And welfare those afflictions that send us home to God By this dealing of the Lord with a Nation and with a people Reas 3 by sharp and sore afflictions the Lord is pleased to humble them and thereby to fit them for mercy and deliverance And this is no other thing then what the Lord himself hath promised If a Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their wickednesse Ier. 18.5 I will repent of the plague that I thought to have brought upon them Thus Niniveh prevented her Judgement And this is the right way to stop the breach of Gods wrath and to call in his Judgements when they are gone out against us This serves to shew the monstrous impiety and prophanesse of this age Use 1 and time wherein we live that do not thus mark and observe the dealing of God with us We have seen the hand of God in a grievous manner upon the Land in generall The Lord hath rode Circuit amongst us and what Country nay what Family hath not suffered in these times the sword hath been in the bowells of this Nation and hath drunk much blood The Lord hath likewise sent forth other messengers of his anger against us as unseasonable years at one time making the fruits of the earth dung for the earth at another time making the Heavens as Brasse and the Earth as Iron that the Creature hath mourned to teach us to mourn and now again by an universall sicknesse and disease the like whereof no age can remember when so many are sick and weak and taken away by death Yet who makes this use of it as Moses and the people of God here who is humbled under Gods hand who mournes for sin the cause of all No no we can be content to passe over the Lords dealing thus with the Land as if these Judgements concerned us not we lay them not to heart Surely it is to be feared that the Lord wil come nearer unto us yet in the end Take we heed that it be not found true of us which the Lord speaketh I called for sackcloath and fasting Esa 22.13 14. but behold mirth eating and drinking c. when was there ever the like excesse of drinking then at this day but what saith the Lord This inquity shall not be purged untill ye die Secondly Use 2 this Doctrine serves to direct us what we ought to do and how wee ought to carry our selves in times of Common Calamitie Not to be gazers and lookers on of Gods Judgements But to search and try our waies to discover the sins of the Land and the evills of the times which should thus provoke the Lord to punish us in a different manner then our Forefathers in former ages as Moses here Surely it is a dangerous fin heedlesly to passe by Gods dealing with us at this time from former times How can we be humbled aright for our present miseries if we do not consider hiâ— former mercies This were to deprive God of his glory and our selves of confidence and comfort Lord thou hast been our dwelling place WE are farther to observe in this prayer of Moses Text. how they begin their prayer viz. with putting the Lord in mind of his former mercies shewed unto their Forefathers in times past and in former generations Thou hast been a Covert unto our Forefathers and good unto them guiding directing and protecting them Note hence That it is a speciall motive and reason to plead in prayer Doct. 3 To plead Gods former mercies a good Motive for futute to move the Lord to pitty and compassion to put him in mind of his former mercies and deliverances bestowed either upon us or our Forefathers The Prophet out of experience of former mercies prayeth for the continuance thereof Lord thou hast been favourable to the Land Ps 85.2 3 4. thou hast brought back the captivitie of Jacob. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people thou hast covered all their sinne Thou hast taken away all thy wrath thou hast turned thy self from the fiercenesse of thine anger c. And hence he grounds his request to God Turn us O God of our salvation Ver. 4 and cause thine anger towards us to cease And thus do Nehemiah and Daniel begin their prayers for the Church Nehc. 1. Dan. 9. they mind the Lord of his Covenant and mercifull promise to his people And thus David persecuted by Saul hee pleads his cause with God thus Ps 4.1 Hear me O God of my righteousnesse thou hast set me at liberty c. Hee minds God of his former mercies and deliverances and thereby is confimed in his faith and confidence that God would not now leave him at this time of distresse And so when he was to go out against Goliah 1 Sam. 17.34 hee calls to minde the Lords mercifull deliverance from the Lyon and the Bear and grounds his hope of successe at this time also upon it And this hath been the care of Gods people to keep a Catalogue of Gods mercies and deliverances to strengthen Ps 22.21 their prayers in the like time of danger yea so carefull have the people of God been to keep in memory former mercies and deliverances that they have raised up monuments and given name to prisons times and places for perpetuall records of mercies and deliverances as Jehosophat called the place wherein the Lord had given him the victory 2 Chron. 20.26 to be called the valley of Beracha and the Jewes it is thought have their Purim to this day This is to give the Lord the honour and glory of his works Reas 1 when they are kept in remembrance 1 Sam. 12.24 Consider how great things God hath done for you saith Samuel to the people that his glorious works might be kept in remembrance amongst them Yea this is such a duty that we are often to presse upon our hearts Ps 103.2 as David did Blesse the Lord O my soul and for get not his benefits We cannot honour God more then to mind him of his former mercies and deliverances This makes a believer bold with God as we are with a trusty friend that we have had experience of It serves to strengthen our faith to quel our doubts and fears and causeth us with much confidence to rely on him Besides Reas 2 it is one of the greatest comforts in times of extreamities and dangers the experience we have had of Gods goodnesse and mercy Experience saith the Apostle worketh hope God being the same ever to his people In him is no variablenesse Jam. 1.17 nor shadow of change And hence it is that the godly in times of adversity can hold up their heads with comfort when wicked men are at their witts end and many times overwhelmed with sorrow This serves for our Direction Use 1 how to begin our prayers unto God the better to move him to pitty and to have compassion upon us viz. to remember the former mercies of
