A16577:13
A fruitful treatise and full of heavenly consolation against the fear of death Whereunto…A frutefull treatise and ful of heauenly consolation against the feare of death Wherunto…
A fruitful treatise and full of heavenly consolation against the fear of death Whereunto are annexed certain sweet meditations of the kingdom of Christ, of life everlasting, and of the blessed state & felicity of the same. Gathered by that holy martyr of God, John Bradford.A frutefull treatise and ful of heauenly consolation against the feare of death Wherunto are annexed certeine sweet meditations of the kingdom of Christ, of life euerlasting, and of the blessed state & felicitie of the same. Gathered by that holy marter of God, Iohn Bradford.
London : Perused corrected & augmented according to the original, & imprinted in Fletestrete near to saint Dunstons Churche by William Powell, ca. 1564London : Perused corrected & augmented according to the originall, & imprinted in Fletestrete neere to saint Dunstons Churche by William Powell, ca. 1564
¶ A treatise against the fear of death.¶ A treatise agaynst the feare of death.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Put the case that the pleasures of this life were permanent during this life: yet in that this life 1it self is nothing in comparison, and therefore is full well compared to a candle light, which is soon blown out, to a flower, which fadeth away, to a smoke, to a shadow, ⟨image 6⟩to a sleep, to a running water, to a day, to an hour, to a moment, and to vanity it self: who would esteem these pleasures and commodities, which last so little a while? Before they be begun, they are gone and past away. Howe much of our time spend we in sleeping, in eating, in drinking, and in talking? Infancy is not perceived: youth is shortly overblown: middle age is nothing: old age is not long: and therefore (as I said) this life, through the considerations of the pleasures and commodities of it, should little move us to love it, but rather to loth it. God open our eyes to see these things, and to weigh them accordingly.
Put the case that the pleasures of this life were permanente during this life: yet in that this life 1it selfe is nothing in comparyson, and therfore is ful wel compared to a candell light, whiche is sone blowne out, to a flower, whiche fadeth away, to a smoke, to a shdowe, ⟨image 6⟩to a sleepe, to a runnynge water, to a day, to an houre, to a momente, and to vanitie it selfe: who wold esteme these plesures and commodities, which laste so lyttle a while? Before they be begonne, they are gone and past awaye. Howe muche of our tyme spende wee in slepyng, in eating, in drinking, and in talking? Intancie is not perceiued: youth is shortly ouerblowen: middle age is nothyng: olde age is not long: and therfore (as I said) this lif, through the consideratiōs of the pleasures and commodities of it, shoulde little moue vs to loue it, but rather to lothe it. God open our eies to see these thinges, and to wey them accordingly.
- 1What this life is, mark here, and learn.What this lyfe is, marke here, and learne.