d36 OftheJhortnefandfrailtie enemy:life. what Phew ofreafonhad they by deferring theirrepentance, tohazard their eternall faluation? why fhould they let their hearts vpon the things ofthis life,& prefer them before euer- latling happines ? why do theywho thinke it folly tobeflow great cot+ in building vpona leafe,ofone and twentyyeeres, grow exceíliue in thefecharges, and ere& fiately houles, ha- uiugno pofteritie vnto whom theymaykaue them?whydo theynot prepare themfelues tomeet the Lord,and take force paines to let flraight theiraccounts;iftheythought thatcuen, thisday theymight die,and becalled to areckoning?but the truecaufe of all thefe errors andnegligence is this, becaufe they dreameoflong life, and putthe euill day far from them. Now as this opinion and vaine hopeoflong life is an vCual The breuitieof caufeofimpenitencie, and of the committing and lining in mans lifepre_ all maser offinne, fo efpeciallyofthe loue oftheworld, and uedby Plain worldly vanities: for becaufe men thinke to continuelong reRimonses of with them,they accordingly efleemeand let their hearts vp- Scripsrre. onthem; whereas if they beleeuedand remembred that not only the things which they fo affe&are momentany andmu- table,butalto that they themfeluesaremortali, andof finali continuance vpon the earth, andthat euen this fhort time is moll vncertaine; theywould neuerpreferre thefe tranfitorie trifles before their eternallpatrimonie.And therefore feeing it isa forcible argumentto moueall mento the contempt of theworld and worldlyvanities, becaufeour hues are fomo- mentany and fraile, for though they were neuer foconflant andpermanent, yet we cannot long enioy them, feeingwe are mortall,andofihortabode onearth; let vs a little further confider.ofthis point;andfhew the momentanie fhortnes of mans lifebothby teflimoniesofScripture; andalto by expe. lob54.1. rience and reafon.TheholyGhofl intheScriptures dotham. ply and plainly let forth,the breuity and vncertainty ofmans life,and that byliimpleafíìrmation,andalfoby comparifons. For theformerthe teflimony.oflobisplaine, who affsrmeth that man who re borneofa woman bath butalbor: timeto line, Gene(47y. and isfull oftrouble, So the Patriarch lato6, fpeaking ofhis ownelife, which muchfurmounted the vfuali age ofmen in there daies,fai h,thathisdaicrwersfewandneill: and it isor. dinarie
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