A Meditation of death, and the commodities it bringeth.

WHat other thing doe we daily in this present life, but heape sinne vpon sinne, and hoorde vp trespasse vpon trespasse? so that this day is worse alwaies thē yester∣day by increasing, as daies, so sinnes, and therefore thy indignaiion, good Lord, against vs: but when we shall be let go out of the prison of this bo∣die, & so taken into thy blessed com∣panie, then shall we be in most safe∣tie of immortalitie and saluation, then shall come vnto vs no sicknesse, no need, no paine, no kind of euill to soule or bodie, but what so euer good Page  257 we can wish, that shall we haue, and what so euer we loath, shall be farre from vs. O deere father, that we had faith to behold these thinges accor∣dingly. O that our hearts were per∣suaded thereof, and our affections inflamed with the desire of them. Then should we liue in longing for that which nowe we most loath. Oh helpe vs, and graunt that we beeing ignorant of thinges to come, and of the time of our death, (which to thee is certain) may so liue and finish our iourney here, that we may be ready, and then depart when our departing may make most to thy glory, and our comfort through Christ.

What is this life but a smoke, a vapour, a shadowe, a warrefare, a bubble of water, a worde, grasse, a flower? That thou shalt die, it is most certeine, but the time no man can tell when. The longer in this life Page  258 thou doest remaine, the more thou sinnest: which will turne to thy more paine. By cogitation of death our mindes be often in manner op∣pressed with darkenesse, because wee doe but remember the night of the body, forgetting the light of the mind and of the resurrection.

Hereto remember the good things that after this life shall insue with∣out wauering in certeintie of faith, and so shall the passage of death bee more desired. It is like a failing ouer the sea to thy home and countrie: it is like a medicine or purgation to the health of soule & bodie: it is the best Physition: it is like to a womans trauell. For as the childe being de∣liuered commeth into a more large place, then the wombe wherein it did lie before: so thy soule beeing deliue∣red out of the bodie, commeth into a much more large and faire place, Page  259 euen into heauen.