THIS Psalm is upon seve­ral peculiar accompts ve­ry remarkable; for its an­tiquity, in which it per­haps doth not yeild to any parcel of Scripture; for the eminency of its Authour, Moses the Man of God; the greatest of the ancient Prophets (most in favour, and (as it were) [Page 2] most intimate with God:) 'Tis also remarkable for the form and matter thereof, both affording much usefull instruction. In it we have a great Prince, the Governour of a numerous People sequestring his Mind from the management of pub­lick Affairs to private Meditations; from beholding the present outward appearances, to considering the real nature and secret causes of things; In the midst of all the Splendour and Pomp of all the stir and tumult about him he observes the frailty of humane condition, he discerns the Providence of God justly ordering all; this he does not onely in way of wise consideration, but of serious devotion, moulding his observations into pious acknowledgments, and earnest Prayers to God; thus while he casts one eye upon Earth view­ing the occurrences there, lifting [...] the other to Heaven; there seeing God's all governing Hand, thence seeking his gracious Favour and [...]. Thus doth here that great and [Page 3] good Man teach us all, (more par­ticularly men of high Estate, and much Business) to find opportuni­ties of withdrawing their thoughts from those things, which common­ly amuse them (the Cares, the Glories, the Pleasures of this World) and fixing them upon matters more improvable to devotion; the tran­sitoriness of their Condition, and their subjection to God's just Provi­dence; joining also to these Medi­tations sutable acts of Religion, due acknowledgments to God and hum­ble Prayers. This was his practice among the greatest encumbrances that any Man could have; and it should also be ours. Of those his devotions, addressed to God, the Words are part, which I have cho­sen for the subject of my meditati­on and present discourse; concern­ing the meaning of which I shall first touch somewhat; then pro­pound that observable in them, which I design to insist upon.

[Page 4] The Prophet David hath in the 39th Psalm a Prayer very near in words, and of kin (it seems) in sonse to this here; Lord, prays he, Psa. 39. 4. Make me to know my end, and the measure of my days, what it is, that I may know how frail I am: Concer­ning the drift of which place, as well as of this here, it were obvious to conceive, that both these Pro­phets do request of God, that he would discover to them the definite term of their life (which by his decree he had fixed, or however by his universal prescience he did dis­cern; concerning which we have these words in Job, Seeing mais Job 14. 5. days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds, that he cannot pass) we might, I say, at first hear­ing be apt to imagine, that their Prayer unto God is, (for the com­fort of their mind burthened with afflictions, or for their better dire­ction in the management of their remaining time of life) that God [Page 5] would reveal unto them the deter­minate length of their life. But this sense, which the Words seem so naturally to hold forth is by ma­ny of the Fathers rejected; for that the knowledge of our lives determi­nate measure is not a fit matter of Prayer to God; that being a secret reserved by God to himself, which to inquire into savours of presump­tuous curiosity; the universal vali­dity of which reason I will not de­bate; but shall defer so much to their judgment, as to suppose that the numbring of our days (accor­ding to their sense) doth here onely imply a confused indefinite compu­tation of our days number, or the length of our life; such as, upon which it may appear, that necessari­ly our life cannot be long (not ac­cording to the accompt mentioned in this Psalm (the same with that of Solon, in Herodotus) above se­venty or eighty Years, especially as to purposes of health, strength, con­tent) will probably by reason of [Page 6] various accidents, to which it is ex­posed, be much shorter (seven or ten Years according to a moderate esteem) may possibly, from sur­prises undiscoverable, be very near to its period; by few instants re­moved from death (a Year, a Month, a Day, it may be somewhat less.) This I shall allow to be the Arith­metick that Moses here desires to learn; whence it doth follow that teaching (or making to know, so it is in the Hebrew) doth import here (as it doth other-where frequently in Scripture) God's af­fording the Grace to [...]. Plut. ad Apoll. p. 202. Quis est tam stultus, quam­vis sit adolescens, cui sit explo­ratum se vel ad vesperum esse victurum. Cic. de Son. know practically, or with serious regard to consider this state and measure of our life (for in speculation no Man can be ignorant of hu­mane lifes brevity and uncertain­ty; but most Men are so negligent and stupid, as not to regard it suf­ficiently, not to employ this know­ledge to any good purpose.) This [Page 7] Interpretation I chuse, being in it self plausible enough, and counte­nanced by so good authority; yet the former might well enough (by good consequence, if not so imme­diately) serve my design: Or be a ground able to support the discourse I intend to build upon the Words; the subject whereof briefly will be this, that the consideration of our lives certain and necessary brevity and frailty, is a mean proper and apt to dispose us toward the wise conduct of our remaining life; to which purpose such a consideration seems alike available, as the know­ledge of its punctual or definite mea­sure; or more than it; upon the same, or greater reasons.

As for the latter clause, that we may apply our hearts to wisdom; 'tis according to the Hebrew, And we shall bring the heart to wisdom; im­plying, the application of our hearts to wisdom to be consequent upon the skill and practice (bestowed by God) of thus computing our days. [Page 8] As for wisdom, that may denote ei­ther sapience, a habit of knowing what is true; or prudence, a dispo­sition of chusing what is good; we may here understand both, especi­ally the latter; for, as Tully saith of De fin. II. p. 95. Philosophy, Omnis summa Philosophioe ad beate vivendum refertur, The summ or whole of Philosophy re­fers to living happily; so all Divine Wisdom doth respect good practice. The word also comprehends all the consequences and ad­juncts of such wisdom Natura dedit usuram vitae, tanquam pecuniae, nulla praesti­tuta die. Tusc. quaest. I. p. 326. (for so commonly such words are wont by way of metonymie to denote, together with the things primarily signified, all that naturally flow from or that usually are conjoined with them) in brief (to cease from more explain­ing that, which is in it self conspi­cuous enough) I so understand the Text, as if the Prophet had thus ex­pressed himself: Since, O Lord, all things are in thy hand, and Sove­reign disposal; since it appears that [Page 9] Man's life is so short and frail, so vexatious and miserable, so expo­sed to the just effects of thy displea­sure; we humbly beseech thee, so to instruct us by thy Wisdom, so to dispose us by thy grace; that we may effectually know; that we may seriously consider the brevity and uncertainty of our lives durance; whence we may be induced to un­derstand, regard, and chuse those things which good reason dictates best for us; which according to true Wisdom, it most concerns us to know and perform. From which sense of the words we might infer many usefull documents, and draw matter of much wholsome discourse; but passing over all the rest, I shall onely insist upon that one point, which I before intimated, viz. that the serious consideration of the short­ness and frailty of our life is a pro­per instrument conducible to the bringing our hearts to Wisdom, to the making us to discern, attend unto, embrace and prosecute such [Page 10] things as are truly best for us; that it is available to the prudent con­duct and management of our life; the truth of which proposition is grounded upon the divine Prophet his opinion: he apprehended such a knowledge or consideration to be a profitable means of inducing his heart to Wisdom; wherefore he prays God to grant it him in order to that end; supposing that effect would proceed from this cause. And that it is so in way of reasonable in­fluence I shall endeavour to shew by some following reasons.

1. The serious consi­deration 1 John 1. 17. Love not the world; for —the world pas­seth away, and the desire there­of. of our lifes frailty and shortness will confer to our right valuation (or esteem) of things, and consequently to our well-placing, and our duly moderating our cares, affections and endeavours about them. For as we value things, so are we used to affect them, to spend our thoughts upon them, to be ear­nest [Page 11] in pursuance or avoiding of them. There be two sorts of things we converse about, good and bad; the former, according to the degree of their appearance so to us (that is, according to our estimation of them) we naturally love, delight in, desire and pursue; the other likewise in proportion to our opini­on concerning them, we do more or less loath and shun. Our Acti­ons therefore being all thus directed and grounded, to esteem things aright both in Primum est, ut quanti quid­que sit judices; secundum, ut impetum ad illa caplas ordina­tum temperatumque; tertium, ut inter impetum tuum, actio­nemque conveniat, ut in omni­bus istis tibi ipsi consentias. Sen. Epist. 89. kind and degree ( [...], to assign every thing its due price, as Epicte­tus speaks; quanti quid­que sit judicare, to judge what each thing is worth as Seneca,) is in or­der the first, in degree a main part of wisdom; and as so is frequently by wise men commended. Now among qualities that commend or vilifie things unto us, duration and certainty have a chief place; they [Page 12] often alone suffice to render things valuable or contemptible. Why is Gold more precious than Glass or Crystal? why prefer we a Ruby be­fore a Rose, or a Gilly-flower? 'tis not because those are more service­able, more beautifull, more grate­full to our senses than these (it is plainly otherwise) but because these are brittle and fading, those solid and permanent; these we cannot hope to retain the use or pleasure of long; those we may promise our selves to enjoy so long as we please; whence on the other side is it, that we lit­tle fear or shun any thing how pain­full, how offensive so-ever, being assured of its soon passing over, the biting of a flea, or the prick in let­ting bloud? The reason is evident; and that in general nothing can on either hand be considerable (either to value or disesteem) which is of a short continuance. Upon this ground therefore let us tax the things concerning us whe­ther good or bad, relating to this [Page 13] life, or to our future state; and first the good things relating to this life; thence we shall be dis­posed to judge truly concerning them, what their just price is, how much of affection, care and endea­vour they deserve to have expen­ded on them. In general, and in the lump concerning them all St. Paul tells us, that [...], the shape or fashion (all 1 Cor. 7. 31. that is apparent or sensible) in this present world doth flit, and soon give us the go-by: We gaze a-while upon these things, as in transitu, or intra conspectum; as they pass by us, and keep a-while in sight; but they are presently [...], [...]. Gr. Epig. An­thol. gone from us, or we from them. They are but like objects represented in a Glass; which having viewed a-while, we must shortly turn our backs, or shut our eyes upon them, then all vanishes and disappears unto us. Whence he well infers an indifferen­cy of affection toward them; a [Page 14] slackness in the enjoyment of them to be required of us; a using this world, as if we used it not; a buying, as if we were not to possess; a weep­ing, as if we wept not; and a rejoy­cing, as if we rejoyced not; a kind of negligence and unconcernedness a­bout these things. The world (saith 1 John 2. 17. [...], St. John) passeth away, and the desire thereof; what-ever seemeth most lovely and desirable in the World is very flitting; how-ever our desire and our enjoyment thereof must sud­denly cease. Imagine a man there­fore possessed of all worldly goods, arm'd with power, flourishing in credit, flowing with plenty, swim­ming in all delight (such as were sometime Priamus, Polycrates, Croe­sus, Pompey) yet since he is withall supposed a man and mortal; subject both to fortune and death; none of those things can he reasonably con­side, or much satisfy himself in; they may be violently divorced from him by fortune, they must naturally be loosed from him by [Page 15] death; the closest union here cannot last longer than till death us depart; wherefore no man upon such ac­compt can truly call or (if he con­sider well) heartily esteem himself happy; a man cannot hence (as the Eccl. 1. 3, &c. most able judge, and trusty voucher of the commodities doth pronounce) receive profit or content from any la­bour he taketh (upon these transito­ry things) under the sun. Why then (let me inquire) do we so cumber our heads with care, so rack our hearts with passion, so wast our spirits with incessant toil about these transitory things? why do we so highly value, so ardently desire, so eagerly pursue, so fondly delight in, so impatiently want, or lose, so passionately contend for and emulate one another in regard to these bubbles; forseiting and fore­going our homebred most precious goods, tranquillity and repose, ei­ther of mind or body, for them? Why erect we such mighty fabricks of expectation and confidence upon [Page 16] such unsteady sands? Why dress we up these our Inns, as if they were Commorandi natura nobis diversorium dedit, non ha­bitandi locum. Cic. de Sen. 1 Pet. 2. 11. 1. Heb. 13. 11. 11. 15. 1 Chron. 29. 15. Job 14. 1. Psal. 78. 39. Jam. 4. 14. Isa. 64. 6. Psal. 102. 3. 90. 5. 9. 103. 15. 39. 5. 144. 4. 119. 19. Psal. 103. 15. Isa. 40. 6. our homes, and are as carefull about a few nights lodging here, as if we designed an everlasting aboad (we that are but sojourners and pilgrims here, and have no fixed habitation upon earth; who come forth like a flower, and are soon cut down; flee like a shadow, and continue not; are winds passing away, and coming not a­gain; who fade all like a leaf, whose life is a vapour appearing for a little time, and then vanishing away; whose days are a handbreadth, and age as nothing; whose days are consumed like smoak, and years are spent as a tale. Who wither like the grass, upon which we feed; and crumble as the dust, of which we are compacted; for thus the Scripture by apposite compari­sons represents our condition) yet we build (like the Men of Agri­gentum) as if we were to dwell here for ever; and hoard up, as if we were to enjoy after many ages; and inquire, as if we would never [Page 17] have done knowing? The Citizens of Croton (a Town in Italy) had a manner (it is said) of inviting to Feasts a Year before the time, that the Guests in appetite and garb might come well prepared to them; do we not usually resemble them in this ridiculous solicitude and curio­sity; spes inchoando longas, commen­cing designs, driving on projects, which a longer time than our life would not suffice to accomplish? How deeply do we concern our selves in all that is said or done; when the morrow all will be done away and forgotten? when (excep­ting what our duty to God, and cha­rity towards men requires of us, and that which concerns our future eter­nal state) what is done in the World, who gets or loses, which of the spokes in fortune's wheel is up, and which down, is of very little con­sequence to us. But the more to abstract our minds from, and tem­per our affections about these secu­lar matters, let us examine particu­larly [Page 18] by this standard, whether the most valued things in this World deserve that estimate which they bear in the common Market, or which popular opinion assigns them.

1. To begin then with that which takes chief place, which the World most dotes on, which seems most great and eminent among men; secular state and grandeur, might and prowess, honour and reputati­on, favour and applause of men, all the objects of humane pride and ambition; of this kind, St. Peter thus pronounces; [...], 1 Pet. 2. 24. All the glory of the men is as the flower of the grass; the grass is dried up, and the flower thereof doth fall off; 'tis as the flower of the grass, how specious so ever, yet the most fading and failing part thereof; the grass it self will soon wither, and the flower doth commonly fall off before that. We cannot hold this flower of worldly glory beyond our short time of life; and we may easi­ly [Page 19] much sooner be deprived of it: Many tempests of fortune may beat it down, many violent hands may crop it, 'tis apt of its self to fade upon the stalk; how-ever the Sun (the influence of age and time) will assuredly burn and dry it up, with our life that upholds it. Sure­ly Psal. 62. 9. (saith the Psalmist) men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lye: Men of high de­gree; the mighty Princes, the fa­mous Captains, the subtile States­men, the grave Senatours; they who turn and toss about the World at their pleasure; who, (in the Pro­phet's Isa. 14. 17. language) make the Earth tremble, and shake Kingdoms: Even these, they are a lie; (said he, who himself was none of the least consi­derable among them, and by experi­ence well knew their condition, the greatest and most glorious Man of his time King David.) They are a lie; that is, their state presents some­thing of brave and admirable to the eye of Men; but 'tis onely deceptio [Page 20] visus; a shew without a substance; it doth but delude the careless specta­tours with false appearance; it hath nothing under it solid or stable; be­ing laid in the balance (the royal Prophet there subjoins; that is, be­ing weighed in the scales of right judgment, being thoroughly consi­dered) it will prove lighter than va­nity it self; it is less valuable than mere emptiness, and nothing it self; that saying sounds like an hyperbole, but it may be true in a strict sense: Sceing, that the care and pains in maintaining it, the fear and jealousie of losing it, the envy, obloquy and danger that surround it, the snares it hath in it, and temptations incli­ning men to be pufft up with Pride, to be insolent and injurious, to be corrupt with pleasure (with other bad concomitants thereof) do more than countervail what-ever either of imaginary worth or real conveni­ence may be in it. Perhaps could it without much care, trouble and hazard continue for ever, or for a [Page 21] long time, it might be thought some­what considerable; but since its du­ration is uncertain and short; since man in honour abideth not, but is like the beasts that perish; that they who Psal. 82. 6. look so like Gods, and are called so, and are worshipped as so, yet must Psal. 49. 12, &c. die like (like men, yea like sheep shall be laid in the grave;) Since, as 'tis said of the King of Babylon in Esay; their pomp must be brought Isa. 14. 11. down to the grave, and the noise of their viols; the worm shall be spread under them, and the worm shall co­ver them; seeing that a moment of time shall extinguish all their lustre, and still all that tumult about them; that they must be disrobed of their Purple, and be cloathed with Cor­ruption; that their so spatious and splendid Palaces must soon be ex­changed for close darksome Cof­fins; that both their own breath, and the breath of them who now applaud them must be stopped; that they who now bow to them, may presently trample on them; and [Page 22] they who to day trembled at their presence, may the morrow scorn­fully insult upon their memory: Is this the man (will they say, as they Isa. 14. 16. did of that great King) who made the Earth to tremble; that did shake Kingdoms; that made the World as a Wilderness; and destroyed the King­doms thereof? Since this is the fate of the greatest, and most glorious among Men, what reason can there be to admire their condition; to prize such vain and short-liv'd pre­eminences? For who can accompt it a great happiness to be styled and respected as a Prince, to enjoy all the Powers and Prerogatives of highest dignity for a day, or two; then being obliged to descend into a sordid and despicable Estate? Who values the fortune of him that is brought forth upon the Stage to act the Part of a Prince; though he be attired there, and attended as such; hath all the garb and ceremony, the ensigns and appurtenances of Majesty about him; speaks and behaves him­self [Page 23] imperiously; is flattered and wor­shipped accordingly; yet, who in his heart doth adore this Idol; doth admire this mockery of greatness? Why not? because after an hour or two the Play is over, and this Man's reign is done. And what great dif­ference is there between this and the greatest worldly state? between Alexander in the History, and A­lexander on the Stage? Are not (in the Psalmist's accompt) all our Psal. 90. years spent as a tale that is told; or, as a Fable, that is acted? This in comparison of that, what is it at most, but telling the same story, acting the same Part a few times over? What are a few years more than a few hours repeated not very often? not so often as to make any considerable difference; so a great Emperour reflected: [...]; what (said he) Anton. IV. 50. doth the age of an infant, dying with­in three days, differ from that of Ne­stor, who lived three ages of men; since both shall be past, and ended; both Sen. Ep. 99. 24. [Page 24] then meet, and thereby become e­qual; since considering the immense time that runs on, and how little a part thereof any of us takes up (ju­venes & senes in oequo sumus) we are all alike young and old; as a drop and a Pint bottle in compare to the Ocean are in a sort e­qual, that is, both al­together Mihi ne diuturnum quidem quidquam videtur. in quo est a­liquid extremum, &c. Cic. de Senect. inconsidera­ble. Quid enim diu est, ubi sinis est? saith St. Austine: what can be long that shall be ended; which coming to that pass is as if it never had been? Since then upon this ac­compt (upon worldly accompts, I speak all this; and excepting that Dignity and Power may be Talents bestowed by God, or advantages to serve God, and promote the good of Men; excepting also the relation Persons justly instated in them bear to God as his Deputies and Ministers; in which respects much reverence is due to their Persons, much va­lue to their Places; even the more, by how much less their present out­ward [Page 25] Estate is considerable, and be­cause at present they receive so slen­der a reward for all their cares and pains employ'd in the discharge of their Offices; this I enterpose to prevent mistakes, lest our discourse should seem to disparage, or detract from the reverence due to Persons in eminent Place. But since, under this caution) all worldly Power and Glory appear so little valuable, the consideration hereof may avail to moderate our affections about them; to quell all ambitious desires of them, and all vain complacencies in them. For why should we so eagerly seek and pursue such empty shadows, which if we catch, we in effect catch nothing; and whatever it is, doth presently slip out of our hands? Why do we please our selves in such evanid dreams? is it not much better to rest quiet and con­tent in any station wherein God hath placed us, than to trouble our selves and others in climbing higher to a Precipice, where we can hard­ly [Page 26] stand upright, and whence we shall certainly tumble down into the grave? This consideration is also a remedy, proper to remove all re­gret and envy grounded upon such regards. For why, though suppose Men of small worth, or vertue should flourish in Honour and Power, shall we repine thereat? Is it not as if one should envy to a Butterfly, its Psal. 90. 6. gaudy Wings; to a Tulip its beau­tifull colours, to the Grass its plea­sant verdure; that Grass, to which in this Psalm we are compared; which in the morning flourisheth, and groweth up, in the evening is cut down and withereth? I may say of this discourse with the Philosopher, Ant. IV. § 50. [...], 'tis a homely remedy (there may be divers better ones) yet hath its efficacy; for David himself made use thereof more than once: Be not, Psal. 49. 16. 73. 17. [...] 1. saith he, afraid (or troubled) when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is encreased; for when he dieth he shall carry nothing away, his [Page 27] glory shall not descend with him. I was (saith he again) envious at Prov. 23. 17. the foolish, when I saw the prosperi­ty of the wicked; but I went into the sanctuary, then understood I their end; surely thou didst set them in slippery places—how are they brought into desolation as in a moment: Thus considering the lubricity and transi­toriness of that Prosperity, which foolish and wicked Men enjoyed, did serve to cure that envious di­stemper, which began to affect the good man's Heart.

