common in vs for our life is but a continuall death euen so long as we liue so long doo we die as we doo growe so dooth our life diminish We let not one step so soon into life but as soon we set an other into death Who so hath liued a third parte of his yéeres hath also passed a third part of his death and who the tone halfe is alredy halfe dead So much of our life as is passed is dead that whiche is present dooth liue and dye togither and that whiche is to come shall likewise dye That that is past is no more that that is to come is not yet and that that is present bothe is and is not To be bréefe all this life is but death It is as a candle lighted in our bodies In some y winde wasteth it in other some it putteth it out before it be half spent and in other some it suffereth it to continue to the end but be it as it wil according as it lighteth so dooth it burn his light is a burning his flame a vanishing smoke and his last fire is the vttermoste end of his cotton and the last drop of his moisture Euen so is the life of man. The life and death of man is all but one thing If we call the last breth death the like name must we giue to all the rest afore pasied for they all doo procéed out of one place and are all of a like fashion One only difference is there betwéen this liâ—…e and that whiche we call death which is that during the one we haue alwaies to die after th' other there remaineth nothing bâ—…t euerlasting life To be breef what soeuer he be whiche thinketh death to be simply the end of maÌ„ yet onght he not to fear the same for who so is desirous of loÌ„g life dooth also aske a continuing death who so feareth present death feareth to speak vprightly to haue no longer respite to die But vn to vs y are brought vp in an other maner of schoole death also seemeth an other thing We néed not as the heatheÌ„ haue any comforte against death but death should vnto vs bâ—… a coâ—…ort against all kinde of affliction We must not onâ—… ly with theÌ„ striue not to fear it but rather inure our selues to hope after it It is not to vs an issue vnto sorowe and euil but a path to all goodnes To vs it is no end of life but an end of death and a beginning of euerlasting life Better saith SalomoÌ„ is the day of death theÌ„ the â—…oure of birth why because it is not to vs a last day but y birth of an euerla sting day We shall during this bright nes no longer bewail the time past but shall stil liue in hope for the time to come For all shall to vs be time present and this time present shall neuer abandon vs We shall no longer consume in vain and sorowful pleasures but shall be replenished with a true and firme ioy We shall no longer labour to beap vp the exhalations of the earth for hea uen shal be ours This masse of Earth which accustomably drew vs towarde the earth shal be in the earth We shall no longer striue to mount from step to step and from honor to honor for we shal be exalted into Heauen abooue all worldly honors from abooue shall we laugh them to scorne that doo wunder at vs whiche doo striue for the válue of a point and like Children fight togither for lesse value then an Aple More combates shall we not sustaine within our selues for our flesh shal be dead but our spirite in ful life our passion buried and our reasoÌ„ set at libertie Our soule beeing deliuered out of this filthy and stinking prison wherin it hath so long lurked and crouched shal take aire and acknowledging his ancient dwelling place shall call again to minde his former brightnes and dignitie This flesh my fréend which thou féelest and this body whiche thou touchest is not the soule for the soule is borne in heauen and Heauen is his Countrie and aire In that he is inclosed in the body it is as it were by exile and banishment The soule properly is the life and spirite The soule is rather a heauenly and celestiall qualitie exempt from all grose and materiall substance and this body such as it is is no other then a bark or shel ouer the spirit and therfore must of necessitie flée a sunder when we come to our departure if we wil perfectly liue or cléerly beholdâ—… the day We haue as we thinck some life and some féeling but we are altogither impotent we can not stretch out our winges neither can we take our flight into Heauen vntil this earthly masse of flesh be takeÌ„ from of vs We doo sée but through deceitful spectacles We haue eyes but couered with a filme We think to looke but it is in a dreame wherby we sée nothing but lyes What soeuâ—…r wee haue or knowe is but abuse and vanitie death onely can restore to vs bothe life and sight and yet are we so beastly as to think that she taketh them from vs. We are say we Christians we doo beléeue after this life life euerlasting We acknowledge that death is but a separation of the bodye and the soule that the soule shall returne to his blessed rest for to reioyce in God who only is all goodnesse and that in the last day shee shall againe put on her body which then shall be no more subiect to corruption We doo fil all our Bookes with this goodly discourse and yet comming to the point the onely name of death as the moste horrible thing in the worlde maketh vs to quake and tremble If we beléeue that y we haue said what doo we then feare to be happie to be at quiet to liue in greater contentatioÌ„ in one moment then euer we could doo in all our mortall life how long so euer it hath beene Either we must confesse wil we nil we that we beléeue but to halues that we haue nothing in vs but woords and that all our discourses euen as of these valiant table Knights are but vaunts and vanities and therfore see what we say We knowe that departing out of this life we shall passe to a better and therof we doute not at all but we fear the great passage that is betwéen them both which we must ouercome O â—…aint hárted meÌ„ They wil slay them selues for the getting of their miserable life They wil suffer a thousand gréefs and wounds at the request of other men they wil passe a thousaÌ„d daÌ„gers of death without stumbling for the getting of transitorie goods whithe peraduenture wil cause them to perish with theÌ„ and yet hauing but one step or passage to go ouer for y obtaining of their ease not for a day but for euer not any kinde of ease but suche an ease as man is not able to coÌ„prehend doo
yet quake therat their hart faileth them at their néeds they be afraid and yet is the chéef cause of this their fear no other then the fear it self Let them not alledge that they doo learne to indure the sorowe for that were but bace and a simple couer for their scleÌ„der faâ—…th They had rather lan guish perpetually in y pain of y â— â—…oute the Sciatica y stone or such like theÌ„ at once to die of a swéet death which comprehendeth the least sorow in the world they had rather to die â—…eÌ„ber after meÌ„ber so as ye would say to ouer lius their sences moouings actioÌ„s theÌ„ alto gither to die to the end to liue eternally Let theÌ„ not aledge neither that they wold in this worlde learne to liue for euery man of him self is sufficiently taught that alredy no man is ignorant in that occupation But we must learne in this world to dye and for the obtaining of one good death we must in our selues dye dayly preparing vs as if the end of euery day were also the end of our life wheras contrariwise nothing dooth more offend our eares then to heare of death Oh sencelesse men we doo habandon our liues to th' ordinary hazards of war for twentie shillings matter In hope of some smal botie we be the first at the assaulte running into places froÌ„ wheÌ„ce there is no hope of return and that ma ny times with the danger bothe of our bodyes and soules And yet for the exempting of vs out of all dangers for the conquest of incoÌ„parable treasures and for the entrie into euerlasting life we doo refrain from setting forward of one step wherin is no dificultie or danger at all but only fear to witholde vs Yea we doo so stick there that were it not that whether we will or no we must passe the said step God euen against our willes wil doo vs good hardely throughout all the whole worlde we should finde any one how miserable or wretched soeuer he were that willingly would passe that way Others wil say had I liued fiue or six score yéeres I could euen be coÌ„tent I care for no longer life but me thinks to die so young it were against reason I would knowe the world before I go out of it Ah poor ignorant man y thou art in this world there is noÌ„e either young or olde Olde age compared with that is past with that that is to come is but one only period Hauing liued to the age that now thou disiredst all thy time passed will be as nothing thou wilâ—… stil gape after time to come Of the time past thou shalt haue only a gréef thou shalt wait for time to come of time present thou shalt reap no contentation Thou wilt be as ready to demaunde respite as be fore Thou fliest from thy creditor moneth after moneth tearm after tearm as ready to pay him at the last as at the first and yet seeing you must néeds pay him as good at the first as at the last Thou hast tasted all the pleasures which the world accounteth of none of them are dainty to thée drink thou neuer so often thou art neuer the fuller for this body which thou cariest is as the bottomlesse pail of the Danaides which can neuer be filled It wil be sooner worne out theÌ„ thou wery of vsing or to speak more truly of abusing the same Thou requirest long life but only to lose it to waste it out in triâ—…ing pleasures and to spend it in vain matters Thou art Couetous in desiring and prodigall in spending Tel not me that thou complainest of the Court or of the Pallaice either that thou wouldest yet doo some more seruice to thy common welth or Contrie or euen to God him self For he that hath set thée on woork knoweth the time and houre that thou shalt continue he can guide thy woork manship if he should leaue thée there any loÌ„ger it may be thou wouldest mar all If he be content liberally to paye thée for thy woork and to giue thée as much wages for thy half dayes woork as if thou haddest wrought al day long for labouring til noone as if thou haddest borne the heate of the whole day hast not thou so muche the more cause to thank and praise him But entring into thine owne conscience Thou be wailest not the cause of the Widowe or of the Orphane whome y hast left at the point of iudgement neither the end of the sonne the father or the fréend whiche thou protestest to restore The imbassage of the com mon welth whiche thou wert ready to take vppon thée either els the seruice that thou desirest to doo to GOD who knoweth much better what seruice to reap of thée then thou doost