A96109:197
The saints delight. To which is annexed a treatise of meditation
The saints delight. To which is annexed a treatise of meditation. / By Thomas Watson, minister of Stephens Walbrook in the city of London. Imprimatur, Edm. Calamy.
London: printed by T.R. & E.M. for Ralph Smith, 1657
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The tenth subject of meditation, is, meditate of death*. We say we must all die, but who is he that meditates seriously upon it? Meditate, §11. Of the certainty of death, statutum est; 'Tis appointed for all once to die, Heb. 9.27. There's a statute out. §22. Meditate upon the proximity of death, it is near to us; Et mors atra caput fuscis circumvolat alis. — We are almost setting our feet upon the dark entry of death. The Poets painted time with wings; it not only rides Post, but flies, and carries us upon its wings. The race is short between the cradle and the grave: the sentence of death is already passed, Gen. 3.19. To dust thou shalt return; so that our life is but ⟨p. 121⟩a short reprieval from death which is granted to a condemned man; Mine age is [Greek or Hebrew], as nothing, Psal. 39.5. nay, if it were possible to take something out of nothing, our life is less than nothing, reckoned with eternity. §33. Meditate upon the uncertainty of the time. We have no Lease, but may be turned out the next hour; there are so many casualties, that it is a wonder if life be not cut off by untimely death*. How soon may God seal us a lease of ejectment? Our grave may be digging before night. To day we lie upon a pillow of down, to morrow we may be laid upon a pillow of dust. To day the Sermon-bell goes, to morrow our passing-bell may go. §44. Think seriously, that to die is to be but once done, and after death, there's nothing to be done. If thou diest in thy impenitency, there's no repenting in the grave. If thou leavest thy work at death ⟨p. 122⟩