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
frēdes louers of thys Fabius that stode about hym whan they heard thys wepte very sore But he alone being vnmoued wēt forward stoutly in the busines that concerned the cōmē welth Here because of shortnesse I leaue out a multitude of ensamples of sondry mē named Galli Pisōes Sceuole Metelli Scauri Marcelli whō in such pointes to folowe it is laudable worthy of commendacyon I wyll yet shewe one ensample of the vertuous woman Cornelia whych was daughter vnto Scipio Aphricanus Whan she vnderstode that her two sōnes Tiberius Gracchus and C. Gracchus who beyng Magistrates had honourably and well behaued themselues were slayn and she of her frendes was called miserable she sayed I wyll neuer thynke my selfe a miserable womā forasmuch as I haue broght forth such men Thys woman now ouercame her owne naturall feblenes and motherly heart should not thē a man whyche woorde noteth the stronger kynde and more valeāt stomack declare hymselfe euen as stout That an heithnish vnbeleuynge woman coulde despyse should that make a faythful Christen man so vtterly faynt herted That she wyllyngly gaue againe vnto nature wilt not thou suffer god to haue it whā he requireth it of thee She toke vpon her with an vnbroken mynde the death of many childrē and wilt not thou that forgoest but one chyld be cōforted agayne The heathny she womā knew none other but that after death there remayneth nothyng behynde yet made not she an vnmeasurable howlīge Thou knowest that after thys tyme there remayneth an euerlastynge lyfe so much the worse then besemeth it a Christen man to vnquiet hymself wyth excesse of heuynes ¶ The commoditie of pacyence The .8 Chapter VNsemely sorow for thee sakes that are dead is vnprofitable and hurtfull Vnprofitable for assone as the soule is once departed out of the bodye it commeth either into heauen or into hel and wyth no crying shall it bee called back agayne or altered Neyther canste thou serue the dead wyth any thyng more then that hys remembraunce be deare and had in honoure with thee The heithnishe Poete Sophocles writeth if the dead might with teares be called agayne thē should wepīg be cōpted more worth thē golde But O my good olde mā it may not be that he which once is buried should come agayne to the lyghte For if weping myght help mi father had ben aliue agayn Hurtful herof hath the heithnish poet Philemon written ryght wisely many of them thorowe ther own fault increace misfortune to thēselues make the same more greuous then it is of nature Example whan one hath hys mother chyld or frēd dead if he thought thus he was a man and therfore he dyed thys aduersitie should be no greater then nature bryngeth wyth it But if he cry I am vndone I shall see hym no more he is gone loste for euer suche one heapeth vp yet more sorow to that he hath already But who so consydereth euery thyng with discrecion maketh the aduersity to be lesse vnto hymselfe and obteyneth the more quietnes It were a veri scornful thing if whan a man hath hurt on fote he would therfore marre the other also or if whan one part of hys goodes is stollen away he wold cast the rest into the see and say that he so bewayleth hys aduersitie No les folyshly dooe they that enioy not such goodes as ar presente and regarde not theyr frendes that be alyue but spyl marre themselues because theyr wyues chyldren or frendes bee departed Though one of the husbande mans trees doth wyther awaye he heweth not down therfore al the other trees but regardeth the other so much the more that they maye wynne the thynge agayne whyche the other loste Euen so learne thou in aduersitie wyth suche goodes as are lefte thee to comforte and refresh thy selfe agayne ¶ Vve oughte so to loue oure chyldren and frēds that we maye forsake them The .9 Chapter AL suche thynges oughte of vs to be consydered taken in hande and exercysed while our wiues and frendes are yet aliue Namely if thou haue father or mother husbande or wyfe chyld or frēdes lay not thyne heart loue and affeccyon to much vpon thē how good profitable and honest so euer they be Loue thy frendes beecause god hath commaunded the to loue them and not for affeccyon to them and thē wylt thou be contented wyth gods good wyll and pleasure Note the saying of an heathen man gretly to our shame but remember alwaye that they are transitorye thynges which thou mayest lose and forgoo whā time requireth Loue him most of all whō thou canst not lose euen thy redemer who to drawe the vnto his loue and to delyuer the from the loue of the world stretched oute hys armes and suffred the most vile death for thee vpon the crosse Seneca sayeth not vnwysely I lende my selfe vnto the thynges of the world but I doe not geue my selfe vnto thē He saith more ouer that nothyng is possessed as it ought to bee except one be ready at all tymes to lose it But if we fasten our heartes so to say vpon our children and frendes that is if we loue them to muche and not god aboue all thynges then hath our sorow no measure as ought as they are altered or taken awaye Therefore if thou hast not prepared thy self to aduersitie by tymes and arte once ouertaken wyth vndiscrete heuynes then let it be vnto the a warnyng from hēce forth to kepe thee from the greater loue of trāsitorye thynges whyche hath brought thee into such heart sorow to the intent that at other tymes thou mayst take the deth of thi wife and childrē in good parte and wyth more constanci of mind ¶ Of the death of younge personnes in especiall The .10 Chapter AFter the generall instruccyon concernynge death must certayne obiecciōs be answered that hetherto are not resolued If a yong man or if a yong daughter dye Lorde what a greate mournyng begynneth there to be alas he is taken awaye in hys younge dayes afore hys tyme he shoulde fyrst haue been maried and had a good wyfe vpon earth and in hys last age haue dyed in peace and rest Herof commeth it that we thynke the death of chyldren to be vnnaturall euē as whā the flame of fyer thorow water is violently quenched The death of the aged we thinke to be natural as whan the fyer quencheth of it selfe accordyng to the saying of Cicero Item the death of young persons is compared to vnripe apples that wyth violēce ar pluckt of from the tree the death of the aged is thoughte to be as whā rype apples fall downe of themselues Item As it is hard to vndoo two bordes newly glewed together but olde ioininges ar lightly broken a sunder so we cōplain that young folkes dye with greater payne then the olde Yea it greueth the fathers and mothers heart whan as they counte it the mater is turned vpse down that chyldrē depart out of this world afore olde
