IF all things momen­tanie be vanitie, then mans life which is most transitory a cer­taine-Nothing, is va­nitie of vanities Verba Gilimeri Principis Vandalorum, fatum conquerentis su­um, apud Iustinianum Jmperatorem, unde Im­perator fortunae incon­stantiam, & humanae vitae viciscitudines aesti­mans, ipsum solvit vin­culis, & apud se aliquan­tisper in magno honore habuit. Evagrius Hist. lib. 4. c. 17. & Magde­bur. Cent. 6. c. 16., as saith the Preacher. Eccles. 1.1. And see­ing the grace, glory, and perfections of all Sublunaries are but va­nities, man himselfe whose excellence lords it over the rest, can be nothing else but alto­gether vanitie, as saith the Prophet. Every [Page 2] man is altogether vanitie. The precedent Psalme containesIn illo forma poeni­tentiae, in hoc patientiae. S^t Ambros. in loc. a forme of sound Repen­tance; this a Patterne of noble Patience. The sweet singer of Israel devotes this sacred hymne to the care and charge of Iduthun Quis fuerit vide­rint, qui tunc fuerunt. S^t Aug. in Psal. 38. a Principall Quiristor 1 Chron 25.3. 1 Chro. 16.41, 42. in the dayes of Da­vid. For which skill in Musicke he is not so much mentionedBeda in loc., (although his memoriall be a condigne recompence of his worthCassiodor. in loc.) as for the Analogie and resemblance betwixt his name In ipsa interpretati­one nominis, quaeramus intelligentiam veritatis. S^t Aug. in Psal. 38. and the substance of this Psalme, Overleaping Transiliens. S. Aug. in Ps. 38. Vt & proba­tissimi officij sui, hono­rem commemoratione perciperet, & Arcana Psalmorum, de nomi­num ipsorum interpre­tationibus panderentur. Cassiod. in loc. or over-looking. Teaching us to undervalue and sleight all the afflictions of this life, and fixe our eye upon God himselfe, our rocke of refuge and consolation in all sad calamities. Of PsalmesCantare laetantis est, interdum & dolentis, nonnunquam etiam poe­nitentis. Cassi. in loc., there be some gratulatorie, pleasantly melodious, Eph. 5.19. others poenitential, & some are songs of sorrow: Such is this. David mournes, yet must Idu­thun David scripsit, & Iduthun viro disciplinis Leviticis & Sacerdota­libus erudito canendum dedit. S. Ambr. in loc. vid. Aretium Felinum in loc. Filij Chore & Asaph. non memorantur tan­quam factores Psalmo­rum, sed tanquam Can­tores. Iacob. Valent. in loc. sing & sweetly warble out these coele­stial strains before the Lord. Whether it was Absolons unnaturall persecution of his father David 2 Sam. 15.14. Fabrit. in loc. that gave occasion to this royall PenS^t Chrysost. in loc.: or the foreknowledge of the Babylo­nish captivitie Psal. 137.1., wherein hee prophetically describes the patience of the SaintsR. Salomon ex Iacob. de Va­lent. in loc.: or whether he mystically deciphers the behaviour of Christs little flocke in generall, under the universall troubles that befall them through [Page 3] the malice of the wicked in this lifeIacob. de Valen. ib.: or that some violent raging sicknesse arresting his bodieVt videtur. v. 10.11. Lorin. in loc. Ardenti aestuans febre medicum rogat., invited his heavenly mind unto the sweet meditation of his endSancta, sanctis, in temperies Iohan. Po­meran. in loc. Foelix necessitas quae ad meliora ducit. Calvin. in loc. & Genebrard.: Or being as­saulted with some virulent temptation, to re­pine and murmure against God, because of the greene and flourishing estate of the wic­ked, who contemne GodSchenepius in loc. Offendiculum foelicitatis impiorū, & in foelicitatis piorum hinc pugna car­nis & spiritus. Brent. in loc.. Whatsoever (I say) gave the Rise unto this Divine Ode Hac dere Lucas ni­hil commentatur. Pro­verb. Zehneri Adag. Sacr. Cent. 5. Adag 76, his resolution was singular, to over­come all maladies and adversities by Chri­stian Patience, (verse 1. I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sinne not with my tongue.) and hasting to adhaere to the Lord, verse 4. Lord make me to know mine end, and the measure of my dayes. A courage so admirable, that an Anci­ent Father Ejus sensu profundo, & virtute sententia­rum, dum videt silentij patientiam, opportuni­tatem loquendi, & con­temptum divitiarum. S. Amb. lib. offic. c. 7. professeth himself wōderfully ta­ken w^th delight & joy in reading this Psalm, whilst he observed the pithy phrase, the pro­found sense, his meeke silence, his seasonable speech, his contemning of the world as dung and drosse in respect of God. Circumspect silence is a shield of BrasseO validum scutum circumspectae munitionis silentium! O fidissimum stabilitatis fundamen­tum! utinam aut Adam surdus fuisset, aut Evah obmutuisset, si Evah ta­cuisset, vicissemus. S. Ambr. in loc., the corner-stone of stability, which if our great grandmother Evah had learned, wee should never have heard of Davids complaint of evill men, and evill tongues. A lesson, which when Pambo Socra. Eccles. Histor. lib. 4. c. 18. heard read by his friend, unto whom he re­sorted for instruction, he went his way, and would learn no more; saying, it was sufficient if in the whole Terme of his life he could but [Page 4] perfectly learne, and practise this first line, To take heed unto his wayes, that he might not sin with his tongue Vt nihil tacen [...]um diceret,. Ric. Pampoli­tanus in loc. Salcinon Gesnerus in loc. & Conradus Her. in loc.. Did the man after Gods owne heart feare to offend in unadvised speech? was hee carefull to keepe his mouth with Bridle and Bit, whiles the wicked was before him? who should not then feareSi hoc cavet Prophe­ta, tu non caves? Si hoc metuit, in quo Dei gra­tia loquebatur, tu non metuis, qui erroris verba non refugis? & theatra­libus sermonibus dele­ctaris? S. Amb in loc.? Every man must bee so much more carefull with stronger Reynes of Conscience to curbe his tongue, by how much wee are more prone to offendPeccatur lingua. 1. Detrahendo. 2. Adu­lando. 3. Mentiendo. 4 Veritati contradicen­do 5 Perverse jurando. 6. Verbum Domini in­dignis proponendo. 7. Jmportune loquendo. 8. Superflua, & inutilia loquendo. 9. Testimoni­um falsum prohibendo. 10. Discordias inter fratres seminando. 11. Verbis alium deci­piendo. Hugh. card. in loc.. Wee take too great li­berty of speech to our selvesNe aliqua ma­la, vel aliqua non bona diceret, statu­it sibi nulla dicere vel bona. S. Aug. in loc., forgetting the strict account to be made of every idle word, Matth. 12.36.Tu non reformidas cui in Evangelis scrip­tum est, Mat. 12.37. Si pro otioso verbo pericu­lum est, quanto magis pro criminoso? nec solum omne otiosum, sed omne quod non fructuosum, periculosum, at{que} eradicabile. Labia nostra, quaedam vincula sunt. S. Ambros. in loc.. That discourse is branded as sinfull, which tho it be not prophane, is un­profitable Bona lingua non profert inania sed Deo digna. S. Hieronym in loc.. Now the strongest pillar of Si­lence and Patience in the maine Ocean of worldly miseries, is the devout meditation of the Brevitie and Vanity of mans life, which are the two equall parts of the Text:

• 1. The Brevitie, Behold thou hast made my dayes as a handbreadth.
• 2. The vanity, Verely every man at his best state, is altogether vanitie.

In the first observe two things. 1. An exci­tation of attention, the Larum-Bell, Behold. [Page 5] 2. A lively description of mans sudden disso­lution, Thou hast made my dayes handbreadths.

Wherein also note two parts. 1. The Law­maker, and law of the limitation of mans life, Thou (O Lord) hast made. 2. The Line where­with our lives are measured, which is made both of course and fine thred.

1. It is measured by it selfe, and conside­rable in its owne frailtie; so the just length of it is a handbreadth.

2. Secondly, with eternitie, so it is found to bee as Nothing, Mine age is as nothing before thee.

In the second branch cōsider two portions: 1. A serious asseverationPiscat. in loc. to free the Text from doubt, Verely. 2. A positive conclusion and proposition, that man is altogether vanity.

Wherein eye two things. 1. The univer­salitie, Every man, without exception. 2. The amplification from the qualitie; bee he in condition never so excellent, in place eminent, in fortune as it were permanent; yet there is no exemption, no limitation; every man in his very best state is altogether vanitie. All which severall parcels, as they were broken up in the entrance with, Behold, a note of attention for the eare: so they are in con­clusion sealed up all together, as an eternall truth, with a most remarkeable note of Inten­tion of the minde, Selah.

The DoctrinesPropheta agit, de mundi relinquendae va­nitate, de mala vano­rum cupiditate, de ju­storum optata societate. Marrinus Sebaldus in loc. which like so many Dia­monds [Page 6] shine in the Cabinet of the Text, are two.

• The first, Mans pilgrimage on earth is of very short continuance.
• The second, Man with all his worldly pomp and glory is a meere vanity.

Doct. 1. First of the first: Mans Pilgrimage on earth is of very short continuance Homo animalavi brevissimi, solicitudinis infinitae. Petrarch.: his glasse is soon run out, his date expired, his term of life ended: Man that is borne of a woman is of few dayes, and full of trouble, he commeth forth like a flower, and is cut downe: he fleeth also as a sha­dow, and continueth not, Iob 14.1, 2Bulla palustris ho­mo, ventus, flos pulveris, umbra: Incipit & ces­sat, nascitur & moritur. Nathan Chytraeus ex triumpho Poetico. Qui nescis, quid sit nostrum hoc quod vi­vimus audi, Transilus ad mortem est, Herculeus{que} labor. Claud. Rossaletus ex Triumpho Poetico.. Man being borne of a woman, the weaker vessell, is a vessell of weaknesse, which like the purest Chrystall, breakes in pieces with the least knocke or fall. He breedes the Worme in his owne root, which smites the flourishing Gourd of his lifeIonah 4.7. Foelici­tati jungitur calamitas, laetitiae molestia: sic sunt res humanae. Marian in loc.. And when the totall summe of his Pilgrimage is exactly cast up, it amounts but to threescore yeares and tenne; and if by reason of strength they bee fourscore yeares, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soone cut off, and wee flee away, Psal. 90.10.It merus est vitae, fabula tota labor, Vita labor nostra est, releves tu Christe laborem, In te sit noster vita beata la­bor. Iohan. Stigelius.. Mans life is assimilated to the winde Iob 7.7. Rapta velut vento vox irrevocabilis aetas; Aut quasi colloquio fa­bula trita fugit: Septenos decies homini, protenditur annos, Si spatiosa fuit, lustra his octo capit. Maxima pars hujus la­bor est, & plena dolorū Tam celerimotu praeci­pitata volat. Sic redidit Fridericus Widebramus. [...], Laert. lib. 1. in vi­ta Solonis Psal. 90.10., that blu­sters for a day, and at night passeth away none knowes whither, and returnes not a­gainePsal. 78.39.: To a Weavers shuttle Iob 7.6., which spends [Page 7] the yarne with speed, and what remaines from the web is cut off, To the Tents of Shep­heards, which remove very often, with their wandring flocksEsay. 38.12. Ne­tantur Arabes, & Ori­entales, qui propter stu­dium rei pecuariae erant [...], vel ut Stra­bonis phrasi utar, [...], qui facile in alia loca demigrabant, si pas­cua eos deficerent. Zeh­nerus in similitud. Biblicis. according to their pasturage. To a Bubble Hoseah 10.7. Vita quid est homi­num? vasti quid gloria mundi? Bulla est, & somnus, fumus, & um­bra fugax. Anonymus habetur in caemiterio Francofurtensi., which ariseth and fal­leth againe in one and the self-same moment. To a vapour exhaled from that supernatant foame: For what is your life? it is even a va­pour that appeareth for a little time, & afterward vanisheth away, Iames 4.14. To a Cloud col­lected from those vapoursIob. 30.15., whose racke and circumvolution is very swift; so our life passeth away as the trace of a Cloud, and comes to naught as the myst that is driven away with the beames of the Sunne Wisd. 2.4.: To the shadow of those swift Clouds1 Chro. 29.15., and there is no abiding, for it fadeth Psal. 102.11., and vanisheth Ps 144.4.. To the Grasse and flowers over which that shadow glidethPs. 90.5, 6.; In the morning it flourisheth and groweth, but in the evening it is cut downe and withereth; as the flower of the field, so he flourisheth, for the winde goeth over it, and it is gone, and the place there­of shall know it no more, Psalm. 103.15, 16. To a dreame, of these windes, shadowes, flowersPs. 90.5., vaine and phantasticall imaginati­ons, which perish in their very conception, and are forgotten when wee awake in the morningPs. 73.20.. To moath-eaten garments, which consume as a rotten thingIob 13.28.. To a Pilgrime and TravellerPs. 39.12. Heb. 11.13., who takes up his Inne to bait there for an houre, not to abide there for [Page 8] everAdrefectionem non ad defectionem, sic haec vita est tan­quam slabulum viatori, non tanquam domus habitatori. [...]. Aug. in Psal. 34.; takes a Chamber to dine in, not a habitation to dwel in; as a guest in the house, not the Host of it: I am a stranger on earth, as all my Fathers were. Finally, his life is compa­red to a Post Iob 9.25, 26. Cursor interdum diver­tit, sed cursus vitae, cur­sor est non requiescens. Chrys., whose pace is all upon the speed and spurre; yet the Post makes some stay to take his repast; but mans dayes flee away, and see no good; they are passed away as the swift Ships, as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey. To Grasse that groweth upō the house top Esay. 37.27. Ostentatus raptus{que} simul, solstitialis velut herba solet. Ausonius de Aletio Minervio Rhetore in professor, c. 7. Quasi solstitialis herba paulisper fui, repentè exortus sum, repentinò occido. Callidorus de se. ex Zehneri simil. 51.; and blasted Corne, before it be ripe. For how­soever such grasse grow in a high place farre above mans reach; yet because it hath no firme rooting, and wanting naturall sappe, and nutriment from the breasts of the indul­gent mother earth, it presently withereth by the heate of the Sunne, and perisheth. Even so man, whose dignitie surmounts all others, having on earth no abiding City, sud­denly vanisheth as smoake in the ayrePsal. 102.3., and withereth as the grasse. To a thought Psal. 90., which like the lightning in swiftnesse, passeth our expression, reaching in an instant from the South to the North.

And now to abide a while by the Virgin truth of the very Text, as Ruth did by Boaz maydensRuth 2.8., and gleane the graines of evidence under our hand; here is a conclu­ding resemblance. First mans life is stiled dayes [...]. Sept., because it is not conferred upon us by whole sale, by months, and yeares, but by [Page 9] retaile of dayes, houres, minutes, moments, as to checke our curiosity in making enquiry how long we have to live; vers. 4. so acquainting us with the brevity therof, we may learne to de­pend upon Gods bounty for the loane of our life, imploy it to his glory, and every day prepare for the Bridegroome Christ Nam ideo lates ulti­mus dies, ut observetur omnis dies S. August. Vt dum semper ignora­tur, semper proxi­mus esse credatur. Greg.. The last day is veiled, that we may every day expect when we shall be unveiled; and the Lord re­vealed in the Clouds. The sacred bookes of Chronicles, wherein are contained the ages of many generations are termed, Words of dayes [...] Verba dierum. 1 Chron. 1.1.; those Annales being onely Epheme­rides. We pray onely for the present day Mat. 6.11.. Plinie mentions a certaine plant called Ephe­meron Nat. Histor. lib. 25. cap. 13., a plant of one dayes duration; such is man, planted by the Rivers side, to bring forth his fruit in the due season of that day. Hee tels also of a certaine Worm about the River Hyp­panis in Pontus, which living but one day, is therefore termed Hemerebion Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 36.: Such a worme is man, A worme and no man Psal. 22.6. [...]. dictus Diogenes.; borne in the morning, dead at night1 King. 3.19.: alive and in perfect health at night, yet at midnight deadExod. 12.29.. And were thy dayes multiplied on earth, so as thine eye had seene many good dayes, and thou be full of dayes Gen. 25.8., yet is not that plenitude of yeares given thee as a boone to bee permanent; but as a donation, transientNon ut maneant, sed ut pereant. S. Amb. lib. 2. de vocat. Gent. c. 8. Non enim ut adsint ve­niunt, sed ut non sint. S. Aug.: Not added to thy former life to stay with thee, but to flee from thee: they [Page 10] come into thy house like the Sun beames, not to sit down with thee, but being in their way as they runne their course, to take their leave of thee, and bid thee farewell: Or like a bird, that no sooner sets her foot upon the greene bough, but againe takes the wing and flees awayDies simul venit & avolat. Ioan. Lopez.. Thy dayes are gone in a sort before they come; and when they come, they cannot stayAnte abeunt penè quam veniant, & cum evenerint stare non pos­sunt. S. Aug. in loc. Pro nihilo habentur, quae antequam veniant, ad­huc non sunt, cum ve­nerint jam non erunt, Idem.: and what account wilt thou make of that, which till it come is not, and when it is come, will shortly cease to bee?

But suppose thy terme of life be an houre, thy houre a day, thy day a moneth, thy moneth a yeare, thy yeares many, and many according to thy wish, of what length are all those yeares? Even a handbreadth. Thou hast given me dayes of handbreadth's. The second thing considerable. Handbreads [...] Ad verbum pal­mos. i. palma­res dedisti dies meos, i. parvos breves{que} ut mensura quatuor digi­torum ad se junctorum, quae est minima. Rab. David. in lib. Radic. Santes Pagn. in Topàch.; and is that all? So he saith, that exactly measureth them all, and whatsoever else was created with his owne hand. A handbreadth Palmus portio ma­nus est metientis & ali­quid comprehendentis. S. Amb. in loc. is one of the shortest kinde of measures. There is an Ell, a Cubite, and a palme or handbreadthEuthym. in loc. Lege Erudit. lib. Geor. Agric. Portij, Budaei, Alciati, de ponder. & [...]ensur. [...]. accipere., where­of there be two kindes, the greater and the lesse. The greater handbreadthDicitur [...]. Zehn. Adag. Cent. 4. Adag. 38. [...]: Spi­thama vitae. Eras. adag. Dicitur dodrans, sic palmares dodrantales interpr. Genebr. in loc. is the whole space betwixt the top of the thumbe and the little finger, when the hand is exten­ded, called a spanne, in account neere twelve inches. The lesser handbreadth in a more proper and strict signification is the just [Page 11] breadth of the foure fingers of the hand clo­sed togetherQuatuor continet digitos. Vitruvius lib. 3. c. 1. Dicitur & [...]., here chiefly intended, this in­terpretation best agreeing with the Originall, and complying most with the Prophets minde, by the unanimous consent of the choise interpretors.

The Septuagints [...], Iuctor. Ʋitae nostra palaestraest. Euthym in loc. ex illo sansen. exposition denotes two things. First, that mans life is full of miserie, trouble and calamitie; a continuall comba­ting against Flesh, and blood, principalities and powers, which are in high places, Eph. 6.12. God hath given us this life to labour in, will give us the next to be crowned inHanc in certamen posuit, illam in certami­nis premium. Chrysost. Hō. 27. in Ioh. Tom. 3. if we run well, 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. The second thing is the brevitie thereof Ex [...], propè conjungit ossadi­gitorum. [...], in­terpr, palmos minores, qui singuli sunt quatuor di­gitorū. Suidas in Nom., but a handbreadth, nay but a fingers-breadth [...]: est digitus dies. Alcaeus in carm. Athenae l. 11. c. 51.: yet if we allow with­out grudging unto his life full foure fingers breadth, alas, it then remaines mensurable Sic 70. Hugo. Card. Remig. Marian. Pamp. Ianson. & Vulg. in loc.: God hath numbred them, and they bee very fewIohan Campensis in loc. Certum est te ve­luti in digitis numeratos habere paucissimos dies meos.; and as they are soone measured, so they are as speedily ended; they glide away as a Ship upon the waves, as a Bird that flyes in the ayre, as an Arrow that is shot at a marke Wisd. 5.9, 10, 11., the trace, the passage, the way whereof cannot be knowne. And as they flee awayTransituros dies. Interpr. Pamp. in loc., so they waxe old, and we together with themEcce veteres posu isti dies meos. Ʋeterascunt enim hi, novos volo, no­vos nunquam veteras­centes. S Aug. in loc. Fortasse quia invenit [...] pro [...]. Bell. in loc.; and what is old, is neare an end, and what comes to an end is short Breves Hyerō. Inter and scanty.

Thus mans life considered in it selfe is ve­ry short, yet it hath some length, something it is, though but a very hands-breadth. But when [Page 12] we lay this something to the life of God, who is life it selfe, and measure our owne scantling with his length, who fills heaven and earth; then it will appeare to be nothing be­fore him. Then the glorious beames of his Majesty will swallow up our frailtie, the in­comparable heat of that Sunne will consume our nightingall bodies to ashes, melt our waxen wings, drive away our Cloud, exhale our vapour, that mighty winde dispell our smoak, that hand plucke up our grasse, that Ocean drowne our ship, that understanding scatter the dreame of our life, that it be cleane for­gotten, and out of mindeDan. 2.5.; his life bereave our Ages of the very name of life; his unlimi­ted length, make our bounded shortnesse seeme nothing, yea, become nothing, before him Nihil ante te, nisi addidisset ante te, valde contristabar. Origen. in loc.; My age Est. [...] choled. Tempus, secu­lum, mundus, vitae cur­riculum, hujus seculi ci­tò cessantis status. Sanctes Pagn. in Rad. is as nothing before thee. The word translated age, is diversly rendred by divers. Some turne it existence, and substance [...]. septuagint. id{que} [...] vt Lorino placuit. in loc.; others thus, my earnest expectation of life [...], sollicita expectatio. Aquila. is as no­thing when I consider the shortnesse there­of. The time wherein my soule lurkes within my body as in a hyding place [...], Latibu­lum. idem. [...] quasi [...]. Plato in Crat. is nothing to aeternity. My life [...]. Sym­mach. & S. Hieron. Sic usurpatur vox eadem. Psal. 89.47. Iob 11.17., my world; and terme to breath in this world: My body Chaldee Ayns­worth in loc., vigour vigor., and strength are of no account, all which the originall may wel shelter under the covert of its wings, and all these are nothing before the Lord.

