death by whiche we be transformed frome the ymage and forme of the old Adam into the ymage of the new Adam which is Christ our lorde This is a separation of the fleshe frome the spirite Nor here is no small wrastlynge nor so moche as any hope of victory if the spirite of Christ helped not the weaknes of our flesh But the grace of hym in vs hath slayne the olde man so that nowe we be led not with our spirite but with the spirite of god nor we our selues lyue not but Christ lyueth in vs. This moste happye deathe whether it hath chaunced to any man fully in this lyfe I can not saye Neuerthelesse the goodnes of our lorde vouche safeth to supplye of his owne that that our imbecillytie can not do This deathe is to be coueted and with all our deuoyr practysed and meditate through out all our lyfe Lyke as saynt Paule wryteth to the Corynthians Alwayes bearyng the mortification of Iesu Christe in our body that also the lyfe of Iesu myght be manifested in oure bodyes To the same he exhorteth the Colossenses Mortyfye your membres which be vpon erthe He byddeth not pluck out the eyes or choppe of the handes or cut awaye oure preuey membres but what membres It foloweth Fornication vnclennes lust euyll concupiscence and couetyse The common sorte of men mourne for thē the which dye but blessed Paule to the Colossia ns reioyseth this deathe Ye be sayth he deade and your lyfe is hyd with Christe in god This deathe is mother of the spirituall lyfe lykewyse as synne is the father of the spirituall deathe and also of the deathe infernall But in these kyndes of deathe the moste parte of men behaue theym selfes preposterouslye and cleane contrarye to that they shoulde doo At the mention of the bodyly deth how tremble we for fere They of old tyme hated Cypresse for no other cau se but that it was wonte to be had in buryals and also the herbe smallage bycause graues were hanged about with it And at this day there be many which at the sauour of frank insence stoppe their noses and vse fell curses and execrations for bycause as I suppose at buryals fumigations be made of it But the spirituall deathe is more horrible than syxe hundred deathes of the body and to this wylfully and with great courage we runne gloryenge and bostynge whanne we haue done wyckedly reioysynge in thinges moste vngodly We be dismayd and besyde our selues whan we be in ieoperdye that the sowle shuld departe from our wretched body which shulde lyue moche more happyly out of this prison but how moche more iustly ought we to be dismayde whan we be in peryll lest god the lyfe eternal wil forsake our sowle The howse wherin any hath dyed is called cōtagious pestiferous and funestall and we stoppe our noses whā we passe by it But the wyse man iudgeth it farre better to go to the hous of mourning than to the house of feastynge In mourninges we be naturally heuye and sadde But this heuynes bycause it is after a godly fashyon worketh in vs a stedfast helthe saluation Whyles it warneth vs of the laste tyme and of the thinges ensuyng the same and calleth vs backe to repentance nor suffreth vs not to synne eternallye They be happyly present at a mournynge whiche so bewayle an other mans bodyly deathe that they begynne to be moone them selfes whiche be stryken with a more greuous death whether than is better to deuoure a bytter potiō that by the peyne of one howre thou mayst gayne perpetuall helth of thy bodye or elles in a feaste to drinke pestiferous and venomous swete wynes whiche with their shorte pleasure maye brynge to the drynker sodeyne deathe But of these thynges many men are so clere careles that in baudy cornars they singe and make mery as dronk as myse Some make their auaunt and reioyce whyche by fraude and disceyte haue citeyned to ryches some triumphe whiche with wycked craftes be rysen to honours and promotions Do not the commū people call the wallowynge in stynkyng lustes and delicious fare a lyfe But tho that thus lyue be twyse deed First bycause they be voyde and destitute of the spirite of god Secondly bycause that euen nowe all redy they be the children of damnatiō and of the euerlastynge fyre For lyke as the lyfe of good men deed in the fleshe is hyd in god and shall appere and shewe it self togither with Christ so in these whiche haue gyuen them selfes to the flesshe the death eternall is hyd and shal appere in the last iugement Onely hope dothe seuer the synner in this lyfe from hell For as longe as the breth is in man so longe he hathe hope of pardon forgyuenes How be it we had nede to take right good hede lest our hope whiche cometh not of faith and charitie deceyue vs. Thus some man flattereth hym selfe I am yong I wil take the pleasure of this world whan I come to aage thanne wyll I fall to goodnes But O thou hard hart who hath promysed y t to come to age Another saith whyle I am in the flowers of my age I wil folowe my luste and pleasure whanne I am maryed than I wyll begynne to be thryfty But O thou flatterer of thy self how knowest thou whether thou shalt lyue vntyll to morowe There is perchance some manne that thinketh thus I will at laste make my selfe a fryer or a monke and than I wyl bewayle my lyfe euyll spente In the meane whyle I wyl vse the pleasure of this world Admyt that lyfe be graunted the who hath promysed the that thou shalte haue this mynde and wyll to forsake pleasures imbrace repentance Can euery man that wyl gyue to hym selfe this mynde Onely the grace of Christe is cause that a man can repent and come agayne to his herte But he frely and at his owne lybertie gyueth it to whome he wylleth and whan he wylleth Certes as touchyng the synner he is now all redy in hel Is it not a prodigious blyndnesse that a man beynge in so horrible state wyll prefyxe hym selfe a daye whan to recent hym of his lyuinge the which man yf he shulde fall into a pyt or be cast in prison wolde thynke all the hast of them that shuld alucke hym out to slowe Out of the pytte he wolde forthwith crye for mans helpe whan he is set in so great euyls wyll he not 〈◊〉 continent desyre goddes helpe whiche onely rayseth the deed Who so euer than in this lyfe will diligently practise the traniformatorye death and vehemently abhorre the deathe spirituall and the deathe infernall shall lesse feare the deathe of the body whan it approcheth which dothe not seuer vs from god but hathe ioyned vs nerer to god and maketh an ende for euermore of al afflictions with the whiche this lyfe is on euery syde vexed and setteth vs ouer to euerlastynge reste Thou wylte saye
