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
kingdome the whiche Chryste teacheth vs to praye for in our Pater noster Where we craue of God that his rule and reigne maie come among vs. But as I despaire that commonly this studie and care can not be chaunged from these worldly riches to the soule soo I am full of good hope that you will take hede to your lyfe to order therin your desires in this due maner more reâ—arâ—gâ—ng what shulde be done then what is done Whan you see and know the ryght pathe I trust you wyll not walke in the croked hâ—e waie The trouth shall more drawe you to loue and to folowe vertue than the common ensaumple shall intice you to folowe vice the which no man can loue not the sâ—nner him selfe But now my owne good Edmond here of these thre thiÌ„ges somwhat more you must prynt in your minde with a perfecte perswasion that your soule is the chefe treasure that you haue whervpon your continuall thoughte and care must be to kepe it to defende it to nourishe it to comforte it by all waies and meanes possible for you In this study you must spend all your wittes nyghte and daie you muste thynke on this thynge what so euer you do you must dyrecte your acte to this thynge If you bee occupied in the state of your bodie either to driue awaie sickenesse or to susteine helth lette it bee for the seruyce your bodye oweth to the soule If you trauaile for goodes of this worlde to gette your owne liuyng or to helpe your frende or elles to prouide for your children when god shall sende you theim let your trauaile be for the necessities of the bodie and so fynally for the soule Consider what the goodes of the worlde be howe they bee but instrumentes for the bodie Use than the worlde in his kynde Loke againe vppon your bodie howe it is preciouser than the goodes vse hym than in his worthynes and hurt not your bodie for a thyng of lesse value And as ye haue nothynge nother your bodie nor your goodes to be compared with the dignitee of youre soule so my swete Withipol lette nothyng be in your reputacion aboue this cheife and principal iewell the whiche muste onely for him selfe be cared for and al other thinges in this life muste be cherisshed for it I sticke muche with you in repetyng one thyng but maruaile not thoughe I so do for I see vs all in this worlde so blynded partly by a vse and custome frome the cradill in the magnifiyng of these goodes partely by the insaumple of theim with whome we be daiely conuersaunt that scant after long criyng it can nowe be harde that the Soule must bee cheifely cared for And excepte grace worke with you that you your selfe wyll consente to the trouthe it is not possible to perswade you that the vcrie true waie of liuyng is this to care cheifely for the soule and to care for all other thynges onely for the soules sake This saiyng though it be true yet I saie it can not bee harde in as muche the liues of all theim with whome ye shall be continually conuersaunt shal crie out clene contrarie against my saiyng For on all sydes you shall see men sweatyng in a continuall worke bothe of bodie and of minde to get these worldely goodes without any mencion made of the Soules state the whiche the veraie friers care lyttell for as it openly appereth But euer I saie to you loke what christen men shulde doo and if you se men so do be glad of that sight and folowe the same if you se the contrary flee from the ensaumple and cleaue euer fastely to the trouth with a sorowful hert for the losse of other men that so blyndely rushe forthe in the traine of a vicious liuyng where the Soule is so lyttel cared for ¶ That this fyrste thyng maie be the better in your studie I wylle briefely touche somewhat of two thynges that appertaine hereto to haue you knowe what nourisheth and comforth the Soule and what hurteth and noyeth the same The Soule can not but euer lyue it hath noo ende of liuynge yet we maie saie that the soule lyueth and dieth It liueth in the grace of god and dieth in the malice of the deuil The Soules lyfe is the lighte of vertue his death is the darkenes of synne You haue a free will gyuen you whereby you maie either quicken or slaie at your owne pleasure your Soule in the bryghte paradyse of lyfe and you maie set your soule in the blacke dungeon of deathe Let therfore this will of yours euer studie to procure for the soules lyfe the which is your owne life and in the same study you shall deliuer the soule frome his deathe the whiche is the perpetuall paine ordained for sinne that seperateth the ymage of god frome his patrone I saie synne plucketh your soule from god whose ymage your soule shulde beare Therfore in all your actes so do that you willingly displease not god who can not be pleased but with a pure and cleane conscience pure and cleane if you suffre no sinne to remaine soo long in your desyre and mind that it cankarethe the thoughte Your thought is cankared with the long residence of synne when either you be weake in the studie of vertue or elles make veraie littell of a fault or defend your vice or nowsel your selfe in a custome of an inordinate desyre The frailenes of our fleshe is so great that it can not bee but that sinne shall come to our desire but it is our blame if sinne tarie and abyde with in vs. God hath gyuen vs a mightie power ouer our selfe we maie whan we wyll correcte our desires and dryue out all synne If you knowe not what is Sinne nor what is vertue by the feare and loue of god you shall knowe both The feare of god will teache you to fle sinne and folowe vertue The loue of god will teache you to folowe vertue and slee sinne wherby your preuie and secrete conscience shall better and more clerely perceiue what is to be done and what is not than any diffinicion or descripciou can appoynte out to you Therfore my dere Withipol enwarpe your selfe faste and sure in the feare and loue of god from your fyrste rysyng to your reste drawe forth the daie in all your busines as this louynge feare and feareful loue shal secretly admonishe and warne you and die rather than you wolde pursue any lust against your knowladge of goddes pleasure ¶ What marchandyse so euer you occupie remembre it is the busines of the thirde care for the whiche you maie not leaue any poynte of this fyrst care that belongeth to the soule Likewise if ye be occupied aboute the bodie remembre it is the worke of the seconde care the whiche also muste be ordered vnto the fyrste the whiche first must alwaie sticke in your mynde sturred vp and led in all desyres and appetites by the saied feare and loue
of god Do neuer that thinge wherin you feare goddes displeasure ¶ More particularly in wrytynges you shall learne this lesson if you wolde some tyme take in your handes the Newe testamente and reade it with a due reuerence For I wolde not haue you in that boke forget with whome you talke It is god that there speketh it is you a poore creature of god that readethe Consider the matche and meke downe youre wittes Presume not in no case to thynke that there you vnderstand ought leaue deuisyng thervpon submit your selfe to the exposicions of holy doctours and euer conforme your consent to agre with Christis churche This is the sureste waie that you can take both before god and man Your obedience to the vniuersalle â—aithe shall excuse you before god althoughe it might bee in a faulse belefe and the same obedience shal also keepe you oute of trouble in this worlde where you see howe folisshe medlars be daiely sore punisshed bothe to their owne vndoyng and also to their great sorowe and lamentyng of their louers and frendes Surely the trouth is as I haue saied that it is your parte to obey and to folowe the churche so that bothe for your soules sake and for your bodily quietnes with the comforte of your frendes I exhorte you to meddle in no poynt of your faith otherwise than the churche shall instructe and teache you In the whiche obedience reade for you increase in vertue the storie of our maister Christe that lyuely expresseth the hole course of a vertuous life And there you shall here the holy goost commaunde you to seke first afore al thinges the king dome of heauen and than saieth the spirite of god all other thynges appertaining to the bodie and worlde shall by theim selfe folowe without your care ¶ In readynge the gosples I woulde you had at hande Chrisostome and Ierom by whome you might surely be broughte to a perfecte vnderstandynge of the texte And hereafter at leysure I wolde you reade the Ethikes of Aristotell either vnder some experte philosopher or elles with comment of Futtiracius And let Plato be familiar with you speacially in the bokes that he writeth De re puâ—ica Also you shall fynde muche for your knowladg in the morall philosophie of Cicero as in his bokes De officns de senectute de Fato de Finibus de Achademicis questio de Thusse Speacially reade with diligence the workes of Seneca of whom ye shall learne as muche of vertue as mans witte can teache you These workes I thinke sufficient to shewe you what is vertue and what is vice and by readyng of these you shall growe into a highe courage to ryse in a iudgement aboue the common sorte to esteme this worlde accordynge to his worthines that is farre vnder the dignitie of the vertues the whiche the mynde of man conceiuethe and reioyseth in these bokes shall lyfte you vp from the claie of this erthe and set you in a hyll of highe contemplacion from whens you shall loke downe and despise the vanitee that folysshe men take in the deceitfull pompe of this shorte and wretched lyfe Mo bokes I will not aduise you for your soules studie to reade than these excepte it be Enchiridion that Erasmus writethe a worke doubtles that in fewe leaues conteineth an infinite knowladge of goodnesse Thynke not my good Edmonde that I ouercharge youe For I knowe what pleasure you haue in readyng and in better bokes you can not bestow your pleasure than in these the whiche bee in noumbre but fewe and yet they shall do you more good than the readyng here and there of many other I wold to Iesus I had in your age folowed lyke counsaile in readyng onely these workes the whiche nowe at last by a great losse of time in readyng