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. 3. Thou turnest man to destracti∣on, and sayest, Return again ye children of men.

FRom the beginning of this Verse, to the eleventh, we have the second generall part of this Psalm, and that is his Naration, in the which he sets down the common frailty, and mor∣tality of mankind, from Verse 3. to the 11. and this he doth,

• 1 In generall:
  • 1. By the efficient cause of mans frailty, and mortality, verse 3. Thou turnest man, &c.
  • 2. By the instrumentall cause, viz. The manifold miseries, sick∣nesses and diseases, these frail bo∣dies of ours are subject unto.
  • As also from the composition of mans body, which is made but of the dust of the earth, and therefore must return to dust again.
• 2. In particular, by comparing it
  • 1. To a Watch in the night, that is the space of three houres, ver. 4.

• ...
  • 2. To a Sleep, or a Dream, that is a vanishing thing, and of no continuance verse 5.
  • 3. To a Flower, or Grasse, that groweth up in the morning, but cut down and withered ere night ver. 6. Thus of the estate of mankind in generall.

Then verse 7, 8, 9. he applies this to themselves in particular, now in great affliction and distresse in the Wildernesse: and shewes that though the life of man be frail, and short, yet their estate at this time was far worse and more miserable: and the Reason was

• 1. Because of Gods anger and ter∣rible displeasure, whereby they were pittifully wasted and con∣consumed, verse 7.
• 2. He sets down the speciall pro∣curing cause, why their estate was thus miserable, viz. Their sins and rebellions, which the Lord did now charge them with, verse 8.

Thou turnest man to destruction. [Text.]

THat is at thy will, and pleasure, and appointment is the life of man; when it pleaseth thee, thou tur∣nest man to destruction, that is, to breaking and crushing, even to dust and ashes.

Hence we learn, [Doct. 1] that the gretest stay and comfort of the godly under affliction is, the consideration, * 1.1 that their miseries and afflictions come from God, He hath spoyled, he hath wounded, saith the Church. They do not look so much upon the Assyrians that afflicted them, but they look up higher, and see Gods hand upon them, and say, The Lord hath spoyled; and, He hath wounded us. Is there any evill in the City, and the Lord hath not done it? That is, any judg∣ment, sicknesse, afflictions, or calami∣ties, but they come from the Lord, it is he that sends them, and laies them upon his people.

Thus when the Lord was minded to bring his Church from Idolatry, he saith thus, Behold I will stop thy

waies with thorns, and make a hedge that she shall not know her paths. Thus the Lord threatned Senacherib, * 1.2 Behold I will sond a blast upon him.

This is more clear by that of Mo∣ses, * 1.3 If ye will not obey me, and do these commandments, I will appoint over you fearfulnesse, a Consumption, and a burning Feaver, the Sword, Famine, and Pestilence to destroy you. And this truth is acknowledged by Job, in his sharpest tryalls, * 1.4 The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away, even as it plea∣seth the Lord, so commeth things to passe. * 1.5 And, When we are judged, we are chastned of the Lord.

The Reasons will make the point yet more clear and plain unto us.

First in regard of his providence, [Reas. 1] which ordereth and disposeth of all things in Heaven and Earth, according to the purpose of his own will, so that there is no room left for Fortune, or Chance: but as it pleaseth the Lord, so commeth things to passe.

This doth our Saviour teach most clearly, when he saith, Are not two sparrowes sold for a farthing, and not

one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father. Yea, the hairs of your head are numbred. Now if the providence of God be in such small things, as in the fall of a Spar∣row, and the numbring of the hairs of our head; how much more in the try∣alls and afflictions of his children?

Secondly, [Reas. 2] the miseries and afflicti∣ons of Gods Church and children must needs come from God, because he or∣dereth and disposeth of the tryalls and sufferings of his people, in the nature and kinds of their sufferings, what they shall be, how long they shall con∣tinue, and the happy issue and effect of them as the Apostle hath it, No man should be moved with these afflictions, * 1.6 for your selves know that we are ap∣pointed thereto.

God will have the rod lie upon the back of his servants sometimes a long time, as upon the Church in Aegypt 430 years together, where the Lord exercised them with cruell bondage under Pharath.

Sometimes shorter, as those seventy yeeres they were in captivity in Baby∣lon;

somtimes shorter, * 1.7 Ye shall have tribulation for ten daies. Sometimes but for a night, Sorrow may endure for a night, &c. Yea, sometimes not so long, but for an hower, there is an hower of temptation: and the time that God hath purposed and decreed being expired, they shall see the sal∣vation of the Lord.

Seeing that the only stay and com∣fort of the godly in times of affliction and distresse, [Use 1] is the consideration that their miseries and afflictions, of what kinde soever, they come from God. This should teach us at all times of di∣stresse, still to have recourse unto him, by earnest and hearty prayer, either to remove the rod, if it be his good plea∣sure, or else to sanctifie the same unto us and to give us patience under it.

This duty the Lord requires and looks for at our hands, [unspec 1] especially in times of affliction and distresse; and for this we have both precepts and examples, * 1.8 Call upon me in the day of thy trouble, and I will hear thee, and deli∣ver thee. Yea, to that end, he hath prescribed unto us, a form of seeking

him at such times, * 1.9 Take unto you words, and turn to the Lord, and say unto him, Take away all our iniquity, and receive us graciously.

Secondly, [unspec 2] he hath made a gracious promise of hearing our prayers especi∣ally at such times; * 1.10 and that whatsoe∣ver we ask the Father in his Sons Name, he will give it us.

Thirdly, [unspec 3] there is none else can help us, Lord, whither shall we go (saith Peter) thou hast the words of eternall life. He is known for a sure refuge, * 1.11 he is the God that heareth prayers.

Besides, [unspec 4] we have the examples of Gods servants, who in all times of extreamity, have ever fled unto God, * 1.12 by earnest and hearty prayer, as Da∣vid, Jehosophat, Hezechiah, Manas∣ses, &c. who ever had recourse unto God, in times of misery, and God was intreated of them.

Secondly, the consideration hereof, [Vse 2] that God hath a speciall hand in all our sufferings, and still ordereth and disposeth of the same, * 1.13 that they shall work for the best to them that love and fear him; what a ground of pati∣ence

may this be unto us under the crosse, whensoever the Lord shall be pleased to humble us, by any affliction whatsoever, that with patience and meeknesse we submit thereunto, I was dumb, * 1.14 and opened not my mouth, be∣cause it was thy doing, saith David. And Eli, * 1.15 It is the Lord, let him do what seemeth good to him. And, Here I am, let him do to me as seemeth good to him.

And this may serve for the just re∣proofe of those, [Vse 3] who in times of mise∣ry and distresse, never look to the hand of God; they look upon secondary causes and instruments, but over-look God: Such do seldome seek to God for delivery.

Job was of another mind, he looks not so much upon the Caldeans and Sabeans, that plundered him of his goods and cattle, but he looks up unto God, and acknowledgeth his hand in all. So David, when Shimei cursed him, It may be the Lord bad him to curse me.

[Vse 4] And last of all this lets us see that when the Lord hath been pleased to

come in with any Nationall or perso∣nall deliverance, where to returne thanks, even to him that first smo••e us, and who it is that hath healed us. Thus the Church in all ages, when the Lord was pleased to come in with any singular deliverance, * 1.16 kept their solemn daies of praise and thanksgi∣ving unto God.

Thou turnest man to destruction

THat is, at thy pleasure are our lives and being here; we live at thy allowance and appointment: when thou wilt, thou turnest them to brea∣king and crushing, even to dust.

Hence observe, [Doct. 2] That our life and being here is uncertain, * 1.17 it is in Gods hand and power, we live at his ap∣pointment, at his pleasure, he can, and doth turn man to destruction, to brea∣king and crushing.

Thou hast bruised my bones, * 1.18 saith Hezechiah.

Thou hast set me as a mark to shoot at saith Job.

Thy arrowes stick fast in me, saith David.

If the Lord do but say, Return ye sons of Adam, we shall return again to the dust, and away we must. The voice of the Lord is a powerfull voice, he did create all things by his voice, and by his word, and at the same voice and word of his, he can turn all things to powder. No man, though never so great, or mighty, wise or politique, can resist or withstand the commanding and powerfull voice of God; but when death is sent, and God gives his call, they must return again to dust.

Death knocks with authority at the dore of the rich man, and Palace of Princes, as at the poor, and all must obey, and return to the dust from whence they came.

Moses this Man of God, that was a man so familiar with his Maker, a man so holy, so meek, so mercifull, who was indeed a compound of ver∣tues, who had fed many thousands, when they were ready to die with hunger, who had refreshed many thousands, when they were ready to perish with thirst: yet must himselfe

at last yeeld to the stroke of death, and say to corruption, thou art my Father, and to the worm, thou art my Mother. * 1.19 What man is there living that shall not see death and shall deliver his soul from the pit?

