For that he hath ouercome vndoutedly he ouercame for his membres sakes on whome he holly bestoweth hym selfe For what were we sely wormes of our selues Christe is our Justyce Christe is our vyctorie Christe is our hope and surenes Christe is our tryumphe and crowne He was borne a chylde but which Esai omitted not to vs he was borne to vs he was gyuen In lykewyse for vs he taughte for vs he healyd diseases caste forth dyuelles for vs he hungred and thyrsted for vs he was blasphemed for vs the time of deth approching he was striken with heuynes and werynes of lyfe for vs he swette bloud for vs he was bound and beate for vs he dyed and reuiued fynally for vs he sytteth on the ryght hande of the father Whyles he toke vpon hym all euyls due vnto vs he delyuered them vnto vs that we shulde ouercome theym Nowe that he hathe broken theyr strengthes hath added the strongenes of spirite according to the measure of our afflictions He hath shewed vs the way howe to ouercome he hath added a desire of figh ting to the fyghters he ministreth help So he ouercometh in vs if so be that we tary in hym We tarie by faithe and charitie If ye aske where this chyrograph or handwrytynge that assureth vs remaineth I answer in the canonicall scriptures in whiche we rede the wordis of god not of mē To these no lesse credence is to be youen than if god had spoken theym vnto the with his owne mouth yea I dare boldli say somwhat more largely For if god had spoken vnto the by some created lykenes perchaunce accordinge to thexample of certayne good men thou woldest haue doubted whether there were any disceite in the thynge But al this doubte the perpetuall consent of the catholyke churche hath cleane take away frome vs. Than in this handwriting to studye all our lyfe is the best preparation to dethe As thapostle sayth that by pacience and cōsolation of scriptures we maye haue hope Agayne if a man demaundeth how and whan Christe ouercame these I answere he ouercame the flesshe and shewed vs the maner of ouercomynge where as he fearynge and abhorrynge deathe accordynge to the nature which he toke vppon hym sayth to the father But yet not as I wyll but as thou wylte And in an nother place he wytnesseth of hym selfe sayenge I came not to do my wyll but his that sent me Nothynge is soo horrible to mans nature that by the helpe of Christe is not ouercome if we commytte and submytte vs hole to goddis wyl and in our moste greuous stormes of tribulations haue all tymes in mynde the sayenge of the good father and kyng Dauyd It is the lord let him do that semeth best in his eyes These wordes be not magicall but they be stronger than all enchantementes whiche who so euer pronounceth with his hart and cōtinueth with this trust he can not despayre thoughe the hole route of euyls with al the diuels in hel shuld inuade him Almyghty is he that fyghteth for vs and which speketh in the Psalme with hym I am in tribulation I wyll plucke hym oute and I wyll gloryfyē hym Whan thou herest with hym doo not prayse thyn owne strength but haue an eye to the power of the helper Whan thou herest I wyll plucke hym out be not desperate of mynde thoughe thou be somwhat longe in tribulations He wyll do withoute doute that he promysed and he knoweth whan it is expedient that thou shouldest be lyghted of thy euyls Whan thou herest I wyll glorify hym be thou assured that as thou were felowe with Christe of the Crosse so thou shalt be felowe with hym also of glory But remēbre what went before He cryed to me It is thy part to crye to crye to the lorde not to the succours of this worlde not to thy strengthes and good dedes but to the lorde which onely maye delyuer the frome these euyls Nothinge is frayler than man and yet no man can expresse with how many and how outragious euyls and fearefull myschefes he is besicged For to omyt thūders erthquakes see rages grounde openynges warres robberies wytchecraftes who can recken vp all fourmes of diseses And amongest these how many be there so horrible and so paynefulle that a man shall quake for feare to here them but named of the which sort be the fallynge syckenes the palsey the flayinge of the bladder the frāsye I wyll not speake of the often inuasiōs of Pestilences which dayly springe not only newe and newe but also worse and worse against all the remedyes of the Phisitiens so that it is most truly spoken of the Poet. ¶ Mille modis leti miseros mors vna fatigat Onely death with his cruell dart By thousand meanes make man to smart ¶ How is it possible that we so weake both of bodies of myndes can be able to match be good ynoughe for so many outragious stormes vtterly we were vndone though the burden of synne were away yf the hand of the lorde helped not oure imbecillytye Nowe remayneth an other myschefe that is to wytte the worlde whiche bringeth to good and godly persones no small batayle I call the worlde the olde man with his actes and concupiscences Howe be it vnder the name