folkes The answer is taken oute of the fore rehearced grounde The wyll of God Yf god who hath al in his owne power had promysed euery one a long lyfe then mightest thou complayne at the shortnyng of the lyfe of thy selfe or of thy frendes agaynste gods promes Now hath god compared clothed the soule wyth the body that what day or what twinklīg of an eye soeuer he cōmaundeth it to depart it kepeth the same time wherin one finisheth his course Therefore hath no man cause to complayn of an vntimely death but loke whatsoeuer one hath lyued ouer and beside the first day of hys birth it is an increace Moreouer god knoweth much better then thou and we al whan it is beste for euerye one to dye And so faithful is he for the lord Iesus Chrysts sake that he in no wyse wyll be to hasty vpon vs. Secondli The shortne◠of this tyme ▪ though we remain a long season in thys fickle transitory lyfe yet is al our tyme but short specially towards the endlesse eternitie Therefore it hath but a slender differēce to depart hence in youth or in age Thyrdly Misery thorowe death is a yong person wythdrawen away fro many troubles whyche els were at hys dore For commenly the longer a man liueth the more miserable is he Take ensamples oute of olde storyes Yf Themistocles after the most gloryous victory agaīst Xerxes whan all the Grekes aknowledged and cōmended him for their redemer and delyuerer had dyed shoulde it not haue serued hym to a perpetuall prayse and honoure Then shoulde not he afterwarde haue been rated as a betrayer of Grekelande then neded not he to haue been in bōdage not to haue fallen downe at the foote of the kyng of Barbarye as beefore a god whom he before had dryuē out of grekelande Howe thrall and vile a thyng was it to be estemed before the world that The misrocles must nedes come beefore kyng Xerxes What is to be said of Marcus Cicero who confesseth hymselfe that if he had died sooner he had escaped exceadīg great troubles And forasmuche as he so sayed whyle the mater was yet tolerable howe woulde he fyrste haue thought and lamēted in his age to see wyth his eyes the drawne swordes ouer the senatours and Citizens heades and whan the moste principall mennes goods were parted among murtherers Catilina was a sedicious man yea whā wheras afore tyme ther was one catilina the citie was now become full of suche sedicious persons The ensamples of dayly experience declare sufficiently before our eyes whereby we maye euidently perceyue that death though they call it vntimeli deliuereth yet from great misfortune and aduersitie Fourthlye the innocency and clennes of youth is of their own nature and thorowe euyll ensamples defyled and stayned with the life and cōuersacion that foloweth after Augustine sayeth the older the worse Therfore whan a yonge man falleth on slepe knowe thou that God sheweth greate grace vnto hym in that he suffereth him not as many other to remaine long in thys blasphemous worlde to the intente he should no more bee hyndered and defyled wyth it but hath called hym from hence to a right good state He speaketh of Henoch that wyth hymself and al the electe he might possesse the kyngdome of heauē Witnes of the scripture Sapience 4. sodenly was he taken away to the intēte that wickednes shoulde not alterhys vnderstandyng Hys soule pleased god therefore hasted he to take hym awaye from among the wycked Similitudes He that is vpō the sea and wyth a good stronge wynde is caryed soone to the hauē or lande where he woulde be is happier then he that for lacke of wynde is fayne to sayll stil many yeares and dayes vpon the sea with much trouble and werines Euē so the more happy is he whō death taketh awaye from the stormy and raging sea of this world Seyng there is set before vs an vniuersal natiue country and he that is long in goyng thyther obteyneth nomore then he that is spedely gone thither before hād should not one wishe that he had soone ouercome the foul daungerous way that leadeth to the heauenly harborow The sooner one payeth hys debt the better it is If there were none other remedi but thou with an hundreth moo must nedes be beheaded and thou arte the fyrste that is put to execucion art thou not then the fyrste that is dispatched of the payne Fynally if thou consyder the mischaunces of other folkes thou hast the lesse cause to complaine One dyeth in the mothers wōbe afore he be borne Another dyeth in the very birth The thirde in hys florishynge youth whan he fyrst delyteth to lyue falleth away as a bewtiful rose Among a thousand is there not one that commeth to the perfect age ¶ Of the death of the aged The .11 Chapter VvHā old aged folkes are gredye of thys wretched life they doe euen as those the whan the wyne is all spent wyll nedes drynke out the wyne lyes also Whoso dwelleth in an olde rotten house that synketh down nedeth not lōg to seke proppes to vnder set it but should rather be glad to get him out of it euen so old aged folks by reason of theyr decaied body should rather be cōtēt to departe from it And thys aduauntage they haue that their death is not so fearce and paynful as the death of yong folkes Thys is chefely to be considered that the lord our god wil not haue vs carefull whyche thynge belongeth vnto hym alone but to be faythfull and true and diligently to laboure Olde fathers and mothers are not able to trauayll any more and yet wyth erneste carefulnesse they thynke to bryng all thynges to pas Thys special fault they haue that they thynke they shal euer lacke Therfore vnto them verely it is beste that god take them away from al care sorowe and trouble place them in quiete reste wyth other faythfull Chrysten folkes ¶ Of straunge death The .12 Chapter VvHoso is taken with the pestilence or dyeth els of sycknes in hys bed ought gladly to suffer the hand of god for euery bodi hath deserued a farre worse death And a very small rod is thys towards it that god sendeth ouer the vngodlye yea ofte tymes ouer hys own deare children whan one is beheaded Psal 44.1 Roma 8. c. ◠Cor. 4. b. another burnt the third drowned c. where they altogether may syng with Dauid for thy sake are we kylled euery day and cōpted as shepe appoynted to be slayn But if one dye an vnwont death as one is destroied by the hangmā another dyeth a sodain death the third as happly a mans chylde falleth down dead frō an hyghe place thys take we for aterrible death cannot tell els what to say of it as though eueri kind of death in it selfe were not terrible vnto the nature of man Though one dyeth vpon the whele for murther there is some tyme more