One dyeth in his full strength (saith Job) whose breasts are full of milk, * 1.20 and bones are full of marrow: Another dyeth in the bitternesse of his soul, they shall lie down alike in the dust, and the wormes shall cover them. We stand not at a stay, but in the midst of life, we are in death, the very meat we put in∣to our bellies, and the cloaths we put upon our backs, all declare unto us, that dye we must, and return again to the dust. And the Reasons are,

First, [Reas. 1] if we do but consider the mat∣ter whereof these bodies of ours are composed, which is of the dust of the earth; this shewes a necessity of their returning again to dust; they are made of a frail, brittle, and corruptible matter, and long they cannot stand Dust thou art, * 1.21 and into dust shalt thou return again. And as the Prophet saith; All flesh is grasse, and the glory

of man as the flower of grasse. As the point of the Marriners needle doth ne∣ver stand till it attain the North Pole: Such an instinct there is in these bodies of ours, they still bend themselves downward towards the earth, from whence they came. And as the nearer the Center, the swifter the motion, so is man towards his end; every day winds off something of the threed of our life, and return we must.

There is a necessity of our returning again to dust, [Reas. 2] if we do but consider the nature of sin; the wages whereof is death, and indeed there can be no divorce sued out betwixt sin and death. * 1.22 As the Lord said to Abimelech, Thou art but a dead man because of his sin. And this was Gods own de∣cree at first, * 1.23 The day thou eatest there∣of, thou shalt dye the death. Now A∣lam eating of the forbidden fruit, brought in death to all his posterity; for so saith the Apostle, By one man sin entred into the world, * 1.24 and death by sin. And inasmuch as all have sinned, all must die the death.

Besides, [Reas. 3] there is a necessity that all

should die, because by death we must enter into life: death is the gate of life, ordinarily none entred into life but by death; death is a guide to bring us into Heaven; though a chur∣lish guide, yet a sure guide to bring us into blisse.

Seeing the Lord at his pleasure turns man to destruction, [Use 1] to breaking and crushing, sends long and tedious sicknesse, and griefe of body, whereby men are much deformed, and weak∣ned in their bodies, and turned to dust; This should teach us patience in times of misery and distresse, when the Lord shall seem thus to crush us, and break us to powder, we should with patience bear his correcting hand, be it never so sharp and grie∣vous even to crush us to pieces, and to grinde us to powder, in regard it is the Lord that doth it. Thus David, I was dumb, and opened not my lips, * 1.25 because it was thy doing.

There is no sicknesse, or disease, lamenesse or blindnesse, or any other affliction, whereby we come to have our bones crushed, and we brought

to destruction, but all is of the Lord; He turneth man to breakings and de∣struction, and it is the want of the knowledge of this, that is the cause, that men do sometimes murmur a∣gainst Gods dealings, and are not humbled for their sins as they ought to be, we consider not that it is he that turneth man to destruction.

Secondly, [Vse 2] seeing these breakings and crushings, yea, death it selfe, when we are brought to the dust, are all from God, and come from him, Thou turnest man to destruction: this may serve to abate the pride of many in these daies, who spend their time, pretious time, as if this destruction would never come, in eating and drin∣king, ranting and roaring, as if they were immortall, or should never die, or be called to an account of their waies, think their bodies are not made of the same common mould with o∣ther men: Whereas the consideration of mans mortality would much abate the pride of many: had they this thought in their minds, that they must shortly die, and go hence, and

be no more; [Note.] when they shall come to see that which they never saw, which they shall ever see, and hear that which they never heard, which they shall for ever hear; and feel that which they never felt, which they shall for ever feel, whilst God himselfe liveth; O how would the thoughts of these things humble them.

It was a witty answer of that Cy∣nick Diogenes, that when Alexander mockt him for being so often amongst the Tombes and Sepulchers of the dead, answered, O Sir, I am looking for the bones of thy Father Philip, but see no difference between them and other mens. Why then should men be so proud, and exalt themselves, when they know not how soon they may be laid full low.

The ignorance hereof makes many to carry their heads aloft, outface heaven, and swell with pride and dis∣dain of others; whereas the due consi∣deration of their own end, would make them walk more humbly to∣wards God, and more meekly towards their Brethren.

And lastly, [Vse 3] since the Lord at his pleasure thus turns man to destruction, to breakings and crushings, yea, to death it selfe; it shall be our wisdome to prepare for such a change, that we be not taken unprepared. What man will have his evidence to seek when his cause comes to be tryed? What man will go to sow when others go to reap? Our life should be a continuall meditation of death, and preparation for death, since our weal or wo for ever depends upon it.

