world and devotion of heart, coveting to die for the desire of everlasting life, and within all his inward affection desiring to be with Christ; — but rather the contrary. And for the most part of people, — they be suddenly with bitter death overcome that they be found at that time all undisposed in manner; as I am now overcome.
And if thou wilt know the cause of so great and so common a peril, lo, it is the inordinate desire of worship[1] and the superfluous care of the body. Earthly love, and too much busyness about worldly living, blinds many hearts of the commonalty, and brings them at the last to these mischieves. But soothly if thou, with few, desirest to be saved from the peril of undisposed death hear my counsel, and oft sithes set before thine eyes this that thou seest now in my sorrowful person, and busily bring it to thy mind; and thou shalt find soon that my doctrine is to thee most profitable. For thou hast so [much] profit thereby that, not only thou shalt not dread to die, but also (the) death — that is to all living men dreadful, — thou shalt abide and receive with desire of thine heart, in that it is the end of travail and the beginning of the felicity of everlasting joy. This thing look thou do: that thou every day bring me inwardly to thy mind, and busily take tent[2] to my words, and sadly[3] write them in thy heart. Of the sorrows and anguish that thou seest in me take heed, and think upon those things that be to come in hasty[4]
