but coÌ„tentedly to haue receaued it The loue they bare vnto God his will in their lyfe kept theÌ„ from disorderid loue of the world and froÌ„ the coÌ„mon sinnes vices which men for worldly thinges coÌ„mit being not troubled with conscience remorce therof sawe no cause to shunne to feare death And as this loue of god his wil encreased in the new testament where the holy ghost the spirit of loue was is more pleÌ„tiously powred in to y harts of the right beleuiÌ„g So the loue of lyfe decresed the desire of death increased in y best professors therof the appostles martirs infinite not only coÌ„tented to leue this life but also desir eddeath who receuig the faith gospel beig taught therby to coÌ„fornie theÌ„ selues to y life image of Christ did with perfect faith pleÌ„tious charitie full hope coÌ„meÌ„d theÌ„ selues to the will of God the expectation of the life to come which they knew was prouided for them y loueth God neither is there any other cause why we dye not like theÌ„ but bicause we liue not like them we feare death bicause we liue not wel some more some lesse according as the order of our liues hath ben and who so saith that the maner of death is a touchstone to way the life is not much deceiued I wil not say but many men may dye wel that liueth ill for mercie is aboue iudgement but none coÌ„tent to dye but he that by death loketh to be with Christ which is he that by his life showeth that he knoweth loueth Christ without which loue y more faith at that time the lesse comfort For faith teacheth Gods mercy his iustice and if iustice be all against vs either faith ingendreth in vs sorow of such a life and so repentance which is good an entry toward life or if it ingender not an earnest repentance it bringeth nothing to comfort ease releue vs but all contrary And therfore he that wil liue in coÌ„tinual meditation of death which is y way to make him a familier so no dreadful gest nor stranger must liue in loue I meane y loue of vprightnes honestie cleanesse iustice integritie doing good where hée can hauing inteÌ„t to hurt none getting vprightly to suâ—…in himself his of that remayneth departing liberally to the poore as he séeth cause is able to such a man y remeÌ„brance of death caÌ„ not be vnpleasant for it shal neither take him vnprouided nether beriue him of any thing wherwith he is disorderly in loue Such a man liuing coÌ„teÌ„tedly in y place wherin he is called traueling carefully to fil satisfie the same wheÌ„ death approcheth doth méekly say to God with Christ I haue done the worke thou sentest me to doe And albeit there hath bene much weaknesse many infirmities in his trauel and accomplishing that worke he was sent to doe yet with a great indifferencie he shal be able to vse the words of the vertuous learned Bishop neither haue I liued so among you that I should be ashamed to liue neither doe I feare to die bicause we haue a good Lord master The man so liuyng and so thinking is onely happie neither troubled with inordinate desire of highe estate which he taketh but for a place to trauayle for many neither affrayde to be in meaner then he is knowing that where so euer God placeth him he hath his worke to doe wherwith he may please him euer quyet content to dye and not vnwilling to liue But here some man may say although he be not disordridly desirous of life yet can he well be coÌ„teÌ„t to liue though not for him self or for his owne sake yet for others therin wisheth nothing vngodly but deceÌ„tly to kéepe the place whervnto he is called which he can fill if not better yet as wel as an other maÌ„ to help such as néed him to bring vp his childreÌ„ to see theÌ„ disposed finally to bestow the benifits y God hath lent vnto him he y maketh this obiectioÌ„ lieth not on him self is not of y worst sort nor much to be misliked vnto whoÌ„ neuertheles it must be answered if his desire be to liue for others who by him may be y better he must coÌ„sider y wel doing is not all his own wherof though maÌ„ be y minister God is the giuer who will dispose him self to doe many good and none hurt so coÌ„tinue God knoweth man knoweth not but this maÌ„ knoweth y without gods giuing he doth it not wel knoweth he also y happie had bene SalomoÌ„ if he had ben taken in his youth wel doing the like may ye read of many say by experience of some whither he would be one of them by long life he knoweth not if ther were no dauÌ„ger it shuld not haue ben writteÌ„ he y staÌ„deth let him take héed y he fal not if he think there were no dauÌ„ger in him self theÌ„ is he proud and lyke to be one of them that would fall if he doubt then is it wisdome to put him self to him that knoweth And sith he knoweth and is sure that after death no sinne is done better is the choyse to go with safetie as Gods seruant wheÌ„ God willeth then in continuaunce to put that in a hazarde which if it goe amisse at the ende can not be recouered nor the losse redubled Déepe in payne lye many who by long lyfe fell into sinne and therby into their damnation who had then dyed in their youth had lyued with Christ and howe much they bewaile their long life the oceasâ—…oÌ„ of their paiâ—… no tonge can tell nor harte thinke But to returne to the matter if he say he would doe many good in long tyme and lyue accordyng to his place and callyng let him shewe that in the tyme he hath giuen him and if in so doing he be takeÌ„ sith he may say to God I haue done the worke thou sentest me to doe and when God calleth hym away hee knoweth there is no more appointed for hym to doe he knoweth also there is no more cause for him to lyue bicause desire of doing good was the only cause why he would lyue His childre are Gods more then his who leaueth not the seede of the iust who calleth him selfe the father of Orphans and iudge of Widdows whose blessyng if they haue they shal prosper though they lacke a mortall father And if they lacke that much sorow and small comforte should the father haue to see that he could not amend for eche good father neither maketh nor leaueth a good chyld And yet doeth not such a man lacke wyfe and friendes to whom he may commit the care of children and if his friendes will doe much for them at his request and recommendation why should he mistrust Gods proÌ„uydence helpe and dyrection if hée commend them vnto hym By whom
the lord They went about in shéepes felles in goates skynnes néedy afflicted miserable For whome the worlde was not yet worthy Straying in solitarie places in mountaynes in dennes and in caues of the carth in daunger of floods in daunger of théeues in daunger of the Iewes in 〈◊〉 of the Gentylles and in daunger of faulse brethren In labour calamitie in much watching in hunger and thirst in many necessities and in cold and nakednesse For the 〈◊〉 doth deny himselfe and 〈◊〉 his members together with all vices and coâ—…pisences that the world may be 〈◊〉 vnto him And he to the worlde He hath héere no place of aboade but séeketh diligently for the heauenly habitation to come He susteyneth the world as an exile beinge 〈◊〉 vp in his bodie as in a pryson sayinge I am an inhabitour and a stranger in the earthe as all my forefathers haue bene Forgeue me that I may be cooled before I depart I will abyde no longer Alas that my dwelling place is prolonged I haue euer dwelled with the inhabitaÌ„ts of cedar my sowle hath remayned with them Who is weakened and I am not weake Who is weakened and I am not vexed For the sinnes of the neighbors are the refreshinges of the iust This is that watering place which Caleph gaue vnto his daughter Axa in dowry The lyfe of man vpon earth is a warfare Yea is it not 〈◊〉 right warfare when manyfold enemies doe on euery syde assayle it that they may take man and persecute him and kyll him the deuill and man the world and the flesh The deuill with vices and concupisences man with beastes the world with Elements and the flesh with the sences For the flesh doth couet against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh But we must not wrastle against flesh and bloud but against the lyuely breathinges of wickednesse in heauenly thinges and against the captaines of these darcknesses For your aduersary the deuill goeth about lyke a roaring Lion séeking whome he may deuowâ—…r The fyry dartes of the most wicked are kindled Death commeth in by the wyndowes the eye doth robbe the Sowle the whole world doth fight against the sences that is nacion against nacion kingedome against kingdome great Earthquakes in many places pestilences and hongers tempestes and terrors from heauen The Earth bringeth forth thornes and thissells the water flooddes and raging tempestes the Ayre thunder and great wyndes the Fyer lightninges and flashâ—…nges Saying cursed be the Earth in thy works it shall bring forth thornes and thissells vnto thée With the sweat of thy browes thou shalt eate thy bread vntill thou retourne to the Earth For Earth thou art and to the Earth thou shalt goe The Bore out of the woode doth lye in waight and the best fruites are destroyed The Woulfe and the Beare the Leopard and the Lyon the Tyger and the wylde Asse the Crocodyle and the Gryffen the Serpent the Snake the Adder and the Bassâ—…liske the Dragon and the Ceracte the Scorpion the Uyper yea Nittes Lyse Fleas and Ants Flyes and Gnats Waspes and Hornets Fyshe and Fowles For whereas we are created to beare rule ouer the Fyshes of the Sea and the fowles of the Ayre and all lyuing creatures which moue vpon the Earth Now we are geuen as a praye for them and are made foode for their mouthes For it is wrytten I will send the téeth of wylde beastes against them with the fury of Serpents and things which glyde vppon the Earth Unhappy man that I am who shall deliuer me out of the body of this death Surely man would be brought out of pryson and would depart out of his body For the body is the prison of the Sowle Wherevpon the Psalmist saith Bring my sowle out of pryson No rest nor quietnesse no peace nor securitie at any tyme On all sydes feare and trembling and on all sides labour and payne Flesh shall be sorowful euen whylest it lyueth and the sowle shal morne and lament ouer it selfe Who had euer yet a whole day pleasant in his delight who in some part thereof the guiltinesse of consience the feare of anger and feircenesse or the motion of concupisence hath not troubled whome the swelling of enuie the earnest desyer of couetousnesse or the puffing vp of pryde hath not vexed Whome some losse or offence or passion hath not disquieted and to conclude whom neither sight nor hearing or some thing that touched dyd not offend Rara auis in terris 〈◊〉 simillima Signo Herken herevpon vnto the saying of the wise man Betwene morning sayth he and night the tyme shal be changed Uayne thoughts and cogitacions doo one succede another the mynde is wrapped into sundry conceytes They houlde the Tymbrell and Lute in theyr handes and they reioyce at the sounde of the Organnes they leade theyr life in iollytie and at the twincke of an eye they goe downe into hell Alwayes some sodeyne sorrowes doo succede and fâ—…low after worldly ioye And he which beginneth in ioye endeth in griefe For the worldly felicitie is mingled with many sorrowes and sharpe mishappes as he well knewâ—… which sayd They laughter shall be mingled with sorrow lameÌ„tacioÌ„ comes in th end of reioycing This did the sonns children of Iobe wel trye who whiles they did eat draÌ„k wine in the house of their eldest brother sodeynly a vehement wynde brake in from the desart country strake the foure corners of the house which fell downe and oppressed theÌ„ all Whereby their father sayed not without iust cause My harp is tourned into lamentacion myne organe pypâ—… into the voyce of wéepers mourners But it is better to goe vnto the house of weping lamentacion then to the houses of banqueting Geue eare and marke a holsome admonicioÌ„ In the day of reioycing good fortune be not vnmidfull of mishaps Remâ—…ber the latter daies thou shalt neuer sin Alwayes the last day is the first and yet the first daye is neuer reputed for the last yet we should so liue as though we were euer ready to dye For it is written Be myndeful and remember that death will not long tarry from thée time passeth away death approcheth A thousand yeares before the eyes of him the dyeth are as yesterday which passed away For all thinges to come doo grow and renew and alwaies thinges present doo dye and fade And whatsoeuer is past is altogether dead Then we dye alwaies as long as we lyue then at length we leaue dying when we leaue to lyue any longer Therefore it is better to dye vnto lyfe then to lyue vnto death Wherevpon Salomon saide I haue more praysed the dead then the liuinge and haue accounted him more then bothe which was neuer borne Life flieth swiftly away and cannot be
held back and death followeth instantly and will not be stopped This is then that wonderfull thing that the more it groweth the more it decreaseth and the further that life procedeth so much the néerer it draweth vnto an ende The time which is graunted and lent for quiet rest is not suffered to be quiet For dreames 〈◊〉 vs and visions doo vex trouble vs And though they be not in déede sorowful or terrible or laboursome which dreamers doo dream yet are they in déed made sorowful affrighted wâ—…ried thereby In so much that some times men wéepe in their sléepe dreams yea being awaked are yet excéediÌ„gly vexed Mark what Elephas Thematices saith vpon this poynt In the horrible dread of a vision by night saith he feare treÌ„bling came vpon me al my bones quaked for dread wheÌ„ the spyrit passed ouer in my preseÌ„ce the here of my flesh stoode right vp for fear CoÌ„sider vpon the words of Iobe which saith If I say that my bed shal yeld me quiet comfort that I shal be releued whilest I talke with my selfe in my couch theÌ„ wilt thou terrifie me in dreams wilt strik me with horrour in visions Nabuchodonosor saw a dream or visioÌ„ which troubled terrefied him maruelously And the visioÌ„ of his head did amaze vex him Many cares do follow dreams wher many dreames be there are also many vanities Dreames haue caused many men to doo amisse they haue béen ouerthrowen whilest they trusted in theÌ„ For often times filthie Images doo appere in dreams by the which not onely the flesh is polluted by nightly illusioÌ„s but also the sowl is ther with blotted and defyled Wherevpon our Lorde God speaketh in the Leuiticall lawes saying If there be emongest you any man which is polluted in his nightly sléepe let him goe foorth of the tents let him not return vntil he be washed with water in the euening And after the Sunne set let him retorne into the tents With how great sorrow are we troubled with how great trembling are we striken when we féele or vnderstaÌ„d the losses or damages of any our frends or dread the perils of our kinsfolke parâ—…ts many times a whole maÌ„ is more troubled with feare then a sicke man is with his infirmitie Some one man is of a voluntary wil more afflicted with the afflictioÌ„ of sorrow theÌ„ some â—…ther vnwilling is through the force effect of the laÌ„gnishing paine that saying of the poet is true Res est soliciti plena timoris Amor. Whose breast is so brasen or whose hart so stony hard bat he will sigh and grone and shed trickling teares when he beholdeth the deathe or greuous hurt or sicknesse of his neighbour or frende who can refrayne from hauing compassion on the passionate or from lamentinge with him that lamenteh Iesus him selfe when he sawe Mary and the Iewes that came with hir vnto the Sepulchre weping became vexed in his spirit troubled with in his mynde wept Percase not bycause he was dead but rather bycause beinge dead they reuoked him to behold the miseries of liefe But let him acknowledge himselfe blamefully hard harted and hardhartedly to be blamed which bewayleth the corporall death of his freind and neuer lamenteth for the spirituall death of his sowle Mishapes fall sodeynly when they are least suspected or loked for Sodeynly calamytie rusheth in at dores sicknesse inuadeth a man and death steppes in whome no man can eskape Therefore boast not of to morowe synce thou knowest not to what th end of the present day may bring thée to A man knoweth not his ende but euen as fishes are caught with the hooke and byrdes with snares and gynnes so are men caught and snatched vp in the euell tyme Wheâ—… they are come to that whereof they might long before haue bewared The Industry of the Phisicons coold neuer yet since the begynninge of the world search out so manie kyndes of diseases nor so many sundry sortes of passions as the frailtie of man could sustaine indure Shal I tearm it a tollerable intollerablenesse or an vntollerable tolleracion