Moses his prayer. Or, An exposition of the nintieth Psalme.: In which is set forth, the frailty and misery of mankind; most needfull for these times. Wherein [brace] 1. The sum and scope. 2. The doctrines. 3. The reasons. 4. The uses of most texts are observed. / By Samuel Smith, minister of the Gospel, author of Davids repentance and the Great assize, and yet living.

Ver. 10. The daies of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength but la∣bour and sorrow, for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

MOSES having before shewed how unlike their life was to other Nations and People:

• 1. In that they were continually wasted with judgments, For we are consumed in thy wrath.
• 2. In that they were so speedily swept away.

Now he comes to set down the bounds and limits of mans life, and shuts it up within the compasse of threescore and ten years, or at the

most fourscore years: and this time is not all replenished with joy and pleasures, but even the best part is spent in labour and sorrow.

In this Verse Moses sets down two things, touching the brevitie and shortnesse of mans life in generall.

• 1. That the ordinary term of mans life, according to the common course of nature, is seventy years, this is the ordinary stint, few do passe this, not one of a hundred, and where one doth, a hundred do not. But if men be of such exceeding strength of nature, and constitution of body, that they spin out the thred of their daies to eightie years, that is a great age indeed, and not one of a thousand reach unto.
• 2. Lest men should think too well of this life, and be in love with it, he shewes, that even the best and most flourishing time of mans life, is but a bitter sweet, full of cares, griefs, sor∣rowes, and cutting labours, which makes it more like a con∣tinuall

• death, then a happy life.

And that which doth increase their misery is this, that their flourishing estate doth last but for a while; For, it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

The daies of our years are three∣score, &c. [Text.]

WHen Moses saith, that the daies of our years are three∣score years and ten, he doth not af∣firm all men to live so long, or none to live longer, but that the ordinary stint and terme of mans life is seventie years, which men do not usually passe, for the best and strongest bo¦dies, he affirms, do not passe eightie years, and where one doth, a thousand do not.

Seeing that within this compasse is the longest bounds of mens lives, Moses would here shew us again the shortnesse of our time in this world.

That mans life is short. [Doct. 1] What is seventie years when they are past, * 1.1 they seem to us to be soon gone, and but a few daies: and therefore Moses saith,

The daies of our years; and Jacob, though he lived long, yet acknow∣ledged that his time was but short, and that his daies were but few and evill; * 1.2 The daies of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years, few and evill have the daies of the years of my life been; and I have not at tained to the daies of the years of the life of my Fathers, in the daies of their pilgrimage. Now if Jacob could say that his daies were few and evill, that lived sixscore and ten years, what are our daies that scarce live halfe so long.

Our life is short, if we do but con∣sider what our childhood is, and how much of this time was spent in that state of life, which cannot truly be termed life indeed; for, howsoever in childhood and youth we had wit and discretion to discern good and evill, yet there wanted that reason and understanding to choose the good and refuse the evill: so that part of our life was past without any fruit, be∣fore we could truly be said to live; for so long as we know not God, nor

wherefore he created us, and are ig∣norant of the end wherefore we were sent here into the world, we cannot properly be said truly to live.

When we come to riper years, and come to our selves, as Solemon saith, He that encreaseth knowledge, en∣creaseth griefe: Then do the cares of the world, and the thoughts of pro∣viding for Wife and children take up our thoughts and time, that we mar∣tyr our selves, and our life is full of misery.

Let men come to the age of fiftie years, doth not death then by their gray haires summon them daily, though neither sicknesses nor diseases do assail us; yet we may then perceive that nature decayes, and we draw a∣pace towards our long home.

But suppose (as Moses saith) that we draw upon eightie years, are not our lives then a burthen unto us, whilst we wrestle daily with aches, pains, griefs, and a world of infirmities, that old age is subject unto; all which ren∣der our lives a burthen to our selves, and no lesse are we burthensome to others.

How frail then and how miserable is the life of man? And indeed, that time cannot truly be said to be long, that at last shall have an end.

So that all things considered, there is more detracted from mans life, then added to it.

Infancy is swallowed up with child∣hood, childhood with youth, youth with riper years; and both infancy, childhood, youth, and riper years, are all swallowed up of old age, and old age with death: So that our continu∣ance here cannot truly be called Life, but a continuall passage from the womb to the grave.

Besides, if we consider, the halfe of this time of seventie years is spent in sleep, which it a kinde of death, and is halfe our time: And out of the other halfe, if we would subduct our child∣hood, time spent in sicknesse of body, trouble of minde, so much time spent in doing nothing, so much time in doing little, we shall finde at last, that our daies and time on earth, may easily be measured by the short Ell of a few daies, as Jacob said to Pharaoh,

Few and evill have the daies of my pilgrimage been.

Now then, [Vse 1] if it were thus in Moses daies, that ordinarily men lived not above seventie years; this confutes that common opinion that is in the world, that as the world growes older, so mens lives grow shorter, and that the earth it selfe growes weaker and wea∣ker, and carries lesse burthen. Was not this in Moses time, that men lived ordinarily not above seventie years? And therefore we are not to lay the shortnesse of mans life upon the Lord, or the age of the world, but upon our selves and our sins, that our lives are shortned unto us.

Let us not then lay the blame upon God when it is in us; for, if our daies be cut off shorter, and we live not so long, if we decay in strength, and our lives are shortned, our own intempe∣rancy, in surfeiting and drunkennesse, and other disorders in our lives, many times shorten our daies, which other∣wise we might attain unto.

Seeing mans life is so short, [Use 2] though he reach to seventie or eightie years;

how should this move us all to esteem lesse of this life, that is so frail and short, and transitory, and to seek for an everlasting rest, and a Kingdome that shall not fade, with those primi∣tive Christians, * 1.3 That looked for a City, the maker and builder whereof was God. And if we can be content to stu∣dy, labour, and sweat for a poor life here, of so short a continuance, how much more should we study and labour for life eternall? As Christ saith, Labour not for the meat that peri∣sheth, * 1.4 but, &c. So let us labour for that life that perisheth not, and shall not last for seventy or eightie years and then end, as this life doth; but shall last whilst God himselfe lasts, even to all eternity.

Thirdly and lastly, [Use 3] seeing the or∣dinary time of mans life is seventie or eightie years, a goodly time to live in the world, if we have grace to use it well: O, if God give a man this good∣ly time, what a great mercy is it if men bestow it well, how much glory might we bring to God, how much good to his Church, and what a mea∣sure

of heavenly knowledge, faith, re∣pentance, and other graces may a man get in these seventie or eightie years, if we are not wanting to our selves.

But alas, who makes this use and benefit of his time? Commonly, men bestow this time, pretious time, vainly and unprofitably, and little of it is spent in the service of God, in doing good to his Church, and furnishing their souls with grace against the time of need. Did men but learn-one lesson at every one Sermon that they hear, how much knowledge might be gained in seventie or eightie years, and what a stock of grace might men have in store against the time of sicknesse, and when death shall come.

Yet is their strength but labour and sorrow.

MOSES having in the former part of this Verse shewed the common rate of our life here in this world, and the ordinary stint, beyond which few passe;

Doth here likewise show, that as this long life that men 〈◊〉〈◊〉, being

compared to eternity is but short, and not to be stood upon, so it is not free from trouble and sorrow, from mise∣ry and affliction; but that the chiefest part of it, even the pride and flower of the strongest man is but labour and sorrow: so that the sweetnesse of the longest life is tempered with manifold sorrowes troubles, and afflictions, we never continue long at one stay, but in our chiefest prosperitie, our comforts are often blasted, and suddainly gone.

So that in these words we have to observe,

• 1. The misery of mans life, even in his best and most flourishing estate, it is mixed with labour and sorrow.
• 2. The ground and cause of this, which is, It is soon cut off, and we flie away.

First, in that Moses affirmes, that the life of man is ordinarily, not only short, and shut up within the compasse of seventie years, or at the most eightie years; but also affirmes, that the best and most excellent part of this time is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••ouble and sorrow:

Hence we learn, [Doct. 2]

That the misery of man since his fall is exceeding great; * 1.5 because let his life be what it will be, yet his very best time is full of labour and sorrow. As Jacob said to Pharaoh, The dayes of the years of my pilgrimage, are few and evil: So true is that of Job, * 1.6 Man that is born of a woman is of few dayes, and full of trouble.

The very honey and sweetnesse of this life is mixed with wormwood and gall: what day almost passeth o∣ver our heads without some crosse or other, and cause of grief. He that drank deepest of the cup of all worldly pro∣sperity; as Solomon took his fill of them yet at last concluded, * 1.7 That all was but vanity and vexation of spi∣rit.

That mans day•• are full of sor∣rows, and his travel grief of heart, we see our joyes are uncertain, our sor∣rows and grief more sure: whilest as Job saith, The evils which we fear, befall us, and the comforts we desire fail us.

We are still expecting better dayes

and times, but finde worse: In our mirth there is mourning, in our joy there is sorrow; our false fears beget reall grief, though the things we fear never come to passe: And as if our present miseries were not enough to make our lives miserable, we torment our selves, in laying hold of those we have already suffered, and fear those that are to come, by which means, many times, we torment our selves before the time. In a word, there is no age or time of mans life, nor estate or condition we are in here, but it meets with its severall miseries inci∣dent thereunto, youth, middle age, old years, all of them have their labour and sorrow, daies of vanity, full of misery.

Seeing our life here in this world is so frail and so miserable, [Use 1] full of la∣bour and sorrow, both inward and outward, of body and minde; this shewes, that the greatest part of the world are far from this perswasion of Moses, as look not upon this world to be so full of misery; for many a man could wish, he might ever live

here, and never die. It seemes, these men did never yet tast of the misery of sin, and of the misery of this life; or, else they could never yet see what a blessed thing it is, to be freed from these miseries, and to live eternally in Heaven.

Secondly, seeing our life is so short, [Vse 2] frail and miserable, full of labour and sorrow; this should teach us that les∣son of the Apostle, To use this world as though we used it not, seeing it is so full of misery and trouble. We see a Mother, when she would wean the Child from the breast, she laies some bitter thing upon it, that so the Child tasting of it, might be out of love with it, and desire it no more. Even so the Lord, knowing that we are exceedingly in love with the world, with the pleasures and profits of this life, lest we should surfeit with these things, hath laid many bitter troubles and afflictions upon us, and all to wean us from the immoderate love of it.

This doth David acknowledge from experience, O Lord, thou hast made my daies as an hand-breadth.

Surely every man in his best estate is but vanity. * 1.8 And that this might be remembred of us, he sets upon it a note of attention, Selah, and shewes what use himselfe made of it, O Lord, my hope is in thee: He casts off all care of the world, and only flies to God and seeks to him for succour.

Yet is their strength but labour and sorrow. [Text.]

WE have yet farther to observe, that in asinuch as Moses saith, their Strength, that is, the chiefest and most excellent estate, the very flower of their life, wherein men do so much glory and rejoyce, is but a time of labour and sorrow;

We are taught, [Doct. 3] that there is no estate of man in this life, * 1.9 so high, or so sure and certain, or so sweet and comfortable, but it is subject to alte∣rations and change, subject to misery and trouble. For Moses speaks this in generall, both of Prince and Peer, rich and poor, one and all, there is no estate, but hath misery enough atten∣ding upon it.

Who is there living amongst all mankind, that is so happy and prof∣perous in the world, who if they should compare their comforts with their Crosses but must acknowledge, that mans life is full of labour and sorrow: No, not the greatest Prince and Monarch in the world, that is free from cares, fears, and troubles; as we may see in David, who was a man of trouble all his daies, exercised some∣times by forraigne enemies, some∣times by his own Courtiers, yea, by Absalom his darling son: Their Crownes are continually attended with cares and fears of treasons, and they are still filled with the cares and troubles of the Common-weal they are set over; and are to look unto.

