A Commentary on 1 Peter 1-3, Exposition of chapter 3 · Exposition of verse 9

A Commentary on 1 Peter 1-3 · Exposition of chapter 3 · Exposition of verse 9

p. 696Verse 10.

For hee that will love life, and see good daies, let him refraine his tongue from evill, and his lips, that they speake no guile.

Verse 11.

Let him eschew evill, and doe good, &c.

THus of the first reason, taken from the condition of Gods servants, as they are heires of blessing. In these words is contained the second reason, taken from Propheticall testimonie: David long since taught the same doctrine Saint Peter now doth, and gave the same advice in effect: for he had shewed, That if a man would live a quiet and contented life, free from troubles and mischiefe, he must then take heed of all reviling and evill-speaking, and avoid all things might offend either the godly or the wicked: all things, I say, that are evill; and must labour after all courses of peace, and mercy, and well-doing: and then God would be a protectour of such godly and carefull men, and he would recompence upon the wicked all the wrongs they doe to his servants. This is the summe of the meaning of these words.

In the words (for the order of them) observe three things:

1. The persons advised or charged by the Prophet David, viz. such as would needs love life, and to see good and quiet daies.

2. The duties charged upon them, as the meanes to attaine what they desired: and so he shewes what they must avoid, and what they must doe. They must avoid, in particular, an evill tongue; and in generall, an evill and injurious life. And contrariwise, for what they must doe; in generall, they must doe good; and in particular, seeke peace, ver. 10, 11.

3. The reason of his advice: and that is taken from the nature of God, and his disposition, both towards the godly, and amongst the wicked, ver. 12.

From the generall consideration of all the words we may gather, That a great part of the miseries of life might be avoided, if men would be advised and ruled. Most men and women may thank themselves for the unquietnesse and distresse they live in. And this will appeare if we consider of either their crosses, or their temptations, or their corruptions, which are the things onelyonly that can distresse life.

Note.As for the crosses, it is manifest by experience, that the most people suffer for their ownefolly, and such things as might have beene avoided. Their p. 697discontentments arise, either from their rash matches in the estate of life they are in, or from vaine jangling in idle opinions, or from their rash and perverse words, or from their wilfull neglect of easie rules of good behaviour in the family, or the like. Take but the directions here given. If men did refraine their tongues from evill-speaking, by censure, or reproaches, or slander, orfrandulent words, and that men did avoid injurious courses, or grosse crimes; and withall, if men did strive to doe all the good they could to all sorts of men: and finally, if men would use all lawfull meanes to preserve peace, and to avoid contumely, how quiet might the lives of the most people be?Note. Againe, let a Christian consider of his corruptions, which at some times so trouble himselfe and others: doth not his owne conscience know, that if he would constantly pray against them, and be sure to be circumspect in his carriage, how certainely, and how soone he might be delivered from the power of any sin? And for his infirmities, with how little labour might he store his head with comfortable places of Scripture, that might support him against the sense of his daily frailties? And for temptations of Sathan, that so extremely molest some few Christians, how might they have beene either avoided, or borne with more quiet? Some Christians tempt the Divell to tempt them, by their solitarinesse, or idlenesse, or security, or wilfull nourishing of pride and vanity in themselves, or by a carelesse living without assurance of faith. And when temptations are upon them, and they are truely humbled under them, how doe some Christians wilfully refuse consolation, and limit God, so as never to be quiet till the temptation be removed, though the Lord himselfe answer them, that his grace shall be sufficient for them? The Use should be therefore to warne all men that would live quietly and comfortably, to awaken to the care of their dutie, and to study the rules given them out of the Word of God: for let them be assured, till they make conscience of living by rule, it will never be better with them.

Againe, in that St. Peter and the Prophet David agree so right in judgement concerning the practice of true Christians, it shewes, That the rules of holy life have beene the same in all ages of the world, before the Law, and under the Law, and now under the Gospel. We may see by the carriage of holy men before the Law, that they walked by such rules as these:and the reason is, because the rules of a religious and vertuous life were in the minde of God from all eternity, and so given to men from the beginning; and cannot change, in as much as God is unchangeable in the formes of things. And this point may shew us how hard the world is to learne, in that these lessons have beene taught from the beginning, and yet the most men have not learned them. And besides, godly Christians should be encouraged to live by rule, and to walke circumspectly, seeing this is no harder a taske required of them, than what hath beene required in all ages.

