A MEDITATION OF MAN'S MORTALITY. CONTAINING AN Exposition of the Ninetieth PSALM. By that Reverend and Religious Servant of GOD Mr WILLIAM BRADSHAW, sometime Fellow of Sidney College in CAMBIDGE. Published since his decease by THOMAS GATAKER B. of D. and Pastor of ROTHERHITH. LONDON Printed by john Dawson for Fulke Clifton, and are to be sold on New-fish street hill under Saint Margret's Church. 1621. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL AND RELIGIOUS THE Lady GRACE. DARCY, increase of all Spiritual grace and true comfort here, with assurance of eternal glory and happiness hereafter. GOOD MADAM, These holy and heavenly Meditations were by the Author of them at first conceived upon occasion of the decease of that Religious Gentleman, of blessed memory, your dear Father, under whose roof he then lived. Since which time it hath pleased God to give you further occasion of Meditation in this kind, (not to mention the loss of the Author himself, which I well know, very feelingly affected you) by renting from you as it were the one half of yourself, that worthy Knight, that was one flesh with you while he lived, and continueth one spirit with you notwithstanding his decease. It hath pleased God thus by sundry crosses successively to exercise his graces in you, and to preach that unto you by real, and those domestical, (I may well so call them) Sermons, that this Discourse and Treatise mainly tendeth unto. Neither ought it at all a Prov. 3. 11, 17. Heb. 12. 5, 6. to dismay or discourage any of God's Children, when they shall consider, how it pleaseth God to follow them with Crosses, either in this kind, or any other. b Lam. 3. 27. Heb. 12. 10. It is for our good, that we be trained up in the school of afflictions. The Spirit of God pronounceth them c job 5. 17. Psal. 94. 12. blessed, that are corrected and instructed. And the very Heathen themselves have held them d Bias 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Infaelicem dicebat cum, qui infaelicitatem non tulisset. Laer. Nihil mihi videtur infaelicius eo, cui nihil unquam evenit adversi. Demetrius Cynicus apud Senec. de provide. c. 3. Hinc Amasis Polycrati; 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Neminem unquam novi, aut fando audivi, qui non ad extremum funditus perierit, postres omnes prosperègestas. Herodot. hist. l. 3. unhappy, that had never tasted of any unhappiness. Happy are we that ever we came into this School, so be we prove not truants in it, but c Psal. 119. 67, 71. come better out of it then we came in. Now this how it may be effected, this blessed servant of God now with God, having long been experienced, and well profited therein, doth from the Spirit of God speaking by Moses the Man of God, here manifest. In regard whereof I have the rather made choice to address that to your LADYSHIP, which your well-deserving both of the Author and his issue doth otherwise give you good interest in, and a just title unto. And so wishing unto yourself, and all other that shall make use of it, that benefit by it, that by the Author was at first intended in it; with thankful acknowledgement of your great love and kindness showed both to him while he lived, and to his poor Widow and Fatherless ones since his decease, I take leave, and rest Your LADIESHIPS to be commanded in the Lord THO: GATAKER. A MEDITATION OF MAN'S MORTALITY. A GODLY MEDITATION ON PSALM 90. A Prayer of Moses the Man of God. THis Psalm is a Meditation of Man's Mortality: An Argument that all of us have most feeling Occasions to think of, and to be affected withal. This Meditation is conceived in the form of a Prayer, as is expressed in the Title; and is apparent by the Psalm itself: For the Prophet directeth his speech unto God; and therein teacheth us; That our Meditations, and thoughts, and affections in and about this Argument, should be holy and religious, such as are fit to be presented to God himself. And that in our Meditations hereof we should withdraw ourselves into the presence of GOD; and as it were in a special manner make him acquainted with them: For this is a means to reap found and true comfort thereby. The Author of this Meditation was Moses, as appears also by the Title; Howsoever some upon no good ground suppose, that it was a Psalm of David made in the person of Moses. And albeit it be not set down or mentioned in any other of Moses his works; yet that no whit hindereth, but that it may well be his, as all Circumstances in it do well fit thereunto. Neither indeed had any man after Moses more cause to meditate on this Argument, and to be throughly affected therewith. Now Moses the Author of it is here described to be the Man of God: that is, a special and more than ordinary Servant of God. So that it is as if it had been said; That famous and renowned Servant of God was in manner as followeth, affected with the consideration of Man's Mortality; and upon the same penned this Psalm, that other of God's servants might learn of him, how in like manner to be affected therewith. Whence we learn: 1. That every true Servant of God hath and ever shall have just cause to meditate of, and in most feeling manner to be affected with the consideration of this matter. Yea, the greater and more worthy Servant of God one is, the more deeply will he be affected therewith. 2. That this is a part of our special service, wherein we shall show ourselves to be Men and Women of God in a special manner, to meditate seriously hereon, and to be affected herewith; As the neglect thereof is a special sign of one that is no Man of God. 3. That the Servants of God herein had need not only of general Rules, but of special patterns and directions, how and in what manner to be have themselves in this consideration; lest on the one side they be swallowed up in the gulf of despair, or on the other side encouraged and heartened on to profaneness, making that cursed and damnable use thereof, that Epicures use to do, saying, Let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall Esai. 22. 13. 1 Cor. 15. 31. die: Let us be merry while we may. The Psalm itself consisteth of 1. A Preface. 2. A Complaint. A Petition. IN the Preface, the Prophet praiseth God: and by praising him laboureth to move God the rather to hearken unto the Complaint and Petition, that afterwards he is to make. And indeed this is a special means to make our Complaints to be regarded of God, and our Petitions granted, when in the making of them, we shall bring hearts possessed with the love of God, and our mouths filled with his praise. For there is no true Child of God, be his soul never so deeply possessed with sorrow and plunged in misery, but he shall find Arguments of the praise and glory of God in the very midst of his misery. Neither will God find mercy to be moved with their Complaints, nor regard their Requests, that in the apprehension of their miseries have no hearts to conceive, or mouths to utter his praise. So that would we move the Lord to Compassion in our misery, and to grant our requests? Let us in the first place stir up our hearts, to consider God's goodness, and praise, and to manifest the same in the midst of all God's judgements; else it will nothing boot us to beg, or to complain. Those therefore that in the sense of their misery, can find no true and hearty matter to praise and glorify God, though they should rend the Heaven with their cries, and beg and ask from morning to evening, yet cannot look to receive any comfortable answer at God's hands. So that herein we should examine our hearts and affections. For look with what measure of the love of God, and of the acknowledgement of his goodness they are replenished, in that measure may we hope that the Lord will hearken unto us. The Prophet praiseth the Lord 1. For his goodness towards his people. 2. For his worthiness in himself. IN the first he manifests his thankful mind to God for his kindness passed; in the other his hope & confidence in God for the time to come. VERS. I. Lord, thou hast been 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 special care of his Saints and Servants, to provide for them all things necessary for this life; For under the name of dwelling place, or Mansion house, the Prophet understandeth all helps and comforts necessary for this life, both for maintenance and protection. For the use of such houses was wont to be not only to defend men from the injury of the Weather, and to keep safely, within the walls and under the roof, all other things necessary for this life; and to be a place of abode, wherein men might the more commodiously provide for all other things necessary, and walk 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 seems to note a special and more immediate providence of God toward himself, and the people of God: (For of all kind of people they seemed to be most forsaken and forlorn:) That whereas the rest of the world, seemed to have their habitations & Mansions rooted in the earth, and so to dwell upon the earth; to live in Cities and walled Towns in all wealth and State; God's people were as it were without house and home. Abraham was called Hebr. 11. 8, 9 out of his own Country, from his father's house, where no doubt he had goodly buildings, and large revenues, and was commanded by God to live as a Foreigner in a strange Country, amongst savage people, that he knew not; and to abide in Tents, Booths, and Cabins, having little hope to live a settled and comfortable life in any place. In like manner lived his posterity, Isaac, jacob, and the twelve Patriarches, wand'ring from place to place, in the Land of Canaan; from thence translated into the Land of Egypt; there living at courtesy, and as it were Tenants at will, and in such slavery and bondage, that it had been better for them to have been without house and home. After this for forty years together, (at what time this Psalm was penned,) they wandered up and down in a desolate Wilderness; Removing from place to place, and wand'ring as it were in a maze. So that of all the people of the Earth, God's own people had hitherto lived as Pilgrims and banished persons, without house or home. And therefore the Prophet here professeth, that God himself more immediately by his extraordinary providence, for many ages together had protected them, and been as it were a Mansion-house unto them; That is, The more they were deprived of these ordinary comforts of this life, the more was God present with them, supplying by his extraordinary and immediate Providence, what they wanted in regard of ordinary means. The due consideration of this point may minister matter of great joy and Comfort to such children of God as are thoroughly humbled with the consideration of Man's Mortality in general, or of theirs, that they rely and depend upon in special: and it may serve as it were for a bottom, and for brinks to keep their sorrow within bounds and compass. For surely this cannot but be a means of great sorrow and trouble of mind to them that live and depend upon others, (especially when any feeling occasion shall be offered unto them) to consider the mortality of these that they depend upon, and from whom they receive the comforts and means of this life, upon whose life and breath, under God hitherto they have enjoyed their Mansion, or dwelling places. Neither can it be less sorrow and trouble for these upon whom others depend, to consider their own Mortality, when they shall have wife and children, or any other depending upon them, living and breathing as it were by them; It cannot I say, but go near their hearts, if they love those that are under them, to think, that they are but mortal and frail flesh, that they know not how soon they shall be called from them, and that then they shall leave them destitute of those comforts and helps which now they have by them. Sorrow herein, especially when by the hand of God we shall be called to think of our Mortality, can hardly keep itself within bounds and compass. But if we could meditate of that which the Prophet here speaks, it would support and uphold us, and keep our fears and sorrows within bounds and compass. Hence than we are to learn: 1. That God is in all those means and comforts, and stays that we have in this life: That we should not live in any dwelling place, under any person with any comfort or content, were it not by the Providence of God, and such a Providence as God's child shall (if he rouse up his thoughts) have such a sense and feeling of the same, that he shall see and feel God in the means: and shall acknowledge, that though he have 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 living, his maintenance, etc. 2. That the more that God withdraweth these means from his children, the poorer and more uncertain their states are in their houses and Farms, or places of abode, the more shall they find the Lord to be himself all these unto them. For his Providence herein is never more felt then when they are most destitute of all outward helps and means. 3. This is a Doctrine of comfort, not only in regard of ourselves, but of those we shall leave behind us. Every man cannot leave his wife or children, or servants houses to dwell in, though they desire and endeavour it never so much. Yet this may be a ●ay unto us, and may moderate our griefs herein, That God himself is a dwelling house unto all 〈◊〉; and certainly will provide for all his, whatsoever shall be needful and the more destitute and forlorn we leave them, when through mortality we shall be taken away from them, the more he will be an habitation and Mansion house unto them; which is a surer house than any of our houses of stone and clay: And this we may be sure to leave our wives and children, if they be Gods. 4. The more experience we shall have of this good Providence of God, the more let us be ready to give the praise and glory thereof to God: And show ourselves in our deepest thoughts of Mortality to be such as yet do acknowledge God to have been in all ages an habitation unto his, and at all times unto us. 5. Let us delight only in this Mansion, which we cannot let nor lose: which will not leave us, when we leave this world, but will abide by us for ever. VERS. 2. Before the Mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst form the earth; even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God. THE second Argument of God's praise is from his worthiness and excellency of himself; That he is a God eternal and immutable; one that ever hath been, and ever shall be the same; in whom there is no alteration, nor shadow jam. 1. 17. of change. He was God before the Mountains were brought forth, yea, before the earth was made, and he will be God for ever and ever: And those properties and qualities that are in him; were ever in him, and will be in him for ever and ever. This praise of God doth fit that present Argument which the Prophet hath in hand: And tends to moderate and keep in compass immoderate sorrow that may arise either from the consideration of our own Mortality, or the Mortality of any other. For that, notwithstanding the changes and alterations that we see in the world, that may discourage us, and breed distrust and diffidence in us, yet, if we be the true Children of God, we have had a true feeling and sense of his love and special Providence over us. And if we have once felt it indeed, there is no cause but to hope for the continuance thereof. For as he is an eternal God, so his love is an eternal love; it was before all Worlds, and shall be for ever and ever. Is therefore the hand of God upon thee? Dost thou see and feel thyself to be mortal? Dost thou see those thou dependest upon to be such? What? Dost thou think therefore that God that did love thee, and that in his love raised up these and these means for thee, is mortal also and mutable? No: Though he change and alter the means, and thereby would have thee to fear and tremble before him; yet do not thou for all that despair? Be thou still the Child of God: Let no changes either threatened or effected change thy mind and affection to God: and though God shall for a time humble thee, and seem for a time to thrust thee from thine house, and all comforts of thy life, to make thee to know thyself; yet his affection is the same to thee that ever it was; it can no more change than he doth change. And therefore as God out of his eternal love hath heretofore been good unto thee, so be thou assured, that out of the same love he will continue so to be in the midst of all changes and alterations whatsoever. The particular description of God's eternity and immutability fitteth this place and Argument. What more firm than rocks and mountains! What more stable than the earth that never Psal. 93. 2. And 78. 69. Eccles. 1. 4. removes out of his place, nor moves in his place? Yet that God, which is eternal, which was before they were made, is more immovable than they. The greatest Mountains upon the earth, yea, the earth itself shall sooner be moved and removed, than he, not only in his nature, but in his affection and disposition. And though we had never such certain dwelling places in this World, though our houses were built upon the firmest Rocks and highest Mountains; yet we should not be sure, except the Lord himself be our dwelling place. Our confidence in such places is nothing without him. What saith the Lord by his Prophet to the Edomites, Obadiah 3. 4. The pride of thy heart hath deceived thee thou that dwellest in the Clefts of the Rock, whose habitation is on high; that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me down? Whereas if the Lord be our dwelling house, we Psal. 18. 2. are sure and safe. For he is a Rock, a Castle, a Fort, a Secret place to all his. VERS. 3. Thou turnest man to destruction, saying, Return, ye Children of Adam. HIs complaint is to God, as to the Author of our mortality: and that mortality which is from God he setteth forth. 1. By divers Comparisons, 2. By the cause that moveth God to make man see such mortality. In the first place the Prophet conceiveth of God as of a Potter, that having of dust tempered a mass and framed it into a vessel and dried it, doth presently, within a minute of an hour after, dash it again in pieces, and beat it to dust, in passion as it were speaking unto it, Get thee to the dust again. The word here translated Destruction, signifies a Beating, or Grinding, or Pounding of a thing to Powder. And the Prophet seems to allude to the third of Genesis, where God speaks of Adam, Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return, as if he should Gen. 3. 19 say: O Lord, thou that hast made and framed man of the dust of the earth, thou beatest him to dust again: And as thou madest him by thy Word alone, So with thy Word thou suddenly turnest, and beatest him again to dust; as a man that makes a thing, and presently mars it again. Hence we learn: 1. That as it is God by whom we live; So it is he by whom and whose means we die: By what means soever men come to their ends, whether by a timely or untimely death, God hath the main stroke. The sword that takes away our life, must go out of his mouth, before we can die. It's he that saith, Return, Oh son of man! before a man can return to dust. So then let us not so much regard the threats and brags of men: but let us that fear death, fear the Lord that gave life. For he only quickeneth, he only killeth. Deut. 32. 39 1 Sam. 2. 6. 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 diet Physic, & help, and prayers in the world that can save the life, And this he can do suddenly, in the twinkling of an eye. And therefore we should, as we love our lives, fear him, and take heed how we offend and displease him, that can with a word turn the strongest man into dust. 3. The style that God giveth 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 unto dust; go thou also to dust. So that we should think seriously of the matter that we are made of, and be humbled with the consideration thereof; And herein justify the Lord in his dealing. For why may not he that hath made us of dust, turn us again unto dust? And this should teach us to take heed how we place our main and principal hope in Man, who is but the child of dust, who must return to dust Psal. 146. 3, 4. as soon as God calls him, and bids him return. 4 This showeth the absolute power which the Lord hath over these bodies of ours. A Potter hath not more power over the vessel of clay that he maketh. Which as it should teach us to take heed how we murmur and repine against GOD for aught he doth in this kind: so it should likewise admonish us, to use our bodies whilst we have them, and before we and they return to dust again, to his glory; That so from dust they may be raised again by him to immortality. VERS. 4. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday that is past, and as a Watch in the night. THe Prophet showeth further in this part of his complaint, that God doth as it were suddenly raise up a man and break him again, because that in his eyes a thousand years are but as yesterday that is passed; and as a watch in the night. Now if it be so with God in regard of his eternity, that a thousand years are but as yesterday, and the fourth part of a night; then surely in his eyes the life of man, though he should live to threescore and ten, is but short; as short as if a man should make a thing, and mar it within a quarter of an hour, yea, in the very same minute or moment almost. Hence we learn. 1. Not to measure length of time by the time we spend here, though we were sure to live till eighty or a hundred years, but to measure it by God's eternity; to consider what it is in respect of God, and of theirs that live with God, and are in grace and favour with him. For surely when they have enjoyed his presence a thousand years in all bliss, they are no whit then weary thereof, nor is it but as if they had been with him but an hour. 2. This is a terror to the wicked, for though they be a thousand years in hell, yet with God it is but as yesterday. Which shows the extreme folly of them, that for a little pleasure in this life, which is so uncertain, and so momentary, do so little regard eternal woe. 3. The consideration of this should persuade that God hath made us for another end then to live here. For we may not think he would with such endeavour make Man in his own Image, to destroy it suddenly again, and to no other purpose; But he destroys man, and makes him return to dust again, that he may translate him to another condition of life. And therefore our life here is but a way to another. VERS. 5. Thou carriest them away as with a Flood— THE Prophet having before showed what mortality God hath subjected the sons of Adam unto: how he doth make them, and as it were the same day, yea, the same hour that he hath made them, mar and destroy them again, a thousand years in his sight being as yesterday, or but as it were the eight part of a day. He proceeds now to set forth this condition of Man more plainly by three Comparisons. In the first Comparison, he resembles him in respect of his life to those things that are violently carryed-away in an Inundation. As we see in great and extraordinary floods & inundations, all that is in the way, Beast and cattle, and all that are within the force of the stream are carried violently away; so it is with man: God doth as it were set open certain flood-gats against him, and by violent streams and inundations of waters, as it were, he sweeps him away. For (as he showed us before) the time that we live here, though we live more than the ordinary period of man's days is with God but a very short time, but as a watch in the night, the fourth part of the night. It continually flows, and flows faster, swifter, and with greater violence than the strongest stream; and it carrieth us with it; and the course thereof we cannot stay, no more than the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, or the courses of the Sun and Moon. Against this stream we cannot swim, but the more we shall strive against it, the faster we shall be carried away with it. Hence the Prophet teacheth us. To meditate seriously of the swift passage of our days, how our life runs away like a stream of waters, and carrieth us with it; our condition in the eyes of God, in regard of our life in this world being but as if a man that knows not how to swim, should be cast into a great stream of water, and headlong carried down in it, so that he may sprawl sometime, lift up his head or his hands, cry for help, catch hold of this thing and that for a time; but his end will be drowning, and it is but a small time that he can hold out, but that as it carries him away, so it will swallow him up. And surely our life here if it be rightly considered, is but like the life of such a person, as is violently carried down a stream. All the actions and motions of our life, and for it, are but like unto the strive and struggle of a man in that case: Our eating, our drinking, our Physic, our sports, and all other means, they are but like his motions, that is violently carried down the stream: When we have done what we can, die we must, and be drowned in this Deluge. The use of this consideration may be to teach us. 1. The vanity of Men, that think here upon earth, to build them everlasting habitations, and never to be removed; and that trouble their minds about nothing but how they may get sure holds and tenors here. Alas what vanity were in this man that is carried down a violent stream of water, that hath no hope to recover himself, but is sure, howsoever for some small time he breathes and hath his senses, to be drowned out of hand, yet whilst he breathes and hath his senses, to be thinking, and forecasting of building of houses, of purchasing lands, of planting orchards, and of providing this thing and that thing for his use for forty or sixty years to come. 2. This should teach us in the want of the means of this life, for ourselves and posterity, to be content to take it less to heart, then worldly and covetous persons use to do. Who in fears and distrusts in regard of the time to come, how they shall do when they are old and not able to work, how they shall live when such and such friends be gone, how their children shall do when they are dead; many times in the abundance, for the present, of those things which others before their eyes do want, live most miserably and uncomfortably, yea, a life worse than death, and that only for thinking of the time to come, whereas if these persons would think how mortal they, and their children are, how short a time they have to live here, how they are carried away as it were with a flood, they and their children, and all else, these matters would never so much run in their heads, neither would they vex and trouble themselves and others so much about them as they do: But now we dream of immortality in this life, and put from us as much as we can the hour of our death, So living and desiring to live here, as if we should live ever here, or there were no living else where. Were not they stark mad that seeing their children carried away with a flood, struggling and breathing in the waters for life, and ready to be drowned, and no hope of pulling them out, would be carking and caring, and vexing themselves, how they should provide for them? Nay, let Christians, seeing their lives are so short, here comfort themselves in their wants and their children's, and labour so that small time they have to live, that after this short and transitory life, they and their children may live eternally in Heaven. — They are as a sleep.— THE second Comparison followeth, wherein the Prophet compares the life of man & all the pleasures and sorrows accompanying the same to a sleep. Alas, what sooner passeth away? What is easier broken off then sleep? how short also are the pleasures and sorrows that are in sleep? Surely the whole state and condition of a man in this life is but like the state and condition of a man in sleep: all things fall out so like in either. Our life may be compared to sleep in four respects. 1. In regard of the shortness of it. 2. In regard of the easiness of being put out of it. 3. In regard of the many means to disquiet and break it off. 4. In regard of the many errors in it. For the first three; sleep is but short: and the sweeter it is, the shorter it seems to be. And as it is but short of itself, though it should last the full swinge of nature: So the soundest sleep, is easily broken; the least knock, the lowest call puts men out of it; and a number of means and occasions there be to interrupt and break it off. And is not it so with the life of man? Is not the longest life short? Is it not the shorter, the sweeter and fuller of contents it is? And is it not easily taken away? Are there not many means to bring us unto our ends? Even as many as there are to waken us out of sleep? For the fourth, how many errors are we subject to in sleep? In sleep the Prisoner many times dreams that he is at liberty; he that is at liberty, that he is in Prison; he that is hungry, that he is feeding daintily; He that is in want, that he is in great abundance; He that abounds, that he is in great want. How many in their sleep have thought they have gotten that, which they shall be better for for ever, and when they are even in the hope of present possessing some such goodly matter, or beginning to enjoy it, or in the midst of their joy, they are suddenly awaked, and then all is gone with them, and their golden fancies vanish away in an instant. So for evil and sorrow as well. And is it not just so in the life of Man? Whose life passeth sooner away or swifter than theirs that have most comforts and sweetest? Whose life is longer than theirs in seeming, that live least at ease? Who are ordinarily more bound, more in trouble, have greater vexation, and disquiet, than those that have most liberty and abundance? Who are freer and more at liberty, and want least, than they that have least? How ordinary a thing is it for men in the most abundance to be least satisfied? And in the poorest cottage to find the greatest content? And how suddenly are men even as if they had been in a dream cut off from all their hopes, all their delights and pleasures, that in this world they enjoyed? The use hereof then is; 1. To teach us, to account of the things that merely concern this life, the profits, the pleasures, the honours of it, but as of dreams; such as are transitory, and pass away as a sleep, that we can have no certainty or assurement of, but such as we may be deprived of even as easily, as we may be broken of our sleep. 2. To watch and take heed how we look to place any settled comfort in this life, or the things of this life. For we shall find as many errors in it and the things thereof, as we do in sleep. Men may fancy this and that, but the issue will be nothing: no more then of him who going to bed hungry, dreams he eats, etc. 3. This should teach Christians not to envy, and malice the comforts, honours, and prosperity of wicked men: for they are but as dreams: thou hast much cause, hast thou not? to envy a poor man, that he should far daintily in a dream. 4. It should make us think the less of the sorrows and miseries of this life, that either ourselves or others endure. Ourselves here are but as a sleep. The sorrows that we endure here, especially for righteousness, are but as a dream. Our sleep will soon end, and our sorrows will end with them, and we shall see that we were but deluded herein. 5. Never to think that we do the actions of Men that are truly waking, but when we do the actions that concern the life to come, where we shall ever watch, and need no sleep; where we shall ever rejoice, and never be deluded. — In the morning they are like grass that groweth. VERS. 6. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up: in the evening it is cut down, and withereth. THE third Comparison followeth, wherein the life of Man is compared to grass. That as it is with grass; A man shall see it flourishing in the morning, and the same day cut down and withered; So is man; This day flourishing and lusty, and to morrow laid in the dust; Nay, as it were in the morning well, and before night he and all his strength and glory vanished and gone. 1. The consideration of this should teach men in the midst of all their glory and state in this life, to think what a fading thing it is, how soon it is cut down and withered. And therefore we should take heed, how we set our hearts upon these transitory things: for, as Meadows, when they are most pleasant, and fullest of variety of flowers, they are then suddenly cut down, and all the beauty of them vanished; So it shall be with all things that in this world we delight in, whether life, or honour and riches, though a man flourish never so much in them; yet as it were the same day, they shall be taken from him, and he from them; and then their hearts will be as gone with them, that had their hearts before set on them. Let us therefore learn to set our hearts upon another life, and the things thereof: and then we shall be sure never to lose that we love. And let us strive to be Plants in God's house, living Plants, trees of righteousness, Planted by the rivers of his Sanctuary. And then we shall never be cut down: Our leaves shall never fall, our branches never wither. 2. Let us learn so to love this life, and all things of this life, as matter that we must part with, that we have no Lease or Assurance of for one day. And where God makes them instruments of comfort and help unto us, if we enjoy them day after day, let us bless God for it, and count every day that he lends us, & every blessing that he bestows upon us day after day, an advantage unto us more than we deserve. 3. Let us every morning, fit and prepare ourselves for cutting down. Though we be never so lusty, and flourish never so much, yet let us consider, that we are but as grass; and though this morning we flourish, yet before night we may be cut down and withered; and all our glory and comforts lie in the dust. It were well with us if we so lived, that when death shall come to cut us down, we could not say, I little thought that I should die so soon. And for others whose lives are dear unto us, and whose deaths may be a judgement unto us; let us so set our sins before our eyes, that they may be a means to work in us an holy and religious fear of their death, in the midst of these comforts and contents we receive from them; And how strong and flourishing so ever we shall see them in the morning, yet let us think with fear, that before evening they may be cut down, and we may lose them, and all the comforts that depend upon them. VERS. 7. For we are consumed in thine anger; and by thy wrath are we troubled. HItherto the Prophet in his complaint hath set forth by Comparison, what great mortality God hath brought upon the Children of Adam. Now here in this verse he showeth the cause thereof; The anger of God. Adam and all the sons of Adam have offended him: and therefore he hath brought this universal mortality and deluge upon man. And this Anger of GOD he sets forth; 1. By the cause. 2. By the greatness. Concerning the anger of God, we must not think, that it is a perturbation of mind in him, whereby he indeed fretteth, and is vexed within himself, as men use to be, whose wrath and anger doth ordinarily more hurt & torment themselves, than those they are angry withal. But it is in God an holy and just disposition, to inflict deserved punishment upon his creature. Though God therefore have absolute power of his own free will to destroy the creature which he hath made without any cause, yet he doth not destroy man without some special cause, and motive thereunto. And this cause is not a pleasure and delight, as though it should be a sport and pastime of God to make and mar so excellent a workmanship of his own; as it is with Children to kill Flies, or Huntsmen to kill wild Beasts. Neither is any special profit, or use, any cause thereof; As it is the cause, why Husbandmen cut down grass, not that they are angry with it, or that they place any delight in so doing, but for necessary use and benefit. But the true and immediate cause is Anger; that which is the cause of mortality in war. God hath been provoked by us. And as a mighty King being provoked by his subjects, nothing followeth but death; so is it with God. 1. Hence than we learn to labour to see, and behold the wrath and anger of God, in sickness, distresses, old age, death, and in that mortality that we see in this world; and upon special occasion to acknowledge it. And it should teach us, to fear and tremble before him, and to take heed, how we farther provoke him to wrath. 2. We should admire the goodness and grace of God, that his wrath being so universal upon all the sons of Adam, yet in this wrath he should remember mercy, and raise those again to life, even to eternal life, that in anger he hath wounded to death. 3. We should labour more to see the wrath of God in our accursed estate after this life. God doth but play with us, as it were, in taking away our lives here. And if the first death be such a sign thereof, what a sign thereof is it in them in whom there appear fearful and prodigious fignes of the second death, which is eternal, wherein a man shall for ever die, and yet never be dead. VERS. 8. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee; our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. THat wrath of God from which proceeds mortality, and all the troubles and calamities and alterations of this life that attend upon the same, is set forth here; 1. By the cause, 2. By the greatness of it. The cause is the remembrance of our sins not known only but secret. Whence we learn, that 1. It is sin, that first kindled that fire of GOD'S wrath, whereby we are consumed on this wise. God is not angry with his creatures for nothing. But there is a just cause of that wrath of God, from whence proceeds the mortality of mankind. Yea, the greater and more infinitely wise the Majesty of God is, the greater must that cause be that provoketh him to wrath. It's weakness to be provoked with a small matter: Weakness nor no property of weakness can befall the Almighty God. Sin therefore, whatsoever it is, can be no small matter, no trifle, that provokes the infinite Majesty of God to wrath, and to such a wrath as hath such deadly effects. The use of this then is. When we see any signs of God's displeasure in the world; (as which way almost can we turn our eyes but we see it? even the very prints of death, how his footing is in every Town, yea, in every House?) presently to think of sin, and the greatness thereof, and to make it a means to make us have it in great detestation, in whom soever it is. 2. It is our sins that have provoked God to this wrath. It was not the sin of Angels, that made God thus angry with mankind: Nor the sin of any particular persons that made him angry with them all. But it is our own sins, that have done this: All of us, every mother's son have our parts, and have joined hands in provoking the Lord to bring this universal mortality upon the world: The true use therefore, that we are to make of this, Is not so much to think of sin in general, or of this or that body's sin, when we see the general judgements of God; but to see and look after our own sins, wherein we have trespassed against God, and broken his Law; and not rest till we have found them out. Especially when the Lord by any special judgement shall come nearest unto us; (As the Lord hath lately to this family:) If we hereupon do not make a special inquisition after our sins, and so by Repentance make our peace with God, we have cause even every one of us to fear a greater stroke, though this hath made many of our hearts to ache. 3. They are not only our greater sins, that have provoked God; but all our sins, great and small; not our public only, and known sins, but our special and hidden ones; every one of them hath his part herein. And if we will not have this wrath of God to pursue us eternally, we must learn hence, not only to hate and forsake our greater sins, 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 ourselves with leaving those sins which other and ourselves know to be sins; but we should seek after our secret and hidden sins, whither there be not some sins in us that we nourish in ourselves, 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 we have taken notice of them: and give no leave of continuance to any the least sin, but hate and forsake all. 4. That all our sins are present before GOD. Our great, our small, our known, our secret sins, they are all in his presence, they are before his eyes, he knows them, he sees, and beholds them. This should make us the more afraid & ashamed to sin; because there is no sin how secret soever, but we do it in the face of God, he looking on. A servant that hath any grace or love in him, whatsoever he may do behind his masters back, yet he will not do that before his Master's face which may provoke and displease him; many things he doth privately, that if he thought they would come to his Master's knowledge, he would not do them: But there is no sin ever so secret, though committed in our Closet, yea, though in our own breasts only, 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 Governor, are accounted contempts. So is every sin committed; it is committed in the ear and eye of God: and is therefore the more grievous and odious. 5. God needs no other light to discern our sins by, but the light of his own face. It peirceth through the darkest places: the brightness thereof enlighteneth all things, discovers all things. So that the sins that are committed in deepest darkness, are all one to him as if they were done in the face of the Sun. For they are done in his face, that shines more, and from which proceeds more light than from the face of the Sun. So that this, it ought to make us the more fearful to offend, He sees us when we see not him, and the light of his countenance shines about us, when we think ourselves hidden in darkness. 6. They are not only then in his sight when they are a committing, and whilst the deed is doing; but ever 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 us afraid to sin? When our sins are not only in his sight while they are a committing, but so continue still for ever after they are past and done. 7. God's sets our sins before him; this shows he is so affected with them, he takes them so to heart, that he doth in a special manner continue the remembrance of them. As those that having had great wrong, will store it up, or register it, or keep some remembrance of it or other, lest they should forget, when time shall serve, to be quit with those that have wronged them; so doth God, and his so-doing is a sign, that he takes our sins deeply to heart; which should teach us to fear the more how we offend him. When God in any judgement of death, or sickness, or loss of friends shows his wrath, we should think and meditate of this; especially when he comes nearest us, Now the Lord looks upon my sins; they are now before him; and we should never rest till we had by repentance moved him to blot them out. Yea, to this end we should ourselves call them to remembrance. For the more we remember them, the more God forgets them: the more we forget them, the more God remembers them; the more we look upon ourselves, the more he turneth his eyes from them. And this also we are to manifest and acknowledge, as here Moses doth unto God himself by Prayer. VERS. 9 For all our days * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ go back again in thy wrath.— HItherto of the cause of that wrath of GOD which moveth him to smite the world with such mortality. 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 days do as it were go backward in his wrath: That whereas God gave us being to live, our life and our being is nothing else but a going backward as it were to death, and to nothing. Even as if a stranger being suddenly rapt and carried 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 sons of Adam as soon as they have being and live are brought suddenly a great part of their way: And whereas they should go forward and live longer and longer, they from their first beginning to live go backward again to death, and to nothing. This is the sum in effect with that which the Lord saith in the beginning of the Psalm, Thou Verse 3. bringesi man to destruction; saying, Return again ye sons of Adam: As if he should say, Thou makest a man, and when he is made, he in thy wrath doth haste to nothing else, but destruction, and to be marred again. Thus do our days as it were go backward, and we in them return from whence we came. Our lesson then hence is this. That our life in this life is nothing else but a returning back again unto death. Every man, whilst he is here, walks to the house of his grave; and though he be a little longer in going back unto the earth, than he was coming from it; yet he doth nothing while he is here but go back to it. Yea, our days pass away in such a manner, as if a man, being a child should suddenly be made a man; and after that should presently go back again, and be a child. So that though we have here some time of growth and strength; yet the more we grow in strength and years, the nearer we draw still to the place from whence we came. In so much that there be none of us but are nearer to our end to day then yesterday, and this hour then the hour that is past. And though some walk backward more slowly somewhat then others do; yet all go one way; and no body knows how swiftly, or how soon he shall come to his end. The use hereof. 1. This should teach us every day to meditate and think seriously of our death, and the grave. It is the place that we are continually travailing unto. All the days and years we live, go backward as it were with us, and carry us backward thither. So that which way soever our faces are, we move and go thitherward. Since Adam's fall all men are condemned and adjudged unto one death at the least; and our life here is nothing else but a going to the place of execution. How then should we not think of our end? Is it possible for condemned Malefactors, whilst they are going to the place of death, to forget wherabout they go? And yet though all our life be nought else but a leading to death, yet ordinarily nothing less troubles our minds; and we so live, as if death should never come near us, or we it. Nay, though we see many both near us and far off us die before us, and we know that our condition is the same; yet we lay it little to heart, as if we alone were exempted from the common condition of all Adam's issue. 2. This should teach us also, whilst we do live here, to behave ourselves in that manner, that we may die with comfort. And this should be it that in this life should most trouble us, and about which we should most beat our brains, how we should so die that we might eternally live. But alas that which runs altogether in our minds whilst we live here, is about the means of our living here, how we shall do for this year and the next, and the other year after that; and how our children should do after us: never taking thought for the main: which is as if parents and children being altogether drawn upon a Sled, or carried in a Cart, for diverse days to execution, and the means of this life being left them only for this end, to bring them thither; they should never trouble their minds about that that they were drawn unto, but should be carking and caring, how they should do, and their children for this thing and that thing concerning this life. The second point is that our days go thus backward in the wrath of God: that is to say; through the just judgement of God upon the sin of Man it comes to pass, that our days thus return and go backward, and pass away. This then is our lesson: That every day whilst we live here is a day of wrath; an evil day, subject to some judgement or other. Few and evil (sayeth old jacob) be the days of my Pilgrimage. All things under the Sun are Genes. 47. 9 Eccles. 2. 11, 17. nothing but matter of vanity and vexation of spirit. The best of God's Saints have found nothing here that this life and world hath brought forth, but matter of sorrow. What day is it that passeth over our heads, but we might easily perceive it (if we were not besotted,) marked with God's wrath, bringing with it some judgement and Memorandum or other of God's anger for sin? There is not a day nor hour that passeth over our heads, but that we might, if we looked about us, and considered the judgements that some way or other cleave to us, See, that it is in some respect or other passed away in wrath. The use of this serves: 1. To reprove those that have no sense and fecling thereof; but so pass away their time and days whilst they have them, as though they were under no wrath and judgement at all; But all were well and sure between God and them: That glory in their days past, how merrily they have lived, and how many comforts they have had; such as never felt any wrath of God past, nor fear any to come, but say ordinarily in their mad moods; Away with sorrow; let the world slide, etc. 2. It should teach us to labour every day that passeth, to mark and observe wherein God hath manifested unto us his wrath for sin. For there is no day but bringeth terrible remembrance thereof, not in others only, but in ourselves. So that if we consider the Revolution of times, we shall be able to say, that there is not a day, nor an hour passed over our heads, but it is marked with the wrath of God by some judgement or other for sin: yea, and the very passing of it away (it useth to go in such a manner) is in wrath. 3. The more our days that are gone, are passed in wrath, the more in those that are to come we should labour to appease and pacify that wrath, and seek after the means of our atonement with God. It's a desperate madness, when we shall perceive that God for the time past hath showed himself angry with us, to have no care for the time to come, to prevent further indignation. 4. This should make the children of God that have any grounded hope for life to come, to lessen their stay on and delight in this life; and delight in their hope and means of that life, wherein never a day shall pass away in wrath, but all in love, favour, and glory; and wherein the days of our life shall not be a returning to death, but a going on from life to life, and joy to joy; when we shall live to live; and the longer we shall live, the longer we shall have to live; and that in all happiness and glory, which days and times shall never waste. Whilst we live here, (if we had hearts to consider of things as they are,) there is never a day goes over our head, but yieldeth matter of sighing, and groaning under some act or other of God's wrath, do we the best we can. Yea, let a man have the greatest causes of comfort, both for this world and the world to come, that the world can afford, or that any man ever had, yet when he shall sum up his accounts, he shall find the days he lives here are but days of evil; and he shall see more cause of sorrow and mourning then of joy. Let this therefore win us from this life, and the days thereof; And let the bitter of God's wrath here make us the more seek after the days of eternity; wherein there shall be no sense thereof in the least cross or affliction. — We spend our years as a tale that is told. THe Prophet here further amplifieth the aforesaid effect of God's wrath: showing in what manner our days pass away, even as a tale that is told, a meditation or thought that is conceived and gone. A tale is quickly told; a word is soon spoken, and a thought or meditation is soon conceived. So are the years of a man, especially if we compare them with things above, and with the days and years that we are to live in heaven. So that let a man look back to the time passed, and wisely judge of it, and set to it the uttermost of the time to come, and all will appear to pass away from us, either as the time wherein a tale is told, or those things pass away that are told in a tale, which is very quickly and speedily. 1. This shows the vanity of them that make such ado for states, and titles, and tenors for this life. Oh they think it a goodly matter, if they have and hold a thing for so many lives, and for theirs and their children's lives. And yet alas it is, if it be compared with the life of Heaven, but as if it were a tenure for the space of a tale telling, or a word spoken. And what madness then is it, that most men show, to hazard the one to get the other, that they care not almost how they break the Laws of God and Man for it? Surely the little faith and hope or none that we have of the life to come, makes persons so dote and mad upon the titles and tenors of this life, which are of the same nature that our days and years are, they pass away all alike. 2. It shows also the vanity of such, who as though their days and years would never come unto an end, spend day after day, and year after year in that they call pas-time: whereas time passeth away of itself swift enough, and that in God's wrath. It were more agreeable to reason, if it could be, to use means to hold and continue time, rather than to pass it away. 3. Let this teach us, whilst we have it, to make the best use we can of it. When our years are gone, we cannot revoke them. How soon they are gone, the holy Ghost here teacheth, and we may feel by our own experience. Therefore whilst we live here, let us not so much trouble our thoughts about the means of this life, as about devising how we may employ our time, and spend our life to best purpose. 4. Though we are to count the shortness of our lives, in regard of the misery thereof, and in regard of the life which follows, a blessing; Yet in itself we should not so account of it: but though it be miserable, and the longer it is the longer it keeps us from a better; yet the very shortness of this miserable life is to be considered as an effect of God's wrath: And therefore it is a blessing of God, if we know how to use it, to live long here, though we should live as miserable a life as any ever lived. Neither should we endeavour or desire to do any thing to shorten the same. VERS. 10. The days of our years are seventy years: and if by reason of strength they be eighty years, yet is their strength then labour and sorrow: for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. IN these words the Prophet proves that which he said before, that we spend our years as a tale that is told. The years of them which ordinarily live the uttermost of their days is but threescore and ten, and if any live till eighty through strength, yet is their strength then labour and sorrow, etc. Now if the longest period of days that men ordinarily live, be so short a time, and the longest time flieth so fast, then well might the Prophet say, That our days pass away as a tale that is told. For those who by reason of their strength live till 2 Sam. 19 35. eighty years, either they are men that undergo in this life many labours and travels, and then their very strength brings nothing unto them but matter of labour and sorrow; For, the stronger a man hath been, and the greater labours and travels he hath undergone, the more full of aches and pains is his old age wont to be: Or they live merrily and cheerfully, free from ordinary passions and grievances; And than their life flieth away, and when they are brought to these years, their days are but days of sorrow, and that with them the rather, because they cannot follow those delights then, that formerly they have done. Howsoever it be, there are none commonly whose days have seemed to them to pass swifter away, than those that lived the longest; None are less 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 flies away. And such is the love that ordinarily we bear to this life, that though death come not till eighty years, yet it seems then to fly unto us. The Doctrine is plain. That our days are now but seventy years, that is to say; The time, that ordinarily man do not pass in this life, is no more; or if more, their life after is but a Death, and Death comes flying. 1. This than should teach us also to remember Eccles. 12. 1. our Creator betimes in the days of our youth. Alas, not one of a hundred of us live till sixty or seventy years, or if we live longer, and have spent that time in profaneness, except the Lord show more than ordinary mercy, we shall be no more fit then to honour our Creator then so many dead men. The longest that we can hope to live and not be children again is eighty years; and then commonly we are as children again mewed up, and our children are either Parents or Lords over us, using us as innocents. 2. It shows the strange folly of so many of us as are come to the height and middle of our Age, yea, to be fistie and upward, yea, to be sixty, etc. We can talk of our days past, and of things we did forty years since, as if they were done but yesterday; and for the time to come, though we have no reason to hope it should be as much as we have spent, and though we may presume it will fly as fast away as that which is passed in the whole, though not in the parts; yet we live as though we had a 100 years, yea a 1060 years to come. Yea, You shall have many that are of 60. 70. yea, 80. years, that have no more care to fit them to death, but put the hour thereof as far from them, as if they were in their freshest youth. If some lived a 100 some 500 some a 1000 some 10000 years amongst us; as now they live some 5. some 10. some 40. some 60. some 70. etc. there might be some colour for this folly: but seeing one of 500 lives not till 60. one of 5000. till 80. one of 100000. till a hundred: None till 200. what madness it is then, especially in those that have passed the greatest time they can expect, to have no care of the hour of death, and of the account they shall then make, when their whole time is but short, as a tale that is told: As you shall have old men in a tale of less than an hour long, run over all their life. VERS. 11. Who knoweth the power of thine anger? Even according to thy fear, so is thy wrath. THE Prophet in this 11. verse, concludes his Complaint; and in the same complaineth of the dulness of Mankind, that whereas GOD shows such signs of his wrath, they have no sense or understanding of the power thereof. The second part of this verse, is somewhat doubtful: word for word in the Hebrew it is thus. And according to thy fear thy wrath. Our Translatours (as you hear) translate it otherwise; and therein follow learned men that went before them. And the words, if necessity require it, will bear such a construction, and teach a profitable truth; to wit, That howsoever the wicked do not know the 〈◊〉 of God's wrath; Yet those that fear God, know and understand 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 power wrath according to thy fear? That is to say; How rare a thing is it, to find a man, that hath any true sense and understanding of this thy mighty wrath, or that makes any religious use thereof? The first Doctrine we hence observe is; That Christians ought to mark and observe the power and force of God's wrath, in all those particulars, wherein he showeth it. It is not enough for us to know, that God is a merciful God, and loving, and gracious, but we must know also, that he is an angry and a wrathful God: yea, that he is exceedingly angry, when he is provoked the unto. And therefore we must not only consider, and understand the signs, tokens, and effects of his love and kindness in the world, but the signs of his wrath also. For in both he manifests himself; and from both he looks to reap glory: and he is no less powerful in the one then in the other: And in our lives and conversations there is as much use of the one as of the other. Yea, a man shall never be able to discern or make any good and true use of God's love, That doth not first regard, mark, and labour to understand his wrath. The second Doctrine is; That it is not enough to know that God is angry; but that his anger is powerful, he is mighty in his wrath, (Vanae sine viribus irae, That anger that is without strength is nothing:) and therefore to be feared and trembled at. Many of us can talk of and observe 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 us. But the less we mark and know it here, the more we shall know and feel it hereafter. The third Doctrine: That the greatness and force of God's wrath shines and shows itself in the mortality of mankind aforesaid. So that if there were no other Argument to show that God is angry, and that his anger is exceeding powerful; The general mortality of mankind is sufficient to show the same. Who can deny that he was angry when he drowned the whole world; when he destroyed the first borne in Egypt; when he overwhelmed the host of the Egyptians in the red Sea; when he destroyed all his own people in the Wilderness that came out of Egypt? Verily if we could well consider of the matter, It can be no less sign of God's wrath, that at some time or other after, after some manner or other, every man in the world must die; And that so many Ages before us are dead. The fourth Doctrine. That it is a rare thing for any man to conceive aright, or to understand that God is angry: or that there is any such fear in his anger. Many so live and follow such courses, as if they were persuaded, that God could not be angry, or that, if he were angry, it were as easy a matter to please him, as a child. Hence when they have over-shot themselves in any sin, if they say, God forgive me, or, I cry God mercy, they think all is well, and they shall never hear more of the matter. When men trespass against a man, if they think they have hindered themselves by it, how careful, how diligent are they to pacify his anger, and to seek to regain his favour and good will again? Whereas the neglect hereof to God-ward, when they have offended him, showeth evidently that they little regard his anger, or esteem it not prejudicial at all to them. The fifth Doctrine; That it is not enough, to know the force of God's wrath; but we must make a right use thereof: We must thereby be stirred up to fear the Lord, and to tremble before his Majesty; and take heed how any thing may either incense, or continue his anger. And we should take heed also how his anger provokes us to anger, or to any sin whatsoever, that may further provoke him. VERS. 12. So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. HItherto of the Prophet's Complaint of the mortality of Mankind. Now unto this Complaint he annexeth certain petitions; wherein he craveth of God such gifts and graces as are most needful for men in respect of their mortality aforesaid. 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 four things therein expressed: 1. The gift desired; 2. The persons for whom it is desired; 3. The means 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 days, etc. Now to number our days is rightly to judge and discern of that time, that we have to live in this world. This numbering of our days, consisteth in these particulars. 1. In a due consideration of the uttermost time that we can hope to live here; which is but till we be 70. or 80. years of Age. Not one of five thousand lives longer; or if he live some few days or years longer, his life is unto him but as death: the world grows weary of him, and he of the world. So that we so live here, as men that make account to live no longer. 2. In comparing the smallness of this number, with that number of days that we shall live in another world. Alas, what is eighty years to eternity? When we shall lie a thousand thousand years, and be as far from death as the first day we began to live. 3. In considering how much of our time is already past, that cannot be revoked: and that we must deduct and draw out of that number of 70. or 80. some of us have spent of the main sum 10. 20. 30. 40. years: and so the one and better half is gone. 4. In considering the uncertainty of those days that are to come; that there is not a day nor an hour that we can make any certain reckoning off, that it shall be a day or an hour unto us: it is the present instant only 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 travail, and pain, and distraction. So that if we shall deduct all those days, which when they are come, we shall wish they were gone; and before they do come, we wish they might never come, it will diminish the main sum exceedingly. The second point is the persons for whom this grace is desired. The Prophet desireth it for himself, and for all God's Children; Teach us, saith he, to number our days. Whence observe we, that it concerneth every Child of God to be skilful herein, even in the numbering of his days: that is, to consider seriously of the shortness and uncertainty of his life in this world, and accordingly to make reckoning and account of his time here. So that the fewer our days are, the better use we should make of them. The more uncertain our time to come is, the better we should employ the time present. For those things that we number and reckon, we use to make reckoning off: And those things that we make reckoning of, we do not negligently and carelessly spend. So that the spirit of God teaching us to number and reckon our days, teacheth us therein to make reckoning of them, and in that regard not to misspend them. Now first this condemneth the practice of most men; especially, our Gentlemen, and many of their Servants: who care not how they pass away day after day, and week after week; 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 weary of it; and devise this and that, not to make use and benefit of the day, but to spend it and pass it away with idleness: and they think that day is best spent, that is most lightly, and merrily flown over their head. 2. This should teach God's children to repent them unfeignedly of so many days as have passed over their head without profit: And it should teach them to make more use of the time to come: Even to resolve with themselves, that no day to come shall pass away vainly and idly; but that they will make some special use and reckoning of it: And therefore this day to think 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 up in judgement to condemn many of us Christians: If any day had passed, wherein he had not done some work belonging to his Art, It is reported he would have sighed and said, Oh this day have I drawn never a line. What a shame than should it be for any Christian to pass day after day without drawing any line, or doing aught that to their Christian profession appertaineth? The third Point, to wit; the means by which the Grace desired is to be obtained, is by being taught of God. So that it must be obtained, 1. In general, by Teaching: 2. In special, by divine Teaching; 3. This divine Teaching is to be obtained by Prayer. 4 This Prayer must be stirred up by a sense of our mortality. 1. The first lessen hence then is this, that The best of God's children stand in need to be taught to number their days. If Moses the great Prophet of God, among the rest desired to be taught herein, it shows that he had not yet thoroughly learned it: and if he 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 us in our experience find it, that we are very dull and ignorant in this duty. And though we be taught to do and practise it at some time; yet often we are as far to seek in it as if we had never heard of it; never thinking of our end, how short our time is, how many days we have already spent, how few are to come; but we commonly live as though we had so many days to live, as it were vain and idle to bestow time to number them, as though we might well spare the numbering of them. The second lesson; That except God teach this duty, all other teaching is in vain. It is not all the wit and learning in the world, that can truly teach it. Though Philosophers, Orators, and Divines should use the utmost strain of their wits, they cannot without a special aid and help of God learn this lesson throughly, but they will some way or other sail in it: Those therefore, that in any good measure have learned it, have been taught it of God. We should therefore try our ability herein: and if we find that in some good measure we are enabled to do this duty, let us acknowledge that we have therein received special grace and favour from God. For without his special blessing and instruction, we shall never make any good and holy use of those days and times that we live here; but we shall suffer day after day to pass over our heads without making any reckoning and account at all of them. This shows the difficulty of this work. The third lesson is, That the special means to move God to teach us to make reckoning and account of our days, as matters of worth, is Prayer. This the Prophet teacheth in his own example, and speaking in the person of all God's people: So that those that have a heart to call upon God herein, shall be sure to find God ready herein to assist them. If the Spirit of God to this purpose have 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 be sure therein to obtain their desire. The fourth lesson; That to stir up our Prayer to God, herein we must be deeply possessed and affected with the sense of our mortality. And surely, if we did seriously consider that which hath been taught us in the words going before, it could not but make us to pray earnestly to God for this grace: And there was never earnest Prayer made to God, that went empty away. The fourth and last point in this Petition is, why and to what end we are to number our days thus; to wit, that so we may apply our hearts unto wisdom: that is, that so we may spend that small and uncertain time, that we have to live here, in those things that may be most for our behoose and advantage. And how is that done? surely, by seeking for and pursuing after, whilst we live here, the means of God's favour, and life eternal. For therein consisteth true wisdom; and this alone deserveth the name of Wisdom: all other severed from this, or not subjected to this, is but mere folly and madness; though it be esteemed wisdom of those that are possessed with the same folly and madness themselves. Now to apply our hearts hereunto, is to bend and spend the strength of our thoughts & affections that way: that as we see worldly minded men, how their mind runneth altogether upon the world, and the means of this life, and the humouring and pleasing of them that they look for most from; and all the stream of their affections floweth that way: They are never so merry, as when the world and the means of this life cometh in upon them: they are never so sad and heavy, as when they have lost, or are in danger to lose any thing thereof: All the power and faculties of soul and body are set on work, one way or other about them; at least the very strength of them: So should our hearts and affections be set upon and carried after this true wisdom, being seriously bend unto the speedy, and earnest, and constant pursuit of the grace and favour of God, and life everlasting, and the means whereby they may be achieved. Now hence in general we learn▪ 1. That till we come to number our days, as is aforesaid, all our labours and endeavours are about nought but stark folly: such as we shall never reap any sound or solid fruit therefrom, but that which in the end shall be vanity and vexation of spirit. 2. That we should never think either ourselves, or others truly wise, or to follow wise courses indeed, till we have learned in the first place to number our days. Yea, till then, the wiser we are, the greater fools shall we show ourselves, though for our humane wisdom we were fit to give Prince's counsel. 3. That it is not enough for the Child of God in a slight manner to follow Wisdom, but he must set and apply his heart unto it in the same manner, as a covetous man setteth and applieth his heart to the getting of goods, an ambitious man of honour, a voluptuous man of his pleasure, or the like. More specially we shall by this means, and in this manner apply our hearts unto Wisdom; when upon the serious consideration of our mortality & uncertain estate here, and the few days we have here to live; we shall carefully endeavour, 1. To wain ourselves by degrees from the love and delights of this world, and of the things thereof: since the time we have to enjoy them is so short and uncertain. For there is no greater bane to the soul than the love of this world: and no better means to make us out of love therewith, then to number our days that we have to live therein, in manner aforesaid. 2. To make no reckoning or account of this life, or of any thing concerning this life any further than it may further us unto the life to come. 3. To count all those days lost, that are not spent in the furthering of us unto eternal life. 4. To judge the loss of any hope or certainty in this life, to be a good change for any hope or certainty in the next life. 5. To keep ourselves free, as much as we may, from all distractions, and from whatsoever may hinder us in the pursuit of this wisdom. 6. To make no reckoning of more than the time present; and therefore not to put off our Repentance, or the pursuit hereof, from this day to that day, as if we were sure of so many and so many days. VERS. 13. Return, o 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 giving them a lively sense of the same. Whence out of the Order that the Prophet useth here, we may note by the way; That in the sense of God's wrath for sin we must first desire wisdom, and all the effectual means 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 senseless and against common reason, that in the sense of God's 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 favour, and pray God to help them: but in the mean while they have no desire nor purpose to seek after true wisdom, that is, the sure and certain means whereby to please God. But if ever in the sense of God's wrath thou desire that God should be reconciled unto thee, desire first that thine heart may be applied unto wisdom. Now in this Petition of divine Consolation he prayeth; 1. For the grace of Reconciliation itself. 2. For the feeling and effectual fruits of it. The reconciliation of God to them is noted out principally by two terms; 1. Of returning, 2. Of repenting. First, He prays the Lord to return again: therein resembling God to one that turneth his back toward us, and in his anger is gone away, and departed from us. Whence 1. We may note a difference between God's Child and the wicked. The wicked they in their heart desire the Lord in this life to go far from them: and they are best content when they think 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 far 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 Psalms, how David complains Psal. 13. 1. And 27. 9 And 88 14. And 143. 7. of nothing more than this. 2. As the Children of God desire nothing more than the face and presence of God: so when God turns his face from them, and is departed, they easily discern it, and have lightly a sense and feeling of it; so that as they are able to discern and feel his presence, so have they a lively sense and feeling of his absence. And those that never felt the one, cannot possibly feel the other, they that complain not of his absence, never felt his comfortable presence. 3. Note the effect of sin even in Gods own Children. It makes the Lord in their own sense and apprehension to have forsaken them, and to be gone away from them. And if he be gone, all blessings are gone with him; and nothing can appear but terrors and cursings. 4. In that he calls upon the Lord not to come, but to return; that is to say, to come back again to the place from whence he is gone: it shows, that God's people have had a sense of his presence, before they felt his absence and departure. Those only desire the presence of God, and bewail his absence, that have had former experience of the sweetness and comfort of his presence. Till God show unto us his goodness and kindness, it is not possible for us to desire his presence, but still the more rather to hate it and fly from it. 5. Note a property of God's child, that is, to run after God, and to follow him the faster, the faster he departs from him; to seek him the more, the more he hides himself; to labour to please him the more, the more he sees him offended: And never to give over, till he be sure of God's favour: and not to fear that he will turn again to their hurt, but to their good. 6. We learn here, that in the sense of our It was delivered shortly after the, decease of Mr Alex. Redich. Mortality, (especially when the Lord shall come near unto us, as he hath done of late to this Family, whence the members thereof are scattered, etc.) we should labour therein to see the Lords anger against us, and in it behold him as it were; after a sort departed from us: and therefore we should call upon him to return again. And calling upon him servently, upon such occasions as these, out of a sense of his displeasure, and of our sins the cause thereof, the Lord will in mercy return to us again; And some way or other bring with him as great a comfort and blessing, as he hath taken away from us, repairing in his blessed time the ruins and breaches thereof. — How long?— THis is an argument to move the Lord to return; as if he should say, Oh Lord now return; for, thou hast been a long time absent. Whence we learn, that 1. God useth many times to be a long time absent from his Children, as one that had utterly forsaken them, and meant never to look after them more. 2. His children are sensible thereof; and measure the time: And the longer he is away, the more they desire him. 3. A special means to make the Lord after his long absence to return, is to urge him herewith. — And let it repent thee concerning thy Servants. HItherto of the first Act of Reconciliation; to wit, that God would Return; that is, show himself a loving and gracious God unto them, as formerly he had done. Now secondly, he desireth that it would repent him: whereby we are not to conceive, that the Lord can repent in any such manner as man useth, that is, that he is indeed grieved and troubled for any thing that is done, wishing it had not been done; Or, that in any thing his mind is altered and changed. God is not as man, that he Num. 23. 19 1 Sam. 15. 19 should repent; Seeing he doth not, nor can do nothing, but it is for good ends; and he ever obtains his ends; and he never doth any thing, but he doth it with that wisdom, that it is better done than left undone. Repentance in God is nothing else but a surceasing of his former course; When after he hath corrected and chastened, he shows love and mercy, which under his chastisement did lie hid. Yet in every such change, the Lord seemeth to us, to be like a person that is sorry for that he hath done, performing such like actions, as repenting persons use to do in the like case. For as a Father, after he hath corrected his child, shows no signs of sorrow for that he hath done, so long as the child continues stubborn; but after that he hath amended his fault▪ and is sorry for it, the Father presently burneth the rod, or by some such sign shows as if he were sorry; yea, and bestows some gift on the child, as if he had done him wrong, when it is indeed neither so nor so, but only a testification of his love more plainly to the sense of the child, that was hidden under correction before. So that, as the child thinks, his Father hates him, when he corrects him, and reputes his hatred, when he ceaseth to correct; So Gods children in a manner so conceive of God; and God is pleased that they should after some sort so esteem of him. 1. Then God is said to repent, when upon our repentance, he ceaseth to correct and punish us: For God doth not always incessantly and continually beat his children, but he useth mercy and moderation in the correction of them: like a kind Father, who though some time he beat his child till the blood follow, and the child thereupon can apprehend nothing but that he is a cruel and hard hearted Father; yet those stripes are moderated with mercy; he will not break the bones of the child, nor continually lie beating of him, but will stay his hand; especially then when he hath obtained his end, that his child is humbled and sorry for his fault. 2. God doth not so only, but often as a loving Father or Mother useth to do, he manifests a kind of wrath against the rod, wherewith he corrected his child, That is, those whom he hath raised up to afflict his Children withal, whom he calls the rod of his indignation; he punisheth them as though Esai. 10. 5. he were angry with himself, and with the instruments that he made or used to that end. 3. God doth not so only, but if his child be sound humbled under his hand, laboureth to see his fault, and acknowledge it, God will show some way or other special kindness, he will recompense his child as it were for the hurt he hath done him, as though he had wronged him. So that God will never show himself more kind to any then to those that he hath corrected; He will double and treble his kindness unto them. And the Prophet in praying thus, and teaching us to pray thus, teacheth us to hope; and embouldeneth us in all our afflictions or chastisements to crave this at God's hands. Yea, the unfeigned begging of this will be a means of obtaining so much. 1. Therefore hence let us learn lying under God's hand, though for a long time together, not to despair, as though when God showed himself once angry, there were no hope or expectation, that he would ever again show himself merciful. Nay, God is a God of mercy; and the Psal. 86. 25, more wrath he shows to his child, the more mercy and grace he will show. 2. This should not discourage us that trust in God, to see the enemies of God's children afflict and vex them, and triumph over them. God is a Deut. 32. 36. God that will repent; and when he reputes, woe to them: for God's children shall far the better for the evil that is done unto them; and they the worse, though they have been instruments of Gods own wrath and indignation in those evils, that his Children at their hands have endured. 3. There is an holy grieving and angering of God, when under his hand we can so humble ourselves, that we make him as it were sorry and angry with himself, that he hath beaten us. We have no other means, when God punisheth us, to grieve and vex him. We cannot make him any otherwise to repent of the evil that he hath done unto us. — Concerning thy Servants. IN these words is implied a motive, to stir up the Lord to grant this request: as if he should say, We are thy servants; ergò let it repent thee concerning us. Note we hence; 1. That under God's correction his Children still remain the servants of God. Yea, the more he corrects them, the more studious they are to serve him. 2. That the only way to make GOD repent him of the judgements he brings on us, is to manifest and profess that we are his servants. 3. That those that are not the servants of God, have no cause to hope, that God will repent him of any evil toward them. But they are to expect rather evil upon evil, and judgement upon judgement; till they come to everlasting judgement. VERS. 14. Oh satisfy us early with thy mercy: that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. HItherto the Prophet prayed for Reconciliation itself: now he prayeth for the feeling and effectual fruits of it. These feeling and effectual fruits of it, are a lively sense of God's mercy, and a fullness of joy, arising and issuing therefrom. For the Child of God can have no hope of comfort, but in the hope of God's Reconciliation: nor hope of God's Reconciliation to him, but in the sense of his mercy. And where there is a lively and full sense of his Mercy, there cannot but be sound, solid, and lasting joy and delight in that soul. Where note also; That God's children are not wont to content themselves with a mere fancy and imagination of God's savour: but they are never at rest, till they feel it in the signs and fruits of it. Now for this mercy the Prophet prayeth; 1. In general in this Verse; 2. In special in the next. In the general there is a Petition, and a reason thereof rendered. The Petition is for Mercy wherein he prayeth; 1. For the Grace itself; 2. For the measure of it, 3. For expedition in the granting of it. The first act or effect of Reconciliation is the work 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 unto us, till he some way or other show mercy upon us. 2. That there can be no unfeigned desire of mercy till we feel our own misery, and our just desert; till we have a sense of the just judgement of God upon us for our sins: Our misery is his mercy. 3. That there is no hope of mercy, where men feel not the want of it, and earnestly beg it at God's hands. Secondly, he desireth to be satisfied with it. Whence we note: 1. That nothing will satisfy God's Children but God's mercy. All is as nothing to them without it. 2. That they desire not only 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 have all things together with it. 3. That they desire not some small drop of it, but crave such a measure of it as may even fill and satisfy their souls. Thirdly, his suit is that they may have this mercy early; that they may have the sense and feeling of it betimes. Where observe we; 1. A difference between God's children, and wicked worldlings. God's children desire to have God's mercy betimes: whereas the wicked put it of still from time to time; they desire, with Balaam Num. 23. 10. to have it in the end; but they care not for it early. 2. That those that will be satisfied early with God's mercy, must early repent, and early seek after it, and early desire and pray for it. The reason followeth, That we may rejoice, and be glad all our days. Whence we note; 1. That God's children may lawfully desire to rejoice and be glad all their days. 2. That true joy and gladness springeth from the mercy of God, and our assurance of it. 3. That God's children desire no other joy or gladness, then that which springeth from the same. VERS. 15. Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. AFter the general suit for mercy, followeth a more special suit for the same: Wherein, 1. In special the Church calleth upon God himself to make her to rejoice; and that according to the degree and proportion of her former affliction. 2. She in her Prayers beggeth the special means thereof. In the first we learn. 1. That the Church being humbled with the sense of God's wrath, no body can comfort her and rejoice her but God only. For if the Fountain be bitter, how can the streams be sweet? If God the Fountain of all Goodness afflict us with evil, what hope can we have of God from any other? If the Almighty wound us in his wrath, who can heal us? Or if any shall heal one wound, shall we not have cause to fear two for that one? To rejoice in any thing else, when God is angry with us and smites us, is as if whilst we are in the paws of a Lion, and ready to be devoured, we should then be delighted with the Frisks and Gambols of Apes and Monkeys. To seek for comfort and delight in any thing else, whilst God is angry with us, is as vain as if a man in his drought being kept from water, should think 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 God's hand in them; That it is God that chasteneth and afflicteth, and maketh us sorrowful; And when we see that, it should teach us to fly to him for comfort and ease; and never to expect it elsewhere. Yea, herein we should in our afflictions approve ourselves to be God's children, if we can seek to him for ease and comfort that hath smitten us; And the contrary is a sign of a Graceless child, who at that time that he knows his Father is exceedingly wrath with him, and hath been corrected by him, will never seek to him, but sport and delight himself with the servants, or with Dogs. 2. In comforting others that are afflicted under the sense of God's wrath, It should teach us to speak in that manner to them, that they may discern that God speaks in and by us, and that that comfort that we desire to possess them with, is a divine comfort, and hath his ground from Gods own word. Else all comfort will be but vain. Yea, we shall show ourselves but lewd and profane persons, if we shall endeavour to comfort God's child 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 one's Parents for a child whilst his Father is wrath with him, and is smiting of him, to laugh at and be merry with others. 3. God's child in his sorrow should desire no other joy or gladness, but what God maketh him: as indeed no other joy can make him truly glad again, but that which proceeds from him that before made him sad. In the second place we learn. That in the midst of the signs and tokens of God's wrath, God's child may have hopes and encouragements of joy and comfort even in God: That God that humbles his child will comfort him, if whilst he is humbled he show himself to be the child of God, and do not stubbornly carry himself under the rod, but submit himself and pray unto him for comfort. For God's spirit would never have taught his Church to have asked this of God, if God herein would not be ready to yield to his child. The measure of joy that the Church craves from God is according to the days and years of their afflictions, a joy answerable and proportionable to their affliction: that as God had a long time, for many days and years afflicted them, so he would be pleased to send them answerable comfort. Whence by the way we may note; 1. That the special affliction and calamity of God's Church in the Wilderness seems to be an occasion that moved the Prophet to pen this Psalm concerning the frailty and mortality of Man in general, teaching us upon the like special occasions to meditate of this Argument. 2. That it is no new thing, That God should humble and afflict his Church, not for an hour or a day, but for many days and years together sometimes: which should teach us the more patiently to bear shorter afflictions; and in our affliction from day to day and year to year wait the Lords leisure for deliverance. But the special point we are to note is this; That the Church in this doth imply an Argument to move the Lord to make them glad, yea to make them glad for a long time, because they have for a long time been afflicted; as if he should say, Oh Lord thou knowest how many days we have been afflicted, yea, how many years we have seen evil, therefore accordingly make us glad. Whence we learn. That there is a proportion between the afflictions and miseries of God's children, and their comforts. Are they greatly afflicted? Surely they shall have great gladness. Are they days, months, and years chastised? They shall accordingly rejoice. Yea, the greatness of our afflictions are as it were a bond, and do tie the Lord to make us glad. So that we cannot use a more forcible reason then this to induce him thereunto. And why? Surely because the Lord is a most merciful and kind Father: and therefore cannot but please and delight his child the more, the more he hath afflicted him; especially, if under his affliction he shall show himself a dutiful child. This should teach us to be of good comfort in our greatest and longest afflictions; yea, to be the more comforted for them, so we make true use of them. For these are tokens and sore-runners of great and lasting joy. If we call upon the Lord, though it be long ere he hear us, yet at length he will hear us; and the longer it shall be before he hear, the more he will glad us when he hears us. So that when he comes to make us glad, he will pay us usury, nay, use upon use And we should rather fear then otherwise, when we never saw any evil days, or saw it but for a few days. For how glad and merry soever we have been; yet we have cause to fear that the Lord did never make us merry. And our sorrow to come shall be according to the days and years of that mirth which is not of the Lords making. VERS. 16. Let thy work appear upon thy servants: and thy glory unto their Children. HItherto of the measure of Gladness that the Church desires. The means of Gladness follows, which he craveth 1. In general. 2. In special. In general. 1. That the work of GOD may appear upon his servants. 2. That his glory may appear unto their Children. His work in this place signifieth the issue and fruit of their afflictions. So that the Church prayeth here that God would manifest unto her, that good work that he hath aimed at all this while in afflicting her. The very afflicting of his Church is a work of God: but that more especially is his work, which by afflicting her he propounds to effect. The Hewing, Squaring, and Sawing of Timber is the work of the Carpenter: but his special work indeed is the House, that by means thereof he worketh: So the melting, refining, and polishing of Silver or Gold is the work of the Goldsmith, but more especially the Cup or Boule that by that means he frameth. Hence we may learn. 1. That God many times hideth the special end, why he doth afflict us. He beats his Church sometimes for a long time together; and the Church neither can tell the special cause why, nor what will be the issue or consequent of it. Ordinarily Parents never correct their Children but beforehand they acquaint them with the particular fault, and the child can guess at the end that his Father aims at: So doth God many times, and his children also can see in the very rod of God, their fault, and what God aims at in the same; But sometimes they cannot for their lives for a long time, though at length they shall see it. God puts them oft into the fire, he hammers them oft over and over again: but what piece of work the Lord will make of them, they no more know sometimes then the iron upon the Anveile knows what the Smith will make of it, whether a Lock or a Key. 2. Though the Church or God's child do not yet see what the work of God will be, yet how hardly soever God doth deal with them, though he cast them never so oft into the fire, & hammer and beat them never so much, yea, though they have an apprehension of his wrath therein, which is not in the Smith when he beateth his iron; yet the child of God presumeth that that work 〈◊〉 God is good, and that there will a good issue and blessed effect spring therefrom. Hence they pray job 1●. ● and desire earnestly to see the same: and prayer is a means to obtain the sight of it. 3. This is a special means to make them glad, when the Lord shall manifest unto them the blessed fruits and effects of his affliction. Yea, till than they cannot be sound made glad; though the Lord should surcease to afflict them. But when that work appears, than they cannot but be glad, yea, so glad that they shall bless the day that God did chastise them, when they shall see the evil that God kept them from, and the good he hath effected by the same. As David Psal. 119. 71. It is good for me that I have been afflicted. So that how bitter and sharp soever thine affliction be, yet comfort thyself in this; thou art under the Lord's hammer, and when the work he aims at is finished, and appears, thou shalt be glad and rejoice in God. When therefore we lie under any cross, let us possess our souls with patience, till the work of the Lord appear; and then we shall be glad. The Church in this Petition gives herself again the title of Servants, that is to say, persons both bound and ready to yield all obedience, and to perform any service to God that he shall put them unto. So that this is an argument to move the Lord to grant this request, and a means to obtain it, for one to be God's servant even under affliction: for to none else shall ever this work appear to make them glad, but rather to add unto them cross upon cross. So that the more serviceable and dutiful we be unto God in our afflictions, the more we shall discern the work of the Lord in them, and such a work as shall make us rejoice according to the proportion of our afflictions. The second means in general followeth. And thy glory unto their Children, that is to say, that our children may see the glorious fruit of this affliction in us, that so they may not be discouraged thereby to serve thee, but rather the more heartened, when they shall see what a glorious work thou hast wrought in and upon us by afflicting us. So that by making good use of our affliction, not only ourselves, but our posterity also shall far the better for it, the Lord will work such a work thereby as shall not only make us glad, but make his glory shine in the eyes of our Children, and them that shall follow after us; so that they shall have occasion to bless God for us. Hence it is, that the blood of Martyrs is the seed of Sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae. God's Church: and that wicked persecutors are so crossed in their main ends, that in the end the contrary to their hopes falleth out. VERS. 17. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hand establish thou it. THE more special means of Gladness follows. 1. That the beauty of the Lord her God be upon her, as if he should say, That by this means she may be purged from that corruption which was the cause of provoking the Lord unto wrath; and that the image of God thereby may be renewed more and more in her, and may appear so to be to others. For then the beauty of the Lord is upon us, when we are like to him and resemble him in holiness and righteousness; when we shine by his beams; when our wills are conformable to his will, and when we give entertainment to all his Ordinances; and when to this end he vouch safeth his Church all the ordinary means of salvation. Where this is wanting, all other beauty and glory is but as a gold Ring in a swine's snout, and as a painted Sepulchre, having nothing but filthy and loath some matter within it. Whence we note; that God's children afflicted, count piety, religion, and the fear of God their greatest beauty and ornament; yea, by afflictions God is wont to bring them to an higher estimation of these graces, and a purer use of his ordinances then formerly they had. And then may we well deem that our afflictions have done good on us, when they have brought us into a further measure of liking, and high esteem of spiritual graces, and a greater conformity unto God in them. 2. That the Lord would establish upon them the work of their hands. By vouch safing a prosperous success, and good issue to their attempts and endeavours. Whence we observe; that God's children can never hope to thrive or prosper in aught, so long as God is offended with them, or hath for their sins estranged himself from them. All that while they sail but against the wind, & strive against the stream, in whatsoever they attempt and put their hand unto: all is sure to go cross with them, and nothing to be established or brought to any good issue. They shall but do and undo, and be as far; when they have wearied and tired out themselves, though they should labour like Horses, and even work their hearts out, from effecting of aught, as they were when they first set hand to their work, till God vouch safe to turn unto them, and with his favour and assistance graciously to strengthen them, and to establish their endeavours upon them. Yea, by afflictions God oft fitteth men for a blessing in this kind, which when we have made that holy use of that we ought, we may well hope that God returning again in mercy unto us, will give better success than ever before to all our affairs. FINIS.