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The Christian Warfare Part 2 · John Downame

The Christian Warfare Part 2, Book 2 · Chapter 29

CHAP. XXIX.

Of the momentany continuance and frailty of mans life.

HAuing shewed that the things of the world are in§. Sect. 1. That notwithstanding mans life is short and fraile, yet worldly men dreame of immortalitie. themselues momentanie, & in respect of vsus mutable: we are according to order in the next place to speake of our mortalitie, which may serue as another maine argument to make vsus contemne these worldly vanities; for though they were eternall, yet we are momentany; though they were constant and permanent, yet our liues are fraile and flitting; though they had not their end, yet we shal hauehave our end; & though they would for euer continue with vsus, yet shal we but a while continue with them, because our liues are but short, and with their shortnes, so fraile & vncertaine, that this momentany time, is only sure of ending, and in nothing else certaine, but in it owne vncertaintie. For we are continually sailing towards the hauen of death, and we neuer want the wind of winged time to set vsus forward; sometime in the way we perish by the leakes of our own intemperance, sometimes we split our selues vponupon the rockes of dangers, or vponupon the sands of carelesse securitie; sometime we are cast ouer boord by pirats and enemies, & sometime carying all our loftie and proud sailes, we are ouerset and sunke with the boysterous blasts of aduerse accidents; & though we scape all these dangers we shall not be long in comming to our hauen of rest; seeing we are neuer becalmed nor stand still, but night & day go forward with a prosperous wind. It is true that the world, yea our owne deceitfull hearts, do promise vntounto vsus long life, yea dreame of a kind of eternitie which hath neuer end; for there is scarce any so old who thinketh not to liue a day longer, and when that is spent, another day after that, & so continueth day after day in the same mind, and by consequence frameth to his hopes an imaginary perpetuitie; eternitie being nothing else but a constant continuance of time without any ending. And yt men hauehave this inward conceit, it may easily appear by their outward practise: for if they were throughly perswaded that their liues were momentany & vncertaine, what shew of reason had they by deferring their repentance, to hazard their eternall saluation? why should they set their hearts vponupon the things of this life, & prefer them before euerlasting happines? why do they who thinke it folly to bestow great cost in building vponupon a lease, of one and twenty yeeres, grow excessiue in these charges, and erect stately houses, hauing no posteritie vntounto whom they may leaue them? why do they not prepare themselues to meet the Lord, and take some paines to set straight …r accounts; if they thought that euen this day they might die, and be called to a reckoning? but the true cause of all these errors and negligence is this, because they dreame of long life, and put the euill day far from them.

Now as this opinion and vaine hope of long life is an vsual§. Sect. 2. The breuitie of mans life proued by plaine testimonies of Scripture. cause of impenitencie, and of the committing and liuing in all maner of sinne, so especially of the louelove of the world, and worldly vanities: for because men thinke to continue long with them, they accordingly esteeme and set their hearts vponupon them; whereas if they beleeued and remembred that not only the things which they so affect are momentany and mutable, but also that they themselues are mortall, and of small continuance vponupon the earth, and that euen this short time is most vncertaine; they would neuer preferre these transitorie trifles before their eternall patrimonie. And therefore seeing it is a forcible argument to moue all men to the contempt of the world and worldly vanities, because our liues are so momentany and fraile, for though they were neuer so constant and permanent, yet we cannot long enioy them, seeing we are mortall, and of short abode on earth; let vsus a little further consider of this point; and shew the momentanie shortnes of mans life both by testimonies of Scripture; and also by experience and reason. The holy Ghost in the Scriptures doth amplyIob 14. 1. and plainly set forth, the breuity and vncertainty of mans life, and that by simple affirmation, and also by comparisons. For the former the testimony of Iob is plaine, who affirmeth that man who is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue, and is full of trouble. So the Patriarch Iacob, speaking of hisGenes. 47. …. owne life, which much surmounted the vsuall age of men in these daies, saith, that his daies were few and euill: and it is ordinarie in the Scriptures, to reckon mens liues by daies, andPsalme 90. 10. not by yeers, to note their breuity: yea comparing them with eternity, they make them not so much as a minute; for so the Apostle Peter saith, that with the Lord, a thousand yeeres are2. Peter 3. 8. Psalme 90. 4. foreign. 1. Iohn 2. 18. but as one day. And thus the Apostle Iohn calleth al that time, from the first comming of Christ in the flesh, vntounto his second comming to iudgement, the last houre; wherby he would intimate vntounto vsus, that the worlds continuance being compared with eternity, is but of a few houres continuance, and that all the rest being spent, we are now come to the last: and therefore if all this time being thus compared, is in respect of eternitie but a short houre, then surely a mans life according to the same proportion is scarce a minute.

The similitudes also which are vsed to expresse the breuity§. Sect. 3. The breuitie of mans life illustrated by similitudes. of mans life, are very significant, and fit for our purpose; for it is cōpared to a aGenes. 47. 9. 1. Chron. 29. 15pilgrimage, which is not long in trauelling; to a bIob 7. 1.warfare, which is short and full of trouble; to the daies of an cverse 7.hireling, which as they are commonly but few, so by reason of their paines and labour, irkesome and tedious: to the dIob 14. 2. Psal. 103. 15. 16.wind, which seldome stands long in one place, & eueryevery day is in some likelihood of changing, that which now bloweth passing away without returning: to the flower of the field, which one day flourisheth and the next day withereth: to the ePsalme 90. 5. Esay 40. 6.grasse, which in the morning groweth in it full strength, and is cut downe before night. All which similitudes implie, that mans life is but (as it were) of one daies continuance; like vntounto those creatures neere Pontus, whereof Plutarch makethPlutarch. Consol. ad Apollon. mention, whose life and the day begin and end together; for at morning they are bred, at noone they come to their full growth, & at euening die with old age; for what is our childhood, but a morning, our youth and ripe age the mid day, and our old age the sunset and night of life? the which proportion holy Iob seemed to aime at, where he saith, that we are but of fIob 8. 9.yesterday, and scarcely full out of two daies standing. But because we are readie to flatter our selues with a vaine hope of long life, and to imagine that eueryevery day is many yeeres; the holy Ghost compareth our liues to many other things which are lesse then of a daies cōtinuance; as vntounto gIames 4. 14.a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and afterwards vanisheth away: to a *Iob 20. 8.dreame, which vanisheth as soone as a man awaketh: to a hIob 9. 25. 26.post, which passeth by in all haste, and maketh no stay till he come to his iorneyes end; to the most swift h ships, and to the h Eagle, which flying to seaze vponupon the prey, doubleth her ordinary speed: to a iand 7. 9.cloud which is suddenly blowne away with the wind, or else dissolued or dried vp with the Sun: to the kPsal. 102. 4.smoake, which whilest it ascendeth vanisheth; to the swift passage of a lIob 7. 6.weauers shuttle, which in a moment passeth from hand to hand; to a mPsalme 39. ….span in length, which is measured in an instant. And as though these reall things were not sufficient to expresse the shortnes and vanity of mans life; it is compared also to a n1. Chro. 29. 15. Psalme 154. 4. Iob 14. 2.shadow, which hath neither substance nor continuance; & to the swiftnes of a oPsalme 90. 9.thought, which far exceedeth in speed al other motions: yea as if any thing were too substantial to expresse sufficiently the momentany shortnes of it, it is compared to vanitie, which is nothing; for so Dauid saith, that pPsal. 144. 4.man is like to vanity, his daies are like a shadow which vanisheth: and it is not only said by way of similitude, that mans life is like to vanitie, but that it is vanitie it selfe; for so Iob saith, that he qIob 7. 3.had as an inheritance the monethes of vanity; yea not only mans life, but also himselfe in regard of his vnconstancy and mortality is called vanity, and that when he is in his best condition; for so the Psalmist saith, that rPsalme 39. 5.eueryevery man in his best estate is (not only in part, & in some respects, but) altogether vanity: and as though this nothing were yet too much, he contenteth not himself to say, that the children of men are vanity, but that if vanity and they were laid vponupon the balance, vanity it selfe would ouerpoyse them: sPsalme 62. 9.The children of men (saith he) are vanity, the chiefe men are lies, to lay them vponupon a balance, they are altogether lighter then vanitie. The which vanity, euen an Heathen man being desirous to expresse, thought it not enough to cal the life of man, a shadow or a dreame, but ioyneth both together, & callethPindarus apud Plutarch. Psalme 90. 4. it a dreame of a shadow. Now if a thousand yeeres in cōparison of eternity, be as ye Psalmist speaketh, but as yesterday, and as a watch in the night; and as a few drops of raine to the sea, and a graine of grauell, in comparison of the sand, as the Son of Syrach likeneth them; then how short and momentanie is the life of man being thus compared, which is so vaine, and of such short continuance?

But if wee would adde to this momentanie shortnesse of§. Sect. 4. That mans short life is most fraile and vncertaine; being on eueryevery side assailed by death. mans life, the frailty and vncertainty of it, whereby we hauehave no assurance to enioy it so much as a minute of this short time, the vanity thereof would more euidently appeare. And of this wee need no other proofe but our owne experience, which daily teacheth vsus, that as men hauehave but a short passage from the birth, to the vtmost confines of an aged life; so they seldome goe thorow to their iourneyes end, but are cut off in all times of this short way, with vnexpected accidents. In which respect the life of man may fitly be compared to a candle, which whilest it shineth, consumeth; and as the candle is sometime wasted with the wind, sometime quite blowne out, before it bee halfe burned, and sometime burneth to the end: so mans life is wasted with griefes and miseries, sometime extinguished by immature or violent death; and though it last as long as the naturall heate hath moisture to feed vponupon, yet that being consumed, like a candle it goeth out of it selfe for want of nourishment. For how many hauehave we knowne in our owne experience who hauehave bin intombed in their mothers bellie, before they did euer see the light of the sun, and so withered in the bud? How many do we daily see, who seeme to enter into the world (as the heathen man vponupon the stage) that they may go out againe; as though they came onelyonly to take their leaue, and so to be gone? How many wither when they are in their flourishing prime of their infancie and childhood, and (as it were) rot before they bee ripe? How many are taken away in their perfect maturity, death getting the victorie of them in their full strength? and how few are they that attaine vntounto old age, which notwithstanding all doe hope for, though against all reason in regard of themselues, and experience in respect of others? For would men consider the manifold ambushments, which death daily laieth to indanger our liues; would they but remember how many by-paths leade to this common way, they could not but confesse the shortnesse of mans life, and their vncertaintie to continue this short time. For I pray you how many, yea how innumerable be the causes which produce this one effect, some whereof are internall, and some externall? For suppose that we were exempted from all outward dangers, which notwithstanding doe in whole troups besiege mans life, yet wee continually carrie death in our owne bosoms. For looke how many kinds of diseases there are whereunto mans life is subiect, and so many secret enemies doe wee harbour in our selues, which fight against our liues, and giuegive death an easie entrāce. We are not too cold, or too hot, without danger; hunger and excesse are alike pernicious, seruing both as harbingers to prouide death a lodging in our hearts; yea eueryevery small crumbe going awrie, maketh a breach wherby death may enter and surprise vsus. So that wee cannot saue our liues by fighting, because wee nourish so many in vsus which are daily ready to betray vsus; nor escape by flight, vnlesse we could flee from our selues, seeing whether we wil or no, we continually carrie the enemies of our liues about vsus, yea within vsus.

But let it be supposed that there were peace at home; let vsus§. Sect. 5. Of the innumerable dangers vntounto which mans life is daily subiect. imagine that there were within vsus no secret foe to supplant vsus, yet how many open and outward enemies are there, which are hourely ready to assault our liues; if the great Commander do but giuegive signe of battel? For to say nothing of common calamities, which hang ouer whole commonwealths, as famine, sword, and pestilence, which are Gods publicke heralds to denounce against vsus war and destruction, how many priuie waies are there whereby death commeth vntounto vsus, yea we vntounto death? For which way can we turne vsus, what action or enterprise can we take in hand, but that there is some danger, that death wil encounter vsus? If we take ship, we are but a few inches distant from death, the immoueable rockes, and the mutable winds, the ouerflowing waues, and swallowing sands, the tempestuons stormes, and spoiling pyrats hauehave our liues at their mercy & command. If we stay on the land, we are daily obnoxious to no fewer perils; if wee take horse, our liues are in danger eueryevery time he stumbleth; if we go in the streets, looke how many carts and coches we meet, yea how many tiles be on the eaues of houses which wee passe vnderunder, and to so many dangers are we subiect. If wee walke in the countrie, we are in hazard to be incountered with brutish creatures, and with theeues and robbers more cruell then they. If we retire our selues into our well fenced gardens, we are not there secure, for among the sweetest flowers oftentimes liethQuisquis sua… contempsit vitam tuae dominus est. Senec. hid the most hideous snake. If we rest in our houses in the night, we are in perill of cutthrotes and robbers; or though we were safe from theeues, yet we are in danger of all deuouring fire. If we walke abrode in the day, eueryevery one that hateth vsus hath our liues at his command; and as one saith, whosoeuer contemneth his owne life, is master of ours. In a word, be we on sea or land, in citie or countrie, at home or abrode, waking or sleeping; death still like a iaylor waiteth vponupon vsus, till he bee commanded by the Lord chiefe Iustice of heauen and earth, to arrest, imprison, and bring vsus to iudgement. Now if any will obiect, that there are many which escape the forenamed dangers, and going through them all vnhurt and vntouched, do safely come to old age and naturall death: I answere, that many more doe fall into them; and why may not wee thinke to bee in the greater number? many escape them, but all are subiect vntounto them; and that which is incident to all, may happen vntounto any: finally, many escape some of these perils, but yet fall into others, and though to day they are free from them all, yet to morrow they may be obnoxious to many. By all which it appeareth, that our liues are not only in themselues momentany, but also in respect of outward accidents, and inward infirmities, vncertaine, and full of frailty; in regard whereof the Apostle calleth our bodies2. Cor. 5. 1. earthly houses, which wanting solid matter, and strong principals to support them, are easily ouerthrowne, or of themselues in short time moulder away; and in the same place hee calleth them tabernacles, which stand not long any where, but are still flitting and remouing. And another maketh them much more fraile and brittle then glasses, which though they be subiect to many casualties, yet may they outlast the longest liuer. What (saith he) is more brittle then a glasse? and yet it may bee so reserued,August. Serm. 1. tom. 5. that it may continue for many ages; for though it be indangered to a fall or knocke, yet not to a feuer, or old age, whereas wee are more fraile, as being subiect to the fals and knocks of outward casualties, and though wee were free from them, yet time and age weakeneth and wasteth vsus; though we could shun outward blowes, yet wee cannot auoid our end; though we should be free from outward dangers, yet wee canHomer. apud Plutarch. ad Apollon. Ecclesiasticus 14. 18. neuer escape inward diseases▪ And howsoeuer some may last longer, and some a shorter while, yet all in their appointed time come to their end. Wherein men are fitly compared to the leaues of trees, of which some …re blasted in the bud, euen in the spring, some are blowne off with the wind in the middest of summer, and those that continue so long on the tree, doe when autumne and winter commeth, fall of themselues. To this purpose one demandeth: Shall wee not all (saith hee) in a little while be the same dust? doe wee not by the addition of a few more daies gaine this alone, that we partly see, partly suffer, and partly act the more euils? and so wee at length also shall pay to nature the common and certaine tribute; by our death following some, & going before others; now bewailing our friendsGregor. Nazianz. in laudem Caesa…ij. departed, and soone after our selues departing leaue them to bewaile vsus; and receiue the kind gift of teares in as bountifull maner from them, as we hauehave in our liues bestowed it vponupon those who hauehave gone before vsus, &c. For wee are all but a vanishing dreame, an apparition that leaueth no signe behind it; dust, a vapour, the morning dew, & a flower of the field, which quickly groweth▪ and more quickly withereth.

