The First Chapter .

An exhortation moouing euery one to apply himselfe to this lesson of learning to Die .

TRue it is , that our abode heere in this world is an ordinaunce established of God , and may also be very acceptable to man . To procure the continuaunce of life , by meanes ordained , is allowable . Eccles. 38. 3. To auoide thinges hurtfull to the preseruation thereof , is behoouefull . Wilfully to hinder our owne health , is not onely against the cours● of nature , but a way to tempt the very God of nature . To wish eyther to bee gonne sooner , or to stay longer in this earthly station , then it shal seeme good vnto him , by whose appointment wee all stand , is a part ( saith one ) of great ingratitude . The time therefore allot●ed vs to walke in , we may accept , vntill God cal vs away , with thankefull hearts : vsing that space to serue him , Luc. 2. 72 in holinesse and righteousnesse . To desire with the Prophete , Psal. 72. 15. that God , who hath taught vs from our youth by , would not leaue vs in age , when wee are gray-headed : vntill wee haue shewed his power vnto them who are yet to come . With Ezechias to do God yet a little more seruice in the world . Esa 38. 4 With S. Paule to be content to stay our ▪ dissolution , Phil. 1. 24 to be helpefull vnto others . In which respectes , we may accept of , and wish yet some farther continuaunce of our selues and others . The true Israelites in desiring so hartely the life and preseruation of Dauid their king ; 2. Sam. 21 17. because when he should be taken from them , the light of Israel wold bee quenched , and many a good Israelite shoulde ( as Iacob saide ) bring his gray heires with sorrow , Gen. 42. 38. vnto the graue , did herein she● , no lesse dutifull , then godly affection . Notwithstanding , seeing that man hath here onely a course to finish , which beeing finished , he must away : seeing that life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , true as the saying hath , a debt to Death , who hath absolute authority ouer all , then as the Prophet Daniell said , Heare acceptable counsell : Nay heare O man , Dan. 4. 24. counsell by the wisest amongst men , from the God of Heauen , Eccles 12. 1. Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth : or at the least , before the dayes come wherin thou shalt saye , I haue no pleasure in them : That is to wit , thy approaching end It is sufficient , 1. Pet. 4. 3. ●aith S. Peter , That wee haue seene the time past after the lustes of the Gentiles . As if he should haue said ▪ for the time past that is gone , and cannot be recalled . Now for God his sake bee carefull for the time to come . That we are not borne Angelles wee knowe , and experience dooth shew we are all mortall ▪ Liue well and Die well : If wee take heede in time , wee may , Liue , and not to Die , wee cannot . Neither are we to regard how long wee liue , but how well we liue . To take then a Religious remembrance of our end , as a potion next the heart in this miserable world , that begins apace to w●xe sickly in the doctrine of the Resu●rection , and goes forward so coldly in the exercises of Christian pietie , will with God his help be a warme , and speciall preseruatiue to the soule , To Learne to Die , is a lesson worthy our best , and best disposed attention , being a speciall preparatiue vnto a happy ende , wherein consisteth the welfare , of all our beeing . Dauid who was for his learning a Prophet ; for his acceptation ( saith the Scripture ) A man after Gods owne heart ; 1. Sam. 13. 14. was then very studious in this learning , who after watching , and fasting hee besought God to be instructed , Psal. 39. 5 concerning the nomber of his dayes , and the time hee had yet to liue : Like the carefull scholler that breakes his sleepe , forsakes his meate , is often in meditation , when he ●eates vpon some seriou● subiect . Now therefore this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , of all lessons , or learninges , Cor. 1. 