Volume I, Treatise VIII, Chapter XX

Some Reasons Why We May Lawfully and Piously Wish for Death

Tat we may attain a more perfect conformity to the will of God, as well in order to death, as to life, we will here advance some reasons for which we may desire death; and every one may take to himself, and make use of what he likes best, and is most to his purpose. The first reason why we may with all justice desire death is, to be free from the miseries of this mortal life. ‘For death,” says the Wise Man, “is to be preferred toa miserable life.” (Ecclesiasticus 30:17) It is thus persons of the world oftentimes desire death, and request it of God. And unquestionably they may do this without sin, since the miseries of this life are such and so numerous that they are permitted to desire death, the better to avoid them. The saints say, one reason why God heaped upon men so many afflictions and tribulations is, to hinder them from being too much attached to the things of this world; and that, instead of loving this life, which is transient, they may direct all their thoughts to the life to come, which is eternal; “where there are no sighs, no clamours, no sorrows or afflictions.” (Apocalypse 21:4) St. Austin says, God, out of his boundless mercy, has ordered that this present life, which is so painful and difficult, should also be short, and that the next should be eternal, in order that this, with its pains and afflictions, may pass away speedily, and that the joy and happiness of the next may continue for eternity. ‘“This life,” says St. Ambrose, “is so full of evils, that death in comparison of it seems rather a remedy than a punishment.” (Sup. Job, c. vii.) And if God had not ordained death as a penalty, we should have had reason to desire him to grant it us as a favour, that we may be freed from our crosses and afflictions. It is true, indeed, worldly persons often offend God in this point, by the impatience wherewith they receive afflictions, and by their repinings and complaints in demanding it of God. But supposing they desired it with a most entire submission of mind, and said; Lord, if it be your holy pleasure, free me from this miserable condition I am in; I have lived long enough: without doubt they would not commit any offence herein.

In the second place, we may desire death in a still more lawfal and more perfect manner; which is, that we may not behold the persecutions of the Church, and the daily offences committed against God’s sovereign majesty. It was thus the prophet Elias désired it, during the persecution of Achab and Jezebel. For seeing that both the one and the other, after having demolished the temples and altars, and killed the rest of the prophets, sought also after him to put him to death; and that he could not any way prevent so great violence, and so horrid sacrileges, full of sorrow and indignation, he betook himself to the desert; and sitting down under a tree, “he desired to die,” and said; “It is enough, O Lord, take away my life, since I am not better than my forefathers.” (3 Kings 19:4) The great Judas Macha- | beus, captain of God’s people, animating his men to battle:— “Tt is better,” says he, “to die in the field, than to be spectators of the miseries of our country, and the profanation of holy things.” (Mac. iii. 58.) When the city of Hippo in Africa was besieged by the Vandals, who came from Spain, and put all to fire and sword, without respect to sex or age, St Austin, who was then bishop of the place, beholding a desolation so lamentable, the towns ruined and deserted, churches pillaged, and the people wandering without prelate or pastor, ceased not to implore the mercy of God by continual tears and supplications. One day, assembling together his clergy; ‘I have desired of our Lord,” said he, “either to free you from the present calamities, or to give you the grace to support them with patience and constancy, or else to take me out of this life, that I may not be forced to behold such great miseries and afflictions; and it has pleased him to grant me the last petition.” In fine, he fell sick immediately upon it, and died of the same sickness, in the third month of the siege. The like is related of St. Ignatius, and without doubt it is a perfection peculiar to saints,to be so much afflicted and touched with the calamities of the Church, and the offences committed against the divine majesty, as to desire rather to die than to be eye-witnesses of them.