2. But let us descend from Dig­nity and Power (that is from names and shews) to somewhat seeming more real and substantial; to Riches; that great and general Idol, the most devoutly adored that ever any hath been in the World; which hath a Temple almost in every House, an Altar in every Heart; to the gaining of which most of the thoughts, most of the labours of Men immediately tend; in the Possession of which Men [Page 28] commonly deem the greatest Hap­piness doth consist. But this con­sideration we discourse about, will easily discover, that even this, as all other Idols, is nothing in the 1 Cor. 8. 4. World, nothing true and solid; Will (I say) justify that advice and ve­rifie that assertion of the Wise-man: Prov. 23. 5. Labour not for riches, wilt thou set thy heart upon that which is not? it well applied will pluck down the high Places reared to this great Idol of Clay in Men's Hearts; will confute the common Conceits and Phrases, which so beautifie Wealth; shewing that whoever dotes there­on is more truly and properly sty­led a miserable Man, than a happy, or blessed one: For is he not in­deed miserable, who makes lies his [...], E [...]atus, &c. pro divite. Hab. 2. 9. refuge, who consides in that which will deceive and disappoint him? The Prophet assures us so: Woe (saith the Prophet Habbakuk) woe be to him, who coveteth an evil co­vetousness to his house; that he may set his nest on high, that he [Page 29] may be delivered from the power of evil: Men (he implies) imagine by getting Riches, they have se­cured and raised themselves above the reach of all mischief? But ye see it was in the Prophet's judge­ment a wofull mistake. St. Paul 1 Tim. 6. 19. doth warn Men (very emphati­cally) not to hope [...], in the uncertainty (or obscu­rity) of riches; intimating, that to trust in them, is to trust in dark­ness it self; in that wherein we can discern nothing; in we know not what. They are, we cannot but observe, subject to an infinity of chances, many of them obvious and notorious; more of them secret and unaccomptable: They make (the Wise-man tells us) themselves wings Prov. 23. 5. (they need it seems no help for that) and fly away like as an eagle toward heaven (quite out of sight, and beyond our reach they of their own accord do swiftly fly away) however, should they be disposed to stay with us, we must fly from [Page 30] them; were they inseparably affix­ed to this life, yet must they toge­ther with that be severed from us; as we came naked of them into this World, so naked shall we return; As he came, saith the Preacher, s [...] Job 1. 21. 27. 19. 1 Tim. 6. 7. Eccl. 5. 21. shall he go; and what profit (then) hath he that laboureth for the wind? From hence, that we must so soon part with riches, he infers them to be but wind; a thing not any-wise to be fixed or setled; which 'tis vain to think we can appropriate, or re­tain; and vain therefore greedily to covet or pursue: So the Psalmist also reasons it: Surely, every man (saith he) walketh in a vain shew; Psal. 39. 6. surely they are disquieted in vain; he heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them. Men, in his accompt, that troubled themselves in accumulating Wealth, did but idly delude themselves, fansying to receive content from such things, which they must themselves soon be separated from; and leave at uncertainties, to be disposed of they [Page 31] now not how: That which in his wise Son's esteem was sufficient to make a man hate all his labour under [...]he Sun: Because, saith he, I shall Eccl. 2. 18. [...]eave it to the man that shall be after [...]e, and who knoweth, whether he shall [...]e a wise man or a fool? yet he shall [...]ave rule over all my labour, wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed my self wise under the Sun: All, it seems, that we [...]re so wise, and so in­dustrious In his elaborant, quae sciunt nihil omnino ad se pertinere; serunt arbores, quae alteri seculo prosint. Cic. de Senect. about; that we so beat our heads about, and spend our spirits upon, [...]s at most but gaudium hoeredis; the joy of an heir, and that an un­certain one (for your Son, your Kinsman, your Friend may for all you can know die before you, or soon after you) 'tis but a being at great pains and charges in tilling the Land, and sowing and dressing it; whence we are sure not to reap any benefit to our selves, and cannot know who shall do it.

[Page 32] The rich man (St. James tells us) Jam. 1. 11. as the flower of the grass shall he pass away; for the Sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion therof perisheth; So also shall the rich man fade in his ways; all the comfort (we see by the Apostles discourse) and the convenience, all the grace and ornament that riches are supposed to yeild will certainly wither and decay, either before, or with us; whenever the Sun (that is, either some extream mis­chance in life, or the certain desti­ny of death) doth arise, and make impression on them. But our Savi­our hath best set out the nature and condition of these things in that Pa­rable concerning the man, who ha­ving Luke 12. 20. had a plentifull crop of Corn, and having projected for the dispo­sal of it, resolved then to bless him­self, and entertain his mind with plea­sing discourses, that having, in readi­ness and security, so copious accom­modations, [Page 33] he might now enjoy himself with full satisfaction and de­light; not considering, that though his Barns were full, his Life was not sure; that God's Pleasure might soon interrupt his Pass-time; that the fearfull sentence might presently be pronounced: Thou fool, this night thy life shall be required of thee, and what thou hast prepared, to whom shall it fall? Euripides calls riches [...], a thing which much endears life; or makes men greatly love it; but they do not at all en­able to keep it: There is no [...], [...] no price, or ransome equivalent to life; all that a man hath, he would give to redeem it, but it is a Purchase too dear for all the riches in the World to compass; so the Psalmist tells us, They that trust Psal. 49. in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransome for him; for the redemption of their soul is precious: They cannot re­deem [Page 34] their Brother's soul, or life; nor therefore their own; for all souls are of the same value, all greatly surpass the price of gold and silver. Life was not given us for perpetui­ty, Luke 12 20. but lent, or deposited with us; And without delay or evasion it must be resigned into the hand of its just Owner, when he shall please to demand it; and although righ­teousness may, yet riches (as the Wiseman tells us) cannot deliver Prov. 11. 4. from death, nor at all profit us in the day of wrath. Could we probably retain our Possessions for ever in our hands; nay, could we certain­ly foresee some considerable long definite time, in which we might enjoy our stores, it were perhaps somewhat excusable to scrape and hoard, it might look like rational Providence, it might yield some va­luable satisfaction; but since, Rape, congere, aufer, posside, statim relin­quendum est; since, as Solomon tells Prov. 27. 24. us, Riches are not for ever, nor doth the crown endure to every generation; [Page 35] yea, since they must be left very soon, nor is there any certainty of keeping them any time; that one day may consume them; one night may dispossess us of them, and our life together with them; there can be no reason why we should be so­licitous about them; no accompt given of our setting so high a rate upon them. For who would much regard the having custody of a rich treasure for a day or two, then to be stripped of all, and left bare? To be to day invested in large do­mains, and to morrow to be dis­possess'd of them? No Man surely would be so fond, as much to affect the condition. Yet this is our case; whatever we call ours, we are but guardians thereof for a few days. Sen. Ep. 98. This consideration therefore may serve to repress, or moderate in us all covetous desires, proud conceits, vain confidences and satisfactions in respect to worldly Wealth, to in­duce us (in Job's language) not to Job 31. 24. make gold our hope, nor to say to the [Page 36] fine gold, thou art my confidence; not to rejoyce because our wealth is great, and because our hand hath gotten much; to extirpate from our hearts that root of all evil, the love of Money. For if, as the Preacher thought, the greatest pleasure or benefit accruing from them, is but looking upon them for a while, (what good, saith he, is there to the Eccl. 5. 11. owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?) if a little will, nay must suffice our natural appetites, and our present necessi­ties; if more than needs, is but (as the Scripture teaches us) a trouble Eccl. 5. 12. 1 Tim. 6. 9. disquieting our minds with care; a dangerous snare, drawing us into mischief and sorrow; if this, I say, be their present quality; and were it better, yet could it last for any certain, or any long continuance, is it not evidently better to enjoy that pittance God hath allotted us with Simplici cura constant neces­saria, in deli­cias laboratur. Sen Ep 89. Matth. 6. ease and contentation of mind; or if we want a necessary supply, to employ onely a moderate diligence [Page 37] in getting thereof by the fairest Heb. 13. 15. 1 Tim. 6. 8. Psal. 55. 26. means, which with God's blessing promised thereto, will never fail to procure a competence, and with this to rest content; than with those in Amos, to pant after the dust of the Amos 2. 6. Hab. 2. 6. earth; to lade our selves with thick clay; to thirst insatiably after flouds of gold, to heap up mountains of treasure, to extend unmeasurably our possessions, (joining house to Isa. 5. 8. house, and laying field to field, till there be no place, that we may be placed alone in the midst of the earth; as the Prophet Esay doth excellent­ly describe the covetous Man's hu­mour) than, I say, thus incessantly to toil for the maintenance of this frail body, this flitting breath of ours? If Divine Bounty hath free­ly imparted a plentifull estate upon us, we should indeed bless God for it; making our selves friends there­by Luke 16. 9. (as our Saviour advises us) em­ploying it to God's Praise and Ser­vice; to the relief and comfort of our Brethren that need; but to seek [Page 38] it earnestly, to set our heart upon it, to relye thereon; to be greatly pleased or elevated in mind thereby, as it argues much infidelity and pro­faneness of heart, so it signifies much inconsiderateness and folly, the ig­norance of its nature, the forgetful­ness of our own condition, upon the grounds discoursed upon.

3. Now, in the next place; for Pleasure, that great Witch, which so enchants the World, and which by its mischievous Baits so allures Man­kind into sin and misery; although this consideration be not altogether necessary to disparage it (its own nature sufficing to that; for it is more transitory than the shortest life, it dyes in the very enjoyment) yet it may conduce to our wise and good practice in respect thereto, by tempering the sweetness thereof, yea souring its relish to us; minding us of its insufficiency and unservice­ableness to the felicity of a mortal creature; yea, its extreamly dange­rous consequences to a soul, that [Page 39] must survive the short enjoyment thereof. Some persons indeed, igno­rant or incredulous of a future e­state; presuming of no sense remain­ing after death, nor regarding any accompt to be rendred of this life's actions, have encouraged themselves, and others in the free enjoyment of present sensualities, upon the score of our life's shortness and uncer­tainty; inculcating such Maxims as these:

Let us eat and drink, for to morrow we shall dye; 1 Cor. 15. 32.because our life is short, let us make the most advantageous use thereof we can; because death is uncertain, let us prevent its surpri­sal, and be beforehand with it, en­joying somewhat, before it snatches all from us. The Authour of Wise­dom observeth, and thus represents these Mens discourse: Our life is Sap. 2. 1, &c. [Page 40] short and tedious; and in the death of a man there is no remedy; neither was there any man known to have re­turned from the grave:—Come on, therefore let us enjoy the good things that are present; let us speedily use the creatures like as in youth; let us fill our selves with costly wine and ointments; and let no flower of the spring pass by us; let us crown our selves with rose-buds before they be withered; let none of us go without his part of voluptuousness—for this is our portion, and our lot is this. Thus, and no wonder, have some men conceiving themselves beasts, resol­ved to live as such; renouncing all sober care becoming men, and drowning their reason in brutish sensualities; yet no question, the very same reflexion, that this life would soon pass away, and that death might speedily attack them, did not a little quash their mirth, and damp their pleasure. To think, that this perhaps might be the last Banquet they should taste of; that [Page 41] they should themselves shortly be­come the feast of Worms and Ser­pents; could not but somewhat spoil the gust of their highest deli­cacies, and disturb the sport of their loudest jovialties; but, in Job's ex­pression, make the meat in their bow­els Job 20. 14. to turn, and be as the gall of Asps within them. Those customary en­joyments did so enamour them of sensual delight, that they could not without pungent regret imagine a necessity of soon for ever parting with them; and so their very Plea­sure was by this thought made dis­tastfull and embittered to them. So did the Wiseman observe: O death, how bitter is the remembrance of thee to a man that liveth at rest in his pos­sessions; unto the man that hath no­thing to vex him; and that hath pro­sperity in all things; Yea (adds he) un­to him that is yet able to receive meat: Ecclus 41. 1. And how bitter then must the re­membrance thereof be to him, who walloweth in all kind of corporal sa­tisfaction and delight; that placeth [Page 42] all his happiness in sensual enjoy­ment? However, as to us, who are better instructed and affected; who know and believe a future state; the consideration, that the time of enjoying these delights will soon be over; that this World's jollity is but like the crackling of thorns under a pot (which yields a brisk sound, Eccles. 7. 6. and a chearfull blaze, but heats little, and instantly passes away) that they leave no good fruits behind them, but do onely corrupt and enervate our minds; war against, and hurt our souls; tempt us to sin, and in­volve us in guilt; that therefore So­lomon was surely in the right, when he said of laughter, that it is mad, Eccl. 2 2. and of mirth, what doth it? (that is, that the highest of these delights are very irrational impertinences) and of intemperance; that, at the last, it biteth like a Serpent, and Prov. 23 32. stingeth like an Adder; with us, I say, who reflect thus, that ( [...]) enjoy­ment of sinfull pleasure for a season Heb. 11. 25. [Page 43] cannot obtain much esteem and love; but will rather, I hope, be despi­sed and abhorred by us. I will add onely