desperation annexed thereto wherfore the horrour of this passeth all horrour which yet our most mercifull redemer to th entent he might mitigate and make lesse paynful vnto vs vouchsafed to take it vppon him selfe That in the gardeyn he was so dismayed and so taken with extreme peynfulnes of harte that he swette blod was the infirmitie of our nature And that he nayled to the Crosse cryethe My god my god why haste thou forsaken me Farre from my helthe be the wordes of my synnes semeth to fele in his minde the horrour and feare of tourment and peyne perpetuall For what remayneth to theym that be destitute and forsakē of god but extreme desperation Nor it ought not to seme wonderfull that he toke vpon him this most heuy affection whiche also toke vpon him the synnes of all menne so that either of these two euyls inuyncyble to our strengthes by his mercy he made vincible Nor these thin ges doo not mynyshe the dygnytie of oure redemer but declare his vnspeakable charytie towardes Mankynde Under the fygure of hym speaketh Dauyd in the Psalmes The sorowes of deathe haue compassed me aboute and the flouddes of wyckednesses haue troubled my mynde and the snares of deathe haue preuented me We deserued hel he an innocent toke the feare vpon hym for vs to th entent that if like affection shulde inuade our myndes eyther by reson of the prcuitie in our owne conscyence of our wyckednes and manifolde synnes or by reason of the weakenes of our nature we shuld not cast away our selues nor to be fals harted but fixyng our eies on Christ may yea in despairing haue good hope Though the flesshe despayre thoughe reasone despayre yet lette faythe euen frome Helle crye to the lorde Lyke as Jonas whatte tyme he was vtterlye in despayre cryed oute of the Whaales bealye and was herde For that alsoo shewethe the psalme where as it foloweth by and by In my tribulation I called on the lorde and to my god I cryed and he herde me out of his holy temple The temple of god is the churche or cōgregation of good mē this is the tower of faythe Syon the citie of our strengthe Hyther he that wil crie euen from the depe pytte of hel the sparke of fayth yet quick he is herde Therfore whan al the powers of man be drowned downe vnto hell yet let fayth crie with most blyssed Job Although he kylleth me I wyl trust in hym For this is with the fayth mayster Abraham agaynste hope to truste in hope These than so great euyls the goodnes of our lorde hathe not onely mitigated and brosed so that thoughe they vexe and feare vs yet quench vs they can not but also the extreme damages he hath turned into excedyng and great lucre For what doth synne hurt them the whiche do cleaue vnto Christ what but where that synne abounded now aboundeth also grace and that he loueth more to whom more is forgiuen What auaileth Satanas vncessingly vexing the mēbres of Christ Jesu What but that he dothe increace theyr rewardes and maketh their crownes more glorious Yea more ouer the very cuyls whiche accordyng to the state of our mortalite be cōmune as well to the good as to the badde the goodnes of our lord hath turned them eyther into our lucre or into our medycine howe be it this is alsoo a lucre he turneth them into our lucre and auantage whan we beyng clere from synne beare them pacient lye gyuynge thankes to the lorde for all And into our medicine he turneth them yf any thinge remayneth in vs to be pourged eyther by cuttynge or vsture or by bytter potions Of the whiche sorte be syckenes pouertie age lacke of father lacke of children and other innumerable with whiche the hole lyfe of man is rounde about beset These if they draw vs to murmur grudge desperation or blasphemye be the instrumentes of Satanas and for remedyes be made poysons But yf for this onely thinge they be suffered bycause they can not be eschewed for whiche consyderation manye that knewe not Christ constantely suffered tormentes and death they be the afflictions of nature But yf we take theym as it were of the hande of a louynge father obediently and with geuynge thankes recomptyng with our selues howe moche more sharper punyshmentes we haue deserued and how fell and cruell peynes Christ beynge an innocent suffred for vs synners now they be none afflictions but holsome remedyes or increasementes of heuenlye rewardes On the tone behalfe thankes are to be youen to the moste tender and gentyll father which chastiseth euery childe that he receyucth in fauour other wyles with shorte and softe remedies healyng our sores that he myght spare vs in the worlde to come On the tother behalfe the bountyfulnes of oure captayne is to be magnified and praysed which ministreth vnto his sowldyours a matter of vertue or manhode to the intent he myght crowne them more royally On eyther syde is great lucre oneles perchaunce it semeth a small lucre whan a man is sycke of a capitall and mortall syckenesse drynketh bytter potions and with a lyght and shorte payne dothe bothe escape the peryll of death and enioyeth a perpetuall swetenes of helth or whan the sowldiour for the conflycte of one lytell howre attayneth great ryches for all his lyfe and hyghe honours And by this meanes also our lorde most mercyfull draweth all thinges vnto hym yf onely we lyft vp our eyes to that sygne whiche is set vp on heyght He attracteth and draweth vnto hym all our euyls and tourneth theym into our profyt and his glory of whiche he maketh vs partakers that be graste in him by fayth I praye you what wynne they whiche in their aduersitie tournyng their eyes from Christ grudge and murmur agaynste god Surely that grefe which of necessitie is to be borne they double naye ten tymes fold so moch they make it vnto them selfes and the medicine by euyll takynge therof they tourne into pestiferous mortall poyson for them selfes This vndoutedly is the hyghe and effectuall philosophye and the meditation of deathe in whiche yf a manne whan he is hole and sounde be dylygentlye exercysed death shall not oppresse hym vnprepared Of these that haue bene spoken maye be gathered iiii sundry sortis of deathe a spirituall a naturall a transformatorie and an eternall The death naturall is a seuerance of the sowle from the body The spiritual is a seueraunce of god frome the mynde For lyke as the sowle is lyfe to the body so is god lyfe to the sowle This deathe spirituall hath engendred the naturall death as moche as to the necessitie atteyned as is the religious opinion of the olde diuines Of both these two deathes is gendred the deathe eternall or yf ye wyll so call it the deathe of helle whan the deathe spirituall and the deathe naturall come togither For after the deathe of the bodye there is no place of repentaunce There remayneth a