But howsoeuer vaine men be so mortall, fraile, and momentanie§. Sect. 6. That eueryevery man more cleerely seeth other mens mortality then his owne. (as I hauehave shewed) yet is he so blinded with selfe louelove, and bewitched with deluding hopes, that though he acknowledge all this in the generall, yet hee seldome applieth it to his owne particular; though he can say wee are all mortall, yet he dreameth of his owne immortality; and howsoeuer …ee can in his politicke bargaines reckon three of his neighbours liues, at no longer▪ time then one and twentie yeeres, yet doth he flatter his too credulous heart with this foolish conceit, that his single selfe shall continue to old age, and fill vp the reckoning of three or fourescore yeeres; and that hee continueth long in the same condition, though he seeth others hasting away, and euen now arriued at the gates of death. As when two botes meet, they which are in the one imagine that themselues moue not; and the other that passeth by them goeth swiftly; whereas in truth they both make alike speed; so men are ready to thinke that though others run towards death with posting haste, yet they in the meane time stand at a stay, & remaine immoueable: then the which nothing can be more absurd, seeing we are all cast in the same mould, and are of the same nature and condition, in so much as there cannot be a more liuely & perfect looking-glasse wherein we may see our owne frailtie and mortality, then other men which are of the same quality: so that if we be not made blind, deafe, & quite senselesse, we cannot daily want examples, and as it were schoole-masters which may teach vsus this lesson; for who can walk in the Church or places of burial, & not think that he also must be buried? who can see anothers funerals, who is of the same nature and condition, and not conclude his owne mortalitie? who can heare the knels and passing peales for his neighbours, who were some of them yonger, & much stronger, and not thinke them heraulds sent of God, to summon him by death to make his appearance?

But though it were supposed, that we could now liue the age§. Sect. 7. That from our birth to our death, our liues are in a continuall consumption. Nemo ad id serò venit, vnde nunquam cum semel venit potuit reuerti. Senec. in Here. furen. of Methuselah; and were exempted from all outward accidents, and inward infirmities, which might shorten our daies; yet all this were nothing in comparison of eternitie; in regard wherof that cannot truly be said to be long, which one day shal hauehave an end; neither do we slowly attaine vntounto that end, from whence we shall neuer returne, when we are once come vntounto it: for how can that be truly long, which is continually in spending, and the more daies are added vntounto it, the more it is shortened? what firmenes is in that, which in holding slippeth out of our hands, and is lost in keeping? But such is mans life, from which so much is detracted, as is added vntounto it, and the longer it hath lasted, the more it is wasted, and the neerer it approcheth to it end. Now what can be called long, which by it continuing and being, wasteth and ceaseth to be? or how can our daies be many, which grow fewer & fewer by daily multiplication? how can our liues be slow in passing; when that time which seemeth to stay them, driueth them forward to their iorneyes end? In which respect mans life is fitly compared to a weauers web; for as the wouen web continually encreaseth by the addition of threeds, so our age by the addition of daies; but as the more is added to the cloth, the lesse is vponupon the beame, and the more the one increaseth, the neerer the other approcheth to it end, & cutting off; soGreg. Moral. lib. 8. cap. 7. the more is added to our age, the more is detracted frō our life, and the more time past is increased, the more time to come is shortned and diminished. Thus the time of infancie perisheth,Wisd. 5. 13. when childhood approcheth; and childhood dieth when youth beginneth; and youth passeth, when ripe age commeth; and all is lost and vanisheth, when old age and death seazeth vponupon vsus. Whereby it appeareth, that our continuance in the world cannot truly be called a life, seeing it is but a continuall passage, wherein we like pilgrimes trauel vntounto death; so that whilest we liue, we daily die, and neuer cease dying till we cease to liue; ourHoc ipsum nostrum vi…ere quotidiè a vita transire est. Greg. Moral. lib. 11. cap. 26. life being nothing else but a passage from life, and a neerer approching vntounto death: for from the day of our birth, to the day of our death, our liues are in a continual consumption, and no sooner do we begin to liue, but we also begin to die; for daily some part of our liues are taken away, seeing all which is past, is perished, and whilest our bodies grow and increase, our liues decreaseSeneca. and are diminished. They therefore are much deceiued, who account the last day only, the day of their death, seeing we die (as it were) piece-meale, and the longer we liue, the more death seazeth on vsus, al the time which is already past, being lost and consumed. And so likewise they abuse thēselues, who feelingSensim, sine sensu, senescit aetas. no decay of health or strength, do imagine day after day that they are equally distant from death, because the alteration which is in their liues, comming by degrees & by little and little, is not so easily discerned: for as their folly were ridiculous, who not sensibly perceiuing the going forward of the shadow in the diall, or hand of the clocke, would therfore be perswaded that it standeth still; for though they see not the motion, yet eueryevery houre they may plainly discerne, that it hath moued; so alike foolish are they, who not sensiblie perceiuing, how far they hauehave trauelled towards death, do conclude with themselues that they stand at a stay; seeing the more daies are added to their liues, the neerer they approch to their death, though their passageBasil. Orat. 24. d… Mort. cannot palpably be discerned. For as those who saile in a ship, whether they sleepe or wake, sit or stand, go forward with some desire to arriue at the hauen, or ba…ke▪ as far as the ship wil suffer them with a contrary motion, as destrous to returne, yet they are still going on, and caried whether they will or no, with the motion of the ship whither the skilfull pilot sitting at the sterne doth guide and conduct them; so we being placed in the world, as in a sea of mortalitie, are still sailing towards the hauen of death, and whether we sleep or wake, stand stil or walke, willingly go forward, or desire to continue in the same place, both when we are in sicknes, and when we enioy perfect health and strength, in the lengthening of the seasons of the yeere, as well as when they shorten, we are daily going on as our great master doth appoint and guide vsus, & whether we will or no, we must still go forward; and though our motion may be sometime insensible, yet in truth we alwaies make alike haste, and neuer rest till we arriue at the hauen of death.

