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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A54178	No cross, no crown, or, Several sober reasons against hat-honour, titular-respects, you to a single person, with the apparel and recreations of the times being inconsistant with Scripture, reason, and practice, as well of the best heathens, as the holy men and women of all generations, and consequently fantastick, impertinent and sinfull : with sixty eight testimonies of the most famous persons of both former and latter ages for further confirmation : in defence of the poor despised Quakers, against the practice and objections of their adversaries / by W. Penn ...	Penn, William, 1644-1718.	1669 (1669)	Wing P1327; ESTC R15257	90,375	122

EVIL 2. Ignatius who lived within the first hundred years after Christ left this amongst other things behind him who was torn in pieces of wild Beasts at Rome for his true Faith in Jesus There is nothing better than the peace of a good Conscience Intimating there might be a peace to wicked Consciences that is past feeling any thing to be evil but swallowed up of the pleasures of the World And in his Epistle to the Churches at Ephesus Magnesia Trallis and Rome upon his Martyrdom saith Now do I begin to be a Disciple I weigh neither visible nor invisible things so that I gain Christ 3. Iraenius called a Father saith Such who make large Confessions and speak virtuous words and yet are not conformable to them in their life and conversation are nothing worth 4. Justin Martyr a Christian Philosopher plainly tells us in his relation of his conversion to the Christian Faith That the power of Godliness in a plain simple Christ had that influence and operation on his soul that he could not but betake himself to a serious and strict life and yet before a Cynick And this gave him joy at his Martyrdom having spent his dayes as a serious Teacher and a good Example And Eusebius relates that though he was a follower of Plato's doctrine yet when he saw the Christians piety and courage he concluded no people so temperate less voluptuous and more set on divine things which first induced him to be a Christian 5. Chrysostom another Father so call'd said To sacrifice the whole soul and body to the Lord is the highest service we can pay unto him God promiseth mercy to penitent sinners but he doth not promise them they shall have so much time as to morrow for their repentance 6. Charles the 5th Emperour of Germany King of Spain and Lord of the Nether-lands After twenty three Pitch'dfields six Triumphs four Kingdoms conquer'd and eight Principalities added to his Dominions a greater Instance than whom can scarce be given after all this Pomp Resigned all up to other hands betook himself to his retirement leaving this Testimony behind concerning the life spent in the honours and pleasures of the world and in that little time of his retreat from them all That the sincere study profession and practice of the Christian Religion had in it such joys and sweetness as COURTS were strangers to 7. Sir Philip Sidney a person whose parts courage and virtue were of such reputation aswel beyond the Seas as here at home that had Queen Elizabeth agreed upon the earnest sollicitation of the Polanders he had 't was said been ellected King of that vast Dominion of more than 2600 miles in circumference when he say upon his Death-bed and just departing the world he bad his friends behold in him the end of this worlds desires and enjoyments Reputing what was so much pursued by the Great Ones as poor abject and unworthy of their immortal souls and amongst other things his Arcadia than which though there have been many Newer Romances there is not one more modest and ingenious yet as an effect of his youthful Melancholy Amours that could be profitable unto none but rather impress the like fancies upon others and raise that which with all industry should timely be allay'd and totally extinguished in them he earnestly requested his great friend the Lord Brooks that it might be cast into the flames and never prove so injurious to his Memory which he desired to have continued and preserved on more serious subjects nor those who should spend their precious time in reading of it as to be published to the world although it is translated into most usual languages Such were the serious apprehensions of this dying man and his advice to them he left behind him who certainly then best knew the benefit or dis-service that would redound from the like conversation neither have I observed any Person left upon Record in all our English stories whom all Persons as well as the Historians agreed to merit so great an esteem but more especially for his great Modesty Yet after all we hear his Recantation of the many unnecessary things and his Recommendation of but the one thing necessary to his Friends as what would most rejoyce at last 8. Secretary Walsingham in Queen Elizabeth's time towards the conclusion of his dayes in a Letter to his once fellow Secretary then Chancellor of England called Lord Burliegh writes thus We have lived enough to our Countrey our Fortunes