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A14944 A moste frutefull, piththye and learned treatise, how a christen ma[n] ought to behaue himself in the dau[n]ger of death Werdmüller, Otto, 1511-1552.; Coverdale, Miles, 1488-1568.; Grey, Jane, Lady, 1537-1554. aut 1555 (1555) STC 25251; ESTC S100738 68,910 312

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to say eternall damnacyon God setteth to his owne helpyng hande in suche wyse and at such time as is beste of all The .22 Chapter GOd now thorowe Chryst dooeth not onely promes most graciously hys comfort and helpe but faythfully perfourmeth he thesame in due season so farre after suche sorte as is expediente The verye ryghte tyme vndoutedly doth not he omitte Death in dede is a narowe way but god shorteneth it The bitternesse of death passeth all the paynes that we haue felte vpon earth but it endureth not longe Death must make quy●●● spede wyth vs as Ezechyas the kyng of Iuda sayeth Esaye 38 he shall cut of my lyfe as a weeber doth his webbe And whan the payne is greatest of all then is it nere the ende Hereunto may be applyed that Chryste sayde it is but a modicum a veri litle while Iohn 11 Though it were so that the troubles of death dyd long endure Yet towardes the eternitie that foloweth after is the same scace as one pointe or prycke in comparison of a whole Circle In the meane season God can more comforte and helpe thē the most horrible death of all is able to disturbe or greue Sometyme taketh he frō vs the greuous enemy or mortal sickenes so deliuereth vs out of the parelles of deathe Els geueth he some ease or refreshyng outwardely or yf the trouble gooe on styll he sendeth hys swete gracious comforte inwardely so as the pacyēt thorowe then or kyng of the holy gost doth fele a taste a proufe and begynnynge of the heauenly ioye by meanes whereof he is able wyllyngly to forsake all that earthy is and to endure al maner of payne and smerte vntyll the ende ●●m● 8 The sprete of god certifieth our sprete that we are the children of god If we be chyldren we are al so heyres the heyres I meane of God and heyres annexed wyth Chryste if so bee that we suffer wyth hym that we maye also be gloryfyed wyth hym God commaundeth his Aungels that they wyth hym doe loke vnto thee O man whan thou dyest to take hede vnto thy soule to keepe it to receaue it whan it shall depart out of the body Wytnes thys is ▪ the aungell of the Lorde pitcheth roūd about them that feare him Psal 34 and delyuereth thē And Psal 9● ▪ he hath geuen hys aungels charge concernyng thee that they kepe thee in all thy wayes and beare thee in theyr handes that thou hurte not thy fote agaynste a stone The Aungels Hebru ● whiche are many wythout nōber be ministring spretes sente to dooe seruyce for theyr sakes whych shal be heires of saluacyon Therfore a Christian at his laste ende muste bee throughlye assured that in hys death he is not alone but that very many eies loke vnto him First the eies of god the father himself and of hys sonne Iesus Chryste then the worthye aungels and all Chrystyans vpon earth Then accordyng to the cōtentes of the sacrament of baptyme and of the supper of the lord al Christians as a whole body to a mēber thereof resort vnto him that is a dying by hauing compassiō and prayer to helpe hym by that at hys death he maye ouer come death synne and hell ¶ Examples of Goddes helpe The .23 Chapter IN the tyme of the Prophetes and apostles God raised certayne from death to the intēte that oure weake feable nature myght haue the more helpe to beleue the resurreccion eternal lyfe For the dead could not haue been raysed if death dyd bryng man vtterly to naught Abraham fell sicke Gene 25 and died in a good age whan he was olde and had liued inoughe and was put vnto hys people that is hys soule came to the soules of the other saynctes which died afore So is it also of Isaac Gene 3● Word was brought to kīg Ezechias that he should lyue no lōger But after he had made his earneste prayer vnto God there were added fiftene yeares vnto lyfe Whan Lazarus dyed Luke 16 hys soule was caryed of the aungels into Abrahams bosome The murtherer vpon the crosse hearde in hys extreme trouble that Chryst sayed vnto hym thys daye shalte thou be wyth me in paradyse Luke 23 Dayly experyence testifieth that god forsaketh not hys own Therfore vndoubtedlye he that hath begonne hys kyngdome in vs shall graciously perfourme and finishe it ¶ That it is necessarye to prepare for thys iourneye The .24 Chapter IF we could fynde in our hert● gladlye for to heare howe vnhurtefull yea wholsome and vincible death is become thorow Chryst we would not be idell and lynger styll tyll the tyme came that we must nedes dye A good housholder maketh prouision for hymselfe and hys familye and bieth afore hande fewel and victualles and such thynges as he hath nede of for a whole yeare or for a moneth c. accordyng as he is able Muche more oughte a Christian to prouyde that whyche concerneth not onely one moneth or one yere but an eternitye that hath no ende Lyke as faythfull seruauntes wayte for theyr master so ought we to loke for the commyng of Chryst whā he shall call vs out of thys tyme. Luke ●● If the housholder knewe what houre the thefe woulde come he woulde watch and not suffer his house to be broken vp math 24. Therfore be ye also ready for in the houre that ye thynke not wyll the sōne of man come Whoso hath perfecte knoweledge of death as it is hetherto descrybed and set forth he in makyng prouision afore hande hath fyrste thys aduauntage that it is good fyghtynge wyth a knowne enemye Contrary wyse on the other syde what shall an vnmete warryour doe that knoweth not the nature subtiltie weapons and polycy of the enemye Prouisyon concernyng temporall goodes children and frendes which must bee lefte behynde The .25 Chapter AGayne concernyng temporall goodes Let the ryche who hath wyfe and children or other heyres make prouision for them in good ord●● vnder wrytyng accordyng as i● euery place the custome is But i● honour and auctoritie substaūc● or goodes go to nere thi stomack then consyder that they be no● true but vncertayne transitory● and vayne goods whyche bryn● more vnquietnesse then rest Co●syder also that many moe rych● myghtye Prynces kynges an● Lordes muste bee spoyled of 〈◊〉 theyr glorye and bee faine to contente themselues with a shorte narrowe place of the graue Thoughe we here lose all yet dooe we scace lose one farthynge And in the other lyfe we haue not kyngedomes nor empires but GOD hymselfe and euerlastynge goodes In comparison whereof all minstrelsye pastyme pompe myrthe and chere vpon earthe is scace to bee estemed as castynge counters towardes the fyneste coynes of golde Therefore oughte we to learne specyallye in syckenes to geue all temporall goodes theyr leaue and to byd them fare wel And if any manne wyll further more disquyete and trouble vs in tellynge vs styll of
of god The power in that the almighty is able many hundreth wayes faythfully to ease thee of thy sorowe The grace in that he is willyng ready for the worthynes of hys sonne to make the ioyfull agayne here and in the world to come so as is moste for thy profit and welth Adā Eue had vnspeakable sorowe whan their obediēt and rightuous sōne Abel was murthured God than did wel put them in remembrāce of their synne But they beeyng also myndfull of the promes of the blessed sede were therby erected and comforted agayne howbeit in such an exceadyng heuynes it was very hard to withstand desperacion and to ouercome al mischaunce Therfore let vs cōsider that thoughe we Chrystians bee not altogether called to the pleasures of thys tyme but stoutli to stryue and valeauntly to fyghte agaynst them yet shal not Christ leaue vs comfortlesse but accordyng to his promes he shal faithfully be with vs vntill the ende of the world ¶ Vve must furnishe oure selues wyth praier and pacience The .6 Chapter TO the intent that god may assiste vs with his mighte grace we must ernestly pray vnto him that with hys holy sprete thorowe hys godly worde he wyll comforte vs that we may render thākes vnto hym whan he hath delyuered our frendes from the daylye battayll of the soule agaynst the fleshe the deuill and the worlde and from all discommodities of thys vayle of miserye For lyke as one that hath fared well at a dynner doth thāke hys hoost thoughe the hoste let hym departe agayne yea that geste reioyseth afterwarde to remember it euen so forasmuch as god for a season hath lente vs wyfe chylde and frendes whyche is more then he oughte vs though he suffer them to departe we ought neuerthelesse to geue him most hygh thankes Specyally there is requyred a willing and stoute mind wherof holy S. Paul hath writtē this very comfortably I woulde not brethren 2 Thessa 4. that ye should be ignorant concernyng them whyche ar fallen a slepe that ye sorow not as other do which haue no hope For if we beleue that Iesus died and rose agayne euen so them also whych slepe by Iesus wyll god bryng agayne wyth hym By