MAN THAT IS BORN OF A WOMAN - Robert Murray Mcchene
“Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down: he fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.” —Job xiv., 1, 2.
THREE things are taught us in these words.
1. The beauty of man: “He cometh forth like a flower.”— Verse 2. There is something beautiful about man. He was made at first in the image of God; and though sin has blighted and defaced that image, yet there are the traces of God’s workmanship to be seen in man still. His body is fearfully and wonderfully made; and the soul, though wholly averse from God by nature, is yet a lost piece of silver. 2. He is short-lived: “Of few days—he cometh forth like a flower.” When Pharaoh asked Jacob how old he was, although he was one hundred and thirty years old, he said: “Few and evil have the days of the years of my life been,”— few, compared with the life of other men. Some of the patriarchs lived nine hundred years; Methuselah nine hundred and sixtynine. How few are our days compared with this! few, compared to eternity—few, when we think of the work to be done. 3. Full of trouble. If his few days were all full of joy, it would not be so sad a case, but they are full of trouble; and those that are most anxious for worldly pleasure generally have deepest troubles. Troubles of the body, and of the mind, and of the estate, come upon the back of one another like wave upon wave.
We have had solemn experience of these truths within these few days. There have been five solemn deaths, all connected with our parish, and, taken together, they form a practical commentary on these words. 1. Two children died, both lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death not far divided. They were full of promise, and their fond relatives looked forward to their being a joy and comfort to them. They came forth like a flower, and were cut down. 2. A young man in his prime. He had reached the vigor of manhood, and thought to see many good days in the land of the living; but God changed his countenance, and he has passed away. 3. Another was the blooming mother of eight blooming children, beloved and admired by all around her, with all this world could give to make her happy; but the cry came at midnight. She came forth like a flower, and was cut down. 4. The last was an aged man, called upon, after long forbearance, to give in his account. How solemn the lesson! The child—the young man—the mother—the hoary hea —are all laid low this day! “Man that is born of a woman is of few days.”
1. Learn the need of immediate conversion. Some of you are angry that I speak so much of conversion; but, ah! when I stand beside these open graves, I am ashamed of myself for speaking so little. “Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” “Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.”
Children, seek conversion now, for little children die. These new-made graves are less than yours would be. Young men, seek conversion now, for young men die—they are cut down in their prime. Mothers, do not say you will seek conversion afterwards, when your family are grown, and you have more leisure; seek it now, for mothers die. Old men, do not say this is nothing to you. Others may die, but you must die; and therefore the lesson comes doubly home to you: Seek conversion now.
2. Learn the folly of living in pleasure. There is no net by which the devil catches more souls than the silken one of worldly pleasure. It is common for worldly people to take it for granted that there is no harm in these things. Children are fond of games; young people delight in dances, and songs, and laughter; coarser spirits love the glass, and the glee, and the coarse debauch; more polished circles love the ball, and the concert, and the play; and old withered dames, and swearing captains, tottering on the brink of eternity, could hardly sleep at night without their hand at whist. Where is the harm? Sit down upon yon grave, and ask the dead. Are you not Christless; unpardoned; unholy; on the road to hell. Are your days not numbered? May you not be cut down this night? Where would you be if you were hurried away from the dance, or the play, or the card-table, to the presence of your Judge? “Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment.” “Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?” “She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” This is the time for seeking conversion.
Are we to have no pleasure, then? Yes, in Christ—holy pleasures, such as are at God’s right hand for evermore. Ah! I nave tasted all the pleasures of time, and they are not worth one drop of Christ’s sweet love.
3. Learn to seek one another’s souls. Ah! there is no place for teaching ministers how to speak like the death-bed. I often feel that I have never preached at all, when I look upon the faces of the dying! O pray for me, that I may go out and in among you more faithfully; that I may speak more boldly, and not fear your anger or reproaches! You will not be angry with me when you are dead. You will not say l preached too plainly then.
Brethren in the eldership! Come and help me in this. You see our people are dying; hundreds are now in eternity who were once under your care and mine.
Dear teachers! Teach the children plainly, for children die. Do not mind their impatience and waywardness. Remember they are dying children—Death’s mark is on them. The forester puts a mark round the trees that are to be cut down. Every child has got Death’s mark.
Parents! Seek your children’s souls from infancy. Pray for them before they are born. Travail in birth with them till Christ be formed in them. Do not say they are too young, and cannot understand. ‘ God can teach babes.
O if you neglect this, will you not regret it when the green sod lies on their breast ?
4. Learn how unable you are to bear the wrath of God. In the time of health and strength, it is common for men to boast against God. They are not in trouble as other men, neither are they plagued like other men: therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain. They can sin with a high hand. But when they are brought to the brink of the grave by fever or wasting consumption; when they need some one to turn them on their bed, or to hold up their fainting head, or to feed them with a spoon like a child; then we see that a sinner is nothing in the hands of an angry God. And O what will it be in eternity, when he falls into the hands of the Jiving God! ‘ Perhaps he doubted whether there was a God; but all of a sudden he sees there is a God. He thought there was no Christ—in a moment he meets his holy eye. He thought there was no hell, and laughed at those who believed it— in a moment he is tossing among its fiery waves; and now he feels it must be eternal. After a thousand years it is but beginning, and no nearer an end. The soul will sink into insupportable gloom; it will wish to die, and not be able. “What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath, fitted to destruction? O brethren, flee from the wrath to come! You cannot bear it . Can you bear a fever, or the stroke of palsy, or a stroke of lightning, or wasting consumption? and these are but the little finger of God’s anger.
5. Learn the preciousness of Jesus. a Man is of few days,” but “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever.” How amazing the love of Christ, that he died for us—such poor, weak flowers, and worms of a day! How safe we are in Jesus! Although we are nothing—fleeing like a shadow—yet in him we abide for ever. Our very dust is precious dust to him. Body and soul he will bring with him, and we shall reign for ever and ever. O you that are in Christ, prize him! You that are in doubt, solve it now by running to him. You that are out of him. choose him now.
Dundee, February 20, 1842.