The Amendment of Life, Book 1 · Chapter 4
The third Folly. To thinke that we ſhall liue euer. Chap. 4.
ANtigonus who ſucceeded Alexander the great in parte of his dominions, beeing recouered of a certaine ſickneſſe, ſayde:Plut. in his Apothegines That by the ſame, among other documentes, hee had learned that hee was mortall. Wherein hee layeth open the common opinion of man, who thinketh that hee ſhould liue euer. And in deede ſuch is our inclination to incredulitie, that vppon the long dela…e of anie thing that wee hauehave a while expected, wee conclude that it will neuer come to paſſe. So the euill ſeruant mentioned by Saint Mathewe, ſeeing his maſter tarrie awaie ſo long,Mat. 24.48 imagined and concluded that hee woulde neuer come.2. Pet. 3.3 Heereto hath the ſaying of Saint Peter relation, In the laſt d…ie there will come mockers, which will ſaie: Where is the promiſe of his comming for ſince that our fathers dyed, all things continue alyke from the beginning of the creation. Thus wee ſee how the ſcorners, only of the dela…e of the comming of Chriſt, can take occaſion to beleeue that hee wyll not come at all. As alſo when God himſelfe by his ſeruants threatneth them wyth death, they turne it to a ſcorne, ſaying: Let vsus eate and drinke, Eſa. 22.13 Eſa. 28.15to morow we ſhall die. Again, We hauehave made a couenant with death, and with hell we are at agreement: Though a ſcourge run ouer and paſſe thorough, it ſhall not come at vsus. Euen ſo we likewiſe, when we heare of death, yea, and dayly ſee the examples thereof, yet becauſe it forbeareth vsus a while, & taketh no hold of vsus, do imagine with our ſelues,Cicero in hi… booke of old age. that it ſhall neuer come at vsus. And this is it which a certain Ethnike, the prince of all Latine Orators ſignified. Where he ſayde that there is no man ſo ouer taken with age, but that hee weeneth to liue yet one yere longer. Thus doth he thinke to liue euer, conſidering that albeit he hath liued a hundred yeres, yea two hundred, yet ſtill he is of opinion that hee may liue one yere longer, and when that is paſt, yet one yere more: and ſo by one and one, for euer.
2 This doth the common courſe of man confirme. Wee all with our lippes do confeſſe that once we muſt die, and that death is the gate either to heauen or to hell, which not withſtanding, what one perſon doth liue, as either hoping to goe to heauen, or fearing to goe to hell? If we ſee that reſolutely within two or three dayes we muſt die: then is there none of vsus but is ſorrie that he offended God, that euer he liued in fornication, drunkenneſſe, deceit, ryot and other exceſſe, in a bad conſcience deuoide of the feare of God. Then will we deſire to recouer, that we may Amend: Then will we vow to God that if he will prolong our liues we will walke vprightly: Then will eueryevery one with that he had cut off ſome of his pleaſures and exceſſe, to the end therewith to hauehave releeued the neceſsitie of the poore: Then who could not be content wholy to hauehave beene giuen to the ſeruice of God: to hauehave had more care of his ſoule then of his bodie: of the life to come then of the life preſent? We confeſſe that when death draweth neere we will vſe theſe and ſuch like complaints and lamentations. Yet now whiles God graunteh vsus time and meanes to liue according to the ſame, why doe we it not? Wherefore do we not make haſt to liue in like ſort as being at deaths doore, we wiſh we had? Surely becauſe wee neuer thinke to die.
3 When a man after condemnation is returned to priſon, all his mind runneth vponupon death: he deteſteth his former life: he falleth vponupon his knees to pray to God: he regardeth no ſoft bedding, delicate fare, or coſtly apparell. Yea if he bee ſuch a one as feareth God, all his cogitations are bent to life euerlaſting: and forgetting the world and worldly buſineſſe, hee conce…eth great ioy in that he is ſo neere the gate and poſſeſsion of the kingdome of heauen. This ſentence of death paſſed vponupon vsus the firſt day that wee came into this world. Our ſoules are as in a priſon in our bodies: wee attend onelyonly the time of execution: wee all confeſſe wee muſt die, yet w…t wee not whether within a day or an houre. All this notwithſtanding, who either feeleth or ſheweth himſelfe readie, or who prouideth to die as doth he that hath receiued his ſentence from an earthly iudge? But what is the cauſe of this our dulneſſe and folly? Euen becauſe wee thinke not to die, but doe imagine that our liues ſhall laſt for euer.
