by all likelihood he was neare to the brinke of death.

Saint Paule also not onely loued and embraced Onesi­mus conuerted, who was an vnprofitable seruant, and fugi­tiue theefe, but maketh petiti­on to his master, that he shuld esteeme him as himselfe, and that because he recanted. Philem. from the 10. verse to the 18. These be the Apostles words I beseech thee for my sonne Onesimus, whom I haue be­gotten in my bonds. Which in time past was to thee vnprofi­table, but now profitable both to thee and to me, whom I haue sent againe, thou therfore receiue him, that is mine owne bowels. Whom I wold haue retained with me, that in thy [Page 118] stead he might haue ministred vnto me in the bonds of the Gospell. But without thy mind, would I doe nothing that thy benefite should be as it were, of necessity, but wil­lingly. It may be that he ther­fore departed for a season, that thou shouldest receiue him for euer, not now as a seruant, but aboue a seruaunt, e­uen as a brother beloued, spe­cially to me, how much more thē vnto thee, both in the flesh, and in the Lord? If therefore thou account our things com­mon, receiue him, as my selfe.

The same Apostle writeth to the Corinthians, touching them that haue sinned, in this wise, 2. Cor. 12.22. least when I come a­gaine, I shall bewaile many of them which haue sinned al­ready, and haue not repented of the vncleannes, 2. Cor. 13.2 and forni­cation, and wantonnes which they haue committed And a­gaine, I told you before, and tell you before, if I come a­gaine, [Page 119] I will not spare. You see then whom the A­postle bewayleth, and whom he will not spare, not those which haue sinned, but those which haue not repented, and not onely not repented, but once or twise admonished of their faults haue refused to obey. For in that he saith, I told you before, and tell you before, as though I had beene present the second time, so write I now being absent, he signifieth thus much, that being warned they contem­ned counsell.

For which cause, I feare me, the same will fall out to vs, and although the same Paule, who threatned the Corinthians, bee not at our elbowes, yet Christ is pre­sent, who spake by him, and if wee perseuer in hardnesse of heart, he will say to vs, I will not spare you, not onely in the time present, but not in y ^e time to come neither, [Page 120] Wherefore let vs preuent his face by confession, We will acknow­ledge our sins, and in confes­sion in­tend not to com: mit them againe, assuring our selues of remis­sion. Ecclus. 21.1 Pro. 18.17 Or, he that is first in his cause is iust. and let vs power out our hearts in his sight, * Hast thou sinned? Saith the Scripture, doe so no more, pray for thy fore-sins that they may be forgiuen thee, And againe, * The iust is an accuser of himselfe in the beginning of his speech. Let vs not then looke till our ad­uersary accuse vs, but let vs preuent him by confession, and so make the iudge more fauourable towards vs.

And surely this I assured­ly know, thou confessest thy transgressions, and mournest for thy selfe, but this I doe not alonely require of thee; for I would haue the amend­ment of the things to come a­rise, of the confession of the things past, and so I would haue it done, that whilest thou doest it be thou ascertained of forgi enesse. For euery one that doth ought, vnlesse he know the thing he hath in [Page 121] hand will profit him goeth a­bout it, either carelesly, or not seriously. For example he that soweth seed, vnles he be sure and certaine there will be raine, that the earth will send forth the blade, and that the fruit will ripen, he will neuer reape. And as none would faine spend labour in wast, nor bestow diligence in that which shall not be beneficiall vnto him; so he that soweth sorrow, teares and confession which is without hope vn­profitable, cannot cease from sinne, being holden fast by in­credulity. But as the husband man which hath no hope to reape fruit careth not to driue off the birds from his corne, or beasts, or any other nociue things, right so he that sow­eth confession with teares, and hopeth not it will be gainefull, putteth and driueth nothing from his heart, which may hurt repentance. Repentance is hurted, if it be enwrapped, [Page 122] in such euils as hee was first; When one buildeth and ano­ther breaketh downe, Ecclus. 34, 24. what profit haue they then (saith the scripture) but labour? And he that is purged from the tou­ching of a corse, and againe toucheth the dead, what auai­leth washing? So he that fas­teth to decline sinnes, and go­eth backe againe to them, who will heare his prayers? Ecclus. 26, 29. And againe it is said, when one de­parteth from righteousnesse to sinne, the Lord appoynteth such to the sword. And as a dog is odious that licketh vp his vomite againe, Prou. 26.11. so is a fool [...], whē he returneth to his trans­gressions.

