may continue so and who knows what shall bee afterwards So that what limits Chronologers use to make of States or Kingdomes proportioning the ordinary period to be five hundred yeares about which time say they they have the in period or suffer some great and visible alteration I dare not I cannot affirme alwayes to be true yet many times it falls out so as other uncertaine things may doe For instance from David the first King that sate on Judahs throne to Zedekiah the last were 470 yeares From Ceoroâ—s the first King of Athens to Codrus the last 490 yeares From Lycurgus the Law-giver of the I 〈◊〉 demonians to Alexander the great that subverted all 491 yeares Nay in our own Land from the time that Julius Gesar entred it to that time the Romans quite left it 500 yeares then after from the 〈◊〉 intrusion under their Heptarchy untill the united Monarchy by King Egbert were 460 years Indeed from the last great alteration by Duke William's Conquest to these times are a great deale more though some would have it to fall out in the beginning of King James his Reigne in whose Crowne both Yorke and Lancaster England and Scotland did so happily meet which was likewise from the Norman Conquest 536 years But these Niceties I desire not to insist in or put weight upon It s the generall onely is my ayme to shew how sading the beauty of this world is and how there 's nothing permanent here below * absirut in terra suavitâ—r â—ventium gaudiorum inveniatur Materia cum tantis alternationibus tota mundi facies immutetur ut elevans allidatur respires allisus c. Bern. in serm fest B. Ma. M. What present examples I might produce for this besides what hitherto hath been mentioned every one may conjecture that has but heard of the late desolations of fruitfull Germany the ruines of poore Ireland and the sad breaches and distractions made within these four years in this unhappy Kingdome of England each one being so many severall Monuments of the truth of this He insist no longer therefore upon it but draw up all into some usefull Applications to our selves Not to set our hearts too much upon any of these worldly things Vse 1 k Mundus transit concupiscentia ejus Quid vis utrum amare temporalia transire cum tempore an Christum amare in aeternum vivere Aug. in Joh. Habnere cuncta quo creabantur Every thing had its time of beginning and it is as true every thing shall have its time of ending and dissolution Suppose thou livest now in the height of all plenty and prosperity thou enjoyest thy health thy wealth thy friends thy Countrey and all thine heart can desire O blesse God for it and be not thereby high minded but rather feare ever remembring that of the Apostle Thou that now standest take heed least thou fall for what is it thine heart so much relies upon on (l) Ecce turbat Mundus amatur quid fi tranquillus esset formoso quomodo hares qui sic amplectars foedum flores ejus quomedo colligeres qui a spâ—â—is non revocas manum Aug. in Psal Hast thou a goodly Kingdom so had Israel yet now deprived of all Hast thou plenty of riches and all manner of store so had Job and yet within some few houres become a Proverb for his poverty while he fits in the dust tuning his fatall ditty Naked came I out of my mothers womb and naked shall I return thither againe the Lord gives and the Lord takesâ— blessed be the name of the Lord. Are thy barnes full of Corne and thy garners of encrease wantest thou room with him in the Gospel to lay up thy Treasure in O remember withall what was said unto him Thou fool this night may thy soule bee taken away from thee and then whose are all those thou dost passesse We Israel here as rich as great as full as any yet now spoyled of all can onely sit downe in a strange land and weepe When wee remember Zion Therefore me thinkes it was excellent counsell that of an ancient Heathen alwayes to consider well before hand what it is thou settest thy bea rt upon and so provide before hand that if it should please God to take that thing away from thee thou mayest not bee quite swallowed up of grief sorrow (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Epicteuâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Consider saith he with thy selfe what kinde of thing it is thou so much affectest alwayes beginning from the least If thou takest delight in a fine pot or curious glasse consider it is but a glasse a brickle vessell that may be broken and therefore if it be be not troubled so if thou dotest upon a Child or thy Wife think with thy self they are but flesh and blood they may die therefore if they doe be not troubled or thou lovest a dainty Horse and prizest him high consider he may fall lame or get a surfet or be stollen therefore if he bee bee not troubled or thy heart is let upon thy brave Houses and stately Palaces remember that a spark of fire may consume them or enemies plunder or