he right ufe ofTimes Jhortnefs. 13'3 It is a thing that the Emperour Caligula is laughed ac for, iri all Stories. f here was a mighty Navy provided, admirable and ftrange, and all trimmed : And every one exile ted,that with it,thewhole Countrey of Greece Ihould be conquered : and Co it might have been. But he imployed his Souldiersw gather a companyofCockle- Ihells,ánd Pibbies,ind fo failed home. Had not (very onecaufe caufa to laugh at the folly of this t mperaur ? Verily, luch a fool isevery man, and fo we would acknow- ledg,if we would but weigh this: God hath given thee but thus much time, is may be twenty years, it may bebut a day or two more : In this time he hash furni(hed thee with that, whichmay beg means to conquer Heaven it felt t Now if thou lay our this lictle,about wife,or children,or to purchafea little wealth,or theft things here below : Is it not the greatcil folly that maybe? Suppofe that a fervant hath agreat deal of work todo, and knowsthat he mull give an account to his Mailer thereof,and that if all be not done,thac fhould be done, he can never appear with comfort beforehis Mailer; and he feesalfo that the Sun draws low, and the day hailneth to an end, do you think that this fervant can find time to play ? If a man havemuch to write,and but a little Paper to write in, he muff write fmalland thick, and dole as ever he can. So it is with every one of us e I warrant you there is not any Soulof us, but we (hall find fo many thoufand things to repent of,fo many graces to obtain, that we (}and in need of : So many evidences for Heaven to get,that yet we havenot got fealed,fo many particulars concerninga better life, that a man may wonder that ever any one Ihould find one half day to intend any thing elfe. Thus you fee the reafons, why the ferions meditation of the little rime we have to continue below,(hould be a marvellous means to take us offfrom the world, and to put us upon the Rudy, and Thought of beater things. Well now, let me briefly apply this unto you; that fa may come to that I princi- pally intend. Oh that wehad learned thisexcellent Leffon,that the Apoflle teacheth the carinthr Ty e, here, What wonderous happy people Ihould we be i' You fmall find evermore in the Scripture, the Spirit of God putting the ncglee$ Theground that is amongft men, and carelefnefs of Heaven, and all the vvickednefs of their lives of all ourneg- upon this, the not ferions Meditation of chat fmall time theyhave to continue left of heaven, below, is she want of If a man come to chofe that are not Brethren, as Saint Paul fpeaks the Corinths the con[deta_ in the Text ; theywill fa Yr I: is true a it is a good point to be prat upon a man that uhonnoe tfhs e of is in a Confumpcion,on one whom the Do&ors havegiven ova; to tellhim that he this life. cannot continue a Wce' that his time is (hort. But for our parts we are burin the beginning of our Voyage: It may be, we are but twenty years old ; we begin but the other day to be furni(hed with a flock; we are but newly entred ; and do you think that we ire ftriking fayl ? Or another, that hath lived forty or fifty years, in the middcft ofa full trade, thatbeginncth to get fomeching in theworld : o you think that he is (biking fayl ? Thus people put it off. Alas! What is thy time? Whatisallthy life ? Let God decide it : Doth not he fay, Jr ia a vapour, a dream, atale that is told, like a Ship that fa loth b', and isgone ; And that in the turning of a hand almoll? It thou have no more time of life here,but only whilea lit- tle fand is running out ofa glafs,while a Shp is fayling out of fight,while a (hort tail is told, ( God faith it is no more) wilt thou account that thy Voyage is yet fcarcely begun ? I befeech you (beloved) all go horne,and often think of this point. Saywithin your felves: How long Lord, am I like tocontinue below ? Andwhat is there forme co do fore I go outof this world ? Butthe truth is; men dare not chink of this: And the Devil faboureth for nc- Sathan labours above all thing more in the world than this, to make men put off the lerious Confideration things to make of the brevity of their lives, and that they have longer time to continue here, than men put off hey have: }decade he knows the truth of this, that I have fpoken, that the Me- the eonGdera- itation thereof will Ric them up, to make clear all reckonings with God, before úon ofthe hey go hence, and be feenno more. You may find this to be true in your own ex- theifiver Y Y theirfiver: perience,
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