EMonge many euyll, & naughtie affections which folowe the nature of man, cor­rupted by synne (ryght hono­rable and beloued in Christ) fewe or none brynge greater inconueniences with them, thē doth the inordinate hope and expectation of long lyfe. And this affection is so much the more hurtfull and peril­lous, for that it is grounded so depely, and sticketh so firmly in our nature, that it can­not easely be remedied or remoued: which thing, beside cō ­mon experience, hath of old time bene noted, by diuers and sundry prouerbes, as this for one. Nemo est tam senex, qui non putet annum se posse viuere. Ther is no man so olde, but that be thinketh he may liue yet one yeare longer, and whē that is done, yet an other, and an other yet after that, [Page] and so in infinitum, vntil all yeares & daies be cleane past and expired. The like hope of long life is expressed by thys prouerbe, Aegroto anima dum est, spes est. The sick man, as long as he hath life & breath, so lōg hath he hope: signifieng y^t euen in the greatest & most daungerous diseases, the sick parties euer hope to liue, and to escape, so that neither olde age, which by natural course foresheweth death at hande, neither yet extremitie of sicknes, be it neuer so greuous, cā remoue from vs this inordinate expectation, and vain hope of long life, so long as this body hath anye breath abiding or life left in it.

Out of this euill roote spring many braunches of great inconueniences: For when men be in expectacion of long life, and promise vnto them selues continuaunce of many yeares: they fall by litle and litle into carnal securitie, they grow remisse in all godlye exercises, delight altogether in pleasures of this worlde, little or nothing thinking of the world to come, or of any amendement or correction of lyfe, but deferring it to a longer time, and so often times preuē ­ted with vnlooked for death, & founde a sleepe in their wic­ked securitie, they tumble headlong or they beware, into the pit of damnacion. For the curing therfore of this daū ­gerous disease in our sicke nature, the holy ghost hath pro­uided in the scriptures two special remedies: The one is, the setting forth before our eyes the seueritie of Gods ter­rible iudgement, at the last day, when the Lorde him selfe shal come, with the voyce and sommoning of the Archan­gell,1. Thes. 4 with the sound of the trumpet from heauen in iudge­ment, to render to euerye man, according to that he hath done in the flesh,2. Cori. 5. be it good or euill, and therewith also the sodainnes of the same iudgement, which shall come as a theefe in the night,Math. 24. Luc. 21. without geuing any forewarning, as a snare that catcheth the bird, and as the lightening whyche [Page] most sodenly in one moment, flasheth frō East to the West ouer al heauen. The other remedye is the often warnyng, which the scriptures do geue vs, to put vs in remembraūce of our forgetfulnes of the frailty of our nature, cōtinuallie subiect vnto death, who will not suffer vs long to continue here vpon this earth, but shortly, & very often, sodenly also, bringeth vs most certainly to an end of this vncertain life. The text which I haue chosen ministreth iust occasion to thinke of both these matters, being a percel and the very cō ­clusion of a sermon, made by Christ hym selfe, sittyng on mount Oliuet, vpon occasion that his disciples asked him of the signes of his cōming, and of the end of the world. The wordes are these: ‘Ideo et vos. &c. Therfore be ye also ready,Mat. 2 [...] for the Lord wil come at the houre which you thincke not on’, which sentence as most notable and worthy to be regarded, our sauiour in that sermon doth sundry times repeate, vigilate ergo. &c. Therfore, wherfore? It is the conclusion of a similitude going before, which is this. If the good man of the house had knowen what houre the thefe woulde haue come, he would surely haue watched, & not haue suffred his house to haue bene broken vp. And therfore be you redy. As if he should say: The good man of an house woulde be dili­gent to saue and preserue his house and worldly goods, be­ing thinges corruptible, how muche more ought you to be continuallye vigilant, least the daye of iudgement whiche commeth sodaynlye, as a theefe in the night, finde you slee­ping in sinne and wickednes, and so you loose a farre more excellent treasure, redeemed not with golde and syluer, but wyth the precious bloud of the immaculate Lambe Christe our Sauiour.i. Pet. [...]

Alhough therfore this text most properlye pertaineth to put vs in remembraunce of making preparacion agaynst y^• general iudgement: yet notwithstāding I entend present­ly [Page] to apply it to the preparation towardes death, partly by reason of this present occasion, and partlye for that bothe tende to one effect. For S. Augustine saith, looke in what state the last day of our life doth finde vs,August. ad Helych. E­pist. 80. in the same state wil the last day of the world iudge vs. I purpose therefore by occasion of this text, to put you in remembraunce of .3. thinges. First, of the exhortacion in the scripture, mouing vs to prepare to die. Secondarely, of the causes that ought to moue vs to this preparation. And thirdlye, of the true waies and meanes how to prepare to die. And by the waye I entend somewhat to speake of the cause of this solemne assembly. For the first, as it is said here: Be in readines. &c, so are there very many places in the scriptures, tending to the same effect. In the .xij. of Luke Christ saith thus: Sint lūbi vestri praecincti, & lucernae ardentes in manibus vestris. Let your loynes be girded, and your candels burning in your hands. By girding of the loines is signified the bride­ling, or rather mortifieng of our carnal and corrupt affec­tions, & by burning candels is signified the light of faith, and Christian conuersacion, the very fruite of true fayth, and so in sūme that we should be altogether in a readines. Saint Peter also, when he maketh mention of the ende of al thinges to be at hand, vseth much like exhortacion: Be ye sober (saith he) and vigilant in praier, signifieng thereby that temperaunce in meates and drinkes,i. Pet. 4. sobrietie of con­uersation in al the partes of our life, vigilancie and conti­nuaūce in praier, and other godly exercises, are sure signes that we make preparation for death, and for the comming of Christ. Of such like exhortaciō to prepare against death, the scriptures are most full, & so plaine, that this part nee­deth no long prosecution.