of other I haue chosen out for my purpose to refresshe with theym the reste of my life And I counsaile you nowe to beginne to do the same whan time and conueniente leisure shall bee gyuen you to reade any boke ¶ The seconde care is for the Bodie the whiche you muste cherisshe as muche as maie stande with the seruice of your fourmer thoughte and studie for your cheife treasure Haue a respecte to kepe your bodie in good helth the whiche resteth in the ayre and in your diete Abide not where corrupcion or infection is Eate not nor drynke not out of tyme or measure nor yet of suche meates and drinkes as be more delicate and pleasant than holsome Knowe the measure of youre stomacke before you ouerlade your bealy Choke not your appetite but fede your hunger Drowne not your lust but quenche your thirst and euer for your soules sake kepe you from gluttonie Faste sometime bothe for deuocion and also for your helth Slepe rather to lytell than to muche as muche as you take from slepe so muche you adde to your life For slepe is death for the time Exercise you continually for in labour your bodie shal finde strength and lustines is gotten by the vse of your lymmes Let neuer the son ryse before you you shall haue to all your affaires the lenger daie and euer for your soules sake flee from idelnes the whiche is not onely in hym that dothe nothing but also in hym that doth not well and idell you bee whan you be not well occupied Be temperate in your lustes touchynge the bodily pleasure the time shall not be longe tyll your frendes by goddis grace wyll prouide you of an honest mate In the meane season lette the feare and loue of god kepe you in chastitee the whiche apperteineth to your cheife careâ— for nedes you muste so doo seinge that otherwise lechery shal sore defoyle your soule the whiche you must regarde before the bodies appetite For this parte I wolde you reade as your leisure shall bee a littell worke of Galen De bona valetudine tuenda And in the workes afore named you shall finde many thynges that shall instructe you well for this parte also and lyke wyse for the thyrde the which third euer hath occupied mens stomackes more than either the first or the seconde Wherfore as well in holy scripture as in the other philosophers and speacially in Seneca you shall finde many lessons that appertein to the thirde care This third care is for the goodes in this worlde In this parte I can gyue you smalle aduise of my selfe bycause I haue had but small experience herein yet euer I see that you maie not in the studie of gettynge these goodes leaue or slacke the cheife care for the first thyng nor yet the secondarie care for the bodie Labour you must for your lyuing in a due order as in the thirde degre of your thinges If matens masse or a sermon bee to bee harde set your marchaundise aparte for the season and prefer the matens of your
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
that by banishementes by rebukes by bondages by prisonmentes holy men came to great glorie I praie the shewe me deathe it selfe what hurte dyd it to the moste iuste and blessed Abell I saie that bytter and cruell deathe committed of no straunger but of his own naturall brother Is not Abel for this thing celebrated worshipped throughe all this worlde Thou seeste howe my processe declareth more than I promissed for it doth not only opē that no man is hurted of an other beside him selfe but also that holy men take infinite gaines and profites in these thynges by the whiche they seme to bee euill handled Here thou saiste what nedeth soo many peines so many punishmentes What nedeth hell and so many thretninges if it be true that no man hurteth nor noo man is hurted Here me to this peruerte not nor mingle not my tale For I said not that noo man hurteth but I saied that no man is hurted of an other Againe thou saist howe can this be that some shall hurte and yet no man bee hurted It maie be as I haue shewed for his own bretherne hurted Ioseph and did wickedly againste him but Iosephe him selfe was not hurted And Caine did wickedly against Abell whan he laide in wait to slaie him yet Abell him selfe was not hurted nor suffred noo parte of euill To this purpose seruethe peines and punishementes For the vertue of pacience in theim that suffre dothe not take away the trespasse of them that with an vngracious entente set vpon other and do wrongfully For all bee it that they by their pacience bee made more glorious yet the other bee not redemed of their miscsheife in their malicious purpose And therfore the vertue and noblenes of minde auaunceth the sufferer to honour and the malicious stomacke drowneth the doers in depe peines Thus the rightous iudge almightie god to them that constauntly continue in a vertuous life and come to receiue the rewarde of victorie preparethe a kyngdome in heauen and for them that without repentance persecute euer their sinfull purpose hell is ordeined Therfore if thy goodes bee taken from the saie with holy Iob I came naked out of my mothers wombe and naked I shall depart hense Put hereto the apostels saiyng We brought nothing in to this worlde nor we can not take hense with vs any thyng Thou hast hearde thy selfe to be euyll spoken by to be infamed and sclaundered with men remembre thou and put before thine eyes the wordes of oure maister where he saith Wo be ye whan ye be of al mē praised And in an other place Be ye mery and reioice whā men reuile your name as naught for my sake Thou art cast out of thy countrey and driuen from thy hous and possessions remembre that we haue not here our dwelling coūtrey but that wee seke the worlde to come Why then dost thou think that thou hast loste thy countreye whanne in this whole world thou art a stranger an alien and a pilgrim Thou art fallen into a greuous and ieoperdous sycknes vse and exercise the apostles saieng that is this Although our body the outwarde man be infected and sycke yet our sowle the inward man is therby renued and refreshed day by day Thou art closed and shette in pryson and some cruell deathe hangethe ouer thine head Loke vpon S. Iohn̄ beheaded in pryson and there fastely beholde soo great a prophetes heade graunted and giuen to a tumbling wench in the reward of bodily plesure These thynges whan they chaunce to the wrongefully loke thou regarde not the iniurye and malyce of theim that do hurte but ponder and way thou the rewarde and glorye that shall bee gyuen the for these wronges For he that willingly and pacientelye sufferethe all suche troubles is not only forgiuen of his trespasses and synnes but also he opteynethe thereby the merytes and the rewardes due to vertue and goodnes so hygh and great a thing it is to kepe stedfastly an assured and full faith in god Than seing that nother the losse of goodes and substaunce nor sclander nor defyaunce nor banysshement nor sickenesse nor tormentes nor deathe it selfe that semethe the most greuous thing of all the forsaid can hurt men but more rather helpe and do good to men in making vs better worthy of so great reward howe and wherof shall we proue any man to be hurted whan of none of these sayd greues a man can be hurted But I will nowe assay to lay plainly before thine eies that they only be hurted the which do hurt and that the hurt the whiche thei do noieth not nor toucheth not none other persone but onely them self that inforceth to hurt For tell me what can now be more vnhappy than Caine The death by the whiche he with his owne handes slewe his propre brother hath made Abell for euermore a saincte and gloriouse martyre and hathe caused the slear for euermore to be taken for a wicked mankyller and that against his owne bloud Also what is more wretched than that Herodis wife the which desired to haue S. John̄s head in a dishe that hir owne head shuld be drowned in the euerlasting flames of burning hell What is in worse case then the dyuell hym selfe the whiche by his malice made the holly Iob waxed nobler so muche grew and increased the diuels peine I thinke thou nowe seest that my tale hath shewed much more thā I promised For it is open and plaine not only how no man is hurted of theim that do wronge but also that the hurters and none els bee hurted and suffre euill For nother riches nor libertee nor noblenes nor helthe nor life nor suche other thinges be the propre goodes and substaunce of man that hath nothynge proprely his owne but onely the vertue of minde And therfore whan in these outwarde thynges other hurte or losse or trouble happeneth man is not hurted seeyng all his treasure is in the saied vertue of mind Here thou askest what if a man be hurted in the saied vertue It can not be but thus If any be hurted therin he is hurted of none other persō but only of himself Thou desirest to here how a man is hurted of him selfe Whā he is beaten of somme other or robbed and spoiled of his goods or by any meanes troubled if than he speke any opprobrious word any vnpacient sentence he is hurted yea and soore hurted yet I saie not of an other but of hymselfe through his own lacke of pacience For as it is saied before Behold what the blessed Iob suffered not of any man but of him that passed the al men in mischefe and crueltee That if he that blouddie tourmentour the diuell that haynouse kaitife with so many ingins so many craftes so many peines culd nothing preuaile in cōstraining Iob to trespasse with his tong before the face of God speciallye whan Iob had neuer hearde the lawe of God nor had not parte of the redempcion of the
