The second tome of homilies of such matters as were promised, and entitled in…The second tome of homilees of such matters as were promised, and intituled in…

The dog is returned to his vomit again, and the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire again. What a shame were it for us, being thus so clearly and freely washed from our sin, to return to the filthiness thereof again? What a folly were it, thus endowed with righteousness, to lose it again? What madness were it, to lose the inheritance that we be now set in, for the vile and transitory pleasure of sin? And what an unkindness should it be, where our saviour Christ of his mercy is come to us, to dwell within us as our g•este, to drive him from us, and to banish him violently out of our souls, and in stead of him in whom is all grace and virtue, to receive the ungracious spirit of the devil, the founder ⟨p. 392⟩of all naughtiness and mischief. How can we find in our hearts to show such extreme unkindness to Christ, which hath now so gently called us to mercy, and offered him self unto us, and he now entered within us? yea, how dare we be so bold to renounce the presence of the father, the Son, and the holy ghost? (For where one is, there is God all whole in majesty, together with all his power, wisdom, and goodness) and fear not I say, the danger and peril of so traitorous a defiance and departure? Good Christian brethren and sisters advise your selves, consider the dignity that ye be now set in, let not folly lose the thing that grace hath so preciously offered and purchased, let not wilfulness and blindness put out so great light that is now showed unto you. Only take good hearts unto ¹you, and put upon you all the armour of God, that ye may stand against your enemies, which would again subdue you, and bring you into their thraldom. Remember ye be bought from your vain conversation, and that your freedom is purchased neither with gold nor silver, but ²with the price of the precious blood of that most innocent lamb Jesus Christ, which was ordained to the same purpose before the world was made. But he was so declared in the latter time of grace, for your sakes which by him have your faith in God, who hath raised him from death, and hath given him glory, that you should have your faith and hope toward God. Therefore as you have hitherto followed the vain lusts of your minds, and so displeased God, to ⟨p. 393⟩