haue left behynd them and howe moch remaineth to the marke And in tymes past they that loked for the Iubilie knewe howe longe they might enioy that that they had bought But there is no mortall man whiche certainely knoweth that he shall lyue vntyll the nexte day We renne but hauynge deathe in oure fete yea carieng it aboute on all our body We haue receiued our life frely of the lord but condicionally that we surrender it at euery moment whan he demandeth it Howe though it chanceth vs to liue vntil extreme age whiche to how fewe it chaunceth euery man knoweth O lorde god what is the hole lyfe of man but a very short rennynge place wherin wyl we wyl we not we renne contynuallye slepe we wake we be we in welth or in wo The contynuall course of the worlde carieth vs away lyke a boystous flode although we seme to our selues or to other to stand styl Than if prices of world ly thynges be estemed by the shortenes of tyme howe moche more vyle oughte tho thynges to be whiche haue not so moch as one howre certayne Nowe the thynges that we lyttelle regarde we lyttelle force though they be plucked awaye from vs as they why che be not at home but in strange countreys if any coÌ„moditie appereth vnto them in the way or in theyr ynnes they cast not their mynd greatly therto bicause they must leue forth with the thing that delyteth them and if any incoÌ„modite chaunce them they beare it easely thinkyng thus Here I dine my supp is ordeined in an other place The thinges that be sene sayth Paule be teÌ„porall and tho that be not sene be eternall And this is a greate parte of the Christen philosophie whiche prepareth vs to dethe that by the contemplation of thinges eternall and heuenly we maye lerne the despisynge of temporall and erthly Plato iuged the hole philosophy none other thynge but a meditation of deathe He callyd a meditation a preparation as who shuld say an exercyse to death none otherwyse thaÌ„ a yong warriour that shal in time commynge fyght with his ennemy exercyseth hym selfe at a tylte Whiche is a ryghte holsome saying if that whiche is spoken of the philsopher philosophically be taken of christen men christeÌ„ly For not the contemplation of mathematicall formes abstracte from the mattiers nor yet the imagination of Idee whiche Plato deuysed causeth vs to dye wel but if with the eies of feithe we consider in our mindes the goodes passyng al mans wyt whiche god hath promised by his son Jesus to them that trust vnto hym the euils which he hath thretnid to infidels disobedient Thone shal feare vs from sinning the other shal prouoke vs to do wel I grant an eternall veritie in certayn humayn lerninges but suche as procureth to no man the true felicitie But here the promiser is euerlastinge euerlastyng is he by whom he promiseth euerlasting be the thinges ê“mysed euerlastinge felicitie they brynge to the beleuers euerlasting infelicitie to the despisers This meditation of deth is the meditation of the true life And it causeth not only that the philosopher promiseth which is that the soule shulde depart from the bodye with lesse heuynesse but also that with cherefulnes of hart it shuld lepe merily as it were out of a darke and painful prison into blessed libertie into that light so louely which is void of any nyght or darknes For the body whiche is corruptible accombreth the soule and the erthely habitation depresseth the mynd reuoluing many thynges And therfore crieth the ê“phete Lede out of prison my soule that it may coÌ„fesse thy name Lorde The summe of mans felicitie is to contemplate and prayse his maker redemer gouernour To this end is man created This felicitie of man is oftentymes disturbed by the weakenes of this body which we cary aboute subiecte to so many necessities to so many euyls to so many peryls In like wyse also saynt Paule accombred with the carnall habytation pytyfully syghynge crieth O I vnhappy man who shall delyuer me froÌ„ this body of deth For he saw them in high blysse whiche dwelled in the house of the lorde pray synge hym worlde without ende Of this affection be men of the ryght holynes of whome though the bodyes kepe in erth yet their treasure harte and conuersation is in heuens But few men haue this perfection and strongenes of mynde It is not gyuen to al men to say with Paul Christ to me is lyfe and to dye is a lucre And I couet to be dissolued and be with Christe We beinge our selues weake prepare this consolation to them that be weake vnto whom yet thexamples of the perfyte lyuers be as who saith prickes and prouocations to obteyne the strength of the spirite Wherfore this meditation of dethe is through out all the lyfe to be exercysed and euer amonge the sparke of feyth is to be styred vp that it may encreace and gather streÌ„gth to whom charytie annexed shall drawe vnto it hope whiche neuer maketh his maister ashamed But we haue none of these oure selfes but they be the gyftes of god with contynuall prayers and vowes to be vowed for if they lacke and if we haue them to be augmentid that they may encreace The stronger that feyth accompanied with Hope and Charitie is the lesse is the tremblynge For that most part of vs thus abhoire from the men tion of death it commeth commonly of the vnstedfastnes of fayth But on the promises of god ought man to haue moste certain trust For he is onely he whiche of nature true can not deny hym selfe To whom the noble psalmograph syngeth Euerlastingely lorde thy worde abydeth In heuen worlde without ende is thy trouth which also in the Euangel pronounceth of hym selfe Heuen and erthe shall passe but my wordes shal not passe What hath he promysed He hathe promysed vyctorye of deathe vyctorye of fleshe of the worlde and of the dyuell He hath promysed remission of synnes he hath promysed an hundrede tymes as moche in this worlde euerlastyng lyfe in the next But in what wyse hathe he promysed By our owne ryghtwysenes No truely but by grace of faythe whiche is vpon Christ Iesus And to the entent we shulde be the surer he hath annulled cancelled that fyrst handwrityng whiche Adam vnhappily had described vnto vs naylynge it to the crosse and hath giuen vs his handwriting of grace whiche he hath scaled with his owne blod and hath confirmed it with innumerable testimonies of prophetes apostels martyrs and virgins whiche with their blode alsoo haue subscribed And the vnyuersal church of Christen men and holy fathers also haue subscribed He hath more ouer added the erneste penye of the spirite that our truste shulde wauer in no part And the goodnesse of god not coÌ„tented with these hath vouchesafed to shewe vnto all men an euidente and notable example in his onely begotten sonne
