Diadem made of the pure gold of Ophir is long since dust but the Crown of glory worn in the Kingdom of Heaven is immarcessible incorruptible and lasting beyond all compass of time being without all possibility of alteration as there will be found no Cross set upon this Crown so there will be no end of this Crown It s no news to hear of Crowns in the World pluckt from the heads of Kings and Emperors but Fortune that ridiculous riddle of fools cannot reach this Crown for as it is super-eminent so it is permanent Then the head wearing this Crown and the crown then worn will be both immortal the person glorifyed and the Crown of glory both will endure for ever You will hardly hear of a King or Prince that wore the Crown of his Kingdom the whole age of a Man long a time as a man may naturally live which the Psalmist says is threescore years and ten and few come to fourscore but the Philosopher makes the life of a man an hundred years yet Saints in glory wearing this Crown will injoy not only the age of a man but In secula seculorum for ever and ever 7. The house or habitation prepared in Heaven is an Eternal habitation God is an excellent preparer He prepared a table in the Wilderness for the Israelites where he gave them water out of a stony rock and Manna from Heaven He prepared a Kingdom for Hester when she was a poor banished Maid He prepared a Whale for Jonah when he was cast into the Sea He prepared the World as an house well furnished against the coming of Man into it But of all preparations that is the greatest He hath prepared for every Believer an house Eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1. v. For we know that if our Earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hand Eternal in the Heavens Here is the habitation prepared for every true believer that which St. Paul lays claim to belongs to each member of Jesus Christ so that each one of them may say Was Heaven prepared for Abraham Isaac and Jacob so it is prepared for me Was the Apostle St. Paul sure of this so am I. Was Lazarus carryed up thither so shall I I shall one day inhabit those habitations scituate in heaven An house scituate in a fruitful and pleasant Countrey is very taking with every one An house in some great City is of great esteem What would you judg of an house to have been scituate in Jerusalem that Princess and Paragon of the Earth and for Renown called the City of God But this is the new Jerusalem this is Mount Zion the garden and paradise of God here is an house scituated not in any Kingdom of the World but in the Kingdom of the Saints not in any Region of the Earth but in Heaven in the Land of Promise flowing with Milk and Honey where are fruitful Hills and pleasant Vallies whence came all those large clusters of Grapes of inward and outward comforts unto us whilst we are on this side the river This sets forth the excellency of the habitation that it is in Heaven when Christ would shew the excellency of the bread of Life he says It is bread from Heaven the excellency of Spiritual and Eternal blessings is set out in this That they are blessings in heavenly places Ephes 1. 3. v. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Because Gold is the most precious metal therefore we lay it over things not only Wood and Cloth but Silver it self we will wash over Silver it self that is a precious metal with Gold that is the most precious metal So because Heaven is so excellent we find the choicest blessings and good things guilded with this adjunct and all to shew the wonderful excellency of Heaven it self this then sets out the Excellency of this building of God it is in heaven and our Saviour Christ calls it his Father's house Joh. 14 2. v. In my Father's house are many Mansions this was created to be the Court of the great King the Praise of the whole World made to be a Non-such most magnificent stately and glorious farr above the reach of the thought of Men no man being able in words to set forth what Workman-ship and â—are pieces what Majesty and incomprehensible Excellencies are in this Palace of the great King and heavenly habitation of Saints and Angels It pleased God to create this glorious â—abrick which we see for his servants to inhabite in for some time but this is not to be compared to the Palace in Heaven When in a Kingdom we see Subjects live in stately houses what houses think we Kings live in Verum haec tantum alias inter caput extulit urbes Quantum lenta solent inter viburna cupressi To use the Poets words for look how much the greatest Palaces of Kings and Princes do exceed the poorest and meanest Cottages so much nay infinitely more does Heaven the greatest Palaces themselves that soon will be laid in the dust The most sumptuous Palaces and the strongest Materials have vanity written upon their Portalls and are oftentimes demolished and laid in the dust hence those ruines of whole Cities strong Castles great Abbies and Monasteries these are subject to Fire Earthquakes Storms Tempests Inundations and many other Casualties but Heaven hath Eternity written upon the gates thereof and shall stand for ever Say that many houses in the World Kings Palaces and strong Castles have stood long have lasted already many generations and yet may indure hundreds of years and be neither burnt with Fire nor shaken with Earth-quakes nor battered with Canon nor blown up with Gunpowder but continue quiet habitations not only to the present possessors but Ad natos natorum Et qui nascentur ab illis even for many years many Generations be continued to their children and to the children of their Nephews Yet who knows not that the like places have somtimes been laid waste the line of Confusion hath been stretched out upon them thorns and nettles and bryers have grown up in them they have beâ—n habitations for Dragons and Courts for Owls Corâ—orants and Bitterns have possessed them Ostriches and Ravens have dwelt in them the wild beasts of the Desert have there met with the wild beasts of the Islands and the Satyre hath been heard to cry to his fellow the Shrich-Owl hath also rested there and found for her self a place of rest there the great Owl hath made her nest and layed and hatched and gathered under her shadow and thither have the Vultures been gathered together As the Lord in Isay 34. for many Verses threatens to deal with his Churches enemies But say they should escape such desolating Judgments yet the day is coming when they will be consumed and brought to nothing When the
conscience follow him and when he hopes to stand rectus in Curia upright in Judgment he shall Conscience witnessing against him be condemned Goes he down to Hell the place of torments yet thither also will Conscience follow him there it will lodg in his bosom and be a Chest-worm that will never leave gnawing What else is that worm our Saviour speaks of when he says Mark 9. 44. v. Where speaking of Hell their worm dyeth not but Conscience The Poets have a fiction concerning 〈◊〉 a Gyant mentioned by Ovid in the fourth book of his Metamorphosis that Jupiter striking him dead for his attempting to ravish Latona the Mother of Apollo and Diana he was sent to Hell where he was adjudged to have a Vâ—lture to feed upon his Liver that ever grew again with the Moon Conscience is like Tâ—â—yâ—â— his vulture and is ever a gnawing upon wicked mens inwards many times in the ruffe of all their jollity here and in another World for ever hereafter In Hell also Conscience is that fire that never goes out Mark 9. 44. v. No length of time can wear out Conscience in this life and no space of Eternity can wear it out in another life It was conscience that made Joseph's Brethren to remember the cruel usage of him twenty years after in Egypt Conscience Janus-like hath its double aspect it is not content to glance only at what is to come but it also looks back to what is past it brings to remembrance every one of the sinners violations of God's Laws I remember my fault this day said Pharoah's Butler Gen. 41. 9. v. his conscience brought it to his memory when as he had forgotten it And so does the Conscience of many a man many years after that they have done a wickedness their conscience brings it to their memory and perplexes them So it did Nero after he had killed his Mother and Wives So it did Otho after he had slain Galba and Piso So it did Herod the great after he had caused his Wife Mariamne to be put to deatâ— So it did Theodoricus King of the Gothes after he had murthered Symmacus and Boetius his son in Law So it did our Richard the Third after he had murthered his two innocent Nephews And so it did Judg Morgan who gave the sentence of Condemnation against the Lady Jane Gray shortly after he condemned her fell mad and in his raving cryed out continually to have the Lady Jane taken away from him and so ended his life Verily that man who hath an ill conscience especially if God have opened the mouth thereof to check and condemn him as it did those before mentioned what ever his estate may be in an outward respect though he should possess as much as any ever did of these Temporal good things yet is he to use some Similitudes borrowed from a famous Preacher but like him that is worshiped in the street with Cap and Knee but assoon as he stept within doors is cursed and rated by a scolding Wife Or like him that is lodged in a bed of Ivory covered with cloth of Gold but all his bones within are broken Or like a book of Tragedies bound up in Velvet all fair without but all black within the leaves are gold but the lines are blood But what is all the rack the horror and torment of Conscience in this life though it be an hell upon earth to that everlasting and immortal sting of Conscience in Hell when in Hell to all Eternity the sinner must undergo the lashes of conscience Conscience making him for ever to remember his sins committed in this life It is and will be Conscience that will be the sinners remembrancer of his sins against God in another