glorious resurrection of our sauiour Christe If the blessed Iob I saie lackyng this ayde of Christes passion was able to resist all the findes malice howe muche more thou christen man art able to withstand al stormes If thou wilt vse and exercise thy power take ayde and succour of thy faith it is not possible for the to be ouercome For beholde S. Paule howe muche he suffred his peines can scant be tolde the prisons the bondes the scurges the whippes the strokes the blowes the tormentes bestoned he was of the Iewes with roddis all beaten cast down headlyng in the handes of theues he suffred of his enemies of his false bretherne continuall reason in his minde he suffred feare outwarde he suffred striues batailes hunger thrist nakednes defaming tribulacion beastes what nede I speake more he daily died and yet all this not withstanding not one smalle vnpaciente worde escaped his lippes but he in these thynges glorieth and reioyceth and with myrth saieth I take pleasure in my passions and tribulacions If than S. Paule suffering so great vexacions was glad and ioyfull and gloried in the same what excuse shall they haue that for euery trifle and small wronge or beating or other trouble farre vnlike to these foresaied aske a vengeaunce crie out and make a sorowfulle a doo Here thou comest againe and saist If I without resisting suffre my goodes shal be taken from me and therby I shall be made vnmete to do any worke of mercy This is an euasion nothing laudable For yâ— thou desyre to worke mercy and to do almese dedes here what I say Pouertie letteth not a man to exercyse mercifull actes I say it letteth not a man that is mercifull For though thou be poore thou shalte haue ii mytes or one fardyng the whiche whan thou haste offered it shal be reckened to the aboue al the treasure of ryche men Thoughe thou bee poore thou haste anne handfull of meale that sufficeth to fede a prophete that if thou bee so poore that thou lackest these saied littell and small thinges yet beleue me thou shalt neuer lacke a cuppe of colde water whereby thou maist passe all maner of rychesse largely bestowed in mercifull workes For god requireth a mercifull mynde not the quantitie of money nor the hepe of goodes Dost thou now se that thou sufferest none hurt whan thou loseste all thy goodes ye thou hast a great gaines and vaÌ„tage For thou hast with two mites or for the price of a cup of cold water bought the croune of euerlasting life y â— whiche other scante with their infinyte expences opteine I doubt not but this tale is playne to theim that be studious of the trouth and haue care for their spirituall health and saluacion but to theim that lye in the bondes of their pleasures in the prison of theyr lustes that wast theyr holle lyfe in the course of syn to theym this tale is vayne and foolyshe bycause theyr mynde and studye enbraceth nothyng but shadowes and wyndes For these thinges that seeme to them the goodes of this worlde shall slyppe out of their handes flee from theim lyke as shadowes and the wynd Wherfore it is well that we open to this sorte the priuy causes of these fantasies and let vs take away the image that deceiuethe theym and shewe to theym the veraie plaine face of this filthy and sluttish harlotte the whiche they loue and enbrace For surely I call this present lyfe an harlot an hoorishe woman the whiche life is spent in the plesures and the vanitie of riches in the delites and the power of this world And I do not only call this lyfe an harlot but a foule stinking sluttishe and beastly harlot whose face is so farre out of shape and facion soo bytter so croked and cruell a loke that there is none excuse for theim that bee deceiued by hir loue And yet this not withstanding we see many ye the most part of this worlde to be drowned in the pleasure of hir and though they se that in this lyfe all thinges be cruell and bloudy full of ieoperdyes full of dethes of misfortunes And where men see hir beset with moste vnhappy naughtye packis with sclanders rebukes hatred enuy deceytes treasons complaaintes thoughtes extreme cares continuall feare and with a thousand such other vngracious gosseppes and handmaides be compassed rounde about as with a garde of serpentes amongest whom is no comfort nor frute but only cruel slaughter deathe pestilence and perpetuall peyne yet how many be there that loue hir and that busily folow hirâ— The folishnes of them is so great soo stockisshe that no reason can plucke theim frome this destruction no euidente exaumple of innumerable other that continuallye and hourely perishe Shall not I reken these fooles more blockisshe more rude more childishe than littell babesâ— the whiche be holly giuen to sportes and plaies and soo busily driue about a round houpe so busily scourge a top through the long cloisters or about the stretes that they can not bee plucked from their game beynge vtterlye ignorant and without knowladge that in suche plaies is noo profite nothynge of valure yet the folye of these younge babes is excused by their few yeres and tendre age but these other in their perfect age old in the numbre of yeres what excuse shal thei bring forth for defending and kepyng a minde much folisher and weaker than any childes Now than tell me I praie the why semeth riches worthy to be desired For me thinke I must of riches begin with the. Thou answerest because it apereth to many men that riches for our helth life name and fame and the state of our countrey bee more commodious than other frendes kinsmen ye than all other thinges that be This goodly and semely sentence is not onely obserued bothe by the sea and lande but is nowe mounted vppe aboue the clowdes to the sterres I knowe well that this reason is not so muche a sounde of wordes as it is a bourninge flame and fire that distroieth the hole world and no man there is that gothe about to quenche it but many there be that blow to it and more and more kendâ—e it For all sortes of men fauoure this mischeife and praise of riches not onely they that be partakers therof but they also that yet bee not come therto Thou maiest se euery kinde of men whether it be man or woman seruaunt or maister riche or poore to the vttermoste that he can helpethe to increase this fire and caste some mattier thervpon labouring in it bothe by daye and night all I saie bring to this fire plentie of mattier plentie of faggottes not of wod nor strawe nor hey for this kinde of fire consumeth no suche mattier but thei cast vpon it heapes of euil workes and vngracious dedes bothe of their bodie and soule wherwith this sore fire is kendled and fedde For these couetous riche men though it wer possible for eche of theim to
auoide that is right Loue more to here than to sai Here in the begining speake last of al the last speche is better theÌ„ the first Obedience VUorship euery man for the merite of holines After their worthines geue to euery man worship Suppose not thy selfe euen to thy soâ—eraigne Giue obeisaÌ„ce to thine elders Serue their biddynges bowe to their autoritie folow their will Obey to all men in good biddinges yet so obey the to man that thou offend not y â— wil of god Therfore fulfil mekely the charges that thou hast take vpon the be obeidient to gods ordinance be noâ—â—ardy dy to do against his will Dispose all thinges not with a sturdy but with an easie hert Beware of worshippes whiche thou maieste not haue without sinne Soueraignetee BUsy the rather to bee loued of thy subiectes then to be dread Let thy subiectes rather worship serue the for loue than for dread or for nede Quite the such to thy subiectes that thou be more loued thaÌ„drad With a soueraigne goodnes gouerne thy subiectes Be not fere ful to thy subiectes be such lorde to them that thei be glad to serue the. Both in punishing and cherishing kepe a meane be not to straite ne forgiue not to sone Kepe maner in all thy worke It longeth to a wise man â—o measure all thinges lest of good be made euil Behold certainly what is couenable for the time where whan howe and wherfore thou biddest any thing to be done That thou wolt to bee done to the do thou to an other Be suche to other meÌ„ as thou desirest other men to bee to the. Hinder no man with thy witnes Do no man harme lest thou suffre the same Kepe manlynes kepe rightousnes defende no man againste trouthe Whan thou demest be he poore be he riche behold the cause and not the persone Kepe trouth in all thinges Sit neuer in dome without mercy Be as meke in others mens defaultes as in thine owne So deme other men as thou desireste to bee demed thy selfe While thou art merciful in other mens gilt thou hast mercy on thy selfe The dome that thou puttest vpon an other thou shalt beare thy self In what mesure that thou measurest shal be measured to the. Deme no man by suspection fyrst proue and soo deme In domes reserue the sentence to goddes iudgement And that that thou knowest to thine owne dome and that that thou knowest not to gods dome Despite of the world If thou wilte be in rest desire nothing of the worlde Thou shalt haue reste of soule if thou put frâ— the the busines of the worlde Cast fro the all that maie let a good purpose be mesured to the worlde and the worlde to the as thoughe thou were ded Beholde not the glory of this worlde Set not by that while thou liuest y t thou maiest not haue when thou art dead What so euer thou geueste geue it with a good wil. Do mercy without gifte gâ—ue almes without heuines The good wil is more than that is geueÌ„ That that is geuen with good will that god accepteth but he that geueth with heauines shall lese his mede There is noo mercye where is no good wil Do nothing for praising nothing for worldely opinion but onely for life euerlasting Amen ¶ LONDINI in aedibus Thomae Bertheleâ—typis impress Cum priuilâ—gâ—o ad imprimendum solâ—m ANNO. M. D. XLVI â—â—terpritation They vse psidia for sydia whiche signifyeth the tyndes of a poinegranade Psillium Psillium hath his name of psille which signifyeth a flâ—â— For the seede of this herbe is like a fley and is vsed in medicines to coole The latines also 〈◊〉 puâ—icaâ—â—s of fleyes I 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the see and also in other â—â—tylled and baren places Pthisis Phthisis in Greke signifyeth wastyng a consumynge sycknesse a consumption as we call it Pulsatiue Pulsatiue Beatynge Pruna Pruna a fyrye coole Resort to anthrax Pustles There ben two kyndes of pustleâ— or â—usches For some pusches are Nowe that we haue spoken suffycyently of the anatomie of the heed we wyll also speake somewhat of the other principall membres and fâ—â—â—e of the herte The herte The hert on both sydes aboute the fundamâ—nt of it â—ath as it 〈◊〉 eates The ryght 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 braunche is ioyned 〈…〉 veyne and vnto the ryght 〈◊〉 of the herte The left eare is 〈◊〉 y â— mouth