them Let vs therefore learne to set our hearts vpon another life and the things thereof and then we shall be sure neuer to loose that we loue And let vs striue to be Plants in Gods house liuing Plants trees of righteousnesse Planted by the rivers of his Sanctuary And then wee shall neuer be cut downe Our leaues shall neuer fall our branches neuer wither 2. Let vs learne so to loue this life and all things of this life as matter that we must part with that we haue no Lease or Assurance of for one day And where God makes them instruments of comfort and helpe vnto vs if we enioy them day after day let vs blesse God for it and count euery day that he lends vs euery blessing that he bestowes vpon vs day after day an aduantage vnto vs more then we deserue 3. Let vs euery morning fit and prepare our selues for cutting downe Though we be neuer so lustie and flourish neuer so much yet let vs consider that wee are but as grasse and though this morning we flourish yet before night we may be cut downe and withered and all our glorie and comforts lie in the dust It were well with vs if we so liued that when death shall come to cut vs downe we could not say I little thought that I should die so soone And for others whose liues are deare vnto vs and whose deaths may bee a judgement vnto vs let vs so set our sinnes before our eyes that they may be a meanes to worke in vs an holy and religious feare of their death in the midst of these comforts and contents wee receiue from them And how strong and flourishing so euer wee shall see them in the morning yet let vs thinke with feare that before euening they may be cut down and we may loose them and all the comforts that depend vpon them VERS 7. For we are consumed in thine anger and by thy wrath are we troubled HItherto the Prophet in his complaint hath set forth by Comparison what great mortalitie God hath brought vpon the Children of Adam Now here in this verse he sheweth the cause thereof The anger of God Adam and all the sonnes of Adam haue offended him and therfore he hath brought this universall mortality and deluge upon man And this Anger of GOD hee sets forth 1. By the cause 2. By the greatnesse Concerning the anger of God wee must not thinke that it is a perturbation of minde in him whereby he indeed fretteth and is vexed within himselfe as men use to bee whose wrath and anger doth ordinarily more hurt torment themselues then those they are angry withall But it is in God an holy and just disposition to inflict deserued punishment upon his creature Though God therefore haue absolute power of his owne free will to destroy the creature which hee hath made without any cause yet he doth not destroy man without some speciall cause and motiue therevnto And this cause is not a pleasure and delight as though it should be a sport and pastime of God to make and marre so excellent a workmanship of his owne as it is with Children to kill Flies or Huntsmen to kill wild Beasts Neither is any speciall profit or use any cause thereof As it is the cause why Husbandmen cut downe grasse not that they are angry with it or that they place any delight in so doing but for necessary use and benefit But the true and immediate cause is Anger that which is the cause of mortalitie in war God hath beene prouoked by vs. And as a mightie King being prouoked by his subiects nothing followeth but death so is it with God 1. Hence then we learne to labour to see and behold the wrath and anger of God in sicknesse distresses old age death and in that mortalitie that we see in this world and vpon speciall occasion to acknowledge it And it should teach vs to feare and tremble before him and to take heed how we farther prouoke him to wrath 2. We should admire the goodnesse and grace of God that his wrath being so universall vpon all the sonnes of Adam yet in this wrath he should remember mercy and raise those againe to life even to eternall life that in anger he hath wounded to death 3. We should labour more to see the wrath of God in our accursed estate after this life God doth but play with vs as it were in taking away our liues here And if the first death be such a signe thereof what a signe therof is it in them in whom there appeare fearefull and prodigious fignes of the second death which is eternall wherein a man shall for ever die and yet neuer be dead VERS 8. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee our secret sinnes in the light of thy countenance THat wrath of God from which proceeds mortalitie and all the troubles and calamities and alterations of this life that attend vpon the same is set forth here 1. By the cause 2. By the greatnesse of it The cause is the remembrance of our sinnes not knowne onely but secret Whence we learne that 1. It is sin that first kindled that fire of GODS wrath whereby we are consumed on this wise God is not angry with his creatures for nothing But there is a just cause of that wrath of God from whence proceedes the mortalitie of mankinde Yea the greater and more infinitely wise the Maiestie of God is the greater must that cause bee that prouoketh him to wrath It s weaknesse to be prouoked with a small matter Weaknesse nor no propertie of weaknesse can befall the Almightie God Sinne therefore whatsoeuer it is can be no small matter no trifle that prouokes the infinite Maiestie of God to wrath and to such a wrath as hath such deadly effects The use of this then is When we see any signes of Gods displeasure in the world as which way almost can wee turne our eyes but we see it even the very prints of death how his footing is in euery Towne yea in