Divine Arithmetic, Text

Divine Arithmetic · Text

p. 1Divine Arithmetick, OR The Right Art of numbring our DAYES.

PSALM 90.12.

So teach us to number our dayes, that we may apply our hearts unto Wiſom.

IF I were come hither to vent my own paſſions, they would have been better pleaſed in the choice of ſome other Text then this that I have read unto you. When I firſt heard of the departure of mine and your dear friend, thoſe words of David did ſtrike my mind, and me thought did very well fit my mouth, with the alteration of a name only. I am diſtreſſed for thee my Brother Jacomb, 2 Sam. 1.26.2 Sam 1:26very pleaſant haſt thou been to me, thy love to me was wonderfull, paſsing the love of Women. Upon this Text it is poſſible that affection would have taught me eloquence. p. 2Grief it ſelf it would have been pleaſed that. I ſhould have related his pleaſantneſs. Sorrow would have been contented that I ſhould have remembred the joyes of his-ſociety; for they would have been huge gainers by it in the concluſion, when the heat and ardency of the affection would have but ended in greater drops of tears for the loſs of ſuch a friend. Oh how willingly could I fill your ears with ſuch pathetick groans as thoſe of David ſaying, O my Friend, my Friend, would God I had died for thee my friend, my friend! And then I imagine that I ſhould hear the reboation of an univerſal groan from all your hearts, more ſad then his dolefull knell. I imagine that at leaſt you would ſay in your thoughts as the Diſciples did, when they ſaw our Saviour weep, Behold how he loved him! It were eaſie with a very little art to make this place a Bochim, a place of weepers, ſo that it ſhould be ſaid by thoſe that ſee you, as they ſaid at good Jacob's Funeral, This is a grievous mourning to this people. But then my beloved, when the flood was a little faln, and the tempeſt blown over, when reaſon and religion had leave to return and take their places, you and I would begin to ask our ſelves, What have we done? what a folly is it to ſuffer ſuch a deluge that ſhould drown the thoughts of God? what forgetfulneſs to let grief ſtifle the motions of our ſoul to him that ought to have the precedence of all our other relations? then ſhould we begin again to lament our too forward lamentations, then ſhould we call for a new tide to waſh away the former mud. Yea and the ſoul of our pious Brother if it could be ſenſible of what we ſay and do here, would be much grieved too, that he ſhould leave ſuch an unworthy friend behind him to diſcourſe at his Funeral, as knew not how to prefer Gods honour, before all the reſpect that is owing unto him.

p. 3I will remember therefore that it was his deſire, and ought to be mine alſo, that I ſhould ſerve the good of your ſouls, and accordingly I ſhall ſpeak as much as I can for God, before I ſpeak any thing of him. And what I ſay of him, I ſhall endeavour likewiſe may reflect honour and glory upon God, and redound to your profit and edification.

For this purpoſe I have choſen theſe words of the Pſalmiſt, which are no leſs ſuitable to the occaſion, then they will ſeem perhaps to ſome of you to be to the times wherein we live.

The Title of the Pſalm tells us that they are part of a prayer of Moſes the man of God, and as the Chaldee Paraphraſe ſaith, of a prayer which he made when the children of Iſrael ſinned in the wilderneſs, and many of them were ſuddenly cut off, and the reſt waſted away in that barren place. He begins his addreſs to God with an acknowledgement of his eternity, and everliving goodneſs, and of mans dependence on him, even as a word doth upon the mouth of him that ſpeaks it; ſo that if he do but ſay to man Return, he preſently goes unto his duſt, ver. 1, 2, 3, 4. And more eſpecially he acknowledgeth how obnoxious men have made themſelves to God by contumacy and rebellion againſt him; and how they ſhorten too often their own lives by kindling the anger of God againſt them, from ver. 5. to ver. 10. where he ſhews how he ſweeps them away as a torrent that bears all before it; ver. 5, 6. how he ſurprizeth them ſuddenly when they never dream of it; and makes them wither away like a flower by ſome unexpected nipping blaſt, that cauſeth it to hang down its head and die: The reaſon of which ſeverity and ſharp proceeding is from their ſins, whereby they dar'd him to his face and openly contemned his ſacred Government. ver. 8 p. 4This was the very caſe of the Iſraelites in the wilderneſs, when the wrath of God came upon them and ſlew the fatteſt of them, and ſmote down the choſen men among them, as it is Pſal. 87.31.

But how inconſiderate fooliſh man is, in thus ſinning againſt God, the Pſalmiſt ſeems to confeſs when he ſaith, ver. 10. The dayes of our years are threeſcore years and ten, and if by reaſon of ſtrength they be fourſcore years, yet is their ſtrength labour and ſorrow, &c. i.e. There is no need to ſtir up thy wrath: for our dayes are ſhort enough of themſelves: we have much ado to crawle to eighty years: and if we do, the very weakneſs and infirmities of our age will breed us ſufficient trouble and ſorrow without any additional griefs from the juſt diſpleaſure of the Almighty.

And yet for all this, he ſadly complains that very few minded or conſidered the power of Gods anger, which is as great as men can poſſibly fear or imagine it to be, and greateſt of all toward thoſe that profeſs to fear him, but yet rebell againſt him, ver. 11. Who knows the power of thy anger, &c. Alas! very few that conſider how often they provoke God, how jealous he is of his name, and conſequently how ſhort their dayes are like to be who do diſhonour unto it. In the words of my Text therefore he heartily beſeeches the Lord that he would teach them to number their dayes as they ought, and promiſes that (after all theſe corrections) they will bring a heart of wiſdom. For ſo the words run in the Hebrew, as obviouſly as may be to any ones obſervation; ſhew us ſo (i. e. ſo as we ſhould) to number our dayes foreign And we will bring a heart of wiſdom, or a wiſe heart.

According to this rendring of them, they contain A Frayer to God, and A Promiſe of mans. He firſt prayes p. 5for ſome thing that he would have God to do, Teach us ſo to number our dayes; and Secondly he promiſes ſomething that they will do; We will bring a wiſe heart. Or according to the ordinary tranſlation, the words are an intire petition, Firſt for grace to teach us to number our dayes aright; Secondly for effectual grace that may ſo teach us that good may come of it; ſo that there may be ſome good effect of the account, and it may amount to ſome valuable conſideration.

I ſhall neglect neither of theſe tranſlations, nor any elſe that ſhall appear to be genuine and unforced, but ſhall ſpeak to them in theſe following Obſervations, or in the uſe and application of them.

Firſt, That we are very apt to miſreckon, and in nothing more then in the buſineſs of life.

Secondly, That our life is very ſhort if we take it at the beſt.

Thirdly, That the right numbring of our dayes is earneſtly and diligently to be inquired out.

Fourthly, That the beſt diſpoſition to attain this true Art of numbring is a praying heart and a pious mind.

For the firſt, it is moſt plainly ſuppoſed in that we need a Maſter to teach us to reckon right. It would be worth my pains to ſhew you how much we are out in our accounts about the things of this world. What a ſumm do we make theſe Cyphers, theſe empty nothings amount unto? What a rate do we ſet upon riches? at what huge ſumms do we purchaſe honours? &c. How vainly do we think that ſuch an enjoyment will make an addition to our contentment? how do we multiply our hopes without any certainty, &c. And in the mean time heaven and all the great realities of another world ſtand for nothing in our account. So in reference to our ſelves I might ſhew you, how few ſins or miſcarriages p. 6we take any notice of, if ever we happen (which is but ſeldom) to call our ſelves to an account, and how many good deeds we very falſely reckon up. But I ſhall confine my ſelf to the bad Arithmetick of men in numbring of their days, which the Text moſt naturally leads me unto; and in a few words I ſhall ſhew you how men miſreckon in the buſineſs of life.

Firſt, They are very much out in their reckoning, if we look upon the account it ſelf; And ſecondly, if we examine the rule by which they number.

For the account, that is very falſe which men make.

Firſt, 1About the length of their days, they tell to ſo many thouſands, and are very loth to make an end, when perhaps their life may be ſum'd up in one figure. Yea the rich fool in the Goſpel would rather tell by many years then many days, Luke 12.19.Luke 12:19ſaying, Soul, thou haſt goods laid up for many years, Eat, drink, and be merry. He that could not tell truly to one, (for that night his ſoul was required) tels till he came to a million. What an huge miſtake! what an irrrecoverable error was this, that could never be amended! But thus do all men generally miſcount in the days of their health; and which is moſt ſtrange, even dying men oft-times think of nothing but recovering and living ſtill in the world. They number by years and not by days, or reckon all days to be long, and none ſhort.

Secondly, 2Their account is very falſe about the quality of theſe days. You ſhall ſcarce meet with any man, but he reckons ſo much pleaſure in ſuch a condition which ſhortly he hopes to attain; and accounts upon ſo much joy from every mutation and change that he ſhall make. He thinks that all his dayes, be they ſhort or long, muſt all be Summer and p. 7Sun-ſhine dayes. He dreams not of the evil dayes (as the Scripture cals them) i. e. the dayes of adverſity and miſery; he thinks not of a ſtorm or a tempeſt, of a cloud that may cover his Sky, and bring a ſad darkneſs upon all his mirth and pleaſure; and ſo he never provides againſt it, but is miſerably ſurprized when he ſees all his expectations periſh. Men are like Babylon, that ſaid, I ſhall ſit as a Lady for ever: Iſa 47.Isa 47I ſhall never know widdowhood, nor the loſs of children. I ſhall be happy when I am for my ſelf; when I am married, when my Father dies and leaves me a fair eſtate; when I have builded me an houſe, and purchaſed ſo much land, &c. And ſo they reckon many years in the ſame manner, which muſt be all days and no nights, all fair days and none foul. This makes them heavy and oppreſſed when the days of darkneſs come, and every one ſaith, non putaram (the fools Motto) I never thought of this. One ſad accident blots their whole account, and tels them to their grief how the whole work is wrong wherein their thoughts have laboured.

Thirdly, About the uſe of theſe days, they are no leſs dangerouſly miſtaken. Men reckon that there are none but Play-days in their life, and they can find never a working day among them. All their days in their Calendar are Feſtivals: And they are ſo far from minding the buſineſs of life, viz. dreſſing up their ſouls for God in a bleſſed eternity by Religion and Holineſs, that a Saint ſhould have no reſpect from many that pretend to honour him, were it not that he gets them leave to play more freely. The whole courſe of their lives is but a ſporting buſineſs, and when they lay aſide their worldly affairs, it is but to obtain leiſure to be more frolick. There are thoſe in the p. 8world that do nothing elſe but make their bodies ſpruce and trim, that learn to ſpeak finely, and court Ladies, that in the morning are imployed between the comb and the glaſs, Inter pectinem & ſpeculum occupati, &c. Sen.and in the afternoon would have others look on them as much as they did in the glaſs. Theſe account a hair or two out of their place of as great moment as the ſacking of a town; and you may ſay they are imployed in the ſame ſenſe that Children are, when they are dreſſing up a Baby.

A ſecond ſort we can not but ſee in the world, whoſe ſtudy is to flatter thoſe that are great; who learn to crouch and comply moſt baſely with all their humours, who gape for a place of preferment as a dog doth for a bone; and they know no other uſe of a day, but to provide for to morrow if they can. How many others do we ſee ſit all the day at wine, and know no other buſineſs but to eat, and drink, and walk from one jolly place unto another? who turn days into nights, and nights into days; who are meer Paradoxes in nature, deſiring to live for ever in this world, and yet gorging themſelves as if they meant to die to day, and never to taſte more of Gods creatures. And I wiſh I could not ſay there are another ſort that have nothing at all to do, but are eat up with lazineſs: Men that have no other thoughts but how they may ſpend their time which lies upon their hands, with leaſt trouble to themſelves: The vermin of the world, that do no good themſelves, and devour the labours, yea and the time of others. And for thoſe who you think are buſie and full of imployment, that have not a day of play inal ltheir lives, (unleſs they ſleep on the Lords day) I pray what can you ſay of them, but what Seneca doth, operoſe nihil agunt, they take a great deal of pains to do nothing! But do they do nothing, will you ſay, p. 9that labour hard all day long and ſweat at their work with the ſtrength of an ox? I anſwer yes, if they were oxen and horſes, I ſhould commend their pains, and think they deſerved a reward; but ſince they have a diviner ſhape, I can call this toil by no better name then a laborious loitering. The man is miſerably ridden by the Beaſt, and ſeeing he takes no time to tame it, all the reſt of his toil is but a more painful ſort of playing, a more ſerious kind of Idleneſs. Ask ſuch a man what he would do if he could live an hundred years longer then yet he hath done, and he would tell you that he would add houſe to houſe, and increaſe his acre of land into an hundred, and eat & drink of the beſt; the very voice of a cow or ſuch a creature if it could ſpeak. In ſuch poor fancies do theſe mens ſouls ſport themſelves & they do no more of the work of a man (which is to mortifie theſe carnal affections, and ſtore their mind with divine knowledge) then he doth that rolls himſelf in a ſofter and more delicate lazineſs. Alas poor ſouls! that play away their time in a moſt tyrannous ſlavery, that are at leiſure from themſelves, that they may drudge in the ſervice of baſer things. And will you ſay a man that coaſts about to every ſhore of the world to get riches, and lade himſelf with goods, is really imployed? His Ship takes as long journies as himſelf, and is laden with as much riches as he pretends unto: but he knows how to make uſe of that riches, and he buys land, or provides for his children, &c. What then? He dyes, and as to the other world he is worſe then Nothing. Is this all you can ſay of the life of a man, that he hath fair poſſeſſions, and provides well for thoſe that ſtay behind him? Then ſure there is no other ſtate to come; or if there be, p. 10the man hath play'd away his day, having done nothing that will laſt to all eternity. Nay, if this be the work of a man, it had been better for us to have been Apes or ſuch like creatures, for they take leaſt pains to live, and they need no ſuch inheritance to leave their young ones. And ſo you may ſay of him that ſtudies impertinent things, or takes up all his time with other affairs of this preſent world, he hath ſtood all the day idle, as our Saviour ſaith to thoſe that he ſends into the Vineyard; foreign. Plut.and his account at the laſt will appear ſo falſe, that it will be corrected as Ph. loxenus did the book that was ſent to him to amend, with one great blot from the beginning to the end. The very Heathens have reproved the folly of theſe men, and given ſuch a daſh to their accounts, that it is a wonder they ſhould not begin to think how they may live. There is a ſaying in many mens mouths, but I wiſh they would think from whom it came that they may be aſhamed not to practiſe it, foreign. Plut. de aud. poctis.and it is that which Socrates uſed, Wicked men live that they may eat and drink, and good men eat and drink that they may live. This one ſaying ſtrikes I know not how many out of the number of the living; and if this Heathen were alive, he would take moſt to be dead men, playing in the ſhape of the living.

2But let us look a while upon the rule by which men reckon, and you ſhall ſee more clearly how bad their accompts are.

1. Some reckon by their age. They account that the old muſt needs die before thoſe that are yong; and they reckon that the fewer dayes any one hath ſpent, the more he hath to come, and ſo few think of dying till they think it cannot be avoided. Hence it is that one p. 11who is old ſaith, I ſhall never live to ſee an end of theſe troubles, but you that are young will behold the concluſion, and perhaps that party drops into the grave in his youthful dayes. And he that is young ſaith, Theſe will be fine things to talk of when we are old; our Nephews will wonder when we tell them of ſuch ſtrange revolutions, when perhaps the next week he is ſent into the place of ſilence. Theſe are they that reckon by ages, and who think when child-hood is paſt, that Youth, Manhood, and gray hairs are all to come: But they forget the vulgar proverb, which ſome of the Jews elegantly expreſs, The old Aſs very often carries the skin of the young one to the market. Young men muſt not let their fancy be ſo brisk as not to make account that they are but men: And what is that? Man is like to vanity, Pſal. 144.4.Ps 144:4(ſaith the Pſalmiſt) his days are as a ſhadow that paſſeth away.

