of Christ so with the deuyll we shoulde not dispute but whan he suggesteth and casteth into mans mynde wycked and vngodly thynges he must say to hym Abi retro Satana So backe Satanas It is not lefull for me to doubte of tho thinges which the churche instructed by the holy goste hath taught and it is also sufficient to beleue tho thinges which I can not attayne with my wytte They tell a certayne thinge not out of holy scripture but neuerthelesse to the mattier that we go now about it is sufficientely accommodate mete of two whome the dyuell at tyme of their deth tempted of their beleue the one was lerned in Philosophie the other was nothinge but a Christen man rude and vnlerned he assayled the fyrst how he beleued whether that Christ was god and mā whether that he was born of a virgin and whether he beleued the generall resurrection And began with reasons of Philosophie to demonstrate that it was impossible to ioyne tho thinges in one betwixt whiche there is no agreance as betwyxt fynite and infynite create and increate Furthermore that it is against nature that a virgyn shulde brynge forth a childe without carnal knowledge of man nor that accordynge to Aristotell the Prynce of the Philosophers there can be no returne frome priuation to the habyte What nedeth mo wordes The man wauered and was conuicte and the dyuell departed a victour The other rude man whā the dyuel asked him how he beleued of this and of that thynge he aunswered him with a cōpendious way As the church beleueth Agayne whan he obiected howe dothe the churche beleue Marye quod he as I beleue How dost thou beleue As the church beleueth How beleueth the church As I beleue Frome this rude vnprepared man so disputations but with symple fayth stable and stedfast the gostly ennemy departed vanquyshed This aunswere is good ynoughe to confounde and dryue awaye the subtyll and craftye ennemy the dyuell But chiefly it is good in obscure and doubtefull causes and matters As yf the ennemy wyll suggest or some other captious felaw how maye it be that in thre persones there shuld be one god and one essencie in numbre and also by whatte meanes they be distincte the one from the other Let him make answere thus Euen as the churche beleueth How can all one bodye be in dyuers places all at one tyme And how in the Sacramente of the aulter maye the trewe body of a man be conteyned in so lytell a space Let him answere as the church beleueth Agayn what maner of fyre is in hell how can a bodyly thing be an agent in an vnbodyly substance let him answere as the church beleueth Or yf any thinge is to be answered let him answere with fewe wordes eyther out of the Crede which dayly ought to be rehersed vnto the sicke man or out of holy scripture or els by the spirite of faith If Satan heapeth vp the greatnes of his synnes let him turne hym to god and say Auerte faciem tuā a peccatis meis Turne thy face lorde frome my sinnes loke vpon the face of thy sonne Christ Jesus Dyuell The noumbre of thy synnes do passe the grauell of the see Man But yet the mercye of god is more plentuous Dyuell How doest thou trust to haue a rewarde of rightwysenes which art all vnrightwyse Mā My rightwysnes is Christ. Dyuell Shalt thou whiche art all beclad in wyckednesse go with Peter and Paule to euer lastynge blysse Man No but with the thefe to whome it was sayde on the crosse This daye thou shalt be with me in Paradyse Dyuell How hast thou this trust which hast done nothinge that is good Man Bycause I haue a good lorde an intreatable iudge and a gracious aduocate Dyuell Thou shalt be haled downe to hell Man My heed is in heuen Dyuell Thou shalt be damned Man Thou art a barratour and a fals harlot no iudge a damned fende no damnour Dyuell Many legions of dyuels wayte for thy soule Man I shoulde despaire yf I had not a protectour which hath ouercom your tyranny Dyuell God is not iuste if for thy euyll dedes he gyueth the euerlasting lyfe Man Nay he is iuste that kepeth his promises and I longe sythen haue appeled frome his iustice vnto his mercye Dyuell Thou flattereste thy selfe with vayne hope Man He that is verite can not lye it is thy properte to be false of promyses Dyuelle Thou seest what thou leauest behynde but what thou shalt haue thou seest not Manne The thinges that be sene be temporall and the thinges that be not sene be euerlasting and he seeth and more than seeth whiche surely and stedfastly beleueth Dyuel Thou departest hence laden with euyll dedes and naked of good dedes Man I will praye to the lorde that he wyll dyscharge me of my euyls and clothe me in his good thinges Dyuell But god heareth not synners Man But he heareth penitentes and for synners he dyed Dyuell Thy repentance is to late Man It was not to late vnto the thefe Dyuell The thefes faithe was stedfaste thyne wauereth Man I wyll praye to the lorde that he will encrease my faith Dyuel Thou doeste falsely perswade thy selfe that thou haste a mercyfull lorde which with so many euyls vexeth and punyssheth the. Man He healeth as a louynge phisition Dyuell Why than wolde he that thy deathe shoulde be so bytter Man It is the lorde he can not wil but that thinge which is good Why shulde I an vnprofytable seruaunt refuse to suffre the thinge that the lorde of glory hath suffred Dyuell It is a wretched thing to dye Mā Blessed be they which dye in the lord Dyuell But the deathe of synners is euyll Man He ceasseth to be a synner which with hope of mercy acknowlegeth hym self for a synner Dyuell Thou leauest this worlde Man Frome heuy exyle I departe into my natiue countreye Dyuell Thou leauest behynde the many great commodities good thinges Man But many mo euyll thinges Dyuell Thou leauest thy rychesse Manne They be other mens that I leaue I beare myne with me Dyuel What dost thou bere syth thou hast no goodnes in the Mā That is trewly myne which the lorde hath frely gyuen me Dyuell Thou forsakest wyfe and childerne Man They be the lordes I cōmyt them vnto hym Dyuell It is an harde thinge to be plucked away from the derely beloued Man Within short space they shall folow me Dyuell From thy swete frendes thou arte sundered Manne I go to sweter frendes In as moche as the moste wyly and subtill ennemy whome he can not drawe to desperatiō entyseth and solliciteth them to a trust and confidence in them selfes to th entent that whō he can not thrust down heedlong he maye brimge vp on a heyght and so confounde them therfore against this no smal daungier the sycke man must be armed defended and protected Lykewyse also as againste the daungier of desperation it is
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
consūmation and ende of the world it was ordeined and by fatall destenye prefixed euery man ones to dye And therfore the grekes call dethe in theyr langage moros whiche cometh of the verbe miro that is to say to allotte bycause it is allotted distributed and appoynted to all men alyke and indifferently to kinges bishops dukes erles barons knyghtes esquiers gentylle men yomen and beggars What impacience is it than a man not to fynde in his harte to suffre that euylle whiche is common to suche so greatte and soo many Doste thou flee with all the holye men to submytte thy selfe and surrender that thynge whyche wyll thou or wyll thou not must be rendred and repayed to nature He that of nature was immortall for the became mortall And dost thou which art borne to dye and haste deserued deth so oft require besydes all other men to be had immortal Wherfore recount thou here with thy selfe howe many and what felawes of this sort and condition thou hast and so doinge thou shalt beare more euenly and with a more quyete mynd thin allotte and state Otherwise if thou do vndoutedly thou shalt seme no lesse proude and presumptuous in disdainyng that thou shalte dye than if a man wold dysdayn that he is borne or that he is created a man and not an aungelle This is the fyrst asswagement of dethe whiche in my conceite is not smalle And it shall be made stronger yf we iustely accompte with our selues what maner thynges tho be whyche we haue lefte here behynde vs. For many feare deth only hauing regard to the commodities whiche they leaue here behynde Than come in mynde the swete sight of the sonne the moste goodly ordynance of the fyrmament the pleasant hewe of the springynge world playes feastes wyfe chyldren house gardeynes But thou must open the other eie wherwith thou mayst beholde how moche more of euils and incōmodities thou leauest behynd than of plesures and commodities and in very those whiche appere good and cōmodious howe moche calamitie and bitternes is migled therwith Reuolue in mind all the degrees of lyfe consider howe foule the conceyuing is howe perillous the bearyng howe myserable the delyueryng and byrthe in how many dangers of hurtes the infancie is in howe great ieopardie of iniurie and wronge is chyldhode howe spotted with vicious lyuyng is youth with how many cares distracte is the mannes age in what myserie and wretchidnes is olde age and this thinge seriously reuolued in memo rie I stande in doubt whether a man canne fynde any one person so happily borne that if god wolde graunt vnto hym to begynne and come vp agayne by the same steppes euen from his conception through oute all the hole proces cours of his former lyfe vntyll age to enioye lyke pleasures and to suffre like displeasures wold take this proferre annexed to suche condition What notable blyndnes is it than so greattely to be troubled whan that thynge is to be surrendred which if it were lauful for vs to begin a new we wold refuse I omit now the euils in which this life is so wrapped that certain hethē men iuged nothing to be yeuē to man of the goddis to speake after their maner more liberally bountifully than that they haue addid vnto him a power liberte to be reue him self of his life so ost as shal be sene vnto him And that noble poete douted not to pronoūce no liuing thing more wretched than man Than if thautoritie of the hethen prophet be light Ecclesiastes that godly holy person feared nat to write that Better is the day of deathe than of the byrthe Thus moche haue we spoken of euylles nowe of goodes and plesures recount with thy selfe howe many cares and thoughtes ryches do brynge from whiche nowe thou canst nat be plucked away how moch more gall than hony the wyfe bringeth for whose loue thou fearest nowe deathe howe moch busynes and care of mynd bredeth the bryn gyng vp of thy chyldren how moch grefe and disworship do their maners cause Adde to all these the mynde of man alwayes decaying drawyng downeward to wors and wors For though not in al yet surely in the moste part of men the sayeng of Austyn is true Qui maior est etate maior est iniquitate He that is greatter in aege is greatter in wyckednesse Fynally sette on thy right hande the pleasures and commodities of this lyfe and on thy lefte hande the incommodities and cōsyder the shortenesse of the hole tyme that we lyue here Infancy is not felt chyldhod slyppeth away er we be ware youth is takē vp with sondry cares age crepeth vpon vs er we perceyue it what is the hole summe of this lyfe but a minute to that eternitie wherto we be assumpte if we lyue wel and plucked down if otherwyse Of these thin ges an ernest contemplation is no light remedy ayenst the horrour of deathe An other is whiche is stronger also thā this that the lorde dieng for the hath caused that dethe whiche heretofore was the passage to hell is nowe the yate to heuen and whiche in tymes paste was the begynnynge of euerlastyng punishmentes is now the entrynge to euerlastinge ioyes so that now to them that trust in Christ deth is not onely no damage but also a great auayl and lucre And to the ende that no parte of man shulde be myssed he hym selfe arrysyng agayn with holy men a great multitude hath made vs to haue a moste assured hope that the tyme shall come whan our bodyes shall reuyue in the laste day and than glorifyed shal take again euery one his gest the soule to be from thensforth a solas and no lengar a burdeyne But of deth forthwith we shal haue a place to speake more at large Nowe to accomplyshe the matter that we be in hand with one euyl is yet left to speke of more terrible and more horrible than all these gathered togither into one heape I meane helle from whens they say no man can returne whiche swaloweth vp all togither nor neuer yeldeth ageyne that it hath ones deuoured This is the puddell dungeon of desperation and as the Apocalips speaketh the seconde deth Let euery man thynke with hymselfe what maner of lyfe that is where is of all euyls the greattest that is to say immortalitie where a greatte parte of punyshement is the felawshyp of diuels and wicked men where is fyer neuer to be quenched to which ours if it be comparyd is very yce Adde that fyer is there the leste portion of sorowes whiche sorowes neuertheles be so greate that of mans wyt they can not be compassed no more thā can the ioy felicitie of them that be good In euils be they neuer so greuous neuer so longe yet some comforte and asswagemente bryngeth hope as it were a certayne lyttell starre shyning afarre of in moste thicke and profounde darkenes but hell with extreme euyls hath extreme
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
tumble and breake their neckes or to leape into a welle or strāgle their throtes with some corde or thrust thē selfis into the guttes with some knyfe or sworde For there be diseases whiche do corrupte the inwarde weselles of the mynd whyche persones be commonly called in the latyne tongue demoniaci that is to saye possessed with dyuels But neyther by these thinges a man is not to be iuged syth that Chrysosto thus doth moste louyngly comfort a certain monke whiche was possessed with a dyuell Howe be it tho kyndes of deth which haue a manyfest colour of wyckednes is a good christen mans parte to desyre to escape and to abhorre it Contrary wise somme we see haue so gentyll a deathe that they seme to sleepe and not to dye But what facion of death so euer chaunceth no man is therby to be estemed No not so moch as of them whiche by the lawes are for their myscheious dedes put to execution though they chaunce to haue a shamefull dethe we maye not iudge temerousely For it may be that he whiche for treason is hanged drawen and quartered passeth into the company of aungelles where as an nother the whiche dyeng in a gray friers cote and relygiously buried departeth downe vnto hell It is the lorde whiche iugeth of these thynges By sundry wyses god exerciseth and purgeth his seruantes but as I sayd no euyl deth is that to be thought which good life spente before Otherwhyles they that dye moste easily go to euerlastyng punyshmentes and contrary wise they that be myserably tourmented flee into reste Somme wysshe to haue fulle confession before they dye laste anneylynge and the receyuynge of their maker not with an vnlyke mynd as it appereth that in olde tyme some prolonged the tyme to be christened