and graines in confusion Let vs cast vp our dayes by Iacobs account valewâ— them not to be more not to better then he did his few and euill as he that truly considers it shall most rightly find it true for the first that they are few what age since there were creatures that liu'd and breathed died in it and howers yeares to wast and spend themselues to giue it a quantitie and quality thereof that might speake with more probabilitie and exemplarie experience hereof then ours when our yong men in our streetes in our houses oftentimes part with there health there life and all within an hower and others fall downe dead as they trauaile vpon the way and the latest yeares of our ould men accomplish not the child-hood of our fore-fathers with such daily other presidentes of death before our eyes both of vntimely youth and ould age that might moue vs to looke into our selues yet as if we tooke leases of our liues as wee do of our houses we incroach and build set vp pull downe alter repaire like earth-deluing-moles presse crush our owne bowelles and consciences to heaue vp little piles of rubbish and earth toyle our bodies and beat our braines to ioyne our possessions together dispeopling whole villages that we may be Lordes alone drawing the earth from the poore that they liue tread vpon by exactions plottes and tyrannies pulling the bread from out there handes and the food from out there mouthes calling our habitations after our owne names as if we should for euer liue or our posterities after vs succeed to the worldes end or world without end when he that sits in heauen laugheth them to scorne for he that thinkes to be rich or great without him in the prophanenes of his heart Esay 14. 15. let him know Gen. 11. 7. that the least breath of his mouth shall so batter his seat that the place thereof shall be no more found and scatter his riches as the dust before the wind or the chaffe that slies in the ayre and all there thoughtes inteÌ„tions more vaine theÌ„ vanity it selfe if we liued like Adam without any president of death before our eyes and the length of our dayes in some measure stretched out like to his it were some little securitie for presumption to build vpon but wee that haue sene our thousand three-thousand weekly such a dearth of health that the sicke haue bene more then the sound the dead more then the lyuing and death hath so layd about in our streetes and in our houses that grasse hath growne in the one and solitarinesse so taken vp the other that the sight of a man in either hath bene more pretious then the gold of Ophir sometimes come so neare vs that it hath puld away the wife from our owne bosome children from our owne loynes reueld in the darke of the night at the noone of the day disposest vs of neighbour and frend neare and distant far of spared none from the child supported by the hand for weakenesse to him that walkes with the staffe for age with such an innumerable and daily witnesse in which number our owne bowelles sometimes a part the sentence of God vpon all flesh as a forerunner and the accomplishmeÌ„t thereof with such a â—ercenesse succeeding all crying with a loud voyce and proclaming this proclamation of God Statutum est omnibus semelmori O but may the yong man or some not aged say although we must once die yet we may liue many yeares and therefore we wil take our pleasures whilst we may and when they haue forsaken vs when age shall ceaze vpon vs with her whitenesse die our lockes into another coullor then will we repent vs and thinke of our end O but who euer thou art that thinkes so deceiue not thy selfe with this vaine procrastinating folly but let Salomons experienced councell be the tutor to thy youth forget not to remembe his MemeÌ„to To remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth before the euill dayes approach and the times wherein thou shalt say I haue no pleasure in them and beeing a reasonable creature offer not God that indignity that hath made thee both body and soule giuen thee both health and strength thy beeing thy benefites all that thou hast as to offer him the huskes and refuse of Sathan What earthly maister that but for a few temporall benefits as in sustayning our yeares of infancye although all that he could for vs were but as a grauell stone in comparison to the whole sea shore of his goodnesse that would not expect in recompence hereof the abilitye of our best seruice to his imployment which if wee should neglect him in and forsake him vnacknowledged so long vntill our youth and strengthes were spent and old age were crept vpon vs and wee disabled to helpe our selues much lesse to stand him in stead or deserue his former kindnesse yet then with blushlesse faces should offer to put our selues vpon him for a second suppertance that with the acclamation and consent of the earthly maisters in the world would not