our Soveraign it is high time we begin to live to our selves and to our God Which giving occasion for some Court-humourist to visit and divert him Ah! said he while we laugh all things are serious round about us God is serious when he preserveth us and hath patience towards us Christ is setious when he dieth for us the Holy Ghost is serious when he striveth with us the whole Creation is serious in serving God and us they are serious in Hell and Heaven and shall a man that hath one foot in his grave jest and laugh None can be serious too soon because none can be good too soon away then with all foolish talking and jesting and mind more profitable things 9. One they call Sir John Mason who had been Privy Counsellor to four Princes and spent much time in the preferments and pleasures of the world retired with these regretful sayings After so many years experience Seriousness is the greatest wisdom Temperance the best Physick a good Conscience is the best estate and were I to live again I would change the COURT for a Cloyster my Privy Counsellors bussles for an Hermits retirement and the whole life I lived in the Palace for one hours enjoyment of God in the Chappel ALL THINGS ELSE FORSAKE ME BESIDES MY GOD MY DUTY AND MY PRAYERS 10. One call'd Sir Henry Wotton thought it to be the greatest happiness in this life to be at leisure to be to do good As in his latter end he was wont to say when he reflected on past times though a man esteem'd sober and learned HOW MUCH TIME HAVE I TO REPENT OF AND HOW LITTLE TO DO IT IN 11. The Lord Bacon sometime before his death confessed That to be Religious was to live strictly and severely for if the opinion of another World be false yet the sweetest life in this World is Piety Virtue and Honesty if it be true there be none so wretched and miserable as loose carnal and prophane Persons 12. One Dr. Donne and a great Poet taking his farewel of his Friends on his dying bed left this saying behind him for them to measure their fancies and their actions by I repent of All my life but that part of it I spent in communion with God and doing good 13. Selden the greatest Scholler and Antiquary of these Kingdoms one who had taken a diligent survey of what knowledge was considerable amongst the Jews Heathens and those call'd Christians at last professeth

will repeat some of his grave Sentences as reported by Laertius Diocles and others namely That those are only noble who are vertuous that vertue was self-sufficient to happiness That it consisteth in actions not requiring many words nor much learning and is self-sufficient to wisdom for that all other things have reference thereunto That men should not Govern by force nor by Laws unless good but by Justice To a Friend complaining he had lost his Notes Thou shouldst have writ them upon thy mind saith he and not in a Book Those who would never die saith he must live justly and piously Being asked what learning was best That saith he which unlearneth evil To one that prais'd a life full of pleasures and delicacies Let the sons of my Enemies saith he live delicately counting it the greatest misery We ought saith he to aim at such pleasures as follow honest labour and not those which go before it When at any time he saw a Woman richly dress'd he would in a way of reproach bid her Husband bring out his Horse and Arms meaning If he were prepared to justifie the injuries such wantonness useth to produce he might the better allow those dangerous freedoms Otherwise saith he pluck off her rich and gaudy Attire He is said to exclaim bitterly against Pleasures often saying I had rather be mad than addicted to Pleasure and spend my dayes in decking and feeding my Carkase Those sayes he who have once learned the way to temperance and virtue let them not offer to entangle themselves again with fruitless stories and vain learning nor be addicted to corporal delicacies which dull the mind and will divert and hinder them from the pursuit of those more noble and heavenly vertues Upon the death of his beloved Master Socrates he instituted a Sect called Cynicks out of whom came that vast Sect of the Stoicke both which had these common principles which they daily with great and unwearied diligence did maintain and instruct People in the knowledge of viz. No man is wise or happy but the good and vertuous man that not much learning nor study of many things was necessary that a wise man is never drunk nor mad that he never sinneth That a wise man is void of passion That he is sincere religious grave that he only is divine that such only are Priests and Prophets that they have God in themselves and that his Law is imprinted in theit minds and the minds of all men that such a one only can pray is innocent meek temperate ingenious noble a good Magistrate Father Son Master Servant and worthy of praise On the contrary that wicked men can be none of these that the same belongs to Men and Women Their diet was slender their food only what would satisfie nature their coverings exceeding mean their habitations solitary and homely They affirm'd those who liv'd with fewest things and were contented most