THere are two evils to which the children of men in this world are subject; namely, of Sin, and of Affliction: the former whereof calls for Poenitence, the later for Patience: of both these David giveth us a pattern, of the one in [Page 2] the fore-going, and the other in this Psalm, that being (as St. Ambrose hath well obser­ved) forma poenitentiae, a Psalm of Repen­tance for his Sins, and this forma poenitentiae, [...]. a Psalm of contentation under his sufferings.

The two great duties of Gods servants un­der afflictions are, a silent submission, and a sanctified use of them: The former of these maketh afflictions still-born children, in as much as it shuts the mouth, and represseth all clamorous cries. This the Psalmist learnt when he said, I was dumb, and opened not my mouth. The other maketh afflictions preg­nant Vers. 9. mothers, in as much as they inable us to the exercise of many excellent graces.

Among the several influences which sanctifi­ed troubles have on us, it is not the least, that it openeth our eyes. Schola crucis schola lucis is a known and experienced saying, the schoole of the Crosse is very lightsome, and though bitter to the taste, is a singular salve for the eye. Apollonius writeth of a People who see nothing in the day, but all in the night: In the day of prosperity we forget, in the night of adversity we remember both God and our selves, as his Soveraignty, so our own frailty. Alexander who was flattered by the people as a God, having received a wound in his body, confessed himself to be mortal. This holy man whom you find fancying a stability in the time of his prosperity, I said my mountain is Psal. 30. 7. so strong it cannot be moved; being now un­der [Page 3] a crosse, acknowledgeth his brittle fragi­lity in the words of the text: Behold, thou hast made my dayes as an hand bredth, &c.

Though there is no parcel of holy writ which doth not deserve our serious view, yet some Scriptures have as it were asterisms annexed to them, to intimate, that they ought to be more especially pondered by us, and such is this which I am now to handle. The truth is, there is no lesson more substantiall than the nothingnesse of our substance or age, no meditation more serious and weighty than that of mans lightnesse and vanity; nor would any Doctrine be more closely laid to heart than this, that our dayes are as an hand, bredth. That this transitorinesse of our lives might not be slightly passed over in our mindes; whereas some Scriptures have one asterisme either in the beginning or end, and others two, to wit, both in the beginning and the end, this verse hath three notes of atten­tion, in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end. The first word we meet with, is a Behold, which argueth it to be rem seriam, a serious lesson: the word in the middle of the verse is verily, which speaketh it to be rem certam, a certain truth: and the last is Selah, which intimateth it to be rem magnam, a mo­mentous Doctrine. Behold is a note of atten­tion, Verily of asseveration, and Selah of meditation: Behold cals upon us to take no­tice, Verily requireth us to believe, and Selah [Page 4] willeth us to consider it: I hope there will need no more to quicken your he arts and ears whilst I shall with all possible brevity discuss this delineation of the shortnesse of life: Thou hast made my dayes, &c.

The Text you see consists of three clauses; The subject of the first is dayes, and those dayes measured, and the measure short, Thou hast made my dayes as an hands bredth; The subject of the second is age, and that age being weighed in the ballance, found light, very light, a meer nothing, mine age is nothing before thee: The subject of the third is man; and that considered not in his autumn, but spring, who is found to be very vain, every man in his best estate is altogether vanity.

For our more methodicall proceeding, ob­serve in the text a particular exemplification of one and the same Doctrine.

The Doctrine is no other than life's brevity, which is,

Particularly exemplified in David himself, and that two wayes.

Absolutely in the first clause, thou hast made my dayes as an hands bredth.

Comparatively in the second, mine age is as nothing before thee.

Generally amplified, in reference to the whole race of mankinde, every man in his best estate, &c.

Before I enter upon these severals, it will not be incongruous to observe, that,

[Page 5] 1. The Psalmist thinketh it not enough to mention, but ineulcateth this doctrine of the brevity of humane life; nor is it only here, but elsewhere to be observed; yea, not only in him, but Job: so that in severall places, when those holy men fall upon this subject, they set it forth with multiplied expressions both proper and metaphoricall.

That which we may well conceive to be hereby intimated, is,

1. On the one hand our dùlness and unwil­lingness to lay this truth to heart. There is no lesson we are more untoward to learn, and therefore the Schoolmaster repeats it so often, among all the neiles of the Sanctuary, none harder to enter into us than this, and there­fore the Masters of the Assemblies fasten it so strongly, indeed it is but reason that what we are so prone to cast behinde our backs, should be frequently set before our eyes.

2. On the other hand our duty, which is not once, but again and again to consider it; God hath spoken once (saith the Psalmist) and Psal. 62. 11. I have heard it twice: It may admit this gloss, what God speaketh but once, we should hear with twice that attention which we give to what is spoken by men; and surely if we should hear twice what God spea­keth once, we should hear often what he spea­keth often. That lesson which is so much iterated cannot be enough conn'd, and what the Holy Ghost hath uttered in such multi­plied [Page 6] words, is certainly most worthy our multiplyed thoughts.

