other thing is it for vschristians to morne at the death of our frendes than to gyue an occasion to the infideles to reprehende and accuse vs for as moch as we do deny the thing in dede that we do professe with our mouthes For in wordes we saye that the soule of man is immortal and that there is an other lyfe better than this In our mor nynge we seme to shewe our selnes to be of an other opinion What profitte is it I praye you to pronounce vertue in wordes and in deedes to destroye the truthe Saynt Paule dothe improue and blame them whiche be heauy in the departure of their fryndes sayenge I wolde not haue you ignoraunt O brethern as touchynge them that slepe That ye be not sadde as other that haue no hope As who sayth it belongethe to them to wepâ— and be sory at the deathe of their frendes whyche haue no hope of an other lyfe to come and not to vs whyche beseue that oure soules be immortall and that oure bodyes shall aryse agayne Moorne no more for him therfore but prepare and make redy youre selfes to folowe hym lyuyng vertuousely for that ye knowe no daye nor houre No we to you againe my frend se that you be merye in god and let not thys shorte afflyccion of your bodye disquiet your mynde But sause it rather and make it pleasauÌ„t with the hope of euerlasting blyssednes Reinembryinge that is you shal be quickely delyuered from this sycknes so you shal no more hereafter be subiect to any sorowes paines or pensifenes It that daye be to the faithful whamens bodies made lyke to the body of christ shal inhabite the king dome whiche god hath prepated for those that feare him before the begynnyng of the world 〈◊〉 here they shal haue ioy and euerlastinge merines Where as they being lyke to the aungels of god shall shyne as the sonne in the kyngedome of they father At the laste swere frende for as moche as I haue declared vnto you that all men muste dye and whan it shall please god Further that in dieng we do no other but as all the saintes yea and Chrysle hym selfe hathe doone wyth whom we shal ryse agayne And that deathe is but a due repayenge of thynges that was for a tyme liberallye lente vs to the earth our bodies and oure soules to God ours moost bountifull father That nothynge here is of such excellency that it shoulde allure a wyse man and hym that hopeth of an other lyfe to come longe to tarye with it that good men haue euer deâ—â—red to dye to be with god For as much as death is the ende of all myseries the vanysher of al sorowes and an entraunce into perpetuall blysse Further in that I haue declared vnto you whether you shall go and what you shal haue after this life And that god mooste merryfully hath forgyuen you your synnes for that you be repentaunt and faythfull And the he wyl prouyde for yours yf they feare him as wel or better than he dyd in your dayes Fynally that this bodye of youres shall tise againe from the earth gloriousely in the laste daye throughe his power that gaue him his firsh fashione quiete your mynde and prepare your selfe as dothe the swanne with songe of harte and pleasure to dye and to the accomplyshment of gods wyll and all teare of death excluded Thinke onely of immortalitie beyng willyng and glad to depart heuse to god that calleth you The whiche thynge as the seruauntes of god shulde alwayes he redy to doo so at this tyme moost ready For as moch as this miserable world be sette with the horrible tempestes stormes and troublesome whorle wyndes of all kyndes of euyll be gynneth to decaye Moreouer as greuous thinges haue all redye chaunsed to nations so more greuouse thynges are to be loked for in that synne dayly encreaseth among men more and more prouâ— kynge the fust ire of god Where sore I caÌ„ not but thinke it a great game quickly to departet hense If the postes of the house were puâ—trfied and the tremblynge toufe shuld threaten ruyne to be at haÌ„d wolde you not being in health de parte with all spede Yf that a troublesome and stormy tempest wdenly risen on the sea shoulde threaten playne shypwrake and vrownynge of you and your company wolde you not make haste to the porte Lo the world decaieth and the ende of thinges threa teneth playne fallynge downe Ind shall not you giue thankes to god and for your owne parte be gladde that you shall be delyuered in tyme from suche ruines plages and tempestes as hange ouer the heades of men Thynke swete freude I beseche you and thynke againe that 2o longe aâ— we be here we be very strauÌ„gersâ— And that we ought cheifly to embrace that houre whiche shall apoynt euery one of vs to his own house and testore vs delyuereâ— from all suars of the worlâ—e to paradise and the heauenly kingdome Who beynge in a straunge country wyl not couyt to returne to his owne couÌ„try Who sayling to wardes his frendes will noâ— couyt a quycke and prospcrouse wynde that he may the rather embrace his welbeloued we counte paradiseoure countre the Patci arches to be oure parentes and frindes why than doo we