Eook IV. THE LIFE OF MAN COMPARED To AN EAGLE. 937 <rides upon pain of Death, with a Halter about his Neck; no Man will loiter 'when his Life lies on it. 9· All give way to him that rides poft; he muft not be hin– ' dered. to. He 11:ays not to falute, much lefs, like other Travellers, to gaze and ' view the Country, Towns, Buildings, Gardens, by or through which he paffeth.' All thefe Things laid together, evince, that a Poft makes great fpeed; yet faith Job, My Days are fwifter than a Puft. A Poft may by one means or another be ftayed; but the Da.ys of Man's Life ita.y not. The .Poft may ftay whilil: he changes Horfes, &c. but the Chariot of Time, viz. the Sun, ftayeth not to change Horfes. The Sun is the Meafure of Time, and that makes no Stop, hath no Stage, or Baiting·place. THE LIFE OF MAN COMPARED TO A SWIFT SHIP. ']'hey are pa.f!ed away as the fwift Ships, or, as the Ships of Ebeth, Job ix. 26. I. soME underftand by libeth, the Name of a River in the Eaftern Part of the World, about Arabia, near the Place where Job lived, that nms very fwiftly, which adds to the fwift Motion of a Ship that fails in it. A Ship in a dead Water, having the Wind blowing rightly and briOdy, runs apace; but if it hath a fwift Stream befides, it runs the falter. I!. Others take the Word, not as a proper Name, but as lignifying Defire, "from Abab, to defire with Earneitnefs: And then ·the Senfe is thus rendered, lvfy Days art pajfcd away as a Ship of Dejire. ' That is, a Ship, which being laden with rich Corn– • modities, the Maller.and Pilot defire earncftly to bring her fpeedily to h•r Port, that ' fo they may pur off their Commodities, and make fale of fuch rich Lading. Ill 'The Chaldee, and others, give a further Note upon it, deriving the Word Abab ' from Ebib, which fignifies a Stalk growing up early from the Earth, and bringing ' forth the firft ripe Fruit of any .Kind: And fait is put for any early ripe Summer-fruit, ' as .Plumbs, Apples, Cherries, &c. and t<Jon the Scnfe is, Jl.1y Days are like a Ship, which carrieth early 1-i-uit : So the Vulgar, like a Ship carrying Apples. IV. There is another Senfr: given by thole who derive 'heWord from a Root, whichfig– nifies to hate and oppofe, or to be an Ad•erfary; and then it is thus rendered, My Days pafs away as a Pirate's Ship, or as a Ship that goes to take a Pre)', or as a Ship that goes out to take Prizes upon the Sea. Now fuch Ships are the fwifteft of all others, being prepared on purpofe to make way, and overtake other Ships; their .Laden is not Bur– then, but Ballall, that they may be fwift of Sail: So faith Job, my Days pafs away like a Ship; not like fame great Merchant-01ip, deeply laden, which can make no great fpeed in the Sea; but as a Ship of Piracy, that harh norhing in her, but \Veapons, Ar– tillery, and Ammunition, to oppofe thofe they meet wirh, which fail with every Wind; fuch as are your nimble Frigate~, Fly-boars, and Ketches, which f.1il with every Wind ; or Gallies, which pafs without Wind, carried with the Strength of Arms and Oars; all being Ve!fels ufed to run in upon, and furprize a Booty. This alia is a good Inter– pretation; and fo Mr. Broughton tranOates it, Jl.1y Days dojly away as the Pirate's. Ship, &c. ,e..B Jhew, the Life of Man fwifrly pa!feth away. THE LIFE OF MAN CO~fPARE.D TQ AN EAGLE. As mz Eagle bafienelh to her P;-e)', Job ix. 26. AN Eagle is a very fwift Creature, bm whenlhe hafl:eneth to her Prey lhe makes the · greateft Speed. The Life of Man is nqt compared to an Eagle in her ordinary Flight, but 0 s an Eagle that hafteneth to her Prey, when Hunger adds Swiftnefs to her :Wings: Thus withSwiftnefs our Dayspafs away. IIF
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