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
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
all the dayes of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever So there is also another time when hee saith there is no health in my flesh because of thy displeasure neither is there any rest in my bones by reason of my sinne my wounds stinke and are corrupt through my foolishnesse c. Sinne maketh such deepe wounds in the soule that if wee foolishly neglâ—ct to dresse them often and tent them thoroughly they quickly fester inwardly and prove dangerous and therefore justly eonsidering this dangerousnesse in the state of the soule to be usuall amongst men and specially in David that holy man that more then ordinary man even that man made aftet Gods owne heart as also remembring the solicitous heed and care of that more excellent vessel of holinesse S. Paul over himselfe in the words of his in the ninth to the Corinthians the 27. verse Lest that by any meanes when I bave preached unto others I my selfe should be a Cast-away it makes us alwayes methinkes nor without cause to stand in feare of our spirituall condition not daring in our best comforts so to set our selves at rest as though wee were wholly out of the reach of unhappinesse the often tryall of our patience our wisely considered experience in heavenly things together with the comfort of the Scripture according to Saint Paul in his fifth and fifteenth Chapters to the Romanes May give us a strong and confident hope that wee shall not enter into condemnation but thorough his mercy be saved in the day of the Lord for wee are boldly perswaded that we are in Gods favour and perswaded too I say perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor any other creature shall bee able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ our Lord and yet for all that wee know wee are now but on the sea not in the Haven the sea of danger not the Haven of perfect safety we cannot therefore be high minded in our thoughts but feare feare and carefully take heed lest we fall specially when as we are conscious to our selves of a nature which is so weake so apt and ready to fall into the greatest and most dangerous sinnes O Lord and most mercifull Father there is nothing perfect in this life here wee have some joy and some sorrow some assurance some feare some knowledge some ignorance mingled together for now wee know but not in part saith the Apostle hereafter wee shall know to the full now our soule is only perswaded of her future state she taketh some remote glimpse as it were of her salvation but no full sight thereof for wee are saved by hope saith Saint Paul but hope that is seene is not hope for what a man seeth why doth hee yet hope for hereafter when she hath finisht her course and fulfilled her dayes shee shall fully know and be resolved in the matter as we hope to be thoroughly satisfied with the everlasting enjoyment therfore for the present condition of this our life we may take up that expression of the Poet Ante obitum nemo supremaque funcra faelix None be call'd happy rightly may Before his last and dying day Ye pious and devout soules that are now in the state of grace blesse O blesse the Lord your God and magnifie his name with all humility for what is it that all of us are not damnable wretches and most unhappy miscreants but only his mercy What have wee at all that we have not received O let us then take heed take heed I say lest our hearts bee hardned with stubbornesse and selfe opinion hath not the Potter power over his Clay may not the spirituall Husbandman breake off the Olive branches and graft them in at his pleasure O the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are all his judgements and his wayes past finding out for who hath knowne the mind of the Lord or who hath beene his Counsellor And thus have we briefly dispatcht the first and better part of our busines I meane this History of the soule endued with grace Now then our thoughts must leave their Eagle slight And downe a while top â—ddle in the durt Behold and see what policy and might The Devill can shew forth to doe us hurt When God le ts loose this roaring Lyon O what destruction doth hee bring upon us how strongly and cunningly doth he hold fast our soules in sinne how intricately are we intangled by his snares that we cannot get out the heart saith Ieremy is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked who can know it indeed it is a most hard matter to find out all the strength and subtilty of sinne in a wicked soule for the Devil when he gets possession specially in a more Melancholy heart like a Wont makes his workes few above ground but hath many secret passages and Maeanders under the close contrived cranies whereof although we cannot fully search and tracke out yet God willing wee shall the more open and principall courses in this ensuing Part. Of the Soule ensnared in sinne NEmo repente fuit turpissimus Sinne creeps on by degrees but woe is us to what an exceeding height and to what intolerable an increase is it able to grow grow I say heavier then the sand of the Sea in weight and more in number even sufficient to fill whole volumes for who is able to find out all his iniquities or reckon up his sinnes who knoweth saith David how often he offendeth Sinne in a wicked soule is so unmercifull a thing that it hath no limits nor bounds of extent it is that over-flowing Flood in the Scriptures which drowned the old inhabitants of the earth it is that raging sulphurous fire which burnt up the Cities of the ungodly or if you will that Phaetons fire amongst the Poets which enflamed the whole world for no sooner doe we let at liberty our affections from the yoke of discipline and good order from that narrow path and rule of vertue In cujus medio tutissimus ibis O man in the midst of which thou safely mightst go but presently wee act out the true Morall of Phaetons Fable Phaeton let loose the reines to his frolick Horses and they carry him as the fiction goes to the firing of the world and his owne destruction we doe but let goe the reines to our will and affections and they carry us likewise headlong to our unavoidable destruction and to the setting on fire of this Microcosme this little world of ours here we may well note that Religio a religando vere dicta est Religion is truly so call'd from tying back the affections and therefore now when once conscience doth thus let slip the reines of discipline and its due care of the soule our little world as I say is all on fiâ—e our thoughts desires and affections being as it were without God and his feare
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
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
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
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