only turne his face away but vtterly reiect foreuer cast vs off from his acknowledgement Is it then iust with vs and is it not much more iust with God We are all seruants to him in a thousand duties he fashioned vs in our mothers wombe carefully tooke vs out from thence euer since protected and preserued vs vpon the finger of whose prouidence we sticke as the sun in the firmament and shall wee from him that hath done so much for vs dedicate the ioy marrow of our bones to the enemie of our God our good the welfare of all mankind to him that compasseth the earth seeking whom he may deuour shal we I say in our ripest iudgement and abilitie of largest consideration make no vse hereof but run one with the spurre of the flesh and the pricke of the deuill all the sun-shine of our dayes in obliuion and forgetfulnesse of him we should euer remember If we doe the euening will bring heauinesse vnto vs which will not indure for a night and ioy approach in the morning but a night without end of sorrow and lamentation whom no day shall euer arise to cleare and he that hath lost Christ in a large youth and run from him many yeares must not thinke that few wil vntread that path againe and recouer him but rather that a yeare may so lose him that many shall not find him againe though with Ioseph and Mary he be sought in sorrowing Presume not vpon that text of mercy to much At what time soeuer a sinner although it be an Oracle of truth truth it selfe for if thou refuse the time of grace that is offered thou knowest not whether it wil be offered thee againe whether thou shalt euer after haue a time to repent thee of thy sins from the bottome of thy hâ—rt that thine owne
breed in vs humility and godlinesse as a happy preparation thereunto let vs resolue patiently and resolutely to vnder-goe that taske assigned by thee the dissolution of nature for the corruption of nature the sting is gone and wee neede not feare it beeing but that which all the seuerall ages and generations of the world that are past haue accomplished and in theâ—r times and seasons descended to corruption and others haue taken their places and all that are to come must drinke of the same portion Mathusalem though he liue 969 yeares yet must he not liue euer the portion neuer so long the person neuer so eminent his preseruation neuer so great to this at last hee must surely come and all mankinde besides although not all by one meanes yet all brings to one end though some by water some by fire some by famine some by pestilence some by the iawes of wilde beasts some by the hand of an enemy some in the bed others in the field Haman by the gallowes Iesabel by dogges Herod by wormes the Sonnes and daughters of Iob by the fall of an house the Mothers and Infants of Ierusalem by famine One cryeth my head my head as the Shunamites sonne another my bowels another my feet feet as Asa the Stone the Gout the Feuer and a thousand other punishments not yet equall to our sinnes thy iust Executioners of that sentence Thou shalt dye the death pronounced against our first Parents and in them to the whole race of mankinde Remember thy end saith the wise man thou shalt not do amisse Teach vs O Lord to remember it and make vse thereafter that will in time remember vs if we gorget it Though we escape the pit we shall be taken in the snare we shall fly from a Lyon and a beare shall meet with vs or leane our hand vpon a wall and a serpent shal bite vs we may be deliuered from six troubles and the seauenth shall dispatch vs for neyther councel nor art nor meanes can preserue vs euer for it is the will of God and the cannon of his own lippes against the which there is no euasion no conuenant to be made with death the graue let this meditation be vnto vs as the starre that lead the wisemen vnto Bethleem where Christ then lay in a maÌ„ger in aâ—inne that now sittes at the right haÌ„d of his father in heauen from whence he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead that it may lead vs to the throne of his maiesty where now he raigneth in glory for euermore sweeten O Lord this remembrance of death and the graue vnto vs with this cogitation that it was thy bed that in our strength and youth our veynes full of bloud and our bones of marrow in our liuelihood and iollity we may thinke of our dissolution with a quiet mind and with S. Paul desire to be dissolued to be with Christ whose presence in such full and ample measure as we shall there inioy it far exceedeth all the pleasure and delight that this transitory world afford thee giue vs more wisedome O Lord then to esteeme the ruinous and rotten cottages and houses we liue in fortresses and castles of euerlasting refuge not built vpon rockes for continuance but vpon tottering heapes of sand ashes shaken about our eares with the windes and stormes of infinit casualties and afflictions gaping