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A00389 Preparation to deathe A booke as deuout as eloquent, compiled by Erasmus Roterodame.; De praeparatione ad mortem. English Erasmus, Desiderius, d. 1536. 1538 (1538) STC 10505; ESTC S116245 47,189 110

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desperation annexed thereto wherfore the horrour of this passeth all horrour which yet our most mercifull redemer to th entent he might mitigate and make lesse paynful vnto vs vouchsafed to take it vppon him selfe That in the gardeyn he was so dismayed and so taken with extreme peynfulnes of harte that he swette blod was the infirmitie of our nature And that he nayled to the Crosse cryethe My god my god why haste thou forsaken me Farre from my helthe be the wordes of my synnes semeth to fele in his minde the horrour and feare of tourment and peyne perpetuall For what remayneth to theym that be destitute and forsakē of god but extreme desperation Nor it ought not to seme wonderfull that he toke vpon him this most heuy affection whiche also toke vpon him the synnes of all menne so that either of these two euyls inuyncyble to our strengthes by his mercy he made vincible Nor these thin ges doo not mynyshe the dygnytie of oure redemer but declare his vnspeakable charytie towardes Mankynde Under the fygure of hym speaketh Dauyd in the Psalmes The sorowes of deathe haue compassed me aboute and the flouddes of wyckednesses haue troubled my mynde and the snares of deathe haue preuented me We deserued hel he an innocent toke the feare vpon hym for vs to th entent that if like affection shulde inuade our myndes eyther by reson of the prcuitie in our owne conscyence of our wyckednes and manifolde synnes or by reason of the weakenes of our nature we shuld not cast away our selues nor to be fals harted but fixyng our eies on Christ may yea in despairing haue good hope Though the flesshe despayre thoughe reasone despayre yet lette faythe euen frome Helle crye to the lorde Lyke as Jonas whatte tyme he was vtterlye in despayre cryed oute of the Whaales bealye and was herde For that alsoo shewethe the psalme where as it foloweth by and by In my tribulation I called on the lorde and to my god I cryed and he herde me out of his holy temple The temple of god is the churche or cōgregation of good mē this is the tower of faythe Syon the citie of our strengthe Hyther he that wil crie euen from the depe pytte of hel the sparke of fayth yet quick he is herde Therfore whan al the powers of man be drowned downe vnto hell yet let fayth crie with most blyssed Job Although he kylleth me I wyl trust in hym For this is with the fayth mayster Abraham agaynste hope to truste in hope These than so great euyls the goodnes of our lorde hathe not onely mitigated and brosed so that thoughe they vexe and feare vs yet quench vs they can not but also the extreme damages he hath turned into excedyng and great lucre For what doth synne hurt them the whiche do cleaue vnto Christ what but where that synne abounded now aboundeth also grace and that he loueth more to whom more is forgiuen What auaileth Satanas vncessingly vexing the mēbres of Christ Jesu What but that he dothe increace theyr rewardes and maketh their crownes more glorious Yea more ouer the very cuyls whiche accordyng to the state of our mortalite be cōmune as well to the good as to the badde the goodnes of our lord hath turned them eyther into our lucre or into our medycine howe be it this is alsoo a lucre he turneth them into our lucre and auantage whan we beyng clere from synne beare them pacient lye gyuynge thankes to the lorde for all And into our medicine he turneth them yf any thinge remayneth in vs to be pourged eyther by cuttynge or vsture or by bytter potions Of the whiche sorte be syckenes pouertie age lacke of father lacke of children and other innumerable with whiche the hole lyfe of man is rounde about beset These if they draw vs to murmur grudge desperation or blasphemye be the instrumentes of Satanas and for remedyes be made poysons But yf for this onely thinge they be suffered bycause they can not be eschewed for whiche consyderation manye that knewe not Christ constantely suffered tormentes and death they be the afflictions of nature But yf we take theym as it were of the hande of a louynge father obediently and with geuynge thankes recomptyng with our selues howe moche more sharper punyshmentes we haue deserued and how fell and cruell peynes Christ beynge an innocent suffred for vs synners now they be none afflictions but holsome remedyes or increasementes of heuenlye rewardes On the tone behalfe thankes are to be youen to the moste tender and gentyll father which chastiseth euery childe that he receyucth in fauour other wyles with shorte and softe remedies healyng our sores that he myght spare vs in the worlde to come On the tother behalfe the bountyfulnes of oure captayne is to be magnified and praysed which ministreth vnto his sowldyours a matter of vertue or manhode to the intent he myght crowne them more royally On eyther syde is great lucre oneles perchaunce it semeth a small lucre whan a man is sycke of a capitall and mortall syckenesse drynketh bytter potions and with a lyght and shorte payne dothe bothe escape the peryll of death and enioyeth a perpetuall swetenes of helth or whan the sowldiour for the conflycte of one lytell howre attayneth great ryches for all his lyfe and hyghe honours And by this meanes also our lorde most mercyfull draweth all thinges vnto hym yf onely we lyft vp our eyes to that sygne whiche is set vp on heyght He attracteth and draweth vnto hym all our euyls and tourneth theym into our profyt and his glory of whiche he maketh vs partakers that be graste in him by fayth I praye you what wynne they whiche in their aduersitie tournyng