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.

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 wis∣dom. 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, * 1.1 and be afraid to provoke thee by our sins as we have done this Moses accompts true wisdom. And the words being ta∣ken 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, * 1.2 then would they remem∣ber their latter end. As if men were never truly wise till then.

There is nothing more naturall un∣to us, then to perswade our selves of long life. And that we shall still conti∣nue 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, * 1.3 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, * 1.4 and I shall multiply my dayes as the sand. And againe, my glory shalbe renewed, * 1.5 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, * 1.6 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 com∣forts 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 mat∣ters 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. * 1.7 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; * 1.8 for whom doe men commonly judge to be wise men, but such as have reach∣ing 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 wis∣dom 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, * 1.9 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 sea∣son,

to lose for ever a mans most pre∣tions 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 eterni∣tie. This is that one thing that is so ne∣cessary, 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. * 1.10 And Moses his practice here may also in∣forme, 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 deny∣ing christian, is ever the most wise chri∣stian, 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.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Men are never truly wise till they ac∣compt of every day as their last day.
• * 1.2

  Deut. 32 29.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 30.6.
• * 1.4

  Iob 19.18.
• * 1.5

  ver. 28:
• * 1.6

  Eccle. 12.1.
• * 1.7

  Pro. 10.14.
• * 1.8

  1 Cor. 1.
• * 1.9

  Ier. 8.9.
• * 1.10

  Jam. 1.5.