telled his men saiyng to his companion Loke now that after my deathe you lye not nor make noo faulse crakes that you haue won this game There with also he bekenyd to the geyler and saied I praie you beare witnes that I haue one man in this game more than my felowe hath ¶ In this wyse this philosopher plaied with death and shortly his quiete herte gaue a fouie checke mate to the tyrauntes crueltie he shewed hym selfe to be in spirite as farte aboue all kinges violent power as these mighty prynces think to haue a stronge dominyon ouer all theyr subiectes The frendes and familiars of this philosopher were veraie sorowfull bewailyng the losse of suche a man to whome what meane you quoth he why be you sad why mourne you for me Is hit not youre studye to knowe whether the soule of man be mortal or immortal The trouth of this harde question I now shall learne and nowe shall I see the trouth of all our doubtes of heuen and of god ¶ Thus talking with his frendes he came to the place of execucion and there a lyttell whyleste other were headded he stode styl in a musyng dumpte What thynke you nowe good Canius quoth one of his frendes Where vppon nowe muse you so ernestly Mary quoth he I haue determined with my self to marke wel whether in this short pange of death my soule shall perceiue and feele that he goeth out of my bodie This pointe I fully entende to take hede of and if I can I will surely brynge you and the rest of my felowes worde what I felte and what is the state of our soules ¶ Here was a wonderfull caulme stomacke in the middest of soo stormye a tempest this mans mynde was worthy of an euer lasting life that was not only to the death studious of knowladg but also in the selfe death founde occasion of learnyng It was not possible for any mans minde to continue his studie longer or to a further pointe than this noble philosopher dyd ¶ This storie and certaine other like maken me often to reson with my selfe what a strength of knowladge is in mans braine to serche and to finde by hym selfe the truth if he enforce his wittes to learne For this Canius and many other were not taught of Christe as we nowe be they had not the rules of faith the which shewe the vndoubtfulle waie to come to the perfytte knowladge of all priuie misteries they were not comforted with the preachyng of goddis son to set lyttell by this life as we now be Thei wer not plucked to conceiue a loue of vertue aboue nature as the holy scripture draweth vs from this world to the beholding of an other place where vertue receiuethe hic crowne Wherfore to me it is noo smalle cause of maruailyng whan I here suche ensaumples of naturall men that by them selfe coulde in suche a maner ryse aboue theyr nature in settynge lyttell by that thyng that naturally euery creature mooste abhorreth and feareth for deathe is the thing that in this worlde by nature is made mooste doubtfull most terrible most heynous and moste worthy to be feared to be eschewed and by all meanes waies gynnes or craft to be escaped To here than a naturall man without the teachyng of god to ryse vp in his phantasie aboue nature to iudge of deathe farre other wise then nature teacheth him to dispise the duraunce in this lyfe whan he knoweth no certainetie of none other world to vse the streÌ„gth and myghte of the spirite againste the puisant power of all tyrantes It semethe to me a wonderfulle thynge and more wonderfull the same shulde be if I sawe not written in holi scripture how that from the fyrste creacion of Adam the goodnes of god hath bene so great towarde mankynde that he hathe gyuen vs alwaie sufficiente grace to knowe the righte to see the hye maiestee of vertue to finde out the true dignitee of the soule to perceiue the vanite of this present life and fynally to vnderstande where in standethe the pleasure of god and wherein standeth his displeasure Euer by goddis mere goodnes man knewe what was well to bee done and what was contrarie yuell to be done It is a lawe written in the herte of man with the finger of god in our creacion to be enduced by reasonne to praise alwaie vertue and to thinke synne woorthy of dispraise The minde of man hath a grace to se further than the bodye syghte can attaine to the mynde of man feleth more subtilly than our fyue wittes can aproche to the losse of bloudde or of brethe is a smal trifull in the mindes consideracion whan the mynde vsethe his owne cleare sighte and is not blynded with the darkenesse of the bodie the whiche stombleth at euerie strawe in this worlde Euery mote choketh a worldely man Euerie littel sounde maketh a worldly man trimble and shake I call a worldely man him that giueth al â—is care to vse his wittes in this worlde that creapeth vppon suche thynges as be lene harde felte tasted and sinelte that clymeth not in no consideracion aboue the mist of this valey The moste parte of men euer haue bene of this weake sorte and yet styll the moste part of men is the same This worlde euer hath his multitude that honoureth worshyppeth and magnifieth nothyng beside this shorte life and those thynges that pertaine to this life Yet againe euer hath there bene some and styll there bee some that playe the philosophers the whiche studied to know the dignities and woorthynesses of euerye thing howe muche it shuld be estemed valuied or regarded of vs the whiche laboreth to picke out in euerye thynge what is good and what is naught Men of this sorte be called spirituall men For you must know that a taillour a shomaker a carpenter a bote man without both lernyng and orders maie be spirituall whan a maister of arte a doctour of diuinitee a deanâ— a bishop both with his cunning and dignities maie be temporall seyng the true diffinicion of a spiritual man is to be one in whom the mynde and spirite cheifelye ruleth Like wise the temporall man is he in whom this present time of this traunsitorie lyfe hath mooste rome Thus I saie spirituall men haue euer sene the trouth to ponder and valure euery thyng in this worlde accordingly And as to the temporall mynde nothyng semeth sweter than to lyue here so the spirituall minde fyndeth swetenes in deathe by the whiche this lyfe endeth For lyke as the prince of this world neuer agreeth with god nor yet the bodie with the soule nor the erthe with heauen soo he that studieth for this time hath cleane contrarie opinions to him that foloweth the spirite And as the temporall man saieth it is a pleasaunte thynge to lyue here and a bytter thyng it is to die so the spirituall man thynkethe it a better tyme to induce the space of this lyfe and muche ioy he