nearly ap proached God who wants nothing They voluntarily despised riches glory and nobility as foolish shews and vain fictions that had no true and solid worth or happiness in them They made all things to be good or evil and flatly deny'd the idle stories of Fortune and Chance Certainly these were they who having no external Law became a Law unto themselves and did not abuse the knowledge they had of the invisible God but to their capacities improved that piety of life and instructed men in that righteous serious sollid and heavenly Principle which leads to true and everlasting happiness Aristotle Scholler to Plato and the Oracle of Philosophy to these very times though not so divinely Contemplative as his Master nevertheless follows him in this and looks upon all such Productions to be that folly and vanity which should by good discipline be exil'd humane societies Aristotle seeing a youth finely drest said Art thou not asham'd when Nature hath made thee a man to make thy self a woman And to another gazing on his fine Cloak Why doest thou boast of a Sheeps fleece He said It was the duty of a good man to live so under Laws as he should do if there were none Clitomathus and Epaminondas two great Captains and Champions at War The first is reported to have been so very chaste and virtuous in his disposition That if he had heard any talk vain or obscene discourse he presently was wont to quit the Company and be gone The later is described to have been a man out-stripping any of his time in good and virtuous things and therefore had in great reverence by the People of those times but above other things they observed That he would never lye neither in jest nor earnest though for his own advantage so devoted was he to a just and righteous Conversation Phocion a very famous Athenian honest and poor yet he contemned Riches Philip King of Macedonia could not corrupt him with all his Wealth and when several perswaded him to accept of his offers or else his Children would be in need He answered If they be like me that which serv'd me will serve them If unlike I will not seek to nourish their luxury by providing superfluities good men will be content with few things and they that would seek for more do not deserve what they have How much do these wise expressions condemn the pride and wantonness of this Age Surely 't were better to be a Phocion in the day of Judgment than thousands that call themselves by the splended Name of Christian who are strangers to the Life of it Mandanius a great and famous Philosopher of the Gymnosophisies whom Alexander the first Greecian Emperour called the Great required to come to the Feast of Jupiter's Son meaning himself declaring that if he came he should be rewarded if not he should be put to death The Prilosopher contemned his Message as vain and sordid He first told them That he deny'd him to be Jupiter's Son a meer fiction Next That as for his gifts he esteemed them nothing worth his own Country could furnish him with necessaries beyond which he coveted nothing And lastly as for the death he threatn'd He did not fear it but of the two he wished it rather In that said he I am sure it is a change to a more blessed and happy state How little these called Christians are true Philosophers and how much more this Philosopher was a Christian than they let the righteous Principle in every Conscience judge Is it not then intollerable that these bablers of the times should be esteem'd for Christians who are yet to learn to be good Heathens that prate of Grace and Nature and know neither who saucely will determine what 's become of Heathens and know not where they are themselves nor mind what may become of them that can run readily over a tedious List of famous Personages and callumniate such as will not with them celebrate their memories with

to Glory is enclos'd and smooth'd with such variety of carnal Pleasures no alas Conviction a wounded Spirit a broken Heart a regenerated Mind in a word Immortality would then prove as meer fictions as some make them and others therefore think them if the like practises are not for ever to be extinguish'd and expell'd all Christian society for I affirm That to one who internally knows God and hath a sense of his blessed Presence all such Recreations are death yea more dangerously evil and more apt to steal away the mind from its Heavenly exercise than grosser Impieties for they are so big they are plainly seen so dirty they are easily detested which Education and common Temperance as well as Constitution in many teach them to abhor and if they should be committed they carry with them a proportionable conviction but these pretended Innocents these supposed harmeless Satisfactions are more surprising more fatal more destructive for as they easily gain and admission of their senses so the more they pretend to Innocency the more do they secure the minds of People in the common use of them till they become so insensible of their evil Consequences that with a mighty confidence they can plead for them But as this is plainly not to deny themselves but on the contrary to employ these vain Inventions