Thirdly, it is worth the observing, who the persons are that give this counsell, to strive as well as we can to live out of trouble, and to lead a quiet life. They were two great Champions that had endured a world of troubles themselves, Peter I meane, and David, and yet we see they presse other men to seeke to live as quietly as is possible: and thus did Paul doe also, 1 Tim. 2.2. 1 Thes. 4.11. Heb. 12.11. Now one maine reason why they doe so, is, because they themselves did feele by experience how unable they were to beat crosses, when they fell upon them. It was this Peter that denied his Master, upon the very sight (as it were) of adversaries: and it was this David that gave this advice, after himselfe had changed his behaviour before A…im… lech, as you may see by the title of the Psalme. Which should teach us to be thankfull for that publike or private quietnesse any of us doe enjoy: and besides, it should warne those unruly froward Christians, that live not in p. 698quiet, either at home or abroad, to repent and amend their words and works. They cannot imagine what singular comfort and contentment they withhold from their owne lives, and the lives of others. If they did but know how much God abhorr…s a froward Christian, they would be more affraid than they are.

Thus of the generall observations. The first part concernes the persons that are exhorted; and they are described by two formes of speech; the one, such as will love life; the other, such as would see good daies.

If any man will love life.] From this forme of speech three things may be observed.

Doct. 1. That men by nature are prone to the love of life: and so prone, that the most men will breake all bounds, and will love life, whatsoever be said to them, or done to them. This is a point so sensibly felt by the experience of the most that heare it, that it needs no proofe. If any man aske what the reason should be why there is such an inordinate love of life in the most: many things may be answered. The first cause of it is the generall corruption of nature in the most men, which came in by sin. To love it selfe is nature, but to love life so pertinaciously is from degeneration, and the great abasement of the nature of man, that cannot now move it selfe towards the perfection of it selfe: for unto the godly the change of life is an alteration that brings perfection. Secondly, ignorance and unbeliefe is the cause of it. If men did know and beleeve those glorious things God speakes of a better life, they would loath this present life, and long to be in heaven. Thirdly, the cause in many is, that their hearts are ingaged upon such perplexed and intricate projects, about profit, or pleasure, or greatnesse in the world, that they are not at leasure to examine the reasons of the love of life: the heart of man is usually oppressed with some one or other of these projects. Fourthly, in all sorts of people there is such an in…rable inconsideration, that no warning from the Word or workes of God, no experience of their owne or other mens, can force them to a serious and constant meditation of the things concerne their true happinesse. Fiftly, the love of life ariseth in the most from the Idols of their hearts. There is one thing or other that they have set their hearts upon in a vicious manner: and this unreasonable love of their particular sins doth hold them downe in bondage to this present life, and so cannot be cured of the disease till they repent of their beloved sins. And the guiltinesse of their consciences makes them affraid of death and judgement, and to embrace this present life upon any conditions. And in godly people this inordinate love of life ariseth from the defect of particular repentance for it. Thus of the first point.

Doct. 2. Men have cause to take off their affections, and not to be so desperately bent to the love of this present life. This is a point very profitable to be urged, and most men and women have need of it: and therefore I will shew more largely the reasons why wee should not love life, or not so inordinately as to be unwilling to leave it upon any termes.

For what reasons men ought to take off their affections from the love of this life.The first reason may bee taken from the commandement of Christ, who gives this charge to all that will bee his Disciples, that they must not love life. As they must deny themselves in other things, so in this particular. And be so gives this in charge, as he seemes to threaten them with the losse of life if they love it, so Luk. 17.33. Ioh. 12.25.