euery House presently to thinke of sinne and the greatnesse thereof and to make it a meanes to make vs haue it in great detestation in whom soever it is 2. It is our sinnes that haue prouoked God to this wrath It was not the sinne of Angells that made God thus angry with mankinde Nor the sinne of any particular persons that made him angry with them all But it is our owne sins that haue done this All of us euery mothers sonne haue our parts and haue joyned hands in prouoking the Lord to bring this universall mortalitie vpon the world The true use therefore that we are to make of this Is not so much to thinke of sin in generall or of this or that bodies sinne when wee see the generall judgements of God but to see and looke after our owne sinnes wherein we haue trespassed against God and broken his Law and not rest till we haue found
Gods 4. The more experience we shall haue of this good Prouidence of God the more let vs be readie to giue the prayse and glory thereof to God And shew our selues in our deepest thoughts of Mortalitie to be such as yet do acknowledge God to haue beene in all ages an habitation vnto his and at all times vnto vs. 5. Let vs delight onely in this Mansion which we cannot let nor loose which will not leaue vs when we leaue this world but will abide by vs for euer VERS 2. Before the Mountaines were brought forth or euer thou hadst formed the earth euen from euerlasting to euerlasting thou art God THE second Argument of Gods prayse is from his worthinesse and excellencie of himselfe That he is a God eternall and immutable one that euer hath beene and euer shall be the same in whom there is no alteration nor shadow of change He was God before the Mountaines were brought forth yea before the earth was made and he will be God for euer and euer And those properties and qualities that are in him were euer in him and will be in him for euer and euer This prayse of God doth fit that present Argument which the Prophet hath in hand And tends to moderate and keepe in compasse immoderate sorrow that may arise either from the consideration of our owne Mortalitie or the Mortalitie of any other For that notwithstanding the changes and alterations that we see in the world that may discourage vs and breede distrust and diffidence in vs yet if we be the true Children of God we haue had a true feeling and sence of his loue and speciall Prouidence ouer vs. And if we haue once felt it indeed there is no cause but to hope for the continuance thereof For as he is an eternall God so his loue is an eternall loue it was before all Worlds and shall be for euer and euer Is therefore the hand of God vpon thee Dost thou see and feele thy selfe to be mortall Dost thou see those thou dependest vpon to be such What Dost thou thinke therefore that God that did loue thee and that in his loue raised vp these and these meanes for thee is mortall also and mutable No Though he change and alter the meanes and therby would haue thee to feare and tremble before him yet doe not thou for all that despaire Be thou still the Child of God Let no changes either threatned or effected change thy minde and affection to God and though God shall for a time humble thee and seeme for a time to thrust thee from thine house and all comforts of thy life to make thee to know thy selfe yet his affection is the same to thee that euer it was it can no more change then he doth change And therfore as God out of his eternall loue hath heretofore beene good vnto thee so be thou assured that out of the same loue he will continue so to be in the midst of all changes and alterations whatsoeuer The particular description of Gods eternitie and immutabilitie fitteth this place and Argument What more firme then rockes and mountaines What more stable then the earth that neuer remooues out of his place nor moues in his place Yet that God which is eternall which was before they were made is more immouable then they The greatest Mountaines vpon the earth yea the earth it selfe shall sooner be mooued and remoued then he not onely in his nature but in his affection and disposition And though wee had neuer such certaine dwelling places in this World though our houses were built vppon the firmest Rockes and highest Mountaines yet wee should not be sure except the Lord himselfe bee our dwelling place Our confidence in such places is nothing without him What sayth the Lord by his Prophet to the Edomites Obadiah 3. 4. The pride of thy heart hath deceiued thee thou that dwellest in the Clefts of the Rocke whose habitation is on high that sayth in his heart Who shall bring mee downe Whereas if the Lord bee our dwelling house we are sure and safe For hee is a Rocke a Castle a Fort a Secret place to all his VERS 3. Thou turnest man to destruction saying Returne ye Children of Adam HIs complaint is to God as to the Author of our mortalitie and that mortalitie which is from God he setteth forth 1. By diuerse Comparisons 2. By the cause that moueth God to make man see such mortalitie In the first place the Prophet conceiueth of God as of a Potter that hauing of dust tempered a masse and framed it into a vessell and dried it doth presently within a minute of an houre after dash it againe in peeces and beat it to dust in passion as it were speaking vnto it Get thee to the dust againe The word here translated Destruction signifies a Beating or Grinding or Pounding of a thing to Powder And the Prophet seemes to allude to the third of Genesis where God speaks of Adam Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne as if he should say O Lord thou that hast made