Have those of former generations been able to protract their existence beyond the period allotted to them by Almighty God ?
[No : however little they might think of death, they were overtaken by it ; and, in the appointed season, fell beneath its stroke. Neither the people, nor the prophets who ministered unto them, could " live for ever." They had a space assigned to them for the discharge of their respective duties ; and when that period had elapsed, they were summoned into the eternal world, to give an account of themselves to the Judge of quick and dead.]
And shall we continue here beyond our appointed time ?
[Not an hour; no, nor a single moment. "Our times are in God's hands : " and, when called by him, we must bid an everlasting farewell to every thing here below. A tree, cut down, may sprout again : but man, once dead, can live no morea. "However esteemed, however admired, however re- gretted, he falls to rise no more in this world : he perishes like his own dung," as Job observes ; and " they that have seen him in all his glory, shall say, Where is he?" Truly, "his place shall know him no moreV Death will shew no respect of persons. Whether we be unprepared to meet our God (and therefore desirous of a further respite); or be, like the holy prophets, actively engaged in his service (and therefore de- sirous of completing our work); we must equally obey the summons of Jehovah; "our bodies returning to their native dust, and our spirit ascending unto Him who gave it."]
Let us then reflect on the transitoriness of earthly things, and the certainty of our approaching dissolu- tion—
[We have our occupations and enjoyments, even as our
fathers had but how speedily will they pass away, and
come to an end ! We are apt to be promising ourselves months and years of pleasure ; but " we know not what a single day may bring forth." The fate of the Rich Fool may be ours before to-morrow: " this very night may our souls be required of us;" and all the things from which we hoped to reap such a harvest of joy may be delivered over to some unknown possessor.
Truly this is a reflection which we ought to cherish, and on which we should dwell with deep concern : for, till we have learned to estimate the vanity of time, we shall never feel as we ought, the importance of eternity.]
a Cite the whole of Job xiv. 7 — 10. b Cite also Job xx. 4 — 7.