A DISCOURSE OF ETERNITY, Collected and Composed for the Common good.  
Being necessary for all seasons, but especially for this time of calamity and destruction.  
The sinners in Zion are afraid, a fear is come upon the Hypocrites: who amongst us shall dwell with the devouring fire? who amongst us shall dwell with the everlasting burn?  Esay. 33.4. 
He that believeth in the Son, hath everlasting life, and he that obeyeth not the Son, shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.  joh. 3.36. 
Printed at London by George Miller, for Christopher Meredith, at the sign of the Crane in Paul's Churchyard. 1646.   

To the Christian Reader  
IF any man would know the Patron of this discourse, let him understand that it belongs to Every body. For there is not a man under heaven, be he King or Subject, Noble or Ignoble, Barbarian, Scythian, Bond or Free, but lives unavoidably under the law of Death, and within the Pale of Eternity. Now as all men are equally enrolled into this book of Eternity, so must they of consequence be equally interessed in this discourse. Therefore I commend these short Meditations of a long Eternity for the favour of protection (as in right they appertain) to Every body. But will every one countenance them with a friendly welcome? Certainly, such entertainment may rather be wished then hoped for. This Eternity (whereof I treat) finds, for the most part, but slender countenance, and cold respect amongst the sons of men. For where is the man of so settled and well composed temper, that can fix and terminate his thoughts upon that everlasting state which abides him in the life to come? That can orderly frame, & readily dispose his heart to search into it, and his tongue to discourse of it, and his will to affect it? I doubt not but flashes of Eternity, and transient thoughts thereof do often swim in the brain, and straggle about the heart of a sensual worldling; but there they lodge not, they take not up their rest. The covetous man soon strangles them in his money bags, the drunkard drowns them in his fulcups, the Epicure swallows them with his dainty and superfluous fare, every man in his way strives to keep that from his heart here, which he cannot possibly deliver his soul from hereafter, his endless Eternity. Thus are we unhappily ingenious to deceive ourselves, witty to invent new ways, to put off the melancholy consideration of the evil day. We plod daily onward towards our long home, but we think not of any reckon till we come to our journeys end: we fear not the pit, till we be irrecoverably plunged into it, we never know the true worth of time, nor price to the desert, our golden hours, until they be everlastingly lost and gone; and then, alas, those precious days which we have prodigally expended in the lusts of our flesh, and vanity of our eye, we shall infinitely desire to redeem, (were it possible) even with tears of blood. Oh than whosoever thou art, examine with due care the state of thy soul: if thy lust be thy life, and thy sensuality thy joy, then gull not thy soul with hope of pardon. Imagine not to find two heavens, one upon earth, another above it, assure thyself, though thou make with the Eagle thy nest on high, and seat thy habitation as it were in the clouds, yet thy highness will not free thee from the stroke of death, nor deliver thy soul from the nethermost hell. Now if there be any man so unmerciful to his soul, that (notwithstanding all that is, or shall be said) will desperately on in his cursed way; I say no more but this, He that is filthy, let him be filthy still. The smart of this Eternity they that will not believe shall feel.   


The Contents of the first Book.  
CHAP. 1. Containing an Introduction to the ensuing discourse.  
2. Containing a description of Eternity, with a brief declaration of the nature and condition of it.  
3. Expressing how all men do naturally believe this Eternity.  
4. Explaining how nature hath represented and shadowed out Eternity to us in some of the Creatures.  
5. Containing a short digression, touching the Eternity of the damned.  
6. Wherein the question is answered, Wherefore a finite sin is recompensed with an infinite punishment? Wherein also is further showed, that the Severity of God's Justice therein, doth no way diminish the greatness of his Mercy.   

The Contents of the second Book.  
CHAP. 1. Containing an Exhortation to Holiness, grounded upon the consideration of Eternity.  
2. Showing that there is no other way, nor possible means to attain to the true Eternity, but by a confident affiance upon the Mercy of God in Christ.  
3. Certain conclusions drawn from the serious and devout consideration of Eternity.  
4. Directions for the better ordering of our lives in the way to a happy Eternity.    

By the word procure p. 76. l. 22. I re●ate to a reward of grace, not of debt.   



THE FIRST CHAPTER, Containing an Introduction to the ensuing Discourse.  

Fecisti nos ad te, domine, & inquietum est cor nostrum, donec requiescat in te. Aug. lib. 1. Conf. cap. 1.  THere is nothing can fully satisfy the mind of Man but that which is above man: all the treasures and riches under Heaven cannot make up a proportionable object for the soul. For that which must terminate the desires of so excellent and divine a nature, must be of a correspondent and like condition with it, that is, infinite and immortal. Now no sublunary blessings extend thus fare: All worldly happiness, and earthly delights have their changes, and have their death. They are short in their continuance, and uncomfortable in their end. For they leave us, when we leave the world, and they nothing avail us in the day of trial, when our bodies shall descend into the slimy valley, and our souls return to God that gave them, than all the choicest comforts of this life glide away from us as the stream, and the sun of our joy will set for ever. Our beauty, wherein we have so much prided ourselves, shall turn into rottenness, our mirth into wormwood, our glory into dust. Now if this be the condition, if such the state of our best pleasing contentations here below, how undiscreetly improvident of our soul's welfare should we be, to bound ou● affections on the things of this world? what a madness beyond admiration, were it in us, to trifle out our time, to waste and wear out our most precious days in the vanities under the funne, as if God had placed us here on earth, like the Leviathan in the Sea, to take our pastime in it, to ingulfe our souls into the sensual pleasures of this life, as if we had neither hope nor expectation of a life to come? what an intolerable stupidity were it, for the short fruition of a momentary content here, to plunge ourselves for everlastingness into a sea, as it were, of fire and brimstone, where we shall see no ●ankes, and feel no bottom? Me thinks the serious considera, son hereof, should even cut the ●eart, and damp the mirth, and wound the very soul of the most glorious and selfe pleasing worldling, whose life is nothing but a change of recreations, to think upon his fading state, his flowing condition, his declining joy, his dying life, and endless eternity, to see how all things in him, and about him go speedily forward in a most sensible declination, to behold with his eyes, how his goods, and his greatness, his live, and his life, and all the most precious delights which his sensual heart enjoys, are already winged as it were for their flight, and must shortly bid him an everlasting farewell. And then what shall be his stay, where shall be his shelter, what will remain to be done, but with that sad and disconsolate Heathen, to shut up all in that hopeless and helpless lamentation, Anxius vixi, dubius morior, heu, quo vado? I have squandered out my life in an unfruitful way, I have lived unresolvedly, and die doubtfully, and now whither away O my soul? woe is the and alas for evermore. And such is the bitter close, and uncomfortable end of all those who go desperately on in the ways of their hearts, and in the sight of their eyes, and make not God their strength; though their excellency mount up to the Heavens (saith Job) and their heads reach unto the clouds, yet shall they perish for ever as their dung, and the eye which hath seen them shall do so no more, Job. 20.6. O then how deeply doth it concern us, to raise up our desires to things above, to fix our hearts upon the true rock, ●o draw our waters of comfort from the everliving fountain, to trust so much more on God, by how much we have less on earth to trust to. Now for our better encouragement to this duty, and to the end we may the more easily unloose our affections from the embracements of this world, it will not be unworthy our labour to meditate a while upon the nature of that Eternity which doth unavoidably abide for us either in horror or happiness in the life to come.   

CHAP. II. Containing a description of Eternity, with a brief declaration of the nature and condition of it.  
Eternity is an infinite, endless, bottomless gulf, which no line can fathom, no time can reach, no age can extend to, no tongue can express. It is a duration always present, a being always in being, it is one perpetual day, which shall never see an Evening. Infinite are the descriptions of the Ancients, and divers their expressions, touching this Eternity. The Egyptians conceiving that God was eternal, and his duration and being to be properly termed Eternity, represented the divine power by a Circle, which had neither beginning nor end. And hence it was that the Ancient Romans erected Temples, which they dedicated to their Gods in a circular figure. Thus Numa Pompilius devoted a round Temple to the Majesty of Vesta. And Augustus Caesar the like in honour of all the Gods. Pythagor as the better to express that God was eternal, commanded his Scholars that so oft as they accommodated themselves to the worship of God, they should turn themselves round. The Turks every morning ascend into an high Tower built in the fashion of the Egyptian Pyramids, where they devoutly salute their God and Mahomet, crying with a loud and roaring voice, Deus semper fuit, semperque erit, God always hath been, and ever will be. Mercurius Trismegistus, the most famous among the Philosophers, represented God the true Eternity by an intellectual sphere, whose Centre was every where, but without any circumference, because he was the beginning and end of all things, not bounded within any compass, nor terminated in any limits. It was an usual custom among the Nasomons, an ancient people in Africa, that they coveted to die sitting, and would always be buried in the same posture, sitting in Cells underneath the earth, and this they did to signify by that unmoveable gesture, that they should now sing a requiem from the business of this troublesome world, and had now arrived at the haven of eternal quietness. Thus we see how these miserable heathen, who had no other light but nature, no other guide but those lame and corrupted principles, which were left in them after the fall, did notwithstanding, according to their broken and weak apprehensions, tyre out themselves in the expression of Eternity, and how ever they were unhappily ignorant in the ways of God in this life, yet they earnestly laboured to know what should become of themselves hereafter, and to find out the state of the life to come: Oh how justly might I (were it not a digression!) take up a lamentation, and deplore the wretched condition of our times, how short do we fall, even of the perfection of Heathens? how few are there in comparison of the generality of people, that cast forth so much as a thought upon Eternity? we live here as if there were no life hereafter. Our Earth is our Heaven, and our pleasures our Paradise, we crown our heads with rose buds, we eat of the fat, and drink of the sweet, and say in our hearts, no evil shall happen to us, and yet when we have done all, Omnes humanae consolationes sunt desolationes, Heart's ease will not grow in this earthly garden, the true rest will not be found, but in the true place, the eternal Jerusalem, sound and entire contentment hath no rooting in this world. For as one hath it excellently, 
* Dispone & ordina omnia secundum tuum velle & videre, & non invenies, nisi semper aliquid pati debere, aut sponte aut invite, & ita crucem sem per invenies.  Dispose and marshal all things to thine own hearts desire, yet shalt thou (do what thou canst) still meet with some cross or pressure in the way. Since it is so, let us not then determinate our affections in these earthly things, which are of no continuance, but let us send our hearts before us to those heavenly mansions, where they shall be crowned with fullness of happiness, and shall swim in streams of pleasures for evermore. Certainly there is no true rest but that which is eternal, and the sweetest refreshment our souls can find in this world, consists in the serious meditation of the joys to come, in devoting ourselves and all we have to his service, from whom we have them, in trusting to him, and relying on him. For out of God the soul finds no resting place to set her foot on, but every where storms and waves, death and hell abide her: when we have improved our contentments to the very height of our desires, when we have attained as much happiness as the world can give us, yet then may we be cut off perchance in the midst of our days, when our breasts are full of milk, and our bones full of marrow: or suppose we spin the thread of our life to a longer day, and God crown us here with the blessings of his left hand, the comforts of this life, and length of years, yea though all things favour our longer continuance in this world, yet in the end time and age will ruin us. We shall bring our years to an end, like a tale that is told, and shall vanish away like a shadow. Though we live many years, and in them all we rejoice, yet in the end we shall remember the days of darkness, saith Solomon, and the time shall come that the eye which saw us, shall see us no more. 
* Soles occidere & redire possunt, nobis cum occidet semel brevis lux, nox est perpetuò una dormienda. Cat.  The sun sets, and riseth again, but we alas, when our glass is run, and the short gleam of our summer's day is spent, shall never return till our last summons, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear it shall live, and come forth of their graves, they that have done good to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation, both to Eternity, and then shall follow that large day, that shall never shut in, that infinite continuation of time that shall never end, that unlimited Eternity, which ever hath been, and is, and will be the same for ever, when the Sun shall no more yield her light by day, nor the Moon her brightness by night, but God shall be our light, and the Lord our glory. But oh the unhappy condition of our age, who is there that ponders these things with a digested meditation, that looks into the state of his soul with a serious eye, and considereth his ways? That endeavours to lay a good foundation for the time to come? we stand at the door of Eternity, and while we live, we are every day entering into it, it's but a stroke of death, and we are gone, even in a moment, and whither? from our short and fading delights, to an endless, easeless gulf, where our worm shall never die, nor our fire shall never out. Now let all those who swim in the streams of their voluptuousness, putting far from them the evil day, who labour to expel from their hearts, and to stifle in the bud the sad consideration of their approaching infelicities, let them (I say) know, that they may fall into this vast gulf of Eternity, when they least suspect it; into which, when once they have unhappily plunged themselves, they may desire redemption, but shall not find it. 
* Postquam istinc excessum fuerit, nullus poenitentiae locus, nullus satisfactionis effectus Cyp,  It shall be one of their torments, to know they shall never be out of torment. All the gold of Ophir cannot purchase them one minute of relief from their unexpressible miseries. But now, even now is the jubilee, now is the accepted time, now is the promulgation of pardon, there remains nothing for our parts, but to sue it forth: we need not many hundred of years or number of days to redeem our misspent time, and to wash out our contracted pollutions, no, one day will, through God's gracious favour, and loving indulgence, procure more mercy here, than Eternity of time can obtain hereafter, one sigh from a true sorrowful heart here, shall prevail to discharge more debts, then infinite ages shall acquit or satisfy for hereafter. Here God with patience expects our repentance, but if we abuse his forbearance, and come not in, hereafter with trembling we shall abide his judgement,  
Let us therefore be wise in time, & remember our Creator in the days of our youth, before the evil days come, and the years approach, wherein we shall say, we have no pleasure in them, before our dust return into the womb from whence it came, and our lungs be locked up into the breathless earth, before that black and gloomy day, the day of death and dissolution appear to us, the which (if our timely repentance here prevent not our doom) will seal up our souls to eternal darkness. Let us consider that wheresoever we are, whatsoever we go about, 
Immanifestu●, omnia autem manifestans, per omnia apparet & in om●ibus.  we stand every minute of our time in the glorious presence of an * incomprehensible majesty, whose bright and most piercing eye, is ten thousand times clearer than the Sun, who knows all hearts, sees all actions, understands all counsels, views all persons, there's not a word in the tongue, not a thought in the heart, not a spark of lust in the flesh, though never so softly blown, and secretly kindled, but he beholds it altogether, he is all ear to hear, all hand to punish, and when and where he please, all power to protect, and all grace to pardon, he that finds not his mercy, shall feel his fury: and who amongst us can dwell with devouring fire? who amongst us can dwell with everlasting burn?   