desperation annexed thereto wherfore the horrour of this passeth all horrour which yet our most mercifull redemer to th entent he might mitigate and make lesse paynful vnto vs vouchsafed to take it vppon him selfe That in the gardeyn he was so dismayed and so taken with extreme peynfulnes of harte that he swette blod was the infirmitie of our nature And that he nayled to the Crosse cryethe My god my god why haste thou forsaken me Farre from my helthe be the wordes of my synnes semeth to fele in his minde the horrour and feare of tourment and peyne perpetuall For what remayneth to theym that be destitute and forsakē of god but extreme desperation Nor it ought not to seme wonderfull that he toke vpon him this most heuy affection whiche also toke vpon him the synnes of all menne so that either of these two euyls inuyncyble to our strengthes by his mercy he made vincible Nor these thin ges doo not mynyshe the dygnytie of oure redemer but declare his vnspeakable charytie towardes Mankynde Under the fygure of hym speaketh Dauyd in the Psalmes The sorowes of deathe haue compassed me aboute and the flouddes of wyckednesses haue troubled my mynde and the snares of deathe haue preuented me We deserued hel he an innocent toke the feare vpon hym for vs to th entent that if like affection shulde inuade our myndes eyther by reson of the prcuitie in our owne conscyence of our wyckednes and manifolde synnes or by reason of the weakenes of our nature we shuld not cast away our selues nor to be fals harted but fixyng our eies on Christ may yea in despairing haue good hope Though the flesshe despayre thoughe reasone despayre yet lette faythe euen frome Helle crye to the lorde Lyke as Jonas whatte tyme he was vtterlye in despayre cryed oute of the Whaales bealye and was herde For that alsoo shewethe the psalme where as it foloweth by and by In my tribulation I called on the lorde and to my god I cryed and he herde me out of his holy temple The temple of god is the churche or cōgregation of good mē this is the tower of faythe Syon the citie of our strengthe Hyther he that wil crie euen from the depe pytte of hel the sparke of fayth yet quick he is herde Therfore whan al the powers of man be drowned downe vnto hell yet let fayth crie with most blyssed Job Although he kylleth me I wyl trust in hym For this is with the fayth mayster Abraham agaynste hope to truste in hope These than so great euyls the goodnes of our lorde hathe not onely mitigated and brosed so that thoughe they vexe and feare vs yet quench vs they can not but also the extreme damages he hath turned into excedyng and great lucre For what doth synne hurt them the whiche do cleaue vnto Christ what but where that synne abounded now aboundeth also grace and that he loueth more to whom more is forgiuen What auaileth Satanas vncessingly vexing the mēbres of Christ Jesu What but that he dothe increace theyr rewardes and maketh their crownes more glorious Yea more ouer the very cuyls whiche accordyng to the state of our mortalite be cōmune as well to the good as to the badde the goodnes of our lord hath turned them eyther into our lucre or into our medycine howe be it this is alsoo a lucre he turneth them into our lucre and auantage whan we beyng clere from synne beare them pacient lye gyuynge thankes to the lorde for all And into our medicine he turneth them yf any thinge remayneth in vs to be pourged eyther by cuttynge or vsture or by bytter potions Of the whiche sorte be syckenes pouertie age lacke of father lacke of children and other innumerable with whiche the hole lyfe of man is rounde about beset These if they draw vs to murmur grudge desperation or blasphemye be the instrumentes of Satanas and for remedyes be made poysons But yf for this onely thinge they be suffered bycause they can not be eschewed for whiche consyderation manye that knewe not Christ constantely suffered tormentes and death they be the afflictions of nature But yf we take theym as it were of the hande of a louynge father obediently and with geuynge thankes recomptyng with our selues howe moche more sharper punyshmentes we haue deserued and how fell and cruell peynes Christ beynge an innocent suffred for vs synners now they be none afflictions but holsome remedyes or increasementes of heuenlye rewardes On the tone behalfe thankes are to be youen to the moste tender and gentyll father which chastiseth euery childe that he receyucth in fauour other wyles with shorte and softe remedies healyng our sores that he myght spare vs in the worlde to come On the tother behalfe the bountyfulnes of oure captayne is to be magnified and praysed which ministreth vnto his sowldyours a matter of vertue or manhode to the intent he myght crowne them more royally On eyther syde is great lucre oneles perchaunce it semeth a small lucre whan a man is sycke of a capitall and mortall syckenesse drynketh bytter potions and with a lyght and shorte payne dothe bothe escape the peryll of death and enioyeth a perpetuall swetenes of helth or whan the sowldiour for the conflycte of one lytell howre attayneth great ryches for all his lyfe and hyghe honours And by this meanes also our lorde most mercyfull draweth all thinges vnto hym yf onely we lyft vp our eyes to that sygne whiche is set vp on heyght He attracteth and draweth vnto hym all our euyls and tourneth theym into our profyt and his glory of whiche he maketh vs partakers that be graste in him by fayth I praye you what wynne they whiche in their aduersitie tournyng their eyes from Christ grudge and murmur agaynste god Surely that grefe which of necessitie is to be borne they double naye ten tymes fold so moch they make it vnto them selfes and the medicine by euyll takynge therof they tourne into pestiferous mortall poyson for them selfes This vndoutedly is the hyghe and effectuall philosophye and the meditation of deathe in whiche yf a manne whan he is hole and sounde be dylygentlye exercysed death shall not oppresse hym vnprepared Of these that haue bene spoken maye be gathered iiii sundry sortis of deathe a spirituall a naturall a transformatorie and an eternall The death naturall is a seuerance of the sowle from the body The spiritual is a seueraunce of god frome the mynde For lyke as the sowle is lyfe to the body so is god lyfe to the sowle This deathe spirituall hath engendred the naturall death as moche as to the necessitie atteyned as is the religious opinion of the olde diuines Of both these two deathes is gendred the deathe eternall or yf ye wyll so call it the deathe of helle whan the deathe spirituall and the deathe naturall come togither For after the deathe of the bodye there is no place of repentaunce There remayneth a
PREPARATION TO DEATHE A boke as deuout as eloquent compiled by Erasmus Roterodame Phil. 1. MIHI VIVERE Christus est mori lucrum THE PREFACE DESIDERIVS ERASMVS OF ROTERODAME to the ryght noble lorde Thomas Erle of wylteshyre and of Drmanie sendeth gretynge TO THE VERY PERfyte conclusyon of Christes lore your lordeshyp calleth me mooste noble Erle and yet more noble in the study of godlynes than in the ornamentes of fortune in that ye prouoke me to adde to my former bokes some lytle thynge teachinge howe a man ought to prepare hym to deth For this is of mans lyfe the last part as it were of the playe wherof hangeth eyther euerlastynge blysse of man or euerlastynge damnation This is the laste fyghte with the enemye wherby the souldiour of Christe loketh for eternall triumphe yf he ouercome and euerlastynge shame if he be ouercome As tonchynge my selfe I haue bene hole in this busynesse this great whyle where as youre exhortation was as who sayth a spurre to hym that renneth Howe be it at that tyme I studyed for myne owne priuate comfort But your goodnes coueteth that also this frute throughe vs myght be made commun vnto many Wolde god that the lorde of his goodnes wyll graunt to your most holy requestes and to myne endeuour a prosperous ende at leaste I wyll not wrastle againste his wyll throughe whose instincte I suppose this myne obsequye and seruyce to be demaunded of your lordeshyp ¶ Fare ye well At Friburge the Lalendes of Decembre the yere of oure lorde a thousand fyue hundreth thyrty and thre A BOKE OF ERASMVS OF Aotcrodame how euery man ought for to prepare hym selfe to dye OF ALL DRADFVLL thinges death is moste dradfull sayth a certayn Philosopher of greate fame but which had not herde that heuenly Philosopher whyche hath taught vs not onely with wordes but also with euydente examples that a man perysheth not by death of body but is drawen in sondre and that the soule is ledde forth as it were out of a prison most paynful in to blessed reste and the body also shall lyue agayne to be partaker of the glorye He had not herde this principle of the spirite Blessed be the deade whiche dye in the lorde He had not herde Paule lametynge and syghynge I couet to be dissolued and be with Christ. And Christ to me is lyfe and deathe is lucre But it is nothinge to be merueyled at if they whiche beleue that the hole man perysheth by death nor haue not this hope whyche onely the fayth in Christe worketh in vs eyther bewayle the deathe of other or feare and abhorre their owne This is rather to be merueyled that there be so many such as I am which whā they haue lerned and do professe al Christis philosophie yet so feare death as thoughe eyther they do beleue that nothing of man remayneth after the brethe expired or as thoughe they mystruste the promyses of Christ or els as thoughe they vtterly despayre of them selues The first propretie of these thre is of beastly personnes suche as Sardanapalus was The seconde is of infidelles which haue no truste in Christ and the thirde is of theym that be ignoraunt of goddes mercye In this behalfe they seme lyke to hethen persons that be ignorant of god For he is ignoraunt of god that knoweth not hym to be of infynite mercy This without question that the commun sorte of men do thus feare at the namynge of death cōmeth partly of the vnstedfastnes of faith partely of the loue of worldly thinges He knoweth of no tremblyng which in ful trust sayth with the spostle Whether we lyue we lyue to the lorde or whether we dye we dye to the lorde Wherfore whether we lyue or whether we dye we be the lordes But that the lorde ones hath receyued into his protection can not peryshe Out of this fountayne springeth the voyce of the prophete wytnessynge his vnfearful mynde If I shuld walke in the myddes of the shadowe of deth I wyll not feare euyls bycause thou arte with me For the faith full lorde neuer forsaketh them which yelde them holly to his grace but kepeth them as the moste tender parte of his eye For he is lorde both of lyfe and death