2. Others reckon by their ſtrength and luſtineſs of body, and imagine that their conſtitution is ſo healthful that they are able to wraſtle a fall with the greateſt ſickneſs. Their rule is that the beſt built houſe ſhall ſtand longeſt: a very falſe and deceitful rule! For on a ſudden we ſee the fire of a feaver will burn up and conſume the beſt timbred body in the world. The flames of a Calenture will make him melt away as greaſe, whoſe ſtrength is as the ſtrength of ſtones, and whoſe fleſh is like unto braſs. And who can hinder his ſpirits from catching fire? who knows what vipers he nouriſhes within him by his meat and drink, and eſpecially his intemperance, which will eat through his own bowels, even while his breaſts are full of milk, and his bones moiſtned with marrow? Job 21.23, 24. who knows what p. 12rottenneſs there is at the core of the faireſt fruit? and who doth not know that the goodlieſt Oaks prove ofttimes hollow and without heart within? And therefore let us not ſtay till the Axe be laid at the root and the ſtroke of ſome terrible diſeaſe teach us to reckon better.

3. Another ſort reckon by the care they have of themſelves. They meaſure their dayes by temperance, chaſtity and good uſe of their bodies, by freedom from exceſs and riot, & whatſoever might be the matter and occaſion of diſeaſes. To ſay the truth, theſe men have a great many good rules, ex. gr. Too much oyl puts out the Lamp. Spare diet is the greateſt cordial of nature. Diſcreet faſting is the beſt Phyſick. But they have one rule which ſpoils all: Temperance muſt needs prolong our time. The moderate man ſhall have many dayes. It is pitty ſuch men ſhould never think of the chances, the ſuddain accidents, and unexpected ſurprizals which yet we have many inſtances of in the world. Plagues and infections they ſay ſooneſt ſeize on the fineſt tempers, peſtilent breaths do ſooneſt choak the pureſt ſpirits. And there are ſecret malignant cauſes which are unknown to the beſt of natures Secretaries. Yea the moſt certain cures of known diſeaſes have ſometimes proved fatal to mens bodies. So Geſner reports that one year he obſerved, Omnes pleuriticos à ſecta vena expiraſſe, that all thoſe who were let blood in Pluriſies gave up the Ghoſt. The opening of a vein which uſeth to give the ſoul breath, proved through the corruption of the air (as he thinks) to be but the gate of death.

4. Others perhaps do reckon their dayes by their p. 13uſefulneſs and the good which they do in the world. There are a great many promiſes made to dutifull and obedient perſons, to ſuch who are charitable and mercifull to others, which may make them apt to promiſe to themſelves a certainty of long life. R. Nechonia a Jew when his Schollars asked him on his death-bed how he came to live ſo long, He anſwered, I never ſought mine own honour by any mans diſgrace. I never reproached nor curſed my neighbour, and I was a liberal diſpenſer of my riches to others, &c. alluding it is like to that in Pſal. 34.12, 13, 14. Who is he that would live long and ſee many dayes? let him keep his tongue from evil. But though there be ſome truth in this, yet there are many exceptions, and ſuch men do count wrong if they have no other rule but this. For ſometimes by reaſon of one great ſin (as in the caſe of Moſes) ſometimes for the ſins of others who diſcern not ſuch Iewels, and ſometimes that they may not live to ſee miſerable and evil times which are the puniſhments of ſin, the good man is taken away. You ſee the days of our dear Brother are ſummed up, and we are taught to number aright by the brevity of his life. If the King of terrors could have been affrighted by piety and uſefulneſs to have let his dart faln out of his hand, I had not been now here, unleſs it had been to have offered Sacrifices of praiſe for his recovery to health again.

5. A fifth ſort there are that meaſure their own lives by the lives of others; and that not of all others neither, but of the longeſt livers. They hope to attain to the days of the oldeſt man in the Pariſh, and think not that they may go away in the company of the youngeſt. And eſpecially if they ſee drunkards and ſuch ſinners with gray beards upon red or rotten faces, they think p. 14ſurely that they are many miles off from a grave. I do not know what kind of dotage it is that poſſeſſes mens hearts; but ſo it is that though they ſee many flowers cropt in their fulleſt beauty, yet they mind not them ſo much, though they be in their own hands, as they do the reſt that ſtill flouriſh in the garden. Though a wife be ſnatcht out of mens boſomes, yet they think to live and embrace another. Though a child be raviſhed out of their arms, yet they think to live and get more, as if death muſt be ſo kind as to let them grow old, ſeeing he hath devoured their relations in their youth. You ſee now the corps of one before you that is gathered in the flowr of his age; and yet which of you is there that doth not think that he ſhall be at the choice of another Miniſter, & that he ſhall hear him preach a great many Sermons, becauſe ſome in the Pariſh are grown ſo old as to have ſeen the Funerals of three Miniſters beſides this? I wiſh heartily men would but a little ponder upon this common miſtake, and when they think of the large extent of ſome mens lives, they would likewiſe caſt their eyes upon the ſhortneſs of others, and ſee whether they will not overballance the former account.

Sixthly, Some mens rule is, that all mens dayes are numbred by a fatal decree, and therefore they need not number them. They meaſure their dayes by the ſtars, and fetch their rule from Aſtrology and ſome ſecret fate: or rather they do not meaſure them at all, nor make any reckoning how they live, whether piouſly or wickedly, temperately or lewdly, thinking that the one cannot naturally prolong, nor the other naturally ſhorten men dayes. This is the Turkiſh way of account, who think that every mans fortune as they call p. 15it, and the length of his dayes is written in his forehead by the Angel that ſtands by when he is born. And ſo one of them not many years ago when he was hanged in the Low-Countreys pointed to his forehead, as though it was his deſtiny and not his fault. A barbarous brutiſh opinion, fit to nouriſh bloody Souldiers and make men deſperate, and was no Queſtion cunningly deviſed by the Impoſtor to make them fear no danger. But whatſoever is determined above concerning our lives, it is plainby Scripture and reaſon that our wiſdome, care, and good behaviour is required, and that by wickedneſs we may cut ſhort thoſe dayes which nature hath aſſigned unto them. Though there be an appointed time beyond which we ſhall not go, yet we may never come up to that time, but be taken away in the midſt of our dayes.

Many ſuch falſe rules there are; but it is no wonder if you do but conſider, Firſt what a great love men have to this world. The pleaſure and fine things that tickle their ſenſes, poſſeſs them with a fond deſire of long life, that they may enjoy all the kindneſſes which the world offers them; and this moſt ardent deſire will let them think of nothing elſe but many days to entertain her courtſhips, and anſwer her love when ſhe ſeems to ſmile & look with a pleaſing countenance upon them. Or if ſhe begin afterwards to frown, they are loth to think of death, becauſe they hope to mend their fortune, or are wholly unprovided for any better company in another world. Facile credimus quod volumus; we would fain live long, and therefore we will not be of any other belief but that we ſhall. And the thoughts of death are unwelcome becauſe we love the dalliances of the fleſh ſo well, which will certainly by p. 16it be broken off. This falſe numbring proceeds not ſo much from the weakneſs of mens underſtanding, as from the wickedneſs of their wills and diſtempered affections. They have no mind that it ſhould be true that our dayes may be ſhort, and therefore they will think ſo as ſeldom as they can. And Secondly, the love of our ſelves that is in us, is of no leſs power to blind us and make us very fools. This will not let us think that we may die preſently, though many others do. As when two Ships meet at Sea, they that are in the one, think that the other ſails exceeding faſt, and that they themſelves go fairly and eaſily, or rather ſtand ſtill; even ſo it is in this caſe. Though men ſee the days of another to run away like a Poſt, and fly after the manner of a ſwift Ship that ſaileth by (as Job ſpeaks) yet they think that they themſelves ſcarce ſtir at all, Job 9.25, 26.Job 9:25Job 9:26and that their time runs on more ſlowly, and they ſeem to be now no older nor nearer unto their graves then they were a year or two ago. They feel their blood doth dance as pleaſantly through their veins, and the light ſparkles as clearly in their eyes, and their fleſh is as warm and moiſt as formerly they uſed, and ſo they think their life is no ſhorter then it was, becauſe they feel no ſenſible decays in their nature. A third reaſon of which miſtake is, that the ſhortneſs of their thoughts will not let them number aright. Moſt men look but at a few things, and thoſe few they conſider of by halfs, and that half they ſearch not to the bottom, and ſo they miſtake lamentably, and call thoſe years which are but days, and think they live when they lie rotting in their graves. I conceit ſuch men who ſeldom ſeriouſly think, to be like to a child that knows not how much twenty is, who imagines p. 17it is a number that can ſcarce be told. If they think of living twenty or thirty years, their ſhort thoughts makes them ſeem to be time that will never have an end, wherein they may accompliſh all their deſires. And though they know that they may fall far ſhort of ſuch an age, yet they only know it, and think no longer of it then a little child with whoſe thoughts the next object runs away. It is one of the great miſchiefs of the world that ſo few love to conſider, and of all other things they leaſt love to conſider themſelves, and of all parts of ſelf-knowledge they leaſt know what to do with themſelves. Many can tell what life is, who know not how to live; many that confeſs how ſhort it is, who throw it away as if they had too much.

This miſtake is of ſo evil and dangerous conſequence, that we had all need make great ſpeed to correct it. Elſe we ſhall begin to think of living when it is too late, and ſome will never think of it at all, and the beſt will cry out, O mihi praeteritos, &c. — O that God would give me again that time which is flown away. O that I could call back a day that I might ſpend it better!

And that I may quicken you to reform this erroneous account, Let me give a brief touch upon the ſecond Obſervation, and the Lord make it to touch your hearts.

Our life is but very ſhort if we take it at the beſt, Obſer. 2 ſeparate from all thoſe dangers which are continually impendent over us. You all know this, and are apt to be guilty of another miſtake, which is to account p. 18this Doctrine of the brevity of mans life but a dry and trite theam; and therefore believe it, and be affected with theſe two things in the text which do point to this obſervation, which are all that I ſhall mention.

1. Our life is but dayes. He doth not ſay Teach us to number our years; for it is not ſafe for us to account upon too much, leaſt we ſhould we be deceived in our computation. Yea Job ſaith that man who is born of a woman, is but of few dayes and full of trouble; he comes up like a flower, and is cut down; he fleeth alſo as a ſhadow and continueth not, Job 14.1, 2. Seneca makes the ſame obſervation from his Poet, that I do here from the divine Pſalmiſt, Optima quaeqne dies miſeris mortalibus aevi Prima fugit. De brev. vit… cap. 9.—

He ſaith not aetas, ſaith he, but dies; he ſpeaks not of an age but a day, that thy thoughts might not be infinite. Why then doſt thou promiſe to thy ſelf (as he goes on) moneths and years, and whatſoever thy inordinate deſire of life liſteth? De die tecum loquitur, & hoc ipſo fugiente. He ſpeaks to thee of a day, and that is upon the wing too haſting very faſt away. So may I ſay, the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks to thee of dayes, it will not be long ere one Sun be ſet, and then thou lieſt in the arms of the Brother of death. If another day ſhine upon thy head, Job 9.26.Job 9:26yet it flies likewiſe as an Eagle that haſteth to his prey, and it will be a greater wonder if thou outlive all the accidents and dangers of one day, then that rhou dieſt and deſcendeſt to thy grave. Yet ſome of the Heathens will not allow us ſuch a large meaſure for our lives as a day, nor ſuffer us to account above p. 19an hour, or a minute, or if there be any thing leſs then the leaſt minute; ſuch a diminutive expreſſion hath Plutarch ſomewhere concerning it. foreign. Punctum eſt quod vivimus, & adbuc punct… minus.All our life is but a point of time, which Seneca well interprets when he ſaith, It is but a point, yea leſs then a point that we live. If we believed this, we ſhould not draw ſo long a line of life as we do in our Phanſie, nor deſcribe ſuch a large circle wherein we make a thouſand figures, and have infinite contrivances as though it were without any end.

2. Our dayes may be numbred, and therefore they are but few. If he had ſaid years, yet ſeeing every body can count them, we could not juſtly look upon them as long. That which every man can reckon is but little; and that is infinite which no man can number. As who can tell the dayes of eternity? What thought can conceive the duration of God who ever was and is and will be? But every fool can tell what the dayes of man is if he will but ſet his mind to the account. You can ſay of man no more but that he hath been ſo many years, and that he is, and no body can tell whether he ſhall be. Here you are at a ſtop, unleſs you will at random ſpeak of a few dayes that perhaps ſhall never come; or if they do, Moſes dare let his pen run no further then eighty year, and theſe paſs away as a tale that is told. Or if you will venture to tell by the Son of Sirachs account, they are but a hundred, according as you read in Eccleſ. 18.9.10. The number of mans dayes at the moſt are but an bundred years; as a drop of water to the Sea, and a gravel ſtone in compariſon of the ſand, ſo are a thouſand years to the dayes of eternity.

Which if we did ſeriouſly believe, then firſt we p. 20ſhould not deſire, love, or deſign any thing in this world, as though we ſhould live to the years of Methuſaleh, or be like Melchizedeck, without end of dayes. How ſoon might we tell what would content us, if we could but tell our dayes aright? what a juſt meaſure ſhould we ſet to all our affections, if we had but once meaſured our time and drawn it into a narrow compaſs? innumerable deſigns would vaniſh out of our minds, even as a ſhadow doth when the Sun ſhrinks in his head, if we did but look upon our ſelves as a ſhadow, and our lives as a vapour that goes out of our mouths. And ſecondly, if we did ſeriouſly think what a few figures will ſerve to number our years when we have their total ſum, and how many of them are ſpent before we can do any more then a Beaſt, and how many we caſt away without conſidering after we are men, and how many neceſſary refreſhments by meat and drink, and ſleep, will ſtill devour, we would not be ſo prodigal and laviſh of the ſmall number that remains, but ſave them for good uſes and the ſervice of our ſouls. We would never indure to be ſuch ſpend thriſts of that of which only we can be honeſtly covetous, but rate our time at ſuch a price, that one minute of it would ſeem more valuable then all the world.

