soule Iob 10. 1. For he was euen weary of his life to smoake that vanisheth Hos. 13. 3. To a bubble that is dissolued To a weaueers shuttle for swiftnesse Iob. 7. 6. To a cloude that is driuen with the winde Iob. 7. 9. To a vapour which is soone dispersed Iam. 4. 14. And here to grasse which withereth and to a fading flower That the whole outward glory of man is but as a fading flower Though a flower may bee faire in sight sweete for smell curious in colour and glorious for beautie yet it will fade so man may be great in place noble in birth mightie in strength valiant in courage wise in ordering and disposing carefull in prouiding and excellent in knowledge and gifts yet all will fade and fall away A flower groweth speedily but being cut downe turneth as speedily to its former matter so man quickly groweth vp from the earth assoone turneth to earth againe Doe not thou glory doe not thou praise doe not thou admire at outward things for they will fade away they are as a reede of Egypt That which men most glory in they are soonest depriued off I speake of worldly things Some glory in their birth nobilitie and house froÌ„ whence they same all these are Gods gifts but not much to be stood vpon The God of heauen hath giuen thee a Kingdome power and strength and glory Dan. 2. 37. Some glory in their riches why doest thou so either they will leaue thee or thou must leaue them all riches haue their wings as an Eagle and flye into the heauen Prou. 23. 5. The Apostle saith trust not in vncertaine riches 1. Tim. 6. 17. Riches are vncertaine because they haue wings and because they auaile not in the day of wrath Prou. 11. 4. Siluer and gold cannot deliuer them in the day of the wrath of the Lord Ezechi 7. 19. That which our Sauiour calleth thornes Matth. 13. 7. Paul calleth vncertaine riches Doe riches content no the more men haue the more men craue and commonly they are the greatest beggers which haue the greatest portion hee that loueth siluer shall not bee satisfied with siluer Eccles. 5. 9. A couetous man is not satisfied with riches for the more hee gathereth together the more he desireth the graue and destruction can neuer be full so the eyes of man can neuer bee satisfied Prou. 27. 20. The couetous man desireth all that his eye seeth The couetous saith What shall I doe because I haue no roome Luk. 12. 27. Some glory in pleasure pleasure is like lightning sweete but short much cost and care for a litle sport nay one houres sport may bee recompenced with eternall punishments Some glory in the world and worldly things notwithstanding this I must tell thee either thou wilt faile in pursusing them or else when thou hast caught them they will bee so vaine that they will giue no contentment Some glory in beautie beautie will vanish with a sicknesse or consume in time Some glory in their strength mans strength is but weakenes Some in honour man shall not continue in honour Hee is like the beastes that die Psal. 49. 12. It is an euill sicknesse and a great vanitie when a man shall haue riches and treasure and honour and want grace to ioy in them Eccles. 6. 2. Some in the praise of men which indeede is but winde No man knoweth whether it commeth and whether it goeth Iohn 3. 8. As the childes loâ—e so the peoples commendation is gotten and forgotten in an houre The Prophetsaith Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome nor the strong man glory in his strength neither the rich man glory in his riches But let him that glorieth glory in this that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth mee Iere. 9. 23. 24. Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome for wisedome shall not deliuer the wise from death nor strength the strong nor riches the rich but faith in Christ and good conscience in all things shall deliuer the godly from the second death Is it so that glory pompe honour and beautie are as a fading flower then let not vs affect these things too much let them not steale away our hearts Wee should set our affections on things aboue Col. 3. 2. It is not simply vnlawfull to vse the world but it is needefull that we be iealous of our selues to watch our own hearts that our affections bee not set on the world Outward glory pompe honour and beautie are but transitory things so are riches and the world A man cannot serue God and mammon Math. 6. 24. It is an axiome in the Bible that amitie with the world is enmitie with God Iam. 4. 4. Either men must forsake God and loue the world or bid the world farewell and cleaue to God Wee are taught not to loue the world 1. Iohn 2. 