This Verse is as it were a Dialogue betwixt the flesh and the spirit, as the two counsellors: the worst is first, and the flesh speaketh proudly, but the spirit comes in burdened with that which hath been spoken. The flesh goeth laughing and singing to hell: but the spirit casteth rubs in his way, and puts him in mind of judgement, that for all these things, now ends rejoice, and here comes in but: if this but were not, we might rejoice still: if young men must for all the sports of youth, what then shall old men do, being as they are now? Surely, if Solomon lived to see our old men live now, as here he saith of young men, so high as sin rageth, yet vengeance sits above it, as high as high Babel. Me thinks I see a sword hang in the air by a twine thread, and all the ⟨image 28⟩sons of men labour to burst it in sunder. There is a place in hell where the covetous Judge sitteth, the greedy Lawyer, the griping Landlord, the careless Bishop, the lusty youth, the wanton Dames, the thief, the robbers of the Common-wealth, they are punished in this life because they ever sin as long as they could, while mercy was offered unto them: therefore, because they would we be washed, they shall be drowned. Now put together rejoice and remember: thou hast learned to be merry, now learn to be wise: now therefore turn over a new leaf, and take a new Lesson; for now Solomon mocked not as he did before, therefore, a check to thy ruffs, a check to thy cuffs, a check to thy robes, a check to thy gold, a check to your riches, a check to your beauty, a check to your muck, a check to your graves: woe from above, woe from below, woe unto all the stings of vanity: doest thou not now marvel that thou hast not a feeling of sin? for now thou seest Solomon saith true, thine own heart can tell that it is wicked, but it cannot amend: therefore it is high time to amend: as Nathan cometh to David after Beelzebub, so cometh accusing conscience after sin. Me thinks that every one should have a feeling of sin, though this day be like yesterday, and to morrow like to day yet one day will come for all, and then woe, woe, woe and nothing but darkness: and though God came not to Adam until the evening, yet he came: although the fire came not upon Sodom till the Evening, yet it came:
This Verse is as it were a Dialogue betwixt the fleshe and the spirite, as the two counsellers: the worst is first, and the fleshe speaketh proudly, but the spirite comes in burdened with that which hath beene spoken. The fleshe goeth laughing and singing to hell: but the spirite casteth rubs in his way, and puts him in minde of iudgement, that for all these thinges, now ends reioyce, and heere comes in but: if this but were not, wee might reioyce still: if young men must for all the sportes of youth, what then shall old men doe, being as they are now? Surely, if Salomon liued to see our old men liue now, as heere hee saith of young men, so high as sinne rageth, yet vengeance sits aboue it, as high as high Babell. Mee thinkes I see a sword hang in the ayre by a twine threed, and all the ⟨image 28⟩sonnes of men labour to burst it in sunder. There is a place in hell where the couetous Iudge sitteth, the greedie Lawyer, the griping Landlord, the carelesse Byshop, the lusty youth, the wanton Dames, the theefe, the robbers of the Common-wealth, they are punished in this life because they euer sinne as long as they could, while mercie was offered vnto them: therefore, because they would we bee washed, they shall bee drowned. Now put together reioyce and remember: thou hast learned to bee merry, now learne to bee wise: nowe therefore turne ouer a new leafe, and take a new Lesson; for now Salomon mocked not as hee did before, therefore, a checke to thy ruffes, a checke to thy cuffes, a checke to thy robes, a checke to thy gold, a checke to your riches, a checke to your beautie, a checke to your mucke, a checke to your graues: woe from aboue, woe from belowe, woe vnto all the stings of vanitie: doest thou not now maruell that thou hast not a feeling of sinne? for now thou seest Salomon saith true, thine owne heart can tell that it is wicked, but it cannot amend: therefore it is high time to amend: as Nathan commeth to Dauid after Belzebub, so commeth accusing conscience after sinne. Mee thinkes that euery one should have a feeling of sinne, though this day bee like yesterday, and to morrowe like to day yet one day will come for all, and then woe, woe, woe and nothing but darkenesse: and though God came not to Adam vntill the euening, yet hee came: although the fire came not vpon Sodom till the Euening, yet it came:
