Gods 4. The more experience we shall haue of this good Prouidence of God the more let vs be readie to giue the prayse and glory thereof to God And shew our selues in our deepest thoughts of Mortalitie to be such as yet do acknowledge God to haue beene in all ages an habitation vnto his and at all times vnto vs. 5. Let vs delight onely in this Mansion which we cannot let nor loose which will not leaue vs when we leaue this world but will abide by vs for euer VERS 2. Before the Mountaines were brought forth or euer thou hadst formed the earth euen from euerlasting to euerlasting thou art God THE second Argument of Gods prayse is from his worthinesse and excellencie of himselfe That he is a God eternall and immutable one that euer hath beene and euer shall be the same in whom there is no alteration nor shadow of change He was God before the Mountaines were brought forth yea before the earth was made and he will be God for euer and euer And those properties and qualities that are in him were euer in him and will be in him for euer and euer This prayse of God doth fit that present Argument which the Prophet hath in hand And tends to moderate and keepe in compasse immoderate sorrow that may arise either from the consideration of our owne Mortalitie or the Mortalitie of any other For that notwithstanding the changes and alterations that we see in the world that may discourage vs and breede distrust and diffidence in vs yet if we be the true Children of God we haue had a true feeling and sence of his loue and speciall Prouidence ouer vs. And if we haue once felt it indeed there is no cause but to hope for the continuance thereof For as he is an eternall God so his loue is an eternall loue it was before all Worlds and shall be for euer and euer Is therefore the hand of God vpon thee Dost thou see and feele thy selfe to be mortall Dost thou see those thou dependest vpon to be such What Dost thou thinke therefore that God that did loue thee and that in his loue raised vp these and these meanes for thee is mortall also and mutable No Though he change and alter the meanes and therby would haue thee to feare and tremble before him yet doe not thou for all that despaire Be thou still the Child of God Let no changes either threatned or effected change thy minde and affection to God and though God shall for a time humble thee and seeme for a time to thrust thee from thine house and all comforts of thy life to make thee to know thy selfe yet his affection is the same to thee that euer it was it can no more change then he doth change And therfore as God out of his eternall loue hath heretofore beene good vnto thee so be thou assured that out of the same loue he will continue so to be in the midst of all changes and alterations whatsoeuer The particular description of Gods eternitie and immutabilitie fitteth this place and Argument What more firme then rockes and mountaines What more stable then the earth that neuer remooues out of his place nor moues in his place Yet that God which is eternall which was before they were made is more immouable then they The greatest Mountaines vpon the earth yea the earth it selfe shall sooner be mooued and remoued then he not onely in his nature but in his affection and disposition And though wee had neuer such certaine dwelling places in this World though our houses were built vppon the firmest Rockes and highest Mountaines yet wee should not be sure except the Lord himselfe bee our dwelling place Our confidence in such places is nothing without him What sayth the Lord by his Prophet to the Edomites Obadiah 3. 4. The pride of thy heart hath deceiued thee thou that dwellest in the Clefts of the Rocke whose habitation is on high that sayth in his heart Who shall bring mee downe Whereas if the Lord bee our dwelling house we are sure and safe For hee is a Rocke a Castle a Fort a Secret place to all his VERS 3. Thou turnest man to destruction saying Returne ye Children of Adam HIs complaint is to God as to the Author of our mortalitie and that mortalitie which is from God he setteth forth 1. By diuerse Comparisons 2. By the cause that moueth God to make man see such mortalitie In the first place the Prophet conceiueth of God as of a Potter that hauing of dust tempered a masse and framed it into a vessell and dried it doth presently within a minute of an houre after dash it againe in peeces and beat it to dust in passion as it were speaking vnto it Get thee to the dust againe The word here translated Destruction signifies a Beating or Grinding or Pounding of a thing to Powder And the Prophet seemes to allude to the third of Genesis where God speaks of Adam Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne as if he should say O Lord thou that hast made and framed man of the dust of the earth thou beatest him to dust againe And as thou madest him by thy Word alone So with thy Word thou suddainly turnest and beatest him againe to dust as a man that makes a thing and presently marres it againe Hence we learne 1. That as it is God by whom we liue So it is he by whom and whose meanes we die By what meanes soeuer men come to their ends whether by a timely or vntimely death God hath the maine stroke The sword that takes away our life must goe out of his mouth before we can die It s hee that sayth Returne Oh sonne of man before a man can returne to dust So then let vs