For both these reasons, no doubt it is, that the Penmen of holy writ do in their manifold expressions not only use similitudes to repre­sent the shortness of life, but such similitudes as are most obvious and familiar to us, that which way soever we turn our eyes, we may be put in minde of it. When we are at Sea, the speedy sayling of the Ship; when in for­reign Job 9. 25. 26. parts, the short time of our sojourning; 1 Pet. 1. 17. Isay 38. 19. when on the Road, the quick riding of the Post; and when in Tents, the suddain taking down and removing of them, do all proclaim to us the passing away of our life; the vanish­ing of the clouds, and flight of the Eagle a­bove Job 7. 9. us; the withering of the flowers, and Isay 40. 6. cutting down of the grass beneath us; the tales we tell in the day, and dreams we have Psal. 90. 4. in the night; finally, the breath we dayly send out of our mouths, and here the narrow bredth of our hands are all made use of to represent this truth unto us, that whether we look upward or downward, both waking and sleeping, both by other creatures, and by our own selves, we may be admonished of our mortality.

2. This good man reflecting his thoughts upon mans frailty, applieth it to himselfe, in that he saith, my dayes, and mine age, thereby setting us an excellent pattern of bringing home generall truths to our own particulars: [Page 7] We are all very backward to grant that in hypothesi, which we know to be true in thesi; that all men are sinners we easily acknow­ledge; and yet who saith in good earnest, I am a sinner; that every man is mortal none will deny, and yet who considers, that him­selfe is so. It was St. Hierom's complaint in communi strage morientium nemo se cogi­tat Hieron. moriturum: even at such times when multitudes are taken away by death, no man (almost) thinketh it will seize upon him: So that whereas it is a joyous promise to the godly man, a thousand shall fall at thy side, Psal. 91. 7. and ten thousand at thy right hand, yet it (to wit, the plague) shall not come nigh thee: It is the impious practice of the wicked man, though a thousand fall at his side, and ten thousand at his right hand, not to think death shall (nay to think it shall not) come nigh him.

But surely it is our duty, and will be our wisdome, to bring home both examples and doctrines to our selves, that what we see ve­rified in others, and what we confess is ap­pointed for all, we also look upon as impend­ing over our own heads. They are both inten­ded by God, Oh let them be so made use of by us as glasses wherein to see our own faces. Do we then see others brought to their graves? what should our thoughts be but to allude to those words of St. Paul to Saphyra, Behold, the feet of them who have buried this my brother (or sister) are at the door to carry Acts 5. 9. [Page 8] me out. Do we assent to this truth, death is the end of all men? what should out medita­tion be, but this, death will be my end? The truth is, universal propositions include each particular, and therefore the inference is just; so that David in this verse saying, every man, might also well say, My dayes; and withall, universal propositions can have little influence upon the will and affections, unless every one look upon himself as included in them: To what purpose is it to believe the Remission of sins, and The resurrection of the flesh, if I do not also believe The Remission of my sins, and The Resurrection of my flesh? to as little purpose is it to acknowledge that e­very man is vanity, if I do not in particular consider, that I am so. Behold, thou hast made my dayes, &c.

3. David having particularly asserted his own frailty, goeth on to lay it down as a ge­nerall maxime.

Probably for his own comfort, in that it was not his case alone: It is a great allevia­tion of an affliction to consider that it is com­mon; with this St. Paul cheared up the Corin­thians, There hath no temptation taken you 1 Cor. 10. 13. but such as is common to man: and in this particular of death, when Joshua and David Josh. 23. 14. 1 Kings 2. 2. perceived their owne death approaching, they reflect on its generall extent, I go the way of all the earth, thereby rendering it so much the lesse terrible to themselves.

[Page 9] Certainly, for others warning to make ac­count of the like. Lest any should think, that though Davids dayes were but an hands bredth, yet theirs may be of a longer measure, he lets the whole race of mankind know, that they are all concern'd; so that as Christ said to his Disciples, What I say unto you I say unto all, David seemeth to say here, What I Marke 13. 14. say of my selfe I say of all: It was not so in other things, though David could say of him­selfe in one place, My Cup runneth over; Psal. 23. 4. 86. 2. and in another place, I am holy, he could not say so of every man, nay, but a few men, they are not many who enjoy that measure of prosperity, and fewer who attain that piety which he had; but there are none who are not under the law of mortality, and there­fore no wonder, if as he saith, Thou hast made my dayes, so he concludes, every man in his best estate, &c.

These things being premised, I shall now proceed to the distinct handling of the seve­rall clauses, and accordingly,

I shall begin with the particular exemplifi­cation, Gen. 1. and that

As it is set down absolutely in those words, Partic. 1. Thou hast made my dayes as an hands bredth, wherein the Psalmist layeth downe a double assertion, the one concerning himselfe, My dayes are as an hands bredth, the other con­cerning God, Thou hast made.

1. David affirmeth his dayes to be as an [Page 10] hands bredth, by which metaphor, I conceive two things are intended.

1. An hands bredth is a determinate mea­sure, The time of life is set. The Vulgar Latine reads it, mensurabiles, dayes which Vulg. Lat. may be measured, that argueth Tempus fini­tum, that this life is finite: our dayes are both numerabiles and mensurabiles, such as may be numbred and measured, as being finite; But dies palmares, which is the true reading of the originall, goeth further, in that his dayes are said to be as an hands bredth, it noteth not only Tempus finitum, but defini­tum, such a time as shall end, but the end whereof is fixed, so true is that of Job, Is there not an appointed time to man upon Job 7. 1. earth?

2. Chiefly an hands bredth is a short mea­sure, and so is the time of life, St. Hierome understands it so, and therefore reads it ex­presly Hieron. breves: Indeed both the words here used serve to illustrate this truth.

1. The Psalmist doth not say, my years, or my months are as an hands bredth, but my dayes, which next to hours, is the shortest dimension of time. Those sacred Annals, the Books of Chronicles are called in the He­brew, words of dayes, for this reason proba­bly, to intimate the short lives of the Kings of Israel and Judah, which are there record­ed. The truth is, the singular number may serve to represent mans life, which is but [Page 11] one day, the prosperous life a Sun-shining, the afflicted a rainy day, the long life a sum­mers, and the short a winters day; some have only a morn and breakefast, others stay till noon and dine, the eldest live but till evening and sup in this world, all must go to bed in the grave when the night of death com­meth.

2. But that which is principally intended, is the measure of those dayes, which is not an ell, or a yard, or a cubit, the length of an arm, or an elbow; no, nor yet the length, but only the bredth of an hand: nor is this affir­med of one particular day by it selfe, but of all his dayes together, the whole time of his life. Thus as Parrhasius, when he had drawn Cyclops asleep on a little table, the placeth Satyres about him measuring his thumb with a long stalk, to expresse the greatnesse of his stature; so here the Psalmist, to set forth the shortnesse of his life, brings in God, as it were measuring it with an hands bredth.

That you may yet more fully discern the fitnesse of the resemblance, it will not be a­miss to observe a distinction of a double hand­bredth.

The one greater, which is the whole space between the top of the thumb and the little finger when the hand is expanded, it is in account near twelve inches, and is called a span.

The other lesser, which is only the bredth [Page 12] of the four fingers, and those not distant from, but closed one to the other.

The former of these is by the Greek called [...], and that is the word here used by Symmachus: the later is called [...], and that is the word used by the Seventy. In­deed in some copies it is [...], old dayes, which may admit of a good construction to this purpose, as old garments are quickly worn out, so are our dayes. But doublesse the best reading (as agreeing with the He­brew) is, [...], which signifieth, the lesser hands bredth; so that what Anacharsis said of Sea-men is upon this account true of all men, there is but the space of four fingers between them and death. Indeed this meta­phor may very justly take in the whole lati­tude of life which men attain in this world, the four fingers bredth representing the four ages of man, to wit, Childhood, Youth, Manhood, Old age: the life of a childe is scarce an inch, of an old man but a span; of the one it may be said, his dayes are but a fingers bredth, and of the other it can but be said, his dayes are as an hands bredth.

2. Having taken this view of dies palmares, the measure of our dayes, which is an hand­bredth, it will be requisite to consider the Tu­posuisti, who it is that hath made our dayes such, and the foregoing verse informeth us, that it is Jehovah, the Lord, to whom David directeth there his prayer, and here his com­plaint. [Page 13] My times (saith this holy man else­where Psal. 31. 15. to God) are in thy hands; that is, at his dispose; so much Abraham intended by the phrase, when he saith to Sarah concern­ing Hagar, behold, thy maid is in thy hands, Gen. 16. 6. do with her as pleaseth thee: Thus were Da­vids times in Gods hands, to appoint the con­tinuance of them, according to the pleasure of his own will; yea, Job (speaking of man indefinitely) saith, his dayes are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot passe. He that hath set bounds to the Sea, hither to it shall go and no further, hath appointed limits to mans life. Thus long he shall live, and no longer. Our Saviour said to his Dis­ciples, the hairs of your head are numbred, and surely then the dayes of our life are num­bred; and if the sparrow fall not to the ground, much lesse doth a man, without the Father, by whose providence all things are ordered, and consequently, all mans dayes are appoin­ted; so true is this of the Psalmist, Thou hast made my dayes as an hands bredth.

To close up this with a double medita­tion.

1. Since God hath made our dayes as an hands bredth, let us be content they should be so, not murmuring at the brevity either of our own or others lives, we are apt (with Jonah) to say, we do well to be angry, when (like his gourd) our life, or the life of any of our [Page 14] friends quickly withereth; but this holy mans practice is far better, and ought to be our pattern, who saith in this Psalm, I was dumb and opened not my mouth, because thou didst it. The more to enforce this lesson of con­tentation in this respect upon us, consi­der,

1. It is not in thy power to make them lon­ger, no not an hairs bredth, then this hands bredth, which of you (saith our Saviour) by Luke 12. 25. taking thought, can add one cubit to his sta­ture? (I may add) or one day to his life?