20. this learning to Die , what more waighty ? what more diuine ? where is the Scribe ? where is the Disputer ? what is it to haue the force of Demosthenes ? the pe●swasiue arte of Tully , so great an Orator ? What is it by Arithmeticall accompte , to deuide the least fractions , and with the man of God , neuer to think of nombring the time we haue yet to liue ? what is it by Geometrie , to take the longitude of the most spatious prospectes , and not to measure that , which the Prophete calleth , onely a span long ? what is it to set the Triapason in a musicall concent , and for want of good gouernement , to lead a life all out of tune ? what is it with the Astronomer , to obserue the motion of the Heauens , and to haue his harte buried in the earth ? With the Naturalist , to search out the cause of many effectes , and let passe a consideration of his owne ●railty ? With the Historian to knowe what others haue doone , and to neglect the true knowledge of himselfe ? With the Lawyer to prescribe many lawes in particular , and not to remem●er the common Law of Nature , that all must Die , which is a Law generall ? In a woord , what is it for the deepest worldlings to be able by reaching pollicy , to compasse plots of high enterprise , as Doctors in that faculty , and die God knowes , like simple men ? Surely all is nothing worth . If thou art wise , bee wise then vnto thine owne soule . As the rich man , saith Fulgentius , Fulgent . epist. ad ●al . spoken of in the sixteenth of Luke , was poore in all his pompe , mourning in all his mirth : so are those who Liue and neuer Learne to Die : ignorant in all their knowledge . For why ? the greatest Rabbines in these professions , may come with Nicodemus to be catechised in this learning ▪ wherein either as babes they haue not receiued the first rudiments , or as very trewantes , haue a little by roate , and so soone forget all . Well , the perfection of our knowledge is to know God , and our selues : our selues wee best knowe , when wee acknowledge our mortall being . As men we die naturally , as Christians wee die religiously . In the schoole of Christ , first by mortifying the old man , wee endeuour to die to the world , and then by a vertuous disposing of our selues , for the day of our departure , we learne to die in the worlde . By our dying to the world , Christ is saide to come and Liue in vs , and by our dying in the world , wee are saide to goe to Liue with Christ . Gal ▪ 2. 20. Now therfore seeing to die , is so necessary , and to Die wel is so Christian-like , Phil. 1. 23. let euery one apply himselfe sov●rly to this learninge , as the greatest part of true wisedome . How many in the world beat their braines about friuolous matters : some beeing more busie to knowe where Hellis , sayth S. Chrisostome , Chrisost. in Homil. 31. then how to auoid the paines thereof : others pleasing themselues , in pelting and needelesse questions , to seeme singular amongst men . When they come to departe this world , then they perceiue they haue spunne a faire thred , and wearied themselues in vaine ; then they consider howe they shoulde rather haue applyed themselues as they ought , Wherefore to grow more and more , out of loue and liking , with these transitory delights : to breake off by little and little , from this wearysome world , to his home-warde , disposing himselfe for the day of his departure is a course most beseeming euery wise Christian. Let the vaine glorious , who with the Camelion , liue by the ayre , and therefore is said to be euer found gaping : who haue with the Moone , but a borrowed light in the world , not lighte in themselues , & therefore are still waxing and wayninge , follow shewes , and shadows , all which shal perish , in the twinckling of an eye , but let the wise Christian man Learne to die the death of the righteous , Psal. 116. 15. that so hee may liue ioyfully heere & hereafter . That which foolish menne are willing to do in the end , wise men do in the beginning . Wisedome it is with Noah , Gen. 6. 12 Gen. 41. 