a thyng so clerely proued true that no maÌ„ is so madde to say nay Antony Than nede I no more Cosin for than is al that matter playn and open euident trueth which I sayd I toke for trueth which is more a litle yet now then I tolde you before when you toke my proofe yet but for a sophistical fantasy said that for al my reasoning that euery maÌ„ is a prisoner yet you thought that excepte those whoÌ„ the comeÌ„ people cal prisoners there is els no maÌ„ a very prisoner in dede now you graunt your selfe againe for very substauncial trueth that euery maÌ„ is here though he be the greatest king vpoÌ„ earth set here by the ordinauÌ„ce of god here in a place be it neuer so large a place I saye yet you sayâ— thesame out of which no maÌ„ can scape but that therin is euery maÌ„ put vnder sure safe keping to be redely fet forth when god calleth for him that thaÌ„ he shal surely die is not thaÌ„ Cosin by your own graunting before euery maÌ„ a very prisoner wheÌ„ he is put in a place to be kept to be brought forth wheÌ„ he would not himselfe wote not whither ¶ Vincent Yes in good fayth vncle I cannot but wel perceiue this to be so Anthony This were you wote wel true although a man should be but takeÌ„ by the arme in faier maner lead out of this world vnto his iudgemeÌ„t but now while we wel know that there is no king so great but that al the while he walketh here walke he neuer so lose ride he with neuer so strong an army for his defence yet himselfe is very sure though he seke in the meane season some other pastyme to put it oute of hys mind yet is he very sure I say yâ— scape he cannot very wel he knoweth that he hath already sentence geueÌ„ vpon hym to dye and that verely dye he shal and that himselfe though he hope vpon long respyte of his execucion yet can he not tell how soone And therefore but if he be a foole he can neuer be without feare that eyther on the morow or on the self same day the grisely cruel hangman death whiche from his fyrst coming in hath euer houed aloofe and looked toward him and euer lye in a wayte on hym shal amydde among al his royaltie and al his mayn strength neyther knele before hym nor make him any reuerence nor with anye good maner desyre him to come foorth but rigorouslye and fiercely grype hym by the very brest and make all hys bones rattle and so by long and diuerse sore tormeÌ„tes stryke him starke dead in thys prieson and then cause his bodye to bee cast into the grounde in a foule pytte within some corner of the same there to rotte and bee eaten with the wretched wormes of the earth sending yet hys soule out farther vnto a more fearefull iudgement whereof at hys temporall death hys successe is vncertayne and therefore thoughe by Goddes grace not out of good hope yet for al that in the meane while in verye sore dreade and feare and peraduenture in peryl vneuitable of eternal fyre too Me thinketh therfore Cosin that as I tolde you thys kepyng of euery man in this wretched worlde for execucion of death is a very playn imprisonment in dede the as I say such that the greatest kyng is in this prisoÌ„ in much worse case in all hys wealth then many a manne is by the other imprysonmente that is therein sore and hardelye handled For where some of those lye not there attaynted nor condemned to deathe the greatest manne of thys worlde and the moste wealthye in this vnyuersall pryson is layde in to be kepte vndoubtedly for deathe ☞ Vincent But yet vncle in that case is the tother prysoner too for he is as sure that he shall dye to perdye Antony That is verye trueth Cosin in dede and wel obiected too but then must you consider that he is not in daunger of death by reason of that prisoÌ„ into which he is put peraduenture but for a light fray but his dauÌ„ger of death is by the other imprisonment by which he is prisoner in the great prisoÌ„ of this whole earth in which prisoÌ„ al the priÌ„ces therof be prisoners as wel as he if a maÌ„ condeÌ„ned to death wer put vp in a large prisoÌ„ while his execucioÌ„ wer respited he wer for fightyng with hys felowes put vp in a straight place part of the same he is in dauÌ„ger oâ— death in that straite prisoÌ„ but not by the being in that for therin is he but for the fray but his deadlye imprisonment was the other the larger I say into which he was put for death So the prisoner that you speake of is beside the narow prisoÌ„ a prisoner of the brode world al the princes therof therin prisoners with him And by the imprisonment both thei he in like daunger of death not by the straite imprisonment that is commonly called imprisonmeÌ„t but by that imprisonmeÌ„t which because of yâ— large walke meÌ„ cal it libertie and which prison you thought therfore but a fantasye sophisticall to proue it any prison at al. But now may you me thinketh very playnely perceiue that this whole earth is not onely for all the whole kynde of man a very playne prison in deede but also that eueri man without excepcion euen those that are moste at theyr libertie therin and reckoÌ„ themselfes great Lordes and possessioners of very greate pieces therof and thereby waxe with wantonnes so forgeatfull of theyr owne state that they weene they stande in great welthe doe stande for al that in dede by the reason of theyr imprisonmente in this large prison of the whole earth in the selfe same condicion â—hat other doe â—tande â—hiche in the narow prisons whiche onelye be called prisons and whiche onelye be reputed priesons in the opinion of the common people stande in the most fearefull and in the most odious case that is to wit condemned already to death And nowe Cosin if this thing that I tel you seme but a sophisticall fantasye to your mynde I would be glad to knowe what moueâ—h you so to thinke For in good fayth as I haue told you twise I am no wyser but that I verely wene that yâ— thing is â—hus of very plain trueth in very dede ¶ The .xx. Chapter Vincent IN good faith vncle as for thus farforth I not onelye can make with anye reason no resystence there agaynste but also see very clerely that it can be none otherwyse but that euery manne is in thys worlde a verye prysoner sythe wee bee all putte here into a sure holde to be kepte tyll wee be putte to execucyon as folke alreadye condemned all to deathe But yet Uncle that strayte kepynge collerynge boltynge and stockynge wyth lying in strawe or on the colde ground which maner of harde handling is vsed in these speciall priesonmentes that
from that state And that is one of the causes for whiche God sendeth it vnto man For albeit that payn was ordeyned of God for the punyshmente of synnes for whiche they that neuer can nowe but sinne can neuer be but euer punished in hell yet in thys worlde in whiche his high mercy geueth men space to be better the punyshmente by tribulacion that he sendethâ— serueth ordinarily for a meane of amendment Sainct Paule was himselfe sore agaynst Chryst tyll Christ gaue him a great fall and threw him to the ground and strake him starke blynde and with that tribulacion he turned to him at the fyrst woorde and God was his phisicion and healed hym soone after both in body and soule by his Minister Ananias and made him his blessed Apostle Some are in the beginning of tribulacion verye stubborne and stiffe against god and yet at length tribulacion bringeth theÌ„ home The proude King Pharao dyd abyde and endure two or thre of the first plages and would not once sâ—oupe at theÌ„ But then god layd on a sorer lashe that made him crye to him for helpe and then sente he for Moyses and Aaron and confessed him selfe a synner and god for good and righteous and praid theÌ„ to praie for him and to withdrawe that plage and he would let theÌ„ go But when his tribulacion was withdrawen than was he naught agayne So was his tribulacion occasion of his profyt and his helpe againe cause of his harme For his tribulacion made him cal to god and his helpe made hard hys heart againe Many a man that in an easy tribulacion falleth to seke his ease in the pastime of worldly fantasyes fyndeth in a greater paine al those comfortes so feble that he is faine to fall to the seking of goddes helpe And therefore is I saye the very tribulacion it selfe many tymes a meane to bringe the man to the takyng of the afore remembred comforte therin that is to witte to the desyer of comfort geueÌ„ by god which desyre of goddes comfort is as I haue proued you greate cause of comforte it selfe ¶ The fifthe Chapter The speciall meanes to geat this firste comforte in Tribulacion HOwe be it though the tribulacion it selfe be a meane ofteÌ„ times to geat man this first comforte in it yet it self some time alone bringeth not a man to it And therefore syth withoute this comforte firste had there can in tribulacion none other good comforte come forth we muste laboure the meanes that this first comfort maye come And therunto semeth one that if the man of sloth or impacience or hope of worldly comfort haue no minde to desyre and seke for comfort of god those that are his frendes that come to visite and comforte him must afore al thinge put that point in his minde and not spend the time as they commenly do in trifling and turning him to the fantasies of the worlde They must also moue him to praye god put this desire in his minde which wheÌ„ he getteth once he than hath the first coÌ„fort And wythout doubte if it be wel considered a comforte meruelous great His frendes also that thus counsaile him must vnto thatteyning therof helpe to praye for him them selfe cause him to desyer good folke to helpe him to pray therfore And than if these wayes be takeÌ„ for the getting I nothing doubt but the goodnes of god shal geue it ¶ The .vi. Chapter It suffiseth not that a man haue a desier to be comforted by god onely by the taking aâ—aye of the tribulacion ☞ Vincent Uerely me thinketh good vncle that this couÌ„sayle is very good For except the person haue first a desire to be coÌ„forted by god els caÌ„ I not se what it can auaile to geue him any further counsayle of any spiritual coÌ„forte howe be it what if the maÌ„ haue this desier of gods comfort that is to wytte that it maye please god to comfort him in his tribulacioÌ„ by taking that tribulacion froÌ„ him is not this a good desier of goddes comfort a desire sufficient for him that is in tribulacion Anthony No Cosin that is it not I touched before a word of this point passed it ouer because I thought it woulde fall in our waye agayne and so wote I well it wil ofter than once And nowe am I glad that you moue it me here your self A maÌ„ maie many times well and wythout sinne desier of god the tribulacion to be taken from him but neither maye we desier that in euery case nor yet very wel in no case except very fewe but vnder a certayne condicion either expressed or implied For tribulacioÌ„s are ye wote well of manye soÌ„dry kindes some bi losse of goods or possessioÌ„s some bi yâ— sicknes of our selfe some bi the losse of frendes or by some oâ—her paine put vnto our bodyes some by the dreade of the losing those thinges that we fayne would saue vnder which feare fall all the same thinges that we haue spoken before For we maie feare losse of goodes or possessions or the losse of our frendes their grief trouble or our owne bi sickenes imprisonmeÌ„t or other bodily payn we may be troubled with the drede of death and many a good man is troubled most of all with the feare of that thing which he that moste nede hath feareth least of al that is to wyt the feare of losinge through deadlye sinne the life of his seli soule And this last kind of tribulacion as the sorest tribulacion of all though we touche here there some pieces therof before yet the chief part the principal point wil I reserue to treate apart effectually that matter in the last ende But nowe as I said where the kindes of tribulacioÌ„ are so diuers some of this tribulacioÌ„ A maÌ„ may pray god take froÌ„ him take some coÌ„fort in the trust the god wil so do and therefore against hungre sycknes bodily hurte against the losse of eyther bodye or soule men maye lawfully many times pray to the goodnes of God either for theÌ„ self or their frend And toward this purpose are expressely prayed many deuout orâ—sons in the comeÌ„ seruice of our mother holy church And toward our helpe in some of these thinges serue some of the peticioÌ„s in the Pater noster wherein we praye daylye for oure daylye foode and to be preserued from the fal in temptacion and to be deliuered from euyll But yet maye we not alwaye praye for the takyng awaye from vs of euery kynd of temptacioÌ„ For if a man should in euery sycknes praie for his health againe when shoulde he show him selfe content to die and to depart vnto god and that mynde must a man haue ye wote wel or els it wil not be wel One tribulacioÌ„ is it to good meÌ„ to feele in theÌ„ selfe the conflicte of the fleshe agaynste the soule the rebellioÌ„ of sensualitie against the rule and gouernaÌ„ce of reason the reliques that remayne in mankynde of olde
to say the trueth euery man hath cause in this case to feare both for hymselfe also for euery other For syth as the Scripture sayth Vnicuique deus dedit curam de proximo suo god hath geuen euery man cure and charge of his neighbour There is no maÌ„ that hath any sparke of christen loue charitie in his brest but that in a matter of such perel as thys is wherin the soule of man standeth in so great daunger to be loste he muste nedes care and take thought not for hys freÌ„des only but also for hys veâ—y foes We shal therfore Cosin not rehearse your harmes or myne that may befall in this persecucion but al the great harmes ingeneral as nere as we can cal to mynd that may happe vnto any man ¶ The .iii. Chapter SYth a man is made of the bodye and the soule all the harme that any man maye take it muste nedes be in one of these two either immediatli or by the meanâ— of some suche thyng as serueth for the pleasure weale or commoditie of the one of these two as for the soule first we shal nede no rehearsal of any harme that by thys kynde of tribulacion maye attayne therto but if that by some inordinate loue and affeccion that the soule beare to the body she consente to slide fro the faith and therby doe her harme her self Nowe remayn there the body and these outward thinges of fortune whiche serue for the mayntenaunce of the body and minister matter of pleasure to the soule also thorowe the delighte that she hath in the body for the while that she is matched therwith Considre thaÌ„ first the losse of those outwarde thynges as somewhat the lesse in waight than is the body it self in them what may a maÌ„ lose and therby what payne maye he suffre Vincent He maye lose vncle of which I should somewhat lose my selfe money plate other mouable substaunce thaÌ„ offices auctoritie and finally al the landes of hys inheritaunce for euer that himselfe his heires perpetually might els enioye And of al these thynges vncle you wote wel that my self haue some litle in respect of that the some other haue here but somewhat more yet thaÌ„ he yâ— hath most here would be wel coÌ„tent to lose UpoÌ„ the losse of these thinges folowe nedines and pouertie the payne of lackyng the shame of begging of which twayne I wote not wel which is the most wretched necessitie beside the griefe and heauynes of heart in beholding good meÌ„ and faythful his dere frendes be wrapped in lyke mysery and vngracious wretches and infydeles and his most mortal enemyes enioie the commodities that hymselfe and hys frendes haue lost Now for the body very fewe wordes shal serue vs for therin I see none other harme but losse of libertie labour imprisonment paynful shameful death ☞ Anthony There nede not muche more Cosyn as the world is now for I feare me that lesse than a fowerth part of thys wil make many a man sore stagger in his faith and some man fall quite therfro that yet at thys daye before he come to the proofe weneth himselfe that he would stand very fast and I beseâ—he our lord that al they that so thinke would yet when they were brought vnto the poynt fal therefro for feare or for payn may geat of god the grace to wene stil as thei doe not to be brought to thassay where payn or feare should shew theÌ„ then And as it â—hewed S. Peter howe farre they bee deceiued now But nowe Cosin against these terrible thinges what way shal we take in geuing meÌ„ counsaile or comfort if the fayth were in our dayes as feruent as it hath been ere thys in tymes past litle couÌ„saile litle comâ—ort would suffise we should not much nede with wordes reasonyng to extenuate and minishe the vigoure and asperitie of the paines but the greater the more bytter that the passion were the more ready was of old time yâ— feruâ—ur of faith to suffre it surely Cosin I doubt it litle in my mind but that if a maÌ„ had in his heart so depe a desire loue loÌ„gyng to be with god in heaueÌ„ to haue the fruicioÌ„ of hys gloryous face as had those holy meÌ„ that were martyrs in yâ— old time he would no more now sticke at the payn that he must passe betwene than at that tyme those old holy martirs did But alas our faynt feble fayth with our loue to god lesse thaÌ„ leuke warme by the fyry affeccioÌ„ that we beare to our own filâ—hy fâ—eshe maketh vs so dull in the desier of heaueÌ„ that the sodayn dreade of euerybodely payne woundeth vs to the hearte and strikeâ—h our deuocion starke dead therfore hath there euery maÌ„ Cosin as I said before much she more nede to thynke vpon this thing many a tyme and ofte afore haÌ„d ere any such peâ—el fal by much deuising therupoÌ„ before they see the cause to feare it while the thing shall not appeare so terrible vnto theÌ„â— reason shal better enter and thorowe grace workyng with their diligence engendre and set sure not a sodayne sleyght affeccion of sufferauÌ„ce for god his sake but bi a loÌ„g coÌ„tinuauÌ„ce a stroÌ„g depe roted habite not like a reede ready to waue with euery wynde nor like a rootelesse tree scant set vp an end in a loose heape of light sand the wil with a blast or two be blowen downe The .iiii. Chapter FOr if we nowe consider Cosin these causes of terroure and dreade that you haue recited whiche in hys persequcyon for the fayth thys midde day deuil maye by these Turkes reare agaynst vs to make his incursion with we shal well perceiue waying them well with reason that al be it somewhat they be in dede yet euery part of the matter pondered they shal wel appeare in conclusyon thynges nothing so much to be dread and â—â—ed fro as to folke at the first syght they doe sodaynly seme ¶ The .v. Chapter Of the losse of the goodes of fortune FOr first to beginne at these outward goodes that neither are the proper goodes of the soule nor of the body but are called the goodes of fortune â—hat serue for the sustenauÌ„ce commoditie of man for the shorte season of thys presente life as worldly substaunce offices honor auctoritieâ— What great good is there in these thinges of theÌ„selfe for whiche they were worthy so muche as to beare the name by which the world of a worldly fauour customably calleth them For if the hauing of strength make a man strong and the hauing of heate make a man hote and the hauyng of vertue make a man verteous how can these thynges be verely and truly good whiche he that hath them maye by the hauyng of them as well be the worse as the better and as experience proueth more oâ—ten is the worse than the better What should a good man greatly reioyce in that that
to take it Now theÌ„ if reasoÌ„ alone be sufficient to moue a maÌ„ to take pain for the gaining of some worldly rest or pleasure and for the auoiding of another pain thoughe peradâ—enture more yet iâ—durable but for a short season Why should not reason grounded vpon the sure foundacion of fayth and holpen also forward with ayde of Goddes grace as it is euer ready vndoubtedly wheÌ„ folke for a good mynde in Gods name coÌ„men together theron our Sauiour saying himself Vbi sunt duo vel tres congregati in nomine meo ibi ego sum in medio-eorum â— where there are two or three gathered together in my name there am I also eueÌ„ in the very middes of them why should not thaÌ„ reasoÌ„ I say thus forthered with faith grace be much more able to engendre in vs first such an affeccion and after by long and depe meditacion thereof so to coÌ„tinue that affeccioÌ„ that it shall turne into an habitual fast depe rooted purpose of pacieÌ„t suffering the painful death of thys body here in earth for that gayning of euerlasting welthy life in heaueÌ„ and auoiding of euerlasting painfull death in hell Vincent By my trueth vncle wordâ—s can I none fynde that should haue any reason with theÌ„ fayth al way presupposed as you protested in the beginning for a grouÌ„de wordes I say can I none find wherwith I might reasonably counterpleade this that you haue said here alreadi But yet I remeÌ„ber that fable the Eâ—ope telleth of a great olde hart that had fled froÌ„ a litle bitche whiche had made sute after hym and chased hym â—o long that she had lost him and as he hoped mâ—re thaÌ„ half geueÌ„ him ouer by occasioÌ„ wherof hauing thaÌ„ some time to talke meting with an other of his felowes he fel in deliberacioÌ„ with him what were best for him to doe whithâ—r to ruÌ„ne on stil fly farther froÌ„ her or turne again fight with her wherunto the other hart aduised him to flye no farther lest that bitche might hap to find him agayn at such time as he should with the labour of hys farther flying be falen out of breath therby al out of â—â—reÌ„gth to so shoulde he be killed lying where he coulde not stire him where as if he would turne and fight he were in â—o â—erell at al. For the maÌ„ with whom she hunteth is more â—hen a mile behind her and she is but a litle body scant halfe so mâ—che as thou and thy hornes may thruste her thorowe before she câ—n touche thy fleshe be â—ore then xâ— tymes her to the length nowe but by my truth ê™ the other harteâ— I like your couÌ„saile wel me thinke that the thing is euâ—n â—othely suche as you say but I feare me when I here once that â—rchin bitche barke I shal â—al to my feâ—te and forgeat altogether But yet and you wil goe backe with me thaÌ„ me thinke we shal be stroÌ„g inough against that one bitche betwene vs both wher vnto the other hart agreed so they both appointed them thereupon Here it must be knowen of some maÌ„ that can skill of hunting whither that we mistake not â—ure tearmes for than are we vtterly shamed ye wote well and I am so conning that I cannot tell whither among them a bitche be a bitche or no bat as I remember she is no bitche but â— brachâ— this is an high pointe in a lowe house beware of barkyng for there lacketh an other hunâ—ing terme at a foxe it is called crying I wote not what they call it at an hart but it shal make no matter of a farre But eueÌ„ as they were about to buske theÌ„ forwarde to it the bitche had fouÌ„d the fote agayn on she came yerning towarde the place whom as soone as the hartes heardâ— they to goe both twayn a pace and in good fayth vncle euen so I feare meâ— it woulde fare by my selfe and many other too which though we thinke it reason that you saye and in our myndes agree that we should doe as you say yea doe paraduenture thinke also that we would in dede doe as you saye yet as soone as we should once heâ—â— these hell houndes these Turkes come yelpyng and bauling vpon vs oure heartes shoulde soone fall as cleane from vs as those other hartes flye from the houndes ¶ Antony Cosin in those dayes â—hat Esope speaketh of thoughe those hartes and other brute beastes mo had if he saye soth the power to speake and talke and in their talking power to talke reason to yet to folow reason and rule themselfe thereby thereto had they neuer geueÌ„ them the power And in good faith Cosin as for suche thynges as pertayne toward the conducting of reasonable men to saluacioÌ„ I thinke withoute helpe of grace meÌ„s reasoning shal doe litle more But â—han are we sure as I sayed afore that as for grace if we desier it God is at suche reasonyng alwaye present and very ready to geue it and but if that men wil afterwarde willingly caste it awaye he is euer styll as ready to kepe it from tyme to tyme glad to encrease it and therefore byddeth vs oure Lorde by the mouth of the Prophete that we shoulde not be lyke such brutyshe and vnreasonable beastes as were those hartes and as are horses and mules Nolite fieri sicut equus mulus in quibus non est intellectus Be not you like an horse a mule that hath no vnderstanding and therefore Cosin lette vs neuer dreade but that if we wil apply our myndes to the gathering of comfort and courage against such persecucioÌ„s and heare reason and let it sinke into our hearte and cast it not out againe nor euen there choke it vp and stifle it with pampering in and stuffing vp oure stomakes with a surfite of worldly vanities god shall so well woorke there withâ— that we shall fynde great strength therein and not in suche wyse haue all suche shamefull cowardous heartes as to forsake our Sauioure and thereby lese oure owne saluacion and runne into eternal fyre for feare of death ioined therwith thoughe bitter and sharpe yet shorte for all that and in a maner a momentary paine Vincent Euery man vncle naturally grudgeth at payne and is very loth to come to it Antony That is very trueth nor no man biddeth any man to goe runne into it but that if he be taken maye not flee than we say that reason playnly telleth vs that we shoulde rather suffre and endure the lesse and the shorter here than in hell the sorer and so farre the lenger to Vincent I heard vncle of late where suche a reason was made as you make me now which reason semeth vndouted vneuitable vnto me yet heard I late as I say a man aunswere it thus he sayd that if a man in this persecucion should stand styll in the confession of hys fayth and therby fal into paynfull tormentory he might
peraduenture hap for the sharpenes and bitternes of the payne to forsake oure Sauioure euen in the middes and die there with hys sinne so be damned for euer wheras by the forsaking of the faith in the beginning by tyme and for the tyme and yet not but in woorde neyther keping it still neuer the lesse in his heart a manne may saue hymselfe from that paynful death and after aske mercye and haue it and lyue long and doe many good dedes and be saued as S. Peter was Anthony That mannes reason Cosin is like a three foted stole so tottering on euerye side that whoso sit thereon maye soone take a foule fall for these are the three feete of thys totteryng stole fantasticall feare false faith false flatteryng hope First this is a fantastical feare that the maÌ„ conceiueâ—h that it should be perilous to stande in the confession of the fayth at the beginning leste he mighte afterwarde thorowe the bitternes of payne fall to thâ— forsaking and so dye there in the payne therwith â—ute of hande and therby be vtterly damned as though that if a maÌ„ by payne were ouercome and so forsoke his fayth god could not or would not as well geue hym grace to repente agayne and therupon geue him forgeuenes as him that forsoke his fayth in the beginning and dyâ— set so litle by hym that he woulde rather forsake hym thaÌ„ suffre for his sake ani maner pain at al as though the more payne that a man taketh for goddes sake thâ— worse would god be to him If this reason were not vnreasonable thaÌ„ should our Sauiour not haue saiâ— as he dyd Nolite timere eos qui corpus possunt occidere vlterius non habent quod faciunt Feare not theÌ„ that may kil the bodi after that haue nothing that they can doe farther for he shoulde by this reason haue sayd dreade feare them that maye slaye the body for they maye by the tormente of paineful death but if thou forsake me be times in the beginning and so saue thy life and geat of me thy pardon and forgeuenesse after make thee peraduenture forsake me to late and so be damned for euer The secoÌ„d foote of this tottering stoleâ— is a false faith for it is but a fayned fayth for a man to saye to god secretely that he beleueth hym trusteth him and loueth him and theÌ„ openly where he shoulde to Gods honour tel the same tale and therby proue that he doth so there to goddes dishonour as much as in him is doth he â—â—atter gods enemies doe them pleasure worldly worship with the forsaking of gods fayth before the worlde and is either faithles in his hert toâ— or els woâ—teth wel yâ— he doth God this dispite euen before his owne face for except he lacke faith he can not but knowe that our Lorde is euery where presente and while he so shamefullye forsake hym full angrely looketh on The third foote of this totteryng stoole is false flattering hope For â—iâ—h the thing that he doeth wheÌ„ he forsaketh his faith for feare is by the mouth of god vpon the paine of eternall death forbodden though the goodnes of god forgeueth many folke the faulte yet to be the boulder in offending for the hope of forgeuing is a verye false pestilente hope wherewith a maÌ„ flattereth him selfe toward his owne destruccioÌ„ He that in a sodaine brayde for feare or other affeccioÌ„ vnaduisedly