labour
labour under the same mental blindness. They attend to the fluctuations of their disorder ; and one single symptom of con- valescence does more to remove the expectation of death from them, than many proofs of augmented debility do to bring it home to their feelings with suitable apprehensions : they are still buoyed up with hopes from the skill of their medical attendant, when all around them see that they are sinking fast into the grave. What- ever be a man's age or state, it is God, and God alone, that can **' make him thoroughly to know and feel how frail he is."]
Nevertheless the view here given us is truly just—
[The life of man is so short, as to be really " nothing before God." The comparison of it to " an hand-breadth" is peculiarly deserving of our attention ; because by that image every man has, placed as it were before his eyes, " the measure of his days :" he cannot look upon his hand without calling to mind how frail he is, and how soon his present state of existence must come to an end. Let him divide his life into the periods of youth, manhood, and old age; and let him in his own appre- hension divide his measure also ; and it will bring to his imagi- nation, in a very forcible way, the truth which he is so backward to contemplate. A great variety of other images are used in Scripture to convey this truth : life is compared to a shuttle which passes quickly through the loom": to a ship, which soon passes away, and leaves no trace behind it : to an eagle, which, with the rapidity of lightning, hasteth to its prey**: but the image in our text is more striking than them all ; because whilst it is peculiarly simple, it is also practical, embodied, portable. Not that any image is sufficient to paint the shortness and un- certainty of life in its true colours j for " before God, with whom one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day%" it is absolutely "as nothing."
As far as words can describe the state of man, truly the Psalmist has done it in our text. " Man is vanity ;" not only vain, but vanity itself. " EverT/ man" is so: not only the poor and ignorant, but the rich and learned : as it is said, " Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie : to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity'*." And this they are " m their best state;'' even in the vigour of youth, and in the midst of all the pleasures and honours that their hearts can wish. And they are so " altogether " both in mind and body ; for their body is " crushed before the moth •" and in respect of mind, they are, as far as spiritual things are concerned, *' like the wild ass's colt." This description may appear exaggerated : but it is true : yes, " verily ," things are so,
whether
' Job vii. 6, 7. " Job ix. 25, 26.
' 2 Pet. iii. 8. ^ Ps. Ixii. 8.