CHAP. III. Expressing how all men do naturally believe this Eternity.  
Within these hundred years many nations have been discovered, and many are discovered still, which were unfound in former ages. Amongst them some have been found to live without law, without King, but yet none without some knowledge of God, and of some everlasting being in the world to come. What moved the Brackmans' in India, and the Magies amongst the Persians, to begin and end their undertake with prayers to God? What moved Publius Scipio never to enter into the Senate house before he had ascended the Capitol, avowing that principle as constantly in his practice, as he did in his knowledge, A Jove principium? What made Caligula (which threatened the air if it reigned on his game-plays) yet, to run under his bed, and wrapp his cap about his head at a clap of thunder? What moved Attillius Regulus (who had no other teacher than a natural illumination) to prefer the obligation of his oath before the safety of his life, and rather than he would break his engaged word and promise to the Carthaginians, expose himself to all the torments that the cruelty and malice of his enemies could inflict upon him? What moved the Saguntines, a people of Arragon, to that undaunted resolution of theirs, who having plighted their faith and loyalty by solemn oath to the Romans, chose rather to entomb themselves voluntarily in a fire, which they made in their Market place, then to break their faith to the said Romans, which they had so solemnly swore and sacredly avowed under their protection? what, I say, could move these mere naturalists to such a fear of an oath, to such a trembling at God's judgements, to such austerity, and care, and censorious circumspection in all their ways and actions, but that they naturally apprehended what they truly and distinctly understood not, viz. Some immortal happiness and everlasting being? and this they conceived was beyond the mountains, or above them, or in some other world, they knew not where, according as their several fancies led them.  
Certainly they would never have so much undervalved their earthly contentments, and sold all the comforts of this life (as some of them did) at so cheap a rate, but that they trusted to some future rest of more enduring substance after this life, and comfortably expected the immortal fruition of such joys as should abundantly countervail the loss of all their pleasures. When I revolve in my mind the Stoical reservedness, the moderation, the unconquerable courage of these miserable Heathens, when I see Cleombrotus in hope of immortality to tumble himself voluntarily down a hill, when I see Socrates smile upon his hemlock, and sullen Scevola burn off his own hand without ever gnashing his teeth at it, when I see Marcus Cato scorn his own life, because his enemy gave it him, and tear off the salve from his bleeding sides, which his own sword had pierced: When I thus behold these unhappy souls in the light of nature, to conquer nature itself, and to build these their resolutions upon no other ground, but the slender hope of some unknown contentment in the life to come, me thinks these magnanimous acts of theirs, however they are not for the imitation of us Christians, yet do they tend to our condemnation. Their hope did exceed their knowledge, and our knowledge doth exceed our practcie. God hath revealed to us the immortality of the soul, and the eternity to come, in a fare more clear and perspicuous manner, than ever to the heathen Idolaters, and yet we less regard it: what should more affect us here, since our li●e is but a vapour, then to know what shall become of us hereafter? and yet the consideration hereof lies like a weight of lead upon our souls; and we judge the very thought hereof a burden. We readily apprehend such things as concern us in this world: our honours, our preferments, our pleasures we look on with a cheerful eye: but alas, with how slow and dull a pace do we proceed in the pursuit of our future blessedness? we meet with many stops in our way, many turn in our journey: and the truth is, we must not expect to arrive at so happy a haven without some storms; but what are these to Eternity, that long day that shall never shut in; that unum perpetuum hodie, that beginning ever in beginning, in which the blessed do everlastingly enjoy their happiness, and renew their pleasures, and the damned are always dying, and yet never die? O that the meditation of this our future state could sink deep enough into our hearts, that we would make that the object of our thoughts here, which must be the object of our accounts hereafter, that the sense of our sins were the chief matter of our sorrows, than should we enjoy an eternity hereafter, boundless for time, endless for happiness, where our joys should be such, as should neither change nor perish.   

CHAP. IU. Explaining how Nature hath represented and shadowed out Eternity to us in some of the creatures.  
NOw to the end we should be the farther encouraged unto the inquisition of eternity, God hath not only planted the knowledge hereof in the hearts of the Heathens, but hath also represented it in the nature of the creatures. For if we search with a narrow eye into the secrets of nature, how many things shall we find in the world, as lively resemblances, shadowing as it were, and tracing out unto us this eternity? Solinus reports of a stone in Arcadia, which being once inflamed burns perpetually. And of this matter or the like, were your burning lamps made, which continued (as Histories speak) so many hundred years in ancient Sepulchers. Like hereunto, in the nature of it, is your Linum vivum, a certain kind of linen known in India, which is uncombustible, nay, it is not only not consumed by the fire, but it is as it were cleansed, and washed, and purified by the heat thereof; and hence it was that the bodies of the ancient Roman Emperors, when they were to be buried according to the funeral rites of those times, were shrouded up into such linen, to preserve their ashes and to avoid a confusion and mixture of their bodies with common dust.  
Behold, here nature itself suggests an eternity to thy soul, while it presents to thee such things as the fire cannot consume, many other such Symbols and representations of immortality may be found in the book of the creatures. The Salamander liveth in the fire, and perisheth not. Those famous hills in Sicily have been on fire continually, beyond the memory of man, and yet remain whole and unconsumed. The like we read of that Oleum incombustibile, (as Historians call it) an oil that ever burns, but will never waste; and of the matter of this was that burning torch composed, which was found in Tulliola, daughter of Cicero her sepulchre: which (as story speaks) continued burning fifteen hundred years. These and many other shadows and traces of eternity God hath vouchsafed us, to stir up our dead and drowsy hearts, to a more exact inquisition, and serious consideration of the time to come: For in the book of the creature, we may see the power of the Creator, and out of these particular works of his, we may understand that, that God which hath endowed nature with such admirable qualities, can give the flesh also such a condition, that it shall endure, according to his wise dispensation, either torments, or happiness for evermore.  
Now then, to draw all this to an issue, since it is undoubtedly true, that God hath provided an everlasting being, for the souls of men in the world to come: since he hath engraven the knowledge hereof, as with an iron pen in the consciences of the Heathen, since he hath given us so many lively resemblances, and traces thereof in the secrets of nature, and in the works of his creation. Oh how should the meditation of this take up our deepest thoughts, our refinest affections? how should this cause us to reflect upon our souls; to ponder our ways, and with an impartial eye look into our own estates, and seriously consider with ourselves, whether are we in the number of those that are become Kings and Priests unto God, and have our hearts enlightened with the supernatural life of grace and godliness, or lie we yet polluted in our own blood?  
Oh, how can man be at rest and quiet in his mind, till he be assured and secured in this particular, since that upon it depends his everlasting estate in another world? our days we see are woven with a slender thread, our time short, our end uncertain, and when the oil in our lamps is spent, and our glass run out, than we flee in a moment to an everlasting being, 
Ex unico momento pendet duplex aeternitas.  either in horror or happiness, where we shall receive according to the works of our hands. If we have approved ourselves sincere in God's service, just in our actions, diligent in our callings, faithful in our promises: we shall then attain the end of our faith, the salvation of our souls: and the conscience of our well spent life, shall at that dismal day replenish our souls with abundance of consolations; Then all our tears shall be wiped from our eyes; what we have sowed in sorrow, we shall reap in joy, when we have finished our course, and ended our combat with sin and death: then shall our crown be sure, our victory glorious, and our triumph Eternal; our grave shall be but as a sweet refreshing place to our wearied bodies, and death shall be our daystar, to everlasting brightness.  
But on the other side; if we have in the whole course of our warfare here, expended our precious time in the service of sin and Satan, and crumbled away the best and choicest of our years in the desires of the flesh, and sports of vanity; if our lusts have been our law, and we have traded in pleasure all our days, then hear our dreadful doom: Our mirth will be turned into wormwood, and our joy into heaviness: all our delights in this earth shall vanish as the flower, our sun shall set in a cloud, and our days of jollity and contentation shall irrecoverably be involved and turned into perpetual darkness.   

CHAP. V Containing a short digression touching the eternity of the damned.  
ANd here it will not be unseasonable, nor any digression from the point in hand, to consider with ourselves, for our better encouragement to the ways of holiness, the condition of that eternity which the damned have in Hell. O the unhappy and ever deplorable state of those poor souls, who feel nothing for the present, but wrath and vengeance, and can expect nothing to come, but the vials of God's indignation to be poured on them, in a fuller measure for ever hereafter! And that which adds abundant weight to their miseries, 
Nec qui torquet, aliquando fatigatur; nec qui torquetur, aliquando moritur, Bernard, meditat. cap. 3,  is; they shall burn, but not diminish; they shall lie buried in their flames, but not consume; they shall seek death, but shall not find it: they shall desire it, but it shall flee from them: their punishment consists not in the endurance of any proper or peculiar pain, but in the accumulation and heap of innumerable torments together. All the faculties of the soul, all the senses of the body shall have their several punishments, and that which is more, unseparable, and more than that, eternal: There shall be degrees in their torments, but the least shall be infinite. For as the wrath and displeasure of God toward them is everlasting, so shall their pressures be. They enjoy an eternity like the Saints, but not the Saints eternity; for their eternity shall begin in horror, and proceed in confusion: their eternity shall purchase and yield to them, no other fruit but yell and lamentations, and woe. Their eternity is such as turns all things into its own nature: for all things where the damned do inhabit, are eternal. The fire is eternal: for the breath of God like a river of brimstone hath kindled it, and it shall never go out night nor day; but the smoke thereof shall ascend for ever. The worm is eternal, for the conscience of the damned shall be everlastingly tormented with the sense of their sin: Their worm dyeth not, (saith the Prophet) and their fire never goeth out. The prison wherein they are enclosed is eternal. The prayers of the Church could open the prison doors to Peter, but no prayers can pierce these walls, no power can overthrow them, no time can ruin them; out of Hell is no redemption, no ransom, no delivery, Cruciantur damnati, cruciantur in aeternum. This is the last sentence of the Judge, his irrevocable decree, his immutable and eternal Judgement on the damned, which shall nevever be reversed: 
Adesse intolerabile, abesse impossibile.  there is no appeal will lie from this Judge; there is no reversing this judgement, when the sentence is once past, it stands for eternity; Hence it was that the ancient Church repeated this sentence often in their divine service, Peccantem me quotidie, & non penitentem, timor mortis conturbat, quia ex inferno nulla est redemptio: Whilst I daily sin, but repent not daily as I ought, the fear of death amazeth me, because after this life ended, out of Hell is no redemption. The blood of Christ shed on Golgotha, is fully sufficient to save all mankind, but it belongs not to the damned. If therefore the yoke of repentance seem not sweet to thee, (saith St Bernard) think on that yoke which thou shalt be sure to suffer, which is, Go ye cursed into eternal fire. But the most deplorable thing which is eternal in hell, is, the irrevocable loss of the beatifical presence of God, the eternal privation of God's sight, the uncomfortable want whereof, doth more grieve their hearts, and wound their afflicted souls, than all their bodily torments. Thus we see the unhappy estate and condition of the damned in the other world, and how the highest link in all this chain of sorrows, wherewith they are environed, is the miserable perpetuity of their torments, when their restless thoughts have carefully run thorough many thousands of years, yet will they not then enjoy one day, one little hour, one minute of rest and respiration: Everlasting darkness is their portion, they begin and end alike, with weeping and gnashing of teeth. Now since this is certainly true, is it possible for man so to degenerate into a beast, as to believe these things, and not to tremble? Can the knowledge of these things swim in our brain, without a serious and found digestion of them into our hearts? when we know, and stand convinced, that inexplicable, eternal, endless, easeless horrors, without true and unfeigned repentance, abide us hereafter; and on the other side we know not, nor can possibly discern, with how speedy and swift a foot our end approacheth, nor how suddenly we shall be summoned to give the world our everlasting farewell. How can so sad and important consideration as this, possess our thoughts, & not torment them? Or how can this choose but embitter our dearest pleasures, and cross our indulgence to our sensual affections? Did we but reason a while with our souls, and every one of us in a particular application say within himself: I am here floating like a ship in the sea of this world, ballasted on every side with the cares, and disquietings, and miseries of this life, and I sail on with full course towards the haven of Eternity: one little blast is able to plunge me irrecoverably into this bottomless gulf, where one hours' torment will infinitely exceed, (for the pain of it) an hundred years bitter repentance. And shall I now thus standing upon the very battlements of hell, melt in my delights, cheer up myself in the days of my youth? shall I tyre out my spirits, trifle out my precious time, rob mine eyes of their beloved sleep, for such things, to the which the time will come, and is hastening onward, when I must bid an everlasting farewell? Me thinks the thorough meditation of our future state should even strangle our sensual joys in us, and withdraw our hearts from the embracements of this world, especially when we shall to our endless sorrow understand, our dearest contents must close, at the last, in death and confusion, and all our precedent pleasures, shall yield us no other fruit, but their bitter remembrance, to augment our sorrows.   

