4. Consider that things visible are so transitory, and of so short continuance, that they do but deserve the name of things; being nothings, and less than nothing, and lighter than vanity it self, compared to the necessary eternal Being, whose name ⟨p. 43⟩is JAM. There is but a few days difference between a Prince and no Prince; a Lord and no Lord; a man and no man; a world and no world. And if this be all, let the time that is past inform you how small a difference this is. Rational foresight may teach a Xerxes to weep over his numerous Army, as knowing how soon they were all to be dead men. Can you forget that death is ready to undress you? and tell you, that your sport and mirth is done? and that now you have had all that the world can do, for those that serve it, and take it for their part? How quickly can a fever, or the choice of an hundred Messengers of death, be•eave you of all that earth afforded you, and turn your sweetest pleasures into gall, and turn a Lord into a lump of clay? It is but as a wink, an inch of time, till you must quit the stage; and speak, and breath, and see the face of man no more. If you foresee this, O live as men that do foresee it. I never heard of any that stole his winding-sheet, or fought for a Coffin, or went to Law for his grave. And if you did but see (as wise men should) how near your Honours and Wealth, and Pleasures do stand unto Eternity, as well as your Winding sheets, your Coffins, and your Graves, you would then value, and desire, and seek them regularly and moderately, as you do these. Oh what a fading flower is your strength? How soon will all your gallantry shrink into the shell? Si vestra sunt tollite •a vobiscum. Bern. Bu• yet this is not the great part of the change. The terminus ad quem doth make it greater: It is great, for persons of renown and honour, to change their Palaces for graves, and turn to noisome rottenness and dirt: and their Power and Command into silent impotency, unable to rebuke the poorest worm, that saucily feedeth on their hearts or faces. But if you are Believers, you can look further, and foresee much more. The largest and most capacious heart alive, is unable fully to conceive what a change the stroke of death will make.
4. Consider that things visible are so transitory, and of so short continuance, that they do but deserve the name of things; being nothings, and less than nothing, and lighter than vanity it self, compared to the necessary eternal Being, whose name ⟨p. 43⟩is IAM. There is but a few daies difference between a Prince and no Prince; a Lord and no Lord; a man and no man; a world and no world. And if this be all, let the time that is past inform you how small a difference this is. Rational foresight may teach a Xerxes to weep over his numerous Army, as knowing how soon they were all to be dead men. Can you forget that death is ready to undress you? and tell you, that your sport and mirth is done? and that now you have had all that the world can do, for those that serve it, and take it for their part? How quickly can a feaver, or the choice of an hundred Messengers of death, be•eave you of all that earth afforded you, and turn your sweetest pleasures into gall, and turn a Lord into a lump of clay? It is but as a wink, an inch of time, till you must quit the stage; and speak, and breath, and see the face of man no more. If you foresee this, O live as men that do foresee it. I never heard of any that stole his winding-sheet, or fought for a Coffi•, or went to Law for his grave. And if you did but see (as wise men should) how near your Honours and Wealth, and Pleasures do stand unto Eternity, as well as your Winding sheets, your Coffins, and your Graves, you would then value, and desire, and seek them regularly and moderately, as you do these. Oh what a fading flower is your strength? How soon will all your gallantry shrink into the shell? Si vestra sunt tollite •a vobiscum. Bern. Bu• yet this is not the great part of the change. The terminus ad quem doth make it greater: It is great, for persons of renown and honour, to change their Palaces for graves, and turn to noisom rottenness and dirt: and their Power and Command into silent impotency, unable to rebuke the poorest worm, that sawcily feedeth on their hearts or faces. But if you are Believers, you can look further, and foresee much more. The largest and most capacious heart alive, is unable fully to conceive what a change the stroak of death will make.