Mans substance is threefoldTriplex est substātia. 1 Terrenorum. 2. Na­turalium. 3. Gratuito­rum. Hug. Card in loc.: First, the [Page 13] gifts of the minde, which wee receive from God; but as the mutuatitious and borrowed light of the lesser Stars is not to be compa­red with the brightnesse of the Sunne, from whence it is borrowed; so the primest gifts and excellencies of mans soule are nothing in cōparison of Gods infinite, and incomprehensi­ble goodnesse. And as the early rising of the Sunne in the East doth obscure the admira­ble beauty of night-guiding Starres, so where­soever the King of glory unveiles his favou­rable countenance, the excellencies of men and Angels gather blacknesse, and cover their faces and their feet.

Secondly, Riches, and great Possessions have invested themselves into the title of Substance Gen. 12.5. [...]; but what is the gift to the doner, or gold, but dung and drosse, in respect of a better life?

Lastly, the exquisite structure and substance of our bodies, crowned with beautie, health, and strength, attended with a prosperous ex­istence, and an enlarged being in this world, are nothing to the God of the world, IEHO­VAHCausaliter, formali­ter, quia res sunt ut vo­luit, & finaliter. Loryn. in loc., who gives being to all things, welbe­ing to his Church, and remaines an aeternal be­ing in himself. For he is without Alpha & Ome­ga. Our age had a beginning, must have an end; ours is dependent on his mercy, his is indepen­dent. If man be so diminitive a creature, com­pared with the fabricke of that great world, [Page 14] and the world it selfe, so little, that it cannot containe the Lord; so little and light, that he feeles not the waight thereof upon the tip of his finger, he will well merit the name No­thing, when he is placed before the Lord. The Keele of mans life is laden with more vanitie, then verity and substance, if the searcher of the reynes and heart come aboard to view it; ten thousand of our dayes will not make God one yeare, and a thousand of our yeares in his sight are but as a day, when it is past, and as a watch in the night Psal. 90.4. Mille tuis oculis anno­rum est tempus ut una Hesternae lucis non reditura dies. Frider. Widebramus. Tempus annorum tibi mille, lucis Instar hesternae fluidi{que} puncti, Nulla decursus, quod ubirecessit, Signa reliquit. Georg. Buchanan.. As drops of raine are unto the sea, and as a gravell stone is in comparison of the sand, so are a thousand yeares to the dayes everlasting Ecclus. 18.7, 8, 9.. One day with the Lord, is as a thousand yeares, and a thousand yeares as one day 2 Pet. 3.8.. And as the little Pigmies in the Mountaines of India Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 2., but three span long, are in a manner nothing, if they be com­pared with great Goliah, whose height was sixe Cubites and a handbreadth, 1 Sam. 17.4. or span, or w^th the Gyants Gen. 6.4. Nephilim nominan­tur qui & corpore robu­sto praediti, & staturae proceritate formidabiles erant alijs. Pezel. in loc. in the first age, & those sonnes of Anak, Numb. 13.33. before whom the valiant Haebrewes were but as Grashoppers. Even so the most aged Adam, or venerable Methushelah Gen. 5.27. vixit 969. annos., whose singular temper, and ages, are unreachable by their degenerous posteritie, are not so much, as the Center to the whole Circumference of heaven, or as a Pismire, a little Creature, Prov. 30.24, 25. to the great Behemoth, Iob 40.10Plerique tam no­strorum, quam Haebreo­rum Elephantem esse existimant, a mole corpo­ris, qua caeteras quadru­pides superat. Pluraliter effertur ad ingentem belluam signi­ficandam. Sanct. Pagnin. in Rad.. [Page 15] even a very nothing before the Lord.

Reason 1. Nor is it unequall with God to shortē our life on earth, who whiles it was in our own hands in Paradise, w^th willing in ad­vertēce betrayed it into the hands of deathMors a morsis. Isiodor. Orig. l. 11. c. 2. Rom. 5.12. Mali morsus, mortem intulit malam.. Before Adam left the water of life, and fell in­to the fire 2 Esdras 7.7, 8, 9. of transgression, our life had no knowne limit, the bounds of our existence were without revealed bounds Mensurabiles. Quos ego mea culpa mihi mensurabiles feci, cum essent a te dati sine mensura. Remigius in loc.: but seeing we broake the yoake of obedience from our necks, and exceeded the limits of our com­mission, it is just with GodVt ibi ultrix poenae saeviat, ubi poenalis rea­tus exarserat. Chrysol. de Prodigo. ser. 1. Ad talem finem semper voracitas tendit, ad ta­lem pervenit terminum fugienda voluptatis effusio. Idem. ibid. to tedder us short in this grasse-plot, who broke into the Corne being at libertie, and make our age nothing in comparison of himselfe, who ambiti­ously sought to free our selves from our de­pendency upon him, and give checke mate unto him.

2. Yet mercy is not to be excluded, which as it is ever great to the Saints, so herein a­boundant, that their dayes are shortened, Matth. 24.22Dies abbreviaren­tur hoc est locum (sc. Hierusalem) deletum iri, ut innotescat leges Mosaicas abroga­tas esse, ac Messiam ex­hibitum. Magd. Cent. 1 lib. 1 c. 4.. for seeing the Bush is ever in the fire, the Arke tossed upon the billowes, Iacob ever watching his Lambes in heate and cold, the Church in affliction, if length of daies were added to heapes of sorrowes, perpetuity unto misery, We were of all men most miserable, 1 Cor. 15.19. But now the fire shall bee quenched, the waters be dryed up, the Arke finde a resting place, Iacob returne home, the rod takē from the back of the righteousVita brevis ne pec­catum cresceret. S. Ambros. in loc., lest [Page 16] they be moved to impatience. He gives not light to him that is in misery; thus hee gives the grave to them who dig for death, and excee­dingly rejoyce to finde it, Iob 3.20.

3. Hereby we are invited to flye from the love and league of this life, which flees so fast from us, to goe out of Hiericho, and fixe our keene affections upon the matchlesse treasures stored in the caelestiall Hierusalem Col. 3.1, 2, 3. Disce mori, fursum quis­quis sapis erige vultus, In patriam, terras despi­ce, disce mori. Henricus Decimator.: For which very end this Psalme was compo­sedBellarm. in loc., to give instruction not to rest in the way or meanes, or blessings of this abbrevia­ted life, but to trust in the everliving GOD, the fountaine of all happinesse. Give mee O Lord, to long for those dayes which are, that in assurance thereof I may willingly under­goe any thing in these dayes which are not Remigius in loc. Dies qui sunt, & qui non sunt. Fac tuae fructu bonitatis aucti, Gaudio tandem satiemur: aegris Liberi ut curis reliquos agamus, suaviter annos. Buchan. Ps. 90. [...]: fallax foelicitas, est ipsa maior infoelicitas. Schnep. in loc. Vmbra vitae, & foelici­tas umbrae non est foeli­citas, sedimago & um­bra foelicitatis. Camil­lus Puls. in loc..

Vse 1. Is mans life so short? and as a thing of naught Vitae periodus mi­nimae apud te est aesti­mationis. Pellican. in loc.? then are they involved in an errour, who make account it is mans chiefest happinesse Polan. Synt. lib. 1. c. 5.. Life is very sweet and deare unto us; Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will hee give for his life, Iob 2.4. but there is a better life which is dearer, and Christ is dearest of all unto us, for whom Saint Paul was ready not only to be bound, but also to dye at Hierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus, Acts 21.13. It is requisite that mans chiefest good should bee proportionable unto the condi­tion of his soule, which is immortall, and not vaine, fraile, short, & vanishing like the body [Page 17] body which is corruptible. Cato, Brutus, and many others of the very heathen Sages, estee­ming life as other Neutrals, which neither much furthered [...]. Zeno Lacit. lib. 7. in ejus vita., nor hindered their foelici­ty, have preferred the imaginary joyes of their Elysian fields, before the pleasures of this life; and to hasten their possession of that aëre all inheritance, have craved, and used, the forbidden and rough remedie of a violent death. The wisest man hated life, Eccles. 2.17. but sought the chiefest good; nor would hee have praised the dead more than the living, or extol­led him as better than both, which hath not yet beene: Eccles. 4.2, 3Optimum non nasci, aut ubi natus fit, quam ocyssimè aboleri. Proverb.. if to live on earth were our best being. In vaine were Saint Pauls de­sire of dissolution, if to dye, and live with Christ were not the best of all, Phil. 1.23.

2. Secondly, this strips the Atheist naked, that his madnesse may be evident to all men, who from the brevitie of mans life concludes and assumes a libertie to live as hee list unto the day of deathƲivendum ut lu­beat, quam opinionem iniquissimam satis argutè refutat. Theo­philus lib. 3. contr. Autolycum.; an infection which overspred all ages. The Lord called his people to weeping and mourning, but behold joy and glad­nesse; the reason wherof was without reasō & religion, To morrow we shall die, Isa. 22.12, 13, 14. Conscience saith weepe, pray, make thy peace with God. Custome saith, no, slay Ox­en, kill sheepe, eate flesh, drinke wine; Let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die Sic faciunt, qui de futura vita nō cogitant. Marian. in loc.. In­iquity not to be purged away; as it began in [Page 18] the time of the Prophets, so it continued unto the dayes of the Apostles. The Corinthians were sicke of the same disease, Let us eate and drinke, for to morrow wee shall dye 1 Cor. 15.32. [...], &c. Anacreon. Mors me manet, me­rum bibamus, &c.. But the in­ference against these Taverne-Epicures is as bitter as certaine. These plausible allurements deceived themselves and others; their conver­sation was corrupt, they snorted in sinne, they knew not God, shame covered them as a gar­ment. Philo Iudaeus Wisd. 2.1, 2, &c. Liber sapientiae non à Salomone, sed à Phi­lone Iudaeo graecè scrip­tus putatur, nomine ac titulo Salomonis. Buchol. Cronolog. Anno 2931. Page 465. fully opens the cogita­tions and practices of these more than Indian monsters. Our life (say they) is short, our time is as a shadow that passeth away, come therefore, let us injoy the pleasures that are present. Thus they take care for nothing, save their backe, belly, and lust. Let us fill our selves with costly wine and oyntments. There's their ebrietie and gluttonie. Let us crowne our selves with Rose buds. There's their pride. Let us all be partakers of our wanton­nesse. Theres their luxurie. Let us leave some token of our pleasure in every place. Here's their Atheisme and Apostasie. Let us oppresse the righ­teous. Heres the fulnesse and ripenesse of their iniquitie. It is not enough for them to taste the wine, and drinke of the best, but they must glut and fill themselves with it: nor one­ly so, but leave some signes behinde them; yea in every place where they come, of their pride, uncleannesse, drunkennesse. Nor was their fren­sie stinted here, but they prosecuted all sorts of men, young and oldMagna fuit quon­dam, hominis reveren­tia cani, In{que} suo pretio ruga senilis erat. Levit. 9.32., especially persecuted [Page 19] the righteous manNec mortem horre­mus, nec Divum parci­mus ulli. Virgil Aenaead. lib. 10. Blanda vide quae sint, perversi gaudia mūdi Bella movet{que} pijs, impiae turba viris. Holcot. in cap. 2. Sap., because hee would not run into the same excesse of riot with themselves. Whosoever called Abba, Father, they hated him worse than Cain his brother.

Were these the preparations unto a sud­den ensuing death? O men! O manners! Yet the Gallants of these dayes fill their mouths with the same song: Come, we will fill our selves with strong drinke, and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant, Esay 56.12. Thus they weary themselves in the way of wicked­nesse, shew no token of vertue, but are con­sumed in their abominationsQuid laetare miser peccati nulla voluptate Gaudia plus Aloës, quam tua mellis ha­bent. Iob 20.5. Idem cap. 5. Sapient.. Wisd. 5.7, 13. They passe their time in jollity [...]. Luk. 12.19., and suddenly goe downe to the grave.

3 Thirdly, nor is their folly much inferiour, who put the day which is at their heeles, farr from them, making a covenant with hell and the grave En acumen sapien­tum mundi, qui cum aerumn is pateant, se ta­men latere, & in tuto esse arbitrantur. Calv. Lucinianos aggreditur, qui suum sapere, nonnisi in prophano Dei con­temptu locant. Calvin. in loo. Is.. Esa. 28.15. As though the rich mans coate of male were impenetrable by the darts of death. The Story runnesPlutarch in vita Solonis., How on a time the young men of Ionia Laertius in vita Thaletis. lib. 1. standing by the River side, where the Milesian fisher­men had newly cast in their net, bought of them their first draught. It so fell out, when they drew their net to shore, that besides a multitude of fish, they had inclosed a golden Table [...]. Suidas in [...]., Trevet, or CaldronNatal. Com. lib. 4. c. 10., which Hélena by command of the Oracle, had formerly let fall in that place, as shee sailed for Troy. The buyers maintained, the unexpected purchase [Page 20] of Fortune was a part of their bargaine, which they required. The Sellers would part with nothing more than their fish. This con­tention grown exceeding hot, it was conclu­ded that both sides should rest satisfied in Apollo's arbitration, unto whom they sent. The Delphian Oracle having given it to the wisest man living [...]. Diog. Laert. in vit. Thal. Detur digniori., they sent it first to Thales, who was counted the wisest man of Greece: hee would not accept of it, but sent it to Byas: he returned it to a third: he sent it to a fourth: & at last it was remitted to Solon, who knowing Apollo to bee the wisest, presented him w^th it as an Altar to their God [...]. Laert. Ibid.. Such was the mo­destie of those Heathens, who in giving honor went one before anotherRom. 12.10.. But they are dead, and I will apply their story to Death; which when it knockes at the gate of the poore man, he will not admit it, but sends it to the rich: when it calls upon him, hee sends it to the A­cademian: when it comes there, he postes it away to the Citizen: hee lookes bigge upon it, and bids it hie to the Court: the Page drawes his weapon and points it to his Lord: the Lord bids it avaunt, and lodge with his Groomes: they dispatch it backe againe unto the Country Coridon: and hee conjures it to returne empty handed from whence it came to hell. So that in fine, no man in health, in ease, and prosperitie, will give entertain­ment to pale-fac'd Death Quotidie morimur, quotidie immutamur, & tamen aeternos nos esse credimus. S. Hyeronym..

In honours, riches, pleasures, profits, and contentments, every man would be the first person, all strive for the golden Apple, every one hopes to draw the greatest lot; puts out his hand, surveyes his owne excellencies, and thinkes hee deserves the best: but in parting with life, liberty, and the world, every one desires to be the third person, come on in the Reere, and be the last man borne. When the Axe is laid to the root of the tree, to cut downe the florishing branches of a well rooted life, every man will stand it out to the very last stroke. And howsoever wee are all encompassed with mortality, such is our blindnesse and securitie, none thinkes he shall shortly die Nullus putat se ci­tò moriturum, sed puer putat se ad juventutem perventurum, juvenis ad virilem, vir ad senectam, senex ad aetatem decrepitam, & cum in eo est, non pu­tat eo anno se moritu­rum. S. Aug. Forma, genus, mores, sapientia, vis & ho­nores, Non retinent hominem, quin redit in cinerem. Ps. 49.7. Mixta Senum, ac Iu­venum densantur funera Ideo [...]. Vulgò. Vltima semper expe­ctanda dies homini est. Ovid. Metamor. 3. Ecclus. 7.36. Eodem fine Aegyptij [...]. i. Cadaver hominis exciccatum, vix{que} ossibus harens in convivijs circumfere­bant, & singulis ex or­dine intuendum osten­tabant. Plutarch. in convivio 7. Sapient.. The childe, who is a bud, presumes hee shall live to blossome. The Youth questi­ons not his life, till he be ripe fruit, or in flow­er: the old man, though his flower shedd and fade, hopes he shall renew his youth as the Eagle, and though he be bed-rid, yet he hopes hee shall see another new yeare. Yet the pas­sing-bell is alwayes tolling in our eares, our friends from all corners are brought to the grave: And as man abuseth all creatures, so they are all armed against him, to bring him to his long home. Some are drowned in the wa­ter, as the old worldGen. 7.21., and king Pharaoh Exod. 14.28.: others consumed in the fire, w^th Sodome Gen. 19.24., Na­dab and Abihu Levit. 10.2., with the men of Sichem Iudges 9.49.: some are swallowed up alive in the earth Numb. 16.32.: [Page 22] and others overthrowne by the very Starres, which in their courses fight against Sisera and his hostIudges 5.20.: some are overwhelmed with their houses, like Iobs childrenIob 1.19., Sampson, and the drunken Philistins Iudg. 16.30., with eighteene, whose bruised bodies were buryed under the rui­nous tower of Siloam Luke 13.4.: others torne in pieces with wilde beasts,2 King. 2.24. Turpe pecus mutilum, turpis sine gramine campus;Et sine fronde frutex, & sine crine caput. Ovid. de Arte Amand. lib. 3. Jocus amarulentus. as the scoffing boyes of Bethel, and the good Prophet1 Kings 13.24.: some stoned to death, as Achan Numb. 15.35.: others hanged with Haman Hester. 7.10.: others slaine by their acquaintāce by force or fraud, as Abner 2 Sam. 3.27.: others smitten by Angels, as Herod Acts 12.23.: others by the Plague 2 Sam. 24.15.: others by the immediate hand of God Act. 5.5, 10.: and finally, others are taken from us, by faire, eaven, and naturall deaths upon their beds, we help to bury them, mourne for them, yet none of us doe beleeve that our turne is next at hand Quem mihi dabis, qui intelligat se quoti­tidie mori? Sen. Epist. lib. 1. Epist. 1..

4 Yet is their discontent and murmuring insufferable, who so farre under-value this life, because it is short, as they deeme it not worth acceptance and thankes Vitam nemo acci­peret si daretur scienti­bus. Lege Charron. de Sap. cap. 35. [...]. Graecum Epigram.: filling the earth with exclamations against GodTheophrastus Ciceronis Tuscul. Quaest. lib. 3., that hee hath given length of dayes to the Hart, and other creatures, but abridged man of long life, the crowne of all other favours, if it be crowned with the feare of the LordPro. 16.31.. Who is this that darkeneth the counsell by words with­out knowledge? Are not length of dayes in Wis­domes right hand, and in her left, riches & glory? [Page 23] Prov. 3.16. The Philosopher acknowledgeth mans life to equall the most durable creature in length except the Elephant Aristot. lib. 5. de gen. Animal. c. 10., and produ­ceth examples of brevitie of life in other creatures, parallel to ours how short soeverAit bestiolas quas­dam nasci quae unam diem vivant, ex his hora octava quae mortua est, provecta aetate mortua est, quae vero occidento sole decrepita. Aristot. lib. 5. de natura Animalium cap. 19. refert. M.T.C. Tuscul. quaest. lib. 1.. Nor is our life so short in it selfe, as wee doe make it by our great wickednesse, while wee redeeme it not, but rather spend it profusely in idlenesse, impietie, and unnecessary curiosi­tie. Doe what wee can, some time falls by us, as some water runnes by the mill: another part is stollen away ere we be aware: a third portion wee trifle away in vaine pleasures: lit­tle is bestowed upon God, upon our soules, up­on our vocations: and the major part, but the worst of all, is imployed in the actuating of that which ends in shame, and repentance Sen. Epist. lib. 1. epist. 1. Non patum habemus temporis, sed multum perdidimus. Infinita est velocitas temporis, &c. Sen. epist. lib. 6. epist. 50.: so that to complaine of Gods bounty is most unjust, when our owne impietie is in the fault. Be not sollicitous for the shortnesse of thy life, but use it as an inducement to live wel: & to walk w^th God, to make thy Election sure & certain whiles it is called to day. The bene­fit of life is not in the length, but in the pious use; hee sometimes lives the least that lives the longest Doce, non esse posi­tum bonum vitae in spa­cio ejus, sed in usu, posse fieri, ut qui diu vixit, parū vixerit. Sen. ibid.: When thou goest out, say to thy selfe, perhaps I shall never returne home alive; when thou risest from thy bed, perhaps I shal never sleepe more; when thou lyest downe to rest, perhaps I shall never wake moreDic mihi dormituro, potes non expergisci, dic experrecto, potes non dormire amplius, dic exeunti, potes non re­verti; dic redeunti, potes non exire. Punctum est quod vivimus & adhuc puncto minus. Sen. ibid.: this will adde winges to thy desires to bestow [Page 24] thy time well, whiles the lampe burnes, to re­member thy Creator in thy nonage, whose mercy crownes us with old age. For as it was an abo­mination unto the Lord to bring an offering with a blemish Deut. 17.1., when they had a better in the flocke; so is that man hatefull to GODMaledictus omnis, qui fragrantissimum vernantis juventutis florem Diabolo, faetidas verò decrepitae senectu­tis faeces Deo consecrat. S. August., who devotes his youth to the Devill, and the filthy dregs of his dotage onely to the LORD.