Now if we would further consider (as the truth is) that our§. Sect. 8. The breuitie of mans life shewed by a speciall consideration of the parts therof. liues are nothing in comparison of theirs who were before the floud, and yet they are now limited to the short stint of three or foure score yeere, we may more sensibly conclude, that they are lesse then a moment, in comparison of eternitie: especially if we would account of so much time only of this short age, as deserueth to be entitled with the name of life: for almost halfe a mans life is spent in sleepe, which is nothing els, but (as it is called) the brother of death; and therfore cannot fitly be added in this our diuision, to the tearme of life. Now if out of this halfe that remaineth, we would subduct so much time as is spent in ignorant and vnprofitable childhood, wherein we neither glorified God, nor did any good to Church or common wealth; so much as is consumed in sicknes of body, and discontent of mind; so much as is spent in doing nothing, or in doing that which is ill; so much as is crossed, and made miserable, by the sense or feare of some outward afflictions, or some inward griefe; and then look only on that part of time remaining which is spent in ioy, peace, contentment & a good conscience, the which in truth only deserueth to be tearmed a life, al the other being but branches and degrees to death, we should easily perceiue that our liues might be measured with the short ell of a few daies. But if we will not enter into this consideration of the shortnes of our liues, whilest it is passing, nor learne this lesson of our mortalitie, & momentany continuance, neither by reason nor experience; yet shal we hereafter (when perhaps it wil be too late to make any good vse of our knowledge) easily both see, and seeing acknowledge it; for howsoeuer time to come may seeme long in approching, and when it is come, somewhat long in spending; yet if we look back vponupon it whē it is once passed, it vanisheth in the view, and appeareth as nothing: neither in this regard is there any great difference, betweene that age or time which is long, and that which is short, if we looke vponupon them when they are both passed; for as we can take no faster hold on a great shadow, then on a lesse, both alike in a moment vanishing out of our sight; so the longest life, whē it is once spent, is all one with the shortest: neither doth it profit or content vsus any more, or afford vntounto vsus betterQuod tam diu vixerat, quid profuisset ei, si Adam hodiè mortuus esset? Q…id diu est, vbi fini…est? August. serm. 42. Tom. 10. hold for our further continuance, then if we had liued only to the time of childhood. Now the reason why man, Gods most excellent creature on earth, and created after his owne image, should be subiect to this mortality, and of so momentanie and short continuance, is not originally in the Lord that made him, who being infinit in all eternity, could hauehave giuen to his creature an euerlasting being; but in man himselfe, who hauing the free choice of death and immortality, chose the worser part, and preferred the path of death, before the way of life; for the LordGen. 2. 17. and 3. 19. hauing threatned man, that in the day which he transgressed his Commandement, he should die the death; he notwithstanding sinned, & so sinning died. And (as one saith) because sinfull manQuia peccator homo illic stare noluit vbi conditus fuit, hic verò vbi eccidit diu esse prohibetur, &c. Greg. Moral. lib. 12. cap. 4. would not stay in the place of true happines where he was created, God would not suffer him to remaine long in the place of his supposed happines, where he was fallen: and because he willingly lost his countrey, which he should hauehave loued, he is vnwillingly drawne out of this place of his pilgrimage, which (though vndeseruedly) he loueth too much.

And thus hauehave I shewed that these worldly things are not§. Sect. 9. That by reason of the shortnes of our liues, all things are momentany and vncertaine vntounto vsus. much to be desired; because though they were permanent, and would for euer stay with vsus, yet we are mortall and momentany, and therefore cannot stay long with them: for though men seek to eternize their houses, and labour to multiplie their pleasures, so as the matter of them may continue for many ages; & though they turne all their coine into lasting gold, & furnish their houses with most durable stuffe, & hauehave all their lands in free-hold, fee-simple, & as inheritances for euer; yet all these are but names and titles, wherewith they delude themselues, and the worlds witchcrafts whereby he intangleth his foolish followers, with sottish louelove of these earthly vanities: for though we may prouide lasting lands, yet not enduring liues; though our possessions would remaine for euer, yet our selues are but of momentanie and short continuance, eueryevery day ready to bee taken from them; and though the world would make vsus beleeue, and our owne deceiuing hearts are apt to persuade vsus, that our possessions are fee-simples, and our lands and houses inheritances for euer, yet the truth is we are but tenants at will, holding all wee enioy at our great Landlords pleasure: and when we hauehave gotten the best assurance that we can, yet we are more sure, that we shall hold nothing longer then onelyonly for tearme of life; for as we brought none of these things with vsus when we were borne, so we shall take nothing with vsus at our buriall, but as we found them all in the world, so when we depart, to the world we must leaue them. And this holy Iob confesseth; Naked (saith he) came Iob 1. 21.I out of my mothers wombe, and naked shall I returne againe: to which the Apostle alluding saith, that wee brought nothing into 1. Tim. 6. 7.the world, and it is certaine that we can carrie nothing out: and the Preacher speaking indefinitely of all men, saith, that as man Eccles. 5. 14.came forth of his mothers bellie, he shall returne naked to goe as hee came, and shall beare away nothing of his labour, which he hath caused to passe by his hand. And howsoeuer there is great difference in mens estates whilest they continue here, some liuing in prosperity, and some in aduersitie; some in plenty, and some in want; yet (as the authour of the booke of Wisedome affirmeth, all men Wisd. 7. 6.hauehave one entrance vntounto life, and alike going out. And this wee may cleerely perceiue in the looking glasse of common experience: for how many houses and lordships do we see, that hauehave (themselues remaining) turned their owners out of doores, and changed them for others, not onelyonly of the same kindred and posterity, but for strangers to the former family? How many hauehave wePsal. 37. 35. 36. (with the Psalmist) obserued who hauehave beene strong in their prosperity, spreading themselues like a greene bay tree, who are now gone, and though we should seeke them, yet we cannot find them? How many hauehave wee seene honoured, and in high places, who are now laid low in the graue, and troden vnderunder their feet, who not long since bowed vntounto them, yeelding them at the first sight the reuerence of cap and knee? How many who hauehave before time abounded in gold and siluer, houses and lands, who are now stripped of all? and whereas formerly they ioyned house to house, and land to land, as though they could not indure a neighbour, but would (as the Prophet speaketh) dwell alone in the middest of the earth; yet are they now contented with lesse then seuen foot of ground; and to hauehave a multitude dwelling with them in a little plot. How many hauehave we seene passing their time in pleasures and delights, eating and drinking delicate and costly meates and drinks, in curious and more costly vessell and plate, spending their daies in huntingLuk. 6. 25. and hawking, laughing and sporting, dancing and reuelling, who are now by death stripped of all their ioyes, and in all likelihood hauehave changed them for torments and miseries, weeping and gnashing of teeth, eternall woe and the sorrowes of hell? How many hauehave pampred their bodies, that now are the meate of filthie wormes; and gloriously adorned their backes in rich apparell, that are now couered with rotennesse and corruption, and that hauehave filled the streets with their sweet smelling perfumes, that now would fill them with a greater stench? And finally, who exceeded all their neighbours in all manner of worldly prosperity, who being now dead together, are all so alike, that no difference at all can bee made betweeneAugust. tom. 10. Serm. 181. them. Looke (saith one) into the graues of these great worldlings, and see if you can discerne any print of their passed pride, or any signe remaining of their riches and luxuriousnesse. Enquire now where is their glorious apparell, their easterne odours, their delightfull maskes and shewes, their great retinue, and many suters; their costly banquets, loud laughter, gamesome mirth, and immoderate and vnbrideled delights? whither are they now al gone, and what is become of them? where is all their worldly prosperity, and where are they themselues? What end is there now of both? Come neere and search their sepulchres▪ and behold there is nothing but dust, and the filthie reliques of the wormes feast: for this is the end of all humaneChrysost. in Luc. 16. de Lazaro Concio. 2. bodies, as wel of those who hauehave lead their liues in pleasure and delights, as of those who hauehave passed their daies▪ in painefull labour. In which respect the world is fitly compared to a stage, and the life of man to a play, lasting a little longer then the ordinarie time. For as in them one acteth the part of a king, another of a begger; one of a wise counsellor, and another of a naturall foole; and great difference there is between them whilest the comedie continueth; but when the play is ended, they are stripped of all their apparell, and hauing acted their parts, and come off the stage, they are all fellowes, and of equall quality and condition: for euen hee who is greatest in the world, hath but a short part to act, and when it is done, hee must lay aside all his glory, and become equal to him who is of basest degree. And therefore seeing these glorious worldlings hauehave not much greater or longer happinesse, then he who acteth his part vponupon the stage; let none be proud of such momentany felicity; let no man too much louelove riches, or hate pouerty, because men are but personated in these worldly habits, and when the enterlude is ended, they will be all alike.