not fee uently desyre spdely to se the patriarches and paradise where a greate companye of our frendes loketh for vs and a wonderfull number of our parentes brethren and systers tarieth for vs beyng suer of their immortalits and wisshynge that we had the same At the syght and metyng of these oh howe greate gladnes shall happen bothe to vs and them Dome great pleasure of the heauenlye kyngdome Withoute feare of deathe and with the eternitie of lyfe Dow hyghe and perpetuall â—elicite there is the gloriouse coÌ„pany of the apostles there is the laudable number of the gladde prophyetes there is thinumerable hoste of martires crowned and triumphynge with the victorie of there sirifes and passioÌ„s There be the virgms whiche haue broken the concupiscencie of theyr flesshe with the sâ—renght of continencye There be the mercyiul en ioynge theire rewardes whiche by fedynge the pore and helping the nedy haue wrought the wokes of iustice andkeping the coâ—maundemeâ—tes of god haue traÌ„â—ferred their erthly patrimonteâ— into heauenly treasures this tâ— the ioyouse companie to this nâ— earthly company is to be compated to him whiche hathe boughtâ— you a place in this company with the price of his bloude I do betake you Committee your selfe to hys handes for he shall neuer fayle you Fayre well Preciouse in the syght of the loâ—â— is the death of his saintes ¶ Prynted at London in Aldergate strete by Ihon Herforde â— The yere of our lord M. D. xâ—â— The. iiii day of Iune
churche vnto suche tyme as the Anabaptistes a pestilent kynde of men whose madnesse is execrable broughte it of late dayes into the worldâ— againe But as all other of their opinions be peruerse abhorring from the trueth and deuelysshe so is this Declarynge his patroues not to be taught in Christes scoole but in Galens rather whiche affyrmeth the deathe of the soule necessarylye to followe the death of the bodye But leuyng the vayne fantasyes of the boting Anabaptistes let vs gyue eare to gods worde It is wrytten Ecclesia 12. The puste shall returue to his earthe frome whense it came and the spirite to God whiche gaue it Where I hope he shal be so farre frome deathe and slepe that he shall lyue delyted with Ioyes vnspeakeable He that heareth any words sayeth Christe and beleueth in hym whiche sent me hathe lyfe euerlastynge and he shall not comme into condemnation but he shal passe from death to lyfe Iohn 5. Marke that he sayeth not frome death to slepe but from death to lyfe The parable in the. 16. of Luke doth well improue theyr false opinion Where it is written that Lazatus after his deathe vsed Ioye and gladnesse On the other parte that the ryche gluttou was greued and tormented If the soules of men should slepe as the Anabaptystes sayâ— neyther shoulde any Ioye haue ben attributed to Lazarus nor to the glutton punysshement What wyll they saye to these wordes whiche Christe spoke to the these This day thou shalt be with me in paradyse Wyll they make vs beleue that Paradyse is a dormitorte or a place to slept in In cast it be a manne wolde thinke that christ is or was ones a stepe therin for he sayth thou shalt be with me in paradise Sâ— Paule was tapt 2. cor 12. into paradyse there dyd heare wordes which a man may not lawefully speake These wordes he hearde not with the eares of his bodye for it laye prostrate on the grouÌ„d Actu 9. But of the soule whiche part of Paule was rauysshed in â—o paradise where he dyd heare and se misteries Therfore I can not beleue that paradyse is a sleâ—inge place seynge that Paule was so occupied there in heryng of secretes Moreouer where as saynt Paule defired to dye and to be with Christe me thinke he shoulde rather haue wisshed for the prorogatioÌ„ of his lyfe it that the soule shuld continually slept to the last daye for in this morld after a sorte we haue the fruition of god as thoughe it were by a glasse as saint Paule him selfe teacheth But after this lyfe yf the opinions of the Anabaptistes be true we shal haue no fruition of god at all ercepte it be through dreames vuto the daye of iudgement Therefore faynt Paules wysshe if we creâ—â—t these antechristes must nedes seme to be soolyshe The lorde sayth that he is the god of AbrahaÌ„ the god of Isaac the god of Iacob not the god of the deade but of the 〈◊〉 uynge Betwyrte the deade and the Anabaptistes slepers I sâ— no difference If saule hadde ben taughte by anys of the oldâ— prophetes that the soules of men shoulde slepe he wolde not haue gone about so busely to haue caâ— sedvp Samuel We rede 1. Pet. 1 that Chryste wente in spyrite and preached vnto the spyrites whiche were in pryson and were disobebyente ones whan the lenytis of God was loked for in the dayes of Noe. Agayne in the fourthe of the same epystle that the gospell was preached vnto the deade By the whiche testymonye what is mente but thatthe soules of the dead didde scle the vertue of chrystes death whiche they coulde not haue bone in case they hadde