the Minister or any other godly person 1 Wylte thou lyue and dye in the true fayth of Iesus Christe as a true Christian I wyl 2 Wylt thou aske forgeuenes of him for all thine offeÌ„ces coÌ„mitted against his holy maiesty for that thou hast not worthily honoured him I doo aske 3 Hast thou not determyned with thy selfe to alter thy trade of lyfe into a better if it shal please Gods goodnes that thou shalt escape this disease I haue determined 4 Dost thou not humblie craue and beseech him to grauÌ„t thee grace not to decline from this thy good intent that thou mayest repentauntlye bewayle thy former faultes and that thou mayst henceforwarde continue in al goodnes I doo requyre 5 Dost thou not hartely forgeue all offences committed against thee I doo forgeue 6 Wylt thou not earnestly aske forgeuenes of al them whom thou hast in any wyse offended I doo aske 7 Doste thou not clearely caste out of thy hart al enuie malice hatred whatsoeuer thou bearest to any creature and willingly be reconciled in perfect charitie to euery man I am willing 8 Wilt thou willingly restore what soeuer thou hast wrongfully taken or withholden from any man I wyl 9 Dost thou not paciently take in good woorth these paynes for the name of God I doo ¶ Prayers to be sayde at the howre of death INto thy handes O Lorde I commende my soule thou haste redeemed me O Lorde God of trueth Iesus Christe the Father of mercy make mee one of thy seruauntes helpe mee in my extreme necessitie Succour my needeful and desolate soule O Lord my god that it be not deuoured by helhoundes For the honour and vertue of thy bytter Passion most mightie Lorde Iesus Christe commaunde that my name may bee registred among the number of thine elect O my Creator redeemer Iesus Christe I yeelde my selfe vnto thee forsake me not be holde I flye vnto thee succor me and reproue me not O Lorde Iesus Christe the sonne of the liuing God put thy Passion Crosse and death betwixt my soule and thy iudgement Nowe O Lorde according vnto thy wyl haue mercy vppon mee and commaunde that my soule be receyued into thy peace Let that sweete voyce O Lorde sound in the eares of my soule This day thou shalt be with mee in Paradise The maner howe Howe to foresee that thinges goe rightly with anye when he dyeth IF the sicke man doe wauer stray or doubt any thing of the veritie of his fayth put him in remembraunce of the Apostles and holy Martyrs which for the defence of this true fayth haue suffered all kindes of tormentes and paines If hee be in dispayre then tell him that although his offences bee neuer so great and many yet the goodnes of our mercyful Lord is much more for his mercies do exceede the quantitie of all our effences which hee of his goodnes offereth in common to euery man lest hee himselfe doe wylfully refuse the same for his mercye is infinite and without number Al the offences that euer were committed since the beginning of the worlde may be numbred al which are clerly washed awaye with the least drop of the blood of our lord Iesus Christ which he shed at the time of his bytter passion Our Lorde God of his great clemencie was redy to cal vnto his mercy Iudas the wickedst man that euer lyued when he sayde vnto him My freende Yet for that he dyd dispayre he was condemned and so sinned more by falling into dispayre then by betraying of his maister our Sauiour Iesus Christ the immaculate Lambe and onely begotten sonne of God the Father And lastlye put in thy minde that the forgiuenes of sinnes is an Article of our faith by which is signified vnto vs that how often and howe greeuous soeuer our offences are yee by true repentance of our sinnes yet shal obteine true remission for them wherof whosoeuer doubteth he is no true Christian If you see that hee do not presently yelde vp the Ghost then reade to him the hystorie of the Passion or some other good and Godly hystorie wherein hee delighted most when he was in health or the commaundementes of God to the ende that hee maye with more perfectnes repent him selfe if hee haue oughte committed agaynst them If for lacke of speache hee bee not able to aunswere with woordes then let hym aunswere in mynde and with outwarde signes expresse his conscience for they are through Gods mercye sufficient to obteyne grace Put him no wise in remembraunce of his wife children freends or temporal wealth vnlesse it bee necessary for his spiritual health Put him not in ouermuche hope of bodyly health lest by that meanes he might withdraw his minde from the spirituall care that hee hath of his soule For by the health of the soule hee shoulde seeke for the health of the bodye onelye requiringe it at Gods hande if his goodnesse shall thinke it most meete and beste for his soule For God is a furtherer of the pacient and wel disposed and corporal diseases bring for the moste parte langour and grefe to the soule We should therefore first prouide for our soule and repent vs of our sinnes before we take any care of our bodily health ¶ Heereafter followeth a breefe Dialogue touching the day of Iudgement Betweene Raymundus and Dominicus I Haue my Raymundus all this long time since our laste communication bene very desirous to knowe howe our mercyful Sauiour Chryst wyl in th ende rewarde euery man Wherefore I praye you of your curtesie shew me somewhat touching this poynte Raym My freende Dominicus I graunte to thy request for it is not conueniente that we leaue man of whom hitherto wee haue conferred vnfinished Seeing wee haue treated of hys creation and seeing wee haue spoken of hys reparation wee wyll nowe talke somewhat touchinge his final iudgement God worketh three wayes concerning man that is to saye in creation reformation and in iudging him moste iustlye according to his workes Seeing then man is the liuely and magnificente worke of God and aboue al creatures moste lyke vnto his Maker he oughte not therefore to bee leste vnfinished and vnpertected And for that he can not come to the verie laste ende of perfection before his life bee examined and iudged that according to the quality of it hee maye receyue rewarde at the last retribution eyther to eternal payne or to euerlasting glory Therefore it is necessary to conferre in few wordes of this last and general iudgement and by certaine natural reasons to shew taaâ— is to come Domi. I beseech you so to do for I am determined with al my hart to heare you Raym. We wil proue that the iudgemeÌ„t is to come by the very nature of ioy gladnesse them selues It must needes be that the iust manne for his iustice shal so magnifycently reioyce that he cannot reioyce more perfectly And that the wickedman for his iniquitie be cast into heauinesse as there may be noâ—â—reater
