Whatever I am is either flesh, or life, or what we call the ruling part of a person: reason. Put away your books. Don't let your mind get distracted and pulled around anymore. It won't help. Since you're ready to die anyway, think little of your flesh. It's just blood, bones, and skin. A nice piece of woven work made of nerves, veins, and arteries. Don't think of it as more than that. As for your life, consider what it is: a wind. Not even a steady wind, but something that gets let out and sucked back in every moment. The third part is your ruling mind. Here's what to consider: You are an old man. Don't let that excellent part become enslaved. Don't let it get jerked around by unreasonable and antisocial desires, like a puppet on strings. Don't let it complain about what's happening now, or fear what's coming that fate has set for you.
Whatsoever I am, is either flesh, or life, or that which we commonly call the mistress and overruling part of man; reason. Away with thy books, suffer not thy mind any more to be distracted, and carried to and fro; for it will not be; but as even now ready to die, think little of thy flesh: blood, bones, and a skin; a pretty piece of knit and twisted work, consisting of nerves, veins and arteries; think no more of it, than so. And as for thy life, consider what it is; a wind; not one constant wind neither, but every moment of an hour let out, and sucked in again. The third, is thy ruling part; and here consider; Thou art an old man; suffer not that excellent part to be brought in subjection, and to become slavish: suffer it not to be drawn up and down with unreasonable and unsociable lusts and motions, as it were with wires and nerves; suffer it not any more, either to repine at anything now present, or to fear and fly anything to come, which the destiny hath appointed thee.