Now for the second part, there be two causes that ought (if we be not altogether vnsensible) to moue vs to prepare [Page] for death. The one is, the necessitie of death. The other is, the vncertaintie therof. The ineuitable necessitie of death is very wel expressed by saint Paule in these wordes.Heb. 9. Statu­tum est, omnibus hominibus semel mori, & post hoc iudic [...] ­um. It is ordained, or it is a statute, concluded and enacted in the high court of the heauenly Parliament, & such a sta­tute as neuer shalbe repealed, y^t al men, of what estate o [...] condicion so euer they be, shal once die, and after that folo­weth the iudgement. The wise man sayth:Ecclesi. [...] ▪ Moritur doctus simul et indoctus. The learned & vnlearned both die. The Ethnickes also did very wel expresse this necessity of death. For Horace saith thus: Pallida mors aequo pulsat pede pau­perum tabernas, regum (que) turres. Pale death, or death that maketh the most beutyfull and best couloured faces pale, doth knocke as indifferently at princes palaces, as at poore mens cottages. An other Poet hath these woordes: Mors sceptra ligonibus aequat. Death maketh scepters and mat­tockes equal, and assone arresteth he the Prince that cari­eth the scepter, as the poore man that diggeth with the mattocke. Dauid calleth death, Viam vniuersae carnis, [...] Regū. [...] ▪ the way [...] of all flesh. But what needeth many testimonies in so plain a matter, so vniuersally knowen by dayly experience in all places and times? Now as concerning the vncertaintie of death, which is the second and greatest cause to moue vs to be in redines: This may be truly affirmed, that as nothing is more certaine, then that death wil come: so is there no­thing more vncertaine, then the houre when it wyll come. And therfore is our life in the scriptures cōpared to things that vpon light and sodaine causes are alterable: as grasse,Esay. 40. Job. 8. Iacob. [...] a flower, shadow, smoke, vapour, and death, resembled to the stealing in of a theefe, to a snare intangling the [...], and the hooke catching the fishe vnwares. This [...] is also touched in my text: Quia qua hora nō putatis. &c, [Page] For the Lord will come at the houre which ye thincke not. But both these things shall appeare more clerely by exam­ples. And to begin first with thexamples of the latter parte. Nothing doth more euidently declare the vncerteinty of death, thē the sodaine deathes of persons of all ages and de­grees, of which we finde plenty both in prophane histories, and in the Scriptures.Plin. nat. hist, lib. 7. cap. 52▪ Plinie in the seuenth booke of his naturall history hath a whole Chapiter intituled De morti­bus repentinis. And the like Chapiter hath Valerius Maxi­mus, where they write that many vpō most light causes so­denly haue died. One at Rome, as he went forth at his chā ­ber doore, did but stricke his finger a litle on the dore cheke, and immediatly fel downe deade. An other did but stumble as he wēt forth, and died forthwith. An Ambassadour of the Rhodians, after he had declared his message to the Senate, departing forth of the Counsell chamber, fell downe by the waye sodenly, and there died. Aeschilus the Poete lieng on slepe bare headed nere the Sea, a great seafowle, thinkyng his head to be a stone, whereon he might breake the shelfishr whiche he caried, lette it fall on hys heade, wherewith he was killed out of hande. Luciane, a man in deede lear­ned and eloquent, but a derider of all religion, and namely a blasphemer of Christian religion, trauailing by the way, was sodeinlye set vpon & wurried with dogs, a death wor­thy such a blasphemer, and a terrible example to all cōtem­ners and deriders of religiō and pietie. [...]. Reg. 25 The Scriptures al­so want not like exāples. The churlish rich mā Nabal, who at his sheepeshearing held a feast in his house like a kyng, but denied to relieue Dauid, thē persecuted and in distres, within ten dayes after was smitten of the Lorde, & so di [...]d. Ananias and Sapphira,Act. 5. pretēding y^t they gaue their whole patrimonie to y^e relief of the poore in the primitiue Church, but in dede reseruing a portion to them selues, and so lieng [Page] to the holy Ghost, were immediatly stricken of God, and so ended their lyues, to the fearefull example of all hypocrites and dissemblers, namely in matters pertayning to Gods religiō.Act. 1 [...]. Herodes Agrippa being in his most glorious mag­nificencie, contented to heare him self magnified and extol­led as a God, and not a man, was sodenlie smitten by the Angell of the Lord, and dyed a most miserable death.Luke. 12 The riche man of whom mētion is made in the xii. of Luke, that entended to pull downe hys barnes and granaries, and to builde larger, sayd to his soule: Soule, thou hast prouision layed vp in store for many yeares, and therfore take thyne ease: Eate, drinke, and be merie. But what became of him? God sayd vnto him: Thou foole, euen this very night shall thy soule be taken from thee, and then who shall haue that thou hast prouided?Dani. 4. Thexample of Nabuchodonosor is veri terrible, who walkyng in his pallace, and glorieng in his strong and stately Citie Babilon: whiles the wordes were yet in his mouth, was sodenly stricken with a plague worse then death: for the vse of reason was taken from hym, and he him self turned forth among beastes, became as a beast, eating hay like an oxe: to teach al posterities ensuing not to glory in things of this world, which are but vaine: but that he which glorieth, should glory in the Lord. It shal not be a­misse if I adde one example of myne owne knowledge. For Gods Iudgemētes exercised in our dayes are also to be ob­serued and marked. I knew a Priest, who had rapped toge­ther foure, or fiue benefices, but was resident vpon neuer a one of them. All this sufficed him not, and therfore he lon­ged for a prebend also, there to spende at ease the milke and the fleese of the flockes, whiche he had neuer fed. At length by mediation of money he obteyned a Prebende: and when his man brought him home the seale thereof, cast into a maruelous ioye, hee brust foorth into these woordes of the Psalme, taken out of his Portesse, whiche was all his stu­dy. [Page] Hec requies mea. This is my rest (saith the Priest) this is my place of quiet, here entend I to make mery so long as I liue. What folowed hereof? Assuredly, nulla requies, no rest, but within a few dayes after he was stricken with a paulsie y^t he could not stirre him