The troubled man's medicine very profitable to be red of all men wherein they may learn patiently to suffer all kinds of adversity made & written by William Hugh to a friend of his.  
Renuit consolationem accipere anima mea: memor fui dei & delectatus sum.  Psal. 76. 
Afflictis spiro.   

¶ john Faukener unto the reader.  
NOt long ago, it happened me to read this book, than not printed which was writ ten and dedicate unto a friend of mine, as a thing whereby he might be comforted in his adversities, that then chanced unto him. By the which he was comforted, and had received no small consolation in his heaviness, and troubles, which thing did greatly rejoice us his friends, and therefore desired a copy of the same book, for one that needed in like case, like consolation. Wherewith also the was wonderfully quieted in his mind, as it had been with a medicine, giving a present remedy and health unto the sick & ●●e body. Here it was wished 〈◊〉 all them that either did read 〈◊〉 hear this book, that it might 〈◊〉 printed, and do good unto ●any, as it had done already vn●● a few: which thing I took 〈◊〉 on me and thus boldly have used it to be printed. Trusting at the author thereof (whom I ●●ow not but by his friends region and mine) will not be diseased, seeing that it was his ●●ndes desire. And that many sides well learned and godly ●●nded, did not only allow it but also greatly praised it. And ●●ther much commended the ●●gēce and study of them, that honestly and godly spend ●ir time. As for the Critical rasores which do nothing themselves that good is, b●● carp and reprehend other men's doings, we pass little of, doubting not but all honest hearts will gently accept it. Thus far well gentle reader, and give the thanks to god and the auctor hereof.   

most gentle friend Urban, I do plainly perceive not so much by your letters, as by the report of ●ther men, that ye be not merry, neither of a quiet mind, but ra●●er unquieted sad and pensive. ●n that fortune, which in her in constancy (as you say) only is ●●stant, doth not according to her ●●de tenure favour you, in that the ●orld, which for the most part is ●ot theirs that be of God, good 〈◊〉 virtuous, doth not as it hath ●one, smile upon you. As all things among them which be trusty ●●d faithful friends are com●une, so doubtless be the very af●●ctions of the mind, the which ●●yng at the length is well knoten of me, not by hearing, but by proof, not by reading, but by experience!. For as your merriness and prosperous state dydd● make me merry, so your aduer●● fortune and sadness, causeth m● likewise to be sad. Wherefore it shall be expedient and my pan● to find some way or mean, wh●● by this heaviness (wherewith bo●● our minds as yet be equally occupied) may be set aside, or at the least restrained, To increase your substance with cattle, gold or silver, my mind is good, b●● my power is impotent. To tea●● you how, or by what meane● these things may be procure● I have not learned. But that medicine only, which learned m● have counted to a sick and s●rowefull heart most present, 〈◊〉 will endeavour, though peradventure not witly, yet friendly to minister. The medicine is brotherly counsel & friendly communication, This (sayeth plutarch writing to Apollonius) is to a sick mind the best physician. Words and voices saith Horace in his epistles do mitigate grief, and put away the greatest part of sorrow.  
Surely I do think that likewise as the diseases of the body, as agues, head ache, gouts, & such other, be healed by confections made of herbs, and other things proceeding out of the Apothecaties' shop. So the diseases of the mind, be only cured with comfortable & unfeigned words, flowing out of a friendly and faithful heart. Isocrates in his Oration of peace saith thus: I would ye should chiefly know, that where as many and sundry remedies be found of the physicians against the sickness and maladies of the body, against the disease of the mind there is none utterly, saving friendly words. Wherefore Apollo counted chief, and of the physicians in manner the god, in ovid complaineth grievously, that the disease of his mind, could be cured with no herbs, and that the arts which did profit every man, could not refrain his troublous affection.  
I would wish the muses were so favourable unto me, that I might gather such herbs in their gardens, that would so well purge your mind of this said heaviness, as it is not to be approved in any man that is partaker of reason, but specially in a man of Christ's religion. Howbeit (Alas so great is the blindness of our solisshe nature) we think those things which are not lamentable to be lamented, and those which be not horrible in deed, greatly to be feared. In this point I may compare us to unwise children, which vehemently fear them that use evil favoured visors, thinking that they be spirits, devils, and enemies of their health, where as if they had the mytte boldly to pull of the vysoures, they should see hidden under them gentle countenances, and faces of their friends, kinsmen, or peradventure most loving fathers. Or else we may be justly assembled unto raging Ajax, which in his fury, and madness, used the hogs which god had prepared for his sustenance and wholesome nourishment, as though they had been his deadly enemies, and ordained to his utter destruction.  
What childishness, or worse than madness is it, to bewail, & not take in good worth adversity misfortune, or poverty, which happen to us not by chance, but by the providence and will of our heavenly father. Which worketh every thing for the best as saint Paul saith to the Romans. 8. toward them that love him: which formeth and fasshioneth us according to his own mill, which maketh us rich and poor, sick & whole, fortunate & miserable at his pleasure. And all for our wealth, profit, and vantage. Lest thou be deceived, I would not have the to imitate the common sort, ascribing worldly miseries to the stars, fate and fortune, playing therein the part of the dog, which biteth the stone that is hurled at him, not blaming the hurler thereof: but rather imytating the example of david, which blamed not Semei railing at him outrageously, but imputed his dispytes unto the lord, of whom he was thought to be sent, attributed them with thanks to god, of whom by the testimony of scripture cometh both death and life, riches and poverty, good and evil. Ecclesia. 11. This witnesseth the Psalmist saying: The lord doth advance and suppress, the lord maketh the rich and eke the poor.  
But thou wilt say peradventure: If we were certain that our misfortunes and miseries were sent unto christian men by God, they were much more tolerable. But when we see our cattle die by stinging of serpents, or by contagion, from the which they might have been safe, if they had be diligently observed. Or when we fall into diseases, whereof we might have been clear if that unwholesome meats and diet, infected places or persons had been avoided: Or when we be rob or suffer other losses by negligence of our servants or evil will of our neighbours. Or where we see that we might have been in good case if this chance o: that chance had be escaped, if this thing or that thing had not been done. Finally when we see ourselves, by such or like chances as I have spoken of, come to misery, we think it rather to be imputed to evil fortune, then to the hand of god, by the same mean seeking or working our wealth. truly who soever is of this opinion, in my judgement seemeth to be ignorant that God is provident and careful for men. Also to lack the knowledge of his most holy and wholesome scriptures. Math. 10. writeth that a sparrow, which is a bird of small estimation, can not fall to the ground, without our heavenly father, neither a here of a man's head. And shall we which be the sheep of his pasture, his people and his sons, whom he regardeth a thousand times more than the sparrows, think that the loss of those things, which we have enjoyed, be it riches, health, or any other worldly thing, either the miss of them which we have desired, can chance without his will and godly providence? Who is so foolish to think, that god regarding the hairs of our heads, which be neither greatly profitable, nor necessary, will contemn and neglect things which pertain to the sustaining and necessity of the whole bodies? Who knoweth not that Job'S substance decayed by diverse chances, as by tempests & thunders, by thieves & robbers, his friends destroyed by the falling of an house? which things to the infidel should have seemed bare chance, and not inflicted by any godly power: yet in deed as it is manifest in the history, these were nothing else but means or instruments which the lord used to the performance of his will. The holy job of all christian men much to be followed, after that he had lost all, and brought in manner to extreme misery, did not accuse his carpenters for building of a ruinous house, neither he cried out of fortune as the unfaithful do, nor yet found fault at his herdsmen, in that they drove not his cattle diligently into the safe stables: but considering the true cause of his calamity and wretchedness, said these words: Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall go hence. The lord did give me wealth, and the lord hath taken it away. As it pleased the lord, so it is done, his name be blessed. The blindness of the elder Toby happening by swallows dung that fell into his eyes as he lay sleeping, and the poverty which did succeed, seemed to be ascribed only to chance. But the angel declared at the last that god did make him both blind and beggarly and that for a purpose.  
david in his Psalms doth evidently show that our calamities come none otherwise, but by the will and permission of god: which trieth us as the gold is tried in the fiery furnace, being never the worse therefore, but better, & purer. Thou saith he, O lord hast proved us, and (as silver is wont with fire) hast examined us: thou hast brought us into snares, and laid tribulations upon our backs. Thou hast made men our enemies, and set them in our necks: we have passed by fire and water. Hieremye in the. 3. of his lamentations confirmeth this, pronouncing such words: Who saith that it should be done, the lord not commanding? Do not good and evil proceed from the mouth of the highest? The gentiles as blind as they were of this thing were not all together ignorant. The greek poet hesiod, in the beginning of his work, asketh what is the cause that some men be vile, some noble, some rich, other some poor? he maketh answer himself, and saith: The will of the ●nyghty god. The which saying I word wish to be so well be●eued of Christian men, as it was truly spoken of a blind ethnyke.  
Seeing therefore that misfortunes, lack or loss of riches, health, and such other, come not rashly, but by the providence of our Celestrall father: why should we not take them well in worth, and after the example of job, blessing his name, give him thanks for them? specially considering that adversities chancing to them which love the lord, be not tokens of his ire, neither arguments that he casteth us of, but of a fatherly love rather, & friendly care. Thou shalt perceive if thou read diligently the holy histories, that the more part of them, whom god hath chosen to be of his little flock, have been wretched (in the respect of the world) and miserable, tos●e and turmoiled with manifold misfortunes, distract and unquieted with continual sorrows.  
Let Hely the prophet be for an example, whom God loved so well, that he would vouchsafe to communicate his counsel and mysteries unto him. What quietness I pray you or wealth, what riches or surety had he, for all the petition that was betwixt God and him? truly so much wealth, that he had never a house to put his head in. Such plenty of meat and drink, that if the raven and the angel had not fed him, he had perished ●w hunger. Such quietness that he could not tell which way to turn him, nor whither to flee from the persecution of Achab, Baales priests, and cruel jesa bell. Such joy in this world that he desired oft to die, before he died. What should I speak of Helise, Hieremy and Hieu, to be short of the greatest part of gods prophets, which were ever wrapped in woe, and deadly anguish the world seldom or never ministering any cause of gladness, comfort, or solace. I will not speak of the apostles, which be sides that they were poor and beggarly all the days of their life, for god's word were troubled, threatened, mocked, scourged, and at the last to the sight of men miserably died. Our master Christ the son of god would be an abject among the people, and subject to afflictions innumerable, showing the● by that his kingdom, neither the kingdom of them which be of his household, is in this world. He saith to his apostles: Because ye be not of the world, the world doth hate you. Ihon. 15. which doubtless loveth, & chiefly favoureth them, that be her natural children, and children of darkness, regarding more this temporal life, than the life which is promised to them which cieve wholly to the lord our god.  
Scripture not dissembling with us, but telling plainly whereto we shall stick, teacheth, that they which be of god shall as in the stead of a recognisance suffer afflictions, adversities & troubles, All they that will line virtuously in Christ shall be afflicted. 2. Timoth. 3. Hieremye speaking in the person of god, Hieremy, 25. sayeth: In the city wherein my name is invocate, I will begin to punish. As for you (meaning the wicked) shall be as invocentes & not touched: The time is, that judgement must begin at the house of god. 1. Petri. 4. Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his footsteps. 2. Oh that we might have seen that kind heart of Christ, when he was punished, hanged & crucified, not for his own cause, but for ours, how willingly he suffered, giving us an example, that we might follow his fotesteps: doubtless we should with much more courage and stomach for our ownesakes, suffer troubles than we do. Lo we that live, be mortified for christ, that the life of christ may appear in our carnal bodies, 2. Cor. 4. If any man saith Christ will come after me, let him forsake himself, take his cross on his back, & follow me. For otherwise he is not meet for me. Every member (doubt ye not) of Christ's body shall have the cross, either of poverty, or persecusion, sickness, or imprisonment, injuries or slanders, or of like things.  
Happy is he that followeth christ manfully, & faileth not: for he at the length shall be eased of his heavy burden: he at the length shall find perpetual rest, & eternal quietness. We must be here not as inhabitors & home dwellers, but as Paul saith, as strangers. Not as strangers only but after the mind of job as painful soldiers, appointed of our captain Christ, to fight against the devil, the world flesh and sin: In the which fight, except we behave ourselves lawfully and strongly by the sentence of scripture, we shall not be crowned. Let us therefore arm ourselves with the weapons prescribed of saint Paul to the Ephesians. 6. and of other places of scripture to Christ's soldiers, and with a bold courage contemn the darts of the devil and worldly miseries, endeavouring to overthrow our minds, and weaken our faith toward God: For once our captain with a glorious victory shall gloriously deliver us. In worldly wars there be & have been many of stomach, not unlike to jason, Hercules & Theseus, which covyt to enterprise upon dangerous places, & perilous enemies, whereby they may have by their manful conflict, praise, or a gareland of bay bows, he nour or temporal promotions. And shall we, whose reward shall be not a gareland made of green bows, that lightly withereth, but with a crown of glory, that ever shall flourish: not temporal preferrementes, which endure not but inheritance in heaven, that shall be continual, be loath stoutly to withstand the world? It chanceth oft that the presence of a man's concubine shall move him to contend and fight fiercely with his adversary, little or nothing regarding his life, but rather careful, lest with shame he take a foil in her presence which he loveth. And shall the presence of our spouse Christ, whose eyes continually look on the hearts & minds, nothing move us? For him to have taken a foil before his lover, had been no loss of body nor soul, but a little shaine, & that not durable. But to take a foil of poverty, miseries, sickness, losses, lack, or other misfortunes, and not to keep our mind still above them, with the contempt of their, assaults: besides that the presence of god shall shame us, not the body, but the soul (except the grace of god after erect us) shall utterly perish. Look therefore that we fight merrily and boldly, despise all misfortunes, that hurt or threaten hurt to our mortal bodies.  
But either I am deceived, or I here you saying: Sir it is quickly spoken, but it is not so lightly done. It is hard, and by the sentence of philosophers against nature, for men to be content with those things which hurt & make for the damage of their bodies, & as you require with contempt to fight against them, doubtless it is very hard, & for our strength, & power, a thing impossible. What than, shall we play the part of Demosthenes, cast away our weapons and despair? No not so, but mistrusting our own power, let us fly to god, as unto and holy anchor, and safe refuge, desiring help of him, which by promise made, shall aid, assist & defend us. Call on me saith be, in the day of trouble, and I shall deliver the. The lord is nigh to all them that be of a troubled heart, and fear him. In thine infirmity, despise not the lord, but pray unto him, & he shall! heal the. Eccl.; 8. There is no doubt therefore, but we shall have his help, if we faithfully call for it. And in him that comforteth (if the words of Paul be true) we shall be able to do 〈◊〉 things, and nothing shall be impossible for us being faithful. Therefore let us say with Ezechias. 2. Parilipom. 32. Play we the men, & comfort ourselves for the lord is with us, our helper, & fighteth for us. The lord (as he saith in the third of the kings. 22) is our rock and our strength, our saviour and refuge, our buckler, our avauncer, and the horn of our health. Let us then not fear nor cease constantly to withstand the cruel enforce mentes of adversity, ever keeping our minds and faith toward god, unwounded, harmed, or discouraged by them, thinking still that they be sent of god, which worketh by infirmity strength, by ignominy glow, by poverty perpetual riches, by death life, which doth wound & heal, striketh & maketh whole, as it is in the Psalm. And for none other end, but as they were sent to job, and Toby, to exercise and prove us, that his glory may appear in us, and that we may avoid the greater evils, sin, thraldom, to the devil, and hell.  
The afflictions (believe me) that we count evils, encombring our flesh, be nothing in the respect of those evils wherewith the ungodly be cumbered, living in infidelity, and sin under the ire of god, under the empery of the devil, being servants to iniquity, to whom saith the lord is no peace, whose minds and conscience (as Isai writeth) be ever like to a fervent sea that can not rest, whose floods redound to conculcation and mourning. 57 That these greater I say and more heinous evils may be avoided, these little or rather not to be esteemed evils at all be inflycted of god, also that we may at the length after all our strife, myth our captain Christ ryallye triumph.  
If we would well consider for what purpose God hath create us, we should bear with afflictions and adverse fortune much more than we do. All things in this world are made to serve man. The sheep to cloth him, the ox to feed him, the horse to carry him, the herbs and trees, some to nourish him, some to cure him being diseased, some to delight him, the son & moan to give him light, so in conclusion, all other things under heaven, in one of fice or other, serve man: and as all these things were made to serve man, so man to serve God in holiness and pureness of life, And to this end doubtless, poverty, with other afflictions doth much more conduce, than wealth or carnal quietness. In this respect we ought to wish, and thank god for adversity, rather than for wealth. The one causeth us to forget him the other to remember him: the one to despise him, the other to call upon him, and worship him: the one proud k co incontinency and naughtiness, the other to temperancy and soberness: the one calleth us to all kinds of vice, the other to virtue & pureness of life. what I pray you made David and adulterer and cruel murderer? but wealth, and quietness. Hieroboam brought to wealth & prosperous state, became a wicked & a shameful Idolater. O perilous aboun dance of goods, and saturity of meats and quietness, which destroyed with so many souls those goodly cities Sodom, & Gomor. Nothing else made O●i as proud, and by reason thereof to be stricken with leper, but the aforenamed.  