life Though Saul kill himself yet he cannot kill his Conscience Though Judas and Achitophel hang themselves yet they cannot hang their Consciences Though men murder themselâ—es as not being able to bear the checks and rackings of conscience here yet they cannot free themselves from the everlasting gnawings of conscience hereafter As the reasonable Soul of Man is immortal so conscience also is immortal There is not a person upon the face of the Earth that we must always live with upon Earth but with his Conscience a man is always to live with Therefore the Egyptians in their Hieroglyphicks expressed an ill Conscience by a Mill which always grinds the Soul with the remembrance of evil things past When we dye as one observes we must leave all books behind not a book of St. Augustine's St. Basil's or any other no not the Bible that book of books can we carry along with us but the book of Conscience that we must carry with us that will lye open before us for ever that will hiss like a Snake in the bosom of Impenitent ones for ever that will trouble them for evermore that will put them for ever in mind of two tormenting things First that through their sins they are deprived of all the good things of Eternity the which they might with timely labor and pains have obtained Secondly that they are mancipated and bound to everlasting torments which by labouring for Eternal good things whiles they lived they might have avoided And from hence will be engendered a two-fold grief which with extream bitterness will gnaw and bite like a worm the hearts of those miserable ones for ever These things being first considered we may easily find out who is the good man and also who will be the Eternally happy man The good man is the man of a good Conscience the man that endeavoreth to keep a good conscience without which no man truly believeth 1 Tim. 1. 19. v. Holding faith and a good conscience which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwrack It is a note that one hath upon these words A good conscience is as it were a Chest wherein the doctrine of Faith is to be kept safe which will quickly be lost if this Chest be once broken For God will give over to errors and heresies such as cast away conscience of walking after God's word Such a good man as we now speak of was St. Paul Act. 24. 16. v. And herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards God and towards Man Well may he pass for a good man amongst all men that endeavors neither to offend God nor Man And that can when calumniated take up St. Paul his protestation Act. 23. 1. v. I have lived in all good Conscience before God until this day as if he had said however I am calumniated and by some accused of profanation yet I can appeal to God that I have lived in all good conscience And this makes me merry at heart when otherwise their calumnies would sadden my heart For our rejoycing is this the Testimony of our Conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity not in fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God we have had our conversation
begin his happyness and feoffe him in that glory which he cannot but for ever injoy This made holy Basil so resolute in his answer to Modestus the Emperor's Lieutenant when he threatened him with death Death saith he is a benefit to me it will send me sooner to God to whom I live to whom I desire to hasten This made that noble army of Martyrs mentioned in Ecclesiactical History such Lambs in suffering that their persecutors were more weary with striking then they with suffering This made them slight the sentence of death go cheerfully to the stake and leap into beds of Flames as if they had been beds of Down and to suffer the most exquisite deaths and torments that ever the wit or malice of men or divels could invent or inflict upon them 3. Eternal good things will do a Christian good and stand him in stead when he shall be brought to stand at Christ's tribunal in the day of Judgment when all the world shall be on fire about his ears and all earthly glory shall be consumed yet our Saviour encourages such then to look up and lift up their heads for their redemption draweth nigh Luk. 21. 28. v. We have seen the man injoying Eternal good things upon his death-bed not shrinking or trembling at death sed post hoc judicium but after this the Judgment Heb. 9. 27. v. whither if we follow him though he stands at Christ's barr yet not fettered in chains like a Malefactor expecting a dreadful Sentence neither trembling at Judgment to come as Felix when he was a Judg upon the bench did when he heard St. Paul preach of Judgment to come The Epicures Atheists and those debauched ones that now Hector it out so stoutly in the world and brave it in a way of all manner of Voluptuousness both in despite of God and men these would be glad if death were ultima linea rerum the last line of all things that when they dye and lye down in their graves there might be no Resurrection As Solomon calls the Grave a long home Eccles 12. 5. v. they could wish it were rather an everlasting home and that the grave might never give up her dead Rev. 20. 13. v. But as death is a sleep so it might be an Eternal sleep that there never might be any more Evigilation or waking out of sleep It would please them to hear the grave called Invium retrò sepulchrum a place that had no regress thence and they could wish from their hearts the doctrine of the Saduces against the Gospel were as true as the Doctrine of Jesus Christ in the Gospel Jesus Christ in the Gospel tells us both of a day of Resurrection and a day of Judgment but the Saduces teach that there is no Resurrection no Judgment nor Judg as these wish there were not so dreadful are the thoughts of that day unto wicked men This day will be the greatest for terror to those who never possessed more then this world but the greatest for joy to those who not contented with this world had their hearts taken up with the great things of another world When the greatest part of the world shall be sent trembling to Hell being doomed to everlasting Flames and for ever to remain in the same condition of the Divels themselves then they shall go triumphingly to Heaven be actually stated in an everlasting happy condition and for ever delivered from their fears and doubts of Salvation which all their lives-time were a grievous burthen unto them Terrible will this last day be to all those who never looked after providing for the Soul's welfare but it will be a joyful day to those who have laid up treasures in Heaven whither both Soul and body those two old companions are joyfully hastening together Happy Christians are they who in this day of Grace the only time men have to provide for their Eternal Condition have gotten their souls stored with Grace those who now have their souls made gracious shall then have both their souls and bodies made glorious Time was when sin had changed their souls from their Original beauty and glory had changed them from their primitive excellency and holyness their natures were then altogether sinful but at their conversion Nature was turned into Grace and now at their Resurrection unto Judgment those who had here gracious souls will then have as glorious souls so glorious bodies Then their souls shall be wholly freed from all sins and corruptions and brought to their primitive beauty and comliness and their bodies from mortality and all sinful uncleanness that they may by Christ be fashioned like unto his glorious body It was a rare saying of holy Bernard and worthy to be written in letters of Gold says he Christ hath a double coming He comes now by his Ministers to make his peoples souls gracious and at the day of Judgment he will come in his own person to make their bodies glorious those that have gracious Souls now shall have glorious bodies then even bodies conformable to the glorious body of Christ Phil. 3. 21. v. Who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body like unto the Sun-like resplendent body of Christ Their corruptible bodies shall be changed and be made incorruptible their natural bodies shall be changed and be made spiritual bodies their mortal bodies shall be changed and be made immortal bodies 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44. 53. v. Behold says St. Paul I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed 1 Cor. 15. 51. v. speaking there of the last day Indeed the Apostle was already changed and the Corinthians were already changed if we consider what St Paul and the Corinthians once were they will appear to have been changed Nature in them was already changed into Grace but the change he speaks of which should be at the day of Judgment is this Grace should then be turned into glory Their gracious souls should be made glorious souls and their vile bodies should be made glorious bodies As the Inhabitants of Samaria once said Isay 9. 10. v. The Sycomores are cut down but we will change them into Cedars the Sycomore is but a mean despicable tree to the Cedar the bodies of the best are but vile and despicable bodies now but at the day of Judgment they shall be changed into glorious bodies In that glorious morning when Christ shall come to Judgment every one that hath gotten grace here shall put on a new fresh suit of flesh richly laid and trimmed with glory says an ingenious person So much good will Grace do us then and stand us in stead then Then to have an interest in God the God of all grace will also do us good and stand us in stead then those who have gotten God for to be their God in Covenant with them will find their interest in God to do them good though God will then be a