haue left behynd them and howe moch remaineth to the marke And in tymes past they that loked for the Iubilie knewe howe longe they might enioy that that they had bought But there is no mortall man whiche certainely knoweth that he shall lyue vntyll the nexte day We renne but hauynge deathe in oure fete yea carieng it aboute on all our body We haue receiued our life frely of the lord but condicionally that we surrender it at euery moment whan he demandeth it Howe though it chanceth vs to liue vntil extreme age whiche to how fewe it chaunceth euery man knoweth O lorde god what is the hole lyfe of man but a very short rennynge place wherin wyl we wyl we not we renne contynuallye slepe we wake we be we in welth or in wo The contynuall course of the worlde carieth vs away lyke a boystous flode although we seme to our selues or to other to stand styl Than if prices of world ly thynges be estemed by the shortenes of tyme howe moche more vyle oughte tho thynges to be whiche haue not so moch as one howre certayne Nowe the thynges that we lyttelle regarde we lyttelle force though they be plucked awaye from vs as they why che be not at home but in strange countreys if any coÌ„moditie appereth vnto them in the way or in theyr ynnes they cast not their mynd greatly therto bicause they must leue forth with the thing that delyteth them and if any incoÌ„modite chaunce them they beare it easely thinkyng thus Here I dine my supp is ordeined in an other place The thinges that be sene sayth Paule be teÌ„porall and tho that be not sene be eternall And this is a greate parte of the Christen philosophie whiche prepareth vs to dethe that by the contemplation of thinges eternall and heuenly we maye lerne the despisynge of temporall and erthly Plato iuged the hole philosophy none other thynge but a meditation of deathe He callyd a meditation a preparation as who shuld say an exercyse to death none otherwyse thaÌ„ a yong warriour that shal in time commynge fyght with his ennemy exercyseth hym selfe at a tylte Whiche is a ryghte holsome saying if that whiche is spoken of the philsopher philosophically be taken of christen men christeÌ„ly For not the contemplation of mathematicall formes abstracte from the mattiers nor yet the imagination of Idee whiche Plato deuysed causeth vs to dye wel but if with the eies of feithe we consider in our mindes the goodes passyng al mans wyt whiche god hath promised by his son Jesus to them that trust vnto hym the euils which he hath thretnid to infidels disobedient Thone shal feare vs from sinning the other shal prouoke vs to do wel I grant an eternall veritie in certayn humayn lerninges but suche as procureth to no man the true felicitie But here the promiser is euerlastinge euerlastyng is he by whom he promiseth euerlasting be the thinges ê“mysed euerlastinge felicitie they brynge to the beleuers euerlasting infelicitie to the despisers This meditation of deth is the meditation of the true life And it causeth not only that the philosopher promiseth which is that the soule shulde depart from the bodye with lesse heuynesse but also that with cherefulnes of hart it shuld lepe merily as it were out of a darke and painful prison into blessed libertie into that light so louely which is void of any nyght or darknes For the body whiche is corruptible accombreth the soule and the erthely habitation depresseth the mynd reuoluing many thynges And therfore crieth the ê“phete Lede out of prison my soule that it may coÌ„fesse thy name Lorde The summe of mans felicitie is to contemplate and prayse his maker redemer gouernour To this end is man created This felicitie of man is oftentymes disturbed by the weakenes of this body which we cary aboute subiecte to so many necessities to so many euyls to so many peryls In like wyse also saynt Paule accombred with the carnall habytation pytyfully syghynge crieth O I vnhappy man who shall delyuer me froÌ„ this body of deth For he saw them in high blysse whiche dwelled in the house of the lorde pray synge hym worlde without ende Of this affection be men of the ryght holynes of whome though the bodyes kepe in erth yet their treasure harte and conuersation is in heuens But few men haue this perfection and strongenes of mynde It is not gyuen to al men to say with Paul Christ to me is lyfe and to dye is a lucre And I couet to be dissolued and be with Christe We beinge our selues weake prepare this consolation to them that be weake vnto whom yet thexamples of the perfyte lyuers be as who saith prickes and prouocations to obteyne the strength of the spirite Wherfore this meditation of dethe is through out all the lyfe to be exercysed and euer amonge the sparke of feyth is to be styred vp that it may encreace and gather streÌ„gth to whom charytie annexed shall drawe vnto it hope whiche neuer maketh his maister ashamed But we haue none of these oure selfes but they be the gyftes of god with contynuall prayers and vowes to be vowed for if they lacke and if we haue them to be augmentid that they may encreace The stronger that feyth accompanied with Hope and Charitie is the lesse is the tremblynge For that most part of vs thus abhoire from the men tion of death it commeth commonly of the vnstedfastnes of fayth But on the promises of god ought man to haue moste certain trust For he is onely he whiche of nature true can not deny hym selfe To whom the noble psalmograph syngeth Euerlastingely lorde thy worde abydeth In heuen worlde without ende is thy trouth which also in the Euangel pronounceth of hym selfe Heuen and erthe shall passe but my wordes shal not passe What hath he promysed He hathe promysed vyctorye of deathe vyctorye of fleshe of the worlde and of the dyuell He hath promysed remission of synnes he hath promysed an hundrede tymes as moche in this worlde euerlastyng lyfe in the next But in what wyse hathe he promysed By our owne ryghtwysenes No truely but by grace of faythe whiche is vpon Christ Iesus And to the entent we shulde be the surer he hath annulled cancelled that fyrst handwrityng whiche Adam vnhappily had described vnto vs naylynge it to the crosse and hath giuen vs his handwriting of grace whiche he hath scaled with his owne blod and hath confirmed it with innumerable testimonies of prophetes apostels martyrs and virgins whiche with their blode alsoo haue subscribed And the vnyuersal church of Christen men and holy fathers also haue subscribed He hath more ouer added the erneste penye of the spirite that our truste shulde wauer in no part And the goodnesse of god not coÌ„tented with these hath vouchesafed to shewe vnto all men an euidente and notable example in his onely begotten sonne
