suddenly have been brought to ruine and tumbled down How merry were the Sons and Daughters of Job Iob 1.18 feasting together in their elder Brothers house which in a moment were slain and not one escaped It is wonderfull to think how exceedingly men cark and care for the world and seek to joyne house to house and land to land and never think they have enough O did these men but consider that mans life is short that we have but our being here as a Guest in his Inn for a night and in the morning must away again then would we not have our hearts so taken up for this short frail and brittle life and be so carelesse for Eternity As lastly since our life is so short Use 2 but for a day as yesterday that is past this should perswade us to a constant preparation for death for men shall hardly die well that be not prepared for death before death come It was the great commendation of Joseph of Arimathea Joh. 19.42 that was so mindfull of his end that he had his Tomb ready in his Garden And why in his Garden but that in the midst of all his pleasure and delight he might be put in mind of his end And the people when they ate the Passeover Exod. 12.11 they must have their loyns girt their shooes on their feet c. and why so but that they should be in a continuall readinesse when God should call them to passe out of Aegypt to go into the land of Canaan And this spirituall use ought every man to make thereof alwaies to be in a readinesse for our passage into our Celestiall Canaan Ver. 5 6. Thou carriest them away as with a flood they are as sleep in the morning they are as grasse which groweth up in the evening it is cut down and withereth IN this Verse likewise Moses proceeds to set out before our eyes the frailty of mans life And this he doth by sundry borrowed speeches and similitudes 1. He saith the Lord comes by death as it were by a mighty Flood that sweeps away all before it 2. As a Dream that is quickly gone and forgotten 3. He compares mans life to the Grasse and shewes that as the Grasse hath a time of growing so hath it a time of withering So man when he is young and lusty it is the best time of grouth yet it must have a time of withering when age comes and God cuts them down by the sith of death Thou carriest them away as with a flood Text. HEre Moses first of all sheweth that the Lord comes many times by death as a Flood or as the Sea when it breaks through the banks And herein will teach us two things 1. That death is inevitable there is no resisting of it no more then a man can stop the course of the Sea 2. That death many times comes suddainly as the breakings in of the Sea when men are not ware or think least of it Thou carriest them away as with a flood NO we hence That death Doct. 1 is 〈…〉 Death is 〈◊〉 the Sea there is no withstanding of it or stopping the course of it so there is no weapon can defend a man from the stroak of death And this Flood sooner or latter overflowes all men without exception as Noah's flood overflowed the whole earth It is appointed for all men once to die Heb. 9.27 daily experience makes it clear the mighty Captains and noble Warriours yea those famous Kings and greatest Monarchs that have been in the world even those that lived longest as Methuselah that lived nine hundred sixty nine yeeres Gen. 5.27 yet at last were overflowed with this Flood of death This is the way of all flesh all the sons of Adam must tack about and winde and come into this Haven the Port of death Let men use all the skill they can take the best Physick they can get use the sparest dyet and surest waies and means of preserving health and lengthning out their life and daies Death at last overflowes them all How violently doth Death as a Flood break in upon us sometimes by violent Fevers which many times cause distractions and frenzies sometimes by the Stranguary sometimes by one violent disease and sometimes by another that like a violent Flood breaks in upon us that overflowes Nature and sweeps us away As it is with the fruits of the earth so it is with men some of a harder kinde will tarry till winter Others fall sooner some stay till the frost of olde age nip them David and Ichosophat died full of daies And some againe Death nips them as it were in the blossome as Davids Child borne of her that was the wife of Vriah yet at last Death sweeps all away And the Reason seemes to be laid downe in that confession of the lamenting Church Reas Lam. 3.43 44. we have sinned and thou hast not spared thou hast Covered us with thy wrath thou hast slaine and not spared The Church acknowledgeth there that it was by reason of their sins that Gods hand was thus upon them And Death the Apostle makes the wages and stipend of sin Ro. 6.23 The wages of sin is Death And the Appostle reproving the Corinthians for divers abuses crept in about the Sacrament 1 Cor. 11.30 Ps 38.3 saith for this cause some are sick and some ar◠weake amongst you and some are taken away by Death Seeing Death comes many times thus like a violent flood Use 1 and breaks in up on men and women somtimes by one violent disease and somtimes by another we are taught hence to take heed how we censure any when the hand of God lies upon them in this kinde It is a dangerous thing to judge of men by the effects of some violent disease there are many diseases that cause distraction as some Fevers convulsions c. bereaves men for a time of the use of reason and put them into strange behaviour which may be the condition of the best and as Solomon saith All thinges happen alike to all Eccles 9.1 2. And No man knoweth love or hatred of all that is before them There is no judging then of mens estate by these things Death comes many times violently and sweeps us away as with a Flood Seeing that Death many times like a violent Flood breakes in upon us Use 2 violently unresistably what cause then have any to be proud of any outward excellency of body or mind that is subiect dayly to such a change as Riches Beautie Strength honour Authority c. Especially if we doe but consider that the foundation of that Excellency is but dust a fraile body subiect dayly to mutabilitie change that we have no assurance to jnioy no not an howers space How suddainly may this Flood break in upon us and what becoms of them then Doth not Experience teach us how few there are that passe through this pilgrimage of theirs but
thoughts throughly imprinted in our hearts they would dam all our pleasures and cause us to thinke more of Death then we doe Could we reckon our days upon our fingers ends as we can other things and withall the great work that God hath sent us into this world to doe and how prodigally we have mispent our time how little we have done and how much is yet to doe when we are ready to drop into our graves could we I say thus number our life and dayes we would never live as we doe so carefull for this life and so carelesse for Heaven We see that those that shoot at Buts they pricke their arrowes sometimes here and sometimes there round about the marke at last they hit the white thus doth Death cast his Darts sometimes a friend is taken away sometimes a kinsman sometimes he comes nearer and takes a Husband wife child at last we our selves are struck with death and away we must Though we see this daily before our eyes and see coarses daily carried upon mens shoulders to the grave◠yet who layes it to heart and considers that the feete of these that carried them may carry us to our long home ere long we passe not away one minute of our life but we have taken one slep more towards the grave to day wee heare that A. B. is dead to morrow we may heare that C. D. is dead shortly you shall here that S S. is dead It is noted for the great commendations of Joseph of Arimathea Jo. 19. who whilst he was in health made his tombe in his garden and why in his garden No doubt to put him in mind continually of his Death and that in the midst of all his delights and pleasures he might think on his latter end Thus it is said of that godly Father St. Jerom that he thought with himselfe that whether he did eat or drink or whatsoever he did he thought he heard that voice Arise yee dead and come vnto Judgement Now that we ought thus to make accompt of every day as our last day let this reason perswade Because of that inevitable necessitie that lies upon all Adams posterity that dye we must Reas 1 as the woman of Tekoah said to David that mourned so excessively for the death of Absalom We must all dye And as the Psalmist hath it Ps 89.48 Ps 49.19 Heb. 9.27 What man liveth and shall not see death and shall hee deliver his Soule from the hand of the grave Againe Man shall enter into the generation of their Fathers and shall not live for ever And It is appointed for all men once to dye The consideration where of may put us in mind of our duty to be in a continuall readinesse for death We ought to make accompt of every day as our last day Reas 2 because we cannot sever our life and death but such as our life hath beene such will our death be for albeit that all must dye and sleep in the dust yet there is a great difference betwixt the godly and the wicked in death They that dye in the Lord are blessed Rev. 14.13 Blessed are the dead that dye in the Lord and these at last shall rise againe to life and glory but as for the wicked it is not so with them for they enter by death into everlasting paine where the worme dyeth not and the fire shall never be quenched so that our weale or woe for ever doth depend vpon that short inch of time that is allotted unto us here which also should put us upon this duty to be in a continuall readiness when death comes This serves to instruct us in the necessity of learning this lesson well Vse 1 of the measuring out the length of our time and the numbring of our dayes aright There is a great deale of art and skill to doe this This is the best Arithmetick whē we know how to number our dayes aright the numbring of our acres of land the numbring of our sheep and cattel is nothing to the numbring of our dayes Quest But what is it to number our dayes Answ It consist principally in these things First in Accompting every day as our last day and so to live as if every day we were to dye now what would we do if we were sure to dye ere night if you were sure that this were your last sabbath this were your last Sermon that ever you should heare you would not need to be warned of sleeping you would not willingly have death to take you tardy we would that rather death should take us upon our knees then upon our Ale-bench To number our dayes aright is to dye daily 1 Cor. 15. this was the care of the blessed Apostle I protest by our reioycing which I haue in Christ Iesus our 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 dye dayly that is by the continuall thoughts and meditation of death inure our selves by litle and litle whilest we are here of the art of dying well before we come to dye indeed Paul dyed daily because he knew not the day and time when God would call him away by death the more we fit and prepare our selves for death the lesse terrible will death this King of feare be unto us when it cometh Thirdly to number our dayes aright and to be prepared for death is to pluck out the sting of death now the sting of death is sin 1 Cor. 15 56. the sting being taken out death cannot hurt The Philistimes were so wise as to discover wherein the strength of Sampson lay Iud. 16.5 And therein they prevailed it shall be our wisdom to repent us of our sins for therein lyes the strength of death And last of all if we desire to live for ever in the kingdom of glory that we begin it here that we lay a good foundation for the time to come Those virgins that still expected the coming of the Bridgroome and had their lamps stored with oyle hereby merited the name of wise Virgins and entred into the marriage chamber whilst those foolish Virgins that were carelesse of the bridgrooms coming and rested themselves with the bare name of Virgins and with the bearing the Lamps of an outward profession without the oyle of grace in their hearts were for ever shut out This serveth to discover unto us the reason why sin doth so abound Use 2 drunkenesse swearing uncleannesse prophanesse and all other abominations in the lives of men It is because men have not learned this heavenly Arithmetick to number their dayes and to esteeme of every day as their last day This was the reason of that damnable securitie in that rich man Luk. 12.37 That bad his soule to take her fill of all pleasures and delights little thinking that that night his soul should be haled from him And this is the reason why men powre out their hearts to all manner of sins abominations they never consider the shortness uncertaintie of their
