as an vncleane thyng all oure righteousnesses are as a cloth stayned wyth the flouers of a woman Dauyd prayed Psal 143. Lorde enter not into iudgemente wyth thy seruaunt for in thy syght shal no man lyuing be iustified Gregory wryteth wo vnto the commendable life of men if it be led wythout mercy Item the Apostell Peter geueth warnyng youre aduersarye the deuil goeth about as aroring lyen seking whō he may deuour If one that is about to shote a gonne be vnsteady at the letting of it goe he mysseth all together and all that he prepared for it afore is in vayne Euen so at the ende of thys lyfe are the deuyls most busy to turne vs from the ryght marke that our former trauayle and laboure maye be loste forasmuche as they knowe that there remayneth but a very small tyme of lyfe So that if the soule escape them now they shall afterwarde goe wythoute it for euermore Euen as myghtie enemyes do besege and lay assaulte to a citie So the deuels compace the soule of man wyth violence and subtiltie to take possession of the pore soule to apprehende it and bring it to hel Whan we are yet in prosperitie the deuils would haue vs to make but a small matter of it as thoughe we were in no daunger to godwarde albeit we blaspheme be dronken and committe whordome breake wedlocke c. But in the daunger of death they bryng forth those wycked sinnes in most terrible wyse putting vs in mynde of the wrath of God how he in tymes paste here and there dyd punishe and destroye wycked doers to the intente that our soules might be hindred snared shut vp bounde and kepte in prison from repētance and faith and neuer to perceiue any waye how to escape to be deliuered And by reason therof wholye to dispayre and to beecome the deuils porcion Furthermore good frendes companyons are loth to departe a sunder speciallye suche as are new knit and boūde together one to another as two maryed persons Now is the bodi and soule nerest of all bounde and coupled one to the other but in the distresse of death the payne is so greate that it breaketh thys vnitie and parteth the soule from the body for the whych cause a man at his death doth naturally sygh in him selfe Good companyons vpon earth though they departe one from another haue an hope to come together agayne But whā the soule ones departeth frō the bodi it hath no power to returne agayne to the body here in thys tyme. Iob. 14. Whereof Iob geueth two similitudes A tree if it bee cutte down there is some hope yet that it will budde and shute forth the braunches agayne Lykewise the floudes whan they be dryed vp and the riuers whan thei be emptye are fylled agayne thorow the flowynge waters of the sea But whan man slepeth he risethe not agayne vntill the heauen perysh Thys vnderstande that after the commen course one commeth not agayne in thys presente lyfe one cannot die twise and after death cannot a man accomplyshe any more that he neglected afore tyme. How goeth it now both wyth the body and soule after death Assone as the soule from the body is departed the body is spoyled of all hys powers bewtye senses and beecome a miserable thynge to loke vpon Augustyne sayeth a man that in his life time was exceadyng bewtiful pleasaunt to embrace is in death a terrible thing to beholde How nobly and preciouslye so euer a man hath lyued vpon earth hys body yet begynneth to corrupte and stynke and becommeth wormes meate by meanes whereof the worlde is of thys opinion that the body commeth vtterly to naught for euer The world also knoweth nothyng concernyng the immortalitie of the soule they whiche already beeleue that the soule is immortall doubte yet whether it shal be saued Yea they say plainly it were good to dy if one wist what chere he should haue in yonder worlde To them is death like vnto a misty darke hole where one woteth not what wil become vpon hym ¶ That we al cōmonly are afrayed of death The .7 Chapter BY meanes of the occasions aforesayde certaine heathē men haue geuen vncomfortable and desperate iudgement concernyng the passage of death In the Poet Euripides in oreste one sayth It is better to lyue il then to dye well Which wordes are very vnchristenli spoken Yet are there founde ensamples euen of holy men that they had a natural feare of death The holy Patriarke Abraham thinkyng that he stode in daunger of death by reason of his wifes beutie woulde rather suffer all that els was exceadyng heuy and bitter He iudged it a smaler mater to call hys wyfe hys sister then to be destroyed hymselfe Ezechias an vpright valeaunt kynge Esay ◠whan the Prophet tolde hym he shoulde not lyue was afraide of death and praied earnestly that his life might bee prolōged In the newe testament whan the Lorde Iesus drewe nere to hys passion and death he swet bloud for very anguishe and sayd My soule is heuy euē vnto the death And thus he prayed Father if it be possible Math. 26. take thys cuppe fro me The Lorde sayeth vnto Peter Verely verely I saye vnto thee Whan thou wast yonge Iohn 21 thou girdedst thy self and walkedst whither thou wouldst but whā thou art olde thou shalt stretche forth thy hādes and another shal girde thee and leade thee whither thou wouldest not Loe Peter beeing excellentlye endewed wyth the spirite of God and stedfaste in fayth had yet in hys age a naturall feare of death for the Lorde said vnto him afore that another shoulde leade hym whether he woulde not Therefore wryteth gregory not vnright whā he saith Yf the pilours treble what shall the bordes doe Or if the heauēs shake for suche feare howe wyll that be vnmoued which is vnder That is if famous saynctes dyd feare to dye it is much lesse to be maruayled at when we poore Christians are afrayed Experience wytnesseth howe febly we set oure selues againste death Many an olde or otherwise vexed man can neither liue nor dye for in hys aduersytie he ofte tymes wysheth death Note And whā death approcheth he would rather suffer what soeuer els vpō earth if he mighte therebi escape death Many of vs haue hearde the gospell a long season and studyed it throughly so to say yet are we so afrayed of the death of oure selues and of oure frendes as though there were none other lyfe more to loke for euen lyke as thei that be of Sardanapalus sorte doe imagyn or els mistrust the promes comforte and helpe of god ▪ as thoughe he were not able or would not succour and deliuer vs. Yea some there be that if death be but spoken of thei are afrayed at it ¶ The commoditie of death whan it delyuereth vs from thys shorte transitorye tyme. The .8 Chapter AL the aforesayd disprofites and grefes doe iustlye vanyshe
