The Vanity of This Mortal Life, Title page – Dedication
THE VANITY OF THIS Mortal Life: OR, OF MAN, Considered only in his Present Mortal state.
By J. HOWE, M. A.
LONDON: Printed by A. Maxwell, for Sa: Gellibrand, at the Ball in S. Pauls Church-yard. 1672.
To the deservedly honoured, John VPTON of Lupton, Esq with the many surviving Branches formerly sprung out of that Religious Family; and the Worthy Consorts of any of them.
SInce it is the lot of the following Pages to be exposed to publike view; There is somewhat of justice in it, to your selves, or me, that the world do also know wherein divers of you have contributed thereto, that, if any thing redound hence to publike advantage, it may be understood to be owing in part to you: or, if it shall be reckon'd an useless trouble, in this way to represent things, so obvious to common notice, and whereof so much is already said; all the blame of the publication be not imputed (as it doth not belong) to me only.
But I must here crave your excuse, that, on this account, I give you a narrative of what (for the most part) you already know, and may possibly not delight to remember; both because it is now become convenient that others should know it too, and not necessary to be put into a distinct Preface: And because to your selves the review of those less pleasing passages may be attended with a fruit which may be same recompence for their want of pleasure.
Ther… … give the Reader leave to take notice, and let it not be grievous to you that I re mind you, That after this your near Relation*Mr. Anthony Vpton, the Son of John Vpton, of Lupton, Esq (whose death gave the occasion of the ensuing Meditations) had, from his youth, lived between Twenty and Thirty years of his age in Spain, your joint-importunity had at length obtained from him a promise of returning: Whereof. when you were in somewhat a near expectation, a sudden disease in so few days landed him in another world, that the first notice you had of his death, or sickness, was by the arrival of that Vessel (clad in mourning-attire) which, according to his own desire in his sickness, brought over the deserted body to its native place of Lupton; that thence it might find a Grave where it first received a Soul; and obtain a Mansion in the Earth, where first it became one to a reasonable spirit.
A little before this time, the desire of an interview among your selves (which the distance of your habitations permitted not to be frequent) had induced divers of you to appoint a meeting at some middle place, whereby the trouble of a long journey might be conveniently shared among you.
But, before that agreed resolution could have its accomplishment, this sad and most unexpected Event intervening, altered the place, the occasion, and disign of your meeting; but effected the thing it self, and brought together no less than Twenty, the Brothers and Sisters of the deceased, or their Consorts; besides his many Nephews and Neices, and other Relations, to the mournful solemnity of the Interment. Within the time of our being together upon this sad account, this passage of the Psalmist here insisted on, came into discourse among us; being introduced by an occasion which (though then, it may be, unknown to the most of you) was somewhat rare, and not unworthy observation; viz. That one of your selves, having been sometime before surprised with an unusual sadness, joined with an expectation of ill tidings, upon no known cause, had so urgent an inculcation of these words, as not to be able to forbear the revolving them, much of the former part of that day, in the latter part whereof the first notice was brought to that place of this so near a Relations decease.
Certain Months after, some of you with whom I was then conversant in London, importuned me to have somewhat from me in writing upon that Subject. Whereto I at length agreed, with a cautionary request, That it might not come into many bands, but might remain (as the occasion was) among your selves. Nor will I deny it to have been some inducement to me to apply my thoughts to that Theam, that it had been so suggested as was said. For such presages and abodings, as that above-mentioned, may reasonably be thought to owe themselves to some more steady and universal principle, than Casualty, or the party's own Imagination: By whose more noble recommendation (that such a gloomy Premonition might carry with it not what should only afflict, but also instruct and teach) this Subject did seem offered to our meditation.