their eyes from Christ grudge and murmur agaynste god Surely that grefe which of necessitie is to be borne they double naye ten tymes fold so moch they make it vnto them selfes and the medicine by euyll takynge therof they tourne into pestiferous mortall poyson for them selfes This vndoutedly is the hyghe and effectuall philosophye and the meditation of deathe in whiche yf a manne whan he is hole and sounde be dylygentlye exercysed death shall not oppresse hym vnprepared Of these that haue bene spoken maye be gathered iiii sundry sortis of deathe a spirituall a naturall a transformatorie and an eternall The death naturall is a seuerance of the sowle from the body The spiritual is a seueraunce of god frome the mynde For lyke as the sowle is lyfe to the body so is god lyfe to the sowle This deathe spirituall hath engendred the naturall death as moche as to the necessitie atteyned as is the religious opinion of the olde diuines Of both these two deathes is gendred the deathe eternall or yf ye wyll so call it the deathe of helle whan the deathe spirituall and the deathe naturall come togither For after the deathe of the bodye there is no place of repentaunce There remayneth a
death by whiche we be transformed frome the ymage and forme of the old Adam into the ymage of the new Adam which is Christ our lorde This is a separation of the fleshe frome the spirite Nor here is no small wrastlynge nor so moche as any hope of victory if the spirite of Christ helped not the weaknes of our flesh But the grace of hym in vs hath slayne the olde man so that nowe we be led not with our spirite but with the spirite of god nor we our selues lyue not but Christ lyueth in vs. This moste happye deathe whether it hath chaunced to any man fully in this lyfe I can not saye Neuerthelesse the goodnes of our lorde vouche safeth to supplye of his owne that that our imbecillytie can not do This deathe is to be coueted and with all our deuoyr practysed and meditate through out all our lyfe Lyke as saynt Paule wryteth to the Corynthians Alwayes bearyng the mortification of Iesu Christe in our body that also the lyfe of Iesu myght be manifested in oure bodyes To the same he exhorteth the Colossenses Mortyfye your membres which be vpon erthe He byddeth not pluck out the eyes or choppe of the handes or cut awaye oure preuey membres but what membres It foloweth Fornication vnclennes lust euyll concupiscence and couetyse The common sorte of men mourne for thē the which dye but blessed Paule to the Colossia ns reioyseth this deathe Ye be sayth he deade and your lyfe is hyd with Christe in god This deathe is mother of the spirituall lyfe lykewyse as synne is the father of the spirituall deathe and also of the deathe infernall But in these kyndes of deathe the moste parte of men behaue theym selfes preposterouslye and cleane contrarye to that they shoulde doo At the mention of the bodyly deth how tremble we for fere They of old tyme hated Cypresse for no other cau se but that it was wonte to be had in buryals and also the herbe smallage bycause graues were hanged about with it And at this day there be many which at the sauour of frank insence stoppe their noses and vse fell curses and execrations for bycause as I suppose at buryals fumigations be made of it But the spirituall deathe is more horrible than syxe hundred deathes of the body and to this wylfully and with great courage we runne gloryenge and bostynge whanne we haue done wyckedly reioysynge in thinges moste vngodly We be dismayd and besyde our selues whan we be in ieoperdye that the sowle shuld departe from our wretched body which shulde lyue moche more happyly out of this prison but how moche more iustly ought we to be dismayde whan we be in peryll lest god the lyfe eternal wil forsake our sowle The howse wherin any hath dyed is called cōtagious pestiferous and funestall and we stoppe our noses whā we passe by it But the wyse man iudgeth it farre better to go to the hous of mourning than to the house of feastynge In mourninges we be naturally heuye and sadde But this heuynes bycause it is after a godly fashyon worketh in vs a stedfast helthe saluation Whyles it warneth vs of the laste tyme and of the thinges ensuyng the same and calleth vs backe to repentance nor suffreth vs not to synne eternallye They be happyly present at a mournynge whiche so bewayle an other mans bodyly deathe that they begynne to be moone them selfes whiche be stryken with a more greuous death whether than is better to deuoure a bytter potiō that by the peyne of one howre thou mayst gayne perpetuall helth of thy bodye or elles in a feaste to drinke pestiferous and venomous swete wynes whiche with their shorte pleasure maye brynge to the drynker sodeyne deathe But of these thynges many men are so clere careles that in baudy cornars they singe and make mery as dronk as myse Some make their auaunt and reioyce whyche by fraude and disceyte haue citeyned to ryches some triumphe whiche with wycked craftes be rysen to honours and promotions Do not the commū people call the wallowynge in stynkyng lustes and delicious fare a lyfe But tho that thus lyue be twyse deed First bycause they be voyde and destitute of the spirite of god Secondly bycause that euen nowe all redy they be the children of damnatiō and of the euerlastynge fyre For lyke as the lyfe of good men deed in the fleshe is hyd in god and shall appere and shewe it self togither with Christ so in these whiche haue gyuen them selfes to the flesshe the death eternall is hyd and shal appere in the last iugement Onely hope dothe seuer the synner in this lyfe from hell For as longe as the breth is in man so longe he hathe hope of pardon forgyuenes How be it we had nede to take right good hede lest our hope whiche cometh not of faith and charitie deceyue vs. Thus