to whome nothinge is deade but all thinges lyue which cleaue to hym by faith Of the weakenes of faythe is gendred the loue of temporall commodities For if with our hole herte we beleued the thinges that god hath promysed vs by his sonne Jesus all the delectations of this worlde shoulde sone be lyttell regarded and death whiche setteth vs euer vnto them with a paynefulle but yet a short passage shuld be les feared The wyse man cryeth O death how bitter is thy memorye But what addeth he To a manne hauynge peace in his substaunce He sayth not hauynge ryches For many good men haue possessed rychesse but to him that hath his quietnes in them That that is spo ken of ryches the same is to be vnderstond of honours pleasurs wyfe childern kynsfolke frēdes of beautie youth good helth brefely of all kynde of commodities which death plucketh frome both good and euyll The more ferventely we loue a thynge the more paynefully we be plucked frome it If thou be in loue with anye thynge thou shalte leye it downe agaynste thy wyll sayth certayne wyse pagane Now he is in loue with these temporall thynges who so euer resteth in them as in propre and perpetuall goodes where as these are but borowed transytory to be layde downe not onely paciently but also thankfully so oft as he demaundeth them agayne which gaue them For in these worldly goodes a manne to set his rest this is to enioye theym whiche he ought to vse and that also by the waye and as it were in his passage as the apostle aduertyseth the Corinthes It remayneth bretherne that they that haue wyues shulde be as not hauynge and they that wepe as not wepynge and they that ioye as not ioyenge and they that bye as not possessynge and they that vse this worlde as thoughe they vsed it not For the fashion of this worlde passeth awaye We be wayfarynge men in this worlde not inhabytantes we be as straungers in Innes or to speke it better in bouthes or tentes we lyue not in our countrey This holle lyfe is nothinge elles but a rennynge to deathe and that very shorte but death is the gate of euerlastynge lyfe ¶ Amongest the Iewes bycause contractes and purchases were expyred and ended by a certayn daye by the order of their lawes how moch shorter the space of tyme was so moche was the price of thinges the lyghter Than howe moche more ought al these transitorie thinges be of lytel regard that are in daunger of so manye chaunces whiche though no casualtie plucked away yet death plucketh away all from all men Adde herevnto that they whiche renne at a game se howe moche space they
were borne and after baptyme more vnhappely fallen into agayn an heuy burdein and suche a burdeyne as causeth alsoo the soule to synke downe to the bottome of hel This burdeyne whiche was to vs importable our lorde vouche safed to take vpō him as Esay prophecied The correction of our peace vppon hym and by his wounde we be healed Also Thapostle God made hym which dyd no synne to be a synne forvs that we might be made the iustice of god through hym Synne is thouely thynge that gendreth hatredes betwixt god and man as Esay testifieth But the mercyful father whā no sacrifyce coulde be founde sufficient and stronge ynoughe to wasshe of the synnes of mankynde sent his sonne a lambe without blemyshe or spot with this most pure oblation of sacrifyce reconcylynge the worlde vnto him A man wyl here say If by Christ synne is taken awaye how is it than that al the lyfe of manne is thus replenysshed with synne For nowe I speke of good men to He toke not clerely away syn but he brake the strengthes of it not that there shuld be no synne in vs but that it shulde not reygne in vs as it reygneth in them whiche haue not fyxed the ancore of their hope in the lorde Jesu but serue and folowe their sensuall appetites And therfore Paule aduertyseth vs to beware that synne reygne not in our mortall body There is left vnto vs a mattier wherin to fyghte but yet armours weapons be ministred vnto vs with whyche we beynge defensed maye ouercome So we be made the iustice of God not by our owne workes but through the grace of god By whom By hym whom he made a synne for vs and of synne cōdemned synne ¶ Yet remayneth Satanas the parēt both of synne and of deth prince of these darknesses whose power and malicious craftes neuer ceassynge the children of lyght fere cryenge with a tremblynge herte to the father Ne nos inducas c. Leade vs not into temptation but delyuer vs frome that euyll myght This is that temptour and accusor of brethern which after the sayeng of saynt Peter renneth about as a rorynge lyon sekynge whom he may deuour But the lorde hathe not onely ouercome but alsoo hathe taught vs to ouercome the assaultes of this euyll also He oftetymes assayled our lorde for that may be gatherid of Lukes wordis which sayth And he departed from hym for a tyme but he departed alwayes vanquysshed How vanquysshed With the bucklar of scriptures repelled with the swerde of goddes worde stryken throughe Wherfore so ofte as he maketh suggestion and attēpteth vs to the thynge which is merely contrary and repugnant to the wyll diuine expressed in the sacre and holy volumes cast a foyne at hym with the swerde of goddes worde and accordynge to the ensample of kynge Dauyd with fyue most clere and radyant stones gathered out of the ryuer of scriptures fel y e knaue down to the groūde But before we ioyne handes with this gyaunt Solyath let vs first caste frome vs the armours of Saul which is the cote armour of pride that is the truste of worldly wysedome the confydence of our strength and merytes whiche lade vs rather than arme vs let the staffe of faith be sufficient for vs whiche comforteth steyeth vs in this our peregrination and the fyue wordes which Paule speaketh in the churche If he be to busy and call vpon the to importunely