Of the Imitation of Christ/Book I/Chapter XXIII
CHAPTER XXIII.
OF MEDITATION ON DEATH.
ERY quickly there will be an end of thee here: look what will become of thee in another state.
To-day we are here, to-morrow we disappear, and when we are gone, quickly also we are out of mind.
O the stupidity and hardness of man's heart, which thinketh only upon the present, and doth not rather care for what is to come!
Thou oughtest so to order thyself in all thy thoughts and actions, as if thou wert about to die.
If thou hadst a good conscience, thou wouldst not greatly fear death.
It were better to avoid sin, than to escape death.
If to-day thou art not prepared, how wilt thou be so to-morrow!
To-morrow is uncertain, and how knowest thou that thou shalt live till to-morrow!
What availeth it to live long, when there is so small amendment of our lives?
Alas! length of days doth not always better us, but often rather increaseth our sin.
O that we had spent but one day in this world thoroughly well!
Many there are who reckon years of conversion; and yet slender is the fruit of amendment.
If to die be accounted dreadful, to live long may perhaps prove more dangerous.
Happy is he that always hath the hour of his death before his eyes, and daily prepareth himself to die.
If at any time thou hast seen another man die, make account that thou must also pass the same way.
3. When it is morning, think that thou mayest die before night;
And when evening comes, dare not to promise thyself the next morning.
Be thou therefore always in readiness, and so lead thy life that death may never take thee unprepared.
Many die suddenly: for the Son of Man cometh in an hour when we think not.
When that last hour comes, thou wilt have a far different opinion of thy life that is past, and be exceeding sorry that thou hast been so careless and remiss.
4. O how wise and happy is he that laboureth to be such an one in his life, as he will desire to be found at the hour of death!
A perfect contempt of the world, a fervent desire to go forward in all virtue, a love of discipline, a laborious repentance, a ready obedience, a denying of ourselves, and an endurance of any affliction whatsoever for the love of Christ, will give us great confidence that we shall die happily.
Whilst thou art in health thou mayest do much good; but when thou art sick, see what thou wilt be able to do.
Few by sickness grow better, and they who wander much abroad, seldom thereby become holy. 5. Trust not to friends and kindred, neither do thou put off the care of thy soul's welfare till hereafter; for men will forget thee, sooner than thou art aware of.
It is better to look to it betime, and to send some good before thee, than to trust to the help of men.
If thou be not careful for thyself now, who will be careful for thee hereafter?
Time now is very precious: now is the day of salvation; now is the accepted time.
But alas! that thou shouldst spend time idly here in which thou mightest prepare for eternal life.
The time will come, when thou shalt desire one day or hour to amend in; who can know that it can be granted thee?
6. O beloved, from how great danger mightest thou deliver thyself, from how great fear free thyself, if thou wouldst be ever fearful and mindful of death!
Labour now so to live, that at the hour of death thou mayest rather rejoice than fear.
Learn to die to the world now, that thou mayest begin to live with Christ then.
Learn to contemn all things now, that then thou mayest freely go to Christ.
Chastise thy body now by repentance, that thou mayest then have assured confidence.
7. Ah! fool, why dost thou think to live long, when thou canst not promise to thyself one day.
How many have been deceived and suddenly snatched away!
How often dost thou hear these reports, Such a man is slain, another is drowned, a third has broken his neck with a fall, this man died eating, and that man playing!
One perished by fire, another by the sword, another by the plague, another was slain by thieves. Thus death is the end of all, and man's life suddenly passeth away like a shadow.
8. Who shall remember thee when thou art dead? and who shall pray for thee?
Do now, even now, my beloved, whatsoever thou art able to do; for thou knowest not when thou shalt die, nor what shall befall thee after death.
Now, whilst thou hast time, heap unto thyself everlasting riches.
Think on nothing but the salvation of thy soul, care for nothing but the things of God.
Make now friends to thyself by honouring the saints of God, and imitating their actions, that when this life faileth, they may receive thee into everlasting habitations.
9. Keep thyself as a stranger and pilgrim upon the earth, who hath nothing to do with the affairs of this world.
Keep thy heart free, and lifted up to God, because here thou hast no abiding city.
Send thither thy daily prayers together with thy tears, that after death thy spirit may be found worthy to pass in happiness to the Lord.Amen.