Indeed a prudent care of prolonging our dayes is commendable as because God requi­reth it so, because the time how long we shall live is unknown to us: but an impatient an­xiety in respect of life's shortnesse is foolish, since it maketh our life so much the more bit­ter, and not at all longer.

2. Besides, though God be the efficient, yet we are the meritorious cause of the abbre­viation of our dayes; God at first made our dayes of such a bredth as could not be mea­sured, nor should our life have knowne death if we had not known sin: It is very observable what Hezekiah saith to this pur­pose, I have cut off like a Weaver my life: Isa. 38. 12. he will cut me off with pining sicknesse; ac­knowledging it to be his own act as well as Gods, yea (as the order imports) therefore Gods, because his, Had not we our selves cut short our lives, God would never have cut [Page 15] them short, and therefore let us so acknow­ledge our deservings as to clear divine justice, and submit to his dispose.

2. Since God hath made our dayes as an hands bredth let us so account them. No arith­metick in numbring, nor Geometry in measur­ing our dayes better than that which God himself teacheth. But alas it is an usuall pra­ctice to make our dayes far longer in our ima­ginations than they are in reality. It was the injustice of that Steward to his Lord, who when the debt was an hundred measures of wheat, bid the debtor, write fourscore; and when an handred measures of Oyle, to write down fifty: but such is our injustice to our selves, that when our dayes are not fifty, we write down fourscore; and where­as they are but an hands, bredth, we fancy them to be of a far larger size. Indeed, as the deceitfull hour-glasse, having the sand up on both sides, maketh a man thinke there is a good deal of the hour to run out, whereas by reason of an hollownesse in the middle it sink­eth presently; so do our dayes, by reason of strength and health promise us to be many, and on a suddain, by reason of some ill hu­mour seizing on the vitals in the middle of the body, they prove to be few. It is a say­ing in the Civil Law, Praesumitur quilibet vivere centum annos, Every one is presumed to live an hundred years; the rise whereof is that fond opinion in the mindes of most men, [Page 16] whereby they flatter themselves with appre­hensions of long life, Oh let us remember it is the property of a good man (according to the Greeke Fathers phrase) [...], [...] Naz. to esteem his life as a Pilgrimage of a short continuance, And this especially for four ends.

1. To hasten our repentance for our sins. The measure of our dayes, is the space of our repentance, since it is narrow, let this be speedy; that cannot be long extended, let not this be long deferred; One of the dayes of thy life must be the day of repentance, and if one, whynot this day? especially consider­ing the measure (for ought thou knowest) may be at the utmost extent, and this day may prove thy last. It is true, At what time soever a finner repents from the bottome of his heart, God will do away his offence; but then he must repent whilest he hath time: At what time the winde serveth the Mariner, he may saile to the Haven; but then he must saile while the winde serveth, which will not be alwayes, nor long, and therefore let us be so wise, as to take time whilest it is af­forded.

2 To lessen our affections towards this world. Whenas the measure of our dayes is contracted to an hands bredth, why should the earthy desires of our hearts be so much enlarged? Could we at our pleasure add day to day and year to year, it were good [Page 17] policy to joyne house to house, and field to field; but to what purpose are many goods, when (with the rich fool in the Gospel) we have perhaps but a few hours, whilest thou livest, thy dayes are but as the bredth of thy hand, when thou diest, thou shalt have no more ground than the length of thy body, why so greedy in grasping large revenews and vast possessions?

3. To lengthen our patience under the af­flictions of this present life, our dayes are of a narrow bredth, a short length, and affli­ctions can last no longer, nor be extended broader than our dayes; Why should not our patience be as large and long as our afflicti­ons? One Greek reading of this clause is [...], dayes of strife and misery; such were Davids at this time, and many times are ours, but the comfort is, they are [...], only an hands bredth: Man that is born of a woman (sath Job) is of few dayes, and full Job 14. 1. of trouble. True our dayes are full of trouble, I but withall they are few; the fewnesse of our days would be a trouble, were it not that they are full of trouble, and the fulnesse of their trouble might be a griefe, were it not for their fewnesse: Neither on the one hand should the pleasure of our dayes much elevate us, nor on the other, the sorrows of them per­plex us, when we consider, that those though sweet, are but short, and these though sharp, are but few, very few, no more than will [Page 18] make up as it were an hands bredth.

4. To quicken us in the practice of good works, They say of the Birds of Norway, that they fly faster than others, not because Nature hath given them more, or swifter wings, but because the dayes are shorter there than elsewhere they make the greater haste, Oh that the consideration of the short measure of our days might accelerate us in our race to heaven, so as with great speed and diligence we may learn to worke out our salvation. It is said of the Devil, he is come down to the Inhabitants of the earth, having great wrath, Rev. 12. 12. because he knoweth his time is but short; how should we bestir our selves with great zeale in Gods service, since we know our time is short. Take in the whole life of man, it is but as the bredth of four singers, sure we had not need to lose any of them: He that having but four acres to sow with corn (all which is little enough to supply his family) and should only sow one, and let the rest overrun with weeds, will he not deservedly be branded for a fool? Oh why then are we so foolish to mis-spend the greatest part of our dayes in doing nothing, or worse than nothing, when as all our dayes are but four fingers bredth; Nature, or rather the God of nature, hath not given us (to use Seneca's expression) so large a time of life, as to trifle away any part of it; yea, he that spends it best will still have cause to say with David in the close of this [Page 19] Psalm, O spare me, that I may recover strength before I go hence, and be no more seen.

