THE VANITY OF THIS Mortal Life OR OF MAN Considered only in his Present Mortal state By J. HOWE M. A. LONDON Printed by A. Maxwell for Sa Gellibrand at the Ball in S. Pauls Church-yard 1672. To the deservedly honoured John VPTON of Lupton Esq with the many surviving Branches formerly sprung out of that Religious Family and the Worthy Consorts of any of them SInce it is the lot of the following Pages to be exposed to publike view There is somewhat of justice in it to your selves or me that the world do also know wherein divers of you have contributed thereto that if any thing redound hence to publike advantage it may be understood to be owing in part to you or if it shall be reckon'd an useless trouble in this way to represent things so obvious to common notice and whereof so much is already said all the blame of the publication be not imputed as it doth not belong to me only But I must here crave your excuse that on this account I give you a narrative of what for the most part you already know and may possibly not delight to remember both because it is now become convenient that others should know it too and not necessary to be put into a distinct Preface And because to your selves the review of those less pleasing passages may be attended with a fruit which may be same recompence for their want of pleasure Ther◠〈◊〉 give the Reader leave to take notice and let it not be grievous to you that I re mind you That after this your near Relation whose death gave the occasion of the ensuing Meditations had from his youth lived between Twenty and Thirty years of his age in Spain your joint-importunity had at length obtained from him a promise of returning Whereof when you were in somewhat a near expectation a sudden disease in so few days landed him in another world that the first notice you had of his death or sickness was by the arrival of that Vessel clad in mourning-attire which according to his own desire in his sickness brought over the deserted body to its native place of Lupton that thence it might find a Grave where it first received a Soul and obtain a Mansion in the Earth where first it became one to a reasonable spirit A little before this time the desire of an interview among your selves which the distance of your habitations permitted not to be frequent had induced divers of you to appoint a meeting at some middle place whereby the trouble of a long journey might be conveniently shared among you But before that agreed resolution could have its accomplishment this sad and most unexpected Event intervening altered the place the occasion and disign of your meeting but effected the thing it self and brought together no less than Twenty the Brothers and Sisters of the deceased or their Consorts besides his many Nephews and Neices and other Relations to the mournful solemnity of the Interment Within the time of our being together upon this sad account this passage of the Psalmist here insisted on came into discourse among us being introduced by an occasion which though then it may be unknown to the most of you was somewhat rare and not unworthy observation viz. That one of your selves having been sometime before surprised with an unusual sadness joined with an expectation of ill tidings upon no known cause had so urgent an inculcation of these words as not to be able to forbear the revolving them much of the former part of that day in the latter part whereof the first notice was brought to that place of this so near a Relations decease Certain Months after some of you with whom I was then conversant in London importuned me to have somewhat from me in writing upon that Subject Whereto I at length agreed with a cautionary request That it might not come into many bands but might remain as the occasion was among your selves Nor will I deny it to have been some inducement to me to apply my thoughts to that Theam that it had been so suggested as was said For such presages and abodings as that above-mentioned may reasonably be thought to owe themselves to some more steady and universal principle than Casualty or the party 's own Imagination By whose more noble recommendation that such a gloomy Premonition might carry with it not what should only afflict but also instruct and teach this Subject did seem offered to our meditation Accordingly therefore after my return to the place of my abode I hastily drew up the substance of the following Discourse which a year ago I transmitted into their hands who desired it from me without reserving to my self any Copy Hereby it became difficult to me presently to comply besides divers considerations I might have against the thing it self with that joint request of some of you in a Letter which my removal into another Kingdom occasioned to come long after to my hands that I would consent these Papers might be made publike For as I have reason to be conscious to my self of disadvantages enough to discourage any undertaking of that kind so I am more especially sensible that so cursâ—ry and superficial a management of a Subject so very important though its private occasion and design at first might render it excusable to those few friends for whom it was meant cannot but be liable to the hard censure not to say the contempt of many whom Discourses of this kind should more desgnedly serve And therefore though my willingness to be serviceaable in keeping alive the apprehension and expectation of another state my value of your judgments who conceive what is here done may be useful thereto and my peculiar respects to your selves the members and appendants of a Family to which besides some relation I have many obligations and endearments do prevail with me not wholly to deny Yet pardon me that I have suspended my consent