THE Text (you see) is suitable to the Occasion; It contains a sad Story of man's Frailty, Mortality, and Vanity: A Meditation never untimely, but most seasonable upon such occasions as these are.

The Text divides it into these two general Parts.

First, The Brevity of man's Life, in those words: Behold, thou hast made my days, as an hand-breadth. Se­condly, The Vanity of man's Life, in the last words: Verily, every man at his best Estate, is, &c

In the First there are these two things considerable of us; 1. An Excitation of Attention in that word, Behold: 2. An excellent Description of man's sudden Dissolution: Thou hast made my days as an hand-breadth.

Again in the Description there are two things also more worthy of our Notice;

• 1. Who it is, that limits mans Life, it is God, Thou, O lord, hast made; & c.
• 2. The Line, wherewith our Lives are measured: and that also it two fold.
  • 1. By is self, if we consider is in its own Frailty, so the just Measure of our Lives, 'tis an hand-breadth.
  • 2. If we consider it by the Line of Eternity, so it is found to be as just nothing; Mine Again as nothing be­fore thee: that's the first general Part, The Brevity of mans Life.

In the second also, which contains the Vanity of man's Life; There are two more considerable things ouf us.

1. A Serious & Solemn A Asseveration, to free us from Doubts of this Truth, in that word Vanily. 2. A Po­sitive, and Peremptory Conclusion, and Proposition, in the last words, That man, is at his best Since altogether Vanity; In which, there are also two other things ob­servable here:

• 1. The Ʋniversality; Every man, or woman without Exception, none exempted.
• 2. The Amplification from their Quality; Be he in Condition never so Excellent, in Place never so Emi­nent, in Fortune never so permanent. Yet there is no Exemption, no Limitation: For Every man in [Page 9]his very best Estate is altogether Vanity.

Thus I have, as briefly as I could, given you an Ac­compt of the Parts of the Words; Give me leave to give you but a brief Explication of them; and I'le come to the Doctrinal Observations which Genuinely flow from them: And,

First, Thou hast made my Days; i. e. Tempus meum, or Vitam meam, my Life, or Age, or Time in the the World, So most Expositours render it.

Secondly, As on hand-breadth instar Pugilli, as a Span-length; this is put by way of Similitude, and Re­semblance. A short time, no Doubt, that is inched out, or finger'd by the Span: other things have larger Di­mensions, they are lin'd out by the Fathom, or the Cu­bit, or the Foot at least: Nothing, that I can read of, is measured by this frail Measure, but the Life of man; a thing so Fragil, and Momentary, that there was no­thing could so well express it as a Span. A word so tost, and tumbled by Expositors, that they are some­what driven to a Plunge to give the right Signification of it; Some translate it, ad Mensuram Pugillorum, a little Handful, so Musculus; Others, ad Mensuram quatuor Digitorum, the Breadth of four Fingers: Juni­us and Mollerus render it thus, Palmares posuisti dies, Thou hast made my Days as a hand-breadth. The Word of the Septuagint is [...] which the Vulgar Latin reads Mensurabiles, something that is me sure­able, [Page 10]and therefore but short. Though the Age of man in Scripture is sometimes measur'd by Days, and Moneths, and Years yet these days are breves, quickly gone, these Moneths are Moneths of vanity Job vii. 3. these years are Anni paucissimi, few years, and short, Iob viii. 9. We are but of yesterday, and know nothing; our days upon Earth, are a shadow; and Jacob (though he liv'd an hundred and thirty years) yet he tells Pha. roab. That few and evil had the days of the years of his Life been; Gen. lxvii. 9. A Span-long streightned to a Pre­script time, a strict measure this Span-long, which man can neither diminish, or dilate in his own Power, but he is pent up here by this narrow frail Inclosure, his Life's span'd out, his Pillar's pitcht, his Non ultra limi­ted, his Circuit's bounded, he cannot exceed a Tittle, not the smallest Hair of his appointed time; as God says to the Sea, Hitherto you shall come, and no further, so he sets Bars to mans Life, and says to every man, So long you shall live and no longer; and if we live as long as ever any man lived, yet tis but a Span-long, a few days (indeed) that are span'd out; that's a Second.

Again Thirdly, When these days are gone: Lord what are we? Surely, even as nothing before thee: All this whole Pilgrimage on Earth is but as nothing, most Expositours read it, Ut nibil or tanqnam nibil. Mus­tulus renders it, Est ac si non esset, man's age is, as if it were not; a yesterday, that is past; A thousand Years [Page 11]in thy Sight, are but as yesterday when it is Past, Psal. xc. 4. Had Moses there resembled it to a Day such a day, as we enjoy; or to an Hour of this day, or to one Minute of this hour, we might have thought there had been some Stability in man's Life, but he resem­bles it to a day spent, consumed, and expired; to a yesterday, that's a nothing, 'tis past and gone. Oh! how this intimates to us our Frailty, and Transito­riness; Alass! our Age is as nothing in respect of God's Infinitness; for if a thousand years, Lord, to thee be but as yesterday, that is past; then frail man, that is but a Resemblance of that yesterday, must be nothing to thy thousand, thy thousand thousands, thy Myri­ads of thousands thy Eternity, thy Everlastingness. Mine age is nothing before thee; that's a Third.

Fourthly, Why is it nothing? the last words will tell us, Because man in his best Estate is altogether Vanity. See, not man in his Autumn, or Declination, but in his best Estate, in his most flourising Condition, in the Spring of his Prosperity, is Vanity; and not onely Vanity, but omnimoda Vanitas, altogether Vanity, not man in particular, but all mankind, is not onely vain, but Vanity I, and altogether Vanity: Verily every man in his best Estate, &c vers. o Surely every man walketh in a vain Shew and disquieteth himself in vain. I beheld him, says David, and he was gone; I sought him, and he was no where to be found; Psal. xxxvii. 36. We go hence, as the Shadow, [Page 12]that departs, we are tossed to and fro, and driven away as the Grashoppers, or Locusts. Psal. cix. 23. This Life is but a tossing, and a driving away; We make a great deal a doe and a stir, but to little purpose; Death comes, and he shakes us off, he crops our Flowers, he wi­thers and drives us away; and then what are we? a little Dust. And what's Dust? a little light Stuff, a vain thing, every puff of Wind blows it away; so that we may well say with our Prophet here, Thou, O Lord, hast made our days,&c.

And thus I have run through the words by a brief Paraphrase, or Exposition. Come we to collect some Doctrinal Observations from them; and they onely shall be these two; Which comprehend the Marrow, and Quintessence of the whole Verse: As,

First, Mans Life is short: his Pilgrimage on Earth is of very short Continuance, his glass is soon run out, his Date expired, his Term of Life quickly ended. That's the First

Secondly, Man, frail man, in all his worldly Pomp, and glory, is a meer Vanity.

I'le begin, first, with the First. Take some Proof, Job. xiv. 1.2. Man that is born of a Woman, is of few days, &c. See the Original, or Birth of man, speaks the Frail­ty of man; can we expect any thing from frail, but frail? from her, who is of few days, and full of trou­ble, any thing but him, who is such himsels? Man [Page 13]being born of a woman, the weaker Vessel, is a Ves­sel of Weakness, which, like the purest Chrystal, breaks in pieces with the least Knock, or Fall: Man breeds the Worm in his own Root, which smites the flour­ishing Gourd of his Life: Nay, when the total Sum of his Pilgrimage is exactly cast up, it amounts but to threescore Years and ten; and if, by reason of Strength they be fourscore years, yet is their Strength Labour, and Sorrow, for it is soon cut off, and we flee away. Psal. xc. 10.

Again, Job vii. 6. Man's Life is assimilated to a Wea­ver's Shuttle: My days are swifter then a Weaver's Shuttle. The Septuagint renders it thus; My days are nimbler then a Word, or Speech; now nothing moves faster or passes away more lightly then a Word, a word is gone sud­denly, hence the Similitude is used, Proverbially; We spend our days as a Tale that is told. Psal. xc. 9. Swifter then a Weaver Shuttle, which is an instrument of a ve­ry sudden Motion, which spends the Yarn with speed, and what remains from the Web is cut off.

Again, at the 7 vers. Man's Life is resembled to the Wind, that blusters for a day, and at night passes a­way, none knows whither: the Life of man is like Wind in two things: as,

• 1. The Wind passes away speedily, so does man's Life.
• 2. The Wind when it is past returns no more: as you cannot stop the Wind, or change its Course; so [Page 14]all the Powers in the World cannot recal a man's life, when it is gone. Psal. lxxviii. 39. He remembers, that they were but flesh; a Wind, that passes away.

Again man's Life is resembled to a Bubble, Hos. x. 7. now a Bubble (ye know) rises, and falls again, in one and the slef-same Moment; To a Vapour, Jam. iv. 14. which is disperst as soon as raised, as soon as it appears, it disappears, 'tis (as one calls it) a little Spot of time between two Eternities, Saint Augustine doubts whether to call it a dying Life, or a living Death.

Again, the Brevity of man's Life is set forth in Scri­pture by the Flower of the Field, Is. xl. 6, 7. by the Grass, by a Shadow, by a Dream; 'tis compared to Pilgrims, and Travellers, who take up their Inn for a short Time not to abide there for ever; Heb. xi 13. and Psal. xxxix. I am a Stranger, and a Pilgrim, (sayes David) as all my Fathers were. We have no abiding City, Job ix. 25. My days are swifter then a Post, whose pace is all upon the Speed, and Spur: so our days flee away, as the swift Ships, as the Eagle, that hasts to the Prey: Pliny mentions a certain Plant called Ephemeron, a Plant of one day's duration: such a Plant is man, planted by the Rivers side to bring forth his fruit in the due season of that Day; And he tells us also of a certain Worm, about the River of Hispany in Pontus, which lives but one day, and is gone, termed Hemerobion, such a Worm is man; A Worm, and no man (as David said Psal. [Page 15]xxii, 6) born in the Morning, dead at Night; alive, and in perfect Health one Day, and dead the next.

Now man is a Worm in a fivefold Respect.

1. Look upon his Original, and Constitution, he is from the Earth, as the Worm is.

2. Look upon him in his Natural Estate and Con­dition, he lives upon the Earth, and earthly things, as Worms, do.

3. He's a Worm; because continually subject to danger, every Foot may crush him.

4. He's a Worm, because, as the Worm is subject to danger, so likewise unable to resist, or make De­fence, the Worm is a naked Creature, and wears no Arms, neither offensive, nor defensive; such an one is man, unable to defend himself, unless the Lord be a Shield, and a Defence to him round about.

Lastly, man is a Worm, because, he must shortly return to the Earth, where the Worms are housed; He is going to Worms, as a Worm: As the Lord said, Dust thou art, and to Dust thou shalt return, so we may say, A Worm thou art, and to Worms thou shalt re­turn: Thus you see man is a very poor contemptible thing, A Worm.

Why then should we envy any man? What, envy a Worm? What if another have a little more Glory, Riches, Beauty. Strength, Power, then thou hast? what though he have a little more Knowledge, and [Page 16]better gifted, then other, yet he is but a Worm still: and why should a Worm envy a Worm? what though some are Silk worms, a little better furnished, and richer then others in Mind, and Body; yet they are but Worms in Silk, and many who appear, so now a days, are but Glow­worms, which shine a little, but have no Consistence.

Again; Seeing we are but Worms, let's take heed of vexing one another, why should Worms rise up against VVorms? Why should VVorms destroy Worms cruelly, and bloodily? We are weak as Worms. Let us therefore rather engage that little Strength we have, for sup­porting, not ruining one another.

