1. WHAT THESE DECLARATIONS CONCERNING MAN IMPLY.

"Man is of few days."-Not taking in the whole duration of his existence. If we fall into the lake of fire, our days will not be few. If we come to "Mount Zion, the city of the living GOD, the heavenly Jerusalem," &c., our days will not be few.But our days are few on earth; few in which to possess or enjoy any thing here; few to suffer any thing. The days of our trial are few; although the consequences everlasting. The days allotted us for rising out of the ruins of our fall are few; for recovering the knowledge and love, the favour, image, and communion of God; for working out our salvation; for serving God and our generation; for bringing forth the fruits of righteousness, and laying up for ourselves treasure in the heavens.-They are few compared with GoD's eternity; (Psal. xc. 2, 4;) with the life of the antediluvians. In the Hebrew, the words of the text are ❝ short of days," or days curtailed and contracted, from what they were in the first ages. They are few in themselves; not only a few years, or months, or weeks, but few days. (Psslm xxxix. 4, 5; xc. 10.)

"Life's little stage is a small eminence,

Inch-high, the grave above; that home of man,
Where dwells the multitude."-

." By life's passing breath, blown up from earth,
Light as the summer's dust, we take in air,
A moment's giddy flight, and fall again;
Join the dull mass, increase the trodden soil,
And sleep till earth herself shall be no more."

שבע רגן

❝ And full of trouble.”—Man is not only short-lived, says one, but sad-lived. Although he had but a few days here, yet, if he might rejoice in those few, it were well; but it is not so. During those few days, he is not only troubled, but full of trouble. Hebrew -ya, "satur trepida corporis et animi commotionis," full of disquietude and commotion in mind and body. The word is used of Abraham, (Gen. xxv. 8,) “an old man and full of years." Nothing that belongs to man is exempt from the attack of trouble. He is vulnerable in his character, by reproach, and slander; in his property, by losses, fraud, and violence; in his body, by various accidents, disease, and pain, from his infancy to his dissolution. His understanding, memory, conscience, will, affections, may all administer to his trouble. In his feelings and

sympathies with his relations, friends, his wife, children, &c., he is afflicted in their affliction, and troubled in their trouble. The more his family is multiplied, the more is he exposed to be wounded, through their misconduct or suffering, and his own toil and care for them. A day seldom passes without some cause of vexation and distress; some hurry; some disorder or other. He is satur tremore. The fewness of his days creates him continual trouble and uneasiness in the expectation of their close, and he always hangs in doubt of his life.

"He cometh forth like a flower;" which grows, expands, and is opened by degrees from the bud; which blossoms, appearing fair and beautiful, diffusing a sweet fragrance, and promising fruit.-Observe the child gradually formed in the womb, from the punctum saliens, the first principle of life, to the brain and spinal marrow; the head, heart; senses, members, afterwards protruded and opened by degrees.-When born, his understanding and all his faculties are gradually developed.-Öbserve him going forth into the world; probably favourable connexions and prospects open and extend themselves. He may be compared to a beautiful flower, both in body and mind!

"The morning flow'rs display their sweets,
And, gay, their silken leaves unfold;

As careless of the noon-day heats,

As fearless of the evening cold.

So blooms the human face divine,

When youth its pride of beauty shows;
Fairer than spring the colours shine,

And sweeter than the virgin-rose."

The flower, perhaps, is fragrant, and diffuses all around instruction, edification, and comfort, as an agreeable and reviving odour, (2 Cor. ii. 14,) bringing forth the fruits of righteousness, through JESUS CHRIST, to the praise and glory of GoD.-But "he cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down ;"-perhaps in infancy, in the getting teeth, by convulsions, by the measles, or other complaints ;-in youth, by a consumption, a fever, or what is called an accident.-If not in these ways, by the sure and gradual decays of nature. "The grass," which supports the flower, "withereth." (Psal. xxxvii. 2.) But the flower generally fails before the grass :—the health, strength, youth, beauty; the judgment, memory, and intellectual endowments; the eyesight, hearing, feeling, taste, often fail before the life expires. If not, they wither together. (Jam. i. 10, 11.)

There is some, though little, solidity in the flower; but, behold, man is as "a shadow." "What is your life?" says St. James; "it is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." Nay, it is a shadow, in which there is appearance without substance, being caused by the obstruction of the light through the interposition of an opaque body, and being subject to constant variation, from the progress of the sun in the heavens, till, at length, it disappear, and is mingled with the shades of the evening. Thus the tragic Poet,

“Life's but a walking shadow."