and framed man of the dust of the earth thou beatest him to dust againe And as thou madest him by thy Word alone So with thy Word thou suddainly turnest and beatest him againe to dust as a man that makes a thing and presently marres it againe Hence we learne 1. That as it is God by whom we liue So it is he by whom and whose meanes we die By what meanes soeuer men come to their ends whether by a timely or vntimely death God hath the maine stroke The sword that takes away our life must goe out of his mouth before we can die It s hee that sayth Returne Oh sonne of man before a man can returne to dust So then let vs not so much regard the threats and brags of men but let vs that feare death feare the Lord that gaue life For he onely quickneth he onely killeth 2. He doth it with a word against which is no resistance when that word is once come out of his mouth it is not all the dyet Physicke helpe and prayers in the world that can saue the life And this he can doe suddainly in the twinckling of an eye And therefore we should as wee loue our liues feare him and take heed how we offend and displease him that can with a word turne the strongest man into dust 3. The style that God giueth to man when he calleth him out of this world is the Child of Adam and of Dust as if he said Thou art but the Child of dust of dust thou art made thou art sprung from them that were but dust and which are all turned vnto dust goe thou also to dust So that we should thinke seriously of the matter that we are made of and be humbled with the consideration thereof And herein iustifie the Lord in his dealing For why may not he that hath made vs of dust
strength and yeares the neerer we draw still to the place from whence we came In so much that there be none of vs but are neerer to our end to day then yesterday and this houre then the houre that is past And though some walke backward more slowly somwhat then others doe yet all goe one way and no bodie knowes how swiftly or how soone he shall come to his end The use hereof 1. This should teach vs euery day to meditate and thinke seriously of our death and the graue It is the place that wee are continually trauailing unto All the dayes and yeares we liue goe backward as it were with us and carry us backward thither So that which way soever our faces are we moue and goe thitherward Since Adams fall all men are condemned and adjudged vnto one death at the least and our life here is nothing else but a going to the place of execution How then should we not thinke of our end Is it possible for condemned Malefactors whilst they are going to the place of death to forget wher-about they go And yet though all our life bee nought else but a leading to death yet ordinarily nothing lesse troubles our minds and we so liue as if death should neuer come neare vs or we it Nay though we see many both neare vs and farre off vs die before vs and wee know that our condition is the same yet we lay it little to heart as if wee alone were exempted from the common condition of all Adams issue 2. This should teach vs also whilst we do liue here to behaue our selues in that manner that wee may die with comfort And this should bee it that in this life should most trouble us and about which we should most beat our braines how wee should so die that wee might eternally liue But alas that which runs altogether in our minds whilst we liue here is about the meanes of our living here how we shall doe for this yeare and the next and the other yeare after that and how our children should do after us never taking thought for the maine which is as if parents and children being altogether drawne vpon a Sled or carryed in a Cart for diuers dayes to execution and the meanes of this life being left them onely for this end to bring them thither they should never trouble their mindes about that that they were drawne unto but should bee carking and caring how they should doe and their children for this thing and that thing concerning this life The second point is that our dayes goe thus backward in the wrath of God that is to say through the iust judgement of God vpon the sin of Man it comes to passe that our dayes thus returne and goe backward and passe away This then is our lesson That euery day whilst wee liue here is a day of wrath an euill day subiect to some judgement or other Few and euill sayeth old Iacob be the daies of my Pilgrimage All things vnder the Sunne are nothing but matter of vanitie and vexation of spirit The best of Gods Saints haue found nothing here that this life and world hath brought forth but matter of sorrow What day is it that passeth ouer our heads but wee might easily perceiue it if we were not besotted marked with Gods wrath bringing with it some judgement and Memorandum or other of Gods anger for sin There is not a day nor houre that passeth ouer our heads but that wee might if wee looked about us and considered the judgements that some way or other cleaue to vs See that it is in some respect or other passed away in wrath The use of this serues 1. To reproue those that haue no sence and fecling thereof but so passe away their time and dayes whilst they haue them as though they were vnder no wrath and judgement at all But all were well and sure betweene God and them That glory in their daies past how merrily they haue liued and how many comforts they haue had such as never felt any wrath of God past nor feare any to come but say ordinarily in their madd moods Away with sorrow let the world slide c. 2. It should teach vs to labour euery day that passeth to marke and obserue wherein God hath