Jacobs ladderIacobs ladder

Manna was gathered in the morning, because when the Sun rose it did melt away: So virtue must be gathered betime, for if we stay till business and pleasures come upon us, they will melt it faster then we can gather it: therefore in the fourth of Proverbs, Wisdom is called the Beginning, to teach us to seek wisdom in the beginning, as a man taketh the best first. If Elijah would be served before the widow, when she had not enough to serve her self: will God be served after thee? nay after the flesh, and after the devil? what canst thou owe him to morrow, which thou art not indebted to day? yea, doth not God require Morning sacrifice as well as Evening sacrifice? It is an old saying, repentance is never too late: but it is a true saying, repentance is never too soon, for so soon as we sin, we had need to ask forgiveness: beside, repentance is a gift, and therefore must be taken when it is offered. For if Judas could have repented when he listed, he would never have hanged himself. The time past is gone, and thou canst not recall that to repent in: the time to come is uncertain, and thou canst not assure that to repent in: the present time is only thine, and thou mayest repent in that, but anon that will be gone too. Therefore when Christ wept over Jerusalem he said, O if thou hadst known in this thy day: calling none their day, but this day: if none can be called thy day but this day, then this is thy day of repentance, or else thou hast none at all. Therefore one resembleth the mercy of God to the Poole in Jury, where the sick and leprous lay, for at one time of the day an Angel came and stirred the water, and ⟨image 6⟩¹then he which stepped in first was healed of his disease, he which stepped in first was healed, none but he which stepped in first, so he which taketh time is sure, but he which foresloweth time, oftener faileth than speedeth: for, when golden opportunity is past, no time will fit for it: yet, as when Christ went about to cast out ²devils, they said that he tormented them before the time: so whensoever thou goest about to dismiss thy sins and pleasures, though thou stay till thou beest sick and old, and ready to dye, yet they will say still that thou dismissest them before the time:

Manna was gathered in the morning, because when the Sunne rose it did melt away: So virtue must bee gathered betime, for if wee stay till busines and pleasures come vpon vs, they will melt it faster then wee can gather it: therefore in the fourth of Prouerbes, Wisdome is called the Beginning, to teach vs to seeke wisdome in the beginning, as a man taketh the best first. If Eliah would be serued before the widdow, when shee had not enough to serue her selfe: will God be serued after thee? nay after the slesh, and after the diuell? what canst thou owe him to morrow, which thou art not indebted to day? yea, doth not God require Morning sacrifice as well as Euening sacrifice? It is an olde saying, repētance is neuer too late: but it is a true saying, repentance is neuer too soone, for so soone as we sinne, we had neede to aske forgiuenes: beside, repentance is a gift, and therefore must be taken when it is offered. For if Iudas could haue repented when he listed, hee would neuer haue hanged himselfe. The time past is gone, and thou canst not recall that to repent in: the time to come is vncertaine, and thou canst not assure that to repent in: the present time is onely thine, and thou maiest repent in that, but anon that will bee gone too. Therefore when Christ wept ouer Ierusalem hee sayd, O if thou hadst knowne in this thy day: calling none their day, but this day: if none can bee called thy day but this day, then this is thy day of repentance, or els thou hast none at al. Therfore one resembleth the mercy of God to the Poole in Iurie, where the sicke and leprous lay, for at one time of the day an Angell came and stirred the water, and