2. Vse of instruction. 1. Now it will be ve­ry profitable unto us to survey the mon­strous and ougly shape of sinne, which here begins to shew its head as the true cause of this great shortnesse of mans lifeFabrit. in loc.. Philosophie confesseth, and deploreth this Vanity and Bre­vity Tileman. Heshusi­us in loc., but neither declares the principall ef­ficient cause, nor propounds the remedy, but driving her children into the snare of de­spaire, there leaves them intangled; but Theo­logy discovers the root to be sinne, the reme­dy Christ, God the Physitian, and a sanctified soule the Patient. O Ancient of dayes! how hast thou made his dayes but an handbreadth, who is Lord of all the workes of thy hands? Him that was little lesse than the Angels, to be Nothing be­fore thee Confer nostram lon­gissimam aetatem cum aeternitate, in eadem propemodum brevitate, qua illae bestiola (sc. quae hemerobioi) reperiemur. M.T. Cicero. in Tusculan. quaest. lib. 1.? Whom thou crowned'st with wor­ship and glorie, to become Vanitie? Behold O man, be it spoken to thee; If thy dayes bee shortned, impute it to the worke of thy own hands; If thy age be nothing before me, it is thy rage and rebellion against me; If thou [Page 25] be transformed into vanitie, thereby thou art convicted, that thou hast imbraced vani­tie. Sinne is a great shortner or epitomizer of all things, it keepes many blessings from us: It shortens wealth Pro. 6.26., confines libertie 2 Chron. 23.10, 11., impea­cheth health Iohn 5.14. Psal. 38.3, 4, 7, 8, 10.39.11., abbreviateth life: The dayes of his youth hast thou shortned, Psalm. 89.45. It breeds a cutting off of our dayes, Isa. 38.10: and moneths Iob 21.21.. The bloody and deceitfull men shall not live out halfe their daies. Psal. 55.23. The feare of the Lord increaseth the dayes, but the yeeres of the wicked shall be diminished. Pro. 10.27 Are not his daies determined. The number of his moneths are with thee. Thou hast appointed his bounds, which he cannot passe. Iob 14.5. There is a naturall Land-marke, or pillar of life, unto the uttermost period and point whereof our naturall strength and vigor would carry usEst terminus vitae duplex. 1. Naturalis, quem aliquis viribus na­turalibus attingere pos­sit. 2. Supernaturalis seu divinitus decretus, qui non semper cum na­turali congruit. Piscat. in Ps. 55.23., thither divine Clemencie convayed faithfull Abraham, who dyed in a good old age, an old man, and full of yeares, Gen. 25.8. But the su­pernaturall hand of heaven A prima die pendet extrema, in ortu sanxisti quantum quis{que} victu­rus esset. Marianus in Iob 14.5. hath abridged im­pietie of so ample a scope, measured the sin­ners life with a shorter line, and more sparing hand. His branch shall not be greene long toge­ther, but shall be cut off before his day, Iob 15.32In non die suo, i an­te diem suum, ad quem per naturam juxa ho­minum opinionem perve­nire poterat. q d. morte immatura praevenietur, vel gladio, vel morbo, vel aliqua alia causa violenta morte non sua interibit. Mercer in loc.. Gods patience may long magnifie it selfe, yet the sinner shall not prolong his dayes, which are as a shadow, because hee feared not before God, Eccles 8.13. Nor is that life, which is turbu­lent, and accursed; and in the midst of all his [Page 26] desires, mischiefe, carnall resolutions, and so­laces, hee is sent for by Damnations Purse­vant, in the midst of his dayesJn medio cursa im­piorum conatuum, im­perfectis adhuc machi­nis. Luke 12.20. Exiguo vivat, vesanus tempore sospes: Qui{que} Deum sperait, sic velut umbra cadat. Marian. in Eccles 8.13.. Thus perish­ed lascivious Zimry Numb. 25.14., thus the Wantonists of the primitive ageGen. 6.4, 5., thus the roaring Comba­tants of this age: and thus have fallen the pro­phane Onans and sinners of all agesGen. 38.9, 10.. Against which David prayes, Lord, take mee not away in the midst of my dayes. Ps. 102.24.

Secondly, this may be sufficient to teach us (if we will beleeve) that mans life is short. The voyce cryes All flesh is grasse, Abripimur celeri, velut acta sagitta volatu; Et nihil est multos, vi­vere posse dies. Erasm. Mich. Laetus in obitura August. Impe­ratoris. and all the goodlinesse thereof is as the flower of the field. I say 40.6. The grasse withereth, the flower fadeth, because the spirit of the Lord blowes upon it. Such as are enamored with the painted face of a delectable life, and measure the length of their Pilgrimage, by the Pole of their owne endles desires, will not beleeve this Prophe­ticall voyce, enrolled and subscribed unto as canonicallGen. 47.9. Iames 1.10. 1 Pet. 1.24.. The Sun, Moon, and Stars have out-lasted many generations, & yet continue in the nonage and full strength of their moti­ons, influences, and operations Perlege lectissimum librum de divina provi­dentia. Per Doct. Hac. Oxoniens. unto this mo­ment. The Earth like Endymion Endymion vero, si fabulas audire volumus nescio quando in Latino obdormivit, nondum ut opinor experrectus. M.T Cicero lib. 1. Tusc. qu., hath se­curely snorted this many thousand yeeres upon her ancient columnes. The Ocean keepes his aged course and recourse. Many of the creatures are celebrated for incredible per­petuitie, onely man is as water spilt on the ground 2 Sam. 14.14., hee must needs dye, and cannot bee ga­thered [Page 27] up againe. For as one wave of the Sea drives forward another unto the shore, and one graine of sand swiftly runnes after another till the Glasse bee out—Nihil est toto quod perflet in orbe, Cuncta fluunt,— Non secus ac flumen; nec enim consistere flumen, Nec lovis hora potest, sed ut unda pellitur unde, Ʋrgetur{que} eddem, vent­ens, urget{que}, priorem, Tempora sic fugiu [...] pariter, pariter{que} se­quuntur. Ovid. Metamorph. lib. 15. Festinat enim decurrere velox,—Flosculus angustae, misera{que} brevissima vitae, Portio, &c.— Iuvenal. Satyr. 9.: Even so, one man postes it after another to the grave, and none can stay them. A lesson seldome learned, or seldome well remembred but in adversitie Calvin. in loc. Rabbini tradunt Davi­dem aegro tantem hunc Psalmum composuisse. Bell in loc. Davidica intelligit, qui Davidica patitur. Tilem. Heshuius in loc., and the soonest forgotten in the sunshine of prosperitie. Because they have no changes, therefore they feare not God, Pal. 55.19.

The character of our short life is engraven in every mans face, but most clearely in our owne, and facill to reade: and as the body of the Sunne, and face of the Moone are better discerned and viewed by the eye, in the E­clipse, when as the Pagans thinke she is in tra­vell and afflictionRomani, aeris tinnitu lumen revocantibus, ig­nes{que} multos, & faces, et taedas in coelum pro­tendentibus, &c. Plutach. in vita Pauli Aemilij.: so, men are never more apprehensive of their owne frailtie, then when the yoke of affliction is upon their necke. King Hezekiah said, his age was departed from him as a shepheards tent. But when was this spoken? When hee had beene sicke, in the cut­ting off of his dayes. Isay 38.9.12. As when the Sunne hath climbed up by severall degrees unto the Zenith just over our heads, the sha­dow is then the shortest: so in the full height of our prosperitie, our observation of morta­litie is the least. In health, God speaketh once or twice, yet man perceives it not, then he openeth the eares of men, when hee chastiseth him with pain upō his bed, & the multitude of his bones with [Page 28] strong paine. Iob 33.14, 19. As the Palme trees spread the broader by being pressed downeNititur in pondus palma & consurgit in altum; Quo mage & premitur, hoc mage tollit onus. Alciat. Embl. Sempiterna foliorum Coma virent. Plin. Hist. lib. 16. c. 19.: so, the more the left hand of Gods justice doth weigh downe the members of the bo­dy, by his fatherly visitations, the right hand of his Mercy doth more elevate the faculties of the sanctified soule to the meditation of mans frailtie and infirmitie. He enlargeth their hearts in distresse. Psal. 4.1. Our life is a Race, and what shorter then a race? yet the run­ners being naturally short-winded, are soone out of breath. The Prologue of life is the first Scaene of our deathVitae principium, mortis exordium est. S. Ambros. lib. 2. de vocat gent. cap. 8. Finis{que} ab origine pen­det., for our dayes upon earth are but a shadow, Iob 8.9.

Thirdly, the meditation of this mortalitie should accelerate our sound Repentance Incertum est quam longa nostrum cujus{que} vita futura est: consule­re vivi ac prospicere debemus. Cicero Orat. 6. in Verrem.: Make no long tarrying to turne unto the Lord, & put not off from day to day: for suddenly shall the wrath of the Lord breake forth, and in thy secu­ritie thou shalt be destroyed, and thou shalt perish in the time of vengeance. Ecclus. 5.7. Repen­tance is like the wheele in the hand of the ver­tuous womanPro. 31.10.19., which spinnes out the eaven thred of life unto the just length: but Impeni­tencie resembles the over-weightie Spindle, which breakes the thred in sunder, be it ne­ver so fine.

When man turnes his backe of the Law by transgression, then the Lord hides his face, the sinner is troubled, hee dies, and returnes to dust, Psal. 104.29. Remember of what short time [Page 29] thou artPsal. 89.47., and the Lord of time, that in due time thou maiest repent. That one thing ne­cessarie for all men isLuke 10.42., to agree with the adver­sary quickly, when thou art in the way, with him: lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the Iudge, and the Iudge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison, Mat. 5.25Cogentur minimi quadrantem solvere nummi, Nemo pedem removet quo sua culpa trahit. Fortunat. lib. 4. Premit insentes debita sceleri noxia poena. Boet. lib. 1. de consolat. Philosop.. Passe sentence on thy selfe, lest divine sentence passe against theeCurrat poenitentia, sententia ne praecurrat, nos sibi redire desiderat, non perire. Chrysol. de divo Iohan. Bapt. ferm. 167.. Hee that walkes in his in­nocencie is not bound to pay the interest of re­pentance Qui innocentiae cre­ditum servat, poenitentiae non solvit usuram. Idem ibid.: But seeing every sonne of man (ex­cept the Sonne of God,) hath plaid the unfaith­full servant, abused the talent of Time, and profered grace, runne very deepe upon the scoare of Gods patience, taken his poore creditor by the throat, unmindfull of his Lords abundant Clemencie, it behooves all men with bended knees and hearts, with wring­ing hands, and watry eyes, prostrate before the throne of Grace, to cryFerat, ferat, ama­ram poenitentiae curam, qui servare debitam no­luit sanitatem. Idem. ibid. Have mercy upon me O God, according to thy loving kindnesse: ac­cording to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions, Psalm. 51.1. Re­member not the sinnes of my youth, nor my trans­gressions Et fortasse delicta juventutis ad servorem retulit carnis, ignorantiae ad verborum prolapsic­nem. S. Ambros., according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodnesse sake O Lord, Psalm. 25.7. Dissemble not with God, crave not a cleane, penitent, and broken heart, as fearing to bee heard too soone At ego adolescers miser valde petieram cas [...]itatem, & dixeram da mihi castitatem & continentiam, sed noli modo, tim bam enim ne me citò exaudixes, & citò sanares à morbo con­cupiscentiae, quam male­bam expleri quam extin­gui. S. Aug. Confessi­enum lib. 8. cap. 7., having more stomacke to adhere to thy beloved sinne [...], then to bee re­conciled to thy God: But rather now, when [Page 30] the Cocke of mercie, admonition, and remem­brance crowes, goe out of thy selfe, and weepe bitterly. Say no more, anon, anon, to morrow, to morrow I will become a new manEcce modo fiat, modo fiat. Idem. cap. 11.. How long hast thou said already, To morrow? why not To day? why not, even now? at this very instant, dost thou put a period to thy wicked­nesseQuamdiu, quam­diu, cras & cras? quare non modo? quare non hac bora finis turpitudinis meae? Idem cap. 12. Deo servire statui, & hoc ex hora hac, in hoc loco aggredior. Politianus de Antonio. idem cap. 6.? Thou canst lay no further claime to any part of swift Time, then to the present day; nor in the day, but onely to the present houre; nor in the houre, but to the first quar­ter; nor therein to any minute, but the first: Time is not given us by handfulls, but by hand-breadths Dat nobis de palmo in palmum. Loryn. in loc., to admonish thee to flee by speedy repentance, upon the wings of every vanish­ing moment unto thy God, as the Mariner is caried with the winde and headdy tyde into the desired haven. He shall not see God with joy at the right hand of his father, who be­holds him not on earth with teares in his eyes. Nor will hee finde repentance to mor­rowNon orietur ei sol gloriae, cui sol justitiae or­tus non fuerit, nec illu­cescet ei dies crastina cui non luxerit hodier­na, S. Bern. Sed mora damnosa est, nec res dubitare re­mittit, Dum superest ali­quid cuncti coeamus ad arma. Ovid. Metamor. lib. 11., that seekes it not to day. It is a shower of grace that falls from heaven, not water to be drawne out of every pit.

The more the Sunne declines to the West, the lesse we feele the heat thereof, as it sets, the aire cooleth: so the neerer the unregenerate man drawes to his grave, the more his heart freezeth, the beames of grace have lesse force and power upon it. The more the Oke sprea­deth his rootes in the earth, the harder it is [Page 31] to plucke it up: And when sinne is radicated in the heart through long continuance, and incorporated, it cannot in a few houres, by an ordinary strength, with a few words (as charmes) bee digged out: wherefore Repent now whilst there is place for mercy, lest with prophane Esau, thou seeke a blessing hereafter with teares, yet canst finde no place for repen­tance. Heb. 12.17.

Fourthly, from the same root springs an­other branch, bearing the bitter-sweet fruit of selfe-deniall. What weapons so sharp and mightie through God, to the pulling downe of strong holds of sinne within us2 Cor. 10.4, 5., as the due consideration of the brevitie of mans lifeVita nostra longe omnium con­tractissima & bre­vissima est. Schnepius in loc.? What pleasure doth hee take in the world, that is ready to expire his last breath? And what song can hee sing to solace his soule in the bewitching pleasures of this life, because hee hath goods enough laid up for many yeares, when hee knowes hee hath not many yeares laid up for his goods Luke 12.19.20. Facile contemnit omnia qui se semper cogitat moriturum. S. Hycron.. But this I say, Brethren, the time is short, it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none: and they that weepe, as though they wept not; and they that rejoyce, as though they rejoyced not: and they that buy, as though they possessed not: and they that use this world, as not abusing it; for the fa­shion of this world passeth away, 1 Corinth. 7.29, 30.31Vtere sic rebus, tanquam moriturus in hora, Et ceu victurus parcere disce bonis. Ille sed est sapiens verè, qui novit utrum{que} Vtens & parcens scit retinere modum. Lucian Selneccerus refert. in loc. [...]. Synesius Epist. 65.. This will beate downe that strong bulwarke of prideHugo Cardinal. in loc., against which [Page 32] God hath had ever store of Ordinance moun­ted upon mount Sion, from whence they have played upon Sathan and his Squadron, it being hatefull both to God and manEcclus 10.7.; this frames man to the contempt of the world E [...]ce ad contemp­tum rerum humanarum consideratione dignam est. Iacob. Ianson. in loc., that hee can say, The world is crucified unto me, and I un­to the world, Gal. 6.14. This maketh way for death's welcome, and pulleth out the sting of bitter remembrance and approachEcclus. 41.1, 2, 3.. This enlargeth the heart of the covetous gripe to distribute to the necessitie of the Saints Rom. 12.13.; This moulds the cholericke-champion hunting after blood1 Sam. 25.22., to forgivenesse, to blesse them that persecute, and recompence good for evill Rom. 12.14.. This concenters mens affections, so as love is without dissimulation, Rom. 12.9.10. This is the spurre of diligence and uprightnesse in their callings, making him that teacheth to waite on teaching: him that giveth, to doe it with simplicitie: hee that ruleth, with diligence: hee that sheweth mercy, with chearefulnesse, Rom. 12.7, 8. This begets, brings forth, nurseth and educateth a square resolution to eschew evill Rom. 12.9., and cleave to that which is good: to flie from the baits of sin, whose contentment is transi­ent, but the shame and torment is eternall Antequam peccato terminus detur, delecta­tio cupiditatu extingu­tur, temporale est, quod delectat, aeternum quod cruciat. S. Chrysost.: This wooes our desires to make choise rather to have the shine of life goe tenne degrees for­wardIsay. 38.8.: then one backeward in the Diall of our yeares. This is the dry Nurse that weanes men from the breasts of this worldCol. 3.1, 2, 3., which [Page 33] are ever in their mouthes, betwixt which they love to lye and sleepe: it raiseth their cares higher then clay, and preserves them from seeking great things for themselves Ier. 45.5:; from building by oppression and Biting-Vsury, loading themselves with thicke-clay, till they surfet with heat; fall sicke of a gold thirsty-dropsie, that never shall bee quenched, nor with Potable-gold on earth, nor with drops of water under the earth, Eccles. 5.9— Auro non sati­atur avarus; Nec fruitur partis, pau­peris instar, eget. Marian. sic locum red­didit.. How much are we degenerated from the innocen­cy, piety, and practiceVndi{que} percutimur, undi{que} amaritudine re­plemur, & tamen caeca mente ejus amaritudi­nes amamus, fugientem sequimur, labenti inbae­remus, & quia laben­tem tenere non possu­mus, cum ipso labimur, Buchol. Cronol. cap. de patrum longaevita­te ex Greg. Mag. lib. 34. cap. 1. of our Progenitors, who were long-liv'd, continued in health, en­joyed riches, had a numerous-posterity, trium­phed in peace; yet in this great abundance of all things, the love of the Word did wither in their hearts; but now the world it selfe is withered, and our age is even a vapour that ap­peareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away, Iam. 4.14. Yet (such is the change) the world waxeth and flourisheth in our hearts: wee dreame of nothing, but of buying, selling, and getting of gaine; Death stands at every door, there is mourning in every street; desolation o­ver-runnes all nations, we are smitten on eve­ry hand, filled with bitternesse, yet such is our frensie, that we are delighted with the taste of that Gall. We hunt after the world, when it flyes from us; we embrace it when it slides and glides from us: and because wee cannot keepe it from sliding, wee glide away toge­ther [Page 34] with it in our armes and breasts Vnus enim status est mundi{que} & coporis hujus, Quod gerimus, natura eadem sustentat utram{que}, Edita de nihilo cr [...]s­c [...]t, nihilum{que} f [...]tura, Aut titubant morbis, aut tempore victa se­nescunt. Hinc quibus aeternum spes informatur in avuut; Omne bonum tenue est quod praesens ingerit aetas. Prudentius.. The Hart-wolfe Sunt in genere lu­porum qui Cervarij vo­cantur. Huic quamvis in fame mandenti, si re­spexit oblivionem cibi surripere atunt, digres­sum{que} quaerere aliud. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 8. cap. 22. be he never so hungry, and have a prey to eate, yet if hee see another bootie, forsakes the meate in his mouth, and follow­eth after it. Such a wolfe is in the heart of the covetous-worldling, who unsatisfied with what he enjoyeth most, greedily hunteth after what he desires, as Ahab after Naboths Vine­yard, to make himselfe a Kitchin Garden, 1 King. 21.2. As nothing can quench the flaming slime of the pond in Samosaris, for the ayre helpes to feed it, water to inflame it, winde to kindle it, onely earth doth put it outIn urbe Samosatis flagnum est, emittens li­mum flagrantem, quam terra tantum restingui docuere experimenta. Plin. Na. Hist. l. 2 c 104: So nothing can satisfie the terrene cogitations of worldly men, but either the grave, or the meditation of their sudden going unto it. The Horse is content with his provender, the Oxe with his masters crib, the Dog after many turnings lyes downe to sleepe, the Swine is satisfied with graines to eate, and the mire to wallow in, onely man is never satisfied with the world, whereby he proclaimes him­selfe to be worse then the bruit beast that peri­sheth, Ps. 49.20. The poisonful Aconite is hung up by the Shepheards in vessels above the Pan­thers reach, so that by continuall leaping up thereat, in their greedy desire to taste it, the Panther straines it selfe, bursts in sunder, and so becomes a prize Pantheras perfrica­ta carne aconito, barba­ri venantur, & fera a­lias tam avida eorum, ut a pastoribus ex indu­stria in aliquo vase sus­pensum sit altius, quam ut queat saltu attingere, jaculando se, appeten­do{que} deficiat, et postremo expi [...]et. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 8. cap. 27.. The avaritious man is led with such untempered affections after the pelfe of this world, that by the often strai­ning [Page 35] of his conscience, strength, and health, in gaping after earth, reserved for a better ma­ster, hee becomes a prey unto the gaping grave. Wherefore seeing thou dyeft daily in the world, die daily to the world Is demum profecto vitam aequa lance pen­sitabit, qui semper fragi­litatis humanae memor fuerit. Plin. Hist. lib. 7. cap. 7. Cum nimis transeuntia cogitant; & mansura nullatenus sperant; in­sensibili caecitate oculus cordis clauditur, ut se morituros nullatenus credant. Michael Ay­guanus in loc. ex Greg. 8. Moral. c. 12..

5. Nor can we gather riper fruit of Pati­ence from any tree, then is found upon the low shrubs of mans short life. For if that fret­ting Canker of envy Efficacissimum argu­mentum contra indig­nationem, qu [...]m foelici­tas impiorum exitat.— Salom. Gesnerus in loc. at the prosperitie of the wicked, have overrunne thy minde, (a Mala­die from which the Saints have no shelter to be freedIob 12.6. Iob. 21.6. Psal. 37.1. Ier. 12.1. Petit mentis puritatem, & patientiae firmita­tem. Sebald. in loc. Petit ut Deus reprimat aestum cordis, & confir­mat spiritum vera con­solatione. Heshuius & Titleman. in loc.) out of this Apothecaries shop take this Antidote, either thy time is short to be­hold it, or theirs shorter to enjoy itPsal. 73.1, to 21.; They are set in slippery places, & are sodainly destroyed, Psalm. 73.18. They spend their dayes in wealth, and in a moment goe downe to the grave, Iob 21.13. They shall soone be cut downe as the grasse, and wither as the greene herbe, Psal. 37.2. Sup­pose the losse of thy Childe, or friend, hus­band, or Parent, against whom death hath prevailed, turne thy mirth into mourning, and make thee water thy Couch with brinish teares, loe, here is a Napkin to wipe away those teares, they have finished their course, tasted of the condition of a short life, and are now filled with length of dayes, for what is so long as aeternitie S. Bernard. Immensum est quod si­ne termino sequitur, & parum est quicquid fi­nitur. Gregor.? Hee that lends an eare, may wel conceive he heares the voyce of his friend from heaven wooing him in Christs words and name, Weepe not for mee, but weepe for your [Page 36] selves, Luke 23.28. Cains long life was given him for a torment Quod Cain longae­vitas indulta est, vindi­cta est, quod Abel subla­ta, corona est S. Ambr. Nunquid longa dies no­bis, nisi longa dolorum Colluvies? longi patien­tia carceris aetas., Abels short life for a Crowne. Enoch the most strict Patriarke was soonest translatedGen. 5.23, 24.; and the proverbe is reall, God leaves the worst behind to mend Rom. 2.4.; as the Reaper doth some few ridges of Corne uncut downe, that it may fully ripen, (though later then the rest) in the heat of the Sunne. Or if the fire bee kindled in thine owne house, as smitten in thy name with unjust ob­loquie, give thy backe to the smiters, and thy cheekes to them that pluck off the haire, hide not thy face from shame and spitting, the Lord God will helpe thee, thou shalt not be confounded; He is neare that justifieth thee, who is he that shall con­demne thee, Esay. 50.6, 7, 8, 9. The Moth shall eate them up, and in the end they finde that howsoever divine severitie hath Leaden feet, and comes flowly, shee hath Iron hands, and striketh deadly: though malice neither admits the beames of brotherly love to mollifie the heart, nor the bounds of Christianitie to re­straine their tongue, but is unnaturally carried to blemish anothers fame: yet flames of ju­stice, as hot as Iuniper coales, shal syndge their tongues to make them shut their lipsPsal. 120.4. Calumnia immortalis est: etiam tum vivit, cum esse credas mor­tuam. Plaut.; Yet give not thine heart to all the words that men speake left thou heare thy servant curse thee, Eccles. 7.21. for as thy friend some­times gives thee more then thy due commen­dation, whereat thou willingly connives; so be [Page 37] content if thy enemy in scorne pull away that overplus Amara sunt oblo­quentium linguae, nec semper veracia sunt ora laudantium. Leo de Quadrag. Serm. 5., and therewithall a share of thy desert; let them belch out with their mouth, let swords be in their lips, the Lord shall laugh at them, and have them in derision, Psalm. 59.7, 8. For thy sake I have borne reproach, shame hath co­vered my face, I was the song of the drunkards. Thou hast known my reproach, and my shame, and dishonour, my adversaries are al before thee, Psal. 69.7.12.19.

