mould a piece of red clay that hath in it for a time a living soul which must return to God that gave it and the body this piece of earth return to the earth from whence it came And if we had no Scripture at all to prove this daily experience before our eyes makes it clear how all men even the wisest the strongest the greatest and the mightiest Monarchs and Princes in the world be but miserable men made of red earth and quickly turn again to dust In his first Creation Gen. 27. God made man of the dust of the earth And this is it the Lord pronounced of all mankinde Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return This Job knew well and therefore said I shall say to corruption thou art my Father and to the worm thou art my Mother And to this agreeth that of the Psalmist Psal 49.19 Man shall enter into the generation of his fathers and they shall not live for ever Psal 89. And What man liveth and shall not see death And Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave And How dyeth the wise man as the fool Eccles 2.16 q.d. They are both made of one matter and are both subject to death alike Deut. 34. And Moses the servant of the Lord died in the land of Moab according to the Word of the Lord. It was not Moses greatnesse nor Moses goodnesse that could free him from the stroke of death For the Reasons see the second Doctrine of this Verse The Uses follow Seeing this is the estate of all the sons of Adam subject to misery Use 1 diseases sicknesses breakings and crushings whereby our bodies are not only deformed our beauty and strength abated and blasted but at last even brought to the dust What madnesse and folly then is it to make such account of this poor earthly Tabernacle as though it should last for ever which at the best is but an earthly Pitcher which though it go often to the water yet at last comes broken home a House made up of mud-walls which daily threatens ruine This shewes the fondnesse the vanity and folly that is in men and women that bestow so much time in painting in decking and trimming this poor carcase of clay that we know not how soon will to the dust Let such proud Peacocks and painted Tombs know they are at the best but a piece of red clay subject dayly to breaking and crushing An howers ficknesse will shake the Walls of thy House turn thy beauty into deformity and thy strength into weaknesse But rather let us deck our inward man with the graces of the Spirit because that beauty will last for ever that beauty cannot fade with years or sicknesse or miseries in the world but will endure for ever in life and death Secondly Use 2 seeing these bodies of ours are but a plece of living clay a little piece of red earth and we do not know how soon this brittle frail bodie of ours shall return to the earth again This may teach us to make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it for who will bestow much cost upon that he shall enjoy but a short time Will a Tenant for a yeer build and plant and lay out much cost and be it much pains upon that he must so suddenly part withall No he will provide for a more certain term Where are our hearts Christians and where are our thoughts that we mind no more our short stay here in this world and provide no better for an everlasting habitation We cannot assure our selves to continue here a year but are at an hours warning nay it may be not so much Whensoever it pleaseth the King to bid them stay that run at Tilt either in the entrance or at the middle of the race then he must come again Even so it is with us we have a short race to run here and when the Lord shall say Return thou son of Adam we must yield and away we must And therefore seeing that we are at this passe it stands us in hand to be prepared and to be in a continuall readinesse lest death take us tardy and so as death leaves us so shall the last judgment finde us If a man be charged to be ready for any service upon pain of death at an houres warning he will be sure not to be out of the way but alwaies in treadinesse Well let us know we are at lesse than an houres warning for whensoever the Lord shall but say Return away we must whether prepared or not prepared death will not stay O that men were wise Deut. 32.29 then would they remember their latter end that when the Lord comes whether at midnight or at the Cock-crowing or in the dawning of the day he may finde us so doing Ver. 4. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past as a Watch in the Night IN this Verse Moses proceeds to a farther description of the frailty of mans life And whereas our corrupt nature is such that we are ready to think we shall never die or not yet or not for many years though we see daily before our eyes such as are young and strong go before us yet cannot men easily be perswaded that their life is so short as indeed it is Now Moses comes to shew that even the longest life any man lives or yeares that he can attain unto is but a short life and very uncertain He supposeth thus Suppose that a man should attain to live a Thousand years which no man ever did as yet attain unto no the longest life that we read of in the Word is but nine hundred sixtie nine years that Methusalah lived But suppose saith he Gen. 5.27 that a man might live a thousand yeeres alas what is the space of a thousand yeers if we compare it to the eternity of God it is but as a day when it is past Now by this proportion let us mark how short the life of man is A thousand yeeres is but as a day then what is the ordinary life of man which is but sixty yeeres or eighty years surely it is not an houre a poor time to brag of as many do And in the end of this Verse as though Moses had said too much and pointed our the life of man too long he seemes to correct himselfe q. d. What said I that the life of man is as yesterday when it is past Nay I say It is but as a watch in the night Now a Watch was but the space of three houres Luk. 12.38 the night being divided into four Watches every Watch had three houres but a short time And thus Moses to beat down the pride of our hearts and those over-weaning thoughts of long life leads us to God the number of whose years saith Job cannot be known Job 36.26 That when we consider that eternity tâ—aâ—
suddenly have been brought to ruine and tumbled down How merry were the Sons and Daughters of Job Iob 1.18 feasting together in their elder Brothers house which in a moment were slain and not one escaped It is wonderfull to think how exceedingly men cark and care for the world and seek to joyne house to house and land to land and never think they have enough O did these men but consider that mans life is short that we have but our being here as a Guest in his Inn for a night and in the morning must away again then would we not have our hearts so taken up for this short frail and brittle life and be so carelesse for Eternity As lastly since our life is so short Use 2 but for a day as yesterday that is past this should perswade us to a constant preparation for death for men shall hardly die well that be not prepared for death before death come It was the great commendation of Joseph of Arimathea Joh. 19.42 that was so mindfull of his end that he had his Tomb ready in his Garden And why in his Garden but that in the midst of all his pleasure and delight he might be put in mind of his end And the people when they ate the Passeover Exod. 12.11 they must have their loyns girt their shooes on their feet c. and why so but that they should be in a continuall readinesse when God should call them to passe out of Aegypt to go into the land of Canaan And this spirituall use ought every man to make thereof alwaies to be in a readinesse for our passage into our Celestiall Canaan Ver. 5 6. Thou carriest them away as with a flood they are as sleep in the morning they are as grasse which groweth up in the evening it is cut down and withereth IN this Verse likewise Moses proceeds to set out before our eyes the frailty of mans life And this he doth by sundry borrowed speeches and similitudes 1. He saith the Lord comes by death as it were by a mighty Flood that sweeps away all before it 2. As a Dream that is quickly gone and forgotten 3. He compares mans life to the Grasse and shewes that as the Grasse hath a time of growing so hath it a time of withering So man when he is young and lusty it is the best time of grouth yet it must have a time of withering when age comes and God cuts them down by the sith of death Thou carriest them away as with a flood Text. HEre Moses first of all sheweth that the Lord comes many times by death as a Flood or as the Sea when it breaks through the banks And herein will teach us two things 1. That death is inevitable there is no resisting of it no more then a man can stop the course of the Sea 2. That death many times comes suddainly as the breakings in of the Sea when men are not ware or think least of it Thou carriest them away as with a flood NO we hence That death Doct. 1 is 〈…〉 Death is 〈◊〉 the Sea there is no withstanding of it or stopping the course of it so there is no weapon can defend a man from the stroak of death And this Flood sooner or latter overflowes all men without exception as Noah's flood overflowed the whole earth It is appointed for all men once to die Heb. 9.27 daily experience makes it clear the mighty Captains and noble Warriours yea those famous Kings and greatest Monarchs that have been in the world even those that lived longest as Methuselah that lived nine hundred sixty nine yeeres Gen. 5.27 yet at last were overflowed with this Flood of death This is the way of all flesh all the sons of Adam must tack about and winde and come into this Haven the Port of death Let men use all the skill they can take the best Physick they can get use the sparest dyet and surest waies and means of preserving health and lengthning out their life and daies Death at last overflowes them all How violently doth Death as a Flood break in upon us sometimes by violent Fevers which many times cause distractions and frenzies sometimes by the Stranguary sometimes by one violent disease and sometimes by another that like a violent Flood breaks in upon us that overflowes Nature and sweeps us away As it is with the fruits of the earth so it is with men some of a harder kinde will tarry till winter Others fall sooner some stay till the frost of