¶ A moste frutefull piththye and learned treatise how a Christen maÌ„ ought to behaue himself in the dauÌ„ger of death and howe they are to be releued and coÌ„forted whose deare frendes ar departed oute of thys worlde moste necessarye for this our vnfortunate age and sorowfull dayes Iohn 6. Verely verely I say vnto you he that beleueth in me hath euerlastyng lyfe Vnto all those that vnfaynedly desyer to lyue vnder the feare of god and with pacience abide the commyng of our lord and sauiour Iesus Chryste thorowe the workynge of the holy gost grace and peace be multiplyed THough al kiÌ„des of bestes haue some thynges commen one with another as in that thei see heare fele desier moue froÌ„ one place to another yet hath euery beaste also hys own speciall propertie as the birde hath another nature then the fishe the lion another disposicion then the wolfe EueÌ„ so in other my bookes heretofore by me publyshed I haue sette forth a generall comforte concerninge trouble sicknesse pouertie displeasure derth warre imprisonment death vnder the whiche I haue comprehended al the crosse and afflyccyon of man Neuertheles euerye mischaunce or aduersity hath also hys owne speciall consideracioÌ„ And forasmuch as among terrible thynges vpon earth death is estemed the most cruel of al and it can yet wyth no wysdome of man be ryghtfullye iudged how it goeth with a Christian in and after death Therefore the greatest necessitye requireth that we Christians be diligently instructed by the infallyble worde of god in especiall touchyng the ende and conclusion of our lyfe For whaÌ„ the laste houre draweth nye whyche we euerye daye yea euery twincklyng of an eye loke for whether the soule after it be departed do liue whether the corrupted body shal ryse agayn whether eternal ioye and saluacion be at hande and which way conducteth and leadeth to saluacyon therof hath the moste subtyle worldly wise man bi his owne naturall reason no knoweledge at all Plato Aristotel Cicero the gretest learned and wysest wryte of these high waightie maters very childishly and folyshli and as for consolacion that they geue it is in no sorte nor wyse to be compared vnto the holi diuine scripture which onlye ministreth the true Christian comforte in lyfe and death And though euery manne ought daily to consider his ende and at all tymes to make hymselfe ready for death seying thaâ— he knoweth not how where and whan god shal lay hys hand vpoÌ„ hym Yet neuertheles at this present tyme we haue moe occasioÌ„s to talke and treate thereof nowe that almightie god doth wyth diuers and sundry plages more greuously then here to fore visite our vnrepentant lyfe for that he all thys whyle hath perceaued in vs but litle ameÌ„dment neyther nede we to thynke that these the raigne and other plages shall ouerleape vs. CoÌ„sidering now that I though vnworthy and vnmete was called by auctoritie but specially of god to teache to exhort and to coÌ„fort I haue wyth great laboure out of the holy Scripture and out of olde and newe authours collected howe a man shoulde prepare himselfe vnto death how he is to be vsed that lyeth a dying how they ought to be coÌ„forted whose deare fredes ar departed Which thynges as they be orderly set in thys boke righte dearly beloued and louyng reader I do present dedicate and offer vnto the. And though I can consyder that this lytle boke is to small and slender a gyfte because of my persoÌ„ yet is it neyther litle nor to be despysed for the fountaynes sake that it floweth out of and by reason of theÌ„ mater wherof it is wrytteÌ„ For herein out of the vnchauÌ„geable worde of god are noted the head articles of our last conflyct and battayll wherupoÌ„ depeÌ„deth eyther eternall victorye honoure and ioye or els euerlasting losse and endles payne of the whiche thynges we canne neuer thynke talke nor treate sufficieÌ„tly Wherfore wheras this litle boke goeth forth vnto thy vse that arte an vnfayned Christian and to the coÌ„fort of al suche as are afrayed of death I praye the for Chrystes sake not onely to accept it as the testymonie of a wyllyng and louyng mynde towarde the but also to haue styll an earnest desier to that that it hath pleased god by me at thys time to coÌ„municate vnto the that wyth thy thankfulnes thou mayest moue other to the life that can do better and by thi profet styrre the haruest lord to sende more haruest men into his haruest Whych he caÌ„not but do outcept he coulde deny hymselfe that came into the worlde nother to put out the flax that smoketh nor to breake the reade that is but broosed but to open to theÌ„ that knocke to hym ¶ Loue god leue vanitye and lyue in Chryst Vale et â—iâ—eâ—â— cum fortuna ¶ The contentes of the fyrste booke ☞ The first Chapter coÌ„teineth ☞ What death is folio 1 ☞ The .2 Chapter ☞ That the tyme of death is vncertayne folio 6 ☞ The .3 Chapter ☞ That it is god whiche hath layed the burden of death vpon vs. folio 7 ☞ The 4. Chapter ☞ That god sendeth death beecause of synne folio 9 ☞ The .5 Chapter ☞ That god turneth death vnto good folio 12 ☞ The .6 Chapter ☞ That death in it selfe is greuous to the bodi and soule fo 13 ☞ The .7 Chapter ☞ That we all commenly are afrayed of death folio 22 ☞ The .8 Chapter ☞ A commoditie of death whaÌ„ it delyuereth vs from this shorte transitorye tyme. folio 26 ☞ The .9 Chapter ☞ Another commoditie whan death deliuereth vs from this miserable tyme. folio 29 ☞ The .10 Chapter ☞ Witnes that thys life is miserable folio 37 ☞ The .11 Chapter ☞ That the coÌ„sideracioÌ„ of death afore hande is profitable to all vertues folio 40 ☞ The .12 Chapter ☞ In death we learne the ryght knowledge of our selues and of god also and are occasyoned to geue ouer oure selues vnto god folio 43 ☞ The .13 Chapter ☞ That the dead ceasseth from synne folio 45 ☞ The .14 Chapter ☞ That the dead is delyuered from this vicious worlde hauiÌ„g not onlye thys aduauntage that be sinneth no more but also is discharged from others synnes folio 48 ☞ The .15 Chapter ☞ That the dead obteyneth saluacion folio 50 ☞ The .16 Chapter ☞ Similitudes that death is wholsome folio 52 ☞ The .17 Chapter ☞ Witnesse that death is wholsome folio 59 ☞ The .18 Chapter ☞ That death can not bee auoyded Item of companions of theÌ„ that dye folio 62 ☞ The .19 Chapter ☞ Of natural helpe in daunger of death folio 66 ☞ The .20 Chapter ☞ That God is able and wyll helpe for Chrystes sake foli 68 ☞ The .21 Chapter ☞ That god hath promysed his helpe and comfort folio 79. ☞ The .22 Chapter ☞ God setteth to hys owne helpyng hande in such wyse and at such time as is best of all fo 84 ☞ The .23 Chapter ☞