Neither are these worldly things wee possesse our owne, but§. Sect. 10. That the things we possesse are not our owne but the worlds heire-loomes. the worlds heire-loomes, which when wee are gone, must remaine vntounto posterity; for if they were truely our owne, then might we when we go, carrie them with vsus; but now the world whose indeed they are, when we depart (whether wee will or no) will hauehave them all left behind, and keepeth them still in store to deceiue with them the following posterity, as before they hauehave deceiued their abused progenitors. In respect whereof the Prophet Habakkuc saith, that the faithfull seeing the follieHabac. 2. 6. of wicked worldlings, shall take vp a parable, and a taunting prouerbe against them; saying, woe be to him that increaseth that which is not his, (how long?) and to him that in abundance heapeth vp to himselfe thicke clay. For death like a porter standeth in the gate, when men are to passe out of the world, and causeth them whether they will or no to leaue all behind them; sauing their sinnes which they hauehave committed in compassing these vanities. For well were it with wicked worldlings, if they could as well leaue their sin behind them as their sinfull possessions; but this is their miserie, that when their gold forsaketh them, their guilt accompanieth them, and when they are plucked vnwillingly from the things of the earth, whereupon they hauehave set their hearts, (which goeth as neere them as if their body were pulled from their soule, or their heart out of their body) their sins and the gaules of an euill conscience, which they hauehave gotten in compassing them, by wicked and vnlawfull meanes, doe attend as inseparablie vponupon their soules, as their shadowes vponupon their bodies, and will neuer leaue them, till they hauehave brought them to the fearefull tribunall of Gods iudgement, and hauehave there by accusing them, caused the Iudge of heauen and earth, to pronounce against them the sentence of eternall condemnation.

And thus hauehave I shewed that all men are of momentanie and§. Sect. 11. The shortnesse of their liues who are aduanced vntounto honours. short continuance. Now let vsus more specially consider of the breuitie and shortnesse of their liues who abound in all worldly prosperity; for so farre are these worldly things from prolonging our liues, and from establishing them against their naturall frailty, that they rather cut them off and shorten them, as being the meanes when they are abused by sin, to bring vponupon vsus Gods heauie iudgements, and to hasten our death, when we too much set our hearts vponupon them. And hence it is that in the Scriptures, there is not onelyonly mention made generally of the frailty and momentany continuance of mans life, but more especially of theirs, who abound in all worldly prosperity. So it is said of those who are in honourable place and calling, that their aduancements shall not preserue them from the encounters of death; yea rather it is more ready to shoot at them before others, as being the fairest marke, and greatest conquest. So Eliphaz vseth an interrogation, the more to assure and conuinceIob 4. 21. vsus of this truth. Doth not (saith he) their dignitie goe away with them? doe they not die, and that without wisedome? And the Psalmist telleth vsus, that man shall not continue in honour (or asPsal. 4. 12. 13. the word signifieth, shall not stay in his estate all night) hee is like the beasts that die. This their way vttereth their foolishnesse, &c. And though in respect of their honourable calling, he aduanceth them to the glorious title of Gods, yet he will not attribute immortality vntounto them, but telleth them, that though they were Gods they should die like men, and though they were children Psal. 82. 6. 7. and 146. 2. 3.of the most high, yet they should fall like other mē: & else where he exhorteth vsus, not to trust in princes, because their breath departeth, and they returne to their earth. So the sonne of Syrach tellethEcclesiasticus 10. 11. vsus, that which we also learne by common experience, that he who is to day a king, to morrow is dead. And therefore seeing all our policie, power, and endeauours, cannot continue vsus in this honourable condition; for though honours should remaine for euer, yet we are mortall and of short continuance; so that when with all our labour and care we hauehave aduanced our selues, and by our proud ambition, hauehave mounted aloft vntounto the highest pitch of worldly glory, wee hauehave in this state no manner of stay, but when death commeth, and clippeth our soaring wings, we presently fall into the lowest condition, and become inferiour to the meanest liuing creature; for a liuing dog is better then a dead lion, as the Wise man speaketh; therefore, I say, let vsus not set our hearts on that, with which wee cannot stay, norIob 14. 21. yet when we must leaue it, hauehave the power to bequeath it to our posterity: for as Iob speaketh, when as hee who is aduanced in the world passeth away, he knoweth not if his sonnes shall be honourable, neither shall he vnderstand concerning them, whether they shall be of low degree. But let vsus set our hearts and affections vponupon those heauenly honours, and eternall glory, which as they will neuer leaue vsus, so shall we neuer be taken from them.

