suffering neither fornication, nor adultery, to reign in their realms, unpunished. Christ said to the people: The Ninevites shall rise at the judgement, with this nation,1 (meaning the unfaithful Jews) and shall condemn them. For they repented at the preaching of Jonah, but behold (sayeth he) a greater than Jonah is here, (meaning himself), & yet they repent not. Shall not (think you) likewise the Locreusians, Arabians, Athenians, with such other, rise up at the judgement, and condemn us, forasmuch as they ceased from whoredom, at the commandment of man, and we have the law and manifest precepts of God, and yet forsake we not our filthy conversation? Truly, truly, it shall be easier at the day of judgement, to these Heathen, then ⟨image 81⟩to us, except we repent and amend. For although death of body, seemeth to us a grievous punishment in this world for whoredom: yet is that pain nothing, in comparison of the grievous torments, which adulterers, fornicators, and all unclean persons, shall suffer after this life. For all such shall be excluded, & shut out of the kingdom of heaven, as s. Paul sayeth: Be not deceived, for neither whoremongers,2 nor worshippers of Images, nor adulterers, nor softlings, nor Sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous persons, nor drunkards, nor cursed speakers, nor pillars, shall inherit the kingdom of God.3 And S. John in his revelation sayeth: that whoremongers shall have their part, with murderers, sorcerers, enchanters, liars, idolaters, & such other, in the lake which burneth with fire & brimstone, which is the second death. The punishment of the body, although it be death, hath an end, but the punishment of the soul, which s. John calleth the second death, is everlasting: there shall be fire & brimstone:4 there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth: the worm, that shall there gnaw the conscience of the damned,5 shall never dye. O whose hart distilleth not even drops of blood, to hear, and consider these things? If we tremble and shake at the, hearing and naming of these pains, oh, what shall they do, that shall feel them, that shall suffer them yea, and ever shall suffer, worlds without end: god have mercy upon us. Who is now so drowned in sin & past all godliness, that he will set more by a filthy and stinking pleasure, (which soon passeth away) then by the loss of everlasting glory.
suffering neyther fornicaciō, nor adultery, to reigne in their realmes, vnpunished. Christ sayde to the people: The Niniuites shall ryse at the iudgement, with thys naciō,1 (meanyng the vnfaythful Iewes) and shal condempne them. For they repēted at the preachyng of Ionas, but beholde (sayeth he) a greater thē Ionas is here, (meanynge hymselfe), & yet they repent not. Shall not (thynke you) likewise the Locreusians, Arabians, Athenians, with suche other, ryse vp at the iudgement, and condempne vs, for asmuche as they ceased from whoredome, at the commaundement of man, and we haue the law and manifest preceptes of God, and yet forsake we not our filthy conuersacion? Truly, truly, it shalbe easier at the daye of iudgement, to these Heathen, then ⟨image 81⟩to vs, except we repent and amende. For althoughe death of body, semeth to vs a greuous punyshment in this worlde for whoredome: yet is that payn nothynge, in comparison of the greuous tormentes, whiche adulterers, fornicatours, and all vncleane persons, shall suffer after thys lyfe. For all suche shalbe excluded, & shut out of the kingdome of heauen, as s. Paule saieth: Be not deceiued, for neyther whoremongers,2 nor worshippers of Images, nor adultrers, nor softelinges, nor Sodomites, nor thefes, nor couetous persons, nor dronkards, nor cursed speakers, nor pyllers, shall inherite the kyngdō of God.3 And S. Ihon in hys reuelacion saieth: that whoremongers shall haue their parte, with murderers, sorcerers, enchaunters, liars, ydolaters, & such other, in the lake whiche burneth with fyre & brimstone, which is the seconde death. The punyshmēte of the bodye, although it be death, hath an ende, but the punishment of the soule, which s. Ihon calleth ye secōd death, is euerlasting: there shalbe fyre & brimstone:4 there shall be wepinge and gnashing of tethe: the worme, that shall there gnawe the conscience of the dampned,5 shall neeur dye. O whose hart distilleth not euen droppes of bloud, to heare, and consydre these thinges? If we tremble and shake at the, hearyng and naming of these paynes, oh, what shal they do, that shall feele them, that shall suffer theim yea, and euer shal suffer, worldes without ende: god haue mercy vpon vs. Who is now so drowned in synne & past all godlynes, that he wyll set more by a fylthy and stynkyng pleasure, (whiche sone passeth away) then by the losse of euerlasting glory.
- 1Luke. xi
- 2i. Coun. vi. Galath. v Ephe. v
- 3Apo. xxi.
- 4Math. xiii.
- 5Luce iii.