The belief of theſe things that men account ſo common, that they ſcarce think of them, would not ſuffer men to be ſo late before they begin to live. They would inſtantly ſtep beyond reſolution, and labour to do their work leſt they ſhould have no time to do it in. It is a wiſe and good ſaying of Seneca, Male vivunt qui ſemper vivere incipiunt. They never live well who are always p. 21beginning to live. Yet this is the ſtate of moſt men in the world who are at all awakened, they reſolve to live too morrow or the next week, when their buſineſs is over, and then they reſolve again, and ſet another day, or perhaps they pray, and read, and begin a better life for a few dayes, at the end of which ſome occaſion breaks off all: And then they are to begin again, and new reſolutions come into their minds, and if God be content to ſtay their leiſure a few dayes hence, he ſhall hear more of them: As if they had their times in their own hands, and could make death wait upon them till they thought good to come to their graves. How ſtrangely do men forget themſelves? how dead do many good notions lie in their minds? one would think they were in a dream; for like men in a ſleep, they ſay yea and no to all the queſtions we ask, and yet remember nothing that is ſaid. Ask them if their life be ſhort, and their dayes uncertain; they will fetch a ſigh & ſay that all fleſh is graſs, or as the flower of graſs that ſoon fadeth away: Ask them if they have no work to do but may take their pleaſure, and they ſay that all eternity depends on this moment, that their work is great, and their time is little, and their account is dreadful. Ask them if God will take the dregs of their time, and be content with the bottom of their dayes, and they will judge it unreaſonable. Yea ask them if it be fit that he ſhould let ſuch live that do nothing for him, and they cannot but ſay that we kill vermin, caterpillers, and ſuch like things that deſtroy Gods Creatures, but bring no good to the world. Would you not expect now that they who make ſuch acknowledgements, ſhould be buſie about their ſalvation? would you not imagine that they p. 22eſteemed time more then thouſands of gold and ſilver? Alas, ! their ſenſes are all lockt up, they are faſt aſleep, though they thus ſpeak; not one ſyllable of this comes from their hearts, but they talk of dying and the grave as if they had ſeen nor thought of either. If they had a thouſand years ſtill to live in the world, they could not be more drouſie about their ſouls, nor more expenſive and waſtefull of their precious hours, then they are in this ſhort moment of which they talk. Awake, Awake for the ſake of your poor ſouls. Let it feel it ſelf I beſeech you, and ſhake off theſe heavy and ſleepy thoughts that hang upon its mind. O let it not talk like the ſoul of a bird that prattles according as it is taught, but let it look into a grave, let it reaſon with it ſelf about the true number of our dayes, let it ſpeak its ſenſe to the full, and ſtate things ſo that thou mayſt not only reſolve to live, but make account that thou muſt either live now or never, for any thing thy ſoul can tell. If I could ſee any ſoul looking forth out of its Tomb, and mind lifting up its head, and demanding leave of the body that it may live, how bleſſed an hour ſhould I count this! I would reckon it among the beſt times of my life, and it would turn all my preſent ſorrow into joy, that God hath got a friend when I loſt one. O let us not wound the air with noiſes of death and judgement, and your hearts remain inſenſible and unmoved. Let us not ſeem as fools that fill the world with ſounds and clamours, which no body heeds or gives ear unto. Who do we preach unto but men? what do we preach for, if you will not beleive? to what purpoſe do we call for belief if you will not conſider? and how ſhould it come to paſs that a thing of daily occurrence as death p. 23is, ſhould work no more if men did conſider? We could find no worſe entertainment from a herd of beaſts then we do from many men, if we ſhould preach unto them: And we ſhall be as unſucceſsfull upon inconſiderate men, as upon the Birds that fly over our heads; for men that will not conſider, will not be men. Therefore I beſeech you reſolve to take things into your more retired thoughts; and whoſoever he be that lays. his eyes upon theſe Papers, let him well conſider what I have to ſay upon the third Obſervation which is chiefly intended, and it is this.

The right numbring of our dayes is earneſtly and diligently to be enquired out. Obſer. 3 It is plain enough from the prayer of this man of God. For his prayer for learning ſhewes that we are highly concerned in the numbring of our dayes; and his prayer to be taught So, ſignifies that he deſires to be taught as is before expreſſed in the Pſalm; or elſe So ſignifies right or well without any miſtake. For we find the Hebrew word foreign which is here rendred So, taken for right and well, as Numb. 27.7. foreign &c. right have the daughters of Zelophedad ſpoken, &c. and 2 Kings 7. 9. the lepers ſay, foreign We do not well, this day is a day of good tydings. And therefore thus we may render the Pſalmiſts words, Teach us aright and well to number our dayes, or Teach, ſo as we ſhould, &c. But the ſenſe will be the ſame every way, becauſe we ſhall reckon aright if we number So as he ſpoke before in the Pſalm. How is that will you ſay? what is the right and good account?

I ſhall ſpare the labour of giving you reaſons why you ſhould ſo diligently inquire, (in hope that you are a little awakened by what hath been ſaid, and in fear that I ſhould extend this diſcourſe beyond the p. 24length of a Sermon) And anſwer to the Queſtion as diſtinctly as I can with ſome reference unto what you find in this Pſalm.

The word numbring is a word of conſideration, and ſignifies a meditating or caſting in our mind, a ſerious thinking with our ſelves what our dayes are, and for what end and purpoſe our life is given unto us. And if we would not miſtake in our accounts of which there is ſuch danger, Then

Let us number by ones. 1Let all our account be pure addition, and that but by unites. Let us not multiply our dayes too faſt in our own thoughts, nor venture to add one moment to another till God add it. I mean, we muſt reckon only upon what is preſent, and account that all our time that is to come, is in gods hands, which we muſt not number to our ſelves becauſe it is none of our own. And ſo ver. 3. the Pſalmiſt ſaith, Thou turneſt man to deſtruction, &c. i.e. Man is wholly in thy power, and he hath no more then thou giveſt him, and the next moment if thou ſaiſt return, he gives up the Ghoſt. This now therefore is only ours, and ſo we muſt ſet that down, and there ſtay till God beſtow another moment upon us. He may be poor enough that will value his eſtate by what he hath only in hopes; and yet ſuch an one is he that reckons his ſtock of time by what is future. He was a diſtracted man who ſtood at the Key at Athens and took a note of all the goods in the Ships that came into the port and made account that they were his; yet juſt ſuch is the vanity of a man that puts more time into his accounts then this preſent inſtant; for he reckons anothers goods, not his own, he takes that which is in the hands of God only (who was, is, and is to come) to p. 25be his own proper poſſeſſion. He that numbers thus, muſt reckon over again before he reckon right; and if he will account what is his, he muſt take great heed that he ſet not down in the ſumm that which is Gods, and none of his yet. Let him ſay Now I am, and I ſhall be as long as God pleaſeth, in whoſe hand is the breath of my noſtnls. He that is haſty and quick in caſting of accounts you know, is frequently miſtaken; and the ſureſt way is to proceed leiſurely and ſlowly that we may mind the figures and comprehend the numbers clearly in our thoughts. There is no leſs danger in letting our thoughts run too faſt when we are about theſe ſacred accounts; let us ſtay and pauſe, let our minds go along with the moments that number our time, but not outrun them; for then all our accounts will be but a fancy becauſe we have put into them more then is our own. If we could reckon thus, and tell no faſter then God adds unto our dayes, and increaſes our ſtock of time, then God would be more in our thoughts, we could not but be more ſenſible of our dependence upon him, and acknowledge him more feriouſly in all our wayes; we ſhould be apt at every breath to look upon him as the Sun that continues the ſhadow of our lives; and likewiſe we ſhould look upon our graves more then upon our houſes or any thing elſe; For as Lipſius well ſaith, our houſes are but Inns, Cent. 4. Epiſt. 30.and our graves are our houſes.

2. Yet let us count thoſe things that may put an end to our dayes, by greater numbers. Or thus, Let us reckon that there are more enemies to life then one. Though we can tell but by ones when we number our dayes or moments rather; yet we may tell by twenties or hundreds when we number thoſe things that may conclude and p. 26put a period to our time. Look over a Bill of mortality and there you may tell thirty or forty diſeaſes. Then add forty more to them, and two or three hundred more to that forty, and ſo proceed untill you come near to a thouſand. For according to the account of ſome of the Jews, there are nine hundred and three diſeaſes in the world **This they gather from the word foreign Pſal. 68.20. the numeral letters of which are 103.Ps 68:20. And let us be ſure in this account to put down more wayes to the grave then from a ſick bed. And above all take heed of that dotage to think that we muſt die of old age; for there are fewer die of that diſeaſe then any other in the world.

We muſt think that our lives may ſuddenly be ſnatcht away, and not carried off leiſurely by the ſteps of many days ilneſs. Some diſeaſes do no ſooner appear, then we vaniſh and diſappear. An enemy ſometimes gives no warning, but ſtrikes us dead at one ſtroak. And our ſickneſs doth not alwayes lay ſeige to our ſtrength wherein we truſt, but we are blown up in a moment as the Iſraelites were, ver. 5.6. Thou carrieſt them away as with a flood, &c. They were ſwept away with plagues, they fell before their foes, they went qu…ck into the pit, and were gone out of the world as ſoon as a dream out of our mind. And ſo ſtill we ſee ſome are drowned in the water, others are ſtrangled ſuddenly in their own blood, and a world of contingencies and caſualties there are beſides: ſo that ten thouſand things beſides theſe nine hundred diſeaſes, may put an end to our days. Anacreon the Poet was choaked with the kernel of a grape; Aeſchylus by the ſhell of a Tortoiſe which fell from an Eagles Talons, who miſtook as was thought his bald Head for a white Rock. An Emperour died by the ſcratch of a comb, Eſſayes l. 1. cap. 19.and a Duke of Britany (as Lord Mountaigne tells us) was p. 27ſtifled to death in ſuch a throng of people as is now in this place; one of the Kings of France died miſerably by the chock of an Hogg; and a Brother of that Lords playing at Tennis, received a blow with a Ball a little above the right ear which ſtruck him into his grave. What ſerious conſiderations would theſe things breed in us, if we thought of them? we ſhould often ſay in our mind, What if now the houſe ſhould fall? What if my foot ſhould ſlip? what if I ſhould be trodden under foot in this preſs, or drowned in this ſweat? what if the Boat ſhould overturn, or the Horſe ſhould throw me? What would become of me if my meat ſhould choak me, or my drink ſhould quench my life? What? then if I be not well provided, I go down in a moment to Hell. And therefore I muſt alwayes live well, that ſo I may never die ſuddenly. V. Locman.The Cock in the Arabick fable, becauſe he had overcome in a battle againſt another of his neighbouring Cocks, thought he had now no enemy, and therefore he got upon a top of the houſe, and began to crow and clap his wings in token of his triumph, when behold on a ſudden a Vultur comes and ſnatches this great Conqueror away. Juſt ſuch is the ſtate of ſilly man, he overthrows ſome diſeaſe, and gets the better of it, he eſcapes in a battle, and rejoyces as if now he were out of danger, when ſome accident or other lies in ambuſh for him and ſtrikes him dead upon the place. We muſt not therefore be ſecure at any time; the ſtrong man muſt not glory in his ſtrength, nor the great man in the honour of his family and numerous progeny, for all may be cut off in a moment. p. 28I can not but here remember how three hundred of the Fab…i in Rome were ſlain in one day, and but one man of the Family left that was not extinct. And about five hundred years agone, the whole family of the Juſtiniani in Venice periſhed in defence of their Countrey againſt Emanuel the Greek Emperor, except one only who was a Prieſt. B…b… Comes Abuſinu….And Aventinus relates of a Count in the time of Henry the ſecond Emperour, that had thirty Sons (beſides eight Daughters) who attended on him to the Emperors court, and were all preferred to offices by him, and all died in a very ſhort ſpace of time. And ſo in Scripture we find all Gideons children ſlain at once, except one; and the like of Ahabs, a wicked family, whom God intended to root out. And yet which of us thinks that if we have nine or ten children, they may all die before us? Or who thinks that they may all die in a day? nay we are apt to imagine not only that we may ſtay in the world till we have done all we deſign, but that we ſhall go out of the world the ordinary way, and not be let out at any new gate. Let us reform this error and be verily perſwaded that there is a vaſt uncertainty of life and all worldly things, and that death is dreſt in a thou, ſand ſhapes, and may be in every thing we ſee in the world.

3. Make account that there is no greater enemy to life then ſin. Sin is not to ſtand for one thing in our account but for a thouſand, for all the miſeries and evils that can be reckoned up. The Stone, the Gout, the Plague, &c. all the pains, and ſtinches and noiſome evils that were ever heard of, are in the Womb p. 29of ſin, and therefore reckon a ſinfull life to be of all other the moſt uncertain, and that which provokes the holy God to ſhorten our days. So you read, ver. 7, 8, 9. of this Pſalm, that they were conſumed in Gods anger, and their dayes paſſed away in his wrath, when he took notice of their rebellions, and ſaw how heinous their crimes were. If you will believe the wiſe man, the years of the wicked ſhall be ſhortned, Prov. 10.27. Or if you will believe his Father, God ſhall ſhoot at them; with an arrow ſuddenly ſhall they be wounded, Pſal. 64.7. Or the Prophet Malachi, by whom God ſaith, I will be a ſwift witneſs againſt the Sorcerers and Adulterers, and againſt falſe ſwearers, and againſt thoſe that oppreſs the hireling in his wages, &c. Hear what Obſervations one of Jobs friends made, Job 20.4, 5.6. Ever ſince man was placed upon the earth it was a known rule, that the triumphing of the wicked is ſhort, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment; though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds, yet he ſhall periſh for ever like his own dung; they which have ſeen him, ſhall ſay where is he? He ſhall flee away like a dream and ſhall not be found, he ſhall be chaſed away like a viſion of the night. And Job himſelf doth aſſent to the truth of the Obſervation, when he ſaith, cap. 21.17, 18. How oft is the Candle of the wicked put out? And how oft cometh their deſtruction upon them? God diſtributeth ſorrows in his anger. They are as ſtubble before the wind, and as chaff that the ſtorm carrieth away. This Conſideration might a little ſtop men in their violent purſuit of ſinfull and unlawful deſires. p. 30If they would but think that every ſin may ſtrik off a figure or two from their lives, that every act of it may cut their dayes ſome moments ſhorter, what heart could they have to ſin? With what pleaſure could they drink if they thought that it were poyſon? how could they indure paſſion and revenge, if they thought it would ſend a fire into their bones? and yet there is all reaſon that we ſhould expect it ſhould be ſo (unleſs God think fit to alter the courſe of things for what ends he ſees beſt in his Government of the world) ſeeing none are ſuch a trouble and burden to mankind as wicked men. He that is ſo prodigal of his time, hath little reaſon to think that God ſhould give him more in whoſe hands it only is. He knows not what to do with that he hath already, and therefore how can he with any face come to begg for a day longer to diſhonour God! Wonder in thy ſelf that Gods lets thee live who knowſt not how to live. Admire that he ſhould give thee any time who knoweſt not how to uſe it. And let this one thing lead thee to repentance, and not make thee preſume to continue in the ſame unreaſonable miſpence. Me thinks every ſinner when he is ſick ſhould think of nothing but dying, and yet they think the leaſt of it. Me thinks they ſhould be in a horrible fright, and never imagine to eſcape (ſeeing they do no good) unleſs they have leſs reaſon then the Hogg in the Arabick fable.

That tells us that a Butcher carrying three creatures upon his Horſe, Locman.a Sheep, a Goat and p. 31a Hogg; the two former lay very quiet and ſtill, but the Hogg kickt and cried and never reſted. Thereupon the man ſaid, Why art thou ſo impatient when the other two are ſo quiet? The Hogg anſwered, Every one knows himſelf; and the Sheep knows that he is brought into the City for his Wools ſake, and the Goat for the ſake of his Milk, and ſo they need take no care; but I alas know very well that I have neither Wool nor Milk, but that aſſoon as I come into the City I muſt be killed, for that is all that I am good for. A wicked man muſt be worſe then ſuch a Swine that doth not think every plague will ſweep him away, and that when there is a great mortality he ſhall be one of the dead; for he is good for nothing elſe but to be killed, and to make ſome room for a better perſon to ſtand up in that place which he takes up in the world. But if God be pleaſed for the puniſhment of others, and to puniſh them worſe hereafter, to let them ſtay ſtill here, Let them know that a ſinfull life is a meer death (as the Apoſtle ſaith of the laſcivious Woman, 1 Tim. 5.6.) and they can expect nothing hereafter but ſuch a ſtate as will make them wiſh they had died ſooner here.