thy self Thou be waylest thy houses and thy Gardens Thou monest thy purposes and vnperfect deuises Thou lamentest thy life in thine eye vnperfect which neither dayes yéeres ne worlds were able â—…o finish and yet thy self in the least moment mayst ende if thou wilt but once earnestly thinck that it skilleth not how they be ended so they be wel ended And well to finish this life is no other thing then willinglye to end it following of our owne accorâ—…es the will and Conduct of God and not to permit our selues tobe haled after the necessitie of our destinie For to end it willingly is to hope for and not to feare death To hope for it is assuredly to waite for a better life after this and to wait for a better life is to feare God whom whoso â—…areth néed not certainly to feare any thing in this world but to hope foâ—… all things in the other Death can not be other then gentle and acceptable to all that in those points are throughly resolued because they kâ—…owe assuredly that therby they shall enter in to an habitation of all goodnes The sorowe that might be therin shall bée mixed with gentlenes The patient abiding shall be drunck with hope The sting of death it self shall be killed for all this sting is nothing but feare thus much 〈◊〉 wil say more that not only all the euil which we take to be in death shall be as nothing vnto them but also they shall laugh at the mishappes that others doo fear in this life and shall euen mock all their doubtes For I pray you what can he â—…eare which hopeth to die Doo his enemies thinck to driue him out of his cuntry he knoweth y he hath a countrie in another place from the which they cannot driue him and that all these Countryes are but so manye ny Innes from whence they must deparâ—… part whensoeuer it pleaseth their hosf shall he bée cast into prisonâ—… a straiter prison or more filthy darke sul of racks and forments can they not commit him into theÌ„ his owne body Wil they put him to death and so take him out of this world That is it that so long he hath hoped for
again as if he minded to slay their owne persons We stand in more fear of the Medicine then of the disease of the Barbor then of the pain and of the pricking then of the Impostume We stand in more awe of the bitter nesse of the medicine which is soon ouer passed then of a long and languishing pain and doo more tremble at the end of our miseryes then at the infinit num ber of those whiche in this life we doo sustain But wherof I pray you procéedeth this folly and simplicitie sauing onely that we knowe not what it is either of life or death For we doo feare the thing that we should hope for and doo desire the thing whereof we should be afeard We tearme that thing life that is a coÌ„tinuall death and that death which is the issue out of a lyuing death and an entrie into euerlasting life What goodnesse is there I pray you in this life why we should so earnestly séeke the same or what euil is there in death that we should so diligently eschue the apprehention therof nay what euil is there not in this life or what goodnes dooth not death comprehend Let vs therefore examine all the pointes of this life Our entrye is in teares our procéeâ—…ing in sweate and labour and our ending in bitter sorowe High and lowe rich and poore none in the vniuersall worlde can saye him sâ—…lf exempt from this condition Man is wurse then 〈◊〉 in these points At his birth he is not able to mâ—…ue him selfe in his first yéeres he hath no pleasure and bringeth nothing with him but sorowe and trauaile and before the yeeres of discretion incurreth infinite dangers and yet then in one respect is more happy then afterwarde which is that he 〈◊〉 neither â—…are nor consider the same neither is there any so â—…aintharted but that if he might still continue a Childe he would neuer mistike of such a life so that it is manifest that it is not a commoditie simply to liue but to liue blessedly happyly Let vs procéed Groweth he his labors doo growe with him scarce is he escaped the hands of his Nurces or knoweth what play is but by and by he is committed to the hands of some scholemaster I speake of those that be best and moste curiously brought vp then if he play he is stil in feare if he study it is against his will. All this age because he is in the custodye of an other is to him a prison he mindeth or aspyreth to nothing but how to be set frée from the subiectioÌ„ of other men and so become maister guider of him selfâ—… yea to his power he beueth forward his age eueÌ„ with his shoulders wherby the sooner to attain to his wished libertie To be bréef he seeketh only th' end of his noneage and entry into his youth But I pray you what other is this entry into youth sauing the death of his infaÌ„cy and afterwarde his comming to mans age the death of his youth and the beginning of to morrowe then the death of this day so that in this wise he desireth death accounting life miserable and therfore cannot be estéemed happy or contented Wel hauing his libertie he hath gotten his desire he hath attained to the age wherein Hercules by Godê permissioÌ„ had his choice of the paâ—… to vertue or vice by the coÌ„duct either of reason or of passion he must enter into one of these contrary waies His passioÌ„ presenteth to him a thousand pleasures it layeth for him a thousand 〈◊〉 setteth before him a thousaÌ„d delightê wher by to intrap him yea he is almost decei ued But I pray you what kinde of plea sures dooth he receiue therof forsooth vicious pleasures which kéep him in continuall pain vnquietnes pleasures sub 〈◊〉 to repeÌ„tance which like vnto gnawingê doo boil a great while after pleasures boughtwith pain danger practised anâ—… passed in a moment and followed with a long and tedious remorse of conscieÌ„ce Such if a man wil examin them is in few woords the nature of woorldly pleasures There is none so swéet but that the bitternes of the same dooth surmouÌ„t it none of so pleasant taste but that it leaueth a more sower smack and greeuous disdain behinde it Yea and which wurse is noneâ—… so moderate but that it hath his corosiue and punishment in it self I néed not héer rehearse such displeasures as no man can denye as strife debate wounds murder flight diseases and other hasards which sometime his owne incontinencie and somtimes the insolencie of this vnruly age bringeth him into So that the pleasures ther of béeing but displeasures or his sorowe drunck as a mixtion with wormewood water it plainly appéereth what gréef bitternes he féeleth or tasteth of This to be bréef is the life of a young man who béeing gotten out of the lawfull wardeshippe of either his Parents or maisters yéeldeth and abandoneth him self vnto all licence or rather indéede bondage of his passion whiche neither more nor lesse but as an vncleane spirit that possesseth him dooth still vex 〈◊〉 him somtime into the fire other whiles into the water an other time lifteth him vnto the top of a Rock and afterwarde throweth him into the bottome of a valley Againe if he accepteth reason for his guide then falleth he into manifolde dangers Then must he be redy to fight at the end of euery féelde and at euerye tract or steppe stand redy at defence as one hauing his enemye round 〈◊〉 him and still vexing of him But what enemie Euen his owne de sires and what so euer he lyketh of far or néere To be bréef the greatest enemye in the worlde the very worlde it self yea whiche is worse a thousand false and dangerouse intelligeÌ„ces with in his owne person besides other despe rate passions procéeding of his owne flesh which in that age is in ful force and power watching the time hower and opportunitie to intrap him and to cast him hedlong into all kinde of vice God only and no other enforceth him to take this way who guideth his steps euen to the end graunting him victorie in all his combates and yet we 〈◊〉 how â—…ew doo enter into that path and of those how many afterward doo retire again Well let him followe either the one way or the other he must fully resolue him self either to yeelde to a tyrannous passion or els to vndertake a perpetuall and greeuous warfare yea either to cast him selfe downe heâ—…long or els to binde and in manner commit his person to the stocks and torments either delicately to swim downe the streame or els forcibly with labour and trauail to striue against the same Thus in few woords on the one side you sée how the youngman who in his youth hath quaffed of by full cuppes the false and vain pleasures of this world resembling drunckards the next day after their feasts royotous banquets is either quite astonished either so far
often dooth come to passe that the longest liuer hath lyued but a while and he that hath lyued but a while hath liued very long Nature hath brought vs into the world capable of learning and hath giuen vs vnperfect reason which may be made perfect ¶ Epistle 57. OUr bodies doo swim down the streme like riuers what euer y 〈◊〉 fléeth away with the time No parte of y we sée hath any continuaÌ„ce my self eueÌ„ in telling thée that all things chageth altreth This saith Heraclites we all go down togither but go not al into one riuer for the name of y riuer may wel continue but the water is run away The like similitude is in maÌ„ though more easie to to be perceued in a riuer for with as swift a streme or course be we caried away wherfore I doo meruail at our folly who are so far in looue with the thinge that fleeth so fast I speake of the body whose death we do so much fear although eche momeÌ„t ofour life is the death of other Fearest thou lest y should come to passe which daily is accoÌ„plished or shouldest thou stand in dout of once dying séeing dayly by little and little death 〈◊〉 thy dayes c. ¶ Epistle 62. I Doo labour that eche day may be to me as all my life and yet doo I not take holde of it as of my last but surely as if if might be my last This letter doo I write vnto thée as if during that writing therof death would call me away I am redy to departe yet doo delight in this life because that making great account of that to come I haue before my age indeuoured to liue wel and in my age to die wel and to die wel is no other then to die willingly Take such order that what so euer thou must 〈◊〉 doo y doo it not by constraint for constraint and necessitie belongeth to such as doo resist and not to them that doo things of their owne accorde for he is not necessarily constrained that dooth things willigly wherfore I say he that willingly obeyeth lawes and commaâ—… dements hath alredy escaped the sharpest parte of bondage which is to doo the thing be would not It is no misery to doo the thing commaunded but to doo it whether a man