falleth after in labouring to rise againe coÌ„forteth theÌ„ self with hope of gods gracious forgeuenes walketh in yâ— ready waie toward his saluacioÌ„ But he that with the hope of goddes mercy to folowe dothe encourage him selfe to sinne therewith offendeth god first I haue no power to shut the hand of god fro geuing out his pardon where he luste â—or would if I could but rather helpe to praye therfore But yet I very sore feare that such a maÌ„ may misse the grace to requier it in suche effectuall wise as to haue it graunted nor I can not sodainly nowe remeÌ„ber any sample or promise expressed in holy scripture that the offender in suche a kind shall haue the grace offred in such wise to seke for pardoÌ„ that god hath by his other promises of remission promised to the peniteÌ„tes bounde him self to graunt it But this kinde of presumpcion vnder pretexte of hoâ—e semeth rather to drawe nere on the tone â—ide as dispaire doth on the tother side toward the abhominable sinne of plasphemie against the holy ghost Against which sinne concernig eyther thimpossibilitie or at the least greate difficultie of forgeuenes our Sauiour hath shewed hym selfe in the xii Chapter of S. Mathewe and in the thyrde of S. Marke where he saith that blasphemie against the holy ghoste shall neuer be forgeuen neyther in this worlde nor in the worlde to come And where the maÌ„ that you spake of toke in his reasoÌ„ a sample of Sainte Peter which forsoke our saâ—iour and gate forgeuenes after Let him coÌ„sider againe on the tother side that he forsooke him not vpoÌ„ the boldenes of any suche sinfull truste but was ouercome vanquished vpoÌ„ a sodayne feare yet by the forsaking Sâ— Peter wanne but litle For he did but delaye his trouble for a litle while you wote wel For beside that he repented forthwith very sore that he so had doone wepte therefore by and by ful bitterly He came forth at the whitsontyde ensewing and confessed his maister againe and sone after that he was imprisoned therfore and not ceasing so was therupoÌ„ sore scourged for the confession of his faith and yet after the imprisoned againe a freshe and being froÌ„ theÌ„ce deliuered stinted not to preache on stil vntyll that after manyfold labours trauailes and troubles he was at Roome crucified and with cruel torment slayne And in likewyse I weene I mighte in a maner well warraunt that there shall no man whych denieth our sauiour once after aâ—taineth remission scape thorow that denying one penny the better cheape but that he shal ere he come in heauen full suerly paye therefore ☞ Vincent He shal peradueÌ„ture worke it out afterward Uncle in the frutefull workes of penaunce prayer almose dede doone in true faith dewe charite and attaine in such wise forgeuenes wel inoughe Antony All his forgeuenes goeth Cosin you se wel but by perhappes but as it maie be perhappes ye so may it be perhappes naye And where is he than you wote wel yet by no maner hap he shall neuer hap finally to scape fro death for feare of which he forsoke his faith ☞ Vincent No but he maye dye hys naturall death and scape that violent death and than he saueth him selfe from much paine and so winneth therwith much ease for euermore a vâ—olent death is painefull Anthony Peraduenture he shal not auoide a violent death therby for god is without doubt displeased and can bring him shortly to a death as violent by some other way howe be it
I see wel that you recken that whoso dieth a natural death dieth like a wanton euen al at his case You make me remeÌ„bre a maÌ„ that was once in a galley subtill wyth vs on the sea which while the sea was sore wrought the waues rose very high he came neuer on the sea afore lay tossed hither and thitherâ— yâ— pore soule groned sore for paine he thought he would very faine be dead euer he wished woulde god I were on land that I might die in rest the waues so troubled him there with tossing him vp doune to fro that he thought yâ— trouble letted him to dye because the waues would not let him rest but if he mighte geatte once to land he though he should thaÌ„ dye there eueÌ„ at his ease ¶ Vincent Nay Uncle this is no doubt but that death is to euery man painefull but yet is not the naturall death so painefull as the violent ¶ Anthony By my trouth Cosin me thinketh that the death which men cal comonly natural is a violent deaâ—h to euery maÌ„ whom it fetcheâ—h hence by force againsâ— hys wil that is euery maÌ„ which when he dieth is loth to die faine would yet lyue longer if he mighte Howe be it howe small the payne is in the naturall deathe Cosin fayne woulde I wytte who hath tolde you As farre as I can perceiue those folk the coÌ„monly depart of theyr natural death haue euer one disease sicknes or other whereof if yâ— paine of the whole weke or twaine in which they lie pining in theiâ— bedde were gathered together in so short