Page:Awful memorial of the state of Francis Spira (1).pdf/6

[6] of the iſſue, fly thy country, get thee away, though never ſo far, rather than deny the Lord of life.

Now was Spira in reaſonable quiet, being reſolved to yield to theſe weighty reaſons.- Yet holding it wiſdom to examine all things, he conſults alſo with fleſh and blood. Thus the battle doth renew, and the fleſh began to reaſon thus:

"Be well adviſed, fond man; conſider reaſon on both ſides, and then judge. How canſt thou thus overcome thy ſufficiency, as thou neither regardeſt the examples of thy progenitors, nor the judgment of the whole church? Doſt thou not conſider what miſery this thy raſhneſs will being unto thee? Thou ſhalt loſe all thy ſubſtance, gotten with ſo great care and travail; thou ſhalt undergo the moſt exquiſite torments that malice can deviſe; thou thalt be counted an heretic, and to cloſe up all, thou ſhalt die ſhamefully. What thinkeſt thou of the lothſome ſtinking dungeon, the bloody ex, or the burning faggat? Are they delightful? Be wiſe at length, and keep thy life and honour; thou mayeſt live to do much good to men, as G commands thee; and thou mayeſt be an ornament to thy country. Wilt thou bring thy friends alſo into danger? Thou haft begotten children, wilt thou now cut their throats, and inhumanly butcher them, who may in time bring honour to their country, glory To G, help and furtherance to his church? Go to the Legate, weak man, freely confeſs thy fault, and help all theſe miſeries."

Thus did the cares of this world, and the deceitfulneſs of riches choak the good feed that was formerly ſown. He feared and fainted, and yielded unto the allurements of this world !!!-