15. For we see the daily mutabilitie and inconstancie of the world and worldly things Doe not humaine affaires imitate the sea are not men tossed on earth more then on the sea one taketh away this mans ground another that mans field another desireth his neighbours wife another taketh away his seruants One striueth with his neighbour about water another about the aire He that is poore is reproached he that is rich is sought to be ensnared Hee that ruleth is subiect to conspiracy the Magistrate to enuy and hee that is of power to hatred There are continuall wars continuall slaughters and insatiable desire doth exercise tiranny couetousnesse ruleth and lying is preferred Trust hath taken her flight truth is a stranger and salutations are full of suspition and so all wallow in vices for euery man is vanitie Psal. 39. 11. 2. This may reproue the seekers of these vanities who plod and study to attaine to them but being gotten they profit not much they cannot saue they may destroy they cannot helpe at the last they may hurt How greedy are men after honour how doe they couet promotions how doe they hunt after riches They care not who are poore so they be rich who sicke so they be whole who cold so they be warme who sinke so they swimme The loathsome luke-warmnesse of the most is to be reproued Reuel 3. 19. And the dangerous losse of first loue in too many to be lamented Reuel 2. 4. Let men seeke the Lord whiles he may bee found Esa. 55. 6. Good and not euill Amo. 5. 14. The Kingdome of God Math. 6. 33. Peace Psal. 34. 14. The time will come when the Scepter and sepulchre will bee all one when the Prince and peasant shall bee fellowes when there shall bee no difference betweene the ashes of veluet and course canuasse What can the belley returne which consumeth most part of mens riches but dunge corruption what vaine pompe and glory but malice and enuy what vnchastitie but hell and
arrest Kings Potentates and rich men would not die for they would giue more then halfe their goods to liue If ignorance babbling in an vnknowne tongue might serue the Papists would not if strength the strong would not if skill the Phisitian would not if mirth the bone companion would not if smoake the bewitching vanitie of this time thē the greatest part of men would not in a word if any thing would serue turne then death arrest were not strong enough Death is such a Purseuant that hee will take no baile no bond no day for appearance but the party arrested must presently appeare before the tribunall seate of God 2. Cor. 5. 10. As an hearbe Or as some reade it as grasse or hay This similitude of grasse is vsed in diuers Scriptures to this end The Prophet saith all flesh is grasse Esa. 40. 6. Not by nature not by making not by condition but by similitude of fragilitie The holy ghost vseth this simily to shew the imbecillity of our nature and of our times And the Apostle saith All flesh is as grasse 1. Pet. 1. 24. The world of men may bee resembled to a field of grasse That man is like grasse for the breuitie of his life and suddennesse of his death The grasse is soone come and soone gone so is man soone come and many times soone gone as Ionah his gourd was Ion. 4. 6. The grasse when it is greene is beautifull bearing flowers but being cut downe withereth so man being young hath the greenesse of life then beauty and comlinesse but being dead withereth As the grasse is to day and to morrow cast into the ouen so man liues to day and to morrowe cast into the graue There is difference in grasse a thousand formes in one field yet all are alike in this that they must wither so there is difference in mens places in the world but no difference at all in death As dies the begger so dies the King It is granted he may haue better attendance and hee may haue more cost bestowed on him Healthy bodies must wither as well as sicke bodies The strongest must stoope as well as the weakest The godly must die as well as the wicked and the longest liuer must packe along as well as the vntimely birth As the mower can with few strokes cut downe thousands of grasse so God can easily with the sith of his iudgements cut downe a multitude of men This grasse may be brought to wither many waies if it be eaten by the beasts or troaden by the foote of man or burnt with fire or cut downe with sithe or sickle so man may bee brought to his ende many wayes by fire or water or strangling or murthering or the like When the grasse is cut and dried it is meate and fodder for the beasts of the field so when the flesh of man is laid in the graue it is meat for the wormes I shall say to corruption thou art my father and to the worme thou art my mother and my sister Iob 17. 4. Man shall sleepe in the dust and the wormes shall couer him Iob 21. 26. The moath shall eate within vs like a garment and the wormes shall eate them like wooll Esa. 51. 8. Herod was eaten of wormes Act. 12. 23. As a worme did eate Ionah his gourd Ion. 4. 