Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)

IT is not to be marvelled, that worldly men do fear to dye: For death depriveth them of all worldly honours, riches, and possessions: in the fruition whereof, the worldly man counteth himself happy, so long as he may enjoy them at his own pleasure: and other wise, if he be dispossessed of the same, without hope of recovery, then he can none other think of himself, but that he is unhappy, because he hath lost his worldly joy and pleasure. Alas thinketh this carnal man, shall I now depart for ever, from all my honours, all my treasures, from my country, friends, riches, possessions, and worldly pleasures, which are my joy and hearts delight? Alas that ever that day shall come, when all these I must bid farewell at once, and never to enjoy any of them after. Wherefore, it is not without great cause spoken of the wise man:¹ O death, how bitter and sower is the remembrance of thee, to a man that liveth in peace, and prosperity in his substance, to a man living at ease, leading his life after his own mind, without trouble, & is therewithal well pampered and fed? There be other men, whom this world doth not so greatly laugh upon, but rather vex and oppress with poverty, sickness, or some other adversity: Yet they do fear death, partly because the flesh abhorreth naturally his own sorrowful dissolution, which death doth threaten unto them, and partly, by reason of sicknesses, and ⟨image 55⟩painful diseases, which be most strong pangs and agonies in the flesh, and use commonly to come to sick men, before death, or at the least, accompany death, whensoever it cometh.

IT is not to be marueyled, that worldly men do feare to dye: For death depriueth them of all worldly honors, riches, and possessions: in the fruition whereof, the worldely man compteth hymself happie, so long as he maye enioye theim at hys awne pleasure: and other wyse, if he be dispossessed of thesame, without hope of recouery, then he can none other thinke of himself, but that he is vnhappie, because he hath loste hys worldely ioye and pleasure. Alas thinketh this carnall man, shall I now depart for euer, frō all my honors, all my treasures, from my countrey, frendes, riches, possessiōs, and worldly pleasures, whiche are my ioy and hartes delight? Alas that euer that daie shal come, whē all these I muste bid farewell at once, and neuer to enioye any of thē after. Wherfore, it is not without greate cause spoken of the wiseman: