dressing to please the eyes of others, and win their hearts, thus often giving occasion to unchaste desires and thoughts. “Once to die!” Write it on the doors of the churches in which due respect and reverence are replaced by wandering thoughts, curious looks, idle greetings, not to speak of still worse. “Once to die!” Write it in the confessionals, in which so many bad confessions are made, and consciences are stained with fresh guilt, either through shame or through want of true sorrow and a firm purpose of amendment. “Once to die!” Write it on the communion rail, at which so many sacrilegious communions are made, because men do not hesitate to approach the Table of the Lord with sinful hearts, or while they are still in the proximate occasion of sin, or persisting in their evil habits. “Once to die!”
Conclusion to be always ready to die. Let us impress the same words deeply on our hearts and minds, that we may never forget them. “Once to die!” We shall die; we shall die but once; so that in all times and places, in everything we do, we may work hard to prepare to die well that once, and thus insure our salvation. For my part, that shall be my first thought on awaking every morning; I shall die but once, therefore I will serve my God to-day with zeal, and neither in thought, word, nor act will I do anything that might prevent me from dying well that once. Every evening when retiring to rest I will remember that I shall die but once; and therefore I shall purify my conscience by a good examen and true repentance before I go to bed, so that nothing may remain on it during the night that could prevent me from dying well. Dearest Christians, remember this, all of you; never forget it! We shall die but once. Ah, live good lives always, and that is as much as to say: die happy deaths. Amen.
Another introduction to the same sermon for the second Sunday in Advent.
Text.
Qui præparabit viam tuam ante te.—Matt. xi. 10.
“Who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.”
Introduction.