4 If either woman or maiden preparing coſtly rayment, with exquiſite attires wherein to ſhew her ſelfe at ſome marriage feaſt, ſhoulde beginne to finde her ſelfe euell at eaſe: and withall that her Doctor or Phiſition hauing felt her poulſe, ſhoulde aſſure her to dye within one fortnight, would ſhee thinke any longer to proceede with her pompe, feaſting and paſtimes? No, ſhee would then fall to weeping and prayer, to giuing of almes, and reprouing the vanitie of the world, ſhee would aduertiſe her cōpanions to beware and to auoid the ſame. But God who knoweth the length of our daies, hath alreadie warned vsus of our death: hee ſaith it is at hand: he hath not promiſed fourteene dayes, neither two, nor one, no not one houre. Wherefore doe our mindes then runne vponupon the courſe of the world? Why doe we ſo delight in vanitie, ryot and exceſſe? Wherefore doe wee not rather employ our ſelues vponupon meditation of heauenly and eternall felicitie? And why doe we not beſtow our time in ſuch workes as in our death may miniſter comfort and ioy? Forſooth becauſe we thinke to liue euer.
5 Wee do reade of Philip, king of Macedon and father to great Alexander, that eueryevery morning one of the gromes of his chamber at his firſt waking, ſaide vntounto him, O king remember thou art a mortall man. There is alſo a common poſie, written vponupon many tablets and ringes Cogita mort, that is, Thinke to dye. Why? Was kinge Philip ſo forgetfull of his mortalitie that hee muſt be put in minde thereof eueryevery day? Or muſt wee Chriſtians bee put in minde of death by painted tablets or ringes? But as the end as well of the ſpeech to the king, as of this tablet tendeth onelyonly to aduertiſe vsus to liue as wee ſhoulde dye, ſo are they likewiſe obiections to conuince vsus of ſuch folly and giddineſſe, as maketh vsus to thinke that we ſhall not dye: Which truely is a great folly.
6 Wee commonly vſe to ſay, that experience is the fooles ſ…hoole-houſe: The reaſon: For that albeit they bee not capable of diſcourſe and reaſon, yet at the leaſt by experience they can learne that apples and peares will at length rot, that greene trees once cut downe doe grow feare: that graſſe mowen downe doth wither: that flowers gathered doe fade: for all this doth experience by the effectes teach them. And this doctrine of experience is ſo certaine, that if a Philoſopher ſhoulde goe about to proue the contrarye by reaſon and diſcourſe, as for example That fire is cold and ſnow hot, he ſhould ſhew himſelfe but a foole readie to be referred to the ſchoole of experience, and willed to put his finger in the fire, or hand into the ſnowe. Yet are our ſelues more fooliſh, in that ſo much experience cannot perſwade vsus to beleeue that man is ſubiect to die.
7 Where the Apoſtle ſayth, that it is appointed that all men ſhall die. Heb. 9.27He ſayth no more than hath bene confirmed by a contynuall courſe from the beginning of the world. And thereof doth the holy Ghoſt offer to our view the regiſters and tables. As in the fifth Chapter of Geneſis Moſes writeth that Adam liued 930. yeeres, & then died, Seth liued 912. yeeres, and then died, Malaleel liued 895. yeeres, and then died, Iared liued 962. yeeres, and then died, Methuſelah liued 969. yeeres, and then died, Lamech liued 777, yeeres, and then died. Is not heere a table which moſt liuely doth repreſent vntounto vsus our mortalitie, or that we alſo muſt die? And in deede, if they that liued nine hundred yeeres and vpward, coulde not finally be exempt from death, how thinke we, with whome the ſtrongeſt and of beſt conſtitution doo not liue much aboue 70. or 80. yeres at the moſt, and yet few ſo long, to liue euer & not to die? Dauid was better aduiſed when he ſayd, What man liueth and ſhall not ſee death? Pſal. 8….49Shall he deliuer his ſoule from the hand of the graue?
