Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	felicity_n	flesh_n	great_a	32	3	2.1033	3	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
B14844	Six excellent treatises of life and death collected (and published in French) by Philip Mornay, sieur du Plessis ; and now (first) translated into English.	Mornay, Philippe de, seigneur du Plessis-Marly, 1549-1623.; Cyprian, Saint, Bishop of Carthage.; Ambrose, Saint, Bishop of Milan, d. 397.; Cicero, Marcus Tullius.; Seneca, Lucius Annaeus, ca. 4 B.C.-65 A.D.	1607 (1607)	STC 18155; ESTC S94239	82,027	544

people of God In which when he presented himselfe frankly vnto death to appease the wrath of God being readie in the name of all others and for their comfort to beare the scourge of GOD he knew well that it was farre greater glory to die for Christ than to raigne in this world can there bee a more excellent thing than to offer vp our selues vnto CHRIST Although therefore the Scripture speaketh of diuerse Sacrifices of Dauid yet is there a mentioÌ„ of this one particular in this Psalme which sayth I will sacrifice vnto thee praise and thankesgiuing hee said not I doe sacrifice but I will minding hereby to inferre that a sacrifice is then perfect wheÌ„ euery beleeuer is deliuered out of the bandes of this body to appeare before the Lord then presents himself to him in a sacrifice of praise because no praise nor thanksgiuing is perfect or accomplished before death and no man can be truely praised in this life by reason of the vncertaintie of that to come Death therefore is a separation of the soule from the body for that which further remaines we said before howe S. Paul declared That to be dissolued be with Christ he esteemed a farre better thing than to tarrie here still What else procureth this separation but the dissolution of the bodie and bringing of it to repose as for the soule it is her freedome introduction to peace ioy that is to say to liue with Christ if it beleeue The chrildren of God therefore do nothing in this worlde but purifie theÌ„selues froÌ„ the contaminations of the body which are as bands to tie vs in labor to free theÌ„selues from these difficulties renouncing of pleasures shunning dissolutenes the flames of coÌ„cupisceÌ„ce Is it not theÌ„ true that euery faithful soule liuing here belowe is conformed and ioyned vnto death wheÌ„ she studies to die in her selfe to all carnall delights and to all the desires and allurements of the world Thus was the Apostle dead when hee said Gal. 6. The world is crucified to mee and I to the world In fine to the end wee might knowe that death is in this life and that it is good he exhorteth vs to bear in our bodies the death or mortificatioÌ„ of our Lord Iesus for he who hath in him the death of the Lord Iesus hee shall haue his life also in his body Death therefore is necessarie in vs to the end that life may be necessary also There is a good life after death that is to say a great felicitie after victory a good life at the end of the combate wheÌ„ the law of the flesh can no more contradict the lawe of vnderstanding when death striues no more against the bodie but that the victory ouer death is inclosed in the same And I knowe not whether of these two are more effectual 2. Cor. 4. this life or this death considering the Apostles authentike testimony who sayth Death therefore is necessary in vs life in you How many nations were reuiued by the death of one man The Apostle then as you see 2. Cor. 4. teacheth that those who enioy this present life must also desire this present death to the ende that the death of Christ may appeare in our bodies and that wee may participate of this felicitie by which our external man is destroyed to the end that heauens mansion place may bee open vnto vs. He therefore conformes himself well vnto death that retires from the earnest desires of the world that looseth the bands wherof the Lord speaks in Esay Loose the bands of vnrighteousnes Esa 51. break the obligations of vniust exchange let them goe free that are troden vnder foote vntie the knots of wickednes Hee approcheth neere vnto death that strips himselfe of the pleasures of the world that disintangleth himselfe from terrestriall cogitations and raiseth his minde to the heauenly Tabernacle within the which Saint Paul was conuersant euen while he liued here belowe otherwise hee woulde not haue sayde Phil. 1. Our conuersation is in heauen the which may also be applied to the zeale meditatioÌ„s of this holy man for his thoughts were there there his soule frequented the studies and indeuours of his minde were raised vp thither the limits of this body being indeed too strait to comprehend the apprehensions of a man truely wise who aspiring to such a good separates for the time his soule from his body and hath no more to doe with the same in contemplating of that trueth which he desires openly to see for which cause he seekes nothing more than to bee freed from the snares darknesse of this body For wee cannot with our hands with our eyes or our eares conceiue this celestiall trueth because things visible are temporall and those inuisible eternal And besides our sight is oftentimes deceiued and we discerne things farre otherwise than indeed they are our hearing also deceiues vs and therfore wee must looke to inuisible things if wee will not bee deceiued When may we then be assured that our foule is not deceiued When is it that she layes hold on the throne of veritie euen when she is separated froÌ„ the body which then can abuse nor deceiue her no more The same deceiued her by the regard of the eyes by the hearing of the eare therefore it is necessarie that she should leaue abandon it And therefore the Apostle minding to shew that it was not by bodily repose but by the eleuatioÌ„ of the soule the harts humility that had found out the trueth he sayth that our conuersation is in heauen He therfore sought in heauen that which is trueth and shal so remaine for euer And thus retiring his thoghts and all the force of his vnderstanding without reuealing himselfe to any other but knowing and considering well of himselfe resoluing to followe that which he tooke to bee trueth and perceiuing that to be false flitting which the flesh desires and chooseth fraudulently he rightly blasoned this body calling it the body of death For who can discerne with his eyes the brightnesse of vertue Who can gripe righteousnesse with his hands or see wisedom with his bodily eyes Briefly when we meditate on any thing wee would not willingly see any body we like not to heare any noyse about our eares hauing somtimes our minds so fixed as wee see not that which is before our eyes And in the night our cogitatioÌ„s are more firme and we conceiue the better of that in our hearts which serues for our document and instruction where-vnto that saying of the Prophet in the 4. Psalme hath reference Ponder with your selues vpon your beds Often-times also diuers men cloase their eyes when they would profoundly consider of any affaire auoiding at such a time the impediment of sight Otherwhiles we seeke out solitarie places to the end that no body may trouble vs or by his prattle turne vs out of the right way

those which saile by sea were to be esteemed amongst those neither liuing nor dead For man being created to liue vpon the earth hee launches out into the waters minding at one instant to participate of two contrary elements and casts himself desperatly into the armes of Fortune Thou wilt peraduenture say that the labour and tillage of the earth is a pleasant thing I agree thereunto but with how many miseries is this contentment accompanied Doth it not bring foorth euery day some occasion of griefe and sorrow now rain by and by drought to day burning heat to morrow nipping frost and thus by times either vnseasonable scorchings or immoderate cold But not to insist vpon many other vocacations of life to how many perils is the gouernment of States subiect whereof many doe so highly esteeme The ioy and pleasure therein comprehended resembleth fitly an vlcer or violent beating of the pulse the being put beside the saddle in such offices makes the ambitious cold at heart procures them more discontentment than if they were to suffer a thousand deaths Can a man be happie while he liues at the discretion of the vulgar what reputation otherwise soeuer he be in or though euerie one reuerence him neuer so much seeing he is but the peoples puppit who may disgrade him hisse at him condemne him to penalty bring him to miserie and somtimes also puts him to death I demand of thee Axiocus because thou hast swayed this Scepter of Magistracie where died Miltiades Themistocles Ephialtes with other Princes and great Captaines which preceded them For my part I would neuer accept of their suffrages supposing it a thing very vnproper for mee to be an associate or head of so dangerous a beast as the common people but Theramines and Callixines together with their guarde sending Iudges the day after coÌ„stituted vpon purpose condemned to death all those that any waies were their opposites without permitting theÌ„ any hearing As for thee Axiocus thou with Triptolemus vpheldest equitie although in the assembly there were thirty thousand of a coÌ„trary opinion which gaue negatiue voyces Axi You say but truth Socrates and since that time I haue had enough of such conuentions nothing seems vnto me more harsh and vnfauorie than the management of publike affairs They that euer had to do therein can wel auerre so much as for your selfe you speake but afarre off and as one iudging by the blowes which haue light vpon others But wee that haue played our part therein may speake by better proofes In very trueth my friend Socrates the people are verie ingrate cumbersome cruell enuious euill taught compounded of the very dregs of men and of those that are insolent and great mockers I iudge him to be most miserable that wil bee too familiar with such a beast Soc. Why then Axiocus seeing you detest the fairest imployment of all others what may we say of the rest must wee not shun them But for the remainder I haue heard this Prodicus adding to the other discourses this also ensuing that death concerned not either the liuing or the dead Axio What 's this you affirme Socrates Socr. Why because Death is no wayes hurtfull to those that are liuing and for the dead they are out of his iurisdiction And therfore now it does not endammage you because yet you liue and when you shal not be aliue he can haue no power ouer you because then you are past his stroake any more It is therefore but a vaine sorrowe for Axiocus to lament that which neither doth nor shal hereafter concerne him no otherwise than as it would be a notable folly to be afeard of monsters which thou seest not which presently haue no existence and that after thy death haue no beeing That which is redoubtfull therein is hideous onely to those that forge feares to theÌ„selues For is there any thing that can bring terror to the dead Axioc You haue stollen these wise perswasions from the Orators that at this day beare all the sway for they are the men that make these pleasant relations to sooth and humor yong men but I for my part am exceeding loth to leaue these worldly goods whatsoeuer you are able to alleage vnto me in your conference of pleasing apparance my mind findes no perfect contentmeÌ„t in this smooth course of words which doe but a little delight and tickle in their vtterance They beare a good shew with them but they are too remote from truth and our cogitations are not fedde with fantasies but with things firme and solide that are able inwardly to pearce settle themselues Soc. But Axiocus you inconsideratlie couple together those things which should not be coÌ„ioined in making vs beleeue that to feele euill and be depriued of good are the selfe same things for the suffering of euill brings griefe vnto him that loseth a good Now you forget that being dead you are no more and he that is not cannot perceiue this priuation how can he therefore be greeued at a thing whereof hee shall haue no apprehension If at the first you had resolued with mee that in death our bodies are depriued of sense you would neuer haue been so fond as to feare death Now you contradict your selfe in fearing to bee depriued of your soule ioyning this soule to your imagined losse For in fearing to lose your sense you suppose by the same sense to comprehend an euill which you build vnto your self in the aire and that you are afraid to feele Besides this aboue alleaged there are many excellent arguments to prooue the immortalitie of the soule For a mortall nature would neuer haue vndertaken such great matters as to contemne the violence of cruell beasts to crosse the Seas to build cities to establish publike gouernments to contemplate the heauens to obserue the course of the starres of the Sunne and of the Moone their Eclipses and sudden restitutions the rising and falling of the Pleiades the Equinoctials the Solstice of Winter and Summer the windes violent raines with flashings lightnings and thunder She would not haue comprehended in writing nor consecrated to eternity those things that fal out in the world were she not accompanied with some diuine Spirit to haue the intelligence and knowledge of such high and mysticall matters And therefore Axiocus thou must passe vnto an immortall life and not to death thou shalt not be stripped of all but enioy true goods thou shalt haue pleasures no waie intermingled with this mortall body but absolutely pure and indefectiue and such as most truely deserue to be called pleasures For thou being loosed out of this prison and become truely free thou shalt goe vnto a place where there is no trauel nor lamentation from whence sorrow and old age are banished thy life shall bee exempted from all euill replenished with secure repose and eternal ioyes Thou shalt there behold the nature of al things conferring no more thy mindes trauell to their affections

