Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)

As long as a man doeth prune his vines, doeth dig at the roots, and doeth lay fresh earth to them, he hath a mind to them, he perceiveth some token of fruitfulness that may be recovered in them: but when he will bestow no more such cost and labour about them, then it is a sign that he thinketh, they will never be good. And the father, as long as he loveth his child, he looketh angrily, he correcteth him when he doeth amiss: but when that serveth not, and upon that he ceaseth from correction of him and suffereth him to do what he list himself, it is a sign, that he intendeth to disinherit him, & to cast him away for ever. So surely, nothing should pierce our hart so sore, & put us in such horrible fear, as when we know in our conscience, that we have grievously offended God, and do so continue, & that yet he striketh not, but quietly suffereth us in the naughtiness that we have delight in. Then specially it is time to cry, and to cry again, as David did: Caste me not away from thy face, and take not away thy holy spirit from me.¹ Lord turn not away thy face from me, cast not thy servant away in displeasure. Hide not thy face from me, least I be like unto them, that go down to hell.² The which lamē table prayers of him, as they do certify us, what horrible danger they be in, from whom God turneth his face, (for that time, & as long as he so doth) so should they move us, to cry upon God, with all our heart, that we may not be brought into that state, which doubtless, is so sorrowful, so miserable, & so dreadful ⟨image 53⟩as no tongue can sufficiently express or any hart can think.

As long as a man doeth proyne his vines, doeth digge at the rootes, and doeh laye freashe yearth to theim, he hath a mynde to theim, he perceiueth some tokē of fruitfulnes that may be recouered in them: but when he wil bestowe no more suche cost and labor aboute them, then it is a signe that he thinketh, they will neuer bee good. And the father, as lōg as he loueth his chyld, he loketh angrely, he correcteth hym when he doeth amisse: but when that serueth not, and vpon that he ceaseth frō correction of hym and suffereth hym to do what he liste himself, it is a signe, that he intendeth to disinherite hym, & to cast him away for euer. So surely, nothyng should perce our hart so sore, & put vs in suche horrible feare, as when we knowe in our conscience, that wee haue greuously offended God, and do so continue, & that yet he striketh not, but quietely suffereth vs in the naughtines that we haue delight in. Then specially it is tyme to crye, and to crye agayne, as Dauid did: Caste me not awaie from thy face, and take not away thy holy spirit frō me.