A Golden Chain

This preparation is twofold: general, and particular. General preparation is that whereby a man prepares himself to die through the whole course of his life. A duty most needful which must in no wise be omitted. The reasons are these. First of all death which is certain is most uncertain. I say it is certain, because no man can eschew death. And it is uncertain three ways: first, in regard of time: for no man knoweth when he shall die: secondly, in regard of place: for no man knows where he shall die, whether in his bed or in the field, whether by sea or by land: thirdly, in respect of the kind of death: for no man knows whether he shall die of a lingering or sudden, of a violent or natural death. Hence it follows, that men should every day prepare themselves to death. Indeed if we could know when, where, and how we should die, the case were otherwise, but seeing we know none of these, it stands us in hand to look about us. A second reason serving further to persuade us is this. The most dangerous thing of all in this world, is to neglect all preparation. To make this point more manifest, I will use this comparison. A certain man, pursued by an Unicorn, in his flight falls into a dungeon, and in his fall takes hold and hangs by the arm of a tree: now as he thus hangs looking downward, he sees two worms gnawing at the root of the tree, and as he looks upward he sees and hive of most sweet honey, whereupon he climes up unto it, and sitting by it feeds thereon. In the mean season while he is thus sitting, the two worms gnaw in pieces the root of the tree: which done, tree and man and all fall into the bottom of the dungeon. Now this Unicorn is death; the man that flieth is every one of us, and every living man: the pit over which he hangeth, is hell: the arm of the tree is life it self: the two worms are day and night, the continuance whereof is the whole life of man: the hive of honey is the pleasures and profits and honours of this world, to which when men wholly give themselves not considering their ends, till the t•ee root, that is, this temporal life be cut off: which being once done, they plunge themselves quite into the gulf of hell. By this we see, that there is good cause that men ⟨p. 785⟩should not defer their preparation till the time of sickness, but rather every day make themselves ready against the day of death.

This preparation is twofold: generall, and particular. Generall preparation is that whereby a man prepares himselfe to die through the whole course of his life. A dutie most needfull which must in no wise be omitted. The reasons are these. First of all death which is certen is most vncertaine. I say it is certen, because no man can eschew death. And it is vncertaine three waies: first, in regard of time: for no mā knoweth when he shall die: secōdly, in regard of place: for no man knowes where he shall die, whether in his bed or in the field, whether by sea or by land: thirdly, in respect of the kind of death: for no man knowes whether he shall die of a lingring or sudden, of a violent or naturall death. Hence it followes, that men should euery day prepare themselues to death. Indeede if we could know when, where, and how we should die, the case were otherwise, but seeing we know none of these, it stands vs in hand to looke about vs. A second reason seruing further to perswade vs is this. The most daungerous thing of all in this world, is to neglect all preparation. To make this point more manifest, I will vse this comparison. A certaine man, pursued by an Vnicorne, in his flight falls into a dungeon, and in his fall takes hold and hangs by the arme of a tree: now as he thus hangs looking downeward, he sees two wormes gnawing at the roote of the tree, and as he lookes vpward he sees and hiue of most sweete honie, whereupon he climes vp vnto it, and sitting by it feedes thereon. In the meane season while he is thus sitting, the two wormes gnawe in pieces the roote of the tree: which done, tree and man and all fall into the bottom of the dungeon. Now this Vnicorne is death; the man that flieth is euery one of vs, and euery liuing man: the pit ouer which he hangeth, is hell: the arme of the tree is life it selfe: the two wormes are day and night, the continuance whereof is the whole life of man: the hiue of honie is the pleasures and profits and honors of this world, to which when men wholly giue themselues not considering their endes, till the tee roote, that is, this temporal life be cut off: which beeing once done, they plunge themselues quite into the gulfe of hell. By this we see, that there is good cause that men