selfe, & besides, bereft of al his wits and vnderstādyng, that where before he was accoumpted a worldly wise man, afterwards he was altogether foolish, & not long after died. And who is there y^t hath liued any nom­ber of yeares, but they haue knowen or heard of many that haue died sodenly? some sitting in their chaires, some sleping in their beds: some haue fallē down dead going in y^e streetes, some haue fallen of frō their horses: besides many other like cases, cōming by fraud, force, [...] violēce, wrought by one mā against an other, wherof be infinite and to many examples. Wherfore to cōclude this part, let al those whom God hath blessed with prosperitie in this world, learne further out of these examples, that when they are in the highest & best state of wealth, fauour, honour, & dignitie: then haue they most cause to bee vigilant, and in a redynes, for then most com­monly Gods stroke is nerest at hande, and sodaine destru­ction lighteth vpō such, as in the middest of worldly prospe­ritie haue not God before their eies, but cast him cleane out of their remembraunce. Now to come to necessitie, a fewe exāples in that shall suffice. Dayly experience sheweth that al are subiect to death. Some note that it is not without an Emphasis,Gene. 5. and to be marked, that in the fifte of Gene­sis where mention is made of the olde fathers that lyued some seuen, some eight, some nine hundreth yeares: euer in the ende Moses addeth these woordes: Et mortuus est, and he died: to geue vs to vnderstande, that lyue we neuer so longe, yet at length commeth death and maketh an ende of all. If strength could haue preserued from death, Samp­son had yet lyued, if wisedome, Salomon: yf valeauncye, [Page] Dauid: yf beautie, Absolon: yf riches, Croesus: yf largenes of dominion, Alexander the great had yet remayned a ly [...]e. But what nede we to seke farre examples? Beholde thys present assemblie and solemnitie, most liuely expresseth to al our senses, the britlenes of our nature, and the necessitie of death. For if the most noble and myghty prince Ferdinādus the Romayne Emperour, for whose Funeral this prepara­tion and concourse is here made, hath entred the way of all fleshe, and thoughe he were the greatest and honourablest of all earthly kynges, hath as a subiect obeyed the irreuoca­ble Statute of the heauenly Emperour spoken of before: Let vs in respecte farre inferiour persons, assure our selues we shall followe, and that howe soone we cannot tell. And bycause it is commonly vsed that some thyng should be spo­kē at y^e Funerals of great and notable personages in their prayse and commendation agreable to their conditions: I will also agreablie to the sayd custome speake something in commendation of the vertues of this most noble prince. In whiche doyng I shall do no new thyng, but therein follow the steppes of the moste godlye, auncient, and best learned fathers of the Church. Gregorie Nazianzene, who for hys excellent knowledge was called Theologus, that is, the di­uine,In oration [...] habita in funere pa [...]tris. wrote diuers and sundry Funeral Orations or Sermons, and in them hyghely commended the partyes dis­cessed: as Basilius Magnus, Cypriane, Athanasius, hys owne father, (for his father was a maried Bishop) and di­uers other. S. Ambrose in like Sermōs hyghly cōmended Ualētinianus, & Theodosius the Emperours. Which was not done of these learned fathers, either for vayne ostenta­tiō of eloquēce, or for flattery of their frendes remayning a liue: but partly to cōtinue a reuerent & honorable memory of y^e parties discessed, & partly to excite and stirre vp others by rehearsall of their vertues, to the imitation of the same. [Page] And here I must craue pardon, if I shall not so largely and particularly speake in the commēdation of this noble Em­perour, as did Ambrose of Ualentinian & Theodosius. For this prince was to me personally vnknowen: Ambrose was much conuersaunt with both the other. And therfore of this prince, I can reporte onely those thinges whiche either are credibly written of him in the histories of our tyme, or that are notoriouse by common fame, or that I my selfe haue heard by very certeine reporte of men of good credite. And here I will briefly passe ouer those thinges, which Orators could prosecute with much eloquence at great length. As first of all his highe parentage, and nobilitie of birth, being in dede very notable, descendyng in direct line from sundry Emperours. Fridericke Thēperour of that name the third was his great graundfather. Maximilian the Emperour sonne to the said Fridericke was his graundfather. Phillip kyng of Spayne father to Charles the last Emperour, and to him: his mother was the daughter and heire of the kyng of Spaine: his fathers mother was the onely daughter and heire to Carolus Audax, Charles y^e bold, Duke of Burgun­die, and Lord of all the lowe countreis, in dede a Duke by stile, but when he liued, terrible to the mightiest kynges of his time, he him selfe also descending lyneally frō the kings of Fraunce. So that there was compacted in this princes person, as it were a bundell of the principall nobilitie of the christiā world: out of the compas of the which world ther is no true nobilitie, but al Barbarie. I wil likewise passe ouer the dignitie and honor of his estate, whiche was the highest tipe of all worldly preeminencie, to the whiche he ascended by all steppes and degrees of honor. As first of all, after the death of Maximilian the Emperour his graundfather, besi­des other his titles and stiles, he was created not a Duke, which is a place of great honor, and namely in those coun­tries, [Page] but an Archduke, I meane Archduke of Austria, and (that more is) the onely Archduke of the worlde, so farre as I haue read or heard. Other ther were Archdukes in stile, but he onely so long as he liued, was Archduke in possessiō. Soone after he was crowned king of Boheme, then elec­ted king of Romanes, after that king of Hungarye, & last of al Emperour of Rome: whiche is the highest steppe and degree of honour that any man in Christianitie can attain vnto. When I say highest, I do not here except the pre­tensed supereminencie of the Popes holines: for I take his holines, in chalenging to be aboue the Emperour, to bee an vsurper, and in this point I haue Tertuliane to make with me, who writeth plainly thus: Imperator omnibus hominibus maior, solo deo minor. The Emperour (saith he) is greater then al men, and yet lesse then God alone.

Thus much concerning the royall progenie, and imperi­al state of Ferdinandus, which thinges I haue briefely pas­sed ouer, as matters more meete for them that write Pane­gyrical Orations, then for the Pulpet. For although they be the giftes of God, & therfore to be estemed in their kinde, yet be they the thinges that rather make a great man, then a good and a Christen man. For the like hath often happe­ned, as well to euyl men and to Heathen men, as to good & Christen men.

I wil therfore commend vnto you the giftes of the mind, & the godly vertues which were in this noble Emperour: in the which for y^e causes afore aledged, I must be more briefe, thē otherwise the matter requireth For surely, I haue herd y^t he aboūded in al kinds of vertue, y^t he was a louer of iustice, a louer of truth, & a hater of the contraries, that he was full of clemencie, ful of humblenes of mind, no proude man, no haultie mā, but humble, myld, and full of affabilitie. He was also notvnlearned, & both in latin & al other vulgare toungs [Page] so skilful, that he was wel able to treate in the same wyth the most part of the nations of Christiandome.

But out of al his vertues, I wil at this time especially cō ­mend vnto you three, wherof two are notoriously knowen throughout all Christendome: The thirde I my selfe haue heard by reporte of them that were of good credit and excellent learning. And the first is his fortitude, traueils and continuaunce in warres against infidels, and sworen ene­mies of the Christian name & religiō, I meane the Turkes. The principal office required of a Christian Prince, ouer & aboue the dutie of an other Christian, is the right vse of the sword, put by God into his hand, for the defence of the god­ly and innocent, and for the repressing and punishing of the wicked. This sword is neuer so wel occupied, as when it is drawen in warres to defend christians, against infidels and enemies of Christian religion. For these wars haue a priuilege or prerogatiue above al other kind of wars, for they ar called in y^e scriptures, Bella domini, the lords wars. In these kinde of wars against Turkes & Mahumetistes, this noble Prince spent a great peece of his yong & middle age, not sparing therin neither his treasure, or his trauayl euē in his own persō. And therfore in y^e point mai very wel be compared to the most godly and valiaunt Prince kyng Dauid, of whom for his valeancie against the Philistines & other infidels,ii. Reg. 25. it is writtē that he fought the lords batels.

But here me thinketh I heare some man, making vnto me this obiection, and saying: Sir, ye commende this man highly for his warres against the Turkes: But I beseche you what successe had his wars? Had not the Turke the vpper hand? Haue we not lost for al his wars, the better part of the kingdome of Hungarie? How then is he worthy commendacion that looseth and not winneth by his wars? To that I aunswer, that counsels, warres, aad other actions ar [Page] not to be iudged by the successe, but by the purpose, entent, and prudent disposicion towardes the same. One Poete wisheth that he should neuer haue good successe,Ouid. which measureth doinges by successe. Careat successibus opto, quisquis ab euentu facta notanda putat. To direct warres and other actions to some good end, and to prosecute the same by pru­dent aduise, industrie, and actiuitie, perteineth (as Gods gift) to the praise of a man, but the successe of thinges is re­serued to God alone, who disposeth them according to hys diuine wisdome.

And therfore, if God had determined at that time (as ap­peareth manifestly he had) to plague Christiandome by the Turke, as he did the Iewes by Nabuchodonosor: (for god can vse both euil men and wicked spirites for his executi­oners) and that for the sinnes of the Christian Princes, & people, and namelye for contemning and persecuting the doctrine of the Gospell, then offered vnto thē: What could al the kinges of Christendome haue done to the contrary? But if we will iudge this matter after the maner of men, and by cōmon reason: The fault of the losses in Hungary is rather, yea iustly to be imputed to other Christian Princes (who at that that time for old rustie priuate titles, wer at mortal and deadly warre one againste an other, and so opened the way to the Turke) then to king Ferdinand, who continually laboured for aid against the Turke, but could obtaine none: and was left alone to matche wyth a moste mightie Tyranne, who hath alone a dominion in great­nes, equal almost to all Christendome, besides the conspi­racie of diuers Hungarian Princes, (for Uauoida his quarell with the Turke against him) which troubled him more then al the Turkes force. And I besech you, in this case who could hope to haue good successe?

And yet his wars against y^e Turk did not alwaies lack succes. [Page] For proofe wherof I shal desire you to cal to remēbraunce how nobly & valiantly the Citie of Uienna in Austria was defended against the Turke, chieflye by his meanes. They that write the histories of our time, make reporte, that the Citie of Uienna, then being a weake towne, and not forti­fied, the great Turke hauing passed throughe Hungarye, with an huge armie, shewing by the way infinite examples of barbarous tirannie & crueltie, sparing neither age nor sexe, no, not forbearing to ryp the bodies of Christian we­men, great with childe: was by him besieged round about, with fiue great campes, the multitude of thenemies being so great, that a man standing in the Tower of the great church there, should for eight miles compas rounde about the towne, see nothing but tentes & pauilions. The Turke so approched the towne, that he procured y^e walles to be vn­dermined, & great breaches being made in thre seueral pla­ces, three terrible assaultes were geuē, three sundrye daies, and yet through Gods good protection, the towne of it selfe weake and newly fortified, was defēded by a wall of Chri­stian mens bodies, and the Turkish Tiranne repelled with shame and losse of great numbers of his Soldiours, to the notable benefite of al Christendome. For if the Turke had then surprised Uienna, not onely al Germanie, but al Ita­ly, Fraunce, yea and England also would haue before this time trembled & quaked. And surelye, I thinke we of Eng­lande, that thinke our selues in most safetie, as we haue a prouerbe of the Pope, to come to our own doores, so should we haue had the Turke or this daye, to haue come to our own doores, if Uienna had not bene so stoutly and valiantly defended, & that chiefly by the good meanes of this noble Emperour Ferdinandus. For although the Emperour Fer­dinande, then king of the Romanes, was not ther in persō, yet is his cōmendation neuer the lesse. For the warre was [Page] his, the towne was his, the armie was collected by his pro­uidence, and as they vse to speake in the latin phrase: Ferdi­nandi auspiciis totum bellum gerebatur. So that I cōclude, if the Emperoux Ferdinande had neuer done any other no­table act in al his life (as he hath done many) besides the de­fence of Uienna, yet were he for that alone, worthy of per­petual memory, and of eternal fame and renowme.

The second thing woorthy highe commendacion in thys Prince, in my iudgement, was his peaceable gouernment, after he attained the Imperiall crowne. And although to some it may seme straunge to commend in one man twoo contrary thinges, warre, and peace, yet in deede the varie­ties of times and other circumstances considered, it is no straunge thing at al. His warres were against Gods ene­mies, his peace was with gods people. Euer sithens he was created Emperour (his wars with the Turks once cōpoun­ded) he hath only studied to maintain publike peace: he hath not attempted (as other men haue) to enlarge his dominion with theffusion of Christiā bloud: he hath not stirred vp any ciuil warres, vnder coulour and pretence of religion, or for any other titles: but rather peaceably gouerned, nourishing concord and amitie among al the states of the Empire: so that by meanes therof, Germanie before afflicted, bothe by ciuil and foreine warres, is at this present by manye mens iudgement, more floorishing both for men and wealth, then it was anye one time this hundreth yeares, that this man might wel haue vsed like wordes with Augustus the Emperour when he died: Germaniam lateritiam accepi, marmo­ream relinquo. I receiued a Germanie of bricke, I leaue it of Marble.