who honor thee in this world but to resplendent and most excellent verity her self Axi Thy discourse hath made mee change my mind I am now so far from fearing death that contrariwise I ardently desire the same and to expresse my selfe more magnanimiously I am already in a maner out of the world and begin to enter into these diuine and eternall paths so that being wholly eased of my infirmity I am quite become another man than that I was before CICERO in his dialogue of old age towards the end THere remaines a fourth reason which seems to vexe and torment olde age that is to say the approach of Death which at that time can not bee farre off But I think that old man to be very miserable which in the space of so long time before neuer learned that death simplie was not to bee feared but rather to bee coÌ„temned if it destroy the soule as some thinke but according to my opinion it ought to bee desired seeing it leades man to a place where he shall liue eternally Wee cannot finde any one betwixt these two opinions What should I then feare if I either feele no misery at all or if I shall bee happie after death Besides this is ther any man so foolish how yong a Gul soeuer he be to suppose that he hath a Patent of his life but til the euening He is so farre from that that euen youth it self is subiect to many more kinds of death than old age yong men sooner fall into diseases they are more grieuously sicke and hardlier healed so that it is rare to see men liue to bee olde If this were not wee should liue more wisely and happily for old men are indued with the vnderstanding of counsel and wisedome and without them CoÌ„mon-wealths could not stand on foote But let vs come to this feare of present death and in that olde age is wrongfully charged to be subiect to this apprehension feeing this is a more common accident with youth For my part I felt in the death of my sonne your brothers of whom great hope of good hereafter was coÌ„ceiued that death threatens all ages Some body may reply that a yong man hopes to liue long which one aged cannot expect This hope is truely the hope of a yong man that is to say of a light head For is there a greater sottishnes than to make sure and certain of that which is altogether vncertaine and vnsure But an old man hath no reason in the world to coÌ„ceiue any such hope and I affirme that his condition herein is far better thaÌ„ a yong mans in that he hath obtained what the young man doth but hope for and that is long life which the olde man hath passed I pray you what length doe you find in a mans life fet down vnto me the longest of all others Let vs consider the age of the King of the Tartessians for I find in bookes that one Arganthonius reigned fourescore and liued sixescore yeeres but I see that ther is nothing long but tendeth to some period the which being attained vnto all the rest is gone and past ther remaining nothing but what thou hast obtained by Iustice and pietie The howers passe away so doe the moneths that past neuer returnes againe what will come hereafter we knowe not Euery one must be contented with the time allotted him to liue For as hee that playes a Part vpon a stage needes not to repeat the whole Comedie from one end to the other to make him be accompted a good Actor so that in the Part which he properly plaieth he giue contentmeÌ„t to the spectatours no more is it requisite that the wise man should liue as long as the oldest man that euer liued in the worlde because a shorte life is long enough for a man to carrie himselfe therein honestly and vertuously And so if our dayes shoot out at length we must be no more weary of them than labourers that after the beautie of the Spring time see Summer ensue and then Autumne For the Spring time resembles youth and makes some demonstration of the fruits which afterward must be reaped Other ages are proper to gather and lay vp the increase of the earth and the fruit of olde age is the remembraunce of those goods which wee haue formerly purchased whatsoeuer is done according to nature we may place in the rank of good things But what is more naturall than to see old men die The same falles out to youth but somewhat against Nature and as it were in despite of her so that when yong men die me thinkes I see as it were a great fire quenched by an huge quantity of water where as contrariwise old men droppe away of theÌ„selues without any violence offered like to a fire that quencheth of it selfe And euen as apples but greene and vnripe fall not from the trees except we violently pluck them off being ripe they fall off without vsing any great force thereto so also young men seeme to die not without some violence offered to their nature old men quite otherwise The which so cheares mee vp that the neerer I approach vnto death the neerer I discerne my selfe to hale in with that harbor and port where I pretend to anchor after so long dangerous a nauigatioÌ„ All the ages of our life are limited but only old age wherein wee liue vertuously as long as the means yet remaines to labour in our vocation and otherwise to hold death in contempt the which may bee the reason also that old age is more ardent and couragious than youth This is that which Solon answered to the Tyrant Lisistratus who interrogated him concerning vertue wherewith he so braued him and was alwaies opposite to his designes because sayd Solon I am old but the ende of this life is then most sweet and excellent when the same Nature which built defaceth also her worke wheÌ„ a man til the last retains his senses vnderstaÌ„ding entire For euen as the Carpenter or Architect can easily when he lists plucke the ribs and beames of his ship asunder or the other plucke downe that building which he had erected euen so Nature most properly dissolueth a man whom shee before had sodered together of two so different pieces now al kind of Soder and conglutination lately made is hardly dissolued but in that old and long worn it is otherwise and so the remainder of life is not much desired or sighed after by the aged who haue reason rather to be ready to dislodge expecting minutally the great Captains comandement which is God without whose will and pleasure as Pythagoras sayd wee are prohibited to leaue our Guarison Corps du guard wherin we are constituted in this worlde There is a notable saying ascribed to the wise Solon wherin hee would haue his friends to mourne and lament his death which makes me thinke that his meaning onely was herein that they should shewe to

these corporall bonds The which being granted honor mee then as a thing diuine but if the soule were to perish with the body yet for all this forbeare not to feare the Gods which support and gouerne this principall worke of theirs that is called man the which like to good children performing you shall inuiolably preserue the memoriall of my name This was Cyrus his discourse a little before his death But if I shall not herein bee too burdensom vnto you hearken what I will deliuer vnto you in mine owne behalfe No body shall euer perswade me O Scipio that either your predecessors or other men of great note whoÌ„ it is not requisite to name would euer haue enterprised such memorable exploits to all posterities but that they coÌ„sidered that their being in the world was to no other ende but to procure the good of their successors Think you to speake plainely and after the manner of old men which loue to set foorth themselues that I would haue so trauelled both day and night in warre peace if my renowne and glory should finish with this present life would it not be better then to liue idle and in repose without any trouble or vexation But my soule I know not in what maner gathering together new forces regardeth happinesse with such a penetrant eye as if departing this world shee should but only then beginne to liue And if it were otherwise that soules were not immortall honest men would not aspire vnto a perpetuall glory What is the meaning of this that euery wise man dies willingly and the wicked with great grief Think you not that the soule which sees farre clearer and further off knowes well that shee is going to a better place and on the contrary hee which hath an heauie and disturbed soule sees not the like Surely I desire nothing more thaÌ„ to see your Fathers whom I haue honoured and cherished And besides the desire which I haue to drawe neere theÌ„ that I haue knowen I would willingly also talke with those of whoÌ„ I haue heard which shewed theÌ„selues vnto mee by their bookes and whose names I haue set downe amongst mine owne writings Now that I drawe neere vnto them it would displease me much to hang backward or to bee rowled downe againe as wee might doe with a round ball And if some God had permitted me to returne againe into my infancie and to crie in my cradle I would very constantly and flatly refuse such an offer for seeing I haue almost run my race I would not be called backe again from my goale to the first setting forward Is ther any true commoditie in this life Is it not troublesome through al the periods thereof But admit there are some coÌ„modities therein yet are we far from finding satisfactioÌ„ or obtaining of our wished ends and desires I will not raile against the same as diuers learned men haue often-times done neither repent I that I haue liued for I haue so passed my time that I am of opinion I haue done some good in the world I goe out of this life as out of an Inne not as out of mine own house seeing Nature hath sent vs forth hither for a litle time to passe forward in our iourney and not coÌ„tinually here to inhabit Oh happy will that day be when I shall depart to this celestiall assembly of soules and leaue the rascallitie of this world for I shal not only then bee with those good men aboue-named but also with mine owne sonne one of the best men that euer the earth brought foorth whose body I haue seen brought to ashes wheras in reason hee should rather haue seen the like by mine But see his soule neuer leaues mee but continually fixing her lookes vpon me she is flowen vp now into those places whither she knowes that I must follow I bare this losse patiently as it appeares but yet I confesse that I was much trobled therwith euer comforting my selfe with this MeditatioÌ„ that ther should bee no long space betweene her departure and mine Out of the Epistles of SENECA Epist. XXIIII RVminate I pray thee in thine owne minde what thou hast often heard and as often spoken but then make triall of it by effect if you haue either heard or seriously vttered the same For it would bee too great a basenes in vs as men vse to cast in our teeth that we should only vse the words and not the workes of Philosophie As I remember I haue heard you sometimes handle this common place that we fall not suddenly vpoÌ„ death but march towards the same by little and little To say the trueth wee die euery day for euery day a peece of our life slides away whatsoeuer is past and gone of our yeeres Death hath it already in his hands yea and euer when we our selues doe growe our life decreaseth First we lose our Infancie then our Adolescencie and then our youth Euen to the day before this what time soeuer is past is lost and gone the present day which now we passe we share stakes therein with Death So ought we alwayes to be confirmed both in the one and the other that we doe not too much loue nor hate our life we must end it when reason summons vs thereunto but wee must not desperatly nor rashly leaue it like one that takes his runne to fetch the better rise A wise and magnanimious man must neuer flie nor shun this life except when he is departing there-from but auoide like a rock a vicious passion which surprizeth and layes holde of many which is to say the desire and hastening of death Epist. XXVI DOubtlesse I debate with my self I discusse make exact examination as if my triall were at hande and the day already comne that must giue sentence of al my yeeres and dayes past Whatsoeuer wee haue either done or said hitherto is nothing they are but vaine and slight testimonials of our courage intermixed with much deceit cousinage Death only will assure mee what I haue profited in Philosophie I therefore prepare my selfe without all feare for that day wherein without all sophistication I shall bee able to iudge whether I haue been faint hearted or magnanimious both in word and deed when I vsed to bulke forth so many iniurious and reproachfull words against Fortune Concerning the esteem we are in amongst men it is alwaies doubtfull and declining on euery side also concerning thy studies and endeuors examine well al thy whole life Death shal denounce sentence vpon thee I say that disputatioÌ„s learned discourse sentences collected from the precepts of wise men and speach adorned shew not the true force of courage the greatest cowardes haue many times the hardiest talke then it will onely appeare what thou hast profited when thou commest to combate with Death I am well content with humane condition I haue no feare of this iudgement Thou art yonger what cares he Here is no accompt made of yeeres no man