â—â—all arise first And then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord Wherefore comfort one another with these words 1 Thes 4. 16 17 18. v. I have done with the two first Reasons confirming this truth That the great labor and pains of every Christian ought chiefly to be imployed not about perishing but Eternal good things First because God comâ—ands it and the very obeying of his commands goes not without a blessing not to name any temporal blessings we have here in hand or promised unto oâ—edience t is sufficient that we obtain a future happyness and glory with all those Eternal good things of Heaven And t is said of Jesus Christ Heb. 5. 9. v. He became the author of Eternal salvation unto all them that obey him Secondly because Eternal good things are the best of good things things of the greatest usefulness and necessity to us in order to our Eternal happyness It is of absolute necessity that we should be made gracious as we would be made glorious that we should be interested in God as we would be made happy with God that we should be vnited unto Christ as we would be saved by Christ that we be sanctified by the spirit as we would dwell with the Spirit that we keep a good Conscience as we would escape everlasting horror of an evil Conscience These make a man a good man and assure him of Heaven and they do a man good and chear him in his way to Heaven I now pass on to a third Reason â— Because Eternal good things are lasting good things other good things are perishing good things and this is the third Reason why our Labor and pains ought chiefly to be imployed not about perishing but Eternal good things all other good things perish in the using they are fading good things things that endure but for a season 2 Cor. 4. 18. say they should endure for a very long season what were that season to Eternity unto which they will not indure Those in the Hebrews were contented to part with any thing that indured but for a season so they might have an induring substance things that were but for a season would not content them only things that would indure to everlasting Those things only are lasting that are for everlasting It is truâ— what Divine Seneca says Inter peritura vivimus The things of this world we live amongst are all perishing and decaying dayly things that never subsist but pass along with the head-long and precipitate river of time The greatest things of esteem in the world are naturally of themselves perishing and decaying and without suffering any exterior violence would of themselves soon come to an end but there are also many unthought of accidencies and extraordinary violencies which force Nature out of her course and raises storms in the Sea of this world by which such things that men dote upon below suffer Shipwrack As the fairest flower withers of it self yet it is also very oft withered by some storm or other or pluckt from the root by some hand Take the most exact and resplendent beauty that is a face never so beautyful or amiable for colour and favor a body most comly for feature and shape like that of Absolom's who from top to toe had no blemish a skin as white as the Lilly and embroidered over with purple veins yet this beauty how soon will it lose its lustre and be withered and rivelled with age and at last be turned into a rotten carcass which the worms and dust will devour Nay often before Old age or Death it is blasted by some other cause by the violence of a Fever or infection of the Small-Pox it is rendered an ugly spectacle to behold nay a little Sorrow will melt it and consume it Psal 39. 11. v. The strongest and most sumptuous Cities or Palaces will decay with continuance of time but are also ruined many times by the violence of Fire or Earthquakes To give some Instances hereof And first what wasâ— hath been made by fire a judgment seen with your own eyes upon the Nineteenth of April 1667. besides other Forreign and Domestick Ruins caused by this furious Element which hath somtimes ridden triumph through the Streets of greatest Cities as though it disdained all resistance untill either the whole or greatest parts thereof have been turned into Ashes and laid in their Rubbish I 'le pass by that great Fire at Constantinople 1633. where t is said 7000 Houses to have been on fire at once And that Fire in Germany in the time of the late Warrs there where a Reverend Divine of this Nation accompanying of an Ambassador affirmed that his own eyes told at one time the number of Twenty and six Villages and Towns all burning at once round about one City And I will little more then hint to you what ruine Nebuzaradan caused by fire in Jerusalem when he burnt with fire Solomon's house that was thirteen years under the hands of no small company of Workmen and also the Temple there built by Solomon for the Lord being the work of Seven years and overlaid with pure Gold and all the houses of Jerusalem and all the houses of the great Men burnt he with fire Jer. 52. 13. v. Who can but even weep to remember that dreadful Fire in London September the 2. 3. 4. in the Year 1666. where there were about 13000. houses burnt what an heavy spectacle was there then seen to see the flaming of so many houses at once the consuming of so much substance the desolation of so many dwellings and to behold the labor of many a Father Grand-father and great Grand-father suddenly converted into Smoak and Rubbish Sit transit gloria Mundi How many but two hours before this fire begun possibly were promising themselves to live merrily and comfortably thâ—y did not many of them fear that themselves or children should ever be destitute of an habitation they then injoying convenient houses and those well furnished and themselves well stockt to make good their promisâ—s and to escape miseries but in a few hours saw all these Temporal good things flying away from them upon the wings of a windy Flame and flying away as an Eagle towards Heaven as Solomon hath it Pro. 23. 5. v. One little flake or sparke of fire turning all into Rubbish suddenly and making rich Men to become poor and poor men to become Beggars How many upon the first day of September were well furnished with all things but before the fifth day were spoiled of all and sent to the Fountain for their best Cellar to the ground for their bed to anothers cuâ—bard for their bread and to their friends wardrobe for their cloaths It would be even endless to undertake to recite how many stately Cities and sumptuous Fabricks this untameable Element hath turned into Ashes yet let
me add what is said of that brave Roman Scipio Africanus he having set Carthage on fire and beholding the burning foresaw and bewayled the destiny of Rome Christians we have seen the houses and habitations of others burnt before our eyes we have heard of more then our eyes have seen what shall we learn hence O let us learn that though God for which praised be his most glorious Name preserves us and our habitations encircles us and our houses about with the securities of providence yet what hath befaln others may befall us and may befall the stareliest strongest and most magnificent Fabricks of others which as they are in themselves subject to many casualties so our Sins may provoke God by the like judgments to make us know they are though good things yet that they are not only in themselves but also many other ways subject to sade and perish I must mind you of his words who saith Pâ—â—perant ignita peccata ignita supplicia Fiery sins will beget fiery punishments Not to say more of ruines caused by Fire I come to the other caused by Provocations Earth-quakes which in many places haâ—â— proved more destructive and done more mischeif thâ—n Fire suddenly throwing down Mountains and again sometimes also making plain grounds to be mountains ruining houses and great buildings leaving Churches like unto great heaps of stones swallowing up not only whole Towns and Cities but large Islands turning dry Land into Sea raising up Islands in the Sea Severing great places from the Continent and at one instant destroying thousands of People in such places Thus were destroyed Laodicea Hieropolis Colossus and Smyrna those great Cities of Asia for the rebuilding of the last the Emperor remitted ten years tribute Thus in the year 1531. at Lisbon 1400. houses were overthrown And thus was Britain severed from France Africa from Spain and Sicily from Italy What a prodigious Earth-quake was that of Mount Aetna in the year 1669. causing astonishment and amazement not only to those who saw it and felt the horrid effects of it but even to the whole World that in any measure heard thereof an Earth-quake that was attended with violent eruptions of the said Mount and an inundation of Fire rivers of fire Cinders and burning stones and other matters of dreadful Nature proceeding from thence In forty days the habitations of 27000. persons with thirteen Towns were destroyed by this fiery inundation with all the Lands belonging to the same besides many houses near the very walls of the City Catania Now as the strongest and most sumptuous Cities and Palaces decay not only by continuance of time but are also oftentimes ruined by the violence of Fire or Earth-quakes even so it oftentimes happens to all temporal things whatsoever not only their own natures but many extrinsecal violences cause them to perish and decay I shall confirm this by some Instances of such men that have been lifted up to the height of Prosperity Honor and worldly greatness yet afterwards have been flung headlong into the lowest adversity that have been to day rich and to morrow poor to day in prosperity to morrow in adversity to day accounted happy to morrow made miserable Andronicus Emperor of the East at one time is clothed in Purple adored by Nations his Temples are inriched with a Royal Diadem the Imperial Scepter in his hand at another time laid hold upon by his own Vassals led with a strong chain and collar about his Neck like a Mastive-dogg to the Market-place there abused by all his right hand cut off mounted upon a lean Camel with his face towards the tail and after the suffering of a thousand indignities and miseries hung up by the heels between two pillars and there left to dye Belisarius at whose valor and courage the whole World was amazed who had been crowned with many warlike prosperities triumphs and victorious Atchievements under the Emperor Justinian having overthrown the Persians vanquished the Vandalls subdued the Goths and whose wealth was exceeding great yet became a blind Beggar having his eyes put out was led at last in a string begging Alms and crying Date obolum Bellisario give an half-penny to Bellisarius Proud Bajazet the great Turk was carryed and carted up and down in an Iron cage through all Asia and made to serve as a block by whose shoulders Tamberlain that warlike Scythian used to mount his horse Dionysius the great King of Syracuse was driven to get his bread by teaching of a School at Corinth Adonibezek a mighty Prince is suddenly made a fellow-commoner with the Doggs Judg. 1. 