some man flattereth hym selfe I am yong I wil take the pleasure of this world whan I come to aage thanne wyll I fall to goodnes But O thou hard hart who hath promysed y t to come to age Another saith whyle I am in the flowers of my age I wil folowe my luste and pleasure whanne I am maryed than I wyll begynne to be thryfty But O thou flatterer of thy self how knowest thou whether thou shalt lyue vntyll to morowe There is perchance some manne that thinketh thus I will at laste make my selfe a fryer or a monke and than I wyl bewayle my lyfe euyll spente In the meane whyle I wyl vse the pleasure of this world Admyt that lyfe be graunted the who hath promysed the that thou shalte haue this mynde and wyll to forsake pleasures imbrace repentance Can euery man that wyl gyue to hym selfe this mynde Onely the grace of Christe is cause that a man can repent and come agayne to his herte But he frely and at his owne lybertie gyueth it to whome he wylleth and whan he wylleth Certes as touchyng the synner he is now all redy in hel Is it not a prodigious blyndnesse that a man beynge in so horrible state wyll prefyxe hym selfe a daye whan to recent hym of his lyuinge the which man yf he shulde fall into a pyt or be cast in prison wolde thynke all the hast of them that shuld alucke hym out to slowe Out of the pytte he wolde forthwith crye for mans helpe whan he is set in so great euyls wyll he not 〈◊〉 continent desyre goddes helpe whiche onely rayseth the deed Who so euer than in this lyfe will diligently practise the traniformatorye death and vehemently abhorre the deathe spirituall and the deathe infernall shall lesse feare the deathe of the body whan it approcheth which dothe not seuer vs from god but hathe ioyned vs nerer to god and maketh an ende for euermore of al afflictions with the whiche this lyfe is on euery syde vexed and setteth vs ouer to euerlastynge reste Thou wylte saye
PREPARATION TO DEATHE A boke as deuout as eloquent compiled by Erasmus Roterodame Phil. 1. MIHI VIVERE Christus est mori lucrum THE PREFACE DESIDERIVS ERASMVS OF ROTERODAME to the ryght noble lorde Thomas Erle of wylteshyre and of Drmanie sendeth gretynge TO THE VERY PERfyte conclusyon of Christes lore your lordeshyp calleth me mooste noble Erle and yet more noble in the study of godlynes than in the ornamentes of fortune in that ye prouoke me to adde to my former bokes some lytle thynge teachinge howe a man ought to prepare hym to deth For this is of mans lyfe the last part as it were of the playe wherof hangeth eyther euerlastynge blysse of man or euerlastynge damnation This is the laste fyghte with the enemye wherby the souldiour of Christe loketh for eternall triumphe yf he ouercome and euerlastynge shame if he be ouercome As tonchynge my selfe I haue bene hole in this busynesse this great whyle where as youre exhortation was as who sayth a spurre to hym that renneth Howe be it at that tyme I studyed for myne owne priuate comfort But your goodnes coueteth that also this frute throughe vs myght be made commun vnto many Wolde god that the lorde of his goodnes wyll graunt to your most holy requestes and to myne endeuour a prosperous ende at leaste I wyll not wrastle againste his wyll throughe whose instincte I suppose this myne obsequye and seruyce to be demaunded of your lordeshyp ¶ Fare ye well At Friburge the Lalendes of Decembre the yere of oure lorde a thousand fyue hundreth thyrty and thre A BOKE OF ERASMVS OF Aotcrodame how euery man ought for to prepare hym selfe to dye OF ALL DRADFVLL thinges death is moste dradfull sayth a certayn Philosopher of greate fame but which had not herde that heuenly Philosopher whyche hath taught vs not onely with wordes but also with euydente examples that a man perysheth not by death of body but is drawen in sondre and that the soule is ledde forth as it were out of a prison most paynful in to blessed reste and the body also shall lyue agayne to be partaker of the glorye He had not herde this principle of the spirite Blessed be the deade whiche dye in the lorde He had not herde Paule lametynge and syghynge I couet to be dissolued and be with Christ. And Christ to me is lyfe and deathe is lucre But it is nothinge to be merueyled at if they whiche beleue that the hole man perysheth by death nor haue not this hope whyche onely the fayth in Christe worketh in vs eyther bewayle the deathe of other or feare and abhorre their owne This is rather to be merueyled that there be so many such as I am which whā they haue lerned and do professe al Christis philosophie yet so feare death as thoughe eyther they do beleue that nothing of man remayneth after the brethe expired or as thoughe they mystruste the promyses of Christ or els as thoughe they vtterly despayre of them selues The first propretie of these thre is of beastly personnes suche as Sardanapalus was The seconde is of infidelles which haue no truste in Christ and the thirde is of theym that be ignoraunt of goddes mercye In this behalfe they seme lyke to hethen persons that be ignorant of god For he is ignoraunt of god that knoweth not hym to be of infynite mercy This without question that the commun sorte of men do thus feare at the namynge of death cōmeth partly of the vnstedfastnes of faith partely of the loue of worldly thinges He knoweth of no tremblyng which in ful trust sayth with the spostle Whether we lyue we lyue to the lorde or whether we dye we dye to the lorde Wherfore whether we lyue or whether we dye we be the lordes But that the lorde ones hath receyued into his protection can not peryshe Out of this fountayne springeth the voyce of the prophete wytnessynge his vnfearful mynde If I shuld walke in the myddes of the shadowe of deth I wyll not feare euyls bycause thou arte with me For the faith full lorde neuer forsaketh them which yelde them