Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

V- Ofthefhortneffeandfrailtieofmanr life. ó45 themotion ofthe (hip whither the skilful! pilot fitting at the !lane dothguide and condu& them ; fo we being placed in the world,as ima fea oftnortalitie, are lidl failing towards the ha- uen of death,and whether we fleep or wake,fiand fill or walke, willingly go forward, or delire to continue in the fame place, both when we are in ficknes,and when we enioyperfeói health and Í+rength,in thelengthening of the feafons othee yeere, as well as when they ( horten, we are daily going on as our great mailer doth appoint and guide vs,& whether we will or no,we mull flit! go forward; and though our motion may be Tome. time infenfble, yet in truth we alwaies make alike hafie, and neuer ref+ till we arrive at the hauen of death. Now ifwewould further confider (as the truth is) that our 4,Sec`1.g, lines are nothing in comparifon of theirs w ho were before the The brenitieof floud,and yet they are now limited to the fhort flint ofthrec or mans life Them_ foure (core yeere,we may more fenfibly conclude;that'they are id by a fpeelagg_ leffe then a moment,in coir parifon of eternities èfpecially if we confearts tberna f would account offo much timeonly of this fhort age,as defer- P f- ueth to be entitled with the name oflife:for almoflhalfea mans life is fpent in flcepe,which is nothing els,but(as it is called) the brother ofdeath; and therfore cannot fitly be added in this our diuifion,to the rearme oflife. Now if out of this halfe thatre- nìaineth,we would fubdu&fo much time ás is fpent in ignorant andvnprofitablechildhood,wherein we neitherglorified God, nor did any good to Church or common wealth; lo much as is confirmed in ficknes ofbody,and difcontent ofmind ; `fo much as is fpent in doing nothing, or in doing that whichis ill ; fo much as is croffed, andmade miferable;by the fenfe or feare of Tome outward of ióuions,or Tome inward glide; and then look only onthat part oftime remaining which is (pent in ioy,peace, contentment & a goodconfcience,the which in truth only de- ferueth to be rearmed alife,al the other being but branches and degrees todeath,we fhould eafily perceiue that our lines mi ght be meafured with the fhort ell ofa few dales. But ifwe will not enter into this confideration ofthe fhorrnes of our hues, whi- lefl it is palling, nor learne this lelfon ofour mortalitie, &mo- mentanycontinuance,neither by reafon nor experience;yet Thal we hercafter(when perhaps it wit be too late to make any good vfe-ofour.knowledge)eafily bothfee,and teeing acknowledge I 3 it,