THE PASSING BELL. Job the 14th verse the first. Man that is borne of a woman, is of few days and full of trouble. By James Harwood. B. D. Printed in the year. 1655. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LADY CAPELL DOWAGER. THe Honour I ever bare to that bright shining Star of Loyalty, your late deceased Lord, obliges me to Dedicate these few lines to your singular goodness; they will occasion serious thoughts in sad times; and point you out the way to life by Death: I know a great part of your joy on earth is gone to Heaven: And since Death made a way for your Noble Lord, I trust in the Lord this shall sweeten to you the thought of the approach of Death. I have made bold to set a sad object before your eyes, you may mix it with your worldly enjoyments, as the Israel tes did their bitter herbs, with their pleasant passover; It may seem at first to kill, but cures, only removing our Landmark from a: Copyhold at will, to a fee-farm of Eternity: These after Noise may seem as harsh as jacob's hands were Rough; but I hope not so to you, who in life have learned to die; A short lesson, yet to some, too long a learning; God hath blessed your Honour with long days, yet some by them have been overcast with a black cloud of worldly calamity, which many mouths put all your family and dear friends into mourning weeds: What was this, but the messen her of death sent to one, to warn you and all yours, and all others to make ready to die. Madam, pardon my presumption, I only put you in mind of * Death him, of whom you have too timely an assurance he will spare none; what I here present to you, is not to terrify you with Death, but put you in mind what you may gain by dying: And know Right Honourable, that as none was admitted into the Temple of Honour, but such who fist went through the Temple of Virtue, so none can come to the life of glory, till they have made their passage by the death of the body; your high hopes in reversion will sweeten the thoughts of that messenger of man's mortality, which the more you think of, the better you will be prepared for your long journey; And this I take to be the thief cause, why the Emperors of Const antinople in their Augurations on their Coronation days, had a Mason, who came and shown them several stones, and willed them to choose which of those stones should be made fit for their Grave-stones. You see at the espousals of Imperial Crowns, it was thought fit to Caroll out this doleful ditty, Memento mori, O Man remember thy end. It shall not be my last, but everlasting suit, in this, you would mitate the Princes of the Nations, and whilst by Divine Goodness, you are Inheritrix of large possessions, at the same time to bebare in mind how here we have no continuing City: God for his goodness, and Christ for his merits bless you and all yours, which shall be, Dum spiro, the prayer of Your devoted servant to command, JAMES HARWOOD TO HIS BELOVED WIFE, In his long absence from her. Dear Heart. HEre we have no continuing City, our days, pass as a take that is told; In the prime of our Age, The world smiled upon us, in our middle Age, she seemed to hold out unto us her golden Ball; but in this our old age and worst of times, all worldly Joy hath turned her back upon us: So that after a sad and serious Meditation, Hist. I found all Earthly pleasure like Pliny's flies, borne at Morn, in their prime at Noon, and dead at Night. They came to us like Oxen slowly, they have taken Pegasus his wings and flown from us: The uncertainty of these unstable contents hath made me cast an eye up to heaven, and seek after an eternity of Bliss; My best beloved know it, there is no way to a life a Glory, but by the death of the body; I therefore beg of you, every day to think of your end, that by the thought of death, you may be prepared for a life of Glory in the kingdom of Heaven; In my long absence from you, I thought good to commend these few sentences to your every day's perusal; They will put you in mind of your long Home, and bespeak you in private to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. And now considering much of our time is spent, so small a reverse remains; The Lord grant we may both of us remember our ends, that we may never do amiss. This is his prayer, who will live and die. Your Loving and faithful Husband James Harwood. The passing Bell. Job the 14th verse the first. Man that is borne of a Woman is of few days and full of evil. My Soul is embarked in a crazy Sculler, Here is the passenger, and here is the vessel. My Soul is sailing on from a Transitory life of vanity to an eternal life of Glory. In all my Spiritual Sea-sick passage, behold and hear a Change of Notes. No more, Soul take thy ease; No more Faciamus tria Tabernacula. No more quid dabitis & ego tradam vobis. No, all the noise is, vanity upon vanity, all is vanity. The Pilot sickness Calls on me to embark, and now Naboth's Uineyard, Belshazars' bowls, Jona's Gourd, these give no content. Yet this my p resent visitation I bid welcome; knowing it is the backdoor, whic let's me 〈◊〉 into the Kingdom of Heaven And therefore go toll the bell, that all good people may take notice how nigh I am to my e●d. Let them go