shall bothe slepe and rest And a ryghtuous man yf he be subdewed of deth he shall be in colenesse And contrary to theyme that are wyked / deth is the begynnyng of euyll As it is saide the death of synners is worst / and euylles shall take an euell man in hys deth So Lazarus shall be comforted whyche hath receyued here his euylles / where as the gloton shall be punysshed bycause he hath receyued here his goodes So it feloweth that a chrysten whether he die or lyue is euer in better takyng / suche a blissed thyng is it to be a chrysten and to beleue in chryst wherfore as Paule saieth To lyue it is Chryst to me / and to dye it is auauntage / and in the .xiiij. to the Roma he that lyueth he lyueth to god / and he that dyeth he dyeth to god / whether we lyue therfore or dye we are the lordes This surenesse hath christ obteyned for vs bycause that he died and rose agayn / that he shulde be lorde both of quykke and dede whiche was a bill to make vs sureâ— bothe in life deth as the prophete sayeth in the xxij psalme If I walke in the myddes of the shadowe of deth I will not feare euilles bicause thou art with me And yf that this adauauÌ„tage of deth do but lytell moue vs / it is a signe that oure faith in Christ is verey weke with vs / for he that doth not well exteme the pryce and value of a good deth / or elles that deth is good / he doth not yet beleue but is ouer moche letre by the olde adam / and the wysdome of the fllesshe yet reynyng in hym / we must therfore laboure that we may be promoted to knowe and loue thys benefyte of deth It is a greate thyng that death whiche is to other the greatest euyll is made to vs the greatest auauntage / and except that Cryst had gotten that for vs / whate grete thyng had he done by gyuyng hym selfe for vs. Truely it was a godly worke that he dyd therfore it was no merueyle to hym to make the euyll of deth most proufitable for vs Therfore deth is nowe dede to faythfull men / and hath nothyng to be feared for / but hys visar and outward face And ys euyn lyke to a serpent whyche ys kylled for he hath the ferefull shape that he had byfore / howe be it yn verey dede there is nothing left but the figure / the euil is dede / and can do no more harme And as in the .xxi. of Numery God coÌ„maunded the brasen serpent to be lyft vp by whose sight the quykke serpentes dyd perisshe Lykewise oure deth by the faithfull beholdyng of the deth of Christ doth perisshe and doth not nowe appere but a certeyn figure of deth So the mercy of God hath figured all thinges to vs that are weke / that he hath destroyed the power of deth / and bycause it can not be vtterly put awey hath made it but a verey figure / for the whiche cause it rather called slepe inscripture then deth The secunde goodnesse of deth is that it doth not onely fynisshe the euilles paynes of this life / but also whyche is letter it maketh an ende of all vice and synne the whiche to theym that be good faithful maketh deth moche more to be desyred then these present goodes wherof we haue spoken / for the euilles of the soule whiche are synnes are without coÌ„parison worse theÌ„ the euylles of the body These onely sinnes yf we dyd sauoure theyme wolde make deth verey acceptable and loued vnto vs / whiche thyng yf they do not / it is a sygne that we do not wel perceyue nor hate the euylles of oure soule Therfore sith thys lyfe is full of perylles / and that synne doth besâ—ge vs on euery syde / and sith we can not lyue without synne / deth is best and most expedient whiche loseth vs from the seperilles / and cutteth synne clene awey from vs therfore in the prayse of a ryghtuouse man it is spokeÌ„ / in the .iiij. of Sapience He that pleased god is made beloued / he lyuing emong synners is translated rauysshed / that malice shulde not chaunge his vnderstoÌ„ding / nether that fayning shulde deceyue his soule for the bewitching of tryfeling doth darken goodnesse / the vnstablenesse of concupisceÌ„ce doth ouerwhelme the witte wyth out malyce O howe true these wordes are and dayly â—ene it is fone roted and hard to be dystroyed But his soule pleased god and for that he hasted to bryng hym out from the myddes of iniquite Euen so thorough the mercy of god deth whiche was to man the payne of synne made to