not that it is he that turneth man to destruction Secondly Vse 2 seeing these breakings and crushings yea death it selfe when we are brought to the dust are all from God and come from him Thou turnest man to destruction this may serve to abate the pride of many in these daies who spend their time pretious time as if this destruction would never come in eating and drinking ranting and roaring as if they were immortall or should never die or be called to an account of their waies think their bodies are not made of the same common mould with other men Whereas the consideration of mans mortality would much abate the pride of many had they this thought in their minds that they must shortly die and go hence and be no more Note when they shall come to see that which they never saw which they shall ever see and hear that which they never heard which they shall for ever hear and feel that which they never felt which they shall for ever feel whilst God himselfe liveth O how would the thoughts of these things humble them It was a witty answer of that Cynick Diogenes that when Alexander mockt him for being so often amongst the Tombes and Sepulchers of the dead answered O Sir I am looking for the bones of thy Father Philip but see no difference between them and other mens Why then should men be so proud and exalt themselves when they know not how soon they may be laid full low The ignorance hereof makes many to carry their heads aloft outface heaven and swell with pride and disdain of others whereas the due consideration of their own end would make them walk more humbly towards God and more meekly towards their Brethren And lastly Vse 3 since the Lord at his pleasure thus turns man to destruction to breakings and crushings yea to death it selfe it shall be our wisdome to prepare for such a change that we be not taken unprepared What man will have his evidence to seek when his cause comes to be tryed What man will go to sow when others go to reap Our life should be a continuall meditation of death and preparation for death since our weal or wo for ever depends upon it In the matters of the world men are wise they must say they provide for a rainy day in Summer for Winter and whilst they are young to keep them when they are old O where are our hearts Christians that we provide no better for death before it come And howsoever all men know that one day die they must and that repâ—ntance and other graces are to be had to make them truly happy yet here is the misery that men defer this great work to the last when many times it proves too late Now to that end I may awaken you that hear me this day Conlide rations to prepare for death in this weighty duty I beseech you take these few considerations to heart First that you would seriously consider with your selves the uncertainty of your lives thou that makest so small account of death consider with thy selfe what thy life is a puffe of breath in thy nostrills suddenly stopt and thou art gone Go to now saith Saint James you that say to day and to morrow Iam. 4.13 14. we will go into such a City and continue there a yeer and buy and sell and get gain and yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrow for what is your life is it not a vapour c. What man when he goes to bed can assure himselfe that he shall rise again in the morning Who knoweth saith Solomon what the day travelleth withall and may bring forth ere night Eccles 9.12 Man doth not know his time and as fishes are taken in an evill net and birds in a snare so are the children of men Secondly consider the danger of deferring of repentance and this preparation for death to the last hower when all the infirmities of our nature will then seize upon us when extremity pain griefe anguish will so perplexeus that the best counsell will have little tast and the best prayers little sweetnesse in them this will prove a time of spending and not a time of storing What wise man then will deferre all this time Consider how often these purposes of repentance and turning to God at last have miscarried many thousands that are now in hell without hope of mercy that in their life time purposed at last to repent and to return to God whereas such as have often abused grace and mercy offered unto them the Lord doth often at last give such up to the hardnesse of their hearts that when they would they cannot repent and those melting qualmes which sometimes now thou meetest withall under the Ministry of the Word though thou wouldest give a world thou canst not meet with them again O the sad spectacles that we that are Ministers of the Word doe oftentimes meet withall Some in Spyras case who being exhorted to say the Lords Prayer answered O I cannot call God Father And some again like Nabal whose heart dyed like a stone within him And last of all do but consider with your selves that albeit thou maist enjoy thy memory to the last and maist have with thee some godly Ministers to instruct thee and to pray for thee yet how knowest thou whether his prayers for thee or thy own prayers for thy selfe shall then be heard and accepted Doth not Christ say that many at last shall seek to enter but shall not be able Did not those foolish Virgins cry Lord Lord open unto us yet were for ever shut out of the Marriage Chamber And doth not the Lord threaten that though Noah Daniel and Samuel should pray for this people yet I will not hear them Nay thy case may be such that though all the Angells in heaven and Saints on earth should intreat for thee yet God will not be intreated This is clear Because I have called Prov. 1.24 25.26 and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and ye have not regarded But ye have set at naught my counsell c. I will also laugh at your calamity I will mock when your fear commeth O the misery of a poor soul when God shall shut out his prayers and shall be so far from pittying him in this time of distresse as that he shall laugh at his destruction And sayest Text. Return ye sons of men ALbeit as we have heard there is an inevitable necessity laid upon all Adams posterity by reason of sin that they must once die Thou turnest man to destruction So sure and certain it is that all men shall one day rise again Thou sayest Return ye sons of men q. d. At thy will and at thy word they shall at last return from dust and corruption again Though the bodies of men by reason of sin Doct. 3 All men at last shall rise again do tast of death and turn to dust yet by a
are convinced that repentance is necessary and grace must be had to make them die happily and their purpose is to leave sin and to cry God mercy yet they conceit they have time enough before them they may do this when they are old or when they lie upon their fick-beds then they will set to this work as time enough O that such men would consider this Doctrine 1. That many times death comes suddainly like a Flood when men think least of all on death Alas do we not see that on the Stage of this world some therebe that indeed do act a longer part and many there be that act a shorter some die in their youth passing as it were from one grave to another from their Mothers womb to another womb the earth How few live to the age of fiftie How many do we hear of daily that go well to bed at night and are found dead in the morning And why may not this be thy case Secondly consider that this is but one of the old Serpents wiles to put off our repentance and preparation for death to the last for Sathan knowes that if he can but prevail in that it is all one as if men resolved never to repent at all for we see by experience that not one of a thousand which take this course ever attain unto it for they adjourn from year to year and time to time so long that they come at last to be hardened in their sins that there is little hope of recovery In youth we appoint the time of age in age we appoint the time of sicknesse and when sicknesse comes the Lord knowes we are then most unfit for this great work Then comes the cares of disposing of our estates then comes pain and grief loath we are to die and in hope we are to live these things take off our thoughts of another life and so death feizeth upon us and away we must Thirdly do but consider that albeit thou livest to be old and hast thy understanding about thee and thy godly friends and acquaintance about thee that can exhort thee and pray for thee Alas how knowest thou whether God will hear thee at this time of thy death that wouldst not hear him in the time of thy life Nay is it not distributive justice now in God to refuse to hear thee then that refusest to hear him now It is not usuall with God to give grace in death who have despised grace in life See that place and tremble at it Prov. 1.24 25. c. Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and ye have not regarded I will laugh at your destruction c. Besides thou dost but offer up unto God the Halt Mal. 1.8 the Blind and the Lame which is abhomination to him It is a most base and unworthy thing to offer that to God which a man would disdain and scorn to accept of But I hope God is mercifull Ob. 2 and though I am sinfull he is mercifull and I will rest upon that It is true Ans God is mercifull and thou maist say it for it is his mercy that thou hast not been long ago consumed that God hath not cut thee off and cast thee into Hell many years agoe 't is true it is his mercy But alas what is this to thee that hast so long and so often abused his mercy Is God mercifull the more unthankfull wretch thou to sin against so mercifull a God Ro. 2.4 Despisest thou the riches of his goodnesse and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodnesse of God leadeth to repentance Shall God be contemned for his mercy Ps 145.9 that ought the more to be loved and respected There is mercy with thee that thou maist be feared If God be so mercifull the greater the sin to sin against it And let such men know that presume thus of Gods mercy that as he is mercifull so is he just as he hath his Armes of mercy spread open to receive poor penitents so is Hells mouth wide open to receive the impenitent And how knowest thou that hast despised grace and mercy so often and so long a time but thou maist at last die in a Spira's case who in the time of his sicknesse being exhorted to say the Lords Prayer answered O I dare not call God Father And this hath been an observation I have made these forty years that such as have lived under a godly zealous and faithfull Ministry and have not been wrought upon it is often found true of such as was said of Nabal their hearts die like stones within them What little cause then have any to harden their hearts and continue in their sins in hope of mercy But did not the Thiefe upon the Crosse at last confessing his sin Ob. 3 and desiring Christ to remember him when he came into his Kingdome finde mercy at the last houre and so was saved Though men have much ingorance in them of the Scripture Ans yet this example they can remember and often alledge and all to this end to sooth up themselves in sin and to flatter themselves that they may repent at last Whereas this example as one saith is to keep us from desperation and is no cloak to sin Why should not the desperate condition of his fellow Thiefe that dyed with him asmuch affright us and terrifie us as his example comfort us And for this example of this penitent Thief we are to know that it was an immediate act of the divine power of Christ and it was not ordinary neither doth it prove that God will deal thus with thee It was not ordinary because he was saved without means but what was that to thee that enjoyest the means Besides one particular act of Gods power goodnesse and mercy can be no rule to go by The Sun once stood still at noon-day in Joshuah's time we must not look to see it so again Balaam's Asse once spake we must not look for the like any more Besides for ought we know this was the time that he was first called Now what is that to thee that hast been often called God hath often knocked at the dore of thy heart and to this day thou hast not opened unto him Besides this penitent Thiefe at this time shewed many excellent fruits of his repentance 1 Rebuking his fellow railing at Christ 2. Confessing his sin 3. And by making an excellent Prayer to Christ Now who can promise these things to himselfe when he comes to die O then to conclude seeing this is so that death comes as a flood suddenly and unexpectedly when men are not aware let it be our wisdome to be in a continuall readinesse that death finde us not unprepared There is nothing more certain then death nor more uncertain then where when and how we shall die They are as a sleep Text. IN these words lest Moses should seem to undermine and weaken the
but only see it and die in the Land of Moah surely Moses his sin shut him out And of all that great number that came out of the Land of Aegypt even six hundred thousand that all above twenty years should perish in the Wildernesse was an undoubted argument they were guilty of some great sin that caused the Lord to be thus angry with them Object If this be so that extraordinary judgments are arguments of Gods anger how was it said of the blind man that lay under such an extraordinary judgment as to be born blind that neither this man sinned nor his Parents The meaning is not Answ that neither He nor his Parents were without sin no not such sins as might have justly brought that punishment upon them But neither the Mans sins nor his Parents were the cause why the Lord smote him with blindnesse John 9. but that the work of God might be made manifest in him Job though he were a a godly man indeed yet Job's sins might justly deserve all his miseries but God did not so much look upon his sins but that he might be a pattern and example of Faith Patience and of other Graces to his Church for ever Besides there be many grounds and causes wherefore the Lord is pleased many times to lay his hand and that heavy too upon his own Children and such as are both neer and dear unto him 1. As the exercise of their graces of Faith Patience Hope c. 2. To wean them them from the world whereunto our hearts are too much addicted 3. To quicken Prayer 4. To chasten us for our sins past and to make us more watchfull for the time to come c. But since the Lord in his Word hath denounced these judgments against us for our sins and doth not reveal unto us when he is pleased thus to try us his secret will and pleasure therein We are not to pry into his hidden counsells but into his will revealed which is that Man suffereth for his sin And howsoever we may erre in respect of Gods secret purpose in sending afflictions yet we shall profit thereby to humble our selves to justifie God as righteous to renew our repentance and hereby become fit for mercy and deliverance Whereas in times of affliction and distresse to look upon any other cause then sin may hinder our repentance and cause us to continue in our wickednesse Now that great and extraordinary ludgments and afflictions do argue Gods high displeasure these Reasons shew Reas 1 Because he is most just and righteous in his judgments as Abraham said to God Gen. 18.25 It is far from the Judge of all the World to deal unrighteously The Lord is ever most clear in himselfe from the least stain or mixture of iniustice in any of his judgments inflicted upon men Ps 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord and true are thy judgments Reas 2 The second may be taken from that neer union and inseparable affinity that is betwixt Gods anger and sin Man suffereth for his sin Lam. 3.39 Miseries and afflictions yea all kind of iudgments spirituall and temporall are but the sinners harvest that he must look to reap by sowing the seeds of sin Pro 22.8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap affliction and the rod of his anger shall fail Let us apply this to our selves Use 1 Did Moses well to gather and conclude the exceeding anger displeasure of God against them by the greatnesse and grievousnesse of their punishment that they were thus hastily and fearfully wasted and consumed Alas then what may we think of our selves how hath the hand of God laine heavie upon us in this Nation In these later daies the sword hath been in the Bowels of the land and hath drunk much blood in every corner of it we have had the pestilence amongst us what Country hath been free we have had cleannesse of teeth when many have perished in the open fields and by the way side for want of bread The Lord hath made the Heavens as Brasse and the Earth as Iron that the like yeares have not been known Besides this strange sicknesse that hath been amongst us whereof fewe Families have escaped but some have been either sick or weake or suddainly taken away by Death that fewe that are living have knowne the like time of sicknesse and mortalitie Now what can we think by all these messengers of his Anger and wrath but that God is exceedingly angry and displeasedwith us Certainely the sins of this Nation the innocent blood that hath been shed the high contempt of the Gospel and Miâ—listers therof the great securitie unfruitfullnesse and unthankfullnesse of all sorts may mind us of some farther judgments yet at hand And yet alas who laies the Lords dealings to heart to take notice of Gods Anger and make but light account of judgments None consider in heart that the greatnesse of Gods judgments is an argument of the greatnesse of our sins It shall be our wisdom to lay Gods judgments to heart and to meet the Lord by unfained Repentance lest worser judgments overtake us at last Use 2 Secondly this serves to admonish us that according to the greatnesse of Gods judgments to increase our sorrow and Repentance for great anger argues great sins and great sins must have great Sorrow and great Repentance Quest 1 But is it an Argument that God is Angry when he takes men away by Death No it is not alwayes so Ans that the Lord is Angry when he takes men away by Death But when he takes them away by such a manner of Death as this people here with some strange kinde of Death horrible and fearefull for some sin as these people for their infidelitie murmuring Rebellion and despising of his mercy this is a token of Gods Anger 1 Cor. 10.10 Neither murmur ye as some of them murmured and were destroyed with the Destroyer Quest 2 But is it a token of Gods Anger for men to dy suddainly or by some strange kind of Death of the plague pestilence c No. Ans It is not alwaies a token of Gods Anger for men to dy suddainly or by some strange kinde of Death Pilate to make the Jewes odious and their religion hatefull mingled the blood of certaine Galileans with their Sacrifices here was an unwonted kind of Death And so those eighteene upon whom the tower of Silo fell these dyed not an ordinary kind of Death And yet Christ saith that they were not greater sinners then other men And many of Gods dear children and faithfull servants have dyed strange kinds of death and none more then the Son of God himselfe And therefore we may not judge a man out of Gods favour by the suddennesse or strangenesse of his death if his life hath been good his death cannot be bad Eccles 9.11 for as Solomon saith All things happen alike to all But now when we shall see a Man or Woman whose
