7. So we fee Death exempts not a Man from Being, but only presents an Alteration; yet there are fome Men, I think, that stand otherwise perfuaded. Death finds not a worse Friend than an Alderman, to whose Door I never knew him welcome; but he is an importunate Guest and will not be faid Nay. And though they themselves fhall affirm that they are not within, yet the Anfwer will not be taken; and that which heightens their Fear is, that they know they are in danger to forfeit their Flesh, but are not wife of the Payment-day: which fickly Uncertainty is the Occafion that (for the most part) they step out of this World unfurnished for their general Account, and being all unprovided, defire yet to hold their Gravity, preparing their Souls to answer in Scarlet. Thus I gather, that Death is unagreeable to moft Citizens, because they commonly die inteftate; this being a Rule, that when their Will is made they think themselves nearer a Grave than before: now they, out of the Wisdom of thousands, think to scare Destiny, from which there is no Appeal, by not making a Will, or to live longer by Proteftation of their unwillingness to die. They are for the most part well made in this World, (accounting their Treasure by Legions, as Men do Devils,) their Fortune looks toward them and they are willing to anchor at it, and defire if it be poffible to put the evil Day far off from them, and to adjourn their ungrateful and killing Period. No, these are not the Men which have bespoken Death, or whofe looks are affured to entertain a thought of him. 8. Death arrives gracious only to fuch as fit in Darkness, or lie heavy burthened with Grief and Irons; to the poor Chriftian that fits bound in the Galley; to despairful Widows, penfive Prifoners, and depofed Kings; to them whofe Fortune runs back, and whofe Spirits mutiny: unto fuch Death is a Redeemer, and the Grave a place for Retiredness and Rest. These wait upon the Shore of Death and waft unto him to draw near, wishing above all others to see his Star that they might be led to his Place ; wooing the remorfelefs Sifters to wind down the Watch of their Life, and to break them off before the Hour. 9. But Death is a doleful Messenger to a Ufurer, and Fate ultimately cuts their Thread; for it is never mentioned by him but when Rumours of War and civil Tumults put him in mind thereof. And when many Hands are armed and the Peace of a City in diforder, and the Foot of the common Soldiers founds an Alarum on his Stairs, then perhaps such a One (broken in thoughts of his Monies abroad, and curfing the Monuments of Coin which are in his house,) can be content to think of Death, and, being hasty of Perdition, will perhaps hang himself left his throat should be cut; provided that he may do it in his Study, furrounded with Wealth to which his eye fends a faint and languishing Salute even upon the turning off; remembering always, that he have Time and Liberty, by writing to depute himself as his own heir; for that is a great Peace to his End, and reconciles him wonderfully upon the point. 10. Herein we all dally with ourselves, and are without Proof of Neceffity. I am not of those that dare promise to pine away myself in vain Glory, and I hold fuch to be but Feat-boldness and them that dare commit it to be vain. Yet for my part, I think Nature should do me great Wrong if I should be fo long in dying as I was in being born. To speak truth, no Man knows the Lifts of his own Patience; nor can divine how able he shall be in his Sufferings, till the Storm come, the perfecteft Virtue being tried in Action; but I would, out of a Care to do the best Business well, ever keep a Guard, and stand upon keeping Faith and a good Confcience. II. And if Wishes might find place, I would die together, and not my Mind often and my Body once; that is, I would prepare for the Meffengers of Death, Sickness, and Affliction, and not wait long, or be attempted' by the Violence of Pain. Herein I do not profess myself a Stoic, to hold Grief no Evil, but Opinion and a Thing indifferent. But I confent with Cæfar, that the fuddenest Paffage is easiest, and there is nothing more awakens our Refolve and Readiness to die than the quieted Conscience, ftrengthened with Opinion ' Attempted, i. e. tempted. that we shall be well spoken of upon Earth by those that are just and of the Family of Virtue; the opposite whereof is a Fury to Man, and makes even Life unsweet. Therefore, what is more heavy than evil Fame deferved? Or, likewife, who can fee worse Days, than he that yet living doth follow at the Funerals of his own Reputation? I have laid up many Hopes that I am privileged from that kind of Mourning, and could wish the like Peace to all those with whom I wage love. 12. I might say much of the Commodities that Death can fell a Man; but briefly, Death is a Friend of ours; and he that is not ready to entertain him is not at Home. Whilft I am, my Ambition is not to foreflow the Tide; I have but so to make my Intereft of it as I may account for it; I would wish Nothing but what might better my Days, nor defire any greater Place than the Front of good Opinion. I make not Love to the Continuance of Days, but to the Goodness of them; nor wish to die, but refer myself to my Hour, which the great Difpenfer of all Things hath appointed me; yet as I am frail, and fuffered for the first Fault, were it given me to choose, I should not be earnest to fee the Evening of my Age; that Extremity of itself being a Disease, and a mere Return into Infancy; fo that if Perpetuity of Life 2 Suffered, i. e. punished. So in 2 K. Henry VI, act v. fc. 1. "A hot o'erweening cur Who being fuffer'd with the bear's fell paw Hath clapp'd his tail between his legs, and cried." might be given me, I fhould think what the Greek Poet faid, "Such an age is a mortal Evil." And fince I muft needs be dead, I require it may not be done before mine Enemies, that I be not ftript before I be cold; but before my Friends. The Night was even now; but that Name is loft; it is not now late but early. Mine Eyes begin to discharge their Watch and compound with this fleshly Weakness for a Time of perpetual Reft; and I fhall presently be as happy for a few Hours as I had died the firft Hour I was born. 3 The allufion may be to the well known fragment of Menander, or to the following Epigram of Lucian. (Jacobs x. 28.) Τοῖσι μὲν εὖ πράττουσιν ἅπας ὁ βίος βραχύς ἐστιν· |