Moses Prayer, Exposition · Verse 12
Verſ. 12. Teach us O Lord to Number our dayes, that mee may apply our herts to wiſdome.
Hitherto we have ſpoken of the two firſt generall parts of this pſalme. viz. The complaint of Moſes and the people, that they put up unto God now in the wilderneſſe in great affliction and diſtreſſe, verſ 1, 2. Secondly, the Narration of the frailty and miſery of man from the third verſe to the 11.
Now in the 12. ver. and ſo to the end of this Pſalme, He comes to the third and laſt generall of this Pſalme; and that is the prayer of Moſes and the reſt of the people of God, put up to God for grace and mercy.
And this prayer of theirs hath in it two parts.
1. They beg for reconciliation againe with God, ver. 13. Return O Lord, how long? &c.
2. They pray for the happy fruits and effects of Gods favour and reconciliation from verſe 17. to the end of the Pſalme.
Teach us O Lord to number our daies &c.
In this v. we have their firſt petition wherein Moſes this man of God prayeth, that the Lord would make them to conſider of the ſhortneſſe and uncertainty of their time, that ſo they might be wiſe, to provide for their latter end. God ſeeing our life is ſo ſhort ſo fraile, and ſo momentary, But as yeſterday that is paſt as a watch in the night. And that death comes as a flood unreſiſtable, and ſuddainly, that our life is but as graſſe and all our excellencies, but as the flower of the field, and our dayes but as a tale that is told. And that we are ſo ſuddainly cut downe and we flye away, that we may throughly conſider of this brevitie & ſhortneſſe of our life, and being here to the end that laying aſide the exceſſive cares for the things of this life, we may apply your hearts to wiſedome, that is, to repent of our ſins paſt to caſt up our accounts, and to provide for a better life: where we have
1. the petition it ſelf, which Moſes made for himſelfe, and in the behalfe of the people, teach us O Lord to number our dayes.
2 the end of this petition, on the uſe of this requeſt, viz: that we may apply our hearts to wiſdome.
Note we firſt of all, How Moſes prayeth to God to teach him and the reſt of the people of God, to Number their dayes, that is to be perſwaded of the ſhortneſſe of their time in this world, and what ſhall become of their ſoule in Death, hence we learne that.
Though God in his word hath plentifully taught us and experience daly before our eyes, Doct. 1 We can not number our dayes unleſſe God teach usdoth confirme the ſame, that our life is ſhort, fraile and momentary; yet unleſſe God become our Schoolemaſter, we ſhall herdly take out this leſſon, our fooliſh hearts are ſo ignorant of this knowledge, as Chriſt ſaid to Peter, when he had made that confeſſion of Chriſt, Mat. 16.17.fleſh and blood, hath not revealed this unto thee but my father which is in heaven. So no man by nature can attaine this knowledge to judge aright of the frailty and ſhorineſſe of his life, but muſt have God to be his teacher from whom every good gift, Iam. 1.17and perfect gift proceedeth. How earneſt is David with God to teach him this leſſon, Lord make me know my end and the meaſure of my dayes what it is, Pſa. 39.4.that I may know how fraile I am
And indeed we have manifold examples in the word, that let us ſee, that naturally we do the cleane contrary viz. forget our latter end, and put the thoughts of death, far from us, and what ſhall become of our ſoules at laſt: that Rich man that was ſo wiſe for the world yet was a ſtarke foole in this knowledge, he could number his Riches, his Gold and his ſilver, His Sheepe and his herds of cattle, but had no Skill at all to Number his dayes. But reckoned them up by the groſſe ſumm even many yeares to come. And yet alas poore man, he lived not one day.
But even that night had his ſoule taken from him, and was ſent to hell.