tyll their last day and the baptyste whiche shulde baptyse them was not callyd for vntyl that the phisytion confessed lyttell helpe in his scyence Why wyshe we but ones that thynge to chaunche whyche dayly ought and may be done of vs For it is beste counsayl that euery man before er he betake him to slepe dilygentely examyne his conscience and if he fynde any cryme committed that day let hym knocke his breste and callynge for the assistence of god purpose certainly to lyue a better lyfe Nor there is no cause why any man shulde here say I am letted with sundry busynes I haue no leyser To a thyng so necessarie the fourth part of an hour suffyseth It is not longe to say I haue synned Haue mercy And this is sufficient soo it be spoken with the harte No man commytting hym selfe to slepe is sure to awake Howe great danger is it than in that state to slepe in whiche if deathe oppresse vs whyche is brother germaine to slepe we shall peryshe for euermore So great peryll maye be eschued with one shorte thoughte This is dayly to be done to god but to the prieste vicare of god iii. or iiii tymes or ofter in the yere with pure confession to purge the conscience shulde brynge moche tranquilitie and it shall cause that the person whan he dyeth shal not be troubled with the scrupulosytie of confession Furthermore bycause in the article of deth the contemplation of our lordes death of the communion of the hole churche which is the body of Christ is a principal comfort it were well done in both to be dylygently exercysed in the lyfe to th entent the doing ofte repeted may tourne into custome custome into cours and cours into nature This shal be if that we our conscience being clene purged from all affection of synnyng ofte receyue the mysticall bread and drinke of the mystycall cuppe syth that this sacramente commendeth and declareth vnto vs two thinges the one is the most dere loue of the heed towarde his membres and the other is the moste strayte felawshyp of the membres betwyxt them selfes What so euer goodnes is in the body procedeth from the heed Christe and what so euer goodnes is in the body is commun vnto all the mēbres Lyke as in the bodye of a lyuynge thynge thoughe there be dyuers membres ordeyned to dyuers offices yet the lyfe yssuinge frome the heed is spred abrode through al the membres with suche an inseparable felawshyp that lyke as saynt Paule teacheth yf one membre be greued that grefe rūneth vnto all and if one membre ioyeth the glory is of all in cōmune Doutlesse this is that is sayd in the Symbole of thapostels Sanctam ecclesiam sanctorum communionē The holy church the communion of sayntes For no streyghter is the grace of Christe in the mystical body than is nature in the body of a lyuynge thinge They do deuoutly which whā deth draweth nere do send to the monasterye of the Cartusians or friers obseruantes to praye for the sycke persone but it is a stronger comforte if the sycke mā thinketh that the hole church is busy thought full for him a membre therof Whan I saye the churche how blessed and howe myghty a cōpany do I meane which includeth prophetes apostels so many swarmes of martyrs and virgyns so many soules beloued of god This hole company and felawshyp for eche membre of Christ beynge in ieopardy prayeth contynually and with merites and prayers helpeth the sycke person Nor it is no matter to the though that thou seest not the church with thy eies neither thou seest thy soule by whose benefite al the membres of the body lyue and be moued The church can not be pore which is ioyned to so ryche an heed in which dwelleth al fulnesse of diuinitie corporally nor the membre can not be destitute whyche is susteyned of so many thousandes of sayntes The tender loue and bountyfulnes of the heed towarde vs principally wytnesseth the crosse taken for to redeme vs. The memorie and power of these thynges we do renewe vnto vs as oft as with feith and due reuerence we do eate the fleshe of the lorde and drynke the blud And also we be admonyshed that al be one body whiche do eate the same breadde and drynke of the same cuppe Let no man than be false harted althoughe that the membre be weake and diseased consyderynge that it hath an heed whiche is omnipotent nor let hym not thynke to be destitute and forsaken whiche is releued kepte and susteyned with the demerites and prayers of the hole churche Wherfore who soo euer that in his lyfe is diligently exercised in the con templation of these thynges at his deathe they shall brynge vnto him more comforte For than euen of theyr owne accorde they shall renne into his memorie as thinges famyliar vnto the mynd and soule Wherfore after my mynde and iudgement they deuised a ryght good and godly thinge whiche parted the hystorie of our lordes deathe in to certayne houres as we call them to the intent that chylderne myght be accustomed to reherse and say euery day a portion of it with ycuynge of thankes But they which ordeyned
signes of the sacramētes he wyll vouchesafe to supplye of his owne by his peculyar grace By hym doubtlesse all sacramentes be of great vertue and operation whiche be in maner signacles of the diuine goodnes and benefycence towarde vs but the selfe same god so ofte as necessitie requireth doth tender the saluation of man without signes only so that negligence and contempt of the sacramentes be away and feythe and a gladde wylle be presente These thynges for this cause be spoken for that oftentymes we se some persones soore troubled in their myndes if they thynk that they shall departe without confession to the prieste without receyuing of the sacrament of the aultar and the laste anneylynge Yea and such maner of sayinges we here spoken of very many he dyed lyke a christen man he was foure tymes confessed before deth and receyued all the rites of the churche On the other syde we take vp our hande and blesse vs if we here that any man dyed without them This surely is a christē mans part to wyshe that he maye lacke none of the sacramentes For they be great solacies and comfortes of the mynd and helpynges ges of oure beleue and it belongeth to the synceritie and purenes of a Christen man to accomplyshe yf he maye all iustice But it apperteyneth more to a Christen manne to wyshe for faith and charitie without which the other do nothinge auayle But by these outwarde thynges we ought not to iuge any person onles we certaynely knowe that they were omitted not done by contempt or which is as yll by negligence Surely I doubte not but that many neyther assoyled of the prest nor their maker receyued nor aneyled nor yet buryed after the rytes of the churche haue gone to euerlastynge ioye and blys where as some other after all the ceremonies of the church solemnely done and also buried in the churche next to the hyghe aulter be caried downe to helle Let them be in stede of an example whiche sodeynly do peryshe by tempeste of the see or by punyshment of lawes or els by some sodeyne syckenes Wherfore vnto such persons must be added a confidence and truste to th entent that they maye certenly beleue that they be no lesse assoyled than yf they were confessed to the preste nor that they receyue no lesse spiritual grace thā yf they had receyued the body of Christ the laste anneylyng Only let them haue as I haue sayd before an ardent and brennynge faith and a prompt wyl and desire That if a prest may be gotten the violence of the sicknes wil not suffre a ful and an hole cōfession that shuld require many