ascension of Christ be coÌ„sidered For the sonne of god hath promysed and sayd Father I wyl that where I am they also be whom thou hast geuen me Seyng that Chryst now with body and soule is go te vp to heauen what can be thoughte more comfortable for a man at hys death then that we Chrystyans shall also after death be takeÌ„ vp into the ioie of heaueÌ„ In heauen sytteth Chryste at the ryghte hande of god Chryste syâ—teth at the ryghte hand of god Lorde and kyng ouer synne deuil death and hel Him we haue in that heauenly lyfe wyth god an assured faythfull mediator and helper Though we must fyghte in extremitie of death yet are we not alone in thys conflyct or battayl euen the valeaunt heauenly captayne hymselfe who vpoÌ„ the crosse ouer came death and all misfortune for our sakes hath respecte vnto vs from tyme to time goeth beefore vs in oure battayle and fyghteth for vs Deut 1 c 20 Exo 14 c Iosu 23. a 1 Pat 6 a 2 Pat 20 32 4 reg â— d Zach 10 a kepeth vs from all mischaunces in the way to saluacyon so that we nede not care nor feare that we shal sinke or fal down to the bottome He shall cause vs with oure own bodely eyes to see the glorious victory and triumphe in the resurreccioÌ„ of the dead to haue experyence therof in oure own body and soule Death is euen as a darke caue in the grounde but who so taketh Chrystes light candell puttyng hys truste in hym and goeth into the dymme darke hole the mysre flyeth before him and the darkenesse vanysheth awaye In Chryste haue we a mighty effectuous ymage of grace of life and of saluacyon in suche sorte that we Chrystyans should feare neyther death nor other misfortune Summa he is oure hope our safegarde oure triumph our crowne Wrinesse of scripture Iohn 1â— I am the resurreccion and the lyfe he that beleueth one me yea though he were dead yet shall he lyue And whosoeuer lyueth and beleueth on me shall neuer die Forth wyth after he had spoken these wordes raysed he vp Lazarus who had lyen fouer dayes in the graue and beeganne to corrupte and stynke As by AdaÌ„ al die so by Christ shall all be made aliue 1 Cor 13 euery one in hys order Item oure burgershyppe is in heauen from whens we loke for a sauioure Philip 3 eueÌ„ Iesus Chryste whyche shall chaunge oure vyle bodyes that they maie bee fashyoned lyke vnto hys gloryous body accordyng to the working wherby he is able to subdue all thynges vnto hymself Also Ye are dead ColossiaÌ„s 3 and your lyfe is hid wyth Chryste in god But whan Chryst your life shal shewe hym selfe then shal ye also appeare with hym in glory Here dooeth Paul declare that our life is not in this worlde but hyd wyth Chryste in god and shall thorowe Chryst in hys tyme be gloryously opened After thys maner should Christe be prynted into the feble troubled and doubtfull consciences of the sycke And withal diligeÌ„ce ought the office of Chryst to be considered how that he accordyng vnto the scripture comming into thys world for our welth did also for our wealth preache wrought miracles suffred died to deliuer vs oute of thys false vnhappye worlde to open vnto vs the ryghtâ— dore into eternall lyfe to bring vs with body and soule into heauen Wherin neyther sinne death nor deuill shall be able to hynder vs for euermore Who shall euer be able sufficiently to prayse and magnify the infinite glori of the grace of god What would we haue the Lorde oure God to dooe more for vs to make vs lustely steppe forth beefore the face of death manfullye to fyghte in all trouble and wyllynglye to wayte for the delyueraunce ¶ That god hath promysed hys helpe and comfort The .21 Chapter OVte of thys exceadynge grace of god for the blessed sedes sake proceade gods comfortable promises in the olde and newe testament Psal 32 Psal 91 Myne eyes shall still be vpon thee that thou peryshe not The Lorde shall delyuer thee froÌ„ the snare of the hunter and from the moste noysome death Wyth hys owne wynges shall he couer thee so that vnder hys fethers thou shalt bee safe Hys trueth faythfulnes shall be thy shylde buckler so that thou shalt neither nede to feare any inconuenyence by nyght neyther swyfte arowe in the daye season neyther the pestilence that crepeth in darknes nor yet any hurt that destroyeth by day tyme. Though a thousand fall on thy lefte hande and ten thousande on thy ryght yet shall it not touche the. Heare dooeth god euydently promyse that he wyll gracyously preserue hys own chyldreÌ„ First from suche temptacion phantasy and disceaueablenes as come vp on a man by nyghte in the darke Secondly from the violence of wycked vnthriftes and all myschaunces that ouertake men opeÌ„ly in the daye season yea sometyme sodenly and vnwares Thirdly from the pestylence that we nede not to feare it thoughe there dye of it a thousande on the lefte hande and ten thousand on the ryghte The pestilence shal either not take vs or not wouÌ„de vs vnto death or els serue to oure euerlastyng welfare Fourthlye from hote feuerous syckenesses suche as commenlye growe in hote countryes whan the