slepte accordynge to the Anabaptistes dreame Therfore I saye beleue not these false deceyuours whiche endeuour not oncly to pcrswade the slepc of soules but also to euacuate the resurrcction of the deade and so to abolysshe an article of our fayth to make oure religion vayne And hereafter whan you shall readde or heare any such scriptures as is a parte of the fourthe chapyter of the fyrste epistle to the ThessoloniaÌ„s where is mencyned the slepe of the deade asscribe it to the bodies which in dede shall slepe to the daye of iugement and than shal arise agayne the soules toy ned to them and awake froÌ„ theyâ— slepe vndoutedly Therfore saith Iob I knowe that my redemeâ— doth lyue and in the last daye I shall ryse frome the earth and in my flesshe shall se my sauyoure Iob. 19. O that happy and mery laste daye at the lest to the faythfull whan christe by his coucnaunte shall graunt vnto theim whiche shall ouercome and kepe his workes euen to the ende that they may ascende and syt in seat with hym as he hathe ascended and sytteth in throne with his father Apo. 2. 3. where so ro we shall be turned into gladnes that no mâ—Ì„ shall take frtome them Then as writeth Esai They whiche be redemed shall returne and comme into Syon praysyng the Lords and eternall merynes shall be ouer theyr heades they shall obseyne myrthe and solace sorowe and waylynge shall be vtterlye vanquished 51. Than the Sonne shall no more gyue them lyghte nor the moone discusse the darke nes for them but the Lorde our god shall be theyr lyghte anb comforte continuall 60. Than dout ye not be we only constant here in the loue and faith of god we shall haue for earthly powertye heauenly ryches for hunger and thurste saturitie of the pleasaunt presene of god for bondage liberte for sickenes health for death lye euerlastynge For this tyme frende Urbane I shall desyre you to take this poore letter how so euer it be in good worthe and hereafter if it shall please god to call me to a more quiet lyuyng as ye knowe I am yet compelled necessarilyâ— to besto we in maner all my tyme and studye in teachynge of yonâ—â— scollets I wyll write to you more largely of this argument and peraduenture God the auctor of all good thinges gyuynge me grace more learnedly Thus fare you wel at Orforde the rd daye of Marche FINIS ¶ Prynted at London in Aldersgate strete by IohnÌ„ Herford ANNO. 1546. Gaudete in domino semper Philip. 4. Tristicia seculi mortem operatutâ— 2 Corinth 7. ¶ A swete consolatioÌ„ and the second boke of the troubled mans medicine made and pronounced by Wyllyam Hugh to his frynd lying on his death bedde Watche for ye knowe no day nor houre Math. 25. Certius est ê™ mors ê™ mors incertius est nil If ye lyst to lerne wyliyngly to dye And that semeth dredefull death to desire Reade this briefe boke the doctrine therof try But death shal not be dredful to the godly wise ¶ To the ryght Worshypfull and his singular good ladâ— and may stres lady Deny hyrhumble feruaunte wyllyam hughe wysshethe health YF that happiâ—â— right worshypfull and my sâ—â— gular good â—â—-dy may happâ—â— to the estate aâ—â— condition of seruauntes amoâ—â— the happiest
thy self to fiâ—â— god mercyfull whych punysheth the wyth paynes after this sorte herein he playeth the parte of a gentle phisrcion why wolde he â—hat deathe shulde be so bitter he is the lorde he wylleth nothynge but that which is good And why shuld I a seruaunt vnprofitable ufuse to suffer that which the lord â—fglorie hath suffered It is a miserable thynge to dye Blessyd be the deade that dye in the lorde But the death of synners is most wretched He is no lenger a synner whiche hath acknowledged his faute wyth repentaunce and hope of mercy Thou shalt leaue this worlde I shall go from pain full banyshment into my couÌ„tre Looke what an heape of good thynges thou leauest behynd the yet a greate deale more euyll Thou leaueste thy ryches they be the worldes I doo carye all that is myne awaye wyth me What canst thou carye with the thou hast nothinge that is goode that is truly mine own that christ hath frely forgyuen me Thou muste forsake thy wyfe and thy chyldren They be the lordes I do commende them to hym It is a harde thinge to be drawen from thy derelye beloued They shall shortly folow me thou art pluckt from thy pleasaunt frendes I haste to frendes more pleasaunt Thus thou arte taught not to gyue place to the deuyll endeuourynge to ouerthrow the but boldly to repell euerye darte that he can hurle at the. Neither let the care for thy frendes wyfe and chyldren trouble the mistrusting not but god shall prouyde as wel for them and peradueÌ„ture better in thyne absence than he dydâ—â— in thy lyfe tyme for thou muste consyder that thyne owne power hath not all this while susteyned the or theÌ„ and procured thinges necessary but god in whome we lyue moue and be hath done it God whiche fedeth nourishethe and saueth both man and beaste whyche ryally clotheth the grasse in the feylde