wherto our sauiour in all his prechyng and teachynge loked was to haue men indued with charitie For our diuine maister sawe that there neded no rehersall of synâ—es the whiche were to bee eschewed nor yet of vertues that were to be folowed if man could take charitie that is by it selfe suffycyent for all bothe to kepe menne from stumblyng in the waie from wanderyng out of the waie and finally to conducte men to the blessed wayes ende Here you se that the compasse and circuite of charite is large and wyde in as muche as it comprehendeth all that can be spoken either ageynste vice or with vertue You paraduenture thought that charitie was nothyng els but to kepe pacience and not to be displesed nor angry It is trouthe this poynt is one parte of charitie but it is not all For what so euer the loue of god prouokethe vs to or the feare of god dryuethe vs fromâ— all in one summe is concluded to be vnderstande in charitie Whervpon I maie if you kepe charitie saie that you be the very doughter of god and moste dere syster of Christe But I feare me youe haue more ofte spoken the worde charitie then you haue studyed to learne what thyng shulde bee Charytie and therby ye saie paraduenture of your selfe more then you dooe For I haue noted your mynde to be somewhat troubled with certayne fantasyes the which could haue no place in you if you were fylled with this charitie For here a lytell more in fewe wordes what is the playne definicion of this vertue as I fynde it writen of a greatte holy man and a common doctour Charitie saiethe he is a good and a gracious effect of the soule wherby mans herte hathe no fantasie to esteme valour or ponder any thynge in this wyde worlde beside or before the care and study to knowe god For who so euer is inclined to loue these erthly thynges it is not possible for hym euer to attaine so longe as he so dothe to the assured constant perfit vse of this charitie bycause his mynd hath so many and soo dyuerse lettes that hyndre and withdrawe hym from takynge the possessyon of this great treasure wherin bee touched the heapes of all vertues And a lyttel now to speake of these impedimentes and lettes it shall muche appertaine to our purpose for we shall the quycklyer come to charitie if we can knowe and escape all the blockes that lye in our waie to lette vs not onely to lette vs to come to charitie but to dryue and chase awaie frome vs this vertue that neither we canne come to it nor that to vs. The perfyte loue of god hath in it a meruailous quietnes and rest it is neuer moued styred nor caried awaie by no storme of worldly troubles but sytteth faste and sure in a continuall calmnes agaynst all wedders al blastes al stormes No rocke is more stylle then is the mynde of a charitable man whan the worlde tumbleth rolleth and tosseth it with the vomye wawes of temptacions the whiche drowneth the myndes of all vs that be weake or sicke in charitie I wold therfore syster that you diligently learned what be these blastes that turmoylen our myndes out of the reste the which charitie requireth You shall vnderstand that there be certain mocioÌ„s called passions that soore assaulte our soule and bringeth our spiritie to muche vnquietnes as to be moued with anger is a great rolling of the mind to brede enuie to fede rancour to nourisshe malice to be mindeful of any miure to be studious of auengynge to be greued with yll speakynge to fume at backe byting to grudge at compleyntes to frette with chyding to striue for shame for sclaunder These be the thynges that suffre no mynde reste any of these passions troublethe the mynde continually from one fantasy to an other so that no quietnes can be had Agayne to study for promocion to care for mariage to fyshe for riches to be gredie of honour to be desirous of fauour to couette preferremente to gape for prayses these also be sharpe spurres that chasen the mynde and kepen the mynde euer styrrynge and voyde of quyetnes Like wise to ensue a delite of deintye and swete fedynge to be taken with pleasure of the body to be ouer throwen with sorowe to perche vp with gladnes to holde vp the chyn to highe in prosperitie to hold downe the head to low in aduertise to be in bondage vnder the fierse rules of censual luste Whose crueltie ouer man hath noo pytie measure nor ende These and suche other be thynges that so troublen disquieten mans mind that quiet charitie can not abyde there For loke a lytell vpon the vnmercyfull man that can not forgyue see howe he boyleth in his appetite to be auenged Loke vpon the enuious stomacke howe he without reste freteth in couetyng the syght of his hurte whome he spyteth Looke vppon the glotton howe beastly he purueyeth bealy cheate Loke vpon the lecherer how busy he is in his vngracious thoughte Loke vpon the couetous wretche howe withoute reason he scrapeth and shrapeth for gaynes Loke vpon the ambicious felowe howe he besturrethe hym to gette worshyppe These men throughe theyr corrupte fantasies be no lesse gredie to satisfie their desires than the hungrye and the thurstye bodyes throughe naturall necessitie seke to bee refresshed Wherof we maie se that slepyng and wakyng these mens myndes rolle without takyng reste Suche wrastlynge phantasies suche inordinate appetites be called passions the whiche moue and styrre the soule contrary to his nature eyther by loue without reason or by hate without measure when we wyllyngly consente to the wynde of these sensyble thynges The mother of all these passions is a parciall loue that we beare to our selfe that is to saie the loue of thâ—s carcas and of this lyfe To kylle in vs this mother to all myschefes our maister Christ teacheth vs to hate this lyfe and to set our bodies at naught He saith it is the nexte waie to fynde lyfe if we sette nothynge by the losse of this life he saith the caryng for our body importeth and bringeth with hit a mystruste of goddes prouidence as though â—od had better prouyded for the state of byrdes than for man whome he hath created after his owne image Nowe then to gete this reste that therby we maie gete charitie we muste caste awaie the loue of this lyfe the whiche causeth all the saied ruffelynge passions by the whiche our soule standeth in peryll of deathe For learne you that to the soule it is a soore deathe to be seperated frome god And these passions be they that onely plucke the soule from god and causeth the soule to forgete heauen in the busy occupacions of this worlde the whiche worlde swarmeth full of deed soules that nyght and daie trauelyn and sweatte in the workes of darkenes from whens they shall departe in to an other darkenesse endles neuer to se
