Chap. yg.. AnExpo,rtion upon the Book ofJo B è V, rf: r. 5¢7 ofan hand. The breadthof the hand is taken two waies, t. In the largeft extent, for a fpan or the whole fpace between the top of the thumb and the little finger ftretched out. a. In the leffer client., for the breadth only of four fingers; which is the mea- fure (ñs interpreters conceive ) which David takes of the daies ofman. Secondly, The fewnefs or fhortnefs of trans dales , may be confidered comparatively, and that two waies. First , As man maybe compared with man. Secondly, As man is compared with God. We may coiled the fewnefs of mans daies, now by compa- ring himwithmanunder a twofold confideration. Firft, Ofwhat number thedaies ofman once were. Secondly , of what number they (hail be. Firft, The daies ofman are fewnow compared, firth, with what his daies werebefore the flood, then many men lived, fix, feven, eight,nine hundred, and force almoft a thoufand years, as Mo- les hath reported the genealogy, age, and death of the Patriarchs, from Adam untoNoah (Gen. 5.) Now, ifany man attain four- fcore or a hundred years,he is wondrous old,and if any reach one hundredand forty orfifty (as lately one of our countrey men did ) he is fuck a rarity, thathe draws more eyes to behold his wrinckledwithered face, then any can with their molt youthful beauty. I read of one who had been an Efquire for the body to 7ohan cs de Charles thegreat Emperour ofGermany, who is called in Hiftory Tempore yohnofTime becaufehe lived three hundred fixty andone years. Galoli Yet three hundred fixty one, isbut a few toeight or nine hundred Armiger years : andbefides the life of that age is not to be can up by obiit anno!, what years one man lived,but by what was the ordinany number 3 61 natu.,, of mans years in that age. Fafcic. But as mans daiesare few, compared withwhat he lived before Memp, the floud ; fo they are fewer compared fecondly, with, the daies whichmanmight have lived if he had not fallen. The !Tate of innocencyhad in it a kindof immortality ; it was not impoffible for Adam to die before he fell, but it was poflible for him not to die this is now changed into a certainty, that we fhali die, according to that law ofheaven (Heb.9.27. ) It is appointed un- to all men once to die. Now the daies of man are truly called few or cut fhort, becaufe it is determined they shall end, and that íhortly c and though the determed end of theft dales is Aaaaz uncer..
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