Finally, be the rod of correction upon thy owne body, utter no complaint that thy short time is injuriously perplexed with mi­series. David craves to know his end Finis vitae vel mise­riae. Iansen. in loc., that he may not be impatientChrystoph. Cor­nerus in loc., Lord make mee to know mine end, and the measure of my dayes, what it is, that I may know how fraile I am, Psal. 39.4Dominum rogavi, mihi meae vitae modum, qui si [...] futurus indica. Quando evolabo liber hoc molestiae, fastidioso è carcere. Buchan. in loc.. He would know his end, not so much his death the end consuming Finis noster vel consumens mors, con­summans Deus. Lion. Carthus in loc., as Christ the Lord of life, the end and perfection of all our desires: Or know it, not for vaine sci­ence, but in his experience feele the reward of his Patience Ostende non ad scientiam sed experien­tiam. Remigius in loc.. Though thy chastisement bee sharpe, it will be but short, and therein sweete Foelix imperio, foe­lix brevitate regendi — Orbis amor. Magnus Ausonius in obitum Tit. Vespati­ani Imp. Nec me optime intelli­gunt, nisi qui gustave­rint, loquimur tamen omnibus & habentibus tale desiderium & non­dum habentibus. S. Aug. in loc.; Thou shalt lie still & be quiet, thou shalt sleepe and be at rest, Iob 3.13, 17, 18, 19. How few and e­vill so ever thy dayes be in the world, by Pa­tience and rolling thy selfe upon God, they will prove unto thee both long enough, and goodSemper mali dies in seculo, sed semper boni dies in Deo. S. August. in Psal 33. v. 12. Bonam rem quaerit, sed non in regione ejus illam quaerit..

6 Finally, suffer the words of exhortati­on. [Page 38] Let the certaine knowledge of thy lifes uncertaintie and brevitie, perswade thee like a wise Steward to perfect thy accounts, and set thy house in order, for shortlie thou must dye and not live. Isay 38.1. Mans care must be imploi­ed in the well ordering of a double houseEst domus eordis, corporis, conscientiae, & substantiae. Hugo Card. in loc.: the first externall, the other internall. In that consider the mansion-house apart, and the gra­naries and out-houses by themselves. 1. The externall is thy body, the palace of Christ1 Cor. 6, 15, 19., the temple of the holy Ghost. Man is the Tenant, who holds the earthly house of this Taberna­cle 2 Cor. 5.1. Metaphorae sunt ele­gantes, quae imbecillita­tem ejus explicant. 1. Domus Terrena. 2. Tentorium est. Aret. in loc. Ideo domiciliū, quod in illo ad tempus velut in conducto hospitio, verse­mur. Non posset ita{que} Paulus miseriam & fragilita­tem humani corporis, commodiore Typo pinx­isse, quam hoc dum ter­renum Domicilium & tabernaculum vocat. Bullinger. in loc. in lease for termes of yeeres, or rather is a Tenant at will Ita vixi, ut non frustra me natum ex­istinem, & ex vita ista discedo, tanquam ex hospitio, nō tanquam ex domo. Commorandi e­nim natura diversori­um nobis, non habitan­di locum dedit. M.T. Ciceronis Cato Ma­jor de senectute, juxta finem.. The Reparation is at Gods owne proper charge and costPsal. 36.6.7. Ps. 91.11.12.: but the order­ly keeping is recommended unto man, whose care and diligence therein is accepted by the Land-lord as ful satisfaction in lieu of the rent. Provided alwaies, that hee neyther harbour any of his Lords professed enemies, in itRom. 6.12.: Let not sinne raigne in your mortall bodies: nor betray it into their hands: neither give yee your members as instruments of unrighteousnesse. Nor joyne any other base tenement unto it1 Cor. 6.16.: nor convert it to ignoble and unseemly uses, but de­cently to keep it in the same decorum it was at their first entrance upon it. To permit the Lord of the Manour to have free ingresse and abode at his pleasureReu. 3.20.: and redeliver it wil­lingly into his hands and disposall, whenso­ever his expresse will therein shall be decla­redActs 7.59..

And howsoever the ruines and decayes of this lodge be manifest, being ready in every great winde to drop downe upon our heads; yet untill the time of the full dissolution, re­paration, and readification thereof, wee must be solicitous to dedicate every roome in it, and corner of it, to the honour of our Lord, that our consolation may be the more abundant, when wee shall re-enter upon it, and it bee made a more glorious and princely habitation for us1 Cor. 15.53. 2 Cor. 5.1, 2, 3, 4, 5..

Secondly, as wee are Tenants: so also Ste­wards Luk. 16.1. Divitiae, nec verae, nec vestrae sunt., of the granaries, the out-houses, the riches wee possesse in this world: these are to be ordered to the donors honourPro. 3.9, 10.. The ver­tues which adorne a good steward, are two.

1. Iustice, in tything out Gods partPauperibus panem tribuens, is mittet in undas, Tempore sed sumet, gratia nulla perit. Multis largitor: nam si vastantur ab hoste; Vrbes, multorum pau­per egebis ope. Marian­sic loc. red.. Cast thy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt finde it after many daies: give a portion to seaven, and also to eight, for thou knowest not what evill shall be upon the earth. Eccles. 11.1, 2. Stretch forth thy hand to the poore, yea both thy hands to the needy. Prov. 31.20Inops plus est quam pauper. Ita{que} dilectu ha­bito, unam quidem pal­mam porrigat pauperi, at utranque inopi, qui rebus omnibus egeat. Mercerus in loc..

2. Wisedome, in giving portions to his poste­ritie, and the ordinary to his servantsPro. 31.15.. Belee­ving Abraham made his will, and blessed his children with a scantling of temporall bles­sings, even whiles hee yet lived, Gen. 25.5, 6. Hee burnt the bones of dissention, and made void the Lawyers fee, before hee gave up the ghoast. The good Patriarke Iacob made his [Page 40] testament, wherein (as you may reade in the office upon record, Gen. 49.28.) hee blessed his happy seed with severall blessings. King David, the man after Gods owne heart, made, and himselfe published his last will concerning his sonne, and heyre apparent Salomon 1 Kings 1.38.. The Sonne of God, to warrant and commend the same course unto the sonnes of men, made and left his Testament unto us, and gave seve­rall large legacies before his death. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, Ioh. 14.27Dedit viam pacis, & d [...]bit patriam pacis.. There is a temporall peace Pax est temporis & aeternitatis, relinquo pa [...]e [...] transituram, do mansuram. Pelargus in loc. ex Greg. Mag. that hee left unto us, and an eternall peace, that hee will give unto us: Hee left us in peace, that when hee returnes he may finde us in peace Hoc est dicere, In pa­ce vos dimisi, in pace vos inveniam. Pro­ficiscens voluit dare, quod rediens deside­rabat in omnibus in­venire. Chrysol. Ser. 53.: one chiefe way to preserve peace among men, is wisely and justly to divide the inheritance be­twixt the brothers Luke 12.13, 14., and friends, whiles they are thine to dispose.

Wee reade of none but of the wicked foole, whose substance was not regulated, and or­dered, whose house was out of order, unto whom it was said, at the houre of his death, whose shall those things be, that thou hast provi­ded? Luke 12.20.

Thirdly, but above all, the principall care must wait upon the well ordering of the con­science and soule, that internall habitation which invests the body into an eternall man­sion. Which howsoever named last, as men use to attend it least, yet the first place belongs un­to [Page 41] itMat. 16.26.: it being more honourable and excel­lent, the breath of Gods nostrils, the very me­tropolis of Gods Image, the damage where­of a world of worlds cannot repaire: As in a battaile the disorder of the vanguard, and the cowardise of the Commanders, puts the whole armie to rout; euen so the imprepara­tion of the Soule begets the disorder in the body and estate. The Royall example of sicke Hezekiah is recordedEsay. 38.2. for the instru­ction of all men liuing, how to prepare for death; in whom the foure most necessarie perquisites of a man departing this world, are euident.

1 His faith is manifest, by which he con­ceived boldnesse to approach unto the Throne of grace. He turned his face to the wall: Eschewing the avocations of his minde; that hee might with more freedome converse with his God. Without which lively faith, it is impossible living or dying to please God, or be prepared for him. Heb. 11.6.

2 Nor is his Faithfulnesse to walke with GodAmbulare corā Deo, est vitae integritati stu­dere, & Deo scipsum consecrare, ac si indies, imò in horas esset vitae nostrae reddenda illi ra­tio. Marlorat. in locum Esaiae., every day, lesse apparentSed interest, cui quis aut moriatur, aut vivat, quia est mors, quae causa est vivendi, & est vita quae causa est moriendi; Nec alibi quam in hoc transitorio seculo, utrum{que} conqui­ritur: ut ex qualitate temporalium actionum, differentia retributio­num, pendeat aeterna­rum: Moriendum ergo est diabolo, & viven­dum Deo. Leo ser. 1. de resur. Dom., he knew the last day was unknowne, that hee might feare every day to be his last. In his calling and place hee set the Lord alwaies before him, that his feet might not slide, Psalm. 16.8. Isay 38.4Psal. 25.15. Donum Dei est, si quis se semper cogitat moritu­rum, & brevi moritu­rum. Iohan. Pomeran. in loc..

3. He being conscious of his manifold fai­lings, frailties, and transgressions, in the [Page 42] depth of his sorrow, hee poures out floods of teares for his offences committed against God. Hee wept sore for those aberrations, which drew the bitter sentence of death a­gainst himFaciem suam vertit ad parietem, ut corsuum effusius levaret ad Do­minum. Calv. in Pro­phet Esay..

4. Behold him unto whom the knees of all Israel bend, bowing his knee unto the God of Israel. Hee prayed unto the Lord, for pardon of his sinnes: strength Munit se adversus gravem, & periculo­sam tentationem. Idem. ibid. against temptations, and for mercy in the houre of death to receive his soule into his hands. Whosoever thus be­leeues, and lives, thus walkes, weepes, and in­vocates the name of the Lord, how short & fraile soever his pilgrimage beƲitro fragilior, fumo levior, vento velo­cior. Drexel. de aeter­nitate., though more brittle then glasse, lighter then smoake, swifter then the winde, whensoever God calls him to his Tribunall Iudex infallibilis propter sapientiam, in­flexibilis propter iustiti­am, infugibilis propter potentiam. Idem.: be death never so certainely uncertaine, or bitter to flesh and bloodMors certissima, incertissima acer­bissima. Idem.: he shall inherit the crowne of glory, in the kingdome of heaven: And though here hee had dayes without length, there hee shall enjoy length without dayes Vbi non erit mors; non erit defectus, non e­rit dies transiens, sed manēs; quia nec hester­no praeceditur, nec crastino impellitur. S. Aug. in. Psal. 38.. Here the least Palme can measure his dayes, there nothing great e­nough to measure his happinesse: here his age is nothing before the Lord, there it shall be somewhat before him: here are short termes and long molestations, there shall be a terme and period put to all miseries, and a plenarie enioying of his presence, where is fulnesse of joy, and at his right hand, there are pleasures for evermore, Psal. 16.11.

I must take leave of Mans Mortali­ [...]y, to salute an ancient servant and retainer of Adam, hight vanity, Verily every man at his best state, is altogether vanity.

Whence learne Doct. 2. That man with all his worldly Pompe & glory is nothing but a meere vanity. The gradation used by this sacred pen [...]s singular, upon the Scales whereof wee will strive to climbe to the height of this truth. [...] That every man is vanity. 2 That every man [...]t his Best state is vanity. 3 That it is a most un­doubted truth, that every man in all estates, is al­together vanity. There is a threefold vanity Naturae, culpae, mise­riae. Mart. Sebald. in loc Essentiae, culpae, poenae. Hugo Card. in loc., First of Creation, Second of transgression, the third of Condition. Man in his Innocency, and excellency of his Creation, seemes not to be void of vanity, for as his age is nothing before the Lord Duratio mea, & consistentia nulla est. Osorius Tom. 3. con­cione in Festo beatae Mariae, juxta finem., so man himselfe compared with God his Creator, is nothing but vanity Nihil est, quia so­lus Deus est, qui est. Quicquid extra Deū est ad ipsum collatum nihil est. Hopper. in loc. Suscipiens altiori men­te claritatem tuam, pro nihilo judicaui substan­tiam meam. S. Hieron. Nihil enim est omne quamvis magnum sit, quicquid ex nihilo est. Origen. Ante te, te vidente & cognoscente. Gene­brard. in loc.. Be­hold, he put no trust in his servants, and his An­gels Mercerus, Zanchi­us, Calvin. Vrsin. de bonis Angelis expo­nunt. Hebr. authorita­te ducti Aben. Ezra & Kymhi., he charged with folly. Iob. 4.18. The very glorious Angels, have nothing to glo­ [...]y inArias Montanus vertit gloriationem. in Bibl., if they stand in cōpetition with their [...]overaigne Lord: So their light [...] Significat etiam lu­men. Piscator in loc., is not cleare from darkenesse, So their wisdome Si eos examinare velit, & secum com­parare, non habens rati­onem dotium, & dono­rum quae in illos contu­lit, inveniat eos flolidos, mancos & vanos. Mercerus in loc. pu­ [...]ity, perfection, is not free from all folly and weakenesse. God put no trust in his servants, [...]rusted them not with such a veritie, stabilitie, [...]r firmenesse of Nature by Creation, that they were independent, and free from all possibi­ [...]ity and danger of a fall. Immutability of na­ture [Page 44] was not their boone, it is by grace that now they are unchangeable in glory and BlessednesseQui erexit homi­nem lapsum, dedit stanti Angels, ne labaretur. Sic illum à captivitate eruens, sicut hunc à cap­tivitate defendens; & hac ratione fuit aequè utri{que} redemptio, solvent illum, servans istū. S. Bern. de Christo. In their owne nature (by it selfe considered) their Stedfastnesse was not without possibility to vary In Angelis reperit flolliditatem: id est, Naturam quae ad de­fectum per se tendit, vanitatem. Mercerus in loc., from the point of Happinesse, and what is that mutabilitie, but vanity?

And if the Cherubims and Seraphins doe co­ver their faces and feet Esay. 6.2.: their faces as unable to behold the infinite glory of Him that sits upon the Throne: and their feet, as being imperfect and vaine, if they were compared with Him: how much more may vanitie be attributed to them, who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moath? Iob 4.19. The very name [...] in conjugat. Kal. est ru­bescere. Adam ab Adamah, Gen 1.26. ut homo ab humo. Rungius in loc. Adam factus humo, nomina coepit homo. Pezel. in loc., and frame of man imports no lesse then vani­tie. Adam being created of a peece of red clay, yea of the dust of the ground. Gen. 2.7. then which, what is more perishing, what is more vanishing? As the demonstration is evident, that nothing is more fading then a Flower, which withers by the very breath of the Basiliske Necat frutices, non contractos modo, verum & afflatos exurit her­bas, rumpit saxa. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 8. cap. 21.; so Adam being blasted with the breath of the Serpent, and slaine with his very first aspect, bewraied the vanity which lay tapissed and harboured in his Nature, and so brought upon himselfe a second & worse kinde of vanity, vanity of Transgression and guilt.

For whereas the vanity of his Creation [Page 45] was but comparatiue, deserving that deno­mination onely as it stood in collation with Gods infinite puritie and unchangeable­nesse [...].: Now since his vacillation, irre­gular, and retrograde motion, his ambi­tious thoughts being whirled about the vo­luble Sphaere of Sathans subtile perswasion, having forsaken the Center of fixed constan­cy, hee hath justly purchased to the disho­nour of himselfe and his wretched prosteri­ty; the infamous brand of meere vanitie Ecce, nunc in aperto est. Hugo Card in loc. In that all things are made subject to vani­ty, it shewes mans vanity, and Gods an­ger against him. Beza in Rom. 8.20. Valentia. Lorin.. The heire apparant of the world is exiled Paradise, his dominion forfeited into the Kings hands, his glory is clothed with ignominie & shame, & as Cham dirided his fathers nakednesGen. 9.22., so all the creatures insult over his Apostasie, saying, Art thou become weak as we? Art thou become like one of us? Thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the starres of God: I will ascend upon the heights of the clouds: I will be like the most High: yet now thou art brought downe to hell, the worme is spread under thee, and the wormes cover thee, Isa. 14.10.11. &c. Nor was this originall cala­mitie onely personall, but specificall and com­mon to us all. For as the New Testament was wrapped up in the old for the space of almost foure thousand yearesChristoph. Helvi­cus in Cronol., and afterwards re­vealed: and as Levi was yet in the Loines of his father Abraham when Melchisedeck mett him. Heb. 7.10. So were all we in the Loines [Page 46] of Adam when he stood, and when he fell. He was not onely the father of all living, but the roote of all mankind, and wee are the branches, we are the streames, and hee the Ocean; of our verity, of our vanity. He with us, and we together with him, make but one perfect Adam Communicatione speciei omnes homines sunt unus homo. Pecca­vimus non voluntate quidem nostra, sed vo­luntate illius, cum quo & in quo cra­mus unus homo, eo{que} una omnium voluntas, sic Adami peccatum, non tam alienum est, quam cujus{que} hominis suum, nec tam fuit Adae proprium, quam sit om­nium hominum commu­ne. Porphyr.; who climbing up to the Altar Exod. 20.26. of majesty, upon the staires of sinne, his filthinesse was discovered, and with Reuben Gen. 49.3., presuming to goe up to his fathers bed of glory, (which admits no corrivall) be­came light as water, lost his dignity and excellen­cy, and hath cloathed us all, and himselfe with a third sort of vanitie, chiefely specified in the text, vanitie of Condition: from which none can bee exempted.

Every man [...], (saith the Prophet) is vanitie, every man living [...]. Sept., is vanitie, whether sinner or SaintSi peccator est, & in delitijs fluxerit, va­nitati subsistit, si justus est, vana est ei nihilomi­nus vita presens. S. Hieron. in loc. Eccles. 9.2. Nec mirum exterius nullo discrimine justus, Distat ab injusto, tristia laeta eadem Eveniunt eadem sors est aequalis utri{que} Sive colant divos, crimi­na seu placeant. Marianus., every one so soone as hee is eno­bled with the name of a man, so long as he re­taines the appellation of a man, in his birth; life and death, is inheritour of this title man-vanitie; or vaine-man. The plentifull showres of teares which stand in our eyes when wee come from the wombe, and when we draw to the tombe, are faithfull witnes­ses of mans vanitie De utero matrum vagientes, & lachry­mantes egredimur. Buchol. Cronol. Pro­legom.. Wee bid the world good-morrow with griefe, and good-night with a groane.

Adam the Proto-vanatist, having upon his owne experience received this veritie as an [Page 47] article of his Creed, engraves the lessō in Ca­pitall Letters, for all men to reade, upon the transparent brow of his second sonne, whom he named Abel Sic Euangel. [...]. Mat. 23.35. & 70. sed Haeb. [...] Quae vox vanitatem signif. Eccles. 1.1., vanitie. A true spectacle of vanitie: his conception and nativitie are so slenderly described, in comparison of Caines, as though they neyther deserved the memo­riall, nor he the name of a man Rungius in loc. Gen 4.. And Adam knew his wife, and shee conceived and bare Caine, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. Eve words it of Cain: but concerning his Brother here's all wee finde; And shee againe bare his brother Abel Ad miserias generis humani denotandas, nomen hoc referunt. Idem. Vt in Cain testata fuit suum gaudium; hic est filius meus, in quo laeti­tia est, in quo mihi sancta voluptas, sic Abel nonine Vanitatis & miseria­rum generis humani monumenta Eva extare voluerit. Pezel. in loc.. Gen. 4.2. If the Parents par­tiall affection transported them to love the elder before the better, how vaine was that love? If to over-looke Abel, whose sacrifice God accepted, whom sacrificed God crow­ned, and to expect from Caines loynes, a Da­vid to kill Goliah, to breake the Serpents head, how vaine was that hope? If upon the true insight of mans misery and vanitie Forsan ut ex eo in memoriam rediret, vitam hominum meram esse vanitatem, vel quia in eo non posuerit spem promissionis factae de s [...]mine sicut in Cain. Sanctes Pagnin. in Thesaur. in Rad., they imposed the name in the nonage of the world, when vanitie was but newly crept into it; if wee apprehend it not in the dotage of the world, when all things in a manner are crept out but vanitie: Are wee not convicted of sleeping in vanitie? The very same word doth also originally import, a soone vanishing vapour, or breath Res quae non est quidpiam, aut quae citò desinit, ut flatus qui exit ab ore, sic enim ha­litum infantum appel­lant, Sanctes Pagnin. [...] Symmach.. A blast, or smoake, that ey­ther is not, or of such short continuance, as though is were not. Such a puffe of breath, such [Page 48] a vapour, was Abel, whose soule was sent cry­ing to heaven against the fratricide of Caines unnaturall murtherous hand: whom unex­pected death, by dreadlesse meanes, exempted from all vanitie, that hee might preach this Text from heaven, if not by word of mouth, yet by his brothers wrath, that Every man is vanitie. For, what is your life? It is even a va­pour, that appeareth for a little time, and then va­nisheth away, Iames 4.14.