7. v. Pythias who once was able to entertain and maintain Xerxes his whole Army yet afterwards pined to death for lack of bread Vitellius whom both the East and West acknowledged for the Lord and Monarch of the World waited on by Princes of his Empire whose Riches were beyond Estimation even Gold abounding with him as stones of the streets with others but his great glory ended in ignominy his Majesty in the greatest infamy he was soon brought from the top of worldly Honor and Felicity into the greatest contempt and misery being by a rope dragged through the streets of Rome Murthered in the Market-place and his body at last cast amongst those as were not lawfully to be buryed That victorious Emperor Henry the fourth who had fought Two and thirty pitched Battels fell to that poverty before he dyed that he was forced to petition to be a Prebend in the Church of Spier to maintain him in his old age T is reported of a Duke of Exâ—eter one that had married Edward the fourth's Sister that he hath been seen in the Low-Countries begging barefoot Haman was a great Man and feasted with the King one day and yet was made a â—east for Crowes the next day Julius Caesar goes an Emperor to the Senate in the Morning but before Evening is brought a Corps home again Gillimer a potent King of the Vandalls was so low brought as to intreat his friend to send him a Spung a Loaf of Bread and a Harp a Spung to dry up his tears a Loaf of Bread to maintain his life and an Harp to solace himself in his misery Alexander the Great that famous Monarch who filled the Earth with the Trophies of his Deeds and Triumphs of his Victories whom not Darius or other great Princes could conquer was soon poysoned by his obliged Servants Histories abound with examples of all sorts of Men who in their prime their pride in a flourishing estate and upon the very top of worldly glory have most strangely suddenly fearfully and wonderfully been brought low and debased Verily the misery wherein all temporal things and humane happiness often terminates is not to be conceived that a man may better trust to the wind or to letters written upon water then to any humane felicity or Temporal good things whatsoever All things in the world being but like a nights dream which disappeareth with the day
Disciples came to Christ and shewed him the goodly buildings of the Temple after that Herod to get the peoples good will had been at wonderful charge in building and beautifying of it says Christ to them Matth. 24. 2. v. See ye not all these things verily I say unto you There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down This thing was afterwards fulfilled when the Temple was set on fire by Titus his Souldiers that it could not be quencht by the industry of Man for Titus himself would have preserved it as one of the Worlds Wonders from being burnt but could not such was the fury of the Souldiers So may I say look upon the strongest most glorious and magnificentest Structures in the world yet time will come when there will not be left one stone upon another We see 1 Kings 18. 38. v. That the fire which came down from Elâ—â—ah's Sacrifice did not only burn up the Sacrifice and the wood but it did lick up the water and burn up the Stones Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt Sacrifice and the Wood and the Stones and the Dust and licked up the water that was in the Trench 1 King 18. 38. v. So the fire of Heaven will not only burn up the sleight buildings but also the strongest houses that be made of sollidest matter of Brick and Stone and Marble yea if they were houses of Iron they shall be destroyed and dissolved Many times if ordinary and sleight houses be burnt such as be of Brick and Stone escape but at the day of Judgment not only the sleight buildings shall be burnt but also the strongest houses such as are made of no combustible matter of brick and stone But this building of God an house not made with hands will be Eternal in the Heavens Heaven is therefore Luk. 16. 9. v. called an Everlasting Habitation and that in opposition as hath before been noted to Earthly dwellings which though many of them are beautiful and glorious yet shall be laid in the Dust when as Heaven will be for the Saints and Angels an habitation for ever It was a rejoycing to David that God would give him a Kingdom but more that he would prepare a Kingdom to his house a great while 2. Sam. 7. 16. 18 19. v. David took it for a great favor that God would bestow a Kingdom upon him and yet saith he in the 19. v. This was but a small thing in thy sight O Lord God What was it but a small thing to give a Kingdom No but there was somthing more than a Kingdom and that was this that his Posterity should sit on the Throne for a great while Thou hast spoken of thy Servants house for a great while to come This made the mercy greater Even so t is here should we be in those heavenly Mansions but a few days or years and then to have them dissolved yet this were worth more labor and pains and seeking after than all the worlds glory but they shall be there for ever and our abode shall be made there for ever it shall never have an end 4. Our labor and pains ought cheifly to be imployed not about perishing but Eternal good things Because Eternal good things are always desirable good things that a man shall never be weary of a man may after a short time of injoyment be weary of other things they oft prove vexing and molesting to the injoyers of them though somtimes never so much affected loved and desired as many VVives to Husbands children to Parents Servants to Masters Preferments to the Ambitious Crowns and Scepters unto Kings and Princes We do not always find all those who have more of the world than others to have more content from the world than others or less troubles and cares in the world than others they have more delicates than others but these often so dissweetened with crosses that they take little pleasure in them they may have more attendants than others and thereby not seldom attended with more discontents than others How many at one time are vexed that as heirs they come to their estates no sooner at another time they are vexed as at Death they can keep them no longer some are vexed in getting these things like Ahab who waxed heavy laid him down upon his bed and would not eat only because he could not obtain Naboth's Vinyard Others are vexed in the keeping of them being troubled and perplexed with Law-suits How often find we not a few vexed somtimes that they have wasted and spent so much and now have less then themselves once had That the world to many is a sharp bryar to prick them rather then a flower to delight them and whilst they suck freely the breasts of the world in the one they find nothing but the wine of vanity and in the other the water of vexation Solomon who was a great and mighty King that had riches without example and Reigned Forty years in a most rich and flourishing Kingdom which was a sufficient time to content his mind in gathering riches in sumptuous buildings in multitude of horses in all variety of Studies and Sciences one that had traversed his spirits through all the secrets of Nature from the Caedar to the Hysop that he was even the most experienced one for enquiry he at last considering how these sweets were confected with bitterness makes this close of all his actions Eccles 1. 14. v. I have seen all the workes that are done under the Sun and behold all is Vanity and vexation of Spirit Solomon had obtained as large and as intuitive a knowledg as humane curiosity or furtherances could attain unto and in these words gives us an account of all Temporal things after he had taken an Historical and Penetential review of all the inquiries he had made into them and what finds he He found by diligent inquiry how much they do molest and disquiet the hearts of Men they were not only ineffectual to confer happyness but which was worse apt to bring or cause much affliction and trouble upon the hearts of those who are too earnestly conversant about them And again Eccles 2. when from the 3d. verse to the 11th verse he had drawn out the thread of delight and stretched the webb of all worldly pleasures and injoyments upon the largest tenter of Variety he saith he found nothing in it but Vanity and vexation of spirit v. 11. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought and on the labor that I had labored to do and behold all were vanity and vexation of spirit Hereunto agrees the words of St. Paul 1 Tim. 6. 10. v. for says he The love of Money is the root of all evil which while some coveted after they have erred from the Faith and pierced themselves thorow with many sorrows And very remarkable are the words of our Saviour Matth. 13. 22. v. where he
