Contemplations moral and divine / by a person of great learning and judgment.

of our Latter End. 3 this Lecture is read unto us by the many casualties and diseases that put a period to the Lives of many in our own experience and observation, by the many warnings and monitions of Mortality that every man finds in himself either by the occurrences of diseases and weaknesses, and especially by the declinations that are apparent in us if we attain to any considerable age; and the weekly Bills of Mortality in the great City, where weekly there are taken away ordinarily three hundred persons: The Monuments and Graves in every Church and Church-yard do not only evince the truth of it, whereof no man of understanding doubts, but do uncessantly inculcate the remembrance of it.

4 Of the Consideration

diseases, but concerned not them that are at present in health, or not under the stroke of a mortal sickness. The Reasons of this Inconsiderateness seem principally these:

1. That men are not willing to entertain this unwelcom thought of their own latter End; the though whereof is so unwelcom and troublesom a Guest, that it seems to blast and disparage all those present enjoyments of Sensem, that this Life afford: Whereby it comes to pass that, as Death it self is unwelcom when it draws near, so the thought and apprehensions of it becomes as unwelcome as the thing it self.

2. A vain foolish conceit that the consideration of the latter End is a kind of presage and invitation of it; and upon this accoutn I have known many superstitiously and foolishly to forbear the making of their Wills, because it seemed to them ominous, and a resage of Death; whereas this consideration, though it fits and prepares a man for Death, it doth no way harsten presage it.

3. A great difficulty that ordinarily attends our humane condition, to think otherwise concerning our condition than what at present we feel and find. We are now in health, and we can hardly bring our selves