The second reason may be taken from the example of the godly, that have not loved life. Iob detested life, Iob …. Salomon tels of a multitude of occasions that he had to hate life, in his book of Ecclesiastes: and a multitude of godly men have shewed the proofe of it, in laying down their lives willingly, when they have beene cal… to it. Act. 20.24. Phil. 2.20. Heb. 11.35, 37.

p. 699The third reason may be taken from the consideration of life in it selfe, both in the nature of it, and in the end of it: for the nature of it, it is but a winde, or a vapour, Iames 4. so meane a thing, that no man can well tell how to describe it perfectly; which is the greater wonder, that it should get the love of all the world, and yet no body knowes what it is he loves. And for the end of it, it is not in the power of man to number his owne daies, God hath set an appointed time for every mans death: and though they love life never so much, they cannot hold it beyond that time, Iob 7.1. And besides, our times are so hid, that a man cannot be sure of a monethmonth, a weeke, a day, an houre, and shall our hearts be so bewitched with that which we know not how long we shall enjoy? Iob 24.1. and the rather, because there are so many wayes for life to goe out at, though but one way to come in. And further, we can find no meanes that hath sufficient power to make a man live. God hath so reserved the power of life in his owne hands, that none of the means we use to preserve life can doe it, to make it hold out for a moment, if God doe not from above give speciall assistance. Man liveth not by bread, Mat. 4. and if a man had abundance of all worldly things, yet a mans life consisteth not in that, Luke 12.15. &c.

The fourth reason may be taken from the profession of a Christian, or his state, or relative calling, or condition in this life. First, we are Christs spirituall souldiers. Now men that goe to warre, intangle not themselves with the things of this life, that they may please them that have chosen them to bee souldiers, 2 Tim. 2.4. Secondly, we are pilgrimes and strangers in this life, and therefore nothing should be more easie to us, than to be wearie of the present condition, and to long to be at home. Thus did the Patriarches, Heb. 11.13. Thirdly, in this life we are but poore cottagers, that dwell in poore houses of clay; and shall we love to bee here rather than in those eternall mansions? 2 Cor. 5.1. Ioh. 14.2.

The fift reason may be taken from the sinnes of life. Even sinne is a disease, and a loathsome contagious one. Now then see what life is; thou thy selfe hast innumerable sinnes, and there is no man alive that sinneth not in the whole world. Now if every man have innumerable contagious diseases, what a loathsome pest-house is this world to live in? The thoughts of a man can reach to the depth and length of this argument, but inconsideration buries all wholsome counsell and motives. But besides this respect of sinne, a Christian finds from his owne sinnes, if there were none else in the world, great cause to be wearie of life, first, because sinne argues the imperfection of his nature both in soule and body; and so long as he is in this sinfull life, he can never have a perfect nature: now a man that loves himselfe, for this reason would never love life, Rom. 7.23. Secondly, because sin is an offence to God: now a child of God should therefore loath life, because by sinning be doth injury to God his mercifull Father: and in the most holy Christians this argument hath extraordinary force.

The sixth reason may be taken from the crosses of life. Hath not every day his griefe? Is there any estate or degree of men free from them? Are not those whom God loves corrected? yea, and perhaps more than other men. Seriously thinke of what thou dost suffer in thy particular. What diseases or infirmities are in thy bodie? What unquietnesse and vexation dost thou suffer in the house where thou livest? What crosses doe follow or feare thee in thy calling? Yea, doth not thy religion breed thee trouble? If the reproaches and oppositions be considered of which godly men sometimes suffer, we might say with the Apostle, Of all men they are most miserable, 1 Cor. 15.19. Paul saith, he was a man crucified while he lived, Gal. 2.20. and did alwayes in his body carry about the dying of the Lord p. 700Jesus, 2 Cor.4.10. Besides, consider of the danger of what may come upon thee in life. What if war come, or the pestilence, or sudden poverty that cannot be cured, or with fearefull diseases that will fill thee with horrible pain? Nay, what if thou shouldest fall into some shamefull fault? Oh, what were the misery would follow upon it!

The seventh reason may be taken from the extreme vanity of those things that seeme to be felicities in life: all the things in life, that with any colour of reason can be made objects of thy love, are either the people of the world, or the commodities of the world.

Now for the first of these: thou hast no reason to be in love with life, for the people of the world with whom thou livest: for,

In what respects the vanity of earthly things appeare.1. Amongst all the thousands of men and women thou seest in the world, it may be there is scarce one that loveth thee entirely, scarce one from whom thou maist enjoy delight or comfort. They are poore things thou canst have from the rest, whether they be neighbours or strangers. More than thou givest thou shalt not receive, unlesse it be in poore complements of salutations, and ceremonies of life.