Accordingly therefore, after my return to the place of my abode, I hastily drew up the substance of the following Discourse; which, a year ago, I transmitted into their hands who desired it from me, without reserving to my self any Copy. Hereby it became difficult to me, presently to comply (besides divers considerations I might have against the thing it self) with that joint request of some of you (in a Letter, which my removal into another Kingdom occasioned to come long after to my hands) that I would consent these Papers might be made publike. For as I have reason to be conscious to my self of disadvantages enough to discourage any undertaking of that kind: so I am more especially sensible, that so curs…ry and superficial a management of a Subject so very important, (though its private occasion and design at first, might render it excusable to those few friends for whom it was meant) cannot but be liable to the hard censure (not to say the contempt) of many whom Discourses of this kind should more desgnedly serve. And therefore, though my willingness to be serviceaable in keeping alive the apprehension and expectation of another state, my value of your judgments who conceive what is here done may be useful thereto; and my peculiar respects to your selves, the members and appendants of a Family to which (besides some relation) I have many obligations and endearments; do prevail with me not wholly to deny: Yet pardon me that I have suspended my consent to this publication, till I should have a Copy transmitted to me from some of you, for my necessary review of so hasty a production, that I might not offer to the view of the world, what, after I had penn'd it had scarce passed my own. And now, after so long an expectation, those Papers are but this last week come to my hands: I here return them, with little or no alteration; s…ve, that what did more directly concern the occasion, towards the close, is transferred hither; but with the addition of almost all the directive part of the Vse: which I submit together to your pleasure and dispose.
And I shall now take the liberty to add, my design in c…nsenting to this request of yours (and I hope the same of you in making it) is not to erect a M…nument to the memory of the Deceased, (which how little doth it signifie!) nor to spread the same of your Family (though the visible blessing of God upon it in the fruitfulness, piety, and mutual l…ve, wherein it hath st…urish…l for same generations, do challenge observation, both as to th…se braaches of it which grow in their …wn more natural s…il; and th…se, as I have n…w occasion to take further notice, that I find to have been transplanted into another Countrey). But that such into whose hands this little Treatise shall fall, may be induced to consider the true end of their beings; to examine and discuss the matter more throughly with themselves, what it may or can be supposed such a sort of Creatures was made and placed on this Earth for: That when they shall have reasoned themselves into a setled apprehension of the worthy and important Ends they are capable of attaining, and are visibly designed to, They may be seized with a noble disdain of living beneath themselves, and the bounty of their Creator.
It is obvious to common observation, how flagrant and intense a zeal, men are often wont to express for their personal reputation, the honour of their Families, yea or for the glory of their Nation; but how few are acted by that more laudable and enlarged zeal for the dignity of Mankind?
How few are they that resent the common and vile depression of their own species! Or that, while in things of lightest consideration they strive with emulous endeavour, that they and their relatives may excel other men, do reckon it a reproach if in matters of the greatest consequence they and all men should not excel Beasts! How few that are not contented to confine their utmost designs and expectations within the same narrow limits! Through a mean and inglorious self-despiciency, confessing in themselves (to the Truth's and their own wrong) an incapacity of greater things! and, with most injurious falshood, proclaiming the same of all Mankind besides!
If he that, amidst the hazards of a dubious Warr, betrays the Interest and Honour of his Countrey, be justly infamous, and thought worthy severest punishments; I see not why a debaucht Sensualist, that lives as if he were created only to indulge his appetite, that so vilifies the notion of man, as if he were made but to eat, and drink, and sport; to please only his sense and sancy; that in this time and state of conflict between the powers of this present world, and those of the world to come, quits his Party, bids open defiance to Humanity, abjures the Noble Principles and Ends, forsakes the Laws and Society of all that are worthy to be esteemed men; abandons the common and rational hope of mankind concerning a future immortality, and herds himself among brute Creatures; I say, I see not why such a one should not be scorn'd and abhorr'd as a Traytor to the wh…le Race and Nation of reasonable Creatures; as a fugitive from the T…nts, and desertor of the common Interest of men; and that, both for the vileness of his practice, and the danger of his example.