holly to his grace but kepeth them as the moste tender parte of his eye For he is lorde both of lyfe and death to whome nothinge is deade but all thinges lyue which cleaue to hym by faith Of the weakenes of faythe is gendred the loue of temporall commodities For if with our hole herte we beleued the thinges that god hath promysed vs by his sonne Jesus all the delectations of this worlde shoulde sone be lyttell regarded and death whiche setteth vs euer vnto them with a paynefulle but yet a short passage shuld be les feared The wyse man cryeth O death how bitter is thy memorye But what addeth he To a manne hauynge peace in his substaunce He sayth not hauynge ryches For many good men haue possessed rychesse but to him that hath his quietnes in them That that is spo ken of ryches the same is to be vnderstond of honours pleasurs wyfe childern kynsfolke frēdes of beautie youth good helth brefely of all kynde of commodities which death plucketh frome both good and euyll The more ferventely we loue a thynge the more paynefully we be plucked frome it If thou be in loue with anye thynge thou shalte leye it downe agaynste thy wyll sayth certayne wyse pagane Now he is in loue with these temporall thynges who so euer resteth in them as in propre and perpetuall goodes where as these are but borowed transytory to be layde downe not onely paciently but also thankfully so oft as he demaundeth them agayne which gaue them For in these worldly goodes a manne to set his rest this is to enioye theym whiche he ought to vse and that also by the waye and as it were in his passage as the apostle aduertyseth the Corinthes It remayneth bretherne that they that haue wyues shulde be as not hauynge and they that wepe as not wepynge and they that ioye as not ioyenge and they that bye as not possessynge and they that vse this worlde as thoughe they vsed it not For the fashion of this worlde passeth awaye We be wayfarynge men in this worlde not inhabytantes we be as straungers in Innes or to speke it better in bouthes or tentes we lyue not in our countrey This holle lyfe is nothinge elles but a rennynge to deathe and that very shorte but death is the gate of euerlastynge lyfe ¶ Amongest the Iewes bycause contractes and purchases were expyred and ended by a certayn daye by the order of their lawes how moch shorter the space of tyme was so moche was the price of thinges the lyghter Than howe moche more ought al these transitorie thinges be of lytel regard that are in daunger of so manye chaunces whiche though no casualtie plucked away yet death plucketh away all from all men Adde herevnto that they whiche renne at a game se howe moche space they
haue left behynd them and howe moch remaineth to the marke And in tymes past they that loked for the Iubilie knewe howe longe they might enioy that that they had bought But there is no mortall man whiche certainely knoweth that he shall lyue vntyll the nexte day We renne but hauynge deathe in oure fete yea carieng it aboute on all our body We haue receiued our life frely of the lord but condicionally that we surrender it at euery moment whan he demandeth it Howe though it chanceth vs to liue vntil extreme age whiche to how fewe it chaunceth euery man knoweth O lorde god what is the hole lyfe of man but a very short rennynge place wherin wyl we wyl we not we renne contynuallye slepe we wake we be we in welth or in wo The contynuall course of the worlde carieth vs away lyke a boystous flode although we seme to our selues or to other to stand styl Than if prices of world ly thynges be estemed by the shortenes of tyme howe moche more vyle oughte tho thynges to be whiche haue not so moch as one howre certayne Nowe the thynges that we lyttelle regarde we lyttelle force though they be plucked awaye from vs as they why che be not at home but in strange countreys if any cōmoditie appereth vnto them in the way or in theyr ynnes they cast not their mynd greatly therto bicause they must leue forth with the thing that delyteth them and if any incōmodite chaunce them they beare it easely thinkyng thus Here I dine my supp is ordeined in an other place The thinges that be sene sayth Paule be tēporall and tho that be not sene be eternall And this is a greate parte of the Christen philosophie whiche prepareth vs to dethe that by the contemplation of thinges eternall and heuenly we maye lerne the despisynge of temporall and erthly Plato iuged the hole philosophy none other thynge but a meditation of deathe He callyd a meditation a preparation as who shuld say an exercyse to death none otherwyse thā a yong warriour that shal in time commynge fyght with his ennemy exercyseth hym selfe at a tylte Whiche is a ryghte holsome saying if that whiche is spoken of the philsopher philosophically be taken of christen men christēly For not the contemplation of mathematicall formes abstracte from the mattiers nor yet the imagination of Idee whiche Plato deuysed causeth vs to dye wel but if with the eies of feithe we consider in our mindes the goodes passyng al mans wyt whiche god hath promised by his son Jesus to them that trust vnto hym the euils which he hath thretnid to infidels disobedient Thone shal feare vs from sinning the other shal prouoke vs to do wel I grant an eternall veritie in certayn humayn lerninges but suche as procureth to no man the true felicitie But here the promiser is euerlastinge euerlastyng is he by whom he promiseth euerlasting be the thinges ꝓmysed euerlastinge felicitie they brynge to the beleuers euerlasting infelicitie to the despisers This meditation of deth is the meditation of the true life And it causeth not only that the philosopher promiseth which is that the soule shulde depart from the bodye with lesse heuynesse but also that with cherefulnes of hart it shuld lepe merily as it were out of a