wast al thingis as the philophre seith but the fire infernal may not wast nor consume neither the body nor the sowles of sinners by brennyng Iob sayth in his xx chapitre of the synners beyng in helle He shal bye full dere now that he hath doon yet he shal not be wasted IohÌ„n Crisostom saith also that our materiale fire consumeth al thing that is leyd in hit but the fire of hell tourmenteth continuelly thoes that be therin yet it preserueth them alway in lengthyng their peines Therfor it is said that it is not to be quenched not oonly because it can not be put out but that it shal not sease to distroy them that shal come therin For that cause saith the holy scripture that the siÌ„ner shal be clothed with corrupcion not oonly of their lif but in languisshing tormemendes alway comÌ„yng Certeinly no voyce coude expowne nor no word coude expresse the greetnes of the peine nor the feruentnes of that fire Alas what shal we do therfor there what shal we answere for in hell shal be but grinding of tethe yowling criyng weping in payne but thenÌ„e penaunce is to late and from all partes shall comforte and helpe be put away there shal be no thyng but augmentacions of peynes as that fire of helle is not of nature to deuour no more is it to geue no comfortable lyght It is an obscure fire and the flamÌ„ therof tenebrous Secundly hell is called locus inquietus that is to sey a restles place euer enduring shal neuer haue ende wherfor it is seide in this lif that ther is one place which is alwey stil. that is to wite the centre of the skye Other be somtyme troubled as mene partis of the ayer semblably it may be proued that the lowest parte is alweyes in trouble without rest And therfore it is called tartarus For after papy tartarus is as mycle to say as troubled obscure Certeinly the vnrest tribulacion comyth there specially of iij thingis First the variance of paynes as one seith the weder is troubled whenÌ„ it is now medled with reynÌ„ now with haill now with snowe or such stormes which as it is sayd be of al thoes maners in hell as witnessenÌ„ prophetes sayng It shal raynÌ„ vppon synners bothe fire brimâ—â—on the spiretes of tempest shal geue them parte of their â—â—urmentes SecuÌ„dly of the ministres infernal As it is writen in Iheremy the xvj chapitre Thoes deueles that ye haue serued nether nyght nor daye shal suffre you in rest Thirdely of thentercheauÌ„ged cry as it is writen in Isay in the lxv chapitre ye shal wepe for sorow by contricion of sowle howle In trouth our lord shal answere to al thoes that so shal howle cry as it is seid in Iheremy the xxx chapitre Wherfore criest yâ— and howlist thou now by contricion sithe thy sorowe is not to be heled I haue punisshed the thus for thy wikked felonous synnes Thridly hell is called a place right distempred as Auernus that is as mykel to saye as a thing without a temê‘ance of delite for the paynes be no thing moderated there but continue in grete excesse of trouth there is therin without mensure excessesiue tenebres whiche be called exteriores as seint Mathewe saith in his xxij chapitre We haue example of this in Exode in the x chapitre by the maniable tenebres that were somtime in Egipte O how mykel shal the tenebres of helle be more greuous than thoes It is writen in Iob in the xx chapitre Alle horrible tenebres shal comÌ„e on him Ageyn thenne shal the synners saye as it is saide in the Psalter They haue cast me into the lowest lake and in the tenebrous place and in the shadowe of dethe they haue logged me in the obscure place as dede fro this world wherfore my sowle is angry with me Semblably it is writen in the Lamentacions of Iheremy They haue logged me with thoes that be sempiternally dede there is therin an excessife hete As Iob saith in his xiiij chapitre The hete is greet therin the cause is that it breketh not out but is closed in as the hete in an ouen The Psalter saith WhenÌ„e thou art an angred thou shalt put the synners in an ouen full of fire Also our lord shal tormente them with his wrath fire shal deuour them there is ther also a right sharpe coolde as is writen in Iob in the said chapitre It is said the water of snowe is colder then al other waters yet the waters of helle may not be compared with of chilling nor coolde And therfor seith Fulgencius in his pistles Ther is in hell ij principale maner of tormentes that is to wite by intollerable coolde by inquencheable hete It is writen in the xxiiij chapitre of seint mathew There shal be in hell bothe weping coolde certeinly the effluccion of teeris by weping comÌ„ith of hete but the inward sorowes is caused by coolde To this purpose witnesseth Iob in the said xxiiij chapitre the sinner oupassed with the coold water of snowe goeth after into the greet firy heates It is founde also in a litle book of the dedis of Alexandre the kyng of MacedonÌ„ That whenÌ„ he was for clommeâ— with the Isse with the colde of the snowe he wolde goo to the fire of colis O how myserable paynfull shal this trouble be to thoes that shal not dye nor haue lightnyng in the prison of helle but be tourmented there infenitely Fourthly hell is called a noyfull wayling place and therfore after Papie it is named Acheron that is as mycle to seye as a place without Ioye lackyng all goodnesse For this cause saith the Comentator Aueroys in the iiij chapitre of poetrie That hell hath a continuell sorowe wepyng with out consolacion In trouth the dampned folkes ther benethe haue no counfort in the worlde for the orisons prayers that been saide in the chirche mylitant may profeite them no thing and from aboue comyth there no helpe to them ther falleth on them no misericorde wherfore they be in dispaire of ony grace in tyme comyng and knowe certeynly that they without Remedy and not to be quiâ—ee out of the prison so they rest sempiternally in waylyng in sorowe and in desolacion It is writen in the boook of Sapiens in the iiii chapitre That the dampned sowles shal be vtterly in desolacion Also the dampned sowle seith in the first chapitre of the Trenys of Iheremye I am cast in desolacion am conuicte into wepyng It is writen in Isaye in the xxxiiij chapitre That the wretched synner shal be in desolacion during the worlde of worldes Alas alas what payne is that to be endured O moost cruell payne O desolacion ful of al turmentes therfor o thou man remembre the and printe often in thy herte and mynde thies thinges abouesaid to th entent thow may eschewe and withdrawe