compareth the deceitfulness of Riches and cares of the world to thornes which prick not the flesh only but pierce through the mind and heart and wound the souls and conscience with manifold hurts and smart-pain Our Saviour and St. Paul confirm the verdict of Solomon to shew the vexation of spirits that attends all Temporal good things As Bees have honey and wax but they have a sting with all so verily have most of earthly and Temporal things they have honey in them to intice and wax to inflame but with all too oftentimes deadly stings wherewith they sting the possessors of them and therefore Solomon unto vanity adds vexation of mind If ever there were any man fit and able in respect of his wealth to try of industry to search and of wisdom to judg of the things of this life it was King Solomon and yet Solomon when he had imployed his wealth wisdom and industry in this diligent scrutiny and distilled forth even the purest spirits of these Terrestrial bodies he found amongst them vanity but that is not all vexation of spirit When Hezekiah had defaced the Serpent which had defaced God s glory he called it in contempt Nehushtan It is a piece of Brass that so it might be vile in the eyes of those who did adore it for by this name he gave the people to understand that there was no Deity in it and therefore no worship to be done to it no sacrifice or Incense to be offered unto it in a word that it was not what they took it to be neither did it deserve to have such an high esteem as they had of it For it was but a piece of brass and no more and a piece of brass was no such thing as to be worshiped and adored In like manner so does Solomon call all sublunary and Temporal good things Vanity and vexation of spirit thereby to undervalue them in the eyes of those that over valued them thereby to debase and villiâ—y them and to shew others what he after tryal made had found to be in them no contentation but rather vexation Who would not think Kings and Princes to be the only happy ones They are to make their lives happy and full of Felicity if it may be had most liberally provided for they have stately Palaces costly Ornaments honorable Services delicate Meats variety of Pleasures they have all Honors Dignities and Rule at their dispose they are able to raise at their pleasure the meanest Man to an high place and with a frown to disgrace the mightiest and what ever precious Rarities choice and desirable things their eyes which are the principal Seates of desire or lusting can desire are not kept from them unto which we may add their ample and Royal Revenues rich Exchequers great tributes out of their Kingdoms and Provinces And yet even their Raign and Rule is but a Noble Servitude as Antigonus said to his Son so many are the calamities depending upon Regal Crowns and miseries that do compass Scepters and States of Princes besides the dayly trouble in Government in Domestick and forreign Affairs what secret censures murmurings and dispraises do they undergo what continual fears do they lye under In their Palaces they are afraid lest Servants in the day-time do poyson them or in the night-time murther them In their Kingdoms least their Guards betray them least their Nobles forsake them and least the rude and common People incouraged by discontented great ones Rebell against them From abroad also their fears are increased somtimes least their Allies desert them and least their Enemies invade them And after a whole life of Dangers and Fears how often are they but even ill rewarded by those they have defended and protected nay by some they have favored enriched and advanced Somtimes they have been at last hissed at and chased from their Thrones with Shame and Confusion Have mean ones been derided so have Princes Have mean ones been restrained so have Princes Have mean ones been imprisoned so have Princes Have mean ones been banished so have Princes Have mean ones been murthered so have Princes Not only is their whole life a life of Fears and Dangers as Dionysius told Damocles but their deaths have been both â—gnomius and barbarous Demosthenes after he had been a just and faithful Governor of the Common-wealth of Athens was in â—he end without cause unjustly banished So was Aâ—istides of whom it used to be said A man might as â—oon turn the Sun in her course as turn Aristides from doing Justice These Temporal good things are like to those waâ—ers of Babylon where the Jews sate down and wept Psal 137. 1. v. By the river 〈…〉 Babylon there we â—ate down yea we wept like unto which waters â—re these Temporal good things not only for their â—wift passing away and never returning but for the â—oubles that attend them they being to the possessors thereof no little cause of vexation of Spirit of weeping and small sorrow The whole world as one calls it is but a Sea of glass for its vanity and mingled with fire for its vexation Rev. 15. 2. v. And the things of the world like so many sweet Bryars or like the Rose which is a fragrant flower but yet it hath its pricks and to one Rose in the Worlds-garden we meet with a thousand thornes Let men set what esteem they will upon them yet are they not pure Wine but mixed and have in them more dreggs than spirits they are like the River Plutarch speaks of where the waters in the morning run sweet but in the Evening run bitter Like the profitable Bee which though it affords the owner Honey yet again many times stings him and for one Ounce of Honey the World affords we meet with a Tunn of Gall. It fares with many men in this respect as it did with Lot Gen. 13. 10 11. v. When he beheld all the plain of Jordan to be well watered and that it was like the Garden of God he chose all the Countrey and departed from Abraham But many sad dangers and many dayly vexations did this unwise choice of his cast him into and bring upon him In like manner the injoyment of these things oft expose to dangers Multos sua felicitas stravit Many men their lives had been longer if their riches had been less that which they counted their happyness made them miserable Consolationes factae sunt desolationes as one says the same things that have somtimes made their lives comfortable at another time have occasioned them afterwards to be miserable Pro. 1. 19. chap. that they have been weary of their injoyments and weary of their very lives But we never did nor ever will hear of any weary of Grace weary of the love of God weary of Heaven and Eternal glory Can any think that the Saints in Heaven are weary of their being in heaven or that they are weary of the presence of God there Vident semper videre
that they will not only conform to â—he sinful lusts and pleasures of the World but they so idolize Temporal things that they place their onely and chiefest happiness in the enjoyment of the World they terminate their happiness here Though a man may as well think to extract Oil out of a flint or fire out of water as happiness out of these Temporal and terrestrial things To seek for happiness in any thing below is to seek for the living among the dead 3. Reas Because these temporal things being near at hand do dazâ—le the mind and distract the Judgments of men The sight that now the best here below have of those Eternal good things in Hâ—eaven is but weak dark and obscure for saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 13. 12. v. Now we see through a Glass darkly And again Now I know in part If Saint Paul and other enlightned ones see but darkly and in part surely Children of darkness see nothing at all If the vigourous and sparkling eyes of Heavens darlings see no clearer the blind and bleer eyes of others behold nothing The Saints see a great deal yet nothing to what they shall see in Heaven where the illustrious beauty of Eternal good things shall be displayed in a most glorious Emphasis and they have their eyes fixed upon them through all Eternity An Eagle-eyed Christian by the eye of Faith beholding the beauty of these things sees a great deal of excellency and worth in them why they should be laboured for and the oftner he looks thereon the more he is enamoured therewith and he is made restless until he enjoys them As it is said of Apelles that by his often beholding and looking on the Woman whose picture he was drawing though at first he minded his Art only yet secretly love did creep into his affection at the same time which made him languish away till Alexander helped her to him as his wife so 't is with a Believer his heart pants after these things as the Hart pants after the water brooks and his Soul even languisheth away till God help him to possess them as his own But now a generation of men having no other but sensual eyes which serve only to behold Objects near hand not Objects at a great distance they apprehend nothing in these Eternal things to affect them withal and therefore do they acknowledge nothing in them to make them desirable or worth taking pains for I remember what I have read of Nicostratus who being himself a cunning Work-man he finding a curious piece of work and being wondred at by one and asked what pleasure he could take to stand as he did still gazing on the picture answered Hadst thou mine eyes my Friend thou wouldst not wonder but rather be ravished as I am at the inimitable art of this rare and admired piece Had these men the eyes of Faith to behold things within the vail to see the Sun-like resplendent Body of Christ there to look upon our Jehovah's face there and the glory of all crowned Martyrs and other the glorious Inhabitants of that happy place surely things below would not dazâ—le their eyes so much as they do they would rather be looked upon as so much dung and dross in comparison of these but though they are sharp-sighted into things of Earth yet are they blinder then a Mole in beholding any Spiritual or Celestial beauty As Moses did Heb. 11. 27. v. so other of the Saints do see him who is invisible but these see nothing but what is visible They have no other but bodily eyes to see with and so God cannot be seen 2 Tim. 6. 