Monday, October 15, 2012

"Truly, Every Man At His Best State Is Altogether Vanity!"

An epitome of all vanity
(Thomas Brooks, "The Crown and Glory of Christianity; 
or, HOLINESS, the Only Way to Happiness" 1662)

"Truly, every man at his best state 
is altogether vanity!" Psalm 39:5

By Adam's fall, man has become . . .
  a pile of dust,
  a puff of wind,
  a dream,
  a shadow,
  a puff of smoke,
  a worm,
  a debased soul,
  a curious nothing.

Yes, man having fallen from 
his primitive glory, has become 
altogether vanity, says the psalmist 
in Psalm 39:5, 

"Truly, every man at his best 
state is altogether vanity!" 

Truly, every man--
not some man, but every man 
at his best state, when he is in 
the height and perfection of all 
creature comforts and contentments--
is altogether, not in some measure--
but altogether, vanity--
all vanity!  

Since the fall of Adam, every natural 
man in his best estate is vanity; 
nay, every man is every vanity. 
Imagine whatever vanity you will--
fallen man is that! 

He is a comprehensive vanity--
he is an epitome of all vanity.

Man before his fall, was the best
of creatures; but since his fall, he
has become the worst of creatures.
By his fall he has fallen below
the very beasts that perish.

He who was once the image of GOD,
the glory of paradise, the world's ruler,
and the LORD'S darling--
has now become a burden
to GOD, a burden to himself.
 
  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~ 

GraceGems has published Timothy Shay Arthur's insightful 5 page story,
" A Lesson in Life" (about "retirement").

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