I wishe and loke for thee I runne to meete thee and I doe renounce all things that are not of thee Whatsoeuer thou wilt I wyll and whatsoeuer thou wylt not the same I wyl forsake Whatsoeuer thou doest detest I doe refuse it and whatsoeuer shal hereafter happen vnto me coÌ„trarie to this my present minde I beseeche thee my God not to impute the same vnto me neither according vnto that but accordyng to this present choyse of my soule iudge me For al thinges whiche I ought not to doe I doe here vtterly forsake them And if at anye time hereafter I shall chaunce by any sinister occasion to agree to any thing that may be a cause to withdraw thy nâ—â— dyd from me I do 〈◊〉 this 〈◊〉 vtterly 〈◊〉 and dâ—tâ—â—â—tlys satile O Lorde Iâ—â—â— if it please thre or if if maye stande 〈◊〉 thy glâ—â—y â—â—auÌ„t I beâ—â—eche thee in this my present lyfe â—hat I 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 wherein I haâ—e oâ—â—â—nded â—â—om al the pâ—ines 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—â—uedlie I â—â—ght to 〈…〉 And that thâ—◠〈…〉 of thy 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ned farry afte◠〈…〉 〈…〉 Lorde Iesu 〈◊〉 my 〈…〉 ¶ 〈…〉 or lâ—st 〈…〉 therto be saye 〈◊〉 to be â—â—ought 〈…〉 vp on at the howre 〈…〉 〈…〉 seath 〈…〉 IN the name of the Father and of the Some and of the holie Ghost I Hâ— a wretched synner â—â—deemed with the precious bloud of our Lord Iesus Christe through his greate merry and loue not by my merites do confesse and â—â—knowledge openly eyther by this wryting or by these my wordes before God omnipotent and before you that are here as witnesses if there needeth any that I aâ—â—â—â—â—d doo dyethe true serâ—â—unt of our Lorde Iesus Christe as it becomâ—eth a true Christian I do beleeue and confesse generallie all and euerie parte and Article of the Christian fayth wherein euery Christian beleeuer is â—â—â—â—â—de is beleeueâ— And chiâ—sâ—ie the vâ—iuersall 〈…〉 â—oâ—teyned in the twelue Articles of the Christian faith either openly expressed or by reason excluded According as through the holye Ghoste by the twelue Apostles and by the true gospel they were delyuered vnto vs And to be shorte I beleeue so muche as a true Christian ought And I do with all my harte reioyce to dye in this immoueable and fyrme Fayth holding this scripture in my handes and offering it vp as a most defensible and inuinsible shield against all the inuasions and deceiptes of the diuell And if which God forbyd it come to passe that by the temptation of the diuell or by the violence of my disease I shall happen to thinke speake or do any thing contrarie to this pretestation Or that I shall fal into any error misbelefe or dispaire Yf any of these doo chaunce vnto me I do here in the presence of you al reuobe vtterly renounce the same in such sorte as I woulde do if I had my perfect sences For this I cal you al which are here present thee my good Angell vnto whose custodie I am coÌ„mitted that you as witnesses may testifie this my protestation and confession before the omnipotent and righteous Iudge As muche as in me lyeth I doo here clearely forgeue and remit al iniuries iuries whatsoeuer haue beene done vnto me And the lyke I do aske 〈◊〉 theyr handes whoâ—â—eit her by word or dee de I haue at any time â—â—leÌ„ded And cheessie I do request to bee partaker of the bytter PassioÌ„ and innocent death of our Lord Iesus Christ and that my natural and voluntarie death may through thy grace stande for al my sinnes I do also intitely requeâ—â— and desire you al that be here present to say the Lordes prayer with me and for me Our Father which arte in Heauen hâ—â—o 〈◊〉 be thy 〈◊〉 Thy kingdom thing Thy wyl be done in earth as it is in heauen â—eue vs this day out â—â—ylâ—e breade And forgeue vs our trespasses as we forgeue them that trespasse against vs And leade vs not into temptation But deliuer vs from al euyl For thine is the kingdome the power and the glorie for euer and euer Amen Would to God I had neuer sinned nor offeÌ„ded against my God nor my 〈◊〉 periors 〈◊〉 against my neighbours nor my selfe Lastlie I geâ—â—â— thâ—â—bes 〈◊〉 thaâ—â—â—â—ghty God for al his 〈…〉 â—â—sâ—â—wed vpon west And I commâ—â—de my body and soule into thy 〈…〉 that my soule may he saued through the bitter passion of our Lord 〈◊〉 Christ to whom be prayse 〈◊〉 glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ Howe feareful and bytter corporal death is of it selfe and the muâ—â—â— causes thereof AS man naturallie desyreth to be in this worlde to lyue and to reioyce So is it also natural for him to feare death and the paines presydents thereof Vertuous and perfect men not withstanding are accustomed to wysh for death wrâ—oâ—â—â—ch as it is the ende of the myseties and offences of this present lyfe the entry like wise into the felicitie and ioye to come They do therfore couet death whiche loue no vnâ—â—wâ—all thing in this lyfe and despiseth and settethat nought al the vanities pleasutes tiches homours prosperities of this world with a most â—â—dent affection aspyring to the most blessed syght of theyr God whome aboue al other thinges they do with al their hartes entirely loue and inwardlie burne with the hartie desyre of heauenlie pleasures eternall wealth saying with the prophet