loke alweye perfyghtly vpon them to th entent that they may be seurely fixed and printed in thy memorie Now syn al this processe principally and soueraynly enforseth hym self tenduce euery creature to haue an assured mynde and an hole RemembrauÌ„ce of these four last thinges and that they may cordyally be enprinted with in your hertes Therfor it is consonant and accordyng yf it so may plese that this present trayttye may be entitled and bere the name of the. Cordyal ¶ Thus endeth the prologue of this book named Cordyal Whiche treteth of the four last and final thinges that ben to come ¶ And here beginneth the first parte of the seide four last thinges ¶ The first parte of the four last thinges THe first parte of the four last thinges wherof the remembrauÌ„ce withdraweth a man fro synne is deth present or temporal And therfore seith Seynt Bernard in a boke called the Myrour of monkes The moost souerayn philosophye is to thynke alwey on deth And he that berith it in his mynde in what place so euer he goo shal neuer synne Seynt Austyn seyth in his book of exortacions Ther is no thyng that so wele reuoketh and calleth a man from synne as often Remembraunce of dethe Certeyn it is that thinge whiche causeth a man to be humble to disprayse hym self and to do penaunce ¶ Howe Remembraunce of dethe maketh a man to 〈◊〉 humble and meke ¶ The first chapitre I Seye that recordyng the Remembraunce of deth maketh a man to be meke and humble hym self And therfor seyth seint Austyn in the booke that he made of our lord A man knowyng hym self to be mortall it shal put from hym al maner of pryde In very trouthe all our other thinges as wel good as hadde be incerteyne But of deth only we may be wel ensured And how be it that the hour therof is to vs hidde and incerteynÌ„ Yet alwey she is approchyng and shal surely come without longe taryeng And to this purpose seith Ecclesiastes in his xiijj chapitre Bere wel in remembrauÌ„ce that deth shal not tary It is also writen in Toby that deth hasteth and that ther may no fleyng auayle Also by the comune lawe of nature euery man muste paye his mortal tribute Seynt Bernard seyth in a sermonÌ„ O wretchid man whi dost thou not dispose thi self to be redy at al houres think that thou art now dede syns thou knowest wele that necessarily it behoueth the to dye Remembre wele how thyn eyen shal torne in thy hede and the veynes breke in thy body â–ª and thyn herte shal deuide in two partis by the right sharpe angwissh and payne of deth Who is he thenÌ„e that ought not to drede and make hym self humble Whan he knoweth certaynly that he must retorne and become erthe Now truly ther shal be none excepcion of persones But al shal passe that weye For as it is wâ—eton in the seconde 〈◊〉 of kynges Whe shal al dye and the erthe shal â—â—â—lowâ— vs as it doth water cast therupon whiche neuer â—â—â—â—â—neth We rede also that this worde Mors in 〈◊〉 may wele so be called For it is a bitter morsel vnto alle men in so moche as no creature may escape it And therfore it is said in the book of dispraysyng of the world â—eth cutteth doun and distroieth all thinges create and made in flessh She bothe beteth doun the hye men and lowâ—â— for she hath dominacion vpon wordly lyuyng thingis She regneth Imperially ouer the nobles and dredeth no lyuyng creature for her power is comyn ouer princes and dukes She taketh aswel the yonge as the olde And whan she smytes she hath mercy of no creature Alle thinges create in flessh perissheth vnder her honde Nor ther be none so strong but that she beteth them doun without rescuse And ther is no thyng beryng lyf but that she distroyeth and wasteth it without ony escape And she neither taketh mede Allyaunce ne frendship What shal I more seye euydently dethe spareth no body For nether poure ne riche shal mowe escape out of her cheyne Certeynly I vndrestande nowe that dethe is th ende of alle worldly lyuyng thinges And therfor it is writonÌ„ in Ietha the poete That dethe taketh awaye and doth anyntise all quyk thinges Lo is it not seide that the wise Cathon and the good Socrates been dede Whiche geuith example that ther is neyther science ne doctrine that may preserue one fro the ruynous darte of dethe It is writen in Ecclesiastes in the secunde chapitre Aswel dyeth the wyse man as the fole It is writon in Isaye in the xxxiij chapitre Where ar noble come the lettred men Where ben the prechers of the worde of god Where be they that were wont to teche the children These questions implied as moche as to seye they lyue not and begoon past in the comyn course whith other dede out of this worlde Now by cause Ietha named but only the two afore specified I pray the telle me where is now Hector of troye where is become Iulius cesar whâ—â— is Alexandre the greet Wher is Iudas Machabeus Where is the myghty Sampson where is Crassus the riche Where is the fayr Absolon where is Galyen the phisifien and Aincenne his felowe Where is the wyse Salomon where is Aristotle the philosopher where is Uirgile the right experte poete he not al these dede passed out of this worlde as pilgryms gestes and departed hens in a right short space yes certeynly ther is not one lefte a lyue of them alle their ioyes were but vanitees ar fayled their dayes be consumed passed And as the psalter seith man passed his dayes resembling a shadewe one tyme he is hole and stronge of al his membres and on the morowe seke leyde in the erthe And as Cathon seith our lyf is geuen vnto us to be ful of doubte and of fragilite This appereth also clerly by a philosophre named Secundus whom themperour AdrianÌ„ questioned with of the beyng the state of manÌ„ Whiche answerd as foloweth Man is subgette vnto deth Oost of the place where he is a voyager passyng semblably vnto a pece of snowe Also like a rede bery and like a newe apple by whiche thinge is euidently shewid how frayle how sleder and also how lytil enduryng is the lyf of a man And not only the lyf of poure peple But also the lyf of alle humaynÌ„ creatures be they neuer so riche or puyssaunt For deth is a comynÌ„ thinge and spareth no body And all be it she is cruwel and peruers yet she kepeth egally one lawe in takyng as wel kynges prynces as poure folkis Thus geueth she grete cause to wepe yf it be wel red and taken that is wretonÌ„ of her And therfor seith Iob in the xx chapitre of hys book of the riche fiers orguloê° manÌ„ Al though his pride be inhaunsed vnto the skye that his hede shold touche the clowdes
Therfor seith IohÌ„n de garlandia That all thing of this world that was Is and shal be perisseth in the moment of an howr What proufiteth than to haue been to be now or to be herafter Certeyn thies be iij thingis blowyng without floures for all thnigis that were be or shal be haue a fynyssyng The world passeth and the concupiscens therof also And ther for it is serd Wherfor taketh a wyseman thought forto gete tresure whiche is sone loste And Seynt Bernard seith in his boke of meditacions wherfor maketh ony man tresour here of riches sethen without delaye bothe that that is assembled and he that gadereth hit passen and be lost togydre O thou man what auayl entendes thou to haue in this world when the frute is but ruynouse and the ende dethe My cordyal and good frende now wold god that thou woldest vndrestonde wele thise thinges and suerly ordeynÌ„ for thy last thinges Petre de Bloys seyth in a pistle that the disceiuable vayne glorie of this world begileth al thoes that loueth hit For all that euer it promitteth in tyme to come or pretendeth in tyme present fayleth cometh to nought as water cast vppon the erthe Beholde then how frayle how disceiuable and how vayne is the world and the Ioye therof that we desyre so mekell O thou fole wherfor dispisest thou not lightly thoes thinges that thou seest so shortly fayll passe Knowest thou not how the world is right nought and furious And that in languyssyng it perisseth by the gleyue of the right cruel deth hit is atrouthe that none argument can serue to the contrarie Wherfore and by thies thinges afore rehersed it appereth manifestly how remembraunce of deth sholde cause dispisyng of all wordly thinges and withdrawyng a man from fallyng to synne ¶ Howe Remembraunce of dethe maketh a man to take vppon hym penaunce ¶ The fourth chapitre of the first principal parte FOlowyng thordre before set It is now to enquere dilygently howe remembrauÌ„ce of deth causeth a man to do penauÌ„ce gladly to accepte it This appereth clerely by Ionas the prophete in the thirde chapitre spekyng of them of Ninyue whiche did penauÌ„ce for fere of dethe Wherfore Seynt IohÌ„n Baptiste enduceth men also to do penaunce As Seynt Luke writeth in his thirde Chapitre seiyng Do ye the digne fruytes of penaunce And he seyth afterwarde The axe is sette to the rote of the tree Whiche signifyeth the thretenynges of dethe And therfore seyth Seynt Ambrose vppon Luke Alas lorde yf I haue not he wayled my synnes Alas lorde if I haue not risen at midnyght to confesse me to the Alas if I haue begyled my neigburghÌ„ Alas if I haue not alwey seyde trougth The axe is redy sette to the rote Euery man therfor thenÌ„e do penaunce and deserue the fruite of grace For here comyth the lord to aske the frute of our lif For this cause Iob considering the shortenesse of this present lif hadde leuer and chase to haue repentance presently than afterwarde wherby shulde growe no fruyte The same Iob. saide in his tenth Chapitre Shal not my shorte dayes breefly finysshe Yes in trougth The lyf present is right shorte Alas then a litle while let me compleynÌ„ and bewaile my sorow afore my departing into the tenebrous derkenesse of dethe without retornyng And it is also seid in Iob the xiiij chapitre That mannes dayes be breef It is wreton in the first pistle ad Corintheos in the vij chapitre â—he tyme is breef Were it not better then now breefly to sustene a litle payne then afterward when it can not profyt to repent without proufyt and bewaile hit infynytely 〈◊〉 Seynt Austyn seyth that better is a litle bitternes 〈◊〉 the monthe then eternally to suffre payne in al the hooâ— body of man Also he seyth in a sermon That the lyf of euery man from his youthe to his age is but short though Adam liued yet and shulde this day dye what shulde hit auantaged hym to haue liued so long Sothly litle or noght but he myght sey the tyme of my lyf is past And also seyth a. Wise man What shulde it proufyt a man to liue CC. yeres when at his dethe he shal thynke all his lyf is passed as wynde And Seynt Austyn seyth vppon the. psalter If thou haddest liued sens Adam was chased out of paradys terestre til now and that thou shuldest dye this day thou shuldest thinke thy lyf not longe which so sone shulde passe Nowe how long so euer a mannes lyf be take that it may be lengthed as moche more to cause many yeres Yet it shal fayle and vanysshe as the shynyng of the morowe sonne And the same Seynt Austyn seith in an Omely that we be more frayle and brotyll then though we were made of glasse For al be it that glasse is brotill Yet if it be wel kept it may endure right long But mannys lyf be it neuer so wel and diligently kept it may not long endure Therfor it is wreton to the hebrues in the .ix. chapitre It is establisshed and ordeyned euery creature ones to dye And. Senek seith in his boke of remedyes ayenst fortune That our lif is but a pilgrimage and when one hath longe walked he must fynaly retorne This necessite to dye and shortnesse of the lif of manÌ„ was wel considered by the paynym Xerses Of whom Saint Iherom wrote in a pistle to Eliodorus seyng that this puissant kyng Xerses whiche subuerted the monteyns and couered the sees beyng ones in right hyghe place loked vppon the infinite multitude of his hoost and tendrely wept by cause he knewe that none of thoes whom he behelde shulde liue ouer an C. yeres It is a thing right necessary in the world that mannes lif be not long lastyng And as Balam seith It is likened to a tree hauyng ij wormes fretyng in the rote the one blak and the other white in the similitude of the day and the night whiche incessantely gnauwe the rote of the tree of lif Seynt Austyn vppon the seyng of Seint IohÌ„n in his thirde chapitre tretyng vppon this questionÌ„ Quid est uita nostra c. This lif is a doutful lif a blinde lif and a nedy lif humours make hit to bolne sorowes make hit feble hete dryeth hit eyer disposeth hit to sekenesse mete maketh hit to swelle fasting maketh hit lene Pleyes maketh hit to erre wayling destroyeth hit besynesse constrayneth hit sewerte maketh hit rude rekles richesse enhaunseth hit pouerte abateth hit wepyng abassheth hit youthe maketh hit wan tun age maketh hit to yelde sekenesse maketh hit to breke And after alle this cometh dethe Whiche destroyeth and maketh anÌ„ ende therof with alle his Ioyes in suche wyse as whenÌ„e the Ioyes be past all semeth as they hadde neuer been Also it is redde in the booke of Sapience in the secunde Chapitre That the dayes of our lif nys but shorte and yet ar they full of greuance We be
virgyns Seynt Mathewe sayth in his xxv chapitre Lo here is the spouse come thoes that were redy been entred with hym to the weddyng Wheruppon seint Gregory seyth That the palays of the herte myght wele asauoured how wondrefull was that worde Here is the spouse which is come How swete was that worde to them that entred with hym to the weddyng And how bitter was the other worde The yates be shitte closed My dere frende If thou dide sauour vndrestonde wele all this thinges beheldest them wele in thynÌ„ hert Certeynly thou woldest renne with all diligence for to do penauÌ„ce wolde not lese so vnproufitably without fruyte yâ— acceptable tyme dayes of thy helthe for no maner of voluptuous plaisers or other ydelnesse And as it is writen in the Apocalips in the secunde chapitre Remembre the fro whens thou art fall or departed do penaunce It is red how in dayes passed it happened in the Abbey of Cleruaulx that an holy man beyng in his prayers herde a voys makyng a peteous lamentacion And as he asked who it was A sowle answered seiyng I am the sowle of a dampned man compleynyng mynÌ„ vnhappy cause of condempnacionÌ„ And thenÌ„ he demauÌ„ded hym of his payne which answerd that of al thinges that causeth moost payne to a dampned sowle was losse of tyme that god hadde ordeynd man by his grace that he in a litle tyme myght haue doon penaunce which shulde deliuere hym from the euerlastyng paynes of the gehenne of helle To this purpose seide Hugh of seint Uictour The lakkyng of the sight of our lorde fayllyng of alle the goodes of grace that we myght haue had shulde surmounte and be more greuous vnto the. than all the infernal tormentes Lete vs do good werkes while we haue tyme lest we seye in repentaunce As is seyd in Iheremyas in the viij chapitre That is to wite Heruest is past Somer is finyssed and we be not saued Wherfor my frendes I require and humbly pray you That ye will amende your self in shorte tymâ— and make you redy in this x. hour for the euenyng hasteth hym And the Rewardeur shal come to yelde euery man after his werkes Hit may appere by thies examples howe Remembraunce of deth shulde induce a man to do penaunce It is redde of a felonous and a cruell knyght whiche wolde neuer accept nor do ony penaunce enioyned hym by pope Alexandre And atte last the pope gaue hym his Rynge that he shulde bere hit on his fynger by wey of penaunce And as often as he behelde hit to thinke on his deth And whan he hadde bornÌ„ hit a space of tyme with that Remembraunce on a day he come ageyn to the pope sayng he was redy to shrine hym to fulfill eny other maner of penaunce that he wolde enioyne hym It is red of an other synner that in like wise wolde do noo penaunce atte last his confessour enioyned hym that he shulde commaunde his seruaunt to present hym euery daye at his table with the first messe a staffe the rynde scorched of seiyng Sir remembre that necessarely ye must dye not knowyng where whenÌ„e in what maner nor howe And as this was a good while contynued because of that Remembraunce alle that he ete turned hym to greef and trouble And thenne he called ageyn for his confessour seiyng he was redy to do and obeye ony penaunce that he wolde ordeyne For his herte vâ—s meruelously brought in greet trouble by the fere of dethe whiche he was in Lo by thies thynges aforhersed appereth thenÌ„ clerly I noughÌ„ howe Remembraunce of dethe causeth a man to humble hym self to dispise alle worldly thinges acceptably take vppon hym to do penauÌ„ce and consequently to eschewe synnes And therfore my right dere brethren and frendes remembre you often ye and right often that ye shal dye And if ye bere in your myndes the dethe ye shalt wele come by that remembryng to the most happy resorte of lyf That is to wite The herytage of our Lorde Ihesus Crist ¶ And thus endeth the first parte of this tretys deuided in foure ¶ Here begynneth the prologue of the secunde partie of the foure last thinges THe secunde parte of the foure last thynges wherof frequentyng the Remembraunce reuoketh and calleth vs from synne Is the last and fynall daye of Iugement of whiche the Remembraunce draweth vs not oonly from the dedely greet synnes But also from the smale venyall And therfore it is redde in Uias Patrum in the lif of fadres That an Auncient man seyng a yong man laugh dissolutely seyde sone we must geue accompte of all our lyf before heuen and erth Why laughest thou so faste As who seyth If thou knewest howe strayte a Rekenyng shal be atte the daye of dome of all synnes aswel greet as smale Certeynly thou woldest not laughe But rather sorowe and compleyne Nowe is here the place to wepe and to put a wey synnes And thoes that nowe wepe for their synnes shal laughÌ„ hereafter Seynt Gregory seyth in his Omely That the gladnesse of this tyme present ought to be but suche as therby the bittirnesse of the daye of Iugement be â—ot put out of remembrauÌ„ce Therfor it is writen in Ecclesiastes the xxxviij chapitre Bere my iugement in remembraunce And also our lord by his ê“phete in the psalter seith whenÌ„ I shal se or take the tyme I wil deme do iustice to euery oonÌ„ And Iohel seyth in his last chapitre All men arise and come to gydres into the vale of Iosephath For there I shal fitte Iuge all maner of peple about me Iheremyas in his seconde Chapitre seyth that our lorde seyth I shal amownte with you in Iugement Of this Iugement is wreton in Ozee the iiij chapitre Ye childeâ—n of Israhel here ye the worde of our lorde of the finall Iugement that perteyneth to our lorde vppon thenhabitantes of the erthe Sothely this Iugement is greetly to be dowted Therfor seyth the. Prophete I dred for thy Iugementes It is wreton in the book of Sapience in the fyfthe Chapitre They that see the greet Iuge shal be horribly troubled playnyng and waylyng the drede of their sowles Certeynly in this day shal all peple be troubled and they that dwelle in the vtterest partye of the worlde shal fere thoes tokens and signes and they shal dowte them and not without cause For they shal be merueylously horrible Seynt Luke seyth in his xxj Chapitre WhenÌ„e the sone of man shal shewe hym self That is to seye The chilâ—e of the virgyn marie comyng in a clowde in mageste with a greet puyssaunce thenÌ„e shal the sygnes shewe in the sonne in the mone and in the sterres And on the erthe shal â—e pressure of peple dredyng to be confused with the sounde of the â—â—awes of the see Men vniuersally of all the worlde shal fall downe for the drede and fere that they shal haue thenne O thou wretched man
shal mowe remedye by answere that daye Whenne the heuen and the erthe the sonne and the mone the nyght and the daye and alle the worlde shal bere wytnesse ageyns vs for our synnes Therfore seyth Seynt Gregory If thou axe me Who shal accuse the. I seye to the alle the worlde And that the creatures shall not oonly accuse the synners But also shal require the Creatour of alle thynges to take vengeance on them for their synnes To this purpose it is writen in the booke of Sapience in the fyfth Chapitre He shal arme alle creatures to take vengeance on his Ennemyes And with hym shal fyght alle the worlde ayenst thoes that haue been Insensate That is to wite Ayenst synners Alle creatures seyng hym that is maker of alle thynges shal chase them to cause turmentes to be geuen vppon thoes that haue not be Iust The fyue thynges that shal accuse the Synners they shal be myserabyll persones that haue suffred so many wronges For thenÌ„ they shal accuse thoes that haue doon them wrong payne turmente At the tyme shal the worde of the profete be verified whichÌ„ seith I haue knowen wele that our lorde wil gyue Iugement for the poure folkes that haue suffred wrong and shal auenge the quarell of thoes that be impotent for he that beholdeth the depe botoms of the sees and sitteth a boue al the Cherubynnes and Seraphyns and gothe a boue al the wyndes He is more terrible to be drad in his counselles and willes than is the sonnes of men He shal Iuge thenÌ„e poure mennys causes that haue been constant And shal holde ageyns thoes that haue doon them many angwisshes ThenÌ„e shal the fadre of Orphans and the Iuge of wydewes benge all wronges the paciens of poure folkes shal not thenÌ„e perisshe The subgettes shal also accuse the felones and negligent prelates curates And therfor seith Seint Bernard vppon the. Canticles O how cruel our lord shal be vppon the sonnes of men CerteynÌ„ the wretched synnere shal sey thenÌ„e all for nought to the monteynes Fall ye vppon vs and to the Rokkes couer ye vs. They shal come thenÌ„e before the tribunal sete of Iesu Crist where shal be herde ful greuous accusacions by thoes that haue payd their wages and bornÌ„ their dispenses wrongfully and their synnes shal not be defaced nor hidde of thoes that fraudelently haue blynded their doctours and confessours The vj thinge that shal accuse synners shal be malice and synne We rede in Iheremye the seconde chapitre Thy malice shal accuse the and thy refusyng shal blame the. For the synnes shal thenÌ„e be boundenÌ„ vnto the nekke of synners To this purpose seith Ozee in his xiij chapitre The iniquite of effraym ys bounde to gedre and his synnes be not hid We rede myn iniquitees be trussed and leyde in myn nekke and as the stolen good taken in the nekke of a thef accuseth hym semblably synne shal then accuse the wretched synner It is wreton also in the. Prouerbijs the fyfthe chapitre Iniquitees shal take the felonÌ„ synners and there eueriche of them shal be taked and strayned with coordys of their synnes And the. Prophete seith the cordys of my synnes haue enuirouÌ„de and goon rouÌ„de about me By the whiche cordys I sey also the wikked folkes by deueles shal be drawen in to helle Certeynly they fall into their nettes and be taken by their baytes We rede of the proprete of anÌ„ Irchyn whiche that when he entreth into a gardeyn he lodeth hym with apples stikyng on his prikkes And when the