of carnal Men and Women to gratifie the desire of the Eye the desire of the Flesh and the pride of Life all which exercise the mind below the divine and only true Pleasure or else tell me what do So Be it known to such That the Heavenly Life and Christian Joyes are of another kind as hath already been express'd nay that the true Disciples of the Lord Christ must be hereunto crucified as to Objects and Enjoyments that attract downwards and that their affections should be so rais'd to a more sublime and spiritual Conversation as to use this World even in its most innocent enjoyments as if they us'd it not but if they take pleasure in any thing below it shall be in some of those good Offices before-mention'd whereby a benefit may redound in some respect in which God is honour'd over all visible things the Nition reliev'd the Government better'd themselves rendred exemplary of good and thereby justly intituled to present Happiness a sweet Memorial with Posterity and to a seat at his Right hand where there are Joyes and Pleasures for ever than which there can be nothing more honourable nothing more certain world without end Reas 7. There should be no vanity of Apparel nor Recreations common amongst those who would be Christians indeed because both that which invented them delights to have them and pleads so strongly for them is inconsistent with the true Spirit of Christianity nor doth the very nature of the Christian Religion admit of these things For therefore was it that Immortality and Eternal Life was thereby brought to light that Mortality and all the pleasures of it in which the world lives might be forgone and relinquished and for that reason it is that nothing less than immense Rewards and eternal Mansions are promised but that Men and Women might therefore be encourag'd willingly to forsake the vanity and fleshly satisfactions of the World and encounter with boldness the shame and sufferings they must expect to receive at the hand of it may be their nearest and otherwise dearest Intimates and Relations For if the Christian Religion had admitted the Possession of this World in any other sense than the simple and naked use of those Creatures really given of God for the necessity and convenience of the whole Creation for instance Did it allow all that Pride Vanity Curiosity Pomp Exchange of Apparel Honours Preferments Fashions and the Customary Recreations with what ever may delight and gratifie their senses Then what need of a daily Cross a self-denying Life working out Salvation with fear and trembling seeking the things that are above having the Treasure and heart in Heaven No idle talking no vain jesting but fearing and meditating all the day long undergoing all reproach scorn hard usage bitter mockings and cruel deaths What need these things and why should they be expected in order to that glorious Immortality and eternal Crown if the Vanity Pride Expence Idleness Concupiscence Envy Malice and whole manner of living among the called Christians were allow'd No certainly but as the Lord Jesus Christ well knew in what foolish trifles and vain pleasures as well as grosser impieties the minds of Men and Women were fixed and how much they were degenerated from the Heavenly principle of Life into a coverous seeking after the enjoyments of this perishing World nay inventing daily new ones to gratifie their Lusts so did he not less foresee the difficulty that all would have to relinquish and forsake them at his call and with what great unwillingness they would take their leave and be weaned from them wherefore as inducements thereunto he did not speak unto them in the Language of the Law as that they should have an Earthly Canaan great Dignities a numerous Issue a long Life and the like no rather the contrary at least to take these things as they should fall but he speaks to them in a higher strain namely That he assures them of a Kingdom and a Crown that are Immortal that neither Time Cruelty Death Grave nor Hell with all its instruments shall ever be able to disappoint or take away from those who should believe and obey him further That they should be taken into that neer Aliance of loving Friends yea the intimate divine Relation of dear Brethren and Co-heirs with him of all Coelestial Happiness and glorious Immortality wherefore if it be recorded That those who heard not Moses were to die much more they who refuse to hear and obey the Precepts of this great and Eternal Rewarder of All that diligently seek and follow him And therefore it was that he was pleased to give us in his own Example a tast of what his Disciples must expect to drink more deeply of namely The Cup of Self-denyal cruel Tryals and most bitter Afflictions He came not to Consecrate a way to the Eternal Rest through Gold and Silver Ribbons Laces Points Perfumes costly Cloaths curious Trim's exact Dresses rich Jewels pleasant Recreations Play 's Parks Treats Balls Masques Revels Romances Love-songs flattering Sonnets and the like Pastime of the World No no alas but by forsaking all such kind of entertainments yea and sometimes more lawful enjoyments too and chearfully undergoing the loss of all on the one hand and the Reproach Ignominy and the most hateful Persecutions from ungodly men on the other alas he needed never to have wanted such variety of worldly Pleasures had they been sutable to the work he came to do for he was tempted as are his followers with no less bait than all the Gloryes of the World however Satan ly'd in saying