wil or no. Let vs therfore so frame our courage that we be willing to what soeuer the case requireth and abooue all without heuynesse to think on our end for we must first prepare for death and theÌ„ 〈◊〉 life Life is sufficieÌ„tly furnished of itself and yet are we euer gréeâ—… of prouision for the same Stil we thinkt 〈◊〉 we want somewhat It is neither yeeres nor dayes that causeth vs to haue liued long inâ—…ugh but our harts and minde I fréend Lucilius haue liued long inough satisfied with this life doo wait for death ¶ Epistle 71. THe day wil come that we must ariue at this swéet Hauen should neuer shun the same If any man landeth there in his youth yet ought he not to complain otherwise then as one who hath soone ended his Nauigation for as y knowest the windes doo tosse and stay some vpon the Seas and somtime with the slownes of a calme werieth them others it bringeth home quickly filling their sailes ful and rudely Think theÌ„ that it is so with vs Life bringeth some in haste to the places wherto they might aswel haue come by leasure Others it stayeth long time scorching them by the way yet must we not still drawe back For to liue is not absolutely good but to liue well wherfore the wise man lyueth so long as he should but not as he could None of vs considreth that one day we must departe from this house We doo as the olde tenauntes who through customâ—… and continuance doo stil keep thir possession though not without infinit wroÌ„gê and iniuryes But wilt thou whether thy body wil or no be free Inhabit it as â—…f thou were ready to chaunge lodging propound to it that shortly thou must passe out of this â—…abernacle so shalt thou be the more couragious against thy necessary depâ—…ture But â—…ow can he think vpon his â—…nd who is continually couetous desiâ—…us of worldly wealth Ordinary vsuall meditation is moste necessarie in all things Epistle 78. NO man is â—…o ignorant but he know eth that one day he must dye and yet draming néer the point he turneth back quaketh aâ—…d lamenteth I pray you if any should weep because he hath not liued a thousand yéeres would you not think him the foolishest man aliue euen as foolish is he that lameÌ„teth that he shall not liue a thousaÌ„d yeeres hence These are like cases Thou shalt not be nor thou hast not béen These two times doo belong to others Wel thou art brought to the extremitie admitte thou doost lengthen it how long thinkest thou to lengthen it why wéepest thou why wishest thou thou loosest thy laboure Think not through thy importunacie to alter Gods determinatioÌ„ Hâ—… is firme stedfast guided by wuÌ„derful andâ—… euerlasting necessitie Thou shalt follow all other things What is it that is newes to thée Thou art borne héervnto The like hath happened to thy father to thy mother thy predcessors and vnto all that haue gone before thée and the like shall chauÌ„ce to all that are to come after thée It is an inuincible chain and vnchaungeable order whiche bindeth and draweth all things There is no way but hath his issue Oh wretch that thou art to make thy self slaue to men to goodê and to thy life For wher there is no vertue or courage to dye life is but bondage What hast thou I pray thée why thou shouldest stay Thou haâ—… wasted all the delights that might â—…acken and withholde thée There is none which is newes to thée no there is none but that thou shouldest lothe so greatly hast thou béene cloyed with them and yet those be they from whome thou art so lothe to departe For what diddesâ—… â—…hou euer worthy life confesse the trueth It is neither because of the desire of Pallaice or of the Courte neither for greefe to forsake the nature of thinges that thou art so slowe to dye Thou art lothe to go froÌ„ the market wherin thou hast left nothing Life is as a maske we care not how long it lasteth so it be wel handled End it where thou wilt it is all one end where thou wilt so y thou concludest with a good sentence ¶ Epistle 94. THus doo we dayly reprooue deâ—…eny Why dooth not death take away such a one wherfore dooth it cut of this maÌ„ in the mid way why dooth such a one liue so sorowful an age both for him self others I pray thée whether is more méet that thou obey nature or nature obey thee What carest thou wheÌ„ thou must depart séeing there is no remedy Thou shouldest not take thought to liue long but how thou liuest long To liue long
the law or remaining about the Prince may peacibly inioy these goodes without following these outragious motions and obtaine some honor with quietnes and coÌ„tentation of his minde Surely in the first ages when as their remained among men yet some sinceritie there might be such but now that they be framed as in these daies we sée theÌ„ I caÌ„ perceiue no meanes how it should be In these dayes dele you in any worldly affaires either you must doo wel or euil If euil God is your enemie you haue your conscience a tormentor continually vex ing of you If wel then are men your aduersaryes yea and that the mightyest among them whose enuie and euill wil dooth watch you and whose cruelty and tiranny dooth perpetually threten you Please the people and you please a beast in pleasing of whome you shall displease your self Please your self and you shall displease god Please god and you shall incur a thousand worldly dangers sustain a thousand disple asures which is the cause that hearing the spée ches of the honester sort of those which be best contented in their degrées be it that their spéeches be premeditated or that through force of the trueth they doo escape them you shall vnderstand this One wisheth he had chauÌ„ged his gown with his farmer another affirmeth it to be a goodly matter to haue no such voca tion another complaineth that his hed is troubled with pallaice or courtlike mat ters froÌ„ which he hopeth with all spéed to withdraw him self To be bréefe you shall finde them all w ery of their voca tion nothing inuying the calling of others notwithstanding that if you would séem to take theÌ„ at their woords the most parte could be conteÌ„t to recant All men are wery of those affaires wherunto his age is subiect yet wisheth to be higher wherby he might exempt him self notwithstanding that otherwise he would somuch as in him lay auoid all age to his power flée froÌ„ the same What were we best therfore to doo in this great con trariety confusioÌ„ of mindes should we the better to obtain perfect quietnes eschue the company of men and hide our selues in the woods among wilde beastê to auoide these hainous passions should we depart from the flocks of reasonable creatures or to escape these worldly euils should we sequester our selues out of the worlde indéed if in so dooing we could liâ—…e quietly it were something But alas eche one that would cannot so doo yea and such as doo so doo not therin finde the rest which they séek for Some would gladly doo it but shame of the world restraineth theÌ„ Fooles they are to be ashamed of him whome in hart they doo condemne and more fooles to take counsaile of the greatest enemie whiche they can or may haue To others it is alleadged that they must serue the common welth and yet they sée not that those which giue them such Counsail doo serue none but them selues and that the moste parte séeke not greatly the coÌ„mon welth vnlesse they finde some priuate commoditie whervpon to take holde Unto some it is said that by their good example they may amend the rest and yet doo they not consider that a hundred helthful men shall rather take the plague in an infected Citie yea euen the Phisicians them selues rather then any one shall obtain helth that the entrie into such a Citie is properly to tempt God that against an infected aire there can be no better preseruatiue theÌ„ to flée from the same To be bréef that so like as the swéet waters falling into the sea doo abridge the bitternesse of the same euen so little may one or two Lots doo touching the reformation of a whole Sodomiticall court And as for the wiser sorte who no lesse carefull for the soule then the body doo séeke for the same a sound and helthful aire far froÌ„ the infectioÌ„ of euil waners and who being led by the haÌ„d of some of Gods Angels doo in good time after the example of Lot withdraw them selues into soÌ„e little village of Segor far from all worldly corruption into some champion contrie not néer to any pestiferous town there at their leasure to entend to some science and earnest contemplations To them béeing in no daÌ„gerous place doo I wel agrée but in that them selues doo carry infection with them they cannot wel be exempt They flee the courte the court stil followeth them euery way They seèke to escape the the world and the world pursueth them euen to death hardly throughout the whole world shall they finde any corner wherin the worlde wil not finde theÌ„ so earnestly dooth it seek their destruction Again if through the singuler grace of God they séeme for a while exempt out of these dangers then are they continually vexed with pouertie then is there some domisticall contention whiche disquieth them or some kinde of familiar spirite which tempteth them To be short the worlde by some meanes causeth them to feele him But the wurst is that when we be past all these outwarde warres and trauailes theÌ„ doo we féel in our selues so much the more vehemently an inward war and debate of the flesh against the spirite passion against reason Earth against Heauen and the worlde fighting in vs for the worlde whiche findeth it self continually lodged in the bottome of our owne harts on what side soeuer we séeke to flée from it I wil say also thus much more that there be some who making profession of eschuing worldly vanities doo in the same séeke the commendation of the worlde Some doo â—…eeme to flée from it and yet according to the Prouerbe doo go backwarde to méete it Yea there are some whiche doo refuse honors because they would be desired to take the same and others that doo hide them selues onely to cause men to séek to them Thus dooth the worlde many times iâ—… disguised attire dwell in those whiche seeme to flée from the world This then is an abuse for if we folow the company of men among theÌ„ is his court If we séek the wildernes there hath he his caues dennes for in the desert it self did he tempt our lord Iesus Christ. If we retire into our selues ther doo we finde him as filthy as any where els We cannot in our selues slay the world without our owne deaths We are in the world the world in vs to seperate vs therfore from the world we must seperate our selues this seperatioÌ„ is called death We are I wéen come forth of the pestiferoê° citie but we coÌ„sider not that we haue gathered the aire into our wicked coÌ„plexions that we cary away the plague with vs that our selues are parcell of the same whervpon through rocks desertê and mountains it wil stil followe and accompany vs hauing fled the infection of others we haue the infection in our selues We haue gone from among men but we haue not put man from among vs this teÌ„pestious sea tormeÌ„ted