And those who have been highly advanced to honour and dignity, as who but they, waited upon by a great and sumptuous train, in all glory and honour, yet have suddainly been thrown down to the lowest degree of shame and dishonour.

And the like may be said of all ranks and conditions of men, what

with cares, fears, discontents, crosses, losses, and dayly vexations, and mo∣lestations we are incident unto, and daily meet withall it is not the least of our misery to live long to bear them.

So that it may be said of man as it was said of the Angeil of Lavdicea, * 1.10 He knew not that he was wretched, and poor, and blind, and naked.

Here is our case, in the midst of all our pomp and glory, and outward felicities in this world, we are igno∣rant of what miseries daily attend us: for what have we here, that is not got with labour, kept with care and fear, and parted withall with grief•• and sorrow: so that in the getting, enjoy∣ing, and parting with what we enjoy here below, we may say with the Pro∣phet, * 1.11 The people shall even weary thomselves for every vanitle. Like little children, we sweat again in catching Butter-flies, whilest in the mean time, we neglect the true trea∣sure of life and glory.

Besides, the spirituall evills of this life as ignorance, unbeliefe, pride

hypocrisy, hardnesse of heart, and the like, these so pester and annoy e∣ven the best of Gods servants, * 1.12 that they often complain with Paul, O wretched man that I am, &c. and with the father of the child, * 1.13 I believe, Lord help my unbeliefe; as Bradford, that blessed Martyr of God, was wont to do, so that we have cause continu∣ally to groan under the burthen of our miseries here, and subscribe this truth of Moses, that our most happy and flourishing estate in this world, is but labour and sorrow.

That herein and hereby the Lord might exercise our spirituall armour, [Reas. 1] wherewith he hath furnished us, to wit, the shield of Faith, the helmet of Salvation, the breast-plate of Righte∣ousnesse, and the sword of the Spirit: For, wherefore should all these parts of our spirituall armour be provided us of God, but that we must look dai∣ly to have them exercised?

Secondly, [Reas. 2] to wean us from the world, whose practise is, to mingle our sweet with soure.

And lastly, [Reas. 3] to make us long after

a better life, where all tears shall be wiped away from our eyes, and sin from our so••ls.

Seeing this is so, [Vse 1] that our chiefest strength, our best time, and the most excellent and principall part of our life, is not freed from labour and sor∣row, cares, fears, vexations, and mo∣lestations, but that our whole life is full of labour and sorrow;

As this should wean us from the world, and put us out of love of all things here below: so it should stir us up to seek that life, where all these miseries shall be taken away, where God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes, * 1.14 and where there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, but pleasure without pain, and full∣nesse of joy at his right hand for e∣vermore. Our best estate here is mixed with griefe, sorrow, care and trouble. But happy, and thrice happy are they, which shall be judged worthy to inherit that life which shall last for ever, and that without all cares, fears labour and sorrow, * 1.15 Blessed are

the dead that die in the Lord, they rest from their labours.

Secondly, [Vse 2] seeing no estate of our life is free from sundry sorrowes and miseries, troubles, cares, and fears; it may serve to admonish us all to bear them patiently, and not to for∣sake our callings and places wherein the Lord hath set us, because of them. For, here we see, that in this short life of ours, the most excellent part thereof is not free from labour and sorrow.

There is no calling or condition of life, but hath miseries enough at∣tending upon it, to make them wretched that live in it, if they want patience to bear them.

And those that seem most happy, and we look upon them as most free from those miseries, themselves many times could wish rather to be any o∣ther, then that they are; and if we could change our estates with theirs, it is possible we should wish to take our own again. Why then should we be weary of those callings wherein the Lord hath set us, but rather undergo

the same, and arme our selves against these troubles and sorowes, and not to use unlawfull means to escape them, for that will but encrease our sor∣rowes, and make our selves more miserable.

For it is soon cut off, and we fly away.