2. You have heard the brevity of mans life exemplified in David, by an absolute asser­tion under the metaphor of an hand bredth, go we on to the comparative proposition, mine age is nothing before thee.

The subject of this proposition is variously rendred. By the Caldee it is read body, and indeed it is mans duration in respect of his body, which is said to be as nothing, since the soul is immortal. Aquila reads it [...], the time of the souls imprisonment in the body; the Seventy translate it [...], which is ren­dred by the Vulgar Latine substantia, but properly signifieth subsistentia, and is so to be understood here, my subsistence. The He­brew word is most genuinely translated by aevum, mine age, to wit, in this world; for that is sometimes the signification of the word.

Concerning his age, David saith, it is as nothing: If you compare this with the for­mer clause, you shall observe a gradation, ascending in the subject, whereas there dayes, here an age, which is made up not only of dayes, or months, but years, descending in the praedicate, there an hands bredth, (which is but small) here nothing. Solomon speaking of the comforts of life, seemeth to call them Prov. 23. 5. non entities, Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that [Page 20] which is not? for this reason (no doubt,) be­cause their being is a continall tendency to not being. Upon the same accompt, the age of Davids life is here said to be nothing, be­cause of no continuance; the word [...] is near a kin to [...], which commeth from [...] cessavit, and so soon doth mans age cease, that it is as if it were not at all.

But yet this must be taken with its restri­ctions. David doth not say, mine age is no­thing, but it is as nothing; nor doth he say this positively, but respectively, in reference to God, it is as nothing before thee.

The Prophet Isaiah (speaking of the whole world of mankind) saith, The Nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are accompted as the small dust of the ballance: behold, he Isa. 40. 15. taketh up the Isles as a very little thing; but as if this were not full enough, a little after he saith, All Nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him lesse than nothing Vers. 17 and vanity: a small dust, a single drop are little things, I but they are something; the Prophet cannot enough set forth the distance between God and the Nations unlesse he go lower, and therefore he saith, they are as no­thing. Nay, as if this were not enough, he will strain the sence, and speak a contradi­ction, rather than not expresse his meaning, where he saith, they are lesse than nothing, then which (to speak properly) nothing can be lesse. And surely if this be true of all Nations, [Page 21] well might David affirm it of his age, and if you would know the meaning of those words before thee, it is explained in that of the Pro­phet, when having said before him, he ad­deth, they are counted to him, that is, in com­parison of him. Suitable to this it is that the Psalmist having set forth Gods eternal dura­tion, and presently after speaking of mans years, he calleth them in the language of the Seventy [...], which Tertullian reads Psal. 90. 4, 5. nullificamina; and it is the same in effect with that which goeth before, a thousand years are in thy sight but as yesterday, which being past, is nothing. Dei esse est suum esse, say the Schools, from that of God to Moses, I am that I am, Gods being is of and from himself; yea, it is himself, he is One undivi­ded, unconfined, simple, eternall, and origi­nall being, and as there is no being, but from him, so all other beings are as nothing in re­spect of him.

It will not be amiss (for the further illu­stration of this truth) to consider the age of Davids life in severall references.

1. David might truly have said, Mine age is short in respect of Methuselah's: the Dayes of Methuselah are said to be nine hundred six­ty Gen. 7. 5. and nine years: the dayes of David, by a Sam. 5. 4. computation of the time when he began, and how long he reigned, were not much above threescore and ten, so that he lived not so many tens as Methuselah did hundreds. The [Page 22] life of man before the floud, was as a large Volume bound up in folio, but since it is contracted to a far lesser volume, and is (as it were) bound up in decimo sexto, so that whereas David saith in the former clause, my dayes are as a hands bredth, he might have said, they are as a fingers bredth in compari­son of the ancient Patriarchs.

2. David might have said, Mine age is ve­ry short in comparison of the age of the world. St. Paul saith of the fashion of this Macrocosm it passeth away, but the age of the Micro­cosm, 2 Cor. 7. 31. man passeth away far swifter. The World was almost as many thousand years old as David was scores in his times, that number is now well nigh doubled, but mans age is rather shortned. How many hundreds of yeares the world may yet continue is not known to us, but the ordinary number of the years of mans age now, compared with the number of six thousand years, is but so much as a week is to a year, or a minute to an hour, so that whereas he saith my dayes are as a span long, he might have said they are not an inch long, in respect of the worlds duration.

3. David might have said, Mine age in this World is exceeding little, in comparison of the duration of the other world. The age to come is no lesse than an aeternity, and though it have a beginning, it shall have no end; so that whereas the Psalmist saith My dayes are as an hands bredth, he might have said, they [Page 23] are as an hairs bredth in respect of the conti­nuance of the world to come.

4. Finally, David might have said, Mine age is scarcely any thing before the Angels, whose duration began with this world, and shall continue in the world to come, and so is coaetaneous with both the worlds.

But all these are far short of this comparison which he here maketh of his age with God, who is eternal, both a parte ante, and a parte post, from everlasting to everlasting. The utmost imaginable extent of Time in compa­rison of aeternity is far lesse than an instant, is in respect of the longest Time. Were it pos­sible to divide aeternity into parts, a million of years would not be so much as a ten hun­dred thousandth part; and what then is se­venty or fourscore years? no wonder if David say, mine age is nothing (a meer nothing) be­fore thee.

It is an excellent lesson which may here be taken forth by us, namely, to looke upon our selves in reference to God, that so we may be vile and little in our own eyes. There are many exeellencies wherein we are apt to glo­ry, and whereof to boast, which if they would but compare with divine attributes, would appear mean and contemptible. Wert thou strong as Sampson, yet thou mayst say, My strength is nothing before thee, not so much and weak stripling is before a mighty Giant; wert thou as wise as Solomon, yet [Page 24] say, my wisdome is nothing before thee, not so much as the silly brute is before the intelli­gent Angels; the very foolishnesse of God (to use St. Pauls language) being wiser than the wisdome of men; Wert thou Honorable as A­lexander, yet say, mine honour is nothing be­fore thee, not so much as the glimmering can­dle is before the glorious Sun; wert thou rich as Cressus, thou must say, my riches are nothing before thee, not so much as the drop of water is to the Ocean: Finally, wert thou as old as Methuselah, thou must say, mine age is nothing before thee, not so much as a new born babe to aged Methuselah.

To end this, since Mans age is nothing be­fore God, let it be nothing before man him­self, indeed as for that part of our age which is past, it is so with us, many years since, being but as a few dayes, and the time which is gone, is as nothing, Oh that we would looke with the same eye upon that which is to come. In­deed in one sence we must reckon our age as something, and that pretious, well were it if we would set an higher value upon our time than to waste it away in folly, but still as to the duration we must account it as nothing, and then we would have none to spare, but wholly imploy it for the gaining of that which is as something before God, a joyfull and happy aeternity. And so much shall serve to be spoken of the first part of the text, the particular exemplification, pass we on to the [Page 25] Generall Amplification, in these words, Gen. 2. Every man in his best estate is altogether va­nity. A clause wherein each word is Empha­ticall, which will the better appear, if you take a view of

1. The extensiveness of the subject concern­ing whom this doctrine is asserted, which is,

1. Not the creeping pismire, the crawling worm, the stupid asse, or any of the sensitive creatures but Man, who is endued with rea­son.

2. Not one or a few particular men, in some one part of the world, but of every man, who either hath been, is, or shall live in any part of the world.

3. Not onely of mean, poor, and ignoble persons, but of man at his best estate, Quam­vis floreat dignitate, opibus, potentia, as Mol­lerus glosseth upon the text, though he flou­rish in wealth, honour, and power; for though the Seventy reading be [...], every man living, yet the Hebrew [...] which signifieth constitu­tus, fixed, or setled, is most properly refer'd to him who seemeth to be in a stablished pro­sperous estate.

2. The Intensivenesse of the praedicate in that every man at his best estate is,

1. Not only like to vanity, that is the lan­guage of the Psalmist elsewhere, Adam is as Abel, homo similis fact us est, man is become Psal. 144. 4. like to vanity; but he is vanity, as if it were not only his resemblance, but his substance.

[Page 26] 2. Nor is he only said to be vain in the concrete, as Zophars language is, vain man would be wise; but vanity in the abstract, as Job 11. 12. if it were not only an accident, but his es­sence.

3. Nor is it only said, he is vanity, as it is elswhere in this Psalm, but is altogether vani­ty, as if from the crowne of his head to the soles of his feet he were nothing but vanity.

4. Nay, in the Hebrew the Emphasis is yet further, in that vanity is the subject, and man the praedicate, for so the words are to be ren­dred, according to the originall, Altoge­ther vanity is every man, as if man were not to be defined by vanity, but vanity by man; so that if you ask, What is vanity? the an­swer is, it is man: No marvel if the Psal­mist elsewhere affirme, that man is lighter than vanity; so that were man put in one scale, and vanity in the other, man would Psal. 62. 9. mount up as being lighter, and vanity it selfe would weigh him down.

To illustrate the truth of this assertion, know.

1. That there is a double vanity, to which every man at his best estate is subject, namely, of disposition and condition.

1. Man is vanity in his disposition. The Grammarian in Aulus Gellius maketh vanus and stultus synonimous: vanus quasi mente vacuus, and so every man is vanity, because a fool, Indeed vain man would be wise, but [Page 27] he is foolish in his thoughts, projects, desires, and actions. In the very next verse it is said, they are disquieted in vain, to wit, with Vers. 6. foolish projects, and fruitlesse cares. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity; it is no lesse true of his words and works: no wonder if man be compared to a shadow, having no light of knowledge in his minde, heat of grace in his heart, nor sub­stance or solidity in his actions.