destroy them therefore if such a thing happen be not troubled A meditation of an Heathen I confesse befitting a Christian alwayes to stand upon ones guard and with anothers Heathen whose sobriety and vigilance herein I am afraid shames many a Christian When thou art going to bed thus to thinke (n) Dic mihi dormituro potes non expergisci dic experrecto potes non dormire dic exeanti potes non redire dic re deunti potes non exire c. Sen. perhaps I may never awake up in the morning perhaps I may never lie downe againe going abroad perhaps I may never returne againe being returned perhaps I may never goe abroad again seeing there is such changes in all these outward things striving to get an heart (o) In hoc mundo non timere non dolere non laborare non periclitarâ— impossibile sed plurimuâ—◠〈◊〉 rest qua expectatione quo animo quisque patiatur Aug. ad Diâ—â—â— fitted for that change that when it pleaseth God thy try all comes thou mayest bee able to stand in the day of thy visitation Secondly since all these worldly things are so mutable let it be thy wisdome to set thine heart upon those things which are immutable and cannot be taken away * Discite in hoc Mundo supra Munâ—â—m esse si corpus geritis voliteâ— invobis ales interior Ambrosil de Virg. Pereant haec omnia dimiâ—â—anâ—â—s haec vanâ— inâ—â— a conferamus not ad solam inquisitition em corâ—â— quae 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 Aug. 〈◊〉 There is nothing here below but it 's continually subject to some losse or change onely here 's the comfort of a Christian some things there are peculiar unto him which he cannot be
the holy One of Israel and dealt exceeding deceitfully with him whom neither stormes of judgements nor calmes of mercies nor any warnings could bring home but have corrupted our wayes before him and done every one what seemed good in his own eyes and therefore Wee Wee must look to smart for it rather then others Wee for Gods correcting and chastising hand before any I remember a story in our own Chronicles of Edward the first King of England when a great Noble man had committed Treason against him and some pleaded for him that hee might well bee spared hee was a great Man No saith the King but as great hath been his Rise so great shall bee his downfall and as hee hath been raised high in Honour and hee abused it so shall hee bee in Disgrace (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chris Not unlike is Gods manner of dealing even with his own his beloved ones when once they abuse his goodnesse and forbearance Who fares worse if the Father takes in an unhappy turn then his own Son hee shall bee sure to bee beaten (b) Duos filies habet homo alierum castigat alterum dimittit facit unus male non corripitur a Patre alter mox ut se moverit Colaphis caeditur flagellatur Vnde ille dimittitur ille caeditur nisi quia huic caeso Haereditas servatur ille autem dimissus exhaeredatus est Aug. in Psal 93. whoever else scape free Whom sooner being taken in a fault does the Master correct then his own servants whiles others who are strangers goe untouched And did I not run over this point in haste as not so pertinent to what is intended here I could tell you why As First Because Wee Gods Children have been better taught then others who have not had such knowledge of his Laws therefore for such to know their Masters will and doe it not makes them more liable to bee beaten with many stripes (c) Quid mirum si iste mundus tanquam servus jam sciens voluntateÌ„ Domini faciens digna plagis vapulet 〈◊〉 Aust Luk. 12.47 Secondly They have received more Mercies then others and for them now to sin against these against all those pretious priviledges and immunities all these winning favours and goodnesses of their God as it is with a Candle the nearer any thing is set unto it the greater shadow it casts behinde it so to sin neer these means and allurements unto good amidst mercies and prerogatives is a great deale more intolerable then otherwise Since Christ himself hath said it Vnto whomsoever much is given of him shall much bee required again Luk. 12.48 Thirdly because God is more dishonoured by one sinne of the righteous then with thousands of the wickeds and ungodlyes Because by this deed saith Nathan to David thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme therefore c. So because Gods children give such advantage to the wicked and profane ungodly men to speake evill of the wayes of God and dishonour him therefore shall they smart the sorer for it Lastly to name no more because otherwise God might seem a partiall God to punish the same sins in some and passe them by in others (a) Semper iniquus est Iâ—dex qui aut invidet aut favei Cic. pro Psanc Deus Index nec gratia praevenitur nec misericordia flectitur nec pecuntacor rumpino c. Aug. l. 3. de symbolo Therefore to declare to all that the Judge