Page:Sermons preached in the African Protestant Episcopal Church of St. Thomas', Philadelphia.djvu/160

156 but by scores. "The days of our years," says he, "are three-score years and ten, and if by reason of strength they be four-score years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow, for it is soon cut off, and we fly away." As if years were too large a point by which to reckon up the shortness of human life, the Scriptures count it by months. "The number of his months are with thee." Very frequently it is reckoned by days. "Man, that is born of a woman," says Job, "is of few days." Nay, it is accounted but one day "Till he shall accomplish as an hireling his day." The apostle Paul, compares it to a still shorter period—''a moment. "Our light affliction," says he, "which is but for a moment." So short is human life, as if there could not be any thing in nature to give a just representation of it, the Psalmist says,—"Mine age is as nothing before thee.''" A very slight