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

I think that Proverb, though it be an Italian one, is worth our remembering, He that will lodge well at night, must set out betimes in the morning. That which keeps us from living to day, is the thoughts of living to morrow, so that we lose this day while we expect the next. Comenius speaking of the Tiger, saith, That when he hears the sound of the Trumpet, he tears & bites himself. This will be the work of the merciless Tigers of the world, that spend their time (in which they should be providing for Eternity) in hunting Gods people, and taking their pleasures; and it may be think to be a little more mild before they die; but of a sudden the Trumpet sounds, away, away, and O then what a lamentable taking are they in! how do they wish for time again, or that they had spent that which they had better? Wicked men never knew the worth of time, till they come to a Death-bed, or a while after. O then, they that made nothing of spending thirty or forty years, would lay down all they are worth for one year, one month, one day, one hour, but it's then too late. O how do they gnash their ⟨p. 350⟩teeth! with what horror do they think of past mercies, and future miseries! Men fear generally that Death will come sooner than they would have him; they bewail that their lives are short at the longest; whereas if men would wisely husband that time that God hath given them, it would be long enough: O happy is that man that hath done his great Work before his Sun is set? O foolish men that complain of God for making their lives so short, and complain not at all of themselves for making them ten times shorter: For most men lives not at all the life of Religion, and may be called Dead. Others have a name to live, and yet are little better than the former. Most that live spiritually, begin their life after they have been many years dead: & though we sit and condemn others as guilty of great imprudence in these affairs, yet, how do we at the same time justify them, by being as profusely expensive of precious time as they? O where's the man almost to be found, that doth improve time to as good advantage as he should? Among other Symptoms of a fool, this is none of the least, To be always beginning to live. What an unhandsome sight is it to see an old man learning his Letters? O remember man thou hast a great work to do!

I think that Proverb, though it be an Italian one, is worth our remembring, He that will lodge well at night, must set out betimes in the morning. That which keeps us from living to day, is the thoughts of living to morrow, so that we lose this day while we expect the next. Comenius speaking of the Tyger, saith, That when he hears the sound of the Trumpet, he tears & bites himself. This will be the work of the merciless Tygers of the world, that spend their time (in which they should be providing for Eternity) in hunting Gods people, and taking their pleasures; and it may be think to be a little more mild before they die; but of a sudden the Trumpet sounds, away, away, and O then what a lamentable taking are they in! how do they wish for time again, or that they had spent that which they had better? Wicked men never knew the worth of time, till they come to a Death-bed, or a while after. O then, they that made nothing of spending thirty or fourty years, would lay down all they are worth for one year, one month, one day, one hour, but it's then too late. O how do they gnash their