In the matters of the world men are wise, they must (say they) provide for a rainy day, in Summer for Winter; and whilst they are young, to keep them when they are old. O where are our hearts Christians, that we provide no better for death before it come.

And howsoever all men know, that one day, die they must, and that re∣p••ntance and other graces are to be had to make them truly happy; yet here is the misery, that men defer this great work to the last, when many times it proves too late.

Now to that end I may awaken

you that hear me this day, * 1.26 in this weighty duty; I beseech you take these few considerations to heart.

First, that you would seriously consider with your selves, [unspec 1] the uncer∣tainty of your lives; thou that makest so small account of death, consider with thy selfe what thy life is, a puffe of breath in thy nostrills, suddenly stopt, and thou art gone.

Go to now (saith Saint James) you that say, to day, and to morrow, * 1.27 we will go into such a City, and continue there a yeer, and buy, and sell, and get gain, and yet ye cannot tell what shall be to morrow; for what is your life, is it not a vapour, &c. What man when he goes to bed, can assure himselfe that he shall rise again in the morning. Who knoweth (saith Solomon) what the day travelleth withall, and may bring forth ere night. * 1.28 Man doth not know his time, and as fishes are taken in an evill net, and birds in a snare, so are the children of men.

Secondly, [unspec 2] consider the danger of deferring of repentance, and this pre∣paration for death, to the last hower,

when all the infirmities of our nature will then seize upon us, when extremi∣ty, pain, griefe, anguish, will so per∣plexeus, that the best counsell will have little tast, and the best prayers little sweetnesse in them: this will prove a time of spending, and not a time of storing; What wise man then will de∣ferre all this time?

Consider how often these purposes of repentance, [unspec 3] and turning to God at last have miscarried, many thousands that are now in hell without hope of mercy, that in their life time purposed at last to repent, and to return to God: whereas such as have often abused grace, and mercy offered unto them the Lord doth often at last give such up to the hardnesse of their hearts that when they would, they cannot re∣pent; and those melting qualmes which sometimes now thou meetest withall, under the Ministry of the Word, though thou wouldest give a world, thou canst not meet with them again. O the sad spectacles, that we that are Ministers of the Word doe oftentimes meet withall: Some in

Spyras case, who being exhorted to say the Lords Prayer, answered, O, I cannot call God Father. And some again like Nabal, whose heart dyed like a stone within him.

And last of all, [unspec 4] do but consider with your selves, that albeit thou maist en∣joy thy memory to the last, and maist have with thee some godly Ministers to instruct thee, and to pray for thee; yet how knowest thou, whether his prayers for thee, or thy own prayers for thy selfe, shall then be heard and accepted? Doth not Christ say, that many at last shall seek to enter, but shall not be able? Did not those foolish Virgins cry, Lord, Lord, open unto us; yet were for ever shut out of the Mar∣riage Chamber? And doth not the Lord threaten, that though Noah, Daniel, and Samuel, should pray for this people, yet I will not hear them. Nay, thy case may be such, that though all the Angells in heaven, and Saints on earth, should intreat for thee, yet God will not be intreated: This is clear, Because I have called, * 1.29 and ye refused, I have stretched out

my hand, and ye have not regarded; But ye have set at naught my counsell, &c. I will also laugh at your calami∣ty, I will mock when your fear com∣meth. O the misery of a poor soul, when God shall shut out his prayers, and shall be so far from pittying him in this time of distresse, as that he shall laugh at his destruction.

And sayest, [Text.] Return ye sons of men.

ALbeit, as we have heard, there is an inevitable necessity, laid upon all Adams posterity, by reason of sin, that they must once die, Thou turnest man to destruction. So sure and certain it is, that all men shall one day rise again, Thou sayest, Return ye sons of men.

q. d. At thy will, and at thy word, they shall at last return from dust and corruption again.

Though the bodies of men by rea∣son of sin, [Doct. 3] * 1.30 do tast of death, and turn to dust; yet by a word speaking of God, they shall at last rise again, Thou say∣est Return again ye sons of men.

This is a fundamentall truth, and

a principall article of our faith, where∣in we professe to believe the Resur∣rection of the dead. Besides the Scrip∣tures are most plentifull in this.

I am sure (saith Job) that my Re∣deemer liveth, * 1.31 and that I shall rise out of the earth at the last day.

