An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the thirty second, the thirty third, and…

It quickly consumes and drips away in a disease; A violent fever or any other acute disease, dries up the spirits, and drinks ⟨p. 353⟩up the moisture, and how soon doth such a man decay! and as the extremity of a disease, so extreme want of food or famine consumes the flesh. Hunger having nothing to eat, feeds upon the flesh of the hungry, till all be eaten up. We read (Lam: 4.8.) how rudely famine dealt with the flesh of those delicate Nazarites, who were purer then snow, whiter then milk, they were more ruddy in body then rubies, their polishing was of Sapphire; yet the next words tell us, Their visage is blacker then a coal, they are not known in the streets, their skin cleaveth to their bones: it is withered, it is become like a stick. And though a man escape sickness, and famine doth not eat up his flesh, yet time (that great eater) will, old age will wast what famine and sickness have not touched. As the Prophet threatened, what the Caterpillar hath left, the Canker-worm shall devour; so what sickness leaves, time will certainly consume. Thus bodily flesh is every way liable to a consumption; and therefore the Prophet being commanded to cry, and putting the question, what shall I cry, had this answer, All flesh is grass. (There indeed flesh is taken in the most comprehensive notion, as to all externals; not only the flesh of the body, but all the riches, honours, and dignities of this world, come under the name of flesh there) All flesh is grass (Isa: 40.6.) But why doth he call it grass? 'Tis so under a two-fold consideration. First, for the greenness and fairness of it. God hath put beauty upon this fading flesh, both for the comfort, and for the trial of man; that flesh is fair as a flower, is matter of delight; and to abstract our thoughts or wean our hearts from that which is fair and delightful, is matter of trial. How hardly are we taken off from affecting flesh, our own or others, while this grass continues beautiful and green! Secondly, Flesh is grass, because soon gone (as it followeth in the Prophet) The grass withereth and the flower fadeth, because the Spirit of the Lord (or his breath like a blasting East wind) bloweth upon it;

It quickly consumes and drips away in a disease; A violent feaver or any other acute disease, dries up the spirits, and drinkes ⟨p. 353⟩up the moysture, and how soone doth such a man decay! and as the extremity of a disease, so extreame want of food or famine consumes the flesh. Hunger having nothing to eate, feeds upon the flesh of the hungry, till all be eaten up. We read (Lam: 4.8.) how rudely famine dealt with the flesh of those delicate Nazarites, who were purer then snow, whiter then milke, they were more ruddy in body then rubyes, their polishing was of Saphire; yet the next words tell us, Their visage is blacker then a coale, they are not knowne in the streets, their skin cleaveth to their bones: it is withered, it is become like a sticke. And though a man escape sicknesse, and famine doth not eate up his flesh, yet time (that great eater) will, old age will wast what famine and sicknesse have not toucht. As the Prophet threatned, what the Caterpillar hath left, the Canker-worme shall devoure; so what sicknesse leaves, time will certainly consume. Thus bodily flesh is every way liable to a consumption; and therefore the Prophet being commanded to cry, and putting the question, what shall I cry, had this answer, All flesh is grasse. (There indeed flesh is taken in the most comprehensive notion, as to all externalls; not only the flesh of the body, but all the riches, honours, and dignities of this world, come under the name of flesh there) All flesh is grasse (Isa: 40.6.) But why doth he call it grasse? 'Tis so under a two-fold consideration. First, for the greenenesse and fairenesse of it. God hath put beauty upon this fading flesh, both for the comfort, and for the tryall of man; that flesh is faire as a flower, is matter of delight; and to abstract our thoughts or weane our hearts from that which is faire and delightfull, is matter of tryall. How hardly are we taken off from affecting flesh, our owne or others, while this grasse continues beautifull and greene! Secondly, Flesh is grasse, because soone gone (as it followeth in the Prophet) The grasse withereth and the flower fadeth, because the Spirit of the Lord (or his breath like a blasting East winde) bloweth upon it;