suÌ„t dies mei saith Iob. For my daies Iob. vii are nothing God so disposinge cleane to withdraw the inordinate loue of this wretched lyfe out of the hartes of men When there is no man of any wisedoÌ„ or vnderstanding that shoulde much regard or set by that life whiche is so vncertaine as the floure of the felde so inconstaÌ„t as the winde so vaine as a shadowe so transitory as a vapor tossed and tombled in the aire and finally so litle worth as nothing But by this wise knowledge and vnderstandynge the more vile that this present life is knowen to be the more easelye it maye of all men be neglected despised set at nought for the loue of that life which shal neuer vanish but euer endure Besides this knowledge how fikell howe fraile howe vayne â—â— To know â—he miseries â—herof and howe transitory this present life is the prophete Moyses wisheth vnto vs a further knowledge to be had of thys our mortall lyfe and that we mortall creatures woulde be wise and vnderstande how sorowfull is the first entringe of mans lyfe into this wretched The first entry of maÌ„ into this world is ful of sorowe worlde maximo cum fletu vagi tu inertia imbecillitate magna with much wepynge crying with muche ignoraÌ„ce and feblenes He is borne naked into the worlde and naked from hence he muste departe againe made of the earth and to the earth he must retourne agayn How chauÌ„geable his life is for his time here abydinge and as The tyme of his abyding here is ful of mutabilitie Iob. xiiij Iob saieth Nunquam in eodem statu permanens Neuer continuing in one state now riche nowe poore nowe hoole nowe sicke nowe merye nowe sorye nowe counynge nowe ignoraunt nowe seyng nowe blind nowe free nowe bonde nowe good nowe euyll And finallye His ende departure full of fear howe terrible and fearfull shal be the passynge of the same at his departure againe Ouer and beside these knowledges â— To know the necessitie of death the prophete Moyses earnestly wisheth that we miserable creatures here abiding in this worlde woulde once be wise and vnderstande and knowe the great necessitie of death that raigneth ouer vs An acte and decree beinge alreadie past against vs that die we must StatutuÌ„ est saieth S. Hebre. ix Paule oÌ„nibê° hominibus femel mori It is decreed appointed for al men once to die And this great straite necessitie of death then fyrst beginneth to take place in man when the soule is ioyned to the bodie and continueth in man vntyll the separation of the soule froÌ„ the bodie againe For life is no soner comme into the bodie by the presence of the soule but but death furthwithall issueth out of his graue and sepulchre to take away the same againe and by the very same way that life goeth death commeth Do not we see the order of this present life to be suche that after infancie commeth childhod after childhod youth after youth mans state after mans state age then olde age and so at the last death The whiche order and naturall course can by no law statute or meanes that man can inuent be infringed or broken neither yet once staied or pluckt backe No not Minos Minos Lycurgus the lawe maker at Crete nor Lycurgus at Lacedemony nor yet the wife Solon in Solon his lawes deuised at Athenes could make any repeale of this decree and ordinaunce of God When from the first man AdaÌ„ vnto this most noble and gracious queene of Spaine late departed none hath escaped or caÌ„ escape this senteÌ„ce of death No not Noe for all his righteousnes Noe. Loth. nor Loth for al his hospitalitie nor yet Toby for all his diligeÌ„ce in buriyng the dead Toby could escape this rigorous senteÌ„ce of death WheÌ„ it was neither the strong mightie faith of AbrahaÌ„ nor the supplanting Abraham of vices that was in Iacob nor the great mekenes of the Iacob prophete Moyses nor the chastitie of Ioseph nor yet the holines Moyses Ioseph of the prophet Samuel that coulde persuade death to be the more fauourable to theÌ„ The great wisedome riches might power of kyng Salomon Salomon the great strength force of Sampson agaynst his enemies the puissaunce of the king and prophete Dauid his feates of chiualtie great mighte in armes coulde not auaile against the assaultes of deathe death beynge fauourable to no man but like cruell and tirannous to