knowes in what place Death attends him look for him therefore in all places Consider sayd a certain Philosopher whether is most commodious that Death come to vs or we go to Death that we lay hold of him or he of vs. Marke the meaning hereof It is an excellent thing to learne to die but it will bee superfluous mayest thou say seeing we can but once put it in practise Why with the greater reason we should the more carefully vnderstand meditate therupon For we must alwayes studie thereon because till that hower we can make no iust triall of our owne sufficiencie He which exhorts to meditate on Death exhorts to meditate on liberty and he that hath learned to die hath forgotten to bee seruile For this is aboue all other power or at the least out of the power of any other thing whatsoeuer What cares hee for prisons for guardes for yron barres He hath alwaies a gate open There is but one chaine onely which keeps vs bound which is the loue of this life and this must not wholly bee shaken off but extenuated and loosened that when occasion serues nothing may hold or hinder vs. Epist. XXVII BVt aboue all other things we must endeuour that our vices may die before our selues that in like maner wee giue ouer all these vain pleasures the which though they do no great hurt yet they are mutable and soone passe away vertue only is a secure solid perpetual delight if any other thing present it self vnto vs it is but like a fogge or clowd which can neuer obscure the brightnes of the Sunne Epist XXX IT is an excelleÌ„t thing my good friend Lucilius and that which should bee well learned long before to depart chearfully from hence whensoeuer this ineuitable hower comes He hath neuer been willing to liue that is vnwilling to die For Life was giuen vs with a condition to die and with such a prouiso we must merily meet Death the which in no wayes wee are to feare considering there is nothing more certain than the same and vsually we looke after certaine things and feare those vncertaine but Death brings an equall and ineuitable necessitie ouer all Now who can complaine for being of such a coÌ„dition as from which no man else is exempted for the first and chiefest point of equity is equalitie and wouldest thou neuer stand in feare of Death why then thinke thereupon continually Epist. XXXII OH what a goodly matter it is to perfect accomplish our life before our deaths Oh when shalt thou see the times when thou mayest know that thou hast nothing to do with Time that thou shalt be quiet and still not carefull for to morrowe and plentifully replenished onely with thy selfe Epist XXXVI A Childe that were borne in Parthia would quickly learne to bend a bowe If it were in Germany euery ladde would throwe a Dart. If in our forefathers dayes he would bee expert in riding of an horse and to charge the enemie These be things which the discipline of each couÌ„trey enioineth and layeth vpon euery one What then of this Marry hereupoÌ„ we must consider that against all kinds of darts against al kinds of enemies there is not any thing more properly preualent than to make no reckoning of death which surely no man doubts but that it hath in it some thing terrible that offends our mindes and courages which nature hath compounded and framed with a loue of themselues for otherwise there were no neede of any preparation or fortification of our selues against that whereunto we all did willingly run out of a naturall instinct and desire as wee vse to goe in cases of our preseruation and defence Out of question no man learnes how he should lie if need were vpon a bed of roses but how hee might endure torments rather than to speak any thing against his faith how if necessitie required hee might passe an whole night without sleep being sore wounded how to be wary of leaning so much as against a Pike for feare sleep surprize him not when he thus rests himself But death hath no discommodity in it at all For then ther must needs be somthing in the same thus incommodious For if thou desirest greatly long life thinke that of all things which are hidden from thine eyes and are concealed in nature by whoÌ„ either they are already or preseÌ„tly to be brought forth nothing is cleane consumed They finish indeede their time but so they perish not And the death which wee so much feare and flie takes not from vs life but giues it only a truce and intermission for a little time A day will come to bring vs again to that light which many would feare but that they shall be reduced to such a state as wherein they shal not remember whatsoeuer is past But hereafter I will more precisely declare that all this which seemes to perish doth onely but change He should depart willingly that goes to come backe againe Obserue how all things returne in their due season Thou mayest see that in this world there is nothing vtterly extinct but it descends and ascends againe by turnes The summer is it past The next yeere brings it againe The Winter is it done his due moneths will reduce it again Hath the night obscured the sight of the Sunne why the next day will discouer it againe The course of the starres is performed through the same circles which before they passed Alwayes some part of the heauens riseth vp another goes downeward In briefe to conclude I affirme that neither children nor mad men feare death and how base a part would it then bee that reason should not be as able to furnish vs with security as they are fortified by their simplicitie and idiotisme Epist. L. THe swiftnesse of time is incomprehensible and so it appeares principally to those that looke backward to it For it deceiues them that are too intentiue on present things So swift is the passage of so precipitant a flight that which we liue is but as it were a minute nay and lesse if it were possible then a minute and yet notwithstanding as little as it is Nature hath distributed and diuided it as if it were some long space Of this minute she hath allotted part to our Infancie another proportion to Adolescencie the other part to those yeeres which decline from youth tending to old age and to another part old age it selfe Marke but howe many degrees shee hath constituted in so narrow roumes Euen now I pursued it and this very now is a portion of our life of which one day wee shall conceiue the breuitie Somtime I thought not time swift footed but now his violent course seems vnto me incredible wherefore I wonder at those that in this little space employ the greatest part thereof in superfluous things wee must no longer amuse on these matters of nothing we haue a greater businesse in hand Death pursues me Life flies from mee Arme mee

against this set down vnto me some prescription whereby I may not feare Death that life may not thus slip from me Teach me how the happinesse of this life consistes not in the length but in the vsage of the same that it so may and doeth often-times fall out that he which liues longest hath liued least time hee liuing least while longest Nature hath sent vs into the worlde very docile She gaue vs an imperfect reason which by our indeuours may be made more perfect Epist. LVII OVr bodies ebbe and turne backe like the course of the waters All the time which thou seest flits away with the time it selfe Nothing remains of all that wee see Euen I while I am now saying that all things are changed am changed my selfe Is it not that which Heraclitus affirmed wee in a manner descend not descend in one and the selfe same riuer the riuer retaines the same name but the waters fall away The like is in man but that it may more easily be discerned in a riuer wee are transported with no lesse swift course than this And therefore I can not but wonder at our follie that wee should so dearly loue a thing that so quickly leaues vs I meane this body of whose death wee are so much afraid seeing euery moment of this life is the death of the other Wilt thou feare that once which is acted alwayes fearest thou to die once when thou diest euery day by little and little Epist. LXII I Endeuour that euery day may be vnto me as all the rest of my life and yet I followe it not hard as if it were the last but questionlesse as poteÌ„tially it may be the last In the same manner I wright vnto you this Letter euen as if in writing the same Death shuld cal me away I am now ready to depart and yet enioy still this life For making no great account of future time I labor to liue wel before old age in my olde age to die well To dy wel is no other thing but to die willingly Take a course that in all things which requisitely thou must performe thou doest not anything by compulsion Constraint and necessitie is for those that resist and not for those that doe things willingly He that doth of his own accord is not vrged nor constrained And therefore I say that he which willingly embraceth commandements is acquited of the most burdensome part of seruitude which is to doe that we would not Hee is not miserable that doth any thing by command but he that doth it in despite of his owne will Let vs therfore so frame our courage and willes that we may affect whatsoeuer the thing requireth aboue al without sorrow let vs thinke on our end for it is conuenient to prepare for death before Life Life is well enough furnisht of it self but we are too eager after the prouisions of the same we daily do wil think that still we want somthing Neither yeers nor dayes hinder our liuing long enough but onely our owne willes and desires I haue liued my deare friend Locilius so long as is sufficient I expect death as being fully replenished satisfied with life Epist. LXXI WE must one day arriue at this pleasant Port and wee ought not to refuse it but if any one come there to anchor in his first yeeres hee must no more complaine therefore than he which hath quickly made his voyage by Sea For as you knowe well the windes hold and detaine some long vpon the Sea or he is hindred by retardatioÌ„ of calms when others runne their course swiftly with a fuzzing gallaÌ„t gale Imagine it so falles out with vs. Life caries some speedily to the place whither they must haue come at last though at leasure Others she holds a long time scorcheth them in their course but we our selues must neuer seeke to detain her For properly it is not a good to liue but to liue well and therfore a wise man liues as loÌ„g as he should though not as long as he might Not one of vs amongst a thousand considers that one day wee must leaue this earthly tabernacle wee doe like the ancient inhabitants of a place which by habite and custome continue their abode though with a thousand iniuries and oppressions But wouldest thou be free in despite of this bodie in habite it as before the chaÌ„ging of a lodging propound vnto it that one day thou must leaue that habitatioÌ„ Thou shalt by this means be the more couragious against the necessitie of thy departure but how can hee truely thinke of his end that endlesly wishes for desires al Ther is nothing wherein ordinary Meditation is so necessarily required Epist. LXXVIII THere is not so stupide or grosse amaÌ„ which knowes not that one day he must die and yet when hee comes to the point he turnes his backe he trembles he laments I pray you he that should mourne because he had not liued a thousand yeeres agoe would you not iudge him the veriest sotte in the world As very a foole is he that weepes because he shall not liue a thousand yeers hence These bee like things Thou shalt not be and thou wert not All these two times belong to an other To this present point thou art reduced and admit thou extendest the same a litle whither supposest thou to extend it Why lamentest thou what defirest thou thou loosest but thy labour Neuer think that Gods preordination will bee diuerted by thy prayers It is firme irreuocable and conducted by a wonderful and eternall necessitie Thou shalt goe whither all things go what thing is new vnto thee thou wert borne to this condition the same happened to thy Father thy Mother to all thy predecessors those went before thee as also to all them that shal come after thee It is an indissoluble chaine an immutable order which attracts concatenates vnto it all things Ther is no path but hath his end Miserable wretch as thou art thou makest thy selfe a slaue vnto men a slaue vnto goods a slaue vnto Life For where there is not vertue and willingnesse to death life is but a seruitude And what hast thou I pray thee for which thou attendest Thou hast consumed all those pleasures which might slothen or detain thee There is nothing new vnto thee nay more there is nothing which may not iustly stir vp in thee a disdaine so well shouldest thou be satisfied And yet forsooth these are the things from which thou so vnwillingly doest depart For what didst thou euer worthy to come to light CoÌ„fesse the truth it is not for thy loue of the Palace or Court nor for a griefe to leaue the nature of things that thou drawest back from dying Thou leauest with griefe the market place where thou leftest nothing behind thee It stands with life as with a Stage-play It is no matter how long it last but how well it is acted whersoeuer