vs we were sick at our harts were desirous to vomit and therfore to discharge our stomacks we haue gone from Ship to Ship from a greate one to a little one We promise our selues quietnes but in vain for stil the same winde bloweth the same waues rise the same humors doo mooue Unto all meÌ„ is there no other hauen or porte of rest saue only death We lay sick in a Chamber on the stréet side or opening into the market place we remoued into a backer chamber where was no such noise but notwithstaÌ„ding the noise was lesse yet was the Ague no whit diminished neither therby lost any parte of his wunted heat Let â—…s chaunge bed chamber house yea and Contrie so often as we list yet shall we stil finde the same vnquietnes because our selues are there and that we séeke not so much to become other men as to remooue into other places We seeke solitarines to th' end to anoy solitarines we doo say we flée and withdraw our selues from among the wicked but we take with vs our couetousnes our ambition our royelous liuing all other our wicked affection which procure to vs innumerable remorses of conscieÌ„ce and a thousand times a day doo put vs in minde of the rootes and onions of Egipt They doo still go ouer the ferry with vs and therfore on eche side of the water are we at a perpetuall combate But if we could discharge this train whiche eateth vs and gnaweth our spirits vndoutedly we should haue rest not in solitarines only but euen in the middest of the preace of men Bréefly the life of man vpon Earth is a perpetuall warfare Béeing deliuered from outward enterprices we are to take héed of inward conspiracyes The Grecians are gone aside we haue a Sinon in vs whiche wil yéeld the place to them We must continually wake and haue alwaies an eye to the watch holding our weapons in our hands vnlesse we be minded at all times to be supprised and yéelded at the pleasure of our enemyes And I pray you whiche way may we in the end escape their daÌ„ger not through the woods the riuers or the mountaines not by preasing among company neither by running into an hole There is but one onely way and that is death which finally deuiding our spirit from our flesh the clene and pure part of oâ—…r soule from the vnclene which in vs is still bent against vs for the behoofe of the worlde appeaseth through this sepe ration that which béeing conioyned in one self person cannot without the vtter choking vp of the spirit remain with out a perpetuall quarrel and debate As for the contentation which might be in the solitarie exercises of the wise as the reading of holy scriptures prophane books of all sciences discipline I doo wel graunt that this is a far other matter theÌ„ these wilde huntings which maketh wilde moste parte of men vexed with these or such like diseases of their mides yet must all néedê passe vnder the arrest of the wisest of all wise Salomon who allegeth that all this comforted with the nature of man is no other theÌ„ vanitie and trauail of minde Some doo all their liues learn to speak of amendment and yet doo neuer think of amending their liues Others doo Logically dispute of reason of art and yet many times doo lose their natural reson them selues Othersdo learn by Arithmetick to deuide euen the least fractions yet cannot part one shilling with their néedy brother Others by Geometrie can measure the féeldê y townes the contry and yet vnskilful in mesuring them selues The Pusition can agrée the voice soundê and tunes togither and yet hath nothing in his hart whiche disagréeth not or any passion in his minde that is in his right tune The Astronomer can look vp and yet fall in the pit at hand he can foretel the things to come yet loose that which is present he can often haue his eye in Heauen when his hart is buried ver y lowe in earth The Philosopher can dispute of the nature of all things yet knoweth not hiâ—… self The Phisitian can heale others yet be blinde in his owne disease and can féel the least alteratioÌ„ of his pulses but not consider the hot burning Agues of his soule The Historiographer know eth the warres of Thebes or Troy and yet is ignoraunt of things doon within him self The Lawyer who maketh lawes to all the world caÌ„not prescribâ—… any law to him self To be bréef the Dâ—…uine can very wel dispute of faith but wil hear no talke of Charitie he can speake of GOD but make no account of helping of men These scâ—…ces doo continually forment the mindâ—… but not content the same The more that man knoweth the more he dâ—…reth to knowe All this knowledge appeaseth not the disagréement that man féeleth in him self they heale not the diseases of the minde they make a man learned but not good and cunning but not wise and this I say more that the more a man knoweth the more he graunteth him self to be ignorant of the fuller that his miÌ„de is the emptier dooth he finde the same because that how muche so euer of any science a man can know in this world it is neuerthelesse the lest parte of that which he is ignoraunt of and therfore his whole skill consisteth iâ—… knowing his ignoraunce and all his perfection in marking his imperfections and he that moste knoweth and marketh is in trueth accounted moste skilful and perfect among men To be short we must with Salomon return to this point that the beginning and ending of wisdome is the fear of God which wisdome is neuerthelesse in the world cryed downe as méer folly and pursued as a capital enemie and as he which feareth God néed not to feare any euil because all his euils are conuerted into goodnes euen so he must not look for any goodnes in this world hauing the deuil his formall ene mie whome the scripture termeth the Prince of this world Well in what exercise so euer we passe away our time sée age hath ouertaken vs before we were aware who whether we hide vs among the prease of meÌ„ or that we doo flée in any solitary place wil neuerthelesse be sure to finde vs out All men doo make account therwithall to rest from all their labours to take no farther thought saue onely to kéep them selues quiet and in helth and yet beholde contrary wise this age is no other but a taste of all euils aforesaid and for the moste parte the cheefest flourishing time of all vice wherwith they haue been occupyed and detained all the course of their life you haue therin the vnprofitablenes and weakenes of childehood yea and that is worst the same often ioyned with a superior authoritie You are rewarded for the excesse and ryots of your youth with the gout palsie stone such other like kiÌ„de of diseases which take away your mem bers
one after another with extreme paine You are recompenced for the watching thoughts and inwarde trauails ration that whiâ—…h béeing conioyned in one 〈◊〉 person cannot without the vtter câ—…king vp of y spirit remain with out a perpetuall quarrel and debate As for the consentation which might be in the 〈◊〉 â—…rcises of the wise as the readiâ—… of holy scriptuâ—…s prephane books 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 discipline I doo wel grâ—…nt that this is a far other matter thâ—… these wilde huntings which maketh wilde moste parte of men vexâ—… with these or such like diseases of their mides yet must all needê passe vnder the arrest of the wisest of all wise Salomon who allegeth y all this comforted with the nature of man is no other theÌ„ vanitie and trauail of minde Some doo all their liues learn to speak of amendment and yet doo neuer think of amending their liues Others doo Logically dispute of reason of art and yet many times doo lose their natural reson them seiues Others do learn by Arithmetick to deuâ—…e euen the least fractions yet cannot part one shilling with their néedy brother Others by Eeometrie can measure y féeldê y townes the contry and yet vnskilful in mesuring them selues The Pusition can agrée the voice 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet hath nothing in his hart 〈◊〉 dissagreeth not or any 〈◊〉 in his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is in his right tune The 〈◊〉 can look vp and yet fall iâ—… the 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 he can 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loose that which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue his eye in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hart is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Philosophâ—… can 〈◊〉 of y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 others yet be bâ—…inde in â—…is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 can feel the least aâ—…teratioÌ„ of his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—…ues of his soule The 〈◊〉 know â—…th the warres of Thebes or Troy 〈◊〉 yet is ignoraunt of things doon 〈◊〉 him self The Lawyer who 〈◊〉 lawes to all the world caÌ„not prescriâ—… any law to him self To be breef y 〈◊〉 uine can very wel dispute of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wil hear no talke of Chariâ—…e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speake of GOD but make no 〈◊〉 count of helping of men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ces doo confinually forment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but not content the same The 〈◊〉 that man knoweth the more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to knowe All this knowledge appeaseth not the disagréement that man féeleth in him self they heale not the diseases of the minde they make a man learned but not good and cunning but not wise and this I say more that the more a man knoweth the more he graunteth him self to be ignorant of the fuller that his mide is the emptier dooth he finde the same because that how muche so euer of any science a man can know in this world it is neuerthelesse the lest parte of that which he is ignoraunt of and therfore his whole skill conâ—…eth in knowing his ignoraunce and all his perfection in marking his imperfections and he that moste knoweth and marketh is in trueth accounted moste skilful and perfâ—…ct among men To be short we must with Salomon return to this point that the beginning and ending of wisdome is the fear of God which wisdome is neuerthelesse in the world â—…ryed downe as méer folly and pursued as a capital enemie and as he which fearâ—…th God néed not to feare any euil becaâ—… all