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23. vi. 5.

17. V. I.

φρὸν τῆς

18.

SERM. grace and contumely; as you may see in those large inventories of his sufferings, registered by himself, 2 Cor. xi. in the 6th and 11th chapters of his second Epistle to the Corinthians; yet all this, considering the good things he expected afterward to enjoy, he accounted 2 Cor. iv. very slight and tolerable: For, saith he, our lightTo yae sae-ness of affliction, that is for a little while here, αυτίκα έλα worketh for us a far more exceeding weight of Bis glory: while we look not at the things which are seen, but at those which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that when our earthly house of this tabernacle (of this unsteady transitory abode) is dissolved, we are to have a tabernacle from God, a house not made with Rom. viii. hands, eternal in the heavens. I reckon, saith he again, that is, having made a due comparison and computation, I find, that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy (that is, are not considerable, come under no rate or proportion) in respect of the glory which shall be revealed (or openly conferred) upon us. The like opinion had those faithful Christians, in the Epistle to the Hebrews, of Heb. x. 34. whom it is said, that being exposed to public scorn Θεατριζό as in a theatre, with reproaches and afflictions, they did with gladness accept the spoiling (or rapine) of their goods; knowing that they had in heaven a better and more enduring substance. But the principal example (most obliging our imitation) of this wise choice, is that of our Lord himself; who, in contemplation of the future great satisfaction and reward of patient submission to the divine will, did willingly undergo the greatest of temporal sorrows Heb. xii. 2. and ignominies; who, saith the apostle to the He

μένοι.

Αρπαγήν.

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brews, propounding his example to us, for the joy SERM. that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God.

Thus immediately, or by an easy inference, doth the consideration of this life's shortness and uncertainty confer to that main part of wisdom, rightly to value the things about which we are conversant; disposing us consequently to moderate our affections, and rightly to guide our actions about them; fitting us therefore for the performance of those duties so often enjoined us; of not caring for, not trusting in, not minding (unduly that is, and immoderately) things below; of dying to this world, and taking up our cross, or contentedly suffering, in submission to God's will, all loss and inconvenience; as also to the placing our meditation and care, our love and desire, our hope and confidence, our joy and satisfaction, our most earnest pains and endeavours, upon things divine, spiritual, and eternal.

στατον ἀνά μ.

IV. I proceed to another general benefit of that general consideration; which is, that it may engage us to a good improvement of our time; the doing which is a very considerable piece of wisdom. For if time be, as Theophrastus called it truly, a thing пréof most precious value, (or expense,) as it were a great folly to lavish it away unprofitably; so to be frugal thereof, and careful to lay it out for the best advantage, especially every man having so little store thereof, must be a special point of prudence. To be covetous of time (Seneca tells us) is a com- Nulla nisi mendable avarice; it being necessary for the accom- honesta est plishment of any worthy enterprise; there being ar nothing excellent, that can soon or easily be effected.

temporis

avaritia.

SERM. Surely he that hath much and great business to deXLVII. spatch, and but a little time allowed for it, is con

cerned to husband it well; not to lose it wholly in idleness; not to trifle it away in unnecessary divertisements; not to put himself upon other impertinent affairs; above all, not to create obstacles to himself, by pursuing matters of a tendency quite contrary to the success of his main undertakings. It is our case; we are obliged here to negotiate in business of infinite price and consequence to us; no less than the salvation of our souls, and eternal happiness and we see, that our time to drive it on and bring it to a happy issue is very scant and short; short in itself, and very short in respect to the nature of those affairs; the great variety and the great difficulty of them. The great father of physicians did quicken the students of that faculty to diligence, by

admonishing them (in the first place, setting it in Non enim the front of his famous aphorisms) that life is short, dat natura and art is long. And how much more so is the art

virtutem;

ars est bo- of living well, (that most excellent and most neces

num fieri.

Sen. Ep.89 sary art for indeed virtue is not a gift of nature, but a work of art; an effect of labour and study :) this, I say, most needful and useful art of living virtuously and piously; this art of spiritual physic, (of preserving and recovering our soul's health,) how much longer is it? how many rules are to be learnt ? how many precepts to be observed in order thereto ? We are bound to furnish our minds with needful knowledge of God's will and our duty; we are to bend our unwilling wills to a ready compliance with them; we are to adorn our souls with dispositions suitable to the future state, (such as may qualify us for the presence of God, and conversation with the

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ἔθος; ἔναν

blessed spirits above ;) it is incumbent on us to mor- SER M. tify corrupt desires, to restrain inordinate passions, to subdue natural propensities, to extirpate vicious habits; in order to the effecting these things, to use all fit means; devotion toward God, study of his law, reflection upon our actions, with all such spiritual instruments; the performing which duties, as it doth require great care and pains, so it needs much time; all this is not dictum factum, as soon done as said; a few spare minutes will not suffice to accomplish it. Natural inclination, that wild beast within us, will not so presently be tamed, and made tractable by us. Ill habits cannot be removed without Ti rigu much exercise and attendance; as they were begot, rv. so they must be destroyed, by a constant succession, Epict. and frequency of acts. Fleshly lust is not to be killed with a stab or two; it will fight stoutly, and rebel often, and hold out long, before with our utmost endeavour we can obtain an entire victory over it. No virtue is acquired in an instant, but by degrees, step by step; from the seeds of right instruction and good resolution it springs up, and grows forward by a continual progress of customary practice; it is a child of patience, a fruit of perseverance, that imoμovn epyou ȧyaboũ, enduring in doing well, St. Rom. ii. 7. Paul speaks of, and consequently a work of time; for enduring implies a good space of time. Having therefore so much to do, and of so great concernment, and so little a portion of time for it, it behoves us to be careful in the improvement of what time is allowed us; to embrace all opportunities and advantages offered; to go the nearest way, to use the best compendiums in the transaction of our business; not to be slothful and negligent, but active and in

4.

SERM. tent about it; (for as time is diminished, and in XLVII. part lost by sloth or slackness; so it is enlarged,

and, as it were, multiplied by industry; my day is two in respect of his, who doeth but half my work :) not, also, to consume our time in fruitless pastimes, and curious entertainments of fancy; being idly busy about impertinences and trifles; (we call it sport, but it is a serious damage to us ;) not to immerse ourselves in multiplicities of needless care about secular matters, which may distract us, and bereave us of fit leisure for our great employment; Luke x. 40. that which our Saviour calls Tupßáçeσba wepì woλλà, to keep a great deal of do and stir (to be jumbled about as it were, and confounded) about many things; and, weρionãσbai meρì modλy diaкovíav, to be distracted and perplexed about much cumbersome ser1 Tim. ii. vice; which St. Paul calls meρiλékeσbai тaïs Toũ Bíov πрayμarciais, to be implicated and entangled, as in a net, with the negotiations of this present life; so that we shall not be expedite, or free to bestir ourselves about our more weighty affairs. The spending much time about those things doth steal it from these; yea doth more than so, by discomposing our minds so that we cannot well employ what time remains upon our spiritual concernments. But especially we should not prostitute our time upon vicious projects and practices; doing which is not only a prodigality of the present time, but an abridgment of the future; it not only doth not promote or set forward our business, but brings it backward, and makes us more work than we had before; it is a going in a way directly contrary to our journey's end. The scripture aptly resembles our life to a wayfaring, a condition of travel and pilgrimage: