The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole…

Fourthly, Vanity is often in Scripture used for that which is unprofitable, without any benefit or success. Hence is that phrase, To labour in vain. And thus the Philosophers also define vanity, A frustration of our intended end. Now in every thing that a man doth, till made wise in an heavenly manner, there is nothing but vanity, there is no true profit or good success, but in all things he labours with wind, and brings forth wind. The Prophet Hosea expresseth it well, They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind, Hos. 8.7. If an husbandman in stead of committing seed to the ground, should only cause a wind, thinking to have a crop thereby, would it not be folly? but it's not folly or loss only, it's destruction, he reaps the whirlwind, that is tempestuous and violent things arise on a sudden. Oh this is a sad thing to consider, when thou art dying, I have lived in vain, laboured in vain, thought in vain, spoke in vain; I have no true good abiding by me of all that ever I did!

Fourthly, Vanity is often in Scripture used for that which is unprofitable, without any benefit or successe. Hence is that phrase, To labour in vain. And thus the Philosophers also define vanity, A frustration of our intended end. Now in every thing that a man doth, till made wise in an heavenly manner, there is nothing but vanity, there is no true profit or good successe, but in all things he labours with wind, and brings forth wind. The Prophet Hosea expresseth it well, They sow the wind, and reap the whirlwind, Hos. 8.7. If an husbandman in stead of committing seed to the ground, should only cause a wind, thinking to have a crop thereby, would it not be folly? but it's not folly or losse only, it's destruction, he reaps the whirlwind, that is tempestuous and violent things arise on a sudden. Oh this is a sad thing to consider, when thou art dying, I have lived in vain, laboured in vain, thought in vain, spoke in vain; I have no true good abiding by me of all that ever I did!

Fifthly, Vanity is often used for that which is unstable, uncertain and fading. And thus the thoughts of wise men are vain, subject to changes, contradictions, and at last vanish into nothing: So that as our bodies are vain bodies, and all the whole Creation is subject to vanity: Thus are all the thoughts, counsels and purposes of the wisest men subject to uncertainty, only the creatures they groan under this vanity, but so doth not man. Do but observe your own thoughts, Are they not as vain as the very dreams of feverish men? Mayest thou not say, as the Prophet to the Church, How long shall vain thoughts lodge in thee?