euery man And therefore I do rede that death was portred painted of the Paynims with the face and couÌ„tenaunce of a tiraunt hauinge in his hande redie bente bow and arrowes to kill slea and shote at euerye man withoute all respecte or acception of persons And in daily lousing of his dartes at vs albeit that sometime he ouershoteth vs and in faylinge of vs sleath kinges Quenes Dukes Earles Lordes Sometime his darte lighteth to shorte of vs and in the stead of vs striketh our seruauntes oure tenauntes and our poore innocent neighbours dwelling by vs soÌ„time his dart maketh a very narrow mysse of vs on the right hand and killeth our wiues our children oure frendes kynsfolkes so derely beloued And albeit that his fierce dart glyde somtymes to wyde on the lefte hande and in fayling of vs kylleth oure aduersaries and enemies and therby bryngeth vs oftymes into a vaine comforte foolishe mirth and reioysinge makinge vs beleue that he is our frende in the dispatche of those that loue vs not Yet the tiraÌ„nie of his haÌ„de is suche that he will not faile at the length to hitte vs. And wheras death at the beginning was so vnripe and vnperfite a boweman that he firste shootinge and lousynge his dartes at oure first father AdaÌ„ it was nine hundred and thirtie yeres Adam 930. whose age was no fewer yeares in nuÌ„bre before he coulde strik him And wheras he bare his bow dailie bent against his sonne Seth it was nine hundred Seth. 912. and twelue yeares before he coulde hit him And wheras he daylye laie in waite to ouerthrowe with his dart Mathusalem Mathusalem 969. Enoches sonne it was nine huÌ„dred threscore and nine yeares before he coulde ouerthrow him Yet within a certeÌ„ space after by daily custoÌ„e and exercise of his hande he began to waxe a more perfitte bowemanne euerye daye shootynge more nere his marke theÌ„ other in so muche that by the time dayes of kynge Dauid he got him suche a redinesse and stedfastnesse of shotynge that he would not haue failed for the more part to strike his marke within the space of lxx or lxxx yeres like as the prophet Dauid witnesseth saying Dies annorum Psal 89. nostroruÌ„ in ipsis septuaginta annis Si autem in poteÌ„tatibus octoginta anni amplius eorum labor dolor The daies of our age â–ª saith he are lxx yeres and yf men be so
stronge that they come to lxxx what so euer is more is nothinge but labour and sorowe Thus you may perceiue not The tirannie of death only the necessitie of deth that die we must but also how cruell a tiraunte deathe is whose tyrannye daylye increaseth againste vs more and more euerye day shorteninge oure liues and shootynge more nere the marke then other Whose assaultes and lieng in wayte for vs be wonderfull subtile and craftie Sometime he maketh towarde vs as it were with open batayle sendynge before hym vnto vs diuerse infirmities and sycknesses and vnto some hoare heares blered eies tremblinge and shakinge handes stouping shulders and croked backes as it were messengers or herauldes at armes sent before him Somtime he commeth priuely creapinge as a thefe and stealynge vpon vs like as he dyd vpon the richeman of whome we rede in the twelfeth of saincte Lukes gospel sending to'vs no warninges or messengers at all before him Therfore almightie God to cause vs to be in a redines againste his sodaine comminge and oftentimes to haue the vncertaine houre of deathe in remembraunce whiche our fraile and deadlie sicknes maketh vs so ofte to forget hath sent vnto vs his Prophete Moyses which prophete Moâ—ses much lamentyng and sorowynge our great blindnes saieth vnto vs these wordes of my Theme Gens absque consilio sine prudentia Vtinam saperent et intelligerent ac nouissima c. But why doeth the Prophet Moyses so vehementlye wishe and desire vnto vs this cleare wisedome and perfite vnderstandinge of the vanitie of this presente lyfe of the myserye of the same of the filthines of our owne corruption and the necessitie of deathe Doubtlesse forbycause the perfite knowledge and throughe vnderstandinge of these thynges are in vs the destruction of pride the quenchinge of enuie the verye medicine of malice the driuing awaye of lecherye and the extirpation of all worldly boast vanitie and finallye the recoueringe of euerlastynge