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

I have hitherto with Nathan beat sinful David on a strangers coat. You must give me leave to take off the mask, and show you your own faces in this glass.

I have hitherto with Nathan beat sinfull David on a strangers coat. You must give me leave to take off the mask, and shew you your own faces in this glass.

Believe thou (O man) who readest this, that shortly there will be two holes where thine eyes now stand, and then others may take up thy skull, and speak of thee dead, as I have done to thee living: how soon I know not, but this I am sure of, Thy time is appointed thy months are determined, ¹thy days are numbered, thy very last hour is limited. And what follows, but that thy body lie cold at the root of the rocks, at the foot of the mountains? Go then to the graves of those that are gone before us, and there see; are not their eyes wasted, their mouths corrupted, their bones scattered? where be those ruddy lips, lovely cheeks, sparkling eyes, comely nose, hairy locks? are not all gone as a dream in the night, or as a shadow in the morning? alas! that we neglect these thoughts and set our minds wholly upon the world and its vanity! we are careful, fearful, and immoderately painful to get transitory riches, like children following Butter-flies; we run, and toil, and perhaps miss our purpose: but if we catch them, what is it but a fly to besmear our hands? Riches are but empty, and yet be they what they will be all at last will be nothing. Saladin that great Turk, after all his conquests, gets his shirt fastened to his spear in manner of an Ensign, this done, a Priest makes Proclamation,² This is all that Saladin carries away with him, of all the riches he hath gotten. Shall a Turk say thus, and do Christians forget their duties? Remember your selves, ye sons of earth, of Adam; what is this earth you dote on? be sure you shall have enough of it, when your mouths must be filled and crammed with it, and (as your souls desire it, so) at that day shall your bodies turn to it. O that men are thus given to gasping greediness! there is a generation, and they are too common amongst us, that we may preach and preach (as they say) our hearts out, yet will not they stir a foot further from the world, or an inch nearer unto