CHAP. 6. Wherein the question is answered, wherefore a finite sin, is recompensed with an infinite punishment: wherein also is farther showed, that the severity of God's justice therein, doth no way diminish the greatness of his mercy.  
NOw here ariseth the question to be resolved; How comes it to pass, that our merciful and gracious God, who is so infinite in his goodness, and so abundant in his love, whose praises the Prophet David amplifies in his 136. Psalms, twenty seven times together, with this conclusion, for his mercy endureth for ever: how can it stand, that this our God, whose mercy is exalted above all his works, should be thus infinitely merciful, and yet so infinitely just too, as to inflict upon a finite sin, an infinite punishment, that he should continue millions of years, yea, to everlastingness, in the avengement of those sins, which were committed as it were in a moment of time, so that he who hath offended but temporally, should be bound to suffer pains eternally? I answer, we shall sufficiently vindicate and clear Gods righteous dealing towards us herein, if we measure his justice but by our own rules: 
Scelus non temporis longitudine, ●ed iniquitatis magnitudine metiendum est. Aug. de Civitat. Dei lib. 21. cap 11.  * for doth any law proportion out the time of punishment to that measure of time only, in which the offence is committed? Shall the prisoner lie no longer in the Goal, than he was committing his villainy? Do not we here amongst us often see some offences which were suddenly thought of, and as soon executed, yet punished with endless, dateless banishments, which in comparison to this life, bear a proportion with eternity? Now if the wisdom of man doth follow this rule in proportioning of punishments, weighing offences by the foulness of the fact; Shall we deny God the righteous Judge of all the world, the same liberty over the works of his own hands? Again, if this will not satisfy our inquisitive minds, let us but take our own hearts to task, and sift them to the bottom, and impartially weigh what a world of pollution, and deceit, and perverseness, is lodged in them: and then certainly, we shall find matter enough against ourselves without farther inquiry, for our endless condemnation: our own consciences will testify to the confusion of our faces, that just is the Lord, 
Nec injusta ejus gratia, nec crudelis potest esse justitia. Aug. de Civit, De● lib. 21. cap. 11.  and just are his Judgements, that all the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth, that his grace is not unjust, nor his Justice cruel. Add hereunto, that the fault, of its own nature, is infinite, because it is a sin against an infinite majesty. God's Justice being infinite, the violation therereof by sin, must needs contract an infinite debt; because in sinning we rob God of his glory, which we must needs repay him again: Now the satisfaction of an infinite debt, must needs be infinite, either in respect of time, or measure. And because a finite vessel is not able to hold or comprehend an infinite wrath, forasmuch as we cannot bear God's indignation, propter immensitatem doloris, we must of necessity satisfy his Justice, duratione temporis; the long continuance of our sufferings, must supply what is wanting in the weight of our punishments. Again, he that dies in his sin without repentance, offends as much as if he had sinned eternally: quia omnis peccator est in aeternum, si in eternum vixisset, in aeternum peccasset; i.e. had he lived eternally, his sin had extended to the length of his days, 
Peccandi voluntatem non amisit, sed vitam. Greg.  * for a man sooner ceaseth to live, then to love his sin, and therefore God may justly after many thousand years' torments in Hell, iterate their torments to the damned: because if they had longer abode in their sinful flesh, they would still have perpetuated their sinful transgressions. Oh let not then sinful flesh contend with its maker, let not us pry into the Heavens, not curiously search into the secrets of Gods will, to find a reason of the obligation of a sinner to perpetual punishment, but rather in the lowliness of our hearts, cry out with Daniel, O Lord, righteousness belongs unto thee, but to us open shame, because we have rebelled against thee: let us cast down our souls at the foot of his grace, and humbly acknowledge in the sense of our deformities, that just is the Lord, and just are his judgements. Our weak understandings can no way fathom the depth of his counsels; his wisdom is unsearchable, and all his ways are truth: but did we truly apprehend the nature of our sins, we would never repine at the weight of God's Judgements. For whereas God made man a noble creature, both beautiful and glorious, and after stamped on him his own Image, righteousness and true holiness, how strangely hath his sin disrobed him of all his excellencies? what rebellion hath it settled in all his members? what stains and pollutions hath it wrought in all his faculties? It is our sin which hath unjointed the confederacies, and societies of the dumb creatures, and hath armed them with an antipathy and rebellion one against another. It is sin which hath so strangely altered the manners and conditions of our times, that hath turned men's brows into brass, and their hearts into stones, and their hands into violence, and their tongues into Scorpions. It is sin which hath ushered in these sad divisions into our Church and state, and drawn out such streams of blood in every corner of the land, and made the foundations of the kingdom tremble. It is sin that is the fountain and source of all those errors, schisms, heresies, strange opinions that are lately sprung up amongst us. And surely we may write it one of the saddest of our miseries, and that which will fall heavily somewhere in the end (if some great humiliation prevent not the judgement) that these things are suffered without control. And here give me leave a little to vent my troubled thoughts, Though I wander from the point in hand, yet for Zions sake I cannot hold my peace. Have we not sworn, have we not deliberately, publicly in the open Congregation, in the sight of Angels and men; and with as grave and sad solemnity, as wisdom could devise, lifted up our hands to the most high God, saying that we would sincerely, really, and constantly, by the grace of God in our several places and callings, endeavour the extirpation of Heresy, Schism, and whatsoever should be found contrary to sound Doctrine, and the power of Godliness. Yet notwithstanding this deep engagement on our souls. How many fearful errors, what unheard of fancies do uncontrollably abound in every corner of the land? Doth not every man act what seems good in his own eyes? Is not every wanton we impunitively suffered to make an idol of his own way,? and to draw Disciples after him? Me thinks its worthy our most serious thoughts, how sadly, how compassionately the reformed Churches do resent our home distractions. See what the Walachrian Churches have writ to our Reverend Assembly of Divines, upon this occasion. 
Judicent conscientientiae vestrae, quomodo omnium Heresium genus inultum permitti, multiplicia schismatum sem ina impunè spargi, & prophana errorum dogmata, passim in vulgus proferri possint in illa civitate, quae tam expresso, sancto, severo juramento sese coram Deo devinxit, ad omnes errores, heresesschismata de domo Dei ejicienda.  * Let your own consciences judge (say they) h●● Heresies of all kinds can pass unpunished? manifold seeds of Schism be spread without control, and profane Doctrines of errors be commonly vented in public in that City, which by so express, so sacred so severe an Oath, hath bound itself in the presence of God, to cast out all Heresies, Errors, Schisms, out of the house of God. Hence ye may observe how loud a peal our Church divisions ring thorough out the world; Our friends pity us, our foes deride us, and neuters stand amazed at our do: and certainly God is not pleased with our ways. For God is the God of order, and not of confusion; the God of peace, not of division.  
In vain it is to expect any happy, or peaceful days, or that we shall see a well grounded settlement in Church and state, so long as turbulent spirits have so much line and latitude to their fancies. And surely it is now high time, it is high time for us all in our several places, since we stand every day hover between time and eternity, to mind our sacred vows, and to lay our solemn Covenants closely to our hearts, and ask our consciences, how faithfully we have performed them; especially in the particular wherein we now insist.  
Errors in opinion are of as dangerous consequence, as errors in practice; and therefore happy would it be for the kingdom, if they that move in the highest Spheres would all come in as with one shoulder, and make it the chiefest business of their souls, that the Lord may be one, and his name one through the Kingdom. Now if you tell me I here digress from the point in hand, I readily grant it: for these distracted times have amazed me, and obstructed me in my way. But now I return You see the dismal fruits of sin, what destruction it hath wrought in all the earth? what havoc in our State? what confusion in the Church? what renting of affections in the hearts of men?  
Oh that we did seriously consider of, and sound digest the meditation of these things? For had we but hearts to understand, and eyes to see the deformity of our sins, and did unpartially compare the stain and pollution of them, with the pureness of God's nature, and the brightness of his Majesty▪ how should we be confounded in our souls, with the sight of our own filthiness? How ready should we be rather to admire God's patience, then question his severity? How should we tremble at his glorious Majesty, and dread his power, and justly fear what we have worthily deserved, his everlasting judgement: but if now on the other side we advisedly look into God's gracious proceed towards us, and his loving indulgence in restraining his incensed displeasure, notwithstanding our infinite provocations, and in showing us a way to escape his fury; I know not whether we shall find greater cause to vindicate his justice, or admire his mercy. For true it is, as saith Saint Augustine, 
Deus adeo bonus est, ut malum nunquam sincret, nisi adeo potens suiflet, ut ex malo bonum eliceret. Aug.  So good is our God, that he would never have suffered us to fall, had not his power been such, that he could extract matter out of our sinfulness, to advance his own glory. Oh how unsearchable, how bottomless, how surpassing the apprehension of men and Angels is the love of God towards us! whither can we go? which way can we cast our eyes, where we shall not behold the admirable footsteps of his mercy? If we look upward, his mercy reacheth unto the Heavens, saith David: If downward, they that go down into the deep, see the wonders of God, saith the same Prophet, and his mercies in the great waters. If round about us, those that put their trust in the Lord, mercy embraceth them on every side. And hence it is that the Apostle Saint Paul to the Ephesians, so diversely amplifies the love of God in several places of that Epistle, by sundry appellations or epithets, as his love, his great love, his abundant love, his love passing knowledge: again, the riches of his glory, the riches of his grace, the riches of his mercy; God who is merciful saith the Apostle, who is rich in mercy through his love, his great love, even when we were dead by sins, hath quickened us together in Christ, Ephes. 2.4. The Apostle also in the same Epistle, and first chapter, expresseth the Lord, great in his power, abundant in his wisdom, but rich, exceeding rich in his mercy, And why rich in mercy only? Is not the Lord rich in Angels, rich in the Saints, rich in the Heavens? Hath he not created the Clouds, founded the Seas, wisely composed the whole frame of nature? And is he yet rich only in mercy? True it is; the earth is the Lords, and the fullness thereof: all that we have, all that we are, is his, but his mercy hath an excellency in it above all his creatures; yea (If I may so speak) obove all his attributes, above his Justice; Mercy (saith the Apostle) rejoiceth against condemnation: Above his power; Jacob wrestled with God and overcame him; above his greatness: for such was the unexpressible condescension of the Almighty, that although he were high and excellent, and inhabited eternity, yet did he humble himself, to behold things done in Heaven & earth; for there is nothing doth more illustrate God's omnipotency, than his mercy. It was no marvel that God should make the Heavens, because he is power itself; or that he should frame the earth; because he is strength itself; or that he should govern the times; because he is wisdom itself; or that he should give breath to all creatures, because he is life itself; But herein chief is God to be magnified, that he who is infinitely just, should yet be merciful to sinners; yea, to sinners while they wallow in their blood, while they rest in sins, while they have no eye to look after him, no heart to embrace him, no foot to follow him, no tongue to glorify him, but lie woefully plunged in the dregs of their pollutions? Oh the unspeakable goodness of our God, who hath so graciously invited those sheep, who are so unhappily strayed from him; nay, who doth with a 
* Omnipo, tentissima facilitate homines ad seipsum convertit Deus, & volentes exnolentibus facit. Aug. ad vita.  loving violence, irresistably call those who have trampled on his graces, and rejected his love. But what should move the Creator of all things, who hath been thus infinitely provoked, who is armed both with power to strike, and means to be avenged, to compassionate his enemies? Certainly, there is, there can be no other reason alleged, but that which David so often iterates, because he is gracious, and his mercy endureth for ever. But me thinks I hear the afflicted soul bewail itself: here is a fountain of mercy indeed, had I heart to draw out of it: Can his goodness extend to me, who am nothing but worms and dust, and wounds and sores, and corruptions? Who can give him no oblation but my sins, no sacrifice but my sorrow. What confidence now can I have in this love? What strength in this mercy? Who ever thou art, that art thus, and no better disposed to receive the grace of thy God, bring forth this small provision, offer this sacrifice upon the Altar. Since thou hast nothing else to part with, surrender up thy sins, yield him thy lusts, renounce thy whole interest in thy sinful delights, in thy immoderate affections 
* Nullius rei tantum in inferno est, quantum propriae voluntatis. Alsted.  and then thy sorrowful spirit shall be a sacrifice to God, thy wounded and broken heart he will not despise; I am with him, saith the Lord, who is of an humbled spirit, & that trembleth at my words. We have his own word for his mercy, we have his promise for it, we have his oath for it. He is faithful saith the Apostle, who hath promised; he is faithful, he cannot deny himself. 
* Supe rate seipsum potest desertos miserando, negare seipsum non potest miscricordiam deserendo.  He may overcome himself by pitying the forsaken ones, but he cannot deny himself, by forsaking his pity. For how can he deny himself to us, who hath given himself, for us? How can he deny us his mercy, who hath given us his life?   
The end of the first book.   

