Page:The whole familiar colloquies of Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam.djvu/305

THE FUNERAL. 301 them. Think thou canst do nothing more acceptable either to God or to me than to educate, cherish, and instruct those whom God has given as the fruit of our conjugal relation, that they may be found worthy of Christ. Double therefore thy piety upon them, and account upon my share too as translated unto thee. If thou shalt do this, as I trust thou wilt, they will not be accounted orphans ; and if ever thou shouldst marry again at which word his wife burst out into tears, and was about to forswear ever to think of marrying again, but Cornelius inter- posed My dearest sister in Christ, if the Lord Jesus shall vouchsafe to thee resolution and strength of spirit, be not wanting to the heavenly gift, for it will be more commodious as well for thyself as the children. But if the infirmity of the flesh shall carry thee another way, know that my death has indeed freed thee from the bonds of wedlock, but not from that obligation which in both our names thou owest in common to the care of our children. As to marriage itself, make use of the freedom that God has given thee ; only let me entreat and admonish thee of this one thing, to make choice of a husband of such a disposition, and discharge thyself so towards him that he, either by his own goodness or for thy good carriage, may be kind to our children. Therefore have a care of tying thyself up by any vow; keep thyself free to God and to our children, and bring them up in all points religiously, and take care that they do not fix upon any course of life till by age and experience they shall come to understand what is fittest for them. Then, turning to his children, he exhorted them to the study of piety, obedience to their mother, and mutual love and concord among themselves. And having done, he kissed his wife and them, prayed for them, and making the sign of the cross recommended them to the mercy of Christ. And then, looking round upon all about him, By to-morrow morn- ing, says he, the Lord who renewed this morning to me will graciously please, out of His infinite mercy, to call this poor soul of mine out of the sepulchre of my body, and out of the darkness of this mortality, into His heavenly light. I will not have you fatigue yourselves in your tender age with unprofitable watching, and as for the rest, let them take their rest by turns ; one is enough to sit up with me, and read to me. Having passed the night, about four o'clock in the morn- ing, all the family being present, he caused that psalm to be read which our Saviour praying recited upon the cross. And when that was done he called for a taper and a cross, and taking the taper in his hand, he said, The Lord is my light and salvation, whom shall I fear ] And then, kissing the cross, he said, The Lord is the defender of my life, of whom shall I be afraid ? And by and by, laying his hands upon his breast in a praying posture, with his eyes lift up to heaven, he said, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit ; and immediately he closed his eyes, as if he were only going to sleep, and with a gentle breath delivered up his spirit. You would have thought he had only been in a slumber, and had not expired. Ma. I never heard of a less painful death in my life. Ph. His life was as calm as his death. These two men were both of them my friends, and perhaps I am not so good a judge which of them died most like a Christian ; but you that are unbiassed may perhaps make a better judgment. Ma. I will think of it, and give you my opinion some time or other at leisure.