live and die in their sins Cain cries but why My punishment is greater then I can bear Pharaoh is troubled for what O take away this Plague of Thunder and Hail 1 Sam. 15.24 Saul mourns for what The losse of his Kingdome Ahab puts on sack-cloth for what For the evill threatned against his house O the deceitfulnesse of mans heart Here is the sorrow in wicked men let but the judgment be removed and Pharaoh hardens his heart again It is not sin as it is a breach of Gods Law neither is it the apprehension of Gods displeasure they so much care for or look after as the punishment of sin that thus affects them But now come to a child of God a gratious heart indeed that hath in it the work of grace his sorrow is principally for the evill of sin that God hath been offended and his righteous Law violate and if there were no danger at all in sin either of shame punishment here or hereafter yet this wounds their souls and grieves their hearts that they have dishonoured God and brought upon them Gods displeasure Beloved when we come once to see sin in this glasse in the glasse of the Law and in the wounds of Christ as it offends God and provokes his wrath then shall we mourn kindly for our sins and this sorrow will cause that repentance that is not to be repented of Secondly Use 2 seeing the anger of God is so terrible as no creature is able to bear it In thy wrath are we troubled this should stir us up to labour for reconciliation with God David that knew what it was to lie under the burthen of Gods displeasure exhorts us to kisse the Son lest he be angry Ps 2.12 If his wrath be kindled yea but a little saith he they only are blessed that trust in him And as this should make us affraid to provoke him to anger so when we perceive that he is offended as at this day the Lord hath shewed many tokens of his displeasure against the Land to look about us and to labour for reconciliation to come in unto him by Repentance and Humiliation for he is a strong God yea a consuming fire to all rebellious sinners When Jacob heard that Esau was angry with him he presently sends a present and speaks very mildly to his Brother Tell my Lord Esau c. And when Nabal had provoked David we see how Abâ—gal she came with her present to intreat for her life So when any great man is offended O what riding and running and labouring to win his favour again O where are our hearts that we labour no more for reconciliation with our God whose anger is provoked against the land this day But alas we are little moved with these signes of his wrath and tokens of his displeasure Verse 8. Thou hast set our iniquities before thee and our secret sins in the light of thy countenance IN these words Moses sets down the more nearer and more proper cause of all those grievous judgments of God upon them viz. their sins Wherein they confesse that the Lord had not only called to a reckoning and account their great sins of infidelity and murmuring against Moses and Aaron but even their most secret sins which they committed closly and whereof none else could accuse them In the practice of this people here Doct. 1 we may note this speciall point in generall namely Sight of sin ground of humiliation for sin That it is impossible for any truly to be humbled and to seek unto God unlesse they come first to see their sins the greatnesse and hainousnesse of them For so long as this people lived in sin and rebelled against God so long they stood out and were no whit humbled to seek unto God But now that the Lord by these heavy afflictions and grievous judgments upon them having tamed them and brought them under now they begin to enter into their own hearts and to call their waies to accompt Thus the Prophet directing the Church to this necessary duty of repentance when Gods judgments lay so heavy upon them exhorts them thus Lam. 3.40 Let us search and try our waies and turn unto the Lord implying thereby that there could be no true humiliation for sin nor turning to God by unfained repentance till they had first found out their sins It was a sad complaint that the Lord takes up of his people Ier. 8.6 No man repented him of his wickednesse saying What have I done And no marvell there was no repentance for sin because they never questioned their own waies to discover their sins And hence it is that the Lord commands his Prophet Ezek. 16.2 To cause Jerusalem to know her abhominations And to shew Israel her transgressions Es 58.1 and the house of Jacob her sins Conviction of sin is the Lords method that he useth to bring his people to repentance for sin Thus was David convinced of his sins by Nathan 2 Sam. 12.7 Acts. 2.23 Lam. 3.19 the Jewes by Peter And this is acknowledged by the lamenting Church Remember my affliction the wormwood and the gall my soul hath them in remembrance and is humbled In remembring I remembred an Hebraism that is by reason of thy afflicting hand upon me I came to search out the cause thereof which was my sins the happy fruit whereof was their repentance and their seeking of God So that the point is clear and plain that till we come to see sin with the odiousnesse thereof we cannot be humbled nor seek unto God Because none can repent him of that whereof he is ignorant Reas till the Lord be first pleased to open our eyes and let us see wherein we have offended and provoked his wrath against us we can never humble our souls as we ought before him It was David's sence of the heavy burthen of his sins that made him flie to God for pardon Make me to hear the voice of joy and of gladnesse Psal 32. that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Secondly Reas 2 the sight of sin is necessary to true humiliation for sin in regard it qualifies the soul for Christ for we shall never seek to Christ nor rest upon Christ till we feel the heavy burthen of sin The whole need not the Physician Lu. 5.31 but those that are sick And Christ calls such as travell and are heavy laden to come unto him Mat. 11.28 Neither will God ever bestow his saving benefits upon such that neither see their wants of them nor will not esteem them This serves first of all to direct the Ministers of the Word Use 1 that as they desire to see the fruits of their Ministry what foundation they ought to lay to do good to the souls of their people they are to take that course and to use those means that God hath chalked out unto them in his Word viz. To convince their hearers of their sins that so
weight of vengeance he will at last lay upon them Inasmuch as their sin went not alone but had joyned with it that cursed Atheisme of the heart that God saw them not and that there was not knowledge with the Most High Whereas God ever takes them in the manner and will bring in evidence against them at last These things hast â—hou done Ps 50.21 and I kept silence and thou thoughtest that I was such an one as â—hy self But I will reprove thee and set them in order before thee Secondly Use 2 seeing our most secret sins are in the light of his countenance why then should we labour so much to avoid grosse sins in our lives such as bring a blot upon our Names and shame before men And in the mean time make no reckoning at all of lesser sins but foster and cherish in our bosomes noisome lusts and sinful affections as Envy Wrath Malice Pride Uncleannesse c. which makes us odious and abominable in the sight of God who sees and knows the heart and takes notice not onely of the grosse evils of our lives but of the most hidden corruptions of our hearts Yea more consider with thy self that the Lord knows thy heart better then thy self doest Ro. 8.27 for he is the fearcher of the heart when thou hast been most careful to search into thy thy heart he knows more by thee then thou by thy self And this made David pray so earnestly Ps 19.12 Cleanse thou me from my secret faults O then how careful should we be to avoid not onely the grosser evils of our lives but to purge our hearts from evill thoughts unclean thoughts malicious thoughts and