A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 6 · Sermon 69
THE PERPLEXED SOULES QUAERE. A Sermon preached on the third Sunday in Lent. THE LXIX. SERMON.
ACTS 2.37.
What ſhall we doe?
THe words of the wiſe (ſaithaEccleſ. 12.11. Solomon the mirrour of wiſedome) are like to goades, and to nailes faſtned by the maſters of the aſſemblies, which are given from one ſhepheard. Marke, I beſeech you, what he ſaith, and the Lord give you a right underſtanding in all things: hee ſaith not, verba ſapientum ſunt calamiſtri, but ſtimuli: notbSalvianus de prov. l. 1. cap. 1. lenocinia, ſed remedia; not ſweet powders, but medicines: not criſping pins to curle the lockes, or ſet the haires in equipage, but like goades piercing through the thicke skinne, and like nailes pricking the live fleſh, yea the very heart roote, and drawing from thence teares, ſanguinem animae, the cAug. Serm. de temp. Lachrymae ſanguis animae.blood of the wounded ſoule. Such were the words of Saint Peter in this Sermon, wherewith he tickleth not the eares of the Jewes with numerous elocution, but pricked their hearts with godly compunction. Which effects of his divine and ſoule-raviſhing eloquence, Saint Luke punctually noteth (as Mr dIn. Act. c. 2. Concionis fructum refert Lucas, ut ſcramus non modo in lingu…rum varietate ex…rtam fuiſſe ſpiritus ſancti virtutem, ſed in eorum etiam cordibus qui credebant.Calvin judiciouſly hath obſerved) that we might not thinke that the holy Ghoſt, which came downe upon the Apoſtles in the likeneſſe of fierie tongues, and enabled them to ſpeake divers languages which they had never learned, reſided in the tongue, but deſcended lower into the heart, and wrought there a wonderfull alteration, of ſtony making them fleſhie; of obdurate, relenting; of duplicate page duplicate page obſtinate, yeelding; of frozen, melting. Tully doth but flatter his miſtreſſe eloquence in proclaiming her flexanimam, Queene regent of the affections of the mind. That ſtyle is due to the power of the word and the grace of the ſpirit, which boweth and bendeth, frameth and moldeth the heart at pleaſure. It is the ſword eHeb. 4.12.of the ſpirit which is mightie in operation, & carnem mortificat, & Deo in ſacrificium offert; killeth the fleſh in us, and ſacrificeth it unto God. It is the point of this ſword which openeth the Apoſteme of corrupt nature, and letteth out all the impure matter of luſt and luxurie, by pricking the quickeſt veines in the heart. Wherefore that wanton and crank dame, who bluſhed not to profeſſe that ſhe was more moved at a play than at a Sermon, either by that profane ſpeech of hers bewrayed that ſhe played at Sermons, & never faſtened her eares to the Preacher, that he might faſten his goads and nailes in her heart; orfMercenar. phyſ. dilucid. obſcuſ. dict. Ariſtot. intus apparens prohibuit extraneum, the evill ſpirit had before taken up her heart, as he did a like gallants in Rome, who, asgLi. deſpectac. Tertullian writeth, when he was adjured by a Saint of God, and demanded how hee durſt ſeize upon any that profeſſed the Chriſtian faith, anſwered, In meo reperi, I caught her in my owne ground, I found her at the Theater, ſhe came within my walke, and therefore I tooke her as a lawfull prize: or laſtly, ſhee never came prepared to the hearing of the Word as ſhe ought, ſhe never laid her heart aſoake in teares to make it tender, ſhe never prayed to God to direct the penknife in the hand of the ſpirituall Chirurgian, to pricke the right veine by a ſeaſonable reprehenſion like to this of Saint Peters in my text, which when the Jewes heard,
They were pricked in heart, &c. See (ſaith SainthChryſ. in Act. Homil. 5. foreign. ib. foreign, &c. Chryſoſtome) what meekneſſe is, and how it pierceth the heart deeper than rigour and ſeveritie of reproofe. It is not the ſtorme of haile and raine that ratleth upon the tiles, and maketh ſuch a noiſe, but the ſtill kinde ſhower that ſinketh deepe into the earth; the ſoft drops pierce the hard ſtones. foreign.
