Page:TheParadiseOfTheChristianSoul.djvu/592

 to-day, dry  to-morrow; a wind  and  a shadow  that  flies quickly away; a smoke  and a vapour that  appears  for  a little  time: hear  these  things, all ye  nations; give  ear,  all ye inhabitants  of  the  world: all you  that  are  earthborn, and you  sons  of  men,  both rich and  poor  together: young men  and  maidens,  let the old  with  the  younger  hear the words  of  my  mouth,  for you lie  all  of  you  under  one immutable sentence  of  death: it is  appointed  to  men  once to die,  and,  after  this,  the Judgment. You must  all be manifested  before  my Judgment-seat,  and  that sooner than  you  think,  that every one  may  receive  according as  he  has  done  in his  body,  whether  it  be  good or evil. Now I judge  each one such  as  I find  him  to  be when  I cite  him  to  my  Tribunal by  my  satellite,  who  is Death.

Rejoice, therefore,  O young man, in  thy  youth,  and  let thy heart  be  in  that  which  is good  in  the  days  of  thy  youth, and walk  in  the  ways  of  thy heart, and  in  the  sight  of thy  eyes. But know  that for all  these  God  will  bring thee into  judgment. Now, then, if  thou  art  wise,  take order with  thy  house,  for thou shalt  die,  and  not  live. Neither hast  thou  any  cause to trust  to  thy  strength  or  to thy  age. Seest thou  not  that even strong  and  vigorous young men,  nay,  that  poor persons and  little  infants,  die daily, often  too,  from  a trifling cause  or  accident? The vessel of  earthenware  or  of glass,  whether  it  be  new  or old,  is  equally  fragile; if  it fall  upon  the  ground  it  is broken. It is  in  vain  for  thee to expect  white  hairs,  since the greater  part  of  mankind attains them  not.

Man. O my God! thou hast created  man  to  thy  own image; thou hast  crowned him with  glory  and  honour, and hast  set  him  over  the works of  thy  hands; and  wilt thou cause  me  to  return  suddenly to  dust,  and  cut  me  off, whilst I am  yet  but  beginning? Remember, O Lord, what my  substance  is; for can it  be  that  thou  hast  made all the  children  of  men  in  vain? Behold, we  all  die,  and,  like waters that  return  no  more, we fall  down  into  the  earth!

Christ. Who is  the  man that lives,  and  shall  not  see death, — that shall  deliver  his soul from  the  hand  of  hell? But be  it  that  I fill  him  with length of  days,  what  will  he be  at  the  last? If a man  live many years,  and  have  rejoiced in them  all,  must  he  not  remember the  darksome  time, and the  many  days,  which, when they  shall  come,  the