Heaven upon earth, or, The best friend in the worst of times. Delivered in…

O the folly of man (saith Seneca) who thinks to begin to live, when a thousand to one but he will be dead and rotten! I may say, O the madness of sinners, who make account to be looking after Heaven then, when it's likely their souls may be in Hell! Judge now whether this be wisdom. Now you think time one of the poorest commodities in the world, it's a very drug which lies upon your hand, a day or two, a week, a year is no great matter with you: but believe it, the case will be altered with a witness ere long. Seneca wondered when he heard some asking one of his friends for to spend two or three weeks with them, when he saw how easily the request was granted, as if they asked as little as nothing, when they asked time of him: Thus (saith he) one of the preciousest things in the world is thrown away as little worth. When you come to lie upon your death-bed, we shall have you have other thoughts of time: then, a world, if you had it, for one of those hours, that you could not tell how to spend. You now study how to rob you self of your precious time, you invent ⟨p. 349⟩pastimes, not considering how swiftly time flies, and how much you will prize it before long. O remember no body can give you a moment of that time when you want it, that you are now so prodigal of. When time is past, if you would give a world to recall it, it could not be: If you would give thousands for the renewing of this Lease, it would be refused. Therefore live quickly. Mans time runs away first. Optima quaequae dies miseris mortalibus aevi, prima fugit... Seneca: And then my Author Comments very bravely upon the whole verse.

O the folly of man (saith Seneca) who thinks to begin to live, when a thousand to one but he will be dead and rotten! I may say, O the madness of sinners, who make account to be looking after Heaven then, when it's likely their souls may be in Hell! Judge now whether this be wisdom. Now you think time one of the poorest commodities in the world, it's a very drugg which lies upon your hand, a day or two, a week, a year is no great matter with you: but believe it, the case will be altered with a witness ere long. Seneca wondred when he heard some asking one of his friends for to spend two or three weeks with them, when he saw how easily the request was granted, as if they asked as little as nothing, when they ask'd time of him: Thus (saith he) one of the preciousest things in the world is thrown away as little worth. When you come to lie upon your death-bed, we shall have you have other thoughts of time: then, a world, if you had it, for one of those hours, that you could not tell how to spend. You now study how to rob you self of your precious time, you invent