4. Concerning secular Wisedom and Knowledge; the which Men do also [...]. Arist. Eth. X 7. commonly with great earnestness and ambi­tion seek after, as the most specious ornament, and pure content of their mind; this consideration doth also detect the just value thereof; so as to allay intemperate ardour to­ward it, pride and conceitedness up­on the having, or seeming to have it, envy and emulation about it. For, imagine, if you please, a Man accomplished with all varieties of learning commendable, able to re­compt all the stories that have been ever written (or the deeds acted) since the World's beginning; to under­stand, or with the most delightfull fluency and elegancy to speak all the languages that have at any time been in use among the sons of men; [Page 44] skilfull in twisting and untwisting all kinds of subtilties; versed in all sorts of natural experiments, and ready to assign plausible conjectures about the causes of them; studied in all Books whatever, and in all Monuments of Antiquity; deeply knowing in all the mysteries of art, or science, or policy, such as have e­ver been devised by humane wit, or study or observation; yet all this, such is the pity, he must be forced presently to abandon; all the use he could make of all his notions, the pleasure he might find in them, the reputation accruing to him from them must at that fatal minute va­nish; his breath goeth forth, he re­turneth to his earth, in that very day Psal. 46. 4. Eccl. 9. 10. his thoughts perish. There is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wise­dom in the grave, whither he goeth. 'Tis seen (saith the Psalmist, seen indeed every day, and observed by Psal. 49 10. Eccl. 2. 14, 15, &c. all) that wise men dye, likewise the fool and brutish person perisheth; one event happeneth to them both; there [Page 45] is no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; (both dye alike, both alike are sorgotten) as the wisest man himself, did (not without some distast) observe and complain. All our subtile conceits, and nice criticisms; all our fine in­ventions and goodly speculations shall be swallowed up either in the utter darkness, or in the clearer light of the future state. One Po­tion of that Lethean cup (which we must all take down upon our entrance into that land of forgetfulness) will Psal. 88. 12. probably drown the [...]. Cato Sen. apud Plut. pag. 641. memory, deface the shape of all those Ide­a's, with which we have here stuffed our minds; however they are not like to be of use to us in that new, so different, state; where none of our languages are spoken; none of our experience will suit; where all things have quite another face unknown, unthought of by us. Where Ari­stotle, [Page 46] and Varro shall appear mere Idiots; Demosthenes and Cicero shall become very insants; the wisest and eloquentest Greeks will prove senseless and dumb Barbarians; where all our Authours shall have no authority; where we must all go fresh to school again; must un­learn perhaps, what in these misty regions we thought our selves best to know; and begin to learn, what we not once ever dream'd of; Doth therefore, I pray you, so transitory and fruitless a good (for it self I mean and excepting our duty to God, or the reasonable diligence we are bound to use in our calling) de­serve such anxious desire, or so rest­less toil; so carefull attention of mind, or assiduous pain of body a­bout it? Doth it become us to con­tend, or emulate so much about it? Above all do we not most unreaso­nably, and against the nature of the thing it self we pretend to (that is, ignorantly and foolishly) if we are proud and conceited, much value [Page 47] our selves or contemn others, in re­spect thereto? Solomon the most ex­perienc'd in this matter, and best a­ble to judge thereof (He that gave his heart to seek and search out by wisedom concerning all things that had been done under Heaven, and this with extream success; even he) passeth the same sentence of vanity, vexation and unprofitableness, upon this, as upon all other subcelestial things. True, he commends wise­dom as an excellent and usefull thing comparatively; exceeding folly, so [...]. Eccl. 2. 15. far as light exceedeth darkness; But since light it self is not permanent, but must give way to darkness, the difference soon vanished; and his o­pinion thereos abated; considering, that as it happened to the fool, so it happened to him, he breaks into that expostulation: And why then was I more wise? to what purpose was such a distinction made, that signi­fied in effect so little? And indeed the Testimony of this great perso­nage may serve for a good Epilogue [Page 48] to all this discourse, discovering sufficiently the slender worth of all earthly things: Seeing he, that had given himself industriously to expe­riment the worth of all things here below, to sound the depth of their utmost perfection and use; who had all the advantages imaginable of performing it: Who flourished in the greatest magnificences of worldly pomp and power; who en­joyed an incredible affluence of all riches; who tasted all varieties of most exquisite pleasure; whose heart was (by God's special gift, and by his own industrious care) enlarged with all kind of knowledge (fur­nished with notions many as the 1 Kings 4. 29. sand upon the sea shore) above all that were before him; who had possessed and enjoyed all that fancy could conceive, or heart could wish, and had arrived to the top of secular Happiness; Yet even He with pa­thetical reiteration pronounces all to be vanity and vexation of spirit; al­together unprofitable and unsatisfa­ctory [Page 49] to the mind of Man. And so therefore we may justly conclude them to be; so finishing the first grand advantage this present consi­deration affordeth us in order to that wisedom, to which we should apply our hearts.

I should proceed to gather other good fruits, which it is apt to pro­duce and contribute to the same purpose; but since my thoughts have taken so large scope upon that former head, so that I have already too much, I fear, exer­cised your patience, I shall onely mention the rest. As this consi­deration doth, as we have seen, First, dispose us rightly to value these temporal goods, and moderate our affections about them; so it doth, Secondly, in like manner, con­duce to the right estimation of tem­poral evils; and thereby to the well tempering our passions, in the re­sentment of them; to the beget­ting of patience and contentedness in our minds. Also, Thirdly, it may [Page 50] help us to value, and excite us to regard those things (good or evil) which relate to our future state; being the things onely of a perma­nent nature, and of an everlasting consequence to us. Fourthly, It will engage us to husband carefully and well employ this short time of our present life: Not to defer or pro­crastinate our endeavours to live well; not to be lazy and loitering in the dispatch of our onely consi­derable business, relating to eterni­ty; to embrace all opportunities, and improve all means; and fol­low the best compendiums of good practice leading to eternal bliss. Fifth­ly, It will be apt to confer much toward the begetting and preserving sincerity in our thoughts, words and actions; causing us to decline all ob­lique designs upon present mean in­terests, or base regards to the opini­ons or affections of men: bearing single respects to our conscience and duty in our actions; Teaching us to speak as we mean; and be what [Page 51] we would seem; to be in our hearts and in our closets, what we appear in our outward expressions and con­versations with Men; For conside­ring, that within a very short time all the thoughts of our hearts shall be disclosed; and all the actions of our lives exposed to publick view (be­ing strictly to be examined at the great bar of divine judgment before Angels and Men) we cannot but perceive it to be the greatest folly in the World, for this short present time to disguise our selves; to con­ceal our intentions, or smother our actions. What hath occurred (upon these important subjects) to my me­ditation, I must at present, in regard to your patience, omit. I shall close all with that good Collect of our Church.

Almighty God, give us grace, that we may cast away the works of dark­ness, and put upon us the armour of light now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jesus Christ [Page 52] came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious Majesty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal, through him, who liveth and reigneth with thee, and the Holy Ghost; now and ever.

Amen.

IN discoursing formerly upon Job 14. 14. All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come. these words (expounded accord­ing to the most common and passa­ble interpretation) that which I chiefly observed was this: That the serious consideration of the short­ness and frailty of our life is a fit mean or rational instrument subser­vient to the bringing our hearts to [Page 54] wisedom; that is, to the making us discern, attend unto, embrace and prosecute such things as, according to the dictates of right reason, are truly best for us.

I. The truth of which observa­tion I largely declared from hence, that the said consideration disposeth us to judge rightly about those goods (which ordinarily court and tempt us, viz. worldly glory and honour; riches, pleasure, knowledge; to which I might have added wit, strength and beauty) what their just worth and value is; and con­sequently to moderate our affecti­ons, our cares, our endeavours a­bout them; for that if all those goods be uncertain and transitory, there can be no great reason to prize them much, or to affect them ve­hemently, or to spend much care and pain about them.

II. I shall next in the same scales weigh our temporal evils; and say, [Page 55] that also, The consideration of our lives brevity and frailty doth avail to the passing a true judgment of, and consequently to the governing our passions, and ordering our behaviour in respect to all those temporal evils, which either according to the Law of our nature, or the fortuitous course of things, or the particular dispensation of providence do befall us. Upon the declaration of which point I need not insist much, since what was before discoursed concern­ing the opposite goods doth plainly enough infer it; more immediate­ly indeed in regard to the mala damni, or privationis, (the evils, which consist onely in the want, or loss of temporal goods) but suf­ficiently also by a manifest parity of reason in respect to the mala sensus, the real pains, crosses and in­conveniences, that assail us in this life. For if worldly glory do hence appear to be no more than a transi­ent blaze, a fading shew, a hollow sound, a piece of theatrical pagean­try, [Page 56] the want thereof cannot be ve­ry considerable to us. Obscurity of condition (living in a valley be­neath that dangerous height, and deceitfull lustre) cannot in reason be deemed a very sad or pitifull thing; which should displease, or discompose us; if we may thence learn that abundant wealth is rather a needless clog, or a perillous snare, than any great convenience to us; we cannot well esteem to be poor a great inselicity, or to undergo losses a grievous calamity; but rather a be­nefit to be free from the distractions that attend it; to have little to keep for others, little to care for our selves. If these present pleasures be discern­ed hence to be onely wild fugitive dreams; out of which being soon roused we shall onely find bitter re­grets to abide; why should not the wanting opportunities of enjoying them be rather accompted a happy advantage, than any part of misery to us? If it seem, that the greatest persection of curious knowledge (of [Page 57] what use or ornament soever) after it is hardly purchased, must soon be parted with; to be simple or igno­rant will be no great matter of lamen­tation; as those will appear no solid goods, so these consequently must be onely umbroe malorum, phantasms, Sen. Ep. 89. or shadows of evil, rather than tru­ly or substantially so; (evils created by fancy and subsisting thereby; which reason should, and time will surely remove.) That in being im­patient or disconsolate for them, we are but like children, that fret and wail for the want of petty toys. And for the more real or positive e­vils, such as violently assault nature, whole impressions no reason can so withstand, as to distinguish all dis­tast or afflictive sense of them; yet this consideration will aid to abate and asswage them; affording a cer­tain hope and prospect of approach­ing redress. It is often seen at Sea, that Men (from unacquaintance with such agitations, or from brackish steams arising from the salt Water) are [Page 58] heartily sick, and discover them­selves to be so by apparently grie­vous symptoms; yet no man hard­ly there doth mind or pity them, because the malady is not supposed dangerous, and within a while will probably of it self pass over; or that however, the remedy is not far off; the sight of Land, a tast of the fresh Air will relieve them: 'Tis near our Case: We passing over this troublesome Sea of life: from unexperience, joined with the ten­derness of our constitution, we can­not well endure the changes and crosses of fortune; to be tossed up and down; to suck in the sharp va­pours of penury, disgrace, sickness, and the like, doth beget a qualm in our stomachs; make us nauseate all things, and appear sorely distemper­ed; yet is not our condition so dis­mal, as it seems; we may grow har­dier, and wear out our sense of af­fliction; however, the Land is not far off, and by disembarking hence, we shall suddenly be discharged of [Page 59] all our molestations. [...]. 'Tis a common solace of grief, approved by [...]. Ant. VII. Sect. 33. wise men, si gravis, bre­vis est; si longus, levis; Summi doloris intentio inve­nit finem: nemo potest valde do­lere, & diu: sic nos amantissi­ma nostri natura disposuit, ut dolorem aut tolerabilem, aut bre­vem faceret. Sen. Ep. 24. if it be very grievous and acute, it cannot continue long, without intermission or respit; if it abide long, it is sup­portable; Dolore perculsi mortem implo­ramus, eamque unam, ut mise­riarum malorumque terminum, exoptamus. Cic. cons. intolerable pain is like lightening, it destroys us, or is it Moriar? hoc dicis; desinam aegrotare posse, &c. Sen. self instantly destroy­ed. However, death at length (which never is far off) will free us; be we never so much tossed with storms of misfortune, that is a sure haven; be we persecuted with never so many enemies, that is a safe refuge; let what pains or disea­ses soever infest us, that is an assu­red Anodynon, and infallible remedy for them all; however we be wea­ried with the labours of the day, the night will come and ease us; the grave will become a bed of rest unto [Page 60] us. Shall I dye? I shall then cease to be sick; I shall be exempted from disgrace; I shall be enlarged from prison; I shall be no more pinched with want; no more tormented with pain. Death is a Winter, that as it withers the Rose and Lily, so it kills the Nettle and Thistle; as it stifles all worldly joy and pleasure, so it suppresses all care and grief; as it hushes the voice of mirth and me­lody, so it stills the clamours, and the sighs of misery; as it defaces all the World's glory, so it covers all disgrace, wipes off all tears, si­lences all complaint, buries all dis­quiet and discontent. King Philip of Macedon once threatned the Spar­tans to vex them sorely, and bring them into great straits; but, answe­red they, can he hinder us from dy­ing; [...]. Eripere vitam [...] homi­ni potest; At nemo [...]. Sen. Trag. that indeed is a way of eva­ding, which no enemy can obstruct, no Tyrant can debar Men from; they who can deprive of life, and its conveniences, cannot take away death from them. There is a place, [Page 61] Job tells us, where the wicked cease Job 3. 17. from troubling, and where the weary be at rest; where the prisoners rest to­gether; they hear not the voice of the oppressour; the small and great are there; and the servant is free from his Master. 'Tis therefore but hold­ing [...]. Plut. ad Apol. p. 195. out a while, and a deliverance from the worst this World can mo­lest us with, shall of its own accord arrive unto us; in the mean time 'tis better that we at present owe the be­nefit of our comfort to reason, than afterward to time; by rational con­sideration to work patience and con­tentment in our selves; and to use the shortness of our life as an argu­ment to sustain us in our assliction, than to find the end thereof onely a natural and necessary means of our rescue from it. The contemplation Omnia brevia tolerabilia esse debent, etiamse magna. Cic. Lael. ad fin. of this cannot fail to yield some­thing of courage and solace to us in the greatest pressures; these tran­sient, and short-liv'd evils, if we con­sider them as so, cannot appear such horrid bugbears, as much to affright [Page 62] or dismay us; if we remember how short they are, we cannot esteem them so great, or so intolerable. There be, I must confess, divers more noble considerations, proper and available to cure discontent and impatience. The considering, that all these evils proceed from God's just will, and wise providence; un­to which it is fit; and we upon all accompts are obliged readily to sub­mit; that they do ordinarily come from God's goodness, and gratious design towards us; that they are medicines (although ungratefull, yet wholsome) administred by the Di­vine Wisedom, to prevent, remove or abate our distempers of soul (to al­lay the tumours of pride, to cool the fevers of intemperate desire; to rouse us from the lethargy of sloath; to stop the gangrene of bad consci­ence) that they are fatherly corre­ctions, intended to reclaim us from sin, and excite us to duty; that they serve as instruments or occasions to exercise, to try, to refine our vertue; [Page 63] to beget in us the hope, to qualifie us for the reception of better re­wards; such discourses indeed are of a better nature, and have a more excellent kind of efficacy: yet no fit help, no good art, no just wea­pon is to be quite neglected in the combat against our spiritual foes. A Pebble-stone hath been sometimes found more convenient than a Sword or a Spear to slay a Giant. Baser re­medies (by reason of the Patient's constitution, or circumstances) do sometime produce good effect, when others in their own nature more rich and potent want efficacy. And surely frequent reflexions upon our mortality, and living under the sense of our life's frailty cannot but con­duce somewhat to the begetting in us an indifferency of mind toward all these temporal occurents: to ex­tenuate both the goods and the evils we here meet with; consequently therefore to compose and calm our passions about them.

[Page 64] III. But I proceed to another use of that consideration we speak of emergent from the former, but so as to improve it to higher purpo­ses. For since it is usefull to the di­minishing our admiration of these worldly things, to the withdrawing our affections from them, to the slackning our endeavours about them; it will follow that it must conduce also to beget an esteem, a desire, a prosecution of things con­ducing to our future welfare; both by removing the obstacles of doing so, and by engaging us to consider the importance of those things in comparison with these. By removing obstacles I say; for while our hearts are possessed with regard and passion toward these present things, there can be no room left in them for re­spect and affection toward things future. 'Tis in our soul as in the rest of nature; there can be no pe­netration of objects (as it were) in our hearts, nor any vacuity in them; [Page 65] our mind no more than our body can be in several places, or tend se­veral ways, or abide in perfect rest; yet some-where it will always be; some-whither it will always go; some-what it will ever be doing. If we have a treasure here (some-what Matth. 6. 21. we greatly like and much confide in) our hearts will be here with it; and if here, they cannot be other­where; they will be taken up; they will rest satisfied; they will not care to seek farther. If we af­fect John 5. 44. 12. 43. Matth. 6. 24. worldly glory and delight in the applause of men, we shall not be so carefull to please God, and seek his favour. If we admire and repose confidence in riches, it will make us neglectfull of God, and di­strustfull of his Providence; if our Rom. 8. 5. mind thirsts after, and sucks in gree­dily sensual pleasures, we shall not relish spiritual delights, attending the practice of vertue and piety, or arising from good conscience; ad­hering to, attending upon Masters of so different, so opposite a quality [Page 66] is inconsistent; they cannot abide peaceably together, they cannot both rule in our narrow breasts; we shall love and hold to the one; hate and despise the other. If any 1 John 2. 15. man love the World, the love of the Father is not in him; the love of the World, as the present guest, so oc­cupies and fills the room; that it will not admit, cannot hold the love of God. But when the heart is discharged and emptied of these things; when we begin to despise them as base and vain; to distast them as insipid and unsavoury; then naturally will succeed a desire after other things promising a more solid content; and desire will breed en­deavour; and endeavour (further­ed by God's assistence always ready to back it) will yeild such a glimps and taste of those things, as will so comfort and satisfie our minds, that thereby they will be drawn and en­gaged into a more earnest prosecu­tion of them. When (I say) dri­ving on ambitious Projects, heap­ing [Page 67] up Wealth, providing for the flesh (by our reflecting on the short­ness and frailty of our life) become so insipid to us, that we find little appetite to them, or relish in them; our restless minds will begin to hun­ger and thirst after righteousness, desiring some satisfaction thence: Discerning these secular and carnal fruitions to be mere husks (the Luke 22. 5. proper food of swine) we shall be­think our selves of that better nou­rishment (of rational or spiritual comfort) which our Fathers house doth afford to his children and ser­vants. Being somewhat disentan­gled from the care of our sarms and our trafficks; from yoaking our oxen and being married to our pre­sent delights; we may be at leisure, and in disposition to comply with divine invitations to entertainments spiritual. Experiencing, that our Matth. 22. 5. trade about these petty commodi­ties turns to small accompt, and that in the end we shall be nothing rich­er thereby; reason will induce us [Page 68] with the Merchant in the Gospel to sell all that we have (to forego our Matth. 13. 46. present interests and designs) for the purchasing that rich Pearl of God's Kingdom, which will yeild so exceeding profit; the gain of present comfort to our conscience, and eternal happiness to our souls. In fine, when we consider seriously, that we have here no abiding City, Heb. 13. 14. 1 Pet. 2. 11. but are onely sojourners and pilgrims upon Earth; that all our care and pain here do regard onely an uncertain and transitory state; and will there­fore suddenly as to all fruit and be­nefit be lost unto us; this will sug­gest unto us, with the good Patri­archs, [...], to long after a better Countrey; a Heb. 11. 16. more assured, and lasting state of life; where we may enjoy some cer­tain and durable repose; to tend homeward, in our desires and hopes, toward those eternal Mansions of joy and rest prepared for God's faithfull Servants in Heaven. Thus will this consideration help toward the bring­ing [Page 69] us to inquire after and regard the things concerning our future state; and in the result will engage us to compare them with these pre­sent things, as to our concernment in them and the consequence of them to our advantage or damage, whence a right judgment, and a congruous practice will naturally follow. There be four ways of comparing the things relating to this present life with those which respect our future state: Com­paring the goods of this with the goods of that; the evils of this with the evils of that; the goods of this with the evils of that; the evils of this with the goods of that. All these comparisons we may find often made in Scripture; in order to the infor­ming our judgment about the re­spective value of both sorts; the present consideration intervening, as a standard to measure and try them by.