byd hym auaunt Satanas and stande abacke It is more right to obey god callynge to euerlastynge felycitie rather than the entysing to eternall destruction Here dothe faythe playe the chiefe and principall parte And therfore saith Peter Whom resyst ye strong in fayth Gyue credence to scriptures and repose thy holle trust in Christ and victory is at hande But there is a kynde of dyuels which is not cast forthe but by prayer fastyng sayth Christ. To here thou hast other two weapons It is probable and a thynge lykely that Satanas where as he so ofte had assauted our lord in vayne in the crosse assayed and moued al his craftis subtilties and engens whan he sawe hym approching to his deth For this is the last conflict and batayle by the profe and chaunce wherof eyther eternall triumphe is hoped and loked for or a perpetuall shame is awayted For he sayth The prince of this world came vnto me and in me he founde nothinge Nor it is no doubt but that which he entreprised vpon the lorde he dare entreprise also vpon the membres of the lorde But in lykewyse as he was vanquyshed of hym so throughe hym he shall be vanquyshed in vs. For whā he assayleth them in whom Christ by fayth and charitie doth inhabite and dwel he maketh batayle with Christ hym self in whom so longe as we perseuer and abyde he shall take a fowler fall and be more shamefullye vanquysshed of vs than he was ouercome of our lorde hym selfe All thynges can I do quod the Apostle in hym which enstrenghteth me Satanas with whom our conflict is is called the prince of this worlde not that he hath any auctorite or iurisdiction ouer any parte of the creature but bycause in a maner he raigneth in those which be lo uers of this worlde But he whiche protecteth and defendeth vs is lorde of heuen of erth which with his onely becke can do more than all the swarmes and rabyll of dyuels with all their instrumentis lymmes Onely he coulde entre the howse of that stronge one and bynde hym hand and fote and bereue hym of his vessels ¶ What temtations do yet remayne Deth death I saye at whose mention all thynges waxe heuy This neyther with force can be shyfted of neyther with fleynge eschued neyther with craft and subtyl meanes dalyed awaye The firste affection of nature is that euery thinge shuld defende it self But death against this affection of nature thretneth destructiō which so moch is the more detestable and to be abhorred that it diuydeth ii which be most conioyned and knyt togyther For there is no strayter copulation or knot than is of the body and soule This horrour and fere also our lord of his moste tender mercye hath mitigate and asswaged vnto vs. First in that he for our sakes dysdayned not the horrour and tremblynge of death and death it selfe yea and that sclanderous and shameful and also bitter to take vppon hym Nor he wolde not that any of his sayntes of the holy men were they neuer so excellynge in vertuous lyuynge shulde be free and be enfraunchysed against deathe not Abraham the faythfull not Moyses famylyarly beloued not Dauyd a manne accordynge to his harte not any of the prophetes not John Baptist of whom remaineth so noble a testimonie of our lord hym selfe not his mother sin gularly beloued not so moch as that one of his disciples whom before all the reste he loued entierly Euen from the fyrst man vntyll the
death by whiche we be transformed frome the ymage and forme of the old Adam into the ymage of the new Adam which is Christ our lorde This is a separation of the fleshe frome the spirite Nor here is no small wrastlynge nor so moche as any hope of victory if the spirite of Christ helped not the weaknes of our flesh But the grace of hym in vs hath slayne the olde man so that nowe we be led not with our spirite but with the spirite of god nor we our selues lyue not but Christ lyueth in vs. This moste happye deathe whether it hath chaunced to any man fully in this lyfe I can not saye Neuerthelesse the goodnes of our lorde vouche safeth to supplye of his owne that that our imbecillytie can not do This deathe is to be coueted and with all our deuoyr practysed and meditate through out all our lyfe Lyke as saynt Paule wryteth to the Corynthians Alwayes bearyng the mortification of Iesu Christe in our body that also the lyfe of Iesu myght be manifested in oure bodyes To the same he exhorteth the Colossenses Mortyfye your membres which be vpon erthe He byddeth not pluck out the eyes or choppe of the handes or cut awaye oure preuey membres but what membres It foloweth Fornication vnclennes lust euyll concupiscence and couetyse The common sorte of men mourne for thē the which dye but blessed Paule to the Colossia ns reioyseth this deathe Ye be sayth he deade and your lyfe is hyd with Christe in god This deathe is mother of the spirituall lyfe lykewyse as synne is the father of the spirituall deathe and also of the deathe infernall But in these kyndes of deathe the moste parte of men behaue theym selfes preposterouslye and cleane contrarye to that they shoulde doo At the mention of the bodyly deth how tremble we for fere They of old tyme hated Cypresse for no other cau se but that it was wonte to be had in buryals and also the herbe smallage bycause graues were hanged about with it And at this day there be many which at the sauour of frank insence stoppe their noses and vse fell curses and execrations for bycause as I suppose at buryals fumigations be made of it But the spirituall deathe is more horrible than syxe hundred deathes of the body and to this wylfully and with great courage we runne gloryenge and bostynge whanne we haue done wyckedly reioysynge in thinges moste vngodly We be dismayd and besyde our selues whan we be in ieoperdye that the sowle shuld departe from our wretched body which shulde lyue moche more happyly out