But this you will say is a Digression: To proceed therefore; Man's Life is nothing else but a little warm Breath, Tun'd in and out by the Nostrils, a narrow pas­sage, and soon stope. Methinks by all these Scripture Similitudes, which I have cited, we may be put in mind of our Frailty, and they may serve to check those proud Desires, which are in man of an Eternal abode, and lasting Happiness of this Life.

You may see a Monument of man's Frailty set forth in all the Elements. Go to the Land, and there is a Post, see, Time's there upon the Spur: Go to the Sea, and there is a swift Ship: Go to the Air, and Time's upon the VVing, in the swift flying Eagle; Go to the VVater, man's Life a Bubble, a Vapour. Twere to trifle away precious time to shew Resemblances in other things: [Page 17]I only produced these, to shew you the swift passage of man's Life. And therefore not to stay long upon that, which moves so swiftly; Give me but leave to shew you in what Respects Man's days are said to be so short as an hand-breadth, which may serve as the Grounds, and Reasons of the Point, and so I'le apply it, that I may proceed to the next.

As,

• 1. The Days of man are of short Continuance, if we consider them in themselves; That's not long, which is no longer then an hands-breath: take it which way you will, in the largest extent, for a Span, or the whole space between the top of the Thumb, and the little Finger stretched out; or in the lesser extent for the Breadth only of the four Fingers; and indeed this is but a short space: that's the First.
• 2. The Days of man are of short Continuance, if we consider them Comparatively: and that two ways. 1. As man may be compared with man. 2. As man is compared with God.

1. We collect the fewness of man's days by comp­aring him with man, under a twofold Considerati­on; 1. Of what Number the Days of man once were. 2. Of what Number the shall be.

1. The Days of man are few, compared with what his days were before the Flood: then many men liv'd six, seven, eight, nine hundred, and some almost a thou­sand Years; Now, if any man attain fourscore, or an [Page 18]hundred Years, he is wondrous old: and if any reach to an hundred and fourty, or fifty (as lately old Parr did) he is such a Rarity, that he draws more eys to behold his wrinckled wither'd face, then any can with their most youthfull Beauty.

But then again, 2. As man's daus are few compared with what he liv'd before the Flood; so they are fewer compared with the days, which, he might have liv'd if he had not faln. The State of Innocency had in it a kind of Immortality: Sin was the Shortner of man's days, 'tis the Birth of Sin in man, which is the Seed of Death.

Again, 3. If the Days of man are of short Continu­ance, compared with what they once were, or might have been upon the Earth. How short, and few are they in comparison of what they shall be, when he shall be raised out of the Earth? Then the Days of man's Life, within Heaven, or Hell, in Happiness, or in Misery, shall be as long as the Day of Eternity.

4. And lastly; As the Days of man are of short Continuance, compared with what he once had, or shall have; so they are fewest of all compared with the days of God: so few, that as his days cannot be counted, because they are so many; so ours can hard­ly be counted, because they are so few: they are as no­thing before him. What is all Time compared with E­ternity? Oh! then, what a Nothing is the Age of man to Eternity? Be bold, Thou hast made my days as; &c.

And thus you have the Proof of the Point; That Man's Pilgrimage on Earth is of Continuance: Give me leave but to draw forth some practical Improvements from it; and I shall pass to the Second.

Application.

First, Is it so, that Man (the most Excellent of Crea­tures here below) is of so short Continuance? then this may teach us not to set our Hearts too much on any Earthly Comforts; as Children, Riches, &c. 'Tis true, these things are pleasing and delightful to us for a Time; as Jonah's Groud was a great Refreshment to him; but God prepared a Worm, which smote the Gourd, that it withered; so Children: the Parents take a great delight, and comfort in them for a time; but then God prepares a Worm, i. e. some Sickness, or Disease, which seises upon these Gourds, and makes them wither, and dy. Jon. iv. 10.

Many are troubled to know what that Gourd was of Jonah's; some Expositours render it by [...], which is as much a Ivy: the word in the Hebrew is Kikaion, i. e. a kind of a little Shrub, or Tree, which had broad Leaves (like a Vine) and a very thick Shadow: without Doubt, 'twas a Plant, which quickly grew up, and was very shadowy, and so refreshing, and comfortable.

The end, why God sent this pretty Tree, twas to con­ver the head of Jonas, that is might be a shadow to com­fort [Page 20]him in his Gries: thus God gives Children, to com­fort them for a time, but the would not have us set our Hearts upon such brittle things, such Shadows, dote upon such Plants, not overlove them; if so, God can quickly send a Worm, which will blast their Hopes, which will dash in pieces all their Comforts; that, which they took most delight in, shall perish in a Moment: Alass! all outward Blessings are in themselves fading, and perishing: The Fashion of this World passes away; 1. Cor. vii. 31. The Scheme, the Beauty of the best earthly things pass away, whilst we enjoy them; they moulder away between our Hands, whilst we are using them.

We see here in this Instance we are met together up­on, How quickly the Beauty of all worldly Blessings may be blasted: If God gives Commission, he can blast all our Estates, and Comforts in a day, nay in a Moment; all Creatures are perishing Substances, and swept away in a trice: Worldly things, the best, and greatest of them, are but little, and for a little time; fine Flowers, but quickly cropt: Man, in his greatest Enjoyment, is in as perishing a Condition, as any thing he enjoys; We are always dying, and so is all, that we have; ours are dying Comforts, dying Riches dying Honours, dying Strength, dying Beauty, dying Children. Is. xl. 6. All flesh is grass, and the goodness thereof is, as the Flower of the field, that quickly withers, and decays. The best of earthly Excellencies may soon be taken away [Page 21]from us: not only is Man of a brittle Constitution in Nature, but all the Perfections, which he ha's, on this side Grace, are brittle to: If the Scriptures were silent in this point, yet Experience would tell us, 'twas true.