Examples of gods helpe folio 88 ☞ The .24 Chapter ☞ That it is necessari to prepare for thys iourney folio 90 ☞ The .25 Chapter ☞ Prouision concernyng temporal goodes chyldren and frēdes whyche muste be lefte behynde folio 92 ☞ The .26 Chapter ☞ Preparacion concerning gostly maters wyth what cogitaciō◠the mynde oughte moste to be exercysed folio 97 ☞ The .27 Chapter ☞ Of repentaunce and sorowe for synne folio 102 ☞ The .28 Chapter ☞ Of trewe fayth folio 103 ☞ The 29. Chapter ☞ Of hope folio 116 ☞ The .30 Chapter ☞ Of the sacramentes fol. 117 ☞ The .31 Chapter ☞ Of prayer folio 120 ☞ The .32 Chapter ☞ The forme of prayer fo 124 ☞ The .33 Chapter ☞ A forme of prayse and thākesgeuyng folio 130 ☞ The .34 Chapter ☞ That the prayer is harde fol. 133 ☞ The .35 Chapter ☞ That the word of god is to be practised and vsed fol. 134. ☞ The .36 Chapter ☞ Amendment of lyfe necessarye foli 136 ☞ The .37 Chapter ¶ Exhortacion vnto pacyence folio 139 ☞ The .38 Chapter * The original and frute of pacyence folio 145 * The .39 Chapter * That a man whyle he is yet in health ought to prepare himself afore hande folio 147 * The .40 Chapter * That the foresaid things ought by tyme and in due season to bee taken in hande fol. 155 ¶ The contentes of the seconde booke * The .1 Chapter * How the sicke oughte to be spoken vnto if nede shall require folio 164 * The .2 Chapter * Of the buriall and what is to be done towardes those that are departed hence folio 180 ¶ The contentes of the thirde boke * The .1 Chapter * How they oughte to be comforted whose deare frendes are dead foli 186. * The .2 Chapter * That vnto such as dye it is profitable to depart out of this lyfe foli 195 * The .3 Chapter * What profit the death of frēds bryngeth to such as are lefte behynde alyue foli 204 * The .4 Chapter * Companions that suffer like heuines of hart folio 212 * The .5 Chapter * Thorowe gods helpe all hearte sorowes are eased fol. 214 * The .6 Chapter * We muste furnyshe oure selues wyth prayer and pacience folio 217 * The .7 Chapter * Ensamples of pacience in lyke case folio 222. The .8 Chapter * The commoditie of pacience folio 228 The .9 Chapter We oughte so to loue our children and frendes that we maye forsake them folio 231 The .10 Chapter * Of the death of yonge persons in especiall folio 234 * The .11 Chapter * Of the death of the aged fo 24◠* The .12 Chapter * Of straunge death fo 244 The firste boke of death declarynge what death is ¶ The .i. Chapter HOly scripture makethe mencion of foure maner of deathes and lyues 1. The firste is called a naturall lyfe so longe as the soule remayneth with the bodye vpon earth The naturall death is it that separateth the soule from the body 2. The seconde is a spirituall vnhappye death here in tyme of lyfe whan the grace of God for our wyckednesse sake is departed from vs by meanes wherof we were deed frō the Lorde our God and from all goodnes allthoughe as yet we haue the lyfe natural Cōtrary vnto this there is a gostly blessed lyfe whā we thorowe the grace of the Lorde our God lyue vnto hym and to all goodnesse Ephe. 2. Hereof wryteth Paull after thys maner God whych is riche in mercy thorow hys great loue wherewyth he loued vs euen whan we were ded in synnes hath quickened vs together in Christ 3. The thirde is a gostly blessed death here in tyme whan the fleshe beyng euer the longer the more separated from the spirite dyeth away from hys own wycked nature Contrari hereunto is there a gostli vnhappy life whā the fleshe wyth hys wycked disposicion continuallye breakethe forth and liueth in al wilfulnes Agaynst thys doth Paul exhort vs saying Collossiās Mortyfye therefore your members whyche are vpon earth fornicacion vnclennesse vnnatural lust euil concupiscēce couetousnes c. 4. The fourth that the scripture maketh mencyon of is an euerlastyng lyfe an euerlasting death Not that the bodi soule of man shall after thys tyme lose their substaunce and be vtterlye nomore For we beleue vndoubtedly that our soule is immortal and that euen thys present body shal arise againe But forasmuch as we our selues graunt that life is swete death a bitter herbe thys word lyfe by a figuratiue speche is vsed for mirth and ioy Thys worde death for heuines and sorowe Therefore eternall lyfe is called eternall ioye and eternall death eternall damnaciō Of these manyfolde deathes haue we commenlye a peruerse iudgement We abhorre the death of the body and hast on a pace to the vnhappy gostli death which yet in it self is a thousand times more terrible then any death corporall For whan a man delyteth in hys owne wyckednes though as yet he lyue vpon the earth he is neuertheles dead before god and the soule must continew stil damned for euermore In thys boke my handelynge is of naturall death which beefore our eyes semeth to be an vtter destruccion and that there is no remedy wyth the dead euen as whan a dogge or horse dieth and that god hath nomor respect vnto them Yea the world swimmeth ful of such vngodly people as haue none other meanynge Els doubtles woulde they beehaue themselues otherwyse towardes god Death vereli is not a destruccion of man but a delyueraunce of bodi soule Where as the soule beeyng of it selfe immortall dooeth eyther out of the mouth ascende vp into heauen or els from the mouth descēdeth into the pit of hel The body losyng hys substaunce tyll domes daye shall than by the power of god bee raysed from death and ioyned agayne to the soule that afterwarde the whole man with body and soule maye eternallye inherite either saluacion or els damnacyon ¶ That the time of death is vncertayne The .2 Chapter THe body of mā is a very frayle thyng Sickenesse maye consume it wylde beastes may deuoure it the fyer may burne it the water maye drowne it the ayer may infect it a snare maye choke it the prickyng of a pynne maye destroye it Therefore whan hys temporall lyfe shall ende he can not tell The principall cause why we knowe not the tyme of death is euen the grace of god to the intēt that we by no occasiō should lynger the amendemente of oure lyues vntill age but alway feare god Luke 12. as though we should dye to morowe But assone as the houre commeth no man shall ouerleape it Hereof speaketh Iob Iob. 14. whan he sayeth that god hath appointed vnto man hys bondes which he cannot goe beyonde ¶ That it is God which hath layed the burden of death vpon vs. The .3 Chapter IT becommeth all Christians not only to suffer