those most secret sins that lie lurking in our souls There is no deceit of Satan like unto this to sin under hope of secrecy Iob 24.15 The Eye of the Adulterer saith Job waiteth for the twylight and saith No eye shall see me Ier. 29.23 But what saith the Lord I have seen the lewdnesse of thy whoredomes even I know and am a witnesse saith the Lord. The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding good and evil Adams bushes could not hide him from God nor the keele of the ship secure Jonas but God could finde them out And last of all seeing our most secret sins are in the light of his countenance what a care then ought Christians to have in all those holy duties they perform to God that they labour to approve their hearts to him in doing them that they be performed with all sincerity and singlenesse of heart as in his Presence The Lord knows with what minde you come to the Word with what minde you come to the Sacrament with what hearts you come to prayer or any duty you perform to him Why should we halt and dissemble with him who is the searcher of the heart Wicked men and the prophanest hypocrite may in outward shew match the best Christian he will frequent the Assemblies of Gods people hear the Word receive the Sacrament pray c. and carry himself very fairly in outward appearance as the best You shall have Cain sacrificing as well as Abel Esau begging a blessing as earnestly as Jacob Saul confessing his sin as well as David Ahab humbling himself as well as Hezekiah and the Pharisee praying as well as the Publican But here is the difference a godly Christian in all these duties seeks to approve himself to God doing all things with a single heart with a sincere heart as in Gods presence as Nathaniel Behold a true Israelite in whom there is no guile He doth all things as to the Lord Christ knowing that the All-seeing eye of God is upon him V. 9. For all our dayes are passed away in thy wrath we spend our years as a tale that is told IN this Verse Moses proceeds to set forth their miserable condition now in the wildernesse and how far unlike their estate and condition was unto other Nations and people in the world in that their life was not onely short but they were suddenly swept away in Gods wrath so as the very Heathen themselves that knew not God seemed not to lie under the like misery as they did We learn hence Doct. 1 Godly suffers many times when the wicked flourish that there is ground of sorrow and humiliation to Gods people when their estate and condition is worse then Gods enemies when the Lord shall be so far provoked by the sins of his people to lay his hand more heavy upon them then upon the wicked this wounds the godly at the heart and fends them with complaints to God See more of this ver 7. the first Doctrine All our dayes MOses and the people of God do here acknowledge that their miseries and afflictions lasted not for a few dayes or a few years but All their dayes Forty years together whilest they were in the wildernesse after their coming out of Aegypt they were miserably wasted and consumed in Gods wrath Hence observe That the afflictions of the Church and people of God Doct. 2 Gods hand somtimes long upon his people may and do sometimes last long even All their dayes for say they All our dayes are past away in thy wrath Their miseries and afflictions were not onely great and sharp but long and lasting It was Jacobs case that godly Patriarch that wrestled with the Angel and would not let him go till he had a blessing yet he loosed his thigh that Jacob went halting all his dayes It was a daughter of Abraham that was possessed of a Devil eighteen yeares the poor woman in the Gospel had an issue of blood many yeares together And this was the case and condition of the Church and people of God they served as bondslaves in Aegypt four hundred yeares together and their Captivity afterwards in Babylon was for the space of seventy yeares And that place in Zachary is clear Then the Angel of the Lord answered and said O Lord of Hosts Zach. 1.12 how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the Cities of Judah against whom thou hast had indignation these threescore years and ten Thus did those ten general Persecutions last upon the Church three hundred yeares untill the Reign of Constantine And if we look unto particular Examples we shall finde that such as have been near and dear unto God have laine under piercing sorrows and sore afflictions a long time together As we may see in Job of whom the Lord himself gives this testimony That he was the justest man upon the eâ—â—rth yet exercised with such sore afflictions as that he complaineth in the bitternesse of his soul that the arrows of the Almighty are in me Iob 6.4 the venome whereof drinks up my spirit And again 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against me 19.11 and makest me to possesse the iniquities of my youth And He hath kindled his wrath against me and counted me
have here no grace in perfection Reas 2 in regard this world is not the place of our perfect happinesse God hath appoynted Heaven for our home where all tears shall be wiped away from our eyes and sin from our soule here wee sigh desiring to be cloathed upon 2 Cor. 5.2 Rom. 8.24 we are saved now by hope our happinesse is not in present possession but in reversion This serves both discover unto us the misery of such Vse 1 and how far they are from the work of grace in their souls that are so far from discovering any such wants and imperfections in themselves and in their graces as that pharisaically they brag and boast of their strong faith and that they should be sorry to live to doubt of their Salvation when they heare of the moanes and complaints of the Godly complayning of their want of faith the hardnesse of their hearts and their backwardness indisposition to any good Duty c. they wonder at them they would not be in their case for all the world they never felt such doubts and feares in themselves Surely these are the most miserable men in the world they shew that the strong man hath taken possession of their souls that thus holds them in this damnable Security there is but a step betwixt such a one and hell thy case is fearefull it is a signe that thou ar thardned in thy sin and art far from the worke of grace in thy soule Mat. 5. wo unto such as now laugh for they shall wayle and weepe and Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Such as have had the greatest measure of Grace have found many wants and imperfections in their graces as Moses here and not to be sensible of our wants and imperfections is an argument of the want of the truth of grace in such asoule Secondly Vse 2 this may serve for matter of comfort and consolation unto such as do unfaynedly love and feare God and are troubled much with doubtings and feares and discover more more in themselves their wants and imperfections in all their graces and in all their duties know O know that thy case is not singular neither art thou alone in these complaints many of Gods deare children are full of them My faith is weake my hope feeble my love is cold and I find so much backwardnesse and coldnesse in duties O what shall I doe I feare my estate