Dauid As the Hart desireth to come to the fountaines of fresh waters so doth my soule desire thee O lord My soule hath thirsted to come vnto God the lyuing fountaine When shal I come appeare before the face of God And to the same effect sayth Paule I vnhappie man who wyll deliuer me from the body of this death That is to saye from this mortal miserable body Also I desyre to be dissolued to be with Christ Neuerthelesse though the consideration of death of it self be a most bytter paine and that the losse of lyfe to a humaine 〈…〉 is naturaâ—le fearfull and horâ—â—â—â— insomuch that our Lord Iesus Christ death approchâ—ig by natural â—eaâ—e of death whiche he tooke willingly vpon him began to feare to ware weerie and to be heauy Such wâ—â—eâ—aâ—e 〈◊〉 of death is proâ—â—â—able for it withdraweth man from cauâ—â— detectatioÌ„ and from the vanities of this worlde He that wyl wisely consider howe pawful an ende howe bytter a death and howe greeuous a sorow doth dayly approche vnto him and peradueÌ„ture is presentlie at hande hee wyll refrayne him selfe from dyssolute and vaine secutitie from sportes games and laughters Saying with Salomon I haue accompted laughing for errour And to myrthe I haue sayde Why doest thou deceyne in vayne And that they be so in deede the wyse Salomon doth in another place witnesse the same Better it is sayeth he to gâ—e into a sorrowfull house then into a hoÌ„â—ueting house Iâ—â—thoue that is the sorowful house man is admonished of theâ—de of all men lyuing he thinketh vpon that which shall happen and is
to come As the Scripture sayth Blessed is he that is alwayes fearefull And by this the olde Doctours Hierâ—ome and Augustine 〈◊〉 wryte that Plato that excellent and moste noble Philosopher dyd forgoe the delicate and beautifull Cittie of Athens â–ª with â—â—â—tayne of his Schollers choosing rather to dwell in an olde thinous Vyllage beeing often with Earthquakes and Tempestes wel neare ouerturned so that by the frace of daungers and death they myght in themselues mortifie the vicas of the fleshe withdraw themselues from concupiscence and all other vices For so muche as the Gentyles haue done this howe much more I praye you ought Christians to withdraw themselues from delectations by remembring the daungers of death And that by this the preme ditation of death there might growe in vs such an healthful feare The disposition of him that dyeth is to be consydered to behold the present howre of the separation of the soule from the fleshe whereof man hath a naturall feare for then man altogeather waxeth pale his feete waxeth colde his weake hands becommeth blacke his countenaunce chaungeth colour his eyes becommeth dimme and sinketh in and for intollerable pangues of paynes they are turned vpwarde See how his hart waxeth faynt his forehead shrinketh all his members waxeth flyffe his chinne falleth his pulses chaungeth theyr course his breath gathering it self from the innermost bowels doo altogether forsake the body The paines of death do then appeare deadly pangues stinging with the mortal stinges the very harte which fyrst of al begynneth to lyue and last of al doth dye And last of al there commeth breaketh foorth a dead sweate shewing that Nature is ouercome And thus being vanquished by griefe the soule is cast out from hir dwelling place If we wyl consyder this disposition of them that dye and do dilygentlie imagine that the lyke wyl short lie happen vnto our selues there is no doubte but we wyll consider the healthfull feare of death ¶ THE MANER howe to dye well Written in Latin by Petrus de Soto AL men must nedes dye a punishment assigned vnto vs for that sinne of our fyrst parentes Mortalitie that is â—euitable death is test cast vpon vs for that Adam and Eua did eate of the forbidden fruit wherby they sinned against the lord And as sinne was first commited so death presently folowed By syn they lost life gained death For as by doing well they shoulde haue obteyned immortality to themselues their posterity so by doing the contrarie they haue gained death mortality to them vs for euer from the general sentence whereof none shal escape lest that any one shoulde haue cause to exalt himself aboue another if he might freely escape the same The certentie of death and the vncertayne howre thereof NOthing is more certayne then death but the howre the place and maner thereof none knoweth For who is he that knoweth when where and after what sorte he must dye whether he shal dye a good or a shamefull death whether hee shall ende his lyfe by sword fire or water or by any other kynde of death No not one truely For death more diligent then our shadows at al times and places continuallye geueth his attendance laying for vs his trappe thinking at euerye houre vnwarely to intrap vs therein Who is then so foolish as to assure himselfe to lyue but tyl night of what age soeuer hee be of For what other thing is our life but the verye beaten pathe and straight way to death Hee therefore that is wise loketh prepareth him selfe for death and at al tymes and in al places is continually ready to dye For death is at the gates of old men and lyeth in a readines to oppresse ouertake yong men the houre when the Lorde reserueth and keepeth to himselfe to the ende that we beeing vncertayne when to dye shoulde the rather prepare our selues to dy And whylst we haue our perfect health memorie we ought to acknowledge our redeemer to cal vpon him betaking our selues altogether vnto his clemencie great mercye And in no wise to detract the time to the laste houre and extreme instant of death For death most commonlie assaulteth and oppresseth those whom he seethe most vnwilling and the worst prouided And as death findeth the man so man shall finde death The perfect man dyeth in securitie and gladnes the iust manful of hope fayth and assured confidence and the vniust dyeth in stare and desperation VVhy Iust men doe wishe for death WE do continually walk amongst