of the veynie arteâ—â— Called de nosâ— arteria and to the left 〈◊〉 of the hert For the hert hath two 〈◊〉 tricles or thaÌ„bres a ryght and a 〈◊〉 chamâ—re and they bene deuyded 〈◊〉 parted 〈◊〉 through which 〈◊〉 tion there ben holes by which 〈◊〉 is conueyed into the left ventricle In â—the of the ventricles there are two vessels For a noble veyne entrâ—th into the ryght ventricle which 〈◊〉 Howbeit in some it hath but two in some foure in some none but is al toâ—â—ther round From the hollow parte 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 lappe a lytle pype deriethe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bladder called cistis 〈◊〉 whiche hangeth by the â—yde 〈◊〉 From the bunchie part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the greatest 〈◊〉 and it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The stomake â—he inner skynne of the stomak 〈◊〉 thyâ—â—â— hath streygth filmes y ◠〈◊〉 whiche is grosser hathe 〈◊〉 filmes Fyrst than the 〈◊〉 aweth meate stretchyng 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—ght fylmes Secondlye it reâ—â—â—â—â— and imbraieth the meaâ—e be â—rawen in with the ouert whart 〈◊〉 And it retayneth the meate so longe tyll by the alteraâ—iue power it is turned into good iuyce ThaÌ„ the stomake reserueth the beste for hys though it be some what remoued Pilosella Pilosella is founde in no lerned auâ—ctour Howbeit the later wryterâ— deâ—scrybe it to be an herbe that groweâ—â— in stonie and dryâ— places with a reâ—floure and with leaues spredde vpoâ— the grounde in which leaues there bâ— as it were heâ—res and therfore theâ— haue barbarously called it pilosellâ— of pilus an heere The description aâ— greeth w t mousâ—arâ— sauing in y â— fâ—â—uâ— It is Englyshed in an olde wrytte boke hertwort Where this herbe iâ— not found some thinke it good to vâ— mousâ—â—are PhilomuÌ„ PhilomuÌ„ is a confection so called of Philon the inuentoure of it oâ— as some saye of philos which sygnâ— fyeth a frende bycause it is frendly to hym that receyueth it Policariam Haec est eâ—â— nim charâ—â—tas del vâ— precepta eius serueâ—â—mus 1. 10. 5. Be were of presumcion Mekenesâ— Matt 〈…〉 What charitie causeth Charitie is the hoâ—e perfection of a chryâ—sten man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The perfite loue of god Parciall loue Mat. 16. Mar. 8. Luc. 9. Io 12. Mat. 6. Luc. 12. What charitie causeth Mat. 5. Luc. 6. To kepe Charitie with god Three mocions to desyre worldly goodes The waie to comme to perfytte Charitie Hope in god Feare of god Beleue in Chryste What is to kepe charitie lo. 14. câ— 15. Mat. 5. Ibidem Fyue maner of loues Uertues of the bodye Uertues of the soule 1. â—o 4. 〈…〉 this ryse Mat. 6. Eph. 4. Charitie is not like one vertue Feare of god Abstinence Pacience 1. Col. 13. 1. Io. 4. Howe maisters hurte their scholers moste Trewe frendshyp True opinions Soule Bodie Goodes of this worlde Sholars Free will Feare of god Loue of god Newe testament Math. 6. Luc. 12. Readyng the gospels ChrisostoÌ„ Ierom. Ethica Arist. Plato Cicero Seneca Enchiridion Bodâ—y hâ—lthe Diete Corrupte 〈◊〉 Faste Slepe Slepe Exercyse Idelnes Temperans Galen De bona valetud tuen Seneca Almeâ— dede Slepe Bargaine Similitudes Dyuell Math. 8. Luc. 13. Math. 19. Math. 20. 22. A good frende Cicero de amicicia Houswife Xenophon Economia Politie Aristot. Wrath ire and anger Furie Pacience Plato Seneca Untrue tongue Obedience Malapert Presumpcion Trewe goodes Faulse goodes Goodes of fortune Epictetus A worldly man Spirituall men Temporal men Francesâ— Philippe To die well Two lettâ—s to die gladly What death is The soule The lyfe Whether death by it selfe be good or euill Deathe is not good Deathe is not euill Deathe is nother good nor euill To feare deathe Deathe is not to be feared Necessitee Loue of this lyfe What furdreth most glad deth Goodnes of an horse Goodnes of an oxe Goodnes of a vyne The excellencie of man Iob. 1. 1. Tim. 6. Luâ— 6. 2. Cor. 6. Pleasure Ryches Psal. 104 Luc. 22. Ro. 1. Luc. 2. Ennemies of man Ioan. 16. Ion. 16. Ion. 16. Io. 14. Phil. 4. Eccl. 2. Iob. 1. Iob. 1. Iob. 2. Tob. 2. Nu. â—0 Psal. 50. Deut. 8. Gen. 2â— 2. Cor. 12. Eccl. 27. Apoc. 2. 1. Thes. 4. Io. 11. Phil. 3. Ioan. 17â— â—en 5. Sap. 4. Psal. 83. 1. Ioan. 2. Mar. 14. Luc 22. Ioan. 13. Ioan. 16. Ioan. 13. 1. Pet. 5. Eccl. 3. 2. Cor. 2. Eccle. 1. Eccle. 12. Gal. 5. Eccl. 25. Mat. 26. Luc. 22. Eccl. 28. Eccl. 8. Nu. 16. Eccl. 28. Mat. 12. Luc. 6. Eccl. 7. Sapi. 1. Iac. 5. Eccl. 23. Deut. 23. Eccl 5. Baiuc 6. Sapl 1. Mar. 7. Mar. 4. Eccl. â— 2 Cor. 9.
to kepe goddes worde It is our maister Christe that byddethe vs loue oure ennemies to dooe well with theim that haten vs to praye for theym that persecute vs. Chryste thus commandeth vs to th entent he wolde clense and rydde vs from hatred from doyng iniuries from beyng myndefull of displeasures to haue vs pure from hate rancour angre and grudging he commandeth vs to loue without excepcion as well our foo as our frende He wolde haue vs of our charitie in god to loue man after the ensaumple of god the which wolde haue all men indifferently to be saued and come to the lyghte of trouthe lyke as his sonne shynethe ouer the good and euylle his rayne fallethe as well vpon the vniust as vpon the iuste so wolde Christe haue vs indifferentely sprede our affections to all men after the free lyberalle distribucion of charitie For and if you be in this case that some persones ye loue some you hate some you nother loue nor hate somme you loue so so in a meane facion somme you loue veraie ernestly by this inequalitie of louyng learne that you be fare from perfecte charitie with god the whiche perfecte charitie indifferentely louethe all men for goddes sake the good sort of men as his dere frendes the euyll sorte as theim of whome maie be made dere frendes In charitie is no knowladge of any difference betwene ryche and poore betwene maister and seruant betwene bond and free betwene faithfull and vntrue betwene male and female betwene kinne and no kinne the charitable spirite lokethe vpon mans symple nature the whiche in all men is lyke and one thyng wherof he conceiueth in his mynde one indifferente contemplacion of all and at all seasons he is well mynded euer well dysposed to doo all men good with whome is neyther englyshe nor scottisshe aquayntaunce nor straunger but with hym one is all and in all Chryste Iesus alone whome and whose crosse he knoweth and nothynge elles Thus by our Charitie with god we learne what is our dueitie towarde man But here in louynge your neyghbours and bretherne loke you deceiue not your selfe for hit is not inoughe to loue youre neyghbour but ye muste in the ordre and rule of charitie loue hym that is onelye or chyefely to loue hym for goddes sake There bee fyue waies noted of louynge one of vs an other of the whiche numbre one waie is praised thre be vtterly dispraysed and one neyther praysed nor dispraised Fyrste I maie loue my neyghbour for goddis sake as euery good vertuous man loueth euery man Seconde I maie loue my neyghbour of a naturall affection bycause he is my sonne or brother or kynsman Thirdly I maie loue for vainglorye as if I loke by my neyghbour to be worshypped or aduaunced to honour Fourthly I maie loue for couetousnes as whan I cheryshe and flatter a ryche manne for his goodes whan I make muche of them that haue done me pleasures and may do me mo The fifte waie I maie loue for my sensuall luste as when I loue to fare delicately or elles when I madde or dote vppon women The fyrst waie to loue my neighbour for the loue I beare to god is onely worthy to bee praysed The seconde waie naturally deserueth neyther praise nor dispraise The thyrde the fourthe and the fyfte to loue for glory aduantage or plesure all thre be stark naught Therfore syster oute with your loue and consydre welle in what waie your herte is gyuen to loue pour neyghbour Charitie hath but one way of louing a man truly an well that is onely for goddes sake To conclude nowe this mattier the whiche of him selfe is in sight lette vs knytte vppe charitie with this generall knotte that man is made absolute and perfecte in all vertues through this one vertue of Charitie But whan I saie all vertues loke that you vnderstand what is ment in the name of vertue or elles this generalle clause maie deceyue you Wherfore you must learne that the body hath his propre vertues and the soule lyke wyse hath his owne aparte frome the other The vertues of the bodie bee as to faste to watche to goo on pylgremage to trauaille with hande and fote for to helpe theyr neyghbours to distribute your goodes in almes dedes to buylde vp churches wherein the people maie here the worde of god and come together to praier to punyshe the fleshe with roughe heer to slepe vpon the harde grounde to socour the nedy to ayde the miserable and other suche actes bodilye men dooe for the loue and honour of god The vertues of the soule be of a nother sorte as mekenes pacience abstinence hope faithe charitie pitye mercy and other lyke Nowe if it so bee that of some infirmitee I can not faste nor watche for lacke of money I can not do any almes for lacke of bodily strengthe I canne not traueyle if suche necessarie and true consideracions make vs wante the vertues of the bodie we bee without blame and had excused before god the whiche beholdethe the secrete and priuie cause of oure defaulte But in the vertues of our soule we haue no maner of defence if it bee soo that we lacke any of theim For they haue noo necessitie nor constraynte of any thyng but all be frely vnder the election and choyce of oure free will And whan it is generally said that charitie maketh a man absolute and perfecte in all vertues ye must vnderstande in all the vertues of the soule the whiche be very vertues to speake and to name the truthe Whereby the bodye can haue of hym selfe no vertue nor nothyng can be done of the bodie worthy of praise onles the acte bee coupled and ioyned with the vertues of the mynde But contrarye the soule is perfecte in his vertues without all assistence and helpe of the body Then boldelye we maie saie that from charitie cometh all vertues and none other worke there is of charitie than to make and bringe forth in vs vertue It is holy scriptures testimony that charitie can not bee ydle Alwaie than a charitable spirite is doyng and what so euer he dothe hit muste nedes bee a good worke For what can come frome the loue of god but it shall sauer and smelle of god the whiche sauour is this onelye thynge that geuethe to mans acte all thâ— goodnes Nowe then my entierly beloued syster to obserue and keepe this mooste precious and mooste holy charitie with god you shall in fewe woordes haue a shorte rule The beste waie to kepe you frome fallynge out of charitie with god is neuer to suffre your christen neighbour to slepe in a displeasure with you and agayne that you neuer slepe in a dyspleasure with your chrysten neyghbour Remembre we all be knytte in a faste kynrede vnder one father in heuen the whiche commaundethe vs to loue together as bretherne and systerne without regarde of hyghe or lowe poore or ryche whether your neighbour