4. Reckon that no mans life ſeems ſhorter then his that thinks not often how ſhort it is. Time never ſeems to paſs away ſo ſwiftly as when we are thinking of ſomething elſe then our time. I told you life is very ſhort of it ſelf, and we muſt reckon it by minutes rather then years, or by fractions rather p. 32then whole numbers, and yet it is ſtill ſhorter in our thoughts, becauſe we mind not how theſe minutes run away. They are as a ſteep, ſaith the Pſalmiſt, ver. 5. and in ſleep you know there is no obſervation of time at all, but a night ſeems as one moment. How ſoon is an hour gone when we are in any pleaſure? Yea in buſineſs or any imployment which takes up our mind, how quickly is a day flown away? A day ſeems but as an hour to him that thinks not at all of his day. Juſt as a man that is in a journey, who talks or reads or thinks, is come to the end of it before he thought that he was near the place; ſo it is with every one of us; our life is gone and we know not how, while we think of all things but only of our life. He ſeems to himſelf not to have lived at all that minds not how his time paſſes away, becauſe it ſlips through his fingers and he feels it not. His thoughts being buſied alwayes about other things, a year to him is but as a day, and he complains miſerably when he comes to die that God hath given him no longer time. If we did conſider this, we ſhould often think how our time ſpends, and that would make us labour to ſpend it well. We ſhould think what our life is and how it goes, and that would make us prolong it by doing of Good. For life ſeems long to no man ſo much as to him that minds how it paſſes on, and how many hours he hath for to imploy, and who doth ſome thing in thoſe hours. His very work will tell him that he hath lived, or elſe he could not have done ſo many things.

p. 335. We muſt account that in our life there will be ſome nights as well as days. We muſt not expect all kind uſage from the world, but look to meet with much trouble and ſorrow. So ver. 10. the Pſalmiſt tells us, That if we live till Eighty years, our ſtrength will be but labour and ſorrow, and beſides you ſee from what hath been ſaid, that we muſt indure much grief before that, from the loſs of our friends and relations that God takes away, beſides all the vexation that will be apt to ariſe from other accidents. It is a fooliſh flattery of our ſelves, to think that all ours muſt be Halcyon daies, and that no diſguſt ſhall wrinkle our foreheads, nor no black vail be caſt over our faces. We had better reckon truly, and put down more black daies than white in our Calendar; and then if they be fairer than we expect, our contentment will be the greater; and howſoever the thoughts of trouble will make us deſire more after our Fathers houſe, and long more in our hearts for the heavenly Country. The travell and toyl here would make us have a care top rovide for our reſt with the people of God; and theſe black nights of affliction, for the eternall day that knows no night at all. We ſhould not be ſo much in love with life, if we did reckon upon the evils of it; nor ſo much in fear of death, if we conſidered how many wayes we die daily. What pleaſure is there in living when we are eighty year old, when we are a burden to our ſelves, and too oft to others what contentment can we have? What chear can there be when thoſe that look out of the window are darkned? when the ſound of the grinding is low, and we riſe up at the voice of every bird, and al the daughters of muſick are brought down? i. e. when we have loſt our eyes, and teeth, and voice, and ſleep, and are but a little diſtance from a clod of earth, what joy can we feel in our hearts? And yet this is the time that we would fain live to, though we p. 34creep to it upon our hands and feet through a world of mire and dirt, Si vita humana eſſet 500 aut 600. annorum omnes deſperatione vitam finirent. Card. de vita prepria.and ſwim through the waters of many afflictions to be more miſerable. I am of Cardans mind, that if the life of man ſhould laſt five hundred or ſix hundred years, many a one would make away themſelves out of madneſs and deſperation (there are ſo many miſeries that befall them,) and yet we are now madly deſirous to live till we be weary of life. Let us think that life if it be long may be but a kind of death, and nothing will comfort us then, but the hopes of another life. It was a ſharp ſaying of Caeſars to one of his Guard, that by reaſon of his crazineſs, asked his leave that he might cauſe himſelf to be put to death; Doſt thou think then that thou art alive? Alas! ſuch a decrepit thing as man is, when he comes to Old age, is but a walking Carcaſe that is ready at every ſtep to ſtumble upon its Graves. Yea death is preying upon us every day, he gets a mouth full of our fleſh every moment, and ſometimes by a ſickneſs, even eats us to the very bone; and then though we recruit again and repaire our bodies, yet we do but make food for new diſeaſes. It is ſaid to Adam, In the day thou eateſt thereof thou ſhalt dye, which teaches us that we are next dore to death every day, and that we do not ſo much live as borrow ſomething from death, and if we live long, it will make us pay intollerable uſury for not paying our lives ſooner.

As theſe things will correct our miſtakes about the length and quality of our daies, ſo I ſhall now adde ſome things that will teach us better the uſe of them.

6. We muſt reckon our daies by our work and not by our time, by what we do, and not by what we are. Let us account that the longeſt day which is beſt ſpent, and that the oldeſt life which is moſt holy. Plutarch Conſol. ad Apollon.foreign. A long life is not the p. 35beſt but a good life. As we do not commend (ſaith he) him that hath played a great while on an Inſtrument, foreign.or made a long Oration, but him that hath played and ſpoken well, and as we account thoſe Creatures beſt that give us moſt profit in a ſhort time, and every where we ſee maturity preferred before length of age, ſo it ought to be among our ſelves. They are the worthieſt perſons, and have lived longeſt in the world, who have brought the greateſt benefit unto it, and made the greateſt advantage of their time to the ſervice of God and of Men. Let our Conſcience therefore be the Ephemeris or Diary of our life. Let us not reckon by the Almanack, but by the Book of God, how much we live. And let us account that he who lives godlily lives long, and that other men live not at all.

We muſt not ſay that a man hath lived ſeaventy years if he hath done nothing worthy of a man, but that he hath been ſo long. Diu fuit, ſed parum vixit, he had a great many daies, but lived few or none.

In one ſenſe moſt men may count their lives by nights rather then daies, for they are as men aſleep, and do nothing at all that is the buſineſs and intent of life.

They are as Childiſh in their deſires, as weak in their fears, as unreaſonable in their hopes, as impertinently and vainly imployed, as if they were but newly come into the world, and had not attained to the uſe of their Reaſon. Shall we think a man hath lived becauſe he is a yard higher then he was? is this enough to denominate us men, that we have hair growing upon our Chin? No, there are more Children then thoſe that are in Coats, and while we look no further then the preſent life, we are but great Infants, and are at play with Babies. And alas! if we account the right way by our work and improvement of our ſelves in true underſtanding, Conſcience p. 36and godlineſs, the beſt of us muſt reckon fewer years then eighty; for how little of this time do we truly live. When we do no good we may ſay as the Emperour did Diem perdidi, I have clearly loſt a day; I had as good not have been to day: you can ſcarce ſay that I was, if you look at the purpoſe of being. For to acknowledg God, and get acquaintance with him, to govern our ſelves in conformity to him, to do good to others, &c. are the great buſineſſes of life; and of him that minds not theſe chiefly, you may ſay, that there is ſuch a thing called by ſuch a name, and that hath an exiſtence, but you cannot ſay that the man lives. Shall we ſay that he ſailed much, who was taken in a ſtorme, as ſoon as he put out to Sea, who was toſſed by contrary winds in a Circle to and fro, and in concluſion is brought juſt where he was, De Brev. vitcae. caſ. 8.when he firſt launcheth forth? Non ille multum navigavit, ſed multum jactatus est, as Seneca well ſaith. He did not Saile much, but was toſſed very much. Shall we then ſay, that a man hath lived much, whoſe ſoul was filled with Aire and vanity, as ſoon as he was born; who had tumbled to and fro in variety of buſineſs in the Sea of this world, and is never quiet in the purſuit of earthly affairs? Alas! when he comes to the end of his daies he is as far from his part, as when he firſt began them; Heaven is as far out of his reach (and further too) as when he lay in his mothers Womb. He was much buſied, but he did nothing. He was much employed, but he lived idly. For as I told you, daies and living are truly to be meaſured by the work of a man. And therefore much leſs can you ſay, that he hath lived, who hath eaten and drank, and got one of the ſame kind, &c. For ſo doth a Beaſt, and therefore all you can ſay, is that the Beaſt in him lived, but not the man. And if we did reckon thus, and conſider how much time this toy, and that p. 37trifle, this buſineſs and that ſervice, this man and that woman have devoured, beſides what every day will have for neceſſary uſes: Se…. ib. cap. 3.Videbimus nos pauciores habere annos quam numeramus, we ſhall ſee that we have fewer years than we number. We ſay perhaps ſixty years is our age, but we may ſet down ten, yea though we have ſeriouſly minded our great work. Let us therefore hereafter when we ask our ſelves how old we are, reckon from that time that we are born again. And let us diſtinguiſh between time and what is done in time, for all creatures have time as well as we, and unleſs our work differ us from them our age will not. O be aſhamed to be a child with a great beard! Bluſh to reckon forty or fifty years, when thou knoweſt not for what thou cameſt into the world. Let not the Sun ſee thee again ſo void of the knowledg of Jeſus Chriſt, as if thy ſoul were but newly dropt into thy body. Be not twenty or forty years in learning to be ſober; and for very ſhame let it not be ſaid, that in ſo many years thou knoweſt not how to pray and repreſent thy needs to God. How many years doſt thou expect to live, if in ſo many thou canſt not learn to mortifie one luſt? If in the ſpace of fifty years thou canſt not get the victory over a cup of drink, how many muſt God give thee to overcome all the reſt of thy ſinnes? If ſo long experience will not teach thee humility or contentedneſs, who can hope that thou ſhouldeſt live long enough to put on Jeſus Chriſt, and be conformed to all his Image? O live, live I beſeech you as faſt as you can, for it is certain that is little or nothing that we have lived.

Seventhly, We muſt not account all dayes alike, or we muſt not meaſure our time by the length, but by the weight; not by its greatneſs, but by its worth. Let us not meaſure our dayes (as we do) by the motion of the Sunne p. 38which we ſee, but by the ſhining of the Sonne of Righteouſneſs upon our ſouls: not by the coeleſtiall bodies, but by the coeleſtiall inſpirations. Think that a long time wherein there are many dayes of grace, and mind that time and improve it above all the reſt. Alwayes think that time is of a different value as to the chief uſe of time; and in ſome dayes we have more of opportunity though but the ſame time. This makes a great difference in our days if we well underſtand it, and ſhould make us very watchfull to lay hold upon this flower of time when it preſents it ſelf unto us. A day of grace, a Lords day when God ſhall move upon our ſouls, ſuch an opportunity as this, if God affect our hearts, is worth all our days beſide when we are left unto our ſelves. As to the purpoſes of holineſs and getting nearer to Heaven, one moment, when the Spirit of God is upon us, and ſtrongly poſſeſſes our mind with good things, and breathes into us holy affections, is worth many hours, yea days and years when that is not with us, or doth not ſo powerfully incite us. Let us therefore imploy ſuch time well, and ſet our ſelves to our buſineſs, earneſtly entreating more of ſuch time, and that Gods Spirit will viſit us more frequently with its company. Then our work will go on faſt, and if it be poſſible at all to recall the time paſt, it muſt be by doing that in a few moments, which naturally could not have been done in a whole Life. We muſt value time hereafter as Mariners do at Sea, by the wind that blows upon us, and then we muſt hoiſe up our Sailes. We muſt look at ſome as Harveſt daies, and then we muſt gather and lay up in ſtore by hard labour; or as Market daies, and then we muſt buy what we want, and lay in proviſion for the following daies. Yea the blackeſt day of affliction, if we were well skilled, might be numbred among the beſt times of our life; For God p. 39chaſtneth us for our profit, that we may be made parkers of his holineſs.

Eighthly, Reckon time to ſtand in order to eternity. Conſider it not in the abſolute notion, but in the relative. Look on it as a River running into the Ocean, and account that time it ſelf muſt be accounted for. So number thy dayes as to think that they muſt be numbered again by God. Think that time paſſeth, and yet that it remain upon thine account. Think that as thou art now, ſo to eternity thou ſhalt be. Do not look upon thy life as a few dayes to be paſſed, and there is an end, but reckon ſo many dayes I have lived, and the next moment is eternity for any thing I can tell. Everlaſtingneſs hangs upon this moment, and the ſtate of the one depends on the ſtate of the other; as time is uſed by us, ſo ſhall we find our ſelves uſed in the other life. I doubt we ſeldom look on theſe two, as having a reference to each other; but men live, as if when time was trifled away, they might begin upon a new ſcore in Eternity. Men live as if all ſhould be forgotten that is done here, and they ſhould have ſomething elſe to think of when they go from hence. Remember therefore that both God and thy ſelf will call thee to another reckoning; all the dayes which thou haſt never told, but went away without any obſervation, ſhall be recalled back unto thy mind. Then the mind ſhall tell deliberately, and run thee thorow at every thought, how many hours thou ſateſt with the cup at thy mouth; how many dayes thou didſt ſpend in ſport; how long the time ſeemed when the Preacher over-run his hour; and how many motions of Gods Spirit thou didſt ſend back, and bid come at ſome more convenient time. Yea all thy falſe accounts ſhall then be accounted for, and thou ſhalt never have done numbring thy errours, but ſhall tell them all over p. 40again with a new torment that thou ſhouldſt be ſo wilfully miſtaken. O that you would let your ſouls which are apt to number ſo many dayes in this world, and are loath to make an end, let them lanch into the depths of eternity, and there ſpread their thoughts. Seeing they have ſuch a mind to be telling out ſo many years for us, let them runne into that vaſt Ocean. Bring forth all your numbers wherewith your minds are pregnant, heap million upon million, lay one hundred thouſand of millions upon another, and they are all but as an unite to eternity. In this vaſt eternity you muſt certainly live; and therefore why do you not let your thoughts be more upon eternity than upon a few uncertain dayes in time? Why do not your minds, which love to count ſo unboundedly the dayes of this narrow life, extend themſelves into eternity, which is without any limits at all? Tell the torments of an everlaſting fire, tell the aking thoughts, if you can of a burning ſoul, number the ſighs and groans of a heart, that fries in the wrath of God to eternall ages. Then reckon the joyes of Heaven, number all the ſweet notes of Heavenly quire, tell all the Songs and Hymnes of Praiſe which they ſing. And if thou hadſt an head as big as Archimedes and couldſt tell how many atomes of duſt were in the Globe of the Earth; yet think that ſuch a vaſt number is but as one little atome in compare with thoſe endleſs ſorrows and thoſe endleſs joys. Seeing thou canſt look ſo far as to the very end of thy daies, ſeeing thou art prone to run in thy thoughts as far as it is poſſible, take one ſtep further then eighty years, and then thy thoughts are in eternity; go a little further then the end of thy life, and there let thy thoughts loſe themſelves. Let this be thy Impreſs, or Motto, let this be writ upon thy mind, that a Learned man writes upon all his Books, p. 41Aeternitatem cogita, Think of eternity. Johan. Meu. ſius.This will make thine account more exact, when thou letteſt thy thoughts run thither, whither thy time is running, into all Eternity.

9. Though our time be little, yet let us account that it is great enough for what we have to do in time. I ſaid that our life was ſhort of it ſelf, yet let us reckon that it is long enough to ſerve all the ends of living. We have day enough to do our reall buſineſs. We have time enough to prepare for eternity. We muſt alwaies account that we have daies enough to number our daies, and make up our accounts, and what can we deſire more? If we will charge our ſelves indeed with unneceſſary things to bring about ſome great deſign, and accompliſh ſome covetous deſire, and raiſe our eſtate to ſuch an height, we may not have time enough to execute out purpoſe. But muſt we therefore whine and complaine and ſay, nature hath dealt hardly with us? No. Vita, ſi ſcias uti, longa eſt; life is long enough, if thou knoweſt the uſe of it. If thou conſidereſt what thou haſt to do, thou haſt time enough to do it. There is time enough to moderate thoſe worldly deſires; to break off thoſe impertinent imployments▪ to throw away thoſe deſigns; to ſubdue thy paſſions; to cultivate thy mind, to ſubmit thy will to God, to know the intention of the Son of God, his appearing in the world; to work out thy ſalvation, and to make ready for his coming again. Though we have not time to reſolve all Queſtions that are ſtarted in the world, yet we have ſufficient time to reſolve this great one, What ſhall we do to be ſaved? Heaven may be got in that time, that the world cannot. Why then do we murmur at the ſhortneſs of life? why do we ſigh that we can number no more daies? what would men do with them, and to what uſe would they imploy them? is it their ſouls they would ſave? they need no p. 42more daies then God hath aſſigned them for that purpoſe. Is it an eſtate they would get, or pleaſures they would enjoy? they have too much time for ſuch ends, ſeeing they are not the goods of a man. Would they know all the ſecrets and ſubtilties in Learning? two or three Ages will not ſuffice for that; and ſeeing that knowledg will dye, it is not worth living ſo long for it. Would they be able to determine all Controverſies in Religion. How abſurd a thing is this for a wicked man to take up his time in diſputes, when he lets the Devill without any quarrell run away with his ſoul? It is as prepoſterous a thing, as for a man that is in a deep Conſumption to conſult with his Phyſician for the curing of a cut finger. But this is the miſery of it, that the faſhion of the world is not to mind Religion. Moſt men and eſpecially great perſons are led by the opinion of the world; now vulgar people do not expect that we ſhould be godly, and ſo they mind every thing but only that, and then complain that they are ſtraitned in their time. People expect that we ſhould keep open houſe, and let them eat and drink their fill, &c. And ſo they tempt their. Landlords to think that it is below them to live. Let us correct our ſelves in this miſtake, and when we account the daies are ſhort, we muſt mean no more but this.