these wordes may we perceaue that there bee two maner of mourners for the deade The heathen and vnbeleuers mourne wythout hope of the resurrecciō theyr opinion is that seing their nere frendes are dead there is no more of them but that they haue vtterly lost them for euer Thys heathnyshe sorowe wyll not S. Paul haue of Christians The Christians mourne also but wyth a lyuyng hope of the ioyfull resurreccyon For lyke as god the father lefte not Chryste the lord in death but raysed him vp agayne and placed hym in eternall life Euē so vs that beleue shall not he leaue in death but bryng vs oute into euerlastynge lyfe For thys cause doth the Apostle speake of the dead as of those that slepe which rest from all trauayll and labour that they may ryse agayne in better case Lyke as the floures wyth all theyr vertue smell and bewty lyeth al the winter in the roote slepyng and resting tyll they be awaked wyth the pleasaunt tyme of may whan they come foorthe wyth al their bewty smel vertue Euen so oughte not we to thynke that our frendes whyche be departed are in eny combrāce or sorowe but ther strength and vertue beyng drawen in lyueth in god and wyth god They lye rest tyll the last daye whan they shall awake agayne fayre bewtiful and glorious in soule bodi who wyll not nowe reioyce at thys comforte of Paul and set asyde all vnprofitable sorowe for thys exceadyng ioyes sake Faith that is confessed wyth the mouth must not be destroyed with a contrary dede Now is our belefe sette thus I beleue forgeuenes of synnes the resurrecciō of the body and the life euerlastīg Therefore remayneth there nothyng behynde for the whych the soule of the faythfull shoulde be tormented in the world to come or shut out from euerlasting ioy In the law .13.9.2 vbicūque it is noted vnsemely heuynes for the dead spryngeth out of dispaire of the resurreccyon for to come rather of fayntnes of minde then of mercy or godlynesse ¶ Ensamples of pacience in lyke case The .7 Chapter IF the wyse famous heathen could be numbred which toke the death of their frendes and chyldren in good parte and wyth a stoute stomack should it not be compted a shame vnto vs Chrysten menne that declare lesse constancye in that behalfe Pericles the captayne of the Athenians who for hys wysedome and vertue was called Olympius one of heauen whā he had lost hys two sonnes Paralius and Zantippus wtin the space of foure dayes was no more sorye nor vnquieted in the same sodayne chaunce but that on that day folowynge he came clothed in whyte before the whole multitude and consulted of the presēt warres so discretely and manfully that euery man wōdred at him and honoured hym Xenophō a disciple of Socrates whan he vnderstode that his only sonne Grillus had foughtē valiauntlye and vpon the same was slayne of the enemyes he sayd vnto those that brought him the message I made my prayer vnto the gods not that they should geue me an immortall sonne or that he myght be a long lyuer for I knew not whether that were profitable for hym but that of my sonne they woulde make a good man and a louer of hys own natyue country whyche prayer as I perceyue they haue graunted and therefore I thanke them Yf thou haddest rather heare ensamples of the romaynes thē cōsider Paulus Emilius who ouercame the Macedonians and triumphed gloriously ouer thē Whan he within seuen dayes had lost both hys sonnes he was not therefore brokē mynded but as he went forth to the multitud without both his sonnes which afore tyme alwaye led hym and stayed hym the one on the right hande the other on the lefte the people of Rome hauyng pitie on the olde honourable man began to lament and wepe But he being nothyng moued stode there and sayed I besought the godes if our commēwealth for the great prosperitie therof haue any euill wyll among those whiche bee in heauen that I my self and not the whole multitude myght recompence and beare it And seyng it is so I geue god great thankes M. Fabius Maximus also not wythout iust cause belongeth vnto the nomber of deare worthye men Whan he vpon a tyme had to doe wyth the office of the mayster of woorkes there came vnto hym a message first that his house was fallen downe and had alto brused hys wyfe a vertuous honourable woman secondly slain hys mother who in waighty affayres had oft geuen hym good counsayll which he folowed to the greate cōmoditie of the commen wealth Thirdly it was told him thesame day that hys yong sōne of whō he had an expectacyon and hope of al goodnes was dead in Vmbria The
Examples of gods helpe folio 88 ☞ The .24 Chapter ☞ That it is necessari to prepare for thys iourney folio 90 ☞ The .25 Chapter ☞ Prouision concernyng temporal goodes chyldren and frēdes whyche muste be lefte behynde folio 92 ☞ The .26 Chapter ☞ Preparacion concerning gostly maters wyth what cogitaciō● the mynde oughte moste to be exercysed folio 97 ☞ The .27 Chapter ☞ Of repentaunce and sorowe for synne folio 102 ☞ The .28 Chapter ☞ Of trewe fayth folio 103 ☞ The 29. Chapter ☞ Of hope folio 116 ☞ The .30 Chapter ☞ Of the sacramentes fol. 117 ☞ The .31 Chapter ☞ Of prayer folio 120 ☞ The .32 Chapter ☞ The forme of prayer fo 124 ☞ The .33 Chapter ☞ A forme of prayse and thākesgeuyng folio 130 ☞ The .34 Chapter ☞ That the prayer is harde fol. 133 ☞ The .35 Chapter ☞ That the word of god is to be practised and vsed fol. 134. ☞ The .36 Chapter ☞ Amendment of lyfe necessarye foli 136 ☞ The .37 Chapter ¶ Exhortacion vnto pacyence folio 139 ☞ The .38 Chapter * The original and frute of pacyence folio 145 * The .39 Chapter * That a man whyle he is yet in health ought to prepare himself afore hande folio 147 * The .40 Chapter * That the foresaid things ought by tyme and in due season to bee taken in hande fol. 155 ¶ The contentes of the seconde booke * The .1 Chapter * How the sicke oughte to be spoken vnto if nede shall require folio 164 * The .2 Chapter * Of the buriall and what is to be done towardes those that are departed hence folio 180 ¶ The contentes of the thirde boke * The .1 Chapter * How they oughte to be comforted whose deare frendes are dead foli 186. * The .2 Chapter * That vnto such as dye it is profitable to depart out of this lyfe foli 195 * The .3 Chapter * What profit the death of frēds bryngeth to such as are lefte behynde alyue foli 204 * The .4 Chapter * Companions that suffer like heuines of hart folio 212 * The .5 Chapter * Thorowe gods helpe all hearte sorowes are eased fol. 214 * The .6 Chapter * We muste furnyshe oure selues wyth prayer and pacience folio 217 * The .7 Chapter * Ensamples of pacience in lyke case folio 222. The .8 Chapter * The commoditie of pacience folio 228 The .9 Chapter We oughte so to loue our children and frendes that we maye forsake them folio 231 The .10 Chapter * Of the death of yonge persons in especiall folio 234 * The .11 Chapter * Of the death of the aged fo 24● * The .12 Chapter * Of straunge death fo 244 The firste boke of death declarynge what death is ¶ The .i. Chapter HOly scripture makethe mencion of foure maner of deathes and lyues 1. The firste is called a naturall lyfe so longe as the soule remayneth with the bodye vpon earth The naturall death is it that separateth the soule from the body 2. The seconde is a spirituall vnhappye death here in tyme of lyfe whan the grace of God for our wyckednesse sake is departed from vs by meanes wherof we were deed frō the Lorde our God and from all goodnes allthoughe as yet we haue the lyfe natural Cōtrary vnto this there is a gostly blessed lyfe whā we thorowe the grace of the Lorde our God lyue vnto hym and to all goodnesse Ephe. 2. Hereof wryteth Paull after thys maner God whych is riche in mercy thorow hys great loue wherewyth he loued vs euen whan we were ded in synnes hath quickened vs together in Christ 3. The thirde is a gostly blessed death here in tyme whan the fleshe beyng euer the longer the more separated from the spirite dyeth away from hys own wycked nature Contrari hereunto is there a gostli vnhappy life whā the fleshe wyth hys wycked disposicion continuallye breakethe forth and liueth in al wilfulnes Agaynst thys doth Paul exhort vs saying Collossiās Mortyfye therefore your members whyche are vpon earth fornicacion vnclennesse vnnatural lust euil concupiscēce couetousnes c. 4. The fourth that the scripture maketh mencyon of is an euerlastyng lyfe an euerlasting death Not that the bodi soule of man shall after thys tyme lose their substaunce and be vtterlye nomore For we beleue vndoubtedly that our soule is immortal and that euen thys present body shal arise againe But forasmuch as we our selues graunt that life is swete death a bitter herbe thys word lyfe by a figuratiue speche is vsed for mirth and ioy Thys worde death for heuines and sorowe Therefore eternall lyfe is called eternall ioye and eternall death eternall damnaciō Of these manyfolde deathes haue we commenlye a peruerse iudgement We abhorre the death of the body and hast on a pace to the vnhappy gostli death which yet in it self is a thousand times more terrible then any