riche and so studie to be orels thinke neuer of riches for otherwise you shal deceiue your selfe and do contrary to that waie that as well worldly wisedome as the trouthe of our faithe sheweth you But nowe here what I saie ¶ First and last myne owne good withipol remembre earnestely to haue in your mynde three certaine thynges the whiche be of suche valure that he that forgetteth either their dignitie and nature orels the degrees and order of theym he canne not please neither god nor himselfe nor the worlde I saie in all the course of your life there he thre thinges to bee loked so vpon that the fyrste of them must be fyrst of you regarded the seconde nextâ— after and the thirde in his place after the second Beware as of dedely poyson that you ruffil not than without care one before the other as to take the .iii. in the place of the firste or the secounde after the thyrde or both the seconde and the thirde before the first In this conclusion you shall as I haue saied both offend god and displease your selfe and also nothyng content the worlde Like as the most parte of men nowe a daies treaspasse all for the rechefulnes and negligence in not kepyng these .iii. thynges vnder the dignitee and degree accordyng as they ought to be obserued and kepte And what bee we my good Edmond if we be out of god des fauourâ— odious to our selfe and dispiteful to men Therfore againe I exhorte you to the entente you maie eschewe this abhominable condicion and growe to be admitted in the blessed noumbre of them that reste in the grace of god in the â—lennes of their conscience and in the fauour of the worlde to bee iudged a good a wise and an honeste man For this finall ende mine exhortacion is now that you in all your actes in the hole course of your life remembre these three thynges that I will reherse vnto you But I saie to you that you must not onely remembre these thre thynges but also specially haue in minde the degres of them so that euer the first of theim be cheifely in your thought aboue all other and than in his place put the seconde and let not the thyrde be regarded but as his place requireth that is whan you haue done with the first and also with the secounde There lieth more weighte and valure vpon the knoweyng and kepynge of this tale that I shall tel you then if I could shew you the waie within fewe monethes to bee a man of great power bothe in excedyng abundaunce of ryches and also in passing auctortie of rule Therfore as wel for the fruit that foloweth if you doo after mine exhortacion as for the infinite hurtes that you can not escape if you shoulde forget that I sai I warne and warne you a gayne here this lesson with a glad eare and print the same in your minde to execute with liuely diligence the effect of this cousail wherin is conteined your life and deathe your ioye and sorowe as wel in this world as in that shal be hereafter These .iii. thinges be the Soule the Bodye and the Substance of this world The first place hath by good reson the Soule seyng it is a thing immortall that is created and made after the figure and shape of almightye god The next seconde roume hath the Bodie as the case and sepulture of the soule and nereste seruaunt to the secretes of the spirite The thirde roume occupiethe the riches and goods of this world as y e necessary instrumeÌ„tes or toles for the bodie the whiche can not wante nor lacke such thinges Lette than the eie of your inward mind first and cheifly euer behold the first thing in you y â— is your Soule Next therto haue a respect to your body thirdly coÌ„sider y â— world care for your Soule as for your cheife iewel and onely trea sure Care for your Bodie for the soules sake Care for the worlde for the bodies sake Beware aboue all thinges that you go not backe warde as he doth that careth first to be a riche man next to be an helthy man and thirdely to be a good man where he shoulde doo cleane contrary fyrste to studie for goodnes nexte for helthe and then for welthe You see so great blindnes among men that some folke so careth for ryches that very litle they loke for the helthe of the bodie and nothyng at all they minde the state of the soule I saie to you some folkes doo thus I woulde to god I might not truely reporte that for the mooste parte all men in maner nowe a daies dooe no notherwise Loke vpon either the spiritual sort or the temporall and muche a doo you shall haue in the great swarming multitude of this blinde sort to finde out theim that first aboue all thinges care for their soule next for their bodie and thirdly for goodes of this world You shal se marchauntes spare no trauaile nor ieo pardie of the body to get these goodes They be to saie the trouth so occupied in the studie of this thirde thing that scante thei haue time to care for the second as for the first thei passe nothig thervpoÌ„ it semeth a thing lest in their thought where of conuenienci the same care studiâ— and thought that they gyue to the opteining of these worldly goodes thei shuld spende it all in the maintenaunce of the first thyng that is the Soule and the small littel regarde that they take for the fyrste shulde be bestowed for the thirde and more than thei doo thei shulde cherisshe the seconde ¶ The same confusion is with vs scholers for our first studi is to get promocion to get these goodes to liue welthily In this care we busily be occupied continually Somewhat more we cherisshe our bodies than dothe the marchant but our cherisshing is for the longer vse of these goodes not as it shulde be for the soules sake And as for the soule we haue as litel regard as other men haue although we speke therof more than paraduenture other men do This ouerthwarte confusion of these three thynges marrethe all And plainly I may sai that al mischeife cometh onely of this misorder that we put the cheife care of our studie to the thirde thyng and not to the fyrste as of duitâ—e we oughte to dooe the contrarye If my purpose were to shewe youe what other men do and not rather what I woulde haue you dooe I woulde further procede to expresse vnto you how farre out of square our life is nowe a daies and howe blessed a life we shulde haue in this transitorie world if the care of our soule were firste and cheifelye in mens myndes lyke as the care of the worldely substaunce occupieth oure hertes aboue all other thynges If it were as it oughte to be that in our phantasie reygned the studie for the Soule thanne shulde be here that celestiall
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
conceiueth by the riddaunce of the soule from the heauy burden of this bodie ¶ Of these contrarye opinyons you shall lesse maruaile whan we haue a littell considered the thyng it selfe what shoulde be death the whiche one parte of vs soo muche feareth and an other sort setteth so littel by the same and so by a short processe you shall see whether the saied Canius bee more woorthy of praise for his littell regardyng the deadly punishement than is frances Philip that within fewe yeres passed was put to execucion with vs for treason the whiche died soo cowardely in soo great panges of feare that he semed extracte from his wittes scant for quakyng and trimbling the wreche could speake one worde The fewe wordes that he coulde with muche stutterynge sounde were onely in the declaracion of his dispraieâ— nor nothynge was sene nor harde of hym but weâ—yng lamentyng wryngyng of his handes with banninge the houre and daie of his byrthe continually sighing as though his hert shuld haue burste for sorowe The difference of these affectes wil here after be I thynke plainer to you whan we haue a littel more spoken in this mattier For nowe good JohnÌ„ I will crepe a littel nygher to your desyre the which you haue of learnyng the waie to die well ¶ THIS DIYNGE well is in effecte to die gladly For who soo euer dieth gladlie he departeth froÌ„ this lyfe in a sure hope to lyue againe beynge nowe wery of this worlde but nother this hope of the lyfe to come nor this werynes of the lyfe presente can make in any man a glad herte to die Oneles he be one that hath lyued well here For in deathe there can be no gladnes excepte there bee a fulle truste of opteyning the rewarde of vertue partely by the truste and faith of a good mynde partely by the mercie of god that fulfilleth euer our insufficiencie yf we bryng ought with vs woorthy of his fauour For goddis grace supplieth where our power lacketh if it soo bee that our soules appere before hym in an apparelle mete for his presence the whiche apparell requireth a perfecte faith and an ernest will of doing well all though we haue not alwaie done wel The mercie of god neuer failethe hym that fully trusteth in it But a ful truste canne not bee withoute the strength of charitee the whiche euer burneth in the loue of doynge good and faith can not be perfect oneles there bee good workes the whiche maie stur vp and quycken in vs faithe to take a beeleue that by Christis actes our final demerites maie grow to be perfect Thus a cherefull hert be sette with faith hope and charitee taketh no pensifulnes in the remembraunce of death but rather it reioyseth to remembre that by death it shall passe to lyfe neuer more to die Wherfore to