Oh! Therefore Christians set not your Affections on things here below: set them not upon Earthly Glo­ries, upon Earthly Comforts. 'Tis no wisdom to hold that fast in our Affections, which we cannot hold long in our Possessions; or to love those things much, which may speedily be lost. Oh! pursue Spirituals, and make sure of Heavenly Comforts! these onely are durable: of these you can never be strip'd of. The Soul, that is once thus cloathed, shall never be found naked: the Comforts of the Graces of Christ in Sanctification, these inward Comforts, these are unfading flowers; an In­heritance incorruptible, that fadeth not away. All worldly Comforts may quickly be dasht, and lost, pre­pare therefore for Changes, and use this world as not abusing it; i. e. use it well, prudently, and chearfully; be­come submissive to the All-ruling Providence of God, when he takes away any of your outward Comforts, say, as Job did, Ch. i. 21. The Lord gave, and the Lord ha's taken away, and blessed be the name of the Lord. Tis very observable there; The Lord ha's given me these Com­forts not by my Strength, or my Diligence; by my Po­licy, or my Prudence, I have gotten such an Estate, or such Children; No, but The Lord ha's given; He is the [Page 22]Fountain and Donor of all our earthly Comforts; They are Fruits of Gods Bounty; and therefore that, which he gives freely, we should, when he calls for it, part with contentedly. If the Lord give us all we have me­thinks, this should make us willing to give back som­thing unto the Lord again: If we were but throughly perswaded of all our Receipts from him; we should be more contented (when he commands) to give all again back to him. God may command these things from us by Authority; I, but he expects this from us as our Duty.

In all our Afflictions let us look beyond the Crea­ture. In all our Losses we either feel, or fear, let our Hearts be carried up unto God, and say, The Lord ha's given, &c. and the Lord ha's done this, and that. It came not by Chance, or Fortune; but it is the Lord, and let, him do what seemeth him good. Let us be dumb, and not open our mouths by any impatient Speeches, because thou Lord dost these things. God is worthy of all Blessing, and Praise, as well when he deprives us of Earthly blessings, as when he bestows them on us. And therefore in every thing give thanks; and I must tell you also, that, if we thus bless God in our Afflicti­ons, our very Afflictions will prove Blessings to us.

Let us therefore, when God takes away such blessings from us; Bless God for it, and submit our Wills to his Will, and pray, that he would Sanctifie these things [Page 23]to us, and then all things shall prove best for us. Set not your Hearts too much on any Earthly Comforts: I have been the longer upon this Use; Because tis so pertinent to the occasion.

Seeing our Days are of such short Continuance, let us be Admonished to live all our Days: some lose many out of a few, and live not one of their few days: we live no more of our time, then we spend well. An Heathen could say; He liv'd no day without a line; i. e. He did something Remarkable every day. What a shame is it then, that a Christian should live a day without a Line, do nothing in it worth the doing?

Secondly, Is a man's life so short, but an hand-breadth, as a thing of nothing, then they are in a great Errour, who place their chiefest Happiness in this life. 'Tis true, life is sweet, and Dear unto us: I, but there is a better life, which is Dearer, and Christ is dear­est of all unto us; for when Saint Paul said, He was not only ready to be bound, but also to dy at Hierusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus; Acts xxi. 13. if to live on Earth were our best being; in vain were the Apostle's desire of Dissolution, if to dy, and to live with Christ were not best of all. Phil. i. 23.

Thirdly, Seeing this time of our life is short, and hastens out of our hands; Let us make hast to lay hold upon Eternal Life: all our days are but few, and [Page 24]every man living hath liv'd a few days already; pos­sibly thy few days past are all, that thou shalt pass. Say not therefore, that thou wilt repent to Morrow; Boast not thy self of to morrow (says Solomon, Prov. xxvii. 1) for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Possibly this Day may bring forth thy Death; and then how shall to morrow bring forth thy Repentance? We say of some men, that they do much in a little time, and tru­ly how much soever any man ha's to doe, I am sure he ha's but a little time to do it in: and indeed these few days are all the working days, that ever we shall have. Let this be a Spur to Diligence, and to Duty. Let us now work out our own Salvation, &c. for the Night of Death will shortly come upon us, and then none of us can work any more. In Heaven there is nothing but Rest, and in Hell, though there be no Rest, yet there is no Letbour: In Hell there is nothing but Wages; and in Heaven there is nothign but Reward. Our whole work lies in this short time we live. That's third Inference.

Fourthly, Seeing this time of our Life is of so short Continuance: How vainly do men reckon upon ma­ny Years yet to come; when as their whole Time, past, present, and to come, can make but a few Days, an hand-breadth? See how the Apostle rebukes such; Jam. iv. 13, 14. Vide locum. So also the Apostle Paul pleads down a wordly Spirit with this Argument; 1 Cor. vii. 29, 30. Vide locum. Now, methinks this Consideration should [Page 25]make us take up, or draw in our Affections about world­ly thing; because our time in this World is short.

Fifthly, This should make us patient in all our Af­flictions: all our days are but few, and therefore out days of Sorrow cannot be many. Let us not reckon the Suffering of this present time to be Worthy, &c. A Little Time, and he, that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. For, Our light Affiction, which is but a Moment, works for us a far more exceeding, and Eternal Weight of glory, 1 Cor. iv. 14.

Lastly, Seeing Man's life is short; let this teach us not to trust in man. Cease from man, whose breath is in his Nostrils; place not the hope of your life in man's Protection, but in God's, in whom we live, move, and have our being. Be not solicitous for the shortness of thy life; but use it as an Inducement to live well, and to walk with God; to make thy Election sure, and certain, whilst it is called to day. The Benefit of life is not in the length of it, but in the pious use of it. He some­times lives the least, that lives the longest: and he all­waies lives the longest, that lives the best. When therefore thou goest out of thy doors, say to thy self, Perhaps, I shall never Return home alive. When thou ri­sest from thy Bed, Perhaps, I shall never sleep more. When thou lyest down to Rest, Perhaps, I shall never wake more: this will add wings to thy desires, to spend thy short time well. In a word, and so to shut up this [Page 26]first point, from the first General; Let the certain Knowledg of thy life's uncertainty, and Brevity, per­swade thee, like a wise Steward, to perfect thy accounts, and set thy House in order, for shortly thou must dy, and not live, Isa. xxxviii. 1. Behold, thou hast made my days, as an hand-breadth, mine, &c. Man's life here is of short Continuance. That's the first point, the Brevity of man's life.