but also to commende and praise the wil of the heauenly Lord kyng Now is it hys wyll that we dye For if the sparowes wherof two are bought for a farthing fall not on the grounde without god the father muche lesse we men whom God hymselfe estemeth to be of more value theÌ„ many sparowes yea for whose sakes other thiÌ„ges were created do fal to the grouÌ„d thorowe death wythout the wyl of god Lyke as the souldiour tarieth in the place wherin he is appointed of the chef captaine to fyght against the enemies if he cal him froÌ„ theÌ„ce he willingly obeyeth EueÌ„ so hath the heauenlye captayne set vs vpon earth Ephesi 6. where we haue to fyghte not wyth fleshe and bloude but wyth wycked spretes Therefore if he geue vs leue and call vs froÌ„ hence we oughte by reason to obeye hym Lyke as one shoulde not withdrawe himselfe froÌ„ payeng what he oweth but gentle to restore the mony So hath God lent vs thys lyfe and not promysed that we maye alwaye enioye it Therfore is death descrybed 〈◊〉 be the payment of natural debt ¶ That God sendeth death because of synne The .4 Chapter ACcordyng hereunto ponder thou the iuste iudgement of god For out of the third Chapter of the first boke of Moses it is euydently perceaued that death is a penaltye deserued layed vpon vs al for the punishmeÌ„t of sinne As the little worme that groweth out of the tree gnaweth and consumeth the tree of whom it hath hys begynnyng So death groweth waxeth oute of synne and synne with the body it coÌ„sumeth And specially that venymous sickenes whiche they cal the pestileÌ„ce is sente of God as a scourge for the punishment of our naughtynes Herof speaketh the word of god in the fifth boke of Moises after thys maner Deut. 28. If thou wylte not harken vnto the voyce of the Lord thy god to kepe and to doe all hys commaundementes and ordinaunces which I coÌ„maunde thee thys day then shal al these curses come vpon thee and ouertake thee The Lorde shall make the pestilence to cleue vnto thee vntil he haue consumed thee froÌ„ the lande whether thou goest to enioye it The lord shal smyte the with swelling with feuers heat burning wetheryng wyth smyting and blastyng And they shal folowe thee tyll thou peryshe Yet among the most gracious chasteninges is the pestilence rekened of the holy Prophete and kyng Dauid â— Reg. 14. c. who after that he of a pride 1. Par. 22. â— had caused the people to be numbred whan the eleccioÌ„ was geueÌ„ him whether he would rather haue seuen yeares dearth three monthes ouerthrowe in warre or three dayes pestylence in the land made this aunswere I am in a meruelous strayt But let me fall I praye thee into the handes of the lord for muche is hys mercy and let me not fall in to the handes of men 2. reg 24. 1. Para. 22. Then sent the lord a pestylence into Israel that there died of theÌ„ .70000 meÌ„ Wherefore if god ouertake thee with this horrible disease be not thou angry with Saturnus and Mars nor with the corrupt aier and other meanes appoynted of god but be displeased with thine own synnefull lyfe And whan any fearefull ymage of death coÌ„meth before thee remember that thou wyth thy synnes haste deserued muche more horryble thinges whych god neuertheles hath not sente vnto thee ¶ That God turneth death vnto good The .5 Chapter ALthoughe thou haste deserued an hundreth thousande greater plages yet shalte thou comforte thy selfe before hande after thys maner A father dooth hys childreÌ„ good and not euil Now is my beleue in god as in mi gracious father thorow Iesus christ and sure I am that Chryste vpoÌ„ the Crosse hath made a perfecte payment for all my synnes and with his death hath taken away the strengthe of my death Yea for me hath he deserued and broughte to pas eternall lyfe Wherefore though death in the syght of myne eyes and of naturall reason be bytter and heauy Yet by meanes of the passyon and death of Iesus Christe it is not euill or hurtfull but a benefyte a profitable and wholsome thyng euen an intraunce to euer lastyng ioye That death in it selfe is greuous to the bodye and soule The .6 Chapter WHat grefe and hurte death doeth bring with it I wil nowe declare To the inteÌ„te that whan we haue considered the same before trouble come we maye in oure distresse bee the lesse a frayed holdyng agaynst it the greate commodities of death that Chryste hath obtayned for all faythfull It greueth a man at hys death to leaue the pleasaunt beholdynge of heauen and earth hys owne yong bodi and chereful stomack hys wyfe and chyldren house lande feldes and medowes siluer and golde honoure and auctoritie good frendes and olde companions hys mynstrelsy pastyme ioye and pleasure that he hath had vpon earth Afterwarde whan death knocketh at the dore then begynneth the greateste trouble to woorke Whan the diseases be fallen vpoÌ„ the body of man in greater nomber they are agaynst al the members in the whole bodi breaking in bi heapes with notable grefes so that the pâ—wer of the body is weakened the mynde combred the remembraunce astonied reason blynded slepe hindred the senses all to broken By meanes whereof the eyes are darkened the face is pale the fete are colde the handes blacke the members out of course the brow hardened the chynne falleth down the breth minisheth the deadlye sweate breaketh out Yea the whole maÌ„ is takeÌ„ in and disturbed in suche sort that he is now past miÌ„ding of any other thing Death also