innumerable dangers that is the dangerous snares of our aunciente enimie the diuel the bloody swordes of the wicked the intollerable greefes paynes and labours of the body The habitation or dwelling place of the body wherein we dwel is ruinous the worldely sea wherein wee fayle is ful of stormes dangerous wrackes no earthly thing wherein wee can delight our selues lacketh great perils and that wherein wee thinke we finde great felicitie therin alwayes consisteth our most miserie and calamities But yet our benigne Sauiour doth not without heauenly prouidence appoynte suffer that this our mortal life shoulde be so replenished and fylled with those so great calamities paynes and perils And also doth according to his profounde wisedome prouidentlye ordeyne and appoynte them I meane those temporal paynes which we do abide to the ende that wee shoulde repent vs of our former sinnes and amend our present lyfe and diligently to care for the lyfe to come and that we shoulde willingly contemne the worlde and set at noughte this transitorie life erecting and lifting vppe our mindes soules and hartes vnto the almightie God â–ª earnestlye affecting the glorious euerlasting life with feruent desire from the bottome of our hartes Our forefathers which in times past tasted but verye litle of this glorious and heauenlye sweetnes did yet abandon al earthly vanities abhorred the delight of the world despised and quite forgot this transitorie life most painfully labouring with al diligence to obteine the vnspeakeable pleasures of heauen greedely thirsting for the eternal blisse saying with the Apostle â–ª O wretched man who shal deliuer me from this mortal body My desire is to be dissolued to be with thee O christ for as the Harte desireth to come to the fouÌ„tains of fresh waterâ— so doth my soule O Lorde desire to come to â—hee Although death bringeth vnto vs suche and so many pleaâ—â—res and that through it the soule is carried thither where it shal eâ—â—â—auy liue yâ—â— we ought not to dâ—â—â—â—te nor argue of the rest of our life which is presâ—â—lbed by God neyther ought werâ— bee the causeâ—s or procâ—reâ— of our owne death For as we 〈◊〉 not hither by 〈◊〉 owne appoynâ—ment so ought we not to be â—hâ—â—â—â—â—rs of ouâ— ende before the â—ime appoynted vnto vâ— by god Hereby I iudge him to be altogether forgetful of himselfe and litle to regarde his owne state that thinketh his time in this
world to be but short seeing it is suâ—â—â—fent to liue a short time and smal age so that we spende the same in dooing well For what matter is it whethâ—â— one dye yong or olde for so much as the number of yeeres nor length of tyme do make neyther blessed nor vnblessed happy nor vnhappy And that by coÌ„ming to death the ende of al humain kinde we shal aryue in a safe porte quiet harborowe free and safe from al the dauÌ„gerous stormes troublesome broyles of this worlde The death of the iust man. NOthing ought to be more wished for then to be in the handes of God â–ª wherein the Soules of the iust quietly rest Theyr death is acceptable to the Lorde if a man maye caâ— that death which is the greatest pleasure that can happen to good men for it is to them the ende of labour care the winning of victory the way of lyfe the entrie into perfect securitie and ioyning of the soule to God the thiefest goodnes which is of al other the greatest rewarde that men can haue The departing of the iust man from this lyfe is the vyage and passage from trouble to rest froÌ„ paynes to glory from pouerty to a kingdom from feare to securitie from griefe to ioye from death to that lyfe which onelie ought to be called lyfe And to conclude death is nought else vnto him but an escape from prisonment a returne from banishment a finishing of labours an arriual to the port of rest an ending of pylgrimage a lyghtning of his burden a delyueraunce from a ruinous house an ending of euylles an escape from daungers and paying to nature hir duetie and entrye into his countrey of euerlasting ioye and glorie By meanes where of that daye wherein the Saintes departe hence and are receyued into Heauen is commonlie called their natall daye for that when they departe hence then doo they begynne to lyfe and by dying in this worlde they enter into a better The death of the euyll THe death of a sinner is most wretched of al euyls for there by he loseth the worlde the greatest aspect familyer felowship of his best beloued also by it the soule is seuered from the body is condempned to abide the affliction of Hell fyre For the paines of one coÌ„demened soule is farre worse greeuouser then al the tormentes of al the holy Martirs yea though they were al gathered in one For the sinner hath horror feare at his departing griefe sorow in his iourney shame and confusion in the sight of God the vpright iudge incredible terror dreade in departing from this lyfe entring into an vnknowen Region wherein feareful spyrites wycked Angels meete the soule and pul it to eternal paines The goodes of the wycked are diuided into three Fyrst his soule to the diuel his body to the wormes his temporal goodes to his heyres which are coÌ„monly vngratefull and too prodigal The daungers of death THe diuel doth with al his engines and snares seeke to intrap mans Soule at the very howre of death if God of his speciall goodnesse assyste him not tempting him fyrste of the verity of his faith persuading him to forgo the same putting him in remembraunce of his coÌ„mitted offeÌ„ces thinking with the greatnes of them to driue him into dispayre And at the same instaunt coÌ„monly a pang more painful then tongue can tel assayleth him which is the separation of the soule from the body That paine is so great that as then he can remember nought els but the deadly paÌ„ges of death only Therfore it is written In death O Lorde none remembreth thee And Saint Augustine sayth The sinner is stricken with such animaduersity that dying he forgetteth him selfe who whylst he lyued