lyfe For what thinge I praye you lyeth in the compasse of mans wit that sooner moueth a man to mekenes to the perfection of al holines then doth the consideratioÌ„ of his own corruptioÌ„ and the diligent vnderstaÌ„dinge how that he liueth here in this wretched world as an outlaw a pilgrime a geste full poore in all vertues full vnstable in liuinge peraduenture not abydinge here till to morowe For this maner of consideration diligent vnderstaÌ„ding doubtles shall cause a man to despise al the boaste of this life the busines of worldly vanities and all vncleane lustes and delectations of the fleshe And in this maner of thinkinge the soule receiueth knowledge of sinne the knowledge of synne bryngeth repentaunce repentaunce causeth amendemente and satisfaction makynge for synne and all these together do engender in a man a verye hope sure truste and firme strength in our Lorde God The which thinge the Prophete Moyses throughlye consideringe wissheth by feruent desire sayinge vnto you the wordes of my Theme Vtinam saperent intelligerent ac nouissima prouidesent Would God men woulde be wise and vnderstande and prouide for the last thinges But alas howe longe shall we be sicut gens absque consilio sine prudentia as it were people voide of good counsell and without foresight and wisedoÌ„ All to fewe beynge amonge vs that haue the coÌ„sideration the wysedome and cleare vnderstandynge of these thynges in perfit remembraunce â–ª Ful few there be that sette before their eyes the knowledge of their own infirmitie their bodely corruption the minde of their sinnes the day of their deth or yet the paynes of hell but muche like vnto brute beastes do proÌ„cede liuinge here in this world neither regardynge God nor yet verye muche fearing the deuil Woulde God therfore in folowyngs thys exhortation of the prophet Moyses we would once begin to waxe wise to vnderstande and to make prouision for the laste thinges And The glasse of our own corruption that by the contemplation and beholdinge of our selues in this so profytable a myrroure and glasse of our owne corruption and frayle nature and of the greate certitude of death that abydeth therin At whose first entrye and breakynge into our houses beholde howe the conscience begynneth to dreade howe the hearte quaketh the heade stoupeth the witte wasteth the strengthe faileth the visage waxeth pale the tonge fombleth the breath goeth awaye the speche very rare and thynne all the beautie of the body cleane tourned into a griselye and fylthye corruption and after that the bodye is buried it falleth into a carionlyke stenche the fleshe cleane tourned into grubbes meate Be you wyse therefore O ye mortall creatures and vnderstand howe that thys is an horryble syghte but it is full profitable O howe blessed and happye is he that circumspectlye beholdeth hym selfe in this mirrour or glasse when there is no crafte no medicine none instruction or teachynge that sooner destroyeth all vices and planteth al vertues then doeth the inwarde beholdinge of a mans owne corruption and laste ende To this glasse therefore repaire Yonge men ye first O ye lustie yonge men whiche by the deceitfull wantoÌ„nes of your youth do go so vpright stretching out your selues bearing vp your heades aloft with lustie courage and learne of stronge Sampson of mightie Golias and of the hardie captaine Holofernes and other which perished in the boaste of their owne strength what great folie it is to glorie in the strength of the bodye whiche shall so sene decay and be ouerthrowen To this glasse come ye al O Olde men ye olde fathers vnto whome deathe beyng very fauourable hath sent before him vnto you so many messengers as youre hoare hears bleared eies droppinge noses sagginge chekes your lippes hanging stowping neckes and shulders come you hither and beholde your selues and learne at the least wayes nowe in youre olde age to be wise vnderstaÌ„de what vaine hope you be in whiche do loke and make your most vayne accomptes to liue one yeare longer be ye neuer of so greate an age euer crepynge awaie and fore fearinge to die O ye olde fathers and hoare heares why feare ye to die at lxx or lxxx yeres of age when all the tyme that ye shal liue after is in heuines in greuous aches in