16. v. Whom no man hath seen nor can see And having no other but bodily eyes it is no wonder if things as far off as Heaven do seem very small and little unto them and those things which are nearer unto them seem of a greater magnitude It is here as it is with many ignorant men who standing here below and looking upon the Sun Moon and Stars in Heaven whereof the first and several of the last are many times bigger then the Earth yet by such ignorant People the Stars are judged to be only pretty little golden spots of the breadth of a peâ—ny or of a man's finger and the Sun or Moon not broader then a bushel or a Cart-wheel The reason of this mistake is this these Heavenly luminaries are at a great distance from them from the Earth to the Starry Heaven Astrologers have made it sixteen millions three hundred thirty-eight thousands five hundred sixty two miles and such ignorant Persons will not allow for the distance and so are not able to judge thereof So it is here with carnal ignorant ones the things of Heaven are now accounted but small because of their distance though in themselves great but Earthly things are accounted great because of their nearness though in themselves small Now as Eve's looking upon the Tree of knowledge did her much prejudice she was thereby tempted to eat thereof and thereby lost an Earthly and hazarded an Heavenly Paradise So to men looking upon such things as the Temporal good things of this life are with no other eye then that of sense their eyes are dazled with the splendour of them and they seem great and do them a great deal of prejudice they make thousands not to hazard only but even to lose an Heavenly Paradise whilst all their searchings and enquiries all their plottings and contrivings all their labour and pains are chiefly after them neglecting those Magnalia Aeternitatis those great things of Eternity Why do not men love those things more why do not men desire them more why do not men labour and take pains for them more The very reason is because they see them no clearer If men saw them clearer they would love them more If men saw them clearer they would desire them more If men saw them clearer they would labour for them more When Jacob had seen Rachel's beauty he loved her loving of her he desired to have her to be his Wife desiring her he laboured twice seven years to obtain her And though Lovers hours are full of Eternity yet his love towards her and his desire of her did facilitate his labour and made the time seem short But now Temporal things being near at hand and more clearly seen men who are devoid of Grace have their eyes dazled and their hearts bewitched therewith for the World is a bewitching thing and as one says the World at last day shall be burnt for a Witch Herewith the dâ—vâ—l who is daily trading with men for the Souls be witcheth millions The World is the greatest price that the Dâ—vâ—l hath to give for a Soul What else doth the Dâ—vâ—l use when he would be dealing with Christ As that which was the most forcible temptation he could use he offers him all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them he had been tampering with Christ before but
he could not rout out the Christians p. 207 Diogenes preferred his Cynical Life before Alexanders Royalty p. 223 Dionysius of Syracuse teaches a School at Corinth p. 170 Domitian ' s carelesness a cause of his death p. 318 Dreams how Temporal good things are compared thereunto p. 297 Dye willingly those will who are interessed in Eternal good things p. 75 Dying Men by wealth cannot be freed from the fury of a guilty conscience p. 129 E. EArthly things comprehended under Meat for three Reasons p. 6 Earthly things are but mean things in comparison of Eternal good things Ibid. Early some rise but why p. 248 Edward the Third at death forsaken of all but one Priest p. 128 End of a Christian ' s life what it is p. 72 Enemies there are many unto a Christian p. 51 52 Enemy to a Christian is Sin and that a sore one p. 53 Ephemeris a Beast and why so called p. 318 Ephorus his Saying of his Countrey-men the Cumaeans p. 249 Equal are all Men after death p. 284 Eternal good things comprehended under Meat for two Reasons p. 9 Eternal good things especially are to be laboured for p. 11 12 13 Eternal good things to be laboured for do best agree with our Natures p. 57 Eternal good things greatly laboured for by the Saints p. 63 64. Eternal good things will be possessed but by a few p. 64 65 66 67 68 Eternal good things must of necessity be gained p. 69 Eternal good things make Men willing to dye p. 75 Eternal good things are by God commanded chiefly to be laboured for p. 80 Eternal good things the best of Good things p. 84 Eternal good things the best of Good things proved by two Reasons p. 91 Eternal good things make the possessor of them good Ibid. Eternal God is p. 101 Eternal good things will do a Christian good under afflictions p. 140 Eternal good things will stand a Christian in stead and do him good when he lyes upon a sick or dying bed p. 144 Eternal good things will do a Christian good and stand him in stead at the day of Judgment p. 152 Eternal good things are always desirable p. 188 Eternal good things are satisfying good things p. 193 Eternal good things concern the Soul p. 198 Eternal good things neglected will cause vexation in hell p. 212 Eternal good things not to be gotten without labour p. 229 Eternal good things are not Fancies p. 235 Eternal good things make a Man a Rich man p. 286 Eternal good things are real good things p. 293 Eternal good things are for a Mans life p. 299 Eternity longer than the longest life p. 400 Eternity thought of should make Men provide for Eternity p. 301 Eternity with the very word Eternity a Gentlewoman was much moved p. 307 Eternales certain Hereticks so called p. 318 Evenings Returns to God p. 38 Examples of Saints to be imitated p. 59 60 61 Excellency of a Thing lieth in answering of the end p. 74 Exceter a Duke of that Place begg'd barefooted p. 170 Exhortations to get Eternal good things p. 265 Eye of Faith sees a beauty in Eternal good things p. 22â— F. FAith an enriching Grace p. 289 Faith like a Prospective-glass to the Soul p. 326 Faiths eye sees a beauty in Eternal good things p. 224 225 Fancy of some Men is that the only comfort of this Life doth consist in temporal good things p. 221 Fancy since the Fall what it is Ibid. Fancy often usurpeth upon the Vnderstanding p. 222 Favorinus his excellent Saying concerning the Soul p. 203 Few only have a share in Eternal good things p. 64 65 66 67 68 Fighting of a Battle a Comparison to set forth Christianity by p. 51 Fire hath caused great ruines p. 168 Five parts of the World onely are observed to know CHRIST p. 68 Fools are all they who labour not for Eternal good things Friendship amongst Men mutable p. 156 Fruitfulness in the heart is caused by the Holy Ghost p. 117 G. GErmany in it 26 Villages at once on fire p. 166 Gillimer the King of the Vandals his poor Estate p. 171 Glory the hopes thereof in Heaven is a cordial under sufferings p. 143 Glory in Heaven is Eternal p. 174 309 God onely desired by David p. 31 God Eternal p. 101 God hath in him all perfections Ibid. God in Covenant with any makes their condition happy God hath enough in him to satisfie a Christian p. 196 God to be a God to any is a great portion p. 291. 292 Good are all they who do enjoy Christ p. 110 Good men are men of good consciences p. 121 Good and bad not small and great will be the difference at the day of Judgement p. 133 Gospel giveth a true account of Heaven p. 235 Grace and glory better than gold and silver p. 12 Grace commended p. 96 Grace an Eternal good thing p. 97 Grace and glory how they differ p. 97 Grace cannot be lost p. 97 Grace makes a change p. 97 Grace the best riches p. 98 Grace cleanseth the heart p. 97 Grashoper was the Athenians badge p. 219 Grashoper who like it p. 218. 273 Grave in it no man is richer than another p. 131 Grave in it temporal good things yield no comfort p. 130. 131. Great gifts despised by Luther p. 31 Guise the Duke thereof said to be the richest man in France p. 292 H. HAbitation for the soul in the body but a meer habitation p. 149 Habitation in Heaven is Eternal p. 184 Hannibal disappointed in taking of Rome and why p. 320 Happy men who they are p. 292 Hearing of the word attention is required p. 21 Heart of man by nature is stony p. 115 Heart is made fruitful by the workings of the Holy Ghost p. 117 Heathens minding things of this life p. 10 Heaven a light some glorious and everlasting habitation p. 150 Heaven truly described in the Gospel p. 235 Heaven all that have a knowledge thereof do not labour for it p. 236 Heavenly happiness set forth in some Queries p. 88. 89. 90 Heavenly happiness cannot be conceived p. 90 Heavenly things are the only lasting the everlasting good things p. 264. 173 Heir of the promises one of the greatest titles that belong to a Christian p. 241 Hell full of many knowing heads p. 236 Henry the 4 Emperour in poverty p. 170 Henry the 4 King of France esteemed France equal to the Spaniards many Kingdomes p. 179 Hermet his esteem of a Cat p. 223 Holiness from the Holy Ghost p. 114 Hopes of wicked men for Heaven will be frustrated p. 66. 67. Hopes for Heaven should be grounded upon the word of God p. 240 Hopes for Heaven a Cordial under afflictions p. 143 Hopes for Heaven are but in vain built upon the promises by those who obey not the Commandements p. 242. 243 Hormisda his esteem of Christ p. 108 I. Idleness desired of most men p. 5 Idle persons unprofitable persons p. 5. 8 Idle persons
