The matters everlasting (whose greatness and duration, one would think should so command the mind of man, and take up all his thoughts and cares, in despite of all the little trifling matters that would avert them, that we should think almost of nothing else; yet) these, even these, that nothing but deadness or madness should make a reasonable creature to forget, are daily forgotten by the unconverted soul, or uneffectually remembered. Many a time have I admired, that men of reason that are here to day, and in endless joy or misery to morrow, should be able to forget such unexpressible concernments! Me thinks they should easier forget to rise, or dress themselves, or to eat or drink, or any thing, then to forget an endless life, which is so undoubtedly certain, and so near. A man that hath a cause to be heard to morrow, in which his life or honour is concerned, cannot forget it: A wretch that is condemned to die to morrow, cannot forget it. And yet poor sinners, that are continually uncertain to live an hour, and certain speedily to see the Majesty of the Lord, to their unconceivable joy or terror, as sure as now they live on earth, can forget these things for which they have their memory; and which one would think should drown the matters of this world, as the report of a Canon doth a whisper, or as the Sun obscureth the poorest glow-worm. O wonderful stupidity of an unrenewed soul! O wonderful folly and distractedness of the ungodly! That ever men can forget, I say again, that they can forget, eternal joy, eternal woe, and the eternal God, and the place of their eternal unchangeable abode, when ⟨p. 9⟩they stand even at the door, and are passing in, and there is but the thin veil of flesh between them and that amazing sight, that eternal gulf; and they are daily dying, and even stepping in. O could you keep your honours here for ever; could you ever wear that gay attire, and gratify your flesh with meats, and drinks, and sports, and lusts; could you ever keep your rule and dignity, or your earthly life in any state, you had some little poor excuse for not remembering the eternal things, (as a man hath, that preferreth his candle before the Sun:) But when death is near and inexorable, and you are sure to die as you are sure you live;
The matters everlasting (whose greatness and duration, one would think should so command the mind of man, and take up all his thoughts and cares, in despight of all the little trifling matters that would avert them, that we should think almost of nothing else; yet) these, even these, that nothing but deadness or madness should make a reasonable creature to forget, are daily forgotten by the unconverted soul, or uneffectually remembred. Many a time have I admired, that men of reason that are here to day, and in endless joy or misery to morrow, should be able to forget such unexpressible concernments! Me thinks they should easier forget to rise, or dress themselves, or to eat or drink, or any thing, then to forget an endless life, which is so undoubtedly certain, and so near. A man that hath a cause to be heard to morrow, in which his life or honour is concerned, cannot forget it: A wretch that is condemned to die to morrow, cannot forget it. And yet poor sinners, that are continually uncertain to live an hour, and certain speedily to see the Majesty of the Lord, to their unconceivable joy or terrour, as sure as now they live on earth, can forget these things for which they have their memory; and which one would think should drown the matters of this world, as the report of a Canon doth a whisper, or as the Sun obscureth the poorest glow-worm. O wonderful stupidity of an unrenewed soul! O wonderful folly and distractedness of the ungodly! That ever men can forget, I say again, that they can forget, eternal joy, eternal woe, and the eternal God, and the place of their eternal unchangeable abode, when ⟨p. 9⟩they stand even at the door, and are passing in, and there is but the thin vail of flesh between them and that amazing sight, that eternal gulf; and they are daily dying, and even stepping in. O could you keep your honours here for ever; could you ever wear that gay attire, and gratifie your flesh with meats, and drinks, and sports, and lusts; could you ever keep your rule and dignity, or your earthly life in any state, you had some little poor excuse for not remembring the eternal things, (as a man hath, that preferreth his candle before the Sun:) But when death is near and inexorable, and you are sure to die as you are sure you live;
