V- Ofthefhortneffeandfrailtieofmanr life. ó45 themotion ofthe (hip whither theskilful! pilot fitting at the !lane dothguide and condu& them ; fo webeingplaced in the world,as ima fea oftnortalitie, are lidl failing towards theha- uenofdeath,and whetherwe fleep or wake,fiandfill or walke, willingly go forward, or delire to continuein the fame place, bothwhen we are in ficknes,andwhenweenioyperfeói health and Í+rength,in thelengtheningofthe feafons othee yeere, as well aswhen they(horten, we are daily going on asour great mailer doth appoint and guide vs,&whether we willor no,we mull flit! go forward; and though our motion may be Tome. time infenfble, yet in truthwe alwaies make alikehafie, and neuer ref+ till we arrive at thehauen ofdeath. Now ifwewould furtherconfider (as the truth is) that our 4,Sec`1.g, lines arenothing in comparifon of theirswho werebefore the The brenitieof floud,and yet they are now limited to the fhort flint ofthrec or mans lifeThem_ foure(core yeere,we may more fenfibly conclude;that'theyare idby a fpeelagg_ leffe thenamoment,in coir parifonofeternities èfpeciallyifwe confearts tberna f would account offo much timeonly of this fhort age,as defer- P f- ueth tobe entitled with thenameoflife:for almoflhalfea mans life isfpent inflcepe,which is nothingels,but(as it iscalled) the brother ofdeath; and therfore cannotfitlybe addedin this our diuifion,to the rearme oflife. Now ifout of this halfe thatre- nìaineth,we wouldfubdu&fo much timeás is fpent in ignorant andvnprofitablechildhood,wherein weneitherglorifiedGod, nor did any good toChurch or common wealth; lo much as is confirmed in ficknesofbody,and difcontent ofmind ; `fo much as is fpent in doing nothing, or in doing thatwhichis ill ; fo much as iscroffed, andmade miferable;by thefenfe or feare of Tome outward ofióuions,or Tome inwardglide; and then look only onthat part oftime remaining which is (pent in ioy,peace, contentment & agoodconfcience,thewhich in truthonly de- ferueth to be rearmed alife,al the other being but branchesand degrees todeath,we fhouldeafilyperceiue that our linesmi ght bemeafuredwith the fhort ell ofa few dales. But ifwe will not enter into thisconfideration ofthe fhorrnes ofour hues, whi- lefl it ispalling, nor learne this lelfonofour mortalitie, &mo- mentanycontinuance,neither byreafonnor experience;yet Thal we hercafter(when perhapsit wit betoo late tomake anygood vfe-ofour.knowledge)eafilybothfee,and teeingacknowledge I 3 it,
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