continual decaiyng and neuer vpright but rolinge relinge and redye to fall in to the graue whiche you do so lothe Why therfore feare ye so sore to dye when by deathe God doethe chaunge vs from an olde filthy house into a newe For certainlie death is but a playe wherin the player if he be wise aduentureth but a litle to winne muche Whiche thynge is verye easlie perceyued of all those men which are of perfit knowledge howe muche blessednes God is of vnto whome we hope to go by death and of how muche euyll these worldly men are wyth whome we are conuersant here by life O ye gentlemen and men of Gentlemen nobilitie come you hyther also to beholde your selues
A notable sermon made within S. Paules church in LoÌ„don in the presence of certen of the kinges and Quenes moost honorable priuie couÌ„sell at the celebration of the exequies of the right excellent and famous Princesse lady Ione Quene of Spayne Sicilie Nauarre c. the xviij of Iune Anno. 1555. By maister Iohn Feckenam Deane of the sayd Churche of Paules ¶ Set furth at the request of some in auctoritie whose request could not be denayed ⧠EXCVSVM LONDINI IN aedibus Roberti Caly Typographi â–ª Mense Augusti Anno. 1555. Cum priuilegio Gens absque consilio sine Theme Deut. xxxij prudentia Vtinam saperent intelligerent ac nouissima prouiderent People voyde of good counsel voide of wisedom and of all foresyghte of thynges to come Vtinam saperent et intelligerent Would God they would be wise and vnderstande and prouide for the last thinges THese are the wordes of the prophet Moyses written in the xxxii chaptre of Deute Which I haue chosen as a theme or proposition at this tyme to staye vpon for so muche as you do so manifestlye declare your selues to be gens absque consilio People cleane voide of all good consyderation knowledge or couÌ„sell what to do sine prudentia wythout wysedoÌ„ foresighte to knowe howe thinges ought to be done That by the declaration made of the said theme you myghte be broughte into some more better coÌ„sideration of your selues of your owne most fraile and brickel estates and thereby to learne nowe at the leÌ„gth after so oft callinges vpon so many vertuous and most godlye instructions these thre notable and chiefe sessons wherof the first is sapere to be iij Lessons wise the seconde is intelligere to vnderstande and the thirde is nouissima prouidere to make prouision for the laste thinges That by the fyrst lesson learnynge of wisedome we maye haue sure knowledge of thinges past By our seconde lesson of perfite vnderstandinge we may haue the right consideration of thinges present therby the more earnestly to atteyne the third lessoÌ„ of good prouisioÌ„ making for the thiÌ„ges to come wheÌ„ SalomoÌ„ saith in ye. xiiij of the prouerbes acceptus est regi minister Prou. xiiij intelligens A wise seruauÌ„t saith he whiche by the knowledge of thinges past and wise disposition of thinges present shall here in his lyfe time make good prouision for thinges to come acceptus est regi is approued and accepted before God Let vs therfore at this present learne of the prophet Moyses these thre notable lessons that is to say sapere intelligere ac nouissima prouidere to be wyse to vnderstand and to prouide for the last thinges that we maye be made wise seruauntes and prudent ministers be accepted and approued before God oure Lorde and kynge When by the first lesson sapere of wisdome we may here in this lyfe haue intelligence of al thinges apperteyning to God By oure seconde lesson intelligere of discrete and perfit vnderstanding howe passing and transitorye howe vayne and slydyng these worldly thinges are Whereby we shal the more easely atteine the thirde lesson nouissima prouidere of good prouision makynge for the laste thinges and thinges to come When by the first lesson of a wyse circumspecte knowledge a man shall perceyue Gods most vprighte terrible iudgementes which can not be deceyued By the seconde lesson of cleare vnderstaÌ„ding he shall enter into the remembrauÌ„ce of him selfe of his owne corruption and mortall nature which can not be auoided Therby to make the better prouision for the ioyes to come which can not be expressed Be you wise therfore derely beloued let vs from hence furth be no loÌ„ger sicut