remembred not god Saint Barnarde also treating of the hoâ—â—e of death Cursed spyrites sâ—â—th he watcheth at my doores and â—â—rrible diuels attende my comming so that I dare not goe forth Sâ—â—â—â— lie I am not able to escape theyr haudes vnlesse the Lorde defende me But he who tedeemed me wyll defende and faue me Howe we shoulde comfort those â–ª that be in daunger of death To the end that euery manâ—night learne the ryght waye howe to dye I haue gathered together these sewe lynes folowing out of dyuers good Authors Three exhortations to the sicke 1. Consider good Brother that all men of what condition or degree soeuer they bee must once dye some sooner some later according to the tyme appoynted them by God to whom we are al subiect to paye vnto Nature hir fees whensoeuer his omnipotencie shal thinke good who hath appointed this worlde vnto vs as a bayting Inne and not to be our continual dwelling place There is no cause therefore why you should so much affect this transitory life for by how much the loÌ„ger your life is prolonged by so much y more your syns are increased And y elder you grow in age the more your offences are multiplied for euery day vice increaseth and vertue decayeth We ought therefore to be the more wylling to dye for the by flytting from this poore mortal life we shal come to the euerlasting and blessed lyfe 2. Acknowledge good brother most thankfully â–ª God 's bountiful goodnes towardes thee in that that hytherto of his vnspeakeable mercie he hath permitted thee to lyue yea for that at this present extremitie of death his hyghnesse hath graunted thee thy perfect senses reason and vnderstanding whereby thou mayst acknowledge thy bounden duety vnto his heauenly Maiestie And in that he hath not oppressed not preuented thee with sodaine death and for that also he hath of his merciful goodnes called thee vnto his true and vnfaigned faith through which by his help thou shall be brought to his euerlasting kingdome and eternal inheritaunce For this and al other his innumerable benefites geue vnto his highnesse most hartie thankes and altogether betake thy selfe vnto his endles mercie humblie crauing pardon of him for thine offences 3. Consider that God the Father hath geuen and yeelded his welbeloued sonne in whome he tooke great delyght to be crucifyed and tormented with innumerable tribulations tortures and paynes and to suffer most vyle bitter death for vs most wretched sinners Seeing therefore thou hast in this transitorie life commytted done innumerable synnes and haynous offences which deserueth farre greeuouser and greater paynes and punishmentes then bee assigned vnto thee Thou oughtest therfore patientlie to beare the paines and panges of this thy deserued disease and death Christ for thine offences most willynglie and patientlie suffred death and the holy Martyrs and Apostles with al theyr minde moste wyllingly imbraced death for his names sake Knowe thou therefore that what maner of death soeuer thou suffrest is muche lesse painefull then theyrs for wyl thou nyl thou die thou must therefore in the name of Christ good brother take it patiently Questions to bee asked of him that lyeth sicke by
and pleasure alwaies greene florishing al goodnes is far more excellent in thee theÌ„ meÌ„ may see or proue in any of thy creatures O Creator most excellent thou art the pleasure of althings thou art the abundantfulnes of perfect ioy the vnmesurable sea of holy delights pleasures thou art that light of incredible cleerenes passing brightnes O be wtiful eternal incomprehenlible light That which they do see heare taste smell or feele which are inwardly ioyned vnto thee through exceeding pucenesse of hearâ— whâ—â—â—st they yet remain in this present 〈◊〉 can with no â—ouing be expressed The louing imbracementes the daintye kisses of the mothâ—â— wherwith she appeaseth the weepâ—â—g of her tonâ—â—t childe no nor the â—weâ—â—â— wordes 〈◊〉 pleasant countenâ—nce of the hâ—sbaâ—â—â— towarâ—es hiâ— louiâ—â— wise are 〈◊〉 shadowes and 〈◊〉 vaâ—ue in respeâ—t and conâ—â—de 〈◊〉 â—f the sweete imbraâ—emâ—â—tes wherewith thou O Lorde dost aâ—â—â—â—eâ—◠〈…〉 of thâ—se that â—oue thee But if poore banished men can be so blessed and happy and that they can see such inexplicable incomparable goodnesse whoe see thee but in a darke had owed glasse how much more happyer then ought we to iudge of thy holy citizens who see thee face to face from whom floweth riuers of pleasure more sweeter then honey who are perfectly vnited vnto thee drowned in a bottomelesse of â—ternal delightes Those thy â—â—â—lbeloâ—ed dâ—ldren doo nowe most nâ—â—ifestly knowe and in the â—â—se lues diâ—â—aâ—isest lyefe ele howe muche O meâ—ciful father thou dost fauâ—ur and â—â—uâ— them and from the be giuning haste loâ—â—d them Thou O Lorde â—rofie willingly sinnerâ—â—est and belpest â—â—emaâ— Tâ—â—udâ—â—â—ighten al menne moste pleasaunâ—lye with the light of thy brigh tâ—esâ— Thou dost comiâ—â—ally moste samâ—â—â—e â—â—y and offeâ—â— ally talke in thefeoreete ho weâ—â— of euery man Thâ—â—ddest drawe the â—eâ—â—tes and 〈◊〉 of al men vnto thee with an inâ—â—â—morehensible sweet mes and feruert affeâ—tion of charitye Thou dost qualify gladden refreshe and fatissye with a delicate desyrâ—â—f enioying thy companye the he artes and willes of all men And to saye al O eternal God thou art all in al in that moste holy Citie of newe Hierusalem That is the happy day and the singuler day the onely true daie whereof thou O Lorde Iesus haste thus spoken vnto thy disciples In that day you shal knowe that I am in my father and you in me and I in you O daye so much wished for with most harty desire wherein the holy soules shal be vnited vnto thee O God and shal be inspyred with a meruailous light of wisedome and transformed into the brightnes of eternal glory O Iesus graunt I beseeche thee that so longe as I am in the darkenesse of this perigrination that the eyes of my minde maye beholde and contemplate the