Come we now to the second General part, and that Demonstrates Man's Vanity in the last words: Verily, every man at his best Estate, &c.

The Point Observable from hence is this; That Man, frail Man, in all his wordly Pomp, and Glory, is a meer Vanity. Job says, Chap xi. 11. The Lord knows Vain man, or he knows the Vanity of man; he knows that man is naturally full of Vanity, very full of Vanity. It is an Hebraisme that, Noting, how full of Vanity man is, who is called a Man of Vanity, and how false he is, who is called a Man of Falshood, Ge­nerally man has,

• 1. Much Falsness of Spirit: 2. Much Rashness of Spirit; and he has also a double Rashness: 1. Rashness in not considering his End? Deut. xxxii. 29. Oh! that they were wise, that they would consider their latter End! Wis­dom looks to what is coming upon us; Folly stayes up­on what is present with us.
• 2. Rashness, in not considering the way, or means, [Page 27]that lead unto a good End; many men see such an End; I, but he goes a way quite contrary: he sets up a Resolution for Heaven, that's his End, but he walks Hell-ward. This also is Vanity; and unless timely foreseen, and turn'd from, will prove the greatest Vex­ation of Spirit in the End.

Now you must know the Scripture uses this word Vanity, under a fourfold Notion, and in every one of them, Man is included.

First Emptiness comes under the Notion of Vanity; Psal. ii. 1. Why do the Heathen rage, and the People ima­gine a vain thing? i. e. An Empty thing, a thing, that shall take no Effect: so Vain Man is an Empty Man; he has nothing in him, but that, which is good for nothing; and therefore saith Saint James, Chap ii. 20. Wilt thou know, Oh vain Man! that Faith without works is Dead? As if he had said, thou Empty Man, thou, that hast but a Boast of Faith, thou, whose Faith is fill'd up onely with good Words, not good Works, Wilt thou know (thou shalt whither thou wilt, or no) that thy Faith is Dead?

When Man fell from God; the Devil emptyed him of that, which he was full off, the Image of God in Ʋprightness; and fill'd him with that, which was but Emptiness, his own Image in Unrighteousness: Na­turally he's a vain empty Man: The Heart of man, at the best of Nature, is but like a Child's Pocket full [Page 28]of Stones, and Trash, and how empty is that Heart, which is thus filld? Vain Man is an Empty Man; un­less to be full of vain things (which are worse, then Emptyness.) may go for Fullness.

Again, Secondly, That is Vain, which is Unprofita­ble; and thus it is expounded, Mal. iii. 14. Ye have said, it is vain to serve God, and what Profit is it that we keep his Ordinances? And Eccles i. 3. having pronoun­ced all things to be Vanity, he subjoins, What Profit has a man for all the Labour, which he takes under the Sun? So man is Vain in this Sence; what greater Vanity, then to let go the Substance for a Shadow? Heaven for this World? What will it profit a man to gain the world, and to lose, &c. That's a Second Notion.

Thirdly, Vain man: i. e. Deceitful man, Homines falsitatis; so Cajetane: and Psal. lxii. 9. Surely men of low degree are Vanity, and men of high degree are a Lye. To be layd in the Balance, they are altogether ligh­ter then Vanity. Virgil cals him Vanum mendacemque hominem; vain, and deceitful man: and Psal. iv. 2. How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Va­nity seeks after Vanity: that's a third Notion.

Fourthly, and lastly, Vain man, i. e. Transitory man; man is vanity, because he is frail, and transitory, that is said to be vain, which vanishes: that man vanishes away; see a plain place of Scripture, Psal. cxliiii. 4. Man is like to Vanity, his days are as a Shadow, which [Page 29]passes away. Here is Man's Picture drawn to the life, like to Vanity; a poor transitory thing, here now, and gon anon: He is not only empty, unprofitable, and de­ceitful, but very frail, and transitory.

Well now (as the Wiseman said, Ecclesiast, xi. 8.) Suppose you live many years, to fourscore, or an hun­dred (which is very improbable) 'tis an hundred to one, you do not: Yet suppose it; let me tell you, that so many years are a shadow, as a Tale, that is told. Verily, every Man, old, and young, rich and poor, is a Vanity; In the morning, they are like Grass, flou­rish a little, making a little shew for a time; but in the Evening they are Cut down, and Withered away.

But yet further; suppose a man live many daies, to the Utmost Extent of Nature, and rejoyce in all those his days (which is in a manner impossible, yet I say suppose it) that his Head never ached all his Days; He knew not what Sorrow, or Sickness meant; he has what his Heart can desire; yet I must tell him, that all is but Vanity, when all is done: What Pro­fit has a Man of all his Labours, which be takes under the Sun? The total Sum amounts to this; Man is at his best Estate altogether Vanity.

Now (you must know) that there is a threefold Vanity;

First, Of Creation.

Secondly, Of Transgression.

Thirdly, Of Condition.

Man is Vanity in all these three Respects.

First, In the Excellency of his Creation, he seems not to be void of Vanity for as his Age is nothing be­fore the Lord: why so man himself in his Innocency, compared with God his Creator, is nothing but Vani­ty; Job iv. 18. Behold, he put no Trust in his Servants, and his Angels he charged with Folly. And if Cherubins, and Seraphins do cover their Faces, as being imperfect, and vain, compared with him, how much more may Vani­ty be attributed to us, who dwell in Houses of Clay? whose Foundation is in the Dust, which are crush­ed before the Month? Job. iv. 13.