geÌ„s absque consilio sine prudentia as people voyde of good counsell and withoute wisedome and knowledge but let vs now presently lift vp our hartes prepare oure selues to learne these thre so profitable lessons sapere intelligere ac nouissima prouidere to be wise to vnderstande and to prouide for the last thinges and with so much the better willes for that it hath pleased almightie God Qui non Ezec xviij vult mortem peccatoris sed magis vt conuertatur et viuat who desireth not the death of a sinner but rather that he should turne from his wickednes and liue like a most bountiful and most mercyfull father to sende hys prophet Moises as an ambassadoure to excite admonishe and call vpon vs for the same with these wordes whiche I haue chosen for my theme Gens absque consilio sine prudentia Vtinam saperent intelligerent ac nouissima prouidereÌ„t People voide of good counsell voide of wisedome and all foresyght of thinges to come Woulde God they wold be wise vnderstaÌ„d prouide for the laste thinges Hic fiunt preces Gens absque consilio sine prudentia Thema i. ii membrum vtinam saperent intelligerent ac nouissima prouiderent People voide of good counsell voide of wisedome and of all foresight of thinges to come vtinam saperent intelligerent Would god they wold be wise and vnderstande and prouide for the last thinges First the prophete Moyses Firste to knowe that this present lyfe is slydynge Gods ambassadour earnestly wisheth and desireth that we mortall creatures here liuinge in this worlde as it were in a slipper passage vnto deth shold be of suche ripe wisedome and perfite vnderstandinge as to knowe howe that this present life is but transitory and as Iob saith ê™ quasi flos egreditur that it passeth away as it were Iob. xiiij a floure fugit velut vmbra flyeth as it were a shadowe repletur multis miseriis and is albewrapped in wretchednes subiecte to all maner of vanitie defoiled with the filthinesse of sinne and that it shall perishe within a shorte time And therfore in the scriptures the life of man is coÌ„pared and resembled vnto thinges of moste vanitie As somtime to herbes or grasse growing in the feld as the prophet Dauid saith Homo sicut Psalm cii foenum dies eius sicut flos agri sic efflorebit The daies of man are but as grasse he doeth florishe for a litle season euen as it were a flowre in the felde Somtime to a shadow and vanitie Homo vanitati similis factus Psal cxliii est dies eius sicut vmbra praetereunt saith the Psalmist MaÌ„ is made like vnto a vanitie his daies passe awaye as it were a shadowe Somtime to a wind Ventus enim est vita mea saieth Iob. My life is but a blaste of Iob. vij winde Somtime to a vapor as Sainct Iames saieth Quae est eni vita vestra vapor est ad modicum Iaco. iiii parens deinceps exterminabitur What thing is your life saith sainte Iames It is saieth he euen a vapor appearing for a litle season and then it vanisheth awaye And sometime to nothiÌ„g Nihil enim
of christes churche hauing the flocke of Christ commytted to their great cure and charge They must make their prouision for these foure laste thinges by a circuÌ„spect fedinge of Christes flock with good and holsome doctrine by a diligent serche of their partes to be made for the loste shepe whiche haue perished in the late plague of errours and Heresies by a wise bringing of them backe againe into the folde and vnitie of Christes church by a merciful binding and knitting of the woundes of the soore cut and mangled shepe by a charitable nourishinge and confortinge of the weake sicke feble among them hauynge in their brestes towarde their flockes the very zeale of a good pastour and sheperde whose zeale is suche as Christ witnesseth ê™ anima suaÌ„det pro ouibus suis that he will Iohn x. not sticke to giue his life for his shepe like as our sauiour christ hath geuen vs example alreadie and as Moyses desired deleri de libro vitae to be blotted Exod. 32. out of the boke of life and saint Paule Anathema esse a Christo Roma ix pro fratribus to be accursed froÌ„ Christe for his brethren And their prouision for these foure last thinges being on this wise layd for circumspectly made God shall graunt them all and sende vnto them a quiet blessed death and a most confortable and mercyfull