Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away, as the chaff [that] is driven with the whirlwind out of the floor, and as the smoke out of the chimney.
Ver. 3. Therefore they shall be as the morning cloud] They shall vanish and come to nothing: the morning cloud, irradiated by the sun, seems very gay at first, but is soon dispelled by it; the dew lies very lovely upon the grass, and seems to impearl it, but is soon dried up; see Hosea 6:4. The chaff lies hollow and high, but is soon dispersed before a whirlwind; see Psa 35:5 Dan 2:35 Psalms 1:5. The smoke rolls out of the chimney as if it were some solid substance, and would muffle the whole heavens, but is presently scattered evaporat et evanescit, the higher it ascendeth the sooner it vanisheth. See here how that is verified, Hosea 12:10, "I have used similitudes by the ministry of my prophets" (four in a breath we have here), and be hereby advertised. 1. Of man's weakness; 2. Of God's power; 3. Of the swiftness of Ephraim's ensuing misery; 4. The severity of God's dealing with idolaters; he will leave no sign nor remain of them; he will utterly remove them, as a man takes away dung, till it be gone, 1 Kings 14:19. Sic transit gloria mundi. So passes worldly honour. Life itself is but a shadow, a dream, yea, a dream of a shadow (οκιας οναρ ανθρωπος), Psalms 144:4; profit, an uncertainty, 1 Timothy 6:17; pleasure, a spirt; honour, a blast, pomp, a fancy, Acts 25:23; the whole world a scheme or notion, that hath nothing in it of any firmness, or solid consistency, 1 Corinthians 7:31. Why then should wicked wordlings brag, and look so big? Why should the saints be affected either with its allurements or affrightments, and not cry out with that heroical Luther, Contemptus est a me Romanus et favor et furor, I care neither for Rome's favour nor fury, I am neither fond of the one nor afraid of the other, for all is but fumus aut funus, vanity and vexation?