What made the youngman co vetous, and loath to follow christ when he was bid, but worldly wealth, which he than enjoyed? Ye see in the gospel how the men that were bid to the kings supper, could not come, worldly riches and business keeping them back. They which came and filled up the places at the feast, were wretches, sick & lame beggars. Christ 〈…〉 by ●au●● that by her wealthiness and abundance of things, she forgot his ●●●tati●. What other thing brought the rich givecon to the oblyuton of God, of himself, and of his mortality, to incontynencie, drunkenness, gluttony; and at the last to the place where is mo●●nynge and knasshing of teeth, but wealth, prosperity, and worldly quietness. Thus ye see that the effects of riches & wealthiness, be nothing else for the most part, but murder, adultery, drunkenness, Idolatry ●ouetouse●ies, g●●teony, contep● of god, pride & incontinery. What Christ 〈◊〉 man will not fear (che●●y const●●●ing the ●●●gi●ttie of our nature, ●●●ch as it is written in 〈…〉 our young age is ●ue● 〈…〉 to the worst ●●●possesse much riches, or to enjoy worldly wealthiness? Seeing that they draw men so clean from God, so far into vice and mischief.  
If we be sick in body, having our wits, we will not touch those meats which we think may move or increase our disease though they be never so dainty or precious: and shall we not fear to wallow in worldly wealth, which to our souls is so dangerous that nothing can be more pernicious? We read of some profane Philosophers, of the which sort was Bias, that gave & cast away their goods, whereby they might more quietly study for the knowledge of things. Crates was glad of his ship wrakes poverty. Anaxagoras of his imprisonment. Plato of his exile fro the kings court, because their minds were more quiet thereby and addict to the study of philosophy. And shall we that be christian men think the lack or loss of worldly things to be lamented, which be, or may, be the cause of quietness of conscience, and of a mind more addict to the serving of god, whereto we were created?  
But you will say peradventure. What, sir, ye do speak as though men might not both be wealthy and virtuous. Know ye not the saint Paul said, Phil. 4 That he might suffer penury or lawfully have abundance? Moreover that he will have the rich men commanded. 1. Timo. 6. not to cast away their riches. neither to cease honestly to procure them: but that they 〈…〉 trust in them. Have ye not also learned by the old testament, that Abraham, Isaac, joseph, with divers other had the world all will, and yet were godly, 〈◊〉 (as far as we can judge) be no 〈◊〉 in the hand of God, where the souls of just men be.  
In deed I do grant that men may lawfully (so that the●● do it not at the impulsion of au● rice or ambition, nor putting any trust in them) procure riches & enjoy the same. I confess also that some men have been, be, and shall be both wealthy & virtuous else god forbid: but in my indgment, it is but on●●neag●s many. It is a very 〈◊〉 thing, and wonderful hard, yea so hard that Christ which 〈◊〉 not ●●e, 〈…〉 Easy en it is for a 〈◊〉 to ●●tre through a needles eye, than for a rich man to enter in to the kingdom of heaven. We must (saith scripture) enter into the kingdom of god by many tribulations, of the which how void the wealthy man is, at the least of such as seem to be sent of god, who seeth not? The way to heaven is straight, sharye, & painful. Math. 7. The way of the wealthy man lightly is large, soft, and pleasant.  
I think that saint james speaking these words. ja. 5. which I will repeat anon, thought the more part of rich and wealthy men to be children of the world. & carnal. Go to you rich men (saith he) weep and howl like dogs in the wretchedness the shall come upon you. Your riches be putrefied, & your precious garments eaten of the moths, your gold and silver is rusty, and the rust of it shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh like as it were fire. 〈◊〉 on have laid up wrath for yourselves, against the last days. You have eaten and drouke upon the earth, and nourisshe● your hearts with pleasures. I dare say, having respect to the divine wisdom of saint james, to the histories of old time, and to the rich men that be in our time (whose lives commonly 〈◊〉 a wise man apply to the rule of the gospel, shall seem but a little to agree unto it) that saint james thought that very few rychemen should escape, whom this saying shall not touch. saint Paul knowing the nature of wealth and riches, willeth us having noryshinent and where with we may be clothed, to be content: for they that will be made rich, fall into tem●●tiō, into the share of the devil, into many despres noisome & improfitable, which drown men in the see of death and perdition. 1. Timoth. 6.  
seeing therefore it is a hard thing for the rich worldly quiet and wealthy men to be saved, & that but few of them as it should seem by the premisses do enter in to god's kingdom, me think we christians have no great cause to be sorry, either for any temporal things lost, or to enuy●te those which we have not yet possessed. But saying with the Psalmist: It is good for me O lord that thou haste humbled●ne, set nought by them, rather being as Meremaydes', ●utifynge us with their ●a●●e 〈…〉 melodies, ●nto the necks of ●one and per●ition. If Hereules had feared, lest he should have b●● cast away with a shirt made be woman's han●e, he would never have woun shirt 〈◊〉 long as he had lived. And shall not we fear 〈◊〉 be meapte in 〈…〉 wealth, which in manner is 〈◊〉 less dauth ●ermis for our souls, than was Deyau●●● is shirt for Heartless body.  
As we have partly considered the abundance of things and wealth, so we wit poverty 〈◊〉 so, and adverse fortune, whose works and ●ffe●tes 〈…〉 〈…〉 shalt 〈◊〉 clean com●aty 〈…〉 is saw before none 〈◊〉, th●● worldly success 〈…〉 and 〈◊〉 tha● 〈…〉 th●● devil and sin: so adverse fortune retaining us commonly in honest behaviour, and in the favour of god, stoppeth up the windows & d●res which lead men to wickedness & god's displeasure. It stoppeth up the windows to adultery, to the contempt of god and pride: finally in a manner to all those vices, where unto by wealth they were set wide open. If ye list to have a prose, read for iptures, mark well the ●abe of David's life, which so long as he was poor, ●oste with afflictions, troubles with the persecutions of Paul, be 〈◊〉 of●nery ●●de with danngers driven 〈◊〉 place to place, it was post to p●●es, ●ustcyninge hunger and 〈◊〉 having few or no fre●es, lodging, nor substance, lived in the fear of god, loving him, calling upon him nigh and day, trusting him, and vo●● of all vices. Hieroboam, so long as he was but a poor man, not yet advanced to his kingdom, lived in the laws of god without reprehension. But upon what vices these two stumbled, after th● came to wealth, ye hard before. Thus ye see how the one layeth blocks in the way that leadeth to heaven, the other in the way that leadeth to fearful dammtion. Wherefore our loving ●●ther ever correcting the children whom he loveth. Pron. 1. giveth adversity as the better of these two for that most part, to his ele●● as a medicine to them which have offended, left they fall again to them, which have not greayly trespassed (howbeit every man is a sinner and deserveth evil) as a medicine preservative, lest they should ●●yde. The which medicine, though it seem to us at the first bitterer than any ga●●e, yet 〈◊〉 we save it with the sweetness of his commandments, and pleasant promises, we shall find it more delicious than the honey comb. It is written, Proner. 3. My dear son, thou shalt not neglect the correction of the Lord, neither thou shalt be discouraged when thou act reproved, whom the lord loveth, he correcteth, the child which he receiveth, he scourgeth. If ye suffer chastisement, god doth offer himself to you, as unto his children. What child is there but his father chastith him? By this scripture ye may see, that our adversities, and afflictions be not tokens of gods I●e towards us, but of his good will & 〈◊〉 Wherefore they ought not to 〈◊〉 courage, but rather encourage 〈◊〉 not to make us sad, but men not sorrowful, but joyful: in th●● he of his goodness will vouchsafe to take us as his children, to s●●● due our ●●eshe, to strengthen o●● souls. By torubles, as say●● Paul saith: he was strengthened. 2. Cor. 12. to vanquish our enemies. Whereby we shall be meet at the left, to have with him the quietness which his son I so christ with the effusion of his blood bought for us, where shall be no death, no wailing, no w●● rynes, no sickness, no him ge●, 〈◊〉 thirst, no chafing, no corruption, no necessity, no sorrows.  
Suffer we therefore willingly and gladly the correction of our heavenly father and afflictions eu●a as his only 〈…〉, whom he spared not, but permitted to be whypte and scourged, 〈◊〉 abide hunger and cold, to be in worse case for lodging, than the foxes in the field, or the birds of the air, and at the length 〈◊〉 suffer most ignomyaous our death. Let us in all our afflictions comfort ourselves with the example of him, remembung that the disciple is not above the master, nor the servant above his Lord: neither yet the inferior membres above these head. Our head is christ, 〈◊〉 that he hath not abhorred afflictions, they may not be 〈◊〉 any 〈…〉 ●ined of us.  
I●●er●●yle that 〈…〉 little disdain them, that we have great pleasure, and 〈…〉 We would be 〈…〉 tent, to handle the table, at the which christ did fit, the garments or vestures he used, or other like relics, being as consecrate with his holy touching: much better me think we ought to be apaied, to handle afflictions, as relics which besides that they were oft hal● wed by his most holy touching be also commanded to be fingered of us, specially seeing that more ●●wardes, & merits come by the handling of them, than by that aforenamed. Do we not disdain the I say, but rather (as Paul will le●h let us) glory i our troubles For trouble worketh patience, patience worketh proof, proof works hope, which shall not confound us, Roma. 3.  
I will not yet cease to speak more of the precepts of god as touching this point: Some thou coming to the ser●uce of God, prepare thyself to tentation, sustain the sustentations of the Lord, and be joined unto him, sustain, whereby at the last thy life may be increased. Ecclesi. 7. Thus ye see that the children of god, be commanded still to bend themselves to tentation, & adversity, which followeth them none otherwise, than the shadow followeth the boby.  
Now mark the end that is promised to our afflictions: If we bear them as we ought to do truly I say unto you saith christ to his friends, you shall weep & lament, they which be of the world shall joy: you shall be sorry, but this sorrow of yours shall be turned into solace. jobn. 18. I do think that the afflictions which we do ●uffce here, be nothing 〈◊〉 comparison of the glory we shall have in the world to come. Rom. 〈◊〉 our exceeding tribulation which is momentayn and light, prepareth an exceeding, and an eternal weight of glory unto us, while we look not on the things which are seen, but on the things which are not seen: for things which are seen, are temporal, but things which are not seen, a●● eternal. 2. Cor. 4. although the earthly house of this our habitation (Paul meaneth the body be ●●irupied, we know that we shall have a building of god, 〈◊〉 house not made with manner ha●●e, but everlasting in he●●en. 2. Cor. 4. who heating the promises, is so ●●ony hatred that he will not take in good word what so shall 〈…〉, be 〈◊〉 never so heinous, horrible, and perilous to his mortal membres?  
Few men will refuse to suffer for the space of a whole yet: the physycyans' tortures, now his veins to be cut, now painfully to be bathed, now to eat most bitter pylles, otherwhile to fast, and to be punished many other ways, that his body which is mortal, after these sorrows delivered of his sickness, may joy for a time: much less a christian heart should stick to sustain troubles, misfortune, and miseries, here for a while, that the soul which is immortal, may after joy for ever. With joys, not such as the poet Pyndarus doth attribute unto happy souls, piping, playing, or singing, pleasant gardens, gorgy●use houses and goodly spectacles, playing at dice, tennysse, or tables, or other like: but such as neither ear hath herd (Paul witnessing) nor eye hath seen. With such joys, as Faith taketh not, Hope toucheth not, charity apprebendeth not, they pass all desires and wishes: Gotten they may be, esteemed they can not be, Blessed is that man saith saint james. 1. which suffereth tentation & trouble: for after his proof he shall receive the crown which god hath promised to them which love him. Every castigation seemeth to have no pleasure but rather grief, howbeit at the last it shall give a quiet fruit of justice, to them which have been troubled by it. Hebre. 12. Who I say, hearing these comfortable promises, will not merrily 〈◊〉 with saint Paul, what thing in the world shall separate us from the love of god? shall trouble or persecution? shall nakedness, or dangers? shall the sword, or hunger? as who say none of all these, neither death nor life, angels nor princes, things that be present, neither that be to come. Height strength, nor deepness shall separate us from the love of god which is in jesus christ our lord. Roma. 8.  
But to conclude, saying that yovertie, troubles, miseries, and afflictions, be vanquysshers of ●yce, maintainers of virtue: seeing that they be appointed of god our father to them that love him, and not as tyrannical torments, but as fatherly corrections and friendly medicines. Also that god hath promised to those which patiently bear them, perpetual quietness, joy, and endless solace. Why should we not with thanks giving be very glad of them? If we be otherwise affected, let us not think the contrary, but we be disposen much like unto them, which labour of fervent agues, whose true taste taken from them, by the reason of they? disease, can not away with such meats as be most wholesome, and conducible to their health, but desire those which make most against them, and for the increase of them sickness. Wherefore if we chance so to feal ourselves, cease we not to solicit the Lord with prayers, that he will vouchsafe to take this spiritual ague from us, whereby we may with judgement reject the sweet, but poyn senfull baits and dainties of the devil, and the world. And taste those meats which be most wholesome, and profitable for our souls.   

IT is to be wondered fred Urban if these things can not move christian men to suffer adversities, and despise worldly success, as a very vain vanity, saying that the unfatthfull gentiles, were moved to the same, with things of much less importance. Some of them as Socrates & Diogeneg considering that worldly wealth, could nothing less do, than cause a quiet, & merry mind & as a thing of no worthiness, neglected it, and as a thing of no price, set it as nought. Whese consideration Plu● tarche as it appeareth by this his sumilitude, approveth as not untrue. Likewise saith he as a m● going to the sea, and first carried toward the great ship in a li●● eel boat, there beginning to us wite desireth much to be at the greater vessel, supposing to find ease therein, where he is worse troubled with the same grief, than he was before. Even so a man be ing in a vile state, and poor case, and not well content therewith, coviteth advancement to higher condition, his goods also and his substance to be increased. To the which things if he chance to attain, he shall be more unquieted, than he was before in his former misery. If ye require examples, look to Alexander the great, king of Macedon, which possessing in a manner all the kyngedoines, riches, and wealth in the world, for all that was so ●itle quiet, that when he herd 〈◊〉 wocritus disputing of many worlds, wepre bitterly, that he the better, but rather ●udrse: no ner the quieter, but rather more unquiet. I was once of all emperors, and rulers, the tychest, subduing valiantly Batbatous nations, and people innuinerable: Yet these things so little made me quiet, that by the reason of them, with all kinds of unquietness, my mind was troubled: How ambition and in satiable desire of more region, rule and imperies, did occuppe my mind painfully, now mad taging: and ire, provoked by bronkennesse, which by the reason of abundance of goods I usually accustomed, punished me, and with violence somtyine moved me to the murder of my friends. How unlawful lusts of the body, now Envy vexed me. Other while the helly furies flying about my conscience, 〈◊〉 not suffering the memory of my murder, or other evil facts, to be obliterate, so sore grieved me that I would now & then have pierced my heart with a sword, or have pined myself to death, if I had not been letted. Deuce as a fool, I pryferred the state of Alexandre before the condition of poor Diogenes, but then I judged like as did vuwise Mtdas, than I knew not the the by'r tues of the mind only, caused true quietues, worldly success, nothing profiting, but greatly deminesshinge the same. What can be more true than his oration? whom should it not moon if it were spoke of the mouth of Alex ander (as he would speak it doubt les if he might return to us) to esteem the world according to this worthiness Me●ouer 〈◊〉 may see by the example of 〈◊〉 memnon, how little quietness worldly wealth inferreth. He was so much unquieted whis height state, that he lamented his chance in that he was king, and ruler over so many people. Laertes which to the sight of the world, lived wealthily and wenderous quiet, yet was not quiet in deed, as witnesseth plutarch, On the otherside Mctrocles vile & beggetlye, in winter covering his body with a tub for lack of house rowmthe, & in summer taking up his inns in the poches of temples, faring not so well as did the dogs of the cytis, yet was of so quiet a mind, (virtue being the author thereof) that his quietness among w●ytrue shall be dadde in perpetual memory. ●ectus about to be burned (such was the virtue of his mind) was said nothing to be unquieted at all.  