wordes with an inward submission of hert let hym confesse hym self to be all togither a synner and desyre of the prest absolution with a meke hert and with a full confidence let him thynke hym self assoyled Soo ofte as necessitie excludeth vs frome the thinges that we couet god of his goodnes accepteth the desyre of the mynd Wherfore they which in this state of thinges doo trouble and vexe the man with generall confession or with often rehersall of his confessyon with paynfull dyscussynge of the circumstaunces with the repetinge of euery offence commytted whether they do a godly thinge I canne not tell surely in my iugement they do a thinge out of season Than suffyseth one that shorte but a syncere and pure confession of the principall crymes whiche cometh to a mans mynde or if that can not be a brennynge affection desyre of confession More ouer yf any mā hath done hym any offence let hym forgiue the vengeaunce therof with his holle hart If he be vnworthye of forgyuenesse yet Christe is worthye for whose sake thou oughtest laye downe the affection of auengynge Let hym not thenne here recompte howe greatly he hath ben hurt of this man or of that man but howe many offences he hym selfe requyreth to be forgiuen and pardoned of god If he hath offended any man lette hym go about as moche as he may to be reconciled vnto hym If the other wyll not be at one and forgyue lette hym praye god to sende hym a better mynde He hym selfe in as moche as he hath done all that in hym lyeth is excused before god If good workes be required there is no wark more able to purchase the mercy of god than for Jesus Christis sake and accordyng to the example of hym whiche hangynge on the crosse prayed for theym by whome he was putte to deathe and of whom he was with spiteful scornes vpbraided hartily and frely to forgyue what so euer men haue synned agaynst vs. And I canne not say whether there be any warke more harde and vneasy to be done and therfore principally it is to be desyred of god But yet to this helpeth the very selfe syckenes whyche breakethe the very wylde fyersenes of the humayne spyrite and maketh it more supple and easy to forgyue Here it is the partes of them that be with the sycke person to dryue from him the cōmune affection whereby many thynke that deathe is made to come the sooner by confession houselynge and anneylynge And lette theym persuade the sycke man rather as the thyng is in dede that by these meanes there is more hope to recouer helthe eyther bycause that a sycke mynd doubleth the soore or bycause that not seldome the sycknes of the body cometh of the minde or finally bycause that god sooner wyl here the requestes and prayers for hym that is reconciled than for an vnrecōciled person Furthermore it is their partes to gette for the sycke man suche a priest as hath a lernid tongue that he may with his communycation of wordes susteyne and comforte the wery sycke man and whiche so can moderate his wordes that neyther by ouer moch flatterie he deceyueth the sycke personne nor by vnseasonable austeritie and sharpnes he cast hym not into desperation Nor breke not the broken staffe nor quench not the smo kynge flaxe For in eyther behalf many men offende Nor let them not rashely lette into the sycke man all maner of pristes but these onely by whose speche he may be releued Those persons let them dryne out of sight the whose syght maye renewe the affection of synnynge vnto the syck man as his compaignyons or of foule pleasures or of dycynge or his mortall ennemyes The phisitians helpe let hym neyther despise vtterly nor haue to moche confidence therin Lette his chiefe hoope be fyxed in god whiche as he onely dyd fyrst putte the soule in the body so he onely taketh it out whan he wyll Otherwhyles yet the phisitian is to be sent for leste we seme to tempt god namely in sodayne diseases that kylle out of hande whiche of the phisytians be callyd Morbi acuti Lette the multitude of phisitians be put out not onely for that that likewise as it is sayde by a prouerbe of the grekes That the multitude of rulers gouernours distroyed the countrey
desperation annexed thereto wherfore the horrour of this passeth all horrour which yet our most mercifull redemer to th entent he might mitigate and make lesse paynful vnto vs vouchsafed to take it vppon him selfe That in the gardeyn he was so dismayed and so taken with extreme peynfulnes of harte that he swette blod was the infirmitie of our nature And that he nayled to the Crosse cryethe My god my god why haste thou forsaken me Farre from my helthe be the wordes of my synnes semeth to fele in his minde the horrour and feare of tourment and peyne perpetuall For what remayneth to theym that be destitute and forsakē of god but extreme desperation Nor it ought not to seme wonderfull that he toke vpon him this most heuy affection whiche also toke vpon him the synnes of all menne so that either of these two euyls inuyncyble to our strengthes by his mercy he made vincible Nor these thin ges doo not mynyshe the dygnytie of oure redemer but declare his vnspeakable charytie towardes Mankynde Under the fygure of hym speaketh Dauyd in the Psalmes The sorowes of deathe haue compassed me aboute and the flouddes of wyckednesses haue troubled my mynde and the snares of deathe haue preuented me We deserued hel he an innocent toke the feare vpon hym for vs to th entent that if like affection shulde inuade our myndes eyther by reson of the prcuitie in our owne conscyence of our wyckednes and manifolde synnes or by reason of the weakenes of our nature we shuld not cast away our selues nor to be fals harted but fixyng our eies on Christ may yea in despairing haue good hope Though the flesshe despayre thoughe reasone despayre yet lette faythe euen frome Helle crye to the lorde Lyke as Jonas whatte tyme he was vtterlye in despayre cryed oute of the Whaales bealye and was herde For that alsoo shewethe the psalme where as it foloweth by and by In my tribulation I called on the lorde and to my god I cryed and he herde me out of his holy temple The temple of god is the churche or cōgregation of good mē this is the tower of faythe Syon the citie of our strengthe Hyther he that wil crie euen from the depe pytte of hel the sparke of fayth yet quick he is herde Therfore whan al the powers of man be drowned downe vnto hell yet let fayth crie with most blyssed Job Although he kylleth me I wyl trust in hym For this is with the fayth mayster Abraham agaynste hope to truste in hope These than so great euyls the goodnes of our lorde hathe not onely mitigated and brosed so that thoughe they vexe and feare vs yet quench vs they can not but also the extreme damages he hath turned into excedyng and great lucre For what doth synne hurt them the whiche do cleaue vnto Christ what but where that synne abounded now aboundeth also grace and that he loueth more to whom more is forgiuen What auaileth Satanas vncessingly vexing the mēbres of Christ Jesu What but that he dothe increace theyr rewardes and maketh their crownes more glorious Yea more ouer the very cuyls whiche accordyng to the state of our mortalite be cōmune as well to the good as to the badde the goodnes of our lord hath turned them eyther into our lucre or into our medycine howe be it this is alsoo a lucre he turneth them into our lucre and auantage whan we beyng clere from synne beare them pacient lye gyuynge thankes to the lorde for all And into our medicine he turneth them yf any thinge remayneth