couerethe the heauens wyth cloudes carethe for the byrdes of the ayer and prepareth meate for the very chycks of the rauens shall moche more regarde thy frendes beynge his people confessynge hys name Call to remembraunce how mercyfully he prouyded for the pore wydowe and hyr children spoken of in the 4 chapter of the 4 booke of the kynges There was a certayne prophet saith he one of theÌ„ that feared the lorde he dyed and left his wife with his sons muchâ— indebted The creditours after hys deathe came to fette awayâ— the children as bondmen for that theyr mother was nar able to pay their fathers debtes but yet thâ— lorde by his prophet Helyse dyâ— so encreace a pytcher of oyle this she hadde in store that she had yâ— noughe to sell for the payenge of hir dettes and for the sussentanâ— of hir and the children besydes Thus by the benignitie of God this poore woman with hir chyldren was muche better prouyded for after the death of hyr husbad thoughe he were an holye man than she was before God is euen the same God is now that he war than and can do as moche for christen men now in these dayes as he coulde that for the Iâ—â—â—â— And he doutles it thou feare him wyll regarde thy wyfe chyldren and fryndes no lesse than he dyd the wyfe and chyldren of this pro phet Na rather more for as much as oure religion and professioÌ„ be more perfytte than theyrs was Further call to remembraunce how that they many times which be lefte of their frindes riche in great honors be after brought to pouerty ye to the beggers staffe On thother syde the they whych be left pore beggerly of their frindes at the length come to grcatry ches auctorite honor wherfore I do thynke as I haue said ofte not I but the prophet that both tyches and pouerty come of god And that men shal hauc yet Iwâ—â— not unproue an houest prouâ—sâ—on for mens children what as â—â—â—â—al please god to giue the. Therfore romnâ—yrte them to god for they de hys And let them cast their 〈◊〉 an the lorde and he by hispromise shall nouryshe them ANd to you that be his frendes here to you I speake what meaneth this your heauines Why do you sorowafter this fort to what purpose do youfron ble your selfes with wepynges why do ye as it were in a maner draw into the law the wyl of god with youre vniust complaintes do ye thynke hym to be a mere matter of lamentynge sorowing and waylynge bycause he is dely uered from daungers to safetye frome bondage to lybertye from diseases te immorialite froÌ„ earthly thinges to heauenly from men to the companye of goddes aungelles wherein hath he offended you that you sâ— enuy his lurkynes If ye do not enup what nedes all these teares I am sure if ye knew to what feliritie he is go inge you wolde banket and be merye at the least yf ye loue his welthe Christe sayde to hys disciples whan they were sadde for that he wolde depart yf ye loued me you wolde be gladde for as muche as I go to my father wherein he declared that we ought not to be sadde but mery at the departure of our frendes from hense What I praye you shal ye lose by his death but that he shal be out of your fyght and that but for a tyme neuertheles you may at al times in the mcane space in youre myndes and memoryes se hym talke with him and embrace him Morne nomore for hym for he offerethe you no cause of moornynge But yf ye wylnedes morne morne for your selfs in that ye be not so nyghe the porte of oure swere countrey flowynge with mylke and hony as he is This moorning is more fyt for the Scythyans and such other barbarouse people whiche knowe not the condition of faithfull soules than for you whyche knowe or myghte all this whyle haue learned Let them I praye you wepe and houle like dogges let them cut their cares and noses as they were wonte to do at the death of their frendes Let vs be ioyfull and mery Let Admetus Drpheus and suche other infydeles morne at the deathe of their frendes and require them againe of Proserpina Lette not vs require our fryndes of god again thoughe me myghte haue them with the losse of theyr welth and prosperouse being Were you not to be counted vuteasonable and to youre frende no frendes yf ye shoulde require hym to dyne or dwell with you hauyng nothing in youre house but horsebreade and stynkynge water where he may go to a frende more faythful than you be and haue at altimes all kyndes of deinties and wyll you be counted reasonable which wold by your wyls let this your frynde goynge to the house of his moste faithfull frende Christ where he shall haue heauenlye deynties in comparyson of the whyche youre chere is worse than horsebreade and stynkynge water in dede and meate of the holye aungels Moorne no more for hym I saye but be gladde that he beynge your frende shal attein to such felicite What
of them I maye â—â—stly and worthyly place my self â—â— whose happe it was to chauâ—â— on so worshypfull so gentle orâ—â—ther gentlenes it self so benigâ—â— and vertuous a maistres whâ—â— syngulare vertues yf I shuld 〈◊〉 about to erpresse or number as 〈◊〉 shuld lyghtly find of myne oratioÌ„ a begynnyng so I shulde hardly fynde an ende But I knowynge your nature in this pointe more than womanlike to be delyted in nothingtleste than in hearinge pour owne prayses haue appoyn ted to set them out notwithstandynge that wryters in theyr epistles deditatory for the most part be moche in commendynge those vnto whome they dedicate their â—okes as Timas the painter did the mourninge countenaunce of Agamemnon kynge of Grece Timas the noble painter at such tyme as Ephigenia doughter of the said kyng was kylled and sacrificed to Diana for otherwise the false goddes wolde not be placate nor at one with the grekes which hath offeded hir not longe before was sende for to describe euery parte of that heup and lamentable tragedy euen as it was done at the last whan he came to the descriptione of Agamemnon his face it was so sorowfull sad and mooreninglyke that with all the cunninge he hadde he coulde not in payntynge represente the same Therfore he courtinge the sace of the image with a vele left the sorowfulnes of it to the imagination of men Lykewise I for as moche as I can not and more ouer for that I dare not leste I shulde incurre your anger plain lye speake of the good thinges that god nature and fortune haue plenteously powerd vpon you I wyll couer them with the vele of silence and leaue them to the iudgemente of those that knowe you Specially consideringe them not to be so obscure that they neade my grosse vnlet ned stile to make them more notable or better knowen for what nede is it to hange a garlande of grene yuie at the tauernes doore where the wyne is good holesome and vendtble I shal be wel content that other men praise the fourme obedience fruytfulnes faithfulnes hastitie benignite facilitie cumlynes and pitye to wardes the pore declaring them selues therin to be rethoritions of their maistrices whan these theyr vertues be not opentye knowen ne commended of manye As for me as I shuld â—aue no thanke for my laboure â—n the ertollynge of yours so I shoulde seme to playe his parte whiche endeuourethe to gyue â—yght to the sonne or rather that â—angethe some blacke thynge betwyâ—t it and the eyes of men darkennethe his lyght wherefore I purpose not thoughe I shall seme therfore in this epistle scantly to perfourme my duety to prayse or auaunce your ladyshype at all Unles it be onely in assirmtng that your ladyshyppe is a wyfe not vnworthye of hyâ—â— whom god the maker of al honest mariages hathe gyuen you for youre husoande What commen dation is coÌ„prised herein iudge they that knowe the goodly and gooly qualities the auctoritie wyscdome the vertues and singulare giftes whyche god hath moued hym with all Not wythstandynge doutles that I in this behalfe can scarsely withdrawe or restraine my pen remembring that I haue founde youre ladyshyppe and that for the loue and good mynde whiche you here toward good letters not in words but in dedes not in one or ii thinges but in many most benificial and to say the truth a mother in dede rather than a maystris Wherfore I haue thought it my part by some meane to shewe an argument of my honest harte towarde you And for as moche as I coulde not do it otherwise I was bolde to dedicate this lytle boke vnto your gentlenes whiche boke for that purpose I haue written that men might learne to dye patiently to leue the worlde willyngly and to go vnto christe gladly Howe necessarye suche a thynge is to be had amonge the people albeit I wolde wishe that one or other shulde take the matter in hande that can handel it more wyttely and learnedly than I hane here done they whiche haue bene at the poynte of death or they that haue serchede the consciences of men beinge about to dye can best expresse The deuyll doutes whiche at all tymes is busied and erneslly occupied in sekyng the destruccion of maÌ„s soule in the day of death sheweth his diligence moost no we bringgynge a man in loue with the worlde and his commodities prouokynge hym to hate deathe and to resist as muche as lieth in him the wyll of god nowe leadynge hym to vispayre to the mistrust of gods promisses and impatiencie Is it not nedefull than to haue somthynge wrytten and redy specially among the vuleat ned wherby they may learne to despice deathe to contemne the morlde to obey the wyll of god wherhy they may be reduced froÌ„ murmuryng to patience frome â—ispayre and mystrust to a fyrme and constant faith in the promises of god Whether this booke shall perfourme so moche or no I can not tell yet thus moche I â—are say that he whiche hearethe or redeth it with a mynd and put pose to learne the saide thinges shall not vtterly lese his labout Cato vticensis readyng ouer the booke of Plato called Phedone a lytle before he kylled him selfe â—therwith sufficiently instructed that ysoule of maÌ„ was unmortal â—esptced death and dyed very wyl â—yngly Moche more a christyane oratione although