The dead shall arise, * 1.32 even with my body shall they arise. Awake, and sing, ye that dwell in the dust.

This is acknowledged by Hannah in her song, The Lord killeth, * 1.33 and ma∣keth alive, bringeth down to the grave, and raiseth up.

The Apostle Saint Paul proves the Resurrection by divers unanswerable arguments; as

If there be no Resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen, * 1.34 and then is the faith of a Christian vain, his hope vain, and the preaching of the Gospell vain, and the godly departed this life perished: all which were foul and grosse absurdities, once to think or imagine. Besides these, there might be added divers other places of Scrip∣ture, to confirm this Doctrine of the Resurrection, as that of Paul.

If we believe that Jesus dyed and rose again, * 1.35 even so them also that sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him. * 1.36 And again, Whether we live or dye, we are the Lords. But I will not insist upon so clear a truth. Take the Reasons and Arguments, which serve for the farther illustration of the point.

The first may be taken from that everlasting Covenant of grace that God hath made with his children, [Reas. 1] to be their God for ever by an everla∣sting Covenant; now this Covenant is not made only in regard of their souls, but of their bodies also, even to the whole man. When God said, I am the God of Abraham, the meaning is not, that he is the God of Abraham's soul only, but also of his body. And hence it is, that the bodies of Believers, although they are dead and rotten in their graves, yet still are within the Covenant.

But is it not said, [Object.] that God is not the God of the dead, but of the living?

In the sence of the Pharisees that de∣nied the Resurrection of the dead, [Answ.] God

is not the God of the dead: But he is the God of Abraham being dead in body to be raised up to life again; And so was he the God of the living, and this is the meaning of Christ on that place.

Because all true beleevers being mem∣bers of Christ have part in the Resur∣rection of Christ, [Reas. 2] whom Paul calls the first fruits of them that sleepe. * 1.37 Now Christ did not rise from the dead as a private person, as Lazarus or as his widdowes Son, but as the head of the Church, and therefore said, * 1.38 when I am lifted up, I draw all men unto me.

Againe, [Reas. 3] there could be no perfect happiness to the godly, if these bodies of ours should not riseagain at last; for the Soule cannot be perfect without the body; the glorification of the body makes for the perfection of the Soule. The Souls vnder the Altar cry, * 1.39 How long Lord which art holy and true, &c. They long for this Resurrection.

If the bodies of the Saints should not at last rise again, [Reas. 4] they were of all men most miserable, * 1.40 for who are more hated, scorned, derided, and persecuted

then they? what folly then was it in Paul, to indure so many watchings, perils, and so much hardship as he went under, but that he had hope in this Resurrection? [Reas. 5]

But especially Gods truth and pro∣mise lyes at the stake, who is yea and Amen in all his promises and cannot faile. Now he hath said, When thou makest a feast, * 1.41 call the blind and the lame. And he gives the Reason, for God shall reward thee in the resur∣rection of the just. I confesse there is nothing that crosseth carnall and na∣turall reason more then this, that these bodies of ours should moulder to dust and rottennesse, cast into the Sea, devoured of fishes, burnt to ashes, and scattered upon the earth, that these bodies thus wasted, and consumed should at last bee raised up againe.

To beleeve this, our faith must bee taken up with the admiration of the mighty power of God, and we must say with Iob, I know thou canst doe e∣very thing, and that no thought is hid from thee: till we looke upon this Almighty power of his, and captivat

our reason thereto, we shall still stag∣ger in our beleefe of this Article of our Resurrection.

Now let us apply this.

Seeing these bodies of ours, by rea∣son of sin doe tast of death; [Use. 1] yet by a word speaking, God at last shall raise them up againe, Thou turnest man, &c. This may serve to strengthen our faith in this great Article of our beliefe, the Resurrection of our bodies. That these bodies of ours shall at last rise againe, 'tis a point that carnal reason is hardly brought to beleeve. But why should we scruple or dispute that which God hath so plainly affirmed, and the Scrptures so fully prove: faith lookes unto Gods Almighty power, as Abraham in the promise of Isaac, he judged him faith∣full, and that God was able to do it.

Secondly, [Use 2] this Doctrine of our Re∣surrection that God at last will raise up these bodies of ours out of the dust, and rottennesse, and though they cast off Corruption, they shall not perish in Corruption. Saint Paul would have us to comfort our selves in these things, * 1.42 wherefore comfort you 〈…〉〈…〉

these words: that is, in the Doctrine of the Resurrection.

[Quest.] But what ground of comfort can there arise to a Believer by the know∣ledge of it?