And this also is the condition of them who abound in all§. Sect. 12 That the rich mans life is short and vncertaine. Luk. 12. 19. 21▪ worldly wealth; for howsoeuer rich men trusting in their idol the earthly mammon, promise vntounto themselues long life, and say with the foole in the Gospell, soule thou hast much goods laid vp for many yeeres, liue at ease, eate, drinke, and take thy pleasure, yet in the same night God is ready to take away their soules, and to place their substance in other mens possessions. Howsoeuer they imagine, that their houses and habitations shall continue for euer, euen from generation to generation, and therefore call their lands by their owne names; yet they shall not continue in their estate, but shall be like the beasts that perish, as the Psalmist speaketh.Psal. 49. 11. 12. Ier. 17. 11. So Ieremie saith, that hee who getteth riches and not by right, shall leaue them in the middest of his daies, and at his end shall be a foole. And in this respect the Apostle Iames compareth richIam. 1. 10. 11. men, to the flower of the field, which vanisheth away; for as when the sunne riseth with heate, then the grasse withereth, and the flower falleth away, and the beautie of the fashion of it perisheth: euen so shall the rich man fade way in all his waies. And this Baruch obserued in the experience of his times; Where (saith he) are the Baruch 3. 16▪ 17. 19.princes of the heathen, that hoorded vp siluer and gold wherein men trust, and made none end of their gathering? They are come to nought, and gone downe to hell, and other men are come vp in their steads. Whereby it appeareth that worldly wealth is no true riches, for then it would make vsus eternally happie; nor wee true owners of the things wee possesse; for if they were ours, wee might take them with vsus, whereas now we leaue them behind vsus, to become for a time other mens, as before they were ours; and that which is truely our owne we take away with vsus; that is, either our vertues and graces, to be crowned and rewarded; or our faults and sinnes, to be condemned and punished. Neither will they though they abide with vsus, preserue vsus from death, that we also may stay with them; for death will not bee bribed, and the God of life and death will take no price for the redemption of our liues; for we hauehave nothing to giuegive but that which is his owne; and though all wee possesse were ours, yet it were not a price so sufficient as would be accepted. And therforePsal. 49. 6. 7. 8. let vsus not with worldly men trust in our goods, nor boast our selues in the multitude of our riches; for a man can by no such meanes redeeme his brother, he cannot giuegive his ransome to God, that he may liue still for euer, and not see the graue. So precious is the redemption of their soules, and their continuance for euer; for wise men die as well as fooles, and leaue their riches for others; as the Psalmist speaketh. Let vsus not greedily gape after abundance,Longa nostra desideria increpat via breuis. Incassum multa portantur cum iuxta est quò pergitur. Greg. lib. 40. homil. hom. 32. seeing a little will serue vsus for our momentanie liues; for why should wee ouerburthen our selues in carying such great prouision, for so short a iourney? and our liues being short, why should we looke after long hopes? Why should we be so eager in gathering, when as we cannot stay by it when it is gathered? and store vp abundance in a strange countrie, where we hauehave no assurance of abiding so much as a day? If (as the heathen man well obserued) wee were assured to liue the long age of an Hart or Rauen, our greedinesse in gatheringEuripides apud Stobaeum. were the more to be pardoned; but seeing we are mortall men, who speedily hasten to old and decrepit age, it is follie and madnesse to dote vponupon abundance, seeing we shall consume our hearts with intolerable sorrowes, in scraping that together, which others when wee are gone will riotously spend. How much better were it to part with our riches freely for the louelove of Christ, then to bee forced whether wee will or no, to leaue them by death? How much better were it, seeing wee cannot stay with them long on earth, to send them by the hands of the poore before vsus to heauen, where wee shall remaine for euer? For if we keepe them still in our owne custodie, wee shall hauehave no further comfort in them when the day of death approcheth;Iob. 27. 8. for as Iob saith, What hope hath the hypocrite, when he hath heaped vp riches, if God take away his soule? Finally, if seruing God wee want these earthly riches and abundance, let vsus not bee discontented in our selues, nor enuie wicked men who flourish with them, seeing the time is but short, both of our want, and their plentie; for death is hard at hand, and seazing on vsus both, hee will strip them of all their store, and further vsus to the possession of our eternall treasures. Be not thou afraid (saith the Psalmist)Psal. 49. 16. 17. when one is made rich, and when the glory of his house is increased; for he shall take nothing away when be dieth, neither shall his pompe descend after him. The like incouragement another giueth to the godly man oppressed with pouerty. Doest thou see them (saith he) strouting in the streets, and drawing after them their long and rich traines, whereby they raise vp a cloud of dust inBernard. ad Sophiam virginem. the aire? let not these things moue thee, for all these they shal lay aside at the houre of death, when as thy vertues and holines shall still accompanie thee: they are not their owne clothes which they weare: for when death commeth they must put them off, and leaue them behind them; neither shall their glory descend with them. To the same purpose another exhorteth, Let vsus not (saith he) afflict our selues when wee behold the vnexpected prosperity of worldly men; seeing when we see rich men painted on a table in all their brauerie, and poore men inChrysost. in 1. Cor. 15. homil. 38. tom. 4. their ragges; we neither admire the one as happie, nor pitie the other as being miserable; and yet these dead pictures are oftentimes of longer continuance then liuing men represented by them. For a painted table may last aboue an hundred yeeres, when as rich men who please themselues in their abundance, are often taken from all in a few moneths.