We have one thing neceſſary to be done, To do the will of our Father, to get ready for Heaven; this muſt be conſtantly and ſeriouſly minded, and we have no ſpare time to throw away without any reference to this buſineſs. Our life runs away ſo faſt, that unleſs we take good heed, we ſhall not be able to do the work for which we live. It would be accounted a piece of madneſs, if when the enemy is at the Walls, when the ſtorm is ready to be made, when the Bullets fly about the Streets, A man ſhould ſit conſidering whether a Bow will carry p. 43further then a Gun, and whether more were killed by the Ancient weapons, then by the modern Armes. And yet juſt ſuch is the folly of mankind. When death is at their back, and life flies before their faces, when they are beſet with evils in the world, and have little ſtrength to reſiſt them, when they are in the ſtraits of time, and yet have a huge deal of work to do; they are thinking with themſelves whether it is beſt to hunt to day, or to Hawke; whether they ſhould viſit a friend at this town or the next, &c. and then ſpend their time as though they had too much, and yet at laſt cry out upon the brevity of life. Come, come, let us be honeſt and reckon right, De brev. vitae. cap. 1.Non exignum temporis habemus, ſed multum perdimus, as Seneca well ſaid. It is not a little time that we have, but it is not a little that we loſe. God hath not given a little, but we throw away much. Our portion is not ſmall, for what we are to trade, but our miſpenſe is exceeding great. Non accepimus vitam brevem ſed fecimus. We did not receive a ſhort life, but have made it ſo. Not God but we our ſelves have made our time little. He is not niggardly and ſparing, but we are prodigall and make a lamentable waſt of our houres. Juſt as when a great eſtate and faire poſſeſſions come to an unthrifty Heir, they are preſently conſumed and ſpent; whenas a little Portion well husbanded, increaſeth to large demeans; ſo it is with our life. They that have abundance of time given unto them, through their grofs improvidence and miſpenſe are utterly undone, and whine like beggars, as if they had had none, whereas carefull and diligent perſons ſo improve a little, that thanks be to God they are rich in good works, and ſay it is enough, let God call for them when he pleaſeth.

Tenthly, Let us reckon death to be the beſt accountant, and ſo number our daies now, as we ſhall do when we come p. 44to dye. Then a day will appear a pretious thing; then will a covetous man offer all that he hath got in his whole life, for one day; then will a voluptuous man be ready to purchaſe a day with any pains, though it were all rainy, and he were forced to ſpend it in tears. But it is a ſad reckoning when a man muſt reckon twice, and one of them muſt be when he hath no time to mend his errors and miſtakes. It will go very ill with us, if we make one account in our life, and another at our death. If we ſhould ſee then that there are as many faults as there are daies; and that ſo many lines as there are in our life, ſo many blots we muſt make: how fearfully ſhall we be amazed, in what perplexity of ſpirit ſhall we ſee our ſelves ſo foul and black, in the midſt of ſuch groſſe and damnable errors. Let us therefore ſee and conſider, now what account dying men make of their time, and take their reckoning as moſt certainly true. Though men now be laviſh of their time, and play away their houres, though they give all or moſt to the world, and little or nothing to God; yet come to a dying man and he will tell you that daies were good for ſomething elſe, then for a man to eat and drink and trade in; he will tell you of feeding and nouriſhing the Diviner part, or providing for a ſoul, of dreſſing it for the Bride-groome by conſtant acts of godlineſs; beſides all thoſe of temperance and ſobriety, of juſtice and mercy. He will tell you of a Book more worth your reading and ſtudying, then all that ever you turned over. And as for a day of grace at what rate would he purchaſe ſuch a pretious ſeaſon? He will tell you he is aſhamed that he ever ſate at his dore talking vainly among his neighbours on the Lords day. He will tell you that he cannot ſleep now for the aking of his heart, that he ſhould ſleep at a Sermon. He praies that he might but live and Pray with his Family Evening p. 45and Morn. Yea let him be a good man, that hath made a good uſe of his time, yet he will tell you that ſuch an houre he might have ſpent better; in ſuch a company he might have done more good, at ſuch a time he might have been more ſolicitous and induſtrious about Heavenly things: and he will Pray as a good Biſhop did, Lord pardon my ſins of omiſſion. …p Ʋſher.And therefore let us now judg as ſenſible and good men do when they are taught by death that cannot flatter. That is a ſterne Maſter, but very juſt and faithfull, he ſpeaks with a dreadfull voice, but things that are infinitely true and ſerious. He cuts their very heart whoſe accounts they leave him to write, but he will truly ſtate them. Let us then learn of thoſe that he teaches, and not ſtay till we be taught, when perhaps we ſhall be paſt Learning. Let us imagine that the roome is darkned, that the Phyſician ſtands by our bed ſide, that we hear our friends ſigh and groan, that we feel the approaches of death, and then conceive that our Books of account are brought to us, and we have our pen in our hand. What now ſhall we write? Let us eat and drink and be merry? Let us take our eaſe for we have goods laid up for many years? will you reckon thus, our time is long enough, let us take care for nothing but to pleaſe our ſelves? why not thus now I pray you? when perhaps two or three daies agon this was your language. Oh! but now eternity, eternity appears; and therefore ſet down ſo many houres for prayer to God, if we live; write down ſo much pains to underſtand the Word of God; and we make account that ſo much time muſt be ſpent in meditating of the will of God. Make a golden letter at the Lords Day, for that muſt be more pretious time, &c. Whoſoever thou art that readeſt this, do the ſame now, that thou maiſt do perhaps three daies hence. Do that which now thou canſt, which ere p. 46long thou wilt wiſh to do and canſt not. This may be more then an imagination before the morning, and be ſure one day it will be a reality unleſs thou ſhalt be ſtruck dead without any warning, and have no leave for one deliberate thought; and therefore now reckon after the ſame ſort, ſet down the ſame things in thy reſolution, yea ingrave them and cut them upon thy heart, that ſo thy death beds account, may agree with that in thy life. Be ſick now in thy thoughts, that thou maiſt find thy ſelf well then. And ſeeing then we ſhall think that we have lived ſo much as we have done good, and as we have deſigned the glory of God, let us now think that we do not live unleſs theſe be in our hearts and lives.

Eleventhly, If we would number aright, let us every day caſt up our accounts. Let us ſo number our daies, as at the foot of every day to write the total Summe. Let us ſay, thus long have we lived, perhaps we may live no longer, nor turn over another leaf; let us ſee therefore how our accounts ſtand. Say as Pythagoras taught his Scholars, foreign, &c. What ſinne have I committed? What good have I done? What good have I neglected? What ſtand all theſe actions for? Are they figures or cyphers? Have I lived or only been? Doth my work go on, or am I running in arrears? Do I live as if I were going to die? Is eternity in my thoughts, and the great account that I muſt give? If we could call our ſelves to ſuch a reckoning, then we might correct any fault we find betime, before it be grown to ſuch a number, that it will be beyond our thoughts, and give up our account more fair, and in order when God calls for them, and might hope they would be accepted by him. And for the doing of this it is neceſſary, that we account every day as if it were our laſt. Which is a maxim in this divine art of numbering, p. 47that flows from the firſt Propoſition. Seeing our time that is to come is in Gods hand, therefore we muſt live this day as though we had no more dayes to live. And a Heathen could ſay, That it is impoſſible for a man to live the preſent day well, Muſonius apud Stob. Serm 1. Epiſt. 52.foreign, That doth not propoſe to himſelf to live it as his laſt. And ſo Seneca profeſſeth, Id ago, ut mihi inſtar totius vitae ſit dies, that he laboured one day might be like a whole life to him. We muſt ſpend our dayes as though our life were but a day. And if we did, then ſure God would have a portion of every day, if we intend him any in our life, and we could not but be diligent to ſet all right, and to make up our accounts at night, as if it were the end of our lives and our dayes were ſummed up. The Mariner which guides and ſteers the Ship aright ſits alwayes in the Stern or hindermoſt part of it, and ſo muſt we, if we will guide and direct our life aright through the troubleſom ſea of the world, according to the courſe God hath preſcribed; be often in the contemplation of our death; dwell much in our laſt end, and then ſhall we manage all the better, poſſeſſe our veſſel in holineſſe, and bring her at the laſt to a ſafe Haven. It is a good ſaying of one of the Jews, wherewith I ſhall conclude this, Mind thy buſineſs as if thou waſt to live alway, but think of thy end as if thou waſt to die to morrow.

Twelfthly, Let us number as much backward as we are apt to number forward. Let us caſt up our accounts both wayes, and tell the time that is paſt as we are forward to account that which is to come. It is a great fault ſure that we skip over ſuch a great part of our time, and never think what we have done, what mercies we have enjoyed, which of them we have abuſed, and how little profit God hath received from us for all the benefits p. 48he hath beſtowed. And therefore we muſt not only now begin to take an account of the paſſages of every day, but take ſome time alſo to ſtudy our lives that are paſt. We ſhall find ſuch a huge advantage by this, that it will recompenſe all our pains. For

1. Hereby we ſhall at leaſt know how long we have lived, and therefore what a little time in all likelihood remains. And

2. How fooliſhly we have ſpent that time that is paſt, and therefore how chary we ought to be of what God will give us more. And

3. We ſhall conſider how ſoon thoſe years (perhaps thirty or fourty) are gone, which will be a good meaſure whereby to judge of the time to come, which will run away as ſwiftly if it ſhould be as long. And

4. We ſhall wonder that we have lived ſo long, rather than that we die ſo ſoon, ſeeing our Lord attained not to ſo many years as we perhaps number. All theſe and many other advantages we ſhall get by our ſerious review of our lives which I muſt leave to your own meditations. And I beſeech you think of them thoroughly; for it is for want of ſome ſuch reflections that we live as we were but beginning to live. Though men have lived fourty or fifty years, yet velut ex pleno & abundanti perdunt, they waſt as if they had their whole and full ſtock of time to ſpend upon, and had a great deal to ſpare; whereas if they did well conſider what it gone, and that the leſſe remains, they would double their diligence to gather up what is loſt, to provide for that ſtate, for which they have but a little time left wherein to provide. And ſuppoſe we have fourty or fifty years to come, or let our imagination run as far as it pleaſeth, yet we muſt conſider how much of this time muſt be ſpent in rectifying our accounts and bringing our p. 49ſouls to good order; and how much will be devoured by the needs of our bodies; and likewiſe how ſpeedily they will be all gone if we meaſure by what is paſt. How few do the days which we have ſpent ſeem? How ſoon are they gone and ſeem as if they had not been? Juſt ſo fleetly will all that run away, which is to come, let it be never ſo much, and though it ſeem a great deal to us while we look forward, Senec. Epiſt. 4.yet it will ſeem as a few dayes, if we look but behind us. Infinita eſt velocit as temporis, quae magis apparet reſpicientibus. Time is infinitely ſwift, but it moſt of all appears to thoſe that caſt their eyes back. They that are in the bottome of the Ship think they do not ſtirre, but they that look to the place from whence they are come, will wonder how faſt they have run before the wind. If we did but caſt up the ſumme of our dayes, when we have numbered as many years as we think good, alas they amount but to a trifle. What are eighty or a hundred years, when we have put them altogether in one number? How few figures will tell the longeſt term of life? But we are ſo fooliſh that we tell dayes, and months, and years one after another, which ſeverally ſpoken of, ſeem to make a great ſhow, and never put them together, and conſider what all theſe will amount unto, if we ſhould live them all. Then one figure and a cypher will number them all. But if we likewiſe did conſider how faſt a great part of this little number is fled away, it would make our life ſeem ſo ſhort and tranſitory that we ſhould never fancy more that there is no haſte to make ready for another world. And if we added this conſideration likewiſe that he who beſt deſerved to live, came not to theſe years which we perhaps have attained: What ſhould we think? What ſhould we look for but death the next moment? Jeſus Chriſt the Sonne of the living p. 50God lived in our fleſh but a little more than three and thirty years. Why I beſeech you ſhould not this be accounted old-age among us Chriſtians, ſince the Head of us all was no elder when he died? Though they reckoned to ſeventy or eighty years when Moſes lived, yet why ſhould we count to more than thirty three, as the ordinary term of life ſince the great Prophet is come into the world? If God lengthen not our dayes beyond this, we ſhould rather look upon it as a wonder that we live ſo long, then that we live no longer.

To conclude, the ſafeſt way is to reckon no more dayes then we have, as I told you at firſt. For Moſes you ſee reckons but to eighty years, which was the very age that he was of when he entred into the wilderneſſe. Fourty years he was in Pharaohs Court, and fourty year more he was in baniſhment, as St. Stephen informs us, (Acts 7.23, 30.) and then he went to Pharaoh and brought the people out of Aegypt, who preſently in the firſt year of their enlargement began to provoke God, and the ſecond year were threatned to be all deſtroyed in the wilderneſſe: Act. 7.36. Deut. 34.7.Acts 7:36Deut 34:7now Moſes reckons as if his dayes were at an end alſo, when as God lengthened them fourty years longer, even to an hundred and twenty years. So let us do alſo and reckon that our dayes are paſt and gone, though God may lengthen them to many more years; but if he do, we muſt remember that they will flie away as ſwiftly as the reſt have done, and therfore we muſt lay hold upon them, and fly away with them, that they may not go away without us. Let us not be left behind by our time, but let us be going on as faſt we can along with it, til we and it end comfortably both together. That we may not ſtill call for life, when that cals for death, but we may be fit to die, when our time of life is done.

p. 51But how ſhall we learn all theſe good leſſons will you ſay? Who ſhall teach us to number aright? Death you ſay is a good accountant, but who will lead us unto theſe deep thoughts?

The fourth Obſervation (which I ſhall briefly open and commend to your Meditations) will give you ſome Anſwer to this Enquiry.Obſerv. 4.

We may beſt learn this right numbring of our dayes, by a praying heart and a pious mind.

The prayer herein the Text is directed to God, that he would teach them, and for their part they promiſe to bring an heart of wiſdom, Prov. 28.9.Prov 28:9that is a godly and religious mind. The prayer of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord (ſaith the Wiſeman.) If a man will not hear Gods Law, it is no wonder that God will not hear his prayer. When we come in a complement and for faſhion ſake, having no great mind that God ſhould do that for us that we ask, it cannot be expected that God ſhould regard us. If we have no heart to number our daies according to the account that I have laid before you, though we ſay, Lord teach us to number our dayes, yet he cannot but turn away his ear from us. Prov. 15.8, 29.Prov 15:8Prov 15:29But on the contrary, That God who is farre from the wicked heareth the prayer of the righteous, and delighteth in it. If our heart apply it ſelf to wiſdom, if we come with a ſerious reſolution and a ſincere deliberate deſire to be what we ſay, God will anſwer our requeſts, and fullfill our petitions. If we bring but a heart of wiſdom, we ſhould preſently by the help of God reckon right, and make the beſt uſe of our life.

By an heart of wiſdom here in the Text is meant a wiſe heart, as an heart of ſtone or fleſh, ſignifies an hard or ſoft heart. And it is made up of theſe things:

Firſt, We muſt bring a ſerious heart, for a ſpirit that p. 52is vain and trifling that acts like one in jeſt, cannot be wiſe. We muſt all labour to take off that lightneſs and giddineſs that agitates our ſpirits, and to bring our ſouls to ſome compoſure and ſettlement by a reverence unto God; yea and unto our ſelves. We muſt reſolve to be in good earneſt about our ſalvation, and to preferre this art of numbring our daies aright, before all the fancies of riches and pleaſures, and ſuch like things that are apt to toſſe and whirl our minds, we know not whither.