not so much regard the threats and brags of men but let vs that feare death feare the Lord that gaue life For he onely quickneth he onely killeth 2. He doth it with a word against which is no resistance when that word is once come out of his mouth it is not all the dyet Physicke helpe and prayers in the world that can saue the life And this he can doe suddainly in the twinckling of an eye And therefore we should as wee loue our liues feare him and take heed how we offend and displease him that can with a word turne the strongest man into dust 3. The style that God giueth to man when he calleth him out of this world is the Child of Adam and of Dust as if he said Thou art but the Child of dust of dust thou art made thou art sprung from them that were but dust and which are all turned vnto dust goe thou also to dust So that we should thinke seriously of the matter that we are made of and be humbled with the consideration thereof And herein iustifie the Lord in his dealing For why may not he that hath made vs of dust
and heartie matter to prayse and glorifie God though they should rend the Heauen with their cryes and beg and aske from morning to euening yet cannot looke to receiue any comfortable answer at Gods hands So that herein we should examine our hearts and affections For looke with what measure of the loue of God and of the acknowledgement of his goodnesse they are replenished in that measure may we hope that the Lord will hearken vnto us The Prophet prayseth the Lord 1. For his goodnesse towardes his people 2. For his worthinesse in himselfe IN the first he manifests his thankfull minde to God for his kindnesse passed in the other his hope confidence in God for the time to come VERS I. Lord thou hast beene our dwelling place in all generations IN this first part the Prophet acknowledgeth That God at all times and in all ages hath had a speciall care of his Saints and Seruants to prouide for them all things necessary for this life For vnder the name of dwelling place or Mansion house the Prophet vnderstandeth all helpes and comforts necessary for this life both for maintenance and protection For the use of such houses was wont to be not onely to defend men from the iniurie of the Wether and to keepe safely within the walls and vnder the roofe all other things necessary for this life and to be a place of abode wherein men might the more commodiously prouide for all other things necessary and walke in some Calling profitable to their neighbour and to the glory of God But also to protect them from the violence of bruit Beasts and rage of enemies Now the Prophet herein seemes to note a speciall and more immediate prouidence of God toward himselfe and the people of God For of all kind of people they seemed to be most forsaken and forlorne That whereas the rest of the world seemed to haue their habitations Mansions rooted in the earth and so to dwell vpon the earth to liue in Citties and walled Townes in all wealth and State Gods people were as it were without house and home Abraham was called out of his owne Country from his fathers house where no doubt he had goodly buildings and large revenues and was commanded by God to liue as a Forreiner in a strange Country amongst sauage people that he knew not and to abide in Tents Boothes and Cabins hauing little hope to liue a setled and comfortable life in any place In like manner liued his posteritie Isaac Iacob and the twelue Patriarks wandring from place to place in the Land of Canaan from thence translated into the Land of Egypt there liuing at courtesie and as it were Tenants at will and in such slauery and bondage that it had beene better for them to haue beene without house and home After this for fortie yeares together at what time this Psalme was pen'd they wandred vp and downe in a desolate Wildernesse Remoouing from place to place and wandring as it were in a maze So that of all the people of the Earth Gods owne people had hitherto liued as Pilgrimes and banished persons without house or home And therefore the Prophet here professeth that God himselfe more immediately by his extraordinary prouidence for many ages together had protected them and beene as it were a Mansion-house vnto them That is The more they were depriued of these ordinary comforts of this life the more was God present with them supplying by his extraordinary and immediate Prouidence what they wanted in regard of ordinary meanes The due consideration of this point may minister matter of great Ioy and Comfort to such children of God as are thoroughly humbled with the consideration of Mans Mortalitie in generall or of theirs that they relie and depend vpon in speciall and it may serue as it were for a bottome and for brinkes to keepe their sorrow within bounds and compasse For surely this cannot but bee a meanes of great sorrow and trouble of minde to them that liue and depend vpon others especially when any feeling occasion shall be offred vnto them to consider the mortalitie of these that they depend vpon and from whom they receiue the comforts and meanes of this life upon whose life and breath vnder God hitherto they haue enioyed their Mansion or dwelling places Neither can it be lesse sorrow and trouble for these vpon whom others depend to consider their owne Mortalitie when they shall haue wife and children or any other depending vpon them liuing and