II. Consider how you will lie, at the hour of death, stretched upon a bed, surrounded by your weeping friends, a priest by your side to assist your soul, a crucifix at your head, the lighted taper in your hand, in fine, already just at the entrance of eternity. Dreadful pains afflict your distracted head, it grows dark around you, your tongue is parched, your breath is short, your breast is burdened, your blood chilled, your flesh shrunken, your heart rent with anguish; all you have is gliding from you, and poor and naked you will be thrown into a grave to rot. There worms and insects will gnaw your flesh, and nothing of you will be left but the crumbling bones and a little dust. Open some grave and look ! What has become of that rich, that avaricious man, that vain and worldly woman?
Thus ends life. At the hour of death you will find yourself surrounded by evil spirits, who will bring up before you all the sins you have committed from your childhood. Now, the devil conceals and excuses your sins, that he may lead you into sin. He says to you: This vanity, this pleasure, this dangerous company, this inclination is no great sin; you have no bad intention in this acquaintance; but at the hour of death he will show you all the enormity of your sins. [ Examine yourself thoroughly as to your besetting sin.] By the light of that eternity into which you are just entering, you will then see what an evil it was to have offended an infinite God. Now, while there is yet time, while you can do it, remedy the evil, for then it will be too late. [ Awaken your contrition , and make a firm resolution .]
III. Consider that death is a moment upon which a whole eternity depends. Behold! here lies a man just dying, and therefore near to both eternities;