2. If thou didst excell in the priviledge of being loved by friends, kindred, wife, or children, yet reckon how small a portion of thy life is refreshed from them: there is sometimes more delight in one poore dreame, than will be had this way in a long time.

3. Thinke of it what changes and losses thou dost or maist suffer, if there were any thing worthy thy love in friendship or acquaintance: thy friends may be daily lost, either by the change of their minde from thee, or by distance in habitation, or by death; and the pleasure is had by thy acquaintance, is made not worth the having, either by interruption, or by discord, and taking of offence, or want of power or will to help when thou hast most need.

4. Who would not hate life for this very reason which I now give? Let a man consider by experience in all others how little the world cares for him. If thou wert to die what would the world care, or almost any in the world? Let it be thy wife, children, neighbours, hearers, dearest friends, yea, thy religious friends, what would any of these care for thy death? Looke not at their words, but note it in their deeds. How few will be sorry for thee? or for how short a time? and how soone wilt thou be cleane forgotten? or how poore a thing is the greatest memory any man hath when he is dead? Dost thou live to heare this, and yet wilt be so mad as to love life, for the love thou bearest to any other?

5. The evill thou sufferest from the world is greater than the good thou canst get by it: thinke of the reproaches, injuries, oppositions, contempts, persecutions, infections thou maist finde from unreasonable men. How many thousand would triumph over thy poore fame, if thy feet doe but slip.

Lastly, the company thou shalt have of Angels, and spirits of just men in another world, should make thee loathe all these things in this life, whether thou respect number, or power, or dearenesse in friends, even in such as must be companions of thy life: and therefore for the company that is in the world thou hast no reason to love life.

The commodities of the world are lands, houses, money, honour, credit, beauty, pleasure, and the like: now m…n have no cause to be so in love with these,Men have no reason to be in love withearthly commodities, and that for divers causes. if they consider,

1. How small a portion they have of these. If a man had won the whole world and the glorie of it, yet it were not worth the having if he must lose his own soule. May,if it were all had upon the best conditions, yet it would not p. 701make a man truely happy; and therefore much lesse these silly parcells of the world we can attaine to, Eccles. 1.3.

2. These are all common things, and that in two respects: first, there is nothing now new to be had, which hath not beene had heretofore ordinarily. What is now, hath beene before, and will be afterwards. Thou canst enjoy no felicity of life that can be proper to thy selfe, Eccles. 1.9, 10. & 3.15. And then further, all these things a foole may enjoy as well as a wise man, and a wicked man as well as a godly man. A man shall never know love or hatred by these things, for they fall alike to all sorts of men, Eccles. 2.14.

3. All things are full of labour, who can utter it? If men doe reckon the paines, and care, and unquietnesse, and wearinesse they are put to about the getting, or keeping, or using of these things, they would find little cause to love them; especially, considering that unto the use of the most of these is required a daily labour with toile, that men that possesse these things cannot possesse themselves, they are so overburthened with the cares and labours of life, Eccles. 1.8.

4. If a man had never so much of these things, yet they cannot satisfie him; his soule will not be filled with good. The eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the eare with hearing. He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver. Man walketh in a vaine shadow, and disquieteth himselfe in vaine, Eccles. 1.9. & 5.10. Psal. 39. A shadow is something in appearance, but nothing in substance, if a man would seeke to claspe it, or receive it to himselfe.

5. All these things are transitory, and uncertaine, and mutable: which may be considered of three wayes: First, if thou love these things, thou art not sure thou canst keepe them, they may be lost suddenly and fearefully: for either they may weare out of themselves, or they may be taken from thee; they are liable to vanitie in themselves, or to violence from others, Mat. 6.19, 20. 1 Pet. 1.24. Secondly, if thou be sure to enjoy them, yet they will be suddenly lost to thee, because thou canst not make thy heart to take delight in the same things still; for not onelyonly the world passeth away, but the lusts thereof also, 1 Iohn 2.15. Eccles. 6.1, 7. & 9.3. Thirdly, if neither of these befall thee, yet thou art mortall, thou must be taken from them, and thy life is short like a dreame, and passeth away like the winde; and thou art but a stranger and pilgrime here, and thou must carry nothing out of the world, but in all points, as thou earnest in to the world, so must thou goe hence, Psal. 90. Iob 7.7. Eccles. 5.13, 14, 15. All flesh is grasse, Esay 40.6.