the chrysten the ende of synne and the begynning of lyfe and ryghtuousnesse wherfore it is necessary that he whiche louith lyfe and ryghtuousnesse shulde not abhorre deth whiche is the minyster gate of theym both but rather to loue it / or elles he can neuer come to lyfe ryghtuousnesse / and he that can not loue it / let hym pray god that he may For therfore are we taught to say / thy will be fulfilled / because we whiche fearing deth do rather fauoure loue synne then iustice of oure power be not abyl to fulfil it And that god dyd ordeyn deth to be the destruccyon of synne / it maybe gathered of this / that after synne he put deth vppon Adam by and by / ye byfore he cast hym for the of Paradise / to thinteÌ„t to shewe vs that deth shuld worke none euyl but all goodnesse toward vs syth it was put on hym as a penaunce and satisfaction in paradice Truth it is that by the enuy of the deuil deth entered into al the worlde / but in this was declared the hyghe and godly goodnesse toward vs / that it was ordyned euen at his first begynnyng / not to hurte vs but to be the payne and destruction of synne to oure grete proufit This was signyfyed when be had tolde Adam byfore in the precept / that what houre so euer he dyd tast of that frute he shulde dye / yet after the traÌ„gression he dyd moderate the extremyte and rygoure of the precept / nether dyd he speke one syllable of deth / but sayde onely Thou art erth / and shalt retourne into erth / vntyll thou come ageyne into the londâ— out of the whiche thou art taken And as though he had hated deth wolde not vouthesaus ones to name it / according to the Prophete layng / for there is wrathe in his indignacyon and lyfe in his wyll And semed so to speke / that except deth had byn necessary to the distruction of synne he wolde neuer haue put it vpon man / no / nether yet haue named it ☞ Euen so ageynst synne whiche brought forth deth / the prouysyon of God dyd so arme deth / that here thou mayst se fulfylled the saying of the Poete The maker of deth /
went forthe layenge a syde his costlye â—oches and precious diademes and clothed hym self in sacke cloth sprink kynge asshes on his hed / goynge baâ—efâ—te / wepinge and sobbinge that his seruaunte was condemned vnto death I behold hym as he hasted out wondred what now thinge that might be I enquired the cause he shewed it me What shal I now doe shall I playe stille nothinge regarde his teares Trulye excepte I be mad or out of my witte I ought to folow hym / a morne with hym fith he moorneth for me / Behold the cause of shame / froÌ„ whence spriÌ„geth the sorow and feare verelye when I considre the medecyne and remedye / then of that maye I esteme the quaÌ„titye depth of my synne I was clene ignoraunt and thought myself hole beholde the tender chyld of a virgyn sonne of God almyghtye was delyuered into the handes of the vngodlye coÌ„maunded to be stayne / that he myght cure with the precyouse baume of his bloude my festred wondes corrupte nature / we must nedes knowleges grauitte that those were greuouse woundes / for the which oure Lorde Christ must suffer and be wounded yf they had not bene to deeth / yee and that euerlastinge / the sonne of God shuld neuer haue suffered to haue healed them c. Euen to dyd Christ monishe the wemen of Hierusalem wepe not for me / but for youre awne selues and chylder He added a cause / for quod he yf this be done in moyst wodde / What shal be done in drye / as though he shuld saye yf this be done in me which anâ— pure innocenâ—â— / what shall be done in you which are hoellye corrupt and vicyatte ye maye lerne by this my passyon what ye haue deserued which payne except ye beleue ye can not escape / here to maye we well applye the prouerbe men smyte the whelpe to feare the greate baÌ„ dogge christ was smyteÌ„ innoceÌ„t to geue vs warnynge of oure outragyous vices enormityes To this well agreeth the Prophete which sayeth that all the nacyoÌ„s of the erth shall bewayle them selues vpon hym He sayeth not that they shall bewayle hym / but that they shall bewayle them selues vpon hym Euen so were they dismayed Actes .ij. as is before rehersed And the church syngeth I shall surelye remembre it my soule shal melt with in me And in this sorowfull bewaylinge of them selues ought the faythfull diligentlie to exercyse them selues / for on this haÌ„geth the hole profyte and vse of Christes passion / that a man maye knowe him selfe / that he myght tremble and repent in beholdinge his greuous enormytes / for trulye excepte he come to this poynte / the passyon of Christ doth nothinge awayle hym This is the pure and perfecte operacyon that the passyoÌ„ of Christ worketh with in vs / that we maye be made lyke vnto hym that as Christ was greuouslye vexed both in bodye and soule for oure synnes / euen so that oure coÌ„science maye scourge and torment vs for oure awne wykednesses which are so many and so greate that they are sone called to memorye excepte we wylbe wyl fullye blynde not se that which is most present familyar with vs. Let vs vse an ensample to make the thinge more euydent Be it in case that a certayne kynges sonne were slayne And the murther ar taken and brought to the sessyoÌ„s and accused before the iudge of this capitall cryme / which coÌ„fesseth openlye that he hath done the dead / addinge that he dyd it at thy requeste and thou wast the chefe auctor setter a worke Yf thou in the meane ceason were takinge thy pastyme and recreacyon / and sodenlye were arested and cast in pryson as accessorye of this murther yee or rather as principall the other beynge but thy mynyster and instrument of thy meschefe / wold not euen shortlye thy myrth abate / the coloure apale / thy flesshe faynte and tremble Now yf thy coÌ„science dyd also accuse the iustefyâ— ageynst the that thou were iustlye â—npresâ—ned / what ragingâ— hell vnquietnesse shuldest thou then feale with in thy haâ—â—â— Euen so 〈◊〉 not he more shall he be altered which do dyd remembreth the passyon of Christ For the Iude although executyon be done on 〈◊〉 as malefactours and they abiecte fâ—â— the face of god yet were they but the ministres of thy synne / For in verye dead thy synnes nayled him to the crosse and were the hole cause of his payne and doeth / as we haue shewed before Now yf there be anye so harde and insenseâ—â—e that they can nother tremble nother yet begynne to knowe them selues in the remeÌ„braunce of this bitter passion they stoÌ„de surelye in shrode case For it is necessarye that we be made conformable vnto the sonne of god / that is to saye / that we feale the depth and burthen of synne other in this worlde or in tyme to come / yee and that wee quake / tremble and taste of the deadlye panges which Christ suffered on the crosse But surelye it is a miserable and pytuous thinge to begynne then to feale them / when we are in the extremite and poynts of deeth Therfore let euerye man praye vnto God that he wold vouchsaffe to geue vs his sprete grace / which maye mollifye oure indurate hartes that we maye with some frute call vnto remembraunce the passyon of Christ / for I thinke no man is so mad to suppose that we of oure awne power with out the sprete of God can do other this or any other thinge acceptable to God / for al goodnesse is of god and not of vs. Nether do we teach the this or anye other thinge to th entent that thou shuldest thynke that thou were able to accomplish it of thyne awne power / but onlye to monyshe the of thy duetye that when thou fealest thyne awne imbecyllite thou mayst desyre this grace of God / and thorow his helpe fulfyll that which is required of the. For the cause why those men a fore sayde dyd vnprofytablye handle this passioÌ„ / was this they sturke hoellye vnto their awne power natural imaginacioÌ„s nether ones desired the grace of god / so coude they attayne to no profyte But he that remembreth the passioÌ„ of Christ on this maner as we haue shewed all though it be but one houres space maye well haue the sayenge of Albarte verefyed vpon hym that he hath bene better occupyed / then yf he had fasted euerye daye a hole yere to gether or els had red ouer the hole Psalter of Dauid / yee I dare boldlye adde that he hath better bestowed his tyme then yf he had harde a huÌ„dreth massee / for this gooâ—lye remembraunce doth euen renue a man and doth testifye vnto his coÌ„science that he is regenerate and borne ageyne / euen in a maner as wel as baptyme So that this is the pure and naturall worke of Christes passion to mortifye the
god they had byn letted And the hygher any man is in tale auctorite the more redy at hond he is to be vexed / with the deceytes / soutteltyes flaunders teÌ„ptacyons of his aduersaryes And in all these thinges we may vnderstonde and proue the honde of god most ready to delyuer vs. And whate merueyll is it though somtyme we be vexed with one of these euylles After this coÌ„syder the euylles whiche are appropryate vnto oure aduersaryes not to be glad or reioyse in theym / but rather to suffer with theym / and to be sorye for they are subiect indifferently to these euylles as well as we / as we haue shewed before ¶ But in this they are more wretched that they are separate from oure company both bodyly and spiritually This euyll whiche we suffer is nothing to theyrs / for they are in synne in vnbeleue / vnder the wrath of god vnto the power of the deuell wretched bondmen of vngodlynesse and synne in so moche that yf the hole worlde wolde curse banne theym they can desire no worse vnto theym This well coÌ„sidered / we shall loue perceyue with howe moche gretter loue we ought to suffer this lytell dysease of the body / in the fayth / in the kyngdome of Christ / and in the seruice of God / whiche in thabundaunce of these coÌ„modytees and vertues ought scant to be fealt They re mysery also so ought to be so rowed in a ChristeÌ„ and meke hart / that his sorowe seme not to be paynfull / but rather pleasure vnto hym For so commaundeth Paule in the secunde to the Philippians / let euery man coÌ„sydre not whate is in him selfe / but whate is in other men / let the same mynd be in you whiche was in Christ Iesu whiche beyng in the shape of god / toke on hym the shape of a seruaunt / that is to say with a meke and a lowe mynde put on hym oure shape / orderyng hym self none otherwise in oure euylles then yf they had byn his owne So forgettyng his godhed and other pleasures he made hym selfe of no reputacyon / that he myght be founde in euery poynt lyke man / separatyng nothing that man had from hym / but onely synne / submyttyng hym self to all other infirmytees The holy men streyngthed with this mynde and sturred vp with this ymage were wont to pray for euyll men / ye and for they re enemyes And to do all thinges accorddyng to the example of Christ forgettyng they re owne iniuryes or ryghtuousnesse / taking thought howe they shulde delyuer theym from they re euylles And with this werre mothe more trouble / then with they re owne bodyly euylles As Saynt Petre wrytteth of lot in the secunde Chapitre of the secunde Epistle he beyng ryghtuous / and dwellyng emong theym / in seyng and hearyng / vexed his ryghtuous soule from day / to day with theyr vnryghtuous deades Here thou seyst whate a depth of euylles appereth and whate occasyon is gyuen to be mercyfull and to suffer with theym / vtterly to dyspyse oure lytell incoÌ„modyte / yf the charyte of god be in ve / and howe God will let vs suffer nothing in coÌ„paryson to these that they suffer The cause that these thinges do bâ—â— tytell moue vs is this The lye of oure hart is not pure ynough wher with we shulde se howe grete shame and mysery it is for a man to lye vnder synne / that is to saye to be forsaken of God / possessed of the deuell Who is so hard harted that wyll not pytye the myserabyll coÌ„dicyon of theym whiche lye before the churche / and in the streates with deformed faces / they re noses eaten of / theyr iyes out / other of theyr membres coÌ„sumed with matter / fylthe / and corrupcyoÌ„ / in so moche that the sense can not onely abyde to beholde it / but also the mynde doth abhorre to remembre it And whate meaneth god by these lamentable moÌ„stres of our flessh lykenesse but to open the iyes of oure mynde that we may perceyue with whate en horrible facyon the soule of a synnar sheweth out his matter and corrupcyon / though he hym selfe walke in purpyll and in golde / couered with roses / and lylyes / as though he were all redy in paradise But how many synners are there in the worlde in coÌ„paryson of one of these deformed persones Truely these infynite euylles / bothe in gretnesse in noÌ„bre dispysed iÌ„ oure neyghboures doo cause ours though it be but one and that verey small to seme to vs verey grete detestable Howe be it also in