2. But that which is here chiefly intended is, the vanity of man in respect of his condi­tion; in reference to this it is that it is said in the beginning of the next verse, man walketh in a vain shew, as if his residence in this world Vers. 6. were but like that of a Player upon the stage, and this is here affirmed of his best estate and condition.

2. Mans condition at the best is but vanity in three respects, because inconstant and pe­rishing, empty, and unsatisfying, false and deceiving.

1. Vanum quod evanescit, that which is vain hath no solidity, and therefore no per­manency; lightnesse is the proper adjunct of vanity and inconstancy the effect of light­nesse. Such is mans best estate, he seemeth to be setled as the earth, but he vanisheth with the winde, changeth with the moon, and eb­eth with the water, Homo Bulla is true of man, at his best estate he is like the bubble which swels up by the rain falling upon the [Page 28] water, and fals presently, or which the child causeth with the breath of his mouth at the end of the reed, and vanisheth with the least shaking of his hand. It was not without rea­son that man is called by the Phylosopher, Ludus fortunae, Fortunes may-game, with whom she sports her selfe, by putting him as it were into various shapes, in altering his condition, Man at his best estate, like the Venice glasse, is bright, but brittle; or like Sodoms Apples, golden colour'd, but moul­dring; his strength a rush, soon shaken; his riches, dust, quickly driven away; his ho­nour a fancy, presently gone. To day Nebu­chadnezzar jets it on the house top, as if he expected a salutation from the coelestial Ma­jesty, and suddenly he is turned to graze with the beasts of the field, with which agree­eth that of the Poet,

Shew me that Rose that will not fade, that fruit which will not putrifie, that cloud which will not vanish, that garment which will not fret, and then (not till then) expect to finde that man who in his best and most pro­sperous estate is not subject to mutation and dissolution.

2. Vanity and inanity go together. One of the Hebrew words [...] which is rendred vain, signifieth empty; that which is vain is empty, and being so, cannot satisfie, such is mans [Page 29] best estate, as not able to give any true con­tent. Man at his best estate, as he is mutable, so he is unsatiable, his desires are still larger than his fortune; nor is it any time so well with him, but that still he would be better. Ahab in the midst of his opulency is sick for Naboth's Vineyard; Hamon in the height of dignity is troubled at the want of Mordecay's knee. Health, beauty, wealth, honours, Say of Content as the depth saith of wisdome, it is not in us. Man in his most prosperous con­condition feedeth upon winde which cannot fill the stomach, and therefore like the horse­leech he still crieth, Give, give.

3. That which deceiveth our expectation seeming to be what it is not, and promising (as it were) to do that it cannot, is vain in the worst sence, being at once both vanity and vexation. This is true of man at his best estate who promiseth to himselfe and others that which he cannot perform, and so is deceived and deceiveth.

The rich fool, being in a prosperous estate, promised himself much pleasure, but was mi­serably disappointed. Iob saith of his bre­thren, they dealt deceitfully with him as the Job. 6. 15. brooks do by the Traveller which are dry in the scorching heat, when he is most thirsty. It is a remarkable passage in the Psalms, Men of low degree are vanity, men of high degree Psal. 62. 9. are a lie: a man of low degree is at his worst, a man of high degree at his best estate, and [Page 30] yet whereas men of low degree are said to be vanity, men of high degree are said to be a lie, which is as it were the dregs of vanity, because it tends to deceive, which yet is most justly affirmed of men of high degree, who by reason of their place and state in this world, seeme to promise much, and yet are in truth a lie, not performing what they pro­mise, and so disappointing both their owne and others hopes.

The use we are to make of this doctrine, is, in reference both to others, and our selves.

1. In respect of others, whether enemies or friends.

Are the Churches or our enemies (to out­ward appearance) in an established condition of prosperity? let us not give way to excesse of grief and fear, or anger, but rather remem­ber in their best estate they are vanity, and being so, are set in slippery places. They seem to be fixed stars, but in truth they are only blazing comets, which appear for a lit­tle time and then vanish away.

2. Are our friends for the present in a flourishing estate? take we heed how we let out either our hopes or love too much to­wards them, considering that they are but vanity, and therefore our hope which is pla­ced on them will end in shame, and our love in vexation: Why so big with expectation of advantage or advancement from thy rich [Page 31] Ally, Honorable Lord, potent friend? alas, thou dost but set thy foot upon the water which cannot bear thee: Why so inflamed with affection to thy beautifull Wife, childe, or near relation? Alas, thou dost but em­brace a shaddow in thine arms, which cannot, must not stay long with thee.

2. In respect of our selves.

1. Reflect we with sorrow and hatred upon sin, the true cause of mans vanity. Man in his first estate was altogether excellency; God saw every thing that he made, and behold it was very good: surely this was much more Gen. 1. 32. true of man the master-piece of the creation, the image and glory of his Maker, not vanity, but divinity was his nature; he was not en­velop'd with rags of frailty, but enobled with robes of innocency; nor did he walke in a vain shew, but a sacred representation of God himself. And now if you would know how this flower was blasted, it was by the breath of the Basilisk; how this image was defaced, it was by the poyson of the Serpent; how man became vanity, it was by reason of iniquity: so true is that of the Wise-man, He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity. The Hebrew words, [...] vanity, and [...] mourn­ing Prov. 22. 8, are somewhat near in sound; Oh, let us mourn for that vanity to which sin hath sub­jected us, and let us abhor sin which hath sub­jected us to it.