48. to build an Arke while the season is calme : with Ioseph to laye vp store in the dayes of plenty : while the weather is faire to bethinke our selues of a tempest : in a word , when oportunity doth serue , to follow a thriuing husbandry , sowing the seed of godly actio●s , in the field of a repentant hart , that so at the Antumne , or end of our age , we may reap the fruites of euerlasting comfort . We are for the most part euen out of the world , before euer we consider out condition in the same , and we then begin to direct our course aright , when the time is come rather to make an ende . Would to God we would remember that worthy sayinge of one , when hee was now drawing towards the period of his time , Sene. epist. 62. quando iuuenis curaui bene viuere , quando senex bene mori , When I was a yong man , my care was how to liue well , since age came on , my care hath beene h●w to die wel . And of an other , who brake out into these words : August . de . mat . Luc. 10. Nihil suauius in hac vita , quam vt quietus fiat exitus ex ●adem , In this life now nothing more sweete vnto me then to prepare for a peaceable passage from the same . With Martha we are combred about many things . Mary that sate musing , chose the good parte . Vnum est necessarium , One thing is necessary : Learne , O learne to Die . The enemy that is often loked for , dooth least hurte , when hee makes his assault . If this Basiliske Death , first see vs , before we it , there is some daunger : but if wee first discrie the Basiliske , then the Serpent dieth , wee neede not feare . The tempest before expected , dooth lesse annoy , when the storme shall arise . He that leaueth the worlde , before the worlde leaues hym , thinketh of the day of his dissolution : as the Sicke man hearkeneth to the clocke , shall giue Death the hand : like a welcome messenger , Luc. 2. 29 and with Simeon pray to depart in peace . Yet the weather is faire , Gen. 7 ▪ 5 wee may frame an Arke to saue vs from the floud . Yet Ionas calls in the streete of Ion. 3. 4 Niniuie . Yet Wisedome crieth to all that passe by , Prou. 1. 2. vsque quo : O how long will you loue vanitie ? Yet the Angels are at the gates Hos. 6. 4 of Sodome . Yet the Prophet woos ; O Iuda how shall I entreate thee ? Yet the Apostle beseecheth for Christes sake , 2. Cor. 5 20. that we would bee reconciled vnto God . To conclude , yet the Bridegroome tarries and stayes the virgins leysure , Matth. 25 7. to haue them enter with him vnto the marriage solemnitie . Lord that they would make speede , and cast off many meere vanities , seeing the ioyes of heauen carry for them . The pleasures of this worlde , are pleasures in shew : but the pleasures that Christ hath layd vp for them , that are his , are pleasures in deede . God almighty increase in our hartes a desire of this learning : that so wee may liue in his feare , & die in his loue , to liue for euer .

The Second Chapter .

Wherein is shewed , the cause why men so seldome enter into a serious remembrance of their end

CAn wee sufficiently woonder , that the regenerate manne , whome God hath made by grace , ● contemplatiue creature , and by glory , Matt. 22. 30. equalled vnto the state of Aungels , should bee so delighted in the affaires of thys vncomfortable worlde : so enchaunted with the harlot-like allurements of sinne : so carried away from himself by the way of sensuall securitie , as vtterly to cast away all remembrance of his ende , and to become worse then an Idoll of Canaan , which had eyes , & saw not , that is , to haue a Reasonable Soule , and vnderstand not to induce the sonnes of men lightly , and loosely to passe ouer a religious remembrance of this their ende ? Is his sleight , whose businesse was , and is , at , and since the fall of Adam , Gen. 3. 4. to slay soules : Nequaquam moriemini , Tush you shall not dye at all ? As if he would haue the remembrance of death ▪ but a melancholy conceite : and least it should make in mans hart too deepe an Impression of the feare of God , he will haue the Forbidden tree to delght the eye : fayre woordes to please the eare , and driue all away . Eritis vt Dii : Why ? you shall be as Gods : when his drift was to haue had them Diuels . By this we see , whose practise it is to make the worlde runne at randome as it doth , and so many graceles Libertines by a carelesse course to passe ouer their dayes in vanity , their yeares : in folly , so long , vntill they be taken by the euill day , when they thinke not of it , Eccles. 