Thus I say, some of the wise gentiles considering, and se●ng that true quietness proceedeth owe  of virtue, estenied worldely● welthe not of a steawe. E●t we christian men (such is our lack of true wisdom) which know or ought to know, if we remember so much as I have spoken before, that there is no quietness to them which be of God, but quyetues of mind, and consryence, that is procuted only up virtue, pureness of life, and hope specially, Which (as saint Paul saith) cometh of proof, proof of patience, patience of troubles, and so consequently, that our quietness must ●ame by troubles, what 〈◊〉 we not a● tempt, to obtain wordly vanities? ●unnynge by sea and by land, by rocks and fandes by Scylla and Syrtes by fyet and sword (as sayeth the poet) fearing no jeopardies. nor casting any pe●●lles, like men out of out wits, seeking fire in the sea, and requy●ynge water of the dry pomysh stone. O blindness, what I pray you have we gotten when we have procured riches or worldly presecrementes, whose purchasing commonly is painful, the keeping full of busy fear, the use dangerous, the loss deadly what I say have we gottettranqivilite of mynder no truly but access of unquietness: for the more that goods yrowe, the more greweth care. Miserable saith the poet is the keeping of much money. In the which respect Hora tius Uulteurs desired his friend after he had made him rich, to take his goods from him again: What then? satisfyeng of thy appetite that thou hadst to worldly things? nothing less. for as he which hath the dropsy the more he drinketh the more he thirsteth, in like case the worldly man the more he hath, the more he courteth. jucrease of virtues? no, rather an explosion of them all. What than? truly a bait to all vice and mischief. And if thou take not very good heed, an instrument to work thine own confusion.  
O perilous and most pestilent harlot (I mean the world) which is transfigured in pleasures, and abundance of riches of the earth, in pleasures and voluptuousness. And I call her not only an harlot, but the most filthy, and most dirty quean, whose face is foul, how rible, sharp bitter andctuell. And in this most wherein all they be counted without forgiveness, whom the deceiveth. And although her countenance, be so filthy, and so wild, so ba● barouse, and so cruel: yet many be snared by her, and when they see all things in her body full of peril, full of death, full of mischel yet she is desired of theyin, ai● counted a thing to be loved, and coupted. notwithstanding that she maketh no man better, wiser, nor more teperate: no man more favourable, gentle, nor prudente. Finally that she rhaungeth no angry person, into a man meek of behaulour, neither teacheth the voluptuous man sobriety, nor the impudent shainefastnes, neither at any time by her is got ten any kind of virtue, to the soul, No rather like Circe, whithe (as Homer writeth, chalinged by enchantments Ulysses men into hogs, dogs and other brute beasts, she maketh of them which be virtuous, vieious: & of reasonable men, beasts unreasonable. Whereunto may we impute the fault, that some which have been meek and gentle, (as it thaunceth oft) by the reason of ire & furiousness be changed from men as though it were into raging lions? but to the enchanting Circe the world. What maketh them which have been modest, sober and temperate (as we have examples to many) for their drunkenness and beastly intemperancy, most like unto the unclean, and filthy hogs? the enchauntynge Circe the world. What taketh out wits from us, by the reason of pride, and causeth us shamefully to forget ourselves and out mortal state? the enchanting Cyrce the world. To be short this same enchanting Circe the world, chaugeth even the most part of them, which have to do with her wooryshe ornaments (extept it be some spiritual Ulysses) into very brutisshe asses, if ye have respect to heavenly wisdom. Horace considering her hoorisshe charms, calleth her riches, and ornaments matter of the great evil, and counseleth them, which be loath to be wicked, to hurl them into the see.  
Let us therefore not pass for the lack or loss of riches, or other worldly things that be so perilous, but rather prepare ourselves partly to follow the counsel of Horace, thought he were an ethnic: not in casting a way of our goods, if we have them, but living as though we had them not. And giving them away, rather than our souls which god hath dearly bought should take hurt by them. Remembering that christ sayeth. Math. 5. It is better to go to heaven, having but one eye or one arm, than to the fire of hell with u●eyes or two arms. It is better with poverty, and afflictions to be favoured of god, than with we lth and prosperity to have his displeasure. Let the children of the world, and the devil (which is the prhree of the world) seek their wealth, that is propre unto them, and let them enjoy it. Let us which be of christ, seek and inquire for heavenly wealth which by god's promise shall be peculiar to us. Let the Cretians, Epicures, Beotians, with such other beastly, barbarous, and ca●nal people, pass for things that be pleasant for the body, and pertain to this present transite rye life. Let us which be or aught to be spiritual, pass for things that pertain to the spirit, and life to come. But I will return again to the gentiles, for I began to declare with what things they were moved to the contempt of the world. There were other of them, of the which fort I have named two or three before, whom she defy of know ledge moved to despise wordly things utterly, perceiving that it was hard and uneath for them, having the use and abundance of tempo, all goods, attently to apply their study. In this point who doth not see them to be commended above the more part of us christians? which although our religion requireth minds more alienate from the world, and addict to the contemplation of spiritual things, yet our whole minds and strength, by wholly intent to things that be vain, and earthly: scarcely believing the saying of Christ, No man can serve two masters, God and the world. Matthew. 6. Neither regarding the saying of saint Paul. No man serving in the ways of God, entangleth himself with wordly business. 2. Timoth. 2 that is to say in my judgement, is chiefly and wholly given to the purchasing and disposing of carnal and earthy things, either yet the commandment, wherein god requireth our love with all our hearts, minds, and souls, not bestowing any part of it of these temporal clouds, and vain shadows. Math. 19 it is ashame that the naked knowledge of natural and vile things, should obtain of the gentiles, which neither the knowledge of heavenly things, neither the ca●● of our souls, the commandments nor promises of god, can obtain of us, that be Christian men. Other of the gentle were, (in whose number was Aristedes,) moved with no hope of good things, the should chance after this life, even for very virtues sake only fancied not, but neglected worldly wealth. chiefly saying it for the most part chance to the worst, & naughty selowes: to the best and most virtuous, miseries & troubles. The thing is partly declared by the answers of poverty and riches in Aristotle's problem. It was asked of riches, why he used to dwell with the worst, the best as though they were disdained. He answered, that his mind was once to have tarried ever with them that were good, but jupiter envying this his purpose, put out his eyes, and sense he lost his sight, it was ever his chasice lightly to happen on the worst. It was also asked of poverty, why she did still visit the good men, and pane by them that were wicked and noughty. She answered that good men could tell how to entreat her. 〈◊〉 ou shall read that such murderers as Tantalus. Ambitious, as Crcsus. Covitou persons, as Crassus. sycophants, as Cyllicon, had of wealth great abundance, On the other part such just and good men as Aristides, Tato, Vticensis, Fabius Maximus, Anaxagoras, & Plato. were ever in great need & troubles, indigen cte, & afflictions. Truly though scripture doth not provoke me, yet charity partly moveth me, to think that god had his elect even among the gentiles, and the he would have them afflicted, no other wise than those which openly profess him. Many naughtyfeld was (saith the greek poet Callims chus) be rich & wealthy: the good miserable, & poor. But with these things we must not be moved. The consideration of the thing was sufficient to set the mind of Aristi des at utter defiance with the world & his ornaments. Yet we knowing by god's word, as by the 21. chapter of job, by the .30, Psal by the .22. chapter of Hieremi that evil men do live welthly, advanced, & comforted with all kinds of dainties, extolled as the Cedars of Libanus, that all things do prosper with them, and they? sede after them. On the otherside that goodmen be afflicted, punies shed, and vexed: yet had we ra there be numbered among the wealthy, and wicked, & to be Ims' tatours of their sect, than among the godly, which by their patience, and forowes shall penetrate the henens. We had rather with wealthy Nabal and his temporal pleasures, descend to the devil, than with poor Christ and his temporal trouble, ascend into the kingdom of god his father. But it is said in scripture. Prouer. 14. The extremity of joy is occupied with mourning. Ones it shall repent us fore, not without the Singing of Lysimachus song. King Lysimachus by chance of wars, taken of the Scythians in his captivity, was so sore pressed with thirst, that he was gladdr for a d●aughte of drink to sell his kingdom. Afterward remembering for how short a pleasure he had soldes thing most precious, cried out and wept, saying: Alas how mad was I, to sell a noble empery for the satisfienge of my affection, and grydy belly. I fear it will be some of our chances at the last, which have the world in such estimation to sing like wise this sorrowful song. O we ●niserable and brainless fools: which would for vain pleasures, and transitoriewelth, less the toral kingdom of god, with the eternal pleasures, which he hath prepared for them, that love him and renounce the world. The which world, alas, what is more vain? man, the best part of it is compared of scripture to the flower of grass, the grass shall be withered, and the flower shall fall down. O happy souls, which in all your afflictions have been faithful and constant: to you the springe of the lord shall ever be ●●orisshinge and green: Woe be unto these false illusione of the world, baits of perdition hooks of the devil, which ham so shamefully deceived us, and seduced from the right path of the lord, into the by ways of confusion, and brears of perpetual punishment. Where our weeping shall never cease, nor the turies of our conscience shall never wax old. At the last fernde Urban, saying it is so that as wealth and riches causeth unquietness of mind, so adverse fortune, and poverty, to a Christian man's heart, inferreth deep quietness. saying that as wealth stayeth and letteth us from the contemplation of heaveniye and spiritual things, so adves sitie taketh the stay and the l●● away. saying that as the vature of wordly success is to make us be numbered among the untuste, so is the nature of afflictions to end ice us to the numbered of them that be good, godly an virtuous. Let us love poverty, and embrace afflictions, as things most expedient and necessary for us. Let us fear and beware of wealth, as a thing (except we have grace to use it) most deadly, devilish, and dangerous.   

But thou wilt ●●●per chance, sir if ye were in my case, your mind woldbe trouble no less than mine I have wife, and children, a family, which the law of nature and honesty bindeth me to noutishe. I have neither money, nor other goods to defend them. Besides that my body hath no such health, as is necessary for a needy & poor man. I am thaufed also a● though these things before were nothing, with slanders and in ruries. Whom I pray you wold● not these things discourage, and in manner make as a man desperate: It the case be as thou say●, beware well, and take diligently heed, lest the devil use thee, a● he doth his, & the children of damnation being in like anguish. Beware he bring the not to damnable mistrust: Neither let him lead the to any unhonest crafts as theft, periurse, adultery, murder, deceit, or such like, for the unlawful augmenting of thy substance, so making that thing which god hath offered thee, as a mean, whereby thou mightest the rather approach unto him a mean to perdition, & helly fire.  
But if thou be in these miseries, remember the they come not raze shely, but even of the Lord. There is no evil, saith scripture, chanceth to the or any other in the city, which the lord hath not wrought. Am. 3. Of the Lord I say which as it is written in the third chapter of the Apocalypse chastiseth all the children, that he loveth: whereby he may with a fatherly affection correct them. Whiles we be judged of the lord, we be corrected, lest we be condemyned with them of this world. 1 Corin. 2. Remembering these thinhes, let us in all our miseries comfort out hartest, and say unto our heavenly father as did Crates to fortune after his ship wreck. Crates after he had lost by ship. wreck all that he had: said this with a merry cheer: Go to fortune I know what thou meanest. I am sure thou dost intend none there, but call me to philosophyr go to I am well content to come thither as thou callest me. Even so say we to our heavenly father when we be afflicted: Go to most bountiful father, I know what thou meanest, I know thou dost none other, but call me to repentance, Lo I come willingly, thither as thou dost call me.  
Permytte not the devil, I say thine enemy to bring the being needy and poor, to desperation. But fly from him ●yghtly to god's word, as to a most strong fortress. For there by reading or hearing the promises of god, thou shalt be sufficiently armed against him. Read the sixth chapter of Mathewe, where Christ himself pronounteth these words to them which be his faithful: I say unto you, be not careful for your lives what you shall eat, or what you shall drink: nor yet for your bodies, what you shall put on. Is not the life more worth than neat? and the body more of value than raiment? behold the ●oules of the ●yre, for they sow not, neither reap, nor yet carry into their barns, yet your heavenly father fedith them. Which of you (though he took thought therefore) could put one cubu● to his stature? Why care ye than for raiment, consydre the lilies of the field, how they grow, they labour not, neither spin, & yet for all the I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his royalty was not arrayed like unto one of these. Wherefore if god so cloth grass which is to day in the field, & to morrow shall be cast into furnace: shall he not much 〈◊〉 do the same unto you, D ye of little faith? Therefore take 〈◊〉 thought saying: What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, 〈◊〉 wherewith shall we be clothed. After all these things seek the gentiles. For your heavenly father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But rather seek first the kingdom of god & the righteousness thereof, and all these shall be ministered unto you. Thus by promise made by the mouth of Christ, wherein was never found disobeyed, nor guile, we shall lack nothing (if we be faithful) that is necessary for us. I have been young (saith the prohet) and I have waxed old: yet I never saw the ●uste left, nor ●s seed begging bread. Psal. 〈◊〉. Calte thy cogitations on the lord, and he shall nourish the. 〈◊〉 4. be you careful for no worldly thing, but with prayer and obsecration, let your petitions 〈◊〉 known of god. Philip. 4. He that giveth seed to the sour, shall give us both meat & drink. 〈◊〉. Cor. 9 Comfort we ourselves therefore believing these promises, & never despairinge uttetly.  
But because we believe those things the better, whereof we have proof, I will bring examples whereby ye shall see that go● both will & is able to perform so much for his faithful, as he hath promised. Daniel cast into the lions den, many a mile from all such friends as would ministre meat or drink to him, ha●● meat suddenly sent of god by th● prophet Abacuch. Samson almost lost for thirst, after the conflict that he had with the Phili●ans, prayed to god & found drink in an asses jaws. Agar on the wilderness, despairing of her o●● life and her child's' for lack 〈◊〉 victuals, & with many a salt tealaieng the child far from her lest her motherly eyes should said die, was fed of god, & comforted beiond her expectation. The poor woman of Sarepta, lokyuge to die with her child, the day after the prophet came to her house, had her oil, & meal so augmented, the she lacked not till the time of plenty returned. Therefore when so ever any lack happeneth be it of corn, or such other necessaries, despair we not, calling to remembrance this example, let us think without selves that god is able at all times to increase out corue, ●yenge in the barn, growing in the field, being bread in the ●uen, yea or in thy mouth, at his pleasure as well as he did the oil or meal, of the woman of Sa●epta: or the oil of the debtors wife by his prophet Helise. But 〈◊〉 it so chance that no hope be left of our temporal norysshmet, yet have 〈◊〉 no just cause to despair. Remembering that scripture saith, man doth not only live in bread, but in every word that proceedeth from the mouth of god. The omnipotent god did use at mour and weapons (yet not necessarily) as instruments, by the which he did give to his people Israel many victories, yet his power was only the chiefest an● for of the same. So though he use meats & drinks as means whereby he nourisheth us, yet the principal cause of our sustentation is his virtue and godly power: and as he did often gy● victories to the Israelites, their hands and weapons not moved at all: So hath he also fed and can do again his faithful, though worldly meat, and drink be not utterly ministered. A better proftnedes not, than the example of 〈◊〉 oyfes and Hely, whom he sustained with his heavenly power, the spaee of forty daycs, without the ministration of any worldly feeding, Therefore as david said: my sword shall not save me, neither yet will I trust in my bow, So say we, our meats & drinks shall not save us, neither will we trust in worldly things: for the power of god sustaineth us, and in him will we trust by whom all things do consist. Col. 1. Which sustaineth all things with the word of his power Heb. 1. which openeth his hand, & filleth every beast with his blessing. Psa. 145. whose hand being open all things are filled with goodness, whose face turned away, all things are troubled, whose spirit withdrawn, all thiu things shall sail & be brought into dust. 103. Which saveth man and beast. 36. Which covereth the heavens with clouds, prepareth rain for the ground, and bringeth forth grass in the mountains, which giveth to beasts their meat, and to the chykens of the ravens calling upon him. 36. in him, to whom all these things be justly ascribe, do we live, move and be. Act. 17. In whom, of whom, and by whom all things are, to whom be glory for ever. Roma. 11.  