sonne shyneth most strongly Vnder these foure plages are all mischaunces comprehended In the ende of thys Psalme staÌ„d these words I am with him in trouble I wil deliuer him and bryng hym to honour Whan god saith I am with hym coÌ„syder not thou thine own powers for thei helpe nothing at al. Behold much more the power of him that is with the in trouble Whan thou hearest I wyll delyuer hym thou must not be faint hearted though the trouble doe seme longe to continewe whan thou hearest I wyl bryng hym vnto honour bee thou sure that as thou arte partaker of the death of Chryste so shalt thou be also of hys glory Math 11 Chryste calleth thee to hym cryeth yet styll come to me all ye that laboure and are laden and I wyll ease you Take my yoke on you and learne of me that I am meke and lowly in hearte and ye shall fynde rest vnto your soules Agayn verely vereli I say vnto you Iohn 8 If any maÌ„ kepe mi sayinges he shall neuer see death Vnderstande that the light of life doeth shine clearer then the darkenesse of death can blynde For the faithfull thorowe hys belefe is after suche sorte incorporated and ioyned vnto the lord Chryste that true lyfe that he shal not be separated from hym Thoughe bodye and soule departe a sunder now for a season yet is that done in an assured vndoubted hope of the blessed resurreccion that veri shortlye both bodye and soule shall come together agayne to eternall ioye And thus the ChristiaÌ„ beleuer neyther seeith feleth nor tasteth the euerlasting death of his body and soule that is
and are nothing estemed in comparyson of these commodities whan death deliuereth vs from this ruinous miserable lyfe frō all enormities and vicious people and conducteth vs to eternall ioye and saluacion whyche thyng shall hereafter be playnly declared Firste a shorte transitorye and shiftyng lyfe oughte not to make vs sorye Though thys lyfe had nothing els but pleasure what is yet shorter and more in decaye then the lyfe of man Halfe the tyme do we slepe out Childhode is not perceaued youth flyeth away so that a man doth lytle consider it Age crepeth on vnwares afore it is loked for We can reckē well that whan children growe they increase in yeares and daies but properlye to speake in theyr growyng are theyr dayes mynyshed For let a man liue thre score or foure score yeares looke nowe howe muche he hath lyued of the same dayes or yeares so much is abated of the tyme appoynted Is it not now a foli that a mā can consyder whan hys wyne a minisheth in the vessell A lyuelye similitude and yet regardeth not howe hys lyfe doth dayly vanyshe awaye Among all thinges most vndurable and most frayle is mannes lyfe whyche innumerable waies mai be destroied Psal 103. It is compared vnto a candle lyghte that of the wynde is soone easely blowen out A man in hys tyme is as the grasse and florysheth as a flouer of the felde For assone as the wynde goeth ouer it it is gone The heathen Poete Euripides called the lyfe of mortall menne Dieculam that is a lytle daye But the opynyon of Phalerius Demetrius is that it ought rather to bee called one poynte of thys tyme. Thys similitude soundeth not euyll among Christians For what is the whole summe of our lyfe but euen one poynte in comparyson of the eternitie that vndoubtedlye foloweth hereafter Psal 90. Dauid hymselfe sayeth that oure yeares passe away sodenli Man is lyke vnto a thynge of naught hys tyme goeth awaye as doth a shadowe ¶ Another commoditie whan death delyuereth vs from thys miserable tyme. The .9 Chapter OVr desyer is to bee free from all werynes and miserye Yea the more we consider thys presente wretched lyfe the lesse feare shal we haue of death which delyuereth vs from all mischaūces and grefes of thys tyme. Heapes of troubles happen vnto vs and vnto other men yea to speciall persons and whole nacyons in body soule estymacyon goodes wiues children frendes and natiue countryes Bodely health is sone lost but harde to obteyne agayne And whan it is alreadye gotten the doubte is how long it wyll continewe There bee moe kyndes of diseases then the beste learned Phisicians dooe knowe amonge the same some are so horrible and paynfull that if one do but heare thē named it maketh hym afraid As the falling sickenes the gowte fransy the sodayne stroke such like Besides sickenes a man thorowe out hys whole lyfe cōmeth into daunger by a thousande meanes wayes Consider wyth how great carefulnes the chylde is caried in the mothers wombe Mans 〈◊〉 lyfe how daungerously it is brought forth into the world The whole chyldehode what is it els but a contynual weping and wailyng After seuen yeares the childe hath hys tutours scholmasters to rule hym and beat hym wyth roddes whan he is come to mans stature all that he suffered in his youth doth he counte but a smal trauaile in comparison of it that he now from henceforth must endure The old man thynketh that he caryeth an heauye burthen or mountayne vpon his necke Therfore weye well the miserable bodye and the myerie sacke of thy fleshe towardes thy helper and be not so sore afrayed of death that easeth thee of thys wretched carcase Accordynge hereunto is the mynde combered and vexed thorowe sickenes and grefes of the body by reasō that the body and soule are ioyned together And how precyous a thyng I praye you is our naturall reasō Childhode knoweth nothing cōcerning it selfe Younge folkes take vayn and vnprofitable thīges in hād supposyng all shal bee golde and consider neyther age to come neither yet death and euen as the commen saying is thus wyll the world be begiled Wheras a mā the longer he lyueth should euer be the more and more wyse it cōmeth oft to passe that the more he groweth in yeares the mor he doteth and afterwarde becommeth euen a very chylde yea twyse a chylde The disquietnes of mans lyfe The mynde is tempted the luste rageth the hope disceaueth heuynes vexeth carefulnes is full of distresse feare disquieteth yea the terrour of death is more greuous then death it selfe It can not be expressed howe a man is sometyme plaged wyth worldly fauour afterward vexeth he himself with care of tēporal thinges Many one marreth himself with vyce and wickednes getteth him an euil conscience and a gnawing heart The vertuous also haue their blemyshes temptacions which vnto them are heuier more hurtfull then the blemyshe of the body Wherfore in the misery of this tyme thys muste not be estemed the leaste porcion that we and other folkes doe daylye commytte greuous synnes agaynste God Whych thyng thorowly to consider maketh a good hearted parsō the more desirous of death whiche delyuereth vs from thys synfull lyfe Moreouer all condicions estates of mē haue their grefes The grefes of all estates Riches that wyth great care and trauayle are gathered together possessed bee sometyme loste by storme fyer water robberye or theft He that is in honoure and prosperitie hath enemyes and euill wyllers Whoso hath the gouernaūce and rule of mani must also stande in feare of manye thynges And what occupacyon or handy crafte can a manne vse but he hath in it wherof to complayne Not onely hath a man trouble on hys owne behalfe but a verye stony stomacke and an yron hart must it be that is not sory whan hurte doth happen to hys father and mother to hys owne wyfe children frendes or kynsfolkes Furthermore the vniuersall troubles is manyfolde and pyteous specially now at this presēt wyth noysome diseases diuisiōs warres sedicions vprours Like as one water waue foloweth vpon another and one can scace auoyde another Euē so oft times commeth one mischaunce in anothers necke And in this short life vpon one onely daye to haue no trouble it is a great aduauntage therefore ought we to be the lesse sory whan the time of our deliueraunce approcheth Now might one obiect against thys and saye that thys presente lyfe hath many pleasures and pastymes wythall Oure troubles moe thē ioyes Neuerthelesse a man must open the other eye also and behold that in this life there is euer more sorowe then ioye behynd Worldly ioye is myxte defiled spotted and peruerted with sorowe and bitternesse It maye well begynne in a soroweful matter to bryng a short fugytiue pleasure but sodenlye it endeth to a mans greater heuynesse Not in vayne doth the wise manne saye The harte is
Cor. 15. Our home is paradise in heauen our heauenly father is god the earthy father of al men is Adam oure spirituall fathers are the patriarkes prophetes and apostles whiche altogether wait and long for vs. Seyng nowe that death is the path and waye vnto them we ought the lesse to fly it to the intente that we maye come to oure righte home salute our fathers and frendes embrace theÌ„ Hebre. 13. end dwel with them foreuer We haue heare no remayninge citie but we seke one to come Psalme 3. Our conuersacioÌ„ burgership is in heaueÌ„ But if any man be afrayed of death and force not for the country of heauen onely because of teÌ„poral pleasures thesame dealeth vnhonestlye euen as dooe they that wheras they ought to go the next way home set them down in a pleasaunt place or among companions at the tauerne Where they lying styl forget their owne country and passe not vpon their frendes and kynsfolkes Howe euill thys becommeth theÌ„ euerye man may wel coÌ„sider bi himselfe The lord Iesus geueth thys similitude except the wheate corne fall into the grounde and dye it â—ydeth alone but if it dye it bryngeth foorthe muche frute Lykewyse Paull compareth vs men vnto graynes of corne the churcheyarde â— Corin. 15 to a felde To dye he sayeth is to be sowne vpon Gods felde The resurreccyon with the life that foloweth after resembleth he to the pleasaunte grene corne in Sommer If a man laie in a darke miserable pryson wyth thys condicion that he should not come forth tyl the walles of the tower were fallen down vndoutedly he would be right glad to see the walles begynne to fall our soule is kept in wythin the body vpon earth as in captiuitie and bondes Nowe assone as the body is at a poynt that it muste nedes fall why woulde we be sory For by thys approcheth the deliuerauÌ„ce whoÌ„ we out of the pryson of miserye shal be brought before the moste amiable countenaunce of god into the ioyefull fredome of heaueÌ„ Accordynge to thys dyd Dauyd pray Psalm 14â— Bryng my soule out of pryson O Lorde that I maye geue thankes vnto thy name Item in many places of scripture to dye is called to slepe death it selfe aslepe Lyke as it is no grefe for a maÌ„ to goe slepe 1. Cor. 15. Thessa 4 â–ª nor whaÌ„ he seith hys parentes and frendes laye them downe to reste for he knoweth that suche as are aslepe doe soone awake and rise again so whaÌ„ we or our frendes depart awaye by death we oughte to erecte and coumforte oure selues with the resurreccion VVytnesse that death is holsome The .17 Chapter FOr the strengthnyng of ouâ— fayth I wyll alledge euydente testimonye of Gods worde Ecclesia 7. The preacher sayth â–ª The day of death is better theÌ„ the day of birth As if he would say in the daye of thy birth theâ— arte sente into the colde into thâ— heat into huÌ„ger and thirst wheâ—in is synne and wretchednesse in the day of thy death thou shalâ— be deliuered from all euil Agaiâ— we reade Sapien. 4. thoughe the righteous be ouertaken with death yet shalâ— he be in rest Iohn 5. Verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my wordes anâ— beleueth on him that seÌ„t me haâ—â— euerlastynge lyfe and shall noâ— come into damnacyon but is scaâ—â—ed from death vnto lyfe Rom. 14. a. 2. Cor. 4. b Yf wâ— lyue we lyue vnto the Lorde 〈◊〉 we dye we dye vnto the Lorde â–ª Therfore whether we liue or dyâ— we are the Lordes Behold how comfortably thys is spoken of all Christians That death can not be auoyded Item of companyons of them that dye The .18 Chapter VPon thys condicion are we borne into the worlde into thys light not to continewe alway therin but whaÌ„ god wil thorowe temporall death to laye asyde and put of the trauayle of thys miserable lyfe Wyttie men haue fouÌ„de out how hard stones may be brokeÌ„ mollified how wilde beastes may be tamed but nothing could they inuent wherby death myght bee auoyded It is not vnwyselye sayd Goddes hande maye a man escape but not death Metrodorus wryteth that against bodeli enemies there may be made fortresses castels bulworkes but so farre as coÌ„cerneth death all men haue an vnfensed citie In other daungers power money flight counsayll and policy mai helpe But as for death it can neyther be banyshed with power nor boughte wyth moneye nor auoyded wyth flying away nor preuented wyth counsayle nor turned backe wyth polycye And though thou be now delyuered from syckenes yet wythin â— litle whyle thou muste whether thou wylte or no departe hence to deathes home for the higheste law geuer of all tolde oure fyrsâ— father so afore In what daye soeuer thou eatest therof thou shalte dye the death Gene. â— vnderstande that the death of the soule bryngeth with it the death of the body Whoso now grudgeth and is not contente to dye what is that els but that he forgettyng hymselfe and hys owne nature complayneth of God in heauen that he suffered hym to be borne and made hym not an aungell Why should we refuse the thing that we haue commen with other men Nowe doeth death touche not onely vs but highe and lowe estate younge and olde man and woman master and seruaunte As many as came of the first maÌ„ muste laye downe theyr neckes Death is an indifferent iudge regardeth no person hath no pitie on the fatherles careth not for the poore dispeÌ„seth not with the rich feareth not the myghtie passeth not for the noble honoureth not the aged spareth not the wyse pardoneth not the folyshe For like as a riuer is poisoned in the well spryng or fountayne so was the nature of man altogether in our first pareÌ„tes And forasmuch as they themselues were maymed thorow sinne they haue begotten vnright and mortal children roman 5. Touching this saieth Paul by one man came death vpon all men Now let vs consider what excellent companions and holi feloshyp they also haue that ar dead Paul wryteth that we muste bee lyke shapen vnto the ymage of the sonne of god If he nowe that of nature was immortall and innocent became mortal for our sakes euen Iesus Chryste our sauiour why would we then that manye and sondry wayes haue deserued death continewe here styll and not dye Abraham the faythful Sampson the stronge Salomon the wyse Absalom the fayer one yea all the Prophetes and Apostles kynges and Emperours thorowe death departed oute of thys lyfe A very deintie and tender body must that be whych coÌ„sydering so great multytudes of coarses doth yet out of measure vexe hymselfe beecause the lyke shall happen vnto him That wer euen like as if one woulde take vpon hymselfe to be better then all ryghtuous and holy men that euer were sithens the begynnyng of the worlde Of naturall helpe in daunger of death The .19 Chapter WHoso wyll helpe hymselfe from
to say eternall damnacyon God setteth to his owne helpyng hande in suche wyse and at such time as is beste of all The .22 Chapter GOd now thorowe Chryst dooeth not onely promes most graciously hys comfort and helpe but faythfully perfourmeth he thesame in due season so farre after suche sorte as is expediente The verye ryghte tyme vndoutedly doth not he omitte Death in dede is a narowe way but god shorteneth it The bitternesse of death passeth all the paynes that we haue felte vpon earth but it endureth not longe Death must make quyâ—â—â— spede wyth vs as Ezechyas the kyng of Iuda sayeth Esaye 38 he shall cut of my lyfe as a weeber doth his webbe And whan the payne is greatest of all then is it nere the ende Hereunto may be applyed that Chryste sayde it is but a modicum a veri litle while Iohn 11 Though it were so that the troubles of death dyd long endure Yet towardes the eternitie that foloweth after is the same scace as one pointe or prycke in comparison of a whole Circle In the meane season God can more comforte and helpe theÌ„ the most horrible death of all is able to disturbe or greue Sometyme taketh he froÌ„ vs the greuous enemy or mortal sickenes so deliuereth vs out of the parelles of deathe Els geueth he some ease or refreshyng outwardely or yf the trouble gooe on styll he sendeth hys swete gracious comforte inwardely so as the pacyeÌ„t thorowe then or kyng of the holy gost doth fele a taste a proufe and begynnynge of the heauenly ioye by meanes whereof he is able wyllyngly to forsake all that earthy is and to endure al maner of payne and smerte vntyll the ende â—â—mâ— 8 The sprete of god certifieth our sprete that we are the children of god If we be chyldren we are al so heyres the heyres I meane of God and heyres annexed wyth Chryste if so bee that we suffer wyth hym that we maye also be gloryfyed wyth hym God commaundeth his Aungels that they wyth hym doe loke vnto thee O man whan thou dyest to take hede vnto thy soule to keepe it to receaue it whan it shall depart out of the body Wytnes thys is â–ª the aungell of the Lorde pitcheth rouÌ„d about them that feare him Psal 34 and delyuereth theÌ„ And Psal 9â— â–ª he hath geuen hys aungels charge concernyng thee that they kepe thee in all thy wayes and beare thee in theyr handes that thou hurte not thy fote agaynste a stone The Aungels Hebru â— whiche are many wythout noÌ„ber be ministring spretes sente to dooe seruyce for theyr sakes whych shal be heires of saluacyon