it is so combustable a thing that the least sparke is able to set it in a flame Alas the brickle reed being bruised and crusht into shivers it is a very little hold-fast that it hath it is as good as quite broken off and yet he will not breake it off it shall grow together againe become firme and usefull Such is the exceeding mercy of the Lord to poor sinners even beyond all humane likelihood and capacity When man doth see no hope or life at all Our God can then revive us with a call And yet loe all these comfortable perswasions can doe no good all this is but Surdâ— cavere to sing as it were to a dead man this nor nothing of this fits our Disease it comes not aneer me thinks unto our case it agrees not with our malady though Christ came into the world to save sinners and though the Lord hath given most large and mercifull promises in the Scripture for the comfort of sinners yet this is nothing to us this concernes not such sinners as we such grievous such constant such highly rebellious sinners if others have sinned grievously and yet are saved certaine there was a farre greater reason for it in their other towardlinesse to good or the like then that we can find in our selves Mark it it is this our present untowardnesse that alwaies puts us into the greatest plunges of despaire and thus our thoughts stand fully possest with nothing else but that we are remedilesse wretches desperate miscreants and utterly forsaken of God And no marvaile that thorough this sad unhappinesse of mind that we we miserable wretched and sinfull souls are thus forsaken when as our blessed Saviour himself in that his great agony of trouble and distresse of minde on the Crosse cryed out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me No marvaile I say that we who are the greatest of sinners should be forsaken and left alone to sinke into unmercifull despaire when as he that was no sinner at all even one with God himselfe with the imputative burden of our sins Cryed out as if he had been left destitute and even ready to yeeld under them My God my God why hast thou forsaken me But to goe on O the strength of Melancholly or rather indeed the strength of sin and a convicted Conscience In Melancholly natures there are no Arguments and Reasons of the most skilfull Divines that can ease our hearts or refresh our souls in this extreamity of trouble perhaps moderate Physick convenient employment and the constant company direction and guidance of some wise understanding party may be necessary outward helps for us but verily the best inner comfort that at any time we doe gather though usually it be but little is as I have formerly said by those that are or have been afflicted with troubles and disturbance of mind somewhat alike us in the same kind either by a full understanding of the event passages and condition of their trouble or else by conference with them if it may be and communicating our estates and maladies together Take 't for a rule that that Physician still In all Diseases fits the Patient best Whos 's owne experience doth improve his skill And it confirmes with a probatum est The experience I say of others misery is the best satisfaction we can find in our own and truly we do not meet with a better or more generally soveraign salve in the comparing of all our judgments experiences together then in the midst of all our grievous tortures and distresse of mind to strive wholly to rest our selves as quiet as contented and as patient as we may and to tarry the Lords leasure Our souls our bodies and all are in thine hands O God deale with us as it shall seeme good in thine eyes if thou hast ordained and prepared us for Heaven blessed be thy Name if thou hast given us over and that we are like Tares bound up and fitted for Hell blessed also be thy Name it is doubtlesse for thy glory and it is but our just desert come life come death come Heaven come Heâ—l the Will of the Lord be done we are not able to sustaine the care of our selves all the strength of our poor souls and bodies is not sufficient to take a full charge or undergoe care enough to preserve the least creature in the world much lesse of so noble a creature as is the soul of man Since therefore we are not sufficient for these things we must doe the best we may and cast the rest of our care upon God humbly resigning over our selves unto him that so he may beare that care for us which our weak and narrow â—ouls cannot beare for themselves Sure we doe not a little offend God I am verily of the mind in being over much discontented and impatiently grieved as many times we are in our selves â—ot though in the bitternesse of our misery being perswaded to be content and to be resolved with more quietnesse of mind we shall usually not without reason plead for our grieving and taking on so deeply O Lord how can we be quiet and at rest to sustaine such a Hell in our breasts Can we carry fiery coals in our bosome and not be burnt therewith Can our soul be rackt with such tormenting anguish of impious thoughts and despairing terrours and yet not weep sigh and abundantly complaine thereof Doth not Hezekiah in the 38. of Esay Chatter like a Crow and a Swallow and mourn like a Dove for the feare of cutting off of a few momentary daies and can we be sufficiently impatient with griefe to be cut off from the Land of the living even all hope of Heaven for ever Shall Rachell mourne for the losse of her Children so that she will not be comforted and can we weep and cry out enough for the losse of our souls unto all Eternity Nay can we endure but so much as to conceive the Devill haling â—erking and tormenting any of our deare friends either living or departed this life I say to see their distracted looks to heare their lamentable and intolerable cryes and not to have our bowels melt within us and we can endure to see our selves turned out from the face of God for ever to burne and fry most deservedly with everlasting paines in Hell fire O let us alone at the thoughts of these things to poure out our selves into Oceans of tears and to roare even roare aloud forthe very disquietnesse of our hearts I say O let us houle cry out and make a moane Able to break the very hearts of stone So just cause have we in this case me thinks to forrow without measure nay more if it were possible then to the very death Is there any cause of sorrow like this cause Weep not for me that labour may be spared to weep for other things but weep for our selves there is cause enough that is truly to be wept for and nothing else but
by grace and to be more violently carried down the stream when once sin gets the upper hand As also our manner of life may adde great advantage unto temptation In Sodom for to live a righteous Lot 'T is like a Painter that 's without a spot By touching Pitch alas it is no news To be defil'd if that we cannot chuse He that is conversant where many occasions be offered shall hardly put by often inconveniences But we proceed with the secret sinful motions of our unhappie life When there is any thing of heedful concernment in our thoughts which we do endeavour to effect or have resolved upon to have it done if it chance any whit long to be delayed and not finisht forthwith according to our hope the greedy desire and expectation thereof is such a torture presently to our over hastie souls that in a while out of distrustfulnesse we either utterly despair of it or through impatiency of minde we strive if it be possible to bring it to passe against might or otherwise one way or other are ready to procure some indirect means whereby our eager intention may be fulfilld headlesly running on many times thus to multiply our sins without any reason not considering at all that if we had not tormented our selves with such over eagernesse of expectation and sinn'd against God with this unlawful hastinesse of minde and despairing thoughts doubtlesse our businesse would have never the worse but rather the better have took its effect in due time and this is that impatient hastinesse of minde and distrustful fear that maketh many of us to curse and swear so much in the passion of discontent to go to Witches for recovering again the goods that we lose or so soon as we be sick to post to the Physitian as our onely hope and the like It was this impatient hastinesse of minde that made Saul offend 1 Sam. 13. 8 whenas both he and our selves did we but use the counsel of David Psal 27. 