THE SECOND BOOK OF ETERNITY.  

CHAP. I. Containing an exhortation to holiness, grounded upon the consideration of Eternity.  
THe very soul and life of Christianity, consists in the life of a Christian● as for outward formalities, they plausibly serve to show forth a good man to the eye of the world, but cannot make him such; it's true, external actions adorn our professions: but it is, where grace and goodness seasons them, otherwise where the sap, and juice and vigour of religion is not settled in the soul, a man is but like a goodly heart-shaken Oak, whose beauty will turn into rottenness, and his end will be the fire. It was the saying of Machiavelli; that the appearance of virtue was more to be desired then virtue in self. But Socrates ●meer naturalist, advised better, who said, the good man is only wise. Certainly our glorious shows, and high applauses, and exaltations amongst the sons of men, will prove but miserable comforters in the close of our age, when the days of darkness come. O then as we respect the eternal welfare of our poor souls, let us be what we would seem. Letus tume our words into actions, 
Q●alis videri, vis talis esse debes. Gerh Med.  our knowledge into affection, and our speculation into practice. Let us not only in a general and confused manner acknowledge God, but rather labour to know him; 
* Let us not think it enough to believe that Christ came as a Saviour into the world, but endeavour rather by a peculiar, personal, and applicative faith to make him our own.  Alas what avails it my soul▪ that Christ shed forth his blood for the sins of many; i● he died not for me? What joy to my heart, that Christ is risen for the justification of sinners, if he be not my portion? what comfort to my distressed conscience, that Christ is come a light into the world, if I sit in darkness and in the shadow of death? What confidence of protection can I have from hence, 
Non prodest Christi resurrectio, nisi in te quoque Christus resurgat Gerh. Med. Sitscopus vitae Christus, quem s quaris in via, ut assequaris in parria.  that Christ is a careful shepherds over his flock, if I am none of that sheep fold? Other let it be the chief desire of our souls, and the utmost extent of our endeavours, not only to confess Christ, but to bring him home to our hearts, to feel him, to affect him, to live in him, to depend on him, to be conformable to him: let us willingly hear, and cheerfully follow the voice of that sweet guide, who is both the way, and the journey's end; that loving Physician who comes to our wounded consciences with healing in his wings; that meek and tender Lamb, who poured forth for us tears of anguish, and tears of love; tears of anguish to redeem our souls, and tears of love to compassionate our miseries. Now what a pressing persuasion have we here to live unto him, who thus died for us; to make him our joy who hath borne our sorrows; to fix him in our hearts, who for our sakes was fixed to the Cross? 
* ●otus tibi figatur in cord, qui totu sprote figeb●tur in c●uce.  How should we mourn in our souls, and weep in secret for him? quem totus mundus, tota element● lugebant, at whose sufferings the graves opened, the Sun shut in his light, the earth trembled, and the whole frame of Heaven in his nature and kind expressed its sorrow. One of the Rabins, when he read what bitter torments the Messiah should suffer, when he came into the world, (cried out) veniat Messiah, at eg● non videam, Let the Messiah come, but let me not see him. Did his torments seem so dismal to the spectator, what were they then in the sufferer? If so ghastly to the sight, what were they in the sustaining? But what should we do now? Shall we rail on Judas that betrayed him, or on Peter that denied him, or the Jews that pierced him, or the Apostles that forsook him? No, no, let us look into our own hearts, examine our own ways. Do we not make his wounds bleed afresh with our sins? do we not nail him to the Cross again with our pollutions? do we not grind him in our oppressions, and as it were massacre him in our murders? What sin have we ever forsaken for his sake? what inordinate affection have we abandoned for his love? Can we say, and say truly, that we ever spared a dish from our bellies, or one hour from our sleep, or one fashion from our backs, for his sake? and do we thus requite our Redeemer? Was Christ all in gore blood for our sins, and shall we swim in pleasure? Did Christ endure such contradictions of sinners, and cannot we put up a slight disgrace. 
* Deus tuus parvus factus est, & tu te magnificas, exina nivit se magests, & tu vermiculus intumescis.  Was Christ stretched on the Cross, and shall we stretch ourselves on beds of down? Did Christ such down vinegar for us, and shall we surfeit with plenty? Was Christ crowned with thorns, and shall we crown ourselves with Rose buds? O let it shame us, to bear so dainty a body under so doleful a head. And think we with ourselves, surely sin against God must needs be more, than men commonly esteem it, for which no way of expiation could be made, but by the bitter passion of Christ. Oh then let us not think any thing to dear for him, who thought nothing to dear for us. We have an inestimable price, a glorious inheritance set before us, let us carefully embrace all those means that may further our progress: as the hearing of the Word, receiving of the Sacrament, earnest and constant prayer to Almighty God: Let us strive as we ought, press forward with all violence. The woman in the Gospel which was so long visited with her bloody issue, it was her holy 
* Victa est ad violentiam, quia violenta ad victoriam.  violence and pressing our Saviour, that procured health for her body, and pardon for her soul; Let this be our endeavour, let us never think ourselves fare enough in the way to Heaven, but prepare our hearts still, and lay hold on every advantage, that may further us in our journey. Behold now is the acceptable time, now is the day of Salvation, whilst you have time then do good unto all: whilst you have the light, walk as children of the light: Judge thyself here, that thou be not judged of the Lord hereafter. Let not thy eyes slumber, nor thy temples take any rest, till tho● hast found our an habitation in thine heart, for the mighty God of Jacob. Remember him, as David did, in thy bed, and think upon him when thou art waking: God said of the Church of Thyatira, I gave her time to repent of her fornication, and she repent not. O let us not give our good God the like occasion, to second the same complaint against us. Behold, God now graciously calls us, and offers us his mercy: He stands at the door and knocks: Hear his sweet acclamation; Open unto me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled: for my head is full of dew, and my locks with the drops of the night, Song of Solomon. chap. 5. What a strange humiliation is here, for the king of kings to wait to have mercy! Let us arise and open speedily to our beloved: to day while it is called to day, let us hear his voice, let us not put off our time, as Felix did St Paul, go for this present time, and when I have a convenient leisure, I will hear thee, as if the time present were not the fittest. Let us not stifle the checks of our consciences, or say, as Festus to Agrippa, to morrow thou shalt hear him. 
* Non quaerit Deus dilationem in voce corvina, sed confessionem in gemitu columbino.  All procrastinations in this case are dangerous. Let us therefore take hold of salvation, whilst occasion serves us. If we shut out our well-beloved, he will be gone. Therefore let our hearts even melt within us, whilst he speaks to us in his word. If we answer not when he calls us, then shall we call, and he will not answer. The Stork and the Crane, and the Swallow in the air know their seasons, and observe their appointed times, how much more should man, especially since times and moments, how long we shall enjoy them, are not in our own power, but in the power of God. The Angel in the Revelation swore by him, that liveth for ever, that time should be no more. The time past can never be recalled, let us therefore take the present time: For the time past was and is not, the time present is, but shall not be, and of the future, we can promise to ourselves no fruition. But alas such is our blindness, such an obduration is grown over our hearts, that we understand these things, but feel them not; we have them swimming in our minds, but embrace them not in our affections. The best of us may take up that complaint of Saint Augustine, 
Teneo in memoria, scribo in charta, sed non habeo in vita. Aug.  * who averred of himself, that his desires were better then his practice. Our vows are in Heaven, but our hearts on earth; our desires are towards our home, but our endeavours flag in the way, and we faint in our journey: we have Heavenly hopes, but earthly affections; we all covet after happiness, but we would take no pains for it; we would enjoy Christ in his benefits, but we refuse to partake with him in his sufferings; volumus assequi Christum, sed non sequi, we would share willingly with our Saviour in his Crown, but not in his combat; nay, oftentimes we instance God for such graces as we are loath to obtain: like Saint Augustine, who prayed for continency with a proviso, Lord, give me continency, but not yet; nay such is our intolerable sinfulness, and pollution of heart, that at the same instant, when our hands are lift up to God for the pardon of old sins, our heads are working in the contriving of new; as Salvian hath it, dum verbis praeterita mala plangimus, sensu futura meditamur. Thus we draw nigh to God with our lips, when our hearts are fare from him, our affections are buried in the things of this life. Excellent is that saying of Isidorus, 
* Regnum hoc ●empiternum, ex omni parte beatum est, omnibus promissum, & tamen de illo altum inter nos silentium, quotus quisque enim est qui de hoc commemorat, hoc uxori, hoc liberis, toti hoc familiae inculcat? Isid. ●oelum negligimus, terram non retinemus, Dei favorem non acquirimus, mundi perdimus.  The Kingdom of Heaven, saith he, is eternal, blessed every way, and promised to all men, but who is there almost that spends one moment in the serious meditation of it? What man is there that ever talks to his wife, to his children, to his family of such a Kingdom? We can riot in the praises of our native soil, but we blush to speak of, and are ashamed to commend our true country, our everlasting home. In our deal about the things of this life, our understandings are ready enough to apprehend them, and our hearts to entertain them, and our tongues to discourse of them; but in things that belong to the eternal salvation of our souls, how deep is our silence, how flow our speech, how unskilful our expressions?  
Thus we forsake Heaven for these things, which at last will forsake us, and trifle out our time in things that will not profit us. How fare are men now adays from that sweet resolution of Saint Hierome? Let others, saith he, live in their statues, in their costly monuments: I had rather have St Paul's Coat with his Heavenly graces, than the purple of Kings with their Kingdoms.  
O that we would look thus lowly upon ourselves; we are Christians in profession, O let us be such in practice: seeing that God hath made us stewards of his treasures, let us improve them to the benefit of our brethren. Hath God given us abundance of his blessings? Let us not hid our talents in a napkin: let us send our good works before us into Heaven: these slender gifts, which thou dost cheerfully distribute in this world, will procure thee an eternal compensation in the world to come. That sweet speech of Saint John is worth observation, blessed are those that die in the Lord, they rest from their labours, and their works follow them. When our dearest friends, our sweetest pleasures, our most glorious titles of honour, the world itself, yea even our life itself shall glide away like a river, and turn to dust, then shall our good works follow us, non transeunt opera nostra (saith one) sicut transire videntur, sed velut aeternitatis semina jaciuntur; our good deeds die not with us, but they are sown in earth, and spring in Heaven; they are an inexhaustible fountain, that shall never be dried up: a durable spring, that shall never fail. They are acts of time, short in their performance, yet eternal in their recompense; they build up for us, through the mercies of our God, an everlasting foundation for the time to come.  
Lo then here we have set before us viam ad regnum, the way to our eternity; let us go on herein without intermission; press forward with violence, & strive to attain the crown. 
* Opulentia nimis multa est aeternitas, sed nisi perseveranter quaesita nunquam inver itur B●rnard  Eternal joy is an abundant treasure, an everlasting wealth, but it is not given, save to them that seek it; yea that seek it with their whole hearts. Certainly did we as truly know, as we shall one day undoubtedly feel the bitter fruit, that our lukewarm profession, our gross stupidity, and utter neglect of our everlasting state, will produce and procure us in the end, all our thoughts and language, all our affections and inclinations would be more eagerly employed, and more faithfully exercised in our preparations for that building given of God, a house not made with hands, but eternal in the Heavens. Oh how senseless are we, how stupid in ourselves, 
Illud propter quod peccamus, amittimus, & pecca●um ipsum retinemus.  and wickedly injurious to our own welfare, who for a small gain, a sading pleasure, a fugitive honour wound our consciences, and hazard our souls, to stand as it were on the brink of hell?  
The whole world, promised for a reward, cannot persuade us to endure one momentary torment in fire: And yet in the accustomed course of our lives we dread not, we quake not at everlasting burn. But o thou delicious and dainty soul, who cherishest thyself in the joy of thy heart, and the delight of thine eyes, whose belly is thy God, and the world thy Paradise! O, bethink thyself betimes, before that gloomy day, that day of clouds and thick darkness, that day of desolation and confusion approach, when all the inhabitants of the earth shall mourn and lament, and all faces (as the Prophet Joel speaks) shall gather blackness, because the time of their judgement is come. Alas, with what a doleful heart, and weeping eye, and drooping countenance, and trembling loins, wilt thou at the last and great Assize look upon Christ Jesus, when he shall most gloriously appear with innumerable Angels in flaming fire, to render vengeance on them that know him not? What a cold damp will seize upon thy soul, when thou shalt behold him, whom thou hast all thy life long neglected in his ordinance; despised in his members, rejected in his love; when thou shalt see the judgement seat, the † books opened, 
Fiet apertio librorum, scilicet conscientiarum, quibus merita & demerita univ●rsorum, sibi ipsis & caeteris, innotescent.  thy sins discovered, yea all the secret counsels of thy heart, after a wonderful manner, manifested and laid open to the eye of the whole world? What horror and perplexity of spirit will possess thee, to view and behold, but the ry solemnities and circumstances, which accompany this Judgement; when thou shalt see the Heavens burn, the Elements melt, the earth tremble, the sea roar, the sun turn into darkness, and the moon into blood? And now what shall be thy refuge, where shall be thy succour? shalt thou reign, because thou cloathest thyself in Cedar? shalt thou be safe, because with the Eagle thou hast set thy nest on high? O no, it is not now the greatness of thy state, nor the abundance of thy wealth, nor the privilege of thy place, nor the eminency of thy worth, or wit, or learning, that can avail thee aught, either to avoid thy doom, or prorogue thy judgement. All states and conditions of men are alike, when they appear at this bar. There the Prince must lay down his crown, and the Pear his robes, and the Judge his purple, and the Captain his banner; All must promiscuously attend to give in their accounts, and to receive according to that they have done, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Here on earth great men, and glorious in the eye of the world, so long as they can hold their habitations in the earth, have both countenance to defend, and power to protect them from the injuries of the times: but when the dismal face of that terrible day shall show itself, then shall they find no eye to pity, nor arm to help, nor palace to defend, nor rocks to shelter, nor mountains to cover them from the presence of him that sits upon the throne, and from the wrath of the lamb. Give me the most insolent spirit, the most undaunted soul, that now breathes under the cope of Heaven, who now fears not any created nature, no not God himself, yet when he shall hear that terrible sound, Arise ye dead and come to judgement, how will his heart even melt, and his bowels quiver within him; when he shall have his severe judge above him, and hell beneath him, and his worm within him, and fire round about him. O then whosoever thou art, die unto thy sins, and unto thy pleasures here; that thou mayest live to God hereafter; * 