6. So wormes shall eate our flesh The grasse will perish if it be neuer cut downe so man will become as a rotten leafe if he liue long This life is as a short misery Man that is borne of woman is of short continuance Iob 14. 1. I would haue no man say I haue so many yeares to liues yeares are not thine they are but lent thee This answere was made to one saying I haue fourteene yeares to liue thou doest mention fourteene yeares which thou hast not nor maist not haue but thou forgettest the many yeares which thou hast had Iacob saide fewe and euill haue the dayes of my life beene Gen. 47. 9. The time of our life is threescore yeares and ten if a man come to fourescore then there is nothing but weakenesse Psal. 90. 10. All come not to seuentie yeares or to eightie some liue an hundred but most die before they come to seuenthty Some die in their youth some in their old age God hath ordained to euery liuing creature his appointed time wherein to liue grow and increase so to decrease and die and as it pleaseth him to prolong or abridge their liues so doth he dispose of the second causes and meanes whereby hee will haue it brought to passe and so euery one hath his certaine bonds and terme of life set him yet none but God onely can attaine to the knowledge thereof Is there not an appointed time to man vpon earth and are not his dayes as the dayes of an hireling Iob 7. 1. Are not mans dayes determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds which if he would hee cannot passe Iob. 14. 5. All the dayes of my appointed time will I waite till my changing shall come Iob. 14. 14. God hath appointed how long euery man shal liue though fourescore yeares be no long course yet there are but few that hold out to the vttermost ende thereof in regard of them that stay by the way Some are cut off euen before they haue begun their course and some in the midde way that through so many sorts of sicknesses with other inconueniences and accidents that a man cannot possibly comprehend or conceiue them all The first vse reproueth such as know their flesh is as grasse yet they seeke things for this life onely they wallow in wealth and haue all things at their wils they are cloathed in fine silke and purple they glitted and glister with gold and pearles their faces are couered with fatnesse Iob. 15. 27. they beate the people to pieces and grind the faces of the poore Esa. 3. 15. They swallow vp the poore Amo. 8. 4. They eate the flesh of the people and flay off their skinne Mich. 3. 3. They are attended with great traines and troupes of men they lead mightie Armies and are carried in Coaches like Princes for aboundance of all things they are as mortall Gods vpon earth yet are soone bereft of all their riches and glory and perish as the grasse what foolishnesse hath wrapt vp their vnderstanding what blindnesse hath possessed their hearts what vanitie hath bewitched and rauished their mindes what mist of error hath compassed them and ouershadowed the light of their knowledge that they seeing the frailtie of their owne estate and condition Can any thing in this life be either durable or very delightsome when life it selfe is so fraile and tickle a thing The Apostle saith The world vanisheth and the lust thereof 1. Ioh. 2. 17. Salomon concludeth all worldly things vnder a most
that many of vs haue spent in reading praying meditating examining hearing and practising holy and Christian duties Let vs now returne to the Lord Iere. 4. 1. Let vs heare his writ while it is to day Heb. 3. 13. Let vs arise and depart for this is not our rest Mich. 2. 10. Let vs be more frequent in prayer more carefull in hearing more conuersant in meditation more painfull in seeking more diligent in examining and more studious in doing Let not God the author of time haue the least part of time spent in his seruice Let vs redeeme the time Coloss. 4. 5. Buy it with repentance vvatching fasting praying and with strong cries let vs make our peace fly from the anger to come Math. 3. 7. Let vs remember our Creator in the dayes of our youth Eccles. 12. 1. God vvill haue the first fruites and the first borne are due to him Let vs consider our latter ende Deut. 32. 29. and how quickly our life vvill be gone Our sinees cleaue so fast vnto vs that wee doe not remember our latter ende Lament 1. 9. Wee are carelesse in making our calling and election sure 2. Pet. 1. 10. It is sufficient for vs that wee haue spent the time past of our liues after the lustes of the Gentiles walking in wantonnesse lustes drunkennesse in gluttonies drinkings and in abominable idolatries 1. Pet. 4. 3. Our gray haires our sickly bodies our weakenesses and infirmities the shortnesse of our liues the iudgements of God on others and his mercies toward vs should make vs alway aboundant in the workes of the Lord 1. Cor. 15. 