will not perish This honour the Spirit of God giveth to Moses here Josu 1.2 Moses the man of God and else where The servant of the Lord. Heb. 3.2 Moses my servant And he is called A faithfull servant in Gods house Heb. 11.24 Yea Moses himselfe preferrs this service before the pleasures in Pharaohs Court This was it that David so much gloried in Behold Lord I am thy servant Jude 1. This was it that Paul gloried in Paul a servant of Jesus Christ and Jude a servant of Jesus Christ And of those Primitive Fathers it is said Through faith they all received a good report Heb. 11. Thus Noahs commendation rests upon record That he was a Preacher of Righteousnesse and Lot is called a just man And thus good King Asa hath left a name behind him That his heart was upright with the Lord all his dayes 1 Reg. 15.14 Num. 25.8 And thus Phineas zeale in executing judgement upon Zimri and Cosbi remaines as a pretious oyntment to his name Yea this is in a speciall manner to be marked and observed That in what vertue or grace soever his servants have most of all honoured and glorified God withall in life for the same God vouchsafeth unto them titles of honour after death As we may see in those godly Kings of Judah and Israel that were zealous for the glory of God in plucking downe the high places and suppressing Idolaty and advanced Gods pure worship these have left behind them an honorable memory a name that shall not be forgotten or blotted out Whereas others that matched with the daughters of a strange God which drew them to Idolatry and were remisse and negligent in advancing of Religion and seâ— up and countenanced Idolatry the Lord hath left a brand upon their names that shall not bee wiped out As Jeroboam which mingled his owne devises with the worship of God he hath this brand set upon him to the perpetuall infamy of his name 〈◊〉 10. Jereboam the Son of Nebat that made Israel to sin So true is that of Solomon The memory of the Righteous is blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot And the reasons â—e That herein and hereby Reas 1 the world may see what an honorable esteeme God hath of his Servants Now what esteeme God hath of them may appeare by those honorable titles God vouchsafeth into them They are called sonnes 〈◊〉 hold what love the Father hath â—â—stowed upon us 1 Ioh. 3.1 that wee should be â—â—lled the sonnes of God They are called Friends Mat. 12.50 you I have called friends Brethren and Sisters c. Heires of God Rom. 8.17 Temples of the Holy Ghost Gods peculiar people Vessells of mercies Children of the marriage chamber c. And thus the Lord dignifies his servants with honorable titles to shew the high esteeme that hee hath of such though in the eyes of the world they are esteemed but the of scouring of the earth who only see the vessell but not the treasure in it Yet God honoreth them according to the graces given and his owne Image restored in them Secondly because grace and glory Reas 2 are inseparable companions 1 Sam. 2.30 I will honour them that honour me saith the Lord then those that dishonour him he will dishonour As the sinnes of wicked men testifie to their faces what they are so their names to posterity shal publish their shame Pro. 10.7 The memory of the righteous shall be blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot What got the foolish Virgins by their Hypocrisie holding forth the Lamps of an outward profession when they wanted the oyle of grace in their hearts and wanted truth in their inward parts Mat. 23 but a blot that shall never bee wiped out foolish virgins Whereas the godly wise that laboured for grace and to be in truth that they made profession of their names stand upon record to posterity for wise virgins Let us apply this This sheweth the vanity of the men Use 1 of the world that seeke to perpetuate unto themselves a name but begin not at this Gods service such do but build a Babel unto themselves Esay 65.15 ye shall leave your name a curse unto my chosen And if we had no example in the booke of God experience proves it that if this testimony of Moses follow them not when they are dead gone The man of God and the servant of the Lord they doe and will leave their names a curse to their houses and families We have seen the sumptuous funeralls of many great men in their Haralds and Hearses decked and adorned with the Scutchions Armes and other Ensignes of honour much good may they doe them we envie them not I doubt not but that it may stand with Religion that such as have beene truly honorable in life should have all due honour done to them in death But if they have not this testimony pinn'd upon their Hearse The man of God or the servant of the Lord their Armes and Scutchions and other Ensignes of honour shall moulder to dust when this shall remaine as an indeleble testimony to their names houses and posterities that shall not perish with time Moses the man of God Secondly Use 2 seeing it is such a comfort in life and such a high honour in death to be a man of God wee are taught hence how to get a good name a name that shall not rot namely that we lay the foundation of it in Religion and in the service of God Godlinesse saith the Apostle hath the promise of this life and the life to come 1 Sam. 2.30 And he that honoreth me I will honour How preposterous then are the waies and courses of the greatest part of the men of the world Every man for the most part desires a good name and divers men have propounded divers waies to themselves to get themselves a name Some run to Court some to the Campe some to Schoole Absaelom will have his pillar and some have not stuck to lay the foundation of their names and houses in blood Alas what of all these when men begin not at this in their waies and services of God what is become of Nabuchadnezers Babell Achitophells wisedome and deepe policy Herods applause Jezabels craft to make Ahabs house great Hamans high favour with his Prince and Senacheribs vaine gloryings hath not God left their names a curse to his chosen for ever Whereas Phineas his zeale Maries box of oyntment and the widdowes mites are kept in record never to bee forgotten A holy life a sincere conversation raiseth a good name and a good report upon such a sure foundation that cannot be shaken And this serveth for the just reproofe of the greatest sort of men at this day Vse 3 who ordinarily esteeme of men not as they goe before others in Religion in grace and godlinesse but as they goe before others in Riches
Lord withdrawes the comfort and feeling of his loving kindness and mercy from them and they apprehend the anger of God against them for their sins It is wonderfull to see how the servants of God at such times are cast down and humbled yea they are not then able to pray nor to call God Father but be for a time in a trance and as it were overwhelmed in the sence of Gods displeasure and for their lives cannot lift up their voice to God in prayer Now in such a case as this what is the comfort of a poor distressed soul thus humbled and amazed and cast down But to make their moane and complaint to God as Moses doth here Tell the Lord that thou canst not pray as thou desirest Complain unto the Lord and say O Lord what wilt thou have me to do wilt thou leave thy servant thus Say with Jehosophat I know not what to do Lord 2 Chron. 20.12 but my eyes are upon thee If we can but complain thus and mourn thus for our misery this is an earnest prayer in Gods sight as this of Moses and of David and Hezekiah Tell me you that are tender hearted Parents have not the sighs and moans and groans of your little Infants moved your bowells within you to pitty and compassion towards them as ever the requests that they have made unto you O the Lord doth as much yea more then you can do this way the very sighs and groans and tears of his children prevail with him much more than their words can The Lord is said to hear the groaning of the Prisoner Psal 102.20 Esay 38.5 Psal 39. And of Hezekiah I have seen thy tears And Hold not thy peace at my tears And I doubt not but Gods people have found as much comfort in their sighs and groanes and tears as in their requests in prayer Yet we must take heed that we abuse not this comfort to make us the more negligent and sloathfull in the duty of prayer in the times of health and prosperity No then we ought with all freedome of heart and tongue to exercise our selves in this duty But this comfort belongs unto such as in times of affliction are not able to perform the duty And this serves to discover unto us the misery of all wicked and ungodly men Use 2 what comfort can such have in times of affliction and distresse that cannot pray Prov. 28.9 He that turneth away his ears from hearing the Law even his prayers shall be abominable And as the Lord saith Ezek. 8.18 Therefore will I deal in fury my eye shall not spare neither will I have pitty and though they cry with a loud voice I will not hear them O the misery of a poor creature when God shall shut out his prayers and if they do pray that the Lord should make no more account of them then the howling of a dog Hos 9.4 for how can that prayer be effectuall when the person is not accepted 'T is true wicked men have sometimes good motions in them but they last not like that of Balaam O that my soul might dye the death of the righteous Thus in times of sicknesse and distresse the wicked may pray but these wishes and desires of theirs proceed only from some light in the understanding but not out of any affection in the heart and so quickly vanish away like the morning dew Hos 6.4 And hence is it that the Lord will laugh when the destruction of such a one commeth Whereas the complaints the sighs and groans of a broken heart proceeding from humiliation for sin and sence of Gods displeasure and a hope of Gods promises preserves the soule in life and sends it to God as a sure refuge in times of trouble So that the only hope to finde mercy and deliverance in time of trouble belongs to a godly and an humbled soul that formerly hath had acquaintance with God Iob 22.21 The prayers and sighs and groans of such onely are heard Lord thou hast been our habitation from generation to generation In this first verse we have the first part of their complaint And the words beare this sence q.d. O Lord thou hast been gracious to our forefathers to Abraham Isaak and Jacob and to other ages and generations after them thou wast a covert and defence unto them when they pitched their Tents from place to place and travelled from Country to Country Thou commandest saying Touch not my Annointed Ps 105.15 and do my Prophets no harm But thou dealest not so gratiously with us that are their posterity wee are in great affliction and distresse yea for our Rebellions and sins thou hast left us and goest not before us as thou didst with our Forefathers So that this was it that humbled Moses and the people of God at this time when they saw that their estate was far otherwise then their Forefathers and that God did not now deal so gratiously with them as hee did with their Forefathers Hence note That when a Nation Doct. 2 When a people decay in glory then it is time to seek to God Church or people decaies in beauty in riches in glory or strength then it is time high time and more then time to make their complaints to God to bee humbled for their sins and to meet the Lord by unfained repentance When a Nation or people upon whom his name hath been called where the Gospell hath been preached and his ordinances have been duly administred where God hath heretofore declared his presence When such a Nation or people shall decay in their former beauty and glory when the glory of Religion shall begin to be Eclipsed by Sects and Heresies that shall increase daily in the Church and when God by many apparent signes shall seem to depart from such a people in gard of his wonted presence then it is high time for such a people to humble themselves and to meet the Lord by repentance Thus did Moses and the people here when the judgements of God were upon them and they saw that it was far otherwise with them then with their Forefathers it was then high time to put up their complaints to God Lam. 1.12 35. Psal 107. Hereby the Lord wil make us know that hee is not tyed to any Nation Reas 1 Church or people no longer then they keep Covenant with him and walk in obedience before him as we may see of this Nation of the Jewes and those famous Churches of Corinth Ephesus Philippi Colosse c. once glorious and flourishing Churches but now have the Candlestick removed from them The Lord many times doth lay his hand upon a Nation and people to this very end Reas 2 to humble them and to make them looke home to humble them and to cause them to meet the the Lord by repentance for this end the Lord made the prodigall to tast of a Famine that was such a wanton in times of prosperity
hereof Vse 2 that God hath a speciall hand in all our sufferings and still ordereth and disposeth of the same Ro. 8.28 that they shall work for the best to them that love and fear him what a ground of patience may this be unto us under the crosse whensoever the Lord shall be pleased to humble us by any affliction whatsoever that with patience and meeknesse we submit thereunto I was dumb Ps 39.9 and opened not my mouth because it was thy doing saith David And Eli 1 Sam. 3.18 â— Sam. 15.26 It is the Lord let him do what seemeth good to him And Here I am let him do to me as seemeth good to him And this may serve for the just reproofe of those Vse 3 who in times of misery and distresse never look to the hand of God they look upon secondary causes and instruments but over-look God Such do seldome seek to God for delivery Job was of another mind he looks not so much upon the Caldeans and Sabeans that plundered him of his goods and cattle but he looks up unto God and acknowledgeth his hand in all So David when Shimei cursed him It may be the Lord bad him to curse me Vse 4 And last of all this lets us see that when the Lord hath been pleased to come in with any Nationall or personall deliverance where to returne thanks even to him that first smoâ—e us and who it is that hath healed us Thus the Church in all ages when the Lord was pleased to come in with any singular deliverance Exod. 15. 2 Chron. 20. Jud. 5. kept their solemn daies of praise and thanksgiving unto God Thou turnest man to destruction THat is at thy pleasure are our lives and being here we live at thy allowance and appointment when thou wilt thou turnest them to breaking and crushing even to dust Hence observe Doct. 2 That our life and being here is uncertain Our lives are in Gods hand it is in Gods hand and power we live at his appointment at his pleasure he can and doth turn man to destruction to breaking and crushing Thou hast bruised my bones Esay 38. saith Hezechiah Thou hast set me as a mark to shoot at saith Job Thy arrowes stick fast in me saith David If the Lord do but say Return ye sons of Adam we shall return again to the dust and away we must The voice of the Lord is a powerfull voice he did create all things by his voice and by his word and at the same voice and word of his he can turn all things to powder No man though never so great or mighty wise or politique can resist or withstand the commanding and powerfull voice of God but when death is sent and God gives his call they must return again to dust Death knocks with authority at the dore of the rich man and Palace of Princes as at the poor and all must obey and return to the dust from whence they came Moses this Man of God that was a man so familiar with his Maker a man so holy so meek so mercifull who was indeed a compound of vertues who had fed many thousands when they were ready to die with hunger who had refreshed many thousands when they were ready to perish with thirst yet must himselfe at last yeeld to the stroke of death and say to corruption thou art my Father and to the worm thou art my Mother Psal 89.48 What man is there living that shall not see death and shall deliver his soul from the pit One dyeth in his full strength saith Job whose breasts are full of milk Iob 21.23 and bones are full of marrow Another dyeth in the bitternesse of his soul they shall lie down alike in the dust and the wormes shall cover them We stand not at a stay but in the midst of life we are in death the very meat we put into our bellies and the cloaths we put upon our backs all declare unto us that dye we must and return again to the dust And the Reasons are First Reas 1 if we do but consider the matter whereof these bodies of ours are composed which is of the dust of the earth this shewes a necessity of their returning again to dust they are made of a frail brittle and corruptible matter and long they cannot stand Dust thou art Gen. 3.19 and into dust shalt thou return again And as the Prophet saith All flesh is grasse and the glory of man as the flower of grasse As the point of the Marriners needle doth never stand till it attain the North Pole Such an instinct there is in these bodies of ours they still bend themselves downward towards the earth from whence they came And as the nearer the Center the swifter the motion so is man towards his end every day winds off something of the threed of our life and return we must There is a necessity of our returning again to dust Reas 2 if we do but consider the nature of sin the wages whereof is death and indeed there can be no divorce sued out betwixt sin and death Gen. 20. As the Lord said to Abimelech Thou art but a dead man because of his sin And this was Gods own decree at first Gen. 2.17 The day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye the death Now Alam eating of the forbidden fruit brought in death to all his posterity for so saith the Apostle By one man sin entred into the world Ro. 5.12 and death by sin And inasmuch as all have sinned all must die the death Besides Reas 3 there is a necessity that all should die because by death we must enter into life death is the gate of life ordinarily none entred into life but by death death is a guide to bring us into Heaven though a churlish guide yet a sure guide to bring us into blisse Seeing the Lord at his pleasure turns man to destruction Use 1 to breaking and crushing sends long and tedious sicknesse and griefe of body whereby men are much deformed and weakned in their bodies and turned to dust This should teach us patience in times of misery and distresse when the Lord shall seem thus to crush us and break us to powder we should with patience bear his correcting hand be it never so sharp and grievous even to crush us to pieces and to grinde us to powder in regard it is the Lord that doth it Thus David I was dumb and opened not my lips Ps 39.5 because it was thy doing There is no sicknesse or disease lamenesse or blindnesse or any other affliction whereby we come to have our bones crushed and we brought to destruction but all is of the Lord He turneth man to breakings and destruction and it is the want of the knowledge of this that is the cause that men do sometimes murmur against Gods dealings and are not humbled for their sins as they ought to be we consider
This was that comfort that Christ gave to his Disciples Mat. 20.19 when he spake of his owne death The Son of man shall be delivered to the chiefe Priests and Scribes and they shall condemne him to death and deliver him to the Gentiles to be Crucified but the third day he shall rise againe Now that which was Christs comfort may be ours also Thirdly there is comfort in it in regard of our friends that die in the Lord that though death may separate us asunder for a time yet we shall meet again If a man take a long journey his wife friends do not weep lament as if they should never see him again So a man that dies in Christ though he take a long journey yet we should not mourn as those which have no hope we shall meet again And lastly this may also comfort us in regard of the present infirmities of our bodies blindnesse lamenesse crookednesse and other deformities that we are subject unto here In the Resurrection we shall leave all these behinde us in the grave and our bodies shall rise again glorious bodies and incorruptible bodies As those two godly Martyrs going to the stake the one blinde the other lame comforted each other Be of good cheer Brother my Lord of London will this day cure thee of blindnesse and me of my lamenesse Thus will death do and in the Resurrection these imperfections shall be done away So that the comforts are great which flow from this Doctrine of the Resurrection But as this Doctrine serves for matter of comfort and consolation to the godly Use 3 so it serves for matter of terrour fear and astonishment unto all wicked and unregenerate men that are out of Christ that as they live so die in a naturall estate 'T is true these also shall partake of this Resurrection and shall rise again at last but in a sarre different manner from the godly The bodies of believers shall arise by vertue of that union they have with Jesus Christ as members of that mysticall body of his whereof Christ is the head so shall he at last draw his members to himselfe But now all wicked and ungodly men they shall arise by the power of Christ at the voice of the Arch-Angel at the sound of the Trump for as the Apostle saith the Trump shall sound 1 Cor. 15 And these shall arise out of their graves as out of a Prison and that to go to the place of execution These shall no sooner put their heads out of their graves and behold the Lord Jesus comming in his glory That Christ whom they have crucified by their sins that Christ whom they have persecuted in his members that Christ whose blood they have trampled under their feet but they could wish that they had never seen his face O thinks a wicked man that I were in my grave again O that this filthy and polluted carcase of mine had never been made alive again but as it tasted of corruption it might for ever have perished there And it is not impossible but they that at the last shall cry to the mountains to fall upon them Rev. 6. and the hills to cover them but they may seek to hide themselves in their graves from the presence of Christ As the bodies of believers shall arise glorified bodies the bodies of the wicked shall arise most black ugly and deformed bodies black faces gastly countenances more like Devills than Men and Women ugly as Toads hatefull to themselves and others Thus shall they arise at last they shall arise out of their graves quaking and trembling wishing that they had never been born or born Toads or Serpents rather than Men and Women O the horrour and terrour that shall seize upon the wicked at that day no heart is able to conceive or tongue able to expresse When the Lord delivered the Law to the people upon Mount Sinai when the Trumpet sounded how did the people quake and tremble Exod. 19 How terrible then will his appearance be at the last day when he shall come to exact vengeance upon the transgressors of this Law O consider this ye that now forget God you that will not now be wrought upon by the sound of the Word to be raised from the death of sin to the life of righteousnesse How will you endure at this day the voice of the Arch-Angell and the sound of this Trumpet Arise ye dead and come unto judgment And last of all Use 4 seeing these bodies of ours that now go to their graves shall return again and rise again how carefull should we be to keep our bodies clean and pure and undefiled and every member of the same The Apostle Saint Paul exhorts us unto this 2 Thess 4.4 To possesse our Vessells in holinesse and honour If death leave thee a drunkard an unclean person a swearer a worldling a vile and prophane wretch in a naturall condition in the same condition shalt thou be haled to judgment when that wretched body and that wofull soul of thine that have been a Simeon and Levi brethren together in sin shall now for ever share alike in punishment and torment When a man hath done some foul and shamefull fact we use to say of such a man he will never be able to shew his face again How then will many a vile and desperate sinner shew his face before God at that day How carefull then ought we to be to keep our Vessells in holinesse and honour This is that very Use the Apostle Peter makes of this Doctrine of our Resurrection Seeing all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought we to be Paul professing the hope of the Resurrection I exercise my selfe saith he to have a clear conscience before God and all men Acts 24. voide of offence And of Jerome it is said that whatsoever he did he thought he heard this voice Arise ye dead and come to judgment Return again ye sons of Adam Text. MOSES as he hath shewed be fore that our lives are in Gods hand and at his disposing and that at his will and pleasure he can turn man to destruction to dust and rottennesse He adds also another cause of mans frailty and mortality and that is the nature composition and frame of mans body which is of it selfe very frail and brittle subject to mortality For the first word Man thou turnest Man to destruction signifies a man full of misery full of sicknesses and infirmities a miserable man Enosh And the other word here used in the end of the verse signifies a man made of Clay or of the very slime of the earth From hence we learn what is the nature of all men Doct. 4 Man a piece of living clay of all the sons of Adam viz. A piece of living Clay a little piece of red Earth And besides that man is subject to breaking and crushing every way a miserable man so is he of a brittle
mould a piece of red clay that hath in it for a time a living soul which must return to God that gave it and the body this piece of earth return to the earth from whence it came And if we had no Scripture at all to prove this daily experience before our eyes makes it clear how all men even the wisest the strongest the greatest and the mightiest Monarchs and Princes in the world be but miserable men made of red earth and quickly turn again to dust In his first Creation Gen. 27. God made man of the dust of the earth And this is it the Lord pronounced of all mankinde Dust thou art and unto dust thou shalt return This Job knew well and therefore said I shall say to corruption thou art my Father and to the worm thou art my Mother And to this agreeth that of the Psalmist Psal 49.19 Man shall enter into the generation of his fathers and they shall not live for ever Psal 89. And What man liveth and shall not see death And Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave And How dyeth the wise man as the fool Eccles 2.16 q.d. They are both made of one matter and are both subject to death alike Deut. 34. And Moses the servant of the Lord died in the land of Moab according to the Word of the Lord. It was not Moses greatnesse nor Moses goodnesse that could free him from the stroke of death For the Reasons see the second Doctrine of this Verse The Uses follow Seeing this is the estate of all the sons of Adam subject to misery Use 1 diseases sicknesses breakings and crushings whereby our bodies are not only deformed our beauty and strength abated and blasted but at last even brought to the dust What madnesse and folly then is it to make such account of this poor earthly Tabernacle as though it should last for ever which at the best is but an earthly Pitcher which though it go often to the water yet at last comes broken home a House made up of mud-walls which daily threatens ruine This shewes the fondnesse the vanity and folly that is in men and women that bestow so much time in painting in decking and trimming this poor carcase of clay that we know not how soon will to the dust Let such proud Peacocks and painted Tombs know they are at the best but a piece of red clay subject dayly to breaking and crushing An howers ficknesse will shake the Walls of thy House turn thy beauty into deformity and thy strength into weaknesse But rather let us deck our inward man with the graces of the Spirit because that beauty will last for ever that beauty cannot fade with years or sicknesse or miseries in the world but will endure for ever in life and death Secondly Use 2 seeing these bodies of ours are but a plece of living clay a little piece of red earth and we do not know how soon this brittle frail bodie of ours shall return to the earth again This may teach us to make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts of it for who will bestow much cost upon that he shall enjoy but a short time Will a Tenant for a yeer build and plant and lay out much cost and be it much pains upon that he must so suddenly part withall No he will provide for a more certain term Where are our hearts Christians and where are our thoughts that we mind no more our short stay here in this world and provide no better for an everlasting habitation We cannot assure our selves to continue here a year but are at an hours warning nay it may be not so much Whensoever it pleaseth the King to bid them stay that run at Tilt either in the entrance or at the middle of the race then he must come again Even so it is with us we have a short race to run here and when the Lord shall say Return thou son of Adam we must yield and away we must And therefore seeing that we are at this passe it stands us in hand to be prepared and to be in a continuall readinesse lest death take us tardy and so as death leaves us so shall the last judgment finde us If a man be charged to be ready for any service upon pain of death at an houres warning he will be sure not to be out of the way but alwaies in treadinesse Well let us know we are at lesse than an houres warning for whensoever the Lord shall but say Return away we must whether prepared or not prepared death will not stay O that men were wise Deut. 32.29 then would they remember their latter end that when the Lord comes whether at midnight or at the Cock-crowing or in the dawning of the day he may finde us so doing Ver. 4. For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past as a Watch in the Night IN this Verse Moses proceeds to a farther description of the frailty of mans life And whereas our corrupt nature is such that we are ready to think we shall never die or not yet or not for many years though we see daily before our eyes such as are young and strong go before us yet cannot men easily be perswaded that their life is so short as indeed it is Now Moses comes to shew that even the longest life any man lives or yeares that he can attain unto is but a short life and very uncertain He supposeth thus Suppose that a man should attain to live a Thousand years which no man ever did as yet attain unto no the longest life that we read of in the Word is but nine hundred sixtie nine years that Methusalah lived But suppose saith he Gen. 5.27 that a man might live a thousand yeeres alas what is the space of a thousand yeers if we compare it to the eternity of God it is but as a day when it is past Now by this proportion let us mark how short the life of man is A thousand yeeres is but as a day then what is the ordinary life of man which is but sixty yeeres or eighty years surely it is not an houre a poor time to brag of as many do And in the end of this Verse as though Moses had said too much and pointed our the life of man too long he seemes to correct himselfe q. d. What said I that the life of man is as yesterday when it is past Nay I say It is but as a watch in the night Now a Watch was but the space of three houres Luk. 12.38 the night being divided into four Watches every Watch had three houres but a short time And thus Moses to beat down the pride of our hearts and those over-weaning thoughts of long life leads us to God the number of whose years saith Job cannot be known Job 36.26 That when we consider that eternity tâ—aâ—
Doctrine of the Resurrection by comparing death to a Flood whereby men are over-whelmed in the Grave In these words he mitigates that speech in comparing Death to a Sleep that even as a man lying down to sleep though he seemes to be dead for the present yet ere it be long awakes again Even so though death seems as a Flood to over-whelm us and drown us in the Grave yet ere it be long at the day of Judgment we shall awake and rise again From this allusion the point observable is That death is a sleep Doct. 3 or to die is but to sleep Death is a sleep Es 57.2 And thus the Scriptures resemble the Grave to a Bed and Death to a Sleep He shall enter into peace and they shall rest in their beds every one that walketh before the Lord in righteousnesse And this thing holy Job speaks of himselfe Job 7.21 Now I shall sleep in the dust and thou shalt seek me in the morning and I shal not be And this is said of David 1 Reg. 2.10 that he slept with his Fathers And thus Daniel speaking of the last judgment Dan. 12.2 Many that sleep in the dust shall awake to life eternall And this Christ saith of Lazarus Ioh. 11. Mat. 9.24 Lazarus is not dead but sleepeth And Paul comforting the Thessalonians for their dead saith 1 Thes 4.13 Brethren I would not have you ignorant concerning those that sleep in the Lord. So that you see the phrase is very usuall in the Scripture to compare death to a sleep And the Reasons of this resemblance may be these The first may be taken from the nature of sleep Reas 1 which is indeed a binding up of the senses for a time till sleep again be dissolved at which time the senses have again their naturall power restored to return into the members of the body whereby they act afresh Thus is it with the sleep of death hereby the bodies and minds of men are set free from cares fears distempers and molestations for such rest from their labours Both the souls and bodies of the Saints by death are set free from them all Rev. 14.13 Secondly Reas 2 as sleep doth give much refreshment to the bodies and mindes of men being wearied with labour and pains in the day time O how sweet is sleep to a labouring man and how comfortable is rest to a weary traveller No lesse sweet and comfortable is the grave to the bodies of the Saints these rest in peace as on a bed of down such sleep sweetly and safely untill the morning of the Resurrection when they shall arise again Psal 17.15 When I awake up saith David I shall be refreshed with thy Image Thirdly Reas 3 as those that are asleep may easily be awaked and raised up again by some sound in their ears or stirring of their bodies or the like So easie will it be with the Lord at the last day when he comes to judgment by the voice of the Arch-Angell and sound of the Trumpet when this voice shall be heard of all Arise ye dead and come unto judgment to raise up the dead that are asleep in their graves This may serve for matter of singular comfort and consolation unto the godly all believers Use 1 that Job calls the King of fear and the Grave which is the chamber and house of death dreadfull in their own nature should thus have their nature altered and changed that they should become so comfortable and beneficiall unto them to become a place of sweet repose and rest That soul that hath made its peace with God may with much comfort look death in the face and say with Simeon Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace Such blessed souls rest with God and die in peace and may commend their souls to God as to a faithfull Creator See the boldnesse and confidence of the blessed Apostle 1 Tim. 4.7 8. I have fought the good fight I have kept the faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteousnesse But whence have the godly this boldnesse and confidence in death Quest was not death threatned as a curse and inflicted as a curse how came the nature of death thus to be altered and changed This thing so comes to passe through the death of Christ Ans 1 who was himselfe in the state of the dead and was himselfe in the grave and hath triumphed over death and hell and the grave and hath removed the curse and plucked out the sting of them 1 Cor. 15.54 Heb. 2.14 15. Death is swallowed up of victory And that by death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devill and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage So that death as a curse was laid upon Christ that our death might be blessed unto us So that it is by Christ and his death that the sting of death is plucked out and that our Graves become a bed of rest unto us Secondly every true believer is a member of Christs body and hence it comes to passe Ro. 14.8 That whether we live or die we are the Lords Secondly this lets us see the misery of all wicked and ungodly men Use 2 from whom the curse of Death and of the Grave is not removed As in Death their bodies return to the Grave so their souls go immediately to Hell their bedies go to their Graves as to a stinking and loathsome Prison a Dungeon of darknesse from whence they shall arise in the morning of the Resurrection to be joyned again to their souls that both together may be sent into utter darknesse The godly and wicked in death may well be resembled to Pharaoh's Butler and Baker Both go to Prison one is restored to serve his Master the other reserved for execution Is death a sleep Use 3 and do the bodies of the Saints rest in their Graves as in a Bed and their Spirits return to God that gave them How fond and vain then is the conceit of those that say that dead bodies walk after their death the ground I suppose of this superstitious speech so frequent with many God rest his soul and Gods peace be with him c. a grosse absurditie and howsoever a common conceit in time of Popery and times of ignorance yet in the times of the Cospell utterly to be abandoned And last of all Use 4 since death is a sleep This should teach us not to mourn as those that have no hope for the departure of our Friends Husbands Wives Iohn 11. Parents Children c. Thy Brother saith Christ to Mary shall rise again So shall they What though they tast of corruption they shall not perish in corruption They go to their graves but as to a bed there to rest for a time till the morning of the Resurrection come Now who would not be glad of rest after
hundred thousand besides Children they dyed all in the Wildernesse all save Joshuah and Caleb above the age of twenty years some by the Pestilence some by sudden and fearfull fire from Heaven some swallowed up of the earth as Corah Dathan some killed by fiery Serpents and Scorpions and the greatest part by the Plague and Pestilence so that in the space of forty years they were almost all of them consumed This example of it selfe were sufficient to clear this truth that whereas the life of man is short of it selfe yet our sins many times makes it shorter as we may see in the old World drowned in the Flood Corah Dathan and Abiram smallowed up of the earth Herod eaten up of wormes Saul Judas the Children that mocked the Prophet Besides the experience we have in our daies of Drunkards Whormasters Theeves and Traitors who by their sins draw down Gods judgments upon their heads and shorten their daies As we see the Grasse though it be left to grow yet in time will wither of it selfe but if suddainly cut down with a Sith it sooner decayes A Leafe though it hang long on the Tree yet in the end it will fall of it selfe but by a storm is suddenly shaken down Thus it is with men 'T is true the sinner in committing of sin doth neither see nor perceive this being blinder then Balaam that saw not the sword drawn before him But Sathan that malitious enemy of mans Soul like deceitfull Laban that gave Jacob Leab instead of Rachel So doth Sathan deal with the sinner instead of profit and pleasure payes the sinner at last with some shamefull death the just wages and stipend of sin Because Reas 1 that all our sufferings are for the most part the fruit and stipend of sin Lam. 3.39 Man suffereth for his sin As the Lord said to Abimelech Thou art but a dead man because of this sin Gen. 20.3 the taking of Abraham's wife The wages of sin is death both Temporall and Eternall God hath joyned them both together The soul that sinneth shall die the death Ro. 6.23 Secondly long life is promised as the wages of obedience If ye be willing and obedient Es 1.19 ye shall eat the good things of the Land And on the contrary God often cuts off the wicked for their disobedience As a wise Parent will not correct his child where there is no fault so will he not spare when he is provoked Loathsome sicknesses foul diseases and sudden death are often Gods revengfull rods upon vile and wretched sinners Seeing the life of man Use 1 that is so short of it selfe yet is made far shorter by reason of sin this serves to justifie the Lords hand and righteous judgment upon the Land this day in his generall visitation by this unwonted sicknesse and suddain death of so many amongst us Is not England become the sinke of all those Sects and Heresies that ever crept into the Church And as if these were not enough to pull down Gods wrath the Land is guilty of Blood of Swearing of Lying of Whoring Sabbath-breaking contempt of the Word and Ordinances of Christ with these and the like abominations the Land is defiled and the Land shall mourn Hos 4.3 What hope have we to avoide our present judgments this day and yet live in those sins that cause them And how can we think to escape any Plague so long as we are guilty of the Plague of sin Secondly Use 2 since by our sins our daies are often shortned and cut off it shall then be our wisdome to discern betwixt the pleasures of sin and the miseries that accompany the sinner Sathan promised our first Parents that they should be like unto God but it was to make them miserable as himselfe How many a wretched man by his Drunkennesse Uncleannesse and other distempers shortens his own daies as the Prophet saith The wicked shall not live out halfe his daies which otherwise in the course of Nature they might attain unto But all those miseries whereunto we are subject by reason of sin in this life are no way to be compared to those fearfull punishments whereunto the wicked are reserved after this life for it is sin that shall shut them for ever out of heaven Rev. 22.15 Without shall be Dogs c. And They that commit such things shall never inherit the Kingdome of Heaven 1 Pet. 2.12 Which made the Apostle so earnestly exhort us I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which sight against the soul But we are consumed in thy anger IN these words Moses sets down the cause why they were thus hastily wasted and consumed in the Wildernesse which he confesseth here to be double 1. The more remote and improper cause and that was Gods anger in this verse 2. The neerer and more proper cause and that was their sins verse 8. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee c. First cause was Gods Anger Cause Gods anger which is described by the degrees of it 1. Anger 2. Hot anger 3. Sore displeasure But how do Moses and the people gather that God was so exceedingly angry with them But by that manner of death that they were so suddenly wasted and consumed with the Pestilence Hence we may observe Doct. 3 That great and extraordinary judgments and calamities Extraordinary judgments are arguments of Gods anger do argue the greatnesse of Gods Anger For Moses here inferrs and concludes the greatnesse of Gods anger and displeasure by the greatnesse of their punishment that seeing they were so miserably consumed and so fearfully plagued it must needs shew the Lord exceedingly provoked by their sins And this is that very use the Apostle makes of this their sudden destruction that came upon this people an argument to prove that God was displeased with them 1 Cor. 10.5 With many of them God was not well pleased In all extraordinary and strange judgments which the Lord brings upon us it is safe to say to our hearts as the people of God said Deut. 31.47 Are not all these troubles come upon us because God is not with us Ruth 1.13 This use could Naomi make of the death of her two Sons That the hand of God was gone out against her And this the very Barbarians could conclude of Paul Act. 28.4 when the Viper hung on his hand No doubt this man is a murtherer They conclude that it must needs be some great sin that Paul was guilty of that did cause that so sore a judgment It was a strange hand of God upon old Eli 1 Sam. 4.18 that he should fall and break his neck And no doubt his indulgency towards his children in their prophanenesse was the cause of it It was no ordinary death that of the young Prophet 1 Reg. 13.24 certainly his sin was the cause of it That Moses himselfe must not come into the Land of Canaan