or shal better put them both togethers For I must call it vntollerable hauing regarde to the bitternesse of diseas And tollerable I must terme it since it is of necessitie to be suffered So froÌ„ day to day more more the nature of man is corrupted and made weaker In such sorte as many medecyens which in tymes paste were holesome are nowe throwe the desceyt of mans nature deadly and daungerous to bâ—… receyued For both these kyndes of worldes doe nowe wax â—…ld That is to say Macrocosmus and Microcosmus which is to say the greater world the lesser world And the longer that lyfe doth linger in eyther of them so much the worse is nature in each of them troubled and vexed What should I say of the wretched offendors which are punished with innumerable kindes of tormentes They are beaten to death with malles they are thrust throughe with swordes burned with flames of fyer ouerwhelmed with stones they are twytched in péeces with tonges and hanged vpon gibbettes wrung with mannacles and scourged with whyppes bounde in cheynes fastened in snares thrust down into darke dungeons Starued with fastinges throwne downe hedlonges drowned flayed and pulled in péeces quartered and some tymes smothered Those which are condemned to death dye those that are put to the sword must suffer there with those which are iudged to famishe must sterue and those which are put into captiuitie must indure it Crewel iudgement outragious punishment and sorowfull sight to be holde They are made a pray for the Byrdes of the Ayre the beastes of the feild and fishes of the sea Alas alas alas O miserable mothers which brought forth such miserable and vnhappy children Therefore I haue thought good to repete that horrible fact which Iosephus doth discribe in the seige of Hierusalem A certayne woman being both for bloud and wealth honourable dyd paciently beare and abyde the misery of the seige with the rest that were fled into the citie of Hierusalem and the tyrantes dyd straightwayes inuade the remnaunt of hir substaunce which she brought with hir from hir house into the Citie Yea if any thing yet remayned of hir aboundauâ—…t riches whereby she might poorely sâ—…staine hir with dayly foode the Captaynes of the sedicious rushing in at tymes dyd take it from hir by force Wherevpon the wooman by this outragious dealing was dryuen into a certayne disdayne euen as it were into a fury So that many times she prouoked the sedicious spoylers with reprochfull wordes and curses to haue killed hir But when as no man either of pittie or of furious fiercenesse would dispatch hir and yet as fast as she sought for any thinge to comfort hir there came others which sought as fast to take it from hir and hir plentie began now
to their parentes disorderâ—…d without loue without truth and without mercy With such and much worse this world is replenished as with heritikes scismatikes periures Tyrans Symonsellers hypocrytes ambitious men robbers spoylers extorcioners and pollers vsurers and false witnesses wicked théeues and church robbers traytors lyers flatterers deceyuers tale tellers wauerers gluttons dronkards adulterers incesteous men tender treaders and vayn vauÌ„ters slouens sluggardes and loyterers prodigall spenders and vnthriftes rashe quarellers and hackers vnpatient and vnconstant men poysoners and witches presumpteous and â—…rogant wretches deuilish mynded and desperate men To conclude with such as are packt full of all paltry of the earth and farced with all kynde of vyle abhomination Yet euen as the smoke vanisheth away so shall they vanish and as waxe melteth before the fyre so shall sinners perysh before the face of God. The wicked men doe suffer foure princypall paynes at theyr death The fyrst is the perpiexitie of the body which is then greater and more gréeuous than euer it was or is in this present lyfe vntil that tyme of dissolution For some thinke that euen without motion suche is their gréeâ—…ous paines they teare themselues in péeces For the violence of death is strong and vncomparable Bicause the knyttinges and naturall combyninges of the body with the spirit arâ—… then broken insonder And therevpon the Prophet Dauid sayth in the Psalme the panges of death haue compassed mée There is no member nor no parte of the body but is touched and twitched with that vntollerable payne Thâ—… second payne is when the body being altogither wéeryed and ouercome the force and strength therof cleane vanquished the Soule doth much more playnely perceyue in one moment all the works which it hath done good and bad and all those things are set before the inward eyes This payne is so great and this torment and disquiet is so gréeuous that the soule being much vexed and troubled is constrayned to confesse and declare against it selfe As it is sayde in the Psalmes the floodes of iniquitie haue troubled mée For as the floodes come with great force and sway and séeme to beare downe all things before them so in the houre of death the wicked man shall sodeinly sée and behold all the workes that he hath done or committed good or bad The third paine is when the soule now beginneth iustly to iudge and séeth all the paynes and tormentes of hell to hang worthely ouer it for all the iniquities whereof it is giltie Wherevpon it is also sayd in the Psalme the paynes of hell came about mée The fourth payne is when the soule béeing yet in the bodye doeth sée the wicked spirites readye to receyue it wherein the dread is suche and so vnspeakeable payne that the myserable soule although it be now parted from the body doeth runne about as long as it may to redéeme the tyme of hir captiuitie before shée forsake the body Also euery man as well good as euill doeth sée before the soule departe from the bodye Christ crucified The wicked séeth it to his 〈◊〉 when hée maye blushe and bée ashamed that hée is not redéemed throughe the bloud of Christ and that his owne giltynesse is the cause thereof Wherevpon it is sayde vnto the wicked in the gospell They shall sée agaynst whom they pricked and stoonge The which is vnderstoode by the commyng of Christ vnto iudgement and of his comming at the instant tyme of any mans death But the good man shall sée him to his comforte and reioysing as we may perceyue by the wordes of the Apostle which sayeth vntill the comming of our Lord Iesu Christ that is to say at the day of death when Christ â—…rucifyed shall appeare as well vnto the good as vnto the wicked And Christ him selfe sayeth of Iohn the Euangelist So will I haue him to abyde vntill I come That is to say continuing in virginitie vntill I come vnto hys death For we read of foure maner of commings that Christ shall come Two of them are visible The first in humilitie to redéeme the world The second in maiestie vnto iudgement And the other two are vnuisible The first whereof is in the mynde of man by grace Whereof it is sayd in the gospell wee shall come vnto him and shall make our remayning place with him The second is in the death of euery faythfull man And therevpon Iohn in the reuelation sayeth come Lord Iesus HIs spirite shall departe and he shall return into his earth At y tyme all their thoughtes shall perishe O howe many things how greate thinges doe mortall men consider and thinke vpon about the vncerteyntie of theyr worldly prouisions But sodeynly by the comming of death all thinges which they thought on and forecasted doe immediatly vanish away Lyke vnto a shadow when the sunne declyneth they are taken away And lyke vnto a Locust they are smitten down So that the spirit of man shal go out of him not willingly but vn willingly Hee shall dismisse with doler that which he did professe with desire and whether he will or nyll there is a terme apoynted the which hée shal not passe ouer In the which earth shal return vnto earth For it is written Thou arte earth into earth thou shalt goe For it is naturall that the thing made of any substance should bée resolued into that substance agayne He shall take away their spirite therefore and they shall fayle and shall returne into their dust And when man dyeth hée shall enherite beastes cattell Serpents and wormes For all those shall rest in dust and wormes shall consume them The worme shall eate them lyke a garment and shall consume them as a moth consumeth the wollen cloth I am to bée consumed sayeth Iob lyke vnto rottennesse and lyke vnto a garment that is fretted with mothes I haue sayde vnto rottennesse My father my mother my sister are gone vnto wormes meate Man is rottennesse and putrifaction and so are the sonnes of man Filthy are our forefathers vile are our mothers and how vyle are our sisters For man is begotten and conceyued of bloud putrifyed by the feruent heate of lust and concupisence And yet the wormes do come about his carkasse as mourners Whilest he liued he bredde nittes and lyse and being dead hée bréedeth wormes and magottes Whilest he liued hee made filthy ordures and excrements And being dead he maketh putrefaction stinke One man defendeth another onely But being dead hée defendeth many wormes Oh what is more filthy than the carkasse of a man or what more horrible than a dead man he whose embrasing had bene most aâ—…able méeting him on lyue euen his looke will bée most terrible when hée is dead What preuayle ritches therefore whatpreuayle banquetings what delightes they can not deliuer man from death They can not defend him from the worme Neyther shall they preserue
go to the darkesome land which is couered with the cloudes of death the land of misery darkenesse where the shadow of death and no order but perpetuall horror doe inhabitt Yet there shal be order in the quantitie of paynes For with what measâ—…re you meat it shal be measured to you agayne That theâ—… which â—…inned most gréeueously may be moste gréeuously punnished For they which are mightie shall suffer tormentes mightilye But ther shal be no order in the quality of thinges For froÌ„ the snowe and water they shal be put into hoâ—…e skalding fier That the sodeyne change of the contraries may make their gréefes the greater I haue séene by experience that if one which is burned doo straight waies put his hurt into the water he shall féele afterwards the greater skalding Men are put into hell like shéepe death shall féede vpon them This is spoken by the similytude of beastes and cattell which doo not pluck vp grasse herbes by the rootes but crope of the toppes that the grasse may growe againe for their foode So also the wicked as if they were fedd vpoÌ„ by death shall reuiue vnto death that we may dye euerlaâ—…ingly as Ouid saith Sic inconsumptum Titij semperque 〈◊〉 sic perit vt possit sapè perire Iecur TheÌ„ shall death be immortall then shall the dead lyue which be dead vnto life They shall séeke death shall not finde it bicause they had lief lost it Harken vnto Iohn in the reuelation which sayth In those dayes men shall séeke death shall not finde it They shall desâ—…or to dye death shall flye from them O death how swéet shouldest thou nowe séeme vnto them which heretofore thought thée so bitter they shall desire thée wish for thée only which did vehemeÌ„tly abhorre thée onely TheÌ„ let no maÌ„ flatter himself say that god will not be alwayes angry nor be offended for euer but his mercyes are ouer all his workes Since when he is angrye he will not forget to be mercifull Neither doth he hate any of the thinges which he hath made Taking as an argument of error that which the Lorde sayth by the Prophet They shal be gathered together into one buÌ„del into the lake ther they shal be shut vp in prisoÌ„n And after many dayes they shal be visited For man sinned but for a tyme and then god will not punishe for euer O vayne hope O false presumption Let not man beleue being vaynely deceyued by error that he is to be redéemed for any price For in hell ther is no redeÌ„ption Therfore sinners shal be gathered together into the lake shal be shut into prison But in hell In the which they shal be tormeÌ„ted without bodyes vntill the daye of iudgement And then after many dayes that is after they are rysen againe with their bodies at the latter day they shal be vysited Not vnto saluatioÌ„ but for reuenge Bicause after the day of iudgement they shal be the more gréeuously puÌ„ished But it is said in an other text I wil visit their iniquities with a rodd their sinnes with stripes Therfore God is offended with the predestinate tempoally bicause god doth scourge euery soÌ„ne whoÌ„ he loueth By which words that is gathered he will not be angry vntill the end But with the reprobate god is offended eternally By cause it is méet right that as the wicked hath vsed fraud and dissimulatioÌ„ in his euerlasting so god may vse reuenge and punishment in his euerlasting also For although the facultie and power to sinne doe leaue him yet doth hée not leaue wil desire to sinne For it is written the pride of them the were hatefull doth alwayes assende The reprobate which are alreadie in dispaire of forgeuenesse shall not be humbled but their mallice and hatred shal be growne and increase as though they would haue him not to be at all by whome they knowe that they be so vnhappily They will curse the highest and blaspheme the almighty Complaning that he is wicked bicause he hath created them vnto punishâ—…nt and is neuer inclined to forgeuenesse Geue â—…are vnto John in the reuelation saying A great hayle came downe from heauen vpon men and men blasphemed God For the plague of hayle bicause it was excedinge great So that the will of the damned although he haue lost theffect of his power hath alwayes an intent and affection of mallice mischefe and that of it selfe shal be a punishment in hel which was sinne and offence in the world Although peraduenture it is there also a sinne but not to the deseruing of punishment â–ª Therefore the wicked bicause he shall alwaies haâ—…e in him selfe the gyltinesse of his sinne he shal likewise féele in himselfe the torment of his payne for that which he himselfe did not take away by repentance God dyd not forgeue by pardâ—…ne And so it serueth as a great point of righteousnesse to them which are to be iudged that they neuer lack punishment in hell which neuer wanted will to sinne and offend in theyr life tâ—…me They would if they could haue lyued without end that they might also without ende haue sinned For they which neuer cease to sinne whiles they lyue doo shew that they desyer alwaies to lyue in sinne Which of you sayth Esay can dwel with the euerlasting Preists These men shal be a smoke in my fury a burninge fyer all the day by night it shal not be quenched But the smoke thereof shall ascend for euer And Hieremy sayth I wil geue you ouer vnto euerlasting shame and reproch and vnto perpetuall ignomynie which shall neuer be taken away with obliuion Then Daniell they which haue slept sayth he in the dust of the earth shal awake sâ—…me vnto eternall lyfe and some vnto reproch which they shall alwaies abide Salomon the wicked man beinge once dead there shall be no hope of him his destruction shall come vppon him for an example And sodeynly hée shal be striken and shall haue no medecyne to cure it Iohn the Appostle sayeth also If anye man worshippe the beaste and hys Image He shal drinck of the wyne of gods wrath shal be tormented with fyer brimstone the smoke of his torments shall ascend for euer euer Neither shal he haue rest day nor night which hath worshipped the beast his image The very truth it self doth coÌ„â—…rme all these which shal reproue the damned sentencially in iudgement When he shal say Go you cursed into euerlasting fyer which is prepared for the deâ—…ill his angells Now if according to the diuine opinion all tryall of truth doth stande in the mouthes of two or thrée witnesses how much more shall it stand by these testimonies of so many and so notable men Behold therefore the day of the Lord shall come cruell ful of indignation wrath