death corporall For whan a man delyteth in hys owne wyckednes though as yet he lyue vpon the earth he is neuertheles dead before god and the soule must continew stil damned for euermore In thys boke my handelynge is of naturall death which beefore our eyes semeth to be an vtter destruccion and that there is no remedy wyth the dead euen as whan a dogge or horse dieth and that god hath nomor respect vnto them Yea the world swimmeth ful of such vngodly people as haue none other meanynge Els doubtles woulde they beehaue themselues otherwyse towardes god Death vereli is not a destruccion of man but a delyueraunce of bodi soule Where as the soule beeyng of it selfe immortall dooeth eyther out of the mouth ascende vp into heauen or els from the mouth descēdeth into the pit of hel The body losyng hys substaunce tyll domes daye shall than by the power of god bee raysed from death and ioyned agayne to the soule that afterwarde the whole man with body and soule maye eternallye inherite either saluacion or els damnacyon ¶ That the time of death is vncertayne The .2 Chapter THe body of mā is a very frayle thyng Sickenesse maye consume it wylde beastes may deuoure it the fyer may burne it the water maye drowne it the ayer may infect it a snare maye choke it the prickyng of a pynne maye destroye it Therefore whan hys temporall lyfe shall ende he can not tell The principall cause why we knowe not the tyme of death is euen the grace of god to the intēt that we by no occasiō should lynger the amendemente of oure lyues vntill age but alway feare god Luke 12. as though we should dye to morowe But assone as the houre commeth no man shall ouerleape it Hereof speaketh Iob Iob. 14. whan he sayeth that god hath appointed vnto man hys bondes which he cannot goe beyonde ¶ That it is God which hath layed the burden of death vpon vs. The .3 Chapter IT becommeth all Christians not only to suffer
the pestylēce wyth flying awaye leauyng his own wyfe frendes and neyghbours he declareth vnperfectnes of faith and standeth not wyth Chrystian charitie where we owe vnto others the same that we in like case would gladly haue at theyr handes Graunt that the pestylence is such an infectuous sickenesse as one taketh of another What thā If one stande in battayle raye to fyghte for hys country must not he also looke for a gonne stonne to be sente hym into hys bosome to carye home doeth it therefore beseme hym to breake the araye and to fly Lyke as there the enemyes of the bodye are at hande So here doe the gostlye aduersaryes besege the soule of hym that is a dying where one Chrystyan shoulde helpe another wyth worthy talke Therfore is that a folish vnaduised counsayll whan we wyth neglectynge of oure owne members wil flie from the wrath of god thynkyng thorowe synne to escape the punyshmēt of synne Experyence also doth shew that such folkes doe ofte perysh aswel as other yea soner then they that fled not at al. But phisicke is permytted of god as in the tyme of pestylence wyth fyers and perfumes to make the ayer more wholsome from poysō and to receaue somewhat into the bodye for the consumyng of euil humours and to hinder the infeccion Itē whan one is taken with a dysease to be let bloud to sweate to folow the phisicians instrucciō such thīges are in no wyse to be reprehēded So that whether it turne to deathe or lyfe the hearte onely and hope hange vpon God The physicion shoulde neyther bee despysed nor worshypped For to thynke scorn to vse medecyne in syckenesse what were that els but euen to tempt god ¶ That god is able and wyll helpe for Chrystes sake The .20 Chapter SPecially whā death is at hād a man fyndeth no helpe in any creature of heauen and earth whereby he might fortunatly suppresse the exceading greate feare of death but only in god the father in Christe hys sonne and in the holy sprete of them both It is god that knoweth the parels of thy death and can medle wythall Thorowe hys power shalt thou get thorow and drinke the bitter draught Though we dyyet liueth god before vs with vs after vs and is able to preserue vs for euer Chryst sayeth wepe not the damosel is not dead but slepeth Faythles reason vnderstandeth not the mistery of God and laugheth But Chryst the true god hath both the woorde worke together saieth no more but arise and the soule came again to the bodye she arose Oute of thys and suche lyke ensamples oughtest thou faynte hearted man to vnderstande the infinite power of god who can receaue thi soule also and preserue it Not only is god able but wil also helpe graciousli Whi should not he lay vpon thee some greate thyng as death is seyng he addeth so greate aduauntage helpe and strēgth therto Math. 10. d. Luke 12. a. Psal 34. Psal 55. c. 1. Pet. 5. a to proue what hys grace and power maye doe For he hath nombred all the heares of our head that is he alwai hath hys eies vpon vs and careth euer for vs. Yea that he loueth vs more thē we loue oure selues and maketh better prouision for vs then we can wysh he hath openly and euidently testified in his own deare sonne Marke 16. c. Luke 22. c. whō he caused to take our miserable nature vpon hym and therein for the synnes of all the world to suffer to dye to ryse agayne to ascende vp to heauen Acre 7. ● roma 8. ● Eph. 1 ▪ c. 4. Philip. 2. a Col. 3. a 1. Pet. 3. c Heb. 1. a 2 ● 10 b 12 a Psal 110 a where he sytteth at the right hād of god the father almyghtye Among the whych articles euerye one doth helpe and comfort such as are a dying The naturall sonne of god him selfe from heauen became a mortall man The human●●tie of Chry●● to the intent that mans mortal nature thorowe the vnityng thereof with the immortall nature of the Godheade in hys owne onely person myght be exalted to an immortall lyfe He The passion of Chryst hauyng a natural feare of death said my soule is heuy euē vnto the death He prayed also father if it be possible take thys cup from me But thys feare and terrour dyd he ouercome Math 26 ● Marke 14 ● Io 12 c Luke 22 ● for he addeth thereto and sayeth father not my wyll but thyne be fulfylled Thorowe thys victorye of Chryst maye al Chrystyans also ouercome such terrour and feare as they be in Item though the Iewes blaspheme neuer so muche and saye lette hym come downe from the crosse Math 27 Marke 14 d Luke 22 c he hath helped other lette hym nowe helpe hymselfe as though they woulde saye There there seyft the death like a wretche must thou dye and no man is able to helpe thee Yet dyd the lorde Iesus holde hys peace thereto as if he heard and saw them not He made no aunswere agayne but onely regarded the good wil and pleasure of his father Therfore though we haue an horrible temptacion of death as thoughe there were neyther comforte nor help for vs ani more yet in Christ and with Chryst we may endure all and wayte styll vpon the gracious good wyll of god He dyd not onely suffer the horrour and temptacyon of deathe but death it selfe yea the moste horryble death wherby he tooke from vs the death eternall and some deale mollified and swaged our temporall death yea besides thys he made it profytable and wholsome So that death 2 Cor 5 ● Phil 1 c roma 7 c Hebru 2 which of it selfe shoulde els be a beginning of euerlastyng sorowe is become an intraunce into eternall saluacyō Accordyng to this meanyng are the wordes of Paul whā he sayth that Chryst by the grace of god tasted death for all men Item he became partaker offlessh and bloud to put down thorowe death hym that had the lordshyp ouer death that is to say the deuyll and that he myghte delyuer them whyche thorowe feare of death were al theyr lyfe tyme in daunger of bondage Chrystes resurreccyon Moreouer that Chryst is the lyuing immortall ymage against death yea the very power of our resurreccyon and of lyfe euerlastyng he hymselfe hath testifyed wyth hys owne ioyefull and victoryous resurreccion also with that that in hys resurreccyon many other sayntes that were dead rose from death agayne Math 27 Agayne howe full is it of comforte and pure treasure that S. Paul ioyneth our resurrecciō vnseparably 1 Cor 15 to the resurreccyon of Iesus Christ Lykewyse doth S. Paul comforte hys disciple Timothy with the resurreccion and sayeth 2 Tim 2 ●om 6 b 8 b If we dye wyth Chryst we shall lyue wyth hym if we be pacyent we shal also reigne with hym Chrystes ascensyon No lesse must the frute of the
