A golden treatise of mental prayer/A meditation for Tuesday: of the miseries of the life of man
A MEDITATION FOR TUESDAY.
This day thou shalt meditate upon the miseries of the life of man, out of which consideration, thou wilt take notice of worldly vanities, and learn how much glory of them ought to be despised, seeing they are built upon so weak a foundation as our fading life, whose miseries, because they be innumerable, thou shalt take but seven of the principal for thy meditation.
First, therefore, consider the shortness of the life of man, being restrained within the limits of threescore and ten, or fourscore years, whatsoever the overplus be, it is but labor and sorrow, as the Prophet speaketh: Out of this time, if thou dost subtract thy infancy, which time thou didst live rather the life of a beast than a man; the time thou spendest in sleep, for then thou art deprived of the use of reason, which only distinguisheth man from other creatures, and thou wilt find thy life to be far shorter than ever thou didst imagine. This time if thou dost compare with the eternity of the world to come, thou wilt find it to be less than a moment. Conjecture, then, the foolish madness of the lovers of this world, who, that they might enjoy one only momentary pleasure of this transitory life, do not fear to expose themselves to the loss of eternity.
Then take to thy consideration the uncertainty of this life, (which is a second misery) for not only it is most short, but the brevity itself is most uncertain and doubtful. For who is there, that attaineth to the age of three, or four score? how many are extinguished at their very entrance into the world? how many perish in the flower of their youth? You know it not, saith Christ, when your Lord is to come; whether in the first watch, or second, or third, or in the cock-crowing. Which, that thou mayest the better understand, call to mind especially thy domestic friends, and other men placed in dignity and authority, whom inexorable death have, at divers ages, (some younger, some older) suddenly taken out of this world, dissipating their vain and long-life promising hopes.
Ponder, fourthly, the inconstancy and mutability of this present life, never continuing in one state. The disposition of the body often changeth, not always enjoying health, but subject to frequent diseases; but if thou reflect upon the mind, thou shalt see, that, like the troubled ocean, it is tossed up and down with the boisterous winds of her untamed passions, inordinate appetites, fluctuating cogitations, which upon every occasion do disturb her quiet. Consider, lastly, the instability of the goods of fortune, as they term them, to how many chances they are obnoxious, never suffering the temporal substance to stand still in one stay, thereby to make men happy and prosperous; but, like a wheel, is turned upside down, without any intermission. Consider, also, the continual motion of our life, never resting night nor day, but goeth forward without ceasing, and every day more and more wasteth itself; so that it may not unfitly be compared to a candle, which, by little and little, consumeth itself, and when it giveth the clearest light, the sooner it approacheth unto its end; also to a flower, which springeth up in the morning, at noon fadeth, and at night wholly withereth away. Which Almighty God, speaking by the Prophet Isaiah of this mutation, excellently shadoweth in these words: "Omnis caro foenum, et omnis gloria ejus quasi flos agri:" " All flesh is hay, and all the glory of it is like the flower of the field."
Which words, St. Jerome expounding, saith:[1] If one doth rightly consider the frailty of the flesh, and that we grow and decrease according to the moments of hours; never remaining in one state, and that the very thing we now speak, do, or write, passeth away as part of our life, he will not doubt to confess that all flesh is hay, and the glory thereof as a flower, or the green meadows. He that is now an infant will, by and by, be a little child, then presently a young man, growing towards his decrepid age, through uncertain seasons, and before he hath contented himself in youth, feeleth old age to come upon him. The beautiful woman which did draw after her whole troops of gallants in her youth, her face is now furrowed with deformed wrinkles, and she that before was a pleasure, is now ugly to behold.
Consider fifthly, how deceitful this life is, (which is the worst condition of all, deluding the lovers of this world with a miserable blindness,) for we think it amiable, when in itself it is ugly: we think it sweet, when it is full of gall and bitterness: when it is circumscribed within the shortest limits, we think it long. When it is full of misery, we think it so happy, that there is no danger, no hazard, that men will not expose themselves unto, for the conservation of it: yea, with the loss of eternal glory, when they do not fear to commit those sins which make them unworthy of so great felicity.
Consider sixthly, that besides the brevity, and other fore-mentioned conditions, that small time wherein we live, is subject to innumerable miseries, both spiritual and corporal: that it may well be called a torrent of tears, and ocean of infinite molestations. St. Jerome reporteth how Xerxes, that potent king, who overturned mountains, and made bridges over the seas, when, from a high place, he beheld that infinite multitude of men, and his innumerable army, he wept, to think that not one of those men there present, should be alive after a hundred years. And presently adding, O that we could but ascend into such a turret, to behold the whole earth under our feet, then would I manifest unto thee, the ruins of the world; nation rising against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; some tormented, others slain, some drowned, others led into captivity. Here marrying, here mourning, some born, others dying, some abounding in wealth, others begging. And not only the mighty army of Xerxes, but all the men of the world, in a short space, to be turned to dust and ashes.
Take notice, a little of the labors and infirmities of the body, the cogitations and passions of the mind; the diverse dangers in every state, and all seasons threatening the ruin of man; and thou wilt every day, more clearly understand the miseries of this life, that when thou seest what is to be hoped for in this world, thou mayest with a noble courage contemn it.
The last of all these miseries, is death, both in respect of soul or body, a thing most terrible, for in this moment the body is disrobed of all things in this world. And the soul in this point receiveth the joyful or fearful sentence of eternity.
These things well considered, thou wilt be instructed how short and miserable the glory of this world is, and how it ought to be hated and despised of thee.
- ↑ Hieron. 1. ii. Com. in Isa. cap. 40.