die well euer is to die gladly either to be ridde from the bondes of this prison or to optaine the lybertee of heauen bothe waies commeth from a good lyfe passed so that surely no man can die well that lyueth not well for euer death is a sorowfull thyng to the euyl lyuer bycause he hath nothing to lay before the mercie of god whervpon he maie take hope and truste to be made worthy of the sure lyfe in the whiche deathe medleth not Nowe than yf we can gether what maie let vs to be gladde of deathe and what wyll bring vs to a desire of diyng gladdely we shall by the same picke out the waie to die well For in my minde these .ii. be alwais one to die well and to die gladly ¶ The glad desire of diyng is letted cheifely by two thynges one by the feare of death the tother by the loue of this lyfe The tone of these foloweth the tother For he that loueth this lyfe feareth to die and he that feareth to die loueth this lyfe Yet we maie speake of eche parte by him selfe and fyrste let vs assaie the greatteste the whiche is the feare of death than next after we will come to the tother the whiche is the loue of this life If these two blockes bee taken out of our stomackes we shall fynde an easy and a plaine waâ— to the ende of our purpose For who someuer nother feareth to die nor loueth to tarie in this lyfe he is redie alwaie to die gladly But to performe my promisse let me saie some what of the saied feare and loue ¶ Fyrste and cheifely the feare of death taketh awaie all gladnes of diyng and therby after myne opinion no man that dieth fearefully can die well soo that to learne the waie of diyng well we must learne the waie to die without feare And yet how I shulde proue that death is not to be feared I can not well tel seyng the hole power of nature sheweth that of all thynges death is most fearefull and to reason againste nature it were paraduenture not soo harde as vaine For what can reason preuaile if nature resistâ— It is a thing to farre aboue mans power to striue or to wrastell with nature hir strengthe passeth the myght of our will what helpe some euer we take of reason or of auctoritee nother counsaile nor coÌ„maundment hath place where nature dothe hir vtter mooste It is none excuâ—e to saie that men feare death bycause they be loth to leaue the commoditees of this lyfe or bycause they feare the thretenynges of purgatorie and of hell or elles bycause they thynke vpon the sore peynefull panges the whiche be in the tyme of death Naie these thinges make not cheifely the feare of diyng it maie well be that of suche thynges the feare is increased and made more ful but there is a feare before and beside all these thinges the whiche feare nature I saie giueth as it is well sene in yong children that haue no remembraunce nother of this life nor of the dedely panges nor of heauen purgatorie or helle Whan we in sporte threten to caste theim headling out at some hye windowe they quake trimble and waxe pale shewynge plaine and euident tokens of a naturall feare towarde deathe And thoughe by learnyng or by a curragious minde somme few amongest vs seme lyttell or nothyng to be moued with deathe yet the ensaumple of these fewe can not take awaie the trouth that nature in all the reste worketh For howe many be there that onely to eschew death suffre al wretchednes al beggarie all peyne in pycking vp crommes of nourisshement to abide a while in this lyght And the more shamfully that men for the moste parte feare to die the greater proffe there is that suche extreme poyntes of feare against all shame shulde not in soo many daiely appere whan death approcheth onles by nature some iuste feare were of the same For as the exceasse of feare cometh by weakenes of herte and lacke of stomacke the whiche is worthy to be rebuked for shamefull cowardnes so there is a meane measure of feare nâ— death
be loste and tyll yesterdaie all tyme past is gone and lost This same selfe daâ—e that we nowe liue is deuided and parted with death Still without ceassing we approche to deathe by the expence and wast of life Thus diyng we alwaie be though death â—e not alwaie vpon vs. Conceyue thaÌ„ this ordinate life in your mind and bestowe your time whilest you haue the time Aboue all thinges flee idelnes the whiche is a thing bothe to the bodie and to the soule like a kankeryng rustines and as an eatyng consumpcion it wasteth to naught both vertue strength A man the whiche is in the life that you be may sone be corrupted with this contagion of idelnes if he bee not well ware and diligentely enforce him selfe to the contrarie For I se you haue a maister so affectionate and giuen to you that he will nother suffer you lacke any thinge mete for your helth or qÌ„etnes but also he had rather forâ—ere his own commoditees than for his seruice you shulde be disquietted So tender he is in all poyntes ouer you that if you poÌ„der well his state and your own condicion you shall find your life better defended frome all stormes againste the mindes reste than your maisters condicion is He is in suche a sight of the world thaâ— necessarilie his studie and care must moue him to satisfy the great expectacion that his hole countrey hath of his towardenes And fortune one the tother side is soo contrary to him that nedes he must by wisedome procure with no smalle thought howe he maie in penurie maintaine the outward face of his reputacion so that for your quietnes his minde often labourethe where you maie doo what you will withoute feare of the worldes displeasure without feare of lackyng or not hauing enough for your necessaries and muche more than necessitee requirethe Labour haue you none but that maie be rather taken for a pastyme thoughte to please your maister you neede not take in as much you maie be assured that he can not nor will not for the time of his life chaunge his affection towarde you Therfore I saie it maie be feared in one of your state leste idelnes shoulde brede a foule slouens neste the which were enoughe to distroye all lustines of vertue and to make you long deed and buried in this worlde before life forsakethe you For my good IohnÌ„ I will haue you knowe and remembre that idelnes is called the graue of liuinge men it is the thing wherin life dieth and therby your soule is twyse buried in you ones in your bodie nexte in your slouth The which vice in seruing men moste reighneth and the same is roote of many vnthryftie thoughtes whervpon foloweth a worse idelnes than the tother is For it is an euill idelnes to do noo thyng but a worse idelnes it is to do not well Suche an euill felow saincte Chrisostomus calleth a dissolatyng or a boide baiting place where into the diuell entreath as in to his own house by good right For where vertue is not exercised there the ennemy of grace claimeth his rule it is not now my purpose to shewe what you shulde do that you might not only fâ—e idelnes but also be well occupied This were a matter enough for a nother worke I haue my entente at this time if you see that death is not to bee feared and that by continuall remembraunce of deathe you shall prepaire your self to die gladly with a good will the whiche you can not do oneles you be in hope of the euâ—rlastyng life and this hope requireth some truste in the clenes of a good conscience the whiche euer foloweth a gracious entenâ—e of liuing well So that if you liue wel you shall die well And of the waie to liue wel you can not misse if you arme your minde to bee stronge against all suddennes of deth Praie euer continually without cessinge you muste but what is this continuall praier I wolde you learned For of praier it is but one final porcion the saiyng of psalmes or axyng with wordes of god his grace the bâ—raie praier is to be euer well minded to bee euer in charitee to haue euer the honour of god in remembraunce to suffer no rancore none ire no wrathe no malice no synne to abide in your delite but to be in a continuall good thoughte the whiche you maie kepe whether you sleepe or wake whether you eate or drinke whether you feast or fast whether you reste or labour neuer paraduenture you can praie better than whan you muste giue your selfe to serue your maister to whom the course of your life is due and bounden specially whan god hath giuen you such a maister whome your seruice can not please without you be studious to please god For well you se that without vertue your seruice weere to your maister an vnsauerie thing but as I haue said it is not now my purpose to apoynte you the waie of liuinge well if you haue harde enoughe to die well I haue for my part now saied enough and shortlie by the same you shall of yourself without further helpe finde the waie to liue wel Now that by this I thinke my promisse fulfilled I will at this point bed you farewel And I praie god giue you a strong corage to passe valiantly through death to come from thense to euerlastyng life by the helpe and grace of our maister and sauiour Christe to whome let vs for euer more render al glorie praise and honour Amen At Paris the .x. day of Ianuarie FINIS A sermon of sainct Chrysostome that no man is hurte but onely of hym selfe I Knowe well that all men of a grosse iudgemente and giuen to the pleasures of this present life drouned in worldelines bound seruanies to their owne lustes that regarde not the spirituall sence shall thinke my tale meruailous and newe and paraduenture will moâ—ke me as thoughe in the firste entre and title of our sermon we purpose a thing bothe folishe and that to noo mans eares can seme true But this not withstanding we wol prosecute our entente and by this frowardnesse we shal be more sturred to approue the saied sentence so that thei the whiche seme agreued with our speakyng will in the beginning haue a littell pacience nor will not at the first hearing interrupt my tale but bee contente to abide the ende and conclusion of this mattier For plainlie if thei so do I am perswaded that they shall vtterly change their mindes herein and cleaue to our partee deniyng their owne opinion and rebukynge theim selfe for their errour that they haue hitherto defended and further more thankyng me as sicke men thanke phisicions whan they haue recouered their helth So now I wold not haue the bring forth thine olde rooted opinioÌ„ but a littel tarie and consider the reasons of my tale wherby thou maist iustlie iudge of this mattier and speciallye whan thou haste lopped and cutte awaie thine own croked fantasi that