Sic tibi cave, ut caveas teipsum.  go out of thyself, judge and condemn thine own soul, for thy sins against God in this world, that so thou mayest comfortably receive thy sentence of absolution in the world to come. Let us learn to be wise in time; let our sorrow for sin anticipate and prevent our punishment; satius est & suavius fonte purgari quàm igne: 
In inferno exomlogesis non est▪ nec paenitentia tunc tritibui potest, consumpto tempore paenitendi.  He that grieves not hearty for his transgressions here, shall woefully smart for them hereafter. In hell there is no redemption for the time past, no confession, no repentance, but a sad and heavy exchange, and most uncomfortable translation, from a short and passing joy, to an endless, easeless punishment.  
Surely all the pressures and vexing distempers, that befall us in this life; all the crosses, which the envy, either of men or evil Angels can throw upon us, are nothing, if compared to eternal miseries. Sapienti nihil magnum videri potest, cui aeternitatis nota est magnitudo. What if with Saint Paul I underwent labours and perils, hunger and thirst, injuries and reproaches, what is all this to eternity?  
What if I did bear in my flesh the most exquisite pains and bitter torments, that created nature is capable of, yet what were all this to eternity? For all the adversities and alterations, which happen to us under the sun, have their periods, which they cannot pass: however they disquiet us for the time, yet as the Prophet Daniel saith, the end shall be at the appointed time, God will perform that which he hath appointed for me, saith job: yet usque ad tempus haec omnia, the end shall be at the appointed time. But of this eternity there will be no end, no bounds can limit it, no time shall determine it. Certainly, first or last there will happen to thee such an evening, as shall have no morning to follow; or else such a morning, as shall never see the close of the sun: And therefore let not the vanishing cares, & transitory disquietings of this world over deeply possess thy heart; but rather let the whole stream of thy meditations run upon thy latter end; that at the time of thy dissolution; (thy affection being wholly alienated from the world) thy thoughts may ascend before, whither thy soul is coming after: So shall thy sufferings here, make way for thy crown hereafter.  
But how few, o how few, I say, are there that weigh these things? How few do make it their daily task to meditate on the evils to come? They credit not such reports; for they care not to believe what they are unwilling to practise: Hence it is that they go on so securely in their course, as if there were no heaven, no hell, no God, no eternity. Thus we naturally desire our days should be as happy as they are long, and being miserably insensible of the sorrows to come, we rashly expose ourselves to an irrevocable downfall. 
* Nos tales, qui mortis nostrae neque negotium ridentes exequimur. Greg.  Without sense or sorrow we run merrily to hell, where we shall everlastingly feel what we did never fear, death and darkness, weeping and gnashing of teeth. O how different are our times from those of our Ancestors? They were not more rigidly superstitious, than we are vainly secure.  
How did they pine their bodies, and afflict their souls, crucify their most precious lusts, forsake their friends, their lands, their inheritance, yea their Crowns and Kingdoms; nay which is more, through the rigid and austere observation of their strict and severe laws, expose themselves to the hazard and danger of their dearest lives, and thrust themselves as it were out of the world, and forgo all society with men? And wherefore all this, but that they might disburden themselves the better by these means from all earthly allurements; settle and dispose their hearts in a good preparation towards their home; and to enliven their affections, and inflame their minds to a more serious contemplation of the joys to come? Me thinks the consideration of these former times, should strongly invite us to a more serious meditation of our future state, especially if we remember how swiftly our days draw to an end, and how soon we are involved into everlasting darkness. For alas, what is our life here, Tota haec vita unius horulae mors est, one hour at the last will swallow up all our livelong days. Let us then not fear being so near our home, let no storms affright us, being so near our haven: let us examine our accounts, and cast up our reckon, that we may be able to give up a good account at the last day. Certain it is, what ever we go about; whatsoever, be the scope of our endeavours; we every day come nearer to the end of our course, every hour is a new step onward.  
So soon as ever a man enters this mortal life, he begins a constant journey unto death, quicquid temporis vivitur, de spatio vivendi tollitur: i. e. Each part of time that we pass, cuts off so much from our life, and the remainder still decreaseth; So that our whole life is nothing but a course or passage unto death, wherein one can neither stay nor slack his pace. This we know, our daily experience doth confirm this truth: and yet do we persist as securely, as ever in our trade of sin: Aegrè abstrahimur ab ijs quibus assuescimus, i. e. we are hardly drawn from those things which custom and time hath enured us unto. It is a grievous burden to a licentious heart to be drawn off from dainty fare, full cups, and good company. We lie as dead men, and senseless in our damned pollutions, even drowned in our voluptu ousnes, like brute beasts, filled up, and pampered for the day of slaughter. Thus with the full stream of our endeavours we plod on in the habitual course of provoking the patience of a long suffering God, without any sense of our sin, until our short days begin to shut in, and our evening approach; at which time the weakness of our bodies, and the strength of our sins, make us as unable to repent, as we were before unwilling We many times, through the incitement of some good motion, begin well, but fail in the execution; 
* Fatemur crimina, sed sic fatemur, ut in ipsa confessione non dolemus. Calv.  we make fair promises, but we do not second them in our practice; but let us not deceive ourselves, God will not be mocked, non verbis paenitentia agenda, sed actu: let us not promise God better obedience with our lips, than we perform with our hearts. Be not rash to vow a thing before God, but when thy word hath passed thy lips, then be as careful to perform, as thou wast forward before to promise.  
Lastly, let us always follow that holy counsel given in Ecclesiasticus, In all thy actions think upon thy latter end, and thou shalt never do amiss: and that of the Prophet David, keep innocency, and do the thing that is right; for that shall bring a man peace at the last: peace with God, peace with men, and peace with our own conscience. In the world, saith our Saviour, shall ye have trouble, but in me ye shall have peace. The world is our sea, but Christ is our haven; the world is our warfare, but Christ is our rest: the world is full of storms, but Christ is our peace; in me you shall have peace. Hence it was, that the Saints of God always have taken exceeding joy in their tribulation; because Christ was their comfort and peace: he sweetened all their sorrows. 
Solus is charum non amittit, cui ille charus est qui non amittitur.  Hence it was that Saint Augustine so resolutely broke forth; Hic ure, hic seca, modo in aeternum parcas; he regarded not what pressures God laid upon him: So he vouchsafed patience here, and heaven hereafter. What ever we do or can suffer in this life, the abundance of our eternal joy, shall infinitely recompense the weight of our sorrows: Our light afflictions, which are but foramoment, do cause unto us a fare more excellent and exceeding weight of glory. Our combat here is short, but our triumph eternal. And who would not endure a few crosses and wind in his way, when he knows they will bring him to his journey's end? Who would not, for a little season, expose himself to the mercy of the waves, 
Impossibile est, ut in utroque seculo beatus sis, ut in caelo & in terra appareas gloriosus. Hier.  to be tossed on the Sea, when he is assured, with S. Paul, to come safely to the shore?  
Besides we must not expect to establish our happiness here, and to enjoy our heaven hereafter. It is impossible a man should flow in his delights in this world; and then drink at the fountain of everlasting bliss in the world to come.  
O then let us embrace the conflict, that we may obtain the Crown. Melior est modica amaritudo in faucibus, quàm aeternum tormentum in visceribus: i. e. a little gall in the mouth is not so painful, as continual torments in the bowels. Fare better it is to sum up our reckon here, then to have our debts upon the score hereafter; 
* una hora erit gravior in paena, quam centum anni in amarissima paenitentia. Thomas de Kemp.  fare better to unloose our souls, from the immoderate embracements of the comforts of this world, and to endure the straits & pinch of a more reserved course for sixty or seventy years in this life, then be eternally tormented for ever more.  
Saint chrysostom hath an excellent expression to this purpose: Suppose a man, saith he, much desiring sleep, and in his perfect mind, had an offer made him of one nights sweet rest, upon condition to be punished a hundred years for it: would he accept (think you) of his sleep upon such terms? Now look what one night is to an hundred years, the same is the life present, compared with that to come: Nay look what a drop of water is to the sea; the same, and no more is a thousand years to Eternity. Who then of sound judgement, for the short fruition of a transitory contentment in this life, would expose himself to the horror of eternal flames in the life to come? And therefore whiles we have our abode in this vale of misery, we should always pray with Saint Bernard, grant us, Lord, that we may so partake of temporal felicities, that we may not lose eternal. All things under the Sun have their alterations and change, but things above are permanent, and of an enduring substance. He that can be secure, and sure of the happiness to come, builds up his house upon a firm foundation. How small a model of time, how short a period is the longest life, when once it is finished? Recollect with thyself, saith Saint Augustine, the years that are passed from Adam's time until now; turn over the whole Scripture, and the time since the fall will seem but as yesterday. For what are the times past? If thou hadst lived from Adam's day till this hour; 
* Da, Domine, ut sic possideamus temporalia, ut non perdamus aeterna. Omnia ei salva sunt, cui salva est beara a●ternitas.  thou wouldst easily have judged, that this life hath no perpetuity in it, which flees away so swiftly. For what is the life of any man, suppose the longest age? It is but like the morning dew, like the twinkling of an eye, in a trice it is gone. I have seen an end of all perfection, saith David. But here, o Christian, let me deal more plainly with thee; thou wilt readily acknowledge all things under the frame of Heaven are perishing, and Heaven is thy thought, Eternity is thine aim. Now if it be so, why art thou then so dull in thy course of holiness, so frozen in thy zeal, so inclinable to every motion of sin, so easily overcome by every incitement to wantonness, never more calm and unseasonably patiented, then when thy affections should be inflamed, and thy heart kindled with a just indignation in God's cause? and on the other side, never more fretting, whining and unquiet, then when thou shouldest be meek & patiented, & cheerfully disposed under the burden of afflictions? How can it be that we should have eternity in our minds, & yet live no better in our manners? Now that we may the easier discern the deceitfulness of our hearts herein; let us examine ourselves by the example of jacob. This Patriarch jacob served his uncle Laban seven years for Rachel his daughter, and the greatness of his affection towards her, made that time seem but as a few days. (To apply this:) Thou art a Servant, as jacob was, but thou serves not such a Master as jacob did, thou serves not man, but God, thy maker and a faithful rewarder; thou serves not for a wife, but for a kingdom; not for an earthly contentation, but for an heavenly habitation: And yet behold the short affliction of one day can enervate thy love, and unlock thy affections from God and heaven: Every cross accident stops thee in thy course, every little sorrow disquiets thy soul, and lessens thy contentment. Behold here, measure by the example of jacob the strength of thy love: jacob could serve seven years with cheerfulness for a wife; but thou canst hardly serve thy God so many days with a true affection for Heaven: For reckon up all the nights thou hast: spent in prayer, sum up all the days that thou hast worn out in religious exercises, and canst thou then truly say to God as jacob did to his uncle, In thy service night and day have I macerated my body with heat and cold, and my sleep departed from mine eyes; twenty years have I laboured in thy service: couldst thou say thus, and say it truly, o than what would be the end of thy labour, what would thy reward be? not flocks of cattles, not the daughters of Laban, but God himself would be thy exceeding great reward, thy life and happiness; He would be unto thee every thing that thy heart can desire or long for; Thy soul should flow, and even melt in abundance of spiritual delights.  
But now take a little view of thine own vileness, thy own nakedness, thy utter disability to any thing that may be truly called good. Thy hands are feeble to God's work, thy feet are slow to God's temple, thine eyes are seared, or shut up towards heaven; But for the works of flesh and Satan, thy heart is hot to envy, thy mind prone to revenge, thy tongue voluble to blaspheme, thy affections even glued and incorporated, as it were, into sensual embracements; And is this to serve God for Heaven? shall the blessedness of the Saints, and the glory of Angels, and the joy, and fruition of God himself, be poured out upon such works as these? Dost thou thus requite thy maker?  
O consider, consider, I say, thy ways in time; labour to serve God, as jacob did: labour to approve thyself as faithful to God, as jacob was to his uncle Laban: And if the weight of the labour discourage thee, or adversity oppress thee, or prosperity seduce thee; then lift up thine eyes to heaven, as jacob did to his Rachel: Let heaven be thy love, thy spouse, the delight of thine eyes, the joy of thy heart; Behold, thy Rachel is fair, and lovely, Heaven is both beautiful and glorious: Let thy desires go before, whither thou meanest to hasten after: suffer for a season thy light affliction, having an eye to the recompense of reward; yet and but a little while, and thou shalt approach the haven, where thou shalt enjoy so much the more happiness, 
Eo dirigendus est spiritus, quo aliquando est iturus.  by how much the deeper thou hast drunk in sorrow; and by how much the more ardent thy affections have been towards God in this life, the more abundant shall thy reward be in the life to come; then shall thy crosses prove thy gains, and that wellspring of joy which shall ever rise in thy heart, shall swallow up all thy sorrows.   