Secondly, We muſt bring conſidering hearts. For he will never number and caſt accounts well, whoſe mind is not fixed, and whoſe thoughts cannot put things together. We many times think, but we do not conſider. Let us therefore raiſe obſervations unto our ſelves, and let us weigh them, and give them their due value. Let us conſider which is more, and which is leſſe in all things; let us balance things in our thoughts, and well mind what equality and what diſproportion there is between them. Say, is not a ſoul like to live longer than a body? Had I not more need tell its dayes, and take care of it, then labour thus about a dying thing? What compare is there between Time and Eternity? How ſoon have I done telling the dayes of my life? And how am Hoſt and even drowned in that vaſt Ocean? But I need not teach a ſerious man to conſider. And I need not tell you that an heart that minds nothing, that layes nothing (as we ſay) to heart muſt needs be ignorant and bruitiſh in its knowledg. And therefore this is a piece of wiſdom acceptable to God to labour in good ſadneſſe to take things into our thoughts till our hearts be touched by them. We are gone a great way to learn any thing of God, and particularly this great buſineſs how to live, when we are once made inquiſitive and thoughtfull in a ſerious ſober manner.

p. 53Thirdly, A wiſe heart is ſuch an one as deſigns ſomething to it ſelf, and intends to improve the knowledge it gets to ſome purpoſe. The heart of a fool looks no further than the beginning of a thing, and thinks not of what ſhall follow, and therefore we muſt bring ſuch a ſerious diſpoſition as is determined to deduce ſome good out of every thing that is propounded to our conſideration. Many truths lie by men, but they cannot be ſaid properly to know and skill them, becauſe they are contented with the bare notion of them. They know the number of their dayes, the ſhortneſſe of their lives, and the reſt that I have ſaid, but they make no uſe of it at all; it is as meer a ſpeculation, as that twenty and fourty make ſixty, or the like. And therefore we muſt not only number and tell how ſhort they are, and whither they are running, and what uſe they are for; but we muſt conclude in ſome reſolution, and ſet down ſomething that reſults from the whole account for the good of our ſouls. All theſe things are but means to ſomething elſe; reading, praying, conſidering and examination are but the beginnings of Religion, not the end; they are the way only, and therefore we muſt not reſt in them, but let our ſouls go further, till we are carried to ſomething elſe by them. As when we account but one day to our life, when we tell ſo many evil days if we live long, &c. We muſt ask our ſouls, What then will you do? Caſt in your minds and ſpeak, what courſe do you mean to take? And by ſuch like Queſtions bring your work to ſome good iſſue. And

Fourthly, A truly wiſe heart is that which deſigns holineſs, to be like to God, and eternally to enjoy him. For the fear of the Lord that is wiſdome, and to depart from evil is that underſtanding, Job 28. ult. And this therefore is it we muſt intend, to this iſſue we muſt p. 54bring our ſouls, and if we do conſider and contrive this heartily, then we may be encouraged to pray to God, that we may know how to take the right meaſure of our dayes. We may ſay to him, Lord teach me what my life is, for elſe I am afraid I ſhall not live. Lord affect me with the ſhortneſs of my time, for elſe I am in danger to want thy ſelf. And thee it is that I ſeek, thou knoweſt it is the deſire of my ſoul to be godly; I am reſolved it ſhall be my work and imploiment in the world, that I may be friends with thee; and therefore teach me ſo to uſe my dayes, that I may not loſe both them and thee. God cannot reſiſt ſuch importunate and unfeigned deſires. He ſeeks ſuch Scholars as have a mind to learn, and he will teach them to make a right uſe of what I have ſaid.

What Uſe ſhould that be may ſome ſay? What will a pious mind, and praying heart learn from hence? I will tell you, how it will ſhape its life according to this reckoning which I have made, and thereby briefly ſuggeſt many good Rules of life unto you.

A wiſe man will learn to be diligent, becauſe the time is ſhort. To be watchfull and alway prepared, becauſe the end may be ſudden in every moment. To be fearfull of ſinne, becauſe the anger of God cut ſinners off in the midſt. To think much of time, becauſe it paſſeth moſt ſwiftly when we think of ſomething elſe. To remember our Creator betimes, becauſe evil dayes will come wherein nothing elſe will pleaſe us. To do good, becauſe that is the work of life. To work together with God, and zealouſly improve opportunities, becauſe all times are not alike. To be very exict in our actions, becauſe they muſt ſtand upon record to Eternity. To …nnounce unto all unneceſſary things, becauſe we may have no time nor leiſure for them. To ſeek firſt the p. 55Kingdom of God, becauſe that is the only thing we are ſure to attain. To die daily, becauſe death makes the beſt and trueſt reckoning. To be conſtant in ſelf-examination, becauſe this day may be our laſt. To look back to our beginning, becauſe the more we have lived, the leſs we have to live. In a word, A wiſe heart will learn to be a very good Husband of its time, and make it ſerve the moſt noble deſign. And he is a wiſe man indeed that of a few days can make an eternal advantage, by the improvement of a ſhort life gain endleſs felicities. He would be accounted a wiſe man, who had an art by a peny in a little ſpace of time to raiſe an eſtate of many thouſand pounds. But he is far wiſer, and hath a greater reach, who by the good uſe of this moment, obtains the inheritance of Angels, yea of the Son of God, gets poſſeſſion of the ever-living Good, and ſettles himſelf in the joyes of a never-dying life.

Let me conclude with a brief Exhortation to you in the words of the Text, as they lie in our Tranſlation. Pray unto God earneſtly that he would ſo teach you to number your dayes, that you may apply your hearts unto wiſdome. Do you ſeriouſly indeavour, and then intreat of him to give you ſuch an effectual grace, that there may ſome good ariſe to you out of your labour. Pray till you feel your heart inclining unto wiſdom, till it apply it ſelf to underſtanding, Till you ſeek for it as for ſilver, and dig for it as for hid treaſure. Never leave importuning the Father of mercies through Chriſt the wiſdom of the Father, till you be made wiſe unto ſalvation.

Let us never ceaſe numbring, and taking every conſideration ſeveral by it ſelf, and beſeeching God to impreſs them on our hearts, till we find this effect and fruit of it, that our hearts are brought to the wiſdom of the p. 56juſt; till we judg of things as doth God, and chuſe that which he loves, and follow the thing that good is, and altogether become of the ſame mind with him. Let us number and pray till we find theſe conſiderations taking down the heights of Pride, and the heats of luſt, the huge deſires of a covetuous mind, and the humorous deſires of a fond fancy; till we find them quieting our paſſions, moderating our affections, and bringing our wills to the meaſures of God. Till we have found a place in another Countrey, a Kingdome that cannot be ſhaken, a houſe not made with hands eternall in the Heavens. Till we can live as well in poverty as in riches; in hardſhip as in ſoft injoyments, without diſtruſt or envy, without fear or cares, without perplexed or careleſs thoughts; in ſhort, till we have learned to live the life of Men, and the life of Chriſtians, till we make God our only joy, and love our Neighbours as our ſelves, and look death in the face as a friend.

Let us every day call our ſelves to an account, and think that we have one day leſs to live, and one day more to reckon for. We every day make our account greater, and have leſs time to make it in, and therefore let us make it alwaies as we go along. And ſuppoſe (my Brethren) that God ſhould come this night and ſay to any one of us, as he did to Belſhazzar, by a hand writing on the Wall in the Chaldee tonge, Mene, mene, it is numbred, it is numbred, (which Daniel applies to his Kingdome,) thy dayes are told, God hath counted them up and finiſhed them, thou ſhalt not live to ſee a morrow. Are thy accounts and Gods even? do they not differ very much? doſt not thou reckon for a great many years longer, and ſhall he not cut them ſhort in the midſt of thoſe dayes, which thou haſt told out for thy ſelf? doſt not thou tell twenty, when he tels but one p. 57or not ſo much? Are not thy thoughts a huge way off from eternity? haſt thou not moſt of thy great work to do? art thou not in the midſt of a deſigne; as building an houſe, or the like, while thy ſoul lies in its ruines and rubbiſh? If they be not the ſame, if thy reckoning do not agree with his, then it will make thee ſhake and tremble as it did him, to ſee thy ſelf ſo much miſtaken in thy numbring, to behold ſo much of thine account ſtricken of by the hand of God; ſo many of the dayes which thou reckoned wiped quite out of the Book of the Living.

If thou doſt account as he doth, and thinks that thou maiſt dye to night; then how canſt thou live otherwiſe then as a dying man? how canſt thou quietly lay thy ſelf on thy Pillow for to ſleep, with the Conſcience of any guilt upon thy ſoul? why doſt thou not ſay every night as the Philoſopher could direct? Vixi, & quem dederit curſum fortuna, peregi: I have lived and finiſhed my courſe which providence hath aſſigned me to run. Then if God give thee a morrow, thou wilt look upon it as a new life, and be more thankfull for it.

He that tels his time by ones and by moments will think that if he donot live now, he may live never; he will betake himſelf to the moſt ſerious and ſtricteſt courſe of Piety, knowing that that life is long enough which is good and that is too long, or rather none at all which is bad. Truly there is nothing ſo much to be lamented, as the folly of men; whereby they think they live but do not, and whereby they deſire alway to live but cannot. Weep for the dead (ſaith the Sonne of Syrach, 22. Eccl. 11.) for he hath loſt the light; and weep for a fool for he wants underſtanding, i. e. is without light, even whilſt he lives. And therefore it follows preſently in him, Make little p. 58weeping for the dead; for he is at reſt, but the life a fool is worſe then death; Seavendaies do men mourne for him that is dead, but for a fool and an ungodly man all the dayes of his life.

We make it an argument you know of a fool, that he cannot count a right, nor tell to ten or twenty: and there is no greater argument of ſtupidity, no doltiſhneſs ſhould more move our tears and compaſſion, then when men reckon, after that fooliſh ſort that I ſpoke of in the beginning, whereby they live in a dream, and dye in an amazement. And therefore the holy man puts theſe together in my Text, right numbering and a wiſe heart, which if we bring not, we are dead while we live, and our friends have reaſon to take up lamentations over us and ſay, Ah my Brother, ah my Siſter.

Let me once more beſeech you therefore to be wiſe. Go home and tell how many dayes remain, and if you can find never an one for any thing you can tell, riſe not up from your knees, before you have taken up ſome good reſolutions againſt the morrow if you have it, and then work out your ſalvation with fear and trembling; every day watch and pray, becauſe you know not in what houre the Lord will come. And to this end, remember that Counſell, and ſtudy it throughly, which I have already mentioned. Look back the firſt thing thou doſt, and think how few daies thou haſt lived, Exigua vitae pars eſt, quam nos vivimus, it is a very little part of our life, that we truly live, all the reſt of the ſpace, tempus eſt, non vita; is time and not life. And therefore let that which remains be Life.

p. 59PErhaps I may awaken you and my ſelf the more if I leave this Text and take another, which is our Dear Brother, that not long ago ſtood in this place from whence I ſpeak unto you. Whoſe Life was a continuall Sermon, and upon whom I might make another Sermon to you, now that one is done. His Life was but ſhort in the Vulgar account, and yet it was long if you uſe the Arithmetick, which I have been now teaching you. He minded the true end of living, and he lived ſo long as to do his work, and he did a great deal of work in a little time, and therefore he died old and full of daies, and was laded with more of life, then many a man with a gray Beard. Old Age is not to be known by a withered face, but by a mortified ſpirit, not by the decaies of the naturall body, but by the weakneſs of the body of ſin; not by the good we that have enjoyed, but by the good that we have done; and if we be prepared for death, we have lived long enough; if our Life be a death, then no death can be untimely to us.

But then while I tell you the price of ſuch a Jewell, I ſhall but make you mourn the more for ſuch a loſs. How deſireable would it have been to us all, if ſuch an Aged ſoul might have dwelt a little longer in a young body? How much more good might he have done by his prudent counſell, by his wiſe diſcourſes, by grave and ſerious Sermons, by a mature judgment, by a Religious and well governed life? Thus you are apt to ſpeak within your ſelves, and I think I ſhall do well to aſiſt theſe thoughts now they are begun, and help your ſoul to be delivered of their ſighs, and to number their loſſes, that ſo they may by ſerious weighing of them, redound to ſome good.

Conſider therefore that the Church of God hath loſt p. 60a burning and a ſhining Light, the Commonwealth an excellent and peaceable Subject, the Miniſters a Dear Brother, this Pariſh a tender Father, the City a moſt worthy Member, and when you have wept to think of theſe, you will have no tears left to condole with me who have loſt ſo ſweet a friend.

If we ſhould conſider only what a large ſtock he had of uſefull Learning, there would be reaſon that all intelligent perſons ſhould bewaile his loſs; for there is not ſuch plenty of profitable Learning in the world that we can well ſpare any, and we know not how long there will be any at all. But then conſidering the Piety to which it was wedded, our loſs is the far more deplorable, becauſe theſe two are but ſeldome found conjoyned in ſo large a meaſure. Orat. 20.Nazianzen accounts that they who want either of theſe foreign, do differ nothing at all from men that want one eye, who have not only a great defect, but cannot ſo confidently appear in the world, to look on others, and let others look on them. Now many one eyed men there may be in the world, ſome that want Learning, and more that want grace, but in very few heads ſhall you ſee theſe two luminaries of knowledg and goodneſs in any great Splendor. The more therefore ought ſuch to be valued, and their extinction to be lamented.

Sigismund the Emperour (as Dubravius tell us) having knighted a Doctor of the Law that was very learned, Hiſt. Bohx…m.and one of his Counſell, and obſerving that when the Counſell went aſide to deliberate about any-buſineſs, he joyned himſelf to the Knights as more honourable, and left the Doctors. He cald him to him and ſaid. Fiſcellin, (for ſo was his name) I did not take thee to be ſuch a fool, as to prefer honour before Learning. For thou knoweſt very well, that I can dub ſix hundred p. 61Knights in a day, but cannot make one Doctor in all my life. What would this brave King have ſaid, if he had ſpoken of the value of true godlineſs which is to be preferred before all things elſe. I will imagine that he would have ſpoken ſuch words as theſe, I can make Knights as many as I will, and only ſuch as thou canſt make Scholars; But it is God alone that can give grace; and therefore judg which thou art to prize at the higheſt rate.

Give me leave to make uſe of this to our preſent purpoſe. Men may make others rich, or they may confer upon them honours, yea and they may appoint Preachers, but alas they cannot make them Learned, much leſs can they breath into them the Heavenly ſpirit, and therefore ſuch men living are to be the more eſteemed, and dead to be the more honoured. Eſpecially where theſe two are accompanied with morall prudence and decent behaviour, which came nothing behind the other, in our deceaſed Friend and Brother. Oh what an unaffected gravity was there in that countenance! What innocent ſmiles in that face! what manlike humility in his deportment! chearfullneſs in him did contend with ſeriouſneſs, affability with awfullneſs, love with diſcretion, wiſdome with ſimplicity, &c. and the reſult of all theſe recouciled graces, was the very Picture of virtue and goodneſs. Donot think that I flatter him with my Pencil, alas! it gives ſo rude a ſtroke, that I am affraid I ſhall rather disfigure him; and I am ready to draw back my hand, now that I am going to draw the Lines of his Life and preſent you with a brief Narrative how he ſpent his daies.