man is who hath Eternal good things p. 286 Rich a Christian may be inwardly although he be poor inwardly p. 292. 293 Riches of tentimes proves an impediment to piety p. 92. 73. 94. 95. Riches at death will leave a man to the fury of a guilty Conscience p. 129 Righteous Judge will Christ be at the day of Judgement p. 135 Rise early why some so do p. 248 S. SAints departed how to be honoured p. 60 Saints are often afflicted p. 141 Saint Anthony spent the night in Prayer p. 40 Saint Marks treasury at Venice p. 107 Saladine carried nothing but his Winding sheet out of the world with him to the grave p. 131. 286 Satisfaction in God is to be found by any Christian p. p. 196. 197. Satisfie the Soul of man the whole world will not p. 289. 290. Scipio banished idle and unprofitable souldiers from his Camp p. 5. Scipio used every morning to go first to the Capital and then to the Senate p. 36 Scriptures excel all other writings p. 18 Scriptures should be the standard of all our actions p. 59 Seneca no day idle p. 48 Seneca not afraid of death p. 148 Seriousness to be exercised when at any time a Christian is labouring for Eternal good things p 16 Serpent Scycale p. 229 Sight of God and Christ in Heaven most ravishing p. 323. 324 Sin a sore Enemy p. 53 Sin aims at the souls damnation p. 54 Sin hath made man deformed p. 98 Sleep very beneficial p. 39 Sleep why by God it hath sometimes been with-held from men p. 39. 40. 41. Sleep being with-held hath proved well for some men p. 48. Slothfulness reproved p. 262. Sluggish spirits there are that would not willingly labour p. 4. 5. Solomons judgement of these Temporal good things p. 191 Soul of man hath but a mean habitation in the body p. 149 Soul of man concerned in Eternal good things p. 198. Soul of man especially to be provided for p. 199. 200. 201 Soul of man is immediately from God 202. Soul of man most excellent p. 202. 203 Soul of man makes the body lovely p. 202 Souldiers how chosen by Caius Marius p. 31. Spaniards what they say of Aquinas his writings p. 102 Spartan Kings that raigned but a year their practise p. 320. Spiritual sloth grown common p. 231 Starrs and other Caelestial bodies why they seem small to us p. 226 Striving Christianity compared to it p. 50 Store the best p. 58 Snarez what is reported of him p. 270 Supper of the Lord holds out Christ as well as the word p. 23 Supper of the Lord what food is received at it p. 25 Supper of the Lord to it men should come hungring and thirsting p. 25 Supper of the Lord neglects thereof reproved p. 26 Swan why it is dedicated to Apollo p. 303 Sweating sickness in England p. 39 T. TAsts of Heaven how operative p. 310. 311 Temporal and Eternal things deserve serious and holy meditations p. 1 Temporal good things but once petitioned for in the Lords Prayer p. 11 Temporal good things should be subserviant to Eternal good things proved out of the Lords Prayer p. 11 Temporal good things under terrours of Conscience do no good p. 126 Temporal good things at death yield no comfort p. 127 Temporal good things will not keep off death p. 128 Temporal good things yield no comfort in the grave p. 130 Temporal good things will yield no comfort in Hell p. 136 Temporal good things are but perishing good things p. 164 Temporal good things dazel the mind and distract the judgement p. 224 Temporal good things their worth p. 265 Temporal good things may with God's good leave be laboured for p. 266 Temporal good things promised so far as needful p. 267 268 Temporal good things without Eternal will leave a man a beggar p. 277 Temporal good things but imaginary good things p. 293 Thankfulness due to God for the least mercies p. 30. 31 Theodosius how he used to spend the night p. 247 Threatnings not in vain p. 84 â—ime is precious p. 44 â—ime not mispent will be comfortable at death p. 46 â—ime is but short p. 317. 318 â—ytius his punishment in Hell p. 118 â—orments in Hell are Eternal p. 308. 309 â—ully s Offices much esteemed by the Lord Burleigh p. 20 â—urks upbraid Christians p. 76 â—urkish Emperour by Mahomets Law is bound to Exercise some manual Trade or Calling p. 8 V. VAin will not be Labour of Eternal good things p. 206 Valentinian the Emperour what comforted him upon his death-bed p. 152 Verres Deputy of Sicily his much lying in bed p. 274 Vile bodies of the Saints at the day of judgement shall be glorious bodies p. 155 Vexation often accompanieth Temporal good things p. p. 190. 191 Vitellius Emperour both of the East and the West basely used and murthered p. 170 Ubiquitaries complained of by Zanchy p. 253 Undone will all those men be when they come to dye who have nothing layd up in Heaven p. 285 Unwilling are many to take pains for Heaven though they desire to Enjoy Heaven p. 231. 232. 233 Unwearied must a Christians labour be for Heaven p. 348 W. VVAnt feared by many in this world p. 276 Want will many in Hell who do abound in this world p. 282 Wealth will leave thousands at death to the fury of a guilty conscience p. 129 Weep we have reason over neglecters of Eternal good things p. 245. 253 Wicked prone to nourish hopes for Heaven p. 65. 66 Wicked men may enjoy prosperity p. 140 Wine to be Exported was hindred by the old Romans and why p. 314 Winds about Sancto Croix in Affrick by the Portugalâ— called Monzoones 348 Wisemen are they who labour for Eternal good things p. 272 Wisemen who they are that are so accounted in the world p. 276 Woman whose house was burned minds trifles and neglects her child p. 173 World compared to a Kings Court p. 102 World is the greatest price that the Divel hath to give for a Soul p. 227 World like a going fire p. 228 World were of no use if man were not in it p. 266 Worldly things satisfie not the possessor p. 193. 194 289. 290 Wrestling Christianity compared unto it p. 50 Y YOung mans question in Matt. 19. 13. verse answered p. 11 Z. ZAnchy his complaint of the Lutheran Vbiquitaries p. 253 The Printer to the Reader NOtwithstanding the great care to prevent faults in the Printing of the foregoing Treaâ—ise yet the Reader will meet with some though but few that are great yet too many will be found in Literal and Syllabical mistakes as also in Points either misplaced or left out some hereafter follow the which and all others the Candid Reader is desired as he meets them to mend else the sense in some places possibly may not be clear In the Epistle Dedicatory 2 Page 18 line after Love add you 4 p. 14 l. before portion add a. 5 p. 7 l. for unexpected read unsuspected In the Epistle to the Reader 2 p. 11 l. before those r. for In the body of the book 4 p. 19 l. for operami r. operamini 5 p. 27 l. â— sedore r sudore 5 p. 30 l. f. Epicureate r Epiâ—ureal 7 p. 2 l. before rudiments add of the 16 â— 20 l. f. aeternitatem r. aeternitati 18 p. 4 l. for sheave r. sheaf 26 p. 30. l. after need blot out the Comma and f therefore r thereof 28 p. 10 l. for use r. useth 36 p. 3 l. after every add day 56 p 4 l. after those add words 70 p 2 l. f. of storms r. by storms 78 p. 17 l. f. willing r. willingness 87 p. 25 l. before the add of 96 p. 17 l. before consequent add a 105 p. 4 l. af labour add for 105 p. 17 l. f. tenders r. tends 136 p. 26 l. af that r. is 176 p. 33 l. f. glean r. glean 177 p. 12 l. f. ones r. one after does add to 185 p 14 l. af over add other 191 p. 21 l. f. ignomius r. ignominious 192 p. 2 l. before small add no 193 p. 18 l. after in add in the roof 193 p. 2â— l. f. salvation r. salvations 193 p. last l. f. Neroniand r. Nerionianae and f. libidinus r. libidinis 195 p. 11 l. f. ingine r. engine 223 p. 25 l. f. and r. an 234 p. 13 l. before content add and 207 p. 17 l. before not add at 317. p. 5 l. f. cenessit r. senescit 317 p. 6 l. f. be r. bed 334 p. 25 l. before In add 3. 334 p. 33 l. for bandry r. husbandry 344 p. 9 l. f. straight read sleight FINIS
God knowingly But being in the Agony of Death and considering more throughly of his account he was to give to God fear struck into him and these words brake from him Oh would to God I had never reigned Oh that those years I have spent in my Kingdom I had lived a private life in the Wildreness Oh that I had lived a solitary life with God how more securely should I now have dyed how much more confidently should I have gone to the Throne of God What does all my glory profit me but that I have so much the more torment in my Death Christians experience the truth of what I am saying when you please When you hear of some such lying upon their Death-beds Go to such a one whilst he is gasping out his last breath and ask him What does the world do you good now do Riches profit you now do your great Possessions stand you in stead now does that which your cheifest labor and pains was laid forth upon do you good now Then you may expect to hear the words of a great Courtier who when he came to dye did most lamentable cry out Plus temporis operaeque se palatio quam Templo impendisse That he has spent more time in the Palace then in the Temple so they that they did all their life long spend more time and take more pains and labor for Temporal good things then for Eternal good things for Earth then Heaven but what they labored for so much does them but little nay no good now and makes them as he said have the more torment in their death O the Testimony of a Man's Conscience upon good grounds that he hath lived graciously been afraid of Sin walked according to the rule of Gods word labored cheifly not for perishing but Eternal good things will afford more joy and comfort in a dying hour then all the world can And I cannot think but that in cool blood not one amongst many that hunt after these things below so much but he will subscribe to the saying of the wise Man Pro. 10. 2. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing but righteounsness delivereth from death from Death Eternal to be sure 3. Temporal good things will do those who injoy them no good in the Grave though they possessed whilst living all the Riches of the Indies yet when they dye they can carry nothing thereof with them Naked came I out of my Mothers Womb says Job and naked shall I return â—â—ither Job 1. 21. v. Job brought nothing with him when he came into the world and to be sure he should carry nothing with him out of the world Job's wealth and great substance could not descend into the Grave with him hereunto agrees that in Psal 49. 17. v. read the 16. v. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich when the glory of his House is increased 17. v. For when he dyeth he shall carry nothing away his glory shall not descend after him Though to gain these things here Men weary their bodies perplex their thoughts rack their consciences and indanger their Souls yet carry they nothing to the grave with them so saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 6. 