shal we neuer bee able to comprehende how it commeth to passe that the soule muste depart out and yet bee preserued the wormes consume the bodye and that thesame yet shal ryse agayne and lyue for euer Therefore is there required faythe in Chryste and in his word The summe her of haue we in the twelue articles of the olde aunciente vndoubted Christian belefe And though it bee our dewtye alwaye speciallye at the tyme of death earnestly to consider al the articles yet pryncipally whā we dye we oughte to exercyse the foure last articles The communyon of saintes The Frutes of faith the forgeuenes of sinnes the resurreccion of the body and the lyfe euerlastynge For these foure in themselues comprehēde al the power commoditie frute of faythe Namelye whosoeuer doeth stedfastly loke for al grace and help at gods hande thorowe the concepcion and birth death passyon resurreccyon ascensyō intercessyon merytes of Iesus Chryst and standeth lyueth and dieth in the same faith though all synnes deuils death hel would fall vpon hym and oppresse him yet canne they not hurt hym To bee shorte it is not other wise possible he must nedes haue feloshyppe wyth God and the elect and be quite discharged from all synnes and ioyfully rise again to eternal life Yea what soeuer the sōne of god himselfe hath can do and is able that same hath thys beeleuer also obteyned neyther can it goe other wyse wyth hym but prosperously in lyfe death here and in the world to come tēporally and eternally Wytnesse Whoso hath Chryst hath already the true lyfe and all blessing for Christ is the life the resurreccion and a plentefull sufficiency of all good thinges Thorowe fayth Ephesi 3. doeth Chryste dwell in our hartes Therfore thorowe fayth we obteyne all consolacion and blessyng That fayth is the true absolucyon it may be perceaued by the wordes of Chryste whā he saith so oft in the gospell be it vnto the accordyng to thy belefe Item God wyll constauntlye stand to hys worde and promes he is of nature the trueth it selfe Heauen and earth shall passe but hys wordes shall not passe Luke 21. What are nowe the promyses of god Iohn 3. So god loued the world that he gaue hys onelye begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth on hym shoulde not peryshe but haue euerlastynge lyfe O howe blessed a promys is thys that if we beleue in Chryste the sonne of god we shall thorowe hym inheryte eternall lyfe Item Iohn 5. vereli verely I say vnto you he that heareth my woordes and beleueth on hym that sēt me hath euerlastyng lyfe and shall not come into damnacyon but is escaped from death vnto lyfe Lorde howe comfortable a thing is thys that a faythfull beleuer by temporall death escapeth thorow yea is already escaped into euerlastyng lyfe Againe Iohn ● ▪ this is the will of my father which hath sente me that euery one whych seeth the sonne and beleueth on hym haue eternall lyfe and I shall raise him vp at the laste day As though he said Thys is the most gētle good will of god the father of god the sonne that such a man as styll endureth in stedfaste confidence vpon the grace worde of God shall bee preserued saued for euer And euen as litle shall synne hell and the deuyll be able to hurte hym as they could hurte Chryste hymselfe A pithie similitude Whan the darknes of the night falleth down it couereth the whole world dymmeth the coloure and fashion of all creatures feareth discomforteth them yet is it not of such power as to darken suppresse quenche the least light of al that is founde in the worlde For the darker the night is the clearer dothe starres shyne yea the lest lyght of a candell wtstandeth the whole night and geueth light rounde about in the middes of darknes A litle sparke also of a coale can not the darknes couer much les is it able to quēch it 1. Ihon ● Now is god the true euerlastyng heauēly light And al they that put their truste in hym are as a burnīg candle For thorow fayth doeth god dwell in our hartes we ar the liuing tēple of god Christs disciples ar called the lightes of the world Hereout foloweth it the though the prince of spiritual darknes thrust in with his noisome poisō plages Yet shal we beholde in faith that he with his poisō plages can neyther apprehēd nor destroy any true faithful mā or womā but shal be sinitten back dryuen away perforce A lytle vayne of water An apte similitude breaketh forth out of the groūd sometyme scace a fynger bygge and whan the water is gathered into a dyche or ponde it spryngeth neuerthelesse And though the water become heuy of certain hūdreth wayght and moue about the fo●●tayne yet can it not dryue backe 〈◊〉 fountaine but it driueth the whol● waighte of the water backward● and forwarde and spryngeth st●● continually tyll the dyche bee s● full that it goe ouer And if the other water be foule and trouble● it can not myngle it selfe among the freshe cleare water of the fo●●tayne but the same remayneth pu●● and fayer tyll in tyme it com● farre from the head spryng Iere. 2. Psal 36. Nowe is god the only plentifull fountayne of all lyfe An● the faythfull are verye flowyng wels For Chryste saieth Whos● beleueth on me Iohn 7. out of hys body as sayth the scripture shal flow streames of the water of lyfe Whyche wordes he spake of th● sprete that they which beleue o● hym should receaue Thus no m●●chaunce of thys world can spoil● any faythful man of his comfort and lyfe forasmuche as god the eternall well spryng of life dwelleth and floweth in hys hearte and dryueth all noysome things 〈◊〉 awaye from it To the intente now The exercyse of fayth that thou mayest be partaker of al the frutes of faith thou must māfulli striue and exercyse thy belefe after this maner If any imaginacion or thoughte concernynge synne or death wil feare the though flesh and bloud tell thee otherwyse though thyne owne naturall reason woulde make thee to beeleue none other and thou thy selfe felest not the contrari but the god of very wrath wyll kyll thee dāne thee for euer yet let no dispayer plucke the noble comforte of the sauioure out of thyne hearte let not thy hart wauer in the louing and fatherly promes of god Let the terrible cogitacions passe as much as is possible Remember the comfortable gracious worde of the lord Iesu Blessed of godis he that ●ath thys ●ynde Comprehend and kepe it sure in a stedfast belefe confydence and hope Plucke vp thi●e heart and say O death thy false feare woulde fayne disceaue me and wyth lying cogitacions pull me awaye from Chryst the worthy I mai not harkē to thy feare neyther accepte it I knowe of a deare
The preacher sayth remember thy maker in thy youth Eccle. 11. or euer the dayes of aduersitie come and afore the yeares drawe nye when thou shalt saye I am wery of my lyfe Agayne we reade examine correcte thy selfe Sirac 1● afore the iudgement come so shalte thou fynde grace in the syght of god Hūble thy selfe afore thou be sycke and declare in season that thou wylte ceasse from sinne Be not hindred to pray in due tyme and differre not thy amendement vntil death No man knoweth the time place or maner how he shall ende this lyfe Many one hopeth yet longe to liue thynketh I am yet yōg I wil folow the world Whā I am olde or haue a wife kepe house then wyl I begynne to frame my selfe But o thou fooll who hath promysed thee that thou shalt be an old man yea that thou shalt lyue to morow As nothynge is more certayn then death so is nothing more vncertayne then the houre of death whiche the Lorde hath not opened to hys best frendes Therfore euery daye thynke thou none other in thy mynd but that thy glasse is runne out A frendly warnyng let euerye day be vnto thee the last day seyng thou wotest not whether that shalt lyue tyll to morowe Learne to beware by the example of other men vpon whom stretche legge came sodenly and slewe them euen whan they thought nothing lesse then to dye Yea of death ought we to thinke as of that whiche is presente for we haue death by the fote and carye hym aboute wyth vs in oure whole body Lyke as one in a shyppe whether he syt stande awake or slep is euer styll borne and caryed forwarde althoughe he marke it not greatly neyther fele it so our life in a continuall mocyon dooeth euery twynklyng of an eye steale forth and priuely crepe to the end thoughe we marke not howe the tyme passeth Dauid sayeth oure tyme goeth foorth swiftlye Psal 90. as though we did flie As if he wold saye there can nothyng runne or flye awaye more swiftlye And Sirac sayeth Sirac 14. remember the death taryeth not Paul sayeth I dye dayly 1. Cor. 15. For euen in the middest of lyfe ar we in death yea death dayly assone as we are borne taketh awai som what of our life After thys meanīg writeth Augustine The time of thys lyfe is nothyng els but arounyng vnto death Moreouer death is daylye set before our eyes we heare the sighing and lamentable voyces of thē that dye we see the coarses caryed to the buriall we gooe by the graues of the dead we bee styll talkyng of those that ar dead and buryed If the ensample of others touch vs but a litle then lette vs consyder our selfes Where is there one of vs that hath not somtyme ben in daunger of lyfe either thorow tempest sicknes pestylence murthur warre or other misfortune Therefore seeyng death waiteth for vs on euery side we doe wisely whan we also on euery syde wayte for him that he take vs not vnprepared or catche vs sodenly Though a man perfectly know as no man doth in dede that it should belonge afore he dyed yet were it exceadyng daungerous to differ the preparaciō til thā And more profitably could not one hāble the matter then by tyme and in due season to directe himselfe vnto that place where he desireth euerlastynglye to remayne For vncertayne he is whan the laste houre cōmeth whether