iudgement deliuering them froÌ„ the horrible paynes of hel and restoring them to the eternall blisse and ioyes of heauen All the rest of Shepe of the flocke of Christe Christes familie or housholde whiche are not shepardes but shepe of his folde and pasture You must here begin and make your prouision for these iiij last thynges First by a diligent gyuing eare and harkening to the voices of your sheperdes by a circumspecte and wyse refusall of all counterfeit and straunge voyces When the true shepe of Christe non sequuntur alienum Ioan. x. sed fugiunt ab illo quia non noue runt voces alienoruÌ„ do not folow a straunge shepard but flee froÌ„ him for they know not the voyces of straungers Neither will they be deceyued by the straunge voyces of the Aryans Aryans in deniyng the deitie of our Sauioure Christe nor by the straunge voices of the Nestorians Nestorius Eutices and Eutichianes in deneiynge of Christes humanitie nor by the straunge voyces of the Manichees in their deniall of Manes the fre choise of man nor yet by the straunge voices of the Pelagianes Pelagius attributing to muche to the free will of man When the trewe shepe of Christe will not be deceyued by the barreyn voyce of Eunomius the Eunomius Solifidiane nor by the monstruous voyce of Beringarius Beringarius in hys denyall of Christes verye Reall and bodelye presence in the mooste blessed Sacramente of the altare nor yet by the euill skreakinge and moste straunge voyces of Martyn Luther Bucer Peter Martyr Luther Martyn Bucer Peter Martyr Corolastadius Zwynglius OecolaÌ„padius Zwinglius Oecolampadius other the very palebreakers of the vnitie of christes church the breders of al scismes coÌ„tentions in the same the blasphemers of christes sacrameÌ„tes the subuerters of all good orders and constitutions the reuiuers of olde cankered and rustie heresies and now by theÌ„ newe furbished and set forth to the shew and therfore their bokes iustly condemned here in this realme by a late proclamatioÌ„ set forth by the kinge and Quenes maiesties Wherunto I do exhorte you to be obedient to bringe in your bokes of heresies according to the purport therof forasmuche as the trewe shepe of Christe will geue no eare vnto their mooste monstrous and straunge voyces when these al other like voices which do diswade from the antiquitie vnitie and vniuersalitie of Christes church must nedes be most monstrous and straunge voyces Therfore O ye Londoners and inhabitauntes of this cytie Londoners Ceasse youre greate foly I besech you be you no longer sicut gens absque consilio sine prudentia as people withoute good counsell and all foresight what wil ensue folowe hereafter Vtinam saperetis intelligeretis ac nouissima prouideretis Woulde God you woulde be wise perceiue and vnderstaÌ„de make prouision for these iiij laste thinges by eschewyng of all straunge voices and herkeninge vnto the voyces of your sheperdes by a dyligente callinge of youre selues into some better remembraunce consideryng how longe time they haue spent in calling vpon you with how much patieÌ„ce your slouthfull retourne from your wicked errours and herisies hathe bene borne withall at the handes of God at the handes of our most noble king and oure moste mercifull lady and Quene and also at the handes of your Bishoppes and preachers among you Wheras you beynge persons seduced with many straunge voices of these deceitfull Mayremaides do dailie recoÌ„pence this their most mercifull tolleration and gentilenes with most cursed and wycked speakynges blasphemyng God and reysing vp false lyes and rumors agaynste oure mooste gratious kynge and Quene In so much that I for my part at this time occupiynge this place of verye greate zeale and loue whyche I haue euer borne vnto you am forsed thus muche to saye vnto you that excepte you geue better eare to the voyces of youre shepardes excepte ye shortlye retourne frome youre wycked heresyes into the vnitie of Christes churche agayne and excepte you become wyse and vnderstande and shortlye amende thys youre smale regarde and mooste euill prouision makynge for these foure last thinges Doutles your euill beleuynge and corrupte lyuynge shall brynge you vnto a miserable and lamentable deathe and endynge and to receaue therefore