And who, that hath open eyes, beholds not the dreadful instances and increase of this difection? When it hath prevailed to that degree already, that in Civiliz'd, yea in Christian Countreys (as they yet affect to be cal…'d) the practice is become fashionable and in credit; which can square with no other Principle, than the disbelief of a future state, as if it were but a meer Poetick, or (at best) a Political Fiction. And as if so impudent in…idelity would pretend not to a connivence only, but a sanction, 'tis rock…'d an odd and unc…th … for a man to live as if he thou… …; and a great presumption to seem to dissent from the prophane infidel Crew. As if the matter were already formally determined in the behalf of Irreligion, and the Doctrine of the life to come had been clearly condemned in open Council, as a detestable Heresie. For what Tenet was ever more exploded and hooted at, than that practice is which alone agrees with this? Or what series or course of repeated Villanies can ever be more ignominious than (in vulgar estimate) a course of life so transacted as doth become the expectation of a blessed immortality? And what? After so much written and spoken by persons of all times and Religious for the immortality of the humane Soul, and so common an acknowledgment thereof by Pagans, Mahometans, Jews, and Christians; Is man now at last condemn'd and doom'd to a perpetual death, as it were, by the consent and suffrage even of men? and that too without trial or hearing? and not by the reason of men, but their lusts only? As if (with a loud and violent cry) they would assassinate and stifle this belief and hope, but not judg it? And shall the matter be thus given up as hopeless? and the victory be yeilded to prosperous wickedness, and a too succesful conspiracy of vile Miscreants against both their Maker, and their own Stock and Race?
One would think whosoever have remaining in them any conscience of obligation and duty to the common Parent and Author of our Beings, any remembrance of our Divine Original, any breathings of our ancient hope, any sense of humane honour, any resentments of so vile an indignity to the nature of man, any spark of a just and generous indignation for so opprobrious a contumely to their own Kind and Order in the Creation, should oppose themselves with an Heroick vigour to this treacherous and unnatural combination.
And let us (my worthy Friends) he provoked, in our several capacities to do our parts herein; and, at least, so to live, and converse in this world, that the course and tenour of our lives may import an open asserting of our hopes in another; and may let men see we are not ashamed to own the belief of a life to come: Let us by a patient continuance in well-doing (how low designs soever others content themselves to pursue) seek honour, glory, and immortality to our selves; and, by our avowed, warrantable ambition in this pursuit, justifie our great and bountiful Creator, who hath made us not in vain, but for so high and great things: And glorifie our blessed Redeemer, who amidst the gloomy and disconsolate darkness of this wretched world, when it was overspred with the shadow of death, hath brought life and immortality to light in the Gospel. Let us labour both to seel and express the power of that Religion, which hath the inchoation of the (participated) divine life, for its principle; and the perfection and eternal perpetuation thereof, for its scope and end.
Nor let the time that hath since elapsed, be found to have worn out with you the (useful) impressions which this monitory surprising instance of our Mortality did at first make: But give me leave to inculcate from it what was said to you when the occasion was fresh and new: That we labour more deeply to apprehend Gods dominion over his Creatures; And that he made us principally for himself, and for ends that are to be compast in the future state; not for the temporary satisfaction and pleasure of one another in this world.
Otherwise, Providence had never been guilty of such a Solecism, to take out one from a Family long famous for so exemplary mutual love, and dispose him into so remote a part; not permitting to most of his nearest Relations the enjoyment of him for almost thirty years (and therein all the flower) of his age; and at last, when you were expecting the man, send you home the breathless frame wherein he lived.
Yet it was not contemptible that you had that. And that dying (as Joseph) in a strange Land, he gave, also, commandment concerning his bones; that though, in his life, he was (mostly) separated from his brethren, he might in death be gathered to his fathers.
It was some evidence (though you wanted not better) that amidst the Traffick of Spain, he more esteemed the Religion of England; and therefore, would rather his dust should ass…ciate with theirs, with whom also he would rather his spirit should.
But whatever it did evidence, it occasion'd so much, that you had that so general meeting with one another, which otherwise, probably, you would not have had, nor are likely again to have (so hath Providence scattered you) in this world. And that it proved a more serious meeting than otherwise it might: for, however it might blamelesly have been designed to have met together at a cheerful Table, God saw it sitter to order the meeting at a mournful grave; and to make the House that received you, (the native place to many of you) the House of mourning rather than of feasting. The one would have had more quick relishes of a present pleasure; but the other was likely to yeild the more lasting sense of an after-profit. Nor was it an ill errand to come together (though from afar, for divers of you) to learn to dye. As you might, by being so sensibly put in mind of it, though you did not see that very part acted it self.
And accept this indeavour to further you in your preparations for that change, as some testimony of the remembrance I retain of your most obliging respects and love, and of my still continuing
Your affectionate and respectful Kinsman and Servant in our common Lord, J. HOWE. ANTRIM, April 12. 1671.