he shall conuerte hymselfe to God and whether he shal haue hys ryhgte mynde or not Thoughe he bee not robbed of hys ryghte mynde yet in deadlye sicknes he hath so muche to doe wyth the trouble that it is heard than for hym to learne that he hath not comprehended learned afore The vnspeakeable payne of the bodye the horryble syght of thyne owne synnes the terrible feare of gods iudgement and the cruell temptacyon of the deuill come altogether vpon one heape in the perturbaunce and cōbraunce of death and hynder exceadyng much in euerye thynge that one ought to thynke speake or doe Yf thou now hast lightly regarded al warning and so diest in thy synnes thou shalt not bee able after death to amende any more Al repentaunce sorowing from that tyme forth shall bee in vayne Prou. 11. Whan the vngodly dyeth hys hope is gone Forasmuch thē as it is so that in death we must abyde the sorest and most daungerous cōflict and battayl euery reasonable man may wel perceue that we ought by tyme and in season yea all our lyfe tyme to prepare afore hande agaynste the sayd battayll ¶ That the foresayed thynges oughte by tyme and in due season to bee taken in hande The .40 Chapter THy laste wyll and testament The frute of makyng thy testamente in tyme of health beyng made while thy bodye is whole and sounde causeth not thee to dye the soner as oure feble vnderstanding ymagineth but is an occasion that thou diest the more quietly and that thou then goeste not firste aboute suche thornes whā thou liest vpon thy death bed Well don is it whan one that dyeth dooeth restore euyll gotten goods But vnto god it is an hundreth tymes more acceptable if thou restore it thy selfe while thou art whol and soūd in body It is wel don to bestow one porciō of goods for the relief of the poore But yet is it a muche more acceptable offerynge vnto God whan one hymselfe in hys lyfetyme geueth vnto the poore For that whych thou vpon thy death bead apoyntest for them is not alwaye distributed and though it be yet is it nomore thyne Some do euē as the wyfe that would geue none of her potage to any body tyll her pot was ouerthrown then called she that pore vnto it It is well done in the ende to forgeue all men and to pray vnto god that he also will forgeue all thyne enemies ▪ but much more cōmendable is it to forgeue them afore while thou hast thy health and not doe it for feare of death but for the very loue of Chryste As for other wayghtye makers wherewyth thou arte wrapped concernyng wyfe children neighbours debtes frendes or enemyes those lykewyse oughteste not thou to differre tyll the laste daye wherein thou haste inough to dooe wyth the worlde whych thou arte lothe to forsake wyth deathe whom naturallye thou hateste wyth the deuyll who practyseth all hys crafty falshod and subtyltie wyth the feare of hell the terroure whereof is horrible By meanes of such things an vnprepared manne dooeth oft forgette the grace of GOD and the souls health For if thou hauynge alwaye a louynge frend in estymacyon dooeste contrarye wyse litle regarde a poore neyghbour It were no wonder if thou shouldest forget the same neyghbour in the meane season whan thy deare frende is departed Euen so whan one now hath alway cast what maye dooe the bodye good howsoeuer it goeth wyth the soule no meruayll that the soules health is
¶ A moste frutefull piththye and learned treatise how a Christen mā ought to behaue himself in the daūger of death and howe they are to be releued and cōforted whose deare frendes ar departed oute of thys worlde moste necessarye for this our vnfortunate age and sorowfull dayes Iohn 6. Verely verely I say vnto you he that beleueth in me hath euerlastyng lyfe Vnto all those that vnfaynedly desyer to lyue vnder the feare of god and with pacience abide the commyng of our lord and sauiour Iesus Chryste thorowe the workynge of the holy gost grace and peace be multiplyed THough al kīdes of bestes haue some thynges commen one with another as in that thei see heare fele desier moue frō one place to another yet hath euery beaste also hys own speciall propertie as the birde hath another nature then the fishe the lion another disposicion then the wolfe Euē so in other my bookes heretofore by me publyshed I haue sette forth a generall comforte concerninge trouble sicknesse pouertie displeasure derth warre imprisonment death vnder the whiche I haue comprehended al the crosse and afflyccyon of man Neuertheles euerye mischaunce or aduersity hath also hys owne speciall consideraciō And forasmuch as among terrible thynges vpon earth death is estemed the most cruel of al and it can yet wyth no wysdome of man be ryghtfullye iudged how it goeth with a Christian in and after death Therefore the greatest necessitye requireth that we Christians be diligently instructed by the infallyble worde of god in especiall touchyng the ende and conclusion of our lyfe For whā the laste houre draweth nye whyche we euerye daye yea euery twincklyng of an eye loke for whether the soule after it be departed do liue whether the corrupted body shal ryse agayn whether eternal ioye and saluacion be at hande and which way conducteth and leadeth to saluacyon therof hath the moste subtyle worldly wise man bi his owne naturall reason no knoweledge at all Plato Aristotel Cicero the gretest learned and wysest wryte of these high waightie maters very childishly and folyshli and as for consolacion that they geue it is in no sorte nor wyse to be compared vnto the holi diuine scripture which onlye ministreth the true Christian comforte in lyfe and death And though euery manne ought daily to consider his ende and at all tymes to make hymselfe ready for death seying tha● he knoweth not how where and whan god shal lay hys hand vpō hym Yet neuertheles at this present tyme we haue moe occasiōs to talke and treate thereof nowe that almightie god doth wyth diuers and sundry plages more greuously then here to fore visite our vnrepentant lyfe for that he all thys whyle hath perceaued in vs but litle amēdment neyther nede we to thynke that these the raigne and other plages shall ouerleape vs. Cōsidering now that I though vnworthy and vnmete was called by auctoritie but specially of god to teache to exhort and to cōfort I haue wyth great laboure out of the holy Scripture and out of olde and newe authours collected howe a man shoulde prepare himselfe vnto death how he is to be vsed that lyeth a dying how they ought to be cōforted whose deare fredes ar departed Which thynges as they be orderly set in thys boke righte dearly beloued and louyng reader I do present dedicate and offer vnto the. And though I can consyder that this lytle boke is to small and slender a gyfte because of my persō yet is it neyther litle nor to be despysed for the fountaynes sake that it floweth out of and by reason of thē mater wherof it is wryttē For herein out of the vnchaūgeable worde of god are noted the head articles of our last conflyct and battayll wherupō depēdeth eyther eternall victorye honoure and ioye or els euerlasting losse and endles payne of the whiche thynges we canne neuer thynke talke nor treate sufficiētly Wherfore wheras this litle boke goeth forth vnto thy vse that arte an vnfayned Christian and to the cōfort of al suche as are afrayed of death I praye the for Chrystes sake not onely to accept it as the testymonie of a wyllyng and louyng mynde towarde the but also to haue styll an earnest desier to that that it hath pleased god by me at thys time to cōmunicate vnto the that wyth thy thankfulnes thou mayest moue other to the life that can do better and by thi profet styrre the haruest lord to sende more haruest men into his haruest Whych he cānot but do outcept he coulde deny hymselfe that came into the worlde nother to put out the flax that smoketh nor to breake the reade that is but broosed but to open to thē that knocke to hym ¶ Loue god leue vanitye and lyue in Chryst Vale et ●i●e●● cum fortuna ¶ The contentes of the fyrste booke ☞ The first Chapter cōteineth ☞ What death is folio 1 ☞ The .2 Chapter ☞ That the tyme of death is vncertayne folio 6 ☞ The .3 Chapter ☞ That it is god whiche hath layed the burden of death vpon vs. folio 7 ☞ The 4. Chapter ☞ That god sendeth death beecause of synne folio 9 ☞ The .5 Chapter ☞ That god turneth death vnto good folio 12 ☞ The .6 Chapter ☞ That death in it selfe is greuous to the bodi and soule fo 13 ☞ The .7 Chapter ☞ That we all commenly are afrayed of death folio 22 ☞ The .8 Chapter ☞ A commoditie of death whā it delyuereth vs from this shorte transitorye tyme. folio 26 ☞ The .9 Chapter ☞ Another commoditie whan death deliuereth vs from this miserable tyme. folio 29 ☞ The .10 Chapter ☞ Witnes that thys life is miserable folio 37 ☞ The .11 Chapter ☞ That the cōsideraciō of death afore hande is profitable to all vertues folio 40 ☞ The .12 Chapter ☞ In death we learne the ryght knowledge of our selues and of god also and are occasyoned to geue ouer oure selues vnto god folio 43 ☞ The .13 Chapter ☞ That the dead ceasseth from synne folio 45 ☞ The .14 Chapter ☞ That the dead is delyuered from this vicious worlde hauīg not onlye thys aduauntage that be sinneth no more but also is discharged from others synnes folio 48 ☞ The .15 Chapter ☞ That the dead obteyneth saluacion folio 50 ☞ The .16 Chapter ☞ Similitudes that death is wholsome folio 52 ☞ The .17 Chapter ☞ Witnesse that death is wholsome folio 59 ☞ The .18 Chapter ☞ That death can not bee auoyded Item of companions of thē that dye folio 62 ☞ The .19 Chapter ☞ Of natural helpe in daunger of death folio 66 ☞ The .20 Chapter ☞ That God is able and wyll helpe for Chrystes sake foli 68 ☞ The .21 Chapter ☞ That god hath promysed his helpe and comfort folio 79. ☞ The .22 Chapter ☞ God setteth to hys owne helpyng hande in such wyse and at such time as is best of all fo 84 ☞ The .23 Chapter ☞
