Heinrich Seuse

“ Lo, we all die: as water falleth down into the earth, and turneth not again. And God will not that man's soul perish, but withdraweth from him, that he be not fully lost that is of himself abject. Wherefore hear now my counsel. Repent ye of all thine offences, and do penance for thy misdeeds that be passed, and turn ye to thy Lord God by good deeds. For He is full benign and merciful: and if it so be that the end be good, it sufficeth to heal of soul. ”

“ Wot thou not that the doom of death is given to all men, for it taketh no person afore other and it spareth no man; and it hath no mercy neither of young nor old. It slayeth as well the rich as the poor; and sooth it is that right many, before the perfect fulfilling of their years, be drawn away from this life. Trowest thou that death should have shared thee alone? ”

“ Wherefore have mind of thy Creator and Maker in the days of thy youth, or that the powder turn again into his earth, whence he came from, and the spirit turn again to the Lord that gave it him. And bless thou God of Heaven with all thine heart, and be kind to him that giveth thee grace to see this. For there be full few that perceive with their heart the unstableness of this time; nor [the] deceit of death, that in all times lieth in a-wait, nor the everlasting felicity of that country which is to come. ”

“ LEARN TO DIE FOR THE LOVE OF Jesu Since it is that death nought to man, but rather from him, taketh, and priveth him of that he hath, whereof profiteth this doctrine of death? Say me it seemeth wonderful, and therefore teach me heavenly master.
Wisdom
Thou shalt understand that it is a science most profitable, and passing all other sciences, for to con [2] die. For a man to know that he shall die, that is common to all men; as much as there is no man that may ever live or he hath hope or trust thereof; but thou shalt find full few that have this cunning to con to die. ”

“ Soothly this doctrine of thine were most profitable, whoso hath it by experience as thou hast. But though it so be, that thy words be seen full stirring and biting, nevertheless they profit little as to many folk, for they turn away their face that they will not see unto their end. Their eyes see not, nor their ears hear not. They weened to live long, and that deceiveth them; and for they dread not undisposed [21] death, therefore they take no keep of seeing to-fore the harms thereof, what time that the messenger of death cometh ”

“ Lift up your eyes and look about thee busily, and see how many there be blind in their souls, and close their eyes, that they look not unto their last end, and stop their ears, that they hear not for to be converted and healed of sin. ”

“ O Thou Holy and merciful Saviour put [42] me not to bitter death. Lo, I falling down before Thee, with weeping tears ask of Thee that Thou punish me here at Thy will, so that there Thou receive [43] not my wicked deeds into the last end; for soothly in that horrible place there is so great sorrow and pain that no -tongue may suffer to tell. ”

“ Lo, the cruel beasts and the horrible faces of devils, and black forshapen things withouten number have environed me, a-spying and abiding my wretched soul — that shall in haste pass out — if peradventure it shall be taken to them for to be tormented, as for her bote. ”