were borne and after baptyme more vnhappely fallen into agayn an heuy burdein and suche a burdeyne as causeth alsoo the soule to synke downe to the bottome of hel This burdeyne whiche was to vs importable our lorde vouche safed to take vpō him as Esay prophecied The correction of our peace vppon hym and by his wounde we be healed Also Thapostle God made hym which dyd no synne to be a synne forvs that we might be made the iustice of god through hym Synne is thouely thynge that gendreth hatredes betwixt god and man as Esay testifieth But the mercyful father whā no sacrifyce coulde be founde sufficient and stronge ynoughe to wasshe of the synnes of mankynde sent his sonne a lambe without blemyshe or spot with this most pure oblation of sacrifyce reconcylynge the worlde vnto him A man wyl here say If by Christ synne is taken awaye how is it than that al the lyfe of manne is thus replenysshed with synne For nowe I speke of good men to He toke not clerely away syn but he brake the strengthes of it not that there shuld be no synne in vs but that it shulde not reygne in vs as it reygneth in them whiche haue not fyxed the ancore of their hope in the lorde Jesu but serue and folowe their sensuall appetites And therfore Paule aduertyseth vs to beware that synne reygne not in our mortall body There is left vnto vs a mattier wherin to fyghte but yet armours weapons be ministred vnto vs with whyche we beynge defensed maye ouercome So we be made the iustice of God not by our owne workes but through the grace of god By whom By hym whom he made a synne for vs and of synne cōdemned synne ¶ Yet remayneth Satanas the parēt both of synne and of deth prince of these darknesses whose power and malicious craftes neuer ceassynge the children of lyght fere cryenge with a tremblynge herte to the father Ne nos inducas c. Leade vs not into temptation but delyuer vs frome that euyll myght This is that temptour and accusor of brethern which after the sayeng of saynt Peter renneth about as a rorynge lyon sekynge whom he may deuour But the lorde hathe not onely ouercome but alsoo hathe taught vs to ouercome the assaultes of this euyll also He oftetymes assayled our lorde for that may be gatherid of Lukes wordis which sayth And he departed from hym for a tyme but he departed alwayes vanquysshed How vanquysshed With the bucklar of scriptures repelled with the swerde of goddes worde stryken throughe Wherfore so ofte as he maketh suggestion and attēpteth vs to the thynge which is merely contrary and repugnant to the wyll diuine expressed in the sacre and holy volumes cast a foyne at hym with the swerde of goddes worde and accordynge to the ensample of kynge Dauyd with fyue most clere and radyant stones gathered out of the ryuer of scriptures fel y e knaue down to the groūde But before we ioyne handes with this gyaunt Solyath let vs first caste frome vs the armours of Saul which is the cote armour of pride that is the truste of worldly wysedome the confydence of our strength and merytes whiche lade vs rather than arme vs let the staffe of faith be sufficient for vs whiche comforteth steyeth vs in this our peregrination and the fyue wordes which Paule speaketh in the churche If he be to busy and call vpon the to importunely byd hym auaunt Satanas and stande abacke It is more right to obey god callynge to euerlastynge felycitie rather than the entysing to eternall destruction Here dothe faythe playe the chiefe and principall parte And therfore saith Peter Whom resyst ye strong in fayth Gyue credence to scriptures and repose thy holle trust in Christ and victory is at hande But there is a kynde of dyuels which is not cast forthe but by prayer fastyng sayth Christ. To here thou hast other two weapons It is probable and a thynge lykely that Satanas where as he so ofte had assauted our lord in vayne in the crosse assayed and moued al his craftis subtilties and engens whan he sawe hym approching to his deth For this is the last conflict and batayle by the profe and chaunce wherof eyther eternall triumphe is hoped and loked for or a perpetuall shame is awayted For he sayth The prince of this world came vnto me and in me he founde nothinge Nor it is no doubt but that which he entreprised vpon the lorde he dare entreprise also vpon the membres of the lorde But in lykewyse as he was vanquyshed of hym so throughe hym he shall be vanquyshed in vs. For whā he assayleth them in whom Christ by fayth and charitie doth inhabite and dwel he maketh batayle with Christ hym self in whom so longe as we perseuer and abyde he shall take a fowler fall and be more shamefullye vanquysshed of vs than he was ouercome of our lorde hym selfe All thynges can I do quod the Apostle in hym which enstrenghteth me Satanas with whom our conflict is is called the prince of this worlde not that he hath any auctorite or iurisdiction ouer any parte of the creature but bycause in a maner he raigneth in those which be lo uers of this worlde But he whiche protecteth and defendeth vs is lorde of heuen of erth which with his onely becke can do more than all the swarmes and rabyll of dyuels with all their instrumentis lymmes Onely he coulde entre the howse of that stronge one and bynde hym hand and fote and bereue hym of his vessels ¶ What temtations do yet remayne Deth death I saye at whose mention all thynges waxe heuy This neyther with force can be shyfted of neyther with fleynge eschued neyther with craft and subtyl meanes dalyed awaye The firste affection of nature is that euery thinge shuld defende it self But death against this affection of nature thretneth destructiō which so moch is the more detestable and to be abhorred that it diuydeth ii which be most conioyned and knyt togyther For there is no strayter copulation or knot than is of the body and soule This horrour and fere also our lord of his moste tender mercye hath mitigate and asswaged vnto vs. First in that he for our sakes dysdayned not the horrour and tremblynge of death and death it selfe yea and that sclanderous and shameful and also bitter to take vppon hym Nor he wolde not that any of his sayntes of the holy men were they neuer so excellynge in vertuous lyuynge shulde be free and be enfraunchysed against deathe not Abraham the faythfull not Moyses famylyarly beloued not Dauyd a manne accordynge to his harte not any of the prophetes not John Baptist of whom remaineth so noble a testimonie of our lord hym selfe not his mother sin gularly beloued not so moch as that one of his disciples whom before all the reste he loued entierly Euen from the fyrst man vntyll the
