Church our mother conceaueth vs The seede whereby we are borne againe is the word the nurses to feede weane cherish vs are the Ministers of the Gospell and preaching is the food we must require which will make vs new creatures haue new soules affections members a new heart hand eares eye but if there be no appetite in vs after this we are a Golgotha hauing a name to liue but are dead in sinne and dead in desires vnborne and better vnborne then vntaught Was it miraculous for Elias to liue forty dayes without foode of the body Animas portant mortuas in corporibus viuis Aug. and shall we thinke to liue for euer if wee neglect the food of our soules which should nourish vs to life euerlasting hauing a name to liue but are dead and carry about vs dead soules in liuing bodyes Haue wee hereetofore liued an idle prophane vngodlie life O let vs liue the rest of our time in the flesh no longer to the lusts of men but to the will of God for the time past of our life as the Apostle speaketh may suffice vs to haue walked in the will of the Gentiles vvherein the Apostle allovveth not the former life but reproueth it 1. Pet. 4.3 It is like that more ouer this vvas not enough for them that they erred in the knovvledge of God Non approbat sed reprobat vitam praeteritam Lyra. but vvhereas they liued in the great vvarre of ignorance those so great plagues they called peace and like that O ye house of Israel Wisd 14.22 let it suffice you of all your abominations Ez. 44.6 There is no losse to the losse of time it is folly to expect time while we haue it before vs. Hee that hath life hath time and this runns swifter then a Weauers shuttle Remember how greiuous it will be to thinke vpon the neglect of time as Titus Vespasianus meditated Suction Amici diem perdidi A day mispent is lost It was the lamentable Epitaph of Similis Captaine of the Guarde to the Emperour Adrian after hee had retired himselfe and liued priuatly seauen yeares in the country Xiphilinus in vita Adriani that hee had liued onely seauen yeares Hic iacet Similis cuius aetas Multorum annorum fuit ipse Septem duntaxat annos vixit Let vs consider how long it is since wee were borne and number our yeares not from the time of our old birth but New birth Let vs often consider how our time runnes on let vs remember the day of DOOME the end of this time and begining of immortality to come 2. Esd 7.43 Let vs looke vpon our threefold disease the begining middle end our Natiuity life death Our Natiuity vncleane our life peruerse our death dangerous Let the meditation of the birth of Christ purge our birth Bar in transitu malachiae pessima mors peccatoruÌ„ quorum Natiuitas mala vita peior of his death destroy our death of his life instruct our life Our Natiuity hath bene sinfull let not our life be badde least our death be worse Let vs endeauour to dye the death of Saints by liuing as Gods best seruants then pretious shall our death be in the sight of the Lord as the end of out labours consummation of our victories the gate of life an entrance into glory Let vs get to bee borne againe which is our new Regeneration in Body and Spirit Bar. declamat apol ad GulielmuÌ„ Abbatem We fell together in soule and body but first must rise in soule if we would be raised vp at the last day in bodyes to glory Let vs first esteeme our soules and not as those of the schoole of Hipocrates and Epicurus who neglect the soule and prouide only for the body who feare not to commit sin but to endure shame Let vs know that as farre as the spirit is aboue the flesh God aboue men heauen aboue the earth eternity aboue frailty so farre is the new creation aboue the olde the one is mortall and corruptible the other immortall from heauen a worke of God abiding for euer This bringeth to life the other to death as it followeth the Birth here PARS II And a time to dye There are many reasons why Death is come into the world the disobedience of Gods prohibition Of the fruit of the tree in the middst of the Garden God hath said ye shall not eate least ye dye Gen. 3.3 The Malice of the Deuils temptation Wisd 7.24 through enuie of the Deuill came death into the world the folly of the womans condition she saw that the tree was good for food pleasant to the eyes and a Tree to be desired to make one wise and tooke of the fruit thereof and