9 12. as birdes in the snare , and fishes in the nett , sayth the wise man , and so become vtterly vndone for euer . To muse of our Ende , is none of our thoghts : to heare S. Paule speake of iudgement to come , is too chilling a doctrine for our delightful dispositions , Act. 24 , 26 , and makes vs cold at the hart . We cannot abide to stay vppon such austerities . with Felix wee are not at leysure , for this ●arring musicke ▪ which soundes not a right in the consort of our worldly pleasures , and therefore will heare it another tyme , happely not at all . To thinke of death it is Acheldoma , a fielde of bloud : but to let the time slide wastfully , and our sinnes increas● daungerously : Thes. 5. 3 to promise vnto our selues many dayes , to heare placentia , and to be told of Peace , Peace , Iere. 8. 11 though sodeine destruction bee neuer so neere , is our pleasing ditty : vntill the soul bee rocke a sleepe in sinne , and sleepe as Sisera ( which God forbid ) he slept ▪ Iudg. 4. 21. but neuer waked againe . Mercyfull Lorde ! Iere. 5. 31. what will become of this at the last ? If nothing els , yet the dayly instances of death before vs , doe euidently shew , what shall in like maner shortely betide our selues . The enterlude is the same : we● are but now Actors vppon the stage of this world . They which are gon , haue played their parts : and wee which remayne , are yet acting ours , onely our Epilogue is for to ende . It is a maruaile aboue maruailes , that in a battaile , where so manye goe to the grounde , our remisse hartes can take no warning , to enter into some remembrance of our state . The neighbours fire cannot but giue warninge of approachinge flames , Mihi heri , tibi hodie : yesterday to mee , Ecclesiast. 38. 23. to day to thee . Whose turne is next , God onely knowes , who knoweth all ▪ Hee that once thought but to beginne to take his ease , Luc. 12. 20. was faine that very night , whether he would or no , to make his ende . If nothinge els , yet so manye , so apparant precedentes , should mooue vs toshake off this strange forgetfulnesse , vnlesse that complainte of Cyprian be also verified ; Cypr. de vanit . id● . Nolumus agnoscere quod ignora●e non possumus : Wee will not knowe that which we cannot but know . Good Lord , into what a daungerous Lethargie of the soule are wee fallen , when so many obiectes before our eyes , which are so often sounding in our dullest eares , can nothing moue : or at least so little , as sodeinely all is gone . Our mouing is with Agrippa , in modico tantum , but onely somewhat , which by and by is forgot againe . Our consultations are , Volumus , & nolumus , we will , and we will not : and so with the sluggarde , nothinge is done . What long discourse haue we in our greatest meetings , but dead men are partly , if not chiefly , the subiect of the same ? How often heare wee the solemne ●nell . when our selues can say , well , some body is gon ? Do we not passe by the graues of manye , who for age , and strength might haue rather seene vs lead the way ? and yet for all this , Pro. 14. 9. to dreame , as if there were no death at all ? Goe too sayth Salomon to the slothfull , sleepe on . Let fooles , as they do , make but a sporte of sinne , and say with the olde Epicures , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , B. Re● . in Tertul. de Anima . Why ? what haue we to do with death ? They shall one day finde , that death will haue to d●e with them , when he shall strip them into a shrowdinge sheete , ●inde them hand and foote , and make their last bed to be the hard and stony graue . Of which sorte of men , that moane of Moyses may iustly be renewed : Deu. 32. 