6. That a man may receive much hurt from them: they may steale away our hearts from God. The amitie of the world is the enmity with God, Iames 4. They are like pitch to de…le: there is a snare and temptation in all of them; they fill mens hearts with foolish and noisome lusts, and a man may damne his soule for too much loving of them, 1 Tim. 6.9. Phil. 3.18. and they may serve to witnesse against a man at the day of judgement, Iames 5.1.

Lastly, consider that there is no comparison betweene the commodities of this life, and the commodities of the life to come. There are rivers of pleasures for evermore, Psal. 16. ult. There are Crownes of honour and glorie, such as will neither be held with envie, nor lost with infamie; there shall men possesse enduring substance, Heb. 11. treasures not liable either to vanity or violence, Mat. 6.20. an inhe…it…e immortall and und… led, and that withereth not, and lieth in heaven, 1 Pet. 1.3, 4. Thus of … second doctrine.

p. 702In what cases it may be lawfull for some persons to be in love with this lifeA third Doctrine may be gathered out of these words, and that is, That in some cases there is a permission of the love of life. In that he gives rules to such as will love life, it imports, That God is contented to suffer or tolerate that humour in men. Now this toleration may be considered of as it is granted to some men, or as it extends in some sort to all sorts of men. Some men that are high in place, and have publike emploiments, and are about some speciall service for the glory of God, and good of the Church or Commonwealth; in these men the desire to live longer, in it selfe is not sinfull: this was the case of David and Hezekiah. Now further, unto all sorts of men the Lord doth allow a certaine kind of liking of life, so as they observe such cautions and rules as he appoints; as namely, that the cares of this life hinder not the preparation for death, or the provision for a better life; and withall, that they limit not God for the time of life, but be willing to die when God calls for their lives.

What such must doe to prolong their life.Now for a conclusion to this point. I would advise those that have such a minde to live here, to looke to certaine rules which will prevaile with God to grant them long life, if any thing will prevaile: as first, they must be exhorted to take heed of overmuch desire of life, they must moderate their desires after life. If they could once attaine to it, to be content to die when God will, it may be they should find life prolonged, according to that of our Saviour, He that will lose his life shall finde it. Secondly, such as have Parents in nature or religion must be very carefull to give them due honour, for to such God hath promised long life in the fift Commandement. Thirdly, godlinesse hath the promises of this present life, as well as of the life to come; and therefore ever the more godly we are in all manner of conversation, the longer we may be likely to live: and contrariwise, a profane man hath no assurance to live out halfe his daies. Thus of the first forme of speech.

The second forme of speech, by which the persons he adviseth are described, are, such as will see good dayes.

And see good dayes.] Before I come to the observations, here is worke of large enquirie and consideration about the sense: for these words import, That in the life of man there be some good daies, and some evill daies. Physicians tell us in their profession of some daies in the yeare that be good daies, and some that be evill daies for their directions: and superstitious and idle people in the world tell us that there are some good daies to begin businesses in, and some evill. It seemes here the Prophet David, in Theologicall contemplation, findes that in the life of man some daies be good, and some be evill. This would be enquired into. And that we may finde out which be good daies, we must first enquire which be evill daies, and that by Scripture account. And that we may distinctly understand this, we must enquire which be evill daies,

1. For wicked men.

2. For godly men.

The daies of wicked men must be considered more generally, or more specially: generally, all the daies of the wicked are evill, both because he is a transgressour every day, and because the curse of God is upon him all his daies, even then when he lives longest, and enjoyes most prosperous times, Esay 65.20. Every day the wrath of God hangeth over his head, and every day God judgeth him, Psal. 7. either in soule, or body, or name, or estate; either by with-holding his blessings, or by mingling the curse with the good things he enjoyeth, Psal. 7….33. as the Israelites under censure of death from God.

More specially, the daies of the wicked man are evill, either in this life, or p. 703after this life. In this life his daies are evill in two speciall senses; either in respect of the shortning of them, or in respect of the afflicting of them.What daies are evill in respect of wicked men. It is a speciall evill to some wicked men, that their daies on earth are shortned. Some men live not out halfe their daies, and die in the middest of their daies, Psal. 55.24. Ier. 17.11. and so it is a curse that his daies are few, Psal. 109.8. Eccles. 8.13. Againe, the daies of wicked men are said to be evill, in respect of some speciall judgements of God to be poured out upon them for their sins. These daies are called the daies of Gods wrath and anger, and daies of Gods visitation, Esay 10.3. the day of vengeance, Esay 61.2. which God proclaims against all wicked men; and by an excellency, The evill day, Amos 6.3. And these daies are in speciall called the dayes of wicked men: and they are theirs, because properly no day is theirs till it be evill, Ier. 50.31. After this life comes that most speciall evill day, even that day of eternall misery in hell; of which Solomon said, God made the wicked for the day of evill, Pro. 16.4.

This doctrine of their evill dayes should much astright wicked men, not only with the consideration of what they suffer now, but of what they are liable to in the daies to come. Little doe they dreame of the misery may befall them such daies may come as will burst their hearts with exquisite griefe, their hearts shall not be able to endure, Ezek. 22.14. & therefore they should take heed of putting far from them the evill day, Amos 6.3. and in time repent, and reconcile themselves to God in Jesus Christ, that they may prevent the evill dayes may yet fall upon them, and know that their uncircumcised heart is the cause of all the evill brought, or to be brought upon them, Ier. 9. ult. Thus of evill daies in the life of the wicked.

The godly mans daies are evill divers waies:

1. The daies of spirituall famine are evill daies:Wherein godly mens daies are evill. when a man cannot enjoy the meanes of salvation in the life and power of them. In this case David said, his teares were his meat day and night, Psal. 42.2.

2. The daies in which God is displeased with them, or hideth himselfe, so as he will not heare their prayers, or not let them discerne it. These are bitter dayes to the godly, Psal. 102.2, 3. & 90.9.

3. Daies of temptation, in which they are to wrestle with principalities and powers, are evill daies, Eph 6.

4. All daies of trouble are in some respect evill daies, Psal. 49.5. & 50.14. & 41.1, 2. especially those daies are evill, when the Lord turnes wicked men loose upon the godly, and leaves them as it were in their hands, to be reproached and oppressed all the day, especially when himselfe will not appeare to help them, Psal. 102.8, 10, 11. Esay 37.3. and most of all, when the just man seemeth to perish in his righteousnesse, Eccles. 7.15.

But yet here is a great deale of difference between the evill daies of godly men, and the evill dayes of wicked men;Great difference between… the evill daies of wicked and godly men. because God sanctifies the evill of his daies to the godly man, so as he is blessed when God chasteneth him, for he thereby teacheth him his law, Psal. 94.12. Heb. 12. Secondly, God will deliver him out of evill, if he call upon him, Psal. 50.15. yea, though his troubles seeme desperate, Ier. 30.7. Thirdly, though God may seeme to delay for a time, yet he will make haste to performe his deliverance: After two daies he will returne, and the third day he will revive them, Hos. 6.3. Fourthly, God will make them glad, according to the daies he hath afflicted them; he will make them amends for all their evill daies, Psal. 90.15.

To conclude this point. There be daies that are called evill,Evill daies common to wicked and godly men. which are common both to good and bad▪ and such are the daies of old age, Eccles. 12.1. when the Sun, Moone, and Starres are darkned, that is, all sense of prosperity is removed, and the infirmities of old age come thicke one upon another, p. 704like clouds after raine, ver. 2. when the armes, which are the keepers of the house, shake; and the thighes and legs, which were like strong men, now bow and bend under them; and their teeth, which were the grinders or chewers of their meat, now cease working, because they are few; and the eies, which are the windowes of the body, grow darke, ver. 3. when the doores shall be shut in the streets, that is, when upon the losse of his appetite he shall have no delight in any thing at home, nor minde to goe abroad, but his owne house shall be his prison; and when he shall be so unable to rest in his bed, that he shall rise with the first voice of the bird, and be waked with the least noise that is, and that he hath no delight in musicke of any kind, as Barzillai said:2 Sam. 19.36.2 Sam 19:36 When they shall be affraid of every straw in their way, they shall goe so weakly, and their Almond tree shall flourish, that is, their heads shall be white as the blossomes of the Almond; and they shall be so sore, that a very Grashopper shall be a burthen to them; to touch them shalbe grievous, and all the things they were wont to love they cannot now find any comfort in: and thus they are passing to their long-home, which is the grave; and they are so neare, as if their very mourners were ready in the streets to carry them to their graves: yea, they will not continue long, but the silver cord will bee loosened, that is, the marrow of their backes be consumed; and their golden Ewer, which is the braine-pan, be broke; and so will the Pitcher at the Well, that is, the veines at the liver; and so will the Wheele at the Cisterne be broken, that is, the head which drawes the powers of life from the heart: and the dust returns unto the earth as it was, and the spirit to God that gave it.

Thus of the daies that be evill daies. Now it remaines that we enquire which be good daies; and so we shall finde that there be daies that be good, in the judgement of the inward man, and sometimes daies that be good, in the judgement of the outward man. Only thus much we must know, that, in the first sense, none enjoy good daies but good men. Now good daies in the sense of the Scripture must be considered, either in generall, or in particular.

What are good daies in generall.In generall: and so, first, all the daies of Christ, after he is revealed in a Christian, are good daies: and so all the daies of a true Christian, from his conversion to his death, are good daies. Which appeares thus: Saint Paul saith, that Christ is our Passeover, and the Passeover is a feast which we must keep, 1 Cor. 5.8. and such high festivall daies are good daies; especially the first and last daies of the Passeover were good daies, in a speciall solemnity, that is, the day of thy conversion to spirituall life, and the day of thy death, which is the beginning of the day of eternall life. Secondly, all the daies in which Christians enjoy the preaching of the Gospel in the power of it, and other ordinances of Christ in their glory, all these daies be good daies, for they are daies in which God makes rich feasts unto all Nations, as is effectually described in the Allegory, Esay 25.8. Thus David saith, One day in Gods courts is better than a thousand any were else, Ps. 84.10. The righteous flourish when Christ comes down upon their souls, as rain upon the mowne grasse, Ps 72.6, 7. Thirdly, those be good daies in which we see the Church of God in generall to prosper; when God keeps his Church as his vineyard, & waters it every moment, and watcheth it night & day, and destroieth every thing that might annoy it.

In particular, there are divers sorts of good daies to the godly.In particular, a Christian finds divers sorts of good daies: as first, the Sabbath daies well sanctified, are good daies, above all other daies of the weeke, when his body enjoyes rest, and his soule is blessed, according to Gods promise, with spirituall rest and grace in Jesus Christ. Secondly, the daies in which the soule of a Christian after sin, and the judgement of God for it, is humbled soundly, and anew admitted into Gods presence, and reconciled to God: those daies, when God entertaines the repenting sinner that prayes unto him, especially at the first reconciliation, are wonderfull good p. 705daies, Iob 33.25, 26. with the coherence, & 36.11. Psal. 90.14. Luke 4.21. with Esay 61.1, 2, 10.

Thirdly, all the daies in which a Christian thrives and prospers in the knowledge of Gods Word, and growes in the spirituall understanding in the mysteries of Gods kingdome, are all good daies; for this knowledge is that wisedome Solomon speakes of, which makes a man so happy, Pro. 3.18. & 2, 16.

Thus of the good daies that are so in the judgement of the inward man. God is pleased also to grant such good daies, as are, or ought to be so accounted in the judgement of the outward man: and so,

First, the daies of youth, in which a man hath strength of body, and vigour of mind, to fit him not onelyonly for the comforts of life, but for the service of his Creator, are good daies, Eccles. 12.1. it being a blessed thing to beare Gods yoake in a mans youth.

Secondly, the daies of speciall prosperity in the world, which sometime God grants unto his people, are also good daies: when God gives his people aboundance of blessings in their families and estates, and withall, publike honour and respect with all sorts, even the great ones of the world; as was in the case of Iob, which he describes in the whole 29th. Chapter of his booke: but then it must have this indeed, that in this prosperity the godly man be imployed in all well-doing, and get himselfe honour by the flourishing of his gifts and good workes, as is shewed in that Chapter by Iob.

Thirdly, such daies in which a man enjoyes a quiet estare, free from all trouble, or vexation, or contumely, at home or abroad, being free from Gods afflicting hand, or mans injurious dealing, are good daies; and such as perhaps are specially meant in this place.

Thus of the sense of the words. Divers Doctrines may be observed from hence.

1. That the daies of men usually are evill; which is true, not onelyonly of the wicked, but of the godly also. This Iacob said long agoe, his daies were few and evill, Gen. 47.9. but of this point before. Only this may serve for great reproofe of those that so little minde a better life, and so willingly love this life, that though they live in much misery, are loath to thinke of dying, and make no conscience to provide for a better life.

2. It is evident from hence, that the life of man is but short;Mans life is short. whether he live happily or miserably, yet his life is reckoned by daies, not by longer measures, of purpose to signifie the shortnesse of our lives. This is expressely affirmed in other Scriptures, Iob 10.20. Iob saith, his daies were few; and of all men that are borne of women, that they have but a short time to live, Iob 7.1. And this is resembled by divers similitudes: so our life is compared to a Weavers shuttle, Iob 7.6. to a Post for swift running out, Iob. 9.25. to the grasse of the field, Iob 7.12. Esay 40.6. to an hand breadth, so as he saith his age is as nothing, Psal. 39.5. to a watch in the night, Psal. 90.4. to a sleep, ver. 5. to a tale that is told. ver. 9.

Thus the life of man is said to be short, either as he is in Gods sight,In what respect it is short. with whom a thousand yeares are but as yesterday, when it is past, Psal. 90.4. or in his owne account, if he measure time to come, as he measures time past: and in plaine reckoning, let the life of man be improved according to mans utmost strength, ordinarily a mans yeares are threescore and ten, and if he live to fourescore, it is but labour and sorrow to him, Psal. 90.

Quest. But what should be the cause that mens lives are so short?

Answ. If there were no other cause but the will of him that hath the disposing of the times and seasons in his owne power, yet that might satisfie us;Causes why most mens lives are so short. but we may ghesse at other causes, as both the mercy and justice of God. This world is so bad to the godly, that it is Gods merciemercy to take them quickly out p. 706of it: and contrariwise, it is so good to the wicked (considering their desects) that it is justice in God to take them hence, and send them to their owne place, which is hell. Besides, many men bring speedy death upon themselves by their owne ill courses, or by sinning against their owne bodies by lewd courses, and by eating up their owne hearts with worldly cares and sorrowes, or by living in any grosse sin▪ to provoke God to cut them off, or by falling into such disorder, as the Magistrate cuts them off, or by laying of violent hands upon themselves, or by getting their goods unlawfully, to bring upon themselves that curse, Ier. 17 11. Finally, in this last age of the world there may be this reason assigned, that the Lord makes haste to have the number of his Elect fulfilled, and therefore he dispatcheth away the generations one after another, and so shortneth the daies of man, for his Elect sake.

Now for the Uses. Are our lives so short? then it should teach us divers lessons:Uses.

1. To pray God to make us able to thinke so, and so to number our daies, that we may not make any reckoning of any long continuance here, Psal. 39. 3. & 90.12.

2. To make haste and dispatch our repentance, and all the businesses that concerne our sound reconciliation, and so to walke while we have the light, and to use all good meanes while we enjoy them.

3. To redeeme the time, and save as much of it as we can, for the uses of a better life, Eph. 5. and to worke the harder, to fulfill thy measure, and dispatch that taske God hath set thee to doe.

4. To lay fast hold upon eternall life, 1 Tim. 6. and to make that sure.

5. Every day to provide for our departure; even all the dayes of our appointed time to wait when our changing shall come, Iob 14.14.

FINIS.