did eate The mans greedy apprehension and hee did eate ibid. Hence some obserue that mors comes of mordeo because our first Parents did eate of that forbidden fruit A memorable punishment drawing a man from pryde Ecc. 10.9 facile coÌ„temnit omnia qui nouit se moriturum Aug. Hier why is earth and ashes proud from couetousnesse Easily despiseth a man the world when he seeth he must dye from earthly pleasures corruption being the father the worme a mother and sister Iob. 17.16 when man goeth downe to the bowels of the pitte and rest must be in the dust It stirreth vp a man to good to almes to repentance to disposing of his house as appeareth in Hezekiah when he had receaued the message of death hee turned his face to the wall If. 38.14 prayed and mourned as a Doue Now he settleth himselfe by a liuely faith the foundation of saluation a search and confession of his former sinnes in a broken and contrite heart Ps 51.17 by remission of iniuries submitting himselfe to Gods good pleasure vnlading himselfe of ill gotten goods running to obtaine Howsoeuer man hath thought of himselfe before he be summoned to dye and haue bragged with proud Phaeton in the Poet that Apollo were his father yet now he must call to minde that Climene was his mother hee seeth that his strength is not of brasse his matter is not of gold siluer pretious stones but earth that life and death are in the hands of God and haue their date and destiny by him that we are caryed away as Merchants in a shippe whither we stand or sit watch or sleepe Sensim sine sensu â—â—nescimus olde age stealeth on that hee that pâ—â—â—â—seth himselfe a long life doth as he that looketh through a perspectiue conceaue those things great which are very small that Death is a commanding Tyrant and will haue nodenyall Hence is it called Dust If I haue rewarded euill to him that was at peace with me let the enemy lay mine honour in the dust A brooke Ps 7.5.110.7 Ps 8 l. 3. Iob. 3.13 1. Thes 5.2 2 Tim. â— 8 Ios 2â— â—4 he shall drinke of the brooke in the way The graue my life
draweth nigh vnto the graue A sleepe A comming as a theef in the night A time of departure the way of all the earth Of Abell whose sacrifice God accepted as of Cain whose sacrifice God despised of Abraham the Father of the faithfull as well as of the children of vnbeliefe of Izhac the sonne of the free woman as of Ismael the sonne of the bond woman of Iacob whom God loued as of Esau whom he hated of chast Ioseph as of incestuous Ammon of meeke Moyses as rayling Rabshekah of zealous Phinees as the luke-warme Minister of the Church of Laodicea of Dauid a man according to Gods owne heart as Saul from whom God tooke his spirit of Salomon the wise as Nabal the foole of tender hearted Iosiah as hard hearted Pharaoh the humble Publican as the proud Pharisee poore Lazarus to be carryed into Abrahams bosome as the rich glutton to be carryed into hell Iohn the beloued Disciple as Iudas the traitor Simon Peter the Apostle as Simon Magus the Sorcerer The death of Christ hath freed from the second death but not the first He hath altered the vse of the first death but not taken it away it was ordained as a punishment but he hath made it a passage into Heauen and as by life man commeth to bondage so by death his freedome is wrought yet dye he must first be he Natures Paragon he is but a lump of flesh and straight after Birth is due the fatall Beere Death is the Emperour of graues common Inne the punishment tribute Conquerour receptacle of all and as the Sunne where it shineth melteth the hardest ice so where this Centurion commands there must be obedience This place enemie striketh with a bloody dart the wretched Caitiffe and the King alike It sends out a Commission as that voyce to Abraham Exi de terra tua Goe out of thy Country wherein thou wert bred and borne come forth ye soules from those bodyes and though there be but one manner of comming into the world yet are there many thousand wayes of going out of the world Wee are full of holes and breaches One dyeth young another in a good age some when their breasts are full of milke Eriyere vitā nemo non homini petect At nemo mortem mille ad hanc patent aditus Sē trag 3. Ac. 1. Waite we must for our change and patiently expect the execution of that Decree which is so various and manifold that no