7. v. For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we carry nothing out There is no man that is rich in the Grave more then another The King is as poor there as the basest Peasant in his Kingdom his Crown and Scepter his great State and glory follow him not thither no all differences end in the grave if we do search Graves and Sepulchers those chambers of Death we shall discover no difference amongst those bones we find there betwixt the Rich and the Poor the Master and the Servant the greatest Lord and the lowest Subject Sculls wear no wreaths or marks of Honor there Vetera fraugantur sepulchra ossa divitum agnoscas non opes Open the graves of rich men and see what is there you may find the Misers bones but not his riches Salandine that great Conquerour carryed nothing with him thither but his Winding sheet Alexander that would have been the greatest and richest Man in the world in the grave is lesser and poorer then the poorest man in the world It is remarkable what one reâ—ates concerning a Stone that was presented to Alexander the nature of it is said to be thus that being put into the one part of the ballance it weighed down whatever was put into the other part of it but if a little Dust were cast uâ—on the Sâ—â—â—e then eâ—ery thing weighed down the stone and he that brought the stone being asked what he meant by it he answered O Alexander thou art this Stone thou whilst thou livest doest weigh down all that are against thee and treadest down all before thee but when thou comest to dye and there is a little Dust thrown upon thee then every man will outweigh thee and then thou wilt be less then any man in the world Then his conquered Kingdoms then his large Dominions and great Treasures would not do him any good It was but a foolish action of one that I have read of and bespoke him to have an heart wholly taken up with the things of this world that being near death clapt a twenty shillings piece of Gold into his mouth saying Some wiser then some I 'll take this with me however 4. Temporal good things will do those who injoy them no good at the day of Judgment Where Luk. 21. 27. v. They shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory having Math. 25. 31. v. all his Angels with him Being ordained of God to be the Judg of quick and dead Act. 10. 42. v. For he hath appointed a day in the which he will judg the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the Dead Act. 17. 31. v. And can I name the day of Judgment without putting all that hereof into a shaking fit of an Ague without causing their thoughts to be troubled the joynts of their Loyns to be loosed and their knees to smite one against another as Belshazzar's did at the sight of the hand writing upon the wall Dan. 5. 6. v. and without causing them to tremble as Felix did when he heard of the Judgment to come Act. 24. 25. v. Or as the people of Israel did at the giving of the Law with thundring in the Mount Exod. 9. Then those men that here could never be contented with their condition but would be higher and higher richer and richer greater and greater laboring only for Temporal good things but neglecting Eternal good things will wish they might be turned into beasts or birds or stones or trees or air or any other thing yea Nothing rather then be brought before the Judg at that great Assize held not for a particular County or Kingdom but for the whole World to hear
that dreadful sentence of Damnation Matth. 25. 41. v. Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels At the hearing whereof no tongue can tell nor heart can conceive what rage of guilty consciences what furious despair what horror of mind what distractions and fears will seize upon such men what gnashing of teeth what wailing and wringing of hands will be then Then both small and great shall stand before God Rev. 20. 12. v. But the distinction then will be good and bad not small and great for then all Civil differences will vanish and Moral only take place The differences of high and low rich and poor small and great are only calculated for this present life and cannot out-live time The grave and the Judgment Seat put no difference between Monarchs and Vassals and there will be no Crowns worn that day but Crowns of Righteousness no Robes in fashion then but those that have been washed in the blood of Christ That which Pelicane a German Divine said upon his Death-bed concerning his Learning may be said of all wordly greatness riches honor and pomp here however doted upon When I appear before God says he I shall not appear as a Doctor but as an ordinary Christian None shall appear then as Lords and Ladies as persons of so many hundreds or so many thousands by the year but as ordinary men and women Titles of honor and great Revenues will stand them in no stead where such Eternal good things as are before mentioned shall be found wanting Then they that have been high and mighty Emperors as well as the poorest Out-casts the talest Caeders and stoutest Oaks as well as the lowest Shrubbs naked of these things will be rejected then Majesty that never had any thing more then worldly Greatness shall lye and lick the dust of the feet of Christ the Sword men and Emperors the Alexanders and Caesars who once made Nations to tremble shall themselves tremble before Christ when they shall be examined not what Temporal good things they contended for but what Eternal good things they gained not what worldly Kingdoms and Territories they conquered but whether they first sought the Kingdom of God and his righteousnâ—sâ— Then the great Judg of the World will nâ—â— inquire how honorable any have been amongst mâ—n â—ut how they have honored him who caused them to be so much honored Then it will not be regarded how many caps and knees any haâ—e had in the world from Inferiors but how oft and how zealously they have humbled their souls and bowed the knees of their hearts in praying unto God for his mercies wanting and in praisiâ—g him for his mercies received Then no man will be respected for the riches which they have had in the world but for what spiritual riches of sanctifying grace they have had The Judg of the whole World will not regard how rich men have been in Lands but in holyness of life not for what they have had laid up in their Chests but in their Consciences neither shall those who here hunted after worldly gain be respected because they seized on their prey But Pro. 21. 21. v. he that hath followed after righteousness and mercy shall find life righteousness and glory Temporal things now many times procure men to be set at the upper end of the World but at this day which is coming all mankind shall be summoned naked without any respect to what they either have been or have had in this world when the Crowns of Kings when the Robes of Princes when the Gallants bravery shall be laid aside and all men shall be reduced to an equal plea and without respect of persons shall be doomed according to their works 2 Cor. 5. 10. v. For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or bad No hopes of bribing of the Judg he will not be byassed by favor nor acquit any who is in truth saulty or inwardly unsound Alas many have here passed for good men and none but good men will there find favor that there will find the Hypocrisie of their hearts discovered and themselves condemned It is written as the cause of Bruno his more strickt religious course That a Doctor of great note for Learning and Godliness being dead and being brought to the Church to be buried whilst they were reading the Office for the burial of the Dead and came to those words Responde mihi the Corps arose in the Bier and with a terrible voice cryed out Justo Dei Judicio accusatus sum I am accused at the just Judgment of God at which voice the people ran all out of the Church afrighted On the morrow when they came again to perform the Obsequies at the same words as before the corps arose again and cryed with an hideous voice Justo Dei Judicio judicatus sum I am judged at the righteous Judgment of God whereupon tâ—e people ran away again amazed The third day almost all the City came together and when they came to the same words as before the Corps rose again and cryed with a more doleful voice than before Justo Dei judicio condemnatus sum I am condemned at the just Judgment of God The consideration whereof that a man reputed so upright should yet by his own confession be damned caused Bruno and the rest of his companions to enter into the strickt order of the Carthusians If men that have passed for good men here but were not good shall be accused judged and condemned then what shall become of those who had not so much as the outward face of goodness of men that all their life long neglected even the externals of Religion and only gave themselves to look after the present world however they may for many years together flourish in the pomp and splendor of an outward Estate yet then their faces will gather blackness finding themselves to become the scorn of God Angels and Saints The sins of men whereby they have all their lives provoked God will lye down with them in the grave follow them into another meet them at Christ's Barr to further their Damnation but their riches will neither lye down with them in the grave follow them into another world nor meet them at Christ's Barr to do them any good or stand them in any stead to further their Salvation 5. Temporâ—d good things will do those who injoy them no good in Hell under the everlasting torments there when for want of having gained Eternal good things they suffer the vengeance of Eternal fire Can the greatest Possessors of the world carry any thing thereof with them into Hell to bribe the Flames or corrupt their Tormentor Or will a whole world yea will Ten thousand worlds comfort them through a miserable Eternity What comfort will it be in Hell to remember that they