is not good I confesse here is just cause of trouble and complaint in the Godly when they find this to be their case that grace is no more vigorous and active in them and when they want the Sensible assurance of Gods favour and love But such must stay themselves upon this that a man may be in the state of grace and yet want the assurance of it in himselfe A man may have faith in him and yet conclude against it What a case was David in when he complayneth thus Psal 13.1 2. How long-wilt thou forget me O Lord how long wilt thou hide thy face from me How long shall I take counsell in my soule and have sorrow in my heart His heart must needs be ful of sorrow when God hides his face from him But yet God turned againe and spake peace to his servant and fild him at last with the joy of his salvation and thus will the mourning and sadnesse of Gods Children bring a joyfull harvest at last when these doubts and feares shall vanish away their hearts shall be filled with comfort Vers 12. Teach us O Lord to Number our dayes that mee may apply our herts to wisdome Hitherto we have spoken of the two first generall parts of this psalme viz. The complaint of Moses and the people that they put up unto God now in the wildernesse in great affliction and distresse vers 1 2. Secondly the Narration of the frailty and misery of man from the third verse to the 11. Now in the 12. ver and so to the end of this Psalme He comes to the third and last generall of this Psalme and that is the prayer of Moses and the rest of the people of God put up to God for grace and mercy And this prayer of theirs hath in it two parts 1. They beg for reconciliation againe with God ver 13. Return O Lord how long c. 2. They pray for the happy fruits and effects of Gods favour and reconciliation from verse 17. to the end of the Psalme Teach us O Lord to number our daies c. In this v. we have their first petition wherein Moses this man of God prayeth that the Lord would make them to consider of the shortnesse and uncertainty of their time that so they might be wise to provide for their latter end God seeing our life is so short so fraile and so momentary But as yesterday that is past as a watch in the night And that death comes as a flood unresistable and suddainly that our life is but as grasse and all our excellencies but as the flower of the field and our dayes but as a tale that is told And that we are so suddainly cut downe and we flye away that we may throughly consider of this brevitie shortnesse of our life and being here to the end that laying aside the excessive cares for the things of this life we may apply your hearts to wisedome that is to repent of our sins past to cast up our accounts and to provide for a better life where we have 1. the petition it self which Moses made for himselfe and in the behalfe of the people teach us O Lord to number our dayes 2 the end of this petition on the use of this request viz that we may apply our hearts to wisdome Note we first of all How Moses prayeth to God to teach him and the rest of the people of God to Number their dayes that is to be perswaded of the shortnesse of their time in this world and what shall become of their soule in Death hence we learne that Though God in his word hath plentifully taught us and experience daly before our eyes Doct. 1 We can not number our dayes unlesse God teach us doth confirme the same that our life is short fraile and momentary yet unlesse God become our Schoolemaster we shall herdly take out this lesson our foolish hearts are so ignorant of this knowledge as Christ said to Peter when he had made that confession of Christ Mat. 16.17 flesh and blood hath not revealed this unto thee but my father which is in heaven So no man by nature can attaine this knowledge to judge aright of the frailty and shorinesse of his life but must have God to be his teacher from whom every good gift Iam. 1.17 and perfect gift proceedeth How earnest is David with God to teach him this lesson Lord make me know my end and the measure of my dayes what it is Psa 39.4 that
this was Eliah called the Chariot and Horseman of Israel because his prayers were so powerfull with God Secondly Use 2 this lets people know what a high esteem they ought to have of faithfull Ministers Let men so account of us saith Paul as the Ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God They are the Josephs that God hath sent into the land to open the Lords granaries to preserve the souls of Gods people from spirituall famine Had it not been that God had had these Moses Aaron Phineas Jeremie and Daniel amongst us and such faithfull ones that had stood in the gap Englands sin had brought Englands ruine before this day How forcible were the prayers of Abraham to spare the Sodomites What had God done at his request if there had been but ten righteous found in those Cities How did Moses bind the hands of God by his prayers when his wrathfull displeasure was ready to break out against the people Surely our daies of Humiliation Exod. 32.10 and our seeking of God have not returned in vain But God hath heard us And for the sake of some few in this Land God hath deferred his wrath that England hath not been a Boachim a Land of mourning and desolation And what may England now expect when these that have been the Chariots and Horsemen of our Israel and have hitherto stood in the gap and for whose sake the Lord hath spared the Land When these I say shall be judged the troublers of Israel as they that are the greatest Enemies of Englands peace Surely this high contempt of the Ministry of England this day is that which prognosticates no good to England this day This may serve to mind us of the Ministry of a necessary duty that belongs unto our calling Use 3 viz. that wee be frequent and oft in this duty of prayer not onely at Sermon time to begin and end the same with prayer which the most do But even in private to bee earnest Solicitors to the Throne of grace in the behalfe of our people What blessing can wee look for from God upon that Sermon that God is not sought unto by prayer I am sure it is not the least comfort that many a Faithfull Minister of Christ reapes to himself his conscionable discharge of this duty of private prayer for his Flock When he receives but little comfort in his publick Ministry And that Minister that minds onely preaching and neglects this duty of prayer may well question his owne heart that hee aims more at his own glory then Gods And last of all this may serve for Exhortation Use 4 That seing prayer is such an essentiall Duty of a faithfull Ministry and such as are teachers of the people should pray for the people And that by this meanes many mercies have beene obtained and many judgments have been removed this should move us all that are the Ministers of the word to be much in prayer Es 62.2 to give the Lord no rest untill he have mercy upon Sion Let us that be the Lords Remembrancers and the Watchmen of the Lords Flock never give the Lord rest nor let him bee still till we see that hee shall in mercy remove his Judgments which lie heavy upon us for our sins Let us that are the Watch-men of Israel take heed that the Lord put not up against us that wofull complaint