Therfore, as in his warres I compared him to valiaunt king Dauid: so in this latter time for his peacefull gouern­ment, he may be verye well compared to Salomon, who is [Page] termed by the interpretacion of his name, pacificus, peace­able, or a Prince of peace. And so he alone hath matched .2. most worthy Princes in two seuerall and moste princelye qualities. The third thing that I commend specially in this Prince, whiche I must speake, not of knowledge, but of moste credible reporte: is his chastitie, he was a chaste Prince, a Prince that did truly, and (as they say) preciselye keepe his wedlocke. A notable vertue in anye man, but more notable in a Prince, and moste notable in so great a Prince, specially in this loose and licentious age. For in these daies it is to be feared, that not onelye Princes, but others, of farre meaner estate, think vnchaste life, and the breache of Matrimonie, a thing not onelye in them selues worthy of no reprehēsion, but also accompt others of like state in power and authoritie, very fooles and dastardes, if they of conscience forbeare to do the same. Like in that to the Ethnickes, of whom S. Peter writeth these wordes: Atque hoc absurdum illis videtur, quod non accuratis vnae cum illis in eādem luxus refusionem. [...]. Pet. 4. And it seemeth to them a straunge or fonde thing, that ye runne not with them in to the same excesse of riot, or loosnesse.

But let these men assure them selues of that which folo­weth in the same place.Idem. These men (saith saint Peter) shal geue accompt to him that is prepared to iudge the quicke and the dead. God hath not geuen a particular, but a ge­neral law: neither hath he geuen his commaundementes to poore men onelye, or to men of meane estate, but to all men, and to al estates, high and low, Emperours, kynges, Quenes, Lordes, Ladies, riche, poore. Yea, the greatest Prince of the world, shal as wel tremble at the iudgement seate of Iesus Christ, and passe as hard an account, as the poorest man of the earth, & an harder to, for that he hath a greater charge cōmited vnto him, according as it is wri­ten: [Page] Cui multū creditum, Luc. 12. Sapi. 6. multū requiretur ab eo: et potentes potenter tormenta patientur. To whom much is cōmitted, of him much shalbe required: and the mightye shall suffer mighty tormentes. Let no man thinke therfore, that high estate in this world, geueth him a licence to liue wickedlye and vnchastely: but rather follow this prince, who vertu­ously, godly, and Christianly liued in honorable matrimo­nie. And may therefore herein iustlye be compared to the vertuous Emperour Gratianus, one of his predecessours. To whom saint Ambrose geueth this laudable testimonie: Fuit Gratianus castus corpore, In orat. de obit. Vale [...]tinia. vt praeter coniugium nescierit alterius foeminae consuetudinem. Gratianus was a chaste man of his body, who, out of wedlocke or besides his wife, knew not the companie of any other woman

And behold (I beseche you) how wonderfully God blessed him for his chaste obseruacion of Matrimonie. For wher other Princes liuing heretofore incontinently, haue bene plaged of God with sterilitie & want of roial issue of their bodies, and so the direct line of succession hath bene cut of after them: God hath not onelye geuen vnto this Prince plentie of honourable children, both Sonnes and Daugh­ters, but also according to the verse of the Psalme, caused him see Filios filiorum, his childers children, to a very great number.

The honourable mariages of hys daughters in sundrie places of Christendome, I omitte: but one thing I cannot but note vnto you, that hee receyued at Gods hande the same blessing which God graunted vnto Dauid,3. Reg. 1. whereof he hym selfe maketh mencion in the thirde booke of the Kinges, the first chapiter in these woordes.

Benedictus dominus deus Israel, qui dedit hodie sedentem in solio meo videntibus oculis meis. Praised be God (saith Da­uid, when Salomon his sonne was proclaimed king before [Page] his death) which hath geuen me one of mine own to sit this day on my seate, myne eyes looking on. Like occasion to praise God had Ferdinandus the Emperour, of whom wee speake: for he afore he died, sawe the most excellent and no­ble Prince Maximilian, his eldest sonne (now Emperour) crowned king of Romanes, and therby in most sure certentie (if he liued) to succeede him. A great blessing to a Prince, and a great blessing to a countrey, where the case standeth so. God for his mercies sake, at his good appoynted tyme, send such a blessing to England. Amen, Amen,

