2 9 ç Lifer flpparition, andMars Dhtolution. Obfervat. Z. of the people, that they couldnot get forwards; fo the interpofiugof fuckquefii.' bns as theft, make a flop in our wayes and proceedings : they make us take new thoughts, and think again, they make usenter intonew cogitations, whether it be better for us in that weare doing to perfift, or to break off. Let the confideration of it teach us wifdome, efpecially in perufrng, and fore- knowingofour worldly bufinefs, when we are about k , let us ponder andpaid; and fuppofe, and putthe queftion, whetherdoI well todo thus ? or what is it that I thus eagerly purfue ? wnat is it that I feek after ? Is ithonour that I am ambitious of ? why what is our honour but a breath? a height thaimany are railed to, out offavour rather than defert ? likePhaetons Cha- riot, or Icarus Plumes, aPinacleof honour,uponwhich he that (laudsmutt expel advancement,or ruine; to fomeitis a cloud offmoak, that thehigher it inounts,the fooner it dies. Is it riches that we fet our hearts upon? let usask the queftion what ¡s riches,btst thickclay? as Habakkuktearms it,red andwhite earth,as Bernard faith,or thehag_ gageof the earth, as another expreffeth it : as baggage is to the Army, fo is riches tomen, it cannòt well be left behind, but alwayeshinders the march, and fometitne lofeth the batted : in the gettingof them there is a great dealof labour, in thekeep. ing of them a great deal of care, and in the forgoingof them, a great deal of for- row : a man may have themand not be happy, a man may want them, andyet be contented. Is itpleafure, we are in lovewith, and dote upon ? let us ask the qucftion,vvha :i pleafurc? as a role fencedwith thorns, asa honey combfilled with flings: there is fvveernefs youvvill fay, but it is very dangerous : forward it caftafinites, but back. vvard it throvves darts that joy-is like the crackingofthorns : sehen it goes out, it is as the buff of acandle,there is a great dealofbitternefs,fometimes in the great- eft joysee have. LafHy,:s it lifeveo buildupon ? ask whatis your life? theText anfvvers that, It ii a vapour that appearsfor a littlewhile, and then vanijheth away. Ifeve could thus¡ ponder, and paufe, vvith ferious meditations upon thofe worldlybuínclfes, that vve' fo eagerly purfue : and put thefe queflions to our felves in thepurfuingof them Beloved, they would peradventure help us fo far to fee into the vanity and vexa-' tion of them, as that the edge and heat of our dcfires vvould beabated andpulled o vvn. I have donevvith theQueftion theApoftle propounds; what isyour life ? Nove I come to the vvords Of the anfvver ; it isevenavapour that appeareth, &c. Wherein the (bonnetsand uncertainty ofour lifeis feeforth : in the defcription of it obferve tvvo things : Firft, what. Secondly, vvherein. Firft, vvhat it is compared to : Avapour. Secondly, vvherein it is compared toavapour In tvvo things. The lbortnefsof abiding. The fuddennefs ofdeparting. Firo, the fhortnefsof abiding, avapour, that appearethfor awhile. f'here finit obferve,that theApofile faith itappears only: he faithnot it is, but it appeareth fo: it rather appears, than is any matter of fubfance. Andthen this appearing is but (hors, for a little while, it tarries not. And then the fuddennefs of the departure, as the abiding is but fhort, fo thede -i. parturé of it fudden, it isgone ere vve are aware; and vvhcn it is gone, vve knovv not vvhat is become of it : there is not fo much as any print or memoryof it left. To vvhat our life is compared, that is thefirftpoint I amtofpeak of, it is corn- pared toa vapour. If the Apoflle had given noanlvver at all to thequeftionhe puts, vve might have imagined his meaning, and from other places of Scripture have I abundantly fupplied it. Hovvmany times and placesof Scripture fetsforth the(bon- nets, anuncertainty ofour iife,by fuudry'fimilitudesand comparifons? fometimes it is compared to adman, fometimes toaijan ,- 'fometimestoafleadow, fametitnes to
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=