AS it is most certain, that we shall all of us die once; so is it no •esse certain that after our death we shall receive a doom of an irrevocable sentence of at•ernall life, or eternal ⟨p. 4⟩death, accordingly a• we shall be found worthy or unworthy at tha• hour: And therefore i• concerneth us very near• so to provide our selves whilst time permitteth that at the last hour we may be found in such case, as is most befitting for that end, which w• all aim at•, which is happy life without end. This considerati•• ⟨p. 5⟩hath from my very childhood taken such deep impression in my hart, that although to satisfy my curiosity, I have travailed over the greatest part of Europe, yet in my travails I had always this end set before mine eyes, to observe where ever I might •earne, what course was best to be undertaken for à man to secure himself ⟨p. 6⟩(as far as the instability of this mutable world will permit) of à good and happy end. I saw from the beginning there was no better security could be had in this world of dying well, then to live well: And for this reason considering that saying of S. Bernard. In Religione homo vivit purius &c. In Religion a man liveth more ⟨p. 7⟩purely, falleth more rarely, riseth more speedily, walketh more warily, receiveth the dew of gods grace more frequently, reposeth more securely, dyeth more confidently, is purged from his sins more quickly, and rewarded with glory more abundantly; For this reason, I say, I could have been well content to have embraced à religious course of life; but ⟨p. 8⟩I either found indeed the constitution of my body too weak, or at least the cowardliness of my mind made me flatter my self with that conceit, which diverted my thoughts from so high an enterprise. At the length coming homeward thorough France, by the providence of God, and the care of ⟨p. 9⟩my good Angel, as I presume, I met with a friend who bestowed on me one of these little books, set forth in the French language; which, after I had well perused, and pondered, gave me such content, and joy by cause it suited so well with my wishes, and presented me so plain, and easy a way to what I principally ⟨p. 10⟩aimed at, that I procured my self to be admitted into the holy Association or Confraternity, which is herein described.
AS it is most certain, that we shall all of vs die once; so is it no •esse certain that after our death we shall receyue a doome of an irreuocable sentēce of at•ernall life, or aeternall ⟨p. 4⟩death, accordingly a• we shall be found worthy or vnworthy at tha• hower: And therfor i• cōcerneth vs very near• so to prouide our selues whilst time permitteth that at the last hower we may be found in such case, as is most befitting for that end, which w• all ayme at•, which is happye life withou• end. This considerati•• ⟨p. 5⟩hath from my very childhood taken such deepe impression in my hart, that although to satisfye my curiositye, I haue trauailed ouer the greatest part of Europe, yet in my trauailes I had alwayes this end sett before myne eyes, to obserue wher euer I might •earne, what course was best to be vndertaken for à man to secure himselfe ⟨p. 6⟩(as far as the instabilitie of this mutable world will permitt) of à good and happy end. I saw frō the beginning ther was no better securitye could be had in this world of dying well, then to liue well: And for this reason cō sidering that saying of S. Bernard. In Religione homo viuit purius &c. In Religion a man liueth more ⟨p. 7⟩purely, falleth more rarely, riseth more speedily, walketh more warily, receyveth the dew of gods grace more frequently, repofeth more securely, dyeth more confidently, is purged from his sinnes more quickly, and rewarded with glory more aboundantly; For this reason, I say, I could haue bene well content to haue imbraced à religious course of life; but ⟨p. 8⟩I eyther found indeed the constitution of my body too weake, or at least the cowardelinesse of my mynde made me flatter my selfe with that cōceipt, which diuerted my thoughts from so high an entreprise. Att the length cōming homeward thorough France, by the prouidence of God, and the care of