Therfore a Christian at his laste ende muste bee throughlye assured that in hys death he is not alone but that very many eies loke vnto him First the eies of god the father himself and of hys sonne Iesus Chryste then the worthye aungels and all Chrystyans vpon earth Then accordyng to the coÌ„tentes of the sacrament of baptyme and of the supper of the lord al Christians as a whole body to a meÌ„ber thereof resort vnto him that is a dying by hauing compassioÌ„ and prayer to helpe hym by that at hys death he maye ouer come death synne and hell ¶ Examples of Goddes helpe The .23 Chapter IN the tyme of the Prophetes and apostles God raised certayne from death to the inteÌ„te that oure weake feable nature myght haue the more helpe to beleue the resurreccion eternal lyfe For the dead could not haue been raysed if death dyd bryng man vtterly to naught Abraham fell sicke Gene 25 and died in a good age whan he was olde and had liued inoughe and was put vnto hys people that is hys soule came to the soules of the other saynctes which died afore So is it also of Isaac Gene 3â— Word was brought to kiÌ„g Ezechias that he should lyue no loÌ„ger But after he had made his earneste prayer vnto God there were added fiftene yeares vnto lyfe Whan Lazarus dyed Luke 16 hys soule was caryed of the aungels into Abrahams bosome The murtherer vpon the crosse hearde in hys extreme trouble that Chryst sayed vnto hym thys daye shalte thou be wyth me in paradyse Luke 23 Dayly experyence testifieth that god forsaketh not hys own Therfore vndoubtedlye he that hath begonne hys kyngdome in vs shall graciously perfourme and finishe it ¶ That it is necessarye to prepare for thys iourneye The .24 Chapter IF we could fynde in our hertâ— gladlye for to heare howe vnhurtefull yea wholsome and vincible death is become thorow Chryst we would not be idell and lynger styll tyll the tyme came that we must nedes dye A good housholder maketh prouision for hymselfe and hys familye and bieth afore hande fewel and victualles and such thynges as he hath nede of for a whole yeare or for a moneth c. accordyng as he is able Muche more oughte a Christian to prouyde that whyche concerneth not onely one moneth or one yere but an eternitye that hath no ende Lyke as faythfull seruauntes wayte for theyr master so ought we to loke for the commyng of Chryst whaÌ„ he shall call vs out of thys tyme. Luke â—â— If the housholder knewe what houre the thefe woulde come he woulde watch and not suffer his house to be broken vp math 24. Therfore be ye also ready for in the houre that ye thynke not wyll the soÌ„ne of man come Whoso hath perfecte knoweledge of death as it is hetherto descrybed and set forth he in makyng prouision afore hande hath fyrste thys aduauntage that it is good fyghtynge wyth a knowne enemye Contrary wyse on the other syde what shall an vnmete warryour doe that knoweth not the nature subtiltie weapons and polycy of the enemye Prouisyon concernyng temporall goodes children and frendes which must bee lefte behynde The .25 Chapter AGayne concernyng temporall goodes Let the ryche who hath wyfe and children or other heyres make prouision for them in good ordâ—â— vnder wrytyng accordyng as iâ— euery place the custome is But iâ— honour and auctoritie substauÌ„câ— or goodes go to nere thi stomack then consyder that they be noâ— true but vncertayne transitoryâ— and vayne goods whyche brynâ— more vnquietnesse then rest Coâ—syder also that many moe rychâ— myghtye Prynces kynges anâ— Lordes muste bee spoyled of 〈◊〉 theyr glorye and bee faine to contente themselues with a shorte narrowe place of the graue Thoughe we here lose all yet dooe we scace lose one farthynge And in the other lyfe we haue not kyngedomes nor empires but GOD hymselfe and euerlastynge goodes In comparison whereof all minstrelsye pastyme pompe myrthe and chere vpon earthe is scace to bee estemed as castynge counters towardes the fyneste coynes of golde Therefore oughte we to learne specyallye in syckenes to geue all temporall goodes theyr leaue and to byd them fare wel And if any manne wyll further more disquyete and trouble vs in tellynge vs styll of
them then muste we requyer hym to depart and let vs alone Whoso hath a trayne hanging vpon hym as father mother sisters brothers wyfe chyldren frendes the same is the sorer laid at For naturally we all are lothe to depart from them Math 10 Here muste we remember the words of Christ He that loueth father or mother mor thē me is not worthy of me And he that loueth sōne or daughter more then me is not mete for me And whoso taketh not vp his crosse and foloweth me is vnapt for me Therfore must thou breke thyne own wil take vp thy crosse and geue ouer thy selfe vnto the will of god Specialli forasmuch as euen they whom thou art loth to leaue behynde thee vpō earth shall shortelye come to thee And in the meane seasō whan thou departeste from thy frendes thou goest the nexte waye and spedest thee vnto better and more louing frendes And therefore the holye patriarke Iacob sayed Gene. 49. whan he should dye I shal be gathered to my people Item vnto Moyses and Aaron sayd god Thou shalt goe to thy people and vnto thi fathers Hereby is it declared that death is a passage to many mooe folkes and better frendes thē we leaue here There is God our father hys sonne our brother hys heauen our enherytaunce and al aungels and sainctes our brethrē systers and kinsfolkes with whō we shal enioie eternal goodes for euer Agayne whoso leaueth behynde hym a poore wyfe chyldren not brought vp and frendes that are in necessitie muste also dooe hys best commyttyng them to the protection helpe and cōfort of god wyth an earnest prayer that he wyl graciously take the gouernaunce of them For our wiues children and posteritie doeth the seconde commaundement sette