But then again Secondly, If man be Vanity in his Creation compared with God, then he has brought up­on him a second, and worse kind of vanity by his Fall. A vanity of Transgression and Guilt; by this, Man (who was Heir apparent of the World was exil'd Pa­radise his Glory becomes cloathed with Ignominie, and Shame. And this brings a third vanity after it; a vani­ty of Condition, from which none can be exempted; e­very man living is vanity, whether Sinner, or Saint, as long as he retains the Appellation of a man, so long he is Inheritour of vanity, whose frame is a brittle as Glass, whose Name is a soon forgot, as a Tale, that is told: Let the Heathen know (says David) Psa. ix. 20. [Page 31] that they are but men. But Men! Why? is that so slight a matter? what is Man? Jeremiah tells us Ch. xxii. 29. Earth, Earth, Earth; Every man, that lives upon the Earth, is but a piece of that Earth, on which he live: Earth by Creation, Earth by Conversation, and Earth by Dissolution into Dust. Man never continues in one Stay, but vanishes as a Shadow. Job xiv. 2.

In a word, that so I may pass to a short Application; As Holiness to the Lord was engraven upon Aaron's Breast-Plate, Exod. xxviii. 36. so upon every man's Forehead may be written this Motto; Man at his best Estate is altogether vanity.

Give me leave to derive from this two Observations, these few Practical Improvements, and I have done.

And first, Is it so, that every man at his best, &c. Then this may instruct us not to trust in man. Psal. cxlvi. 3, 4. Put not your trust in Princes nor in the Son of man, in whom there is no help, his breath goes forth, he re­turns to the Earth, in that very day his thoughts perish. Trust not therefore in the greatest man, vanity will deceive you and every man is vanity.

Every man, saies the Psalmist, walks in a vain shew: there is a shew of this, and that, and the other thing, a promise of it, but it is a vain Shew; 'tis but like a Pageant, which feeds the Eye, or delights the Pancy, or pleases the Far, but it passes away, and leaves you as Empty as before. Every man at his best Estate is alto­gether [Page 32]vanity; not only in his Afflictions, and in his Losses, in his Troubles, and in his Sorrows, but take a man in the Height, and Perfection, and accomplishment of all Creature Comforts, take the Creme, the Pith, the Mar­row, the Sweetness of all, extract a Quintessence of all, that can be had in the Creatures, and alls but vanity. If therefore the Creature be so vain, and the Dayes of man be Vanity? Oh! let us set our Eys, and Hearts upon that, which is Something; upon that, which is All, upon that, which is Lasting; upon that, which is Everlasting; upon that, which is Truth it self, and will not, nay cannot deceive us; upon that, which will be more in Fruition, then ever it was in Expectation. Oh! let us not trust in lying vanities; but in the Ever-living, and Never-failing God. Man will be trusting in some-what, and he is so forward to trust in vanity (which indeed is nothing) that it is the hard­est thing in the World to take him off. We cannot press our selves, or others too much to trust in God; and we cannot Repress them enough from trusting vanity. We say, ‘Such a man has deceived me once, but he shall not deceive me a second time.’ Why should we be so willing to be deceived a Thousand times with vanities: God never deceived, or failed any man that ever trusted in him; Psal. ix. 10. Oh! therefore let this perswade our Hearts to trust in God; we can­not trust him too much, or the Creature too little. If [Page 33]we make the Creature our Staff, it will be our Scourge; if we lean upon it as our Rock, it will run into our Hands as a broken Reed: The best way to keep up our Comforts in the Creature, is to keep our Distance from the Creature: and let me tell you this; That they shall always finde most Comfort from the World, who live furthest off it, and expect least from it. God is good, and the more we trust in him, the better he will be to us; nay, he will not be good to us at all, unless we trust him; Trust not therefore in man, that is inconstant, changeable, mor­tal, vain: Rely not on him, he's a broken Reed; but trust in God, for he is the help of our Countenance, and our God. It is better to trust in the Lord, then to put any Confidence in man. Yea, 'tis better to trust in the Lord, then to put any Confidence in Princes. Psal. cxviii. 8, 9. But blessed is the man that makes the Lord his Trust; and they that know thy Name, will put their Trust in thee, for thou Lord never failest them that seek thee. That's the first Use, Trust not in man, which is but vanity.

Again, Secondly, Since Every man at his best Estate is, &c. Then this may check our Pride, and pull down our proud Spirits: what worth or Excel­lency is in any man to cause him to be blown up as a Bladder? why is Earth and Ashes proud? See­ing [Page 34]that when a man dyes he's but Heir of Worms a Companion of crawling Worms. The Unicorn may boast of his Horn, which medicineth the poysoned Streams, the Bezoar of his pretious Stone the Bever of his Skin, the Panther of his Colours, the Pink of its Sweetness, the Tulip of its Beauty, and many o­ther Creatures of some singular Excellency, but man, vain man! mushroom man! has nothing of his own to animate Pride, but rather should be exceedingly humbled for his manifold Wants, and exceeding Va­nities. If a Beggar may be proud of his Rags or a Lazar of his Soars, then have we cause to be proud, not else: That's a Second.

Thirdly, Seeing Man at his best Estate, &c why then this convinces, and sharply reproves the Folly, and madness of Worldlings, who trifle away their pre­tious time in loathsome Vanities; like Swine, that root up Beds of Flowers, and sweet Roses, but wal­low in the Mire: Oh! ye Sons of Men, how long will ye love Vanity? Psal. iv. 2. Why walk ye after vanity? and draw Iniquity with Cords of vanity! Isa. v. 18. Why do ye take pleasure in the vanity of Wickedness, think­ing it vain, not to be vain in your Conversations? Oh! how sweet soever it seems to you for the present, I must tell you, 'twill prove very distructful in the End: Oh! drink no longer of the pleasant Rivers [Page 35]of Damascus, but on the wholsom streams of Jor­dan? Do not affect vain Company, or vain, and Idle persons, who have not the fear of God before their Eys; who flatter with their lips, and do speak with a double Heart, Psal. xii. 2. Whose mouth speaketh Vanity, and their Right-hand is a Right-hand of falshood; Psal. cxliv. 8. Oh! do not squander away your pretious hours in Vanities, but know, that whoso­ever travels with Vanity shall bring forth iniquitie, which late Repentance must either drown, or damnation Nurse.