of worlde ye maye not vnconuenientely vnderstonde menne gyuen to this worlde which neuer haue ceassed nor neuer shal ceasse with their vttermost power to warre against Christ and his disciples But vnto this batayl Christ armeth vs sayeng Be bolde I haue vanquyshed the world But howe farre strange he was frome the concupiscence of worldly thynges he declareth whan he sayth The sonne of manne hath not where to reste his heed For therin euerye manne resteth his heed wherin his mynde is in quyete and as it were slepeth And how violent and croked this world is they knowe whiche ernestely go about to lyue vertuously in Christ Jesu He toke vpon him our concupiscēce but none otherwyse thanne he toke synne suffrynge for vs punyshement whiche was due for our affections and actes But all engyns and ordynaunces that this worlde had it threwe vppon our lorde as shame sclander awaytes myght tourmentes deathes What dydde not this worlde to the entente it myght vtterly quenche the name of Christe And so he lyueth and flouryssheth bothe in heauen and in erth Our lorde hath ouercome not that we shulde nowe slepe but that we shuld not despayre He hathe delyuered vnto vs our enemye not vtterly dead but broken vanquyshable to th entent that we by oure fyghtynge maye haue a crowne of glorye prepared for vs. If thou askest howe this worlde maye be vanquysshed John̄ the inwarde disciple of Christe teacheth This is quod he the victorie which ouercometh the worlde your Fayth Fyght than faythfully castyng all thy trust in the lorde nor doubt not but throughe his fauour and ayde thou shalt be a conquerour ¶ Now resteth synne wherein vnhappily we
them that be conuerted to their hart Do not weye the greatnes of thy crimes onely repent and thou shalt heare the lorde speking within the peace A worde of peace was that which was spokeÌ„ to that notorious sinfull woman Thy faithe hath saued the go in peace Saye with Dauid but saye with thy harte Peccaui domino I haue trespassed the lorde With those two wordes thou shalte turne the prepared and redy vengeance into mercy Such eares had he which saith Sacrifice for my sinne thou hast not required but eares thou hast made persite vnto me Of the eyes speaketh the. xii psalme Illuminate myne eyes leaste at anye tyme I sloumbre in deathe least my ennemy shulde saye I haue greuayled led against him Thou seest here that victorye is in the eyes rather thanne in the handes Deathe obscureth the eyes of the body but there shall be no cause why oure ennemy shall glory and triumphe vppon vs so loÌ„ge as faith sheweth lyght in the mynd neuer mouynge the eyes from Christ that was crucyfyed Yea this hole Psalme goth about nothinge elles but by the contemplation of the diuine mercy to resuscyte rayse vp agayne man that is in agony and in danger of desperation And therfore it foloweth They that trouble me ' shall ioye yf I be moued that is to say if I wauer in faith Thou hearest a great peryll but take a souerayne remedye But I haue trusted in thy mercy But howe cometh the hope of mercy My harte shall reioyse in thy saluatory I shall synge in prayse of the lorde whiche hath done me good The saluatorie or Saâ—y of god is Christ nor there is none other name in which we ought to be saued as it is sayd in the fourth chapter of the actes So great vertue hath the contemplation of Christ which was crucified for vs that desperation is tourned into hope hope into gladnes And he which before nyghe to desperation sayd They which trouble me shal reioyse yf I be moued now sayth My hart shall reioyse in thy saluatorye Thou haste hard victory now here the triumphe I wil synge to the lorde which hath gyuen good thinges vnto me Who hathe not his owne good dedes to synge let him syng the good dedes whiche god graunteth frely by his sonne If we haue truste in oure owne good dedes our aduersary wil therof reioyse but yf in the lorde Iesu we fyxe the shote ancre of hope our ennemye will shrynke lyke as the apostel reioysing saith in the. viii chapter to the Romans If god be for vs who is againste vs He also whiche spared not his owne sonne but for vs all delyuered hym to the Jewes howe will he not also with hym gyue all thinges vnto vs who shall make any complaint or accusation against the elect of god God is he that iustifyeth who is he that condempneth By this polycie meanes it is so brought aboute that sodeynely thinges shall be tourned and tossed vp sette downe and by the helpe of Christe he shall beare awaye the victory whiche semed desperate and the ennemy beynge discomfyted and repelled shall shrinke away which began right now to triuÌ„phe This vndoubtedly is the victory of faith of whych saynt JohnÌ„ speaketh in the. v. Epistle All that is engendred of god ouercometh the worlde and this is the victory which ouer cometh the worlde our fayth But who is he the whiche vanquysheth the world but he that beleueth that Iesus is the sonne of god whoÌ„ the father wolde that he shoulde