First then; comparing the pre­sent goods with those which con­cern our future state, since the tran­sitoriness [Page 70] and uncertainty of tempo­ral goods detract from their worth, and render them in great degree con­temptible; but the durability and certainty of spiritual goods doth encrease their rate, and make them exceedingly valuable; 'tis evident hence, that spiritual goods are in­finitely to be preferred in our opini­on, to be more willingly embraced, to be more zealously pursued than temporal goods, that in case of competition, when both cannot be enjoyed, we are in reason obliged readily to part with all these, rather than to forfeit our title unto, or hazard our hope of those. Thus in the Scripture it is often discoursed: The world (saith St. John) passeth 1 John 2. 17. away, and the desire thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever: The World, and all that is desirable therein is transient; but obedience to God's commandments is of an everlasting consequence; whence he infers, that we should not love the world; that is, not en­tertain [Page 71] such an affection thereto, as may any way prejudice the love of God, or hinder the obedience spring­ing thence, or suitable thereto.

All flesh is grass (saith St. Peter) 1 Pet. 1. 24. and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass; the grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away; but the word of the Lord endureth for ever: All worldly glory is frail and fading, but the Word of God is eter­nally firm and permanent; that is, the good things by God promised to them, who faithfully serve him, shall infallibly be conferred on them to their everlasting benefit; whence it follows, that as he exhorts, we are bound to gird up the loins of our mind, to be sober, and hope to v. 13. the end; to proceed and persist constantly in faithfull obedience to God. Charge those (saith St. Paul) who are rich in this world, that they 1 Tim. 6. 19. be not high-minded, nor trust in un­certain riches, but in the living God; that they do good, be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to [Page 72] communicate; treasuring up for them­selves a good foundation for the fu­ture; that they may attain everlasting life: Since, argues he, present riches are of uncertain, and short continu­ance; but faith and obedience to God, exercised in our charity and mercy toward men, are a certain stock improveable to our eternal interest; therefore be not proud of, nor relie upon those, but regard especially, and employ our selves upon these. Our Saviour himself doth often insist upon, and incul­cate this comparison: Treasure not Matth. 6. 20. unto your selves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust do corrupt; and where thieves break through and steal; but treasure up to your selves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal. Do not take v. 25. care for your soul, what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink; nor for your body, what ye shall put on; but seek first the kingdom of God. Labour not John 6. 27. for the food that perisheth, but for the [Page 73] food that abideth to eternal life; sell Luke 12. 33. [...]. your substance, and give alms; pro­vide your selves bags that wax not old; an indefectible treasure in the heavens: Thus doth the holy Scrip­ture, setting forth the uncertainty and transitoriness of the present, the certainty and permanency of fu­ture goods, declare the excellency of these above those; advising there­upon, with highest reason, that we willingly reject those (in real effect, if need be, however always in rea­dy disposition of mind) in order to the procuring or securing of these. It also, for our example and encou­ragement, commends to us the wise­dom and vertue of those Persons, who have effectually practised this duty: of Abraham, our Father, who, Heb. 11. 10. in expectation of that well-founded City, made and built by God, did readily desert his Countrey and Kin­dred, with all present accommoda­tions of life; of Moses, who disre­garded v. 23. the splendors and delights of a great Court; rejected the alliance [Page 74] of a great Princess, and refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; in respect to the [...], that future distribution of reward; a share wherein shall assuredly fall to them, who above all other conside­rations regard the performance of their duty to God, of the Apostles, who forsook all, Parents, Brethren, Matth. 19. 27. Luke 18. 28. Lands, Houses, Trades, receits of Custome, to follow Christ; him at present poor, and naked of all secu­lar honour, power, wealth and de­light; in hope onely to receive from him divine benefits, and future pre­serments in his Kingdom; of Mary, Luke 10. 39. who neglecting present affairs, and seating her self at Jesus his feet, at­tending to his discipline; is com­mended for her wisedom, in minding the onely necessary thing; in chusing the better part, which could never be taken from her: of St. Paul, who ac­compted all his gains (all his world­ly Phil. 3. 7, 8. interests and priviledges) to be damage, to be dung in respect to Christ, and the excellent knowledge of [Page 75] him, with the benefits thence accru­ing to him. On the contrary there we have Esau condemned and stig­matized for a profane and a vain person, who ( [...]) for Heb. 12. 16. one little eating-bout; one meis of Pottage (for a little present satisfa­ction of sense, or for the sustenance of this srail life) did withgo his birthright, that embleme of spiritu­al blessings and priviledges. We Mark 10. 18. have again represented to us that unhappy young Gentleman; who though he had good qualities, ren­dring him amiable even to our Sa­viour; and had been trained up in the observance of God's Command­ments; yet not being content to part with his large Possessions, in lieu of the treasure by Christ offer­ed in Heaven, was reputed defici­ent; could find no acceptance with God, nor admission into his King­dom; for a petty temporal commo­dity forfeiting an infinite eternal ad­vantage. For, saith our Saviour, He that loveth father or mother a­bove Matth. 10. 37. [Page 76] me; he that doth not hate father Luke 14. 26. and mother, wife and children, bro­thers and sisters, yea his own life (for me and the Gospel) is not worthy of Mark 10. 29. me, nor can be my disciple. He that in his esteem or affection doth pre­fer any temporal advantages before the benefits tendered by our Savi­our (yea doth not in comparison despise, renounce and reject his dear­est contents of life, and the very capacity of enjoying them, his life it self) doth not deserve to be rec­koned among the Disciples of Christ; to be so much as a Pretender to eter­nal joy, or a candidate of immorta­lity. Our Saviour rejects all such unwise and perverse traders, who will not exchange brittle glass for solid gold; counterfeit glistering stones for genuine most pretious jewels; a garland of fading flowers for an incorruptible Crown of Glo­ry; a small temporary pension for a vastly rich freehold; an inheri­tance 1 Pet. 1. 4. incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in the [Page 77] heavens. Thus doth the Holy Scrip­ture teach us to compare these sorts of good things;

And, secondly, so also doth it to compare the evils of both states; for that seeing, as the soon ceasing of temporal mischiefs should (in reasonable proceeding) diminish the fear of them, and mitigate the grief for them; so the incessant continu­ance of spiritual evils doth (accor­ding to just estimation) render them hugely grievous and formidable; 'tis plain, that we should much more dislike, abominate, and shun spiri­tual evils, than temporal; that we should make no question rather to endure these paroxysms of momen­tany pain, than incur those chroni­cal and (indeed) incurable mala­dies; that we should run willingly into these shallow plashes of present inconvenience, rather than plunge our selves into those unfathomable depths of eternal misery. There is (I suppose) no man, who would not accompt it a very great calami­ty [Page 78] (such as hardly greater could befall him here) to have his right Matth. 5. 29. 18. 8. eye plucked out, and his right hand cut off, and his foot taken from him; to be deformed and maimed, so that he can do nothing, or stir any whi­ther; yet our Lord represents these to us as inconsiderable evils, yea as things very eligible and advantage­ous in comparison of those mischiefs, which the voluntary not embracing them, in case we cannot otherwise than by so doing avoid sin, will bring on us: [...], it is (saith he) profitable for thee, that one of thy members be lost, rather than that thy whole body be cast into hell; [...], 'tis good, 'tis excellent for thee to enter into life lame and mai­med, and one ey'd, rather than having two hands, and two feet, and two eyes (in all integrity and beauty of this temporal, or corporal state) to be cast into eternal fire. To be banish­ed from ones native soil, secluded from all comforts of friendly ac­quaintance, devested irrecoverably [Page 79] of great estate and dignity; becom­ing a vagrant and a servant in vile employment, in a strange Countrey, every Man would be apt to deem a wretched condition; yet Moses, we Heb. 11. 25. see, freely chose it, rather than by en­joying unlawfull pleasures at home, in Pharaoh's Court, to incur God's displeasure and vengeance: [...], chusing rather to undergo evil together with God's people, than to have [...], a temporary frui­tion of sinfull delight, dangerous to the welfare of his soul. Death is commonly esteemed the most ex­tream and terrible of evils incident to man; yet our Saviour bids us not to regard or fear it, in compa­rison of that deadly ruine, which we adventure on by offending God: I say unto you my friends (saith he, Luke 12. 4. Matth. 10. 28. [...]. he intended it for the most friendly advice) be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no­thing farther to do; but I will shew you whom ye shall fear; Fear him, who [Page 80] after he hath killed, hath power to cast into hell; to cast both body and soul into Hell, and destroy them therein; Yea, I say unto you (so he inculcates and impresses it upon them) fear him.

But thirdly; Considering the good things of this life together with the evils of that, which is to come; Since enjoying these goods in com­parison with enduring those evils is but rejoicing for a moment in re­spect of mourning to eternity; if upon the seeming sweetness of these enjoyments to our carnal appetite be consequent a remediless distem­pering of our soul; so that what tasts like honey proves gall in the digestion; gripes our bowels, gnaws our heart, and stings our conscience for ever; if present mirth and jollity have a tendency to that dreadfull weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth threatened in the Gospel; if for the praise and favour of a few giddy men here we venture eternal shame and confusion before God [Page 81] and Angels and all good men here­after; if for attaining or preserving a small stock of uncertain riches in this World we shall reduce our selves into a state of most uncom­fortable nakedness and penury in the other. 'Tis clear as the Sun that we are downright fools and mad-men, if we do not upon these accompts rather willingly reject all these good things, than hazard incurring any of those evils; for, saith truth it self, What will it profit a man, if he gain the whole World ( [...] Mark 8. 36. Luke 9. 25.) and be endamaged as to his soul, or lose his soul as a mulct. 'Tis a very disadvantageous bargain for all the conveniences this World can afford to be deprived of the comforts of our immortal state. But,

Lastly, comparing the evils of this life with the benefits of the fu­ture, since the worst tempests of this life will be soon blown over, the bitterest crosses must expire (if not before, however) with our breath; [Page 82] but the good things of the future state are immutable and perpetual; 'tis in evident consequence most rea­sonable; that we freely (if need be) undertake, and patiently en­dure these for the sake of those; that in hope of that incorruptible inheri­tance, Pet. 1. 4. laid up for us in Heaven, we not only support and comfort our selves, but even rejoice and exult in all the afflictions by God's wise and just dispensation imposed on us here; as they in St. Peter; wherein (saith Ibid. [...] he) ye greatly rejoice (or exult,) being for a little while as in heaviness through manifold [...] James 1. 2. afflictions or trials. Accompting it all joy (saith St. James) when ye fall into divers temptations (that is afflictions or trials) know­ing that the trial of your faith per­fecteth patience; that is, seeing the sufferance of these present evils con­duceth to the furtherance of your spiritual and eternal welfare. And, We glory intribulation, saith St. Paul; rendring the same accompt, be­cause Rom. 5. 8. it tended to their souls ad­vantage: [Page 83] St. Paul, than whom no man perhaps ever more deeply ta­sted of the cup of affliction; and that tempered with all the most bitter ingredients which this World can produce; Whose life was spent [...] in continual agitation and unsettled­ness; in all hardships of travel and labour and care; in extreme suffe­rance of all pains both of body and mind; in all imaginable dangers and difficulties and distresses, that nature exposes man unto, or hu­mane malice can bring upon him; in all wants of natural com­fort (food, sleep, shelter, liberty, health) in all kinds of disgrace and contumely; as you may see in those large inventories of his sufferings, registred by himself, in the 6 ^th and 2 Cor. 11. 23. 6. 5. 11 ^th Chapters of his 2 ^d Epistle to the Corinthians; Yet all this consi­dering the good things he expected afterward to enjoy, he accompted very slight and tolerable: For (saith 2 Cor. 4. 17. 5. 1. [...] he) our lightness of affliction, that is for a little while here, worketh for us [Page 84] a far more exceeding weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen; but at those, which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know, that when our earthly house of this tabernacle (of this unsteady transitory abode) is dissolved we are to have a tabernacle from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens. I reckon, saith he Rom. 8. 18. again, (that is having made a due comparison and computation I find) that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy (that is are not con­siderable, come under no rate or proportion) in respect of the glory which shall be revealed (or openly conferred) upon us. The like opi­nion had those faithfull Christians, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, of Heb. 10. 34. [...]. whom 'tis said, that being exposed to publick scorn as in a theatre, with reproaches and afflictions, they did with gladness accept the spoiling [...]. (or rapine) of their goods; knowing that [Page 85] they had in Heaven a better and more induring substance. But the princi­pal example (most obliging our imitation) of this wise choice is that of our Lord himself; who, in contemplation of the future great satisfaction and reward of patient submission to the divine will, did willingly undergo the greatest of temporal sorrows and ignominies; Who (saith the Apostle to the He­brews, Heb. 12. 2. propounding his example to us) for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God.

Thus immediately, or by an ea­sie inference doth the consideration of this lifes shortness and uncertain­ty confer to that main part of wise­dom, rightly to value the things a­bout which we are conversant; disposing us consequently to mode­rate our affections, and rightly to guide our actions about them; fit­ting us therefore for the perfor­mance of those duties so often en­joined [Page 86] us; of not caring for, not trusting in, not minding (unduly that is, and immoderately) things below; of dying to this World and taking up our cross, or contentedly suffering (in submission to God's will) all loss and inconvenience; as also to the placing our meditati­on and care; our love and desire; our hope and confidence; our joy and satisfaction; our most earnest pains and endeavours upon things divine, spiritual and eternal.