at the handes of God a strayte and mooste vpryghte iudgement to your great losse of eternall ioye and blisse euerlastynge and to the wynninge of the perpetuall tormentes paynes of hell Ye gentlemeÌ„ and noble men whiche in lyuynge here in thys Gentlemen and noble men worlde be very politike and ful of all maner of worldlie prouisions Vtinam saperetis intelligeretis ac nouissima prouideretis Woulde God you woulde be wise and vnderstande make prouision for these foure laste thynges that you maye finishe the race course of this shorte life with a quiet death and fynallye to receaue at the handes of God a mercifull iudgement into ioye and blysse and not to susteyne the tormentes of hell The maner of this your prouision makinge muste be by the maintenaunce of Goddes glorie and honoure by youre vprighte ministration of Iustice by the authoritie committed vnto you of God to defende the catholike fayth and religion of God hys churche and moste blessed sacramentes and all the ministers of the same seruinge God in theyr byshopriches Cathedral churches houses of religion vniuersities colleges or elles where When otherwise doubtles your prouision made for these foure last thinges shall be all to shorte and after a wronge sorte O ye therfore that
are sicut gens absque consilio et fine prudentia as people voide of counsell wisedoÌ„ and all forsight vtinam saperetis Would God you would be wise and vnderstande whether this your prouision by you and your aduyse and counsell made here as for an example in this Cathedral church of Paules where of the nuÌ„bre of lviij or lx priestes be nowe left by your prouision but onely twelue priestes called Peticanones here daylie to serue God in the Queere whether this your preteÌ„ced sekyng of Goddes glorie and honoure in all your doyng may be called a prouysion or rather a subtraction or plaine diminution of the same O ye that are wandrynge here in thys worlde sicut gens absque consilio et siue prudentia as people without counsell and voyde of wisedom and all forsyghte Is this a prouisioÌ„ for the vpholding of Christes catholike faith and religion here in this reaulme by nighte and daye prayer by readynge preachinge and teachyng by liberall almes geuinge and releiuynge of the poore membres of Christe to ouerthrowe monasteries colleges hospitalles to spoile bishopriches and their Cathedral churches so craftely to craÌ„pe fleese the vniuersities by a couetous exchaungynge of theyr landes Is this your prouision O gens absque consilio sine prudentia O ye people voyde of couÌ„sel vnderstaÌ„dyng foresight VtinaÌ„ saperetis O woulde God you wold once becoÌ„e wise to perceyue vnderstande that excepte ye shortlie repent and do penauÌ„ce here in season for your greate wyckednes here to confesse and acknowledge the same here to make satisfactioÌ„ to restore againe doubtles your prouision for these iiij last thinges will be verye slender and ryght noughte worthe When otherwise you shall be sure here to finishe your liues with a lamentable and most miserable death and finally receiue at the handes of God a fearfull and terrible iudgemeÌ„t to the losse of perpetuall ioye and blysse and to the winninge of the euerlasting paynes and tormentes of hell And here a litle further somwhat more generally to speake touching the prouision making for these foure laste thinges after suche sorte and as the Apostle Paule hath already prescribed vnto vs in his Epistle to the Ephesians the .v. and .vi. chaptres as first Suche among vs as be maryed and haue wiues Maried meÌ„ let them prouide by a godly loue vnto their wyues like as Saint Paule teacheth saying Viri diligite Ephes v â–ª vxores vestras sicut christus dilexit sponsam suam ecclesiam et semetipsum tradidit pro ea Ye husbandes saieth sainct Paule loue your wyues like as Christe loued his spouse the church and gaue him selfe for her Ye married Maried women women and wyues you muste make youre prouision by your due obeysaunce vnto your husbandes The Apostle Paule willing the same saieth Mulieres Ephes v. viris suis subditae sint sicut domino quoniam vircaput est mulieris sicut christus caput est ecclesiae Sicut igitur ecclesia subiecta est christo ita mulieres virissuis in omnibus Ye women fayeth he be you subiecte