[Ans.] Many and great are the comforts and consolations, * 1.43 that a true believer may receive from the knowledge of it.

First of all this will arme us against the feare of Death. Tis true, there is something in death that breeds feare, [unspec 1] and horror and dread, that makes flesh and blood to shrink, and to tremble. To lie in the grave and there to bee eaten up of wormes, and to bee made subject to corruption, &c. yet this may be our comfort, that ere long we shall be raised out of this condition, to a blessed and glorious estate. It is but the putting off our cloathes at night, we shall put them on againe in the morning. Shall we bee like unto little children that cry when they put off their cloathes?

Secondly, [unspec 2] this may comfort us a∣gainst all our troubles and sufferings that we meete withall in the world. The worst that Tyrants can doe, is but

to kill the body; yet when they have done that, and put them to the greatest cruelty and torture that they can de∣vise, they shall be restored to us againe. This was that comfort that Christ gave to his Disciples, * 1.44 when he spake of his owne death. The Son of man shall be delivered to the chiefe Priests and Scribes, and they shall condemne him to death, and deliver him to the Gen∣tiles to be Crucified; but the third day he shall rise againe. Now that which was Christs comfort may be ours also.

Thirdly, there is comfort in it, [unspec 3] in regard of our friends that die in the Lord, that though death may sepa∣rate us asunder for a time, yet we shall meet again. If a man take a long jour∣ney, his wife & friends do not weep & lament as if they should never see him again: So a man that dies in Christ, though he take a long journey, yet we should not mourn, as those which have no hope, we shall meet again.

And lastly, [unspec 4] this may also comfort us, in regard of the present infirmities of our bodies, blindnesse, lamenesse, crookednesse, and other deformities,

that we are subject unto here: In the Resurrection, we shall leave all these behinde us in the grave, and our bo∣dies shall rise again glorious bodies, and incorruptible bodies. As those two godly Martyrs going to the stake, the one blinde, the other lame, comforted each other: Be of good cheer, Brother, my Lord of London will this day cure thee of blindnesse, and me of my lame∣nesse. Thus will death do, and in the Resurrection, these imperfections shall be done away. So that the comforts are great, which flow from this Do∣ctrine of the Resurrection.

But as this Doctrine serves for mat∣ter of comfort and consolation to the godly, [Use 3] so it serves for matter of ter∣rour, fear, and astonishment, unto all wicked and unregenerate men, that are out of Christ, that as they live, so die in a naturall estate. 'Tis true, these also shall partake of this Resurrection, and shall rise again at last, but in a sarre different manner from the godly.

The bodies of believers shall arise by vertue of that union they have with Jesus Christ, as members of that my∣sticall

body of his, whereof Christ is the head, so shall he at last draw his members to himselfe.

But now all wicked and ungodly men, they shall arise by the power of Christ, at the voice of the Arch-Angel at the sound of the Trump; for as the Apostle saith, the Trump shall sound. * 1.45 And these shall arise out of their graves, as out of a Prison, and that to go to the place of execution: These shall no sooner put their heads out of their graves, and behold the Lord Jesus comming in his glory. That Christ whom they have crucified by their sins, that Christ whom they have persecuted in his members, that Christ whose blood they have tram∣pled under their feet; but they could wish that they had never seen his face.

O, thinks a wicked man, that I were in my grave again; O that this filthy and polluted carcase of mine, had ne∣ver been made alive again, but as it tasted of corruption, it might for ever have perished there. And it is not im∣possible, but they that at the last shall

cry to the mountains to fall upon them, * 1.46 and the hills to cover them, but they may seek to hide themselves in their graves from the presence of Christ.

As the bodies of believers shall arise glorified bodies, the bodies of the wicked shall arise most black, ugly, and deformed bodies, black faces, gast∣ly countenances, more like Devills than Men and Women; ugly as Toads, hatefull to themselves and others. Thus shall they arise at last; they shall arise out of their graves quaking and trembling, wishing that they had never been born, or born Toads or Ser∣pents, rather than Men and Women.

O the horrour and terrour that shall seize upon the wicked at that day, no heart is able to conceive, or tongue a∣ble to expresse! When the Lord deli∣vered the Law to the people upon Mount Sinai, when the Trumpet sounded, how did the people quake and tremble. * 1.47 How terrible then will his appearance be at the last day, when he shall come to exact vengeance upon the transgressors of this Law? O con∣sider

this ye that now forget God you that will not now be wrought upon by the sound of the Word, to be raised from the death of sin, to the life of righteousnesse. How will you endure at this day the voice of the Arch-An∣gell, and the sound of this Trumpet, Arise ye dead, and come unto judg∣ment?