his euils are conuerted into goodnes â—…uen so he must not look for any goodnes in this world hauing the deuil his formall ene mie whome the scripture termeth the Prince of this world Well in what exercise so euer we passe away our time sée age hath ouertaken vs before we were aware who whether we hide vs among the prease of meÌ„ or that we doo flée in any solitary place wil neuerthelesse be sure to finde vs out All men doo make account therwithall to rest from all their labours to take no farther thought saue onely to kéep them selues quiet and in helth and yet beholde contrarywise this age is no other but a taste of all euils aforesaid and for the moste parte the cheefest flourishing time of all vice wherwith they haue béen occupyed and detained all the course of their life you haue therin the vnprofitablenes and weakenes of childehood yea and that is worst the same often ioyned with a superior authoritie You are rewarded for the excesse and ryots of your youth with the gâ—…t palsie stone such other like kide of diseases which take away your mem bers one after another with extreme paine You are recompented for the watching thoughts and inwarde trauails of your mans age with the losse of the sight the hearing and of all the other senses one after another excepte only of the féeling of your pain There is no parte of man whiche death taketh not as apledge therby to assure him self of vs as of an euil payer which infinitly feareth his tearme There will bee by and by nothing remaining in manner a liue and yet doo our vices line in vs and doo not onely liue but also euen in spite of nature doo dayly florish a fresh againe The Couetouse man hauing in manner one foot in the ground is neuer theâ—…sse â—…il hoording vp of treasure as if one day he were assured to finde the same againe The Ambitious man by his last wil ordaineth vnproâ—…able pomps for his funerals so procureth his vice so liue triumph eueÌ„ after his death The Ryotous man béeing vnable to daâ—…ce with his féet dauÌ„ceth with his shoulders All vices haue lest him but he canot leue theÌ„ The childe wish eth his youthful age the man is grée ued at the same In his youthful age he lyued in hope of the age to come the man â—…éeleth the present euil soroweth at his false passed pleasures and now â—…deth nothing in time to come to wish for More foolish is he then the Childe for that he bewaileth the time whiche cannot come againe more miserable theÌ„ the youthful man in that that after his miserable life which caÌ„not be accomplished without as miserable a death he seeth nothing but méer dispair on all sides And as for him who eueÌ„ in his youth took vpon him the battaile against the flesh and the worlde who so painfully hath indenored to dye to the world hath for saken the same before his time who also besides all these ordinary euils â—…ideth him self weried with this great and incurable disease of age and yet oftentimes not with standing his weakenes findeth his flesh stronger theÌ„ his spirit what goodnes I pray you caÌ„ he heerin coÌ„ceiue except only in that he séeth his death at hand that he perceiueth his combats ended that he knoweth him self redy through death to depart out of this trouble some prison wherin he hath béene racked tormented all the dayes of his life I wil not béere speake of inâ—…nite euils
which doo vâ—…e men in all ages as losse of Frâ—…nds and Parents banishments exile discurtesyes with other such like common and ordinary in the world One man lamenteth the losse of his Children an other is sory that euer â—…e had any One mourneth for his wife who is deade an other wisheth his would not liue so long One complaineth that he is to déep in the Court an other that he is not deepe inough The world â—…th so many euils heaped vp in it that to write of them all would require an other worlde as big as it is Yea in case the happyest man that we can finde would but way his blesses with his mishaps he would accouÌ„t him self moste accursed and some there be who think him happy and yet if they had but thrée daies set in his place they would resigne the same to the first commer yea and which is more if the same man should but consider first of all the goods and commodities that euer he receiued and then of the euil whiche he hath indured for the obtaining of the same and hauing them of the pain that he hath taken to saue and kéep them I speake only of such coÌ„modities as may be kept not of those the wither away in a moment he would surely with him self giue this verdit of him selfe that euen the kéeping of the chéefest felicities in this world is but labour trauail and infelicitie Let vs therefore conclude that infancie is but a foolish simplicitie youth a vain heate mans age a painful carefulnes and age a troublesome languishing that our eyes are nothing but teares our pleasures vexations of minde our goods racks and torments our honors waightie vanities and our rest a disquietnes Also that to passe froÌ„ age to age is but to departe from one euil to an other from a small one to a greate and that it is alwaies one billowe or waue driuing of an other vntil we come to the Hauen of death Let vs I say conclude that this life is no other then a desire of the life to come a sorowing for the life past a disdaine of that which we haue tasted and a desire of that that hetherto we haue not felt a vain remembrance of the estate passed and an vncertain waiting for the which is to come To be bréef that in all the life is nothing certain neither assured but only the certaintie and assuraunce of death Wel beholde now death commeth to vs sée that which so long we haue feared dooth now draw néere vnto vs We must now therfore coÌ„sider whether she be such a thing as men make vs to beléeue and whether we ought so to flée from her as ordinarily we doo We are afeard as little Children of a Mastif or of the Idols of Hecate We doo abhorre her but that is only because we take her to be other then indéed she is namely sorowful withered ougley euen suche a one as it pleaseth the Painters to present vnto vs vpon the walles We â—…ee before her and that is because we béeing occupied with such vain imaginations haue no â—…isure to looke vpon her Let vs therefore stay and become constant Let vs euen look vpon her face and we shall finde her farre other then she is painâ—…ed out vnto vs and in a far other 〈◊〉 then our miâ—…erable life Death endeth this life This life is but miserie and a perpetuall tempest Death therfore is the issue of our miseryes and the incloser of the Hauen wherin we shall be safe from all windes Shall we therfore feare lest taking vs out of miserie she should hale vs into the hauen You wil say that in death is paine be it so so is there also in the healing of wounds for such is the nature of humaine things that one euil cannot be healed but by an other To cure a brusing there must be incision You wil tel me that in this passage there is some difficultie so is there no Porte or Hauen but that the entrie is narrowe and troblesome No goods are bought in this worlde with other money then pain and trauatle The entrie is indéede troublesome if our selues doo so make it if we draw â—…owarde it with a formented minde with a troubled vnderstáding or with a swerâ—…ing and vnconstant thought But let vs bring tranquilitie of minde constancye and firme determination and we shall finde no danger neither any kinde of difficultie Again what gréet dooth death cause vs to suffer What can she doo with whatsoeuer we doo indure We accuse her of all y euil y we feel in the ending of our liues and doo not consider how many greater more dangeâ—…ous wounds aâ—…d diseases we haue indured without death How many more â—…ehement gréetes wee haue suffered in this life during y extremities wherof we haue called her to our aide and help Of all sorowes which our life doo procure vnto vs towarde our last ends we doo exclaime and finde faulte with death not considering that life béeing begun and continued in all kinde of sorowe cannot also without sorowe be en ded We doo not I say way with our selues the it is the rest of our life and not death that formenteth vs the end of our NauigatioÌ„ that paineth vs and not the â—…auen where into we should enter whiche also is no other then a Bulwark against all windes and tempests We doo complain of death when indéed we should be waâ—…l our liues as one who hauing béen long sick and now re turning towarde helth would accuse his helth for his last gréefs and not the reliques of his sicknes I pray you what other is death then to be no longer lyning in this world Felt we any greef before we came into it Not to be in the world at all is it pnrely and simply any pain Doo we at any time more resemble death then in our sâ—…eepe and be we at any time in more quietnes then also at the time of the same â—…f then she be no greef wherfore should we accuse her of all those gréefs whiche our life at the departure thereof dooth minister vnto vs vnlesse we wil also blame the time wherein we were not in those sorowes which at our birth we began to indure If the comming into the world were in teares why should we meruail that the issue out of the same be so also The beginning of our béeing béeing the beginning of our sorowes is it to bee meruailed that the end is alike If our not béeing in the former worldes hath béene exempt of sorowe and now coÌ„trariwise our béeing in this world be ful of sorowe whome shal we in reasoÌ„ accuse of these our last sorowes whether our not béeing before time or the rest of our present béeing We thinck not that we dye before we yéelde the last gaspe and yet if we looke wel we doo dayly in euery houre and moment dye We feare death as a thing vnaccustomed and yet haue nothing more