So then this sufficeth not, to accuse thy selfe by declaring thy sinnes, but doe it with that zeale, that hope of iustification may proceede of repentaunce, and so you may bridle your soule to commit neuer the thinges againe, of which you haue made confession. One for [Page 123] to giue censure against him­selfe, is common to the faith­full and faithlesse. Many ac­tors on stage which represent vnchast queanes & whormon­gers call themselues sinners and naughty folke, but not with purpose to amend, and therefore in very deede it is no confession. For they speake it not for griefe of heart, nor with bitternesse of teares, nor with hatred of the things they confesse, as if they would no more eyther heare or doe the like, but the words be all the matter, which they blab out with their lips, not touched or pinched in minde, but after a sort hunting for praise, throgh the elegancie and trimnesse of speech, which they vse to theyr auditors. Neither are sinnes so greeuous when they are co­lorably declared, as whē indeed they are committed. Againe some are so benummed with ouer-great despaire, and are so deuoyde of sence, that making [Page 124] like account of good & illreport, with great impudency they disclose their sinnes, as though they were another bodies. But I would haue thee to do nothing so, neither for despaire to come to confession but with good and sure hope of forgiuenes, the very roote of despaire being cut off. Now the root of despaire is sloath­fulnes, and not the root onely but the nurse too. A man is caused to thinke that any good thing is hard, and not possi­ble to be obtained by him or any other through too great bashful­nesse: which when it ruleth in ones affection, he thinketh it may be eased by no good thing. And because sloathful­nes is a certaine deiectiue pensiuenes of the spirit, it commeth to passe, that despaire ariseth of sloath. Thom. Aquin. lib. 2. s. p. q. 20. de desper. For as a garment breedeth mothes, and nourisheth them also, so sloath doth not alone beget despera­tion but nourisheth and foste­reth it. Insomuch that they wax and grow togither, the one being cut off, the other (without question) maneth and decreaseth, Wherefore se­parate [Page 125] this link of sinnes, and breake their yoake. By the yoake of thy soule, I meane vice, whereto as it were a yoake, the life of man is tyed. for when the thought of man is not right, the axle-tree of life is carried headlong,

Harken yet what more we will say. Often times it fal­leth out that a man amendeth many and great sinnes by re­pentance, yet he committeth faults after the good he hath wrought. And this is it, which layeth chiefely despaire on the soule, because she see­meth to pull downe that shee builded, and vainely to haue spent all her trauell, this cogi­tation (I say) depriueth the soule of hope and confidence. Contrariwise we must thinke what way this bad & hurtful thought may be expelled, name­ly, that vnlesse the good we doe, and the amendment gotten by repentance prohibited, and were (as it were) a contrary [Page 126] weight to our sinnes, there were no stay, but that wee should be carried downeward into the depth of mischiefe. And as a strong habergion suffereth not a keine and poy­soned dart to pierce the intrals of the body, but in some part stoppeth y ^e force therof: so is it certain that he y ^t carieth hence many good thinges and many bad, shall find some ease in his punishment: and he that shall depart without any goodnesse, and with great store of euill, what should I speake of his punishment? For there (questi­onlesse) good and bad workes shall be rewarded, and each (as it were) shall be ballanced, and the part that sinketh, shal draw with it the worker. Rewardes in the life to come of workes both good and bad. If the mul­titude of euils shal ouer-poyse, it will pull the worker to hell; but if the good works shall be greater, they will resist and re­pugne against the euils, and will bring their worker to the place of the liuing, euen from [Page 127] the gates of hell, This is not phantastically imagined of my braine, the diuine Scrip­tures disassent not from it; for this the word of God speaketh. Thou Psal. 62, 12. Mat. 16.27. Differēces of ioyes & plagues in the life to come. Cal­uin. Iustitu. lib. 3. cap. 25. sect. 10. Bulling, in Comment. & Erasmus in Pa­raphras. in 41, vers. cap. 15. 1 Cor. rewardest euery one according to his worke. For not in hell onely but in the kingdome of God, there shall be many differen­ces. Iohn. 14.2 In my fathers house (saith he) are many dwel­ing places. And againe, 1. Cor. 15.41. There is another glory of the Sunne, and another glo­ry of the Moone. What is more wonderfull, then that he sheweth how exactly the measure of our deedes shall be weighed? One starre (saith he) differeth from another starre in glory, that by it he might shew that amongst all and euery one that shall be in that kingdome, there willbe a difference. Therefore sith wee know all this, let vs not with­draw our selus frō goodworks neither yeeld to sloth & sluggar­die [Page 128] the presence of despaire. And admit we cannot attaine to the clearenesse of the Sunne or Moone, yet we must desire the brightnes of a starre how­be [...]t inferior to them, let vs seeke at the least for some light by our good deeds, let vs la­bour to be sound, worthy, to inlarge somewhat the shining of heauen. If we cannot be gold, if we cannot be precious stones, yet let vs be in stead of siluer, onely let vs now be turned into that matter, which fire may consume, that we be not found to be wood, hay, or stubble, let vs be euen the last in goodnes, not the first in euill. By of­ten ad­ding a little, there will arise a great heape as wittily said Hesi­odus. [...], [...]. Small good workes conioy­ned with faith and repen­tance go not with­out re­ward. And as worldly riches increase, when euery small gaine is regarded: so it fareth in heauenly riches, in increasing the which no little good deede must be cō temned. [Page 129] Surely it is an absur­dity, (seeing our Iudge doth not deny a reward for Mat 10 a cup of cold water) for vs to say, that vnlesse wee doe great things, it wil be nothing a­uaileable. Yea this more I ad, that he that despiseth not small and little things, will by little and little come to great things and Eccl. 19.1 he that contemneth small things, (which concordeth with the Scripture) shall fall by little and little. And there­fore I thinke for this cause, our Lord and Sauiour did ordaine for small things great rewardes. For what is lesse, than to visit the sicke? And yet for this small worke, hee hath laid vp a great reward. And againe, what is so easie, as to giue the hungry bread, the thirstie drinke, the naked raiment, and to seeke out him that is shut vp in prison? Yet these things that be so little and small, he reckneth so great as that he accounteth them [Page 130] ministred not to man, but to himselfe, and for them hath promised the celestiall king­dome.

