Meditation on Mans Mortality, Verse 1
VERS. I. Lord, thou hast beene our dwelling place in all generations.
IN this first part, the Prophet acknowledgeth, That God at all times, and in all ages hath had a speciall care of his Saints and Seruants, to prouide for them all things necessary for this life; For vnderunder the name of dwelling place, or Mansion house, the Prophet vnderstandeth all helpes and comforts necessary for this life, both for maintenance and protection. For the use of such houses was wont to be not onelyonly to defend men from the iniurie of the Wether, and to keepe safely, within the walls and vnderunder the roofe, all other things necessary for this life; and to be a place of abode, wherein men might the more commodiously prouide for all other things necessary, and walke in some Calling, profitable to their neighbour, and to the glory of God: But also to protect them from the violence of bruit Beasts and rage of enemies. Now the Prophet herein seemes to note a speciall and more immediate prouidence of God toward himselfe, and the people of God: (For of all kind of people they seemed to be most forsaken and forlorne:) That whereas the rest of the world, seemed to hauehave their habitations & Mansions rooted in the earth, and so to dwell vponupon the earth; to liue in Citties and walled Townes in all wealth and State; Gods people were as it were without house and home. Abraham was called Hebr. 11. 8, 9.out of his owne Country, from his fathers house, where no doubt he had goodly buildings, and large revenues, and was commanded by God to liue as a Forreiner in a strange Country, amongst sauage people, that he knew not; and to abide in Tents, Boothes, and Cabins, hauing little hope to liue a setled and comfortable life in any place. In like manner liued his posteritie, Isaac, Iacob, and the twelue Patriarks, wandring from place to place, in the Land of Canaan; from thence translated into the Land of Egypt; there liuing at courtesie, and as it were Tenants at will, and in such slauery and bondage, that it had beene better for them to hauehave beene without house and home. After this for fortie yeares together, (at what time this Psalme was pen'd,) they wandred vp and downe in a desolate Wildernesse; Remoouing from place to place, and wandring as it were in a maze. So that of all the people of the Earth, Gods owne people had hitherto liued as Pilgrimes and banished persons, without house or home. And therefore the Prophet here professeth, that God himselfe more immediately by his extraordinary prouidence, for many ages together had protected them, and beene as it were a Mansion-house vntounto them; That is, The more they were depriued of these ordinary comforts of this life, the more was God present with them, supplying by his extraordinary and immediate Prouidence, what they wanted in regard of ordinary meanes.
The due consideration of this point may minister matter of great Ioy and Comfort to such children of God as are thoroughly humbled with the consideration of Mans Mortalitie in generall, or of theirs, that they relie and depend vponupon in speciall: and it may serue as it were for a bottome, and for brinkes to keepe their sorrow within bounds and compasse. For surely this cannot but bee a meanes of great sorrow and trouble of minde to them that liue and depend vponupon others, (especially when any feeling occasion shall be offred vntounto them) to consider the mortalitie of these that they depend vponupon, and from whom they receiue the comforts and meanes of this life, upon whose life and breath, vnderunder God hitherto they hauehave enioyed their Mansion, or dwelling places. Neither can it be lesse sorrow and trouble for these vponupon whom others depend, to consider their owne Mortalitie, when they shall hauehave wife and children, or any other depending vponupon them, liuing and breathing as it were by them; It cannot I say, but goe neare their hearts, if they louelove those that are vnderunder them, to thinke, that they are but mortall and frayle flesh, that they know not how soone they shall be called from them, and that then they shall leaue them destitute of those comforts and helps which now they hauehave by them. Sorrow herein, especially when by the hand of God we shall be called to thinke of our Mortality, can hardly keepe it selfe within bounds and compasse. But if we could meditate of that which the Prophet here speaks, it would support and vphold vsus, and keepe our feares and sorrowes within bounds and compasse.
Hence then we are to learne:
1. That God is in all those meanes and comforts, and stayes that we hauehave in this life: That we should not liue in any dwelling place, vnderunder any person with any comfort or content, were it not by the Prouidence of God, and such a Prouidence as Gods childe shall (if he rouse vp his thoughts) hauehave such a sence and feeling of the same, that he shall see and feele God in the meanes: and shall acknowledge, that though he hauehave had a house to dwell in, and other helps of this life, yet they are nothing without God, that it is he indeed that is his dwelling, his liuing, his maintenance, &c.
2. That the more that God withdraweth these meanes from his children, the poorer and more vncertaine their states are in their houses and Farmes, or places of abode, the more shall they find the Lord to be himselfe all these vntounto them. For his Prouidence herein is neuer more felt then when they are most destitute of all outward helps and meanes.
3. This is a Doctrine of comfort, not onelyonly in regard of our selues, but of those we shall leaue behind vsus. EueryEvery man cannot leaue his wife or children, or seruants houses to dwell in, though they desire and endeuour it neuer so much. Yet this may be a …ay vntounto vsus, and may moderate our griefes herein, That God himselfe is a dwelling house vntounto all …; and certainly will prouide for all his, whatsoeuer shall be needfull and the more destitute and forlorne we leaue them, when through mortalitie we shall be taken away from them, the more he will be an habitation and Mansion house vntounto them; which is a surer house then any of our houses of stone and clay: And this we may be sure to leaue our wiues and children, if they be Gods.
4. The more experience we shall hauehave of this good Prouidence of God, the more let vsus be readie to giuegive the prayse and glory thereof to God: And shew our selues in our deepest thoughts of Mortalitie to be such as yet do acknowledge God to hauehave beene in all ages an habitation vntounto his, and at all times vntounto vsus.
5. Let vsus delight onelyonly in this Mansion, which we cannot let nor loose: which will not leaue vsus, when we leaue this world, but will abide by vsus for euer.