of all the world will doe justly and that there is no unrighteousnesse with him To stop the mouths of all gainsayers whatsoever We the children of the most Highest even before others shall suffer for our sins and bee abased for them VVhich in the first place should be a Caveat unto the righteous Vse 1 and teach them to take heed how they flatter themselves in vaine by thinking themselves priviledg'd in any sinfull course whatsoever (b) Si peceâ—â—â—ris punitus non fueris ne contemâ—as dilecte sed propter hoc ipsum magiâ— time qu 〈◊〉 fâ—cilâ— Deo est 〈◊〉 velit iterum retribuert Christ That of the Prophet Ezekiel in the 18 Chapter is enough to startle any Vers 20. The soule that sinneth shall die c. And ver 24. When the righteous turneth away from his righteousnesse and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominatious that the wicked man doth shall be live All his righteousnesse that he hath done shall not be mentioned in his trespasse that 〈◊〉 hath trespassed and in his sin that he hath sinned in them shall he die All his good he hath done shall not excuse him in the evill day It could not excuse our fore-parents but in the day that they sinned did they die the death were thrust out of Paradise and made liable both they and their whole posterity unto everlasting death and destruction it could not excuse Moses the servant of the Lord but he sinning at the waters of Meribah could never enter into the promised Land though he beg'd it earnestly VVhat need I mention David a man after Gods own heart yet lying under so heavie a judgement as that the Sword must never depart from his house and all by reason of his sin or Hezekiah or Jonah or the best of all Gods children I might goe a little higher even to the very Angels themselves who not keeping their first estate but left their owne habitation are reserved in everlasting chaines under darknesse unto the judgement of the great day Let these fairely warne thee to take heed of the like judgment by no wayes indulging thy selfe in the like sin 2. VVhen God does draw nigh unto the Tents of the righteous and afflict the habitation of the just let them take need of murmuring or repining (c) Disâ—â—t non murmurare qui mala patitut per hoc quisque se 〈◊〉 patiarhitrâ—â—â—â— quia ah illo judicaâ—â—â— cujus nunquam injusta Iudicia sunt Isâ—d l. 3. do sum bon Deâ—â—â—llaâ—e magis Deum â—ffendisse ille populus Iudaâ—â—us dicitur quam contra 〈…〉 Aug sup Joh. but rather learn to submit unto his will knowing that there is matter enough even in them for his justice to work upon and that it is his mercy they are not consumed because his compassions faile not Otherwise if hee should even with the best of them all be extreame to marke what is done amisse neither they nor any flesh living were able to abide it 3. If We the children and servants of the most High be so hardly dealt withall a you shall see by and by Wee his own people be put to drinke of so bitter a cup if Wee what then may the wicked and ungodly looke for but that dreadfull sentence Psal 75.8 The drogs thereof all the wick'd of the earth shall wring them out and drinke them Dam 6.5 O how should this like Belshazzers hand-writing upon the wall Change their countenance
and trouble their thoughts cause the joynts of their loynes to bee loosed and their knees as smite one against another when they consider what plagues remaine for the ungodly and what shall he their portion another day (d) Electâ—s Dei cerâ—â—â—â— pâ—a 〈…〉 lia tolerare hine ergo colligitur Districtus Iudex quanta illic feries districtione quis reprobat si hic cruciat quos amat Greg. in Moral I le say no more but what the Apostle Peter does 1 Pet. 4.18 If the righteous soarcely be saved where then shall the wicked and ungodly appear And so insist no longer upon this first Capacity which we consider Israel in but passe unto the second as something more suitable unto to that condition they were in as if you heard them thus bemoaning themselves Secondly We the unhappy subject of the displeasure of our God who not long since liv'd in as much ease as much plenty and abundance as ever people did enjoy We who wanted nothing while we were in Zion in our Countrey but now having lost all and Zion too are forc't with heavie hearts to sit down and weepe when we remember all Alasse did we ever thinke we should have come to this when we sate in Zion compass't round about with the rich mercies of our God when the bright beames of his favour refresh't our soules and his loving kindnesse made us glad VVhen wee sat as Head and Queen among the Nations and Princes among the People did we ever think we should have been driven to this and yet (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Herodorus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. look upon us and then learne The vanity and unconstancy of all these worldly