also in our mindes than wee woonder at the same But what greater sottishnesse is there then to woonder that the thing which falles out euery day should happen one day Our limites are expresly set downe where the inexorable necessitie of Destinie hath placed them but no man knowes howe neere the time is Let vs therefore so frame our minds as if it were already come vnto the point Let vs not deferre nor procrastinate Hee that setteth his last hand euery day to his life hath nothing to do with time Therefore my friend Lucilius make haste to liue and thinke that as many dayes as thou leadest so many liues thou liuest Hee that liues in hope the neerest time euer slippes him and he is possessed with such a greedinesse of liuing that the feare of death maketh him most miserable Lame him of an hande of a foote of a thigh breake his back dash out all his teeth so hee liueth it is enough for him all goes well Moreouer is it such a miserie to die He desires the extreamest euils and that which is most hard to endure he wisheth to prolong and vndergoe a great time And at what price for what reward To obtain long life But then what maner of life is this A lingering death Is there any one that would request to linger in torment to perish member after member or that would rather lose his life by little and little than to be suddenly and quickely dispatcht Denie now therfore if you can that it is not a great benefit of Nature this necessitie of death imposed vpon vs. Many are ready to make worser bargaines to betray their friends for to liue longer themselues to prostitute their owne children that they may see the day of testimoniall of so many impieties We must shake off this desire of liuing and say it is no matter when wee suffer seeing that one day suffer it wee must It imports not how long thou liuest but how wel And long life is often a preiudice to liuing well Epist. CIII WE attend another originall and state of things Wherfore without fear expect this diffinitiue houre which shall fetch thee from hence All that thou seest about thee suppose it to bee but moueable the necessaries of thine Inne thou hast further to go Nature satisfieth men at their departure as well as at their entrie Wee carrie away no more than wee brought all that couers thee must be taken away thy skinne shal be thy last couering And this thy skin also thy flesh thy blood dispersed diffused ouer al thy body these bones these veins and sinewes which nourished the fluent parts shall bee snatcht and taken away froÌ„ thee The day which thou fearest to bee thy last shall be thy natiuity to an eternall life Thou criest and lamentest so doeth hee that is borne Wherfore art thou sad so ordinarily is hee So the couerings and swathing bands of those that are borne perish come to nothing How louest thou these things as thine owne these are things wherewith thou art but couered But a day wil come wherein thoushalt be laid opeÌ„ that shall drawe thee froÌ„ the habitatioÌ„ of this stinking corruptible body From this time forward meditate on higher things The secrets of Nature shall one day be discouered vnto thee There shall be a dissipation of this darkenesse and a most cleere light shall reverberate on all our parts Imagine to thy selfe that it shall be the resplendence of a number of starres ioyning their lights together There shall be no more vapor or shadow to obscure the cleere ayre all quarters of heauen shall be equally relucent the day and the night which come by turnes are but accidents of this inferiour ayre Thou wilt say thou liuedst here in darknesse when being perfect and entire thou beholdest the whole light it selfe which now thou hast but a glimpse of by the narrowe casements of thine eyes and thou admirest it a-far off What wilt thou then thinke of diuine light when thou seest it in the proper place This contemplation will suffer nothing base abiect or vile to creepe into the minde It intimates vnto vs that God is a witnesse to all our actions it coÌ„mands vs to approue our selues before him to prepare our selues hereafter for him to set before our eyes that eternity the which whosoeuer compreheÌ„ds in his intellect he is afraid of no armie nor daunted with the sound of the trumpet nor trembleth for any threates that can bee vsed against him For what can he iustly feare which hopes to die CoÌ„ceiue how beneficiall good examples are and then thou wilt see that the memorie of worthy men is no lesse profitable than their presence Epist. CVIII WHy it is no such excellent thing to liue Thou art entred into a long and tedious way thou must fall and rise vp againe droop be weary Here thou leauest one companion there thou cariest another to his graue and in another place art put thy self in the same fear Must this rough and vneuen way bee passed amids so many obstacles Must we needs die Let the minde be prepared against all things Let him knowe that hee is come into a goodly place where teares and cares make their residence where pale sicknesse and sad olde age haue chosen their habitation We must necessarily passe our life in such company These things cannot bee auoided Thou mayest well contemne and make litle reckoning of them But you cannot make this slight regard when you often think theron and cast your compt as of things that must come to passe There is no man but he approaches more couragiously to that whereunto of long time he hath been prepared and makes the more forcible resistaÌ„ce whereas contrariwise a man taken on the sudden not prepared is astonished with the least matters Now seeing all things are cumbersome thogh it were but for their instability and noueltie by ruminating thereon coÌ„tinually thou shalt be not apprentise or vnskilfull of any euil Let vs admire nothing wherunto we are born And none can coÌ„plaine of them because they are equall to all equall I meane in this point in that he which once escaped them is subiect to incurre them another time For the law is not sayd to bee iust and equall because all men equally vse the same but in that it was iustly constituted for all Let our mindes bee reduced to an equity and without complaining of our mortall nature let vs pay our tribute chearfully Doth Winter bring colde why colde is necessary The Summer is it hot why heate also wee must haue Doeth intemperate ayre preiudice our health Sicknesse cannot be auoyded Somtimes a sauage beaste encounters vs and an otherwhile a man more pernicious thaÌ„ the wild beasts themselues Fire consumes one water another We cannot tel how to change the nature of things The best is to pay that we cannot be released of and to second and follow the will of God without murmuring from whoÌ„ all

things haue their originall It is the part of a badde Souldier to follow his captain mournfully Destiny leads him by the hande that goes willingly and drags him along that goes by coÌ„pulsion So must we liue so must we speake that Death may finde vs ready iocund not hanging back He is truely of an haughty and generous courage that thus rangeth his own mind and contrariwise that man is degenerate and base which striues against it thinking corruptly of this worldly ordinance that will rather correct God than himselfe Epist CXXI A Man is neuer so diuine as when hee considereth well of his mortall nature and conceiues that he was borne a man to die and that this body is not his proper habitation but rather an Inne nay and that but a baiting place the which hee must presently leaue It is a great argument of a spirit descended from aboue if he esteeme these places where hee conuerseth base and incapacious not fearing to depart from theÌ„ce For in that he knowes froÌ„ whence hee is come and often calles the same to mind he also knowes whither hee must returne Doe wee not see how many discommodities wee vndergoe and that this bodie of ours euill befittes vs One while we complaine of our bellies another of our breasts and then of our throats sometimes our sinewes and then our feete torment vs one while a deiection and then some distillation Now there is too much blood and then too little we are tempted and harried hither and thither For so it ordinarily fals out with him that dwelles in another mans house And notwithstanding being endowed with such a goodly body wee here propouÌ„d vnto our selues eternall things and as farre as humane age can extend it selfe so farre wee promise to our selues by hopes Wee are content with no riches with no puistance Can there bee a more shamelesse or sottish thing than this Wee were created to die and yet euen when wee are ready to die nothing seems enough vnto vs. For euery day wee are neerer to our last periode and there is no hower which spurs vs not forwarde to the place wherein we must be layed See how humane vnderstanding is dazeled And therefore a great spirit which in the end comes to discouer a better nature than this bodily structure takes an order to beare himselfe industriously and honestly in the place allotted vnto him as for the rest of all the things before him he esteems not one of them his owne onely vsing them as belonging vnto him for a time like to the Pilgrim and Traueller Out of the first Booke of tranquillitie of life ALl our whole life is but as it were a seruice and we must inure our selues to the coÌ„dition thereof complaining as little as may be and imbracing all that which hath properly any commodity in it self There is nothing so harsh wherin a mild spirit may not find some consolation He liues euil that knowes not how to die He that feares death shall neuer performe any man-like action while hee liues but he that vnderstaÌ„ds how this was allotted vnto him from his conception will liue regularly and with like courage take order that whatsoeuer may happeÌ„ it light not on him suddenly or vnlooked for Sickenes imprisonment decay of estate fire none of these will bee sudden to him For saith the wise man I know in what a tumultuous house Nature hath placed mee So many times the alarme hath bin giueÌ„ hard by me so many times there haue bin vntimely funerals gone by my gate oftentimes the fall of a ruinus house hath thundred in mine eares one night hath taken from me many of those which the Court and familiar conuersation had conioined with me and cut them off euen hard at mine elbowe I wonder that so many daungers coÌ„ming about me they haue alwayes failed But see on the coÌ„trary the greatest number of men when they embark they neuer dreame of a storme No man thinks how the same which happens to one may fal out to any other whosoeuer For euery one that had but made a goodimpression of this euen in his bowels and diligently obserued other mens harmes the same hauing as free accesse to himself he wold be well armed long before his being assailed It is too late after a danger to frame his courage to beare perill patiently but rather hee sayes I thought such a thing would neuer haue beene I could neuer be brought to beleeue that it would haue come thus to passe And why not Where are the riches which pouertie famine and beggerie doe not followe steppe by steppe Where are the dignities the Augurall and Consular roabes that are not subiect to putting out of their place or banishment to some blemish of infamie or to some extream ignominie Where is the kingdome whose ruine is not threatned whose executioner and heads-man is not at hand c. Out of the Booke of the shortnes of life PAulinus the greatest part of mortall men complaine of Natures malignity that wee are begotten for so short an age and that the time allotted vs passeth so violently swiftly away that life then leaues the greater part of men when they haue scarcely made their preparatioÌ„ for to liue But the time which wee haue is not smal only we lose much thereof Our life that is giueÌ„ vs is large long enough to coÌ„passe great matters if it were well employed But when it runnes away in delights idlenes when we employ it in nothing that is good extreame necessitie pressing vs in the end wee then perceiue our life is gone without discerning how it went away Thus much it imports we receiued not a short life but haue made it so short our selues We are no waies indigent of life but prodigall Euen as great opulencie and wealth when it comes into the hands of an euil husbaÌ„d is wasted in a moment and mean riches on the contrary increaseth by the imployment of a thrifty man the more that hee vseth the same so this our age is wonderfully extended by him that can dispose well of it Why complaine we then of Nature she hath beene very courteous and benigne towards vs. Life is long enough if thou canst but tell how to vse it One is possest with insatiable auarice another vexeth himself with double diligence in superfluous labours one is imbrued in wine another languisheth in idlenesse this man is tormented and tossed with an ambition depeÌ„ding on anothers voice and suffrage that man with an hope of gaine in the precipitant desire of trafficke runnes ouer al Countreys and Seas Others are in trauaile with a great desire of warre being euer occupied either in their own daungers or in perswading other men to perils There are also some who like to follow no course but Death layes hold of them languishing and gasping with annoy and wearinesse so that I make no doubt of the truth of that which the greatest amongst Poets pronounced by way of oracle Of

