the escape or euasion of deathe whrefore you oughte the lesse to be greued graunted to no man ReguÌ„ 14. All we saythe scripture shall dye and as weake water shall slyde into the grounde Dapien 7. lyke as there is one entrance for euery man into this present lyfe so one passage and departure Therfore we be monysshid of the prophette not to feare the iudgement of death Dapien but rather to remember thynges that haue happened before our tyme anv those whyche shall succede That is to â—aye that none of oure progenyâ—ours coulde euer escape the dent of deathe nether any of oure poâ—teritie shall We be admonysshed that we be duste and into â—uste we shall returne Genes 3. by the reâ—on of deathe whiche for the faut and disobedience of ure fyrste â—â—rmed parente with his ineuitable darte strykethe and deadly woundeth all men Roman 5. he woundethe deadlye not the wretchyd onelye the nedye and myserable but the fortunate also the welthye and the noble pen kynâ—ts rulars and the rycheste emperours which in power and dignite riches renoume and glâ—tye doo excell and in theyr tymâ— rule the worlde accordynge as they liste Not the vnlerned only the rude barbarous but thoâ—â— also whyche in learnyng and maâ—ners be most instructe Not thâ— ourtrummyn and careful captiues but also the puissant conquâ—rers them seâ—fes Alexader a king most victoriouse by whose poweâ— and furiouse warres Asia with Europe was manfully subdued no man being able to resyst him coulde fynde no weapon to conquere deathe The notable mysedome of Salamon the depe leaâ— nynge of Aristotle nor of Galen coulde by any meane auoid deth The cuppes of Circe nor the enchauntmentes of Medea coulde repell the violence of death Cullye his eloquence could not moue him The riches of Crass us could not corrupt him He fauoured â—ot the beauty of fayre Absalone â—ether he spared the strenght of â—â—ronge Sampson Dne uyghte saith the poete tarieth for euery body and the way of death must â—ns be troden of al men Lyke as all the â—iarres that come from the â—â—st thoughe they be neuer so â—oodly and bright yet at the last â—ey go to the west and there arâ—â—rdynge to the diueriâ—te of their â—ircles some â—owly some spedely withdrawe them selfs out of our â—yghtieuen so al men which come from the east that is to say their â—atiuite into the world although they glyster and shyne here for a â—easen yet at the last they muste â—edes some rather some later acâ—ordyng to the duratione whiche they haue receyued of god fall 〈◊〉 the west of deathe depatte and withdrawe them selfes from the syght of men Therfore the wysâ— man Simonides at suche tyâ—â— as Pausanias a noble capitain desyryd to learne some good and fruytfull lesson bad hym remember that he was mortall Therfore also Philyp the king of Mâ—cedony wallowynge in worldely wealth and prosperite commaâ—â—ded his chaumberlayne that hâ— shulde euery day at his vprismâ— sadly repete these wordes Remiberking Philip forget not that thou art a man to mortalite subiecte Esar 45. All fleshe is grasse and euery man is the flowre of grasse the grasse shal be wythered and the flowre shal be dryed awaye The man sayth Iob that is borne 〈◊〉 a woman lyueth but a short tyâ—â— replenished with many miseries â—adeth as a floure and is worne away vanisshying as a shadowe â—wherfore not withoute a cause the lyfe of man is compared of â—uciane to a buble in the water â—of Pindarus to the shadow of a dreame of Eschilus to the shadowe of vaine smoke Cruely yf that death shulde chaunce but to a fewe and to the vnluckest we shuld seme to haue a iust cause he â—uely as I think you partly do to take deathe But seynge that â—â—e dothe as well knocke at the rich mans dore as at the poore at the happye mans doore as at the vnhappy at the strong maÌ„s dore as at the weake at the kynges â—owers as at the sheperdescotes whye shulde we not take well in â—orthe a thynge importynge suche necessitic Dowe vnreasonable is it for a man to take heuely his death more than his birthe consideringe that the one is appoynted for man as well as the other the one as commune as the other the one as necessarye as the other and of them bothe death is the better in beynge sory to dye we shall seme to lament in that oure lotte is mortall and that we be not aungels orequall wyth god Whyche is a greate poynte of folysshnes myxte wyth impyetye If we be troubled with suche as be verye calamities in dede to haue ii 02. iii. companions we count in a maâ—ner a comfort sufficiente Moche more we shoulde be conforted as touchynge death seynge that we haue not ii 02. iii. but all men of what estate or degre so euer they be of as companyons and partakers of the same yea euen the very sayntes theym selues and those that were highlye fauoured of God Moyses whych was admitted to the secretes and misteryes of God dyed Dauyd whome God pronounced to be a man after his hartes desyre dyed Ihon the euangelyste