manifested unto us his wrath for sinne For there is no day but bringeth terrible remembrance thereof not in others onely but in our selues So that if we consider the Revolution of times wee shall be able to say that there is not a day nor an houre passed over our heads but it is mark'd with the wrath of God by some judgement or other for sinne yea and the very passing of it away it vseth to goe in such a manner is in wrath 3. The more our dayes that are gone are passed in wrath the more in those that are to come wee should labour to appease and pacifie that wrath and seeke after the meanes of our attonment with God It s a desperate madnesse when wee shall perceiue that God for the time past hath shewed himselfe angry with vs to haue no care for the time to come to prevent further indignation 4. This should make the children of God that haue any grounded hope for life to come to lessen their stay on and delight in this life and delight in their hope and meanes of that life wherin never a day shall passe away in wrath but all in loue fauour and glory and wherein the dayes of our life shall not be a returning to death but a going on from life to life and ioy to ioy when we shall liue to liue and the longer wee shall liue the longer we shall haue to liue and that in all happinesse and glory which daies and times shall never wast Whilst we liue here if we had hearts to consider of things as they are there is never a day goes over our head but yeeldeth matter of sighing and groaning vnder some act or other of Gods wrath doe wee the best wee can Yea let a man haue the greatest causes of comfort both for this world and the world to come that the world can afford or that any man euer had yet when he shall sum vp his accounts he shall find the dayes hee liues here are but dayes of euill and he shall see more cause of sorrow and mourning then of joy Let this therefore win vs from this life and the dayes thereof And let the bitter of Gods wrath here make vs the more seeke after the daies of eternitie wherein there shall be no sence thereof in the least crosse or affliction Wee spend our yeares as a tale that is told THe Prophet here further amplifieth the aforesayd effect of Gods wrath shewing in what manner our dayes passe away even as a tale that is told a meditation or thought that is conceived and gone A tale is quickly told a word is soone spoken and a thought or meditation is soone conceiued
persons would thinke how mortall they and their children are how short a time they haue to liue here how they are carryed away as it were with a flood they and their children and all else these matters would neuer so much run in their heads neither would they vexe and trouble themselues and others so much about them as they do But now we dreame of immortalitie in this life and put from vs as much as we can the houre of our death So liuing and desiring to liue here as if we should liue euer here or there were no liuing els where Were not they starke mad that seeing their children carried away with a flood strugling and breathing in the waters for life and readie to be drown'd and no hope of pulling them out would be carking and caring and vexing themselues how they should prouide for them Nay let Christians seeing their liues are so short here comfort themselues in their wants and their childrens and labour so that small time they haue to liue that after this short and transitorie life they and their children may liue eternally in Heauen They are as a sleepe THE second Comparison followeth wherein the Prophet compares the life of man all the pleasures and sorrowes accompanying the same to a sleepe Alas what sooner passeth away What is easier broken off then sleepe how short also are the pleasures and sorrowes that are in sleepe Surely the whole state and condition of a man in this life is but like the state and condition of a man in sleepe all things fall out so like in either Our life may be compared to sleepe in foure respects 1. In regard of the shortnesse of it 2. In regard of the easinesse of being put out of it 3. In regard of the many meanes to disquiet and breake it off 4. In regard of the many errors in it For the first three sleepe is but short and the sweeter it is the shorter it seemes to be And as it is but short of it selfe though it should last the full swinge of nature So the soundest sleepe is easily broken the least knock the lowest call puts men out of it and a number of meanes and occasions there be to interrupt and breake it off And is not it so with the life of man Is not the longest life short Is it not the shorter the sweeter and fuller of contents it is And is it not easily taken away Are there not many meanes to bring vs vnto our ends Euen as many as there are to waken vs out of sleepe For the fourth how many errors are we subiect to in sleepe In sleepe the Prisoner many times dreames that he is at libertie he that is at libertie that he is in Prison he that is hungry that he is feeding daintily He that is in want that he is in great aboundance He that abounds that he is in great want How many in their sleepe haue thought they haue gotten that which they shall be better for for euer and when they are even in the hope of present possessing some such goodly matter or beginning to enioy it or in the midst of their ioy they are suddainly awaked and then all is gone with them and their golden fancies vanish away in an instant So for euill and sorrow as well And is it not just so in the life of Man Whose life passeth sooner away or swifter then theirs that haue most comforts and sweetest Whose