still for ruine and confusion teach vs to know that heare wee haue no abiding Citty but we look for one to come that we passe not our time in this vale of misery day night youth and age in pleasure and delight that so we make our end the remembrance thereof bitter vnto vs neyther let vs thinke that because we haue fatnesse in our bones and health in our ioynts that therefore we shall liue many yeares and se the succession of our sons and nephewes if we doe what will become of this if we flatter our selues soule take thy rest and vpon the suddaine are snacht to hell once more let vs speake like Abraham one thing and one thing more we will beg at thy handes that since thy decree is set downe and thy word is past the accomplishment whereof neuer fayles in the least title that all shall dye confermed by so many millions of creatures since the beginning of the world to this present which shall not cease to runne on whilst there are creatures breathing vpon the circle of the earth to the end of the world dessolution of all things since we must all wax ould as doth a garment and from one defect to another drawe thereunto since the sonne of God himselfe vpon the earth was not priuiledge that now in this time of preparation we make swéet and hony our passage by a due and godly preparation thereunto that when our friends and our children forsake vs with griefe and sorrow on both sides the Phisition giues vs ouer wisheth vs well but can doe vs no good that then when no comfort is left vnto vs besides we haue coÌ„fort in our souls through the forgiuenesse of our sins and though we haue a graue before our eyes greedy inexorable vnsatisfied opening her mouh to receiue vs and hauing receiued vs closing hereuerlasting iaiawes vpoÌ„ vs neuer to returne vs backe againe till the wormes and vermine of the earth haue deuoured vs we despaire not though the strongest man liuing a hart of marble iron shall find terror enough in the thought accoÌ„plishment of these things yea Aristippus feareth death as well as the common people but if the wrath of God which consumes like a riuer of brimstone for our former transgressions shal accompany them thrise wo vnto vs our dull and heauy cogitations will then exclude all thought of mercy and our soules shall sleepe in death clogged with a burthen of sinnes which were neuer repented of therefore O Lord teach vs true and timely repentance for our sins that the extremity which then outragiously wil assault vs may be lessened and the sting thereof pulled away before hand that now we may liue the life of the righteous that then we may die the death of the Godly that we now gird on our armour before the battayle begine that we now thinke of repentance and doe it before it be to late before this wellcome or vnwellcome guest as we our selues make him commeth which brings in his hand either tydings of great ioy or a message of euerlasting sorrow giuing w e all such grace vnto vs to possesse these transitory things that they possesse not vs that we may so vse this world as if we vsed it not to passe through this vale of misery our few and euill dayes with such regard to our life such loue to thy law such obedience to thy precepts that wee may inioy the first and avoyde the later which graunt Lord for thy mercies sake Amen Sir Thomas Moore Fleres si scires vnum tua tempora mensem
the way then to runne out of the way 32 A good life and a bad make death apeare in two shapes happy is he that liues so that it appeare in the best 33 He that feares to dye feares to find that he liues to seeke 34 If death bee not good of it selfe yet it is the end of many euils 35 Health is aboue wealth and a competency with content riches enough And many a one hath the vse of much money that hath not the vse of himselfe 36 Be silent in thy intentions least by the contrary thou be preuented and laughed to scorne 37 As the Touch-ston tries so gold tries man 38 It is better to be truly reprehended by a friend then falsly flattered by an enemye 39 By other mens examples not by thine owne learne what is worst to eschue what is best to follow 40 As he sleeps well that feeles not he sleeps ill so hee sins much that thinkes not that he sinnes at all 41 Seuerall accidents haue seuerall remedies but patience is appliable to all 42 The later day is commonly the scholler of the former 43 To conquer the affections of ones owne heart is more then to conquer a kingdome 44 The couetuous man is good to non but he is worst to himselfe and wantes aswell that he hath as that he hath not 45 So trust thy friend that he cannot hurt thee being thy enemy 46 He that doth an iniury to one threatens it to many 47 It is hard to keepe safe that that many men desire as a faire wife ready money 48 The eye nere offendes if the hart gouerne it well 49 Nothing is thine own truly that thou canst dispossesse thy selfe of 50 There