29. O that this people were wise , and would remember the latter thinges . That they would cast to minde , the dayes will come , and God knoweth how soone too . When the kepers of the house shall tremble , which are the handes : when the stronge men shall bow themselues , to wit , the legges : when they shall waxe darke , that looke out of the windowes , that is to say , the eyes : When the eares , Ecclesiast. 1● . 3. 9. or daughters of musicke shal be abased : when grashoppers on bended shoulders shal be a burden : when the wheele shall be broken at the Cisterne : that is the hart , whence the head draweth the powers of life : in a word , when dust shall turne to dust againe : the ioyntes stiffed , the senses ben●mmed , the countenaunce pale , the bloud colde , the eyes closed , the browes hardened , the whole body all in fainte sweate , Ierem. 22. 29. wearied . Heare O earth , earth , sayth the Prophet : Almighty God clothed our first parentes with the shinnes of dead beasts , Gen. 3. 21. that when they saw what was about them , they should remember by reason of sinne , what shoulde become of them . When Christ shewed at his transfiguration vpon the mount , Peter and Iames , a part of his glory ; he shewed them withall Moyses , and Elyas , Mat. 17. 3 two dead men , are de●acted from men : which might bee withall a remembraunce of their mortality . When the Prophet Dauid spake of mans vncertaine condition and certayne Psa. 49. 1 ▪ 2. 3. 4. 5. en●e , in the 49. Psalme , because it is so long before ; the most glorious amongest men , in the eye of the world , will remember themselues to be but men . First , he● speaketh vnto all : Heare all yee people . And least any shoulde thinke themselues exempted , them vnto all , of all estates : High and Low , Rich and Poore , one with an other : and because he would haue it knowne to be a matter of importaunce in deede , hee sayth : My mouth shall speake of wisedome , my hart shall talke of vnderstanding : vtteringe the selfe-same twise ouer , as if wee might wonder , what the Prophet had to say , which is indeede his own wondering . Seeinge that wise men die as well as fooles : that death groweth vpon them : that their beauty shall consume in the Sepulchre : that they shall carry nothing away with them : that all their pompe shall leaue them , when they go and follow the generation of their Fathers : yet for all this they thinke that they shall continue for euer , and their dwelling places endure from one generation to another , callinge their landes after their owne names : this is their foolishnesse saith he . And surely as in many other thinges , the wisedome of man is foolishnesse with God , so is it in this , 1. Cor. 1. ● . 5. Ioseph of Aramathea , a rich man ( as we read in the Gospel ) had a Sepulcher in his garden . Surely in places , Ioan. 19. 41. where we take felicity , wee should not but haue a mention by some good thought at least . of our mortal beeing . In all other affaires wee are often vigilant : but in this so remisse , as if all wer but a game . Did we watch death , which in times of our chiefest delighted most watcheth vs , and often taketh vs too ; then would we not liue as we liue , and sinne as we sinne , but giue a thousande dalliances , a bill of diuorce , as if for their baggage dealing we would haue no more to doe with them . But so long as wee liue , wee spend our dayes , as if we had an estate of Feesimple , or Patent at large to continue as we lift , to commit sinne , as easily as beasts drinke wat●r , without remorse , without feare . One of the greatest euils in the life of man , is a carelesse neglecte of Gods woorship . One of the greatest causes of this neglect , is the forgetfullnesse of his ende . Therfore ( saith Gregory ) doe so many cast off all care of Christian piecy , beecause they neuer care at all . Greg. mor. to minde their present condition of humane frailty . When the Prophet Ieremy woulde shewe the state of Ierusalem to haue become altogether irreligious : without mentioning many causes , hee expresseth the maine cause in briefe , as thus : Non est recordata finis , Lam. 1. 9 She remembred not her end . So by this wee see , Sathan hath no more daungerous deuise to draw men from GOD , like Absolom , who stole away the hartes of the people , when they were goyng downe to doe homage to Dauid their king , 1. Sam. 15. 