And as this term expresses an imperfect and faint representation, in opposition to the substance of any thing, we may observe the greatest excellencies, found amongst mankind, are but some shadows of the divine perfection. And the best men are not so properly images of GOD, as shadows of his nature, wisdom, goodness, holiness, and dominion.

We consider,

II. THE INQUIRY FOUNDED THEREON.

"Dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?"

Dost thou, whose days have had no beginning, "open thine eyes" and notice one of yesterday? Thou, who art eternal, whose years" are throughout all generations," and "have no end," look on one of "few days." Dost thou, who art infinitely happy, look on one " full of trouble?" Thou who art independent, on a "flower," derived from seed, depending on the sun, the rain, the earth, and which is to be "cut down?" Thou, the selfexistent and immutable, on 66 a shadow" that passeth by? Thou, "the Creator of the ends of the earth," who "createdst the heavens and stretchedst them out, who spreadest forth the earth and that which cometh out of it, who givest bread unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein," (Isai. xlii. 5,) on a mean and vile creature? "When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou visitest him?" (Psalm viii. 3, 4.) Dost thou, who art infinite in wisdom, (6 open thine eyes," upon one living in a dark cottage of clay? Thou, the Almighty, on one without strength, "crushed before the moth?" (Job iv. 19.) Thou, the

Thou, the great Go "What is man that

Holy One of Israel, on a polluted sinner? vernor of the universe, on a slave of sin? thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him? and that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?" (Job vii. 17, 18.)

Dost thou " open thine eyes," " to notice his conduct, his actions, his words, and even "the thoughts that come into his mind?" Yes; "The eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him." (2 Chron. xvi. 9.) Не "visits him every morning, and tries him every moment."

Dost thou" open thine eyes" upon such an one, and "enter into judgment" with him, "correcting" him in measure for his offences? Yes; Whom the LORD loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth." (Prov. iii. 12; Heb. xii. 6.)

Dost thou, the most just and righteous, "open thine eyes," and pity and compassionate such an one? Yes; "The LORD is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works." (Psal. cxlv. 9.)

Dost thou so compassionate such an one, as to redeem and save him? Yes; "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John iii. 16.) "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of CHRIST, as of a lamb, without blemish and without spot." (1 Pet. i. 18, 19.) He is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe." (1 Tim. iv. 10.)

Dost thou, the Judge of angels, and of the heavenly hierarchies, enter into judgment with worms of the earth? Yes; "The Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him; then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory; and before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats." (Matt. xxv. 31, 32.) "GOD shall judge the secrets of men by JESUS CHRIST." (Rom. ii. 16.) "GoD shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." (Eccles. xii. 14.) “I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged out of those things

which were written in the books, according to their works” (Rev. xx. 11, 12.)

But will any consequences follow this solemn investigation? Yes; for man was formed after GoD's image, intelligent, free, accountable. Hence GOD "will render to every man according to his deeds," &c. (Rom. ii. 6, &c.) "Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be." (Rev. xxii. 12.) "These shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal." (Matt. xxv. 46.)

INFERENCES.

Are the days of man ❝ few?" Then ought we not to consider this, and, instead of building our tabernacles here, prepare to remove into another world?—The days of our trial being few, ought we not to watch and pray, that we may conduct ourselves so as to be approved?—Are only a few days allotted us to rise out of the ruins of our fallen state? to work out our salvation? Then ought we not to improve them, and that without delay? Do we think these few days too many? Can we afford to waste, or throw away any of them? Is it wise? is it safe so to do?

Are our days "full of trouble?" Then why should we be attached to the present life, or the present world, in which we have so much trouble? Why unwilling to go, where trouble is no more? (Rev. xxi. 4.)

Are we "cut down as a flower?" soon? unexpectedly? and "flee as a shadow?" Then, let us not dare to defer turning to GOD one day or hour. Let us not build on the vapour or fleeting shadow of human life.

But, insignificant and frail as we are, the LORD's eyes, it seems, are fixed upon us? Then let us admire his condescension. Does he observe our whole conduct? Let us then act as those who are under his eye.

Moreover, does he "open his eyes" upon us, in our fallen, sinful, and miserable state, with pity and compassion? and has he redeemed us, and is he willing to save us? Then let us confide in his mercy and love. Let us give ourselves up entirely to him, and apply, by faith in prayer for his salvation, complying cheerfully, readily, and resolutely with the terms on which he hath promised it in his Son, JESUS CHRIST.

To bring us to this, does he enter "into judgment" with us, by