Yea but I have yielded to some of these vile thoughts, I have yielded to them, and how then shall I do? I answer, the multitude and violence of them did sometimes so tire thee, and put thee out of breath and strength as it were, that thou couldest not give a loud and earnest, but alone a faint and ⟨p. 192⟩whispering, nay, & hereupon Satan hath made thee believe that thou didst yield, but know that it is one thing to yield to a temptation, an other thing to be overwearied and tired with it, that a man is not able to make such sensible resistance as he did once. If a strong and sturdy fellow, full of lewd desires, meeting with an honest but weak woman, should so long wrestle with her, till she were quite out of breath and could scarce speak or stir any longer, and in that her weariness ⟨p. 193⟩should use some unfit gesture to her, were she the less chaste wife for that, in the censure even of the most jealous husband? So then, that that thou callest yielding, was not yielding, but an inability through faintness, to make resistance. § 5. But say thou had styeelded to some evil, even most loath some for a little time, being overtired with resisting: Hast thou not now recalled & recanted thine yielding, dost not thou now abhor thy self for yielding, crave pardon of it, and ⟨p. 194⟩resolve never to do it, nor yield to it hereafter any more? Sure if some varlet should by much importunity, entice thy servant, to let him into thine house that he might rob thee, or do thee hurt, and after many repulses at last, should be so overlaid by importunity, that he should consent, & promise to do it; but so soon as ever the fellow was gone, should abhor it, and refuse to put it in practise, and with tears in his eyes, come tell thee what had passed, craving pardon, wouldst thou not ⟨p. 195⟩forgive him? wouldst thou cast him out of thine house? There have been Princes so merciful, that when some have been inveigled to conspire their death, but after have repented, & of their own accord revealing the conspiracy, have submitted to their mercy, could and did show them mercy, and will not God be more merciful then ever man was or can be? Be not therefore disheartened because of thy long temptations, and sometimes sudden yeeldances. This the Lord can ⟨p. 196⟩and will pass by, and much more then this.
Yea but I have yeelded to some of these vile thoughts, I have yeelded to them, and how then shall I do? I answer, the multitude and violence of them did sometimes so tire thee, and put thee out of breath and strength as it were, that thou couldest not give a loud and earnest, but alone a faint and ⟨p. 192⟩whispering, nay, & hereupon Satan hath made thee beleeve that thou didst yeeld, but know that it is one thing to yeeld to a temptation, an other thing to bee overwearied and tyred with it, that a man is not able to make such sensible resistance as he did once. If a strong and sturdy fellow, full of lewd desires, meeting with an honest but weak woman, should so long wrestle with her, till she were quite out of breath and could scarce speake or stirre any longer, and in that her wearinesse ⟨p. 193⟩should use some unfit gesture to her, were shee the lesse chast wife for that, in the censure even of the most jealous husband? So then, that that thou callest yeelding, was not yeelding, but an inability through faintnesse, to make resistance. § 5. But say thou had styeelded to som evil, even most loath some for a little time, being overtired with resisting: Hast thou not now recalled & recanted thine yeelding, dost not thou now abhor thy selfe for yeelding, crave pardon of it, and ⟨p. 194⟩resolve never to do it, nor yeeld to it hereafter any more? Sure if some varlet should by much importunity, intice thy servant, to let him into thine house that he might rob thee, or do thee hurt, and after many repulses at last, should bee so overlaide by importunity, that he should consent, & promise to do it; but so soone as ever the fellow was gone, should abhorre it, and refuse to put it in practise, and with teares in his eyes, come tell thee what had passed, craving pardon, wouldst thou not ⟨p. 195⟩forgive him? wouldst thou cast him out of thine house? There have been Princes so mercifull, that when some have beene inveigled to conspire their death, but after have repented, & of their own accord revealing the conspiracy, have submitted to their mercy, could and did shew them mercy, and will not God bee more mercifull then ever man was or can be? Bee not therefore disheartned because of thy long temptations, and sometimes sodaine yeeldances. This the Lord can ⟨p. 196⟩and will passe by, and much more then this.
