Sermons upon the Book of Job

Now we see that the argument which Eliphas useth here, is very fit and agreeing to his purpose. But now remaineth to weigh the words that are touched here, that we may advantage our selves by them. Truly when any man speaketh to us of the shortness of our life, we think it to be but a needless talk: for who is he that knows it not? But it is not for nought that God speaketh so oft of it, and putteth us in remembrance of it. For had we throughly conceived what our life is: it is certain, that first we would not be so worldly as we be, neither would our thoughts be so blockish as they be: And secondly we would have regard of the heavenly kingdom, and rest our selves wholly thereupon. But we despise the heavenly life and are so entangled here, as we cannot be drawn hence. It followeth then that none of us know what the thing is which every of us confesseth: that is to say, that our life is but as a shadow that passeth away, & that a man is but like a flour, or a green herb, which incontinently is cut down and withereth. To be short, although the proverbs that import the overshortnesse of this worldly life have always been rife enough, & yet still are: yet do ⟨p. 83⟩they not pierce to the harts of us. And here we see why we be warned to think upon it the better. Surely if we could reckon our years as Moses speaketh of them in the xc. Psalm certes we should be taught as well to think upon death, as also to tend to the mark that God calls us to. But what? we wot not how to count them upon our fingers. For behold our childhood is such, that they which are in it, differ little or nothing from brute beasts, saving that there is more encumbrance & trouble with them: but as for understanding or reason, there is small or none in §10little ones. And certes, draw we once near mans estate, our lusts are so overboiling, as we cannot be bridled. Are we come to mans estate? It passeth away out of hand: & anon old age attacheth us, so as there remaineth nothing to us, but to be weary of our life, & to put other folks to trouble & pain. Now then if we wist how to reckon the race of our life upon our fingers: certainly we should not be such dullards as we be. And therefore let us not think we lose our time, when we set our minds upon this lesson:

Now we see that the argumēt whiche Eliphas vseth here, is very fit and agreing to his purpose. But nowe remayneth to wey the words that are touched here, that we may aduatage our selues by them. Truely when any man speaketh to vs of the shortnesse of our life, we thinke it to be but a nedelesse talk: for who is he that knowes it not? But it is not for nought that God speaketh so oft of it, and putteth vs in remembrance of it. For had we throughly conceyued what our life is: it is certayne, that firste wee woulde not bee so worldly as wee bee, neyther woulde oure thoughts bee so blockishe as they bee: And secondly we would haue regarde of the heauenly kingdome, and rest our selues wholly thervpon. But we despise the heauenly life and are so intangled heere, as wee cannot be drawne hence. It foloweth then that none of vs knowe what the thing is which euery of vs confesseth: that is to say, that our life is but as a shadow that passeth away, & that a mā is but like a floure, or a greene herbe, which incontinently is cut downe and withereth. To be short, although the prouerbs that import the ouershortnesse of this worldly life haue alwayes bene rife ynough, & yet still are: yet do