Thus much I haue thought good to speake in the cōmendacion of this noble Emperour, both to continue an hono­rable memorie of the vertues that were in him, as the occasion of this time and place iustly requireth, and also to styr vp those that be present of all estates, to followe these good thinges that were commendable in him. And here I might cease to speake any more of him, were it not y^t there remai­neth yet one scruple to be remoued. For it will be obiected peraduenture, that this Prince thus commended, dissented from vs in religion: and an answer therein required. I an­swer, that the matter of religiō is a matter of great weight in dede, and such a matter as we must commend vnto God onely. Let vs, whom God in his mercy hath lightened with the bright beames of his Gospel, render vnto him most harty thankes for the same. Let vs thankfully embrace it, and Christianly vse it, to the glory of God, and our own health. And let vs pray instantly to god, the geuer of al good gifts, that he wyl in his good appointed time,Iacob. 1. so lighten the eyes, and directe the hartes of all Christian Princes, that they may see the light of the truth, and walke thereafter in the right waye, to the extirpacion of al supersticion and error, and to the true setttng forth and maintenance of sincere re­ligion, and to the glory of God, who is to be blessed for euer. [Page] And yet somethyng to aunswer them as concernyng this prince: diuers matters may be alledged, wherof I will re­hearse some, which argue that he was not so much addicted to the Romishe religion, as some men would haue y^e worlde to beleue. And herein I will not deale subtilie or craftly, as to affirme before this auditorie for a more strength to our cause, y^t the Emperour afore his death thought in all points of religion as we do (for I do not thincke so my self of him) onely I will alledge a few thinges, which either by the eui­dēce of the matter, or els by good record are manifest to all y^e world. And first of al it cannot be denied, but that he was contēted to be crowned Emperour without a Masse, which no Emperour did before him a great many of yeres. And if any mā would denie this: there be diuers persones here pre­sent that were then at Frankford, and saw the whole solē ­nitie of his coronation, which was done for more suretie in this case, at afternone, not afore none as was accustomed. Now if the Emperour had so much estemed the Masse, as other haue done before him: he would not haue suffred it to haue bene left of at his Coronation. And if any for excuse hereof should affirme that he was contented at that time to dissēble the matter, till he had obteined y^e imperiall crowne: those vnder coulour of frendship should be his enemies, as diffaming him, that for ambition sake he would do a thyng cōtrarie to his cōscience: whiche, who soeuer doth affirme, thinketh not honorablie, nor as he ought to thincke of so good and so worthy a prince. Furthermore I haue heard for a truth, that afore his Coronation he faithfull promised the princes Electours, that he would neuer be crowned of the Pope, and the sequele declared the same verie manifest­ly to be true, for he was neuer crowned of hym in dede, re­maining so longe in the Empire without the Popes appro­bation, whiche before time was vsed. Let it then be indiffe­rently [Page] considered, whether this was not much derogato­rie to the holy sea, and whether Saint Peters Prerogatiue was not much touched herein? What a schismaticall mat­ter would this haue bene made, and what stirres woulde haue ensued, if the Emperour Ferdinande had liued in the dayes of Pope Gregory the seuenth, who procured the de­posing, yea and death also of the Emperour Henry the .iiii? Or in the dayes of Pope Alexander, who set his foote in the necke of the Emperour Fridericus Barbarossa? But the Pope is a wise man, for although he retaine the same mind that the other his predecessors had, yet bycause the tymes do not serue his purpose, he dissembleth the matter, and is contented rather to take a peece, then loose all. And sure­ly this one acte is a playne demonstration, that this Empe­rour did not thincke him selfe bound in conscience so much to tender the Popes supremacie, as the Canonistes would haue it estemed,Extra. de maior. & obed. capi. vnā sanctā. who make it a matter De necessitate salutis, of necessity to saluation. For otherwise he would not haue done as he did, to haue gayned tenne Empires. Besides al this, there is extant abroad in printe, an Oration pronoun­ced in the late Tridentine Counsell, by the Emperour Fer­dinandes Ambassadour, in whiche Oration there is request made by the Emperour, that libertie may be graunted to haue the Communion ministred in both kyndes. Where­vpon may very well be gathered, that the Emperour was not ignoraunt of the sacrilege of the Romishe Churche in depriuing the people of God of the one halfe of the Sacra­ment, where Christe him selfe instituted both. Or els if he had thought the one to be as sufficient as both (whiche is the Popishe doctrine) what neded he to make any further sute? And for further declaration of his earnestnes in this pointe, I will adde that whiche I sawe written in Auguste last past, by a mā of good credite and estimation, that Fer­dinandus [Page] the Emperour, not longe before hys death, gaue licence to al his own countreis, to haue the vse of y^e Sacra­ment in both kyndes. I do not affirme this but of reporte: But surely if it bee true, I do not doubt, but that God re­ueled vnto hym other partes of religion also, whiche we haue not yet heard of. But (as I haue sayd) we will com­mende that matter vnto God: And what soeuer hys reli­gion was, thys solemne action for memoriall of him, may very well bee vsed notwithstanding. And beyng fallen into y^e mention of thys publique action and solemnitie, it shall not be amisse somewhat to saye of the true vse, mea­nyng, and purpose of the same, for the better satisfaction of doubtfull mindes. For there is no doubte but there will bee two contrarye iudgementes concernynge the same. The one parte wyll saye, there is to lytle done, the other will saye, there is to muche. The first parte wyll alledge, that althoughe they cannot but confesse the action to bee done very honorablye, and with muche magnificencie, yet the principall matter of all is wantyng (wyll they saye): for here is an honorable memoriall of the Emperour Fer­dinandus, but here is (saye they) no prayer for the soule of Ferdinandus. To those I aunswere that the holye Scrip­tures, the woorde of God, is the candell and the lanterne for our steppes. By it we ought to directe our steppes, if we will please God, without it, we walke in darkenesse,Psal. 119. and knowe not whether we go. But first of all in the Scriptu­res we finde no commaundemente to praye for the soules departed,2. Mach. 12. vnlesse they will cite the place of the booke of Ma­chabees: And then Sainte Ierome shall make them aun­swere,Hieron. in prefat. in lib Solo­mo. who permitteth in deede these bookes of Machabaees to bee read [...] but bycause they bee not of the Canon of the Scriptures, they be not (sayth Saint Ierome) sufficient of thē selues to establishe any doctrines in the Church of God. [Page] Secondarily we haue no example in y^e canonical Scripture of any inuocation for the dead: for we read in the olde Te­stament that the fathers, as Iacob and others, were buried with mourning, and with much honor, for a testimonie of the resurrectiō, which is here also ment: but that any pray­ers was vsed for them, we read not. Likewise we read in the new Testament of Stephen and other, but of no prayer for thē or any others after their death, read we any where in the old Testament or in the new. Thirdly where in the olde Testament be Sacrifices, and expiatiōs appointed for many and sundry thinges, wherof some semed small offen­ces: yet was there neuer any Sacrifices appointed for any purgation or expiation of y^e dead. And therfore if Iudas Ma­chabaeus offred a Sacrifice for the dead, seyng none suche is prescribed in the law of Moses, in that doyng he added to y^e law, and so offended God: and is no more in this pointe to be followed, then Loth and Dauid beyng otherwise godly men, are to be folowed in their euill actes: nor the author of that booke more to be credited in this sentence without the Scripture,1. Mach. 14. Vide Aug. cont. Gau­dent. then in his commendyng of one in the same sto­rie who did kill him selfe, contrarie to the Scriptures. Be­sides that, diuers of the oldest written copies of the storie of the Machabaees in Greke, haue no mēcion at al of the pray­eng for the dead: So that that place is suspected to haue ben corrupted of purpose by some addition, put to many yeares after. For most certaine it is if prayer for the dead had ben so necessarie, as manie now a dayes would haue it seme, it had not lacked all authoritie and example of the Canonical Scriptures as it doth.