in goddes tuicion whan it saith mercy and kindnes shew I vnto thousandes of thē that loue me and kepe my commaundementes Exod. 22. Psal 145. Item god wryteth hymselfe a father of the wedowes and fatherles and taketh them into his own proteccyon Nowe if thou receaue not thys godly consolaciō and comfort then to thyne owne greate notable hurte thou disquietst thy selfe so greuously that thou canste consider nothīg that is right and iust eternall or heauenly Preparacion concernyng gostly maters with what cogitacions the mynd ought most to be exercysed The .26 Chapter MOreouer the sicke must geue all other worldlye matters theyr leue that the soule be not tangled wyth any earthye busynes but directed vpwarde into heauen where it desyreth euerlastingly to liue Heare shal it be nedeful that our mynd haue an assured vnderstandīg of the holy gospel In this cōsideracion endure thou styll hang thou thereupon wyth stedfaste faythe where oute growe these fruites prayer ryghteousnes pacyence and all goodnes After the doctryne of the true gospell without thyne owne and religious mens workes without the merites of saynctes arte thou iustified made ryghteous and saued onely thorowe Chryst who alone is thy mediatour aduocat helper satisfaccion hope cōforte and lyfe It is Chrystes wyll to conueye thee awaye from synne from the world from the deuyll and from hell and to take thee to hys grace into the eternall paradyse though all creatures were agaynste thee Probacyon oute of the scripture Iohn 17. Thys is the lyfe eternall that they knowe thee to be the onely true God and whom thou haste sent Iesus Christ With this euāgelicall doctrine with nothing els must our heart be occupyed what temptacions soeuer happē whyche vndoubtedly will not tary behynde While we go about yet mery and in health it bryngethe excedynge great profit if we exercyse oure selues wyth the cogitacyons of death But in sickenes and whan we must dye that is whan the horrible ymage of death would make vs afrayed we must not vnquiet our selues with heuy remembraūce of death We should not beholde or consider death in it selfe nor in our own nature neyther in them that ar slayne thorow the wrath of god But principallye in Chryste Iesu and then in hys saynctes whyche thorowe hym ouercame death and dyed in the grace of god From thys syght maye not we suffer our selues to be dryuē though all aungels and all creatures yea though god hymselfe in our opinion would laye other thynges before our eyes whiche they doe not Howbeit the euyll sprete maketh such an appearāce For Chryst Iesus is nothyng els but lyfe saluacion Yea the more depely and stedfastly we do set prynt and beholde Christ before vs the more shal death bee despysed and deuoured in lyfe the harte also hath the more rest and maye quietly dye in Chryste Therfore sayth Christe Ion 16. In the world that is also in your selues ye shal haue trouble but in me peace Be ye of good comforte I haue ouercome the worlde Apoc. 14. Nu 21 Ion. 3. Blessed are thei that dy in the Lorde Thys aforetyme was figured and signified Whan the children of Israell betyng bitten of fyerye serpentes myghte not struggle with thē but behold the brasen serpente namely Chryst So the quicke serpentes fell away of themselues and vanyshed Whan we now beholde death and the panges of death in it self wyth our own feble reason with out Chryst without gods worde specially out of season that is to say in the daunger of death then hath death his whole power and strength in our feble nature and kylleth vs wyth the greater pain so that we forgette God and are lost for euer ¶ Of repentaūce and sorowe for synne The .27 Chapter TO the intent that our wil hearte and mynde maye ryghte and truly receaue and apprehende the lorde Chryste We must fyrste be throughly sorowfull for oure synnefull lyfe and confesse that there was no remedy but of oure selues we should haue been damned for euer Thys shryft or confession of synnes must not forth with be done to the priest but vnto god wyth harty sorow and repentaunce after the ensample of the poore sinner And of the Publycane Luke 7. ◠18. Therefore muste we also acknoweledge that wyth all our own power and workes we are able to preuayle neyther againste death nor other mischaunce For how were it possible that we pooresely wormes feble and weake in body and soule shoulde be able to endure the stormy waues and intolerable burthen of death yf the ryghte hande of god himself were not presente to helpe our infirmitie Ful truli spake a certain kyng in Fraunce whan he lay on hys death bed I haue been very riche I haue had exceding much honoure my power was passing greate and yet for all my ryches power and frēdes I am not able to obteyne of death so muche as one houres respyte ¶ Of trewe faith The .28 Chapter TO suche a confessyon bee longeth the Chrystian belefe that we turne oure selues awaye from al cōforte of man yea from all creatures to the only creator thorowe Iesus Chryst and to geue our selues ouer wholly vnto him Wyth all our naturall reason and wysdome