If ye have respect to the afore going examples, ye shall perceive that the lord after he hath brought us even to the extremytye, as the psalmist sayeth, can, and will (if it be expedient) deliver us. Not only from hunger, and thirst, but from all other miseries, harms, and adversities, from persecution and drowening, from fire and our enemies, from sickness, slanders and death. Who delivered David so oft unjustly persecuted from the bloody hands of Saul? The three children thrust into the hot furnace, from burning? No from drowening, Lot from the vengeance that light on So doom and Gomor, Danyel from the hungry mouths of the lions, the Israelites from the Egyptians, their enemies from servitute and intolerable bondage, joseph from slanders, Susanna from the cruel death the sclauderouns judges would have put hyrto: Peter from his bands and Imprisonment. Who restored so many lepers to cleanness amongs the jews, Peter's mother in law from her ague to health, so many lame to their limbs, so many blind to their sight, was it not the mighty hand of god which is not yet abbrcuiate, neither weakened, but as strong as ever it was. And though it please him to defer our deliverance, as it chanced te joseph & to Israel oppressed with the Egyptians, whereby his glory may be more illustrate: yet let us think no other, but he hath both power and will, to help & save us from all miseries, what so ever they be, if it stand with our soul's health, and his glory. If it do not, he will not: if he love us, if he will not, let us take in goodworth, and conform our wills to his. playing the part of a wise patient, which would be glad to have his disease, and the cause thereof expelled by keeping a hard diet, and receiving of bitter medicines one month and no legar if it might be. But in case his sickness can not be healed, except he use those bitter medicines, and hard diet an hole year. He will rather so do in hope of health afterward, than by refusing them, be sick all the days of his life. Even so if that our souls can not be clear of such diseases and botches, as shall displease the eyes of God, except we use adversities so long as we live, asspitituall medicines ministered to us by god. Let us be well contented in hoop that we shall after this life, which is but a pear, no rather a minute of an hour in comparison of the time that is to come, have health everlasting no more 〈◊〉 danger of any maladies.  
Therefore in such prayers as we make in our afflyctions, let us follow the exaple of David which in his most trouble said: If it please the lord, he will delyue● me: but if he say: Thou dost not please me, I am ready and willing. Follow we the example of our master Christ, which said in his prayer that he made a little before his death: Father, if it be possible that I may escape this passion, howbeit not as I will, but as thou wilt.  
Let us behave ourselves in our afflictions, as did the three children threatened of Nabugodonosor. The lord (say they) that we worship can deliver us from the fire, if it please him. But if it please him not, be it known to thee (D King) that we will not worship thy gods, neither thy Image made of gold. learn we also the lesson taught us in the lords prayer: D father, thy will be fulfilled. And if our carnal affections, at any rhyme will rise against us, steered up of the flesh, and the devil, our enemies, upbraydinge us, and endeavouring to shame us, with our afflictions, to make us blaspheme god, as though he had forgot us, make we answer to them, as did Aristides to his coum trymen, when they did upbraid him with poverty: Cease to obsecte my poverty and afflictions against me, which be uncomely and unpleasant only for them, unto whom they chance against their wills. I counting myself no better than my master christ, am well content and pleased with them. Dr if the same pricks and goydes of the devil (affections I mean) will at any time move us to that thing which is not godly, nor honest, for vantage or money's sake, for preferrment health of the body, or any other commodity, or comfort, whereof we seem to have need: Let us make answer to them, as did Matreus Curius to the Samnites, offering him money. Marcus, Curius was once a man of much nobility, riches & renown among the Romans: howbeit, at the legth as it fortuned, he became a very poor man, in so much that his meat for the most part was only roots, cold herbs & wortes At chauced the the embassad ours of the Samnites, than being at Rome, & hearing of his poverty, whom they had known once to be famous & wealthy, came to his house to visit him, where they foud him in a poor chamber, poorly arrayed, & seething coals for his dinner. They after much communication about to departed, gently offered to give him money, the which he refused disdainfully with these words: Keep your money to yourselves you Samnites, for he that can be content with such apparel, and such fare, hath no need of it. Even so say we to our affections, embassa dours of the devil, and the world Let the world keep his goods and his prosperous things himself, for he that can be content to live as did his master christ, hath no need of them. But what need these profane examples, see king that we have better in holy scripture. Let us answer them as job did his friends: Although the lord kill me, yet I will hope in him still. Dr as the elder Toby did answer them which did upbraid him with his poverty and miserable blindness. We be the children of saints, and look for an other life, which god shall give to all them that change not their faith from him.  
Though it please god so extremely to punyssbe us, even to the end of our life, as he did Lazarus, with hunger, cold, and lack of lodging, biles, botches, and grievous sickness, yet be we not discouraged calling to remembrance this his promiss: He that will persever even to the end, shall be saved. I am sure if Lazarus were here again, knowing so much as he knoweth, though a hundredth times so many evils should vex his body, as did ones, yet he would not be grieved therewith. Let our strength be as Esai saith in hope and silence. What so ever chance, be we quiet and keep silence, even as our master did, being as a sheep before the shearer, or led toward the slaugh terhouse, when the jews did buf fit him & spit in his face. He that committeth himself to god, saith scripture, keepeth silence, him that keepeth silence both god so beat, that he may amend him, so east him down the he may raise him, so slayeth him, that he may make him alive.  
Let us therefore be cheerful so king for the lord, which coming boutles shall come and will not tarry. But what should I say will commee which hath promised to be with us still, even to the end of the world: which as scripture witnesseth, when all our friends, father and mother forsake us, he receiveth us, neither will even leave us (for luche is his promiss) fatherless and motherless, but be with us continually in all our troubles, and at the last (as he did Lazarus, with other of his sort,) clearly deliver us. In the mean space do we feed ourselves merrily with hope. The proverb saith (meaning of worldly things) hope nortsheth outlaws: much more should the hope of christs pmises nourish us For the hope of worldly things is fallible. But the hope of gods promises can not be deceived, neither shall it ever shame us. I have hoped in thee (o lord) saith David, & I shall never be confounded. More over let us comfort ourselves, considering that the man itself is the soul immortal. The body is but a case after the mind of So trates, a house or a prison rather as Paul nameth it, and that the man itself, is no better for corporal commodities, neither the worse for corporal incommd bities. But by the judgement of holy Chrisostome, like as a horse is nothing the better for his gol ●en bridle, silver saddle, precious trappings, or other ornametes, but for his swiftness, poise, and strongnes: No more is our intetior man for riches wealth, health of the body, liberty, or other like, but for the virtue of the mind, and grace of god. Wherefore if we be never the better for riches let us not fear poverty, nor for health, let us not fear sickness, nor for good name, let us not fear slanders, nor for liberty, let us not fear bondage, nor for this common life, let us not fear death. We be better sayeth Chrisostome, for the virtue of the mind, which is to think uprightly of god and to live justly among men. At the other exterior things may be plukte away from us, this can not, 〈◊〉 not by the devil, except we ourselves willingly consent.  
The devil although he took from job all his goods, whereby he might provoke him to blaspheme God: His health, to slake the constancy of his mind; his children, to make him speak evil of the godhead, yet could he never take this from him. But in withdrawing all wordly things, he heaped up the great tyches of virtue, of the love and favour of god, through pactece. job was hurt of the devil, and of his afflictions, as one Pormetheus was of his enemy. Prometheus was a man which had a great swelling in his back, peforming his person very much It chanced that his enemyfalling out with him, thrust a dagger into the same deformed place: That done he departed thinking none other, but that he had slain him. Nowbeit Prometheus had so little harm by his wound, that where as his back could be cuted before with no physic, or surgery, than was made whole. So he received commodity, & health of him the intended his destruction & death. Likewise truly it chaun 〈◊〉 to job, if the thing be advisedly pondered.  
Suffer me I pray ●o to speak this by the way, saying that job for all these cruel torments of the devil, for all these misfortunes, and punishments was never 〈◊〉, deal the worse, whrche had not yet received the law, neither, the redemption of Christ, nor the grace of his resurrection, moch● less we weaponed with all these things, should with like evils be harmed. What were the apostles worse for their hunger, thirst, and nakedness? Lazarus for his botches, poverty, and sickness. joseph for his slanders, Abel for the cruel death he suffered? Were they not more noble and crcelle● for these among men & prepared they not for themselves through these crowns of glory with god? Therefore let us ever b● merry in christ, and pass for no worldlyly miseries, for lack nor ●usse of goods, for slanders nor imprisonment, for sickness, ●danyshement, nor death. But if it chance that all our goods be ●aken from us, let us say with ●●ob and without sorrow we: Naked we came out of our mother's wombs, and naked we shall go hence. We be slandered, put we ●he saying of the lord before our eyes: Cursed be you when men speak well by you: be you glad and rejoice, when they reject your name. We be banished remember that we have no dwelling place here, but look for one that is to come. We fall into great sickness, use the saying of the apostle, though this our exterior man be corrupted, yet thinterior? is daily renewed. Thou art shi●t● in prison, and cruel death hangs over thy head, set before the johun beheaded, and so greate● prophet's head given in rewa●●● of pleasure, to a dancing wench. Thou hast notably offended and therefore in thy conscience thou art troubled with the despair 〈◊〉 god's mercy for the avoiding of this spiritual trouble, thy 〈◊〉 with thyself, that thy heau●●●● fathrt doth sweetly expostulate with the after this sort:  
What now my decree thy●●● why ceaseth not thy spirit at 〈◊〉 last to be afflicted 〈◊〉 why do●● thou vnwis●y derogate from th●● multitude of my inercyes & wh●● dost thou think the jam & 〈◊〉 la●is the tyrant. Danli us, 〈◊〉, or some cruel Srpth? Dwells of mercies the father and of all consolation the god, 
2. Cor. 1.  long suffering, and of much mercy. Art thou not taught by my ●onne jesus to call my thy father? 
Math. 6  Dave not I pormysed that I would be thy father by my prophet Die●●emye, 
Diere. 1●.  and that thou shouldest be my son? Why dost thou not therefore ask me forgiveness well ●hopynge for pardon? Who is it of you although ye be evil wh●-which mill not for give his son, for thinking his faults being suppliant desiring pardon and promysinge amendment (notwithstanding that he hath prou●●ed him to we an hundieth times) ● thinkest thou that I which air● the father of inetries, 
Epht. 3.  of who we all fatherlyn●sse m●heauen and earth is named? Which possess the riches of goodness, patience, 
20, 〈◊〉  and longanimite, not to be re●●● to for●eue my chyldien truth● repenting? Be of good comfort (my child) be so good comfort●● mistrusting not my mercy, whew surpasseth not only man's m●rcp●●●owe great so ever it be, but all mine own wo●kes: Also judgement without mercy shall them feel, whose hearts be oboutate, hardened & will not repent, wh● the delight still in their sins, and will never leave their wy●● bednes, which contemn my mends and trust me not, from them in deed health must needs be far away. 
Ptal.  But as for thee, ●●●pente, and the kingdom of be●nen shall d●a me nigh, trust, and thy faith shall save ●he. I mo●●● have all men to besaved, 
Mat. 9  and 〈◊〉 man to peryshse, 
1. Eimo 2  my fashy●● is ever to recreate, think pug● 〈◊〉 eperyshe utterly which is abect. It is not my will (believe me) ●●at one of these my little ones ●e cast away, 
Mat. 18.  whom I ever lo●ed so well, 
joh. 3.  that I wholde vouchsafe to give my only son for ●hem. But thy trespassc she great whrefore thou art not lightly persuaded to trust in my mer●y? 
1. ●ime. 1  christ jesus came into the world to save sinners. 
Math. 9  ●e came to call sinners, and not the fuste, and too save that which was soused. I know that thou an offender shouldest offend, and as a transgressor, I called the from thy mother's womb, yet for my name's sake will I make my fu●ry far of. 
Esa. 48.  Thy good works can be of no such perfection, that they may be able to save thee, nor, thy evil works (so that thou repent with a full purpose to renew, 
〈…〉.  thy life) came hutle the into the heily fire for I am, 
Esa. 43.  I am which put away thy iniquities for mine o wne sake, and thy sins will not I remember I am (dear son) I am which put away thy sins for myself, for myself, and will give my glory to none other. Suppose thy sins be as red as s●arlette, 
Esa. 1.  they shall be made as white as snow, which I have scattered as clouds, and as mist have dispersed thee, turn● to me (I say) for I have redeemer thee, I have redeemed thee, which have pity of all men, and for repentance wink at men's sins. 
Daps. 12  I would thou shouldest know that I thy Lord am meek and gentle. Neither can I turn my face from thee, so that thou will return to me. 
●●a. 20  It is communlye said, that if a man dimisse his wife, and the departing marrieth an other husband, shall he return to her any more? shall not she be as a polluted and a defiled woman? thou hast committed for ●●ication with many lovers, 
Diere. 3..  yet for all that am I ready to return to thee, so that thou wilt return to me. Such is my facilite, so gentle I am, such is my benignity, so great is my mercy, which thy most loving brother and advotate Christ, 
Esa.  that washed the from thy sins in his blood, 
20. 8.  hath purchased, continually praying for the. Hast thou not herd how merciful I showed myself to David, to the ninivites and Athab, Do ●agoalen, to the these the publican and other innumetable? why dost thou not open the eramples of them, as a table or glass wherein thou mayst well loathe how exorable I am, ho●redy I willing to forgive. sword's der with thyself how heynow faults I have pardoned them, theft, adultery, mirrder, ●olatry, 〈◊〉 what not? 
〈…〉.  B● to therefore, be o● good there, lift up thine ●yrs, mistrust me no longer, turn to me a thou shalt be saved, commend thy syyr●● into my hands, 
Esa. ●●  & the prin●● of this world shall have nothing to do with thee, for by me the god of truth thou art truly rebemed.  
When so ever deadly despair shall trouble thy conscience, set this oration before thine eyes! Which is nothing else in deed, but gods own word, written by his most holy prophets, & apostles, finally the art so tossed & troubled that it should seem that god had clean forg●t the. ●eade the. 49. of Esal, where thou shalt find these words ●ion said (he meaneth gods elect) the lord hath left me, & the lord hath also forgot me. Can the neither forget her infant, & not pity the child she hath hrought forth. But whether she can or no. I can not a Zion forget the. A●●as how should he forget them that believe in him? with whom as it seemeth by his own words he suffereth. What sorever is done to one of these little ones, wh●the belene in me, the same is done unto me. Math. 25. Be that toutheth you, toucheth the very ball of mine eye. Zacha. 2. And this should be no little consolation for the faithful, seeing the they have god himself as companion, & partakes of their sorrows. for all our afflittions & griefs of the mind let us require remedies of gods word, which without fail can mitigate al●ynsnes, that orcupie the har●● of them which believe in him.  
Wherefore it is not bain tha● Christ saith in the gospel, com●● unto me all ye that labour, an● be looden, and I shall refres●● you. Neither without a caused, that david which had 〈◊〉 experience of the comfort teceyved of god's wor●e, said th●● Do we sweet be thy mordes 〈◊〉 Lord to my jaws? mort del●tynge my taste, than the honcombe. What so ever is written, it is written for out learning, 〈◊〉 by patience and comfort of scriptures, we may have hope. Rom. ● By this you may gather the ou●● comfort is to be required of scripture believe me, though the mo●● heinous waves and tempests of this see the world, be raised by threatening drowning to Peter ●●ippe, Yet if it be fastened with banchor of god's word, well they may move it, but overwhelm it they can not. And among all other ●et us have in mind those scriptures wherein we be ascerteyned that our bodies after this common death shall rise again, won ●erfully glorifed by the same power that formed them first. Chose also wherein the eternal felicity that shall be given to all them, wh●the after the erample of Christst, suffer adversities, and overcome the devil, the world with theirs ●s promised, for they shall abundantly comfort the believing people. Lo saith the lord (mentioning the resurrection and reuning of our bodies) I will put breath into you, and you shall be quickened, I will give you synnowes, and cover you● with flesh and skin, I will put into you a spirit, and you shall live and know that I am the lord. Eze. 37.  
We look for jesus christ our sau●● our, which shall transfigurate our vile bodies, & conform them to his glorious body, by the same virtue, wherewith he is able to subdue all things. Phi●. Doubtless like as a grain of wheat so men in the gronud, is first putrefied & brought as into a thing of noughtryet after the springeth bpfresshly with a goodlier form, than he had before, So man's body sown in the ground after this temporal life, is first corrupted 〈◊〉 in manner brought to nothing, yet at the last, by his power, which did create all things of nothing, i● shall rise again with a form of much more excellency, than ever was the first. Though this things be wonderful, yet intredible it is not for he the was able to make all the world with his creatures of nothing, must needs be able to make our bodies again of fresh of some thing. for the matter of ●ur bodies shall ever temayne in grass, worms, dust, stones or some other form, even to the last ●ay. And than surely even as La ●arus & christ (whereof we be mem●res & therefore must needs at the ●ast rise with him being our heave) ●as resuscitate from their slept, (so I may call this corporal death) ●n like case shall the bodies of all men, some into the resurrecti● of tudgement, some of life.  