life is longer then theirs in seeming that liue least at ease Who are ordinarily more bound more in trouble haue greater vexation and disquiet then those that haue most libertie and aboundance Who are freer and more at libertie and want least then they that haue least How ordinarie a thing is it for men in the most aboundance to bee least satisfied And in the poorest cottage to find the greatest content And how suddenly are men even as if they had beene in a dreame cut off from all their hopes all their delights and pleasures that in this world they enjoyed The use hereof then is 1. To teach vs to account of the things that meerely concerne this life the profits the pleasures the honors of it but as of dreames such as are transitorie and passe away as a sleepe that we can haue no certaintie or assurement of but such as we may be depriued of even as easily as we may be broken of our sleepe 2. To watch and take heed how we looke to place any setled comfort in this life or the things of this life For we shall find as many errours in it and the things thereof as we doe in sleepe Men may fancie this and that but the issue will be nothing no more then of him who going to bed hungry dreames he eates c. 3. This should teach Christians not to enuie and malice the comforts honors and prosperity of wicked men for they are but as dreames thou hast much cause hast thou not to enuie a poore man that he should fare daintily in a dreame 4. It should make vs thinke the lesse of the sorrowes and miseries of this life that either our selues or others endure Our selues here are but as a sleepe The sorrowes that we endure here especially for righteousnesse are but as a dreame Our sleepe will soone end and our sorrowes will end with them and wee shall see that we were but deluded herein 5. Neuer to thinke that we doe the actions of Men that are truely waking but when we doe the actions that concerne the life to come where we shall euer watch and need no sleepe where wee shall euer reioyce and neuer be deluded In the morning they are like grasse that groweth VERS 6. In the morning it flourisheth and groweth vp in the euening it is cut downe and withereth THE third Comparison followeth wherein the life of Man is compared to grasse That as it is with grasse A man shall see it flourishing in the morning and the same day cut downe and withered So is man This day flourishing and lustie and to morrow laid in the dust Nay as it were in the morning well and before night hee and all his strength and glory vanished and gone 1. The consideration of this should teach men in the midst of all their glory and state in this life to thinke what a fading thing it is how soone it is cut downe and withered And therfore we should take heed how we set our hearts vpon these transitorie things for as Medowes when they are most pleasant and fullest of varietie of flowers they are then sodainly cut downe and all the beautie of them vanished So it shall be with all things that in this world wee delight in whether life or honor and riches though a man flourish neuer so much in them yet as it were the same day they shall be taken from him and he from them and then their hearts will be as gone with them that had their hearts before set on
them out Especially when the Lord by any speciall judgment shall come neerest vnto vs As the Lord hath lately to this family If we hereupon doe not make a speciall inquisition after our sinnes and so by Repentance make our peace with God wee haue cause even euery one of vs to feare a greater stroke though this hath made many of our hearts to ake 3. They are not onely our greater sinnes that haue prouoked God but all our sinnes great and small not our publicke onely and knowne sins but our speciall and hidden ones euery one of them hath his part herein And if wee will not haue this wrath of God to pursue vs eternally we must learne hence not onely to hate and forsake our greater sinnes and to repent of those that are great and notorious but even of our smaller sins of our lighter vanities also Yea herein we should not content our selues with leauing those sinnes which other and our selues knowe to bee sinnes but we should seeke after our secret and hidden sins whither there be not some sinnes in vs that we nourish in our selues and know not to be sins And to this end we should diligently search into the Law of God and not be at rest till wee haue taken notice of them and giue no leaue of continuance to any the least sinne but hate and forsake all 4. That all our sins are present before GOD. Our great our small our knowne our secret sins they are all in his presence they are before his eyes he knowes them he sees and beholds them This should make vs the more afraid ashamed to sinne because there is no sinne how secret soever but we doe it in the face of God he looking on A seruant that hath any grace or loue in him whatsoeuer he may do behind his masters backe yet he will not doe that before his Masters face which may prouoke and displease him many things he doth priuately that if he thought they would come to his Masters knowledge he would not doe them But there is no sinne ever so secret though committed in our Closet yea though in our owne breasts onely but he knows it and sees it and beholds the committing of it Further this noteth the hay nousnesse of all sin For those trespasses that are committed before the face of a Gouernour are accounted contempts So is euery sinne committed it is committed in the eare and eye of God and is therefore the more grieuous and odious 5. God needs no other light to discerne our