6. then by stealing from their hartes this remembrance of their ende . The Panther , as is written of him , knowinge howe beastes flie from him by reason of his oughly head , which frayes them , thrusts onely his head in some secrete corner , whilest they gazing on his goodly spotted hide , nothinge suspectinge their approaching ende , suddenly he breaketh out , and prayeth vpon them . So this foule headed Panther Sathan , perceiuing well , how much delight men take in worldly pleasures , hideth his deformed head , settinge out his fine coulored skinne ; that is , the glory and vanitie of pleasaunt , but daungerous delightes , whilest in the meane time they neglecting their enemy , their ende ; hee suddenly seeketh to entrappe and deuoure them . Wherefore men had neede be prepared and vigilant in thys respect , that they may bee euer prouided against his so subtle deceites , and Remember their end , before it end them ; that is , beefore it be said , as vnto Ahaziah , 2. ki● . 1. 4. Thou shalt not come downe from the bed , vnto the which thou art gone vp . And that which is chiefest of all , beefore the soule by a consumption of sinne , pyne to death . Blessed Lord ! who ? were he not carelesse in the superlatiue degree , would not sometimes retire himselfe from this combersome world , and remember that which almost hee cannot forgett , That he must one day die ? Why did God leaue , saith S. Austen , Aug. Ep. ad Diase . our last day of our life vnknowne to vs ; was it not because euery day should be prepared of vs ? which preparing wee may not neglecte vpon paine and perill of losse foreuer . Wherefore let them take heede in time , Exod. 5 2. who passe ouer their dayes Pharao-like , Eccle. 5. 4. Atheist like , sayinge , who is the Lorde ? Wee haue sinned , and what euill is happened vnto vs ? be they well assured , that Death like a Sargeant sent from aboue , vppon an action of Debt , at the suite of Nature her selfe , will sooner or later , attache and arrest them all : and make them aunsweare this high contempt , where God himselfe is a party , at the Courte of Heauen . Let them know ▪ that all must yeelde , bee they as strong as Sampson , as glorious as Herode , as mighty as Alexander : this tyrant Time will sweepe them all away . Moyses vpon the mount Abarim : Deut. 32. 49. Aaron vpon the mount Hor: Nom. 20. 23. Methusalath after so many yeares . Gen. 5. 27 The holiest , the healthiest , where , or when , we know not : all must downe when death commeth . Wee dayly see it , and will not sticke sometymes our selues to say as much , and yet remember nothinge lesse , as if it were onely some arbitrable matter , and so wee bring our yeares to an ende , as it were a tale that is tolde . Of all other we cannot sufficiently maruelle , that olde men , when as now drooping nature putteth them in minde , that their continuance is not long , when bended backe makes them looke downe , whether they will or no , and biddes them thinke of their hearse or graue : to see these either addicted to the insatiable desire of gaine , or giuen vnto the lightest behauiour of youth , shewes them to be far from this religious remembraunce of their ende . Sophocles a heathen man would blush for shame to see the most vnseemely matches & marriages of our time . wherein age and youth are yoaked together ; a thing so contrary in nature , so vnseemely in reason , as nothing more : and the inexcusable folly of age , to bee so farre from a consideration of that which is seemely both before God and man Tully could say longe agoe , of ciuill gouernemente amongest men , Cicero de Senect. Aptissima arma senum exercitationes virtutum : Olde mens weapons , what shoulde they els bee , but exercises of vertue ? In Christianity , more fitter wer it a great deale for them , to be at their deuotions , then to do often as they doe . Isaack thoughte it tyme at Gen. 27. 2 these dayes , to commune of blessing , and of his ende : My sonne let me blesse thee , I am olde , and know not the day of my departure .