8 But let vsus leaue this little diſcourſe to ſuch as hauehave as lyttle reaſon, and proceede to the mirrors and looking glaſſes that God ſetteth before vsus. Can wee walke thorough the Churchyardes, and by the graues and ſepulchers, and not bee admoniſhed of death? Can wee ſee a dead corſe carried to the ground, or heare the bells ring for a funerall, but the ſame ſhall bee vntounto vsus as a heralde crying in our ears, O men remember that you are mortal? Are not the heads and bones of the dead packed vp in charuell houſes, or laid by the walls, ſo many witneſſes that we alſo muſt die. The world hath continued 5530. yeres, yet doth experience teach vsus, that if ſo many milliōs as in all that long time hauehave liued,Gen 5.24 Heb. 11.5 … King. 2.11 not one hath eſcaped death but only Enoch & Elias, who both were trāſlated & ſaw not death. Of whom then hauehave they that now liue purchaſed exēpption frō death? nay contrariwiſe, ſentēce is paſt that they alſo muſt die.Pſal 82.6 Dauid ſpeking to the kings & princes of the earth, ſaith thus: I hauehave ſayd, ye are Gods, ye are all the children of the higheſt: But ye ſhall die like men, & ye princes ſhall fall like others. Is it not then a double folly in vsus, yea, are we not more fooliſh than the verieſt fools, that in this vniuerſal & continual ſchole of experience, that hath ſtood euer ſince the beginning of the world, we cannot yet learn that we muſt die?
9 But behold yet an other great abuſe. This life which we take to be immortall, is of very ſmall continuance. We thinke to liue vponupon the earth for euer, and yet we liue but a ſmall time.Pſal. 90.10. Moſes in his Canticle ſaith. The time of our life is threeſcore yeares & ten, & if they be of ſtrength, foureſcore yeres. Of eueryevery thouſand that come into the world, hardly ſhal you find two or three that liue to 70. or 80. yeres: & yet Moſes in the ſame Canticle ſaith, that this long life of 70. or 80. yeares is ſoone gon and we flee away: What ſhall wee then ſay of the life of 40 30. or 20. yeares?Wiſed. 5.8. In the booke of Wiſedome we reade that ſuch as looked neuer to die, but liued in pleaſures, wealth, and honour, did notwithſtanding plainely confeſſe their folly & abuſe ſaying. What hath pride profited vsus, or what hath the pompe of riches brought vsus? All thoſe things are paſſed away as a ſhadow, & as a poſt that paſſeth by: As a ſhip that paſſeth ouer the waues of water: or as a bird that flieth through in the ayre: or as when an arrow is ſhot as a marke. Pſal. 102.12. 1. Chron. 29.15. Pſal. 144.4. Iob. 8.9. Pſal. 103.15. Eſay. 40.6. Pſal. 73.20. Iob. 8.9. Iob. 7.6. Iam. 4.14.In how many places doth the holy Ghoſt cōpare mans life to a ſhadow going & vaniſhing away? How often to the graſſe, yeſterday green, this day cut down & withered? How often to a flower, yeſterday flouriſhing, this day gathered & faded? How often to a dream or to a nights watch? Iob ſaith, that we are of yeſterday. And in an other place. My daies are ſwifter then a weuers ſhitle, & S. Iames compareth our life to a vapour which appeareth for a while & then vaniſheth away. Yea the heathen hauehave alſo noted it, of whom one doth ſay. In our birth we begin to die: an other, that life is a race from one mother to another, namely, to the earth. An other: That man is a bubble. And another, being demanded what the life of man was, made no anſwere, but entred into his chamber & ſtraight came forth againe: And being required of an anſwere, ſaid, that by his going & comming forth he had anſwered. Therby ſignifying that life is but a paſſage in & out. Yet do we not ſo take it. We reſemble thoſe, who beholding the index or hand of a Dial, do by their ſight deny that it goeth, albeit experiēce of eueryevery half houre do ſhew the contrary. For ſo do we imagine that the courſe of our liues waſteth not.