one mans tongue can possibly describe it Abell was slaine by his brother Abimelechs brains beaten out by a woman throwing a peece of a milstone from a wall Agag washewed in peeces Isay cut a sunder with a woodden sawe Epipha de vitis Prophetarum Amos slaine with a doore barre the Infants of Bethlehem were slaine in their Cradles Eglon in his Parlour Saul in the field Isbosheth in his bed Sennacherib in the Temple Ioab at the very Altar Beares slew the boyes that mocked Elizeus wormes Herod Lyons Daniels accusers Dogges Euripides Extremity of ioy hath killed some as Zeuxes Diagoras Rhodius Sophocles Sorrowe others as old Eli Homer Vrbain the third Fier destroyeth some as the Sodomits Nadab and Abihu Zimri Perillus. Water others as M. Marcellus Laurentius Laurentinianus that great Phisitian Earthquakes Chore Dathan Abiron M. Curtius Hunger destroyed Cleanthes the Philosopher Thirst Thales Milesius Watching M. Attilius Regulus The fall of an house Athenaeus Philippe a young French King called Grossus fell from his horse dead Iezabell being cast out of a windowe dyed Fulgo li. 9 c. 1◠Anacreon the Poet was choaked with the kernel of a raisin Valentinian the Emperour came to his end by strayning himselfe with crying too loud Pli. nat li. 7.7 Hier. op 9 to 9 Fulgo vbi supra Guido Ful. ib. Pli. vt supra Florus lib. 3. c. a 3. Suides Polyd. Virgil. hist Ang. the yolke of an egge stifled Saufeius a fish bone Tarquinius Priscus a peare Drusus Pompeius an haire in his milke Fabius the Senatour a smoake Caetullus the Orator the hot Sunne Chrisostome a crumme of bread Goodwin Earle of Kent A Plurisie killed Charles the Great a Dissenterye Anastasius the second the Cholicke Antiochus Iulius Cesar disputing the night before of the good of suddaine death was the next day by Brutus and Cassius slaine suddainely in the Senate Iohannes Mathesius hauing preached of the raising of the Widdowe of Naimes sonne within 3. houres dyed Luther hauing sate at supper and discoursed diuinely of the ioyes of Heauen about midnight after he slept in the Lord Iouian an Emperour was found dead in his bed Pope Adrian the fourth was choaked with a flye Soz. hist Eccl. 6.6 crimonesis can we forget that dolefull DOLEFVLL EVENSONG of that Popish assembly in the Blacke-Fryers miserably misled to heare a Iesuite Oct. 25.1623 90. or 100. whereof perished while they heard Antichrist exalted I dare not be so vncharitable as from their temporall destruction to collect their eternall confusion But by these we may see no place is priuiledged from the arrest of death Some we see come to their graues by Apoplexies Lethargies dead Palsies some by suddaine blowes some as a wasted candle goe out naturally How many doth that violent FEVER nowe sweep away in our Cittie and in the most parts of the Kingdome an argument of Gods anger against vs as he threatned the disobedient children of Israel Dc. 28.15.22 that if they would not hearken to his voyce to obserue to doe all his Commandements and Statutes the SINNE of ENGLAND he would smite them with a FEVER and with an inflammation and with an extreame BVRNING Our Neighbours visitation sheweth vs Belshazzars embleme vpon our doors and walles that our dayes are counted Vita cito auolat nec potest retineri mors quotidie ingruit nec potest resisti that our life flyeth away daily and cannot be retained and death is continually ready to rush vpon vs and cannot be resisted but as wee haue had a time to be borne so a time to DIE. Let the Egiptians call man a reuerend and admirable creature Mercury a great myracle Pythagoras the measure of all things Plato the wonder of wonders Aristotle a politique creature framed for society Synesius the Horizon of corporeall and incorporeall things Tully a diuine creature full of reason and iudgement Plinie the worlds Epitome and Natures darling yet he is mortall and must yeeld to this heauy colde enemie which sneapeth the brauest blossomes and maketh them fade anon which ere while flourished the longest liuer dyes and DEAD the lowliest creature as the lothsome carion lyes This is it that daunteth all earthly things They were borne to dye If they had a beginning they must haue an end Death is impartiall cutting off good and bad It selfe knowne to all the houre of it vnknowne to any Nothing can resist it No Peeres Princes mortall wight No Townes Realmes Cities Towers All must runne this course
