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…

But these and such like incommodities, albeit they be great & noisome, yet because they concern chiefly the body and external goods, they are not to be compared with the mischiefs & inconveniences, which through idleness happen to the soul, whereof we will recite some. Idleness is never alone, but hath always a long tail of other vices hanging on, which corrupt and infect the whole man, after such sort, that he is made at length nothing else but a lump of sin. Idleness (saith Jesus Sirach) bringeth ¹much evil and mischief. Saint Bernard calleth it the mother of all evils, and stepdame of all virtues, adding moreover, that it doth prepare ⟨p. 501⟩and as it were tread the way to hell fire. Where idleness is once received, there the devil is always ready to set in his foot, and to plant all kind of wickedness and sin, to the everlasting destruction of mans soul. Which thing to be most true, we are plainly taught in the. xiii. of Matthew, where it is said: That the enemy ²came while men were a sleep, & sowed naughty tares among the good wheat. In very deed the best time that the devil can have to work his feat, is when men be a sleep, that is to say, idle. Then is he most busy in his work, then doth he soonest catch men in the snare of perdition, then doth he fill them with all iniquity, to bring them (without Gods special favour) unto utter destruction. Hereof we have two notable ³examples most lively set before our eyes. The one in king David, who tarrying at home idly (as the scripture saith) at such times as other kings go forth to battle, was quickly seduced of Satan to forsake the Lord his God, and to commit two grievous & abominable sins in his sight: adultery and murder. The plagues ⁴that ensued these offences, were horrible and grievous, as it may easily appear to them that will read the story. Another example of Sampson, ⁵who so long as be warred with the Philistines, enemies to the people of God, could never be taken or overcome: But after that he gave him self to ease and idleness, he not only committed fornication with the strumpet Delilah, but also was taken of his enemies, and had his eyes miserably put out, was put in prison, and