in vs to be pourged eyther by cuttynge or vsture or by bytter potions Of the whiche sorte be syckenes pouertie age lacke of father lacke of children and other innumerable with whiche the hole lyfe of man is rounde about beset These if they draw vs to murmur grudge desperation or blasphemye be the instrumentes of Satanas and for remedyes be made poysons But yf for this onely thinge they be suffered bycause they can not be eschewed for whiche consyderation manye that knewe not Christ constantely suffered tormentes and death they be the afflictions of nature But yf we take theym as it were of the hande of a louynge father obediently and with geuynge thankes recomptyng with our selues howe moche more sharper punyshmentes we haue deserued and how fell and cruell peynes Christ beynge an innocent suffred for vs synners now they be none afflictions but holsome remedyes or increasementes of heuenlye rewardes On the tone behalfe thankes are to be youen to the moste tender and gentyll father which chastiseth euery childe that he receyucth in fauour other wyles with shorte and softe remedies healyng our sores that he myght spare vs in the worlde to come On the tother behalfe the bountyfulnes of oure captayne is to be magnified and praysed which ministreth vnto his sowldyours a matter of vertue or manhode to the intent he myght crowne them more royally On eyther syde is great lucre oneles perchaunce it semeth a small lucre whan a man is sycke of a capitall and mortall syckenesse drynketh bytter potions and with a lyght and shorte payne dothe bothe escape the peryll of death and enioyeth a perpetuall swetenes of helth or whan the sowldiour for the conflycte of one lytell howre attayneth great ryches for all his lyfe and hyghe honours And by this meanes also our lorde most mercyfull draweth all thinges vnto hym yf onely we lyft vp our eyes to that sygne whiche is set vp on heyght He attracteth and draweth vnto hym all our euyls and tourneth theym into our profyt and his glory of whiche he maketh vs partakers that be graste in him by fayth I praye you what wynne they whiche in their aduersitie tournyng their eyes from Christ grudge and murmur agaynste god Surely that grefe which of necessitie is to be borne they double naye ten tymes fold so moch they make it vnto them selfes and the medicine by euyll takynge therof they tourne into pestiferous mortall poyson for them selfes This vndoutedly is the hyghe and effectuall philosophye and the meditation of deathe in whiche yf a manne whan he is hole and sounde be dylygentlye exercysed death shall not oppresse hym vnprepared Of these that haue bene spoken maye be gathered iiii sundry sortis of deathe a spirituall a naturall a transformatorie and an eternall The death naturall is a seuerance of the sowle from the body The spiritual is a seueraunce of god frome the mynde For lyke as the sowle is lyfe to the body so is god lyfe to the sowle This deathe spirituall hath engendred the naturall death as moche as to the necessitie atteyned as is the religious opinion of the olde diuines Of both these two deathes is gendred the deathe eternall or yf ye wyll so call it the deathe of helle whan the deathe spirituall and the deathe naturall come togither For after the deathe of the bodye there is no place of repentaunce There remayneth a
It setteth ouer to reste but the sowles of good men Trouth it is For the dethe of sinners is moste euyll Than while thou lyuest and art in thy floures do thy deuoire that thou mayst be of the ryght wyse men For rightwyse is also he whiche with his harte acknowlegeth and damneth his own vnryght wisenes and fearynge the perpetuall fyre fleeth to the saynctuarie of the mercye of god to holsom remedies of penance But they which in al their lyfe euen as though they were immortall folowe their sensualle lustes beinge vtterlye deaffe and wylle not here the voyces of god so ofte so louingly prouoking to repentance what meruayle is it though they be troubled whaÌ„ extreme necessitie calleth vppon them Than haue they ynough to do with their sicknes whiche suffereth them to do nothyng els with the phisitions with their heires with them to whom they bequethe and with wayters for prays with creditours dettours with wyfe and chyldren with stuardes and seruantes with frendes and foes with durges and buryal with confessions dispensations and censures with restitutions and making amendis with sondry doutes of conscience fynally with the articles of the feythe Farther with the world whom bicause he hath loued ouer moche he leaueth with euylle wyll more ouer with the selfe death of the body whervnto he is vnprepared fynallye with the diuell which than layith about him with all his engins and falsities with helle which than obiecteth and layth before hym the most vgly and bradfull furies But to so great a rout of busynes that momeÌ„t of time suffyseth not but al diligence must be taken that to that extreme and most greuous conflyct a man come most lyght and voyde of all busynes Som man wyl aske by what menes this may be Let vs here Ecclesiastes yeuyng goode ounsaill Remembre sayth he thy maker in the dayes of thy youthe before the time of thy afflictioÌ„ cometh Let vs here also Ecclesiasticus Before the dome gette rightwisenes vnto the before syckenes seke phisike and before dome examin thy self and in the syght of god thou shalte fynde mercy Before sycknes humble thy selfe and in tyme of infirmitie shewe thy conuersation This is ooutles a right holsom counsell yea though the day of deathe were knowen vnto vs. Howe moche more the thing is to be done syth euery day to euery man is to be compted the laste Whyle we liue and be in helth let vs discusse as moche as we may and ryd our manyfolde busynesse and er syckenesse doth fyxe vs to the bedde let vs dispose for our householde The fyrste duetie is to remembre our maker that by pure confession and repeutance we may come ayen into his fauour Lette vs examyne our conscience cutting of what so euer we fynde there hated of god that whan syckenes dryueth vs to the barre to here our iugement we may fynde mercy Who that in prosperitie lyft vp theyr styffe and stubburne neckes ayenst god do we not se howe they cast doune and humble them selfes if any stronge sharpe disease threteneth them to dye But howe moche more plesant and thankful were it to god if of our own motion we dyd that thing betymes whervnto siknes compelleth whaÌ„ it is late Let vs prostrate our selfes with the publicane and with the synfulle woman mencioned in the gospelles in the syght of god with teares almes dedes praiers other good workes pacifieng goddis wrath and in tyme of syknes such shal be our deth as was our lyfe Some do abhorre from ma kynge their testament as though in it were some euyll lucke of deth But the making of thy testament good felawe causeth not the to dye the sooner but safelyer In this behalfe heppyer is the condition of them that be called relygious persones bycause they be free and voyde of all cares touching testamentes But they whych haue children or brethreÌ„ or els any other heires let them prouyde that there growe noo contention betwixte bretherne and alies in the partition of the goodes They that haue no heyres lette them prouyde that they leaue nar to theym that come after matter and occasyon of suite and riottous rapine Brefely soo lette theym whan they be in helthe order dispose and dispatche these mattiers that they haue no nede in theyr syckenes to busy and vexe