To whom Dr. Faustus answered, "My good neighbour, I pray you say your mind."
Then began the old patron to say, "My good neighbour, you know in the beginning how that you have defied God and all the host of heaven, and given your soul to the devil, wherewith you have incurred God's high displeasure, and are become from a Christian far worse than a heathen person. Oh! consider what you have done, it is not only the pleasure of the body, but the safety of the soul that you must have respect unto; of which, if you be careless, then are you cast away, and shall remain in the anger of the Almighty God. But yet it is time enough, O Faustus! if you repent, and call upon the Lord for mercy, as we have example in the Acts of the Apostles, the eighth chapter, of Simon in Samaria, who was led out of the way, affirming that he was Simon homo sanctus. This man notwithstanding in the end, was converted, after he had heard the sermon of Philip, for he was baptized and saw his sin and repented. Likewise I beseech you, good brother, Dr. Faustus, let my rude sermon be unto you a conversion, and forget thy filthy life that thou hast led, repent, ask mercy, and live: for Christ saith, 'Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will refresh you.' And in Ezekiel, 'I desire not the death of a sinner, but rather that he will convert and live.' Let my words, good brother Faustus, pierce into your adamant heart, and desire God for his Son Christ his sake to forgive you. Wherefore have you lived so long in your devilish practices, knowing that in the Old and New Testament you are forbidden, and men should not suffer any such to live, neither have any conversation with them, for it is an abomination unto the Lord, and that such persons have no part in the kingdom of God."
All this while Dr. Faustus heard him very attentively, and replied: "Father, your persuasions like me wondrous well, and I thank you with all my heart for your good will and counsel, promising you, as far as I may, to allow your discipline." Whereupon he took his leave, and being come home, he laid him very pensive on his bed, bethinking himself of the words of this old man, and in a manner began to repent that he had given his soul to the devil, intending to deny all that he had promised to Lucifer.
Continuing in these cogitations, suddenly his spirit appeared unto him, clapping him upon the head, and wrung it as though he would have pulled his head from his shoulders, saying unto him, "Thou knowest, Faustus, that thou hast given thyself, body and soul, to my lord Lucifer, and thou hast vowed thyself an enemy to God and to all men; and now thou beginnest to hearken to an old doting fool, which persuadeth thee as it were to good, when indeed it is too late, for thou art the devil's, and he hath great power presently to fetch thee. Wherefore he hath sent me unto thee to tell thee, that seeing thou hast sorrowed for that which thou hast done, begin again, and write another writing with thine own blood; if not, then will I tear thee in pieces."
Hereat Dr. Faustus was sore afraid, and said, "My Mephistophiles, I will write again what thou wilt." Then presently he sat him down, and with his own blood wrote as followeth: which writing was afterwards sent to a dear friend of Faustus, being his kinsman.
CHAPTER XLIX.
How Dr. Faustus wrote the second time with his own Blood,
and gave it to the Devil.
I, Dr. John Faustus, do acknowledge by this my deed and handwriting, that since my first writing, which is seventeen years past, I have right willingly held, and have been an utter enemy to God and all men; the which I once again confirm, and give fully and wholly myself unto the devil, both body and soul, even unto great Lucifer, and that at the end of seven years ensuing after the date hereof, he shall have to do with me according as it pleaseth him, either to lengthen or shorten my life as it pleaseth him; and hereupon I renounce all persuaders, that seek to withdraw me from my purpose by the word of God, either ghostly or bodily; and farther I will never give ear to any man, be he spiritual or temporal, that moveth any matter for the salvation of my soul. Of all this writing, and that therein contained, be witness my blood, which with my own hands I have begun and ended. Dated at Wittenburg, the 25th of July.
And presently upon the making of this writing, he became so great an enemy to the poor old man, that he sought his life by all means possible; but this good old man was strong in the Holy Ghost, that he could not be vanquished by any means; for about two days after that he had exhorted Faustus, as the poor old man lay in his bed, suddenly there was a mighty rumbling in the chamber, which he was never wont to hear, and he heard as it had been the groaning of a sow, which lasted long: whereupon the good old man began to jest and mock, and said, "Oh! what barbarian cry is this? Oh, fair bird! what foul music is this? A fair angel, that could not tarry two days in this place? Beginnest thou now to turn into a poor man's house, where thou hast no power, and wert not able to keep thine own two days?" With these and such like words the spirit departed; and when he came home, Faustus asked him how he had sped with the old man, to whom the spirit answered: "The old man was harnessed so, that he could not once lay hold upon him;" but he would not tell how the old man had mocked him, for the devils can never abide to hear of their fall. Thus doth God defend the hearts of all honest Christians that betake themselves to his tuition.