Or if you will have a Scripture-example, Let me beseech you to imitate that rich and great person, Joseph of 1Arimathea who built his Sepulchre in his garden. In the midst of all your pleasures and pastimes remember you must shortly leave them. It was a wise speech of Charles the fifth to the Duke of Venice, who, when he had showed him the glory of his Princely Palace, and earthly Paradise, instead of admiring it, or him for it, only returned him this grave and serious memento, Haec sunt quae faciunt nos invitos mori. These are the things which make us unwilling to die. To prevent this unwillingness, build your Sepulchres in your earthly Paradises, and remember that you must very shortly die, and that after death comes judgement. And that you must all appear before the tribunal seat of Christ to give a strict and impartial account of whatsoever you 2have done in the flesh, whether it be good or evil. Let great men remember, That great, and small must stand before the great God of heaven and earth at the great day of judgement, and that their greatness will nothing at all avail them at that day. Greatness without goodness will be but as a great fagot to burn them the more in hell. They that are great in place, and greater in sin, shall have 3great damnation. Where God hath bestowed great benefits, if they be accompanied with great iniquities, God will ⟨p. 15⟩plague them with great punishments. It is said, Rev. 6. 415, 16. The Kings of the earth and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, &c. hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains: And said to the mountains▪ and rocks Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, &c.
Or if you will have a Scripture-example, Let me beseech you to imitate that rich and great person, Joseph of 1Arimathea who built his Sepulchre in his garden. In the midst of all your pleasures and pastimes remember you must shortly leave them. It was a wise speech of Charles the fifth to the Duke of Venice, who, when he had shewed him the glory of his Princely Palace, and earthly Paradise, instead of admiring it, or him for it, only returned him this grave and serious memento, Haec sunt quae faciunt nos invitos mori. These are the things which make us unwilling to die. To prevent this unwillingnesse, build your Sepulchres in your earthly Paradises, and remember that you must very shortly die, and that after death comes judgement. And that you must all appeare before the tribunal seat of Christ to give a strict and impartial account of whatsoever you 2have done in the flesh, whether it be good or evil. Let great men remember, That great, and small must stand before the great God of heaven and earth at the great day of judgement, and that their greatnesse will nothing at all availe them at that day. Greatnesse without goodnesse will be but as a great fagot to burne them the more in hell. They that are great in place, and greater in sin, shall have 3great damnation. Where God hath bestowed great benefits, if they be accompanied with great iniquities, God will ⟨p. 15⟩plague them with great punishments. It is said, Rev. 6. 415, 16. The Kings of the earth and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captaines, and the mightie men, &c. hid themselves in the dens, and in the rocks of the mountains: And said to the mountains▪ and rocks Fall on us, aud hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, &c.
- 1John 19. 38.
- 2Rev 10. 12.
- 3Patents potenter torque•untur.P•tentes potenter torque•untur.
- 4Ingentia b•eficia, ingentia vitia, ingentia supplicia.