10 But reckoning the life of a childe firſt by dayes, then by weekes,Gen. 47.9. ſo by moneths and yeeres before wee bee aware his life is run euen to death. The Patriarch Iacob, after hee had liued 130. yeeres ſaid vntounto Pharaoh, that his daies had bene ſhort, the rather in reſpect of his aunceſtours who had liued 800. or 900. yeeres. What compariſon may wee then make, where the ſtrongeſt that now are, do not liue aboue 70. or 80 yeares,1. Ioh. 2.18. with the eternity that ſhall enſue this preſent life? It is not as a drop of water in reſpect of the whole ſea. So S. Iohn calleth the time frō the cōming of Chriſt in the fleſh, to the conſūmation of the world the laſt hour, fitly diuiding the continuance of the world into three or foure houres, of which two or three are ſpent, ſo that now we are come to the laſt. If a thouſand and fiue hundred yeeres and more, are with him but as one houre, then can 70. or 80. be but one minute, how long ſo euer we account thē. It is therfore extreame folly to thinke to liue euer & not to ſee death, cōſidering that our longeſt life is but a momēt.
11 Sith then that this falſe opinion cauſeth vsus to forget heauen for earth, the ſoule for the bodie, & heauenly treaſures for earthly goods, that we may the rather Amend our liues, let vsus be of another mind, and now being throughly perſwaded that wee muſt die, and that ſhortly, that there is nothing more certaine than death, or more vncertain than the houre of the ſame. In ſumme, that our life is but as the courſe of a day, or of an hour, yea, rather as a minute of time, let vsus ſo liue as if wee were eueryevery day to die, yea, eueryevery hour of the day, let vsus liue in ſuch ſort, as at the houre of death wee may be glad that we had liued, let vsus imploy this day, hour or minute of life vponupon ſuch things as may tend to the ioy & glory euerlaſting, let vsus walke this day as if this night we ſhould come to the eternal habitation, let vsus not build where we cannot long continue, but in heauen where wee ſhall dwell for euer, let vsus make our prouiſion, not where our pi…grimage is ſo ſhort, but that we may liue wher we ſhal remain for euer, let vsus take heed that the thorns of this world catch no hold of vsus, to detaine and hinder vsus in our courſe to heauen, from whence he that is excluded is for euer accurſed. The bel at the gate ringeth, the porter crieth out, Make haſt: let vsus remember the ten virgins,Math. 25.1 & take oyle in our lamps, that when the bridegrome commeth, wee may go into the marriage. For one daie, or houre, or one minute of carnall pleaſures, let vsus not depriue our ſelues of perfect ioy which ſhall neuer be taken from vsus: let vsus indure ſtormie weather for one daie, that wee may hauehave a thouſand millions of yeeres of fair weather: let vsus patiently beare the tribulations of one moment of time, which will breed vsus great comfort for euer: let not the reuenue of one mās life, whoſe life is but a day, depriue vsus of the riches alotted to the life of Chriſt,Ioh. 16.…. who liueth for euer: let vsus not for one apple, which euen alredy beginneth to rot, looſe the euerlaſting fruit of the tree of life,2. Cor. 4.17 & for the purchaſe of goods, which immediatly we muſt leaue, let vsus not forſake the treſures which we may inioy for euer.
12 To cōclude, ſith vndoubtedly we muſt die, & we know not the time, which ſurely wil be ſhortly, let vsus liue as men alredy adiudged to death, let vsus liue as not knowing the houre thereof, yea let vsus liue as knowing it to be at hand. And becauſe it is ſo harde a matter to perſwade vsus that we muſt die, & that ſhortly, let vsus ſay with Moſes the mā of God, Teach vsus O Lord, to number our daies, Pſal. 90.12that we may apply our hearts vntounto wiſdome. This praier ſeemeth of ſmal importance. For who cannot reckon from 70. or 80. yeres? But herein he ſheweth mans dulnes, that he cannot comprehend the ſhortnes of his life, by counting that it is not paſt 70. or 80. yeres at the moſt. Alſo that the holy ghoſt muſt teach vsus, that as he addeth, we may apply our harts to wiſdome. Therby ſhewing that the knowledge of the ſhortnes of this life, ſhall endue vsus with wiſedome to ſhun the vanities thereof, that wee may apply our mindes to thoſe things, whereof the bleſſed fruit ſhal remain with vsus for euer. Thus we ſee, how by renouncing this folly, namely, To thinke to liue euer, and by beleeuing that we muſt all die, & that ſhortly, we ſhall bee better aduiſed, & ſo amend our ſo ſhort life, that at the departure therefro, we ſhall through Chriſt enter into life euerlaſting.