is no day of a mans life so happy that somthing doth not happen to grieue him 51 Hee that giues not willingly will allwayes find some reason why he should not giue 52 The increase of knowledge is the increase of sorrow 53 There was neuer wise man but saw more cause of sorrow then ioy 54 That mans end is easy and happy that death finds with a weake body and a strong soule 55 Youth and nature passe ouer many infirmities that are owing till our age 56 Who liues most vertuousoy will dye most patiently 57 Liue to dye once dye once to liue euer 58 Thinke of God with wonder speake to God with reuerence serue him in loue obay him in feare and do nothing but as in his presence and sight and thou shalt liue the life of the godly go the way of the blessed liue in his feare and dye in his fauour The diriuation of man 59 Homo ex humo cadauer ex carodata vermibus 60 Sapiens miser plus miser est quam rusticus miser scit enim exaggerare causas dolendi quas rusticus miser nescit Admonition against sinne 61 When sinne allures thee thinke that thou seest Christ comming towards thee as he lay in the armes of Ioseph of Arimathea taken downe from the Crosse all wanne and bleeding wounded the delicacy beuty and admiration of all his partes clouded sullied and stayned speaking thus vnto thee ô forbeare to commit it for it fetcht me from the armes of my father from my royalty and glory in heauen whole and vntoucht to the armes of this mortal man all wounded and torne as thou seest and with this contemplation forbeare Zacheus certaine gaine the worlds imagined losse If Zacheus to winne heauen restored fore-fould from those he had hut iniured single how do they labour to winne hell that do iniury foure-sould yet make not restitution single The fiue thoughts of a Christian 1 Thinke of pleasure to dispise it 2 Of death to expect it 3 Of iudgement to escape it 4 Of hell to preuent it 5 Of heauen to desire it Foure kinde of men according to Dauid that are most indebted vnto God for their liues 1 Those that haue escaped a dearth 2 Prisoners there bondes 3 Those escaped in a mortall sickenesse 4 Seafaring men that are neyther among the liuing nor the dead A Prayer for Constancy and grace against all worldly vanities and allurements GIue me grace to effect thy will O Lord command me what thou pleasest giue me constancie and perseuerance in my calling and duties of life according to thy will and direction and then let my course be in what thou wilt appoynt Be I a husband chastity and content shall adorne my calling in despight of the allurement of all other beauties all other accidēts Be I rich pride nor oppression nor contempt the adherent vices of that Mammon shall not ceize me with their easinesse in their snares be I whatsoeuer I am bee thou my guide and rule of my life and then all my actions shall bee squared and fitted by the ayme of thy word to the leuell of thy will that so they may end in thy glory my comfort and that they may so doe good Lord so guide temper my disposition with such a regiment of thy goodnesse that thou let not the world with her smiles beguile me nor with her frownes affright me arme me with sanctity strength wisedome that I may vse it as though I vsed it not and let not Sathan deceiue me therein let not my owne cōdition betray me to his malice let mee euery day increase my strength in thee adding to the spirituall estate and welfare of my soule that the longer I liue I may walke more securely in the midst of so many enemies giue me a true estimation of all earthly flatteries vanities and pleasures such deep sight therin y◠through the shades beauties allurements I discerne the poyson y◠lyes at their roots so forbeare the one that I perish not by the other let my delight bee least taken when my body most liues but whilst the one walkes dully vpon earth let the other soare sprightly to heauen let me not for y◠glimse and shining like a glo-worme in this world loose the splendor beauty more glorious then the stars in the firmamēt in the world to come prepared for me and all that perseuer in thy waies vnto the end which grant Lord for thy mercies sake Amē A short Memoratiue of the mortality of our life and the folly of our liuing Ashes earth stād forth thou art here acus'd That thou thy brittle substāce hast abus'd The potters vessels being earth and clay Not safely guarded suddenly decay And then their vse though needfull much before Fails in effect and are obseru'd no more Thou wōdrous workmā of vnboūded skil That shewest so large art on a stuffe so ill What are our bodies made of but of mould And yet how rich a substance do they hold The which so many waies we do deface That for the iewel should preserue the case Sometime a thousand vanities our guide We dash this bark vpon the rocks of pride Or on the shelues of gluttony or lust We perish suddenly and not mistrust Sayling along