Cor. 15. Our home is paradise in heauen our heauenly father is god the earthy father of al men is Adam oure spirituall fathers are the patriarkes prophetes and apostles whiche altogether wait and long for vs. Seyng nowe that death is the path and waye vnto them we ought the lesse to fly it to the intente that we maye come to oure righte home salute our fathers and frendes embrace thē Hebre. 13. end dwel with them foreuer We haue heare no remayninge citie but we seke one to come Psalme 3. Our conuersaciō burgership is in heauē But if any man be afrayed of death and force not for the country of heauen onely because of tēporal pleasures thesame dealeth vnhonestlye euen as dooe they that wheras they ought to go the next way home set them down in a pleasaunt place or among companions at the tauerne Where they lying styl forget their owne country and passe not vpon their frendes and kynsfolkes Howe euill thys becommeth thē euerye man may wel cōsider bi himselfe The lord Iesus geueth thys similitude except the wheate corne fall into the grounde and dye it ●ydeth alone but if it dye it bryngeth foorthe muche frute Lykewyse Paull compareth vs men vnto graynes of corne the churcheyarde ● Corin. 15 to a felde To dye he sayeth is to be sowne vpon Gods felde The resurreccyon with the life that foloweth after resembleth he to the pleasaunte grene corne in Sommer If a man laie in a darke miserable pryson wyth thys condicion that he should not come forth tyl the walles of the tower were fallen down vndoutedly he would be right glad to see the walles begynne to fall our soule is kept in wythin the body vpon earth as in captiuitie and bondes Nowe assone as the body is at a poynt that it muste nedes fall why woulde we be sory For by thys approcheth the deliueraūce whō we out of the pryson of miserye shal be brought before the moste amiable countenaunce of god into the ioyefull fredome of heauē Accordynge to thys dyd Dauyd pray Psalm 14● Bryng my soule out of pryson O Lorde that I maye geue thankes vnto thy name Item in many places of scripture to dye is called to slepe death it selfe aslepe Lyke as it is no grefe for a mā to goe slepe 1. Cor. 15. Thessa 4 ▪ nor whā he seith hys parentes and frendes laye them downe to reste for he knoweth that suche as are aslepe doe soone awake and rise again so whā we or our frendes depart awaye by death we oughte to erecte and coumforte oure selues with the resurreccion VVytnesse that death is holsome The .17 Chapter FOr the strengthnyng of ou● fayth I wyll alledge euydente testimonye of Gods worde Ecclesia 7. The preacher sayth ▪ The day of death is better thē the day of birth As if he would say in the daye of thy birth the● arte sente into the colde into th● heat into hūger and thirst whe●in is synne and wretchednesse in the day of thy death thou shal● be deliuered from all euil Agai● we reade Sapien. 4. thoughe the righteous be ouertaken with death yet shal● he be in rest Iohn 5. Verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my wordes an● beleueth on him that sēt me ha●● euerlastynge lyfe and shall no● come into damnacyon but is sca●●ed from death vnto lyfe Rom. 14. a. 2. Cor. 4. b Yf w● lyue we lyue vnto the Lorde 〈◊〉 we dye we dye vnto the Lorde ▪ Therfore whether we liue or dy● we are the Lordes Behold how comfortably thys is spoken of all Christians That death can not be auoyded Item of companyons of them that dye The .18 Chapter VPon thys condicion are we borne into the worlde into thys light not to continewe alway therin but whā god wil thorowe temporall death to laye asyde and put of the trauayle of thys miserable lyfe Wyttie men haue foūde out how hard stones may be brokē mollified how wilde beastes may be tamed but nothing could they inuent wherby death myght bee auoyded It is not vnwyselye sayd Goddes hande maye a man escape but not death Metrodorus wryteth that against bodeli enemies there may be made fortresses castels bulworkes but so farre as cōcerneth death all men haue an vnfensed citie In other daungers power money flight counsayll and policy mai helpe But as for death it can neyther be banyshed with power nor boughte wyth moneye nor auoyded wyth flying away nor preuented wyth counsayle nor turned backe wyth polycye And though thou be now delyuered from syckenes yet wythin ● litle whyle thou muste whether thou wylte or no departe hence to deathes home for the higheste law geuer of all tolde oure fyrs● father so afore In what daye soeuer thou eatest therof thou shalte dye the death Gene. ● vnderstande that the death of the soule bryngeth with it the death of the body Whoso now grudgeth and is not contente to dye what is that els but that he forgettyng hymselfe and hys owne nature complayneth of God in heauen that he suffered hym to be borne and made hym not an aungell Why should we refuse the thing that we haue commen with other men Nowe doeth death touche not onely vs but highe and lowe estate younge and olde man and woman master and seruaunte As many as came of the first mā muste laye downe theyr neckes Death is an indifferent iudge regardeth no person hath no pitie on the fatherles careth not for the poore dispēseth not with the rich feareth not the myghtie passeth not for the noble honoureth not the aged spareth not the wyse pardoneth not the folyshe For like as a riuer is poisoned in the well spryng or fountayne so was the nature of man altogether in our first parētes And forasmuch as they themselues were maymed thorow sinne they haue begotten vnright and mortal children roman 5. Touching this saieth Paul by one man came death vpon all men Now let vs consider what excellent companions and holi feloshyp they also haue that ar dead Paul wryteth that we muste bee lyke shapen vnto the ymage of the sonne of god If he nowe that of nature was immortall and innocent became mortal for our sakes euen Iesus Chryste our sauiour why would we then that manye and sondry wayes haue deserued death continewe here styll and not dye Abraham the faythful Sampson the stronge Salomon the wyse Absalom the fayer one yea all the Prophetes and Apostles kynges and Emperours thorowe death departed oute of thys lyfe A very deintie and tender body must that be whych cōsydering so great multytudes of coarses doth yet out of measure vexe hymselfe beecause the lyke shall happen vnto him That wer euen like as if one woulde take vpon hymselfe to be better then all ryghtuous and holy men that euer were sithens the begynnyng of the worlde Of naturall helpe in daunger of death The .19 Chapter WHoso wyll helpe hymselfe from
ascension of Christ be cōsidered For the sonne of god hath promysed and sayd Father I wyl that where I am they also be whom thou hast geuen me Seyng that Chryst now with body and soule is go te vp to heauen what can be thoughte more comfortable for a man at hys death then that we Chrystyans shall also after death be takē vp into the ioie of heauē In heauen sytteth Chryste at the ryghte hande of god Chryste sy●teth at the ryghte hand of god Lorde and kyng ouer synne deuil death and hel Him we haue in that heauenly lyfe wyth god an assured faythfull mediator and helper Though we must fyghte in extremitie of death yet are we not alone in thys conflyct or battayl euen the valeaunt heauenly captayne hymselfe who vpō the crosse ouer came death and all misfortune for our sakes hath respecte vnto vs from tyme to time goeth beefore vs in oure battayle and fyghteth for vs Deut 1 c 20 Exo 14 c Iosu 23. a 1 Pat 6 a 2 Pat 20 32 4 reg ● d Zach 10 a kepeth vs from all mischaunces in the way to saluacyon so that we nede not care nor feare that we shal sinke or fal down to the bottome He shall cause vs with oure own bodely eyes to see the glorious victory and triumphe in the resurrecciō of the dead to haue experyence therof in oure own body and soule Death is euen as a darke caue in the grounde but who so taketh Chrystes light candell puttyng hys truste in hym and goeth into the dymme darke hole the mysre flyeth before him and the darkenesse vanysheth awaye In Chryste haue we a mighty effectuous ymage of grace of life and of saluacyon in suche sorte that we Chrystyans should feare neyther death nor other misfortune Summa he is oure hope