of this prison but how moche more iustly ought we to be dismayde whan we be in peryll lest god the lyfe eternal wil forsake our sowle The howse wherin any hath dyed is called cōtagious pestiferous and funestall and we stoppe our noses whā we passe by it But the wyse man iudgeth it farre better to go to the hous of mourning than to the house of feastynge In mourninges we be naturally heuye and sadde But this heuynes bycause it is after a godly fashyon worketh in vs a stedfast helthe saluation Whyles it warneth vs of the laste tyme and of the thinges ensuyng the same and calleth vs backe to repentance nor suffreth vs not to synne eternallye They be happyly present at a mournynge whiche so bewayle an other mans bodyly deathe that they begynne to be moone them selfes whiche be stryken with a more greuous death whether than is better to deuoure a bytter potiō that by the peyne of one howre thou mayst gayne perpetuall helth of thy bodye or elles in a feaste to drinke pestiferous and venomous swete wynes whiche with their shorte pleasure maye brynge to the drynker sodeyne deathe But of these thynges many men are so clere careles that in baudy cornars they singe and make mery as dronk as myse Some make their auaunt and reioyce whyche by fraude and disceyte haue citeyned to ryches some triumphe whiche with wycked craftes be rysen to honours and promotions Do not the commū people call the wallowynge in stynkyng lustes and delicious fare a lyfe But tho that thus lyue be twyse deed First bycause they be voyde and destitute of the spirite of god Secondly bycause that euen nowe all redy they be the children of damnatiō and of the euerlastynge fyre For lyke as the lyfe of good men deed in the fleshe is hyd in god and shall appere and shewe it self togither with Christ so in these whiche haue gyuen them selfes to the flesshe the death eternall is hyd and shal appere in the last iugement Onely hope dothe seuer the synner in this lyfe from hell For as longe as the breth is in man so longe he hathe hope of pardon forgyuenes How be it we had nede to take right good hede lest our hope whiche cometh not of faith and charitie deceyue vs. Thus some man flattereth hym selfe I am yong I wil take the pleasure of this world whan I come to aage thanne wyll I fall to goodnes But O thou hard hart who hath promysed y t to come to age Another saith whyle I am in the flowers of my age I wil folowe my luste and pleasure whanne I am maryed than I wyll begynne to be thryfty But O thou flatterer of thy self how knowest thou whether thou shalt lyue vntyll to morowe There is perchance some manne that thinketh thus I will at laste make my selfe a fryer or a monke and than I wyl bewayle my lyfe euyll spente In the meane whyle I wyl vse the pleasure of this world Admyt that lyfe be graunted the who hath promysed the that thou shalte haue this mynde and wyll to forsake pleasures imbrace repentance Can euery man that wyl gyue to hym selfe this mynde Onely the grace of Christe is cause that a man can repent and come agayne to his herte But he frely and at his owne lybertie gyueth it to whome he wylleth and whan he wylleth Certes as touchyng the synner he is now all redy in hel Is it not a prodigious blyndnesse that a man beynge in so horrible state wyll prefyxe hym selfe a daye whan to recent hym of his lyuinge the which man yf he shulde fall into a pyt or be cast in prison wolde thynke all the hast of them that shuld alucke hym out to slowe Out of the pytte he wolde forthwith crye for mans helpe whan he is set in so great euyls wyll he not 〈◊〉 continent desyre goddes helpe whiche onely rayseth the deed Who so euer than in this lyfe will diligently practise the traniformatorye death and vehemently abhorre the deathe spirituall and the deathe infernall shall lesse feare the deathe of the body whan it approcheth which dothe not seuer vs from god but hathe ioyned vs nerer to god and maketh an ende for euermore of al afflictions with the whiche this lyfe is on euery syde vexed and setteth vs ouer to euerlastynge reste Thou wylte saye
tumble and breake their neckes or to leape into a welle or strāgle their throtes with some corde or thrust thē selfis into the guttes with some knyfe or sworde For there be diseases whiche do corrupte the inwarde weselles of the mynd whyche persones be commonly called in the latyne tongue demoniaci that is to saye possessed with dyuels But neyther by these thinges a man is not to be iuged syth that Chrysosto thus doth moste louyngly comfort a certain monke whiche was possessed with a dyuell Howe be it tho kyndes of deth which haue a manyfest colour of wyckednes is a good christen mans parte to desyre to escape and to abhorre it Contrary wise somme we see haue so gentyll a deathe that they seme to sleepe and not to dye But what facion of death so euer chaunceth no man is therby to be estemed No not so moch as of them whiche by the lawes are for their myscheious dedes put to execution though they chaunce to haue a shamefull dethe we maye not iudge temerousely For it may be that he whiche for treason is hanged drawen and quartered passeth into the company of aungelles where as an nother the whiche dyeng in a gray friers cote and relygiously buried departeth downe vnto hell It is the lorde whiche iugeth of these thynges By sundry wyses god exerciseth and purgeth his seruantes but as I sayd no euyl deth is that to be thought which good life spente before Otherwhyles they that dye moste easily go to euerlastyng punyshmentes and contrary wise they that be myserably tourmented flee into reste Somme wysshe to haue fulle confession before they dye laste anneylynge and the receyuynge of their maker not with an vnlyke mynd as it appereth that in olde tyme some prolonged the tyme to be christened tyll their last