things (f) O quantum est in rebus inanel quantillum Christiano sufficit (g) Seâ—â—â—â— Quam nulliâ— contingâ—â—â—â—gna bona â—â—â—turna How great blessings as he sayes and a great while of enjoying them can seldome or never stand together (h) Vt in secundis rebus constdat neme in adversis nemo desâ—ciat Sen. That in prosperity none might presume and in adversity none might despaire All these sublunary things saith Plato are like Gods (i) Dei ludibriâ— quae sursum ac deorsum temere suo coelè feruntur intertoque hue illue cursu vagantur Plat. Tennis balls tost up and downe hither and thither and there is nothing certaine under the sun yesterday for thee and to day for me and who knowes what may be to morrow Thus who without astonishment can turne over the stories of ancient times and read of the glory of all the old world on a suddain swallowed up in an universall Deluge or of Pharaoh Exod. 14. that sun of Egypt with his numorous Host all drencht in the red Sea and never rise againe Of Sodoine and Gomorrah with all the wealth and soules the 〈◊〉 Gen. 19. devoured in an unheard of shower of fire brimst one from heaven Job 1. of Job the greatest man in all the East in the morning in the evening spoyled of all and set downe upon the dunghill full of sorea VVhat shall I speak of David 2 Sam. 15. at night banished and shifting for his life Acts 12. who in the morning ruled Isral Or of Herod taten with wormes who yesterday was intituled a God Haman upon the gallows Hest 7. who even now was at the Queens banquet Nebuchadnezzar eating grasse like an Oxe Dan. 4.33 who not long since was vaunting himselfe upon the top of his Palace VVhat need I reckon up more both King and Kingdomes particular men and whole Countroys have their ebbes and their tides their rising and their setting there springing out and their cutting down And that our latter times have not been different from those of old will soon appeare to those who have read of that great Frederick the Emperours full sea of his fortunes and magnificence end in so shallow a streame as that he was driven to be a suiter but for a Singing mans place in that Cathedrall Church which he himself had formerly built Cui Orbâ—s angusâ—â—â— erat quod ille â—rbi magrâ—â—â— and yet went without it Or of Alexander whose greatnesse one world would not suffice but desired more yet being dead lay three dayes above ground and no man so much as vouchsafe to bury him To say nothing of that great Champion Bellizarius after all his Conquests over the Goths and Vandalls and many a Victory and Triumph obtained yet at last driven to so low a condition that he was seene having his eyes put out fit by the high-way side a begging in this dolefull tone Date obolum Bellizario an half penny to Bellizarius an half penny for God sake to poore Bellizarius Or of Lotharius the Emperor brother to Lodovicus pius after all his pompe and greatnesse and his life in a poor Monastery at Ligonia in Italy But of all famous is that one story more in our own Chronicles of Edward the second King of England who after 19 years reigne over this land in a great height of Plenty Honour and abundance at last being 〈◊〉 captive in scorne to wards Bristow by the way his Enemies made him sit downe upon a mole hill and call'd a Barber to shave off the haire of his head and beard thereby to make him more ridiculous who comming to him with a little water taken out of the next ditch told him scoffingly that his Grace should have had warme water but hee must be content with that now Whereupon the King laying deeply to heart the sad condition hee was brought unto told him he should have warm water whether he would or no and so as the Story sayes sell into such an extremity of weeping that he help't to fill his Bason with his teares How easily I might bring this lower even to our very Times he may easily conceive whose eyes have seene those strange changes and alterations these few late yeares have made both in King and people such as his forefathers never saw or hundreds of years ever prodaâ—'d the like The consideration of this unconstancy in all these sublunary things was that which made that great Emperour of Persia viewing his huge Army not to be numbred scarce measured fall a weeping Quod nemo intra centum annos ex tania juâ—enâ—â—â—e superfurunce â—râ—s Just because within some few yeares scarce one of that mighty Holt would bee left alive or remaining And as it is with particular men so it is with whole Countreys where is now the glory of Athens the pomp of Macedon the priviledge of the seven Churches spoke of in the Revelation where the pride of Babylon the vastnesse of Nineveh the lustre and beauty of Zion or yet the honour of Jerusalem Jam seges est ubi Troid suit now grasse growes there where Troy Town stood those places which once were now are not those that now are God knows how long they