our safegarde oure triumph our crowne Wrinesse of scripture Iohn 1● I am the resurreccion and the lyfe he that beleueth one me yea though he were dead yet shall he lyue And whosoeuer lyueth and beleueth on me shall neuer die Forth wyth after he had spoken these wordes raysed he vp Lazarus who had lyen fouer dayes in the graue and beeganne to corrupte and stynke As by Adā al die so by Christ shall all be made aliue 1 Cor 13 euery one in hys order Item oure burgershyppe is in heauen from whens we loke for a sauioure Philip 3 euē Iesus Chryste whyche shall chaunge oure vyle bodyes that they maie bee fashyoned lyke vnto hys gloryous body accordyng to the working wherby he is able to subdue all thynges vnto hymself Also Ye are dead Colossiās 3 and your lyfe is hid wyth Chryste in god But whan Chryst your life shal shewe hym selfe then shal ye also appeare with hym in glory Here dooeth Paul declare that our life is not in this worlde but hyd wyth Chryste in god and shall thorowe Chryst in hys tyme be gloryously opened After thys maner should Christe be prynted into the feble troubled and doubtfull consciences of the sycke And withal diligēce ought the office of Chryst to be considered how that he accordyng vnto the scripture comming into thys world for our welth did also for our wealth preache wrought miracles suffred died to deliuer vs oute of thys false vnhappye worlde to open vnto vs the ryght● dore into eternall lyfe to bring vs with body and soule into heauen Wherin neyther sinne death nor deuill shall be able to hynder vs for euermore Who shall euer be able sufficiently to prayse and magnify the infinite glori of the grace of god What would we haue the Lorde oure God to dooe more for vs to make vs lustely steppe forth beefore the face of death manfullye to fyghte in all trouble and wyllynglye to wayte for the delyueraunce ¶ That god hath promysed hys helpe and comfort The .21 Chapter OVte of thys exceadynge grace of god for the blessed sedes sake proceade gods comfortable promises in the olde and newe testament Psal 32 Psal 91 Myne eyes shall still be vpon thee that thou peryshe not The Lorde shall delyuer thee frō the snare of the hunter and from the moste noysome death Wyth hys owne wynges shall he couer thee so that vnder hys fethers thou shalt bee safe Hys trueth faythfulnes shall be thy shylde buckler so that thou shalt neither nede to feare any inconuenyence by nyght neyther swyfte arowe in the daye season neyther the pestilence that crepeth in darknes nor yet any hurt that destroyeth by day tyme. Though a thousand fall on thy lefte hande and ten thousande on thy ryght yet shall it not touche the. Heare dooeth god euydently promyse that he wyll gracyously preserue hys own chyldrē First from suche temptacion phantasy and disceaueablenes as come vp on a man by nyghte in the darke Secondly from the violence of wycked vnthriftes and all myschaunces that ouertake men opēly in the daye season yea sometyme sodenly and vnwares Thirdly from the pestylence that we nede not to feare it thoughe there dye of it a thousande on the lefte hande and ten thousand on the ryghte The pestilence shal either not take vs or not woūde vs vnto death or els serue to oure euerlastyng welfare Fourthlye from hote feuerous syckenesses suche as commenlye growe in hote countryes whan the sonne shyneth most strongly Vnder these foure plages are all mischaunces comprehended In the ende of thys Psalme stād these words I am with him in trouble I wil deliuer him and bryng hym to honour Whan god saith I am with hym cōsyder not thou thine own powers for thei helpe nothing at al. Behold much more the power of him that is with the in trouble Whan thou hearest I wyll delyuer hym thou must not be faint hearted though the trouble doe seme longe to continewe whan thou hearest I wyl bryng hym vnto honour bee thou sure that as thou arte partaker of the death of Chryste so shalt thou be also of hys glory Math 11 Chryste calleth thee to hym cryeth yet styll come to me all ye that laboure and are laden and I wyll ease you Take my yoke on you and learne of me that I am meke and lowly in hearte and ye shall fynde rest vnto your soules Agayn verely vereli I say vnto you Iohn 8 If any mā kepe mi sayinges he shall neuer see death Vnderstande that the light of life doeth shine clearer then the darkenesse of death can blynde For the faithfull thorowe hys belefe is after suche sorte incorporated and ioyned vnto the lord Chryste that true lyfe that he shal not be separated from hym Thoughe bodye and soule departe a sunder now for a season yet is that done in an assured vndoubted hope of the blessed resurreccion that veri shortlye both bodye and soule shall come together agayne to eternall ioye And thus the Christiā beleuer neyther seeith feleth nor tasteth the euerlasting death of his body and soule that is
for the vnspeakable grace of god wyth exhortacyō to forgeue hys enemyes to doe euery man good accordyng to hys power in euery point to amend his own lyfe and conuersacyon but specyally wyth a pacyente gentle quiete and good wyllyng mynde to wayte for delyueraunce Namly thou mayst say thus Take vp thy crosse vpō thy necke pacyentlye and folowe Chryst thy Lorde Remember and beholde Chryste hangynge in great Martyrdome vpon the crosse He suffered pacyently vntyll hys fathers wyll was fulfylled in him Euen so thou also holde styll vnto the Lorde thy god that he maye perfourme hys wyl in the if it be hys good pleasure now to take the stinkīg transitory fleshe from thee to purifie it and to make an eternall gloryfyed body of it thou haste great cause to reioyes At the pointe of death Whan the sick is drawynge a way and specheles hauynge yet vnderstandyng thou maist speke vnto hym these wordes fyght valiauntly as a worthy Christian dispayer not be not afrayed of the rigorous iudgement of god hold thee faste to the comfortable promes of Chryst there as he sayth I am the resurreccion and the lyfe He that beleueth on me shal liue though he were dead and whoso lyueth and beleueth on me shall neuer dye In hym is thy belefe ▪ therfore shalt thou liue with him for euer Chryst thy sauiour shall neuer forsake thee There can no man plucke thee out of hys hand Iohn 10. Heauen an earth shall passe but gods worde endureth for euer Haue thou therefore no doubte Luke 21. thou shalt after thys batayll receaue the crowne of euerlastynge lyfe Aske now the mā whether he vnderstande and beleue desyer a token of hym and crye vnto hym fayer and softly good brother vpon thy soules health depart not shrencke not awaye from Iesus Chryst committe thy soule vnto thy faythfull god and louyng father Speake from thy heart rote wyth Chryst thy brother vpō the crosse Father into thy handes into thy proteccyon and defence I commit my sprete Whan hys vnderstandyng is paste committe hym vnto god Make thy prayer alone or wyth others that god wyll take thys sicke man into eternall lyfe and graunte hym a ioyfull resurreccion at the laste daye onely for the Lorde Iesus Chrystes sake Amen ¶ Of the buryall and what is to be done towards those that are departed hence The .2 Chapter THe soule of the dead assone as it is departed frō hence cōmeth into a state there as prayers if one woulde make thē for him afterward haue no place and ar eyther vnprofitable or els vayn yea offēsyue also and hinderāce to our Chrystyan belefe The body of hym that is departed ought reuerently and soberly to bee conducted vnto the earth and buryed For that is the last seruice that we can dooe for suche as are departed and therbi mai we declare our charitable loue towardes them In the meane season whan we reuerently commit the body as the wheat corn vnto the earth we testifie our belefe of the resurrecciō for to come The scripture also commendeth those that faythfully wyll haue to doe wyth burying of the dead after the ensample of Tobias Of misordring the bodies of the dead wryteth Plato the heithen Philosopher Lib. 7. De repub Is it not a bonde gredye and voluptuous thyng to spoyle the deade coarse and to rage againste the bodye as an enemy whan the enemy that fought in the body is departed awaye What differre they frō dogges which bite the stone that is caste at them and let hym goe fre that cast it There is no dyfferēce Of such points ought we to be ware for they bryng hurt vnto victory Of gorgeous graues and sepulcres it is wrytten in the Poete Euripides mennes myndes are mad whan they beestowe vayne cost vpon dead bodyes For if we consider the matter ryght we must nedes greatly meruaill that euer a man should fall into suche a frēsy as to vse pryde after death Touchyng the place of Burial it is to be noted that by such ordinary meanes as be permitted vs we are bounde to auoyde sicknes and all hurt Now out of graues there come naturalli euil sauours or vapours which alter chaung the ayer and increase the disease of the pestilence whā the church yarde or place of burial standeth in the myddes of Cities or townes Therfore both the Iewes heathē and Christians were wonte to