Eze. 22.30 I sought for a man that should have made up the hedge and stood in the gap before me for the Land that I might not destroy them But I found none therefore have I poured out my indignation upon them and consumed them with the fire of my wrath What shall then become of those that should make up the hedge and stand in the gap to stay the wrath of God That shall be hedge-breakers and open a gap by their sinns their negligence and carelesnesse their scandalous lives How fearfull will Gods anger be against such one day as wee may see in that Chapter A Prayer of Moses the man of God THE last particular in the title is the time when Moses composed this prayer The time when Moses made this prayer viz. when the Church and people of God were in great affliction and distress now in the Wilderness being almost wasted and consumed with the plague and pestilence and other Judgements of God upon them for their sins Now in asmuch as they make this their onely refuge to fly unto God by prayer Doct. 4 The time of affliction is the time of prayer The Doctrine is That the time of affliction is the the time of prayer This Moses and the people of God at this time make their onely Refuge to fly unto God to humble themselves before him and intreat the pardon of their sinns and that the Lord would turn away his wrath and return again in favour and mercy towards them and indeed this is the Argument of this Psalm And this is such a remedy as the Lord himself prescribes Ps 50.15 Call upon me in the day of trouble and I will hear thee and deliver thee Where the Lord prescribes this as the chiefest remedy and refuge in times of calamity and distress To seek unto God by prayer This doth Moses and the people of God at this time of great affliction and distresse when they were almost wasted and consumed with the Plague and Pestilence they fly unto God as their onely Refuge in this time of distresse And this hath been the practice of Gods Church and people in all ages The Jewes in Hesters time when Haman had laid his plot utterly to destroy them Hest 4. they make God their Refuge Thus when Senacherib sent a mighty Host against Hezechiah and his people 2 Reg. 19.17 2 Cron. 20. He spreads his blasphemous letters before the Lord and makes an earnest prayer unto God Thus was it with good King Jehosophat when the Ammonits Moabits came up against them that hee and his people were at that straight that they knew not what to do or which way to turne themselves yet flying unto God by prayer were delivered And this the Lord himselfe doth witnesse unto when he saith Hos 5.14 I will be unto Ephraim as a Lyon and as a young Lyon to the house of Judah c. till they acknowledge their offences and seek my face for in their affliction they will seek me early And so indeed they did for immediately they call on one another and provoke one another Come let us return unto the Lord Hos 6.1 for he hath wounded us and he will heale us And if wee look into particular Examples wee shall find that Gods servants in their greatest straights have still had recourse to God Jonas in the Whales belly Ion 2.1 2. Out of the belly of Hell cryed I and thou heardst my voice Manasses albeit in the time of his prosperity he forgat God 2 Chron. 33. yet in his
Lord withdrawes the comfort and feeling of his loving kindness and mercy from them and they apprehend the anger of God against them for their sins It is wonderfull to see how the servants of God at such times are cast down and humbled yea they are not then able to pray nor to call God Father but be for a time in a trance and as it were overwhelmed in the sence of Gods displeasure and for their lives cannot lift up their voice to God in prayer Now in such a case as this what is the comfort of a poor distressed soul thus humbled and amazed and cast down But to make their moane and complaint to God as Moses doth here Tell the Lord that thou canst not pray as thou desirest Complain unto the Lord and say O Lord what wilt thou have me to do wilt thou leave thy servant thus Say with Jehosophat I know not what to do Lord 2 Chron. 20.12 but my eyes are upon thee If we can but complain thus and mourn thus for our misery this is an earnest prayer in Gods sight as this of Moses and of David and Hezekiah Tell me you that are tender hearted Parents have not the sighs and moans and groans of your little Infants moved your bowells within you to pitty and compassion towards them as ever the requests that they have made unto you O the Lord doth as much yea more then you can do this way the very sighs and groans and tears of his children prevail with him much more than their words can The Lord is said to hear the groaning of the Prisoner Psal 102.20 Esay 38.5 Psal 39. And of Hezekiah I have seen thy tears And Hold not thy peace at my tears And I doubt not but Gods people have found as much comfort in their sighs and groanes and tears as in their requests in prayer Yet we must take heed that we abuse not this comfort to make us the more negligent and sloathfull in the duty of prayer in the times of health and prosperity No then we ought with all freedome of heart and tongue to exercise our selves in this duty But this comfort belongs unto such as in times of affliction are not able to perform the duty And this serves to discover unto us the misery of all wicked and ungodly men Use 2 what comfort can such have in times of affliction and distresse that cannot pray Prov. 28.9 He that turneth away his ears from hearing the Law even his prayers shall be abominable And as the Lord saith Ezek. 8.18 Therefore will I deal in fury my eye shall not spare neither will I have pitty and though they cry with a loud voice I will not hear them O the misery of a poor creature when God shall shut out his prayers and if they do pray that the Lord should make no more account of them then the howling of a dog Hos 9.4 for how can that prayer be effectuall when the person is not accepted 'T is true wicked men have sometimes good motions in them but they last not like that of Balaam O that my soul might dye the death of the righteous Thus in times of sicknesse and distresse the wicked may pray but these wishes and desires of theirs proceed only from some light in the understanding but not out of any affection in the heart and so quickly vanish away like the morning dew Hos 6.4 And hence is it that the Lord will laugh when the destruction of such a one commeth Whereas the complaints the sighs and groans of a broken heart proceeding from humiliation for sin and sence of Gods displeasure and a hope of Gods promises preserves the soule in life and sends it to God as a sure refuge in times of trouble So that the only hope to finde mercy and deliverance in time of trouble belongs to a godly and an humbled soul that formerly hath had acquaintance with God Iob 22.21 The prayers and sighs and groans of such onely are heard Lord thou hast been our habitation from generation to generation In this first verse we have the first part of their complaint And the words beare this sence q.d. O Lord thou hast been gracious to our forefathers to Abraham Isaak and Jacob and to other ages and generations after them thou wast a covert and defence unto