But this word slept (fr●nd ●r●ane) bringeth me in remembrance of a quest ton which you moved to ●e at our last being together, & or as much as I could not than for lack of opportunity connuen●ently give you an answer, by these letters you shall know my mind, howbeit very briefly, for I purpose to defer the reasoning of the matter to our ne●t metting. Your question was, whether that the soul of man after this temorall death, sleepeth, as doth the body, void both of pain an● pleasure unto the day of judgement or no? I answer that it is as much against the nature of the soul to sleep, as it is against the nature of the son to be a dark body or of the fire to be with out heat. The soul of man being an heavenly spirit, is s●lyuelyke and constant, so strong and vigilant a substance, that naturally it can not but perpetually persever in operation for of his own nature it is a very operation and motion itself, which never ceaseth, but like as the son, which may so ever he is moved, shineth and inflammeth (whereof Phaeton as we read in the poets, had a sufficient proof) so the soul of man whether so ever it is brought liveth and moveth continually. Yea & though the body (which of nature is gross and drowsy) be oppressed with stepe, yet the soul is still occupied in the memory, in the intellection, or in other of the more excellent powers, as by drcames every man mayese.  
Much less can it slept, when it is clean delivered from the stug gys●he body. Therefore as the body sleepeth, so the soul can not for as much as it is a substance accommodate to continual moving, and can not be weary.  
Truly the error of them is great which persuade themselves, tha● the soul separate from hte body, shall sleep unto the last day, and this error is old and was confuted by Drigen, & other of his time. Neither was it ever since received into the church, unto such time as the anabaptists a pestilent kind of men, whose madness is execrable, brought it of late days into the world● again. But as all other of their opinions be perverse, abhorring from the truth, and devilish, so is this. Declaring his patroves not to be taught in Christ's school, but in Galens rather, which affirmeth the death of the soul, necessarily to follow the death of the body.  
But leaving the vain fantasies of the boting anabaptists, let us give ear to god's word. It is written Ecclesia. 12. The puste shall returue to his earth, from whence it came, and the spirit to God, which gave it.  
Where I hope he shall be so far from death and sleep, that he shall live, delighted with joys unspeakable. He that heareth any words (sayeth Christ) and believeth in him which sent me, hath life everlasting, and he shall not come into condemnation, but he shall pass from death to life. john. 5. Mark that he sayeth not, from death to sleep, but from death to life. The parable in the. 16. of Luke doth well improve their false opinion.  
Where it is written, that Lazatus after his death, used joy and gladness: On the other part, that the rich gluttou was grieved and tormented.  
If the souls of men should sleep as the anabaptists say●, neither should any joy have been attributed to Lazarus, nor to the glutton punishment.  
What will they say to these words which Christ spoke to the these: This day thou shalt be with me in paradise. Will they make us believe that Paradyse is a dormitorte or a place to slept in? In cast it be, a man would think that christ is or was once a stepe therein. for he saith, thou shalt be with me in paradise. S● Paul was tapped. 2. cor. 12. into paradise, & there did hear words which a man may not lawfully speak. These words he heard not with the ears of his body, for it lay prostrate on the ground Actu. 9 But of the soul, which part of Paul was ravished in ●o paradise, where he did hear and see mysteries. Therefore I can not believe that paradise is a sleeping place, saying that Paul was so occupied there, in hearing of secrets. Moreover where as saint Paul desired to die, and to be with Christ, me think he should rather have wished for the prorogation of his life, it that the soul should continually slept to the last day, for in this morld after a sort we have the fruition of god, as though it were by a glass, as saint Paul himself teacheth. But after this life (if the opinions of the anabaptists be true) we shall have no fruition of god at all (ercepte it be through dreams) vuto the day of judgement. Therefore faint Paul's wish (if we cre●●t these antechristes) must needs seem to be soolyshe. The lord saith that he is the god of Abraham, the god of Isaac, the god of jacob, not the god of the dead, but of the 〈◊〉 ve. Betwyrte the dead and the anabaptists slepers, I s● no difference. If soul had been taught by any of the old● prophets, that the souls of men should sleep, he would not have gone about so busily to have ca● sedup Samuel. We read. 1. Pet. 1 that christ went in spirit, and preached unto the spirits which were in prison, and were disobebyente ones, when the lenytis of God was looked for, in the days of Noe. Again in the fourth of the same epistle, that the gospel was preached unto the dead. By the which testimony what is mente but thatthe souls of the dead, did scle the virtue of Christ's death. which they could not have bone in case they had slept, according to the anabaptists dream.  
Therefore I say believe not these false deceivers, which endeavour not oncly to pcrswade the slepc of souls, but also to evacuate the resurrcction of the dead, and so to abolysshe an article of our faith, & to make our religion vain. And hereafter when you shall read or hear any such scriptures, as is a part of the fourth chapter of the first epistle to the Thessolonians where is mencyned the sleep of the dead, ascribe it to the bodies, which in deed shall sleep to the day of judgement, and than shall arise again (the soul's toy ned to them) and awake from they● sleep undoubtedly. Therefore saith job: I know that my redeemer doth live, and in the last day I shall rise from the earth, and in my flesh shall see my saviour. job. 19  
O that happy and merry last day, at the lest to the faithful, when christ by his coucnaunte, shall grant unto them which shall overcome and keep his works even to the end, that they may ascend and sit in seat with him, as he hath ascended and sitteth in throne with his father. Apo. 2. &. 3. where so ro we shall be turned into gladness, that no m●̄ shall take frtome them. Then as writeth Esai, They which be redeemed shall return, and come into Zion praising the Lords, and eternal merynes shall be over their heads, they shall obseyne mirth and solace, sorrow and wailing shall be utterly vanquished. 51. Than the Son shall no more give them light, nor the moon discuss the darkness for them: but the Lord our god shall be their light, anb comfort continual. 60. Than doubt ye not (be we only constant here in the love and faith of god) we shall have for earthly powertye, heavenly riches: for hunger and thirst, saturity of the pleasant presene of god: for bondage, liberty: for sickness, health for death, lie everlasting.  
For this time friend Urbane I shall desire you to take this poor letter (how so ever it be) in good worth, and hereafter if it shall please god to call me to a more quiet living (as ye know I am yet compelled necessarily● to besto we in manner all my time and study in teaching of yon●● scollets) I will write to you more largely of this argument, and peradventure) God the auctor of all good things giving me grace) more learnedly. Thus far you well, at Orforde the rd. day of March.  
FINIS.   

¶ printed at London in Aldersgate street by Iohn Herford.  
ANNO.  
1546.   

Gaudete in domino semper. Philip. 4. Tristicia seculi mortem operatut● 2, Corinth. 7.   

¶ A sweet consolation, and the second book of the troubled man's medicine, made and pronounced by William Hugh, to his friend lying on his death bed.  
Watch for ye know no day nor hour.  Math. 25. Certius est ꝙ mors, ꝙ mors incertius est nil. 
If ye list to learn wyliyngly to die  
And that seemeth dreadful death to desire  
Read this brief book, the doctrine thereof try  
But death shall not be dreadful, to the godly wise   

¶ To the right Worshipful and his singular good lad● and may stres lady Deny. hyrhumble feruaunte wyllyam Hugh, wysshethe health.  
IF that happi●● (right worshipful and my s●● gular good ●●-dy) may happ●● to the estate, a●● condition of servants, amo●● the happiest of them, I may ●●stly and worthily place myself ●● whose hap it was to chau●● on so worshipful, so gentle or●●ther gentleness itself) so benig●● and virtuous a maistres: wh●● singular virtues if I should 〈◊〉 about to erpresse or number, as 〈◊〉 should lightly find of mine oration a beginning, so I should hardly find an end. But I knowing your nature (in this point more than womanlike to be delighted in nothingtleste, than in hearing pour own praises, have appointed to set them out (notwithstanding that writers, in their epistles deditatory for the most part be moche in commending those, unto whom they dedicate their ●okes as Timas the painter did the mourning countenance of Agamemnon king of Grece. Timas the noble painter at such time as Ephigenia daughter of the said king, was killed and sacrificed to Diana (for otherwise the false gods would not be placate, nor at one with the greeks, which hath offended her not long before) was send for to describe every part of that heup and lamentable tragedy, even as it was done, at the last when he came to the descriptione of Agamemnon his face, it was so sorrowful, sad, and mooreninglyke, that with all the cunning he had, he could not in painting represent the same. Therefore he courting the face of the image with a vele, left the sorowfulness of it to the imagination of men. Likewise I for as much as I can not, and more over for that I dare not (lest I should incur your anger) plain lie speak of the good things, that god, nature, and fortune have plenteously powered upon you: I will cover them with the vele of silence, and leave them to the judgement of those that know you. Specially considering them not to be so obscure, that they need my gross & unlearned style to make them more notable or better known: for what need is it to hang a garland of green ivy at the taverns door, where the wine is good, wholesome, and vendtble? I shallbe well content that other men praise the form, obedience, fruytfulnes, faithfulness, hastitie, benignity, facility, cumlynes, and pity to wards the poor (declaring themselves therein to be rethoritions) of their maistrices when these their virtues be not opentye known, ne commended of many. As for me as I should ●aue no thank for my labour ●n the ertolling of yours, so I should seem to play his part which endevourethe to give ●yght to the son, or rather that ●angethe some black thing betwixt it and the eyes of men darkennethe his light. wherefore I purpose not (though I shall seem therefore in this epistle, scantly to perform my duty) to praise or advance your ladyshype at all. Unless it be only in assirmtng that your ladyshyppe is a wife not unworthy of hy●● whom god the maker of all honest marriages, hath given you for your husoande. What comen dation is comprised herein, judge they that know the goodly and goodly qualities, the authority, & wyscdome: the virtues, and singular gifts, which god hath moved him with all. Not withstanding doubtless that I in this behalf can scarcely withdraw or restrain my pen, remembering that I have found your ladyshyppe (and that for the love and good mind which you here toward good letters not in words but in deeds, not in one or. two. things, but in many most beneficial: and to say the truth, a mother in deed rather than a maystris.  
Wherefore I have thought it my part by some mean to show an argument of my honest heart toward you. And for as much as I could not do it otherwise, I was bold to dedicate this little book unto your gentleness: which book for that purpose I have written that men might learn to die patiently, to leave the world willingly, and to go unto christ gladly. How necessary such a thing is to be had among the people (albeit I would wish that one or other should take the matter in hand, that can handle it more wittily and learnedly than I have here done) they which have been at the point of death, or they that have serchede the consciences of men, being about to die, can best express. The devil doubts, which at all times is busied, and erneslly occupied, in seeking the destruction of man's soul, in the day of death showeth his diligence most: no we bringging a man in love with the world and his commodities, provoking him to hate death, and to resist as much as lieth in him) the will of god, now leading him to vispayre, to the mistrust of gods promises, and impatiency. Is it not needful than to have something written and ready, specially among the unlearned, whereby they may learn to despice death, to contemn the morlde, to obey the will of god, wherhy they may be reduced from murmuring to patience, from despair and mistrust to a firm and constant faith, in the promises of god? Whether this book shall perform so moche or no I can not tell. yet thus moche I ●are say, that he which heareth or readeth it with a mind and put pose to learn the said things, shall not utterly lose his labout. Cato uticensis reading over the book of Plato called Phedone, a little before he killed himself, ●therwith sufficiently instructed that ysoule of man was unmortal, ●esptced death and died very will kingly. Moche more a christyane oratione (although it have not so much as a shadow of the eloquence or gravity of Plate his book) grounded in holy scriptures and smelling of wholesome and heavenly doctrine, should perswad● the christian man quietly, & gladly to die. The occasion why I writ this book declamation wi●● is this. It happened me not long ago to visit my friend, lying o●● his death bed, whom after my poor wit and learning, I exhyrted to die christianly. This friends that than were present, in a while after instantly required me to write the same exhortatione, even so as I pronounced it unto the sick. Declaring that so it should most move the readers, hearers, & such as should need like consolation. I thinking no less with myself was content herein to satisfy their requests. The thing written I determined to give to your ladyshyppe, not for that I thought so slender and simple a thing worthy of your worship: but that I might as I said before she we some argument of a thankful mind.  
This I beseech your ladyship, how so ever it be, take in good worth, not looking so much to the paruitie of the gift, as unto the mind of the giver thereof. Thus far your ladyshyppe well. At the court.   

BY certain arguments, a m● may easily con●●cture (dearly beloved) that the last sleep, which to a true Christian of all sleeps ought to be most pleasant, by little and little creepeth upon your mortal limbs, If my judgement deceive me not, you or it be long to, shall walk the same way. Which for the crimes of our first father Aoam, needs must be trodden of all his posterity. Of all I say, the escape, or evasion of death (whrefore you ought the less to be grieved (granted to no man. 
Regum. 14.  All we saith scripture shall die, and as weak water, shall slide into the ground, 
Dapien. 7.  like as there is one entrance for every man into this present life, so one passage, and departure. Therefore we be monysshid of the prophet not to fear the judgement of death, 
Dapien.  but rather to remember things that have happened before our time, anv those which shall succeed. That is to ●aye, that none of our progeny●ours could ever escape the dent of death, neither any of our posterity shall. We be admonished that we be dust, and into ●uste we shall return, 
Genes. 3.  by the re●on of death, which for the fault and disobedience of ure first ●●rmed parent, with his inevitable dart, strykethe and deadly woundeth all men, 
Roman, 5.  he woundethe deadly, not the wretched only, the needy and miserable, but the fortunate also, the wealthy, and the noble, pen kyn●ts, rulars, and the rycheste emperors, which in power, and dignity, riches, renown, and gl●tye, do excel, and in their tym● rule the world according as they list. Not the unlearned only, the rude & barbarous, but tho●● also, which in learning, and manner's be most instruct. Not th● ourtrummyn, and careful captives, but also the puissant conqu●rers them se●fes. Alexader a king most victorious, by whose powe● and furious wars Asia with Europe was manfully subdued, no man being able to resist him, could find no weapon to conquer death. The notable mysedome of Solomon, the deep lea● ning of Aristotle, nor of Galen, could by any mean avoid death. The cups of Circe, nor the enchantments of Medea, could repel the violence of death. Cullye, his eloquence could not move him. The riches of Crass us could not corrupt him. He favoured ●ot the beauty of fair Absalone, ●ether he spared the strength of ●●ronge Samson. Dne vyghte saith the poet tarrieth for every body, and the way of death must ●ns be trodden of all men. Like as all the ●iarres that come from the ●●st, though they be never so ●oodly and bright, yet at the last ●ey go to the west and there ar●●rdynge to the diueri●te of their circle's some ●owly, some speedily withdraw themselves, out of our ●yghtieuen so all men which come from the east, that is to say their ●atiuite into the world, although they glister and shine here for a ●easen, yet at the last they must ●edes some rather, some later, according to the duratione, which they have received of god, fall 〈◊〉 the west of death, depatte, and withdraw themselves from the sight of men. Therefore the wys● man Simonides at such ty●● as Pausanias a noble captain desired to learn some good and fruitful lesson, bade him remember that he was mortal. Therefore also Philip the king of M●cedony wallowing in worldly wealth and prosperity, commanded his chamberlain, that h● should every day at his vprism● sadly repeat these words. Remiberking Philip & forget not, that thou art a man to mortality subject. 