toll the bell, whilst I tune my tongue to the passing bell. My Ditty is Mortality, my Tune Lacrymae, my time short Semiquaver time, which will admit of no rest. Give me leave to enchant your ears with a Language will put every one of ●s in mind of our ends. I have, and for this cause bethought me of some select say worthy of your Remembrance. Every sentence shall give you notice of your end, and how here you have no continuing City. THE FIRST PART OF THE SOULS DEPARTING DITTY. Quod faciendum est semel, Deliberandum est diu. 1. I Have a ⋆ To pass from life to Death. work to do, I am but once to do it, and I am undone if it be not well done. 2. Let me take more pains to die well then to live long, otherwise my long life will bring me to an ill end. 3. To return from the dead impossibles; All my life than I will prepare for death. 4. When death will come, I know not; that it will come, I am sure of it, but once, O make ready. 5. This life is a summer's day before death; Death follows after, Set thy house in order. 6. Hath God given me length of days; It is, that in life, I may prepare for death. 7. He that dieth daily, hath done his work before the night of death shuts day in. 8. I have but once to go hence and be seen no more, that I play not loath to departed, my last parture, I will bear in my remembrance, and for ever. 9 Before the day of battle what a world of preparation, the war begins when death comes; its wisdom before it come, to make ready. 10. They call death Charon's boat, I am sure it wastes the soul from a material to an immaterial world, my advice, eye the barge before thou enter, all one, with remember thy end. 11. I have but one step to eternity; it is from life to death, I will be preparing this body of mine, to win the Garland of a blessed immortality. 12. O the serious thoughts while I live; How I must die, these do so make me run, that I may obtain, a Crown of Immortal glory. 13. In my life I will oft meditate on death, when death doth come, it will be more welcome. 14. He that thinks not of his end till ready to die, his unthought of ending is like an Enthusiasts sermon, poor stuff. 15. This sound of the passing Bell assures me there is some to dya likely to die; Is it so nigh night, it is high time then to work out my salvation; left the night of death put in, and none can work. 16. I have a task set will take up all my time, viz. to die well; while I live than I will learn to die; lest being found unprepared, it be said, thou fool, this night thy Soul shall be required of thee. 17. There is one, and it will not be long ere he come and call, and knock at thy door, his name is death, with Martha thou hast been troubled about many things; O this unum ⋆ That I must die. necessarium, let it not be forgotten. 18. As thou camest by the womb; thou must go by the grave. Learn then in life, how to be freed from death. 19 Maximilian the Emperor made his Coffin always to be carried along with him, to this end that his dignity might not make him forget his mortality. 20. How many messengers have brought word that death will quarter here; sad news, wouldst thou sweeten them far God and keep his commandments. The second part of the souls departing Ditty. Statutum est omnibus semel mori. 21. WHat was long since decreed in heaven, God hath sent warrants to execute on earth, semel mori, for us once to die. 22. King Xerxes standing on a Mountain, and having many hundred thousands of his soldiers standing in the plain, fell a weeping, to think upon it, how in a few years, and all those gallant valiant meant must die. 23. Adam, he lived 930 years, and he died. Enoch, he lived 965 years, and he died. Metbusalem lived 967 years, and he died. O the longest day hath its night, and in the end man must die. 24. The Princes of the Nations pass sentence of death upon others Well, it is not long, but their turn will come, semel mori, once to die. 25. When the keepers of the house trenible, the grinders cease, the lookers out of the windows be darkened, than man is taking his journey to his long home, to die. 26. As is the Law of the Medes and Persians Irrevocable, so is that universal sentence, i semel mori, for all men once to die. 27. It is reported, how there is a white and black Mouse, which continually gnaws at the root of a Tree, until the Tree fall down: Man's the Tree, the day and night the white and black Mouse, in a small time, these hue man down, and he dies. 28. Baruch, and Gideon, and Sampison, they are all gone, and we are to follow after, and to die. 29. Better is the house of Mourning, than Mirth, this teacheth me to live in pleasure, and die in pain, that learns me in this life to die to sin; that now I must die, I may live with God. 30. But where are these Heralds, who blaze that coat of death! The years Autumn, the Seas Ebbing, the Suns Setting: these assure me, how man never continues in one stay. Man in honour lasts not long. 31. It is not long, and the Sun sets, the Tide turns, and the Leaf falls, and man must as assuredly expect a change. 