all our life that which we liue is the least part For the rest all that other space is not properly a life but a time Euery one allotteth his life to diuers things they are miserable and sparing in holding their patrimonie but prodigall in losing of time of time I say wherein auarice is onely honest and not ignominious But chuse we one out of the troup of the most ancient in yeares Verie wel Sir wee see you haue attained to the very toppe of humane nature euen as farre as a mans age may possiblie reache You goe on the hundreth yeer or more wel cal your yeers a little to an accompt Of all this time tell me how much your creditor hath taken from you how much your Loue Mistresse howe much the commoÌ„-wealth how much your friend then after this how manie conflicts you haue had with your wife what punishment you haue inflicted vpon your seruaÌ„ts what running vp and downe the citie you haue been driuen vnto for your familiars and acquaintance Annexe hereunto the diseases which you haue fallen into by your owne default and adde also vnto this that which remained without any good imploymeÌ„t Thou shalt theÌ„ see that thy yeers are fewer thaÌ„ thou makest reckoning of Cal to mind wheÌ„ in thy selfe thou wert resolute in any determination how many daies passed away conformably to that which in thy minde thou diddest set down how many of theÌ„ profited thee when thy countenance was fresh thy heart without feare what great neede you had of so long a life then how many sundry men haue as it were stolen and impaired it you no wayes perceiuing when or what you lost how much hath some causelesse griefe taken away from you sottish contentments some vnsauory desire or flattering coÌ„uersation briefly after all these abstractions how little remains that was properly thine owne and then thou shalt see that for al this thou diest before thou art ful ripe and before thy best time Who is the cause hereof Why you liue as thogh you should liue for euer Good husbandry neuer comes into your mind you neuer coÌ„sider what time is spent and gone you spend and waste as though you had abundance you feare like a mortall man and couet all like one immortall Heare what the most of them vse to alleage At fiftie yeers I will betake my selfe to mine ease when I am threescore yeer old I wil giue ouer all publike office I pray ye tell me where made you purchase of such a long life who gaue you Letters PateÌ„ts for liuing a longer time who can haue the patience while these things take effect euen as you haue ordained set them downe Art thou not asham'd to reserue the refuse of thy life only to wisdom and assigne such an age vnto that which can no more be imployd in anything else Oh it is too late to begin then to liue when we must leaue liuing Is not this a sottish obliuioÌ„ of out mortal nature to defer good healthfull couÌ„sel til the fiftith yeer and to begin to liue at such yeers vnto which fewe euer attaine vnto Thou shalt many times heare the greatest and mighti'st personages vtter words to this effect that they desire repose they commend preferre it before all other goods They would if securely they might giue ouer all the sollitie and triumph wherin they liue That great Emperour Augustus to whom God vouchsafed more fauours than to any one ceased not to sigh after this repose to wish for vacations that hee might bee exempted from publike negotiations all his speach tended for the most part to this ende This rest tranquillity see med vnto him so precious a thing that not being able effectually to enioy it he apprehended it in conceit He which saw all things depend on himself which imposed on all nations what stood with his will and pleasure thought that day most happy when hee might but lay aside his worldly greatnesse He knew wel how great toile the goods of Fortune which are so estimable vpon earth put vs to and how many secret cares they harbor It would but bee superfluous to make mention of diuers that vnto others appeared to bee very happie and yet they themselues proued faithfull testimonials to the contrary when the whole accounts of their yeeres were cast vp But by these coÌ„plaints they could neuer perswade others nor theÌ„selues for euen at the very instant when such wordes escaped them their affectioÌ„s returned to their olde wont Out of question though our life should extend euen to a thousand yeeres yet would it be restraind brought into a little compasse the seuerall ages would consume al that that space which although Nature conceale reason might exspatiate if it were well guided it must needs flie from vs in a moment For wee redeeme not this time wee doe not retayne nor slacken it by being circumspect and industrious in all things but doe rather suffer it to rowle away as a superfluous thing that may bee againe recouered Throughout our whole life wee must learn to liue and which is yet more strange through euery hower of our life we must learne to die There haue been many great men that leauing their places renouncing their estates offices and pleasures in the height of their age they sought after no other thing but to knowe how to liue well and yet the most of them left this life confessing euen then they had not attained to this vnderstanding Euery one hurries on his life and trauels in the desire of future things and wearinesse of present times but he which bestowes his whole time in this practise and truly disposeth all his dayes in such a life neither desires nor feares what may happen the day after What comes to passe how busie soeuer thou art thy life passeth away and Death wil presently surprise thee for then will ye nill ye you must bee at leasure They accoÌ„modate their liues with their liues expence and charge they discourse and cast aboue the Moone Now the greatest losse that can bee in life is retardation Delay takes vp the first yeeres and plucks from thee things preseÌ„t while it promiseth thee those future An attending life procures great impediments which loseth to day and depends on to morrowe Thou disposest of that which is in the handes of Fortune and leaues that at randome that is in thine owne Wheron castest thou thine eye what wouldest thou attempt All future things are accompanied with vncertaintie wouldest thou knowe why the elder sort liue not long Why but obserue how olde men euen when they doate desire longer life They beg by vowes and prayers the proroguement of a fewe yeeres They conceit theÌ„selues to be yonger than they are they are flattered with fantasies and are as sillily gull'd as if they meant at an instant to go beyond both Death and Destinie But if any infirmitie put them in mind that they are mortall Oh how dastardly they

die It seemes not that they goe but rather that they are haled out of this life Then they can say how they had been fooles and that by reason of their follie they had not liued out halfe their life but if they could escape this disease they would liue quietly and abandon all affaires Then they call to mind how they had borrowed in vaine that which they were not alwaies to enioy and that all their labour and trauell is now come to nothing But they are only wise and they onely liue which finde time and leasure wherein to learne wisedome For they doe not only beare their yeares well but they adde all the time past vnto their owne All the yeeres which passed before them they haue ouertaken and so we likewise if we be not too ingrate The famous Authors of these excellent sacred opinions were born for our sakes they prepared a life for vs. By other mens labors we are conducted to admirable things drawen and digged out of darkenesse to bring them to light and knowledge There are no ages forbiddeÌ„ vs we may enter into al. And when we take pleasure out of a great minde to issue a little out of the straight siege of humane imbecillitie there is fitte time enough to fetch our walkes abroade at large We may dispute with Socrates doubt with Carneades take repose with some with others vanquish and subdue humane nature Now seeing Nature admitteth vs to the communion and fellowship of all ages past let vs not therefore lose this little and fraile passage of time but addict our selues with our whole hearts to things supernaturall eternall and that participate with the best These people that hitch from office to office that importune both others and themselues when they haue well scudded the streets trotted soundly vp and downe from gate to gate when there is not an open doore but they haue peept in at when they haue ietted with salutations from one house to another in an huge citie transported away with other delights how many would there bee that they should neuer see how many that will absent themselues from them and sende them away with a flea in their eare because they would either sleep or passe their time in lasciuiousnesse Let vs therfore be mindfull of better offices All men whatsoeuer may when they will haue priuate coÌ„uersatioÌ„ with Zeno Pythagoras Democritus Aristotle Theophrastus and with other principall and famous Authors of good and liberall Sciences Hee shall find none of them otherwise occupied none but he wil find leasure to entertaine him none that will not send him back more happy more content and more desirous of his amitie none that will let him depart emptie handed Out of the Booke of Consolation IT is therefore a singular consolation to thinke that whatsoeuer all men before haue passed and all to come must likewise vndergoe shall or may happen to himselfe And Nature in my opinion made that which was most grieuous most common vnto all to the end that such an equalitie might asswage the rigor and seuerity of Death Goe to then cast thine eye on euery side vpon all mortall men and ouer all thou shalt easily discern great and continuall occasion of griefe One is vexed with an ambition that neuer hath repose Pouerty calles another dayly to his work Another feares the same wealth which erst hee desired and is tormented with his owne wishes One is afflicted with care another with labour a third importuned with a troupe of people that dayly laye siege to the portall of his house Here 's one angry for hauing children there 's another laments for hauing lost them Teares sooner faile vs than iust cause to lament Mayest thou not perceiue what maner of life Nature hath allotted vs when she ordained that whosoeuer was borne should enter into the world with cries and teares Wee came into the world with such a beginning and all the sequel of our years is correspondent to the same in this maner wee passe ouer our whole life All those goods wherein we delight through a certain pleasure but in apparaÌ„ce being inwardly replenished with cosinage deceit I say treasure dignities power authoritie with diuers other things by which the blind auarice of humane care becomes stupide besotted wee possesse theÌ„ with woÌ„derfull molestation men enuie vs the enioying them and euen amoÌ„gst those that haue them they rather threaten than make the owner more powerfull they are smooth and slippery one can neuer possesse them securely there 's euer some daÌ„ger of their perill and shipwrack And though one did not fear any thing to come yet the only preseruatioÌ„ of a great worldly state is full fraught with cares If thou wilt giue credit to theÌ„ which doe more profoundly looke into truth our whole life is a punishment we are here lanched foorth into this deepe inconstant sea where ther is always flood and ebbe which one while hoystes vp with the waues then throwes vs down again with the more damage dayly tossing and tormenting vs whether it raise vs vp or bring vs downe wee I say most miserable haue neuer any settled or assured place we euer hang in suspence wee alwaies floate we alwayes rush one against another and often-times euen suffer wracke We are neuer out of feare in this vast Sea subiect to all kinde of tempests and storms and those that sayle therein haue no other Port to make withall but Death Out the Booke of Diuine prouidence In what maner diuers euils light on good men YOu required of me Lucilius if it were so that the worlde was gouerned by prouidence diuine how it could come to passe that so many inconueniences fell to honest mens shares I wil yeeld you hereof a more liuely reason in my written worke wherein I determine to prooue that Gods prouidence is ouer all things and that GOD himselfe dwelles and conuerseth amongst vs. There is an amity betweene GOD and honest men which vertue maketh and contracteth and not onely a friendship but also a neere alliaunce and resemblance For an honest man differs from God but onely in time he is his disciple his imitator and his true off-spring And therfore this magnificent Father which exactes hardly of his own that they should be vertuous hee brings them vp hardly as seuere fathers vse to doe When as therfore thou seest honest men and those so neer vnto God trauell and take paines mounting vp by rough and craggie ascents and contrariwise the wicked to spende their time in follies being drowned in sensuall pleasures imagine how wee delight to raine in our owne children and loose the raines to our slaues progenie For the one wee containe them within their dueties by a seuere sharp discipline for the other wee lay the bridle on their necks Thou mayst euidently perceiue the like taken by God Hee lets not an honest man haue his head he proues hee tries hee prepares him for his seruice