And lastly, seeing that every man, &c. Why then learn from hence to condemn thy vain life, with all its Vanities, and to seek for a new, and better life, where vanity is not admitted. Oh! let us thirst after Heaven, after Christ; let our life be hid with Christ in God, that so when Christ shall appear, we may also, &c. Whilst we live let's live by the Faith of the Son of God, that so when we dy we may dy in the Faith, and favour of Christ; let our Conversation be in Heaven whilst we are here up­on Earth, let's Meditate continually on Christ, and his Merits, our Redemption, and the Glorious in­heritance he has Purchased for us, and let us say, Thou, O Lord Jesus, art our Hope, and our Stay; see­ing thou hast given us the World, which we Con­temn, [Page 36]give us thy self whom our Souls desire, let others strive for Temporal Kingdoms, but let us strive for Eternal; let others heap up Riches, but let our hearts Hunger and Thirst after Righteousness; let others Gape after the vanities of this World, but let us pant, and breath, and gape after Christ, desire to be desolved, that we may be ever with the Lord, whilst we live here one Earth, let us Pray also that the life of Jesus may be made manifest in our Mortal Flesh; and then come Lord Jesus, come quickly. Though our lives here be but as a span-long, and attended with as many Miseries, as there be Stars in the firmament, and vanities, as sand by the Sea-shore; Yet after this life is ended, we shall have a building not made with hands but Eternal in the Heavens, though we now for a time hang up our Harpes by the Rivers of Babylon, and weep for the Floods of vanity, that are rea­dy to over-whelm us in our Captivity; Yet after a while we shall be brought home with Triumph unto a Land Flowing with Milk, and Honey, to life without Death, to Days without end, to such Mu­fick as we never heard before, by a Quite of An­gels, to a World without Vanity; to a Condition without alteration, and to Eternal Glory, which Ey ha's not seen, nor Ear heard, &c. Which he [Page 37]will give us that has purcha'st for us by his own most pretious Blood, to whom with the Father, &c.

So much for the Text, I come now to the Occasion. Sory I am to be an Actour in this mornfull Scene.

For truly here I can scarce speak for grief, or give you a Funeral Eulogy of this Deceased Lady, whose liveless Dust lies here before us, unless instead of strewing of Flowers I bedew her Hearse with Tears, and pour out my matter in a Sorowfull, and Dole­full Complaint of our loss;

I could willingly (I confess) now give scope to mine, and your Passion, that we might sit down a while in silence and onely by the Language of our Tears speak the sence of our Loss. But then (I con­ceive) I should be Injurious to this Solemn, and Sorrowfull Assembly, to God's Honour, our Friend's Memory, and others Profit: since by paying the Tribute of Praise to God's dear Servants, we advance God's Glory, and Perpetuate their Remembrance, and add Spurs to the Pious endeavours of those, who survive.

I could speak much (having known her from a Childe) to the Glory of God's Rich Grace, in the Embalming her Name with a pretious Memory, but I shall not need to Expatiate my self in her just, [Page 38]and Due Character. But some things, that were very Remarkable in her, towards her latter End, I must not Omit. Give me leave therefore for your Imitation, to break this Alabaster box of pretious Oyntment, and to pour it forth upon you, that the Sa­vour thereof may fill the whole house of God with a Sweet Perfume, and that such an Example, and Precedent of Piety, may incite, and Encourage you to remember your Creatour in the Daies of your youth, before the Evil Day of your Death comes? Indeed I know the Applause, and Welcom, that the Saints, and Angels have given her in Heaven; and the Blessed Euges that the Authour, and Finisher of our Faith has now Recieved her into these.

These are the true, and full Commendations, that he Soul now rests in. Onely (this we must know) that as the Death of this Illustrious, and Ʋertuous Person is in God's Eyes, so in ours also, it ought to be Honourable, and Pretious.

And because Saint Bernard's Speech is most true; Pretiosa Mors Sanctorum quam commendat vita pretio­sa; A pious Life makes a pretious Death. I might trace this young Lady through her whole Life, and ob­serve many remarkable. Passages in it, by which, as by so many Steps, and Paces, she walked on daily to the Attainment of this right Christian, and Com­fortable Death.

First, For her Birth, and Parentage; twas of good Note and Esteem; being born at Stoke in Lin­colnshire, and descended from an Antient Family, having Grave, Ingenuous, and Religious Parents; Honourable, Noble, and Generous Persons to her Re­lutions; and though (I confess) the Dignity of Birth, if alone, and unattended with moral Accomplish­ments, be but a cold, and slender Commendation;

Yet this, when it stands in Conjunction with Virtue, it sets a Price, and Lustre upon it, 'tis Splendor Virtutis; it casts a Varnish upon Virtue it self, and makes it more Conspicuous.

But Secondly, If you surveigh Her in the Moral, and Practick Part of Her Life, you'd finde many things in it very observable; Take Her in Her fa­miliar Conversation, and so she was a Loving, Faith­full, and Constant Friend; thankfull for any Kindness, and studious to requite it; She was wont to extenuate, not to aggravate any Injury, or Unkindness offered Her, she would not Scintillam in Flammam, nec festucam in Trabem enatare; as Saint Augustine speaks of some Contentious Persons: In a word, in all her Deport­ment (as ever I perceived) she was Regular, and Just; Affable, and Virtuous to all.