Esar. 45.  All flesh is grass, and every man is the flower of grass, the grass shallbe withered, and the flower shallbe dried away. The man (saith job) that is borne 〈◊〉 a woman, liveth but a short ty●● replenished with many miseries, fades as a flower, and is worn away vanisshying as a shadow. ●wherfore not without a cause the life of man is compared of ●uciane to a bubble in the water, ●of Pindarus to the shadow of a dream, of Eschilus' to the shadow of vain smoke. cruelly if that death should chance but to a few, and to the unluckest, we should seem to have a just cause he ●uely (as I think you partly do) to take death. But saying that ●●e doth as well knock at the rich man's door as at the poor: at the happy man's door, as at the unhappy: at the strong man's door as at the weak: at the kings ●owers, as at the sheperdescotes, why should we not take well in forth a thing importing such necessitic? Dow unreasonable is it for a man to take heavily his death, more than his birth considering that the one is appointed for man as well as the other, the one as commune as the other, the one as necessary as the other, and of them both death is the better? in being sorry to die, we shall seem to lament in that our lot is mortal, and that we be not angels orequall with god. Which is a great point of foolishness, mixed with impyetye. If we be troubled with such as be very calamities in deed, to have. two. 02. iii. companions we count in a ma●ner a comfort sufficient: Moche more we should be comforted as touching death, saying that we have not. two. 02. iii. but all men of what estate or degree so ever they be of, as companions and partakers of the same. yea even the very saints themselves, and those that were highly favoured of God. Moses which was admitted to the secrets and mysteries of God, died. david whom God pronounced to be a man after his hearts desire, died. John the evangelist most tenderly beloved of his master, died. John baptiste than whom by the sentence of Christ none greater hath tysen among the children of men died, and not saints only, but the dearly beloved son of God. Christ being both God and man, 
Esai. 54.  a lamb most innocent, and without spot that he might pay our taunsome, deliver us sinful wretches from thraldom, and pacify his father's wroth, was content to die the most ignomiouse death of the crosse●. And shall we sinners that were begotten in sin, borne in sin, & have lived in sin, all the days of our lives, be aggrieved to put of these our v●le & sinful bodies? Christ when he was in the shape of god, and thought it no robbetye to be equal with God, made himself or no reputation, taking upon him the shape of a servant, and became like an other man, 
Phi. 3.  and in apparel was found as a man, humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, that he might advance us to the kingdom of his father: and shall we being but worms, dust, and clay, be loath to die, whereby we may enjoy the same advancement? Sisigambe the mother of Darius, king of Persia; for the very love she bore toward Alexander for as much as he used her somewhat gently in her captivity, was wondrous willing of her own accord by death to follow him after his decease, ye even to hell: And shall we christians be sow to follow Christ, which in captivity hath retained us well nor evil, but brestinge utterly at his bands, hath clearly delivered us? Sisigambe vehemently desired to follow Alexander which was her enemy in deed more than her friend: and shall we be unwilling to follow Christ, which is our friend most faithful and assured? She desired to follow him which made her poor, and shall not we covet to follow christ, that hath empoverysshed himself, to make us rich? She was content to follow him that made her of a free woman & a queen a bond handmaid, & shall we by our wills refuse to follow Christ which hath made us of vile slaves, & beggarly captives, free men, and kings: She would needs follow Alexander, although she could not tell where to find him, ne in his presence how to be entreated, & shall we be loath to follow Christ whom we know certainly to be of the right hand of his father? where weshal be sure (if we die faithful) to find him & for ever to dwell with him with most gentle entertainment? She would follow him that did not look, call, nor send for her, and shall not we willingly follow Christ, when his pleasure shallbe to call for us. Christ I sayour lord ●t our god, our life (as it is written) and the length of our days calleth us: and for as much as the days of men be determinate (as job saith) of god: we may not ascribe our death to the starts, 
job. 14.  or destiny, but unto the calling of god, in whom we live move and be: of whom cometh both death and life, 
Eccle. 7.  which hath appointed our terms that we can not pass, with whom is the number of our mouths, 
Math. 10.  without whom an hear can not fall on the ground from our heads: moche less the hole bodies. For he that worketh all things for himself, 
Droucr 10 Sapi. ●0.  hath power both of death and life. I can much commend the common people, for as much as they seem to imitate saint Cipriane in using this phrase: when it shall please god to call me to his mercy and such like. Wherein they declare themselves, not to be of their opinion, which think that men be not cared for, ne governed 〈◊〉 god, but that all things d●● chance even by very tortune. The which opinton if it were true, God should either be ignorant of many things, or else abhor from his creatures. And therefore should he seem either not true, or not good. But this matter left, I will return to my put pose, saying that it is appointed for all men to die, and when 〈◊〉 shall please god to call them, l●● us be content merrily to depat●e thither, and when as our heavenly, and most bountiful fathet shall call us, remembering ever that we ought to work not our own wyll●s, but the will of god, according to the prayer that we customable, by the commau● dement of Christ. Dow preposte rous and perverse a thing is it, to desire that the will of god may be fulfilled in heaven and in earth and yet when he willeth us to depart from this world, we would by our wills resist him, and like ●nto ward and stubborn servants, are rather drawn with the band of necessity, than with ●oue or obedience due to the will of god? There be none of us but we will wish deliverance from this Egypt with her captivity and troubles, and to dwell with god in the land of promission, where is all joy and quietness: pet we be loath after that god hath brought us even to the gate, of the said land (for as the course of our life is a raise to death, so death is the gate of everlasting life) Do enter in by it we would gladly be honoured with heavenly rewards, but we be unwilling to go where they be. The cau●● would eat sweet milk, but sh● is loath to wet her feet. wh●● should we pray so oft let the kingdom of heaven come, if we besomuch delighted with earthly bondage? why do we pray the the day● of the kingdom may he hastenth, if we be more desirous here to serve the devil, than to reign in heaven with christ? but let us break our own wayward wills, conforming them to the will of god, and showing ourselves willing at all times to pay, that we ow●. What other thing is it to die, than to pay such things as was for a time lyberallylent us? what honest heart will not, & that willingly, at the lest if ability fail not, pay again. xx. li. to him, which gently did lend it at his nedt, when so ever it shallbe required. And shall we stick to pay to the ●arthe the mother of us all, our bodies of whom we borrowed them, ●nd our souls to god our father ●hat bountifully did lend them? God forhydde. No, we ought to be much more propense to pay our souls to god, than the better to ●aye his money. For of the payment of the money few or no commodities do ensue, but after the paying of our souls to God, ●nnumerable pleasures, and infinite commomodities succeed. For then at the length they be luckily brought from darkness to light: from fear, to security: from travel to quietness, from a thousand dangerous syrtes his rocks, & waves, into a sure haven: from the use of vain, vile, filthy, and transitory things, to the fruition of the eternal deite of god. What thristen man mill not 〈◊〉 glad of such an exchange? w●● loving child will not harte●● covyt deliverawce, from the m●●sery, bondage, and tyranny 〈◊〉 this world, and to dwell with his most merciful father in heaven. Oblindues. what cause ha●● we I pray you to hate death? 〈◊〉 whose mean we be made of b●● men fire, of strangers, homed ●●lers, of beasts, like unto angels. If that a great ruler happen to call any of us to a kings or emperors court, promisin●● to do for us, to set us our with temporal riches, to endue 〈◊〉 with worldly possessions: we think ourselves very fortunate: and when god the ruler of all rulars, and king of all kings shall 〈◊〉 us to his court, and give us inheritance, and possessions, not in earth, but in heaven, which be instant, and shall never be take ●omvs, by storms, nor tempests: ●y craft, nor subtilty of the law: ●y oppression, nor tyranny: by ●eath, the devil, nor sin. Shall be think ourselves unfortunate? No truly, if we be well in our wits: But rather count that ●me when so ever it shall come, ofall times to be most happy: for ●s moche as than the kingdom of god, the reward of life, the toy of eternal health, perpetual glad●es, possessione of paradise, that was once lost, be even at hand. Than for earthly things, heavenly, for iytle things great, for transitory things eternal, shall take place. Who than I may you, will leare death, but he that hath no faith, that laketh hope, that would not go to christ, and believeth not that he beginneth than to reigns with christ, when he beginneth to leave this world? Oh that we had a sparkle of the grace and faith that Simeon had: which being a just, and faithful man, was assured by a godly responsion, that he should not die before he had seen Christ. Whom after that he had seen in the temple, & known in spirit, knew certainly that he should shortly be called of God, and die. Therefore he being marvelous glad took the child in his arms, and blessing god, cried out and said: Now dimisse thy servant, o lord according to thy word in peace. For mine eyes have seen thy saving health. dear did simeon prove, and testify, that than free tranquillity, true peace and sprme securytye, do happen to the servants of god: when they be drawn from this troublesome world, and brought to the port of the everlasting man●ion. Peradventure you will say unto me: Sir as tor Simeon, I ●an not blame him though he was well content to die, for as ●moche as he was a man of a great age, and as they say commonly, even at the pits bank, I am but a young mau, I might have lived yet many years, with no small comfort of my friudes, by the com●nune curse. my time was not yet come. I grant in deed, you be a man of no great age, but what ●ay I pray you, can we appoint for any man's death? Every day may be a bodies last day if it stand with the pleasure of god. We see that some die in the●● mother's bellies, some in their cr●● delles, some in the flower of their age, some in their old age, some when they be rich, other some when they be poor: so that we may plainly vuderstande that god doth give to every man his life of that condition, that he surrender it again when so ever it shall please him to repeat it. But among all other, saith the great poet Menander: Most happy be they and best beloved of god, that die when they be young. The which saying, as it is very witty, so it is very true. And that a man may easily perceive if he have 〈◊〉 specte to the spiritual evils and temporal incommodities that occupy this lyfet for they communly depart, not yet infected with so much malice, entangled with so moche vice, corrupted with so much wickedness, as their elders be. Not yet so surre separate from god by the reason of sin, and made members utterly and limbs of the dcuyll. It chanceth for the most, that men after they come to a ripe and complete age, be clean drawn from god, from virtue, from simplicity, and integrite of life, to sin, wychednes, & ungodly living. The rich by injurious handling the poor, by oppression, ingurgitation, and beastly incontinency, The poor by pyckinge, lying, desperation, and blaspheming the name of God. (I speak of many but not of all). The witty by craft, deceat and subtilty. The learned, oft by heresy, ambition, and devilish doctrines. I will not speak of envy, malice, rancour, adultery, which at the type age increase in growing, and as Scylla, and Charybdis hurl the greatest part of men into the hoxrible sea of perdytion. The holy ghost teacheth by Solomon, that they which please God best be quickly and rathe taken from this world, lest they should be polluted with the wickedness of the same. He was taken away, sayeth he, lest malice should change his understanding, for his soul did please god, and he hath made haste to bring him from the mids of miquitie. Enoche did please God, and he was not found afterward: for God had taken him away. Therefore to please God, is to be counted worthy of him to be delivered from this world, and to be brought thither as the devout soul of the prophet covyted to come, saying: How dearly beloved, be thy habytations, o God of virtues, my soul desirethe and maketh hasie to thy hawles. Those trees be not best the be most durable, but of whom ●oth spring most profitable fruit Netther be those songs most commendable, that be longest, but the most delight the ears of men: Eve ●o the longest lift is not chiefest: but that which is moosle bertu●us, and lest with vice defaced. Further let us ponder these temporal displeasures and incommo ●ities, and than judge whether ●●at death when or in what age ● ever it chaunsethe) be better ●●an life, according to the wor●es of ezechiel, or no. Consider sf what calaniyties, chances, ●yseryes, and perils, men be in danger. No man living is happy on every part: No man is utterly content with his lote, who there that reason or chance (as saith Horace) hath of● ered it unto him. wherefore no man according to Solon's words, is happy in deed before he be buried. For this cause Socrates with other of his sect desired ever desirously to die: esteeming death not to be miserable, but the end of all miseries. Not troublous, 
Ezechi. 30.  but the end of all troubles. Better saith Ezech● ell is death than life, and eternal resie than continual sorrows. For every part of this life doubtless is replenished with unpleasantness, full of sorrow, inquiet●● with cares, troublescme, and vexed with diseases. What trade ● life so ever a man shall follow (saith Crates, he shallbe sure ● find bitterness therein. In the fields be labours, at home cares. In a strange country fear, of a man have aught. In the sea, fear with jeopardies, Inyouth foolyshaes, in age, feebleness: in marriage, unquietues: in lacking a myfe, solitariness: if a man have thyldrens, he hath care: if he have none, he is half maimed. So that one of these two, saith he, is to be mysshed. Either not to be borne, or quickly to die. The wretchedness of this world hath compelled even the holy ●e men being wearied therewith, to wish for death. jonas in his travel, said, that it was better for him to buy than to live. Helyas in his ●yfe time often coveted, and not unadvisedly, to yield by the ghost. Neither can I see any cause, why ●hat all of us which have any hope of an other life to come, should not wish for the same thing: seeing that no man liveth which laboureth not of the indigency both of spiritual and temporal things, nothing truly, though a ma have never so much excellency in honours, abundance is riches, delight in pleasures, can satisfy him or bring a flepe●●●s desires, appetites, and insatiable lu●●es, no more than the daughters of Danaus can fill their bottomless tub. Is it not better therefore to change this life, to leave this strange country and god where is all excellency of honours, abundance of all good things, where perpetual pleasures shall ever be in thy right hand even to the end. Where thy divinity shallbe seen, loved, & reserved for ever. Death of itself in deed is somewhat formidable, and the way to death, as saith the Philosopher, painful. Yet if we consider the premises, and the death is nothing else but a gate, where by men do enter into life, we shall see it amiable, and much to be embraced. I marvel what evil spirite hath so blinded and ve witched the minds of men, and made them mad so shamefully doting: Forasmuch as they can persmade themselves to be best here to live still in these rotten tents, open to all sharp winds and bitter storms: In these ruinous houses, in these stinking prisons, I mean our bodies, and to hate death as it were a venomous & poison serpent: saying it is so friendly a thing inferring a great sea of commodities modities & pleasures: seeing it is, & only it, the finisher of our filthy and painful imprisonment: a consummation of our labours and grievous wars, and arriving at the safe have, nan end of our peregrination: a laying away of an heavy burden: a terminarion of all sickness: an evasion of all dangers: a rerourne into our country: an entrance into glow. If we be wise, let us be well content to die, and cheerfully give a fayrewell to this miserable world, continually unquieted with troubles, and troubled with unquietness, subject to sundry evils, and the false illusiones of vain fortune. For truly it hath much more gall, than honey: much more bitterness, than sweetness. The which thing is well signified by this witty fable of Homer. jupiter (saith he) sitting in heaven and having before him. two. great tons, the one of felicity the other of misery, against a little spoonful of happiness, powrethe out a great ladleful of unhap. Meaning thereby that fortune and misfortune among men do not equally part the stayke. Eschi●us reconting with himself, the continual tossing and turmoiling of men's bodies and minds ●ryeth out after this sort: Oh how unjust be those men, how foolish that hate death, seeing it is a temedy most present for all evils, and the chiefest expeller of all anxieties. Many of the infidels for this cause, thought death of all things most to be desired, as it doth appear by the notable history of Cleobis and Bito, by the manner of the Chracians, by the Epi grams of Crates, and such like things. How much more ought the same to be embraced of us, which be well assured by holy scripture of the immortality of the soul, of a better life to come, add that death is none other, but a very entrance into that life which is true parmanente, and constant? Let the wicked Saduceans which deny the resurrection of the flesh take heavily their death. For they look for none other life after this. Let us which be sure, that our bodies shall arise again, freshly renewed, esteem death as a thing most pleasant. Let those which have had no seole master but Aristotle, that affirmeth death of all terrible things to be most terrible, fear death. Let us which have learned of saint Paul, that to die is a gain: That whether we live o● die, we be of the lord. And that Christ hath died, that he might be ruler both over the quick, & the dead. Heartily say with david: deliver o lord, deliver our souls out of prison, that they may confess thy name. Besides a thousand incomniodities and displeasures of this present slyperie life. This doth also accede, that our sins daily renewed, augmented, and increased, we more and more provoke the lord to ire. And the innocency of life (if we have any: rather than the which should decay, saint Paul desired to die, better sayeth he, it is for me to die, than any man should evacuate my glory) is hoorely endangered. Therefore let us not love the world (for in deed it will not love us very much if we be true Christians) neither the things that be therein or else the charity of the father can not abide in us. For all things in the world (which is holy set in malice) be other concupiscency of the flesh, concupiscency of the eyes, or pride, of life. To conclude, of that death were only an abolysher of worldly displeasures, it were a thing not utterly to be abhorred. But for as much as with worldly miseries, it putteth away those that be spiritual, and further leadeth us to eternal blessedness, why should we not much wyssh for it, covet and desire it? Curtius & the two Decii of rome, affecting the vain glory of the world, vowed themselves (no man command ding) willingly to death. Ind shall we christians, whereby we may attain to the true and heavenly glory (god commanding and calling us die impatiently? or shall we rather tolowing the example of saint Paul, wish for the dissolution of our bodies, and to be with Christ? or of Cato which was wont to say: Oh that happy and pleasant day when it shall be my chance to leave the collwion of this lousy world, and come to their company that inhabit the heavens. What thing in the world is of such excellency that it may justly so allure you being a wise (and as I take you) a faithful man, that you should be loath to leave it? Riches? Incer tain false, and vain, the use where of is vanity, which shall not pro fit you in the day of obduction and vengeance: to be short, very smoke Friends? untrusty, dissem blers, fools, inwhom is no health every man is is an hiporrite, and wicked, and every mouth hath spoken foolysshenes. Parents? you shall have a father in heaven which loveth and tendeteth you more than these earthly parents do. Wit, brethren, and thyldrens? you shall dwell with your brother Christ that loveth and careth for you, much more than all those care, which hath spent, not his money or other extern things for your sake: but his most precious blood. So much hath he esteemed you: so vehementelye hath he loved you before the beginning of the world, yea, and loveth you still. Pleasures? you shall have the presence of God, which so far passeth all other pleasures as the brightness of the son excelleth the light of a tallow candle. honours? Maine, and inconstant: For all thyngrs here is vanity. Your body? A corruptible ●rysonne, which aburdenethe ●he soul, and depressethe the ense musing on many things. from the which prison, the owl being the very man it elf (for the body is but a case) ●esprethe more to be delivered han the prisoners from their ●nprysonmente, and chains. And as fervently covytethe ar●esse unto god, as the chaufed ●atte, boiling with heat, desires the sweet flowing water. ●oure country? A strange country: for so long as we live ●ere we be strange freme Christ, here we have no city ●ermanente, but look for one that is to come. Here we be aliens (as david said) none otherwise than was all our forefathers, a● biding in the reign of the tyrant the devil, that is to say in the world beset with a thousand enemies. first the foul crooked serpent himself, a fur of and nyghoy foins, and strokes, with al● kinds of weapons, never ceaseth endeavouring to oppugn us. The world disquieteth us, and laboureth still to subvert us? The flesh, as much as lieth in him, covardly betrayeth us, and aideth busyly the foresaid enemies. No we poverty, no we riches, and care of things gotten, mo● lest us night and day: with ho● many grievous sicknesses, be m●● bodies vere, what iniuriesscla● dear, despites, do usually grieve us: No we we must prepare out selves to fight with avarice and vuclen lines, now with ire ambition and other carnal vices. To be short, the mind of man is beset with so many enemies, that scant he can be able to resist. If avarice be prostrate, unlawful, lust offereth us battle. If lust be subdued, ambition draweth his sword. If ambition be cast down, ●ire provoketh us: pride setteth in his foot: drunkenness approacheth envy breaketh concord: emulation cutteth amity away. I will not speak of desperation, of the deaf beating of consciences, of the furies of the mind, with such others, which with horrible enforcements furiously assail innumecable: For what should I fight with the monster Hydra? who can number the sands in the sea? or the stars fixed in the High heavens? which I think pass not much the number of men's enemies. saying therefore that man daily suffereth so many persecutions and dangers, should we desire to stand still in the mids of our enemies among so many sharp swords, or shall we covet by death quickly to fly to chrisse our defender and helper? Specially seeing that Christ himself instrurteth us & saith: Truly truly I say unto you, that you shall weep and lament, the world shall rejoice. You shalde sorry but this sorrow of yours shallbe turned into gladness. Who will not be desirous to want heaviness, and to enjoy perfect gladness: when this sorrow shal● be turned into gladness he declareth saying. I will see you again & your hearts shallbe merry, and this mirth shall no man take from you. Therefore saying that to see Christ, is to be glad, and that we shall not be glad in deed to such time as we shall see him: what blindness or rather madness is it here to delight in pain, tears & pensifenes, & not rather court to Come unto the joy which no man shall cake from us? Let us play the wise men, and be glad at the vocation of god, to leave this painful peer grination, to departed from this labo ●inth, and be transferred to our rountry, and to our most loving fathers house: where is no sickness, no sorrows, no weariness, no hunger, no cold, no labour, no ●nournynge, no jeopardies, no enmity, no care, to be short, no adversity at all: but moche tranquillity, pleasure that shall ever endure, and deep quietness: where we shall have for false riches, true inheritance, for dissembling friends, Abraham, Isaac the blessed virgin Mary, Peter, Paul, and the angels of god, which (as the proverb is) shall ever love. Whose faithfulness, and love shall never be changed from us: who considering these things, will not say with the prophet, that the day of death, is better than the day of birth? who will not confess that he which dieth in the lord, maketh the permutation of Glaucus and Diomedes, that is to say, receiveth for brass, silver, and for copper, pure beaten gold.  