day and the baptyste whiche shulde baptyse them was not callyd for vntyl that the phisytion confessed lyttell helpe in his scyence Why wyshe we but ones that thynge to chaunche whyche dayly ought and may be done of vs For it is beste counsayl that euery man before er he betake him to slepe dilygentely examyne his conscience and if he fynde any cryme committed that day let hym knocke his breste and callynge for the assistence of god purpose certainly to lyue a better lyfe Nor there is no cause why any man shulde here say I am letted with sundry busynes I haue no leyser To a thyng so necessarie the fourth part of an hour suffyseth It is not longe to say I haue synned Haue mercy And this is sufficient soo it be spoken with the harte No man commytting hym selfe to slepe is sure to awake Howe great danger is it than in that state to slepe in whiche if deathe oppresse vs whyche is brother germaine to slepe we shall peryshe for euermore So great peryll maye be eschued with one shorte thoughte This is dayly to be done to god but to the prieste vicare of god iii. or iiii tymes or ofter in the yere with pure confession to purge the conscience shulde brynge moche tranquilitie and it shall cause that the person whan he dyeth shal not be troubled with the scrupulosytie of confession Furthermore bycause in the article of deth the contemplation of our lordes death of the communion of the hole churche which is the body of Christ is a principal comfort it were well done in both to be dylygently exercysed in the lyfe to th entent the doing ofte repeted may tourne into custome custome into cours and cours into nature This shal be if that we our conscience being clene purged from all affection of synnyng ofte receyue the mysticall bread and drinke of the mystycall cuppe syth that this sacramente commendeth and declareth vnto vs two thinges the one is the most dere loue of the heed towarde his membres and the other is the moste strayte felawshyp of the membres betwyxt them selfes What so euer goodnes is in the body procedeth from the heed Christe and what so euer goodnes is in the body is commun vnto all the mēbres Lyke as in the bodye of a lyuynge thynge thoughe there be dyuers membres ordeyned to dyuers offices yet the lyfe yssuinge frome the heed is spred abrode through al the membres with suche an inseparable felawshyp that lyke as saynt Paule teacheth yf one membre be greued that grefe rūneth vnto all and if one membre ioyeth the glory is of all in cōmune Doutlesse this is that is sayd in the Symbole of thapostels Sanctam ecclesiam sanctorum communionē The holy church the communion of sayntes For no streyghter is the grace of Christe in the mystical body than is nature in the body of a lyuynge thinge They do deuoutly which whā deth draweth nere do send to the monasterye of the Cartusians or friers obseruantes to praye for the sycke persone but it is a stronger comforte if the sycke mā thinketh that the hole church is busy thought full for him a membre therof Whan I saye the churche how blessed and howe myghty a cōpany do I meane which includeth prophetes apostels so many swarmes of martyrs and virgyns so many soules beloued of god This hole company and felawshyp for eche membre of Christ beynge in ieopardy prayeth contynually and with merites and prayers helpeth the sycke person Nor it is no matter to the though that thou seest not the church with thy eies neither thou seest thy soule by whose benefite al the membres of the body lyue and be moued The church can not be pore which is ioyned to so ryche an heed in which dwelleth al fulnesse of diuinitie corporally nor the membre can not be destitute whyche is susteyned of so many thousandes of sayntes The tender loue and bountyfulnes of the heed towarde vs principally wytnesseth the crosse taken for to redeme vs. The memorie and power of these thynges we do renewe vnto vs as oft as with feith and due reuerence we do eate the fleshe of the lorde and drynke the blud And also we be admonyshed that al be one body whiche do eate the same breadde and drynke of the same cuppe Let no man than be false harted althoughe that the membre be weake and diseased consyderynge that it hath an heed whiche is omnipotent nor let hym not thynke to be destitute and forsaken whiche is releued kepte and susteyned with the demerites and prayers of the hole churche Wherfore who soo euer that in his lyfe is diligently exercised in the con templation of these thynges at his deathe they shall brynge vnto him more comforte For than euen of theyr owne accorde they shall renne into his memorie as thinges famyliar vnto the mynd and soule Wherfore after my mynde and iudgement they deuised a ryght good and godly thinge whiche parted the hystorie of our lordes deathe in to certayne houres as we call them to the intent that chylderne myght be accustomed to reherse and say euery day a portion of it with ycuynge of thankes But they which ordeyned
