ftrength of impreffion upon the mind, as that which is prefent and fenfible, and fo it foon paffeth away, and hath not ftrength enough to hold out for any time upon the mind, to work a due preparation and temper in the mind for a change. 3. The prefent condition, when it is grateful to the fenfe, we are, for the most part, willing to embrace, and make the most of it; we have not patience to give an allay or abatement to our prefent fruition, by mingling any fuch fad confiderations with it, as that it may change. When the mind begins to put itself upon thoughts of a change of a beloved condition, fuch replies as thefe do often meet with it: What, fhall I be dying while I live? be fick, when I am well? be poor, when I am rich? be in difgrace, when I am in glory? make myself miferable, while I am happy? It will be time enough to take and bear that lot when it comes, and not to die, or be in fickhefs, poverty, and difgrace, by anticipation: I will take the benefit and fweetness of my prefent happinefs, and not four or abate it by the pre-apprehenfions of a change; if it happens, it will come before it is welcome. I will therefore think as little of it as I may beforehand, and not make that prefent by a needlefs contemplation, which I would willingly be freed from, if it fhould at all at 'tack me.' Thefe and fuch like confiderations do make men rather procraftinate the evil day, than put themselves under the fuppofition of it.

3. The inconveniencies that arife to the children of men by this averfenefs from thinking of a change of å profperous condition for a worse, are very great: 1. A mind that oftentimes in a profperous condition cafteth itfelf in worfe by fuppofition and contemplation, doth ordinarily ufe his prefent condition warily, moderately, watchfully; but, on the other fide, this incogitancy of a change makes men prefumptuous and confident in their eftate; voluptuous, imperious, proud, immoderate, vain-glorious, for they want that correction that fhould allay and difçipline it into moderation. If

6

.I am rich, or in any other profperous condition, and begin to pride up myfelf, and to take upon me; presently a mind accustomed to affume upon itself, by pre-apprehenfion, a contrary condition, will check that pride and vanity with fuch a kind of expoftulation as this: How unfeemly, imprudent, and vain is this? What if to-morrow I fhould be cast down from my greatnefs, or caft upon my bed of fickness, or under the cloud of difgrace, or it may be taken away by death? What will then become of this immoderation? Carry it along with me I cannot, for the change of my condition will not bear it; and if, with the change of my condition, I do, as I muft, put off thefe follies that attend me in this, 'that which is now my excess, my fin, will then be my fhame, my forrow, and vexation.' 2. As a frequent pre-apprehenfion of difadvantageous changes, tutors the mind to a right ufe of the prefent condition, fo it admirably fits a man with fuch a temper of fpirit as becomes his changed condition: Doth his change require patience to bear it? contentedness under it, preparednefs for it? He hath learned this in the theory, and hath laid them up ready to be put in ufe if occafion call for them: if there be no occafion to practise them, they are no burden; but if there be, he hath put himfelf to fchool to affliction by premeditation before it comes, and is ready to exercise those virtues when it comes. But, on the other fide, a man that being in a condition of profperity, never puts himfelf under the fad thoughts of a change of his present happiness, if fuch a change befals him, he is at his wits end; he is furprized and overwhelmed with it; he knows not how to bear it, but falls into impatience, or his very foul dies within him; he is taken before he is prepared, and none of thofe difpofitions, or rather distempers of mind, that were bred up upon his former condition, will at all ferve the prefent, but to distract, and difquiet, and perplex him, as his former pride, haughtiness of mind, greatnefs of fpirit, intemperate

nefs,

nefs, luxury; they are fo far from being at all ferviceable and useful to him, that they are as fo many hags and furies to torment him; and the things called patience, and contentedness, and humility, and calmnefs of fpirit, which are of abfolute neceffity for his prefent change, he knows not how to attain or ufe. It is a miferable, or at least a very great improvidence, for a man to be learning thofe virtues, when the prefent neceffity calls for the ufe of them: it is like a thief who is to learn to read, when he is to pray his clergy:

5. It is therefore a most useful and neceffary courfe for men in profperity to take up their frequent contemplation if a change. Biley, when the true profeffion of the Gospel in this kingdom was under profecution, was used to put his finger into the candle to inure himfelf the better to undergo martyrdom, which he at length fuffered, poffibly with more refolution and patience, than if he had omitted that experiment. And furely this practice of patience would be with more eafe, and no lefs advantage, if, in the time of our external happiness, we did foinetimes, and oftentimes, take up fuch ferious contemplations as these, both in reference to death, and other external afflictions: I am now alive and well, but I cannot but know that I am mortal and muft die; but my own reafon, and every day's experience, tell me, that my time is very uncertain and cafual: a fmall diftemper or diforder in any little vein or artery, a little cold, ⚫ a little meat undigested, may caft me into a mortal difeafe; a crumb going afide, a contagious air, the fall of a stone on me, or of me upon a ftone, may fuddenly take away my life. There are fuch infinite cafualties that may be mortal to me, that it is no • wonder that I fhould die, but it is that I live. What if it fhould pleafe God, by any disease or accident, fuddenly to call me to account for my stewardship, are my accounts ready? Is my peace made? Are my fins pardoned? Is my pardon fealed? Is all as 1 ready

ready as it becomes that hour? if it be, well; if not, it becomes me fpeedily to fet things in order, efpe cially my great concernment; for as this tree of mine falls, fo it will lie to all eternity.' Such thoughts as thefe, often and feriously entreated, would not haften a man's death, but would much amend his life: It would put and keep the foul in right order and tem per. Again, I am now in bealth and firength, free from difeafe and pains if I am not cut off by an untimely end, I must expect that difeafe and pains will lay hold of me; it may be a burning fever, or a languishing confumption, or fome fuch difeafe as may make the ⚫ nights long, and the days troublefome, every place uneafy, all things I eat or drink infipid; every limb or vein, bone or finew, contributing fome pain or weaknefs, or faintnefs, or anguifh, to the common ftock of that difeafe which I muft fuffer. How am I furnished with patience to bear it? Can I amend in myself that frowardnefs, unquietnefs, peevishness, ⚫ and impatience, that I behold in others in the like 'cafe?' Believe it, ficknefs is not the fittest time either to learn virtue, or to make our peace with God: it is a time of diftemper and difcompofednefs: Those muft be learned and practifed before ficknefs comes, or it will be too late, or very difficult, to do it after. Again, I am now abounding with wealth; but riches many times make themfelves wings and fly away; a thief or a robber, a plunder or a fequef ⚫tration, a falfe information, or a falfe oath, the change of times, or cafualties of fire or war, oppreffion from thofe above, or tumult from thofe beneath, the Chal dean or the Sabean, a word or action mifunderstood, "mnifapprehended, or mifinterpreted, and a thousand contingences may take away all my wealth; fo that I may ftand and fee my fervants deferting me, my * children utterly unprovided for, myfelf in extremity and want: So that I, that have relieved thousands, must be fain to gain bread for myfelf and my little children, either by the fweat of my own brows in

'fome.

fome low employment, or by the charity of others This may be, and may be speedily experience of thefe times have made it vifibly poffible, whereir *thousands that never dreamed of a change, have un expectedly felt it. Can I come down to fo low `a "condition with quietnefs and ferenity of mind, with out murmuring against Providence, or curfing, or • ftudying revenge upon the inftruments of it? Nay, • can I entertain this change with patience? nay, with cheerfulness? nay, with thankfulness to God, that he gives me my evil things in this life? If he be pleafed but to bless my afflictions to me, and to re ferve my portion of happiness for the life to come, can I still depend upon God, live upon him, and • bless his liberality, if he allow me and my poor chil 'dren a piece of bread and a cup of water? Can I look through the darknefs of my prefent condition, and behold that hope of eternity that is beyond it, gather more comfort in that hope than all the prefent difafters can give difcomfort? If I can do this, my lofs will be my gain; if I cannot, it should be my business, in the time of my profperity, to lay up fuch a stock and treasure against the evil day, which will be above the malice, and power, and reach, of men and devils to deprive me of.' Again, I am now in honour and efteem in the world, my place. 'makes me eminent, and if it did not, yet my reputation is fair, and clear, and great; it may be I can 'without vanity or oftentation, own as much efteem as fob doth in his xxixth chapter, The young men faw me and hid themselves, and the aged arose and stood up; when the ear heard me, it bleffed me; and when < the eye faw me, it gave witnefs to me:' But for all this my condition may be changed as his was, and 'my next complaint may be with him, chap. xxx.

But now they that are younger than I have me in derifion, whofe fathers I would have difdained to ⚫ have fet with the dogs of my flock: and now I am their fong, yea, I am their by-words.' I may be

• branded