For there is no middle ground between these two choices: either we must consider the earth as worthless, or we will remain enslaved by an intemperate love for it. Therefore, if our gaze is fixed on eternity, we must diligently strive to free ourselves from the chains that bind us. Furthermore, since the present life entices us with its allurements and presents an illusion of delight, grace, and sweetness, it is of utmost importance that we are occasionally awakened from its seductive embrace. What would become of us if we were to enjoy an uninterrupted flow of honor and felicity in this earthly existence? Even the constant prodding of affliction often fails to stir us to a proper awareness of our own wretchedness. The transitory nature of human life, like smoke or a passing shadow, is not a hidden truth known only to the learned; it is a proverb deeply rooted in the common consciousness. Though we acknowledge this fact, we rarely contemplate it or keep it in our memory. Instead, we make our plans as if our immortality were firmly grounded on this earth.
John Calvin. On the Christian Life.
