Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/47

 truths and  pursue  shadows? everything moulders  away at death,  and  joy  is  soon  changed  into  tears."

II. The garments,  the  bed,  and  the  habitation  of  the deceased are  immediately  changed. Instead of  its former clothes,  the  corpse  is  wrapped  in  a  winding-sheet. Instead of  its  usual  bed,  it  is  put  into  the  cold  ground, and a  grave  of  a  few  feet  long  supplies  the  place  of  its former mansion. Thus it  is  abandoned  by  its  best friends, and  neglected  by  all,  to  become  the  food  of worms. " For  when  a  man  shall  die,  he  shall  inherit serpents  and  beasts  and  worms." (Ecclus. x.  13.)  Remember man,  then,  that  "  under  thee  shall  the  moth  be strewed  and  worms  shall  be  thy  covering." (Isaias xiv. 11.)    Oh,  what  a  dwelling  and  what  companions!

III. How important,  and  necessary  it  is  frequently  to reflect  on  the  future  condition  of  your  body,  lest  you should pay  more  attention  to  that  which  will  be  devoured by  worms  than  to  your  soul,  whose  existence  will be eternal. All our  misfortunes  proceed  from  a  forgetfulness  of  death. When you  see  a  dead  body,  imagine it addresses  you  in  the  words  of  Ecclesiastics:  "  Remember my  judgment;  for  thine  also  shall  be  so;  yesterday for  me,  and  to-day  for  thee." (Ecclus. xxxviii.  23.) Prepare constantly,  therefore,  for  death;  and,  following the advice  of  the  apostles,  be  always  a  dying  man. "He will easily  contemn  all  things,"  says  St.  Jerome,  "  who always  believes  himself  a  dying  man."

I. What  diligence  prudent  men  employ  in  preparation when  they  have  to  make  a  long  voyage. They think of it  long  beforehand,  and  leave  nothing  to  chance  but attempt to  have  everything  in  readiness. We ought  to