So that ungratious ſervant, Luk. 12that thought his Maſter would not come yet, but fell to eating & drinking, and beating his fellowes, was ſuddainly taken tardy, Mat. 24.49, 50.and what ſhall I ſay of thoſe fooliſh virgins, who never thought of providing of oyle, but ſlumbred and ſlept, and at midnight the Bridegrome came and then it was too late to cry and call, Lord, Lord, Mat. 25.open unto us, ſo that you ſee that naturally we are ready to forget the Numbring of our dayes, and are not eaſily brought to conſider the ſhortneſſe, and uncertainty of our life. Beſides, experience makes this cleare, for what man is there amongſt us, though he have lived threeſcore or foureſcore years, which doth not flatter himſelfe, to thinke that hee may rub out yet another yeare, and ſo another to that, ſo that you ſee it is naturally given to us to be ignorant of this knowledge that Moſes prayes for, unleſſe we are taught of God; neither nature, learning nor dayly experience, can teach us this leſſon, that our life is ſhort
It is God onelyonly that muſt teach us this wiſedome, Reaſ. 1 in regard it is not the pregnancy of naturall wit, not the ripeneſſe of years, neither is it common to gray haires, to be perſwaded of the ſhortneſſe of life, and to prepare for Death. Iob. 32.But as Job ſayth, It is the inſpiration of the Almighty that giveth underſtanding; till we come to be weaned from the world, and have our eyes ſet upon more glorious things, thou are here below, our hearts will b… bound up from this wiſedome.
Becauſe none can teach the heart, Reaſ. 2 but he that made the heart. A man may ſearch the regiſter, and know his age, and by Arithmetique number his dayes and howers that he hath lived, and yet be ignorant of this wiſedome, to eſteeme of every day as his laſt day, and ſo to live as if every day were his dying day; God alone muſt teach this wiſedom: well then ſeeing Moſes and the people of of God acknowledge their ignorance and forgetfulneſſe in this poynt, and withall pray to God that he would give them wiſedome, to number their dayes, then let us lay this Doctrine to heart, let us try and examin our ſelves, whether we be not as forgetful of this poynt, & do promiſe long life to our ſelves. If this be our caſe, let us likewiſe intreate the Lord to give us this wiſedome, and to teach us and perſwade us of the exceeding ſhortneſſe of our life, that we might apply our hearts to this wiſedome of learning to dye; for till the Lord od open our eyes, & become our Schoole-maſter, we ſhall never come truely to know it, nor to make that right uſe of it as we ought to doe.
Secondly, Uſe 2 this ſhewes the extreame folly of the greateſt part of the world, who think it ſo eaſie a matter to number their dayes.
Moſes was a wiſe man, yet as not ſufficiently inſtructed in this poynt, he humbly intreats the Lord to teach him this knowledge, that he might number his dayes aright, this is that David doth ſo earneſtly beg for at Gods hand, Pſal. 39.4.Lord make me to know my end, and the meaſure of my dayes, that I may know how fraile I am. And therefore ſeeing it is ſo hard a leſſon to be learned, and of ſo great uſe being attayned, let us intreat the Lord to teach it us.
To number our dayes.
But may not this ſeeme ſtrange that Moſes ſhould ſo beg for this? Queſt. Did not Moſes know how to number his dayes; He could number Adams dayes and ſet downe how long he lived; Hee could number Enoch his dayes, and ſet downe how long he lived, Methuſala, Abraham, Izack, Jaacob, and all the. patriarks dayes, and how long they lived, and could not Moſes number his own dayes? this may ſeeme ſtrnage: we ſee a child of ten or twelve years old can by arithmetike quickly tell you how many days he hath lived, yea how many howres and minuts.
I anſwer that neither Moſes, Anſ. nor the wiſeſt man living, though he may be never ſo expert, in all kind of Arithmeticke and humane learning, ſo as he knowes the nature of the Stars, their diſtances, motions, longitudes latitudes altitudes, &c. can skill of this numbring, unleſſe the ſpirit of God be his Schoole-maſter, unleſſe God give him wiſedome and grace from above, to perſwade us, of the ſhortneſſe of our time, and of the ſuddain and ſpeedy coming of Death, can truly learne this leſſon to number his dayes aright, but it muſt be the Lord that muſt teach it us.
Hence we learne, Doct. 2 that it ſhould be our chiefeſt care and ſtudy, Wee ought to eſteem of every day as our laſt day. Deut. 32.29.to practiſe that which they ſo earneſtly prayed for, viz: that upon the ſame grounds that they were moved withall, that we learne to number our dayes aright, and make account of every day as our laſt day. O that men were wiſe (ſayth Moſes) that they would conſider their latter end! True wiſedome conſiſts in this, in the continuall meditation of the ſhortneſſe of our life, when we ariſe in the morning, to thinke that we may be dead, ere night, and every night to thinke this may be my laſt.