consūmation and ende of the world it was ordeined and by fatall destenye prefixed euery man ones to dye And therfore the grekes call dethe in theyr langage moros whiche cometh of the verbe miro that is to say to allotte bycause it is allotted distributed and appoynted to all men alyke and indifferently to kinges bishops dukes erles barons knyghtes esquiers gentylle men yomen and beggars What impacience is it than a man not to fynde in his harte to suffre that euylle whiche is common to suche so greatte and soo many Doste thou flee with all the holye men to submytte thy selfe and surrender that thynge whyche wyll thou or wyll thou not must be rendred and repayed to nature He that of nature was immortall for the became mortall And dost thou which art borne to dye and haste deserued deth so oft require besydes all other men to be had immortal Wherfore recount thou here with thy selfe howe many and what felawes of this sort and condition thou hast and so doinge thou shalt beare more euenly and with a more quyete mynd thin allotte and state Otherwise if thou do vndoutedly thou shalt seme no lesse proude and presumptuous in disdainyng that thou shalte dye than if a man wold dysdayn that he is borne or that he is created a man and not an aungelle This is the fyrst asswagement of dethe whiche in my conceite is not smalle And it shall be made stronger yf we iustely accompte with our selues what maner thynges tho be whyche we haue lefte here behynde vs. For many feare deth only hauing regard to the commodities whiche they leaue here behynde Than come in mynde the swete sight of the sonne the moste goodly ordynance of the fyrmament the pleasant hewe of the springynge world playes feastes wyfe chyldren house gardeynes But thou must open the other eie wherwith thou mayst beholde how moche more of euils and incōmodities thou leauest behynd than of plesures and commodities and in very those whiche appere good and cōmodious howe moche calamitie and bitternes is migled therwith Reuolue in mind all the degrees of lyfe consider howe foule the conceyuing is howe perillous the bearyng howe myserable the delyueryng and byrthe in how many dangers of hurtes the infancie is in howe great ieopardie of iniurie and wronge is chyldhode howe spotted with vicious lyuyng is youth with how many cares distracte is the mannes age in what myserie and wretchidnes is olde age and this thinge seriously reuolued in memo rie I stande in doubt whether a man canne fynde any one person so happily borne that if god wolde graunt vnto hym to begynne and come vp agayne by the same steppes euen from his conception through oute all the hole proces cours of his former lyfe vntyll age to enioye lyke pleasures and to suffre like displeasures wold take this proferre annexed to suche condition What notable blyndnes is it than so greattely to be troubled whan that thynge is to be surrendred which if it were lauful for vs to begin a new we wold refuse I omit now the euils in which this life is so wrapped that certain hethē men iuged nothing to be yeuē to man of the goddis to speake after their maner more liberally bountifully than that they haue addid vnto him a power liberte to be reue him self of his life so ost as shal be sene vnto him And that noble poete douted not to pronoūce no liuing thing more wretched than man Than if thautoritie of the hethen prophet be light Ecclesiastes that godly holy person feared nat to write that Better is the day of deathe than of the byrthe Thus moche haue we spoken of euylles nowe of goodes and plesures recount with thy selfe howe many cares and thoughtes ryches do brynge from whiche nowe thou canst nat be plucked away how moch more gall than hony the wyfe bringeth for whose loue thou fearest nowe deathe howe moch busynes and care of mynd bredeth the bryn gyng vp of thy chyldren how moch grefe and disworship do their maners cause Adde to all these the mynde of man alwayes decaying drawyng downeward to wors and wors For though not in al yet surely in the moste part of men the sayeng of Austyn is true Qui maior est etate maior est iniquitate He that is greatter in aege is greatter in wyckednesse Fynally sette on thy right hande the pleasures and commodities of this lyfe and on thy lefte hande the incommodities and cōsyder the shortenesse of the hole tyme that we lyue here Infancy is not felt chyldhod slyppeth away er we be ware youth is takē vp with sondry cares age crepeth vpon vs er we perceyue it what is the hole summe of this lyfe but a minute to that eternitie wherto we be assumpte if we lyue wel and plucked down if otherwyse Of these thin ges an ernest contemplation is no light remedy ayenst the horrour of deathe An other is whiche is stronger also thā this that the lorde dieng for the hath caused that dethe whiche heretofore was the passage to hell is nowe the yate to heuen and whiche in tymes paste was the begynnynge of euerlastyng punishmentes is now the entrynge to euerlastinge ioyes so that now to them that trust in Christ deth is not onely no damage but also a great auayl and lucre And to the ende that no parte of man shulde be myssed he hym selfe arrysyng agayn with holy men a great multitude hath made vs to haue a moste assured hope that the tyme shall come whan our bodyes shall reuyue in the laste day and than glorifyed shal take again euery one his gest the soule to be from thensforth a solas and no lengar a burdeyne But of deth forthwith we shal haue a place to speake more at large Nowe to accomplyshe the matter that we be in hand with one euyl is yet left to speke of more terrible and more horrible than all these gathered togither into one heape I meane helle from whens they say no man can returne whiche swaloweth vp all togither nor neuer yeldeth ageyne that it hath ones deuoured This is the puddell dungeon of desperation and as the Apocalips speaketh the seconde deth Let euery man thynke with hymselfe what maner of lyfe that is where is of all euyls the greattest that is to say immortalitie where a greatte parte of punyshement is the felawshyp of diuels and wicked men where is fyer neuer to be quenched to which ours if it be comparyd is very yce Adde that fyer is there the leste portion of sorowes whiche sorowes neuertheles be so greate that of mans wyt they can not be compassed no more thā can the ioy felicitie of them that be good In euils be they neuer so greuous neuer so longe yet some comforte and asswagemente bryngeth hope as it were a certayne lyttell starre shyning afarre of in moste thicke and profounde darkenes but hell with extreme euyls hath extreme
tumble and breake their neckes or to leape into a welle or strāgle their throtes with some corde or thrust thē selfis into the guttes with some knyfe or sworde For there be diseases whiche do corrupte the inwarde weselles of the mynd whyche persones be commonly called in the latyne tongue demoniaci that is to saye possessed with dyuels But neyther by these thinges a man is not to be iuged syth that Chrysosto thus doth moste louyngly comfort a certain monke whiche was possessed with a dyuell Howe be it tho kyndes of deth which haue a manyfest colour of wyckednes is a good christen mans parte to desyre to escape and to abhorre it Contrary wise somme we see haue so gentyll a deathe that they seme to sleepe and not to dye But what facion of death so euer chaunceth no man is therby to be estemed No not so moch as of them whiche by the lawes are for their myscheious dedes put to execution though they chaunce to haue a shamefull dethe we maye not iudge temerousely For it may be that he whiche for treason is hanged drawen and quartered passeth into the company of aungelles where as an nother the whiche dyeng in a gray friers cote and relygiously buried departeth downe vnto hell It is the lorde whiche iugeth of these thynges By sundry wyses god exerciseth and purgeth his seruantes but as I sayd no euyl deth is that to be thought which good life spente before Otherwhyles they that dye moste easily go to euerlastyng punyshmentes and contrary wise they that be myserably tourmented flee into reste Somme wysshe to haue fulle confession before they dye laste anneylynge and the receyuynge of their maker not with an vnlyke mynd as it appereth that in olde tyme some prolonged the tyme to be christened tyll their last day and the baptyste whiche shulde baptyse them was not callyd for vntyl that the phisytion confessed lyttell helpe in his scyence Why wyshe we but ones that thynge to chaunche whyche dayly ought and may be done of vs For it is beste counsayl that euery man before er he betake him to slepe dilygentely examyne his conscience and if he fynde any cryme committed that day let hym knocke his breste and callynge for the assistence of god purpose certainly to lyue a better lyfe Nor there is no cause why any man shulde here say I am letted with sundry busynes I haue no leyser To a thyng so necessarie the fourth part of an hour suffyseth It is not longe to say I haue synned Haue mercy And this is sufficient soo it be spoken with the harte No man commytting hym selfe to slepe is sure to awake Howe great danger is it than in that state to slepe in whiche if deathe oppresse vs whyche is brother germaine to slepe we shall peryshe for euermore So great peryll maye be eschued with one shorte thoughte This is dayly to be done to god but to the prieste vicare of god iii. or iiii tymes or ofter in the yere with pure confession to purge the conscience shulde brynge moche tranquilitie and it shall cause that the person whan he dyeth shal not be troubled with the scrupulosytie of confession Furthermore bycause in the article of deth the contemplation of our lordes death of the communion of the hole churche which is the body of Christ is a principal comfort it were well done in both to be dylygently exercysed in the lyfe to th entent the doing ofte repeted may tourne into custome custome into cours and cours into nature This shal be if that we our conscience being clene purged from all affection of synnyng ofte receyue the mysticall bread and drinke of the mystycall cuppe syth that this sacramente commendeth and declareth vnto vs two thinges the one is the most dere loue of the heed towarde his membres and the other is the moste strayte felawshyp of the membres betwyxt them selfes What so euer goodnes is in the body procedeth from the heed Christe and what so euer goodnes is in the body is commun vnto all the mēbres Lyke as in the bodye of a lyuynge thynge thoughe there be dyuers membres ordeyned to dyuers offices yet the lyfe yssuinge frome the heed is spred abrode through al the membres with suche an inseparable felawshyp that lyke as saynt Paule teacheth yf one membre be greued that grefe rūneth vnto all and if one membre ioyeth the glory is of all in cōmune Doutlesse this is that is sayd in the Symbole of thapostels Sanctam ecclesiam sanctorum communionē The holy church the communion of sayntes For no streyghter is the grace of Christe in the mystical body than is nature in the body of a lyuynge thinge They do deuoutly which whā deth draweth nere do send to the monasterye of the Cartusians or friers obseruantes to praye for the sycke persone but it is a stronger comforte if the sycke mā thinketh that the hole church is busy thought full for him a membre therof Whan I saye the churche how blessed and howe myghty a cōpany do I meane which includeth prophetes apostels so many swarmes of martyrs and virgyns so many soules beloued of god This hole company and felawshyp for eche membre of Christ beynge in ieopardy prayeth contynually and with merites and prayers helpeth the sycke person Nor it is no matter to the though that thou seest not the church with thy eies neither thou seest thy soule by whose benefite al the membres of the body lyue and be moued The church can not be pore which is ioyned to so ryche an heed in which dwelleth al fulnesse of diuinitie corporally nor the membre can not be destitute whyche is susteyned of so many thousandes of sayntes The tender loue and bountyfulnes of the heed towarde vs principally wytnesseth the crosse taken for to redeme vs. The memorie and power of these thynges we do renewe vnto vs as oft as with feith and due reuerence we do eate the fleshe of the lorde and drynke the blud And also we be admonyshed that al be one body whiche do eate the same breadde and drynke of the same cuppe Let no man than be false harted althoughe that the membre be weake and diseased consyderynge that it hath an heed whiche is omnipotent nor let hym not thynke to be destitute and forsaken whiche is releued kepte and susteyned with the demerites and prayers of the hole churche Wherfore who soo euer that in his lyfe is diligently exercised in the con templation of these thynges at his deathe they shall brynge vnto him more comforte For than euen of theyr owne accorde they shall renne into his memorie as thinges famyliar vnto the mynd and soule Wherfore after my mynde and iudgement they deuised a ryght good and godly thinge whiche parted the hystorie of our lordes deathe in to certayne houres as we call them to the intent that chylderne myght be accustomed to reherse and say euery day a portion of it with ycuynge of thankes But they which ordeyned