into protection and the infidels receiue such punishmeÌ„t as they deserue My deare brethren we are euill aduised being ingratefull forgetful of Gods benefits not acknowledging the graces which he hath bestowed vpon vs. See how our daughters carrie their honor vnspotted out of this world fearing neither the menaces violation or villanies of the enemies of Christs religion yong lads haue by this means escaped the slippery paths of youth and haue happily gotten the goale to obtaine the crowne of their continencie and innocencie the tender womaÌ„ needs no more to feare torments hauing gained by a light easie death this priuiledge that the hang-mans hand hath now no power ouer her The time and apprehension of such a death heateth the luke-warme confirmes the feeble rowseth the sleepie constraineth those reuolted to returne vnto the Church induceth Idolatrers to imbrace the doctrine of the Gospel procures the faithfull that of long time haue made proiession of this ReligioÌ„ to enter into repose they lately come into the Church in great number gather assured strength courage from that time forward to fight without any feare of death when dangers present themselues being entred into the skirmish in so troublesome and perillous a time Furthermore dear brethren is it not a coÌ„mendable and necessary thing that by this mortall maladie the thoughts and affections of euery one should be reuealed We may now see whether the found will assist the sicke whether one kinsman according to God hath loued another if Masters haue had compassion of their slaues languishing if Physicians haue visited those patients that implored their helpe if the insolent refrained their violence if theeues and pilierers by the feare of death haue giuen ouer their insatiable thirst of auarice if the proud haue bowed their heads if the wicked haue bridled their impudencie and briefly whether the rich that haue lost their children neerest kinred seeing themselues now destitute of heires successors doe distribute their almes liberally to the poore And though the plague serued to no other end but to put into Christians a desire to shed their blood for Religion learning in such a time not to fear death this would bee a singular benefit This visitation is rather an exercise than a death vnto vs It giues occasion to the mind to glory in the force giuen vnto it and making death coÌ„temptible it disposeth vs to run hastily to the receiuing of our crown But some body perhaps will replie and say That which grieues me in this mortalitie is that being prepared to maintaine Religion and feeling my selfe disposed to endure death couragiously and ioyfully for Gods name I am depriued of this benefit by the preuention of death I answere first That to suffer for Iesus Christ lies not in thine owne power but is a gift of God and then thou canst not iustly complain for losing of that which peradueÌ„ture was not requisite for thee For the rest God which searcheth and knoweth the heart and the secret thoughts thereof sees thee if thou speakest froÌ„ a pure vncorrupted hart he approues coÌ„mends thy good will and discerning the vertue which hee himselfe put into thee he will reward thee for the same When Cain offred sacrifice vnto God hee had not yet killed his brother and God notwithstanding coÌ„demned his paricidie not theÌ„ perpetrated hauing discouered his deep malice and pernitious determination and euen so when the seruants of God secretly resolue and determine in theÌ„selues stoutly to maintaine the trueth with the expeÌ„ce of their owne blood God who sees their good mindes and hearts doeth crown them aswell as if they had performed the coÌ„bate There is a great difference between saying that will was wanting to Martyrdom and that martyrdome was wanting to will Such as God findes thee wheÌ„ he cals thee so he iudgeth thee eueÌ„ as he himself protests saying And all the Churches shall knowe that I search the reines and hart For in other respects God demands not our blood but our faith Neither AbrahaÌ„ Isaac nor Iacob were slaine and yet neuerthelesse they are ranked amongst the chiefe Patriarkes bearing the titles of faith and righteousnes whosoeuer is faithful iust and worthy of prayse he comes to the table banquet of these Patriarkes To resume our former discourse let vs call to mind that we must performe Gods will and not our owne following that prayer which Iesus Christ hath taught vs. What is it but to disturbe ouer throwe all piety when demanding that the wil of God may be fulfilled we recoyle and drawe backe when he would take vs out of the world When we thus hang taile and like rebellious slaues come not in our masters presence but with euill will and by compulsion leauing the world because it would be a fault to doe otherwise notthrough any desire we haue to rest satisfied in the wil of God how can we request at his hands the heauenly rewards to which wee doe not approach but by compulsion Why doe wee pray that his kingdome may come seeing wee take such delight to remaine in the prison of the worlde Why heape we prayers vpon prayers that the general restauratioÌ„ of all things may approach if our greater more affectionate desires would rather serue here below the enemie of our saluation than to raigne aboue with Iesus Christ But that the testimonies of diuine prouidence may the better be layed open that we may vnderstand that the Lord who fore-knoweth all things to come hath care of his childrens saluation it so happened that one of our companions in the Ministerie being pluckt downe by this disease and perceiuing himselfe neere to death demaunding the Eucharist as if hee aspired to God and had bin drawing his last gasp an honorable yong man very maiesticall high of stature and welfauoured of countenance being so relucent that no humane eye could firmely behold him appeared was seen by this man being rather out of thaÌ„ in this worlde Then this glorious yong man with a lowd voice and as it were in choler said vnto him sicke You feare aduersitie you would not willingly remoue what should I do vnto you It is a voyce which chides and admonisheth vs iumps not with their desires which feare persecution and care not for going to God but to prouide still for hereafter Our brother and companion in dying learned a thing which all suruiuants ought to thinke vpon for he vnderstanding it when hee went out of the world it was told him to the ende that he should deliuer it vnto others and hee vnderstood it not onlie for himselfe but for vs. For though he haue need to learn that is ready to goe out of this world yet this man learning at his last hour he was liuely admonished to the end that we which suruiue after him may learn to vnderstaÌ„d that which is expedient and necessary for vs. How often haue we of little faith vnderstood how

with the winde should threaten thy shipwrack wouldest thou not indeuour to recouer some Port Behold the world how it shakes and is ready to dissolue manifesting in the ende her vtter ruine Why therfore thinkest thou not on God Why reioicest thou not the condition wherein thou standest seeing thy selfe taken betimes out of those ruines shipwrackes and warranted from the blowes that threaten those which suruiue Wee must consider deare brethren and seriously meditate how we haue renounced the world that we reside therin but for a time as pilgrims and strangers Let vs eueÌ„ embrace that day which summoneth euery one of vs to his proper dwelling place which hales and puls vs out of the snares of this life to put vs in possessioÌ„ of the kingdom of heauen He that trauels vp and downe countreys to some farre place desires he not to returne to his owne home If any man be vnder saile in the course towards his countrey desires he not a good winde to fall quickly with the land the more speedily by this meanes to come to the imbracemeÌ„ts of his kinred and friends We call Paradise our countrey and the Patriarkes our Fathers Why run wee not then with all speed to see our countrey and to salute our PareÌ„ts A great number of frieÌ„ds kinsfolks brothers and children already assured of their immortalitie and desirous of our good doe there attend and wish for vs. What a ioy will this bee both to them vs there to review and meet one another what pleasures there are amongst the inhabitants of the heaueÌ„ly kingdom which now feare death no more and are sure to liue for euer There is the glorious coÌ„pany of the Apostles the troups of Prophets reioicing in God the innumerable armies of martyrs who after hauing valiantly fought and suffered are immortally crowned In this place the Virgines triumph which subdued their own concupiscence bodily pleasures by the vigor of true contineÌ„ce the charitable that by almes deedes and diuers other good workes towards the poor shewed themselues the performers of righteousnes and who hauing obeyed the commandements of God heaped vp vnto themselues a treasure in heaueÌ„ where they are richly recompensed My most deare brethren let vs with all affection runne towards them and desire to bee there quickly and so to come vnto our Sauiour God behold our cogitations and thoughts the Lord Iesus Christ vouch safe to cast his eye on the resolutioÌ„ which our hearts in his promises haue vndertaken that they may haue the richest and most glorious rewards that with most ardent and zealous affectioÌ„ desire his presence Amen A Treatise of S. AMBROSE Bishop of Milan who flourished twenty yeers after S. CYPRIAN which is to say 370 yeeres after the birth of CHRIST Of the happinesse of death THE ARGVMENT IN this Treatise being diuided into 12. Chapters S. Ambrose shewes in what sense Death may be called good or euil and how many kinds of death there are Also what it is which the holy Scripture calles life death and what the meaning is of spiritual death Afterwards he prooues that death is happinesse to the faithfull seeing it is an end of sinne and by the same the world was redeemed Hereupon he coÌ„cludes that therfore it is not to be feared teaching vs how wee should meditate thereupon But the better to take away all apprehension and bitternes he discourseth vpoÌ„ al the dangers that in this world enuiron vs and vpon the discommodities of this life And then hee reenters into his former argument shewing that there is nothing terrible in death but the opinion thereof Then he proues that the soule doeth not perish with the body and entreats of the great contentment of soules after this present life as also of the happinesse of the celestiall kingdom and what wayes wee should take to come thereunto Of the happines of Death CHAP. 1. In what sense death may bee tearmed good or euill BEing to intreat of the happines of death wee must first conceiue in what respect it may bee called good or euill If it therefore hurt the soule it appeares to be an euil thing and on the contrary if the soule be endamaged nothing therby it caÌ„not iustly be blamed Now that which is not euil is good for that which is vitious is euill also and so oppositely whatsoeuer is without vice may bee reputed good therfore good is contrary to euill and euill to good In briefe where there is no will to hurt that may be called innoceÌ„ce and him we tearm culpable that is not innocent he that pardons merciful so him cruel that wil not pardon nor remit But some may replie that there are no things more coÌ„trary thaÌ„ life and death If life theÌ„ bee reputed a speciall good must not death be esteemed as great an euill We must then obserue what life death is Life is the enioying of breath and death the priuation thereof Many thinke that it is a great happinesse to breathe to enioy life therefore is a good vnto them and a death it is to bee depriued thereof So the Scripture sayth Beholde Eccl. 15. I haue set before thee life death good and euill calling life good Gen. 2.3 and death euill comparing them one with another And to produce yet a more expresse testimony hereof the first man was placed in the garden of Eden to eate of the fruit of the Tree of life of other fruits in the garden with a precise prohibition that he should not eate the fruit of the Tree of knowledge of good and euill threatning him that he should that day die the death when he did eate therof He went beyond his coÌ„mission lost the Tree of life being driuen out of the garden tasted of death Wherfore it followes that death is a notable euill seeing it is the rewarde of transgression and condemnation CHAP. 2. That there are three kinds of Death BVt there are three kindes of death The first is the death of sinne of which it is writteÌ„ Ezek. 18. The soule which sinneth shall die The second is death mysticall when any one dies to sinne and liues to God of which the Apostle sayth that wee are buried with Iesus Christ Rom. 6. in his death by Baptisme The third is the end of our course vocation in this worlde which is to say the separation of the soule from the body we see therefore that ther is an euill death that is when we die in sin another good wherin whosoeuer dies he is deliuered from sin and the third betwixt both for honest men repute it good and others stand in feare of it Though it deliuers all men yet are there but a few that take pleasure therein but that proceeds not from any vice that is in death that is in the separation of the soule from the body but from our infirmities in that giuing our selues ouer to the pleasures of the flesh and delights of