Yet ſince it will be expected from me who have known him now near fifteen years, I ſhall give you a draught of what is moſt material, and leave the fillings up and finiſhings to your own thoughts, which may have been obſervant of more particulars.

p. 62God was pleaſed early to ſow the ſeeds of grace in his heart, and to ſanctifie him to himſelf, partly by the Religious education of his godly Parents, and partly by the Preaching (as I have heard him ſay) of one Mr. Ludlam now with God, whoſe ſweet and Chriſtian eloquence I have heard him ſpeak often of with great affection. We little think perhaps how much we are indebted to God for Praying Parents, and for a painfull Ministry. By whoſe meanes he was kept from blotting his ſoul with any of thoſe foul things, wherewith the Conſciences of many are grievouſly deboſhed.

Coming unto Cambridge he was placed in Queens Colledg under a very worthy Perſon, M.^r Whitaker.who did hugely love him, both for his choiſe Parts, and early Piety. There he followed his Study very hard to the prejudice I fear of his body. Nulla dies ſine linea, might well have been writ over his Study door in thoſe youthfull daies, which uſe to be ſpent in doing worſe then nothing. And the work of godlineſs I am ſure he no leſs laboured in, as ſome few perſons alive can witneſs, who uſed to meet together once in a week to confer about things that concerned their ſouls, the benefit of which ſome can to this day remember. For Chriſtian Communion diſcreetly managed, is that which keeps our Religion in Breath. As ſoon as there was any occaſion for him to appeare in publick, he was noted for his good Parts, and after he had been between four and five years at the Univerſity he was choſen Fellow of the Colledg, with the unanimous conſent of the whole Society. After that time though he neglected not other uſefull Learning, yet he applied himſelf chiefly to the Study of Divine things. And he did not vent his conceptions while they were but half digeſted notions, but gave his ſoul leiſure to concoct them, and turn them into its habit and conſtitution. p. 63Thus he laboured to do while he wraſtled with the ill habit of a ſplenetick body, which created him (to my knowledg,) no ſmall diſturbance in his Studies. And indeed it doth a great deal of miſchief in the world, that men teach others who had need to be taught themſelves. Imperfect apprehenſions of things, and raw indigeſted notions have made as great ſtirs and convulſions amongſt us, as the Wind makes in the Body, which ariſes from the ill concoction of a ſour and cold ſtomach. It was a wiſe ſaying, (whoſoever was the Father of it) That an indifferent Shoomaker might make a good Cobler; and an indifferent Taylor might make a good Botcher, but an indifferent Scholar was good for nothing. And therefore he laboured to have the maſtery of ſuch Learning as was neceſſary for his end, and alſo avoided another dangerous errour which many fall into, and that is medling with the higher things, before they had gained ſome good knowledg of the lower. By this meanes they may be both diſcouraged with the difficulty, and alſo loſe their labour, if they fall not into a worſe diſeaſe, to have their mind blown up and ſwolne with things they do not underſtand. He followed the Rule of Simplicius, In Epict.which is to begin foreign, with ſmall things firſt, leaſt it happen (ſaith he) unto us according to the Proverbe, foreign, to begin the trade of a Potter by making a huge veſſell firſt, before we know whether we can make a leſs, and ſo we loſe both our labour and coſt, and credit altogether. But which is worſt of all, Orat. 1. foreign.ſuch men do foreign, as Nazianzen ſpeaks, exerciſe Religion upon other mens ſouls, before their own, which is the part ſaith he of a fool, and of a bold man. We had better begin any trade Ignorantly, and venture before our time at great things in any calling, then in this Divine profeſſion undertake to p. 64teach ſouls, and practice godlineſſe upon our Hearers hearts, when we have not the firſt rudiments of Piety in our own. And therefore it was his indeavour to underſtand well the grounds of godlineſſe, and to ſettle thoſe Foundations on which a ſoul might …ely, and having overcome the crudities of other knowledge, and arrived to ſome ſtrength, his next care was to ſtudy that learned Ignorance (that a great Maſter commended) To be willing not to know thoſe things which our ſupream Maſter is not pleaſed to teach us.

Then as ſoon as he was fit, he ſhould appear in the Pulpit, he was preſently famed for an excellent Preacher. And he drew not only the common people after him, but the moſt learned ears were chained to his tongue. I ſhall never forget with what a becomming boldneſſe, and modeſt gravity above his years, he preached att St. Upon the 2 Rom. 23, 24.Maries before the Univerſity, when he was appointed among others, to be of a Combination before the ordinary time, by a new order from the higher Powers: A Sermon, I accounted it, of ſelf-denial, though his ſpeech was not of that ſubject, becauſe it was ſo hearty, plain, and ſearching, and ſtripped of all thoſe Ornaments which young men love to dreſſe and trim their diſcourſes withall.

Not long after, he undertook to preach conſtantly in the afternoons at a Church belonging to the Colledge, S^t Buttolphs.which I may ſay he did freely; for the ſtipend amounteth not to much above the wages of an ordinary ſervant in one of your Houſes. There might you have ſeen a great throng of pious Scholars and people hanging upon his lips, many of which deſired nearer acquaintance with him, and uſed to frequent his Chamber for advice and counſell. There, me thought, he was in his Kingdom, he did ſo reign and domineer (as p. 65it were) over the minds and hearts of his Auditors, who could not but attend unto him. And yet notwithſtanding, he did not neglect the charge which he had likewiſe undertook of many Pupils; but they thrived ſo well under the wings of his care, and great love (a thing for which he was noted) that ſeveral of them are now fellows of the Houſe. And really, in the managing of all theſe affairs, he ſo out-ſtripped his years, that it might have been an argument (had not our eyes been blinded with love) that he was old already, foreign. Greg. Nyſſ. de Baſ.his manner being ſo gray-headed in his youth. He did not grow up by degrees as we do, but all on a ſuddain me-thought he was a man. He acted and preached, when his hotteſt blood boiled in his veins, as men do in their coole age, with great ſeriouſneſſe, gravity, and a certain majeſtick humility which commanded reverence to his youth. It is no wonder therefore that God hath gathered him ſo ſoon, ſeeing he brought forth fruit ſo early, and was ripe when others begin to bloom, or but to put forth a tender bud. He had runne half of his courſe, and ſeemed to be in his Meridian, when it was but day-break with us his Contemporaries, and we did but begin to peepe above the Horizon with a timorous light. And beſides, this is not to be forgotten, that though he was of excellent good learning, and had all this work to do, yet he lived not alway among his Books, which is to die among the living, and to live among the dead; a dying to all, and perhaps not a living to a mans ſelf. But he was exceeding free to all good good converſe, and let his Ftiends enjoy ſo much of him, that ſometimes he could ſcarce enjoy himſelf, but only in them. Yea, I doubt that he was better to them then to himſelf, and diſregarded his own health to ſatisfie their deſires. The Arabick Proverb is, Si amicus p. 66tuus ſit mel, ne comedas totum: If thy Friend be Honey, do not eat him all up. I wiſh that it had been known more familiarly in England, for I fear the ſweetneſſe of his ſociety, did tempt his friends to devoure him among them.

After he had been in Cambridge between a eleven and twelve years, and had preached much both there and in the Countrey, the Providence of God ſo ordered it, that coming to London about threee year and a half ago, upon another occaſion, he was deſired to preach in this place, and inſtantly was choſen to be Paſtor of this Congregation. I remember that he was not received with leſſe joy, then now he is carried forth with ſorrow. Nor was he leſſe eſteemed, as far as I can hear, in other places of the City, then in this Pariſh, who I know had a very great affection to him. His Brethren in the Minſtry did highly value (as I have heard from ſome of them) his excellent endowments, and looked upon him as one like to be very inſtrumental in the work of the Lord. And ſo I hope he hath been; for you have fully known his Doctrine, his manner of life, his purpoſe, Faith and Charity, as the Apoſtle ſaith concerning himſelf to Timothy, 2 Epiſt. 3.10. I will but remember you a little of the firſt, foreign. Solen. in Laert.viz. his Doctrine and ſpeech, for by that you may judge of the reſt, it being according to the ancient ſaying, The Character of a man, and the Image of his life.

His Sermons were ſtings, foreign. Plato.rather then words: They were foreign, winged words in a diviner ſenſe; for they were the Arrows of the Almighty, ſhot with a ſtrong arm into mens hearts. His Diſcourſes were ſo rational and demonſtrative, that they were able to convert an Atheiſt to the Faith: So clear and full of light, that they might turn the moſt ignorant ſoul unto wiſedome. p. 67So awakening and lively they were, that it will be a wonder if he have left one ſoul aſleep among you. So perſwaſive and moving, that they might charm the cup out of the hand of the Drunkard, and intice a ſinner out of the moſt delicate embraces. So cordial likewiſe and reviving, that if any perſons droop who heard him, they never drank them down, but only lickt the glaſſe. So conſiderate and digeſted, that as he beat down confidence in mans proper ſtrength, ſo he rouzed them from their lazineſſe, and an idle indifferency about their ſouls. So diſcreet and fervent, that as he affrighted cold formality, ſo he tempered zeal, that it might not be frighted out of its wits. And as the Apoſtle hath married Truth to Charity, ſo he endeavoured to keep this bond inviolable, For his degree of Batch. in Divinity.that they might never be divorced either in his heart or word. But the Text upon which he preached the laſt Commencement before the Univerſity was his conſtant practice, Eph. 4.15.Eph 4:15Speaking the truth in love. He was a Preacher indeed, that ſought to find out acceptable words, and written upright; even words of truth, as the great Preacher ſpeaks, Eccleſ. 12.10. And whereas there are too many Sermons that are full of words without matter, and not a few that have excellent matter without words, to ſet it of, and convey it into mens minds; God had given him an excellent faculty to dive into the bottom of the truth, and then to adorn it with ſuch good and rich expreſſions, that it ſhould looſe nothing for want of one to commend it. There was a ſweet vein of Eloquence that ran through his reaſon. His Arguments were interlaced with handſome illuſtrations. And after he had drawn the Picture of the truth he intended to repreſent, he had the art to hang it in a convenient light, ſo that it ſhould look upon every body in the Houſe. Nazianzen compares p. 68a mans mind, foreign Orat. Viceſ.that cannot utter its mind, to the motion of a man whoſe joynts are ſtruck with a benumming diſeaſe. And I may compare a mind which ſpeaks without any underſtanding, to the motion of a Puppet that frisks and skips moſt nimbly, but hath no ſoul within. But he of whom I ſpeak was not frozen and benummed, ſo that his mind could not flow forth, neither had he a flood of words, and a drop of ſenſe, but he rapt away his Auditors with a double torrent of Rhetorick and reaſon ſweetly mixt together. And truly, if a Divine could ſtirre up all kind of affections and paſſions by his Sermons, as well as a Comedian can do by a play, yet unleſſe there be a ſound and ſubſtantial truth at the bottom, they will be but like the ſcorching flames in ſtraw, which will quickly expire for want of ſomething to foment and feed them. It is poſſible that a man may by earneſtneſſe and violence exprimere affectus (as Eraſmus I think ſpeaks) expreſs and ſqueeze out affections from his Auditors, but he will never impreſſe them with any, unleſſe there be the ſtrength of reaſon and weight of Argument to preſſe and perſwade mens underſtanding into obedience. I am ſure his Sermons were of this ſort that were apt to imprint ſomething, both upon mind and heart; and I hope he hath left ſome ſuch ſeal upon you that will never be blotted out.

But it pleaſed God that he had many ill fits ſince he came hither, which were but ſpurres I believe unto him, to make him runne the faſter. And eſpecially the laſt September he was encountred with a moſt dangerous diſeaſe, which aſſaulted him with ſuch a violence, that it made all the pillars and ſupporters of his body tremble. Your hopes were even at the laſt gaſp, when God gave his life to your Prayers and teares, and let him breath p. 69a little longer among you. Now which of you can think upon his excellent Sermons ſince his recovery, without thankfulneſſe to God that he lent him to you a while longer. Who can be impatient (even for his death) who remembers thoſe words of our Saviour with his Comment in many Sermons; Joh. 18.11.John 18:11The Cup which my Father hath given unto me, ſhall I not drink it? And who can be prodigal of his time, and looſe in his life, that felt any of thoſe Arrows which he took out of the Apoſtles quiver; See that you walk circumſpectly, Eph. 5.15, 16.Eph 5:15Eph 5:16not as fools, but as wiſe, redeeming the time, &c. It would be a good work for every one of you to examine if you have not been careleſſe in following thoſe Directions which might provoke God to ſtop the breath of this ſweet Organ of his, and cut off the thred of his life by another ſharp ſickneſſe which arreſted him on the firſt day of this monethmonth. Then God put a bitter cup into his hand, and he drank it off to the bottom with ſuch an admirable patience, as he himſelf had preached. Then he felt the comfort of a holy walking and good uſe of his time, ſo that as he was not heard to murmur or repine that God ſhould thus ſoon take hold of his rod again; neither did he call for time to come back again, as if he were loath to die by this rod.

I cannot but remember a few things that I obſerved in this ſickneſſe, which will be partly for our imitation, and partly for our comfort.

Firſt, His reſignation in the beginning of his diſeaſe: God is wiſe (ſaid he to me) and his will is guided by wiſdome; and therefore let him do as ſeems him good, for I am indifferent.

Secondly, The Expreſſion of his Faith. When his diſeaſe began to make ſome offers at his head, and a little to obſcure his mind, he ſaid to me, Truly this is the p. 70only thing that troubles me, that I fear I ſhall looſe my underſtanding, But my Saviour intercedes in Heaven; He doth, he doth.

Thirdly, His patience and quietneſſe under the violence of his Diſeaſe. For when he was deſired either not to ſpeak or not to ſtirre, his Anſwer ſtill was, Well, I will not. So that I might ſay of his Feavour as Diogenes did when he was ſick of the ſame diſeaſe; Nazian. Epiſt. 64. foreign. Ib.It was nothing elſe but foreign, the wreſtling of the ſoul with the body, as two Combatants uſe to do in the Olympick Games, and his ſoul got the better by patience and lying ſtill. When Epictetus broke his leg, they ſay he talkt and diſcourſed as if he had been in another mans body; and when the bones of our deceaſed Brother were ſore vexed, me thought he lay as if his ſoul were ſomewhere elſe, and was gone out to God. For

Fourthly, God was pleaſed to bleſſe him with a quietneſſe and peace in his conſcience. Though he had no raptures and exceſſes of mind (which he never affected) yet he thanked God he had a ſolid peace, and a ſweet calm, and he paſſed out of the world juſt as he lived, in an even temper. And

Fifthly, According to his Faith in the Mediation of Jeſus Chriſt, ſo it was unto him. God was very good to him in giving him his underſtanding unto the laſt, even when the cunning Adverſary of man-kind made an attempt upon him toward his latter end, when his ſtrength declined, and he was leaſt able to reſiſt an aſſault. He would have ſlily conveyed ſuch thoughts into his mind, that he had been a ſtranger to practical godlineſſe, but he had ſo much underſtanding as to conſider that he was not himſelf, nor fit to be a judge when he could look but at a few things. And truly, I told him p. 71that it was the beſt way for one that had ſetled a wellgrounded hope in his life, to give the Devil no other Anſwer at ſuch a time, but Satan thou lyeſt; and enter into no further diſpute with him. Whereupon he ſaid, Thou cowardly Devil, take me now? Why didſt thou not come ſooner, if thou hadſt any thing to ſay? This expreſſion he had more then once, and was troubled no further, but to give teſtimony afterward to ſome that ſtood by, that thanks be to God we have the victory through Chriſt Jeſus. And

Laſtly, He had ſuch an foreign as the greateſt man once in the world wiſhed for, and he placidly and quietly, without being torn by force out of his body, ſlept in the Lord, on the Lords day the twelfth day of this monethmonth.

And conſidering the time of his end, I think it is not a meer fancy to remark upon theſe three things, which made his death juſt proportionable to his life. Firſt, That as he died in the noon of his age, ſo he died in the noon of the day: That may ſeem but an inconſiderable circumſtance, unleſſe we joyn it with the reſt. For ſecondly, He went to receive his Reward upon that day wherein he moſt laboured. From the communion of Saints on earth, he went to the conſort of Saints and Angels in Heaven. And it was one of the laſt words that he ſpake, There remains a Reſt for the people of God. Thirdly, He died on one of the longeſt daies in the year, as if God would tell us, that he had lived long enough; as long as was fit, and that being now come to his full height, he was at his Tropick, and muſt return to him that ſent him forth.