most shining light and brightnesse of thee O God and that I may alwaies please thee my Lord and God. Man wisheth for tribulations of this worlde to the ende that he may the more earnestly desire the kingdome of heauen O My soule if wee must euery daye suffer torments yea and a longe time abyde the vexations of this worlde to the ende that wee myght see Christ in his glory and be ioyned in the felowship of his Saintes Is it not conuenient that we should pacientlye suffer al kynde of paines to th ende that we myght be partakers of so great goodnesse and glory Let wicked spirites prepare theyr snares and temptations let sickenesse weaken the bodye let apparel trouble the fleshe lette laboures oppresse it lette longe wakinges fore watche it let this manne exclaime against me let that manne disturbe me let colde benumme me let heate burne me let my conscience prycke me let the head ake let the heart broyle let the stomack be ouercome with superfluous humors let the visage waxe pale and wanne let al the body be weakned let my lyfe be ended in sorowe let my yeres be consumed in sighes let corruption enter into my bones and let my bowels gushe out vnder me What care I though al these come to passe so that I may in th ende and day of trybulation come to reste and ascende into the felowshippe of those that are already preferred vnto glory How great wil the glorye of the iust be what exceeding gladuesse wil be amongst them when theyr faces shal shine as the Sunne and the Lorde in the kingdome of his father beginneth to place his people eache one in his degree and rewardeth euerye one according to his merytes geuyng them in steede of carthly thinges heauenly goodnesse for temporal thinges eternal rewards and for smal things great ample gifts Truely it wyl be a heape of felicity when the Lord shal lead his Saints into the glory of his father and cause them to sit in celestial seates where God is al in al. O what a pleasaunt happines is it to see the Saintes to be with Saintes and to be Saintes our selues to see God and to enioye God him selfe for euer and euer Let vs therefore thinke vpon these thinges with al our heartes affecte them with feruent desyre that wee may be the better able with speede to come to them If thou my soule peraduenture wilt aske by what helpe or by whose merites maye this be done Christ yelded himselfe to death to the ende to winne thee vnto the kingdome of God his father Yelde thy selfe therfore vnto him that therby thou maiest bee of his kingdome And let not synne haue dominion nor reigne ouer thy mortal body but let the soule be occupied in searching for euerlasting life ¶ A prayer that we shoulde repose our selues in God aboue all thinges O Iesus graunt I beseeche thee that I maye rest and repose my self in thee before any creature before al glory honour power dignitie and consolation ouer and aboue al hope and promise yea and aboue all the Angels Archangels and about all the hoste of heauen aboue al thinges visible and inuisible and chiefâ—â—y for that thou art my God yea thou aâ—t nâ—â—e onelyâ— God excelling al other thinges For thou aâ—t the highest the moste mightie thou onely art the fullest and pâ—â—â—ectest O when shall it be fullye gâ—â—â—ted vnto me that I shal forsake my selfe and see howe sweete and pleasantly thou art O Lord my god O Iesu the brightnes of eternal glory the comfort of the wanderinge soule my mouthe is bent towards thee without speaking and silence speaketh vnto thee How long wyl my Lord my God withdrawe himselfe from commings vnto theeâ— come vnto me thy seruant comforte me O Lorde thrust foorth 〈◊〉 â—â—â—pinge hande O God and delâ—â—â—â— me thy seruaunte from these troubles Come come for without thee there can be â—o restful day nor quiet houre Thou art my ioye and without thee I am vnfurnished Beholde a poore wretche howe I am imprysoned and my selfe loaden with Gyues tyl thou deliuer mee and refresh mee with the light of thy presence Thoughe others searche thee at leysure whensoeuer
it shal please them Yet continuallye nothing shall please mee but thou my Lorde and GOD my hope and eternal health Blessed he thou O Lords which haste done this goodnesse vnto thy seruaunt according to the multitude of thy mercye What can thy seruant saye more vnto thee O Lord but humble himselfe in thy sight be alwayes mindful of his iniquitye and vnwoorthynes For in al the wonderful thinges of heauen and earth there is none like vnto thee Thy workes are excellent thy iudgementes are vpright by thy prouidence al thinges are gouerned O father of wisedome laude and praise be vnto thee My mouth my soule and al my powers shall prayse thee without ceassing ¶ The soule feruently wisheth to be in the house of the Lorde O Moste bright and bewtifull house of the Lord I am delyghted with thy comelinesse the habitation of the glory of my Lord the owner and builder of thee Al my wandring perigrination tendeth towardes thee both night and daye my heart coueteth to come vnto thee my mynde is fullye bent towardes thee my soule doeth feruently desire to come into thy blessed company I speake this vnto him who made mee and possesseth me in thee for he created both thee and me I do not aske thy companye and the syght of thy wonderful purenesse through mine own merites but thorough the bloud of him that hath redeemed mee whereof I doe not dispayre I haue erred I confesse like a straied sheepe and my dwelling is prolonged I am caste from the face of thee O Lorde in blyndnes of exile wherin I am expulsed from the ioies of Paradise I doo with sorrowfull verse and vnmesurable lamentations daily bewaile the miseries of â—y captiuitie when I doo call thee to remembraunce O spirituall Hierusalem and whilest my feete stande in the excellent and beautiful Sion not yet able openlye to see the innermost partes of thee but yet I hope to be caried into thee vpoÌ„ the shoulders of my Redeemer the verye builder of thee that I maye reioyce with thee in that