thinges sweare not Agayne our Sauyour sayeth Resist you not the euill dooer But if any man stryke you on the left chéeke turne the other vnto him hlso And he which will contende with thée in Judgement and take thy cote from thée geue him also thy cloke Loue your enemyes doe well to them that hate you and praye for them which persecute you and quarrell with you What thing can bée haâ—…der then this worde For euen as it is most easie most naturall for a man to loue his freind euen so it is most hard and moste vnnaturall for a man to loue his enemye And yet as Hierome sayth it is necessarye towardes saluation Naye rather sayth he he which hateth any one man doth loue no man truely and spirytually No neyther can he loue himselfe nor God being in such gréeuous and heynous sinne Furthermore our Sauiour sayth If you doe not forgeue offences one to another neyther will your heauenly father forgeue you your sinnes And agayne hée sayth Laye not vp treasure in earth and bée not carefull for to morrowe And also Judge not and you shall not be iudged Furthermore thynke not sayth he that I came to set peace in the world I came not to set peace hut the sworde For I came to seperate the Sonne from the Father the daughter from the mother and the sonnes wyfe from her father by lawe And then He which loueth father or mother more then me he is not worthy of me Also he which taketh not vp his Crosse and foloweth me he is not worthy of me And in another place The kingdome of heauen doth suffer wrong or violence and yet the violente doo take euen 〈◊〉 force And agayne For euery idell worde that men speake they shall render accoumpt in the day of iudgement And like wise he that will come after me let him dâ—…nye himselfe and take vp his Crosse dayly and folowe me For he which wyll saue his soule let hym léese it For he whiche looseth hys lyfe for me he shall finde it agayne And then thus Wo be to hym by whome offences come And Whosoeuer offendeth one of these lyttle ones beléeuing in me it were better for him that a mylstone were tyed about his necke and he drowned in the depth of the Sea. And agayne Unlesse you conuerte and become as one of these lyâ—…tle ones you shall not enter into the kingedome of heauen Herewith not forgetting that It is easyer for a Camell to enter through a Néedles eye then for a rytch man to enter into the kingdome of god We must remember also where he sayth Whosoeuer amoungest you woulde be greatest let hym be your mynister or seruaunt And Wo be to â–ª you rytch men which haue your consolation here Wo be to you which are filled for you shall hunger Wo be to you which laugh now for you shall mourne and wéepe Wo be to you when men shall prayse and blesse you Or thus what séest thou a moth in thy brothers eye and canst not see a beame in thyne owne Well Iesus sayed vnto a certayne man folowe me And he answered Lord suffer me first to go and burye my father And Iesus sayd Suffer thou the deade to burye their deade And he sayth Feare not them which kyll the body but cannot kyll the soule But feare you him which hath power to throwe the body and soule into euerlasting fyre And in another place O foole This night shall they take thy soule from thee Then whose shall that be which thou hast gathered And therevpon Such is euery man which hoordeth vp treasure and is not rytch in god What should we ouerpasse these sentences Sell that you possesse and geue almes Unlesse you repent you shall all peryshe to gither Departe from me all you which haue done wickedly 〈◊〉 thou makest a dynner or supper doe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy brethren thy kynsmen nor thy next rytch neighbours 〈◊〉 peraduenture they byd thee agayne And so thou be wel recompenced But when thou makest a feast call the 〈◊〉 the weake the halte and lame and the blynde and thou shalt be blessed If any man come vnto me and doe not hate his father mother wyfe chyldren bretheren and â—…isters yea and his owne soule hée cannot bée my discyple And he which doth not forsake all that he hath cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 discyple And that which is hyghly esteemed with meâ—… is abhomynation in the sight of god Fynally When you haue done all that which was commaâ—…nded you then saye We are vnprofitable seruauntes we haue 〈◊〉 but that which we ought and were bounde to doe Agayne Euery man which exalteth himselfe shal be 〈◊〉 lowe And he which doth humble himselfe shal be exalted â–ª Beware least you ouercharge your bodyes with gluttony dronkennesse or the cares of this worlde By these and infinite other places my déerely beloued â–ª thou 〈◊〉 perceiue how streyght in déede and how narrowe the waye and gate are which leade to saluation But of these before 〈◊〉 passages some perteyne vnto the commaundements And therevnto all men are bounden Some other are of conncell and aduyse which neuerthelesse are to be obserued of as many as professe Christ sincerely Yea futhermore the selfe same may apeare by dyuers other Scryptures For the Apostle sayth They which are of Christ haue crucifyed theyr fleshe with the vyces and concupysences thereof Whosoeuer therfore doe not extinguish vyce and concupisence nor chastyse theyr bodyes they then perteyne not vnto christ Agayne A wyddowe saith he which liueth in delightes is dead liuing For though she liue by lyfe of nature yetis she dead by the death of punishment and iudgement Then if delightful lyfe be a fault or sinne in wyddowes how much more blameful is it to be thought in such as ought by reason of their 〈◊〉 to be gydes and paternes of godlynesse to others Herevnto many thinges might be added but let these suffise And these welbeloued I haue here thus rehearced to the end I might thereby induce thée to the feare of God the watchful care of thy harte and to the diligent reading of scripturs least thou shouldest in vayne flatter thy selfe with gods mercye And so become one of their socyetie which walke in the broad and spatyous waye For as the Apostle sayeth If we suffer with Christ wée shall also reygne with Chryst. If wée bée pacyente wyth him wée shall also lyue wyth him Yea and must we not accordyng to the Apostles wordes entre into heauen by many trybulations But it is true which GOD forbyde should be verified in thée which Bernard sayth Lorde many would reigne with thée but they will not suffer with thée Many would be with thée but fewe will folowe thée Many would finde thee but fewe doe seeke thee Therefore let vs not be afeard to beare trybulations synce Hierome sayth No seruaunt of Christ is without trybulation And if thou
Philosophers intention is not about the body but furthest from it and is wholly occupyed about consideration of the soule The mynde and soule of the Phylosopher doth dispise and disdayne the bodye and flyeth from it that it selfe may bee wholly occupyed in and about it seâ—…fe For out of our bodyes procéede thousandes of impediments vnto contemplation whilest we are busied for the necessarie sustentation therof A Philosophers meditation is the loosyng and separation of the mynd from the bodie It is a rediculous thyng for a man that all his lyfe tyme dyd prepare hym selfe vnto death if then when it commeth hée bée troubled or molested therewith If thou perceyue any man to shrynke at death when it commeth say boldlye hée was no Phylosopher As often as the mynde or soule is allured by the bodye vnto these worldely and chaungeable thynges it is seduced and sore troubled But as often as the mynde or soule is exercysed by it selfe in speculation it is straight wayes transferred into sinceritie and immortalitie The bodie and the mynde beyng both in one nature 〈◊〉 yet commaund the bodie to be gouerned to serue and to bée subiecte But it commaundeth the mynde or soule to rule and beare dominion True Philosophers doe abstayne from all things that are corporal are not gréedy louers of mony and riches These sentences Plato affirmed Now Socrates by Saint Hieromes testimony dyd vtterly contempne ryches Dyogenes forsaking all these worldly pompes dyd chuse to lyue in hys Tunne Tullye and Seneca haue â—…ritten moste sharpely and bitterly agaynste the loue of ryches and voluptuousnesse Then if these men being onely enduced by naturall reason and onely for the attayning of naturall felicitie and scyence did thus contempne all vyces and ledde such a strickt and hard lyfe of how great condempnation are Christians culpable which being instructed with the doctryne of the gospell and very lawe of God to whom the onely begotten sonne of God him self did personally come and made him selfe an example for them are not yet ashamed to lead a wanton vayne and delycate lyfe are blotted and blemished with carnall markes â—…leaue fast vnto the worlde forget heauenly things and are not dilygent and carefull to honour God with all their hartes But my beloued be not thou lykened nor conformed vnto suche vnworthie men Rather follow the footesteppes of the holy fathers that thou mayest be able to please thy Creator and to offer vnto him the floure of thy youth whilest it doth yet floryshe and sproute The which wil be vnto hym most pleasaunt and acceptable As Gregorie witnesseth saying in that age that mans heare is yellow his eyes glistering lyke christall his face freshe as the Rose his sound health encreaseth his strength and force his yong and lustie yeares promise long continuance vpon earth whilest reason and the sences are quicke whilest the hearing is more readie y sight quicker the gate vpright the countenance louely and the body lustie they which in this age sayeth he doe rule and master them selues and doe assocyate acquaynte them selues with God they may expect and hope for the reward of the blessed Apostle and Euangelist Iohn Where vpon Hierome sayeth it is good for a man when he hath borne the yoke from his youth vpwardes Therefore welbeloued doe not foreflow thy conuersion vnto the Lord neyther defer from day to day least his wrath come sodaiâ—…ly vpon thée Offer thy selfe wholly to God and he will wholly bestow him selfe vpon thée Be thou of a right 〈◊〉 and put thy hand vnto the strongest sâ—…outest trauayles Fight lyke a good Soldier agaynst the enimyes of the soule For he shall not bee crowned with glorie which hath not maistred the proudest The creator of all thinges which is aboue all things the highest and most blessed God vouchsafe to giue thée all these thinges for his vnmeasured goodnesse and for the aduauncement of his honor gloriâ—… Amen Salomon in the xxix of his Prouerbes sayeth Our dayes are as woundes vpon the earth and yet there is no death And Augustine in his thirtenth booke and tenth Chapiter De ciuitate dei sayeth From the tyme that any man begynneth to be in this mortall bodye hee doeth incessauntly trauayle to dye For therevnto tendeth all his mutabilitie in all hys lyfe if it may bee called lyfe that hee lyueth to that ende that death may come For all men are néerer vnto death after a yeare finished then they were before it begonne to morrowe then to day to daye then yesterday and euen anon then now For all the while we lyue some little space of our lyfe is taken away And that which remayneth doth dayly become lesse and lesse So that the whole course of this our lyfe is nothyng els but a recourse vnto death And in this course no man is suffred to stay nor to linger and goe softelyer then his fellowes But all men are drouen on with equal steps and paces and are all conceyued alyke to their ende Neyther doeth he which dyeth soonest passe ouer the day faster then an other whose lyfe lasted longer But hauyng eche of them equall momentes and tymes to passe ouer equallye that one had hys ende and determinate tyme set nearer and that other further of For it is one thing to haue lyued longer and another thyng to haue gone or procéeded slower or quicker And therfore whosoeuer doth the longer linger his dayes before he dye he went notwithstanding neuer the more slowly but he had the longer iourney to performe Yea and if it should be accompted that a man doth begin to dye I meane to bee dead in déede from the fyrst moment that death claymed hys ryghte in thys our exyle whych is euen from our swadlyng clontes then all this lingryng and detracting of tyme should in accoumpt be no tyme at all For what other thyng doe we accomplysh in our dayes houres momentes and tymes then that thys lyfe beyng consumate death which all that whyle was in hande may bée fulfilled Of these things Augustyne speaketh largely in the Chapiter before rehearsed and the Chapiter next following But of the infinyte euilles and myseries of thys present lyfe he treateth more playnely in hys xx booke and xx Chapiter of the same worke saying As touching our first originall beginnyng all mankynde was in damnable estate as well witnesseth thys our lyfe if it bée a lyfe so full of such and so excéedyng great euilles For what els betokeneth the horrible depth of our ignorance from whence all errour spryngeth the which dyd receyue all Adams chyldren into a darkesome corner so that a man can not from it bée delyuered without payne sorowe and dread yea the inordynate loue which we beare to so many thynges giltye of vanitie whereon so many cares doe ryst so many perturbations so many languyshings â—…cares madnesse ioyes dyscords contentions warres treasons wrathes enimities fraudes theftes spoyles ryottes and prides do sufficiently bewray our miserie damnable estate
it shall behold them and féele them then may it sensibly vnderstande what excéeding trembling dreade and terrour doth ensue of the loue and delightes conceyued in this frayle vnconstant and most wretched woâ—… But my beloued doe thou forecast all these thinges 〈◊〉 suffre none of these admonicions to slyppe out of thy mynde That thou mayest eschewe and eskape eternall payne and punishment and atteyne vnto the ioyes which shall endure worlde without ende Amen A LETTER WRYTTEN by I. B. vnto his famyliar frende G. P. teaching remedies against the bytternesse of Death WHen I remember your request made vnto me at our last parting which was that I should wryte some what vnto you either to ingender in you a meditacion of contented death or at the least to diminish the desyre of long lyfe I can not but much lyke and commend in you that disposition whereby it appeareth your desyre and mynde is let not in the loue of things transitory but in knowledge and in that knowledge which of all other is moste perfect and méete for a wyse man For if that be worth the learning that is necessary and that for euery age degrée and sexe all creatures must necessarily dye and no man of reason dyeth better and more lyke a man then he that hathe learned the Science thereof And if that knowledge be worth the learning whereof commeth certeyne and great commoditie none can be compared with the Scyence of well dying the fruite whereof is comfort and lyfe neuer enâ—…ynge And as this knowledge is most perfect worthie learninge so haue you taken a verye méete and conuenient tyme for the atteyninge of it which is youth the flower of your age haing in it selfe strengthe and habilitie to learne any Scyence and leauing tyme to practise that is well learned For as none other science profitable being lyberall is sodenly learned neither is it enough to byd a man though he be wytty sodenly to drawe a figure in Geometrie make a proporcion by Arithmiticke be a good sowldier ingenier or other lyke for he may say he lacketh tyme teaching and exercise to atteyne such knowledge euen so is the science of dying wel to be learnid with tyme meditacion and exercise And who so sayth to a sicke man not practised herein be content to dye forgo this mortal life may here of him againe I know what it is to lyue by experience but to dye I haue not learned and the lesson is not so easie as you thinke it Wherein if many would doo as you séeme to meane that is to learne to dye when they may bâ—…st lyue they should bothe lyue more quiet and dye better contented And now somewhat to satisfie your desyre and to entre into this treatie which I entende not to make longe I wyl kéepe this ordre Fyrst to shew that vnto a Christian man Death is not to be fledde but rather to be desyred or at the least well to be taken no plague but â—…enefyt no losse but gayne Next I will shewe what the lettes and causes be that make vs indge otherwise And thirdly tell how those lettes may be remoued and our opinion somewhat changed to thincke of Death and lyfe as they are without preiudice that men commonly bringe with them To the heathen not knowing GOD nor the vertue of the lyfe to come the first parte that Death is not to be fledde shonnid and terrible is a lesson harde or rather vnpossâ—…ble to be taught For lyfe being good as all men thinke and of it selfe it is no man can willingly leaue the good but for the better for otherwise he shall thinke him selfe to make suche a bargaine as the Pâ—…ete sayth Glaucus made with Diomedes change gold for copper And bicause the heathen knowe not the beâ—…r which knowledge is learned onely in Christes schole 〈◊〉 of their bookes though they wrote many of the contempt of Death with fayre and glorious woordes could make either them selues or their heires with right iudgement content to dye if they might liue to leaue presâ—…t life which thei thought good and were content with for an other to come whereof their knowledge was none or doubtfull and vncertayne And therefore a Philosoper emong the reste most learned sayde of all thinges dredefull