so ofte make a lye vnto god as we breake and transgresse his lawes to whyche we be sworne atte the fountstone of regeneration and so ofte we be vniuste as we acknowlege not our duetie to our maker and redemer naye rather we vtterly renounce hym so ofte as we go backe from our couenauntes but although we beynge falsely forsworne denye and renounce hym yet he constantly is faythfull he can not denye hym selfe allways true in his promyses To th entent he myght be iustifyed in his wordes and vanquyshe whan he is iudged The father heareth our petition in his trouth in which by his sonne he hath vnto vs promysed forgyuenes of synnes and he heareth not in our but in his iustice or rightwysenes for by his sonne he iustifieth euery one that beleueth purifyeng our hartes with faith Blessed be they then whiche serue the lorde in dreade and reioyce vnto hym with tremblynge Why shoulde not men which be in subiection of synne feare hym whom the armyes of aungelles feare It is good to feare afore iugement that in the iugement we may fynde mercy Of humayne histories we lerne with howe great gladnes and reioysynge of hert saynt Andrewe wēt vnto the execution of the crosse But contraryly we fynde that many whiche were supposed very holy menne at the tyme of their deth were sore troubled with great feare dredynge the iugement of god and damnynge their hole lyfe before ledde For it is shewed of one vnto whome tremblynge at the tyme of his deathe whan his brethern which were about hym sayd what meaneth it that thou art thus aferde sythe thou hast lyued all thy lyfe so holyly he answerde thus O brethern moch dyuers be the iugementes of men and the iugemēt of god Lyke wordes it is sayde that Benet Bernarde and Austyn had Wherfore one and the same fayth bothe causeth fere and ouercometh fere it causeth shewyng how great he is whom we offende in many thinges it ouercometh shewing vnto vs Christ whose charitie purgeth our synnes grace supplyeth that our imperfectnes lacketh But as it is not alwayes a signe of a valiant courage or faithefulnes not to fere deathe for sometyme it is token of a brutyshe retchelesnes and lacke of reason sometyme of an outragious and gyantyshe felnes at the approchinge of death to waxe fearefull is not alway a signe of distruste or of an euyll conscience Otherwhyles it is a mere naturall affection accordynge to the varietie of bodyes which in some is more moderat and in other more vehement Thus feared Ezechias deathe a man whiche with perfit harte walked before god but he fered not grutchynge and murmurynge against god but with teares prayenge it from hym and his prayer was harde I knew certayn women which at the onely mention of deathe wolde begyn to tremble yet the self same women whan their death approched were most stronge and most cōstant For that fere and quyuering came not of an yll consciēce but of a peculiar weakenes of the womankynde or of nature The affectiōs of nature if they be ouercome by vertu doo encrease the victorye they do not signify a mystrust So a man shall se some wyttes standynge in their owne conceyt which do easyly satisfie them selfes in any maner of thinge There be agayn wyttes of base courage in nothing contentinge them selfes although they do a thinge well to whome if thou reherse all maner comfortes yet they fele a remorse a gnawynge in their mynde drawyng them to mystruste hereby they coniecture that they be not yet allowed of god bicause they neuer fele a quietnes of conscience But yf we wyll distinct nature from vertu neyther they do greately truste vnto their quietnes which please thē selfes in any maner thing neyther they cast away vtterly their hope whiche haue a mynde euer suspectynge the worst This is a vyce of a peculiar nature not of the will whiche vice a man muste not regard if he can not conquere it and take that for a thinge most ratified sure which the spirite inwardly speaketh thoughe the fleshe be neuer so moch against it I suppose that this is also natural that men whātheir last day draweth nere be so in maner transmuted that they allowe none of all those thinges whiche they dyd in their lyfe not bycause they be naughte vngodly but bycause they be humayne and going from the perfection How be it agaynst these affections of nature we must fight with the strēgth of the spirite all be it by theym we aught to iuge neyther other men nor yet our selfes But let vs returne to our former purpose which was to shew by what meanes weake soules as the most parte be maye be comforted whom death maketh all dismayd and fearefull in whose lyfe was moche forgetfulnes moche neglygence moche ceassing and brefely many mo euyl dedes than good dedes and if there be any good dedes they be spotted with moche rustynesse so that to vtter them into the syght of god were nothinge elles but to angre god Eyther the mynde is not redy at all vnto deathe or els it is but lyghtly instructed In the very artycle of deathe whatte shall we doo to this man No manne is to be despayred so longe as the breth is in hym The last battayle is atte hande The space is shorte he nedethe spedye counsell What I saye shall we counselle this manne whyche is thus troubled not withoute greate cause Fyrste yf he haue heyres that shall succede hym it were best to commyt all the care touching the testament to them First this is a lytell compendiousnes If not let hym as brefely as he can dispatche this mater by a nuncupatory testamēt or yf there be any better way This done let hym auoyde out of his syght all bablers of worldely goodes in whyche thinge manye men offende aboue measure which bringe forth doubtes vnto the sycke man that lyeth a dyenge of the testament and of externe thinges Somtyme also they compell hym to subscribe his name and that refusynge and vnwillyngly detestinge their importunitie by whom he can not be suffred to dye Than whiche frendes nothinge is more vnfrendly Than yf the maner of the sycknes suffreth let hym study to heale his sowle before the body by short confession but pure and voyde of disceyte and let hym take of the priest with a full fayth and with hygh reuerence the remedy of penance let hym crie for the mercy of god euen frō the bottom of his hart and take a purpose of amendment of lyfe if it chanceth hym to recouer Thā if haply the prest be not at hand or cā not be gottē let him not forthwith as som superstitious people be wont to do despayr in him self tremble but let him with his hart confesse him self to god of his synnes vnryghtfulnes whych of his mercy wyll take the good wyll of the man in stede of the very dede and that whyche lackethe to the external
