Lastly, Man's life is a swift thing; not only a passing, but a flying vanity. Have you not observed how swiftly a shadow hath run along the ground, in a cloudy and windy day, suddenly darkening the places beautified before with the beams of the sun, but as suddenly disappearing? Such is the life of man on the earth, for "he fleeth as a shadow, and continueth not," Job xiv 2. A weaer's shuttle is very swift in its motion; in a moment it is thrown from one side of the web to the other: yet our days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, chap. vii 6 How quickly is man tossed through time into eternity! See how Job describes the swiftness of the time of life, chap. ix 25. Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. ver 26 They are hasted away as the swift ships; as the eagle that hasteth to the prey. He compares his days with a post, a foot post; a runner, who runs speedily to carry tidings, and will make no stay. But, though the post were like Ah•naaz, who over-run Cushy our days would be swifter than he, for they flee away, like a m•n fleeing for his life, before the pursuing enemy; he runs with his utmost vigour, yet our days run as fast as he. Howbeit, that is not all. Even he who is fleeing for his life, cannot run always; he must needs sometimes stand still, lie down, or run in somewhere, as Sisera did into Jael's tent, to refresh himself; but our time never halts. Therefore it is compared to ships, which can sail night and day without intermission, till they be at their port; and swift ships, ships of desire, in which men quickly arrive at the desired haven; or, ships of pleasure, that sail more swiftly than ships of burden. Yet the wind failing, the ships course is marred: but our time always runs with a rapid course. Therefore it is compared to the eagle flying: not with his ordinary flight, for that is not sufficient to represent the swiftness of our days; but when he flies upon his prey, which is with an extraordinary swiftness. And thus, even thus, our days fly away.
Lastly, Man's life is a swift thing; not only a passing, but a flying vanity. Have you not observed how swiftly a shadow hath run along the ground, in a cloudy and windy day, suddenly darkening the places beautified before with the beams of the sun, but as suddenly disappearing? Such is the life of man on the earth, for "he fleeth as a shadow, and continueth not," Job xiv 2. A weaer's shuttle is very swift in its motion; in a moment it is thrown from one side of the web to the other: yet our days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, chap. vii 6 How quickly is man tossed through time into eternity! See how Job describes the swiftness of the time of life, chap. ix 25. Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. ver 26 They are hasted away as the swift ships; as the eagle that hasteth to the prey. He compares his days with a post, a foot post; a runner, who runs speedily to carry tidings, and will make no stay. But, though the post were like Ah•naaz, who over-run Cush• our days would be swifter than he, for they flee away, like a m•n fleeing for his life, before the pursuing enemy; he runs with his utmost vigour, yet our days run as fast as he. Howbeit, that is not all. Even he who is fleeing for his life, cannot run always; he must needs sometimes stand still, ly down, or run in somewhere, as Sisera did into Jael's tent, to refresh himself; but our time never halts. Therefore it is compared to ships, which can sail night and day without intermission, till they be at their port; and swift ships, ships of desire, in which men quickly arrive at the desired haven; or, ships of pleasure, that sail more swiftly than ships of burden. Yet the wind failing, the ships course is marred: but our time always runs with a rapid course. Therefore it is compared to the eagle flying: not with his ordinary flight, for that is not sufficient to represent the swiftness of our days; but when he flies upon his prey, which is with an extraordinary swiftness. And thus, even thus, our days fly away.