Men, Brethren and Fathers, you will pardon it to the affection I bear to his memory, that I have given you this long, though I hope not tedious, Narration: And p. 72if any think it is too ſhort (which I may rather ſuſpect) let them be pleaſed to conſider, that his life conſiſted but of a few dayes; and that it is no ſmall part of virtue, to conceal ones virtues. And therefore they may believe without danger that the greateſt part of what I have told you, is but the leaſt part of that worth which lay latent in him.

And now as you have had the patience to bear with me thus long out of your love to him, ſo let your love to your ſelves beſtow ſo much patience upon you as to ſuffer a little longer, till I ſpeak a few words to every one in this Aſſembly.

And firſt of all to you my Brethren of the Miniſtry, I ſhall not take upon me to ſpeak any words of my own, but acquaint you with two words of his to the deareſt relation he had in his former ſickneſs.

Firſt, Let us be much in private prayer. Our time is ſhort as well as other mens, and many times ſhorter, though our account be greater; therefore let us ſpend much time with God, as we indeavour to ſpend it all for him. Let not a croud of thoughts in our ſtudies, nor a croud of company here in the City, thruſt God away from our ſouls, but let them frequently retire unto him, as the fountain of all light and good. Prayer before our ſtudies is the key to unlock the ſecrets of God, and prayer afterward is the turning of the key to lock them ſafe into our hearts. Dexterius loquentur cum hominibus, qui prius tota mente cum Deo fuerint collocuti. l. 3. derat. Concion.Prayer ſharpens our appetite after truth, and when we have found it, it ſets an edg upon the truth, and makes it more cutting and penetrating into the heart. And as Eraſmus well ſaid, We ſhall ſpeak more dexterouſly to men, when with our whole hearts we have firſt ſpoken with God.

Secondly, Let us look to our ends in our work. This was another of his counſels, without which indeed our labour p. 73will be in vain. Let us believe our ſelves what we ſpeak, and then we ſhould mind the glory of God, and not our ſelves. Alas! what is the applauſe of men when we are gone, but like a ſound in a dead mans ear? And what is it when we are alive, but an empty breath that is loſt ſooner than got, and is got ofttimes by idleneſs ſooner than taking pains? And what is there elſe that can tempt an ingenuous mind? Our very breeding doth teach us to deſpiſe money and gain, but the example of our Lord and his Apoſtles will make it ſeem a ſordid thing to be trampled under our feet. Let the good of men therfore, and the glory of God be the mark at which we aim. And the Lord in Heaven hear our prayers, and bleſs our preaching.

Secondly, Then to you of this Pariſh, let me ſay a few things. And firſt, Pray earneſtly among other Petitions for theſe two things, That God would pardon your unprofitableneſs, which perhaps you may have been guilty of under ſuch means; and that he would bleſs you with another Miniſter of ſuch a temper as he was, and that will deſign ſo ſeriouſly the good of your ſouls. He deſired you ſhould know that he loved you, and he prayed God to bleſs you. I hope God will ſo hear his deſires, and you will ſo remember his inſtructions, and thoſe you have received from former Lights, that I may ſpare that prayer which M^r Udal uſed at the Funeral of M^r Shute, viz. That God will neither let you fall into the hand of a dark Lanthorn, nor be led by an Ignis fatuus. The Jews have a ſaying (God grant it be true) That never doth there die any illuſtrious man, but there is another borne as bright on the ſame day. God loves the world ſo well, that when one Sun ſets, another ariſes. To which they accomodate that place in Eccleſ. 1.5. The Sun ariſeth, and the Sun goeth down. Nay they obſerve further, That he makes ſome ſtarre or other ariſe before a Sun be ſet. As Joſhua began p. 74to ſhine before Moſes his light was darkned, and before Joſhua went to bed, Othniel the ſon of Kenaz was riſen up to judg. Eli was not gathered to his fathers before Samuel appeared to be a most hopefull youth. And among the other Sex they alſo note, That Sarah was not taken away, till Rebekah was ready to come in her ſtead. The Lord grant that you may find this true, and that as now the nights are at the ſhorteſt, ſo you may have but a very ſhort night before another Sun ariſe in this place. But if we be ſo unworthy, that God will not bleſs us with ſuch a favour, May it pleaſe him but to let poſterity twenty year hence fit under ſuch a burning and ſhining Light: May it pleaſe his goodneſs and mercy, that the day of his Death may be but the Birth-day of ſome eminent perſon to illuminate this City.

Secondly, Let me beſeech you to write down any memorable thing that you have heard from him, and hath much affected you, that it may be engraven upon your heart, and do you good for ever. By this means you will cauſe the lips of the dead to ſpeak, and you will not loſe all converſe with him now that he is gone from you. For a mans diſcourſes are the picture of his ſoul, which is himſelf. O my Beloved, how ſad an account will you have to make, if you be not truly Religious who have had ſo many Lights in your Candleſtick that have ſpent themſelves to illuminate you? How will you appear before the Judgement ſeat of God, when not onelyonly one, but foure or five Miniſters ſhall witneſſe againſt you? How will you look not only him, but thoſe that delivered the Lamp to him in the face? Or rather, how will you look God in the face when you ſhall think what means of obtaining ſalvation you have enjoyed, and yet are not ſaved? Remember therefore now all thoſe wholſom counſels you have received from their mouths, and if there be any beginnings of godlineſs in your p. 75hearts, any taſts of Religion, let me remember you of two Directions which were ſome of the laſt he gave you, and write them upon your hearts. He told me not long before his ſickneſs, that he had begun at his own houſe to give ſome ſhort Exhortations to you his Communicants, in which he intended (I think once in a fortnight) to inſiſt upon the chief things that belong to the eſtabliſhing a ſoul in grace. He begun this courſe April 14. and lived to give but two Directions, which I ſhall again commend to your thoughts.

Firſt, He deſired you to beware leſt you ſhould be found in the number of the giddy, or of the lazy Prefeſſours of this age; and one Argument whereby he preſſed to diligence, was this, Death is neer you, like to a Mole it is digging your graves under you (ſo was his expreſſion,) therefore whatſoever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, Eccleſ. 9.10. My Beloved, Death may be as near to you now, as it was then to him, and therefore take heed that you be not found idle and uſeleſs ſervants.

Secondly, He adviſed you to give diligence not only to be ſincere Chriſtians, but alſo growing Chriſtians, and at length excellent and very exemplary. Here he directed you to lay the foundation well, and then intended to ſhow how to raiſe the building and ſuperſtructure upon it; but God took him away before he could do that. I beſeech you labour to be true and real Chriſtians, though perhaps you may not live to grow to any great height, no more than helived to direct you to it. Look to your hearts leſt there be any root of bitterneſs that may make you to backſlide, and remember, as his very expreſſion was, That there is no ſuch Antidote against Apoſtaſie, as real integrity and ſincerity. Yea remember all other good Diſcourſes of his, and your other Miniſters, that you may frame your lives according to p. 76them, and grow taller (if you live ſtill) by ſo many ſhowrs. Let me a little quicken you by this Story. Zeno Cittiaeus conſulted with the Oracle, how he might live well, and he received this Anſwer, foreign, If he was of the ſame colour with the dead. This he interpreted to mean, that he ſhould get and read all the ancient Books that he could hear of, and then ſteep and die his mind in their ſacred notions. My Brethren, what St. Paul ſaid of Epimenides his ſentence, Tit. 1.13. that I may ſay of this, This teſtimony is true. Look as like to the dead in the Lord, as ever you can, and labour to turn your ſouls into their ſhape. Not as though there were not living examples and teachers which you are to mind (thanks be to God there are a great number here before you) but I would wiſh you not to forget men when they are dead and gone, For you cannot tell how ſoon you must live according to the manner of the dead, and not of the living. The world may prove ſo bad, that if you will be of their colour, you may be all, but only white. Let me beſeech you therefore to remember his Doctrine, and his manner of life too, to tread in his ſteps, and be followers of him, as he was of Chriſt. And though I have already made your patience ſweat, yet let me exerciſe it a little longer, and borrow ſo much time of you, as but to remind you of a few things I would have you imitate. 1. Remember how great a reverence he did bear to the Name of God. You ſhould not hear him ſpeak ofit (I think) without alteration of his countenance, and the manner of his pronunciation. Learn from him not to take it up on every trifling occaſion, and when you have any diſcourſe of him, let your mind be ſerious, and lay aſide laughter and jeſting with whatſoever at another time may be lawfull, but not grave enough to keep company with God. 2. Remember how ſerious he was in Prayer and addreſſes unto God. His ſoul ſeemed to be p. 77gathered into it ſelf, and then gathered up to God. And I believe you can remember that his expreſſions were ſuch that all might joyne with him, and that he was not acted by any private, but a publick and divine ſpirit. 3. How he taught you to obſerve the Lords day. Not long ago he entred with me into a diſcourſe of that thing, and I perceived by it he had earneſtly deſired of you in ſome Sermons to ſpend that time more religiouſly, in recounting the mercies of God, in telling to your Children and Servants the great things that the Lord hath done ſince the beginning of the world, that they may be had in everlaſting remembrance. But eſpecially in magnifying the goodneſs and wiſdome of God in the glorious work of Redemption by Chriſt Jeſus. 4. Remember his Charity to the Poor, to which he excited you not only in publick but in private, and if you could have ſeen it, by his example alſo. From ſome of you ſure it was that he obtained yearly a good ſumme for poor Scholars in the Univerſity, not being content with doing good himſelf, unleſs you did reap ſome fruit too. Do not forget I ſay this Charity, now that he is gone, but let it be ſtill as a living water, though it doth not run through the ſame hands.

Fifthly, Get a faithfull Friend if you can; for a Friend was a thing, that he much loved and valued as the rareſt Jewel in the world next to Piety, without which no man can be our true Friend. A true Friend will tell you of your faults, he will adviſe you of your concernments, he will be to you as the Wife in your Boſome. He may indeed ſometimes be more deare then the neareſt relation which we have, and there is a Friend that ſticketh cloſer then a Brother, or whatſoever name of love there is in the world. And therefore it is obſervable that in the 13. Deut. 6. he is put in the laſt place as the chiefeſt of all relations. If thy Brother, or thy Son, or thy Daughter, or the Wife of thy boſome, or thy Friend which is as thy p. 78own ſoul, entice thee ſecretly, ſaying, &c. It is very clear that Moſes riſes up by ſteps from the loweſt to the higheſt, from a Brother of the ſame venter, to a Child, and then to a Wife, and at laſt to a Friend, as the higheſt of all: And it is likewiſe clear, that a Man and Wife are but one fleſh, but a Man and his Friend are one ſoul, and therefore unleſs they be friends as well as Man and Wife, there is a greater love then theirs; but when both theſe conſpire together, the relation of a friend and of Conſorts too, then it is the higheſt of all love, and the Image of the love that is between Chriſt and his Church.

Friendſhip is ſuch a ſacred thing, that though we are ſometimes miſtaken in our choice, yet it is not fit to ſnap the bones aſunder, but gently to diſſolve them, that there may be ſome love afterward. Amicitiam etiam ſubdolam non lacerabo, ſed diſſuam. De vita propriaSo Cardan profeſſeth that he would never rend and tear a falſe friendſhip in pieces, but would fairely unlooſe it, and pick the threds by which they were ſown together. I have ſaid more of this then of the reſt becauſe it is ſo rare, and we are moſt apt to talk of the thing we love.

To conclude this my addreſs to you, Let me prevaile with you to remember but this in Generall, how he commended Religion to you both in his words, and in his practiſe, as the life of the ſoul, as the ſoul of friendſhip, as the beſt friend of men, and the beſt natured thing and fulleſt of humanity in the world. It did not appear in him with its face all clouded, with looks ſable and ſad, with eyes heavy or diſtorted; but he repreſented it as the very joy of ones heart, the marrow of our bones, and that which gives health to all our fleſh. Methinkes it ſhould make you all in love with Religion, when you remember how chearfull, how pleaſant, and I had almoſt ſaid, how ſportfull a thing it ſeemed. When we have once attained to the true guſt and relliſh of it; a man that ſhall p. 79perſwade us to forſake it, ſhall be like to him that is in love with his own Dreams, & would perſwade us into the Paradiſe of fools. And if at any time you be ſad, O wha… ſweet things are thoſe tears? how full of joy are thoſe ſorrows? they are but like a Cypreſs caſt over a beautifull face, or at the worſt but like the clouds which cover the face of the Sun for a while, that it may be more acceptable when it ſhines, and beſide they water the Earth with their ſhowres, which make it flouriſh and ſpring the better.

But there are ſome other here preſent, who will expect a few words from me, and therefore I muſt paſs theſe things over without any further enlargements.

Thirdly, To you then who were his Auditors and Friends, let me ſay that I hope you have learned by his inſtruction to chuſe another Guide if you want one in your own Pariſhes; and that you cannot honour his acquaintance more, then by a devout and ſtrict life, and walking orderly and peaceably according to the Goſpell. I am ſure he loved his Friends with an ardent love, and he was as void of complement, as he was of gall. And therefore love his memory, and labour to do that which you think would have pleaſed him beſt, if he had ſtill lived. And what is that? as St. John ſaith concerning his Children, ſo would he have ſaid of his Friends, I have no greater joy then to hear that you walk in the truth, 3. Epiſt. v. 4. and therefore he ſaith v. 11. Beloved follow not that which is evill, but that which is good; He that doth good is of God, but he that doth evill hath not ſeen God.

Fourthly, To his Relations I need only ſay that I need ſay nothing. For ſhould I ſay remember him? alas! he was ſo dear, that they cannot forget him. Shall I ſay be of good comfort? their piety is ſo great, that it will let them want no Cordials. Shall I bid them prepare them ſelves againſt all other changes? that is counſell common to us all. And therefore I will not addreſs my ſpeech unto them, not knowing how to Adminiſter any …ounſell where there are ſo many Phyſicians.

Fifthly; But laſtly to my ſelf, what ſhall I ſay … If he that hath loſt a friend… half dead, and like a worme cut in two, foreign. Orat. 20.(as Na…ianzen ſpeaks) then it is a wonder that I have ſaid already ſo much to you. Little do I think when he ſo paſſionately bewailed the death of our Friend Mr. Bright, that I ſhould ſo ſoon have come to pay my tears at his Funerall.

I have ſaid enough, having called my ſelf fool by ſaying ſo much. But love made me blind, and love makes me ſpeak it. And O that we could all ſhow that we loved him by our tears! O that we could all water his aſhes with ſuch affectionate ſhowres, that nothing but Roſes and Violets might grow upon his Grave, that his name may be like a ſweet perfume, that none may violate that precious thing by any envious and peſtilent breath. May thy duſt ſleeep in peace my dear friend! may thy aſhes take an indiſturbed reſt. May thy memory be alwayes green and freſh in my mind. May I live and do as much good. And may I be as happy in my latter end! Oh my ſoul, let us begin then to take our leave more ſeriouſly of this world; let us ceaſe to weep for him, and weep for our own folly. Nazian. Epiſt. 63.Ariſe, ariſe, foreign, &c. Let us go away from hence. Let us throw away theſe dreams. Let us not live among theſe ſhadowes. Let us not be mockt any more by theſe falſe pleaſures. Let honour, glory, and applauſe find ſome body elſe to make their fools. Farewell all the Puppets that dance on the ſcene of this world. Farewell all theſe painted clouds, theſe gilded vanities, theſe hyperbolized nothings. Let this henceforth be writ upon my heart, yea let it be ingraven on us all. Vanity of vanities ſaith the Preacher, all is vanity. Surely man at his beſt eſtate is altogether vanity.

FINIS.

End of the text · Simon Patrick, Divine Arithmetic (1659)