is so much the more bytter and terrible because that the feble discomforted nature doth print the horrible ymage of death to depe in it selfe and feareth it to sore And hereunto is the deuyl lykewise busi to set before vs a more terrible euill death then euer we saw heard or read of To the intent that we beyng opprest with such imaginacions or thoughtes should fly and hatâ— death and be driuen to the loue and carefulnes of thys lyfe forgettyng the goodnes of god and to be founde disobedient at our last ende Moreouer whoso of hymselfe is not thorowly assured knoweth yet synne by himselfe he is not astonied for naughte for asmuche as synne caryeth wyth it the wrathe of god and eternall damnacyon Now not only the euill but also the good haue greuous and manifolde synnes yea moo theÌ„ they themselues can thinke vpoÌ„ with the which in daungers of bodye and lyfe theyr mynd is opprest as it were wyth a violente water that fearcely rageth and gusheth out yea euen the same praise worthy and coÌ„mendable thing which the godly haue practised alreadi that dooe they yet perceyue not to be perfect but myxte wyth vnclennesse Herof speaketh Esaye in thys wyse Esa 64. we offende haue been euer in synne and there is not one whole We are al
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
meanes of synne iâ— synne ouercome and vanquished of Chryst Yf it greued vs from our heartes that we dayly se and fynde howe we continuallye vse our selues against the most swetâ— wyll of oure moste deare father and were assured withal that in death we ceasse from synne and begin to bee perfect ryghteous howe were it possible that we should not set litel by death and pacientlye take it vpon vs Oute of suche a feruente gelousye and godly displeasure Paul after he had earnestlye complayned that he founde another lawe whyche stroue agaynste the law of God syghed and cryed romanes 7. Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Agayne so long as death hath so euil a tast in vs and we will perforce continue styll in the lyfe of the flesh we bewray oure selues that we doe not well nor sufficiently vnderstande our owne defaultes neyther fele them deepe inough nor abhorre theÌ„ so muche as we shoulde Yea that we bee not earnest desyrers of innocency nor feruent louers of our heauenly father ¶ That the dead is deliuered from his vicious world hauyng not onely thys aduauntage that he synneth no more but also is discharged from other synnes The .14 Chapter WHoso leaueth nothing els worthy behinde him but that he is quyte from vicious people may wel be the gladder to depart hence partly for that he can bee nomore tempted of them nor enticed by their euill ensample partly for that thoughe he could not be deceaued by others yet it greueth hym at the heart to see other foâ—kes practyse their wilfulnes Now hath vice sinne eueri where gotten the vpper hande the trueth is despised god hymselfe dishonoured the pore opprest the good persecuted the vngodly promoted to auctorite Antichrist tryumphing Great complaining there is that the worlde is euer the longer the worse Forasmuch theÌ„ as thorowe death we be discharged of so vicious a world whoÌ„ should it delite to lyue heare any more Thys meaning doeth the preacher set forth in the .4 chapter of Ecclesiastes sayinge So I turned me coÌ„sidered al the violeÌ„t wrong that is done vnder the soÌ„ne And behold the teares of such as were opprest there was no man to comforte them or that woulde deliuer and defende them from the violence of their oppressours There is at thys daye by the grace of God many a worthy Chrystian that desireth rather to dye then to bee a loker vpon such deuelyshe wylfulnes as commonly goeth forwarde ¶ That the dead obtayneth saluacion The .15 Chapter AS for vicious vnrepentant people whan they dye I knowe no comfort for theÌ„ Theyr bodyes in dede shal ryse at the last day but foule and marked to eternall payne Theyr soules shal be delyuered vnto the deuill to whom they haue done seruice An ensample hereof standeth of the rich man Luke 1â—â— agayn there is thensample of good Lazarus that al Christians are taken vp of the aungels into eternall ioie and saluacion We must not fyrste be purged in purgatory but thorow death we escape the deuill the worlde and all misfortunes that thys tyme is oppreste wythall Yf we nowe shoulde lose oure bodies and not haue them again then were death in dede a terryble thyng neyther precyous nor much worth But our body is not so litle regarded before god for euen vnto the body also hath he alreadye prepared saluacyon Yea euen for thys intente hath he laied vpon our neckes the burthen of naturall death that he myghte afterward clothe vs with a pure renewed and cleare body and to make vs gloryous in eternal lyfe Therefore death also whiche is a begynnyng of the ioyful resurreccyon ought to bee estemed deare and precyous in our eyes After death verely is the soule in it self clensed from all synnes and endewed with perfect holynes wysedome ioye honour and glory for euermore Similitudes that death is whole some The .16 Chapter IF an olde siluer goblet be melted and new fashioned after a bewtiful maner then is it better then afore neyther spilte nor destroyed Euen so haue we no iust cause to complayne of death whereby the body beeyng delyuered from all fylthynesse shall in hys due tyme be perfectly renewed The egge shell thoughe it bee goodly and faire fashioned must bee opened and broken that the yong chicken maye slip oute of it None otherwyse doth death dissolue and breake vp our bodi but to the intent that we maye attain vnto the lyfe of heauen The mothers wombe caryeth the child seuen or nyne moneths and prepareth it not for it selfe but for the world wherin we are borne Euen so thys present time ouer al vpon earth serueth not to thys ende that we must euer bee here but that we should be brought forth and borne oute of the body of the world into another euer lasting life Hereunto behold the wordes of Christ Ion. 17. a woman whaÌ„ she trauayleth hath sorowe beecause her houre is come But assone as she is delyuered of the chylde she remembreth nomore the anguishe for ioye that a man is borne into the worlde Namely lyke as a chylde oute of the small habitacion of his mothers wombe wyth daunger and anguishe is borne into this wyde world Euen so goeth a