to this publication till I should have a Copy transmitted to me from some of you for my necessary review of so hasty a production that I might not offer to the view of the world what after I had penn'd it had scarce passed my own And now after so long an expectation those Papers are but this last week come to my hands I here return them with little or no alteration sâ—ve that what did more directly concern the occasion towards the close is transferred hither but with the addition of almost all the directive part of the Vse which I submit together to your pleasure and dispose And I shall now take the liberty to add my design in câ—nsenting to this request of yours and I hope the same of you in making it is not to erect a Mâ—nument to the memory of the Deceased which how little doth it signifie nor to spread the same of your Family though the visible blessing of God upon it in the fruitfulness piety and mutual lâ—ve wherein it hath
stâ—urishâ—l for same generations do challenge observation both as to thâ—se braaches of it which grow in their â—wn more natural sâ—il and thâ—se as I have nâ—w occasion to take further notice that I find to have been transplanted into another Countrey But that such into whose hands this little Treatise shall fall may be induced to consider the true end of their beings to examine and discuss the matter more throughly with themselves what it may or can be supposed such a sort of Creatures was made and placed on this Earth for That when they shall have reasoned themselves into a setled apprehension of the worthy and important Ends they are capable of attaining and are visibly designed to They may be seized with a noble disdain of living beneath themselves and the bounty of their Creator It is obvious to common observation how flagrant and intense a zeal men are often wont to express for their personal reputation the honour of their Families yea or for the glory of their Nation but how few are acted by that more laudable and enlarged zeal for the dignity of Mankind How few are they that resent the common and vile depression of their own species Or that while in things of lightest consideration they strive with emulous endeavour that they and their relatives may excel other men do reckon it a reproach if in matters of the greatest consequence they and all men should not excel Beasts How few that are not contented to confine their utmost designs and expectations within the same narrow limits Through a mean and inglorious self-despiciency confessing in themselves to the Truth 's and their own wrong an incapacity of greater things and with most injurious falshood proclaiming the same of all Mankind besides If he that amidst the hazards of a dubious Warr betrays the Interest and Honour of his Countrey be justly infamous and thought worthy severest punishments I see not why a debaucht Sensualist that lives as if he were created only to indulge his appetite that so vilifies the notion of man as if he were made but to eat and drink and sport to please only his sense and sancy that in this time and state of conflict between the powers of this present world and those of the world to come quits his Party bids open defiance to Humanity abjures the Noble Principles and Ends forsakes the Laws and Society of all that are worthy to be esteemed men abandons the common and rational hope of mankind concerning a future immortality and herds himself among brute Creatures I say I see not why such a one should not be scorn'd and abhorr'd as a Traytor to the whâ—le Race and Nation of reasonable Creatures as a fugitive from the Tâ—nts and desertor of the common Interest of men and that both for the vileness of his practice and the danger of his example And who that hath open eyes beholds not the dreadful instances and increase of this difection When it hath prevailed to that degree already that in Civiliz'd yea in Christian Countreys as they yet affect to be calâ—'d the practice is become fashionable and in credit which can square with no other Principle than the disbelief of a future state as if it were but a meer Poetick or at best a Political Fiction And as if so impudent inâ—idelity would pretend not to a connivence only but a sanction 't is rockâ—â—'d an odd and uncâ—â—th 〈◊〉 for a man to live as if he thou◠〈…〉 and a great presumption to seem to dissent from the prophane infidel Crew As if the matter were already formally determined in the behalf of Irreligion and the Doctrine of the life to come had been clearly condemned in open Council as a detestable Heresie For what Tenet was ever more exploded and hooted at than that practice is which alone agrees with this Or what series or course of repeated Villanies can ever be more ignominious than in vulgar estimate a course of life so transacted as doth become the expectation of a blessed immortality And what After so much written and spoken by persons of all times and Religious for the immortality of the humane Soul and so common an acknowledgment thereof by Pagans Mahometans Jews and Christians Is man now at last condemn'd and doom'd to a perpetual death as it were by the consent and suffrage even of men and that too without trial or hearing and not by the reason of men but their lusts only As if with a loud and violent cry they would assassinate and stifle this belief and hope but not judg it And shall the matter be thus given up as hopeless and the victory be yeilded to prosperous wickedness and a too succesful conspiracy of vile Miscreants against both their Maker and their own Stock and Race One would think whosoever have remaining in them any conscience of obligation and duty to the common Parent and Author of our Beings any remembrance of our Divine Original any breathings of our