dependeth vpoÌ„ Gods wil to liue inough through his permission is in thy hand Life is long and life is ful It is ful and accoÌ„plished when thy wil is contented when thy minde hath yéelded vp all his goods is restored to the power of it self Contrarywise an other who dyed in his florishing youth hath neuerthelesse fulfilled the office of a good Citizen a good fréend and a good childe He hath omitted no parte of his dutie Notwith standing his age was vnperfect yet was his life perfect I pray thée therfore fréend Lucilius let our liâ—…e be to vs as moste precious thinge Let vs measure it not after the time but after the behauiâ—…urs not according to the continuance but to the effâ—…cts Let vs commend and accounte him happie who hath wel bestowed the short time of his life Age is an externall thing out of our power My béeing héer dependeth of an other but my béeing a honest man of my self Require of me that I passe not my age vnknowen as in darcknesse and that I may leade a true life which time may not out run Askest thou whiche is the longest life that is to liue vntil wisdome and who that hath attained therto although he hath not reached the farthest ende yet hath he gotten the principall Death go eth euery where He that hath killed followeth him that is â—…ain There is nothing for the whiche we take suche care What is it to thée how long thou escapest that whiche in the end thou canst not escape or that y shrinkest froÌ„ that that finally thou canst not auoide ¶ Epistle 100. COnsider me the breuitie of time mark the shortnesse of this carrier wherin we run so hastely Se the folow ing on of all mankinde tending into one place They which sée me far of are often néerer then the rest he whome thou thinkest perished is but gone before so that there is nothing more vnreasonable then séeing thy selfe must go the same way to be waile him that is gone afore thée He that complaineth of the death of any man complaineth because he was a man All the worlde is at one stay â—…e that is yet vnborne must neuerthelesse die We are deuided by spaces yet haue all alike issue Some go before some folowe all go one way All things are tossed and all things 〈◊〉 passe to their contrarie through the wil of nature In all this turmoile of humaine affaires there is nothing so certain as death and yet euery man complaineth of the thing wherein was yet neuer any man deceiued Well dyed be a Childe I will not yet say that it was so muche the better for him that he was deliuered out of this life But let vs come to the ancient man and aske him what this Childe hath gained Let him cast in his minde this profound distance of time comprehending it all togither then let him therwithall coÌ„pare the ordinary age of man so shall be sée what a trifle we doo desire how short a way we can reach Let vs therfore in this age first consider what parte therof the wéeping the thoughts the wishings for death before it commeth the sicknesse the feare and to be bréef these yung and vnproâ—…table yéeres doo take a way besides that we sléep away halfe the same wherunto let vs adde the labours sorowes and dangers therof and so shall you sée that euen in a long life the parte that we doo liue is the least of all Life is neither good nor euil but the place of bothe Who so dyeth in youth is in y he was as like to appaire as to amend like to him which at dice looseth the one of theÌ„ wheâ—… with he was as like to lose as to win Finally in case you compare the breuitie of age with the infinitnes of time then are we all alike yung and olde for euen the longest age of man is but one iote ¶ Epistle 102. EChe day and houre doo teach vs that we are nothing and by some fresh argument calleth those back to the remembraunce of their frailtie whiche would forget the same compelling theÌ„ to haue an eye to death when they would but once think vpon eternitie Oh saith one we wil now graft pear trées we wil at such a time plaÌ„t whole rancks of Uines Alas what folly is it to séeke to dispose of age and life we haue not so muche power as ouer the day of to morowe What follye dooth then possesse the hope of those whiche doo begin long and tedious woorks I wil builde I wil bye I wil take interest I wil exact I wil obtain honors and all with the time But when I am olde and that my age is wery and cloyed with all this theÌ„ wil I take mine ease Wel beléeue me all things euen the happiest are doutfull No man can promise him self ought in time to come for euen that that man is in possession of dooth many times scape through his fingers and at the very instaÌ„t that we lay sure holde on them some incoÌ„uenience commeth betwéen vs home Time passeth on according to an assured vnchaunge able law which is hidden from vs. Why what haue I to doo if it be mant fest and knowen to nature though to me it be secret and vnknowen We vn dertake long voyages from the which we shall not of a greate while return home vntil we haue straied costed ma ny vnknowen Contries and shores We take vppon vs war and the siack rewards of our warlike 〈◊〉 To be bréef we accâ—…pt commissions 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 from one office to an other During all this time death costeth vs but we neuer think on it vn til some exaÌ„ples of the death of other men doo set it before our faces froÌ„ time to time whiche also we doo no longer thinck vppon then whiles the wunder therof is fresh in minde and yet what â—…eater folly can there be then to wun der that the thing dooth sometime happen which is in danger dayly to come to passe Our bounds are limitted in place where y inexorable destinie hath planted them and yet can no man tell how nere they are Let vs therfore frame our mindes as if we were at the end of them let vs not defer the time For he who dayly se â—…th the last hand to his life hath nothâ—… to doo with time Wherfore fréend Lucilius hasten thée to liue and think that how many daies so many be thy liues The time neerest hand dooth alwaies escape froÌ„ him that liueth in hope he is so couetous of life that with the feare of death he becâ—…meth miserable and though the dout therof lameth him of one hand and of one leg of one thigh maketh him crooked and loseneth all his téeth yet so long as life continueth it maketh no matter all is wel such a miserable thing dooth death séeme vnto him He wisheth his paines more extreme and that which is hard to be abidden he desireth to
prolong and maintain a great while and for what reward or wages eueÌ„ to obtain longer life But what is this long life as long a death Is there any who wold laÌ„guish in torments and perish member after member that had not rather cast away his life by little little then to cast it away all at once Deny me then that the necessitie of death is not a great beâ—… of nature for many are redy euen to make wurse bargains as to betray their freends whereby to liue long to become bauds to their children to the end to see the next day witnes of so manye mischéefes we must therfore shake of this desire of life say y it skilleth not when we suffer for as wel one day we must suffer It skilleth not how loÌ„g thou liuest so thou liuest wel vnto good life many times long life is hurtful ¶ Epistle 103. ANother originall and estate of all things tarieth vs feare not therefore to tarry the appointed houre which wil take thée from hence What soeuer thou séest about thée account it as moouables and baggage of hostryes and that thou must go forwarde Nature abaseth men at their departure as at their comming in We carry away no more then we bring with vs All that is lapped about thee shall he takeÌ„ away thy skin shal be thy last couer Yea this skin this flesh this blood which is dispersed in all partes these bones and these Sinewes that doo sustain y more feeble partes shal be taken and plucked from thee This day which thou fearest as the last is the beginning of an euerlasting day thon wéepest houlest so dooth the new borne childâ—… Why art thou heuy These thigs are vsuall Thê° doo the couers of those that be borne â—…e rish wherfore louest y these thingê as if they were thine they be thingê wher with thou art but couered But the day wil coÌ„e that wil vncouer thee take thée out of the house of thy filthy and stinking body Héer after begin to meditate vpon some more higher misticall mátters One day thou shalt knowe the secrets of nature These cloudes shall depart light shall appéer on all sides Imagine with thy self what a light it wil be when so many starres haue ioyned their lights togither No more shadow shall derken the bright element all the pà rtes thereof shall shine alike the day night which kéep their course are but accideÌ„ts in this lower aire Thou wilt sà y y héere thou hast liued in darknes wheÌ„ y shalt at full beholde all this light which now y seest but through the narrowe windowes of thy eies yet doost wunder at theÌ„ a far of What wilt y think of the heauenly light wheÌ„ thou shalt sée it in his place This conteÌ„plation leueth no thing impotent in this vile low cruel minde â—…ith God to be witnes of all things It commaundeth vs to séeke that hee would allowe of vs to prepare heerafter vnto him warde and so propounde to our selues this eternitie the whiche who soeuer hath comprehended in his vnderstanding feareth no anoy is not â—…ooued at the sound of truÌ„pets neither douteth any kinde of threatnings For what can he feare that hopeth to dye Thinck how much good examples doo profit vs and thou shalt knowe that the remeÌ„brance of mightie men is no lesse coÌ„modious then euen their presence Epistle 108. TO liue is no delicate matter thou hast begun a long race thou shalt fall and rise again yea euen fall downe and wax weary héere shalt thou leaue one of thy companions there shalt thou bring an other to his graue in another place thy self shalt be afeard Through many such by pathes shalt thou passe this rough way Must thou dye prepare thy minde against all things Let thy hart knowe that it is comen into a good place where wéepings care haue taken their lodging and where pale diseases and sorowful age haue chosen their habitation In this coÌ„pany must thou néedê passe ouer thy life wel maist thou despise make none accouÌ„t of these things but auoid them thou canst not Thou shalt not regarde them if thou thinkest often reckenest as of things which must néeds happen All men doo approch more valiaÌ„tly to the thing loÌ„g before premeditated doo resist the same couragiously and contrariwise be suppressed taken on a suddain all astonished at small matters séeing then that all thigs were it but for their nouelty doo séem gréeuoê° in coÌ„tinually thinking héerupon thou shalt not be as aprentise to séek what thou hast to doo against such euils Let vs not therfore wuÌ„der at any thing wherunto we are borne Of theÌ„ no man can complain because they are alike vnto all men I say in this case alike because he that hath escaped theÌ„ was neuerthelesse subiect vnto theÌ„ For the law is not called indifferent because euery maÌ„ vseth it but because it was indifferently ordained vnto all men Let vs frame our mindes to equi tie without lameÌ„ting our mortall nature pay our tribute willingly Is win ter colde colde is necessary doth suÌ„mer bring heat we must not be without beat Dooth the distempered aire hinder our helth we must be sick Somtimes we shall méete with a wilde beast yea often times with men more dangerous then wilde beasts Fire wil consume some and water other some We can not alter the nature of things The best then is to pay that which we caÌ„not be quit of and without murmuring to immitate and follow the wil of God y author of all things It is the parte of an euil souldier to follow his captain with howlings Destinie leadeth him that goeth of his owne accorde draweth him that commeth against his wil. Thus should we liue thus should we speake Let death finde vs redy disposed and nothing slack It is truely a valiant and noble â—…rt whiche so 〈◊〉 it self but he that â—…ueth héer against is of a faint cowardly slowish minde which thiÌ„keth amisse of the order of the world and had rather correct God then it self Epistle 121. MAn is neuer more heauenly then when he considereth his mortall nature and knoweth that hee is borne a maÌ„ to die assurig him self that this body is not his owne house but an Inne such an Inne as he must shortly parte from It is a great token of an hautie minde to account these places where he is conuersaÌ„t â—…ce straight and not to fear to depart froÌ„ them For in that he knoweth and 〈◊〉 from whence he commeth he knoweth also whither he must reâ—…urn Se we not how many discommodities we ouerpasse and how vnfit this body is for vs Somtime we complain of our bellyes of our 〈◊〉 or of our throte Othertimes our sine wes or our féet doo 〈◊〉 vs Other whiles some flix or 〈◊〉 molesteth vs Other whiles we haue to much blood and otherwhiles to little We are tempted and â—…ed froÌ„ place to place Thus are they
