in a house, the walls of which were falling down, and the floors and roof were shaking, so that everything was threatening ruin, would not such an one be very desirous to quit that house? In this life, all things are threatening ruin to the soul, the world, hell, the passions, the rebellious senses; these all draw us on to sin and to everlasting death. The apostle exclaims, " Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" (Rom vii. 34.) Oh, what joy will the soul feel when it hears those words, " Come with Me from Lebanon, My spouse, with Me from Lebanon .... from the lions' dens." (Sol. Song iv. 8.) Come, my spouse, come from the place of tears, and from the dens of lions that are seeking to devour thee, and to make thee lose the Divine grace. Therefore S. Paul desiring death, said that Jesus Christ was his only life; and therefore, he thought that to die was his greatest gain, since, in dying, he obtained that life which has no end. " For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Phil. i. 21.)
It is a great favour which God grants to that soul that is in a state of grace to take it from this world, where, at any time, it may become changed, and may lose the friendship of God! " He was taken away lest wickedness should alter his understanding." (Wisd. iv. II.) Happy in this life is he who is united to God; but, like the sailor, who cannot be called safe until he has arrived in port, and is escaped from the tempest: even so, a soul cannot be called fully happy until it has departed this life in the favour of God.
Now, if it causes joy to the sailor when, after many dangers, he has almost safely arrived in port, how much more shall not he rejoice who is just on the point of securing eternal salvation?
Besides, in this life it is impossible to live without committing sin, at least venial sin: " For a just man falleth seven times." (Prov. xxiv. 16.) He who is leaving this life, ceases to give offence to God. S. Ambrose asks, " What is death but the sepulchre of vice!" It is even this that makes death so desirable to the lovers of God. With this the venerable Vincent Caraffa consoled himself when dying, by saying, "When I cease to live, I shall cease to offend God." And S. Ambrose also said, "Wherefore do we desire this life, in which the longer any