be a sacrifyce for the synnes of all mankynde In this degre so longe as the souldyour of Christe standeth howe moche so euer that our ennemy the dyuell leapeth aboute how moch so euer he inuadeth vs we can not be ouercome But in this supreme and last battayle the ennemye to his vttermoste powers attempteth to brynge the sycke man into desperation which is amonge all crymes most greuous And therfore than in especiall resystence must be made on the contrary syde with all laboure and meanes soo that the sycke personne be moued taught and perswaded to all suche thynges that maye induce and brynge him to hope and confirme his mynde To this thinge shall helpe the ymage of the crucifixe layde right agaynst his eyes which may euer among renewe the infirme mynde of the sycke And also the pictures of tho sayntes in whome oure lorde wolde haue a memorial or monument of his bountie and mercy to be notorised publysshed as of Marye Magdaleyne of Peter wepinge after he had denyed our lorde and of suche lyke After this the rchersall of places of holy scriptures which do set forthe vnto vs the immense mercye of god charitie towarde mankynde but namely tho thinges which our lorde Jesus for the saluation of the worlde vouchesafed bothe to bo and to suffre There be innumerable such places which maye brynge great stronge comforte to a feble and wauerynge mynde For in this article of deathe the deuyll heapeth vp to mannes mynde all that euer may extynguyshe or put forth the sparke of faith and of hope He maketh suggestion how great the maieste and iustice of god is whiche so often hathe bene neglected defowled He amply fyeth the softnes and bountifulnes of hym that so oft hath bene neglected and reiected detortynge and wrasting that selfe thinge for a profe of desperation which ought to nouryshe hope of forgyuenesse He putteth in mynde so manye yeres euyll spent so many occasioÌ„s omytted whiche exhorted to well doynge yf any thing were ryghtely done he depraueth it and sclaunderously constreweth it to the worst He tempteth also and assayeth the faythe of the man to th entent he myght doubt of the authoritie of scriptures of the artycles which that the church hath taught vs proÌ„ptyng into our myndes the reasons of philosophërs and of heretykes and perplexe and doubtfull questions of the creation and redemption of the worlde of the immortalytie of soules of the resurrectioÌ„ of bodyes of Christe whether he was trewe god and man of the sacrameÌ„tes of the church what strength they haue of the prescience predestination of god wrastyng and wrything all thinges to distruste and desperation deprauinge also the testimonies of scriptures to the same purpose whiche thinge he presumed to do also vpon our lorde the author of scriptures Besyde this these thinges do helpe our aduersary in this behalfe as it were by occasion that is to wyt the peynfulnesse of the syckenes the drede of death the horrour of hell and the naturall weaknesse of the mynde and heuynesse of harte which the greuous sicknes causeth Wherfore to this inclination the ennemy is redye in his assawtes workinge all craft and layenge all his ordynaunces and engyns to throwe and dryue to the ground the weake and wauerynge personne But in lyke wyse as with synnes a man ought not to struggle but from consyderation of theym to tourne awaye his mynde to the grace
PREPARATION TO DEATHE A boke as deuout as eloquent compiled by Erasmus Roterodame Phil. 1. MIHI VIVERE Christus est mori lucrum THE PREFACE DESIDERIVS ERASMVS OF ROTERODAME to the ryght noble lorde Thomas Erle of wylteshyre and of Drmanie sendeth gretynge TO THE VERY PERfyte conclusyon of Christes lore your lordeshyp calleth me mooste noble Erle and yet more noble in the study of godlynes than in the ornamentes of fortune in that ye prouoke me to adde to my former bokes some lytle thynge teachinge howe a man ought to prepare hym to deth For this is of mans lyfe the last part as it were of the playe wherof hangeth eyther euerlastynge blysse of man or euerlastynge damnation This is the laste fyghte with the enemye wherby the souldiour of Christe loketh for eternall triumphe yf he ouercome and euerlastynge shame if he be ouercome As tonchynge my selfe I haue bene hole in this busynesse this great whyle where as youre exhortation was as who sayth a spurre to hym that renneth Howe be it at that tyme I studyed for myne owne priuate comfort But your goodnes coueteth that also this frute throughe vs myght be made commun vnto many Wolde god that the lorde of his goodnes wyll graunt to your most holy requestes and to myne endeuour a prosperous ende at leaste I wyll not wrastle againste his wyll throughe whose instincte I suppose this myne obsequye and seruyce to be demaunded of your lordeshyp ¶ Fare ye well At Friburge the Lalendes of Decembre the yere of oure lorde a thousand fyue hundreth thyrty and thre A BOKE OF ERASMVS OF Aotcrodame how euery man ought for to prepare hym