otherwyse Lykwyse as also in other thiÌ„gis we be more moued with those thinges that we se than that we here Wherfore it hath no small profyt to be often present at mens deathes to th enteÌ„t that we maye despyse that in them we se detestable and folow that is good and holy For in that article of death euery mans faith appereth what it is and euery mans conscience But here shall no example be founde more perfyte than that whyche the lorde expressed vnto vs in him self For whan that last night approched against the storme of temtation which was at hande he armed his disciples with the fode of his moste holye bodye and Mode monyshinge vs that so oft as we fall into casualtie or disease whiche thretneth death forthwith shulde purge our affectioÌ„s with confession lyke as oure lorde wasshed the fete of his disciples and that done that we take reuerentely the body of our lorde which meat may make our myndes stronge and vnvanquysshable againste our spirituall ennemy Our lorde made no testament but in stede of his testameÌ„t was that hole fyery sermon which John specifyeth and teleth very diligentely and the ordinaunce of the sacrament of the aulter made in memory of his death Of a testament these wordes also do sounde whiche were spoken on the crosse woman behold thy sonne And to the disciple Beholde thy mother Wherfore of externall thinges we ought to speake lytel and moche of the thingis that make to faith and charitie For the wordes of theym that we are woÌ„t to be snatched vp somdele gredyly and to be printed more depely in the myndes of the hearers partly that no man is thought to fayne in that ieopardy partly that the mynd whaÌ„ it beginneth to be plucked from the body wherwith it is combred oftentymes vttereth a glymmerynge and a profe of that lybertie and knowlege whervnto it goth But let vs retourne to the example of our redemer After his mauÌ„dy he departed from the house into the yarde and his other disciples there commanded to sit downe he toke with him onely thre Peter John and James of Zebedei to thentente that he might haue the same to be witnesses of his humayne infirmitie whiche to fore in the mount he wolde haue to be witnesses of his glory To these he confessed thextreme heuynes of his mynd which oftentymes is more greuous than the self deth which beinge commanded to watche praye agayne he departed to praye In the corporall departinge of our lorde there is a greate mystery Who prepareth him to deth must departe frome all vrbane and domesticall affections caste awaye the care of the publyke weale vtterly do away the thought of possessions commende his wyfe and childern to the lorde conuey away him self from the trust of his frendes kynsmen not his most inwarde freÌ„des receyue into the care of his mynde he muste be alone frome couerte of house which than will speake with the heuenly father whaÌ„ extreme necessite approcheth Thre tymes he monyshed his disciples whan they slept to wake pray that they entre not into temptation He entreth into tentation whiche gyueth him selfe into the power of the temptour But they that wake and pray though they be stryken with tentation yet it passeth away by by That which our lorde spake to the thre disciples he spake to vs all They slept and therfore they fell into tentation Peter the most stroÌ„gest of all denyed his maister the other for scare fled away and wold haue denyed him moch more if they had ben in lyke case So in lyke maner in peryll of death mans infirmitie is ouercome onles instantely oneles with a pure affection onles with an vnuanquyshed trust he cryeth for the help of him which onely reuyueth the deed Now how a man shulde praye beinge in this state our redemer vouche safed by his exaumple to shewe vnto vs. He bowed his knees this was not ynoughe he fell downe flat on his face From the grounde he cryed to his father so mightely that his voyce was herde of the thre disciples whiche were a stones caste of besyde that they were heuye with slepe Two tymes he returned to prayer iii. tymes he repeted the self same wordis Not as I will but as thou He boweth his knees which submitteth him holly to goddis will be falleth flat down on his face which holly discontenteth him selfe holly distrusteth his owne strength and good dedes nor froÌ„ any other where hopeth solace than frome the mercye of oure lorde Nor we maye not despayre forthwith though comfort be differred agayne and agayne we must returne to cryenge not of the mouthe but of the hart For if the thynge that our lorde dyd outwardly we folowe spiritually the good aungell wyll come and wype of the bloudy sweatte from our minde and shal either deliuer vs from peryll or giue strength to our spirite that we boldly may suffre deth Last of all we must with our lorde all naked ascende vpon the crosse farre from all erthly affections lift vp to the loue of the heuenly lyfe that with saynt Paule we may say The world is crucified vnto me I to the worlde And there nayled with thre nayles feythe hope and charitie we must constantly perseuer fyghtyng valiantly with our ennemy the dyuelle vntylle at laste after we haue vanquyshed him we may passe into eternall reste through the ayde and grace of oure lorde Iesus Christe to whom with the father and holy gooste be prayse and glorie without ende Amen ¶ FINIS LONDINI IN AEDIBVS THOMAB BERTHELETI REGII IMPRESSORIS EXCVS ANNO. M. D. XXXVIII CVM PRIVILEGIO Aristotle Apoc. 14. Phil. 1. Rom. 14. 〈◊〉 22. Eccle. 41. Horace 2. Cor. 4. 〈◊〉 25. 2. Corl. 4 Plato SapÌ„ 9. Psal. 141. Rome 7. In aeternia dnÌ„e pmanet c. Coelum terra traÌ„sibunt c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioan. 19. Luc. 9. Ioan. 5. Cap. 53. 2. Cor. 5. Psal. 59. 1. Pet. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. Ioan. 14. Omnia possum in co qui me confortat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesiast â—â—â—â—â—yn 〈◊〉 27. 〈◊〉 21. Psal. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iiii kyndes of deathe The deth transformatorye 2. Corl. 4 Col. 3. Eccle. 7. Mors pee catoruÌ„ pes sima A subitanea im 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esai 38. Cap. 7. Cap. 〈◊〉 Cap. 〈◊〉 Matt. 24. Iob. 4. 25. 1. Cor. 4 2. Cor. 2. Iob. 28. Cap. 29. Psal. 〈◊〉 Psal. 142. In ueritate tua exaudi me Psal. 〈◊〉 Vt 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Psal. 2. 〈◊〉 Andrew Esai 42. Eccl. 5. Mat. 11. Audiam quid in me loquatur dominus Et super sanctos suos Sanctos suos Et in eos qui conuertuntur ad cor Luc. 7. 2. Reg. 2. Si Deus pro nobis quis contra nos A disputaty on betwyxte the Dyuell and the sycke man Luc. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Gala. 〈◊〉