The Surgeon who intends to pricke a veine deepe, firſt ſtroakes the fleſh, and gently rubbeth it to make the veine ſwell. He that maketh an inciſion in the body of a patient that hath tough and hard fleſh, putteth him to little or no paine at all: but if hee mollifie the fleſh firſt, and then apply his ſharpe inſtrument unto it, the party ſhrinketh at it: even ſo ſaith the skilfull Surgeon of the mind ſores, If we would doe good upon our patients, wee muſt firſt make the heart tender, and then pricke it: now that which mollifieth the heart, and maketh it tender, is not rage, nor heate of paſsion, nor vehement accuſation, much leſſe bitter taunts and reproaches, but theiGal. 6.1. ſpirit of meekneſſe; in which Saint Peter ſought to reſtore his countrimen the Jews. For though they had murdered his and our Lord and Maſter, and much injured his fellow ſervants the Apoſtles, yet he ſpeaketh unto them as a father or a carefull maſter; he telleth them indeed of their fault, yet aggravateth it not, that he might not drive them to deſperate courſes; but excuſing it by their ignorance, he offereth them grace and pardon upon very eaſie termes, that grieving for their ſinnes of a deeper die, they would looke upon him by faith whom they had pierced, and with wicked hands nailed to a tree. By which ſweet inſinuation, though he brought them not ſo farre as to juſtifying faith and repentance unto life, yet they came on a good way; for they were pricked with remorſe for that they had done, and they expreſſe a deſire to make amends, if it might be, and referre themſelves to the Apoſtles farther direction and inſtruction, ſaying, Men and brethren
What ſhall we doe?
I may ſay of this queſtion, as Tully of Brutus hiskCic. famil. epiſt. laconicall epiſtle, quàm multa quàm paucis? how much in how little? but two words in thelforeign. originall, yet iſſuing from three affections, feare, ſorrow, and hope.
1 Feare ſaith, What ſhall we doe to flie from the wrath to come?
2 Sorrow ſaith, What ſhall we doe to undoe that we have done?
3 Hope ſaith, What ſhall we doe to purchaſe a pardon for our bloudy mindes, if not hands, and to obtaine the promiſe that you tell us is made to us, and to our children?
Firſt of theſe words as they are a queſtion of feare. The tree of forbidden ſinne beareth three fruits, and all bitter,
1 Guilt.
2 Loſſe.
3 Turpitude.
And theſe fruits breed in the ſtomacke of the ſoule three maladies,
1 Shame.
2 Sorrow.
3 Feare.
1 The turpitude in it or deformity breedeth ſhame.
2 The loſſe by it breedeth hearts-griefe and ſorrow.
3 The guilt of it breedeth terrours and feares.
Peradventure ſome man may be found ſo armed with proofe of impudencie, that he cannot be wounded with ſhame: and wee ſee many ſo intoxicated with the preſent delight of ſinne, and ſo inſenſible of the loſſe by it, that they take no griefe or thought for it. But I never yet read or heard of any that ſinned with a high hand, but his owne heart ſmote him with feare. For where ſinne is of a deepe die, not waſhed out with penitent teares, there is guilt; where guilt is, there muſt needs be an expectation of condigne puniſhment; and where this expectation is, continuall feare. The ſinners conſcience tells him that his fact is unjuſt, and God is juſt, and therefore in juſtice will give injuſtice his juſt reward, either in this life, or in that which is to come. As Antipho through a diſeaſe in his eye, thought that he had his owne Image alwayes before him: ſo he that hath charged his conſcience with any abominable, or very foule and bloudy crime, ſeeth alwayes before him the ougly image of his ſinne, and hideous ſhape of his deſerved puniſhment. Hae ſunt impiis aſsiduae domeſticaeque furiae: mCic pro Roſe. Amer.theſe are the ghoſts that haunt wicked men, theſe are the furies that follow them with torches, and ſcorch them with flaſhes of hell fire: theſe ſuffer them not, non modo ſine cura quieſcere, ſed ne ſpirare quidem ſine metu: theſe make them flie when no man purſueth them, cry when no man ſmiteth-them, quake when no man threatneth them, languiſh in a cold ſweat when no fit is upon them.
nJuvenal ſat. 17.—frigidamens eſt
Criminibus, tacitâ ſudant praecordia culpâ.