ancient hope any sense of humane honour any resentments of so vile an indignity to the nature of man any spark of a just and generous indignation for so opprobrious a contumely to their own Kind and Order in the Creation should oppose themselves with an Heroick vigour to this treacherous and unnatural combination And let us my worthy Friends he provoked in our several capacities to do our parts herein and at least so to live and converse in this world that the course and tenour of our lives may import an open asserting of our hopes in another and may let men see we are not ashamed to own the belief of a life to come Let us by a patient continuance in well-doing how low designs soever others content themselves to pursue seek honour glory and immortality to our selves and by our avowed warrantable ambition in this pursuit justifie our great and bountiful Creator who hath made us not in vain but for so high and great things And glorifie our blessed Redeemer who amidst the gloomy and disconsolate darkness of this wretched world when it was overspred with the shadow of death hath brought life and immortality to light in the Gospel Let us labour both to seel and express the power of that Religion which hath the inchoation of the participated divine life for its principle and the perfection and eternal perpetuation thereof for its scope and end Nor let the time that hath since elapsed be found to have worn out with you the useful impressions which this monitory surprising instance of our Mortality did at first make But give me leave to inculcate from it what was said to you when the occasion was fresh and new That we labour more deeply to apprehend Gods dominion over his Creatures And that he made us principally for himself and for ends that are to be compast in the future state not for the temporary satisfaction and pleasure of one another in this world Otherwise Providence had never been guilty of such a
to observe the confused scramble and hurry of the world How almost every one makes it his business to catch from another what is worth nothing With what toil and art and violence men pursue what when they embrace they find a shadow To see deluded Mortals each one intent upon his own particular design most commonly interfering with anothers some impos'd upon by others over-reaching Wit and all by their own folly Some lamenting their losses others their short and unsatisfying acquisitions Many pleasing themselves with being mock't and contentedly hugging the empty Cloud till Death comes and ends the story and ceases the busie agitation that is with so many particular persons not with the World A new succretion still springing up that continue the Interludâ— and still act over the same parts ad taedium usque What serious person who that is not in love with impertinency and foolery would much regret it to close his eyes to have the Curtains drawn and bid good-night to the world without ever wishing to see the morning of such another day And even they that have the world most in their power and can command what they please for the gratifying of their appetites without the contradiction and controll of others What can they enjoy more to morrow than they did yesterday or the next year than this Is it so much worth the while to live to see a few more persons bow the knee To extend power a little further To make another essay what pleasure sense can tast in some or other hitherto unexperimented Rarity What more peculiar gusto this or that thing will afford and try the other Dish or to renew the same relishes over again He whose creative fancy could make him golden Mountains in a dream create him a Prince of Nations give him to enjoy the most delicious pleasures of the world in Idea might with some plausible shew of reason be deem'd the happier man than he that hath and is all this indeed for his toil is less and his victories unbloody his pleasures not so impure However one would think that to such whose utmost attainments end only in the pleasure of their sense and have but this Epiphonema Now let us sit down eat drink and be merry A little time might suffice for business of no more weight and that no man after he hath once seen the course of the world and tasted of its best delicacies should greatly wish for a renewal or long-continued repetition of so fulsome vanities But the most find not the world so kind and are not so much exercised in the innovating of pleasures as miseries changes being their only remedies as the Moralist speaks or in bearing more sadly the same every day's burden and drawing out the series of their calamities in the same kind through the whole course of their time And surely these things considered there wants not what might perswade a Sceptick or even a perfect Infidel as to another world not much to be in love with this For upon the whole let but the case be thus put Is it not as good to do nothing as to be busie to no purpose And again Is it not as good to be nothing as to be and do nothing Sober reason would judg at least there were but little odds But now If such considerations as have been mentioned would suffice to state the matter in aequilibrio to make the 〈◊〉 even Ought the raâ—iâ—nâ—l sober belief of a blessed immortality do nothing to turn the ballance Ought the love of God to do nothing The desire and hope of a state perfectly good and happy quiet and peaceful of living in the Region of undefiled innocent love and pleasure in the communion of holy and blessed spirits all highly pleased not in their own only but one another's happiness and all concenâ—â—ing in the admiration and praise of their common Parent and Lord Ought all this nothing to alter the case with us or signifie nothing to the inclining our mindâ— to