selfe to dye OF ALL DRADFVLL thinges death is moste dradfull sayth a certayn Philosopher of greate fame but which had not herde that heuenly Philosopher whyche hath taught vs not onely with wordes but also with euydente examples that a man perysheth not by death of body but is drawen in sondre and that the soule is ledde forth as it were out of a prison most paynful in to blessed reste and the body also shall lyue agayne to be partaker of the glorye He had not herde this principle of the spirite Blessed be the deade whiche dye in the lorde He had not herde Paule lametynge and syghynge I couet to be dissolued and be with Christ. And Christ to me is lyfe and deathe is lucre But it is nothinge to be merueyled at if they whiche beleue that the hole man perysheth by death nor haue not this hope whyche onely the fayth in Christe worketh in vs eyther bewayle the deathe of other or feare and abhorre their owne This is rather to be merueyled that there be so many such as I am which whā they haue lerned and do professe al Christis philosophie yet so feare death as thoughe eyther they do beleue that nothing of man remayneth after the brethe expired or as thoughe they mystruste the promyses of Christ or els as thoughe they vtterly despayre of them selues The first propretie of these thre is of beastly personnes suche as Sardanapalus was The seconde is of infidelles which haue no truste in Christ and the thirde is of theym that be ignoraunt of goddes mercye In this behalfe they seme lyke to hethen persons that be ignorant of god For he is ignoraunt of god that knoweth not hym to be of infynite mercy This without question that the commun sorte of men do thus feare at the namynge of death cōmeth partly of the vnstedfastnes of faith partely of the loue of worldly thinges He knoweth of no tremblyng which in ful trust sayth with the spostle Whether we lyue we lyue to the lorde or whether we dye we dye to the lorde Wherfore whether we lyue or whether we dye we be the lordes But that the lorde ones hath receyued into his protection can not peryshe Out of this fountayne springeth the voyce of the prophete wytnessynge his vnfearful mynde If I shuld walke in the myddes of the shadowe of deth I wyll not feare euyls bycause thou arte with me For the faith full lorde neuer forsaketh them which yelde them holly to his grace but kepeth them as the moste tender parte of his eye For he is lorde both of lyfe and death to whome nothinge is deade but all thinges lyue which cleaue to hym by faith Of the weakenes of faythe is gendred the loue of temporall commodities For if with our hole herte we beleued the thinges that god hath promysed vs by his sonne Jesus all the delectations of this worlde shoulde sone be lyttell regarded and death whiche setteth vs euer vnto them with a paynefulle but yet a short passage shuld be les feared The wyse man cryeth O death how bitter is thy memorye But what addeth he To a manne hauynge peace in his substaunce He sayth not hauynge ryches For many good men haue possessed rychesse but to him that hath his quietnes in them That that is spo ken of ryches the same is to be vnderstond of honours pleasurs wyfe childern kynsfolke frēdes of beautie youth good helth brefely of all kynde of commodities which death plucketh frome both good and euyll The more ferventely we loue a thynge the more paynefully we be plucked frome it If thou be in loue with anye thynge thou shalte leye it downe agaynste thy wyll sayth certayne wyse pagane Now he is in loue with these temporall thynges who so euer resteth in them as in propre and perpetuall goodes where as these are but borowed transytory to be layde downe not onely paciently but also thankfully so oft as he demaundeth them agayne which gaue them For in these worldly goodes a manne to set his rest this is to enioye theym whiche he ought to vse and that also by the waye and as it were in his passage as the apostle aduertyseth the Corinthes It remayneth bretherne that they that haue wyues shulde be as not hauynge and they that wepe as not wepynge and they that ioye as not ioyenge and they that bye as not possessynge and they that vse this worlde as thoughe they vsed it not For the fashion of this worlde passeth awaye We be wayfarynge men in this worlde not inhabytantes we be as straungers in Innes or to speke it better in bouthes or tentes we lyue not in our countrey This holle lyfe is nothinge elles but a rennynge to deathe and that very shorte but death is the gate of euerlastynge lyfe ¶ Amongest the Iewes bycause contractes and purchases were expyred and ended by a certayn daye by the order of their lawes how moch shorter the space of tyme was so moche was the price of thinges the lyghter Than howe moche more ought al these transitorie thinges be of lytel regard that are in daunger of so manye chaunces whiche though no casualtie plucked away yet death plucketh away all from all men Adde herevnto that they whiche renne at a game se howe moche space they
