is told As you shall haue old men in a tale of lesse then an houre long runne over all their life VERS 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger Euen according to thy feare so is thy wrath THE Prophet in this 11. verse concludes his Complaint and in the same complaineth of the dulnesse of Mankinde that whereas GOD shews such signes of his wrath they haue no sence or vnderstanding of the power thereof The second part of this verse is somewhat doubtfull word for word in the Hebrue it is thus And according to thy feare thy wrath Our Translatours as you heare translate it otherwise and therin follow learned men that went before them And the words if necessitie require it will beare such a construction and teach a profitable truth to wit That howsoeuer the wicked do not know the 〈◊〉 of Gods wrath Yet those that feare God know and vnderstand the same But I had rather here take the words more simply and read them thus Who knoweth the 〈◊〉 of thine anger and of thy wrath according to thy feare That is to say How rare a thing is it to finde a man that hath any true sense and vnderstanding of this thy mightie wrath or that makes any religious use thereof The first Doctrine we hence obserue is That Christians ought to marke and obserue the power and force of Gods wrath in all those particulars wherein hee sheweth it It is not enough for vs to know that God is a mercifull God and louing and gracious but we must know also that hee is an angry and a wrathfull God yea that he is exceedingly angry when he is prouoked the vnto And therefore we must not onely consider and vnderstand the signes tokens and effects of his loue and kindnesse in the world but the signes of his wrath also For in both he manifests himselfe and from both he lookes to reape glory and he is no lesse powerfull in the one then in the other And in our liues and conversations there is as much use of the one as of the other Yea a man shall never be able to discerne or make any good and true use of Gods loue That doth not first regard marke and labour to vnderstand his wrath The second Doctrine is That it is not enough to know that God is angry but that his anger is powerfull hee is mightie in his wrath Vanae sine viribus irae That anger that is without strength is nothing and therefore to bee feared and trembled at Many of vs can talke of and obserue the wrath of God in this or that particular but we use to make a matter of nothing of it we are not ordinarily affected with it so much as with the anger of any man that hath but the least power to hurt vs. But the lesse we marke and know it here the more we shall know and feele it hereafter The third Doctrine That the greatnesse and force of Gods wrath shines and shewes it selfe in the mortalitie of mankinde aforesayd So that if there were no other Argument to shew that God is angry and that his anger is exceeding powerfull The generall mortalitie of mankinde is sufficient to shew the same Who can deny that hee was angry when hee drown'd the whole world when he destroyed the first borne in Egypt when hee over-whelmed the hoste of the Egyptians in the red Sea when hee destroyed all his owne people in the Wildernesse that came out of Egypt Verily if we could well consider of the matter It can bee no lesse signe of Gods wrath that at some time or other after after some manner or other euery man in the world must die And that so many Ages before vs are dead The fourth Doctrine That it is a rare thing for any man to conceiue aright or to vnderstand that God is angry or that there is any such feare in his anger Many so liue and follow such courses as if they were perswaded that God could not be angry or that if hee were angry it were as easie a matter to please him as a childe Hence when they haue over-shot themselues in any sinne if they say God forgiue me or I cry God mercie they thinke all is well and they shall never heare more of the matter When men trespasse against a man if they thinke they haue hindred themselues by it how carefull how diligent are they to pacifie his anger and to seeke to regaine his fauour and good will againe Whereas the neglect hereof to God-ward when they haue offended him sheweth euidently that they little regard his anger or esteeme it not preiudiciall at all to them The fift Doctrine That it is not enough to know the force of Gods wrath but we must make a right use thereof Wee must thereby bee stirred vp to feare the Lord and to tremble before his Maiestie and take heed how any thing may either incense or continue his anger And we should take heede also how his anger prouokes vs to anger or to any sinne whatsoeuer that may further prouoke him VERS 12. So teach vs to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts vnto wisedome HItherto of the Prophets Complaint of the mortalitie of Mankinde Now vnto this Complaint hee annexeth certaine petitions wherein he craueth of God such gifts and graces as are most needfull for men in respect of their mortalitie aforesayd In which Petitions the Prophet prayeth 1. For divine Instruction 2. For divine Consolation His Petition for divine Instruction is contained in this twelfth verse and there are foure thinges therein expressed 1. The gift desired 2. The persons for whom it is desired 3. The meanes whereby the gift desired may be obtained 4. The end for which it is desired 1. The gift and grace desired is that we might so number our dayes c. Now to number our dayes is rightly to judge and discerne of that time that we haue to liue in this world This numbring of our dayes consisteth in these particulars 1. In a due consideration of the uttermost time that we can hope to liue here which is but till we be 70. or 80. yeares of Age. Not one of fiue thousand liues longer or if he liue some few dayes or yeares longer his life is vnto him but as death the world growes weary of him and hee of the world So that we so liue here as men that make account to liue no longer 2. In comparing the smallnesse of this number with that number of dayes that wee shall liue in another world Alas what is eightie yeares to eternitie When we shall lie a thousand thousand yeares and bee as farre from death as the first day we began to liue 3. In considering how much of our time is alreadie past that cannot be revoked and that wee must deduct and draw out of that number of 70. or 80. some of vs haue spent of the maine summe 10. 20. 30. 40. yeares and so the one and
punisheth vs to grieue and vex him Wee cannot make him any other-wise to repent of the euill that he hath done vnto us Concerning thy Servants IN these words is implied a motiue to stirre up the Lord to grant this request as if hee should say Wee are thy servants ergò let it repent thee concerning vs. Note wee hence 1. That vnder Gods correction his Children still remaine the seruants of God Yea the more he corrects them the more studious they are to serue him 2. That the onely way to make GOD repent him of the judgements hee brings on vs is to manifest and professe that wee are his servants 3. That those that are not the servants of God haue no cause to hope that God will repent him of any evill toward them But they are to expect rather evill upon evill and judgement vpon judgement till they come to everlasting judgement VERS 14. Oh satisfie vs early with thy mercy that we may reioyce and be glad all our dayes HItherto the Prophet prayed for Reconciliation it selfe now hee prayeth for the feeling and effectuall fruits of it These feeling and effectuall fruits of it are a liuely sense of Gods mercy and a fulnesse of joy arising and issuing there-from For the Childe of God can haue no hope of comfort but in the hope of Gods Reconciliation nor hope of Gods Reconciliation to him but in the sense of his mercie And where there is a liuely and full sense of his Mercy there cannot but be sound solid and lasting joy and delight in that soule Where note also That Gods children are not wont to content themselues with a meere fancie and imagination of Gods savor but they are never at rest till they feele it in the signes and fruits of it Now for this mercy the Prophet prayeth 1. In generall in this Verse 2. In speciall in the next In the generall there is a Petition and a reason thereof rendred The Petition is for Mercy wherein hee prayeth 1. For the Grace it selfe 2. For the measure of it 3. For expedition in the granting of it The first act or effect of Reconciliation is the worke of Mercy when the Lord manifesteth that he is affected with compassion towards those servants of his whom he hath formerly afflicted Whence we note 1. That there is no cause to hope that God is reconciled vnto vs till he some way or other shew mercy vpon us 2. That there can bee no unfained desire of mercy till we feele our owne misery and our just desert till we haue a sense of the just judgement of God vpon us for our sinnes Our misery is his mercy 3. That there is no hope of mercy where men feele not the want of it and earnestly begge it at Gods hands Secondly he desireth to be satisfied with it Whence wee note 1. That nothing will satisfie Gods Children but Gods mercy All is as nothing to them without it 2. That they desire not onely mercy but that they may rest in it and be content with it They desire nothing but that making no doubt but that having that they shall haue all things together with it 3. That they desire not some small drop of it but craue such a measure of it as may even fill and satisfie their soules Thirdly his suite is that they may haue this mercy early that they may haue the sense and feeling of it betimes Where obserue we 1. A difference betweene Gods children and wicked worldlings Gods children desire to haue Gods mercy betimes whereas the wicked put it of still from time to time they desire with Balaam Num. 23. 10. to haue it in the end but they care not for it early 2. That those that will be satisfied earely with Gods mercy must earely repent and earely seeke after it and earely desire and pray for it The reason followeth That we may reioyce and be glad all our dayes Whence we note 1. That Gods children may lawfully desire to rejoyce and be glad all their dayes 2. That true joy and gladnesse springeth from the mercy of God and our assurance of it 3. That Gods children desire no other joy or gladnesse then that which springeth from the same VERS 15. Make us glad according to the daies wherein thou hast afflicted us and the yeares wherein wee haue seene evill AFter the generall suite for mercy followeth a more speciall suite for the same Wherein 1. In speciall the Church calleth upon God himselfe to make her to rejoyce and that according to the degree and proportion of her former affliction 2. Shee in her Prayers beggeth the speciall meanes thereof In the first we learne 1. That the Church being humbled with the sense of Gods wrath no bodie can comfort her and reioyce her but God onely For if the Fountaine be bitter how can the streames bee sweete If God the Fountaine of all Goodnesse afflict us with evill what hope can wee haue of God from any other If the Almightie wound vs in his wrath who can heale vs Or if any shall heale one wound shall wee not haue cause to feare two for that one To reioyce in any thing else when God is angry with us and smites us is as if whilst wee are in the pawes of a Lyon and readie to bee deuoured wee should then bee delighted with the Friskes and Gambols of Apes and Munkies To seeke for comfort and delight in any thing else whilst God is angry with us is as vaine as if a man in his drought being kept from water should thinke to quench his thirst by drinking of Brine The use hereof 1. This should teach us in our miseries and afflictions in the first place to labour to see Gods hand in them That it is God that chasteneth and afflicteth and maketh vs sorrowfull And when wee see that it should teach us to flie to him for comfort and ease and never to expect it els-where Yea herein wee should in our afflictions approue our selues to be Gods children if wee can seeke to him for ease and comfort that hath smitten vs And the contrary is a signe of a Gracelesse childe who at that time that he knowes his Father is exceedingly wrath with him and hath beene corrected by him will never seeke to him but sport and delight himselfe with the servants or with Dogs 2. In comforting others that are afflicted under the sence of Gods wrath It should teach us to speake in that manner to them that they may discerne that God speakes in and by us and that that comfort that wee desire to possesse them with is a divine comfort and hath his ground from Gods owne word Else all comfort will bee but vaine Yea wee shall shew our selues but lewd and prophane persons if wee shall endeuour to comfort Gods childe by any other kind of comfort then that which proceeds from God this being to teach them to despise God as it is a despising of ones Parents for a childe whilst his
better halfe is gone 4. In considering the vncertaintie of those dayes that are to come that there is not a day nor an houre that we can make any certain reckoning off that it shall be a day or an houre unto us it is the present instant onely that we are sure off 5. In making account as for the time past so for the time to come that a great part of it shall be spent in sorrow and travaile and paine and distraction So that if we shall deduct all those dayes which when they are come wee shall wish they were gone and before they doe come wee wish they might never come it wil diminish the maine summe exceedingly The second point is the persons for whom this grace is desired The Prophet desireth it for himselfe and for all Gods Children Teach us sayth he to number our dayes Whence obserue we that it concerneth euery Child of God to be skilfull herein even in the numbring of his dayes that is to consider seriously of the shortnesse and uncertaintie of his life in this world and accordingly to make reckoning and account of his time here So that the fewer our dayes are the better use wee should make of them The more uncertaine our time to come is the better we should imploy the time present For those things that we number and reckon wee use to make reckoning off And those things that we make reckoning of wee doe not negligently and carelesly spend So that the spirit of God teaching vs to number and reckon our dayes teacheth us therein to make reckoning of them and in that regard not to mis-spend them Now first this condemneth the practise of most men especially our Gentlemen and many of