Nowe if they shall alledge that the auncient doctours make for them (for Scripture, other then afore is alleged, they haue none that maketh any thynge for the purpose) fyrste it is to be sayde that mens writinges alone are not sufficient in matters of faith and religion. It cannot be de­nyed, [Page] but from Gregories tyme when the corruption of re­ligion increased very much: the doctrine of purgatorie and praying for the dead hath gone with full saile, being main­teined principally by fayned apparitions, visions of spirits, and other like fables, contrary to the Scriptures. But the the eldest writers and doctours of the Churche (for Diony­sius, euen by the Iudgement of Erasmus, is not so olde as they make hym,) speake not at all of praying for the dead. And although in Chrisostome & Saint Ambrose sometyme there is mencion of praying for the dead, yet it is in a farre other meanyng with them, then the scoolemen and other of the latter tyme, beyng men ignoraunt in the tounges and other good learnyngs, haue collected and gathered of them. For it is manifest, that those holy fathers ment nothynge lesse then by praying for those y^t were departed, to establish Purgatorie or thirde place: without the whiche, neither the Pope hym selfe nor any of his clergy woulde any thyng at al contend for praying for the dead. For y^e terrour of Pur­gatorie beyng taken awaye, their gayne would ceasse: and withall their prayer for the dead, inuented for filthy lucre, were at an ende. For it is confessed of all men, that if there be no thirde place, prayer for the dead is in vayne, for those that be in heauen nede it not: those that be in hell, cannot be holpen by it: so that it nedeth not or boteth not, as the olde prouerbe goeth. If the auncient fathers therefore when they praye for the dead, meane of the dead whiche are alrea­dy in heauē and not els where: then must we nedes by their prayer vnderstande either thanckesgeuyng, or elles take such petitions for the dead (as they be in deede in some pla­ces) for figures of eloquēce and exornation of their stile and Oration, rather then necessarie groundes of reason of any doctrine. But I will make this matter more playne by an example or twaine, not entending at this tyme to make any [Page] lōger discourse or disputatiō cōcernyng this matter. S. Am­brose in his funeral oratiō or Sermō cōcerning the death of Theodosius the Emperour, doth much cōmēd his vertues, & especially he commēdeth him for his great lowlines & hūble­nes of spirit: for that he being an Emperour submitted him selfe to the discipline of the Churche, and did publicque pe­naunce for the murder committed at Thessalonica by hys cōmaundement, lamētyng his ouersight therin with abun­daūce of teares: which few priuate mē in these dayes would be contēted to do. In the processe of this oration, Saint Am­brose laboureth to persuade all men that Theodosius, who had liued so godly, was vndoubtedlye saued: and at length pronounceth therof playnely,In orat. de obit Theod. vsing these wordes. ‘Fruitur nunc Augustae memoriae Theodosius luce perpetua, tranquil­litatae diuturna, et pro hiis quae in hoc gessit corpore munera­tionis diuinae fructibus gratulatur, that is: The Emperour▪ Theodosius of most honorable memorie, now enioyeth per­petuall light, and continual quietnesse: and for those things whiche he did in this body, he doth reioyse in the fruition of Gods rewarde.’ How could S. Ambrose haue more plainely expressed his certain persuasion, cōcernyng the blessed state of Theodosius? And yet within a fewe lynes after he hath these wordes: ‘Domine da requiē perfecto seruo tuo Theodo­sio, requiē quā parasti sanctis tuis. Lorde geue rest to thy per­fect seruaunt Theodosius, the rest (I meane) which thou hast prepared for thy saints.’ First he calleth Theodosius the per­fect seruaunt of God: But purgatory by the cōfession of the patrones therof, is not for the perfecte, but for the imperfect. And moreouer what nedeth S. Ambrose to praye to God to geue Theodosius rest, seyng he hath pronounced afore, that Theodosius was already in possession of that rest, and ther­fore not in purgatory, where is paine (as they teach) contra­rie to rest. It is euident therfore that S. Ambrose in this and [Page] lyke places ment not to establish the doctrine of purgatorie, or praying for the dead, but vseth onely a figure of eloquēce and vehemencie of affection. Likewise in the Greke liturgie entituled to Chrisostome are cōteyned these wordes follow­ing. ‘Praeterea offerimus tibi rationalem hunc cultū pro omni­bus in fide quiescētibus maioribus, patribus, Patriarchis, Prophetis et Apostolis, praeconibus, et euāgelistis, martyribus, cō ­fessoribus, cōtinentibus, et omni spū in fide initiato precipue pro sanctissima immaculata sup omnes benedicta d [...]a nostra deipara et sēper virgine Maria’. Moreouer we offer vnto thee this reasonable worship for al y^e forefathers resting in faith: for the fathers, patriarches, Prophetes, Apostles, preachers, & euangelistes, for martyrs, confessors, cōtinent persons, & euery spirit endued with faith: But chiefly for the most holy, immaculate & blessed aboue all other, our Lady the mother of God, and euermore a virgine Marie.

These are Chrisostomes wordes, shall we nowe gather hereof, bycause Chrisostome affirmeth the reasonable wor­shipping at the holy communion to be offred for y^e Patriar­ches, for the Apostles, yea and for the blessed virgine? Ther­fore the Patriarches, Apostles, and the blessed virgine are in Purgatorie? It is to greate an absurditie. This oblation therfore is onely a thankesgeuing to God for the Saints of God departed, with the remembraunce of them by name, who did in true faith departe out of this worlde. These pla­ces wel weighed are sufficient to declare y^e true meaning of many other lyke places alledged out of y^e fathers for pray­ing for y^e dead, & for purgatory. But to aunswer to the secōd sort, who thinke this to much & to come to nere to y^e supersti­tious rites abrogated: I would those mē would follow y^• ex­ample of y^e Israelites, in a time of variaunce betwene thē & some of their brethrē, the storie is cōt [...]ined the .22. of Iosue,Iosue. [...]. y^e effect is this. Whē the tribes of Ruben & Gad, and the halfe [Page] tribe of Manasse had receaued their portiō beyond Iordan, at their returne home they builded a peece of worke lyke a great aultar, whiche when the reste of the Israelites heard of, they intended warre agaynste the twoo tribes and the halfe, and sent messengers vnto thē, burdenyng them with apostasie, and reuolting from Gods religion, for that they had builded an other aulter, besides the aulter in the taber­nacle, whiche was the onely aulter appoynted by God. The two tribes and the halfe aunswered, & that with callyng of God to witnes, that they ment no such thyng, nor neuer en­tēded to offer any sacrifice vpon it: But onely buylded it for a boūder & for a testimonie, both for them & their children, y^t the boūdes of their possessions reached so farre. The reste of y^e Israelites were with thys answere very well satisfied and contended, and absteyned for any warre makyng agaynste them. So I do not doubte, but those who thinke this action to haue any affinitie with the superstitious abrogated cere­monies (if any such men be) when they shal vnderstand that there is no suche thyng neyther done, nor ment, they wilbe likewyse satisfied. Firste of all here is no inuocation or massyng for the dead: nothyng els done, but that is godly, First singyng of the Psalmes, afterwardes readyng of the Scriptures, which put vs in remembraunce of our morta­litie, and of the generall resurrection, with doctrine and ex­hortation. All whiche thinges tend to edifieng of the lyuing, not benefiting of the dead. The rest of thynges tend to the honorable memoriall of this greate prince, as hath bene vsed in all ages, euen emongs Gods people. Herein also we declare that we reuerence and honour the authoritie of Ma­gistrates, as those in whō the Image of God here on earth is represented vnto vs. Purgatorie gaineth nothyng by this dayes action or such like, but rather receaueth a blow, for at such times there is alwaies iust occasiō ministred to speake [Page] against that foolish fable. And as for this magnificence, & costes, the Quenes maiesties act therin, deserueth great cō mendacion, shewing her selfe therin a Prince of honor by doing the office of a Prince, to the greatest Prince that raigned, therby exercising the amitie that ought to be be­twixt Christian Princes. And that suche actes for Princes dead, are with such circumstances lawfull and commen­dable, may appere by the scriptures. The prophet Ieremye rebuking king Ioachim, saith thus: Pater tuus nonne com edit et bibit, et fecit iudicium et iustitiam, et bene erat ei. &c▪ Ierem. [...]. Did not thy father (saith he, meaning good king I [...]sias) eate and drinke, and dyd iudgement and iustice, & it went well with him? What meaneth the Prophet by eatyng and drinking? no man can liue without meate and drinke. He meaneth that Iosias did not onely eate and drinke for necessitte, but also vpon iust occasions, made great & roial feastes, & was sumptuous in other matters meete for hys estate, but he ioyned withal iudgement & iustice, he destroied the monuments of idolatry, he ministred iudgement to the idolatrous priests, he ministred iustice to the oppressed, to the widow and fatherles, & God was well pleased with him, saith the prophet. And so if the example of Iosias be folowed in the rest, God wil not be offended with this.Ierem. [...]. And (which is more special) it is threatned to wicked kings by y^e same prophet: they shal not mourne for him, alas y^• noble prince. &c. but as Asses shal they be cast abroade. &c. So that this our doing is an honour due, euen by the scriptures, to this worthy & most noble prince.Gene. [...].