gardener comes he wolde flee but he is thenÌ„e so ladyn that he canÌ„ not awey And so he is there taken with all hiâ— apples Semblably falleth hit to the synner that is all â—adynÌ„ with synnes and at the greet day of Iugement he is with them taken accused Wherfor seyth the psalter Our lorde shal be knowen in makyng his Iugementes handweerkes and the synner shal be taken Vppon the whiche seith CrissostomÌ„ Our owne thoughtes and specially our werkes shal be afore our eyen and shal accuse vs afore god And therfor seith Seynt Bernard Our werkes and we shal speke to gydre and sey O myserable synner thou hast made vs we beenÌ„ thy werkes we will not leue the but go with the to thy Iugement It is red in Ezechiell the .xviij. chapitre Like as the Iustice of the Rightwys man shal be on and for hym Right so the felony of the felonÌ„ shal rest vppon hym The. Psalter seyth Here ye all peple here and reteyne wele in your ere 's all ye that dwellyn in this worlde Wherfore shal I not be dredefull in that euyll daye That is to wyte The daye of dome Whiche shal not oonly be euyll to me But it shal be righÌ„t euyl to euery synner Wherunto he answereth hym self saiyng I shal drede thenne For the Iniquite of my fete shal enuyron me The seuenth and the last thyng that shal accuse synners shal be the turmentes and instrumentes of the passyon of Ihesu Criste. And also Ihesu Criste hy semlf Wherfore seyth Seynt Iherome The crosse of Ihesu shal fyght ageynst the Ihesu Crist shal shewe and allegge his woundes ageyn the And the trace of the seyde woundes shal speke ayenst the The nayles shal compleyn on the. As Seynt Austyn seith in his trete of symboll Perauenture our lorde hath kept in his body the trace of tokenes of his wouÌ„des to th entent that at the daye of dome he will shewe them ageynst synners to their reproche And in venquissyng them seye Lo here beholde the man that ye haue ocucified See here god and man in whom ye wolde haue no beleue Loke vppon the woundes that ye haue made hym knowelege the side that ye haue wounded and hurt whiche hath been opened for you But ye haue not wele entred therin Ihesu Criste also thenÌ„ accusyng the synners shal sey as Naum seyde in his thirde chapitre I shal shewe thy defawtes afore thy face shal shewe to the peple thy nakednesse to the reames thy shame Ozee in his secunde chapitre seyth I shal manifeste shewe thy foly afore the eyenÌ„ of thy louers and ther is no man may drawe the out of my handes O howe desolate and howe sorowfull that the myserable synners shal be in the daye of the greet Iugement For thenne as it is writon in the first Chapitre of the. Apocalips Euery eye shal see hym and all the lynages of the erth shal compleyn on hym Thenne synners seyng all this shal be full of anguissches and sere ¶ How the last Iugement shall be terrible For thenÌ„e shal be geuen rekenyng of all thing ¶ The secunde chapitre of the secunde part THe secunde thing that shal cause the extreme and last Iugement to be dredefull shal be the strayte Rekenyng and accomptes of our vyle dedys in all thing Seynt Luke sayth in his .xvj. Chapitre Yelde Reason of thy dedys for after this
Theodorus whiche sone after sodenly began to crye with a lowde voyce saiyng I yelde louyng thankis and grace to god my creatour for nowe that dragon whiche shulde haue deuoured me is driuen and chased away fro me by your good and deuoute prayers and orisons Also Seint Gregorie telleth an example in the fourthe boook of his Dyalogis that how in the partes of Anchone in a monastery called Congolathon be fell somtime that there was therin a monk which was taken for a very holy man meruelously wele disposed towarde god But whenÌ„e his brethren went that he hadde fasted he was accustumed secretely to ete And whenÌ„e he was atte the batayl of deth he called generally for alle his brethren saiyng vnto them I am deliuered nowe vnto a dragon to be deuoureed whiche with his taill hath knytte to gydre my fete also my kneys putteth his hede into my mouth draweth my sowle out of my body and after he hadde saide thoes wordes he dyed forth withall It may seme thies wordes be for the condempned sinners which ben writen in Iheremy in the lj chapitre He hath eten me like a dragon This dragon is hideous and greet and hath vij hedes x hornes in the same as it is writen in the Apocalips in the xij chapitre Ther hath been a greet bataile in the skye so that seint Michiel his angell hath fought with the dragon his angell whichÌ„ might not resist sith their rowmes in heuen coude not be fouÌ„de but were cast downÌ„ and so the dragon auncient serpent whichÌ„ is called the deuilÌ„ sathan enforceth him self to make warre vpon the uniuersalÌ„ world here And for that cause is it red in the same chapitre That harme come to the erthe and to the see for the deuill is descended emong you with alÌ„ his greet furious anger This deuil hath a meruelous greet hate vnto alÌ„ good peple which disposeth them to take possession in the rowme of heuen from whens he was put out chased into theternal paines and the more that the day of â—ome approcheth the more tempteth he more cursedly more forseth him self to do euil in distroyng of sowles O how greet is the wikkidnesse and the malice of this deuilÌ„ of hell Wherof Seint Bernard talketh in a prose saiyng O how felonows shal thenÌ„ this tormeÌ„tours be which shal paine tourmente synners how terrible shal their vengeance be in vengyng vices wretchednes sinnes Certeinly their cruel malice is yet augmented in diuerse maners First because they be so innumerable and of so diuerse soortes The Psalter saith Why be thoes so multiplied that tourmenteth me and ther be many that dresse them ayenst me And as it is writen in Iob in the xix Chapitre They haue asseged my Tabernacle about me It is writen in Uitis patrum That ther was a good Auncient Man that sawe the deuill enuyronyng the Peple and were as thik as beis that make hony Wherfore it is saide also in the Psawter They haue compassed me as beis be cause they be many of grete myght as Thappostle witnessith in his pistle ad the epheseos in the vj chapitre wher he calleth them princes potestates gouernours of the world be cause they be subtil myghty to noy sowles The psalter seith The strong haue sought my sowle this strength is vndrestonde by the deueles It is redde also of the strength in Iob the xlj chapitre There is no myght vppon the erthe to be compared with that that hath doon so that it dredeth no man sauf hym that seith all thing from aboue is king ouer all the children of pride the deueles shal ernstfully exorcise their might in pride to the pumisson of synners them shal cruelly tourmente It is writen in Ecclesiastico the xxxix chapitre Ther be spirites that be ordeyned to take vengeaunce hath confermed the tormentes in their furour enduringly till the consummacion of the worlde Iob seith in his xvj chapitre He hath compassed me with his fperis hath not spared me but hath hurte my reynes he hath cast my bowell to the erthe and geuen me woundes vppon wounde this come shuldering ayenst me like a gyand Thirdely the malice and cruelte of the deuell is comforted is more greuous be cause they ar neuer wery of tormenting As it is writen in the book of Daniel in the iij chapitre The mynistres shal not seasse in sturryng the fires of the fourneis to the causing of paynes Therfore said a wise man that there be tormentours whiche be more to be lothed then serpentes and they be blakke and defourmed and will not be beten downe And they be neuer wery to do harme but newly encreasen their malice al way redy and boyling desirously to put soules to payne and incessantly they excersise their cruelte more and more And it is saide to all sinners in Deutronomy in the xxviij chapitre Thou shalt serue for thynÌ„ enemy whenne our lord shal sende the naked vnto him in honger and thirste and in alle pouerte And theâ—â—e shal thy sore woundes enereace perpetuelly O how greet shal the paynes be there to dampned folkes whiche shal last continuelly in anguishÌ„ and miserie without intermission lacking peas or reste It is red of the sinners in Ezechiel in the vij chapitre That whenÌ„e they shal fele thâ—es anguisshiâ—ê° paine they shal desire and requirâ— to haue peas but thenÌ„e they gete nonÌ„ for they shal hâ—ue conturbacion and sorowe vpon sorowe It is writen in Thapocalips the xiiij chapitre That thoes that haue been bâ—estly shal therfore haue no rest by daye nor nyght ThenÌ„ mowe the sinners we le say as it is writen in Isay in the xxxviij chapitre I shal not see our lord god in the kuyng lond nor I shal no more beholde ony man that is inhabitour of rest Semblable as it is writen in Iheremye the xlv chapitre Alas I am vnhappy for oure lord hath addid in me sorowe to sorowe for I can finde no reste Sorowe shal be thenÌ„e cast at his hede and alle Iniquite shal descende vpon him Now by thies thingis aboue said it manifestly appereth how suche as descendeth into hell be punisshed with many diuerse payneeâ— therfor me thinkith dere brethren how it shold be often in your remeÌ„brauÌ„ce to defende you from fallyng to sinne whereby ye shulde lâ—se the companye of the â—â—â—py and blisshed seinâ—eeâ— and the celestiale glorie whiche is perourable and shal dure world withouten ende ¶ How there be many condicions of tormentes encreasyng the peynes of Helle ¶ The thirde chapitre of the thirde part principal NOw resteth to declare the thirde parte of this matier whiche is in shewyng the condicion of thinfernale tourmentes whiche be full diuerse Certeyne there be sondery condicions that specially encreace by occasions the peynes of helle ¶ The first is bitternesse wepyng grindyng of teeth compleynyng the perpetuell dethe peynfull languissing in despaire
loued brethren how greetly shal ye reioyse you if ye be transported vnto that eternale glorie CertainÌ„ ye shal saye thenÌ„e in criyng syngyng as it is writen in Isay the lxj chapitre I glad ioyeful shal reioyse me in our lord and my sowle shal be myry in my god by cause he hath clad me with the vesthment of saluacion Of trouthe as it is writen in Iob the xxij chapitre Thou shalt be habundant thenÌ„e in the deleâ—tacion of the most mighty lord shalt lifte vp thynÌ„ eyen towarde god the light shal shine in thy wayes Of this light is writen in Ecclesiastico the xj chapitre It is a delectable light to see the sonÌ„e that is to vndrestande Ihu crist which to knowe beholde ê‘durably passeth surmonteth al the ioyes of this world and is no meruail for the knowlichÌ„ vision is the fode glorie lif sempiternale of the happy sainctis Seint IohÌ„n saith in his xviij chapitre eternale lif is this to knowe the sool veray god Ihu crist whom thou sendest downÌ„ into this erthe for our redempcion Now then he that may obteygne come to that blisful knâ—wlich after diuine lecture and to see god face to face that shal be the most eycellente ioye a springyng of all ioyeful gladnesses Seint Bernard saith in his sermon Meraily that is a trewe a souerainÌ„ ioye which is conceiued and had not oonly by oon creature but also by the creatour and maker of all creatures whiche ioye thou shalt haue whenÌ„ he shal shewe the his face Wherfor the ê“phete desiringly saide Lorde I require the late me see thy gracious faceful of all ioye gladnesse Alas my delectacion is prolonged from me til I may haue the greet wee le and til I may be drawen vnto god my saueour I shal shede teeres night daye Certeinly the vision by the whiche our lorde is seen face to face is in thou thirde heuen and if it might be saide it is the paradise of M. heuens wherin the fontayne of clere water is seen by the happy lif Isay saith in his lx chapitre Thou shalt see thenÌ„ the face of our lorde and shalt be habuÌ„dant in delectacions and ioyes sempiternally O how good art thou lord of Israel to them that haue rightful hertes whiche wole yiue them so grete so riche and so playsante ioyes My right dere brethren ye here gladly speke of these delectacions ioyes and take playser therin Neuerthelesse ye ought not to be ignorante to vndrestande that the blessed seintes come neuer to these ioyes but by grete peines labours Seint Gregory saith in his Omely The greetnesse of the rewardes yiueth me corage and my labours ought not to feer me for oon may neuer atteigne to the greet rewardes but by greet labours That noble precheur seint Powl in the secunde epistle to tymothe the secunde chapitre saith How that there shal be non crouned but suche as haue manfully foughten Veryly euery man shal receiue his Rewardes whiche shal be after his labours Ther be diuerse that wole not liue we le and yet they desire to dye wele They may knowe the dethe of seintes is ful preciâ—â—se in the presens of our lorde they may knowe also that whenÌ„ our lord hath yeuen reste to his sowles they shal dwelle in his heritaige ê‘manently by cause they haue be those that alwayes haue folowed him in resisting temptacions Many of you wolde regne with Ihesu Crist but ye wole suffre no thing for his sake Balaam ariolus was such oon for in considering the castel of the children of Israhel he entended the hauing of theternale beatitude and saide in him self Die my sowle as iust folkes die be my last thingis semblable vnto theirs he delited greetly their glorious ende but he grouged to take their labours paynes wherby they hadde deserued the glorie eternale O god lord Ihesu we wolde gladly regne with the Neutheles we wol not labour nor be participable to thy suffrances Thou chasest miserie pouerte we haue taken vs vnto voluptuousenesses delectacions Thou hast taken vpon the suffred bitternesses sharpenesses to thy body we haue chosen folowed our sensuale plaisirs Seint bernard said The sone of god is bornÌ„ to whoe 's wil was granted al that might please him He chose to be bornÌ„ in the moost grieueuse tyme the blissid litle babe bornÌ„ of a poure moder vnne thehauing clothes to wrappe coure it in the cribbe Certeinly IhuÌ„s crist whiche neuer is deceiued chace that that moost molested grieued his flesh Lo thenÌ„e it is best swettest and moost profitable to chese the hardest paine in this world And who so euer amonesteth or techeth other wise oon oughte to beware of him and yiue him litle credence It was oons promisid by Isaye alitle childe that coude repreue the euyll and chese the good The euyll was the voluptuose playsir of the body and the good was the peine affliction therof A trouthe this child is the sone of god whichÌ„ chose thafflicti on s repriefued and forsook the voluptuous plaifiers As seint Bernard saide O right dere child thou hast chosen from thy beginning here corporale afflictions in suffrance hast entred into thy glorie whiche was proprely thynÌ„ owen