CONSIDERATION III
The Shortness of Life
"For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time." S. James iv. 14.
First Point.
What is your life? It is like unto a vapour, which is dispersed by a breath of wind, and is no more. All know that they must die; but the mistake that so many make is, that they imagine that death is so far off, that it will never overtake them. But no; for Job warns us that the life of man is short: " Man is of few days ..... He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down." (Job xiv. i, 2.) The Lord commanded Isaiah to preach this same truth: " Cry," He said to him, " All flesh is grass ..... The grass withereth, the flower fadeth." (Isa. xl. 6, 7.) The life of man is like the life of a blade of grass; death comes, the blade is dried up, and behold life is finished, and the flower of all grandeur and of all earthly possessions is cut down.
" My days are swifter than a post." (Job ix. 25.) Death comes to meet us more quickly than a messenger, and we at every moment run towards death. At every step we take, at every breath we draw, we approach death. During the time I write, observes S. Jerome, I am approaching death. " For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again." (2 Sam. xiv. 14.) Thou seest how that stream flows to the sea; and these running waters, they will never return again; thus, my brother, do thy days pass, and