BUt peradventure you will say unto me, sir as for this world, how so ever it be, I know it, and of his good things I am a partaker, but whether I shall go hence, yet I know not, ne what I shall have after this life Therefore to leave a certainty for a thing incertain, how should I be but sorry? hearken than I pray ●ou and give ear a little, and I shall declare unto you by gods ●nfallible word, both whether ●ou shall go hence, and what you shall have after this life. The bo ●ye (saith Ecclesiastes) shall return to the earth, 
Eccle. 12.  from whence ●t came, and the soul to god which gave it. The souls of just men be in the hands of god, and ●he torment of death shall not ●ouche them. 
Sapi. 3.  Many mansions ●aith Christ be in the house of my ●ather, if it were otherwise I ●olde have told you: I go to prepare a place for you, 
john. 14.  and if I ●o to prepare a place for you, I will again come and take you to myself, that you may be, where I am: Trust therefore and you shallbe sure by this promise, to come thither where christ is. Every man that heareth the word of Chritie and believeth in him that sent him, 
●0. 5.  hath life everlastyuge: He cometh not into judgement but passeth from death to life. We know (saith Paul) that if the earthly house of this our ha bitation be dissolved, we shall have a building of God, 
〈◊〉 Lord.  an house not made with man's hands but everlasting in heaven. That dwelling doubtless shall happen to all faithful, which Christ of his great mercy promised to the these, with these most comfortable words: This day thou shalt be with me in paradise. Therefore seeing it is so, that the souls of just, and faithful men, be in the hands of god (as you be now assured by scripture) where the torment of death shall not touch them: seeing christ hath prepared a place for them, and that they shall dwell even there as christ himself dwelleth. saying that we shall have after the dissolution of these our earthly bodies, an everlasting mansion in heaven, Doubt no more whether you shall go after this life, but be ready, repent, and believe, and you shall enter accompanied of the v. wise virgins into the joyous marriage mentioned in Matthew. What the faithful shall have after this life, saint Paul in the syrst to the Corinthians and second chapter, shall sufficiently declare. The eye (sayeth 〈◊〉) hath not seen, the ear hath not hard, neither the heart of man hath thought, the excellency of the good things that god hath prepared of them that love him. Again to the Romans. The passions, troubles, and affliccios we suffer here be not worthy of the glory which shallbe revealed in us in the time to come: Thus saint Paul which was rapt into the third heaven, and saw secrets which a man may not lawfully speak, hath taught you what the souls of good men shall enjoy after this life: That is glory, & such excellency of pleasures, as the senses and wit of man can not comprehend. But if saint Paul had spoken no thing of the matter, yet a reasonable man might partly conceive the great and invisible things, that good men shall possess in the other life, of these present things little and visible. For as much as our vile and cortuptible bodies, by the be nignitie of god, receive so many commodities, benefits, and pleasures, of the heavens, the earth, and the sea: of the light, & darkness, of heat, and cold, of the rain winds, and dew: of birds beasts, and fishes, of herbs, plants and trees of the earth: to be short of the ministery of all creatures, serving us successively in their due times, whereby they may all viate our weariness. What how great, & innumerable shall those be which he hath prepared for those that love him in the heavenvly country, where we shall see him face to face? If he do so much & so great things for us being in prison, what shall he do for us in the palace? seeing that the works of god be so great and innumerable, wondrous, and delectable, which the good and the evil receive indifferentlyee how great shall those be which the good shall receive being alone seeing that he perfourmethe so moche for his friends and his enemies yet being together: what shall he do for his fredes separately? seeing that he comforteth usso moche in the day of tears, how moche shall he comfort us in the day of marriage? seeing that the prison containeth such things, what manner of things shall our country contain. The eye (as it is said before) hath not seen, the ear hath not hard, nor the heart of man can think the excel lencye of those things, which god hath prepared for his friends, according to the great multitude of his magnificency, 〈◊〉 the multitude of his pleasantness, which he hath laid up for them that fear him. Therefore let us not doubt whether we shall go neither what we shall have (being faithful) in the other world. For as much as we may certain die know, not by scripture only but also by the leading of natural reason. All such doubt put away, desire we most hatrelye and fervently access to those things which God hath prepared for his friends, musing now and than some such godly meditatione as is this, which saint Augustine hath in his Soliloquiis.  
The heart desyrythe not so much (o lord) the wells of sweet water, as my soul desireth to be with thee. My soul hath sore thirsted the o lord the well of life) oh when shall I come and appear before thy glorious face? o well of life, and vain of living waters, when, when shall I come from the earth, deferte without way, wild and waterish, unto the waters of thy sweetness? that I may see thy virtue, and satisfy my thirst, with the waters of thy mercy. I am a thirst (o lord) and thou art the well of life. Fill me with thy waters I beseech the. I do thirst for thee (o lord) the living god, when shall I come and appear before thy face? shall I ever see that day, that day, I mean of pleasuntnes and mirth that day, which the lord hath made, that we might be glad and merry in it? o day most bright fair, calm, void of all storms, tempests, and troublesome winds, having no evented nor falling down of the son: in the which I shall hear the voice of praise the voice of exultation, & contession. In the which day I shall hear, enter into the joy of thy lord thy god, where be great inscrutable & marvelous things, whereof there is no number. Enter into joy, without heaviness, into joy which containeth eternal gladness. Where shallbe all good things and no eyul, where a man shall have what he will and nothing that he will not, where life shallbe lyvelyke, sweet, amiable, where shallbe no enemy impugning us, but safe security, sure tranquyllite, quiet iucundite pleasant felicity, happy eternity, eternal blessedness, and the blessed trinity, of the trinity the unite, of the unity, the debt, of the bless fruitione. O joy above all joys, O joy passing all other t● O joy hesydes the which there is no joy. When shall, I enter that I may see my lord that dwelleth in thee, and the great vistone what is it that letteth me so long: alas how long shall it be said to me, where is thy god and where is thine expectations art not thou o lord God? we look for jesus christ which shall retourme the bodies of our humility, and conform them to his. When shall he return from the marriage that he may lead us to his marriage? come o lord, and tarry not, come swear jesus come and visit us in peace come and bring us from prison that we may be glad before the with perfit hearts, come which art desired of all nations, she we thy face & we shallbe saved, come my own light, my redeemer, and bring my soul from prison that it may confess thy name how long shall I poor mretche, be toast in the floods of my mortality, crypeng to the o lord and thou hearest me not? hear my cry I befech the from this troublesome sea, and bring me to the port of felicity. Oh happy be they which have passed the dangers of this jeopatdouse sea, and have attained to thee, O surest haven. Dappye thrice happy be they which have passed from the sea, to the banks from hany sshment, to their country, from prison to the heavenly palace. Where they rejoice with continual quietness that they have sought by many tribulations. O happy and happy again which are eased of the butden o● their evils and being sure of unmarcessible glory, inhabit the kingdom of comeliness. O everlasting kingdom. O kingdom of all worlds, where is light that never faylethe, and the peace of god that passeth all sense. In the which peace the souls of saints do rest, where everlasting merines coverith their heads, with joy and exultation. Where sorrow and morning can have no place. Oh how glorious is thy kingdom good lord in the which thy saints do reign, clothed with light as it were 〈◊〉 a garment, having on their heads crowns of precious stones. O kingdom of everlasting blessedness, where as thou o lord the hope of saints, and diadem of glory art looked upon of thy holy ones, face to face, making them glad on every side, in thy peace that passeth all sense. There is toy without end, gladness, without sadness, health, without sickness, mirth, without sorrow, ●ay without labour, light without darkness, life, without death, all good things, without all evil things, where youth never wax ●th old, where life hath none ●nde, where beauty never fadetg, where love is never cold, where joy doth never decrease, where sorrow is never felt, where wailing is never hard, where no evil is feared, for there the highest felicity is possessed: That is to say ever to see thy face o lord of powers. Therefore happy be they which have already attained unto such iopes. Unhappy be we for as much as we do yet travel in a strange country as banished men, suspyring unto thee, being the port of the sea. O country, o our sweet country a far of we look towards thee, from this unquiet ocean we do salute thee, with tears we desire and sue to come to the. O Christ god of god, the hope of mankind, our refuge, & virtue, whose light a far of among the dark clouds, over the stormy seas, as the beam of a star, of the sea, doth irradiate our eyes that we may be ditected to the safe haven. Govern our ship with thy right hand and with the stern of thy cross, least we perish in the floods, least the tempests of the sea drown us, lest the depth sup us up, with the hook of thy cross, draw us unto the from this tempestuous sea ours only comfort, whom we do see a far of as the morning star, and the son of justice, with our eyes scant able to weep any longer. Unto the standing upon the bank and looking for us, we thy redeemed, we thy bantshed men, whom thou haste bought again with thy precious blood, do cry. Thou o lord of health, hope of all costs of the earth, a far of and in the sea. We do waver in the troublous surges, thou most bountiful lord behold our jeopardies, save us sweet lord for thy name's sake, grant us that we may so keep a mean betwixt Scylla and Charyboys, that we may eschew both the daungets and happely● come to the port, our ship, and our marcha●● dice sat. Let us I say now and than (all hate of death excluded) muse some such godly meditation, earnestly desiring of God not teporally to live, but to die, not to continue here in banysshment among our enemies, but to be delivered and dwell in our country with christ, not to endure here in these dangerous wars, but through death to come unto peace most pleasant. yet pataduenture one scruple is left behind that troubleth your conscience and suffereth not your mind as yet to be quiet. You will say unto me: Sir I remember, that among many things, I hard you say that the souls of just me be in the hands of god, and the torment of death shall not touch them. I am not just, no not so much as a dream or a shadow of a just man, but rather a syuner most mice rabble, which have accustomedeu● from my young age, to heap vice upon vice, and with detestable transgression, continually to exasperate my lord god. Wherefore the judgement of scripture and not without a cause, troublethmy conscience, feareth it, condemneth it, and pulleth it in pieces. All offences saith he shallbe gathered together, And all those that work iniquity, 
Math. 1●  they shall be sent into aforuace of fire, where shall be mourning and gnashing of teeth. 
Math 23  Again, they which have done well, shall go into everlasting life, they that have done ●uyll into everlasting fire: Nether adulterers, 
1 cor. 5.  fornicators, tobbers, conitous persons, nor ●orshyppers of images, with such others shall snheryte the kingdom of god. This is the sentence of God's word, this repellyth me from his kingdom and from paradise, whereof you made-mentyon, this maketh me afraid and with shame utterly putteth me back, this confoun death me, and chasy the me clean away. doubtless you do● very well, in that you confess your own uncleanness. for if that any of us should say that we have not offended, 
jon. 1  we should deceive ourselves. All men have swerved, and are made unprofuable, neither is there any that doth good, 
tom. 3  no not one. We have wandered verily all of us, as it were sheep every one after his own way. Being servants unprofitable, and by nature the children of wroth, 
●ai. 59  neither is any m● good, god only except. 
Math 19  Wherefore in his sight no man shallbe able to justify himself, nor yet to abide him if he observe our imquities: for in his sight the very stars be not clean, but what than, shall we being brought to this i●rait, cowardly despair? God forbid. Well, what shall we do? Whether shall we fly? Where is our refuge? Let us fly unto christ, as unto a sure sanctuary, safe refuge, and puissant defender Unto christ? How dare we be so bold? Whose precepts we have never obeyed, whose laws we have seldom, or never kept, whom we have disdained to love again, not withstanding that he hath ever been our lover most faithful and true? He being full of mercy, calleth us unto him of his own accord. Come hither to me (saith he) all you that labour, and be laden with sin, 
●ath. 11  and I shall ref●esshe you. Be we bold therefore to sue to his mercy, and of his holy oracles which are written for our consolation and learning, let us require comfort. for they (such is the virtue of them) can easily erect men's mindestand quiet troubled consciences they as most hoolesome medicines shall give us present health. They shall pronounce mercy to the penitent sinner, and to the captives pardon. They shall declare us to be no more under the rigour of the law, but under grace and mercy: They shall teach us that god is pacified and that our sins be forgiven us for his son's sake. You be freely justified (saith Paul) by grace through the redemption that is in jesus Christ, whom god hath set forth to be the optainer of mercy through faith in his blood, 
Rom. 3  to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins, that are gone before in the sufferance of god, to declare his righteousness in this time, that he may be righteous, and the justifier of him which is of the faith of jesus christ. 
Ephe. 2.  By grace (as he saith to the Ephesians) we be saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of god, and that not of our works, lest any man should glory. Wherefore seeing it is so that we be freely justified by faith in Christ jesus we shall have no just cause to despair, but rather to be at peace with god through christ, by whom we have entrance into this grace wherein we do stand, 
Rom. 5  yea and to glory in the hope of the sons of god. scripture saith not, happy are those that sin not, but happy whose imquities are forgiven. Yea and to him which worketh not yet believing in him that justifieth the wicked, 
Rom ●  faith is imputed to him for justice, according to the purpose of the grace of god. Doubtless if that our iustificatid should depend of the innocency of our own lives, we should perish how many so ever we be. But saying that god which is rich in mercy, for the great love the he hath loved us with when me were dead by sin, and hath quickened us with christ, and that not of our deserving, 
Ep●e. 2.  left any man should glotye, but by the mere grace of god, purchased by the blood of christ which is made our redemption ●ure ius●●yce, our prudency, 
1. Cor. 1  and anctificatyon, why should we not peing penitent and faithful, ●ayenge our sins upon his back, which hath taken away ●ure diseases, and hath carried with him our infirmities, 
Esal. 53.  and further putting him in remembrance of his promise made to sinners, both by his prophets, and his apostles, holdely calling his mercy for his sons sake? specially considering that he is moche more prone of his own nature to forgive, than we be to ask forgiveness. Yea & because that you do partly mistrust him, me think I should heatehun being somewhat angry sweetly expostulate with the after this sort.  
