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On the Uncertainty of Death.

I send my angel before Thy face who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.” My dear brethren, the Son of man will come one day to each one of us in the particular judgment, that is, in the hour of death, to call us into a long eternity; who will prepare the way for this coming of His? Ah, to no purpose should we expect an angel to do this work for us! For it is laid on our own shoulders; each one of us must see that he prepares the way himself; and, as I have shown already, this preparation should be made a long time beforehand, because the business treated of in this coming of Our Lord will be a most important one. Now I add that this preparation should be made with the utmost care, for that coming shall happen only once, that is, we shall die but once. There you have the

Plan of Discourse.

Only once will the Judge come to call us in death; therefore we should labor with all diligence and care, that things may go well with us that once. Such is the whole subject of this meditation.

O holy guardian angels and thou, Mary, Queen of angels, help us by your intercession with God! Urge us constantly by your inspirations and warnings to care for nothing more than to prepare worthily for the coming of the Lord.



SIXTH SERMON.

ON THE UNCERTAINTY OF DEATH.

Subject.

It is uncertain when death will come; therefore if we desire our salvation we should be always ready and prepared for it.—Preached on the twentieth Sunday after Pentecost.

Text.

Incipiebat enim mori.—John iv. 47.

“For he was at the point of death.”

Introduction.

So that even rich people must die? Truly they must! Even kings and princes cannot escape death. And have young people to die also? Without the least doubt. He of whom the Gospel