venerable glory wherin they delight that are with thee in the presence of God him selfe our redeemer who hath dissolued al enmitye that was betweene God and man with his owne fleshe and hath with his precious bloud pacifyed al thinges in heauen and earth He is our peace who hath made al things alone who ioyning two walles in one in him selfe which before were disagreeing euerlastingly to continue in the felicitie of his blessednesse The same thinge hath hee promised vnto vs saying They shall be equall with the Angels of God in Heauen Let me reioyce and be glad in thee Let the sweete memorye of thy blessed name be a releeuing of my sorow and weerinesse ¶ An earnest prayer that thou being assisted by the grace of God maiest be alwaies bent to heauenly thinges I Would to God that that daye might once shine in the which I might see my redeemer and al these temporal daies would ende In thee O heauenly kingdome the saintes doo shine in perpetual and cleere charitie which we can not see whilst we wander here on earth The heauenlye Citizens knowe how muche they them selues reioice and the banished sonnes of the Eua lament feele how bitter werie and tedious this worlde is The dayes of this worlde are few shorte ful of euill and sorow where maÌ„ is defiled with many sins oppressed with grefes troubled with cares disturbed with thoughtes wrapt in vanities compassed with erroures molested with temptation drowned in sensualitie and crucified with pouertie O when shal there be an ende of these manifolde and miserable labours when shal I be deliuered froÌ„ the miserable bondage of wickednes When shall I onelye remember thee O Lorde When shal I fullye and perfectly reioyce in thee When shal I be out of al danger deliuered from al griefe of bodye and soule and come to true libertye When shal I rest in that quiete secure and vndisturbed peace When shal I come thyther where peace is both within without in althinges O Lorde Iesus when shal I stande vp to see thee when shal I behold the glorye of thy kingdome which thou hast prepared for thine elect froÌ„ the beginning Aâ— poore wretche I am left banished in the lande of mine enemies where there is dayly warres and continual misfortune Comfort me in my banishment mitigate my sorowes I do moste feruentlye with all my heart require to come vnto thee For whersoeuer pleasure is offered vnto me in this worlde I thinke it noysome I doo inwardly require thy companie but I cannot obteine it I doo wishe to be ioyned to heauenly thinges but temporal pleasures and mortal passions keepeth me backe from them In minde I woulde faine vanquishe al wickednes and vice but yet I am constrained to be subiecte to the frowarde fleshe And I vnhappye man am at controuersy with my selfe and am become odious vnto my selfe for whilest my soule aspireth vpwarde my fleshe draweth downe warde O what passions doo I inwardlye suffer For when my soule beginneth to contemplate of heauenly things theÌ„ presently heapes of carnall thoughts withdraweth me from prayers O my God doo not linger from me depart not in anger from thy seruaunt Thunder forth thy lightning bolts â—isperse my worldly thoughts abrod shoote thine arowes amongest them driue away all the temptations of mine enemies Turne my senses vnto the make me forget al earthly things graunt I beseeche thee that I may caste off all sinfull thoughtes and phantasies O eternall veritie succor me to th end that no vanity do tempt or remoue me from thee O heauenly father helpe me for al vanitie and impurenes melteth before thy face An ardent desire of the soule to the blessed and immortal life AS the Hart desireth to come to the fountaines of freshe waters so doth my soule desire to come to thee O Lorde When shal I come and appere before thy face O wel spryng of louing water When shal I come to the water of thy sweetenes froÌ„ this desert pathlesse and barraine lande that I may see thy vertue and glory and coole my thirst with the water of thy mercye O Lorde the wel of lyfe satisfye me I thirste for thee O Lord God of life When shal I come O Lorde and appeare before thy face O moste cleere and excellent daye without night without ende wherin I shal heare these wordes Enter into the ioyes of the Lorde thy God. Enter in eternal glory into the house of thomnipotent God where there is great and wonderful ioyes without number Enter into the glory which is without sorrowe conteyning eternal gladnesse where all goodnesse and no euyl is where the sweete amiable way of life is where is no controuersy neyther flickering intisements where there is a perfect and certaine assuraunce an assured quietnes a quiet pleasantnes a plesaunt happines a happy eternity an eternal blessednes the blessed Trinitie and vnity of Trinitie deitie of vnitie
and a blessed syght of the deitie which is the ioyes of thy Lord god O ioye vpon ioy and ioy aboue ioye without whiche there is no ioye when shal I enter into thee that I maye see my God who dwelleth in thee I wyl go thither and I wil see this most excellent syght What is it that stayeth me Wo be vnto me for my daies are prolonged wo be vnto mee howe long shal it be sayde vnto me where is the Lord thy God O my soule attende a while and expect that which I looke for Shal not we attende the comming of our redeemer our Lorde Iesus Christ who hath brought our bodies to their ancient humility and obedience configuted and formed vnto the brightnes of his owne body Let vs abide the returne of our Lorde from the mariage feaste to the ende hee maye leade vs vnto his mariage Come O Lorde and stay not come O Lorde Iesus Christe come and visite vs in peare come and deliuer vs that he fettered out of prison that we maye reioyce before thee in perfectnesse of hart Come our sauiour the wished hope of al people shewe thy face and we shal be saued Come my light my redeâ—â—â—er deliuer my foule out of this prison that it may confesse and glorifye thy holy name Howe longe shall I bee toste in the