Thus we are come to the second scale of the gradation, that every man is altogether vanity [...]. Septuag.. The holy Spirit is pleased elsewhere to speake more sparingly as it were in fa­uour of man, he discovers the nakednesse, but yet comes backward to cast a garment of Lenitie over it, that somewhat shadowes the shame of it. Man is like to vanity Psalm. 144.4. their dayes consume in vanity Psal. 78.33. Man is vanity Psalm. 39.11. but here with open mouth and unveiled termes full of Em­phasie, he proclaimes every man to be abstract­ed vanity, and as if that were short, he adds, he is all vanity, meere vanity, all manner of va­nity, altogether vanity. Nothing else, nothing lesse; yea somewhat more then vanity, lighter then vanity Psalm. 62.9. and vanitie of vani­ties. Eccles. 1.1. And that no place of dubita­tion may be left, he ushers the Doctrine into our hearts with a strong asseveration [...] Jnitio senten­tiae affirmativa particu­la est. Pagnin. Thesaur. Nec adornationi tan­tum inservit. Lorin. in loc. Sed explicationi & confirmationi. [...] non est superflu­um. Euthym. in. loc,, assu­redly, in truth, without all controversie man is [Page 49] altogether vanity. When Abraham lookt upon the face of God, whose bright reflecting beames, doe most truly represent unto man his naturall proportion and shape, hee con­fest himselfe upon the very first aspect, to be but dust and ashes. Gen. 18.28. In which per­fect glasse of purity, whosoever delights to contemplate his owne excellency, shall find engraven with the point of a Diamond, that the Nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the ballance. All nati­ons are before him as nothing, and they are coun­ted to him lesse, then nothing, and vanity, Esay. 40.15.17Psal. 89.6. & 113.5.. What is man that thou art minde­full of him? Psalm. 8.4. What is man? the very question relisheth of some contempt; implies some vanity, and deficiency of worth. Yea it reveales mans Imbecillity, Cala­mity and Misery; whose frame is as brittle as glasse [...] Psal. 8.4. Homo, ab infirmitate & fragilitate dictus. Sanct. Pag. in Thes [...]u. Homo appellatur, quod omnibus diebus vitae suae doleat. Idem., whose name Vel homo, ob obli­vione: quia citò in obli­vionem adducatur. Euseb de praeparat, Euangel., is as soone forgot as a Tale that is told. Let the heathen know they are but men Jn hoc nomine Enoseb, homine [...]rum­na notatur & miseria, infirmus, insanabilis, morbidas. Sanct. Pagn., Psalm. 9.20. But men! why? is that so sleight a matter? what is man? Earth, earth, earth. Ier. 22.29. Earth by Creation, earth by Conversation, and earth by Dissolution and resolution into dust, Gen. 3.19. from thence he was raised, thither he is falne, and thither he is falling. Earth in his understanding, earth in his affections, earth in his will; and as the swift Spheares of heaven runne round about the earth [...] ex radice. [...], Quod est curre­re; quod super terram currat, & circundet cam jugiter sphaera. Sanct. Pagnin. Terra, quod teratur. in­simum & ignobilissi­mum elementum. Idem., yet take no [Page 50] part thereof away with them; so man toyles himselfe from coast to coastPer mare per terras, &c., and runs from port to port to heape up riches, yet caries away no more but his borrowed winding-sheet. And as the earth is the most remote from the Sunne, and so the basest of all the Elements, so since sinne hath made a separation be­twixt God & man, as his transgressions find him, so they leave him the most miserable of all creatures. I said in my heart, concerning the estate of the sonnes of men, that God might mani­fest them, and that they might see that they them­selves are beasts, Eccles. 3.18. Man is a Map of miserie, a tragedie of calamitieHomo calamitatis fabula, infoelicitatis ta­bula. Epictetus.. Nor doe I speake this of my selfe alone (saith David) but of all men whatsoever, wheresoever, even of the most excellent man, though in place eminent, crowned with rare endowments, and singularly qualifiedIoh. Brent. in loc.: nor grace, nor place, nor greatnesse, nor goodnesse, can privi­ledge them from this sentence and censure, that Every man is altogether vanitie Quanta vis in re­pubitemporum fit, quan­ta varietas rerum, quam incerti exitus, quam flexibiles homi­num voluntates, quid insidiarum, quid vani­tatis in vita sit, non dubito quin cogites. Cicero epist. lib. 2. epist. 8. ad Curionem. Tribun..

Thus are wee met with the last staire of this truth, that Every man in his best estate, yea in all estates, is altogether vanitie.

Nor doth the stabilitie unto which man at­taines in this life, any whit impeach this ve­ritie, that every man is vanitie. The same Wisedome which foresaw the secret cavilla­tion, doth shape a resolution unto it, by way of prevention, that every man is vanitie, though [Page 51] hee be in his very best state standing [...] ex [...] stetit, [...] Symmach., yea, stand­ing upright [...]. erectus, fixus, & af­fiixus. Aquila. in that estateZach. 11.16. Instar columnae, quae alicubi constituta, firma suo loco & immota ma­net. Sic Gen. 28.18. Matsebáh. sig. monu­mentum. Et [...] acci­pitur pro columna quae in sepulchris statueba­tur, aut in qua faedera inscribebantur, aut alia quae posteritati mandare cuperent.: Stedfast & firme, as a columne of marble, which is of a durable, substance, fastned to its place and setled. In­deed as the Marble attaines not its perfecti­on in a short tract of time; so being framed by the skilfull hand out of the naturall quar­ry, into a pillar, statue, or monument, is a last­ing remembrance unto posteritie for many ages, of renowned persons, heroicall exploits, the studies and industrie of Antiquitie. Those Memphian Pyramides, the Regall Sepulchres of the Egyptian Kings Quum Ptolomeo­rum manes, seriem{que} pudendam, Pyramides claudant. Lucan. Herodotus lib. 2. Eu­terpe. pag. 103, 142. especially, 155, 156. The Pyramides are built of Theban mar­ble, by King Cheops, who became so poore thereby, that he was compelled ( [...]) to prostitute his daughter for lacke of money. One of them was 20 yeares in building, 366000 men continually wrought upon it. It containes eight acres of ground at the bottome, and ascended by 255 steps, each being three foot in height and a portionable breadth, Sandys relation of a iourney, lib. 2. ubi plu [...]a ex Herodoto., being too great a mor­sell for time to devour, have stood three thousand two hundred yeeres: but man ne­ver continueth in one stay, but vanisheth as a sha­dow Iob 14.2. How many Kings and changes hath Egypt seene since Pharaoh, and Cheops? How many millions of men hath the Grave swallowed up, since those tombes were erect­ed? How many generations are vanished and forgotten? yet those Grave-stones are rather old then ruinous. In which touch-stones, as we may reade the engraven names of their Mo­narchs: so wee shall finde cleare proofes of this Text, that every man is vanitie. For, as they are the barbarous monuments of prodi­galitie, ostentation, and vaine-glory; so the prime moving cause of their erection, was [Page 52] the consideration of mans frailtie, who in an instant, buds, blowes, and withereth. Whence sprung their endevours, by such sumptuous and magnificent structures in spight of Death, to give unto their names and fames eternitie: and is not this vanitie?

Wherin did Nimrods folly more appeare, then in laying the foundation of that high-towring turret of Babylon? Gen. 11.4. It was to get a Name, and a name they got, but of folly and vanitie. Wherein did Abso­lon more offer his vaine-glory to the worlds view, then in the creation and adoption of a pillar, to keepe his name in remembrance? 2 Sam. 18.18. Wherein doe the children of the world, more publish their owne vanitie, then in baptizing their lands by their owne names? Psal. 49.11. If nothing else could con­clude man to be vaine, the very enterprize to immortalize his name, by things subject to corruption and mortality, would convince him to be altogether vanity. For suppose thy urne and grave escape the enemies ransack­ing handHerod the great, ope­ned King Davids Se­pulcher in hope to find some treasure, whence he tooke pretious attire, and ornaments of gold, where two of his trusty searchers were consumed with fire that came out thereof. Iosephus lib. 16 cap. 11.: or a venerable regard unto the ruines of the soules Lordly-Pallace (the now rotten bones below,) restraine the Curious or covetous surviver from removing a stone above thee from its place; yet the very worme which cals thee Brother in the grave, will cō­sume thy Crest and Escutcheon over thee: the very steame of thy rotten Carkeise underneath [Page 53] will ascend to ruine thy costly Trophey, the dust will cover it, the cold humide Northren wind will weare it out. And as thou falls to the earth, thorow the superfluity of noxious humours, so that will fall after thee to the ground by its owne weight Nam ne{que} Pyrami­dum sumptus ad siderae ducti: Nec Iovis Elei coelum imitata domus, Nec Mansolei dives fortuna sepulchri, Mortis ab extrema con­ditione vacant. Propertius lib. 3. eleg. 2.. And if Marble pillars fall, that stand so fast, man in his best estate cannot long stand, but needes must fall.

The three estates of man, which by the world are esteemed bestHaec tria pro terno numine mundus habet. Balthol. Coppen. in loc., are eyther, 1, Health, in maturity of yeeres, and strength: or 2, Riches and prosperitie: or 3, Honour and mundane glory. Now in all these conditions the condition of man is vaine Jn omnibus, per om­nia, per universos{que} suos affectus. Folengius in loc., yea, most vaine Vanus, id est, Vanis­simus. Genebrard. in loc., an universe of vanitie Vanitatis quaedam universitas. I [...]nson. in loc. Tota vanitas est, uni­versus hominis status. Zuinglius in loc.: for, as man is not unfitly called a little world [...]., as compre­hending in himselfe, the excellencies of all things in the great world: His head resem­bling the Heavens, his eye the Sunne, his heat the fire, his breath the ayre, his heart the earth and center, his blood the sea and pleasant ri­vers, that refresh the earth; and the like: so he more justly merits to be stiled a world of vanitie, as being the very proper center wher­in all the severall lines of vanitie that are scat­tered thorow the earth, doe meet and termi­nate. Whether his affections doe adhaere to the world, or are transilient and surmount the world, aspiring higher then this Chaos of va­nitie, even Iduthun himselfeCui tres Psalmi in­scripti. Ps. 39, & 62, & 77. is vanitie of va­nities Omnis homo, haerens & tranfiliens, & ipse J­duthun, est vanitas va­nitatum. S. Aug in loc.: that as hee hath the excellencies of o­ther [Page 54] creatures to honour him, so hee being farced with their vanities, may be humbled. Hee is vaine within Est vanitas, cogita­tionis, locutionis, & ope­rationis. Hugo Card. in loc., and vaine without: vaine in thought, his heart being a Labyrinth, where­in are more turningsPs 94.19., crosse-wayes, & win­dings, then can be discovered or related: vanitie in his lips, the ensignes of vanitie: va­nitie in his wayes, each action being a large copie of vanitie. In his rationall part is vanitie, inconstancie in his desires and studies, variety of consultations and resolutions. All his sen­ses preach it unto us; the blindnes of the eye, deafenesse of the eare, lamenes of the hand, & numnesse of the joynts. In the vegetative fa­cultie is alternation Lorin. in loc., decretion, hunger: hee rolls about the world with the Sunne, varies as the winde, shifts corners, ebbs as the water, changeth as the Moone Aben Ezra, muta­tionem hanc quotidia­nam adfert, ad osten­dendum hominem in imagine pertrāfire. Aret. Felinus in loc.. The vaine world con­verts her proselytes into vanitie, and they transforme the world into a new vanitie Mundus efficit va­nitātes, & ipsi vanitan­tes faciunt vanitatem; cum mundus homines quos decipit vanos effi­ciat, & homines mun­dum quem ipsi diligunt, in vanitatem vertant. Petrus Damianus Epistol. lib. 4. Epist. 15.. The creature is subject to vanitie. Rom. 8.20Vel natura, vel mi­nisterio: eo quod vanit plurimum usibus, tam turpibus injustis, & impiis submersa sit. Tertul. de cor. Mil. cap 8. Seipso, et creaturis, male utitur. Ianson. in loc.. As Holiness to the Lord was engraven upon Aarons breast-plate, Exod. 28.36. so upon mans fore-head is written, Man is altogether vanitie. A theame frequently handled in the Academies and bookes of Heathens, where­in he hath commenced Graduate, and is sent abroad with the addition of these titles, the Spoile of times, Fortunes May-game Charon of wise­dome cap. 36., the bal­lance of envy, the spectacle of miserie, the pi­cture of Inconstancie [...]., a meere Fantasie: the [Page 55] vaine dreame of a shadow [...]. Pind.: impure sperme in his originall, in his middle age a sponge of fil­thiness, and loathsome wormes-meat in his end. The Spring of his childhood Laertius lib. 8. in vita Pythagor. is over wet, the Summer of his youth over hot, the Autumne of his manhood over dry, the Winter of his old age over cold. And now let us take up the parts in order.

1. His life, health, and strength are vani­tie Omnis homo vani­tas, id est, vita ejus. Euthym. in loc. Quod brevis est vita, quod vilis natura, quod vanitate subjecta, osten­dit. Ʋniversa vanitas, id est, omni vanitate plenus. Vanitas in af­fectione interiori, in possessione exteriori. Ghorran. Manuscript. in loc. in instructiss. Biblioth. Oxoniens., Dayes of the life of thy vanitie, Eccles. 9.9. because life is short, therefore vaine, is the in­ference of the Text. To glory in strength, is to bragge of strong fetters Qui gloriatur in viribus corporis, gloria­tur in viribus carceris. Petrar. lib. 1. de remed., and to boast of vani­tie. Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome, nor the mightie man in his might, nor the rich man in his riches, Ier. 9.23. The Lyon is stron­ger upon the Earth, the Whale in the Sea, the Serpent Scalig. Subt. exer. 189 5. de Alatis Serpenti­bus. in the Ayre, the Salamander in the Fire. Hee is not so beautifull as the Peacocks wings Iob. 39.13, alias 16, as the Lilly of the field; not so swift as the Dromedary Isaiah 60.6.; the Nightingale hath a sweeter voice; the Earth is richer; the Serpent is his patterneMat. 10.16. Sunt qui scire volunt ut sciant, & turpis curiosi­tas est, alij ut sciantur ipsi, & turpis vanitas est, alij ut scientiam vendant, & turpis quae­stus est, alij ut adificent & charitas est, alij ut aedificentur, et prudentia est. S. Bern. for wisedome; for innocency the Dove. The small point of a Steeletto de­prived Eglon of his life and crowne Iudges 3.21.; a little stone out of the brooke1 Sam. 17.40., conquered Goliah that huge Philistian Champion. Anacreon the Poet was in a moment choaked with the stone of a Reisin. And Fabius a grave Senatour in drinking a draught of milke was strangled with a haire Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. cap 7.. Herod was eaten up of Lice, [Page 56] Antiochus with wormes 2 Machab. 9.9., and the murmuring Hebrewes perished in the Wildernes with the sting of a Serpent, Numb. 21.6. The dayes of their youth the Lord shortned, and covered them with shame, Psal. 89.45.

2. Prosperitie and riches are yet more vaine then strength. Surely every man walketh in a vaine shew, surely they are disquieted in vaine: hee heapeth up riches, and knoweth not who shall gather them, Psal. 39.6Vanitas est, quia the­saurizat. Bruno Car­thusiae Patriar. in loc.. There is a threefold Image Creationis, recreatio­nis, similitudinis. Hugo Card. in loc., of Creation, Regeneration, Representation. In this last, there is the shew of a man, but no man Larva hominis, sed non homo. Brentius in loc.. Man walkes in an Image In imagine pertran­sit, quasi picta imago, minatur se magna vel­le facere, virtutum pa­latia ingredi, sed simulat tantum, & contra viti­orum monstra velle pug­nare, & tamen omnia simulacra sunt. Avenda­nus in loc. in explicat. Psal. 118. tractat. 5., as an Image: in a shadow, as a shadow Indigentia luminis, assistentia frigoris, & ap­parentia corporis. Holkot. in sap. cap. 2. v. 5. Lectio. 19.: where­in there wants three things, Light, heat, and substance. So, man wants light in his under­standing, hee knowes but in part, and that knowledge is but as light thorow a cranny, in comparison of that we shall enjoy, like the light of the Sunne in the open aire: his braines are often emptie, whose barnes are full. And when his spirit is wounded, and cold, by reason of Gods absence, who hath turned away his face, his earthly trash can yeeld him no com­fort, nor heat. One drop of Aqua-vitae will more cheare his spirits, then thousands of gold and silver will comfort his sicke-sinfull soule. Finally, there is an apparence of a substance, but no existence In umbra nihil firmi, solidi, & veri li­ [...]m habeat. Peter. Mart. in loc.. Riches promise fulnesse and sacietie, but the performance is emptinesse; they profer happinesse, but produce heavinesse [Page 57] and disquietnesse. Hee disquiets himselfe in vaine. Hee that hath the Sunne in his face, hath the shadow behinde his backe: and who­soever beholding Christ the Sunne of Righte­ousnesse Malachie 4.2., walkes towards heaven, despiseth Mammon the god of this world. But as he that hath the shadow before him, leaves the Sunne behind him: so hee that loveth this world, hates Christ: and is not that vanity, to pur­sue nothing, to snatch at a shadow; to embrace Emptinesse, and forsake the fountaine of riches? And as Sauls Pursevants, found not David, but onely an Image in his bed. 1 Sam. 19.16. So the worldly minded man, is not so much a man, as the shadow and Picture of a manVani dicuntur Mendaces & infidi, Levia inaniáque pro gravibus & veris, astu­tissimè componētes. Vet. Grammatici Agellius..

Yet this vanitude Ʋanitudo: pro vani­tate. Non. Marcellinus cap. 1., is increased not onely by the toyle and wearisomnesse in collecting an estate, but also much more by the perplex­ed ignorance, who shall afterwards enjoy it Shnepius in loc.. Cineas that excellent Orator disswading Pyrrhus from his expedition against the Romans, demanded of him, what hee would doe, when hee had conquered them? To whom the King answerd; I will over-runne all Italy. Graece and Barbarie, and what shall wee doe next? I will foradge Cicilia. And what remaines to bee done then? O then saith the covetous Prince, wee will true at ease, eate, drinke, and be Ioviall together every day. And why (said Cineas) may we not eate [Page 58] and drinke, and be merry with lesse, enjoy what wee have with comfort, and eschew those inevitable labours and perills Et nunquid obstat, quo minus compotemus, at{que} atium inter nos traducamus? Plutarch in vita Pyrth.? where­by hee wittily checked the insatiable desire of honour and wealth, not being content with sufficient, but hunting after more to our own great disquietnesse, and vexation of Spirit. And howsoever the swelling flood of riches rise up to the height, and ouerflow the Bankes with Nilus Psalm. 4.7., yet when Gods hand plucks up the Sluce of adversity, and opens the Floodgates of his anger upon us; wee lose as much in one ebbe, as all the spring-tydes of our whole life brought in, whereby our vanity is made Inanity & emptinesseOmnis homo vani­tas, id est, nihil nisi in­anitas. Felinus in loc.. Tyrus a rich City, Babylon full of treasure, Iob a mighty man, yet all impoverished in a Night. Nor is hee truly rich that keepes his wealth in safety, but hee that vseth it aright, to benefit others and advance Gods glory [...]. Menander. Cui mens opes{que} sunt si­mul, beatus est: Hic nam{que} ritè solus illis uti­tur. Sic reddit H. Stephanus. Drusius Proverbiorum classis 2. lib. 1. Pro. 109.. To labour for that, the benefit whereof may accrew to thy selfe is Prudence; but to beate the bush, that another may catch the Bird, is vanity and follyFides Deo militat, evaritia tentatori: ista congerit quod sibi prosit, illa quod proficiat alic­ni. S. Ambr. in loc.. Where the priviledge of birth, Adoption, or inheritance entitles posterity to the riches of their Ancientry, the moderate providence is not onely allowable, but necessa­ry; but to hoard up for an unknowne heire, is the very Quintessence of vanity, Eccles. 4.8Thesaurat nescit an furibus, hostibus, extra­neis, aut Fisco. Iohan. de Turre cremata in loc.. This Divinity is with some rather held to be vanity. Paul is mad if hee vent such wares, [Page 59] the Prophet mad, if he powre out such Oyle 2 King. 9.11. Delirare tibi videor avare cum haec loquor: anicularia tibi videntur haec verba. S. Aug. in loc.. Nay rather thou art mad, who gathers shadowes, till thou bee gathered to thy fathers, and preiest so long upon that which is not thy owne; that death arrests thee, and hell claimes its owne. O God forbid (Sir) pray for us, we beleeve in GodAbsit Episcope, bo­num opta, ora pro nobis, absit vt contingat, credo in Deum. Credis in Deum, & non credis ipsi Deo? Idem.. Dost thou beleeve in God who is the eternall verity, and wilt thou not beleeve his word which affirmes the sollici­tous acquisitiō of riches to be vanity? Speake man, for whom dost thou take such wonder­full paines to gather them? For my Children and familyHaec vox pietatis est, excusatio iniquitatis. Idem. Servas transituras tran­situris, imo transiens transeuntibus. Idem.. I expected that common answer which hath indeed the forme of Piety, but is nothing else save the colour and cover of thine Iniquitie and vanity: for in gathering perishing riches, thou dost perish, as they also perish, for whom they are heaped up, who consume like a Snaile that melteth, and like the untimely birth of a woman, that hath not seene the Sunne. Psame 58.8.

Finally, Honour is a condition of the most uncertainty, of the greatest vanity; whereof Sathan pretends to have the next advouzon, and to institute and induct at his pleasureLuke 4.6.. Health is a happinesse, Riches is some substance; but Honour, is a vaine puffe of breath, spoiled with the least wrincle of the Kings counte­nance, or the sudden turning of his eye. To day who is in honour but Haman? To mor­row the King is angry, the fauourites face is [Page 60] covered, hee is sent away from Court, and hangedEster. 7.8. Quē dies vtait veniens superbum: Hunc dies vidit fagiens jacentem. Sen. Thyest. Act 3 Chorus. Nemo confidat nimium secun­dis. Idem.. To day Nabucadnezzer jets it on his house top, as if hee expected heavenly ma­jestie to send an Embassadour to salute him; with Haile glory of the world: But in an instant he is turned out of possession, to eate grasse among beasts [...]. Aristoph. [...]. Foelicitas hoc ipso die, vel bora, nascitur, ac perit. Zehner. Adag Cent. 2. Adag 77.: How great was the ho­nour and glory of Pharoh, Senacherib, Alex­ander, Cyrus, & how speedily did it vanish a­way as smoake [...]. Tempus multa, velintra vnius diei, spatium mutat. Idem.? Wee see the crowne of ho­nour set with great solemnity upon the head, but we feele not the waight of it; which makes him sweate that weares it. We behold the golden Pantophle, but feele not how grei­uously it pincheth the footeJn hoc mundo om­nia turbida, molesta, aspera, confusa. Foleng. in loc. Plena sunt omnia periculis, plena la­queis, incitant cu­piditates, infidiantur illecchra, blandiuntur lucra, damra deterrent. Leo de quadrag. ser. 5.. The scourge of envie from below, and ambition from a­bove, doe hunt honour to deathEccles. 4.4.. What shall I say more? The vast ruines of large townes, populous Cities, famous Kingdomes, renowned Monarchies, are loud trumpeters, and Heralds proclaming every man in his best estate to bee altogether vanity.

Reason. 1. Whosoever will take a turne in Salomons Paradise, shall distinctly view more Knots of vanity then here are flowers in this small Posey gathered by a skillesse hand. For when we consider either the labour and sorrow of mortall menEccles. 2.23. upon earth, [...]. or the envie of one man against the prosperity of ano­ther. Eccles. 4.4. or the common condition of all men, which hath not learned to distin­guish [Page 61] betwixt good and bad, Eccles 8.14. be­twixt man and beast, Eccles. 3.19. or how the generations of the ungodly, who were buri­ed, are supplied and raised againe to life and memory, by succeeding Sinfull-posterity, whereas the righteous who have walked with God, are taken away, and no man regardeth it, or layes it to heart, Eccles. 8.10Versiculus subobscu­rus, & valde intriratus. Vbi vix duo inter He­braeos inter se consenti­unt: nobis inter omnes placet. Aben Ezra qui sic expon. Mercerus in loc.. or the change of all things in the world, and their insufficiency, eyther to satisfie our desires, hopes, wils, or procure us setled content, in life or death: will easily yeeld the buckler without more resistance; and subscribe that every man, in his best state is altogether vanity O fallacem homi­num spem! fragilem{que} fortunam, & inanes nostras contentiones quae in medio spa­rio saepe fraguntur, & corruant, et ante in ipso cursu obruuntur, quam portum conspicere po­tuerunt. Cicero de Oratore lib. 3. α..

That is vaine which cannot by its owne power and strength attaine to that end for which it was ordainedVanum autem est, quod est ordinatum ad aliquid sicut ad finem, & non potest attingere finem su­um. Arist. 2. Physic.. God himselfe that formed the earth, hee created it not in vaine, he formed it to be inhabited, Isay 45.18. and it is inhabited: hee created the Sunne to rule the day, and the Moone the night, which still re­joyce as a strong man to runne their race. Psal. 19.5. But man, what can hee doe of him­selfe? Surely all men are vaine by nature, and are ignorant of God; and could not know the workemaster, by the worke of his hands Wisd. 13.1.. Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vaine that build it. Except the Lord keepe the City, the watchman waketh but in vaine: to rise early and sit up late is in vaine. Psalm. 127.1, 2. Hee may truly confesse, I have laboured [Page 62] in vaine, I have spent my strength for nought, and in vaine. Isay 49.4. Our fathers have in­herited lies, vanity Vanitas est quod praestare non pote­ritis. Marian in Ps 4.2. Vanitatem, & mendaci­um appellat; improberum iritos conatus. Heres­bachius in Psal. 4.2., and things wherein there is no profit. Ier. 16.19. And as in a lie, there is no more (at the most) but a bare colour of truth, so in these Terrestrials whereon mans heart so dotes, there is no more but a meere representation at the most of felicity, but the things themselves, after which hee turnes aside from following the Lord, are vaine things, which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are vaine. 1 Sam. 12.20, 21. and we are vaine.

Vse. 1. As in a small opticke glasse, the quick-sight may discover a large compasse of ground, so in those few veines of vanitie which appeare; wee may finde blood and spirit enough, to encounter that excessive Pride Miseret, atque etiam pudet astimantem, quam sit frivola animalium superbissimi origo. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 7. c. 7., wherewith the flatuous humour of selfe-love Omnes videmur nobis esse belluli; & festivi saperdae, cum si­mus [...]. Pro. 16.2. Drusius Pro. classis. 2. lib. 11. Pro. 110., and fancy to his owne conceited worth and excellency, hath blowne up the Bladders of the most men on earth. Why is earth and ashes proud, seeing that when a man dieth, he is the heire of serpents, beasts & wormes? Ecclus. 10.12. Why indeedEst simplex quaero, verum quaero, est germa­num quaero. S. Aug in Psal. 38.? seeing he had his rise from the earth, is preferred no higher then ashes, and shall lodge with Serpents; yet hee powres out abominations till God over­throw him. His health, prosperity, and ho­nour which have beene his good mistrisses for a season, so advance his swelling billowes of Pride, as though hee had hired them ever [Page 63] after to bee his handmaides. The calme Sea is made very tempestuous and troublesome by the blustering winds from the shore side: So when no vice can either by force make a battery to enter the Cittadell of the soule, or by sleight undermine it; Yet pride undertakes to scale the walls, and become commander of the placeVna superbia distruit omnia. vitia quippe caetera in peccatis, superbia verò etiam in recte factis timenda est, ne illa quae laudabiliter facta sunt, ipsius laudis cupi­ditate amittantur. S. Aug. Tom. 2. Dioscoro. Epist. 56. Quod justitia aedifica­verat Pharisaeus, super­bia destruebat; at{que} ideo non placuit Deo, qui placebat sibi. S. Aug. Tom. 2. Epist. 58. Paulinus Augustino: and where pride commands in chiefe, Sathan hath his Throne, iniquitie her Pallace. The Diuell casts an eye upon other sinnes as his noble Peeres; but Pride is his favorite, the Generall of all his forces, the Rimmom unto which hee sacrifi­ceth, unto whose Altar hee allureth all men, that they may eate of that forbidden fruit, and open their Eare, Eye, Hand, and Mouth; to receive that breath, which changed glori­ous Angels into ougly Devils Humilicus, homines sanctis Angelis similes facit; & superbia dae­mones ex Angelis facit. S. Aug. Tom. 4. in Append. de salutar. document exhortat.. And as Plato being sollicited to make Lawes for the Cyro­nensians, excused himselfe upon the point of difficulty to prescribe statutes to a people glutted with such happinesse: inferring that prosperitie will obey no Lawes: So the proud man will not yeeld obedience to God, nor vaile to any besides his owne supposed excellen­cy Cum igitur superbia sit amor excellentiae pro­priae, invidia vero sit odium foelicitatis alie­nae, &c. S. Aug. Tom. 3. de genesi ad. lite­ram lib. 11. de lapsu daem.. Pride compasseth them about as a chaine: violence couereth thē as a garment, they set their mouth against the heavens, and their tongue walketh thorow the earth. Psalme 73.6.9Neptuno compe­des, & Phoebo tenebras minatur.. The Vnicorne may boast of his horne; which medcineth the poysoned streames: the Be­zaar [Page 64] of his precious Stone Doctor Monardus Histor. de occidental. India., the Bever of his Skin, the Panther of his Colours [...]. Quod omnium serè ferarum coloribus distinguatur, & splendeat. Becman. de Origin. linguae Lat., the Pinke of its sweetnesse, the Tulippe of its beauty, and all other creatures of some singular excellen­cy, onely the Mushrome-man (which of all other vegetables wants a roote) is like the Iaye deckt with borrowed ornamentsHor. Epist. lib. 1. Epist 3. v. 18., hath nothing of his owne to animate pride, but rather is counselled by reason and Religion, to bee humbled for his manifold wants and ex­ceeding vanity Plus videns mihi deesse quam adesse, cro humilior ex eo quod de­est, quam elatior ex eo quod adest. Remigius in loc.. Let this faire Swanne bow his necke to behold his blacke feete, in this re­markeable Text Ecce quam nota­bilis, sententiosus, & fructuosus est versus. Dion. Carthus. in loc.: that whiles his eye is in the streame, the cleare water of Gods Spirit may wash away this filthy pride, and bring him to a cooler temper of moderation and modesty, in the manageing of those necessary blessings, wherewith the liberall hand of God enricheth him, and feathers his NestQuod ritè expen­sum plurimum momen­ti habet ad persuaden­dum modestiam. Pellican. in loc..

Secondly, it convinceth, and sharpely re­proueth the folly of worldlings; who trifle away their precious houres, in loathsome vani­ty: Like swine that roote up beds of flowers, and sweete Roses, but wallow in the mire. Their heart like a fruitfull mother conceives vanity; their hands bring it forth, and their affections nurse, it up to their owne destructi­on. O yee Sonnes of men, how long will yee love vanity Turpassis vanitudi­ne aetatem tuam. Non. Marcell. cap. 2.? Psam. 4.2. What iniquity have yee, or your fathers found in the Lord, that yee are gone farre from him, and have walked after va­nitie, [Page 65] and are become vaine, Ier. 2.5. Reason­lesse Reason is the Coach-man, vaine excuses the Chariot, and the poysoned baits of Sinne the Coursers to draw them along, and make them draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie, and sinne, as it were with a cart-rope, Isai. 5.18. They take pleasure in the vanitie of wickednesse, Ecclus 17.30. thinking it vaine, not to be vaine; and vanitie to serve the Lord, Mal. 3.14. whol­ly addicting themselves thereunto, till they vanish in their vanitie Cur nam ergo vani­tate vanescitis? Sic Mercetus & Arias Montanus [...]bl Haeb. Animum libido torquet, inflat gaudium, spes tollit, ac timor premit. Buchan. in loc., Iob 27.12. But as the Adders sting is sweet, but the venome deadly: so how sweet soever vanitie seeme unto the wicked, it will prove mortall in the end; give them a stab under colour of Court-ship & cour­tesie^u;2 Sam. 3.27. betray them as Iudas did his MasterMatth. 26.49. with a kisse.

The strumpet Vanitie is like the Apothecaries painted pot, full of ranke poyson within: she hath a virgins-face like the Harpie, but a vul­turs talon to destroy, which makes incredu­lous persons when they returne with the ac­count of their owne experience, to cry out, and mourne at their end, when they have consumed their flesh and their body. How have I hated in­struction, and my heart despised correction? I have not obeyed the voyce of them that taught me, nor inclined mine eare to them that instructed mee, Prov. 5.11, 12.Cur aliquid vidi? Cur noxia lumina feci? Cur imprudenti cognita culpa mihi est? Nec veniam laeso numi­ne casus habet. Ovid. Trist. lib. 2.. Yet who will beleeve our report? Men chuse rather to drinke of the rivers of Damascus, then the wholsome [Page 66] streames of Iordan. They love vaine-Company, with Abimelech, Iudges 9.4. and vaine-persons, with Ieroboam 2 Chron. 13 7. Qui nulla religione, nul­lis legibus teneri volunt. Lavater in loc., who have not the feare of God before their eyes: whereby they become hatefull unto God Psal. 5.5., and an abomination unto the just Pro. 29.27.. They inure themselves to vaine visits, pretending love, where malice is harboured in the heart. They come to the sicke man with live for ever in their mouthes; but their heart at the same instant, saith, when shall hee dye, and his name perish? Psal. 41.5. They pro­fesse they are sory for his weaknes, but when he comes to see me, he speaketh vanitie and lies ver. 6. hee is no sooner out of the roome, but hee saith of the dearest childe of GOD, An evill disease cleaveth fast unto him: and now that hee lyeth, hee shall rise up no more, verse 8. Thus they recompence evill for good, and jea­sting for fasting, curses for prayers, taunts for teares. When they were sicke, my cloathing was sackcloath. I humbled my soule with fasting, and my prayer returned into my owne bosome. I behaved my selfe as though hee had beene my friend, or brother. I bowed downe heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother: but in mine adversitie they rejoyced, Psal. 35.13, 14, 15. Such visits as love invites, are metamorpho­sed into vanitie, while they strive each with other in vaine complements, and in profuse prodigalitie of idle, soothing, smoothing words. They speake vanitie every one with his neighbour, with flattering lips and with a double heart doe [Page 67] they speake. Psal. 12.2. Their mouth speaketh vanitie, and their right hand is a right hand of falshood. Psal. 144.8. They speake one thing, and thinke another, which dissimulation is odious to God and manHoc enim celandi genus quale sit, & cujus hominis quis non videt? Certè non aperti, nō sim­plicis, non ingenui, non justi, non viri boni: versuti potius, obscuri, astuti, fallacis, malitio­si, callidi, veteratoris, vafri, haec tot & alia plura, nonne in utile est vitiorum subire nomina? Cicero lib. 3. de Offic. Quod si vituperandi sunt qui reticue­runt, quid de ijs existi­mandum est, qui orati­onis vanitatum adhibu­erunt. Cicero lib. 3. de Offic. Semper auget assentatio id, quod is, cujus ad voluntatem dicitur vult esse magnum. Quamobrem quamvis blanda ista vanitas a­pud cos valeat, qui ipsi illam allectant & invi­tant: tamen etiom gra­viores, constantiores{que} admonendi sunt, ut ani­madvertant, ne callida assentatione capiantur. Cicero de Amicitia. circa finem.. They winne and weare the Bell, for good-fellowes, excellent-Companions, compleat-Gallants, merry-Greekes, among such as themselves, but their strained jollitie, and forced mirth is but madnesse, Eccles 2.2. It is as leud as loud, as short as sharp, pricking like thornes, Nahum 1.10Crepitus spinarum, nec jucundus, nec di­uturnus, & tamen spinis exitiosus.. The trium­phing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the Hy­pocrite but for a moment, Iob 20.5. For eyther they be mad when they be mery, or speake lyes, or live ungodly, or else lightly forsweare them­selves, Wisd. 14.27. Thus their Sardonian laughter ends in sinne, teares and torments In Sarado insula, senes qui ad septuagesimum aetatis annum accesissent, à filijs suis ridentibus in Saturni honorem lignis caedi solebant, &c. Nat. Com lib. 1. cap. 17..

And many who shunne all frothy, silly, and Apish complement, as unbeseeming any one that can eyther speake honestly, or is not empty of matter, and of a barren braine, yet are en­tangled with uncomfortable and unprofitable discourse; such as neither God approveth, nor the hearer receiveth edification therebyVanus est, qui etiam sine utilitate mentitur. Veter. Gram. lib. de sermone Latin.. Such unruly and vaine talkers, Titus 1.10. never please themselves better, then in abusing their wit and abilities in foolish questions, stri­vings, [Page 68] and contentions, which are unprofitable and vaine, Titus 3.9. But as the Fisher-man loves to cast his net in troubled waters, so those delight not in that which increaseth brotherly love, strengthens faith, and manifests a fee­ling, sound, and sincere conscience, but in tur­ning aside unto vaine jangling, 1 Tim. 1.5, 6. let such hunt after the affected title of lear­ned, and judicious Criticks, profound Scio­lists, yet God knoweth vaine men, hee seeth wic­kednesse also, will hee not consider it? Iob 11.11. For when they speake great swelling words of vanitie, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonnesse, those that were cleane escaped from thē, who live in error, 2 Pet. 2.18Pro. 10.19. Aut intempestiva lo­quūtur, incertos rumores disseminant, optima ca­lumniantur, ambigua in deteriorem partem rapiunt, leviora errata exaggerant: ubi veris destituuntur, mendacia fingunt, quae in vulgus spargant, tantum ut ip­sis materia garriendi suppetat. Zeth. in locum. [...].. Others delight in vaine bookes, amorous layes, wanton poems, frothy pamphlets, which not onely banish the holy Bible Quāto rectius hic, vos exemplaria sacra, Nocturna versate ma­nu, v [...]sate diurna. Ho­rat de [...]rte poet., profitable ser­mons, divine meditations, excellent bookes of Theologie, well penn'd and laudable historie out of their heads, hearts, hands, and houses; but like corrupt nutriment spoile the Sto­macke, breed ill humours, pamper corruptions, uphold Sathans kingdome, steale away time, and finally, betray the captivated soule unto the devill, as Zebul did Gaal into the hands of Abimelech, Iudges 9.38. Evill bookes are like pitch, which defile all that touch themAmatoriae Nasonis in quibus non est tutum, rudem etatem exerce­re. Erasmus.: like hot iron that will seare the toucher: like the Plague, to infect all upon whom they breathe. They are the golden apples, cast in the [Page 69] way, to hinder thy race to Heaven, and fit­ting thee for nothing but a fire of lust, vanity, and the fire of Hell, are most meet fewel for the fire. Acts 19.19Non tantum de ma­gicis praestigiis hac dicit, sed de frivolis & inani­bus studijs, quorum ma­jor pars hominum ni­mis ut plurimum cupi­da est. Calvin. [...]. Quo nomine, comprehendit quoscun{que} qui solidam in se utili­tatem non continent, sed per varios circuilus hominū mentes & studiae inutiliter abducunt. Idem..

They love to frolicke in vaine and exoticke Fashions, their garbe being more mutable then the Polypus, their shape monstrous, their cari­age wanton, their attire lascivious: so often turning themselves into habits, that many of them turne themselves out of Gods knowledge, their friends favour, the Saints companie, their owne credit and faire possessions, and at last are turned into a thread-bare-coate, & into a close prison. Qui induuntur in­dumentis alienigena­rum, id est, omnibus de­litijs & vanitati stu­dent, palam{que} ostendunt invectis exoticis mori­bus & vestimentis. Tremel. Which great varietie of vestiments is proper only for Princes: which great vanitie is a great sin, even in the Princes Childrē. Zeph 1.8.

They are vaine in their Recreations, wast­ing the golden dayes with silver mines; till their decayed health, proclame to their wounded conscience: that the Lord will short­ly call them to account in earnest [...]. Quales vos inveniam, tales judica­bo. Iustin. Martyr. Tryphon. Eccles. 11.3., for times bondage unredeemed Ephes. 5.16., and meanes mispent, upon, Birds, Beasts, and Doggs, which would have cloathed & refreshed the poore Saints of God Mat. 25.41, 42.. They are vaine in their workes, Eccles. 1.14. they feed on wind, wherewith they can neither fill their belly nor their hād Hoseah 12.1.. Their studies, counsells, deliberations, projects, courses, conversation, and resolutions 1 Pet. 1.18., are vaine. So that their old age, is vanity like their youth Eccles. 11.10., their outside, like their inward parts [Page 70] very corruption Psalm. 5.9. their very cogita­tions vanity, 1 Cor. 3.20Psal. 94.11.. They are nothing but a bladder of vanity, blowne from the rocke Christ; unto a vaine hope, Iob. 37.8Isay. 59.4.. a vaine faith 1 Cor. 15.17., to a vaine race Gal. 2.2., to a vaine Religion; from the truth to errour, from Antiquity to Novelty; frō the purity of the Gospell, to Po­pery and Idolatrie, the Doctrine of vanity, Ier. 10.8. addicted to the vanities of a strange god, Ier. 8.19. So that in fine, they pursue all sorts of vanity, with no lesse greedinesse then the Lyon the prey, or the keene hound the woun­ded Hart, their very soules being lift up to va­nity, Psalm. 24.4Cui manus & mens est insons, nec vana vo­lutat Animo, nec ulli damna perjurus dedit. Buchanan.. As if they were resolved in themselves like desperate Ruffus, who painted God upon the one side of his sheild, and the Devill on the other, with this inscrip­tion: Lord, if thou dislikest my service, I am provided of another master, the Devill will enter­taine me Domine si in me no­lis, iste me rogitat.. These are the ungodlie who pros­per in the world, who say how doth God know? is there knowledge in the most high? Psal. 73.11, 12. But he that made the eye, can see, and created the eare, can heare, Psam. 94.4Act. 17.28.. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee: our se­cret sinns in the light of thy countenance, Psa. 90.8Culpam, abscondi­ta, errores, adolescenti­am in conspectu suo po­suit: nam illa omnia vox Haeb. significat. Heresbach. in loc.. And let them know, that whosoever travels with vanity, shall bring forth iniqui­tie, which late repentance must either drowne Exod. 1.16. Psal. 7.14., or Damnation nurse Mat. 25.41. Evannetur vanus, id est, ventiletur. Non. Marcellus cap. 1. Psalm. 1.4..

Thirdly, considering the premises, who [Page 71] will not now bee drawne to condescend to this truth, That every man is vanity? Hee runns and rides, toiles and moiles, buildes and breakes downe, he gathers and scatters, prosperity puffes him up, adversity puls him downe, joy makes him petulant, sorrow im­patient, hope comforts him, feare dismayes him; riches encrease his Avarice, losses enlarge his sorrowes, his sailes are set to every wind, hee is ever either gathering or casting up mire and dirt. Yet they are caried away as a flood, and vanish as a sleepe, Palm. 90.5. A tor­rent is turbulent [...]. Locus Epict. a Stobaeo serm. 1. alligat. Est turbulenta, violen­ta, obstrepera, & mo­mentanea., muddy, violent, makes a hideous noise, carries downe all things be­fore it, yet the further it runns, the weaker it growes, and within a short space is swal­lowed up into the earth, into which it disgor­geth it selfe—Aut rapidus montano flumine tor­rens, Sternit agros, sternit sa­ta laeta boum{que} la­bores, Praecipites{que} trahit fil­vas, &c. Virgil. Aen. 2.. Thus man this master of Revels that beares all downe before him whiles hee lives, is soone by cares broken, by labours wearied, by death consumed [...] Humus fiatis & unda. Homer.. Nothing re­maining behinde him but his good name, (if he left any,) and his goods (if hee got any;) he knowes not for whom: being turned naked from his mothers wombe into the world, and turned naked out of the world into the grave, Iob 1.21Haud ullas portabis opes Acharontis ad un­das. Nudus ab inferna flulte vehere rate. Propert.. Yet we are so bewitched with vanitie, that measuringFalsis decipimur, fictis delectamur. Vet. Gram. lib. de serm. Lat. our selves by our selves wee seldome discerne or acknowledge this truth. But as the Law which was of it selfe glorious 2 Cor. 3.7.8., was shadowed by the Gospell [Page 72] which is much more glorious; and as the light of a lampe is darkned by the rising of the Sun; so if we bring our selves into Gods presence by invocation, contemplation, and meditation, then we shall appeare without glory, and ex­cellency, most vaine: not onely our appurte­nances, but even our very substance will be found vanitie Hugo Card. in loc. Vanissimus est, quisquis est homo, quantumvis videatur esse aliquid. Campensis in loc.. Then his wing of selfe-love wherewith he towreth so high, being imped in the soft waxe of vanitie, will melt with that heate and faile him. Those few minutes of lent-life we corrupt and shorten by turbu­lent affections, pernicious passionsPeter Martyr in loc., which stormes in want sinke us, and calmes in fruiti­on of what is desired make us a booty for ranging-pyrates. The ungodly are strongly convinced of it, the Godly will not gaine-say itAyguanus & Glossa. in loc.: The foelicity of the one, and infoelicity of the other is meere vanity Brentius in loc.. Let him that doubts of it cast his eye upon the corps of his deare-dead-friend Si vivens homo vanitas est, mortuus est vanitas vanitatum. S. Hyeron.; with whom hee lately walked joyfully to the house of God, and tooke sweete counsell together; behold now hee is set out in the streetes, his tender orphanes fol­low him to the grave, the mournefull widow bedewes the earth with teares; his carefull servants lament their losse, the bosomes of his familars are prisons scarce strong enough to keepe their hearts frō bursting out. The Vir­gins to shew man is but a fading flower, doe bestrew the way to the grave with flowers, [Page 73] tell me now if man be not a shadow, a flower, a dreame S. Chrysost. ad po­pulum Antiochen., a worme and no man Psal. 22.6. Omnia sunt hominum, tenui pendentia filo, Et subito casu, quae va­luere ruunt. Strigellius.; a broken vessell Psalm. 31.12. Nothing Galath, 6.3 [...]. Caro re­solvitur in putredinem, putredo in vermem, vermis in pulverem: sic reddit in nihilum, quod fuit ante nihil.. Altogether vanity.

Fourthly, Trust not in man. Put not your trust in Princes, nor in the sonne of man, in whom there is no helpe: his breath goeth forth, he retur­neth to his earth, in that very day his thoughts perish, Psal. 146.3.4. Vanitie will deceive thee, and every man is vanitie. Vaine in favour, respect, and love to those, the foundations of whose fortunes are laid in the bottome of their sincere affection, Ester 7.8. The River Novanus Jn agro Pitinate trans. Apenninum, flu­vius Novanus emnibus solstitijs torrens, bruma siccatur. Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. 2. cap. 103. in Lombardie, at every Midsommer Solstice, swelleth & runneth over the bankes, but in mid-winter is cleane dry: Such is the condition of man, plentifull and prodigall of his love and favour, when his friend stands no neede of it; but base and penurious when just occasion brings friendship to the Test. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brooke, and as the streames of brookes that passe away: which in winter time, when water may be fetcht out of every ditch, and the meadowes over­flow, when wee need them not, they are full of water, yee, and snow [...]. Omnes propinqui sunt viris foelicibus. Menander. Donec eris foelix, multos numerabis amicos: Tempora si fuerint nu­bila, solus eris. Adspicis ut veniant, ad candida tecta co­lumbae? Accipiat nullas sordida turris aves? Horrad formicae tendunt ad inania nunquam, &c. Ovid. Trist. lib 1. Eleg. 8.: but when the Tra­veller in the wearisome wildernesse is thirsty in Sommers heate, and resorts thither for a coole and comfortable draught; then those ri­vers wherein the snow was hid, are vanished: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their [Page 74] place. The troopes of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them, they were confounded because they had hoped, they came thither, and were ashamed, Iob 6.15, 16, &c, [...]. Theognis..

In the countrey Carrinensis in Spaine In Carrinensi Hispa­niae agro, fons est, aurei coloris omnes pisces ostendens, Nihil extra illam aquam caeteris dif­ferentes. Plin. Nat. Hist lib. 2. cap. 103., there is a river that shewes al the fish in it to be like gold, but take them out with a net, and they differ nothing from their naturall kinde and colour. But in all countries there bee men whose faire promises, and colour of freindship is like the tall and faire Cypresse, but in ad­versitie, and when urgent occasion makes triall of them, they are like the fig-tree, unto which Christ resortedMat. 21.19., without fruit, and in the handling differ nothing from profest foes. In their promises they are vaine, and trecherous, Iudg. 9.23. their favour and dis­pleasure, their love and hate, are alternative. The greatest kindenesses, and most sincere af­fection, and service, are not seldome rewar­ded, with horrible ingratitude, oblivion and ha­tred, Psalme 35.12Multa fidem pro­missa levant, ubi ple­nius aequo; Laudat venales, qui vult extrudere merces. Horat. Epistolar. lib. 2. Epist. 2.. In their entertainements vaine: Eate and drinke, saith he to thee, but his heart is not with the, Prov. 23.7. In their Com­plementall visitations vaine, Absolons hand, his kisse, his court holy-water, his graces coun­tenance, and favours, were but smoake, and hee perished with smoakeTheagines [...], id est, fumus cognomi­natus: quod magnificè polliceretur, cum esset pauper.. 2 Sam. 15.5. When hee speaketh faire, beleeve him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. Prov. 26.25. In their semblances of pietie and de­votion, [Page 75] vaine 1 Sam. 15.13. Great things can­not helpe men, nor great men helpe us. There is no King saved by the multitude of an hoste; a mighty man is not delivered by much strength: An horse is a vaine thing to save a man, neither shall he deliver any by his great strength, Psalme 33.16, 17. Men are men, that is, inconstant, fickle, changable, unreasonble, irreligious, mortall, and to rely upon; a broken reed. For some man is a friend for his owne occasion, and will not a­bide in the day of trouble, and there is some friend that turneth to enmity, and taketh part against thee, and in contention hee will declare thy shame: againe, some freind is but a companiō at thy table, & in the day of thine affliction he continueth not. Ecclus. 6.8, 9, 10 [...]. Fervetolla: vivit amicitia. Suidas. [...]. Me­nand. Mensae, cibique splendidi, non veritatis sunt amici plurimi. [...]. Phocylides. v. 86. Multi sunt etenim so­cij potus{que} cibi{que} Tempora servantes, dum sit, quo venter alatur.. Briefely all men are liers, Psalm. 116.11. unable, and impotent to help us or unwilling to act the noble part of a friend, vanity is unto them as a garment that covereth them, and a girdle wherewith they are continually girded.

And if wee may not trust in vaine-man, much lesse is confidence in worldly vanities tolerable. They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches, this their way is their folly. Psal. 49.6.13Ridet & irridat amatores mūdi, qui mā­do confidunt, ac Chris­tum negligunt. Iacob de Valent. in loc.. Loe this is the man, that made not God his strength; but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himselfe in his wickednesse. Thus God sets the worldling upon the stage to be laught at. Psalm. 52.6.7. For if it be better to [Page 76] trust in the Lord, then to put confidence in man, Psalm, 118.9. because they are mortall, Psal. 82.7. and vaine is the helpe of man, Psal. 60.11. and to no purpose, Isay. 30.7. in so much as our eyes may faile us, for our vaine helpe, in watching for a nation that could not save Dulcis inexpertis cultura potentis amici. Expertus metuit. — Horat. lib. 1. Epist. 18.: Lam. 4.17. then to rely upon God, without an eye to man, or world, is the best of all. World­ly things Comfort in vaine. Zach. 10.2. they are but as a Leprosie in a garmentSeptempliciter enim occupavit nos lepra su­perbiae; in proprieta­te possessionum, in gloria vestium, in voluptate corporum, &c. porrò in lepra vestis omnem se­culi hujus pomposam intellige vanitatem. Ber. ser. 3. de resurrec., as Cities of vanity. Isay. 24.10. as the straw of Aegypt which the Hebrews gatheredHyeron. Lauret. in Syl. Alleg. in verbo Palea.. Cursed are they who taxe themselves with the cōfidence in them; but blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust: and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turne aside to lies, Psalm. 40.4. And they that know thy name, will put their trust in thee, for thou Lord hast not forsaken them that seeke thee. Psalm. 9.9, 10. Money, and men are as drosse, as grasse Psal. 119.119.129.6., but the Lord is an Ocean of goodnesse, from whence all mercies proceed. Health for the body, peace to the minde, joy to the heart, meate for the table, garments for the backe: a friend for thy bo­some, a wife for thy bed, honour for thy name. His eye is clearer then the Sunn, to espie thy want, his eare open as the ayre to receive thy cry, his hand unlocks all hearts to be-friendPro. 21.1., his compassions are more tender then a pa­rents, his promise is established for ever as the moone and as a faithfull witnesse in heaven. [Page 77] Psalm, 89.37. Hee speakes with his mouth, and performes with his hand, 1 King. 8.24. and his word is past, his promise is sealed. They that seeke the Lord shall not want any good thing, Psalm. 34.10.

Fifthly, learne all men henceforth, to con­temne this vaine life with all its vanities, and to seeke for a new, and a better life where vanity is not admitted Contemnamus va­nam istam vitam, & festinemus, &c. S. Origen. in loc.. That is onely sweet to them that know it not, this onely to them that seeke and finde it. When David was in the greatest perplexity, behold his meditations, and thoughtsQuid dixerit, quid cogitaverit, quid dolue­rit, quid medita­tus fuerit, quid oraverit, Arnob in loc.. The sanctified imployment of his soule, was to thirst after heaven, after Christ, the Alpha and Omega of all our hap­pinesse. This Psalme is entituled to Iduthun the victor or conquerour Ʋincenti, id est, Ar­chimusico. Genebr. in loc. [...]. Aquilla.: and what greater conquest can a Christian make, then to for­sake the world, the pompes and vanities there­of in his affections, and towre aloft unto CHRIST Nulla potest esse victoria nobilior, quam per patientiam vincere in bono malum. Bellar. in loc.? The Septuagint entitle it, unto the end [...]: scilicet, nos dirigens in Christum. Sebald. in loc., which end is Christ Cassiodorus.; as if it were written thus: unto the honour of Christ, who is the end of the Law Iacob de Valen­tia in loc., the consum­mation of our blessednesse in this life, and in the world to comeChristus est consum­matio, in presenti ad justitiam, & in futuro ad coronam. Iohan. de Turre-cremata in loc.. In respect whereof all things else are dung, drosse, and if any thing be worse, vanity Bene dixi, quod vita mea in conspectu tuo sit, quasi non sit, prop­ter brevitatem & va­nitatem. Idem. ibid. Res est nihili. Cam­pensis in loc..

Nor is it a vaine conjecture that in the title of this ode, this instruction was inten­ded that we should seeke for Christ unto the end, [Page 78] in whom we have resurrection and life Lorinus in loc.. For as every good Christian walkes in Christ In imagine pertran­sit homo, v. 6. In Christo ambulat, qui sequitur Euangelium. Haec ima­go venit ad terras, ut non jam in umbra ambularemus, sed in imagine, scilicet Christo. S. Ambr. in loc., so his chiefe care is to walke after Christ, to overcome the vanities of this world, and de­vote himselfe to God. In which respect eve­ry man living should be an Iduthun S. Aug. in loc. [...]. Deo deditus., a holy, sanctified man; not in the letter, but in spirit; though not in name, yet in signification; not by carnall propagation, but in faith and win­ged affection to flye to heavenNon litera sed spi­ritu, non carnis propa­gatione, sed fidei firmi­tate. Carthus. in loc.. Our golden morning thoughts, our silver noone meditati­ons, our Leaden-night cogitations should ever feed upon Christ, and his merits, our redempti­on, and the glorious inheritance hee hath pur­chased for usDe vera [...], semper meditan­dum. Gesnerus in loc.. He is our Substance, in com­parison of whom all other things are but Ac­cidents Avendanus in loc. in explicat. Ps. 118. tractat. 7.. Our soules have feet, fins, wings S. Aug. in loc., upon these feet runne after Christ, with these finns swim after him in the glassie sea of this world, with these wings raise thy choise de­sires unto mount Sion. What is my hope? (saith the King) verse 7. Even thou O Lord art my hope. Seeing thou hast given mee the world, which I contemne, give me thy selfe whom my soule desireth. Let others strive for temporall Kingdomes with Caesar, and Pompey, with Ab­solon and Adonijah; let others contend for praise and applause of their wits, with Arrius, Samosetanus and Nestorius: Let others gape for honour and promotion, as Eugenius, Ruffi­nus: Let others heape up riches, as Doeg, Na­bal, [Page 79] Craesus: Let others swallow downe plea­sures as the fish doth water with Cambises, Ptolomie, Tyberius: Let others hunger after victory and triumph Disseres de tri­umpho, quid tandem habet isle currus? quid victi ante currum duces? Quid simula­cra oppidorum? quid aurum? quid argentum? quid legati in equis & tribuni? quid clamor militum? quid tota illa pompa? inania sunt ista mihi crede delecta­menta poene puerorum, captare plausus, vehi per urbem, conspici vel­le, quibus ex rebus nihil est quod solidum tenere. Cicero in Calphurni­um Pisonem. Orat. 37 with Iustinian and Beli­sarius, yet these are vanished, and did not make a saving voyage. But let all that name the Lord, seeke after Iesus Christ, the eternall verity, and the doore to our foelicity. Thus every holy person may bee Iduthun, and the Psalme dedicated unto him. And as others creepe into vanity, so doe thou steale thy soule away from vanitie, a theft commendable. Let the fifthy smoake of vanitie drive away the Bee, whose honey is Christ, whose Hive is Heaven: Fly from it, as from a serpent, for if thou commest neare it, it will bite thee, the teeth ther­of are as the teeth of a Lyon, to slay the soules of men, Ecclus. 21.2. Davids heart was ever rea­dy to embrace Christ, his eye lift up to the Hils, from whence came his salvation Nulla in coelo vani­tas, nec fortuna, nec te­meritas, nec erratio in­est: contraque omnis ordo, veritas, ratio, con­stantia. Cicero de Natura deorum.. When Iuno was pourtraide, the severall perfections of the choisest beauties were borrowed to perfect the work; so to perfect thy contempt of vanitie, borrow the examples of Christ, and his Apostles, of his faithfull servant Mo­ses, who chose rather to suffer adversitie which the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sinne for a season, Heb. 11.25. The Romans who thirsted after honour in the warres, set Scipio before them, the example of valour; and to restraine themselves from vice, they concei­ved [Page 80] they were in the eye of Cato: If we co­vet the honour of Iduthun Transiliens de vilijs ad virtutes; de terrenis bonis ad aeterna bona, quae sunt finis expecta­tionis justorum. Bruno Carthus. in loc., and would in­large our opinion of the basenesse of all things under the Moone; for our leader wee have King David among Poets, Salomon a­mong Philosophers, Abraham among souldi­ers, Enoch among Preachers, all which con­clude, that all is vanity and vexation of spirit. Let not thy custome in sinfull-vanitie, dull and dead thy Conscience from the search after foe­licityMagis nos docere debet judicium verita­tis, quam praejudicium consuetudinis. S. Aug. in Psal. 105.: But remembring that dreadfull Tri­bunall, where shortly thou art to hold up thy hand, bee awakened to wooe Christ for assu­rance of salvation, as the Philosopher was by his brazen-ball, and to thrust out vanitie, which like Dalilah tempts thee to destructi­on. Iacob lived and dyed in Egypt, yet had his bones carried out from thence into Ca­naan: so though thou dwell in Meshecke, in the midst of the worlds vanity, charge thy af­fections to keepe Christmas in Heaven. Thou hast thy name (O Man) from looking up to Heaven [...] & [...]. Video. Prona{que} cum spectent animalia caetera ter­ram, Os homini sublime dedit coelum{que} videre Jussit, et erectos ad si­dera tollere vultus. Ovid. Metam. lib. 1., where thou maist see God thy Father, Christ thy elder brother, the Spirit thy Comforter, the Angels thy Guard, the Saints thy coheires, Glory thy inheritance and re­ward. This world is rough like Esau, full of vanity from the beginning to the end; the next world like Iacob, smooth & beautiful, wherefore as Iacob retired for his safety to his vncle Labans from Esaues hand, so let [Page 81] us make a retreate in good order from this filth below, to the City of refuge appointed us above. Here wee are beset with vanities like Arabian theeves Vita nostra in me­dio insidiatorum est, in medio praeliorum, si volumus non decipi, vigilandum est: si volu­mus superare, pugnan­dum est. Leo de Qua­drages. serm. 1. Adestseper innimicus, si non vides, videnti crede. S. Ambr. in loc. Iudas non dormit: A­dagium de gnava impi­orum & diaboli indus­tria, & pervigili sedu­litate, in technis con­cinnandis. Zehner. Adag. Cent. 5. 84. S. Hyeron. interpret. Psal. 39. v. 1. The wic­ked to be the devill who came to tempt David. in loc.. If wee will not lose our soules, wee must watch: if not be rob'd, alwayes stand upon our guard, and often fight.

6. But because the contempt of vanitie, is not the worke of Nature, but of Grace, nor every measure of grace, but that which is of some growth doth bring men unto it, we must begge that power from heaven, which earth affords not. Turne away mine eyes from beholding va­nitie. Psal. 119.37.

There is a threefold life. First, of the soule and body together Act. 17.28.: the second, of the soule without the body: the last, of body and soule after the resurrection, in eternall glory. Now as we expect the fruition of the two last, to have our soule rest in Abrahams bosome, and our whole man after that in the bosome of Christ: So it is meete that whiles wee live here on earth, that the life also of Iesus might bee made manifest in our mortall flesh, 2 Cor. 4.11. But before wee can live the life of grace, Christ who is ascēded on high, must pull very hard, to draw us after him; to draw us up unto himselfe, Iohn, 6.44. and 12.32. Hee alone can frame the heart to hate life Teduit & vitae— Deficit insipiens, defecie & sapiens, &c. Marianus.. Eccles. 2.17. because all is vanity, preserve us that we walke not in vanitie Iob 31.5., haunt not with vaine persons Psal. 26.4. [...]. 70.; [Page 82] but rather hate such Psal. 31.6.139.21. Religiosum odium odisse eos, qui Deum oderunt. Heresbach. in loc.. He alone can remove far from us vanitie and lies, Prov. 30.8. getting of treasures by a lying tongue, which is vanity tossed too and fro, of them that seeke death, Prov. 21.6Duplex incommo­dum in opibus iniquè partis, quod & celeriter dispereant, & exitium concilient. Mercerus in loc.. teach us that his loving kindnesse is better then life, Psal. 63.3. that the feare of God endureth for ever, Psa. 19.9. & to walke in godlines that we may inherit glo­ry. For what profit is it unto us, if there be promi­sed an immortall life, when we do the workes that bring death? and that an everlasting hope should bee promised, us seeing that we betyde our selves to deadly vanity, 2 Esdras, 7.49.50.

Finally, from this hive, we may gather the honey of sweet-consolation, to cleare our eyes 1 Sam. 14.27., and comfort our hearts in this wildernesse of vanities. Howsoever our span-long-life is ever in the waxe, or in the weane; like the rising from the first finger unto the midle finger, and the fall from that to the least: and at­tended with as many miseries as there be stars in the firmament, and vanities as sand by the Sea-shore: yet there is an estate in Christ here, and with Christ hereafter; unto which the righteous attaine, which is not vanity but verity, not a shadow but substance, not transient but permanent, not temporall but eternall in the heavens. Though we now hang up our harps by the rivers of Babylon and weepe Hac sunt arma justi, ut tacendo, ceden­do, & credendo vincat. S. Ambr. in loc. Cum mundus tot cala­mitates ingeminat, dum tot adversitatibus pulsat, quid aliud quam ne diligatur cla­mat. Greg., for the floods of vanity, that are ready to overwhelme us in our Captivity, and absence from God, [Page 83] and our Countrey, in the flesh: yet after a while wee shall bee brought home with tri­umph, unto a LandDeut. 11.11. flowing with milke and honey, unto Mansion-places wee builded not, to wells of joy wee digged not, to Vineyards of happinesse wee planted not, to victory wee wonne not, to Musicke we heard not before; to banquets wee saw not, to delights we thought not on, to life without death, to dayes without endNumerus sine nu­mero, dies sine die, tempora sine tempore. S. Hieron., to a world without vanity, to a condi­tion without alteration; to songs without sor­row, and to eternall glory through Iesus Christ our LordCessabit gemitur, luctus, metus, ira, vo­luptas, Fraus, dolor at{que} dolus, maeror, discordia, livor; Nullus egens, nullus cupiens sed pace sub una, Sufficiet cūctis sancto­rum gloria, Christus Alcimus de Original. pec. lib. 2..

I will seale up all with Selah, the broad Seale of Davids Hymnes, and this text. A little word, yet of no small difficulty to explaineProtosui veterum sententias, ut quantae res sit difficultatis in­telligatur. Ribera in Habak. cap. 3. Quid Selah significet, nec Rabbinorum com­mentarij, nec interpre­tes quos ego legi, pro dignitate exponunt. Hutter. dictionar. Harmon.: Left out of the Bible by the vulgar translati­on Graecus interpres omisit, ut et vulgata latina He esbach. in Praef. in lib. Psalm., as though it were impertinent, where let them consider whether they come not within the verge of that malediction: And if any man shall take away from the words of the booke of this Prophesie (yea or from any part of Gods booke) God shall take away his part out of the Booke of life, and out of the holy City, and from the things which are written in this booke, Revel. 22.19. The Ancient interpreters did not much meddle with it, and our editions leave it uninterpreted Lorinus in loc.. But seeing whatso­ever things were written aforetime, were written for our learning, that we thorow patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope [Page 84] Rom. 15.4. and till heaven and earth passe, one iote, or one tittle shall in no wise passe from the Law, till all be fulfilled, Matth, 5.18. we have sufficient warrant, after the example of the learnedNe{que} quid sit [...] indiscussum relinquere oportet. Greg. Nissenus tractat. 2. in Ps. cap. 10., and incouragement, to make enqui­rie after the minde of the Holy spirit, in that which he hath both commāded to be written, and hath commended unto us. Wherein like the Chrystall-glasse: I will rather present you with the true visage of Antiquity Nos vero patrum opinione non abjecta, non cunctabimur ali­quid etiam ex nobis de vocabuli hujus signifi­catione excogitare. Idem. ibid., then use any new framed feature or painting of my owne.

Selah [...] occurrit in toto Psalterio septu­agies semel; & ter in Chabakkuk propheta. Athanasius & Sancte Pagn. in radice Sal. [...] Et nusquam nisi in Soph-pasuk, id est, fine versus, exceptis quatuor locis. Ps. 55.19. & 57 3. & bis in Habak. Vbi poniter in medio sen­tentiae. Idem., is mentioned seventy foure times in the Scripture, whereof seventy one in the booke of Psalmes; & thrice in the Prophet Ha­bakkuk 3. which is written Psalme-wise Quae Prophetia scripta est per modum Psalmorum. Cevaller.: and ever placed in the end of a Psalme or verse; foure places onely excepted, where like the Sun in the midst of the planets, it is seated to conjoyne the precedent words with the sub­sequentEx quo animad­vertimus hoc verbum superiora pariter, infe­riora{que} connectere. S. Hyeron., and communicate splendor unto both. There was a threefold use of it in ancient times, whereof the first concerned the Mu­sicke, the second the matter handled, unto which it was affixed, and the third the men or Congregation assembled in the Temple of the Lord: which two last may still have place a­mong us Christians, who are in grafted into the stocke Christ, from whence the Iewes were cut off, but from the first we cannot properly sucke such nourishment as once they did.