them when they pitched their Tents from place to place and travelled from Country to Country Thou commandest saying Touch not my Annointed Ps 105.15 and do my Prophets no harm But thou dealest not so gratiously with us that are their posterity wee are in great affliction and distresse yea for our Rebellions and sins thou hast left us and goest not before us as thou didst with our Forefathers So that this was it that humbled Moses and the people of God at this time when they saw that their estate was far otherwise then their Forefathers and that God did not now deal so gratiously with them as hee did with their Forefathers Hence note That when a Nation Doct. 2 When a people decay in glory then it is time to seek to God Church or people decaies in beauty in riches in glory or strength then it is time high time and more then time to make their complaints to God to bee humbled for their sins and to meet the Lord by unfained repentance When a Nation or people upon whom his name hath been called where the Gospell hath been preached and his ordinances have been duly administred where God hath heretofore declared his presence When such a Nation or people shall decay in their former beauty and glory when the glory of Religion shall begin to be Eclipsed by Sects and Heresies that shall increase daily in the Church and when God by many apparent signes shall seem to depart from such a people in gard of his wonted presence then it is high time for such a people to humble themselves and to meet the Lord by repentance Thus did Moses and the people here when the judgements of God were upon them and they saw that it was far otherwise with them then with their Forefathers it was then high time to put up their complaints to God Lam. 1.12 35. Psal 107. Hereby the Lord wil make us know that hee is not tyed to any Nation Reas 1 Church or people no longer then they keep Covenant with him and walk in obedience before him as we may see of this Nation of the Jewes and those famous Churches of Corinth Ephesus Philippi Colosse c. once glorious and flourishing Churches but now have the Candlestick removed from them The Lord many times doth lay his hand upon a Nation and people to this very end Reas 2 to humble them and to make them looke home to humble them and to cause them to meet the the Lord by repentance for this end the Lord made the prodigall to tast of a Famine that was such a wanton in times of prosperity
soul will be humbled for It is not enough for men to sorrow and repent for open notorious and scandalous sins such as are Murther Whoredome Drunkennesse c. But our repentance must reach to lesser sins that is such sins as we have committed in secret that never came to the view of the world To clear this Take we notice first of all of Davids Example and Practice herein When Nathan by his parable had convinced him of his sins of Adultery and Murther and that his heart smote him for the same these sins he acknowledgeth 2 Sam. 12.13 I have sinned saith he against the Lord. And how heavy the guilt of those sins lay upon his soul Ps 51. we may see in that penitential Psalme of his by his manner of begging pardon Wash me cleanse me blot out restore me to the joy of my salvation c. Yet as though all this were not enough he accuseth himself of that which Nathan did not by acknowledging the very root and spawn of all those evils ver 5. saying Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me David will no longer flatter himself in his sinful courses and secret sins but confesseth all and begs pardon of all Ps 19.12 Cleanse thou me from my secret faults O how ready are these wretched hearts of ours to deceive us in this particular If our hearts smite us and our consciences accuse us for some grosse sin or other that we have committed and the world cries shame of and we confesse the same to God and beg pardon for it we think all is well In the mean time there is a world of wickednesse that lies hid in the soul we see not Gen. 6. the very thoughts and imaginations of our hearts being evil continually and all our righteousness even our best duties themselves are as a menstruous cloth and When we have done all that we can we are unprofitable servants and have cause to pray with good Nehemiah Neh. 13.21 O my God pardon me according to the greatness of thy mercy And without this sense of the universal depravity of our Natures and of those secret sins that cleave to us in our best duties our pronenesse to all evil our indisposition to any thing that is good the blindnesse of our Understanding the rebellion of our Wills the disorder of our Affections and that indeed we carry about us a very Body of sin and can be humbled for these and repent of these as well as for our grosse sins we are strangers to godly sorrow and true repentance And the first Reason may be taken from the nature of true Grace Reas 1 and godly sorrow for sin If this be true sincere and unfained it will set it self against every sin and will work an universal change in the whole man at least in an unfained desire and endevour in the heart though by and by it cannot subdue and bring under every sin yet it will set it self against it and will be humbled for it The nature of true Grace is to make the inside cleane as the outside it worketh faith in the soul and it is the nature of faith to purifie the heart Acts 15.9 and the heart being clean and pure the thoughts the words and actions of the life will in some good measure be sutable May be taken from the nature of God Reas 2 who is Omniscient and is privy to all our sins even to the most secret windings and turnings in the heart of man as it is in this Text Thou hast set our secret sins in the light c. There is nothing that ever we did but the Lord is privy to it Ps 119.168 Ps 139.4 All my wayes saith David are before thee there is not a word in my tongue but thou O Lord knowest it altogether and Job acknowledgeth Iob 42.4 There is no thought hid from thee And as the Lord sees and observes our wayes so he will not fail to judge every man according to his works 2 Cor. 5.10 Eccl. 12.14 And will bring every work to judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or evil So then whether we consider the nature of true Grace that albeit it cannot subdue every corruption by and by yet will it set it self against all and is humbled for all or that God sees and beholds our most secret sins and will not fail to punish them This shews the Doctrine to be clear That godly sorrow and true repentance doth reach to the most secret sins This serves to discover unto us in what a miserable estate and condition many in the world are in at this day Use 1 and how far they are from true repentance that flatter themselves that so long as they are not notorious sinners Drunkards Swearers openly prophane c. and are not guilty of such sins as all the world cries shame of they thinke they shall doe well enough O how far are such from the grace of true Repentance whose property is to set it self against our most secret corruptions since our most secret sins are such as the Lord will most severely reckon for Moses sin for the which the Lord would not suffer him to come into the land of Canaan was a secret sin in his heart yet how severely did the Lord punish this sin in his servant And Peter with Simon Magus to pray Acts 8. If perhaps the thought of his heart might be forgiven him So that there is no true repentance when men are not humbled for their most secret sins And Gods children that have the truth of grace in their hearts are as much humbled for their secret sins for their privy and close sins their sinful thoughts and lusts of their hearts hypocrisie neglect of duties coldnesse in prayer c. they be oft brought upon their knees for these And this shews the folly and madnesse of those likewise that if they can but commit their sins in the night when none can see them as to steale commit Adultery c. think all is well whereas though thou mayest hide thy sins from men yet even thy most close and secret sins are open and naked in the sight of God his All-seeing eyes were then upon thee he took thee in the manner Rev. 1.17 His eyes are like a flame of fire and his feet like fine brasse He sees in the darkest night and into the most secret corner and he will not fail to punish the sinner Seeing it is so sure a note of godly sorrow and true Repentance Use 2 to be humbled for lesser sins as greater for secret sins as those that are openly committed This may serve to justifie the wayes and courses of the godly against all those scoffs and taunts of wicked and gracelesse ones daily cast upon them for piety sake that they are so strict and so precise in every thing even in matters of the smallest moment that they love
dispensation to dispose of his people that many times we are no sooner rid of one misery but there comes another in its room yet at last the Lord gives peace And who doth not finde this true by experience in himselfe sometimes to feel much joy and comfort in himselfe yet by and by either by some sin that they have fallen into or by some cloud of affliction or other that joy is eclipsed and to be lost for a time As we see the trees in winter seem to be dead as though they would never grow again yet when the spring comes the heat of the sun revives them again So many a dear child of God either by some sin committed for want of keeping a stricter watch and walking more closely with God or by some storm and tempest of affliction and temptation seemes even to be void of comfort for a time yet when this winter and storm is over the presence of Gods love and favour cheers them up quickens their hearts Ps 6.38 and puts into them comfort and spirituall joy again Quest But what may be the Reasons why the Lord should thus be pleased to exercise his children in this life with such alterations and changes Ans I answer Reas 1 One reason may be from our selves There is such a world of corruption that lies lurking in our hearts that albeit we have tasted and seen how sweet the Lord is which should teach us for ever to walk both humbly and holily before him and to be afraid to offend him and provoke him lest his loving kindnesse should be turned into frowns and displeasure Yet alas we are many times what with the temptations of Sathan and our own inward corruptions so hurried about that we are often drawn to dishonour God and fall into those sins that turn his favours into frowns as it was the case of David after he had sinned so hainously he lost much of that comfort he had formerly felt and is fain to beg hard that God would restore him again to the joy of his salvation Ps 51.12 Secondly Reas 2 the miseries and afflictions of Gods children serve to set out the abundant riches of Gods mercy The more desperate the cure is the more obliged is the Patient to the Physitian And when the Lord shall raise us up from the depth of misery whereinto our sins have plunged us and give us comfort and deliverance this works abundance of love and thankfulnesse Mary loved much because many sins were forgiven her And David can say I Love the Lord becanse hee hath heard the voice of my weeping And thirdly herein and hereby Reas 3 the Lord will shew the priviledges of his people above all wicked and ungodly ones his Children either in darknesse they see light or after darknesse they shall see light Whereas of the wicked it is found true They cryed Ps 18.41 but there was none to save them even to the Lord but he answered them not Let us apply this Seeing our condition here is so variable and changable Vse 1 at one time full of joy at another time full of sorrow c. It shall bee our wisdom to take heed to our hearts how we pitch our Tabernacle here as to think that that health peace or prosperity that somtimes we enjoy is built upon such a foundation that will not be shaken It was Davids case to be ready to fall asleep upon his bed of worldly pomp and ease I said in my prosperity I shall never be removed thou Lord of thy goodnesse hast made my hill so strong But God-awakened him out of that sleep as he saith Thou didst turn away thy face from me and I was sore troubled We may sometimes have the joy of faith but it may quickly be clouded with infidelity we may now be full of hope by and by our hearts may be filled with fear now we may have a glimpse of Gods Tabernacle by and by his back parts are turned towards us As the flesh Iusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh so the graces of God themselves within us are continually in combat The consideration whereof should wean us from the world and make us more mindeful of that life where all tears shal be wiped away from our eyes and sin from our souls for whatsoever we here have and enjoy is movable but that Inheritance fadeth not Secondly Use 2 seeing the estate of Gods children in this Word is so uncertain and changable somtimes joy sometime heavinesse somtimes comfort somtime sorrow It should teach us this wisdom to take heed that we do not despair as if we were utterly cast off of God when the Lord seems thus to frown upon us But rather when wee have lost the comfortable feeling of his love and lost our hold of God seek again unto him for comfort as David did Ps 51.12 Restore me to the joy of thy Salvation and Make me to hear the voice of joy and of gladnesse that the bones which thou hast brâ—ken may rejoyce And where we have got it to make more accompt of it and to apply it to our souls Seeing what comfort we have in the feeling of Gods love Use 3 may not only be dimmed and weakned by our sins but even overwhelmed and Eclipsed as when a cloud hides the light and the heat of the Sun from us O how carefull then ought we to be of sin that we never dare-willingly and wilfully to put our hands to sin that robs us of our joy and comfort this will rob us of our comfort in prayer in finging of Psalmes in hearing and in all duties for the present and bring horror and terror in the soul instead thereof Certainly he is but a titular Christian that doth not find this true by experience in himself Hast thou been bold to sin against thy God to lie to deceive to commit uncleannesse c. Thou shalt presently feel thy joy and comfort for the present clouded and eclipsed till by repentance the breach be made up again betwixt God and thy soul and God becomes again reconciled All duty in publick and private will have little relish in them and yield but small comfort till thou hast been at the Throne of grace and there begged pardon and made thy peace O then let us dread sin that robs us of our comfort and overwhelms our soules with griefe and sorrow And last of all Vse 4 seeing the estate and condition of Gods Children in this life is subject to such alterations and changes This may stay us at this time wherein the Lord is pleased to suspend our desired comfort in rendring our Parliaments one after another thus successelesse and that Reformation in Church and State which our eyes have so long desired to see yet retarded and Sects and Heresies to make head amongst us threatning daily some farther distemper in the body politique of our State if not confusion at last Yet let us stay our selves upon