bodyly tribulacyoÌ„s they are in worse coÌ„dicyon them we are For I pray ye what thing can be to theym swete and acceptable though they had myght obteyne all thinges that they desired seyng that they re coÌ„science can not be quyet is there any thing more abhominable then a grudgyng or byting coÌ„science For Esaye sayeth in the .lvij. Chaptre the wicked are as the boyling see / whiche can not be quyet and his floudes do habound into subiection and mourning And the lorde god sayeth / there is not peace whiche is the verey tranquyllite of conscience vnto the wicked Therfore thou mayst se that verefyen in theym whiche is wryten in the xxviij of Deuteronomyon The lord shall gyue the a fearefull hart / deceauyng iyes and a soule coÌ„sumed with sorowe / thy lyfe shall be hangyng before the / thou shalt feare day and nyght / thou shalt not trust thy lyfe / in the morning thou shalt say who shall geue me the euentyde And in the euenyng / who shall geue me the mornyng Bicause of the feare of thy hart / for thou walâ— be feared / for those thinges whiche thou shalt see with thyne yies Fynally he that dyd consyder with a good mynde the vttermost poynt of euylles / other of his enemyes or of his frendes / he wolde not onely forget his owne troubles thinkyng hym selfe that he suffred no thing / but wolde also with Moyses and thappostell Paule breke out and desire that it myght be leful for hym to dye for theym and to be made cursed froÌ„ Christ / to be put out of the boke of lyfe as it is wryten in the .ix. to the Romayns that they myght be delyuered and saued Christ burnyng with this syre and loue both dyed and went downe to hell for vs leuyng vs an example that we also shulde take thought for other mennes harmes / forgettyng oure owne / ye rather desyring oure owne ¶ The syxte Chapitre of the syxt ymage whiche is the euyll on the ryght honde ON oure ryghte honde are oure frendes by whose euylles and vexations oure troubles are mitygated and aswaged as Saynte Petre teachet in the fyft of the fyrst Pistle sayenge Resyst the deuell stedefast in the fayth / remembryng that ye do but fulfyll the same affliccions / whiche are appoynted to youre bretheren
most noysom are most profytable to theym that beleue / so that they be well suffered As S. Petre sayeth / who is he that will harme you yf ye folowe that whyche is good And the Psalme .lxxxviij. hys enemy shall nothyng prevayle agaynst hym And the sonne of iniquyte shall haue no power to hurte hym / howe shall he not hurte hym syth that many tymes he kylleth hym Cruely for in hurtyng hym he doth hym most profit Therfore wese that we dwell in the myddes of goodnesse on euery syde / yf we be wyse / and also in the myddes of euylles So are all thynges tempered merueylously by the hygh prouidence of the goodnesse of god ¶ The syxt Chapter of the syxte image whiche is the good on the ryght honde THis is the congregacion of holy meÌ„ the newe creature of god / oure frendes and brothers in whome we se nothing but good nothyng but comforte / yf we behold theym wyth a spyrytuall yie for vnto the carnall yie many tymes it appereth all otherwise / as we haue declared in the contrary image of euylles And yet these goodes whiche we seyn theym with oure carnall yie are not to be dispysed But in these we may perceyue that we are comforted of god / for the Psalme durst not presume to condempne all theym whiche possessed rychesse in this worlde / saying / If I dyd say thus Behold I haue reproued the generation of thy children If I wolde haue send that all whiche are ryche / hole and honoured be euyll I shulde haue condempned thy holy men for many of theym are â—o Chappostell also teacheth tymothe that he commaunde the ryche men of this worlde that they be not proude / not to forbid theyme to be ryche The scripture also doth testifie that Abraham Isaack and Iacob were ryche And Danyell with hys companions / were also honoured in Babylon Besides thys many kynges of Iurye were ryche The Psalme therefore consyderyng theym sayeth / If I did say thus I haue reproued the nacyon of thy children for I say god hath gyuen to his elect the abundaunce of these rychesse to comfort theym / and other with all howe beit these are not they re specyall goodes / but they