Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/44



Having considered  the  heinousness  of  sin,  it  is  now proper to  apply  the  remedies  against  it,  among  which none are  more  efficacious  than  the  meditation  of  the  four last things,  and  first  of  death.

I. Death  is  absolutely  inevitable  and  certain. " It  is appointed  for  men  once  to  die." (Heb. ix.  27.)  Nothing is more  certain,  nothing  can  be  more  evident. All that have gone  before  us,  heroes,  emperors,  princes,  bishops, popes, have  all  died  at  last — no  dignity,  no  power,  no  influence could  screen  them  from  the  universal  necessity  of paying  the  debt  of  nature. "Thou hast  appointed  his bounds,  which  cannot  be  passed,"  says  holy  Job. (Job xiv. 5.)  Believe,  therefore,  this  simple  but  all-important and all-eloquent  truth — you  too  must  die.

II. As to  time,  place,  manner,  etc.,  of  your  death,  nothing can  be  more  uncertain. How many  sudden  accidents have you  read  of,  heard  of,  and  even  witnessed! How many have  been  struck  with  the  unerring  shafts  of  death whilst they  were  eating,  drinking,  sleeping,  or  diverting themselves! When will  your  turn  arrive? What if  it should  arrive  at  this  moment? Are you  ready? What says conscience? In consequence  of  this  fearful  uncertainty, Christ  frequently  and  most  emphatically  exhorts us to  be  always  ready. " Watch  ye,  therefore,"  He  says, " for  ye  know  not  when  the  Lord  of  the  house  cometh — at  even,  or  at  midnight,  or  at  the  cock  crowing,  or  in the  morning." (Matt. xiii.  35.)

III. We can  only  die  once. If we  die  a  bad  death,  we cannot  recover  ourselves;  if  we  die  well,  all  will  be  well forever. "If the  tree  fall  to  the  south,  or  to  the  north, in  what  place  soever  it  shall  fall,  there  shall  it  be." (Ec-