haue in possession the hole earth yet neuertheles they wolde bourne in their desire and appetite to haue more And poore men likewise whileste they couete to be equall with riche men they bee tourmoyled with an incurable furie thei be madde they be wode they rage they raue and thus one syckenes and one disease gendreth â—â—â—he of theim a diuers kinde of fraâ—â—sie The loue of money so ruleth and cleaueth in euery mans minde and herte that it passeth the loue of frendeship of kinreade ye somtime of wife and children the whiche semeth the greattest affection amongest men yet the loue of money ouerthroweth to the grounde all these loues and trampeth theim vnder foote as a wilde beaste like a fierce and cruell maistres she possessethe and holdeth all mens hertes and as a tyran subduethe theim to all vncomely bondages This loue of riches rageth furieth lyke a hornewode and mad tyran and playeth euer a shameles parte lyke an harlot she neuer taketh pitie neuer abasheth in euery place she cometh forthe proude disdainefull stubborne terrible cruell churlyshe wicked and though she more furiously rageth than eyther beare wolfe or lyon yet she semeth to men plesaunt and amiable what saied I more plesant yea sweter than sugar or hunnye And where as she sharpethe swordes to hir louers and daily prepareth for them snares pynfalles to the deth and with many thousand sea wrackes hurlethe and tossethe theim to this rocke to that rocke yet she is styll loued still imbraced styll desired and sought for of them and by their own innumerable slaughters and dethes thei be glad that at the laste sometyme they may approche nere though it be but to the vtter gate of this strumpet and harlot For as swine thei reioice to tumble and walowe in hir dounghill and as blynde betils they delyte to stur and to wrappe togithers hir filthie and stinkynge mucke All they in maner that defoyle their handes with the shamefull couetousenes be more vnhappy more filthy than be the saied moste vile beastis And in this parte their misbehauour is more for this poynte to bee noted that the more thei be rolled in these filthes the greatter pleasure they take of the same The whiche vice and faute chauncethe not to theyin thorough the nature of the thynge selfe but of their owne corrupted wyll How now may we heale their myndes oppressed with suche diseases excepte they wyll a littell gyue vs the hering and take good hede and also gyue place too reason iâ— grauntyng our saiynges For the saied vnreasonable vile and brute beastes that tumble and walow in lyke filthes can not bee plucked from their filthy appetite bycause they wante perceiuance wytte and reason but we nowe haue a dooe with men to whom the goodnes of god hathe gyuen vnderstandynge and the vse of reason so that they wyll here they maie easily without great peine or labour be delyuered from the stynche and filthe of this worldly myre Nowe than harken and as men shulde answere me tell me why semethe ryches worthy to be loued and folowed There is no doubt your answere is that riches be coueted fyrst for the pleasure of life and welth of body secondarily for the honor that is in this lyfe And for offices dignities promotions that be gyuen to men for theyr riches Ferthermore thirdly bycause the ryche man may sone be auenged may sone bewreke his angre vpon theym that do hym any wronge or displeasure and that he may be feared of other as a man of power I thinke thou hast no cause to allege besyde these foresaid that is to saie beside pleasure honour offices feare and auengeance For ryches can not make a man nother better nor soberer nor more mercyfull nor wiser nor yet make a man softe quiet and gentill nor finally riches neuer teachethe an hastye man pacience an outragious man continency a drunkarde sobrenes a shamlesse person shamefastnes nor none other kinde of vertue is opteined by richesse no vice nor sin is tourned into the better by riches So than if riches preuail nothing to the gettyng or to the increasing of the goodnesse in the sowle and minde nor they make not a man in vertu better tell me I pray the for what cause shuld riches be desired Ye contrarye wyse this is trouthe that riches doth not onely nothing preuaile for vertue but also whan they ones come into the mynde yf thei finde any thing toward goodnesse and mete for vertue they vtterly distroy and corrupt the same and in the stede and place of vertu they bryng in vice and syn For the handemaides and folowers of ryches be bodily lustes sensuall appetues lechery angre gluttonye intempetancy fury wronge pride bostinges and all beastly and vnreasonable mocion But let vs deferre the speakyng of these enormityes to an nother place For these men that haue their myndes sycke in the desyre of rychesse wille not gladly here communicacion of vertue or of syn For they defende lustes and pleasure and they will not suffre any thinge to be saied herein againste theim Therfore we wyll nowe moue this question whether there be any thyng in rychesse that maie delite and please men or whether there be any honor in the same And here if it please you let vs begyn from feastes from the greate aboundauce of meates For in this thynge chiefly is praysed the magnificence and glorye of ryches Let vs in this place compare togithers the table of a riche man and of a meane person and let vs boult out the gestes of eyther party whether of them take of their chere more plesure They that sit eatyng in festis tyll their armes be wery and ioine their supper to theyr dyner and in maner stretch their bealies till they burst ouerladed with the bourdein of meate and drinke in whose body the sowle swymmethe drowned in the fluds as in a sea wracke of ale biere and wyne whose nother eyes nor tonge nor foote can do his dutie but all theyr membres lye more greuouser fetered with the bondes of drinke than men that lye in cheines to whom slepe bringeth no rest nor helth but with madde furious dreames they be feared and made worse and in maner willingly they bringe into their soules and phantasies euyll spirites beynge mocked and scorned of all that se them ye of theyr owne seruauntes They remembre nothynge that they see they perceiue nothyng thei fele nothyng they knowe nothynge they can not here nor speake but finally with shame they be borne from the table to bedde Is there than more pleasure in suche feastes than in other where is as muche of meate and drinke as is sufficient to driue away hunger and thirste the whiche moderat diete Nature taught the other superfluous maner was brought in by corrupt lustes bestly pleasures and therfore also helth abideth in the said temperate diete and Honestee with sobrenes contynueth in the same and risynge fro the table the body is not euercharged or
of tourmentors to be constrained by sore peines to repay euery smal iote of his det Thus the abhominable fole through his immoderate desyre to be reuenged lost the pardoÌ„ of god woldest thou than haue riches that by theym thou mighteste haue an easier way to thy distruction shuldest thou not rather fie and eschew them in this behalfe as thy deadly enemies and causer of al mischief Now against this thou speakest of Pouertie as of a thing that is peinfull and that often tymes causethe men for nede to ban to curse to do many pointes vncomly vnhonest and full of shame It is not pouertee that dothe this it is the weakenes and feblenes of mynd For Lazar was poore and veraye poore whose pouertee also was increased with sickenes and veray peinefull sickenesse that caused his pouertee to be far greuouser seing the peines of his disease required many thynges of comforte and refreshynge where his pouertee coulde gyue no healpe Eyther of these two sickenesse or pouertie alone by him selfe is peinfull and greuous but whan these two pouertie and sickenes be ioyned in one and haue no succour nor easement there riseth an intollerable griefe a fyre not able to be quenched a sorowe without remedy a tempest full of wrackes a burnyng flame both of body and soule Yet beside this the said blessed Lazar had a more griefe that was a neighbour veray riche that lyued in all ease and pleasure and fared delicately yet much more his peynes were heaped in that he laye at the gate of this riche neighbour seyng before his eies the superfluous expenses and waste of meates For muche greatter griefe it was to be constrained to wante the helpe and succour of thinges that he presently seeth than it was to lacke that he saw not But all this not withstandyng this cruell riche man is nothyng moued but he continueth in his accustomated pleasures in roialtie of feastes in noumbre of seruauntes of cookes of mynstrels of gesters not diminishing his lustes and plesure in any small point in the meane season hunger thirst and sickenes sore vexethe the saied blessed Lazar no seruaunt no comforte cometh to him no gobbet no morsel from that riche mans table that fedeth a sorte of crauyng knaues lurdeines tyl thei vomit and burst againe not so muche as the crummes that wer cast away were gyuen to succour this poore Lazar beynge in peryll to die for hunger and yet he suffered this moste peinfull pouertee in suche maner that he neuer spake iniurious or angry word but as gold by fyre is made purer and cleaner so he thus examined by passions and peines was made through pacience more noble and glorious For if it be trouthe that many poore men onely seyng other ryche men be vexed and greued with enuy and haue therby a more painefull lyfe thoughe that they wante not as muche as is for their life necessary and haue meanly enough of healpe and easeâ— what dyd than Lazar suffre that was poorer than any other and not onely pore but also sicke that no man could be more sicke and was in the middes of the citee as cleane without al succour and helpe as though he had liued in a wildrenesse suffering extreeme hungre and lacke of all thynges and moste of all suffering hungre in