it haue not so moche as a shadowe of the eloquence or grauitie of Plate his boke grouÌ„ded in holy scriptures and smellynge of holesome and heuenly doctrine shuld perswadâ— the christen man quietly gladly to dye The occasion why I write this boke declamation wiâ—â— is this It happened me not long ago to visite my frynde lyeng oâ—â— his deathe bedde whom after my poore wytte and learnyng I exhyrted to dye christianlye Dis frendes that than were presente in a whyle after instantly required me to write the same exhortatione euen so as I pronounced it vnto the sycke Declaring that so it shuld most moue the reders hearers such as shuld nede like consolatione I thinking no lesse with my selfe was content herein to satisfye their requestes The thynge written I determyned to gyue to your ladyshyppe not for that I thoughte so sclender and simple a thinge worthy of youre worshyppe but that I myght as I saide before she we some argument of a thankfull mynde This I beseche your ladyshyp howe so euer it be take in good worthe not lokyng so much to the paruitie of the gyfte as vnto the mynde of the gyuer therof Thus fare your ladyshyppe well At the courte BY certayne argumentes a mâ— may easely conâ—â—cture derly beloued that the last slepe whiche to a true christiane of all slepes oughte to be most pleasaunt by lytle and lytle crepith vpon your mortall lyms If my iudgement deceyue me not you or it be long to shall walke the same waye Which for the crimes of our first father Aoam nedes must be troden of all his posteritie Of all I saye
the escape or euasion of deathe whrefore you oughte the lesse to be greued graunted to no man ReguÌ„ 14. All we saythe scripture shall dye and as weake water shall slyde into the grounde Dapien 7. lyke as there is one entrance for euery man into this present lyfe so one passage and departure Therfore we be monysshid of the prophette not to feare the iudgement of death Dapien but rather to remember thynges that haue happened before our tyme anv those whyche shall succede That is to â—aye that none of oure progenyâ—ours coulde euer escape the dent of deathe nether any of oure poâ—teritie shall We be admonysshed that we be duste and into â—uste we shall returne Genes 3. by the reâ—on of deathe whiche for the faut and disobedience of ure fyrste â—â—rmed parente with his ineuitable darte strykethe and deadly woundeth all men Roman 5. he woundethe deadlye not the wretchyd onelye the nedye and myserable but the fortunate also the welthye and the noble pen kynâ—ts rulars and the rycheste emperours which in power and dignite riches renoume and glâ—tye doo excell and in theyr tymâ— rule the worlde accordynge as they liste Not the vnlerned only the rude barbarous but thoâ—â— also whyche in learnyng and maâ—ners be most instructe Not thâ— ourtrummyn and careful captiues but also the puissant conquâ—rers them seâ—fes Alexader a king most victoriouse by whose poweâ— and furiouse warres Asia with Europe was manfully subdued no man being able to resyst him coulde fynde no weapon to conquere deathe The notable mysedome of Salamon the depe leaâ— nynge of Aristotle nor of Galen coulde by any meane auoid deth The cuppes of Circe nor the enchauntmentes of Medea coulde repell the violence of death Cullye his eloquence could not moue him The riches of Crass us could not corrupt him He fauoured â—ot the beauty of fayre Absalone â—ether he spared the strenght of â—â—ronge Sampson Dne uyghte saith the poete tarieth for euery body and the way of death must â—ns be troden of al men Lyke as all the â—iarres that come from the â—â—st thoughe they be neuer so â—oodly and bright yet at the last â—ey go to the west and there arâ—â—rdynge to the diueriâ—te of their â—ircles some â—owly some spedely withdrawe them selfs out of our â—yghtieuen so al men which come from the east that is to say their â—atiuite into the world although they glyster and shyne here for a â—easen yet at the last they muste â—edes some rather some later acâ—ordyng to the duratione whiche they haue receyued of god fall 〈◊〉 the west of deathe depatte and withdrawe them selfes from the syght of men Therfore the wysâ— man Simonides at suche tyâ—â— as Pausanias a noble capitain desyryd to learne some good and fruytfull lesson bad hym remember that he was mortall Therfore also Philyp the king of Mâ—cedony wallowynge in worldely wealth and prosperite commaâ—â—ded his chaumberlayne that hâ— shulde euery day at his vprismâ— sadly repete these wordes Remiberking Philip forget not that thou art a man to mortalite subiecte Esar 45. All fleshe is grasse and euery man is the flowre of grasse the grasse shal be wythered and the flowre shal be dryed awaye The man sayth Iob that is borne 〈◊〉 a woman lyueth but a short tyâ—â— replenished with many miseries â—adeth as a floure and is worne away vanisshying as a shadowe â—wherfore not withoute a cause the lyfe of man is compared of â—uciane to a buble in the water â—of