CHAP. II. Showing that there is no other way, nor possible means to attain to the true eternity, but by a confident affiance upon the merey of God in Christ.  
SUch and so deplorable is the condition of every man, considered in his corrupted and degenerated state, that albeit he be able by that small spark of natural illumination, which is left in his mind, to see as in a glass, darkly and obscurely an eternity to come; yet is he utterly ignorant of the true way thereunto, neither hath he any possibility in nature to find it out: He is in no better state than the poor cripple at the pool of Bethesda, who saw the waters that could heal him before his eyes, but found no means to help him into them. For that sound and perfect knowledge of the true way, which man was adorned with in his first creation, is wholly lost and extinguished in him, he is now a mere stranger from the life of God, Ephes. 4.18. dead in trespasses and sins, Ephes. 1.2. reprobate to every good work, Tit. 1.16. his very mind is defiled, Tit. 1.15. his wisdom is death, Rom. 8.6. 
* Nemo aliunde Deo placet, nisi ex eo quod ipse dona. verit.  He is no more able of himself to lead a holy life, acceptable to God, than a dead man is to perform the actions of one that is alive. Being thus disrobed of all spiritual endowments and saving grace: how shall he attain to that joyful Eternity, which his soul (as I have said) may long for, but can no way reach? Certainly, there is no light to lead him, but that 
* Si Christum habes, aeternitatem per Christum in te habes. Alst.  light of the world; no way for him to take to, but that new and living way, even him, who hath styled himself, the way, the truth, and the life; no rock to cleave to, but this strong foundation; no name under Heaven to be saved by, but this, even this alone, jesus Christ, yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever. He, and he alone is the only sure, effectual, infallible means of our salvation: He alone is the true High Priest, who was once offered to take away sins, and after that entered into the true sanctuary, the very Heaven, to appear in the fight of God for us, where he is able perfectly to save them, which come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Heb. 7.26. He alone is the ground of our hope, the crown of our glory, and the strength of our confidence. 
* Oculum tuum Domine non excludit cor clausum, nec manum tuam repellit duritia homi. num. Aug.  It's he alone, who by the sweet influence of his grace, and by the secret working of his spirit, can (when he will,) and doth (when he please) subdue and bring under the most obdurate, gainsaying, and rebellious heart, to a cheerful, willing, and ready obedience to his heavenly will. O the infinite and inexpressible tenderness of our loving Saviour to wards us! When we, like sheep, had gone astray, his mercy reduced us: When we lay wallowing in our blood, his pity refreshed us: When we were dead in our sins, his death did revive us: and here we may truly say with David, his mercy reacheth to the Heavens. From the Heavens came the price of our redemption. We were not, neither could we be redeemed by the blood of bulls and goats, by thousands of rivers of oil, by the cattle that are upon a thousand mountains. It was not the treasures of the world, the power of men or Angels could purchase this freedom, nothing could cleanse us, but the blood of the Lamb: He was that fountain, opened for sin, and for uncleanness; He was that Son of righteousness, that came with healing in his wings. His were the wounds, that healed our sores; his was the back, that bore our sorrows; his was the price, that quit our scores; he assumed our flesh to redeem us here, and he reigns as a king to crown us hereafter. Now what remains after all this to be done on our parts? Let us rest on this Anchor, let us flee to this hold, and build on this foundation: For no other foundation can any man lay, then that which is laid, jesus Christ. Let us cast our souls into the arms of our Saviour: In brachijs Salvatoris mei & vivere vole, & mori eupio, saith S. Bernard: O let this be our desire: Now the gate is open, let us not defer the time of entrance: Now is the acceptable time, let us not procrastinate the season: Now he offers his mercy, he shows his long sufferance, let us not turn his grace into wantonness; let us follow the counsel of the son of Sirach: Eccles. the 5. Make no long tarrying to turn to the Lord, and put not off from day to day: For suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord break forth, and in thy security thou shalt be destroyed, and thou shalt perish in time of vengeance. But alas, fare otherwise it is with us in our practice: 
* Magna pars vitae elabitur male agentibus, maxima nihil agentibus, tota aliud agentibus.  A great portion of our time is crumbled away in doing ill, a greater part in doing nothing, and our whole life in doing that which we should not, or in matters (as we say) upon the by. And as Archimedes was secure and busy about drawing lines on the ground, when Syracuse was taken: so is it with us. Now that our eternal safety lies at stake, we lie puzzling in our dust, I mean, in our worldly negotiations: But for our eternity shortly approaching, we seldom or rarely think of it. We are, like Martha, trouble about many things, when one thing is necessary: But this one thing is that, which of all other things is least regarded, and in the last place. We seldom seek heaven, till death doth summon us to leave the earth: we have many evasions to gull our own hearts, many excuses to procrastinate our repentance; like Dionysius the Sicilian king, who to excuse himself for the present delivery of the golden garment, which he took from his god Apollo, answered, that such a robe as that was, could not be at any season of the year useful to his god: it would not keep him warm in the winter, and it was too heavy for the summer: So many there be, saith S. Ambrose, who play with God, and with their own soul. You must not (say they) seek for the vigour and life of Religion in the hearts of young men; For youth, as the proverb is, must have his swinge: neither can you expect it in the company of the aged: for their age, and those distempers, which accompany it, make them a burden to themselves, and dulls the edge of their intentions unto all their serious undertake. Thus both the summer and the winter of our age are unfit for God's service: But let us not thus cheat ourselves. If God be God, let us follow him; let us not put off the day of reconciliation, and say in our hearts, To morrow we will do it, when yet we cannot tell, what shall be to morrow: for what is our life? It is even a vapour, that appears for a little time, and afterwards vanisheth away. Hence it was that Macedonius, being invited a day before to a feast, replied to the messenger, Why doth thy Master invite me for to morrow, whereas for this many years I have not promised to myself one days life? 
Nemo mortem satis cavet, nisi qui semper cavet.  No man dreads death as he ought, but he that always expects his summons; and therefore we may truly judge such men woefully secure, and wilful contemners of the future good, who can go to their beds, and rest on their pillows in the apprehension of their known sins, without a particular humiliation for them. For how oft doth a sudden and unexpected death arrest men? We see and know in our daily experience, many lay themselves to sleep in health and safety, yet are they found dead in the morning. Thus suddenly are they rapt from their quiet repose to their irrecoverable judgement, perchance from their feathers to flames of fire; such is the frail condition of our brittle lives, within the small particle of an hour, live, and sicken, and die: yet so gross is our blindness, that from one day to another, nay, from one year to another, we triflingly put off the reformation of our lives, until our last hour creeps on us unlooked for, and drags us to eternity.  
Saint Augustine, striving with all his endeavours against the backwardness and slowness of his own heart to turn to the Lord, bitterly complained within himself, Quamdiu, quamdiu, cras, cras? Quare non hâc horâ finis turpitudinis meae? How long (saith he) o how long shall I delude my soul with to morrows repentance? Why should not this hour terminate my sinfulness? We are every minute at the brink of death, & every hour, that we pass thorough, might prove (for aught we know) the evening of our whole life, and the very close of our mortality. Now if it should please God to take away our souls from us this night (as suddenly falls out to some) what would then become of us? In what Eternity should we be found? Whether amongst the damned, or the blessed? Happy were it for us, if we were but as careful for the welfare of our souls, as we are curious for the adorning of our bodies: if our clothes or faces do contract any blot or soiling, we presently endeavour to cleanse the same: But though our souls lie enthralled in the pollutions of sin, this alas we feel not; it neither provokes us to shame, nor moves us to sorrow. Wherefore let us look into our hearts with a severer eye: Let the shortness of our days stir us up to theamendment of our sinful lives; and let the hour, wherein we have sinned, be the beginning of our reformation, according to that of Saint Ambrose, 
Agenda est paenitentia, non solum sollicirè, verumetiam maturè.  Our repentance must be, not only sincere, but timely also: whilst we have the light, let us walk as children of the light: Let us not any longer cheat our souls in studying to invent evasions or pretences for our sins; but rather lay open our sores, and seek to the true Physician, that can heal them. All the creatures under the sun do naturally intent their own preservation, and desire that happiness, which is agreeable to their nature: only man is negligent, and impiously careless of his own welfare. We see the Hart, when he is stricken and wounded, looks speedily for a certain herb, well known unto him by a kind of natural instinct; & when he hath found it, applieth it to the wound. The swallow, when her young ones are blind, knows how to procure them their sight by the use of her Celandine: But we alas are wounded, yet seek for no remedy; we go customarily to our beds, to our tables, to our good company; but who is he that observes his constant course of prayer, of repentance, of hearty and sincere humiliation for his sins? We go forward still in our old way, and jog on in the same road: Though our judgement hasten, hell threaten, death stand are the door, yet we thrust onward still; & in dulcem declinanamus lumina somnum: But alas, miserable souls as we are, can we embrace quiet rests and uninterrupted sleeps with such wounded consciences? Can we be so secure, being so near our ruin?  
But you will say, we have passed already many nights without danger; no sickness in the night hath befallen us hitherto, why then should any fear of death amaze or trouble us?  
Admit all this, yet, be not too confident; one hour may accomplish that, which a thousand years could not produce: and think with yourselves, what a little distance there is, between your souls and death: Let me ask the strongest of men on earth, what certainty of life canst thou promise thyself, seeing that either a little bone in thy throat may choke thee, or a tile from thy house may brain thee, or some malignant air may poison thee, 
Tu te prius abreptum miraberis, quam metueres abripiendum.  and then where art thou? There are a thousand ways, whereby suddenly a man may come to his end; and certain it is, that Mors illa maxime improvisa est, cujus vita praecedens non fuit provida, i.e. that death is the suddenest, which is not ushered in with a foregoing preparation. It is therefore a special point of wisdom to think every day our last, yea to account every hour the period of our lives. For look how many pores there are in the body, so many windows are there to let in death: yea, we carry our deaths continually about us in our bosoms; and who can promise himself his life till the evening? Death doth not always send forth her harbingers to give notice of her coming; she often presseth in unlooked for, and suddenly attacheth the unprovided soul. Watch therefore, because ye know neither the day, not the hour: work whilst ye have the day; for the night comes, wherein no man can work: look towards thy evening, and cast thy thoughts upon that long Eternity; Death first or last will apprehend thee: expect it therefore at every turn, and of this assure thyself, 
* Q●alis quisque in hac vita moritur, talis in die novissimo judicabitur.  as death leaveth thee, so shall judgement find thee. How improvidently secure then are those, who set up their rest in the comforts of this life, and overly-regard their eternal welfare? This is the general carelessness of our times.  
If a man have a perpetuity but of five shillings yearly rend, what travel, and pains, and sweat, what beating of his brain and exhausting of his treasure will he run thorough, before he will lose one dram of his right? Yet our eternal inheritance is cast behind us, & undervalved as a trifle, not worth the seeking, & this shows our small love to our home: for we little esteem of that which we take small pains for. All other things, which conduce to our temporal well being, we seek with circumspection, and enjoy them with content, but matters of Eternity we conceive of, as things far distant from us, we scarcely entertain them in our thoughts. We busy not our understandings in the search of those things which we see not: things present & obvious to our sight do best affect us. We are ill sighted upward, weak and dim eyes have we towards heaven.  
The truth of this appears even in children, who presently even from the cradle, drink in the rudiments of vice; they learn to swear, riot, drink, and the like enormities with the smallest teaching; but they are utterly indisposed to any virtuous inclinations. They soon apprehend what belongs to the curiosity of behaviour, and deportment of the body, and the fashions of the times; Hoc discunt omnes ante Alpha & Beta puelli; but for Heaven and that Eternity, they are wholly averse from it, they are utterly uncapable of the things above; they carry about them, as the livery of their first parents, not only an indisposition, but a very opposition to goodness: And whereas for other employments and undertake, they have certain natural notions in them, bending their intentions to natural works, some one way, and some another; yet they have not so much as any apprehension of the things of God. 
* Homo sine gratia praeter carnem nihil sapit, intelligit aut potest.  Thus it is with children, and thus it is with all men, even those of the ripest, and most piercing understanding, until the light of God's Spirit hath shined on the hearts, and powerfully wrought some spiritual holy dispositions in in them. The natural man (saith the Apostle) neither doth, nor can discern the things that are of God. O how infinitely miserable and deplorable is his state, who having neither knowledge of the true life, nor possibility of himself to find it out: 
* Cum exul sit a patria exultat in via.  yet runs on securely in his damned way, until he fall woefully and irrecoverably into the pit, where he will not have, (no not when he hath uncomfortably worn out millions of years) the least intermission of sorrow, or drop of comfort, or hope of pardon? Here on earth malefactors condemned to die, have this comfort (though wretched) that one hour commonly terminates all their griefs in this life: but the torments of the damned are not concluded in an age; nay, the end and period of ten thousand years will not end their sorrow: And this is it which adds more to their sufferings, even their unhappy knowledge of the perpetuity of them; they have not so much as any hope of releasement.  
Hope in this life hath such a power in it, that it can yield some comfort in the midst of trouble; the sick man, whilst his soul is in him, he hath hope, but after this life, this small refreshment is denied the damned, all their hope is turned into desperation. The prophet Daniel, cap. 4.14. heard the voice of an holy one crying, Hue down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter his fruit, nevertheless leave the stump of his root in the earth. Thus it is with men in this world, saith Ambrose, their leaves and their flowers are shaken; their delights are taken from them; but the roots remain, and their hope is not abolished. But it is not so in hell; (saith he) There both flower & stump; nay, & even all hope too, are banished away from them. The day of the Lord, saith the prophet Malachi, shall burn them up, & leave them neither root nor branch. The very hope, saith Solomon, of the wicked shall perish; what should this teach us, but whilst our hope remains, to improve our few days to our best advantage, to make straighter paths to ourselves, to abridge our inordinate appetites, in some measure of their vain and fruitless joys; and with all the power of our affections strive to attain that haven, where no billow shall affright us, no storms astonish us, no perils endanger us? Then shall our dissolution prove our gain, and our death our glory: if otherwise we persist wilfully in the paths of our voluptuousness, and solace ourselves in the vain joys of our own hearts, & in the sight of our eyes; certainly it will be bitterness in the later end. 
* Ext●ema gaudii luctus occupat.  All our earthly delights will glide away like a swift river: The rejoicing of the wicked is short, saith job, and the joy of a sinner is but for a moment: Though his excellency mount up to the heaven, and his head reach unto the clouds, yet shall he perish for ever like his dung, but the righteous is like a strong mountain, and he shall be had in everlasting remembrance.  
Wherefore to draw to a conclusion, just occasion might here be taken for deploring the negligence, and unhappy condition of our times. Where are there any that take into their thoughts the due consideration of the time to come? 
Sic plerique vivimus ac si f●bula●sset omni● aeternitas.  Where shall we find any truly provident for immortality? we so live as though we conceived of Eternity but as of a fable, or a dream; the sweet allurements of sin do so strangely beguile many, that by gentle degrees they obliterate, and extinguish in them all love of virtue, and the very inclinations themselves to any thing, that may be truly termed good.  
But let us no longer delude ourselves, by fancying a perpetuity on earth, behold the judge stands before the door: 
* Momento fiet, quod tota doleat aeternitas. Ante oculos prae omnibus habeamus diem ul●● mum, & momentis singulis supplicia timeamus dolorum aeternorun.  The strongest holds in the World will not be able to detain us one minute, when God shall be pleased to call for our souls: and therefore let us, before all things, have continually in our sight the last day: and let us every moment fear the punishment of eternal pains.   