them selues with suche maner vnseasonable cares More ouer if any man be wrapped in any perplex and doutefull cases as of matrimonie of censures of the churche of vowes of restitutions or reconciliations let hym rydde hym selfe of such whan he is hole and sound nor let him not reserue any intanglynges vntyll his last bay They do well whiche whan they lye byenge commaunde theyr executoures to make for them restitution of their euyl gotten goodes but they do farre more wysely whyche whan they be in helthe doo that thynge them selues whyche oftentymes is commytted to thexecutours in vain Agein they do well whiche at the poynt of death forgyue all men theyr offences and praye lykewise that they may be forgiuen if they haue offended any person but it is far more thankfull to god and more sure to the quietnes of coÌ„science if they do the same whaÌ„ they be in helth not for feare of dethe but for the loue of Christe They do wel whiche bequethe parte of theyr goodes to the reliefe of the poore but it were a sacrifice moche more thankfuller to god if after the rate of thy substance woldest thy selfe releue thy poore neyghbours For it cometh not alway to the nedy whiche the deed assigned vnto them and if it cometh it is now an others and not thyn which is bâ—â—owid What there be many diseases of that sorte that they gyue no space of disposynge nor I wyll not nowe recyte the sodeyn and vnthought on chances which albeit they oppresse not al persones yet all muste loke for them bycause they may happe to all Lyke as it chaunced to the folyshe man in the gospell whiche promysed hym selfe longe and swete lyfe It was sayde vnto hym This nyght thy soule shall be fette fro the. Al pray that they may escape sodayn and vnprouyded deathe For euery where these wordes a man may here From sodayn and vnprouided deathe delyuer vs lorde What is it that these do pray for Is euery sodeyn deathe detestable No certes For The ryghtwise man with what so euer deathe he be preuented is in rest For it can nat be an euyll deth beit neuer so sodeyne before whome went good lyfe Why rather praye we not thus Frome an euyll lyfe delyuer vs lorde But why be we not ashamed to call an vnprouyded deth whiche dayly thrusteth it selfe into all our senses from our chyldhod what other thynge here we than gronynges of them that dye What other thyng se we thaÌ„ corses caried out than pompes of mourners than grauestones tombes and titles of deed men That yf we be lyttelle moued with the deathes of straungers howe ofte dothe
so ofte make a lye vnto god as we breake and transgresse his lawes to whyche we be sworne atte the fountstone of regeneration and so ofte we be vniuste as we acknowlege not our duetie to our maker and redemer naye rather we vtterly renounce hym so ofte as we go backe from our couenauntes but although we beynge falsely forsworne denye and renounce hym yet he constantly is faythfull he can not denye hym selfe allways true in his promyses To th entent he myght be iustifyed in his wordes and vanquyshe whan he is iudged The father heareth our petition in his trouth in which by his sonne he hath vnto vs promysed forgyuenes of synnes and he heareth not in our but in his iustice or rightwysenes for by his sonne he iustifieth euery one that beleueth purifyeng our hartes with faith Blessed be they then whiche serue the lorde in dreade and reioyce vnto hym with tremblynge Why shoulde not men which be in subiection of synne feare hym whom the armyes of aungelles feare It is good to feare afore iugement that in the iugement we may fynde mercy Of humayne histories we lerne with howe great gladnes and reioysynge of hert saynt Andrewe wēt vnto the execution of the crosse But contraryly we fynde that many whiche were supposed very holy menne at the tyme of their deth were sore troubled with great feare dredynge the iugement of god and damnynge their hole lyfe before ledde For it is shewed of one vnto whome tremblynge at the tyme of his deathe whan his brethern which were about hym sayd what meaneth it that thou art thus aferde sythe thou hast lyued all thy lyfe so holyly he answerde thus O brethern moch dyuers be the iugementes of men and the iugemēt of god Lyke wordes it is sayde that Benet Bernarde and Austyn had Wherfore one and the same fayth bothe causeth fere and ouercometh fere it causeth shewyng how great he is whom we offende in many thinges it ouercometh shewing vnto vs Christ whose charitie purgeth our synnes grace supplyeth that our imperfectnes lacketh But as it is not alwayes a signe of a valiant courage or faithefulnes not to fere deathe for sometyme it is token of a brutyshe retchelesnes and lacke of reason sometyme of an outragious and gyantyshe felnes at the approchinge of death to waxe fearefull is not alway a signe of distruste or of an euyll conscience Otherwhyles it is a mere naturall affection accordynge to the varietie of bodyes which in some is more moderat and in other more vehement Thus feared Ezechias deathe a man whiche with perfit harte walked before god but he fered not grutchynge and murmurynge against god but with teares prayenge it from hym and his prayer was harde I knew certayn women which at the onely mention of deathe wolde begyn to tremble yet the self same women whan their death approched were most stronge and most cōstant For that fere and quyuering came not of an yll consciēce but of a peculiar weakenes of the womankynde or of nature The affectiōs of nature if they be ouercome by vertu doo encrease the victorye they do not signify a mystrust So a man shall se some wyttes standynge in their owne conceyt which do easyly satisfie them selfes in any maner of thinge There be agayn wyttes of base courage in nothing contentinge them selfes although they do a thinge well to whome if thou reherse all maner comfortes yet they fele a remorse a gnawynge in their mynde drawyng them to mystruste hereby they coniecture that they be not yet allowed of god bicause they neuer fele a quietnes of conscience But yf we wyll distinct nature from vertu neyther they do greately truste vnto their quietnes which please thē selfes in any maner thing neyther they cast away vtterly their hope whiche haue a mynde euer suspectynge the worst This is a vyce of a peculiar nature not of the will whiche vice a man muste not regard if he can not conquere it and take that for a thinge most ratified sure which the spirite inwardly speaketh thoughe the fleshe be neuer so moch against it I suppose that this is also natural that men whātheir last day draweth nere be so in maner transmuted that they allowe none of all those thinges whiche they dyd in their lyfe not bycause they be naughte vngodly but bycause they be humayne and going from the perfection How be it agaynst these affections of nature we must fight with the strēgth of the spirite all be it by theym we aught to iuge neyther other men nor yet our selfes But let vs returne to our former purpose which was to shew by what meanes weake soules as the most parte be maye be comforted whom death maketh all dismayd and fearefull in whose lyfe was moche forgetfulnes moche neglygence moche ceassing and brefely many mo euyl dedes than good dedes and if there be any good dedes they be spotted with moche rustynesse so that to vtter them into the syght of god were nothinge elles but to angre god Eyther the mynde is not redy at all vnto deathe or els it is but lyghtly instructed In the very artycle of deathe whatte shall we doo to this man No manne