32. Dira at vera, Terrible but true news, it is this, not long, and the gathering Host of Dan must sweep us clean away. 33. Many of us live where our Parents lived, & live of the same lands which they lived of: It is not long, and our children shall do as much for us, For we must go hence and be seen no more. 34. Some ride Post, some Hackney, pace at serius citius, sooner latter all arrive at the common Inn, the Grave, and die. 35. Some have the Palsy, some the Apoplexy, some a Fever, some an Ague, some a Consumption, some none of them: yet the sick, the sound, they all meet in the end, at the same Rendezvouz, at the house of Death, and they die. 36. The Scholar thinks to delude death with his fallacies, the Lawyer puts in his demur, the Prince, his plea is, State-affairs: at equo pulsat pede, Death knocks at all doors alike; and when he comes, they all go hence, from their houses to their graves. 37. None leads more a Christian life, than he, who all his life, thinks of death. O all my days I will wait till my change come. 38. Joseph the Jew, in his best health made in stone-Coffin be cut out in his Garden, to put him in mind to his Ego abeo, I go hence. 39 The Persians they buried their dead in their houses, to put the whole household in mind of the same lot, Semel mori, once to die. 40. Simonides, when commanded to give the most wholesome rule to live well, willed the Lacedaemonian Prince ever to bear in mind, se tempore brevi moriturum: ere long, and he must die. 41. A sort of imprudent people put a fortasse upon all things in the world; they might have excepted death, it comes not ⋆ Not by chance but by force. fort, sed fort ter; and none can rescue from the Jaws of death. 42. God hath hid from me the day of my death, that every day I may make ready to die. 43. There is nought more sure then to die: so then live, as if to day to die. 44. As all the Rivers come from the Sea, and run in again into the Sea, so we all come from the earth, and to the earth we must return again. 45. The Mower cuts all down, as much will death do for all us, leave none standing. 46. The Adder layeth one ear to the ground, the other, the Adder covereth with her Tail, and all that Charm the Charmer never so wisely, she may not hear: As deaf is death, it stops its ear, and will not hear, h●c magnos paervosque terit, the storm of death roots up Shrubs and Cedars 47. They say a Wolf, if he seethe a man, first secludes the man from the use of his tongue; how true is that, I know not, this is true. I am sure of it, death leaves us speechless, lifeless: Whilst therefore thou hast life, prepare for death. 48. I have heard of Abraham at Confession, confessing himself to be dust and ashes; and David, how his days are but a hand breadth: The shortness of this, the Britleness of that, tells me in my ear, I have no long time to stay here. 49. Solon, to pull down man's proud heart, made this inscription on the Post of the gates of Delphos, Nosce te'psum, quasi tunc cogitabls; know thyself, and then thou wilt quickly know thou must die. 50. I have read of a sort of people that use dead men's bones for money, and the more they have, they are counted the more Rich: herein consists my richest treasure, to bear that about me will make me all my life remember my end. 51. Great Sultan Saladan, Lord of many Nations and Languages, commanded upon his deathbed, that one should carry upon a Spears point through all his Camp the flag of death, and to proclaim, for all his wealth, Saladan hath nought left but this winding-sheete, an insured ensign of Death's triumphing over all the sons of Adam. 52. I unclothe myself every night, I put off all but what may put me in mind of my winding-sheet, and thus day after day uttereth speech, and night after night showeth knowledge, how Ego Exeo, I go hence. 53. Anaxagoras having word brought him, his only son was dead: his answer was, scio me genuisse mortalem. I know he was borne to die. 54. The Epicure in his life takes his fill of pleasures, yet fears one day death will deprive him of all his pleasure, let us unlearne his first lesson, let us take out his latter lesson, and remember that death one day will deprive us of all our earthly joys. 55. The Meditations of Death are the politics of Saints, and therefore saith the wiseman, Remember thy end and thou shalt never do amiss. 56. Philip of Macedon gave a boy a pension every morning to say to him, Philippe memento te hominem esse, Philip remember thou art a man, and therefore must die. 57 Since man is subject to die so soon as he gins to live, it shall make me now that I know I live, to bear in mind, I must die. 58. The body at best is but a living Coffin to the Soul, when the Soul departs from the body, the grave shall be the dead Coffin, to that late living Body. 59 We read of Philostrates, how he lived seven years in his Tomb, that he might be acquainted with it against the time he came to be put into it: Oh an Apprenticeship of years is time little enough to make us perfect in the mystery of mortality. 