CHAP. III. Certain conclusions drawn from the serious and devout consideration of Eternity.  
The first conclusion. IF they, who run on in any notorious sin, 
Confecto demum scelere, ejus magnitudo intelligitur.  did but rightly weigh how fast they go towards the Eternity of torments, (since that by the least command or stroke of God, they may be unavoidably hurled to death and destruction:) Certainly they would not, for all the kingdoms in Europe, for all the treasures of Asia, nay not for the whole world, defer their repentance one hour; much less would they go so confidently to their beds, without fear or horror, being so near the pits brink, and lying in the danger of so great a sin: For what would it profit a man, to win the whole world, and lose his soul? wherefore who ever thou art, Nulli parcas, ut soli parcas animae, 
* Omnia si perdas animam servare memento:  what ever become of all other things, yet have a special care for the salvation of thy precious soul.  
II. Our heads are filled with care in these straight and pinching times, how we shall live in the world, when our souls should be more inquisitive? how we shall live out of the world, when death hath landed us in eternity. For what matters it, how short our stock of provisions be here, where we are breaking up house, and on the point of departing? A man that comes to an Inn, if he meet with hard fare, course lodging, it never troubles him: for it is, says he, but for a night, I shall away next morrow; so our habitations in this world, are but like Jonahs' gourd, they shelter us but (as it were) for a night; I care not formans day (saith the Apostle) and in truth wherein is it to be regarded? for what is man's day to eternity? What is it to that God with whom we must live for ever? Therefore care we not whether our sails be high or low, or what vain men think of us, but what the eternal God thinks of us: and what we shall be thought of in that Kingdom, where we must live and abide for ever.  
III. Did faith give men as clear a sight of spiritual things, as sense doth of temporal, what manner of lives would they live? how would they be exalted in the world above the world? I have lost, says one, the favour of such and such great men: but is there not ten thousand times more sweetness in the favour of God? These spoiling times, saith another, have bereft me of wife, children, estate, what ever was near and dear unto me; well, but is not the Author of all thy comfort alive still? and will not the light of the fun content thee, though all thy candles be put out? cheer up, man, bare Christ is wealth enough; if God be thy portion, thou injoyest infinitely more, than the world can lend thee: For all creature-comforts have but their measure, and proportion of goodness in them: no creature hath all good in it;  serve but to warm us, meat to nourish us, houses to shelter us, physic to recover us, but God hath all good in himself: he is sight to the blind, health to the sick, liberty to the captive, light to them that sit in darkness, all things to all men. They that put their trust in the Lord, saith David, Shall want no manner of thing that is good. This is very full, no manner of thing that is good: mark what God said to Abraham, I am thy exceeding great reward; God is a reward, an exceeding great reward to his people; when you take in any creature comfort, you do but sip at God's bounty: but when you taste of God himself, oh then you have a fullness indeed. In thy presence is fullness of joy, and at thy right hand, there is pleasure for evermore.  
iv We carry immortal souls about us, and therefore we should have immortal aims, immortal ends. When Satan shall tender any thing as lovely to thy apprehension, say to him, will thy pleasure, thy security, thy ease, to which thou invitest my soul, abide for ever? I cannot be happy but in an eternal good. That which must fill up all the chinks of my soul, must be a pure good, a total good, and an eternal good. If the good I do enjoy, be not pure and all good, than some thing must be wanting, and there will be imperfection: and though it be pure and all good, yet if not unchangeably so, than it is but like a candle, which at last will be extinguished: and the consideration that it must end, will diminish my happiness, and abate my joy. But sure I am, my Saviour's counsel is sweet and saving, and encloseth fullness of comfort in it; Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth to eternal life. Since a portion may be had in diamonds, why should I set my heart on lumber?  
V Some begin to live, when they are about to die, and this estate is perilous: and some do die before they begin to live, and this estate is desperate; the speediest work is safest, when thou tradest for eternity. Too late providence is often seconded with everlasting repentance.  
6. Many there are, 
Caesi ad aeternitatem adeunt, ex qua nunquam exibunt.  who run headlong, and blindfold to their long home, like the rich glutton in the Gospel, which never began to open his eyes and look upwards, till he was in torment: All the while he lived on earth, his eyes were shut up, and when it was too late, namely when he was thrown to hell, then began he to look upward and about him.  
So many now adays they go on in a pleasing and easy way; And 
* In via nemo errat, sed in fine viae, via pluribus placet, sed displicet & terret viae t●rminus.  they are never sensible that they are out of the way, till they arrive at the end of their journey. All the misery lies in the close of the day, For out of the pit is no redemption: when once the soul is split upon this rock, it gives to the world his everlasting farewell, according to that of Job. cap. 7.9. as the cloud vanisheth and goeth away; so he that goes down to the grave, shall come up no more, he shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.  
VII. It is recorded of Lazarus, that after his resurrection from the dead, he was never seen to laughed; The stream of his affections were now turned into another channel; his thoughts were fixed in heaven, though his body was on earth: and therefore 
* Aeternis inhianti in fastidio sunt omnia transitoria, Bern.  he could not but slight temporal things, when his heart was bend towards eternal. Oh, that we could work our hearts and souls to a vehement thirst after Christ, the true eternity! For if Christ be our end, our joy shall be endless, nullo fine regnabis cum Christo, si Christus tibi finis.  
VIII. The mind of man is so much the more sensible of the evil present, by how much less it meditates on the good to come. For he that looks towards the reward, will vilify the sufferings. Saint Austin runs on sweetly in his meditations upon this subject; Eternal labour, saith he, is but an equal compensation for an eternal rest. But if thou shouldest endure this eternal labour, thou couldst never arrive at that eternal rest: Therefore hath the mercy of God ordained thy sorrows to be temporal, that thy joys may be eternal; and yet, saith he, 
* Ubi est cogitatio Dei? nimis profundae factae sunt cogitationes Dei. Aug.  who is there, that thinks on God as he ought? Such thoughts are irksome to us; But for temporal vanities we think of them with delight; and enjoy them with contentment: Now, saith he, look in and about thyself, 
Noli gaudere ut piscis, qui in sua exultat esca, nondum enim traxit hamum piscator. Aug.  see where thou art; God hath his hook in thy nostrils, and can pluck thee up when he pleaseth: and though he suffer thee (according to thy calculation) a long time, yet what is the longest time of man to eternity? Yea though thou shouldest lengthen out thy days to many hundred of years; yet still thou art transitory, and exposed to the common condition of all men. Then fix thy heart on God, and so enjoying that eternity, thou shalt make thyself eternal; and be not discouraged for thy tribulations, and daily disquietings in this world: for such is god's love, such his abundant kindness towards his elect; that he 
* Ideo Deus terrenis faeli citatibus amaritudinem miscet, ut alia quaeratur faelicitas, cujus dulcedo non est fallax.  corrects them, to the end they might not be condemned with the world hereafter. Be not therefore (I say) cast down with any crosses whatsoever, that may befall thee in this life; for the things that are present, are temporal, but the things to come are eternal. When we see the friends of this world, the eager embracers of the comforts of this life, upon every summons of death strive to defer, what they cannot utterly avoid, their corporal dissolutions; oh how great care, what indefatigable diligence, what restless endeavours should we use, that we might live for ever? Let us again, and again, meditate on these things, and with due care foresee eternity, before we unexpectedly fall into it. Certain it is, 
* Omnia transeunt, fola restat & non transibit aeternitas.  all things pass away in this life, only eternity hath no period: let us redeem the time, and work while we have the day: for if we neglect good duties here, we shall never regain the like opportunity hereafter. This life (saith Nazianzen) is as it were our fairday or market-day, let us now buy what we want, while the fair lasts; while we have time, let us do good unto all men: 
* Tu dormis sed tempus tuum non dormit, sed ambulat imo volat. Bene illis qui sic vivunt, sicut vixisse se volunt cum motiendum erit faciantque eaquae in aeternitate constituti fecisse se gaudebū●. Amb.  Happy is the man that so lives here, that the remembrance of his well-spent life, may yield him joy hereafter; For otherwise levis hic neglectus, aeternum fit dispendium, i.e. A small neglect in the ordering of our time in this world, will be seconded with an eternal loss in the world to come.  
IX. Death is the ending of our days, not of our life. For when our day shall close, and our time shall be no more, then shall our death conduct us to a life, which will last for all Eternity: For we die not here to die, but to live for ever. Therefore the best guide of our life, is the consideration of our death: and he alone leads a life answerable to his Christian profession, who daily expects to leave it. Me thinks ' its strange, men should be so industriously careful to avoid their death, and so carelessly improvident of the life to come, when as nothing makes death bad, but that estate which follows it: but the reason is, we are spiritually blind and see not, nor know, in this our day, the things that belong to our peace. We have naturally neither sight nor feeling of the joys to come. But when God shall enlighten the darkness of our minds, and reveal his son in us, when once the day dawneth, and that daystar ariseth in our hearts, o then our death will be our joy, and the rejoicing of our hearts, then shall we infinitely desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ. Let us therefore with unwearied endeavours labour to bring Christ home to our hearts, and to keep him there. Let us die to ourselves, and to our lusts here, that so in the world to come, we may everlastingly live unto Christ and in him.   

