Year: 1863




THOUGHTS ON DEATH.


A very little while and all will be
over with thee here. See to it, how
it stands with thee in the future life.
Man to-day is, and tomorrow is seen
no more; and when he is taken away
from the sight, he is quickly out of
mind. Oh, the dullness and hard
ness of the human heart, that dwell
eth only upon things present, instead
of providing for those which are to
comet Thou shouldst so order
! thyself in every deed and thought as
if thou were Immediately to die.
Ifthou hadst a good conscience, then
thou wouldst not much fear death.
IF thou art not prepared to-day, how
wilt thou be tomorrow? Tomorrow
is an uncertainty; and how knowest
thou that thou shalt have tomorrow?
Of what benefit is it to live long,
when we progress so little ? All,
long life doth not always amend us;
nav, oftentimes doth rathera ugment
our guilt. Would that even for one
day we had behaved ourselves well
inlthis world4 Many count the years





of their conversion, but oftentimes
the fruit of amendment is but little.
lit is fearful thing to die, per-
haps it will be still more dangerous
to live longer. Blessed is the man
that hath the hour Of death contin-
ually before his eye and daily putteth
himself in order for death. If thou
hast at any moment seen a person
die, reflect that thou too must pass
the same way. When it is morning
think thou viii not live 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 sud
denly and unprovidedly; for the Son
of Man will come at the hour when
He is not looked for. When that last
hour shall come, then thou wilt be-
gin to think far otherwise of all thy
past life; and great will be thy grief
that thou has been so neglectful and
remiss. How happy and prudent is
he who now striveth to be in life
what he would fain be found in death.
For it will give great confidence of
dying happily to have perfect con-
tempt of the world, a fervent desire
to advance in virtue, love of disci-
pline,- the spirit of peuance, readi-
ness of obedience, abnegation of self,
and patience to bear any kind of ad-
versfty for the love of Christ. Many
are the good works thou canst do
whilst in health; but when thou art
sick, know not what thou wilt be
able to do. Few are improved by
sickness; 50 also they that go much
abroad seldom grow in sanctity.
Trust not in thy friends and neigh
bors, and put not off thy souls well
fare until the future, for men will
forget thee sooner than thou think
est. 1t is better to provide now In
time, and send some good before
thee, than to trust to the assistance
of others after death. IF thou art
not solicitous for thyself now, who
will be solieitous for thee hereafter?
N,aw is the time very precious; now
is the acceptable time; now is the
day of salvation. But o, misery
that thou spendest not thy time more
proftably, wherein thou hast 1t IL
thy power to merit that thou mayest
live eternally. The time will come
when thou wilt fam implore one day
or even one hour, foiT amendment
and / know not that thoT wilt ob
tain it. Oh, then, dearly beloved
from what great danger may tlhor
free thyself, from what great fear bt
rescued, if only thou wouldst be al
ways fearful, and looking for death
Study, therefore, SO to live now, that
in the hour of death thou mayest be
able to rejoice rather than to fear
Learn now to die to the world, thai
then thou mayest begin to live with
Christ. Learn now to despise al
things, that then thou mayest freely
60 to Christ. All, fooll why think
est thou to live long, when here thor
hast not day secure? How many
souls have been deceived and snatch
ed unexpectedly from life. How of
ten hast thou heard related that sucl
a.one fell by the sword, another i
drowned, another falling from OF
high broke his neck, this man diet
at the table, that other came to hi
death at play. Some perish by fire
some by the sword, some by pesti
lence, some by the hand of robbers
and so death is the end of al, AM
mans life passes away suddenly ly hk
a shadow. Who will remember the
when thou art dead? Do now, be
loved, do now all thou canst, for tho
knowest not when thou art to die
and, moreover, thou knowest no
what will befall thee after death
Whilst thou hast time, amass for thy
self immortal riches. Think of notl
ing but thy salvation; care only fo
the things Of God. Make to thyse
friends now, by generating the saint
of God, and initiating their action
that when thou shalt fail in this lif


they may receive thee into everlas
ing dwellings,. Keep thyself as Pi