sinnes by but the light of his owne face It peirceth through the darkest places the brightnesse thereof enlightneth all things discouers all things So that the sins that are committed in deepest darknes are all one to him as if they were done in the face of the Sunne For they are done in his face that shines more and from which proceeds more light then from the face of the Sunne So that this it ought to make vs the more feareful to offend Hee sees vs when we see not him and the light of his countenance shines about vs when we thinke our selues hidden in darkenesse 6. They are not onely then in his sight when they are a committing and whilst the deed is doing but euer after when the act is past and gone and forgotten yet then is it before the face of God even as if it were in committing And how should this make vs afraid to sinne When our sinnes are not onely in his sight while they are a committing but so continue still for euer after they are past and done 7. Gods sets our sins before him this shewes he is so affected with them hee takes them so to heart that he doth in a speciall manner continue the remembrance of them As those that hauing had great wrong will store it vp or register it or keepe some remembrance of it or other least they should forget when time shall serue to bee quit with those that haue wronged them so doth God and his so-doing is a signe that he takes our sins deeply to heart which should teach vs to feare the more how we offend him When God in any judgement of death or sicknesse or losse of friends shewes his wrath wee should thinke and meditate of this especially when he comes neerest vs Now the Lord lookes vpon my sinnes they are now before him and wee should neuer rest till wee had by repentance moued him to blot them out Yea to this end we should our selues call them to remembrance For the more we remember them the more God forgets them the more wee forget them the more God remembers them the more we looke vpon our selues the more he turneth his eyes from them And this also we are to manifest and acknowledge as here Moses doth vnto God himselfe by Prayer VERS 9. For all our dayes goe backe againe in thy wrath HItherto of the cause of that wrath of GOD which moueth him to smite the world with such mortalitie Now here he further sets forth the same by the effects and degrees thereof in respect of that present Argument he hath in hand 1. That our dayes doe as it were goe backward in his wrath That whereas God gaue vs being to liue our life and our being is nothing els but a going backward as it were to death and to nothing Euen as if a stranger being suddainly rapt and carryed the mid way to his home where are all his comforts he should spend all the time that is behind not in going forward to his home but in going backward to the place from which he was suddenly brought All the sonnes of Adam as soone as they haue being and liue are brought suddenly a great part of their way And whereas they should goe forward and liue longer and longer they from their first beginning to liue goe backward againe to death and to nothing This is the summe in effect with that which the Lord sayth in the beginning of the Psalme Thou bringesi man to destruction saying Returne againe ye sons of Adam As if he should say Thou makest a man and when he is made hee in thy wrath doth hast to nothing else but destruction and to bee marred againe Thus doe our dayes as it were goe backward and wee in them returne from whence we came Our lesson then hence is this That our life in this life is nothing els but a returning backe againe vnto death Euery man whilst he is here walkes to the house of his graue and though he bee a little longer in going backe vnto the earth then he was comming from it yet he doth nothing while he is here but goe backe to it Yea our dayes passe away in such a manner as if a man being a childe should suddainly bee made a man and after that should presently goe backe againe and bee a child So that though we haue here some time of growth and strength yet the more wee grow in
So are the yeares of a man especially if we compare them with things aboue and with the daies and yeares that we are to liue in heauen So that let a man looke backe to the time passed and wisely judge of it and set to it the uttermost of the time to come and all will appeare to passe away from vs either as the time wherein a tale is told or those things passe away that are told in a tale which is very quickly and speedily 1. This shewes the vanitie of them that make such a-doe for states and titles and tenures for this life Oh they thinke it a goodly matter if they haue and hold a thing for so many liues and for theirs and their childrens liues And yet alas it is if it be compared with the life of Heauen but as if it were a tenure for the space of a tale telling or a word spoken And what madnesse then is it that most men shew to hazzard the one to get the other that they care not almost how they breake the Lawes of God and Man for it Surely the little faith and hope or none that we haue of the life to come makes persons so dote and mad vpon the titles and tenures of this life which are of the same nature that our dayes and yeares are they passe away all alike 2. It shewes also the vanitie of such who as though their dayes and yeares would never come vnto an end spend day after day and yeare after yeare in that they call pas-time whereas time passeth away of it selfe swift enough and that in Gods wrath It were more agreeable to reason if it could bee to use meanes to hold and continue time rather then to passe