their Servants who care not how they passe away day after day and weeke after weeke as though nothing were more troublesome to them then the day present To day they wish for to morrow when to morrow is come they are as wearie of it and devise this and that not to make use and benefit of the day but to spend it and passe it away with idlenesse and they thinke that day is best spent that is most lightly and merrily flowne over their head 2. This should teach Gods children to repent them vnfainedly of so many dayes as haue passed over their head without profit And it should teach them to make more use of the time to come Even to resolue with themselues that no day to come shall passe away vainely and idly but that they will make some speciall use and reckoning of it And therefore this day to thinke what good use they shall put the morrow to if God spare them life and so one day after another But the Heathen Painter will rise vp in Iudgement to condemne many of vs Christians If any day had passed wherein he had not done some worke belonging to his Art It is reported hee would haue sighed and sayd Oh this day haue I drawne never a lyne What a shame then should it bee for any Christian to passe day after day without drawing any lyne or doing ought that to their Christian profession appertaineth The third Point to wit the meanes by which the Grace desired is to bee obtained is by being taught of God So that it must be obtained 1. In generall by Teaching 2. In speciall by divine Teaching 3. This divine Teaching is to be obtained by Prayer 4 This Prayer must be stirred vp by a sence of our mortalitie 1. The first lessen hence then is this that The best of Gods children stand in need to bee taught to number their dayes If Moses the great Prophet of God among the rest desired to bee taught herein it shewes that he had not yet thoroughly learned it and if hee had not who can say that he hath There is none therefore too good to be taught this for certainly we shall the best of vs in our experience find it that wee are very dull and ignorant in this dutie And though we be taught to doe and practise it at some time yet often we are as farre to seeke in it as if we had neuer heard of it neuer thinking of our end how short our time is how many dayes we haue alreadie spent how few are to come but we commonly liue as though we had so many dayes to liue as it were vaine and idle to bestow time to number them as though wee might well spare the numbring of them The second lesson That except God teach this dutie all other teaching is in vaine It is not all the wit and learning in the world that can truly teach it Though Philosophers Orators and Divines should vse the utmost straine of their wits they cannot without a speciall ayd and helpe of God learne this lesson throughly but they will some way or other sayle in it Those therefore that in any good measure haue learned it haue beene taught it of God We should therefore trie our abilitie herein and if we find that in some good measure wee are inabled to doe this dutie let vs acknowledge that wee haue therein received speciall grace and fauour from God For without his speciall blessing and instruction wee shall never make any good and holy use of those dayes and times that we liue here but wee shall suffer day after day to passe over our heads without making any reckoning and account at all of them This shewes the difficultie of this worke The third lesson is That the speciall meanes to moue God to teach vs to make reckoning and account of our dayes as matters of worth is Prayer This the Prophet teacheth in his owne example and speaking in the person of all Gods people So that those that haue a heart to call vpon God herein shall be sure to finde God readie herein to assist them If the Spirit of God to this purpose haue made a Prayer in the name of Moses and the whole Church surely if Moses or any servant of God shall with a good heart make that Prayer they shall bee sure therein to obtaine their desire The fourth lesson That to stirre up our Prayer to God herein we must be deeply possest and affected with the sense of our mortalitie And surely if we did seriously consider that which hath beene taught vs in the words going before it could not but make us to pray earnestly to God for this grace And there was neuer earnest Prayer made to God that went emptie away The fourth and last point in this Petition is why and to what end we are to number our dayes thus to wit that so wee may apply our hearts unto wisedome that is that so we may spend that small and uncertaine time that we haue to liue here in those things that may bee most for our behoose and advantage And how is that done surely by seeking for and pursuing after whilst we liue here the meanes of Gods fauour and life eternall For therein consisteth true wisedome and this