soule that loketh to haue suche goostly fode If the time require to haue you take a mele either a diner or a supper for your refection let not your marchaundise differre the goyng therto in a due tyme. For remembre that busines is one degre aboue your marchandise If you espy a poore man to be in nede of your helpe hast to helpe hym before any care of makyng a bargaine for that worke of mercie pertemeth to your cheife iewell and therfore your soule shall grow in the grace of god Brcke not muche to the hurte of your helth the conuemente tyme of goyng to bed for any occupacions or rekeninges in your study for these goodes For remembre that rest and slepe pertaine to the seconde thynge where your countyng bokes belonge to the thyrde In makyng your bargaine kepe faith and promise deceiue noo man with any guile or false colour For let it bee euer in your phantasie howe the games that you shulde get with suche vntrue dealyng bee contemed vnder your thirde that is to saie vnder your leste care where the breaking of faith and promise with false deceite and vntrue delyng sore hurteth your soule in whome restethe your cheife thought And by false heade you could not get so muche of ryches as by the same you shuld lose of honestee and goodnesse Wherfore trauaile euer as the degrees of these thre thinges shall require If an infinite hepe of worldly goodes mighte bee gotte with a smal hurt and domage of the soule forsake rather that greatte heape than you woulde suffre this small hurte There can bee no comparison betwene the soules helthe and the ryches the lest droppe that can be of your soules parte must pondre and wey more in your thought than all this worlde beside can do ¶ Let not any similitude deceiue your iudgemente As if par case a man wold reason that the goodes of the soule be all gold the goodes of the worlde be all lead although that golde is euer better than lead yet there maie be a great quantitee of leade that shall bee valured aboue the smalle porcion of golde So in your phantasie a great gaines and lucre of the worldely goodes maie seme better than a smalle poynte of our soules substaunce Wherfore he will coÌ„clude that with a lyttelle losse of honestee or goodnesse we maie venture to gette a great aduantage in this worlde and some littell smalle porcion we maie borowe of our soule to wyn by that meanes a great summe of ryches Beware good Withipol of such reasoning and to the death to gaine all the holle royaltee of this hole worlde neuer trespasse againste your soule in the smalleste iote that can bee imagined As yf ye myght be made a lorde of great might and power with abundance of possessyons and goodes onely for the speakyng in witnesse of one woorde againste the trouthe with grudge of your conscience forsake you all that offer rather than you woulde feale the priuey bit of your offence For if you loke well you shall se that there is a greatter value of gaines in the smallest iote of vertue than is in the moste power of ryches and that the losse of the smallest mote perteinyng to your soules state is more hurte and domage than the refusyng or forgoynge of all that is vnder heauen Soo that I saie it is not lyke betwene the soules goodes and the goodes of this worlde as it is betwene golde and leade valured aboue a peny weyght of gold where there is no tytle â—o smal of vertue that is not to be valuted without comparison aboue the hole power of the erth and seas throughout Asia Affrica and Europa The profe of my saiyng dependeth herevpon that euery iote euery title euery mote of vertue wherin is conteined the soules welthy state hath appoynted his propre state and place in the heauen and kingdome of god and all the spirituall goodes bothe small and greate be vnder god of whom vertue receiueth hir reward Of the which rewarde he that leseth any maner porcion losethe more than the losse of the holle domynion and reule of this worlde whose prynce is the diuell that reigneth ouer all them as ouer his bonde seruantes the which can fâ—nde in theyrhertes to forsake veâ—tue to wynne these faulse and vayne goodes that stande to vs in no erthly stede but for the shorte tyme of a fewe yeres in this life where the possessions of vertue bee euerlastyng Thus I shewe you good Edmonde that your care to get these worldly goodes muste be subdued vnder dewe order as in this third place But what be these goodes and what waie you maie lawfully get theim I doubte not but your father will in time conuement shewe you He is of that sort of men the whiche hath by longe approued honestee purchased hym a good name and is thereby beloued and regarded of good men Whose steppes if you folowe you shall by goddes grace come to lyke worshyppe and be of lyke or more habilitee to leaue to your children sufficiente to passe this lyfe with Here remembre the more your father louethe you the lesse is your thyrde care and the lesse that your thirde care is the more leisure you haue to thynke vppon your cheife iewell the whiche god hath gyuen you to be ordered after your will in the whiche iewell you shall after this lyfe well passed haue the fruicion of goddes presence wherin restethe the ioye ineffable of the blessed lammes The gotes that is to saie the gredie soules of this thirde care the whiche neuer mindeth or veraie littell and weakely mindeth the first care shall remain for euer more in the peinfull darknes where is nothyng but criyng out and lamentyng with frettyng of stomackes and snarring of teth as the gosple shall teache you In the whiche boke of god you shall here what an harde thing it is for a ryche man to entre in to heauen bycause that moste commonly ryche men spende all theyr care and thought out of order only for this worlde and seldome or neuer they thynke of theyrsoule and whan they thynke therof they so thynke that they put that care farre vnder the care of these worldely businesses doing clene contrary to this order The whiche god woulde haue vs to keepe The whiche order though you shall see veraie littell regarded of all sortes of men yet good Edmond regarde you it and haue pitie of theim that regarde it not It is the son of god the whiche saith Many be called to heauen but fewe bee chosen Enforce your selfe to bee amonge the fewe and forsake the multitude Be not drawene to an yuell opinion neither with the ensaumple of popis cardinals and priestes nor with the ensaumple of prynces lordes knightes gentilmen and marchantes nor yet with the ensaumple of monkes and fryers You maie by your selfe knowe what is the right pathe folowe you couragiousely the same and forsake the
