Ps. xxxix. 4, 5, Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is ; that I may knoiv hoiv frail I am. Behold, thou hast made my days as an hand-breadth ; and mine age is as nothing before thee ! verily every man at his best state is altogether vanity.
THERE is nothing more painful to a pious mind than to see how generally religion is neglected and
despised. A godly man delights to speak of the things which are nearest to his heart : but he is often constrained to be silent, lest he should only induce the persons whose welfare he would promote, to blaspheme God, and to increase thereby their own guilt and condemnation. Gladly would he benefit all around him : but in many cases he perceives, that the very attempt to do so would be to " cast pearls before swine." In tenderness to them therefore, as well as from a regard to his own feelings, he imposes a restraint upon himself in their presence, and " re- frains even from good words," though it is a pain and a grief to him to do so. Such was David's situation when he penned this psalm. He was grieved to think that rational and immortal beings, standing on the very verge of eternity, should act so irrational a part : and not finding vent for his feelings amongst men, he poured them out before God in the words which we have just read ; and intreated, that, how- ever careless others were about the concerns of eternity, he might be more deeply and abidingly im- pressed with them.
Wishing that your minds may be suitably affected with this all-important subject, I will set before you, I. David's estimate of man's present state —
He acknowledges that he himself could form but a very inadequate notion respecting it —
[Speculatively indeed he knew well enough, that man's days are but few at all events, and quite uncertam as to their contmuance : but the deep, and practical, and influential sense of it he had not in any degree equal to its importance; nor could he impress it on his own soul, without the powerful assistance of God's Holy Spirit. Hence he poured forth this earnest petition to his God, " Lord, make me to know my end! make me to know how frail I am ! "
It is tlius with us also. Speculatively, the most ignorant amongst us has as perfect a knowledge of the subject as the most learned : but, practically, no one knows it, unless he have been taught of God : and even those who have " heard and learned it of the Father," need to be taught it more deeply from day to day.
That children do not reflect upon it, we do not wonder, because of the vanity of their minds, and their almost entire