neglected whan the body fayleth After thys meanynge dooeth holy Augustine earnestly threatē sayinge with this penaltye is a synner punished that whan he dieth he forgetteth hymselfe who in hys lyfe tyme thought not vpō God Therefore whyle a man is in his floures of health he ought in such sort to learne the comfortable sayinges of the gospel that in his trouble they may of themselues fall into hys mynde or if other men aduertise hym of thē he maye be the better aquaynted wyth them and haue them on his fyngers endes as them that he hath knowne exercised and vsed before Moreouer fayth wherby we ouercome death and hel hath her begynning increace and strēgth and is direct not only aboue but also agaynst al the naturall reasō of man that the infinite eternall god should frely of a very gracious fauour thorow his dear sōne take our part that are most greuous synners Therfore by tymes and in due season thorow the preachīg of the worde thorowe the prayer and sacrament should faith in vs be planted increaced practysed and made perfecte In the meane tyme as long as we lyue ought we to praye and beseche god of a gracious houre and blessed ende And whan the end draweth nye to put God in remembrance of the same prayer as wel as of his commaundemēt and promes in that he hath not only charged vs to pray but promised also that he wil graciouslie heare vs. Oh moste gracious god geue vs grace to doe thys wyth vnfayned heartes to put it in practise Dailie ought we to haue remorce of conscience where as we haue failed to repent and be sorye to craue of God forgeuenes and to take vpon vs immediatlye to amende al such thynges as are amisse For in the sight of god it is a thousande tymes more acceptable to ceasse from euil by tyme in due seasō afore trouble come thē that presente daunger and feare should force vs to amendmente He that is fallen into a depe foggy wel and sticketh fast in it wil he not strayght way call vnto euery mā to helpe hym out one way or other Wyll he not make a soremone howsoeuer men hast to delyuer hym Out of doubt he that goeth aboue with synne and vice hangeth by a bare weake threade so to saye aboue the pit of hell yea he is now in hel alreadi forasmuch as he turneth not from sīne to the grace of god Then muste it nedes bee an horrible deuelysh and obstinate blindnesse whan one sticketh faste in suche a state of lyfe as is altogether cursed and yet wyl appoint a day a greate whyle hence for to come and therein thynke to begynne to geue the deuyll hys leaue whē he knoweth not himselfe whether he shall lyue tyll that daye and whether he shall then haue a mynde to conuerte For to haue a wyll vnto true repentaunce is a free gyfte of god whyche oughte of hym daylye to bee desyred that the commen prouerbe bee not verified in vs vicious lyfe vnhappye death he that wil lye wel and softe muste make hys bed thereafter Yet for al thys it is not my mynd to shut vp the grace of god into a narow strayte or to byd any manne dispaire Whā an euil disposed mā that feareth not god lyeth vpon hys death bed beyng afrayed of hel and damnacyon he may happen to desyer of god longer lyfe for thys intente that he mai afterwarde amende beecome a better man and more directed to dye But let not such vayn thoughtes trouble thee For though thou shouldest lyue yet an hundreth yeares longer thou mighteste thorowe thyne own perfectnesse deserue nothyng towardes god But bee thou of thys assured wythout all doubt that there can no true repentaunt come to late Turne thee yet euen thys present daye vnto god be hartely and vnfaynedlye sory for thy synnes be of a good mynd and whole purpose that if god help thee vp agayne thou wyle amende al thyngs Neuertheles comforte thy selfe by that onelye meane whyche God hath prescrybed namely the Lorde Iesus So shalte thou bee sure with the murthurer vpon the crosse to haue gracyous fauoure for euer ¶ The seconde booke of death ¶ Howe the sicke oughte to be spoken vnto yf nede shall require The .1 Chapter HEtherto haue we declared how one oughte to vse hymselfe in the daungers of body and lyfe Now foloweth how we shuld behaue our selfes towards them that be in lyke case Hereof hath dauid sung these wordes in the .40 Psalme blessed is he that considereth or thynketh vpon the poore for in the tyme of trouble the Lorde shal delyuer him The Lord shall preserue him and saue hys lyfe he shall make hym prosper vpon earth and shal not delyuer hym into the wyll of hys enemyes Whan he hymselfe lyeth sycke vpon hys bedde the Lord shall refreshe hym Yea thou lord makest hys bed in al his sicknes Item he that is iudge of vs all shall at the latter daye pronounce thys sentence come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdom that hath been prepared for you from the beginning of the world For I was sick ye visited me O what a wicked vnbelef is thys that we ar more afraid at a litle aduersite vncertaine daūger then encouraged by suche a Godly sure and faythfull promes Therfore among the greateste workes of mercy thys is rekened to visite the sicke to haue compassion on them to geue them good counsayll and to comforte them Which thyng must be done with reason and discrecyon to the intente that neyther to litle nor to muche be medled withall To litle were it to cause the sicke styll to beleue that he shall shortlye come vp agayne and recouer For such fonde hope haue men already of theyr owne nature and thereby sometime they ouer see thēselues Agayne it were to muche to deale roughly wyth one that is weake of fayth and sodenlye to feare hym wyth death that were euen as much as to breake the brused rede Esay 42. Math. 12. and vtterlye to quenche the smokyng flax contrary to the ensample of Chryst our Lorde A whole instruccyon oughte to be geuē vnto such sicke persōs as haue nede therof to make thē strong and wiling vnto the crosse and death And so should they also be put in mynde what deathe is whence it came and wherfore what it doeth thorowe the grace of god for Christs sake bi whose sprete and power the most horrible death of all is ouercome Her of is spoken sufficīentlye in the Chapters goyng before Out of the whych foundaciō it maye thus be spoken vnto the sycke thou hast the almighty god thy deare father Iesus Christe thyne intercessour and sauioure who hath taken all thy cause in hande let hym alone wythall he wyll not suffer the to perysh but geue thee hys holy sprete which shall conducte thee into eternall ioye and saluacion Onely direct thou thy selfe euen nowe at thys presente and prepare thee to