9 to tarry the Lords leasure and be strong I say his leasure with patience and be strong in faith we might verily prevent many a sin nay perchance most sins for were it not this impatient hastinesse of ours what sin almost is there could prevail against us had we but that true patience and stayednesse of minde soberly to wait and weary out the temptation the devil might go away from us as he came The storm most fiercely for the time doth rage Stay but a little and it will asswage It is this too importunate hastinesse that causeth discontented murmurâ—ngs against God making us when things go not to our mindes and that we prosper not according to our account and expectation even making us I say half angry with the Almighty as though he were a debter to fulfil our desires It is this hastinesse which draweth us many times into the most dangerous impieties Sin in time brings the soul into such a senslesse dulnesse and stupidity that as if we had made a Covenant with dâ—ath and a League with hell we are little moved with any terrour thereof and we quietly yeeld up our selves as if there were an inevitable necessity for us to be thus wieked and ungodly we know not what to say or to do in the case we are so much plunged in this mire and clay where there is no ground no hope of coming out that it is beyond all that we can think and endeavour to do our selves any good and therefore we cannot conceive sin and this inward corruption of nature to be any otherwise in us then as a corruption in the body which when once it hath gotten a long continued vent and running issue in the leg there is no stopping thereof without present death to the party unlesse there be an issue made for it in another place And so we being thus filled as Saint Paul speaketh of the Heathen Rom. 1 with nothing but spiritual corruption in the soul unrighteousnesse fornication wickednesse covetousnesse maticiousnesse c. we cannot imagine how the vent thereof can be stopt but that it must needs have passage one way or other and indeed so for the most part when it is stopt of its ordinary course it findeth out a secret vent elsewhere And truely after this manner sometimes we seem to be reclaimed and reformed of our accustomed vices whenas in very deed we do but turn out of one sin into another for this is the devils policy now and then to imitate Repentance by altering and changing up and down our sins to the end they might not grow tedious unto us to make us loath and abhoâ— them utterly or perchance to give our consciences some satisfaction with the shew of Repentance that we may the more securely continue in sin For the devil hath many shifts to invent wherewith to give us content and delight He will provide all variety and pleasure that is possible to indulge our appetite as being weary of this sin that we may go to another our affections being tired with ambition we might recreate our selves with lust and luxurious idlenesse our souls being stopt of their course in malice and covetousnesse we might take as it were a turn another while in Epicurism and indulging vanities sometimes perhaps a variety in the manner of our sins for novelties sake may give us a little change of satisfaction as sometimes it may be plain dealing gives the minde best liking in our sins sometimes equivocating and deluding excuses sometimes the matter is best of all to be qualified with a crafty involving of others helping in the act sometimes again a sole and absolute secresie of the whole businesse is more grateful to our conscience Every way and however it be effected we feel our selves in sin just as in the condition of sick men he that is much sick is not in so much ease as to lie always on one side though his bed be never so soft so sin like the sick mans bed hath not so much pleasure in it as to give us any long content he turns from side to side to finde rest and findes none so long as he is sick so we unhappie sinners wallow to and fro in our sinnes without rest we are unstable in all our ways There 's no delight no rest is to be found Whilst sin in us so strongly doth abound I say we can finde no pleasure no full satisfactory oâ— long content in pleasure as long as we thus turn out of sin into sin out of one bad course into another unlesse that we quite turn out of sin unto God But wo is us Hic labor hoc opus est here lies all the difficulty this is the main matter of all the flattering subtilty thereof hath as I said for long ago as Dalilah beguiled Samson so wholly robb'd and beguil'd our soul of all their strength and courage to true Râ—pentance that we were much too weak to break off from us those fettering bonds and
some recovering or repairing of any thing else that vve lose none at all of time our money our honour our health may be restored again but our time is so pretious that if once lost it is for ever lost Lamachus a Captaine on a certaine time chid one of his Souldiers for committing a fault in the Field the Souldier promised him never to do so againe but he replies in bello non licet bis peccare good fellow thou maist not commit a fault twice in the Battell since that one fault is enough to lose all It is our case Post est occasio calva this opportunity being once lost can never be recalled this day being gone no man can vvorke there is a time vvhen the Virgins may enter in with the Bridegroome there is also a time when the doore is shut there is a time when the poole of Bethesda is troubled by the Angell and there is also a time when it is not vere poenitens de tempore nihil perait saith Saint Bernard the true repentant Christian omits no seasonable time because he cannot tell when he shall have another the wise man bids thee go to the Pismire thou sluggard she ployes her time in the Harvest to provide against winter this is the summer and harvest for our salvation Non estas ita semper erit componite nidos The Summer that is now cannot long last O then provide before it be all past O let us provide I say provide in time Before as Salomon saith the silver cord be loosed or the golden bowl be broken or the Pitcher broken at the â—ountaine or the wheele broken at the Cisterne then shall the dust returne to the earth as it was and the spirit returne to God that gave it Dum vires annique sinunt tollerate laborem Iam veniet tacito curva senecta pede It is here good to take the Poets advice to worke whilst we have strength and vigour whilst we have marrow in our bones and perfect health in our bodies there is a night of old age too as well as of Death and then no man can well worke we must consecrate the first fruits of our age to Religion and remember our Creator in the daies of our youth Non semper vtolae non semper lillia florent The Violets and the sweetest Lillies they Doe soone put off their brave and rich aray The flower and chiefe of our age will quickly fade so soone passeth it away and we are gone Have we any businesse of moment to be done we will be sure to be stirring betimes about it the worke of our salvation concerns us more then any work then any busines besides O let us then be stiriing betimes about this early in the morning I say the morning of our youth which is the best time of working Collige virgo rosas memor esto aevum sic properare tuum O young man gather the prime Rose of thy time while it is fresh for remember ere night the Sun will make it wither Is there not a season saith the Wise man and a time for every purpose under the Heaven a time to be born and a time to dye c. Our words here answer him There is a day to worke and a night not to worke a day for employment and a night for rest The busie Bee is hot at her labour in the Sunshine whilst lazie man lyes asleep in the shadow O the foolishnesse O the madnesse of man to lose so much time of so little How many excuses do we make rather then we will take the pains to go to Heaven How many daies do we put off with a Cras cras to morrow to moroow when wo is us many times the last sâ—nd of our life is even now running out this is our wont commonly to procrastinate from one day to another from one moneth from one yeare from one time to another till at last peradventure it be too late the day sure is farre spent and the night is at hand let us take heed it is great folly to say We will live as we should to morrow we must live to day if we will be sure to live at all he that deserreth the time of his working in this life shall not be able to deferre his punishment in the life to come Et acerbissima est mora quae tâ— ahit penam And that is a most bitter delay saith St. Austine which increaseth our pâ—nâ—shment he that doth not prevent it befâ—râ— shall repent it after when it is in vaine In all other things â—e do finde the danger of delaies and we can take heed to prevent it we will not lose a faire day in Harvest a prosperous gale of wind to set to Sea an advantage to get preferment and the like See in every thing else we can be wise enough save only in this and this only unto salvation I shall wish that for our selves which Moses did for the Children of Israel Deut. 32. and the 29. Oh that we were truly wise that we understood this that we would consider our latâ—er end Oh that we would remember with David how short our time is Oh that we would remember with Saâ—â—mon the end and then we should not do amisse Oh that we would duely consider with our Saviour here that the night is at hand we would doubtlesse worke while it is day because the night commeth which is he fourth Observation and comes next to be thought on for the night the night of our death commeth or is continually approaching the night a long night that shall never have a morning Soles occiderâ— redire possunt Nobis cum sâ—mel occidit brevis lux Nox est perpeâ—uo uâ—â— dormierdâ— The Sun setteth and returnes againe but man dyeth and where is he He shall not returne againe from the Grave and his place saith Job sball know him no more Oh alas no more for ever From all our friends our goods and houses we By death must part to all eternity O woe is us that we must needs away Ne're to come back no more no more for aye Never to see againe be acquainted with or so much as to heare of any of these earthly things any more with which many of us are now so earnestly and wholly taken up as if there were no other thing or being to be thought on O me what pitty is it That most of us so lavishly do spend Our daies as if they never should have end Our thoughts with death we never care to try Till death it selfe doth teach us how to dye Till death seize upon us and the night be at hand wherein no man can work for we must be assured that this long this everlasting night continually commeth on towards us there is no escaping of death no Achitopbels policy is able to bribe or put off this faithfull Pursevant of Heaven we must all all away to our long home and make our beds in the