Wherefore (most deerely belo­ued) enter, enter the waye to e­ternall life, and put on againe My yoke is light, & my bur­den light, This bur­den is not the weight of him that is loden, but the winges of him that flieth For birds haue bur­dens of their fea­thers, which on earth they beare, & of them they are borne in­to the heauen. Au­gustine. the yoake of Christ which is easie, and his burden which is light, recouer the vertues of thy mind, make thine end ac­cording to thy beginning, let not the treasure of spiri­tuall graces, gotten by such labour, decay, and they will verely perish, if thou persist in euils, & exasperate the wrath of God against thy deedes. But before thou loose much of thy treasure, and before thy manured field be surrounded with hurtfull deluges, if thou exclude the entrance, and stop the ouerflowing of sinne, thou maist bring it againe to his pristine fertility, and by hus­banding make it very battle.

Arise therefore, arise and shake off the dust from thee, [Page 131] arise from the earth, and straightway (beleeue mee) thine enemy will be affraid. For he threw thee downe, as though thou shouldest neuer rise vp, but if he shall see thee to rise from the earth, and lift thine eyes towards the hea­uens, incontinent thy bold­nes will out-countenance him, Resist the deuil, and he will flie ftom you. Jam. 4.7 If one flie the deuill he is a Li­on: if one resist, he hath (for he is Belzebub, that is, a God of flies) no more power than a weak flie: according to the old verse. Hostis non laedit, nisi cum tentàtus obedit, Est leo si cedis, si stas quafi musca recedit. and the more ready thou art, the more fearefull he will be, and the more thou presumest, the more fraile and infirme thou makest him. Thinke also on this, that the more hardi­nesse God shall indue thee withall, the more he will wea­ken both his boldnesse and might.

If so be thou haue affiance in my wordes, me thinketh I see towards thee the mercy and aide of God, but thine [Page 132] aduersary to be affrighted by reason of shame and confusi­on. Me thinketh I perceiue now in my mind, that with all gratefulnes and fauour euery vertue allureth thee to her, hold on then earnestly, labour chearefully, runne forward willingly. Thou shalt find no want of me in that I can, but I will still reason with thee in speech, I will continually ex­hort and stir thee vp, both pre­sent with liuely voice, and ab­sent with letters. Albeit I perswade my selfe, if thou gladly read this I haue now written, there will bee no cause, why thou shouldest seeke for farther medicines.

Deo soli sapienti, laus & gloria.