Deaths knell

Let the memory of Death (good Christian) be ever the Looking-glass of thy life, thy continual Companion, and inseparable Spouse: let thy solace be the sighs of a sorrowful soul; and those the more bitter, the better: whilst Worm-like, thou crawlest here below, fasten all thy faculties upon the Commandments of thy Creator; for those in thy final passage, must be the Pilot to steer thee into the Haven of Heaven; Think every moment thou art in the waning, that the date of thy Pilgrimage is well-nigh expired, and that the lamp of thy life lieth twinkling upon the snuff; and that now it stands thee upon to look toward thy Celestial home▪ thy forces are enfeebled, thy senses impaired, and on every side, the tottering and ruinous Cottage of thy faint flesh threateneth fall.

LEt the memory of Death (good Christian) be euer the Looking-glasse of thy life, thy continuall Companion, and inseparable Spouse: let thy solace be ye sighes of a sorrowfull soule; and those the more bitter, the better: whilest Worme-like, thou crawlest heere below, fasten all thy faculties vpon the Commandements of thy Creator; for those in thy finall passage, must be the Pylot to steere thee into the Hauen of Heauen; Thinke euery moment thou art in the waning, that the date of thy Pilgrimage is wel-nigh expired, and that the lampe of thy life lyeth twinckling vpon the snuffe; and that now it stands thée vpon to looke toward thy Celestiall home▪ thy forces are enfeebled, thy sences impaired, and on euery side, the tottering and ruinous Cottage of thy faint flesh threatneth fall.

And meeting so many Harbingers of death, how canst thou but prepare for so ghastly a guest? The young man may dye quickly, but the old cannot live long: the young mans life by casualty ⟨image 3⟩may be cut off, but the aged by Physic cannot be preserved: Greene years must resolve to grow to the grave, and the meditations of old age must dwell in the same: be mindful of things past, careful of things present, and provident for things to come. Use the blessings of nature to the benefit of thy soul; be wise in well-doing, and watchful for thy end: Serve not the world; for that can possess thee of nothing but pride, envy, lust, anger, malice, and infinite follies: for it defileth a man with sin, disquieteth with troubles, oppresseth with labours, vexeth with temptations, vanquisheth with vain delights, and miserably wrappeth him up in woeful calamities. The world, it is an Ambassador of the evil, a scourge of the good, a tyrant of the truth, a breaker of peace, a worker of war, a sweet of vices, a gall of virtues, a friend of lies, an inventer of novelties, a travel to the ignorant, a table of Gluttons, a furnace of concupiscence, a sepulchre of the dead, a prison of the living, a pitfall to the rich, a burden to the poor, a Palace of Pilgrims, a Den of Deceivers, a slanderer of the good, a commender of the wicked, and a deluder of all. Thou hast no reason to dote upon the world; for at first it affords thee but a wrangling welcome, and at last turns thee off, with