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…

Thirdly, the filthiness of sin which is such, that as long as we do abide in it, God can not but detest and abhor us, neither can there be any hope, that we shall enter into the heavenly Jerusalem, except we be first made clean & purged from it. But this will never be, unless forsaking our former life, we do with our whole heart return unto the Lord our God, & with a full purpose of amendment of life, flee unto his mercy, taking sure hold thereupon through faith in the blood of his son Jesus Christ. If we should suspect any uncleanness to be in us, wherefore the ¹earthly prince should loth and abhor the sight of us, what pains would we take to remove & put it away? Howe much more ought we with all diligence and speed that may be, to put away that unclean filthiness that doth separate and ²make a division betwixt us and our God, & that hideth his face from us, that he will not hear us? And verily herein doth appear how filthy a thing sin is, sith that it can by no other means be washed away, but by the blood of the only begotten son of God. And shall we not from ⟨p. 540⟩the bottom of our hearts detest and abhor, & with all earnestness flee from it, sith that it did cost the dear heart blood of the only begotten son of God our saviour & redeemer, to purge us from it? Plato doth in a certain place write, that if virtue could be seen with bodily eyes, all men would wonderfully be inflamed and kindled with the love of it: Even so on the contrary, if we might with our bodily eyes behold the filthiness of sin, and the uncleanness thereof, we could in no wise abide it, but as most present and deadly poison, hate and eschew it. We have a common experience of the same in them which when they have committed any heinous offence, or some filthy and abominable sin, if it once come to light, or if they chance to have a through feeling of it, they be so ashamed (their own conscience putting before their eyes the filthiness of their act) that they dare look no man in the face, much less that they should be able to stand in the sight of God.

Thirdly, the filthinesse of synne which is such, that as long as we do abyde in it, God can not but detest and abhorre vs, neyther can there be any hope, that we shall enter into the heauenlye Hierusalem, except we be first made cleane & purged from it. But this wyll neuer be, vnlesse forsakyng our former lyfe, we do with our whole heart returne vnto the Lorde our God, & with a full purpose of amendement of lyfe, flee vnto his mercy, taking sure hold therupon through fayth in the blood of his son Jesu Christe. If we should suspect any vncleannes to be in vs, wherfore the