we would feem; to be in our hearts and in our closets, what we appear in our outward expreffions and converfations with Men; For confidering, that within a very fhort time all the thoughts of our hearts shall be disclosed; and all the actions of our lives expofed to publick view (being ftrictly to be examined at the great bar of divine judgment before Angels and Men) we cannot but perceive it to be the greatest folly in the World, for this fhort present time to disguise our felves; to conceal our intentions, or fmother our actions. What hath occurred (upon thefe important fubjects) to my meditation, I must at present, in regard to your patience, omit. I fhall clofe all with that good Collect of our Church. Almighty God, give us grace, that we may caft away the works of darkneß, and put upon us the armour of light now in the time of this mortal life, in which thy Son Jefus Chrift E 2 came came to vifit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious Majefty to judge both the quick and the dead, we may rife to the life immortal through him, who liveth and reigneth with thee, and the Holy Ghost; now and ever. Amen. SER (53) SERMON II. The Confideration of our latter End. PSALM XC. 12. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. IN N difcourfing formerly upon these words (expounded according to the most common and paffable interpretation) that which I chiefly obferved was this: That the serious consideration of the shortnefs and frailty of our life is a fit mean or rational instrument fubfervient to the bringing our hearts to wifedom; E 3 Job 14. 14. time will I wait, till my change come. wifedom; that is, to the making us discern, attend unto, embrace and profecute fuch things as, according to the dictates of right reason, are truly best for us. I. The truth of which obfervation I largely declared from hence that the faid confideration disposeth us to judge rightly about thofe goods (which ordinarily court and tempt us, viz. worldly glory and honour; riches, pleasure, knowledge; to which I might have added wit ftrength and beauty) what their just worth and value is; and confequently to moderate our affections, our cares, our endeavours about them; for that if all thofe goods be uncertain and transitory, there can be no great reafon to prize them much, or to affect them vehemently, or to spend much care and pain about them. II. I fhall next in the fame fcales weigh our temporal evils; and fay, that that alfo, The confideration of our lives brevity and frailty doth avail to the paffing a true judgment of, and confequently to the governing our paffions, and ordering our behaviour in respect to all thofe temporal evils, which either according to the Law of our nature, or the fortuitous course of things, or the particular difpenfation of providence do befall us. Upon the declaration of which point I need not infist much, fince what was before difcourfed concerning the oppofite goods doth plainly enough infer it; more immediately indeed in regard to the mala damni, or privationis, (the evils, which conlift onely in the want, or lofs of temporal goods) but fufficiently alfo by a manifeft parity of reason in refpect to the mala fenfus, the real pains, croffes and inconveniences, that affail us in this life. For if worldly glory do hence appear to be no more than a tranfient blaze, a fading fhew, a hollow found, a piece of theatrical pageanE 4 try, |