withipol neuer delite to vtter any lye Either speake not or speake truely What faulte so euer you maie doo let it not be defended with a faulse tale for that were to flee out of the smoke in to the fyre as to dooc a worse fault in clokyng an yll and in the meane season your soule suffreth a sore stroke This euer as you reade of this mattier haue minde of your selfe to take fruite of your readyng ¶ In consideracion also of all thre partes that is to saie bothe for the defence of your soules state and for the welth of your bodie and also for the worldly goodes sake vse in all your actes a certayne commendable wysedome neuer to bee none of these Busi medlars Leaue other mens faultes leaue correctyng that you haue noo power in leaue teachyng of that you knowâ— not Let the gospell be ordered by theym that bee admitted for doctours therof Lette the priestes be blamed of them that haue the rule of the order Let common cerominies and all olde customes alone Put euer your truste in the power and wil of god and obey to the consent of the church without quarellyng or resisting Goo you forthe your waie after the meke steppes of a true christen man Lette the world bluster and blowe as it wil bee you none of the blowers Scourge who will be you none of the scourges For beleue me soner shall the rodde than the childe that is beaten be cast into the fyre In eschewyng all meldlyng you shall saue your goodes you shall kepe your bodie from trauaile and by the same meanes you shal best prouide a sure buckelet for your soule For vnder the cloke of obedience chaunce what chaunce shall your soule is euer sure for takynge any hurte the iustice of god will kepe you harmelesse how some euer the tempest of enormyties ouerfloweth this worlde If you shulde be malaperte and presume to be a doer report me to you what may in this worlde happen to your vndoyng bothe in goodes and bodie and by the same trouble you shall be caste from the succoure of god who abideth not any presumpcion You fal into presumpcioÌ„ whan you grudg against your rulers thoughe they bee woorthy of all dispraises You presume whan you meddell with theim that be not vnder you You presume whan you take in hande to amende this or that where your part is not to speake And specially you bee presumptuous whan you dare crake that you knowe goddis will Leaue therefore my good Edmonde all maner of medlyng and praie to god to accepte your obedience Praie also bitterly that his wyll maie be fulfylled in this worlde amonge vs as the angels fulfill it in heauen Thus praie and meddyll no further For I assure you it is so to be done ¶ Many thinges might bee saied for these thre cares but to you I recken it enough this much that I haue here touched Yet one woorde or two more shall not bee superfluous For I wolde not haue you deceiued by any woorde that I haue here vsed As paraduenture you might be if I shoulde thus leaue you Seyng that I haue byd you first to care for your soule next to care for your bodie and thirdely to care for the goodes of this worlde More ouer I saied there bee goodes of the soule goodes of the bodie goodes of this life But lette these wordes be to you as not spoken in their exact and propre significacion For to speake truelye there is no care but one nor there be no goodes but of one We must haue a certaine slyghte regarde to our bodie and a slyghter regarde to the worlde but care we maie not for neither of these two You know that to care wer to take an inward weyghty thought the which must not bee taken but for a thynge of great worthynes and also of more suretie then is either our bodie or the worlde Onely our soule is the thynge to bee cared for and these small commodities with certaine pratie pleasures of the bodie and of the worlde can not truely be named goodes for in very dede they be not good For this worde Good includeth a dignitee in him that sauoureth of god and heauen so that those thynges be onely woorthy to be called goodes the whiche haue a perpetuitee and stedfastenes of godly substaunce Other thynges variable chaungeable flitteryng suche as maie bee taken frome vs maâ—ger our heade bee not worthy of this high name Neither the bodye nor yet fortune hath any goodes our spirite and mynde onely hath thynges that truely be called goodes the whiche be so constantly and surely ours that euer they remain with vs in spite of al chances and all our aduersaries Mercie piâ—ee deuocion mekenes sobrenes pacience faithfulnes charitee and suche other vertues bee the veraie true goodes the whiche we maie iusâ—ely recken ours and for them we shulde continually labour For these bee the substaunce that our soule muste haue to bee with them richely decked and garnisâ—hed that we maie haue our holy daie araie and our nupciall vesture accordynge to come to the great feaste that Christe saieth we shall ones bee called to All these faulse goodes of the bodies lustinges beautie fairenes strengthe helthe and also theâ—e triâ—ing goodes of fortune roiall houses large heritaunce greatte renies implementes costely apparaile golde syluer honour power frendshyp nobilitee and what you will els in this worlde All these vaine thinges bothe of bodie and fortune can make but a ragged garmente for our soule the whiche shall bee with extreme shame drawen frome the saied feast if it come to goddes presence with these beggarly ragges This saiyng good Withipol I speake to ease and comfort your minde for by this tale that is true you nowe learne that althoughe before I saied you shuld haue thre cates in this lyfe yet in dede you haue but one care the whiche is to care for the true goodes that be to be purchased for the soules welthy state Wherfore of your thre cares stryke of two if you will speake of ernest care Yet I will sticke a littell more with you in this poynte for fame I wolde you shoulde se a true marke wherby you maie gouerne and rule al your phantasies and opinions If your phantasie be well directed to the true marke you can not mysse of the right path to vertue the which bryngeth man thyther where he shall receiue the inestimable rewarde for his trauaile I saie your soule onely must bee cared for and this onely care muste be to gette and kepe the true goodes that bee onely the goodes of the minde Other goodes be not called proprely goodes You see howe these pratie commodities of the bodie and also these small gyftes of fortune maugre our heade be taken from vs as I can not escape alwaie sickenes I can not escape misfortunes I can not fle froÌ„ the cruell handes of tyrauntes I maie be cast into tortures I maie