olde age nip them David and Ichosophat died full of daies And some againe Death nips them as it were in the blossome as Davids Child borne of her that was the wife of Vriah yet at last Death sweeps all away And the Reason seemes to be laid downe in that confession of the lamenting Church Reas Lam. 3.43 44. we have sinned and thou hast not spared thou hast Covered us with thy wrath thou hast slaine and not spared The Church acknowledgeth there that it was by reason of their sins that Gods hand was thus upon them And Death the Apostle makes the wages and stipend of sin Ro. 6.23 The wages of sin is Death And the Appostle reproving the Corinthians for divers abuses crept in about the Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.30 Ps 38.3 saith for this cause some are sick and some ar◠weake amongst you and some are taken away by Death Seeing Death comes many times thus like a violent flood Use 1 and breaks in up on men and women somtimes by one violent disease and somtimes by another we are taught hence to take heed how we censure any when the hand of God lies upon them in this kinde It is a dangerous thing to judge of men by the effects of some violent disease there are many diseases that cause distraction as some Fevers convulsions c. bereaves men for a time of the use of reason and put them into strange behaviour which may be the condition of the best and as Solomon saith All thinges happen alike to all Eccles 9.1 2. And No man knoweth love or hatred of all that is before them There is no judging then of mens estate by these things Death comes many times violently and sweeps us away as with a Flood Seeing that Death many times like a violent Flood breakes in upon us Use 2 violently unresistably what cause then have any to be proud of any outward excellency of body or mind that is subiect dayly to such a change as Riches Beautie Strength honour Authority c. Especially if we doe but consider that the foundation of that Excellency is but dust a fraile body subiect dayly to mutabilitie change that we have no assurance to jnioy no not an howers space How suddainly may this Flood break in upon us and what becoms of them then Doth not Experience teach us how few there are that passe through this pilgrimage of theirs but
if by reason of strength they be fourscore years yet is their strength but labour and sorrow for it is soon cut off and we fly away MOSES having before shewed how unlike their life was to other Nations and People 1. In that they were continually wasted with judgments For we are consumed in thy wrath 2. In that they were so speedily swept away Now he comes to set down the bounds and limits of mans life and shuts it up within the compasse of threescore and ten years or at the most fourscore years and this time is not all replenished with joy and pleasures but even the best part is spent in labour and sorrow In this Verse Moses sets down two things touching the brevitie and shortnesse of mans life in generall 1. That the ordinary term of mans life according to the common course of nature is seventy years this is the ordinary stint few do passe this not one of a hundred and where one doth a hundred do not But if men be of such exceeding strength of nature and constitution of body that they spin out the thred of their daies to eightie years that is a great age indeed and not one of a thousand reach unto 2. Lest men should think too well of this life and be in love with it he shewes that even the best and most flourishing time of mans life is but a bitter sweet full of cares griefs sorrowes and cutting labours which makes it more like a continuall death then a happy life And that which doth increase their misery is this that their flourishing estate doth last but for a while For it is soon cut off and we fly away The daies of our years are threescore c. Text. WHen Moses saith that the daies of our years are threescore years and ten he doth not affirm all men to live so long or none to live longer but that the ordinary stint and terme of mans life is seventie years which men do not usually passe for the best and strongest bodies he affirms do not passe eightie years and where one doth a thousand do not Seeing that within this compasse is the longest bounds of mens lives Moses would here shew us again the shortnesse of our time in this world That mans life is short Doct. 1 What is seventie years when they are past Mans life is short they seem to us to be soon gone and but a few daies and therefore Moses saith The daies of our years and Jacob though he lived long yet acknowledged that his time was but short and that his daies were but few and evill Gen. 47.9 The daies of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years few and evill have the daies of the years of my life been and I have not at tained to the daies of the years of the life of my Fathers in the daies of their pilgrimage Now if Jacob could say that his daies were few and evill that lived sixscore and ten years what are our daies that scarce live halfe so long Our life is short if we do but consider what our childhood is and how much of this time was spent in that state of life which cannot truly be termed life indeed for howsoever in childhood and youth we had wit and discretion to discern good and evill yet there wanted that reason and understanding to choose the good and refuse the evill so that part of our life was past without any fruit before we could truly be said to live for so long as we know not God nor wherefore he created us and are ignorant of the end wherefore we were sent here into the world we cannot properly be said truly to live When we come to riper years and come to our selves as Solemon saith He that encreaseth knowledge encreaseth griefe Then do the cares of the world and the thoughts of providing for Wife and children take up our thoughts and time that we martyr our selves and our life is full of misery Let men come to the age of fiftie years doth not death then by their gray haires summon them daily though neither sicknesses nor diseases do assail us yet we may then perceive that nature decayes and we draw apace towards our long home But suppose as Moses saith that we draw upon eightie years are not our lives then a burthen unto us whilst we wrestle daily with aches pains griefs and a world of infirmities that old age is subject unto all which render our lives a burthen to our selves and no lesse are we burthensome to others How frail then and how miserable is the life of man And indeed that time cannot truly be said to be long that at last shall have an end So that all things considered there is more detracted from mans life then added to it Infancy is swallowed up with childhood childhood with youth youth with riper years and both infancy childhood youth and riper years are all swallowed up of old age and old age with death So that our continuance here cannot truly be called Life but a continuall passage from the womb to the grave Besides if we consider the halfe of this time of seventie years is spent in sleep which it a kinde of death and is halfe our time And out of the other halfe if we would subduct our childhood time spent in sicknesse of body trouble of minde so much time spent in doing nothing so much time in doing little we shall finde at last that our daies and time on earth may easily be measured by the short Ell of a few daies as Jacob said to Pharaoh Few and evill have the daies of my pilgrimage been Now then Vse 1 if it were thus in Moses daies that ordinarily men lived not above seventie years this confutes that common opinion that is in the world that as the world growes older so mens lives grow shorter and that the earth it selfe growes weaker and weaker and carries lesse burthen Was not this in Moses time that men lived ordinarily not above seventie years And therefore we are not to lay the shortnesse of mans life upon the Lord or the age of the world but upon our selves and our sins that our lives are shortned unto us Let us not then lay the blame upon God when it is in us for if our daies be cut off shorter and we live not so long if we decay in strength and our lives are shortned our own intemperancy in surfeiting and drunkennesse and other disorders in our lives many times shorten our daies which otherwise we might attain unto Seeing mans life is so short Use 2 though he reach to seventie or eightie years how should this move us all to esteem lesse of this life that is so frail and short and transitory and to seek for an everlasting rest and a Kingdome that shall not fade with those primitive Christians Heb. 11. That looked for a City the maker and builder whereof was God And if we can be content to study
will not perish This honour the Spirit of God giveth to Moses here Josu 1.2 Moses the man of God and else where The servant of the Lord. Heb. 3.2 Moses my servant And he is called A faithfull servant in Gods house Heb. 11.24 Yea Moses himselfe preferrs this service before the pleasures in Pharaohs Court This was it that David so much gloried in Behold Lord I am thy servant Jude 1. This was it that Paul gloried in Paul a servant of Jesus Christ and Jude a servant of Jesus Christ And of those Primitive Fathers it is said Through faith they all received a good report Heb. 11. Thus Noahs commendation rests upon record That he was a Preacher of Righteousnesse and Lot is called a just man And thus good King Asa hath left a name behind him That his heart was upright with the Lord all his dayes 1 Reg. 15.14 Num. 25.8 And thus Phineas zeale in executing judgement upon Zimri and Cosbi remaines as a pretious oyntment to his name Yea this is in a speciall manner to be marked and observed That in what vertue or grace soever his servants have most of all honoured and glorified God withall in life for the same God vouchsafeth unto them titles of honour after death As we may see in those godly Kings of Judah and Israel that were zealous for the glory of God in plucking downe the high places and suppressing Idolaty and advanced Gods pure worship these have left behind them an honorable memory a name that shall not be forgotten or blotted out Whereas others that matched with the daughters of a strange God which drew them to Idolatry and were remisse and negligent in advancing of Religion and seâ— up and countenanced Idolatry the Lord hath left a brand upon