The Practice of Piety

O miserable caitiff that I am!¹ How do the Sorrows of death compass me! How do the floods of Belial make me afraid! Now have indeed, the snares both of the first and second death overtaken ⟨p. 105⟩me at once! Oh how suddenly hath death stolen upon me with insensible degrees? Like the Sun which the eye perceives not to move, though it be most swift of motion. How doth Death wreak on me his spite, without pity! The GOD of mercy hath utterly forsaken me, and the Devil, who knows no mercy waits for to take me. How often have I been warned of this doleful day, by the faithful Preachers of Gods word. and I made but a jest thereat? What profit have I now of all my pride▪ fine house, and fair apparel? whats become of the sweet relish of all my delicious fare? All the worldly goods which I so carefully gathered, would ⟨p. 106⟩I now give for a good conscience which I so carelessly neglected. And what joy remains now, of all my former fleshly pleasures, wherein I placed my chief delight? Those foolish pleasures were but deceitful dreams, and now they are past like vanishing shadows: but to think of those eternal pains, which I must endure for those short pleasures; pains me an Hell before I enter into Hell. Yet justly I confess, as I have deserved I am served; that being made after Gods Image a reasonable soul, able to judge mine own estate, and having mercy so often offered, and I entreated to receive it; I neglected Gods grace, and preferred the pleasures of sin, ⟨p. 107⟩before the religious care of pleasing GOD: lewdly spending my short time, without considering what accounts I should make of my last end. And now all the pleasures of my life being put together, countervail not the lest part of my present pains. My joys were but momentany, and gone before I could scarce enjoy them: my miseries are eternal, and never shall know end. Oh that I had spent the hours that I consumed, in carding, dicing, playing, and other vile exercises, in reading the Scriptures, in hearing Sermons, in receiving the Communion, in weeping for my sins, in fasting, watching, praying, and in preparing my soul, that I might have now departed ⟨p. 108⟩