that maie be reckened honest and iuste bycause nature maketh it necessarie ¶ Loke you howe bothe olde and newe stories kepe in memorie their names that appered to dy without feare as who saie it is to be written for a wonder and lyke to a myracle beynge a thynge beside the course of nature to here of a man that can in death ouercome the passion of feare as we wonder to here of some that lyue withouâ—e sustinaunce of meate or of drinke Bycause I saie it is a naturall thynge to feare deathe we greately maruaile of them that feare it not Yet reason saith we shoulde not feare that thynge the whiche we knowe not and onely euyll is woorthy to be feared But seyng we know not deathâ— we maie wel by reion doubt whether it bee euyll or good And now before we speake any more of feare let vs a littel consider death by it selfe what thyng it is of his owne nature and whether by it self it be good or euyll ¶ We call ones deathe the losyng a sonder and departyng of .ii. thinges the soule frome the bodie the whiche departyng no man can escape but necessarily die al we must that be borne in this worlde Whan the body by any violence loseth his sensis and is spoiled froÌ„ the quicke vse of his principall partes than departeth the soule from hym and in maner the body leueth the soule before the soule leaueth the bodie For it is not the soule by hym selfe that goeth frome the bodie but it is the bodie by his forsakyng lyfe that causethe the soule to departe For where lyfe is not there the soule can not abide and as the bodie is lyuely before the soule entereth so the same bodie is deadly before the soule departeth Bloud in his measure and temperaunce betwene colde and hotte kepeth lyfe in the bodie the whiche bloud by innumerable wais of chances may be altered and constramed to leaue his nourishyng whervpon shal insue the losse of life then streight after foloweth the soules goyng away For well you knowe that the soule is one thyng and life is an other Where so euer the soule is there is life But it is not true that where some euer life is there is the soule For trees and herbes haue a parte of life a more parte of life is in muskelles oysters and wormes yet a more perfecte life is in these beastes and birdesâ— the which haue amongeste theim some more some lesse of lifes perfectnesse But though in them life the whiche resteth in the vse of the sensis that be to here to se to fele to smel to tast and in swifte mouynge is a greate worke of life the which thynges I say though they be in the perfection amongest these beastes yet the hand of god hath not giuen to any creature liuyng in the earth water or ayre to haue besyde life a soule the whiche is a thyng formed after his likenesse sauyng onely to man whom he hathput here to rule ouer thynges created like as he ruleth in heauen ouer all It is the creatours wyll that no thynge in this worlde shal haue a soule but man alone the whiche soule bryngeth with him the vse of reason a thyng that maye teache vs bothe that we haue a soule and that god is he the whiche hath thus made vs to be in this worlde his cheife and most excellent creature Reason doth thus teache vs yet beside reason we be herein better instructed by our master the sonne of god so that nowe we can not doubte that in vs is a thyng the whiche can not die But of suietie we euidently se not only by reason but muche better by belefe that the ymage of god in vs is perpetual and can not fele any corruption onelesse suche as our frowarde will maie giue wherof groweth syn that is the lyuyng death of the soule But lette vs come to our mattier ¶ To speake of this bodily deathe we now haue a great fordel in comparison of some olde clerkes that were in doubte whether there was in man any soule beside lyfe more than is in an horse or a gose They were in doubte whether any thyng of man remayned after death that myghte feele or perceiue eyther ioy or peyne For as to the faynynge poetes that spake of delicious gardeynes for good spirites and of diuers soore turmentes for vngracious sowles after this life mooste parte of olde clerkes gaue no maner of credence and they that beleued other an heauen or an hell to bee ordeyned for mens soules yet they so beleued that muche doubtfulnes was in theyr belefe in as muche as their reason suffised not to fynde out the certaintee of goddes workes From the which doubtis the vnfallible doctrine of Christ hath nowe deliuered vs all so that as many as wyll gyue eare to the voyce of god they can not mistrust their knowladge but that without â—uestion both we haue a soule and the same soule is immortal a thing that neither in this worlde nor out of this worlde can perishe or feele any pointe of death to lacke by the same any iote of his beyng I saie our soules continuallye withoute ende shall euer more endure the which be created and made by god after the fourme of god What forme that is it is as harde to shew as it passeth our capacitie to know what god is whose shap and facion our soules beareth ¶ Nowe than what shall we saye of deathe the whiche by hym selfe is not vnlyke to an endles slepe of the bodye wherof the bodye lyeth without power to vse anye sence beyng after life like to a stone that neuer hadde life This chaunge of the bodies state whether by it selfe it bee good or euyll it is an hardâ— thynge for vs to iudge seeyng the trouth is that no man liuynge expertly knoweth what thyng death is and to determine of a thing vnknowen it semethe a presumpcion full of folye Therfore without any certaine determinacion we may for our learnyng debate with reason the thyng as muche as shal be within the bondes of our capacity and fyrst if death were by hym selfe good it shoulde be no trespasse for one man to kyll hym selfe or an other For in giuing to other a good thynge or in takynge to our selfe a good thynge can bee noo rebuke Where the dede is good there is well doyng in the doer But euer not onely by Christes teachynge but also by naturall reason manslaughter hath bene iudged an abhominable synne Wherfore it can not be that by hym selfe deathe is a good thing And againe an euyll thynge it is not For Chryste died wyllyngly the whiche will in god and goddis sonne coulde not haue consented to deathe if deathe had bene a thyng of his owne nature euyll Nor yet it coulde not be that vertue shuld be praised in the glad suffering of death as now be crowned in heauen many holy marters the whiche couragyously toke vpon theim
