OCR Text |
Show I - (P!. I CHAPTEB XXIII. Cf the Thoughts cf Dsath. A very little while and all will be over with thee here. See to it, how it stands with thee in the next life. Man today is, and tomorrow he is teen no more. And when he is taken away from the 1 sight, he is quickiy also out cf mind. I Oh, the hardness and dullneaf of the I human heart, that dwelleth only upon j things present, instead rather of pro- viding for thos? which are to come! Thou shouldst so order thyself in j every deed and thought as if thou wert immediately to die. If thou hadst a good conscience, thou wouldst not much fear death. It were better to shun sin than, to fly If thou art not prepared today, how-wilt how-wilt thou be tomorrow? Tomorrow is an uncertain day; and hew knowefit thou if thou shalt have tomorrow! Of what use is it to live long, when we advance so little? Ah. long life doth not always amend us nay' oftentimes doth argument our guilt. Would that even for one day we had behaved ourselves well in this world! Many count the years of their conversion; conver-sion; but oftentimes, the fruit of amendment is but little. ! If it is a fearful thing to die, perhaps j it will be still more dangerous to live I longer. I Blese-.ed is the man that hath the hour of his death continually before his eyes, and daily putteth himself in order for death. I If thou hast at any time seen a. per- j son die, reflect that thou too must pa.f3 the same way. I When it is morning, think thou wilt j not liv till evening. And when evening comes, venture not ' to promise thyself the next morning. ! Be, therefore, always in readiness, and so live that death may never find thee unprepared. Many die suddenly and unprovidedly, for the Son of God will come at the hour when He is not looked for. j When that last 'hour shall have come, I then thou wilt begin to think far otherwise other-wise of all thy past life; anel great will be thy grief that thou hast been so 1 reglectful and remiss. How happy and how prudent is he who now striveth to be in life what he would fain be in death. For it will give great confidence of dying happily to have a perfect contempt con-tempt of the world, a fervent desire to advance in virtue, a love of discipline, the spirit of penance, readiness of obedience, obe-dience, abnegation of self, and pa- 1 tience to bear any kind of adversity for the love of Christ. Many are the good works thou canst j do whilst in health: but when thou art sick, I know not what thou wilt be able to do. Few are improved by sickness; so a'9 I i they that go much abroad seldom grow-in grow-in sanctity. Trust not in thy friends and neighbors, neigh-bors, and put not off thy soul's welfare ! till the future, for men will forget thee ! sooner than thou thinkest. ! It is better to provide now in time, j j and send uome good before thee, than I to trust to the assistance of others af-I af-I ter cloath. 1 If thou art not solicitous for thyself I now, who will be solicitous for thee hereafter? Now is the time very precious, now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation. But. O misery! that thou spendest not thi-si time more profitably, wherein thou hast it in thy power to merit that thou may st live eternally. The time will enme when tllOU wilt I fain implore one day or. even one hour j for amend'.T.ent; and I know not if thou wilt obtain, it. Oh, then, dearly be!oed. from what great danger dos.t thou free thyself, from wht-t 'great ft ar be: rescued, it only thou wouldst he always fearful and looking for death! Study, therefore, so to live now. that In the hour of death thou mayst be able rather to rejoice than to fear. Learn now to die to the world, that then thou mayst begin to live with Christ. Learn now to despise all things, that then thou mayst freely go to Christ. Chastise thy body now by penance, that then, thou mayst have a certain confidence, i Ah, fool! Why thinkest thou to live I long when, here thou hast not a day I secure? i How many souls have been deceived, and snatched unexpectedly from life. How often haft thou heard related that such a one fell by the sword, another an-other i drowned, another falling from cn high broke his neck, this man dieel at table, that other came to his end at play. Some perish by fire, some by the sword, some by pestilence, some by the hands of robbers: and f death ends it all; and man's life passeth away like a shadow. Who will remember when th'ou art dead? and who will pray for thee? Whilst thou hast- time, amass for thyself immortal riches. Think of nothing but thy salvation; care only for the things of God. Make to thyself friends now, by venerating ven-erating the Saints of God, and imitating imi-tating their action's, that wheni thou ehalt fail in this life, they may receive thee into- everlasting dwellings. Keep thyself as a pilgrim and a stranger stran-ger upon earth, that hath no concern with the business of the world. Keep thy heart free and lifted up to God. for thou hast not here a lasting city. ' Send thither thy prayers and daily sighs, with tears, that thy spirit may merit after death to pass happily to our Lord. Amen. |