breathing as it were by them It cannot I say but goe neare their hearts if they loue those that are vnder them to thinke that they are but mortall and frayle flesh that they know not how soone they shall be called from them and that then they shall leaue them destitute of those comforts and helps which now they haue by them Sorrow herein especially when by the hand of God we shall be called to thinke of our Mortality can hardly keepe it selfe within bounds and compasse But if we could meditate of that which the Prophet here speaks it would support and vphold vs and keepe our feares and sorrowes within bounds and compasse Hence then we are to learne 1. That God is in all those meanes and comforts and stayes that we haue in this life That we should not liue in any dwelling place vnder any person with any comfort or content were it not by the Prouidence of God and such a Prouidence as Gods childe shall if he rouse vp his thoughts haue such a sence and feeling of the same that he shall see and feele God in the meanes and shall acknowledge that though he haue had a house to dwell in and other helps of this life yet they are nothing without God that it is he indeed that is his dwelling his liuing his maintenance c. 2. That the more that God withdraweth these meanes from his children the poorer and more vncertaine their states are in their houses and Farmes or places of abode the more shall they find the Lord to be himselfe all these vnto them For his Prouidence herein is neuer more felt then when they are most destitute of all outward helps and meanes 3. This is a Doctrine of comfort not onely in regard of our selues but of those we shall leaue behind vs. Euery man cannot leaue his wife or children or seruants houses to dwell in though they desire and endeuour it neuer so much Yet this may be a â—ay vnto vs and may moderate our griefes herein That God himselfe is a dwelling house vnto all 〈◊〉 and certainly will prouide for all his whatsoeuer shall be needfull and the more destitute and forlorne we leaue them when through mortalitie we shall be taken away from them the more he will be an habitation and Mansion house vnto them which is a surer house then any of our houses of stone and clay And this we may be sure to leaue our wiues and children if they be
them out Especially when the Lord by any speciall judgment shall come neerest vnto vs As the Lord hath lately to this family If we hereupon doe not make a speciall inquisition after our sinnes and so by Repentance make our peace with God wee haue cause even euery one of vs to feare a greater stroke though this hath made many of our hearts to ake 3. They are not onely our greater sinnes that haue prouoked God but all our sinnes great and small not our publicke onely and knowne sins but our speciall and hidden ones euery one of them hath his part herein And if wee will not haue this wrath of God to pursue vs eternally we must learne hence not onely to hate and forsake our greater sinnes and to repent of those that are great and notorious but even of our smaller sins of our lighter vanities also Yea herein we should not content our selues with leauing those sinnes which other and our selues knowe to bee sinnes but we should seeke after our secret and hidden sins whither there be not some sinnes in vs that we nourish in our selues and know not to be sins And to this end we should diligently search into the Law of God and not be at rest till wee haue taken notice of them and giue no leaue of continuance to any the least sinne but hate and forsake all 4. That all our sins are present before GOD. Our great our small our knowne our secret sins they are all in his presence they are before his eyes he knowes them he sees and beholds them This should make vs the more afraid ashamed to sinne because there is no sinne how secret soever but we doe it in the face of God he looking on A seruant that hath any grace or loue in him whatsoeuer he may do behind his masters backe yet he will not doe that before his Masters face which may prouoke and displease him many things he doth priuately that if he thought they would come to his Masters knowledge he would not doe them But there is no sinne ever so secret though committed in our Closet yea though in our owne breasts onely but he knows it and sees it and beholds the committing of it Further this noteth the hay nousnesse of all sin For those trespasses that are committed before the face of a Gouernour are accounted contempts So is euery sinne committed it is committed in the eare and eye of God and is therefore the more grieuous and odious 5. God needs no other light to discerne our sinnes by but the light of his owne face It peirceth through the darkest places the brightnesse thereof enlightneth all things discouers all things So that the sins that are committed in deepest darknes are all one to him as if they were done in the face of the Sunne For they are done in his face that shines more and from which proceeds more light then from the face of the Sunne So that this it ought to make vs the more feareful to offend Hee sees vs when we see not him and the light of his countenance shines about vs when we thinke our selues hidden in darkenesse 6. They are not onely then in his sight when they are a committing and whilst the deed is doing but euer after when the act is past and gone and forgotten yet then