the so unspeakably better part Methinks since we acknowledg such an order of intelligent and already happy Creatures we should even bâ—ush to think they should be spectators of our daily course and too plainly discovered inclinations so disform and unagreeable to all the Laws and dictates of reasonable nature What censures may we think do they pass upon our follies Are those things great in their eyes that are so in ours In lesser matters as some interpret that passage indecencies are to be avoided because of those blessed spirits May we not then be ashamed that they should discern our terrene dispositions and see us come so unwillingly into their conâ—ort and happy state Although our present depressing circumstances will not suffer us to be in all things as yet conformable to their high condition we should however carry it as Candidates thereto studying to approve our selves waiting and longing to be transum'd and taken up into it And since we have so high and great an expectation and 't is understood and known That the very perfection and end of our Beings is no otherwise attainable than by putting off our sordid slâ—sh and laying aside this earthly Appurtenancâ— that yet there should be so fixed and prevailing an aversion to it is a most unaccountable thing and one of the greatest Problems in Nature I say prevailing For admit what is like to be alledg'd that an addictedness to the body is by natural inclination ought not the Laws of a Supâ—rior to prevail over those of the inferior nature And is not the love of God a higher natural Law than that of the body to whom here our service is little yea our disservice much and from whose most desirable commerce we sâ—ffer so uncomfortable a disclusion by the sad circumstances of our bodily sâ—ate Are we more nearly 〈◊〉 to a piece of Câ—â—y 〈◊〉 to the Father of our spirits And 〈◊〉 Is not every thing 〈…〉 and obliged to 〈…〉 there rather than 〈…〉 inâ—â—rior thing at least â—ow nâ—â—rly soever united since there can be no pretence of any such 〈◊〉 union than oâ— a thing with it self And â—re not our souls and our bodies though united yet distinct things Why then should not our souls that are capable of understanding their own interest mind that first intend most their own perfection and improvement and begin their charity at home It is nor strange that what is weaker and more ignoble should affect union with what is above it and a spring of life to it But when it is found burdensome nothing forbids but that the superior Being may be well content upon fair and allowable terms to be rid of the burden Therefore though flesh and blood may reluctate and shrink at it when we think of laying it down yet it becomes immortal spirits to consider their own affairs and be more principally intent upon what will be their own advantage If so mean a Creature as a sorry Flea finding it can draw a
suitable aliment from our bodies affect to dwell there and is loath to leave us It were a ludicrous pity to be there-therefore content to endure its troublesome vâ—llications because we fear the poor Animal should be put to its shifts and not to be otherwise able to find a subsistence 'T is true that the great Creator and Lord of the Universe hath not permitted us the liberty of so throwing off our bodies when we will which otherwise are in dignity far more beneath our spirits than so despicable a Creature is beneath them And to his dispose that hath order'd this conjunction for a time whether we look upon it as an effect of his simple pleasure or of his displeasure we must yeild an awful and a patient submission till this part of his Providence towards us have run its course and attain'd its ends And then how welcome should the hour of our discharge and freedom be from so troublesome an Associate which upon no other account than that of duty towards the Author of our beings one would more endure than to have the most noysome offensive Vermine always preying upon his flesh At least though the consideration of our own advantage had no place with us in this matter the same sense of duty towards our great Creator which should make us patient of an abode in the body while he will have it so should also form our spirits to a willing departure when it shall be his pleasure to release us thence But that neither a regard to his pleâ—sure nor our own blessednâ—ss should prevail against our love to the body is the unaccountable thing I speak of And to plead only in the case the corruption of our natures that sets us at odds with God and our selves is to justifie the thing by what is it self most unjustifiable or rather as some that have affected to be styl'd Philosophers have been wont to expedite difficulties by resolving the matter into the usual course of Nature which is to resolve the thing into it self and say It is so because it is so or is wont to be and indeed plainly to confess there is no account to be given of it This being the very thing about which we expostulate that reasonable nature should so prevaricate The commonness whereof doth not take away the wonder but rather render it more dreadful and astonishing The truth is the incongruity in the present case is only to be solved by redress by earnest strivings with God and our own souls till we find our selves recovered into a right mind into the constitution and composure whereof a generous fortitude hath a necessary ingrediency that usually upon lower motives refuses no change of Climate and will carry a man into unknown Countreys and through greatest hazards in the pursuit of honourable enterprizes of a much inferior kind It is reckon'd a brave and manly thing to be in the temper of one's mind a Citizen of the World meaning it of this lower one But why not rather of