Let no man here obiect diuersity of religion, Ioseph dyd not refuse to take the Egiptians, being of a diuers religi­on, in his cōpany to solemnize the burial of his father. And Dauid sent a princely embassage to Hanon,3. Reg. [...]. king of the A­monites to cōfort him, vpon the death of his father Naas. [Page] I am of S. Augustines minde: whatsoeuer (saith he) tēdeth to the edifieng or encrease either of faith or of charitye, is commendable. These kindes of actions, bisides the entents before alledged, tend to thincrease of charitie, to the conti­nuaunce and confirmation of vnitie, concord, and amity, with a most noble and mighty prince our neighbour, and therfore cannot but be cōmended of al those that be louers of peace and vnitie. But let this suffice of that matter.

Now resteth somthing to speake of the third part, which is how a mā should prepare him selfe to die. Wherin I en­tend to be very short, bicause I haue spēt much time in the former matters. A very necessary matter it is for a mā to prepare him selfe to die wel, and Christianly, for in that re­steth al.Apoc. 14. And therfore they are pronounced happy that dye in y^e Lorde. But this preparation must be made according to the direction of Gods woord, not according to the deuise of mans phantasy. In times past men made preparaciōs afore death, but (God knoweth) farre out of square: Some redemed for money, great plentye of Indulgencies from Rome, and he that had the greatest plentie of them, to bee cast with him into his graue, when he was buried (whiche I my selfe haue sene done) was counted the best prepared for death. Others made prouisions or foundacions to haue great number of Masses said for them after death, thereby to be the sooner deliuered out of Purgatorie. Other there were, that thought it a more reasonable and speedye waye to quench the fire of Purgatory, afore they fel into it, and therfore they procured a great number of Masses & Tren­tals to be said for them afore death. Some of those y^t haue bene learned (the more was the pity) haue died in an obser­uant or gray Friars cowle, and afterward bene buried in the same, and so thought them selues well prepared. But (alas) al these preparaciōs were preposterous, Parchmēt, [Page] and leade, Masses and Trentals, were they before death or after, the gray or blacke coulour of the Friars cowle, were very slender matters of defence before Gods iudgement seate. These thinges therfore, being not onelye not com­maunded of God, but also tending to the diminishing of the efficacie and vertue of Christes crosse, were more apte to kindle the vnquenchable fire of hel, then to quenche the phantastical fire of Purgatorie, which is no where.

It is not to be denied, but our forefathers wer wise mē, and in very many thinges highly to be commended: & yet lamentable it is to heare, into what grosse errours & superstitions they were caried, by those that made a marchaun­dise of religion, teaching thinges not conuenient for filthy lucres sake, as S. Paule foreshewed.Tit. [...]. To be briefe therfore as the time ouerspent requireth, the true preparaciō to die well, is to liue well. A few wordes, but a long lesson. Saint Augustine hath a like saying: Non potest male mori, qui bene vixit, et vix potest bene mori, qui male vixit. He can­not die euill, that hath liued wel, and hardly, hardly (sayth he) can he die wel, that hath liued euil. He saith (hardlye) for that no mā can limit the measure of gods mercies,Math. [...] ▪ Luc. [...]3. he may whē his merciful wil is, cal at y^e xi. houre, as Christ our sa­uiour in the parable of the woorkemen sent into the vine­yard, declareth. He may cal at the last end of our life, as he did the theefe on the crosse. But that is not his ordinarye way, let no mā presume vpon that, but let euery man obey the voice of god whē he calleth him, who by his holy word calleth al men at altimes, when they reade, or heare it.

When I saye that to liue wel, is the verye best prepara­tion to die wel, let no man thincke that I herein go about to extoll the dignitie or merite of mans woorkes: But that I vnderstande by lyuynge well, all those qualities, and vertues whiche pertayne to a true Christian manne, [Page] amonges which, those that be of the first table of the com­maundementes of God, are moste principall. As namelye Christian beliefe, the true knowledge of god, assured faith in the mercies of God, for the merites of Christe onelye. Out of which, as out of a most plentiful fountaine, sprin­geth true innocation of God, true mortification of the old man, and contempt of the world, with all the woorkes of charity & mercye. Of which I wil cease to speake any fur­ther at this present, both for that I am excluded by tyme now ouerpast, and also for that the particular tractation of these, is the principal matter of all our other sermons. Of the which, as ye haue often times hearde heretofore, so shal you also hereafter heare often, of me & other my bre­thren, by the grace and ayd of almighty God, who graunt vnto euerye one of vs, that when the vncertaine houre of death shal come, we may be found vigilant and well pre­pared: that departing from hence wyth a ioyfull consci­ence, we may be partakers of that blessednes & felicitye, whiche in the Scriptures our sauiour promiseth to those seruauntes, whom the Lorde at his commyng, shall finde watchyng and ready. Whiche blessednes God graunte vs all, and that through the me­rites and death of the same our Sauiour Iesus Christ. To whom with the fa­ther and the holy Ghost, be all ho­nor, glory, and empire, now and for euer. Amen,