we lyuing in delectacions wolde entre into that glorie wherin we be but strangiers and not digne to come thidre but by thy grace Ther ayens speketh Seint Austyn saiyng If it haue behoued Ihesu crist lord king whoe 's name is aboue alle names to haue suffred therby hath entred into his eternal glorie what hope or trust shal we haue to come thidre without suffrance sithen we be straÌ„giers can haue none entre there but by hym O how folish how hard herted we be to trust in reioysing vs in this world after to regne with IhuÌ„ crist in heuen he entred therin al naked yet was he therin lord and we wolde entre therin that be al charged with supfluous garnementis with richesse of golde siluer and precious stones He entred therin chast fasting thou wilt entre thâ—in ful of glotonie lecherie He dyed vpon the crosse forto redeme the that deliciously slepist in thy bed Shulde thenÌ„ the seruauÌ„t haue that the master hadde not and wole not bye it as he dede Certeinly nay and me thinketh it were a thing to vnraisonable Herkene now what a poete saith The lorde hath swet vpon the crosse shal not the seruauÌ„t do the same Now bere your crosse for he hath bornÌ„ his Taste of the vinegre as he dede The reuerence nor the case of the seruauÌ„t shulde not be more than that of the lorde If thou wilt folowe him thou must ensue his tormentes and holde for certaine thou canst not come in heuen by delites playsirs And therfore whenÌ„e thou shalt paye vnto our lorde thy dette of naturale dethe whiche thou owest
clothing grieuouse and so must all your other thingis be here if ye wole be logged there aboue in heuen This may appere manifestly vnto you Also in thactes of thapostles the xiiij chapitre is writen How our entre into heuen must be by many tribulacions O how wel was it vndrestande by Seint Austyn That oon may not entre the blys of heuen but by tribulacion peine in this worlde For he saide A my sowle if we shulde alweyes supporte and susteine tormented and peines here and also suffre by a longe space the gehenne of helle to th ende that we might therby surely see our lorde Ihesu crist in his glorie and be accompanied with his seintis Now were it not an excellent digne thing to haue so greet a we le as to be partiners to so perfaicte a glorie Petre de bloys saide My membres faille me by age be enfebled by fastingis and broken with labours and I melte with teeres of mynÌ„ eyen But if al my brayn and the mary of my boones were conuerted into teeres yet were it not suffisant passion in this present tyme in comparaison to atteigne therby the glorie to come whiche shal be shewed vnto vs If a man knewe what thing he is and what it is of him and of god he wolde thinke that suffring of M. dethes for his sake were but as no thing Beholde now how good how proufitable it is to suffre penauÌ„ce for our lordes sake Susteigne it then gladly endure it benignely taking an exaÌ„ple by mordereurs theuys condeÌ„pned to deth which wolde greetly reioyse them self if they might by the kitting of of oon of their ere 's haue their liues saued Reioyse your self semblably in greet gladnes for in doyng of a litle penauÌ„ce here ye may escape exclude the deth of your sowles winne theternale ioye Then thou man that art mortall suffre forto atteigne the lif that is ê‘petuell suche paine as thou woldest endure forto saue thy self temporale â–ª whichÌ„ is incertaine of litle enduring To this purpose it is writen in Ecclesiastico the vj chapitre Thou shalt a litle laboure and here in this world is the litlenesse of penaunce and thou shalt soone ete and drinke the generacion therof that is to vndrestande the fruites of the glorie whiche be engendred with the labour of penaunce It is writen in the book of sapience the iij chapitre Ye that be wery of a litle yet dispose you wel and your remuneracion and rewarde shal be right greet Seint Effram saide My right dere and beloued brethren the labour of our institucion is but litle and the rest is greet our affliction dureth not longe but oure Retribucion that is to wite the delites of Paradyse The Ioye and gladnesse there shall endure world withouten ende The wise man saide in Ecclesiastes the last chapitre Beholde how litle I haue laboured and I haue fouÌ„de for me greet rest By the reasons aboue writen it appereth manifestly that thoughÌ„ oure labours here be but litle and good our rewardes in heuen may be greet and many for the Ioyes there are impossible to be comprehended or declared by vs. for there was neuer erthely herte that coude ymagine the playsirs therof nor to ony comparison eye coude see nor ere here the delectacions melodyes and swetnesses that be there and the goodnesses ywys can not here directly be sauoured nor felt but it may wel be surely thought that all that euer is felt delectable or good in this present worlde is but as the resplendisshyng and a shadowe of the goodnesse of heuen whiche we ought to take as an allectif desiring to come to the originale and rote therof and to haue parte of that moost preciouse blys whiche is our enheritance Now in concluding finally it may appere by grete euidence and inuincible raisons that the four last thingis aboue alleiged whiche is to wite the bodyly dethe the daye of Iugement the gehenne of helle and the glorie of paradys defenden and withdrawen from synne in many maniers suche as haue the same four last thinges withouten obliuion in a continuale remembraunce Wherby they atteygne and edifie their sowles to remayne eternally in the moost glorieuse blys of heuen And whenÌ„e ony falle to synne it is by cause they haue not the saide four thingis cordially enprinted in their myndes And alas nor the suffrance of our lord There be to fewe that considere and poise the sayd four last thingis Many there be that thinke to lyue long and to repente them in their eage and therby appeyse the Iuge and flee the daungier of helle And in that hope liue in delectacions and Idelnesse And yet after they thinke to possede heuen eternally O what presumptuouse folye is hit to beleue and truste therto That argument concludeth not but maketh and deceiueth alle suche as haue hope or confidence therin Therfore do penauÌ„ce to your saluacion or ye shal perishÌ„ and dye in your sinnes to your dampnacion It is writen in Ecclesiastes the ij chapitre If we do no penaunce we shal falle in the handes of our lord and not into the handes of man Alas now who is he that suffisantly bewayleth his synnes that hath goode pacience with his enemy that hath compassion vpon the poure peple relieueth them in their necessitees that deuly ministreth iustice and that for no vayne glorie ne lucre of the world wole offende his conscience Oure generacion is so wretchid and so fraile that our hertes can not addresse to the wee ll but rather to the harme we saueure and delite worldly thinges and seke not after Ihesu Crist. We loue vices we flee vertues and lyâ— and reste in our owen synnes as beestes do in their owen dong and therin rote miserably Our lord loketh vpon the sone of man and beholdeth if therbe ony axing grace or in good disposicion but wel away he seeth to fewe inclined therto and many disposed to the contraire in all sâ—nne and wretchednesse wherby is to be drad that the miserable tyme of this world is nyghÌ„ comen whiche Micheas prophecied of in his vij chapitre saiyng Holinesse is perisshed in therthe and emong the men is ther noon that is right wise O remembre wel how euery man almoost now a dayes seketh for his owen particulere cause lucre the sheding of blood and the wrongyng of other What shal I more say fewe ther be that wole entende to ony good perfection nor opene their eyen for their saluacion so be they blinded in their malicious folie O cursed malice and vnhappy folye wherby the lif is voluntairely loste and the dethe wonne the we le despised and the harme accepted our lord displeased and the fende obeyed Now then my right dere brethren and frndes strike not of your hedes with your owne swerdes as to saye late not your owen dedes be your destruction perpetuale Rise out of sinne loke vp and remembre you what difference is
