to bear, or to be delivered; or what other action soever it be,
that is natural unto man according to the several seasons
of his life; such a thing is it also to he dissolved.
It is therefore the part of a wise man, in matter of death,
not in any wise to carry himself either violently, or proudly
but patiently to wait for it, as one of nature's operations:
that with the same mind as now thou dost expect when that which yet is
but an embryo in thy wife's belly shall come forth, thou mayst expect
also when thy soul shall fall off from that outward coat or skin:
wherein as a child in the belly it lieth involved and shut up.
But thou desirest a more popular, and though not so direct
and philosophical, yet a very powerful and penetrative
recipe against the fear of death, nothing can make they more
willing to part with thy life, than if thou shalt consider,
both what the subjects themselves are that thou shalt part with,
and what manner of disposition thou shalt no more have to do with.
True it is, that. offended with them thou must not be by no means,
but take care of them, and meekly bear with them However,
this thou mayst remember, that whensoever it happens that
thou depart, it shall not be from men that held the same
opinions that thou dost. For that indeed, (if it were so)
is the only thing that might make thee averse from death,
and willing to continue here, if it were thy hap to live
with men that had obtained the same belief that thou hast.
But now, what a toil it is for thee to live with men of
different opinions, thou seest: so that thou hast rather occasion
to say, Hasten, I thee pray, O Death; lest I also in time
forget myself. IV. He that sinneth, sinneth unto himself.
He that is unjust, hurts himself, in that he makes himself
worse than he was before. Not he only that committeth,