WhenoCic. ib. Sua quem que fraus, & ſuus terror maxime vexar: ſuum quemque ſc…lus agitat, ſuae mal… cogitationes conſ…ientiaeque animi terrent. they are alone and quiet, out of all other noiſe, they heare their ſinne cry for vengeance. At which huy and cry they are ſo ſtartled, that though many be ſometimes free from the cauſe of their feare, yet they are never free from feare of danger. Every ſhadow they take for a man, every man for a ſpie, every ſpie for an accuſer. As in a fever, the greater the fit is, the more vehement the ſhaking: ſo the more horrid the ſinne is, the more horrible the dread. The ſinne of the Jewes in giving conſent to the ſaving of a murderer and the murther of the Saviour, is beyond compariſon, and therefore their feare beyond meaſure. As a child that hath committed ſome great fault, and expecteth to bee fleaed for it, cryeth to his maſter, What ſhall I doe? Or a paſſenger ſuddenly benighted, when he perceiveth that he is riding downe a ſteepe rocke, cryeth to all within hearing, Oh what ſhall I doe? Or a patient that is in a deſperate caſe feeleth unſufferable paine, and apprehendeth no meanes of eaſe, cryeth to his phyſician, What ſhall I doe? Or a ſeafaring man in a ſtorme in the night, when he heareth the water roare, and feareth every moment to be ſwallowed up in the ſea, cryeth to the Pilot, What ſhall we doe? In this perplexitie, in this fright, in this agonie are the Jewes in my text; and from hence is this ſpeech of diſtracted men, What ſhall we doe?
This their feare ought to ſtrike a terrour in us all, who have our part in their guilt; for we by our ſinnes have and doe provoke the Father, grieve the Spirit, and even crucifie againe the Sonne: how can wee then but feare when we heare Gods threats againſt ſinne? when we ſee daily his judgements upon ſinne? when wee remember our Saviours ſufferings to ſatisfie Gods juſtice for ſinne? How dare we draw iniquity with cords, and ſinne with cart-ropes? How dare we kicke againſt the pricks? How dare we make a covenant with death, and league with hell? How dare wee hatch the cockatrice egge? How dare wee lie at the mouth of the Lions den? Let no man ſay in his heart when he plotteth wickedneſſe, or committeth filthineſſe in the darke, no eye ſeeth mee, and therefore what need I feare? for hee that hath eyes like a flame of fire, pierceth the thickeſt darkneſſe, and diſcovereth every hidden roome in thy houſe, and corner in thy heart: hee ſeeth thee in ſecret, and will reward thee openly, if thou by ſmiting thine owne heart prevent not his blowes, as the Jewes did in my text, ſaying, What ſhall we doe? This interrogation riſeth from three ſprings or heads:
1 Feare of puniſhment.
2 Sorrow for ſinne.
3 Hope of pardon.
A man in feare driven to an exigent, being now at his wits end ſaith with himſelfe, What ſhall I doe? likewiſe, a man overwhelmed with cares, and ready to be drowned in ſorrow, as hee is ſinking cries, Oh! what ſhall I doe, or what will become of mee? The fruit of ſin is ſweete in the mouth, but bitter in the ſtomacke: like poiſon given in a ſugred cup it goeth downe ſweetly, but it kindleth a fire in the bowels: it tickleth the heart in the beginning, but it prickes it in the end: it is pleaſure in doing, it is ſorrow when it is done. Saint Bernard ſpeaketh feelingly, Sinne after it is perpetrated leaves in the ſoule a ſad farewell: amara & foeda veſtigia, where the divell hath ſet his foote there remaines after he is gone a foule print, and a ſtinking ſent. Though the ſinner uſe all meanes to dead the fleſh of his heart, though he make it as hard as flint, or the nether milſtone, yet conſcience writeth in it, as with the point of a Diamond, this ſentence of the eternall Judge of quick and dead,pRom. 2.9. Tribulation and anguiſh upon every ſoule that ſinneth. They that ſtabbed Caeſar, afterwards turned the point of the ſame dagger upon themſelves: ſo it is certaine that no man by ſin grieveth Gods Spirit, but he woundeth himſelfe with ſorrow. If the ſprayning a veine, or diſ-locating a bone, or putting a member out of joynt, or diſtempering the bloud, be a pain to the body: how much more is the diſtorting the will, the diſordering the affections, the quenching the light of reaſon by ſinne, a torment to the ſoule? There is no man that hath not loſt his ſenſes, but hath ſenſe of great loſſes: & what loſſe comparable to the loſſe of Gods favour and love, the comforts of the ſpirit, and the treaſures of his grace? Though a ſinner ſhould gaine the whole world by his ſinne, yet would hee be a loſer: for at the preſent he hazzardeth, and without mature repentance he loſeth his owne ſoule. To ſpeake nothing of loſſe of time by idleneſſe, of wit by drunkenneſſe, of ſtrength by incontinencie, of health by intemperancie, of eſtate by prodigality, of credit and reputation by lewdneſſe and diſhoneſtie: beſides the guilt of ſinne, and loſſe by it, there is great folly in it, which vexeth the mind, and diſcontenteth the ſpirit of a man: his thoughts perpetually accuſing him in this manner: This thou mighteſt have done, and here thou befooledſt thy ſelfe, and thou haſt brought trouble and ſhame upon thee: thou mayſt thanke thy ſelfe for all the miſchiefes that have befalne thee.