their names that shall not bee wiped out As Jeroboam which mingled his owne devises with the worship of God he hath this brand set upon him to the perpetuall infamy of his name 〈◊〉 10. Jereboam the Son of Nebat that made Israel to sin So true is that of Solomon The memory of the Righteous is blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot And the reasons â—e That herein and hereby Reas 1 the world may see what an honorable esteeme God hath of his Servants Now what esteeme God hath of them may appeare by those honorable titles God vouchsafeth into them They are called sonnes 〈◊〉 hold what love the Father hath â—â—stowed upon us 1 Ioh. 3.1 that wee should be â—â—lled the sonnes of God They are called Friends Mat. 12.50 you I have called friends Brethren and Sisters c. Heires of God Rom. 8.17 Temples of the Holy Ghost Gods peculiar people Vessells of mercies Children of the marriage chamber c. And thus the Lord dignifies his servants with honorable titles to shew the high esteeme that hee hath of such though in the eyes of the world they are esteemed but the of scouring of the earth who only see the vessell but not the treasure in it Yet God honoreth them according to the graces given and his owne Image restored in them Secondly because grace and glory Reas 2 are inseparable companions 1 Sam. 2.30 I will honour them that honour me saith the Lord then those that dishonour him he will dishonour As the sinnes of wicked men testifie to their faces what they are so their names to posterity shal publish their shame Pro. 10.7 The memory of the righteous shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot What got the foolish Virgins by their Hypocrisie holding forth the Lamps of an outward profession when they wanted the oyle of grace in their hearts and wanted truth in their inward parts Mat. 23 but a blot that shall never bee wiped out foolish virgins Whereas the godly wise that laboured for grace and to be in truth that they made profession of their names stand upon record to posterity for wise virgins Let us apply this This sheweth the vanity of the men Use 1 of the world that seeke to perpetuate unto themselves a name but begin not at this Gods service such do but build a Babel unto themselves Esay 65.15 ye shall leave your name a curse unto my chosen And if we had no example in the booke of God experience proves it that if this testimony of Moses follow them not when they are dead gone The man of God and the servant of the Lord they doe and will leave their names a curse to their houses and families We have seen the sumptuous funeralls of many great men in their Haralds and Hearses decked and adorned with the Scutchions Armes and other Ensignes of honour much good may they doe them we envie them not I doubt not but that it may stand with Religion that such as have beene truly honorable in life should have all due honour done to them in death But if they have not this testimony pinn'd upon their Hearse The man of God or the servant of the Lord their Armes and Scutchions and other Ensignes of honour shall moulder to dust when this shall remaine as an indeleble testimony to their names houses and posterities that shall not perish with time Moses the man of God Secondly Use 2 seeing it is such a comfort in life and such a high honour in death to be a man of God wee are taught hence how to get a good name a name that shall not rot namely that we lay the foundation of it in Religion and in the service of God Godlinesse saith the Apostle hath the promise of this life and the life to come 1 Sam. 2.30 And he that honoreth me I will honour How preposterous then are the waies and courses of the greatest part of the men of the world Every man for the most part desires a good name and divers men have propounded divers waies to themselves to get themselves a name Some run to Court some to the Campe some to Schoole Absaelom will have his pillar and some have not stuck to lay the foundation of their names and houses in blood Alas what of all these when men begin not at this in their waies and services of God what is become of Nabuchadnezers Babell Achitophells wisedome and deepe policy Herods applause Jezabels craft to make Ahabs house great Hamans high favour with his Prince and Senacheribs vaine gloryings hath not God left their names a curse to his chosen for ever Whereas Phineas his zeale Maries box of oyntment and the widdowes mites are kept in record never to bee forgotten A holy life a sincere conversation raiseth a good name and a good report upon such a sure foundation that cannot be shaken And this serveth for the just reproofe of the greatest sort of men at this day Vse 3 who ordinarily esteeme of men not as they goe before others in Religion in grace and godlinesse but as they goe before others in Riches
spell for God teacheth us two waies 1. By his Philosophy Lecture in the creature Rom. 1.20 The invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen 2. By his Divinity Lecture in the Word Ps 19.1 Now if the knowledge we have of God in the creature shall leave men without excuse how much more inexcusable are those that have the Word to instruct them Seeing this is so Use 2 that the Mountains Earth and World sometimes were not and that they were created by God so certainly they shall have an ending time they shall not last to eternity but the heavens and the earth shall at last vanish like a scroule and as the Apostle shewes shall perish by fire 2 Pet. 3.10 The day of the Lord shall come as a thief in the night in the which the Heavens shall passe away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up All our goodly houses and stately buildings the whole Earth and all the Creatures therein shall at last become but fewel to the fire And therefore why should we set our hearts upon the Creature seeing hee that made all can destroy all and bring the wealthiest of us all to nothing at his pleasure And this also meets with a vaine conceipt Use 3 that is this day in the world in the hearts of many that when they hear and are taught the wofull and miserable estate wherein they are by nature and are threatned with Eternall death Hell and Damnation if they die in such an estate presently say they hope not so for hee that made them will save them and not suffer them to perish They are his Creatures and the workmanship of his hands c. So art thou no nearer Heaven then thy Oxe or thy beast thou ridest upon for are not they the Creatures of God as well as thou If thou be not in Christ and so a new Creature thou art in a worse estate then they for when they die they vanish away and come to nothing But thou hast in thee an immortal soul that shall live to all eternity even whilst God himself liveth Creation is but a Common benefit extended to brute beasts as well as to man they have God to betheir Creator is wel as we we are never then to rest til we have Christ to be our Redeemer and the Holy Ghost to bee our sanctifier to partake of a new Creation or Regeneration As Christ saith to Nicodemus Ioh. 3. Except a man be born again he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Herein lies the happinesse of man above other Creatures in our title to Christ as our Redeemer otherwise of all creatures man is most miserable Hitherto of the first that God is the Creator of all things Secondly Doct. 4 that this God was from all Eternity long before God was from all eternity Before the Mountains were brought forth or ever thou hadst formed the Earth or the World even from Everlasting to everlasting thou art God Herein Moses proceeds to a farther proof of the Godhead and that is taken from his Antiquity and Eternity Before the Earth or the World waâ— made thou art God From whence we learn that in respect of time God was before all time even from Eternity and so is eternall Some things there are that have a beginning in time and have their periods and ending in time as brute beasts c. Some things have a beginning in time but have no time to end in as Angels and men Onely there is God that neither had a beginning in time nor shall end in time but is eternal Now that God is Eternal is cleare in this from ever lasting to everlasting thou art God Pro. 8.23 I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the Earth was It is spoken of God and of Christ Mich. 5.2 But thou Bethlem Ephrata though thou art little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel whose goings forth have been of old from everlasting As God had no being in time but is without the measure of time so Eternity is his essentiall property which shewes that God cannot end in time but as he was from Eternity so shall be ever one and the same God without shadow of change Ps 102.25.26 27. Of old thou hast laid the soundations of the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thy hands They shall all perish but thou shalt endure they shall all wax old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed But thou art the same and thy years shall not fail The Consideration of this Eternity of God should serve to humble us in our own eyes Use 1 and cause us to think meanly of our selves when wee come before him that is of this eternall being This made Abraham when he was to come unto God to confesse that he was but dust and ashes when he was to deal with him And the Saints of God have ever laid themselves low before him when they have come into his presence Secondly Use 2 the consideration of this eternity of God should help to wean us from the world and take off our hearts from these earthly things that are here below that as they had their being and beginning in time so in time shall have their period and ending They shall all perish Ps 102.27 and wax-old like a garment and they are reserved to the fire of the day of judgment 1 Pet. 3.10 when the earth and the works thereof shall be burnt up Thirdly seeing God is eternall Vse 3 the consideration hereof should minde us more of this eternity that we think more of eternity and provide more for eternity There is an eternity behinde us and that is our eternall Election For such he knew before Eph. 1.4 And there is an eternity before us and that is our eternall Glorification Now betwixt these two Eternities there is a short interjected time cast in which is our short life and being here in this world and our weal or woe for ever doth depend upon this short inch of time alotted unto us here Some are so spiritually wise to improve this time to make their Calling and Election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 and to work out their salvation with fear and trembling These passe from Eternity past their eternall Election to Eternity to come their eternall Glorification Othersome there are and that the greatest part of the world that spend their time in eating and drinking Note in chambering and wantonnesse that as they came into the world in a state of nature so they live and so they die And these passe from Eternity past which is Reprobation to Eternity to come and that is eternall Condemnation So that our happinesse for ever doth
hereof Vse 2 that God hath a speciall hand in all our sufferings and still ordereth and disposeth of the same Ro. 8.28 that they shall work for the best to them that love and fear him what a ground of patience may this be unto us under the crosse whensoever the Lord shall be pleased to humble us by any affliction whatsoever that with patience and meeknesse we submit thereunto I was dumb Ps 39.9 and opened not my mouth because it was thy doing saith David And Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 â— Sam. 15.26 It is the Lord let him do what seemeth good to him And Here I am let him do to me as seemeth good to him And this may serve for the just reproofe of those Vse 3 who in times of misery and distresse never look to the hand of God they look upon secondary causes and instruments but over-look God Such do seldome seek to God for delivery Job was of another mind he looks not so much upon the Caldeans and Sabeans that plundered him of his goods and cattle but he looks up unto God and acknowledgeth his hand in all So David when Shimei cursed him It may be the Lord bad him to curse me Vse 4 And last of all this lets us see that when the Lord hath been pleased to come in with any Nationall or personall deliverance where to returne thanks even to him that first smoâ—e us and who it is that hath healed us Thus the Church in all ages when the Lord was pleased to come in with any singular deliverance Exod. 15. 2 Chron. 20. Jud. 5. kept their solemn daies of praise and thanksgiving unto God Thou turnest man to destruction THat is at thy pleasure are our lives and being here we live at thy allowance and appointment when thou wilt thou turnest them to breaking and crushing even to dust Hence observe Doct. 2 That our life and being here is uncertain Our lives are in Gods hand it is in Gods hand and power we live at his appointment at his pleasure he can and doth turn man to destruction to breaking and crushing Thou hast bruised my bones Esay 38. saith Hezechiah Thou hast set me as a mark to shoot at saith Job Thy arrowes stick fast in me saith David If the Lord do but say Return ye sons of Adam we shall return again to the dust and away we must The voice of the Lord is a powerfull voice he did create all things by his voice and by his word and at the same voice and word of his he can turn all things to powder No man though never so great or mighty wise or politique can resist or withstand the commanding and powerfull voice of God but when death is sent and God gives his call they must return again to dust Death knocks with authority at the dore of the rich man and Palace of Princes as at the poor and all must obey and return to the dust from whence they came Moses this Man of God that was a man so familiar with his Maker a man so holy so meek so mercifull who was indeed a compound of vertues who had fed many thousands when they were ready to die with hunger who had refreshed many thousands when they were ready to perish with thirst yet must himselfe at last yeeld to the stroke of death and say to corruption thou art my Father and to the worm thou art my Mother Psal 89.48 What man is there living that shall not see death and shall deliver his soul from the pit One dyeth in his full strength saith Job whose breasts are full of milk Iob 21.23 and bones are full of marrow Another dyeth in the bitternesse of his soul they shall lie down alike in the dust and the wormes shall cover them We stand not at a stay but in the midst of life we are in death the very meat we put into our bellies and the cloaths we put upon our backs all declare unto us that dye we must and return again to the dust And the Reasons are First Reas 1 if we do but consider the matter whereof these bodies of ours are composed which is of the dust of the earth this shewes a necessity of their returning again to dust they are made of a frail brittle and corruptible matter and long they cannot stand Dust thou art Gen. 3.19 and into dust shalt thou return again And as the Prophet saith All flesh is grasse and the glory of man as the flower of grasse As the point of the Marriners needle doth never stand till it attain the North Pole Such an instinct there is in these bodies of ours they still bend themselves downward towards the earth from whence they came And as the nearer the Center the swifter the motion so is man towards his end every day winds off something of the threed of our life and return we must There is a necessity of our returning again to dust Reas 2 if we do but consider the nature of sin the wages whereof is death and indeed there can be no divorce sued out betwixt sin and death Gen. 20. As the Lord said to Abimelech Thou art but a dead man because of his sin And this was Gods own decree at first Gen. 2.17 The day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Now Alam eating of the forbidden fruit brought in death to all his posterity for so saith the Apostle By one man sin entred into the world Ro. 5.12 and death by sin And inasmuch as all have sinned all must die the death Besides Reas 3 there is a necessity that all should die because by death we must enter into life death is the gate of life ordinarily none entred into life but by death death is a guide to bring us into Heaven though a churlish guide yet a sure guide to bring us into blisse Seeing the Lord at his pleasure turns man to destruction Use 1 to breaking and crushing sends long and tedious sicknesse and griefe of body whereby men are much deformed and weakned in their bodies and turned to dust This should teach us patience in times of misery and distresse when the Lord shall seem thus to crush us and break us to powder we should with patience bear his correcting hand be it never so sharp and grievous even to crush us to pieces and to grinde us to powder in regard it is the Lord that doth it Thus David I was dumb and opened not my lips Ps 39.5 because it was thy doing There is no sicknesse or disease lamenesse or blindnesse or any other affliction whereby we come to have our bones crushed and we brought to destruction but all is of the Lord He turneth man to breakings and destruction and it is the want of the knowledge of this that is the cause that men do sometimes murmur against Gods dealings and are not humbled for their sins as they ought to be we consider
not that it is he that turneth man to destruction Secondly Vse 2 seeing these breakings and crushings yea death it selfe when we are brought to the dust are all from God and come from him Thou turnest man to destruction this may serve to abate the pride of many in these daies who spend their time pretious time as if this destruction would never come in eating and drinking ranting and roaring as if they were immortall or should never die or be called to an account of their waies think their bodies are not made of the same common mould with other men Whereas the consideration of mans mortality would much abate the pride of many had they this thought in their minds that they must shortly die and go hence and be no more Note when they shall come to see that which they never saw which they shall ever see and hear that which they never heard which they shall for ever hear and feel that which they never felt which they shall for ever feel whilst God himselfe liveth O how would the thoughts of these things humble them It was a witty answer of that Cynick Diogenes that when Alexander mockt him for being so often amongst the Tombes and Sepulchers of the dead answered O Sir I am looking for the bones of thy Father Philip but see no difference between them and other mens Why then should men be so proud and exalt themselves when they know not how soon they may be laid full low The ignorance hereof makes many to carry their heads aloft outface heaven and swell with pride and disdain of others whereas the due consideration of their own end would make them walk more humbly towards God and more meekly towards their Brethren And lastly Vse 3 since the Lord at his pleasure thus turns man to destruction to breakings and crushings yea to death it selfe it shall be our wisdome to prepare for such a change that we be not taken unprepared What man will have his evidence to seek when his cause comes to be tryed What man will go to sow when others go to reap Our life should be a continuall meditation of death and preparation for death since our weal or wo for ever depends upon it In the matters of the world men are wise they must say they provide for a rainy day in Summer for Winter and whilst they are young to keep them when they are old O where are our hearts Christians that we provide no better for death before it come And howsoever all men know that one day die they must and that repâ—ntance and other graces are to be had to make them truly happy yet here is the misery that men defer this great work to the last when many times it proves too late Now to that end I may awaken you that hear me this day Conlide rations to prepare for death in this weighty duty I beseech you take these few considerations to heart First that you would seriously consider with your selves the uncertainty of your lives thou that makest so small account of death consider with thy selfe what thy life is a puffe of breath in thy nostrills suddenly stopt and thou art gone Go to now saith Saint James you that say to day and to morrow Iam. 4.13 14. we will go into such a City and continue there a yeer and buy and sell and get gain and yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrow for what is your life is it not a vapour c. What man when he goes to bed can assure himselfe that he shall rise again in the morning Who knoweth saith Solomon what the day travelleth withall and may bring forth ere night Eccles 9.12 Man doth not know his time and as fishes are taken in an evill net and birds in a snare so are the children of men Secondly consider the danger of deferring of repentance and this preparation for death to the last hower when all the infirmities of our nature will then seize upon us when extremity pain griefe anguish will so perplexeus that the best counsell will have little tast and the best prayers little sweetnesse in them this will prove a time of spending and not a time of storing What wise man then will deferre all this time Consider how often these purposes of repentance and turning to God at last have miscarried many thousands that are now in hell without hope of mercy that in their life time purposed at last to repent and to return to God whereas such as have often abused grace and mercy offered unto them the Lord doth often at last give such up to the hardnesse of their hearts that when they would they cannot repent and those melting qualmes which sometimes now thou meetest withall under the Ministry of the Word though thou wouldest give a world thou canst not meet with them again O the sad spectacles that we that are Ministers of the Word doe oftentimes meet withall Some in Spyras case who being exhorted to say the Lords Prayer answered O I cannot call God Father And some again like Nabal whose heart dyed like a stone within him And last of all do but consider with your selves that albeit thou maist enjoy thy memory to the last and maist have with thee some godly Ministers to instruct thee and to pray for thee yet how knowest thou whether his prayers for thee or thy own prayers for thy selfe shall then be heard and accepted Doth not Christ say that many at last shall seek to enter but shall not be able Did not those foolish Virgins cry Lord Lord open unto us yet were for ever shut out of the Marriage Chamber And doth not the Lord threaten that though Noah Daniel and Samuel should pray for this people yet I will not hear them Nay thy case may be such that though all the Angells in heaven and Saints on earth should intreat for thee yet God will not be intreated This is clear Because I have called Prov. 1.24 25.26 and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and ye have not regarded But ye have set at naught my counsell c. I will also laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear commeth O the misery of a poor soul when God shall shut out his prayers and shall be so far from pittying him in this time of distresse as that he shall laugh at his destruction And sayest Text. Return ye sons of men ALbeit as we have heard there is an inevitable necessity laid upon all Adams posterity by reason of sin that they must once die Thou turnest man to destruction So sure and certain it is that all men shall one day rise again Thou sayest Return ye sons of men q. d. At thy will and at thy word they shall at last return from dust and corruption again Though the bodies of men by reason of sin Doct. 3 All men at last shall rise again do tast of death and turn to dust yet by a
is in him and that everlastingnesse that hath neither time nor bounds in God this compared with the frail short and transitory life of man is but as a watch of those houres a time not to be accounted of The Point is That when we look into Gods Eternity Doct. 1 Our life short being compared to eternity our life is nothing Eternity is one of Gods Essentiall properties by the which is signified that he is without beginning and ending as he had no beginning in respect of time but being more antient than time so is more lasting than to have an end for eternity altogether excludes time Thou art the same Heb. 1.12 1 Tim. 1.17 Ps 102.27 and thy years shall not fail Now to the King eternall immortall c. Thou art the same and thy years shall not fail Now when we look upon this eternity of God and compare it with the short inch of time of mans life there is no comparison our life is nothing we are but as yesterday or rather as a watch in the night as the space of three houres so quickly is our glasse run and our time spent And to weed out of our hearts this vain conceit and hope of long life the Holy Ghost in Scripture doth usually compare these lives of ours to things that are of a very short continuance As to to a Weavers shuttle Iob 7.6 My daies saith Job are swifter than a Weavers shuttle To the measure of a Span Ps 39.5 Behold thou hast made my daies as a span long quickly measured My age is nothing unto thee To a Vapor that appeareth for a little time and afterwards vanisheth away What is your life Iam. 4.14 is it not as a vapour To a Shadow Ps 144.4 Man is like to vanity his daies are as a shadow that passeth away To a Dream which vanisheth Iob 20.8 as soon as a man awaketh To a Post Iob 9.25 which passeth by in all hast and is speedily gone To a Cloud that is suddenly blown away with the wind Yea such is the vanity of mans life that a very heathen man could call it a Shadow or a Dream yea thought not that expression sufficient to expresse it but call'd it a dream of a shadow especially when we compare it with God it is a flat nothing to eternity The consideration whereof should serve to wean us from the world Use 1 and to labour to have this eternity of God more in our eyes for why should our hearts so dote upon things that are here below that we must so suddainly part withall If ye be risen with Christ saith Paul seek those things which are above things that are not transitory nor bounded within the limits of time What earthly things are there that now we enjoy but as they had their beginning in time so shall they perish in time But it is God that is eternall and shall endure for ever and and he hath provided for us more durable riches even an everlasting habitation in Eternity also Seeing that when we look into this Eternity of God Use 2 our life is here nothing This should minde us of the singular love of God towards his children that being his poor creatures of time and can claim nothing but what time brings forth and what time will afford us that we should be children of hope after time to inherit with himselfe a glorious habitation a life immortall a Crown incorruptible an inheritance undefiled that fadeth not Herein appears the greatnesse and riches of Gods love not in bestowing upon us the outward things of this life as riches honour outward prosperity c. which are gifts of his left hand given in time enjoyed for a time and waste and consume with time But then only become we truly blessed when he bestowes Christ upon us and the graces of his Spirit for these minister a comfortable assurance of glory eternall at last For a thousand yeeres in thy sight are but c. MOSES by this expression of his that our life is but of a yesterdaâ—es standing and but as a watch in the night a time of three houres and in the Verses following where he compares our life to a sleep to grasse that suddenly is cut down to a taâ—e that is told and that death many times comes as a violent flood suddainly and unresistably all tend to this to shew the shortnesse and uncertainty of mans life and being here and herein will teach us That mans life is short Doct. 2 Mans life is short a Lesson hardly learned of us and not easily taken out all that we can say with all our reasons and arguments that we can bring to the contrary men will not be convinc'd that their time is so short but men think they shall live this yeer and the next yeer and so a hundred yeeres till at last death come and seize upon them and away they must Mâ—ses useth many arguments and reasons in this Psalm to convince us of this that our life is but short and to imprint this usefull Lesson in our mindes Though men be young and strong and may promise to themselves many daies yet the very frame and constitution of our bodies threatens daily a change So true is that of Job Iob 14.1 2. Man that is born of a woman iâ— is of short continuance his daies are few and full of trouble he flyeth as a shadow and continueth not and as Saint Peter hath it All flesh is grasse and the glory of man as the flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower fadeth away Some fall by fire as the Sodomites did Gen. 19. Gen. 19. Some by water as the old World did Gen. 7.4 Gen. 7.4 Num. 16. Acts 12.23 2 Reg. 19.35 some by the opening of the earth as Corah and his company some eaten up of worms as Herod was some by the stroke of an Angell as the Host of Senacherib were some by cruell Bears as those children that mâ—â—ked the Prophet Yea and sometimes God can make the means and instruments ordained by him to preserve life to be the means to take away life Besides the daily experience we see in the world how suddainly are many swept away by death some good some bad some young some old and such as have not one houres respite given them to repent or to prepare themselves for death Now what assurance have any of us that God will deal otherwise with us seeing our life is but a puffe of breath in our Nostrills there is then no trusting to it And surely this condemnes the immoderate Use 1 care of the men of the world in seeking after the things of this life and the little care men take for heaven What have we here that may not suddainly be taken from us or what are we that we may not be suddenly taken from them How many stately houses and sumptuous buildings that have stood and flourished to day yet
meet with unexpected accidents in their way our life being like a lighted candle which wasts with the winde and is often blowen out before it be burned How many griefs and how many cares and feares are we daily pestered withall that help to waste the spirits of mer we are like unto him that stept upon the stage and presently went downe againe as if he came thither of purpose to shew himselfe and no more so many steps upon the stage of this worlde and act litle but downe againe And though men should be so happie as to be freed from outward Miseries which fewe are Yet we continually carry death in our Bosoms for look how many infirmities this frail Natures of ours are subiect unto so many secret Enemies we harbour within us to provide for Death yea every crum of bread that goes awrie is ready to make a breach for Death to enter in at In a word be we at sea or on land be we in Citty or Country at home or abroad waking or sleeping we are still in danger that Death like a violent Flood may break in upon us we are here never at one stay but in the midst of life we be in Death So oft then as this Corrupt nature of ours shall stir us up to pride because of Beauty Riches strength c. O let these thoughts humble us these flowers every day wither apace The root is dead already The body is dead because of Sin There is a worme at the roote as there was at the roote of Jonahs Gourd all our earthly felicities are feeding a pace we know not how soone Death like a violent Flood will breake in upon us and put an end to them all Thus for the first that Death is inevitable there is no resisting of it it breakes in upon us as a violent Flood Thou Carriest them away as with a Flood MOses in these wordes will likewise intimate unto us that as Death comes violently and unresistably as a Flood Doct. 2 So Death comes Suddainly unexpectedly as a Flood Death comes suddenly Many times when men are not aware nor thinke not of it then Death coms and takes them tardy And no doubt this was Christs intent and meaning when he saith Mat. 25.6 At midnight there was a cry made to shew unto the world that his coming by Death and judgment will be in an Houre when men will not think of it that so we might expect him every day and every hour You know not the day nor the hour Maâ— 24.42 when the Son of man cometh It is sufficient for us to know that come he will and that his coming shall be at such a time when men least of all expect it Mat. 24.26 and as he saith In the houre that ye think not will the Son of man come And upon this very ground the uncertaintie of the time when Christ shall call us is that watch-word given what J say unto you I say unto al watch Mat. 13. And Behold I come as a theefe in the Night Rev. 16.15 Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments I confesse these places of Scripture are principally meant of Christs second comming to judgment yet are they true also in this sence of his comming by death When a Thiefe hath a purpose to do mischiefe he makes choice of the night when men are asleep and so comes unawares when men are not prepared for resistance Such will the time of Death and the last judgment be And upon this ground Christ grounds that exhortation of his to have our loynes girded and our light burning that we may be alwaies ready And certainly when men are most secure then is death nearest at hand as it was with that rich man that promised to himselfe many years Luke 12. had that night his soul taken from him And when men shall say peace peace then shall suddain destruction shall come upon them And besides these clear examples and testimonies in the Word that shew the comming of death to be suddain and unexpected our own experience and observation daily before our eyes doth declare this truth How many have gone well to bed at night that have been dead ere the morning some at bed and some at board some at home and some abroad death hath met them and suddainly surprised them and when he comes he will have no nay The point then is clear and plain that as death comes as a Flood and there is no resistance so as a Flood death comes suddainly when men think least of it But why will the Lord have the time of death thus uncertain to us Quest Many may be the Reasons wherefore God will not have this day and time known unto us Ans That not knowing the set day and houre Reas 1 we might be prepared for every day and every houre Watch saith Christ for you know not what houre the Master of the house commeth whether at midnight c. Secondly Reas 2 that herein and hereby the Lord might exercise the faith patience hope and other graces in the hearts of his servants all which are now exercised and set on work whilst we know not the time when the Lord will call us hence And this serves for the just reproofe of the great security Use 1 wherein so many are so fast asleep that notwithstanding they hear clearly from the Word and see daily by experience before their eyes the sudden comming of death as a flood rushing in upon them yet put the thoughts of death far from them O the security and dead heartednesse that is in many that having so many caveats watchwords and warnings from God besides their own daily experience yet never minde their own latter end nor deaths sudden comming This was the sin of the old world in the daies of Noah that were so drowned in their own pleasures that they would not believe a drowning by a flood till the flood came and swept them clean away And this is the great sin of this world and times wherein we live upon whom the ends of the world are come The deadnesse of heart and carnall security the little laying of Gods judgments to heart the overflowings of sin in all sorts and conditions of men are certain precursors and forerunners that the Lord is at hand either with some sorer vengeance to awake us or by putting a speedy end to all things But the main use that we are to make of this Point Use 2 that death comes many times so suddainly rushing in upon us as a violent Flood It should teach us this wisdome at all times to be in a readinesse and prepared when death comes Upon this ground Christ admonisheth his Disciples and us all to watchfulnesse because the day and hour knoweth no man But I hope I shall have time to prepare for death Object 1 I am yet young and strong c. Herein men blesse themselves and flatter themselves that howsoever they
some sore labour and travail They that die in the Lord Rest from their labours Rev. 14.13 1 Thess 4.18 Let us comfort one another in these things Others take the words thus Thou over flowest them and they become as a dream All is to one effect both point out the marvellous frail estate of man that as a Dream doth vanish away presently Even so man is gone in the twinkling of an eye and in the turning of a hand To day a man to morrow none But even a piece of Clay to day living dust to morrow dying dust Which should teach us the same lesson never to be unprepared Use but alwaies in a readinesse lest dying in our sins we perish eternally But we passe that and come to the third similitude In the morning they are as grasse which groweth up Text. in the morning it flourisheth and groweth up in the evening it is cut down and withereth IN this last similitude the Prophet compares Man to Grasse that as Grasse hath a time of growing and a time of withering even so man is like unto Grasse for he hath also a time of growing and a time of withering In the morning they are as grasse which groweth up In which words Moses compares the former part of mans life which is the space of thirty three yeeres to the time of growing of Grasse and that is accounted the time of the perfection of mans strength and age at which age according to the course of Nature Man flourisheth as Grasse doth that is the time of a mans prime and flourishing estate But in the Evening That is when the Grasse is ripe and ready to be cut down It withereth Even so Man being once at his strength and ripest age doth not stand at a stay nor continueth long so but presently begins to decay and to wither away till old age come and he is cut down by the Syth of death Now in that Moses useth so many similitudes and all to shew how frail this life of man is we are taught That the frailty vanity Doct. 4 and shortnesse of mans life is such The life of man so frail as no exam ples can expresse as examples will scarcely shew it Death comes as a Flood violently and suddainly we are as a Sleep we are as Grasse our life is like a Dream we spend our daies as a Tale that is told verse 9 All these similitudes Moses hath in this Psalm as if he wanted words and examples how to expresse the vanity frailty and shortnesse thereof The similitudes used in the Scriptures to expresse the frailty vanity and brevity of mans life are very many and very significant When Pharaoh asked old Jacob of his age he answereth him thus Gen. Few and evill have the daies of my pilgrimage been Now a pilgrimage is not long in travelling till we come to our journeys end It is compared to the daies of an Hireling Iob 7.1 Are not my daies saith Job as the daies of an hireling which commonly are but few and withall full of labour Iob 20.8 To a Dream He shall flie away as a dream and shall not bfound he shall be chased away as a vision in the night Iob 8.9 But as Yesterday to a Post Iob 8.26 My daies saith Job are swifter then a Post they flie away they see no good They are passed away saith he as the swift Ships as the Eagle that hasteth to the prey David compares our life to a Shadow 1 Chr. 29.15 Our daies on earth are as a Shadow and there is no abiding A shadow we know hath no substance in it and is of no long continuance It is compared to a Vapeur Iam. 4.14 Iob 7.6 to a Cloud sudenly scattered by the winde And in a word to shut up all and in it to include all Ps 62.2 our life is called vanity The children of men are vanity lay them in a ballance they are lighter then vanity it selfe And besides this that our life is so frail short and vain this very short time that we continue here is subject to diversity of changes and alterations of estates as prosperity at some times so adversity at other times as health now so sicknesse then sometimes ease sometimes pain sometimes we are full at another time we want We have but one way to come into the world we have many waies to go out sometimes by a violent death and by such ficknesses and diseases many times as are loathsome both to the Eyes to behold and the Nostrills to smell and when breath is once departed so loathsome are these Carcases of ours that we dispatch them presently to the Grave out of sight as Abraham did the body of Sarah his Wife whom living he loved most dearly The Prophet Esay hath an excellent expression to this purpose to shew the frailty and vanity of man Es 40.6 The voice said Cry and he said What shall I cry All flesh is grasse and the glory thereof as the flower of the field the grasse withereth and the flower falleth away Surely the people is grasse Where the Prophet shewes that all those excellencies wherein we glory so much as Beautie Riches Honour Strength Carnall pleasures c. these are all but as the flowers of grasse which suddenly decay wither and fall away What is Beauty Beautic but as one of these flowers of the field how suddainly is it nipt and gone blasted on a suddain a daies sicknesse much abates it a weekes sicknesse doth quite deface it at least wise Time that rust of all things steals it quite away and so this flower is gone Honour Honour another flower of this field how many wormes lie at the root of it and how many East winds often blow it upon that causeth it to wither as Jona's Gourd How is the Crown withered this day and how many Noble Houses are tumbled down The envy of the ambitious are still undermining it Besides the danger that Envy and Malice exposeth Honour daily unto that this flower often fadeth Riches Riches another flower of this fleld How often do riches change their Masters He that at one time abounded at another time wanteth Lands and Possessions this year in the possession of one the next year in the possession of another Riches require pains to get them care to keep them and have their vexation to part with them They are of a flowing nature like water they have their wings and many times of a suddain flie away Physick Law-Suits Fire Water and the like are the moths that still consume them This flower fadeth away What shall we say to strength which is another flower of this field Strength How suddenly doth this flower fall away How short a time doth this remaine and abide with us the Agilitie and activitie of mans body is not to be gloried in that lasts so short a time A fewe fits of an Ague Fever or other disease
and Peer rich and poor one and all there is no estate but hath misery enough attending upon it Who is there living amongst all mankind that is so happy and profperous in the world who if they should compare their comforts with their Crosses but must acknowledge that mans life is full of labour and sorrow No not the greatest Prince and Monarch in the world that is free from cares fears and troubles as we may see in David who was a man of trouble all his daies exercised sometimes by forraigne enemies sometimes by his own Courtiers yea by Absalom his darling son Their Crownes are continually attended with cares and fears of treasons and they are still filled with the cares and troubles of the Common-weal they are set over and are to look unto And those who have been highly advanced to honour and dignity as who but they waited upon by a great and sumptuous train in all glory and honour yet have suddainly been thrown down to the lowest degree of shame and dishonour And the like may be said of all ranks and conditions of men what with cares fears discontents crosses losses and dayly vexations and molestations we are incident unto and daily meet withall it is not the least of our misery to live long to bear them So that it may be said of man as it was said of the Angeil of Lavdicea Rev. 3.17 He knew not that he was wretched and poor and blind and naked Here is our case in the midst of all our pomp and glory and outward felicities in this world we are ignorant of what miseries daily attend us for what have we here that is not got with labour kept with care and fear and parted withall with griefâ— and sorrow so that in the getting enjoying and parting with what we enjoy here below we may say with the Prophet Hab. 2.13 The people shall even weary thomselves for every vanitle Like little children we sweat again in catching Butter-flies whilest in the mean time we neglect the true treasure of life and glory Besides the spirituall evills of this life as ignorance unbeliefe pride hypocrisy hardnesse of heart and the like these so pester and annoy even the best of Gods servants Ro. 7.24 that they often complain with Paul O wretched man that I am c. and with the father of the child Mar. 9.24 I believe Lord help my unbeliefe as Bradford that blessed Martyr of God was wont to do so that we have cause continually to groan under the burthen of our miseries here and subscribe this truth of Moses that our most happy and flourishing estate in this world is but labour and sorrow That herein and hereby the Lord might exercise our spirituall armour Reas 1 wherewith he hath furnished us to wit the shield of Faith the helmet of Salvation the breast-plate of Righteousnesse and the sword of the Spirit For wherefore should all these parts of our spirituall armour be provided us of God but that we must look daily to have them exercised Secondly Reas 2 to wean us from the world whose practise is to mingle our sweet with soure And lastly Reas 3 to make us long after a better life where all tears shall be wiped away from our eyes and sin from our soâ—ls Seeing this is so Vse 1 that our chiefest strength our best time and the most excellent and principall part of our life is not freed from labour and sorrow cares fears vexations and molestations but that our whole life is full of labour and sorrow As this should wean us from the world and put us out of love of all things here below so it should stir us up to seek that life where all these miseries shall be taken away where God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes Rev. 21.4 and where there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain but pleasure without pain and fullnesse of joy at his right hand for evermore Our best estate here is mixed with griefe sorrow care and trouble But happy and thrice happy are they which shall be judged worthy to inherit that life which shall last for ever and that without all cares fears labour and sorrow Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord they rest from their labours Secondly Vse 2 seeing no estate of our life is free from sundry sorrowes and miseries troubles cares and fears it may serve to admonish us all to bear them patiently and not to forsake our callings and places wherein the Lord hath set us because of them For here we see that in this short life of ours the most excellent part thereof is not free from labour and sorrow There is no calling or condition of life but hath miseries enough attending upon it to make them wretched that live in it if they want patience to bear them And those that seem most happy and we look upon them as most free from those miseries themselves many times could wish rather to be any other then that they are and if we could change our estates with theirs it is possible we should wish to take our own again Why then should we be weary of those callings wherein the Lord hath set us but rather undergo the same and arme our selves against these troubles and sorowes and not to use unlawfull means to escape them for that will but encrease our sorrowes and make our selves more miserable For it is soon cut off and we fly away MOSES in the former part of this verse having shewed the miseries sorrowes and troubles incident to the best and flourishing estate of mankinde in generall in the latter part of this verse applies it to the state and condition of the Church and people of God in the Wildernesse and shewes But for us saith he our time is cut off swiftly and we flie away For so I take it it makes the sense plain though it seemes to be read otherwise in our common translation yet if we mark the scope of the Holy Ghost which is to shew that their estate in the Wildernesse was far worse then other peoples were Thus though the ordinary time of mans life be seventie years or eightie years yet we are otherwise dealt withall our life is neither so long nor yet so free from labour and sorrow as other men are because we are cut off suddenly in the turning of an hand we flie away and are gone Hence we may see and take notice of the hainousnesse of sin Doct. 4 Sin causeth many times suddain death and especially of the sin of Infidelity and murmuring against God it made the Lord to cut down his people confusedly and hastily even as a man by his Syth sweepeth down his grasse Even so the Lord is here said to cut down his people with the sharp Syth of his judgment as it had been grasse And surely amongst other sins wherefore the Lord even in
have here no grace in perfection Reas 2 in regard this world is not the place of our perfect happinesse God hath appoynted Heaven for our home where all tears shall be wiped away from our eyes and sin from our soule here wee sigh desiring to be cloathed upon 2 Cor. 5.2 Rom. 8.24 we are saved now by hope our happinesse is not in present possession but in reversion This serves both discover unto us the misery of such Vse 1 and how far they are from the work of grace in their souls that are so far from discovering any such wants and imperfections in themselves and in their graces as that pharisaically they brag and boast of their strong faith and that they should be sorry to live to doubt of their Salvation when they heare of the moanes and complaints of the Godly complayning of their want of faith the hardnesse of their hearts and their backwardness indisposition to any good Duty c. they wonder at them they would not be in their case for all the world they never felt such doubts and feares in themselves Surely these are the most miserable men in the world they shew that the strong man hath taken possession of their souls that thus holds them in this damnable Security there is but a step betwixt such a one and hell thy case is fearefull it is a signe that thou ar thardned in thy sin and art far from the worke of grace in thy soule Mat. 5. wo unto such as now laugh for they shall wayle and weepe and Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Such as have had the greatest measure of Grace have found many wants and imperfections in their graces as Moses here and not to be sensible of our wants and imperfections is an argument of the want of the truth of grace in such asoule Secondly Vse 2 this may serve for matter of comfort and consolation unto such as do unfaynedly love and feare God and are troubled much with doubtings and feares and discover more more in themselves their wants and imperfections in all their graces and in all their duties know O know that thy case is not singular neither art thou alone in these complaints many of Gods deare children are full of them My faith is weake my hope feeble my love is cold and I find so much backwardnesse and coldnesse in duties O what shall I doe I feare my estate is not good I confesse here is just cause of trouble and complaint in the Godly when they find this to be their case that grace is no more vigorous and active in them and when they