And last of all, [Use 4] seeing these bodies of ours that now go to their graves, shall return again, and rise again; how carefull should we be to keep our bodies clean, and pure, and undefiled, and every member of the same. The Apostle Saint Paul exhorts us unto this, * 1.48 To possesse our Vessells in holinesse and honour. If death leave thee a drunkard, an unclean person, a swea∣rer, a worldling, a vile and prophane wretch, in a naturall condition; in the same condition shalt thou be ha∣led to judgment, when that wretched body, and that wofull soul of thine, that have been a Simeon and Levi, brethren together in sin, shall now for ever share alike in punishment and torment. When a man hath done some

foul and shamefull fact, we use to say of such a man, he will never be able to shew his face again. How then will many a vile and desperate sinner, shew his face before God at that day? How carefull then ought we to be, to keep our Vessells in holinesse and honour? This is that very Use the Apostle Peter makes of this Doctrine of our Resur∣rection, Seeing all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought we to be? Paul professing the hope of the Resurrection, I exercise my selfe (saith he) to have a clear con∣science before God and all men, * 1.49 voide of offence. And of Jerome it is said, that whatsoever he did, he thought he heard this voice, Arise ye dead and come to judgment.

Return again ye sons of Adam. [Text.]

MOSES, as he hath shewed be fore, that our lives are in Gods hand, and at his disposing, and that at his will and pleasure he can turn man to destruction, to dust and rotten∣nesse.

He adds also another cause of mans

frailty and mortality, and that is the nature, composition, and frame of mans body, which is of it selfe very frail and brittle, subject to mortality.

For the first word Man, thou tur∣nest Man to destruction, signifies a man full of misery, full of sicknesses and infirmities, a miserable man, Enosh. And the other word here used in the end of the verse, signifies a man made of Clay, or of the very slime of the earth.

From hence we learn what is the nature of all men, [Doct. 4] * 1.50 of all the sons of Adam, viz. A piece of living Clay, a little piece of red Earth. And besides that man is subject to breaking and crushing, every way a miserable man; so is he of a brittle mould, a piece of red clay, that hath in it for a time a living soul, which must return to God that gave it; and the body, this piece of earth, return to the earth from whence it came: And if we had no Scripture at all to prove this, daily experience before our eyes, makes it clear, how all men, even the wisest the strongest, the greatest and the mighti∣est

Monarchs, and Princes in the world, be but miserable men, made of red earth, and quickly turn again to dust: In his first Creation, * 1.51 God made man of the dust of the earth. And this is it the Lord pronounced of all mankinde, Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return. This Job knew well, and there∣fore said, I shall say to corruption, thou art my Father, and to the worm, thou art my Mother. And to this agreeth that of the Psalmist. * 1.52 Man shall enter into the generation of his fathers, and they shall not live for ever. * 1.53 And, What man liveth, and shall not see death? And, Shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave? And, How dyeth the wise man as the fool? * 1.54 q.d. They are both made of one matter, and are both subject to death alike. * 1.55 And Moses the servant of the Lord died in the land of Moab, according to the Word of the Lord. It was not Mo∣ses greatnesse, nor Moses goodnesse, that could free him from the stroke of death. For the Reasons, see the se∣cond Doctrine of this Verse. The Uses follow.

Seeing this is the estate of all the sons of Adam, subject to misery, [Use 1] dis∣eases, sicknesses, breakings, and cru∣shings, whereby our bodies are not only deformed, our beauty and strength abated, and blasted, but at last even brought to the dust.

What madnesse and folly then is it to make such account of this poor earthly Tabernacle, as though it should last for ever, which at the best is but an earthly Pitcher, which though it go often to the water, yet at last comes broken home a House made up of mud-walls, which daily threa∣tens ruine. This shewes the fondnesse, the vanity and folly, that is in men and women, that bestow so much time in painting in decking and trim∣ming this poor carcase of clay, that we know not how soon will to the dust.

Let such proud Peacocks, and pain∣ted Tombs know, they are at the best but a piece of red clay, subject dayly to breaking and crushing. An howers ficknesse will shake the Walls of thy House, turn thy beauty into deformi∣ty, and thy strength into weaknesse:

But rather let us deck our inward man with the graces of the Spirit, because that beauty will last for ever, that beauty cannot fade with years, or sicknesse, or miseries, in the world, but will endure for ever in life and death.