is to be despayred so longe as the breth is in hym The last battayle is atte hande The space is shorte he nedethe spedye counsell What I saye shall we counselle this manne whyche is thus troubled not withoute greate cause Fyrste yf he haue heyres that shall succede hym it were best to commyt all the care touching the testament to them First this is a lytell compendiousnes If not let hym as brefely as he can dispatche this mater by a nuncupatory testamēt or yf there be any better way This done let hym auoyde out of his syght all bablers of worldely goodes in whyche thinge manye men offende aboue measure which bringe forth doubtes vnto the sycke man that lyeth a dyenge of the testament and of externe thinges Somtyme also they compell hym to subscribe his name and that refusynge and vnwillyngly detestinge their importunitie by whom he can not be suffred to dye Than whiche frendes nothinge is more vnfrendly Than yf the maner of the sycknes suffreth let hym study to heale his sowle before the body by short confession but pure and voyde of disceyte and let hym take of the priest with a full fayth and with hygh reuerence the remedy of penance let hym crie for the mercy of god euen frō the bottom of his hart and take a purpose of amendment of lyfe if it chanceth hym to recouer Thā if haply the prest be not at hand or cā not be gottē let him not forthwith as som superstitious people be wont to do despayr in him self tremble but let him with his hart confesse him self to god of his synnes vnryghtfulnes whych of his mercy wyll take the good wyll of the man in stede of the very dede and that whyche lackethe to the external
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
a right sure stronge defence the more that the dyuell depresseth man by the conscience of his synnes the more to lyfte vp him selfe with the hope of goddis mercy mysticall societie with Christ so againste the ieoperdy of arrogancy it shal be a present and redy remedy to abiect and humiliate hym self with consyderation of his owne weakenes For who so euer in Christ is strong haute and in hym selfe humble and abiect can neither be throwen downe of Satanas nor yet confounded Suche a certayne thinge we rede in the olde cronycles of saynt Antony the monke whome the dyuell assauted by a thousand meanes and yet he coulde neuer ouercome hym On a certayne tyme whan that he had wrought and done all the polycies and subtylnesse that he coulde deuyse and all in vayne he confessed hym self to be conuict and vanquysshed sayenge thus I labour all in vayne for yf I deiecte the and shewe the thy vnworthynesse thou doest auaunce and lyft vp thy selfe and yf I extoll the thou humblest and depressest thy selfe Wherfore accordinge to the exaumple of saynt Antony if the dyuell saye Thou arte worthy to syt amonge the hyghe seraphical sayntes in heauen than let the sycke manne make answere My worthynes is nothing but that I acknowlege my vnworthynesse Dyuell Moche hast thou prayed thou hast fasted moche thou hast led a streyght and a sharp lyfe thou hast delt moche to the pore people Man All that thou sheweste of me the dampned Pharisces do the same If any maner of good worke hath come from me it is the lordes and not myne Dyuell But thou art pure frō those vices which raigne in hym or in him Man I haue then cause to gyue thankes to the lorde not to loue my selfe For oules the lordes mercy had protected me and yf that lyke tētation had fallen vpon me I shulde haue committed the same or els more greuous ¶ With suche praty answers the sycke man must be armed short and redy againste the croked suggestions of the dyuell Ensaumples of holy men muste be called to mynde but specially of suche in whome a notable mercy of the lorde hathe bene declared as in Dauyd whiche augmented the synne of adultery with manslaughter and with two wordes he escaped vengeance in the Nyniuites in Achab in the prodygall sonne in the publicane whose rightwysenes the lord preferred before the pharisaic all holynes in Mary Magdaleyne to whom the lorde sayde thy synnes be forgyuen the in the auoutrous woman to whom it was sayd Go and synne no more in Peter whiche thrise denyed our lorde in Paule which dyd persecute the church of god bynding and killynge all that professed the name of our lord Jesus in Cypriane which of a southsayer was made a martyr and in many other mo which from their ydolatry from blasphe my from horrible crymes through their faith in Christ atteyned mercy and crownes To exclude desperation rayse hope the scriptures of the newe testament be more apte than the scriptures of the olde Nor it is no wonder Moyses feared the Jewes with commaundementes Christe comforted all men by fayth and grace The holy scriptures haue not onely exaumples but also sayenges very many partly which cast on men a dicde partly which comfort the ferefull For vpon these two thinges in maner al the bokes of the prophetes do renne heapinge vp vnto them that turne awaye frome god the vengcance of god and agayne amplyfyenge the mercye of god to theym that be conuerted to repentaunce Eyther of these medicines is holsome if it be taken wysely and in place Those that be terrible and put men in fere must be ministred to hole in body and sycke in soule wylde and dronken in the prosperitie of this worlde or cast into a slepe with the delytes of this worlde as it were with the herbe called Mandrake to the entente that as by takynge of Helleborus they maye be brought into their ryghte wyttes or by takynge the herbe Brassica called Cole they may returne to sobrenes or myghtely cryed on and plucked they maye awake Those that cause hope of forgyuenes muste be gyuen to tymorous and fearfull persons specially in the daunger of deathe How be it neyther to the one feare must be so ministred that there shal no hope of forgiuenes be mixed to the medicine nor to the other asswagementes and comfortes must be so gyuen that they shall be disceyued For it is two thinges to chastyse and to cast downe to comfort to flatter Wherfore it forceth not a lytell what persons do kepe and syt with sycke men They ought to haue alwayes at hande sundry places of scriptures that eyther by the rehersall or tellynge of them they maye establyshe and holde vp the fayntynge harte of the sycke person To this purpose certayne prayers aptely made will helpe For certayne prayers go aboute whiche be made of vnlerned persones by vnlerned persons be taught to sycke folke Hope beyng thus called vp yet remayneth the feare of Purgatory the which feare some men go about to mitigate and put out with remedyes after myn opinion nothinge effectuall Some do promyse to be sure redemed from the fyre of Purgatorye by byenge of pardons but I feare least this be not to succour and comfort the sycke manne but rather a mockynge and a mere dissimulation They do better whiche by Masses and prayers of good men also by almes dedes counsayle hym to dymynish the paynes of Purgatory But the strōgest remedy of all is to aduertyse the sycke mā as moch as he can to styre and rayse vp his faith and charitie towarde god his neighboure with all his harte to forgyue al men of whom he hath bene hurted and greued and paciently to suffre for the loue of Christ Jesus the paynes of the syckenesse and also death submytting him selfe holly in al thinges to the wil and pleasure of god thinking that god wil not iudge two tymes vpon one thinge and that Christ for our synnes hath suffered great peynes on the crosse Out of these fountaynes and namely of his blode let hym fetche a refrigeration and asswagement of the fyre of Purgatory And so mystrustynge hym selfe and trustyng vpon the excedynge mercye of god the merytes of Christ and the suffrages of all holy menne with a contrite harte and religious trust let hym saye In manus was domine commendo spiritum meum Into thy handes lord I commende my spirite There shal be no disdayn though the synner and weake man vsurpeth the wordes of his lord For to that purpose our heed expressed these thingis in him self that we shoulde folowe hym whiche be his membres That yf it please any man also of the other holy men to fetche an exaumple let him saye with saynt Steuen Lorde god take my spirite Examples haue a great vertue and strēgth to moue mens myndes For they shew as it were in a glasse what is comely and what is