MOSES in the former part of this verse, having shewed the mise∣ries, sorrowes, and troubles, incident to the best and flourishing estate of mankinde in generall; in the latter part of this verse, applies it to the state and condition of the Church and peo∣ple of God in the Wildernesse, and shewes: But for us, saith he, our time is cut off swiftly, and we flie away.

For so I take it, it makes the sense plain, though it seemes to be read o∣therwise in our common translation; yet, if we mark the scope of the Holy Ghost, which is to shew, that their estate in the Wildernesse was far worse then other peoples were. Thus, though the ordinary time of mans life be seventie years, or eightie years; yet, we are otherwise dealt withall, our

life is neither so long, nor yet so free from labour and sorrow as other men are, because, we are cut off suddenly, in the turning of an hand, we flie away and are gone.

Hence we may see and take notice of the hainousnesse of sin, [Doct. 4] * 1.16 and espe∣cially of the sin of Infidelity, and murmuring against God, it made the Lord to cut down his people confu∣sedly and hastily, even as a man by his Syth sweepeth down his grasse: Even so the Lord is here said to cut down his people with the sharp Syth of his judgment, as it had been grasse.

And surely, amongst other sins where∣fore the Lord, even in our time, hath cut down so many, some with one disease, & some with another, confus'dly, quick∣ly, and hastily, this sin hath not been the least provoking sin of this land this day: Our distrusting of Gods power and providence, and murmur∣ing against the Lord, as though we should never see peaceable daies a∣gain, or Religion established, and the Gospell to flourish, and that we shall never see those golden daies we have so long defired.

Even this sin of murmuring and distrusting of Gods power and provi∣dence, is no small let and hindrance to our desired peace.

This, this, was the sin of this Church and people, though they had had much experience of Gods power, and good∣nesse towards them, in delivering them from their cruell bondage in Aegypt, and that the Lord had now brought them to the sight of Canaan: yet for their sin of unbeliefe and mur∣muring against. Moses and Aanon, the Lord would not suffer them to possesse that good Land, but cut them off and swept them away by hundreds, and thousands, that they dyed in the Wildernesse. And how severely God hath punished this sin in his own ser∣vants, Numb. 20 8.12. Luke 1.20.

For the Reasons and Uses, see the first Doctrine.

And we fly away.

MOSES speaks not here of the people alone, that they were wasted and consumed: But joynes himself with them, The Lord hath

cut us off and we fly away. He joynes himselfe in the sin, and also in the punishment. They all had sinned, even Moses himself, and for his sin the Lord would not suffer him to come into the land of Canaan. * 1.17 His sin he here confesseth with the sins of the people, and Gods righteous Judgement upon them for the same.

Hence wee may observe. [Doct. 5] That the usuall manner of the servants of God, * 1.18 in their prayers hath been to confesse themselves sinners; And by their sins to have drawn down Gods Judge∣ments as well as the sinns of others; This doth Moses here, links himselfe with the rest of the people of Israel, in the case of Gods Anger.

Thus Daniel in that solemn prayer of his for the Church, * 1.19 that the Lord would make good his promise to deli∣ver them from their Captivity and Bondage, confesseth his own sins and the sins of the people. We have sinned (saith he) and committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy Judgements. And again, * 1.20

O Lord, righteousnesse belongs to th••e, but unto us confusion of face as at this day. Thus godly Nehemiah when hee makes his prayer in the behalf of the Church, * 1.21 We have sinned against thee, both I and my Fathers house have sinned. If any man sin (saith Saint John) we have an Advocate, &c. He joynes himself with others that stood in need of Jesus Christ for their Advo∣cate. And who could have said more against Paul, then he against himselfe, when he confesseth that he was the Chiefest of sinners. * 1.22 And thus doth the poor Publican, the Prodigall, &c.

And it must be so: For

First, [Reas. 1] the godly have learned to give glory to God when his Judgements are gone out into the World; which they do when they acknowledge God to be just, and themselves to have sinned.

This Reason doth Joshua presse up∣on Achan. * 1.23 My Son, I pray thee give ••lory to God, and confesse thy fault. Hereby we clear his Justice, when wee take shame to our selves.

