A discourse about the state of true happiness delivered in certain sermons in Oxford,…A discourse about the state of true happinesse deliuered in certaine sermons in Oxford,…

Thirdly, they cannot stretch themselves unto eternity. For §3there are no contentments of this life; whether they lie in honours, riches, pleasures, friends, or the like; let them be never so many in number, so potent in the world, or in our own persuasions, so exempt from mixture of discomfort; that can possibly bring us farther, then our death bed. It may be for a few and wretched days of our life they have detained us in a fools paradise, yet full of Vipers, and Scorpions; It may be, they have left some obscure prints of unsound joys in our passages: but then, at their farewell, they are utterly despoiled of their weak, and imaginary sweetness; and are wholly turned into wounds, and wormwood, into gall and vexation. They leave a sting indeed in the conscience, that never dies; but themselves die all at our deaths, and lie down with us in our graves. Why then, when the immortal soul, being dislodged from this tabernacle of clay, shall now begin to enter the confines of eternity; what shall comfort it, through that endless duration? For if it look back to this inch of time, which it consumed in vanity, it may ask: Why have I bin troubled about many things? Why have I disquieted my self in vain? Why have I insolently insulted over innocency, and accounted sincerity madness? What hath pride profited me? or what profit hath the pomp of riches brought me? And it may be answered: All those things are passed away like a shadow, and as a post that passeth by: as a ship, ⟨p. 12⟩that passeth over the waves of the water which when it is gone by, the trace thereof cannot be found, neither the path of it in the floods: or as a bird, that flieth through in the air, and no man can see any token of her passage, but only hear the noise of her wings, beating the light wind, parting the air through the vehemency of her going, and flieth on shaking her wings, whereas afterward no token of her way can be found. If then the expiration of all worldly comforts be most certain and inevitable, at the furthest at our departure from this life; it is impossible, there should be any absolute joy found in them: for there is wanting the very life and accomplishment of true happiness, assurance of perpetuity. Imagine therefore, a man to be abundantly encompassed even with all the desires of his heart; let him wash his paths with butter;

Thirdly, they cannot stretch themselues vnto eternity. For §3