though he had Giges ring to walke without the controlement of any eye to walke vprightly He was often desired not to trouble himselfe so much in his place of Iudicature but to suffer Surrogates to dispatch businesse for him which hee seldome did saying I will do what I may possible by my selfe I and not they must answer if wrong be done And when I shall be vpon my death Bed clamoures will trouble me if any be iniured He laboured to make his House a spectacle of deuout discipline to others Hier de Nepotiano Domus eius erat magistra publicae disciplinae humbling himselfe and his whole family before God with Riligious praiers often three times a day A Method which he learned from holy King Dauid Euening and morning and at noone will I pray and crye aloud and he shall heare my voyce Ps 55.17 Which the Fathers ascribe to the Mysterie of the Passion Resurrection ascention of Christ Aug. Hier. Ruff Bed Remig. Three times a day the Apostles inioyned that the Lords Prayer should be vsed Cle. 7. Constit 25. Mr. hist schol in Daniel c. 9. Three times a day the Iewes prayed the third houre because the Law was then giuen the sixt because the Brazen Serpent was then erected the ninth because then water came out of the Rocke Three times a day the Church of the antient Christians had praiers because at the third houre the holy Ghost was giuen the sixt Christ was crucified the ninth he was pierced through with a speare Dan. 6.9 Three times a day Daniel kneeled vpon his knees and prayd and gaue thankes before his God Three times a day Prayers haue beene enioyned either in honour of the holy blessed glorious three persons of the Trinity or because we should get the practise of the three Theological Vertues Faith Hope Charity or because we should haue a watch ouer three doors the heart mouth action or three Tempters the lust of the Flesh pride of the eyes pride of life or our three great Enemies the Flesh World Deuill or because nothing doth so adorne man in the three parts of his life Childhood Youth Olde age This learned and reuerend Iudge had the sixe Properties required in a Iudge Skill Goodnes Diligence Nuizanus ex Ioh. Pirrho in l. imperia ff de regul iur Barbatus in Capit Quoniam s in alijs Eloquence constancie Prudence Hee had salem scientiae conscientiae conscience to season his knowledge without which the minde of a Iudge is diabolicall and vnsanory Hee was truely Miles Christianus a Christian Knight in whom it is esteemed no lesse greatnes of heart to resist vice then to fight against enemies the goodnes of a Knight consisting not in Pompe and great magnificence Guenara but in the tranquillitie innocencie of a good conscience For he that walloweth in the wealth of Craesus and sleepeth not in the bosome quietnesse of Abraham holdeth no more then if he were Lord of a goodly vessell replenished with corrupt and poisoned liquor To haue rich tapistrie massie plate great horses and other preparations to sportes and pleasures be things rather to get honourable names then to keep Soules in safety My wish is that as the trophees of Miltiades wold not suffer Themistocles to sleep til by the like acts he had purchased to himselfe the like glorious name Val. Max. l. 8. c 15. Plut. so all of that hourable professiō of the Law would looke into this glasse make him a Canon of their Ciuill Christian imitation Vitam caelestem egit in terris Hi◠vita Pauli Eremitae following him as he followed Christ in a heauenly course If I should spend many words more about him I should but strike wounds into their mindes whom I desire to comfort His hearty deuotion to God tender compassion to pouerty affable kindnesse to his friends In illo vno non vnum sed plures amissos requirimus Amb. de excessu Satyr milde affection to his seruants harmelesse behauiour and meaning to all make vs complaine that In his losse alone we haue not lost him alone but in him many a worthy one He liued like a Doue dyed like a Lambe when God stroke him abroad and summoned him to death by sickenesse From Grausende he was perswaded to returne by water where how sweetly did he sing Psalmes as knowing that a Psalme is mirth of the minde trāquility of the soule an Ambassadour of peace a ruler of the affections a procurer of charity reconciler of loue Bas homil in Psal 1. neither is any so troubled in minde and disturbed in thought but if he takes the Psalmes he may be straight appeased Dyon c. 3. de diu nom p. 3. The Psalter is a briefe of all the mysteries of the Bible A Psalme sung with the intention of the heart maketh way for the soule to God Greg bom 1. in Ez. Innoc. 3. proe in Ps 7. poenit Hier. ep 17. Next to the Lords prayer there cannot be better formes of prayer vsed then out of the Psalmes Ierome commended the Plough-men of Bethlehem for singing Psalmes while they followed the Plough In Epitaph Paulae Conc. Nannetense cap. 4. the Lady Paula for singing the Psalms A Counsaile inioyned that the seauen poenitentiall Psalmes which are the 6.32.38.51.102.130.143 should be sung by the Priest at the visiting of the Sicke Christ and his Apostles sung a Hymne after the Sacrament Mat. 26.30 Paul Burge in Marc. 14. the Iewes sung seauen Psalmes after the eating of the Paschall Lambe Baro. Annal. p. 1. Hier. from the 112. to the 119. and one of these it is probable Christ sung Cantator Cygnus funeris ipse sui Martialis and some thinke the 113. though others thinke it were the 21. He sung as a Swan before his death Philo Iud. l. de supplicum virtutibus singing of Psalmes was vsed by the primitiue Christians Vpon his returne to his house he being lodged vpon his bed of sickenesse in a burning feuer the disease of the time which the right hand of the Lord remoue from vs how did he possesse his soule in patience and a humble submission to the hand of God acknowledging Gods great mercies which he had receaued and found nowe continued and herein gratiously that God had chastised him but without extraordinary sensible payne and so had no heauier a burthen vppon him then hee coulde beare He sent for me being his poore Pastour but my occasion of Attendance had called mee abroad yet another Messenger of Gods word came to him He welcomed him with all respect confessed his sinnes his sorrowes his faith prayed earnestly and feruently with sighes and grones and often cryed out Lord IESVS be mercifull vnto me and receaue my soule and so as he had a time to be borne so a time to dye He slept in the Lord Extremity of paines hath chased his soule out of his body and I assure my selfe Angels haue carryed it into the bosome of Abraham Currum conscendit non est iam trepidare ne cadat Bar. in transitu Malachiae He is Now secure where he cannot fall He is in the Quire of the Saints his body is gone to earth his soule to Christ Happy he taken away not to see the continuance of sinnes and consequents of punishments Sanctorummixtus est choris corpus terra suscepit Anima Christo reddita est Foelix qui haec non vidit foelix qui haec non audit Nos miseri attamen viuere volumus Quem corpore non valemus recordatione teneaemus cum quo loqui non possumus de co loqui non esinamus Hier. ad Heliodor Epitaph Nepotiani Ecc. 39.2 Wretched men that we are who desire nothing but life His body wee cannot hold yet let him not be forgotten in our mindes We cannot speake with him Let vs often speak of him how he gaue his minde to the Lawe of the highest sought out the wisdom of the Antient was able to powre out wise Sentences and therefore his Memoriall shall not depart away from vs Blessed is he in his happy change from night to day from darkenesse to light from death to life from sorrowe to solace from a factious world to a Countrye of peace new Ierusalem where our God shall at the last day keepe his great Sessions for eternall peace conscience being the Clarke of that peace an Angell the cryer of peace the MESSIAS the Iudge of peace Saints the Iury for peace Innocent the verdit of peace Come ye Blessed of my Father the Oye of peace Receaue the Kingdome the Sentence of peace Let vs waite for the Redemptiō of the body lift vp our heads after our Home aboue Let vs labour to be found without spot and blamelesse Let vs learne to liue well that we may dye well Let vs lament our losse of our worthies but reioyce for their gaine Let vs comfort our selues in hope of a ioyfull Resurrection through Iesus Christ our Resurrection and life To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost bee ascribed all honour and glory nowe and euermore Amen FINIS
