Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

65o Of thelhortne feandfrailtyofmansI,Ñ. fhadowes vpon their bodf es,and will neuer leaue thcm,till they haue brought them to the fearefull tribunali of Gods iudge- ment, and haue there by accuing them, caufed the Iudge of heauen and earth, to pronounce againfl them the fentence of eternall condemnation. §.Sec`i. L I, And thus haue I (hewed that all men are of momentanie and The fhmtneß'e (hortcontinuance. Now let vs more fpecially confider of the oftheirlises breui tie and fhortnefl 'eoftheir lilacs who abound in all world- who are adsan. lyprofperity; for fo farce are thefe worldly things from pro- eed vato ha- longing our lilies, and from eflablifhing them againfl their na- sourr' turali frailty, that they rather cut them offand (horten them, as being the meanes when they are abufed by fin, to bring vpon vs Gods heauie iudgements, and to haften our death, when we too much fet our hearts vpon them. And hence it is that in the Scriptures, there is not oncly mention made generally of the frailty and momentany continuance ufmans life, but more ef- peciallyoftheirs,whó abound in all worldly profperity. So it is fad of thgfe'who are in honourable place and calling, that their aduancements (hall not preferue them from the encoun- ters ofdeath; yea rather it is more ready to (hoot at thetas be- fore others, as being the faireflmarke,and greatefl conqueff. lob 4,2.t. So E /iphaz, vfeth aninterrogation,the more to affure and con- ' uince vs of this truth. Doth not (faith he) their dignitiegoe away with them ?doe they not die, and that without wifedome ?And the Pfal.4.1133. Pfalmifl telleth vs, that man[ha not continue in honour (or as the word fignif ieth,fhall not flay in his eflate all night) bee is like thebeafls that die. This their way vttereth theirfooliJhne_(/e, &c. And though in refpe& of their honourablecalling, he ad- uanceth them to the glorious title of Gods, yet he will not at- tribute immortality veto them, but telleth them, that though Pfa1.Ez,6.7, theylbereGods theyfoould die like men, and though they were chit- and 46.z.3. drenof the moll bigh, yet they!horrid falllike other mé: &ellewhere he exhorteth vs, not to truftin princes,becaufe their breath dspar- Ecclefiaticus teth, and they retorne to their earth. So the forme of Syrach tel- ao.t r. leth vs, that which we allo learne by common experience, that he who is to day a l ing,tomorrow is dead. And therefore feeingall our policie, power,and endeauours, cannot continue vs in this honourable condition ; for though honours should remaine for euer, yet we are mortall and of frort continuance; fo that when