Many men thinke to what end is this? who knoweth not that our life is ſhort & uncertaine, who knoweth not this?
But it is not for naught that the ſpirit of God in the ſcripture beats ſo much upon this poynt and puts us ſo often in remembrance of it, would men be ſo carefull for the world, and ſo careleſſe for heaven, and eternitie, did we truly know and were perſwaded of the frailty and uncertainty of our being here?
Surely if we could but reckon our life and dayes as Moſes doth all along in this Pſalme, that it is but as veſterday, nay not ſo long, but rather as a watch in the night, the ſpace of three howers, that death comes as a flood, that our life is but as a ſleepe or a Dream, ſuddainly vaniſhing away, that it is but as graſſe. And all the excellencies of man, as Beauty, Honour riches ſtrength pleaſures &c. but as the flower of graſſe, and that our dayes are but as a ta…e that is told, were theſe 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 vntounto 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 vponupon 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 hauehave 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. 16.5And 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 lives. Is there any ſo vile or ſo wretched, that if they were perſwaded that they ſhould dye this night before to morrow, would they deck and trim, paint and pounce, and pamper thoſe bodyes of theirs, that ſo ſuddenly muſt feed the worms? no, no, if men made this accompt of their life, as at an howers warning, they would provide better for that life that ſhall laſt for ever. This was the reaſon why that evill ſervant fell to eating and drinking and beating his fellow ſervant, Mat. 24.48.he thought his maſter would be long a coming.
A contrary example we have in Moſes this man of God, that albeit he might have inioyed the pleaſures of Pharaohs Court, with honour, wealth, and what not; yet refuſed them all upon this accompt that they were but for a ſeaſon. All the pleaſures, comforts, contentments, and outward felicities that the world can afford us, are but for a ſeaſon, ſhort and momentany, and muſt have an end. And the end of a wicked mans pleaſures ends in paine. Son remember that thou in thy lif time, Luk. 16.&c. when one howers torment in hell, will make the wicked forget all their pleaſures on earth.
And therefore this ſhould ſerve in the laſt place for Exhortation. That we alwayes have death before our eyes, and to think upon it, to accompt of the preſent time and day as our laſt, and ſo to live as if every day we ſhould dye, that we may be in a continuall readineſſe for our diſſolution, and change, when we ſhall goe hence and be no more.
There can be no worſe deceipt then when a man deceives himſelfe in this reckoning. Vſe. 2 Luk. 12.37.He was worthily called a foole that ſaid, Soul, thou haſt much goods laid up for many years, eat, drink and be merry.
And ſince it is the Lord that muſt teach us this wiſdome, we muſt pray unto him to teach us this leſſon, to number our dayes aright, for till God teach us this wiſdom, we ſhall never repent, forſake the world, and ſeek for a better life. And therfore I earneſtly commend this duty to you, and it is my deſire to preſſe it upon my ſelf, that we all reckon this with our ſelves, as though this day ſhould be our laſt day, and this nigh our laſt night that when the Lord ſhal call us hence, he might find us ſo doing: hitherto of the petition, Lord, teach us to &c.
That we may apply our hearts to wiſdom.
HEre we have the ſecond part at firſt propounded. Part. 2 And that is the end of this petition, or the uſe of this requeſt. viz. that we may apply our hearts &c.
Theſe words may be taken in a double ſence.
That we may apply our hearts to wiſdom. That is, that ſeeing our life is ſo ſhort here, and ſo uncertaine, we may no longer live in ſin, as we have done, but may truly repent, Doct. 3 live more wiſely and circumſpectly, feare thy anger, Men are never truly wiſe till they accompt of every day as their laſt day.and be afraid to provoke thee by our ſins as we have done this Moſes accompts true wiſdom. And the words being taken in this ſence, the doctrine is.
That men are never truly wiſe, till they accompt of every day as their laſt day. Herein lyes true wiſdom. O that men were wiſe, Deut. 32 29.then would they remember their latter end. As if men were never truly wiſe till then.
There is nothing more naturall unto us, then to perſwade our ſelves of long life. And that we ſhall ſtill continue in a happie and flouriſhing eſtate.
It was Davids caſe to be thus lifted up in times of proſperitie. I ſaid (ſaith he) I ſhall neve be removed, Pſal. 30.6.thou Lord of thy goodneſſe haſt made my hill ſo ſtrong. When God had ſetled David in his Kingdom, had made him to proſper, and given him the upper hand of his enemies. He was ready to fall aſleep and to make his reckoning that he ſhould ever continue thus happie. That his good dayes ſhould laſt for ever, and his proſperitie ſhould never faile.
And this was the caſe of Iob, that holy man; In the time of his proſperitie; he had ſuch thoughts as theſe. I ſaid I ſhall dye in my neſt, Iob 19.18.and I ſhall multiply my dayes as the ſand. And againe, my glory ſhalbe renewed, ver. 28:and my bowe ſhall be ſtrengthned in my hand. What is this but to reckon without our hoſt, when we ſhall thus flatter our ſelves that we ſhall continue in our ſtate: whereas our very lives, and being here, with whatſoever we have and enjoy is only at his pleaſure; we have nothing ſoe intayl'd upon us here, that we injoy in life and death, but the Lord, when it pleaſeth him, can either take us from it, or it from us.
It is wiſdom then to provide for our change before the evill day come upon us; this is Solomons advice, Eccle. 12.1.Remember thy creator in the dayes of thy youth, while the evill dayes come not, nor the yeares of affliction, wherein thou ſhalt ſay, I have noe pleaſure in them. q. d. certainly the time of ſicknes, and death will come, when all theſe earthly comforts will fly away. A man never comes to be truly wiſe, till he thus comes to eſteeme of his life, and to provide for his change.
And indeed, what man will have his evidence then to ſeek, when his cauſe comes to be tryed? In the matters of this world men are ſo wiſe in ſummer to provide for winter, in health to provide forſickneſs. We will count but ſuch a one a foole that will then goe to ſowe when other men goe to reape: O where are our hearts, that we are noe more ſpiritually wiſe for our ſouls. Pro. 10.14.Wiſe men (ſayth Solomon) lay up knowledg before hand. And ſuch prove themſelves fooles at laſt: With thoſe fooliſh virgins, that have not the oyle of grace in readineſs when death comes.
Seeing that herein lyes true wiſdom, Vſe 1 to be in a continuall readineſs for our change; this ſhewes that the wiſdom of the world is but fooliſhneſs to God; 1 Cor. 1.for whom doe men commonly judge to be wiſe men, but ſuch as have reaching heades to buy and to ſell, that can tell how to purchaſe lands and livings and grow rich in the world, and grow great and mighty here. All this wiſdom comes from nature, and may have nothing in it but nature. If this be not guided by the word, you ſhall ſee what reckoning and accompt the Lord makes of it. When he ſaith, they have rejected the word of the Lord, Ier. 8.9.and what wiſdom is in them? what greater folly can there be in the world, then for theſe vaine and fooliſh trifles, the pleaſures of ſin, that are but for a ſeaſon, to loſe for ever a mans moſt pretions ſoul, to paſſe away for earthly things with Eſau the birth-right of our inheritance, which ſuch do that are not wiſe 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. 4.6and 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. 119O 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. 119.1Bleſſed 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. Hee that muſt ſhortly part with his houſe and home & muſt away into another Country, will be ſo wiſe as to turne his lumber into Silver and Gold, that he may have ſomthing to live upon when he is gone. Mat. 6.19.Lay not up for your ſelves treaſures on earth (ſaith Chriſt) where moth and ruſt doth corrupt, and where theeves breake thorough and ſteal. But lay up for your ſelves treaſures in heaven &c.
Chriſt commends Maries choice that ſhe had choſen the better part, Luk. 10.ſhe ſat at Chriſts feete, ſhe heard his heavenly doctrine. Whileſt Martha was buſie for the body, Mary provided for h…r ſoule; what if Martha had let the pott ſeeth over, for that time, it had been a very tollerable neglect; but now Mary carries the praiſe, the lord knowes we have many Marthas, few Maries, for almoſt all be for the world, looke after their bodies, few for heaven, that take care for their pretious Soule.