Yea but this is their comfort, that whilest they liue they§. Sect. 13. That the hope of worldlings is vaine and vncertaine, who thinke to leaue all to their beire and children. shall enioy their wealth, and when they die they shall leaue it to their heires. It is true indeed that though rich men cannot promise vntounto themselues long life, yet they may bee assured that they shall hauehave heires; but if they meane by heires their owne children and posterity, they ground their hopes and comforts vponupon a false and deceiueable ground; for howsoeuer men may prouide heritages, yet it is God who appointeth heires: and though they may …ake and scrape togther riches with a purpose to bequeath them to their friends, when themselues can keepe them no longer; yet oftentimes God with his ouerruling hand so disposes of them, that they neuer enioy them. For some outliue their heires, and hauing lost their posteritie and kindred, are forced whether they will or no, to leaue vntounto strangers the fruits of their labours. Others hauehave heires vntounto whom they leaue their goods, but they are not sure that they shall enioy them; for the children do not alwaies rost that which their fathers caught in hunting; but as many enioy those goods which were neuer bequeathed thē, so many vntounto whom they were bequeathed neuer doe enioy them, it being onelyonly in their power to giuegive their riches, and bequeath legacies to whom they will, but not to maintaine their gift when they are gone, nor to vphold that right vntounto which they hauehave intituled them. And this the Psalmist plainly affirmeth: Doubtlesse (saithPsal. 39. 6. he) man walketh in a shadow, and disquieteth himselfe in vaine; he heapeth vp riches, and cannot tell who shall gather them. To the same purpose Iob saith, that though the children of wicked men bee Iob. 27. 14. 15. 16. & 20. 10.in great number, the sword shall destroy them, and his posterity shall not be satisfied with bread. His remnant shall be buried in death, and his widowes shall not weepe. Though he should heape vp siluer as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay, he may prepare it, but the iust shall put it on, and the innocent shall diuide the siluer. Yea not onelyonly strangers doe often become heires, but sometimes also enemies, and those whom a man in his life most hateth, after his death make a prey of his riches, and skornefully insult in his spoile. In which respect one saith, that the couetous mans labourChrysost. ad pop Antioch. homil. 2. tom. 4. is certaine, but the fruit of his labours vncertaine. For hee taketh paines and consumeth himselfe with cares in gathering riches, and after his death his inheritance and possessions come into the hands of his enemies, who hauehave circumuented him with innumerable trecheries, and taking onelyonly with him his sins, he leaueth his substance to other men. Now what can bee more miserable, then to tire and spend a mans selfe with paines, that his enemies may reape all the profit? and to withhold euen necessaries from ones own vse, for the increasing of that wealth which his enemies will spend in superfluitie and excesse? In which respect one iustly much preferreth the riches of faith and a good conscience, before the wealth of the world. Faith (saith he) laboureth for God, and couetousnesse for the tempter; thatAmbros. in Psal. 38. enarrat. tom. 4. gathereth such things as profit a mans selfe, this heapeth vp those which profit others. And what more vaine, then to labor for other men, and not know who shall be his heire? For who can tell whether his owne sonne, or nephew shall suruiue him? seeing the heire oftentimes goeth before the testator to the buriall; or outliuing him, …otously deuoureth the inheritance, or luxuriously scattereth it; or being foolish cannot defend it; or loseth it by confiscation, yea oftentimes their enemie is their heire, and the successour insulteth ouer the deceased, persecuting those whom he loued, and selling for slaues those whom tenderly loued. But though he knew who should inherit his labours, and be sure to hauehave an heire of his owne chusing; yet how can he tell what he will proue? whether a wise man, or a foole; a frugall sauer, or a wastfull spender; one who wil thankfully remember his predecessor and benefactor, or one that will forget him, vnlesse it be to censure his infirmities? Finally, whetherFletus baeredis sub persona risus est. such an one as will shed gratefull teares at his funerals, or smile vnderunder his close ho…d? And this the Wise man noted as a great vanity, which made euen his life bitter vntounto him. I hated Eccles 2. 17. 18. 19.(saith he) my life, and also my labour wherein I had trauested vnderunder the sunne, which I shall leaue to the man that shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shall bee wise or foolish? yet shall hee hauehave rule ouer all my labour, wherein I hauehave trauelled, and wherein I hauehave shewed my selfe wise vnderunder the sunne, this is also vanity, &c. But if these momentanie riches, which are thus bequeathed to posterity, hauehave been defiled with sinne, either because they hauehave bin vnlawfully gotten, as by greedie couetousnesse, fraud, deceit, cruelty and oppression; they will not proue greatly beneficiall, either to heire or predecessor: for as hee leaueth vntounto his child his wealth, so also enuie, because he is the ofspring of such a father, & (as it were) a yong one of the old serpent, which thoughPlutarch de cupidit. diuitiarum. he hauehave done no hurt hitherto by reason that he is yong, yet it is feared he will doe, when he commeth to age, not onelyonly because he is likely to resemble his fathers nature, but also hath been poysoned with his precepts of couetousnesse in his very youth. For as one obserueth, when rich misers see that they can keepe their goods no longer then for tearme of life, they confirme & strengthen their heiros, by reading vntounto them lectures of auarice, making them to become impregnable castles, wherin their riches may be reserued after their departure: yea oftentimes with their wealth they leaue vntounto them Gods heauie anger for their iniustice, and wicked getting, or keeping their riches, which burneth against sinners vntounto the third & fourth generation, and often consumeth their house and whole posterity; and with their sin they leaue their shame & punishment; as the Prophet speaketh: Woe vntounto him (saith he) that is giuen to the getting Habac. 2. 9. 10.of vnlawfull gaine for his house, that he may place his nest on high, and be deliuered from the power of euill. Thou hast consulted shame to thy house, by destroying many people, and hast sinned against thine owne soule. In which respect the couetous man, as he is not much beneficiall to his heire, so lesse vntounto himselfe; for what wil it profit him after his momentany fruition of the Mammon of iniquitie, when being cast into hell fire, and there tormented with intollerable torments, he shal remember, that he hath left abundance of wealth to his posteritie? seeing neither he nor they, can with al this riches release him from his paine, nor procure so much as a drop of cold water to allay a little his burning heat. For if when we hauehave all these goods in our own possession, they will not ease or comfort vsus in the extremitie of the toothake only, what consolation or refreshing can be expected from them, being in the keeping of others, when bodie and soule shal suffer for euer the wrath of God, and the grieuous tortures of the damned spirits?

Finally, though voluptuous men abound in all delights, yet§. Sect. 14. That the liues of voluptuous men are short and full of frailtie. shall they not long enioy them; for though they were constant, yet thēselues are fugitiue, though their pleasures are many, yet their yeers being few, they cannot long reioyce in them. So Iob speaking of voluptuous wicked men, saith, that they take the tabret Iob 21. 12. 13.and harpe, and reioyce in the sound of the organs; they spend their daies in wealth, and suddenly they go downe to the graue. Neither can pleasures, though they neuer so much delight vsus, make our ioyes immortall, or any whit prolong our liues; yea contrariwise (as I hauehave shewed) being immoderately vsed, they are the ordinary meanes to shorten life, and to bring vntimely and immature death. But howsoeuer these pleasures of the world are most momentany, both in respect of themselues, and also in respect of vsus, yet their punishment when they are abused is not of so short continuance; for when voluptuous men shal leaue their delights, oftentimes in the middest of their daies, that fearefull woe denounced by our Sauiour Christ shall accompany them for euer: Wo be vntounto you (saith he) that now laugh, for ye shal waile Luke 6. 25.and weepe. So the Apostle Peter saith, that those who are led with 2. Pet. 2. 13.sensualitie, are made to be destroyed; and shall receiue the wages of vnrighteousnes, as they which count it pleasure to liue deliciously for a season. And therfore seeing these worldly pleasures are so short and momentany, both in respect of themselues and vsus, & seeing also their fruition is temporarie, and their punishment eternall; let vsus not set our harts vponupon them, but rather on those heauenly ioyes, which shall be eternall to vsus, and we to them; and hauing with Moses respect vntounto the recompence of reward, let vsus Heb. 11. 25.chuse rather to suffer aduersity with the children of God, then to inioy the pleasures of sinne which shall last but for a season. For who would settle his louelove on these flitting vanities? who would place his affections on worldly pleasures, chambring and wantonnes, surfetting and drunkennesse, delightfull sports and dainty fare, sweet smels and costly rayment, whereby this lumpe of flesh is pleased and pampered; if he consider, that within a while his bodie shall be the meat of wormes, his sweet perfumes turned into§. Sect. 15. A perswasion to the contempt of the world, and louelove of heauen, grounded vponupon the consideration of our liues short and momentany continuance. Quicqu…d est eui dominus inscriberis apud te tuum non est. Nihil firmum insi: mo; nihil fragil… aeternum & inuictum est: tam necesse est perire quam perdere. Senec. Epist. 98. lothsome stincke, his rich attire into a poore windingsheet, his tender flesh and faire skin, into rottennes and putrefaction; and not rather on those heauenly and vnspeakeable ioyes, in which we shall euer ioy, they continuing with vsus, and we with them for euermore?

