1. Ioā. 4.
But sens it hath pleased the swete lambe to offer hymselfe vpon the crosse, hys great loue hath kyndeled a fyre within the harte so vehement, that euery true beleuer estemeth the passage of deathe but a playe or pastyme, and so preuoketh other constauntly in hys truthe to dye. And euē as the feare of deathe ded retarde vs, so ought loue to gyue vs a desyre to dye. For if true loue be vnfaynedly within the harte of a man, he can fele non other thynge, because that loue is so stronge of itselfe, that she kepith all the roume, and putteth out all other desyres, not sufferynge any thynge there but God only. For whersoeuer true and perfyght loue is, we do neyther remēbre feare nor yet sorowe.
Deute. 16.
Eccle. 1.
If our owne pryde for to attayne honoure, maketh vs to seke deathe so manye straunge wayes. As if for to haue a folysh pleasure, a man putteth hym selfe in ieopardye of lyfe. If a merchaūte to obtayne ryches, doth daunger hymselfe, somtyme for the value of a shyllynge. If the first cōceyuynge of robery or murther, crueltie or deceyte, doth so blynde a man, that he doubteth nothynge the daunger of deathe, neyther yet mysfortune whan he seketh to auēge hymselfe or doth any other euyll. If the fury of syckenesse or the rankenesse of Melancholy causeth a creature fearcely to wyshe for deathe, & oft tymes to drowne, hāge, or kylle thēselues. For suche euyls are somtymes so great that they cause their payned pacyentes to chose deathe for lyberte. If it so be than that these paynes full of euyll, and imperfectyons, causeth them not to feare the hasarde of deathe, but rather to thynke that deathe tarryeth to longe.
Roma. 8[unclear].
2. Cor. 3.
Alas what ought true and laudable loue to do? What ought the loue of the eternall creatour to wyshe? Shulde she sturre a harte suche wyse, that he beynge transported with suche affectyon, shulde fele non other thynge in hym? Alas yea. For deathe is a plesaunt thynge to the sowle, whych is in loue with God, and estemeth the passage easye, through the whych she commyth out of pryson. For the harde waye, wherthrough she commeth, can not wearye her for to enbrace her husbande. O my sauer, how good is the same deathe, through whom we shall haue the ende of all sorowes? By whom I shall enioye thy syght without impedyment, and be transfourmed into the lykenesse of thy maieste?
Canti. 5.
1. Cor. 15.