most drâ—…adfull is Death And the excelent Dratour who in health and wealth spake lyke a whole man and as a man learnid perswaded other being for a tyme banished was him self without all comfort And when he drewe towardes death perceued he had sayde more then he could iustifie and performe in him selfe In lyke case was the Emperour for wisedome so much renowmed who approching néere to death and speaking as he founde cause by proofe and tryall and not as he before had vaynely thought sayde he was toubled with the feare of Death bicause he knewe not whether he should goe nor what the gods immortall for so he termid them had determined of him vnto whome he recommendid him selfe with this doubt that if they had appoynted any good of him they should then shew it These thrée examples of the best with other able to fill a great volume doe well shewe that the heathen were not learned in this scieÌ„ce anâ—… much lesse méete to be scholemaisters and teachers to them that will rightly learne it and therefore I intende not to vse their examples though they make a faire muster which when I sée other men do in this argument wryting vnto a christian reâ—…der I thinke they doe not wel remember what is méete for the argument they take in hande and for the person to whome they wryte But as to the heathen the ende of lyfe being is and for causes aforesayd must be dreadfull so vnto a christian man it neither is nor should séeme so vnto whom death is the beginning of lyfe the gate of blysse the ende of soroâ—… and mortal â—…reefe Whereof he is not onely informed by coniecture lyke to be true but assured by promise of him y can be all thinges sauing false so that a scholer of Christe should rather doubt whether the Sunne shyne by daye or whether he féele being awaked then whether the promises made thereof be assured or no. Then if it be so that Death endeth all sorow payne misery and trauayle and setteth vs in place of solâ—…ce comfort blysse and quiet and that such as neither hath enterlacing of the contrary nor ende of it selfe Who is sorye to make this change but he that beleueth not how good it is and how well made or how shall we thinke he beleueth it to be good and also true who slyeth from it when it is comminge towarde him or would not haue it true in him selfe that he beleueth Let him feare Deathe who hath not hard of Christe to whome Christe hathe promised naught desyrous neither to heare of him to sée him not to be with him whome fantasie leadeth vanitie pleaseth lust ruleth and the world blyndeth séekinge
vnto a faythfull christian man is it the dissolucion of the bodie that a christian man desireth who is able to say I long to be dissolued is it that death bringeth an ende of life being heare that is not much to him that knoweth he hath an other lyfe to come in comparison of which this is no lyfe but death no ioy but sorow no ease but trauayle no quiet but misery So that either there is in deade very smal weake faith in vs to beleue gods promises infallibly made to all his Or if we doo assuredly beleue theÌ„ the greatest feare in that behalfe is past for he that loseth his lyfe temporall fyndeth eternal goeth froÌ„ labour to rest from the sea into the hauen froÌ„ weaknes to strength from sicknes to health from death to lyfe from sinne to iustice from sorow heuines paine to the place where there is no gréefe nor sighinge those former parts are then past Let the heathen feare to dye who may truely say I know not whether I goe nor what is ordeyned for me to what ende the gods haue created me whether it be good or no who are borne in sin not new borne in holines who haue neither teaching or knowledge of life neither promis of the same But a christiaÌ„ man being taught y death is the entre to lyfe that he is ordeyned to lyue with Christ created to be partaker of his glory regenerat sanctified by him with promis of blisse inestimable if he after all this retorne to the same loue of lyfe feare of death y is in the gentil what doth he then else but practise to be come a gentil heathen again selling away his enheritaÌ„ce for lesse then a messe of potage and renouÌ„cing his priuiledge whervnto he is singularly and especially called But as we haue sayd before weaknes may be a great cause to make a man feare death lack of beléefe a greater but yet are they not the greatest for perfect loue ouercoÌ„meth weaknes increaseth reuiueth faith wher loue is whole sounde the rest is soone recouered if it be lost or increased if it be decated But if loue be either deuided betwene god this world lyfe present or wholly traÌ„slated froÌ„ god vnto things traÌ„sitory How should a man be content to parte froÌ„ y he loueth and séeke that he careth not for sithe it is so true saying that where the man loueth he lyueth and vnpossible is it that who so is delited here possessed with the loue of this lyfe should willingly heare of death which can onely be welcome to them that therby desire to be with Christ whom they loue better then theÌ„selues or this lyfe so can be coÌ„tent to leaue the good for the better their welbeloued for the best beloued or y they estéeme light they entirely and tenderly loue For if it be asked what is the thing of such force y is able to make a man content to forsake his goods his liuing him selfe and his life if we will answere truely and in fewe words we must say it is loue nothing else which wher so euer it be faâ—…ed ma keth al other things séeme nothing in coÌ„parison of that it lyketh And herein to vse some exaÌ„ples it was none other thing the made the Philosopher cast himselfe into the burning fire of Aetna nor the Romain getleman-on horse backe to leape in wher y earth gaped the young man after y reading of Platoes booke to break his neck So many captains souldiers wyllingly wittingly to goe to their death but loue They louid somthing better then lyfe the wysest their couÌ„try and frendes whome they would preserue thother fame and as they called it immortalitie the lightest vayne estimacion glory but euery one somwhat wherewith they were ledde Sith theÌ„ loue is of such force as y same is able to bereue a man not only of his goods treasure but also of his lyfe and that by his owne will and coÌ„sent the right waye to learne coÌ„tentidly to receaue death when god sendeth it is to learne to employ wel fasten our loue wher it should be is due that is vppoÌ„ god and the lyfe to come louing that onely for it selfe and other things so much and so farre as we neither change nor remoue y out of his place which lesson if it be not onely beleued but practised maketh the lyfe godly and comfortable and the death easy And who so euer marieth him to the loue of the world following y desires thereof and making the desyres of it his delight that man may speake boldly of death vntil it come But when he shal stand vpon his gard to receue the assault he must will vndoubtedly shrink shew him selfe a weake souldier lacking the armour that should theÌ„ defend him for if faith his buckler byd him be strong thinck vpon the coÌ„quest that Christ his captaine hath made vpon that triumph y is prouided for him his owne hart coÌ„science which is néere him than his armour will saye all that is prouided for such as beare their loue true hart to their onely captaine whome they promised to serue for such as before in the time of theyr seruice dyd resist his enimie his atteÌ„ptes and not for such as yelded themselues prisoners vnto him content to be in his Campe and to fight vnder his banner His sword which is the worde of God being not well handeled of him before nor much occupied wyll then agrée ill with his hand he for lack of exercise not able to giue a strong blow therwith his curates of charitie so thin that eache dart arrow shal perce it his helm of hope vnlyned neither wel fitting to his head nor able to kéepe of the force of the byll Is it possible think ye y a souldier thus armed besides this not exercised in feates of warre shold withstaÌ„d a mightie stroÌ„g practised wel armed man no verely He wil either runne away if the grouÌ„d serue him or with shame be takeÌ„ prisoner and captine When I consider the maner of dying of such as were in gods fauour of whom we reade in the Scriptures old new coÌ„pare our selues with theÌ„ how willing ready glad they were to leaue this lyfe how loath backwarde sory we are for the greater part to doe the same I meruaile we should be called one mans children that are so vnlyke in condicion Moses being tolde he should no longer lyue therefore to prouide his successour dyd w his own hands ordre appoynt Iosua without coÌ„playnt sorow or token of gréefe prouiding for theÌ„ that shold lyue as it were nothing thinking on him selfe Isaac byd his sonne go hunt prouide gett him meat that he might blesse him before he dyed The lycke coÌ„tentacioÌ„ appeared in Iacob Tobias Dauid sundry other whome we finde not onely neuer to haue shunned death
The Droomme of Doomes day Wherin the frailties and miseries of mans lyfe are lyuely portrayed and learnedly set forth Deuided as appeareth in the Page next following Translated and collected by George Gascoigne Esquyer Tam Marti quam Mercurio ¶ Imprinted at London for Gabriell Cawood dwelling in Paules Churchyard at the Signe of the holy Ghost 1576. THis worke is deuided into three partes the first whereof is entituled The view of worldly Vanities Exhorting vs to contempne all pompes pleasures delightes and vanities of this lyfe And the second parte is named The shame of sinne Displaying and laying open the huge greatnesse and enormities of the same by sundrye good examples comparisons And the third parte is called The Needels Eye VVherein wee are taught the right rules of a true Christian life and the straight passage vnto euerlasting felicitie Heerevnto is added a priuate Letter the which doth teach remedies against the bitternesse of Death ¶ TO THE RIGHT HONOrable his singuler good Lord and Maister the Earle of Bedforde Knight of the noble order of the Garter and one of hir maiesties most honorable priuie counsell George Gascoigne wisheth much encrease and long continuance of Gods fauour according to â—…is bounden duetie RIght noble my singuler good lord if I shuld presume in this epistle dedicatorie to blasonne and set forth eyther your iust desertes in generalitie or your exceeding fauour and bountie towardes me in perticularitie I might both offend your honorable eares which are seldome seene willing to harken vnto your owne prayses and much dygresse from myne owne former course in writing since I haue hetherto in all my lyfe attayned small skill or grace in the arte of adulation Let it then please your honor to rest throughly satisfied with this my simple acknowledging of your great goodnes so much surpassing my smal deserts that I fynde none other meane of discharge but onely to coÌ„tinue your faithful seruaunt and follower The which I protest to accomplish vnto my lyues end as well towards your own person my good Ladie as to all your posteritie in euerie duetifull respecte And my good Lorde I must needes confesse both vnto your honour and to the whole world that amoÌ„gest a number of imperfectioÌ„s I finde my self giltie of much time mispent of greater curiositie theÌ„ was conuenient in penning and endightyng sundrie toyes and trifles So that lookyng backe with inward griefe towardes the beginning of my recklesse race I fynde that both the tyme and my duetie doe challenge in me the fruites of repentaunce To be shewed in some seryous trauayle which might both perticulerly beare witnesse of my reformation and generally become profitable vnto others VVherevnto I was now almost twelue moneths past pricked and much moued by the graue and discreete wordes of one right worshipfull and mine approued friend who in my presence hearing my thryftlesse booke of Poesyes vndeseruedly commended dyd say That he lyked the smell of those Poesies pretely well but he would lyke the Gardyner much better if he would employe his spade in no worse ground then eyther Deuinitie or morall Philosophie Vnto which wordes I thought not meete to reply much at that tyme hauyng learned that a rashe answere should not bee giuen vnto a graue aduyse But finding my selfe therewith throughly ticklâ—…d and therby also finding the great difference betweene that friende and many other who had suÌ„drie times serued me as an 〈◊〉 with prayses coÌ„mon suffrages affirming that I deserued a Lawrel Garland with sundrie other plausible speeches not heere to be rehersed I beganne straight waye to consider that it is not suffycient â—…or a man to haue a high â—…ying Hawke vnlesse he doe also accustome hir to stoupe such Quarâ—…ies as are both pleasant and profitable For iâ—… the best Faulkener with his best flying â—…aulcon shoulde yet continually beate the flockes of simple shiftlesse Doues oâ—… suffer his Hauke to checke alwayes at the caryon Crow the plesure might perhappes content a vayne desyre but the profite or commoditiâ—… would skarcely quyte his cost And in lyke maner whosoeuer is by the highest God endued with anye haughty gifte hee ought also to bestowe and employe the same in some worthie and profitable subiecte or trauayle Least in his default he deserue the name of an vnprofitable and carelesse Stewarde when his accoumpt is strictly cast So then to returne to my purpose my singular good Lord I haue of long time thought my selfe bounden by some seryous trauayle to declare that those graue and friendly wordes dyd not marche altogither vnmarked through mâ—… mynde And therevpon not manye monethes since tossyng and retossyng in my small Lybrarie amongest some bookes which had not ofâ—…en felte my fyngers endes in XV. yeares before I chaunced to light vpon a small volumne skarce comely couered and wel worâ—…e handled For to tell a truth vnto your honor it was written in an old kynd of Caracters and so torne as it neyther had the beginning perspycuous nor the end perfect So that I can not certaynly say who shuld be the Author of the same But as things of meane sâ—…we outvvardely are not alwayes to bee reâ—…ected euen so in thys olde torne Paumphlette I founde sundrye thingâ—…s as mee thoughte wrytten with suche zeale and affection aâ—…d tendinge so dyrectly vnto the reformacion of maners that I dyd not onely my selfe take great pleasure in perâ—…culer â—…eading â—…ereof but thought them profitable to be pâ—…blished for a generall commoditie And therevpon haue translated collected into some ordre these sundry parcells of the same â—…he which aswell bicause the aucthor is to me vnknowen 〈◊〉 also bâ—…cause the oryginal copies had no 〈◊〉 tytle but cheefly bicause they do all tende zealously to an admonicion whereby we may euery man walke warely deceÌ„tly in his vocacion I haue thought meeâ—…e to entytle The Droomme of Doomes daye Thinking my selfe assured that any Souldier which meaneth to march vnder the slagge of gods fauour may by sounde of this droomme be awaked and called to his watch and warde with right sufficient summons For more perticuler proofe wherof let it please my good Lorde to vnderstand that I haue deuided this worke into three partes VVhereof the first I haue named The viewe of worldly vanities Bicause it doth very eloquently and pythily persuade all men to contempne the pompes excessiue pleasures and delightes of this lyfe A treatise which though at the first it seeme very hard and vnpleasaunt yet whosoeuer wyll vouchsafe the dyligent reading thereof shall reape thereout no lesse commoditie then a body repleate with hewmours receyueth by the medicinable purgacion The seconde parte I haue termed the Shame of sâ—…e Bicause in deede it displayeth and blasoneth the detestable enormities thereof and helpeth to cure the sowle by remembraunce and consideracion of the very lothesoomnesse which sinne doth continually carry in it selfe This part needeth not so much demonstracion as it deserueth commendacion And whosoeuer doth