want the Sensible assurance of Gods favour and love But such must stay themselves upon this that a man may be in the state of grace and yet want the assurance of it in himselfe A man may have faith in him and yet conclude against it What a case was David in when he complayneth thus Psal 13.1 2. How long-wilt thou forget me O Lord how long wilt thou hide thy face from me How long shall I take counsell in my soule and have sorrow in my heart His heart must needs be ful of sorrow when God hides his face from him But yet God turned againe and spake peace to his servant and fild him at last with the joy of his salvation and thus will the mourning and sadnesse of Gods Children bring a joyfull harvest at last when these doubts and feares shall vanish away their hearts shall be filled with comfort Vers 12. Teach us O Lord to Number our dayes that mee may apply our herts to wisdome Hitherto we have spoken of the two first generall parts of this psalme viz. The complaint of Moses and the people that they put up unto God now in the wildernesse in great affliction and distresse vers 1 2. Secondly the Narration of the frailty and misery of man from the third verse to the 11. Now in the 12. ver and so to the end of this Psalme He comes to the third and last generall of this Psalme and that is the prayer of Moses and the rest of the people of God put up to God for grace and mercy And this prayer of theirs hath in it two parts 1. They beg for reconciliation againe with God ver 13. Return O Lord how long c. 2. They pray for the happy fruits and effects of Gods favour and reconciliation from verse 17. to the end of the Psalme Teach us O Lord to number our daies c. In this v. we have their first petition wherein Moses this man of God prayeth that the Lord would make them to consider of the shortnesse and uncertainty of their time that so they might be wise to provide for their latter end God seeing our life is so short so fraile and so momentary But as yesterday that is past as a watch in the night And that death comes as a flood unresistable and suddainly that our life is but as grasse and all our excellencies but as the flower of the field and our dayes but as a tale that is told And that we are so suddainly cut downe and we flye away that we may throughly consider of this brevitie shortnesse of our life and being here to the end that laying aside the excessive cares for the things of this life we may apply your hearts to wisedome that is to repent of our sins past to cast up our accounts and to provide for a better life where we have 1. the petition it self which Moses made for himselfe and in the behalfe of the people teach us O Lord to number our dayes 2 the end of this petition on the use of this request viz that we may apply our hearts to wisdome Note we first of all How Moses prayeth to God to teach him and the rest of the people of God to Number their dayes that is to be perswaded of the shortnesse of their time in this world and what shall become of their soule in Death hence we learne that Though God in his word hath plentifully taught us and experience daly before our eyes Doct. 1 We can not number our dayes unlesse God teach us doth confirme the same that our life is short fraile and momentary yet unlesse God become our Schoolemaster we shall herdly take out this lesson our foolish hearts are so ignorant of this knowledge as Christ said to Peter when he had made that confession of Christ Mat. 16.17 flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee but my father which is in heaven So no man by nature can attaine this knowledge to judge aright of the frailty and shorinesse of his life but must have God to be his teacher from whom every good gift Iam. 1.17 and perfect gift proceedeth How earnest is David with God to teach him this lesson Lord make me know my end and the measure of my dayes what it is Psa 39.4 that
his loving countenance again towards them Hence we learn that only God favour and loving countenance gives satisfaction to a distressed Soul or a poor soul will count it self most happy in the enjoyment of Gods favour And thus did Aaron and his sonns usually blesse the people Num. 6.6 The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and grant you his peace Deu. 28. Thus Moses makes the favour and loving countenance of God the foundation of all happinesse having this they should be blessed with all the blessings of Heaven and of the Earth in Soul and Body Herein David placeth true Blessednesse Ps 32.12 Blessed is the man whose iniquitie is forgiven anâ— whose sin is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin Pardon of sin and reconciliation to God causeth a man to be truly blessed The favour and comfortable presence of God to a poor distressed Soul is as the Sun to the Creature in Summer it quickens all Creatures Man and Beast Trees Plants Herbes and Flower All Creatures are revived and quickned by the Suns presence which in winter time seem to mourn for its absence So whilst we enjoy Gods favour the Soul is filled with joy and comfort whereas if God hide his face and frown upon us the Soul is then cast down Thou turnest thy face from me and I was sore troubled And it must needs be so that the poor Soul will count it most happy in the enjoyment of Gods favour For all the time the Conscience apprehends his displeasure Reas 1 and looks upon God as angry and displeased the Conscience will never cease to vex accuse Esay 57. and torment a man There is no peace to the wicked saith my God and as Job hath it Iob. 15. A dreadfull sound is in his ears Such a Soul sees as it were the Heavens on fire over him and Helâ— mouth ready open to receive him Men Angells and Devills Enemies unto him whilst God remains his Enemie Secondly Reas 2 when the wrath of God is once appeased and God reveals himself a reconciled God to the soul then come wee to have bold and free accesse unto him and the Throne of grace then we come boldly to the Throne of grace then we come boldly into his presence and ask any thing at his hands with much assurance to be heard Which whilst we lie in our sins and in an impenitent estate God looks on us his enemies neither can we look to obtain any thing at his hands Seeing that Gods favour Use 1 and loving countenance brings such refreshments unto a distressed soul What condition then are all gracelesse sinners in that abide under his wrath and displeasure for sin 2 Reg. 9.2 As Jehu sometimes said to Jehoram What hast thou to do with peace so what peace what joy what comfort can such have to whom God is not a reconciled God but an angry Judge who is a consuming fire and all wicked and ungodly men are but as stubbble before him Surely all the peace all the joy and rejoycing of such is but as the crackling of Thorns under a pot soon in and soon out they want that which is the ground and cause of true joy and that is Gods countenance Ps 63.3 which is better then life it self the spirit of bondage and fear must needs torment them And howsoever soever they may outface conscience for a time yet God at last will open the Mouth of conscience and when conscience shall speak out Horror and Dread will be ready to overwhelm that soul If a poor condemned Creature were now going to execution what were the thing now to be desired that would yield him comfort and render him happy not gold or silver land or livings would not now to be looked upon but the Princes pardon would be the most welcomest thing in the World This the gracelesse World shall find true one day That howsoever Satan the God of this World hath blinded their eies and their consciences are fast asleep that they neither see their misery nor what it is to lie under Gods displeasure yet the time will come when this poor wretched Creature would give all the world for one smile from this angry God And this lets us see the happy priviledge of the faithful above all the men in the world Use 2 let their outward estatâ— be what it will let them endure hunger thirst cold nakednesse imprisonment banishment such cannot be miserable that are at peace with God have their sins pardoned and they reconciled unto him Enemies Tyrants Death Devils cannot make such miserable what though thou wantest health peace libertie and those comforts that others enjoy if thou hast that which thousands in the World do want the favourable countenance of God in Christ is that which wil make amends for all That wee may be glad and rejoice all our daies HItherto we have spoke to the first part of this verse and that is their Petition Now follows the second part of the verse and that is their Reason taken from the end Doct. 5 for the which they crave the feeling of Gods love Gods mercies should provoke to cheerfulnesse in his service and favour again towards them viz. That we may be glad and rejoice all our daies Hence we may observe what is the true use that is to bee made of Gods mercy of his favour and love viz. to make us more joyfull and cheerfull in his service to honour God and to set forth his praise If the Lord would bee so gratious unto them as to Return again and to fill them with his mercy they will not hide such a mercy as that unfaithfull servant that hid his Masters Talent in a Napkin but they will put it out to the most advantage of their Master It should make them more cheerfull in his service and to serve the Lord with gladnesse all their daies As a covetous man puts out his money for his own advantage So will every godly Christian put forth the Lords gifts for his advantage And indeed this is that that God promiseth unto his people as the wages of their service and as a fruit of their seeking of him Esay 65.13 My servants shall rejoice and yee shall be ashamed My servants shall sing for joy of heart and yee shall howl for vexation of spirit as if the Lord had only intailed this joy to his chosen ones it is limited unto them Ps 40.16 Pro. 29.6 Let them that seek the Lord rejoice The righteous shall sing and rejoice And of the Churches returning out of Captivity it is said Ps 126.6 They went weeping and bearing good seed but they return with joy and bring their sheaves with them And this did the Lord make good to his Church and people here in the Wildernesse How soever he chastised them for their sins their infidelity and murmuring against Moses and Aaron for the which his wrath brake out against them and