Y 6 the right way coffin or a winding fheeteor both, fhould be a forcible meanes to reprtffe the vnfatiabledeliireofriches and the loue of this world. Thuswe Icewhat aneffcauall rneanes this medication is toencreafe and further the grace ofGod in the hearts ofinen. Now I commendthisfirfl dude to your Chriflian confiderations , deiring the praaifeof it in your hues : whichpraEtife that it may takeplace,two things mutt be performed. Firfl, labour topluckeout ofyour hearts a wicked and erroniousimaginati- on, whereby curry man naturally b':etîethhimfelfe and thinks highly of himfelfe: and though he hadone Foote inthe graue, yet he perfwadeshim- felfe that heThall not dieyet. There is no man almofl foold but by thecor. ruption ofhi s heart he thinks that he (hall liue oneyeare longer.Cruell and Era,st unmerciful deathmakes league with no man: & yet theProphet Efay faith, that thewickedma makesa league with death,How can thisbe?there is no league made indeed,but only in the wicked imagination ofman,who fairly thinks thatdeathwil not come nere hhn,though all theworld fhouldbede- flroied. See an exáple in the parableof the rich man,that hauing flared vpa- Lui,it,r,{ bundanceofwealth for manyyeres,faidvnto his own foule,Soule,thonhag machgoodr laidvpfor nsanyyeare;,latseat eaft,eate, dringe, andtake thypaffime: whereashis fouic was fetched away prefently.And feeingthis naturali cor- ruption is in eucry mansheart,we mutt daily fight againit it,& labour by al might & maine that it takenoplace invs : for fo long as it fhallpreuaile, we fhalbevtterlyvnfit tomake any preparation to death. We ought ratherto indeauourto attaine to theminde& treditationofS. Hierorne,who teflift- In spill.- ethofhimfelfe on this manner , Whether brake or fleepe, or wharfeater 1doe, me thinks Ihears the f rind ofthe trumpet,Rifeye dead, andcome to judgement. The fecond thingwhichwe are to praelife chat we maycome toa feri- ous meditation of our owne ender, is, to make praiervnto God that we might be inabled to refolue our felues ofdeath continually. Thus Dauid Pfal. ;' q, praied , Lordmake me to knowmine end., andthe meafure ofmyLies , let me know hory lon? I bane to litre, AndMofes, Lord teach meto number mydaie!, Pfa1,9o, rz, that Imayappliemineheart ntowifdom. It may be faid,What need men pray toGod that theymight be able to number theirdaies?cannot theyofthern- felues reckon a fevv yeares and daies that are able by art to rneaíure the globeofthe earth,and the fpheres ofheauen;&the quantities ofthe fiarres, vvith theirlongitudes ,lacitudes,altittides, motions, andditiances from the earth?No verily. For hovvfoeuer by a generali fpeculation vve think fume- thingofour ends,yet vnles the fpirit ofGodbe our fchoolmater toteach vs ourdutie,vve that neuerbe able foundlyto refolueour felues ofthe pretence and ipeedines of death. And therefore.lct vs pray vvith D .acid and Mofes that God vvould inlighten our mindcs vvithknovvledge, and fill our hearts vvich his grace,that vve Might rightlyconfider ofdeath,andefeemeofit e- tarry day and honre as ifit vvere the day and honreofdeath. The feconddude in this general!preparation is,that curry rnanialufl dai4 fy
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