is as the Thiefe when he is pardoned looketh backe to the string that was like to strangle him and knoweth this childe had beene her death had not God giuen her a safe deliuerance in the great danger of child-birth The childe being borne requireth nourishment and the mother should doe this if her breasts be as able bottles and her strength sufficient and no maine let to hinder the nursing of her owne childe yet often vpon a needlesse wantonnesse the mothers send abroad their Infants to strange Nurses and remote places not enduring to embrace little children in their armes which Christ himselfe did hauing beene once a childe and wrapped in swadling cloathes but rather wil embrace a Whelp or Puppy worse then the Sea monsters they draw out the breast La. 4.3 and giue sucke to their young ones yet if this young Gallant bee nursed by his owne mothers paps and tender and onely beloued in her sight Pro. 4.3 as once borne in her womb and euer borne in her heart tender in her eyes because shee is euer tenderly carefull and fearefull of him what is hee borne to but a succession of miserable times if he outliue the birth for he might haue dyed from the wombe and giuen vp the ghost when hee came out of the belly Iob 3.11.12 the knees might haue preuented him and the breasts from sucking What is Infancie but an Apprentiship of seauen yeares infirmity Jsidore reckous 6. ages Infancie Puerility Mans state youth grauity o 'de age Marcius Aurelius Galen maketh but 5. Childhood to 15. yeares Adolescencie to 25. Lusty youth to 35. Mans age to 49. The last olde age wherein there is no vse of expressing almost a reasonable soule Childhood to 10. but an vntoward phantasticall toying shake the rod it is persecution Mans estate to 28. but headie aduenturous voluptuous passionate prodigall Youth to 50. but a season wherein Nature reareth against him a more furious combat and all the vices of the world there plant their siege Grauitie or vnweldinesse to 70 bring all the diseases that euer Christ came to cure Olde age hauing no stint as the other because the remaines of life are referred to this yet the dregges onely and powder of mans life and a continuall necessary expectation of death Thus man neuer continueth constant and scarce is his life a life in his mutable conditions tossed by time which continually runnes on and is irreuocable THIS is our wisedome to apprehend it and not neglect or abuse it All Gods workes haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a time and season and we should make our time seasonable for it is an high part of wisdome to follow opportunity Natures Secretarie the Phisitian looketh at this and euery man sheweth himselfe wise or foolish in this Temperibus medicina valet Data tempore prosunt Et data non apto tempore vina nocent Ou. 1. de remed amor Pitacus best aduise was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 know the season He that is yong in yeares may be old in houres if he loose not time and as fit for iudgement as inuention for counsaile as execution If he remember the times he will not embrace more then he can hold stirre more then he can quiet flie to the end without consideration of the meanes and degrees vse extreame remedies at first be like an vnruly horse that will neither stoppe nor turne Time brings changes and therfore it is good to be wise in time The Antients painted this as an Image on a swift wheele hauing feathers at the foot running swiftly in a round rough at the foretop bald behind when offring it selfe easie to be taken afterward impossible some as a goodly Boy with his haires hanging ouer his eyes Politian in Miscell c. 49. Iohn Tzetzes in historijs Pier. l. 14. pag. 130. Id. l. 56. p. 536 some paint it deafe without eares reaching a sword to him that shall follow it The Egiptians describe it by a Serpent streatching it selfe in length wreaths foulds the long courses of dayes and yeares creeping along without noyse Others by a sithe represent it Id. l. 52. p. 505 Id. l. 44. p. 437 because it moweth reapeth cutteth all things down Others by a Poplar tree hauing leaues of two colours signifying the day and night Others by a Starre for nothing so keepeth the appointed times as the heauenly bodies and so should wee from that globe of examples For our times runne on and slippe away and we cannot hold in the swift post of our dayes