are a sygne and a shadowe of the trewe goodes whiche are feith / hope / cheryte / and other graces and gyftes whiche all are comune by charyte This is the communyon of holy men in the whiche we reioyse And who will not here reioyse / ye though he be iÌ„ great sorowes whyche doth beleue as it is in dede that all the goodes of holy men are his goodes and that his euyll is also theyrs This image is most swete and pleasaunt / whiche Chappostel to the Galathians .vi. doth descrybe / saying bere ye one an others burthen and so fulfill ye the lawe of Christ Is it not good for vs to be here where yf one membre do suffer as it is said vnto the Corinthians all suffer with hym If one meÌ„bre be had in honoure / all membres be glad also Therfore / while I suffer / I suffer not alone / for Chryst and all Chrysten suffer with me As he sayeth hym selfe / he that toucheth you toucheth the ball of myne yie Thus / do other here my burthen / and there vertue is myne The fayth of the congregacyon socoureth my fearfulnesse The chastyte of other healeth the temptacyon of my lust The fastyng of other is myne aduauntage The prayers of other taketh thought for me And to be short / so all the meÌ„bres helpe one an other that the most honest partes do couer / kepe honoure the lesse honest As it is well discrybed vnto the CorinthiaÌ„s .xij. And a swell I may delyte in the goodes of other as in myne owne / and then truely they are myne yf I be gladde and reioyse in theym I am foule and fylthy / but they whome I loue and in whome I reioyse are faire and beutifull By the whiche loue I do not onely make they re goodes myne / but also theym selues / wherfore vnder they re glory myne ignominie shall easyliâ—e honoured they re rychesse shall fulfyll my pouertye They re good dedes shall heale my synnes / whate man can nowe dispeyre in synne who will not reioyse in paynes whiche nowe doth not beare his synnes or at the lest yf he beare theym / he beareth theyme not alone / but is holpe with so many children of god / ye with Chryst hym self Suche a thyng is the communyon of holy men / and the Churche of Chryst If eny maÌ„ do not beleue that this is true he is an infidele / and hath denyed Chryst his churche for though thys be not fealt / yet it is so done / ye who is he that fealeth not thys who is in the cause that thou disperyest not that thou art not ympacyent Thy vertue naâ— truely / but the feloushyppe of holy meÌ„ or elles thou were not abyll to bere the lest synne that is / nor yet abyde one worde of man agaynst the / so nygh is Chryst and the churche vnto the. This is it that we say / I beleue in the holy goost / the holy and pure churche whate is it to beleue the holy churche / but the communyon of holy wheryn do the holy men comyn Truely in good and euyll and all thynges As the sacrament of Chrystes body doth figure it in brede and wine wherof Thappostle spekith saying / we are one brede and one body / who offendeth any lytell part of the body / and hurteth not the hole whate suffereth the ferthest part of the fote that the hole bodi suffereth not wate benefyte is done to the feate in the whyche all the body reioyseth not But we are one body therfore whate so euer another sufferyth I suffer whate so euer benefyte is done to an other / it is done to me Euyn so Chryst sayeth that whate so euer is done to one of his left is done vnto hym whate man takyng a lytell peace of breade of the altare wyll not sey that he hath taken brede / or dyspysing any lytell part of hy shall not be named to dyspyse brede Wherfore yf we sorowe / yf we suffer / yf we dye / let oure yie loke hytherward / and let vs beleue strongly and besure / that not we or at the lest not we alone But christ also and his churche doth sorowe / suffer / aÌ„d dye with vs. So good is Chryst vnto vs that he wolde not the waye of oure deth shuld be solytarye whiche euery man doth abhorre But all the churche beryng vs companye we entre the wey of passions and deth and the churche doth mare strongly suffer it then we do / so that we may well applye vnto vs the wordes of Helyseus whyche he spake to his forefull seruaunt saying feare not / there are more with vs then with theyme And when Helyseus had prayed he sayed Lorde open this childes yies that