the Universe And 't is accounted mean and base that one should be so confin'd by his fear or sloath to that spot of ground where he was born as not upon just inducement to look abroad and go for warrantable and worthy purposes yea if it were only honest self-advantage as far as the utmost ends of the earth But dare we not venture a little farther These are too narrow bounds for a truly great spirit Any thing that is tinctur'd with earth or favours of mortality we should reckon too mean for us and not regret it that Heaven and Immortality are not to be attained but by dying so should the love of our own souls and the desire of a perpetual state of life triumph over the fear of death But it may be alledged by some That 't is only a solicitous love to their souls that makes them dread this change They know it wiâ—l not sare with all alike hereafter and know not what their own lot shall be And is this indeed our case then what have we been doing all this while and how are we concerned to lose no more time But too often a terrene spirit lurks under this pretence and men alledg their want of assurance of Heaven when the love of this earth which they cannot endure to think of leaving holds their hearts And a little to discuss this matter what would we have to assure us Do we expect a vision or a voice or are we not to try our selves and search for such characters in our own souls as may distinguish and note us out for Heaven Among these what can be more clear and certain than this that we have our hearts much set upon it They that have their conversations in Heaven may from thence expect the Saviour who shall change their vile bodies the bodies of their â—â—milâ—â—tion or low abject state and make them like his own glorious body God who will render to every man according to his works will give them that by patient continuance in well doing seek honour and glory and immortality eternal life They that set their affections or mind on the things above not those on the earth when Christ shall appear who is their life shall appear with him in glory Mistake not the notion of Heaven or the blessedness of the other world render it not to your selves a composition of sensual enjoyments Understand it principally to consist in perfect holiness and communion with God as his own word represents it and as reason hath taught even some Pagans to reckon of it and you cannot judg of your own Right by a surer and plainer Rule than that eternal blessedness shall be theirs whose hearts are truly bent and directed towards it Admit we then this Principle and now let us reason with our selves from it We have a discovery made to us of a future state of blessedness in God not as desirable only in it self but as attainable and possible to be enjoyed the Redeemer having opened the way to it by his blood and given us at once both the prospect and the offer of it so that it is before us as the object of a reasonable desire Now either our hearts are so taken with this discovery that we above all things desire this state or not If they be we desire it more than our earthly stations and enjoyments and are willing to leave the world and the body to enjoy it and so did falsly accuse our selves of a prevailing aversion to this change If they be not the thing is true that we are upon no terms willing to dye but the cause is falsly or partially assigned It is not so much because we are unassured of Heaven but as was above suspected because we love this world better and our hearts center in it as our most desirable good Therefore we see how unreasonably this is often said We are unwilling to change states because we are unassured the truth is they are unassured because they are unwilling and what then ensues They are unwilling because they are unwilling And so they may endlesly dispute themselves round from unwillingness to unwillingness But is there no way to get out of this unhappy Circle In order to it let the case be more fully understood Either this double unwillingness must be refer'd to the same thing or to divers If to the same thing it is not sense they say what signifies nothing For being to assign a cause of their unwillingness to quit the body to say because they are unwilling viz. of that is to assign no cause for nothing can be the cause of it self But if they refer to divers things and say They are unwilling to go out of the body because they are unwilling to forsake Earth for Heaven The case is then plain but sad and not alterable but with the alteration of the temper of their spirits Wherefore let us all apply our selves since with none this is so fully done that no more is needful to the serious endeavour of getting our souls purged from the dross of this world and enamoured of the purity and blessedness of Heaven so the cause and effect will vanish together we shall find that suitableness and inclination in our spirits to that blessedness as may yeild us the ground of a comfortable perswasion that it belongs to us us and then not be unwilling though many deaths stood in our way to break through to attain it FINIS * Mr. Anthony Vpton the Son of John Vpton of Lupton Esq V. 49. V 27. V. 29. V. 36 37. Act. 2. 30 V. 28. 34. â—â—9 V. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34. 35 Isa. 55. V. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Mat. 22. Psal. 110. Act. 2. V. 25 c. V. 25. 26. V. 31. Acts 13. V. 32 33 34. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 9. Plotin En. 2. 1 6 Isa. 40. Job 27. 19 Heracl 1 Cor. 7. Job 20. 7 8 9. Psal. 73. 20. Psal. 39. 5 6. Jer. 9. 24 Rom. 11. 36. Psal. 119. 68. Psal. 33. 5 2 Cor. 5. 4. 1 Cor. 15. 19. Heb. 11. Rom. 2. 7. Non qua eundum est sed qua itur Sen. 1 Cor. 8. Phil. 3. 20 21. Gr. Rom. 2. 6 7. Col. 3. 2 3 4.