First of the first. The Kings Quire 1 Chron. 25.1, 6. Psal. 62. [...]. 1 Chron. 16.41., learned fiue things by it.

First, to make a little Pause, stop, or stay; when they came to Selah: and to meditate a while upon the matter fore-goingSilentij nota, ut me­ditationi locus esset. Marianus in Ps. 3.3. Mollerus & Lorinus..

Secondly, they knew by that Cessation, and intervall, that King David as hee was prophesy­ing unto the people, and praising God upon the loud sounding Cymballs, was at that instant inspired and taught some new lesson. Where­fore as men being in serious discourse, when they heare a sudden noise, hold their peace to listen, saying, harke, see-loe: so Davids heart being smitten by the voyce of Gods Spirit, the musick ceased, stopt, and hee checked him­selfe as it were thus; Speake Lord, for thy ser­vant heareth Sic explicat, & defi­nit. Est igitur diapsalma, cessatio, seu quies inter psallendum de repentè facta ad receptionem divinitus missae illustra­tionis Greg. Nissen. in Tract. in Ps. 2. c. 10..

Thirdly, it signifieth the change and varia­tion of the Musick in some straines, or of the Meeter, or sense, or disjunction of the Rhythme, or ceasing of some one sort of Musicke in that variety, which howsoever S. Hierome makes some scruple ofAd Marcellam Tom. 3. Epist. 138. Nobis (inquit) nihil horum videtur, cum Aquila, qui verborum Haebraiorum diligentis­simus explicator est, Se­lah, trāstulerit, [...]emper., relying upon the credit of Aquila, an excellent searcher of the Ori­ginall Haebrew tongue, and drawne somewhat by Saint Origens byas and modestyVtrum autem cu­jusdam musicae cancile­nae, aut Rhythmi immu­tationem (qui interpre­tati sunt D' apsalma) senserint, aliuave intel­lexerint tuo judicio de­relinquo. Ibid. S. Hier.; yet it is strongly confirmed by the authority of o­ther Ancients Hilar. Chrysost. Euthym. initio com­ment. in Psalmos. (Quos etiam plurimi sequūtur in Diapsalmate hoc significare putant, aut alium sensum tunc inchoari, mutata har­monia psalterij, aut alijs cantoribus traditum esse Psalmum, aut cessatum esse. Ribera in Habak. 3., and venerable Interpretors, especially by the Septuagint, whoSeptuagint. interpr. Theodotion. & Sym­mach. transtulerunt [...], i. immutationem musicae cujusdam cantilenae, vel Rythmi. as often [Page 86] as they meet with Selah in the Haebrew Text, in their Greek-version translated it, The change of the Song [...]: Cantus im­mutatio, carminis com­mutatio. Suidas in ver­bi explicat. Intermissam Cantile­nam, Diapsalma recte interpreteris. Ribera in Hab. 3., which indeed cannot bee gain­saidAt in his locis ubi ponitur Selah, aliquam fieri in Cantu mutatio­nem, quod negare vide­tur Hieronymus, non potest ut existimo nega­ri, clamat enim nomen [...], quod non fine causa tam doctis viris, id est, septua gin­ta interpretibus, & Theodotioni, & Sym­macho placuisse con­venit. Ribera ibid. Plus vident oculi quam oculus, contra septuag. ne S. Hieronym. quidem. vid. Pelargi Bibliothec. & Posse­vin. de 72. nominibus.. And Origen prudently durst not de­ny it; and Hierome himselfe elsewhereEt puto aut musici cujusdam soni esse sig­naculum, &c. S. Hier. in Psal. 4. Incertum sibi esse, ait Origines. Rei interim musica peculiarem esse vocem agnosco. Pagn. in Rad. Sal. doth come very neare unto friendship and composi­tion with this truth.

Fourthly, it directed them to sing the same verse over againe, whereunto Selah was annexedLorinus in loc.. Lastly, it was their instruction to Elevate and lift up their voices, praising God with louder voices, and loud sounding Cymbals Radix Selah est (ut R. David in lib. Radicum) [...] exaltare, elevare, quia in illo loco ubi ponitur Selah, erat elevatio vocis in musica, seu consentu, seu modulatione. Sanctes Pagnin. Signum est vocis attollendae. Idem. ibid. For the manner, it is a note of singing high. Aynsw. in Psal. 3.3. Selah, nota musica. Buxtorph. Certum est, Selah sic cantum temperasse ut ipsa modulatio rei. & argumento congrueret. Calv. in Psal. 9.16. Rectissime illi sentiunt, qui dicunt elevationem, ac exclamationem hac voce designari. Musculus in Psal. 3.3. Sic R. David Kimchi scribit elevationem significare. Theodor. Vatabl. in Ps 3.: Selah cald upon them for louder straines of Musicke; and shrilnesse of voice. But seeing the Iewish Harmonie, and sweet melody is overwhelmed in the ruines of their glorious temple, wee remaine unskil'd in their Notes, which doth obscure our annotations upon it, Let this suffice for the Musicke.

Secondly, Selah concernes the Text of Scripture it selfe, or the matter handled, in fiue branches.

First, Some thinke it to bee onely an Or­nament of speech Nota or nationis orationis, ut Graeci utuntur [...], &c. Sic Eugubinus., to grace the language [Page 87] with a sweet Emphasie Sed non est tam [...], quam ad diri­gendum Music. Mollerus.: or a non-significant word Huic dictioni non est significantia. Inter­pres Ps. apud. Pagn. Judicāt nimirum quod verum est, ea voce ni­hil significari quod ad Psalmi textum per­tineat. Marian. in Ps. 3., to compleate the Harmony, lest the verse should halt for want of a foote Sunt qui hanc vo­culam ad supplendam tantum modulationem carminis adjectam pu­tent, ideo in carmine tantum inveniri ut versum producat, & pedēseu numerum sup­pleat. Aben Ezra. apud Sanct. Pagn.; but this conjecture is infirme, and many feete wide from the truthEx his cernitur in­signis R. David error, et aliorum inscitia, qui dicunt Selah, nihil sig­nificare, sed ornatus aut harmonia causa poni. Ribera in Hab. 3. Selah nota est musica per se nihil significans. Buxtorph. Alij ad Salah vicinam radicem revocant, et non significat per se ali­quid. Refert. Pagn..

Secondly, It is not onely an adornation of speech, but signifies moreouer, an end of that verse, matter, or Psalme, where it is foundScire autem debemus apud Haebraeos in fine librorum unum è tribus solere subnecti, ut aut A­menscribant, aut Selah, aut Salom, quod exprimit pacem, ut solemus completis opusculis, explicit, feliciter, finis, aut aliquid istiusmodi. S. Hieronym. Epist. ad Marcell., which is ever in the end of Psalme and verse, these foure places onely exempted from this rule, Psalm, 55. verse 19. Psalm. 57.3. Habak. 3. verse 3.9. for as wee write Finis at the end of a booke, song, or Poeme, so the Iewes underwrite Selah, Salome, or Amen at the end or finishing of any Canticle or worke. And the modern Iewes at this day following the opinion of Aben-Ezra Haebraei hodie magna ex parte sententiam Aben Hezra sequuntur, fini suarum praetum & Epi­taphiorum addentes Amen, Selah, semel, at{que} iterum; sed linguae suae passim se ignaros produnt. Sanctes Pagnin., take Selah to bee the same with Amen: using it at the end of their epitaphes and prayers, twise or thrice together, indifferently thus; Amen, Selah, Amen, Selah, which receives some cre­dit from this, that the particular Psalmes end with Selah, Psalm, 3.8. and the bookes of Psalmes with Amen. For whereas the Psalter is divided into five bookes, foure of them ends with Amen, so bee it: As you shall finde [Page 88] Psalme. 41.13. the end of the first booke: Psalme, 72.19. the period of the second: Psalm, 89.52. the end of the third: and Psal. 106.48. the conclusion of the fourth.

Thirdly, Selah is an Hyperbole or illustration of the truth by way of excesse in advancing, and enlarging it, to make the truth and sense more cleare and evidentSelah, ad verbum, [...], id est, Summè, maximé, vehe­mentissimè, potentissimè, excellenter, ad majorem sensus evidentiam. Iun. & Tremel. in Ps. 3. & 9.16. & Hab. 3, as if wee should say, that is wonderfull! or that is excellent! and sometimes by way of aggravation; that is monstrous, intolerable, horrible! The Lord came from Teman, and the holy one from Mount Paran. Selah, Habak. 3.3. Selah. .i. God came with great dignity, excellency, and ample majestie. Many there bee that say of my soule, there is no helpe for him in his God; Selah, Psal. 3.2. Selah, as if he had said, O monstrous and horrible Blasphemie, to excommunicate a childe out of the favour of his heavenly father: and limit his mercy, whose hand is omnipotent to relieve all that rely upon him!

Fourthly, it serves to declare the eternitie of the truth revealed in that Psalme, or verse, tho perhaps it only began then to be manifested to the Church, or more fully at that time then in former ages. Howsoever, the people, unto whom it was published, or the persons unto whom it was sent, were otherwise perswa­ded at the first publication of itQuidam interpre­tes loco Diapsalmatis adscribunt hujusmodi intervallis, seu spatijs vocabulum, Semper. Vt ex hoc discamus istam à Spiritu Sancto ani­mae immissam doctri­nam semper extitisse. Greg. Nissen. tract. 2. in Psal. cap. 10. Aquila quinta editio, &, S. Hieronym. Se­lah interpretantur Semper. Pagnin. Sexta editio, jugiter & in finem, quod idem est, S. Hier. ad Marcell. Semper. Chaldee Pa­raphr. Aynsw. in Ps. 3., That it was a veritie from everlasting, and shall con­tinue for everDocet certè sempe­terna esse quae dicta sunt. S. Hier. ad Marcell. Perpetuitatem eorum quae dicta sunt indicat. Ribera in Hab. 3. Jta{que} Aquila & cateri qui verterunt Semper, vim vocis Selah decla­rarunt. Rib. ibid..

Instance, Psalm. 3.8. Salvation belongs unto the Lord, thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah. As if hee had said, This is a thing without all controversie true; that God hath ever delivered, and will for ever blesse his peo­ple. This Doctrine is sempiternall, and du­rable, that the mercy of the Lord, endureth for ever. Psalm. 136.

Fiftly, it did instruct them, to meditate seriously upon those Theames where Selah was engraven: as containing matter wor­thy of singular observation, meditation, and remembrance Selah usurpatur, quando res proposita considerationem mere­tur diligentiorem & magis attentam. Gual­ter in Habak. 3.; as either concerning Christ Psal. 24.10., the mysteries of Grace Psal 46.7.49.15., Mans duty Psal. 4.4.32.5., or Frailty Psal. 9.20.32.4.. That as the Diamond is of grea­ter value than other pretious stones, and the Sunne, is more glorious than the planets: so those Sentences are more resplendent Selah in illis locis [...]., than other parcels of Scripture. Which howso­ever at the first bare view, it doth not al­wayes so appeare, there being other texts of Holy writ more excellent, (if it were meete to make any comparison) where Selah is not foundNam & res humi­les interdum altius con­templandas proponit Spiritus Sanctus. Pagnin.: yet if we dive into the occasion, scope and Nature of the sentence, we shall more willingly condescend, when wee consider, that it is an usuall custome of the holy Spirit, for our singular instruction and benefit, to propound things of a low, and inferiour nature to our deepest meditation. Instance Psalme 9.16.

The Lord is knowne by the judgement which hee executeth: the wicked is snared in the worke of his owne hands: which is shut up with Higgaion Selah, meditation-Selah, as if hee had said, Here is a matter worthy of ob­servation, and eternall meditation O rem! perpetua meditatione dignam, hoc perpetuò meditari debent fideles, nimirum quod improbi consilio suo pereant. Vatab. in loc. Res procul dubio, quae imo pectore reponatur. Campensis. O Sententiam ex­acta consideratione dig­nam! Simul{que} adnotādum est, non poni nisi ubi valdè insigne est quod dicitur & meditatione dig­num. Ribera in Hab. 3.: the Righ­teous should never forget this, that the wicked perish in their owne counsells, and are taken in their owne net. An observati­on worthy to bee engraven in every Reli­gious persons bosome: that God will one time or other bee knowne among the wicked, by his most severe judgements exe­cuted upon them, though they would never learne by his Patience and mercies, to acknowledge him for their LordSelah etiam ex Radice [...] aflimare.. Thus far of the matter.

Now it remaines for a conclusion, to un­fold the severall instructions, which Selah af­forded unto the Congregation; which are these sixe.

First, it served as a note of attention, and intention of the minde, to what was sung or saidEst nota vocis ex­altandae, eo{que} monitori­um cogitationis animi intendendae. S. Hieron in Psal. 3. Mihi videtur non tan­tum nota Musica, ve­rum etiam attentionis, & exclamationis. Genebr. Animi intentionem, ut animis auditorum in­figer [...]t. Muscul. in Ps. 3. [...]nde Sel h [...]ex Sà [...]l [...]va [...]io vocis, ad Psal­ [...]um mentis ad in­ [...]ae [...] Lorinus [...]imhi. Genebr.: that wheresoever they cast an eye up­on Selah, they might conceive they heard the Lords voice from heaven speaking, Heare this all yee people, give eare all yee inhabitants of the world, Psalme, 49.1. both high and low, rich and poore, together: verse 2. That as their voices were lift up in singing, so much more their hearts, and affections [Page 91] might bee Elevated Signū est, & excitā­dae vocis, & animi ma­xime intendendi. Va­tabl. in Ps. 3. q. d. O rem scitu dignissimam! Psal. 3.4.; that their voice and hearts being both in tune, the joynt harmony might bee sweet in the Eares of the Lord Non vox sed vatum, non musica chordula, sed Cor; Non clamor, sed amor, cantat in aure Dei. Vulgar. Versic..

Secondly, It was a note of affirmation, whereby they declared their consent, and as­sent unto the truth deliveredArbitror, quod nonnūquam sit affirmā­tis verum esse quod dicitur, aut sempternum esse. Ribera in Hab. 3. Idē est quod [...] ita est, sic est, sic est veri­tas rei. Cevaller. in Rad. Sal. Chald. Thalmudici et Aquila volunt esse genus asservandi. R. Abraham affirmati­onem & confirmatio­nem, ut veré, profectò. Genebrad. Maxime, plané. Piscat. Ʋeré veritas vertunt. S. Hier. in Plal. 3., as wee say when wee approve of anothers speech; Right, just, you say truly, it is most certaine: So their Selah, was as much as true, certaine, excellent. Instance, Psam. 3.4. I cryed unto the Lord with my voice, and hee heard mee out of his holy hill. Selah. i. true, the Lord doth al­wayes heare the prayers of those that begge in faith, humility, and truth. Psalme 50.6. The heavens shall declare his righteousnesse: for God is judge himselfe, Selah .i. it is most cer­taine, that the Lord knowes the secrets of our hearts, and is the judge of the quicke and dead, and will passe most righteous sen­tence upon us, giving to every man accor­ding to his deeds in the flesh: whether good or evill. Psalm. 52.3. Thou lovest evill more than good, and lying rather than to speake Righteousnes, Selah: that is to say, undeniable, we all confesse it, our owne experience and sor­rowes, have made us know this, that those who have not the feare of God before their eyes, love to speake and doe all the mis­chiefe they are able against Gods people: to hurt them, rather than helpe them, to wound their innocent reputation, rather thā preserve it.

Thirdly, It was a devout Ejaculation of the heart and soule unto God, wishing and desiring the accomplishment of what was spoken or promisedAlij dicunt esse sig­num anhelantis rei eventum. S. Hieron in Psal. 3. Jn Cantico Habak. ter ponitur Selah, & semper optantis est ut firmum & perpetuum sit quod dicitur. Ribera in Hab. Arbitror hoc Selah, ita dici ut Amen, optantis ut sempiter­num sit. Idem.. Instance, Habak. 3.13. Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, &c. Selah. As if hee had said, Lord, I beseech thee evermore go out so, to deliver thine anointed. Psalm. 55.19. Evening and mor­ning, and at noone will I pray, God shall heare my prayer, and afflict mine enemies, even he that raigneth of old: Selah .i. O Lord, I intreat thee, ever bow downe an eare unto my humble suite, and rise up against them, that rise up against me.

Fourthly, It denoted their admiration at some strange unusuall effect, whether the worke of God, or wickednes of man Est magni & rari, alicujus eventus affe­ctus. S Hier. in Psal 3. For the matter it im­ports an asseveration of a thing to be so, and admiration at it. Aynsw in Psal. 3.. Instance, Psal. 57.3. He shall send from heaven, & save me from the reproach of him, that would swallow me up: Selah .i. O wonderfull, and admirable goodnesse of God, that is pleased to send sometimes his Angell from heaven, alwayes his mercy and truth, to deliver his poore per­plexed servants from thē that are too strong and mighty for them. Psam. 54.3. Strangers are risen up against mee; oppressours seeke after my soule, they have not set God before them. Selah .i. O horrible impietie and cruel­ty, to hunt after the life of the Saints, and cast the God of life, and his remembrance, be­hind their backes!

Fifthly, of humiliation and consternation of their mindeEx radicis Etimo tamen constat, sive cor­poris, sive mentis con­sternationem, prosterna­tionem, conculcatio­nem{que} per illud signifi­cari: quibus & humanie naturae infirmitas, fra­gilitas & indignitas; & è contra, Divinae majestatis excellentia, exuberantia, potentia, sapientia, misericordia, pia devotione, exacta{que} consideratione perpen­denda sunt à nobis, quotiescun{que} dictionem Saelah attigerimus. Nam ex Salah proster­nere, et sole aequare, &c. Hutter. Dixionar. Harmon. Vt Psal. 59.5. Dominus Deus exercituum, Deus Israel. Gentes impios. vers. 13., by the consideration of Gods Incomprehensible majestie, and their owne great frailty and misery. Instance, Psam. 66.7. Hee ruleth by his power for ever; his eyes behold the Nations: Let not the rebellious ex­alt themselves, Selah. .i. here is matter of humiliation, before the King of all the world. Psalm. 68.7.8. O God when thou wentest out before thy people, when thou didst march thorow the wildernesse, Selah. .i. my very heart trem­bles to consider; I am moved out of my place, to reflect upon that majestie before whom the earth shooke, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God; even Sinai it selfe was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israell. Psalm, 39.11. When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquitie, thou makest his beau­ty to consume away like a moth; surely every man is vanity, Selah. As if he should say, this may humble the proudest heart in the world, and cast him downe to the ground.

Sixtly, it was a note of Doxologie and praysing of God in a speciall manner: not much unlike, or the very sameHinc colligo hanc dictionem tribus dun­taxat literis, idem signi­ficare, quod Christus orationi dominicae an­nectil. Quia tuum est regnum, et potentia, et gloria, in saecula saecu­lorum. Amen. Hutter. Dixionar. Harmon. Multi exposuerunt Se­lah in saeculum. Pagn. ut R. Himman. & Targum., with this, For thine is the Kingdome, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. As for example, All the earth shall worship thee, and shall sing unto thee, they shall sing to thy name. Psalm, 66.4. Selah, .i. Yea Lord, in thee will wee boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever, Selah. [Page 94] Psalme, 44.8. .i. Blessed bee the Lord God, of Israell, which only doth wonderous things, and blessed bee his glorious name for ever: and let all the earth bee fild with his glory. So bee it, even so be it. Psal. 72.19.

Thus you have the ripe fruite of Anti­quity, and Authority concerning this Hebrew particle gathered to your handHaec nos de intimo Haebraiorum fonte liba­vimus, non opinionum rivulos persequentes, ne{que} errorum quibus totus mundus plenus est varietate perteriti, sed cupientes, et seire, et docere quae vera sunt. S. Hieron. ad Marcell.. Let them whose hand is longer and can spare time better, adde the rest to this vintage [...]. Euripid.. In the interim whosoever will digestCopia, fastidium facit. Livius. —Sed Jejunus raro flomachus vulgaria temnit. Horac. Satyr. lib. 2. Satyr. 2. [...]. Famelico etiam Masa et nasturtium placent. Athenaeus lib. 4., with mature deliberation and judgement, what is reached with the right hand of love to aedifi­cation, shall finde the relish and juice not to bee unfruitfull, or uncomfortable Licet hae sitavit, cum diceret, nihil ex varijs interpretibus elici possit quod auditorem erudi­re queat. Mollerus. Difficilis est inter tot opiniones, optio. Lorin. in loc.. And now to wind up all in a word of application to the text. Who sees not, that the Doctrine of mans mortality and vanity is a truth as An­cient as man, and as durable as the world it selfe? a truth so cleare and manifest of it selfe as it needs no hyperbole to set it out? An object proper and adaequate to every eye: a subject worthy of our most serious meditation, and daily consideration? What man in the world, is so shamelesse as to deny it —Magna est me­decina fateri,— Quod nocet abscondi, quoniam sua vulnera nutrit, Qui tegit, & plagam trepidat nudare me­dente. Sedulius lib. 3. oper. paschal.? Or so dull and deafe that will not give diligent attention unto it? A wonder in­deed, that man the wonder of the world, may be amazed at Praesto sunt omnis generis pericula, & verè haeremus, inter januam & cardines. Proverb. german. Luther. Tom. 4.: yet the more hee discovers [Page 95] the infalibility of it, the more hee is invited to humble himselfe —Ne{que} ulla est, Aut magno aut parvo lethi fuga, quo bone, circa, Dum licet, in rebus ju­cundis vive beatus, Vive memor, quam sit aevi brevis. Horac. Sa­tyr. lib. 2. Satyr. 6. Cinis et manes, et fabu­la fies, vive memor laethi, fugit hora. Persius Satyr. 5. before his God; the more engaged to feare God and keepe his Com­mandements, Eccles. 12.13Summâ, jussa Dei time, et imo pectore conde; Humanae vitae meta ea dulcis erit. Marian. in loc.. WHEREFORE seeing O Lord thou hast made our dayes as a hand-breadth, and that our age is nothing before thee: That every man in his best state is altogether vanity Sed satis est orare Iovem, qui donat et aufert: Det vitam, det opes.— Hor. Epist. lib. 1. Epist. 18. ω. —Sed Non equidem hoc stu­dio, bullatis ut mihi notis Pagina turgescat.— Persius Satyr. 5.; So seale up this truth in our Soules, that it may never vanish from us: and teach us to number our dayes, that we may apply our hearts to wisedome, Psalm. 90.12. even for thine own wise­dom's sake, thy Christ, and our Iesus. Amen.