otherwyse Lykwyse as also in other thiÌ„gis we be more moued with those thinges that we se than that we here Wherfore it hath no small profyt to be often present at mens deathes to th enteÌ„t that we maye despyse that in them we se detestable and folow that is good and holy For in that article of death euery mans faith appereth what it is and euery mans conscience But here shall no example be founde more perfyte than that whyche the lorde expressed vnto vs in him self For whan that last night approched against the storme of temtation which was at hande he armed his disciples with the fode of his moste holye bodye and Mode monyshinge vs that so oft as we fall into casualtie or disease whiche thretneth death forthwith shulde purge our affectioÌ„s with confession lyke as oure lorde wasshed the fete of his disciples and that done that we take reuerentely the body of our lorde which meat may make our myndes stronge and vnvanquysshable againste our spirituall ennemy Our lorde made no testament but in stede of his testameÌ„t was that hole fyery sermon which John specifyeth and teleth very diligentely and the ordinaunce of the sacrament of the aulter made in memory of his death Of a testament these wordes also do sounde whiche were spoken on the crosse woman behold thy sonne And to the disciple Beholde thy mother Wherfore of externall thinges we ought to speake lytel and moche of the thingis that make to faith and charitie For the wordes of theym that we are woÌ„t to be snatched vp somdele gredyly and to be printed more depely in the myndes of the hearers partly that no man is thought to fayne in that ieopardy partly that the mynd whaÌ„ it beginneth to be plucked from the body wherwith it is combred oftentymes vttereth a glymmerynge and a profe of that lybertie and knowlege whervnto it goth But let vs retourne to the example of our redemer After his mauÌ„dy he departed from the house into the yarde and his other disciples there commanded to sit downe he toke with him onely thre Peter John and James of Zebedei to thentente that he might haue the same to be witnesses of his humayne infirmitie whiche to fore in the mount he wolde haue to be witnesses of his glory To these he confessed thextreme heuynes of his mynd which oftentymes is more greuous than the self deth which beinge commanded to watche praye agayne he departed to praye In the corporall departinge of our lorde there is a greate mystery Who prepareth him to deth must departe frome all vrbane and domesticall affections caste awaye the care of the publyke weale vtterly do away the thought of possessions commende his wyfe and childern to the lorde conuey away him self from the trust of his frendes kynsmen not his most inwarde freÌ„des receyue into the care of his mynde he muste be alone frome couerte of house which than will speake with the heuenly father whaÌ„ extreme necessite approcheth Thre tymes he monyshed his disciples whan they slept to wake pray that they entre not into temptation He entreth into tentation whiche gyueth him selfe into the power of the temptour But they that wake and pray though they be stryken with tentation yet it passeth away by by That which our lorde spake to the thre disciples he spake to vs all They slept and therfore they fell into tentation Peter the most stroÌ„gest of all denyed his maister the other for scare fled away and wold haue denyed him moch more if they had ben in lyke case So in lyke maner in peryll of death mans infirmitie is ouercome onles instantely oneles with a pure affection onles with an vnuanquyshed trust he cryeth for the help of him which onely reuyueth the deed Now how a man shulde praye beinge in this state our redemer vouche safed by his exaumple to shewe vnto vs. He bowed his knees this was not ynoughe he fell downe flat on his face From the grounde he cryed to his father so mightely that his voyce was herde of the thre disciples whiche were a stones caste of besyde that they were heuye with slepe Two tymes he returned to prayer iii. tymes he repeted the self same wordis Not as I will but as thou He boweth his knees which submitteth him holly to goddis will be falleth flat down on his face which holly discontenteth him selfe holly distrusteth his owne strength and good dedes nor froÌ„ any other where hopeth solace than frome the mercye of oure lorde Nor we maye not despayre forthwith though comfort be differred agayne and agayne we must returne to cryenge not of the mouthe but of the hart For if the thynge that our lorde dyd outwardly we folowe spiritually the good aungell wyll come and wype of the bloudy sweatte from our minde and shal either deliuer vs from peryll or giue strength to our spirite that we boldly may suffre deth Last of all we must with our lorde all naked ascende vpon the crosse farre from all erthly affections lift vp to the loue of the heuenly lyfe that with saynt Paule we may say The world is crucified vnto me I to the worlde And there nayled with thre nayles feythe hope and charitie we must constantly perseuer fyghtyng valiantly with our ennemy the dyuelle vntylle at laste after we haue vanquyshed him we may passe into eternall reste through the ayde and grace of oure lorde Iesus Christe to whom with the father and holy gooste be prayse and glorie without ende Amen ¶ FINIS LONDINI IN AEDIBVS THOMAB BERTHELETI REGII IMPRESSORIS EXCVS ANNO. M. D. XXXVIII CVM PRIVILEGIO Aristotle Apoc. 14. Phil. 1. Rom. 14. 〈◊〉 22. Eccle. 41. Horace 2. Cor. 4. 〈◊〉 25. 2. Corl. 4 Plato SapÌ„ 9. Psal. 141. Rome 7. In aeternia dnÌ„e pmanet c. Coelum terra traÌ„sibunt c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ioan. 19. Luc. 9. Ioan. 5. Cap. 53. 2. Cor. 5. Psal. 59. 1. Pet. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. Ioan. 14. Omnia possum in co qui me confortat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesiast â—â—â—â—â—yn 〈◊〉 27. 〈◊〉 21. Psal. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iiii kyndes of deathe The deth transformatorye 2. Corl. 4 Col. 3. Eccle. 7. Mors pee catoruÌ„ pes sima A subitanea im 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esai 38. Cap. 7. Cap. 〈◊〉 Cap. 〈◊〉 Matt. 24. Iob. 4. 25. 1. Cor. 4 2. Cor. 2. Iob. 28. Cap. 29. Psal. 〈◊〉 Psal. 142. In ueritate tua exaudi me Psal. 〈◊〉 Vt 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Psal. 2. 〈◊〉 Andrew Esai 42. Eccl. 5. Mat. 11. Audiam quid in me loquatur dominus Et super sanctos suos Sanctos suos Et in eos qui conuertuntur ad cor Luc. 7. 2. Reg. 2. Si Deus pro nobis quis contra nos A disputaty on betwyxte the Dyuell and the sycke man Luc. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Gala. 〈◊〉