Yea, but ye may object, Are ſinne and ſorrow ſuch individuall companions? is there no ſorrow but for ſinne, and the effects of it? no ſinne without ſorrow? What ſay you then to them that have their conſcienceq1 Tim. 4.2. ſeared as with an hot iron? they ſurely feele no paine. What ſenſe have they of the guilt of ſinne, of Gods wrath, who are caſt into a reprobate ſenſe? I would the caſe were as rare as the anſwer unto it is eaſie and expedite. Admit a ſeared conſcience feeleth no paine, was not the ſearing of it thinke you a paine? The heart that is like the anvile, and now hardened for the purpoſe, felt many a blow, and endured many fearfull ſtroaks before it came to be ſo. Although Mithridates in the end felt little hurt or pain by drinking poyſon: yet before he brought his body to that temper, he never tooke any draught of poyſon, but it was both painfull and perillous to him. A man muſt needs have many conflicts within him, many terrours and unſufferable troubles of minde, before he be utterly deprived of all ſenſe by the frequencie and vehemencie of his torments: and though thoſe that are caſt into a reprobate ſenſe never after come to repentance, yet God oftentimes reſtoreth them to their ſenſe of ſorrow, and ſight of the uglineſſe of their ſinne, and horrour of their puniſhment, that even in this life they might taſt of eternall death. As he did to Nero, when in a fit of deſperation he cryed out, Have I no friend nor enemy to rid me out of my paine? And Julian the Apoſtata, who tare his bowels, and flung them into the aire, ſaying, Viciſti Galilee. Brutus rPlutar. in vit. Brut. Iterum me Philippis videbis.his malus genius, the ghoſt that haunted him at Rome, though for the preſent it left him, yet it met with him againe at Philippi a little before his death. So thoſe terrours and conſternations of minde which poſſeſſed the wicked before their conſciences were ſeared, though for many yeares they leave them, yet a little before, or at the time of their death they returne againe in more violent manner, and ſo they paſſe from death to death, from ſorrow to ſorrow: nay, I may ſay truly, from hell to hell.
But why do I ſtand ſo long upon this ſorrow, which may be without repentance? becauſe repentance cannot be without it? Compunction doth not alwaies end in godly ſorrow, but godly ever begins in it. This compunction of pricking the heart deepe, is like the digging the earth to ſet the ſeeds of faith and repentance, and all the ſlippes of the flowers of Paradiſe: or the needles making a hole in the cloth or ſtuffe; the needle fils not up the bracke or rent, but the threed or ſilke, but onelyonly it maketh entrance for them. So the pricking the heart with the needle ofſCalv. in Act. Hoc poenitentiae initium eſt, imo ad pietatem ingreſſus, triſtitiam ex peccatis noſtris concipere, ac malorum noſtrorum ſenſu vulnerari: quā diù enim ſecuri ſunt homines, fieri non poteſt ut ſeriò animum attendant ad doctrinam; ſed compunctioni accedere debet promptitudo ad parendum. Compuncti fuerunt Cain & Judas, ſed obſtitit deſperatio, quo minùs ſe Deo ſubjicerent; nam mens horrore occupata, nihil aliud quam fugere Deum poteſt. compunction maketh way for the graces of faith and true repentance, which make up the rent and mend our lives. Beloved, if ye are pricked in heart for your ſinnes, I cannot ſay it is well with you; but if ye have never beene pricked for them, I muſt ſay it is very ill with you. The Philoſophers diſtinguiſh of a double heate,
1 Inward and naturall, which preſerveth life.
2 Outward or ambient, which diſpoſeth miſt bodies to putrefaction by drawing the other heattMercenar. l. de Putred. cont. Eraſt. Putredo eſt eductio caloris naturalis à calore ambiente. out of them.