wite with two aulbes that oon is the body whiche they now possede thother the sowle and they shal not haue oonly ioye of their owen propre good werkis but also singulerly of the merites of the happy seintes Our lorde saith in Iheremy the xxxiij chapitre I shal enhabite them assuredly and they shal be my peple I shal be their god and shal yiue them an herte and a sowle not oonly by the vnite of substance but by the bonde of charite Beholde me right dere frendes If the sowle of a martir of a confessour of a virgyn and yours be alloons Consequently it semeth that ye shal reioyse you in their Ioyes and that your sowles shal be semblable unto thapostles or ony other saintes Seint Gregory seith how charite shal be so plentiueusly there that that we le whiche he hath not for hym self he shal reioyse in seyng an other to haue it Certeinly those meruileuse and manifolde Ioyes can neuer entre mannis herte here and there euery herte shal be replenisshed and fulfild with them For withinne and without aboue and benethen and in euery parte the happy sowles shal meruelously reioyse them In thinwarde parte by the purenes of their consciences In the outwarde parte by the glorifiyng of their bodyes In the lower parte by the renoueling beautees of the heuens and of the creatures there In the higheste parte by the clere and visible sighte of our lord god And in alle other partes by the ioyeful and delectable compaignie of all the sainctes of heuen Now trewely ther is no man that can ymagine or thinke the greetnes of the Ioyes that be there I ne can telle the reioysing of thinhabitantes in heuen reignyng there emong thangeles of our lord god perpetuelly It is writen in the Gospel of seint Mathew in the xxv chapitre Entre thou into the ioye of thy lord entre thy self into that ioye and with al thynÌ„ herte entre therin Of those inmesurable quantitees of the celestiale ioyes speketh Seint bernard in his boke of meditacions Their gladnesse hath all thing in possesse on therin all festinges be possessid and the men accompanied with angeles shal remayne there perpetuelly without hâ—uing ony manier fleshly infirmite There is infenite ioyeusenes there is sempiternale beatitude after that oon is there to receiue it he shal remayne therinpe rduraby ther is rest without labour peas frendship without eÌ„uye quietenes surete without dangier the most playsant swetnesse in the vision of our lord god Seint bernard saith The ioyes and swetnes of the contray is so greet that if a man were therin but oonly the space of an houre all the ioyes delectacions of this pÌ„sent of mighte comparabily by reason he impraysed all ioyes swetenes beautees that coude be thought had here be but paines bitternesses filthes in regarde of those right as the might bouÌ„te of our lord god excedeth and surmouÌ„teth all other worldly thingis O good lord god what haue I wessed to haue in this erthe whenÌ„e in seuen alle thingis shulde be moche more desired than ony power here gold siluer or ony precious stoones Now what shal I more saye of this contray and holy Cite of Iherusalem where in the stretes is songen incessantly Alleluya with ioyeuse â—wete melodieuse tunes as is writen in Thoby the xiij chapitre It is red also in Isay the lj chapitre Al ioye gladnes shal be founden in that contray with actions of graces voyces of louingis all shal say in his temple louing honour glorie be to the lord And therfore the voys of gladnesse helthe shal sowne in the tabernacles of iust folkes In the cite of our lord sowne continuelly thorgons of the sainetis which haue vtterly for yeten the tribulacions paines labours wretchednesses of this world vsing eÌ„ioying the celestial blis O how swetely how playsantly how clerly singe those in delasol that before haue wept in gaÌ„moth in aâ—e Of this cite speketh seint Austyn in his book of meditacions saiyng O cite which is a celestiale hous a sure contray conteigning all thing that may cause delectacion Ther is thinhabiting of rest The peple is there without murmeur or grouge O how maany glorious thingis be saide of this cite thinhabitacion of our lorde is in that as in a thing enioying all good thingis Ther is peas pite bouÌ„te clernes light vertu honeste glorie reste louing loue goode concord ioye swetenes blis ê‘durable lif Of all those the ê‘durable lif shal the happy sowles be certaine sure without ony lesing therof Isay saith in his xxxij chapitre Ther shal be furete for euer Ezechiel saith in his xxxviij chapitre They shal inhabite fermely in eternite without ony maner of feer It is red in the ê“uerbes of salomon in the first chapitre he that hath wel herkend shal reste without fere and enioye in habundance Seint Austyn saith That theternale surete enourneth and fulfilleth the beatitudes of all the celestiale goodnesses where if that sempiternite shulde faille all the other celestiale goodnesses be they neuer so swete shulde be the lesse to be praysed Seint IohÌ„n saith in his xviij chapitre In assuring vs there is no man that shal byreue you your Ioye O hous of our lorde Cite of the greet king how innumerable and how greet be thynÌ„ eternale Ioyes with the mamfolde gladnesses of those happy sowles that be enhabited with the. Now surely lorde they be wele blissed that be inhabited in thynÌ„ hous in louing the during the worlde of worldes who is he hauing an hoole Remembeaunce that is so ignorant that he thinketh not that all the compaignie of heuen loueth the not â—uiinely in heuen Th assurance of this perpetuel celestiale Ioye and gladnesse may be vndrestande in that that it is compared vnto tholifue tree As Ozee saith in his xiiij chapitre His glorie shal be like an olifue tree whiche is and continueth grene winter and somer Of this eternal glorie saith also Iohn crisostom in his book of the Peparacion of the fal of man How greet shal the whiptuosnesse be how greet shal the Ioye and gladnesse be to the sowle to be with Ihesu Criste retorned to his propre generacion assuredly and vndoubtely to beholde and see our lord The greetnesse nor the quantite of that ioyeful blys can not be tolde nor recited For oon reioyseth him not oonly of that we le and playseâ— that he vseth and hath presently in ocure but moche more by cause he may be sure Those Ioyes playfiers and blys shal neuer adminishÌ„ nor ende Lo who is he yâ— shal be partiner to that ioye whiche is endeles CertainÌ„ it is ordeâ—gned for all folkes lordes other shal reioyse them in the glori of our lord that haue folowed his traces in this world wher by they shal regne with him glorified worshipped crouned eternally in heuen O my right welle