Secondly, [Use 2] seeing these bodies of ours are but a plece of living clay, a little piece of red earth, and we do not know how soon this brittle frail bo∣die of ours shall return to the earth again

This may teach us to make no pro∣vision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts of it; for who will bestow much cost upon that he shall enjoy but a short time?

Will a Tenant for a yeer build, and plant, and lay out much cost, and be it much pains upon that, he must so suddenly part withall? No, he will provide for a more certain term. Where are our hearts Christians, and where are our thoughts, that we mind no more our short stay here in this world, and provide no better for an everlasting habitation?

We cannot assure our selves to con∣tinue here a year, but are at an hours warning, nay, it may be not so much. Whensoever it pleaseth the King to bid them stay that run at Tilt, either in the entrance, or at the middle of the race, then he must come again. Even so it is with us; we have a short race to run here, and when the Lord shall say, Return thou son of Adam, we must yield, and away we must.

And therefore seeing that we are at this passe; it stands us in hand to be prepared, and to be in a continuall readinesse, lest death take us tardy; and so as death leaves us, so shall the last judgment finde us.

If a man be charged to be ready for any service, upon pain of death, at an houres warning, he will be sure not to be out of the way, but alwaies in treadinesse. Well let us know, we are at lesse than an houres warning, for whensoever the Lord shall but say Return, away we must, whether pre∣pared, or not prepared death will not stay, O that men were wise, * 1.56 then would

they remember their latter end, that when the Lord comes, whether at midnight, or at the Cock-crowing, or in the dawning of the day, he may finde us so doing.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Greatest comfort to the godly in times of afflicti∣on, that they come from God. Hos. 6.1. Am. 3.6.
• * 1.2

  2 Reg. 19.6.
• * 1.3

  Lev••t 26.16, 17.
• * 1.4

  Iob 1.21.
• * 1.5

  1 Cor. 11.32.
• * 1.6

  1 Thes. 3.3.
• * 1.7

  Rev. 2.10.
• * 1.8

  Ps. 50.15.
• * 1.9

  Hos. 14.2, 3.
• * 1.10

  Ps. 50.15. Mat. 7.7. 1 Ioh. 5.14.
• * 1.11

  Ps. 48.3.
• * 1.12

  Psal. 18.3, 4. 2 Chr. 20 2 Chr. 33
• * 1.13

  Ro. 8.28.
• * 1.14

  Ps. 39.9.
• * 1.15

  1 Sam. 3.18. •• Sam. 15.26.
• * 1.16

  Exod. 15. 2 Chron. 20. Jud. 5.
• * 1.17

  Our lives are in Gods hand.
• * 1.18

  Esay 38.
• * 1.19

  Psal. 89.48.
• * 1.20

  Iob 21.23.
• * 1.21

  Gen. 3.19.
• * 1.22

  Gen. 20.
• * 1.23

  Gen. 2.17.
• * 1.24

  Ro. 5.12.
• * 1.25

  Ps. 39.5
• * 1.26

  Conlide rations to prepare for death.
• * 1.27

  Iam. 4.13, 14.
• * 1.28

  Eccles. 9.12.
• * 1.29

  Prov. 1.24, 25.26.
• * 1.30

  All men at last shall rise again.
• * 1.31

  Iob 19.23.
• * 1.32

  Esay 26.19.
• * 1.33

  1 Sam. 2.6.
• * 1.34

  1 Cor. 15. verse 13.
• * 1.35

  1 Thess. 4.14.
• * 1.36

  Rom. 14.8.
• * 1.37

  1 Cor. 15.20, 25.
• * 1.38

  Ioh. 11.
• * 1.39

  Rev. 6.11.
• * 1.40

  1 Cor. 1••.
• * 1.41

  Luke 14.
• * 1.42

  1 Thess. •••• ult.
• * 1.43

  Comforts from the Doctrine of the Resurre∣ction.
• * 1.44

  Mat. 20.19.
• * 1.45

  1 Cor. 15
• * 1.46

  Rev. 6.
• * 1.47

  Exod. 19
• * 1.48

  2 Thess. 4.4.
• * 1.49

  Acts 24.
• * 1.50

  Man a piece of living clay.
• * 1.51

  Gen. 27.
• * 1.52

  Psal. 49.19.
• * 1.53

  Psal. 89.
• * 1.54

  Eccles. 2.16.
• * 1.55

  Deut. 34.
• * 1.56

  Deut. 32.29.