it away 3. Let this teach vs whilst we haue it to make the best use wee can of it When our yeares are gone we cannot reuoke them How soone they are gone the holy Ghost here teacheth and wee may feele by our owne experience Therefore whilst we liue here let vs not so much trouble our thoughts about the meanes of this life as about devising how we may imploy our time and spend our life to best purpose 4. Though we are to count the shortnesse of our liues in regard of the misery thereof and in regard of the life which followes a blessing Yet in it selfe we should not so account of it but tho it be miserable and the longer it is the longer it keepes vs from a better yet the very shortnesse of this miserable life is to be considered as an effect of Gods wrath And therefore it is a blessing of God if wee know how to use it to liue long here though we should liue as miserable a life as any euer lived Neither should wee endevour or desire to doe any thing to shorten the same VERS 10. The dayes of our yeares are seuentie yeares and if by reason of strength they be eightie yeares yet is their strength then labour and sorrow for it is soone cut off and we fly away IN these words the Prophet proues that which he sayd before that wee spend our yeares as a tale that is told The yeares of them which ordinarily liue the uttermost of their dayes is but threescore and ten and if any liue till eightie through strength yet is their strength then labour and sorrow c. Now if the longest period of dayes that men ordinarily liue be so short a time and the longest time flyeth so fast then well might the Prophet say That our dayes passe away as a tale that is tould For those who by reason of their strength liue till eightie yeares either they are men that vnder-goe in this life many labours and trauels and then their very strength brings nothing vnto them but matter of labour and sorrow For the stronger a man hath beene and the greater labours and trauels he hath vndergone the more full of aches and paines is his old age wont to be Or they liue merrily and chearefully free from ordinary passions and grievances And then their life flyeth away and when they are brought to these yeares their daies are but daies of sorrow and that with them the rather because they cannot follow those delights then that formerly they haue done Howsoeuer it be there are none cōmonly whose dayes haue seemed to them to passe swifter away then those that lived the longest None are lesse weary of life nor more unwilling to die commonly then they The life therefore of such though full of never so much sorrow and trouble flyes away And such is the loue that ordinarily we beare to this life that though death come not till eightie yeares yet it seemes then to fly vnto us The Doctrine is plaine That our dayes are now but seventie yeares that is to say The time that ordinarily man doe not passe in this life is no more or if more their life after is but a Death and Death comes flying 1. This then should teach vs also to remember our Creator betimes in the dayes of our youth Alas not one of a hundred of us liue till sixtie or seuentie years or if we liue longer and haue spent that time in prophanenesse except the Lord shew more then ordinary mercy wee shall bee no more fit then to honour our Creator then so many dead men The longest that wee can hope to liue and not be children againe is eightie yeares and then commonly we are as children againe mewed vp and our children are either Parents or Lords ouer vs vsing vs as innocents 2. It shewes the strange folly of so many of us as are come to the height and middle of our Age yea to be fistie and vpward yea to be sixtie c. Wee can talke of our dayes past and of things we did fortie yeares since as if they were done but yesterday and for the time to come though wee haue no reason to hope it should be as much as we haue spent and though wee may presume it will flie as fast away as that which is past in the whole though not in the parts yet we liue as though we had a 100 yeares yea a 1060 yeares to come Yea You shall haue many that are of 60. 70. yea 80. years that haue no more care to fit them to death but put the houre thereof as farre from them as if they were in their freshest youth If some liued a 100. some 500. some a 1000. some 10000. yeares amongst vs as now they liue some 5. some 10. some 40. some 60. some 70. c. there might bee some colour for this folly but seeing one of 500. liues not til 60. one of 5000. til 80. one of 100000. till a hundred None till 200. what madnesse it is then especially in those that haue passed the greatest time they can expect to haue no care of the houre of death and of the account they shall then make when their whole time is but short as a tale that