IV. I proceed to another general benefit of that general considerati­on; which is that it may engage us to a good improvement of our time; the doing which is a very considerable piece of wisedom. For if time be, (as Theophrastus called [...]. it truly) a thing of most pretious value (or expence) as it were a great folly to lavish it away unpro­fitably; so to be frugal thereof, and carefull to lay it out for the best advantage, especially every Man ha­ving [Page 87] so little store thereof, must be a special point of Prudence. To be covetous of time (Seneca tells us) Nulla nisi tem­poris honesta est avaritia. Sen. is a commendable avarice; it being necessary for the accomplishment of any worthy enterprize; there being nothing excellent, that can soon or easily be effected. Surely he that hath much and great business to dis­patch; and but a little time allow­ed for it, is concerned to husband it well; not to lose it wholly in idle­ness; not to trifle it away in unne­cessary divertisements; not to put himself upon other impertinent af­fairs; above all not to create obsta­cles to himself, by pursuing matters of a tendency quite contrary to the success of his main undertakings. 'Tis our case; we are obliged here to negotiate in business of infinite price and consequence to us; no less than the salvation of our souls and eternal happiness; and we see, that our time to drive it on and bring it to a happy issue is very scant and short; short in it self; and very short [Page 88] in respect to the nature of those af­fairs; the great variety, and the great difficulty of them: The great father of Physicians did quicken the students of that faculty to diligence, by ad­monishing them (in the first place, setting it in the front of his famous Aphorisms) that, life is short, and Non enim dat natura virtu­tem; ars est bo­num fieri. Sen. Ep. 89. art is long. And how much more so is the art of living well (that most excellent and most necessary art; for indeed vertue is not a gift of nature, but a work of art; an effect of labour and study) this, I say most needfull and usefull art of living vertuously and piously; this art of spiritual Phy­sick; (of preserving and recovering our souls health) how much longer is it? how many rules are to be learnt? how many precepts to be observed in order thereto? We are bound to furnish our minds with needfull knowledge of God's will and our duty; we are to bend our unwilling Wills to a ready compliance with them; we are to adorn our souls with dispositions suitable to the fu­ture [Page 89] state (such as may qualifie us for the presence of God, and con­versation with the blessed spirits a­bove) it is incumbent on us to mortify corrupt desires, to restrain inordinate passions, to subdue natu­ral propensities, to extirpate vitious habits; in order to the effecting these things, to use all fit means; devotion toward God, study of his Law, reflexion upon our actions, with all such spiritual instruments; the performing which duties, as it doth require great care and pains, so it needs much time; all this is not dictum factum, as soon done as said; a few spare minutes will not suffice to accomplish it. Natural in­clination, that wild beast within us, will not so presently be tamed, and made tractable by us. Ill habits can­not [...]. Epict. be removed without much ex­ercise and attendance; as they were begot, so they must be destroyed, by a constant succession, and fre­quency of acts. Fleshly lust is not to be killed with a stab or two; it [Page 90] will fight stoutly, and rebell often, and hold out long before with our ut­most endeavour we can obtain an entire victory over it. No vertue is acquired in an instant, but by degrees, step by step; from the seeds of right instruction and good resolution it springs up, and grows forward by a continual progress of customary practice; 'tis a child of patience, a fruit of perseverance (that [...], enduring in doing well, St. Paul speaks of) and consequent­ly a work of time, for enduring im­plies Rom. 2. 7. a good space of time. Having therefore so much to doe, and of so great concernment, and so little a portion of time for it, it behoves us to be carefull in the improvement of what time is allowed us; to em­brace all opportunities and advan­tages offered; to go the nearest way, to use the best compendiums in the transaction of our business; not to be slothfull and negligent, but a­ctive and intent about it; (for as time is diminished, and in part lost [Page 91] by sloth or slackness; so it is enlar­ged, and, as it were, multiplied by industry; my day is two in respect of his, who doeth but half my work.) Not (also) to consume our time in fruitless pastimes, and curious enter­tainments of fancy; being idly busie about impertinences and trifles (we call it sport, but 'tis a serious da­mage to us;) not to immerse our selves in multiplicities of needless care about secular matters, which may distract us, and bereave us of fit leisure for our great employ­ment; that which our Saviour calls Luke 10. 40. [...], to keep a great deal of doe and stir (to be jum­bled about as it were, and confoun­ded) about many things; and, [...], to be distracted and perplexed about much combersome service; which St. Paul calls [...], 1 Tim. 2. 4. to be implicated and entangled (as in a net) with the ne­gotiations of this present life; so that we shall not be expedite, or free to [Page 92] bestir our selves about our more weighty affairs. The spending much time about those things doth steal it from these; yea, doth more than so, by discomposing our minds so that we cannot well employ what time remains upon our spiritual concern­ments. But especially we should not prostitute our time upon vitious pro­jects and practices; doing which is not onely a prodigality of the present time, but an abridgment of the fu­ture; it not onely doth not promote or set forward our business, but brings it backward; and makes us more work than we had before; 'tis a go­ing in a way directly contrary to our journey's-end. The Scripture aptly resembles our life to a way faring, a condition of travel and pilgrimage; now he that hath a long journey to make, and but a little time of day to pass it in, must in reason strive to set out soon, and then to make good speed must proceed on directly, making no stops or deflections (not calling in at every sign that invites [Page 93] him, not standing to gaze at every object seeming new or strange to him; not staying to talk with eve­ry Passenger that meets him; but rather avoiding all occasions of di­version and delay) lest he be sur­prized by the night, be left to wan­der in the dark, be excluded finally from the place whither he tends: So must we in our course towards Hea­ven and Happiness; take care that we set out soon (procrastinating no time, but beginning instantly to in­sist in the ways of Piety and Ver­tue) then proceed on speedily, and persist constantly; no-where staying or loitering, shunning all impedi­ments and avocations from our Pro­gress; lest we never arrive near, or come too late unto the gate of Hea­ven. St. Peter tells us, that the end of all things doth approach, and thereupon advises us to be sober, and 1 Pet. 4. 7 to watch unto prayer; for that the less our time is, the more intent and industrious it concerns us to be. And, St. Paul injoins us to redeem [Page 94] the time, because the days are evil; Eph. 5. 15. that is, since we can enjoy no true quiet or comfort here, we should improve our time to the best advan­tage for the future; he might have also adjoined, with the Patriarch Ja­cob, the paucity of the days to their badness; because the days of our life Gen. 47. 9 Job 14. 1. are few and evil, let us redeem the time; Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble: So few indeed they are, that 'tis fit we should lose none of them, but use them all in preparation toward that great change we are to make; that satal passage out of this strait time into that boundless eternity. So, it seems, we have Job's example of do­ing: Job 14. 14. All the days (says he) of my ap­pointed time will I wait till my change come. I end this Point with that so comprehensive warning of our Sa­viour: Take heed to your selves, lest Luke 21. 34. at any time your hearts be overchar­ged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life; and so that day come upon you unawares. Watch ye [Page 95] therefore and pray, that ye may be counted worthy to escape—and to stand before the son of man.

V. I shall adjoin but one use more, to which this consideration may be subservient, which is, that it may help to beget and maintain in us (that which is the very heart and soul of all goodness) Sinceri­ty. Sincerity in all kinds, in our thoughts, words and actions. To keep us from harbouring in our breasts such thoughts, as we would be afraid or ashamed to own: from speaking otherwise than we mean, than we intend to doe, than we are ready any-where openly to avow; from endeavouring to seem what we are not; from being one thing in our expressions and con­versations with men; another in our hearts, or in our closets. From acting with oblique respects to pri­vate interests or passions, to hu­mane favour or censure (in mat­ters, I mean, where duty doth in­tervene, [Page 96] and where pure conscience ought to guide and govern us) from making professions and osten­tations (void of substance, of truth, of knowledge, of good purpose) great semblances of peculiar sancti­mony, integrity, scrupulosity, spiri­tuality, refinedness like those Pha­risees so often therefore taxed in the Gospel; as also from pallia­ting, as those men did, designs of ambition, avarice, envy, animosi­ty, revenge, perverse humour, with pretences of zeal and conscience. We should indeed strive to be good (and that in all real strictness aiming at utmost perfection) in outward act and appearance, as well as in heart and reality; for the glory of God and example of men (providing things honest in the Rom. 12. 17. sight of all men) but we must not shine with a false lustre, nor care to seem better than we are, nor in­tend to serve our selves in seeming to serve God; bartering spiritual com­modities for our own glory or gain. [Page 97] For since the day approaches when God will judge [...], Rom. 2. 16. the things men do so studious­ly conceal; when God shall bring Eccl. 12. 14. every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil; since we must all 2 Cor. 5. 10. [...]. Chrysost. appear (or rather, be all made ap­parent, be manisested and discover­ed) at the tribunal of Christ; since there is nothing covered, which shall not be revealed; nor hid, that shall not be known; so that whatever is Luke 12. 2, 3. spoken in the ear in closets, shall be proclaimed on the house tops: Since at length, and that within a very short time (no man knows how soon) the whispers of every mouth (the closest murmurs of detracti­on, slander and sycophantry) shall become audible to every ear; the abstrusest thoughts of all hearts (the closest malice and envy) shall be dis­closed in the most publick Theatre, before innumerable spectatours; the truth of all pretences shall be throughly examined; the just merit [Page 98] of every Person, and every cause shall with a most exact scrutiny be scann'd openly in the face of all the World; to what purpose can it be to juggle or basfle for a time; for a few days (perhaps for a few mi­nutes) to abuse, or to amuse those about us with crafty dissimulation or deceit? Is it worth the pains to devise plausible shifts, which shall instantly, we know, be detected and defeated; to bedaub foul designs with a fair varnish, which death will presently wipe off; to be dark and cloudy in our proceedings, whenas a clear day (that will certainly dis­pel all darkness and scatter all mists) is breaking in upon us; to make vi­zors for our faces, and cloaks for our actions, whenas we must very shortly be exposed, perfectly naked and undisguised, in our true co­lours, to the general view of An­gels and Men? Heaven sees at pre­sent what we think and doe, and our conscience cannot be wholly ig­norant or insensible; nor can Earth [Page 99] it self be long unacquainted there­with. Is it not much better, and more easie (since it requires no pains or study) to act our selves, than to accommodate our selves to other unbeseeming and undue parts; to be upright in our intentions, consi­stent in our discourses, plain in our dealings, following the single and uniform guidance of our reason and conscience, than to shuffle and shift, wandring after the various uncer­tain and inconstant opinions or hu­mours of men? What matter is it, what cloaths we wear, what garb we appear in, during this posture of travel and sojourning here; what for the present we go for; how men esteem us, what they think of our actions? St. Paul at least did not much stand upon it; for with me, said he, 'tis a very small thing ( [...], 1 Cor. 4. 3. the least thing that can come under consideration) to be judged of you, or of humane day (that is, of this present transitory, fallible, re­versible judgment of men.) If we [Page 100] mean well and doe righteously, our conscience will at present satisfie us, and the divine (unerring and im­partial) sentence will hereafter ac­quit us; no unjust or uncharitable censure shall prejudice us; if we en­tertain base designs, and deal unrigh­teously; as our conscience will accuse and vex us here, so God will short­ly condemn and punish us; neither shall the most favourable conceit of men stand us in stead. Every man's work shall become manifest; for the 1 Cor. 3. 13. day shall declare it; becuase it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire (that is, a severe and strict inqui­ry) shall try every man's work, of what sort it is. I cannot insist more on this Point; I shall onely say, that considering the brevity and uncer­tainty of our present state, the great­est simplicity may justly be deemed the truest wisedom; that who de­ceives others doth cozen himself most; that the deepest policy (used to compass, or to conceal bad designs) will in the end appear the most down­right folly.

[Page 101] I might add to the precedent dis­courses, [...] Anton. lib. 7. that Philosophy it self hath commended this consideration as a proper and powerfull instrument of vertue; reckoning the practice there­of a main part of wisedom; the great­est proficient therein in common e­steem, Socrates, having desined Phi­losophy (or the study of wisedom) to be nothing else, but ( [...]) the study of death; intimating also (in Plato's Phoedon) that this study, the meditation of death and preparation of his mind to leave this World, had been the constant and chief employment of his life. That likewise, according to experience, nothing more avails to render the minds of men sober and well com­posed, than such spectacles of Mor­tality as do impress this considerati­on upon them. For whom doth not the sight of a Coffin or of a Grave gaping to receive a friend perhaps, an ancient Acquaintance; however a man in nature and state altogether like our selves; of the mournfull [Page 102] looks and habits, of all the sad pomps and solemnities attending man unto his long home, by minding him of his own frail condition, affect with some serious, some honest, some wise thoughts? And if we be rea­sonable men, we may every day supply the need of such occasions, by representing to our selves the ne­cessity of our soon returning to the dust; dressing in thought our own Herses, and celebrating our own Fu­nerals; by living under the conti­nual apprehension and sense of our transitory and uncertain condition; dying daily, or becoming already dead unto this World. The doing which effectually being the gift of God, and an especial work of his Grace, let us of him humbly im­plore it, saying after the Holy Pro­phet, Lord, so teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisedom.

Amen.

THIS Psalm (no less excellent in vertue, than large in bulk) containeth manifold reflexions upon the nature, the properties, the ad­juncts and effects of God's Law, many sprightly ejaculations about it (conceived in different forms of speech; some in way of petition, [Page 104] some of thanksgiving, some of re­solution, some of assertion or apho­rism) many usefull directions, ma­ny zealous exhortations to the ob­servance of it; the which are not ranged in any strict order, but, (like a variety of fair flowers and whole­some herbs in a wild field) do with a gratefull confusion lie dispersed, as they freely did spring up in the heart, or were suggested by the de­vout spirit of him, who indited the Psalm; whence no coherence of sentences being designed, we may consider any one of them absolutely or singly by it self.

Among them, that which I have picked out for the subject of my discourse, implieth an excellent rule of practice, authorised by the Psalmist's example; it is propound­ed in way of devotion or immedi­ate address to God; unto whose in­fallible knowledge his conscience maketh an appeal concerning his practice; not as boasting thereof, but as praising God for it, unto [Page 105] whose gratious instruction and suc­cour he frequently doth ascribe all his performances: But the manner of propounding I shall not insist up­on; the rule it self is, that speedily, without any procrastination or de­lay, we should apply our selves to the observance of God's Command­ments; the practice of which rule it shall be my endeavour to recom­mend and press.

It is a common practice of men, that are engaged in bad courses, which their own con­science discerneth and Recognosce singulos, considera universos, nullius non vita spe­ctat in crastinum; non enim vivunt, sed victuri sunt. Sen. Ep. 45. disapproveth, to ad­journ the reformation of their lives to a far­ther time, so indulging themselves in the present commission of sin, that yet they would seem to pur­pose, and promise themselves here­after to repent, and take up: Few Victuros agi­mus semper, nec vivimus unquam. Ma­nil. 4. resolve to persist finally in an evil way, or despair of being one day reclaimed, but immediately and ef­fectually to set upon it, many deem [Page 106] unseasonable or needless; it will, they presume, be soon enough to begin to morrow or next day, a month or a year hence, when they shall find more commodious oppor­tunity, or shall prove better dispo­sed thereto; in the mean time with Solomon's sluggard, Yet, say they, a little sleep, a little slumber, a little Prov. 6. 10. folding of the hands; let us but neg­lect this duty, let us but satisfie this appetite, let us but enjoy this bout of pleasure; hereafter, God willing, we mean to be more carefull, we hope that we shall become more sober: So like bad debtors; when our conscience dunneth us, we al­ways mean, we always promise to pay; if she will stay a while, she shall, we tell her, be satisfied; or like vain spendthrifts, we see our estate fly, yet presume that it will hold out, and at length we shall re­serve enough for our use. [...], Let serious business stay till the morrow, was a saying that Plut. in Pelop. cost dear to him who said it; yet [Page 107] we in our greatest concerns follow him.

But how fallacious, how dange­rous Non est crede mihi sapientis dicere, vivans. Mart. I. 16. and how miscievous this man­ner of proceeding is; how much better and more advisable it is, after the example propounded in our Text, speedily to betake our selves unto the discharge of our debt and duty to God, the following considerations will plainly declare.

1. We may consider, that the ob­servance of God's Commandments (an observance of them proceeding from an habitual disposition of mind, in a constant tenour of practice) is our indispensable duty, our main concernment, our onely way to hap­piness; the necessary condition of our attaining salvation; that alone which can procure God's love and favour toward us; that unto which all real blessings here, and all bliss hereafter are inseparably annexed: Fear God and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole of man; (the Eccl. 12. 13. whole duty, the whole design, the [Page 108] whole perfection, the sum of our wisedom, and our happiness.) If Matt. 19. 27. thou wilt enter into life, keep the Commandments: The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, his countenance Psal. 11. 7. Prov. 15. 9. doth behold the upright; God will render to every man according to his Rom. 2. 6. works; these are Oracles indubita­bly clear, and infallibly certain; these are immovable terms of ju­stice between God and Man, which never will, never can be relaxed; being grounded on the immutable Matt. 5. 18. Luke 16. 17. Psal. 119. 15. nature of God, and eternal reason of things; if God had not decreed, if he had not said these things, they would not assuredly be true; for it is a foul contradiction to reason, that a Man ever should please God without obeying him; 'tis a gross absurdity in nature, that a Man should be happy without being good; wherefore all the wit in the World cannot devise a way, all the authori­ty upon Earth (yea, I dare say, e­ven in Heaven it self) cannot esta­blish a condition, beside faithfull ob­servance [Page 109] of God's Law, that can save, or make us happy; from it there can be no valid dispensation, without it there can be no effectual absolution, for it there can be no acceptable commutation; nor in de­fect thereof will any faith any pro­fession, any trick or pretence what­ever avail, or signifie any thing: Whatever expedient to supply its room superstition, mistake, craft, or presumption may recommend, we shall, relying thereon, be certainly deluded: If therefore we mean to be saved (and are we so wild as not to mean it?) if we do not re­nounce felicity (and do we not then renounce our wits?) to become ver­tuous, to proceed in a course of o­bedience, is a work that necessarily must be performed; and why then should we not instantly undertake it; wherefore do we demur or stick at it? how can we at all rest quiet, while an affair of so vast impor­tance lieth upon our hands, or until our mind be freed of all uncer­tainty [Page 110] and suspence about it? Were a probable way suggested to us of acquiring great wealth, honour or pleasure, should we not quickly run about it, could we contentedly sleep, till we had brought the business to a sure or hopeless issue? and why with less expedition or urgency should we pursue the certain means of our present security and comfort, of our final salvation and happiness? in doing so, are we not strangely in­consistent with our selves?

Again, disobedience is the certain road to perdition; that which in­volveth us in guilt and condemna­tion, that which provoketh God's wrath and hatred against us, that which assuredly will throw us into a state of eternal sorrow and wretch­edness: The foolish shall not stand in God's sight, he hateth all the workers Psal. 5. 5. of iniquity; If ye do not repent, ye Luke 13. 3. shall perish. The wicked shall be turn­ed Psal. 9. 17. into Hell, and all the people that forget God; The unrighteous shall not 1 Cor. 6. 9. Matth. 25. 46. 7. 21. inherit the Kingdom of God; The [Page 111] wicked shall go into everlasting punish­ment; these are denunciations no less sure than severe, from that mouth, which is never opened in vain; from the execution whereof there can be no shelter or refuge; And what wise man, what man in his right senses would for one minute stand obnoxi­ous to them? Who that any-wise ten­dereth his own welfare would move one step forward in so perillous and destructive a course? the farther in which he proceedeth, the more he discosteth from happiness, the near­er he approacheth to ruine.

In other cases common sense prompteth men to proceed other­wise; for who, having rendred one his enemy that far overmatcheth him, and at whose mercy he stand­eth, will not instantly sue to be re­conciled? who being seised by a per­nicious disease, will not haste to seek a cure? who being fallen into the jaws of a terrible danger, will not nimbly leap out thence? and such plainly is our case; while we persist [Page 112] in sin, we live in enmity and defi­ance with the Almighty, who can at his Pleasure crush us; we lie un­der a fatal plague, which, if we do not seasonably repent, will certainly destroy us; we incur the most dread­full of all hazards, abiding in the confines of death and destruction; God srowning at us, guilt holding us, Hell gaping for us: Every Sinner is (according to the Wise-man's ex­pression) as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth Prov. 23. 34. upon the top of a mast; and he that is in such a case, is he not mad or senseless, if he will not forthwith la­bour to swim out thence, or make all speed to get down into a safer place? can any man with comfort lodge in a condition so dismally tick­lish?