this life wee are afrayde to see so quicke an ende of this our earthlie course wherin notwithstanding there is more gall than honie Vertuous men such as feare God haue alwaies done otherwise for the long continuaÌ„ce of their trauels in this world made them to mourne and think it much better to bee separated from this body Phil. 2. to bee with Iesus Christ so that some of them haue growen to such a point as to detest the day of their birth witnes he who said Iob 3. And let the day wherin I was borne perish For what pleasure is ther here in this life ful of anguish care replenished with a million of calamities miseries with the tears and lamentations of the afflicted wholly destitute of all consolation Therefore it is that Salomon in his booke of Ecclesiastes rather coÌ„mends the conditioÌ„ of the dead than of the liuing Eccles 4. and further addeth Nay and I thinke him better than them both that neuer was borne for he neuer sawe the wicked workes that are committed vnder the Sunne In another place hee holds opinion that the dead infant is in better state and condition than an olde man by reason hee neuer sawe the euils that are wrought in the world hee neuer came into this darknes he neuer walked in the vanities of this present life and therefore he that neuer entered into the worlde enioyes more peace repose thaÌ„ he that is come into the same And in deed what good can a man reape in this world that walkes therein but as an image and can neuer be satisfied with the desires thereof If there be any wealth to deuoure hee loseth his peace being constrained to haue his eye alwaies ouer that which with miserable greedines he sought after most miserably to possesse that which can staÌ„d him in no true stead could there be a greater slauery thaÌ„ to see a man labour to amasse and heap those goods together that bring him no profit If this present life then be a continuall and insupportable burden we must needs couÌ„t the same for a great coÌ„fort This end is death and comfort is a good thing it followes therefore that death is a good thing That was the cause why Simeon so reioyced who knowing that hee should not die before he had seene the annointed of the Lord when they brought Iesus into the Temple he tooke him in his armes and sayd Lord thou lettest now thy seruant depart in peace as if hee before had remained in this life rather by compulsion then of his own free-will hee requiring to be set at libertie as if being hampred in some bonds he had then gone to take possession again of his freedome This bodie is as it were chained yea and which is worse with the chaine of temptations which shackles bindes torments outragiously by reason of the cruelty of sinne For we see in dying how the soule of man loseth it selfe by little and little from the bands of the flesh and beeing let out by the mouth flies away being deliuered out of the dungeon of this body Dauid made haste to go out of this temporall course saying I am a stranger Psal 39. and pilgrime before thee on the earth as all my Fathers were wherfore as a stranger he ranne speedily towards the common countrey of all the Saints requiring before death pardon of his sinnes wherewith he was defiled while he soiourned on the earth For hee that obtaines not pardon of his sinnes in this world shall neuer attaine to eternall life And therefore Dauid addes Let me retire my selfe suffer that I may bee refreshed before I goe and be no more Why pant we therfore after this life wherin the loÌ„ger any one remains the more he is surcharged with sin The Lord himselfe sayth Euery day is content with his owne miserie Mat. 6. And Iacob complained that the hundred thirty yeeres of his life Gen. 47. were short and irksome not that the dayes were tedious of theÌ„selues but because malice here increaseth as the dayes passe away For there is not a day that passeth ouer our heads wherein wee doe not offend And therefore the Apostle sayde very well Phil. 1. Christ is gain vnto me both in life and death in the one hauing relation to the necessity of his life for the seruice of the Church and in the other to the particular benefit which he receiued by dying as wee also liue in seruing of Christ towards whoÌ„ his seruants must needs shew their good affection in deliuering vnto others the doctrine of his Gospel And as for Simeon who said Now thou sufferest thy seruaÌ„t hee stayed because of Christ who is our King so that wee may not omit nor reiect his commandements How many men were there that the Romane Emperors caused to remaine in remote and strange Regions in hope of future recompense and honors Came they from thence without their masters leaue and without all comparison is it not a more excellent thing to obey the will of God than of men CHRIST therefore is gaine to the beleeuer as well in life as in death for in the qualitie of a seruant hee refuseth not to serue in this life and as a wise man hee embraceth the gaine of death It is a great gayne to bee out of the haruest of sinne to be remooued from euill and in full possession of good Saint Paul also addeth My desire is to remooue and be with Christ which were far better for me but for you it is more necessary that I should remaine in the flesh Hee set down this word necessary by reason of the fruit of his trauels and the worde better by reason of his celestial grace and thrise happie coniunction with Christ CHAP. 3. What death is and what life according to the Testimony of the holy Scriptures and of spirituall death SEeing then the Apostle teacheth that whosoeuer leaues this mortall bodie goes to Christ if he hath truely knowen serued him let vs a little consider what death what life is We knowe because the holy Scriptures auerre it that death is a loosing of the soule froÌ„ the body and as it were the separation of a man For in dying the soule is disioined froÌ„ the bodie Dauid therefore seems to allude hereunto when he sayes Thou hast broken my bonds Psal 116. I will offer thee sacrifice and praise The precedent verse of this Psalm because the death of the Saints is precious in the eyes of the Lord sheweth that by these bonds is vnderstood the coniunction of our bodies with the soule And therefore foreseeing euen then that hee was in the number of those faithfull that had deuoutly rendred their liues into the handes of Christ he reioyceth on his part hee also faithfully offring vp himselfe for the people of God to fight with huge Goliath hand to hand and by himselfe alone to remoue the opprobrie peril which then threatned the

Did hee then prepare many habitations onely for eleuen persons Mat. 8. Why sayd he in another place that ther should come out of all quarters of the world those that should sit in the kingdome of God Do we doubt of the performance of his diuine will The will and deede of our Sauiour are all one Besides hee points out the way and deciphers the place saying You perceiue whither I go knowe the way The place is in heauen with the Father Christ is the way as he himselfe sayth I am the Way the Trueth and the Life Iohn 14. none can come to the Father but by mee Let vs therefore enter into this Way imbrace this Trueth follow this Life This is the Way which guides vs the Truth that confirmes vs and the Life is giuen vs. And to the end we might be resolued of his bountious and franke will he afterwards addeth Father my desire is that those whom thou hast giuen me may be there where I am with mee Iohn 17. to the ende they may see my glory O Lord IESVS we follow thee but call thou vs that wee may march the more chearfully for no man can aduance forward without thee thou being the Way the Trueth the Life the Possibilitie the Faith the Rewarde Receiue vs seeing thou art the Way confirme quicken vs seeing thou art the Trueth and the Life Manifest vnto vs that happinesse which Dauid desired to see wheÌ„ hee should dwell in the house of the Lord. There is also treasure without sinne where eternal life is He saith in another place Psal 27. We shal be replenished with the riches of thy house Discouer therefore vnto vs O Lord Psal 63. this true happines which imparts vnto vs true life true being and sanctified motion We haue motion in the way and being in eternall life Cause vs to see that felicitie which is alwayes like to himselfe indissoluble immutable in whom wee are eternall in whome we knowe all good in whome there is entire and perfect rest immortall life perpetuall grace holy inheritance for the soule and a secure tranquillitie not beeing subiect vnto death but absolued and freed from the same without tears or lamentations For wherefore should any one there lament seeing no body there offendeth either God his neighbour or himselfe Briefly it is in this land of the liuing where the Saints are deliuered from all errour from care from ignorance from follie from pride from feares from perturbations couetous desires passions and lastly from all other coÌ„tamination Seeing the land of the liuing is in heaueÌ„ we must account this world the Region of the dead the which is most true seeing there are the shadow the body the gates of death Notwithstanding if the righteous man gouerne himselfe according to the will of God to doe the same he shall liue then come to the Region of the liuing where life is not confined but free where in stead of shadowe ther is glory S. Paul being in this worlde was not yet in glory hee mourned in this body of death and sayd that our life was layed vp with Christ in God Rom. 1. but when Christ our life should appeare we should also appeare with him in glory Let vs therefore chearefully aduance forwarde towardes the way Hee that enters into the true way Coloss 3. shall liue Wee haue testimony thereof Luk. 1. in the woman which touched but the hem of Christ his garment and she was deliuered from death as hee sayd vnto her Thy faith hath saued thee goe away in peace For if hee that touched a dead man was defiled he that toucheth the liuing shall certainely bee quickened Let vs therefore seeke after the Lord of life But so we must be carefull not to search after him amongst the dead lest it be said vnto vs as it was vnto the women Why seeke you him liuing amongst the dead hee is not here but risen vp The Lorde himselfe sheweth where it is that hee woulde haue vs seeke for him saying Go vnto my brethren and tell them I ascend vp to my Father and your Father to my God and your God Iohn 20. Let vs inquire for him where Iohn his disciple enquired for him and founde him out that is to say liuing with his Father from the beginning and being his eternall Sonne Wee must seeke him out in these last times imbracing his feete and worsnipping him that so he may vouchsafe to say vnto vs Fear not which importes thus much Feare not the sinnes of this age nor the worlds iniquities or the furious waues of carnall passions for I am the remission of sinnes feare not darknes I am the Light feare not death I am the Life Whosoeuer commeth to mee shal neuer see death As the plenitude and fulnesse of all Deitie is in him so to him be ascribed all honour glory and immortality for euer and euer Amen Certain places and sentences of the holy Scriptures concerning Life and Death The rule scope of our life SEek first the kingdome of God and the righteousnes therof then all things shall be administred vnto you Mat. 6.33 Al things which you would men should doe vnto you do vnto them againe for this is the Law and the Prophets Mat. 7.12 Luk. 6.37 Eternall life promised to those that obserue the commaundements of God OBserue my lawes and iudgements the which if a man keep he shall liue by them saith the Lorde Leuit. 18.5 Keepe my commandements and my lawe as the apple of thine eie and thou shalt liue Prou. 7.3 I haue giuen them my commaundements and shewed them my iudgements the which if a man performe he shall liue by them Ezech. 20.11 If thou wouldest enter into life keepe my commandements Mat. 19. Good Master what might I doe to obtaine eternall life Iesus aunswered thou knowest the commaundements doe that and thou shalt liue Mark 10.17 Luke 10.28 18.18 The Lawe is not of faith but the man that doth these things shall liue by the same Galat. 3.12 That we cannot fulfill the commaundements of God and consequently not obtaine eternall life by the Lawe but contrariwise we lose life by transgressing the Lawe WE knowing that a maÌ„ is not iustified by the works of the Lawe but by faith in Iesus Christ wee also beleeued in Iesus Christ to the ende that wee might be iustified by faith in Christ and not by the workes of the Lawe because no flesh shall be iustified by the workes of the Law Galat 2.16 All those that depend on the workes of the Lawe are vnder the curse for it is writtten Accursed bee hee that continues not in all those things which are written in the booke of the Lawe to performe them Galat. 3.10 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for no liuing man shall bee iustified in thy presence Psal 143. There is no man but hee sinneth 1. King 46. The children of God saye alwayes Forgiue vs

