A saint or a brute the certain necessity and excellency of holiness, &c. ...…

Many a time I have wondered how the Devil can thus abuse a man of reason, and such as think themselves no fools! and how such unexpressible dotage can stand with either learning, ingenuity, or common understanding; and what shift the Devil and these men make to keep them from seeing that have eyes, or from seeing the Heavens, that can see the smallest dust or atom. But my admiration is abated when I consider, that the wit that serveth to move a puppet, is not enough to Rule a Kingdom; and that sleeping Reason is as none; and that it is the very art and business of the Devil to charm sinners to sleep and wake at once. Dormire Deo, at mundo vigilare: to be asleep to God, and awake to the world: And that present things engage the senses, and call off Reason from its work: And that the seeming distance of the life to come, occasioneth the neglect of stupid half-believing souls, till they find it is indeed at hand: even as Death though certain, affecteth few in youth and health, as it doth when they perceive that they must presently be gone: And withal, that a man is not a man in act till he be considerate: and that it is as good be without eyes, as still to wink. We know what detained our selves so long in sleep and folly, and we know what makes us yet so slow: and ⟨p. 3⟩therefore we may know what it is that thus unmanneth others.

Many a time I have wondered how the Devil can thus abuse a man of reason, and such as think themselves no fools! and how such unexpressible dotage can stand with either learning, ingenuity, or common understanding; and what shift the Devil and these men make to keep them from seeing that have eyes, or from seeing the Heavens, that can see the smallest dust or atome. But my admiration is abated when I consider, that the wit that serveth to move a poppet, is not enough to Rule a Kingdom; and that sleeping Reason is as none; and that it is the very art and business of the Devil to charm sinners to sleep and wake at once. Dormire Deo, at mundo vigilare: to be asleep to God, and awake to the world: And that present things engage the senses, and call off Reason from its work: And that the seeming distance of the life to come, occasioneth the neglect of stupid half-believing souls, till they find it is indeed at hand: even as Death though certain, affecteth few in youth and health, as it doth when they perceive that they must presently be gone: And withall, that a man is not a man in act till he be considerate: and that it is as good be without eyes, as still to wink. We know what detained our selves so long in sleep and folly, and we know what makes us yet so slow: and