They doe as much labour in effect and more , that sit at the sterne , and gouern , as those that toyle and tosse otherwise : but to mooue age to this consideration , the very beholding of others , 2. Kin. 1. 13. that goe before them , is in reason sufficient . When the thirde gouernor ouer Fifty , of whome mention is made in the seconde booke of Kings , saw but his two fellow Captaines ouer Fifty deuoured before him , it went so nere his hart , that he came forth , fell downe and besought the man of God , that his life mighte bee pretious in his sight . How many Fifties in late yeares of mortalitie and warre haue we seene , or heard to haue beene deuoured by death ? How many of our fellow Souldiers in this spirituall conflict , in which wee all fight , haue wee seene die in the fielde ? How many of our deerest frends haue taken their leaue and gone before , and yet for all this there is no comming to make humble supplication ( I say ) not to the man of God , but to God himselfe , that our liues and deathes may be pretious in his sight As is , Psal. 116. 15. saith Dauid , the death of hys saintes . The Publicans but hearing the Axe to bee laide to the roote of the tree , and that euery tree , which did not bringe foorth fruit , should be hewen down , and cast into the fire , it made them come to Iohn the Baptist wyth their Quid faciemus ? Luc. 3. O what shall we doe to avoide these thinges ! The men of Niniueh hearing but once of their imininent ende , it wrought such , & so great remorse in them , as they all out of hand fasted , put on sackecloth , Ion. 3. 8. and sorrowed for their sinnes Often hath God knocked at the doore of our hartes , to aduertise vs of our mortalitie : For whe is there that hath not sometime experienced in himselfe by feeling the infirmity of his declining nature ? by auoidinge the perils of apparant daunger , beesides the sondry warninges to this effecte , whether we must ? And here wee may all wonder at the mercy and patience of God , whom by these motiues dooth admonish vs of our approaching ende . But yet for all this how little humblinge of our selues is ther before him , whose dominion reacheth vnto the endes of the earth , whose power is aboue all powers , 1. Sam. 2. 6. from generation to generation , worlde without ende : who bringeth to the graue , and rayseth vp agayne . What a daungerous course is it neuer to awake Christ , though the shippe leake , and bee often in perrill of drowninge , neuer to thinke of God , 1. Thess. 1. 4. 16. vntill wee stand in neede of him , Ioan. 5. 25 neuer to begin to liue , vntill wee are ready to die , 2. Pet. 3. 10. neuer to call to minde that Time of Times , Mat. 16. 27. vntill we heare the Trumpe soundinge , Matt. 25. 41. vntill we see the graues openinge , Apocal. 6. 16. the earth flaming , the heauens melting , the iudgement hastening , the Iudge with all his Angels comming in the cloudes to denounce the last doome vppon all flesh , which will bee vnto some , wo , wo : when they shall crye vnto the mountaines to couer them , and for shame of their sinnes hide themselues , if it were possible , in Hell fi●e . If we haue any feare , this shoulde mooue feare : If any remembrance , this shoulde cause a carefull remembrance of our ende . O consider , saith the Prophet , you that forget God , Least he take you away , Psalm. 5. 22. and there be none to deliuer you . Saluation is a matter of great earnest . Our Sauiour Christ by those parables of the Wise Virgins , Math. 25. ● . and Watchfull seruauntes , what els doth he teach his Disciples & vs all , Luc. 12. 37. but in so weighty a cause to be carefull in deede ? Wee haue as much neede as any that euer liued vnder the cope of heauen , considering these sinnefull dayes . When God saide , the wickednesse of men is great vppon earth , Gen. 6. 5 it was time for Noah to prepare for an Arke to saue himselfe . When once the crye of Sodome was ascended to Heauen , it was time for Lot to thinke of his departure , Gen. 19. 14. vnto the Hill countries . When this world now after many strong fittes of great contentions beginnes to trifle idlely with euery fancy , we may partlye gather by these sickly signes , which may it is drawing and say . God of Heauen helpe this worlde , for it is a weake worlde indeede . These bee no dayes to liue securely in : but rather time and high time is it for euery one , to amend one , that God may haue mercy vppon vs all . Haue wee not example by them that sleepe vntill the Bridegroomes comminge , Mat. 25. 11. that euerye knocke will not bee sufficiente warrant to enter ? Gen. 27. 38. By him , that wepte for a blessinge , when it was too late : that euery sigh will not be a satisfaction for our sins . T is most sure , and we had neede looke to it in time : Eccles. 11. 3. Where the tree falleth , there it lyeth . And as the last day ( saith S. Austen ) of our life leaueth vs ; so shall the day of Doome finde vs . To let all alone vntill it be too late , was their folly , who long since were drowned in the floud . Gen. 7. 21 To cast onely for wealth and ease , was his worldly wised●m , that made a suddaine farewell from both : when that night his soule was taken from him , Lu. 12. 20 and not yeelded of him . To deferre all vnto the last push , neuer entringe into a Religious remembraunce of our ende , is an effete of that ill spirit , called sensuall security , which kinde of Spirite is not cast out , but by Fasting and Prayer .