is formed and made of Dust Clay Asshes and a matter much vyler which for modestie I doe not name coÌ„â—…eiued in concupisence of the fleshe in the feruent heate oâ—… lust in the loathsome stinck of desyre and that worse is in the blot and blemish of sinne borne vnto payne sorow and fearâ—… yea and that which is most miserable vnto death He doth lewd thinges wherby he offendeth God his neighbor and him selfe He doeth filthy facts whereby he defileth his good name his conscience and his person and he doth vayne thinges wherby he neglecteth serious profitable necessary things He shal become the fewel for fier which alwayes burneth and can not be quenched the foode of worms which euer gnaw and féede vpon him the continewall masse of corruption which alwayes stincketh is filthie odious and horrible Then our Lord God hath formed man of the â—…ime of the Earth which is more vile then the rest of the Elements as it appeareth in the second of Genesis He made the Planets and Starres of the Fyer the blastes and wyndes of the Ayre the Fisshes and Fowles of the Water and Man and beast he made of Earth Then if he consider of the creatures created in the water he shall perceiue him selfe to be vile Considering the creatures made of Ayre he shall finde himself more vile coÌ„sidering the creatures of fyer he shal fynd himself most vyle Neither shal he make him self equal with the heaueÌ„ly creatures nor dareth prefer himselfe before the creatures of the Earth for he shal finde him selfe equal vnto beastes and shall acknowledge himselfe lyke vnto cattell sithence th end of man and cattel of the feild is all one and their condicion and estate are equall neither can man doe any more then a beast From the Earth they sprang and rose and to the Earth they shal retorne together These are not the wordes of any worldly man but of the wysest euen Salomon What is man then but slyme and dust and thervpon he sayth vnto God Remember I besech thée that thou hast made me lyke vnto Earth and shalt bring me into dust againe and thervpon also God sayth vnto man Thou art dust and shalt retorne into dust I am compared sayth Iob vnto Clay and am lykened vnto Imbers and Asshes Clay is made of Water and dust and both the substaunces doe remaine therein and Asshes are made of Fyer woode and bothe the substances doe fayle An expresse mistery but to be expounded in an other place Then what is Clay to be prowde on or whereof doest thou extoll thy selfe O dust O Asshes whereof doest thou glory Peraduenture thou wylt answere that Adam him selfe was fashioned and formed of clay and that thou art procreate of the séede of man But he was formed out of virgin clay and thou art procreate of séede which is vncleaue for who can make that cleane which is conceiued of vncleane séede What is man that he may seme vndefiled or that which is borne of man may seme iust For behold I was begotten in iniquitie and my mother conceiued me in sin Not onely in one iniquitie nor in one onely transgression but in many iniquities and in many transgressions yea euen in strange iniquities and transgressions for there are two kinde of conceptions one of séede an other of nature The first is made in such factes as are committed The second in such thinges as are purchased and gotten for the parents commit in the first and their issue doe purchase in the second For who is ignorant that the act of generation yea euen betwene maried folkes is neuer committed without prouocation of the fleshe without heate of lâ—…st or of concupisence wherevpon the séedes which are conceiued be vncleane be blotted and made corrupt and the sowle beinge therewith ouer flowed dothe purchase the spot of sinne the blot of gilt and transgression and the blemish of iniquitie euen as liquor is corrupted beinge thrust into an vâ—…cleane vessell and beinge once poluted is defiled euen by the first touch therof For the sowle hath thrée natural powers or three natural forces that is to say a reasonable power to deserne betwene good and euill a passionate power to reiect the euill and a power of appetite to desier that which is good These three powers are originally corrupted with three opposite and contrary vices the reasonable power â—…y ignoraunce that it may not deserne betwene good and euill the passionat power by wrath and anger that it may reiect the good the power of appetite by the concupisence that it may desier that which is euill The first of these vices begetteth transgression the last bringeth forth sinne the midlemost ingeÌ„dereth both sinne traÌ„sgression for it is traÌ„sgression to doe that which is not to be done it is sinne to indeuor that which is not to be indeuored These thrée vi â—…es are purchased and gotten out of corrupted flesh by thrée allurements for in carnall copulation the vnderstanding is lulled on slepe to th ende that ignorance may be sowed the prouocation of lust is styrred vp to th ende that anger and motion of mynde may be spred a broade and the affection of voluptuousnesse is satisfied to thend that concupicence may be obtayned This is that Tyran fleshe the lawe and ruler of the members of man the norishment of sinne the languishment of nature and the fodder of death without the which no man is borne and without the which no man dyeth the which although it passe ouer at any tyme in state of accusation yet it remayneth alwayes in acte For if we say that we haue no sinne we beguyle our selues the trueth is not in vs Oh greuous misery and vnhappy estate condition before we sinne we are bound and wrapped in sinne and before we transgresse we are caught in transgression By one man sinne entered into the worlde by sinne death tooke hold of all men for dyd not the forefathers eate a sower Grape and their childrens téeth are set on edge Wherfore theÌ„ was light geuen to him that is in wretched nesse lyfe lent to such as are in bitternes of the sowle Oh happie they are which dye before they are borne which tast of death before they know what lyfe is for soure are borne so deformed and prodigious that they seme not men but rather abhominations vnto whom nature perhappes should much better haue foresene if she had neuer suffered them to be sene for they are demonstrate and set to shew as monsters and shewes and some againe lacking some of theyr members sences are borne vnperfect to the grefe of their freindes the infamy of their parents and the abashinge of their neighbors But what nede I speake perticularly of these imperfections sithence all men generally are borne without knowledge without speach without vertue without power wéeping wayling weake féeble and but little deâ—…eringe from brute beastes or
and so much the more fearefully héedefully we shal walke before the maiestie of the highest god For behold we are set in the middest of the whole world That is to say on this earth betwéene the heauenly kingdome and the confused hellish Chaos Certeynly knowe that at the length we shall be led eyther to the eternall felicitie of heauen or els to the perpetuall tormentes of hell Oh that the tongue of our hartes would tast this selfe same morsell as it deserueth to be tasted For then I thinke we should neuer loosely be giuen ouer vnto vayne pleasure and delights we should not spend our tyme laughing sporting or playing but in wéeping and repentance So as we might truly confesse with Iob That we haue alwayes feared God as the swelling waues which would ouer whelme vs Being induced there vnto by the déepe contemplation of the Psalmist saying Come and behold the works of God which is terrible in his degrées vpon the sonnes of men And Paule sayth O profound depth of the treasure of Gods knowledge and wisedome howe incomprehensible are his iudgementes and how vnsearchable are his wayes he is the Lord that almightie King in whose power and dominion all thinges are constituted Who only is péerelesse So that his being doeth infinitely excell the being of any thing that is created as that in respect thereof all other things séeme as it were to haue no being at all Furthermore since we are beset in so greate daunger what remayneth for vs to doe or what remedye is profered vnto vs but euen that we eschue and auoyde with a most vigilant mynde those thinges whereby God so dreadfull is offended and whereby such paynes of infinite damnation are procured which are sinnes euen as the scripture doeth admonishe vs saying Flye from sinne as from the sight of a Serpent For none aduersitie shall bée hurtfull vnto thée if none iniquitie get the ouer hande of thée Wherefore a yong man of singular capacitie and my dearest of all deare brother to the ende that we may more warely hereafter eschue and auoyde sinne I intende fyrst by Gods helpe to wright for the stirring vp and inflaming of our soule Of the enormities great mischiefes and hurtes that come by sin That the vylenesse and filthinesse of sinne beyng perfectly vnderstoode and perceyued you may at the length flye from vyce with so great dilligence that you may as well deserue to be preuented and adorned by your creator with giftes of grace as you are already by him adorned and preuented with giftes of nature That only sinne causeth a reasonable creature to be displeasaunt dispisable and odious vnto God. The first acte EEuen as there is nothing more to be desired than to please God and to be of him beloued estéemed or honoured So is there nothing worse more detestable or more terrible than to displease him and to be of him dispised and hated In lyke maner as vertues and the actions of the same doe make vs pleasing honorable and welbeloued vnto the true God So vicious qualities and sinnes do make vs vnto God displeasing contemptuous and hatefull For he the almightie creator of the vniuersall world although he loue all things as touching that they haue of him that is to say as touching their being which he doth vncefsantly conserue in his kynd according to the saying of the wise man Thou louest O Lord all things that are and thou hatest nothing of those which thou haste made yet neuerthelesse he hateth sundry reasonable creatures as touching that which they reteyne and are of their owne frée will. That is to say as touching iniquitie their transgressions as the scripture sayth The wicked and his wickednesse are hatefull vnto god And agayne thou haste hated all them that worke iniquitie and thou shalt distroy all them which speake leasings and that dispiseth them hée witnesseth saying Thou hast dispised all them that went a stray from thy righteousnesse since their thoughtes were wicked And agayne he that dwelleth in the heauens shall laugh at them and the Lorde shall laugh them to skorne Then shall he speake vnto them in his wrath and in hys furie shall he vexe and trouble them yea euen this thyng happeneth by the most iust iudgement of god That they which contempne and dishonour God which is aboue all things to be exalted and to be thought worthiest of all worthies preferring their owne will before his diuyne pleasure should be dispised and ouerthrowne by him as he him selfe protesteth saying whosoeuer glorifieth mée I will glorifie him But they which dispise me shall be vnable Such are all the wicked and peruerse which haue no care to heare the word of God or doe omit the fulfilling therof when they haue heard it Of whom the euerlasting vncreated wisedome sayeth bicause I haue called aâ—…d you haâ—…e held backe dispising all my councelles and neglâ—…cting my rebukes I also will laugh at your distruction and will skorne you when that is happened vnto you which you most feared Beholde my welbeloued by these wordes the madnesse of them is reproued which linger their conuersion and in the ende of their life the very instant of death créeping now vpon them doe determine to make confession of their life and to amend themselues And yet neuer marking how horrible the eternall God and most high Iudge doeth threaten and affirme that he will skorne and laugh at suche men at the tyme of their death Fynally as Iob sayeth The wicked are preserued vntil the day of distruction and they shall be ledde vnto the day of reuenge and shall drinke of the furie of the almightie Wherefore if thou desire to please God if thou feare to be of him dispised and hated decline from euil â—…ye sinne deteâ—… vice and vncessantly feare to displease the high Iudge Who hath power to cast both body and soule into hell fyre Consider howe and howe much the children of this world and the seruants of Princes goe about to please their maisters How they dread to be dispised What great paynes they take to obtayne a voluble and worldly prayse Wherefore if thou desire to be accounted amongest the sonnes of God blushe then and bée ashamed that thou shouldest lesse indeuor to please God and to be honored and beloued of him then they study to attein mans fauour And finally lyke as of the humanitie pleasantnesse wherewith thou art naturally indued thou doest decently and mannerly behaue thy self before men So much the more behaue thy self reuerently and orderly before god inwardly or rather both inwardly and outwardly For if when thou hast to speake with any worthie personage thou commest reuerently vnto him puttest of thy Cap and doest kéedely beware what thou speakest and when thou shouldest talke with God by prayer or by saying Psalmes then come with reuerence and begin pronounsing without any regard doest thou not then ouer lightly estéeme the maiestie of the
made so much the huger and greater the more that he is bound vnto equitie and the more or greater benifittes that he hath receyued of God yea the more learned or able that he was to haue done wel Thirdly it is weighed and noted in the qualitie of the matter whereaboutes the sinne is committed agaynst a mans person then agaynst his substance But those sinnes are moste gréeuous which are directly committed agaynst god As blasphemy infidelitie or desperation Fourthly by meanes of the end which the sinner tendeth too for the worse that the sinner his intent is the more greuous is the sinne Fiftly by the circumstances that is to say of the tynâ—…e and place Sixtly of the verie deformitie of the sinne it self according to it self by reason of it selfe The which is alwayes so much the greater and more loathsome as the vertue is the gallanter and more worthie which is contrarie vnto it Whervpon as the loue of God is the highest vertue so to â—…ate God is the greatest sinne So that on all sides and in all respectes the vylenesse filthinesse and enormitic of sin is multiplyed and increased And therefore holy Gregorie sayeth if we knewe in what maner our soule is wounded and doth fester by euery least sin or faulte we would surely vnto death resist sin And again a stinking dog is more tollerable sayeth hée vnto mans smell than a sinfull soule vnto God â–ª Go to then my dearly beloued if we feare or be vnwilling to be to appeare vyle filthie detestable ignoble before the holy and moste worthie maiestie of God If we abhorre that the countenaunce of our creator should bée turned from vs let vs then auoyde sinne with all carefulnesse and pure affection Forasmuch as no deformitie no hurt no blot can so much defyle infect or disorder mans bodie and make it séeme so detestable and disfigured in mens eyes as the reasonable soule is with euerie mortall sinne blemished made vyle infected and made filthie and detestable before the sight of the diuyne maiestie and of his holie Angels For it is made lyke to the verie diuil himself béeing turned from the fountayne of light it is filled with the â—…arcke clouds of lothsomenesse and filthinesse What sinne is Art. 4. BY the witnesse of holy Ambrose sin is a bâ—…king or infringing of the diâ—…yne lawes and a disobedience to the heauenly commaundementes Lykewise according to Augustine sinne is sayth he to cleaue vnto changeable thinges and to dispyse the vncâ—…angéable goodnesse And agayne sinne sayeth hée is a will and desire to retayne or to get that which rightuousnesse doeth forbid So that sinne is the transgression of the dâ—…nc wil and commaundements as to doe that which 〈◊〉 forbiddeth or to omit that which he commaundeth Where vpon it foloweth that it is siu to speake to thinke to desire or to â—…oe agaynst the lawes diuyne Now there are two thinges to be considered in sinne That one is as it were formal that is to say the auertyng and turning of the mynde from the high and vnchangeable goodnesse which is principall or capitall sinne That other is as it were materiall That is the conuersion of the mynde created variable and readie to fall vnto the stedfast consideration of the high goodnesse Herevpon two euil thinges there are also coriespondent vnto sinne For as touching the formall poynt the payne of the losse or damage is coriespondent vnto it which is extreame miserie and lacke of the heauenly fruition But as touching the materiall poynte of sinne the payne of the sences doeth therevnto corresponde That is to say the sencible paynes of hell which are the punishmentes of eternall fyre Dionyce briefely deâ—…neth â—…nne to be a going backe from order that is to say from that conuenient and due estatâ—… wherevnto the mynde created ought to cleaue fast and be subiect vnto the creator For that doeth right order require that the inferiuâ—…â—…ould be subiect to the superior that the effect may be coâ—…ed vnto the cause thereof That the creature of vnderstanding may bend it self vnto his creator as vnto a beginning that maketh it blessed And all this is subuerted by sinne for by it the mynde created rebelleth agaynst his creator And doeth as it were turne his backe against his creators fact neyther doeth it indeuour it selfe according to his counsell but trusteth in his owne strength Furthermore it is sinne to preferre a mans wil before the wil of God and not to brydle and restrayne a mans owne libertie according to the terrour of the diuyne lawe Wherevpon in all sinne the sinner doeth propounde vnto him selfe an ende in some frayle and created goodnesse vnto the which he is inordinately affected and doeth viciouslye cleaue vnto it yea more than vnto God bycause it is agaynst hys will and ordynaunce This doeth truelye and directly repugne vnto the diuyne charitie bycausâ—… wée ought to loue GOD aboue all thinges and to béâ—… conformed and effected lyke vnto hym and to cleaue faâ—… vnto him And lykâ—…wyse vnto rightuousnesse bycausâ—… wée are bounden aboue all things to obey the deuyne preceptes And therefore according to the doctours whatsoeuer â—…oeth directly repugne vnto charitie by the which God and our neighbour is loued yea or vnto rightuousnesse is in his kynde mortall sinne And so sinne is a contempt â—…f the deuyne bountie an 〈◊〉 to the diuyne maiestie an offence to the diuine holâ—…nesse a râ—…bellion agaynst the diuine will a forsaking of the diuyne wysedom an ingratitude for heauenly benefites A fulfilling of frowardnesse and selfe will a seducing of reason an infection of the soule a woundyng of the forces thereof a filthinesse of mynde a murdering of grace a rauishing of charitie a snare of death a way to dampnation a gate of hell a net of the diuill an imitation of wicked spirites Detesting of Angels an excéeding mallice a right crookednesse a wonderfull deformitie a moste filthie kynde of monster a most cruel wylde beast and a lamâ—…ntable perpetuall losse of that true felicitie To conclude sinne is that which moste displeaseth God most pleaseth the diuil is most hurtfull vnto mans harte Behold now thou séest my welbeloued howe much sinne is to be hated eschued and detested Yea more than any of vs can comprehend or expresse it is to be hated and highly to be auoyded Wherefore let vs incessantly arme our selues stâ—…utly to fight agaynst this euill agaynst this so mischéeâ—…ous an enimy and so deadly and mortal foe Our weapons are none other then the vertues them selues And our combates are euen the actions of vertue especially the laude and praysing of god And prayer as it is written I will laude and cal vpon the Lord and I shall be safe from mine enimyes Also the diligent watch and custodie of the hart is to consider the continuall diuyne presence To humble our selues in all thinges and to hope in God with all our harte and euer to feare him Of the enormitie of sinne
peryls What therefore can be better aduysed vnto vs yea what can be safer or more for our health and saluation then to séeke a place of refuge to go into some streng walled towne and therein to séeke some mancion of rest quyet In the which there maye be founde as many defendors protectors as there are inhabytors All armed with the right spyrituall armour and most redye to fight agaynst sinne And where is this place Or this stronge walled Towne and Cytie Forsooth euen in the congregation of the deuout and relygious Whose harte and soule are all one in the Lorde Of whome euery one doth by spéeche by prayer and by examples drawe some other to followe hym in perfection Which vsing vertue for an armour doe set opposytely synguler and competent vertues against euerye pertyâ—…uler and neglygent vyce For behold howe good and pleasant a thinge it is for brethren to dwell to gether in vnytie For as Salomon sayeth If one of them fall he shal be raysed vp agayne by a nother Yea they haue contynewall and most excelent salues and oyntements that is to saye remedyes agaynst the dayly temptatyons of the Deuylles and the woundes of vyces And those remedyes are Dayly troubles and confusyons rebukes of superyours enstructioÌ„ of the faythfull consolation of that mercifull obseruatioÌ„ of god his word coÌ„mauÌ„denâ—…ts watching fasâ—…ing prayer teaching and holy medytations And to conclude euen as in this world one doth drawe another vnto sinne vyce euen so in the congregatioÌ„ of the deuout and faithfull one doth drawe and entyse a nother vnto vertues And euen as worldly society doth much hynder so this doth very much further aduaunce the perfection of godly lyfe As SalomoÌ„ sayth The man which is helped by his brother is as a strong Citie well walled And the Psalmist sayth With the holy thou shalt be holy and with the wicked thou shalt be paruerted Where vpon the holy worde doth agayne exhorte vs saying Be of daily conuersation with the holy man And with whome soeuer thou knowest to kéepe the feare of God before his eyes and whose soule is according vnto thyne in holynesse For in this world a man falleth often but ryseth seldome Is soone hurte gréeuously and late healed perfectly He fayleth much and profiteth but lyttle But in the congregation and feloshype of the faythfull and true chrystians all these thinges by Bernardes opynyon and by certayne experyence are cleane contrarye For there men fall seldome and ryse often Are lyghtly hurt and more easyly cured Doo lesse decrease and much more encrease Consyder then euen déepely the quantitie qualytie multitude and magnitude of thy perills Truely if this perill whereof I forewarne thée were onely for the losse of temporall thinges for troubles or afflyctions yea were it for transitorie infirmities losse of lyues or abyding of most bytter and paynefull death yet were it tollerable and I would not be so carefull for thée But this perill whereof I meane is concerning the irecuperable losse of the highest vnmeasurable and vnchangeable goodnesse of god And â—…wyse it concerneth the purchasing of euerlastinge daâ—…ion and the paynes of hell So that if thou doo not estéeme and dreade this perill vehemently then hast thou not thyne eyes illumyned neyther yet a cleare and lyuely faythe but a deadly and a darke Spyryte For is this perill not to be feared with out all comparyson more then any domage lâ—…sse trouble 〈◊〉 griefe and languyshing aduersity or temporall death Yes surely And for that cause if thou wouldest in the daye of iudgemeÌ„t be voyd of feare and be saued then be not voyd of care vainely light and vnfearefull but carefull busie and fearefull For in so doâ—…ing thou shalt at the last be safe and frée Furthermore since by Salomons wordes it séemeth That we are ignoraunt whether we are yet worthy of the loue or hatred of God and that all thinges vncertayne are so reserued till the tyme to come therfore we ought to be héedy and carefull before God least we encurre the daunger of his infinyte wrath and euerlasting dampnation To the avoyding wherof it is to be considered that certeyne sinnes vyces namely of the fleshe are the better avoyded and ouercome if a man doth estraunge and withdrawe himselfe from the materyall cause of the same But how canst thou ouercome such vyces and their branches if thou doe not flye from the materyall causes thereof But dost dayly kéepe company with such as vnhappyly wallowe toumble in those enormyties yea if thou doest become a fellowe vnto them eating drinking and walking with them For Hugo sayth That it is vnpossible for any man tâ—… eschewe sinne vnlesse he refrayne the company of sinners Then they which are dayly coÌ„uerasant with such as walke the broad and large way of perdytion and are like and conformable vnto them in eating drinking clothing spéeche pastymes and such other lyght affectiones how shall they be able to auoyde theyr more gréeuous offâ—…nces or how can they contynewe in the streyght path and ryght way walking with theÌ„ which wander so at large and straying so in euery broade bâ—… way god forbyd that thou shouldest arrogaÌ„tly thynke thy selfe of such so great perfection Synce it is written by Salomon he that handleth pytche shal be defiled therewith And he that doth communycate with a proude man shal be endewed with pryde Dothe it not folowe by the same reason that hée which communycateth with a lecher shal be defiled with lecherye Augustine sayth I beheld the Ceders of Lybanus Whose fall I doubted euen asmuch as the rewyne of Hierusalem And yet they both fell To conclude I say in fewe wordes that the more thou neclect the perylles of thy soule the more thou prosperest in this world the more delycately thou cherysh and tender that frayle fleshe of thyne the more theu folowe the will of thy harte the lesse thou regarde the losse of thy tyme the more thou doe now glory laugh and wander in vanyties so much the more myserable art thou so much the more grééuously to be bewayled and pyttied Yea y lesse that thou thy selfe bewayle thy blyndenesse iniquity and neglygence so much the more thâ—…u art of others to be bewayled pyttied Wherefore my welbeloued rowse thy selfe from so many peryles and daungers Flée from this world which is the enemye to thy soule conuerte thy selfe wholy and perfectly to the Lord thy God leaue and forsake for his sake all the goods and delights of this lyfe and he will geue vnto thée all the treasures and abundaunces in the kingdome of heauen Our Sauiour sayth in the seuenth Chapiter of Mathew He which heareth the word of God and doth it not is lyke vnto a foolyshe man which buylt his house vpon the sande The floodes came and the wyndes blewe and burst into that house the rewyne thereof was great The holy fathers doe compare this world to a great and ragyng
mayest enioye him thy fill most swéâ—…tely and aboundauntly For in him the whole fulnesse of blessednesse doth consist Yea the delight of God is to be with such a soule and to dâ—…cke and adorne it daily with great plenteousnesse and to vysit and comfort it with most godly reioysinges Then let vs for gods sake by the beholding of so great profit and by the desyre and affection whiche we ought to haue vnto so greate nobylitie learne to contempne euen from our hartes this moste vayne varyable néedye frayle intysing world which with draweth vs from god Synce it cannot satysfie nor contâ—…t our affecte nor our desire As Augustine 〈◊〉 saying A reasonable soule created to the lykenesse of God maye be occupyed in all thinges but it cannot be replenyshed satysfied nor fulfilled For he which is capable of GOD cannot be filled and satisfied with any thing that is lesse theÌ„ god And agayne he sayth O Lorde thou hast made â—…ur hart for thée and it is therefore troubled out of quyet vntyll it maye come vnto thée Nowe we haue shewed before sufficiently that the more our soule is stretched out or dâ—…spersed in earthly thinges yea the more it be occupied in temporall thinges and affected vnto worldly thinges so much the lesse can it be occupyed gathered together or affected towardes god And therefore if we would haue it incessauntly occupyed and exercysed in him by syncere contemplation feruent loue déepe medytation contyne wall praier harty prayse and thankesgeuing let vs withdrawe and turne it away from the world and all that is therein and let vs wholy applye it yea and as it were laye it flat and prostrate before the diuine maiestye For so shall it wounderfully growe and increase in grace And let vs so entirely loue and conserue this true godly and moste noble perfection which is beyond all comparyson better more excelent and more to bée desyred then all the goods of this world that we may altogither and in euery respect contempne the world for the loue and desire which we haue to the said perfectioÌ„ as a thing of nothing and altogither vayne Neyther yet let vs thynke that we haue done anye greate thing to leaue and forsake earthly and base things for so supernaturall and excellent treasures but let vs singe prayses vnto God with an humble and louely spirite bicause he hath so taught illumynate erected and styrred vp our hartes to the true discerning and full forsaking of all vanytie and vylenesse in this world For they are truely blessed whome the Lord â—…oth so vouchsafe to teach so to enduce vnto the contempt of the world and so to rayse and styre vp vnto the full perfectioÌ„ of a spyrituall lyfe Now my welbeloued should not he séeme to haue a mynde sore darkened a hard hart which hauing red hard and vnderstood these thinges is neyther prouoked to contempne the world nor enflamed to attayne the Godly perfection before rehearsed Doe not thou then for the loue of the lesse hazard to lose the more Be not more delighted in creatures then in the creator Doe not cleaue more earnestly vnto the world then vnto god For behold the world with all the concupyscence and vanytie thereof passeth away and vanysheth lyke smoke But he which doth the will of God shall abyde for euer It is written in the seuenth Chapiter of Ecclesiastes remember thy latter ende and thou shalt neuer sinnne And surely such as neyther the horrour of death the trembling feare of Gods iudgemente the bytter and euerlasting paynes of the infernall tormentes nor the infinyte felicitye of the heauenly habitacion can prouoke or styre to walke warely to amend theyr lyfe penitently to feare GOD and to contempne the world Are to be thought of a stony or rather a stéely hart and mynde Especyally since we must beleue nay rather we know perfectly that we must once dye and yet we are altogither ignoraunt when we shal be called hence Therewithall we must vnderstand y after this lyfe ther is no tyme of conuersion nor repêtaunce And why doe we then ouerskype any 〈◊〉 or occasion wherein we might doe well Why doe we suffer anâ—… houre to passe without some fruite or profit Or why â—…are we presume to perseuer in such estate as yet we â—…ave not dye therein But let vs doe as Salomon sayth Whatsoeuer thy hand can worke that doe thou worke earnestly For there are neyther working skyl connyng nor knowledge beneath where thou goest Yea let it not be fulfilled in vs which Salomâ—…n sayth in the same place meaning by the neglygent and vnaâ—… uysed euen as fyshes are taken with the hooke and byrdes with snares so are mâ—…n caught and ouer taken in the 〈◊〉 ill houre which shall sodeynely come vpon them Wherefore let vs neuer suffer the horrour of death the stryctnesse of Gods dreadefull iudgement nor the feare of hell fyre to be estranged or eloyned from the eyes of our vnderstanding For as â—…ierome sayth Nâ—…thing can more withdrawe a man from sin then the ofteÌ„ remembraâ—…ce of death And as Chrysostome sayth This world is deâ—…full the ende thereof doubtfull the issue horryble the Iudge terryble and yet the payne vntermynable To conclude euen as Ambrose sayth Plato the Phylosopher was also of the same opymon the whâ—… lyfe of theÌ„ which are wyse is exereysed in the 〈◊〉 of death And therefore let vs forecast what we must be in tyme to come For whosoeuer doth stoutly consider in himselfe that he must dye he shall doubtlesse despyse thinges prâ—…sent and make hast towards thinges to come Wherevpon it restâ—…th that god would haue our end vnknoweÌ„ vnto vs And y day of our death vncertayne That whiles it is alwayes vnknoweÌ„ and yet alwayes thought to be redy at hand euery man might be so much the more ferueÌ„t in operatioÌ„ as he is the more vnâ—…rteyne of his voratioÌ„ Therfore let vs not ouerpasse such 〈◊〉 dreadfull causes with skipping dauncing Neyther let â—…s sollycit the affayres of our death iestingly or vnaduisedly But wheÌ„ we ryse betime let vs not thinke to liue vntill the euening when we lye downe to rest let vs not presume of our vprysing And by these meanes we shall easily brydle our selues from all vyce and worldly affection Let vs well ponder that the houre approcheth wherein we shall remoue out of this lyfe into an vnknowen region There immedytately to abyde before the trybunall seate of the most mighty and dreadfull indge Then our tyme myspent and vnfruitfully lost will playnely appeare to be irrecuperable Neither shall any thinge that we haue vnordynately loued or vniustly done here be anye waye able to helpe or to comforte vs Then shall we be sory that we haue lyued so carelesly that we haue omytted so many good things and coÌ„mitted so many euils But let vs now whiles we haue tyme shewe forth the true fruites of repentaunce Let vs nowe so reuerence and honour Christ our iudge that we