not death And surely it shoulde not be the naturall ende of mans course in this life if it were a thing by it selfe naught For euill magrie mans heade is neuer put to him as it shuld be yf death were euyll the whiche necessariely man is constrained to suffer Therfore it semeth true that deathe considered alone by it selfe is nother good nor euill But whan we here of diyng wel or diyng euil or of a good deathe or an euill deathe it is not deathe by it selfe that is spoken of but rather the circumstances the maner the facion the cause of deth or that goeth before death or that foloweth death These be the thinges that gyuethe and takethe this name of goodnes or euilnes As to saie that deathe is good bycause it endeth this sinneful life and is the meane to passe from this worlde to heauen or els whan we saie that Iudas died an euil death it is not ment that the departing of Iudas soule from the bodie was euill but the maner of his diyng was the euill thyng his cursed desperacion his dampnable mistrust of goddis mercy his dispitful refusing grace made his death euil The two theues he at the ryght hande and he at the lefte bothe died one kinde of death both nailed to crosses bothe woorthy for their trespasses yet it is trouthe that the tone died well in a good deathe the tother died naughte in an euill deathe not for the deathe by it selfe wherin was no difference but for the diuersitee of their .ii. mindes in takynge of death The tone repented him and asked mercie wherof he died graciouslye the tother continued in his blaspheming god the whiche stubburne stomacke in sinne caused him to die vngraciously It is a thing that foloweth death and is not in deathe it selfe whervpon we loke whan we iudge to bee a good ende or an euil For by the maner of him that dieth we coniecture the state and condicion of the soule the whiche if we finde in our fantasie to be in an euill case as in the daunger of goddes curse we calle deathe euil wherby the soule passed to com to suche sorowe And contrarie if we thinke the soule to be in the fauour of god or to bee redie to take mercie we call death good the whiche conueied the soule to his blys So that by it self death remaineth indifferent to be iudged of diuers consideracions other a good ende or an euill ende ¶ Now than we maie here saie he that feareth deathe shewethe him selfe to bee in doubte of his soules state or els to be certaine that his soule is in goddis curse The whiche fearefull minde is in them that haue soo passed this presente life that either thei haue doen nothing wherby thei maie hope to be rewarded in heauen or els thei haue done so vngraciously that thei can haue no trust of escaping damnable punishement specially if he be a christened man For if he bee not christened and feareth to die he declareth him selfe to haue none higher thoughte of lyfe than the dumbe beastes haue the whiche make by the lawe of nature so much of their lifes that they can minde nothing beside and the losse of their bloud maketh with theim an hole conclusion of their beyng Wherfore beastes mai iustly fle and feare death as the worste thinge that can happen to their state but a man doth hym selfe to muche wronge if he thinke hym selfe in no better condicion than be these beastes It is not in the diuels power to doo man soo great hurte as this false imaginacion dothe And surely vnworthy he is to haue in hym the power of vnderstanding of thinking of prouiding of learning of teaching of diuisyng of remembrynge of louing of hatyng of reasoning of counsailing of infinite mo giftes who some euer iudgeth him selfe to haue noo more than a swyne or an ape hath Loke as by the fiue wittes the bodie knoweth this or that soo by these powers of minde the soule walketh to his vnderstanding and of an heauenly mattier is made this maruailous thinge that dwelleth in mans bodie for a time to be made worthy other of euerlastyng lyfe or of euerlastinge death for the damned soule lyueth in death without ende ¶ But yet what shal we saie to the place we lefte before that naturally deathe is feared Lette it bee the woorkyng of nature yet I see not but the strength of mans mind fully fastened in faithe maie victoriously ouer come all this feare as we finde many ensamples of men that so haue done not only of them that haue bene helped with faith but also of many paynymes the whiche toke a courage to dispyse death onely of a mightie and valiant minde to haue reason subdue in theim the power of all affectes ¶ I finde a lerned painime wrote that we shoulde nother care for life by it selfe nor yet for deathe by it selfe He saith that we shulde care to liue well and to die well and let life and deathe passe without care For life is not good but to liue wel is good ¶ If painymes haue this righte consideracion of life and of death what shame is it for Christened meÌ„ to care for deathe seeyng Christe whose wordes can not but be true soo vehemently forbyddeth vs the same that painimes sawe by reason to be done Againe seyng this death is so common a thyng daiely in our sight why shoulde we feare it Thynges that sildome chaunce mai stur vp by their raâ—enes great fere thinges that be euer at hande shuld by their familiaritee and custome nousell vs to sette littell by them Furthermore he that feareth death comyng to hym wolde feare by lykelyhode death if it coulde be with hym whan deathe is suche a thing that other it is not yet come or els it is paste For noo man can saie that death is present So this feare can neuer be ioyned with the thing that is feared Againe that thyng that euery man maie do no man lightly dothe that thyng that no man can helpe him selfe in that for the moste parte all men do No man almost studieth or careth how well he maie liue but howe longe he maie liue euerye man musethe whan the trouthe is that it might of all men be optained to liue wel and noo man can further him selfe to liue longe A like frowardenes is in our remembraunce of deathe we busilye labour and enforce to dreame of deathe the whiche thing we can not do we might finde the waie to die well and this thing we will not do This madnes JohnÌ„ I trust you will put of and feare not deathe the whiche you can not escape But feare an euill death the whiche you maie flee ¶ Amonge many commoditees of death I reken one cheifely to be set by that it is good to die well to escape therby the occasion of liuinge euill and surely he dieth well that for suche an intente taketh deathe gladdely ¶ More ouer consider you well and