2. We may consider, that in or­der to our final welfare we have much work to dispatch, the which requi­reth as earnest care and painfull in­dustry, so a competent long time; which, if we do not presently fall on, [Page 113] may be wanting, and thence our work be left undone, or impersect: To conquer and correct bad inclina­tions, to render our sensual appetites obsequious to reason, to compose our passions into a right and steady or­der, to eleanse our souls from vani­ty, from perverseness, from sloth, from all vitious distempers, and in their room to implant firm habits of vertue; to get a clear knowledge of our duty, with a ready disposition to perform it; in fine, to season our minds with holy affections, qualify­ing us for the presence of God, and conversation with the blessed Spirits above; these are things that must be done, but cannot be done in a trice; it is not dictum factum, as soon done as said; but, [...], a Rom. 2. 7. patient continuance in well-doing is needfull to atchieve it; for it no time can be redundant, the longest life can hardly be sufficient: Art is long, and life is short, may be an Aphorism in Divinity as well as in Physick; the art of living well, of preserving our [Page 114] Soul's health, and curing its distem­pers, requireth no less time to com­pass it, than any other Art or Sci­ence.

Vertue is not a Mushroom, that [...] Chrys. ad Eph. [...] springeth up of it self in one Night, when we are asleep or regard it not: But a delicate Plant, that groweth slowly and tenderly, needing much pains to cultivate it, much care to guard it, much time to manure it, in our untoward soil, in this World's unkindly weather: happiness is a thing too pretious to be purchased at an easie rate, Heaven is too high to be come at without much climb­ing; the Crown of Bliss is a Prize too noble to be won without a long and a tough conflict. Neither is a vice a spirit that will be conjured down by a charm, or with a Presto driven away; it is not an adversary, that can be knocked down at a blow, or dispatched with a stab. Whoever O quam istud parum p [...]tant, quibus tam fa­cile videtur! Quint. 12. 1. shall pretend at any time easily with a celerity, by a kind of Legerdemain or by any mysterious knack, a Man [Page 115] may be settled in vertue, or con­verted from vice, common experi­ence abundantly will confute him; which sheweth, that a habit other­wise (setting miracles aside) can­not be produced or destroyed, than by a constant exercise of acts suta­ble or opposite thereto; and that such acts cannot be exercised with­out voiding all impediments and fra­ming all Principles of action (such as temper of body, judgment of mind, influence of custome) to a compliance; that who by temper is peevish or cholerick, cannot with­out mastering that temper become patient or meek; that who from vain opinions is proud, cannot with­out considering away those opinions prove humble: that who by cu­stome is grown intemperate, cannot without weaning himself from that custome come to be sober; that who from the concurrence of a sorry nature, fond conceits, mean breeding and scurvy usage is cove­tous; cannot without draining all [Page 116] those sources of his fault, be turned into liberal. The change of our mind is one of the greatest alte­rations in nature, which cannot be compassed in any way, or with­in any time we please; but it must proceed on leisurely and regularly, in such order, by such steps, as the nature of things doth permit; it must be wrought by a resolute and laborious perseverance; by a watch­full application of mind in voiding Prejudices, in waiting for advanta­ges, in attending to all we doe; by forcible wresting our nature from its bent, and swimming against the current of impetuous desires; by a patient disentangling our selves from practices most agreeable and fami­liar to us; by a wary fencing with temptations, by long struggling with manifold oppositions and difficulties; whence the Holy Scripture termeth our practice a warfare, wherein we are to fight many a bloody battel with most redoubtable foes; a com­bat, which must be managed with our [Page 117] best skill, and utmost might; a race, which we must pass through with incessant activity and swift­ness.

If therefore we mean to be good or to be happy, it behoveth us to lose no time; to be presently up at our great task; to snatch all occa­sions, to embrace all means incident of reforming our hearts and lives. As those who have a long journey to go, do [...] Hom. Od. [...]. take care to set out early and in their way make good speed, lest the night overtake them before they reach their home; so it being a great way from hence to Heaven, seeing we must pass over so many obsta­cles, through so many Paths of du­ty before we arrive thither, it is ex­pedient to set forward as soon as can be, and to proceed with all expedi­tion; the longer we stay, the more time we shall need, and the less we shall have.

[Page 118] 3. We may consider, that no fu­ture time which we can fix upon will be more convenient than the present is for our reformation. Let us pitch on what time we please, we shall be as unwilling and unfit to begin as we are now; we shall find in our selves the same indispositions, the same averseness, or the same listlesness Cras hoc fiet; idem cras fiet, &c Pers. Sat. 5. toward it as now: There will occur the Qui non est hodie, cras minus aptus erit. Ovid. de Rom I. Epict 4. 12. like hardships to deter us, and the like Plea­sures to allure us from our duty; objects will then be as present and will strike as smartly upon our sen­ses; the case will appear just the same, and the same Pretences for delay will obtrude themselves; so that we shall be as apt then as now to prorogue the business. We shall say then, to morrow I will mend; and when that morrow cometh, it will be still to morrow, and so the morrow will prove endless. If like the simple Rustick, (who stay'd by [Page 119] the River side waiting till it had done run­ning, —qui recte vivendi prorogat horam, Rusticus expectat dum defluat amnis, at ille Labitur, & labetur in omne vo­ubilis evum. Hor. Ep. I. 2. that so he might pass dry-foot over the chanel) we do con­ceit, that the sources of sin (bad inclinati­ons within, and strong [...]. Epict. 4. 12. For the same reason we put it off, we should put it away. If it be good at all, it is good at present. temptations abroad) will of themselves be spent or fail, we shall find our selves deluded. If ever we come to take up, we must have a beginning with some difficulty and trouble; we must courageously break through the present with all its enchant­ments; we must undauntedly plunge into the cold stream; we must rouse our selves from our bed of sloth; we must shake off that brutish improvidence which detain­eth us, and why should we not as­say it now? there is the same rea­son now that ever we can have! yea, far more reason now; for if that we now begin, hereafter at a­ny [Page 120] determinate time, some of the work will be done, what remain­eth will be shorter and easier to us. Nay farther,

4. We may consider, that the more we defer, the more difficult [...] Epict. 4. 12. and painfull our work must needs prove; every day will both enlarge our task, and diminish our ability to perform it: Sin is never at a stay; if we do not retreat from it, we shall advance in it; and the farther on we go, the more we have to come back; every step we take for­ward, (even before we can return hither, into the state wherein we are at present) must be repeat­ed; all the web we spin must be unravelled; we must vomit up all we take in; which to doe we shall find very tedious and grievous.

Vice as it groweth in age, so it improveth in stature and strength; from a puny Child it soon waxeth a lusty Stripling, then riseth to be a sturdy Man, and after a-while be­cometh a massy Giant, whom we [Page 121] shall scarce dare to encounter, whom we shall be very hardly able to van­quish; especially seeing that as it groweth taller and stouter, so we shall dwindle and prove more impo­tent; for it feedeth upon our vitals, and thriveth by our decay; it wax­eth mighty by stripping us of our best forces; by enfeebling our rea­son, by perverting our will, by cor­rupting our temper, by debasing our courage, by seducing all our appe­tites and passions to a treacherous compliance with it self; every day our Falsis opinionibus tanto quis­que inseritur, quanto magis in eis, familiariusque volutatur. Aug. Ep. 117. mind groweth more blind, our will more resty, our spirit more faint, our appetites more fierce, our passions more headstrong and untameable: The power and em­pire of sin do strangely by degrees encroach, and continually get ground upon us, till it hath quite subdued and enthralled us; first we learn to bear it, then we come to like it, by and by we contract a friendship [Page 122] with it, then we dote upon it, at last we become enslaved to it in a bon­dage which we shall hardly be able, or willing to shake off; when not onely our necks are fitted to the yoke, our hands are manacled, and our feet shackled thereby; but our heads and hearts do conspire in a base submission thereto: When vice hath made such impression on us, when this pernicious weed hath ta­ken so deep root in our mind, will and affection, it will demand an ex­tremely toilsome labour to extir­pate it.

Indeed by continuance in sin, the chief means (afforded by nature, or by grace) of restraining, or redu­cing us from it, are either cut off, or enervated and rendred ineffectual.

Natural modesty, while it lasteth, is a curb from doing ill; Men in their first [...]. Greg. Naz. Or. 26. deflexions from vertue —nam quis Peccandi finem posuit, sibi quan­do recepit Ejectum semel attrita de fronte [...]ubo [...]em? Juv. Sat. 18. are bashfull and shy; out of regard to other Mens opinion, and [Page 123] tenderness of their own honour they are afraid, or ashamed to transgress plain rules of duty; but in process this disposition weareth out; by little and little they ar­rive to that character of the dege­nerate Jews, whom the Prophets call impudent children, having a brow of brass, and faces harder than Ezek. 2. 4. 3. 7. Isa. 48. 4. Jer. 5. 3. Prov. 21. 29. a rock; so that they commit sin with open face, and in broad day, without any mask, without a blush; they despise their own reputation, and defy all censure of others; they outface and outbrave the World, till at length with prodigious inso­lence they come to boast of wicked­ness, and glory in their shame, as an instance of high courage and special Phil. 3. 19. gallantry.

Conscience is a check to begin­ners in sin, reclaiming them from it, and rating them for it; but this in long standers becometh use­less, either failing to discharge its office, or assaying it to no purpose, having often been slighted, it will [Page 124] be weary of chiding; or if it be not whol­ly [...], &c. Chrys. Tom. Orat. 64. dumb, we shall be deaf to its reproof: As those who live by cataracts or downfalls of Water are by continual noise so deafened as not to hear or mind it, so shall we in time grow senseless, not regard­ing the loudest Peals and Ratlings of our conscience.

The Heart of a raw Novice in im­piety (Ezek. 2. 4. 3. 7. Neh. 9. 29. 2 Chron. 36. 73. Dan. 5. 20.) is somewhat tender and soft, so that remorse can pierce and sting it; his neck is yielding and sensible, so that the yoke of sin doth gall it; but in stout Proficients the heart becometh hard and stony, the neck stiff and brawny; (an iron si­new, Isa. 48. 4. as the Prophet termeth it) so Quo quis pejus se habet, minus sentit. Sen. Ep. 53. that they do not feel or resent any thing; but are like those of whom St. Paul speaketh; [...], Eph. 4. 19. who being past feeling all for­row or smart, have given themselves over unto lascivousness, to work all uncleanness with greedness.

[Page 125] When first we nibble at the Bait, or enter into bad courses, our rea­son doth contest and remonstrate a­gainst it, faithfully representing to us the folly, the ugliness, the base­ness, the manifold ill consequences of sinning; but that by continuance is muffled so as not to discern, or muzled so as not to declare; yea, often is so debauched as to excuse, to avow and maintain, yea, to ap­plaud and extol our miscarriages.

For a time a Man retaineth some courage, and a hope that he may repent; but progress in sin dispi­riteth and casteth into despair; whe­ther God be placable, whether him­self be corrigible; an apprehension concerning the length of the way, or the difficulty of the work dis­courageth, and despondency ren­dreth him heartless and careless to attempt it. There is no Man that hath heard of God, who hath not at first some dread of offending him, and some dissatisfaction in transgres­sing his will; it appearing to his [Page 126] mind (not yet utterly blinded and depraved) a desperate thing to brave his irresistible Power, an ab­surd thing to thwart his infallible Wisedom, a detestable thing to a­buse his immense Goodness; but obstinacy in sin doth quash this conscientious awe; so that at length God is not in all his thoughts, the Psal. 10. 4 36. 1. fear of God is not before his eyes; the Wrath of the Almighty seemeth a Bugbear, the fiercest menaces of Religion sound but as Ratties to him.

As for the gentle Whispers and Touches of Divine Grace, the mo­nitory Dispensations of Providence, the good advices and wholsome re­proofs of Friends, with the like means of reclaiming sinners; these to Persons settled on their lees, or fixed in bad custome, are but as Ier. 48. 11. Zeph. 1. 12. gusts of Wind brushing an old Oak, or as Waves dashing on a Rock, without at all shaking or stirring it.

[Page 127] Now when any Person is come to this pass, it must be hugely dif­ficult to reduce him; to retrieve a defloured Modesty, to quicken a ja­ded Conscience, to supple a callous Heart, to settle a baffled Reason, to rear a dejected Courage, to reco­ver a Soul miserably benummed and broken, to its former vigour and integrity, can be no easie mat­ter.

The diseases of our Soul no less than those of our Body; when once they are inveterate, they are become more —frustra medicina paratur, Cum mala per longas invaluere moras. Ovid. incurable; the longer we forbear to apply [...] Greg. Naz. Orat. 26. due remedy, the more hard their cure will prove; if we let them proceed far, we must e'er we can be rid of them, undergo a course of Physick very tedious and offensive to us; many a rough Purge, many a sore Phlebotomy, many an irk­some Sweat we must endure. Yea farther,

[Page 128] 5. We may consider, that by delaying to amend, to doe it may become quite impossible; it may be so in the nature of the thing, it may be so by the will of God: The thing may become naturally impossible; for vice by custome may pass into nature, and prove so congeneal, as if it were born with us; so that we shall propend to it as a stone falleth down, or as a spark flieth upward: By soaking in Volup­tuousness [...]. Chrys. in Babyl Orat. 2. we may be so transformed into Brutes, by sleeping in malice so converted into Fiends, that we necessarily shall act like creatures of that kind, into which we are degenerated; and then no­wise without a downright Miracle are we capable of being reformed. How long, saith Solomon, wilt thou Prov. 6. 9. sleep, O Sluggard, when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? We may be so often called on, and 'tis not easie to awaken us, when we are got into a [Page 129] spiritual slumber; but when we are, dead in trespasses and sins, so that Eph. 2. 1. Apoc. 3. 1. 1 Tim. 5. 6. all breath of holy affection is stopt, and no spiritual pulse from our heart doth appear; that all sense of duty is lost, all appetite to good doth fail, no strength or activity to move in a good course doth exert it self; that our good complexion is dissolved, and all our finer spirits are dissipa­ted; that our mind is quite crazed, and all its Powers are shattered or spoiled, when thus, I say, we are spiritually dead, how can we raise our selves, what beneath omnipo­tency can effect it? as a stick, when Frangas citius quam corrigas quae in pravum induruerunt. Quintil. 1. 3. once 'tis dry and stiff, you may break it, but you can never bend it into a streighter posture, so doth the Man become incorrigible, who is settled and stiffned in vice. The stain of habitual sin may sink in so deep, and so thoroughly tincture all our Soul, that we may be like those People, of whom the Prophet saith, Can the Ethiopian change his Jer. 13. 23. skin, or the Leopard his spots? then [Page 130] may ye do good, that are accustomed to doe evil: Such an impossibili­ty may arise from nature; one greater and more insuperable may come from God.

To an effectual repentance the succour of divine grace is necessary; but that is arbitrarily dispensed; the spirit bloweth where it listeth, John 3. 8. yet it listeth wisely, with regard both to the past behaviour, and present capacities of Men; so that to such who have abused it, and to such who will not treat it well, it shall not be imparted: And can we be well assured, can we reasonably hope, that after we by our presump­tuous delays have put off God and dallied with his grace; after that he long in vain hath waited to be gratious; after that he hath endured so many neglects, and so many re­pulses from us; after that we fre­quently have slighted his open in­vitations, and smothered his kindly motions in us; in short, after we so unworthily have misused his [Page 131] goodness and patience, that he far­ther will vouchsafe his grace to us? when we have forfeited it, when we [...]. Heb 10. 29. [...]. Heb. 6. 4. have rejected it, when we have spur­ned and driven it away, can we hope to recover it?

There is a time, a season, a day allotted to us; our day it is termed, Luke 19. 42, 44. 2 Cor. 6. 2. Heb. 3. 13. John 9. 4. a day of salvation, the season of our visitation, an acceptable time; where­in God freely doth exhibit grace, and presenteth his mercy to us; if we let this day slip, the night Luke 19. 42. cometh when no man can work; when the things belonging to our peace will Isa. 59. 10. be hidden from our eyes; when (as the Prophet expresseth it) we shall grope for the wall like the blind, and stumble at noon-day as in the night, and be in desolate places as dead men; after that day is spent, and that comfortable light is set, a dismal night of darkness, of cold, of dis­consolateness will succeed; when Jer. 15. 6. Mal. 2. 17. Isa 1. 14. 7. 13. Rom. 1. 24, 26, 28. God being weary of bearing with Men doth utterly desert them, and delivereth them over to a reprobate [Page 132] mind; when subtracting his grati­ous direction and assistence, he gi­veth them over to their own hearts Psal. 81. 12. lusts, and to walk in their own coun­sels; when they are brought to complain with those in the Prophet, O Lord, why hast thou made us to err Isa. 63. 17. from thy ways, and hardned our heart from thy fear? when like Pharaoh they survive only as objects of God's justice, or occasions to glorify his power; when like Esau, they can­not Rom. 9. 17. find a place of repentance, although they seek it carefully with Heb. 13. 17. tears; when as to the foolish loitering Virgins, the door of mercy Matth. 25. 10. is shut upon them; when the master of the house doth rise and shut the Luke 13. 25. door, &c. when that menace of di­vine wisedom cometh to be execu­ted; They shall call upon me, but I Prov. 1. 28. will not answer: they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me; for that they hated knowledge, and did not chuse the fear of the Lord: And if neglecting our season, and present means, we once fall into this state, [Page 133] then is our case most deplorable; we are dead Men irreversibly doom­ed, and only for a few moments reprieved from the stroak of final vengeance; we are vessels of wrath Rom. 9. 22. fitted (or made up) for destruction; by a fatal blindness and obduration sealed up to ruine; we are like the terra damnata, that earth (in the Apostle,) which drinking up the rain, [...]. Heb. 6. 7, 8. that cometh oft upon it, and bearing thorns and briars, is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing, and whose end is to be burned. Wherefore according to the advice of the Prophet, Seek ye the Lord, when he may be found, call Isa. 55. 6. ye upon him, while he is near.