extravagant and superstitious praises whilst it 's laudable to act the contrary and no so ready away to become vitious as not to be so a strange paradox but too true so blind so stupified so besotted are the foolish sensualists of the world under their great pretences to Religion Faith and Worship Ah! did they know the peace the joyes the unspeakable ravishment of soul that inseparably attend the innocent harmless still and retired Life of Jesus Did they but weigh within themselves the Authors of their vain delights and pastimes the nature and disposition they are so grateful to the dangerous consequences of exercising the mind and its affections below and arresting them from their due attendance and obedience to the most holy crying Voice in their Consciences repent return all is vanity and vexation of spirit Were but these things reflected on were the incessant woings of Jesus and his importunate knocks and intreaties at the door but kindly answered and he admitted to take up his possession there And lastly were such resolved to give up to the instructions and holy guidance of his eternal Spirit in all the humble heavenly and righteous Conversation it requires and of which he is become our Captain and Example then O then both root and branch of Vanity the Nature that invented and which delights her self therein with all the folly's themselves would be consum'd and vanish But they alas cheat themselves by misconstrued Scriptures and daub with the untempered Mortar of misapply'd Promises My Friends mind the just Witness holy Principle in your selves that you may experimentally know more of the divine Life in which and not in a multitude of vain repetitions and aiery fancies true and sollid felicity eternally consists Hipparchia A fair Macedonian Virgin Noble of Blood as they term it but more truly noble of mind I cannot omit to mention who entertain'd so earnest an affection for Crates the Cynical Philosopher as well for his severe life as excellent discourse that by no means could her Relations nor Suiters by all their wealth nobility beauty disswade her from being his companion Upon which strange resolution they all betook themselves to Crates beseeching him to shew himself a true Philosopher in perswading her to desist which he strongly endeavoured by many arguments but not prevailing went his way and brought all the little furniture of his house and shew'd her This saith he is thy Husband that the furniture of thy house Consider on it for thou canst not be mine unless thou followest the same course of life for being rich above 20 tallents which is more then 50000. l. he neglected all to follow a retired studious life all which had so contrary an effect that she immediately went to him before them all and said I seek not the pomp and effeminacy of this world but knowledge and vertue Crates and chuse a life of temperance before a life of delicacies for true satisfaction thou know'st is in the mind and that pleasure is only worth seeking that lasts for ever Thus was it she became the constant companion both of his love and life his friendship and his virtues travelling with him from place to place and performing the publick Exercises of Instruction with Crates wherever they came She was a most violent enemy to all Impiety but especially to wanton men and women and those whose garb and conversation shew'd them devoted to vain pleasures and pastimes Effeminacy rendring the like persons not only unprofitable but pernitious to the whole world Which she as well made good by the example of her exceeding industry temperance and severity as those are wont to do by their intemperance and folly for ruine of health estates virtue and loss of eternal happiness have ever attended and ever will attend such earthly minds Thus may the voluptuous Women of the times read their reproofs in the character of a brave Heathen and learn That sollid happiness consists in a divine and holy composure of mind in a neglect of wealth and greatness and contempt of all corporal pleasures as more befitting Beasts than immortal Spirits And which are us'd by none but such as not knowing the excellency of heavenly things are both inventing and delighting like brutes in that which perisheth giving the preference to poor mortality and spending their lives to gratifie the lusts of a little dirty flesh and blood that shall never enter into the Kingdom of Heaven by which their minds become dark'ned and so insensible of more Coelestial Glory 's that they do not only refuse to enquire after them but infamously scoff and despise whosoever do as a foolish frantick meer mad People to that strange degree of darkness and impudence this Age has got But if the exceeding temperance chastity virtue industry and contentedness