Ultima, = the last things in reference to the first and middle things

You see all his losses; and now to contract them, there is one grief more then all, that all is lost on a sudden. Losses that come by succession are better born with, but all on a sudden is the worst of all; yet such is the misery of man, when he goes, all goes with him, and he and all pass away on a sudden: As in the days of Noah, they ate, and drunk, married, and gave in marriage, and knew nothing tell the flood came, and took them all away; so is the coming of the Son of man, Matth. 24.38.¹ How many have been thus took tripping in their wickedness? Belshazzar in his mirth, Herod in his pride, the Philistines in their banqueting, the men of Ziklag in their feasting, Jobs children in their drunkenness, the Sodomites in their filthiness, the Steward in his security, this Churl in his plenty: miserable end, when men end in their sin. Call to mind this (O my soul) and tremble: sleep not in sin, lest the sleep of death surprise thee: The ⟨p. 49⟩hour is certain, in nothing but uncertainties; for sure thou must dye, yet thou knowest not on what day, nor in what place,² nor how thou shalt be disposed when death must be entertained. Do you not see most dye, whiles they are most busy how to live? he that once thought but to begin to take his ease, was fain that very night (whether he would or no) to make his end: would you have thought this?³ he but now flourished like a green bay tree, his thoughts full of mirth, his soul of ease, but I passed by, and lo he was gone: gone, whether? his body to the grave, his soul to hell, in the middest of his jollity, God threats destruction, Devils execution, death expedition, and thus like a Swan he sings his funerals. There is that saith, I have found rest, and now will I eat continually of my goods, and yet he knoweth not what time shall come upon him, and that he must leave those things to others, and dye, Ecclus 11.19.⁴ The higher our Babel-tower of joy is raised, the nearer it is to ruin and confusion. Sodom, in the heat of their sins, had that shower of fire poured on their heads: Nebuchadnezzar, in the height of his pride, became suddenly a beast, that ruled before as a King: once for all, here was a man solacing, singing warbling out pleasant songs of ease and pastime; but (O the misery) in the middest of his note here is a sudden stop;