a time as a maÌ„ hath his paine that dieth a violeÌ„t death it would I wene make double the paine that it is so that he yâ— naturally dieth ofter suffereth more paine than lesse though he suffer it in a longer time And thaÌ„ would many a maÌ„ be more loth to suffer so loÌ„g lingering in paine thaÌ„ with a sharper to be soner rid And yet lieth many a maÌ„ moe daies thaÌ„ one in welnere as great paine coÌ„tinually as is the paine that with the violent death riddeth yâ— maÌ„ in lesse thaÌ„ halfe an howre except a maÌ„ would wene that where as the paine is great to haue a knife cutte his fleshe in the out side fro the skinne inward yâ— paine would be much lesse if the knife might on the inside beginne cutte frâ— the middes outward Some we heare in theyr death beddes coÌ„plaine that they thinke they feele sharpe knifes cut a two theyr heart stringes And some crye out thinke they feele within the braine panne theyr head pricked euen ful of pinnes And they that lye in a pleuresie thinke at euerye time that they coughe they fele a sharpe sword swappe them to the hearte ¶ The .xxv. Chapter The coÌ„sideracion of the painâ— of hell in vvhich vve fall if vve forsake our sauiourâ— maye make vs set all the painefull death of thys vvorlde at right nought HOwebeit what shoulde we nede to make anye such coÌ„parisoÌ„ betwene the natural death the violent For the matter yâ— we be in hand with here may put it â—ut of doubt that he whych for feare of the violent death forsaketh the faith of Christ putteth him self in the perel to find his natural death more paineful a thousande times For his naturall death hath hys euerlasting payne so sodeinly knyt vnto it that there is not one moment of an houre betwene but the ende of the tone is the beginning of the tother that after shall neuer haue ende And therfore was it not wythout greate cause that Christ gaue vs so good warning before when he sayed as S. Luke in the .xii. chapitâ—r reherseth Dico â—obis amicis meis ne terreamini ab iis qui occidunt corpus post hac non habent amplius quod faciant Ostendam autem vobis quem â—imeatis Timete eum qui postquam occiderit habet potestatem mittere in geâ—ennam Ita dico vobis hunc timeteâ— I say to you that are my freÌ„des be not afrayd of them that kil the body and which wheÌ„ that is done are able to do no more But I shal shewe you whom you shal feare Feare hym that which wheÌ„ he hath killed hath in his power farther to caste hym whom he killeth into euerlasting fyre So I saye to you be afâ—ayd of him God meaneth not here that we should nothing dreade at al any man that can but kill yâ— body but he meaneth that we shoulde not in such wise dreade any such that we should for dreade of theÌ„ displease him that can euerlastingly kil both body soule with a death euer dying and that shall yet neuer dye And therfore he addeth and repeateth in the end againeâ— the feare that we should haue of him saith Ita dico vobis hunâ— timete so I saye to you feare him Oh good god Cosin if a man would wel waygh these wordes let theÌ„ sinke as they should do doune depe into his heart often bethinke him self theron it would I doubt not be able inough â—o make vs set at nought al the great Turkes threates esteme him not at a strawe but wel coÌ„tent to endure al the paine that al the world could put vpoÌ„ vs for so shorte while as all they were able to make vs dwell therin rather than by the shrinking froÌ„ those paines though neuer so sharpe yet but short to caste our self into the payne of hel an huÌ„dreth thousand times more intolerable wherof there shall neuer come an ende A woful death is that death in which folke shall euermore be dying neuer can once be dead wherof the scripture sayth Vocabunt mortem mors fugiet ab eis They shal cal crye for death death shal flye from theÌ„ O good lord if one of theÌ„ were nowe put in the choise of the both they would rather suffer the whole yere together the most terrible death that all the Turkes in Turkeye could deuise thaÌ„ yâ— death that they lie in for yâ— space of half an howre In howe wreched foly fall thaÌ„ these faithlesse or feble faithed folke that to auoide the paine so farre the lesse and so short fal in the stede therof into paine a thousand thousand times more horrible of which terrible tormeÌ„t they be sure they shal neuer haue end Thys matter Cosin lacketh as I beleue but eyther full faith or sufficient minding For I thinke on my faith if we haue the grace verely to beleue it and ofteÌ„ to thinke wel theron the feare of al the Turkes persecucioÌ„ with al this midde day deuil were able to make them doe in the forcing vs to forsake our faith should neuer be able to turne vs. Vincent By my trouth Uncle I thinke it is as you say for sure if we would as ofteÌ„ thinke on these paines of hel as we be very loth to do seke vs peuish pastimes of purpose to