lawfull for vs to glorie in our selues nor to haue a vayn delight in our selues But as the Apostle sayeth He that gloryeth let him glorie in the Lord. Beholde the world passeth ouer and all the glorie therof And what is our life in this world but a smoke and vapour shewing it selfe a little and sâ—…raight way is vanished and gone we all slippe away lyke water into the earth Wée are earth ashes dust rottennesse and wormes meate So that when a man is deade hee shall inherite Snakes and Wormes To conclude what is this present lyfe but a continuall and â—…oste swifte course vnto deathe For some parte of our lyfe is continually and without ceasing wasted and cut off And therefore Dauid sayde Our dayes are lyke a shadowe vpon the earth and there is none abidyng And Ezechias sayde my lyfe is cut of as the webbe from the Weauer Yea euen whylest I yet began he cut mée off And Iob remember mée O Lord for my lyfe is lyke a puffe of wynde And in respecte of the eternitie the lastyng of thys lyfe is nothing as Job witnesseth in the same place saying Spare mée O Lorde for my dayes are as nothyng Héerevpon Chrisostom sayth Let vs passe saith he one hundreth yeres in delyghtes yea ad thervnto another hundereth or if you lyst ten tymes an hundereth and what shall all this bée compared to eternitie shall not all the whole tyme of this lyfe in the which we séeme to inioy so many delyghtes and to haue frée scope vnto vanities shall it not I saye bée as a dreame of one nyght compared to the eternitie Yes for as Hierome sayeth if thou haddest the wysedome of Salomon the beautie of Absalon the strength of Sampson the ryches of Crâ—…esus and the myghtie power of Octauianus what should all these profitte thée when as straight wayes thy bodie shall be delyuered vnto the wormes and thy soule vnto diuilles For as Augustyne affyrmeth If Adam yet lyued and shoulde dye thys day what coulde it then auayle hym to haue liued so long Now therefore my dearely beloued weygh these things déepely For such as neglecte to marke these things presently â—…arly or late they shall say vnfrutefully with the reprobate in the day of iudgement We haue erred from the way of truth and the lyght of rightuousnesse hath not shyned in vs and the bryght sonne of vnderstandyng hath not rysen vnto vs What hath our pryde profited vs Or what hath our pompe and boastyng preuayled vs All those thyngs haue passed ouer as a shadowe and as a swyfte running messenger For then shall the heauens reneale the vanitie of the louers of this world togither with their iniquities and the earth it selfe shall ryse agaynst them Then their sin and transgression shal be manifest with suche as haue sayde to God Departe from vs Wee will not haue the knowledge of thy wayes Then shall the rounde world fight agaynst them in Gods behalfe All thynges which haue bene shall then suffer punyshement and yet shall not be consumed Yea they shall suffer and sustayne accordyng to the multitude of theyr inuentions For the wicked is reserued vntyll the daye of perdition and shall bee ledde vnto the day of furie and shal drinke of the wrath of the almightie Let these things terâ—…rifie thy mynde and withdrawe it from the worlde Yea principally let them ioyne it vnto God. Furthermore the vanitie of this world doeth hereby most manifestly appeare that the prosperitie thereof is expected and gaped for with an excéedyng gréedinesse of mynde and when it commeth it can not be reteyned But all thinges passe ouer and all things flye away This day is paste and the beginnyng of the nexte is not yet knowne whither it shall be quyet or laboursome For so passeth ouer the glorie of this worlde And ther vpon Augustyne demaundeth saying What wilte thou loue temporall things sayeth he and passe away with them or wilt thou loue Christ and lyue eternally with hym For it is vnpossible that a man doe both inioy the present delights and the ioyes to come It is vnpossible both héere to fyll the paunche and there to satisâ—…e the mynde Men may not passe from one delyght to another and appeare gloryous bothe héere and in the worlde to come Yea and the contempte of worldely and temporall thynges is euydente by this that God doeth oftentymes bestowe them more aboundantlye vpon hys enimyes and them which are reprobate then vpon the electe For the electe doeth consider by the end that those thinges are of none accompte which doe transitorilye and seculerly delyght And therefore Hierome sayeth the spéedie consâ—…lation of the gooâ—… is the ende of the wycked well considered and foreséene For whilest the good perceyue by the distruction of the wicked what euils and perils they haue passed and eskaped they accompt all things light easie which they suffer endure in this life So y bâ—…hold my welbeloued how great the deceipt of this world is howe excéeding great is the blyndnesse of the loue which we beare to the same For whilest the wicked doth willingly with great delight remain continue in this worlde hopyng to lyue long and settyng many thinges in oâ—…der for the tyme to come sodaynely and vnawares hée is commaunded to dye and in a moment to leaue and forsake all those thinges which he so faltily hath loued and estemed Héerevpon our Sauiour Christ bringeth in the ryche man speakyng vnto hym selfe and saying My soule thou haste muche good and treasure layde vp for many yeares Take thine ease eate drinke be mery But God answeareth him saying O foole this nyght shal they take thy soule from thée whose then shall that be which thou haste so gréedily gathered Let vs therefore gather togither true and spiritual ryches which will not forsake vs at the tyme of death but will appeare with vs before God and make vs séeme comely and beautifull in all vertue and godlinesse In these kynde of riches we may dayly increase and profit yea and in suche sorte that suche profite may bée muche more auaylable vnto vs then if we possessed all the riches in the world Wherfore let vs not myspende the leaste space of tyme nor bee occupyed in good thynges onely but in the moste excelent thinges That wée may alwayes searche out those things which drawe nearest to our saluation And so growe nearer and nearer neyghbours vnto god And bee alwayes reuerently and honâ—…urably conuersaunte in the syghte of the heauenly Father Let vs thinke and thinke agayne vpon the quyet peace and tranquilitie of a pure hearte vpon the delectation of a soule beholdyng the maiestie of God and vpon the securitye and fyrme hope of the mynde which loueth god And hereby wee shall soone fynde that to gyue ouer our selues vnto such things is as much as to be conformed vnto God. And that suche as doe otherwyse are deformed and not reformed For it is not
euerye thynge whych is created defectyue And euerye transitorye thing vnquiet Yea it is shorte and of small contynewaunce but mutable and subiecte vnto tyme. So that the louers of this world â—…aue nothing firm or stable but are themselues also light and vnconstant as it were set in a whyrlewynde synce they put not theyr delyâ—…ht in God onely but in all vayne and transytory tâ—…inges now affecting this thing and now that thing Now loatâ—…yng that they earst loued and streyght waye deuring and ceuâ—…ting some other vanity not yet possessed But the iust and such as loue God doe perseuer quyet vnyforme and sâ—…ble being founded vpon the eternall God as vpon an vnâ—…oueable foundation And therevpon Salomon sayed The wicked shall not be seene Lyke vnto a storme passing ouer But the iust shal be as an euerlasting foundation Augustine bewayling the louers of this world doth exclayme and say O louers of the world wherfore labor you Why doe yâ—…u afflyct your selues about nothing Whyles you might possesse the creator of all thynges What sâ—…eke you further What may suffyse and content mens mynde whome the creator of all thinges cannot suffise and content For if you may haue all goodnesse which is God why go you about to possesse things full of mysery Can your hope expectacioÌ„ in the world be any thing els then to be thereof beloued And therein what is not frayle What is not transitory What is not changeable What is not sinallye full of perylles by the whiche you passe on vnto greater yea and euerlasting perylles And of the vanytie of the worldly lyfe Hierome sayth O lyfe no lyfe but death A deceiptfull lyfe laden with sorowe weake and ouershadowed New it florysheth streyght waye it wythereth Depryuing him of lyfe in whome it séemeth lyfe O frayle momentayâ—… and bryttell lyfe the more thou growest the more also thou decreasest The more thou procéedest the more nearer thou aprochest vnto death O lyfe full of snares how many men doest thou entangle and howe many by thée now doe abyde infernall tâ—…rments Oh howe happy is he which knoweth and perceiueth thy deceyptes how much more happy is he which setteth lyght by and careth not for thy vayne delights And he is most happy which is wel dyspatched of thée In the first Epistle of Iohn and the fyft Chapiter it is written All the whole world is set on wyckednesse Yea is not the world subiect vnto the Diuill and replenished with all iniquitie Wherevpon the same Iohn in his seconde Chapiter of his second Epistle sayth All that is in this world is concupiscence of the fleshe concupiscence of thinges séene or pryde of lyfe and conuersacion And as Peter sayth The wycked are seruauntes of corruption and of sinne For of whome soeuer a man be maystred or ouercome vnto him he is a seruaunt and in bondage And hée which is the bondman of sinne is consequently the seruant of the Diuyll Wherevpon Paule speaketh of the wicked saying Let them turne backe from the snares of the Diuill by whome they are holden in captyuitie euen according to his pleasure And Christ in his gospell doth terme the diuill the Prynce of this world Meaning not the rounde globe of the sphere but the worldly creatures which being turned backe from God are ouerwhelmed and buryed in earthly thinges Of whome Hierome ment saying Going backe frome the Lord they are written and regystred in the earth But Christ sayth contrariwyse to the electe reioyce and be ioyefull For your names are writteÌ„ regestred in heauen Now Beda expoundeth these wordes thus By the worlde and those thinges which are therern he vnderstandeth men which inordynately and excessyuely doe loue and estéeme the world And such haue nothing but concupyscence of the flesh concupyscence of thinges sene with eye and pryde of lyfe For in these vocables and proper names of vyces Iohn doth comprehende and enclude all kynds of vyces For the concupyscence of the fleshe is all that pertayneth vnto the volupteousnesse and delyghtes of the bodye By the concupyscence of thynges séene with the eye are ment all curyosyties which are commytted in learninge of wycked artes and ornamentes all contemplacion of filthy and wycked sightes or spectacles all superfluous desyre to get temporall and tryflinge toyes and all curyous carpynge and marking of our neighbours imperfections By the pride of lyfe and conuersation is ment the pompe and beast which men conceiue in worldly promotions So that the world is replenyshed with Diuils For what els doe men that liue according to the world but stryue to wrappe and enfuolde themselues in sundrye sortes of sinnes Yea and to wound and wearye theyr soules with the maynes of myschiefes and the shaftes of sundrye shamefull concupyscences vntill at last they féele not theyr owne harmes We sée fulfilled in the Church that which is written by the Prophet There is no truth there is no mercy there is no knowledge of God on the earth The cursed vyces of murder thefte adulterye and lying are come flowing ouer vs From the greatest to the least all men applye themselues vnto couetousnesse The Pryestes haue not sayd where is y Lord and the pastors haue vsed collusion It is easie to be sene vnto what an excéeding great rewine the church is come in euery eâ—…at degrée order But if christyaÌ„s did lyue now as they lyued in the primityue church and first comminge of the Gospell there should be no suche greate necessytie to flye from the world Marye as men doe now a dayes for the most parte lyue it is a highe dyfficulltye to lyue well or to declyne from heynous sinnes in the world Especially for such as are not exercysed with verteous quallytie or paynefull labour but doe abounde in ryches and are conuersant in greatest pompes and highest places Deceiptes ambytion enuye volupteousnesse and all other euils are powred out vpon the earth Euery man beateth his brayne howe hée maye multyplye and encrease his substaunce but no man careth howe to saue hys soule Men are afeard least they should fall into pouertye but were it not muche more to bée feared to lyght into the bottomelesse pyt of hell The world is the fornace of vyces The which these worldlings doo heate and warme with the fuell of sinne And therein doe burne and consume themselues and theyr companyones For they are so much blynded that they neither sée nor feare the peryles which are notoryous and well knowen to all men But doe tryumph and reioise in theyr euils lyke phrentyke and made men Yea if there be any whome they sée not wrapped in lyke wooes they accoumpt them to be blockyshe and senseles creatures Well sayd that Phylosopher As often as I was amongst men I retorned sayth he the worse And another saith An euyll companyon draweth his fellowe to mesdéedes and so he which was before good becommeth euill and wycked To conclude euen as the people of Israell could not depart from
Esau He found not sayeth he place for repentaunce although he sought it wyth teares Therefore let no man deceyue hymselfe wyth vayne hope or solyshe perswasyones For as Hierome sayeth This I hold for certayne and doe thynke moste true that hée hath no good ende which ledde alwayes an euyll lyfe Which being sound and in health was not affeard to offend god but wallowed and toumbled in the vanityes of the world The death of Saintes is most pretious in the sight of the Lorde but the death of sinners is most abhomynable The sinner shal be persecuted with this reuenge that dying he shall forget himselfe and both lyuing and dying he forgat God As. Augustine confirmeth saying He cannot dye euill which lyued well Nay skarce can he dye well which lyued euyll And yet wée must not dispayre of any sinner But they are to be exhorted and styred to repentaunce euen in the last gaspes For some tymes percase it happeneth although very seldome that he which in tyme of health did neglect repentaunce shall yet by repenting then obteyne mercy But he is a most arogant foole which passinge ouer his lyse in health doth put his soules health vnto that ploonge of peryll But let vs doe that which is more sure and sase That is to repent and amende whyles we be sounde and in health praying most faythfully with the Prophet Cast me not out O Lorde in myne age and leaue me not nor forsake me not when my strength and power fayle me For beholde saythe the Apostle Now is the acceptable time now are the daies of health Who is this rysing as the daye rose sayeth the princely Prophet in the sixt of his Canticles fayre as the Moone and bright as the Sunne terryble as the forefroont of a battayle and John sayth in the thyrd Chapter of his first Epystle We know that when he apeareth we shal be lyke vnto him for we shal see him as he is that is to say clearely and perfectly in his forme and proper kynde For the intellectuall sight is and consisteth by view of the intellygible forme or shape whereby we see what is the lykenesse of the thing ones vnderstoode Neyther can that lykenesse playnely represent the thinge vnlesse it be made equall vnto the thinge it selfe But euery shape lykenesse or forme created dooth infinitely fayle and come short of the full representacion of the diuine essence or being and therefore God is séene onely in the heauenly kingedome bicause then the very diuyne â—…ssence it selfe is vnyted vnto the myndes of the blessed in the stéede of the intellygyble forme or 〈◊〉 Not by Inhaesyon or cleauing to but by assystaunce and 〈◊〉 So that the diâ—…yne essence or being is quod quo that is to say the very thing it selfe the thing wherby all thinges are in this blessed vysion Furthermore this vision is more then most worthy and altogether supernaturall the which all the chéefe Phylosophers dyd thinke impossible to be put in any mynde created no not in theyr separate substaunces So that to obtayne the same we haue néede of many supernaturall gyftes meanes and helpes As first that there may be geuen vs from God a blessing euen grace making vs gratefull and acceptable the which doth bedecke and adorne perfectly the very essence or being of the intellectuall and reasonable nature And maketh vs fyt to deserue eternall lyfe and to be conioyned vnto the supernaturall diuinytie Furthermore the loue and charytie whereby god the first being or essence is loued is spirytually supernaturally purely fréely and fully distylled into vs from the holy Ghost And