It is also a very laudable and pious practice, to desire death, and even to beg it of God, in order that we may no longer have it in our power to offend him. For it is certain, as long as we live, we cannot be sure of ourselves; it is certain, we are capable of falling into mortal sin; since others who had attained a higher pitch of perfection, who had received greater talents and gifts of God, and who were really saints, and saints in an eminent degree, were yet so unfortunate as to fall. This is one of the principal reasons that makes the true servants of God tremble, and makes them desire with more earnestness to be freed from the bond of this mortal life. Wemay also with a holy fervour of zeal, desire we had never been born, that so we might never have fallen into sin; since sin is a greater evil, than never to have been; and it would have been better we never had been born than to have sinned. With how greater reason may we then wish to die, not to sin any more? Our Lord Jesus Christ, speaking of him who was to betray him, said; “It were better for that man, he had never been born.” (Mat. xxi. 24.) And St. Ambrose, explaining on this subject those words of Ecclesiasticus; ‘TI have preferred the condition of the dead to that of the living, and have esteemed him who is not yet born, more happy than either.” (Ecclesiasticus 4:2) “The dead,” says he, “are preferred to the living; because they have ceased to sin. And he who is not yet born, is in a better state than he who is dead;_ because he has never sinned.” It is therefore a very commendable exercise, to produce frequently, in time of prayer, acts of this sort, saying; Lord, let not sin separate me from you. If I am to be miserable in offending you for the future, let me rather die; for I desire not life unless it be to employ it in your service; nor would I live longer unless I could behave as I ought in your service, and not fail in acquitting myself of my duty. This is a very holy and useful practice, because it implies an extreme horror of sin, and great sentiments of humility, and of the love of God, and herein we prefer the most acceptable petition to God we possible can. We find in the Life of St. Lewis, king of France, that Queen Blanche, his mother, was accustomed to tell him, ‘“She would rather see him dead, than see him fall once into mortal sin;” which holy desire of her’s was so pleasing to God, and drew down so great a blessing upon this prince, that, as it is recorded, he never once offended God mortally. Perhaps the same desires may produce in us the same effects.

But it is not to avoid mortal sin only, that we can wish for death. We may wish for it, to avoid even venial sins, which are so frequently committed; and this motive is very holy and laudable; for a true servant of God ought to be resolutely determined rather to die than to commit not only a mortal sin, but even than to tell a lie, which may be but a venial one. And it is certain, that be the time we have to live ever so short, it is impossible for us not to fall into many venial sins. “For the just man falls seven times a-day” (Proverbs 24:16); that is to say, frequently; and the longer he lives, the more numerous will his falls be. But the zealous servants of God stop not here; they go so far as to petition to die, that they may not be subject to so many defects, so many imperfections, so many temptations and frailties wherewith man’s life is replenished. ‘“O Lord, what do I suffer,” says a holy man, “when in prayer and meditation of heavenly things, I have a thousand carnal and worldly thoughts, which present themselves to my imagination in crowds.” (Thomas 4 Kempis.) It is the misfortune of this life, that it is never entirely free from miseries and afflictions. It is beset with ambushes, and surrounded with enemies; one temptation is scarce over, when a new one succeeds; and sometimes we have scarce time to overcome one, when we are assaulted suddenly by several others we did not foresee. How can we be enamoured with a life so full of anguish and labour, and so obnoxious to accidents and calamities? How can we call it life, which produces so many kinds of deaths? <A great saint was accustomed to say, that were it left to his choice, he would choose death, as the only means of putting his soul out of apprehension of ever being capable of doing anything contrary to the love of God. It is a mark of greater perfection to desire death in order to avoid venial sins, and such faults and imperfections as are of less moment, than to desire it in order to avoid mortal. For in this there may be rather a certain fear of hell, and more of self-love than of the love of God. But to love God so ardently, that in order to avoid venial sin, and the most trivial imperfection, we wish for death, is doubtless a very pure intention and a consummate virtue.

But some may say, it is for the expiation of my sins and faults that I desire to live. To this I answer, that if by living longer we diminish daily the number of our faults, and add not new ones to the old, this desire would be good. But if, instead of cancelling your old debts, you still add new, and if the longer you live, the more you have to answer for to God, then this objection is unreasonable. ‘“Wherefore do we desire life so eurnestly,” says St. Bernard, “since the longer we live the more we offend God; and the number of our days increase not, unless to increase our offences?” (Bern. c. ii. Med.) St. Jerom, speaking of the same point; “What difference do you think,” says he, “‘is there between him who dies in his youth, and him who dies

in old age, unless the‘ old man, being more burdened with sins than the young man, has a larger account to settle with God?” It is a very holy resolution made by St. Bernard upon this subject, when his extreme humility suggested him words more applicable to us, than to him. ‘Iam ashamed of living,” says he, “because I profit so little; I am afraid of dying, because I am not prepared. But after all, I had rather die, and commit myself to the mercy of God, which is infinitely good, than be a subject of scandal to my neighbour, by the ill-example of my life.” (De inter. Dom. ca. xxxv.) Father Avila affirms, whosoever finds in himself but an indifferent disposition to virtue, ought rather to desire death, than life, since he lives in continual danger, which would cease entirely by death. ‘“For what is death,” says St. Ambrose, ‘“but the burial of our vices, and the resurrection of our virtues.” (De bon. mor.)

The reasons we have here alleged for wishing to die, are good and holy; but the most perfect of all, is that which made St. Paul “desire to be dissolved, and be with Christ.” (Philippians 1:23) What is it you say, O great saint? Why do you desire to be delivered from the prison of your body? Is it not perhaps to avoid sufferings? Not at all; “For it is in affliotions and sufferings we place our glory.” (Romans 5:2) Is it for fear of falling into sin? Still less: “For I am certain,” you will tell us, ‘neither death nor life can ever separate us from the love of God.” (Romans 8:38) This great saint was so confirmed in grace, that he was assured of never losing it; and so he had nothing to fear on that side. But why do you desire death with so much earnestness? ‘To be with Jesus Christ, and because I languish with love.” (Canticle of Canticles 2:5) He was sick with love; he sighed after his beloved; and in the impatience he was in of enjoying the divine presence, the least delay seemed long and tedious.

It is in this St. Bonaventure establishes the highest degree of the love of God; and says, there are three ‘of these degrees. The first is to love God above all things, so that nothing in the world can have that power over us as to make us offend him once mortally, and violate any one of his commandments. It is this our Saviour gave as a rule to the young man in the gospel, when he said to him; “If you desire to enter into life eternal, keep the commandments.” (Mat. xix. 17.) And it is this which is the general duty and obligation of the whole world. The second degree of the love of God is to add the practice of his counsels to the observance of his precepts. And this belongs properly to religious, who apply themselves not only to what is good, but still aim at what is better, and more perfect, according to these words of the apostle; “In order that you seek in the will of God what pleases him most, and what is most perfect.” (Romans 12:2) But the third degree of love and charity, as St. Bonaventure adds, is “To be in such a@ manner transported with the love of God, as not to be able even to live without him;” to desire earnestly to see yourself freed from the prison of this mortal life, and to be with Jesus Christ; and continually to wish to be recalled from your banishment, and to return to your native country; and also to make daily aspirations and petitions, for the dissolution of this prison of your body, which hinders you from enjoying the sight of God. All that persons in this state can do, says the same saint, is to bear with patience their life, which is a burden and impediment to them, and therefore they desire nothing more than to be freed from it.

We read in the Life of St. Ignatius, that he was inflamed with an ardent desire of quitting the prison of his body, aud wished with so great fervour to enjoy the sight of God, that as often as he reflected upon death he could not but shed tears of joy. But in the same place it is very justly observed, that it was not the consideration of his own happiness, but it was the ardent love wherewith he was inflamed for the humanity of Jesus Christ, that urged him to wish for death. As the Royal Prophet placed all his joy “in contemplating the joy of our Lord” (Psalms 26:4); and as in the world, when we sincerely love any one, we feel great satisfaction in seeing him obtain an honourable post: so this great saint, from pure principle, and pure excess of love, longed to behold his dear master in all the splendour of his glory. He wished to behold him in it, that he might rejoice with him, without any regard to his own interest and felicity; and, without question, this was the most perfect and sublime act of love any man could produce.

When we consider things in the manner we have here spoken of, the idea of death will be so far from afflicting and troubling us, that it will replenish us with joy and satisfaction. Reflect but a little upon what terrifies you; think only that in a short space of time you shall be in heaven, and that there you shall enjoy a happiness which is superior to sense; which the eye has never seen, the ear not heard, and which infinitely surpasses the reach of understanding; and by this means all your fears and apprehensions will be changed into delight and joy. For how is it possible we should not rejoice at our recal from banishment, and at the termination of our pains and sufferings? How can we not but rejoice on attaining the end for which we were created, on entering upon our inheritance—an inheritance so ample ‘and glorious? It is by death only we can take possession of the inheritance of heaven. ‘ When he shall send sleep to his beloved, behold then the inheritance of our Lord.” (Ps. exxvi. 2.) It is death, then, which puts us in possession; and hence the Wise Man says; “The just man hopes and confides in death.” (Psalms 14:32) Because, in reality, it is death that opens the-passage to heaven, and affords him matter of comfort during the time of his exile. St. Austin, explaining the words of the Psalmist; “I will make it my business to march on in the pure way; and will sing, when is it you will come to me?” (Psalms 100:2) All my endeavours, 0 Lord! says he, shall be to preserve myself without spot or blemish during my life; I will have a continual guard on my eyes, and will sing daily, when is it, O Lord! you will put a term to my banishment? When will you come and bring me to you? “When shall I come to you, and when shall I appear in your sight?” (Psalms 41:2) O how long and tedious is the time; and how glad shall I be when I hear it is arrived! “I rejoiced when I heard we should go to the house of our Lord; and should enter very soon into your gates, O Jerusalem!” (Ps. exxi. 1, 2.) Yes, O Lord! I imagine that I am already in heaven, and in the company of the angels, rejoicing in your divine presence, and blessing your holy name for all eternity.

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