haue theyr Burials wythout the Cities For what tyme as Christe raysed the wedowes sonne from death the Euangelist saieth Whā he came nye vnto the gate of the Citie beholde there was caryed out one dead who was the only sonne of hys mother Luke 7. she beeyng a wedowe and much people of the Citie wyth her Moreouer the sepulcre of our Lorde Iesu Chryst was wythout the Citie But the Pope and hys adherentes wyth theyr money market found here a treasure bagge otherwise perswadyng the people as though to lye here or there dyd further or hynder saluacyon Afterwarde let the dead rest quietly no euill beyng spoken of them of malice but good Good counsayll though they were our enmyes of malice I say for otherwyse muste vyce and synne aswel of the dead as of the liuing be declared and rebuked that others may beware The olde Poete Mimnermus wryteth we al are enclyned to enuye an excellent famous mā but after death to prayse hym Therfore doe they not onely agaynste Christiā charitie but also agaīst mans nature that disdayne to geue vnto the dead theyr due prayse and commendacyon Specially whā one that hath shewed vs frendshype and kindnes is departed we oughte neuer to forget hys benefytes but to declare our thankfulnes to his kynsfolkes or frendes But if we cary the remembraunce of them to the graue and bury it with the coarse thynkīg nomore vpō their gentlenes Then are we like vnto wilde beastes that are hote and burnyng in desyer but assone as the thyng desyred is out of sight the loue is quenched Herof cōplayneth the Poete Euripides seldome are there founde faithful constaunte frendes after death thoughe afore tyme they were ioyned neuer so nere together The thankfulnes that is shewed to him that is presēt passeth away and vanisheth whan one is caryed out of the house The third booke of death How they oughte to bee comforted whose deare frendes are deade ¶ The .1 Chapter NAturallye we mourne wepe and lament whan our kynsfolkes frēdes departe Whan father mother dyeth the sonne and the daughter remēbreth howe many a fote step the elders went faythfully and worthely to prouide them their liuinge yea if it had been possible they woulde haue shewed the chylde theyr owne soule and geuen them the hearte in theyr body Againe the parentes consider howe good obediente chyldren they haue had of theyr sonnes or daughters and what honoure and ioyefulnesse more thei might haue had of theyr chyldrē if they should haue lyued longer The sisters and brothers remember
folkes The answer is taken oute of the fore rehearced grounde The wyll of God Yf god who hath al in his owne power had promysed euery one a long lyfe then mightest thou complayne at the shortnyng of the lyfe of thy selfe or of thy frendes agaynste gods promes Now hath god compared clothed the soule wyth the body that what day or what twinklīg of an eye soeuer he cōmaundeth it to depart it kepeth the same time wherin one finisheth his course Therefore hath no man cause to complayn of an vntimely death but loke whatsoeuer one hath lyued ouer and beside the first day of hys birth it is an increace Moreouer god knoweth much better then thou and we al whan it is beste for euerye one to dye And so faithful is he for the lord Iesus Chrysts sake that he in no wyse wyll be to hasty vpon vs. Secondli The shortne● of this tyme ▪ though we remain a long season in thys fickle transitory lyfe yet is al our tyme but short specially towards the endlesse eternitie Therefore it hath but a slender differēce to depart hence in youth or in age Thyrdly Misery thorowe death is a yong person wythdrawen away fro many troubles whyche els were at hys dore For commenly the longer a man liueth the more miserable is he Take ensamples oute of olde storyes Yf Themistocles after the most gloryous victory agaīst Xerxes whan all the Grekes aknowledged and cōmended him for their redemer and delyuerer had dyed shoulde it not haue serued hym to a perpetuall prayse and honoure Then shoulde not he afterwarde haue been rated as a betrayer of Grekelande then neded not he to haue been in bōdage not to haue fallen downe at the foote of the kyng of Barbarye as beefore a god whom he before had dryuē out of grekelande Howe thrall and vile a thyng was it to be estemed before the world that The misrocles must nedes come beefore kyng Xerxes What is to be said of Marcus Cicero who confesseth hymselfe that if he had died sooner he had escaped exceadīg great troubles And forasmuche as he so sayed whyle the mater was yet tolerable howe woulde he fyrste haue thought and lamēted in his age to see wyth his eyes the drawne swordes ouer the senatours and Citizens heades and whan the moste principall mennes goods were parted among murtherers Catilina was a sedicious man yea whā wheras afore tyme ther was one catilina the citie was now become full of suche sedicious persons The ensamples of dayly experience declare sufficiently before our eyes whereby we maye euidently perceyue that death though they call it vntimeli deliuereth yet from great misfortune and aduersitie Fourthlye the innocency and clennes of youth is of their own nature and thorowe euyll ensamples defyled and stayned with the life and cōuersacion that foloweth after Augustine sayeth the older the worse Therfore whan a yonge man falleth on slepe knowe thou that God sheweth greate grace vnto hym in that he suffereth him not as many other to remaine long in thys blasphemous worlde to the intente he should no more bee hyndered and defyled wyth it but hath called hym from hence to a right good state He speaketh of Henoch that wyth hymself and al the electe he might possesse the kyngdome of heauē Witnes of the scripture Sapience 4. sodenly was he taken away to the intēte that wickednes shoulde not alterhys vnderstandyng Hys soule pleased god therefore hasted he to take hym awaye from among the wycked Similitudes He that is vpō the sea and wyth a good stronge wynde is caryed soone to the hauē or lande where he woulde be is happier then he that for lacke of wynde is fayne to sayll stil many yeares and dayes vpon the sea with much trouble and werines Euē so the more happy is he whō death taketh awaye from the stormy and raging sea of this world Seyng there is set before vs an vniuersal natiue country and he that is long in goyng thyther obteyneth nomore then he that is spedely gone thither before hād should not one wishe that he had soone ouercome the foul daungerous way that leadeth to the heauenly harborow The sooner one payeth hys debt the better it is If there were none other remedi but thou with an hundreth moo must nedes be beheaded and thou arte the fyrste that is put to execucion art thou not then the fyrste that is dispatched of the payne Fynally if thou consyder the mischaunces of other folkes thou hast the lesse cause to complaine One dyeth in the mothers wōbe afore he be borne Another dyeth in the very birth The thirde in hys florishynge youth whan he fyrst delyteth to lyue falleth away as a bewtiful rose Among a thousand is there not one that commeth to the perfect age ¶ Of the death of the aged The .11 Chapter VvHā old aged folkes are gredye of thys wretched life they doe euen as those the whan the wyne is all spent wyll nedes drynke out the wyne lyes also Whoso dwelleth in an olde rotten house that synketh down nedeth not lōg to seke proppes to vnder set it but should rather be glad to get him out of it euen so old aged folks by reason of theyr decaied body should rather be cōtēt to departe from it And thys aduauntage they haue that their death is not so fearce and paynful as the death of yong folkes Thys is chefely to be considered that the lord our god wil not haue vs carefull whyche thynge belongeth vnto hym alone but to be faythfull and true and diligently to laboure Olde fathers and mothers are not able to trauayll any more and yet wyth erneste carefulnesse they thynke to bryng all thynges to pas Thys special fault they haue that they thynke they shal euer lacke Therfore vnto them verely it is beste that god take them away from al care sorowe and trouble place them in quiete reste wyth other faythfull Chrysten folkes ¶ Of straunge death The .12 Chapter VvHoso is taken with the pestilence or dyeth els of sycknes in hys bed ought gladly to suffer the hand of god for euery bodi hath deserued a farre worse death And a very small rod is thys towards it that god sendeth ouer the vngodlye yea ofte tymes ouer hys own deare children whan one is beheaded Psal 44.1 Roma 8. c. ● Cor. 4. b. another burnt the third drowned c. where they altogether may syng with Dauid for thy sake are we kylled euery day and cōpted as shepe appoynted to be slayn But if one dye an vnwont death as one is destroied by the hangmā another dyeth a sodain death the third as happly a mans chylde falleth down dead frō an hyghe place thys take we for aterrible death cannot tell els what to say of it as though eueri kind of death in it selfe were not terrible vnto the nature of man Though one dyeth vpon the whele for murther there is some tyme more