Pindarus to the shadow of a dreame of Eschilus to the shadowe of vaine smoke Cruely yf that death shulde chaunce but to a fewe and to the vnluckest we shuld seme to haue a iust cause he â—uely as I think you partly do to take deathe But seynge that â—â—e dothe as well knocke at the rich mans dore as at the poore at the happye mans doore as at the vnhappy at the strong maÌ„s dore as at the weake at the kynges â—owers as at the sheperdescotes whye shulde we not take well in â—orthe a thynge importynge suche necessitic Dowe vnreasonable is it for a man to take heuely his death more than his birthe consideringe that the one is appoynted for man as well as the other the one as commune as the other the one as necessarye as the other and of them bothe death is the better in beynge sory to dye we shall seme to lament in that oure lotte is mortall and that we be not aungels orequall wyth god Whyche is a greate poynte of folysshnes myxte wyth impyetye If we be troubled with suche as be verye calamities in dede to haue ii 02. iii. companions we count in a maâ—ner a comfort sufficiente Moche more we shoulde be conforted as touchynge death seynge that we haue not ii 02. iii. but all men of what estate or degre so euer they be of as companyons and partakers of the same yea euen the very sayntes theym selues and those that were highlye fauoured of God Moyses whych was admitted to the secretes and misteryes of God dyed Dauyd whome God pronounced to be a man after his hartes desyre dyed Ihon the euangelyste mooste tenderlye belouyd of his mayster died Ihon baptiste than whom by the sentence of Christe none greatter hath tysen among the chyldern of men died and not sayntes onelye but the dearelye beloued sonne of God Christ beyng both God and man Esai 54. a lambe mooste innocente and wythoute spotte that he myghte paye oure taunsome delyuer vs synfull wretches frome thraldome and pacyfye hys fathers wrothe was contente to dye the mooste ignomiouse deathe of the crosseâ— And shall we sinners that were begotten in syn borne in synne haue lyued in syn all the dayes of our lyues be agreued to put of these our vâ—le synful bodies Christ whan he was in the shape of god and thought it no robbetye to be egall with God made him selfe or no reputacioÌ„ taking vpon him the shape of a seruauÌ„t and became lyke an other man Phi. 3. and in apparell was founde as a man humbled hym selfe and became obediente vnto death that he might auaunce vs to the kingdome of his father and shall we beynge but wormes duste and clay be loth to dye whereby we maye enioy the same aduauncement Sisigambe the mother of Darius kynge of Persia for the very loue she bare toward Alexander for as much as he vsed hir somwhat gently in hir captiuite was wonderouse wyllyng of hyr owne accorde by death to folowe him after his deceasse ye euen to hell And shall we christians be sow to folowe Christe whiche in raptiuite hath reteynyd vs well nor euyll but brestinge vtterly at his bandes hath clearly delyuered vs Sisigambe vehemently desired to folow AlexaÌ„der whiche was hyr enemy in dede more than hyr frynde and shall we be vnwyllyng to folowe Christ which is our frinde most faithfull and assured She desyred to folowe hym whiche made hir poore and shall not we couet to
God and dye Therefore he beynge merueilouse glad toke the chylde in his armes and blessynge god cried out and sayde Now dimisse thy seruaunt o lord accordyng to thy worde in peace For myne eyes haue sene thy sauynge healthe Dere dyd Symeon proue and testify that than free tranquillite true peace and sprme securytye do happen to the seruauntes of god whan they be drawen from this troublesome worlde and brought to the porte of the euerlastinge manâ—ion Peraduenture you wyll say vnto me Syr as tor Simeon I â—an not blame hym thoughe he was well content to dye for as â—moche as he was a man of a greate age and as they saye communelye euen at the pyttes banke I am but a yonge mau I myghte haue lyued yet manye yeares wyth no small comforte of my friudes by the comâ—nune curse my tyme was not yet come I graunte in dede you be a man of no great age but what â—ay I pray you can we apoynte for any mans deathe Euery day maye be a bodies last daye yf it â—tande wyth the pleasure of god We se that some dye in theâ—â— mothers bellies some in their crâ—â— delles some in the floure of theyr age some in their olde age some whan they be riche other some whan they be poore so that we may playnlye vuderstande that god doth gyue to euery man his lyfe of that condition that he surrender it againe whan so euer it shall please him to repete it But among all other saith the great poete Menander Most happy be they and best belouid of god that dye whan they be yong The whiche sayeng as it is very wytty so it is very true And that a man may easely perceue yf he haue 〈◊〉 specte to the spirituall euyls and temporall incommodities that occupie this lyfet for they communly departe not yet