ordinarly vsed which dwel in other mens houses and yet béeing furnished of such vilanoê° bodyes we doo heer propound to our selues eternall matters and as far as mans age can exteÌ„d we doo through hope promise our selues all things We are not content with any welth or authoritie Is there any thing more shamelesse and foolish We are made to dye and yet at our death nothing séemeth sufficiente for vs For dayly we draw néerer the last point and euery houre driueth vs to the place from which we cannot escape beholde then the blindenes of mans vnderstanding If therfore a hie minde which finally knoweth a better nature then this Earthly dooth take order to liue honestly and painfully in that vocation wherto it is called it accounteth none of those things which be about it proper to it self but as a Pilgrime and trauailer vseth the same as things conuenient ¶ Out of his first booke of the tranquilitie of life LIfe is but a bondage wherfore we must vse our selues to the conditions thereof complaining against it so litle as may be and embrace whatsoeuer discoÌ„moditie is in it There is nothing so sharp wherein a milde minde findeth not some comforte Euil dooth he liue who knoweth not how to dye wel He that feareth death wil neuer doo déede of a liuing man But who so knoweth that this euen from his birth hath béene signified vnto him wil with like courage take order that what soeuer happeneth nothing shall come suddainly as vnlooked for Sicknesse imprisonment destruction burnings none of all this commeth suddainly vppon him For the wise man wil say I knewe in how troublesome an house nature had placed me Many an Alarum hath béene giueâ—… at my neighbours house many an vntimely funer all hath passed by my dooers many a crack of ruynouse houses hath sounded in myne eares The night hath caryed away many of those whome the Pallaice the Courte and familiaritie had ioyned vnto me cutting away in manner thâ—…ire handeâ—… from betwéene myne I meruaile how so many dangers comming on all sides of me could escape my self But many other men when they take their Shipping think not on the tempest No man thinkâ—…th that what so euer happeneth to another can happen vnto himself For who so had printed these things in his minde had considered what frée accâ—… the eâ—…ils of others haue to him self he would put on and prepare his aâ—…mour long before he were assailed After danger it is to late to exhorte his minde to take perils patieÌ„tly But wil he say I thought not that this would haue hapened I would neuer haue beléeued that suche a thing could haue come to passe And why not Where be the riches which pouertie fam sne and beggery â—…oo not follow euen at the héeles Where be thâ—… dignityes and Magistrates robes which the rags doo not accompany either by a banishment a blot a reproch or an extreme slaunder Where is the Realme whose destructi on is not nye and whose accuser formentor is not at hand c. Out of his book of the shortnes of life MOst part of mortal men oh Pauline doo coÌ„plain of the frowardnes of nature That we be ingendred for a short time and that the spaces of time that be graunted vs doo runne and flée so wiftly away that moste men doo leaue their liues before they can almoste prepare them selues to liâ—…e Our time appointed is not shorte but we lose much of it There hath been giuen vs life inough that not nigardly to accoÌ„plish great matters if it had béen all wel besâ—…owed but when it â—…des away in pleasures and idleâ—…es when we bestowe it not vpon any good matter in the end béeing pressed by extreme necessitie we finde our life wasted and yet cannot tel how This it is we haue not receiued any short life but we haue sâ—…ortned it We doo not make spare but are ouer prodigall of our liâ—…es As the innumerable treasures falling in the hands of an euil husband are sudainly dispearced and contrariwise the meane quantitie falling in a wise mans hand dooth through vse increase the more so likewise is our age verye ample to him that can well order the same Wherfore doo we then complain of nature she hath behaued her self 〈◊〉 toward vs Our life is long inough if we knew how to vse it One is holden with insatiable couetousnes an other vseth painful diligence in 〈◊〉 labours One is moystned in wine an other lingâ—…eth in loytâ—…ing an other is toyled and withered with ambition depending vpon the iudgement and voice of others An other for hope of gaines through an hedlong couetousnes of trafick coÌ„passeth all laÌ„ds seasâ—… Others are vexed with desire of war alwaies labouring either in their â—…wn dangers or in bringing other men into danger Others there are who can delight in folowing nokinde of course but euen languishing yawning for sorrow death taketh bolde of theÌ„ wheâ—…by I â—…ut nothing of the truth of y whiâ—… the chéefest poets haue pronouÌ„ced after maner of Oracles Of all our life that parte that we liue is the least and all the other space is not properly â—…ife but a time Euery man deuideth his life in to diuers things Some are hard â—…igardly in keeping their patrimonie others are as prodigal in losing the time I say the time the couetousnes wherof is honest and not lamentable I will therfore take one amonge the number oâ—… olde men Come on we sée that thou hast attained to the end of mans nature as far as mans age can reache Thou art about thy hundreth yeere 〈◊〉 therfore to me some parte of thine age Tel me how much of thy time hath thy creditor taken away from thée how much thy fréend how much thy common welth then how much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with thy wife the 〈◊〉 of thy seruaÌ„ts and thy iorneys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the town for thy freends sake 〈◊〉 â—…ut the deseases whiche 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 procured and then ad to it how much thou hast left to spare Thou shalt finde that thou hast fewer yéeres then thou â—…ast reckned Call to thy minde wheâ—… thou wert resolued in any determinati on how many dayes passeâ—…â—…uer according to thy fprcaâ—… how many haue pro fited thée when thy couÌ„tenance was in good estate thy minde deâ—…oid of fear what busines thou hast sustained ained in all this so long age afterward how many men haue raâ—…ished wasted thy life while thou hast not felt thâ—… losse how much a vain sorow a foolish ioy a sharp desire a flattering conâ—…ersation haue taken away â—…roÌ„ thée And after all this how much thou haste leâ—… of 〈◊〉 y was thine So shalt thou sée that yet thou dyest before thou béest ripe or thy time come And who is cause héeâ—…eof Thou lyuest as if thou shouldest alwaies liue Thou neuer thinkest vpon thy good husbandry Thou neuer markest how much time is gone Theu spendest and losest as if thou haddest 〈◊〉 Thou fearest as a
suffer him to departe emptie ¶ Out of his booke of consolation IT is a greate comforte to a man to thinck that that whiche all men before him haue suffered and all that are to come shall suffer either is or must happeÌ„ to him self and in mine opinion nature hath made common to all men the thing whiche to them all was moste gréeuons to th' end that such equalitie might comfort the rigour and crueltie of death Come on then 〈◊〉 holde euery way all mortall men on all sides thou shalt sée greate and continuall cause of lamention Ambition which is neuer in rest tor menteth one pouertie calleth an other dayly to woork an other feareth the riches that he hath wished for is in con tinuall pain through his owne desire One is vexed with care another with laboure an other with preace of people which continually doo beséedge the thresholde of his doores This man is sory he hath Children that man that his are gone soner shall we waÌ„t teares then causâ—…s to wéepe Seest thou not what life nature hath permitted to vs whiche hath ordained that all men at their birth should wéepe With this beginning doo we enter into the world héerunto dooth the rest of our yéeres agrée and thus doo we passe our life All those goods which through pleasure doo delight vs whiche haue but the outwarde she we and within is full of deceit I speake of money dignities power authoritie and such like which astonisheth the blinde couetousnes of maÌ„ kinde doo we possesse with pain and enuy of other men and euen among those that haue them they vse more threates then authoritie They be slippery and vncertain man is neuer in any assurance of them we are stil in daunger lest they should escape vs Yea although a man fear nothing that might happen yet the custodie of a greate felicitie is ful of cares If thou wilt beléeue them that more narrowly doo searche the trueth all this life is but paine Wee are throwen into this deep and vnconstant sea whiche continually ebbeth and floweth hoisteth vs vp with her rysing and then casteth vs down with greater barme and stil tormenteth vs either with rising or falling We misetable wretches I say â—…aue neuer any firme or assured dwelling place We remain stil in dout alwaies swimming hitting one against an other and many times making Sâ—…wrack In this surging Sea béeing abandoned to all tempest we liue in con tinuall feare All they that sail therin haue nâ—…e other Hauen then death After vvhat manner many euils doo chaunce to honest men out of his book of Gods prouidence THou hast asked