3. The day of life may expire; what security have we that we shall live another1 day? We are marching apace out of the world; we are going off the stage; our life is a taper soon blown out. Mans life is compared to the flower of the field, Psal. 103. 15. which withers sooner than the grass*. Our age is [Greek or Hebrew] as nothing, Psal. 39. 5. Life is but a flying shadow. The body is like a vessel tuned with a little breath; sickness broacheth this vessel, death draws it out. O how soon may the scene alter*! Many a Virgin hath been dressed the same day in her bride-apparel and her windingsheet! How dangerous then is ⟨p. 124⟩it to adjourn repenting, when death may so suddenly make a thrust at us. Say not, you will repent to morrow*: Remember that speech of Aquinas; God who pardons him that repents, hath not promised to give him to morrow to repent in. I have read of Archias, a Lacedaemonian, who being among his cups, one delivered him a Letter, and desired him to read the Letter presently, being of serious business; he replied, seria cras, I will mind serious things to morrow*; and that day he was slain. Thus, while men think to spin out their silver thread, death cu•s it. Olaus Magnus observes of the Birds of Norway, that they fly faster than the Birds of any other Country; not that their wings are swifter than others, but by an instinct of nature, they knowing the days in that climate to be very short, not above three hours long, do therefore make the more haste to their nests: So we knowing the shortness of our lives, and how quickly we may be called away by death, should fly so much the faster on the wing of Repentance to Heaven.
3. The day of life may expire; what security have we that we shall live another1 day? We are marching apace out of the world; we are going off the stage; our life is a taper soon blown out. Mans life is compared to the flower of the field, Psal. 103. 15. which withers sooner than the grass*. Our age is 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 as nothing, Psal. 39. 5. Life is but a flying shadow. The body is like a ves•el tunned with a little breath; sickness broacheth this vessel, death draws it out. O how soon may the scene alter*! Many a Virgin hath been dressed the same day in her bride-apparel and her windingsheet! How dangerous then is ⟨p. 124⟩it to adjourn repenting, when death may so suddenly make a thrust at us. Say not, you will repent to morrow*: Remember that speech of Aquinas; God who pardons him that repents, hath not promised to give him to morrow to repent in. I have read of Archias, a Lacedemonian, who being among his cups, one delivered him a Letter, and desired him to read the Letter presently, being of serious business; he replyed, seria cras, I will mind serious things to morrow*; and that day he was slain. Thus, while men think to spin out their silver thred, death cu•s it. Olaus Magnus observes of the Birds of Norway, that they fly faster than the Birds of any other Country; not that their wings are swifter than others, but by an instinct of nature, they knowing the daies in that climate to be very short, not above three hours long, do therefore make the more haste to their nests: So we knowing the shortness of our lives, and how quickly we may be called away by death, should fly so much the faster on the wing of Repentance to Heaven.
- 1* [Greek or Hebrew]. Philo. Jud.* 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. Philo. Jud.
- *Viret gloria hominis quasi flos soeni, hodiè aliquem videas pubescentis aetatis virtute florentem, gratâ specie, suavi colour, cras, instar herbae foeni occasum patitur. Ambr. Hexam. lib. 3.Viret gloria hominis quasi flos soeni, hodiè aliquem videas pubescentis aetatis virtute florentem, gratâ specie, suavi colore, cras, instar herbae foeni occasum patitur. Ambr. Hexam. lib. 3.
- *Mortalium vita quid aliud quàm scena? in qua alii aliis obtecti personis procedunt, agúnto; suas quisque parts, donec Choragus statim educat è prosce•io. Erasm.Mortalium vita quid aliud quàm scena? in qua alii aliis obtecti personis procedunt, agúnto; suas quisque partes, donec Choragus statim educat è prosce•io. Erasm.
- *Sera nimis vita est crastina. Mart.
- *Plutarch.