And this was Davids Reason, * 1.24 why he was so long and ample in the Con∣fession of his sins. That thou mightest be justified, &c.

Secondly, [Reas. 2] a child of God and true believer cannot but know, that hee lies under the guilt of many sins which must be taken off by true Repentance and godly sorrow. And hence it is that in hearty prayer when they confesse the sins of the Church they cannot, they dare not, exclude themselves.

Thirdly in a true and hearty Con∣fession of our sins, [Reas. 3] is grounded our hope and confidence, that God will hear and answer our prayers.

And hence it is that we shall find Gods people when in the most solemn manner, they have sought the pardon of their fins, they have grounded their hopes of Mercy, from their hearty con∣fession of their sins. Thus David, * 1.25 Wash me throughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin: for, saith he, I acknowledge mine iniquity. * 1.26 And a∣gain, David presseth the Lord with this, I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. And

in times of publick Humiliation much of the work hath been spent in Con∣fession of sins.

This serves for the just reproof of those, [Use 1] who seeing others plagued and afflicted, condemn them as justly pu∣nished, and yet they themselves as great sinners no whit affected. As we see it common in the World. O say some no marvel though the Lord plague them, they are such and such a people. Did Moses say thus of this people? did he so unmercifully single out himselfe and say, that it is but just that these Rebells be plagued, they murmured against me, and would not belive me: No, no, Mo∣ses joynes himself with them, and saith, We are Cut off, and we fly away: What Spirit then are those led by, that condemn others without pitty and compassion, and justifie themselves as if they were Righteous.

This may serve also for our instru∣ction. [Use 2] That we learn by Moses his Example, who though he was an ex∣cellent man of God, highly in Gods favour: yet he humbly joynes himselfe

with the Church in the Confession of his sins, as well as theirs. Acknowledg∣ing that his sins were the cause of Gods Judgements, as the sins of the people; though hee escaped and they were punished.

Thus should we do now, that so many places and Families, and per∣sons are visited with sicknesse whilst we escape; let us not think onr condi∣tion better then theirs, or that they were greater sinners then our selves: But let us know that our sins have been the cause to pull down Gods Judge∣ments upon others, as well as their own.

As Moses here acknowledgeth himself in the number of them that had sinned, and had compassion on them, and prayed for them.

Even so though others die, and thou escape, others are in misery when thou art free: O know that thou maist have a hand in their plagues; Thy sins may be deep in the cause of Gods Judgements on the Land. And therefore to have compassion on others miseries, to pitty them, and to pray

for them, and to acknowledge that it is not thy goodnesse above others, but the Lords goodnesse towards thee, that thou escapest, and art not wrapt up in the same misery.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mans life is short.
• * 1.2

  Gen. 47.9.
• * 1.3

  Heb. 11.
• * 1.4

  John 6.
• * 1.5

  Misery of man since the fall, great. Gen. 47.9.
• * 1.6

  Job 14.1.
• * 1.7

  Eccl. 2.13.23.
• * 1.8

  Ps. 39.5, 6.
• * 1.9

  No e∣state, but full of labour and for∣row.
• * 1.10

  Rev. 3.17.
• * 1.11

  Hab. 2.13.
• * 1.12

  Ro. 7.24.
• * 1.13

  Mar. 9.24.
• * 1.14

  Rev. 21.4.
• * 1.15

  Rev. 14.13.
• * 1.16

  Sin cau∣seth ma∣ny times suddain death.
• * 1.17

  Num. 20.8.12.
• * 1.18

  Gods ser∣vants confesse their own sins as the sins of others.
• * 1.19

  Dan. 9.5.
• * 1.20

  Ver. 7.
• * 1.21

  Neh. 1.6.
• * 1.22

  Luk. 16.13. Luk. 15.18.
• * 1.23

  Jos. 7.19.
• * 1.24

  Ps. 51.4.
• * 1.25

  Ps. 51.3.
• * 1.26

  Ps. 32.5.