60. Causinus in his Hieroglyphics makes mention of an Indian Fountain out of which Gold is drawn in Earthen pitchers, yet none can get the Gold but he that breaks the earthen pitcher. Est vita fictile: the life of man is the earthen pitcher. The Gold contained, the earnest of all Heavenly happiness, which none can in full attain till this corruptible put on incorruptibility, and this mortal Immortality: after the night of death comes that day of joy: Let me welcome that cloudy evening promises so fair a sunshine, let us make fit to die that we may be counted worthy to live: he that liveth well, cannot die ill: he that dieth well, his death is a pass from a miserable life on earth, to live a life of glory in the Kingdom Heaven. Which God for his mercies send all of us. Divine Meditations, arising from the contemplation of these sad and serious sentences. 1. Med. Is it not high time to make fit to die; considering the Passing-Bell doth Tole: Well, I will go take my Dough upon my shoulders, and march from this carnal Egypt, to that spiritual Canaan. Let the foolish Virgins slip their time to lay in Oil; yet, lest the gates of heaven be barred up, I will up, and on, and buy without money, or mony-worth. My want is great, my time is almost run: If I make not Market to day, I am not sure to do it to morrow. O the uncertainty of life shall be the Alarum-Bell to give me NOW notice, to work out my salvation with fear and trembling. 2 Med. I am now sole Cesar, I have, and what not? at my disposal, Jobs Goods, Naboths Vineyard, john Baptist●s head in a Charger: I am of potent power, who dare control me. O consider, ere long, it's not long, and whereas mighty territories could not stint thy ambition, Death will come and make a seizure of thyself, and bereave thee of all thou hast, all but an evil CONSCIENCE. Think upon it, Death hath hitherto hewed all down, and art thou able to withstand Him. Go and give him a peaceable meeting, who, with all thy force, there is no resisting. The Firmament will endure but one Sun, but the THOUGHTS of God and the Grave may take up their lodging in the same Inn. O, I am never so nigh my God, as when I think of my end. FRIEND, let death be in thy thoughts, and God will be in thy heart. 3 Med. Consider well what's said, Cor sapientum est in Domo luctus, the Heart of the wise is in the house of Mourning. Death brought Tears to the house and Tears assure us that Wisdom is got within doors. There is no fear of God, where no wisdom, no wisdom, where no serious thoughts of our end. I will think of my end, that I may be numbered among the wise: wise to God-ward, while I have an awful fear of his death-blow. Come, let me embrace that thought of DEATH, which fits me for the day of life, even a life everlasting. 4 Med. Meditate what new men we ought to be, who are here to day, gone to morrow, whom, it's not long, and death will arrest, and then we must answer for all done in the flesh, what a sudden trial will it be, if we get not pardon before the cause be called on? What a fearful reckoning, if before the day of Death, the Lord of life strike not off all our reckoning. Lord I am deep in debt to thee, I own thee more, than my goods, lands, and life can redeem: my debt surmounts, my time to discharge its nigh at hand. O let the certain and swift summons by death, cause me forthwith to think upon a way to compound with my grand Creditor: I disclaim MERIT, I hold fast by MERCY. For thy ancient mercy's sake, for our blessed MESSIA's sake, in the hour of death, and in the day of judgement, accept the blood of thy Son, and save my Soul. 5 Med. Meditate, since man must die, Lord, what danger in dying unprepared; this is Maxima miseria, a misery of miseries: & St. Augustine gives the reason, quoniam qualis in isto die moritur, talis in illo die judi cabitur: For that look how a man goeth to that Prison the Grave, so he goeth to the Judgment-Hall to be tried, and now consider of it well, if thou be not able to give a Gospell-answer to the Judge of Heaven and Earth; comest to answer; but knowest not what to say, had it not been better thou hadst never been born, than to be born to die, and be damned, not considering thy own end? A wiseman hath his answer beforehand prepared to pacify wrath to come; whereas the fool forgets what's to come, and dieth in his folly. 6 Med. Let me all my life bear in mind, how I have to do with an enemy that hath no mercy, he bears all down before him, Peasants and Princes. O the thought of this quite astonishes, let me make ready to die, since I am sure to lay down my life; let me lay up for a life to come, since Death will come, and deprive me of This life. Before death throw me into the bowels of the earth, let me lift up my heart to the God of Heaven. O God, who can praise thee in the PIT: While I have life, than I will praise the Lord of Life; and yet while at the best of works, and best in health. Here is the grim visage of pale coloured Death looks me in the face. O thou common Butcherer of human Nature; after thy great stroke be struck, I am not dead but asleep. Blessed be thou my God, who hast made my grave my bed, in which, after I have taken some silent rest, the noise of the Arch Angel with his Trumpet, shall awake and raise me, from a death for sin, to a life of glory. Death is the way we must all walk to life: And as it is not the least in my thoughts that death will quarter here, so it is the uppermost in my Note book, and stands upon Record, That after death I shall live with God, and for ever. FINIS.