haue made great accompt of him But the Poet Ennius peraduenture hit better vpon this point when he forbade his death to be lamented or that any mourning funerals should bee performed he supposing that such a death was not to bee deplored which was seconded by immortality For the rest if there bee some sense or feeling in death and in our last gaspes it lasts not long especially in a very aged man and as for any feeling after death it is either nothing at all or else a thing to be much desired But wee must haue learned betimes to contemne death for without this Meditation none can haue any repose in minde seeing it is most certaine that die wee must not knowing when and it may be at the same moment or instant of our thought How can that man therefore enioy a peaceable soule if hee fear death which threatens him euery minute of his life I neede not dilate more at large of this wen I call to mind not only Lucius Brutus who was slain in the deliuery of his countrey or of the two Decij who violeÌ„cly plunged themselues the one within an huge deepe Dell and the other within a Battalion of armed men amongst whom he verily thought to haue beene slaine or Marcus Attilius who couragiously returned to cruell punishment choosing rather to lose his life than breake his oath which hee had plighted to his enemies and the two Scipioes that exposed their bodies to the enemies furie for the stopping of a passage or Lucius Paulus who by his owne death defaced the temerity rashnes of his collegued Consull in the discomfiture of the Romanes at Cannas and also Marcus Marcellus who being dead was honored with a Toombe by his most mortall enemie but I will also set before your eyes our moderne Regiments which haue often-times chearefully and with noble courage assaulted those places from whence no one of the troupes euer hoped to come off Should it be sayd that learned old men doe feare that which youth and those rusticall ignorant for the most part valiantly despise And moreouer me thinkes the being satisfied with all things else makes one also well satisfied with liuing Infancie hath certain disports and recreations which young men desire not to put in practise Old age feeles no contentment in the pleasures of youth and men of auncient yeeres seek not after that wherin men delight that are yet in the flower of their age and olde age discernes the very last employments of our life but yet in such sort that all in the end vanisheth away as the exercises of precedent times haue done the which comming to passe to bee satisfied with liuing clearely shewes that then it is high time to die For my part I see nothing that hinders me from setting down my opinion touching death and me thinkes I may speake thereof with good motiue seeing it appeareth so neer vnto me Out of doubt Scipio Laelius I thinke that your fathers which were honorable men my best friends though dead to the world doe yet liue and such a life as onely deserues to bee so called For while we are inclosed within these straite precincts of the body we trauell and we must will we nill wee yeeld vnto the yoak and burden the celestiall soule and off-spring of the highest Tabernacle being ouerwhelmed and as it were buried in earth this being a contrary habitation to eternitie and a diuine nature But I beleeue that the immortal Gods haue planted soules in humane bodies to the end there might be people to replenish preserue the world to contemplate the beautifull course of heauenly bodies to imitate them in constancie and regular life Besides many reasons and arguments which haue induced me to beleeue this the authority and reputation of the greatest Philosophers hath much furthered me I haue heard say that Pythagoras and the Pythagoreans somtimes named the Philosophers of Italy consequently inhabitants of our countrey were alwayes of opinion that our soules were extracted from Diuinity I haue vnderstood also of Socrates his discourse who was iudged by the Oracle of Apollo to be the wisest man of the world toward the later part of his life about the immortality of soules What neede wee any more behold my opinion herein Seeing the soules of men are so pregnant so retentiue and mindfull of things past foresee so discreetly those to come haue inuented so many mysteries and diuers other worthy Sciences excellent matters it is impossible that a nature capable of so great good should be mortal And the soule hauing perpetual motion without receiuing any inferiour beginning thereof considering that she onely moues of her self it must necessarily follow that she shall haue this motion for euer because shee can neuer abandon her selfe Also in that the nature of the soule is simple there concurring in her no mixed difference shee cannot be diuided And so being iudiciall she is by consequent immortall For this is a manifest proofe that men are intellectual before their being born in that children learning the most difficult Sciences doe suddenly comprehend such an infinitie of things that we may suppose they begin not then to knowe what is but onely remember call againe vnto minde These are almost the very words of Plato On the other side the great Cyrus of whome Xenophon hath written at large at the hower of his departure sayd thus vnto his children My deare beloued though I remaine no more amongst you yet do not thinke for all this that I haue afterwardes no more being nor am resident in any place for when I was in your coÌ„pany you could not perceiue my soule but only you imagined it to be within my body by my exteriour actions Beleeue therefore that this soule remaines so still although you see the body no more The vertuous should not be honoured after death if their soules had performed nothing worthy of their memoriall long time before their death I could neuer yet bee perswaded that if soules liue within mortall bodies that euer they can die issuing out of the same or that the soule going out of the body which of it selfe is stupid and senselesse becommeth then also inexistent insensible but on the contrary when she is freed from all commixtion with this body shee then beginneth to be pure and entire then say I shee is mounted vnto the height and top of all wisedome Moreouer it being so that humane nature is dissolued by death wee plainely see whither all other things tend that is to say thither from whence they were first extracted the soule onely excepted the which wee neither see enter soiourne nor issue out of the body But for the rest you see there is nothing which so truely reseÌ„bles death as sleep And the soules of them that sleep clearly in this point shew their diuinitie that being free and in repose they foresee things to come which plainly argues their being after their relaxation from

thouendest it is all one end where thou wilt so thou concludest with a good periode Epist. XCIIII WE chide Destiny euery day why takes not death such an one why takes he him in the middest of his course why doeth such an one tenter out an old age irkesome to himself and others I pray you which is more reasonable that Nature should obey you or you Nature why takest thou care at what hour thou shalt depart seeing froÌ„ hence thou art sure to go We must not be careful how to liue long but how to liue suficiently To liue long depeÌ„ds on Destiny to liue sufficieÌ„tly depeÌ„ds on thine owne will That life is long which is accoÌ„plished then it is accomplisht fulfilled when the will is content when the mind enioies her happinesse and is settled in her own power What good hath such an one by hauing idlely passed ouer fourescore yeares Hee hath not properly liued but soiourned in this life He died not slowely but long seeing his life was no other but a death But thou wilt say hee liued fourescore yeeres thou must obserue froÌ„ what day thou reckonest his death for the vnprofitable part thereof hath been but death On the contrary another although he died in his vigor and strength discharged the offices of a good citizen a good friend a good childe hee omitted nothing of his duety though his age were vnperfect yet his life was perfect Why then dear friend Lucilius let our life bee vnto vs as the most precious things are let vs measure it not according to the time but according to our actions not according to the continuance but after the effectes of the same Wee may commend and repute him happy that wel emploied the little time he had to liue Age is an externall thing and without ourselues Though I be here yet this depends of another thing but to be an honest man depends on my selfe Require you of mee that I passe not my time obscurely as it were in darkenesse that I leade a true life that my time bee not lost demaunde you which is the longest life It is to liue while we attaine to wisedom he which comes to this point though he arriue not to the longer mark at least yet he hath obtained the principall Death passeth ouer all He that killed followes him that was slain It is nothing for which we take so much care And what matter is it how long thou auoidest that which in the ende cannot by any meanes bee auoided why fliest thou backe from that which thou canst not shunne Epist. C. OBserue the swiftnes of time consider the shortnesse of this carriere the which we also runne so speedily Marke the following on of all humane kind tending all to one place They which seem to be farre off followe notwithstanding hard after others Hee who thou supposest to bee dead is but onely sent before Can there bee a more vnreasonable matter than when thou must necessarilie performe the same iournie to weep for him which hath out-gone thee in the way Whosoeuer lameÌ„ts for any ones death laments onely because hee was a man One selfe all the world Whosoeuer was first born must afterwards die We are distinguished by measurable space but equall in the issue One goes before another followes but both goe the same way All things are dissolued all things passe into their contrary this being Dame Natures pleasure In all these revolutions of humane things there is nothing certaine but Death and yet euery one coÌ„plaines of that which neuer failed nor deceiued any body But he died being an infant I will not in this point also affirme that it was the better for him to be so soone dispatched out of this life But let vs come to him that hath liued to olde yeeres I pray you what great matter hath hee gained of this Infant In vnderstanding and ideally propound vnto thy selfe this wonderful distance of time and comprehend it all together Afterwards compare me with this Infinite the ordinary age of man then thou shalt see how small a matter it is that wee desire and how little it is that we extend out in length And yet of this age let vs but consider how much is spent in griefe how much in cares how much in the conceit of death before it comes to our wished desire how much in sicknesse how much in fears briefly how much in our yong and vnprofitable yeers And notwithstanding of all this we euen sleep out the moity Adde hereunto the troubles sorows and daungers you shall see that in the longest life of all the time which we truly liue is the least of al. Life is neither good nor euill but it is the place of good or euill Hee that dies in his youth in that by all likelihoode hee might aswell haue impaired as ameÌ„ded is like one that hath lost a die wherwith he might rather haue lost thaÌ„ won In briefe for the breuitie of age if you compare it to the infinitie of time we are al equally young and old for the most extended age of a man is but as a point or minute Epist CII EAche day eache hower teacheth vs that we are nothing by some very fresh and vnanswerable argumeÌ„t puts vs in minde of our fragility wheÌ„ we would otherwise forget it vrging vs to haue an eye vnto death when intellectually we conceiue in our selues some eternitie Graft Pear-trees plant vines in order said a certain man Oh what a foolish thing it is to proportion out our age we haue not so much as the power of to morrowe in our hands Oh what a wonderful foolerie their hopes come vnto which enter into long and tedious affairs I will buy I will build I will put out for profit I will exact I will purchase Honors and then in time wee come to these resolutions but I am old and my old age being satisfied in all these things I will lead it in repose and quiet Beleeue that euen to those deemed most happie all things are doubtfull No man can promise any thing to him selfe of future things and that which we hold slippes euen out of our hands that hower it self which we instantly run some incommodity or other glides betweene our fingers Time passes away according to a certaine and immutable lawe but coÌ„cealed from vs. Now what haue I to doe whether this bee certain and knowen vnto Nature or not seeing it is vncertaine and vnknowen vnto me We many times propound vnto our selues long nauigations not to returne againe in a long time while we haue run vaging about and discouering many straunge coastes wee propound to our selues the wars and the slowe recompenses of our military indeuours briefly of place honours and aduancement from one office to another And in the meane while Death comes vpon vs without euer thinking thereon if it bee not sometimes exposed to our eyes by the examples of others mortality which takes no longer impression

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