Religion & morality > Human nature in its fourfold state

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all.
Even
y/ Locking glafs, wherein State IV.
he M'ho is fleeing for life, cannot run al-
i
ways i he tr.uft needs fon-.etimes Rami Rill, lie down, or |
run in fomewhere, as Sifera did into Jael’s tent, to re-
frefh himfelf: but our time never halts. Therefore
it is compared to (hips, which can fail night and day
without intermiffion, till they be at their port ; and
fvvift firips, flrips of defre, in which men quiekiy arrive
at the defired haven ; or, Rtips of pieaiure, that fail
mere fw iftly than ihips of burden Yet the wind fail¬
ing, the fhips courfe is marred ; but our time always
runs with a rapid courfe. Therefore it is compared
to the eagle flying , not wiih his ordinary flight, for
that is hot fuflicient to reprtfent the fwiftnefs cf pur
days ; but when he flies upon his prey, which is with
an extraordinary fwiftnefs. And thus, even thus, our
days fly away.
Having thus difeourfed of death, let us improve it,
in difeerning the vanity of the world ; in bearing up,
with ChriRian contentment, and patience, under all
troubles and difficulties in it ; in mortifying our luRs ;
in cleaving unto the Lord with purp. ft of heart, on
ail hazards j and in preparing for death’s approach.
And Firjty Let us hence, as in a Looking.glafs, be¬
hold the vanity of the world, and of all thefe things in
it, which men fo much value and efteem. and therefore
fet their hearts upon. The rich and poor are equally
intent upon this world ; they bow the knee to it, yet
it is but a clay-god : they court tire bulky vanity, and
run keenly to catch the ffiadow ; the rich man is hug¬
ged to death in iis embraces ; and the poor man wearies
hirnfelf in the fruitlefs- purfuit. (What wonder if the
world’s fmiles overcome us, when vve purfue it fo
eagerly, even while it frowns upon us?) But lock
into the grave, O man, confider and be wife ; liittn to -J]
the do£lrine o: death, and learn, (i ) That hold as fail
as thou e uft, thou limit be forced to let thy hold of
the world at length. Though thou load*th)feif with
the fruits of this earth, yet ali fliali fall off when thou
comeR to creep into thy hole, the heufe under ground,
appointed for all living. When death comes, thou
mu it