in the steede of it the seruyce of our lady though that they inuented a thing not vngodly yet if a man myghte confesse the trouthe they tourned wyne into water By these skylles and meanes it shal come to passe very well that sodeyne and vnprouyded deth shal not oppresse vs. The swete chylderne muste be forsaken the dere wife the wel beloued freÌ„des the approwed landes the sumptuous buyldynges the ample goodes But the sowldiour of Christ hath studied to neglecte all these thinges whose soule doth watche as it were in the garnyson of the body and waytyng euery houre for the Trumpette of his captayn wherby he is commanded to begynne the battaylle alwayes redy to these wordes Dispose thy householde for thou shalt dye and not lyue He hath his body not for an hous but for a pauilyon nor he hurdeth not there his tresure but that whiche suffyseth for his daily sustynance he beareth in his belte always wakynge in the watches always hauynge armours about hym agaynst the sodayn inuasions of his ennemies no hardnes he refuseth so he maye please his capitayne to whome he is sworne A warfare saythe Iob is the lyfe of man vppon erthe The mynder of this warfare is exhorted by the wise man Syrach Sonne that comeste to the seruyce of god stande in ryghtwisenes and in drede and prepare thy sowle to temptation The seruyce of god is a profession of a chrysten warfare To stande is the propretie of a sowldiour in the felde prepared and bente to the battayle Stande in rightwisenes not in pride whiche vanteth it selfe ayenst god but in ryghtwysenesse They slepe and lye downe whyche be the sowldiours of this worlde But the souldiour of Christe standeth bent to euery good worke The beste worke is wel to dye in the lorde For good lyuynge gyueth a great imboldyng agaynst the dyuell Feyth hathe not lerned to gyue place to the enmy hope can not be discomfyted charitie ministreth fode to the stander But syth good lyfe causeth boldenesse why is added in drede If thou be rightewyse what dost thou feare If thou be not howe doest thou stande This drede is not that father of desperation of whiche speaketh Salomon Feare casteth down the slouth full person and charitie casteth out feare but the most good keper of innocencie The feare of the sonnes is holye remainynge withoute ende Who that standeth sayth the apostle lette hym se that he falleth nat And ageyne Thou by feyth doest stande doo not looke to hygh but feare There is an holye drede of the lorde which prycketh to good warkes and dryueth away the man from euylle and there is a naughty feare of the seruant whiche entyseth hym to slouthefulnesse I feared ê™ he and went and dyd hyde thy talente in the erthe But feare the felawe of Justyce causeth ys distrustynge oure owne powers more coragiously to work through the ayde of the spyrite and more circumspectly to kepe the gyftes of god Besyde this euery rightwisenes of men be it neuer so perfecte trembleth so ofte as it is called to the barre of goddis Justyce in whose syght neyther the sterres be cleane and in aungels is founde iniquitie Why than shuld not we whyche be weake and dwellynge in erthen tentes feare this Judgemente sythe Job the allowed manne of god sayth I feared all my workes knowynge that thou spareste not the offendour If I be wasshed as with the waters of snowe and my handes shyne as mooste cleane yet with fylthynesse thou shalte beraye me And Paule a sowldyoure more exercysed thanne Job saythe I am preuy to my selfe of noo euyll but not in that I am iustifyed It folowethe And prepare thy soule to tentation Sondry be the formes of tentations by whiche god trieth his men of warre but the most greuous tentation of all is deathe For than in good ernest we must fight hande to hande nor there is no skypping away but on both sydes with all our myghte and power the maystrie must be tried So that to this bickerynge mans mynde must alway be preparyd For what shall an vnexperte souldiour do here whiche neuer fought with his ennemy nor neuer assayd his strength gyles craftes awaytes nor yet his owne valiantnes It is a great parte of victorie to make warre with a knowen ennemy So the most doughty sowdiour or rather captayn saynt Paule That we be not enuyronned ê™ he of Satanas For we be not ignorant of his wyly thoughtes What meruayle is it if he know his wyles whiche hath so oft coupled with hym exercysed in all kynd of peryls Than is the fyre putte to whiche declareth what euery mans work was and vpon what fouÌ„dation it was layde And here we se otherwhiles chaunce whiche chauncethe in the warfare of the world They that in the tentes seemed cowardes and trembled at the herynge of the trumpe in the very battaile be founde moste hardy on the other syde they whiche before ieoperdy semed verye fierse in the very poynt seme moste fearefull So there be some whiche whan they be hole bost their quietnes and vncarefulnes of conscience and that they be redy pre pared to deathe yea and couete to flee out of this wretched world trustyng on a feith I wote not what that Christe hathe promysed vs lyfe and for our synnes hath suffred sayeng that it forceth not what oure workes be whether good or euylle But I feare leste many whiche whyle they be in helthe boste this quietnes and suretie doo greatly tremble whan extreme peryll toucheth them and that day is at hande whan the matter is shewed not with wordes but with the trouth They hepe vp how great iniquite is it to dout of the promises of god but none do more tremble than they which doubte not of the promyses of god For he that beleueth not that helle is prepared for them whiche lyue wickedly but that dethe bringeth an ende of all euyls with an extinguyshment of the hole man doth lesse feare ceathe Faythe than ingendreth in wycked men the drede of god whiche is the beginnynge of wysedome The feare of god that is the wysedome and to departe from euyll is the vnderstandynge Also Esaias Of thy feare lorde we haue conceyued and as who saythe we haue trauayled with chylde and haue brought forth the spirite of helthe In Luke the thirde chapter the people afeared at the preachynge of John Baptiste whyche exhorted to repentaunce sayenge Nowe the axe is sette to the roote of the tree sayde What shall we do But onelesse they had beleued John they wold not haue said What shall we do Lykewise in the actes of the Apostelles the multitude feared with the preachynge of Peter conceyuynge a dreade by their beleuynge with a prycked conscence sayth to Peter the other apostels What shall we doo O bretherne they wold not haue said so if their feith ne were pryckyng their conscience with the feare of helle This tremblynge in a man also that