Some directions for the better ordering of our lives, in the way to a happy eternity.  
Sin and grace are both eternal, both reach to eternity; and so do all the actions that proceed from either. Hence it follows, that a gracious life, is the beaten pathway to a glorious eternity. Therefore to the end thy Being hereafter may be as happy, as it must be long: take in these directions.  
In all thy deal amongst the sons of men, be that thou seemest; amuse not the world with flourishes, labour not to be more outwardly glorious, then inwardly sincere. Alas, what a melancholy piece of business will it prove in the end, to be a man of praises, as it were, for a day: and afterwards (if repentance prevent it not,) to be a man of sorrows for ever? to have this life comfortable, and eternity miserable? What ever thy hand shall find to be done, cast first in thy thoughts: Whether durst I act this same thing, were I now to die? 
* Quicquid agis, quicquid suscipis, tecum prius cogita, num tale aliquod ageres, si hac hora esset moriendum.  It's good to live by dying principles. A frequent arraignment of thy heart, will render thy life comfortable, thy death peaceful, thy eternity glorious, and shelter thee from many snares and temptations, which otherwise sin and Satan would cast upon thee.  
When thou settest upon any religious duty, seriously weigh with thyself, what the temper of thy heart is towards it. Oh what a sad thing is it, (if judiciously balanced,) to think I have begun, and ended a holy duty, before a most holy God, but felt not what I spoke. My heart was sealed up: labour therefore above all things, whilst thy soul in any exercise is in communion with God, to keep thy affection on the wing, and strive not so much to be long wound, as heart-wounded in thy petitions, as knowing assuredly, that when once thy devotion is flatted, (though thy speech do continue,) thy prayer is done.  
We live in dismal days, fire and sword rage's round about us, yet our greatest enemies lodge in our bosom. Labour thou by thy prayers and pains to master thy corruptions: Then cruel cut throats, though they may pull thy heart from thy body, can never take God from thy heart, than death itself, (that king of terrors) need not affright thee, because hereby thy soul is but let out of a cage, and her out going from this life, is but an in going to a better.  
When once thou hast devoted thyself to the service of God, thou wilt find thy heart to be a very busy thing. Thou wilt ever and anon be forcing thyself upon vows and resolution, to do more for God, to fight more eagerly, more effectually against thy worse self; but remember this by the way, that self-confidence is an inlet to often failings; Therefore engage Christ with thee, in all thy purposes: and let S. Paul's. profession, in this particular, be thy instruction, and digest it into practice; I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.  
There is now adays much wording of religion in the world, but favour and frowns, like strange byasses, do frequently twist men round; and this is the garb of these unhappy times; but to avoid entanglements of this nature, study to be quiet, and meddle with thine own business: (and as it is said of humble men,) be thou more troubled with thy self, then with all the world besides. Live (as thou canst,) a disengaged man. Innocency, and Independency, are prevalent means to keep the soul close to God.  
I have done with directing thee: the Lord direct us all, that our reformation may be answerable to our incoms of mercy, otherwise, though all our enemies were destroyed, yet shall we find divisions enough at home to ruin us.  
X. Now that we may be the better encouraged to raise up our endeavours to the attainment of this happy eternity; Let us in a word consider the abundant, and the ever-flowing happiness in the world to come; Neither eye hath seen, nor ear hath heard, nor tongue can express the joys that God hath provided for them that love him. Saint Augustine being ravished with the desire of this life breaketh out with an inflamed affection: 
U●●nullum erit malum, nullum latebit bonum.  how great shall that happiness be, where there can be no unclean thing, where no good can be wanting; where every creature doth praise and admire his Creator, who is all in all things? How great shall that reward be, 
Fraemiun virtutis critipse, qui virtutem dedit.  where the river of virtue shall be himself the reward of virtue? how great shall that abundance be, where the author of all plenty shall be unto me life and soul, and raiment, health, and peace, and honour, and all things; yea the end and complete object of all my desires? For in his presence is the fullness of joy, and at his right hand there is pleasure for evermore. How great shall that blessedness be, where we shall have the Lord our debtor, who hath promised to reward our good deeds; where we shall have the Lord for our portion, who will be to us, (as he was to Abraham) our exceeding great reward? How great shall that light be, where the Sun shall no more shine by day, nor the moon by night; where God shall be our light, and the Lord our glory? How great shall that possession be, where the heart shall possess whatsoever it shall desire, and shall never be deprived of its possessions? Here will be to the Saints an abundant, everlasting, overflowing banquet; no grief can accompany it, no sorrow succeed it. Here is joy without sadness, rest 
* Quies motus non appetitus.  without labour, wealth without loss, health without languor, abundance without defect, life without death, perpetuity without corruption. Here is the beatifical presence of God, the company of Saints, the society of Angels. Here are pleasures, which the minds of the beholders can never be wearied with; they always see them, and yet always rejoice to see them: These are the flagons of wine, which comforted up David, when he cried out, According to the multitude of the sorrows which I had in my heart, thy comforts have refreshed my soul: In coelo est vita ver● vitalis, In heaven, and only in Heaven is the true life: For there our memories shall live in the joyful recordation of all things past; our understandings shall live in the knowledge of God; our wills shall live in the fruition of all excellencies that they can wish for, all our senses shall abound in their several delights. Here is that white stone, which Saint john speaks of, even glory and immortality to them that overcome. Here is that water of life, which our Saviour speaks of, whereof whosoever drinks shall never thirst again. Here is that river, the springs whereof make glad the hearts of men: And how earnestly are we invited to these delights; come buy, wine and oil without money? Heaven is at sale, and thou mayst buy if thou wilt, and shrug not at the greatness of the price, give but thyself to God, and thou shalt have it. And who would not abandon his honours, his pride, his credit, his friends, nay himself? Who would not be willing to pass thorough the gates of hell, and endure infernal torments for a season, so he might be certain of so glorious and eternal an inheritance hereafter? Let all the devils in hell (saith Saint Augustine) beset me round; let fastings macerate my body; 
* Coelum venale est, nec multum exaestues propter pretij magnitudine 〈◊〉 te ipsum da, & habebis illud. Aug.  let sorrows oppress my mind; 
Bone Jesus qui par cendo sae prus nos à te abijcis, feriendo effice ut ad te redeamus Ger. med.  let pains consume my flesh, let watch dry me, or heat scorch me, or cold freeze and contract me; let all these, and what can come more, happen unto me, to I may enjoy my Saviour. For how excellent shall the glory of the just be? how great their joy, when every face shall shine as the sun; when our Saviour shall martial the Saints in their distinct orders, and shall render to every one according to his works? O were thy affections rightly settled on these heavenly mansions, how abject and underneath thee wouldst thou esteem those things, which before thou setst an high price upon? As he which ascends an high mountain, when he cometh to the top thereof, finds the middle steps low, and beneath him, which seemed to be high to him while he stood in the bottom; so he which sends his thoughts to heaven, however he esteemed of the vanishing pleasures of the world, when his heart lay grovelling on the earth below, now in this his transcendency he sees them under him, and vilisies them all in regard of heavenly treasures. Let us therefore cheerfully follow that advice of a reverend Father: 
* Quod aliquando per necessitatem amittendū est, pro aeterna remuneratione sponte est distribuendum.  Let us here willingly part with that for heaven, which we must first or last necessarily leave upon earth, and let all the strength of our studies, and the very height of our endeavours be dispended for the attainment of Eternity. For certain it is howsoever we live here like secure people of a secure age, and however we waste out the strength and flower of our days, as if we should never account for it; yet our judgement is most sure; and shall not be avoided: The sentence of the Judge will be one day most assuredly published, and shall not be revoked: We must all appear (saith Saint Paul) before the judgement seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. Then shall our wickedness be brought to light, which now lies hid in darkness. I saw the dead (saith Saint john, Revel. 20.12.) both great and small stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the books, according to their works; and whosoever was not found witten in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire. Thus it is evident, every man shall give up his account; every soul shall first or last come to his reckoning: Multorum vocatio, paucorum electio, omnium retributio; Many are called, few chosen, but all rewarded according to their deeds. Oh then let us prepare ourselves to meet our God; let us come before him with fear, and tremble at his judgements. Fear not him, (saith our Saviour) who when he hath killed the body, can do no more, but fear him, who can cast both soul and body to hell; I say, him fear. Oh how many of the Saints of God trembled and quaked, when they have meditated upon the last judgement? Hierom saith, as oft as I think of that day, how doth my whole body quake, and my heart within me tremble? Cyril saith, I am afraid of hell, because the worm there dies not, and the fire never goeth out: I horribly tremble (saith Bernard) at the teeth 
* A dentibus bestiae infernalis contremis●: quis dabit oculis meis fontem lachrymarum, ut prç eniam fletibus fletum & stridorem dentium?  of that infernal beast. Who will give to mine eyes (saith he) a fountain of tears, that by my weeping here I may prevent weeping and gnashing of teeth hereafter? And have the Saints of God thus shrunk at the thoughts of hell? how should then the loins of the wicked quake and tremble?  
Come now thou profane wretch, of a profane age, who at every word almost that drops from thy irreligious mouth, speakest damnation to thy soul: bealching out ever and anon, these or the like execrable speeches, Would I were damned if I knew this or that; God damn me body and soul, if I do it not. Alas, alas, seemeth it a light thing in thine eyes, to play with flames, to sport thyself with everlasting burn? Tell me, dost thou know, or didst thou ever cast it in thy thoughts, what a condition it is to be damned? Hear a little and tremble; Thou shalt there, to thy greater horror and amazement, see much joy, but never feel it: for thou shalt see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Prophets in the Kingdom of God, & thou thyself thrust out, Luke. 6.13.28. As touching thy company: Though here on earth, thou wouldst not perchance be hired to lodge one night, in a house haunted with spirits, yet there thou must inhabit with unclean devils for evermore, Matth. 25.41. And to conclude in this thy cursed estate thy heart and tongue shall be full of curse and blasphemies. Thou shalt blaspheme the God of heaven, for thy pains and sores, thou shalt curse those that were the means to bring thee thither; curse the time that ever thou lost so many golden opportunities of getting grace, that thou hast heard so many sermons, and no whit bettered by them. Curse thyself, that slightest so many wholesome reproofs, which might have happily been improved to the saving of thy soul. Say now (desperate fearless sinner) canst thou be content in the apprehension of these miseries, to curse thyself again to the nethermost of hell? or on the contrary, dost thou now begin to be ashamed and confounded in thyself, and is thy conscience affrighted with the ugly face of thy sins, and of those bitter torments that abide them? Know then, thou hast to deal with a God, who when thou art truly moved for thy sins, an mourn for thy sufferings, Jer. 31.20. Thou hast to deal with a God, who will meet thee when thou approachest to him, if thou work righteousness, and remember him in his way, Isa. 64.5. Thou hast to deal with a God, who doth account it his strange work to punish, Isa. 28.21. And he doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men, Lam. 3.33. Yea, thou hast to deal with a God, who hath graciously proclaimed to the whole world, that he delights to show mercy: yea, with his whole heart, and with his whole soul, Jer. 32.41. Oh then be wise now for thy soul in time, and think it a mercy, that thou art yet on this side hell. And whatever thou judgest thyself worthy to be condemned for, at that terrible bar, condemn thyself for it before hand, that the Lord may say, I will not judge this man, because he hath judged himself already. And be assured, where man's conversion gins, there God's displeasure makes its period.  
Excellent is that advice of Saint Gregory, weigh (saith he) and consider the errors of thy life, while thy time serves; Tremble at that strict judgement to come, while thou hast health, lest thou hear that bitter sentence, (Go ye cursed) go forth against thee, when it is too late. Did man know what time he should leave the world, carnal wisdom would prompt him, to proportion his time, some to pleasure, and some to repentance. But he that hath promised pardon to the penitent, hath not assured the sinner of an hour's life. 
Culpam tu●m (dum vacat) pensa, & districtionem so u● judicij (dum v●les) exhorresce, ne tunc amaram sententian●●●udias; cum nul lis fletib● evadas.  Since therefore we can neither prevent, nor foresee death, let us always expect it, and provide for it. Let us die to our sins here, that we may live to Christ hereafter, and let us suffer with Christ in this world, that we may rejoice and reign with him in the world to come. When we depart this life, we go to an eternity, to an eternity, I say, which shall never end, never, never, me thinks this word, never, hath a mountanious weight in it; to an eternity which maketh every good action infinitely better, and every evil action infinitely worse. Oh the unhappiness & everlasting woe of those men, who prefer the small and trifling things of this life, before the eternal weight of glory hereafter: who to enjoy the short comfort of a miserable life here, are content to lose the presence of God, and society of Angels for ever hereafter.    
FINIS.