It is true, that God is ever ready upon our true conversion to receive us into favour, that his arms are always open to embrace a sincere Penitent; that he hath declared, whenever a wicked man turneth from Ezek. 18. 27. his wickedness, and doeth that which is right, he shall save his soul alive; that if we do wash our selves, make us clean, put away the evil of our do­ings, Isa. 1. 18. [Page 134] and cease to do evil, then al­though our sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they be like crimson they shall be as wool; that if we rend our hearts, and turn Joel 2. 13. unto the Lord, he is gratious and mercifull. and will repent of the evil; that God is good and ready to for­give, Psal. 86. 5. and plenteous in mercy unto all that call upon him; that whenever a prodigal Son with humble confessi­on and hearty contrition for his sin doth arise and go to his father, he Luke 15. 18. will embrace him tenderly, and en­tertain him kindly; that even a profane Apostate, and a bloody Oppressour (as Manasses) a lewd Strumpet (as Magdalene) a nota­ble Vid. Chrys. ad Theod. 2. Judas (saith he there) was capable of pardon. Thief (as he upon the Cross) a timorous Renouncer (as St. Peter) a furious Persecutour (as St. Paul) a stupid Idolater (as all the Heathen World, when the Gospel came to them, was) the most heinous Sin­ner that ever hath been, or can be imagined to be, if he be disposed to repent, is capable of mercy; those [Page 135] declarations and promises are infal­libly true, those instances peremp­torily do evince, that repentance is never super-annuated; that if we can turn at all, we shall not turn too late, that poenitentia nunquam sera, modo seria, is an irrefragable rule; yet nevertheless delay is very unsafe; for what assurance can we have, that God hereafter will ena­ble us to perform those conditions of bewailing our sins, and forsaking them? have we not cause rather to fear that he will chastise our pre­sumption by with­holding his Grace? for although God faileth not to yield competent aids to Persons who have not despised his goodness and long-suf­fering Rom. 2. 4. that leadeth them to repentance; yet he that wilfully or wantonly loitereth away the time, and squan­dereth the means allowed him; who refuseth to come when God calleth, yea woeth and courteth him to repentance, how can he pretend to find such favour?

[Page 136] We might add, that supposing God in super-abundance of mercy might be presumed never to with­hold his grace; yet seeing his grace doth not work by irresistible com­pulsion; seeing the worse qualified we are, the more apt we shall be to cross and defeat its operation; see­ing that we cannot hope that here­after we shall be more fit than now to comply with it: Yea, seeing we may be sure, that after our hearts are hardned by perseverance in sin, we shall be more indisposed thereto; we by delay of repentance do not onely venture the forfeiture of di­vine grace, but the danger of abu­sing it, which heinously will aggra­vate our guilt, and hugely augment our punishment.

We should do well therefore most seriously to regard the Apostle's ad­monition; Exhort one another to day, Heb. 3. 13. while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardned by the deceitfulness of sin: Now that we find our selves invited to repent, now that we ap­prehend [Page 137] so much reason for it; now that we feel our hearts some­what enclined thereto; now that we have time in our hands, and are not barr'd from hopes of mercy; now that it is not extremely diffi­cult, or not absolutely impossible, let us in God's name lay hold on the occasion, let us speedily and earnest­ly set upon the work. Farther yet,

6. We should consider, that we are mortal and frail, and thence any designs of future reformation may be clipt off, or intercepted by death; which is always creeping towards us, and may for all we can tell be very near at hand. You say you will repent to morrow; but are you sure you shall have a morrow to re­pent in? have you an hour in your hand, or one minute at your dispo­sal? have you a lease to shew for any term Qui poenitenti veniam spospon­dit, peccanti crastinum diem non promisit. Greg. in Evang. Hom. IX. of life? can you claim or reckon upon the least portion of time without his leave, who bestoweth life, and deal­eth [Page 138] out time, and ordereth all things as he pleaseth? Can you any-wise desery the just measure of your days, Job 12. 10. 14. 5. 7. 1. Psal. 39. 4. 90. 12. Dan. 5. 23. Prov. 27. 1. [...]. Bas. M. exh. ad Bapt. or the bounds of your appointed time without a special revelation from him, in whose hands is your breath; and with whom alone the number of your months is registred? Boast not thy self of to morrow, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth, saith the Wise-man: boast not of it, that is, do not pretend it to be at thy dis­posal, presume not upon any thing that may befall therein; for whilst thou presumest thereon, may it not be said unto thee, as to the rich Pro­jectour in the Gospel, Luke 12. 10. Thou fool, this night shall thy soul be required of thee. Doth not, seluding hidden de­crees, every Man's life hang upon a thread very slender and frail? is it not subject to many diseases lurking within, and to a thousand accidents flying about us? how many, that might have promised themselves as fair scope as we can, have been un­expectedly snapt away? How many [Page 139] have been cropt in the flower of their age and vigour of their strength? Doth not every day pre­sent experiments of sudden death? Do we not continually see that ob­servation of the Preacher verified, Man Eccles. 9. 12. knoweth not his time; as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds are caught in the snare, so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it cometh sud­denly upon them? Old [...], &c. [...], &c. Const. Ap. 2. 13. men are ready to drop of themselves, and young men are easily brushed or sha­ken down; the former visibly stand upon the brink of Eternity, the latter walk upon a bottomless Quag, into which una­wares they may slump; who then can any-wise be secure? We are all therefore highly concerned to use our life, while we have it; to catch the first opportunity, lest all oppor­tunity forsake us; to cut off our sinning, lest our selves be cut off [Page 140] before it: And that the rather, be­cause by lavishing, or misemploy­ing our present time, we may lose the future, provoking God to be­reave us of it; for as prolongation of time is a reward of Piety; as to observance of the Commandments it is promised, Length of days, and Prov. 3. 2. long life, and peace shall be added unto thee; so being immaturely snatched hence is the punishment awarded to impious practice; so it is threatned that Evil men shall be Psal. 37. 9. cut off; that bloody and deceifull men Psal. 55. 23. shall not live out half their days; that God will wound the head of his Psal. 68. 21. enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his wicked­ness: the very being unmindfull of their duty is the cause, why men are thus surprised; for, If, saith God, thou dost not watch, I shall come upon Rev. 3. 3. 16. 5. thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know when I come upon thee. And If (saith our Lord) that servant doth say in his heart, my Lord de­layeth Luke 12. 45, 46. his coming, &c. The Lord of [Page 141] that servant will come in a day, when he looketh not for him, &c.

If then it be certain, that we must render a strict accompt of all our doings here; if by reason of our frail nature and slippery state, it be uncertain when we shall be summo­ned thereto; if our negligence may abridge and accelerate the term, is it not very reasonable to observe those advices of our Lord; Watch, Matth. 25. 13. 24. 42. Mark 13. 33. Luke 12. 15, 35. for ye do not know the day, nor the hour, when the son of man cometh; Take heed to your selves, lest any time your heart be overcharged with sur­feiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. Let your loins be gir­ded about, and your lamps burning, and ye your selves like men, that wait for your Lord: And to take the coun­sel of the Wise-man, Make no tarry­ing Ecclus. 5. 5. to turn unto the Lord, and put not off from day to day; for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord come forth, and in thy security shalt thou be destroyed, and perish in the day of vengeance.

[Page 142] These considerations plainly do shew how very foolish, how ex­tremely dangerous and destructive the procrastinating our reformation of life is: there are some others of good moment, which we shall re­serve.

I Proceed to the Considerations which yet remain to be spo­ken to.

1. We may consider the causes of delay in this case (as in all ca­ses of moment) to be bad and un­worthy of a Man: What can they be but either stupidity, that we do [Page 144] not apprehend the importance of the affair; or improvidence that we do not attend to the danger of per­sisting in sin; or negligence that we do not mind our concernments; or sloth that keepeth us from rowsing [...] Simpl. and bestirring our selves in pursu­ance of what appeareth expedient; or faint-heartedness and cowardize, that we dare not attempt to cross our appetite, or our fancy; all which dispositions are very base and shamefull: It is the prerogative of humane nature to be sagacious in Animal hoc pro­vidum, sagax, Cic. de leg. 1. Cic. de offic. 1. estimating the worth, and provi­dent in descrying the consequences of things; whereas other creatures, by impulse of sence, do onely fix their regard on present appearances; which peculiar excellency by stupi­dity and improvidence we forfeit, degenerating into brutes; and neg­ligence of that, which we discern mainly to concern us is a quality somewhat beneath those, depressing us below beasts, which cannot be charged with such a fault; sloth is [Page 145] no less despicable, rendring a man fit for nothing; nor is there any thing commonly more reproachfull than want of courage: so bad are the causes of delay.

2. And the effects are no less un­happy, being disappointment, da­mage, trouble and sorrow: As ex­pedition (catching advantages and opportunities, keeping the spirit up in its heat and vigour, making for­cible impressions where-ever it light­eth, driving on the current of suc­cess) doth subdue business, and ar­chieve great exploits (as by practi­sing his Motto, to defer nothing, A­lexander [...]. Successus urgers suos, instare, &c. Luc. 1. did accomplish those migh­ty feats which make such a clatter in story; and Caesar more by the rapid quickness and forwardness of undertaking, than by the greatness of courage, and skilfulness of con­duct, did work out those enterpri­ses, which purchased to his Name so much glory and re­nown) so delay and Plerisque in rebus tarditas & procrastinatio odiosa est. Cic. Philip. 6. [...]owness do spoil all [Page 146] business, do keep off success at di­stance from us, thereby opportunity is lost, and advantages slip away; our courage [...]. Hes. Dum deliberamus quando in­cipiendum est, incipere jam se­rum est. Quint. 12. 7. doth flag, and our spi­rit languisheth; our endeavours strike faint­ly, and are easily repelled; whence disappointment necessarily doth spring, attended with vexation.

3. Again, we may consider, that to set upon our duty is a great step toward the performance of it; if we can resolve well, and a little pust forward, we are in a fair way to dispatch; to begin (they say) is to have half done Dimidium facti qui coepit ha­bet. Hor. Ep. 1. 2. [...], &c. Chrys. Tom. 6. Orat. p. 68. [...]. Ib. p. 79. to set out, is a good part of the journey to rise betimes is oftner harder than to do all the days work; entring the Town, is at most the same with taking it; it i [...] so in all business, it is chiefly so i [...] moral practice: For if we can fine in our hearts to take our leave of sin [Page 147] if we can disengage our selves from the Honestas, quae principie anxia habetur, ubi contigerit, volup­tati luxuriaeque habetur. Vict. in Sept. Sev. witcheries of present allurement; if we can but get over the threshold, of ver­tuous conversation, we shall find the rest beyond expectation smooth and expedite; we shall discover such beauty in vertue, we shall tast so much sweetness in obedience as greatly will encourage us to pro­ceed therein.

4. Again, we may consider, that our time it self is a gift, or a talent committed to us, for the improve­ment whereof we are responsible no less than for our Wealth, our Power, our Credit, our Parts, and other such advantages, wherewith for the serving of God, and furthering our own salvation we are intrusted: To Eph. 5. 16. Col. 4. 5. redeem the time is a Precept; and of all Precepts the most necessary to be observed, for that without re­deeming (that is embracing and well employing) time we can do nothing well; no good action can [Page 148] be performed, no good reward can be procured by us: Well may we be advised to take our best care in husbanding it, seeing justly of all things it may be reckoned most pre­tious; its price being inestimable, [...]. and its loss irreparable; for all the World cannot purchase one Moment of it more than is allowed us, neither can it, when once gone, by any means be recovered: So much in­deed as we save thereof, so much we preserve of our selves; and so far as we lose it, so far in effect we slay our selves, or deprive our selves of life; yea by mispending it we do worse than so; for a dead sleep, or a cessation from being, is not so bad as doing ill; all that while we live backward, or decline toward a state much worse than annihilation it self▪ Farther

5. Consider, that of all time the present is ever the best for the pur­pose Omnioe quae ventura sunt in incerto jaecent, protinus vive. Sen. de vit. brev. 9. of amending our life; It is the onely sure time, that which we have in our hands, and may call our own; [Page 149] whereas the past time is irrevocably gone from us; and the future may never come to us: It is absolutely (reckoning from our becoming sen­sible of things, and accomptable for our actions) the best, as to our ca­pacity of improving it;

Our best days do first pass away, was truly said; the nearer to its source our life is, the purer it is from stain, the freer from clogs, the more susceptive of good impressions, the more vivid and brisk in its acti­vity; the farther we go on, especi­ally in a bad course, the nearer we verge to the dregs of our life; the more dry, the more stiff, the more sluggish we grow; delay therefore doth ever steal away the flower of our age, leaving us the bran and refuse thereof. Again,

6. If at any time we do reflect upon the time that hath already slip­ped away unprofitably from us, it will seem more than enough, and [Page 150] (if we consider well) it will be grievous to us to lose more; the morrow will seem too late to com­mence a good life; [...], The time past of our Sera nimis vi­ta est crastina, vive hodie. Mart. 1. 16. 1 Pet. 4. 3. life (saith St. Peter) may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gen­tiles, or to have continued in ill courses; more indeed it might than suffice; it should be abundantly too much to have imbezilled so large a portion of our pretious and irrepa­rable time: After we have slept in neglect of our duty, [...], it is (as St. Paul saith) now Rom. 13. 11. high time to awake, unto a vigilant observance thereof: this we shall the rather do, if we consider, that

7. For illiving now we shall come hereafter to be sorry, if not with a wholsome contrition, yet with a painfull regret; we shall cer­tainly one day repent, if not of our sin, yet of our sinning; if not so as to correct for the future, yet so as to condemn our selves for what is past: the consideration of our ha­ving [Page 151] sacrilegiously robb'd our Ma­ker of the time due to his service; of our having injuriously defrauded our souls of the opportunities gran­ted to secure their welfare; of our having profusely cast away our most pretious hours of life upon vanity and folly, will some time twitch us sorely. There is no man who doth not with a sorrowfull eye review an ill-past life; who would not gladly recall his mispent time; O mihi proe­teritos! O that God would restore my past years to me, is every such Man's Prayer, although it never was heard, never could be granted unto any. And what is more inconsi­stent with wisedom, than to engage our selves upon making such ineffe­ctual and fruitless wishes? What is more disagreeable to reason, than to do that, for which we must be for­ced to confess and call our selves fools? What Man of sense for a flash of transitory Pleasure, for a puff of vain repute, for a few scraps of dirty Pelf would plunge himself into such a gulf of anguish?

[Page 152] 8. On the contrary, if laying hold on occa­sion, Ille sapit quisquis, Post hume, vixit heri. Mart. 5. 60. we set our selves to do well, reflexion thereon will yield great satisfaction and pleasure to us; we shall be glad that we have done, and that our task is over; we shall enjoy our for­mer life; Our time Ampliat aetatis spatium sibi vir bonus, hoc est Vivere his, vita posse priore frui. Mart. 10. 23. which is so past will not yet be lost unto us; but rather it will be most se­curely ours, laid up beyond the reach of danger, in the repository of a good conscience.

9. Again, all our time of conti­nuance Rom. 2. in sin we do treasure up wrath, or accumulate guilt; and the larger our guilt is, the sorer must be our repentance; the more bitter the Quam magna deliquimus, tam granditer defleamus, &c. Cypr. de Laps. Or. 5. sorrow, the more low the humbling, the more earnest the deprecation re­quisite to obtain pardon: the broa­der and deeper the stain is, the more washing is needfull to get it out; if we sin much and long, we must grieve answerably, or we shall be no fit objects of mercy.

[Page 153] 10. And when-ever the sin is par­doned, yet indelible marks and mo­numents thereof will abide. We shall eter­nally Poena potest demi, culpa peren­nis erit. Ovid. [...]. Chrys. Tom. 8. p. 97. be obliged to cry peccavi; although the punishment may be re­mitted, the desert of it cannot be removed; a scar from it will stick in our flesh; which ever will deform us; a tang of it will stay in our memory, which always will be disgustfull; we shall never reflect on our miscarriages without some confusion and hor­rour; incessantly we shall be liable to that question of St. Paul, What Rom. 6. 21. fruit had ye of those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? If therefore we could reasonable presume, yea if we could certainly foresee, that we should hereafter in time repent, yet it were unadvisably to persist in sin, seeing it being once committed, can never be reversed; never expunged from the registers of time, never dashed out from the tables of our [Page 154] mind and memory; but will perpe­tually rest as matter of dolefull con­sideration, and of tragical story to us. Then shalt thou remember thy Ezek. 16. 61. Ezek. 16. 63. ways, and be ashamed. That thou mayst remember and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pa­cified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God: Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, Ezek. 36. 31. 20. 43. and your doings that were not good, and shall loath your selves in your own sight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations.

