XVI. Henry, Prince of Wales, eldest son to king James I., of whom others say many excellent things, hear what account he gives of himself at last: a person whom he loved, and that had been the companion of his diversions, being with him in his sickness, and asking him how he did, was, amongst many other sober expressions, answered thus: "Ah, Tom! I in vain wish for that time I lost with thee and others in vain recreations." So vain were recreations, and so precious was time to a prince, and no ordinary one neither, upon a dying bed. But why wished he with others for more time, but that it might be better employed? Thus hath the just principle and holy Spirit of God in men, throughout all generations, convinced them of their vanity and folly upon their dying beds, who before were too much taken up to mind either a dying bed, or a vast eternity; but when their days were almost numbered, when mortality hasted on them, when the revelation of the righteous judgment was at the door, and that all their worldly recreations and enjoyments must be parted with, and that eye for ever shut, and flesh turned to worm's-meat, that took delight therein; then, O then, was it the holy witness had room to plead with conscience: then nothing but a holy, strict, and severe life was valuable; then all the world for a little time, who before had given all their time for a little of a vain world. But if so short a representation of the inconsistency of the vanities of the world with the Christian life, could make so deep an impression; oh! to what a noble stature and large proportion had they been grown in all pious and heavenly knowledge; and how much greater had their rewards been if they contentedly had foregone those perishing entertainments of the world betimes, and given the exercise of their minds to the tuition and guidance of that universal grace and Holy Spirit of God, which had so long shined in darkness, uncomprehended of it, and was at last but just perceived to give a sight of what they had been doing all their days. XVII. Philip III. King of Spain, seriously reflecting upon the life he had led in the world, cried out upon his death-bed, "Ah! how happy were I, had I spent these twenty-three years that I have held my kingdom, in a retirement." Crying out to his confessor, "My concern is for my soul, not my body. I lay all that God has given me, my dominion, power, and my life, at the feet of Jesus Christ my Saviour." Would kings would live, as well as die so!