man thorowe the narowe gate of death with distresse and trouble out of the earth into the heauenly lyfe For thys cause did the olde Christians call the death of the sayntes a newe birth Therefore oughte we to note well thys comforte that to dye is not to perish but to bee fyrste of all borne a ryghte The death of the faythfull formeth in dede to be lyfe vnto the death of the vnbeleuers but verely thys is as great a difference as betwene heauen earth Our death is euen as a death Image made of wood whyche gyrneth wyth the teeth and feareth but canot deuour Our death should be estemed euen as Moyses brasen serpente whych hauynge the fourme and proporcyon of a serpent was yet wythout bytynge without mouing without poysoÌ„yng Euen so thoughe death bee not vtterly take nawaye Yet thorow the grace of god it is so weakened made voyde that the only bare proporcioÌ„ remayneth WhaÌ„ the master of the ship thynketh he is not wyde from the place where he must land discharge he sayleth on forth the more cherefully and gladly euen so the nearer we drawe vnto death where we must lande the more stowtly ought we to fighte agaynste the gostlye parels Lyke as he that goeth a farre iourney hath vncertayne lodgyng trauayll and laboure and desyreth to returne home to hys own country to his father and mother wyfe childreÌ„ and frendes among whom he is sureste and at moste quiete by meanes wherof he forceth the lesse for any roughe carefull pathe or waye homewarde euen so all we are straungers and pilgremes vpon earth Par. 30. c. â—sa 39.119 c Peter 2. b. Cor. 5. a. â—hilip 3. c. â—c 11. c. 13. b
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
the pestyleÌ„ce wyth flying awaye leauyng his own wyfe frendes and neyghbours he declareth vnperfectnes of faith and standeth not wyth Chrystian charitie where we owe vnto others the same that we in like case would gladly haue at theyr handes Graunt that the pestylence is such an infectuous sickenesse as one taketh of another What thaÌ„ If one stande in battayle raye to fyghte for hys country must not he also looke for a gonne stonne to be sente hym into hys bosome to carye home doeth it therefore beseme hym to breake the araye and to fly Lyke as there the enemyes of the bodye are at hande So here doe the gostlye aduersaryes besege the soule of hym that is a dying where one Chrystyan shoulde helpe another wyth worthy talke Therfore is that a folish vnaduised counsayll whan we wyth neglectynge of oure owne members wil flie from the wrath of god thynkyng thorowe synne to escape the punyshmeÌ„t of synne Experyence also doth shew that such folkes doe ofte perysh aswel as other yea soner then they that fled not at al. But phisicke is permytted of god as in the tyme of pestylence wyth fyers and perfumes to make the ayer more wholsome from poysoÌ„ and to receaue somewhat into the bodye for the consumyng of euil humours and to hinder the infeccion IteÌ„ whan one is taken with a dysease to be let bloud to sweate to folow the phisicians instruccioÌ„ such thiÌ„ges are in no wyse to be repreheÌ„ded So that whether it turne to deathe or lyfe the hearte onely and hope hange vpon God The physicion shoulde neyther bee despysed nor worshypped For to thynke scorn to vse medecyne in syckenesse what were that els but euen to tempt god ¶ That god is able and wyll helpe for Chrystes sake The .20 Chapter SPecially whaÌ„ death is at haÌ„d a man fyndeth no helpe in any creature of heauen and earth whereby he might fortunatly suppresse the exceading greate feare of death but only in god the father in Christe hys sonne and in the holy sprete of them both It is god that knoweth the parels of thy death and can medle wythall Thorowe hys power shalt thou get thorow and drinke the bitter draught Though we dyyet liueth god before vs with vs after vs and is able to preserue vs for euer Chryst sayeth wepe not the damosel is not dead but slepeth Faythles reason vnderstandeth not the mistery of God and laugheth But Chryst the true god hath both the woorde worke together saieth no more but arise and the soule came again to the bodye she arose Oute of thys and suche lyke ensamples oughtest thou faynte hearted man to vnderstande the infinite power of god who can receaue thi soule also and preserue it Not only is god able but wil also helpe graciousli Whi should not he lay vpon thee some greate thyng as death is seyng he addeth so greate aduauntage helpe and streÌ„gth therto Math. 10. d. Luke 12. a. Psal 34. Psal 55. c. 1. Pet. 5. a to proue what hys grace and power maye doe For he hath nombred all the heares of our head that is he alwai hath hys eies vpon vs and careth euer for vs. Yea that he loueth vs more theÌ„ we loue oure selues and maketh better prouision for vs then we can wysh he hath openly and euidently testified in his own deare sonne Marke 16. c. Luke 22. c. whoÌ„ he caused to take our miserable nature vpon hym and therein for the synnes of all the world to suffer to dye to ryse agayne to ascende vp to heauen Acre 7. â— roma 8. â— Eph. 1 â–ª c. 4. Philip. 2. a Col. 3. a 1. Pet. 3. c Heb. 1. a 2 â— 10 b 12 a Psal 110 a where he sytteth at the right haÌ„d of god the father almyghtye Among the whych articles euerye one doth helpe and comfort such as are a dying The naturall sonne of god him selfe from heauen became a mortall man The humanâ—â—tie of Chryâ—â— to the intent that mans mortal nature thorowe the vnityng thereof with the immortall nature of the Godheade in hys owne onely person myght be exalted to an immortall lyfe He The passion of Chryst hauyng a natural feare of death said my soule is heuy eueÌ„ vnto the death He prayed also father if it be possible take thys cup from me But thys feare and terrour dyd he ouercome Math 26 â— Marke 14 â— Io 12 c Luke 22 â— for he addeth thereto and sayeth father not my wyll but thyne be fulfylled Thorowe thys victorye of Chryst maye al Chrystyans also ouercome such terrour and feare as they be in Item though the Iewes blaspheme neuer so muche and saye lette hym come downe from the crosse Math 27 Marke 14 d Luke 22 c he hath helped other lette hym nowe helpe hymselfe as though they woulde saye There there seyft the death like a wretche must thou dye and no man is able to helpe thee Yet dyd the lorde Iesus holde hys peace thereto as if he heard and saw them not He made no