Psalm 8:4
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Man is but a piece of clay That is animated by thy heavenly breath, And when that breath thou takest away, He is clay again by death. He is not worthy of the least Of all Thy mercies at the best.
Worse than a beast is man, Who after thine own image made at first, Became the divel's sonne by sin. And can A thing be more accurst? Yet thou thy greatest mercy hast On this accursed creature cast.
Thou didst thyself abase, And put off all thy robes of majesty, Taking his nature to give him thy grace, To save his life didst dye. He is not worthy of the least Of all thy mercies; one's a feast.
Lo! man is made now even With the blest angels, yea, superiour farre, Since Christ sat down at God's right hand in heaven, And God and man one are. Thus all thy mercies man inherits, Though not the least of them he merits. Thomas Washbourne, D.D., 1654.
Verse 4. What is man?
(Ver. 4-8) -- What is man, etc.:
Nothing hath got so farre, But man hath caught and kept it, as his prey. His eyes dismount the highest starre: He is in little all the sphere. Herbs gladly cure our flesh, because that they Finde their acquaintance there.
For us the windes do blow; The earth doth rest, heaven move, and fountains flow. Nothing we see, but means our good, As our delight, or as our treasure: The whole is, either our cupboard of food, Or cabinet of pleasure.
The starres have us to bed: Night draws the curtain, which the sun withdraws: Musick and light attend our head. All things unto our flesh are kinde In their descent and being; to our minde In their ascent and cause.
Each thing is full of dutie: Waters united are our navigation; Distinguished, our habitation; Below, our drink; above, our meat: Both are our cleanlinesse. Hath one such beautie? Then how are all things neat!
More servants wait on man, Than he will take notice of: in every path He treads down that which doth befriend him, When sicknesse makes him pale and wan, Oh, mightie love! Man is one world, and hath Another to attend him.
HINTS FOR PASTORS AND LAYPERSONS
Verse 4. Man's insignificance. God's mindfulness of man. Divine visits. The question, "What is man?" Each of these themes may suffice for a discourse, or they may be handled in one sermon.