darke and painful prison into blessed libertie into that light so louely which is void of any nyght or darknes For the body whiche is corruptible accombreth the soule and the erthely habitation depresseth the mynd reuoluing many thynges And therfore crieth the ꝓphete Lede out of prison my soule that it may cōfesse thy name Lorde The summe of mans felicitie is to contemplate and prayse his maker redemer gouernour To this end is man created This felicitie of man is oftentymes disturbed by the weakenes of this body which we cary aboute subiecte to so many necessities to so many euyls to so many peryls In like wyse also saynt Paule accombred with the carnall habytation pytyfully syghynge crieth O I vnhappy man who shall delyuer me frō this body of deth For he saw them in high blysse whiche dwelled in the house of the lorde pray synge hym worlde without ende Of this affection be men of the ryght holynes of whome though the bodyes kepe in erth yet their treasure harte and conuersation is in heuens But few men haue this perfection and strongenes of mynde It is not gyuen to al men to say with Paul Christ to me is lyfe and to dye is a lucre And I couet to be dissolued and be with Christe We beinge our selues weake prepare this consolation to them that be weake vnto whom yet thexamples of the perfyte lyuers be as who saith prickes and prouocations to obteyne the strength of the spirite Wherfore this meditation of dethe is through out all the lyfe to be exercysed and euer amonge the sparke of feyth is to be styred vp that it may encreace and gather strēgth to whom charytie annexed shall drawe vnto it hope whiche neuer maketh his maister ashamed But we haue none of these oure selfes but they be the gyftes of god with contynuall prayers and vowes to be vowed for if they lacke and if we haue them to be augmentid that they may encreace The stronger that feyth accompanied with Hope and Charitie is the lesse is the tremblynge For that most part of vs thus abhoire from the men tion of death it commeth commonly of the vnstedfastnes of fayth But on the promises of god ought man to haue moste certain trust For he is onely he whiche of nature true can not deny hym selfe To whom the noble psalmograph syngeth Euerlastingely lorde thy worde abydeth In heuen worlde without ende is thy trouth which also in the Euangel pronounceth of hym selfe Heuen and erthe shall passe but my wordes shal not passe What hath he promysed He hathe promysed vyctorye of deathe vyctorye of fleshe of the worlde and of the dyuell He hath promysed remission of synnes he hath promysed an hundrede tymes as moche in this worlde euerlastyng lyfe in the next But in what wyse hathe he promysed By our owne ryghtwysenes No truely but by grace of faythe whiche is vpon Christ Iesus And to the entent we shulde be the surer he hath annulled cancelled that fyrst handwrityng whiche Adam vnhappily had described vnto vs naylynge it to the crosse and hath giuen vs his handwriting of grace whiche he hath scaled with his owne blod and hath confirmed it with innumerable testimonies of prophetes apostels martyrs and virgins whiche with their blode alsoo haue subscribed And the vnyuersal church of Christen men and holy fathers also haue subscribed He hath more ouer added the erneste penye of the spirite that our truste shulde wauer in no part And the goodnesse of god not cōtented with these hath vouchesafed to shewe vnto all men an euidente and notable example in his onely begotten sonne
were borne and after baptyme more vnhappely fallen into agayn an heuy burdein and suche a burdeyne as causeth alsoo the soule to synke downe to the bottome of hel This burdeyne whiche was to vs importable our lorde vouche safed to take vpō him as Esay prophecied The correction of our peace vppon hym and by his wounde we be healed Also Thapostle God made hym which dyd no synne to be a synne forvs that we might be made the iustice of god through hym Synne is thouely thynge that gendreth hatredes betwixt god and man as Esay testifieth But the mercyful father whā no sacrifyce coulde be founde sufficient and stronge ynoughe to wasshe of the synnes of mankynde sent his sonne a lambe without blemyshe or spot with this most pure oblation of sacrifyce reconcylynge the worlde vnto him A man wyl here say If by Christ synne is taken awaye how is it than that al the lyfe of manne is thus replenysshed with synne For nowe I speke of good men to He toke not clerely away syn but he brake the strengthes of it not that there shuld be no synne in vs but that it shulde not reygne in vs as it reygneth in them whiche haue not fyxed the ancore of their hope in the lorde Jesu but serue and folowe their sensuall appetites And therfore Paule aduertyseth vs to beware that synne reygne not in our mortall body There is left vnto vs a mattier wherin to fyghte but yet armours weapons be ministred vnto vs with whyche we beynge defensed maye ouercome So we be made the iustice of God not by our owne workes but through the grace of god By whom By hym whom he made a synne for vs and of synne cōdemned synne ¶ Yet remayneth Satanas the parēt both of synne and of deth prince of these darknesses whose power and malicious craftes neuer ceassynge the children of lyght fere cryenge with a tremblynge herte to the father Ne nos inducas c. Leade vs not into temptation but delyuer vs frome that euyll myght This is that temptour and accusor of brethern which after the sayeng of saynt Peter renneth about as a rorynge lyon sekynge whom he may deuour But the lorde hathe not onely ouercome but alsoo hathe taught vs to ouercome the assaultes of this euyll also He oftetymes assayled our lorde for that may be gatherid of Lukes wordis which sayth And he departed from hym for a tyme but he departed alwayes vanquysshed How vanquysshed With the bucklar of