vnto youre husbandes as vnto the Lorde For the husbande is the head of the woman as Christe is the head of the churche Therfore like as the church is subiect vnto christ so let women be to their husbaÌ„des in all thinges Suche as be fathers and haue children you Fathers must prouide by a godlie vertuous education of your childreÌ„ Et vos patres saith sainct Paule Ephesi vi nolite ad iracuÌ„diam prouocare filios vestros Sed educate illos in disciplina et correctione domini And ye O fathers saith he prouoke not your childreÌ„ to anger but bringe them vp in the discipline and correctioÌ„ of our lord And ye children ye must make Children your prouision by reÌ„dryng your dewe obedience vnto youre parentes and by honourynge and reuerencing of them For so S. Paule teacheth you sayinge Filij Ephes vi obedite pareÌ„tibus vestris in domino Hoc enim iustuÌ„ est Honora patreÌ„ tuum et matrem tuaÌ„ vt bene sit tibi et sis longaeuus super terraÌ„ O ye children saith the apostle obey your parentes in our lord for that is right Honour thy father thy mother that thou maiest prosper lyue long vpon the earth And al ye that be maisters haue Maisters seruauÌ„tes you must prouide by a dyscrete gouernauÌ„ce of youre seruauÌ„tes remitteÌ„tes minas not by ouermuche threatenyng theÌ„ scientes ê™ et illoruÌ„ et vester dominus est in coelis et ê™ personaruÌ„ acceptio noÌ„ est apud deuÌ„ Knowing that both their maister yours is in heueÌ„ that there is no respect of persons with god And seruauÌ„tes SeruauÌ„tes must make their prouision by doyng their faithful seruice obedience vnto their lordes maisters Serui obedite dominis vestris cuÌ„ timore et tremore in simplicitate cordis vestri sicut christo non ad oculum seruientes quasi hominibê° placeÌ„tes sed vt serui christi facientes voluntateÌ„ dei exanimo O ye seruauntes saieth Paule obey your maisters with feare trembling in the singlenes of your hart as it were vnto Christ not doyng seruice vnto the eye as they do whiche go about to please men but as the seruauntes of Christ doyng the wyll of God euen from the verye harte So that all kynde of men for the time of their abode here in this worlde muste here make their prouision for these foure last thinges whether they be maried or vnmaried wife or syngle woman parentes or children maisters or seruauntes superiours or inferiours magistrates beariÌ„g rule or subiectes being ruled whether they be of the clergy or of the laitie Euery man must here prouide by a circumspecte and diligeÌ„t walke in their vocations for the loue fauoure and frendship of God by obseruation of his commaundementes Christ himselfe witnessynge the same and sayinge Si praecepta mea seruauerits manebitis Iohn xv in dilectione mea If you wyll kepe my preceptes you shall abide in my loue and haue my fauoure and frendshippe Whose loue and frendshippe at the last houre of deathe shall stande vs in better stede then all the riches and lordshyppes of the worlde When at that houre thoughe all thy frendes kinnesfolkes acquaintaunce shoulde come with millions of golde or yet by force of armes they maye not at that dreadful grisely and last houre do thee anye helpe or comforte When other helpe refuge or succoure at that tyme thou shalt haue none but onely at the handes of God Let vs therfore in all the meane space of this present life so dread and feare God so imbrace and loue him and so honoure and worshippe hym that we at the laste houre maye haue his fauoure freÌ„dship Et si deus pro nobis quis Roma viij contra nos And yf god be on our side who caÌ„ be against vs And then we shall be sure to haue at the finishing and knitting vp of this life a verie quiet and a ioyful death to receaue at the handes of God a very merciful and moste confortable iudgemente therby to auoyde and escape the tormentes of Hell and to inherite the ioyes of heauen To the whiche he bring vs all that hath so derelie bought it for vs by the effusion of hys most precious blood To whoÌ„ with God the father the holy ghoste be al praise â–ª honor glory for now and euermore Amen Imprinted at London by Robert Caly within the precinct of the 〈◊〉 dissolued house of the Grâ—ye Frâ—â—rs nowe conuerted to an hospital called Christes hospitall â–ª The .xx. day of August M.D.L.V.