[ 980] Meditations of Death, the benefit thereof.
PEter Waldo,* 1.1 a rich Merchant of Lyons in France, being invited to a great sup∣per, where one of the company fell suddainly dead at the table, he was so taken with the sight, that he forsook his Calling, and fell to study the Scripture, trading for the Pearl of the Gospell, whereby he became an excellent Preacher, and the first founder of those antient Christians, called* 1.2 Waldenses. Such is the benefit that commeth by the meditation of death. Let but a man behold the bones of the dead, and make a Christian use thereof, he must needs fall into a patheticall me∣ditation within himself; as thus, Behold these legs, that have made so many journeys; this head,* 1.3 which is the receptacle of wisdom, and remembereth many things, must shortly be, as this bare skull, and drie bones are. I will therefore betimes bid worldly things adieu, betake my self to repentance, and newnesse of life, and spend the rest of my daies in the service of my God, and thoughts of my dissolution. Away then with that sad, and too too usuall expression,* 1.4 I thought as a little of it, as of my dying day: Let Otho think them cowards that think on death, but let all good men think and meditate on death, what it is unto all men by nature, what unto good men, what unto bad; and great will be the comfort arising thereupon.