is it before the face of God even as if it were in committing And how should this make vs afraid to sinne When our sinnes are not onely in his sight while they are a committing but so continue still for euer after they are past and done 7. Gods sets our sins before him this shewes he is so affected with them hee takes them so to heart that he doth in a speciall manner continue the remembrance of them As those that hauing had great wrong will store it vp or register it or keepe some remembrance of it or other least they should forget when time shall serue to bee quit with those that haue wronged them so doth God and his so-doing is a signe that he takes our sins deeply to heart which should teach vs to feare the more how we offend him When God in any judgement of death or sicknesse or losse of friends shewes his wrath wee should thinke and meditate of this especially when he comes neerest vs Now the Lord lookes vpon my sinnes they are now before him and wee should neuer rest till wee had by repentance moued him to blot them out Yea to this end we should our selues call them to remembrance For the more we remember them the more God forgets them the more wee forget them the more God remembers them the more we looke vpon our selues the more he turneth his eyes from them And this also we are to manifest and acknowledge as here Moses doth vnto God himselfe by Prayer VERS 9. For all our dayes goe backe againe in thy wrath HItherto of the cause of that wrath of GOD which moueth him to smite the world with such mortalitie Now here he further sets forth the same by the effects and degrees thereof in respect of that present Argument he hath in hand 1. That our dayes doe as it were goe backward in his wrath That whereas God gaue vs being to liue our life and our being is nothing els but a going backward as it were to death and to nothing Euen as if a stranger being suddainly rapt and carryed the mid way to his home where are all his comforts he should spend all the time that is behind not in going forward to his home but in going backward to the place from which he was suddenly brought All the sonnes of Adam as soone as they haue being and liue are brought suddenly a great part of their way And whereas they should goe forward and liue longer and longer they from their first beginning to liue goe backward againe to death and to nothing This is the summe in effect with that which the Lord sayth in the beginning of the Psalme Thou bringesi man to destruction saying Returne againe ye sons of Adam As if he should say Thou makest a man and when he is made hee in thy wrath doth hast to nothing else but destruction and to bee marred againe Thus doe our dayes as it were goe backward and wee in them returne from whence we came Our lesson then hence is this That our life in this life is nothing els but a returning backe againe vnto death Euery man whilst he is here walkes to the house of his graue and though he bee a little longer in going backe vnto the earth then he was comming from it yet he doth nothing while he is here but goe backe to it Yea our dayes passe away in such a manner as if a man being a childe should suddainly bee made a man and after that should presently goe backe againe and bee a child So that though we haue here some time of growth and strength yet the more wee grow in
So are the yeares of a man especially if we compare them with things aboue and with the daies and yeares that we are to liue in heauen So that let a man looke backe to the time passed and wisely judge of it and set to it the uttermost of the time to come and all will appeare to passe away from vs either as the time wherein a tale is told or those things passe away that are told in a tale which is very quickly and speedily 1. This shewes the vanitie of them that make such a-doe for states and titles and tenures for this life Oh they thinke it a goodly matter if they haue and hold a thing for so many liues and for theirs and their childrens liues And yet alas it is if it be compared with the life of Heauen but as if it were a tenure for the space of a tale telling or a word spoken And what madnesse then is it that most men shew to hazzard the one to get the other that they care not almost how they breake the Lawes of God and Man for it Surely the little faith and hope or none that we haue of the life to come makes persons so dote and mad vpon the titles and tenures of this life which are of the same nature that our dayes and yeares are they passe away all alike 2. It shewes also the vanitie of such who as though their dayes and yeares would never come vnto an end spend day after day and yeare after yeare in that they call pas-time whereas time passeth away of it selfe swift enough and that in Gods wrath It were more agreeable to reason if it could bee to use meanes to hold and continue time rather then to passe it away 3. Let this teach vs whilst we haue it to make the best use wee can of it When our yeares are gone we cannot reuoke them How soone they are gone the holy Ghost here teacheth and wee may feele by our owne experience Therefore whilst we liue here let vs not so much trouble our thoughts about the meanes of this life as about devising how we may imploy our time and spend our life to best purpose 4. Though we are to count the shortnesse of our liues in regard of the misery thereof and in regard of the