What now my ●ere child? why ceaseth not thy spirit at the last to be afflicted? 
〈◊〉 a● te● quod pulchrum.  Who dost thou think that I 〈◊〉 Phalaris the tyrant, Manlius Saleuchus, or some cruel S●ith or else of mercies the rather and of all consolation the god, 
1. Cor. 1.  long suffering, and of much mercies art not thou taught by my son jesus, 
Math ●  to call me thy father? have not I promised that I would be thy father by my prophet Hierel my, 
Hiere. 31.  and thou shouldest be my son? why dost thou not therefore ask me forgiveness well hoping for pardon? who is it of you although you be evil, that will not forgive his son, forthynking his faults, being suppliant desiring pardon, and promising amendment notwithstanding that he hath provoked him to anger an hundredth times? And thinkest thou that I which am the father of mercies, 
Ephe. 3  of whom all fatherly fatherliness in heaven and earth is named, which possess the riches of goodness, patience, & longanimite, 
Rom. 2  not to be ready to forgive my children truly repenting? Be of good comfort, my child, be of good comfort, mistrusring not my mercy ● hyche surpasseth not only man's mercy how great so ever it be, but all my own works also. judgement without mercy shall they feal, whose hearts be obdutate, hardened, and will not resent, which delight still in their sins, and will never leave their wickedness, which contemn my word and trust me not. from the in deed health must needs be fur away. But as for thee, 
Math 3  repent and the kingdom of heaven shall draw nigh, trust and thy faith shall save the. for as Moses hath exalted a serpē● in the desert, 
Mat. 9  so hath my son been exalted, tha● every man believing in him might be saved, 
joh. 3.  and have life euerla sting I would have all men ●abe saved, 
1 Timo●. ●.  and no man to perish, my fashion is ever to retreat, thinking lest he perish utterly which is abject. It is not my w●●● (believe me) that one of these mylytle ones be cast away. 
Math. 18.  Whom I have ever loved so well that I would vouchsafe to give my only son for them. But thy trespasses be great wherefore thou art not lightly persuaded to trust in my mercy. christ jesus came into the world to save synnets'. 
1 T●moth. 1  He is thine advocate, 
1 Ioh 1  and not for thine only, but for the sins of the hole world, he came to call transgressors, not the just, & to save that which waslost. I knew 〈◊〉 thou an offender shouldest offend, 
Mat. 9  and as a transgressor I called the from thy mother's womb: yet for my name's sake will I make my fury far of: thy good works be of no such perfeccione, 
●sal 46.  that they may be able to save thee, nor thine evil works (so that thou repent with hope of mercy can hurl the into the helly fire. for I am I am which put away thine iniquities for mine own sake and thy sins will not I remember. 
Eas●. 43  I am dear son I am that putteth away thy lynnes for myself, for myself, and will give my glory to none other. Suppose thy sins be as red as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow. Which I have scattered as clouds, and as mists have dyspearsed them: Turn to me I say, for I have redeemed the. I have redeemed the which have pity of all men, and for repentance wink at men's sins. 
Saps. 11.  I would thou shouldest know, that I thy lord god am meek and gentle, 
2 par 36  neither can I turn my face from the so that thou wilt return to me. It is commonly said, that if a man dimisse his wife, and she departing, marrieth an other husband, shall he return to her any more? 
Hiert. ●  shall not she be as a polluted and a defiled woman? thou hast committed fornication with many lovers, yet for all that, am I read to return to the so that thou wilt return to me. Such is my facilite, so gentle I am, such is my benignity, so great is my mercy. which thy most loving brother and advocate christ, that washed the from thy sins in his blood hath purchased continually praying for the Hast thou not herd how merciful I showed myself to David, to the Niniui●●s and Achab, to Magdalen, to the thief, & others innumerable? why dost thou not open the examples of them, as a table or glass wherein thou mayest well learn, how exorable I am, how ready and willing to forgive? Consider with thyself how heinous ●●utes I have pardoned them, theft adultery, murder, idolatry, 
Hir●. 3  and what not? Go to therefore be 〈◊〉 good cheer, life up thine eyes mistrust me no longer, turn to me and thou shalt be savyde. 
Esal. 45.  Commend thy spirit into my hands and the prince of this world shall have nothing to do with the. for by me, the lord of truth thou art truly redeemed. Who hearing these words of his heavenly father (as they be his words in deed) so sweetly alluring him, so earnestly comforting him, so pleasantly drawing him, to himself, will any more doubt of his mercy? Despair you not utterly (dear friend) nor yet be you sorrowful for any thing. But if your false enemy the divide, approach objecting against you the multitude and grievousness of your sins, turn you to g●● and say unto him. Curne a●●● thy face from my sins good l●● and look on the face of thy 〈◊〉 jesus. Thy sins saith your enemy in number pass the sands of the sea. Answer. The mercy of god is much more plenteouss. How canst thou hope for the ●●warde of justice, being all together unjust? Christ jesus is ●y justice. Shalt thou being co●ered with sins, entre 〈◊〉 teste with Peter and Paul? Na but with the thief, which hardem the ●●sse, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise. How hast thou this trust, which never d●●veste good? I have a good lord, an exorable judge, and a gracious admeare. Thou shalt be drawn to hell. My head is in heaven all ●●dy, & from it the inferior members can not be severed: thou shalt be damned, the art a false accuser, no ●●dge, a damned spirit, no condener. Many legions of devils do wait for thy soul. I should despair in ●ede if I had not a defe●er, which hath overcomed your tyranny. God is unjust if he give for evil ●●des everlasting life. He is just ●kepeth his promise, & I have already appelid from his justice to his mercy. Thou dost flatter thyself with v●me hope. The truth 〈◊〉 not lie. To make false promissi● belongeth unto the. what tho● leavest here thou seest, but wh●● thou shalt have thou seest not. Things which are seen are 〈◊〉 porell, but things which are 〈◊〉 seen are eternal. Thou goest 〈◊〉 laden with evil dedes, and ●●●ked of all good works. I shallbe sire god to eronerate me of mine evils, & cover me with his goodness. God heareth no sinners, yet be heareth them that repent, and for sinners be died. Thy repentance is to late. It was not 〈◊〉 late for the thief. The thief ha● a steadfast faith, thine is w●●● ting. I shall desire god that 〈◊〉 will increase my faith. Thou ●●●est falsely persuade thyself to fi●● god merciful, which punisheth the with pains after this sort herein he playeth the part of a gentle phisrtion. why would he ●hat death should be so bitter? he is the lord, he willeth nothing but that which is good. And why should I a servant unprofitable ufuse to suffer that, which the lord ●fglorie hath suffered. It is a miserable thing to die. blessed be the dead that die in the lord. But the death of sinners is most wretched. He is no longer a sinner which hath acknowledged his fault, with repentance and hope of mercy. Thou shalt leave this world. I shall go from pain full banishment, into my country. Look what an heap of good things thou leavest behind the yet a great deal more evil. Thou leavest thy riches, they be the worlds. I do carry all that is mine away with me. What canst thou carry with the thou hast nothing that is good that is truly mine own that christ hath freely forgiven me. Thou must forsake thy wife and thy children. They be the lords, I do commend them to him. It is a hard thing to be drawn from thy dearly beloved. They shall shortly follow me: thou art plucked from thy pleasant friends. I haste to friends more pleasant. Thus thou art taught not to give place to the devil endeavouring to overthrow thee, but boldly to repel every dart that he can hurl at the. Neither let the care for thy friends, wife, and children, trouble thee, mistrusting not, but god shall provide as well for them, and peradventure better in thine absence, than he dydle in thy life time: for thou must consider that thine own power hath not all this while sustained thee, or them, and procured things necessary: but god in whom we live move and be, hath done it. God which feedeth nourishethe, and saveth both man and beast, which rially clotheth the grass in the feylde, covereth the heavens with clouds, careth for the birds of the air, and prepareth meat for the very chycks of the ravens, shall much more regard thy friends, being his people, confessing his name. Call to remembrance how mercifully, he provided for the poor widow and her children, spoken of in the 4 chapter of the 4 book of the kings. There was a certain prophet (saith he) one of them that feared the lord, he died, and left his wife with his son's much● indebted. The creditors after his death, came to fet aways the children as bondmen, for that their mother was nar able to pay their father's debts, but yet th● lord by his prophet Helyse, dy● so increase a pitcher of oil this she had in store, that she had y● 'nough to sell for the paying of her debts, and for the sussentan● of her and the children besides.  
Thus by the benignity of God this poor woman with her children was much better provided for, after the death of her husbad (though he were an holy man) than she was before. God is even the same God is now that he war than, and can do as much for christian men now in these days, as he could that for the I●●●● And he doubtless it thou fear him will regard thy wife children, and friends, no less than he did the wife and children of this pro phet. Na rather more, for as much as our religion and profession be more perfect than theirs was. Further call to remembrance how that they many times which be left of their friends rich, & in great honours, be after brought to poverty ye & to the beggars staff. On tother side, the they which be left poor & beggarly of their friends, at the length come to great, riches, authority, & honour. wherefore I do think as I have said oft, not I, but the prophet, that both tyches and poverty come of god. And that men shall have (yet Iwis not unprove an hovest prou●s●on for men's children) what as ●●●●al please god to give the. Therefore romn●yrte them to god for they de his. And let them cast their 〈◊〉 an the lord and he by hispromise shall nourish them.  
ANd to you that be his friends here to you I speak what meaneth this your heaviness? Why do you sorowafter this fort? to what purpose do youfron ble yourselves with weepings? why do ye, as it were in a manner draw into the law the will of god, with your unjust complaints? do ye think him to be a mere matter of lamenting, sorrowing, and wailing, because he is delivered from dangers, to safety, from bondage to liberty, from diseases te immorialite, from earthly things to heavenly, from men to the company of god's angels? wherein hath he offended you, that you s● envy his lurkynes? If ye do not enup, what needs all these tears? I am sure if ye knew to what feliritie he is going, you would banquet, and be merry, at the least if ye love his wealth. Christ said to his disciples (when they were sad, for that he would departed) if ye loved me you would be glad, for as much as I go to my father. wherein he declared, that we ought not to be sad, but merry, at the departure of our friends, from hence. What I pray you shall ye lose by his death, but that he shallbe out of your fight, and that but for a time? nevertheless you may at all times in the mcane space, in your minds, and memories, see him, talk with him, and embrace him. Morn no more for him, for he offereth you no cause of mourning. But if ye wylnedes morn, morn for yourselves, in that ye be not so nigh the port of our swear country, flowing with milk and honey, as he is. This morning is more fit for the Scythyans, and such other barbarous people, which know not the condition of faithful souls, than for you which know, or might all this while have learned. Let them I pray you weep and howl like dogs, let them cut their cares and noses as they were wont to do, at the death of their friends. Let us be joyful and merry. Let Admetus Drpheus, and such other infidels morn at the death of their friends, and require them again of Proserpina. Let not us require our friends of god again, though me might have them, with the loss of their wealth and prosperous being. Were you not to be counted vuteasonable, and to your friend no friends, if ye should require him to dine or dwell with you, having nothing in your house but horsebreade, and stinking water, where he may go to a friend more faithful than you be, and have at altimes all kinds of dainties? and will you be counted reasonable, which would by your wills, let this your friend, going to the house of his most faithful friend Christ, where he shall have heavenly dainties (in comparison of the which, your cheer is worse than horsebreade and stinking water in deed) and meat of the holy angels? Mourn no more for him I say, but be glad that he being your friend shall attain to such felicity. What other thing is it for uschristians, to morn at the death of our friends, than to give an occasion to the infideles to reprehend, and accuse us, for as much as we do deny the thing in deed that we do profess with our mouths. For in words we say that the soul of man is immortal, and that there is an other life better than this. In our morning we seem to show our selnes to be of an other opinion.  
What profit is it I pray you to pronounce virtue in words, and in deeds to destroy the truth? Saint Paul doth improve and blame them which be heavy in the departure of their friends, saying: I would not have you ignorant O brethren, as touching them that sleep. That ye be not sad, as other that have no hope. As who saith it belongeth to them to wept, and be sorry at the death of their friends, which have no hope of an other life to come, and not to us which beseve that our souls be immortal, and that our bodies shall arise again. Mourn no more for him therefore, but prepare and make ready yourselves to follow him living virtuously, for that ye know no day nor hour.  
No we to you again my friend see that you be merry in god, and let not this short affliction of your body, disquiet your mind. But sauce it rather, and make it pleasant with the hope of everlasting blyssednes. Reinembryinge that is you shallbe quickly delivered from this sickness, so you shall no more hereafter be subject to any sorrows pains or pensiveness. It that day be, to the faithful? whamens' bodies made like to the body of christ, shall inhabit the king doom which god hath prepated for those that fear him before the beginning of the world. 〈◊〉 here they shall have joy and everlasting merines. Where as they being like to the angels of god shall shine as the son in the kingdom of they? father. At the last swear friend for as much as I have declared unto you that all men must die, and when it shall please god. Further that in dying we do no other, but as all the saints, yea and Chrysle himself hath done, with whom we shall rise again. And that death is but a due repayenge of things that was for a time liberally lente us: to the earth our bodies, and our souls to God, ours most bountiful father. That nothing here is of such excellency, that it should allure a wise man, and him that hopeth of an other life to come, long to tarry with it: that good men have ever de●●red to die, & to be with god. For as much as death is the end of all miseries, the vanysher of all sorrows, and an entrance into perpetual bliss. Further in that I have declared unto you whether you shall go, and what you shall have after this life. And that god most merryfully hath forgiven you your sins, for that you be repentant and faithful. And the he will provide for yours if they fear him, as well or better than he did in your days. Finally that this body of yours shall 'tice again from the earth gloriously in the last day through his power that gave him his firsh fashion: quiet your mind, and prepare yourself as doth the swan, with song of heart and pleasure to die, and to the accomplishment of gods will, and all tear of death excluded. Think only of immortality, being willing and glad to departed heuse to god that calleth you. The which thing as the servants of god should always he ready to do, so at this time most ready. For as much as this miserable world, be set with the horrible tempests, storms, and troublesome whorle winds of all kinds of evil, be gineth to decay. Moreover as grievous things have all ready chanced to nations, so more grievous things are to be looked for in that sin daily increaseth among men more and more, prou● king the fust ire of god. Where sore, I can not but think it a great game quickly to departet hence. If the posts of the house were pu●trfied and the trembling toufe should threaten ruin to be at hand would you not being in health, depart with all speed? If that a troublesome and stormy tempest wdenly risen on the sea should threaten plain shipwreck and urowning of you and your company, would you not make haste to the port: Lo, the world decayeth and the end of things threa teneth plain falling down. Ind shall not you give thanks to god, and for your own part be glad that you shall be delivered in time, from such ruins, plagues, and tempests as hang over the heads of men? Think sweet freude, I beseech you, and think again, that 2o long a● we be here, we be very straūgers● And that we ought chiefly to embrace that hour, which shall appoint every one of us to his own house, and testore, us delyuere● from all suars of the worlie, to paradise, and the heavenly kingdom. Who being in a strange country will not covet to return to his own country? Who sailing to wards his friends, will no● covet a quick and prospcrouse wind, that he may the rather embrace his well-beloved? we count paradiseoure country, the Patci arches to be our parents and friends: why than do we not fee vently desire spdely to see the patriarchs and paradise? where a great company of our friends looketh for us and a wonderful number of our parents, brethren and sisters tarrieth for us? being sure of their immortalits and wishing that we had the same. At the sight and meeting of these, oh how great gladness shall happen both to us and them? Dome great pleasure of the heavenly kingdom, Without fear of death, and with the eternity of life. Dow high and perpetual felicity? there is the glorious company of the apostles, there is the laudable number of the glad prophyetes, there is thinnumerable host of martyrs crowned, and triumphing with the victory of there sirifes and passions. There be the virgms which have broken the concupiscency of their flesh, with the strength of continency. There be the mercyiul en joing their rewards, which by feeding the poor, and helping the needy have wrought the wokes of justice, andkeping the co●maundeme●tes of god have transferred their earthly patrimonte● into heavenly treasures, this t● the joyous company to this n● earthly company is to be compated to him which hath boughty you a place in this company with the price of his blood I do betake you. Committee yourself to his hands for he shall never fail you. Fair well.   precious in the sight of the lo●● is the death of his saints. 

¶ printed at London in Aldergate street by John Herforde. ● The year of our lord. M. D. x●● The. iiii. day of june.