Thirdly, Take Her, as to Her Relations, and so she was an obedient Childe to her Parents, a loving Sister to her Brethren; and an indulgent, and kinde Wife to her Husband: and though it pleased Almigh­ty God to divorce them by Death almost as soon as they were married; yet she shewed her Affection to the last, for when I asked Her, what she would leave her Husband as Memorial of her true Love, (amongst those small Legacies, she had Power to dispose off,) she replyed; ‘She would leave him her Hearty Prayers, that God would bless him, and direct him in all his Ways;’ And I hope he will live to reap the Benefit of her Prayers: The best Legacy cer­tainly, that a good Wife can leave her Husband.

These, I know (you will all grant) were live­ly Virtues in the Sphere of Morality; but yet there were two Graces more remarkable in Her, of an higher Pitch, more Divine, and Spiritual, more im­mediate Fruits of her Christian Religion: viz. her Charity, and her Piety; her Compassion to the Poor and her Devotion to her God.

First, for her Charity to the Poor; She was not only a Friend, but a Mother; Her Bowels of Com­passion were enlarged toward them, not onely in her Life, but at her Death: for, to my Knowledge, she has left to two Parishes in Lincolnshire five pounds [Page 41]a piece to be distributed to the Poor: and five pounds to the Poor of this Parish, wherein she is to be interred, and to the Ministers in these three Places, twenty Shil­lings a piece, as a Token of her Affection for them: The Age we live in, though it has the Lamp of Professi­on, yet (God knows) li [...]tle of this Oyl of Charity: Ma­ny though they have floutrishing Estates, yet they have withered Hands, and cannot stretch them out to good Uses; this Lady had but a small matter left in her Hands to dispose of, and she left it freely to those, that had most need. She had indeed a free, and noble Soul to all; but most generous, and bountiful to the Poor: what should I say of Her? She sowed plentifully, and she has reaped plentifully, [...], as Saint Basil speaks; she was merciful, and no Question, but she has obtained Mercy.

Secondly, for her Piety: Though it was diffused in a constant Tenour through the whole Course of her Life; yet it appear'd most glorious near her Death, then she bitterly bewail'd the pretious time she had spent in worldly Vanities, in unnecessary, and complemental Visits; and she said, ‘If God should lengthen out her Days, the World should see such an Alteration, and Change in her! how she would endeavour to redeem that time she had so mispent by a double Diligence in the Practice of Holiness.’ When I prest her to finish that great work of Repentance, and Sorrow for Sin, before [Page 42]she [...] Course [...] telling her that 'twas Sin, that made Death bitter, and until that Sting be taken out by true Repentance, and Faith in Christ's Merits, we can­not finish [...] Course with Joy [...] Lord! 'twas admirable to me to see how low she sunk her Spirits, humbling her Soul to the Dust by an hearty Confession; loathing the went thoughts of her former Transgressions; abhorring her self for all her Sins: and saying, with that blessed Martyr, in the Point of Justification, None but Christ, none but Christ; throwing her self into his Arms by a lively Faith: acknowledging no Name under Heaven by which she expected Salvation, but onely in, and through Jesus Christ our Lord Sublimis Patria sed humilis via, Hea­ven is high, but the Passage to it is low: we must stoop [...] our Death, by an humble Confession of our own Ʋnmorthiness, and the Worthiness of Christ, or we shall never come thither. Non aestimator meriti sed veniae lar­gi [...] when all is done will prove the best Divinity, and must for dying Persons and (I'le assure you) our deceased Sister had learn'd this Lesson very well; for I never saw, (if I can rightly judge) a Soul more truly penitent, and [...]ble, then hers was. The time she lay upon her sick [...] was not very long, but very sharp, and (as I am in­formed) in the time of her Sickness, so patient, so con­tented, so willing to be at God's Dispose, either for Life, or Death so full of sweat, holy, and heavenly Instructions, Exhortations, Counsels to her Relations, Friends, and [Page 43]Servants; lifting up her Soul, Night, and Day in Prayers, and devout Ejaculations, for Mercy upon her own Soul, and for all, that were about her.

Not long before she dyed, she sent for mer and after I had prayed by her, she intreated me to administer the holy Sacrament to her, which I could not deny; and if you had seen, but with what Devotion she hung [...]d, and thirsted after this her last Viaticum, with what Fervency of Spirit she received it; you would never forget her: 'twas the last Manna she fed upon on this side Jordan, now she is in the Land of Promise [...] cor­tice Sacramenti, sed adipe frumenti sagina [...]; Now she is at the Well-Head, and Fountain of all Joy, and Bliss.

Thus she both liv'd, and dyed like in Lamb, liv'd meekly, and dyed quietly [...] ­onate Husband, or loving Allies, [...] inordinately; she dyed young indeed, [...] her time, (her Days were but as an hand [...] cause not before she was ready for Death. She was cut down by the sickle of Death, I confess betimes, in her best Estate, I, but yet she was not cut down before she was ripe for the Harvest, Youth, and flourishing Days (you see) cannot privilege any from the Grave, the Beauty of Rachel will not keep her from the Dust: neither is it Parentage, or Wealth, can put Death out of Commission: Riches avail not in the day of Death, no, nor Holiness, nor Piety can deliver any from the [Page 44] Grave. It preserves indeed from eternal Death, but not a Temporal.

We see this by dayly Experience; I need not expati­ate my self on this Theme. Our dear Friend, and Sister is now at Rest.

And in that blessed Rest we shall now leave her, as­suring our selves, that she dyed in the Favour of God, in the Faith of Christ, in the Peace of a good Con­science.

‘Nothing now remains, but that we render all humble thanks to Almighty God, for this so bles­sed a Departure of his Faithful Servant: Beseech­ing him to grant, that when the Hour of our Vi­sitation comes upon us, we may be found of him with Peace, appear before him with Comfort, and may be received with Joy into those Heavenly Mansions, which our Blessed Saviour has purcha­sed for us.’

AMEN, So be it.