infected with so muche malyce entangled with so moche vice corrupted with so much wyckednes as theyr elders be Not yet so surre seperate from god by the reson of syn and made members vtterlye and lyms of the dcuyll It chaunseth for the moost that men after they come to a rype and complete age be cleane drawne from god frome vertue from symplicite and integrite of lyfe to syn wychednes vngodly lyuynge The riche by iniuriouse handlynge the poore by oppression ingurgitation and beastly incontinency The poore by pyckinge lyinge desperation and blasphemynge the name of God I speake of many but not of al The wytty by craft deceat and subtilte The learned oft by â—eresy ambition and deuylysshe â—octrines I wyll not speake of â—nuy malice rankor adulterye whiche at the type age encrease in growynge and as Scilla and Charibdis hurle the greateste part of men into the hoxrible sea of perdytion The holye ghoste teacheth by Salamon that they whyche please God best be quickely and rathe taken frome this world lest they shuld be polluted with the wyckednes of the same He was taken awaye sayeth he leste malice shulde chaunge his vnderstandynge for his soule dydde please god and he hath made haste to brynge hym from the myddes of miquitie Enoche dydde please God and he was not founde afterwarde for God hadde taken hym awaye Therefore to please God is to be counted worthye of hym to be delyuered from this worlde and to be broughte thyther as the de noute soule of the prophet couyted to come sayenge Howe derelye belouyd be thy habytations o God of vertues my soule desirethe and makethe hasie to thy hawles Those trees be not beste the be most durable but of whome â—oth spring most profitable fruit Netther be those songes most coÌ„mendable that be longest but the most delite the eares of men Eue â—o the longest lift is not chefest but that which is moosle bertuâ—us and lest with vice defaced Further let vs ponder these temporal displeasures and incommo â—ities and than iudge whether â—â—at death whan or in what age â— euer it chaunsethe be better â—â—an lyfe accordynge to the worâ—es of Ezechiell or no. Consider sf what calaniyties chaunces â—yseryes and perelles men be in daunger No man lyuynge is happy on euery part No man is vtterly content with his lote who ther that reason or chaunce as saith Horace hath ofâ— ered it vnto hym wherfore no maÌ„ according to Solons wordes is happye in dede before he be buried For this cause Socrates with other of his secte desyred euer desirouslye to dye estemynge death not to be miserable but the ende of al miseries Not troublous Ezechi 30. but the ende of all troubles Better saith Ezechâ— ell is death than lyfe and eternal resie than continuall sorowes For euery part of this lyfe doutles is replenisshed with vnpleasantnes full of sorowe inquietâ—â— with cares troublescme and vâ— ed with diseases What trade â— lyfe so euer a man shall foloâ— sayth Crates he shal be suer â— fynde bytternes therein In the fildes be laboures at home cares In a straunge countre feare of a man haue ought In the sea feare with Ieopardies Inyouth foolyshaes in age feblenes in mariage vnquietues in lacking a myfe solitarines yf a man haue thyldren he hath care yf he haue none he is halfe mamed So that one of these two saith he is to be mysshed Eyther not to be borne or quicklye to dye The wretchednes of this worlde hath compelled euen the holye â—e men beyng weryed therewith to wysh for deathe Ionas in his trauell said that it was better for him to bye than to lyue Helyas in his â—yfe tyme often coueted and not â—naduisedly to yeld by the ghost Neither can I se any cause why â—hat all of vs which haue anye hope of an other lyfe to come shoulde not wysshe for the same thing seing that no man lyueth which laboureâ—h not of the indigeÌ„cy both of spirituall and temporall thinges nothing truelye though a ma haue neuer so much excellencye in honours aboundaunce is riches delite in pleasures can satisfie hym or brynge a flepeâ—â—â—s desires appetites and insatiable luâ—â—es no more than the doughters of Danaus can fyl their bottomles tubbes Is it not better therfore to chauÌ„ge this life to leue this straunge countre and god where is all excellencye of honoures aboundance of all good thinges where perpetuall plesures shal euer be in thy right hand eueÌ„ to the ende Where thy diuinitie shal be sene loued reserued for euer Death of it selfe in dede is somewhat formidable and the way to death as saith the Philosopher paynful Yet if we consider the premisses and the deth is nothing elles but a gate wher by meÌ„ do enter into lyfe we shall see it amiable and moch to be embraced I maruayle what euil spi rite hath so blinded and ve witched the myndes of men and made theÌ„ madde so shamefullye dotinge Forasmuch as they can persmade them selfes to be best here to lyue still in these rotten tentes open to all sharpe wyndes and bytter stor mes In these ruinous houses in these stinkyng