mooste tenderlye belouyd of his mayster died Ihon baptiste than whom by the sentence of Christe none greatter hath tysen among the chyldern of men died and not sayntes onelye but the dearelye beloued sonne of God Christ beyng both God and man Esai 54. a lambe mooste innocente and wythoute spotte that he myghte paye oure taunsome delyuer vs synfull wretches frome thraldome and pacyfye hys fathers wrothe was contente to dye the mooste ignomiouse deathe of the crosseâ— And shall we sinners that were begotten in syn borne in synne haue lyued in syn all the dayes of our lyues be agreued to put of these our vâ—le synful bodies Christ whan he was in the shape of god and thought it no robbetye to be egall with God made him selfe or no reputacioÌ„ taking vpon him the shape of a seruauÌ„t and became lyke an other man Phi. 3. and in apparell was founde as a man humbled hym selfe and became obediente vnto death that he might auaunce vs to the kingdome of his father and shall we beynge but wormes duste and clay be loth to dye whereby we maye enioy the same aduauncement Sisigambe the mother of Darius kynge of Persia for the very loue she bare toward Alexander for as much as he vsed hir somwhat gently in hir captiuite was wonderouse wyllyng of hyr owne accorde by death to folowe him after his deceasse ye euen to hell And shall we christians be sow to folowe Christe whiche in raptiuite hath reteynyd vs well nor euyll but brestinge vtterly at his bandes hath clearly delyuered vs Sisigambe vehemently desired to folow AlexaÌ„der whiche was hyr enemy in dede more than hyr frynde and shall we be vnwyllyng to folowe Christ which is our frinde most faithfull and assured She desyred to folowe hym whiche made hir poore and shall not we couet to
thy self to fiâ—â— god mercyfull whych punysheth the wyth paynes after this sorte herein he playeth the parte of a gentle phisrcion why wolde he â—hat deathe shulde be so bitter he is the lorde he wylleth nothynge but that which is good And why shuld I a seruaunt vnprofitable ufuse to suffer that which the lord â—fglorie hath suffered It is a miserable thynge to dye Blessyd be the deade that dye in the lorde But the death of synners is most wretched He is no lenger a synner whiche hath acknowledged his faute wyth repentaunce and hope of mercy Thou shalt leaue this worlde I shall go from pain full banyshment into my couÌ„tre Looke what an heape of good thynges thou leauest behynd the yet a greate deale more euyll Thou leaueste thy ryches they be the worldes I doo carye all that is myne awaye wyth me What canst thou carye with the thou hast nothinge that is goode that is truly mine own that christ hath frely forgyuen me Thou muste forsake thy wyfe and thy chyldren They be the lordes I do commende them to hym It is a harde thinge to be drawen from thy derelye beloued They shall shortly folow me thou art pluckt from thy pleasaunt frendes I haste to frendes more pleasaunt Thus thou arte taught not to gyue place to the deuyll endeuourynge to ouerthrow the but boldly to repell euerye darte that he can hurle at the. Neither let the care for thy frendes wyfe and chyldren trouble the mistrusting not but god shall prouyde as wel for them and peradueÌ„ture better in thyne absence than he dydâ—â— in thy lyfe tyme for thou muste consyder that thyne owne power hath not all this while susteyned the or theÌ„ and procured thinges necessary but god in whome we lyue moue and be hath done it God whiche fedeth nourishethe and saueth both man and beaste whyche ryally clotheth the grasse in the feylde couerethe the heauens wyth cloudes carethe for the byrdes of the ayer and prepareth meate for the very chycks of the rauens shall moche more regarde thy frendes beynge his people confessynge hys name Call to remembraunce how mercyfully he prouyded for the pore wydowe and hyr children spoken of in the 4 chapter of the 4 booke of the kynges There was a certayne prophet saith he one of theÌ„ that feared the lorde he dyed and left his wife with his sons muchâ— indebted The creditours after hys deathe came to fette awayâ— the children as bondmen for that theyr mother was nar able to pay their fathers debtes but yet thâ— lorde by his prophet Helyse dyâ— so encreace a pytcher of oyle this she hadde in store that she had yâ— noughe to sell for the payenge of hir dettes and for the sussentanâ— of hir and the children besydes Thus by the benignitie of God this poore woman with hir chyldren was muche better prouyded for after the death of hyr husbad thoughe he were an holye man than she was before God is euen the same God is now that he war than and can do as moche for christen men now in these dayes as he coulde that for the Iâ—â—â—â— And he doutles it thou feare him wyll regarde thy wyfe chyldren and fryndes no lesse than he dyd the wyfe and chyldren of this pro phet Na rather more for as much as oure religion and professioÌ„ be more