scriptures repelled with the swerde of goddes worde stryken throughe Wherfore so ofte as he maketh suggestion and attēpteth vs to the thynge which is merely contrary and repugnant to the wyll diuine expressed in the sacre and holy volumes cast a foyne at hym with the swerde of goddes worde and accordynge to the ensample of kynge Dauyd with fyue most clere and radyant stones gathered out of the ryuer of scriptures fel y e knaue down to the groūde But before we ioyne handes with this gyaunt Solyath let vs first caste frome vs the armours of Saul which is the cote armour of pride that is the truste of worldly wysedome the confydence of our strength and merytes whiche lade vs rather than arme vs let the staffe of faith be sufficient for vs whiche comforteth steyeth vs in this our peregrination and the fyue wordes which Paule speaketh in the churche If he be to busy and call vpon the to importunely byd hym auaunt Satanas and stande abacke It is more right to obey god callynge to euerlastynge felycitie rather than the entysing to eternall destruction Here dothe faythe playe the chiefe and principall parte And therfore saith Peter Whom resyst ye strong in fayth Gyue credence to scriptures and repose thy holle trust in Christ and victory is at hande But there is a kynde of dyuels which is not cast forthe but by prayer fastyng sayth Christ. To here thou hast other two weapons It is probable and a thynge lykely that Satanas where as he so ofte had assauted our lord in vayne in the crosse assayed and moued al his craftis subtilties and engens whan he sawe hym approching to his deth For this is the last conflict and batayle by the profe and chaunce wherof eyther eternall triumphe is hoped and loked for or a perpetuall shame is awayted For he sayth The prince of this world came vnto me and in me he founde nothinge Nor it is no doubt but that which he entreprised vpon the lorde he dare entreprise also vpon the membres of the lorde But in lykewyse as he was vanquyshed of hym so throughe hym he shall be vanquyshed in vs. For whā he assayleth them in whom Christ by fayth and charitie doth inhabite and dwel he maketh batayle with Christ hym self in whom so longe as we perseuer and abyde he shall take a fowler fall and be more shamefullye vanquysshed of vs than he was ouercome of our lorde hym selfe All thynges can I do quod the Apostle in hym which enstrenghteth me Satanas with whom our conflict is is called the prince of this worlde not that he hath any auctorite or iurisdiction ouer any parte of the creature but bycause in a maner he raigneth in those which be lo uers of this worlde But he whiche protecteth and defendeth vs is lorde of heuen of erth which with his onely becke can do more than all the swarmes and rabyll of dyuels with all their instrumentis lymmes Onely he coulde entre the howse of that stronge one and bynde hym hand and fote and bereue hym of his vessels ¶ What temtations do yet remayne Deth death I saye at whose mention all thynges waxe heuy This neyther with force can be shyfted of neyther with fleynge eschued neyther with craft and subtyl meanes dalyed awaye The firste affection of nature is that euery thinge shuld defende it self But death against this affection of nature thretneth destructiō which so moch is the more detestable and to be abhorred that it diuydeth ii which be most conioyned and knyt togyther For there is no strayter copulation or knot than is of the body and soule This horrour and fere also our lord of his moste tender mercye hath mitigate and asswaged vnto vs. First in that he for our sakes dysdayned not the horrour and tremblynge of death and death it selfe yea and that sclanderous and shameful and also bitter to take vppon hym Nor he wolde not that any of his sayntes of the holy men were they neuer so excellynge in vertuous lyuynge shulde be free and be enfraunchysed against deathe not Abraham the faythfull not Moyses famylyarly beloued not Dauyd a manne accordynge to his harte not any of the prophetes not John Baptist of whom remaineth so noble a testimonie of our lord hym selfe not his mother sin gularly beloued not so moch as that one of his disciples whom before all the reste he loued entierly Euen from the fyrst man vntyll the
consūmation and ende of the world it was ordeined and by fatall destenye prefixed euery man ones to dye And therfore the grekes call dethe in theyr langage moros whiche cometh of the verbe miro that is to say to allotte bycause it is allotted distributed and appoynted to all men alyke and indifferently to kinges bishops dukes erles barons knyghtes esquiers gentylle men yomen and beggars What impacience is it than a man not to fynde in his harte to suffre that euylle whiche is common to suche so greatte and soo many Doste thou flee with all the holye men to submytte thy selfe and surrender that thynge whyche wyll thou or wyll thou not must be rendred and repayed to nature He that of nature was immortall for the became mortall And dost thou which art borne to dye and haste deserued deth so oft require besydes all other men to be had immortal Wherfore recount thou here with thy selfe howe many and what felawes of this sort and condition thou hast and so doinge thou shalt beare more euenly and with a more quyete mynd thin allotte and state Otherwise if thou do vndoutedly thou shalt seme no lesse proude and presumptuous in disdainyng that thou shalte dye than if a man wold dysdayn that he is borne or that he is created a man and not an aungelle This is the fyrst asswagement of dethe whiche in my conceite is not smalle And it shall be made stronger yf we iustely accompte with our selues what maner thynges tho be whyche we haue lefte here behynde vs. For many feare deth only hauing regard to the commodities whiche they leaue here behynde Than come in mynde the