some to merit some to be seene of men pharisaical like c. And do not thefe things for Gods sake to honour God with their substance can have no comfort at all in it And thy glory unto their Children Here we have the second end of their petition and request made unto God for protection viz that it might not only fare well with them but also with their posteritie and the Church of God that should live after them From whence we learne Doct. 5 that it is the duty of all Godly Christians We ought to take care of the Church after our dayes to have a speciall care of the Church of God after their departure that when we are dead and gone yet our seed and posterity after us may likewise flourish and be in a good estate How earnest is David for the Church that it might prosper and flourish O be favorable to Sion Psa 51.18 build thou the wals of Jerusalem Where David prayes for all heavenly blessings and graces for the Church That God would repaire the decayed estate of it and fence it about with the wals of his protection against the Churches enemies And this hath been the speciall care of Gods people in all their prayers to pray for the good of Gods Church and people Even after their dayes that it might prosper and flourish As for such as are the enemies of the Church he prophecyeth vengeance against them They that hate Sion shal be ashamed Psal 12.9 By all which he sheweth his exceeding care he had of the Church And such was that tender affection that good Nehemiah bare towards the Church of God That when he heard by those poore Jewes Nehem. 1 that came to the Pallace at Shusan for reliefe by whom he understood the miseries of the Church that was at Jerusalem He sat downe and wept and mourned and fasted and besought God for his Church We are all members of one and the same mysticall body the Church Reas 1 and if a man be a true member of this body he cannot but desire the welfare of the whole Secondly the welfare of a State and Kingdome is lapped up in the happie and florishing estate of the Church Reas 2 It cannot be well with the right side when there is a plurifie in the left miserable is the estate of those Princes and common weales that labour not for the prosperitie of the Church and Gospell Religion hath beene a friend to Princes when Princes have not beene friends to Religion in the Churches peace they have peace When there is no order but confusion in the Church Princes can never looke to be truly setled on their thrones This condemnes them as no true members of the Church of God Vse 1 that respect not the walls of Jerusalem but their owne walls that so they may build up their owne houses leave the house of God desolate that mind themselves in their prayers but seldom mind the Church that it may flourish when they are gone Moses Josuah and David Deut. 33. los 24. their greatest care was for the Churches welfare after their dayes that the generations to come might serve the Lord. And surely there is no religion where the coutinuance of religion for our posteritie is not thought upon The Lord knows this duty is little thought upon at this day now that Religion is ready to take her wings and fly away though we see the enemies busie to sow tares and sects and Heresies increase upon us all threatning ruine as if the Lord had a purpose to lay his vineyard waste Yet how few lay the Churches miseries to heart Doubtlesse the great securitie that is amongst all even amongst professors themselves this day ' are sad Omens and presages that God is not far off with some further judgment then yet we have tasted of It shall be our wisdome then to make more conscience of this duty Vse 2 to beg hard at the throne of grace that the Lord would not remove his candlestick from amongst us but continue his Gospell still amongst us and to our posterities after us even to the comming of Christ that we may never see nor our posteritie after us Popery or Heresie set up and countenanced but that God would still dwell amongst us owne us for his Church and people that his glorious Gospell Englands glory may not depart from us And thy glory to their children THere is one thing more observable in these words that they which in the former part of this Psalme lay as it were in the gulfe of despaire as not worthy to open their lips to God for themselves Yet now are bold not only to pray for themselves but for the Church of God and their children and posteritie afer them Hence we are taught that poore sinners Doct. 9 Sinners cannot pray for themselves noâ— others Pro. 28.9 whilst they live in their sins and are not reconciled to God can neither pray for themselves nor for others But upon their Repentance and reconciliation to God can pray for themselves and others The sacrifice of the wicked is abomination to the Lord but the prayers of the righteous are his delight Iob. 9.31 God heareth not sinners And ye as living stones Heb. 13.16 are made a spirituall house c. To offer up spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God thorough Jesus Christ Till we become living stones in Gods Temple there is no accepting of our sacrifices we offer up to God The Lord had first respect unto Abel and then to his Sacrifices where the person is not accepted the sacrifice is rejected And the reasons are First every unregenerate man is called a stranger and an enemy to God Reas 1 Ye that were strangers and enemies to God c. Eph. 2.19 Now things done by strangers are not much looked upon but by Enemies are no whit regarded Secondly whilest a man lies in an impenitent estate and in his sin Reas 2 not being reconciled to God such can ask nothing at Gods hand by vertue of any promise for God hath not made any promise to the wicked unlesse it be of Hell and of wrath but all the promises are made over to the faithfull in Christ In whom all the promises are Yea and amen But now when a wicked man shall turne from his wickednesse and by repentance come to be reconciled to God he may goe boldly to the Throne of grace and beg mercy not only for himselfe but for others There is no way to be heard of God in prayer but first to be at peace with God and reconciled unto him How may this stir up every Soul speedily to returne unto God Vse 1 by repentance and to seeke reconciliation againe with him that so they may come boldly to the Throne of grace to beg mercy in time of need for our selves and the Church for without this we cannot looke to obtaine any thing at Gods had For wanting faith whereby we lay