aliens and strangers and authoritee thei had none beyng bonde prisoners nor in numbre they coulde not preuaile beyng but three alone what do they than Surely that thinge that only semed to be in their power With faire wordes thei entreat their keper whom they founde ful of feare leaste he shoulde be put to deathe if he fauoured and applied to their desires and so this keper saied to them I sore feare my lorde the kyng leaste he loke vpon you and se your faces paler and leaner than bee the other yonge men and vpon that blame me and putte me for your sake to deathe But they of the other parte with wise aunsweres toke from him al his feare and caused him to beare theim fauour Thus whan they had done as muche as laie in theim and as muche as was possible for them to doo streighte the aide and succour of god was at hande and didde for theim his parte Than I saie this worke is not the woorke of god alone but the beginnynge thereof cometh of their purpose and redie minde For they were fully determined with theim selfe not to taste of the vnlefull meates And whan they had constantely and strongly kept this minde streight the becke of almightee god confirmed them in the same and brought their purpose to a glorious end Seest thou now in this place that who so euer hurteth not him selfe he can not be hurted of an nother For I praie the loke with me vpon the case of these thre children yonge thei wer in bondage in thraldome al alone there hanged ouer theim a stronge and mightee power cruel coÌ„mandmentes feare of deathe compulsion of the tiran and fierce thretninges One the other side helpe and succour was there none nother of kinseman nor of neighbour nor of câ—â—esen acquaintaunce none that coulde counsaile them to folow the beste no earthely comforte yet in all this heape was there nothynge that coulde hurt theim seyng their owne minde and pourpose hurted theim not But contrarie on the other side the chosen people of god the Iewes hauing on all sides soo many aides as I before rehersed so great succour and helpe of god yet they preuailed nothynge in the health of their minde only because their owne propre sluggisshenesse their owne frowardenes betraied and distroyed theim selues But lette vs retourne to our three children Thei first opteined this glorious victorie that they were not defoyled with foule and vnlefulle meates And whan the tiran was in this point ouerthrowen and cast vnder their fete thei were brought to great enterprises and battailes of more honour For a muche more cruell constreinment a far greater mischiefe and heynouse condicion was put before theim A furneys was set on fier the fierce and cruel people of the Persis clusterethe about theim the tiranne rageth all that countrey is set to disceiue and peruerte these simple and innocent childrene there is ordered dyuers and sundrie sortes of instrumentes to sounde after the sweete consente of musike O a new kinde of crueltee fier and musike is coupled together the threttenynges of tourmentes and feare of death is mingled with pleasure And yet all not withstandynge he that dothe his endeuour and vttermoste power can not be hurted of an nother yea by the inforcementes of his ennemies he shal increase in glorie and honour as by these foresaied meanes these children came to an higher victorie than they hadde before For the tiranne Nabugodonosor bounde them and cast theim in the saied fourneis of fier but he could nothyng hurte theim but did them passyng good in that his fiercenes and crueltee gotte them a greatter crowne and an higher rewarde For thei in the middes of the bournyng fornace in the middes of the ragyng Persis that bourned more than the very fier in furiouse madnes had a noble and glorious victorie ouer their ennemies and beyng but thre selly children and prisoners ouercame that hole nacion with their tirannye whose noble actes and honor is songe and shall be songe for euermore Thus than he that hurteth not him selfe an other persone can not hurte him I will not ceasse often to repete the title of my Sermon and summe of my purpose For if as we haue before touched nother imprisonmeÌ„t nor bondage nor thraldome nor the losse of countrey of all frendes and acquaintaunce nor an holle hoste of enemies nor the fier nor the cruell tiranne was not of sufficient power to hurt thre yong children beyng lefte of all aide beyng straungers and brought into the handes of their ennemies what thinge is there able to breake the vertue and courage of the minde But thou saiest to me God helped and was with them and deliuered theim out of the fier In likewise thou oughtest if thou fulfill thine vttermoste endeuour to hope and trust to haue the aide and grace of god For doubtelesse God will bee with the if thow leaue not before thy selfe How be it I do not compt the saied children happie and blessed because they trampilled and walked vpoÌ„ the fier without hurt but because they wolde be bounde and wold be cast into the fourneis for the laws of their countrey and of god the which thing contemeth their vertue praise and glorie For by and by whan thei were throwen in the fier beganne their victorie and in that instaunt momente they had deserued their reward by their assured faith and aunswere saiyng vnto the kyng We nede not aunswere the to this question for our god is in heauen whome we honor and serue that maie deliuer vs out of this bourninge ouen and shall deliuer vs O thou tyranne out of thy handes that if god will not deliuer vs thou shalte well knowe that to thy goddes wee will neuer bowe nor this image of gold that thou settest vp we neuer will worship Of these woordes they were crouned and in this testimony and faith thei hadde their rewarde and thanke of god in this rested their course the whiche thei ended in the martyrdome of theyr confession But as touching that the fire was a shamed to touche their bodyes and loused theyr bondes and forsaking his owne nature refresshed theim with the dewe of heauen in the middes of the hotte fourneis This was a poynte of the grace of god whose pleasure was to make his power be knowen by the wounder and meruaille of so straunge a thyng but the children in this had no vauntage their victorie was in their owne stedfaste confession in their owne constaunt and assured faith wherby they opteined the glory of so noble a martirdome What now canst thou creke against this althoughe thou arte banisshed thy countreye driuen frome thine acqueintaunce and frendes brought to thraldome to bee bounde in the seruice of cruell maisters All this hapned to the saied children thou liuest without teachyng withoute instruction wtout comfort the said children wer in the same case Thou art bounde thou art spoiled thou art constrained to die all this passed the saied childrene that euer by
