A commentary or, exposition upon the divine second epistle general, writtenA commentary or, exposition vpon the diuine second epistle generall, written

They that have lived ill; quando anima in extremis labris, when the soul sits on •heir lips ready to take her flight, then they send for the Minister, to teach them to •ie well. But as in such extremity, the Apothecary gives but some opiate physic: •o the Minister can give but some opiate Divinity; a cordial that may benumb •hem, no solid comfort to secure them. Here is no time to ransack for sins, to •earch the depth of the ulcer: a little balm to supple, but the core is left within. Let men repent while they live, that they may rejoice when they die. You tell me that one malefactor went from the Cross to Paradise: but we must not hide from you, •hat God opened the mouth of one Ass: yet every ass is not thereby privileged •o speak. Let us be liberal on Gods part; He that truly repents one day before he dies, shall surely be saved. With greediness you hear this, but abuse it not: trust it, but trust not your selves. He that gives pardon to repentance, is not bound to give repentance to sinners. Be sure thou repentest, that one day before thy death: but hereof thou canst not be sure, unless thou repent every day. The Lord hath made a promise to repentance, not of repentance. If thou convertest to morrow, thou art sure of grace: but thou art not sure of to morrows conversion. For three reasons God conceals from us the time of our death. 1. Because in nature, ⟨p. 276⟩Terribilor morte timor ipse mortis, the fear of death is more terrible than death it self We know that we must die, to avoid all doubts: we know not when, to qualify our fears. 2. To preserve men from dispaire. Ut nec impii desperent, quasi […] tempus relictum paenitentiae: nec boni, quasi longum tempus patientiae, Basil: That neither the ungodly should despair, as if they had no time allowed for repentance: neither the faithful be cast down, because the time was too long of exercising their patience. 3. That we might be evermore armed with expectation, to encounter death. Because we know not when we shall die, let us learn with Saint Paul, to die daily. The worldling would weep, if he knew that he had but a month to live: yet he leaps and sings, and securely rejoiceth, when perhaps he hath not one day.