life which followes a blessing Yet in it selfe we should not so account of it but tho it be miserable and the longer it is the longer it keepes vs from a better yet the very shortnesse of this miserable life is to be considered as an effect of Gods wrath And therefore it is a blessing of God if wee know how to use it to liue long here though we should liue as miserable a life as any euer lived Neither should wee endevour or desire to doe any thing to shorten the same VERS 10. The dayes of our yeares are seuentie yeares and if by reason of strength they be eightie yeares yet is their strength then labour and sorrow for it is soone cut off and we fly away IN these words the Prophet proues that which he sayd before that wee spend our yeares as a tale that is told The yeares of them which ordinarily liue the uttermost of their dayes is but threescore and ten and if any liue till eightie through strength yet is their strength then labour and sorrow c. Now if the longest period of dayes that men ordinarily liue be so short a time and the longest time flyeth so fast then well might the Prophet say That our dayes passe away as a tale that is tould For those who by reason of their strength liue till eightie yeares either they are men that vnder-goe in this life many labours and trauels and then their very strength brings nothing vnto them but matter of labour and sorrow For the stronger a man hath beene and the greater labours and trauels he hath vndergone the more full of aches and paines is his old age wont to be Or they liue merrily and chearefully free from ordinary passions and grievances And then their life flyeth away and when they are brought to these yeares their daies are but daies of sorrow and that with them the rather because they cannot follow those delights then that formerly they haue done Howsoeuer it be there are none cōmonly whose dayes haue seemed to them to passe swifter away then those that lived the longest None are lesse weary of life nor more unwilling to die commonly then they The life therefore of such though full of never so much sorrow and trouble flyes away And such is the loue that ordinarily we beare to this life that though death come not till eightie yeares yet it seemes then to fly vnto us The Doctrine is plaine That our dayes are now but seventie yeares that is to say The time that ordinarily man doe not passe in this life is no more or if more their life after is but a Death and Death comes flying 1. This then should teach vs also to remember our Creator betimes in the dayes of our youth Alas not one of a hundred of us liue till sixtie or seuentie years or if we liue longer and haue spent that time in prophanenesse except the Lord shew more then ordinary mercy wee shall bee no more fit then to honour our Creator then so many dead men The longest that wee can hope to liue and not be children againe is eightie yeares and then commonly we are as children againe mewed vp and our children are either Parents or Lords ouer vs vsing vs as innocents 2. It shewes the strange folly of so many of us as are come to the height and middle of our Age yea to be fistie and vpward yea to be sixtie c. Wee can talke of our dayes past and of things we did fortie yeares since as if they were done but yesterday and for the time to come though wee haue no reason to hope it should be as much as we haue spent and though wee may presume it will flie as fast away as that which is past in the whole though not in the parts yet we liue as though we had a 100 yeares yea a 1060 yeares to come Yea You shall haue many that are of 60. 70. yea 80. years that haue no more care to fit them to death but put the houre thereof as farre from them as if they were in their freshest youth If some liued a 100. some 500. some a 1000. some 10000. yeares amongst vs as now they liue some 5. some 10. some 40. some 60. some 70. c. there might bee some colour for this folly but seeing one of 500. liues not til 60. one of 5000. til 80. one of 100000. till a hundred None till 200. what madnesse it is then especially in those that haue passed the greatest time they can expect to haue no care of the houre of death and of the account they shall then make when their whole time is but short as a tale that
alone deserveth the name of Wisedome all other severed from this or not subjected to this is but meere folly and madnesse though it be esteemed wisedome of those that are possest with the same folly and madnesse themselues Now to apply our hearts herevnto is to bend and spend the strength of our thoughts affections that way that as we see worldly minded men how their minde runneth altogether upon the world and the meanes of this life and the humoring and pleasing of them that they looke for most from and all the streame of their affections floweth that way They are never so merrie as when the world and the meanes of this life commeth in upon them they are never so sad and heauie as when they haue lost or are in daunger to loose any thing thereof All the power and faculties of soule and bodie are set on worke one way or other about them at least the very strength of them So should our hearts and affections bee set upon and carryed after this true wisedome being seriously bent unto the speedie and earnest and constant pursuite of the grace and favour of God and life everlasting and the meanes whereby they may be atchieved Now hence in generall we learne 1. That till we come to number our dayes as is aforesayd all our labours and endevours are about nought but starke folly such as we shall never reape any sound or solid fruit there-from but that which in the end shall be vanitie and vexation of spirit 2. That we should never thinke either our selues or others truly wise or to follow wise courses indeed till we haue learned in the first place to number our dayes Yea till then the wiser wee are the greater fooles shall wee shew our selues though for our humane wisedome wee were fit to giue Princes counsell 3. That it is not enough for the Child of God in a slight manner to follow Wisedome but hee must set and apply his heart unto it in the same manner as a covetous man setteth and applyeth his heart to the getting of goods an ambitious man of honor a voluptuous man of his pleasure or the like More specially we shall by this meanes and in this manner apply our hearts unto Wisedome when upon the serious consideration of our mortalitie uncertaine estate here and the few daies we haue here to liue we shall carefully endevour 1. To waine our selues by degrees from the loue and delights of this world and of the things therof since the time we haue to enjoy them is so short and uncertaine For there is no greater bane to the soule then the loue of this world and no better meanes to make us out of loue therewith then to number our dayes that wee haue to liue therein in manner aforesaid 2. To make no reckoning or account of this life or of any thing concerning this life any further then it may further us unto the life to come 3. To count all those dayes lost that are not spent in the furthering of us unto eternall life 4. To judge the losse of any hope or certaintie in this life to be a good change for any hope or certaintie in the next life 5. To keepe our selues free as much as we may from all distractions and from whatsoever may hinder us in the pursuite of this wisedome 6. To make no reckoning of more then the time present and therefore not to put off our Repentance or the pursuite hereof from this day to that day as if we were sure of so many and so many dayes VERS 13. Returne ô Lord. THE second Petition followeth wherein the Prophet prayeth for divine comfort and consolation by reconciliation unto God and the sweet effects and fruits thereof that God would be pleased to minister comfort unto him and to his Church by being pleased to be reconciled in mercy unto them and by giuing them a liuely sense of the same Whence out of the Order that the Prophet vseth here we may note by the way That in the sense of Gods wrath for sinne wee must first desire wisedome and all the effectuall meanes thereof that is the true knowledge and understanding to do Gods will and to please him before we desire that he should be reconciled unto us or expect any drop of sound comfort from him It is senselesse and against common reason that in the sense of Gods wrath we should desire or hope for his favour and yet continue in our folly and wicked courses still And yet this is the course that most men take when they lie under any judgement of God they can call for hope for mercy and fauour and pray God to helpe them but in the meane while they haue no desire nor purpose to seeke after true wisedome that is the sure and certaine meanes whereby to please God But if ever in the sense of Gods wrath thou desire that God should be reconciled unto thee desire first that thine heart may bee applyed unto wisedome Now in this Petition of divine Consolation he prayeth 1. For the grace of Reconciliation itselfe 2. For the feeling and effectuall fruits of it The reconciliation of God to them is noted out principally by two termes 1. Of returning 2. Of repenting First Hee prayes the Lord to returne againe therein resembling God to one that turneth his backe toward us and in his anger is gone away and departed from vs. Whence 1. Wee may note a difference betweene Gods Child and the wicked The wicked they in their heart desire the Lord in this life to goe farre from them and they are best content when they thinke God farthest off them But the Children of God are otherwise affected This is their greatest misery and woe in this life when the Lord is farre off them and when he hides his face from them They are not so deeply affected with the absence and departure of any as of God You shall see in many places of the Psalmes how Dauid complaines of nothing more then this 2. As the Children of God desire nothing more then the face and presence of God so when God turnes his face from them and is departed they easily discerne it and haue lightly a sense and feeling of it so that as they are able to discerne and feele his presence so haue they a liuely sense and feeling of his absence And those that never felt the one cannot possibly feele the other they that complaine not of his absence never felt his comfortable presence 3. Note the effect of sinne even in Gods owne Children It makes the Lord in their owne sence and apprehension to haue forsaken them and to be gone away from them And if he bee gone all blessings are gone with him and nothing can appeare but terrors and cursings 4. In that he calls vpon the Lord not to come but to returne that is to say to come backe againe to the place from whence hee is gone it shewes that Gods people