58. That is we must proue our constancy in faith and our loue to God and our neighbour by earnest study endeauour and zeale not that our workes can bee superogatory and more then due but that we ought to excell in the things that are due Let vs double our imploiment in reading the Scripture Prayer must bee sent before vnderstanding desired the continuance of meditation giuen that the Scripture might transforme vs into it selfe after a sort In reading the Scripture the guide oft to be the grace of God study and diligence must be giuen that all may be referred to edification In meditation which putteth life and strength into all other duties Wee must meditate on Gods maiestie aboue vs on our nature within vs on the vanitie of the world without vs on the shortnesse of life behinde vs and on heauen which is set before vs. In hearing of the word preached which is the meanes of knowledge and faith and of all grace with the blessed and prosperous grouth and increase thereof In conference in mortification and in mercy The life of all wise men is the meditation of death Is outward glory soone gone I for the glory of man endeth with the life of man It is hard to bee gotten short of continuance and sorrowfull to be left It is giuen to men not that they should giue themselues to it or to affect it too much Be not thou afraid saith the Prophet when one is made rich and when the glory of his house is increased For hee shall take nothing away when he dieth neither shall his pompe descend after him Psalm 49. 16. 17. Salomons glory ended with his life so did Hamans Herodes and Neroes The affecting of outward glory doeth cause many to fall from God The loue of the world made Demas for sake Christ 2. Tim. 4. 10. The loue of money made Iudas sell Christ Math. 26. 15. The loue of riches made the couetous man loose Christ Luk. 12. 20. And the seeking of vaine glory maketh many men neglect Christ. Seeke Christ and yee shall liue Amo. 5. 6. Seeke him while hee may bee found Esa. 55. 6. He that hath I sachar his burden must needes couch Gen. 49. 14. He that hath rent his net will take nothing Luk. 5. 5. They which are laden with thicke clay cannot mount vp before the Lord Habak 2. 6. They can neuer bee faithfull disposers that are faithlesse workers 1. Cor. 4. 2. They will say and doe not Math 23. 3. So they which labour much for vaine glory will hardly attaine to true glory And the place thereof shall knowe it no more When the flower is cut off or withereth the roote is greene in the earth but man when hee is once dead shall liue no more here hee shall liue no more vpon earth Hee shall bee seene no more here hee shall liue no more in this world The place where a flower hath growne shall know it no more so the place shall know no more where man hath liued That man being onee dead shall liue no more on earth Who of all our fathers departed this life haue liued againe a naturall life wee shall goe to them they shall not com to vs they triumph wee fight they at their iourneyes ende wee trauailing they in the hauen wee on the sea they at rest wee in trouble Remember that my life is but winde and that mine eyes shall not returne to see pleasure The eye that hath seene me shall see me no more thine eyes are vpon me and I shall be no longer As the cloude vanisheth and goeth away so hee that goeth downe to the graue shall come vp no more He shall no more returne to his house neither shall his place knowe him any more Iob. 7. 7. 8. 9. 10. As if Iob had said after death I shall not liue here on earth enioying my riches my dignities and power I shall not come againe to eate and drinke to haue children and to be restored to my former estate I shall not command seruants nor bee commanded by any higher power on earth my life shall bee a communion with the blessed Trinitie my ioy the presence of the lambe my exercise singing my dittie praise yee the Lord my consorts Saints and Angels the place the heauen of heauens 1. Kin. 8. 27. The Paradise Luk. 23. 43. The bridegromes chamber Psal. 19. 5. They which now see me shall see me no more on earth my soule at the time of dissolution shall returne to God that gaue it Eccles. 12. 7. and my body to the dust dust I am concerning my body Gen. 3. 19. There is hope of a tree if it be cut downe that it will yet sprout and the branches thereof will not cease Though the roote of it waxe olde in the earth and the stock thereof be dead in the ground Yet by the sent of the water it vvill bud and bring forth houghes like a plant But man is sicke and dieth and man perisheth and vvhere is he Iob 14. 7. 8. 9. 10. Hee that is once dead naturally cannot bee repaired againe hee cannot returne to liue on earth An house that is fallen may bee built againe a tree that is fallen may bee vnderpropped and staied vp againe but