Fifthly, learn to dye whiles thou livest; learn to dye before deatha. Forecast thine endb think oft on it4; fit thy self for it; that though it come never so soon, never so suddenly, it may not surprise thee unawares, it may not find thee unfitted. He can not dye with alacrity, he can not in holy manner desire death, that hath not fitted himself for death, that hath not before hand seriously thought on his end, and addressed himself thereuntoc. Therefore men fear it, because they are not prepared for it: therefore they dread it, because it cometh ere they expected itd. As thou art wont therefore ere sleep come upon thee, to compose thy self unto rest, by stripping thy self, lying down in or on thy bed, drawing the curtains about thee, closing thine eyes, acting sleep as it were, before thou sleepest: So endeavour daily, before death seize on thee, to compose and address thy self unto death5, by the serious meditation of thine unavoidable end, as most certainly not far of*, so uncertain how near, by labouring to work out of thy mind such secular, carnal, or satanical conceits, as may bring thee out of love with it, and by striving to bring thy self acquainted with it, yea to work thine heart to a love and a liking of it, that when it cometh, ⟨p. 26⟩thou mayest entertain it, neither as a foe, nor as a mere stranger, but as a wonted guest, as an ancient acquaintance, as a familiar friende It is a matter, as of much consequence, for the furtherance of a cheerful departure, so of great difficulty, not so soon achieved, not so easily learned,f as many men imagine: yea it is that, that we may well all our life long be a learning;g since it is, or ought to be the main aim of every mans whole life, to prepare and fit him for deathh.
Fiftly, learne to dye whiles thou liuest; learne to dye before deatha. Forecast thine endb thinke oft on it4; fit thy selfe for it; that though it come neuer so soone, neuer so sodainly, it may not surprise thee vnawares, it may not finde thee vnfitted. He can not dye with alacritie, he can not in holy manner desire death, that hath not fitted himself for death, that hath not before hand seriously thought on his end, and addressed himselfe thereuntoc. Therefore men feare it, because they are not prepared for it: therefore they dread it, because it commeth ere they expected itd. As thou art wont therefore ere sleepe come vpon thee, to compose thy selfe vnto rest, by stripping thy selfe, lying downe in or on thy bed, drawing the curtaines about thee, closing thine eyes, acting sleepe as it were, before thou sleepest: So endeuor daily, before death seize on thee, to compose and addresse thy selfe vnto death5, by the serious meditation of thine vnauoydable end, as most certainely not farre of*, so vncertaine how neere, by labouring to work out of thy minde such secular, carnall, or satanicall conceits, as may bring thee out of loue with it, and by striuing to bring thy selfe acquainted with it, yea to worke thine heart to a loue and a liking of it, that when it commeth, ⟨p. 26⟩thou maist entertaine it, neither as a foe, nor as a meere stranger, but as a wonted guest, as an ancient acquaintance, as a familiar frende It is a matter, as of much consequence, for the furtherance of a cheerefull departure, so of great difficultie, not so soone atchieued, not so easily learned,f as many men imagine: yea it is that, that we may well all our life long be a learning;g since it is, or ought to be the maine ayme of euery mans whole life, to prepare and fit him for death
- a1. Cor. 15. 31. Mortē, dumb adbnc viveres, imitatus, Ambr d: bond. mort. Egrogia res est mortem condiscere. Sen. epist. 26.1. Cor. 15. 31. Mortē, dum adbnc viueres, imitatus, Ambr d: bon. mort. Egrogia res est mortem condiscere. Sen. epist. 26.
- bDeut. 32 19. Nulla res magis proderit, quàm cogitatio mortalitatis. Sen. de•ra. l. 3. c 42. Nullius rei melitatio tam necessaria est. L•em ep. 70.
- 4Meditare mortem. Qui hoc d•cit, medi•ari libertalē jubet. Idē. ep. 26.Meditare mortem. Qui hoc d•cit, medi•ari libertalē iubet. Idē. ep. 26.
- cMortē nemo hilaris excipit, nisi qui se ad ill•m di• compusuerat. Sen. epist. 10.Mortē nemo hilaris excipit, nisi qui se ad ill•m di• compusuerat. Sen. epist. 10.
- dI•••pectata plus aggravant. no vitas adijcst calamitatibus pondus. noc quisquam mor: aliū non magis, qu•d etiam miratus est, doluit. Ideò nihil nobis im; r•uisum esse debet. In […] p emittendus est animus. Sen. ep. 91.I•••pectata plus aggrauant. no vitas adijcst calamitatibus pondus. noc quisquam mor: aliū non magis, qu•d etiam miratus est, doluit. Ideò nihil nobis im; r•uisum esse debet. In 〈…〉 p emittendus est animus. Sen. ep. 91.