In like manner there is a double ſorrow for ſinne.
1 A ſorrow ariſing from an inward cauſe, the conſideration of the goodneſſe of God, and the malignancie of ſinne: the equity of the law, the iniquity of our tranſgreſſions: and this is a ſeed of, or degree unto repentance unto life.
2 A ſorrow for ſinne ariſing from an outward cauſe, the expectation of dreadfull puniſhments for ſinne, both in this life, and the life to come, both temporall and eternall: and this, if it be not aſſwaged with ſome hope diſpoſeth a ſinner to deſperation, as wee ſee in Cain, Eſau, and Judas, whoſe ſorrowes were not any way medicinall, but penall.
No meanes to prevent, but rather to aſſure helliſh torments, being a kind of earneſt of them. Cain was pricked in heart for the murther of his brother Abel, in ſuch ſort that hee filled the aire whereſoever he fled with this lamentable cry, My uGen. 4.13.puniſhment is greater than I can beare. Eſau would have redeemed his birthright with a large cup of*Heb. 12.17. teares, which he ſold for a ſmall meſſe of pottage: but his teares were ſpilt upon the ground, not put into the Lords bottle. Judas had ſorrow enough, if that would have helped him; for to ſtifle his hearts griefe hee ſtrangled himſelfe: and no doubt he long ſwelled with paine before he burſt aſunder xAct. 4.18.in the midſt, and his bowels guſhed out. Wherefore as the Apoſtle Saint Paul in another caſe exhorteth the Theſſalonians, ſo let mee exhort you, to weepe for your ſins, but not y1 Theſ. 4.13.as thoſe that have no hope. Sorrow for your ſinfull joyes, humble your ſelves for your pride, faſt for your luxurie, watch for your drowſineſſe, howle and crie for your crying ſinnes; yet not as thoſe that are without hope. For if the Jewes here, who ſpilt the blood of the Sonne of God, were quickned by it, how much more ſhall they that waſh Chriſts wounds and their owne with their teares, find in his bloud the balme of Gilead to cure their pricked hearts, and wounded conſciences?
But then, as the Jewes here, they muſt bee ſolicitous after the meanes. They muſt enquire of the Apoſtles or their ſucceſſours, Quid faciemus? What ſhall wee doe? if not to undoe what wee have done, yet to make ſome part of amends, ſo much as wee can, and which through Gods goodneſſe ſhall ſo be taken of us, that our ſinnes ſhall not be imputed to us. And they ſaid,
What ſhall wee doe? Saint Chryſoſtome well obſerveth, that they aske not, How ſhall we bee ſaved? but, What ſhall wee doe? It is preſumptuous folly to enquire of, or hope for the end if wee neglect the meanes. If a man might goe to heaven with a ſigh, many a Balaam would be found there, for hee fetched a deepe ſigh, ſaying, Let mee die the death of the righteous. If crying, The Temple of the Lord, or ſaying, Lord, Lord, almoſt at every word, would without any more adoe make a man free of the heavenly Jeruſalem, all the Phariſees among the Jewes, and hypocrites among Chriſtians ſhould bee deniſons there. But Chriſt himſelfe aſſureth us to the contrary, not every one that ſaith Lord, Lord, zMat. 7.21.ſhall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven, but hee that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven. Doing and life, working and ſalvation, running and obtaining, winning and wearing, overcomming and reigning, in holy Scripture follow one the other. Wherefore the young man puts the queſtion to our Saviour, What aMark. 10.17.thing ſhall I doe that I may attaine evelaſting life? and the people likewiſe, and the Publicans, and the Souldiers tobLuk 3.10.12.14. S. John, and the keepers of the priſon tocAct. 16.30. Saint Paul, and the Jewes in my text to Saint Peter, and the reſt of the Apoſtles, What ſhall wee doe? not, What ſhall wee ſay? or, What ſhall wee beleeve? but, What ſhall wee doe? This is the tenour of the Law, Doe this and thou ſhalt live. Whoſoever doth theſe things ſhall never fall. And the Goſpel alſo carryeth the ſame tune full:dMat. 7.24. If ye know theſe things happie are yee of yee doe them. Hee that heareth and doeth buildeth upon a rocke. Not the hearers, but the doers of the eJames 1.22. Ezek. 1.8.Law ſhall bee juſtified. Why are the Cherubims deſcribed with the hands of a man under their wings, but to teach us that none ſhall ſee God, who under the wings of faith and hope (whereby they fl…e to heaven) have not the hand of charity to doe good workes? As Darius uſed the Macedonian ſouldiers, whom hee tooke priſoners; ſo the divell doth thoſe over whom hee hath any power: hee cutts off their hands that they may be able to do no ſervice. The heathen Philoſopher obſerved, that of three of the beſt things in the world, through the wickedneſſe of men, three of the worſt things proceeded and grew:
1 Of vertue, envie.
2 Of truth, hatred.
3 Of familiarity, contempt.
Wee Chriſtians may adde a fourth, viz. of the doctrine of free juſtification carnall liberty. The catholike doctrine of juſtification by faith alone is the true Nectar of the ſoule, ſo called foreign, becauſe it keepeth from death: yet this ſweeteſt Wine in the Spouſes Flagons proves no better than Vinegar, or rather poyſon in their ſtomackes, who turne grace into wantonneſſe, and liberty into licence.
—fit Nectar acetum,
Et vaticam perfida vappa cadi.
But let no man adulterate the truth nor impoſe upon Chriſts mercy what it will not beare; nor endeavour to ſever faith from good workes, leſt hee ſever his ſoule from life. For though faith juſtifie our workes before God; yet our workes juſtifie our faith before men: though the juſt ſhall gHabac. 2.4. Rom. 1.17.live by his faith, yet this his faith muſt live by hJames 2.20.charity: as never man any dyed with a living faith, ſo never any man lived by a dead faith. I grant, when we have all done wee may, nay wee muſt ſay,iLuk. 17.10. Wee are unprofitable ſervants: yet while we have time kGal. 6.10.we muſt doe good unto all, eſpecially to thoſe of the houſhold of faith. None may truſt in their owne righteouſneſſe; but on the contrary, all ought to pray that they may be found in Chriſt, lPhil. 3.9.not having their owne righteouſneſſe: yet their righteouſneſſe muſt exceed the mMat. 5.20.righteouſneſſe of the Scribes and Phariſees, or elſe they ſhall never enter into the kingdome of heaven. It is evident unto all, except they be blinde, that the eye alone ſeeth in the body, yet the eye which ſeeth, is not alone in the body without the other ſenſes: the forefinger alone pointeth, yet that finger is not alone on the hand: the hammer alone ſtriketh the bell, yet the hammer which ſtriketh is not alone in the clocke: the heate alone in the fire burneth, and not the light, yet that heate is not alone without light: the helme alone guideth the ſhip, and not the tackling, yet the helme is not alone, nor without the tackling: in a compound electuarie Rubarb alone purgeth choler, yet the Rubarb is not alone there without other ingredients. Thus wee are to conceive, that though faith alone doth juſtifie, yet that faith which juſtifieth is not alone, but joyned with charity and good workes. Many pleaſe themſelves with a reſemblance of Caſtor and Pollux, two lights appearing on ſhippes, ſometimes ſeverally, ſometimes joyntly. If either appeareth by it ſelfe, it preſageth a ſtorme; if both together, a ſuddaine calme: yet (with their good leave be it ſpoken) this their ſimile is diſsimile. For thoſe lights may be ſevered & actually are often, but juſtifying faith cannot be ſevered from charity, nor charity from it. Thus farre onelyonly it holdeth, that unleſſe we have a ſenſe and feeling of both in our ſoules, we may well feare a ſtorme. S. Bernards diſtinction of via regni, and cauſa regnandi, cleareth the truth in this point: Though good workes are not the cauſe why God crowneth us, yet we muſt take them in our way to heaven, or elſe we ſhall never come there. It is as impious to deny the neceſſity, as to maintaine the merit of good workes.
—ſed Cynthius aurem
Vellit.
The time calleth mee off: and therefore that it may not exclude mee, I will conclude with it. In this holy time of Lent three duties are required, Prayer, Faſting, and Almes: prayer is the bird of Paradiſe; faſting and almes are her two wings, the lighter is faſting, but the ſtronger is almes; uſe both to carry your prayers to heaven, that you may bring from thence a bleſſing upon you, through the merits and interceſſion of Jeſus Chriſt. Cui, &c.