perfytte than theyrs was Further call to remembraunce how that they many times which be lefte of their frindes riche in great honors be after brought to pouerty ye to the beggers staffe On thother syde the they whych be left pore beggerly of their frindes at the length come to grcatry ches auctorite honor wherfore I do thynke as I haue said ofte not I but the prophet that both tyches and pouerty come of god And that men shal hauc yet Iwâ—â— not unproue an houest prouâ—sâ—on for mens children what as â—â—â—â—al please god to giue the. Therfore romnâ—yrte them to god for they de hys And let them cast their 〈◊〉 an the lorde and he by hispromise shall nouryshe them ANd to you that be his frendes here to you I speake what meaneth this your heauines Why do you sorowafter this fort to what purpose do youfron ble your selfes with wepynges why do ye as it were in a maner draw into the law the wyl of god with youre vniust complaintes do ye thynke hym to be a mere matter of lamentynge sorowing and waylynge bycause he is dely uered from daungers to safetye frome bondage to lybertye from diseases te immorialite froÌ„ earthly thinges to heauenly from men to the companye of goddes aungelles wherein hath he offended you that you sâ— enuy his lurkynes If ye do not enup what nedes all these teares I am sure if ye knew to what feliritie he is go inge you wolde banket and be merye at the least yf ye loue his welthe Christe sayde to hys disciples whan they were sadde for that he wolde depart yf ye loued me you wolde be gladde for as muche as I go to my father wherein he declared that we ought not to be sadde but mery at the departure of our frendes from hense What I praye you shal ye lose by his death but that he shal be out of your fyght and that but for a tyme neuertheles you may at al times in the mcane space in youre myndes and memoryes se hym talke with him and embrace him Morne nomore for hym for he offerethe you no cause of moornynge But yf ye wylnedes morne morne for your selfs in that ye be not so nyghe the porte of oure swere countrey flowynge with mylke and hony as he is This moorning is more fyt for the Scythyans and such other barbarouse people whiche knowe not the condition of faithfull soules than for you whyche knowe or myghte all this whyle haue learned Let them I praye you wepe and houle like dogges let them cut their cares and noses as they were wonte to do at the death of their frendes Let vs be ioyfull and mery Let Admetus Drpheus and suche other infydeles morne at the deathe of their frendes and require them againe of Proserpina Lette not vs require our fryndes of god again thoughe me myghte haue them with the losse of theyr welth and prosperouse being Were you not to be counted vuteasonable and to youre frende no frendes yf ye shoulde require hym to dyne or dwell with you hauyng nothing in youre house but horsebreade and stynkynge water where he may go to a frende more faythful than you be and haue at altimes all kyndes of deinties and wyll you be counted reasonable which wold by your wyls let this your frynde goynge to the house of his moste faithfull frende Christ where he shall haue heauenlye deynties in comparyson of the whyche youre chere is worse than horsebreade and stynkynge water in dede and meate of the holye aungels Moorne no more for hym I saye but be gladde that he beynge your frende shal attein to such felicite What
other thing is it for vschristians to morne at the death of our frendes than to gyue an occasion to the infideles to reprehende and accuse vs for as moch as we do deny the thing in dede that we do professe with our mouthes For in wordes we saye that the soule of man is immortal and that there is an other lyfe better than this In our mor nynge we seme to shewe our selnes to be of an other opinion What profitte is it I praye you to pronounce vertue in wordes and in deedes to destroye the truthe Saynt Paule dothe improue and blame them whiche be heauy in the departure of their fryndes sayenge I wolde not haue you ignoraunt O brethern as touchynge them that slepe That ye be not sadde as other that haue no hope As who sayth it belongethe to them to wepâ— and be sory at the deathe of their frendes whyche haue no hope of an other lyfe to come and not to vs whyche beseue that oure soules be immortall and that oure bodyes shall aryse agayne Moorne no more for him therfore but prepare and make redy youre selfes to folowe hym lyuyng vertuousely for that ye knowe no daye nor houre No we to you againe my frend se that you be merye in god and let not thys shorte afflyccion of your bodye disquiet your mynde But sause it rather and make it pleasauÌ„t with the hope of euerlasting blyssednes Reinembryinge that is you shal be quickely delyuered from this sycknes so you shal no more hereafter be subiect to any sorowes paines or pensifenes It that daye be to the faithful whamens bodies made lyke to the body of christ shal inhabite the king dome whiche god hath prepated for those that feare him before the begynnyng of the world 〈◊〉 here they shal haue ioy and euerlastinge merines Where as they being lyke to the aungels of god shall shyne as the sonne in the kyngedome of they father At the laste swere frende for as moche as I haue declared vnto you that all men muste dye and whan it shall please god Further that in dieng we do no other but as all the saintes yea and Chrysle hym selfe hathe doone wyth whom we shal ryse agayne And that deathe is but a due repayenge of thynges that was for a tyme liberallye lente vs to the earth our bodies and oure soules to God ours moost bountifull father That nothynge here is of such excellency that it shoulde allure a wyse man and hym that hopeth of an other lyfe to come longe to tarye with it that good men haue euer deâ—â—red to dye to be with god For as much as death is the ende of all myseries the vanysher of al sorowes and an entraunce into perpetuall blysse Further in that I haue declared vnto you whether you shall go and what you shal haue after this life And that god mooste merryfully hath forgyuen you your synnes for that you be repentaunt and faythfull And the he wyl prouyde for yours yf they feare him as wel or better than he dyd in your dayes Fynally that this bodye of youres shall tise againe from the earth gloriousely in the laste daye throughe his power that gaue him his firsh fashione quiete your mynde and prepare your selfe as dothe the swanne with songe of harte and pleasure to dye and to the accomplyshment of gods wyll and all teare of death excluded Thinke onely of immortalitie beyng willyng and glad to depart heuse to god that calleth you The whiche thynge as the seruauntes of god shulde alwayes he redy to doo so at this tyme moost ready For as moch as this miserable world be sette with the horrible tempestes stormes and troublesome whorle wyndes of all kyndes of euyll be gynneth to decaye Moreouer as greuous thinges haue all redye chaunsed to nations so more greuouse thynges are to be loked for in that synne dayly encreaseth among men more and more prouâ— kynge the fust ire of god Where sore I caÌ„ not but thinke it a great game quickly to departet hense If the postes of the house were puâ—trfied and the tremblynge toufe shuld threaten ruyne to be at haÌ„d wolde you not being in health de parte with all spede Yf that a troublesome and stormy tempest wdenly risen on the sea shoulde threaten playne shypwrake and vrownynge of you and your company wolde you not make haste to the porte Lo the world decaieth and the ende of thinges threa teneth playne fallynge downe Ind shall not you giue thankes to god and for your owne parte be gladde that you shall be delyuered in tyme from suche ruines plages and tempestes as hange ouer the heades of men Thynke swete freude I beseche you and thynke againe that 2o longe aâ— we be here we be very strauÌ„gersâ— And that we ought cheifly to embrace that houre whiche shall apoynt euery one of vs to his own house and testore vs delyuereâ— from all suars of the worlâ—e to paradise and the heauenly kingdome Who beynge in a straunge country wyl not couyt to returne to his owne couÌ„try Who sayling to wardes his frendes will noâ— couyt a quycke and prospcrouse wynde that he may the rather embrace his welbeloued we counte paradiseoure countre the Patci arches to be oure parentes and frindes why than doo we not fee uently desyre spdely to se the patriarches and paradise where a greate companye of our frendes loketh for vs and a wonderfull number of our parentes brethren and systers tarieth for vs beyng suer of their immortalits and wisshynge that we had the same At the syght and metyng of these oh howe greate gladnes shall happen bothe to vs and them Dome great pleasure of the heauenlye kyngdome Withoute feare of deathe and with the eternitie of lyfe Dow hyghe and perpetuall â—elicite there is the gloriouse coÌ„pany of the apostles there is the laudable number of the gladde prophyetes there is thinumerable hoste of martires crowned and triumphynge with the victorie of there sirifes and passioÌ„s There be the virgms whiche haue broken the concupiscencie of theyr flesshe with the sâ—renght of continencye There be the mercyiul en ioynge theire rewardes whiche by fedynge the pore and helping the nedy haue wrought the wokes of iustice andkeping the coâ—maundemeâ—tes of god haue traÌ„â—ferred their erthly patrimonteâ— into heauenly treasures this tâ— the ioyouse companie to this nâ— earthly company is to be compated to him whiche hathe boughtâ— you a place in this company with the price of his bloude I do betake you Committee your selfe to hys handes for he shall neuer fayle you Fayre well Preciouse in the syght of the loâ—â— is the death of his saintes ¶ Prynted at London in Aldergate strete by Ihon Herforde â— The yere of our lord M. D. xâ—â— The. iiii day of Iune