The next Argument to Contentment is, The shortness of life. It is but a vapour saith James. *[Greek or Hebrew]*, life is a wheel ever running. The Poets* painted time with wings, to show the volubility and swiftness of it. Job compares it to a swift post, *(our life rides post) and to a day, not a year. It is indeed like a day. Infancy is as it were the day-break, Youth is the Sun-rising, full growth is the Sun in the Meridian, old age is Sun-setting. Sickness is the evening, then comes the night of death. How quickly is this day of life spent? often times this Sun goes down at noon-day; life ends before the evening of old age comes; Nay, ⟨p. 185⟩sometimes the Sun of life sets presently after Sun-rising. Quickly after the dawning of Infancy, the night of death approaches; nay, sometimes the life is eclipsed before the dawning of Infancy, when the mothers womb becomes the tomb. Oh, how short is the life of man! The consideration of the brevity of life may work the heart to contentment. Remember thou art to be here but a day; pàrùm viae, quid multùm viatici? thou hast but a short way to go, and what needs a long provision for a short way*? if a Traveller hath but enough to bring him to his journeys end, he desires no more. We have but a day to live, & perhaps we may be in the twelfth hour of the day; why, if God give us but enough to bear our charges till night, it is sufficient. Let us be content. If a man had the lease of an house or farm, but for two or three days, and he should fall a building and planting, would he not ⟨p. 186⟩be judged very indiscreet: So when we have but a short time here, and death calls us presently off the stage, to thirst immoderately after the world, and pull down our souls to build up an estate, is it not extreme folly? Therefore as Esau said once in a profane sense concerning his birth-right; Lo, I am at the point to die, and what profit shall this birth-right do to me? So let a Christian say in a Religious sense; Lo, I am even at the point of death, my grave is going to be made, and what good will the world do me? if I have but enough till Sun-setting, I am content.
The next Argument to Contentment is, The shortnesse of life. It is but a vapour saith Iames. *〈non-Latin alphabet〉*, life is a wheele ever running. The Poets* painted time with wings, to shew the volubility and swiftnesse of it. Iob compares it to a swift post, *(our life rides post) and to a day, not a yeare. It is indeed like a day. Infancy is as it were the day-break, Youth is the Sun-rising, full growth is the Sun in the Meridian, old age is Sun-setting. Sicknesse is the evening, then comes the night of death. How quickly is this day of life spent? often times this Sun goes down at noone-day; life ends before the evening of old age comes; Nay, ⟨p. 185⟩sometimes the Sun of life sets presently after Sun-rising. Quickly after the dawning of Infancy, the night of death approaches; nay, sometimes the life is eclipsed before the dawning of Infancy, when the mothers womb becomes the tombe. Oh, how short is the life of man! The consideration of the brevity of life may worke the heart to contentment. Remember thou art to be here but a day; pàrùm viae, quid multùm viatici? thou hast but a short way to go, and what needs a long provision for a short way*? if a Traveller hath but enough to bring him to his journies end, hee desires no more. We have but a day to live, & perhaps we may be in the twelfth houre of the day; why, if God give us but enough to bear our charges till night, it is sufficient. Let us be content. If a man had the lease of an house or farme, but for two or three dayes, and hee should fall a building and planting, would he not ⟨p. 186⟩be judged very indiscreet: So when wee have but a short time here, and death calls us presently off the stage, to thirst immoderately after the world, and pull downe our soules to build up an estate, is it not extream folly? Therefore as Esau said once in a profane sens concerning his birth-right; Lo, I am at the point to die, and what profit shall this birth-right doe to me? So let a Christian say in a Religious sense; Lo, I am even at the point of death, my grave is going to be made, and what good will the world do me? if I have but enough till Sun-setting, I am content.
- *Jam. 4. 14.
- *[Greek or Hebrew]. Sophocles.〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Sop•ocles.
- *Phocilides.
- *Job 9. 25.
- *Quid opus est ad brevem vitam longis opibus? Hyper.