did at the newes of Iosephs life and prosperity It is enough wee are full and so fully satisfied with this heavenly Manna even this very food of Angels that here doe wee sit downe and feed our selves perhaps some houres at a time on this Celestiall sweetnesse Our silent thoughts now take their holy scem To walke about the new Ierusalem And marke â—ow there each precious stone doth vy Which may give brightest lustre to the eye How doe wee desire to rest and dwell continually in this Paradise of contemplation even as Saint Peter did when hee saw how fine it was to be in the Mount and said Lord let us make three Tabernacles and dwell here to dwell here it were good indeed but that verily may not be there is no dwelling in Heaven whilst wee are in the flesh no looking for a continuall joy sweetnesse and content in this vale of misery and therefore since that thorow the whole scope of this life wee are ordained rather to a religious travaile and labour then to quiet and ease doubtlesse the resting our selves so over-much in this satiety of Ioy doth us more harme then good in that it makes us the more to forget to take the paines to goe to an other Heaven hereafter who are thus as it were in a present Heaven here already the satisfying fruition of Contemplation doth call away our thoughts from the necessary care of Mortification flattering many times the due sense of sinne and giving us as I may say a kind of Liberty and Priviledge to doe amisse For we shall thereby thus think to our selve when we are so often and so much over taken with sinne there is a fatall necessity of sinning in all men and therefore notwithstanding that how many and whatsoever our sinnes be wee make no doubt but it is well enough with us and that wee must needs be sufficiently in the favour of God to whom he doth afford such divine familiarity and such heavenly Comforts the which perswasion of our selves although it may be true in some sense true I meane that these inward gifts of mind are generally a token of Gods favour yet surely thus I say doth the sweetnesse and selfe-conceit thereof make us often times the more slacke not so diligently to seeke to mortifie our corrupt affections not so seriously thinking how this illumination of mind this Tree of Knowledge may bring forth the fruit of good workes how to become humble to become patient to become chaste to become temperate c. Iames and Iohn were busying their minds about who should be on the right hand and who on the left of Christ in his Kingdome but our Saviour cals them neerer home to the matter in hand to thinke rather on suffering with him and that present Condition of difficulty which they must undergoe well knowing that the gazing too much on that easie and sweet part of religion might make them to omit the weightier and more materiall part which is to beare the Crosse and drink of his Cup. Well as experience of spirituall understanding grows on so our phansie will be apt to abide more constant in our meditations upon anything and be more aboundantly fruitfull with variety of considerations specially if other affairs give us Liberty to spend our time freely upon it our Melancholly thoughts perhaps for some moneths together will be mainly employed and taken up sometimes with the notions of this subject sometimes of that fot a while it may be wee shall be altogether to contemplate of Death and Mortality our phansie will hang only on Graves on Sculs on Passing-bels sadly weighing how truly it is said of David that man is a thing of nought his time passeth away like a shadow and that of Iob in his seventh Chapter My dayes are swifter then a Weavers shuttle and are spent without hope O remember that my life is wind mine eye shall no more see good the eye of him that hath seene mee shall see me no more c. ringing ringing out the Knell of death to our soules in this or the like manner O thou devouted soule Amidst the pleasures joyes triumphs And hopes now in this life begun Thinke every morning that ere night Thy Sun may set thy life be done Amidst the cares the dolefull griefs And feares that on this life attend Thinke every morning that ere night Thy Sun may set thy liâ—e may end Another while perchance we shal take pleasure in guilding over our thoughts with the glorious lustre of the world to come the beatificall vision the beauty of the Saints according to that of Daniel They that be wise shall shine as the Firmament and they that turne many to righteousnes as the stars for ever and ever Sometimes our seriousnesse is very much affected with Bels the Melancholy rising and falling of the sound doth methinkes lively imprint into our fancie the Emblem of mans inconstancie and the fading succession of the times and ages of this world she wing that which S. Iohn speaks in the 1. Epistle the second Chapter How the world passeth away and the lustt thereof but hee that doth the will of God abideth for ever the warbling out of tunes in our mind the hearing or modulâ—ting of melodious songs which have been ancient will revive unto our phansie the times and things that are past making us exceeding sad and dumpish at the remembrance of them and ready sometimes to let fall teares because that golden Flower of time that spring-tide of delight is so soon past and gone three is an end with it and alas woe is us it shall never O never returne again Farewell adieu ye pleasant youthfull houres Which did our life so sweetly crowne with flowers Many times againe doth the consideration of Eternity and that endlesse statâ— of the soule after this life drive these or the like Meditatâ—ons intentively to our hearts O Lord how much doth it concerne us with most exact care to take heed how we order our selves whilst wee live here when as according to our living in this world our soules must needs enter into such an endlesse and unalterable a condition the very beholding of which though but a farre off doth make all our sense as it were gidy and amaz'd at the exceeding height depth and extent thereof The sight of a dead mau if peradventure anatomized and cut up before us or else but shrowded lying prostrate or the like doth usually worke so reall an efficacie in our thoughts that it deeply casteth us into a loathing abasement and vile esteeme of our selves it may be for a good while after confidering thus that notwithstanding Man doth carry such estate with him is so sumptuously adorned and so full of magnificent shew in this life yet is hee in substance but a peece of carrion even so contemptible a thing that he would disdain being alive to but touch himselfe if he were dead O man how canst thou be proud that art nothing but
a bag of dung a sinke of filth and corruption me thinks the very meanest creatures are more happy then we for loe O Lord they continue perfect in that state thou hast created them they live not in sinne against their Maker they die in innocencie but man alas unhappy man liveth in sinne dieth in trouble O finne thou art the worst of all evils thou art worst then death worse then Hell sure better were it to have no being at all then that our being should be offensive to that God which hath bestowed it on us In the time of plague and infectious sicknesse in likâ— manner doe our Meditations more consideratively enlarge themselves how are our thoughts then not a little swollen up with sadnesse and griefe at the tender apprehension of the solitary and forsaken estate of those poore soules who are imprisoned and shut up in the infected houses thinking thus with our selves O Lord how happy are wee on whom the Sun shines thus merrily the Sunne of Gods favour wee have health wee have Liberty wee have Plenty of all things at our hearts desire but they poore wretches are inclosed within the shadow of death their feet like good Iosepâ—s are in the stocks and the Iron thereof entreth into their soules the hardnesse of misery maketh their very hearts to bleed for as Iob saith Tbe arrowes of the Almighty are within them and the poyson thereof drinketh up their spirits O how can wee forget to have compassion on such misery as this The seâ—ious deepnesse of our mind doth also thus frequently close up in our