aunswere agayne but onely regarded the good wil and pleasure of his father Therfore though we haue an horrible temptacion of death as thoughe there were neyther comforte nor help for vs ani more yet in Christ and with Chryst we may endure all and wayte styll vpon the gracious good wyll of god He dyd not onely suffer the horrour and temptacyon of deathe but death it selfe yea the moste horryble death wherby he tooke from vs the death eternall and some deale mollified and swaged our temporall death yea besides thys he made it profytable and wholsome So that death 2 Cor 5 â— Phil 1 c roma 7 c Hebru 2 which of it selfe shoulde els be a beginning of euerlastyng sorowe is become an intraunce into eternall saluacyoÌ„ Accordyng to this meanyng are the wordes of Paul whaÌ„ he sayth that Chryst by the grace of god tasted death for all men Item he became partaker offlessh and bloud to put down thorowe death hym that had the lordshyp ouer death that is to say the deuyll and that he myghte delyuer them whyche thorowe feare of death were al theyr lyfe tyme in daunger of bondage Chrystes resurreccyon Moreouer that Chryst is the lyuing immortall ymage against death yea the very power of our resurreccyon and of lyfe euerlastyng he hymselfe hath testifyed wyth hys owne ioyefull and victoryous resurreccion also with that that in hys resurreccyon many other sayntes that were dead rose from death agayne Math 27 Agayne howe full is it of comforte and pure treasure that S. Paul ioyneth our resurreccioÌ„ vnseparably 1 Cor 15 to the resurreccyon of Iesus Christ Lykewyse doth S. Paul comforte hys disciple Timothy with the resurreccion and sayeth 2 Tim 2 â—om 6 b 8 b If we dye wyth Chryst we shall lyue wyth hym if we be pacyent we shal also reigne with hym Chrystes ascensyon No lesse must the frute of the
hope of hym that he hath founde grace at gods hand then of many one that dyeth at home in hys bed Ensāples also are to be cōsidered for a great sort of gods elect died not a ryghte death as we vse to terme it Abel was murthured of his own naturall brother The prophet beeyng sent to Hieroboam was destroied of a Lyon Esaye was sawne a sonder thorowe the myddes Hieremy lyke as Steuen also was stoned to death Iames being thrown downe from the pulpet was slayne of a fuller Peter at rome was fastened to a crosse Vpon Paul was execucion done wyth the sworde such like ensamples hast thou Heb. 11. Item the most excellent heithē men came miserably out of thys world The good Socrates was poysoned Euripides was all to torne of dogges Sophocles was choked wyth a litle stone of a grape bury very sorowfull combraunce dyd fret out the heart of Homerus Innumerable ensamples declare that there happeneth no new thing vnto vs what death soeuer we or oure frendes dye Specially let vs obserue this rule death is terrible to thē that haue no god but of vs which ar gods children ought not the horible ymage of death to be feared but to bee welcome vnto vs. For god himselfe comforteth vs with these wordes folowyng I lyue Iohn 14. and ye also shall lyue Of this ar we assured in Christ Iesu who vpon the crosse dyed the most horrible deth for our sakes to whō with the father the holy goste be all honor and glori for euer and euer Amen ¶ Onely vnto God geue the praise An exhortacion wrytten by the Lady Iane the night before she suffred in the end of the new testamente in Greke whych she sent to hir sister Ladye Katherine I Haue here sent you good sister Katherin a booke whych although it be not outwardly trymmed with golde yet inwardlye it is more worth then precyous stones It is the booke deare sister of the law of the lord it is hys testament last wyll whyche he bequethed vnto vs wretches whyche shall leade you to the path of eternal ioye And if you with a good minde reade it and with an earnest desier folowe it it shal bryng you to an immortal and euerlasting life It wil teache you to lyue learn you to dye it shall wynne you more then you shoulde haue gained by the possessions of youre wofull fathers landes For as if god hadde prospered hym you should haue inherited his lādes so if you apply diligentlye thys boke sekyng to directe your lyfe after it you shal be an inheritour of suche ryches as neyther the couetous shal wythdrawe frō you neyther the thefe shall steale nether yet the mothes corrupte Desyer wyth Dauid good sister to vnderstande the lawe of the Lorde your God Liue styl to dye that you by death maye purchace eternall lyfe or after your death enioie the life purchaced you by Christes death And truste not that the tendernes of youre age shall lengthen your life For assone if god call goeth the yonge as the olde and labour alwaye to learne to dye deny the world defye the deuyll and despyse the fleshe and delite your selfe only in the Lorde Be penitent for your synnes and yet despayre not Be strong in faith and yet presume not And desyer wyth S. Paul to bee dissolued to be wyth Chryste wyth whom euen in death there is lyfe Bee lyke the good seruant and euen at midnight be waking lest whā death commeth and stealeth vpō you like a thefe in the nyght you be wyth the euill seruaunt found slepinge and leaste for lacke of oyle ye be founde lyke to the fine folysh wemen and like him that had not on the weddyng garment and then be cast out from the maryage Reioyce in Chryste as I trust ye doe And seyng ye haue the name of a Chrystian as nere as ye can folowe the steppes of your master Chryst and take vp your crosse laye your synnes on hys backe and alwayes embrace him And as touching my death reioyce as I dooe good sister that I shal be deliuered of this corrupcyon and put on vncorrupcyon For I am assured that I shal for losyng of a mortall lyfe wynne an immortall lyfe The whych I praye god graunt you sende you of his grace to liue in his feare and to dye in the true Chrystyan fayth From the whyche in gods name I exhorte you that ye neuer swarue neyther for hope of lyfe nor feare of death For if ye wil deny hys trueth to lengthen your lyfe god wyll denye you and yet shorten your dayes And if ye wyll cleaue to hym he wil prolonge your dayes to your cōforte and hys 〈…〉 the whyche glory god bring me now and y◠hereafter whan it shall please God to call you Fare well good sister and put youre onely trust in god who only must helpe you Your louing sister Iane Dudley