me Lucilius in case the world be guided by Gods prouidence how it chaunceth that so many euils doo happen to honest men I wil in this my woorke wherein I doo pretend to prooue that Gods prouidence is aboue all things and that God him self hauÌ„teth among vs shew thée a good reason Betwéen honest men and God there is a kinde of amitie procured and contracted through vertue and not an amitie only but a moste straite alliance and likenesse For time only is a difference betwéene the honest man God Man is the follower disciple and assured oâ—…pring of God and therefore his triumphaunt father whiche requireth earnestly of him to be vertuous nurisheth him hardly after the maner of seuere a Father When therfore thou séest honest men whoÌ„e God liketh of labour sweat and haue stil stony pathes to walke in and contrarywise the wicked men passe ouer their time in folly and wallowe in dilights that doo turmoil our childreÌ„ and let run at randome the children of our slaues that through a sorowful and laboursome discipline we doo withholde our owne children in their duties let go the raines vnto y others Be y therfore certain of y like at Gods hand He dallieth not with an honest maÌ„ but trieth him hardneth him prepareth him for his seruise ¶ Of the meanes to beare aduersitie out of the same book WHerfore doo many euils happen to honest men no euil can hurt the ho nest man Contrary things cannot be mixed togither he accouÌ„teth all aduersities as exercises For what honorable â—…an is not desirous of a true and redy labour euen with hazard to vtter some good dutie Uertue languisheth withe reth away wheÌ„ she hath none enemie but hauing one it appéereth who she is how much she is worth what she can doo when through patience she shewher power Honest men therefore must take in good parte and thinck wel of what so happeneth to them It skilleth not what thou sufferest but how thou sufferest it Doost thou not sée that Fathers and mothers doo intreate their Children 〈◊〉 The Fathers commaund their Children to exercise them selues to studie apace not suffering them to be idle euen on the 〈◊〉 dayes and often times bring foorth the sweate out of their browes and teares from their eyes The Mothers contrariwise doo dandle them on their lappes in the Chimney corner or in the shadowe not suffering them to wéepe to vex them selues to take any care or to laboure So God towarde honest men beareth a Fatherly harte and a manly looue He troubleth and molesteth them with laboure sorowe and losses wherby they may gather and obtaine true force But those bodyes whiche are fatted vp doo not only faile in laboure but also languish away through sluggishnesse fainting and falling downe vnder their owne laboure and weight The felicitie whiche was neuer hurt cannot indnre any great stripe AmoÌ„g many stoute woords of our fréend Demetrius this béeing stil fresh and sounding in mine eares dooth best please me I finde saith he nothing more vn happy then him that neuer sustained damage or aduersitie The more that a man is tormented the greater is his honor Of Prosperitie Out of the same booke PRosperous thingâ—… doo stil light in the hands of the meane people of vile and base mindes but the propertie of a valiant man is to subdue calamities and what soeuer els that astonisheth mortall men I doo account thée miserable because thou vaste felt no misery vnhapy in that thou hast no mischauÌ„ces Thou hast liued without any enemyes No man no not thy self can tel what thou canst doo It is necessary for the better knowledge of thy self first to try thy abilitie for who is perfect in any thing whiche be hath not prooued Uertue desireth danger viewing how far it stretcheth and where it endeth and not what she must indure before she come at it For what so she hath to indure is parte of 〈◊〉 glory The Pilate is not knowen before the tempest neither the souldier vntil the battail be begun How shall I knowe how thou canst beare pouertie so long as thou swimmest in welth Where shall I lerne thy coÌ„stan â—…ie against ignominie infamie and batred of the people so long as thou con tinuest amongst the reioycings of all menne or if a certaine inclination of mens mindes toward thée
and wherunto with all his hart he hath aspired be it with fire swoord famin sicknes or otherwise with in thrée yéeres thrée dates or thrée houres it is all one to him wheÌ„ or by which gate hée departeth out of this miserable life for his woork is all doon all his prouision is redy and by the same gate that he goeth out at shall he enter into a far more blessed and immortall life They cannot threaten him of woorse then death and that is it that he assureth him self of The woorst they can doo to him is to take away his life and that is the best thing that he can hope for The thretnings of tirants are pro mises to him and his cheefest enemies weapons are drawen to his behoof for he knoweth that who so thretneth him with death promiseth him life and the moste mortall wounds that they can giue him 〈◊〉 make him immortall who that fereth God feareth not death and he that feareth not death careth not for the greatest iniuryes of this life Why wil you say theÌ„ by this accouÌ„t death is to be wished for therfore for the auoyding ofso many mischéefs and the obtaining of such infinit coÌ„modities we should me thinketh abridge our lyues Surely I dout not that notwithstanding allt his profit any one wil hasten any step forward yea although that spirit should aspire the runto yet the body that it hath to draw wil suâ—…cieÌ„tly restrain it Now be it I mene not so to coÌ„clude We ought indéed to indeuor to slay our flesh in our selues but to exempt our selues out of the worlde that is not permitted vnto vs A Christian ought willingly to departe this life bâ—…t he may not cowardly run away God hath ordained a Christian to fight and therfore he cannot without blame and reproche leaue his ranck But if it please this great Capitaine to call him home then must he willingly retire and fréely obey For the Christian is not for him self but for God of whome he holdeth his life to inioy the same so long as it shall please him and to who me he must yéelde the frutes of the same His life is at the disposition of the owner who at his pleasure may take it from him but he may not when he wil giue ouer the same Dyest thou young thank God who as a good Sailer with a freshe winde hath soone conducted thée to the Hauen Dyest y olde praise him likewise for that hauing a small winde thou haste peraduenture béene lesse molested with waues neither think to hasteÌ„ or slack thy pace at thine owne wil for that 〈◊〉 is not at thy bâ—…ck and so in striuing against the streme thou shalt peraduen ture incur shipwrack God calleth one from woork in the morning another at noone and another at night God exerciseth one vntill he sweate another parcheth he in the Sun another dooth he euen bake and wither vp altogither and yet leaueth he none of all his abrode but giueth them all rest paying them their wages in time conuenient Who that leaueth his woork before he be called loseth the same he that is im portunate before the time forgoeth his wages We must all depend vpon his pleasure who in the middest of all our labours graunteth vs rest To be bréefe the trauayles of this life must not cause vs to hate the same for that were but cowardise and want of hart Neither must the pleasures of the same procure vs to looue it for that were but folly vanitie but we must vse it to the seruice of God who after the same shall giue vs assured rest and shall leade vs into euerlasting pleasures whiche perish not We must not also flée from death for it were very childish to fear it and in fléeing away to méet with the same Again we must not séeke it for that were but rashnes neither dooth euery man die that wil. There is as much desperatenes in the one as cowardlines in the other and in neither of bothe is there any kinde of magnanimitie Let it therfore suffice vs to stay for it and that stedfastly and coÌ„tinually to the end it neuer finde vs vn prouided For as there is nothing more certain then death so also is there nothing more vncertain then the sorowe of the same which is knowen to none but to one God the onely Author of life in whome we should all laboure to liue and dye ¶ Die to liue and liue to dye Certain collections gathered out of the works of the lerned Philosopher Seneca concerning the same argument ¶ Out of his Epistles ¶ Epistle 24. CAll to minde I pray thee that which thou hast often heard and said and prooue in effect whether thou hast hard or said it in ernest or no. For to vs it were to great a shame to be cast in the téeth as many times we are that we doo deale onely with the woords but not with the woorks of Philosophie I remember that ere now I haue heard thée intreate vppon this common place That vve fall not suddainly into death but by little and little doo vvalke tovvarde the same We dye indéede dayly for euery day some parte of our life wasteth away What parte of our life soeuer is past or to come deaâ—… taketh holde of y same and stil as we doo growe our life fadeth away We lose first our infancie then our Childehod and then our youth All our time past euen vntill yesterday is perished and this very day which now is in hand doo we deuide with deathe and yet must wee prouide our selues bothe for the one and the other We must not to much looue our liues neither vnreasonably hate the same We must finish them when reason warneth vs and yet not rashly departe with the same but euen let them fréely run out their course The wise and valiaunt man muste not flée from this life but soberly departe with all and abooue all thinges eschew this vicious passion which hath ouer come many namely ouer greate desire of death ¶ Epistle 26. VErely I doo speake to my self and doo maintaine and still examine my self as if the proofe were at hande and the day that shall pronounce sentence ouer all my yéeres all redy comen What soeuer hetherto we haue doon or said is nothing it is but vaine aud light â—…ages of our courage wrapped vp in much painting and deceite Onely death shall perswade me that I haue profited in Philosophie I doo ther fore without feare make my self redy a gainst y day wherin vndoutedly I may iudge whether I haue afore tie fained or whether such iniurioê° woordê tauÌ„ts as I haue spokeÌ„ against Fortune haue procéeded of stoute courage or not Next to the reputation that men haue of vs she is stil doutful haÌ„geth down on euery side therfore setting back our study let vs examine our liues for death shall pronounce sentence vpon vs I meane that the disputations the learned sayings the sentences