Ouid. Tempora labuntur tacitisque senescimus annis Et fugiunt fraeno non remorante dies Time consumeth wit fame youth honour old age strength Nothing liueth here but is subiect to the lawe of time It is the watch of the morning sentinell of the night ruine of proud buildings spoile of antiquities tamer of wilde beasts waster of huge stones with small droppes It maketh an Embrio to become a child a child a man and an old man as it were a child againe The time of birth we see described by the wise man Wosd 7.2.3.4 a fashioning there was of vs to be flesh in the wombes of our mother in the time of tenne moneths and being borne we drew in the common aire and fell vpon the earth which is of like nature the first voice we vttered was crying we then come to be nursed in swadling clothes and that with cares and no King had another beginning of birth Natiuitas mirabilis Ier. 23.5 There is an admirable Natiuity wherein flesh is borne without spot there is his purity as in Christs birth arighteous brāch a child of a Virgin there is the nouelty God of a woman there is humility the highest himselfe shall establish her Is 7.14 Fruit of a Rod there is our commodity vnto vs a child is borne Ps 87.5 borne as an example of humility Is 9.6 testimony of verity figure of loue couenant of reconciliation but our Natiuity is miserable because vile and vncleane what is hee which is borne of a woman that hee should be righteous Miserabilis Iob. 15.14 poenal and inflamed by hell clouded with darkenes and passing as a shadowe Iob. 3.6 In this birth man hath another following making him blind in his birth Ioh. 9.1 vnworthy to teach others weake to doe good Vituperabilis fraile to resist euill we haue had time to be borne and as a man that hath passed ouer a dangerous bridge if hee turne bake quaketh to remember the danger he was in so if we looke backe vpon the danger we escaped till our birth and in it we may say as King Dauid Thou art hee that tooke me out of the wombe but few consider the vse of their birth and so much abuse time Ps 22.9 that better it had bene for them they had neuer bene borne Vse 1 This then iustly reproueth many who mispend
their time in chambering and wantonesse Rom. 13.13 gluttony and drunkenes and vitious games hauing no portion to themselues or posterity in earth neuer thinking of a portion in heauen hauing no conscience for their soules no discretion for their goods Some complaine of the iniquity of the times and no whit mend themselues say not Former times were better thy vertues make good times Hic in Eccls 1. thy vices bad All things are others time onely is our owne yet hasteneth and therefore should not be wasted away as by him who being asked how long he had liued answered Stob. se 9. de Simouide a very little time though many yeares Or as those lewd seruants who hauing a candle allowed them to goe to bed withal spend it in carding dicing or drinking What a curse is it to spend al thy time in vanity and to send thy hoary head to thy graue in ignorance and follie Wilt thou giue Sathan the finest of thy flower and sweetest of thy wine and present the bran and dregges of thy dottage to thy Lord wilt thou lay the heauiest burthen vpon the weakest beast and force old age so feeble that it cannot beare it selfe to beare all the burthen of thy Repentance O take heed for when the strong man is growne stronger by praescription the rotten tabernacle is ready to fall downe custome hath turned infirmity into nature sinne is soaked into substance when thy bones shall be full of the sinnes of thy youth then to repent it will be hard if not impossible Did not wee bring sinne enough with vs into the world to condemne vs we must all confesse as he did Behold I was shapen in inquinity and in sinne did my mother conceaue me words which Dauid vttered Ps 51.5 2. Kin. 18.42 as Eliah when he put his face betweene his knees for so is the child in the wombe Boast not of thy goods Inheritance countenance and blood by thy Parents it is tainted with sin this is the poyson Pineda in Iob. 15.24 Hipoer lib. de natura pueri Wee had Birth from our mothers but withall the reward of sinne death clothes and wrapping from the but withall nakednesse and shame What must be done but as that woman sicke of the bloody issue hauing beene long physicked but ill handled of the Physitians hauing suffered many things of many Physitians and spent all she had and nothing bettered but rather grew worse Mar. 5.26.27 when she heard of Iesus came to be physiked a new of him So we who are thus base borne must take our time to be borne a new This is an Honourable and commendable birth if we respect the causes Natiuitas commendabilis Faith whosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus is the Christ is borne of God Loue 1. Io. 5.1.1 Io. 4.7.1 Io. 3.9 Euery one that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God Righteousnesse whosoeuer is borne of God doth not commit sinne presumptuosly desperatly impenitently It is an honourable birth if wee respect the effects to conquer the world whatsoeuer is borne of God ouercommeth the world 1. 10. 5.4 Ioh. 3.3 to bring to heauen for except a man be borne againe hee cannot see the Kingdome of God This maketh new men new affections giueth another spirit another will a loathing of the world a loue of God It causeth vs not so much to obserue dayes and moneths and times and yeares as to know The TIME that now it is high time to awake out of sleepe Gala. 4.10 Rom. 13.22 for now is our saluation neerer then when we beleeued Sicut nec capillus de oapite sie nec momentu seribis de tempore Bar. This maketh vs good husbands and euer to thinke vpon our reckoning and to consider that as not a haire falleth to the ground without prouidence so neither a moment of our time is vnaccountable How busie was the Deuill aboue a thousand yeares since because he knew he had but a short time Will you plant build buy Reu. 12.22 sell onely for the world and doe nothing for eternity Will you be prodigall of the golden dayes giuen vs to redeeme time and let heauen flie away and hell steale on Bee not lulled a sleepe in ease mirth prosperity as the Dalilah of the world or flesh or Deuill perswade Sathan will come with fearefull arrest and sease vpon thee in sickenesse weakenesse discontent as the Rauen vppon the fainting sheepe and write and vrge and open bitter vnanswerable terrible things against thee O then that men would flie out of the middest of Babylon Reuela 2.22 and deliuer euery man his soule that hee be not cut off in iniquity for there is a TIME of the Lords vengeance Iezebell had her space to repent of her fornication and repented not therefore a bed of tribulation is threatened her Ierusalem not knowing the time of her visitation had their enemies to cast a trench about them compasse them round keepe them in on euery side lay them euen with the ground Luk. 19.44 and their children within them and not to leaue one stone vpon another Am. 5.13 If we see the TIME when the prudent keepe silence because it is an euill time Mic. 2.3 when men worke euill vpon their beds and couet fields and take them by violence because it is an euill time when men dwell in their fieled houses and yet say the time is not come that the Lords house should be built Hagg. 1.2 when being possessed with Deuils and reproued they crie as those did to Iesus Mat. 8.29 what haue we to doe with thee Art thou come hither to torment vs before the time When those perillous times come wherein men are louers of themselues couetous boasters proud 2. Tim. 3.1.2 blasphemers disobedient to Parents vnthankefull vnholy Wherein when for the time men ought to be teachers they haue need that one teach themagain Heb. 5.12 which be the first principles of the Oracle of Gods When the last times bring forth those who walke after their owne vngodly lustes Iude 18.19 separating themselues sensuall hauing not the spirit Let vs pray It is TIME for thee Lord to worke Ps 119.126 for they haue made voyd thy Lawe Job 22 16. He shall cut them downe out of time and ouerflowe their foundation with a floud their false Gods cannot arise and saue them in the time of trouble Jer. 2.27 They shall fall when others fall When they are visited and shall be cast downe Jer. 6.15 They shall be smitten and haue no healing looke for peace and there shall be no good for a time of healing and behold trouble Jer. 14.19 They shall be like a thrashing flower for the Lord seeth it is time to thrash them yet a little while and the time of their haruest shall come An end is come it watcheth for them Ier. 51.33 the time is come the day of trouble is neere