haue left behynd them and howe moch remaineth to the marke And in tymes past they that loked for the Iubilie knewe howe longe they might enioy that that they had bought But there is no mortall man whiche certainely knoweth that he shall lyue vntyll the nexte day We renne but hauynge deathe in oure fete yea carieng it aboute on all our body We haue receiued our life frely of the lord but condicionally that we surrender it at euery moment whan he demandeth it Howe though it chanceth vs to liue vntil extreme age whiche to how fewe it chaunceth euery man knoweth O lorde god what is the hole lyfe of man but a very short rennynge place wherin wyl we wyl we not we renne contynuallye slepe we wake we be we in welth or in wo The contynuall course of the worlde carieth vs away lyke a boystous flode although we seme to our selues or to other to stand styl Than if prices of world ly thynges be estemed by the shortenes of tyme howe moche more vyle oughte tho thynges to be whiche haue not so moch as one howre certayne Nowe the thynges that we lyttelle regarde we lyttelle force though they be plucked awaye from vs as they why che be not at home but in strange countreys if any coÌ„moditie appereth vnto them in the way or in theyr ynnes they cast not their mynd greatly therto bicause they must leue forth with the thing that delyteth them and if any incoÌ„modite chaunce them they beare it easely thinkyng thus Here I dine my supp is ordeined in an other place The thinges that be sene sayth Paule be teÌ„porall and tho that be not sene be eternall And this is a greate parte of the Christen philosophie whiche prepareth vs to dethe that by the contemplation of thinges eternall and heuenly we maye lerne the despisynge of temporall and erthly Plato iuged the hole philosophy none other thynge but a meditation of deathe He callyd a meditation a preparation as who shuld say an exercyse to death none otherwyse thaÌ„ a yong warriour that shal in time commynge fyght with his ennemy exercyseth hym selfe at a tylte Whiche is a ryghte holsome saying if that whiche is spoken of the philsopher philosophically be taken of christen men christeÌ„ly For not the contemplation of mathematicall formes abstracte from the mattiers nor yet the imagination of Idee whiche Plato deuysed causeth vs to dye wel but if with the eies of feithe we consider in our mindes the goodes passyng al mans wyt whiche god hath promised by his son Jesus to them that trust vnto hym the euils which he hath thretnid to infidels disobedient Thone shal feare vs from sinning the other shal prouoke vs to do wel I grant an eternall veritie in certayn humayn lerninges but suche as procureth to no man the true felicitie But here the promiser is euerlastinge euerlastyng is he by whom he promiseth euerlasting be the thinges ê“mysed euerlastinge felicitie they brynge to the beleuers euerlasting infelicitie to the despisers This meditation of deth is the meditation of the true life And it causeth not only that the philosopher promiseth which is that the soule shulde depart from the bodye with lesse heuynesse but also that with cherefulnes of hart it shuld lepe merily as it were out of a darke and painful prison into blessed libertie into that light so louely which is void of any nyght or darknes For the body whiche is corruptible accombreth the soule and the erthely habitation depresseth the mynd reuoluing many thynges And therfore crieth the ê“phete Lede out of prison my soule that it may coÌ„fesse thy name Lorde The summe of mans felicitie is to contemplate and prayse his maker redemer gouernour To this end is man created This felicitie of man is oftentymes disturbed by the weakenes of this body which we cary aboute subiecte to so many necessities to so many euyls to so many peryls In like wyse also saynt Paule accombred with the carnall habytation pytyfully syghynge crieth O I vnhappy man who shall delyuer me froÌ„ this body of deth For he saw them in high blysse whiche dwelled in the house of the lorde pray synge hym worlde without ende Of this affection be men of the ryght holynes of whome though the bodyes kepe in erth yet their treasure harte and conuersation is in heuens But few men haue this perfection and strongenes of mynde It is not gyuen to al men to say with Paul Christ to me is lyfe and to dye is a lucre And I couet to be dissolued and be with Christe We beinge our selues weake prepare this consolation to them that be weake vnto whom yet thexamples of the perfyte lyuers be as who saith prickes and prouocations to obteyne the strength of the spirite Wherfore this meditation of dethe is through out all the lyfe to be exercysed and euer amonge the sparke of feyth is to be styred vp that it may encreace and gather streÌ„gth to whom charytie annexed shall drawe vnto it hope whiche neuer maketh his maister ashamed But we haue none of these oure selfes but they be the gyftes of god with contynuall