is told As you shall haue old men in a tale of lesse then an houre long runne over all their life VERS 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger Euen according to thy feare so is thy wrath THE Prophet in this 11. verse concludes his Complaint and in the same complaineth of the dulnesse of Mankinde that whereas GOD shews such signes of his wrath they haue no sence or vnderstanding of the power thereof The second part of this verse is somewhat doubtfull word for word in the Hebrue it is thus And according to thy feare thy wrath Our Translatours as you heare translate it otherwise and therin follow learned men that went before them And the words if necessitie require it will beare such a construction and teach a profitable truth to wit That howsoeuer the wicked do not know the 〈◊〉 of Gods wrath Yet those that feare God know and vnderstand the same But I had rather here take the words more simply and read them thus Who knoweth the 〈◊〉 of thine anger and of thy wrath according to thy feare That is to say How rare a thing is it to finde a man that hath any true sense and vnderstanding of this thy mightie wrath or that makes any religious use thereof The first Doctrine we hence obserue is That Christians ought to marke and obserue the power and force of Gods wrath in all those particulars wherein hee sheweth it It is not enough for vs to know that God is a mercifull God and louing and gracious but we must know also that hee is an angry and a wrathfull God yea that he is exceedingly angry when he is prouoked the vnto And therefore we must not onely consider and vnderstand the signes tokens and effects of his loue and kindnesse in the world but the signes of his wrath also For in both he manifests himselfe and from both he lookes to reape glory and he is no lesse powerfull in the one then in the other And in our liues and conversations there is as much use of the one as of the other Yea a man shall never be able to discerne or make any good and true use of Gods loue That doth not first regard marke and labour to vnderstand his wrath The second Doctrine is That it is not enough to know that God is angry but that his anger is powerfull hee is mightie in his wrath Vanae sine viribus irae That anger that is without strength is nothing and therefore to bee feared and trembled at Many of vs can talke of and obserue the wrath of God in this or that particular but we use to make a matter of nothing of it we are not ordinarily affected with it so much as with the anger of any man that hath but the least power to hurt vs. But the lesse we marke and know it here the more we shall know and feele it hereafter The third Doctrine That the greatnesse and force of Gods wrath shines and shewes it selfe in the mortalitie of mankinde aforesayd So that if there were no other Argument to shew that God is angry and that his anger is exceeding powerfull The generall mortalitie of mankinde is sufficient to shew the same Who can deny that hee was angry when hee drown'd the whole world when he destroyed the first borne in Egypt when hee over-whelmed the hoste of the Egyptians in the red Sea when hee destroyed all his owne people in the Wildernesse that came out of Egypt Verily if we could well consider of the matter It can bee no lesse signe of Gods wrath that at some time or other after after some manner or other euery man in the world must die And that so many Ages before vs are dead The fourth Doctrine That it is a rare thing for any man to conceiue aright or to vnderstand that God is angry or that there is any such feare in his anger Many so liue and follow such courses as if they were perswaded that God could not be angry or that if hee were angry it were as easie a matter to please him as a childe Hence when they haue over-shot themselues in any sinne if they say God forgiue me or I cry God mercie they thinke all is well and they shall never heare more of the matter When men trespasse against a man if they thinke they haue hindred themselues by it how carefull how diligent are they to pacifie his anger and to seeke to regaine his fauour and good will againe Whereas the neglect hereof to God-ward when they haue offended him sheweth euidently that they little regard his anger or esteeme it not preiudiciall at all to them The fift Doctrine That it is not enough to know the force of Gods wrath but we must make a right use thereof Wee must thereby bee stirred vp to feare the Lord and to tremble before his Maiestie and take heed how any thing may either incense or continue his anger And we should take heede also how his anger prouokes vs to anger or to any sinne whatsoeuer that may further prouoke him VERS 12. So teach vs to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts vnto wisedome HItherto of the Prophets Complaint of the mortalitie of Mankinde Now vnto this Complaint hee annexeth certaine petitions wherein he craueth of God such gifts and graces as are most needfull for men in respect of their mortalitie aforesayd In which Petitions the Prophet prayeth 1. For divine Instruction 2. For divine Consolation His Petition for divine Instruction is contained in this twelfth verse and there are foure thinges therein expressed 1. The gift desired 2. The persons for whom it is desired 3. The meanes whereby the gift desired may be obtained 4. The end for which it is desired 1. The gift and grace desired is that we might so number our dayes c. Now to number our dayes is rightly to judge and discerne of that time that we haue to liue in this world This numbring of our dayes consisteth in these particulars 1. In a due consideration of the uttermost time that we can hope to liue here which is but till we be 70. or 80. yeares of Age. Not one of fiue thousand liues longer or if he liue some few dayes or yeares longer his life is vnto him but as death the world growes weary of him and hee of the world So that we so liue here as men that make account to liue no longer 2. In comparing the smallnesse of this number with that number of dayes that wee shall liue in another world Alas what is eightie yeares to eternitie When we shall lie a thousand thousand yeares and bee as farre from death as the first day we began to liue 3. In considering how much of our time is alreadie past that cannot be revoked and that wee must deduct and draw out of that number of 70. or 80. some of vs haue spent of the maine summe 10. 20. 30. 40. yeares and so the one and