surging waues of this my mortal life crying vnto thee and thou wilt not heare me Heare me O Lorde calling vnto thee from this large troublesome and daungetous Sea and bring mee vnto thy safe porte of eternal felicities O happye are they that haue through thy goodnes ariued from al the dangers of this Sea in that most safe porte and harborough of rest O most happy are they which haue escaped this surging Seas and are safely landed vpon the shores escaped this pryson and come to thy Palace returned from exile and entred into thy kingdome The blessed doo moste quickly enioye that they wished for Happy are they that haue obteined the rewarâ—e of eternal glorye and that which here they haue won in tribulation they do nowe ioyfully brooâ—e in happy myrth and perpetual glory Most blessed thrise fouretimes blessed are they whiche haue obteyned throughe his aboundante glorye to come to his gracious kingdome O eternal kingdome and kingdome of all worldes where there is contynual lyght and where the peace of God is which doeth farre exceede at vnderstanding wherin the soules of the elect do rest replete with eternal gladnesse Oglorious is thy kyngdome wherein al the saints do reigne appareled with white garmentes hauing crownes vpon theyr heades O kingdome of eternal blisse O happye kingdome where thou O Lord the Diadem of glorye shalt be seene face to face reioycing them in thy peace whiche passeth al capacitye Happy are they therefore that haue escaped from the shipwracke of this life and haue obteyned to come into so great ioy and gladnes Vnhappye alas are wee poore wretches that do row our ship through the deuouring waues of this large raging seanot knowing when we shal come to that hauen of health Vnhappy I say are they who leade theyr lyues in exile and daunger whose ende is doubtful For we knowe not what shal become of vs for al thingâ—s which are to come are vnknoweÌ„ vnto vs We as yet sayling in the waues of the Sea doo hope and looke to come to the happy porte and haueÌ„ of ourcountrey O safe countrey we see thee a farre off we salute thee froÌ„ the Seas we doo sigh and wishe to come to thee out of this vale and we doo endenour our selues yea with teares to see if by anye meanes wee may come vnto thee O Christe the God of Gods and hope of humaine kind our refuge and strength whose lyght our eyes doo beholde through the thicke clouds aboue through the boysterous stormes of this troublesome Seas as the bright beames of the careful shipmans starre ende ouring out selues thereby to direct our course vnto thy hauen and safe harborough O Lord gouerne our ship in thy right hande with the nailes of thy crosse that we do not perishe in the roaring waues nor tempest drowne vs nor be sunke downe in the deepe but fasten the anker of thy crosse vnto our ship and draw vs out of this sea vnto thy selfe our onely comfort and consolation He holde vs whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious bloud and nowe banished from thee we do cal vpon thee heare vs O God our Sauiour the onelye hope of al those that dwel in al the corners of the earth we are toste in the troublesome seas and thou on the shore dost see our daunger Saue vs for thy names sake and graunt vnto vs O Lord I beseech thee that we which saile betweene Silla and Charibdin may so sterne and gouerne our Sip vnto thee that escaping both the daungers we may be preserued both Sippe and wares safely ariuing vnto thy Porte and hauen of rest FJNJS ⧠A breefe Table of the thinges conteyned in this Booke wishing the Reader to peruse it throughly OF the fall of mán and the punishment by death for the same and of the uncertaine hower of death Fol. 1 Of Death Iudgement Hell Heauen Fol. 2 Of the hower of Death worthy of often repetition Fol. 3 A ready instruction and godly exercise for an happy death spoken as it were in the person of Christ to the soule Fol. 6 Holsome admonitions to dye Fol. 13 An exercise to be vsed in the morning or al other times when you thinke good Fol. 15 Counsailes at the hower of death Fol. 18 An exercise wherin the weake man may restane him selfe vnto God Fol. 19 A Christian protestation or last testament not vnprofitable to be sayd or to be thought vppon Fol. 22 How feareful and bitter corporal death is of it selfe and the naturall causes thereof Fol. 24 The manner to dye well Fol. 17 The certentye of Death and the vncertayne hower thereof Fol. 27 Why the iust men do wish for death Fol. 28 The death of the iust man Fol. 30 The death of the euill Fol. 31 The daungers of death Fol. 31 How we should comforte those that be in daunger of death Fol. 32 Three exhortations to the sicke Fol. 33 Questions to be asked him that lyeth sick by the minister or some other godly persoÌ„ Fol. 33 Praiers to be said at the hower of death Fol. 34 Howe to foresee that thinges go rightlye with any when be dyeth Fol. 35 A briefe Dialogue touthing the daye of iudgement Fol. 37 A general iudgement of the dead â–ª requireth an vniuersall resurrection Fol. 38 Of the excellencie of the iudgement days aboue al other dayes Fol. 41 Of the paines of hell Fol. 43 Of hel Fol. 44 Meditations of the heauenly kingdome Fol. 46 The defyre the soule hath to the heauenly Hierusalem Fol. 47 How plentifull of all goodnesse and howe spare of al euil the heaueÌ„ly Ierusalem is Fol. 49 A supposed description of the heauénlye Hierusalem Fol. 50 Of the perfect and absolute ioy of eternal lyfe Fol. 51 A prayer whereby thou maist be fryred vp vnto the desyre of heauenly thinges Fol. 53 Man wisheth for the trybulations of this world to the end that he may the more earnestly desyre the kingdome of heauen Fol. 55 A prayer that we should depose our selues in God aboue al thinges Fol. 56 The soule feruently wisheth to be in the house of the lord Fol. 58 An earnest prayer that being assisted by the grace of God we may be alwayes bent to heauenly thinges Fol. 59 An ardent desire of the soule to the blessed and immortall lyfe Fol. 60 FINIS