[Page 32] 2. Provide we for our selves another, a bet­ter estate than the best which this world af­fords, an estate of glory in the Heavens, Mans best estate on earth is mutable, but that is durable; empty, but that is satisfying; uncertain, but that is sure; only for term of years, but that is for aeternity. Phylosophers generally affirm, that the Heavens are in con­tinuall motion, and the earth stands immove­able, though there are those who assert, that the heavens stand still, and the earth moveth: This indeed is a riddle in Phylosophy, but it is a certain truth in Divinity, that the things of earth are in a continuall flux, and the things of Heaven in a stable permanency.

And therefore in whatsoever state we are here, let us learn to be content, be it never so mean, so as not to repine; and let us not be content, be it never so high, so as to rest sa­tisfied; and whether our estate in this vvorld be high or low, let the first and best of our desires and endeavours be after that estate vvhich is not a shaddow, but a substance; not a lease, but an inheritance; not vanity, but foelicity, and shall be far more in the frui­tion than it is in the expectation. To the pos­session vvhereof he bring us vvho hath pur­chased it for us. Amen.

[Page 33] I Have done with my Text, but I must not yet have done. This sad providence wills us to sit still a while longer, and by ta­king a serious view, to make a Religious use of it.

It is not very many months since I was im­ployed to perform a far more welcome office for this our Sister, namely, the consumma­ting her Nuptials. She being in the prime of her years, happily matched to a dearly loving and loved Husband, enjoying a confluence of all outward contentments, seemed as it were (to use the Psalmists phrase) to be in a set­tled estate, and (according to our usuall phrase) to be provided for as to this world.

But alas! in how short a revolution of time, how dolefull an alteration? This yong, strong, haile, beautifull Gentlewoman in her best estate becommeth a sad instance of the gene­rall doctine in my Text; This flourishing flower is blasted by the winde of a violent di­sease, and plucked as it were out of her Husbands bosome, by the rough hand of Death, and I am now called to officiate her Funerals.

Thus have you sometimes seen the bright Sun-shine on a sudden vailed with a darke cloud, and a serene Skie hung with black.

But yet let not, Oh let not her near and dear friends shed too many tears over her [Page 34] Grave, remembring the Tu posuisti in the Text, who it is that hath made her dayes as an hands bredth, even He in whose hands all our times are to prolong and cut short as he pleas­eth: Besides, why should they weep above measure, since they do not grieve as without hope of (that which is most truly called) her best estate, her aeternall welfare.

Her Education was Religious, and her Con­versation vertuous; she was well instructed in, and affected to the best things. The silver Picture of her comely body had in it the golden Apple of a well disposed soule; the golden ring of her Soul had set into it the pretious Diamond of Vertue. A spotlesse innocency, humble modesty, and calm meekness were her choice Ornaments; She was an obedient Daughter, a loving Sister, an affectionate Spouse, a true friend, and (I trust) a good Christian.

In the time of her sicknesse she gave evi­dence of many graces, a confident reliance upon her gracious God for deliverance from all her pains, a penitent bewailing her careless expence of time, with serious resolves (if God should prolong her dayes) of more exactness in her Christian course, together with her patient submission to the good will of her heavenly Father.

When she beheld upon her hands the marks of her disease, she said, These are Gods To­kens, and I willingly embrace them. That [Page 25] saying of Solomon, Favour is deceitfull, and beauty is vain, but a woman that feareth the Prov. 31. 30, Lord she shall be praised, which was the sub­ject of my discourse occasioned by her Nup­tials, was often in her thoughts; so that she was not at all troubled with any anxious fears lest the disease should spoile her beauty; and though the rod were smart upon her back, nay, I may say her face, her whole body, she resolved to kisse it.

Some few dayes before her death a drowsi­ness seized upon her, which continued (for the most part) to her last houre, when one Brother tooke (as it were) the other by the heele, death following her sleep, yea, her death being but a sleep, and the grave to which she is now going a bed wherein she shall repose her selfe till the morne of the Resurrection, when she will (I hope) be married to the Lamb; nor shall any Funerals succeed those joyfull Nuptials.

Weep not then for her who is not dead but sleepeth, dry your eyes, and (with this holy man) open not your mouths, or if you do, let it be in Ely's language, It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth good in 1 Sam. 3. 18, his sight.

And now since the Text and occasion preach to us how vaine we are, how short our lives are, and to what changes we are subject; what remaineth, but that e­very [Page 36] one of us be exhorted to prepare for changes, especially our last, and so to or­der our steps, that when these dayes on earth, which are as an hands bredth, are ended, we may passe to an aeternity of dayes without either number or measure in the highest Heavens. Amen.