Meditations the departing day and Lord thou hast added one day more unto this our life which thou mightst long ere this have shortned and cut off Lord prepare us for our end and make us willinger to die then yet wee are that when as wee shall have brought all our dayes to a period as we have now this day wee may be ready and well content to depart out of this world to thine eternall mercy and that wee be patiently resolved that this face these hands and this whole body of ours after a while it may put on corruption be clothed with blacknesse and deformity and so with the fatall necessity of all Mankind naturally to be composed into Mortality and be gathered to our Fathers to rest with them in the dust untill thine appointed time Vntill that shrill awaking Trumpet sound At the last day to raise us from the ground The Melancholly Man is a man full of thoughts his phansie is as it were alwayes in a constant Motion no sooner doe wee discharge our braines of these diviner thoughts and meditations specially our mind being at leisure from worldly things but forth with it is in action either with some idle or ill employment either wee are building of Castles in the ayre or framing of Vtopiaes and the Idea's of one thing and of another of Monarchies of Paradises and such like pleasing dreams of phansie or else wee are on the otherside snarling our thoughts with the toyls of sinne Each sense of ours to the heart Proves Traytor to let in Temptation with his fatall dart The Harbinger of sinne How often thus doe the allurmeents of pleasure involve our minds in a restlesse unquietnesse untill wee give satisfaction thereunto how often doth the provocations of lust follow our thoughts till wee commit Adultery with the Baby of our owne fancie how often again doth impatiency haunt us till wee are engaged in wrath and distemper how often doth the love of Riches torment us into the consent of injustice This is the difference wee may find in our soules betwixt good and evill when wee are affected with good things wee are ready as I say to poure out our braines into an abundance of Consideration thereupon but when as wee goe to make use thereof in the practise of our lives such difficulties and impossibilities doe stand in the way that it is even against our stomack then to tâ—inke upon it when contrariwise wee are affected with evill things it may be wee are not ready to spend so many thoughts upon them but wee may easily observe our pronenesse to imprint them in our actions For good wee are as the fruitlesse Fig-tree all whose sap is but enough to bear leaves none for fruit so that in manner all our goodnesse goes out into thoughts meditations and desires little or none at all into practise and performance but for evill wee are more fruit then leaves the practick part of our soules doth here out-goe the speculative Facilis descensus av Aâ—rni Nature hath made it easie for us to goe downwards in the paths of death and destruction and yet notwithstanding by Gods mercy sin doth not over-come us to fulfill it in the lusts and full swing thereof we are not at ease and rest with it it doth discontent and trouble us there is no perfect quietnesse in our soules whilst it prevailes within us although sometimes for want of carefull diligence it taketh such advantage of us that t is long and difficult ere wee can wind our selves out of the snare therof I say long and difficult ere we can throughly untie those knots of perversenesse and impiety which Sathan when hee gets time and liberty doth cunningly contrive within us Here we may note the wisely-confirm'd maturity of years and better acquaintance wiâ—h the nature of things as it doth helpe forward our continuance in grace in that it becomes longer being made cleane by repentance ere we shall now fall backe into sinne I meane into more grosse and frequent sinnes so likewise it advantageth our continuance in sinne in that it becomes the longer also being in the state of wrath ere wee can be duly reconciled againe by true repentance and the reason hereof without question is chiefly to bee conceived for that ripenesse of age makes nature more solid stiffe and unmoveably set in its course being the right subject of constant seriousnesse and Melancholy as on the other-side youth is vainely wavering and according to the Poet Cereuâ— in vitium slecti c. Like wax that 's quickly wrought to any shape And pliable to any alteration Againe touching the settlednesse of our courses in this spiâ—ituall condition of the soule it is alwayes to be observed that the more unhappily finne doth prevaile over us and the longer it doth continue with us the more we are disheartned and loth to repent by reason that difficulty and bad successe doth daunt the courage and deter from that which easinesse and happy proceeding doe make to delight in thus likewise in other things it is usually seene that hee who thrives delights to be a good Husband prosperity backs on the endeavour and sweetnes a mans labour In like manner also when we have good successe in Religion it makes us the more religious the be ter wee thrive in it the more wee are in love with it that which wee have already quickens the appetite and
whets on the affection with a greater longing having truly tasted how good it is we can with David say Oh how sweet are thy words unto our taste yea sweeter then honey unto our mouth our soule can then handsomly reilish all holy duties and religious exercises and wee doe delight in the performance thereof as in particular the frequenting the Church the hearing of Sermons the holy Law and Testimonies of the Lord doe not now seeme a burden but as a pleasure unto us O Lord me thinkes thy words to us doe shine A sweet direction in the paths divine In receiving the word we can suck out a secret sweetnesse and comfortable benefit there from it becomes nourishable unto us the Rod of Gods justice and the staffe of his mercies bound up together in his booke doe pleasantly lead forth our soules besides the waters of Comfort but specially is our Melancholy soule most in imately affected with such Scripture which presseth home the due understanding of our momentany and mortall Condition and with funerall exercises which more lively set forth the same Salomon saith It is better to goe into the house of mourning c. and he gives the cause for that is the end of all men and the living will lay it to his heart wee shall I say bee thus alwayes apt on such occasions to fix the sad consideration of death most neerly to us and sure mee thinkes there can be no thoughts that doe concerne us more then those of our end of our last day neither can wee bestow any of the time of our life better or to more purpose then in the digging of our Graves I meane the providing for our end for though perhaps wee may live a great deale longer yet verely wee are no men of this world thy grace O Lord hath so removed our affections from these transitory things that with Saint Paul Wee are daily dying in our thoughts and desiring rather to be dissolved and to be with Christ then to live here not waiting expecting and looking for a long continuance upon earth but farre more for a happy departure Life 's not our joy at death 's our chiefest ayme By life wee lose by death wee hope to gaine Also in this prosperity of Religion doe wee alwayes apprehend a more gratious satisfaction in our prayers supplications the spirit of devotion so filleth and fatteth our soule with goodnesse that wee are wont abundantly to rejoyce therein above all other things striving to lift up our soules often in private devotion in so much that if leisure serve wee shall be ready to offer up the incense of our zeale unto God in admiring his mercy setting forth our unworthinesse desiring farther his grace and heavenly benediction to grow stronger and stronger in his feare and love and the like requests and Petitions often times even often times peradventure in a day not only in short ejaculations but even in pretty laâ—ge formes of expression for no sooner doe wee feele the sacred fire of Devotion flaming upwards and aspiring unto heaven but presently wee seriously betake our thoughts to prayer and thanksgiving by the way it may be here considerable whether for our constant devotion in private as morning and evening and the like many short ejaculations are more fit to carry up our affections unto God or otherwise some one long and large continued forme the former way through its often cuttings off being in dangsr to make us degenerate into alazie and forgetfull seldomnesse of praying the latter thorough its tedious continuance into an unadvised dulnesse in praying and therefore not much approving of either betweene both of these two or three moderate formes with an acute and strong winged brevity are me thinkes more convenient to present our cause before the Almighty in an unvariable constancy and in a piously devout apprehension but to keepe on our way Now againe in like manner are we most divinely studious and diligent to make the full benefit and advantage of that time which is properly set apart for Gods service labouring to build up others and to be built up strong in our selves as by hearing exhorting and discoursing with truly pious and religious men rejoycing in this comfortable Communion of Saints I meane the communicating acquaintance and assisting fellowship of our inner man one with another or else againe perhaps more privately managing our soules by reading as in the Bible Practise of Piety Gerrards Meditations or the like by Meditating Consulting and walking with the Almighty in spirituall thoughts ending the Sabbath dayes usually in such high and serious actions occupying our selves in that only which may tend either to improve Knowledge try Faith exercise Charity examine Conscience and the like communing thus as David hath it secretly in our owne hearts in our Chambers and being still quiet from outward perturbations thereby effectually to entertaine these heavenly Guests And therefore duly apprehending this Celestiall happinesse of the mind shal we use to long for the Sabbath before it come preferring it in esteeme above all the other dayes of the week and calling it as in the 58. of Isaiah the thirteenth verse A delight unto us the Holy of the Lord c. accounting the holy rest of this Sabbath here to be a lively Emblem and as it were a taste of that glorious rest in the eternall Sabath hereafter The due frequenting and solemne use of four a clock prayers on Saturdayes afternoone is me thinkes a worthy sweet and seasonable exercise as being an excellent preparation against the Sunday to lay aside the thoughts the cares and busines of our Calling and truly were it generally more observed and taken notice of no doubt Religion might fare far the better for it but sure The Root of evill is the love of Gold And that is it Religion is so cold Because we cannot spare the time from gaine For Heaven therefore we take but little paine To goe on as this irradiating beam of divine grace doth cloath our minds with a light and delight in spirituall things whereby not only our thoughts ate set a worke on purer objects but also our outward behaviour and conversation is ready to do its part too in Religion our tongues not vaine or offensive but ayming their words for the most part to pious and good discourses aptly applying ordinary things in our talke to some godly use or religious observation our feet not swift to go after folly nor our hand dealing with deceit I say as this illuminative beame of divine Grace doth enlighten our thoughts making us full of high and heavenly wisedome in all our wayes so in like manner it warmeth our affection towards others melting the bowels of our compassion into a more then superficiall charitableness and loving mindednesse unto all men whereby with tendernesse we alwayes construe their lives and actions in the better sense and doe sincerely wish pray for and desire even the salvation of every one but specially zealous
to their own skill and wisedom how do they snarl themselves in blinde conjectures Lo this doubtlesse was the cause that our businesse took not effect it should have been done by such or such a means it such or such a time with these or these Circumstances â—yring out our selves to seek the reason thereof like those blinde men that sought Lot's door and could not finde it never thinking all this while on the Divine providence which directeth all things towards which our thoughts ought to aim their first and chief regard and therefore it is that oftentimes we do try so many ways spend so much time break so many nights sleep to no purpose for sure Except the Lord keep the Citie all our labour is lost the watchman waketh but in vain As Jehu answered Jehoram 2 Kings 9 so may we answer our thoughts and with sufficient experience resolve our selves What peace content or rest can there be so long as this Jezebel of sin raigns and remains within us No peace within nor yet no peace without But full of troubles toils and fears and doubt Our peace with all things utterly doth cease Because with God we do not make our peace And thus on every side we both see and feel it even too much to our own grief That there is no peace unto the wicked The man of Sin is a man of Trouble trouble in his minde with the distractions of sin trouble in his conscience with fear of judgement every way disturbed and out of rest and yet lo for all this that there is so much unquietnesse and trouble and discontent in our sinnes we are so strongly hampered and engaged therein that there is no power in us to break off the bands thereof or cast away her cords from us through the habituated continuance therein it is so hard and difficult for us to repent I mean fully and perfectly to repent that it goes even against might to think of making up a reckoning and an account with God we are so totally as it were turned into sin it self I mean such an invincible disposition of sinning in all our conversation that O who shall deliver us from this body of death what course can we take to come out of this unhappinesse 'T is high time to look about us to raise our thoughts to some better notions but such is the difficulty of true Repentance that we cannot go thorow stitch with it but this and this opportunity is still put off with excuses with the presumptuous and flattering conceit that Gods mercy is infinite we have had often and often trial of it Doubtlesse we shall have some better time and more fitting season hereafter But we who finde it so hard a matter at this time a thousand to one but that we finde it more difficult the next the longer we continue in sin without due Repentance the more methinks are we entangled with it and dayly snarl'd the faster from getting out O therefore let us take heed in time and duely consider this all we that now forget God Consider this I say whilst we have time afforded us lest in his wrath he suddenly pluck us away and there be none to deliver us Here it is observable according to what I have formerly intimated that though not usually yet sometimes the Conscience is so cunningly daub'd up that it seems within us to be as well satisfied with the outward formality of Religion as if it were in the state of grace and true reconciliation our mouthes and the outside of our thoughts do draw neer unto God when-as our hearts the true depth of our heart is far from him even full of nothing but dead mens bones the rottennesse and corruption of sin we are I say thus so smoothly deluded in our selves that we can seem boldly to chalenge acquaintance with Christ and perhaps think that we are able to boast of great matters in his Name and yet for all that peradventure as it was with those in the Gospel Mat. 7. peradventure I say Christ himself may never so much as know or acknowledge one jot of Christianity within us but this deceitfulnesse of Religion this superficial delight is easily discerned if we mark it well both by our selves and others in that it is frequently wont to vent it self into a partial siding contentious talking part-taking and debating as those of whom the Apostle speaks that fell out about their Religion I am of Paul I am of Apollo I am of Cephas taking the shadow for the substance and mistaking the truth thereof as though it were a thing so shallowly seated in the soul that it consisted in wittinesse of discourse sharp understanding following of Opinions and the like no verily the Kingdom of heaven Religion and godlinesse is not without as our Saviour saith but within us even in the dressing ordering and managing of our own souls Indeed Our Knowledge without Charity may swell Into Contentious strivings full of pride But true Religion in that heart doth dwell Where patience love and humble thoughts abide what ever or however the Conscience as I say may thus be deluded and held in some pleasing satisfaction finely skinned over for a while with the upper part of Religion yet in the truth of it the wound that is so deep is not so easily cured this sinfulnesse of the minde here spoken of having gotten such time and liberty with us is not without great difficulty deep sorrow many prayers and much carefulnesse took off again and therefore till we can by Gods special mercy attain unto this thorow piercing and happie Repentance there is none so soveraign and helpful a means to prevent the dangerous encrease thereof as is the constant following of a good employment ever to be doing in one industrious action or another according to the quality and manner of our life even in one honest action or other though it be but to little advantage so that the Rule is very true Praestat oriosum esse quam nihil agere It were far better for us to be in action with that which is to no purpose so that we do not sin in it then to sit still and be altogether idle for alas we do by woful experience finde that Idlenesse is rightly named The devils Cushion being seldome out of one sin or other whilst we are out of action in some good employment This Cushion makes the devil so easie a seat that it is even an invincible work to remove him from our idle souls or make him sit away this is his seat I say and his shop too here he freely sits and plyes his utmost skill to mould our thoughts to the very wickednesse of his hearts desire here he sits forging and fashioning all the ugliest forms of sin and foulest monsters of impiety that ever entred into the heart of man there is no sin so great so hellish and inhumane but Idlenesse hath been the means to hatch it into the world Quaeritur
up of too much sorrow for this being swallowed up too much this over-yeelding up our strength of nature to solitary griefe and mournfull Melancholly gives the Devill many times great advantage of us as he intimates in the 11. verse of the aforesaid Chapter Least Sathan saies he should gâ—t advantage of us for we are not ignorant of his devices indeed we ought duly to be humbled and as St. Paul speaks in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the 5. Chapter To deliver over our selves our sencelesse stubbornnesse unto Satan for a time for the destruction of the flesh that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Iesus But we must understand also that it is not convenient for us to grieve without measure and without end for certainly it is not the sorrow of heart that doth help us in such disease it may hinder us of help it is the religious cheerfulnesse of a better desire that in time works the cure therefore we may herein advise our selves as St. Paul did Timothy in his first Episte unto him and 5. Chapter To drink no longer water that is not to feed too much on the bread of carefulnesse nor drink in the water of affliction into our souls but to use therewith a little wine I say a little wine Wine which as David saith maketh a merry heart to strive to take comfort and to be merry in the feare of God whereby nature may be the better enabled also to set to her assisting hand in the deliverance Mirth cannot erre as long as it remembers its latter end and the feare of God to enjoy both our selves and Gods blessings in a moderate and cheerfull manner is not only lawfull but necessary for us Religion is no enemy to honest mirth neither doth the Almighty desire the death of sinners but their life their death of griefe but their life of grace Alas we are but weak Creatures and of a short continuance O Lord we have sinned as Iob saith in his seventh Chapter What shall we doe unto thee O thou preserver of men and as he saith againe in his sixth Chapter Is our strength the strength of stones or is our flesh of brasse O Lord we cannot abide the fury of thy wrath for sin nor are we able to behold thy sierce indignation thou therefore that bringest man to destruction humblest him downe to Hell and the Grave and sweetly sayest Come againe yee children of men re-exaltest him to thy favour O consider that our age is short even no more then as a span long we are alas we are but Pilgrimes Strangers and Sojourners here as all our fathers were O spare us therefore spare us a little this little space which remaines of our life that we may recover our strength before we go hence and be no more seene Before we goe thither from whence we shall Returne no more no more no more at all And now me thinks I heare the Body thus speaking unto the Soule O my love wilt thou goe away from me Alas wilt thou goe away from me thou knowest that I have no comfort at all but thee thou art my joy my whole delight and wilt thou be gone and leave me behind here to be utterly cast away to putrifie rot and perish in the earth If the Disciples were so sad and sorrowfull at the departure of St. Baul in that he said They should see his face no more how doest thou think I can chuse but even swoone and dye with conceit that thou wilt thus leave me me poore wretch that can have no being nor subsistence without thee but lo the Soul replies Why dost thou weep my deare though I must goe from thee for a time yet be not discomforted I will come and see thee againe and embrace thee with everlasting embracements I will then never goe from thee more O give me leave to depart for God hath decreed it Nature hath appointed it we cannot live together on Earth as we be but we shal live together hereafter in a most absolute and perfect being we must needs submit to mortality Ah there 's no continuing here my sweet heart Death doth the dearest lovers part For why we are mortall and all must away To take our lodging down in the clay But though we lye down yet shall we rise againe and that even in a while for loe but little while and he that shall come to open the Graves to fold up the Heavens like a scroll and to unbarre the fatall strength of time I say he that shall come will come and will not tarry Oh! but a little while and the Son of man shall appeare like the bright Lightning with the glorious company of his most holy Anâ—els to gather together the foure corners of the earth even the people from the one end thereof unto the other unto a day of Judgement where we shall then stand before the Judgement Seat of God to be setled in a perpetuall and never ending condition wherefore let our spirits O let our spirits and all that is within us with the aspiring Lark humbly mount up to meet the Lord in the Clouds now before hand with this melodious Antheme this song of Sion in our mouthes O blessed Iesu remember us with mercy whâ—n thou commest into thy Kingdome O thou that commest â—â— judge the world condemnâ—us not for our sins at the last day O sweet Saviour deliver us from that red Dragon which â—peneth his terrible mouth ready to devoure us O preserve us a while here on earth that we may be with thee for ever in Heaven To see the mighty glory and renowne Of him that is and was and is to come And to that end make us O make us in these few houres which we have to live never to forget the words which thou faidest of thy selfe in the ninth of St. Iohn the fourth verse whilst thou wast on earth amongst us I must worke the workes of him that sent me while it is day the night commeth when no man can worke That we may take this thy example for a patterne all our lives long and may turne this thy holy resolution into our practice and meditation continually First that as thou didst worke so must we worke here and not be idle 2. That as thou didst worke the works of him that sent thee into the world so must we also work the will of our father which is in Heaven 3. That as thou didst it in thy day so must we do it in our day this day of our life 4. For as the night the night of thy Passion commeth so our night of death is continually approaching 5. And then no man can work even no man at all can work out his salvation O excellent rule I here is roome enough for our souls to exercise their thoughts day and night even this day of working untill that night of rest this day of life untill that night of death when no man can
dust What man liveth and shall not see death or shall deliver his soul from the hand of Hell Omnes eadem sorte premimur Mine thine his and every ones Lot is cast the houre and the minute of our lives is limited farre off it cannot be for it commeth or is comming how soon we cannot tell Watch therefore even watch continually since yee know not the houre Vitae summa brevis spem nos veâ— at incboare longam The whole summe of our life is but short how then can we expect death to be farre off David calls our life a shadow Job a smoake Salomon a Ship In a Ship saith a Father whether we sit or stand we are alwaies carried towards the Haven so our life is ever moving towards death no houre but the Sun goes Westward no moment but our age hastens to its end to its long end it will quickly come the longest day hath his night Methusalem hath his moâ—tuus est and he dyed I say the longest day hath its night and here it puts me in minde of that our Proverbiall saying All the life-long day the day fitly expressing our life and our life a day a day only a summers day towards the evening the Sun shines out most bright and glorious and loe presently it is downe such is the shortnesse and sudden departure of our life that David in like manner hath most aptly expressed it by a tale We bring our yeares saith he to an end even as it were a tale that is told for when it goes pleasantly on and we expect to heare more of it before we are aware on 't it is ended thus as it were In the midst of life we are in death and are cut away like the flower which fadeth in a moment verily therefore all flesh is Grasse and the glory thereof but as the flower of the field and yet such is most times our folly so to build up our thoughts here upon Earth as if we had an Eternity to live for ever whereas do but we duely consider it every day that goes over our heads bids us be in readinesse for death gives a sufficent Item of Mortality Immortalia nesperes monetannus almain c. So many daies so many moneths so many yeares past and gone so many passing Bells so many Funerals celebrated before our eyes must needs forbid us to expect a long time Saint Chrysostome saith That nothing hath deceived men so much as the vaine hope of a long life who knoweth the Sun may set at the morning of our life or at noone if at neither of these yet be sure the Evening commeth and then it will set The Lord bids Moses in the 19. Chapter of Exodus To prepare the people against the third day although we passe over the first day our youth and the second day our middle age yet at furthest we must be ready against the third day our old age the first or the second day may be our last the third day must needs be our last and therefore saith Seneca Omnis dies sicut ultima est ordinanda Every day ought so to be ordered as if we should not live a day longer Me thinkes Saint Austines experience should be a sufficient warning to us for saith he Experti sumus multos ' expirasse expectantes reconciliari We have seene many to have been cut off whilst they have but begun to make their reconciliation with God too too many alas there be whose Sun hath set ere they thought it to be their Mid-day Let us take heed that death steale not on us as a thiefe in the night Lucius Caesar dyed in the morning putting on his Cloathes Alphonsus a young man dyed as he was riding on his Horse We need not seeke after forraigne Examples there be too many of the same nature at home with us How many have we seene before our eyes some to be snacht from their pleasures some from their sinnes some from their worldly employments whereas they have made their accounts of many years to come so true is that of the Poet Nemo tam divos habuit faventes Crastinum ut possit polliceri diem The Gods no man did ere such favour give That he was sure another day to live There is no certainty of this life not for a dâ—y not for an houre no not so much as for a moment God hath many means to take us away even in an instant as we go up and downe as we sleep as we do but draw our breath any how good is it therefore that we have a Memento mori alwaies at all times hanging over our heads like that Sword in the Story which hung by a Horse haire over the head of him that sate at Feast putting us in a due feare and warning of the continuall danger that we are in I say alwaies hanging over our heads and so imprinted in our thoughts that we may seriously remember how short our time is how soone our night commeth It is Platoes Opinion That a wise mans life is nothing but a continuall thinging or meditating upon death Philip King of Macedonia had his Page three times every morning to tell him Philip remember that thou art a man that thou art mortall that thâ—u must dye O excellent Memento and most worthy to be imitated the Emperour of Constantinople was wont sitting in his Royall Throne to have a Mason come to him with his Tooles in his hand asking What kind of stone he would have his Tombe made of intimating that he should not forget how soone all that his Royall pompe might be buried in the Grave And here me thinks I cannot but repeat The famous Act of Saladine the great Who amidst his noble Victories and conquering Triumphs had so much minde of his death and the true end of all earthly glory that he appointed his winding sheeâ— to be carried upon a Speare before him at his Funerall thorough out the City proclaiming thus his intention of minde All these my Riches glorious Pompe and Traine When Dâ—â—th is come they are to me in vaine This Winding sheet is all that I shall have Along with me to carry to the Grave The good Father was so mindfull of Mortality that he had alwaies ringing in his eares Surgite mortui venite ad judicium Rise yee dead and come to Judgement to the end he might husband his time so worke in this day of his life here that he might not be found an unprofitable Servant when his night came Iohannes Godfridus had these words engraven in Gold Every day I stand at the doore of Eternity And in divers parts of his House he had set up the bones and Sculls of dead men that so his eyes if it were possible might have no other Object to behold then of mortality Sure there are no thoughts doe more concerne us Mortalls then those of Death O then Teach us so Lord to number our daies that wa may apply our hearts unto wisedom
that for our souls unhappinesse And yet were it nothing else but our own eternall punishment and damnation that were to be lamented though that were too too much yet we could in some better sort bear it but this alas who can bear this how can we indure these impious rebellions of mind which are not onely Gods punishments for sin but also a most highly sinfull untowardnesse it self Since then it is as it is how can we chuse but vehemently take on and complaine in the anguish of our spirits perchance it may be replyed again unto us that sure these rebellious untoward thoughts which we so complain of can be no sins which are thus displeasing thus tedious thus full of trouble unto us How can that act of the understanding be accounted ours which we do not enjoy and truly consent unto But grant whatsoever may be supposed grant they be our own grant they may justly be laid to our charge and that the Divell in this case doth plough as it were with our Heifer and that we are partners with him therein yet certainly both in regard of the despairing condition of our souls or these Hell-invented thoughts doubtlesse as I say we are not a little offended in an over discontented vexing our selves for patience in any misery is the most pleasing and acceptable sacrifice unto God that can be it is even a tended on with some blessing in the end As we may not sencelesly sleight this judgement so we must endeavour patiently to bear it O Lord thou hast written most bitter things against us thou pursuest us with intolerable judgements and yet we must not cease in labouring to offer up Iobs patient resolution Although he should kill us even with a thousand deaths yet will we trust in him O Lord give me leave to speak it Thou â—halt not shake us off so here wee 'l lye Before thee prostrate if we dye we dye It is the Lords judgement that we may be sure of we are his creatures and the work of his own hands let him therefore do with us what shall seem good in his eyes let this misery be never so bad come never so unhappily unto us this is our wisdome we cannot do better then to keep our selves calme from preturbations as much as may be and as the King of Israel gave order to his servants to give no answer to rayling Rabshekah neither good nor bad so let our affections if it be possible give no answer at all but suffer the thoughts terrours and dismayednesse of our minds silently and quietly to passe away againe unregarded as they came for these thundering storms and tempests of inward troubles when they fall down right upon us in such a forcelesse manner like a violent stream usually carries down all before it it will by no means be stopt or contraried untill it please God thorough our own poore prayers and the assisting prayers of our friends by little and little to send it away from us as it came For this I say this take notice of it this is alwaies between whiles our maine stay and comfort that there may possibly be some hope of deliverance at least from those bitter troubles in that we strive to pray continually with such weak prayers as we can and do earnestly and often desire other our friends to pray for us O Lord though we dare not for feare nor cannot for weaknesse come unto thee our selves being brought so low and feeble with this Palsie of the soul this heart-shaking and trembling disease yet like the man sick thereof in the Gospel we desire to be carried and commended unto thee by the prayers of others and sure O Lord thou knowest our misery and trouble right well by the reall experience of that thine owne vvhen thou saidst in thine agony in Mark 14 My soal is exceeding sorrowfull unto the death O thou that sufferedst the like griefe remember ours now at this time O thou that hast dearer bowels of compassion to man kind then the most affectionate mother can have to her tender child be not O be not so so hard hearted unto us To thrust us from thy face with that hard word In the immortall censure of thine ire Depart from me yee cursed of the Lord To dwell with Divels in eternall fire Well to go further with continued experience in this trouble vve find our minds usually to be more full of troubled thoughts and disquietnesse as also our brests and stomacks to be opprest and charged with a kind of aking pressure and difficulty about a pretty while after dinner or supper the arising of melancholly fumes from concoction being as I conceive a concurring means somwhat the more to disturbe us sure there be many outward things that encrease our inward melancholly in this most melancholly time of a troubled conscience for behold in darke and gloomy vveather how are we more then ordinary solitarily sad and pensive being altogether astonished and confounded in our selves with confused clouds of unquiet distempers and amazement Againe at the hearing of dolefull newes of death or any dismall accidents how exceedingly will our hearts swell and be even ready to burst with a mournfull reflecting dejectednesse of mind Cum repeto noctos queis tot mihi chara reliquis Labitur ex oculis tunc quoque gutta meis A teare doth slide down on my cheeks When I think on the nights Wherein I forced was to leave So many deare delights According to this of the Poet here when as vve do but remember and think on the golden times that are past when as we do consider the deeds and pleasures that we then enjoyed vvhich being now gone have left us to remain so unhappy behind them How full of sadnesse are vve to think that now we are so miserable of what we vvere speaking mournfully to our selves vvith Iob in the 29. chapter and 2. verse O that vve vvere as in the months past as in the daies when God preserved us when his candle shined upon our heads and when by his light we walked thorough darknesse as we vvere in the daies of our youth c. Wishing O thus â— say wishing for no greater happinesse then that those times and that condition of comfort might returne unto us again the things and times that are past though never so lately seemes to us me thinkes better then those that are present he that is at no ease thinks for the most part what he feels to be the worst such likewise is the nature of melancholly old age ever to praise the daies of its youth for miâ—iâ— familiariâ—as parit contemptum the familiar and satisfying fruition of any thing breeds a neglect and light regard thereof and therefore now in our melancholly moods shall we be many times musing alone and sadly thinking perchance whole daies together on those worthy men that are dead and gone either of our acquaintance or others whom we have noted and observed for their good life
that our souls may so wisely esteeme the shortnesse of this life that we may never forget this this I say in the Field in our Journey in our Beds at all times and every where while it is day whilst we live that the night that is our death commeth and then no man can work which is the last observeable thing and the effect of the night No man can worke Man goeth forth to his worke and to his labour untill the Evening Vntill the evening no longer we have done in this life whatsoever we shall doe Mors ultima linia rerum Death is the full period of all our Actions there remaines now no more teares of Repentance no more works of Piety no more sacrifice for sinne no more I say no more for ever Phisick comes too late when the party is deceased Actum est we have actedâ—our parts here whilst we were in this life all now is done the scene is ended Remember my Sonne that thou in thy life time receiveast thy good things that thou hadst then the opportunity to have made thy selfe happy for ever if thou wouldst but what canst thou now give to redeeme thy soul when instead of good workes thou hast nothing but paine and torment instead of the godly sorrow of repentance nothing but the Hellish sorrow of despaire Oh how many millions of years would the miserable soul be glad to work the hardest work that might be invented if it were but possible for her to work out her salvation O how precious would she esteeme those minutes and gather up those crummes of time which she hath here so foolishly neglected and thus me thinks that lamentable voice of the untimely departed soul doth sound this warning peale in our eares All yee that live by me learne to be wise Your precious time at higher worth to prize For â—oe alas my time was past so soone That night was come ere that I thought it noone And now too late unhappy wretch Idearly lament my headlesse fâ—lly Spes omnium in bot or be molestiarum est admirabile lenimentum Hope saith Drexelius is an excellent refreshing and comfort in all the troubles of this life as long as there is some hope there is some comfort and be our miseries never so great we are here in possibility to have ease of them but after death there is not the least possibility hope or comfort aâ— all to be expected the Doome is past no man can work all the world is not able to purchase one drop of ease or refreshing any more O that it is too late too late too late to cry for mercy O that the doore is shut and there is no entering in Give me saith one a River of teares to weep before I dye well might he wish it for he knew there was no weeping to any purpose when he was dead O let me weep weep weep and ne're give o're My sins till I have washed cleane away O let me never cease for to implore My Iudge till I come to the Iudgement Day O let us repent now for we cannot repent in that day if ever we meane to doe our selves good now is the time because we cannot worke when the night is come Let us therefore worke while it is day while we have time while we may vvork Obsecro vos O Christiant per vos perquae salutem vestram c. as Drexelius bespake his Auditers so let me bespeake our soules and selves O yee Christian soules yee souls vvhom Christ hath dyed for let me beseech you for your ovvne sake for your salvations sake for your Saviours sake that yee vvould avoid this Shipwrack the danger is certain if we looke not to it in time as long as life lasts our amendment is not too late doe we fall by sin a thousand times we may rise againe by repentance a thousand times We may begin any day any houre to become better But in death no man remembreth thee O Lord and who can give thee thankes in the Grave As David did concerning Bathsheba's Child so whilst life is in us we may weepe and humble our selves by repentance but in death all hope all possibility of recovery is cut off Whilst we have therefore time let us make use of it I say let us take it whilst we have it for time will stay for no man it is but a while that we have to worke one daies labour will make us happy forever our Fathers have had their daies and are gone and now this is our day I say ours if we lose it not our day and portion of time which God hath allotted us to workâ— out our salvation in Woe is us then if we work not even triplox vae an woe and an Eternall woe We vvould faine depart and be in Heaven O let us do our taske whilst we are on earth To conclude let not the Sun set upon our wrath upon our lust upon our covetuousnesse upon our pride and the like alas what a dismall what a dolefull night must we then expect Let us not be wearv of well doing for in due season we shall reape if we saint not let us now go on in our way towards Heaven weeping and we shall returne with sheaves in our bosome let us so we in teares and we shall reape in joy let us be found so working now in this day of our life that at the night of our death when our Lord and Master Christ Jesus cometh we may partake of that blessednesse which is promised in the Gospel to that Servant who when his Master commeth he sball finde so doing so shall we receive that eâ—ge boni servi Well done yee good and faithfull servants enter you therefore into your Masters joy Amen Sit gloria Deo in saecula saeculorum A farewell to the Reader ANd now kind Reader thanking you for your patience that hath vouchsafed to peruse over this my unworthy labour I desire you to understand Each mans a little world and my Booke A Land-Skip is this world to overlooke There may you ken the Cedar tops of pride With thorny cares and buskets on each side The fruits of grace there also may you see Like Apples just as they grow on the tree And then again a River meets your eye Of tears for sin and mans sad misery Mountains of Zeal do here and there swell up Even to the Clouds but 't is enough I stop Not presuming to borrow your patience any longer or trouble you with many things only I shall intreate you to take this unum necessarâ—um this one necessary thing along with you and well to observe it that the way of the Lord may be thus trackt out in the soul of man First the sight of Gods being seriously apprehended strikes into us a reverend feare of his infinite greatnesse this feare casteth us downe before him into a condemning humility of our sinfull wreâ—chednesse this humility breedeth an admiring love of the abundance of his mercy towards us in his blessings this love maketh us bold to have trust and relyance on him as our help and defence this trust affordeth patience to hold out and endure in all difficulties whatsoever this patience at length crowneth us with hope of Heaven not a foolish hope built on the sand but a strong hope setled with discretion a hope built on such ground which maketh not ashamed not ashamed in life not ashamed in death not ashamed in the day of Iudgement This hope O Lord grant unto you to me and to us all and so preserve it in us for thy mercies sake that it may end at last in the perfect fruition of thine eternall Kingdome there that we may be together for ever untill which most happytime dearly beloved I heartily bid you farewell in longum valete farewell even a long farewell FINIS Imprimatur John Downham 17. Febr. 1645. ERRATA REad most frequently thrust page 10. line 1. the two first lines p. 17. are to be read as verses for holy seam r. holy stem p. 18. l. 10. for his liberality r. this liberality p. 30. l. 3. for the least of which is many of which are p. 30 l. 27. for who giveth us gives us p. 31. l. 15. for minde wind p. 44. l. 16. for honour humour p. 62. l. 31. for shall he shall we p. 64. l. 13. for not as yet as yet p. 82. l. 18. for outward souls untoward souls p. 85. l. 13. for we can can we p. 104. l. 24. for are not a little offended doe not a little offend 105. l. 26. and l. 29. for even ever for Devil the Devill p. 112. l. 24. For the lesser faults I desire your favourable construction Emblematized thus Psal 101. 1