swete sight of the sonne the moste goodly ordynance of the fyrmament the pleasant hewe of the springynge world playes feastes wyfe chyldren house gardeynes But thou must open the other eie wherwith thou mayst beholde how moche more of euils and incōmodities thou leauest behynd than of plesures and commodities and in very those whiche appere good and cōmodious howe moche calamitie and bitternes is migled therwith Reuolue in mind all the degrees of lyfe consider howe foule the conceyuing is howe perillous the bearyng howe myserable the delyueryng and byrthe in how many dangers of hurtes the infancie is in howe great ieopardie of iniurie and wronge is chyldhode howe spotted with vicious lyuyng is youth with how many cares distracte is the mannes age in what myserie and wretchidnes is olde age and this thinge seriously reuolued in memo rie I stande in doubt whether a man canne fynde any one person so happily borne that if god wolde graunt vnto hym to begynne and come vp agayne by the same steppes euen from his conception through oute all the hole proces cours of his former lyfe vntyll age to enioye lyke pleasures and to suffre like displeasures wold take this proferre annexed to suche condition What notable blyndnes is it than so greattely to be troubled whan that thynge is to be surrendred which if it were lauful for vs to begin a new we wold refuse I omit now the euils in which this life is so wrapped that certain hethē men iuged nothing to be yeuē to man of the goddis to speake after their maner more liberally bountifully than that they haue addid vnto him a power liberte to be reue him self of his life so ost as shal be sene vnto him And that noble poete douted not to pronoūce no liuing thing more wretched than man Than if thautoritie of the hethen prophet be light Ecclesiastes that godly holy person feared nat to write that Better is the day of deathe than of the byrthe Thus moche haue we spoken of euylles nowe of goodes and plesures recount with thy selfe howe many cares and thoughtes ryches do brynge from whiche nowe thou canst nat be plucked away how moch more gall than hony the wyfe bringeth for whose loue thou fearest nowe deathe howe moch busynes and care of mynd bredeth the bryn gyng vp of thy chyldren how moch grefe and disworship do their maners cause Adde to all these the mynde of man alwayes decaying drawyng downeward to wors and wors For though not in al yet surely in the moste part of men the sayeng of Austyn is true Qui maior est etate maior est iniquitate He that is greatter in aege is greatter in wyckednesse Fynally sette on thy right hande the pleasures and commodities of this lyfe and on thy lefte hande the incommodities and cōsyder the shortenesse of the hole tyme that we lyue here Infancy is not felt chyldhod slyppeth away er we be ware youth is takē vp with sondry cares age crepeth vpon vs er we perceyue it what is the hole summe of this lyfe but a minute to that eternitie wherto we be assumpte if we lyue wel and plucked down if otherwyse Of these thin ges an ernest contemplation is no light remedy ayenst the horrour of deathe An other is whiche is stronger also thā this that the lorde dieng for the hath caused that dethe whiche heretofore was the passage to hell is nowe the yate to heuen and whiche in tymes paste was the begynnynge of euerlastyng punishmentes is now the entrynge to euerlastinge ioyes so that now to them that trust in Christ deth is not onely no damage but also a great auayl and lucre And to the ende that no parte of man shulde be myssed he hym selfe arrysyng agayn with holy men a great multitude hath made vs to haue a moste assured hope that the tyme shall come whan our bodyes shall reuyue in the laste day and than glorifyed shal take again euery one his gest the soule to be from thensforth a solas and no lengar a burdeyne But of deth forthwith we shal haue a place to speake more at large Nowe to accomplyshe the matter that we be in hand with one euyl is yet left to speke of more terrible and more horrible than all these gathered togither into one heape I meane helle from whens they say no man can returne whiche swaloweth vp all togither nor neuer yeldeth ageyne that it hath ones deuoured This is the puddell dungeon of desperation and as the Apocalips speaketh the seconde deth Let euery man thynke with hymselfe what maner of lyfe that is where is of all euyls the greattest that is to say immortalitie where a greatte parte of punyshement is the felawshyp of diuels and wicked men where is fyer neuer to be quenched to which ours if it be comparyd is very yce Adde that fyer is there the leste portion of sorowes whiche sorowes neuertheles be so greate that of mans wyt they can not be compassed no more thā can the ioy felicitie of them that be good In euils be they neuer so greuous neuer so longe yet some comforte and asswagemente bryngeth hope as it were a certayne lyttell starre shyning afarre of in moste thicke and profounde darkenes but hell with extreme euyls hath extreme
