[ 486] The consideration of eternall pain, to deter from the commission of sinne.
A Grave and chast Matron being moved to commit folly with a lewd Ruffian,* 1.1 after long discourse and tedious solicitations, she called for a pan of hot burning coles, requesting him for her sake, to hold his finger in them but one hour: He an∣swered, that it was an unkind request: To vvhom she replied, That seeing he would not so much as hold his finger in a few coles for one hour, she could not yeeld to do the thing for which she should be tormented body and soul in hell fire for ever: And thus should all men reason with themselves, when they are about to sin; none will be brought to do a thing that may make so much as their finger or tooth to ake; If a man be but to snuffe a candle, he will spit on his finger because he cannot endure a small and tender flame; What care is then requisite to leave sin, whereby we bring endless torments to body and soul in hell sire, to which our fire is but Ice by way of comparison?