of very Heathens with the plain and necessary enjoyments God has been pleased to vouchsafe the Sons and Daughters of Men as sufficient to their wants that they may be the more at leisure to answer the great end of their being born will not suffice but that they will exceed the bounds precepts and examples both of Heathens and Christians by the invention of vanities to indulge their bodies Wrath and inexpressible anguish shall overtake them when they shall have an Eternity to think with gnashing teeth on what to all Eternity they can never remedy These dismal wages are decreed to be their lot who so far affront God Heaven and Eternal felicities as to neglect their acquaintance with them and daily increase in the love and knowledge of them meerly to gratifie the desires of perishing flesh and for the enjoyment of a few fading toyes For such to think that notwithstanding their lives of sense and pleasure wherein their minds become slaves to their bodies that they shall be everlastingly happy is one of the greatest evils they can commit since 't is the greatest abuse to the Holy God that Men and Women should believe him an eternal companion for their carnal and sensual minds for as the tree falls so it lyes as death leaves them judgment finds them there 's no repentance in the grave Therefore you to whom this comes O retire with-draw a while let not the Body see all taste all enjoy all but let the Soul see too taste and enjoy that knowledge and divine food and those heavenly refreshments proper to that invisible World of which she is an Inhabitant and where she must abide in an eternal state of peace or plagues when this visible one shall be dissolved Quintillian had so ill an opinion of the Stage-players that besides other enormities he plainly termed them Hypocrites gross dissemblers and lyars from counterfeiting the manner measure motion gesture gate feature and actions of such persons as they represent whose fashion and humour they too often insinuate in beholders as well as they retain them themselves when they have put on their own cloaths again How true this guess was in an Heathen

in the flesh which should be crucified This was the ground of their suffering and their loud cryes against the Impieties of the greatest not sparing any ranks from the Throne to the Dunghil as knowing their God was no respector of Persons And now if you would follow them indeed if you would be Protestants in substance if you would obtain the heavenly Inheritance if you would be Eternally blessed be ye perswaded to shake hands with all the pride and pemp of this vain World mind the concerns of an everlasting rest let the just and serious Principle of God be the constant guide and companion of your minds and let your whole hearts be exercised thereby that you may experiment an intire Reformation and change of Affections that having the joyes and glory of another world in your view you may give your best diligence to make your Calling and Election to the possession of them sure and certain left selling that noble Inheritance for a poor mess of perishing potage you never enter into his Eternal Rest And though this testimony may seem tedious yet could it by no means be omited But because no Instance hath been made to authorize our last Reason of converting superfluities into the relief of distressed persons although one would think it is so equal and sober that it needs no other Authority than its own yet I shall produce Two Testimonies so remarkable that as they ever were esteem'd truly good so cannot be believ'd so by any that refuse to do the same without believing their condemnation It is reported of Paulinus Bishop of Nola in Italy That instead of converting the Demeans of his Diocess to particular enrichments he employ'd it all in the Redemption of poor Slaves and Prisoners believing it unworthy of the Christian Faith to see God's Creation labour under the want of what he had to spare All agree this was well done but few agree to do the same But more particularly that of Acacius Bishop of Amida represented by Socrates Scholasticus in this manner When the Roman Souldiers purpos'd in no wise to restore again unto the King of Persia such Captives as they had taken at the winning Azazena being about seven thousand in number to the great grief of the King of Persia and all ready to starve for food Acacius lamented their condition and calling his Clergy together said thus unto them Our God hath no need of DISHES or of CUPS for he neither eateth nor drinketh these are not his necessaries wherefore seeing the Church hath many precious JEWELS both of GOLD and SILVER bestowed of the free will and liberality of the Faithful it is requisite that the Captive Souldiers should be therewith redeemed and delivered out of prison and bondage and they perishing with Famine should therewith be refreshed and relieved After these and the like Arguments he prevailed to have them all converted into Money some for their immediate Refreshment some for their Redemption and the rest for Costage or provision to defray the charges of their Voyage Which noble act had such an universal