the superfluous tea string of his neighbour he sawe the riche man swimming in ouer much substance as in fountains of goodes and fluddes of riches but he sawe him selfe haue no earthly aide nor healpe onely piteed of dogges beyng so weake that he was not able to driue theim from him This blessed Lazar if he had not learned the veraie true and moste perfecte philosophie and learnyng of god howe coude he haue suffred so paciently so assured y all these grieues Seest thou â—ot that he that hurteth not him selfe coude of no man be hurted I will renewe and repete my promise aforesaied Loke vpon this Lazar what coulde bodilie sickenes what could the lacke of al thinges what coude the dogges rubbing vpon his sores what coude the neighbour heade of that couetous riche and proude manne hurt this noble and glorious champion of god In what littell point was he for al this hurted or discouraged in the vertue of his minde Surely not one iote but by these tribulacions he was more confirmed in the loue faith of god and hereof the glorious crowne and rewarde of euerlasting ioie was prepared for him Wherof he was reputed moste vnhappie of the selfe same he was glorified and wherof his sorowes his peines and passions were heaped of the selfe same he was rewarded with perpetualle life His hungre prepared abundaunce and plentee of the goodes that were to come his sickenes prepared the life of heauen his scabbes that the dogs licked brought him the glorious seruice of angels the despite of that proude and cruell riche man that vile canell at his gate opteined the moste holy company and blessed embrasing of Abraham What didde the apostle Paule for wee maie ones againe speake of hym was not he assaied with innumerable stormes of tribulacion And yet in what point was he for all that hurted Was he not therby made more glorious Wher in did hungre or colde hurte hym what did whippes strokes or stones to him what hurte suffered he in the sea wrackes in the bottome of the seas Did he not alwaie remaine the same selfe Paule and the same selfe chosen apostle of God Of the other part Iudas also was one of the twelue and chosen apostle of Christe but it preuailed him nothing nother that he was one of the twelue nor yet that he was called an apostle seing his minde was not sette to vertue and goodnes But Paule with pouertee and strokes hath ren the course that ledeth to heauen Iudas that was called to be an apostle before Paule that was indued with lyke grace that the other had that had learned the heauenly doctrine that was partaker of the holy sacrameÌ„t and bourd of Christ that had the gifte also of the holy ghoste so that he reuiued the deade he healed the lepers he draue oute the euille spirites that was thought to despise the goodes of this worlde that mighte cleauâ— to the syde of Christe that had the cure and rule of all Christis expenses wherby his priuie syn of couetousnes might haue ben amended for he was a thiefe yet not withstandyng all these foresaied giftes all these prouisions of our sauiour he coulde not waxe better Christe knewe well that Iudas was couetous and that for the loue of money he shoulde bee damned And therfore Christe not onely rebuked hym for this sin but also by secreat and priuie meanes wold haue holped this faulte gyuing to him the rule and order of money that he hauynge in his handes the thynge he desired to haue mighte be saciated and leaue that synfull appetite nor shoulde not fall into the pyt of deathe but with lesse euyll shulde represse the greatter
deathe is to me gaine and auauntage Accomptinge the greattest gaine not to bee taÌ„gled in the snares of this world not to be subiecte to sinne or carnal vices And beyng deliuered frome troublous vexacions and frome the venemous teeth of the diuel to departe Christe callyng vs to the ioye of helthe euerlastyng ¶ But there be some men whiche be greued for as much as this trouble vexeth vs equally as much as the infidels As it were that a christen man beleueth to that entente onely that he wold be fre from the touche of all grefe and disease and inioye this worlde prosperously Some bee offended for as muche as mortalitee is to vs with other in commune What thynge I praie you haue not we with other in commune as longe as this commune carnalitee remaineth accordyng to the ordinaunce of our firste natiuitee As longe as we be here in this world we be ioyned together with all man kinde in equalitee of fleshely substance but in spirite we be seperate Therfore vntill this corruptible mattier be with incorrupcion indued and this mortall substance do receiue immortalitie and this spirite do brynge vs vnto god our father what so euer incommoditees do belong to this carnal bodie thei be to vs with mankinde in commune For like as whan wiâ—h colde blastes whiche doo cause the barennes the erthe is as it were fastyng and without fode hungre dothe excepte no man And whan a citie is won with enemies by captiuitee all thynge is wasted And whanne faire wether restrainethe showers it is but one drowthe vnto all men And whan a shippe is all to rente one a rocke the wrecke is commune to all them whiche be in it Also the paine of the eien violence of feuers and disseasis of all other meÌ„bres be to vs with al other in commune as longe as this commune bodie is borne aboute in the worlde More ouer a christen man beleuinge by any lawe or condicion lette him knowe and remembre that he muste trauaill more in this worlde than any other for as muche as it partaineth to hym to wrastle with the diuell with greatter resystaunce And that to doo he is warned and taughte by holy scripture saiyng My son whiche gost to the seruice of god stande faste in iustice and dreade and prepare thy soule to receiue temptacion And in an other place Suffre bothe in grefe and in feare and haue pacience in thine humilite for as well golde as siluer bee tried with fire In this wise Iob after the losse of his goodes and deathe of his children being tourmented with paâ—nefulle sores and byting of wormes was not vanquished but only proued who in his paines and affliccions declaring the pacience of his deuout minde saied as foloweth Naked I came from the wombe of my mother and naked I shall retourne to the erthe our lorde gaue it to me and our lorde hath taken it from me as to our lorde it beste semeth so is it happened blessed be the name of our lorde And whan his wife woulde haue perswaded him that as if he were by the violence of paine out of pacience he shoulde with a grudginge and disdainous voyce speake some thyng against almightie god he aunswered vnto hir and saied Thou speakest like one of the lewde or folishe women If we haue receiued goodes of the hands of our lorde why shall not we than suffre euilles paciently In all those thinges whiche happed to Iob he neuer offended with his lippes in the sighte of our lorde And therfore our lorde dothe witnes thus of him saiynge to Sathan Hast thou taken good heede of my seruaunte Iob there is none in the worlde like to hym A man without grutching the veraie trewe worshyppar of god almightee ¶ Also Toby after his honourable workes and the manifolde and famous commeÌ„dacions of his deedes of mercy he was striken with blindnes and not withstandynge he dreadyng and blessyng almightee god in all aduersitees finally by that bodily detriment he increaced to parpetuall praise not withstandyng that his wife willyng to abuse hym tempted hym in this wyse saiyng Where bene thy workes of mercy be come Loo nowe what thou suffrest But Thobias beyng constaunt and stedfast and also armed with true faith wherby he suffered vexacions and grefes yelded not to the temptacion of his fraile wife but muche rather with greatter pacience deserued the fauour of god And therfore he was afterwarde of Raphaell the aungell commended who saied to him these woordes To publysâ—he and confesse the woorkes of almightee god it is honourable For whan thou and Sare thy sons wife praiâ—â— I offered the remembraunce of youre prayer in the presence of the clearenesst of almightee god sens thou hast buried them whiche died openly and hath not forborne to ryse and leaue thy diner and gone thy way and buried the deed I am sente to proue the. And in an other place the same aungell saith God sente me to heale the and Sara thy sons wife I am Raphaell one of the seuen aungels whiche be presente and conuersaunte before the clearenes of god almightee ¶ This maner of sufferance is alwaie in good men This lesson the holy apostoles kepte acoordyng to goddes commaundemente not to murmoure in aduersitee but what so euer hapneth in this worlde â—o take it paciently consideryng that the Iewes offended by murmouryng often tymes againste god as our lorde hym selfe wytnessethe in the boke named Numeri saiyng Lette theim leaue their murmouring and thei shal not die Truely deare bretherne we oughte not to murmoure or grudge in aduersitees but to suffre strongly and paciently all that shall happen vnto vs sens it is writen The spirite that is troubled is a sacryfyce to god For the herte whiche is contrite and made humble god neuer dispisethe Also the holly goste by Moyses in the boke of Deutromy warnith the saiyng Thy lorde god shal vexe the and sende to the scarsite And than it shall be knowen in thy herte if thou shalt kepe well his commaundmentes or no. And againe your lorde god temptethe you that he maie knowe if ye doo loue your lorde god with all your herte and with all your soule For so was god pleased with Abraham who to please god neyther feared to lose his sonne nor yet refused to slee hym But thou what soo euer thou art that maiste not suffre the losse of thy son taken from the eyther by the lawe or by chaunce of mortalitee What wouldest thou do if thou were commaunded to sle him The feare of god and faithe shoulde make the redie to sustaine all thyng Admitte that thou hast losse of thy goodes or that thou be cruelly vexed with sickenes of thy membres continually or that thou bee despoyled by the deathe of thy wife thy childrene or thy mooste deare frendes and companions Let not these be to the any displeasures but rather battaile againste worldely affections ne lette theim not break or