as life euerlasting may not succede withoute departynge from hens All be it it is no cleare departynge but rather a passage and chaunge of this life for the life eternall the temporal iourney perfourmed Who will not hye hym from the warse to the better Who will not coueite to bee refourmed and chaÌ„ged to the figure of Christ or will not desire to come shortely to the dignitee celestiall grace Paule the apostle preaching our abiding saith he is in heauen froÌ„ whens we abide the comminge of Christ Iesu who shall transforme oure simple bodie in semblable figure to the bodie of his clearenes And Christe oure lorde promissed that we shal be suche whan he praied to his father that we moughte be with him and liue with him in eternall places and be ioyfull and mery in the kyngdome of heauen saiyng Father I will that suche as thou haste giuen to meâ— that thei be with me where so euer I be and that thei se the clearenes that thou gauest to me before that the world was create Wherfore he that entendeth to come to the place where Christe is to the brightnes of the Realmes celestial ought not waile or lamente but accordynge to the hope whiche he hath in the promise of god and truste that he hath in trouthe be ioyfull and glad in his departing or translacion froÌ„ hence For as muche as we reade that Enoch was translated or taken oute of this worlde bycause he pleased god as holy scripture witnesseth in the boke of Genesis in this wise Enoch pleased god and was not afterward founden for god translated him frome hence That thinge wherwith he pleased in the sight of god was that he deserued to be taken from the perils of this present worlde More ouer the holy goste teachethe by Salamon that they with whom god is pleased bee the sooner taken awaie and deliuered from hence lest if thei shulde abide lenger they shuld be polluted with worldely infections Therfore Enoch was rapte and â—aken awaie sodainely leaste sensuall appetite shulde corrupt his vnderstanding For his soule was vnto god pleasynge and therfore he hastened to bring him out of the middes of iniquitee Semblablie in the psalmes the deuout soule hasteth spedily toward hir god with a singular faith as it is writen O thou god of vertues and puissance howe wonderfulle delectable bee thine habitacions my soule desyreth and hasteth to come to thy plaices Uerely he onely shoulde haue will to abide in this worlde whom the worlde deliteth whom flatering and deceptful time inuiteth with vaine delectacions of worldely pleasures Nowe sens the worlde hateth a true christen man why doest thou loue that thing wherof thou art hated and foloweste not rather Christe who hath redemed the also loueth the. ¶ Saincte IohnÌ„ in his Epistolle speaketh and crieth vnto vs exhorting vs not to loue this worlde in folowing our appetites Loue not the worlde saith he ne the thinges whiche be in it For who so euer loueth the worlde the charitee of the father of heauen is not in him sens all that is in the worlde is inordinate appetite of the fleshe inordinate appetite of the eien and desire of worldely honour whiche do not procede of our father but of worldly appetite And yet the world and his vaine appetite shal wanishe awaie but he whiche shall fulfil the pleasure of god shall abide euerlasting like as god is euer eternal Therfore good frendes lette vs alwaie bee bounde and ready to perfourme all thinge that god willeth with a perfect minde a faith stable and constant with vertue puissant and stronge all feare of deathe vtterly excluded and onely thinking on the immortalitee whiche immediatly foloweth Lette vs declare that to be the thynge that we dooe beleue in and not lamente the departing of them whom we doo fauoure And whan the daie of our sending for shall approche lette vs willingely and without any stickkyng come vnto god whan he calleth which sens it ought to be done of theim whiche be the seruauntes of god much rather now the world decaiyng and in poynte to fâ—l and also compassed with tempestes of euils continually assaultyng it Also we perceiue that great mischeife is all readie begon and we knowe that muche greatter is comming Let vs reken the greattest aduantage to departe shortly from hens whiche shal be for our special commoditee If the walles in thy hous shulde shake for age and the roufe shoulde trimble and all the holle house werie of rockyng of the beames and rafters shoulde thrette to fall shortly in ruine woldest thou not departe thense in all the haste possible If whan thou art on the see the wawâ—s beyng dryuen vppe with a sturdie winde a troublous and stormie tempeste wolde warne the that thy shyp were in daunger of losing wouldest thou not make haste to come to some hauen Loo beholde the worlde rocketh and is nowe in falling and declareth his imminente ruine not for age or feblenes of thynges but onelye for that his ende now approcheth and yet thou thaÌ„kest not god nor doest not reioyce in thy selfe that beyng takyng awaie with a more ready and as I mought saie a more riper departyng thou maiste escape the ruines wreckes and plages whiche nowe thou seest comming We muste consider good frendes and often times thinke that wee haue renounced this worlde and that we dwelle here but as pylgrimes and gestes Therfore lette vs imbrace ioyfullye the daie whiche doethe appoynte euery man to his habitacyon and deliuerynge vs hens escaped frome the snares of this worlde restoreth vs vnto Paradise and the kyngedome of heauen Who beyng I praie you in a far iourney will not make haste to retourne home to his countrey Who being on the sea sailing homewarde woulde not desire to haue a prosperouse wynde that he maie the sooner salute and imbrace his good frendes Lette vs accompte Paradise to be our very countrey For there haue wee the blessed Patriarches our veraie auncetours Why make we not hast ye why do not we ren a pase to see oure countrey that we maie salute our good Auncetours There dothe abide and loke for vs a great numbre of our dere frendes our Auncetours our fathers and mothers our bretherne and children A plentuous and great multitude whiche nowe bee sure of their immortalitee and yet do care for our suretee doo desire to haue vs in their company To come to beholde and imbrace theim lorde god what a ioye and comforte shall it be bothe to theim and to vs What an imcomparable dilectacion of the heauenly Regeons withoute feare to die and with assured eternitee to liue euer O with howe perfecte and eternall felicitee There is the moste glorious quiere of the blessed apostles There is the college of the gladde prophetes There is people innumerable of hollye martirs adourned with crownes of victorye for theyr vexacions and sundry passions there bee the tender and pure virgins triumphyng whiche with continence