Influence that it more fam'd the Christian Religion amongst the Infidels than all their Disputes or Battels insomuch that the King of Persia and an Heathen said The Romans endeavour to win their Adversaries both by Wars and Favours and greatly desired to behold that man who 's Religion taught so much Charity to Enemies which 't is reported Theodosius the Emperour commanded Acacius to gratifie him in And if the Apostle Paul's expression hath any force That he is worse than an Infidel who provides not for his Family how greatly doth this Example aggravate your shame that can behold such pity and compassion expres'd to Strangers nay Enemies and those Infidels too and be so negligent of your own Family for England is no more as not only to see its great necessity's unanswer'd but that wherewith it should be satisfied converted to gratifie the lust of the Eye the lust of the Flesh and the pride of Life But however such can please themselves in the deceitful daubings of their Priests and dream themselves members of Jesus Christ Sure it is these things were otherwise in the beginning for all was sold and put into a common Purss to supply all Indigences not mattering earthly Inheritances further than they might in some sense be subservient to the great end for which they were given namely the good of the Creation having their minds and thoughts taken up with better things and ravish'd with the assurance of a more excellent Life and Inheritance in the Heavens that should never pass away And for any to flatter themselves with being Christians whilst exercis'd in the vanities recreations and customs of the world as at this very day is to mock the great God and abuse their immortal Souls the Christian Life is quite another thing And lest that any may object Many do great and seemingly good Actions to raise their Reputation only and others only decry Pleasure because they have not wherewithal or know not how to take it I shall present such with the several brief Expressions of dying men and those of the greatest Note and Rank and whose Experience could not be wanting to give the truest account how much their Honours Pleasures and Recreations conduc'd to their satisfaction upon the extream moments of their dying beds when Death and that passage into vast Eternity look'd them in the face The serious Apprehensions and Expressions of several aged and dying Men of fame and learning 1. Solomon than whom none is said to have more delighted himself in the enjoyments of this world hear what he says after all his experience I said in my heart Go to now I will prove thee with mirth therefore enjoy pleasure and behold this also is vanity I said of Laughter It is mad and of Mirth What doth it I made me great works builded Houses planted Vineyards made Gardens and Orchards planted Trees in them of all kind of Fruit. I got me Servants and Maidens also great Possessions I gathered me Silver and Gold and the peculiar Treasure of Kings and Provinces also Men-singers and Women-singers and the delights of the sons of men as Musical Instruments and that of all sorts So I was great and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them I with held not mine heart from any joy Then I looked on all the works which my hands had wrought and behold ALL VVAS VANITY AND VEXATION OF SPIRIT The reason he gives in the 18th 19th verses is That the time of enjoying them was very short and uncertain he was who shall be benefitted thereby when he was gone Wherefore he concludes all with this Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole duty of man FOR GOD SHALL BRING EVERY VVORK INTO JUDGEMENT VVITH EVERY SECRET THING VVHETHER IT BE GOOD OR VVHETHER IT BE

this towards the end of his dayes That notwithstanding he had been so laborious gather'd so many curiosities of Learning in Books and Manuscripts comprehending almost all subjects in the world yet could he rest his Soul on none save the Scriptures and above all that passage lay as most remarkable upon his spirit Titus 2. 11 12 13 14 15. For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for that blessed hope and glorious Appearing of the great God our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from All iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good works These things speak and exhort and rebuke with all authority 14. Hugo Grotius than whom these latter Ages think they have not had a man of more profound Policy and universal Learning as well in his Commentaries on the Bible as various other Labours left this remarkable saying behind him which should abate the edge of other mens inordinate desires after what they falsely call Learning namely I WOULD GIVE ALL MY LEARNING AND HONOUR FOR THE PLAIN INTEGRITY AND HARMLESS INNOCENCY OF JEAN URICK who was a Religious poor man that spent eight hours of his time in Prayer eight in Labour and but eight in Meals Sleep and other necessary's And to one that admired his great Industry he returned this by way of complaint Ah! I have consumed my life in laboriously doing nothing And to a third that inquired of his Wisdom and Learning what course to take he