prayers and vowes to be vowed for if they lacke and if we haue them to be augmentid that they may encreace The stronger that feyth accompanied with Hope and Charitie is the lesse is the tremblynge For that most part of vs thus abhoire from the men tion of death it commeth commonly of the vnstedfastnes of fayth But on the promises of god ought man to haue moste certain trust For he is onely he whiche of nature true can not deny hym selfe To whom the noble psalmograph syngeth Euerlastingely lorde thy worde abydeth In heuen worlde without ende is thy trouth which also in the Euangel pronounceth of hym selfe Heuen and erthe shall passe but my wordes shal not passe What hath he promysed He hathe promysed vyctorye of deathe vyctorye of fleshe of the worlde and of the dyuell He hath promysed remission of synnes he hath promysed an hundrede tymes as moche in this worlde euerlastyng lyfe in the next But in what wyse hathe he promysed By our owne ryghtwysenes No truely but by grace of faythe whiche is vpon Christ Iesus And to the entent we shulde be the surer he hath annulled cancelled that fyrst handwrityng whiche Adam vnhappily had described vnto vs naylynge it to the crosse and hath giuen vs his handwriting of grace whiche he hath scaled with his owne blod and hath confirmed it with innumerable testimonies of prophetes apostels martyrs and virgins whiche with their blode alsoo haue subscribed And the vnyuersal church of Christen men and holy fathers also haue subscribed He hath more ouer added the erneste penye of the spirite that our truste shulde wauer in no part And the goodnesse of god not coÌ„tented with these hath vouchesafed to shewe vnto all men an euidente and notable example in his onely begotten sonne
death by whiche we be transformed frome the ymage and forme of the old Adam into the ymage of the new Adam which is Christ our lorde This is a separation of the fleshe frome the spirite Nor here is no small wrastlynge nor so moche as any hope of victory if the spirite of Christ helped not the weaknes of our flesh But the grace of hym in vs hath slayne the olde man so that nowe we be led not with our spirite but with the spirite of god nor we our selues lyue not but Christ lyueth in vs. This moste happye deathe whether it hath chaunced to any man fully in this lyfe I can not saye Neuerthelesse the goodnes of our lorde vouche safeth to supplye of his owne that that our imbecillytie can not do This deathe is to be coueted and with all our deuoyr practysed and meditate through out all our lyfe Lyke as saynt Paule wryteth to the Corynthians Alwayes bearyng the mortification of Iesu Christe in our body that also the lyfe of Iesu myght be manifested in oure bodyes To the same he exhorteth the Colossenses Mortyfye your membres which be vpon erthe He byddeth not pluck out the eyes or choppe of the handes or cut awaye oure preuey membres but what membres It foloweth Fornication vnclennes lust euyll concupiscence and couetyse The common sorte of men mourne for thē the which dye but blessed Paule to the Colossia ns reioyseth this deathe Ye be sayth he deade and your lyfe is hyd with Christe in god This deathe is mother of the spirituall lyfe lykewyse as synne is the father of the spirituall deathe and also of the deathe infernall But in these kyndes of deathe the moste parte of men behaue theym selfes preposterouslye and cleane contrarye to that they shoulde doo At the mention of the bodyly deth how tremble we for fere They of old tyme hated Cypresse for no other cau se but that it was wonte to be had in buryals and also the herbe smallage bycause graues were hanged about with it And at this day there be many which at the sauour of frank insence stoppe their noses and vse fell curses and execrations for bycause as I suppose at buryals fumigations be made of it But the spirituall deathe is more horrible than syxe hundred deathes of the body and to this wylfully and with great courage we runne gloryenge and bostynge whanne we haue done wyckedly reioysynge in thinges moste vngodly We be dismayd and besyde our selues whan we be in ieoperdye that the sowle shuld departe from our wretched body which shulde lyue moche more happyly out of this prison but how moche more iustly ought we to be dismayde whan we be in peryll lest god the lyfe eternal wil forsake our sowle The howse wherin any hath dyed is called cōtagious pestiferous and funestall and we stoppe our noses whā we passe by it But the wyse man iudgeth it farre better to go to the hous of mourning than to the house of feastynge In mourninges we be naturally heuye and sadde But this heuynes bycause it is after a godly fashyon worketh in vs a stedfast helthe saluation Whyles it warneth vs of the laste tyme and of the thinges ensuyng the same and calleth vs backe to repentance nor suffreth vs not to synne eternallye They be happyly present at a mournynge whiche so bewayle an other mans bodyly deathe that they begynne to be moone them selfes whiche be stryken with a more greuous death whether than is better to deuoure a bytter potiō that by the peyne of one howre thou mayst gayne perpetuall helth of thy bodye or elles in a feaste to drinke pestiferous and venomous swete wynes whiche with their shorte pleasure maye brynge to the drynker sodeyne deathe But of these thynges many men are so clere careles that in baudy cornars they singe and make mery as dronk as myse Some make their auaunt and reioyce whyche by fraude and disceyte haue citeyned to ryches some triumphe whiche with wycked craftes be rysen to honours and promotions Do not the commū people call the wallowynge in stynkyng lustes and delicious fare a lyfe But tho that thus lyue be twyse deed First bycause they be voyde and destitute of the spirite of god Secondly bycause that euen nowe all redy they be the children of damnatiō and of the euerlastynge fyre For lyke as the lyfe of good men deed in the fleshe is hyd in god and shall appere and shewe it self togither with Christ so in these whiche haue gyuen them selfes to the flesshe the death eternall is hyd and shal appere in the last iugement Onely hope dothe seuer the synner in this lyfe from hell For as longe as the breth is in man so longe he hathe hope of pardon forgyuenes How be it we had nede to take right good hede lest our hope whiche cometh not of faith and charitie deceyue vs. Thus some man flattereth hym selfe I am yong I wil take the pleasure of this world whan I come to aage thanne wyll I fall to goodnes But O thou hard hart who hath promysed y t to come to age Another saith whyle I am in the flowers of my age I wil folowe my luste and pleasure whanne I am maryed than I wyll begynne to be thryfty But O thou flatterer of thy self how knowest thou whether thou shalt lyue vntyll to morowe There is perchance some manne that thinketh thus I will at laste make my selfe a fryer or a monke and than I wyl bewayle my lyfe euyll spente In the meane whyle I wyl vse the pleasure of this world Admyt that lyfe be graunted the who hath promysed the that thou shalte haue this mynde and wyll to forsake pleasures imbrace repentance Can euery man that wyl gyue to hym selfe this mynde Onely the grace of Christe is cause that a man can repent and come agayne to his herte But he frely and at his owne lybertie gyueth it to whome he wylleth and whan he wylleth Certes as touchyng the synner he is now all redy in hel Is it not a prodigious blyndnesse that a man beynge in so horrible state wyll prefyxe hym selfe a daye whan to recent hym of his lyuinge the which man yf he shulde fall into a pyt or be cast in prison wolde thynke all the hast of them that shuld alucke hym out to slowe Out of the pytte he wolde forthwith crye for mans helpe whan he is set in so great euyls wyll he not 〈◊〉 continent desyre goddes helpe whiche onely rayseth the deed Who so euer than in this lyfe will diligently practise the traniformatorye death and vehemently abhorre the deathe spirituall and the deathe infernall shall lesse feare the deathe of the body whan it approcheth which dothe not seuer vs from god but hathe ioyned vs nerer to god and maketh an ende for euermore of al afflictions with the whiche this lyfe is on euery syde vexed and setteth vs ouer to euerlastynge reste Thou wylte saye
of Caria soo many tymes the multitude of phisitions kyll many sycke men but also that theyr offycious and busy cure whyle that one counsayleth one thynge and an nother an other thynge and eche desyreth at the perylle of an nother to be compted very wise and by that meanes medicines be heaped vpon me dyeines it commeth than to passe that the sycke manne hath noo leysure iustelye and fully to regarde the mattiers concernynge his sowle helthe Doubtlesse whan perylle commeth ouerfaste vppon the moste valyant and strongest comfortes must be giuen at whiche tyme many do flatter hym that is in the departyng ye and many flatter them selues with vulgar remedies of none effect as whan one counsayleth hym to cōmande his executours to bury hym in the coote of suche or suche friers or monkes or to make an auowe to god that if he recouer he wyl be professed in the order of the monkes of Charterhowse Why is not the sycke man rather monyshed to absteyne frome suche maner of vowes durynge the tyme of his sycknes and that it is sufficient if he pourpose to chaunge his lyfe into better and as touchynge the fourme of lyuynge let hym delyberate with hym selfe whan he is hole and free from perturbations and feare For a foolysshe promyse displeaseth god And that is foolyshe whiche feare extorteth of a distourbed mynde An other saythe Dye without drede I within the space of a yere wyll go to Hierusalem for the or I wylle crepe on my bare knees to saynt James or I wyll go into saynt Patrikes purgatorye whiche is in Ireland I knewe a woman of noble byrthe and of high prudence whiche by testamente deuysed to a prieste a good somme of money to synge masse dayly durīg the space of a yere at Rome as though the masses at Rome were of more holynes than the masses of Englande And yet that money had ben better bestowed if she had bound that priest neuer to go to Rome For I know the person very well whom I iuge rather to do sacrifice to Uenus than to god Other some exhort him to bye all the good dedes of some house of religion or of some order I deny not but there is gret comfort in the communion of holy men but yet neuerthelesse whether god wyll allowe and ratifie suche contractes I doubt After my sentence it is a more redy remedy ageinste desperation to putte before the eies of the sycke perfone the communion or parte takynge of the holle church which spredeth very farre conteynyng all the good menne from the begynnynge of the worlde which haue pleased god In whiche company be also the aungelles This hole felawshyppe and fraternite with theyr vowes and prayers dothe helpe the paciente lokynge for a glorious victorie Why than shulde he caste away his buckelar whiche hath soo manye companies succouryng hym If the prayer of one religious house causeth the man to hope in this numbre be al houses I speake not this to th entent that it auayleth not to require the prayers of certayn men or that the prayers of few be not profitable namely yf they come of a christen and free charitie but that to styre and pluck vp the hope of the sycke man the contemplation of the vniuersall churche is of greatter strength For by this way his hart shall be more confirmed But the moste puisant solace of all is neuer to remoue the eyes of faith frome Christ whiche gyueth him selfe holly vnto vs whome we haue a suter for vs vnto god which neuer cesseth crienge Come to me al ye that labour and be burdened and I wil ease you In the hollownes of this rock let him hyde hym into this persones woundes let the sycke man crepe and he shal be sure frō Satanas Wherher to so euer that wyly serpent plucketh away his mynde let hym alwayes haue his eyes to that brasen serpent fixed on a hyghe pole to the contemplatiō of whiche Paule calleth backe agayne the Galatees whiche for none other cause began to wauer than that they turned their eies from the crucifixe The venemous bytynges of the fleynge spirites shal not noye hym yf fayth with vnmouynge ere 's beholdeth that signe of euerlastyng helth Christ hangynge on the crosse is a signe of triūph a signe of victorie a signe of euerlastynge glorye For oure sakes he fought for oure sakes he ouercame for our sakes he wanne the triumphe only so that we haue the eyes of our fayth intentyue and wakynge herevpon In humayne warres it is no lytel help to victorie which thinge Alcibiades prayseth in Socrates neuer to wynke But in this conflyct which we haue with our spirituall ennemy the hole hope of the victorye is in the eyes But there is moche diuersifie in the two batayles For in the mundane warres it muste be marked on euerye syde with intentife eyes what the ennemy doth but in this battayle we muste be blynde and deafe at the assautes of the deuyll and only haue our eyes fyxed to the sygne of grace our eares lyfte vp to the voyce of our redemer Satanas casteth tho thynges into our myndes which hepe vp the ire of god But Christ hanginge on the crosse she weth tokens of mercy The dyuel barketh ayenst vs such thinges as wold brynge man downe to desperation Christe speapeth the thinge that plucketh man vp to hope For fayth as it hath eyes so also it hath eares The holy goste requireth of the soule both these two senses whiche saythe in the. xliiii Psalme Audi filia vide incline aurē tuam Harken daughter and see and incline thyne eare Harken that thy spouse byddeth and commaundeth and see what he pramyseth And if that it shall seme inconuenient a thinge not lykely that so great a felicitie is prepared for them whyche set their truste in our lorde Iesu inclyne thyn eare that the thinges which passe mans wytte and reason for this self consyderation thou mayst well beleue bycause it is the lorde which hath promysed it whose mercy is no lesse incomprehensyble than is almightines Of these eares maketh mention the. lxxxiiii Psalme I wil heare what the lorde speketh in me Harken not what in the speketh the flesh what the dyuel what mās reason for they speake nothing but desperatiō but heare what the lorde speaketh in the. For he speketh peace vnto his communaltie The churche is the communaltie of the lorde a nation peculiar and the people of acquisitiō be thou of this people and thou shalt heare the lorde speakinge thinges of peace It foloweth And vpon his sayntes Here agayne mans infirmitie falleth downe crienge I am a damned persone Alas I am all laden with synnes what felawshyp haue I with sayntes or holy men But he sayth not Vpon the holy mē of the lawe or of Moyses but vpon his holy ones His holy ones be they whom he hath sanctified by his sonne If thy mynde be not quieted harken what foloweth And vpon