life hath been vile and prophane a blasphemer a contemner of grace and godlinesse an unclean person a drunkard c. and see some strange judgment of God upon upon him to die some cursed and miserable death we may say of them thus Surely this is the just judgment of God upon him for his sin as Moses sometimes spake of Corah Dathan and Abiram Num. 16. If these men die the common death of all men then hath the Lord not spoken So as when they saw them swallowed up of the earth for their rebellion against Moses and Aaron they surely might say Heâ—e is a spectacle of Gods judgments for their sins And it is good for us to observe Gods dealing amongst our selves that we might learn to fear him lest we be made spectacles of his wrath as others have been By thy anger by thy hot anger Text. BUt what Quest is the Lord subject to these passions to be angry and wroth Surely nothing lesse Ans neither are we to think that there is any such passion in God or that he is subject to these alterations and changes for then he should not be God But the Scriptures thus speak that God is angry and wrathfull full of displeasure c. for our understanding as when the Lord doth that which men do when they are angry then God seems to be angry As when men be angry they throw about them lay on load smite hard c. So when the Lord smites men laies blow after blow plague after plague stroke after stroke then he seems to be angry when he seemes not to spare but one judgment overtakes another Now by Gods anger in the Scripture Gods anger what we are to understand three things First his just will and purpose to punish sin either by temporall judgments here or by eternall hereafter and so that place is to be understood He that believeth not in the Son Iohn 3.36 the anger of God abideth on him that is Gods inward displeasure against the sin of unbeliefe with his purpose to punish it Secondly by the anger of God is understood those menaces and threatnings of punishment against sin either immediately by Himselfe or mediately by his Prophets and Ministers as Hos 11.9 Psal 6.1 Es 63.6 I will execute upon Ephraim the fiercenesse of my wrath That is that anger and wrath that I have threatned Thirdly by the anger of God is signified the effects of his anger which appears in sundry punishments and judgments and so that place is to be understood Eph. 5.6 For such sins comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience that is sundry judgments and punishments seize upon men for such sins And in this third sence and signification is the anger of God and his wrath to be taken here When Moses complains that they were consumed in his anger he means by those fearfull effects of his anger as the Plague Pestilence and the other judgments of God upon them for their sins Hence we may observe Doct. 4 the wonderfull blockishnesse and stupiditie that is in all men by nature Mans ignorance of God great who are no whit moved with such speeches as are agreeable to Gods nature as to say the Lord is just or the Lord will punish or the like But he must take upon him such passions as be in our nature as to say He is angry wrathfull full of displeasure and indignation and all too little to move hard-hearted sinners to fear before him This shewes our grosse ignorance and stupidity in the things of God that he is fain to descend so low as to speak thus to our capacities and understandings as that he is angry wrathfull and full of indignation otherwise we should understand little of God This proceeds from that bitter root of Adam's sin Reas 1 who having in his Creation a clear knowledge of God so far as the Creature was capable of and not contenting himselfe with that excellent knowledge Gen. 3.6 given him in his Creation but aspiring to be like unto God lost his knowledge of his Maker and brought this ignorance upon himselfe in his own understanding and upon all his posterity so that now we are without God in the world Eph. 2.12 strangers from the life of God through that ignorance that is in us Secondly Reas 2 this depravitie in our understanding is holp on by Sathan who hath blinded our mindes that we know not God nor his waies till we come to recover our selves out of the snares of the Devill 2 Tim. 2.26 2 Cor. 3.5 We are not sufficient as of our selves to think any thing as of our selves Which may serve to teach us hence Use 1 to wonder at that great ignorance that is in many Congregations Families and Persons at this day that are so ignorant of God and those glorious attributes of his but conceive of God as a man and call God a good man have very low and mean thoughts of God consider him not as Omnipotent Omniscient Omnipresent the searcher of the heart a consuming fire c. O did we but truly know God it would make us lay our selves low before him when we come into his presence as Abraham did Behold Lord I that am but dust and ashes and to cry out with the Prophet I am undone I am a man of polluted lips Secondly this blindnesse and ignorance of God that is in us by nature Use 2 should minde us of the necessity of an able Ministry in every Congregation whereby we may be taught to know God and have this blindnesse and blockishnesse of our nature cured in us Such set themselves against God and open their mouths against Heaven that oppose the Ministry of the Word and cry it down as many do at this day that think of all callings amongst us the Ministry may best be spared And indeed never was there greater affronts or more disgrace offered to their Calling then there hath been of late daies Whereas there is no Calling the Magistracy excepted whereby a Church or State receiveth more benefit then by a faithfull learned and painfull Ministry they are the strength of a Nation the Chariots and Horsmen of Israel they manifest Gods presence to a Land and Nation and when they are discountenanced silenced and forced to depart God usually is not far off with some fearfull judgment We are consumed in thy anger THe Lord being provoked against this people by their sins His anger could not be appeased but by their destruction Note hence That when Gods anger is once kindled against sin Doct. 5 Gods anger once kindled consumes to destruction it consumeth to destruction We are consumed in thy anger It is true the Lords patience towards sinners is great and he suffereth long the Vessells of wrath He is a a God of mercy and is not easily provoked to strike Psal 2. But as the Psalmist saith If his wrath be kindled but a little it
for eternitie O then would we be loath to be accompted fooles in death as Nabal was who when he came to dye the text sayth His heart dyed like a stone within him let us take out this lesson whilst we are alive to number our dayes aright and to provide for death continually Secondly Use 2 seeing true wisdom is that when men are wise for their souls This may serve for exhortation that as we desire to approve our selves to be the sons of wisdom to make this our principal care to make sure for eternitie This is that one thing that is so necessary that if we misse of that we are undone for ever But how may we come by this wisdō Quest Saint Iames tels us Answ If any man lack wisdom let him aske it of God Jam. 1.5 And Moses his practice here may also informe us Lord teach us to number our dayes It is God that must be our Schoolmaster to teach us this wisdom And the humble he will teach in his way The humble and most self denying christian is ever the most wise christian whereas God rejecteth the proud sendeth the rich empty away Seldom doth any grace either grow or prosper in a proud man or in a proud heart The humble christian tastes of the kernell and sweetness of religions when the prond man hath only the shell Now in seeking this wisdom these Rules must be observed Come in a self-deniall of thy selfe and of thy owne wisdom 1 Cor. 3.18 let him that would be wise became a foole that he may be wise Seek it at Gods hand dy humble and hearty prayers earnestly nor coldly and uegligently Pr. 2.1 Search for wisdom as for treasure Saith Solomon the kingdom of God suffereth violence and violent take it by force Meditate much and oft of the doctrin now taught viz Of the frailty of mans life and our uncertaine being here that this grace must be had to make us happie That we may apply our hearts to wisdome A Gaine the words may be taken in this sence that is as we have heretofore lived in sin now we may live to God to repent and amend our lives and to walke more humbly and more holily with God And thus Moses seemes to expound the words This is your wisdome Deut. 4.6 and your understanding in the sight of the nations which shall heare all these statutes and say surely this nation is a wise and understanding people viz by keeping of the Commandements and doing them In this sence the thing that Moses prayes for is for wisdom and care to keepe the Commandements of God that for the time to come they might walk in his feare as obedient children before him and then the doctrine is That Heavenly wisdom doth consist principally in keeping the Commandements of God to live in faith Doct. 4 True wisdome consists in true obedience Repentance and true obedience to God This is true wisdom by the testimony of Moses himselfe Or thus true wisdom doth consist in true obedience to the will of God True wisdom and the knowledg of God is the candle of the soul to light it and to shine unto it in the wayes of God Thy word saith David is a Lanthorne unto my feete and a light unto my paths When we carry an awfull and reverent awe and dread of the maiestie of God and feare to sin against him this is true wisdom The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledg Pro. 1.7 but fooles despise wisdom And thus have the Saints and servants of God approved themselves to God in walking in the Commandements of God thus Enoch is said to walke with God Gen. 5.21 Lu. 1.6 And Zachary and Elizabeth walked in all the Commandements of God When we are holy as he is holy 1 Pet. 1. perfect as our Heavenly father is perfect when our desire is to walke in an universall obedience to all Gods Commandements with David Psal 119 O that my wayes were so direct that I might keep thy statutes so shall I not be confounded whilest I have respect to all thy Commandements These are truly wise and truly blessed Ps 119.1 Blessed are they that are undefiled and walke in the law of the Lord. And in this did Iob comfort himselfe and approved the uprightnesse of his heart to God Iob 23.10 He knoweth my way and trieth me and I shall come forth as gold But whence hath Iob this confidence verse 11. this he shewes My foot hath followed his steps his way have I kept A contrary example whereof we have in Iehu 2 Reg. 10.31 that howsoever he did many things that God had commanded him in the matter of Ahab yet this is left for a blot upon his name that shall never be wiped out Hos 1.4 Iehu tooke not heed to walk in the Commandoments of God with all his heart And hence it is that the Lord threatned to charge upon Iehu all the blood of the house of Iesreel And this is it the Lord requireth of his people A Son Honoreth his father and a servant his master If I be a father where is my honour c. So that the poynt is cleare that heavenly wisdom consists principally in this in walking humbly and holily before God and in keeping his commandements By this we are known to be Gods Reas 1 as a servant by his livery is knowne to belong to such a Master hereby we know And by this shall all men know that ye are my disciples c. Secondly we owe unto God our lives our liberties Reas 2 and all that we have and therefore when he commands he commands but his owne 1 Cor. 6.19 20. Ye are not your own but ye are bought with a price therfore glorifie God in your bodies and spirits for they are Gods we cannot serve a better master neither can we expect a surer reward We shal all be iudged at last Reas 3 according to things we have done in our bodies whether they be good or evill 2 Cor. 5.10 Rom. 8.14 Then such as have lived after the flesh shall dye And such as have lived after the spirit shall live Then we shall see the Difference betwixt him that served God Mal. and him that served him not Then those wise virgins that with the Iamps of an outward profession had the oyle of grace in their hearts shall be knowne from the foolish that wanted grace Vse 1 This lets us see how far the greatest part of the world are from this wisdom who want this feare of God before their eyes that live in all manner of iniquitie and prophannesse these reiect the word of the Lord. They cast away all care of keeping Gods Commandements And what wisdom is in them Ier. 8.9 Secondly noe less folly appeares in those that are so wise for the world such fooles for their souls Vse 2 wise for the earth but fooles for Heaven