Difcourfe V.

THE DESIGN AND IMPROVEMENT OF USELESS DAYS, AND WEARISOME NIGHTS.

JOB VII. 3.

So am I made to poffefs months of vanity, and wearifome nights are appointed to me.

T is an obfervation of Mr. Addison,

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that "inquiries after happiness, and rules for attaining it, are not, on fome accounts, so neceflary and useful to mankind, as the arts of confolation, and fupporting one's felf under affliction." Convinced of this, from the frequent fcenes of distress to which I have been a witness, I think I can fcarce engage in a more benevolent design than to offer affiftance and comfort to my fuffering fellow-creatures. The book of Job furnisheth us with excellent materials

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materials for this defirable work. pofe at this time to confider that circumftance of Job's affliction which is mentioned in the text, as it particularly fuits the cafe of the aged, whom I am now more immediately to addrefs. This holy man is defcribing his melancholy fituation, and the fad effects of his bodily disorders. These increafed the weight of his other calamities, and made him defirous of death, as the only fure relief. "As a fervant," saith he, "after a hard day's labour, earnestly defireth the fhadow of the evening, and as a hireling looketh for the reward of his work, fo do I long for my release from this mifery (for thus the fenfe must be fupplied) fince I am made to poffefs months of vanity, that is, useless and unprofitable months; and wearifome nights, painful, restless nights, are appointed to me: I poffefs them as my inheritance;" (for fo the word fignifies.)- -From hence we may obferve,

I. That useless days, and wearifome nights, may be the portion of the best of

men.

II. When it is fo, they are to be confidered as the appointment of Providence, and improved accordingly.

1. Ufe

1. Ufelefs days, and wearifome nights, may be allotted to the beft of men ;

To thofe who, like Job, are righteous and upright in the fight of God, and have been, like him, healthy, vigorous and useful. Months of vanity are months void of health, activity and usefulness: and these come as a kind of inheritance to us; for "man is born to trouble, as the fparks naturally fly upwards." This is almost always the cafe of the aged. The days of old age are called" the evil days, in which there is not pleafure"-no earthly pleasure. But this to an aged chriftian is not fo grievous, as that they are months of vanity, in which he is capable of doing little for the glory of God, and the good of his fellow creatures. This is fometimes owing to the decay of the faculties; fo that the poor fufferer becomes ignorant, forgetful and helpless, like a child. Sometimes it arifes from the decay of bodily ftrength and vigour, and a continued fucceffion of aches and forrows; fo that the afflicted perfon cannot move at all, or not without much pain; or all his vital actions are attended with a certain uneafinefs, which is fometimes lefs tolera

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ble than pain itself.

Hence an ancient

writer calls old age "a middle ftate between health and ficknefs." When nature bears

much, it can do little. The man is unfit for business; he becomes liftlefs in religious duties, yea, can scarce do any thing that will turn to account. This is often the cafe with others befides the aged, when they are vifited with acute difeafes, or labour under a lingering illness. Through weaknefs of body, and pining fickness, they (as Job expreffeth it) "never eat with pleafure," and can neither work nor move with any life or comfort. It is fome relief, in fuch a cafe, for the fufferer to have a good night, and refreshing fleep, and thereby get a little ftrength to difcharge the duties of life, or to bear its burdens. But Job had, and many have, wearisome nights appointed to them. Some are" vifited with pain on their beds, and the multitude of their bones with ftrong pain." Some, if they lie down, cannot breathe, and muft therefore be fupported in an uneafy pofture. Others, through difagreeable fenfations, are reftlefs; and the little fleep they have is disturbed and unrefreshing. Sometimes dejection

dejection of spirit brings on a variety of fears; which, though groundlefs and unreasonable, are as troublesome as if they were just, and cannot be conquered. There is often an uneafiness and restleffness of mind without any apparent caufe, which drives away fleep, or makes it very unquiet. In weak conftitutions, a little change in the air and weather deprives them of this refreshment. Anxious thoughts, and the preffure of other afflictions, deftroy the repose of the night; fo that the fufferer cannot forget his forrows by fleep, but they haunt his very dreams. He fometimes counts the hours in a long fucceffion: the time appears dreadfully tedious; and he arifes in the morning weakened and tired, inftead of being refreshed. Thus Job defcribes his cafe, in the verfe following the text, and many feel the justice of his defcription: "When I lie down, I fay, When fhall I arife, and the night be gone? and I am full of toffings to and fro unto the dawning of the day. My bed doth not comfort me, nor my couch eafe my complaint." This is fometimes the cafe with God's dearest children, and efpecially of the aged.

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