11. Again, so much time as we spend in disobedience, so much of reward we do forfeit; for commen­surate to our works shall our re­wards be; the fewer our good works are in the course of our present life, the smaller shall be the measures of joy, of glory, of felicity dispensed to us hereafter; the later conse­quently we repent, the less we shall be happy: One star (saith the Apo­stle) differeth from another in glory; 1 Cor. 15. 41. [Page 155] and of all stars, those in the celestial sphere will shine brightest, who did soon rise here, and continued long by the lustre of their good works to glorify their heavenly Father; for the path of the just is as the shi­ning Prov. 4. 18. light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. While therefore we let our interest lie dead by lin­gring, or run behind by sinfull practice, we are very bad husbands for our soul; our spiritual estate doth thereby hugely suffer; every minute contracteth a damage that runneth through millions of ages, and which therefore will amount to an immense summ: And who for all the pleasures here would forego one degree of blissfull joy hereafter; who for all earthly splen­dours would exchange one spark of celestial glory; who for all the trea­sures below would let slip one gem out of his heavenly crown?

12. Farther, let us consider that whatever our age, whatever our condition or case be, the advice not [Page 156] to procrastinate our obedience is ve­ry sutable and usefull.

Art thou young? then it is most Sub paedagogo coeperis licet; serum est. Mart. 8. 44. proper to enter upon living well. For when we set out, we should be put in a right way; when we be­gin to be Men, we should begin to use our reason well; life and vertue should be of the same standing; what is more ugly than a Child, that have learnt little, having learnt to do ill; than naughtiness spring­ing up in that state of innocence? the foundation of good life is to be laid in that age, upon which the rest of our life is built; for this is the manner of our proceeding; the pre­sent dependeth always upon what is past; our practice is guided in noti­ons that we had sucked in, is sway­ed by inclinations that we got be­fore; whence usually our first judg­ments of things, and our first pro­pensions to stretch their influence upon the whole future life. Train up a Prov. 22. 6. child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it, saith the Wise-man.

[Page 157] That age as it is most liable to be cor­rupted Natura tenacissimi sum [...]s co-rum, quae rudibus annis percipi­mus, &c. Quint. 1. 1. Difficulter eraditur quod ru­des animi perbiberunt. Hier. ad Laetam. by vice, so it is most capable of be­ing imbued with ver­tue: then nature is soft and pliable, so as easily to be moul­ded into any shape, ready to admit any stamp impressed thereon; then the mind is a pure table, in which good principles may be fairly en­graven, without raising out any former ill prejudices; then the heart being a soil free of weeds, the seeds of goodness being cast therein will undisturbedly grow and thrive; then the complexion being tender will easily be set into a right posture; Our Ut corpora ad quosdam mem­brorum flexus formari nisi tener a non possunt, sic animos ad plera­que duriores robur ipsum facit. Quint. ib. Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa diu. Hor. Ep. 1. 2. soul is then a Vessel empty and sweet; good liquour therefore may be instilled, which will both fit it, and season it with a durable tincture; the ex­tream curiosity and huge credulity of that age, as they greedily will [Page 158] swallow any, so will they admit good instruction. If we do then imbibe false conceptions, or have bad impressions made on our minds, it will be hard afterwards to expell, or to correct them. Passion is then very fluid and moveable, but not being impetuously determined any way, may easily be derived into the right chanel. Then the quickness of our wit, the briskness of our fan­cy, the freshness of our memory, the vigour of our affections, the lusty and active mettle of our spirits being applied to vertuous studies and endeavours, will produce most noble [...]. Chrys. [...]. fruits; the beauty of which will adorn us, the sweetness will please us, so as to leave on our minds a perpetual relish and satisfaction in goodness. Then being less encombred with the cares, less intangled in the per­plexities, less exposed to the temp­tations of the World and secular Af­fairs, we can more easily set forth, [Page 159] we may proceed more expeditely in good courses. Then being void of that stinging remorse, which doth adhere to reflexions upon past fol­lies, and mispent time, with more courage and alacrity we may pro­secute good undertakings; then be­ginning so soon to embrace vertue, we shall have advantage with more leisure, and more ease to polish and perfect it through our ensuing course of life; setting out so early, in the very morning of our age, without much straining, marching on softly and fairly, we may go through our journey to happiness.

Our actions then are the first fruits of our life, which therefore are fit and due sacrifices to our Maker; which if we do withdraw, we shall have nothing left so worthy or ac­ceptable to present unto him; will it be seemly to offer him the dregs and refuse of our age; shall we not be ashamed to bring a crazy temper of body and soul, dry bones and de­cayed senses; a dull fancy, a trea­cherous [Page 160] memory, a sluggish spirit before him? shall we then when we are fit for little begin to undertake his service? with our decrepid limbs and wasted strength shall we set our selves to run the ways of his com­mandments?

As it is uncomfortable to think of being parsimonious, when our stock is almost gone; so it is to become thrifty of our life, when it comes near the bottom. [...].

If we keep innocency, spend our youth well, it will yield unexpres­sible comfort to us; it will save us much sorrow, it will prevent many inconveniences to us: If we have Psal. 37. 38. spent it ill, it will yield us great displeasure, it will cost us much pains; we shall be forced sadly to bewail our folly and vanity therein; it will be bitter to see, that we must unlive our former life, and undoe all we have done; that we must re­nounce the Principles we have a­vowed, we must root out the ha­bits [Page 161] we have planted, we must for­sake the Paths which we have bea­ten and so long trode in, if ever we will be happy; it will be grievous to us, when we come with peni­tential regret to deprecate, Lord re­member not the sins of my youth; we Psal. 25. 7. shall feel sore pain, when our bones Job 20. 11. are full of the sins of our youth, and we come to possess the iniquities 1 [...] 26. thereof.

It is therefore good (as the Prophet saith) Lam. 3. 27. Fingit equum tenera docilem cer­vice Magister Ire viam, quam monstrat eques.— Hor. that a man bear the yoke in his youth, when his neck is tender; it is excellent advice which the Prea­cher giveth, Remember thy Creatour Eccl. 12. 1. in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them.

Aristotle saith, that Eth. 1. 3. [...]. young men are not fit bearers of moral do­ctrine; because (saith he) they are unexperi­enced [Page 162] in affairs of life; and because they are apt to follow their passions, which indispose to hear with fruit or profit; but his conclusion is false, and his reasons may be well turned against him; for because young men want experience, there­fore is there no bad prejudice, no contrary habit to obstruct their em­bracing sound doctrine; because their passions are vehement and strong, therefore being rightly or­dered, and set upon good objects they with great force will carry them to vertuous practice; that in­deed is the best time to regulate and tame Passions; as Horses must be broken when they are Colts, Dogs must be made when they are Whelps, else they will never be brought to any thing. The Poet therefore ad­vised better than the Philosopher,

and St. Paul plainly doth confute Eph. 6. 4. him, when he biddeth Parents to educate their children in the nurture [Page 163] and admonition of the Lord; when he chargeth Titus, that he exhort young Tit. 2. 6. men to be sober-minded; when he commendeth Timothy, for that he 2 Tim. 2. 22. 2 Tim. 3. 15. had [...] from his infancy known the Holy Scriptures; So doth the Psalmist, when he saith, Where­with Psal. 119. 9. shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed according to thy word. And Solomon, when he declareth Prov. 1. 4. that his moral Precepts did serve to give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion; when he biddeth us to train up a Prov. [...]. 6, 15. child in the way he should go; St. Pe­ter 1 Pet. 2. 2. doth intimate the same, when he biddeth us, as new born babes to desire the sincere milk of the word; and our Saviour, when he said, Suf­fer Luke 18. 16. little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of God; that is the more simplicity and inno­cence a Man is endued with, the more apt he is to embrace and com­ply with the Evangelical Doctrine: Aristotle therefore was out, when he would exclude young men from [Page 164] the Schools of Vertue. It is obser­vable that he contradicteth him­self; for [...]. Eth. 2. 2. It is (saith he) of no small concernment to be from youth accustomed thus or thus; yea 'tis very much, or rather all: And how shall a young man be ac­customed to do well, if he be not allowed to learn what is to be done?

Again, are we old? it is then high time to begin; we have then less time to spare from our most im­portant business; we stand then in most imminent danger, upon the edge of perdition, and should there­fore be nimble to skip out thence; our forces being diminished, our quickness and industry should be encreased; the later we set out, the more speed it beho­veth us to make. If Quod facere solent qui serius exeunt—calcar addamus. Sen. Ep. 63. 76. 10. Apoc. 3. 2. [...]. we stay, we shall grow continually more in­disposed and unfit to [Page 165] amend, it will be too late, when utter decrepitness and dotage have seised upon us; and our body doth survive our soul. When so much of our time, of our parts, of our strength are fled, we should husband the rest to best advantage, and make the best satisfaction we can unto God, and unto our souls with the remainder.

This age hath some —non omnia grandior aetas Quae fugiamus habet— Ovid. [...]. Ghrys. Tom. 6. Orat. 38. peculiar advantages, which we should em­brace; the froth of humours is then boil­ed out, the fervours of lust are slaked, passions are allayed, appetites are flatted; so that then inclinations to sin are not so vio­lent, nor doth the enjoyment there­of so much gratify.

Long experience then hath disco­vered the vanity of all worldly things, and the mischief of ill cour­ses; so that we can then hardly ad­mire any thing, or be fond of en­joying [Page 166] what we have found unpro­sitable or hurtfull.

Age is excused from compliance with the fashions, and thence much exempted from temptations of the World; so that it may be good without obstacle or opposition.

It is proper thereto to be grave and serious, and consequently to be vertuous; for gravity without ver­tue and seriousness about vain things are ridiculous.

Nothing doth so adorn this age as goodness, nothing doth so dis­grace it as wickedness; The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be Prov. 16. 31. found in the way of righteousness; but it is a mark of Infamy, if it be observed proceeding in a course of iniquity, it signifieth that experience hath not improved it, it argueth in­corrigible folly, or rather incurable madness therein.

There is indeed no care, no em­ployment proper for old Men but to prepare for their dissolution; to be bidding adieu to the World with [Page 167] its vain Pomps and mischievous Pleasures; to be packing up their Goods, to be casting their Accompts, to be fitting themselves to abide in that state into which they are tum­bling, to appear at that Bar, before which suddenly nature will set them. As a Ship, which hath long been tost and weather-beaten, which is shattered in its timber, and hath lost much of its rigging, should do nothing in that case but work to­ward the Port, there to find its safety and ease; so should a Man, who having past many storms and In freto vixi­mus, moriamur in portu. Sen. Ep. 19. agitations of the World is grievously battered and torn with Age, strive onely to die well, to get safe into the Harbour of eternal Rest.

In fine, Epicurus him­self said well, that no [...]. Epic. ad Monoec. man is either immature or over-ripe in regard to his souls health; we can never set upon it too soon, we should never think it too late to begin; to live well is always the best thing we [Page 168] can do, and therefore we should at any time endeavour it; there are common reasons for all ages, there are special reasons for each age, which most strongly and most clear­ly do urge it; it is most seasonable for young Men, it is most necessary for old Men, it is most adviseable for all Men Quare ju­ventus, imo omnis aetas (neque enim rectae voluntati serum est tempus ullum) totis menti­bus huc tendamus, in hoc elaboremus; forsan & consummare con­tingat. Quint. 12. 1..

Again, be our condition what it will, this advice is reasonable: Are we in health? we owe God thanks for that excellent gift, and the best gratitude we can express is the im­proving it for his service and our own good; we should not lose the advantage of a season so fit for our obedience and repentance; while the forces of our body and mind are entire, while we are not discomposed by pain or faintness, we should strive to dispatch this needfull work, for which infirmity may disable us.

[Page 169] Are we sick? it is then time to consider our frailty, and the best we can to obviate the worst consequen­ces thereof: It is then very fit, when we do feel the sad effects of sin, to endeavour the prevention of worse mischiefs that may follow; it is sea­sonable, when we lie under God's correcting hand to submit unto him, to deprecate his wrath, to seek re­conciliation with him by all kinds of obedience sutable to that state; with serious resolutions to amend hereafter, if it shall please God to re­store us; it is most adviseable, when we are in the borders of death to provide for that state, which lieth just beyond it.

Are we rich and prosperous? 'tis expedient then presently to amend, lest our Wealth do soon corrupt us with Pride, with Luxury, with Sloth, with Stupidity; lest our Prosperity becometh an inevitable snare, an ir­recoverable Prov. 1. 32. bane unto us.

Are we poor or afflicted? it is then also needfull to repent quickly; [Page 170] that we may have a comfortable support for our soul, and a certain succour in our distress; that we may get a treasure to supply our want, a joy to drown our sorrow; a buoy to keep our hearts from sinking in­to desperation and disconsolateness. This condition is a medicine, which God administreth for our soul's health; if it do not work presently so as to doe us good, it will prove both grievous and hurtfull to us.

13. Lastly, we may consider, that abating all the rufull consequences of abiding in sin, abstracting from the desperate hazards it exposeth us to in regard to the future life, it is most reasonable to abandon it, betaking our selves to a vertuous course of practice. For vertue in it self is far more eligible than vice, to keep Est virtus ni­hil aliud quam in se perfecta, & ad summum perducta natu­ra, Cic. de Leg. 1. God's Commandments hath much greater convenience than to break them; the life of a good Man in all considerable respects is highly to be preferred above the life of a bad Man: for what is vertue, but a way of li­ving [Page 171] that advanceth our nature into a similitude with God's most excel­lent and happy nature; that promo­teth our true benefit and interest; that procureth and preserveth health, ease, safety, liberty, peace, comfor­table subsistence, fair repute, tran­quillity of mind, all kinds of con­venience to us? to what ends did our most benign and most wise Ma­ker Deut. 10. 13. Mic. 6. 8. Neh. 9. 13. Rom. 7. 12. Psal. 19. 9. 119. 107. design and suit his Law, but to the furthering our good, and secu­ring us from mischief, as not onely himself hath declared, but reason sheweth, and experience doth attest? What is vice but a sort of practice which debaseth and disparageth us, which plungeth us into grievous e­vils, which bringeth distemper of bo­dy and soul, distress of fortune, dan­ger, trouble, reproach, regret, and numberless inconveniences upon us? which for no other reason, than be­cause it so hurteth and grieveth us, was by our loving Creatour interdi­cted to us? Vertue is most noble and worthy, most lovely, most pro­fitable, [Page 172] most pleasant, most credita­ble; vice is most sordid and base, ugly, hurtfull, bitter, disgracefull, in it self, and in its consequences. If we compare them together, we shall find, that vertue doth always preserve our health, but vice com­monly doth impair it; that vertue improveth our estate, vice wasteth it; that vertue adorneth our repu­tation, vice blemisheth it; that ver­tue strengthneth our parts, vice weakneth them; that vertue main­taineth our freedom, vice enslaveth us; that vertue keepeth our mind in order and peace, vice discompo­seth and disquieteth it; vertue breed­eth satisfaction and joy, vice spawn­eth displeasure and anguish of con­science: to enter therefore into a vertuous course of life, what is it but to embrace happiness; to con­tinue in vitious practice, what is it but to stick in misery?

By entring into good life, we en­ter into the favour and friendship of God, engaging his infinite power and [Page 173] wisedom for our protection, our suc­cour, our direction and guidance; enjoying the sweet effluxes of his mercy and bounty; we therewith become friends to the holy Angels, and blessed Saints, to all good Men, being united in a holy and happy consortship of judgment, of charity, of hope, of devotion with them; we become friends to all the World, which we oblige by good wishes, and good deeds, and by the influ­ence of good example; we become friends to our selves, whom we there­by enrich and adorn with the best goods; whom we gratifie and please with the choicest delights: but per­sisting in sin we continue to affront, wrong, and displease our Maker, to be disloyal toward our Sovereign Lord; to be ingratefull toward our chief Benefactour, to disoblige the best Friend we have, to provoke a most just and severe Judge; to cope with Omnipotency, to contradict Infallibility; to enrage the greatest Patience, to abuse immense Good­ness: [Page 174] We thereby become enemies to all the World, to God, whom we injure and dishonour; to the friends of God, whom we desert and oppose; to the creatures which we abuse to our pride, lust and vanity; to our neighbours, whom we corrupt, or seduce; to our selves, whom we be­reave of the best goods, and betray to the worst evils.

Beginning to live soberly, we be­gin to live like Men, following the conduct of reason; beginning to live in charity, we commence the life of Angels, enjoying in our selves most sweet content, and procuring great benefit to others; but going on in sinfull voluptuousness, we proceed to live like beasts, wholly guided by sense, and swayed by appetite; be­ing pertinacious in malice we con­tinue to be like fiends, working tor­ment in our selves, and mischief to our neighbours.

Embracing vertue we become wise and sober Men, worthy and honourable, beneficial and usefull to [Page 175] the World: but continuing in vice, we continue to be foolish and vain, to be vile and despicable, to be worthless and useless.

By our delay to amend, what do we gain? what, but a little flashy and transient pleasure instead of a solid and durable peace; but a little counterfeit profit instead of real wealth; but a little smoak of de­ceitfull opinion instead of unquesti­onable sound honour; shadows of imaginary goods instead of those which are most substantial and true, a good mind, the love of God, the assured welfare of our souls. But this field of discourse is too spatious, I shall onely therefore for conclusion say, that speedily applying our selves to obedience, and breaking off our sins by repentance, is in effect no­thing else but from a present Hell in trouble, and the danger of a final Hell in torment to be translated in­to a double Heaven; one of joyfull tranquillity here, another of bliss­full rest hereafter; unto the which [Page 176] Almighty God in his mercy bring us all, through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom for ever be all glory and praise.

Amen.

The very God of peace sanctifie you wholly, and I pray God your whole 1 Thess. 5. 23. spirit, and soul, and body be preser­ved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.