a vineyard to hirelings who wrought for a penny a day and at night they had every one their pay It is so in reference to the whole course of this life we are hirelings in the evening we shall have our penny verily There is a reward for the righteous their labour is not in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. And as the righteous have a reward so the wicked shall have wages Satans hirelings shall have full pay though no content for all their works The wages of sin is death there 's pay such as it is woefull pay a black penny The daies of man are as the daies of an hireling there is an issue a reward for every work Fourthly note from the Metaphor while an hireling is doing his masters work he doth his owne too that is his owne profit comes in by those acts in which he labours for another It is thus also in the generall state of man above all Christs servants and hirelings gaine by the duties of obedience they performe to Christ their own profit comes in with his honour A godly man cannot doe a stroake of worke for God but he works for himself too the servants of God must not be self-seekers and self-workers they may not make themselves their end but as it is with an hireling let him be never so upright hearted toward the master he serves let him lay self by in all he doth yet he hath a share of profit in all his labors God hath so espoused and married his owne glory and the good of man together that whosoever really promotes the one promotes both It is so likewise with those who work the works of darknesse and doe the lusts of the devill While his slaves are doing his worke they are gaining towards destruction and their owne wages encreases daily they are treasuring up wrath and judgement against the day of wrath As the measure of their sinne fils so doth the measure of their punishment Thus also the daies of man are as the daies of an hireling There are two generall observations which I shall but name because they will occurre again 1. The life of man it is short As the daies of an hireling The servant doth not abide in the hous for ever a hireling is but for a time And it is good for a man that it is so some complaine exceeding much because their lives are so exceeding little But let them weigh it well and they shall see cause to rejoyce much because they live so little In some respect it is good for wicked men that their lives are so short if their lives were longer they would be wickeder and so heaping up more sin they would heap up more wrath against themselves And it is very well for the Saints that their lives are so short Their corruptions temptations their weaknesses and infirmities their troubles and afflictions are so many that it is well their dayes are so few If they should have length of life added to heaps of sorrows and perpetuity with outward misery how miserable were they Christ promises it as a point of favour to his that the days of trouble should be shortned Except those dayes should be shortned no flesh should be saved that is kept or preserved alive in those tribulations but for the Elects sakes those dayes shall be shortned Mat. 24. 22. It is a favour also to the Saints that their particular dayes are shortned that their's are but as the dayes of an hireling for as much as their present dayes are dayes of trouble and travel The dayes of the best are so full of evil that it is good they are no fuller of dayes And further it is good they are so evil or full of trouble It is well for wicked men that their dayes are full of trouble the sweeter their lives are to them the sinfuller they are against God Their outward comforts are but fewel and incouragement to their lusts and while their lives are calm and quiet they do but saile more quietly down into that dead sea of everlasting misery And the Saints have this advantage by the troublesomenesse of their lives to be kept in continual exercise and more dependance upon God they would love the world too well and delight in the creature too much if God did not put bitternesse into their cup. Job having thus shadowed the state of man seems to make out his intendment or scope thus There is no reason why I should be charged so deeply for desiring death For what is the life of man Is it not a life full of travel and of trouble full of dangers and temptations is not the time of his life short and set Is it not a speedy passing time and yet a firmly appointed time Why then should not I think the period of my life to be at hand Why should not I think my appointed time is come Forasmuch as I have so many evidences and symptoms of death before me and have heard so many messages and summons to the grave Death sits upon Plurima mortis imago my lips ready to come in while I am speaking Death hath taken possession of me already and seiz'd my port death is in my face I am the very picture of death and images of death stand round about me Therefore Eliphaz why should I not call to have my daies summed up that I may see the end and summe of these troubles Or wherefore wouldest thou stay my complaint against my life or stop my desire of death by giving me hopes of many daies and of a flourishing estate in this world That 's his first argument from the general condition of mankind Now he proceeds to consider somewhat more special in that condition Verse 2. As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work Verse 3. So am I made to possesse months of vanity and wearisom nights are appointed to me As a servant earnestly desireth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Traxit aerem ad os per Metaphoram inbiavit ardentur cupiit qui enim vehementer aeliquid cupiunt prae desiderii expectationis magnitudine ad os rem trabunt seu frequentiùs respirant To desire earnestly is but one word in the original it is so full of sence that we cannot empty it into any one word in our language The letter is As a servant breaths after the shadow And because a man that hath an earnest longing desire for a thing pants breaths and gasps after it therefore that word which signifies to gape and draw in the air pantingly signifies also to desire or to desire earnestly As a servant earnstly desireth The shadow Some understand it of the night when the servant comes to rest himself after his labour all the day Night is but a great shadow Secondly We may take it for the shadow of the day A servant that is heated in labour abroad in the open field earnestly desires a
stormy they are appointed times The whole life of man on earth is ordered in heaven Fourthly if our lives are for an appointed time we should be willing to die when God cals All the time we would live beyond that is of our own appointment and we should be willing to live till God cals for all that 's appointed time As it is sinfull not to be willing to do though it be burdensom what God appoints so is it likewise not to be willing to live what time God appoints though it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mercendarius a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coÌ„duxit Mercenarius est qui in certum tempus conduâ—itur saepe in die quem ideo Graeci vocant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sicut in unico die operario quamdiu lucet sol noâ— est ulla requies mercenario constituâ—aÌ„ ita dum luce hujus vitae fruimur nulla nobis requies expectauda est be painfull and troublesome And are not his daies like the daies of an hireling An hireling is he who works a set time for a set reward And so this latter clause of the verse is the same in sence with the former Is there not an appointed time to man and are not his daies like the daies of an hireling That is are not his daies set as an hireling with whome we agree for so many daies or for such a day An hireling We may take him either for a hired souldier a mercenary in warre or for an hired servant a mercenary in work An hireling in either notion is called to labour sorrow and sweat Such is the common condition of man His daies are as the daies of an bireling God threatneth Moab by the Prophet in this language Isa 16. 14. Within three yeares as the years of an hireling and the glory of Moab shall be contemned that is within three years which shall be like the years of an hireling troublesome years laborious years vexatious yeares wearisome yeares and then the glory of Moab shall be contemned and utterly despised As if he had said Moab is now in great glory but near great desolation You shall see three years trouble will staine all the glory of Moab and wither all her beauty we feele this truth England was a Nation of great glory you see how two or three years like the years of an hireling troublesome years years of affliction years of hard labour and travell have almost spoil'd the glory of it And yet here Job makes a generall description of the life of man It is not the lot only of some poore afflicted hard-wrought servants that their daies are as the daies of an hireling he speakes of man-kind of the master as well as of the servant His daies are like the daies of an hireling We may note from it First That Except we labour we ought not to eat For the dayes of man are as the daies of an hireling the hireling shall not have his meat except he worke for it neither ought he that hires or sets him a worke The master is in this sence an hireling The Saints are in this sence Hirelings The Apostle speakes to believers and reproves them 2 Thess 3. 12. There are some which walke among you inordinately working not at all now them that are such we command that they work and eat their own bread and ver 10. If any man work not let him not eat even they whom Christ hath made free are to account themselves as hired servants that is they must not eat the bread of idlenesse we steale all the bread which one way or other we labour not for and therefore the Apostle bids the Thessalonians work that they might eat their own bread It is not our own bread which we buy with our mony unlesse we pay in what we can and are called to labour for it also As we eat that bread pleasantly so we come by it honestly which is dipt in our owne sweat Secondly we are hence taught That We ought to take our travels well we must not murmur at our labours or complain over our work and say what a wearinesse is it As the Lord cannot bear it that any should murmur at spirituall worke or say with them in the Prophet What a wearinesse is it so it is very displeasing to him to say of our callings and the burdens of them What a wearinesse are they Why It is the common condition of man Why then should we quarrel with that law of labour which is become the portion of our mortality The corruption of our nature hath led us into this condition and made us all as hirelings Mans innocency had businesse but sin hath brought him to sweat and changed his labour into toile Man was put into the garden as Lord of it to dresse and till it but now he is put there as an hireling to sweat and toyle at it There is a stampe of servility and drudgery upon all the labours which the children of men take under the Sun That argument which the Apostle uses to support us in the bitternesse of affliction hath alike strength in it to comfort us in the toile somenesse of our labours As there is no temptation hath taken hold of us but that which is common to man 1 Cor. 10. 13. So there is no labour laid upon any of us in our lawfull callings but that which is common to man Even the Saints whom Christ hath made free and separated from the world are not freed from service while they are in the world And while Christ would not have them carefull in any thing he would have them industrious in every thing That Canon of the Apostle is clear for it 1 Cor. 7. 20. Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called that is your spirituall calling doth not void your civill When you have learned to drive a trade for heaven you must still drive your trade on earth While there is any thing of sin in us there must be somewhat of the hireling in us There is not the most ingenious no nor the most spirituall labour we goe about but there is somewhat of the hireling in it in the duty of prayer in the duty of preaching there is somewhat of the hireling that is there is bodily paine and wearinesse a waste upon our strength and expence of our spirits Though in these things the Saints worke not for wages but their very works is their wages and their labour their reward though there be nothing mercenary in their spirits yet they feel the effects of a mercenary worke upon their bodies even wearinesse and waste of naturall strength and spirits Thirdly Seeing the daies of a man are as the daies of an hireling Observe There is a reward or wages somewhat followes the labour and travell of this life The hireling labours all day but at night he hath his reward Mat. 20. Christ compares beleevers even in their spirituall capacity unto labourers in
Foundation is the strength of the building p. 149 164. Friend An unfaithful friend fails us most when we have most need of him 516. A faithful fricnd who p. 518. Froward men who they are pa. 290. G GArments testifie mans perfidiousness against God p. 498 Glory of God promoted promotes the good of man p. 576. God can easily destroy his enemies shewed in particulars p. 57 58. He can do it suddenly 58 59. Secretly ib. Vnavoidably ib. Man is not able to bear the presence of God 95. Reasons why men tremble fear at any greater manifestations of Gods power or presence 92. Man naturally prefers himself before God 110. It is high presumption for the best of men to compare with God 111. God in himself is most just and pure 112. Holiest men compared with God are unholy 113. God is so just and pure in himself that he can do no wrong to any creature 114. Objections against this answered 115 c. It cannot be ill with him with whom God is 119. To consider God in his greatness is an excellent means to humble man 236. The consideration of Gods greatness should provoke us to seek him ib. God can do great things as easily as the smallest things 243. God can do the same things as often as he pleases 256. God appears sometimes as an enemy to his best frinds 433 700. When God appears an enemy man cannot bear it ib. 4. 34. 704. Best to turn to God for comfort in distress p. 607 Godly can be in no condition wherein God doth not love them p. 193. A godly man hath help within him when all worldly help fails 486. A godly man hath a light within him in the greatest outward darkness p. 488. Good done is a reproach to us when we do the contrary evil pag. 18. Grace False grace fails when we have most need of it p. 24. Our graces should be made visible in our actions 29. Grace acts not alwayes alike 30 31. how failings in grace consist with sincerity 31. Grace must not be trusted to we may make Idols out of our own graces p. 487. Grass of the field how man is compared to it p. 389. Greatness of Gods works p. 240. The least works of God have a greatness in them because they are his 240. A two-fold greatness in the works of God p. 242. Groping at noon-day what it imports p. 294. H HAllelujah what it signifies where first used in the Scripture of the old and new Testament p. 132. Hand of God how said to be loosened p. 455. If God stretch out his hand of power all creatures are helpt or destroyed by it p. 456. Hands hanging down what meant by them p. 9. Weakness of the hands arises four wayes p. 10. Happiness what it is p. 310. Many opinions about happiness and whence they arose ib. Why the Hebrew word for happiness is in the plural number p. 311. Hearing is more than a work of sence p 400. Heart a judiciary hard heart is the greatest judgment on this side hell p. 121. Setting the heart upon any thing magnifies it 657. Setting the heart notes four things 661. Our duty to set our hearts upon God 663 Heart of man full of changes 670. Heresie Three things concur to make a heresie p. 533. High God can set us high and safe p. 269. Hirelings who p. 573. His eye upon his wages more than upon his work p. 582 583. Holiness better than peace in our dwellings p. 385 388. What the holiness of the creature is 469. We must go to God for holiness 471. To despise holiness is to despise God p. 472. Holy One God is called the holy One in five respects p. 467. The excellency of the holiness of God above that in men or Angels shewed divers wayes 468. None are fit for communion with God but holy persons p. 472. Hope What it is to hope p. 22. Hope taken two wayes 304. The people of God have hope in the worst times ib. It is no vain thing to hope in God 305. Experience breeds hope 305. Hope is better to the people of God then all their possessions 306. Hope that troubles will end supports the heart in bearing present troubles p. 461. Hopes deceived trouble us more than wants p. 511. Deceived hopes fill with shame ib. Hope the last refuge 601. A godly mans hope may lye prostrate p. 602. Humble The apprehension of Gods great goodness humbles man p. 655 Hypocrites profession grounded upon hope to gain by it p. 25 26. They cannot hold out in profession because they want an inward principle p. 505. Hypocrisie paints the face as well as pride p. 266. I INnocency or an innocent person whence called p. 37. A man is bound to defend his own innocency p. 409 410. Innumerable a three-fold sence of it p. 255. Instruction To instruct others is a mans duty and his praise p. 13. Such as know God aright are ready to instruct others in his knowledg ib. An honor to great men to instruct others 14. It is easier in some cases to instruct than to learn 18 528. It is a shame when our actions cross our teaching ib. Invocation of Saints confuted p. 171. K KNowing Three sorts of knowing men p. 401. Knowledge or to know taken five wayes in Scripture p. 381. A man may know much and yet get no good by it p. 403. L LAbour It is a sore affliction when we cannot enjoy our labours p. 202. Except we labor we have no right to eat p. 574. we must not be displeased at our labor ib. Laughter what it is p. 360. To laugh how taken in Scripture with the kinds of it 361 362. A godly man laughs at or triumphs over all outward evils 364. Yea though brought at once to charge against him p. 366. Lie To lie taken Two wayes p. 552. A lie cannot be long hid p. 553. Life No strength in man can give him assurance of long life p. 479. The life of man a warfare 568. c. The life of man is measured out by the will of God 571. The decree of God concerning our lives no ground for any to abate their care of preserving their lives 572. Life short 576. It is good for man that it is so ib. Light A double light necessary to seeing p. 294 It is a sore judgement not to see when light shines p. 295. Lions their several names p. 60. How they shadow several sorts of men 61. How Tyrants resemble Lions p. 62 63. Lowness two-fold p. 266 268. Low They that are lowest are neerest exaltation 268. It is a wonderful work of God to set on high those that be low p. 270. Lusts Several lusts ast in several ages of man p. 177. M MAgnifie signifies 3 things p. 650. God magnifies man four ways 651. Especially by setting his heart upon man p. 657. Mans natural constitution makes him sensible of affliction 482. Mans worth is out of himself 652. God bestows many thoughts upon man p.