a right sure stronge defence the more that the dyuell depresseth man by the conscience of his synnes the more to lyfte vp him selfe with the hope of goddis mercy mysticall societie with Christ so againste the ieoperdy of arrogancy it shal be a present and redy remedy to abiect and humiliate hym self with consyderation of his owne weakenes For who so euer in Christ is strong haute and in hym selfe humble and abiect can neither be throwen downe of Satanas nor yet confounded Suche a certayne thinge we rede in the olde cronycles of saynt Antony the monke whome the dyuell assauted by a thousand meanes and yet he coulde neuer ouercome hym On a certayne tyme whan that he had wrought and done all the polycies and subtylnesse that he coulde deuyse and all in vayne he confessed hym self to be conuict and vanquysshed sayenge thus I labour all in vayne for yf I deiecte the and shewe the thy vnworthynesse thou doest auaunce and lyft vp thy selfe and yf I extoll the thou humblest and depressest thy selfe Wherfore accordinge to the exaumple of saynt Antony if the dyuell saye Thou arte worthy to syt amonge the hyghe seraphical sayntes in heauen than let the sycke manne make answere My worthynes is nothing but that I acknowlege my vnworthynesse Dyuell Moche hast thou prayed thou hast fasted moche thou hast led a streyght and a sharp lyfe thou hast delt moche to the pore people Man All that thou sheweste of me the dampned Pharisces do the same If any maner of good worke hath come from me it is the lordes and not myne Dyuell But thou art pure frō those vices which raigne in hym or in him Man I haue then cause to gyue thankes to the lorde not to loue my selfe For oules the lordes mercy had protected me and yf that lyke tētation had fallen vpon me I shulde haue committed the same or els more greuous ¶ With suche praty answers the sycke man must be armed short and redy againste the croked suggestions of the dyuell Ensaumples of holy men muste be called to mynde but specially of suche in whome a notable mercy of the lorde hathe bene declared as in Dauyd whiche augmented the synne of adultery with manslaughter and with two wordes he escaped vengeance in the Nyniuites in Achab in the prodygall sonne in the publicane whose rightwysenes the lord preferred before the pharisaic all holynes in Mary Magdaleyne to whom the lorde sayde thy synnes be forgyuen the in the auoutrous woman to whom it was sayd Go and synne no more in Peter whiche thrise denyed our lorde in Paule which dyd persecute the church of god bynding and killynge all that professed the name of our lord Jesus in Cypriane which of a southsayer was made a martyr and in many other mo which from their ydolatry from blasphe my from horrible crymes through their faith in Christ atteyned mercy and crownes To exclude desperation rayse hope the scriptures of the newe testament be more apte than the scriptures of the olde Nor it is no wonder Moyses feared the Jewes with commaundementes Christe comforted all men by fayth and grace The holy scriptures haue not onely exaumples but also sayenges very many partly which cast on men a dicde partly which comfort the ferefull For vpon these two thinges in maner al the bokes of the prophetes do renne heapinge vp vnto them that turne awaye frome god the vengcance of god and agayne amplyfyenge the mercye of god to theym that be conuerted to repentaunce Eyther of these medicines is holsome if it be taken wysely and in place Those that be terrible and put men in fere must be ministred to hole in body and sycke in soule wylde and dronken in the prosperitie of this worlde or cast into a slepe with the delytes of this worlde as it were with the herbe called Mandrake to the entente that as by takynge of Helleborus they maye be brought into their ryghte wyttes or by takynge the herbe Brassica called Cole they may returne to sobrenes or myghtely cryed on and plucked they maye awake Those that cause hope of forgyuenes muste be gyuen to tymorous and fearfull persons specially in the daunger of deathe How be it neyther to the one feare must be so ministred that there shal no hope of forgiuenes be mixed to the medicine nor to the other asswagementes and comfortes must be so gyuen that they shall be disceyued For it is two thinges to chastyse and to cast downe to comfort to flatter Wherfore it forceth not a lytell what persons do kepe and syt with sycke men They ought to haue alwayes at hande sundry places of scriptures that eyther by the rehersall or tellynge of them they maye establyshe and holde vp the fayntynge harte of the sycke person To this purpose certayne prayers aptely made will helpe For certayne prayers go aboute whiche be made of vnlerned persones by vnlerned persons be taught to sycke folke Hope beyng thus called vp yet remayneth the feare of Purgatory the which feare some men go about to mitigate and put out with remedyes after myn opinion nothinge effectuall Some do promyse to be sure redemed from the fyre of Purgatorye by byenge of pardons but I feare least this be not to succour and comfort the sycke manne but rather a mockynge and a mere dissimulation They do better whiche by Masses and prayers of good men also by almes dedes counsayle hym to dymynish the paynes of Purgatory But the strōgest remedy of all is to aduertyse the sycke mā as moch as he can to styre and rayse vp his faith and charitie towarde god his neighboure with all his harte to forgyue al men of whom he hath bene hurted and greued and paciently to suffre for the loue of Christ Jesus the paynes of the syckenesse and also death submytting him selfe holly in al thinges to the wil and pleasure of god thinking that god wil not iudge two tymes vpon one thinge and that Christ for our synnes hath suffered great peynes on the crosse Out of these fountaynes and namely of his blode let hym fetche a refrigeration and asswagement of the fyre of Purgatory And so mystrustynge hym selfe and trustyng vpon the excedynge mercye of god the merytes of Christ and the suffrages of all holy menne with a contrite harte and religious trust let hym saye In manus was domine commendo spiritum meum Into thy handes lord I commende my spirite There shal be no disdayn though the synner and weake man vsurpeth the wordes of his lord For to that purpose our heed expressed these thingis in him self that we shoulde folowe hym whiche be his membres That yf it please any man also of the other holy men to fetche an exaumple let him saye with saynt Steuen Lorde god take my spirite Examples haue a great vertue and strēgth to moue mens myndes For they shew as it were in a glasse what is comely and what is