And thus hauehave I shewed, not only that the world, & the things thereof are momentany & vncertaine, but that we also are mortall, and our liues of short continuance: by reason whereof nothing can be vntounto vsus firme and durable, because our selues, whilest we continue in these earthly tabernacles are stil flitting, and altogether vncertaine of our abode; for nothing is stedfast to him who is vnstedfast, nothing eternal, to him who is fraile and mortall: & therefore seeing we hauehave no sure hold of the things of this life, let vsus not set our hearts vponupon them; for though we be called their masters and owners, yet we hauehave in them but a momentany interest, and though they be with vsus, yet they are not ours; seeing we are daily ready to leaue them. Let vsus build in earth tabernacles, and not mansion houses, seeing we are still remouing, and cannot long stay: we are pilgrimes heere, and therfore we should not set our affections on the earth, and earthly things, where we shall rest (as it were) but one night, & then be gone; but on the ioies reserued for vsus in our own country, where we shall remaine for euer: we are now souldiers in the campe, and therefore there is neither time nor place heere to build vsus houses, to purchase lands, to sow, plant, or play the merchants, with a purpose of continuing here still; only tents are fittest for vsus, till hauing gotten the victorie, we shall with triumph be receiued into our heauenly citie: if we place our treasures heere, we may die in the battell and so lose all, & therefore let vsus make that our treasurie, where we shall liue for euer. And as the Apostle exhorteth vsus, If we be risen with Christ, let vsus seeke those things Coloss. 3. 1. 2.which are aboue, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God; and set our affections on things which are aboue, and not on things which we hauehave on the earth; for we are dead (in the world) and our life is hid with Christ in God. And for as much as our life is momentany, let vsus labour to improue it to the best purposes; and especially before we die, let vsus take care that our sins may die before vsus. If we were sure that we should liue but one yeer, no man would defer his repentance, but forsaking his former wicked waies, would betake himselfe to the seruice of God with all zeale and deuotion; what folly therfore and madnes is it, to defer our repentance & amendment, seeing we hauehave no assurance of liuing a monethmonth, no not a short minute or the least momēt? why should we be so frugall of the time which is certaine, & so prodigall of that which is vncertaine? if we were certainly assured of continuing a yeere longer only, yet we might with much more safety defer our repentance to the latter end; but now that our liues are so momentany and vncertaine, that we are not assured of liuing one day longer, what frenzie should so possesse vsus, which should cause vsus to make any delay of our amendment, vponupon which the eternall saluation of our soules dependeth? Let vsus therefore whilest this short and vncertaine time lasteth, forsake and mortifie our sins & corruptions, that when death taketh vsus away, they may not accompany vsus to iudgement; let vsus set our hearts vponupon Gods spirituall graces, and in comparison of them contemne the world, and worldly vanities; for these will eitherEccles. 3. 14. leaue vsus or we them, but they will neuer forsake vsus, no not in death; but departing from the world, we shal carie with vsus these rich treasures, and hauing these pretious iewels in our hands, we shall with ioy and comfort meet the Bridegroome, and present our selues in Gods presence, offering vntounto him his owne gifts and graces, to be rewarded and crowned with glorie and euerlasting happines. Finally, seeing our life is but a shadow, let vsusVmbra est vita haec: festina ad solem iustitiae, vt te d…fendat ab vmbrae huius frigore; & calorem tibi profundat aestiuum. Ambros. in Psalm. 118. Serm. 5. hasten to the Sun of righteousnesse, that he with his vitall heate may preserue vsus from the cold of this shade: let vsus set our hearts vponupon him with all louelove and affection, and so shall we be sure for euer to enioy our louelove, and in him to find eternall happines and endlesse glory, seeing he being life it selfe dieth not, & with his quickening Spirit will make vsus immortall, and to liue eternally with him who is eternall. Whereas contrariwise, if with the fiue foolish virgins, we hauehave not the pure oyle of Gods sanctifying graces shining in our lamps, we shall be shut out of the bridall chamber, and when we would most be knowne, we shall heare that fearefull sentence, Depart from me I know you not: if we defer our repentance, & do not vse the meanes appointed by God whereby we may be assured of our saluation; if we do not hunger and thirst after Christand his righteousnes; and setting our louelove and affections vponupon our heauenly countrie, seeke and endeauour with all our powers, to be enfranchised, and made free burgesses of the new Ierusalem; these gratious offers will once be pulled backe, and the acceptable time and day of saluation will within a while be passed, neuer againe to be recalled. Whilest the vnfaithfull steward wasteth his masters goods about his owne pleasures, ruffling it out in his silkes and veluets, and reuelling in all delightfull sports and pleasing pastimes; eating and drinking, masking and dancing, commanding and ouerruling all his fellow seruants, eueryevery one enuieth his happines, and wish in their hearts that they were like him; but when the day of reckoning commeth, that he must leaue his place, and giuegive an account of his stewardship to a iust and powerfull master, then all his former pompe and pleasure vanisheth like a dreame, and the meanest of his fellow seruants, which is assured of his owne integritie, and his masters louelove, would not now change with him estates, because his glory is past, & his reckoning to come. And so howsoeuer Gods poore seruants may for a while enuie the prosperity of wicked worldlings, when they see their brauerie, abundance and great authoritie and command; yet when the day of their death is come, when they are turned out of all, and ready to be haled to the barre of Gods iudgement, to giuegive an account of his misspent talents, & to answere for their cruel tyrannizing ouer their fellow seruants; then they see how much a good conscience is better then earthly treasures, and the assurance of Gods louelove and their saluation, to be preferred before the vanishing glorie of the world; and now they would not change conditions with them, whom not long since they enuied, though they might hauehave the Monarchie of the whole earth to boote. For alas, what will their passed pleasures, honors and riches, now profit them, when being stript of all, they must giuegive their account at the tribunall seat of Gods iudgement, for their often abusing these rich gifts? yea what miserie will it now be, that they hauehave been so happie, when as they shall be forsaken of all, and change their estate, hauing no hope nor comfort of bettering themselues in the alteration? yea what trembling and feare shal then possesse them, when they leaue that estate which they know, and must change for one which they know not? and when being abandoned of all their delights, they shall hauehave only their sins attending on them; not now disguised and gilded ouer as heretofore, but in their owne vgly shape, and horrible deformitie as lothsome as the diuell, and as blacke as hell? O what would they not now giuegive to hauehave their quietus est, & Gods debt-booke cancelled? at what price would they refuse a good conscience, if it were offered them to sale? how would they now with readinesse strip themselues out of all, to procure the rich robe of Christ Iesus his righteousnesse, that therein they might with comfort appeare before their Iudge? Or if they die of a spirituall lethargie, and be rocked asleepe of the diuell in the cradle of security, and so caried quietly into hell; so as they hauehave no leasure to think of these things, or time to entertaine these fearfull meditations; yet how much more hellish horror hauehave they when they are awakened out of their deep sleep, with those intollerable tortures? O how do they then befoole themselues, for hauing preferred temporalties before eternities, and made sale of their soules, for earthly vanities? what paines would they now refuse, to free themselues out of this damned condition, if they might liue againe? how many worlds would they now giuegive, for one houre of that acceptable time, which they hauehave formerly misspent in whole yeeres with carelesse neglect; that they might therein repent of their sinnes, and so escape that pursuing wrath of God, & those hellish and eternal torments? but all too late, for now the time is past, the sentence pronounced, the gate of heauen shut, and condemnation, and the fearefull execution thereof begun, which shall neuer find tearme or time to end. O let vsus therefore now whilest we hauehave space, preuent these afterreckonings; and because our liues are momentany and vncertaine, let vsus not defer the day of repentance, vponupon which dependeth our saluation, but so spend this vncertaine time, yt we may be certaine to escape these euerlasting punishmēts, & to inherit those heauenly ioyes, which being once begun shall neuer end, but bring all glorie without miserie, and felicity with eternitie.