solemnly answered BE SERIOUS Such was the sense he had how much a serious life out of that vain-glory of the worlds fruitless learning was of force towards a dying hour and answering yea excelling all other Considerations 15. To whom I joyn Salmusius that famous French Protestant Scholler and the others Contemporary who after his many Volumns of Learning by which he had acquired so much esteem as scarcely to be nam'd without venerable Titles confessed so far to have mistaken true Learning and that in which sollid happiness consists that he exclaim'd thus against himself Oh! I have lost a world of TIME TIME that most precious thing in the world whereof had I but one year more it should be spent in David's Psalms and Paul's Epistles Oh Sirs said he to those about him Mind the World less and God more The fear of the Lord that is Wisdom and to depart from evil that is Understanding 16. Cardinal Mazarine the great Statesman of his time whose aim was to obtain the Glory and Greatness of the World and to which end all other considerations he made submit was of another mind a little before his death being awakened by the smart lashes of Conscience which represented his Souls condition in so dismal a manner and caus'd such astonishment of mind that with weeping he cry'd out O MY POOR SOUL WHAT WILL BECOME OF THEE WHITHER WILT THOU GO And spoke one day thus to the Queen-Mother of France Madam YOUR FAVOURS HAVE UNDONE ME WERE I TO LIVE AGAIN I WOULD BE A CAPUCHIN RATHER THAN A COURTIER 17. And to conclude these serious Instances I shall make one more which though in order should have come in before yet because one of the most importent and this Nations more peculiarly fit for consideration I shall place it here and namely The dying words of HENRY Prince of Wales eldest Son to King JAMES of whom others say many generous things hear what account he gives of himself at last A Person whom he more then ordinarily esteem'd and that had been his companion at Tennis asking him How he did was answered thus amongst many other sober expressions AH TOM I IN VAIN WISH FOR THAT TIME I LOST WITH THEE AND OTHERS IN VAIN RECREATION So vain was Recreation and so precious was Time upon a dying bed And why wish'd he with others for more time but that it might be otherwise employ'd Thus hath the just Principle and holy Spirit of God throughout all Generations convinced men of their vanity and folly upon their dying beds who before were too much taken up therewith to mind either a dying bed or vast Eternity but when their dayes were almost numbred when mortality hasten'd on them when the revelation of the righteous Judgement was at the door and that all their worldly Recreations and Enjoyments must be parted with and that Eye for ever shut and Flesh turn'd to worms-meat that took delight therein then O then it was the holy Witness had time to plead with Conscience then nothing but a holy strict and severe life was valuable then All the world for a little time who before had given all their time for a little of a vain world But if so short a representation of the inconsistency of the vanities of the world with the Christian life could make so deep an impression Oh! to what a noble stature and large proportion had they been grown in all Pious and Heavenly knowledge and how much greater had their Rewards been if they contentedly had foregone those perishing Entertainments of the World betimes and given the exercise of their minds to the tuition and guidance of that universal Grace and Holy Spirit of God which had so long shined in darkness uncomprehended of it and was at last but just perceiv'd to give a sight of what they had been doing all their dayes I shall wind up the whole with this short Description of the Christans within the first hundred years after Christ as what may further justifie not only my Reasons but the Dying Expressions of these several Persons viz. That as a severe life is the Christian life so that it is incomparably sweeter than all the vain Inventions Fashions and Pleasures of the World 18. The description was originally given by Philo-Judaeus and cited by Eusebius Pamphilius thus That those Christians renounced their substance and sever'd themselves from all the cares of this life and forsaking the Cities they lived solitarily in Fields and Gardens They accounted their company who followed the Country-life of cares and bussle as unprofitable and hurtful unto them as it was likely who then lived thus to the end that with earnest and fervent desire they might imitate them which lead this prophetical and heavenly life In many places this people liveth for it behoveth as well the Grecians as the Barbarians to be partakers of this absolute goodness But in Egypt in every Province they abound and especially about Alexandria From all parts the better sort withdrew themselves into the soil and place of these Worshippers as they were called as a most commodious place adjoyning to the Lake of Mary in a low Vale very fit both for its security and the temperance of the Air. They are further reported to have Meeting-houses where the most part of the day was employed