So earnestly must we call […] ⟨p. 17⟩our souls, that we be not weary of well doing: for happier are the children that never began, then Judas, whose end was worse then his beginning. Wisdom and Righteousness are angry with him that leaveth his goodness to become worse: if thy spouse had committed fornication thou mightst have divorced her, but he which leaveth his righteousness to live in wickedness, forsakes his spouse to commit fornication, and is divorced from Christ himself. If thou were like the Vine, or the Olive, or the Fig tree, they would not leave their grapes, or their fatness, or their sweetness, to get a kingdom; but the Bramble did: If thou be like the Bramble, what wilt thou do when the fire comes? As this is a memorandum to all, so especially let him that ruleth, and him that teacheth, take heed least he fall: for if the Pillars shrink the Temple shakes, as when a great Tree is hewen down, which is a shadow to the beasts, and a nest to the birds, many leaves, and ⟨p. 18⟩bows, and twigs fall with it: so many stand, and fall with them, whose lamps give light to others: Even as Jeroboam's sin made Israel to sin. Therefore Paul hath given you a watchword, which every one should write upon his table, upon his bed, and upon his nails, least he forget in one hour, for he which stands now, may fall before night. Sin is not long in coming, nor quickly gone, unless God stop us, as he met Balaam in his way, and stay us, as he stayed the woman's son, when he was a bearing to his grave: we run over Reason, and tread upon Conscience, and fling by Counsel, and go by the Word, and post to Death, as though we ran for a Kingdom, like a Lark, that falls to the ground sooner then she mounted up: at first she retires, as it were by steps, but when she cometh nearer the ground, she falls down with a jump: so we decline at first, and waver lower and lower, till we be almost at the worst, and then we run headlong, ⟨p. 19⟩as though we were sent post to hell, from hot to luke-warm, from luke-warm to key cold, from key-cold to stark dead: so the languishing soul bleeds to death, and seeth not his life go till it be at the very last as pe.
So earnestlie must wee call 〈…〉 ⟨p. 17⟩our soules, that we be not weary of wel doing: for happier are the childrē that neuer began, then Iudas, whose ende was worse then his beginning. Wisdome and Righteousnesse are angrie with him that leaueth his goodnesse to become worse: if thy spouse had committed fornication thou mightst haue diuorsed her, but he which leaueth his righteousnesse to liue in wickednesse, forsakes his spouse to committe fornication, and is diuorced from Christ himselfe. If thou were like the Vine, or the Oliue, or the Figge tree, they would not leaue their grapes, or their fatnesse, or their sweetenesse, to get a kingdome; but the Bramble did: If thou be like the Bramble, what wilte thou doe when the fire comes? As this is a memorandum to all, so especiallie let him that ruleth, and him that teacheth, take heede least he fall: for if the Pillers shrinke the Temple shakes, as when a great Tree is hewen downe, which is a shadowe to the beastes, and a neast to the birdes, many leaues, and ⟨p. 18⟩bowes, and twigges fal with it: so many stand, and fall with them, whose lampes geue light to others: Euen as Ieroboams sinne made Israel to sinne. Therfore Paul hath giuen you a watchword, which euerie one should write vpon his table, vpon his bed, and vpon his nailes, least he forget in one hower, for he which standes now, may fall before night. Sinne is not long in comming, nor quickly gone, vnlesse God stop vs, as hee mette Balaam in his way, and stay vs, as hee staied the womans sonne, when hee was a bearing to his graue: we runne ouer Reason, and treade vppon Conscience, and fling by Councell, and goe by the Word, and poast to Death, as though we ran for a Kingdome, like a Lark, that falles to the ground sooner then she mounted vp: at first she retires, as it were by steps, but when she commeth neerer the ground, she falles downe with a iumpe: so we decline at first, and wauer lower and lower, til we be almost at the worst, and then we runne headlong, ⟨p. 19⟩as though we were sent poast to hell, from hotte to luke-warme, from luke-warme to key colde, from key-colde to starke dead: so the languishing soule bleedes to death, and seeth not his life goe till it be at the very last as pe.