with it hope and fayth also This charytie and loue doth as it were counterpayze him that hath it with the loue of the whole vnyuersallitie So that yet it maketh him loue God more then all thinges that euer were created Yea the least dram of this loue and charytie doth make God to be loued aboue the whole world And otherwyse man should not be in state of Saluation For according to the holy Fathers whosoeuer hath thys charitie and the grace before rehearsed he hath also the giftes of the holy ghost and all the other vertues conuected vnto charytie and conioyned vnto perfect grace Yea the more he profiteth in this grace and charytie so much the higher doeth he growe in good gyftes and vertues To conclude the excelencie and worthynesse of these supernaturall good thinges is suche and so greate that it can hardly be comprehended or expressed For no naturall perfection no bewtie no coomlynesse nor no bryght shyninge lyght can be thought equall vnto it No the heauenly lyghts doo not so much nor so well adorne and â—…e wtifie the substaunce of the Sunne and Moone as those graces doe bewtifie and adorne the substance and beinge of the soule Neyther doothe the Sunne so much bewtifie the heauenly Fyrmament as Charitie dothe bewtifye the Soule No the seuen Planettes doe not so muche adorne the heauenly Spheres or Cyrcles as the gyftes of the holy ghoste dooe adorne and bedecke the powers of the soule The vnyuersallytie of the Starres dothe not so muche adorne and set foorth the eighth Sphere or Fyrmament as the vniuersallytie of verteous actions dothe dignifie adorne and perfect the Soule For euen as by the Philosophers opinion true felicitie consisteth rather in action then in outwarde forme euen so in diuinitie also more vertue and perfection consisteth in exercise of godly actions then in profession or aparaunce And the more noble that the outwarde aparaunce be the more noble should the action and execucion be also Therefore since the forenamed gyftes and treasures of grace be habytes or outward tokens of so great highnes and excelence doth not the christian soule séeme vnto thée to be most noble gallaunt and godlyke which is occupyed continually in the exercyse of those habytes and which is so spiritually supernaturally and godly conuersant yea which doth so perfectly worship and reuerence God whose conuersacion is altogether in heauen For surely here vpon it hath bene wrytten that such a soule is the daughter the beloued and the spowse of God priuie to his heauenly secretes most familiar with him conformable in affectioÌ„s and the entyrely beloued heyre of God the coheyre with Christ which beholding gods glory with face dyscouered is traÌ„sformed into the same likenesse from one brightnes to another For asmuch as it lotheth all worldly frayle carnal humaine sollaces all prayses honors seculer pompes all that dyspleaseth god But whatsoeuer it knoweth may please God that doth it with all earnest affection embrase To conclude euen as by the Philosophers traditions euery motion hath his dignitie name prospertie from the ende wherevnto it tendeth euen so the action is dignified by the worthinesse of the obiect and matter about the which it is occupyed Then how great is the dignitie glory of that soule whose mocion and action lyfe and whole entent are
Furthermore Augustine in his booke entituled De miseria mundi doth plainly treat saying Take héed to thy self least being wrapped in the snares of the diuill thou become a pray to y huÌ„ter which raÌ„geth and séeketh whom he may deuour For this lyfe is fugityue and vntrustie since it doth not performe faithful dealing no not to the louers therof Yea euen from the beginning of the world it hath deceyued all such as put their trust therin And all such as haue wrapped theÌ„ selues therein it hath beguiled And so it hath shewed it self vncertain to all men y it might proue it selfe a lyer vnto all men For beholde the worlde which we so much loue estéeme doth passe ouer â—…ly away And yet we follow it â—…ing so froÌ„ vs through a blynd mynd of carnal ccÌ„upisâ—… cleaue fast vâ—…to it whilest it 〈◊〉 So that beyng vnable to hold it vp falling we fall with it percompany Yea is not this our lyfe lyke vnto death since therin doe abound so many dolors lamentations sighes and so great miseries one man being gréeued with loffe cryeth out Another coÌ„tinually bewayleth the barenesse of his ground One lamenteth the death of his friend another sitteth sadly being ouer whelmed in pouertie So y there is much tribulation from y time y man commeth into this world Yea his first voice or sound doth shew infirmitie He is borne an infant straight way cryeth out He can not yet speake neuerthelesse he is y Prophet of his own calamitie His teares are witnesse of his miserie paine dread y is to come WheÌ„ he is growen a little he beginneth to hunger thirst to bée weary To conclude man hath alwayes two sundry tormeÌ„ts which by turnes doe vexe him continually The which are feare sorow If A man be well he feareth if he be euil at ease he soroweth What is he whom the prosperitie of thys world hath not deceiued Or who is it y hath not ben gréeued with y aduersitie therof theÌ„ behold man what great afflictions thou doest suffer in this world which thou so much estemest Wherin in very déed there are nothing but false deceiptful voluptuousnes true yea vndoubted calamitie No safetie of myrth and ioye but a tormentyng feare a gréedie couetousnesse and a fruitlesse lamentation And who is he which can number or accoumpt all the euilles and discommodities of this lyfe For to ouerpasse with scilence those euilles which doe commonly oppresse all men that is to say secret sorowes and especiall griefes whereof all men may fynde them selues giltie let a man but call to mynde what euylles hee hath both sustayned and committed from hys youth vpwardes let him but set before hys eyes the tymes passed and diligently consider howe many vayne labours he hath vndertakeÌ„ how often he hath swet in vain for the loue of this wretched world How often he hath founde deceyptfull issues of hys most earneste trauayles and let hym then ponder that after long troubles he hath yet obteyned no rest and he shal quickly know what accoumpt is to be made of this world O myserable man then what doest thou or whether goest thou whiles thou art in this world thou doest but iust and roonne in a Tyltyearde Wherein thou findest an enemie which is to strong for thée whome thou neyther canst sée nor yet eskape from him He entyseth thée with tryflyng toyesthereby to robbe and despoyle thée of the ioyes of heauen Yea and thereby to put into thée the very tormentes of hell His lackye lyeth close hidden in the way couered with earth which is the diuells concubyne and lenunan The enimy of mankynde doth behold the manners and naturall enclynacions of euery man and vnto what vyce they be most prone those he setteth before theyr faces which may most aptly allure and betray theyr myndes And whiles he maketh them gaze at the gaynes of glystryng gold they neuer sée the perill of theyr perdicion but lyke fooles being deceiued with the delightes which they sée and carnally doe loue they neuer marke how they fall hedlong into damnacion And bicause all men are voyde of vnderstandinge they perishe perpetually Wherefore if the world doe please and delight thée beware the deceyptfulnesse thereof Remember that as Salomon sayeth Lamentacion and dolor doo come in the ende of ioyes and merymentes For all mans pleasantnesse is bytter and sowre in the ende When a man reioyseth in the world be reioyseth not in God. But yet alas how many ther be which reioyse in the world neuer reioyse in God To reioyse in the worlde is to boast tryumphe and glory in iniquitie vanitie ryches honor outwarde coomlynesse fylthy conuersacion vayne pastimes with vnfreutefull and leuds communicacion Which is in effecte to purchase sorowe and lamentacion For no man can embrace Christ and the world bothe attones Many men professing Christ doe prayse him loue him and rendre thanckes vnto him whiles they be in theyr worldly prosperitie But if aduersitie light vpon them they cursse â–ª blaspheme him Such men serue god for profit and not for loue Unto whom the Lord God may iustly saye For your owne benefit and commoditie you haue obserued my commaundementes and not bicause you loued me with a pure entent And wherefore doest thou extoll thy selfe in vanitie O man is not thy body as the Preacher sayth dust and asshes Art not thou thy selfe of earth and shalt soone be resolued againe into earth Looke into the Sepulchres of the greatest Prices and sée if any other thing doe there remayne but bones and dust And all this being thus doest thou by so many errors make hast vnto hell which hast bene enstructed in so many pathes to heauen by Christ him selfe Why is that beloued which must be forsaken and that neclected which may perpetually be enioyed These sentences and many such lyke Sainct Augustine dothe moste deuoutely propounde in his bookes before named And finally he wryteth in a certeyne Sermon saying Attende and marke O myserable Soule of sinfull Man that horryble houre in which thou shalt depart from the body Where as thou shalt prefently beholde the wycked ministers of Sathan the cursed diuills the horryble dampned spirites and the most crewell roaryng Lyones ranging and hunting about for theyr praye which is thy sorowfull selfe With the twynekling of an eye the horryble places of eternall paynes shall apeare the Chaos or confuâ—…ed heape of darkenesse the horrour of mysery the terrour and tremblyng dreade of sorrowe the quaking feare of horryble vysions and of that most horryble mansion where ther is continuall wéepinge and gnashing of téethe gnawing of wormes howling and crying the lamentacions of them that mourne perpetually and the voyce of such as crye wo wo wo be vnto vs chyldren of Eue. When the wretched and vnhappy soule departing out of the body shall heare these things and such lykâ—… or rather a thousand fold worse worse then can be expressed when
for rest in trouble for ioye in sorow for ease in payne for assuraunce where â—…thinge is but slyttinge for 〈◊〉 where nothinge please the longe But he that is a Citizen of Ierusalem a souldier vnder Christes banner armed with Fayth shylded with Hope strengthned with Charitie who knoweth in whome he hath put his truste and where he looketh for his méede Such 〈◊〉 one is content to vse this lyfe as his â—…lgrimage contented if it be short not offended if it be long desyringe neyther the one nor the other but still lookinge to his home â—…earing with the rest bicause he appoynteth his quiet ther. Unto him bicause Câ—…rist is lyfe death can not be but gayne bicause he â—…indeth that he séeketh and atteyneth that he loueth content to leaue the world which loued not him or which he louid not whose commodities if he sought he founde nothing but either occasion to enuie them he should loue or to stryue with them that would enioy them as well as him selfe 〈◊〉 be angry with them that kept him from the atteyning theâ—… whome being men he should embrace Yea though he hatâ—… nor misused no man which is harde in that cause to â—…oyd yet louing the world and the commodities thereof he found meanes whereby he was moued to forget his iourny and the ende thereof to make his Inne his home to syt downe before his wayes ende to turne his loue from the better to the worse from heauen to earthe from God to him selfe or rather from and agaynste him selfe to thinges vayne which first would make him worse then they sounde him and afterward leaue him whan he began to loue theÌ„ and leaue him in that euill estate they founde him not So if the world doe vndoubtedly hurt them that loue it and be but payâ—… and trauayle to them that loue it not bicause they hauâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor pleasure where they loue not then followeth it 〈◊〉 loue is onely to be bestowed on God and that â—…n must desyre to be wher his loue is for so natuâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 loue be true And surely if ther be in vs the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ue of god we can not be asrayde of that â—…ich bringeth 〈◊〉 to him nor loathe to heare of that â—…ithout which we can not come to him And if thâ—… were no more benefit in Death but that he maketh an ende of sinne sithe sinne displeaseth God and â—…aritie willeth vs to loue that he loueth and 〈◊〉 that he hateth we can neither be afraydâ—… nor ill content with deathe which bringeth vs out of the occasion of sinnâ—… and daunger thereby to disâ—…lease God. And although this séeme vnto many hard and vnto some almost vnpossiible mâ—…suring all other by their owne footâ—… y any man who may enioy lyfe should be coÌ„tent or desirous â—…o lâ—…ue y same yet is it not only aprouâ—…â—…ost vndoubted true by y teching of scriptures which no man can deny but also by y exaÌ„ple of infinit martirs wherof each couÌ„try hath had great nuÌ„bers who hauing libertie to flye therby to liue inflamed only with the sire of charitie loue of god were not only coÌ„tâ—…t to be taken but offered theÌ„ selues for his sake whom they louid and that not onely men in whome naturally courage is but women and children whose weake sexe and tender age declared more playnely what true and hartie loue is able to worke which as it brought Christ downe from heauen into earth so being truely rooted in man it is able to draw him from earth into heauen without respect had to him selfe or any thing that is his And thus much spoken of the first parte doth now make the waye open to bring in the second for it may be sayde if there be any meanes to take away the feare of Death and diminish the desire of lyfe who should atteyne to the same so soone as christian men And sith we be all of that number howe commeth it then to passe that so fewe are contented to dye and many so affrayde thereof that neither them selues will thinke of it nor willingly heare other speake of it To the which question although I might in fewe woordes aunswere and say that there lacketh in vs that lyuely and perfect loue of God and the lyfe to come which should be in vs and was in them of whome I spake Yet to make this point more playne for it is lesse to saye all then to touche eache parte of all I finde thrée causes especiall that make men desirous to liue and lothe to dye 1 The one is our weakenesse which séemeth to haue some excuse bicause nature desireth the conceruacion of it selfe abhorreth dissolucion which both taketh away our being and also bringeth with it great gréefe and paynes which men séeing in other and flying in them selfe feare Deathe whose seruants and messengers they are 2 The second cause is either the lacke or the small quantitie of fayth in vs whereby we beleue not or fayntly beleue the meruailous promises of incomparable blysse promised by GOD vnto his faythfull after this transitory and present lyfe 3 But the greatest cause is the third which is a loue and swéetenesse conceaued of this lyfe the goods and commodyties of the same wherewith who so is possessed it can not be auoided but vnto him the very remeÌ„braÌ„ce of death which taketh froÌ„ him that he loueth must be sower bitter as the scripture saith To say somewhat to these thrée things which maketh lyfe swéet death sower is the third part of my matter which I promised to entreate of And for the first which is a naturall weaknes ingeÌ„dering of it selfe the feare of death we can not say it hath no power in vs mortal men sith Christ our patron being more thaÌ„ man confessed to haue some féeling of it in him selfe But if we coÌ„sider that he was weak to make vs strong who gaue the onset made the conquest of death weaknes that not for him selfe but for vs in our nature saying afterwarde to vs be bolde feare not I haue made a conquest of the world And y he hath by taking on him our nature meruelously ioyned incorporated vs vnto him so that by grace participacioÌ„ y is true in vs which by perfection of nature was true in him theÌ„ fynde we that this weaknes remayneth not as before in his force but is inforced couÌ„teruayled by a streÌ„gth geuen vs besides our selues which bicause we should firmely beleue not to be imagined or onely in words but true in déedes God hath shewed it by the example of thousandes of his martirs not flying as before is said but desiring death not fearing but conteÌ„ning it triumphing in tormeÌ„t coÌ„quering in weakenes not saying sad heauie is myne hart vntil death be past but I desire to be in the féeling to begin to lyue swéete is the torture colde is the fire dul is the axe for what is ther in death dreadful